Our First Two Weeks

Wow. Motherhood. Fatherhood. Babyhood. We've had a pretty good first two weeks. I can't believe how overwhelmingly emotional this transition has been. I sometimes just look at him and start crying because I love him so much. I wasn't expecting that, for sure. And sometimes I cry because he won't stop crying. Overall though, Uli is a very good baby. He sleeps for 3 to 3 1/2 hours between feedings most nights, doesn't have too many inconsolable freakout crying sessions, and in general seems pretty content to have us as parents, which I will take as a compliment.

We're so grateful for all of the lovely gifts that have been arriving on our doorstep, from books and CDs for Uli to this gorgeous quilt that Auntie Vickie sewed for Uli. Thank you so much!

Challenges have included my oversensitivity to his every change in appearance and feeding/excreting patterns — one of the weird side effects of being a diabetic is worrying that your baby is going to be less than perfect, healthwise. So far though, he's doing well. We found a great pediatrician, had a good meeting with a nice lactation consultant in Oakland (and a really bad consult with a bitchy consultant in Walnut Creek; Peter told her that we weren't coming back for a follow-up because I didn't appreciate her bedside manner — she told me that my right nipple was "the double black diamond of nipples" among other insensitive comments).

We've even been out for meals now and then! I'm finding it's all about timing. If I nurse him first, he's mostly happy to sleep in his sling through brunch/lunch. What a good boy!
Parenthood, in these first two weeks, has been an amazing rollercoaster of emotions, experiences, and new patterns, and I'm sure it will continue to be this way for the next 20 years at least. But we're excited to see where this ride takes us!