bottles

amelia will NOT take a bottle. 

i could use a break from her every once in a while, so my parents and i have been trying to get her to take a bottle of my expressed milk.  i know she's capable of it b/c we had to use (expressed milk) bottles to augment her feedings when she had jaundice.  she had nipple confusion after that, so i've held off on bottles until now.

she WILL take her pacifier with no trouble, but won't even take the same brand of bottle.

here is what we have tried so far:

• changing temperatures
• changing personnel (me, mom, dad)
• changing rooms
• changing positions
• changing type of milk (freshly tapped, refrigerated & bottle warmer, frozen)
• changing when she gets it (hungry, 1/2 full, full, when playing, when sleepy)
• changing types of bottles
• medela, playtex (slow & fast), breastflow, soothie

she will scream like we are cutting her arms off.  she'll take the breast with no issues.
i've heard to try nuk bottles. 

it's ridiculous that people have to rush out and purchase all these types of bottles to try and find the one that works.  they should have a system (similar to ones with cloth diapers) where you can pay to try out 10 different bottle types, then get some partial store credit back when you return them.

12 wks

bebe amelia,

today, you are 12 wks old.  next week, you will be THREE MONTHS old.  it's hard to understand what people mean when they say it will go fast, but it truly does.  the days are long, but the weeks are short.

this week, you have really found your hands.  you love sucking on them and looking at them cross-eyed.  at nighttime, you are breaking out of your swaddle, so during night feedings, i put your frigid hands between my chest to warm them. 

you are talking a LOT more.  you will follow us as we say a-e-i-o-u or la-la-la with your own baby sounds.  you still haven't laughed yet, but i hope it's close.

you have been a little sick this week.  you threw up SEVEN times on mommy on monday.  thankfully, your poop is back to normal and you seem to be doing better.  last week was a very hard week.  we stayed in the house all week because it was so cold and because i wasn't motivated to get out.  this is not a good idea for us, especially as you decided to stop napping and began waking up 2-3 times per night.  i hope that is behind us b/c i didn't function well with no sleep/breaks from tues-sun.

we hope to take you to see santa this week.  i dressed you up in your bear suit to get some pictures outside, which you didn't like too much.  this morning, it's only 9 degrees, so it may be another inside day.

you still haven't given daddy a smile over skype.  we might have to skype him in our house once he gets back b/c seeing him in person may rock your world.  he loves talking to you in the mornings and calls you milkface.

this week, we got a travel swing, baby scale, umbrella stroller, toys, and a high chair from the carter's.  they were donating them and we happened upon them.  according to the scale, you now weigh over 15 lbs!  this means you are in 3-6 month clothes and are almost out of your size 1 thirsties covers (which are SUPPOSED to last 0-9 months).  what will we do with you!?

10 wks

today, Amelia is 10 weeks old.  a blog i read posts letters to their baby and i would like to try to start the same.

dear amelia,
today is your 10 wk birthday.  although it's been rough in the beginning, especially when all the visitors left colorado, our bond has grown stronger in the last few weeks.  you weren't sure about all these new strangers in lexington, but i think you're starting to warm up to them now.

you are currently trying to find/control your arms and hands.  you also LOVE kicking your feet.  sometimes, you are able to get your thumb knuckle into your mouth.  your favorite games are "ah-boo" and playing in your bouncer.  you love having your diaper changed and taking a bath.  you still have the yeast diaper rash, which we are trying to combat with tea tree oil, nystatin, and (soon) yogurt.  recently, you've started lifting your butt up in your bathtub and the ensuing bump causes a tidal wave over the edge of the tub.  we might have to start putting the tub in the tub soon.

you love skyping with daddy and follow his voice and video.  i always wrap you in his t-shirt during your morning naps on your boppy pillow.

you generally start getting sleepy around 930-10.  we have our final feeding, swaddle you, and i rock you to sleep before going down.  the last two nights, though, you've stayed up later.  i think you just want me to rock you some more...but mommy is missing her full night's sleep.  you generally wake at 4 to eat and then around 7-8 for the day.  two big naps and smaller cat naps round out your sleeping schedule.

you are a very good eater.  you will feed 5-7 mins on each side (and sometimes go back for more immediately).  you spit up about once a day and exorcist-style throw up about once a week.  it scares me when that happens because it comes up so fast and gets all over your face and - well - all over everything.

you don't like being in one place too long.  and when you're hungry, you are hungry.  today, we tried on your christmas dress, sleeper, and new outfit from grandma.  you will be so pretty on christmas eve!

less than 4 months until you get to re-meet your dad.  and let me tell you, he's a keeper.

love, me