pump it up

sigh, I've given in to the two open wounds on my left nipple (good ole lefty), and have decided to pump, rather than breast feed until it heals. lefty got lacerated during a middle of the night sleep and snack session, so I have no idea what happened, but was pretty rudely awakened by some very BRIGHT pain. it's been maybe two weeks with no healing in sight, so I thought I'd go the gentle route before the top of lefty is nothing but a mere memory (ok, so that's a slight dramatization, but man, this baby sure knows how to murder a boob. he's not a gentle henry). I've also been experiencing pain during milk let-down, which I didn't remember from the first go-round with breast feeding. I looked it up, and it might be that max is chomping more than sucking...I'm not exactly sure how to really evaluate that, he seems to do well with his latch on righty and previously on lefty (I probably shouldn't have gotten so lazy with night feeds so early on), but I figured that pumping would allow me to see if the painful let-down lets up (ha ha!).

so, I've been dreading the pumping, sort of remembering it as a grind (I suppose it becomes that when you have to figure out how to get it into the workday for an entire 9 months). what I've discovered, however, is that I actually enjoy it. first of all, lefty isn't in as much pain during the pumping, and second of all, HULU... oh, and the satisfaction of beginning the milk stash. I think that maybe if I pump every two and a half hours, I can stay ahead of max, and get a little extra that will be put aside for future feeds. first pump today, 3.5 oz - he drank all of it. second pump today, 4 oz - I'm thinking that maybe he'll only need 3 oz and I'll be able to put 1 oz aside for later? is this waaaay too much information? sorry! I'll show more restraint in the future.

do either of you look like dad?

milestones, near 1 month

henry sometime near months 1
I didn't understand you at all for the first few weeks
when I saw you in your incubator, you were so cute, I didn't think I'd ever want to see you change
you didn't lose any weight
your feet are so big
you open your eyes and look all around yourself, studying everything
your eyes are grey-blue-green
your earlobes don't match
you eat a lot
you make funny faces, especially when you're about to wake up from sleep
you get zits
you have a giant head
you pooed on me once
you peed on lots of stuff
it's cute to watch you with your father
you have not teeth, and a very cute, gummy smile
you like to suck on your bottom lip while you sleep
you make funny bird-like noises
you grunt when you poo
you have only a tiny button chin, but have managed to grow a sizable double chin!
you loved being held by Grandma (my mother) and she always got you to quiet down when you felt fussy
you were throwing gang signs right out of the womb

max at four weeks
your eyes are still dark grey
you make really cute noises
your feet are already chubby and big!
you move your arms and legs around a lot
you don't need to be swaddled for sleep, but prefer to be wrapped in the moby wrap
you cried your first tear
you have acne
you're growing out of your newborn clothes
you look asian
you look a little like Henry
you make your mouth into a little o shape and stick your tongue out gently
you are a terror on my left nipple
you sleep with mommy and daddy in bed, sometimes Henry comes into our bed too, so we're all sleeping together...! ack!
you love your pacifier already
you looked like Billy Baloney for a day right there at the 4 week marker

sometime during the second month ex-utero

henry being burped

I love baby feet! max today

bathtime

henry in his bath, month 2, maybe 6 weeks old

max in his bath, month 1, maybe 3 weeks old

I think I see a resemblance, what do you think?

lauren and henry; lauren and max