Jake's Journey » August 2004 Journal Entries » AboutMyBaby - online baby scrapbooks, photo albums, videos, birth and pregnancy announcements

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Thu, Aug 26, 2004 10:22 AM
How is it that three weeks have gone by? I mean, its been three weeks since I was pregnant. Wow. Seems like just yesterday.

You would think that when you are sleep deprived time would stretch out and a minute would feel like an hour. But, it actually feels like all the days and nights have blended together and just yesterday I had a baby in me... not next to me.

Although there isn't much *new* news, he is starting to sleep for longer periods at night, and seems to be making more eye contact. I also think he is spending more of his awake time not crying (a definite plus). Although, I don't know if that is a change in him, or just that I'm starting to anticipate his needs a bit better and therefore a change in me. Either way, we are all starting to get used to eachother, and that's a very good thing.

As for me, I got behind the wheel of a car yesterday for the first time in three weeks! It was nice to be out in the world, and have a bit of control over something (even if it was just the car). Maybe one of these days I will go out by myself... but just for a few minutes.

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Sat, Aug 21, 2004 9:15 AM
Well, he lost his umbilical stump last night. To be honest he didn't "lose" it as much as I accidentally ripped it off of him. After burping him, I took him away from my shoulder, and it stuck to the burp rag.

I thought for sure I'd broken him. I was positive I'd uncorked him! I sat and stared, waiting for all the air to rush out like a blow up toy. Then calmly started yelling for Matt. After I forced him to call the advice nurse at Kaiser (we're developing quite a relationship with her), and she said it was fine, then Matt told me it was fine for the millionth time I started to calm down.

Of course, I know this was a part of him that was supposed to fall off, not like a finger or ear or something, but I assumed when it did he would have a cute little belly-button just like you or me. But, when I saw this little raw, slightly bloody polka-dot in the middle of his belly, I guess I lost it a little. No one told me it wouldn't necessarily be cute and clean.

So, come on people, help me out just a little bit here. Anything else I should know about before it comes off?

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Fri, Aug 20, 2004 9:30 AM
Our first doctor's appointment was yesterday! Jake has gained just over a pound since leaving the hospital (babies lose a little weight right after birth, he left the hospital at 8 lbs. 2 oz.). And, he's grown half an inch!

He has a very friendly, albeit quite goofy, pediatrician. If all goes well, he won't be back to the doctor until his two month visit where he'll receive his first three immunizations. I think I'll make Matt take him to that appointment.

Jake is slowly beginning to learn the difference between night and day (mom is happy during the day, and grumpy in the middle of the night). And, I was actually allowed to sleep for a couple of three hour stretches last night! We should have this whole sleep thing figured out in no time.

Now... to figure out how to stop him from crying every time I sit down to eat something...

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Thu, Aug 12, 2004 12:00 PM
Thursday afternoon, August 5, at 1:45 pm Jacob Alexander Fraser was born!

It was a long road that began on Wednesday night (the 4th) around 8:00, and lasted about 18 hours... ending with TWO hours of pushing! But, I finally got that EIGHT POUND, FOURTEEN OUNCE (yes, you heard me right.. nearly nine pounds of baby, and he was 21 inches long) "little" guy out. The "natural" way.

Without getting into too many grizzly details the epidural didn't work right (even after six pokes in the back...owie!), and I ended up with what we believe are either torn ligaments or torn muscles in my groin (physical therapist says they should heal in about 4 weeks). I am actually already feeling much better, and am planning a family outing to the grocery store this afternoon.

There was a bit of meconium (baby's first poo) in the amniotic fluid, and little Jake ended up spending more time than I would have liked in the nursery. But, after a bunch of antibiotics, and being hooked up to tons of monitors, we were able to come home Sunday afternoon. I was actually discharged on Saturday, but they gave Matt and I a "hospitality" room, and let us stay until Jake was discharged too. We had a doctor's appointment Monday, and they told me that everything looks fine.

Since we've been home, Jake has done a lot of sleeping, eating, and pooping. The dogs have been very protective (especially Mauly, she is never more than a few feet from him), and seem to just know that this little thing is something to be looked out for.

I'll try and post more pictures soon. And, I'm sure we'll have some great stories to share soon. But, now that he's asleep its nap time for mommy too...

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