Friday, June 29, 2012

Brooklyn Smiles


This little girls big smile melts my heart and brings tears to my eyes every single time I see it :) She smiles the most in the mornings after she wakes up or after a nice long nap.  Little girly likes her sleep just like her mama.


One month pic

Our little Brooky Bear is one month old!

 I bought these stickers that go on a onesie for each month up to 12 months.  Then I saw on pinterest this idea to put your child in the same seat each month so you can really compare month to month how much they have grown.  So that's the plan to document our little girls growth. 

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Breastfeeding blues

Okay just a warning if hearing about breastfeeding is too much information for you, stop reading now.
Breastfeeding is a beast! I've seen a lactation consultant multiple times while in the hospital and four times since then and still no relief.  Three of those times since we have been home I've just gone to the breastfeeding bunch to get some help and make sure our hold and latch is good and it has been and she's been getting plenty of milk.  But it still feels like I'm being bitten over and over again and makes me want to cuss multiple times a feeding.  Finally yesterday when I dropped Thomas off at work I went directly to the lactation consultants' office and dropped in for help. 
One problem is that my let down is so strong she is getting just a ton of milk at one time and it's hard for her to keep up.  So the LC suggested when I am feeding her at home to recline so that gravity is working for me rather than against me.  That seems to help a bit.  But the other problem is this clicking sound she makes as she is sucking which is kind of like her latching and unlatching continuously throughout the feeding, which hurts like a b****. Sorry but that really is how strongly it hurts. Apparently this problem could be caused by her jaw being too tight which happens when you have a long labor and just from the whole trauma they experience coming out.  So I was referred to a physical therapist who specializes in helping breastfeeding moms and their babies and who does craniosacral therapy.  Normally I guess this therapist has weekend office hours, except of course this weekend and this past Friday because nobody is in the office and she isn't answering her cell phone.  And since we are going out of town on Tuesday I am desperate!! I'm seriously praying that she calls first thing Monday morning because I'm hurting so bad and NEED help. 
I called the LC again today to see if there are any other PT's that work doing this kind of thing in the area and she didn't know of anybody. 
I feel so bad that I am not enjoying breastfeeding because I really want to.  I love the closeness with my baby and being able to give her the best thing for her but I hate that I am silently cussing in my head the whole time and just hoping she finishes soon so the pain ends.  Breaks my heart. 

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Weekend round up

I need to start taking more pictures to document our adventures but when you are in between sizes and can't fit in your old clothes and maternity clothes you don't really feel like being photographed. 
It's been a fun weekend starting with Friday when our new neighbor who is also in our ward and has a little girl one day younger than Brooklyn came over and her and I were able to chat and compare labor stories and new mom things.  I'm so glad to have three friends here in Boise who all have new babies so that I can get advice.
My friend Lyndsay and I have been going on Thursday's to New Mom's Group.  It's run by a St. Luke's nurse and this last week it was on play and sleep.  I like being able to ask the nurse questions (like why my baby is only pooping once a week!!?!) and get ideas from other new moms.
Lyndsay and I also went to yoga in the park this morning.  It was a teacher who taught Bikram style which is a style I really like.  Lyndsay and I were a little giggly because of our inflexibility and inability to lie on our stomachs because of our breastfeeding boobs.  Haha
After yoga I came home to my two loves cuddling together on the bed.  I went up to Brooklyn's face and was talking to her and she gave me the biggest smile! Thomas said she had been doing it all morning.  Later this afternoon she did the same thing.  It was an actual smile in response to something rather than just a dream smile! Seriously brought tears to my eyes. We tried to get it on video but no dice.  We'll keep trying.
This afternoon we went to a fun little outdoor carnival that Lyndsay's husband's work DirecTv put on for employee's and their families/friends.  There were bounce houses, mechanical bull, BBQ, free soft serve ice cream truck, free cotton candy, BINGO, and a green screen to take pictures.  Brooklyn did awesome and just had a little meltdown on the way home cause she needed some cuddles. 
Brooklyn and I both love having two days to spend with our main man and having lots of cuddle time. 

