A Video and a Day of Rest

Above is a video of Sofia earlier this week.

Today, we had plans to go see some friends in Beaverton. I also promised Seth that he could have some time to himself too (especially since he spent yesterday doing lots with us, worked this morning, and has been working like crazy recently). So much for those plans though! 

I woke up in the middle of the night feeling engorged on the right side (damn right side! Constantly something!) I thought I just needed to nurse, but realized that was the side I had nursed on last and upon nursing again, realized the lump and soreness wasn't going away. Immediately, I panicked. I do NOT want to get mastitis! I text Jac (thank gawd for her!) and she had plenty of advice for me on how to take care of the little problem and hopefully prevent it from turning into mastitis! I've been swallowing garlic chopped up garlic cloves every couple hours (not as bad as taking pills because they are surprisingly yummy). This is supposed to keep mastitis from developing. I've been using hot compresses and pumping to empty the right breast and to keep the left from getting engorged since I'm nursing mostly on the right side. The pumping has stressed me out a bit because I am never sure when Sofia is completely done eating, and I really hate to empty all the milk and then have her wanting more! Plus I don't know what it will do to my supply - essentially I've gotten about 4 ounces of milk that she didn't drink today... Is that going to send a message that I need to produce more milk?? Oy! Jac's making soup and offered to make extra for us for dinner (I feel like we will be forever indebted with all their help! Jac - we'll make it up to you someday by watching the kids whenever you need - of course once we have Sofia down and are daring enough to take on 3 at a time ;) 

So, the sunniest day we've had since the rain started (or so it seems) was spent lounging around inside being cared for by Seth. He's changed the baby's diapers, waited on me, brought me food and drinks, set up a little "command center" in the office (so baby and I could be close to him as he worked and spent time on his computer today) with everything I might need to entertain myself. Hopefully we've done enough to keep mastitis away... I'm sure we'll spend most of the next two days just taking it easy around the house to help make sure I'm well. I know someday I'll have to find out what it's like to be sick with a baby, but I'd prefer to keep that away as long as possible!

I'm a Little Copy Cat

I surprised Seth with a Nexus 7 tablet for Christmas. (We said we were doing no gifts... but I thought he deserved it since he's been doing such an AMAZING job taking care of us and he works soooo hard! Plus he did get me a gift - a necklace with Sofia's birthstone.) After Christmas, we ended up ordering a Kindle Fire HD for me. My phone is too small to read books on and the iPad I have is too heavy to hold one handed while I'm nursing the baby.

I had picked the Kindle because online it said I could use the lending library and stream videos using my Amazon Prime account. It showed up a day early, and I couldn't wait to get it fired up and start reading the book I'd gotten off Amazon (We Were the Kennedys). It only took about 30 minutes for me to be logging into my computer to see about returning it...

The whole thing still blows my mind, and I'm mad at myself for not reading the 1 star reviews (what was I thinking!? I always do this!) The locked screen runs advertisements that you cannot take off unless you pay an extra $20. Then the home screen runs advertisement "suggestions" of apps that other people bought, and those never go away... For as much as you spend on the Kindle Fire, you'd think you'd be able to get rid of those. Amazon, I tend to love you. A lot. But those aspects of the Kindle Fire totally turn me off, and so much so, that I'll spread the word to others that the Kindle Fire is a bad purchase. So disappointed in you Amazon. Ooo and you also got me with the lending library. I now know why you don't make the list of boks you lend through Prime accounts available... because that list kind of sucks! And the ones you have in the photo with the lending library information are deceiving.

I decided right then that I'd be a copy cat and get a Nexus 7 (& give Seth the perfect "I told you so" as he tried to convince me to get one in the first place). Best change of mind I've made. The google system on it is amazing! It syncs with everything and is soooo easy to use. The voice to type abilities are awesome (I'm still catching myself forgetting they are there though and typing out stuff before realizing there's a little microphone button that I can speak into instead!) I added the Kindle app and have access to the books I've bought on Amazon along with ebooks I've checked out from the library. I added the Nook app for books I will buy off of there with a gift card I have. I also have the Google Books app for books I might buy in the future and PDFs.

My music has been transferred (VERY EASILY) from iTunes onto the google music manager (& it updates automatically if I add songs!) Soooo much easier than iTunes and adding music to my iPhone or iPad. I have to say Google Nexus, you might be convincing me away from an iPhone for my next phone purchase & I never thought I'd be saying that! (There are only 3 things I can think of right now that would make this tablet absolutely amazing... a button on the screen part to wake it up - or me just getting used to one not being there like the iPhone has, a camera on the back side so I could point it at Sofia during video chats on Google+ and take photos of her, and an easy way to have all my contacts synced from my phone and email, but that probably just takes some time and organization on my part...)

Hiking in the Gorge

Saturday afternoon held another first for baby Sofia. Jac, Ethan, and the kids were headed out to the Columbia Gorge to hike to a waterfall and invited us to join. We loaded a sleepy baby into the car (perfect timing for her to sleep through the whole thing!) and headed east.

The photos don't even BEGIN to do the gorge justice! The drive is so stunning and beautiful! One of my favorite parts of going to the waterfalls.

Zia on her mama's back. That blue winter suit is just too stinking adorable!

First hike as a family of 3. Sofia fussed a bit (just enough to make her mama stress about wearing her and almost crawl back in the car to head home...) but she soon feel fast asleep once we got walking. She slept the whole hike and almost the whole way back home!

I wasn't surprised to see so much more water, but I was impressed with the power of it! Way cool to see the difference in the waterfalls between the rainy and sunny seasons.

It even snowed on us through the second half of the hike! Tiny little flakes that stuck to our hair but melted away on the ground.

