Cont...
I must confess... I was writing the last blog and toward the end Ruthie started crying. So, it was cut short. I tried to tie it up but I realized later that I only talked about the rough part. I wanted to continue with this blog and share the good parts.
Ruthie sleeps! She pretty much sleeps between every feeding. I feed her, she's awake for about 20 minutes and then she passes out for hours. About 2-3 feeds a day she will stay awake longer. She sleeps so much that I worry that she sleeps too much. But I have to remember she's not a typical 2 month old baby. She is really only 1 month old because she was born a month early. AND has to work harder than the average kiddo to breathe. So, worry dissolves away.
Sometime while she sleeps I put her down in her bassinet, the pack-n-play, or on a mat on the couch (while I sit right next to her)... but sometimes I hold her. I love to hold her. She seems to like it too. I don't want to spoil her. So, I eventually put her down. But I remember a time when I couldn't hold her. She was just laying there with all those tubes, IVs, etc. I held her hand and prayed that she didn't think I had abandoned her. I was afraid she wouldn't want me to hold her once I could. Praise God! She likes to be held now. Don't get me wrong.. she has a limit on how long you can hold her. She doesn't really use her diaper unless she laying down and sometimes she just likes to be left alone.
Also, I kind of like being the one who can soothe her. If she is crying or fussy, everyone passes her to me and I can usually help. It just feels so good to love this little baby so much and then for her to return the love with snuggles and coos.... ahhhh! Now, when I can't do anything, that kind of hurts...i hate constipation/gas.
Learning more about how to care for her/being a mom, my first realization is being a mom is the opposite of selfishness. It requires the complete surrender of the first place status in your own life. Don't get me wrong... I still struggle with selfishness. AND I am in no way unhappy about this... it's just very different. I still get a shower but now i shower with a bassinet right outside the shower. I still go out on dates with the hubby, but it takes more planning and foresight. I can sometimes take her out with us. It's just easier to take her to Nana and Pa's.
Sidenote: Nana and Pa are the best babysitters in the world! They are lifesavers and I don't know what I would do without them!! I love you and please continue to spoil my child!
Back to anti-selfisness/being a mom, it's great and I am NOT complaining. Just sharing how I'm learning all this new stuff.
Update on Ruhie's health.... well.... she looks pretty good to me. She still struggles to eat sometimes. As poor Lori Vaughn witnessed last night, she gets choked and shuts down. She looses the color in her face and her lips do turn a shade of blue. She gets back into a breathing rhythm and then falls asleep. I think it scares me more than it hurts her. She seems fine. And she recovers very well. The next time she eats, it's as if it never happened.
And in case you haven't seen it... Here's a picture that our friends Zach and Sarah Henson took of Ruthie. They are so creative and talented at what they do. Thank you so much to them. Also, if you have a second, go to their website and check out how great they are and book them for a wedding, senior pictures, newborn, etc. They are the best and the sweetest! zachandsarahphotography.com
Cont...
I must confess... I was writing the last blog and toward the end Ruthie started crying. So, it was cut short. I tried to tie it up but I realized later that I only talked about the rough part. I wanted to continue with this blog and share the good parts.
Ruthie sleeps! She pretty much sleeps between every feeding. I feed her, she's awake for about 20 minutes and then she passes out for hours. About 2-3 feeds a day she will stay awake longer. She sleeps so much that I worry that she sleeps too much. But I have to remember she's not a typical 2 month old baby. She is really only 1 month old because she was born a month early. AND has to work harder than the average kiddo to breathe. So, worry dissolves away.
Sometime while she sleeps I put her down in her bassinet, the pack-n-play, or on a mat on the couch (while I sit right next to her)... but sometimes I hold her. I love to hold her. She seems to like it too. I don't want to spoil her. So, I eventually put her down. But I remember a time when I couldn't hold her. She was just laying there with all those tubes, IVs, etc. I held her hand and prayed that she didn't think I had abandoned her. I was afraid she wouldn't want me to hold her once I could. Praise God! She likes to be held now. Don't get me wrong.. she has a limit on how long you can hold her. She doesn't really use her diaper unless she laying down and sometimes she just likes to be left alone.
Also, I kind of like being the one who can soothe her. If she is crying or fussy, everyone passes her to me and I can usually help. It just feels so good to love this little baby so much and then for her to return the love with snuggles and coos.... ahhhh! Now, when I can't do anything, that kind of hurts...i hate constipation/gas.
Learning more about how to care for her/being a mom, my first realization is being a mom is the opposite of selfishness. It requires the complete surrender of the first place status in your own life. Don't get me wrong... I still struggle with selfishness. AND I am in no way unhappy about this... it's just very different. I still get a shower but now i shower with a bassinet right outside the shower. I still go out on dates with the hubby, but it takes more planning and foresight. I can sometimes take her out with us. It's just easier to take her to Nana and Pa's.
Sidenote: Nana and Pa are the best babysitters in the world! They are lifesavers and I don't know what I would do without them!! I love you and please continue to spoil my child!
Back to anti-selfisness/being a mom, it's great and I am NOT complaining. Just sharing how I'm learning all this new stuff.
Update on Ruhie's health.... well.... she looks pretty good to me. She still struggles to eat sometimes. As poor Lori Vaughn witnessed last night, she gets choked and shuts down. She looses the color in her face and her lips do turn a shade of blue. She gets back into a breathing rhythm and then falls asleep. I think it scares me more than it hurts her. She seems fine. And she recovers very well. The next time she eats, it's as if it never happened.
And in case you haven't seen it... Here's a picture that our friends Zach and Sarah Henson took of Ruthie. They are so creative and talented at what they do. Thank you so much to them. Also, if you have a second, go to their website and check out how great they are and book them for a wedding, senior pictures, newborn, etc. They are the best and the sweetest! zachandsarahphotography.com
And in case you haven't seen it... Here's a picture that our friends Zach and Sarah Henson took of Ruthie. They are so creative and talented at what they do. Thank you so much to them. Also, if you have a second, go to their website and check out how great they are and book them for a wedding, senior pictures, newborn, etc. They are the best and the sweetest! zachandsarahphotography.com