Friday, June 22, 2012

New Mom Must Haves

Ab ball- Brooklyn doesn't care for her swing or rocker she likes the bouncy motion.  It's pretty much instantly calming.

Swaddle Me- They are so much easier to use than a blanket (especially at night). I'd recommend having at least four.

Happiest Baby On the Block book or DVD-


Burp cloths- these are good for not only burping but I use them when breast feeding too so milk doesn't get all over. A lady from church gave me a ton and I'm so glad I have a lot.

These are just some random things that I never would have thought of beforehand that I love.


Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Favorite Toy

Brooklyn's favorite toy.  She isn't crazy about the swing or the bouncy seat but she will last for about 10 minutes on her play mat just looking around wide eyed.  So cute! She loves to look at herself in the little mirror too.  Just today I noticed her making a couple new sounds and I have a feeling we are going to get some real smiles out of her soon :)


Sunday, June 17, 2012

Father's Day

Brooklyn and I gave Thomas his present yesterday and his card today.  He had been talking about wanting a cover for the BBQ we got from my parents that had been Bea and Ivan's and some BBQ tools.  When Brooklyn and I went out earlier in the week she had been screaming a bunch so I had grabbed the first ones I saw.  Since on Saturday we were going to be out shopping I figured he could exchange them for another brand if he wanted, plus then we were able to use his tools to BBQ for dinner Saturday night. 


Sunday we gave him his first Father's Day card.  Thomas has had some good snuggling time with Brooklyn while I prepare a week's worth of freezer meals.  I tried making dinner earlier in the week and it just wasn't possible so for the next little while the plan is just to make a bunch of meals I can freeze on the weekends when Thomas can take care of Brooklyn. 

Brooklyn was dressed in her "Daddy's Sweetie" onesie and her "I heart Daddy" socks today in honor of Father's Day :)
Her hair is getting long! After we gave her a bath yesterday it was just sticking straight up and looked so long! I also noticed today that her eyelashes are growing.  They surprised me how short they were when she was born but a couple people told me they would probably grow and sure enough they are.
We gave her a pacifier for the first time yesterday.  She screams big time when she is in her carseat and since we had a bunch of running around to do we decided to try it out.  It worked! No screaming in the car seat.  The binky is attached to a little giraffe and it's called a "wub-a-nub".  Since it is attached to the animal when it falls out it doesn't get lost and the baby is better able to find it to put it back in their mouth.  A co-worker of Thomas' suggested it and we think it's super nice and so cute when she wraps her little arms around her giraffe.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Getting Out

The past couple days I've made it a goal to get out of the house at least once.  Wednesday Brooklyn and I went to the breastfeeding bunch.  The hospital offers it to women and you just bring your baby and there is a lactation consultant there to ask any questions to and it's a chance for you to feel like you aren't alone in your concerns/questions about breastfeeding.  I went a couple weeks ago with my mom and got some help on positioning the baby better but I wanted to go one more time to make sure things still looked good. 
I feel like breastfeeding is such a skill that you have to try and perfect much like learning a skill in volleyball or any sport, you just have to get the technique down and practice a lot and it gets easier.  It has started to get easier (you were right Mom). 
I was glad that we got to the group a little later because there were a ton of women there and they were all just about leaving when we got there so we were able to get the attention we needed from the lactation consultant.
I also like going because I can weigh Brooklyn and see how much she is getting at her feedings.  Yesterday when we got there she was 8lbs 5oz and after eating she was 8lbs 7.4oz.  And it looks like we have our technique down pretty well :)
I also took Brooklyn with me in the Moby Wrap to Albertson's which is just down the road from us.  I decided to walk because 1) I wanted to get some exercise. and 2) Brooklyn hates the car seat.  She screams and screams in it.  Hopefully by the time we go to Yakima in a few weeks she's gotten over that.  It helps when someone is in the backseat with her so she can suck on their finger.  And by that time we will give her a pacifier so that should help. 
The third reason we went to Albertson's was I needed some ingredients for dinner.  I learned that it's really tough making dinner when your baby is awake.  I would set her down for 5 minutes or so in her rocker and get a part of the recipe going and then need to pick her up again.  Finally I ditched the idea of making flautas and instead went with a simpler cafe rio style salad.  The plan is to get a bunch of crockpot and freezer recipes ready this weekend while Thomas is around to watch Brooklyn so that meals are easier during the week.
Today Brooklyn and I went with my friend Lyndsay and her baby Korbin to the New Mom's Group the hospital offers.  Each week for 8 weeks they have a different topic and this week it was vision and safety.  Again it's nice to just be able to connect with other new mom's and ask questions.  The nurse who teaches this class is the same one who taught our childbirth prep class.
I was telling Thomas that it use to be that when I was home during the day not working I would get totally bored and feel pretty worthless and unmotivated.  Now the days pretty much fly by and I feel very motivated and accomplishing even the littlest thing like a load of laundry feels pretty awesome.  I love having my little one with me all day.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Home Alone

