Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Happy Halloween!!!




we got this onesie/bib at winners last february - for a whole 60¢!!!
  
We'll be staying cozy in our home, handing out candy this year. Cash is too young to trick or treat.. Next year, for sure! (Then I wouldn't feel so guilty using him to get candy haha)

We hope everyone has a fabulous (I mean spooky) holiday!

i smile now

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Today.

There are only so many minutes during the day where I have the opportunity to do something. "Something" that requires Cash to not be in my arms. I usually have a window around 11 am when Cash has his first nap. It will last long enough for a shower and MAYBE time to blow-dry my hair before he wakes up.

Today I gave up doing my hair and make-up so that I could get some laundry done that has been put off for  a week now.

And then later, I joined my baby boy for a cuddle session on the couch. Sometimes I get too focused on the fact that Cash literally needs me all day long, leaving little time to get anything done. But then moments like this remind me of what a special role a mom has in the lives of their little ones. It's very special that he finds so much comfort from me.

Perspective is everything.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

1 Month Old - Dear Cash



My sweet baby boy,

You're one month old already! Where has the time gone..
We've noticed some big changes in you during this first month; you've become much more alert, you notice our faces alittle more and even get a small twinkle in your eye when you see us. As the weeks go on, you put on a little more chub.. I notice it in your cheeks and your thighs. You're still a skinny little guy though! In the last two weeks, you've managed to hold your head up a little longer every day. It's still a little unsteady and your head comes crashing down sometimes, but we're working on it.

You seem to enjoy having a blanket hovering over your face when trying to fall asleep. As soon as you're covered, you are out like a light. (Yes, we know this could be a potential hazard, but the blanket is never against your face and it's only when you sleep on one of us)

Usually you love to be swaddled in a light blanket.. But never with your arms tucked in!

One of your favourite ways to sleep at night is in my nook, tucked under my arm. If you get a little fussy and wiggly during the night, I pull you in close. And if you're sleeping between us, I'll typically find you on your right side, facing me! I love your peaceful face while sleeping

Dad gets to hold you pretty much all evening once he goes home from work. You especially like laying on his chest

Sometimes you're able to direct your fist toward your mouth, and practice sucking on your fingers.. or more often, the side of your wrist. However, when you get really upset, it's difficult to find the coordination and usually you just end up flailing your arms around.

Occasionally we'll let you cry a minute longer than we should.. you just look sooo cute when you stick that bottom lip out as far as it will go

So far, I think you've been a pretty content baby! If you cry, it usually occurs when we're driving and can't reach back to comfort you, or it's when you're sleeping in the stroller and we stop moving for too long. I think you're developing a bit of a sleep routine.. In the last week, you have been settling down and falling asleep between 7 pm and 8 pm and will sleep until at least 9:30. Then you wake up two or three times during the night to eat. You typically go right back to sleep though! We've only had one bad night so far.

I can't get over how adorable you are. And I love learning more about your secret language and what you're trying to tell me when you need something. Our days go by so quickly! One minute, we're just waking up, then before I know it, Dad's walking in the door.

You're the best.
xoxo
Mama

Words from Garrick...
"Cash,
I didn't think it was possible to love something the way I love you. I never want to let go of you or stop looking at you. I can not wait to watch you grow and experience all the wonderful things that children get to experience growing up with their dad... skating, camping, swimming and just being a little boy with his dad by his side. I can't believe how cute you are. You are so cute. I love kissing you and watching you make faces.

Love,
Daddy"

Sunday, October 14, 2012

So far so good

It's currently 1:20 am and Cash is having his first middle of the night feeding. And there hasn't been any crying so far...

Which is how it always is.. Except for last night.

Last night, he slept from 7:30 pm til 9:30 pm, then woke up in his usual manner to be fed. Usually he just kind of whimpers and "talks", I notice he's rooting around, I feed him, he's happy and goes back to sleep quickly. So this time, I fed him, he fell asleep.. Then I went to lay him back down between us, and he starts to cry. And not just his little whimpering, it was full out.. As if I had been ignoring his small cries for half an hour.

