Feeling Better Already

I am sitting here on the living room floor playing with Abbie. She started today to grasp for toys hanging from her play mat/gym. I am forever amazed at how each day she learns new skills. The human brain is absolutely fascinating to me and I am so grateful that things have worked out where I can be witness to at least the entire first 3 months of her developmental growth. I've enjoyed watching those millions of neurons fire away and make connections.

I am also grateful to everyone who has been taking care of me and Abbie over the past few days. My step-mother-in-law Liz was a huge help. She stayed over for 3 nights so that I could get some rest while she fed and played with the baby. Laurie, Heather B, and Teresa from work also helped out by cleaning bottles, making formula, feeding the baby, making us dinner, and just generally being wonderful! And of course Suzy was able to stop by, help me bathe the baby the other night and get her weekly dose of "baby time!" And I enjoyed hanging out with Kerry yesterday while she lifted Abbie up for me and helped me take care of her. I have such great friends and family....I am very lucky.

I am starting to feel a lot better, although I am still sore and I am exhausted. My stitches are itching me like crazy, so I assume that means they are healing appropriately. I have 4 little incisions, with the biggest one being my belly button. That's the one that is the most sore and bruised. When I hold Abbie, she knees me in that exact spot, so I'm guessing it will be sore for awhile! My lungs feel better, too. I had so much gunk in there for days after my surgery and it was really difficult to cough it up. I've been using that breathing thing they give you in the hospital (its the ping pong ball thing) and that has helped.

Tomorrow we go to the hospital to get Abbie's collar bone checked out again. Thankfully Matthew agreed to come with me. He's been working nights out at base this weekend/week and the schedule is a bear! He's miserable. I'm miserable for him. But he's hopefully going to come home earlier (like maybe 2 AM) so he can help me get Abbie to her appointment. I can't lift more than 20 pounds for 6 weeks, and her plus her carrier is over that amount. What I'll do next week with the start of child care, I'm not sure.

I've gotta go try to get this little girl to stay asleep for her afternoon nap. I'll post again soon.