Perfection

Being a Mommy has to be the most wonderful, nerve wracking thing that I've ever done in my life... and I've started a lot of really rank young horses.

Shannon has to be the best blessing that I've ever received, even when she's up screaming at 1 am.

We've had a pretty mellow last few days. Just a lot of hanging around the house, and getting used to one another. My Mom came up a couple of times, and M has proved to yet again be the best Dad ever. :-). Not that I doubted him at all.

Yesterday we had a doctor's appointment for her, and I felt awful. I literally woke up and felt like I had the flu, and one of my boobs felt like it was about to hulk right out of my bra. Not a fun feeling at all, but everybody has told me that when my milk came in, it was going to be uncomfortable, and just just try to nurse her. My boob was literally too hard to get her to latch, and lots of screaming was going on. To the point where she couldn't even catch her breath. I mentioned it to her pediatrician, and she had me call my doctor right away.

Turns out I have mastitis.

Blech.

They called me in a prescription for some super antibiotics, told me to pump out of that side, and by the time 7 rolled around last night, I felt 100x's better. Thank goodness.

Shannon, on the other hand looks great. She's gained 4 oz, and her jaundice is totally gone. She's one healthy baby!

We also made the decision to start pumping and putting it into bottles. She has a great latch, but the pain that's supposed to leave after the first 30 seconds never went away, like everybody said that it was supposed to. It literally hurt for the 20 minutes it took her to nurse out of each side.

I still want to be sure that she gets the milk that she needs, and she is. She eats about 1.5 oz- 2 oz per feeding (every 2-3 hours), and is satisfied. I'm pumping about 2.5 oz every two hours.  I'm happy with the arrangement, because there is no more latching on pain/screaming, and it'll make it easy for me to get to the barn, when I can start back at work. Not to mention horse shows.

My mother doesn't approve, and that hurts. I'm trying to do the best that I can, and what feels like it's the best for her, and our family. I love my daughter with all my heart, and I want nothing but the best for her, throughout her entire life.

On another note all together, I seriously have the best kid ever. She was up with M from 11 until about 1, not fussing, just awake. That meant that she slept....

From 1-5:45 this morning.

I woke up because I needed to pump, and realized that she was still sleeping, so I woke her up to eat, she ate, and was up until about 8, took another bottle, and has been conked out ever since.  

Go baby go!

She gets to meet her Auntie L and Uncle P today, and we're very excited!

Also, I'll hopefully be back on a horse (and actually working) by the beginning of April, which will give me plenty of time to get Willow started and ready to go to work by the beginning of show season. If we can get some Training level tests with good show scores, and be schooling 1st level by the time we have to move, I'll be thrilled. I don't want to set the bar too high, but I think having goals is a good thing. Wil is talented enough, that's for sure!  

M leaves in May for a little bit of time, for a school in SC, so he'll get to miss the beginning of show season, but he needs to go to this school so that he can be promoted, and we'll find out where the Army is sending us on our next adventure! All my joints are crossed for the South!