Today was mine and Brooklyn's first day at home alone.  My mom left this morning for Washington and Thomas has work.  It was so wonderful having my mom be here for the first couple weeks of Brooklyn's life.  She was very reassuring whenever I got stressed about any kind of new mom stuff and helped me feel better quickly.  It was nice having someone to talk to during the day and just hang out with at home or to venture out with me and a newborn when I got the courage. My mom made meals for me and did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen up too (I'm really going to miss that).  Brooklyn is a lucky little lady to have such a sweet Nana.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Out and About

This Saturday we had a nice time getting out and about.  It's funny planning outings with a baby.  You have to try to leave right after they eat so you have hopefully a few hours before they will need to eat again.  I'm nervous to nurse in public cause it's pretty awkward trying to be discreet even with a hooter hider to cover things up.  When we have gone out I've just nursed in the car since the windows are tinted. 
Thomas took my mom and I out lunch at Costa Vida and then we went downtown to watch the finish of the 70.3 Half Ironman.  I only teared up a little but kept it under control.  I love watching races.  Next year I want to volunteer for this race.


Brooklyn was a little doll and slept in her daddy's arms.
We will miss having my mom around as she leaves tomorrow.  Both Thomas and I are a little nervous to be on our own. 

Friday, June 8, 2012

Hormonal

Yesterday was a hormonal post-partum day.  I love this little girl so much and just feel bad putting her down at all even when she is asleep.  Now she has gotten use to it and if you put her down even if she is fast asleep she will wake up.  Luckily at night she is a champ and we have gotten her to sleep in her pack-n-play most of the night.
Brooky Bear found her thumb.

I cried yesterday when Thomas got home from work cause I hadn't been able to get anything done because my arms were holding a little one all day.
Then I cried again when she wanted to eat every hour for three consecutive hours because it hurts so extremely bad when she first latches on.
Thomas is such a good hubby.  When he got home he took Brooklyn and told me to get our for a bit and grab some ice cream or something.  So I drove to Albertson's and just that ten minutes or so out of the house helped. 
Each night around 11pm is when Brooklyn goes to bed and he will stay up and rock her and in the mornings too he will get up with her and let me sleep a little longer.
This morning he had pulled up an article for me to look at called "Breastfeeding: How long does it hurt?".  Haha it made both of us feel better that it's normal and it will end. 
Today we went on a little walk to the park before Thomas had to go to work.  We put Brooklyn in the Snugli and she did pretty good, fussed a bit but then passed out.  I've tried the Moby Wrap for around the house but she doesn't seem to like it.  This little one just loves her momma's arms :)
And little Miss Brooklyn lost her umbilical stump this morning.  Thomas was getting her dressed and asked me if I knew she lost it.  I hadn't noticed in the night and he found the little stump in her pajamas (yucky!).  Now we can see her cute little belly button.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

First Doctor's Visit

Monday the 4th we took Brooklyn to her newborn doctor's appointment.  The doctor we chose is a family practice doctor and her office is right down the street from us.  This was our first time meeting her and we were very impressed.  She was really gentle with Brooklyn and gave us a lot of good information and didn't seemed rushed at all.