The only thing that would console him was to nurse more. He wanted to nurse literally every hour for at least half an hour at a time, I'd lay him down after, and he'd sometimes sleep for twenty minutes then wake up screaming and crying all of a sudden with no warning. This is very unusual for him! So we didn't get much sleep.

We spent the day walking around Kelowna with Cash in the stroller, which put him to sleep. He slept pretty much the entire afternoon (wish I could do that) other than waking up to be fed once and have a diaper change. I was a little worried he'd be up all night after all his napping, so I tried to keep him stimulated and awake during the evening.

He slept from 9:30 til 1:30, whimpered., I've fed him, will change his diaper, and I think he'll go right back to sleep. Perfect. I think I ate something last night that gave him digestive issues. Whoops.
Daddy always insists on pushing the stroller



All cozied up in the stroller

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Week Three

My mom left Thursday and Garrick's mom arrived Sunday to spend the week with us. Most of the time we stuck around home, but did make a few trips out. We walked to the store down the street, had an appointment with Sylvia, and a hearing test at the health unit. Sylvia weighed Cash at 6 lbs, 11 oz and said he was right on track for weight gain (babies should gain 0.5-1.0 oz per day (I weighed him 4 days later and he was 7 lbs 3 oz!). He also passed his hearing test (after he stopped crying).

cuddles with Grandma
Cathy made us many delicious things, including a Thanksgiving dinner on Friday! Here's a group shot before we sat down to eat.


Cash got into the habit of demanding to be fed right when I would sit down for dinner. Thanksgiving was no different! lol. I did get through about 80% of my meal before he started squacking, so that was an improvement, I suppose.

As for my recovery and progress: everything is pretty good for me, other than my tailbone; it has always hurt (since labour, that is), but has been noticeably worse since I ran out of arnica after the first week, and the pain hasn't decreased at all. I've bought more arnica, so hopefully that helps.

Breast feeding has been going remarkably well. Despite Sylvia originally thinking he wasn't latching on properly, I haven't experienced pain at any point! We've definitely gotten better in the last couple weeks, even though it never was an issue to begin with. So far I've managed to avoid any engorgement or clogged ducts. Fingers crossed!

This past week, Cash and I seem to have established somewhat of a morning routine. When Garrick's first alarm goes off, he takes Cash from me and cuddles him til the second alarm. Then he tucks Cash back in next to me. Around 7:30, Garrick says good-bye and we continue sleeping. Between 8 and 8:30, he decides he's hungry. I would feed him, then take him downstairs to Grandma so I could make the bed, brush my teeth, etc. we'll see if this sleep pattern continues, and develops into a steady daytime routine.


During week three, Cash seemed to become much more aware of our faces. He would sit and actually study faces.. looking at Daddy's beard and mouth, then his eyes would move up to his glasses, and down to his shirt. And I swear, one day after being upstairs for a little while, I came back downstairs and actually saw his face light up a bit when he saw me.

Now we're beginning the fourth week, and it will be just the two of us during the day. I absolutely loved all the company and help for the last few weeks. Now I look forward to establishing somewhat of a daily routine, including a few of my house-wifely duties.

We're beginning to establish a bed time routine for the little guy. Since he sleeps with us, he would usually go to bed at the same time as us.. And typically, we go to bed pretty early, then watch some tv. However, when we have company, we stay up a little later. I began to notice him getting extra fussy past 8 pm, and on Saturday night, when it was just the three of us, he fell asleep in my arms at around 7. This is my plan:
Get him in the habit of going to bed by 8 pm, and spending the block of sleep in his crib (he's been taking a few naps there as well). When he wakes up for his first feed (Saturday it was around 9:30) I'll bring him back to bed for the night. As he grows, he'll sleep for longer stretches, needing less feelings, therefore spending more time in his crib while sleeping. I think it will make the easiest transition on him.
So back to Saturday night: he lasted 15 minutes or so before waking up crying. I rocked him back to sleep in his room and put him back in the crib. Another 20 minutes and he woke up crying again.. And again, I rocked him to sleep and put him back. That time he lasted over an hour! Success.

