our contribution to the Advent "movement"...

So we found out last week that we are moving.

In 5 weeks.

With a newborn.

And yes, the very idea makes me tired. And a little sad.

Sad to leave behind the relationships that have begun blossoming right here. Sad to part from the ministries that have yet to grow into fullness.

Oh, and there's the minor point of packing and moving house just 6 months after settling into the place we're in now. (Yes, I moved into a new house at 6 months pregnant while the Hubby was gone on a mission trip - that was fun...) (And in all fairness I did have amazing help from friends and family.)

But a new church district and new opportunities for ministry beckon to us. And we've never denied a call from God.

So here's to packing boxes... yet again. I'll survive. And who knows what delightful adventures wait on the other end!

I just want to get through Thanksgiving first.

© Sarah K. Asaftei, 2009 unless otherwise sourced. Use allowed by express written permission only.

(Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone.)

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things I haven't done...

The things I haven't done:

unpacked my hospital bag,

any laundry except the baby's,

vacuumed the white fuzz from the nursery rug that seems to shed it's way through the entire house,

sorted my maternity clothes or started looking thru my older clothes to find things that both fit and allow for nursing.


But... I've conquered several steps toward nursing and scheduling, been peed on more than once, cried tears of both joy and exhaustion, taken (a couple) long afternoon naps, and generally put my old self to shame by letting all the extra things go undone.

Overall, I'm pretty proud of myself.

© Sarah K. Asaftei, 2009 unless otherwise sourced. Use allowed by express written permission only.

(Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone.)

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top 5 faves in the first 2 weeks::

1. Halo Swaddle Sleep Sacks::in the fuzzy fleece material. It keeps him warm, eliminates the need for a blanket, can't be kicked off, and doesn't ride up around his face and nose.
   
2. Aden & Anais Organic Muslin Wraps::made by an Australian company. These wraps are the perfect size - they are big enough to swaddle easily and also double as nursing covers. The muslin is soft and breathable and won't block baby's nose. And it's absorbent enough to use as a bib or milk blotter when it all flows over.
   
3. Peepee Teepee::especially for boys. Little whizzers get extra protection with this nifty diaper bag must-have. Just pop it over the important area, and you can clean him up without getting christened.
   
4. Munchkin Bottle Warmer::for quicker midnight feedings. We've had to supplement breastfeeding with pumped milk, and it takes forever to get milk to the right temperature in a bowl of hot water. This bottle warmer is quick and efficient, and also sterilizes pacifiers, nipples, nipple shields - you name it.
   
5. Postpartum Compression Girdle::just for mommy. I got the idea from a friend who has 6 kids and is still the size of my little finger. She shared the postpartum girdle secret as standard protocol in her home country. And I have to say it's been a huge help already. This link isn't the exact one I have, but it's close enough.
   

© Sarah K. Asaftei, 2009 unless otherwise sourced. Use allowed by express written permission only.

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the difference between mommies and daddies... (2)

So I've continued noticing vast differences in how The Hubby and I react to baby situations. Sometimes they're so funny that I just have to share - so I've created a whole new label thread for "the difference between mommies and daddies". (Catch the first one right here.)

This morning we were eating our brown rice and apple sauce in quiet family contentment. Little Man was watching from his Boppy-bouncy-thingy on our long kitchen counter, fed and dry, cooing happily away. Until....

Pllssssphhhhhh. Phhht. Pssttttphhhhht!

Loud juicy squirts blew through the companionable silence.

I'm sitting closest to him. Waves of baby poo-smell waft over my bowl of rice and applesauce. "Oh my goodness, I can smell you already!" I said. Very mommy-style. You stink to high heaven and I'm going to change you right NOW!

"Way to GO, Little Man!" Daddy says from the other side of the table with a big thumbs-up. Very male bonding style. That was a 9.5, next time make it a little louder and juicier and we'll give you a TEN!

And THAT is the difference between mommies and daddies.

© Sarah K. Asaftei, 2009 unless otherwise sourced. Use allowed by express written permission only.

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the blank slate...

The other day The Hubby came into our room where I was nursing Little Man.

"I know we've talked about this before, but it really hit me this morning," he said.

"This baby is a blank slate right now. Every single thing we do - or don't do - is forming his character and shaping him into the man he will someday become. That means there is no insignificant choice, no pointless decision.

"Even though he is small and not fully aware of his surroundings yet, our habits are teaching and molding him."

Talk about profound.

Talk about frightening in the sheer weight of responsibility.

And no, I'm not wigging out. I'm not going all OCD or freaked-out legalistic. But we just can't look at this new baby and disregard the fact that his primary source of shaping will stem from the everyday decisions we make as his parents.

It's too great a reality to ignore.

© Sarah K. Asaftei, 2009 unless otherwise sourced. Use allowed by express written permission only.

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on schedules and routines...

So far we know the Little Man likes a routine, since he responded well to me having one even before he was born. For the first couple weeks I've just monitored his natural rhythms.

Now I'm basing a parent-directed routine on those rhythms, and hoping I can stick to it. It's posted on the frig, loaded into my iPhone's daily calendar and everything. Of course that doesn't mean we won't ever deviate, but it gives us a general guideline.

