My Little Poppy Seed: Six Months Old

My Little Poppy Seed is HALF a year old already. 

Time sure does fly!

She is getting so big. 

We went for her 6 month checkup yesterday. 

She is in the 75 % in height and weight. 

17 pounds 1 ounce

26 1/2 inches long

This past month has been full of milestones. 

Rolling over from tummy to back and back to tummy. 

Eating more foods and more rice cereal. 

She is "talking" back and forth with us...well mostly she likes to GROWL!

It's super cute. 

She smiles ALL THE TIME.

We were doing better at sleeping through the night.

Last week she slept all night almost every night.

This week not so much. 

Teething?

Separation Anxiety?

Growth Spurt?

WHO KNOWS!

She's pushing herself up and scooting across the floor. 

She uses her feet and moves forward, but hasn't quite gotten her knees up underneath her yet. 

She's still sleeping in her port-a-crib.

I don't want to move her to Isaac and Hadleigh's room until she sleeps consistently through the night. 

She LOVES her big brother and sister. 

They make her smile a lot. 

Hadleigh is always wanting to feed her and hold her and entertain. 

We put her in the swing outside on the swing set and she really likes it. 

She's, of course, growing out of all her clothes. 

This season didn't seem to match up with the right sizes that had from Hadleigh so I had to finally go out and get her some bigger clothes. 

We are still Cloth Diapering and I love it. 

Not sure if anyone else cares one way or the other, but it's working out great for us. 

Just this week I started "weening" her from breast feeding. 

Since she's been eating more cereal and other foods she hasn't been drinking as much milk. 

She mostly wants to nurse only when going to sleep so I figured it was time to stop. 

So I went from pumping 3-4 times a day to just pumping 1 time a day.

It's sort of bittersweet for me.

She hasn't really been that great at it or interested in it from the beginning so I know she won't really miss it. 

I might miss it. 

I am clinging to the hope that maybe we will have another one some day and things might be different. 

I am proud of myself for making it to the 6 month mark though. 

I really wanted to make it to 12 months, but it's wearing me out. 

Plus, I am taking another trip at the end of the month and don't want to DRAG the dang pump along with me. 

She is trying really hard to sit up by herself. 

She's not quite ready. 

But I wouldn't doubt if it happens in the next few weeks. 

My Little Poppy Seed: Four Months Old

 

hahaha..I love this picture!

She's like "Yeah...I'm FOUR months old!"

This 4 month session was pretty funny.

I got her to sit in the Bumbo for the first time without throwing herself out. 

She was doing something different with her hands in every shot!

 Check it out:

**Click on image to see larger**

In the 2nd picture she is showing you her NEWEST trick: 

BLOWING BUBBLES!

Anyway, this has been such a great month in terms of her temperament. 

She is way happy all the time. 

She can be SO EXTREMELY tired, and all you have to do is talk to her and she gives you the BIGGEST grin!

I love her. 

She is sleeping better.

Still not through the night, but that's ok.

She likes to sleep on her stomach.

These days she is even putting herself to sleep. She will lay there and just talk to herself. 

Next thing you know she is OUT!

She went to her FIRST day of "School" about a month ago. 

I was not expecting her to get in to Children's Day Out until next Fall, but one of the babies dropped out and a spot opened for us. 

She is so good for them. (at least that's what they tell me)

It was definitely hard for me to take her.

I was really excited when they told me a spot opened for her.

BUT, the more I thought about it, the more sad I got.

But in reality FOUR hours sure does pass by fast. 

I don't get much done before I have to pick her up. 

Two weeks ago she was in the nursery while I was at Women's Bible Study and she 

ROLLED over!! 

Of course I wasn't there to see it! ha!

I am pretty sure it was from her tummy to her back. 

They didn't actually tell me about it...they told Erik.

Needless to say I didn't get ALL the details.

She has done it a few times since then, but I still haven't witnessed it. 

We no longer have to see the speech therapist, but we are still supposed to do our exercises.

