Day Two

Well I just dropped the boy off for the 2nd time and I am walking into work (forgot how much I hate parking at wku, it's like a five minute walk to my building! Ugh). I cried a lot yesterday. It's not the actual being away from him, it's the knowing that I have to do this five days out of the seven in a week. Everyone says it gets easier. I only missed four hours yesterday and I felt like I missed most of his day! Ugh! Thankfully I have a good job with great people, but it's not the job I really want to be doing! I wish I had like four months of maternity leave!!


- Mrs.Pate via my iPhone

Motherhood Is Application

Motherhood Is Application

Attention Working Moms!

So I return to work on Monday. I get to do part time for two weeks, so that's a blessing. But I am bummed. I do not want to leave my boy.

Moms that work outside of the home, how do you make it through? Do you feel like you have no time with the kid? Do you feel like you spend all your time at night getting everything ready for the next day?

I am in need of lots of encouragement. I feel like everywhere I look people are stay at home moms. I feel like I am going to miss everything and he will barely know me! I feel like we will have no time with him because we won't get home until basically 5 and he will go to bed so early anyhow. Will it feel like that?? Ugh!!! And the thing is, I have been crunching numbers like crazy, but there is just no way.

I have got to get a better attitude about this and stat! Any advice?


- Mrs.Pate via my iPhone

Follow up eval

(written on Tuesday)

So today we had a follow up lactation evaluation to see how things are going and help prepare me to return to work. Griffin weighs 10 lb 3 oz now! Nursing has gotten so much better. Griffin still pulls off a lot and cries some, but typically we don't have screaming sessions anymore. The lactation consultant today thought he may he showing signs of reflux. He using spits up after every feeding, and she said his fussiness and fighting to go back on the breast might be indicators. So she suggested we go see the doctor for meds.

So we went back to see Dr. Fraser today. This is our third time to see him. I tried to tell him I am not a hypochondriac who will be in every week, haha! He does not think Griff has reflux and was annoyed that the lactation consultant worried me. He said the medicine really only helps with the burning in the esophagus and gives relief to babies who are very unhappy. Griffin is generally a very happy baby and does not fuss more than any normal baby. So he really advised me to just keep the nursing up, and to sit Griffin up for 20 minutes after eating. He said he will get better soon.

He has now spit up down my underwear and my bra, so I hope so! Haha! Motherhood is so glam.

And so the nursing saga continues...

- Mrs.Pate via my iPhone

Cloth Diapers: The fit on a newborn

We are mainly using One Size Pocket Diapers on Griffin. You can read more about what those are here. The good thing about them is that they should last us until he potty trains. The bad thing is they are quite bulky on a smaller baby. Oh well. So here are some shots on how they are fitting Griffin right now, while he is 10 lbs.

A BumGenius newborn diaper. He is almost too wide for these! 

A view of what the diapers look like under a onesie... 

 A BumGenius 4.0. They are pretty trim One Size. 

 Side view of the BumGenius 4.0

 The GoGreenPocket Champ. They are the trimmest One Size I have I think. 

 Side view of the Champ. Oh and sidenote- the insert does come out in the wash! Awesome! 

 The Kawaii One Size. They are my bulkiest ones I think. 

 Side View of the Kawaii. 

 My Alva. This is basically like the Kawaii. Cute print isnt it? 

I have a few others to take a picture of and post still. But thats what we have so far.

They have all been really absorbent so far. I have mainly just used the bumgenius newborn insert in most of them and just one insert in the rest (only have so many newborn inserts). Thats plenty for now.

How the cloth adventure is going so far...

As I mentioned the other day, we have started cloth diapering! Yay! (For those that haven't been reading my blog for very long, you can catch up with what cloth diapering is all about and why we chose to use them here.) So far it has been fabulous. I was actually nervous to start. As you may have realized, I felt pretty overwhelmed the first two weeks Griffin was home. So I was nervous to add something else to the mix. And since I had been so excited about cloth diapering, what if it didn't go well after all?? Then I had all these cloth diapers and no money in my budget to start buying disposables. I felt like there was a lot of pressure for this to work... Luckily it did!

My plan all along was to wait a few weeks and then begin. I, of course, assumed we would be home from the beginning and not two weeks into Griffin's life. So I still took three weeks once we were home to let things settle down. I think the fact that we had been using disposables for three weeks was what made me so nervous to switch. Anyhow, I had a whole stash from my friend Elizabeth to use until Griffin got big enough for our one size diapers (they are a bit bulky for a newborn), but because I ended up having a bigger baby and waiting so long they were not necessary. Griffin fits into majority of our one size diapers already! Wow! I mean, they are bulky on him, but not too bad.

