Roadtrip to Rochester

Cory is working in Rochester this weekend, so it was the perfect time for Claire's first roadtrip to Rochester. She was great on the 2 hour car ride; sleeping the entire first half. We stopped halfway for a quick diaper change and she was content the rest of the way. I have mastered sticking my arm into her car seat, finding her pacifier, and sticking it back in her mouth - while still being buckled in the front seat.

Traveling has definitely changed for us, gone are the days of packing an overnight bag and hopping in the car. For this trip I started packing 2 days ago, with a long list of things to bring. I thought I packed heavy - Claire's stuff filled the backseat and trunk of car.

Claire is enjoying loads of attention from Grandma and Grandpa. Tomorrow we visit Great Grandma & Grandpa.

Naptime

Claire was unusually fussy last week. After going down for a nap she would wake up crying about 30 minutes in to the nap; her diaper was dry and she wasn’t hungry. After settling her down it was really hard to get her back napping. We were baffled, up until last week Claire had been a pretty easy baby. I keep a log of all feedings/naps and realized that Claire was awake more than she should be for a baby her age. Up until last week Claire would feed, be awake for a bit, and then take a nap usually until her next feeding. This cycle happened so naturally that I never gave it much thought. But last week, we realized that Claire wasn’t falling asleep like usual. After her morning feeding she would be awake for most of the morning, maybe taking a 30 minute catnap before the next feeding. After that feeding, she would be awake for a little while, I would put her down for a nap and she would wake up wailing after 30 minutes. It would take a lot of soothing to get her back to sleep because she was so overtired at that point she couldn’t soothe herself. Eventually she would go back down, but by then it would be time for her next feeding. So I was faced with two unpleasant options - wake her up to feed her or let her sleep and feed her when she wakes. I tried both options and neither was successful. When I woke her up she was crabby and would fall asleep during the feeding. So I would have to put her back down and try again in 30-40 minutes. When I let her sleep, she would sleep too long for a baby of her age to go in between feedings. She would wake up very hungry and I would have to settle her down just to get her to nurse. Both scenarios she was very fussy the rest of the day and way off her daytime feeding routine.

So knowing this we have been very diligent about putting Claire down for her nap before she gets overtired. It is trial and error figuring out how much she can be awake before entering the dreaded ‘overtired’ zone. When she starts yawning or looking drowsy, I swaddle and put her down for a nap. She has been napping so much better. I am sure in a few weeks Claire will completely change her napping routine and we will be making adjustments, but right now we are all much happier.

After a long day at work!

I am coming to realize that there is nothing better than this, after a long day at work.

Claire was keeping me company while I was cooking dinner. from CMB1936 on Vimeo.

Happy, cooing Monday

Claire has been giving me the cutest coos this Monday. This week is starting off much better for Claire. Last week Claire was on what we affectionately have been calling a 'nap strike'. Getting her down for naps was quite a feat, after some adjustments to her nap schedule we have a well rested and much happier Claire (and mom & dad are a lot less frazzled). More on Claire's nap schedule later, cute pictures from this afternoon:

Someone finally found her thumb to suck on, occasionally she missees and her fingers end up in her nose:

Photos from the weekend

On Saturday my friends came to visit Claire, we had a wonderful afternoon. Claire was spoiled with loads of attention, some adorable outfits, a new stuffed animal, and Cory & I have dinner for the rest of the week! Claire loved the girl talk and I enjoyed conversation that had nothing to do with poop, feedings, or sleep schedules.

