What I DIDN"T expect when I was expecting

Being a mom is hard work! It makes me appreciate my own mom even more. John and I had the most amazing weekend with Caleb. He is smiling back at us and tracking us when we enter and leave the room. It is fun to feel like he knows us and loves us too! I can't believe 6 weeks has flown by and we have a very cute and silly baby boy who tries to keep his eyes open for as long as he can. The world is just so very exciting!

There are a few things I didn't expect about being a mom. Some are frustrating and some are wonderful. I hope new mommies out there can feel like they aren't alone and every other mom goes through similar things too. Here they are:

I didn't expect....

1. To feel like a seahorse 

After I gave birth I felt like a seahorse. The curved spine, bloated belly, and floppy body I could all identify with. I felt like my body had a giant hole in it! All the ligaments that hold your belly up when you are pregnant are stretched out, your abs are worlds apart from each other, and your arms and back muscles are adjusting to holding a nursing baby so you are more than a little sore. I started to feel somewhat normal around day 6 after I went for a long walk. My midwife suggested tying a scarf around my tummy or using my pregnancy support belt backwards so I didn't feel like I was going to cave in on myself and fold in half when I was walking. It helped!

2. To not sleep 

For some reason the thought never dawned on me what it would be LIKE to not sleep a full night and wake up exhausted. I knew I would be waking up a few times to feed Caleb, but I have never gone more than a night or two recently without at least a few hours of sleep. It never occurred to me now much this wears on your body! After a few nights of going to bed at 12am, waking up from 3-4am, then sleeping from 4am-7am and staying up the rest of the day I had a breakdown (or three). I told John it feel like you are in college studying for a midterm EVERY night. I started sleeping again after Caleb eats in the morning and sleeping until 9am or 10am, depending on when he woke up again.  The crazy thing is how much your body adapts to this schedule!

3. The Frustration 

When you don't sleep this is even more present! I didn't expect how frustrating certain things would be. Sometimes dear Caleb wants to party instead of take a nap, even though he is beyond tired and more than a little bit fussy. It is so hard to know that sleep will make him feel better and yet he is fighting it so much. The practice of patience is ever more important during these times. It is easy to forget that little babies can only communicate things through crying. Sometimes I expect him to be like a little adult and be independent and this is not the case! If I notice myself getting elevated I grab a Spark (aka happy mommy juice) and take a nap in the afternoon for at least 30 minutes or so.

4. How Long Everything Takes 

This is on Sunday wen we didn't make it to the 9am Flood gathering in time

Every task that was so easy before a kid is SOOO different when you factor them into the equation. "Running to the store" to pick up a forgotten ingredient for that amazing new Thai dish you are trying out just became "hmmm, maybe I can get it after he wakes up in a hour or two. Well, he will be hungry when we get to the store so I will need to bring the diaper bag to burp him. Oh wait! It isn't packed so I need to do that. And I forgot to eat lunch so maybe I should do that first. Ok I need to put on the Moby wrap before he wakes up. Oh! I should change his diaper before we go too because last time he pooped and got fussy and screamed in the checkout line. I need to put a bra on and make my self presentable too so I should do that before I put on the Moby. Oh wait, I should eat first so that I don't spill all over my new outfit. What do I need to pick up again? Oh yeah, bell peppers. Are they really that important? Maybe not. Maybe I can just make eggs for dinner again, that way I don't have to go get bell peppers. And as a bonus I don't have to wear a bra either." I have learned to plan on being early to things and then maybe I will only be half as late. 

5. How Many Breastfeeding Issues Are Out There

I have been going to a breastfeeding support group and absolutely love the lactation consultant that runs it. If you are a new mom who is planning on nursing you must get around other nursing moms! There are so many issues that come up in our group, I am surprised at how different every nursing relationship is! I have a fast let-down (think fire hose when the milk starts flowing) and am an over-producer (meaning my body didn't get the memo that I only had ONE baby. Body, you are not trying to feed twins so tone it down a notch!). These are are better "problems" than not making enough milk but it affects Caleb more than it does me. He will sputter when the fire hose of milk shoots in the back of his throat and he takes in a lot of air trying to keep up his gulping pace. I need to nurse him practically lying down so that he doesn't choke and he can manage my milk flow. There is one girl in the group whose baby was in the NICU for 10 hours and her first food wasn't her Mommy's milk so she refuses to nurse and will only take breast milk if it is in a bottle (she has since gotten a lot of help to take her mom's breast and is doing great). Three of the babies in our group were or are tongue-tied. Two of them got surgery and the other one does tongue exercises before feeding. One baby isn't gaining enough weight because her mom doesn't produce enough milk. That mom needs to supplement with formula while she tries every possible thing imaginable to increase her milk supply. She even got a prescription for a drug that is illegal in the U.S. but can be filled in Canada and has seen amazing results so far.

