Happy Cali

She is looking up at me telling me she is sorry for the day before.
Thursday was a MUCH better day! I had fun at my late night movie. It was an ok movie, Zac isn't the best actor and I just cringed that Matthew Perry is on the downswing in his acting career. But it was fun to get out with a friend and stay up late (movie started at 9:55pm)! I felt bad leaving my baby, but I fed her and passed her over to Michael. I found out the next morning that she was up for 20 min or so, then went to sleep easily. Nice.

So Cali was the calmest baby all day the next day. It was like her first week of life, except she was actually awake and just chillin. The past few weeks, we've witnessed more fussiness than we ever remember with our older 3. Usually we could "put a cork in it" and she'd be ok, it would just require both hands to hold binkie in and hold her. But on Wednesday, she did not want the binkie. When my efforts of pacing and singing didn't work, I'd set her down for a few minutes to cry while I did this or that. Then I'd pick her up and for the few minutes after that, it was like she was thanking me for picking her up and was a bit quieter. Then it started again. She'd fall asleep, but just for a few minutes and cry again. It was frustrating, but mostly I just felt bad that I couldn't do anything. I tried to cut out dairy a few weeks ago for 2 days, but it didn't seem to make a difference. I'm trying again. I even got Almond Milk because I just love my cereal too much. But, Michael thinks she also has a constipation problem because she only poops every 3 or 5 days. He thought giving her formula with more fiber would help, but then I read that breastfed babies rarely get constipation, and that the more solid foods stop them up. Well, we gave her her first bottle last night, and I was shocked that she took it and drank it up. I thought that us having not introduced it to her yet that she'd refuse it. Maybe I secretly wanted her to refuse it--to love food only from me, but at the same time it is nice to know that Michael can do the bottle if he needs to when I leave from time to time.


So was she happy on Thursday because:
A) She pooped twice (even though on her rough day, Wed. she did poop in the morning after 4 days).
B) she was feeling repentant
C) I didn't have milk all day (but just that one day, the day before I had a lot)

Luckily, our summertime lends itself to my 3 oldest being great helpers. Willing and wanting to hold the baby whether she is crying or not. Sometimes "crazy mommy" comes out when they are too loud when she sleeps, or Alyssa touching her when she sleeps. She actually tolerates the noise quite well, but not the sudden outbursts.


I've called Matthew the baby whisperer because he actually wants to hold her more when she is sad, for the opportunity to calm her...and he usually does. Maybe better than me. Tyler paces the halls well with her, too. It is so cute. Alyssa still needs to work on her soothing techniques (I worry about Shaken baby Syndrome) but she is trying.










And she smiles now. Only sometimes. It took longer than it seems the older 3 did, but well worth the wait. Love this baby.