I am not very good at remembering. 

Especially when she thinks she is starving and is screaming, 

I just want to get her the milk as soon as possible. 

Yesterday I fed her rice cereal for the first time. 

It was about a 1/4 of teaspoon mixed with breast milk.

She REALLY liked it. 

She just sucked it off the spoon. 

This morning Erik gave her some more. 

She's funny to watch eat. 

For those of you wondering:

YES I am still breastfeeding. 

She has really come to terms with it.

She rarely fights me on it. 

I hardly have to give her a bottle in the middle of the night anymore.

I am pumping less....THANK GOODNESS!

It's nice on the days we have alone together because she does so much better without Isaac and Hadleigh around. 

She doesn't get as distracted. 

My Little Poppy Seed: Breast Feeding

So the other day I was reading one of the blogs I follow and was inspired to write "OUR" story about our breast feeding journey. I feel like I should write it all down NOW before I soon forget and these days are behind us. 

Hopefully that won't happen for about 6 more months.

If you have read my birth story you know that things did not actually go according to MY plan.

Therefore it was about 30-45 minutes before I got to hold my baby and nurse her. 

I was VERY adamant that I be the first to hold her after she was born. Well, I was the second (after my husband). At least I think I was. 

Anyway, once I got to hold her, I feel like I remember her latching right on. 

Now I'm not so sure. 

Maybe it was just my imagination. 

 I really don't even remember if I fed her during the night that first night.

I do know that I spent my last FULL day in the hospital with a lactation consultant. 

She was SO VERY helpful. 

If anyone remembers her name, please let me know. 

I think she is the only one.

We tried ALL day to get her to latch on and stay latched on. About the last 2 hours my nurse talked to me about an SNS {supplemental nursing system}

Basically it's a tube that you attach to yourself and the milk {or formula} flows through and they realize that is where they are getting their food from. 

Well Kerrville didn't have and actual SNS so my nurse created one. 

Libby latched on RIGHT away and started nursing. It was the first time that I actually could tell what it was supposed to feel like. 

We did this for a few feedings and then I didn't have to do it anymore. 

She had caught on. 

So we go home.

I think it was maybe the 1st or 2nd day I was home I texted my friend. 

"SHE WILL NOT LATCH ON!"

I was so nervous that she wasn't going to get it. My milk had JUST come in that day. Literally the hour I texted her. 

She said, "hold on, I'm sending you a video."

and she did. 

She told/showed me EXACTLY what to do. 

Libby successfully latched on that night!

For two weeks.

I felt like she is doing fine.

She's latching on.

She nurses.

She goes to sleep.

I try to wake her.

She nurses some more.

She goes back to sleep.

She doesn't cry unusually, at least I didn't think so. 

I do remember Erik saying "I think she's still hungry."

Then I would say, well she just "nursed" for 30 minutes, surely she's just tired. 

Plus "Do I even have anything left?"

Ha....I know what you are thinking! You DUMMY, you don't just run out of milk.

WELL, I KNOW that now! 

I wish I would have called the lactation consultant back.

Whatever. 

You know the story (if you have read it).

We go for her two week check up and end up in the Children's Hospital.

I researched things that would help produce more milk and started implementing them.

I took 3 Fenugreek and 3 Blessed Thistle 3 times a day. 

I have oatmeal for breakfast every morning. 

Other things they suggested: 

Raw Carrots

Non-alcoholic Beer
Avacados

LOTS AND LOTS of water

Pump after every feeding and in between feedings

It did help. I am now pumping between 2-4 ounces of Breast Milk 4-5 times a day. 

Any-hoo.

For the last 2 months we have been supplementing with goats milk (adding an infant vitamin once a day). 

I pump pretty much all day. 

Up until about a week ago, Libby would basically scream her head off every time I tried to get her to nurse. 

NO LIE.

It was like I was torturing her. 

Finally, one day I had her at home with me all day.

Just the two of us. 

I basically "forced" her to nurse. 

