One interesting thing about being a mom is you see hours of the night that you haven't been awake for since college. The first few weeks, Aubrey slept about 3 hours at a time and I would get up to change and feed her and we would sit in the rocking chair and cuddle during the quietest hours of the night. She would look up at me and around her room and eventually drift off into a peaceful sleep. It was incredibly sweet, and I loved it...for about 3 weeks.
Around that time, the lack of sleep began catching up with me and by the time the 3 a.m. feeding came around, I was running into walls and tripping over her crib. Some days, the stress of caring for an infant all day by myself would bring me to tears. I never minded the actual getting up part, it was functioning on so little sleep that could bring me to my knees. Still, I enjoyed rocking her back to sleep and watching her gaze at the shadows on the wall. It was our time...just the two of us and I was experiencing a bond with her that I will always remember.
Aubrey has now been sleeping through the night for the last 6 weeks, and as I rocked her last night, it dawned on me that those weeks of watching her stare at shadows with her lips pursed in an "O" were past us. On one hand, life is much easier because Kyle and I are getting sleep. On the other hand, I will never get that time back.
So each night I rock her to bed around 8:00, feeling a little cheated that I get to see so little of my daughter by the time I get home from work, make dinner, wash bottles, etc. I always linger a while with her in my arms just to cuddle a few extra minutes.
I now wake up each morning at 5 a.m., which is something I never would have considered previous to parenthood. After getting myself ready, I wake up Aubrey, feed her and we sit quietly for a few minutes before we begin our day...just the two of us. I am exhausted every night before I go to bed, but I wake up every morning at the same time because now I enjoy it. I feel like I've stolen a few extra hours in the day just for us.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Good Baby
Every parent has had the experience of someone asking if they have a "good baby." Before I was a parent, I naively asked this many times. It's an innocent question referring to sleeping habits and fussiness, and a reply of "yes" is almost always anticipated.
So, what do you say when you have a fussy baby? For instance, our child tends to be a little high-maintenance. Aubrey is what we like to refer to as "bossy." She certainly isn't colicky, but I would definitely put her in the "fussy" category. If she doesn't like something, she lets you know. Does this mean she's not a "good" baby? Of course not. She's a baby...aren't they all wonderful? :)
Despite the fact that she screamed at the top of her lungs for so long last night that Kyle nearly had to hand-feed me my dinner, we still love her so much our hearts could explode. And after it was all over, she spoiled mom and dad with cuddles and smiles...seems like a pretty good baby to me.
So, what do you say when you have a fussy baby? For instance, our child tends to be a little high-maintenance. Aubrey is what we like to refer to as "bossy." She certainly isn't colicky, but I would definitely put her in the "fussy" category. If she doesn't like something, she lets you know. Does this mean she's not a "good" baby? Of course not. She's a baby...aren't they all wonderful? :)
Despite the fact that she screamed at the top of her lungs for so long last night that Kyle nearly had to hand-feed me my dinner, we still love her so much our hearts could explode. And after it was all over, she spoiled mom and dad with cuddles and smiles...seems like a pretty good baby to me.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Aubrey at 2 months
Every day brings something new. At about 5 1/2 weeks, she began smiling which made my days even more fulfilling! Aubrey loves to move and we can already tell she will be much more content when she can crawl and get around on her own. She is already trying hard to roll over!
A lot has happened
After 10 1/2 weeks on maternity leave, I am back at work and hoping to adjust soon. In case you haven't heard, Aubrey Grace Schuman arrived on April 11th at 3:12 p.m. after 17 hours of intense labor. Yes, I said 17 hours...As it turns out, you can't have a 9 lb. 21 inch baby without a lot of work! It was definitely worth it!
To follow up on an earlier post, Aubrey was born with a tiny hole in her heart. It went undetected until the morning we were about to leave the hospital. She went through a series of tests that morning, causing panic for mom and dad all over again. Just a few weeks ago, she had a follow up with her cardiologist. Although the murmur is still there, she has been declared healthy and does not have to go back for a year. We are counting our blessings once again!
Everyone has been wanting me to keeping them updated with pictures, so here is my attempt. Hopefully this will force me to be better about maintaining my blog. Because parenthood has already been filled with so many exciting and emotional experiences, I should have some good material. :)
The Big Day
Labor began at 10:00 p.m. on April 10th. I had just gone to bed when my water broke. Kyle and I headed to the hospital immediately. When we arrived, it seemed my labor was progressing rapidly and we thought we would have a baby by morning...how wrong we were. So glad I chose the epidural.
