Will my Saturdays ever be the same?

My Mom has been here taking care of me/us for 12 days now (I think--I am too tired to check my math and all the days are running together lately). She has been so amazing and I don't know what I would do without her here making us meals, cleaning my house, doing laundry (where did it all come from all of a sudden?), running to the grocery store or drug store, and keeping us sane with her third set of hands and reassurance only a mother can give. This morning while I was getting ready for the day after feeding the baby his morning feeding, I heard the vacuum running downstairs and was so thankful my mom was vacuuming the dog hair AGAIN. There seems to be no end to that either. I was feeling exhausted from the shower I just took and was sitting at my bathroom vanity seriously debating whether to put on any makeup and dry my hair, or just crawl back in bed with wet hair as I have several times in the last week, and try to sleep.

Today I mustered up what strength I had left and put on a full face of makeup and did my hair. WHEW! I mean, it was exhausting. Where did all my strenght, stamina, and energy go? I know, I know, I just had a baby 2 weeks ago, but COME ON! I am bored of this recovery bit and want my life back.

So as I was sitting there debating whether I had the energy to put makeup on, I heard the vacuum and wondered when/if I will ever have the strength to clean my own house again, cook my own meals again, or walk farther than down to the corner and back without being utterly pooped out. I am usually such a busy body; this is driving me crazy.

My "big day" today consisted of my mom driving me and baby to Babies R Us to buy diapers and wipes that were hugely on sale. We drove there (30 min), were there for MAYBE 45 min, and drove home via the scenic route so mom could see something in GA besides freeway. On the way home we stopped at Target and my mom went in while I sat in the car and fed the baby. I hadn't pumped enough and did not come prepared to nurse (I'll leave the details out), so we got to drive home the remaining 15 minutes with a SCREAMING baby. Maybe my mom is used to that after 32 years of mothering, but it stressed me out. We were gone a total of 3 hours and by the time we got home it was all I could do to stumble up the stairs to bed and crash for a 2 hour nap.

I used to get so much done on Saturdays. Will they ever be the same? (This is clearly a rhetorical question; I'm just venting here; Not looking for sympathy. Really.)

2 Weeks Old

Our little Cooper is already 2 weeks old. I can't believe it. He is growing up so fast. He is finally settling into a nice routine of feeding every 3 hours in the day, and then sleeping a block of 5-6 hours at night, which is SO NICE for his tired mom. Now that he is falling into more of a schedule, he's back to his calm self most of the time. Actually, unless something is wrong (diaper, cold/hot, hungry, bubble), he continues to be a happy baby. We are so lucky.

Today he was awake and alert a lot more than he has been the last few weeks.

He is very particular about some things. He most often has his hands clasped or held close together just under his chin or on his chest. He sleeps like this, eats like this, etc. I have tried and tried to get him to move his arms and hands away from his chest while eating because I think it would be much more comfortable for the two of us, but he wants none of it. He'll start throwing a fit if I try to move them. The only time I can move them without a fight is when he is nearly full, drowsy, or asleep. Funny kid.

He is such a strong little guy. He has been holding his head up on and off since he was born, but in the last few days I have noticed a marked difference in his ability. I happened to snap a picture just when he had his head up looking around.

His favorite thing to look at are our windows and blinds at night. The windows have white panes in them, and the blinds are white. The white against the black windows at night create a nice contrast, and he will just sit and stare at them. He also has a few rattles he likes to watch and will track them with his eyes.

Nathan is such a great dad. He has learned a lot about babies in the last two weeks. The other day he handed Coop off to my mom almost like a football. I mentioned something to him about the nice football pass off, and he commented how funny it is that within two weeks time he has gone from being afraid of hurting the little guy and being ever so careful and gentle, to realizing that he's not so fragile and breakable and can really handle a lot more than that. Nathan is anxious for Cooper to grow up a little and become more interactive. He likes to walk him around the house and show him different things. Last night he put Coop to sleep after I fed him. He has been such an amazing husband and father in the last two weeks. I am not at all surprised, but just very thankful for him and all he does to support me, help me, and be an active part of our baby's life.