6. Comparing Yourself to Other Moms. 

Ever seen these hashtags? #bestmomever #mybabyiscuterthanyours #geniusinthemaking #mybabyiswayadvanced #besthusbandever #workedoutfor3hours #babyslept8hours #idontneedhelp #mybabydoesntcry #supermom
As women we compare ourselves to other women anyways. When I became pregnant I saw myself starting to believe that I would have the easiest, best, most amazing "achiever" pregnancy ever. All my ducks in a row, no complications, healthy wealthy and well. For the most part I enjoyed my pregnancy but there were times that it sucked. When you birth your baby and become a mother there are so many these things that are so tempting to compare yourself and your baby up against. Let me begin. Other moms and babies for starters. Not to mention other dads. Your own mother and family unit, as well as your husband's family and how he was raised. BabyCenter.com babies and all of the, "At 6 weeks your baby should be..." lists. Random friends who had babies who post pictures and updates on Facebook and Instagram. Every book that seems to tell you a formula for a happy, no-fuss, sleeps-all-the-time baby. I think the worst person to compare yourself to is your perfect, ideal self. The person you think you "ought to be" as a mom, the person you expect yourself to be. I have needed to release and surrender so many of my own desires and expectations! My antidote to comparison is encouragement and genuine complements to other moms. Try it, its awesome. I deeply desire to appreciate Caleb just as God created him. I am trying so very hard not to read those books that tell me what he should be doing at what time, how he can become a genius, and what steps to take to create a "super baby".  For the most part I have let Caleb and other mom's experiences be my manual for how to do this thing called motherhood. Sure I occasionally read articles online when I get worried about something but I do it from a reactionary standpoint instead of trying to prevent every imaginable problem that could arise. I don't want Caleb to grow up feeling judged, compared, and sized-up against other kids his age, especially from us as his parents! BUT I know it starts now, from infancy. We have made a commitment as parents to care more about who he is instead of what he does. In our home character trumps accomplishments and achievements. Everyone starts talking about Caleb based on his achievements. They ask, "How much did he weigh? How long was your labor? Is he sleeping great? Do you sleep at night? Is he a good eater? Is he smiling yet? How much weight has he gained already?" These things don't matter at all in the long run! If Caleb struggles in math and constantly brings home C+ papers no matter how hard he tries, but he gives his snack to the homeless man who asks him for food on the way home from school I will beam with pride. I will know that we are helping shape an individual who will do great things in the kingdom of God because he has great character.

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day was amazing. We have never "gone out" for Valentine's Day or celebrated it with any level of flair and importance. We used the day as an excuse to be intentional and get out of the house for a little date night. John planned the whole evening as a surprise and we had a little sleepy Valentine who came with us too! We had the most amazing food at El Pescador Fish Market in La Jolla. John got fish Tacos and I had scallops. I could eat that every night! We then traveled to Sprinkles and I got some gluten-free red velvet cupcakes.

 The best part about the evening was the intentional time we were able to spend together. We had such amazing conversations and the gifts John gave me were so incredibly thoughtful. My husband is so cute and adorable! He wrote me so many love letters before we were married and has continued to write to me every chance he gets. I got the cutest card with homemade coupons and I couldn't have been happier. I have been itching for a massage and John got a great referral from a friend. My truly thoughtful husband also gave me a coupon to have a marriage counseling session at The Soul Care House. Every since we have been married we have talked about wanting to regularly schedule a counseling session once per quarter or a few times a year for "marriage maintenance". five years later and its finally happening. We care about our marriage and want to tend to it in the same way a gardener pulls out weeds and tills the soil to create even more growth and abundance. I am super, super excited! So many couples that we look up to and admire have gone to counseling for "marriage maintenance". Why wait for a ton of problems to come up? If you care about your car, then you schedule all of your appointments to change the oil, get new tires, replace that part that is wearing out, and get regular tune-ups. And my guess is that bill is usually a whole lot more than any counseling session could cost you. We care a whole lot more about our marriage than we do about what car we drive, and I am excited so invest in our marriage this way!

