4 weeks into life with our new family

Ok, I am finally getting around to an update!!!

We are over the sickies!! Nothing like having fevers, then the flu, and then colds in the first two weeks of bringing home a newborn. Nothing like having your newborn get a cold! We are thankful that we seem to be through it and that Evangeline didn’t get the flu or have the cold develop into something worse.

Breast milk update for those who are interested. Evie is getting almost all of her nourishment from Mom! She nurses every 2 ½ - 3 hours and then gets ½ oz to 1 ½ oz of pumped breast milk. The only time she gets formula is at night IF she will take it. She usually refuses a supplement during those night feedings and I am not wasting any breast milk because it is like liquid gold, so formula is what we try! I pump 2-4 times a day and this gives me enough to give her a bottle and also store a little in the freezer.

With the exception of last night (we are still reeling), Evie has gotten into a night time routine more or less. She has a nice little fussy period before bed time, usually from about 8 - 10. She comfort nurses a lot, is bounced and danced around, and put to bed several times before settling in for the night. She wakes up to eat between midnight and 2 and then again around 5. She starts to wake up between 6:30 and 7:30 but will usually comfort nurse in bed for awhile. It is such a blessing to start nursing her in bed! This way, I can doze and she barely wakes up so it makes putting her back down easier. She still doesn’t latch on that great, but a little discomfort is worth the few minutes of extra sleep.

Phil and I both agree that number 3 is the hardest! It isn’t because Evie is a hard baby. In fact, she sleeps most of the time! Besides the obvious lack of sleep, nursing and supplementing takes up time usually spent with the other two and running a household. It is more difficult to watch Sawyer and Jubilee and train them when you are attending to the needs of newborn. What is difficult is keeping all the balls in the air! How do you give quality time to a 3 year old and 19 month old, do the minimal housework, get quick meals on the table, and take care of a tiny baby??

Next week will be my first real solo experience. Phil goes back to work on Tuesday and I become the keeper of my home again (Phil is such a great help with this)! I would like to have my weekly menu planned out, activities for the children set up, and a clean house to start out with. Organization and a plan is the key to me feeling successful. I am NOT a fly by the seat of my pants, deal with issues as they arise kind of gal. I like structure, routine, a plan AND a back up plan. This, by the way, is not realistic parenting. Learning to go with the flow and deal with chaos is something I am constantly working on.


Admiring my little sister/big brother

Dreaming of the symphony

It is hard work to be a baby

Looking at my mom

It is fun to be with Dad!

Because I love him so much!

Sisters

This is what I do when mom says, "Show me your smile".

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