I promise....

Post coming today.... If it kills me... So much to say, so little time to do anything.... But baby is perfect. <3

23 August.

Back to real life... But entirely changed forever! I am finally settling into the self-awareness of being a Mama. To a Baby. A tiny squishy, squirmy, happy beautiful baby. Since we finally checked out of the Hotel de Santa Maria (wink. wink.), things at home have been going really well. Baby's first night was a little rough, but the more I learn about her wants, needs, cries, etc, the sooner she stops with her little cry/whimper/just-hold-me or the loud angry IM HUNGRY shrill... I feel like we have it pretty good do far.

I have a zillion photos to upload ands ton to write about, but I can hardly keep my eyes open....

PROMISE more tomorrow!!!

August 8th-- Three Months Old!!

We have been home one week and oooh baby oh baby.... We are so over-the- moon happy!!! And tired... Valentina is a sweet happy baby who is very vocal about her needs, she seems to always be hungry (a good sigh of growth right??!) and she is always ready for a diaper change!! I am really looking forward to cloth diapers in the future!! Baby is going to be weighed with Daddy today, so I'll have an exact weight this afternoon, but she looooves to chow down on her babas, and then sleeps like a little dream baby!

My mama Patti had been here with us this week and I have no idea how I'll survive without her next week! There is ALWAYS laundry going, the dog always needs attention, Bianca always needs entertainment, and then there is cooking, cleaning, etc... Since Valentina can't go out into public places for a few months, our family excursions are limited, plus visitors are limited for a few months too... Not the homecoming you anticipate for a new baby, but in a way, the baby quarantine is nice as I get to figure out how to be a Mama without interference, just advice/ tips when I ask for it... Ha!!! Victor is madly in love with this little girl, and dutifully takes "the night shift" so Mama can rest.

Bottles & boobies... So I am still pumping milk ALL the time!! Vivi isn't breastfeeding quite yet... Mostly my fault... I don't "force" her to nurse ... Let me rephrase... Baby eats when she is hungry, I keep an eye on the clock and pay attention to her signals (head bobbing and hand sucking, etc). Valentina will latch on nicely, nurse perfectly, burp an nurse more. Then she will fall asleep. I will move her to her bassinet, and either she will sleep awhile or wake up hungry still. I'll put her to my breast again, and she will go crazy, won't latch on, inconsolable until she had a bottle in her mouth. I am not giving up, though it is discouraging and TIME CONSUMING to bottlefeed then diaper change, then pump, then clean and sanitize and set up bottles .... Etc... Leaves little time to do anything else...

Ok! Baby is waking up... More later!!

(30 minutes later)

So I am blogging from my phone right now and I was saving this post so I could post photos.... I bought Medela nipple shields yesterday... Baby just nursed for 30 minutes and is sleeping beautifully... Omg... Maybe we have turned a corner... Nursing 24/7 here comes Boom-Boom!! Haha!!

welcome home valentina!!

VALENTINA LEE CASTRO

Born May 8th, 2012, 1 lb. 9 oz (726 grams) 

Due Date July 29th, 2012, 5 lb. 4 oz (2386 grams)

Home July 31st, 2012, 5 lb. 6 oz(2450 grams) 

we did it! it is hard to believe, but we finally made it home!!  82 days of the NICU, and sweet baby is perfect, home safe & sound!!  monday morning, i received a phone call from the doctor and she said come and get her!  (i panicked)  victor was still away for another 24 hours, my mom wasn't flying in for another 24 hours and i still needed to buy only about a zillion things that were absolutely necessary for baby to be home (you know, changing table foam top thingy, bath towels, 10,000 organic cotton newborn diapers, etc....) so i asked if she could actually stay one last day, that way i wasn't home on my own with her the first night... it still hasn't sunk in yet, but maybe that is just the new level of exhaustion setting in.  so monday night, i was up until 3 am cleaning, organizing, zooming up and down three flights of stairs, putting away laundry, reorganizing the new closets (and thus my entire wardrobe).  of course, by the time we left for the hospital mid-day tuesday, i was seeing spots... but at least we had our beautiful baby carrier ready and her beautiful new dress.  and blanket.  and 8 diapers packed in my bag for the 25 minute car trip home.  (just in case.)

one last test:  to sit in our car seat for 30 minutes (i think?) while our we show
our stable blood oxygen levels

grandma patti came all the way from new york just to
sleep with me on the couch!  

i have perfect baby lips

omg cheeks

tiny baby in bassinet 

milk.baby.

im cute.

3 am with daddy

i got style

baby/ living room take over

more photos later!  and our first week recap!!

the last few days in the hospital! photos!!!

our life in photos.... last week of july.

i know some are repeats... but that's just 'cos shes so darn cute... <3 <3 <3

mama

i love my monkies

smile.  (i like to pull out my feeding tube... it leaves tape glue.)

i like to sleep with my monkey on my head

after baby had her eyes dilated and checked for ROP...
we have perfect vision!

feeling MUCH better the next day, with my papa

poor vic..

lots of hardware

omg

i hear angels sing

i am cute and happy after my bath

im just so cute with my cheeks

daddy's shining star

i finish my babas

poor daddy part 17

im a beauty