This Valentine's Day has also given me a chance to reflect on my relationship with John and how much everything is changing so fast! I am so thankful I have such an amazing husband to journey on this roller coaster disguised under the word "parenthood". But it's hard. AND I knew it would be hard. And yet it still surprised me how quickly lack of sleep, a drastic change in our "normal" lives, and a little person who has needs too can create opportunities for, well, let's be blunt: TENSION. I think because John and I have such am amazingly seamless relationship before Caleb was born, God is now using the addition of Caleb to grow and stretch us into even deeper intimacy as a couple. Tension for us has been an opportunity to really talk things out and communicate with each other to work it out and smooth things over. I am so grateful for John's willingness to work out the kinks and navigate this parenthood journey with me. It has been really difficult for me to come to the realization that life will forever be different between me and John. It will never again be "just us". We now have a beautiful baby boy who needs us and who depends on us for everything. This next phase of life is so great and amazing because it is different than anything we have ever experienced! John is so caring and thoughtful, I can't imagine what it would be like to raise a little human being with anyone else. For one, who else would put up with this crazy-hormonal-sleep deprived-sometimes grouchy new mommy? Haha, I kid but I am thankful for him.

 For any women out there whose uterus do somersaults when the see pictures of my baby (or any baby) please heed my advice: STRENGTHEN YOUR MARRIAGE FIRST. This is the foundation on which your future will be built. Children do not make up for any lack of love you feel, or make issues or problems go away. They do not take away loneliness or fill any type of void. If anything, having a child will make any and every issue you thought you dealt with rise to the surface once again. Healthy marriages = healthy kids.

Mommy Hacks

I have had such a fun time being Caleb's mommy for ONE whole month now! I can't believe it was four weeks ago that I had just pushed a baby out and was enjoying the first few hours of my son's life with John. I have learned a few things here and there that have made my life a whole lot easier than I could have ever thought when he first arrived! I call these "Mommy Hacks".

#1 Distractions!

Around day 8 we were tired of the wailing that happened every time Caleb needed his diaper changed (well we were tired of it before then, but we decided to do something about it!). I posted a black and white picture of me and John at our wedding on the wall next to his changing station. When he noticed it he calmed down and started inspecting it! By the third day it was up Caleb figured out that if his hand flailed enough he could get the picture to swing on the tack that held it up. Big discovery! Intentional flailing happens nearly every time he is changed or an object is close to him. Since putting up the little picture, I also printed off some infant visual stimulation cards. My mom swears this is why we all are so smart; she had them next to our changing tables when we were infants as well. True or not, he loves them! Infants love high contrasting pictures, items, objects, books, clothes, you name it.  During the first few days I was quickly going from one diaper to another and I didn't realize that he needed to air out between wet diapers. Poor guy got diaper rash pretty badly because his booty wasn't getting dry. Mommy fail. See the next hack for how we fixed this one. He still cried when we change him,  but after we are done he loves to check out the the pictures next to him for a good ten minutes! (P.S. never leave an infant on a changing table unattended, we stay there the whole time!). If you want some your self, click here.

 #2 Naked Tummy Time

What baby wouldn't love naked tummy time? Because of the diaper rash, our pediatrician recommended naked time to help him air out. We let him air out on the changing table between changes for about 5 minutes (yes we always get sprayed) and apply a bit of Mother Love diaper rash cream (cloth diaper safe!). My friend Stephanie recommended naked tummy time so he could have even more clothes-free time! Here is another hack for unpredictable pees: put a plastic Ziplock bag under a hand towel or cloth diaper to catch any tinkle. Worried about the little love bug being cold? Put a heating pad on low under the play gym 10 minutes before you plan to start. A warm, happy, naked, pee-controlled baby is all yours to enjoy!

