High Five for Friday!

I'm starting to get the hang of this whole mommy thing! We're not in a schedule yet - little Henry is only a whopping two weeks old today - but I'm starting to be able to read his body language and cries and predict what he'll need before he needs it so that I'm ready for him. Can I get an AMEN?!

Good timing too, because Kirk went back to work this week.Thank goodness my mom is still in town to help me with lil' dude, or I would be overwhelmed with baby-duty and c-section recovery.

Lots to be excited about this week, so let's get to it:

1) I'm up to walking between two and three miles per day! Still going about as slow as I did when I was 30someoddweekspregnant, but I'm getting back up there in distance. It feels so good to get out in the mornings and move my body - and EXTREMELY nice to have 45 mins to myself!

Beyond excited to fit into my pre-pregs workout clothes again! Back to my obnoxiously awesome bright colors and patterns. Just call me Rainbow Bright over here... :)

2) While on that subject, and perhaps because of my willingness to get back into my workout zone immediately after baby, I'm already back to my pre-pregnancy clothing size. Why hello, Lululemon and J Crew, I've missed you so! Walking and breastfeeding y'all, I'm serious. Does a body GOOD.

3) My wonderful sister-in-law sent us a good chunk of her son's clothes that he's outgrown. Not only does this mean I don't have to shop for Henry for quite some time (I think shopping is the DEVIL) but she happens to have fantastic taste, so Lil' H will be stylin'! I mean, these elephant pants! Ahhhh!

Henry rocking his cousin Finn's former pants. He even struck a pose for this pic!

4) Henry had his two week check-up with his pediatrician, and she was super impressed with how much weight he is gaining and how much he is eating! He even placed well into the "normal" zones for all his measurements, despite being three and a half weeks early (thus, a late-preterm baby). Our little boy is getting big and strong!

This was a few days ago, and his cheeks are even chubbier today! Also? Kirk makes this SAME face. Henry came out an itty-bitty replica of his daddy. I think I may also have an obsession with elephants, because here is another outfit featuring them... And I have more where that came from!

5) Kirk and I have decided on my "push (just kidding - major surgery!) present" that women get after having a baby. I have a love for green, and therefore have a love for emeralds. Henry was born two days after Kirk's birthday, which means my two boys are May babies... And wouldn't you know, the birthstone for May is an emerald! Therefore, I'm getting an emerald band to wear with my wedding set. Check out a close replica of what we're getting designed here! I can't wait to wear it.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Ours will be filled with more visitors and hopefully going to see some friends who just had their first baby, too. For those of you NOT living in baby-central, have a cocktail or three for me and cheers to the weekend!

And while you're busy cheers-ing, check out these lovely ladies' blogs:

 

Mommy... Tuesday? Mommy Post-Holiday Monday Tuesday!

Hey readers! I'm still here. Just preoccupied with nursing and diapers. And after that, another diaper. Then another feeding, and maybe some pumping-for-food-storage, should the mood hit me for a glass of wine later. Then more diapers.

As any of you other mamas know, a newborn is a LOT of work! As such, and given he's a whopping week old, my goal for An Uncomplicated Life Blog is to get three posts out a week while we ride out the "fourth trimester", or until Henry is 3-4 months old (he was a late-preterm baby, so the doctors told me to use his due date in calculating development rather than his real birthday).

I'm going to do my absolute best to stick to a M-W-F schedule, but I'm sure you'll understand if some weeks I'm a bit off. Sometimes babies just have their own agenda, and don't care about blog posts, amiright?

Let's jump in then! Given this Monday was a delightful holiday but I'm still a new mom, we're hijacking a typical Mommy Monday post for Tuesday. Take THAT, Tuesday!

Top Five Things I've Learned As a New Mom: Week 1

1) You'll develop irrational fears: I consider myself a pretty sane, well-adjusted person. But I've noticed myself having absolutely insane thoughts. "Are his lips turning blue? Can he breathe?" "What the heck was THAT squeak about?! Is it SIDS? I better check to make sure he's breathing!" "My husband left the damn bathroom door open. I ask for ONE THING. Shut the bathroom door! Where's a knife, I'm going to chase him down the next time that happens!" "Are you sure his lips aren't blue? Because I don't think he's breathing." I could write pages of stupid and insane thoughts I've had over the past 10 days or so... However, most of them? Yeah, I don't need to make them public!

