:: Thanksgiving Day was so much fun. It was the first time I've celebrated Thanksgiving at Mom & Dad's since 1999. There's something so cozy about being in your childhood home for such special days.
There was so much food. In fact, I think we may have set a record. Twenty-five people were fed that day and then anywhere from 15-20 people were fed each of the next two nights on the leftovers.
It was a blast to watch portions of the infamous parade with my kiddos, laugh and hang out a lot with my family, watch a movie with some of my sisters, eat way too much food, and pause together to consider God's endless goodness.
:: We're pretty sure Gabriel has Fifth Disease since his "chapped" cheeks aren't getting better with lotion and now he has a lacy-looking rash all over his belly and ears and hands. Fortunately, he's beyond the contagious point and it shouldn't be too many more days before we know for sure if Bronwyn and Jackson have escaped unscathed.
:: When the home health care nurse came last Wednesday to give Aubrey her shot, the scale bumped up to 8lbs,12oz. That's +1lb in one month, which is tremendous in light of her heart disease. She's had a bit of a stuffy nose the last several days, which makes eating and sleeping a bit more of a chore for her, so I'm busy doing my best to help her get past it as quickly as possible.
:: While I still can't guarantee that Aubrey will breastfeed well at every feeding, when she does breastfeed nowadays she does really well and doesn't usually need much from the bottle afterwards. This is huge progress and I am so happy! In light of how much better she's doing with nursing, I decided today to learn how to use my wrap while breastfeeding. So far, so good! Yippee!
:: On Friday, I cleaned the house pretty well in preparation for Christmas decorations, which have been mostly out since Saturday afternoon. We don't have our tree yet since I don't want it to be totally dried out by New Year's Day, but plans are in the works for getting it on Monday. I love my house at Christmastime-- probably because it was December 14, 2005 when we first moved in.
:: And finally... Polling all moms out there: How many of you wake the baby you just spent an hour putting to sleep in order to change the diaper s/he just filled? About 50% of the time, Aubrey's eyes finally close a few seconds before she fills her diaper. I am always conflicted about what to do-- especially during the day when I know she'll be awake in another 30 minutes to an hour anyways!
Ok -that made me laugh. Wait, maybe those are actual tears this time! Cole does the same exact thing to me -and consistently with his nighttime feedings. How frustrating to have just spent an hour (or more) walking with him and doing my best to be cheerful at 3am knowing it isnt really his fault he is awake, when he finally falls asleep and I hear it... squish. My admission... there have been a few times (yes, only a few) I have said to myself, "that was a small one and it is a new diaper -he will be just fine." I hope I am not the only one!
ReplyDeleteYou are not the only one..... : )
ReplyDeleteCan't comment on the baby thing, but I just want to say that your house looks lovely with the light snowfall on the roof:)
ReplyDeleteWake up a baby that sleeps so little? In my house, never... With Elena I was very dedicated and concerned about her in those ways, but Adriana, I would've never risked the very few minutes of sleep she'd give me. The funny thing is that Elena is still very sensitive in her bottom and keeps getting rashes all the time, whereas Adriana seems to be very fine, though we have had about two diaper rashes that have required some kind of prescription to deal with, she has rarely had any!
ReplyDeleteBaby sleep answer- it depends on how tired I am and the sensitive status of their bottom. I've gone both ways plenty of times.
ReplyDeleteI say the diaper can wait! What's that saying, "Never wake a sleeping baby!!" Go with it:)
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear she's putting on weight and nursing well!
I wake lois up in the night for a diaper change but she always falls back to sleep. But if it's a nap, i leave it until she wakes becasue i know she will stay awake.
ReplyDeleteI say, if you know she is only going to sleep a short time then let the diaper stay on. But, if she may be out for a while then take the time to get her freshened up. She'll probably sleep better and if your like me, you will too knowing that the messy isn't "setting in". So glad to hear of God's continuous goodness. What to go Aubrey--keep gaining that weight!
ReplyDeleteHi Brietta!
ReplyDeleteI always let them sleep, unless clothing is involved :)
It has been soooo long!
ReplyDeleteI am laughing since with the last four I think the second I knew the baby was sleeping...I was out like a light- sometimes even standing up? completely oblivious to the fact that my babies went or didn't! How bad is THAT? I guess I'm not one to offer advice!
Hope you can come tomorrow night!
Usually I leave it...but if she has done a real number in there, I hesitate, and often wake her up to change her. Otherwise Mara tends to get a rash if left for too long.
ReplyDeleteI think a lot depends on how full the diaper is, what it's filled with, the baby's sensitivity and when you'll be up next. I am convinced that every mom is guilty of 'letting a few diapers slide.' As long as it's only a once in a while sort of thing, I think it's not only normal but understandable, as well!
ReplyDeleteI was up every hour or two with Wes for the first 6 months, so if for some reason (I was totally and completely exhausted!) I left a diaper until the next feeding, it really wasn't a big deal. With Corinne and Natalie, I just wanted to get it over with (I hope that doesn't make me sound awful-it just felt like an assembly line, so often) that I would change them, sleeping or not. Fortunately, they were so tired, that they often slept right through the changings!
I always waited. Especially with my trouble sleepers (which I think would be all three at this point!) i figured any rest I could get was well worth the mess I'd have to clean up later.
ReplyDeleteI caught your comment while I was spending way too much time messing around with my template!I have two great recipes for cookies that take butter substitutes well. {Rather than oil, I use Smart Balance Light. It's completely dairy free and tastes pretty good.} I've got a great sugar cookie and a snickerdoodle recipe. You're only doing milk rather than milk and eggs, right? So recipes really shouldn't be too hard to change over. I'll type out the two I have later and email them to you.
ReplyDeleteoooh! brietta's xanga looks so nice!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely let her sleep. Sleep is so important both to her immune system and for her growth. Babies and children do all their growing in their sleep. Well rested babies and children are sick far less often than others. You might keep her bottom coated with desitin to prevent rash. So glad that she is growing and nursing. God answers our prayers, does he not? Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteHow did you get the tickers on the left hand side?? I have now spent way too long trying to figure it out and in the meantime completely destroyed my site.
ReplyDeleteThe diaper question made me laugh because I have wondered the same thing on several occasions over the past couple months. Generally, if I think Nathanael will stay asleep, I will change him, but if he is not sleeping very soundly, I wait until he wakes up again. I figure that if he had waited a few more minutes, I would have been asleep anyway (at night) and would not even realize that he was in need of a clean diaper.
ReplyDeleteOn the diaper change - I'm with the others, make the decision based on the sensitivity of her skin! If she isn't going to break out in a rash from it, then let her sleep! It won't hurt her. If it DOES irritate her skin then you have to weigh which is worse. 3 of my 4 kids were very sensitive from the start and would break out in rashes. And all four were sensitive and more prone to bad, bad rashes once they started eating solids.I do have better luck with cloth diapers in preventing diaper rash. My oldest son's bleeding, blistering rashes finally went away once we got him out of disposables. But there is a learning curve to cloth diapering and what works/doesn't for each child
ReplyDeletethe juxtaposition of topics (messy diapers and cookie recipes) is quite hilarious.
ReplyDeletelove the new pic of your home. so storybook! We can hardly wait to drive by at night
and admire your tree through the windows!
(p.s. I know what you're saying....don't just drive by, come in.)
never, never wake a sleeping baby... this gets programmed into their adult lives. my "babies" are in their
ReplyDelete20's (some of them), and I still can't wake them! How Moms can wake a sleeping baby, to take out in the
cold to leave at a sitter's is WAY beyond me..... like unfathomable!