Getting to know Lyllie

It has been such a joy getting to know this precious little girl here in the outside world. She is changing all ready in her looks from that scrunched up face newborn look!! She is a very content baby. Eats and sleeps, and has a couple of very wide awake periods throughout the day.

Breastfeeding however, did not go well. Poor Aimee. Lyllie was latching on about every 30 minutes and not getting satisfied, and Aimee was exhausted. for some reason, Lyllie was just not able to effectively bring Aimee's milk down. So she is now on formula. Aimee was sad about not being able to breastfeed, and she felt guilty about making the decision to put her on formula, but I told Aimee there are more ways to bond with her baby besides breastfeeding. It's not bonding when mom is exhausted and baby is crying all the time because she is hungry. Aimee is now much more able to enjoy Lyllie, and not be worried sick because the baby is crying and hungry all the time. also, Lyllie had lost over a pound from her birthweight, and was getting quite dehydrated, so this reassured Aimee that she made the right decision to switch to formula. I have taken an infant massage class, so Aimee is doing lots of infant massage which she and Lyllie love. Also lots of skin to skin holding. So there is plenty of bonding going on, and Lyllie loves all of ehr peaceful quiet time with her mama!!

Don't get me wrong--I am a HUGE proponent of breastfeeding, and we encourage all of our moms to pump and provide breastmilk for their babies until the babies are big enough and strong enough to go to breast, but I know and understand that it just doesn't always work, no matter what a mom does. Aimee was afraid however to suggest bottles because she was worried I wouldn't be supportive of her using bottles. I let her know that while I strongly encourage breastfeeding, I understood what she had been going through, and supported her decisions...after all, she has to decide what is right for her and her baby, not what she thinks I think is right. We have become very close through all of this, and I have learned to let go of my little girl and embrace the beautiful woman she has become, and I have let her know, I am here to support HER decisions for her and her baby, and to give guidance when she asks me for it.

So...on to the knitting front...I finished one of my Basketweave socks...



but haven't accomplished much else, other than a WHOLE LOT of frogging. I now have my own lily pad in the frog pond. I have been working with a couple of Cherry Tree Hill yarns and a particular pattern, but the color repeats of the CTH yarns are just too short to work with any of the patterns I wanted to use them for. So just made a trip to my LYS and picked up some Trekking, and by tonight, I will have at least one sock well on the way to being finished!!!!

This past Thursday I was off work, and my son and his fiance were off work, so I cooked a big Thanksgiving dinner finally, and spent a wonderful day with children and grandchildren. I have alot to give thanks for this year--being blessed with two healthy grandbabies who both had a safe entrance into this big wide world. Being a newborn intensive care nurse, I see way toomuch of the other side with the babies who aren't born healthy, or who don't have a safe entrance into the world, so I am very thankful for my grandbabies and I don't say that lightly.

Here are a few pics from the day...

Ryder looking like he is going to kiss Lyllie...



Ryder and his Daddy, my son, Zak...



and finally...I leave you all tonight with this very adorable pic of a very wide awake Lyllie!!



Hugzzzzz to all and I hope you are all having a joyous and blessed Christmas season!! Remember to slow down in the busyness of this time of year, and enjoy the peace of the season, and the love of family and friends!!