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