Olivia: The first three weeks after her birth

I can't believe that Olivia is three weeks old today.  It feels like it was just yesterday we brought her home from the hospital but at the same time the three weeks also felt like they went by pretty slowly.  The first week after we brought Olivia home from the hospital was a blur.  She was up quite often at night like most newborns are (about 2-3 hours eating) but would go back down pretty quickly.  I had my mom and Sean's help most of the week which was really nice with Brandon.  Olivia had her first pediatrician appointment since we left the hospital just after 24 hours after she was born the Monday we came home.  We were happy to learn that she had not lost that much weight (was down to 7 lbs 14 ounces) and was 20.5 inches (we learned they may have measured her wrong at the hospital).  My milk came in Monday night which was awesome because Olivia was not nursing all night like she was the night before because she was so hungry.

First morning with Olivia at home

Sweet baby girl first day at home

Olivia loves her boppy, she fell asleep on it during her first week home

Just born-first shot at home at 2 days old

First bath at 4 days old-Olivia is really long!

We even got a little smile out of her

She loves her Rock N Play that she sleeps in every night

Sweet baby girl at 3 days old

We took Brandon out most of the days either to the park or the Tualatin fountains to play in the water.  We also got together with Logan.  I had a lactation appointment when Olivia was five days old and was happy to find that she had regained a lot of weight and was back to 8 lbs 2 ounces already.  The lactation consultant commented on what a nursing champ Olivia was.  Olivia slept a lot that first week during the day and at night really only waking to nurse.  My mom went home on Wednesday and we had our first weekend with just the four of us.  Sean and I got to go to Sokol Blosser our winery on Friday while Brandon was in daycare and we went out to breakfast which was nice.

Mommy and daughter

Family shot at Sokol Blosser

Sweetie pie on her changing table at 6 days old

We visited Brooke and her new daughter Addie (who is 6 days younger than Olivia) at the hospital

The second week was the first week that Sean had to go back to work.  He had Monday off still but then went back to work on Tuesday.  Brandon went to school Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday so I did not have to have the kiddos by myself.  My mom and Dad came to visit on Thursday which was nice and my mom stayed the night and picked Tory and Tom up from the airport and they stayed Thursday night with us so I had help with Brandon on Friday which was nice because Olivia had her 2 week doctor appointment that I could take her to in peace.  At two weeks, Olivia weighed in at 8 lbs 8 ounces, was 20.9 inches tall and was in the 60 percentile in weight, 75 percentile in height, and 60 percentile in head size.  At this same time, Brandon was 9 lbs 2 ounces and was 22 inches tall so Olivia was quite a bit smaller.

Sweetie pie in a red dress at 1 week

One week old!

Sleeping beauty at the park

 We had a great time with Tory and Tom and went out to dinner on Friday at Old Market Pub.  It was really nice to be able to enjoy a beer but it was a bit nerving having two kiddos until 3 with me out in public.  Luckily, Sean met up with us and I had my mom and my sister's help.

Auntie Tory and Olivia

 Speaking of which, Brandon has adapted to his little sister remarkably well.  He has not shown one ounce of jealously and genuinely seems to love her and want to be around her.  He calls her "baby sister" and wants her to go every where with him.  He was very excited and proud to show her off at school.  He also seems scared of her fragility and does not want to pick her up and actually waits for us to pick her up for him to hold her or touch her.  He gets frightened when she is on the bed by herself (as if he is fearful she will fall off) and demands I hold her.  He loves to kiss her head and pat it and tells her "she is cute and he loves her."  Considering how indifferent he was to her in my belly I am very surprised and happy.  Sure there are times when he gets frustrated because my attention is on the baby nursing and stuff but he has adapted really well.  It is also adorable how he talks about how baby sister drinks "mommy's milk."  He loves picking out her clothes and throwing away her diapers for us.  He has been a great big brother and has done a good job listening to me too for the most part.

