3-Month Old Schedule

I know I promised poo discussions but I thought I'd throw in a post in between.  Since this is my last baby, I'd like to remember what it was like living with a baby.  So I thought it'd be nice to share a day with a 3-month-old.  The first two months were just blurs as everything is on demand so there really is no schedule.  The last month, C has been settling down into more of a rhythm.  So, without further ado, I present the life of a Stay-At-Home (SAH) mom with three kids (ages 6, 4, and 3 months).  Please don't read if this is completely boring for you.  This is more for me as a keepsake.

1:24am - Conner is fussing so I'm off to feed him.  His last feed started at 7:49pm and he was asleep by 8:20pm.  That doesn't mean I've been sleeping that long.  Between settling the older two kids for bed and grabbing some me time (meaning mindless games on the iPad or watching TV), I didn't go to sleep until 10:30pm.  Nighttime feeds are usually fairly easy.  He usually stays mostly asleep during the feed and the diaper change.  The only hiccup is when he has a bubble that takes awhile to get out but even that has gotten easier over the last month.  At least the spit-up days are mostly over (he used to spit up every time we brought up a bubble which was pretty much every time he feeds).

1:55am - Conner is back down in his crib.  Since coming home, Conner has been sleeping in his crib.  the first two months, I used to sleep in the guest bed in the same room so I can respond quickly to him and not wake the family.  I've since moved back into the master bedroom which is right next door but I still keep the baby monitor on my nightstand so I can check periodically to see if he's breathing and also to see if he's really fussing to eat or just sleep crying.  We have a bright LED nightlight plugged right above his changing table so his room is bright enough for diaper changes and to check on him without turning on the lights.

1:55-3:36am - I try to go back to sleep but tonight is a failure.  Usually I try to do pretty mindless things while I feed him so I can stay mostly asleep.  We have a small table set up next to the rocking chair so that I can browse the iPad with one hand.  I also downloaded an app on there that tracks baby info (feedings, diapers, sleep, etc.).  Tonight, my mind started thinking about the house remodel for my brother-in-law and it kept working so sleep was elusive.  After an hour and a half of trying to sleep, I give up and get up to work on the design.

4:45am - Design is done but I don't have time to email it because Conner is again fussing to eat.  So off to nurse him and diaper change.

5:04am - Conner is back down and this time I also go back to sleep since the work is done.

~7:00am - Conner wakes up.  Phil's a superdad as he lets me sleep and gets Conner, changes his diaper, and lets him play with his mobile while he gets the older two kids ready for school.  The kids play with Conner.  He's getting more vocal and likes to have discussions with the kids that usually involve one syllable sounds that sounds awfully like "ai", like the Chinese word for love.

8:27am - I wake up and hurriedly nurse Conner while Phil gets the kids ready.

8:45am - Everyone is loaded into the car and we say goodbye to Daddy.  I drop Zach off at elementary school, then off to Avery's preschool.  Before we get there, Conner is asleep.  As usual, I do the big No-No thing and leave Conner sleeping in the car while I walk Avery into her classroom.  The good thing is that her school has the classroom right next to the parking lot so it's just a 1 minute walk and I can see the car while I check Avery in.  Back in the car and we head home.  While he's still napping, I grab some coffee, throw a load of laundry into the wash, tidy up the kids' breakfast stuff, eat their leftover oatmeal for my breakfast, take a quick shower, and grab some computer time.

11:07am - Conner is up.  Nurse and diaper change.  Then I lay him down to play on the playmat in the family room.  We have three playmats in various locations throughout the house.  He played for a good twenty minutes including about 5 minutes of tummy time.  He's beginning to enjoy tummy time as he gets stronger and can hold his head up longer to look around.  Problem is that he wants to keep looking around so gets frustrated when he gets tired and doesn't want to lay his head back down.  This time, I get to send out the plans I made last night, and then heated up some leftovers for lunch.  Conner is getting cranky with his toys which is a sign that he's getting tired.  His form of cranky is that he starts complaining at them.  Not cooing sounds but more whiny and he frowns at them.

12:10-12:20pm - I take him into my bedroom and we lay in bed "talking."  It's a new environment and gives him a chance to slow down for his nap.

12:20-12:30pm - He's complaining to me now with a bit of crying so I pick him up and we go back to his room which is darker since the window is covered.  I walk around his room with him in my arms and he falls mostly asleep.  I know when he's falling asleep as he'll do a big smile with his eyes closed.  About a minute later, he'll sigh like he's content.  I try to lay him down in his crib but a minute later, he's crying.

