My lips have been chapped, well, for about 40 weeks now. That's from the beginning of pregnancy until now. I drink a ton. I eat fruit. I use chapstick. I think pregnancy and breastfeeding just zap my fluids.
In totally unrelated news ('cause randomness makes for good blogging, right?), the parish picked up the tree debris we had. Yippee!!! Ander had fun watching the tree truck with our neighbor, Mrs. Audrey. Mrs. Audrey was kind enough to keep an eye on Ander, so he could watch the truck while I checked on the baby. Have I mentioned how much I like our neighbors? Seriously, we live by some really great people. (Plus the trashy people to the other side of us, but who is counting? And who is listening to the trashy teenager making out outside of our bedroom door? How does a kid end up in 10th grade at 18? How? Not that I am judging...much.)
Etcetera.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Moms Shouldn't Write About Poop
But some poop stories are just too good not to share.
"Yuck. What is this?" Alan exclaims as he lifts up Loki and looks down at his t-shirt. Poop is smeared from Daddy's neckline to his waist. "Your mommy doesn't know how to put a diaper on you, does she?"
Wife coughs. "Um, honey, you changed Loki's diaper a half hour ago."
Husband is sheepish. "Oh."
Ha ha ha ha ha. LMAO.
Etcetera.
"Yuck. What is this?" Alan exclaims as he lifts up Loki and looks down at his t-shirt. Poop is smeared from Daddy's neckline to his waist. "Your mommy doesn't know how to put a diaper on you, does she?"
Wife coughs. "Um, honey, you changed Loki's diaper a half hour ago."
Husband is sheepish. "Oh."
Ha ha ha ha ha. LMAO.
Etcetera.
Little Brat
We visited my mom today. I had some checks to sign and leave at my office for deposit plus Maw Maw wanted to see Loki and Ander. I figured Maw Maw could hold Loki while I got a much needed nap.
Aw, come on...you already know exactly what happened. Ander and Loki each took a nice long nap at exactly the same time, since, you know, I had a sitter and all.
At least I slept some.
Etcetera.
Aw, come on...you already know exactly what happened. Ander and Loki each took a nice long nap at exactly the same time, since, you know, I had a sitter and all.
At least I slept some.
Etcetera.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
It's Not All Baby Cuddles and Mommy Bliss
It's my first day home alone with the two kids. Alan returned (temporarily) to work so he can stretch out his leave and the time that Loki gets to spend at home with mommy and/or daddy.
Fortunately, Loki nursed a bit late (almost midnight), so Alan fed him at the 2 a.m. feed and I was good until 6 a.m. But starting at 6 a.m., things got busy. I've nursed Loki twice, changed three diapers and two outfits, fixed Ander and myself breakfast, started a chili, set up a movie on DVD, got down the bank for the money Ander found, and done a ton of little things.
What I haven't done? Sat down to eat a meal. Showered. Changed my clothes. Spent more than a moment in the bathroom. Brushed my teeth. Started my hour I plan to dedicate daily to work.
I just want to sit between my darling children and watch a good cartoon. But there is no time.
Etcetera.
Fortunately, Loki nursed a bit late (almost midnight), so Alan fed him at the 2 a.m. feed and I was good until 6 a.m. But starting at 6 a.m., things got busy. I've nursed Loki twice, changed three diapers and two outfits, fixed Ander and myself breakfast, started a chili, set up a movie on DVD, got down the bank for the money Ander found, and done a ton of little things.
What I haven't done? Sat down to eat a meal. Showered. Changed my clothes. Spent more than a moment in the bathroom. Brushed my teeth. Started my hour I plan to dedicate daily to work.
I just want to sit between my darling children and watch a good cartoon. But there is no time.
Etcetera.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Nursing in Public
Sigh. It sucks.
We had a ped appointment and my doctor's appointment, with lunch in between. To date, I've just pumped and brought a bottle, but this time we were just going to be out of the house for too long. So off I went, armed with a sling, a nipple shield (sorry, Brien...you really should start reading the titles of my blog entries ;)), and a blanket.
Loki is almost done with jaundice. He even gained a tiny bit of weight. But, of course, at 2 1/2 weeks, he hasn't gained enough. My doctor suggested nursing at least 20 minutes each time. My baby, of course, objects and refuses. He nurses for 7 minutes...and that is it. There is no waking him. There is no getting him to relatch. 7 minutes and he is D-O-N-E.
After the appointment, we went into the "newborn" waiting room, which was empty, to nurse the baby. I am not a "brazen breastfeeder" (a term I'm stealing from another person's blog entry, where she suggests nursing openly and without cover-up in public). I won't be hiding in the back room, but I don't want booby exposed, either. (Yes, yes, I've heard the "babies have a right to eat" argument. For me, it comes down to the fact that all humans eat, but we have manners. There are times and places where it is impossible to feed a baby while covering up. In those cases, feeding the baby trumps all manners! It is the polite thing to do. But if you can be more discreet, using a cover-up, sling, or a quiet corner, that's just good manners, in my humble opinion. I'm not telling anyone else what to do, of course. I'm simply stating my personal position on the matter - a position that matters a lot at this moment in time.) So I tried to nurse discretely, and for 20 whole minutes.
Boy, we suck at this!
First, Loki does not want to suck for 20 minutes. HE SIMPLY REFUSES. Gre-ate. Second, we managed to stay covered, but not without my husband freaking out over a sidewards glance of flesh. (Did I mention the room was EMPTY? {rolls eyes}) And...I leaked all over when Loki suddenly pulled away. Ever see boobies cry? You should have seen my t-shirt.