So last Wednesday I got out a few diapers and just went for it. I was so nervous I was going to have a leak or something! Ha! But we have not had a single leak so far. Griffin seems very pleased, no more crying for a diaper change. I basically change him after every feeding and thats all. The pocket diapers wick away the wetness so he doesn't feel wet. Changing the diaper is super easy, just the same as a disposable except afterwards I do not throw it away but instead throw it into our diaper pail or wet bag (if we are out).

I have done the laundry twice now. I do one cold rinse first (to rinse out all the yuckies), then a wash cycle with detergent, then one more cold rinse afterwards. Then I line dry the pocket shells and put the inserts in the dryer. No biggie. I am a little worried about how I will dry them when I go back to work because I will have to do the laundry at night. Any suggestions cloth diapering people?

I am also using cloth wipes and loving them! They work so well and one cleans everything great (instead of two or three disposables). I am using baby washcloths from wal-mart and pre-moistening them then storing them in a disposable wipes container. My wipe solution is 1 cup water, 1 tbsp baby oil and 1 tbsp baby shampoo. It smells good! I did not use the cloth wipes the first day and everyone is right- using disposable wipes with a cloth diaper is annoying! You naturally throw the wipe in the diaper, but with disposable wipes you have to make an extra effort to throw it away and then put the diaper in the diaper pail. So using cloth wipes makes it so much easier.

Griffin has had diaper rash since birth because of the antibiotics he was on. After like two days in cloth with cloth wipes the boys rash was practically gone! Awesome! And so far in his lifetime we have only bought 1 thing of diapers. Yay for saving money!

I will post some pictures to show how the diapers fit right now soon. If any of you are interested in knowing more about cloth diapers, just let me know. I would really really recommend it! I do not feel like it is much more effort than using disposables, I promise. And I personally think the money savings make it so worth it!

Making progress and a busy day

1. I am at the thyroid dr. Yay... Haha. Anyhow, just got weighed and I am now only ten lbs away from pre-pregnancy weight. Thank you breastfeeding. I hear the last ten is the hardest though.

2. I fit in some of my pre preggo pants! I am not sure my hips will ever fit back into my smallest jeans though, and that's ok.

3. My son is awesome. Yesterday I nurses twice at church using my cover with success! (using a nursing cover is not as easy as it looks!) And no fits! Yay!

4. Today we are having a marathon day in TN. Griffin will meet lots of people and I hope be in a good mood! We shall see.

5. My nieces love Griffin and they are so cute with him! My dad an nieces came up yesterday for a quick visit. My oldest niece is basically as tall as me now, seriously? She is growing up so fast!










And this was Griffins outfit at church yesterday. So cute!


Happy Monday!

- Mrs.Pate via my iPhone

Sleep

Griffin's sleep tally last night:
- 3 1/2 hours
- 4 1/2 hours
- 3 1/2 hours

So Awesome buddy! Thanks!

He always sleeps pretty good at night. He goes right down after all feedings with no fussing and doesn't wake up in between usually. And he almost always does 3 hours at night and mostly one 4 hour stretch too. He has started stretching those out little by little and I am glad he is starting to stretch them out a little more! Yay!



- Mrs.Pate via my iPhone

Test

Test


- Mrs.Pate via my iPhone

Babies don't keep...

Today some of my best friends came to visit and meet Griffin. I love fellowship with these ladies. It ministers straight to my soul. I needed today. These ladies are all moms or soon to be moms. It was really good to hear that my child is not the only one who spits up a lot, or takes a long time to nurse, or whatever etc. As a mom, I question everything and wonder if it's normal or if I am royally screwing up at this. It was comforting to feel like I am doing ok.

One of my friends has two girls (cuties), and as she left she told me something that I really needed to hear. She told me I was doing a good job, and that it gets easier. She said that after six weeks it gets much easier, until 3 months and then at six months it gets really really fun.

And you know what? I feel like each week it really is much easier. Each week I feel more confident, less emotionally unstable, and like I am enjoying him more and worrying less. If he is crying and I just can't console him, I won't traumatize him. If I give in and hold him thru his nap, I won't ruin him. He and I will both make it thru this new and uncertain beginning. In fact, we have made it thru a month and we are doing awesome!

And with that, I have to go. I am letting my son nap on me and it's almost feeding time again. Such sweet times, and I am trying to focus more on enjoying and savoring them instead of mastering how to schedule them etc.

Because I hear that babies don't keep...




- Mrs.Pate via my iPhone

Out cold

We are not the greatest at tummy time around here. Usually Griffin screams all during it. But today, the boy just fell out cold! Looks comfy! Haha!



- Mrs.Pate via my iPhone

Blessed

::: I am one blessed girl. I have a husband...