Brandon and Olivia

A big kiss to Olivia

My sweetie pies (Olivia was 2 weeks old here)

 The third week I had Brandon and Olivia by myself twice all day (once on Monday and once on Friday).  It actually went fairly well.  I try to get Brandon out of the house at least once on the days he stays home with me.  On Monday, we went to the library in the morning and Olivia chilled out in the Ergo Carrier while Brandon played on the library computers and then we met Logan and Brooke and Addie at the park.  We then went over to the Mowery's house and BBQed that night for dinner which was a lot of fun.  We found that when Logan and Brandon can play together it makes it way easier on Brooke and I.  On Friday we went to Target in the morning and then met up with Brooke and Logan at the Play Boutique (an indoor play area) and played in the Progress Ridge fountains and then went out to dinner at McMennamins.

Olivia at 2 weeks

Mommy and Olivia snuggling at 2 weeks

Naked baby shots I took in our backyard at 2 weeks

I was really shocked at how much Olivia changed this week.  Her first week home she slept a lot during the day and night and really just got up to eat and have her diaper changed.  The second week she was getting really fussy at night from 6:00-10:00 and couldn't be comforted.  This was hard on Sean and I because she was constantly crying and arching her back.  This week that pattern luckily stopped but she started being awake way more often during the day and sleeping more at night.  She also began fighting her naps during the day.  I remarked to Sean that Olivia alert wise seemed like Brandon was at 2 months, constantly looking around and interacting with her surroundings.  She even likes the Rain Forest play mat with the lights which is beyond her age.  She also began plumping out more and getting more chubby.  At the New Mom's group I went to when she was 2.5 weeks old they had a scale and she was 9 lbs even.

Sweet baby girl sleeping at 2.5 weeks

Olivia is also a little more assertive than Brandon was at her age.  Brandon would sleep a ton and was pretty laid back aside from letting us know he was hungry and would tolerate us putting him in the bouncy chair for stretches of time.  Olivia likes to be held a lot and will cry if we put her down too long in the bouncy chair or the swing.  That is why I began baby wearing her with my baby carrier and likely will invest in a sling of some sort so she can be close to me.  She also absolutely hates the car seat still although there are times when she tolerates it (it is really random).  She will get all worked up and scream and scream.  It is terrible and makes me dread taking her places and is also hard because I can't keep her in her car seat and put her in the stroller and I have to hold her or use her carrier.  I really hope she outgrows this phase.  She especially loves to scream when we go to pick Brandon up from school around 5:00 PM every night.

She is sleeping really good at night now at 3 weeks, often getting up only about 2 times a night and doing a 4-5 hour stretch followed by a 3-4 hour stretch of sleep.  I still feel tired constantly like I am trying to catch up on sleep but no where near as bad as I did with Brandon at this age.  I do try to lie down with her when she is napping and Brandon is napping for an hour in the afternoon.   She is a great eater and we spend most of our day nursing which is challenging with a 2.5 year old as well.  We have been nursing about 4.5 hours a day in all and she has been eating about 12 times a day!  I also love cuddling with Olivia and bringing her into bed with me in the early morning for the last hour or so before we get up in the morning.  I am very careful about having her lay on my arm in the middle of the bed and have her face me so we sleep stomach to stomach.  She loves that.  I figured it may be my last baby so I am going to try to enjoy all the cuddle time I can get.  She loves her mommy and always looks my way when I talk and can track me across the room.  She prefers me over any one.  She also is a very strong and active little girl.  Can already lift her head up really well and is constantly kicking and moving her feet (I don't remember Brandon doing that).  She also smiled at me this morning when I was talking to her (although it may have not been on purpose).  Her newborn clothes and diapers are starting to get tight on her and I am sure we will be in the 0-3 month clothes by next week.  I am excited for what the next weeks bring.  They grow up so fast!

Sweet baby girl at 2.5 weeks old

2 week old shot!

3 week old shot!