The trifecta: poo, pee and spit up

I didn't think it was possible but Claire managed all three during her morning feeding. Claire was in a onesie during her morning feeding. I heard her diaper filling, a few seconds later I felt warmth on my stomach. I looked down already knowing what was waiting for me - the diaper had blown out on the side - I had been pooed on. I thought no big deal - I would just wash the boppy cover. Then I felt wetness on my pants, she was peeing on me as well. I thought for sure she would fuss and I would have to change her. She looked up at me, gave a little burp and then spit up on the front of my shirt. I was stunned for a moment, in less than 2 minutes I had been pooed, peed and spit-up on - I didn't think that was possible. I looked down at Claire fully expecting her to fuss or cry, but no, she went back to nursing like nothing had happen. Even when Claire was finished she was smiling, happy as a clam, oblivious to the mess. Cory came back upstairs and both of us couldn't stop laughing at the mess. I cleaned up Claire, then Cory took her so I could get cleaned up. It was definitely an eventful way to start the morning!

After she was cleaned up:

The super cute socks:

Mesmeried by the mobile

Claire loves watching her mobile during diaper changes (thanks Aunt Jean!). Now that she can focus on the mobile diaper changes are much calmer. Before Claire would fuss from the moment you put her on the changing pad, now she is captivated by the moving objects and music.



While I am no fan of snow in March, it was really pretty on the trees today:

Shopping with Claire

Claire and I went to Walmart today for a quick shopping trip. I wanted to get used to taking her car seat in a shopping cart to run errands. I quickly found out that Walmart's shopping carts do hold car seats, but it is not the best fit. I was constantly readjusting the seat to get it to fit properly. We have taken her to Target and had no problem placing her car seat securely on the cart.

Claire fell asleep in her car seat a few minutes after we arrived. A trip that would have usually taken me a few minutes was a bit longer. I kept looking at her and forgetting what was on my list or what part of the store I was in; I had to double back a few times before I got everything. All in all it was a successful trip.

Naptime

For the past few nights no spit issues after her middle of the night feeding and she has gone back to sleep without much fuss. We are knocking on wood that this trend continues.

Weekend with Grandma & Nana

On Saturday, Grandma Linda visited us. Cory and I were able to get out of the house and go grocery shopping at Wegman's; something we hadn't done together since Claire was born. A little bit different than the date nights we used to have :) On Sunday, Nana came for a visit and we went out to breakfast. Claire was great at the restaurant.

Claire loves her mobile, a great distraction during diaper changes:
We have been seeing more smiles:
Making cooing sounds at dad:

Visit to dad's office

This afternoon we visited dad's office:

Already accepting and denying students:
A nice nap after a long day at the office:

Last night we tried something different for Claire's spit-up issue. After her 4:00am feeding I burped her and placed her in the infant seat so she could be sitting up after her feeding. We were hoping she would fall asleep and we could transfer her back to the bassinet. No such luck, while no spit up happened, someone didn't want to go back to sleep. After much rocking she went down around 5:30am. So yay for no spitting up, not so great for getting back to sleep. We haven't give up on this strategy yet and will try it again tonight.

Sleeping like a baby

We had rough night, Claire spit up a lot of her 4:30am feeding making a not so pleasant night for any of us. This past week she is having more spit up issues, especially after this feeding. We are trying to figure out if it something I am eating or going on her back with a full stomach is causing the issue. The above photo is from her mid-morning nap, much happier.

Thanks Natalie for the Saint Patrick's Day hat!

Visit to mom's office

Today Claire and I stopped by my office to visit co-workers and have some lunch. She was perfectly content to be passed around and we had a great visit. It was nice to get out of the house and have some adult conversation.

After the visit Claire had a very long afternoon nap. On Friday we visit dad's office.

A day in the life

We are in a pretty nice routine with Claire. I'm afraid by writing this I am jinxing us, because just when you think you have a routine babies have a way mixing everything up. But for right now this is a pretty typical day with Claire:

7:00-8:00am: Wake-up time for Claire: feed, change diaper, and dress.
8:00-10:00am: I get breakfast and a much needed cup of coffee, dad leaves for work. Start household chores (laundry, emptying dishwasher, sanitizing the previous night's bottles). I bring Claire's infant seat in to the bathroom and grab a quick shower.
10:00am: Claire's mid-morning feeding
10:30-noon: We do some tummy time on her play mat and then cuddle in the rocking chair. Sometimes I put her in the Moby wrap or Baby Bjorn and finish up chores while she naps.
noon: Dad comes home for lunch. We take turns eating and holding Claire.
1:00: afternoon feeding
2:00: Claire's afternoon nap in the pack n play. I try to squeeze in a cat nap depending on how the previous night went.
4:00pm: late afternoon feeding
4:30pm: Claire sits in her infant seat in the kitchen while I start prepping dinner.
5:00pm: Daddy comes home
5:30-6:30pm: Claire's fussy time and our dinner time, we take turns eating and soothing her.
7:00pm: Claire's evening feeding
7:30-9:30pm: Bath time (we don't do this every night - usually 3x a week). Give Claire her vitamin drops - every day we have to give Claire yucky tasting vitamin drops. She makes funny faces and smacks her gums to get the taste out of her mouth, it's kinda of adorable. Claire dozes off after her bath.
9:30pm I pump a bottle for Claire and go to bed at 10:00pm.
10:00-11:00pm: Cory gives Claire her late night feeding, puts her to bed, and then he goes to bed.
3:30-4:30am: Claire's middle of the night feeding. She is consistently extending the time between her 10:00pm feeding and the middle of the night feeding. We have fingers crossed that she will sleep through the night in a few more weeks.
7:00-7:30am: Claire wakes up and we do it all again!

1 month

Babies have a way of messing with your concept of time, some days we feel like Claire just came home from the hospital and other days it feels like she has always been here. It is hard for us to believe that she is already a month old.

Things we learned this month:
Have a routine as a goal, but be flexible: We quickly learned that having a routine was essential. Messing up a feeding or sleep schedule by an hour could have ramifications into the next day. And once you think you have a routine Claire has a way of letting you know that she is the boss.

5 hours of sleep is heavenly: Before Claire, I would have considered getting just 5 hours of sleep a bad night; for Cory, 5 hours of sleep was a typically afternoon nap on the weekend. Now getting 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep is a lofty goal.

Finding the favorite pacifier: We have 8 different types pacifiers in our house. It seems like every week Claire has a new favorite and we make sure each room is stocked with the current choice. Who knew pacifiers came in so many sizes, shapes, colors, and textures?!?!?

Don't change the diaper at the first rumble: We learned to give Claire a few minutes before rushing to change her diaper, because most times she is just giving us a preview of what is to come.

A typical weekend for Cory would include reading books and articles for school, the only books Cory has cracked this month our baby related like "What to Expect the First Year" and "Happiest Baby on the Block".

Endless laundry continues...and the search for the best stain pre-treater.

Claire is the loudest sleeper of any baby either of us has known. Sometimes we think she is louder asleep than awake. Many new parents check on their babies countless times in the middle of the night, worried by the silence. We don't have that problem, Claire coos and vocalizes throughout the entire night, more likely keeping us awake.

We have 1 month down, so only 17 years and 11 months left until college.....

Birthday wishes

Claire and mom's day out

I had an appointment in Buffalo this afternoon, so Claire and I had our first car ride to Buffalo without dad. Claire did great, sleeping the entire car ride.

We stopped at Nana and Papa's house for the morning. Claire christened their house within the first 5 minutes. I laid down a make-shift changing station using her car seat cover and a disposable changing pad. Just as I took off her diaper Claire decided she wasn't finished yet.....we had to do a load of laundry before leaving. Thankfully the family room rug was spared, but it was a close call.

Rock-a-bye Baby

Claire had her first diaper blow-out this morning while in her infant seat. Time to move from newborn diapers to the Size 1. I was a bit panicked because she loves her infant seat and it gives me time to have breakfast and get household chores done. Thankfully, she loves her swing while the seat cover is in the wash :)

Claire's birth announcement

Cute pics that didn't make the cut:

Photos from the weekend

3 weeks worth of diapers from the Diaper Genie (that doesn't include our diaper pail downstairs):
Time on the play-mat:

A visit from Grandma Linda:
Some family photos:


And a big yawn....