Brooklyn gained back the weight she had lost in the first week and then some.  She was 7lbs 14oz on Monday.  They measured her and she supposedly was 19 3/4 inches (which is funny since she was 20 inches at birth).  They pricked her heel for some test and I just fed her while they did it and she didn't even flinch or cry.


Both Thomas and my mom were there for the appointment.  I am making sure to schedule appointments so Thomas will be there just in case I can't handle the shots.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Life so far with a baby

I just feel like I want to record every day of this little girl's life! I already have this feeling that time is going to go by too fast and I want to remember and hold on to every little minute.
Brooklyn sleeps really well through the night.  I usually end up waking her up every 3-4 hours for her to eat and then she'll go back to sleep.  We have a cute little bassinet next to our bed but she ends up sleeping with us.  I just like having her close and she falls back asleep faster.
So far we have gone on a couple outings with her and she has done great.  We took a trip to Costco and she stayed covered up in her carseat and asleep the whole time.
We also took a walk with her stroller to Powell's candy store with my mom and sister.  She was wanting to suck and so it was pretty funny seeing me push the stroller while Thomas was stooped over the side giving her his finger to suck on (we are waiting for a few weeks to give her a pacifier).  On the way home we just ended up holding her cause she wasn't liking the stroller.  I was really worried that she was getting too much sun and wishing I had a hat for her but she was fine.



Last night we walked to the frozen yogurt shop down the road with Thomas' parents and we used the Moby wrap.  She LOVED the Moby wrap and was just passed out the whole time. She loves to be swaddled so it isn't a huge suprise she liked the tightness of the Moby wrap.  We are so glad that we took The Happiest Baby on the Block class (well I went and then showed Thomas the DVD since he had to work that night).  It teaches you the 5 S's for calming babies. Swaddling, sh-ing, sucking, swinging, side/stomach position. Thomas is really good at swaddling and sh-ing.
I love her little piglet grunts that she does sometimes it's pretty darn adorable.
I asked Thomas for some input on things we want to record about her first week home and he wanted me to record this: A couple nights ago we just had to laugh because we kept changing her diaper and then she would have another poopy a little while later.  Thomas was staying up with her to get her to sleep after I fed her and he said she had 6-7 poopy diapers in a couple hours. Haha.

It's been fun having my mom, sister Bea, nephew Emmett, and in-laws visit and love on our little girl.

 Last night we played the game Bean Boozled with my in-laws and Bea.  We found it at Powell's candy shop and thought it would be entertaining.  There are a bunch of different Jelly Belly's and you spin the board and then choose one of that color.  It supposedly can be either a good tasting flavor or a nasty one.  We played that you got points for each person you fooled into thinking it was the opposite of the flavor you had and you got points if you guest the flavor the person tasting had.  The worst tasting flavors were skunk and barf.  Seriously so gross! And it turned out that none of the 20 or so Jelly Belly's that we tried were good tasting ones!
I haven't really been too overly emotional but the other night while I was feeding her I just cried and cried thinking about her growing up and anything ever hurting her.  That's the scary part of being a mom.
I just love this little Brooky bear so much!
First time in the swing (she lasted about a minute and then wanted her daddy)

Going home

Going home from the hospital on the 27th of May we were a little nervous.  The nurses on the maternity floor are awesome and so helpful, whatever time of day or night it may be.  It felt kind of like being in a hotel.  We were able to order from the menu any time and there was that little nurses button you could always push if you needed anything. 
The outfit Brooklyn wore home was from my mom.  It says "Mommy's Sweetie" and has a strawberry theme.

When Brooklyn first got in the carseat she did not like it.


 One of the nurses took the carseat and told us to watch.  She gave it a few good swings back and forth and then set it down on the bed and little miss Brooklyn was out like a light. 
Don't you just want to kiss those chubby cheeks?!

