In some ways, it feels like an eternity since we brought Graham home from the hospital; in others, it feels like the blink of an eye. So far, we have been blessed with a healthy, generally happy baby who's been growing like a weed (an inch and 1 lb, 6 oz. in a mere 13 days!) and even giving us some (relative) rest. This week, we've seen a decrease in the quantity and increase in the quality of his naps; he's even been sleeping for 4 or 5 hour stretches at night! I chalk this up to the benefit of having a larger, full-term baby as well as our continued efforts to put him down at the first signs of sleepiness rather than waiting for him to get overtired and fussy.
On Monday Dave returned to work and I've been adjusting to playing a stay-at-home-mom. I'm off work through May and starting to get into the rhythms of my new life. The first few days I felt very panicky and my anxiety translated to some difficulties breast feeding (largely now resolved thanks to the invaluable help of a wonderful lactation consultant). Physically, I'm feeling better and more like myself every day and am thrilled to be back down to my pre-pregnancy weight already (which, admittedly, is about 10 to 15 lbs heavier than my preferred weight, but we'll worry about that later...).
All this notwithstanding, I'm not going to say it's been all roses. The idea of someone being so utterly dependent on me still scares me to death and the thought of not getting an uninterrupted night's sleep for at least another few months is utterly depressing. I also long for the time when he's able to interact more (though he is becoming more and more alert every day). But...I have to remind myself that babies are newborns for such a short period of time and that I need to savor what he can offer now; namely, being utterly adorable. And yes, I'm a bit biased...but shouldn't I be?
All this notwithstanding, I'm not going to say it's been all roses. The idea of someone being so utterly dependent on me still scares me to death and the thought of not getting an uninterrupted night's sleep for at least another few months is utterly depressing. I also long for the time when he's able to interact more (though he is becoming more and more alert every day). But...I have to remind myself that babies are newborns for such a short period of time and that I need to savor what he can offer now; namely, being utterly adorable. And yes, I'm a bit biased...but shouldn't I be?
