Only 24 hours in a day?

It is hard to believe how much time it takes to care for a newborn. Everyone has said "say goodbye to sleep" but not only was I not truly prepared for sleep deprivation, but I also wasn't prepared for how much time it takes just to feed Atticus and change diapers. Okay, changing one diaper doesn't actually take that much time, but changing 74 in 7 days? Yes, that is how many we went through this past week - 74! So, it does add up. And we tend to change outfits between 4-5 times each 24 hour period - so that takes time. Plus, snuggling with him, consoling him, and just staring at him takes time as well!

But, the biggest time consumer of all is feeding him. I am breastfeeding him, which was tough to begin with. I won't go into all details here - I will save those for my girlfriends. But, there is a big process of learning how to get Atticus to latch on and stay on; how to make sure everything is in the proper place to know he is nursing and not just suckling; deciding whether he is getting enough to eat each time; figuring out why at certain times he wants to eat for 2 1/2 hours without getting full and other times is done after 10 minutes on each side. So, there is just lots to learn for both of us! Towards the end of the 2nd week, we had it down as far as eating regularly. The first week and a half or so, we had a hard time. Sometimes Atticus would go 12 hours (this happened about 3 times) without nursing constantly or nursing good (well?). This was frustrating because I felt terrible knowing he wasn't getting enough to eat but not knowing what to do. This led to the first breakdown of tears (aka bawling) when he was 6 days old and we were getting a weight check at the dr.'s office. He had lost 1 1/2 oz. and I just fell apart because I knew he wasn't eating enough. All is better now; At 2 weeks old, he weighed 6 lbs, 12 oz! I have just learned that Atticus can be a little impatient at times and sometimes a little lazy (he thinks the milk should just be poured into his little mouth out of a crystal goblet instead of him actually getting it for himself). But, he is precious and I do not mind the learning curve we went through! We have got it down now. Well sort of - we still alter our schedule all the time! But, he is eating and eating a lot!

I want to give you a quick breakdown of how my day is spent:

1. 8 - 9 feedings a day @ approx. 1 hour each (this is being conservative) = 9 hours.
2. 10 diaper changes a day @ approx. 5 minutes per change (have I mentioned it does take longer when he decides to tinkle on me instead of in the diaper and thus, typically required another outfit change?) = approx. 1 hour.
3. Feeding me/showering me/dressing me*/having adult conversations with Vic = 1 1/2 hours (this is being liberal)
4. 3-4 daytime/nighttime naps @ approx. 2 hours each (again - liberal) = 6-8 hours tops!
5. Blogging/picture uploading/work/baby laundry/small to-do's still for nursery = approx. 3 hours.
6. Consoling, cuddling, snuggling and holding my sweet baby Atticus is done the rest of the time and many times replaces things like #3, 4, and 5! And this is my favorite one of all!

And sometimes we just spend all 24 hours with one another eating, changing diapers and napping! We even include Daddy when he gets home!

*Dressing me means just exchanging one set of shorts and tank top for another; the first set having tinkle, spit-up, milk, etc. on them and needing to start fresh each day after my shower. I do not care if anything matches, is too revealing for public (let's be honest here - the more revealing a top, the easier it probably is to breastfeed him..hehehe), do not apply makeup, and let my hair airdry. I am lucky my husband loves us not matter what!

So, that is my typical day right now. And when I do hit that exhaustion point each day, and it DOES come at some point each day, I am still so thankful for our new little family of 3!

This is how Atticus prefers to spend his evenings. Snuggled on the couch talking to Daddy.