Brooklyn's first at home bath

On Saturday, June 2nd we gave Brooklyn her first bath at home.  She didn't like it too much but it helped to have a warm little wash cloth over her tummy to keep her warm throughout. 



Friday, June 1, 2012

Brooklyn's Birth Story

On Thursday May 24th I lost my mucous plug (that word is so gross).  I didn't think too much about it cause I had heard that it could be weeks after you lose it that you deliver.  But I talked to my sister Bea and she said with her first she went into labor the night after.  I texted my mom to let her know what was going on too.  She had been worried about not making it from Yakima to Boise in time (a 6 hour drive) so she decided to just go ahead and come down Thursday evening.
My mom arrived at our apartment at 1am.  I was already asleep but woke up at 3am from contractions.  I went out in the living room and bounced on our exercise ball and paced around and took a couple of warm baths.  I was able to sleep for about 30 minutes on the couch.  That night we hadn't been able to sleep til around 11pm because some college students across the street were playing there music super loud.  I called the police but I think they turned it off before the police arrived.
I wanted to let my mom and Thomas sleep til as late as possible.  They got up at 8am and we all got ready and ate breakfast and then went to the hospital.  At 3am Thomas had downloaded a contraction timer on his phone and I had used it all night to keep track.  They were anywhere from 4 to 2 minutes apart and lasted about 40-60 seconds.  The general rule is to go to the hospital when your contractions are 5 minutes apart, lasting for one minute, and when this continues for an hour.  This rule didn't work in my case.

 When we got to the OB/GYN triage they checked me and I was only dilated to 1cm and 80% effaced.  So I had not dilated since my appointment on Tuesday and had effaced 30%.  When the nurse asked my pain scale on a 1-10 I measured it at a four.  They told me to just go home and walk and that I was in pre-labor.
I was pretty disappointed but there were a few things we wanted to do anyways around town so we took advantage of that.  First, we stopped at IHOP for breakfast then headed to Michael's to return some supplies and buy some supplies for some closed hangers I am making for the baby's room.  Then we headed to Cabella's to get some running shirts for my mom and then we walked around them mall just browsing.  By the time we were about to leave the mall the contractions we so strong I needed to stop and lean against something or sway back and forth to get through the contractions.  Nobody really seemed to notice til we were just about to exit the mail and I had a strong contraction and this one lady passed and then did a double take and then pointed me out to the other people in her group.  Haha.
After the mall we made one last stop at Deseret Book and then got dinner at Subway.  We then headed back to the hospital.  This time I was 1 1/2 cm and 90%.  I was very disappointed.  They told me I could sit in the jacuzzi tub for an hour to see if things would progress.  The tub felt so good even though the contractions at this point were getting stronger and stronger.  When I would have one I would say things like "Ow, ow, ow! Make it stop PLEASE!"  at that point there was no just breathing through it.  I was feeling a lot of it in my back and being in the tub took some of the weight off.  Thomas sat in a chair next to the tub and when I would let him he would rub my hand or leg.  My mom was on a chair outside the bathroom.  They both were really great support people.  They let me just work through the pain and were sympathetic when I needed it.
After an hour (9:15 pm) they checked me again , this time a different nurse, and I was 2cm and 80%. Now my pain was a nine on a scale of 1-10. The nurse called the doctor and they allowed me to stay another hour in the jacuzzi.  I was so thankful because I would have been so discouraged to go home again.  I just couldn't imagine hurting that bad at home and not having the reassurance that I could get some medicine to help ASAP.  I couldn't believe that with the amount of pain I was in that I wasn't further along.  They kept asking me if I had had some procedure on my cervix that might have caused scar tissue, because that could be why I wasn't progressing faster. The nurse let me know that I needed to be at a 3 before they would admit me. So back into the tub I went.  I told my mom, Thomas, and the nurse to all pray I got to a three in the next hour.  My mom sent out a mass text asking for prayers :)