It was a wonderful day filled with family as we welcomed Aubrey into the Catholic church. She wore a beautiful gown that belonged to her great-great grandfather and was over 100 years old. Aubrey was well-behaved for being only six-weeks and having such a long day...mom and dad were the most tired!
To follow up on an earlier post, Aubrey was born with a tiny hole in her heart. It went undetected until the morning we were about to leave the hospital. She went through a series of tests that morning, causing panic for mom and dad all over again. Just a few weeks ago, she had a follow up with her cardiologist. Although the murmur is still there, she has been declared healthy and does not have to go back for a year. We are counting our blessings once again!
Everyone has been wanting me to keeping them updated with pictures, so here is my attempt. Hopefully this will force me to be better about maintaining my blog. Because parenthood has already been filled with so many exciting and emotional experiences, I should have some good material. :)
The Big Day
Labor began at 10:00 p.m. on April 10th. I had just gone to bed when my water broke. Kyle and I headed to the hospital immediately. When we arrived, it seemed my labor was progressing rapidly and we thought we would have a baby by morning...how wrong we were. So glad I chose the epidural.
Our Big Baby girl! We should have known she was opinionated from the start.
Settled in the nursery...a little more calm.
Happy Family
Aubrey's Baptism – May 24, 2008
Settled in the nursery...a little more calm.
Happy FamilyAubrey at Home
I'm a mini-daddy!
I'm a mini-daddy!It was a wonderful day filled with family as we welcomed Aubrey into the Catholic church. She wore a beautiful gown that belonged to her great-great grandfather and was over 100 years old. Aubrey was well-behaved for being only six-weeks and having such a long day...mom and dad were the most tired!
Sunday, April 6, 2008
One week left!!!
I can't believe it is already here! Our daughter will arrive in about a week...depending on her schedule! :) We are excited, nervous...and I am definitely uncomfortable, but still enjoying it. I can't wait to see her and hold her, but each time she moves, I am a little sad it could be one of the last times I experience that with her.
Here I am...I believe the word you are looking for is radiant...ha!
Here I am...I believe the word you are looking for is radiant...ha!
30 weeks and counting
By 30 weeks, we had moved in with my parents so our home could undergo a much needed renovation...new floors. The whole process only took about 3 1/2 weeks, and mom and dad fed us every night. By the way, it is really nice to be taken care of when you are pregnant. That was almost a month of no cleaning, no cooking and living out of a suitcase makes for minimal laundry.
During this time, we lost Kyle's grandfather, who had been struggling with his health for several years. We made the trip to Waterloo/La Porte City during a small window of safe travel during the worst winter I can remember. By the time we arrived, the bad weather had set in again and we ended up staying an extra day due to blowing snow and ice.
We have definitely had a lot to get through during this pregnancy, losing two grandpas and having a brother in Iraq, but it is a constant reminder of how lucky we are to have a new life on the way.
During this time, we lost Kyle's grandfather, who had been struggling with his health for several years. We made the trip to Waterloo/La Porte City during a small window of safe travel during the worst winter I can remember. By the time we arrived, the bad weather had set in again and we ended up staying an extra day due to blowing snow and ice.
We have definitely had a lot to get through during this pregnancy, losing two grandpas and having a brother in Iraq, but it is a constant reminder of how lucky we are to have a new life on the way.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Heart Strings
New Year's Eve was the beginning of an interesting week for the Schumans. We had been invited to the wedding of a good friend and were looking forward to our low-key evening. Everything was going well, I had found an adorable black cocktail dress to wear and we toasted with our dear friends, Matt and Andrea when midnight struck.
Around 5:00 that morning I awoke to what would be the most miserable week I have ever experienced as of late. I was unreasonably cold and shivering uncontrollably...and that was just the beginning. I ended up spending almost the entire week on the couch with the flu, running a fever and aching and praying that I wasn't baking my baby. For anyone who has been pregnant and had the flu, I'm sure you would agree you look and feel like you've experienced demonic possession. Or, as my doctor told me, you are sick twice as long and twice as bad as any normal person. I had called the doctor right away, of course, and had an appointment scheduled for the next day, which was when things really took a turn.
I could barely make it to my appointment that day. When I arrived and they listened to the baby's heartbeat it was a little slow and irregular. I was put on the fetal monitor, but she wouldn't sit still for them to get a good read. I was asked to come back the next day.
