Four Months

Four months.  FOUR MONTHS!  I just can't believe how fast time goes by with a baby.  I still remember the day he was born like it was yesterday.  Gunnar has so much personality now, it's kind of amazing that someone so new to the world can be so big in it.

Anyway.  Here are the stats for our four month old little Gunnar Bear.

Cheers!

- Eyes are still blue!

- Working on rolling over.  I won't say he rolls over from back to tummy just yet, but he is so close.

- Started daycare and is doing really well in it.  His teachers love him.

- First cold (thanks daycare!)

- First school project! (thanks daycare!)

- First plane ride

- First vacation/ trip

- First trip to Michigan and hopefully first snow

- Grabs toys perfectly now and everything goes straight to his mouth.

- Putting feet in his mouth now

- Saw a ceiling fan for the first time, was completely mesmerized

- Getting big!  13.7 lbs and 25.5 inches!  Now in 6 month size for the length.

- Sleeping in longer stretches.  Pretty soon he'll be sleeping through the night.

- Likes to stand

- Constantly moving, talking and laughing

- Went to his first birthday party and went on the swings for the first time

New Mommy Christmas List

Tis the season!  For all the new (and experienced) moms out there, here's my Christmas Wish List.  Maybe some of you want the same things...

1.  Eight hours of uninterrupted sleep.  Whoever gets me this will own me.

2. Self-washing bottles.  Anything to get back our evening.

3. Odorless dirty diapers.  I know, I might as well ask for a miracle.

4. And endless supply of burp clothes.  Gunnar Bear goes through so many when he's spitting up.

5. Eye Cream that really gets, and I mean really, gets rid of dark circles.

6. A couple months of frozen meals.  So I don't have to decide between sleep, eating or personal hygiene.

7. Dog walker.  Cuz my boys are being neglected and I feel bad for them.

8. Daycare at work.

9.  My pre-pregnancy body back.

10. Peace of mind


And now for the gifts that can actually be purchased.  You're welcome sister-moms! :)

1. Teething Necklace - I've seen these for a while, but I wasn't sold until Gunnar started putting everything in his mouth; my hair, my shirt, his bib...

This one is Nixi by Bumkins.  You can get different styles and colors.  You can even get a bracelet if that works better.

Target

2. Mani/ Pedi - My favorite place to get one is at an Aveda Salon.  If you have a school near you, they let you keep the nail polish.

3. PJs that work for nursing - I'm not nursing any more, but when I was, this was a pain.  I love these pjs from Victoria Secret.  Soft, comfy cute and practical. What more could you ask for?

 

The Sleepover Pajama

 
4.  Gym Membership - for a couple months at least and the time to actually go to the gym.  We all want our pre-baby body back ASAP, but finding the time to actually work out is hard with a baby. 

5.  Just Dance ABBA - if you can't get to the gym, and you have a Wii, this game will have you sweating.  Its fun and learn some new moves too!

Amazon

6. Anything the baby "made" - Pinterest is full of ideas for hand prints and footprints.  Get some paint and slap those tootsies on something cute!

7.  Baby's Birthstone jewelry - something simple she can wear everyday to remind her of her little one.  It will put a smile on her face.  I like these... 

Bullet Birthstone Bracelet - Jewelmint  $30

Etsy $38

Etsy $34

8.  Baby's Name or Initial Jewelry - for an even more personal touch.

 

Etsy $29

Jewelmint  $52

Tiffany  $150

C Wonder $48

9.  Go the F*ck to Sleep or You Have to F*cking Eat Book - You know you've thought it once or twice.  Hell, you might have even said it, I don't know.  It was written for parents, by a parent.  Enjoy and relate.




Amazon $12

Amazon $12

10. Uggs - I know they're a big fashion faux pas, but I don't care.  They are warm, comfy and easy.  And I think they're cute.  I'm currently lusting after this pair...

Dillards $250

Cheers!

Sunday Funday

What do you do on a rainy Sunday?  Play with Daddy of course!  And maybe a trip to Bass Pro Shop to look at the fishies...

