Play Time

This morning, Carolyn wanted to play.

First, she played on the floor while I took a shower.

Look how well she is holding up her head.

Then, she sat in the chair talking to herself while I vacuumed and dusted her room.

I just love the faces and noises she has started to make.

Hurry Home, Dad .... We Miss You!

Steve is out of town, visiting his parents in Ohio and working in Minnesota. The good news, I now know that I can survive motherhood by myself. The bad news, it is kind of lonely and boring. Carolyn is with me 24-7, but she is not that great of a conversation partner. Plus, the temperatures have been close to 100, so we cannot spend much time outside. Most of our friends are out of town (holiday weekend), so I do not have any adult company. And, there is only so much TV I can watch.

Carolyn, Leo, and I look forward to Steve's return on Tuesday morning.

FIRE, FIRE, FIRE

Today, I am thankful to have a newborn who keeps me up at night ...

Around 11 pm, I put Carolyn in her crib. Knowing that she was not totally asleep and figuring that I would probably be up a few minutes later rocking her back to sleep, I grabbed a book and laid down on the bed in the guest room. Not even 5 minutes later, I heard strange popping noises coming from outside. I figured it was one of our neighbors playing with some sort of fireworks or sparklers. Curious, I got up and looked out the window.

Holy Shit!

My neighbor's front yard and the flowerbed between our houses are on fire!

Already, the smoke was very thick and the flames were quite big, reaching almost to the top of the oak directly in beween the two houses. I quickly grabbed my phone, figuring I would have to call 911, and ran downstairs. I turned on our hose, which thankfully stretched to my neighbor's yard, and started to douse the flames with water. At the same time, I banged on the neighbor's door and yelled into their windows so they would get up and help me. Linda came out just as I had gotten the big flames controlled, but thick smoke filled the entire cul-de-sac and red embers were still smoldering on the ground. She quickly grabbed her hose and we continued to soak everything.

A few minutes later, we heard sirens. We jokingly said, "I hope they are not coming here." But the roar of the engines got closer and before we knew it, about 5 fire fighters came running up to the yard. As she talked to the firemen and got her lecture about fire safety, I went inside and checked on Carolyn, who was sound asleep.

So here is how it happened ... my neighbors had a small fireworks show earlier in the evening. (July 24 is Pioneer Day, a holiday that celebrates the arrival of the pioneers in the west. Fireworks are common). They put the spent firework shells in a bucket with water (like you are supposed to do), but they used a non-fireproof bucket and placed it on their dried out grass. The bucket melted from the heat of the shells and started the grass on fire, which then sparked the nearby flowerbed and tree. I can only imagine what could have happened if I were not wide awake in the front bedroom as the fire started or if our hose had not reached the flames. Although a neighbor must have called 911 to report the fire, it could have been disasterous for both houses if nothing were done before the fire trucks arrived. The fire spread so quickly. And, our cars were sitting only a few feet away.

Ah, the drama is over, but I now reek of smoke. My voice is hoarse from breathing the smoke. My house is hazy with smoke (the windows were open). And, I bet Carolyn will wake up soon wanting to eat again. Or perhaps she will sleep through the night again, as she has been doing the past few nights. Whatever the case, I better go to bed and try to get some sleep. Whoa, that was some excitement.

Cloth Diapering

The bird has gained weight and gotten a little bit bigger, so I decided it was time to make the switch to cloth diapers. I have done it for almost 3 days. Some diapers fit better than others and I am still learning which ones work better for overnight, etc, but so far so good. I have been pleasantly surprised.... It is not any harder to change cloth diapers than disposables. And, I washed the first batch yesterday with little effort and great results. I just put them in the washing machine set for a cold prewash cycle, a regular wash, and an extra rinse -- they came out completely clean and stain free. Cloth diapers are bulkier than disposables giving her the appearance of a bubble-butt, but the patterns and colors are just so cute. Also the little bumps on her skin have started to go away since making the switch to cloth (don't know if there is a cause and effect relationship or whether it is a coincidence). Not to mention, I feel so much better when I change her diaper now, knowing that I am not adding more disposables to the landfill which will not even begin to biodegrade in my or her lifetime. I am sure I will still use disposables upon occassion, but want to use cloth as much as practical.

