A few more photos from the Isis Class

Taken by one of the other moms... This is the babies learning how to do Tummy Time.

Abby Update

Here's the latest with Abby. She is now 5 weeks and 2 days old and doing great. At the 1 month appointment she was weighed and measured - here are the stats:

Weight - 10lbs 8oz - 90%
Height 21 & 1/2 inch 75%

According to the pediatrician she has jumped a curve and is now being tracked one curve up for her growth.

On the first month of motherhood -
Woh - it is a big adjustment for everyone in the family. The baby has to adjust to life outside the comfy womb, The mom has to adjust to hormonal changes, sleep deprivation, overwhelming responsibility, and intense emotions, The dad has to adjust to the new role in supporting the family, mom, and the sleep deprivation too.

It is such a weird thing, it is so hard but so great at the same time. When Abby cries in her crib at night and I go in to get her, I always think IM SO TIRED, but she is so precious I just have to pick her up and attend to her, and kiss her on the head like a million times. I think the biggest mental adjustment is the realization that the life you had before is secondary to the needs of the baby now. She is the priority and you are happy to take care of whatever she needs.

Some advice (however unsolicited) for others about to go through the same thing.

1. Have your network of support set up
Key Players -
A. Your mom (and in my case my grandma too) are key to helping out that first week. With my hormonal thing and tiredness I really needed my mom to come over every day and help out for a few hours so I could take a break (shower, nap whatever).

B. Friends who have been thru the same adjustment: In this case I had my sister and friend's Andrea, Jess and Christina who talked me thru those first few hard days.

C. Moms Group or class - I joined the great beginnings class at isis maternity www.isismaternity.com and it has been a great resource. I have met a whole group of new moms who are also learning how to be moms.

D. Your doctor - make sure you have a good OB and Pediatrician that you can call with questions about the post partum and newborn thing.

E. Lactation Help - although this went pretty easy for me, it is good to have someone you can call about breastfeeding questions, it is not always all that straight forward.

Anyway - 1 month out and we are doing well.. Tighe too is being a great dad and helps out without any complaints. I just love Abby to pieces. Here are some recent photos.



Abby in Baby Jeans


Loving up the bathtime


Lets go RED SOX - clap - clap - clap,clap,clap



Two photos from the Isis New Beginnings Group

St Patricks Day

My friend Joy gave Abby this St Patricks Day Bib... Love it!



Uncle Dipa came over to visit, he brought over this beautiful Alice in Wonderland music box for Abby. It has a snow globe with glitter in it and is totally cool and trippy. Thanks Dipa!



I noticed that Abby looks sort of like this toy when she is in this sleeper outfit.
I thought it might be a good 'size marker' to use for a monthly photo of her. Here she is at 1 month, hopefully in another 4 weeks the toy will be the 'incredible shrinking pink stripey doll.'


My friend Joy gave Abby this St Patricks Day Bib... Love it!

Girls Luncheon

My friends Nikki and Chip also recently welcomed a baby girl to their family - Maggie.

Mags (as nikki calls her) was born in Jan - 2 WEEKS PAST NIKKI's DUE DATE! I can't imagine going so late as nikki did! Maggie was worth it though, isn't she a cutie? I think Magggie and Abby will be good friends, they have the nuhoc connection. I'm envisioning some days at the cohassett town beach with Chip and Nikki this summer :-) Anyway, Joy and Jess met us too for a quick lunch at the Asgard (an irish pub in Cambridge) and we had a great time. Abby only got cranky once and calmed quickly as soon as I fed her. Can you believe us new moms braved the snowstorm today? Nikki is returning to work next week so it was pretty much now or never. Here are a few photos.

Abby and Maggie


Jess and Joy helping out with Abby


Abby asking for her lunch :-)

Abby's a girly girl

Abby had her first of many photo shoots yesterday. Here are the goods :-)

Can you say sleep deprived?

Oh my goodness. I'm so tired, never knew how much a newborn requires. I mean they are sleeping, eating and pooping machines basically and you have to take care of every feeding, every settling down for a nap and every dirty diaper. All of this is on a 1.5 - 3 hour cycle 24 hours a day. Craziness.

Abby is doing great, she had the 2 week check up yesterday and has gained a full pound since her last appointment a week ago. She is now 8lb 14oz. The dr said she was the picture of health so at least Tighe and I are succeeding on that front.

I, on the other hand am having a bit more trouble with the lifestyle adjustment. Mainly, what is hardest is the interrupted sleep. I feel like a zombie most of the day and night and I find it difficult to distinguish between the 2 because I'm in the same state either way - tired, and trying to make sure Abby has what she needs. I'd describe my current state as 'survival mode' Carrie - trying to function as best I can while Abby grows to figure out that night is different from day and that she can take in enough milk to get her satisfied for more than a few hours.

The past few days both Tighe and I have noticed she is more 'aware' during the day and wants to stay awake a bit more. I hope this is a good sign that she will start to sleep slightly longer at night and for shorter spurts during the day. Wishful thinking maybe but when you are in survival mode you cling to whatever hope you have.

I continue to be 'taken' with my little girl tho and enjoy my time with her very much. When I'm up in the middle of the night nursing (usually at 1 and 4 am) I think to myself, there are moms all over the world also up doing this very same thing and trying to give the best to thier children. That is all I want for abby, the very best I can give her, even if it means zombie Carrie for a few more weeks.

Abby's taking a nap now so I'm off to close my eyes for a min or two.