so behind

So, I haven't kept up with blogging at all.  And I already regret it.  As the days go by, I wish I had the time to document the everydayness of life.  Selah's growing so fast.  I hope I will make time more often. 

Selah's learned to sit by herself this week.  Actually, I think she would have mastered it earlier but I never thought to put her down on the floor.  We always sit on the bed cause it's easier on my back.  She looks really tiny on the floor.  She still kind of hunches over to keep from falling.  She's pretty good at balancing herself.  We actually put her in the shopping cart for the first time ever today at Foodtown.  She looked so cute, could barely see over the bar.  She's actually playing by herself for once.  Only for about 10 minutes at a time. 

Selah's Birth Story Part 1

I was talking to a friend the other and we swapped birth stories and I realized that there's a lot I've already forgotten so I really need to get on the ball and write this down.  I will be detailed and honest.  Hopefully not too graphic.  Don't read this if you don't wanna know.  This is your warning. 

Selah was due July 26th, a Monday.  To even make it to her due date, seemed like a miracle.  You're counting the minutes, seconds just waiting for something to happen.  I feel heavy just thinking about it.  It's a weird feeling because you're so anxious and you're SO ready to have a baby but at the same time, the next step is labor.  Labor.  Who wants to go into labor?  So you're ready but not ready at the same time. 

So her due date comes.  And goes.  And then another day.  And then another.  Meanwhile, I've been doing everything I know how to do to get this baby out of me.  I'm doing stairs, sitting on my ball, doing 'homework' as my midwife called it, walking, nothing's working.  I probably googled how to induce labor twenty times hoping to come up with another idea.  I've been dilating slowly over the past two weeks, so by now I'm at least 3 cm in without even going into labor.  We had decided that if Selah wasn't gonna come by Thursday, I would go in and have my membrane stripped and hope that would kick start my labor.  Stripping is not the same as having your water broken.  The baby is surrounded in amniotic fluid inside a sack of water that sits above your cervix.  The midwife would separate the sack of water from my cervix by running her finger along the rim, just irritating it so it would do something.  Wednesday night comes. and goes. and we rest up.  Tomorrow we were gonna come home with a baby...

To be continued. 

Another first

Baby girl cut her first tooth yesterday!  Yay! 

butterfly kisses

She woke me up in the dead of sleep.  I nudged and shook her dad but he was totally out.  Ugh.  I guess it's my turn.  I tried to pat her down but she wouldn't have it.  I nursed her and rocked for a good half hour.  She was up again in an hour and a half.  I soothe and pat and let her wrap her fingers around my mine. 

You forget how hard it is in the moments when things are really good.  In reflection, there's a lot more good than bad.  A lot more.  She looks up and grins from ear to ear.  She's one the best things that's ever happened to me. 

I give her kisses and raspberries and she snickers and laughs at me.  My hair distracts her and she tries to reach for the swinging strands.  She gets some and of course puts it to her mouth. 

You're getting so big.  We keep saying that, but I try to remember that you're still small.  I'm not gonna get caught up in how fast you're growing because I can't slow it down.  I'm gonna enjoy it and not wish it away.  I wish you were still a newborn, I wish you could talk, I wish you could entertain yourself already, I wish you could sit up, I wish I wish I wish.  I'm not gonna wish... I'm gonna enjoy.  I'm gonna live in the here and now and kiss you and let you annoy me and hold you and comfort you and love you.  I love you Selah Grace.  Happy 5 month birthday. 

Mini newsletter, well more of an update

Sorry folks, until things quiet down around here, there's no way I'll have time to sit down and write a newsletter.  Louis finally almost done with school and with finals around the corner, there's just no time to do anything.  I'm occupying Selah and the apartment looks RIDICULOUS.  I can hardly stand the clutter.  This newsletter is late anyway and I kept telling myself that I'll make time to write it out but truthfully, I rather just make it short and cross it off my to do list.

I've had a million blog ideas swirl through my head but no time.  So I'll just tell you what Selah's been up to.

-She started reaching out for things and putting them in her mouth.  It's way cute.  I know this seems like no big thing, but the little things are really amazing when they've been so non-reactive.
-She's smiling a LOT and babbles when she wants to.  The other day, Louis was watching a youtube video about a parrot and she was mimicking it.  SQUAWK!
- She's holding her head up very well now, but she's not sitting by herself yet.  She likes her bumbo.
-She's been using Pampers 1/2 and she's officially grown out of them.  Next please!

- She caught her very first cold.  She started running fever on Thanksgiving, poor baby.  Everybody was trying to pass her around and she was totally miserable.  Very cranky and difficult to put to sleep.  We called the doctor on call and the idiot told me to give her 1/2 teaspoon of baby tylenol.  We got home and I double checked the dosage, and that was 4x more than she was suppose to take.  She only need 1/8 of a teaspoon.  The only way she would sleep is her in swing and that got habit-forming real quick!  She's still congested and we have to suction her nose a couple of times a day. 

