The One with Fox at 2 Weeks Old


Thursday, October 28, 2010

Blogger dashboard is saying this is my 795th post. Jeepers creepers it's almost time for another giveaway! If you're a new reader, I like to do giveaways every 100 posts. If you're an old reader (not age-wise, but if you've been reading for awhile) you know the drill. I gotta start crack-a-lackin' on some things to giveaway! Stay tuned!
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Fantastic Mr. Fox is two weeks old today. I can hardly believe it. Here are some stories, anecdotes, facts, and tidbits in no particular order, I just want to get them down.
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Fox is not on a schedule. He wakes up whenever and sleeps whenever and for no set amount of time. Sometimes he sleeps in four hour blocks through the night, sometimes he sleeps in one hour blocks. I much prefer those four hour blocks. Boy do I miss my 10 hours of sleep every night...But every time I walk in to the nursery to hush his cute little cries, my heart skips a beat.

The acne that he had on his legs and face is almost gone. Bathing really helps the breakouts go away. I wish my zits would go away that fast!
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I planned on breastfeeding from the beginning. Right from the get-go Fox latched on, but very incorrectly and he chewed right through me and left me blistered, bleeding, and sore. I decided to start pumping and vowed never to breastfeed again. But then my mother-in-law found these plastic breast shell thingamabobbers to help dry things out and they've been a lifesaver. I still breastfeed Fox about four times a day and then pump about twice a day. TMI? Sorry Charlie.

I swear Fox's hair gets lighter every time I wash it. I have to wash it every day because it gets greasy. Just like his daddy.
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Last Monday when my mom was still here and Fox was only four days old, we noticed there was lots of goop coming out of his right eye. Being the first time mom that I am, I got super worried so I made an appointment with a pediatrician. We were in and out of the doctor in less than half an hour - world record! Turns out his head is so round-shaped that his tear ducts are being squeezed. The doctor said the problem should resolve itself by the time he's 18 months old and as his head changes shape. He must be growing and changing super fast because his eye isn't goopy anymore. I really can tell that his head is changing shape, it looks a lot like Chris's. SLOW DOWN MR. FOX! And when am I gonna start seeing some of ME in you? You're all Chris!

Fox's umbilical cord fell off on Monday so we gave him his first official bath. He didn't show signs of loving it or hating it until we took him out of the water then he cried but that's understandable. I still don't feel like I really know what I'm doing when bathing him, but practice makes perfect.
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I've taken Fox with me on a couple of errands all by myself. I feel so accomplished being able to put him in his car seat, put the stroller together, snap him in, and then disassemble it all when we're through. He's been with me to Old Navy one day and then Payless Shoe Source another day. Perhaps I'm crazy for taking him out so soon after his birth, but I'd go mad if I had to stay inside all day. It's sunny and 75 outside and those sales are calling my name! Plus the doctor said his immune system is at its peak from now until about six weeks. Doesn't really make sense to me, but whatevs, I'll take it and run with it.
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Joey the dog is very good around Fox. He's given him a couple of smooches, but most of the time he just ignores him. Rachel the cat couldn't care less. Chandler the rabbit, Li'l Chinchilla the chinchilla, and Alice the zebra finch don't have a clue. And Jadis the conure?... Well, let's just say I don't let the bird anywhere near Fox. I've decided I need to get Jadis's wings clipped to be safer.

Fox is moving and squirming around a lot more than he did at birth. He's flailing his arms and legs all over the place and figuring out how to use his limbs.
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Fox pees on the changing table about 75% of the time while he's being changed. I change his outfit practically every single time I change his diaper because he leaks through. I dunno if I'm not putting the diaper on right, if his diapers are too big or too small, or what the deal-e-o is, but we sure do a lot more laundry around here now with Mr. Fox! And I feel like as soon as I put a new diaper on, he poos or pees so every time I change him I end up changing him twice. Silly little boy.

Against all the nurses advice, we use a pacifier. He sucks on those things so hard! But it really does calm him down and put him to sleep which is a-ok with me.
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Enough about Fox, what about ME?!? ME ME ME ME ME! :)
My stitches are healing nicely. I tore so many places inside and out I really didn't think the pain would ever go away. I'm still taking a ridiculous amount of pills morning and night, but I've stopped taking them throughout the day because I don't need them anymore. Going to the bathroom is getting easier every day and I don't have to sit my toosh on the boppy to be comfortable.

My feet have definitely grown a size. I used to be an 8 1/2 - 9. I am now a 9 1/2 - 10. Chris says I should give it another month or two, but my feet don't even look swollen anymore so I'm not sure there's anymore leeway. I'm sad that a lot of my shoes don't fit anymore, but new shoes aren't a bad thing :)
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Well, baby is sleeping which means I should sleep. Gotta catch up on zzz's when I can!

19 comments

  1. he's so cute and smooshy and absolutely adorable. love hearing that everyone's doing well. can't wait to see your pages of the little guy!

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  2. It's hard to believe that it's been two weeks already! He's such a cutie, Paige. I can't wait to see you do layouts with pics of the adorable Mr. Fox.

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  3. aw! he is so cute! LOVE those socks/shoes!

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  4. you are so cute! i love hearing all these things because i can relate to pretty much everything! I gave kens a pacifier, and it is good and bad. She leaked through so many diapers too...i used the breast shields for a while too and LOVEd them. I was NEVER sore, and i was able to wing her off them pretty easy. Only advice...keep breast feeding and pumping!!! I've just barely started to give her formula...and it is so much harder. Doesn't sit well in the stomach :( Keep blogging...i love it!

