Friday, November 30, 2007

Bottle Woes

Dorian is still not taking to the bottle. We thought we had it sorted - he was taking to it earlier in the week, albeit a bit fussy at times. Now he is refusing it, squirming and writhing around and crying until he works himself into a state and gets the breast in the end. I can't figure out if my expressed milk has gone bad (I think I may produce too much lipase which causes the milk to taste soapy) and/or if the bottle we are using has too slow a flow rate. We'll keep trying all week-end and then I will try to make it in to see a lactation consultant next week. We leave for England in less than a week - I hope we're able to resolve it before then because the window of opportunity for teaching a baby to take a bottle has almost passed. I didn't end up going for that run the other day because he ended up becoming fussy. I just can't seem to leave my baby!

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Dorian is still a newborn...

We may have jumped the gun a bit on celebrating Dorian's long sleeping session ability (from one night!) He did have another 6 hour night on Saturday, but he has also had a few of his normal *crappy* nights (up every 2 hours, or even every 1!). For some reason, I am more tired now than I have ever been before. It's like it has finally caught up with me. Really strange. I am probably getting more sleep than I did the first month, but it is all broken sleep and probably not more than 6 hours a night. Still, enough complaining...it is soooooooooo worth it!!! Mornings are the hardest and then by 11am I usually feel functional. At least we know Dori can go 6+ hours without eating, so eventually he will get into a pattern of sleeping at least that much each night. Grandma and Grandpa bought him a swing to try to get him to sleep more but he hates it. He'll sit in it for about 2 minutes and then start screaming his head off. If we put him in it while he's already asleep, it doesn't prolong his sleep - he still only lasts 1-2 hours and then is very upset when he wakes up and finds he is in this scary moving contraption. Maybe when he's older he'll like it. Or maybe he doesn't like it because it's pink (Grandma and Grandpa did not realize the box color indicated the swing color)! It's a bummer because many newborns love the swing and it really can help parents get more sleep. Our Dorian loves human company though - he is happiest and calmest when he is sleeping on someone's chest or being carried. Still, doesn't he look cute in the swing?
I am going to leave Dorian for the first time this morning - I am desperate to get back into running so I will leave him with his Daddy and a bottle. He seems to be taking the bottle more now. I still don't feel comfortable leaving him with anyone besides James yet though. Some days he has gas and his cries are just agonizing. Other days he seems to be a bit fussy for no reason. He's usually a good baby for us, but when other people hold him, it's not always the case. My work holiday party is this Saturday and I was really looking forward to going. James has a gig though, so there is no way I am leaving Dorian with anyone else (not yet!) We'll keep working on it. We keep forgetting that as big as he has gotten, and as much as he has matured, he is still a newborn. He'll be 6 weeks tonight at 9:49pm.

Enough talking...time for more pictures!!!

Doesn't he look sooooo relaxed here? He LOVES his baths.
Working on his facial expressions...




SMILE!!! Isn't this just beautiful??? I'll leave you with this image. I am going to go for my run now (so excited!). More blogging fun in a few days.

Friday, November 23, 2007

Dorian is a little person now

Wow, in the past week, Dorian has reached some major developmental milestones. He is now 5 weeks, 3 days old and can:

Drink from the bottle. Mama's been pumping! We've only tried this once - he sucked on the bottle right away and drank the whole thing. However, he did get fussy toward the end of the feeding. We don't know whether this was because he was still hungry or whether he wanted to suckle Mama's breast (he is a HUGE Mama's boy and very attached to her at the moment, so much so that he will often cry if anyone else even holds him!)
Smile. James and Grandma have both gotten direct smiles. Mama has seen him smile when he's looking off into the distance and also when he's sleeping. More smiles to come, I'm sure!
Soak up Vitamin D (not for too long, as he can not wear sunscreen until he's older).
Spend more time awake and interacting with people, especially with Daddy who loves to try to make him smile!
Sit quietly on his own for a few minutes (any longer than this and he starts crying for human company - it's a start!)
Take a bath in the big bath.
And in the even bigger bath!
Make Mama laugh with his funny faces.
Wiggle - this boy can seriously move. He's going to be turning over before we know it!
Lounge. Look at him with his head resting on his hand and his legs crossed!
Track movement - Grandpa was moving his hand up and down, round and round and Dorian was watching it intently. Also, Dorian can now hold his head up for long periods of time.
"Play" with other babies (or sleep beside them anyway). One of my closest friends from high school, Jessi, and I have just gotten back in touch (gotta love Facebook) - she has a 3.5 month old daughter, Leah, and also lives in Oakland.
And finally...sleep for 6.5 hours!!!!!! Last night, James and I planned for me to try to get a longer stretch of sleep as I have pumped a couple bottles of milk and I am EXHAUSTED. We figured I could at least get a 4 hour stretch of sleep (Dorian has been waking up pretty much every 2 hours). I fed Dorian at 9:30pm last night and then handed him off to James. I curled up under a comforter (duvet) with earplugs in and James took Dorian into his music room. Apparently, Dorian fussed for about 30 minutes and then fell asleep. The next thing I knew, it was 4:30am and my boobs were majorly engorged and leaking. I took out my earplugs and could hear Dori beginning to wake up in the next room. James was just lifting him out of the Moses basket. He slept from 10pm-4:30am!!! James joked that he must not have wanted the bottle so decided to sleep through the night. Hopefully, this is a pattern that will continue!!!