I think it's important not only him,but for Garrick and I, that Cash gets in the habit of going to bed earlier. This gives the hubs and I some time to reconnect and talk about things other than how we make darn cute babies.

Week Two

If you missed "Week One", click here


On Sunday, we picked my mom up from the airport. She spent 4 wonderful nights with us and helped me out during the day, as Garrick returned to work this week. We kept it pretty low-key and spent most of the time in the living room relaxing. We also took a few newborn photos and foot imprints! It made me more comfortable to leave Cash and go shower, etc. knowing there was someone else holding and rocking him.

meeting Gramz

Cash's belly button stump fell off on Monday. It never grossed me out until it was only hanging on by a thread. Sick. He became more and more alert throughout the week, and the skin on his little hands, wrists, ankles, and feet was incredibly dry! I applied coconut oil religiously to remedy the dryness. He still wasn't fitting into most of his clothes. Gramz bought a couple christmas jammies that we shrunk.. they fit better than most outfits!

I attempted to switch him from disposable to cloth diapers after the stump fell off, but his little legs are so skinny that there are gaps! And this caused a whole lot of leakage, so it was back to the disposables :(

Garrick's dad and stepmom also visited for a few nights. They brought a bunch of gifts for Cash, including a beautifully home-made diaper bag, and this super cute knit zip-up hoodie.

meeting Grandma Kathi (Grandpa had a cold, so he didn't hold Cash)

Thursday we took mom back to the airport. I was certainly sad to see her leave! It's nice having your mom around to ask questions and stuff.

one picture from our photo shoot
We really wanted to take some newborn photos.. you know, the cute, peaceful looking ones where the baby is sleeping. Well. This was the day that Cash refused to sleep!

At one point while he was laying on the floor, he pulled the blanket down over his face, made a funny "laughing" sound, and half fell asleep. We thought it was his way of saying he was done having his picture taken.. and it was hilarious.

Week One


We are at the end of Cash's third week of life "on the outside" already! I had braced myself for time to go by as quickly as everyone always says it will, but nothing can really prepare you for it.

Week One
first picture of cash. proof for everyone that we really did have a baby that night!

day 2


Garrick took the week off work and was SO helpful. He cooked dinner (as usual), did laundry for me, brought me whatever I needed, took Cash outside in the sun to help with the jaundice, and many other things. I actually teared up a bit thinking about him returning to work.. not because I was going to miss him waiting on me, but because I was going to miss his company.

The very first day as a family of three was spent in our big bed. We watched tv and oohed and aahed over our new little boy. I nursed, Garrick cuddled him, and even did a few diaper changes with no protest! I was mostly able to stay in bed and recover.


day 2 - garrick and his two boys


day 2


day 2



Sylvia visited three times in the first week, to make sure I was healing properly and that Cash was nursing well. She is so attentive and wonderful! Cash was a bit jaundiced, so we spent at least one hour a day outside with him in the sun, and made sure we were in a natural-lit room whenever inside.

We made four trips out of the house with Cash in that first week. Just small trips to start, then a big grocery shop. I carried him in the sling and he slept quietly the entire time! Some trips were a little strenuous on me, but... Oops.


first trip out of the house - 4 days old

The first few days were really stressful for me. Being a breast fed baby, Cash lost 9% of his birth weight within the first couple days (which I found out afterwards this is typical - you don't want them to lose more than 10% though) so I was very paranoid about him not getting enough to eat.. And to top that off, the jaundice made him super sleepy ALL the time and was nearly impossible to wake up and nurse. And even when we COULD wake him up, he'd fall asleep within minutes of latching on. But as the days went by, he became gradually more alert and interested in nursing.. And by Thursday, when Sylvia came again, he was already close to his birth weight.
five days old

catching some rays to help with the jaundice
pumpkin face

i just had a big boy bath with daddy!
we survived our first week as a family of three!

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Proper Introduction

Cash Dillinger Kopiak
Born in our home on September 15, 2012 @ 6:31 pm
6 lbs 4 oz & 20 inches long

(i have a birth announcement that i made, but i can't post it until it's mailed to everyone!)