Visits, Colds, High Chairs and More

Wow - its been a week since I last posted.

My friend visited over the weekend.  It was great meeting her after 7 years, even though we talk on the phone almost every week. She just loved Beanie and was all over her. Beanie cried and freaked out initially but was fine after some time. 

My friend did make a comment as follows - "its weird but she looks nothing like you". I just said "yes she looks like the donor" which is a true statement since she looks identical to the baby pic of the sperm donor anyways. 

I am not telling anyone about the egg donation - not because I am in any way ashamed of it, but because it is Beanie's story to tell. I don't want her to tell me as a teenager "Mom you really did not need to tell anyone, its nobody's business".  I am a very private person so that would be my preference if I was in her shoes. Anyway, I will let her decide as she grows what she wants to do with the information.

I think my friend suspected because at one point she wondered out loud why people donate sperm and eggs (I know weird!). I am just going to stay silent on this issue.

Last Thursday when I went to pick up Beanie from daycare I started talking to the lead teacher about how fast she was growing out of her clothes.  The teacher Miss R asked "is her father tall?". It always comes so unexpectedly that even though I have decided to answer, "there is no father, she is donor conceived" I can never do so since I always get flustered since I am invariably not expecting it.

I replied "she does not have a father" and the teacher says "I am sorry". I said "no, nothing like that I am single and I decided to have a  baby using an anonymous donor" So she said "ah okay...I am sorry I did not mean to pry". To which I replied, " No worries.  I have been wanting to tell you so you know her background but just not had a chance."

That was elegant - don't you think - ugh !  Maybe I need to stand in front if the mirror and practice - lol :-)

Updates on Beanie --

On Monday last she started coughing a few time a day. Took me  awhile to realize it was a cough. Then Tuesday it was a bit more noticeable. Wed it seemed to be more, but still just a dry cough a few times every couple of hours. I called the Drs office not sure what to do when a baby is having a dry cough but no other symptoms. They said to just watch it.

Then on Friday she woke up and was coughing and sneezing a LOT and it definitely seemed like a cold.  But still no fever , no runny nose and no change in behavior or appetite.  I squirted some saline solution and that cleared it somewhat.  I debated whether to call the nurse again and to take her in on Sat - my friend would be visiting so it would not be great timing but obviously Beanie is more important. Finally decided that since other than coughing, sneezing she was not have any issues that I would wait and see.

That night after my friend went to sleep. Beanie definitely sounded like she was having a hard time breathing through her nose due to congestion. I squirted some more spray and held in my arms sitting up in bed to make it easier for her and so that I could monitor that she was breathing okay.  I decided to wait a bit and if it did not improve to call the 24 hour nurse line. But pretty soon she was peacefully asleep in my arms.

Next day (Sat) she did not cough even once and has not since then - thankfully. Not sure if was a cold or more likely allergy. I have been having some issues with the weed pollen too.

Foodwise - this week, she started yellow squash and seems to love it.  She is ready to eat 2 tablespoons at a time. Tomorrow I will reintroduce the oatmeal. She has spit up more each time after eating it so I stopped for a couple of weeks but her Dr said to try 4-5 times at least. Beanie does have some reflux (un-medicated) so some days she is a bit more spitty and it may just have been a coincidence.

Oh and the highlight of the week is undoubtedly putting together her high chair and feeding her in it. I did some research online and I bought a nice Gra.co one for my house and a foldable one for my parents since they will need one too.  She loves her high chair and the moment I put her in it stated banging on the tray and smiling. So cute!

I did a bunch of shopping for her this weekend since she seems to have outgrown most of her onsies. I cannot believe how fast she is outgrowing clothes.  So many of them she did not even wear once - sigh :-(

I have come to the conclusion that Ca.rters brand have the best sizing where a 6mos actually fits her. Ger.ber are the absolute worst. They are okay length whose but super skinny. Circ.o from Tar.get is good and so is Bon Bebe. She is now wearing some 6-9 and some 12 month Ger.ber stuff.

Anyway she now has a good number of nice new onsies and this weekend we will go to the consignment store to get some full sleeved ones.  I have decided go to the stores only as and when I need stuff for her rather than buying in advance for a season.

While we were shopping Beanie was in the stroller, clinging to S.ophi the giraffe and sucking her two fingers (which by the way are exactly the same two fingers I used to suck as a kid - so weird).Anyway, there was a lady and her daughter (about 18-19) and the girl kept looking at Beanie and I heard her whisper to her Mom - "look at that cute baby". My heart swelled with pride!  We get a lot of compliments but the irony is that Beanie will invariably burst into tears when people go-ga over her.

More later on sleep training, routines and motherhood (expectations vs reality).