Bolli Baby Blog

We made it through the first 2 months. Everyone says that’s the most difficult part and now we know why. Things have gotten much, much better. Kahlara is sleeping through the night (usually at least 6-7 hours), she is much more active, smiles all the time and everything has pretty much become routine. Obviously there are exceptions, but they’re much easier to deal with when it’s only once in awhile.

It’s been a few weeks since the last post so a few things have happened since then. We had our first hospital visit a few weeks ago. That was the first time I’ve ever heard a baby scream like that. At first we thought it was just gas, because that happens sometimes, but then she kept crying and screaming, didn’t want food (very strange), and after an hour of spine chilling screams and calls to the emergency nurse line we went to the hospital. Keep in mind this was 2-3am on a Wednesday morning during the busiest week of the month for me at work, so needless to say, I was quite stressed. The one nice thing about going to Emergency with a baby is that they rush you right in. Perhaps it was a good night, but they didn’t make us wait in line or fill out any paperwork. Of course as soon as we got there, she calmed right down and seemed to be fine. The nurse had a look and did some tests. So there we were, sitting in the hospital with a content, sleepy baby, feeling like fools for wasting their time. Meanwhile, a baby next door was shreiking away in pain (horrible sounds) and Kahlara was falling asleep in our arms. The nurse reassured us that we did the right thing bringing her in and told us to come back if anything out of the ordinary comes up in the next while. We saw a few doctors who diagnosed the problem as her intestines folding in on itself (like a sock), which is extremely painful for the baby but not harmful if it corrects itself which it usually does. So we were on our way home by 5am-ish and thankfully she slept a good 6 hours after we got home.

On a brighter note, we had our first night out for our 7th anniversary (September 11th) which was nice. Thanks to Jackie and Michelle for babysitting. It went really well. Everyone had a blast!  And Kahlara got a visit from Dyanna all the way from Oregon and she also met Darren for the first time.

Today was a big day. A visit to the doctor for her first round of shots/immunizations, and she’s got 4 bandages to prove it! Two on each leg. We were a little worried because we’d heard horror stories, but she handled it really well. A little crying and then it was all done. No problem! She’s officially 8lbs, 9oz which is a little low but the doctor is happy because she is growing like crazy in length. She’s already 23 1/4 inches which means she’s grown almost 3 inches in 2 months (89th percentile).

Here is a picture of her looking over Grandpa’s shoulder, alert and active as usual!  Please note the lack of red hair which I am extremely happy about

It’s been awhile since the last post. Time is flying by and we’re busy all the time. Lot’s of little changes are still happening but less of them major. She is smiling alot more often and copying facial expressions. I’m also always surprised at how far away she can see. If I’m standing 6 feet away she looks right at me (eye contact) and follows me if I move back and forth. I didn’t think their eyesight would develop so fast. When she was born they said it was 6-8 inches. Her eyes seem to be blue most of the time but once in awhile they are grey. I guess it changes a bit when they’re young. Her neck is getting much stronger and she’s able to look around without too much trouble. It’s nice not to have to worry about supporting her head as much all the time.

She hasn’t gained as much weight over the last few weeks but it’s still going in the right direction. She went over the 8lb mark this week. Feeding is becoming a bit more difficult because she wants it often. Maureen rarely get’s a break, although we are very happy to say she is sleeping well at night. She doesn’t go to sleep early enough yet (usually 2-3am) but she sleeps for a good 5-6 hours after that and then a few more hours after the morning feed. Our number one priority right now is getting bedtime to around 11-12pm. It’s difficult because she is very fussy around that time. Our plan is to start working on calming her down around 9pm by keeping things quiet and relaxed with some classical music and reading to her. It is slowly starting to work and hopefully in a few weeks we’ll have an earlier bedtime. Sometimes a bath helps but we’re not supposed to do that every day, and sometimes a bit of extra food (a suppliment of formula) helps. We’ve also just started using a soother, although it’ll take awhile for her to get used to it.  It’s all about developing that routine!

Last week we went to Hope (Grandparents place) for a family gathering. All six cousins from that side of the family were there which was nice and we took many pictures. It was her first long roadtrip (1.5 hours each way) and she handled it beautifully. Then the next weekend we went to visit Grossmami and Grosspapi and had a visit with the Carters. We also went to Jason and Alison’s bbq yesterday which was nice. Kahlara has met a lot of new people already.

Well, it’s time to sign off.. until next time

We went for an official weigh-in yesterday and the result was a whopping 7lbs 11oz. That means she’s gained 14oz in less than 2 weeks! They say normal growth is 5oz per week so we’re very happy that she is catching up from the initial weight loss and she’s as healthy as ever. She’s awake alot more now and has been very playfull. She’s enjoying the rattling toys and is developing a very strong push with her legs, which is making it difficult to keep her on our lap. Her neck is getting stronger as well, allowing her to look around a bit when she’s held upright. She never wants to sit still (like her Papa) and is always trying to get her head up to see what’s going on. There have been a couple of tough nights lately but she seems to be sleeping through the morning now so at least Mama can get some (intermittent) sleep.

