3 weeks

Olivia is now 3 weeks old, and time is flying by. She gained a half a pound in her first 2 weeks and is starting to look less newbornish. She sleeps great and loves to be cuddled, which is usually not a problem around here. She looks almost identical to hazel as a baby but with more and darker hair. She's pretty easy going and is starting to smile.

New Camera

After we came home from the hospital, we accidentally washed our camera. Luckily the memory card was not in it so we didn't lose our pictures. We were bummed we had to spend so much money to get a new one. But then that night we watched pawn stars, so we checked out a pawn shop first. It was a hit! Kurt found a new camera in the box, better than our old one, for less than half the price and a GPS for $60!

2 Weeks

Breastfeeding

I was thinking about this post for a while, but I was watching pregnant in heels yesterday and this topic was talked about so I decided it was the time to write. 

Breastfeeding...

Before I had kids I read all the books about breastfeeding and thought I was totally prepared. I grew up in a family where my mom was a member of the La Lechi league and both my parents are big supporters of breastfeeding. Then Joshua came...he was 5lbs 2oz, had a little mouth, I was knocked out for the first 2 day of his life, and had extremely inverted nipples. As hard as I tried (help from breastfeeding experts) I couldn't breastfeed my baby. So I decided to pump but my milk was gone within a month. (The same thing happened for each of my babies) Being a new mom it hit hard. Breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world, it's what breasts are made for. Even if you have issues the books always say there's a way. I felt like I was broken and I could bond the same with my baby if I bottle fed and that my baby wouldn't be healthy. Enter Mommy Guilt! Luckily I was blessed that we had just moved a few months earlier to Ithaca where there were an amazing group of women who were also first time moms. Plus my mom came to help and was supportive of whatever I could do. As I look back to those day's there were two things that helped me come to realize that what my baby ate did not define me as a mom. First my mom told me whatever let me concentrate on my baby and let me love being a mom was the best thing for my baby, if that was formula then so be it. Second, I received the one of the best gifts...Lynnie and friend that had also just had a baby decided that since she was producing more milk than her daughter was using asked if I would like to have her extra milk for Joshua. Some people might think this is weird but growing up with a mom in La Lechi league this is pretty common, my mom had donated milk to preemies in the hospital when their moms couldn't produce any milk. As a mom who couldn't produce any milk it was a heaven sent gift. Joshua's body was not adjusting to formula well and would cramp and cry from constipation. Feeding him Lynnie's milk helped him out immensely. I will never forget her selfless act of kindness to me and Joshua.  Since then I've realized my motherhood is not tied to breastfeed and I have pumped with all my kids but when my milk dries up I no longer feel guilty using formula. It just makes me grateful my kids were born in a time when formula is available.

Olivia

Olivia Ruth was born July 6 at 6:12am. Everything went great and we're both healthy and happy. She has a perfectly round face and long fingers and toes. She was 7lbs 13oz and 21inches. She's a great sleeper and likes to cuddle.

 The boys love her already. They both love to hold her and Michael sings to her when she crys. Hazel is still unsure.