Most of all, I want to make sure that he gets enough feedings a day, with enough time between eating for adequate waketime and naptime. And that he gets a chance to naturally regulate his metabolism by having a daily rhythm where things happen generally at the same time every day.

Yup, it's extra work right now, but I think it'll pay off. Will have to let you know in a few weeks on that!

© Sarah K. Asaftei, 2009 unless otherwise sourced. Use allowed by express written permission only.

(Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone.)

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the difference between mommies and daddies... (1)

This was the Mommy's profile photo on Facebook last week:
You know, all sweet and sappy and mother-son mushy.

This was the Hubby's profile photo at the same time:
All warrior-fighter son and father-pride.

And that pretty much says everything you need to know about the difference between mommies and daddies.

© Sarah K. Asaftei, 2009 unless otherwise sourced. Use allowed by express written permission only.

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for Spartaaaaaa!

In my hospital bag, I packed a length of black velvet, so we could take photos of Little Man's very first days.

You have to understand - both the Hubby and I are pretty nuts about photography. (In case you're not a friend on Facebook and haven't been subjected to our hundreds of baby pics already...) So we didn't want to let the early days go undocumented.

The other prop I brought to the hospital was this massive green stuffed frog. It belonged to the Hubby back in high school. I first met the Green Frog during Men's Dorm Open House, back in college. So the Green Frog has been around for a while.

And since frogs and monkeys (green and brown) are the animals of choice for Little Man's nursery, we necessarily needed to have a newborn photograph with the Green Frog.

I was planning something innocent, sleepy and sweet. The kind of photo that makes you go "awwww!" Maybe with Little Man draped over Green Frog's back, all limp and adorable.

You know, something kind of like this:

(Photo by Tracy Raver.)

But it didn't quite work out that way. Instead, we got this:
And this:

Slightly more 4-day-old impersonation of Gerard Butler's Spartan warrior character in "The 300" than innocent sleepy baby.

Hmmm... wonder what this portends?

© Sarah K. Asaftei, 2009 unless otherwise sourced. Use allowed by express written permission only.

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on family & friends

People say these days that your real family are the people you choose, not the ones you were born to.

But what if the people you choose and the ones you were born into are the same ones? Of course, there are always those friends you make who become like family - but why should they necessarily trump your own blood?

As Little Man arrived and the Hubby and I experienced a whole new spectrum of emotion, exhilaration and exhaustion - we've been incredibly blessed to have our family members nearby. My mom and dad spent nearly all day every day with us at the hospital, helping and supporting and sharing wisdom from their own experience. I don't know that you've ever seen two prouder grandparents. Dad even made a special trip to the Tractor Supply Store, JUST to find newborn-size John Deere baby socks, bright green and all!

Granddaddy & Grandmommy

And while the Hubby's family wasn't able to be there at the birth, they did come and visit after we got home. Auntie M was too tickled to stand still, and Buni (gramma) brought a beautiful handmade quilt in soft fuzzy flannel that she made for Little Man.

The Hubby & Auntie M

Both in the hospital and after we came home, friends and church members made an effort to bring food, as well. So many new mommies bring home their new babies and have to go it alone. I don't know how they do it, without the help of loved ones. And I'm so thankful for everyone's support, kindness, and love.

Y'all are AMAZING!

© Sarah K. Asaftei, 2009 unless otherwise sourced. Use allowed by express written permission only.

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unexpected lessons...

Last week we had family worship in the nursery. I was entrenched in the feeding process, so The Hubby brought in a stool and joined us.

For whatever reason, he decided to sing the song "Tell Me The Story of Jesus". We got to the third verse, where it says "tell of the cross where they nailed him, writhing in anguish and pain", and I couldn't sing the rest of the song.

My whole life, I've heard that song. Breezed right past the last verse. Never stopped to consider the agony behind it.

But as I stared down into the tiny little face nursing innocently away, tears poured down my cheeks,dripping off my chin and mixing with his milk. The Hubby finished the verse in solo.

What if it was HIM? What if it were MY son suffering?

For the first time, I pondered how God himself must have felt watching Jesus go through with their plan.

For me.

Wow.

© Sarah K. Asaftei, 2009 unless otherwise sourced. Use allowed by express written permission only.

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sister shoutout...

I've been so busy this week with just trying to accomplish the basics, that I haven't been able to get on here and blog. I tried blogging from my phone while nursing, but typing on my phone's keyboard made it so full of misspellings that I decided not to torture you.

Before any more time passes, I really need to give props to my sister for all her help. She came down the weekend of the birth to just be there and do whatever needed to be done. She even was able to give Little Man his first bath!
Then she came back for several days during the next weekend, too. She helped around the house, watched the baby while I got some sleep, and spent the entire day Friday cooking. Mexican lasagna, baked cheesy polenta with basil and tomatoes, hashbrown casserole, black beans and rice - our refrigerator was stocked for at least two weeks of hearty eating.

When I was exhausted and worried to tears about Little Man's difficulty nursing, she shared knowledge from her work as a nurse and helped me feel more confident about this new journey.

