Diaper Duty

Those on Facebook may have already sensed my frustration on this topic, but it seems that every time M changes baby M's diaper, it leaks. I'm pretty sure it's unintentional (despite my claim that this may be M's secret ploy to get out of diaper duty), but it's really getting on my nerves. There was one day where we went through every single outfit that fit baby M (which unfortunately at this point is very limited since his umbilical cord hasn't fallen off and we can't put him in onesies yet). Yesterday morning, M changed baby M before heading off to work. After his mid-morning feeding, I was holding baby M when all of a sudden, I felt a warm sensation permeating onto my skin... turns out baby M's pee leaked underneath the diaper and went through my two layers of clothing while I was holding him. That was the last straw. I've taken over all the diaper duty since then and will have to provide a lesson in proper diaper-changing to M before he can redeem himself.

While I'm on the topic of dirty diapers, let me just comment on how many diapers we've wasted in the past two weeks. Baby M has a bad habit of peeing or pooping while he's being changed. It's almost as if he does it out of retaliation because he doesn't like diaper time (it's not as if I'm a huge fan of it either). I've started to recognize the signs when an accident is about to occur (i.e., his cries start to quiet down, his kicking slows to a minimum) and have strategized my technique to minimize the mess. It doesn't always work out that way especially when he decides to pee multiple times (and he times it right when I'm wiping him down and most vulnerable), but I'm trying. At least he's eating better, but now he also seems to have developed a case of diaper rash. It's just one thing after another...

Sibling Love

I am pleasantly surprised at how well big sister K has been handling the arrival of her baby brother. She always asks for him when she comes home from daycare, and would go over to give him a kiss or a gentle pat. She's even voluntarily offered to share her beloved Winnie the Pooh lovey blanket with him (which would offend me if I didn't find it so cute, since I don't even get such a privilege). At the young age of 3, it's already evident how protective she is of her little brother. The other day, when baby M was crying, big sister K yells, "Don't cry, M! I read you a story!" I couldn't help but laugh.

Welcome Baby M!

The latest member of the Y family arrived last Friday, 11/11/11 at 7:25pm. We are thrilled about our new bundle of joy, but life with a newborn (and an active 3-year old who demands our constant attention) has been challenging.

Baby M weighed a healthy 6 lbs. 15 oz. at birth, and when we were discharged from the hospital on Sunday, was measured at 6 lbs. 9.5 oz. The drop in birth weight was expected, but when we went to the pediatrician this past Wednesday for a weight check, I was astounded to learn that his weight had dropped down to 5 lbs. 15 oz. I knew he had not been eating well (we have a lazy baby in our hands), but I was not prepared for such a drastic weight loss. Baby M also developed a slight case of jaundice (probably due to the lack of food). I started pumping my breast milk to feed baby M through the bottle: 2 ounces every 3 hours. We went back for a weight check this morning and I was pleased to learn that his weight went back up to 6 lbs. 8 oz. The jaundice was still there, but clearing up. One thing he does have in common with his big sister - I've been unsuccessful at breastfeeding them both.

Big sister K (no longer "baby K" since there is a new baby in the house) has been great with her little brother. Unfortunately she's had a cold since he's been born, so we haven't allowed her to get too close to him. I love how she would periodically go over to baby M and give him a kiss or a gentle pat. M also came down with a cold, so he's kept his distance from the baby and has maintained sole responsibility for big sister K while I've been taking care of baby M myself. Unfortunately, big sister K has been acting up more. I'm not sure if the misbehavior is a result of the baby's arrival, if it's the lack of attention on my part, or if she's learning bad habits from her preschool class, but she's gotten more time-outs than I can remember in the past week. Let's hope this doesn't become an ongoing trend. On a related note, Happy Birthday to big sister K!

Maternity Leave

I started my maternity leave from work last Monday (woohoo!). This past Saturday, my mother-in-law came to stay with us so that we'd have someone to take care of baby K in case I went into labor. Concerned that my mother-in-law would get too bored (and wanting to take full advantage of the beautiful weather we've been having), I've been driving her around to go shopping on a daily basis. We don't stay out for long since I no longer have the energy, but nevertheless, it's becoming an expensive habit. Fortunately, most of the items we buy are for baby K, who's gotten very picky with her outfits, so I end up returning the majority of the purchases anyhow. While it's great to be out of work, and as much as I appreciate my mother-in-law coming to stay with us, it's hard to totally relax with her here. One more week until the baby's due date... maybe baby will come this weekend.