Tidbits from the week-end

In the kitchen while Mom bakes Banana Walnut Biscuits with chocolate chips. Playtime.
Snuggled up to Dad in front of an old locomotive outside of the Forestry Center at the Hoyt Arboretum. Eating on the go.

Smartie pants

I was fixing myself some breakfast a few days ago and had laid Felix in his crib with the musical mobile twirling, when I looked over and glimpsed his little foot up in the air over the side of the crib. I walked over to see what he was doing. I could hear him cooing, and as I approached it looked like he was trying to kick the owls as they were spinning by. I think he realized that they were out of reach of his hands, and so he tried batting at them with his feet. Such a clever boy! I tried to capture this on video, but by that time he was too distracted by me watching, though the video is cute none the less!

Belly time

Felix and Mom exercise every day. He starts out on his belly, which he quickly gets frustrated with, and ends up on his feet. I help him of course. Here he is at the beginning of belly time, moving his head side to side.









Next we do sit ups where he lays on his back, holds my hands and I help him pull himself up to sitting. From there he will sometimes push himself up onto his feet!

What a strong boy!

Felix lashes out

Check out those eyelashes! They seem to have grown overnight.

Baby talk

Felix in Forest Park

Felix is now 6 weeks old, and we decided it was high time that we went for a hike in Forest Park with Felix "on the outside". While I was pregnant, we trod this trail system almost every week, and while in the hospital, that was one of the first things that we dreamed of doing once we were released. The sterile hospital atmosphere and the fact that we could not leave made us crave nature with every cell in our bodies. Once we did leave the hospital I realized that I needed more time to recover from my c-section before attempting a hike, so we stuck to walks around the neighborhood and to the park until now. This woody afternoon was sunny, and Alex and I fell into our natural routine of walking and talking, and Felix fell into his natural routine of sleeping through almost every outing. Although... who wouldn't want to sleep to a lulling pace out in the open air of the forest with the sun warming you and snuggled up to your Dad's chest?

Cave hieroglyphic

I came across this drawing in the parking "cave" at OHSU when we were taking our birthing class. Just like its ancient predecessors, it tells a simple, timeless tale an anonymous author. The anthropology of it- however interesting- is to me not as gripping as its stark, yet hopeful aesthetic.

Moving picture

That's my boy!

Felix is becoming more aware of his surroundings every day. Just today he figured out that he can kick his feet and make the bouncy chair bounce which makes the hanging woodland animals swing toward him. I saw him do this and reach out and touch the raccoon. He also has been looking more directly at people when they are nearby, moving, or making noise. He even smiled at me when I planted a rapid fire kiss attack on his cheek this morning. Every day we play on the floor and he pulls himself up to sitting (with my help), and then eagerly looks around from this new perspective. He is so adorable. How can you not love this kid!

Ultrasound

So weird to go for an abdominal ultrasound after giving birth - but I've been having pain on my right side and my doctor wanted to rule out appendicitis. Basically what they found is that I have a clot in the vein leading away from my ovary on the right side. Ovarian Vein Thrombosis. The vein is totally blocked which is why I am having pain. They have me on an injection of lovenox for 5 days and warfarin pill for 6 weeks (I guess it takes 5 days for the pill to kick in - which is why the injection at first to thin my blood right away). They also gave me a shot of antibiotic - all deemed safe for breastfeeding on a molecular level. This condition is very rare, and usually caused by a long labor (stress on the vein). It's just one thing after another these days. I am blessed though because usually this is caught and treated within two weeks of giving birth, and here I am 5 weeks out and no pulmonary embolism (which is the biggest risk if untreated). How am I feeling? First of all tired. I'm tired of being unwell. And secondly, I'm really disappointed in how I do my best to stay healthy, and my efforts to pursue a natural birth and a natural way of life have lately led me to a drastic increase in medical intervention. At least I have a healthy baby, and am on my way to recovery. I am thankful for that - but I am a chicken when it comes to giving myself a shot. At 4PM yesterday they showed me what to do in the doctor's office and 12 hours later I sat there (at 4AM) motionless with the needle poised in my hand and pinching the skin on my belly for probably 20 minutes before I woke Alex and had him do it for me.