Cheers!

D-Day

Today marks day three that Gunnar has been in daycare.  Monday was a hard day for me.  I cried when I went to put him in his car seat.  I cried harder when we stood at the office to check in for the first time.  I had to hand Gunnar to Kevin because I needed to pull myself together.  I didn't want to scare Gunnar and have him think that this was a bad place I was leaving him.  One of the mom's that had just dropped her kid off said everything would be ok, he was in a good place.  All the people were really nice, I'm sure I'm not the first mom to cry on the first day of daycare.  It was just an awful feeling. 

I hate that I can't stay home with him longer.  Ideally, I would love to get around 7 or 8 months or whenever he starts crawling with him before daycare.  But that was not a reality for us.  All the moms that get to stay at home with their kids, I hope you are thankful for that opportunity.  All the working moms that could stay home if they wanted to, I hope you are thankful for that opportunity too.  All the working moms that have to work but want to stay home, I feel your pain.  Stay strong.  Hopefully, one day I will be able to stay with my kids for a good chunk of their infancy.  I believe in daycare.  I was a daycare baby.  I think it teaches good social skills.  And I'm so excited to see all the little art projects they do with the kids.

The women I work with all knew what Monday meant for me.  Each one came up to me to ask how I was doing and told me stories of when they put their kids in daycare for the first time.  No one told me to gt over it and everyone said that never gets easier, you just learn to deal with it better.  It felt like I had joined a club.  It was nice that everyone was so understanding, especially my lab mates.  We don't really have the luxury of having an "off" day in non-profit research.  You have to bring your A+ game everyday.  They knew that a lot was on my mind but they still trusted me to get back into things and start doing science again, albeit slowly.  Lol.  It reminded me why I wanted to be in this kind of research in the first place.

Today when I went to check on Gunnar during my lunch, it was nap time for the older kids.  This means it was really quiet.  When I opened the door to the infant room, I could hear a baby yelling.  Not yelling in a bad way, the kind of way a baby yells when they have figured out the noise is coming from them.  We call it "talking" in the Kendi Haus.  I thought, "is that Gunnar?"  Sure enough, there was my baby boy bouncing in a bouncer with his new friends just "talking" to anybody that would listen.  He was totally fine and having a good time.  While I was happy to see this, I was also a little sad that he was doing so well without me.  I mean, I put everything I had into taking care of him for the last 4 months and it kinda felt like he was already over it.  I know that daycare is a new place and there are new friends to make and things to do, but it still hurt my feelings a little bit.  I'm so glad that he is happy there, I think I would be devastated if he was miserable and there was nothing I could do about it.  He is being a good boy and he is growing up.  I just hope he doesn't forget about his Mama who loves him more than he can imagine...

Cheers

Veteran's Day 2014

On Veterans Day, it was gorgeous outside.  We decided to go to a park we had seen while driving around the previous weekend.  I liked this park because it had a huge river right next to it and there was the possibility of seeing manatees!  There were a lot of kids there and someone was setting up the BBQ.  Gunnar was less than amused with his first trip to the park.  I think it was because it was his first time wearing shoes too...

Cheers!

Ready for the park!  Maybe...

First, we tried the straight slide.  Gunnar wasn't impressed.

Then we tried the twisty slide...

We did the bumpy slide a couple times too.

And ended with a walk out onto the dock.

Bedtime

When Kevin gets home, he takes over Gunnar duty.  This mostly consists of playing a little, giving the dinner and bedtime bottles, putting on pjs and putting to bed.  And what is bedtime without a story.  After the story, I sing to Gunnar.  He perfers Classic Rock, specifically REO Speedwagon and Alabama.  That's my boy.

Cheers

Recovery: Three Months

Three months after my c-section, I think I am starting to be as normal as can be expected.  The swelling in my feet and hands is almost completely gone.  I wonder if the humidity and high temp here in Florida is the cause for this little bit sticking around...

