TAILS from the other side...

... the "other side" of pregnancy, that is! Read on for some highlights from the past month after our new addition to Captain's family!

Captain has been continuing to adjust to having a baby in the house. Luckily, he's starting to get his Mommy back, since I've been walking more and have been easing back in to running again. And in those first weeks after baby, we made trips to local dog parks and enjoyed walking around the neighborhood.

About 2 weeks after I gave birth, we made our first trip to the dog park as a family, to Point Isabel:

Captain loved sticking his nose in the holes to play peak-a-boo with the gophers....

He got so close, they were practically touching noses!

We've also been enjoying walks around the near-by lake:

And cuddles on the couch:

Captain has remained pretty reserved around the baby. He doesn't lick her, or even really come near her. But he has started to sniff her a bit more. Tonight he sniffed her diaper for the first time- still waiting for him to tell us when she's got a dirty one though ;-)

He's still a little skittish when I bring her to him- he prefers to cautiously approach her and sniff on his own terms. But, he has started to be a little more tolerant when I put baby by his side:

Still adjusting to this whole baby thing ;)

I think it will be a while before Captain is REALLY comfortable around his new baby sister. But, he's already started to be protective of her. We've had a few friends come over to visit, and he definitely barks more at visitors entering the house. He also growled at some visitors who approached baby's chair, and was playing watch-dog over her nursery, carefully following friends who ventured in there.

Here's a little more info for those of you who may be interested in recovering after childbirth...

Mom and the first "baby"

As a reference, my labor was just 4 hours long- fast and intense-  a normal, natural, vaginal delivery with no interventions. I did have some tearing that required stitches, so there was definitely a recovery period. Here's a post-delivery week-by-week look at my recovery and road back to running with Captain:

• Week 1: I very much needed lots of time in bed, and gingerly walked around, not really leaving our apartment. Captain regarded me with reserve and calm during this time, and I wasn't spending much time cuddling him since I was so tired and all-consumed by the baby!
• Week 2: The second week, I was very eager to get outside, and was able to do some shorter outings, but still had to walk carefully. Daddy & visiting family continued to do most of the walks with Captain.
• Week 3: By week 3 I was feeling pretty antsy, and increased to longer "power walks," and my first walks alone with Captain and baby. Captain adjusted to walking by the stroller wonderfully- no training required. 
• Week 4: My first "runs" back with just me and Captain! At exactly 4 weeks to the day of going into labor, I cautiously attempted my first run- it was only about 12 minutes long, at a pretty slow pace, but it was great to be back outside running (or, um, slowly jogging..... I was taking it easy since there can be complications if your body isn't ready for exercise, and the recommendation is to wait 6 weeks. But, since I was running up until about 30 weeks of pregnancy, and doing yoga 5x/week right up until delivery, AND since I felt ready and healed, I gave myself the ok to ease back in).  

I've been managing a few short & easy jogs- only about 2-3 miles long each- just me and Captain, over the past week.... it's a matter of timing - everything is like a rush to squeeze in things right after I've fed her and/or when she's sleeping. Luckily my husband is happy to watch her and give me a break! And Captain seems very happy to be back running with his Mommy, even if she is still too slow ;-) I keep telling him to be patient, we'll be back to long, faster runs soon enough! For now, though, I'm pretty psyched to be easing back into normalcy- or, a new normal anyway!