An Amazing Journey: Chapter 24 -- One Amazing Year About This Page:

[Jennifer Marx]

One Amazing Year<p>

Last night was Alexander’s three-month anniversary of his birth. So much has happened in the last year—it’s been truly amazing how the birth of a new person can change one’s life... and for the better!

Alexander has brought so much joy and wonder to our lives in the last three months, but I won’t pretend it’s all been easy and rosy. In addition to learning how to take care of our little boy and recovering from the surgery, we had to write the seventh edition of our guidebook, “PassPorter Walt Disney World 2005,” and get it off to our printers in Hong Kong. We finished it less than a week ago and now we can take a few deep breaths before we jump into the next several book projects waiting in the wings.

Looking back over the last three months, and the entire year, I feel so very lucky and fortunate. Alexander is a VERY happy, healthy baby. He has no health issues (at least that we are aware of) and really seems to be a cheerful, content baby. He fusses a bit in the evenings, cries a bit when he’s hungry, but that’s really the extent of his upsets. He seems secure in our love for him and in his environment. He began smiling around one month old and now offers big, gummy smiles regularly. He even laughs in glee! He particularly likes having his diaper and clothes changed—it’s a sure-fire way to get a smile from him. He also smiles in response to our smiles. He can really light up a room!


Allie changes Alex’s diaper for the first time

Within the last month Alexander began noticing the animals hanging in his infant gym and recently began reaching for them. He loves to stare up at them and “talk” to them with “ahhs” and “goos.” He can be really quite vocal once he gets going. You have to wonder what he’s trying to say to his animal friends! (Maybe, “hey, what are you doing up there?” or “Come down here so I can chew on you!”)

Alexander is doing very well developmentally. He can do everything my baby book says he should be able to do at this point, and several things it suggests he might be able to do when he’s a bit older. For example, he can support weight on his legs for a good 10-20 seconds before getting tired. He can hold his head up 90 degrees when he’s on his tummy without any problem, and he can support his head upright very well. He can see people and objects across the room, and frequently watches them. He can bring his hands together. I wouldn’t say he’s well ahead of the curve, but definitely doing very well for his age!


Alex “sits up” with the help of his sister (she’s hiding behind him)

Alexander still co-sleeps with us and seems quite content with it. In fact, he’s still sleeping in bed now with his Daddy. Two weeks ago he surprised us by sleeping through the night. And he’s done it every night since. I’m sure all the parents out there know how wonderful it is for us to sleep through the night again. It’d been months for me with the pregnancy waking me up at night. I feel like a new person now that I’m getting 7-8 hours of sleep every night.

Speaking of sleeping, Alexander’s really outgrown his basinett (not that he uses it much) and last night we put him in his crib for the first time. He seemed to take right to it, looking up at the Simba mobile and listening to the music. I suspect we’ll just use the crib for times when we need to leave him unattended (like when I need to take a shower and Dave’s not around, or vice versa). Hopefully he’ll come to see the space as his own and feel comfortable there, as that will help him when he’s ready to sleep on his own.

So just how big is Alexander these days? He’s just around 14 pounds and about 25-26 inches long. He’s been gaining weight steadily, though there have been some periods when he slows down just a tad. The last few days he’s been experiencing a growth spurt, nursing a lot and packing on the ounces. If I weren’t paying such close attention to his nursing preferences and his weight, I might think he was actually trying to wean himself or going on what’s called a “nursing strike.” But, in fact, I think he’s just particularly hungry and impatient for food. If I’m right, he’ll settle back into his old nursing routine in a few days or so.

Nursing is going very well. I’m still not making a full supply of milk, but it’s not for lack of trying. I have increased it a bit to 8-9 ounces per day, but I seem to have hit a plateau. But if that’s all I’m going to make, I can live with that. It’s double what he needs for his daily immunity supply and it’s enough that I can usually nurse him for 15-20 minutes without supplementing. with formula. The biggest drag is having to supplement, but Dave has been taking on the task of cleaning and filling the supplement tubes and bags every day or so—that’s a huge task and one I truly appreciate. It does allow Alexander to get all his nourishment at the breast, and he really seems to love it. He gets 30-60 minutes of time with me at each nursing session—I know (and I bet he knows) that he’d never get that much with just a bottle, which can be gulped down in a few minutes. Breastfeeding is really very rewarding and I’m so very happy I stuck with it when things got tough. My goal is to gradually remove the supplements as I add in solid food when he’s a bit older.

A few days ago we calculated that I’d nursed Alexander something like 800 times since birth. That’s a staggering number, but it’s also something I feel very happy about and proud of. My birth may not have gone as planned, and I may not make a full supply of milk, but darn it, I’m breastfeeding my baby and we’re both benefitting from it! Nursing so many times has also made me much less modest about the whole process. I’ve done it in public several times now (I believe the first time was at Zingerman’s Deli and the most recent time was last night at Metzger’s German restaurant). I don’t think anyone’s even noticed, but if they did, that’s totally fine with me. I think breastfeeding should be more prevalent so the more folks see others doing it, the more likely it is to happen in the future.

