Round the Waking Clock

 

 

This picture sums up feeding Quinn. It is exhausting and it often requires an adult beverage to complete. Her struggle to finish bottles in the NICU has continued, and amplified. She now "eats" every 2-3 hours and it takes FOREVER. Occasionally she will throw us a bone and eat in 15 minutes, but typically it takes about 45 minutes to an hour to finish 2 ozs. I have started supplementing breast milk with her preemie formula to ensure she gets the calories. Quinn has not really nursed since she came home from the NICU. Although pumping exclusively is not my idea of a great time, I am grateful because I would not know how much milk she is taking and I am quite certain I would lose my mind if I had to feed her all the time.

 

 

Clearly, she is not starving. She weighs about 10.5 lbs and her cheeks continue to defy gravity. Her wrists and legs even have fat rolls, a major accomplishment given her scrawny beginning. She is adorable and stubborn and feeding her should be a requirement for any one considering having a child or used as a method to make sure you never have to make dinner again. When faced with the decision of feeding her or making dinner, 10 of 10 times people will make homemade dumplins.

 

Blessings Countinue.

Aunts make the best conversationalists.

 Its hard work lifting her cheeks.

Baby snuggle time makes happy people.

 Despite her simian appearance, she's all baby.

 

I've always known I was blessed. My life in the last few months has proven this over and over. Family, friends, and pretty much every one we have encountered on this journey has shown us love and support. Even when we are tired, cranky, and just plain irritable, people in our lives are overwhelmingly wonderful to us. They cook for us, help with encouraging words, and let us take naps (my personal favorite). Quinn is fortunate enough to have aunts and uncles who care so much for her and her well-being. From Funcle sending multiple articles on her care and keeping to her Aunt Liza teaching her the rules of being a baby to Auntie Lori giving her a ton of Mizzou paraphernalia to become a proper tiger, Quinn has received so much love and attention. I am reminded daily of our fortune of her overall health and calmness.

 

Last week we went to visit STO at his office, by chance her twin neighbors from the NICU were there. Their mother also suffered from toxemia but hers had not resolved like mine did. She was visiting one of STO's partners and I got to hold her babies who were three weeks younger than our Nugget. They weighed 2 lbs less than her and looked so much smaller. I feel so fortunate our girl is strong and healthy. Given her beginnings, it could have gone any way. So far, she's serious, content, and not happy when she thinks she's being excluded from any conversation. When she was born so tiny and helpless, it was hard to envision. But like everyone assured me, she is thus far a normal child. However, she comes from a long line of awesomeness so I expect once she stays awake for longer than 4 hours it will exude from her being. 

Three Months and Counting.

 Three Month Stats
         9.2 lbs
         21 inches
         50% height and weight for her adjusted age
         99% for cheek circumference

 

Quinn is already practicing her dance moves, she has inherited her father and brother's penchant for this form of expression.

 

She has inherited my flair for the dramatic, she has won her first faux pageant. I may have created a few of these whenever I see spare ribbon that is begging to be a sash. The latest being my cousin Will's wedding which upped the ante by providing a scepter which made me queen. I love that I have been able to pass this down to my child, even if she has no choice.

Easter Blessings

Grandparents love pictures. 

 Sibling picture, don't they look thrilled.

 Proud Daddy.

Bnonna is very happy and colorful.

 Pictures are exhausting.

Nugget has had enough and doesn't care to talk to her momma, despite my best stories.

 

Luckily the entertainment was ready for the afternoon show.

 

              We are so blessed to have families that enjoy each other and celebrate holidays together.
              We are very grateful for this and our many blessings.

Family Bonding.

 Reecer tells her the facts of life.

Funcle tries the sling.

 Bailey has her own doll.

 Quinn has already started squaking at Bnonna

It's Different When They Are Yours...

 

I wish I had kept track of how many people told me kids are different when they are yours. Or that you aren't as worn out as it seams because you love them with your whole being. My reason? There must be a secret society that has not elected me a member and I need answers. I would like to be on the inside circle. But membership has thus far eluded me. I have been a bonus parent for 2 years to a wonderful 12 and almost 9 year old. I've been inducted into the vomit and blood club. I've helped with homework until I want to cry too. I have folded tiny clothes that were worn for 5 minutes and thus indescribably filthy. However, being a bonus parent did not prepare me for the sympathetic looks I get when I visit STO at his office. You know the ones that say she looks like a donkey's behind but we will give her a pass. This look is usually followed by the statement/question "are you sleeping at all?" Or the ever so helpful, you need to train your child. I am aware of the importance of sleep hygiene in children, however preemies are high maintenance and need food often. My child prefers to eat 2 ounces every 2 hours. I think she likes the number 2. My explanation that more food at once makes for a longer sleep or time to stare at the fan, thus this has fallen on deaf ears.

 

I have several friends who swear they would not be good with kids unless they were their own. Inevitably, these are the type of women who make homemade pastries and crafts for every holiday. They make schedules, menus, and play dates months in advance. Some days I am really pleased when I put on my yoga pants before noon, and others I want to celebrate because I took a shower. My cousin says the first rule of parenting is take a shower every day. To which I informed her dry shampoo has become my new best friend and is perhaps a gateway product to a person I should avoid becoming. I do try to only use it once a week, thus far it has gone the way of my New Year resolutions. I am not fully a believer which is why I must not be doing it. That or the two hour sleep increments are getting to me.

 

Do not get me wrong, I would not change my child for anything. But I now know why I adopt older dogs, potty training is hard. This teaching a human how to be a self-sustaining, independent, lovable, and respectable is a whole new level of intense. I am truly blessed to be able to have this opportunity. I do believe being a parent is the hardest job out there. It is not for the weak or faint of heart. However, I am very skeptical of those parents who are always put together, perpetually cheerful, and make homemade sweets all while nursing their 10-month old in an immaculate home. They must drink, a lot.

 

HAPPY SPRING Y'ALL !!!

FROGS. EVERYWHERE.

 

 

 

When I married STO I knew his love of frogs was profound. We have at least 2 frogs in every room, 3 unpacked boxes of frogs, and frog yard art. It is intense. What I didn't know was how much this would influence the gifts we are so lovingly given. Especially for our child. The pictures only display 0.1% of the frog gifts we have been given for the Nugget. I am really hoping she enjoys green and frogs. When we go shopping for clothes for her STO has 2 rules, it must be pink or frogs and ideally both. I never knew how much baby girl paraphernalia is embroidered, appliqued, sewn-on, or embellished with frogs. Specifically the clothes, we have several frog dresses. I expected Princess and the Frog items, I am down with that. Don't get me wrong, its all cute and I'm positive she will look adorable in all of her clothes. But what happened to puppies? They do not seem to cross the gender gap. Boys get puppies but frogs are unisex? Who decides these rules and how do I contact them? There is a whole frog underground that I was unaware of. It is like a really cute plague. Its everywhere and there is no cure or end in sight.

 

The Nugget has a few token Owls and a few bears and bunnies but no dogs. Lucky for her she has 3 real ones to play with. Until this bias changes, I am going to dress her in dog clothes, even if they are for boys.