I know it sounds mean, but that's what one of the nurses at the Children's Hospital suggested. 

Just hold her head on there. 

I didn't offer her a bottle. 

She finally got the picture. 

Since that day she has done fairly well.

I still mostly give her a bottle during the day, especially on the days I have the kids at home with me. 

She mostly nurses in the evening and through the night. 

I am okay with this. 

After reading my friends blog (she has 5 kids), I am relieved that this could just be a one time thing. 

Maybe the next go around will be easier. 

Maybe this is JUST her temperament.

I think she just likes to be in control as well.

I am writing this so that maybe it will help someone else out. 

It's amazing how many women out there actually have trouble breast feeding. 

It's more common than you think. 

JUST LIKE GETTING PREGNANT and INFERTILITY.

WHO KNEW??

My Little Poppy Seed: Two Months Old

 Baby Girl turned 2 months old yesterday and I cannot believe it!

Read about what she should be doing here. 

http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-2-month-old-week-1_5821.bc

We went to the Dr. today and she is
11 pounds 10 ounces
23 inches long
She's moved up to the 75-90% percentile on her growth chart.
Doing SUPER!

My mom made this sweet blanket for Libby. I LOVE it! 

Next month I will show you the other side! I couldn't get the whole thing in the photo, but there is a little girl under her skirt and the back of the blanket is in that material.

 She really started smiling ALL the time while we were away on our vacation to California for Christmas. We were gone for 11 days and actually spent Christmas day at Erik's mom's house. I think this is the FIRST Christmas EVER that I have been away from my mom! We missed her terribly, but had a GREAT time with Erik's family and friends. It was a little chilly and rainy most of the time we were there. 

 She is growing fast. She can't wear ANY of her newborn clothes anymore. She is now eating between 6 and 8 ounces at a time! We started supplementing her with Goat Milk instead of formula about a month ago. Supposedly it's the "closest" thing to mother's milk. She likes it really well. We don't have much spitting up at all. She was sometimes puking up the formula so we switched. I give her a daily dose of Infant vitamins that we got from the health food store so she can get what she needs since she's only getting about 8-12 ounces of Breast Milk a day. 

 I am still breast feeding. Now instead of doing it after I bottle feed I am doing it first. She lasts about 5-7 minutes on each side and then I give her a bottle. Usually 3-4 ounces of either goat milk or expressed breast milk. 

OBVIOUSLY she is gaining weight! 

haha!

She actually has little rolls around her thighs....maybe I will photograph that next month. 

She is sleeping about the same. Waking up once during the night to feed. Sometimes I just nurse her in bed and she goes back to sleep, but sometimes she is so HUNGRY she won't nurse. She wants the easy way out. 

 Nose and Lips.

TWO of my most FAVORITE things about her. 

This is my sweet Libby. 

She is not an easy baby by any means. 

My Pedi said that from the beginning. 

The ones that cause you trouble from the beginning will always be that way. 

she said that JOKINGLY btw!

She definitely needs constant attention. 

She doesn't want to be put down.

She hates her car seat!

She's awake more than she sleeps. 

She's already having to compete with Big Brother and Big Sister. 

You can't miss her girly squeal!

She loves to sleep on her belly. 

She smiles ALL the time, especially when you talk to her!

She LOVES her big Sis already....smiles and coos at her too!

I love their interaction with each other. Hadleigh wants to hold her all the time. She is a big helper....getting her "fussy" (aka pacifier....Hadleigh named it), tries to calm her when she cries, feeds her. 

My Little Poppy Seed: One Month Old

Grandma ("from California" as my kids say) flew in on Thanksgiving day. 

Erik and the kids went to pick her up in San Antonio and we ate at Cracker Barrel for dinner. 

Friday we just relaxed and then had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at Grampa Mart and Grama Pat's house.

It was very yummy!

( I did not take one single picture...uugghh)

I am finally starting to get the feeling back in my hands and fingers. 

There is still a little bit of numbness in the tips.

I still can't get my wedding rings over my knuckle. 