All the public nursing is also a preparation for my upcoming trip for MouseFest 2004 on the Disney Cruise Line and at Walt Disney World. This idea behind this trip is for us to get out and meet our readers and fellow Disney fans, so my hiding in my room or going to the Baby Center every time I need to nurse is just not going to work. Learning to do it in public discreetly yet naturally is part of the deal. So to all those who will be sharing our MouseFest adventure with us, please don’t feel weird or stop talking to me if I nurse Alexander around you. I remember feeling that way years ago before I understood all this, and I thought that the mother who was nursing would prefer I look away, walk away, or pretend it wasn’t happening. But that’s really not the case. I no longer feel terribly shy about this. Just treat me like you normally would and all will be well.

Oh, one last thing before I put the breastfeeding topic to rest. We recently moved and upgraded our message board and I’ve been doing some maintenance on it when I have the time, and sometimes that means typing one-handed while nursing Alexander. Well, the other day I was editing the birthday language file (as our message board now keeps track of everyone’s birthdays) and I intended to type “Aw shucks, there are no birthdays today.” But instead I actually typed “Aw sucks, there are no birthdays today.” I just put it down to typing one-handed until someone pointed out that I was nursing while I typed. Get it? Sucks? Nursing? Ah well... I’ll just call it a Freudian typing slip.

Allie continues to improve with Alexander. She’s changed his diaper several times now, and she’s more likely to try to make him smile or laugh than to call him “funny looking” or “weird.” The other night she and her friend had him in her room while they watched a movie—it was really quite sweet. When I get the camera out, Allie likes to pose with Alexander and I’ve captured some wonderful moments together. All in all, things are going well with brother and sister!


Alex and Allie mug for the camera

In a few hours we’re going to our Bradley birth class reunion. I’ve been anxiously awaiting this for months. While I admit to feeling anxious about not having the natural birth I so wanted, I’m very eager to show off my beautiful, healthy baby! I’m just so proud of him! And I know that my c-section birth was the best thing for both of us. I feel fully recovered from the surgery now and the sensation is beginning to return in the skin near the incision. The only residual discomfort I have is stiffness in my legs and other joints, but I’m not sure if that’s just from being pregnant, carrying the baby a lot, or what. Sometimes I do feel a litle sad that I didn’t have a natural birth, but I remind myself of how much I do have and how that’s really insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

Dave and his “baby boy”

Despite all the hard work, both in learning to be Alexander’s mommy and keeping up with PassPorter, I really feel on top of the world. So many things about parenthood I couldn’t understand are now becoming crystal clear to me. And a great love for my child is developing deep in my heart. Now that things are settling into a routine (of sorts), I can envision our future together easier and I look forward to each and every one of his milestones. I feel so gifted to have this amazing child. To borrow a phrase from a popular Disney animation, I feel like I’ve moved though despair and hope, through faith and love, and finally found my place in the Great Circle of Life.

Thanks for a wonderful update. Glad to hear how well everything is going for your family. You, Dave, Allie and Alexander certainly deserve all the happiness you are enjoying - you have brought so much happiness to others! Love the photo in your signature. One can almost feel your joy!! My "baby" boy is now 25 years old. The time you have with Alexander now is so precious - continue to enjoy!

[DreaminDizney1002]

What a wonderful update! Thanks so much, Jennifer! He is such a beautiful baby boy! I truly am enjoying reading your baby story - it has helped me as I progress on my journey to parenthood! Looking forward to hearing about Alexander's first trip to WDW!

[wdwlovers]

Yay, an Alexander update!! He is so beautiful Jennifer! You and Dave are doing a superb job at raising him. Happy to hear things have been going so well for you all!

[statelady01]

He's precious and glad to hear you all are doing well- thanks for the update!!

[DopeyGirl]

Awwww . . . Jen, could Alex BE any cuter?!

[chezp]

What a great update Jennifer. The photos are lovely and it's so good to hear that Alexander's allowing you guys to sleep through the night now!

[MontiMouse]

Thanks for the update. I am glad to hear things are going so well for you and your family. Alexander is adorable and it really looks like he and Allie are becoming great friends!

[karmic]

Wonderful update! Thanks for sharing.

[Big Baloo]

Thanks for the wonderful update--glad to hear you are (finally) getting to sleep through the night! Yay for all of you!

[vsonnier]

Thanks for the wonderful update! I was wondering how y'all were doing! Alexander is a precious baby!

[BritDisFan]

Thanks for the update Jennifer the pictures are beautiful and Alexander seems a very happy baby .

Karen

[CRCrazy]

Jennifer,

Thanks so much for taking the time to share your joy with us! Alexander is just gorgeous, and all of you sound like you have made this transition beautifully. His pictures just glow - and so does Allie when she's with him.

[tinalouwho]

Thank you so much for the update! He is so, so very cute

[CarolRose]

Enjoying catching up on your updates! Brings back so many of my own wonderful "baby memories". I have 3 children delivered via C-section, epidural, and natural. And all I can say is natural childbirth is highly overrated!

I'm glad you and your family are all doing well!