Birth through 1 month
(Nov. 18-Dec. 17)
Milestones
Smiling at Mom
Holding up head (since birth)
First visitors (hospital): Karen and Rachel
First visitors (home): Grandpa Rick and Grandma Claudette
Stats
At birth: 8 lbs., 8 oz., 21 inches
At 3 weeks: 9 lbs., 15 oz., 21-3/4 inches
Monday, Nov. 18
After 30 hours of trying to come out (four days late), I finally got
born via C-section at 1:44 p.m. I had low blood sugar, so they to take me
to the nursery and give me an IV right away. Then I spent the next week getting
blood tests and being weaned off the IV. It was a pain, and Mommy and Daddy
were pretty worried about me, but I was fine. Mommy was allowed to go home
on Friday, but because I had to stay, they let her and Daddy sleep in the
parents room all weekend so they didn't have to go home without me.
Monday, Nov. 25
I finally came home from the hospital. Before I left, the nurses
and hospital marketing department asked me to be the baby on the hospital's
Christmas card, so we had to stick around to get my picture taken in a giant
stocking, which I got to keep. Santa will have to bring a lot of toys and
candy to fill that every year!
Tuesday, Nov. 26
I had my first pediatrician's appointment. Dr. Yip said I'm
doing very well. I peed all over the exam table twice, and spit up all
over the place. I was getting cranky because we had to wait more than
an hour to be seen and sick kids were coming over the "well child" side
of the office and breathing germs on me.
I am in the 50-75th percentile for weight and head size (thank
God I didn't get Mommy's giant head!) and 95th percentile for height.
Mommy and Daddy aren't sure how they got such a long baby since Mommy's
so short and and Daddy's just medium.
Another big event today was my cord falling off. It scared
the heck out of Daddy when he took off my diaper and saw it lying on
my side.He thought it had stretched out really far, then he realized
it had fallen off.
Wednesday, Nov. 27
I went to Costco and rode in a big shopping cart. Everyone
looked at me and said how cute I was. Then I got hungry, so Mommy took
me out to the car to feed me while Daddy paid. I got my first boo-boo
when Mommy picked me up to burp me and hit my head on the sun visor.
I got a little scratch and cried very hard. Mommy cried even harder.
She thought she broke my head. I got even with her by not sleeping for
the rest of the day.
We stopped at Target on the way home and Mommy went inside and
left me in the car with Daddy. I cried the whole time, and Daddy finally
gave me a bottle because he didn't know what to do. I liked it, and
finished the rest of it when I got home.
Thursday, Nov. 28
My no-sleep plan from yesterday caught up with me today, and
I slept all day. I woke up just as Mommy and Daddy were sitting down
to eat Thanksgiving dinner. I sat with Mommy and ate my dinner with
them. Mommy dropped corn on me but it wasn't hot. I didn't even notice.
But people might wonder what she's feeding me if they see the corn and
cranberry sauce stains on me.
After dinner, I sat on Daddy's lap and watched Wizard of Oz.
I love to watch TV. It fascinates me. Last night, I watched Harry Potter.
Later, we went for a walk in the stroller. We stopped at our
neighbor Dan's house. He's in the Air Force with Daddy, and Daddy's boss
was there, too. Daddy wanted to show me off.
Friday, Nov. 29
I wouldn't go asleep again tonight. I was awake from 5 p.m.
until after midnight. Mommy and Daddy finally put me in my car seat
and drove me around the neighborhood. I fell right to sleep.
Saturday, Nov. 30
My Grandma & Grandpa Rychecky came to visit me today! To
get me ready, Daddy gave me a bath for the first time (before now, only
the hospital nurses had washed me.) Afteward, he bundled me up in a
fuzzy green towel that Aunt Katie bought me. I was very cozy and Mommy
said I smelled much better. I was starting to smell like an old lunchbox
Thermos.
First bath.
Sunday, Dec. 1
Grandma loves to hold me, and I always fall asleep when she
does.This morning when Grandma was holding me, I reached both arms
out to Mommy. Mommy cried because she thought it meant I love her. Really,
I just wanted to eat.
Monday, Dec. 2
Today I smiled a couple times when
Mommy tickled my toes, but then I stopped. Maybe I just had gas.
Tuesday, Dec. 3
Today we went grocery shopping at the commissary. I hate going
to the base. There's so many young families with babies that no one thinks
I'm special. I prefer going to stores where I'm the only baby and everyone
makes a fuss over me.
Wednesday, Dec. 4
We went to Babies R Us and to the mall. And I thought the base
was bad! There were babies everywhere! No one even looked twice at me!
Luckily, Mommy and Daddy stopped at a furniture store on the
way home where I was the only baby. I cried a lot because it was lunchtime
and I didn't want to be nursed in the car, but the workers said it was
music to their ears. Daddy gave me a bottle and then I was happy.
Mommy was trying out rocking recliners to see which one we liked.
I hated all of them because I just wanted to eat. But if you have to
get one, Mom, keep trying to talk Dad into that leather Barcalounger
that you really want. You know I'll just spit up all over the less expensive
fabric one and the stains will never come out.
At the baby store, we got a swing. I love it. It has six speeds,
plays songs and has little toys hanging from it.We forgot to get batteries,
so once Daddy had it all put together he had to go to Walgreens to get
some.
