Stuart ended up staying up with her Friday night.

I really should have had him do it Saturday night because he had gotten up early Friday and worked all day. I didn't even think about it. Tell me if I wasn't eaten up with guilt when he pointed that out to me on Saturday. ugh.

Saturday afternoon he said to me "ya know. You're right."

My favorite words! ;)

I asked him "about what?"

"It is lonely as hell getting up wither her at 3 in the morning."

During the week when I had broken down crying I had tried to explain to him how isolated and lonely it was during the week and getting up with her and all that.

I asked him if he thought I'd been exagerating. (gee. i never exagerate) He aswered no and just said he never did realize how it could be like being the only one awake while she's crying her head off and you just don't know what else to do to make her happy or to get her to go to sleep.

I agreed with him and that was that. Or so I thought. Later that evening I told him that we could take turns getting up with her that night. (this was on Saturday) He said, "how about we get up together."

:) awwww!

The first time she woke up at about 2, I didn't wake him up though. He was just so tired that I wanted him to get a little bit of sleep. He did get up with me the next time though.

No updates this weekend because he and I were cramming time together. It's gratifying to be missed as much as you miss the other person.

On the other side of that, it was a bit risky spending time together. Both of us are a raging set of hormones right now and it almost got a bit out of hand. I felt like a damn teenager slamming on the breaks like I did.

There is an appropriate quote about the situation though. I don't remember where I read it or even if this is correct but it fits: The anticipation is killing me. I hope it doesn't end! :)

* * * * *

The kids, the cats, and the baby:

Mike loves her. He keeps pushing me to let him babysit her. After he's been holding her and he hands her back to me he'll tell me "be careful of her neck Mom." He loves her and loves to take care of her. Extremely gentle and careful with her too.

Alix loves her too but isn't as in to it as Mikey. Probably because she's still adjusting to not being the baby in the family anymore. She still loves to look at her and hold her.

No major problems yet.

The cats don't even go near her. Mr. Blue pretty much stays away from me too. He is not happy with me for bring home this thing.

* * * * *

After her continuing to have really bad gas pains and some constipation, I made the decision on Saturday to switch her formulas. From Enfamil with Iron over to Carnation Good Start. We also picked up some different nipples for the bottles as a few of the ones we had were putting out too much formula and she kept choking on it. Oh and a Nuk bottle too. To feed her rice cereal. Starting at two weeks.

There has been a noticable difference since the switch. She still has some gas and all that but no where near the pain she was in while on the Enfamil. She's been sleeping more deeply and not waking up every few hours throughout the night. She is more on the schedule of sleep 4 hours, wake and eat, then sleep 4 more now. This is much easier to deal with.

I'm starting to feel better now that my sleep isn't so fractured. Not top-notch but better this week than last week. I think the biggest problem was just the actual adjustment of the baby. Giving up my own schedule sucks. I'm not my own person anymore. I have to have my life revolve around hers for now.

Things to be happy for: 

I can finally sleep on my stomach.
I can finally wrap myself around Stuart and not have any body parts get in the way. THAT is heaven.
I can have an alcoholic drink if I want to. And I did Saturday night. One beer. It never tasted so good before!
I can bend over and pick something up off the floor without having the oxygen cut off from my brain.
I can shave my legs and all other things with NO problem.
I feel feminine again. Instead of whale-like.

All those are pretty selfish reasons but little things that make a difference to me.

Erica's eyelashes and eyebrows are so blonde that you can't even tell she has any unless you are inches from her face. Mabye she'll remain a true blonde like Stuart and unlike myself.

She's becoming much more alert while awake now. She'll try tracking your voice if she can't see you.

I lay her down on something like the couch and she will lay there quietly looking around. Turning her head this way and that. Her body will lay peacefully still. Then I sit down and start talking to her and her arms will go to waving and she starts making all these faces and turning her head and just wiggling around. It's so cute!

She's up to almost 4 oz of formula per feeding.

I know she has definitely gained weight in just two weeks. Her check-up is this Wednesday. I can't wait to see what the doctors have to say. I know she's okay but it's always good to get assurance from a professional.