Proud Big Sister

She loves her baby!

Whatever issues she may have with me, Calliope loves "her" baby. Every morning, before she leaves, and every night at bedtime she says "I want to kiss my baby."

I imagine it will only get better, for a while at least, as Amelie starts smiling and showing actual interest in her big sister. When Amelie becomes mobile, things may take a turn for the worse. Trying not to worry about that just yet.

In other exciting (ha!, as if anything in my life is exciting) news, Amelie tipped the scales at 7 lb 11 oz at 3 weeks 4 days. So she's gained 1 pound and 6 ounces since birth, and more, really, since she was down to 5 lb 14 oz when we left the hospital. Her little face is getting chubbier by the day and it's a race to see if we can finish the newborn diapers before she outgrows them. Her feedings have gotten much shorter, too. Under ten minutes, I think.

She got a weight check because I went to see my old pediatrician because I realized that Amelie's noisy breathing was more than just typical newborn stuff -- she was having inspiratory stridor. And I don't trust my new pediatrician all that much, so off we went to downtown Brooklyn. Yes, I'm two-timing my pediatrician.

Anyway, my former (awesome) pediatrician said it's probably laryngomalacia or tracheomalacia -- basically, floppy vocal cords -- and it's nothing to worry about since she's not turning blue or having trouble eating or having trouble breathing. I'm very relieved. But I know if my new pediatrician had said exactly the same thing, I would have doubted her. So I'm glad we made the trip downtown.

The new pediatrician is a little bit like me -- takes too long and is a little too scatterbrained, though warm and lovely and unhurried. All very contradictory, I know. But she also gives advice to Amy that I disagree with, like, that an ounce a day isn't enough weight gain for little Leo, who has slipped from 50% to a much lower percentile. But the thing is, Leo's parents are very small people. Leo was never going to stay in the 50%. And an ounce a day of weight gain is very good. So that makes me want to fire the new pediatrician. But seriously? For getting shots, why wouldn't I go to the pediatrician in walking distance? So like I said, I'm two-timing my pediatrician. Luckily my insurance doesn't seem to mind this.

In other two timing news, I tried Baby Night Nurse 2.0 last night because the original one is in Jamaica for her father's funeral. I was hoping to wait for her return but two nights ago was wretched -- Amelie went to bed earlier than usual (9:30) but then was up for two hours from 3-5 am (plus every 3 hours during the night) and then Calliope was up at 6 am. And then we had to go to the DMV yesterday because I found out the previous day that the car registration was expiring yesterday (long and boring story). And then, because I was too forthcoming with some information I shouldn't have shared, we ended up having to go to a second DMV. With a chiro appointment in between. Seven hours out of the house is too much for this mama and her three week old. I was ready to cry from exhaustion. I still need a nap every day and the DMV saga precluded that.

So Baby Night Nurse 2.0 agreed to come last night. She is the cousin of my postpartum doula (who I hopefully won't need any more -- night nurse is more economical and frankly, provides the service I am most desperate for) but I didn't remember her name. That seemed to offend her. I mean, seriously? Placenta brain over here. Then she apologized that she forgot part of her uniform. Uniform? Why would I care what you wear? Then she informed me that I was using the wrong bottles -- sometimes I use the Medela nipple on a pumping bottles and she said I should only do that when I am out. They are "transitional bottles" and shouldn't be used on a regular basis. Who knew? She liked the Avent and Playtex bottles I had, though.

She also didn't like the fact that I don't change Amelie into "night clothes." My reasoning was; if her clothes aren't dirty, why would I change them more than once a day? But BNN 2.0 feels that Amelie needs a bath every night and a change into clean clothes to teach her that it is bedtime. Never mind that her "bedtime" doesn't preceed sleep that is any longer than her daytime sleep. Okay, whatever.

Also, according to her, Amelie is too small for the bouncy seat -- she needs to be bigger so the seat sinks down to stabilize her better. The RNP received praise, though.

All in all, it's a wonder either of my children survived so far.

Luckily, I found the whole thing fairly hilarious. But I won't be hiring her again.

On the plus side, Amelie slept three four-hour intervals! In a row! She never got her bath with BNN 2.0 because she didn't wake up until midnight. No credit to the nurse, either, because I had put her down for the first four hour interval.

I'm scared to say this is a pattern but I can't help but be a little cheered by this state of affairs.

And I will try the nighttime bath and change, just to see if it helps. Her neck folds could use a little extra attention, anyway.

Doesn't she look oddly like a doll?  

The less photographed eldest child, playing with SMC Talia's adorable son Rian.
Rian's awesome mama brought us quiche (not that Calliope would eat foods that are mixed
together) and organized my fridge and freezer so none of the food people brought me would go
bad. I love my village!
Side note: Calliope is wearing one of her uniforms, fleece pants ("because I'm a fleece girl,
right Mommy?") and a leotard (which she calls "my tattoo"). 

I'm not a fan of cosleeping but when Amelie wouldn't settle on her own, I discovered that a
daytime couch nap together can be pretty delicious.

Almost a smile!
(She does smile occasionally, just not exactly at anyone yet.)