I hate when people make assumptions about a group of people or a way of life because they "heard" that's what they do or what they believe.... and they just believe it... they don't even bother to educate themselves and find out the truth and/or form their own opinions.
For example, I heard that La Leche League (LLL) was a bunch of "breastfeeding Nazi's" from a girlfriend who attended a meeting, was turned off by it, but still nursed her daughter for almost 12 months... She is a fairly good friend and while I value her opinion, I still chose to attend a meeting when Kayden was born and form my own opinion... And now I am not only a member, but I am a Leader Applicant working on becoming a LLL Leader.
It's sad that there are people out there who choose to think of LLL (or any other group) that way because someone told them their opinion... and then they don't even take the chance to check it out and form their own opinion...
So if someone says something like that, I ask them if they have ever been to a meeting or if they have ever participated in an activity with that group... if they haven't, I ask them "Then how do you know?" and tell them "Don't knock it til you try it" (not necessarily those word but that's the gist...)
There are so many things about me that changed once Kayden arrived... I was "never" going to co-sleep, I would "let her cry it out and learn to effectively self-sooth" and I would not "spoil her" by carrying her around all the time...
Now I am proud to say that I am a co-sleeping, baby-wearing, rocking-to-sleep FOOL!!!! :-)
It's a parent's job to educate themselves about all the options and make an informed decision about what's right for their family and individual child... it's sad that not all parents actually do their job....
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Updates...
So it's only been 2 months... life and work are unbelievably busy... but as Kayden grows, I'll be able to do more on here, I promise...
As for now, Kayden is 10 1/2 months old. She weighs about 23 lbs and is crawling all over the place... she started "cruising" on the furniture this week and, out of the blue, last weekend, started waving bye-bye...
She verbally says "da-da" & "ma-ma" and signs "milk" but seems to use the sign for all food and drink... she sometimes claps for "more".
She's growing so fast... plans are in the works for her 1st birthday party....
Bailey is doing well... despite lots of attention, she always seems to be under foot or in our faces... she steals food out of Kayden's hand when she's in the highchair but Kayden seems to think it's the funniest thing ever when she does... They are good friends and Bailey is very tolerant of the little pats and tugs Kayden dishes out...
We are one big happy, yet busy, family!
Looking forward to cooler weather so we can all visit the dog park again...
As for now, Kayden is 10 1/2 months old. She weighs about 23 lbs and is crawling all over the place... she started "cruising" on the furniture this week and, out of the blue, last weekend, started waving bye-bye...
She verbally says "da-da" & "ma-ma" and signs "milk" but seems to use the sign for all food and drink... she sometimes claps for "more".
She's growing so fast... plans are in the works for her 1st birthday party....
Bailey is doing well... despite lots of attention, she always seems to be under foot or in our faces... she steals food out of Kayden's hand when she's in the highchair but Kayden seems to think it's the funniest thing ever when she does... They are good friends and Bailey is very tolerant of the little pats and tugs Kayden dishes out...
We are one big happy, yet busy, family!
Looking forward to cooler weather so we can all visit the dog park again...
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Unsolicited Advice
As I go along on this crazy parenthood ride, I've decided to share with you things that work for me... somethings I will have learned during my many years as a nanny and others I will learn as I go along...
In regards to kiddos of all ages, but especially those in the peak tantrum toddler years, I have found the more control you give them over their everyday lives, the more likely they are to do what you want when you want them to.
Examples:
Do you want the blue or the green plate?
Do you want Sofie the Giraffe or your stuffed octopus to play with in the car?
Do you want to brush your teeth or take a bath first? (Noticed I said FIRST.)
I have done this with MANY toddlers as a nanny over the years and am doing it with Kayden already. I actually started when she was very young with her diapers... the one she looked at was the one I assumed was her choice. Now that she's older, she'll grab the one she wants.
We will still have tantrums from time to time but the frequency and intensity will be greatly diminished. She will more easily accept the phrase "it's not a choice" (like holding my hand in the parking lot) and she'll learn that her choices have consequences (if she chooses the blue plate, someone else may get the green plate) very early on.
********************
Her first word is officially "milk." She signs it with gusto when she sees her sitters with the bottle... it's not consistent enough with me yet, but that may be because I sign "mama's milk" before I feed her so I add an extra step.
In regards to kiddos of all ages, but especially those in the peak tantrum toddler years, I have found the more control you give them over their everyday lives, the more likely they are to do what you want when you want them to.
Examples:
Do you want the blue or the green plate?
Do you want Sofie the Giraffe or your stuffed octopus to play with in the car?
Do you want to brush your teeth or take a bath first? (Noticed I said FIRST.)
I have done this with MANY toddlers as a nanny over the years and am doing it with Kayden already. I actually started when she was very young with her diapers... the one she looked at was the one I assumed was her choice. Now that she's older, she'll grab the one she wants.
We will still have tantrums from time to time but the frequency and intensity will be greatly diminished. She will more easily accept the phrase "it's not a choice" (like holding my hand in the parking lot) and she'll learn that her choices have consequences (if she chooses the blue plate, someone else may get the green plate) very early on.
********************
Her first word is officially "milk." She signs it with gusto when she sees her sitters with the bottle... it's not consistent enough with me yet, but that may be because I sign "mama's milk" before I feed her so I add an extra step.
Friday, May 21, 2010
The Circus
If you every have the chance to see the Culpepper & Merriweather Circus, PLEASE do so!
It is an old fashion circus that actually takes place under a big top tent. They had acts with unicycles, trapeze, rope dancer, a girl balancing on a rolling board, a clown, an act with birds, a juggler.... it was so much fun!
It is an old fashion circus that actually takes place under a big top tent. They had acts with unicycles, trapeze, rope dancer, a girl balancing on a rolling board, a clown, an act with birds, a juggler.... it was so much fun!
Outside the big top tent, they had a large inflatable slide and a pony ride...
Kayden's favorite thing was the snow cones...
Kayden's First Circus was probably more fun for us but I think she had a good time too...
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Swimming
We started Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) the last week of April. It is a highly intensive and expensive class that teaches water survival to infants and young children.
The first time I heard of it, it was in an email forward about 3 years ago. The video showed a young toddler, probably 12-15 months old, falling into a pool with no one around. The child oriented herself underwater and came up into a beautiful back float. Then she floated... and floated.... and floated for probably 10 minutes. Toward the end of the time, she started to cry and yell out but she maintained the float, fully clothed, until an adult pulled her out.
Living in a lake community, my interest was high. When I researched it, the closest place to offer it was 3 hours away so I figured I would just be out of luck when it was time for us to have kiddos.
Then, a few months ago, I saw it advertised in a local parenting magazine. I WAS STOKED!!!! I called the place and was put in touch with the instructor. We were signed up and have completed 3 weeks of classes.
The first time I heard of it, it was in an email forward about 3 years ago. The video showed a young toddler, probably 12-15 months old, falling into a pool with no one around. The child oriented herself underwater and came up into a beautiful back float. Then she floated... and floated.... and floated for probably 10 minutes. Toward the end of the time, she started to cry and yell out but she maintained the float, fully clothed, until an adult pulled her out.
Living in a lake community, my interest was high. When I researched it, the closest place to offer it was 3 hours away so I figured I would just be out of luck when it was time for us to have kiddos.
Then, a few months ago, I saw it advertised in a local parenting magazine. I WAS STOKED!!!! I called the place and was put in touch with the instructor. We were signed up and have completed 3 weeks of classes.
The first week she cried through most of the lesson... it was something new and challenging and that's just how she communicates. The second week was a little better but she still complained a bit. The 3rd week was even better. On Monday, she floated by herself for a few seconds and went under a few times and didn't even cry... she's totally gonna be our little fish...
When I say it's intensive and expensive, I am not exaggerating. The classes are Monday thru Friday and range from $75-$90 a week in our area. But, living so close to water, I feel it's absolutely necessary.
The other morning, I was watching Trauma, Life in the ER... they were resuscitating a little girl about 2 years old who had been found at the bottom of her neighbor's pool. She did survive, but had substantial and permanent brain damage...
Yup, ISR is worth every penny, all the time, and every mile I drive...
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Busy Busy Busy
Again, I promised I haven't died. Life has just been very busy.
Tomorrow, my chunky monkey will be 8 months old. In a nutshell, here is what's been going on:
Right at 7 months Kayden learned to clap and was sitting up pretty stably. She also got her first 2 teeth within a week of each other. She was pretty tough though.... she just started acting fussy about 12 hours before the first one broke through and the only sign of discomfort with the other was a few nights with added feedings.
The last week of April we started Infant Swimming Resource (ISR), a class which teaches self water rescue to infants and young children.
In early May, Kayden went to her first circus. It was an old fashion kind with a big top tent and everything.
The first couple weeks of May, Kayden has really honed her movement. Although she is still not crawling, she scoots very well and has just started to figure out that the scooting can get her from one place to the other. Her sitter said she pulled herself up on a basket but was back down on her bottom before she could grab her camera and she never did it again.
I am considering taking on a volunteer position which may lead to a new career path. Since having Kayden, I have discovered a passion for a field I never would have thought of. It's a long road but I am starting on the reading requirements in the few spare minutes I have.