Kyle accompanied me for support on Thursday. We arrived to find out that the heartbeat was then too fast and irregular. At that point the doctor told us it could be something she would outgrow, but it could mean a blocked valve that they would have to handle with surgery. They were sending us to a specialist for a better diagnosis.
None of this had to do with the fact that I was sick, but I can tell you it sure made things much harder to deal with. We had told ourselves that everything would be fine, but truthfully, we were terrified. A tiny heart is nothing to take lightly.
That night, despite being completely run down, I barely slept. We had told ourselves it could only be the best possible outcome, but our hearts were a little bit broken at the suggestion it might not be. For anyone who has ever been through anything similar, you can attest that you stop hearing anything after the mention that there could be something wrong with your baby.
I was very thankful that our appointment was scheduled right away the next morning. We were sent to the doctors at the Perinatal Center at Mercy who specialize in fetal diagnosis. After an ultrasound and heart monitoring, they determined that our little girl was going to be just fine...no blocked valve, just a skip in heartbeat here and there, which is not harmful at all. To top it all off, we got some more great pictures.
Any parent will tell you that the worry starts as soon as you find out you are pregnant, and I'm sure that this is just one of many scares we will have through the upcoming years. Still, I am not sure I have ever felt the same type of panic I experienced over the course of those few days. Just the feeling of responsibility for that tiny life alone is enough to handle. We are very fortunate that our baby is healthy and I will never forget that.
The next morning, I woke up feeling like a new person. I'm not sure if it was the relief that helped me turn the corner, or if my body was finally on the rebound, but I actually showered, put on makeup and got dressed in an outfit that did not consist of flannel pajamas and a fluffy robe. It was such a big accomplishment that I celebrated by eating a giant cheeseburger and a mountain of ice cream.*
*Disclaimer - Yes, I am being conscious about eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, too. Lay off me, I was starving.
Around 5:00 that morning I awoke to what would be the most miserable week I have ever experienced as of late. I was unreasonably cold and shivering uncontrollably...and that was just the beginning. I ended up spending almost the entire week on the couch with the flu, running a fever and aching and praying that I wasn't baking my baby. For anyone who has been pregnant and had the flu, I'm sure you would agree you look and feel like you've experienced demonic possession. Or, as my doctor told me, you are sick twice as long and twice as bad as any normal person. I had called the doctor right away, of course, and had an appointment scheduled for the next day, which was when things really took a turn.
I could barely make it to my appointment that day. When I arrived and they listened to the baby's heartbeat it was a little slow and irregular. I was put on the fetal monitor, but she wouldn't sit still for them to get a good read. I was asked to come back the next day.
Kyle accompanied me for support on Thursday. We arrived to find out that the heartbeat was then too fast and irregular. At that point the doctor told us it could be something she would outgrow, but it could mean a blocked valve that they would have to handle with surgery. They were sending us to a specialist for a better diagnosis.
None of this had to do with the fact that I was sick, but I can tell you it sure made things much harder to deal with. We had told ourselves that everything would be fine, but truthfully, we were terrified. A tiny heart is nothing to take lightly.
That night, despite being completely run down, I barely slept. We had told ourselves it could only be the best possible outcome, but our hearts were a little bit broken at the suggestion it might not be. For anyone who has ever been through anything similar, you can attest that you stop hearing anything after the mention that there could be something wrong with your baby.
I was very thankful that our appointment was scheduled right away the next morning. We were sent to the doctors at the Perinatal Center at Mercy who specialize in fetal diagnosis. After an ultrasound and heart monitoring, they determined that our little girl was going to be just fine...no blocked valve, just a skip in heartbeat here and there, which is not harmful at all. To top it all off, we got some more great pictures.
Any parent will tell you that the worry starts as soon as you find out you are pregnant, and I'm sure that this is just one of many scares we will have through the upcoming years. Still, I am not sure I have ever felt the same type of panic I experienced over the course of those few days. Just the feeling of responsibility for that tiny life alone is enough to handle. We are very fortunate that our baby is healthy and I will never forget that.
The next morning, I woke up feeling like a new person. I'm not sure if it was the relief that helped me turn the corner, or if my body was finally on the rebound, but I actually showered, put on makeup and got dressed in an outfit that did not consist of flannel pajamas and a fluffy robe. It was such a big accomplishment that I celebrated by eating a giant cheeseburger and a mountain of ice cream.*
*Disclaimer - Yes, I am being conscious about eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, too. Lay off me, I was starving.
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