All in all, I just want her to know how great she was. Thank you, sis!

(And I promise I'll return the favor when it's your turn! ;)

© Sarah K. Asaftei, 2009 unless otherwise sourced. Use allowed by express written permission only.

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things I learned from the lactation consultant...

1:: amniotic fluid has the same smell as your breastmilk

2:: nipple shields are the awesomest invention ever - first try and Little Man popped right on, no fuss

3:: I can do this breastfeeding thing - really I can

4:: Little Man has gained an ounce and a half since yesterday

5:: leaning forward and hunching over for the traditional feeding hold causes tension in the fourth vertebrae where all the nipple and milk gland nerves are located

6:: my instincts are good - most of the suggestions the consultant gave were things I was already trying to do

Copyright by Sarah K Asaftei, 2009 unless otherwise sourced. All rights reserved. Use by express written permission only.

(Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone.)

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got baby brain? there's an app for that!

Last week in the hospital they gave me two sheets of blue paper and told me to track Little Man's diaper changes and feedings. Writing it all down was a good idea, given the fact that I can barely remember to eat my own meals at this point.

But I thought "Surely there must be a better way to do this!"

So I went searching for some kind of app to help me keep track. After browsing several idiot programs, I found Baby Brain.

It allows profiles for multiple babies should you need them, tracks breastfeeding, bottles, diaper changes and naps. There's a handy timer for the length spent on each boob and it auto reminds you to start on opposite side for the next feeding.

In addition, you look at baby's stats for the day, week or month. And you can email them to yourself in case you want to print them off or show the pediatrician.

So far, this little app is saving my life! I use it on my iPhone, so I don't know if it's available on any other platform. But it's totally worth the $4.99 I paid.

And no, I don't get any perks from posting about it here. Other than the satisfaction of sharing a resource that might help you out, too.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Copyright by Sarah K Asaftei, 2009. All rights reserved.

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champ sleeper, bum feeder

When it comes to sleeping, I'd say we're blessed. Little Man will sleep for 6 or 7 hours at a time if I left him to his own devices. When he's knocked out, you can dress and undress him, carry him around, play music and talk - and he'll never make a peep.

Sometimes he sleeps so long and so soundly that I check him repeatedly just to make sure he's alive and breathing! The second night, in the hospital, I jerked awake in the middle of the night just because things were so quiet. Hauled myself out of bed, C-section and all, to hobble over and make sure he was okay.

And he barks in his sleep. Like a little doggy.

After he yaps, he's quiet for a moment, and then he'll make this sucking noise and breathe normally again. I find myself waking up to his little yips and then waiting all stiff and anxious until he smacks his lips and breathes again.
Feeding on the other hand, has been a challenge. He's a lazy little bum. At first it was tough to get him to latch at all. After we got the latch down, he would only eat from the right side.

Left boob? NO WAY, MOMMY!

So after a couple days we worked through that. Now he takes both sides fine. But he's still lazy to latch. He'll just sit there with these big beautiful eyes, locked on but not sucking.

So tomorrow we have an appointment with the lactation consultant at our pediatrician's clinic. Maybe we can figure some things out....

© Sarah K. Asaftei, 2009 unless otherwise sourced. Use allowed by express written permission only.

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the epistle (or... a very long update on birth, baby and coming home) (part 2)

We got back to the recovery room and spent an hour and a half or so just admiring the perfect little baby in our arms.

I was so cold that my arms and hands shook uncontrollably, and my teeth were chattering so that I could hardly talk. They brought me a "bear hugger", this big plastic tube to blow hot air under the blankets, to warm me up.

I'd wanted to nurse Tristan right away, but he didn't seem very interested when I tried. Instead he wanted to just stare at all the new sights with his eyes wide open. I've never seen a baby that was so alert and bright-eyed so early!

After I was warm, and a mother-baby room had been assigned, the transporters arrived to wheel us up to the next floor. They laid baby on my chest so I could carry him on the way.

My parents and sister were waiting for us in the room, and helped us get settled in. We spent the rest of the first day staring at the baby. I felt amazingly alert and able to engage in the whole process.

The anesthesiologist used Fentanyl for the spinal block instead of the normal 24-hour narcotic shots, so my numbness wore off within an hour or two after the procedure. After that I was on Dilaudid, a patient-controlled PCA pump that I just clicked whenever I felt I needed some relief.

The first night passed quickly between feedings and little naps. I was exhausted but euphoric at the same time. A few friends dropped by for quick visits in the afternoon and evening - bringing flowers, food, and congratulations.

One friend brought this massive box of baked goodies from the Canvas Bakery. I was sad that I couldn't have any since the doctor ordered a 24-hour clear liquids diet. But everyone else enjoyed them immensely, and I snacked on the leftovers the next day. :)

On Tuesday the catheter came out and also the IV. That way I could get up and walk around if I wanted. I wanted, but the nurses wouldn't let me get too rambunctious. I spent a few hours in the rocking chair in the afternoon, and it kind of wore me out just sitting up.

© Sarah K. Asaftei, 2009 unless otherwise sourced. Use allowed by express written permission only.

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