Modern Wife Life

Cameron James is 1 month old!  This month has felt like both the longest and the shortest month ever.  They call a baby's first few months the "4th trimester" and I can attest to that.  We've spent this month doing our best to help Cameron adjust to life in this big new world.

The first night home was the hardest.  I felt a huge amount of worry/pressure to be able to keep Cameron alive, however silly that sounds.   Throughout the night I took Cameron's temperature three times with two different thermometers. I was paranoid that he would overheat.  Everyone said to dress a newborn in 1 more layer than yourself.  Well, they didn't clarify if that meant to dress him like me-- all bundled up-- or dress like my husband-- cozy in his whitey tidies.  Through trial and error we eventually settled on a onesie or muslin swaddle with a thin SwaddleMe pea pod over it.  Sometimes I use a rolled up swaddle blanket to prop up a Wubbanub pacifier in his mouth.  He currently sleeps in the rock n' play with a towel bunched under his butt to prevent him from sliding down.  It seems to work okay!

At night he sleeps 2-3 hours, is awake for 1 hour to nurse and get changed, sleeps another 2-3 hours and then is awake for the day.   So we total about 4-6 hours of sleep at night.  During the day Cameron HATES napping.  Total nap-hater.  Some days I'll spend 5 hours straight just trying different strategies to get him to take a nap. He will usually only fall asleep on me or in a moving stroller and then wake up as soon as he's put down.  So that's been a fun challenge for this mama. Wes is back at work and I'm still trying to run my Etsy business during the day.  I usually end up wearing him in the Ergobaby carrier while I work on all my orders.  It gets kind of crazy, but we make it work. I keep reminding myself that this phase will pass.

We call Cameron the "Milk Monster" because he LOVES milk.  We are exclusively breastfeeding and I plan to do so as long as I'm able/Cameron is interested.  Breastfeeding hurt like hell in the beginning, but we went to a support group class at the hospital and eventually we got into a good rhythm..... or maybe I just got less sensitive to the pain.   Either way he is a well-fed little boy and I've found it to be a really sweet bonding time with him. One of the most exciting things from Cameron's first month has been seeing his weight go up on the scale within the range it's supposed to. We weigh him in a mixing bowl on the kitchen scale.  It's pretty cute. He's grown from 6 lbs 8 oz at birth to now 8 lbs even at 1 month.  Go Cam! It makes me feel like I'm doing something right and gives me confidence in other areas of his care as well.

At first Cameron looked like a miniature version of my husband.  I swear-- the eyes, the hair, the hands-- he was a baby Wes!   A few people have started to say that he is starting to look more like me  with his eyes and face shape.  I'm going to guess that he will end up with blonde, curly hair.  I can't wait to see.  His eyes are getting big and round and he's much more alert.  I love seeing his personality come through!

• Originally we kept Cameron in just a diaper since we change his diaper so often, but now I'm starting to dress him in the newborn size clothes-- even the newborn sizes are a little baggy on him since he's a long/lean baby, but it's adorable nonetheless.  And I get to play mommy-stylist, which is one of the parts of motherhood I looked forward to the most.

• My mom came out to visit for 5 days when Cameron was 4 days old.  My mom is super easygoing and really fun to have around.  It was so nice having her here and it was really special seeing her interact with her grandson.  I know she and Cameron are going to be really close.

• I successfully took Cameron out on my own!  It was also my first time driving a car in about 1 month... yikes.  I took him on a couple of play dates with other new moms as well as to the outdoor mall to get some steps in.  I think he likes shopping.  :) Each time I take Cameron out I get a little more confident.

• My husband's parents came when Cameron had just turned 1 month old.  They came to visit all the way from Hawaii!  Cameron loved all the snuggles and attention.  While they were here we took Cameron on his first trip to the beach at La Jolla Cove.  We got some great pictures with grandpa and grandma holding him.  I think Wes and Grandpa Jahraus are already looking forward to planning Cameron's first hunting trip.

Time is flying and Cameron is changing faster than I ever imagined.  I hope to continue with these monthly updates for his first year so we can look back on these days and reminisce down the road.

It's month 9 and we are still pregnant!  Things seem to be changing quickly though, and I can definitely tell that baby boy getting ready to join this world.  Maybe only 1 more blog update until he is here!

What's new with baby?
Baby boy is head down and our Dr. said he has dropped and "engaged"!  At the end of this week if he is born he is considered early-term (no longer pre-term).  He is supposedly measuring about 6.5 lbs and is the size of a cabbage patch doll.   His kicking and punching has turned into flexing and pressing himself against my abdomen.  You can even see his feet protrude from my stomach.

What's new with mom?
1. Extreme thirst... I drink 200+ oz of water each day.
2. Exhaustion... I can't work on my feet for longer than 30 minutes without a 5 minute sit down break, and a mid-day nap is non-negotiable. Oh, and I've gone full days without any makeup, even mascara-- that's a whole new level of exhaustion for this girl.
3. Difficulty sleeping... baby is SO heavy on my stomach that it takes a toll on my breathing. I feel like I'm gasping for air even at a 45 degree angle.  I am up about 5-6 times each night to use the bathroom and feel very alert around 2-3 am like I could start my day.
4. Weight gain... we're now 149 lbs (19 lbs gained).
5.  "Lightening"... yes it's real.  Just imagine lightening-like/shooting pains in bad places.
6. Charlie horses in my groin. Real nice.
7. Braxton Hicks contractions are increasing... they're stronger and more frequent at night or if I'm outside a lot during the day.
8. Self-doubt.  Physically I don't feel like myself anymore and I'm starting to get nervous about how and when this baby boy will arrive.  Will it be tomorrow?  Will it be in 4 weeks? Will I be a good mom?  Have I done enough?
9. Baby Care Basics Class -- We completed this last weekend and let's just say it contributed to a lot of the self-doubt above.  It was an informative class, but it also made me wonder if I have done enough.

What's next?
**Our Bradley Method class ends next week-- I would highly recommend the class to anyone interested in a natural childbirth.
**Resting-- This is probably the first weekend in months where we don't have plans.  It will be nice to just enjoy each other and take it easy.
**We are still growing our diaper stockpile (now over 1000 diapers across multiple sizes).  It's like a game for us.  We find deals on diapers at 9-13 cents each on brands that are normally 17-25 cents each.  Here's a secret to getting the best baby deals-- The Krazy Coupon Lady! 
**I'm continuing to take red raspberry leaf tea capsules to "tone my muscles" and shorten labor as well as evening primrose oil capsules for more "ripening."  I'll let you know if it helps or if it's just a bunch of hoopla.

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We are getting close to 9 months of pregnancy with just over 5 weeks to go!  The countdown is on, the nesting is in full force, and final preparations are being made.