12:30-12:35pm - Back in my arms, a bit more walking, then back in his crib.  This time, I can walk away.  I take the time to fold and put away laundry.

12:57pm - Conner starts crying but I can see from the monitor that his eyes are closed.  I wait to see if he can go back to sleep but not this time.

1-1:10pm - Again, back in the arms and more walking.  It's no wonder my back is shot these days.  He's asleep and I try to lie down in the guest bed in his room with him.  I figure I could use a nap too.  But he's having none of it.

1:12-1:15pm - Back up and more walking.  Asleep again, back on the bed.  This time, I elevate his head to the pillow with me so he's not lying flat.  He seems content with this.  Problem is that it leaves me in an awkward position with my shoulder up by my ear.  Oh well, beggars can't be choosers.  After he stays asleep for a few minutes, I try to relax and get a catnap.

2:22pm - WHAT?  Really?  Awesome!  Nurse, diaper change.  Some spit up this time so it was probably a bubble that kept waking him up during his nap.  Afterwards, he plays in the bassinet with a mobile.  I do a little more computer time.

3:15pm - He's acting cranky so it's back to more holding.  I change his diaper again as he seems to have filled it.  I decide to message Phil and tell him.  Zach has soccer practice today at 5:30pm so we had agreed earlier that I would grab dinner (Subways sandwiches) while he picks up the kids and we all meet at soccer practice.  I text him telling him that I will pick up the kids.  I figure Conner can sleep in the car since he's acting cranky.  Phil says ok.

3:28pm - I nurse Conner hoping to top him off so he can get a good nap.

4pm - Pack up and head over to grab dinner.  After that, I head over to pick up the kids.  As I pull into Zach's After-School, I message Phil and tell him I should be at the practice site by 4:45pm.  He messages me back and says he's picking up the kids.  WHAT?!  I turn around and see his car pull into the parking lot.  Guess he didn't read the message.  So new plan, I drive to the practice site while he picks up the kids.

4:30pm - Conner wakes up and is a bit cranky but Phil is still not there.  So I put Conner in the stroller and walk around with him.

4:50pm - Phil finally shows up with the kids.  Apparently, he had to make Avery go to the bathroom a couple of times.  We all eat dinner while Conner looks around at this new environment.

5:30pm - Coach is here so soccer practice starts.  The practice site is an elementary school which is great as there is a playground where Avery can play right next to where they practice on the field.  This is Zach's first season and second practice.  He had not wanted to do soccer but I thought it would be good for him to be in a team environment.  After the first practice, he says he really loves it.

5:50pm - Conner is getting fussy so I walk around the track with him in the stroller and he falls asleep.  Right after I get back to the playground, I hear this little scream and turn around to see Avery on the ground crying.  She had tried to slide down the pole but didn't have the strength so had fallen straight down and hurt her right ankle.  I try to calm her while I'm assessing the damage.  Doesn't seem to be broken.  So I grip her calf to minimize the blood flow and elevate her leg.  She calms down so I surmise it can't be that bad.

6:30pm - I have to head out as tonight is Zach's elementary school's Back-to-School night.  It's my first chance to meet his new teacher and see what is happening.  No kids are allowed so Phil is on parent duty with three kids while I go attend the school event.  Soccer practice ends at 7pm.

7:45pm - I get back home and find the kids have showered and were reading books while Phil is just about to start Conner's bath.  Avery's ankle seems fine, not even swollen.  Conner starts screaming as soon as his butt hits the water.  He used to LOVE baths but, a little over a week ago, has started to cry every time he gets in the water.  He's perfectly fine as we wash his face and hair (outside of the tub).  We figure his butt must be tender for some reason but we can't see anything.  He hasn't pooped for 10 days but not sure how that ties into this.  So nowadays, it's a quick dip and then back out for him.

7:52pm - I nurse Conner after he's dressed.  He's hungry and exhausted.

8:30pm - Conner is asleep in his crib.  He sleeps unswaddled.  This is the first week I've tried it and it seems to be ok with him.  I first started with unswaddling his legs, then one arm, then both arms but with the swaddle around his tummy.

8:30-11:27pm - After putting the kids to sleep, I play some games on the iPad.  Before I know it, it's 10pm and I'm starving.  I get up to eat some snacks and don't get back into bed until 11:27pm.

12:34am - Conner is crying.  This is early for his first wakeup.  I feed him and he's back down by 12:58am.  I stayed half asleep so I quickly fall back asleep.

