Newborn No More

February 4, 2016, marks baby Lukey's three-month "birthday", if you will, and it also marks the day he is no longer considered a "newborn". *Pass the tissues please.*

Day 1! :)

These past three months have been filled with all types of emotions, from happiness to fear, joy to frustration, excitement to doubt. But the strongest emotion I have felt thus far has been love. Love, because every time I look at him, I see a miracle. A miracle that has not only doubled in weight since his birth, but a miracle that is transforming and learning new things with each passing day. This is the same miracle that evolved from a little seed-like thing into a full-sized baby, which I carried with me for nine magnificent months. 

This little boy of mine is settling into his personality and is so curious about everything in his surroundings. He is the reason I am who I am today, and he is the reason I am in awe, every day.

I found it a bit hard adjusting to a constantly crying baby for the first two months, but some time after that period, I somehow learned that if I made him sleep more in the morning and early afternoon, he would be less grumpy and cry less. For example, every time he woke up (about every three hours), I changed his diaper, then fed him laying down in a comfy spot until he fell asleep. So far, so good. This has been my biggest accomplishment so far!

At this point, baby Lukas has hit all his milestones; he comfortably lifts his head when on his tummy, pulls himself up into a seated position (with the support of your hands), looks at and follows objects, babbles and makes cute sounds, brings his hand to mouth, is beginning to grab various objects, and responds to different sounds.

I am proud to say that my little man no longer sleeps by my side in his bassinet. Nope, he has been sleeping in his crib for about three weeks like a big boy. He wakes up every 3 to 4 hours to feed at night, but goes right back to sleep *most* of the time. (Let's keep it real mommies, we all know this is not the case every time.)

He loves his bath time, particularly when you put a mirror in front of his face as he seems to be fascinated with his own face. He loves falling asleep during car rides, enjoys time with his grandparents, and always gives mommy and daddy BIG smiles when he is being changed. My heart melts every time he gives me those lovey eyes and smiles...

I would say we have a great bond being formed and solidified, and he trusts his mommy to be there for him.

Now that Lukas has grown out of his newborn state and settled into a routine, I have been making more time for myself by exercising and catching up with life. This time last month, I signed back up at the gym and have been going full force. I also signed up for dodgeball again (if you're looking for a sport that provides you with a GOOD and INTENSE workout, sign up, it will change your life). Now, going full force has left me with a few temporary injuries, like knee pain, back pain and even pulling a glute muscle (umm, ouch?!), but it has also helped me identify my new physical weaknesses. Thanks to a good workout plan, I have been able to strengthen my body and feel a lot less pain, if any at times.

Motherhood has also given me more confidence. I had it before, but not to the point of feeling comfortable enough to always speak my mind, especially around strangers. It is fascinating how one tiny human being can have this effect, and it is equally as hard to explain how this came to be. I am more sure of myself, more able to stand my ground and more capable of expressing my needs.

It has been a privilege watching little Lukas grow from newborn to infant, and I look forward to guide him through all of his stages in life, hand in hand. 

Let's get social!

Come and join me on Instagram @ChezAlesiaDunn

Are you expecting a little bun in the oven? What do you imagine your first three months with a newborn being like?

Becoming a Mom

Almost six weeks in and I can finally say I have a handle on my life again. The first few weeks were quite an adjustment, what with being up all night, diving into the world of breastfeeding, and being a parent. I had waited for this for a long time. I, Alesia Dunn, was finally a mommy.

The night after having my precious baby Lukas was fairly easy—the nurses were amazing and made sure I had all the proper tools and guidance to feed him and take care of him. Once I arrived home, however, I was no longer in the comfort zone the hospital had created for me and other mothers alike. The first night or two back home were a little challenging. Not only was I trying to master breastfeeding all on my own now without anybody's help, but I also realized that my sleep, my dearly beloved sleep, would be compromised from now on, and there was no turning back.

Being sleep deprived, this one challenge took its toll on me the most. I have always loved my sleep, and so it was hard on me emotionally and physically. I remember one night in particular, I was getting so beyond frustrated with my son's crying after being up for so many hours. But an inner voice peacefully reminded me that this is a new world for him and he is probably afraid. I was a mommy now, and this is where unconditional love and affection came into play. Once I was reminded of this, that night and every other night after that became easier and my patience grew from that night on.

Another challenge I faced was leaving the house on time. I remember being late for his very first follow-up appointment at the hospital and then being late for his first appointment with the paediatrician. Why? Well, it was only when I became a mom that I found out I could no longer take showers nor get ready when I pleased. Oh no. I learned very quickly that unless baby is fed, burped, changed and happy or sleeping, I could not do all these "me" things. And then there was the extra time needed to fully pack his diaper bag (and knowing what to pack), bundle him up, secure him in his car seat. But then also remembering to prepare myself a big bottle of water filled with ice, because that is what breastfeeding had led me to crave. Did I mentioned I was always famished? Nursing did that to me too.

Then there were all the little things I always took for granted, such as running into the grocery store to pick something up quickly, tidying up the house, cooking and even blogging.

And finally, another challenge I faced was giving my body the time it needed to recover from delivery itself. I am the type of person who loves going out and being active, but even walks proved to be a tad strenuous.

In the end, I would not change a single thing. I am so happy to have found motherhood and am thankful to have this. The very moment I laid my eyes on my precious son, I knew I was in love, and I knew God loved me, for he gave me one of the most beautiful gifts one could receive. Even his beautiful little cry was mesmerizing. I love all the little things about my baby boy, like the way he searches for mama when he is in someone else's arms, the way he stares into my eyes when I hold him closely, the way he gets hyper and excited around mealtime—these are the little moments I will hold in my heart forever. And I can only imagine the fun times that are to be had in the future.

If there is one piece of advice I could give to a new mom, it is to take a deep breath and remember that things will only get better from here. Someone once told me to not forget the feeling of longing I had while pregnant. It's easy to think of the "now" when the baby is crying and won't go to sleep at 4 in the morning, leaving you tired and frustrated. But if you can focus on the days and nights you spent dreaming of being a mommy to the baby in your belly, it puts all things in perspective and helps you regain control of the situation.

-Alesia Dunn

Let's get social!

Come and join me on Instagram @ChezAlesiaDunn

What were your challenges in the first few weeks of motherhood? What worked? What didn't work? I'd love to know!