We've been dealing with cable TV issues for 3 weeks now and it's still not right. I don't know who is more frustrated: Me or my husband...
We lost power during a big storm a few nights ago and had to break out a generator to save the fish tank... we were blessed with deep freeze space at Kayden's sitter's house so we didn't lose any food thank God...
I have started to rebuild my stash of frozen milk. I am pretty sure I've worked out all the kinks and should be successful this time around.
Kayden kissed a boy for the first time last week.... My poor husband isn't gonna know what hit him....
Kayden is growing fast. She weighs 20 lbs and wears 12 and 18 month bottoms, partially because of her personal fluff and partly because of the added fluff of the cloth diapers. I am pretty sure she will slim down substantially once she starts moving around more.
I will go into further details on some of the above events in upcoming posts... hopefully the pics will tide you over til I can post again.
Tomorrow, my chunky monkey will be 8 months old. In a nutshell, here is what's been going on:
Right at 7 months Kayden learned to clap and was sitting up pretty stably. She also got her first 2 teeth within a week of each other. She was pretty tough though.... she just started acting fussy about 12 hours before the first one broke through and the only sign of discomfort with the other was a few nights with added feedings.
The last week of April we started Infant Swimming Resource (ISR), a class which teaches self water rescue to infants and young children.
In early May, Kayden went to her first circus. It was an old fashion kind with a big top tent and everything.
The first couple weeks of May, Kayden has really honed her movement. Although she is still not crawling, she scoots very well and has just started to figure out that the scooting can get her from one place to the other. Her sitter said she pulled herself up on a basket but was back down on her bottom before she could grab her camera and she never did it again.
I am considering taking on a volunteer position which may lead to a new career path. Since having Kayden, I have discovered a passion for a field I never would have thought of. It's a long road but I am starting on the reading requirements in the few spare minutes I have.
We've been dealing with cable TV issues for 3 weeks now and it's still not right. I don't know who is more frustrated: Me or my husband...
We lost power during a big storm a few nights ago and had to break out a generator to save the fish tank... we were blessed with deep freeze space at Kayden's sitter's house so we didn't lose any food thank God...
I have started to rebuild my stash of frozen milk. I am pretty sure I've worked out all the kinks and should be successful this time around.
Kayden kissed a boy for the first time last week.... My poor husband isn't gonna know what hit him....
Kayden is growing fast. She weighs 20 lbs and wears 12 and 18 month bottoms, partially because of her personal fluff and partly because of the added fluff of the cloth diapers. I am pretty sure she will slim down substantially once she starts moving around more.
I will go into further details on some of the above events in upcoming posts... hopefully the pics will tide you over til I can post again.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Brand Power
Just when I find a product I like, it goes away.... And yes, I am gonna name names....
The first time I cam across this was with Lipton Mint Tea. LOVE IT!!! It used to be sold by the box. Then I could only find it in the multi flavored box which included 6 flavors, 2 of which I did not like at all. So I e-mailed the company. They apologized and informed me it was only available in the multi pack. So I switched brands, although I haven't found a brand or flavor I like as well.
Next, it was with the Adiri bottles. Fabulous things for breast fed babies... $12 a piece, though. I bought the set that offered all three flow rates (0-3, 3-6, and 6+ months) thinking we would start with the first and work our way up until we figured out the flow Kayden preferred then buy a few more of that one. Well, they quit making them altogether... I found this out when I was frantically searching for a replacement for the one slow flow we had because the nipple cracked and the 3-6 month flow was too fast for her. I looked at the 3 places locally that carried them and they were out... so I went online and bought 6... the good news was because they had been discontinued, they were all half price...
Most recently, it was with deodorant. A long while back, I was using Degree soft solid... you know, the one that squeezes creamy lotiony stuff out of the top when you turn the bottom. Then I couldn't find it anymore... Secret and Suave both offered it, so I switched to Suave because it was cheaper and worked just as well. Now, I can't find a soft solid to save my live.... NO ONE seems to offer it anymore... so I have to either use a clear solid that doesn't keep me dry at all or a regular solid that leaves white gunk in my under-pits and all over my clothes.
I am afraid of what might be next...
********************
Kayden was 18lbs 14oz (90-95 %tile) and 25 1/2 inches (45 %tile) at her 6 month check-up. She is pretty much sitting up on her own but still topples over frequently. She has mastered the art of rolling front to back only because she hates tummy time so much she figured a way out of it. She has been introduced to the sippy cup and although she still views it as a toy, she has taken sips from it successfully. She ate cereal at the sitters today for the first time and seemed to enjoy it. She had everything we had on Easter Sunday: ham, green bean casserole, and some mango via her mesh feeder and mashed potatoes, yams, and corn casserole from the spoon, which she loved helping with. She takes 1-3 naps a day ranging from 15 minutes to 3 1/2 hours and is sleeping in her own room in her own crib for 8-10 hours at night.
My baby is growing up so fast....
The first time I cam across this was with Lipton Mint Tea. LOVE IT!!! It used to be sold by the box. Then I could only find it in the multi flavored box which included 6 flavors, 2 of which I did not like at all. So I e-mailed the company. They apologized and informed me it was only available in the multi pack. So I switched brands, although I haven't found a brand or flavor I like as well.
Next, it was with the Adiri bottles. Fabulous things for breast fed babies... $12 a piece, though. I bought the set that offered all three flow rates (0-3, 3-6, and 6+ months) thinking we would start with the first and work our way up until we figured out the flow Kayden preferred then buy a few more of that one. Well, they quit making them altogether... I found this out when I was frantically searching for a replacement for the one slow flow we had because the nipple cracked and the 3-6 month flow was too fast for her. I looked at the 3 places locally that carried them and they were out... so I went online and bought 6... the good news was because they had been discontinued, they were all half price...
Most recently, it was with deodorant. A long while back, I was using Degree soft solid... you know, the one that squeezes creamy lotiony stuff out of the top when you turn the bottom. Then I couldn't find it anymore... Secret and Suave both offered it, so I switched to Suave because it was cheaper and worked just as well. Now, I can't find a soft solid to save my live.... NO ONE seems to offer it anymore... so I have to either use a clear solid that doesn't keep me dry at all or a regular solid that leaves white gunk in my under-pits and all over my clothes.
I am afraid of what might be next...
********************
Kayden was 18lbs 14oz (90-95 %tile) and 25 1/2 inches (45 %tile) at her 6 month check-up. She is pretty much sitting up on her own but still topples over frequently. She has mastered the art of rolling front to back only because she hates tummy time so much she figured a way out of it. She has been introduced to the sippy cup and although she still views it as a toy, she has taken sips from it successfully. She ate cereal at the sitters today for the first time and seemed to enjoy it. She had everything we had on Easter Sunday: ham, green bean casserole, and some mango via her mesh feeder and mashed potatoes, yams, and corn casserole from the spoon, which she loved helping with. She takes 1-3 naps a day ranging from 15 minutes to 3 1/2 hours and is sleeping in her own room in her own crib for 8-10 hours at night.
My baby is growing up so fast....
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Lesser Of Two Evils
Which is worse: 1) driving in crappy, snowy weather with a 6-month-old on the front seat of a truck with no car seat OR 2) leaving said 6-month-old at home alone in her crib for 10-15 minutes?
"Let me splain"*
Last night was Kayden's Baby Dedication at church. Proof that God has a sense of humor, it had been snowing since the night before (that's right... SNOW on the first day of Spring!)
After the Dedication, the whole family (minus my husband, who was working one job then heading to another) went out to eat. It was still snowing but the roads weren't too bad. After dinner, however, they were horrid...
On our way home, we got stuck. There is a really bad hill on our street that is next to impossible to get up in crappy weather unless you have 4-wheel-drive or chains. And you can't even get a running start at it because there is another hill followed by a curve right before it. So about half way up, my car stopped, then began to slide backwards. I tried to back down the hill but I kept sliding toward the ditch on the side of the road. Only by the GRACE OF GOD did I manage to back it into a driveway at the bottom of the hill.
So there we sat. I called my husband who, also by the Grace of God, happened to be home (because he wasn't supposed to be) and he came to get us. Now, I figured we would hop in the truck and I would just hold Kayden on my lap for the 200-300 yard trip home. The house where my car sat is a summer/weekender so I knew no one was home and I could just walk down and get it the next day when the snow had melted a bit and the roads were cleared.
But my husband insisted we try to get my car out of that driveway and home and he was in a hurry because he STILL HAD TO WORK after he got us home. I told him I wanted to take Kayden home first... I did not want her riding in the truck (with OR without a car seat as the case was) any more than absolutely necessary. So we took her home... he was in such a hurry, he told me to just LEAVE HER IN THE CRIB and we would be back within 15 minutes. He waited in the truck while I ran her inside and I bought time to frantically call a neighbor by changing into snow boots... the neighbor said he was on his way so I got back in the truck where my husband was impatiently waiting and we went back to get my car...