#3 Cloth Diapers

 During the first two weeks we mixed cloth and disposable based on where we were going and what time of day it was. Disposable at night was easier and cloth during the day. However, I don't want to put diapers on too tight because it is uncomfortable for them and can trap gas. Think about an amazing pair of skinny jeans that are one size too small. Sure they make your a** look amazing and they slim your legs, but try sitting down and your tummy rebels. You start fantasizing about unbuttoning the top button when you order drinks on your hot date. Its all you can think about and misery ensues until you stand up again. SO... no tight diapers. But disposables LEAK!! Up the back, on the sides, and up the front unless you have a baby that doesn't pee or you change the diaper every hour. I have never had a cloth diaper leak unless I left some cloth uncovered by the thirsties diaper cover. I am super in love with cloth diapers because they are way cheaper and not too much of a pain to wash. We even share laundry with four other units so no excuses if you don't have laundry in your place! I am sure I will do a more in depth post about this one day.

#4 Binky

I ordered this bad boy off Amazon a few days ago and have started using it a few times a day. Caleb loves to suck John's finger when he is distressed or is trying to pass some gas. However, he won't take my finger! I can hear him thinking "Mom! C'mon, you got boobies! Bust them out for a minute!" I usually do because if he is seeking comfort we want him to know mommy and daddy can both help him, just in different ways. The binky is another tool in our "Help Caleb Belt", along with all the other soothing techniques he likes. We decided to incorporate the binky when he was 3 weeks and 4  days old. I wanted to establish breastfeeding and make sure that his latch and sucking patterns were strong before we gave him any type of pacifier. We are intentional about monitoring when he uses it because we don't want him to become dependent on it or use it to satisfy any type of hunger cues. Plus it is recommended to stop pacifier use before their first birthday, although some sources advocate for sooner, so we know its only temporary anyway. Usually he will take it when he is fussy because of gas or when he is sleepy after he has eaten. He definitely will push it out forcefully when he doesn't want it or if he just wants to work through something by crying while being held. I am glad we waited because it seems like he knows best when he needs it and when he doesn't!

#5 Breastfeeding Help 

First of all, I love this picture. Caleb and I have been constantly working on our nursing relationship. I have nursed in public without a cover every time I nurse out of our home because of the issues you will read about below. I mostly nurse him in the car and in his Ergo carrier. He is a great eater and has all of the right things going for him. Great hunger cues, awesome latch, beautiful suck/swallow patterns, burps galore. However, on day 5 I was starting to feel overwhelmed and ready to give up. He wouldn't take one of my boobs and I was panicking. I cried and prayed and had a major breakdown. Thankfully I called Stephanie (lifesaver) and she reassured me that that is normal and my milk wasn't going to dry up. I also reached out to my sister-in-law Janelle, my friend Jamie, my mom, and a facebook group I am a part of. I am so thankful I did! They all encouraged me and helped me get through the hardest parts. On day 10 I went to a weekly breastfeeding support group "Boobies and Babies" at the yoga studio I went to when I was pregnant. It is now one of my favorite days of the week! The Lactation Consultant who runs it helped me identify that I am an over-producer and I have a hyper-active let down. Basically my body didn't get the memo I only have one baby. It's thinking I have twins or more. Because of this Caleb will choke because the milk is coming out too fast and he will fill up on the foremilk (first part of the milk that comes out) and be too full to get much hindmilk (the fattier milk that comes at the end). As a protective mechanism he will pop off when the flow is too much for him, but he will become frustrated because he isn't eating anymore. This has resulted in him having green, frothy poops and painful gas. Babies need the fat to help their body digest the sugary milk that comes out first. To remedy these problems the LC showed me a few upright nursing positions and suggested I nurse on only one side per feeding. She said it will take some time to normalize, and we have had some "normal" poops a few times a day but the green still creeps up here and there. I am so thankful for the friends and resources I have found to help me. I totally understand why people give up on breastfeeding, it is hard work! I would encourage any new mom to surround herself with other women who can help her and support her through the hard times because it makes it so much easier!

Newborn Photoshoot

I hope you enjoyed Caleb's last post with all of his updates. I am thrilled to share his newborn photo shoot with you guys. My sister has a budding photography business in Santa Barbara (hello beautiful place to photograph!) and was kind enough to do our newborn photo shoot and some candid shots of us around our home. Check out her new blog, hopefolio or like her facebook page, Hope Photography, to check out some more amazing photos!

