5 weeks 2 days...

4 weeks 6 days - Hiku Baby:
Have I told you that's what we call her?  Hiku - (hee-coo).  Our little hiku hiku baby.  She gets the hiccups pretty regularly (totally normal, per Dr. Google), and she makes the most adorable sounds when she hiccups, a little "hee-coo" sound.  Oh, she's so precious.

The week feels like a settling-in; I'm starting to notice a pattern in her sleeping and waking and eating.  She's slept through the night - 7 hour stretches! - for the last 4 nights, allowing mommy and daddy a good night's sleep, so we all wake rested and ready to face our day.  She's been a little fussy during the days, but then, she didn't poop for over a week, so probably I would've been fussy too.  She seems more content today - she finally pooped yesterday, after getting half a glycerin suppository.  She pooped in her diaper, and twice on the changing table.  Lots and lots of poop. 

5 weeks 2 days:
I started this entry on Sunday.  It's now Wednesday.  I suck at blogging these days.  At least I have an excuse now - babies take a lot of time.  And when she's not taking up my time, there are dishes and laundry and showers and meals to pick up her slack.  There's just not time for the internet, or rather, I've not yet managed to make it a priority.  Talk about a lifestyle change! 

I've had an urge to tie one on and smoke cigarettes.  I'd like to drink about 6 beers in a row, while sitting on my front porch with a friend and a pack of cigarettes and a warm Spring evening.  It's been 10 months since my last cigarette, and I thought I was over the cravings.  I guess that monkey is still hanging out on my back every now and then - I'll just keep knocking it off.  Not giving in.  And I'm not willing to pump and dump, so looks like I'll be staying sober for now, too.  Babies change everything.

My pregnancy-induced carpal tunnel syndrome has not gone away with the end of the pregnancy.  My wrists hurt all the time, most especially when I'm picking Evie up - something about the angle exacerbates the pain.  I guess I need to see my doctor - looks like I'll end up needing cortisone shots.  I'm thrilled.  :|

I'm eating oatmeal every day to help with my milk production, and taking fenugreek pills 3 times a day.  I'm trying to drink plenty of water.  I'm trying to pump twice a day, but most days I only manage to do it once.  I need to step it up; she's going to need something to eat when I go back to work. Stacy says she didn't really even start pumping until right before she went back, though, so I've got faith that we're going to make this transition just fine, at least from the feeding the baby perspective.

As for my mental state regarding going back to work, well...I'm not happy about it.  I don't want to leave my baby with someone else, not even someone I know and love and trust.  She's my baby; she should be with me and I should be the one taking care of her.  Unfortunately, becoming a one-income household isn't an option for us.  I foresee a conversation/negotiation with my boss in my near future - one that results in a pack-n-play at the end of my desk.  I've mentioned it a few times as a joke - Momma ain't jokin' no more.  She's so tiny and little and she needs me. 

Her one-month appointment was put off a week because our doctor was on vacation, but we got in there yesterday and got her updated stats - she's weighing in at 8 pounds 9.5 ounces (15.5 ounces more than three weeks ago!) and measures 21.5 inches in length (an inch longer than her 1-week appointment).  She's perfect and growing strong and that makes me so very happy.