-She loves Ducktales and her daddy does too.
- It's been really interesting cause this is the first month where she's actually shown interest in her toys.  Playing with them, shaking them, putting them to her mouth.  It's been great watching her grow up.
-If she's laying on her side, she can flip onto her tummy now.
- She's balding, losing all her baby hair.  
- Oh!  And she's picking up her head and chest during tummy time!  She can practically do a push-up.  She's getting very strong, especially when she gets ahold of my hair.

That's all I have time for, thank you for reading.  And because posts are no fun without a picture-

More soon I pray.  Thank you for your patience.

3 month newsletter

Selah,

3 months already?!  Time is FLYING BY.  Seriously, it seemed like we just came home from the birthing center last night, and you're already starting to hold your head up.  Crazy.  One of my facebook friends told me shortly after you were born, "I can't wait to hear your birthing story when you have time, like in 3 months."  I thought to myself, well I plan on writing her birthing story next week.  Ha!  It's been 3 months and I've only just started it.

You're a very sweet girl, always smiling.  I've had two people tell me now that you look like a cabbage patch doll.  Lol.  It's your chubby wubby cheeks that you get from Mama.  Ironically when you frown everyone credits it to your dad, "That's a Louis face if I ever saw one," Pastor Jake told us recently. 

You enjoy bathtime very much, you hardly fuss.  You love your activity mat and have recently started swatting at the musical bee.  You've found your hand and love to shove your fist in your mouth.

Selah in her swing

The biggest issue we've had with you is you don't ever poop!  You were going once a week but then it slowed down to 12 days and we couldn't wait any longer and gave you a suppository.  Dr. Lamug sent us to see a specialist about that.  One of them said you were fine and the other wants to test you for Hirshprung's.  They want to do a rectal biopsy.  If you do have hirschprung's, they'll have to perform surgery to remove the affected intestines.  It's all rather invasive.  Your dad and I have put it off for awhile.  We're trying other methods like karo syrup every day, infant massage and we're gonna get you a spinal adjustment.  We'll see if that helps.  Some breastfed babies just don't go all that often and you might be one of them.  We hate to put you through pain and suffering if it's not necessary.  When you don't go every 10 days, we have to give you a suppository.  Thank Goodness for  your father, because I totally cried with you the first time we had to do it.  You cry in the beginning and then you just strain, but you poop a lot when you get it. 

You've recently started babbling and cooing a lot.  You're very talkative.  Mr. John gave us some Dr. Suess books and you enjoy people reading to you very much.  I left you with your Amah (my mom) one day and I asked her if she read to you.  She replied, "Yes, but I noticed that she only looks at the pictures."  Really?  Imagine that!  She said, "So I only read a couple of words on each page and just let her look at the pictures."  LOL. 

Halloween came and went, and you were delectable sushi, compliments of Ms. Sara.

 

Some nights you sleep through the night, and other nights you wake around 5.  Your bedtime is usually around 11 PM.  I went to a consignment sale and got you a TON of clothes.  You're so much fun to shop for.

We've been working at sleep training.  I've read Babywise, Secrets of the Baby Whisperer, and The No Cry Sleep Solution.   I've tried to let you cry it out, but you scream for 1.5 hours at times.  No bueno.  I gave up on that.  I like the Baby Whisperer the best thus far, I find it to be the most balanced and the most helpful book for this stage in your life.  I feel especially bad for you because sometime our lives are so busy and on the go, that we don't have the predictability required to put you on a routine.  Things are getting better though.  We're gradually fostering your independence.  If we put you down before, you'd have a total meltdown and throw a fit.  When you go down for naps now, I pat your bum for a while and try to let you fall asleep on your own.  We're striving for you to learn to self-soothe yourself to sleep.  Baby steps.

I want to take this month to focus on your dad.  He's super great with you.  Sometimes, he's the only one that can calm you down.  You've taken to sitting in the crook of his elbow.  Weirdo.  He takes you when I need a break or some alone time.  Lately, I've had to work more than I want to and he's been the one to care for you while I do that.  He takes time to play with you and entertain you and he loves to see that smile.  You have a really good daddy Selah.  A great one.  One that loves to care for you and shepherd you and protect you.  Remember to obey Selah, even when you don't feel like it.  He can see the big picture when you or I cannot and his every decision is our best interest.  Your dad attempts to be selfless in everything he does and we should seek to honor and respect him always.  I love you so much babydoll, but your dad is the apple of my eye.  He is my beloved and I pray that you would be blessed and feel secure in our love for one another, knowing that your mom and dad love each other very much.  We love you Selah Grace, so much so that our hearts ache.

Until next month,
Mama