So in reality, she was only alone in the house for about 5 minutes... but I should never have left her at all... the alternatives, to me however, were MUCH worse... I didn't want her riding in the truck AT ALL let alone without a car seat and I sure as hell wasn't gonna let her ride in my car as my impatient husband tried to get it home.
So call DCFS if you must... I did what I felt I had to at the time... but if I am put in that situation again, I will probably tell my husband to kiss off...
*Indigo from The Princess Bride
********************
I was pleased to learn of Bailey's behavior through all this when I got home...
The neighbor, who knew Bailey, said when he walked in the door, Bailey barked at him like she was gonna kill him, then ran into the nursery. The neighbor just sat down on the couch and waited... Bailey came out a few minutes later and sniffed him and loved on him... then he was able to check on Kayden...
So her first instinct was to protect... anyone who didn't know her would have been scared enough to leave right then... but after she calmed down and realized she recognized the neighbor's smell, she turned back into her old cuddly self and soaked up the attention :-)
"Let me splain"*
Last night was Kayden's Baby Dedication at church. Proof that God has a sense of humor, it had been snowing since the night before (that's right... SNOW on the first day of Spring!)
After the Dedication, the whole family (minus my husband, who was working one job then heading to another) went out to eat. It was still snowing but the roads weren't too bad. After dinner, however, they were horrid...
On our way home, we got stuck. There is a really bad hill on our street that is next to impossible to get up in crappy weather unless you have 4-wheel-drive or chains. And you can't even get a running start at it because there is another hill followed by a curve right before it. So about half way up, my car stopped, then began to slide backwards. I tried to back down the hill but I kept sliding toward the ditch on the side of the road. Only by the GRACE OF GOD did I manage to back it into a driveway at the bottom of the hill.
So there we sat. I called my husband who, also by the Grace of God, happened to be home (because he wasn't supposed to be) and he came to get us. Now, I figured we would hop in the truck and I would just hold Kayden on my lap for the 200-300 yard trip home. The house where my car sat is a summer/weekender so I knew no one was home and I could just walk down and get it the next day when the snow had melted a bit and the roads were cleared.
But my husband insisted we try to get my car out of that driveway and home and he was in a hurry because he STILL HAD TO WORK after he got us home. I told him I wanted to take Kayden home first... I did not want her riding in the truck (with OR without a car seat as the case was) any more than absolutely necessary. So we took her home... he was in such a hurry, he told me to just LEAVE HER IN THE CRIB and we would be back within 15 minutes. He waited in the truck while I ran her inside and I bought time to frantically call a neighbor by changing into snow boots... the neighbor said he was on his way so I got back in the truck where my husband was impatiently waiting and we went back to get my car...
So in reality, she was only alone in the house for about 5 minutes... but I should never have left her at all... the alternatives, to me however, were MUCH worse... I didn't want her riding in the truck AT ALL let alone without a car seat and I sure as hell wasn't gonna let her ride in my car as my impatient husband tried to get it home.
So call DCFS if you must... I did what I felt I had to at the time... but if I am put in that situation again, I will probably tell my husband to kiss off...
*Indigo from The Princess Bride
********************
I was pleased to learn of Bailey's behavior through all this when I got home...
The neighbor, who knew Bailey, said when he walked in the door, Bailey barked at him like she was gonna kill him, then ran into the nursery. The neighbor just sat down on the couch and waited... Bailey came out a few minutes later and sniffed him and loved on him... then he was able to check on Kayden...
So her first instinct was to protect... anyone who didn't know her would have been scared enough to leave right then... but after she calmed down and realized she recognized the neighbor's smell, she turned back into her old cuddly self and soaked up the attention :-)
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Dog Park Adventure
As I mentioned in the previous post, we took our first trip to the dog park... but our adventure did not end at finally fitting into the car.. oh no...
When we got to the park, Bailey was so excited she could barely contain herself... the last time we were there was July or August of last year... Then I went on modified bed rest, had a baby, and had to recover... by the time I was well enough to go, it was too cold for Kayden to go and my husband's schedule did not allow him to either take Bailey or watch Kayden while I went.
Once I got Kayden in the stroller and covered with a blanket, I got Bailey on the leash and we headed to the gate. Now, as a safety measure, you have to go through 2 gates... it keeps dogs from escaping if they try to slip out when someone else is entering or exiting. A great idea for the dogs... not so much for a jogging stroller... but after a bit of maneuvering, we made it in.
Unfortunately, the way the park is set up, it is almost always a wind tunnel. Even on the warmest days with no wind, there is a cool breeze... which is GREAT for the dogs, not so much for mom and a baby... I forgot about this little quirk and although it was a warm day, it was probably 5-10 degrees cooler at the park... a bit too cool for Kayden. Needless to say, we only stayed about 15 minutes.
Although it was a bit cool, Kayden had a blast! She loved watching the dogs play and thought it was the funniest thing in the world when they came to smell her... The owners seemed mortified that their dogs were smelling her, though... I mean, really... I wouldn't have brought Kayden in a stroller if I was worried about that...
When we left, we had an even harder time getting back into the car. I had to put Bailey in first so she wouldn't escape or pull on her leash while I was getting Kayden in the car. Once I got them both in, I had to get the stroller in... but Bailey had taken back over her spot in the backseat... It was a mess trying to get her in the front seat long enough for me to toss the stroller in the backseat...
So went our first trip to the dog park... I have decided that I will probably just wear Kayden in the Moby Wrap next time we go... it will be easier than wrestling with the stroller, which I don't think is technically allowed anyway...
********************
6 months old today!!! Although she is still not rolling over, she is almost sitting up and, although she HATES tummy time, I have a feeling crawling is not far behind...
And 19lbs... holy crap she's big!!!!
When we got to the park, Bailey was so excited she could barely contain herself... the last time we were there was July or August of last year... Then I went on modified bed rest, had a baby, and had to recover... by the time I was well enough to go, it was too cold for Kayden to go and my husband's schedule did not allow him to either take Bailey or watch Kayden while I went.
Once I got Kayden in the stroller and covered with a blanket, I got Bailey on the leash and we headed to the gate. Now, as a safety measure, you have to go through 2 gates... it keeps dogs from escaping if they try to slip out when someone else is entering or exiting. A great idea for the dogs... not so much for a jogging stroller... but after a bit of maneuvering, we made it in.
Unfortunately, the way the park is set up, it is almost always a wind tunnel. Even on the warmest days with no wind, there is a cool breeze... which is GREAT for the dogs, not so much for mom and a baby... I forgot about this little quirk and although it was a warm day, it was probably 5-10 degrees cooler at the park... a bit too cool for Kayden. Needless to say, we only stayed about 15 minutes.
Although it was a bit cool, Kayden had a blast! She loved watching the dogs play and thought it was the funniest thing in the world when they came to smell her... The owners seemed mortified that their dogs were smelling her, though... I mean, really... I wouldn't have brought Kayden in a stroller if I was worried about that...
When we left, we had an even harder time getting back into the car. I had to put Bailey in first so she wouldn't escape or pull on her leash while I was getting Kayden in the car. Once I got them both in, I had to get the stroller in... but Bailey had taken back over her spot in the backseat... It was a mess trying to get her in the front seat long enough for me to toss the stroller in the backseat...
So went our first trip to the dog park... I have decided that I will probably just wear Kayden in the Moby Wrap next time we go... it will be easier than wrestling with the stroller, which I don't think is technically allowed anyway...
********************
6 months old today!!! Although she is still not rolling over, she is almost sitting up and, although she HATES tummy time, I have a feeling crawling is not far behind...
And 19lbs... holy crap she's big!!!!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Auto Tetris
We took our first trip to the dog park since Kayden was born. It was a beautiful day and I wanted Bailey and I both to get some exercise.
As I mentioned in the previous post, my car is just a bit too small for us to go anywhere as a family. In order for us to hit the dog park, I had to figure out how to fit Kayden, Bailey, the stroller and myself into the car.
I was driving... Kayden was gonna be in her seat... but where to put Bailey and the stroller????
I tried putting the stroller in my trunk... it just wouldn't go... I tried many approaches from many angles but it just wouldn't fit. I then tried the front seat thinking maybe if I got it in just right it would fit... no-go... so the only place left was the backseat... so there it went...
Now, as sweet as Bailey is, I don't think she would have taken to kindly to being put in the trunk so the only other option was to put her in the front passenger seat... you know, the one that is pushed all the way forward to accommodate Kayden's car seat... the one no one fits in...
Poor Bailey had no idea what was happening. She couldn't lay down (without knocking the car into neutral) or turn around to put her head out the window... her head was up over the dash and almost into the windshield... if we had wrecked, she would have either flown out of the car or been crushed by the airbag...
But we made it... there and back... and in one piece....
As I mentioned in the previous post, my car is just a bit too small for us to go anywhere as a family. In order for us to hit the dog park, I had to figure out how to fit Kayden, Bailey, the stroller and myself into the car.
I was driving... Kayden was gonna be in her seat... but where to put Bailey and the stroller????
I tried putting the stroller in my trunk... it just wouldn't go... I tried many approaches from many angles but it just wouldn't fit. I then tried the front seat thinking maybe if I got it in just right it would fit... no-go... so the only place left was the backseat... so there it went...
