The week before ...

This being the week before my baby turns 1, I'm doing a lot of reminiscing. So often, I think "this time a year ago" and it's just absolutely insane. I mean, it feels like we were just celebrating Christmas last week.

Anyhow, one of the projects I'm working on for his party is a display of all his monthly pictures. So I figured I would share them on the old blog as well. Just in case anything ever happens to my computer, iPhone, and the hard copies :)

I received the prints in the mail yesterday and had them all laid out when hubs got home. We were debating our favorites. I think mine are 5 (chubby), 8 (grown!) and 10 (silly.)

I'm so glad I got the monthly onesie stickers - It gave me the motivation and reason to make sure I got a photo each month, and for that I am incredibly grateful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Things I will never again take for granted

Between a new job and baby, there have been a lot of changes in my corner of the world in the past year. Sometimes I find myself doing something I haven't done in a long time, and laugh at how nice it is to do it again.

Such as ...

• Sleeping on my tummy & flat on my back. Although now that it's tough to sleep on my side if I wake up after 3 a.m., I'm kinda missing that too.
• Eating deli meat. Oh my word. I craved Subway like none other while pregnant. For the longest time after Cooper was born, I just had a deli sandwich for lunch every day and it was heavenly.
• Being able to sleep past 8 a.m.
• Leaving the house. It used to be so easy, now it's more of a production.
• Wearing whatever I want. Today I rebelled and decided to wear a non-pumping friendly dress to work and just brought shorts to wear while I pump.
• Having time to myself. I relish my bath time every night.
• Having a sane mind. I forget things all the time. Yesterday, I left my pump at home, but thankfully noticed after leaving the babysitters. That could have been painful.
• Evenings at home with my boys. I'm having to help with some night presentations now, and I hate not getting my full 3-4 hours.
• A date night. So much work in getting a sitter, packing everything up or getting all the instructions together, etc. Hubs and I have only been out three times alone since C was born.
• Grocery shopping after work. We now go on the weekends.
• Knowing everything that was going on in town. I still do to an extent, but not nearly as much.
• Only working 32 hours a week. Obviously the paychecks weren't as nice, but I had the time to clean my house and do laundry.
• Getting a mileage check. Most of my driving now is getting to & from work {especially when I go to our main campus} so reimbursement doesn't apply :(
• The ability to cook a time-intensive dinner. It only happens on the weekends these days.
• How nice it is to have a bare-ish room. Plastic has taken over our living room and we're considering moving the swing downstairs this weekend since it hasn't been used in a week or two. I can only imagine it getting worse.
• How precious it is to have a sweet little boy, full of love and smiles! Makes the craziness worth it. Even if he weren't so exceptional :)

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Back to Work ... sort of

Back in July, I started a new job. This opportunity was a real blessing, as it provided additional income and benefits for our growing family, and was also a big step up for me, career-wise. 


Something we didn't realize until I was already employed was how short-term disability benefits (which typically cover maternity leave) works. Basically, it will not cover a pregnancy unless you have been on the plan for 10 months. In fact, I couldn't even sign up for the insurance while pregnant. Not only that, I couldn't continue my STD from my former job (although I'd carried it for 4-plus years) AND I didn't yet qualify for FMLA, since I hadn't been at my new job for a full year. So I was looking at no pay after I exhausted all my accrued time off, in addition to having to go on COBRA and pay out-of-pocket for my insurance during that time. Ouch. 


LUCKILY, our college president was very understanding to all of this and open to making arrangements to help me out. As of today, I am out of time off. So I am working from home, part-time/as needed, for the next two weeks, until our Christmas break begins. I'll head back to the office on Jan. 2 - just a couple days shy of six weeks postpartum. 


While this wasn't my ideal situation, I am so thankful to still be drawing a paycheck during this time. I'm definitely not happy that I have to divert my attention away from Mr. Cooper for a big part of the day - however, I am grateful that I can still be here to take care of him in terms of feedings, dirty diapers, and just giving him love and attention when he needs it. 


I am totally not ready to leave my baby boy yet (and I know I still won't be as of Jan. 2) so this is what is best for us, right now. 


