So at almost 5 years old, Anya still has (and uses) the capacity to throw a whopper of a tantrum. Last night, it was over taking medicine for her painful leg. Just before it started, I made the mistake of thinking how nice it was to have an easy bedtime for all 3 kids (well, really the bigger ones). Shortly after that, I heard Anya crying and George speaking sternly to her. OK- not my problem yet, so I tuned it out. But it kept going....and going.....and going.... George finally joined me in the family room and told me that she insisted that her leg really did hurt, but she refused to take the grape tylenol- she only wanted the "orange medicine"- ibuprofen. SHe's made a number of requests for this med lately,so we're not sure if it's a ploy to get something that tastes like candy, so George told her she could only have tylenol and if her legs *really* hurt, she should be happy to take anything that will make her feel better.
45 minutes later, I finally convinced her to swallw the grape meds (with a water chaser) and she survived!!! She still insisted that she hates that taste, though! Anyway, during our postmortem (which I do after most major tantrums), she acknowledged that once again, she didn't get her way. And now she felt crappy from crying and screaming....why can't she learn????
Friday, October 31, 2008
Busy week
Because of Halloween this week has been super hectic....it started with last weekend- work Sat morning, followed by a Halloween festival at a local college, then home and bed.
Sunday was going to be a nice casual day at home, but we found out about another Halloween event at a local Amusement park, so we went there instead- lots of walking and pretty tiring day (at least for a momma who's still recovering from surgery!)
Monday was Anya's follow up with the orthopod, so I had to take her to Colleen's and the smaller kids to Nana and Dada's, then take her to her visit and we all went out to dinner for my bday. Not physically hard, but a looooong day.
Tuesday was the first day that all 3 kids had to go to different places and Anya's Marvelous Me box was due and we didnt' quite finish it up. So that morning was crazy- I think I ran back into the house about 15 times to get things I had forgotten, but eventually we were off. I distinctly remember thinking that morning about what a sense of accomplishment I feel each morning as I pull into the office. I've fed, dressed, packed up, and dropped of 2-3 kids (with the help of my wonderful DH, of course) and by 9 (or 8), I'm ready for work. The rest of that day was pretty uneventful, I think!
Wednesday should have been a break since the cleaning people were coming, but I always try to have the clutter cleared up so they can clean everything and I like to get ahead of the laundry then. As a result, I worked harder that I do my "work" days! But I did have a fabulously clean house and mostly clean clothes to show for it!
Thursday is my long day at work so I have a lot of packing and planning to do, but since the office was slow, it turned out to be a nice day for me. Once Anya got off the bus, I packed the kiddoes up to go to the high school for trick or treat street. It went quite smoothly, except for the fact that it cost $5/kid and I had no cash! I checked the school's website before we went specifically for that reason and there was no mention of any cost- ack! Thankfully, the kids working there let me write a check and all was good. Anya was a pro by now and went up to each station and said "trick or treat!' Baz was pretty confused, but he managed to follow his sister around and make out with some good candy.
Today (Friday) is working out well, but it has been busy....after getting Anya on the bus, I packed up the little kids and went to BJ's. Our poor cats have been hungry for 2 days now since their food ran out, but they are now fed! Baz was disappointed that the butler was gone, but it wasn't a huge deal. After a short stop at home, we went to Anya's school to read her favorite book to the class (Knuffle Bunny) and listen to her answer questions about herself from her classmates. Baz was thrilled to be in her classroom and couldn't decide if he wanted to sit next to Anya in front of the class or on the floor with her friends! He definitely couldn't get enough of watching the fish! After that, I took Baz and Lorelei to Wendy's for lunch (and to kill some time) before we went back to Anya's school for their Halloween parade. Baz went right up to the playground, which thankfully was close enough to the parade that he could play. I snapped a few shots of our "vampire" girl and we were on our way! Tonight will just be trick or treating (I think), then bed.
Saturday will be another looooong day.....work early, so we all have to be up and out by 7am. George and the kids have to then go to the masonic temple to set up for the party later, then we have to take Anya to a bday party that afternoon. In the evening, we have Dada's party and ceremony that starts at 8pm- definitely gonna be a late night!
I'm really hoping that Sunday is a nice, quiet day!!!
Sunday was going to be a nice casual day at home, but we found out about another Halloween event at a local Amusement park, so we went there instead- lots of walking and pretty tiring day (at least for a momma who's still recovering from surgery!)
Monday was Anya's follow up with the orthopod, so I had to take her to Colleen's and the smaller kids to Nana and Dada's, then take her to her visit and we all went out to dinner for my bday. Not physically hard, but a looooong day.
Tuesday was the first day that all 3 kids had to go to different places and Anya's Marvelous Me box was due and we didnt' quite finish it up. So that morning was crazy- I think I ran back into the house about 15 times to get things I had forgotten, but eventually we were off. I distinctly remember thinking that morning about what a sense of accomplishment I feel each morning as I pull into the office. I've fed, dressed, packed up, and dropped of 2-3 kids (with the help of my wonderful DH, of course) and by 9 (or 8), I'm ready for work. The rest of that day was pretty uneventful, I think!
Wednesday should have been a break since the cleaning people were coming, but I always try to have the clutter cleared up so they can clean everything and I like to get ahead of the laundry then. As a result, I worked harder that I do my "work" days! But I did have a fabulously clean house and mostly clean clothes to show for it!
Thursday is my long day at work so I have a lot of packing and planning to do, but since the office was slow, it turned out to be a nice day for me. Once Anya got off the bus, I packed the kiddoes up to go to the high school for trick or treat street. It went quite smoothly, except for the fact that it cost $5/kid and I had no cash! I checked the school's website before we went specifically for that reason and there was no mention of any cost- ack! Thankfully, the kids working there let me write a check and all was good. Anya was a pro by now and went up to each station and said "trick or treat!' Baz was pretty confused, but he managed to follow his sister around and make out with some good candy.
Today (Friday) is working out well, but it has been busy....after getting Anya on the bus, I packed up the little kids and went to BJ's. Our poor cats have been hungry for 2 days now since their food ran out, but they are now fed! Baz was disappointed that the butler was gone, but it wasn't a huge deal. After a short stop at home, we went to Anya's school to read her favorite book to the class (Knuffle Bunny) and listen to her answer questions about herself from her classmates. Baz was thrilled to be in her classroom and couldn't decide if he wanted to sit next to Anya in front of the class or on the floor with her friends! He definitely couldn't get enough of watching the fish! After that, I took Baz and Lorelei to Wendy's for lunch (and to kill some time) before we went back to Anya's school for their Halloween parade. Baz went right up to the playground, which thankfully was close enough to the parade that he could play. I snapped a few shots of our "vampire" girl and we were on our way! Tonight will just be trick or treating (I think), then bed.
Saturday will be another looooong day.....work early, so we all have to be up and out by 7am. George and the kids have to then go to the masonic temple to set up for the party later, then we have to take Anya to a bday party that afternoon. In the evening, we have Dada's party and ceremony that starts at 8pm- definitely gonna be a late night!
I'm really hoping that Sunday is a nice, quiet day!!!
Girly girl
Sebastian is still completely in love with Lorelei. The first thing he always does when he's been apart from her is to kiss her forehead...when I pick him up at Colleen's, he asks right away if we can go see Dada and pick up his "girly girl". Awwwwww- so sweet!
Both kids have also learned to identify Styx's Lorelei in about 2 notes. And it's not like we play it often- actually, pretty rarely. Sebastian has asked for it several times this week- "Can I hear Lorelei's song?" For those interested, here's a link:
I think Lorelei is happy to see her sibs, too. This morning, Anya held L on the boppy and almost as soon as she was placed in her sister's arms, L started grinning from ear to ear. Love it!
Both kids have also learned to identify Styx's Lorelei in about 2 notes. And it's not like we play it often- actually, pretty rarely. Sebastian has asked for it several times this week- "Can I hear Lorelei's song?" For those interested, here's a link:
I think Lorelei is happy to see her sibs, too. This morning, Anya held L on the boppy and almost as soon as she was placed in her sister's arms, L started grinning from ear to ear. Love it!
Mommy treats
So yesterday I had a very nice treat- a trip to the mall SOLO!!!! The office is super slow lately and I had to return the extra Halloween costume I bought for Lorelei to the Disney store by that night, so I asked my office to just call me if anyone needed to come in and I was off.... I less than 2 hours w/k (without kids), I:
-went to the bank
-went to the post office
-returned the costume (actually, exchanged for some LMQ jammies)
-had a venti pumpkin latte (with skim, but still yumm-o!)- thanks Beth!
-bought some new undies from VS (thanks to a bday freebie they sent me!)
-picked up a free lotion from Bath &Body Works (thanks to a bday freebie!)
-bought some clothes for the kids from Macy's (thanks to some gift cards from one of George's patients!)
Yes, I did run around quite a bit, but it was so nice to only have to get myself in and out of the car, not break up fights, and accomplish soooo many things that needed doing!
-went to the bank
-went to the post office
-returned the costume (actually, exchanged for some LMQ jammies)
-had a venti pumpkin latte (with skim, but still yumm-o!)- thanks Beth!
-bought some new undies from VS (thanks to a bday freebie they sent me!)
-picked up a free lotion from Bath &Body Works (thanks to a bday freebie!)
-bought some clothes for the kids from Macy's (thanks to some gift cards from one of George's patients!)
Yes, I did run around quite a bit, but it was so nice to only have to get myself in and out of the car, not break up fights, and accomplish soooo many things that needed doing!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Some Halloween pics
Today we went to Trick or Treating at Adventureland and the kids had a BLAST!! They were eager to wear their costumes and get some more candy and maybe ride some rides. Anya was excited to wear her Wednesday costume....she didn't want to wear it to school in case she scared her classmates. Today, she was thrilled that some of the grownups at the park recognized her costume and commented on how cool it was. The biggest surprise was that the Addams Family Theme song came on several times- boy, did her face light up!!!
Our NASCAR driver (sans his Wii steering wheel that he conveniently forgot in the car):
Our ladybug (actually sucking on a binky for more than 10 seconds!!!):
Wednesday Addams:
Racecar driver and vampire girl at Anya's school:
It's so cool that Halloween is on a Friday this year- we're almost a week away and we already got a whole weekend of Halloween activities!!! Yesterday George took the big kids to a street festival in their costumes and after I met up, we all went to a local college for a Halloween event. Today was Adventureland, then a trick or treat street at the high school on Thurs and real T or T-ing on Friday.
For more pics, see the kids website- I'll put more on there!
Our NASCAR driver (sans his Wii steering wheel that he conveniently forgot in the car):
Our ladybug (actually sucking on a binky for more than 10 seconds!!!):
Wednesday Addams:
Racecar driver and vampire girl at Anya's school:
It's so cool that Halloween is on a Friday this year- we're almost a week away and we already got a whole weekend of Halloween activities!!! Yesterday George took the big kids to a street festival in their costumes and after I met up, we all went to a local college for a Halloween event. Today was Adventureland, then a trick or treat street at the high school on Thurs and real T or T-ing on Friday. For more pics, see the kids website- I'll put more on there!
Little Miss Independence
We've known that Anya is very independent for quite some time now, but it usually was directed towards us (mom and dad). I've noticed lately how far her independence goes....for instance, as soon as she heard she could buy her lunch at school, that's what she wanted to do. It doesn't matter that most of the other kids bring their lunch- she wants to buy hers and that's what she does. We went to a magic show at her school the other evening and most of the kids were sitting on the floor in front of the stage. She had seen several of her classmates, but none that she was particularly friendly with. As a result, she plopped herself down on the floor in front of the stage and THAT was where she was going to sit. Didn't care one bit that none of her friends were around her and she insisted that George and Baz come sit in the back with me- and there she stayed for the entire show.
I just wish she could stand up a little more to the girls she plays house with in school.....because she's shorter and smaller than the rest of them, they always make her play "little sister" and she wants to be "mommy". I have a feeling that if they were boys, this wouldn't be an argument at all- she's smack them until they let her play whatever she wanted.
I suppose I should be happy that she only hits boys- saves us a little in discipline!
I just wish she could stand up a little more to the girls she plays house with in school.....because she's shorter and smaller than the rest of them, they always make her play "little sister" and she wants to be "mommy". I have a feeling that if they were boys, this wouldn't be an argument at all- she's smack them until they let her play whatever she wanted.
I suppose I should be happy that she only hits boys- saves us a little in discipline!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Life is good!
Lorelei turns one month old tomorrow- how on earth did that happen? I've got to say that although she blended in pretty easily, it feels now like things are settling into our new normal.... I ventured into the hot tub with Anya and Baz yesterday and today and it was HEAVEN! I knew that the time I wouldn't be able to go in would be tough (it really wasn't as bad as I expected- I was too busy worrying about everything else), but what a treat to get back in.
I absolutely love this newborn phase (so many moms say they just want to "get through it" so they can enjoy the more fun babies that can interact more), but it is tiring because you're just about tied to your little person all the time. Now that she's nursing better and taking bottles pretty well, I've gained a little freedom and it feels great. To leave her inside with daddy while I play with the others in our little piece of heaven makes me feel so great!
Work is going well, too....I was stressed about her being fussy and needy as I see patients, but she's been doing fine. She fights the bottle a little bit, but once she eats, she either sits in her swing and just watches whats going on or she sleeps. It makes for a nice day for me since I can easily go about working without being concerned about her.
I absolutely love this newborn phase (so many moms say they just want to "get through it" so they can enjoy the more fun babies that can interact more), but it is tiring because you're just about tied to your little person all the time. Now that she's nursing better and taking bottles pretty well, I've gained a little freedom and it feels great. To leave her inside with daddy while I play with the others in our little piece of heaven makes me feel so great!
Work is going well, too....I was stressed about her being fussy and needy as I see patients, but she's been doing fine. She fights the bottle a little bit, but once she eats, she either sits in her swing and just watches whats going on or she sleeps. It makes for a nice day for me since I can easily go about working without being concerned about her.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Back to L's first week...
Day 6- Monday
This one was definitely a hectic day. Rather than sit quietly on the couch and let my belly heal, I had to get out to a few doctor's appts.....first I dropped Baz with Nana and Dada...no way could I chase him in addition to getting everyone in and out of the car! Then, Anya and I headed to the ped to weigh Lorelei.... this wasn't so bad, but getting in and out of the van and taking the stroller and baby carrier in and out were a bit tough. As we were finishing up there, Anya had to rush to the bathroom because she had diarrhea- ack! Now my day got a little more complicated!
Next was the xray place for Anya's arm....thankfully the waiting room was mostly empty since L was ready to eat (of course, she was only 6 days old- she ate ALL.DAY.LONG). Luckily, my nursing in public skills have gotten pretty good, so it wasn't even that hard to nurse a newborn in the waiting room. EXCEPT for the diarrhea....another emergency visit to the bathroom (and a few deep breaths for mommy who just couldn't hold Anya's little bum over the seat so she had to sit directly on it) and that trip was fairly easy.
Now we had a little time before the ortho visit, so we stopped at Target for a few necessities and some lunch. Yeah, besides the in and out of the van, walking around Target is good for healing, right? The ortho visit was good- she was healing fine, had her cast padded a bit, and we were on our way....
A little visit with Nana and Dada while L nursed yet again and we headed home. It was a long day and definitely required some pain meds after, but I really didn't feel so bad afterward.
Day 7- one week old!!!!
I don't remember many (any?) details of this day anymore, but I'm pretty sure this is the day that I sent Baz to Colleen's so I could finally get some rest. Because of my hospital stay, he was a bit clingy and even though he had talked happily about going to Colleen's to play with the kids, as soon as we pulled up, the tears/screaming started. So what happens to sore, tired, sleep deprived mommy who already feels guilty about dropping off her baby boy when he starts crying "don't go mommy"? You guessed it....mommy starts crying too. Now I've got an infant in her stroller and I KNOW I can't pick up a thrashing toddler and carry him in...... Luckily, Colleen spotted this happening and came to my rescue. I told her I was really OK, just couldn't control my stupid hormones, so she grabbed him and ran. I found out later that (as I suspected), he stopped crying shortly after I left and played happily the rest of the day. In fact, when George went to pick him up that afternoon, he didn't want to leave.
I was able to spend much of that day just sitting on the couch and sleeping- much needed!
This one was definitely a hectic day. Rather than sit quietly on the couch and let my belly heal, I had to get out to a few doctor's appts.....first I dropped Baz with Nana and Dada...no way could I chase him in addition to getting everyone in and out of the car! Then, Anya and I headed to the ped to weigh Lorelei.... this wasn't so bad, but getting in and out of the van and taking the stroller and baby carrier in and out were a bit tough. As we were finishing up there, Anya had to rush to the bathroom because she had diarrhea- ack! Now my day got a little more complicated!
Next was the xray place for Anya's arm....thankfully the waiting room was mostly empty since L was ready to eat (of course, she was only 6 days old- she ate ALL.DAY.LONG). Luckily, my nursing in public skills have gotten pretty good, so it wasn't even that hard to nurse a newborn in the waiting room. EXCEPT for the diarrhea....another emergency visit to the bathroom (and a few deep breaths for mommy who just couldn't hold Anya's little bum over the seat so she had to sit directly on it) and that trip was fairly easy.
Now we had a little time before the ortho visit, so we stopped at Target for a few necessities and some lunch. Yeah, besides the in and out of the van, walking around Target is good for healing, right? The ortho visit was good- she was healing fine, had her cast padded a bit, and we were on our way....
A little visit with Nana and Dada while L nursed yet again and we headed home. It was a long day and definitely required some pain meds after, but I really didn't feel so bad afterward.
Day 7- one week old!!!!
I don't remember many (any?) details of this day anymore, but I'm pretty sure this is the day that I sent Baz to Colleen's so I could finally get some rest. Because of my hospital stay, he was a bit clingy and even though he had talked happily about going to Colleen's to play with the kids, as soon as we pulled up, the tears/screaming started. So what happens to sore, tired, sleep deprived mommy who already feels guilty about dropping off her baby boy when he starts crying "don't go mommy"? You guessed it....mommy starts crying too. Now I've got an infant in her stroller and I KNOW I can't pick up a thrashing toddler and carry him in...... Luckily, Colleen spotted this happening and came to my rescue. I told her I was really OK, just couldn't control my stupid hormones, so she grabbed him and ran. I found out later that (as I suspected), he stopped crying shortly after I left and played happily the rest of the day. In fact, when George went to pick him up that afternoon, he didn't want to leave.
I was able to spend much of that day just sitting on the couch and sleeping- much needed!
About Lorelei
The first thing everyone tries to determine when looking at her is who she looks like. Hmmmmm...that one is hard this time! Anya was definitely my DD and looked like me almost from birth (poor kid!). Baz was the same, except that he was (and is) the spitting image of George. Lorelei is a mix of everyone and still unique. Her face is like Baz and her eyes are like Anya's, but after that, she'sher own person. Her dark hair seems to be staying put so far- boy, will she be striking if she keeps the dark hair and bright blue eyes! It's so interesting to see how much babies change every day!
As far as her behavior, she's still pretty mellow....of course, she cries when she's hungry and sometimes when she's tired, but she spends a lot of time just "hanging out" in her swing and looking around. I had her with me yesterday at work and I think most of her day was spent either sleeping in her swing or just watching people go by! Yes, I know this can still change, but I'm hoping for a calm and happy baby (and toddler, too!)
As far as her behavior, she's still pretty mellow....of course, she cries when she's hungry and sometimes when she's tired, but she spends a lot of time just "hanging out" in her swing and looking around. I had her with me yesterday at work and I think most of her day was spent either sleeping in her swing or just watching people go by! Yes, I know this can still change, but I'm hoping for a calm and happy baby (and toddler, too!)
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Baz's convos
I really have to break out the video camera more often to document Baz's speaking. He's got this raspy kinda deep (for a toddler) voice and puts on a sweet singsong tone to it. He also comes out with the most adorable things to say- often about something that happened long ago and describes it in detail.
Yesterday he was helping me make pancakes and my first batch came out perfectly. I asked them- "what do you think about those?" And his response was "that's excellent!" Awwwww, melted my heart!!!!
He's also taken to talking like the soup nazi from Seinfeld. If I wanted some pancakes, he'd respond "no pancakes for you mommy". I'm not sure where this came from, but coming from a 2-year old, it's pretty funny!
Yesterday he was helping me make pancakes and my first batch came out perfectly. I asked them- "what do you think about those?" And his response was "that's excellent!" Awwwww, melted my heart!!!!
He's also taken to talking like the soup nazi from Seinfeld. If I wanted some pancakes, he'd respond "no pancakes for you mommy". I'm not sure where this came from, but coming from a 2-year old, it's pretty funny!
3 weeks old!
So today Lorelei is 3 weeks old- how can that possibly be??? On one hand, I feel like she's always been part of the family, but on the other I can't believe that 3 weeks has passed since she arrived! Wowsers.... I took her for a weight check since she still isn't back up to her birth weight and she still has a couple of ounces to go, but she did gain 4 oz in 3 days- woohoo!!! She's now 8lbs, 9 oz- go team!!!! It's really REALLY hard to believe that I was carrying around more weight than she is now- that's crazy. Anyway, I know that the gain is from the supplementing and I don't feel any change in my milk production yet, but it's only been a few days on the meds, so here's hoping!
Today was my first day back at work and it went very well. It wasn't too tough getting Baz and Lorelei packed up and out the door and she even cooperated by nursing early enough- yay! She did fine in the office, too...a little fussy, but nothing too major AND she seems to be taking to the bottle as well!