This week has been a lot better than the last one for me. I am still pretty tired but I feel like Caleb and I are finally getting the hang of nursing and we are figuring out what his rhythms are and little cute quirks. I went to a nursing support group yesterday at Nature's Whisperer, the same place I did prenatal yoga. It was really fun to get to know some other new mommies and their beautiful babies! I learned a few new tricks and was able to try out a nursing pillow that I am going to be able to get from a friend tomorrow. I have been very intentional about enjoying the mornings he and I have together because those are my favorite part of my day with him! He is becoming very alert when we change his diaper and let him air out. I tacked up a black and white photo from our wedding on the wall next to his changing table and he loves to stare at it. Last night when John was changing him Caleb started to figure out that his hand can move the picture a little bit. For 10 minutes we watched him try to figure out how to coordinate his hand to hit it so it would move. He is starting to arch his body towards things and twist his body as well. I know that aren't supposed to roll over for a very long time but he makes me nervous.

My mom has been nourishing us with amazing food, a clean home, and clean laundry for 9 days now! She leaves tomorrow and I am really thankful she is coming back in a few weeks with Grandpa Danny to visit again when my sister plays in a water polo tournament down in San Diego. John is excited to start the 24 Day Challenge soon to clean and clear out some of the 2013 gunk that we consumed over the holidays. I can't wait to do a modified version in a few weeks since the last time I did the Herbal Cleanse was the week we tried to conceive (and we were apparently successful as evidenced below!). I ate fairly well during my pregnancy but I am pumped to give my insides a reset after having a baby inside for 9 months. My goal and intention would be to NOT lose weight since keeping fat on after baby is key to continuing to breastfeed. I want a clean tummy guys!

Caleb had his first doctor appointment today and I felt like quite the circus act. He had his first ever blowout poop in the only pair of clothes I had brought up to the doctor office. So I changed him as the nursing assistant was asking me all of these questions about his birth, his habits, and our family health history. I was super frazzled. John had to meet us at the office as opposed to going with us, and thankfully he walked in just when I was starting to feel overwhelmed juggling changing a baby with poop everywhere while fumbling through my diaper backpack and answering very important questions. The nursing assistant asked us to take off his diaper so she could weigh him. On the way back into the room (the scale is outside) Caleb peed in his swaddle blanket, all over John's shoe, and all over their table! John had thrown away the diaper I had just put on him out of habit and that was the last one I had in my bag. Disaster!! The doctor office had scented pampers but after the angry red bottom I got the previous time I used them I decided to have John go get more 7th generation diapers from my car. At this point Caleb was alert, happy and butt naked in a peed-in swaddle blanket. Finally we got a diaper on him and Dr. Nakahara came in. She was great and Caleb was very alert and enjoying the new things to look at in the room while she examined him. Caleb has surpassed his birth weight an is now ALMOST 9lbs (1oz away!). He is gaining weight well, healthy, and he has absolutely stolen our hearts. I had been pretty fearful of taking home to the doctor because of all the unpredictable things he might do. Hmm, I guess God gave me the opportunity to just laugh at myself, which I did as soon as we left the appointment.

Alright, here are those scrumptious photos Hope took! He was 8 days old here in these pictures and is now 12 days old! The last one might be my favorite, it is an "out take".

I had to include this little out take. Caleb gets frustrated when he isn't in a comfortable position. Don't we all!

Hello World! It's me, Caleb!

Hello World!

My name is Caleb John Sorenson and I was born into the Sorenson family last Friday! I wanted to update you guys on some highlights on my first week of life. I have been a very busy boy and though you all might like to take a glimpse into my little world. My mommy is going to write out her birth story of how she and Daddy brought me into the world,  and my Auntie Hope took newborn photos of me, so stay tuned for those posts in the next few days!

Thursday January 9th
I was very excited to make my entrance into the world. Mommy started having regular back surges at 2:30am (sorry mom, I know you didn't get much sleep that night). I was still kicking and moving and enjoying the perfect little environment inside mommy. I could hear my parents debate weather or not I was going to be born soon and I smiled inside and said "Yes guys! I'm coming to meet you face to face real soon!"

