24 inches/unsure of weight. Last weighed at 2 month appt.
Size Diapers: Size 1
Clothes: 3 month
Eating: Breastfeeding.
Sleeping: 1-2 hours stretches during then day with one 4-5 hour stretch at night.
Favorite things: Bath time (by far!), the fan in our bedroom, going for walks in the neighborhood, time with her daddy
It's amazing how much things have changed in the last three months. Dates used to happen at NIGHT, now a perfect "date night" is on Saturday morning at 9:00 AM before her second morning feed of the day while she's napping. The plus side, is that pancakes and coffee are whole heck of a lot cheaper than pasta and wine.
We have officially "survived" the newborn-phase (PRAISE JESUS!) and --for the most part-- have a sweet, loving, curious and feisty little girl. Pace and I are beyond grateful for the love and support of our family, our friends and our St. Louis community. We've been beyond blessed with nice gifts, meals and people who've given their time to love us well during this transition. THANK YOU!
Before I had Elizabeth, I didn't really know how to "serve" a new mom, but now being on the receiving end of the generosity of other people, I can attest that the meals people brought to us were a huge lifeline. The "check-in" text messages people sent me really helped me emotionally to know people remembered I existed (crazy, I know... but in the thick of the newborn days, it can sometimes feel like all you will ever do for the rest of your entire life is change diapers). And lastly, to the friends that came over to help or visit... I am so grateful!
4 things I've learned the hard way and the advice I would share with a new mom:
1. Breast feeding is hard. Anyone who tells you otherwise is just plain LYING! I do wish someone had told me that just because something is biological or natural, doesn't mean it comes without struggle. However, with that being said, stick it out! Not only are you providing the best nutrients for your baby, you are also saving $$, burning calories and spending quality bonding time with your little one. I recently read a blog post in the Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kara-pogue/what-i-wish-id-known-about-breastfeeding_b_4763328.html worth sharing. I had a nearly identical struggle... and it took me a month and a half to get to the place where breastfeeding became second hat. I encourage anyone struggling with BF to seek the help of lactation consultants or friends as soon as possible. If you live in the St. Louis area, feel free to private message me and I would be happy to share some helpful resources.
2. Be kind to yourself. Before I had Elizabeth, I imagined I would have gourmet meals on the table every night, a perfectly clean house and a baby that was ahead of all of her milestones... because I'd have ALL of this time to do those things. At month two, I felt so disappointed in myself. There were days I didn't even take a shower (!!), my dinners were thrown together and my check-list of things to do around the house never seemed to get done. I asked my friend Nicole this very important question, "Am I a total disaster or did I have completely unrealistic expectations for myself?". Her response was perfect and completely worth sharing:
The answer to your question is easy actually: it's just this time right now and you had unrealistic expectations. It's hard and you might feel like a disaster, but every week gets easier than the one before, until you get to a point where you realize your life is easier and happier and more fun and more relaxing than it was before when you had fewer responsibilities. And of course your expectations were unrealistic, because you've never done this before!! This is also just a huge adjustment to your life. Be compassionate and patient and gentle with yourself. You'll figure it out and be an expert sooner than you'll believe.
Now as a month 3 mommy, I can say honestly that we have more good days than bad.... but there are still days where I feel like a "disaster".
3. Girlfriends are the BEST lifeline. I literally read 15 books about babies/childbirth/etc before I had Elizabeth. I soothed my anxiety about babies by reading--and was pretty confident in my ability to keep a baby alive before I had one. And then.... we met Elizabeth. Reading information and applying knowledge are two totally different things... and the "experts" aren't always right. The "3AM Mama Club" (all the new moms on FB at 3AM because they are breastfeeding at that time) always gave me the best advice because they either JUST experienced the same struggle or are in the trenches at the moment. Don't hesitate to reach out to girlfriends you trust for advice, encouragement or to vent.
4. Comparison is the thief of all joy. I hate when people post stuff on Facebook like, "My baby just walked..... and she's only 6 months old! #proudmom #gifted baby". It's so annoying! The worst is the morning post, "My six week old just slept through the night!" (eye roll). With that being said, I am completely guilty of doing the same.exact.thing. I've posted beautiful pictures of Elizabeth smiling and happy that don't really tell the whole story (she was probably crying five minutes earlier). Facebook can be a fun way to share moments of joy with others and to keep friends in the loop with your family... but it can also be really dangerous when you spend time comparing your baby to your friends. I've had to limit my time on FB so that I could enjoy Elizabeth where she's at right now and not compare her to others. My friend Morgan reminds me often that my heart should be so set on Christ and the things of eternity that the temporary fades away. I believe this is good wisdom for all of us in any and all situations.
Additional Resources:
* A few posts ago, I shared my registry advice. A friend of mine, Isabel, also blogged about her favorite baby items. She just had baby #3 and has great insight: http://spanglishfamilia.wordpress.com/category/baby-registry/
* One of the ways I try to stay encouraged is by listening to sermons while I am feeding E. One of my favorite pastors to listen to is Pastor George Robertson in Augusta, GA. All of his sermons are available for free online: http://media.firstpresaugusta.org/video-sermons.
* When I first found out I was pregnant, my friend Ciara told me to find my "flock" of mother hens to hang out with. Luckily, I have wonderful friends through WUMCHA and my church for playdates. Here are some great national organizations to look into: http://momsclub.org/ http://www.mops.org/ http://www.llli.org/
* I posted on FB a few weeks ago, but my friend Claire gave me a really great piece of advice... Download the app Wonder Weeks. It's based on the best selling book. It maps out kids developmental milestones and also their growth spurts. It helps you predict when your child will be difficult and tells you how to cope. I've found it to be spot on!
* My friend Mary e-mailed me some great websites worth sharing to help with meal planning: