Lilypie First Birthday tickers

Lilypie First Birthday tickers

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Beautiful Chaos

These fellows are still doing very well!  Cohen had his 1 month appointment last Friday and he weighs 9 pounds 1 ounce and grew to 22.25 or 22.5 inches long (I couldn't read the nurse's scrawl).  I have not updated in awhile because Cohen takes all my time!  I still don't know how to explain to Chris when he gets home how I have accomplished absolutely nothing other than the fact that Cohen and I survived another day together!  I am completely exhausted and adjusting to a brand new life and routine.  Cohen has a schedule-just not one that runs by a clock!  Cohen generally sleeps in 4 hour blocks at night but has slept through the night three times so far!  He is a generally happy and content baby.  The biggest conundrum for me is shower vs. sleep.  Usually around 5 or 6  AM when Cohen wakes up, I can put him back to sleep for a few hours. So at this time the question is, do I forgo precious, hard to come by sleep, or attempt to take a quick shower?  It's a gamble either way.  If I go for sleep, I am running the risk of greeting Chris when he comes home with that messy hair, no make-up look, and " I haven't taken a shower in a day stank" (you all know what I am talking about!). This has happened. On the other hand, I can dash into the shower just to emerge a few minutes later with soapy hair clutching a towel and rushing to the upset, very awake Cohen who decides a shower is not very important. This has also happened.  So, it's a toss-up.

But regardless of the 24/7 required attention which involves the lack of sleep, missed meals, ignored house chores, and not stepping outside the house for several days, Cohen is such a joy and completely worth the upheaval until we figure out this new way of life. We enjoy a continual ritual of sleeping, eating, diaper changes and playing.  I am currently attempting to predict how long to wait before changing his diaper as not to go through three diapers in a marathon diaper-changing episode.  I must say I am improving !  He has a million faces to communicate several things and I am currently trying to decipher all of those, as well.  He just makes us smile all of the time!  He sometimes enjoys baths, walks in the stroller, outings in the car, and playing on the floor with his daddy. He is definitely growing and changing too fast.  He is in between his newborn and 3 month clothes and seems content in his newborn diapers which is proving to be quite expensive.  Overall, he is happy and keeps kicking and cooing!

As far as an update on Chris goes, he is settling into his new role as "daddy" quite well.  He comes home and takes over as much as he can in caring for Cohen. And, yes, he is still getting up in the middle of the night to change diapers because he enjoys being with Cohen so much!  He is disappointed if Cohen is asleep when he leaves for work.  The other update is Chris' continual realization of his lack of basketball skills. Chris' recent purchase of a basketball net has led to frustration and disappointment.  Lately, Chris steals away for awhile to shoot hoops but returns complaining about his missed shots and disbelief at how horrible he is at this sport. I know this. He knows this.  I guess he thinks one of these times the basketball fairy will visit him. He  is generally athletic and is befuddled at this gap in talent.  He ranks his sports in order of best to worst as: football, softball, soccer, hockey, volleyball, weight lifting, tennis, table tennis, croquet, golf (and some more in here) , then basketball.  I guess I don't understand his frustration because I am basically unathletic.  Oh, well.

And now here are some photos:

One Week

2 Weeks

3 Weeks

One Month!

5 Weeks

Snoozing away

He loves his WubbaNub!

Ready for a ride

Playing

Mother's Day 2011

Sunday, May 1, 2011

He Is Doing Very Well, Fellows!

This will be short, but I wanted to update a little.  The title is one of the things our funny pediatrician said to us in our first appointment! He is so entertaining!  I think the roles will be reversed with this doctor and maybe we won't always be making a spectacle of ourselves, but he will keep us laughing?
Anyway, it has been a very busy few weeks just trying to keep up with Cohen and all his needs.  But, I am happy to say we are starting to get into a rhythm and routine.  We really haven't had too many fussy times since the first few days. If he is upset, there is a reason!  I just have to decipher that specific reason.  I do feel overwhelmed with all of the lists in my mind, but am learning to let things (a lot of  things) go.  Chris and I are just trying to get the important things done.
Some days are really good and I feel somewhat accomplished, if I do say so myself.  On the other hand, some days I am lucky if Cohen is clean and fed and I have taken a shower! Today was one of the latter.  It was Chris' day to volunteer at church, so I was on my own.  I can do it! Right? Well, I guess not today. In an hour both of us had had a couple of wardrobe changes.  Cohen had managed to go to the bathroom on me and himself twice. Then after Chris got home and was mowing, the dog came in a threw up. Fabulous!  After that, I had to once again interrupt Chris as he was attempting to win the fight against the numerous dandelions in our yard to inform him that I needed assistance immediately to bathe Cohen after he wet all over himself, his hair, clothes, changing pad cover, the wall, me and the dog!  Poor Joey! And Cohen does not fancy baths at all.  So, as of this late afternoon I nearly managed to make lunch by 2:30, let alone accomplish anything else!
Even though it has been some of the most challenging days of my life, I would not trade them for anything. This little boy is our world and we fall more in love each day. I know we will figure out how to better take care of him as each day goes by.

One week old!

One of his favorite poses

He sleeps so much!


Time with Dad

The family