Saturday has come around again (4 weeks since my due date and the day Terah starting making her exit!), and it seems that going much more than a week without writing is not smart these days - all week I've had on my list to blog about Monday's blood drive and it is quickly seeming like history from long ago! Kali, Jason and Alida just took off a bit ago for Kali's second to last soccer game of the season and Terah is sacked out on my chest. I have some quiet (with no prediction as to how long it will last!) and hands free time to myself which could be used for any number of things - a nap would probably be wisest but instead I've got my feet up and will rest while typing and if time allows I might also journal and if I'm really lucky also get the breakfast dishes done. I've been trying to make the most of Terah's nap times because it seems like more days than not of late her awake times have demanded much of my focus, attention, patience, and definitely both hands!
Would I characterize Terah as a "fussy baby?" It completely depends on the day! I'm sure that no one that attended the blood drive Monday evening would believe me if I did. As we got ready to head out Monday afternoon, I was not feeling very hopeful about the evening (it seemed like getting her fed, changed and ready to be strapped in the car seat for the trip into town had used up most of my reserves!). We would be at Virginia Blood Services for close to 4 hours and the longest Terah had been out and about previously was more like 1-2 hours. I figured I'd spend the majority of the evening either nursing her, changing diapers or walking/bouncing/dancing around the place attempting to keep her content. I even figured I might have to leave early or at least retreat to the car if things got to be too much for her. Well, I did nurse her and changed a few diapers but mostly I got to thoroughly enjoy the event and visit with the 20 plus donors, their accompanying kids and others that stopped by to hang out. I couldn't stop marveling at how content Terah was - even the obnoxious door bell that rings anytime anyone comes in or goes out didn't seem to phase her. She got to snuggle with her aunts and others and even cooed for the first sustained time to her Aunt K. It was so so sweet!For me, it was probably the most meaningful blood drive to date. It was sweet to have Terah there, meeting most people who came for the first time. It was very special to have a few people stop by to just be present with us or to drop off two beautiful huge mums for us. We had more donors than ever, including some new folks and at least one first time donor, and all but a few were successful at both passing the screening and giving blood. The snacks disappeared and the sounds of happy kids playing together was a wonderful back drop to the evening. It really does feel like a party; everyone seemed to be in good spirits and very patient with the staff who were doing their best but an hour or so behind schedule with getting folks in.
As we left, I wondered what the rest of the evening would hold for Terah. I figured she might have used up all her alert, content time for the day and might have a really hard time settling after being so stimulated for hours. She surprised me again. She was content for the rest of the evening and fell asleep placidly in my arms. Maybe we need to host a blood drive nightly!!
The nights since Monday have not been so easy. Most evenings have ended with me stumbling about in a sleepy stupor attempting to settle Terah to the point where she can let sleep overtake her. We have yet to determine if her discontent is connected to something I'm eating, whatever developmental stage she is going through currently, adjusting to processing the quantity of milk that makes one grow ounces a day, or maybe she is missing her Grandma! Her worst fussy evening was Tuesday, the eve of my mom's departure after a couple day visit. I had really been hoping for a good night before she left so I would feel confident in my ability to handle stuff on the home front without her again. That was not to be, but we are handling things ok (just maybe not as gracefully).
Yesterday was probably the worst daytime fussies that we have had. Mostly the worst discontent has been focused on the evening hours. Last night it seemed she had to work through a lot from late morning until late evening and then got very settled and content as we neared bedtime. She went to sleep without much trouble and had a decent night. If only I could figure out the cause, if there is a clear one, of her unhappiness... I will say that for now I'm "scared" of lentils. I don't know if there is a correlation, or even what the time lapse is between me eating something and Terah feeling the affects of it, but it seems like lentils could receive a portion of the blame. In the off chance that that is it, it seems a small thing to just nix them for a bit at least to see if it helps. So far today has been lovely - woke cheerfully during a diaper change, was awake/alert/happy for awhile and then went down for her first nap of the day without much fuss. May the day continue in the same vein!
So this morning I was looking back on our blog from when Alida was a newborn. Everyone has been asking who we think Terah looks like. Well, there is clearly some resemblance to Alida, that's for sure. And I noted (which is what I was looking for) that it was about this same age - a few weeks old - that Alida has some very fussy evenings. It was lovely to watch a few little videos of Alida months later as a happy, seemingly well-adjusted little one. Many times lately I have reminded myself that this too shall pass, and probably even more quickly than I want it to (at least in retrospect). It's precious time, and the most demanding phase for me (both physically and emotionally). I try to not get rattled by her cries, but I don't think I have it in me. It just ignites an"I've got to fix this" response in me.
Knowing that I'll be looking back on this, as will our girls, I don't want to paint a picture of Terah as a constantly crying little gal. Hardly! Her cries are usually very easily consoled by hugging, walking, talking, singing, bouncing or time on her changing table. It just takes my full attention to her needs/desires to keep her happy - and that is hard at times when I feel that other needs in the family are getting pushed aside because of it (I have a really hard time focusing on my Uno Gang of Four game with Alida when Terah is squawking in my arms!). There are, however, many other times where she is the most interested, easily entertained, content, happy, and active little gal. One of her all time favorite past-times is to hang out/air out on her changing table looking up at her "dancing clowns." I can often get changed myself or brush my teeth or I even snagged a super fast shower yesterday while Kali hung out with her there. She has also done some long tummy times moving her head back and forth and she often enjoys her little blue seat (which I have deemed her "pooping chair" as it often seems to get things moving). The picture here with my dad can attest to the fact that she has moments of sheer joy in her life and seems to take in all the loving we can lavish upon her! We will keep piling it on!!!
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