Both big kids are still super into their sister- as soon as they see her, they can't get enough kisses plastered on her face. They also fight over who gets to hold her hand- so sweet!
L had her first real bath today too since her umbilical stump fell off this morning. Baz missed out since he refused to touch dinner and his punishment was no tub, but Anya delighted in helping to wash her baby sister. L seemed to enjoy the water too- who doesn't love a nice warm bath?
Today was my first day back at work and it went very well. It wasn't too tough getting Baz and Lorelei packed up and out the door and she even cooperated by nursing early enough- yay! She did fine in the office, too...a little fussy, but nothing too major AND she seems to be taking to the bottle as well!
Both big kids are still super into their sister- as soon as they see her, they can't get enough kisses plastered on her face. They also fight over who gets to hold her hand- so sweet!
L had her first real bath today too since her umbilical stump fell off this morning. Baz missed out since he refused to touch dinner and his punishment was no tub, but Anya delighted in helping to wash her baby sister. L seemed to enjoy the water too- who doesn't love a nice warm bath?
Monday, October 13, 2008
A cast-free house!
So Anya's cast came off today- yippee!!!!! She's all smiles and eager to show her friends at school her bare arm! Don't worry- it doesn't look so misshapen in person!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Anya's first book
Why is this book here? Because it's the first whole book that Anya can (and does) read entirely on her own!!!! Granted, some of it is context, but she's still recognizing the words! It's so amazing to see her learn how to read! Where did my baby go????
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Day 4- Saturday
Yep, I've already forgotten much of this time.....but I think that's because nothing really exciting happened this day....George was off from work so we spent the morning just hanging out as a family. Later that afternoon, Maureen and George came over with dinner and Meri (and Ollie) and Phil also came to visit us and meet L. It was a bit chaotic, but fun nonetheless. I was happy to have a little quiet time with Anya to color in her room- I felt like I hadn't really spent much time with her and that was nice.
Day 5- Sunday
By now, I was starting to feel a little better so we decided to venture out to the pumpkin patch. It wasn't nearly as hard to pack up 3 kids and I expected and we all had a nice time. The big kids had fun picking out their pumpkins and looking around at the halloween decorations. Lucky for us, it was a rainy day, so the corn maze and the hay rides were shut down- I started feeling tired and sore and needed to get back to the car.
We made a quick stop to Walmart and a Halloween store before heading home- our first family outing!
Yep, I've already forgotten much of this time.....but I think that's because nothing really exciting happened this day....George was off from work so we spent the morning just hanging out as a family. Later that afternoon, Maureen and George came over with dinner and Meri (and Ollie) and Phil also came to visit us and meet L. It was a bit chaotic, but fun nonetheless. I was happy to have a little quiet time with Anya to color in her room- I felt like I hadn't really spent much time with her and that was nice.
Day 5- Sunday
By now, I was starting to feel a little better so we decided to venture out to the pumpkin patch. It wasn't nearly as hard to pack up 3 kids and I expected and we all had a nice time. The big kids had fun picking out their pumpkins and looking around at the halloween decorations. Lucky for us, it was a rainy day, so the corn maze and the hay rides were shut down- I started feeling tired and sore and needed to get back to the car.
We made a quick stop to Walmart and a Halloween store before heading home- our first family outing!
Recovery timeline
Just because I know I'm going to forget this time in my life (I probably already have), I want to write what the first 2-3 weeks of Lorelei's life were like.
Days 1-3- hospital
This time was borrrrring and painful.....unlike my other deliveries where I felt INCREDIBLE from the beginning, every movement was hard to do and painful, so I was not able to enjoy my hospital time at all. I did still feel well enough on day 3 to go home (that, and the hospital bed was KILLING my back), but I was definitely not great
Day 3- Friday- discharge day
George and I made it home without any problems. It was kinda funny watching the other new parents being discharged and getting into their cars......dad got in the driver's seat and mom got in back with baby. Haha...here I was with kiddo #3 and after I was discharged, daddy went back into the hospital to see a patient while I waited in the front seat. It seems that once you have more than one kid, there's no room for mom or dad to sit next to the new one unless you can cram your adult-sized bottom into a carseat!