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Crockbaby's First Thanksgiving

The "Pilgrim" from Plymouth, the "Native" American and their hybrid son went for a walk around Lake Merritt on this fine November day. It is very cold at night right now, but very warm and sunny during the day. We can't believe it's almost winter! It sure doesn't feel like it during the day...and yes, we are trying to rub it in for you Brits! We're going out to eat with the maternal family now (Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Kurt). I think we're going to a British pub for Thanksgiving dinner so we'll be thinking about our upcoming trip. Only 2 more weeks until the British Crockers meet our little squire (James' nickname for Dori). Many more pictures of Dorian in his fifth week to come tomorrow. For now...
Happy Thanksgiving from the Oakland Crockers

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Dorian's Fourth Week

Dorian is now 4 weeks old and he is mighty healthy! We went to the pediatrician today and Dorian is now 10lbs, 3.5oz. He has put on 2 pounds in 2.5 weeks! Amazing. He has only grown .35 of an inch since birth so most of the weight is padding, not height. The doctor was very impressed. We certainly know what Dori's been up to the past couple weeks. At least the relentless feeding has paid off. My little fetus is rapidly turning into a baby. I feel proud and sad all at the same time. Mostly proud. But I'm thinking I may want to become a Labor and Delivery nurse instead of a Pediatric nurse just so I can "have access" to newborns all day long.

I am exhausted. I am so happy, but the fatigue is sinking in. Dorian eats round the clock and does not sleep more than two hours at a time. Some nights we seem to get lucky and he will sleep for 3-4 hours at the beginning of the night, but then he is up every 30-45 minutes for the next 7 hours! I am so tired, and my nipples are killing me! I was on a new mommy hormone high the first two weeks, but now, reality has kicked in! Still, it's all worth it!

I joined a new mother's support group which started meeting today. The group meets in walking distance from my house, which is a real plus. It is going to be wonderful - I was so excited to get out of the house and meet other new moms. There are eight of us and we all have babies ages 4-6 weeks. The plan is to meet once a week with a facilitator (who taught the baby care class James and I took in September) and then to go on a social outing at least once a week. Partners may join us on some of the outings. We are planning on hiking, going to play cafes, parks and the Parkway Theater for baby night.

James and I actually went to the Parkway on Monday night and it was so fun! The whole theater was filled with other parents and their infants and we got to eat pizza while sitting on a couch and watching a film. It was so nice to get out. I have really been feeling house-bound because it is so difficult to go anywhere with Dorian. He eats all the time and there is no pattern to the madness. It is so unpredictable. Sometimes he will eat for 2 hours straight and then nap for 20 minutes, then eat for another hour. Other times he will eat twice an hour, then sleep for 2, then eat for 10 minutes. There is no obvious pattern to anything yet, other than the fact that if he binge eats for several hours, I know he will take a longer nap (and it is often early evening so I go to bed too). It makes it impossible to leave the house though! I don't want to be walking from my house to the lake and then get stuck and have to feed outside the chicken and waffle place with homeless people and druggies ogling my boobs. I have been braving it but it is difficult. People don't realize how much infants feed. I had NO IDEA they fed this much. There is no point in me even wearing shirts anymore because Dorian feeds so much. It is wonderful and I am still so blissed out from being a mother, but you can not plan anything!!!! We have been late for every appointment we have had since he was born and I have really had to try to be more relaxed about my compulsive planning. Parenthood is not for control freaks, that's for sure. I am learning to change! :)

And, now, the moment you have all been waiting for...

MORE PICTURES!!!!!

Dorian is not happy when he is deprived of the boobies
The first picture we have taken of Dorian where a Brandli family resemblance can be seen - Dori looks a bit like my brother did when he was young
Still not happy when bath time is over!
4 weeks old and reading already
Daddy was pointing things out to Dori while he looked out the window
At the guitar shop (Daddy's favorite place)
But not Dorian's! Perhaps he won't take after his dad or grandfathers
At the doctor's office today
Ready for his close-up (or maybe not!)

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Dorian's Third Week

Dorian sure likes to sleep (and feed, but you've seen all the PG feeding pictures we have!)

He can sleep...

While Mama poses for the camera
In Mama's friend Emily's arms
While Mama coos at him
In front of a 93 pound Halloween pumpkin
Outside with Grandma, Grandpa and Stella
In Mama's friend Nathalie's arms
While 7 month old baby Kalil tries to play with him
On Grandma's arm
While Mama and Daddy gaze lovingly at him
And, in the most uncomfortable-looking position known to man!