Maybe some day. 

Other than that I am able to wear my shoes again, which is very nice. 

I haven't even tried to put on my pre-preggo jeans. 

I'm scared.

hahaha

Erik had to leave Sunday to go to Abilene for school for the whole week. 

THANK GOD for Grandma!!

She has been such a help to us.

Tuesday morning Linda went with us to the pediatrician for a weight check.

Libby is now 8 pounds 11 ounces.

Back up past her birth weight which is great. 

The doctor was pleased. 

Finally.

She is doing really great eating. 

She takes the bottle really well. 

She is still nursing, but not for very long and only after she has been bottle fed.

Hopefully all of that will change soon, since she is gaining weight.

I am still pumping every 2-3 hours which takes up so much time, but well worth it.

On Thursday, December 2

Libby turned ONE MONTH OLD!!

I cannot believe it. 

I know time goes by so fast.

But it still amazes me how fast.

I think this month has been the longest month and the shortest month.

Still can't believe we spent almost 9 total days in the hospital out of  her first month of life. 

I know it could have been something worse, so I am not complaining.

Just so happy to be home and get into some kind of normal routine. 

Just this week she has changed so much. She actually fits into her "newborn" clothes, although she is growing out of them very quickly. She is staying awake for longer periods of time and noticing the things around her. 

She was watching her mobile on her swing for the first time yesterday. 

She smiles ALL the time.

I know I know, she probably doesn't even know she's doing it, or maybe it's gas, but I still LOVE it!

She is sleeping anywhere from 3-4 hours at night most of the time.

Thanks again for all your prayers and thoughts and helpful hints on the breastfeeding. 

We are truly blessed by each and every one of you!

My Little Poppy Seed: 21 days old

My weekend was supposed to consist of portraits with Santa on Friday and Saturday. 

I was able to capture this shot before we headed to San Antonio.

Really sad I didn't get all 3 of my kids in the pic together.

ANSWERED PRAYER

First of all I just want to say THANK YOU to everyone who is praying for us.

I finally got a nurse on Sunday to help me "trick" Libby in to latching on again. 

She is latching on very well. 

THANK YOU GOD! 

This does not mean that she is getting enough to eat yet, but at least she is trying.

It was nice to have someone try and come up with a solution instead of trying to say something was wrong with her or me.

So Monday morning we went down stairs to to have a modified barium swallow study done. 

It showed her sucking burst not to be sustained and her sucking pattern is immature.

She is at risk for aspiration but none was seen on the study.

The recommendation was for us to see a Speech Therapist to help her build the muscles in her lips, tongue and cheeks. 

The therapist that did the test at the hospital said I could still breast feed and supplement with expressed breast milk or formula. 

I have to feed her in "side lying" position (on her left side, like she's breast feeding)

She was 7.6 pounds when we left Methodist Hospital.

Tuesday morning we went to see the pediatrician and she was up to 7.9 pounds.

Still not enough according to the dr, but we feel like this is progress.

We also went to see a speech therapist here in Kerrville and she said everything was going to be fine. 

I was given some exercises to do with her lips to try and strengthen them. 

The goal is to get her weight up so she will be stronger and have more energy to breast feed. 

I was instructed to bottle feed her every two hours and to try and get her to eat 3 ounces everytime. 

EASIER said than done. 

By the time I get her fed, diaper changed, pump, and put her to sleep it is time to eat again.

She does not want to wake up to eat and I am exhausted. 

At least now Erik can help me feed her and I can get some sleep. 

I can still breast feed her, but just AFTER she bottle feeds so she doesn't get too tired.

This is what I missed over the weekend while we were in the hospital

Thank you Mema for taking the kids to Breakfast with Santa!

Today I am thankful for my friend Tracy Moore (who has helped me photograph many events)

 and Nikki Loehr (with Moxie Photography in San Antonio) for REALLY coming through to help me photograph my Santa portraits. 

They came last minute and our family is blessed to know these wonderful ladies!