Today will, hopefully, be an easy day. Coop has a dr. appt. this afternoon, so I'll only be working until about 1 p.m. Honestly, it's probably good practice too, as my new bosses say that if he is sick and/or the roads are bad, I am able to stay home to work. 


Now excuse me while I cry get some work done so I can continue to buy diapers for this kid!

Cooper: 2 weeks

Real quick, thanks for all your sweet comments on my last post! While I definitely think there are moms who immediately have that close bond, that wasn't the case for me and I wanted to share!


Our little bugaboo is two weeks old today! We go to the doctor tomorrow and hopefully he'll be back at birth weight. The little guy LOVES to eat (sometimes he goes four hours, others he wants to eat hourly for two to three hours) so I'm pretty sure he'll be back up there and hopefully have added some height as well. 


Last week, he was down to 9 lbs, 3 oz. At his home appt. last Monday (five days old) he was at 9 lbs. 6.5 oz. 

12.06.11

Over the past week, Mr. Cooper has definitely had more "awake" time during the day and we LOVE seeing his big, pretty green eyes open and watching our every mood. We've done tummy time once or twice a day and he's pretty good at lifting his little head, but gets easily frustrated. 


On Saturday (Dec. 3 - 10 days old) he slept in his crib for the first full night! Let me tell you, I think that makes sleep better on his as well as Mommy & Daddy. I actually feel better him being in the crib as we have an Angel Care monitor, and this way I'm not being stirred by his every move. And since I've apparently been quite the snorer, according to my husband, I'm sure Coop appreciates not hearing that! 


Since we moved him to the crib, Coop generally sleeps 4-5 hour stretches. For instance, last night I put him down around 9:30 and he woke a little before 2 a.m. to eat, then again around 6 a.m. I was thinking that would be a pretty good schedule for him when I return to work! 


He continues to have lots of visitors! Between newborn/family photos on Sunday and visits from both sets of grandparents, we were occupied all day! Cooper said he's very excited to meet more of his family over the holidays as well! 

12.05.11

Monday night (Dec. 5 - 12 days old) his umbilical cord fell out. 


On Tuesday, we went to visit my former coworkers at the newspaper. They gave him some books and Mizzou slippers :) And fought over who got to hold him. He was a perfect little angel who slept the entire time. So, we did a little Christmas shopping downtown before coming home. 


In terms of my recovery, I have no complaints! I've been back down at my pre-pregnancy weight for about a week. By the time we came home, I was only down about 10 lbs., but I was quite swollen and once that went down, it didn't take much time. I totally attribute the quick weight loss to breastfeeding - I had about 23 lbs. total gain and figure I lost about 13-15 between a 10 lb. baby and what my doctor called a very healthy placenta and umbilical cord. 


There is still quite a bit of loose skin on my belly and I do have a bit of a pooch, but I also remind myself that I didn't exactly have a flat stomach when I got pregnant either! I haven't attempted wearing any "regular" pants with a waistband, but I think I could probably get into most of them. I'm sticking with loose shirts, not only due to the pooch but also my larger-than-usual chest. 


As of today, I can do one situp and one leg lift, adding an additional one of each daily. Typically the postpartum doctors appointment is at six weeks, but I requested to go at five weeks because I plan to have an IUD and wanted to get it before the end of the year, as I've already met my out-of-pocket max. Then, I'm hoping the doctor will allow me to begin regular exercise again. 


In terms of pain, that's been pretty much non-existent since 1 week postpartum. I think I mentioned, I had a second-degree tear and the lovely hemorrhoids (anyone who pushes out a baby without getting these is seriously my hero!) My doctor said the stitches should dissolve within 7-10 days postpartum, so I'm thinking everything "down there" is healed up.


Emotionally, I probably cried once a day from the time we got home until I was about 1 week pp. I wouldn't say I was ever depressed, just overwhelmed. By now, I've gotten the hang of the mommy thing, breastfeeding is much easier, and I've learned to let things go. All I need are my boys to be happy and healthy and life is good :)

Newborn/family photos 12.04.11