Wow, what a cutie! I agree, she's a beautiful newborn--some get luckier than others that way! Such bright eyes.

Aren't you expecting a similar happy event sometime quite soon, Flippet? How is it going with you?

__________________
Mrs Redboots
~~~~~~~~
I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Congrats Tara!!!

Being a Daddy is pretty cool, too.

Saw the pictures.

My heaven, but she's a cutie. And the baby doesn't look bad either.

Thank you, thank you everyone for all the wonderful comments and well wishes. Thanks for checking out Eliana's web site and for signing her guestbook. I really appreciate your kindness!

And to answer your question...boots and blades are on order...ha ha ha. No, just kidding. Don't even know when mama is going to get back to the ice...although I do need some sort of exercise to shed the rest of this baby weight. Anyone in need of a skating costume? I'll never fit into my 2002 Nationals dress again!

I'm sorry I haven't posted sooner; it's real tough taking care of a newborn! Especially this little girly...she doesn't really like to be put down, she always wants to be held! It makes eating and going to the bathroom seem like real luxuries! I have a pouch/sling I use sometimes around the house (and to go for walks), and that's great. She's quite content feeling my body warmth and hearing my heartbeat, plus my arms get a much-needed rest. However, she tends to sleep in the pouch, so I don't like to keep her in there all day for fear she won't sleep at night!

Well, she's almost a month old already, I can't believe it! NOT sleeping through the night, though, but she is sleeping for three or four-hour stretches so I am getting some sleep. But not enough sleep to want to go skating anytime soon...I have NO RESERVE ENERGY! I've been dying to nap in the afternoon but the last two days she has not been cooperative.

So, life for me right now is just taking care of Eliana and learning what she needs and when she needs it. Everyone tells me the first three months are the most difficult, then it gets better. Things have improved day by day...but wow...I had no idea it would be this difficult to take care of such a little baby! Overwhelmed is a good word to use. But, I'm learning little by little. Or I should say WE'RE learning. My husband Alan is already such a great daddy, I definitely could not get through the day without his help. If you check out our web site (http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/o/our1stbundle), I just posted a "kangaroo daddy" photo of Eliana tucked away in his fleece. So cute, if I do say so myself!

Thank you so much once again. I really hope to catch up here eventually so I can learn how everyone did at Sectionals and Nationals this year. I sure miss you all!

Love,
Tara

I just had to post and say that Eliana is an absolutely gorgeous name! Congratulations!

Tara, don't even think about skating again until you have a little more energy - the first six weeks post-partum are ghastly! But you'll find that you get stronger every day now, and by the time Eliana is 3 months old, you'll have forgotten you were ever tired. Also, by then, she will be much more of a person, and probably have more resources if she is not clinging to you, so you should maybe be thinking of going back on the ice by the end of June, or so.

__________________
Mrs Redboots
~~~~~~~~
I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Tara, glad to hear everything's going well. Even if you're a bit sleep-deprived at the moment!

Annabel, yep, I'm due in about 2 1/2 weeks. This is my last week at work, though. I'm torn between wanting the baby to come early, so I can get rid of some of this discomfort, and wanting him to come late, so I can have a couple of weeks 'vacation' before he arrives!

Don't wanna steal Tara's thread though, so I'll leave that at that!

Tara, I may be asking you for advice soon....you being the far more experienced parent, and all! Congratulations again.

Just took a look at the pix, and she is adorable. Tara, you have described the post-partum condition so well, that you made me shudder, even though my last such experience was 16 years ago! I hope you have someone in addition to your husband to help out, as it certainly is overwhelming. As Annabel said, things should improve significantly in just a few months and you will be going out with her to enjoy the spring weather.

__________________

Flippet (Nancy), I'm here for any advice and support you need! Although I probably won't be visiting this forum often, so you can email me directly at taradawn@yahoo.com. I probably would not be adjusting as well as I am (or trying to) if it weren't for the support of the women in the few Yahoo! groups in which I participate. One is "over30withfirst" for women having their first child over the age of thirty...the other is "April-2003-Babies" for women having a baby this April (but Eliana came a few days earlier than her EDD of April 1). Both forums allow a place to vent frustrations as well as discuss solutions.

Thank you for the compliments on her name. Eliana is actually a Hebrew name meaning "god has answered"...yet it also has Italian roots. My husband is Jewish and I am Italian, so the name is really perfect, celebrating both our heritages.

Right now I'm dealing with a baby who is off schedule...not that she has a set routine at only 4 weeks old, but still, she had been following a particular pattern of wake vs. sleep. She slept most of the afternoon and is now not intent on going to sleep tonight. She's been up since about 9 when she usually goes to sleep for the night (with the exception of waking for feedings) around 8. Here it is midnight and she's being extremely fussy. So who knows if we'll get to bed anytime soon!

OK...gotta go now...Flippet, hang in there! Enjoy your last few days of pregnancy...get plenty of rest...have hubby dote on you...catch a movie, got out to a romantic dinner, take a warm bubble bath, read a good book. These are your last moments to really RELAX! LOL! I know that's difficult when you feel like a beached whale (I still do, I gained nearly 50 pounds during pregnancy), but believe me, a little R&R is hard to come by with a newborn!

Oh, and I forget what Diane McLean's ID is on this board...if you guys know, please have Diane email me...I've lost her email address! Thanks!