6 weeks

Of the items in this world that Chloe and I spend our day enjoying...yes, the moby - THE most important item ever! Granted when you initially lay eyes on the fabric that could stretch around your home 6 times you wonder how in the world it can transform into anything of comfort. I spent some time one afternoon figuring it out...luckily my little guinea pig was compliant as we mastered it quickly and have never looked back.

The snugabuny bouncer and swing - now that Chloe is learning to look around, recognize colorful toys and entertain herself for a couple of minutes, these two items are a must. What I like most about the swing is it swings in two directions - so meeting her swinging preference for the day makes it easier. The bouncer has a nifty little vibrating sensation that is good for colic - or in 9/10 cases for Chloe - good for irritating her. But I can see why other babies would like it. There are moments when I would love to hop in that bouncer and receive a chair massage. . .

600 pacifiers...and apple juice {I say 600 paci's coz the dog will either lick or carry off atleast 1/2 of them...the rest will go MIA between her mouth and your hand}. This is my newest discovery {the apple juice}. She'll gobble that pacifier right up if you give it a good dip in some apple juice. Also means I spent less time trying to convince her that she really does need something to distract her. I keep a paci in every room of the house - alongside mini changing stations. This was a quick tip I learned from a blog before Chloe was born and its proven WONDERFUL - a small basket in each main room with a supply of necessities...it really does make your life easier when you want to quickly change a diaper.

In Chloe news - she is 6 weeks now! Feels like just yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital...a tiny tiny little bundle. . .and NOW she's smiling! She gives the most adorable gummy smile with two prominent dimples :) I'm looking forward to seeing more smiles in our near future.

Thanks to warm winter weather - we walked the neighborhood!

Chloe is still recovering from being sick - she managed to catch a bug that squeezed through the layers of germ - x. This has proven challenging, especially at night time. On top of not feeling well she also struggles with colic. This hit an all new level just over a week ago. Poor little mite {and sorry for the rest of us in this house too!!} They say dogs can hear 7x more than a human...eesh, glad I'm not a dog. In the last day or so I've noticed her day time colic has improved dramatically - leaving us to deal with her evening bouts. This I can handle. This does not require the desperate calls to Granny :) {or more like Granny calling to check our sanity levels}.

So, overall it was a challenging week dealing with colic and sickness but the introduction of smiles and her small discovery of independence has really been an awesome thing to experience! While I've said from the beginning that I want to keep her tiny, I will also welcome more sleep and some quiet time with my husband :) {it's coming, right???}

Since being sick Chloe has decided that day time napping in her crib is a NO GO. Perhaps she gets lonely...but either way she likes the idea of being attached to me. So the last 3 days she's been enjoying her moby sling and baby carrier ... for HOURS on end! She can pull a good 3 hour nap when she's in it. So needless to say I don't argue. Over the next few days though I can see we're going to have to break this little habit we've got ourselves in...but how can you say no to a sleeping angel? 

We're learning to overcome Chloe's "fussy period" which happens around 6pm every day. Jon normally gets the "calm-chloe" shift. Last night Jon and the boys worked as a team to conquer this task...

So with our newly learned skills acquired from my mom, the baby whisperer, we're going to try the new tricks and see if we can get Chloe to pull another night like we had last night. Settling a baby in for the night is an art...and don't get it wrong otherwise you'll spent HOURS undoing what 2 minutes created. 

Chloe was born on November 30th at 37 weeks 6 days. She never did make that December birthday she was originally scheduled to have! By the time D-Day arrived I was more than ready...more more more than ready! 

Here is Chloe's Delivery Story...

Friday,  November 30th. 

4:00am :  It was early rise - which had become quite typical in my late pregnancy. I was feeling what I thought were mild braxton hicks contractions but didn't think too much about it. After writing some emails and keeping myself busy for a while I finally heard the coffee maker kick on - the sign the Jon is scheduled to be up. As a gesture I decided to bring him coffee in bed - each day for the past ba-zillion he's brought me tea in bed each morning, so for a change - and coz I'm up before him...lets show him how much he's loved. 

6:45am: I walk into the bedroom to wake my sleepy head - place Jon's coffee on his side table. Immediately my first "big"contraction hits. Ahh no, this can't be the real thing though - just a strong braxton hicks contraction...but I thought I'd start timing them, just to humour myself and learn how to use the contraction timer at the same time. Boom - 3 minutes later I'm hit with another contraction. This one lasting the full minute. 3 minutes later another - lasting a minute. I said to Jon - I think this is it. The baby is coming today - to which my sweet husband says "no I don't think so". Warning to any men out there - I would not recommend a comment of that sort especially in the middle of a contraction. Nor would I recommend Jon's next action of stating he's off to work. My reaction to both may possibly have caused the next contraction!! 