Friday January 10th 12:43am
I was brought into the world! I weighed 8lbs, 10oz and was 22 inches long. I was born with my right arm next to my head and my shoulders were sideways. What a silly way to be born! My mommy and daddy were so excited to meet me. Miss Vickii, Miss Nicole, and Miss Wendy were all present for my birth as Mommy and Daddy's midwives. I am a very special baby because I was born at home in Mommy and Daddy's bed. I really enjoyed not being poked and prodded by Dr.'s and bright lights for my first hours in the world. I was delivered skin to skin onto mommy's chest and was able to stay naked and free for about 2 hours before they put a diaper on me. Darn it. My mommy is so funny, some of the first words out of her mouth were "O sweetie! I love you! It's a boy! I can feel his balls!" Mom, you are so embarassing! I was famished and decided it was time to do the breast crawl with mom's help (the "breast crawl" usually only happens if mom and baby are skin-to-skin). I finally started nursing 10 minutes after I was born. About 45 minutes after I was born I got to snuggle skin-to-skin with Daddy. His hairy chest was so funny! We both fell asleep for an hour while Mommy got some sutures. She was gripping Daddy's hand SOOO hard but daddy and I slept right through it all! After a few hours all our midwives left and we got to spend the most precious moments together as a family in our own home. No interruptions, no visitors, no nothing but family time. Mommy and Daddy took my temperature every few hours and I was always within the normal range. Phew!

Friday January 10th Day 
Mommy didn't change a single diaper for a while. Daddy was the expert! He calms me down so well and I love to listen to his voice when he "shushes" me. It reminds me of being inside mommy! This day I stayed skin-to-skin with mommy and daddy as much as possible and I know that they enjoyed it as much as I did because they cried a lot and were smiling at me. Mommy was SO hungry today and was eating every 2 hours and drinking gallons of water. I was a very hungry baby and kept mom busy with frequent feedings. Daddy learned how strong I am because I can squat crawl all the way from his belt line to his collar bone to try to find his nipple. I definitely tried to nurse Daddy a lot today and he kept laughing at my bobbing head trying to find food.

Saturday January 11th 
Daddy went to workout at CrossFit today. Also, my first visitors came today. Auntie Stephanie came and helped mommy clean up our home and set up my changing table. I also got to meet Scotia. I think Mommy and Steph want us to be BFFs. Scotia tried to smack me lightly, I guess I had my first experience with a girl flirting with me. Hmm, Mommy doesn't know what to think about that. Papa and Drea (my daddy's parents) came to visit me in the evening. They brought soooo much food and it was so nice to meet them! Drea didn't want to give me to Daddy when it was time to leave because she loves me so very much and thinks I am as cute as a button.

Sunday January 12th 
I have yet to wear any clothing, save my diaper. Glorious freedom! My parents kept me skin to skin and close to them during the day and night and I was so comforted to know that this big wide world has people that will take care of me and listen to my needs. Today was a hard day for Mommy because the sleep deprivation kicked in when the adreniline rush subsided. Auntie Janelle, Uncle Richard, and my cousin Brody came to visit. They brought Mommy and daddy Chipolte! It was so fun meeting Brody because he and I are only a few months apart! Mommy has a feeling we will get into a lot of mischief when we are old enough to play together. Miss Vickii came to check on me, Mommy, and Daddy. Everyone checked out just great and Miss Vickii suggested we go for a walk to help mommy stretch out her sore muscles. Daddy carried me in the Ergo for my first adventure out into the big wide world! Daddy enjoyed this so very much and I slept like a champ. Mommy's milk came in today and I kept on choking trying to figure out this whole new way of eating.

Monday January 13th 
Ruby, my grandma, came into town today! She and Mommy were sad Ruby didn't make it to my birth. Ruby has been gobbling up my cute little cheeks and enjoying spending time with me. She is amazing because she is cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry for my family. Mommy appreciates her so much and can't imagine what our days would be like with out her! Today was also the day that daddy went back to work. Daddy cried on his way to the office because he missed me so very much. I have big plans to visit him though. This evening Rob and Jodi came by to see me. They are having a baby in August!

Tuesday January 14th 
I stared cluster feeding today. I wanted to nurse every hour or two because I was so very hungry and wanted to put on some chubby cheeks. Mommy and me spent some quality time together for a few hours while Ruby was swimming and Daddy was at work. We loved the alone time, it was so special and precious! I wore my first ever clothing today. A hat and a onsie. I think clothes are silly and I made some funny faces when Mommy put them on me. By the afternoon my mommy was a little worn out. She had a really big breakdown and cried a lot today because I wouldn't take one of her boobies. Everything was just fine, but it's hard being a hormonal new mommy. Auntie Belle visited me tonight as well. She was on her way to work to help new mommies in the hospital.