I can fit into a lot more of my shoes, but I'm still having a hard time fitting new shoes in a size 7.  Some fit, some don't.  Before I was pregnant, I was a guaranteed size 7.  I'm still hanging onto a lot of my shoes, hoping that one day they will fit again.  I'm wearing my wedding rings again which makes me so happy.

I'm still numb around my incision.  Not sure if that will ever go away.  And every now and then I get a sharp pain there.  I guess this is all to be expected since a c-section is "major surgery".  It's funny, with everything we learned in our baby classes, the c-section was approached very nonchalantly...

I have decided that all my two piece bathing suits need to go.  I may keep one or two for nostalgia, but I don't see myself ever having the guts to wear one again.  My stretchmarks are looking much better.  The cocoa butter really does work.

Still not super regular yet, but I think I'm on the right track.  And the hemorrhoids are still a problem but only after the bathroom.  My plan is to wait until I'm done having kids and have surgery to fix them, since I doubt they will go away on their own.

The biggest obstacle for me right now is sleep deprivation.  I only get 4-5 uninterrupted hours of sleep a night and its been that way since Aug 2.  I have always needed a lot of sleep, so going this long without it has taken its toll.  I bump into things all the time, I have a short(er) temper and I forget things easily.  I'm hoping that I will learn to adjust to this new life of little sleep...

Everyone tells me I need to take care of myself.  And I totally agree.  But the problem with all that is no one has told me how to take care of myself while I take care of Gunnar.  I would love to have eaten better while on maternity leave, exercised more, put myself first more.  I just didn't, and still don't, know how to manage all of that and give Gunnar the attention I feel he needs and deserves.  So, needless to say, I have let myself go because I feel it would be selfish to focus on me when I have this little person that needs me and doesn't understand how the world works yet.  Maybe in the near future, I will be able to figure out how to be a good mommy and be good to myself too.  But right now, its an easy sacrifice for me to make.  And I will always put my family first.  Always.

This is going to be my last recovery post.  I'll be switching over to The Bear Den for all things baby related.  I hope that my journey through labor recovery has helped someone out there.  While I got a lot of information from my mom and my classes, there was still a lot that surprised me.  Every women is different and if the tips and struggles I've shared here have helped even one women, well, that's enough for me.

Cheers.

Three Months

It's kinda amazing how much has changed from month 2 to 3.  I'm dreading putting Gunnar in daycare because I don't want to miss anything...

Here are the stats for our three month old little cub:

-Eyes still blue!

-Grabs at everything now.  Holds and plays with toys and his burp cloth.  Loves to grab and hold my braid and the collar of shirts

-Wraps his arms around you when you hold him.  Melts my heart when his little hand is on my shoulder

-Drools like a St Bernard

-He's a super clingy mama's boy.  I pretty much can't do anything for myself (shower, bathroom, nap, etc).

-So close to laughing!  Any day now!

-Sleeps a full night...just shifted at the wrong time for Mama to get sleep

-Loves music and books.  Yay! 

-LOVES his dogs.  Smiles so big when they play.  

-Still only naps on people

-Tolerates baths now.  Almost likes them

-His changing pad is his play place.  Loves to kick his arms and legs.  I call it dancing and swimming.

-"Talks" all the time now

-Things are starting to go into his mouth

-Holds himself up with his arms during tummy time

-Loves the raspberry sound

-Throws fits when he doesn't get what he wants already.  Totally has the McNulty temper.  Can't wait for when he's walking and talking...

-Found his feet and grabs them all the time

Cheers!

More Newborn Pics

Just stumbled upon these pictures from the second shooter at Gunnar's newborn shoot.  Might be using her in the future...  Love that I know a bunch of great photographers...

Seems like just yesterday our little bear cub was that tiny...

All photos by Lotus Photography

First Halloween

We kicked off Gunnar's first Halloween season by participating in an event at our Babies R Us.  I didn't have his costume ready yet, so he wore a pirate onesie that I though was hilarious.  We got to meet Geoffrey!

