Happy Due Date Mac!

You weigh more than 7 lbs.

You consume 3 oz per feeding.

You wake up to eat.

You can nurse.

You wear Newborn clothes.

You are awake 3 or so hours a day after feedings.

Good growing.

Tiger's birthday party

Traditionally, I make a train cake for birthdays around here. Well, for everyone's birthday but my own. See this post. But with all the craziness around here, coupled with my exhaustion and lack of 3 hours in a row to do anything, I decided to get a store-bought cake for Tiger this year. B.A.R. (of his own initiative) selected and purchased one while at the store picking up something else.

Tiger was absolutely thrilled with his Thomas & Friends cake! Thanks B.A.R. for making my life less stressful and making Tiger's birthday enjoyable.


Well, at least Blanket had a good time.

Happy Birthday to Whom?

Why to Tiger, of course. Happy Fourth!

1 week

1 year

2 years

3 years

Mac at 5 weeks

No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth. Mac did come home from the hospital on 2/2/10.
He came complete with oxygen tank,
and pulse oxymeter that is inaccurate, excessively sensitive, not sensitive enough, or just bent on waking us up every 20 minutes all night long.
He weighed about 5 lbs 13 oz when he came home from the hospital. He needs to go see the doc every week for weight checks for a while. He consumes 2-2.5 oz of fortified breast milk every 3-4 hours. He is beginning to wake up for feedings, though it isn't consistent and he must be woken and encouraged to eat most of the time.

I used to spend 3-5 hours a day at the hospital with him and pumped every 3 hours for 20 min or so. Since I turned in my superhero cape I actually spend more time in my new role as chambermaid now. I spend 30-45 minutes every 3 hours feeding him with a bottle/changing his diaper, then I pump for 15-20 minutes. I am locked in his room during this time so that Blanket and Tiger don't share their colds with him. Also, his need for oxygen limits his movements around the house somewhat. I sleep in the same room with him because it is the only way I am assured of waking to attend to his nighttime needs. The bed in my room is so comfortable (its a Tempur-Pedic) that I sleep through his nocturnal demands for food even with a baby monitor strapped to my ear.

Additonally, I have measure and mix fortifier into his food. I have to wash all the feeding supplies, and play mom when I am not busy with Mac. Oh, and I have to try and nap some too due to the 3-4 hours of sleep each night I am not getting, due to the aforementioned hour-long feeding ritual established.

Milestones we're looking forward to:

• getting rid of the oxygen tank and meter.
• RSV season to be over so that we can go anywhere.
• to not have to fortify milk, so that feedings can be simple 20 minute affairs.