Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’ve gone a little Ingrid-centric. But hot damn, you would too if she was your kid.

Yesterday, we went for our first walk. I was all stoked to sling her everywhere until she was 11, but I also got a stroller, and I’m so glad I did, because slinging her right now is not an option with the right leg of random sciatica.  I don’t feel stable enough to support MYSELF at times, so strapping her to me seems a little. . . terrifying.  It’s odd, it will be great for hours, and then just give out.  I walked her in to the peds office, carrying her (no carseat), and on the way BACK to the car, about ten feet from it, the pain started. I made it to the car, but by the time I went to get in myself, it was like I was a 90 year old woman. Sigh. Anyway, the stroller? LOVE. Ingrid seems to dig it, too. We’re going to upload more pictures today, probably, but our first family walk was a success, even if it was just around the block, literally.  Dave did the ‘driving,’ and he loves the stroller, too, and said it’s like driving his Impreza, only with his feet. Heh.

Ingrid met some neighbors yesterday. Our next door neighbors that we see and talk to all the time came over with a hanging plant, and came in to meet her, and on our walk, she met the neighbors on the other side of the house. In the afternoon, we had our front door open for fresh air, and I heard yet MORE neighbors discussing us from yard to yard: "Gretchen had the baby!" – "she did?!" – and the neighbor two doors down came by with a beautiful handknit sweater. "I had a few I’d made, but I thought this one would be great for a girl!" It’s really beautifully done, not just a sweater, but with designs and stuff in it.

My SIL and BIL and niece came over, as well, and Ingrid received her first VPO: Very Pink Outfit. Sigh. She also received some pink booties with ribbon rosebuds on them, and Dave was like "okay, that is just WAY too femmey for our daughter. I don’t mind the pink like you do, but the rosebuds are awful." Hee.  In the mail, we got muffins   from Brooklyn, along with orange baby clothes (YAY, ORANGE!) from KB.  Ingrid is making out like a bandit, but the muffins were ALL OURS.

I talked to my Grandma, as well, as my mom had been telling me I needed to call, because she was just SO excited and would love to hear fromme. I don’t talk to my grandma often, unless I’m at my parents house or something, just because, we don’t. But I called her after the walk, to thank her again for the stroller (we’d already purchased it, but she sent us a check to cover the expense as her baby gift to us) and to say that Ingrid seemed to really enjoy it, etc etc, and to just talk about what was going on with the first few days of parenthood.  She raved about Dave, how she thought it was just so wonderful that he was taking two weeks to stay with us, and how she just thought he was the best. (Everyone does. Because he is.)  She also asked what else we needed, which isn’t much, really, but she’s sending us money to buy the convertible carseat — probably the last Necessary Item we need.  Which is great, we can install that in Dave’s car for now (we didn’t do the two bases thing), and then we have it for when she outgrows the infant seat.

I also left the house without Ingrid for the first time, ever, to go to Brooks for some gel pads for my nipples. I haven’t used them yet, but the breastfeeding is going well. Funky Nipple seems to be the best one, after all that angst, and Regular nipple is a more challenging latch. But, Funky Nipple is a more painful latch. Oh well. THEY WORK. Both of them. The engorgement arrived the night before last, and Ingrid ended up puking last night (I think from overfeeding or fast flow or whatever it is, she was really gulping to keep up), but, hey, just in time for her first bath!  Dave and I are Such New Parents. It’s like a sitcom. We got her bathed, though, and dressed, and she puked again. Of course. Today will be baby’s first laundry!

Ingrid has adjusted to the diaper changing, at last. Natalie had mentioned that her daughter hated it too, for about a week, so that gave us hope, and she definitely has calmed down. So, you know, of course we were like "Is she okay? She’s NOT screaming."  The only thing I have a really hard time with as far as diaper changes is the cord care.  Her hematoma meant that it was cut super long (you can see the hematoma in her photo gallery) and while it’s drying up, it’s still the size of a kalamata olive, and it just freaks my shit out. I know, intellectually, that it doesn’t HURT or anything, but I really can’t handle it, it looks so raw and wound-like. So, Dave does that part.

As far as sleep, two nights ago, I got her swaddled but with her hands up to her face so she could access them, and she slept with me in the crook of my arm, in bed. Dave was still nervous, so he put a firm pillow between us so he wouldn’t roll over on her. We all slept really well that way. Last night, Dave didn’t bother with the pillow, and he’s seeing the benefits of co-sleeping. (Also, he had emailed a friend who has teenagers and "just mentioned" the sleep worries, and Bill was all "COMMUNAL NEST! You won’t roll over on them and they won’t be there forever." On top of that Ferber was on the Today show and saying that the family bed wasn’t bad, either, and that he didn’t agree with the AAP rec’s of NOT doing it.)  Last night’s co-sleep was the best night yet, so I feel like we’re on the right track.

For me, I’m down to my pre-pregnancy weight as of yesterday. Now I just have to get back to the whole pre-TTC weight, heh.  Losing the pregnancy weight is certainly a step in the right direction, though, right?

My sister is on her way to stay for a few nights (sans dog),  and is allegedly bringing a cooler full o’ food with her. We’ve had quiche and lasagna dropped off, as well as a tray of manicotti in the freezer, which is soooo nice, to not have to worry about cooking.

Also, this post took four hours to write.