Happy, happy hump day (although all the days run together to me at this point)!

I knew I would have basically zero time for blogging once Baby M arrived, but I didn’t realize it would be this bad. Since I’ve been long absent, I thought I’d ease back in for What I Ate Wednesday with a day of eats (finding time to eat is so hard even though I’m excited about eating extra food due to breastfeeding) plus a day in the life with my 18-day old! On one hand, it seems like I’ve done nothing, but on the other, it feels like I’ve run a marathon. It’s hard, but I know it will get easier. It helps that he’s just so darn cute.

1:20 AM: Wake up to nurse Baby M (who is sleeping on my husband’s chest in the bed instead of in the crib—as much as I don’t like that idea). I change his diaper to help wake him, but he shows very little interest in eating.

1:29 AM: Baby M finally starts eating, although he’s interested only in the right side. I decide at that moment that, instead of following the “feed every 2-3 hours” rule 100%, I will let him sleep and wake on his own to feed. It makes no sense to me to try so hard to get him to sleep and then spend an equal amount of effort to wake him if he barely eats!

1:50 AM: Crawl back into bed after putting Baby M in his crib. At least he sleeps in there till morning!

4:40 AM: Wake again to feed Baby M. He wakes fairly easily but still feeds for just 10 minutes, so I put him back to sleep.

6:40 AM: Mark’s alarm goes off. I doze back to sleep while he gets ready for work. I’m barely aware of him crawling into the bed next to me for a minute before kissing me goodbye. I’m determined to sleep in a bit!

8:10 AM: After an hour of playing the “do I sleep or do I feed?” game while in bed, I get up to nurse Baby M. He’s a little more alert, so he feeds a good 25 minutes.

9:00 AM: SHOWER TIME! Baby M is passed out in the crib, so I enjoy what’s become my most appreciated time of the day…until the DOORBELL rings. Iggy barks like crazy, but miraculously the baby sleeps.

9:30 AM: Text parents, who are coming over to visit later.

9:40 AM: BREAKFAST TIME! I quickly heat instant oatmeal (with flax, brewer’s yeast, and brown sugar) and a small cup of leftover coffee. I quickly eat this with a pluot (plum meets apricot?) and dose of prenatal vitamins on the side.

10:04 AM: Check my email on the iPhone. I’m going to go blind from staring at this tiny screen all day.

10:11 AM: Hear Baby M wake.

10:30 AM: Nurse Baby M while watching part of The Today Show and Up In The Air (love that movie!).

10:50 AM: Hear explosive poop (it’s a thing around here), so I go change his diaper. He pees during the change at least 2 times and poops just as soon as put the new diaper under him. SO MANY DIAPERS AND WIPES!!!! I later text my friend Tiffany (who has a 2.5 year old son) for advice. Apparently you undo the diaper, let it rest gently above him for 30 or so seconds, then move the wet diaper so he doesn’t tinkle everywhere (like on his face, which happened yesterday!).

11:20 AM: Have a slight mental breakdown (just slight!) because he won’t stop crying. I almost get him to calm down in the rock ‘n pay sleeper but he starts back again (my kid is apparently the only one who doesn’t love this thing).

11:27 AM: Hold Baby M, stare into his bright blue-grey eyes, and remember why I love him so much. I finally get him to sleep in the pack ‘n play bassinet.

11:30 AM: Sit on the floor with Iggy (whom I’ve been yelling at to stop barking all morning) and assure him that I DO still love him but he has to stop barking so much.

11:32 AM: Find half-finished coffee in front of the microwave that’s been reheated and forgotten 3 times. Give up, pour out coffee, and wash mug. Eat 2 mini Snickers that are meant for trick-or-treaters…I just don’t care.

11:35 AM: Pick up Baby M again because he’s crying. We walk outside and I wonder if it’s possible to report the neighbors to the city because they let their half-dozen (or more? I swear they’ve multiplied in the last couple weeks) dogs bark all day. Are they dog-hoarders? Are they running an illegal kennel operation?

11:46 AM: Nurse for around 30 minutes.

12:25 PM: LUNCH!!! I heat up leftover shrimp/broccoli pasta (made with love by Baby M’s godparents) and have some pineapple on the side (odd combination, I know).

12:53 PM: Nurse Baby M again. This kid won’t stop eating!

1:35 PM: Baby M is fussing so I put him in the jogger and we go for a nice 30-minute stroll. This kid loves taking walks and this mama appreciates it!

2:05 PM: My parents are at the house, so I leave a sleeping baby with them while I run to the drug store and put gas in my car.

2:35 PM: Baby M was fussing when I was gone, so I nurse him again. This feeding lasts almost 40 minutes!

3:52 PM: I eat a string cheese and say goodbye to my parents. Then I change a wet diaper.

4:00 PM: Cluster feed Baby M until 4:43. This kid must be going through a growth spurt. I feel like an under-appreciated dairy cow. He sleeps in his pack ‘n play afterward for just a few minutes before crying again. Why is he so fussy lately? Is it something I’ve eaten? Even though breastfeeding is going much more smoothly than the first week, I wonder if he’s getting enough.

4:50 PM: Mark is home from work. Hallelujah!

4:55 PM: Eat chocolate chip cookie and a spoonful of Justin’s chocolate hazelnut butter.

5:00 PM: Watch a bit of TV, chat with Mark, defrost some fruit for my snacks during the week, and putter around the house. Mark finally gets Baby M to sleep (he’s sleeping as I type this!).

6:00 PM: I start typing this post.

6:19 PM: Dinner is served: tomato-white bean soup and grilled cheese.

6:54 PM: Add photos to this post and get ready to publish.

After that, we’ll relax and watch some TV and I’ll nurse Baby M probably 2 more times before we put him to bed. We’ll hopefully fall asleep before 11:00 PM and begin this whole waking/changing/feeding routine all over again. I hope he’s less fussy tomorrow!

Till next time…