Now, as sweet as Bailey is, I don't think she would have taken to kindly to being put in the trunk so the only other option was to put her in the front passenger seat... you know, the one that is pushed all the way forward to accommodate Kayden's car seat... the one no one fits in...
Poor Bailey had no idea what was happening. She couldn't lay down (without knocking the car into neutral) or turn around to put her head out the window... her head was up over the dash and almost into the windshield... if we had wrecked, she would have either flown out of the car or been crushed by the airbag...
But we made it... there and back... and in one piece....
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Kayden In The Car
My husband wants to get me a bigger car. Part of me is excited but the other part is sad...
The way it is now, if both Kayden and I look over our right shoulders, we can see each other... the passenger seat is pushed as far forward as it goes in order to fit her convertible car seat in at the appropriate angle. I can reach her to see if she's breathing after a particularly bag choking fit (because shoving our fingers down our throat is our latest fun thing to do in the car and Mommy can't tell if it's my hand or something else I am choking on) or hold her hand if she is starting to fuss.
But the way it is now, we can't really go anywhere as an entire family. There is only room for a driver, Kayden in the car seat, and either another person or Bailey in the back seat. On Thanksgiving and Christmas, I had to smoosh myself into the passenger seat and I had to wedge myself between the dash and the seat in order to close the door...
And forget taking the stroller anywhere... my husband can get it into my trunk but I can barely get it out and I haven't figured out how to get it back in... I really want to take Kayden for jogs around the dog park when it gets warmer but it doesn't seem like a possibility...
He found a Jeep for me... I haven't seen it yet... I am both excited and sad...
I'll be keeping my car since I drive so far for work and the Jeep will be for more local errands, weekends, and next winter when the 4 wheel drive will come in handy...
So the next decision is this:
Do I invest in a second convertible car seat?
Do I buy seats according to what she needs at the time, like a forward facing and booster when the time comes?
Or do I move the current convertible from car to Jeep to car even if it means I may be doing it twice a day sometimes?
********************
I am not sure if I told this story already and I am too lazy to go back and search to see if I did... so humor me:
Kayden took her first joy ride when she was 3 1/2 months old.
We had just got home at the end of the day and I carefully got out of the car because we had almost a solid sheet of ice on the driveway. I got out and closed the door. Then, with my infant still in the backseat, the car started to move.
Now I drove a stick for 11 years... so although I've had my current automatic for almost 5 years, there are still times I'll turn it off, forgetting to put it in park first.... but I always pull the emergency break...
I was confused at first because I knew the emergency break was on and I couldn't figure out why the back tires were rolling...
As I quickly opened the driver's door, I noticed the front tires were NOT rolling... and as I jumped back into the driver's seat, I realized there was nothing I could do but helplessly sit there... the tires were sliding down the driveway, not rolling, so the breaks were worthless.... and we were heading straight toward the tree that sits in the ditch that runs along our driveway...
Only by the grace of God did we slide to a stop at the bottom of the driveway just a few feet from the tree... we hadn't built up enough speed to get us all the way to the ditch....
I haven't parked on that part of the driveway since... I probably won't even this summer....
********************
At first, Kayden hated the car... she would cry whenever we put her in the car. It was so bad at first that I thought I had pinched her or that something was really hurting her... then I figured out she just hated the car... she would scream and cry until we got to where we were going... rarely did she fall asleep...
I think she was bored. She couldn't really see out the windows or entertain herself yet and it was worse at night when she couldn't see ANYthing.
Then around 12-14 weeks of age, it began to get better. She didn't cry every time anymore and she seemed to be happier longer before she started to fuss.
Now, she likes it... but only if the car is moving and/or the radio is on... she still rarely sleeps but she does sing along to the radio, which, I must say, is about the sweetest thing I've ever heard!!!!
The way it is now, if both Kayden and I look over our right shoulders, we can see each other... the passenger seat is pushed as far forward as it goes in order to fit her convertible car seat in at the appropriate angle. I can reach her to see if she's breathing after a particularly bag choking fit (because shoving our fingers down our throat is our latest fun thing to do in the car and Mommy can't tell if it's my hand or something else I am choking on) or hold her hand if she is starting to fuss.
But the way it is now, we can't really go anywhere as an entire family. There is only room for a driver, Kayden in the car seat, and either another person or Bailey in the back seat. On Thanksgiving and Christmas, I had to smoosh myself into the passenger seat and I had to wedge myself between the dash and the seat in order to close the door...
And forget taking the stroller anywhere... my husband can get it into my trunk but I can barely get it out and I haven't figured out how to get it back in... I really want to take Kayden for jogs around the dog park when it gets warmer but it doesn't seem like a possibility...
He found a Jeep for me... I haven't seen it yet... I am both excited and sad...
I'll be keeping my car since I drive so far for work and the Jeep will be for more local errands, weekends, and next winter when the 4 wheel drive will come in handy...
So the next decision is this:
Do I invest in a second convertible car seat?
Do I buy seats according to what she needs at the time, like a forward facing and booster when the time comes?
Or do I move the current convertible from car to Jeep to car even if it means I may be doing it twice a day sometimes?
********************
I am not sure if I told this story already and I am too lazy to go back and search to see if I did... so humor me:
Kayden took her first joy ride when she was 3 1/2 months old.
We had just got home at the end of the day and I carefully got out of the car because we had almost a solid sheet of ice on the driveway. I got out and closed the door. Then, with my infant still in the backseat, the car started to move.
Now I drove a stick for 11 years... so although I've had my current automatic for almost 5 years, there are still times I'll turn it off, forgetting to put it in park first.... but I always pull the emergency break...
I was confused at first because I knew the emergency break was on and I couldn't figure out why the back tires were rolling...
As I quickly opened the driver's door, I noticed the front tires were NOT rolling... and as I jumped back into the driver's seat, I realized there was nothing I could do but helplessly sit there... the tires were sliding down the driveway, not rolling, so the breaks were worthless.... and we were heading straight toward the tree that sits in the ditch that runs along our driveway...
Only by the grace of God did we slide to a stop at the bottom of the driveway just a few feet from the tree... we hadn't built up enough speed to get us all the way to the ditch....
I haven't parked on that part of the driveway since... I probably won't even this summer....
********************
At first, Kayden hated the car... she would cry whenever we put her in the car. It was so bad at first that I thought I had pinched her or that something was really hurting her... then I figured out she just hated the car... she would scream and cry until we got to where we were going... rarely did she fall asleep...
I think she was bored. She couldn't really see out the windows or entertain herself yet and it was worse at night when she couldn't see ANYthing.
Then around 12-14 weeks of age, it began to get better. She didn't cry every time anymore and she seemed to be happier longer before she started to fuss.
Now, she likes it... but only if the car is moving and/or the radio is on... she still rarely sleeps but she does sing along to the radio, which, I must say, is about the sweetest thing I've ever heard!!!!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
First Word
I woke up to Kayden talking this morning... not unusual...
Then, she said "da da" clear as day... VERY unusual....
Already a daddy's girl.... I guess I'm just the cow...
Then, she said "da da" clear as day... VERY unusual....
Already a daddy's girl.... I guess I'm just the cow...
Friday, March 5, 2010
The Thing About Bailey....
The bad thing about Bailey is that, if I don't catch it in time, she licks Kayden's face when she spits up...
The good thing about Bailey is that when Kayden spits up on the floor, I never have to clean it up.
The bad thing about Bailey is that when she sees or hears anything outside, be it near our house or the neighbors', she whines and paces until I let her out...
The good thing about Bailey is that I always know when there is someONE or someTHING ANYWHERE near the house.
The bad thing about Bailey is that whenever I let her outside, she runs the perimeter of the yard barking maniacally, no matter the time of day or night, whether there is anyone or thing to bark at or not...
The good thing about Bailey is that if anyone was really casing our house, they'd be a fool to actually break in.
The bad thing about Bailey is that she plops down as close to us as possible, even if that means she plops down right on top of Kayden...
The good thing about Bailey is that when she DOES plop down on her, Kayden laughs and immediately grabs Bailey by the face, mouth, eye, and/or ear and Bailey just lets her.
The bad thing about Bailey is that she is always RIGHT THERE and she is so big that I can't step over her or around her and I am at her mercy until she chooses to move out of my way...
The good thing about Bailey is that she is ALWAYS right there... to greet me, to cuddle, to love me, and to show me how important I am even when I don't feel that way.
We are so blessed to have her in our lives....
The good thing about Bailey is that when Kayden spits up on the floor, I never have to clean it up.
The bad thing about Bailey is that when she sees or hears anything outside, be it near our house or the neighbors', she whines and paces until I let her out...
The good thing about Bailey is that I always know when there is someONE or someTHING ANYWHERE near the house.
The bad thing about Bailey is that whenever I let her outside, she runs the perimeter of the yard barking maniacally, no matter the time of day or night, whether there is anyone or thing to bark at or not...
The good thing about Bailey is that if anyone was really casing our house, they'd be a fool to actually break in.
The bad thing about Bailey is that she plops down as close to us as possible, even if that means she plops down right on top of Kayden...