8:00am: My water breaks. My husband flies into high gear! He's in charge of calling the doctor, getting the final items together for the hospital bag...I guess he's not going to work after all :) This is a "I told you so moment - however I withhold from making the comment as ...HOLY smokes this baby is coming TODAY!!! 

9:00am: We arrive at the hospital. Check in. Confirmation that I am in active labor - and off we go to the Labor and Delivery room. Wow is this really happening. Am I really here - am I really having a baby?? Time for IV...sorry no veins. After an hour of being jabbed and poked by 3 nurses including the  nurse who specializes in NICU care (they figured she was a pro at finding newborns veins...so she could surely find mine - nope) Blood everywhere! Blown Veins...it was not a pretty sight. Eventually they had to go for the crook of my arm despite this being the worst place as you can't bend your arm when it comes to the pushing phase of labor. In all this - we learned why I had gone into labor early - dehydration. So - moral of the story - DRINK WATER. 

11:00am: Despite trying to hold out on the epidural for as long as possible...I get one. My contractions are literally continuous. First epidural only numbs one side of my body...after an hour of them repositioning me they figure it's a lost cause - in comes the anesthetist again...he wiggles and repositions the epidural. To no avail. In comes another anesthetist...he removes the epidural and puts in another. FINALLY - relief!! 

3:43pm: 9 cm dilated

4:13pm: We hit 10 cm!!

5:00pm: Chloe Annsley Addington is BORN! 

After many many months of awaiting the arrival of our little girl - we see her face for the first time! And oh my - she took our breath away!! She was incredible...perfect...beautiful - and OURS :) No one in the delivery room could understand where in my body that 7lb 9oz little girl hid...she was way bigger than any of us anticipated. Unfortunately there were a few complications that presented themselves following delivery with both Chloe and I - however our main concern was Chloe. She had ingested alot of meconium during the labor process and required deep suctioning initially which they'd hoped would immediately resolve her breathing problems. Upon further evaluation it was determined that the little Chlo-worm would require further treatment in NICU. After more suctioning and evaluation she stabilized. Her daddy was by her side the entire time, responding to his voice and coos. They got to share a whole hour together while Chloe learned to breathe and adjust to this new, bright world! :) 

6:00pm: I held my little girl for the first time and gazed into those beautiful blue eyes :) As soon as she was placed on my chest she let out the most incredible sound of recognition and relief. And I was in love!

Jon and I spent the next 2 days in complete amazement. We could hardly believe she was here - and that she was so beautiful...and how much she looked just like daddy :) We also received a crash course in no sleep. Our crash course has since extended and we're going strong on one month of minimal sleep. 

While we do have very good nights with her - i.e 3 - 4 hours between feedings...we do also have quite a few nights where we see each hour of the night. But when she looks up at you with complete love, you forget that you're mentally frazzled, physically exhausted and haven't brushed your hair in 3 days {or is it 5?...well heck what IS today?}. Bringing a baby home and fitting this new little life into your existing one is what I would define as a fine art that requires emotional stability, perseverance and yes..humour.  Jon and I have found ourselves doubled over in hysterics over things Chloe has done..and things we have done in exhaustion - for example this morning, I was TIRED..just plain tired...I was laying in bed drinking my tea and Jon was across the hall in Chloe's nursery, changing her diaper. I was trying to have a conversation with him but her crying was drowning out my voice - in my exhausted state I reached for the TV remote and hit mute...then realized hitting the mute on the remote will NOT quiet a baby :) 

Chloe is an incredibly good baby. Very alert, happy, content...and feeds very well. She struggles a little bit with a sore tummy, and these are the hours I walk and rock and sing and talk til I'm sure I've burned enough calories to categorize the event as a cardio workout. We're hoping the sore tummy phase works itself out soon...there is nothing worse than seeing your newborn with a pained expression as they look into your eyes and cry for help. 

In the last few days Chloe has learned to connect with you through her gaze. She is also spending small periods of time keeping herself occupied in her bouncer or swing. She loves touch, so her and I spend many hours each day snuggled up on the couch - tucked safely away from the winter weather. Cleaning the house and keeping my home in order is possible through the nifty invention of the baby sling or carrier. She loves it too! We've also managed a few outings, although I keep them to a minimum due to the cold and illness that is running wild. 

We love having this little girl in our lives...she has captured the hearts of everyone in the family. I look forward to watching her grow and become her own little person. While I LOVE the newborn stage...I also look forward to watching her learn how to walk...and talk and play {and I especially look forward to her sleeping through the night!}

As a way of remembering Chloe's milestones...and documenting each step allowing far away friends and family to connect with her, I'll continue to keep the blog up. We have some very dear family and friends who are a very very very long ocean swim away...so to those family and friends, and also the ones here in the States - I'll do my best so that you too can watch this little Chlo-Worm grow :) 

We've spent the pregnancy watching her form...and now we'll watch her become a little person. 

Happy New Year!