My doctor's office was MUCH, MUCH WORSE! The doctor was running late, between the two kids there were four poopy diapers, the baby was wailing, and there was no private place to nurse. Well, how bad could it be to nurse in an OB's waiting room, right?
WRONG.
A 3 year old kept trying to peek into the sling. A snotty, gross 3 year old whose nasty nose was not getting near my baby. Everyone was really nice about it, but I was so awkward and the baby was so hungry that we managed to get even wetter. I had major leakage, despite a bath towel, cover, sling, and nursing pads. I looked like two water balloons had burst, right under my breasts. Terrific. :( Plus, Lokin refused to nurse. He was too hungry, and I couldn't cover him and keep from leaking and let him breath and hold his head up all at once.
I really, really hate NIP. Hate it. It does get better, right? I guess I'll carry an extra t-shirt from now on.
Etcetera.
We had a ped appointment and my doctor's appointment, with lunch in between. To date, I've just pumped and brought a bottle, but this time we were just going to be out of the house for too long. So off I went, armed with a sling, a nipple shield (sorry, Brien...you really should start reading the titles of my blog entries ;)), and a blanket.
Loki is almost done with jaundice. He even gained a tiny bit of weight. But, of course, at 2 1/2 weeks, he hasn't gained enough. My doctor suggested nursing at least 20 minutes each time. My baby, of course, objects and refuses. He nurses for 7 minutes...and that is it. There is no waking him. There is no getting him to relatch. 7 minutes and he is D-O-N-E.
After the appointment, we went into the "newborn" waiting room, which was empty, to nurse the baby. I am not a "brazen breastfeeder" (a term I'm stealing from another person's blog entry, where she suggests nursing openly and without cover-up in public). I won't be hiding in the back room, but I don't want booby exposed, either. (Yes, yes, I've heard the "babies have a right to eat" argument. For me, it comes down to the fact that all humans eat, but we have manners. There are times and places where it is impossible to feed a baby while covering up. In those cases, feeding the baby trumps all manners! It is the polite thing to do. But if you can be more discreet, using a cover-up, sling, or a quiet corner, that's just good manners, in my humble opinion. I'm not telling anyone else what to do, of course. I'm simply stating my personal position on the matter - a position that matters a lot at this moment in time.) So I tried to nurse discretely, and for 20 whole minutes.
Boy, we suck at this!
First, Loki does not want to suck for 20 minutes. HE SIMPLY REFUSES. Gre-ate. Second, we managed to stay covered, but not without my husband freaking out over a sidewards glance of flesh. (Did I mention the room was EMPTY? {rolls eyes}) And...I leaked all over when Loki suddenly pulled away. Ever see boobies cry? You should have seen my t-shirt.
My doctor's office was MUCH, MUCH WORSE! The doctor was running late, between the two kids there were four poopy diapers, the baby was wailing, and there was no private place to nurse. Well, how bad could it be to nurse in an OB's waiting room, right?
WRONG.
A 3 year old kept trying to peek into the sling. A snotty, gross 3 year old whose nasty nose was not getting near my baby. Everyone was really nice about it, but I was so awkward and the baby was so hungry that we managed to get even wetter. I had major leakage, despite a bath towel, cover, sling, and nursing pads. I looked like two water balloons had burst, right under my breasts. Terrific. :( Plus, Lokin refused to nurse. He was too hungry, and I couldn't cover him and keep from leaking and let him breath and hold his head up all at once.
I really, really hate NIP. Hate it. It does get better, right? I guess I'll carry an extra t-shirt from now on.
Etcetera.
Friday, October 3, 2008
I Hate Money
If I've ever approached a nervous breakdown, it's been over money. I grow up fairly poor. We had food stamps. I lived in a trailer for years. I only wore hand-me-down clothes. I didn't get to buy yearbooks or prom dresses or, often, Christmas gifts for my friends. In college, I worked three jobs at once and ate lots of peanut butter and jelly to survive.
This year, I didn't make an income. Between the miscarriage, a short spell of financial downturn at the business, morning sickness, bedrest, and having a baby via c-section, there was just no opportunity to make an income. I'm blessed, I guess, to have kept the business running so that I can make money in 2009. I'm really lucky to have a husband with a solid income. We are paying our bills (including all those extra medical bills), if just barely.
So when I turn on the radio or tv or search the web, the economic news gives me mini anxiety attacks. I don't know why. It's not like I really own stocks. My mortage note is reasonable and does not fluctuate, so I'm not losing my home anytime soon. I don't need any credit right now, and have a great credit score, so getting credit is not an issue for us. As situations go, ours is fairly stable.
But I think back to the days during college when I couldn't afford a beef meximelt at Taco Bell, for 49 cents, and I freak out.
Etcetera.
This year, I didn't make an income. Between the miscarriage, a short spell of financial downturn at the business, morning sickness, bedrest, and having a baby via c-section, there was just no opportunity to make an income. I'm blessed, I guess, to have kept the business running so that I can make money in 2009. I'm really lucky to have a husband with a solid income. We are paying our bills (including all those extra medical bills), if just barely.
So when I turn on the radio or tv or search the web, the economic news gives me mini anxiety attacks. I don't know why. It's not like I really own stocks. My mortage note is reasonable and does not fluctuate, so I'm not losing my home anytime soon. I don't need any credit right now, and have a great credit score, so getting credit is not an issue for us. As situations go, ours is fairly stable.
But I think back to the days during college when I couldn't afford a beef meximelt at Taco Bell, for 49 cents, and I freak out.
Etcetera.