Anyway, when we got home, my parents were still there- cleaning frantically (thanks mom and dad!) and George was at Anya's school for her applesauce party. He had a blast playing with her class and she was thrilled to have daddy there AND get a ride home with him. Just before my parents left, Maureen came over so I could shower and change (thanks Maureen!!!). She entertained Baz and hung out so I didn't have to chase him and manage L (and my incision). The rest of the evening was pretty uneventful....we had leftovers for dinner and got through bath/bedtime as usual, just with a baby on my boob.
The first night started out with me sleeping in bed, but it didn't last too long. My hopes of having L sleep in the crib from day 1 dissipated once the c/s incision was made, but even getting her in and out of the PNP next to the bed was hard and painful. I also couldn't sleep comfortably on my side, so nursing her in bed wasn't an option either. Factor in big brother who missed mommy and wanted to sleep on top of me and the whole bed sitch was BAD.
I migrated to the couch (see the pic below) and the sleep solution was found. I could sleep comfortably for me and hold L safely so she could nurse through the night. There was even room for Baz to sleep between my legs with his head on the boppy so we could all get some rest- yay! We were able to sleep like this for several days and I'm so glad I figured it out right away!
Days 1-3- hospital
This time was borrrrring and painful.....unlike my other deliveries where I felt INCREDIBLE from the beginning, every movement was hard to do and painful, so I was not able to enjoy my hospital time at all. I did still feel well enough on day 3 to go home (that, and the hospital bed was KILLING my back), but I was definitely not great
Day 3- Friday- discharge day
George and I made it home without any problems. It was kinda funny watching the other new parents being discharged and getting into their cars......dad got in the driver's seat and mom got in back with baby. Haha...here I was with kiddo #3 and after I was discharged, daddy went back into the hospital to see a patient while I waited in the front seat. It seems that once you have more than one kid, there's no room for mom or dad to sit next to the new one unless you can cram your adult-sized bottom into a carseat!
Anyway, when we got home, my parents were still there- cleaning frantically (thanks mom and dad!) and George was at Anya's school for her applesauce party. He had a blast playing with her class and she was thrilled to have daddy there AND get a ride home with him. Just before my parents left, Maureen came over so I could shower and change (thanks Maureen!!!). She entertained Baz and hung out so I didn't have to chase him and manage L (and my incision). The rest of the evening was pretty uneventful....we had leftovers for dinner and got through bath/bedtime as usual, just with a baby on my boob.
The first night started out with me sleeping in bed, but it didn't last too long. My hopes of having L sleep in the crib from day 1 dissipated once the c/s incision was made, but even getting her in and out of the PNP next to the bed was hard and painful. I also couldn't sleep comfortably on my side, so nursing her in bed wasn't an option either. Factor in big brother who missed mommy and wanted to sleep on top of me and the whole bed sitch was BAD.
I migrated to the couch (see the pic below) and the sleep solution was found. I could sleep comfortably for me and hold L safely so she could nurse through the night. There was even room for Baz to sleep between my legs with his head on the boppy so we could all get some rest- yay! We were able to sleep like this for several days and I'm so glad I figured it out right away!
The big kids
There are so many things I've been wanting to post about so I don't forget them and I just never get time to have 2 hands free AND the computer. Here goes nothing:
Both kids have been over the moon in love with Lorelei since birth. They both had minor episodes of "I want/need momma" while I was in the hospital and shortly after when they had to be apart from me, but never anything directed at L. In fact, the second she starts rooting or fussing, they come and get me and let me know "ladybug wants some booby mommy". And if I don't immediately run to her aid, they keep after me! She's going to be one sheltered kid- between George and I AND her big bro and sis!
They also like to help in her feeding....Anya always asks if she can "plug the boob in her mouth". OMG- why she thought of it as being plugged in is beyond me, but hilarious!
Baz loves to just come over and rub her head. He calls her "girly girl" in his sweet little boy talk and it melts my heart!
Both kids have been over the moon in love with Lorelei since birth. They both had minor episodes of "I want/need momma" while I was in the hospital and shortly after when they had to be apart from me, but never anything directed at L. In fact, the second she starts rooting or fussing, they come and get me and let me know "ladybug wants some booby mommy". And if I don't immediately run to her aid, they keep after me! She's going to be one sheltered kid- between George and I AND her big bro and sis!
They also like to help in her feeding....Anya always asks if she can "plug the boob in her mouth". OMG- why she thought of it as being plugged in is beyond me, but hilarious!
Baz loves to just come over and rub her head. He calls her "girly girl" in his sweet little boy talk and it melts my heart!