Before I start off this blog entry, I really need to thank Gord for everything during the 1st two weeks. He did everything, except the feeding of coarse, from changing diapers to making sure that I was well feed and rested. It made it an easier recovery on me. I know I am very lucky:)
Also, I want to thank all for visiting and the wonderful gifts.

So I made it though my 1st week alone. I am a little bit more tired but I can honestly say that Kahlara is not a fussy baby (so far). I am not saying she doesn’t have her moments or nights but it is better than I expected. I set my alarm to make sure I wake up for feedings. Before Gord would wake me up and hand me Kahlara, now he needs his beauty sleep for work. This week was not as eventful but I got to know the different cries and what those cries meant (eat, diaper change, snuggle,etc). The only thing I need to learn is to nap when she does. I find that this is hard for me to do even though I am tired. I want to clean up or do something around the house instead. I am sure that I will start napping in the coming weeks. It has been fun to watch her sleeping(filled with lots of facial expressions and smiles) and cuddling her. Gord and I did get out this week. I finally got to see Phantom of the Opera. Grandma babysat and I didn’t find it as hard to leave her but I did think about her while I was there. We had a couple of nights where Kahlara did not go to bed until 4am but I got her to settle down and go to sleep and all was good until the next feeding. I was very tired but Kahlara let me sleep for 4 hours in a row! I was grateful. She is now crying for me so I will end this blog entry here and say I made it..so far!

It’s been a week since the last post and it was a week loaded with activity. It’s been hot, in the 30′s all week, which adds to the exhaustion. We had to keep the baby downstairs until we could cool the house down later at night. A very busy weekend including Duncan & Carrie’s wedding with each of us attending stag and staggette parties while the other took care of Kahlara. Maureen is feeling much better and managed to make it through the weekend in one piece. It was Kahlara’s first wedding appearance which gave her a chance to meet more family and friends. The heat made it tough but Maureen managed to find shady areas and keep Kahlara cool. I was in the wedding party so I wasn’t much help but Grandma and Grossmami where eager to assist so it was all good in the end.

We got to relax a bit more later in the week as we got into some routines. She’s now feeding incessantly, always hungry. She sleeps pretty well once she’s out, but otherwise it’s food, food, food! We’ve also started regularly scheduled tummy-time while she’s awake. Surprisingly she seems to like it despite the fact that her face is buried in the blanket. She moves her head around alot more this way, and tries desperately to lift it. No cries though, just concentration. It seems to be good for her. She’s also giving us many more smiles and kissy faces.

Her second doctor’s appointment was today and all is well. The doctor is very happy with her weight progress. She gained 5oz back and is now 6lb 13oz and should be back to birth weight next week. We got visits from some of the neighbors and some nice flowers from friends at work as well as an endless supply of berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc..) from Grossmami! We’re very grateful! Thanks!

Photos posted to http://www.bolliworld.com/Photos/Baby/

Wow, time flies, and yet it also feels like Kahlara’s been in our life for a long time. We got a special visit from Kahlara’s Great-Grandmother and Great-Aunt Kathy yesterday. It was pretty cool to get a picture of Great-Grandmother / Great-Granddaughter together (below). And by the way, despite what they say about avoiding visitors in the first few weeks, we think it’s great to have company and love having people drop by. Yes, it’s exhausting at times, but it also gives you a shot of life and a nice change letting others hold the baby and keeping her occupied for awhile.

We had our first doctor’s visit today, which also meant her first road trip. The doctor gave her a clean bill of health relieved us of some stressful concerns (dry skin on feet and hands, breastbone bump, etc…) all normal stuff. She dropped about 12oz to 6lbs 8oz but he seemed to think it was all good and normal.

She’s starting to respond to us more, and we’re figuring out what she wants a little quicker. I stuck my tongue out and she mimicked me. A couple of smiles here and there. She doesn’t seem to be crying as much, probably because we’re getting better at figuring things out.

Again, thank you all for the wonderful gifts and coming to visit! Here’s that picture of Great-Grandmother and Great-Granddaughter.

Photos posted to http://www.bolliworld.com/Photos/Baby/

The themes of the day (or night, it really doesn’t matter any more) are lack of sleep, diapers and loads of stress. Being a complete rookie, I think I’m getting pretty damn good at this diaper thing… and being first time parents, we’re finding that every little thing is a big, huge, gigantic thing until the nurse or doctor tells us not to worry about it. And really, who knew there were sooooo many little things…

The day after we got home, we got a call from the public health nurse to make sure everything was ok and to schedule a visit. She came by the next day to weigh Kahlara (she lost a bit of weight) and to check her out and make sure Maureen was doing ok. She has become a great resource. It’s a major stress reliever when you can call them up anytime with stupid questions about little things that are obvious to most (but not to me) and get some kind of confirmation that it’s nothing to worry about, or what to watch out for.

