4-week Check-Up

August 19, I am four weeks old today. I had my check-up yesterday. Mom didn't tell me that I was going to get my Hepatitis B shot, so I screamed for about 5 minutes in the doctor's office. I am proud to say that I gained a full pound and grew an inch since I was born. I am 7 lbs. 8 oz. and 20 1/2 inches long! Hooray! My parents were worried that I wasn't gaining any weight. I have the nursing thing down...just cry and milk arrives instantly!

Today I get to meet my other Grandma! She's flying in from St. Louis and I get to meet her around midnight. Don't worry, I'm sure I'll be up for my midnight feeding. Grandma Clare will be visiting me for 10 days. I'm their first grandchild and I can't wait to get spoiled! I'm sure she'll bring me a cute St. Louis Cardinals outfit!

My eyelashes are growing. I have baby acne on my forehead and I like to poop a lot! My nails have to be cut often because I like to scratch my face. I've filled in and have chubby cheeks and a double chin now. My parents want me to eat more so my legs will get chunky and not look like frog legs. Before you know it I'll be 10 pounds! I sleep through the night, but like to wake up my parents around 3:30 to get an early morning snack. I'm nice and usually let them sleep until 7 a.m.

I went to my first birthday party, my Mom's 40th. The party was held at our house and the whole Abrenica clan came over for Dad's delicious pannini sandwiches, cake and ice cream. I've been out twice with my Mom shopping. I got hungry in the store and she had to multi-task --- nurse me and push my baby carriage at the same time! Pretty impressive.

That's it for now until my 8-week update. Oh...thank you to everyone for visiting me and showering me with gifts! I'm finally getting girly pink clothes and don't have to wear yellow or white all the time.
---Baby Marissa

Road to C-Section Recovery

They say the typical C-section recovery period is 4-6 weeks. Yikes! Although I feel fine, I need to just take it easy. I can drive a car in two weeks and start exercising in four. My incision healed and the steri-strips were removed. I have mild pain in my abdomen and have occasional contractions when I’m breastfeeding. Last week it hurt me to laugh, cough or sneeze. My mother-in-law told me to hold a pillow against my incision to ease the pain and it works!

The swelling in my legs got worse after birth and has since gone down. Here's a picture of my "kankle" Fred Flinestone foot. Even a pedicure couldn't make my foot look attractive. I still sleep propped up and getting out of bed is still difficult. If I drop something I can't bend over to pick it up. I use my feet to pick it up or just stand there and wait for Justin to pick it up for me. Justin has been absolutely wonderful.

We went for a walk yesterday to a neighborhood park. I can't believe how slow I was walking and I wasn't even pushing the stroller! Everytime I’m in pain, I just look at her and smile knowing that it’s all worth it. I am somebody’s Mom. I can’t wait to get back to normal again, until then I thank God for her!
--Sheila

2-week Milestone

Marissa 2-week pediatrician check-up was today. She is pretty much the same weight as last week. She weighs 6 lbs. 3 oz. Her umbilicord fell off today and I'll save it for her baby book. Now we can give her a bath! I'm kind of scared, so we'll probably stick to sponge baths until she gets a little bigger.

We are quite blessed that Marissa cries only when she needs a diaper change or when she's hungry. Her last feeding is around 11 p.m. If she could she would sleep through the night, but we wake her up for an early morning feeding around 3 a.m. She lets us sleep in until 7 a.m. then back to the every 2-hour feeding sessions.
--Sheila

Milk Machine

Wow, I am definitely Marissa's personal milk machine. Nursing her every two (2) hours is a task! Fortunately (for now) she only wakes up once throughout the night. I have to set my alarm to make sure that I wake up for her early morning feeding. In between the her feedings (which is usually an hour or less) I attempt to take a nap or catch up on things around the house. Next thing you know, its time again.

The day she was born I didn't know what I was doing. Marissa dropped 10% of her weight. I thought everything was fine, but she wasn't latching on correctly. I felt as though I failed as a mother because I couldn't provide for her. My only responsiblity other than to give my child love was to provide her with her only nutrition. Several nurses and an actual Lactation Nurse gave me hands-on lessons. I learned techniques on how to massage and prep "the machine" prior to operating it.

Marissa eventually gained her weight back. Yipee! I feel much better now and pretty much have breastfeeding down, although I am so tired. I know, I know, some of you can't believe their ears when I say I am tired. How long do these two-hour feedings last? Oh well, time's up and I have to prep the machine.
-- Sheila