Bath Time is Getting Better

Yesterday when I gave Carolyn her bath, she did not cry at all. She may have even smiled a few times. I bathed her in the sink, rather than giving her a sponge bath or using the baby bathtub. Even though someday she will HATE me for doing it, I just had to post a picture. All naked and stretched out you can see how much she has grown and how fat her belly is getting. The picture of her crying is from last week when she wanted nothing to do with bath time. Progress.

First Family Vacation

It was only for one day - and we only went thirty minutes away - but it was perfect!

Steve tried to plan a spa day for me, as a way to say thanks for taking care of my body throughout pregnancy and to recognize how tired I have become over the past month (Yeah, I think he is a pretty thoughtful guy, too!). Logistically, the spa day was difficult to plan since I am breastfeeding. So, instead he decided to take me and Carolyn on our first family vacation.

On Saturday morning, we packed up the car and headed to Snowbird resort. After checking in to the lodge, I enjoyed a 90-minute massage followed by a 60-minute facial. Steve and Carolyn walked around the resort, took a nap together, and hung out by the pool doing crossword puzzles. Afterwards, we took a tram ride to the top of the mountain to show Carolyn where she will ski someday. We also took advantage of the summer activities at the resort (zip line, alpine slide, climbing wall, mechanical bull, etc) and had an overpriced steak dinner. Carolyn rode in her stroller or sat in the sling all day, never once crying. She barely cried overnight, but she did not necessarily sleep either....perhaps it was because she napped the entire day in her stroller. After this trip, we should probably rename the stroller the "rolling sleep machine."

I cannot tell you how good I felt from this one-day vacation!

Thank you Steve.

The Swing

As I sat at the dining table yesterday addressing and stuffing envelopes for the birth announcements, Carolyn sat in her car seat carrier. I used my foot to keep the seat rocking and she sat there (asleep and awake) for hours. It was then that I realized that she might be a candidate for a swing. Not liking to spend money on baby items that kids outgrow so quickly, I went on to Craigs List. There were about 20 swings for sale. I called the woman who lived in my neighborhood and went to pick it up. Carolyn loves it. She sat there for about 2 hours this morning, without a single fuss. I think I have found my new secret weapon to give me some baby-free moments in the day-- a swing that only cost me $10.

A Milestone for BECKY & STEVE ... not Carolyn

Fortunately, I have been able to get out most days (to go to lunch or the store or to walk around the neighborhood), but I have been starting to feel pretty cooped up in the house with Carolyn. In particular, I have been wanting to go swimming. Sensing this, Steve called me around lunch time and asked whether I had an extra bottle of milk in the refrigerator. I told him I did, so he asked whether I wanted to go on a "pool" date. Of course, I did. I only managed to swim 1000 meters - even that was tough, but it felt great! I also lifted a few weights and took a long shower at the gym, where I actually had time to shave my legs without worrying about a crying baby. I really appreciated the time outside and the opportunity to move my muscles and make my heart race a bit. Thanks Steve.

When I arrived home, about two hours after I left, Steve and Carolyn were sitting on the couch getting ready to start her bottle. He said she was a happy little girl most of the time I was gone. He also said he was impressed with how much she is making faces now. (She is beginning to smile and make ooh and aah faces when you talk to her)

The best part of this story is when I got home, Steve said, "Let's make this a regular thing. I know how important it is for you to get out. And I can handle her by myself, as long as you leave a bottle for me." Yippee - I guess Steve and I are slowly figuring out this whole parenting thing.

First Concert

At three weeks old, Carolyn went to her first concert -- the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis at Red Butte Gardens. Awesome night! Concerts at Red Butte are a highlight of our summer, but it was even nicer this time because we could do it as a family. Nikki, Joshua, Mark, Jeanie, and their kids Ashley and Jack went with us, too. Carolyn got to wear the miniature sweater that Grandma made for her because when the sun went down the temperatures dropped to the low 60s, maybe even high 50s. (Even this little 7-pounder could barely fit into the sweater. If anyone knows of a winter baby who is VERY tiny, let me know. I am going to have to pass down this sweater, or else save it for Carolyn to use with her dolls.)