Yay for boobies!
You know it's a good day when your (and the baby's) doc recommends beer (especially dark beer) as a treatment! Actually, I knew that dark beer is supposed to help with breastmilk production, but it's still nice to hear. I'm also pleased (kinda) to find out that my milk hormone is out of whack, which is probably why I've never been able to make enough milk to feed my babies. It's good because I can take a medication to increase that hormone and indirectly my milk production. It's bad because I wish I had found out with Anya and saved myself a lot of mommy angst. Oh well- neither she nor Baz seem to be lacking in the "smarts" department, so I'm not going to dwell on it.
On a side note, as a result of my appt today with the LC, I had a couple of hours to be home mostly alone (Lorelei has been sleeping since we got home). In that time, I cleaned and organized more than I have for the past two weeks! This recovery has been so different than the others- the things I had planned on doing 2 weeks ago are just getting done now and I'm going back to work this week. So much for "enjoying" my time off, but at least I'm getting back to my usual self.
On a side note, as a result of my appt today with the LC, I had a couple of hours to be home mostly alone (Lorelei has been sleeping since we got home). In that time, I cleaned and organized more than I have for the past two weeks! This recovery has been so different than the others- the things I had planned on doing 2 weeks ago are just getting done now and I'm going back to work this week. So much for "enjoying" my time off, but at least I'm getting back to my usual self.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Laughter is the best medicine!
Lately both kids have been into watching silly cat videos on youtube. This is a quick clip of their giggling as they watch. Don't worry if you can't see it- just listen to them- it's contagious!
Feeling better
I'm happy to report that in the past 2 days I've started feeling more and more like myself. Of course, I'm completely sleep-deprived, but that's nothing new or uncharted. My belly is feeling better and better and my incision is healing- yay!
2 week check
So Lorelei went in today for a 2 week check since her weight last week wasn't fantastic. She was born weighing 8lbs, 11 oz and discharged from the hospital on day 3 at 7lbs, 15 oz and then up a few ounces to 8lbs, 1oz at 13 days old. As a result, we made an appt for today (2 weeks) to make sure she regained to her birth weight....nope, no such luck. She gained a measly 2 ounces to 8lbs, 3oz, which is not enough. I'm bummed because I really thought that she was nursing well- I can feel a letdown, there's always milk in her mouth when she pulls off, and I can clearly hear and see her sucking and swallowing. I've even been able to pump an ounce several times, which is not bad for under 2 weeks.
She does spit up frequently.....with almost each feeding she spits fresh milk and regardless of whether she burps or not, she spits up old milk afterward. The ped is a little concerned about some sort of blockage or reflux, although her symptoms don't exactly coincide with either of those. First we're ruling out an issue with my supply and I've called 2 LC's and can hopefully be seen today or tomorrow. One is a pediatrician who also does lactation consulting- how cool is that?
Otherwise, she seems fine- she had her Hep B shot today and handled it very well- go Ladybug!
Oh, and here's a pic of little Lorelei:
She does spit up frequently.....with almost each feeding she spits fresh milk and regardless of whether she burps or not, she spits up old milk afterward. The ped is a little concerned about some sort of blockage or reflux, although her symptoms don't exactly coincide with either of those. First we're ruling out an issue with my supply and I've called 2 LC's and can hopefully be seen today or tomorrow. One is a pediatrician who also does lactation consulting- how cool is that?
Otherwise, she seems fine- she had her Hep B shot today and handled it very well- go Ladybug!
Oh, and here's a pic of little Lorelei:
So this is what my life has been for the past two weeks :) My intents of having L sleep in the crib from day 1 were tanked by the searing pain in my belly every time I tried to move. Luckily, I was able to situate on the couch like this for the first 12 days of her life and be able to nurse her all night and be comfortable- yay!!! Of course, Baz couldn't spend a night away from Mama (the 2 that I was in the hospital were bad enough), so he inevitably found his spot at my feet with the boppy as his pillow and everyone was happy! Now that my belly is feeling better and the shoulder pain has subsided, I've relocated into our bed, but that's bringing its own issues. L only has one good spell where she sleeps for 2-3 hours and that's typically ending around midnight, so after that she's up and down nursing for the rest of the night. Factor in Baz (or Anya sometimes) coming into our bed and I can't just lie on my side and nurse L. I'm really hoping one of these days Baz realizes that sleep at night is GOOD and just stays in his bed all night long!
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