The next weekend we went to a "pumpkin patch".  It was the best FLorida had to offer and I had to get my picture.  Little Punkin got a little pumpkin and we had fun posing him with all the pumpkins.  The guy that was running it had his puppy with him, so we got to pet the doggie too.  After the pumpkins, we went strolling around Stuart, cuz it was such a nice day.

This is what Gunnar thought of the Florida pumpkin patch

 

Boardwalk in Stuart

Finally, on Halloween, we went trick-or-treating at Publix for a few and came home to hand out candy to the neighborhood kids.  Its worth it to note that these costumes go great with Chester and Freeman's convict costumes from 2009.  The whole family participated in Cops and Robbers 2014.

Can't wait til next year!  I already have Gunnar Bear's costume figured out!

Cheers!

Gunnargram

A Birth Story

So, it's been almost three months since Gunnar was born and let's be real, I'm probably not going to write his full birth story here.  I am still trying to write in down in my journal...

But here is the quick and dirty version followed by our picture documentation of the day.

Cheers!

The Birth of Gunnar M Schwemmin

The story really starts on August 3, 2014.  This feeling came over me in the evening that I needed to have everything in place for the baby.  I needed the house put together, his stuff ready, everything in its place.  Kevin decided to take his teacher's extension so he didn't finish his homework.  I told him he should finish it if he could.  He asked "why? Do you know something?"  I said no, that we just needed to not put stuff off any more...

I woke up at 2am with cramping.  I googled "thrid trimester cramping" and figured it was Braxton-Hicks contractions.  Yay!  Things were starting!  I could have a baby by the end of the week!  I decided to go back to sleep and call my doctor in the morning.  At 4am I had to go to the bathroom.  Something came out that was unusual.  I googled "mucus plug" which confirmed that I lost mine.  Awesome!  I was definitely going to have a baby by the end of the week!  I went back to sleep.  Thirty minutes later I was running to the bathroom.  I sat down and my water broke.  This is when I started to freak out.  There was no doubt about it, I was in labor!  I sat there for a few minutes calming my self down and trying to make sure that it really was my water breaking.  Yes, there could be no doubt!  But how was I going to get up and tell Kevin?!  He was already getting ready for work and I couldn't move without making a mess.  I remembered that my mom wrapped a towel around hereself and waited for my dad so I grabbed my least favorite beach towel and went to get Kevin.  My contractions starting hurting now and Kevin heard me cry out a little and met me at the door.  I said "I think my water broke".  His eyes went wide and he started running around the house packing a bag for himself, grabbing my bag, dealing with the dogs...  We finally got everything in the car and headed to the hospital.

We got there at 6am and the nice security guard wheeled me up to maternity while Kevin checked in.  There weren't any LDR rooms available so I went into a triage room.  There would be 7 rooms opening up later, so it wasn't going to be permanent.  The midwife came and checked me around 10am and said I was 6cm dilated.  We were all surprised to here that.  I decided to get an epidural and when that was finished, they moved us to an LDR room.  Then, I waited.  And waited, and waited.  The epidural had slowed down my labor and it took the rest of the day to get to 10cm.  Finally I was able to start pushing.  I pushed for three and a half hours with no progress.  I was exhausted when the midwife said that he wasn't moving.  I would need a C-Section.  I was crushed.  And scared.  They wheeled me to OR.  They started working on me, Kevin was holding my hand, I was so afraid, and the anesthesia wasn't working very well.  The next thing I knew, I was cold and seeing colors.  They had knocked me out.  I started to wake up and heard sounds and commotion.  I heard Kevin and the nurse calling my name but I couldn't see anything.  My eyes weren't working right.  I asked if the baby was ok over and over again and they said open your eyes, look at your baby.  I started crying because I couldn't open my eyes.  They put Gunnar on my chest and I couldn't see him.  Kevin was there, I was still crying, but holding my baby.  Finally, I could open my eyes and see him.  And he was beautiful.  But still didn't have a name.  :)

 

First family photo!