Adjusting to having a newborn.

The first few weeks home with Erika were challenging to say the least. She ate like clockwork every three hours. However her clock started from when the bottle hit her mouth. This meant that by the time we were finished feeding her, burping her and changing her...there would only be about an hour and a half left before the next feeding. It was crazy and there was no opportunity for sleep. I found it funny (and frustrating at times) that her 3 hour clock was already ticking while she was already eating!

I remember being scared of her! Erika would be asleep in the living room in her swing and I would feel calm just watching her sleep. Then once I started to see her fidget, I knew she was waking up and then I would get this nervous tummy ache! I am not even really sure what I was so afraid of, she just made me nervous. I don't know if that even makes any sense.

It is funny now thinking back to some of the things Peter and I did to get Erika to sleep in the very beginning. Lets see, we had this theory that we should keep the lights on in her room all night because that was what she was used to from the hospital...it didn't work. Then we thought if we kept it noisy like the hospital, she would sleep! Didn't work again. We had her sleeping in her bouncy chair inside her crib and that worked best.

The days seemed so much longer (in a good way) when you are up around the clock. There was no longer any meaning to the words day and night. I had learned to not look at the clock any more as to not get stressed about Erika's schedule. So many mornings I would be out on our porch sitting on the bench feeding her and watching the neighbors walk their dogs. I would be excited just to see the sun come up so that I could go sit outside.

Many nights in the very beginning I sat with Erika in the rocking chair and cried with her. I really thought I had gotten myself in deep! I was so scared of this commitment that I made. I didn't know how I would make it through. And now I am just thrilled. It just took some adjusting time!

Below are some pics of Erika's first few weeks.

This was my spot with Erika (on the couch) both day and night.

And here we are again...the couch dwellers!
Not my favorite picture of myself, but I like the stork and the family together!
I can't believe how tiny she was!

Next post...some of Erika's firsts!