Little Jujube 8 Weeks Old

Sofia is just as shocked as the rest of us!! Where has the time gone? I can't believe my little baby is already 8 weeks old! She's getting so big. When we were at our Alma mamas' group this week she weighed 11 pounds and 2 ounces. (My arms can sure feel that! Will they ever feel strong?)

Happy Baby

Some mornings Sofia wakes up with all kinds of smiles!! This morning I videoed her smiles and took these photos from the video! If I ever get my phone hooked up to my computer I'll share the video ;)

We are enjoying a lazy day of lounging around the house after our weekend of holiday fun. Sofia enjoys it. I even caught her break out in a moment of laughter in her sleep... I think that means her real laughter is just around the corner! Can. Not. Wait!

Naked Baby Time Trumps Fussy Time

Dear Sofia,

Babies supposedly peek in fussiness right around 8 weeks (you are 8 weeks on Friday), and while I expected your fussiness to be much worse (& I am not completely convinced we are done nor that it'll get much less than it is - you really aren't THAT fussy), tonight was a bit of a fussy night. You knew exactly what position you wanted to be in and no one could do otherwise. When I put your diaper on for bed, you began to be irritated (which makes Mama wonder if it was uncomfortable). I tried to get you calmed down with nursing but you were a mess! You wanted to then you didn't then you did and then you didn't and then you screamed! Your father swooped in to see if he could soothe you. Then Mama came back for more & back to Daddy when she wasn't cutting it. And nothing was working.

So you know what your sweet father suggested!? Your favorite: Naked Baby time! Off with the pajamas. Off with the diaper. We laid you down naked as can be. You weren't quite done whimpering. But your father began to talk with a smile on his face and play with you, doing the things that normally make you smile. Then Mama joined in on the fun and soon enough you were giving us the tiniest of smiles (oooo so tiny but still there!) I couldn't believe it! We had this baby who was probably the most upset we'd seen. And we were able to find a way to calm you and bring on a (tiny) smile. Talk about making your parents feel a little better about their parenting abilities! Your father is going to be a most amazing father in the years to come! You are his baby girl. He'll make sure you are happy and smiling. He'll make sure you know you are loved. He'll make sure you know you are the bee's knees to him!! You are one lucky girl to have him as your daddy. (Just as we feel like some lucky parents to get you as our baby!)

Sweet dreams Little One! Sweet dreams!

Love,
Mama

Happy Holidays!!

It's our first holiday season in Portland. We are excited to spend it at home with family. There will be lots of playing, great food, and snuggles with Sofia. We've even got some presents to open (well, mostly Sofia has presents for us to open!!)

Harry Potter Hats

Z and P in their Winter Solstice Harry Potter themed hats.

I usually suck at hats... The sizing never comes out right (it's usually way to small for the head I intend it to be for...) Might be time for me to start doing that trial run and measuring it before I actually start my projects! The hat Z is wearing was intended for P. Haha! At least it fits her!!

Family of 3

These photos are Jac's. I swiped them from her photo feed. I just had to have them!!! We don't have a lot of photos of the 3 of us... So these are special! Thanks for taking these & I hope you don't mind that I am posting them!

Winter Solstice

We celebrated the shortest day of the year and the beginning of winter upstairs with family. Jac made chili and a yummy skillet cookie (i.e. large chocolate chip cookie... YUM). We also enjoyed Wisconsin Cranberry wine (I only had a few sips, but it was DELICIOUS - maybe a new fave... I'm going to have to find some more once I can actually sit and enjoy a full glass of wine) and summer sausage that had been sent by a work colleague of Seth and Ethan's after Sofia was born. 

Sofia chilling out with Uncle Ethan. 

Zia is so full of energy and smiles!!! She is talking up a storm now (even though we have no idea what she is saying ;) Can't wait for her words to clear up! 

(Jac I need to get a picture of you and Sofia - when she's not crying ;). I wasn't quick enough.)

Uncle Ethan is trying to convince Aunt Jac to give the baby to him since "she" made her cry!

This is the SWEETEST! When it was time to go, Zia gave Sofia good night kisses! She loves loves LOVES that baby!! She signs baby by cradling her arms and rocking them back and forth. Jac says she does it all the time when we aren't there. I can't wait to watch the two of them grow into the best of friends. What lucky little girls they are! 

I have a few other photos that were taken with my phone and some that I stole from Jac of our little family of 3 that I want to post. I'll do it from my phone soon. :) 

Lights + Fire + Hot Chocolate = Awesome Evening

Before I start, I just want to remention how Awesome it is to love in the same house with family!! We've spent the last two evenings hanging out and I couldn't think of anything better!

I have photos of last night to share (that Jac took and I high-jacked from her!) I'll share those soon. Tonight, after dinner we headed to Peacock Lane, only a few blocks away. Peacock Lane has a tradition of Christmas lights. Every house on the block is decked out in lots of lights. We didn't stay too long. The baby started getting cranky about being in the wrap. (of course at about the time we were all turned around and headed home, she fell asleep!)

We headed back to Ethan and Jac's place to have homemade hot chocolate (Ethan's hot chocolate is pretty impressive!) and to enjoy the first fire in the newly cleaned fire place. It was another awesome night hanging out with family. We'll have a couple more of those in the next few days with the holiday!

Reading

Almost everyday Sofia gets a book or four read to her. She's just started to seem to be aware that we are reading to her. Last night, she was so alert all evening so we spent a little time reading. I read her 3 books and then had her father read her a book he picked out for her before she was born. I got the sweetest photos of him reading to her (& expect him to capture me reading to her soon too! Hint hint Seth)