Aside from the weight loss (which was pretty much normal) she had a slight bit of jaundice (also normal when breast feeding). Breast feeding is far more complicated and takes more skill than I ever imagined. Baby and Mommy have to work together and eventually it all works out. It can be very frustrating for the first few days. The nurse suggested we supplement her feeding for awhile with a small amount of formula just to make sure she’s getting enough.

These first few days were also filled with many visitors bearing far too many gifts! Lucky girl! On Saturday, Grossmami & Grosspapi came over to visit. They also brought some much appreciated gifts for Mom & Dad – Potato salad, steaks, etc.. A feast! On Sunday we got a visit from Duncan and Carrie and Aunty Jackie followed by Uncle Greg, Agnes and Ian in the evening. Then today we got a visit from Fil, Karen and Sasha. Thank you all for coming to visit and for all of the wonderful gifts!!!

Photos posted to http://www.bolliworld.com/Photos/Baby/

The first day started with some very good skin-on-skin bonding with mommy. I’m told this is very important. Then, once the two got to know each other, the usual weigh-in, physical examination, reflex tests, etc.. Then a picture with me (a Dad! what?! I’m still in shock) and our favorite doctor for his wall of fame.

Next came the first breastfeeding. Again, I’m told this is very important. It went very well, and the baby got some good “calories” as they say. By the time this was all done, Maureen was pale as a ghost, hooked up to the IV, and looking in very rough shape. I was quite worried at that point, but the doctor told me she just needed some rest. And thankfully, babies first rest is a long one. They said at least 4 hours, if not more. Maureen pretty much passed out instantly while I made a few calls between 4-5am.

When we woke up (around 8am). Maureen looked much, much better. Kahlara was still sleeping but we couldn’t sleep, despite our exhaustion. We actually got quite lucky in that she slept pretty much a full 8 hours although we were promptly told this would be the one and only time!

When she finally woke up, she needed a diaper change (my very first ever) and a bath, before more feeding. I have to say, despite the absense of odor, that was one nasty poop! More like a bubbling tar pit of sorts.. sorry for the graphic description, but it is what it is.. Anyway I found out, contrary to popular belief, that changing diapers is actually a lot easier than it seems. Bathing is a bit more complicated (due to me being paranoid about breaking the baby) but I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it.
The next breast feeding didn’t really go that well. As we discovered, there is quite a skill to it (for both Mother and baby).

The rest of the day was spent seeing visitors with the odd feeding interruption and quick naps. Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Friends, etc… Lot’s of Movie Star action for the baby… video camera’s and flash photography from every angle. As the evening approaches, we are looking at settling into a more routine pattern. At first, it will be feeding every 3 hours (8+ times a day – ouch). Probably about 8-10 diaper changes a day. So I’ll sign off, a very tired and exhausted Papa. Until next post…

Again, photos posted to http://www.bolliworld.com/Photos/Baby/

Wow, what an experience! I can’t say I was prepared for that. From first contractions at 4pm to delivery of our new baby girl, Kahlara Sofia Bolli at 1:33am on July 13th, 2006.

Maureen called me close to 5 o’clock after she was sure these contractions were the “real deal”. When I got home the contractions were 10 minutes apart and stayed that way for a few hours. Finally they decreased to about 5 minutes apart over another hour or so and then it was time to head to the hospital. When we got to the hospital (Langley Memorial, because Maureen’s doctor is there) it was about 9pm.

Unfortunately there were a few emergencies that had come in and we had to wait in the waiting room for a grueling one and a half hours of contractions that were only 3 minutes apart by this time. By the time we finally got into the assessment room and they hooked her up to the machines and did an exam (about 11pm), she was already 7-8 cm dilated. So from that point on, we were in the priority sequence.

After that, we got a room right away and they called our doctor in (The one and only Dr. Delair). And as all the mothers out there know, that’s when it really started to get nasty! Severe contractions and water breaking and all that crazy stuff. Bottom line is, she was on the delivery table before midnight and by 1:33 we had our baby girl. I have to say, the birthing experience can really bring out a lot in a person. Maureen had decided to try to avoid any pain medications, epidural, etc.. and I honestly didn’t think she was going to be able to see that through. I certainly didn’t expect her too. I would have been all over the drugs! In my opinion, no one should ever have to endure that kind of pain, but in the interest of the baby’s health, she insisted. And she did it! a natural birthing experience! I can’t even begin to describe how proud I am of her. She showed incredible strength throughout the experience. (I was pretty much useless!)

The final tally: Kahlara Sofia Bolli, baby girl, born July 13th @ 1:33am, 7lbs 4oz, 52cm in length and definitely “NOT” a ginger kid! (hooray!!!)

Pictures posted at http://www.bolliworld.com/Photos/Baby/

Hello everyone,

The baby’s not born yet, still waiting, and waiting….    I’m just playing with WordPress so I’m ready to post when time comes. WordPress rocks!