The good thing about Bailey is that when she DOES plop down on her, Kayden laughs and immediately grabs Bailey by the face, mouth, eye, and/or ear and Bailey just lets her.
The bad thing about Bailey is that she is always RIGHT THERE and she is so big that I can't step over her or around her and I am at her mercy until she chooses to move out of my way...
The good thing about Bailey is that she is ALWAYS right there... to greet me, to cuddle, to love me, and to show me how important I am even when I don't feel that way.
We are so blessed to have her in our lives....
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Just Keep Swimming...
Spring is coming....
Spring is coming....
Just keep swimming....
Just keep swimming....
Spring is coming....
Just keep swimming....
Just keep swimming....
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
Roads
The potholes are now so bad that I am actually looking forward to orange barrel season....
I wonder, can you bill the city for repairs for damages caused by potholes?
I wonder, can you bill the city for repairs for damages caused by potholes?
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Adventures In Parenthood
I think Kayden likes to wait all day just to get all cozy in bed to poop....
For 4 nights in a row, we had crawled into bed and I was almost asleep when BBRRRRRRIPPPPPSSSHHH, full nasty diaper... she even smiled really big between grunts and wiggles...
********************
Since Christmas, we have been randomly giving her tastes of whatever we are eating... Recently, she has really been watching us as we eat so anytime we are eating something appropriately smooshy, we let her taste it. Mashed potatoes and gravy, cheesecake, BBQ sauce, marinara sauce, buffalo wings sauce, etc.
What did we learn this week?
Carrots + raspberries = mess
On 2/21, after a short nursing session, we gave her pureed carrots... she made a funny face and most of it dribbled down her chin but she consumed about 1/2 teaspoon of it...
On 2/23, again, after a short nursing session, I tried again... she actually opened her mouth and took the carrots off the spoon.... then she smiled real big and blew a raspberry at me that sprayed little orange speckles all over herself, me, the couch, and Bailey... She did it 2 more times over the next 3 bites... I finally gave up, but again, she probably got down about 1/2 teaspoon.
On 2/25, I fed her a little more. This time I got her before I nursed her so she was a bit hungrier. This time she took about a full teaspoon with only one raspberry episode...
I plan to keep feeding her a teaspoon of veggies at a time until she hits 6 months, then I will increase the amount a bit and mix in some cereal... We plan to add peas and squash to the mix soon.
********************
As I mentioned in a previous post, the freezer in the garage broke... the one FULL of my frozen milk... I am not sure how long it had been that way but when I opened it the smell was pretty bad... that's saying something since we were smack in the middle of almost 2 weeks of temps of 32 degrees or less... I tossed probably 4-5 gallons worth of partially thawed milk that had been separated into 2-3 oz portions... there was nothing else I could do... all that work and time and energy: gone with nothing to show for it...
I am keeping up with her with the fresh I pump at work and sometimes over night but it was heartbreaking to trash that much...
********************
Last Saturday morning, my husband had Kayden all by himself for the first time... it was only for a couple hours but I wondered if he'd change her diaper... it would've been his first... before she was born, he agreed to let me cloth diaper if he didn't have to change them... I had her in a sposie that morning just in case... I was almost sad that I wouldn't be there to take pictures...
When I got home, I discovered that although they survived, they never made it out of bed : -) They were playing with a stuffed dog when I got there...
********************
Kayden still doesn't roll over. She'll get about halfway and then lose interest. She rolled from her back to her front at the sitters once and about scared herself to death so she hasn't even attempted to in 3 weeks.
She isn't even close to crawling... she hates tummy time and we can only get her to do it for a few minutes at a time before she breaks down...
I am not worried, though, because she is almost sitting up by herself so I know her gross motor skills are developing okay in other areas.
The only problem is she has to be crawling in order to take the Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) class that we are trying to enroll her in this May... I sure hope she is crawling by then...
********************
ISR pretty cool... ISR teaches infants and young children how to survive and save themselves if they fall into water... check it out at www.infantswim.com
I first heard about it a few years ago but the closest class at the time was 3 hours away. When I saw it advertised in our city, I was ecstatic!!!
It's expensive and intensive, though... $105 just to enroll... then $85 per week for 5-7 weeks... it's 5 days a week for 10-15 minutes per session. The place is a 45 minute drive from us as well... but with us living at a lake, I think it is totally worth it...
To me, it's necessary....
For 4 nights in a row, we had crawled into bed and I was almost asleep when BBRRRRRRIPPPPPSSSHHH, full nasty diaper... she even smiled really big between grunts and wiggles...
********************
Since Christmas, we have been randomly giving her tastes of whatever we are eating... Recently, she has really been watching us as we eat so anytime we are eating something appropriately smooshy, we let her taste it. Mashed potatoes and gravy, cheesecake, BBQ sauce, marinara sauce, buffalo wings sauce, etc.
What did we learn this week?
Carrots + raspberries = mess
On 2/21, after a short nursing session, we gave her pureed carrots... she made a funny face and most of it dribbled down her chin but she consumed about 1/2 teaspoon of it...
On 2/23, again, after a short nursing session, I tried again... she actually opened her mouth and took the carrots off the spoon.... then she smiled real big and blew a raspberry at me that sprayed little orange speckles all over herself, me, the couch, and Bailey... She did it 2 more times over the next 3 bites... I finally gave up, but again, she probably got down about 1/2 teaspoon.
On 2/25, I fed her a little more. This time I got her before I nursed her so she was a bit hungrier. This time she took about a full teaspoon with only one raspberry episode...
I plan to keep feeding her a teaspoon of veggies at a time until she hits 6 months, then I will increase the amount a bit and mix in some cereal... We plan to add peas and squash to the mix soon.
********************
As I mentioned in a previous post, the freezer in the garage broke... the one FULL of my frozen milk... I am not sure how long it had been that way but when I opened it the smell was pretty bad... that's saying something since we were smack in the middle of almost 2 weeks of temps of 32 degrees or less... I tossed probably 4-5 gallons worth of partially thawed milk that had been separated into 2-3 oz portions... there was nothing else I could do... all that work and time and energy: gone with nothing to show for it...
I am keeping up with her with the fresh I pump at work and sometimes over night but it was heartbreaking to trash that much...
********************
Last Saturday morning, my husband had Kayden all by himself for the first time... it was only for a couple hours but I wondered if he'd change her diaper... it would've been his first... before she was born, he agreed to let me cloth diaper if he didn't have to change them... I had her in a sposie that morning just in case... I was almost sad that I wouldn't be there to take pictures...
When I got home, I discovered that although they survived, they never made it out of bed : -) They were playing with a stuffed dog when I got there...
********************
Kayden still doesn't roll over. She'll get about halfway and then lose interest. She rolled from her back to her front at the sitters once and about scared herself to death so she hasn't even attempted to in 3 weeks.
She isn't even close to crawling... she hates tummy time and we can only get her to do it for a few minutes at a time before she breaks down...
I am not worried, though, because she is almost sitting up by herself so I know her gross motor skills are developing okay in other areas.
The only problem is she has to be crawling in order to take the Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) class that we are trying to enroll her in this May... I sure hope she is crawling by then...
********************
ISR pretty cool... ISR teaches infants and young children how to survive and save themselves if they fall into water... check it out at www.infantswim.com
I first heard about it a few years ago but the closest class at the time was 3 hours away. When I saw it advertised in our city, I was ecstatic!!!
It's expensive and intensive, though... $105 just to enroll... then $85 per week for 5-7 weeks... it's 5 days a week for 10-15 minutes per session. The place is a 45 minute drive from us as well... but with us living at a lake, I think it is totally worth it...
To me, it's necessary....
Friday, February 26, 2010
Undeserved Trust?
"I know God will not give me more than I can handle. I just wish He didn't trust me so much" Unknown
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Random Ramblings
I cut the crap out of my ankle while shaving this morning. I haven't cut myself shaving in years...
Kayden woke screaming the other night. It took 3 of the longest minutes of my life to calm her. I hope this isn't an early manifestation of night terrors.
Been feeling light headed this morning. Despite not taking my meds in weeks, my bp was 135/84 which is only slightly elevated for me... maybe I need to eat something.
Had a root canal on Thursday. God bless endodontists.
The freezer in the garage is broken. You know... the one FULL of my frozen milk.... not sure how long it had been that way... I think I may vomit....
I only have a pound and a half to go to my pre pregnancy weight. But 12 1/2 to my goal.
Latest guilty pleasures: Moving Up & Shear Genius.
I was on the phone with my boss in Florida yesterday and told her I may not work Monday because we were expecting a winter storm with ice and lots of snow. Her response: oh, that sucks... I am on my way to the beach...
Bitch.
I am so ready for spring.
Kayden woke screaming the other night. It took 3 of the longest minutes of my life to calm her. I hope this isn't an early manifestation of night terrors.
Been feeling light headed this morning. Despite not taking my meds in weeks, my bp was 135/84 which is only slightly elevated for me... maybe I need to eat something.
Had a root canal on Thursday. God bless endodontists.
The freezer in the garage is broken. You know... the one FULL of my frozen milk.... not sure how long it had been that way... I think I may vomit....
