Sunday, February 14, 2010

Learnings…

Long time no blog! I thought I'd take this chance now, as everyone else in the house is asleep - hubby has crashed on the lounge, Skye is FINALLY down and the dog and cat are always asleep anyway...

Well - what a steep learning curve I’m on. Just when I start to feel confident with my parenting, and just when I think I’ve got her figured out, she throws a spanner in the works and everything changes!

I’m quickly learning that what worked today will probably not work tomorrow, especially where her sleep is concerned. I’ve got a large number of techniques up my sleeve now to try to get her down. And mostly, I can get her to sleep these days (except around 4-5pm, that’s just impossible as she wont stop carrying on, and it goes on for a few hours) – no – the main problem at the moment is getting her to STAY asleep. For the last week or so she has started waking after 20-30 minutes, and then refusing to go back down to sleep. I've heard that its a pretty common problem as they transition through to the next deeper stage of sleep around then.

The last few days I’ve resorted to going back into her room to see whats going on after 20 minutes. Its her legs, after 20 minutets or so they start to kick like crazy and she wakes herself up (told you she was hyperactive!). So I hold her legs still so she doesn't wake, she'll do this 5 or 6 times over a 10-15 minute period. Some times I’m not quick enough, and other times it works. I feel like I spend my entire life bent over the cot!

If I'm not quick quick enough and she wakes up, sometimes she'll scream blue murder for 2 hours. Yesterday I was tearing my hair out - nothing would settle her except a feed. Straight after the feed she screamed again. She screamed when I took her into her room, and also when I took her out again, she screamed when I tried to lay her down to wrap her, she screamed when I picked her up… you get the picture. Today she seems fine, but still resisting sleeping through the day...

I’ve got a head cold and sore throat which doesn’t make me feel very happy at the moment, and some days it feels like everyone else wants a piece of me first. If its not Skye, then its the dog or cat wanting food or attention, or meals needing to be prepared. Its just so tiring, and frustrating sometimes! I also hope I haven’t passed on my cold to her, I have no idea how I'd tell if she had a sore throat?

Anyway, apparently it gets better eventually!

Although for the last two weeks she has been giving us the most gorgeous smiles, giggles, coo's and ga-gahs too, which just melts your heart and gives me such a warm-fuzzy feeling. It kinda makes up for all the frustrating times! I cant believe she is over 6 weeks old already...

Yesterday hubby moved our gym equipment from the carport into our patio area, so I'm thinking I'm going to have a few weights sessions this week and see how I go. Its been so long but I really miss feeling strong and throwing weights around. I want some muscles back and to lose the little belly pooch that I'm now sporting...

Probably about time my blog started focusing on fitness again I guess!

Have a great week, I'll be glued to the TV watching the Winter Olympics... I LOVE Winter Olympics, its so much more interesting than the summer ones, of course I'm a bit biased because of my ice-skating past ;-)

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Studio photos...

Time is just flying isnt it? I cant believe that its February, and that little miss Skye is almost 5 weeks old already!

Well we've had a fun couple of weeks getting into the swing of being parents, and all the challenges that brings. Some days are great, and other days not so great, but thats all part of the experience I guess!

Our major issue has been getting her to sleep during the day - it seemed that no matter what I tried, or how many different settling techniques I used, the little bugger just REFUSED to go down. Last week it wasn't uncommon for her to be awake for 8 hours straight, and cranky as hell, not surprisingly. She would sleep on my lap, but then as soon as she went into that bassinette she was wide awake and screaming - ahhh the joys!

But the good thing is that she seems to be a good sleeper at night, often going 4 or 5 hours at a stretch, so I cant really complain. Yesterday and today I've been successful to get her to sleep during the day, so fingers crossed we're onto something!

It was my birthday last Thursday and I was invited out to lunch, and took Skye. I was pretty nervous to take her out to a cafe, I had visions of her screaming the entire time. But she was a perfect angel and slept the whole time, so I worried for nothing! It was our first BIG outing together, and it was great because it gave me a lot more confidence that I can manage.

I'm starting to think about getting back into some kind of fitness routine, but nothing intense just yet. The other day I ran to answer the phone and I could feel that there is still some tenderness in my tummy/pelvic area. I've been doing a bit of walking, but nothing of much consequence. I havent really done any weight training since about October (unless you count lifting a 4kg baby around all day!), so that will be something that I'll need to ease back into!

Anyway, on Saturday we went and had some studio photos done by Rezolution Photography - who also did our fantastic wedding photos... I went and picked up the CD today (how's that for super fast service?!!) and I am SO impressed with them, they are exactly what I hoped for. Here's a small selection of them: