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