... that is always willing to get up in the middle of the night and help me with Griffin. He would even let me stay asleep if he could, but I am the only one who can feed the kid!
...that takes his free time off and tells me he will watch the kid, and I should go get my hair cut.
... that cooks me dinner.
... that is willing to change diapers (even cloth ones) and help clean up spit up.
... that continually reminds me we are in this together.
... that is daily showing me the love of Christ through his servanthood. He is constantly putting our (Griff and I) needs before his wants.

I really am one blessed girl.



- Mrs.Pate via my iPhone

The Photo Shoot that My Son Hated

So before Griffin was born, I got in the bad habit of looking at things on Etsy. Not a good idea for your budget. Anyhow, I purchased the cutest outfit for Griffin to wear during newborn pictures. Fast forward to our newborn pictures and things didn't quite go as planned. We had to do the pictures at almost 3 weeks old, instead of week one or two. So our baby was not a sleepy little newborn who would let you pose him however you wanted. Instead, he was an alert baby who wasn't having it. So the outfit didn't quite work out. Today, I decided he was in such a good mood that I would try again... bad idea. My poor son hates this thing! Sorry buddy, but you look so cute in it!

One Month!

Griffin is 1 Month Old! 

I cannot believe it! Happy One Month Buddy! Here is a picture from the day we brought him home from the hospital (so 2 weeks old):

And some from our photo session today: 

One Month Stats:
- Griffin prob weighs in at ten lbs now, he was 9 lbs 10 oz a week ago.
- He is wearing newborn clothes and some 0-3 month clothes. The 0-3 month clothes fit lengthwise but are kinda big width wise.
- We are still nursing so far!
- Griffin is usually on a 3 hr schedule. So he wakes up and eats, then has "waketime" then takes usually two short naps with a waketime in between.
- He usually has one or two 4 hr stretches at night, then the rest are 3 hr. I am not going to complain about that! Hoping for a 5 hr stretch when I go back to work though.
- He has just started smiling and kinda laughing this week. It is the cutest thing ever! When you get close to his face so he can see you, he gets so excited. Precious!
- He always falls asleep in the car.
- Usually you can put Griffin in his crib or rock'n'play and he will go to sleep. Not always, but usually.
- He hates tummy time. But he is starting to like his playmat.

I cannot believe I have a one month old son. This has been one crazy month and I am just now starting to deal with how I feel about how everything played out at the beginning. And once we got home, I was definitely overwhelmed with having a newborn at first, but I am feeling much better now. The weepiness has gone away! Hurray! I know Mr.Pate is thrilled about that. I am growing and learning as a mom and feeling much better about the role. I still have lots of moments where I have no idea why he is crying or how to console him, and I hate those moments. But I guess I just need to get used to it. I think the hardest part for me has been giving up control. I am such a planner and control freak, so God is really using this to show me how not-in-control I am. Learning lessons is no fun.

I love my son and I am so glad to be on this journey! It is a hard one and sometimes I do wonder why we ever got ourselves into this, but he is such a blessing and i wouldnt trade him for the world!

Let the Cloth Begin

We are starting cloth diapers today! Yay! I will keep you posted on how it goes.


- Mrs.Pate via my iPhone

Teen Mom and other late night thoughts

- I adore Tyler and Catelyn (sp?) on Teen Mom. They seem to be really good kids for the situations they have been in.
- I can't really stand the other moms on Teen Mom. Especially Amber. Drama. Why do I watch this show? I have no idea.
- Nursing has been going so much better, but then today we had two screaming nursing sessions. Ugh. Trying to feed your son when he is screaming bloody murder is the worst experience ever. It is so hard to tell if I should keep trying or of he wants to stop and all you want is to make him feel better. Blah.
- I got my hair cut the week before I had Griffin, so five weeks ago. The girl did not cut the back right and I have wanted to go back and get it fixed since then. Still haven't gone. One day right?
- loving this weather!
- Tonight I managed to cook dinner, pack it up, pack me and the boy up and deliver it to my hubby at Starbucks. Yep. Awesome.
- That was the first meal
I have cooked in over five weeks. Wow.
- I fit in one of my pre-pregnancy jeans. Yay!



- Mrs.Pate via my iPhone

Four weeks

Griffin is 4 weeks tonight. Actually about eight minutes ago to be exact. It is crazy to think that day was only 4 weeks ago. It feels like yesterday and also like a million years ago.

Life is getting better. I am getting more confident, and more comfortable with having no idea what I am doing. Most days are going well. Some days not so much. Today, the boy has refused to sleep! Normally he naps great, but he just wasn't feeling it today. What have I learned as a mom so far?

Tomorrow is a new day!









- Mrs.Pate via my iPhone

Visitors

We have had all kinda of visitors over the past few weeks, and here are a few pics we havent posted yet.

Gammy Becky

Uncle Dustin (he held Griffin thru an entire movie that night)

Uncle Sheldon and Joey

Grandma 

Nanny Martha

Aunt Alecia