First weeks home...

I can't believe it has almost been 2 weeks since Alaina has been born. She already fits into our lives so easily (well--mine and Rob's--she is still figuring her way into Ky's.)

First of all I wanted to add some happenings at the hospital that I forgot in the last blog...and then I will wrap up with her new life at home.

The Friday after Alaina's birth, Rob and Ky had come for a visit and they had stepped out of the room. Ky had to go potty, but didn't want to go in my room. Baby Alaina was laying down very peacefully in her bassinet and I was finishing going through discharge paperwork (hoping they would discharge me a day early.) All of a sudden I begin hearing gagging noises from Alaina. I ran over to her bassinet and she projectiled vomited in her bassinet and then continued to choke. I picked her up and began patting her on her back. This is when I noticed the color of her vomit was bloody. She still was choking and I really began to panic. I ran into the bathroom and yanked the emergency cord. She was still choking and spewing (it was all over my bed, myself, her...) It seemed like it was FOREVER before the nurses came. They then took over and were able to finish clearing her system. HOW SCARY! I was in tears. It took some time for me to calm down. Turns out she just had birthing junk still stuck in her lungs--and it was finally making its way out--in a very nasty way. WHEW! This child scared me two too many times in her short life though. First the emergency C-section and then this. Since then she has been really easy and no more scares (thank goodness!)

I did get discharged a day early! YEAH! I was cruising the halls and dancing a little jig--anything to convince them that I was ready to go home. I was miserable at the hospital. They wanted me to stay another day and get some rest--but I had people coming in my room on average 3 times an hour--there was no way I was getting rest there. I took 15 minute shower one day and had 2 people walk in my room. How insane!

The day of my discharge they took out my staples. Turns out my incision did not seal as nicely as it did last time. As a result I have this large gaping hole type area on my left side. Sound gross? Yeah it is. The skin did not meet up evenly, so I actually have 2-3 cm of raw flesh that is exposed...Told you it was gross! They let me go home anyway with an extra follow-up. They said that it will take a lot longer to heal in that area, but it will be okay. I have to wait for new skin to develop over that area. Yuck--it is really nasty.

Alaina has been very easy so far. She wakes every 2-4 hours at night. I think she is easier because we feel more prepared this time. During the day she will sleep anywhere, however, at night she MUST sleep in our bed. You put her in her bassinet and she cries, you put her in our bed she stops. If you put her down in her bassinet asleep, she will wake up and cry until the minute you put her in our bed. I don't mind. She is only going to be this little for so long. Not to mention in a couple of months we will be kicking her out of our room anyway.

If Alaina is fussy it is either because, A.) she wants to be in our bed with us, B.) She's hungry and you ignored/didn't notice the hunger cues prior to the crying, C.) She's gassy. This makes for a pretty happy baby overall. Today we just remember Mylicon. Ahh...yes...so now C.) should be getting eliminated soon! Alaina has 2 nicknames--Squeaks---she squeaks like a mouse (remember Ky was goatboy--because he bleeted like a goat) and "Sweet Cheeks"--this one is self-explanatory--just look at those chubby cheeks!

Here are some of those important baby stats. When Alaina was discharged (3 days old) she weighed 7 lb 12 oz. At her follow-up (5 day check up) she weighed 8 lb 4 oz (they claim she gained about a 1/2 lb in 2 days--I think something was wrong with one of the scales.) At this check-up she was in the 67% for weight and 73% for her height (20.5"). At her 2 week appointment she weighed 9 lb 1 oz (76% for weight) and her height was 21.5" (87%).

The doc thinks Alaina may have thrush--so we are currently treating her for that. In the hospital her feedings were 30 - 40 minutes and since we have been home she only nurses 4 - 8 minutes--which means she also wants to eat more often. We will see if this changes now that she is on meds otherwise I will need to see a lactation consultant next week. Clearly with her weight gain she is getting enough to eat, however the tiny meals are keeping her from sleeping for longer periods of time (however last night she slept for 5 hours straight!) I personally wonder if she just has a smaller tummy and now that my milk has come in she just can't stay on for too long. I guess we will wait and see.

Here's a funny. I was feeding Alaina the other night and went to burp her when I realized that she had a lump in her chest. So I get Rob all concerned about it, when I discover another lump. Turns out my child has breasts! Can you see how unprepared for this I was!? I clearly have not been around very many girls--the thought never occurred to me that little girls are born with the beginnings of a chest. Sorry Alaina for the embarassment of this blog--but I am sure someday you will discover this with your daughter too!

Ky has been slowly adjusting to having Alaina in his life. He is very moody. One minute he is happy the next he is crying. This has been very hard on him. He also is making accidents (only

at home though!) to get our attention. The other night he sat on the couch next to me (as I was feeding Alaina) and he said "I'm peeing!" That little booger! We are going to begin a reward or ignore system with him to attempt to get him back on track. Both Rob and I do NOT want to put him back in diapers when he is perfectly capable of pottying. I am going to create a chart and everytime he goes at home successfully he gets a sticker and we make a big deal out of it verbally. Five sticker = a prize. If he has an accident we will not speak a single word to him--but will change his clothes. We talked to our pediatrician and she said that he is having accidents merely to get our attention. So hopefully if we don't say anything to him when he has an accident he will find it much more rewarding to just go like he has been. I will update my next blog on if this works or not.

So I am driving again! Yeah! Just started yesterday. My incision looks like it is on the right track--though will be a long time until it heals over. My weight is good, less than 10 lbs to lose! And I am getting more energy back and have just been given the okay to ease my way back into exercising--though I am not allowed to lift anything.

This morning I went on my first adventure with the 2 kids to the store. We were there about an hour and it went well. Alaina slept the whole time, and Ky was excellent. Because of my lifting restriction I could not put Ky in the cart so he got to walk--thank goodness I have already worked with him a lot on staying with me. He did great! Ky might have even thought it was like "old times" since Alaina was sleeping and not really in the picture for our journey.

My other big concern with 2 kids is how I am going to stay on top of housework, cooking, and educating my kids. I will have to see how it goes. For now I do little to none of the three above. Ky has been a struggle at home (though when we are out he is great!) and then I am tired when it is nap time and need to rest myself. ARGH! It has only been 2 weeks though. Hopefully I can get this figured out by the end of my 6 week period when Rob goes back to work full time and I go back to work at the Y. Just leaving the house is such a big ordeal anymore. It takes close to 2 hours to get both kids ready and out the door. I guess we will wait and see. I know there are shortcuts I just haven't caught onto yet--and when Alaina gets older and Ky adjusts to her presence things will also be easier.

Updates on kids...Ky is continually seeking attention. He interrupts us when we are talking and then when we ask him "what?" he says "Something...about....actually....Baby Dominic, Aunt Lisa..." and then he keeps listing people he knows. He is silly. "Actually" is a pretty common theme when he talks now though. Thomas the train has become very important to Ky. He knows almost all the characters. I have been stocking up on Thomas toys over the past several months for Christmas. They are expensive toys--but I love how the videos are not too action packed--and each story teaches a lesson.

We also have begun renting some of the old school Sesame Street videos from the library. I think Rob and I are enjoying them more than Kylan. It is so cool that I remember the many characters and little clips.

Alaina recognizes both Rob and I now. This is shortly after the 3 week mark. She looks at us with recognition and will excitedly kick and move and make faces, including smiles. Her hair is also beginning to recede (just like Ky's). I am sorry to see her dark locks go. I think she will end up being another blondey like Ky.

Well that is all for now. More updates soon...

PS--Liz--the beret pic is for you! too cute!