This last week or so, Ali seems to be almost insatiable. She’s beginning to be awake for longer stretches….which sometimes makes for a very cranky three week old. On the flip side she’s sleeping more, and longer at a time, during the night. Except for last night. And the one before. But that’s the insatiable thing. She just wakes up to nurse, so most of the night she just sleeps next to my boob!

Tony has still been able to work from home, which allows us a lot of flexibility. We walk through the neighborhood a lot (to keep from going crazy locked up in the house….and in an attempt to catch some of summer so quickly passing us by), Thursday we even ventured down to the waterfront in Edmonds for a change of scenery. Other than that…we frequent Target pretty regularly, made a quick stop at Costco for toilet paper and water the yesterday, then stopped by Kris’ to show her how Ali’s grown. We go to the grocery store for the essentials…I can’t remember the last time we actually stocked up. It seems like too much effort usually. We have been doing a good job of cleaning out the cupboards though, and getting inventive with things in the freezer! We’ve been watching a TON of television too (Big Brother 8, King of Queens, Airline, Good Eats, Top Chef, Hey Paula, Intervention, That 70’s Show, Real Estate Pros). Thank you Dish Network and DVRs!

Deep in thought?

Sleeping through her walk.

Tony trying to pick an apple.

Those lips!

Sometimes she’s awake.

Visiting Kris.

I’ll admit it’s uncomfortable, at times even painful, to breastfeed. It’s also natural, good for both baby and mother, and, in my experience, extremely fulfilling and amazing. This is nutrition in it’s simplest form, something many Americans (myself so, so included) could stand to see and understand. Witnessing the phenomenon, day in and day out, is eye-opening enough, but to be the "feeder?"

It’s hard, even now, to wrap my head around the idea that this little being needs me, and me alone, to eat. And not just today, or yesterday, or tomorrow. Every day. All day long. And, sometimes, most of the night. While I struggle to understand the concept, I’ve succeeded in integrating the actions. Leaving the house without nursing first is not an option. At least not a smart or pleasant one. Sometimes ten minutes, or five, or even two is too long for a baby to wait. They want milk now and whatever I want to finish up really doesn’t matter. I even find myself incorporating nursing into my dreams!

Pregnancy was a trip….a trying and wonderful experience. Of course it was obvious something was happening, but it was nothing compared to breastfeeding. Having to stop everything, notice and nurture the needs of a helpless baby is an opportunity I would not trade for the world.

Check out the ‘thumbs up’ here!

Friday night my parents and sisters came up to visit….and, mostly, see the baby. My mom and Alyssa (fourteen-year-old) hadn’t seen Ali since she was two days old, my dad and Trista (seventeen-year-old) had yet to see her. Friday was a really strange day, Ali was awake from four or so in the afternoon until just past nine. Every time she’d drift off it was just for a few minutes before she’d wake herself up as if she was determined not to sleep. She finally drifted off about fifteen minutes before everybody arrived and proceeded to sleep for a stretch, feed, sleep again…etc. But the night was weird. She ate around midnight, then at two or two-thirty, then was up from five to seven, ate again a little after nine….then I think Tony took her…and fed again after ten. Somebody is such a growing girl!

My brother Jordan, who has yet to meet Ali but hopefully soon, graduated college in June and got a super nice camera. If anyone is camera savvy, they may have noticed the high quality of our birth photos…my mom took them with that camera and brought it with her again so we were snapping pics the whole time they were here. Which, unfortunately, wasn’t for too long. Saturday we all ventured to Alderwood Mall, where my dad purchased Harry Potter (I’m more than half-way through!) and then they went to visit a nearby Business Costco. My mom made a bunch of scalloped potatoes and weeded our garden while the rest of us watched cable (my family has never had it). Then we all watched Red Eye and they headed back to Gladstone a little after seven.

Ali chilling, all ready to hit the mall.

The whole time at the mall.

Kids always love Trista.

They both look pretty crazy.

Trista and Tony tag-teaming.

It’s big, but the outfit is still super cute!

Aunties.

Everybody loves a baby.

Grandma and Grampa.

Probably the best picture I’ve seen in a long time.

