the daily routine.

We are all falling into our daily routine with work and school. Here is how the morning works out....I typically get up at about 5 or 5:30 depending on when Harrison eats in the early morning. Lately he has been waking up around 3am and then going back to sleep. So then I sleep until 5:30, jump in the shower and get mostly ready. By that time it is about 6 or 6:15 and Harrison is awake. Todd will turn on H's mobile or change his diaper and get him dressed. Then I feed him and we finish getting ready. Harrison goes into his car seat at about 7am, I gather my 50 bags including the pump, cooler for pumped milk at work, cooler with pumped milk for daycare that day, my lunch, my purse and the car seat and then we head to the car. Once we are settled in I exhale.....no, but really it is not bad. I try to get ready early enough so we are not rushing and H and Todd/I can have a little time to enjoy hanging out for a few minutes. It makes a huge difference not to have to rush. I have been very diligent about getting out of work at 5 or a little before - it feels great to actually leave on time! Thanks H!

Although our daily routine is working out really well, I am very thankful to have Fridays off. There is definitely a lot to get in order to get out of the house everyday so I appreciate the extra day with less of a schedule and all of the time with H. It also gives me the opportunity to have some flexibility to get things done.

Here is H playing last Friday....

As you may imagine, it is an experience pumping at work - it is not bad, just something you have to get used to. I pump three time during the day. Either right after I get to work before 8 or between my 8 and 9am patient, at noon, and at 4pm. Since I am not with H as much I am pumping less milk - apparently that is normal - but I am managing to have enough milk for daycare by pumping before bed each night while Harrison is sleeping and then at least once on the days that I am not working. Todd and I are both happy that it is working out and we do not have to supplement with formula. It has not been too stressful up to this point but I am taking it one day at a time.

Harrison had another great week at daycare. On Monday all of the teachers were very excited to tell me that Harrison is now smiling at them and cooing throughout the day. His primary caretaker, Olivia, took some pictures and sent them to Todd and I so that we could see him in action. She reported that everything is falling into place although Harrison is still adjusting to all of the new noises at school and is taking short naps. They will get longer once he adjusts to all of the action. His crib is in a separate room but he can still hear the commotion. Olivia also said that Harrison likes watching the older kids (all babies in his room are under a year) and when they get close to him he coos. We get a report card every day reporting every feeding, every nap, every diaper change and bowel movement. It also has room for comments and "Harrison does really well on his tummy!!" There is also room for more supplies like diapers - he has graduated to size 2-3 - breastmilk, and more clothes. Harrison has been giving them a run for their money pooping through on average 4 diapers per week - sometimes two in a day. haha!! I am not missing that:) We are not having this experience at home - our reusable diapers are the BEST thing ever!!! Even Todd says that he 'loves those things!'

Here are some of the pics from daycare (do not be alarmed by Harrison sleeping on his side - we are rotating him to avoid a flat head - despite all of the tummy time and time being held he has a little flat spot...).