life with lola: four months!

We've gone from weeks to months, people! It's so crazy how having a baby completely changes your perception of time. Before Lola, four months could fly by with a, "Hey, how is it September already?" But having a gorgeous baby makes you realize how precious every second is: Lola's gone from a sleepy, puffy newborn to a full-on baby. She's holding her head up, almost sitting, and sizing into size-two diapers and six-month clothes. It's beautiful and bittersweet. I'm realizing that all of of those parenting cliches -- "they grow up so fast," "it's longest shortest time," and "enjoy this time" -- are repeated time and again for a reason.

How's Lola doing? She is truly the light of our life. She's such a happy, smiling baby, but when she's tired or hungry, she will let you know! She's very opinionated and determined, which I think will carry her far in life while giving mom and dad a few more gray hairs in the process. She's started laughing (the best sound in the universe!) and grasping for toys. Sleep-wise, she only wakes up a few times (around 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. or so), and naps 45 minutes every 60 to 90 minutes. She's still in our room in the bassinet, but I've been working on getting her to nap in the crib. Next up on our to-do list is trying to break the habit of rocking her to sleep...which will be more traumatic for me than her. Holding her little sleepy body and feeling her relax as she drifts off is one of life's greatest joys.

How are mom and dad doing? We've mostly settled into our groove as full-time parents and workers. I'd say that I'm back about one-half to two-thirds time, juggling deadlines during Lola's naps and before/after bedtime. That still leaves little to no Sharon-time, but, for now, I'm running with it. It's totally worth it to be able to stay home with Lola and soak up every minute with her. Hoping things will settle down as she gets older and isn't nursing all the time.

I'm super-proud of how much we've learned in these four short months! Being responsible for a little life such a drastic life change and learning curve, and it's definitely stressful and tough at times. But it's truly made life a zillion times better. Having Lola has deepened my love, strengthened our marriage, and given me a greater sense of purpose. I still can't believe I'm a mama!

life with lola: 15 weeks

Fell off the map there for a bit! We've been busy these past few weeks with growing, entertaining visitors, and finding our new groove as freelancer-parents. There's been a ton of learning, a bunch of smiles, and quite a few tears (from Lola and myself).

Not gonna lie, month 2.5 into 3 was rough for me. Just as I was trying to dip back into work, Lola went from a sleepy newborn to a demanding infant. We weren't strict about her nap/bedtime schedule, so she would get overstimulated and tired, setting off a cycle of fighting naps and wailing bedtimes. Plus, we had a series of visitors that threw our schedule for more of a loop... I was exhausted and overwhelmed!

But then a shift happened: We built a fairly regular schedule of naps every 60-90 minutes and a bedtime of 7-8. We also got more in tune with each other, and now I feel like I know what Lola's asking for and can meet her needs. And — oh, my heart! — Lola's social skills are growing, so she's been laughing, smiling, and responding up a storm. That, plus getting good sleep, has made us very happy parents.

It's hard to articulate parenthood, but the biggest thing I've learned is that there is SO. MUCH. JOY. It's beautiful looking at the world through her lens, and finding simple happiness throughout the day. Every morning, Lola wakes up laughing and I spend half an hour playing "wiggly legs" with her. Is there a better way to start the day? It's crazy the love you feel for your child! It doesn't hurt that she's the cutest baby that ever graced this earth (in my opinion).

We're still figuring out the balance between our old and new selves (is there one?), but I'm just cherishing this phase of life.

life with lola: nine weeks

I keep waiting for a chunk of time to be able to write a thoughtful and coherent post … and I'm realizing that's not going to happen. So here's a brain dump: Life with Lola at nine weeks has been beautiful, full, and, at times, challenging. For me, motherhood has unlocked another life level: My love is more intense, my highs are soaring (she's smiling at me!), and my lows are a true test of strength (why won't she stop crying?).

Lola's changing so quickly these days. Weighing in at a whopping 10 pounds, she's gone from a sleepy newborn to an alert two-month-old. She rewards us with smiles, watches us intently, and makes her displeasure known in the loudest red-faced way. Her little personality is starting to shine through, and it's the coolest thing.

As for me, I'm trying to figure out how to balance being Sharon with being mom, if that makes sense. Breastfeeding and tending to Lola takes up most of my day, and I'm still figuring out how to squeeze in some work and me time in there, too. I'm sure I'll work out this new version of myself with time.

All in all, I'm grateful to be able to stay home with Lola and soak up her perfect-ness. She's only this little once! And so, so thankful for Erik being the most supportive partner and the most loving dad. What a life … I'm the luckiest.

life with lola: eight weeks

I have so much to say and so little time, between juggling this curious, hungry baby and easing back into the writing life. In the meantime, I have to pose this question: WHY IS LOLA SO CUTE?! She's entering her smiley, responsive stage. Needless to say, Erik and I are totally smitten. Never thought I was a baby person … until I had my own. She's the best!

life with lola: five weeks

Just when I was feeling pretty cocky about motherhood ("why do people say this is so tough?"), Lola hit her four-to-five week growth spurt. Our sweet little thing has been pretty fussy lately. A few days ago, she cried and flailed almost around the clock. Oh my exhaustion. Erik and I traded off, which made me so grateful to have such a wonderful partner. I can't imagine doing this all on my own (mega-props to all those single mothers out there!).



