2 weeks old

I cannot believe that Barrett has been with us for 2 whole weeks. This week has been full of learning. It has been amazing to get to know this little person better and get to experience his sweetness. He had one really bad day on Wednesday where he pretty much cried (make that screamed) most of the day. Nursing was especially difficult because he would be hungry and wouldn't be able to calm down enough to eat so he would get really hysterical. I can't figure out whether he was upset because his schedule was thrown a bit or whether I ate something? I had some gastro-intensinal issues so I am wondering if they translated to him? Darn the people who came and visited us with sicknesses (not that I don't love visitors) - it affected my milk supply and everything. I was drinking massive amounts of water just to try to keep enough flowing for him - but the pumping after every feed hasn't been happening as he is eating from both sides just to end up satisfied which wasn't the case earlier in the week.

At 2 weeks:

• Stats - 9lbs 9oz (74%), 22 inches (90%), Head 54%
• He is eating every 2 hours during the day - I find that if I feed him every 2 hours during the day, he doesn't have to "ask" to eat and doesn't cry but he is ready and hungry. He is a much better eater this way because he is not upset. 
• Eats every 4.5 hours at night - I know I said I would never wake an infant if he wanted to sleep longer, but I have found that again, if I wake him up at 4.5 hours, he is not frantic and will eat, we change him and then he is back to bed. Update - had 2 nights this week where he woke up every 2 or 3 hours - likely due to the 1inch in length growth spurt - holy growing little man!
• We go to bed around 8pm - he eats, sleeps until 12:30am eats and gets changed, sleeps until 4:30am eats and gets changed and then sleeps until 8:30am and eats again. Of course Wednesday was a complete disaster and he cried every 2 hours at night and was just hysterical during each feed so this schedule is not perfectly consistent perse- but it is pretty on point. 
• He wants to do things himself, even if he doesn't know how. He wants to latch on by himself but continues to push against me with his top side arm when he tries to latch. 
• He loves to be held on our chests
• He loves to be walked around
• We took our first walk on Tuesday in the Bjorn with Trooper and he did great. He loved the bjorn. Weather permitting, we would like to go again, it has been raining non stop all week. Bummer. 
• Loves his swing
• Loves the bounce chair and sits in it when I take a shower
• Loves MAM pacifiers which are available at Target
• Is great with sponge baths if done after eating while he is still "milk drunk"
• Is wearing size 1 diapers
• Wears size newborn sleep shirts, 3 month carters jammies, 0-3 month gap clothes - he is in 3 month clothes because of his length. He is far too long for newborn clothes. 
• His cord fell off and there was additional undried cord underneath so we have to keep him in shirts that allow for it to dry up - he can now have real baths!
• Does tummy time and doesn't seem to mind it too much, will cry a bit after he has been on his tummy for too long. Can turn his head from side to side and hold his head up. Can push with his feet and "scoot" to the top of the blanket. Loves to look outside when he is doing tummy time. 
• Sleeps with his "sleep sheep" which is a white noise machine that is amazing. We like the ocean and stream settings the most. 
• Sleeps the first two long stretches of the night in his carseat which we keep in the co-sleeper next to our bed and sleeps the last stretch in bed next to me because Nick is gone. Still does not like to sleep on his back. We swaddle him but leave his arms out of the swaddle and he does very well. 
• Is a very content baby and has only had 1 rough day and a few moments where he has cried really hard. Mostly, he just likes to cuddle up with someone. 
• Runs hot and will cry if he gets too hot and will have to be cooled down by stripping naked. 

Whats up with me:

• I am down to 160lbs, I have 15 to go to get to my pre-pregnancy weight but I would like to get back to 140 eventually because I was a bit higher than normal when I got pregnant. 
• I am left with some stretch marks - hopefully these will go away...
• I am still sweating like crazy at night and have to change the sheets at least every other day. I am hoping that my hormones go back to normal soon. I have to drink way too much water to try to counteract the sweating and it is getting a bit old. 
• Definitely have a ponch that I need to work off. I have a feeling abs aren't going to cut it - good old fashioned HIIT is going to have to do it. (For those not familiar, HIIT is High Intensity Interval Training - it is good old fashioned Intervals...) These will have to wait at least 6 weeks from delivery and even then, I want to be cognizant of my milk supply - hopefully I can do this and still be able to feed my kiddo?
• I am trying to pump at least 3 times per day which equates to 21 bags of milk per week. I don't know what I am saving up for, but it is always nice to have a stockpile of milk. 
• Balancing home life with an every 2 hour feeding is definitely interesting. Between pumping and feeding, approximately 20-40 minutes out of every hour are filled with feeding related matters. That doesn't leave much time for anything. Good thing I mastered whirlwind cleaning before I was ever pregnant. 
• I am slowly fitting in some of my pre-pregnancy clothes. My chest size is waaaaaay bigger than before and I wonder if they will ever go back - if not, either I need breast reduction surgery or a new wardrobe. I am thinking ultimately, if they don't go back - and when we are SURE we are done having kids, I will get them reduced because honestly, I don't love having huge boobs, they aren't practical for being active and honestly, I like the fit and toned look better than the playboy skinny look. I guess we will just have to wait and see what the future holds for that region of my body. 
• My C-section is healing really well and I am not taking anything for pain or swelling. Good job on the surgery Doc B!!

Hanging with my doggie

On my way to my 2 week appointment

Hot baby, hanging out with dad

Going for my first walk with mom in the Bjorn, loved it!

aaaaand, the aftermath, ponchly and un-retouched...I see abs and cardio in my future. Lets just call it swelling for now :)