I have to send congratulations and best wishes to my buddy Nate, his wife Lisa, and their beautiful daughter Raffaella.

Nate has been like a brother to me since 11th grade or so and his family has always shown me the utmost love and hospitality. When I called him in November to tell him we were pregnant, he said "We might be too." Now here we are, nine months later and we’re both blessed with happy, healthy families of our own. Congrats to Nate, Lisa, Raffe, Frank, Marylove, and the rest of the Guillard clan. I love you all and can’t wait for the Ali/Raffe meeting of the minds.

Long time no post. We’ve been busy this week. Tuesday I had a dermotologist appointment in downtown Seattle. Tony and Ali came along. It’s been about five weeks since I’d been last (I’m in the process of getting a scar on my chin injected to flatten it), so I was very pregnant at the last appointment. First, they tell us the doc is running half an hour behind. Ugh. Then they take us out of the posh waiting room and leave us to wait in the exam room that whole time. Ugh again. UW (University of Washington) is a teaching hospital so you see much more of an intern then the doc there. Finally our guy comes in, and the hilarity ensues. Although, to those of you a bit less sleep deprived then we were at the time, it might be a bit less funny.

The intern walks in and says, "Mr. Lewis?" Tony and I say, "Uh, no….Ms. Lewis?" He then mumbles something about being from the south where Ashley is a boy’s name, turns to Tony and says, "Well, then you must be Mr. Ashley." This time it’s Tony that mumbles, "Um, something like that." Tony is holding Ali and the guy asks, "And who is this?" We say, "Alizabeth," and he says "Oh, Alizabeth Ashley." At this point we’re completely perplexed but whatever…names are hard sometimes and you know how in the medical field it’s always last name – first name (i.e. Lewis, Ashley) so maybe he just got confused. Also he was Asian so I thought he might now be very familiar with American names. Then he starts glancing through my chart and asking me all sorts of dumb questions they’ve asked every time I go in there (the joys of a teaching hospital). He asks me if I’ve been going to my OB appointments regularly (I was initially referred to the derm during by my OB because of the way some of my moles ballooned during pregnancy). I say I have and then he asks my how far along I am! I kind of glance at Tony, this did that just happen look and answer, "She’s two weeks old?" To which the intern looks confused, stumbles a bit and then comes back together, "Oh, so you already had your baby?" Tony just pointed at her in response.

The guy was then completely flustered the rest of the time. I was trying so hard not to bust up, but not doing the best job, which caused his to become more flustered. It was seriously the most awkward, unbelievable, doctor’s trip. When they went to do the injection he didn’t perform it, instead he observed the doc do it (a first…my other two injections were given by the interns, one observed by the doc, the other unsupervised) and when they went to lower the chair/bed thing he didn’t even know how to work it. It was then I remembered the warnings I’d heard about having a baby in July. All the med students graduate in June and, in July, new interns flood the medical community. I really hope that was the case with this guy and he learns a lot. Quickly.

Tonight my mom, dad, and sisters are coming up to see Ali. This is the first time my dad and Trista are seeing her, which is so exciting! Also, at 12:01am Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is released. Not sure when I’ll get my hands on a copy, but I’m eagerly anticipating the seventh and final book of the series. Though it’s conclusion will very definitely be bittersweet.

Susie and family came over for dinner on their last night here.

Seventeen days old. Sleeping yesterday afternoon.

Big yawn on a walk last night.

She’s got some "baby acne."

Tony checks out a nearby playground.

I think his sunglasses make him look mean.

A rare picture of Ali and I. Me beyond my boob at least…

me n payton after some tasty tacos.

As previously mentioned, Ali had her two week check-up today. Little girl is healthy as can be and growing before our very eyes. Poor thing had to get a second PKU test (the heel poke) which is torturous to watch and hear. Then we had a nice nurse in the post office parking lot (you all should be checking your mailboxes!) and stopped by Subway to get lunch and introduce Ali to Nena, my old manager.  

She loves her milk.

Eight pounds!

Daddy and daughter. They’re quite the photo-op…again and again and again

Eight pounds exactly. Not bad for less than two weeks old. Especially when she weighed in at 6lbs. 15oz. on the sixth. That’s a pound and an ounce in ten days!