I just laid her down in her crib and she did not make a fuss. I have a feeling she will sleep well tonight. In addition to the concert, she also got to go to the grocery store today and to lunch at Benihana for steve's end-of-the-year work party.

Never disturb a sleeping baby

After a long feed and a walk around the block, she slept from 6:30-9 in her stroller, allowing me to run out to the store by myself and allowing Steve and I to make dinner together. Optimistically, I tried to put her to bed after I fed her at 9:00, but she fussed a bit and wanted to be held. At 10:45, I fed her again. Afterwards, she went to sleep in her crib, with not even a single whimper. I also went to bed immediately and was sound asleep before my head ever hit the pillow. Since the doctor just told me that I could let her sleep longer at night, I did not bother to set an alarm; I figured she would wake me up when she was hungry. I was so surprised this morning when I woke up to see that the sun was starting to come up. I woke her up at 5:30, fed her, changed her diaper, and put her back in the crib. Again, not even a whimper, she went back to sleep. Let's hope this is the start of a trend, and not just a fluke. I really like getting more than a 30-minute nap at night. I feel like a whole new woman. I know, I probably should have gone back to bed after I laid her back down at 6, but I do not think my body would know what to do with all the extra sleep.

Doctor Appointment

She is perfect in every way ... as of today, she weighs 7 lbs 4 oz and is 21.5 inches long. She does not need to go back to see Dr Carbone until she is 2 months old. And, good news, the doc told me I could start spacing her feedings up to 5 hours at night if she remains so happy and content. So let's hope she gets the hang of sleeping at night because I could certainly use a longer stretch of sleep.

After our appointment, I stopped by my office to check my mailbox. She was being so good that I ended up working for 4 hours. She did not cry or even make a peep. She just looked around and played with her hands the whole time. She really is a good baby! (keep your fingers crossed that she stays that way)

Ah man, I might have jinxed myself... before I could even posted this entry, she turned into a frantic little bird. That was the start of a bad night, with lots of fussiness. I think she had/has a belly ache. She would arch her back and scream everytime her belly gurgled (and it gurgled pretty loudly all night long). I just googled what types of foods I should avoid while breastfeeding... and it seems that most of the common vegetables are on it. I ate a really big salad last night for dinner - it also had a bunch of beans on top of it. Maybe that was the cause of her bad night. Or, who knows, maybe she just decided to be fussy. Needless to say, I did not get my 5 hour block of sleep last night. Perhaps my doctor just told me that, knowing that it would be very unlikely to happen.

Two weeks

Wow - where has the time gone ... All I do is feed this girl, hold her, and then stare at her for hours at a time! I wonder why I am not more tired because I doubt I have gotten much more than 30 hours of sleep over the last 14 days. My parents are still in town for another day, which is a blessing since my mom and dad have been waking up in the middle of the night with me and have taken their share of rocking the little bird back to sleep. (I admit, sometimes I am pretty cranky and delirious when I wake up). Carolyn certainly has the hang of breastfeeding and thankfully it is getting a bit easier for me as I am slowly healing from the wounds caused by the voracious suck this pirahna has. All in all, I have learned that Carolyn is a very content baby, sleeps pretty well, is pretty predictable, has no aches and pains, but does not like being by herself for very long. She is golden if someone is holding her. I do not think she would hardly ever cry if someone held her 24-7. Since my arms cannot accommodate that, I have resorted to putting her in the sling. She spends a couple of hours in it each day, which allows my hands to be free to do other things like water the garden and take the dog for a walk. Even Steve learned how to wear the sling the other day. A few pictures below, including one of her in the onesie that cousin Addie made for her and one with her new sunglasses from Mary Anne and Howie. All of the 1000s of photos we have taken can be viewed on our flickr page, http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebeccautz/

Oh yeah, on those occassions when I manage to shower and take off my pajamas, I have been pleased to find that my regular pants already fit. A bit tight, but not too bad. I can't wait until I get the OK to go swimming. I am dying to jump in a swimming pool...not sure if it is because I miss the exercise or because it has been nearly 100 degrees since we came home from the hospital.