Put a Flying Squirrel on Your Website
DA BOOK
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Da Momma: Elizabeth, a journalist and college instructor. Formerly a latte-slinging, cell phone-talking Washington political junkie. Now a wild-dancing accidentally offensive woman with an irrational passion for flinging things on the floor and hanging things from ceilings. Wants you to think she's a grown-up, even though she calls her Dad the minute things get complicated.
Baby Eden: The Schmoopy. My sweet little Three, who shrank instead of grew. But she's always had Momma's back.
Mary: Devoted to hermit crabs and FREAKING OUT. Made me a mother.
Karenna: Peekaboo Streak. The Roodle, Doodley. Everybody knows about Roo. Passionate about folk music. Some werewolf tendencies. Always looking for new employees. Sophisticated vocabulary
Cute Husband, Esq: A former Marine, it was he who instilled in our daughters a love of getting up very early in the morning to go off and do things. Some days he's lucky he's still alive.
Moonbeam and Sunbeam: Yes, okay, somehow or other they got the same sorta names as our cats, Moonlight and Sunshine. That was a total accident. However, like the cats, they are super-cuddly, will get food for themselves if hungry, and they're part of the family. Like the rest of the family, they believe in the power of liquor, drugs, and hot glue. They have no fear of blood.
The Beasties: Two cats. And some cacti that refuse to die. This is a picture of a fish we killed a long time ago. Need to update that.
A bunch of beauties! Congratulations to you all!
Kind of blurry, but it looks like Eden is a little upset about this initiation. Being the youngest of three sisters, I don’t blame her.
they are so sweet. we need more pictures! what did the girls think?
they’ll love this when they get older. almost as much as you love it now.
AWESOME…just awesome
(((((((HUGS)))))) Congratulations! What a sweet addition to your beautiful family!
Awww. Look at all those teeny tiny hands!
Awww!! So glad you found Eden’s braclet. They are all just too cute!!
The power of three… congratulations, another gorgeous little girl in the family! xxx
OH. The happy tears. They blur everything.
And the Sister Bracelets are killing me with tender sweetness. Great job, Ellie!
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
I’m all ferklempt.
Love the tangle of arms!
hee hee. you’re now responsible to keep all SIX of those little hands out of trouble. sucker. ;o)
What a beautiful photo. They are going to have such a great time together – being one of three girls is the best.
Oh, so sweet. I love seeing the bracelets!
Congratulations on your beautiful baby and wonderful family ! Awesome bracelets !
Beautiful. What a special moment. She is just a doll but with sisters as cute is hers was there any doubt?
Congratulations. Lucky little girl.
p.s. Love the pic of the 3 princesses.
I can’t figure why they’d recommend formula for jaundice. Ours was minor and we were told to give 20 min of sun 3x per day. It worked like a charm. BTW…she’s adoreable.
Answering your twitter question, they would prescribe formula so she can increase her caloric intake, increase her poop and therefore decrease the jaundice. Had to do it w/my son (and I was 100% nursing) for 48 hrs and he had to receive phototherapy and it did the trick.
Put her in the sunny window. That is what I did with Emma when she had Jaundice to keep her out of the lights. Take her little clothes off and lay her on your chest next to your skin to keep her warm and into the sunshine! It will clear up in a couple of days with that and the formula for exactly the reasons Tracey said! Can’t wait to hear all the stories of the first couple of days at home
“Anyone know why they would prescribe formula for jaundice?”
Because they are idiots?
Liz, do some reading on kellymom.com about the jaundice and I’d recommend talking to a lactation consultant or two before using formula. Not that formula is evil, just, no need to mess with nursing if you don’t have to.
She’s beautiful!!
Great explanation Tracey. I was just about to comment the same. Love the bracelets. Gosh are you ever going to have fun with the possibility of matching outfits
I am so very happy for all of you — congratulations!!! What a long bewildering road these pregnancies are, and oh so worth it.
Congratulations! The picture and caption put a lump in my throat. Beautiful.
Formula for jaundice is very outdated advice. As much colostrum and breast milk as possible and a sunbeam would be fine if it is normal newborn jaundice, from my non-expert non-medical advice p.o.v.
Beautiful x3!
Instead of formula, just keep nursing her often to increase her pooping and sit in lots of sunny windows with her stripped down to her diaper. It is possibly the coziest thing ever!
As another poster pointed out, formula-feeding for jaundice is very outdated advice. Unless you are having problems with your milk supply, the best thing for jaundice is breast milk. Perfectly balanced just for Eden, lots of good antibodies, yum! It’s so cute that Eden knows what’s best for her too. No formula, no thank you!
liz!
i just saw your tweet and decided to de-lurk to share a few tidbits about jaundice from a medical point of view
neonatal jaundice in itself is normally just an underlying symptom of immature liver function, so with the formula you’re essentially just helping to flush out more bilirubin than her liver can process at any given time (it’s a combination of a very high rate of red blood cell breakdown and a low rate of liver function). formula, if she takes it, ensures that she’s getting an adequate milk supply, which the intestines emulsify with bile (so she is using more bilirubin, thereby increasing the liver function, and pooping more). this is why the yellow color will decrease, because of the lack of excess bilirubin in her plasma! and just as a sidenote, the phototherapy works because the uv light makes bilirubin more water soluble, helping the liver and kidney flush it out… anything the body can do to compensate
you have a gorgeous family by the way!
You have such smart and supportive posters! I’m with those who encourage more breastfeeding sessions to help Eden with her jaundice. And the sunlight. It”ll be good for you too
What a lovely sisters photo. Those beautiful bracelets on such tiny chubby hands representing so much of what is and what’s to come.
How are YOU feeling, Liz? Moving around as you should?
All those childbirth classes seemed a waste of time since I had c-sections until it came time to get up and moving around after the surgery. The breathing technique was certainly helpful!
You guys are great, thank you so much.
I have decided to pass on the formula. I think formula — like C-sections — is a life-giving thing and I have no objections to it on principle. I have decided, though, that I am not compelled that she needs any right now, and I think giving it to her could mess with establishing breastfeeding. I also have concerns about overfeeding her, or having complications with formulas that upset her stomach or reveal allergies.
It really astonishes me when people suggest that motherhood saps your brain or reduces you to meaningless days of little responsibility. Figuring out how to feed a newborn requires brains and dedication and the ability to listen to good advice on little sleep. And in the end, the parents have to make the choice knowing that some people will think they’re wrong no matter what they do.
I find it more stresful than a day on the Hill, by a lot.
Adorable!