After another hour and a half or so in the tub (10:45pm)  in the tub I was checked and the nurse said I was 2.5 cm.  I said "NO!!!" and she said "Okay I'll give you a three." That made me so happy! She immediately asked me when I wanted the epidural and I said right away.  So they got me hooked to an IV to get some fluid in me so my blood pressure wouldn't drop.  The nurse at this time was super annoying to me.  During a contraction when I would be moaning and just trying to get through it would keep saying over and over "Breathe, breathe, breathe."  I wanted her to shut up big time.  Haha
But luckily they took my right to labor and delivery and after about 30 minutes I got the epidural (12:15am).  I thought I would be more scared but at that point I just wanted the pain to end.  I knew there was no way I would be able to endure the pain any longer.  The nurse anesthesist was super nice and assured me that if I had a contraction while he was doing the procedure we would work through it.  I only felt a little pinch when he numbed the area and then a couple times a slight cramp in the middle of my back.  Afterwards was HEAVEN!!! I was able to talk and laugh with my mom and Thomas and we were even able to nap a bit.  At around 1am I was 5cm dilated.

At around 3am while we were all about passed out, a few nurses came in and wanted me to get on my hands and knees and gave me some oxygen because the baby's heart rate had dropped apparently because of her position and my blood pressure was pretty low.  The put some ephedrine in the I.V. to increase my blood pressure and after 5 minutes on my hands and knees it was all good.  Which by the way it is pretty weird being on your hands and knees when you can't feel your legs.  haha.  After all of that they checked me and I was 9.5cm dilated.  The nurse I had for the labor and delivery part was named Amy and she was super good.  She said she could feel my bag of waters and it was bulging and I was about ready to push so she went to call the doctor on call while Thomas went to fill up my water bottle.  While they were gone my mom commented "Well the doctor might not even be here before your water breaks." And write as she said that there was a big splash like a huge water balloon broke and I jumped.  My water had broken.  We both just laughed and I told her she had jinxed me.

Thomas and the nurse came in and I was shaking a bit not because I was cold but because I was in transition.  My mom again commented "well at least you haven't thrown up".  And right after she said that I asked for a bucket and proceeded to throw up.  I told her she needed to say something positive and jinx me that way :)
At 3:45am I started pushing.  I couldn't really feel much when I was just flat on my back so I would push in sets of three, three times on each side and on my back.  On my sides I could feel more pressure so I felt more effective.  The doctor arrived about 20 minutes before she was born.  Dr. Carter isn't my OB/GYN but I had seen him a couple times when my doctor, Dr. Grissom, had been out of the office.

Towards the end when she started to crown it was really awesome to see my mom and Thomas' faces as they saw her head.  Thomas just had this look of amazement on his face and they both would just encourage me to push a little harder.  For the hour and a half I was pushing I felt just fine and the time flew by.
When my water had broken there was a tiny bit of meconium so they had the NICU team there to monitor her right away.  But when the doctor delivered her he waved them away and said she was fine and I was able to hold her right away.





It was so unreal to have this little baby be put on my chest and to think that she was half me, half Thomas.  We both agree that it took about an hour for it to settle in that this was our daughter! Brooklyn Brielle Giles was born at 5:09 am Saturday, May 26th, 2012. She was 7lbs 8oz and 20 inches. She has the most beautiful smooth skin, chubby cheeks, but a long slim body.  Her eyes remind me of her daddy's and she for sure has his lips.  She has dark brown hair and so far dark blue eyes.

Brooklyn is such a good baby.  One of the things I was most scared of about having a baby was lack of sleep.  But I feel really good.  She eats every 3-4 hours and then normally goes right back to sleep.  Thomas and I will put her in her bassinet to sleep but more than half the time we end up just having her sleep with us because we love having her next to us. 
I feel like I just couldn't be any happier.  It's amazing the happiness this little girl has brought me.  I mean I felt happy before but this is just an extra level of happiness. All of the sickness of pregnancy and aches and pains of labor were SO worth it.