Life With Baby Raine

11 weeks old already!

Dan started affectionately calling him "Buddy Bean," and that seems to be his sticking nickname. I also call him "Munchkin," "Pumpkin," and "Pooker." Rocco and Hobbes call him "That Thing That Cries. Ugh."

Ours is now officially a household of baby talk. Dan is really quite good at it; I was suprised. There is a lot of "Boo boo boo boo boo" and "Who's the cutest baby in the world?" We also make up songs and invent games and stories to entertain ourselves as much as Raine. This includes The Underwater Adventures of Turtle Boy, Riding the Motorcycle, Running to Meh-Hee-Co, and Fishing For a Baby.

He can now hold his head up on his own and smile!

Raine and I are successfully breastfeeding. It was a rough start; that is for sure. I had to pump a lot while he was in the NICU and the first two weeks to get a good supply going. I also had to figure out how the HECK my body was going to handle the demand. Not the demand for milk, but the PHYSICAL demand it took to feed him 8-10 times a day. The success rate for mothers with Fibromyalgia for breastfeeding isn't great. The combination of sleep deprivation and physical demand on my body to feed Raine has been the greatest difficulty I have had with this condition. It has truly felt like a nightmare at times. Dan and I tried to problem solve the crap out of it, too, just as you have to do with everything related to taking care of a new little human being. The use of multiple props helped (foot stool, Brest Friend nursing pillow, pillows for back and butt, and nipple shields) but my saving grace was finally figuring out how to nurse while lying down. This meant I had to let go of my training wheels (the shields) and find peace with the fact that we would be co-sleeping. (I never intended for that to happen. I was looking forward to Raine independently sleeping in his crib.) I am also trying a medication to help with the pain because Ibuprofen and Tylenol (the only over the counter pain medicine allowed while breastfeeding) do not help. It has been six weeks and I think it has made a small difference. Enough to stay on it? I'm not sure yet.

Dan & Raine are having a lot of fun playing together.

Dan LOVES coming home. I mean, he loved coming home to me, before, but now it is crazy how much he loves to come home. Coming home to me AND Raine has knocked a small chip off his work-a-holic block. I LOVE it. ;-) He was fortunate to have 2 weeks at home with us after Raine was born and I can't even begin to tell you how vital that was for my existence. I was--in the words of my friend Meghan--A HOT MESS. Dan handled everything the first two weeks. He kept track of Raine's feedings and diaper changes, talked to doctors and took notes, changed diapers (I didn't even change a diaper until the 5th day, I think?) prepared meals, catered to my every need while breastfeeding, etc., etc. I am not exaggerating when I say that I was terrified to have him return to work and be left on my own with Raine. There were real panic attacks occurring in those first two weeks. While I have been on maternity leave, Dan has met us for lunch or quick visits countless times. He leaves for work a little later in the morning and comes home early if he can. I have been so spoiled! ;-)

We think he likes us.

Figuring out what Raine wants and/or needs is tricky business. We know a few things for sure at this point. Raine hates having his diaper changed unless he has a full tummy and feels like playing. In that case, he lays on his changing table and jibber-jabbers to his Ugly Dolls and kicks his feet, which we call "running to Meh-Hee-Co." (Ocassionally he heads north to Alaska, but not often. On a good day he can also make it as far south as Ecuador.) He likes it when Daddy holds him because he is higher up to see things like his nursery mobile and the fluorescent light in the kitchen. His swing and vibrating chair are cool places to hang out when he has a full tummy and feels like playing or taking a nap. Otherwise, he scolds us for placing him in such wretched things. When the car is moving, he LOVES riding in his car seat. When the car stops, not so much. We enjoy carrying him in slings or the Moby Wrap. If he needs to go to bed (because WE need to go to bed), we use these to help him drift off by pacing around the apartment or dancing. His favorite station on Pandora is Iron and Wine. His favorite things to do are: 1.) Eat (either with mommy or a bottle with daddy), 2.) Sleep (preferably in close contact with mommy), and 3.) Play (mostly with daddy and sometimes tummy time with mommy). His LEAST favorite thing is (we think) being gassy. We THINK this is the reason he cries for an hour or more on certain occasions.

For the most part, we are all doing really great. We have survived the first two (almost three) months and I am returning to work on Monday. Raine will be staying with a mom in Sherwood, who watches her two daughters (ages 3 and 4) and another client's boy who is 1. We are anxious but hopeful that it will be a good match for us and Raine. I realize I have come a long way in adjusting to life with my baby because I am actually finding time to write a post. LOL. ;-) I do plan on writing more often...I miss it! However, while I was away I was busy contributing to Raine's web site, BlastoniusHerzing.com, which features at least 1 new photo each day of Raine for his grandparents, family, and friends far away. If you didn't already know about it, check it out! The cuteness is Ridic.

xoxo,
Leah

p.s. All of these photos are from a session we did for our Christmas card with Christie Glynn Photography. Need a great family photographer in the Portland area? Check her out!