I only have a pound and a half to go to my pre pregnancy weight. But 12 1/2 to my goal.
Latest guilty pleasures: Moving Up & Shear Genius.
I was on the phone with my boss in Florida yesterday and told her I may not work Monday because we were expecting a winter storm with ice and lots of snow. Her response: oh, that sucks... I am on my way to the beach...
Bitch.
I am so ready for spring.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
What We Have Come To....
"Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas and oil, as well as current market conditions, the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off." Unknown
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Hide the Pliers
I currently have a toothache so bad that I understand why some animals gnaw off their own limbs to get out of a trap...
So, here I am, at 1 am, complaining to my friends inside the computer, still waiting for the 2 extra strength Tylenol, 2 Advil, and 1 Darvocet (left over from my c-section) to take effect.
This thing makes 41 hours of unmedicated labor look like a tiny splinter :-(
So, here I am, at 1 am, complaining to my friends inside the computer, still waiting for the 2 extra strength Tylenol, 2 Advil, and 1 Darvocet (left over from my c-section) to take effect.
This thing makes 41 hours of unmedicated labor look like a tiny splinter :-(
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Spoiled Part 2
So apparently my milk is no good in the frig either... fresh is supposed to last 8 days in the frig... mine only seems to last 4 or 5... I guess the taste changes gradually after it's expressed and the longer it sits, even in the frig, the more the taste deteriorates...
I can totally see why moms give up breast feeding once they go back to work... it's a pain in the gulu... I'm just too cheap to buy formula... especially when I can produce enough to keep up with her... I just hate having to throw it away...
Maybe I can start using it on my cereal?
********************
5 months today... 17lbs 5 oz.... time sure does fly...
I can totally see why moms give up breast feeding once they go back to work... it's a pain in the gulu... I'm just too cheap to buy formula... especially when I can produce enough to keep up with her... I just hate having to throw it away...
Maybe I can start using it on my cereal?
********************
5 months today... 17lbs 5 oz.... time sure does fly...
Monday, February 15, 2010
Fell Thru The Cracks?!?!?!?
The lady shooter in Alabama shot and killed her brother in the 80s, sent a pipe bomb to a professor in the 90s, and now shot up a faculty meeting where she worked.... why wasn't she in jail again?
http://www.aolnews.com/crime/article/amy-bishop-alabama-professor-accused-in-shootings-was-suspect-in-1993-mail-bomb-plot/19358072?icid=main|hp-desktop|dl1|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolnews.com%2Fcrime%2Farticle%2Famy-bishop-alabama-professor-accused-in-shootings-was-suspect-in-1993-mail-bomb-plot%2F19358072
http://www.aolnews.com/crime/article/amy-bishop-alabama-professor-accused-in-shootings-was-suspect-in-1993-mail-bomb-plot/19358072?icid=main|hp-desktop|dl1|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolnews.com%2Fcrime%2Farticle%2Famy-bishop-alabama-professor-accused-in-shootings-was-suspect-in-1993-mail-bomb-plot%2F19358072
Monday, February 8, 2010
De-Barking????
Not too sure about this one:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35219154/ns/health-the_new_york_times/?GT1=43001
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35219154/ns/health-the_new_york_times/?GT1=43001
Friday, January 22, 2010
Spoiled
Kayden hates the bottle. She only takes it toward the end of the day and it's usually a fight for the baby sitter to get her to take it... She knows what to do, she just chooses not to. She just doesn't like artificial anything in her mouth: bottle, binky, teething ring, etc... she will, however suck on her fingers, my fingers, my hand, my arm, my shoulder, etc. for comfort...
We noticed early on that she preferred fresh milk from the bottle (when she would take it) instead of frozen from the bottle. It didn't smell any different to me, although the sitter said the frozen smelled soapy to her compared to the fresh... We just thought she was being picky. Then the other day I had a bag of frozen that was partially thawed at the baby sitter's. I decided to let it finish thawing in my frig and use it on my cereal the next day to see if it really tasted different or if she was just being picky. I took one bite of the cereal and had to spit it out... it tasted spoiled... No wonder she refused the bottle of frozen...
I spoke with a few different lactation consultants to see what I was doing wrong. Apparently there is an enzyme in some women's milk that causes the milk to taste spoiled once its been frozen... it's not really spoiled, it just tastes that way...
Great, now what am I supposed to do with the freezer full of frozen milk in 1 to 3 ounce portions?
There is a cooking method that can reverse the effect and can sometimes make the milk taste ok again... it involves simmering the milk for 10 minutes... one method says to do it after it's thawed and another said to do it before it's frozen... so which is it?
Part of me is heartbroken that I spent all that time and energy bagging, labeling, and freezing all that milk just to have to throw it all out... but the other part of me doesn't want to spend even more time and energy on a theory that may or may not work... especially since I am keeping up with her demand with fresh milk...
So for now, I am pumping and storing in the frig... it is good for up to 8 days and I am currently about 3-5 days ahead of what she is currently being fed. If it gets to the point where I am pumping for her next days supply, we may have to introduce a bit of formula... but for the sake of my laundry, my wallet and my finicky daughter, I hope it never comes to that...
********************
We had her 4 month check on 1/20... she was 16 pounds 1 ounce and 24 inches long... 50th percentile for height... 95th percentile for weight!!!!
Enjoy it now, kiddo... it's the only time being that much bigger than your peers is considered healthy.
We noticed early on that she preferred fresh milk from the bottle (when she would take it) instead of frozen from the bottle. It didn't smell any different to me, although the sitter said the frozen smelled soapy to her compared to the fresh... We just thought she was being picky. Then the other day I had a bag of frozen that was partially thawed at the baby sitter's. I decided to let it finish thawing in my frig and use it on my cereal the next day to see if it really tasted different or if she was just being picky. I took one bite of the cereal and had to spit it out... it tasted spoiled... No wonder she refused the bottle of frozen...
I spoke with a few different lactation consultants to see what I was doing wrong. Apparently there is an enzyme in some women's milk that causes the milk to taste spoiled once its been frozen... it's not really spoiled, it just tastes that way...
Great, now what am I supposed to do with the freezer full of frozen milk in 1 to 3 ounce portions?
There is a cooking method that can reverse the effect and can sometimes make the milk taste ok again... it involves simmering the milk for 10 minutes... one method says to do it after it's thawed and another said to do it before it's frozen... so which is it?
Part of me is heartbroken that I spent all that time and energy bagging, labeling, and freezing all that milk just to have to throw it all out... but the other part of me doesn't want to spend even more time and energy on a theory that may or may not work... especially since I am keeping up with her demand with fresh milk...
So for now, I am pumping and storing in the frig... it is good for up to 8 days and I am currently about 3-5 days ahead of what she is currently being fed. If it gets to the point where I am pumping for her next days supply, we may have to introduce a bit of formula... but for the sake of my laundry, my wallet and my finicky daughter, I hope it never comes to that...
********************
We had her 4 month check on 1/20... she was 16 pounds 1 ounce and 24 inches long... 50th percentile for height... 95th percentile for weight!!!!
Enjoy it now, kiddo... it's the only time being that much bigger than your peers is considered healthy.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Funny Man
Many things my husband did and said throughout the whole pregnancy made me laugh...
When I told him I was expecting he jokingly asked if it was his... then asked what child support ran these days...
The look of shock when I told him I expected him to be there when I delivered and he wanted to know who was gonna hold his hand...
When he asked how she knew what to do the first time I nursed her....
Just the other day he told me he hoped she grew up to be ugly... that his life would me so much easier if she wasn't good looking...
But the best was after I had her... the whole time I was pregnant, he jokingly kept saying the baby wasn't his... when everyone came back in after our first hour alone as a family, they asked him what he thought of her...
"It's official... no way she's mine... I couldn't make something that pretty..."
Later that evening, they were watching football together and he talked to her about the game like she was one of his friends....
During a commercial: "She's just perfect... now what do we have to do about her head?" (I explained it would round out on its own.)
And now anytime there is anything out of the ordinary going on with her, he looks at me with the most pathetic look and says, "What's wrong with her? What do we do to fix it? You'd better take her to the doctor!" So funny for a tough guy like him to be so spastic :-)
********************
She is 4 months old today :-)
When I told him I was expecting he jokingly asked if it was his... then asked what child support ran these days...
The look of shock when I told him I expected him to be there when I delivered and he wanted to know who was gonna hold his hand...
When he asked how she knew what to do the first time I nursed her....
Just the other day he told me he hoped she grew up to be ugly... that his life would me so much easier if she wasn't good looking...
But the best was after I had her... the whole time I was pregnant, he jokingly kept saying the baby wasn't his... when everyone came back in after our first hour alone as a family, they asked him what he thought of her...
"It's official... no way she's mine... I couldn't make something that pretty..."
Later that evening, they were watching football together and he talked to her about the game like she was one of his friends....
During a commercial: "She's just perfect... now what do we have to do about her head?" (I explained it would round out on its own.)
