Friday, January 15, 2010

From One Little Girl to Another



This outfit came from a student at school so I wanted to be sure to get pictures of it to share with her. The little girl picked it out herself and was so excited. She was in my class last year and stopped me in the hall all the time to find out what size item the baby could be compared to each week. (This started last year when the class found out I was expecting and I told them that the baby was only the size of an apple.) This student tracked her progress all the way to pumpkin size.
Yesterday I e-mailed the picture to her mom and got this e-mail back today (with names changed):

Hi Mrs. Irish By Marriage,
Baby Caitlin is so cute! The first picture she was just born. I have to admit that Caitlin will look adorable when she is 10 like me. I miss you soooooooooo much.

Love your student from third grade (Insert Name Here)

P.S. I got an award for being the nicest kid in the class this week.


What a sweetie!

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Rafa approves of the outfit! Someone asked me the other day how the cats are doing with the baby. For the most part, they are not bothered. Once in a blue moon they come up to sniff her. The Irishman shuts them out of our room at night and they no longer wait at the door to run in...I think they have found new night time spots. Rafa hates the visitors and demands my complete attention whenever I am NOT holding the baby. He has almost tripped me numerous times by weaving in and out between my legs. His favorite spot is on the computer desk. He keeps a close eye on my as a type. (He is there now and I would take a picture, but that would me revealing the true state of the desktop! Let's just say Rafa is good at maneuvering between the mess!)

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I don't think I've mentioned here, but I have had problems with my left arm since Caitlin was born. I noticed some numbness and weakness but was too busy to really do anything about it. When I sat down to pay attention I noticed I'd actually lost muscle tone. It is a struggle to put my hand on my hips or to reach behind my back.

Last week I went to my ortho and he said he thinks it is a pinched nerve and started me at physical therapy. Now on top of everything else I have to fit in therapy 2-3 times a week. (Not to mention the bands they gave me to use for exercises at home is now Rafa's favorite toy...I have to do the stretches with a water bottle in hand!)

Last night at the end of PT I was actually able to reach behind my back! When I got there I couldn't do that...I know it is bad, but I was not expecting quick results. I am still weak though...the easiest motions are a struggle, but at least I can see progress.

I am still numb though and do not have a good explanation so I have a neurologist appointment next week. (But no sitter so Caitlin will come with me.) I am hoping that she will be able to figure this all out!

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It has been a rough week feeding wise. We have been offering Caitlin a bottle of formula after every other feed like the doctor said, but she has turned it away. Last night I had PT so the Irishman got to do bedtime on his own. After a lot of frustration, it seems she has decided she doesn't like the bottle. We've fed her 1-2 bottles a week from 2 or three weeks of age...but we'd gotten bad about it. We both tried the bottle with no luck...but she ate when offered Mommy. Errr...I go back to work in two weeks so we have to get this sorted. We use Dr. Browns bottles, but a friend also gave us some Avent so I went out and bought new nipples for those last night. She wasn't any more interested in that. Any advice on this?
In the picture Caitlin's tummy was a bit unsettled and she was fussy. A kiss from Daddy makes anything better though! The picture was taken two days ago...after she spit up a bit and went through three outfits herself...and two for me. Yesterday she was fine with no spit up at all. This morning? I have already washed my clothes, sheets, her clothes, and the Boppy. She is now sound asleep in the swing because I wanted to keep her upright and was afraid she'd spit up again.
Caitlin and I are going into school today for the teacher work day so that I can catch up on where my class is and start to prepare myself. I am so not wanting to do this, but I know I need to. I have tuned out so much that when I talked to the sub in my room yesterday I actually couldn't think of my students' names.
After all the laundry and the late nap and the upset tummy it has already been a crazy day. I was hoping for a smooth morning...but it isn't looking that way! Oh well, you make plans and God (and babies) laugh.
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4 comments:

Jessi said...

No real experience here but I was worried Jules wouldn't take the bottle either when I went back to work, so I bought nipples that were the same shape as his soothie and he took the bottle just fine. Make sure to get the slow flow nipples too.

Now that he's older, he gets the medium flow nipples. Hope that helps!

emily said...

*no* idea if this is the least bit kosher with babies, but I know if you're trying to switch cat food, you're supposed to start by mixing in a little of the new stuff with the old, then increasing the ratio slowly over time--ultimately getting to 100% new, but conditioning the cat to the new taste along the way. Would it work to spike in the formula so it's, say, 10% of the total bottle volume, and increase a bit each day? If you're planning to keep pumping, maybe only take it to 75-80% formula max (or whatever volume keeps it a mostly-mom-taste) so that she doesn't turn up her nose for anything with formula?

coble said...

The only formula that I found my kids would take - was Earth's Best. It seems to have a more real to mommy's milk taste. Even the smell is much better than anything else, but it is really hard to find. I could find it a babies r us and the natural food stores. Give her time she will not let herself starve. She will eat the bottle when she gets hungry, and it might just take one or two rough days at playschool but she will get the hang of it. Best of luck when you go back to work – the first few days will be very hard but it will get easier and easier and you one day you will be thankful for it!

Rachel said...

I would try Emily's suggestion. That is what I did with Russ, and it worked out well. Just send me a message if you want details.

Good luck with the transition back to work! We'll be praying for you!