Twelve Weeks In

I don't know where the last few months have gone. Living with an infant is like being in a time warp.  Minutes, hours and days are slow; weeks and months  (I suspect years too) pass in a blink.  I have a feeling this sensation will last forever, the passage of time redefined. Let this post serve as a whirlwind tour of our last three months. 

Not interested in reading (It's okay, I understand), new pictures can be found here.

Arrival:

We were ecstatic to meet ZEB at 12:34 am on Saturday, March 24. She arrived after a long, hard labor. By long I mean 40-hours long. Basically we experienced 24-hours of "natural" childbirth, laboring mostly at home without medical interventions, followed by 24-hours of almost every medical intervention up to and including a midnight c-section. By hard I mean mostly "back" labor, which my mother experienced with me (Sorry about that mom!). Back labor is more awful then was previously described to me. It hurts all the time and just becomes even more intense during contractions. Thankfully, ZEB never showed any signs of distress. In the end we got exactly what we wanted: a healthy, happy baby. She was 8lbs 5oz and 22" long.

Weeks 1-3: Mastering the Basics
Eat - All the f-time. Although we took the Breastfeeding class and I had done a significant amount of reading on the subject I was totally unprepared for how often ZEB would be eating or how long each session would last. Just like her mama and papa, the girl knows how to chow down. She's a champ at it (and has been from the get go).  At her 2-month well baby check she clocked in at 14 pounds, 2 oz, that is a 70% increase. She's growing like a weed.

Sleep - Once again just like her mama and papa ZEB's  a good sleeper. During the day we attempt to put her down in her crib conveniently set-up in our living room. This proves successful less then 50% of the time, well worth the effort when you get an hour or more of time unconnected to her. At night she sleeps in 2-3 hour chunks, sometimes more  and can be lulled back to sleep fairly easily. She starts the night in a bassinet in our bedroom and ends up in our bed after her 2am feeding.

Poop - Having never changed a diaper until the arrival of ZEB, it was a bit hard to be introduced to the skill in the hospital post c-section with an awkward IV in my hand. AKB was a natural at it from the get go. Is there anything the man can't do one handed? I have quickly gotten up to speed. We are cloth diapering most of the time. We invested in the fancy-pants one size, all-in-one pocket diapers: Fuzzi Bunz and haven't been disappointed. For ZEB's behind, for our wallets,  for the environment we felt like it was the right thing to do. Seriously, its not that much extra work. 

Shades of Colic
In the first few weeks I was constantly asked if ZEB "Was a good baby?" My basic reply, "Yes of course she is, aren't all babies?"

It is true though girlfriend has big lungs and can be very expressive. While loathe to label ZEB it is the easiest term to describe her demeanor at times. Technically colic is defined as crying for an unknown reason that lasts more then 3-hours a day, 3 or more days a week for 3-weeks in a row. I have never used a stopwatch to see if ZEB fits the exact criteria, I am too busy consoling her. What I have discovered is "colic" is a catch-all term for crying for an unknown reason. There are only about as many theories about colic as there are are parents, grandparents and pediatricians and shockingly little actual research or "fact". For the most part its generally regarded as a benign right of passage for some families.

"Colic" however you define it is just rough. I would liken it to labor. Its impossible to really describe how painful it is to hear your baby cry for hours and have very little to do about it. After the pediatrician's office basically said "Live with it - She'll likely outgrow it by 3-4 months", I did a bit of my own research and found lots of anecdotal and some actual research that some colicky babies respond well to changes in the mother's diet. Particularly to the elimination of cow's milk protein and other commonly allergenic foods and the introduction of probiotics. I started by eliminating dairy, and we saw some improvement in ZEB's disposition. However, after eliminating wheat we saw fairly dramatic improvement within 24-hours. While its impossible to know if the elimination of these foods and the improvement are coincidental without adding them back into my diet (which you couldn't pay me to do) we feel pretty confident that there is an association  I share this for anyone who may find themselves knowing a "colicky" babe. It may be worth it to your own sanity to do some independent research and find a good lactation consultant. If nothing else it feels good knowing you've tried everything.

Repeat cycle: Eat, sleep, cry, poop

Weeks 4-5: Great Grandparent Adventure

While many people host lots of visitors (i.e. grandparents) in the early days with a baby we opted for an alternative approach. At just 4 weeks ZAT went to the great grand-parent meet-up in the Bay Area. Ironically the visit would not have been possible without the help of many of our friends in particular Maryann (who hosted ZAT), the Moss-Chaw's and Elizabeth all of whom we spent very little time with sadly. To say that ZEB's grandparents and great grandma are as smitten with her as we are would be a significant understatement. They could not get enough. We spent the vast majority of our visit on Maryann's couch with a parade of grandparents (All five were able to be with us in the Bay Area) arm wrestling over whom would hold her next. It turns out ZEB's great grandma is hands down the "baby whisperer." All in all it was pretty sweet trip.

Traveling you ask with an infant? A breeze. Truly, I think flying is an infant's dream:  You're worried about their ears so you're encouraging them to breastfeed, the engine noise lulls them to sleep, and there is no where to go so you don't try to move them. Dream - right? Honestly, its easier and quieter to travel with ZEB in an airplane then in a car seat.

Weeks 5-8: Finding a New Groove

The predominant routine: Eat, sleep, cry, poop remains the same. However the interval between the four has lengthened. We are slowly getting better at squeezing things in between.

I am able to prepare simple meals, shower or make a brief telephone call. All things I took for granted prior to sharing a home with an infant.

ZEB and I venture out a few times a week to a new parent's support group, a weekly play group at the park, and we can almost do our weekly grocery shopping on our own. It can take us all day to complete an errand, but we can get it done.

Weeks 8-12: A New Normal
It's actually starting to  consist of more then eating, sleeping, pooping and crying. After breastfeeding almost continually in those first few weeks every three hours now feels like nothing. We are much better about picking up on ZEB's sleepy cues: After the third yawn she's a mess. We have wizened up and start our nap/bed-time routine much earlier: At the first yawn. While she still can get her wail on, it's much less frequent and has a different tenor to it. I am still avoiding dairy and wheat and will likely continue to as long as I am breast-feeding.  I can't say that we have mastered the basics but we are no longer novices either.

I feel like the "fun" part is just beginning. Honestly, I wouldn't trade those first few weeks for anything but they weren't very much fun.

  Now, its fun.

Another set of photos.

Introducing ZEB

A few more pictures to satisfy the grandparents!

Winter in the interior - Highlights

Even with 6-weeks of winter weather left to endure Spring is at least is starting to feel like a possibility: The light has returned and the temperatures are bearable with multiple layers and the promise of a hot beverage. With the turn, I have started to realize why people choose to live here. Honestly, in December and January I wondered. The dark and the cold scream almost complete inhospitably.

As unwelcoming as the weather is there is still plenty of activity throughout the winter. If your jacket and boots are thick enough. Given my growing girth we have been very conservative in our participation. We passed on skijoring, downhill skiing and even cross-country skiing this year. Opting for the indoor activities or those that allow for a surer-footing and a quicker return to the car.

Getting "Outside"

Its widely accepted in Alaska that you have to go "outside" at some point during the winter to keep your sanity. Prior to living here, I never would have described myself as a sun person. Now I know I like the sun, I like it a lot. Its not the cold that has bothered me as much as the monotony of grey days this winter. In late December after returning from the "outside" we went weeks without really seeing the sun. It was hidden behind over-cast skies. Let me tell you it starts to affect your sanity. The days blend together and your PJ's call your name all the time. Its true what they say, you are wise to get out at some point during the winter. I am so glad we did.

In conjunction with the annual AGU conference in San Francisco we planned a whirlwind trip through the Bay Area seeing friends and family along the way before continuing on to Maui for "Babymoon".   Stopping along the way in Seattle for a long lay-over and "date" with my Dad and his partner Renee to the Museum of Glass.