This is our Little Woman. Only 5 wks old and already holding her head up and looking out the window. She amazes me more and more every day. Bryan has been gone all this wk for a class in California. It's been so hard here by myself. It's going to be even harder when he leaves for longer periods of time. It'll be hard on the both of us. I may have to be a single parent at times but he has to miss out on little things she does and her growing up so fast. I tell you, I don't know how single mothers do it. I have a lot of respect for woman who parent by themselves. I can sit here and say I just don't know if I could do it... but I guess you find the strength to do it. You would have to. I'm going to have to find the strength next time he gets picked to go TAD (Temporary Assigned Duty) somewhere. And unfortunately, he's next in line.
We've learned so much so far. And we've had a lot of nights with very few hours of sleep. Bryan wakes up when I get up with her but I'm always the one to get up at night during the week because he works. He gets weekend duty, lol. He lets me sleep in. It's nice to catch up on some sleep sometimes. I've been strictly breastfeeding until recently. It's taking a toll on me to have to feed her so often. She eats more when it's just breast milk because of how fast they digest it. Plus only one of my boobs is producing milk. The lactation specialist at the hospital seems to think that's why she wants to eat so often but I don't think that has anything to do with it. When I pump, I get at least 3 ounces out of the one boob and she only eats 2 ounces of formula. 3 ounces should be more than enough. Whatever the reason, it wears me out and I've decided to cut down on it. I thought I would just stop all together, but then I got Mastitis again. For those of you who've breast fed, you know how painful that is. And on top of that having your boob engorged with milk.... OUCH! So I let her empty it and now I've only been breastfeeding about twice a day. I just have to get sneaky about it. Like when she's tired, I pull her up to my chest and put a pacifier in her mouth. It satisfies her need to suck and it calms her down till she goes to sleep.
Bryan's mom and two sisters are coming in two days. They're super excited to see Alexys. His younger sister's name is Claire, and that's where Alexys got her middle name. I loved the name Claire but I think kids should have their own identity so it became her middle name. They're staying for a wk and then Alexys and I fly to California to see my mom (her Bobcia). Then 3 days later we fly to Kentucky for three wks to see my Dad's side of the family. I'm the first neice and grandchild to have a child. So this is the first great grandchild and great niece. Very exciting times for both our families. (=
