Bye Bye Regina

So Regina, Lilly Rose's baby nurse and our baby guru, left today. She had been with us since we came home from the hospital, providing advice, assistance, and knowledge. She got Lilly on a schedule, eating every three hours, helped me with breastfeeding, introduced me to HGTV, much to my happiness and Mark's chagrin, took tons and tons of pictures of Lilly, and did loads and loads more. She's a total baby whisperer - so calm and cool. She knew just how to get Lilly to burp, take a bottle, not cry when the onesie was lifted over her head. But all good things come to an end - and she left this afternoon. I had tears, she told me to take care of my face, and that she was only a phone call away. And she's only on the West Bank, so she's not far! Just over the bridge. We were extremely fortunate to have Regina and Mark and I so appreciative.

But now she's gone and we are on our own. And I survived the afternoon. Save for the tremendous dump she did, after I already changed her diaper twice because of poo, that not only trickled out and down her leg, but onto my shirt, pants, and our chair. Talk about a laying a big one. That one warranted a mid-afternoon bath and new outfit, she even got her socks! And then she finished eating - and here's what I sort of lost it, but remembered what Regina said. She told us to relax, that baby's can sense nervousness ( not so good for me or Lilly), and that then riles them up too. Well, Lilly was fighting sleep, didn't want her pacifier, and just wanted to cry and cry and cry. And I changed tons of positions. First she was in my arms. Then I was burping her (thought she might have gas). Then she was on the floor, looking at her jungle gym. Then I wrapped her in a blanket and near my chest. And that's when she quieted down, sucked on her pacifier and I told myself to breathe. And she just had her eyes open and was looking at me, like willing me to believe she was ok, that we would be ok. I could feel the tears, and one or two came out, the lump in the throat was present, but I kept breathing, holding her tight, and she would keep her eyes on me, then close, and then they would be open again. And this probably went on for a couple minutes, and then she fell asleep. And that was awesome. I held her in my arms for a little bit longer, and then put her down. She stirred a bit but didn't wake up (thank you sheep sleep!).

So two feedings down, two more to go until bedtime. Wish us luck. And thanks for everything Regina. You are amazing.