I know I'm supposed to be sleeping, but learning to smile and roll
is more fun.
Thursday, Dec. 5
I went to my first restaurant today, The Cheesecake
Factory, Mommy's favorite. She never has enough room to actually try
their cheesecake though, so she just looks at it in the case and oohs
and ahs. I slept the whole time. Afterward we went to watch Daddy compete
in a hole-in-one contest as part of the Fiesta Bowl activities. He didn't
land a ball close enough to win any prizes this time, but he was wearing
the running shoes he won in the contest in 2000. I didn't like sitting
around waiting for Daddy's turn, so Mommy had to push me in my stroller
along the cart path, and she wasn't feeling too good.
When we we getting ready to go out, Daddy put me on the couch
on my back and I rolled myself onto my side.
Friday, Dec. 6.
I told you Mommy wasn't feeling good. She woke up feeling even
worse, and her fever got higher, so we went to see her doctor. He said
her boob was sick and gave her antibiotics. I was worried, but then he
told her to keep feeding me as much as I wanted, and to also pump the
sore boob, which means even more milk for me. Yay! I'm sad that Mommy's
sick, though. To make her feel better, I'll make sure she knows how much
I love her by crying whenever she tries to put me down. Sometimes Daddy
holds me to give Mommy a chance to sleep. He we are playing Daddy's golf
game on the computer.
Saturday, Dec. 7
Mommy's still sick. I'd better cry even harder when she tries
to put me down, and I'd better stay awake all day and all night to keep
an eye on her.
Sunday, Dec. 8
Mommy's starting to feel better. I'd better keep up with this
crying/not-sleeping thing. It seems to be working.
Monday, Dec. 9
Today was Mommy's first day home alone with me; Daddy went back
to work after three weeks off. I thought Mommy might be lonely so I made
sure she held me all day. If she tried to put me down, I woke up to
keep her company. I did sleep in my swing long enough for her to take
a shower, though. She really needed one.
Tuesday, Dec. 10
Today, Mommy put me in the baby carrier while she vaccumed. I
liked it, because I could stay close to her while she worked. I fell
asleep in there, and she took me out so she could make pancakes. I woke
up when I smelled them and sat on her lap as she ate. I know Mommy hates
to eat alone, so I always make sure I wake up just as she's sitting down
to eat something. Aren't I sweet? Mommy's spoiling me a lot today, she
keeps saying she wants to me to be happy while I can, because I might not
be so happy come tomorrow. I don't quite understand. (Mom's note:
Tomorrow is circumcision day.) Uh, oh, gotta go! Daddy's home!
(Rats, false alarm. It's just the trash truck.)
If you come near me again with the scissors, Doc, I'll give
ya a knuckle sandwich!!
Wednesday, Dec. 11
I had to go back to my baby doctor today for something
called a circumcision. That was the worst thing ever! They used
Velcro straps to hold my arms and legs down on a little board called a
"circumstraint," which had a baby-shaped cutout that looked like a gingerbread
man. Then they stuck me with a big needle and used scissors in an area
where scissors should NEVER go!! Mommy cried when she saw the circumstraint
and the scissors; they made her and Daddy go to the waiting room while Dr.
Elaine Santos did the snipping. Dr. Santos told Mommy how I liked Nurse Chemina's
face and would stop crying if she put her face near mine, but would start
again if she had to leave. Dr. Santos also said she needed the largest size
instrument for me, because I'm so well endowed. Daddy was so proud!
I weigh 9 pounds, 15 ounces now and am 21-3/4 inches tall.
Thursday, Dec. 12
I spent the day recovering today, and waiting for the water heater
repairman to show up. He never did. Mommy called and the company said
they had no record of the call, so they'll have to come tomorrow. She
was mad.
Friday, Dec. 13
Mommy woke me up early so I'd be fed before the repairman came,
and he didn't show up again. Mommy called and they had lost the call again.
She was mad, and even madder when the gave her an estimate over the phone
that was twice as much as getting a new heater at Home Depot and having
them install it. She told them to forget it.
Daddy came home about 11:30 a.m. to take Mommy and me to his work
Christmas party. I wore a special My First Christmas outfit that my Grandma
Claudette bought me.
The party was in a big work shop with lots of jet engines around.
There was a Santa Claus and presents for the kids whose parents said they
were coming, but Daddy didn't RSVP for me so I didn't get a present. That
was OK because we didn't have time to sit on Santa's lap, anyway, because
we had to go to the doctor again to have my circumcision checked. Everything
looks OK.
Saturday, Dec. 14
Today I learned how to smile at Mommy. As long as
I'm fed, changed and otherwise content, I'll smile big if Mommy puts her
face near mine and talks to me. It looks like this:
After lunch, we went to the BX and it was very crowded, so we went to
Lowe's and got a Christmas tree and a water heater. Daddy tried to install
the water heater himself but the old one wouldn't drain. So he's going
to have the Lowe's people do it. Tonight we're going to trim the Christmas
tree. I have a special My First Christmas ornament with my picture in it
that Aunt Kerry sent me.
Sunday, Dec. 15
Monday, Dec. 16
Tuesday, Dec. 17
Mommy can't remember what we did on these days.
I guess it wasn't much.
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