4:22am - I wake up as I hear footsteps and see Avery coming into our room.  She's had a nightmare.  I let her climb into bed between us.  She still can't fall asleep as she's scared so we talk about her dream.  She said she dreamed our whole family had to go into a fight.  When I realize I can't make her think it wouldn't happen, I told her that we can be superheros in dreams so our family is like The Incredibles.  We make fun of it and say we will win the fight, then have ice cream cake and hot chocolate to celebrate.  This calms her and she starts settling down.  But, I hear Conner crying for his second wakeup.

4:57-5:27am - Nurse, change, and Conner's back down.  I head back to sleep but Avery is still awake.  I snuggle with her then pretend to turn over to sleep.  She snuggles into my back and shares my pillow and falls asleep.  I fall asleep holding onto the edge of the bed.

7:27am - I'm awake and decide to get some me time before the family gets up.  Between now and 8am, everybody starts waking up and getting ready.  And the cycle repeats.

Sorry for the long read.

2nd Month (7/3/15-8/2/15)

The second month of Conner's life is proving to be just as busy as the first month was.

He had his 1-month checkup and weighed in at 9.8 pounds.  Even though he was born 4 oz heavier than Zach, he's behind Zach's 1-month weight by 8 oz.  But the doctor was more than happy with his growth.

On the plus side, his jaundice seems to have completely gone away.

Zach started the month off with a fever and complained that his throat and stomach hurt.  The kid is never sick so we weren't quite sure what to do.  Mommy thought it might be strep throat but she couldn't see anything looking in his mouth.  He went to bed early and was completely healed by the morning.

Zach's hand is healing nicely.

The kids had their bi-annual dentist checkup.  Avery got good review other than having to floss more.  But the Kid somehow managed to chip one of the caps on his tooth and we had to make another visit back to put it back on as well as over another cavity.  He's only 6 years old and already has more caps in his mouth than I do.

We had some R&R time for about a week.

And then it was Avery's turn to get a fever.  Again, like him, she was all better the next morning.

And were able to make field trips when the kids were good.

This one was to the Palo Alto Jr. Museum & Zoo.  The kids really had a blast.  Avery tried on a ladybug costume.

Avery's teacher did some face painting and she came home a tiger one day.

And then it was more bad news as we heard that Ah Ma wasn't doing too well in Taiwan.  Grandma Lo hurried back to Taiwan and was able to see her one last time before she passed away on July 22.

Trip plans were made for P & Z to go back to attend the funeral ceremonies.

In between that time, Conner started smiling!  Not one of those gas smiles, but honest to goodness look at you and smile.

He also started sleeping 3-4 hours at night which made Mommy smile.

Oh, and Mommy celebrated her birthday in the midst of all this.

Avery did a bit of tennis.

Z had to say goodbye to C for a little while to go back to Taiwan with Daddy.

Mommy was holding down the fort at home with A and C.  Two days after they left, she came down with a 103 fever and pain on her right breast.  She went to see the doctor the next day who confirmed that she had developed mastitis.  Basically, it's a bacterial infection probably due to a clogged milk duct.  She was prescribed a week's worth of antibiotics.

After her doctor's visit, it was time for C's 2-month well-baby visit the next day.  His stats came in at 13lb5oz which matched Z's growth.  C was 0.25" longer at 23.5" tall.  The only thing the doctor noted was that his head seemed flatter on his left side so she advised Mommy to have him sleep on his right side from now on to even it out.

Mommy also noted to the doctor that C has not poo poo for five days.  The doctor said not to worry as it's rare for exclusively breastfed babies to get constipated.  Some babies are just digest extremely efficiently so does not need to go very often.

We'll discuss the baby poop diaries on the next entry.  I know, you can't wait......

The Theme Song

CAMPZ (Conner-Avery-Mel-Phil-Zach) Lo Theme Song

Here's the story of a lovely couple 

Who was bringing up two very rowdy kids. 
Both of them had dimples, like their father, 
The oldest one with two. 

Here's the story, of a baby named Conner, 
Who was busy with growing very well on his own, 
He was still an embryo, living in his mother, 
Yet he felt all alone. 

Till the one day when the baby met this family 
And they knew it was much more than a hunch, 
That this group must now form a new family. 
That's the way we all became the Campz Lo Bunch. 

The Campz Lo Bunch, 
The Campz Lo Bunch, 
That's the way we became the Campz Lo Bunch.