And now anytime there is anything out of the ordinary going on with her, he looks at me with the most pathetic look and says, "What's wrong with her? What do we do to fix it? You'd better take her to the doctor!" So funny for a tough guy like him to be so spastic :-)
********************
She is 4 months old today :-)
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Dog Food
The last time we ran out of dog food, I asked my husband to pick some up on his way home from work. I sent him a text with EXACTLY what to get... "Name Brand" Large Breed Adult... He came home with the puppy formula... and I didn't notice til it was already open...
Me: You got the puppy formula...
Him: Yeah, it good til she is a year old...
Me: Honey, she's almost 2...
Him: oh...
So after 3 weeks of the worst dog flatulence one could imagine, I got the next batch...
When I noticed the other day we were getting low, I asked him again to grab some while he was out. Again, I sent him a text with EXACTLY what to get... he comes home with "Mature Adult 6+ years"
SERIOUSLY!?!?!?!?
I still haven't said anything to him yet... not sure if I will...
I think he may just be getting the wrong thing so I will stop asking him to get it...
Me: You got the puppy formula...
Him: Yeah, it good til she is a year old...
Me: Honey, she's almost 2...
Him: oh...
So after 3 weeks of the worst dog flatulence one could imagine, I got the next batch...
When I noticed the other day we were getting low, I asked him again to grab some while he was out. Again, I sent him a text with EXACTLY what to get... he comes home with "Mature Adult 6+ years"
SERIOUSLY!?!?!?!?
I still haven't said anything to him yet... not sure if I will...
I think he may just be getting the wrong thing so I will stop asking him to get it...
Friday, January 8, 2010
Socks
Here I was, thinking the dryer had been eating Kayden's socks......
In reality, it was Bailey the whole time...
In reality, it was Bailey the whole time...
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Birth Story
I checked into the hospital at 5 pm on September 15th, 2009 to start the induction.
To induce, there are a couple of things they had to do. First, my cervix was completely closed and hard... no dilation, no effacement... so they had to soften it up before they gave me the drug to really start labor. There are 2 drugs they can use. The first one, Cervadil, is what I had been told to ask for. The other one, Cytotec, is not meant to be used for inducing labor and it has a lot of serious risks involved.
After the cervix is "ripened" they use a drug called Pitocin to make the uterus contract and eventually push the baby out. I hated the thought of using this. Natural contractions slowly build, plateau, then slowly release. Contractions with Pit are all or nothing, hard and strong throughout. I wanted to do this drug free and the thought of relaxing and breathing through punching contractions was daunting. My hope was that once my cervix had softened, my body would go into labor naturally and I could avoid the Pitocin all together.
My OB wanted to use Cytotec from the very beginning. I told her I was not comfortable with that and wanted Cervadil instead. She advised me against this and told me that in her experience the Cervadil didn't always work and she had much better luck with the Cytotec. I told her I still wanted to try the Cervadil and she agreed to start with that and see what happened.
At 6 pm, the Cervadil was placed.
I cramped all night with small contractions on top of the constant cramping. It was very uncomfortable and my back really started to hurt as well. I found out later the night nurse forgot to put the mattress on the bed so I had been on the hard delivery surface all night... thanks a lot!!!
The next morning, my OB came to check me to see how my cervix was doing... I thought for sure it was softened and I had made some sort of progress after how uncomfortable I had been. Nope... still rock hard and completely closed.
My options were to try the Cytotec and see what happens or try the Pit. My OB said in her experience, Pit contractions against an unripened cervix didn't do a whole lot. Either I would contract for the day, not progress and have to do it all again the next night and day or my water would break, still not progress, and end up with a c-section (CS).
I chose to talk it over with my doula to see what she thought. She did a bit of research and found an example of a mom who did a night of Cerv, a day of Pit, a night of Cerv, a day of Pit with no change... then on the 3rd night she did Cytotec and her body was thrown into natural labor and she didn't have to do any more Pit. She naturally delivered the next day.
So, I decided to go for the Cytotec that day with the hopes of going into labor and avoiding the Pitocin entirely. AND IT WORKED!!! I got a dose at 10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm... when the nurse came in at 10pm to give me my next dose, she could tell I was already laboring and didn't need anymore.
My husband didn't get there until around 7pm... he had worked that day and came to the hospital after he had showered... and my mom had been with me all day and was very helpful. Since I already had someone there supporting me, I put off calling my doula to come to the hospital because she has 2 young kiddos and I wanted her to be able to put them to bed before she came...
The rest of the story is pieced together from what I remember and what the doula told me...
According to my doula, I called her at 8pm to tell her that my contractions were increasing in intensity. I told her I didn't know if they were doing anything or not, but apparently I had to stop and breathe through a contraction while we were on the phone. She was there by 9:30pm.
At 10pm, the nurse came in with the dose of Cytotec... even though I was only dilated to a 1 (maybe), the contractions were increasing in such a way that the nurses thought that the Cytotec had kicked me into labor. They decided to wait before giving me another dose. My contractions were 2-3 minutes apart by then. Even though I was barely dilated, my cervix had softened. We sent my husband home around 10pm because we thought it was still going to be a while and we wanted him to get some rest...
I labored until midnight on a birthing ball and bending over the bed... I breathed, swayed and moaned through my contractions. I remember thinking that I wasn't sure if I could do this for another 12 hours and I remember the folks in the room laughing with me as I chastised myself for going with out pain meds... I said things like "I am an idiot!" and "What was I thinking?"
Then they checked me a little after midnight: I was at a 5! That was 4 cm in 2 hours!!! According to my doula, I got another surge of energy and resolve at this point because I knew the contractions were making progress. My mom called my husband to tell him that this baby might be born sooner than we had anticipated. Then I labored in the tub for a while which my doula said seemed to help me relax.
A little after 1am I got back on the ball again. My doula said I seemed to really follow my body and would rise up off of the ball during contractions, lean over the bed, and sway my hips. She said I was definitely in the labor "zone."
Although I didn't really want to know how far I was dilated my doula said she was pretty sure she heard the nurse mumble 7 around 2am. By this time, my husband had returned and was really in the thick of things with me. I sat at the bottom of the bed and he sat on a chair on front of me. During contractions I would stand up, bend forward and lean into him... I remember us locking arms and him supporting my weight as I pushed forward against him... I remember being very pleasantly surprised by this since he had told me very early on in my pregnancy that he didn't think he would be able to handle being in there.
Between 2 and 5am, labor progressed. My doula said it was a hard for her to follow the usual cues that tell her where a woman is in the labor process:
"You were doing so incredibly well at one point I thought, 'this seems like it could be transition, but it just can't be transition because she is doing so well!' And the contractions didn't seem to follow quite as much one-on-top-of-the-other pattern as often happens in transition, because they were 2-4 minutes apart."
Just before 5am, I started to feel like pushing. I still didn't know how far I was dilated... I just knew my body was pushing... according to my doula, from the sounds I was making and what I was doing during contractions, that I was pushing. But when the nurse checked me she would say, "Do you want to know?" and I kept saying "no." The nurse would say, "Well, you can't push quite yet."
Several hours later we learned that there was a lip of cervix that was still in the way. The doctor came in and pushed the lip up over the baby's head while I pushed(which was excruciating) in hopes that we could push the baby's head around it and get it out of the way... but when the nurse came back, the lip had returned.
This repeated 3 or 4 times, I don't quite remember... it was awful... I had to lay on my back while they did it which is the most uncomfortable position to labor in... I don't know how women do it...
The nurse told us that the baby was bigger than they thought and that her head was slightly tilted. The doctor told us that I could push for another hour or so but if the baby's head didn't straighten out and start to move down that we could be looking at a CS.
An hour later the baby hadn't descended anymore, so I agreed to do the CS... I had been pushing for over 5 hours at that point (only a little over 2 hours by the nurses notes) but I felt horrible, like I was giving up and that I didn't try hard enough... I cried a little at this point and asked my husband if he would go with me... He agreed which surprised me again because I knew how squeamish he was.
Although we had agreed on a name, it wasn't my top choice and I used the opportunity to try to persuade him into letting me have the name I really wanted... he said no and my mom about threw a fit... his mom stepped in and asked me if I really thought I would be able to change his mind... I said with a half smile "No, but I had to give it a shot."
They wheeled me back to the OR and I had a few more contractions before the spinal took effect... that really sucked because I knew all that pain was for nothing at that point...
As they were prepping me, I saw the neonatologist come in... the baby had never been in any distress so it concerned me a bit that they had called her in...
The Dr talked me though everything she was doing and said that the baby was really wedged down far (NO SHIT!!! I had just pushed for 5 hours!!!) and that she really had to pry her out...
And then there was a small blue foot dangling above my head... they whisked her away to the other side of the room to clean her up and my husband followed... I remember it seemed like forever before she cried... I asked about her APGAR scores (google it if you want to know more) and the nurse said it hadn't been long enough yet... I saw the neo leave the room so I knew that was a good sign... then the nurse came over and told me her scores were 8 and 9 at 1 and 5 minutes (really good).
She also told me the baby was a lot smaller than they thought but that her head was completely sideways and she would never have come on on her own... if I had kept trying, I could have really hurt her... Although both my husband and the nurse told me her cone head came straight out over her ear, I never noticed it... even in the pictures of the nurse pointing it out I didn't see what they were talking about.
