He’ll be a month tomorrow and I can hardly believe after waiting so long for him to get here it’s been a month already. I love him so much and can’t imagine life without him. He’s brought us so much joy words can’t express how enriched our life has become because of God’s precious gift to us.
Check out the photo albums for more pics from his first month!
I was thrilled (and a bit relieved) to find that I absolutely LOVE cloth diapering. Other than the load of laundry I do every other day it really isn’t any harder than using disposables. They are SO much softer on his little bum, and I find that the extra padding feels so cute, like a babies should feel. Some disposables almost feel like sand paper after getting used to using cloth. Charlie and the grandparents have found that it’s not so bad either. I’ve ended up using covers and microfiber towels from Sam’s club, with a microfleece liner. It’s working great - no diaper rash in sight. the only sad thing is that Elliot’s growing so fast that he’s already almost grown out of the newborn and into the smalls!
The other item I was excited to find works well is my hotsling! I can take him anywhere in it (except the car of course) and I still have both hands available. Plus, I don’t have to carry that heavy carseat around, or mess with the stroller. I’ve used it at home to get some chores done, on walks with my friend Breanne, at the store to do some shopping, and all the way downtown on the train. I have some more slings I’ll have to try out and I can’t wait until he’s 2 months so I can try out some other ways to hold him in it!
- but I actually feel somewhat of an obligation to society to nurse Elliot wherever I am when he is hungry. It is a natural process God created and it’s too bad our culture isn’t comfortable with it, when it seems they’re quite comfortable with plenty of breast exposure on TV and any kind of advertizing. I’m careful to be discreet and not expose myself - using a blanket or something to cover up, but I refuse to go to another room - even worse a bathroom just to feed my child. I hope that by being one more person out there nursing wherever I need to it will help it become a more acceptable part of our culture. I felt so proud of myself after being able to do it on the train. I’d practiced a lot at home - trust me - it isn’t easy getting a hungry baby to eat while having yourself covered. Elliot can be a noisy eater too - it’s really cute at home, but a little daunting to have strangers here him gurgle and pant and practically growel to get some food! Yesterday, my mom and I took Elliot downtown LA to visit my co-workers. We rode the train in to town and then took a bus to City hall. I wore Elliot in my sling and nursed him on the train. That was my first REALLY public nursing experience, but using the sling to cover up worked really well and I did it very discreetly, more on that later.
It was so fun to have all of my co-workers meet him. They all took turns holding him and of course raved about how sweet and cute he was. A couple of them went & washed their hands first - I don’t mind that of course, but I certainly don’t expect everyone to wash their hands before holding him. I just don’t want to be that picky or uptight. I hope people will not hold him if they are sick, but other than that I’m not going to ask anyone to wash their hands. I’ll depend on that breastmilk to keep him healthy and accept the consequences if he does catch something. Elliot slept through the whole thing, it is a special feeling to share your child and see the joy it brings others to hold a baby.
I did learn while there that I don’t have a position to go back to. They’ve done some reorganizing at the city and my job got eliminated. That doesn’t mean I’m fired or anything, just that they would have to find a new job for me to do.
Monday June 13
I had to go to the dentist to Elliot got to go to Noni (Grandma in Italian / my mother-in-law) and Grandpa Mike’s house. It’s a new dentist, and I was pleased to find that it’s located right by where they live. So I fed him before I left & hoped to be back in time to feed him again so they wouldn’t have to use the bottle. I’m not against bottle use - it’s just when I miss a feeding I get engorged and that hurts! I waited a whole HOUR before being seen - even though I got there early. Things got worse when I found out I need a root canal and a crown … remember that tooth that broke off in lamaze class that I couldn’t get fixed… So it looks like Elliot will get some more time at the grandparents house soon. I am glad that the meds they give to numb me will not interfere with breastfeeding. And I did make it back from the apt in time to feed again. It’s true that everything I do revolves around that little guys eating!
Tuesday June 14
I had my annual physical with my primary care physician. It was an interesting visit I guess. I got bored of waiting for her in the room so I layed on the table, but b/c I was laying down when she came in she insisted the whole time that I was fatigued. Then she lectured me on making sure I put my spouse above my child, great advice I know, it was just funny to hear her go on and on about it. She at first told me not to excersize much for six months, but later told me if I want to loose my pregnancy weight I’d need to excersize a lot, go figure. We discussed my emergency room visit and she is having me do bloodwork to make sure all is okay and my anemia is improving. This time Elliot stayed with Grandma Sherry, and once again I was able to feed him just before & after the apt. He does so well when he’s with others, he’s just got a pleasant personality - and he sleeps a lot so that helps!
Wednesday, June 15 - 4 weeks old!
This appointment was for Elliot. The doctor was once again impressed with Elliot’s motor skills, alertness, and ability to track objects and people with his eyes. When we went to weigh him Charlie held him w/ just a diaper loosely around him - too loose I guess, because Elliot peed all over Charlie’s shirt & poor dad had to go home and change before going back to work! That’ll teach us to keep extra shirts in the car for both of us! Elliot weighed 10lbs 2oz I’d been noticing that he’d been putting on some weight - but I never thought he’d gain almost a pound a week!! Because I’m breastfeeding him it gives me this real sense of personal satisfaction - like “hey, I did that!” He’s a healthy growing boy and we’re so proud of course. Next appointment won’t be so fun, at his 2 month checkup he has to get his shots. :-( Good thing Dad always comes with mommy to these appointments, I’ll really need him then.
Last Tuesday night we went to dinner at my parents house, and there waiting for me was my Grandma Norma, Aunt Natalie & my Cousin Karlene. They had all flown in from Colorado & Wyoming to meet Elliot - and it was all a suprise to me! It was absolutely wonderful, I just stood there and my jaw dropped & then I just started crying. Several times since Elliot’s birth I had felt sad, thinking of how they weren’t going to see him until August.
We had a great week with them here. While they were here we threw a surprise bridal shower in the park for Karlene who is getting married in July, we went to the beach, we visited my brother & sister-in-law, shopped at the mall, and I can’t remember all we did right now, but we were BUSY! Elliot was a champ through it all, he usually sleeps through most things right now so it’s pretty easy to do stuff right now, I’m sure as he gets older & is awake more it may be a bit more difficult.
It was just wonderful to watch them all hold and take care of Elliot. He’s so blessed to have such a wonderful family.