Wednesday January 15th
 Miss Nicole and Miss Wendy came back to do our 5 day check-up. Mommy is healing nicely and her abs are only 1 finger apart instead of 4 when I was born. Maybe she will wear a bikini this summer? Today I had my first experience with inflicted pain. I was pricked for my newborn screen. However, Mommy forgot to tell Miss Nicole that she and Daddy wanted to get the screening done through Baylor University instead of through California state so that my genetic information is not permanently on file with the government. Miss Nicole had to come back on Thursday to re-prick me and get another blood sample. Both times Mommy held me and I sucked on her finger so that I knew I was safe. When Miss Nicole weighed me I was already 1oz away from my birth weight. I also peed on her scale. Haha, gotcha! Today was the day I tried out my first cloth diaper. Mommy botched it three times and finally got the hang of it. Mommy and Ruby took a walk in my Ergo to Auntie Stephanie's house. Mommy was very weak and felt a little light-headed on the walk. She had to go very slow because her body went through a lot to bring me into the world. Tonight Mommy and Daddy went on their first solo date to CVS to get me more wipes and to get daddy some allergy medication. Hot!

Thursday January 16th 
Mommy had her first adventure out of the house in a car today with me and Ruby. I had my first adventure in a carseat. I was very upset for the first few minutes and then fell asleep after mommy told me where were were going and why we needed to go in the car. I was going to see daddy at work for the first time! I slept the whole time and today was the day Mommy decided she hated taking my carseat in and out of the car. We went to target and Mommy didn't feel safe putting my carseat on top of the cart so I went inside it. None of the stuff we got could fit into it! Mommy vowed to use her ergo and moby from here on out.

Friday January 17th 
I am now one week old! I love to sleep in my rock-n-play or on someone's lap during the day. Auntie Hope came into town today to visit me for a few days. She is just the best because she takes amazing pictures of me! Check out her blog, hopefolio. Mommy, Ruby, and Auntie hope went out to Babycakes for some gluten-free cupcakes. Mommy was a little tired and started to not feel well so we went home. Today Mommy and I finally feel like we have got the hang of nursing. I communicate with her that I am hungry by rooting around and sucking my fingers. Sometimes I wake up screaming because I had a dream there was no more milk in the world. Mommy always comes and takes care of my hunger. I am starting to trust these parents of mine! They actually listen to me!

Saturday January 18th 
Mommy wore her self out today and over-did it today. Poor mommy has Achiever as one of her top 5 strengths and it is hard for her to rest and let people take care of her. The whole morning we rested just me and Mommy because I wanted to see Daddy compete in his CrossFit competition. Ruby and Hope left for the morning to go swimming and Mommy read me a bible story. Mommy and Auntie Hope took me to go see Daddy! He did really well and I slept through the loud music and flury of activity like a champ. Mommy's tummy must have been PRETTY loud for me to get used to all the loud noises in this world. After we got back mommy rested so that she and daddy could go on a date night. I did something very silly today. I did a projectile poop when Ruby was changing me. It flew about 16 inches when she was putting coconut oil on my booty. RUby was squealing and nobody could finish changing me for a few minutes because they were all laughing hysterically. I don't know what the big deal is! After I was changed mommy and daddy went to Zpizza and got yummy gluten-free dairy free pizza! They were able to bless a homeless mom named Pamela feed her two teenage boys by buying her an x-large pizza to take back to their camp. God always reminds mommy that he provides because in the car ride over to pizza she had been telling Daddy that she was worried about trusting God with finances. And here they meet another mommy who has lost everything and is trying desperately to provide for her boys. Mommy told Pamela about the Monarch School, a school that serves families impacted by homelessness.  Hopefully her boys can start going to school again (they dropped out when they became homeless).

Sunday January 19th
That's today! I am currently fast asleep with Daddy (he is snoring). Auntie Hope left today and Ruby is spending some time out of our home so we can have some special family time and Mommy can blog (you didn't think I was typing all this did you?) Our big plans for today are to take my very first bath. I am stinky from spit-up and milk. Our biggest plan is to rest, rest, rest. Mommy realized she is over-doing it and wants to make sure she is focusing on her job of being a well-rested mommy. No more crazy outings. No more flurry of activity. Mommy, slow down, because time will fly by!

With Love,
Caleb Sorenson

P.S. Here is a sneak peak at my newborn photo shoot!