My irrational thought during this pic: "My seven-day-old baby knows how to hold his own paci! Did I give birth to some sort of freaky-child-prodigy?!"

2) Everything takes much, much longer than you expected: Remember how you used to get up and plan your day, and knew how long it took you to eat breakfast and shower, clean the floors or do a load of laundry? Yeah... Forget that. Everything will take you much, much, dramatically, insanely longer. I can't even safely say a number, like "it will take at least twice as long" because there is no arithmetic for a new baby. They make their math up daily, and juuuuuuust when you think you've cracked their code, BAM. New numbers need to be inserted for x and y.

3) Newborns require tummy time: If you have kids, have every babysat, have friends with kids, or have thought once or twice about a baby in the history of your life, you've likely heard of this thing called "tummy time." It's when babies kick it on their bellies and it promotes neurological development, coordination and strength. I've always associated it with, say, a four, five or six month old. But a newborn?! Yeah, I guess they need it too. The more ya know, right?!

Family tummy time!

4) Your day will revolve around boobs: Guys, don't get jealous! But a new, breastfeeding mom's day will now revolve mostly around her boobs. You think it's the baby, but really, since the baby is relying on your boobs to live, it's your boobs. You'll begin to "read" the way your boobs feel to determine if the baby is hungry. You'll spend time talking about them. You'll look in the mirror in awe/terror at the size and sight of them. You'll curse your leaky nipples as the drizzle all over the clean onesie you JUST changed your baby into. Really... It's all about the ta-tas.

5) Belly binding is God's Gift to new moms: No, seriously. It sounds like it would be uncomfortable - maybe like a corset back in the 1800's? Nope! It. Feels. Ah-maze-zing! First, your baby pooch doesn't stick out nearly as far. Second, your poor stretched out uterus and abdominal muscles get pushed back into place and held there. And finally, your back gets supported. All of these things are lovely, and SO needed by a new mommy! I don't buy into (and nor should you) the complete crap some websites have regarding weight-loss and tummy binding. What a bunch of hoo-haa. The only thing that results in weight loss is taking in less calories than you use during the day, and consuming high quality calories. But, the support of these things is absolutely great!

Belly wrap shot FIVE DAYS after delivering Henry. I'm using a bamboo Belly Bandit

SUPER High Five for Friday!

In case you hadn't heard, last Friday we welcomed our little boy into the world!

I plan on writing up a post all about how things went down (it's a rather exciting story!) but for now, since he's currently napping at my side and I fear I have limited time before he decides he wants to nurse again, I'll give you the basics and a quick High Five for Friday week review in pictures!

Henry Malcolm Leitch was born on May 16 at 10:15pm. He came out at nearly six pounds and 18 inches long, with blonde peach fuzz and big blue eyes. Little man was more than three weeks early, but as his pediatrician told us this week, "He's healthier than most full term babies I've seen!"

And this is how the week has flown by since he waltzed into our world (FYI, this may be a "High Seven for Friday" post):

1) Likely at about 10:18pm, right after he was born via C-section. I immediately fell in love with Henry!

2) One day old and laying on mama while she recovers at the hospital. That bottom lip!

3) First day home and snoozin' with his newborn mitts on to protect his little face - his hands are always near his face!

4) Otis is trying to cope with the fact that he is no longer the baby of the family. Look at that sad dog face! Daddy is much happier.

5) Fully awake and showing off those big baby blue eyes by day three at home!

6) I've been going for (very) brief walks since coming home from the hospital on Monday, but I didn't take Henry with me until he was a whopping five days old. It's so fun to push him around the 'hood!

7) Daddy got up early to run before it got too hot in Dallas, so I stayed in bed to snuggle Henry. He's an excellent sleep-in late-bed-mate!

It has been a wonderful week with our new addition! He has been an excellent baby who loves to eat, look around the room with his big eyes, spend time on his tummy working on his coordination skills, and snoozing. Thanks to all who have sent their well wishes! We feel so blessed to call Henry our son.

As always on Fridays, make sure to check out these other fantastic blogs (two of which ALSO welcomed babies in the last week or two! It's such a baby-boom right now, isn't it?) with whom I link up every Friday!