Settling in...

Olivia is gazing at us when she is awake, and follows an object in front of her in about a 90 degree arch. Her tummy time has been worthwhile as she is lifting up her head with more and more control and regularity. She is grunting and tweeting and making other sweet noises. Her cries still aren't too intense...except when she has a bath and is cold. She is eating about 105-110 cc's of total breastmilk plus formula (and I am making between 70-85 cc's of breast milk each feeding). Her days and nights are mixed up, so she has been up most of the night and sleeping much of the day. Thank goodness Mom is here to help, as this is a routine I am not used to!

Nicholas continues to be a wonderful hands-on dad. I am so thankful for that, too! He can do everything I can do except make milk. Olivia loves to sleep on her daddy's chest and gaze into his eyes.

I am really enjoying Olivia. Since I don't nurse her more than once per day (and she is so lazy at the breast that I have to pump after anyway), I have been laying with her on my chest, too, to get some good bonding time in. We've been reading "Olivia," "Olivia Acts Out," "Clifford," and "Animals," which is a black and white board book. I love the "Olivia" books, which are about a little pig named Olivia who is sweet and precocious. We've been rocking and walking and talking and generally just loving Olivia.

I've been trying not to feel guilty that I get VERY LITTLE done in a day. Mom has been cooking and cleaning and walking dogs, and I have been eating, sleeping, pumping, and spending time with Olivia. When all my help goes home and reality sets in, I will have to adjust. But, for now, I appreciate the help and the time it affords me to spend with my baby.

I've decided that although I have done some difficult things in my life (ran a marathon, studied for and passed my PhD qualifying exams in one round, finished that PhD in mathematics in four years, gave birth without pain meds), feeding Olivia has been the most difficult. I want to quit at least once a day, but I am hanging in there...one day...no, one feeding...at a time.

After a feeding while I am pumping and looking at Olivia:


When Daddy feeds her: