adjusting to new things

When Allie first came home from the hospital, it took me awhile to get her to nurse well. She had been receiving supplemental feedings while in the NICU and was taking a bottle much more easily than she would nurse. Even while in the NICU I would try and try to get her to nurse, and we would both end up crying and frustrated. After a week of being home, she was doing much better with nursing. I decided to keep bottles away for awhile. They were the enemy. I kept them away just a little too long. The next time we tried to give her a bottle, she barely ate at all. This continued until eventually she just stopped eating from them all together. Then it got worse. She would go into hysterics if we tried to put the bottle anywhere near her cute little lips. This was a problem. If Allie wouldn't take a bottle, Mommy couldn't go anywhere without her. Forget about date night or minivan shopping or Veggie Tales concerts. I became determined to fix our little problem. Todd tried night after night to offer her a bottle in hopes that she would change her mind and decide they aren't so bad after all. It became a dreaded time of day for all of us. I would eventually have to go in and "rescue" her from that terrible bottle trying to feed her. So Todd decided he had enough of that. I knew she wouldn't take it from me because I am the lady with the good milk, not in bottle form. I started putting her in her bouncy chair and offering her a bottle everyday. I tried every kind of bottle they make, hoping to find the magic one that would work for her. One day, I randomly went back to the original ones she used to use when she was only a week old. Surprise! Allie let me put it in her mouth without screaming about it! Progress. I stuck with that one and the next day she actually took 2 ounces! We have been successful for 5 days now. Today she took it with no fussing at all! I think she is finally accepting the fact that bottles are ok every now and then. I feel so free! Maybe I will still be able to go out and do a few things without her during this next year after all. Not often, but sometimes.

Allie is also adjusting to a new way of sleeping! We have been swaddling her for bedtime and naps since she was born. It had become a kind of sleep crutch for her. She was sleeping so well and hardly crying at all when I put her in bed to sleep. The problem is that she can't sleep in a swaddle forever. She will be rolling over soon and we sure don't want her arms wrapped up when that happens. She also has gotten really good at kicking it off in her sleep, which could be dangerous. I experimented a few times. First I tried leaving out her arms, but she would wake up much earlier and have a harder time falling asleep than when her arms were tucked in. Then we tried leaving her feet out. That didn't work too well. Today I took the plunge and just put her in bed for her naps and at bedtime with no blanket at all, just long sleeve jammies. She took a little longer to fall asleep at naptime, but she still slept for 2 hours after she did fall asleep. Bedtime was no problem at all! She went right to sleep without being swaddled. It looks like our little girl is growing up! She's adjusting to all sorts of new things. I am so proud of her and so thankful.

Pretty, pink princess dress

Reading with Tyler

Oooooh! This is a good book!