One Week Update

It is hard to believe that Andrew is 7 days and 12 hours old already. This past week have been filled with many highs and a few lows, but without a doubt, it has been an amazing blessing to have Andrew here and as part of our family. I love staring at him. He is so stinkin' cute, I can't get over it. I often question whether I'm just biased, but everyone has reassured me that he is just that cute.

If you click on the collage, it will open much bigger in a new window :)

He makes the funniest faces, most of which make him look like an old man. When his eyes are open, he constantly looks around and shows how huge this eyes are (a great combo between Dave's oval eyes and my round ones); right now the color of his eyes is a mystery that we're all waiting to find out. They look like a dark greenish-gray right now. His fingers and toes are long and skinny, as with the rest of his body. He doesn't have any chub on him except for his face. The newborn onesies fit him in length, but swim on his tummy.

• Sleeping: He seems to be a pretty good sleeper. Because of my breastfeeding issues (which, by the way, is more exhausting that having a new baby and healing from major stitches combined), I'm up every two hours pumping and we got into a pattern two night ago that has been wonderful. My alarm goes off to wake me up, I wake him up by changing his diaper, we attempt to breastfeed and then he gets fed (either with SNS or a breastflow bottle). After he eats, he is out cold again, and I put him down and do my pumping thing (which takes 19 minutes or more). Then I go to sleep.



• Eating: He is a pretty good eater, even though my boobs haven't been good feeders yet. We're working on that. He has been eating 2 ounces every 2-3 hours, sometimes a bit more and sometimes a bit less. His tummy was having issues with the formula from the hospital, so we switched Thursday to the sensitive type of the same brand (Similac) and he seems to be doing a lot better. We're using the Breastflow bottles and he has to latch and suck just like breastfeeding. He's a pro at latching on!



• Pooping: He's a great pee-er! Without fail, every time I wake him up to eat, he's wet. He's also wet in between... while he hasn't exactly peed on any of us, he has peed while being changed and soaked himself, the new diaper, and the changing pad a few times. Poop, on the other hand, has been pretty non-existent for the past three days. The doctor said it was "normal."

Things he appears to really like: He LOVED his two washcloth bathes that Daddy gave him. Wide awake and staring at us, he cooed and allowed everything to get washed and lotioned. He smelled so good. He also loves his swing in the front to back motion range, his vibrating bouncer seat, sleeping with his hands swaddled, the car and bouncing.

Things he appears not to like: getting his diaper or clothes changed (his little lungs produce a lot of noise), being wet (if we don't catch it right away, he lets us know), not getting to eat right away (which is always complicated because of the before mentioned breastfeeding issues).

Notable Milestones this Week: lots and lots of visitors (needs it's own post!), first doctor's visit, first (and second) trip to Target, cord stump falls off, and eating dinner out.

How is mommy? In love with my baby! Physically: sore, frustrated about the lack of successful breastfeeding, and super emotional (can I just tell you, I've cried more this week than I have in years combined both good and frustrated tears).