Today Anya and I had a great day. Aside from our usual schedule of eating, pooping, and sleeping, we had a lovely bath:
We got dressed into the first of 2 pretty outfits (the first one got spit up AND poop on it):
We also went to visit Grandma Esther and Aunt Melanie, the latter of which gave Anya a bottle:
But the main thing we did was miss Daddy!
She’s finally in my sling!
Here’s a link to more photos of Anya, plus pictures of Lex blowing out the candles on his birthday cake!
Yesterday I had my 6 weeks (actually 5 weeks, 5 days) postpartum checkup, and all is well. My incision is healing nicely and should fade from a red to a skin colored scar in about a year. All of my insides seem to be back to normal, though I still have to wait 2 more weeks until I can begin any kind of abdominal work out; by then the internal stitches should have fully dissolved. My weight has actually dropped below my pre-pregnancy weight by about 3 lbs., though I certainly don’t have my pre-pregnancy body back – I’ve still got a poochy tummy and my hips are simply wider than they had been. I can fit into most of my pants and skirts, many of my jeans being the main exception. Some of my shirts fit, though many don’t because nursing keeps my breasts rather voluptuous. I have a road map of stretch marks all over my stomach, and my skin there sort of resembles lacy Swiss cheese, but supposedly if I make an effort that can be fixed. Overall, I’m pretty surprised about how quickly I’ve gotten back to near normal, since many of the books say that it can take a year to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight and to fit into your clothes again. A message to all mothers-to-be: Breastfeeding is the ultimate weight loss plan!
Today, on this lovely Thanksgiving 2006, Anya is 5 weeks old, and obviously her mommy and daddy have a lot to be thankful for this year. Our baby girl is getting VERY big – at her pediatrician’s appointment last Friday, she weighed in at 10 lbs, 10 1/2 oz., and she was only 4 weeks old then! Anya has gotten so much better at having her diaper changed and taking a bath without crying; she even seems to enjoy them now. She can maintain eye contact more consistently and is learning to smile in response to someone talking to her (and boy, is that smile beautiful). Also, she is discovering that she has hands and fingers, and that sucking on them is quite enjoyable, although this still happens by accident most of the time. Unfortunately, she can’t take advantage of this new skill at night, since she still needs to be swaddled to sleep soundly without startling herself awake with her crazy flailing arms. However, she is starting to sleep for longer stretches at a time, which her mommy and daddy REALLY appreciate.
See new photos here! (Including bigger versions of the ones Lauren linked below.)
On a totally unrelated note, yesterday Anya and her Daddy enjoyed the Eagles’ victory over the Redskins together:
The good news is that after 45 minutes of fussing, Anya slept for 4 straight hours this evening. The bad news is that when she woke up to eat, she was too sleepy to eat as much as was available, so now I’m here at 4 in the morning pumping what’s left out of my enormously swollen breast.
Sleep deprivation clearly messes with my sanity. I have been very diligent about writing thank you cards for gifts we receive for Anya as soon as possible. We had gotten an adorable outfit from one of my dad’s cousins and her daughter. I realized yesterday that I could not remember whether I had written their thank you card. I had vague recollections of setting aside the card that came with the gift so that I would remember to do it, but after that, no clear memories of it. The haziness and confusion is understandable, given that I’m a new mom, right?
It gets worse.
I emailed my dad to get this cousin’s email address so I could let her know that we received the gift and that I wasn’t sure if I had sent the card or not. I wrote my email, sent if off, and was very pleased with myself – until about 30 seconds after I sent it when it occurred to me that I might have sent it this cousin’s sister. I called my dad, who was on the bus on the way to work, and confirmed that yes, I had indeed mixed up names. Oops. I subsequently sent a humorous email to the incorrect sister and will email the correct sister when my dad sends me her email address.
If you’ve seen my marbles, please return them to me. My dad thinks they must be in the bottom drawer of the dresser, but I’ve checked and they’re not there.
Yesterday we had Anya’s Simchat Bat, which is a Hebrew baby naming ceremony for girls. We had about 25 guests – almost exclusively family – come to our house, and our friend Eli, who is a rabbinical student, officiated the ceremony. Lex and I discussed the meanings of her English name (Anya Haley means “Gracious Hero”) and her Hebrew name, which is Chana Sari (Gracious Princess). Her grandmothers and great-grandmothers read prayers, and her grandfathers spoke briefly about her namesakes (my dad’s father and Lex’s dad’s mother). Lex performed the song he wrote for Anya before she was born, and then we all ate lots of bagels. See photos from the event.
Also, last night my little baby girl was, well, fussy. She was not interested in going to sleep, so at 10 pm, when her mommy and daddy were eager to fall asleep themselves, we all bundled up and hopped into the car to take four trips around the block until Anya finally fell asleep. Through my sleepy-eyed haze, I was aware of the irony of this trip, given that my own parents often needed to resort to car rides to get their screaming daughter to settle down. What goes around, comes around, I suppose 
Today Anya had her 2 weeks old pediatrician appointment, and she’s a healthy 9 lbs, 3 oz. How did I grow such a big baby?
