The Niederer's: The smiliest baby

Kinley has changed our whole lives and it's been such a joy to have her here. I cannot believe how fast time is going. She is changing so much and getting bigger every day. I again just want to document a bit of how postpartum is going and then a little about her and how the past few weeks have been!

For me, I'm healing up really good. I was really sore for the first 2 weeks and then still just tender after that. I still take it easy but I feel like I am definitely healing up good. Slowly but surely!

My weight is still just shedding off. I feel like every time I step on the scale I'm down a little bit more. As of today I'm down 23 pounds below my pre pregnancy weight. Total of 33 pounds down. It's been great having my pre pregnancy clothes not be SO tight like they were if not a bit big. I'm really hoping it continues to just keep coming off. It's slowing down for sure, but as long as it comes off I'm happy.

One of the hardest things that I've had to deal with while taking care of a newborn is how crappy this flu season has been. I have theee WORST immune system and cannot seem to catch a break. First it was a cold that seriously JUST barely went away. That lasted me a month. On top of that, that first few days home, I got the stomach bug of some kind. All while this is happening, my family is sick with colds too. Yesterday I woke up to my brother having a nasty case of the stomach flu. Poor guy threw up like 10 times. I stayed clear away from him all day, but what do you know. I woke up today with I think a touch of the flu or something because my stomach has been off and I've been in the bathroom all day. So 3 times I've been sick in the past month. Not ok. Caleb has had a cold, he had a day where he was nauseous, and everyone has just been sick. I hate flu season so dang bad and I hate it THAT much more having a new baby around it. I PRAY she doesn't get sick. It's hard enough not feeling well alone, let alone having a baby to tend to all day and night. No one should be allowed to get sick, but mom's especially!

As far as baby blues, they seem to have settled down. I really only had a few days where I was weepy. I notice I get more weepy if I am overly tired. I'd say I have had more post partum anxiety since having her more than anything. Even the people I trust holding her I don't want to hold her. It's like if it's not me taking care of her or her not in my sight, I have a lot of anxiety. It too is getting better with time but that first little bit was hard.

Sleep is overall getting better. She now is for the most part going about 3 to 4 hours in between feedings at night which leaves me getting about 2 to 3 hours of consecutive sleep which is SO much nicer than half hour to an hour increments. There was one time she went 6 hours between a feeding but she had gone to sleep so early so I was still up at like 2 to feed her. But, it does show she is getting better! During the day, especially the last few days, it seems all she wants to do is eat. Like every hour or 2. Growth spurt maybe? Not sure.

Speaking of growth. She is totally growing. Her cheeks and thighs are filling out, and you can totally tell she is just simply changing and getting bigger. It's bittersweet. When we first brought her home, her newborn clothes were a bit baggy. Now, they fit about perfect and some are even pushing it. It won't be long till we up her size of clothes! Hmph :(

Kinley had her 2 week doctors appointment last Friday. I had a ton of anxiety going out alone by myself with her for the first time. I ended up having my sister meet me at the doctors which helped a lot. The car ride there and back was ok. She cried some, but overall did good. At her appointment, she weighed 7 pounds 8 oz and had grown almost 2 inches in 2 weeks! Crazy. No wonder they sleep so dang much. During the day anyway. haha.

First time going out alone with my baby! A little scary mainly with all the what if this happens then what do I do kind of stuff. Little things like, what if she needs fed in public? Do I just run back out to the car to feed her? How do you work those changing tables in those nasty public bathrooms? What if she has a blow out? Just all the things that will I'm sure happen and you just do what you gotta do I guess.

I had to go out and run a few errands. I was nervous taking her out because it's still so early, but I didn't do my Christmas shopping before I had her, so I had to make a quick trip to walmart, the bank, and to pick up some diapers. I was mainly nervous for walmart. She doesn't like her car seat and I wasn't sure how to have the car seat sit on the cart. Would I be able to even see over the car seat once it was in? If I put her in the big part of the cart then I would have no room for my groceries. So, I decided to wear her. It was a win win. She loves to be held and she slept the whole time while I had both hands and an empty cart to fill. I now know what to do if I need to run to the store. Baby wearing for the win! That day I was completely on my own and I thought it went super well.

Caleb invited me to run to town with him so he could do an errand for his work. I stayed in the car with Kinley and she of course needed to be fed when we got to the store.

So you hop in the back, and feed your baby. I'm getting this going out thing down slowly but surely. I'm more so realizing you do what you gotta do and to plan extra time because you never know what you'll end up having to do.

So earlier last week we finally decided to go pick up Libbie. She had been staying at Caleb's parents while we had Kinley and a little while afterwards so we could adjust and take it easy. I had a lot of anxiety about bringing her back home because in the past she has not done well around kids AT ALL. She gets extremely jealous and whimpers and jumps on you and is kind of a nightmare. The first day home she was concerned every time Kinley would cry but to my surprise has done very well. Like, she has acted completely different around her than ANY other kid or baby she has been around. Maybe she just knows. I don't know. Caleb still takes her to his parents while he's at work so I don't have a baby and a dog to care for, at least for now, but I think she will do ok even when we decide to have her stay with me during the day.

I don't think I have done so much laundry in my life! haha! I do at least one load a day. Which is a lot for 3 people I think. This girl is a power pooper and either pees through or has a blowout at least once a day. She didn't have a ton of newborn clothes to begin with so she often wears unmatching clothes because that's all I have till more laundry get's washed. I think her favorite time to have a blowout is in the night while I'm half asleep and have to change her clothes, wipe her down, and change that changing pad cover. My mom just laughs at me every day when I bring up my laundry basket to get washed because she just knows.

Overall, I have totally LOVED being a mama. I feel SO blessed to be this sweet girls' mom. I have often cried happy tears just staring at her, especially at night when I'm rocking her to sleep for the night because they really are just little miracles. They are a little slice of heaven. It's amazing to think about how I grew this sweet baby in my belly that started out the size of a sesame seed and grew to a little baby that is as healthy as can be. It just puts me in awe. God is amazing.

Here are a ton of pictures. Some of my favorite pictures are of her smiling! She is SO dang smiley for a newborn baby! I have caught lots on my phone yet it's probably maybe only a quarter of the smiling she actually does.