3 Weeks

Part of me can't believe John is 3 weeks old, but at the same time I have a hard time remembering life without him.  We are still spending our days in 2-3 hour stretches filled with sleeping, cloth diapers, laundry, nursing, walking, singing, and rocking.  John does really well if he is awake or asleep, but the transitions are what he struggles with.  He fights sleep and hates waking up.

A typical day he wakes up around 7, has a diaper change, nurses, and goes back to sleep until 9 or 9:30.  He will nurse for 30-40 minutes after a good nap, or as short as 15min when he is cluster feeding.  On a good day, this morning nap lets me get a fast shower, dressed, moved downstairs, take care of the dogs and make coffee.  If I'm really tired, I nap too.  John is usually gets a few diaper changes, cluster feeds, and plays until 12 or 12:30 when he reluctantly goes back to sleep and I try to get my coffee intact before it gets cold.  John will go in a sling so I can eat, clean up the kitchen and give the dogs some attention.  John is back up around 2, gets yet another diaper change, feeds, has another diaper change, feeds again before going down again around 3:30 or 4.  By this time we are all tired so the dogs take a nap and I grab more coffee while figuring out dinner and work on laundry.  We are starting stroller walks with the dogs 2-3 days a week.  He's gone as far as 1.5 miles before getting tired, but usually we just make it to the field for the dogs to play before he is ready to eat again.  John will sleep until 6 or 6:30, and we are both ready for Dan to be home. He will get another diaper change, eat, and fuss until Dan gets home.  Dan takes John while I finish up dinner and just as we are sitting down to eat, John is ready to eat.  Around 8 or 8:30 we get John changed into his night diapers (prefits with cover), sleeper, and swaddle before nursing to sleep.  At this point, John is down for the count, especially if we can get in a sleep feed around 11 when I head for bed.  During the night, John will sleep until 2-3am when he gets a diaper change and feeds.  He is usually fussy so he moves into bed with me where he will sleep until 6:30-7 and we repeat!

John has started tummy time to work on lifting and turning his head. He does really well and lasts for about 5min.  He has started following me with his eyes, or his rattle ball.  Occasionally I can get him to grasp the ball and he will lift it around, but only with his left hand.  We had our first big spit up in his swing and I've been peed on more times than I can count.  John has been nicknamed Super soaker.  I think his bladder is bigger than his stomach.  John does really well with his pacifier and we started working on a bottle.  Dan and I are starting weekly date nights this week!  It will be our first time we are both away from John, but his Uncle Jared is set to watch John with either Grammy or Grandpa this first week.

I am doing pretty well.  I have cabin fever by the end of the week, and love that our parents are visiting so much on the weekends.  I'm not healed up yet, but some days I feel back to normal and start itching to get a work out in.  I haven't lost any more weight, but the weight is shifting around. I have 1 pair of jeans I can button up now but most of my shirts still don't fit well.  I head back for a checkup next week.  I haven't slept more than 4 hours straight since May and am dealing with the lack of sleep better than expected.  I also am getting really good only using 1 hand and becoming ambidextrous.  It helps having such a fun little guy to keep me company.  These last 3 weeks have been so wonderful and I am soaking up every snuggle, silly face, and sleep smile I can.