Not at all a grey day...

... So for our first big outing post-birth, excluding the middle of night trip to the hospital, we got a taste of spring in December. It was nearly 70 degrees and sunny... meanwhile, in the parts of the world we know much better it was dumping snow.

I packed up the camera to bring with us to document our first outing, and then I left it on the couch. So we just did a quick photo shoot in the evening... some evidence of which you'll find below.

A quick report on the day...

In my alone time with Caroline Grace yesterday morning I got her all dressed and ready to go and discovered that I need to bring order to our bedroom and her belongings a.s.a.p.. From my bed, where I've spent the better part of the past two weeks I can sense some chaos. Out of bed... oh. my. goodness. We need a better system... soon. Or I do at least. Currently I'm the one "J" in the household- we'll see whether Caroline joins my team or not on that one...

So when Aunt Katherine arrived (she's staying at one of my friend's houses now) I said "When we get back I want to work on this room because tomorrow I REALLY want to bake Christmas cookies." She said, "When you get back from TWO doctor's appointments, you're not going to have energy to do ANYTHING."

I hoped she would be wrong.

She was right.

But the doctor's appointments went well. And we survived our first lunch out with a newborn in pretty good style.

We waited for a long time at the o.b., only to have a very quick appointment with him. Pretty standard I guess. Upshot of it all... I'm fine. No fever anymore. No uterine tenderness. No evidence of infection elsewhere in my body. And so far the pro-biotics Katherine purchased for me seem to be warding off nasty side effects. His best guess about what happened is that some trace membrane finally made its way out and brought some infection with it. I guess that makes sense. Most exciting news from the o.b. appt... I'm down 21 pounds from my only other appt with them at 37 weeks. I'm not trying to lose weight yet, at all. But it is coming off. That said... I have a ways to go yet to get back to a healthy weight. But I'm going to keep eating what I feel like eating for awhile yet as I need the calories for breast feeding.

Caroline was very ready to eat by the time I joined her and Aunt Katherine in the waiting room, now empty of anyone else. So I fed her and we changed her and then we went in search of lunch for the big people.

Just before leaving yesterday morning the mail arrived and there was a lovely card from Auntie Nancy to Caroline with a generous bit of cash in it. So Caroline treated us to our first lunch out. I think Auntie Nancy (the officiant at our wedding) would approve. I wanted to go to a great deli and have some matzah ball soup (thanks for the tip, e.j.), but traffic prevented us getting there easily and we likely would have had quite a wait. So we went to a medierranean restaurant across the street from the part of campus on which I spend most of my time (or did this past fall anyhow). I requested a booth and put Caroline's car seat up on the half of the table we didn't need. Katherine wasn't sure this was a good idea, but I swear I've seen other parents do it. She was o.k., content, while we ordered, but then started to get wound up and fussy. So I took her out of the carseat and Katherine said "I don't think that's going to make a difference unless you feed her." "Well then, I'll feed her." I draped a blanket over my shoulder, pulled out the breast, and she ate contendly the whole time we were eating and I don't think anyone's sensibilities were offended. The table worked well to keep her properly position for her latch on so I didn't even have to assist as much as I usually do. Towards the end of the meal Katherine said "I don't think anyone would guess this was your first meal out with your baby." I think she's right. I was surprised we didn't receive more cooing... not while she was buried under the blanket, but while she was visible and adorable as ever in her pretty pink outfit and booties... the young people (students) who passed us, in fact, seemed horrified rather than enchanted. Oh well. Their loss. She'll get cooed over at church and she gets cooed over plenty at home.

So then we headed to the pediatrician. Traffic was RIDICULOUS. It took us 20 minutes to travel 3 miles in a straight line. (Note to self- find alternate route...) But we made it on time and were seen pretty quickly. They weighed her with her diaper on (we've been weighing her buck naked) and she was 8 pounds, 1 ounce. And measurements revealed she has grown 3/4 of an inch, She is currently in the 75th percentile for weight, the 80th percentile for length, and the 90th percentile for head circumference (38 cm as of yesterday). I REALLY like our pediatrician. She spent a fair bit of time with us. She is committed to informing and educating her patient families, but didn't seem at all condescending, I think we really lucked out. She deemed Caroline very healthy, gave us some diaper changing tips, and informed us about open hours at their clinic, but suggested we stay away from the germs at those until Caroline is a bit older. Their office policy is to get sick kids an appt within 24 hours of a call so... seems like they should be quite accessible. She also urged us to call for advice any time at all, especially in these first two months.

Katherine got into some fascinating conversation in the waiting rooms, but I suppose those are her stories to share, if she is so moved. She was present in the doctor's office for the pediatrician appointment and was holding and comforting Caroline when the doctor came in and was thus assumed to be the mom. That's o.k.. She's put in A LOT of time and energy these past two weeks. She should get to claim this beauty as her own from time to time. The doctor figured it out quickly enough though...

We stopped for frozen yogurt at the shop we frequented after childbirth education classes. When I walked in it was just the owner with whom we shared fertility joys and woes. When I saw her I said "I have a baby in the car." (Katherine was in the car too!) She didn't recognize me at first. I said "Not pregnant anymore," pointed at my belly. I could see the light bulb go off, "Oh oh oh... it's gone!!! And there's a BABY in the car!" "Do you want to come out and meet her?" She was about to run right out, but I thought that would creep Katherine out so I suggested she come out with me after I got my yogurt. Of course as soon as she rang me up a huge group of new customers came in so she'll have to meet Caroline another day.

And when we got home around 4 p.m., about 5 and a half hours after we left home, I was COMPLETELY exhausted. I got back into bed a.s.a.p. and fed Caroline on and off. I tried to take a nap, but was too tired even for that. We ordered out for pizza. Kev and I watched a few episodes of "Arrested Development" on Hulu and we did our two week photo shoot. The rest of the night is a haze. I think Katherine took Caroline for quite awhile before heading back to my friend's house. I think I groggily fed Caroline when Katherine brought her back. I dunno. But I do know that she's falling into a pattern of waking up for a good stretch of eating, fussing, being changed, burping, eating... at 2:30 most days. And again at 6 a.m.. I guess it is nice that there is a pattern to it. And those are pretty good stretches of sleep.

I guess the baking will wait. Ordering this room will happen today. But I'm still pretty wiped out so I think I'll be having Kevin bring me things on the bed, I'll be sorting and directing... He says he doesn't mind. Am I still the princess a week later?