The trade-off for the sleep deprivation? Our girl has made some developmental leaps. It's so cool to watch your kid change right before your eyes. She's watching and tracking objects, starting to coo, and rewarding us with smiles. Swoon!



Mom and Dad also made some milestones: We've been getting out! Our pediatrician recommended avoiding crowds for the first eight weeks (because a fever requires a hospital visit), so we haven't left the house much. That's been one of the hardest changes for me. Even though Lola and I go for a daily walk, I've been feeling a little stir-crazy. But Erik and I ate dinner al fresco the other night, and even made it to the beach.

I did flash my boob in front of a group of people to nurse, and Erik and I wound up eating our tacos over the trunk of our car because we didn't want to interrupt Lola's nap… but, hey, we're learning!

life with lola: four weeks

Can you believe that it's been a month since this little light entered our lives? I was going to write something eloquent about motherhood but, you know, newborns are kinda distracting. So here are some quick things that I want to remember about this sweet stage of life:

- Lola's sweet smell and fuzzy post-bath hair (totally got it from her daddy)
- Her old-man grunts and strains
- The way we immediately melt when she flashes that gummy smile
- Erik dancing around with her in his arms when she's being fussy (swoon!)
- Stroking the newborn fur on her shoulder and the dimples on her arm as she feeds
- Monkey's worried face at Lola's crying; her new nickname is "Nanny Monkey"




- The way Lola sighs and snuggles into me when we go for walks with the Solly Wrap
- The great satisfaction of a fart or burp
- High-fiving Erik when she nods off to sleep; so grateful to have such a wonderful co-parent
- The "oh no!" look we give each other when she wails after those two minutes of sleep
- The surge of love every time I gaze at her face. Turns out I love being a mom!

6 things…postpartum edition

I can't believe Lola is nearly three weeks old! Time is flying, and I'm trying to soak up as much as this precious teeny-tiny-baby time as possible. Erik, Monkey, and I are settling into a new routine as a family of three. The changes feel both monumental (we're raising a human!) and basic (should we try to leave the house today?).

I want to share my postpartum experience because I feel like everyone focuses on labor, but the week afterwards was tougher for me! Not only are you tending to this delicate little life, but your body is also grappling with recovering from this hugely traumatic event. I attribute a lifetime's worth of 5 a.m. swim practices, dawn patrols, and long training runs to giving me the physical stamina and mental fortitude that carried me through that first week!



Here are six things that I did/learned during this postpartum period:

1. I hurt all over. As soon as we got to the recovery room, my nurse handed me a gigantic cup of cranberry juice and encouraged me to use the restroom. I did, and it felt like the worst UTI in history. That was the beginning of the aches and pains! When I was feeding Lola, my midsection seized up in a knot. Was I dying?! "Oh, that's normal," said a nurse. "You'll have some cramping as your uterus shrinks." For the next week, I was hobbling, cramping, sleep-deprived hot mess. (Don't even get me started on when I had to do #2… somewhat traumatic.) It took me a little less than two weeks to feel normal again; I'm still not 100 percent, but almost there!

2. My boobs killed. To add insult to injury, my milk came in with a vengeance on day three. When I woke up, my breasts were huge (for me), rock-hard, and filled with the most intense pressure. I'd read that pumping would make things worse, so I held out. But the nurse technician took one look at my and my pained expression, and said, "Oh, no, honey, let me bring you the pump." It took a few days of gritted teeth, cold cabbage leaves, and Lanisoh ointment, but my supply has finally settled down and Lola and I have found our nursing groove.

3. I spend hours upon hours with a baby on my boob. Speaking of nursing, it takes up so much time! Newborns feed every two to three hours for 20 to 30 minutes. While I love the coziness of snuggling up with Lola and the surge of oxytocin, that's five or six hours a day of sitting without the use of both hands. I don't watch too much TV, so I've been catching up on social media, Googling baby-related topics, and chatting with friends by phone. It's so worth it, though; I'm so proud of her growing little baby rolls.



4. I tapped into inner strength. When Lola was two days old, she and I went back to the hospital for jaundice treatment. She had to sit in this ultraviolet light pod, stripped down to a diaper with a blindfold on to protect her eyes. She hated it, and wriggled and cried the whole time. I was running on maybe three hours of sleep for the past 48 hours, and my vagina/breast pain was at its most intense. I stayed up all night to soothe and change my poor little one. It was probably the most grueling nights of my life!

5. We're finding a groove. After that first tough week, our little family of three has learned so much about each other our rhythms. I pump a bottle or two during the day. Erik takes over from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. while I sleep, and then we switch off, so we're both getting a decent amount of sleep. What a difference that makes.

6. We're head over heels. Of course we're in love with our baby. But what I didn't expect was how much fun she is: Even though she pretty much just sleeps, eats, and poops, we can't stop laughing at her old-man grunts and ever-changing expressions. Erik's the most devoted dad, and every little victory seems like an enormous success. Parenthood: It's not easy, but it's the best.