Of course I love the fact that I'm starting to get a little more sleep, but I am trying to enjoy my baby being a little newborn because I know these weeks are fleeting. I get a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye just thinking about it. There is nothing like holding your baby in the wee hours of the morning after just nursing him, looking into his cute little eyes with him recognizing who you are, and sharing such a tender moment as you sing him to sleep. Being a mother is everything and more than I dreamed of. The last two weeks have been the most rewarding in my entire life. Happy 2 week birthday, little Coop.

Mommy Milestones

Enough about the baby for a minute...I've hit some major milestones and want to shout it out.
Boys/men may want to stop reading at this point--it's all very "girly."

1. That's it, declare me the "Biggest Loser." I have lost 30 lbs in 10 days!!! I know, I know, it's pregnancy weight, but still. That gives me only 8 lbs of pregnancy weight to lose to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight, and that's WITH clothes on, and obviously includes the Dolly Parton-size ta-ta's I'm sporting now. That goes to show that most of my weight was baby, water, and other quickly expelled pregnancy accessories. I am so excited!!!! (At this point I'm not mentioning SIZE--that's another story. Will this jello belly ever go back to normal?! Will I ever wear non-maternity pants again?....Back to celebrating; Let's focus on the positive.)

2. I have normal feet again! No longer do I have elephantitis-looking feet that bulge over any shoe I try to wear. I can start wearing cute shoes again. Time for a peticure. There are actually visible VEINS in my feet again. Haven't seen those babies since May/June. Welcome back!

3. The cankles are gone! Nuff said.

4. I have bony knees again! Who would have ever thought I'd want bony knees again, but I missed them.

5. I can bend from the waist! (albeit gingerly)

6. I can see my own feet when standing straight!

7. I cut my own toenails a few days ago without feeling like I needed to come up for air before I passed out.

8. I slept on my side for about 20 minutes last night. After several months of mandatory side-sleeping, you'd think I'd be sick of it and want to sleep on my back. But after being so used to sleeping on my side, sleeping on my back without the OPTION of side sleeping due to the c-section has been really frustrating. Pre-humungo prego belly, I used to sleep on my side to fall asleep and then roll to my back. So falling asleep the last 10 days has been hard for me. Last night was a little painful still, but it felt good nonetheless to turn over in bed.

I was trying to think of 10 things, but 8 sound good. I have 30 minutes before The Coop will be awake for feeding again, and I need to catch a few Zs before then. Thanks for celebrating with me! :o)

I love my little baby Cooper, but having my body morph back to its pre-pregnant self is a wonderful thing.

1 Week Old

Cooper was 1 week old today (Friday 10/2). I can't believe it's already been a week since he entered the world. My how things have changed in the last week, but I wouldn't ask for it to be any different. I can't imagine it getting any better than this...

The Perfect Baby

I am hesitant to blog about this subject, lest I jinx our house. Cooper is THE perfect baby. He does not fuss unless he's hungry, needs a diaper change, or has a tummy ache. This is his demeanor much of the time when he's awake--just chillin'.

He is a strong baby, lifting his head already and moving it where he wants it. He usually sleepts for 3-1/2 to 4-hour blocks. We have actually had to wake him up a couple of times to feed him. He is a great sleeper; sleeps through almost anything; sleeps almost anywhere; puts himself to sleep if he's already feeling sleepy and you lay him down swaddled in a blanket.

He is such a joy to us. Can I ask for a more perfect baby? Our little family feels so complete, and we are so content right now. This is the life....

A Massage, and then Bed Time in Nana's PJs

After his bath, Cooper was treated to a full-body massage, which he thoroughly enjoyed. He was all about Momma rubbing him down with baby lotion, despite the scared look in the first picture. Daddy was playing paparazzi again.

Once the massage was over, it was time for bed. We chose some PJs given to us by Cooper's Nana (Great-Grandma Gunning). They were so soft and comfy....
...and made Coop look utterly adorable.

First Bath at Home

Another big first...the first bath at home. Cooper didn't really like his first sponge bath at home, that is until we got to his head. He LOVED having his hair washed. He quieted right down and enjoyed the nice head massage. (Daddy had been helping but is not in the pictures.)