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  5. (raises hand) I'll take your old shoes.... Mr. Fox is looking cute!

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  6. I think its so great how candid you are about this:) I wish someone had told me everything when I had my daughter two years ago!

    Also, thanks for talking about the breast shields. I think its great when we can let other moms know that there are alternatives out there. I was judged very harshly in one of these nursing mother's stores in my town about using one...they wouldnt even sell me one! Thank God for Target:) It was a lifesaver for me.

    Also, dont worry about the pacifier. My nurse refused to give me one the night we had our daughter. She had such a strong suck from the beginning and took it right away. LIFE SAVER! She was off it by 12 months...so no big deal:) Sometimes I still wish she had it! Ha!!

    A new first baby is so exciting:)You will figure it out as you go:)

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  7. Awww! Loved this post! The photos are ADORABLE, and I just love hearing about *everything* going on... even if it *is* TMI for some people... ;-)

    And I can totally see what you mean about your heart skipping a beat. *sigh* Mine would be too...

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  8. not in a strange, creepy way, but i totally love the TMI. i wish more people were more candid. my recovery was the most painful thing i've ever experience in my life BY FAR and the nurses said i barely even tore. i was on such heavy pills around the clock for the longest time. i swore it would never get better... and then it does.

    i've never heard of those boob things. TOTALLY wish i'd known about them though! maybe next time... way to go keeping up the breastfeeding because goodness knows THAT PAIN IS WAY WORSE than anyone gives you credit for! now, nursing is my absolute most favorite thing i do every day. i can't get enough of it. worth it times a million.

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  9. Oh my gosh, breast shields are A-MAZ-ING!!!! I will only ever use that when I breastfeed in the future. I nursed Darbi for 18 months (I know it's long and probably seems gross but remember she was crazy early so she wasn't the size of an 18 month old..) and it was TOTALLY worth it. The best part was how much more you bond with your baby when you nurse.. I loved loved LOVED it!!! Our occupational therapist and lactation consultants in the NICU loved the shields too. Don't listen to people who bash on them. They're awesome.

    And Fox is adorable! I really want to have another baby looking at your pics. I'm ok with no sleep. :) I even had 2 dreams last night that I was pregnant.. I need to have a talk with my hubs! :)

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  10. awe, he's just adorable! Brings back so many memories of my boys when they were that age... so sweet

    The feet thing, don't expect them to shrink back! Mine lost their width (from the swelling) but the length never went back from all that extra weight. Just a good excuse to buy new shoes!

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  11. Paige! I love hearing all about how you're doing! Fox is as cute as ever! The first 2 weeks of nursing were definately the hardest, it got better! Dont worry about the binky thing - Brooklyn had one from the beginning and it was a lifesaver! :) I love your family of 3!

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  12. Cutest. Baby. Boy. Ever. (And his mom's not too bad either! :)

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  13. Thanks for all the updates. Love to see all the photos of the adorable baby!!!! Are you using Lansinoh breast cream??? It's wonderful and safe for the baby. http://www.amazon.com/Lansinoh-Breast-Cream-2-Ounce-Bottle/dp/B000067DYG
    Pacifier is just fine. Make sure you have extra and keep them clean. If the pacifier falls out of his mouth while he is sleeping, don't pop it back in.
    Try other ways to calm Fox. Don't use a pacifier as a first line of defense. Sometimes a change of position or a rocking session may be all that's needed.
    Alex gave up his on his own one time when he was sick, around 18 months. If he didn't see it he didn't need it. After a while we only used it when he went to sleep and it stayed in the crib.
    Have fun!

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  14. He's so cute!!!
    My advice about the leaking diapers...I didn't know this but you have to point the little 'part' down when putting the diaper on. Otherwise, when they pee it goes to the non-reinforced parts of the diaper, resulting in the leak. Maybe you are already doing this - if not give it a go. Might save you in the laundry department :)
    Love your pics - thanks for sharing Paige - I'm reliving my own early motherhood days with your stories :)

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  15. I just love reading your posts. :) They always make me smile. Mr. Fox is such a cutie! Don't worry- you'll have a girl one of these days and she'll be all you:) You'll see more of you soon. And the breastfeeding- oh my... I share your pain! I had some pretty awful experiences... I thought I was awful for thinking I might not be able to do it but with patience and persistence she got better. The pumping is not fun, but it helps. If you don't have some already, get LANOLIN! Next baby- I'm usin' that stuff like a month before! :)

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  16. ahhhh he is so beautiful Paige! glad to hear you are healing! sorry about the feet, me too I had to get rid of around 60 pairs. boo.

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  17. What a beautiful baby boy! I had the same issues with the peeing when I had my son, because with my first a girl you diaper and go. At the 2 week check up with my son he was soaked and the doctor kindly told me that when you put the diaper on little boys to point them down into the diaper. It worked like a charm.

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  18. That little Fox is the cutest baby ever! Get excited about getting new shoes. Yeah, a downside to pregnancy is having larger feet. I used to wear 8.5. After baby #1, I started wearing a size 9. After baby #2, I am permanently stuck in a size 9.5. Just look at it as a larger area to stay balanced when holding that little bundle of joy! : )

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  19. Thanks for sharing with us! He is too cute!

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