After they cleaned her up, my husband brought her to me... my first glimpse of her face she had her tongue out... funny little thing... I looked back up at him and I saw him rub his eye... I thought he was just really tired but I found out later he was wiping away a tear...
I remember feeling so tired and wishing they would hurry and put me back together so we could go back to the room... I wanted to nurse her right away, something I couldn't do in the OR.
My husband had disappeared and I was a bit worried about him... it turns out Mr. Afraid-of-needles-and-blood was watching the Dr put me back together... he told me later my insides looked like raw steaks :-)
We finally got back to the room and I immediately put her skin-to-skin and nursed her... I remember looking up at my husband and actually seeing a tear fall... I asked him if he was okay. He said he was just glad it was over... that there were just too many things that could go wrong...
Then he watched her nurse... He was so surprised that she already knew what to do :-)
So after 41 hours of labor (only 15 hours of it was hard labor) with 5 of the hours pushing, my little girl joined us at 10:59 am on September 17th, 2009... And with the exception of the spinal right before my CS, it was completely natural... no pain meds... and if I had the chance to do it again, knowing what the outcome would be, I would still choose to labor naturally...
To induce, there are a couple of things they had to do. First, my cervix was completely closed and hard... no dilation, no effacement... so they had to soften it up before they gave me the drug to really start labor. There are 2 drugs they can use. The first one, Cervadil, is what I had been told to ask for. The other one, Cytotec, is not meant to be used for inducing labor and it has a lot of serious risks involved.
After the cervix is "ripened" they use a drug called Pitocin to make the uterus contract and eventually push the baby out. I hated the thought of using this. Natural contractions slowly build, plateau, then slowly release. Contractions with Pit are all or nothing, hard and strong throughout. I wanted to do this drug free and the thought of relaxing and breathing through punching contractions was daunting. My hope was that once my cervix had softened, my body would go into labor naturally and I could avoid the Pitocin all together.
My OB wanted to use Cytotec from the very beginning. I told her I was not comfortable with that and wanted Cervadil instead. She advised me against this and told me that in her experience the Cervadil didn't always work and she had much better luck with the Cytotec. I told her I still wanted to try the Cervadil and she agreed to start with that and see what happened.
At 6 pm, the Cervadil was placed.
I cramped all night with small contractions on top of the constant cramping. It was very uncomfortable and my back really started to hurt as well. I found out later the night nurse forgot to put the mattress on the bed so I had been on the hard delivery surface all night... thanks a lot!!!
The next morning, my OB came to check me to see how my cervix was doing... I thought for sure it was softened and I had made some sort of progress after how uncomfortable I had been. Nope... still rock hard and completely closed.
My options were to try the Cytotec and see what happens or try the Pit. My OB said in her experience, Pit contractions against an unripened cervix didn't do a whole lot. Either I would contract for the day, not progress and have to do it all again the next night and day or my water would break, still not progress, and end up with a c-section (CS).
I chose to talk it over with my doula to see what she thought. She did a bit of research and found an example of a mom who did a night of Cerv, a day of Pit, a night of Cerv, a day of Pit with no change... then on the 3rd night she did Cytotec and her body was thrown into natural labor and she didn't have to do any more Pit. She naturally delivered the next day.
So, I decided to go for the Cytotec that day with the hopes of going into labor and avoiding the Pitocin entirely. AND IT WORKED!!! I got a dose at 10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm... when the nurse came in at 10pm to give me my next dose, she could tell I was already laboring and didn't need anymore.
My husband didn't get there until around 7pm... he had worked that day and came to the hospital after he had showered... and my mom had been with me all day and was very helpful. Since I already had someone there supporting me, I put off calling my doula to come to the hospital because she has 2 young kiddos and I wanted her to be able to put them to bed before she came...
The rest of the story is pieced together from what I remember and what the doula told me...
According to my doula, I called her at 8pm to tell her that my contractions were increasing in intensity. I told her I didn't know if they were doing anything or not, but apparently I had to stop and breathe through a contraction while we were on the phone. She was there by 9:30pm.
At 10pm, the nurse came in with the dose of Cytotec... even though I was only dilated to a 1 (maybe), the contractions were increasing in such a way that the nurses thought that the Cytotec had kicked me into labor. They decided to wait before giving me another dose. My contractions were 2-3 minutes apart by then. Even though I was barely dilated, my cervix had softened. We sent my husband home around 10pm because we thought it was still going to be a while and we wanted him to get some rest...
I labored until midnight on a birthing ball and bending over the bed... I breathed, swayed and moaned through my contractions. I remember thinking that I wasn't sure if I could do this for another 12 hours and I remember the folks in the room laughing with me as I chastised myself for going with out pain meds... I said things like "I am an idiot!" and "What was I thinking?"
Then they checked me a little after midnight: I was at a 5! That was 4 cm in 2 hours!!! According to my doula, I got another surge of energy and resolve at this point because I knew the contractions were making progress. My mom called my husband to tell him that this baby might be born sooner than we had anticipated. Then I labored in the tub for a while which my doula said seemed to help me relax.
A little after 1am I got back on the ball again. My doula said I seemed to really follow my body and would rise up off of the ball during contractions, lean over the bed, and sway my hips. She said I was definitely in the labor "zone."
Although I didn't really want to know how far I was dilated my doula said she was pretty sure she heard the nurse mumble 7 around 2am. By this time, my husband had returned and was really in the thick of things with me. I sat at the bottom of the bed and he sat on a chair on front of me. During contractions I would stand up, bend forward and lean into him... I remember us locking arms and him supporting my weight as I pushed forward against him... I remember being very pleasantly surprised by this since he had told me very early on in my pregnancy that he didn't think he would be able to handle being in there.
Between 2 and 5am, labor progressed. My doula said it was a hard for her to follow the usual cues that tell her where a woman is in the labor process:
"You were doing so incredibly well at one point I thought, 'this seems like it could be transition, but it just can't be transition because she is doing so well!' And the contractions didn't seem to follow quite as much one-on-top-of-the-other pattern as often happens in transition, because they were 2-4 minutes apart."
Just before 5am, I started to feel like pushing. I still didn't know how far I was dilated... I just knew my body was pushing... according to my doula, from the sounds I was making and what I was doing during contractions, that I was pushing. But when the nurse checked me she would say, "Do you want to know?" and I kept saying "no." The nurse would say, "Well, you can't push quite yet."
Several hours later we learned that there was a lip of cervix that was still in the way. The doctor came in and pushed the lip up over the baby's head while I pushed(which was excruciating) in hopes that we could push the baby's head around it and get it out of the way... but when the nurse came back, the lip had returned.
This repeated 3 or 4 times, I don't quite remember... it was awful... I had to lay on my back while they did it which is the most uncomfortable position to labor in... I don't know how women do it...
The nurse told us that the baby was bigger than they thought and that her head was slightly tilted. The doctor told us that I could push for another hour or so but if the baby's head didn't straighten out and start to move down that we could be looking at a CS.
An hour later the baby hadn't descended anymore, so I agreed to do the CS... I had been pushing for over 5 hours at that point (only a little over 2 hours by the nurses notes) but I felt horrible, like I was giving up and that I didn't try hard enough... I cried a little at this point and asked my husband if he would go with me... He agreed which surprised me again because I knew how squeamish he was.
Although we had agreed on a name, it wasn't my top choice and I used the opportunity to try to persuade him into letting me have the name I really wanted... he said no and my mom about threw a fit... his mom stepped in and asked me if I really thought I would be able to change his mind... I said with a half smile "No, but I had to give it a shot."
They wheeled me back to the OR and I had a few more contractions before the spinal took effect... that really sucked because I knew all that pain was for nothing at that point...
As they were prepping me, I saw the neonatologist come in... the baby had never been in any distress so it concerned me a bit that they had called her in...
The Dr talked me though everything she was doing and said that the baby was really wedged down far (NO SHIT!!! I had just pushed for 5 hours!!!) and that she really had to pry her out...
And then there was a small blue foot dangling above my head... they whisked her away to the other side of the room to clean her up and my husband followed... I remember it seemed like forever before she cried... I asked about her APGAR scores (google it if you want to know more) and the nurse said it hadn't been long enough yet... I saw the neo leave the room so I knew that was a good sign... then the nurse came over and told me her scores were 8 and 9 at 1 and 5 minutes (really good).
She also told me the baby was a lot smaller than they thought but that her head was completely sideways and she would never have come on on her own... if I had kept trying, I could have really hurt her... Although both my husband and the nurse told me her cone head came straight out over her ear, I never noticed it... even in the pictures of the nurse pointing it out I didn't see what they were talking about.
After they cleaned her up, my husband brought her to me... my first glimpse of her face she had her tongue out... funny little thing... I looked back up at him and I saw him rub his eye... I thought he was just really tired but I found out later he was wiping away a tear...
I remember feeling so tired and wishing they would hurry and put me back together so we could go back to the room... I wanted to nurse her right away, something I couldn't do in the OR.
My husband had disappeared and I was a bit worried about him... it turns out Mr. Afraid-of-needles-and-blood was watching the Dr put me back together... he told me later my insides looked like raw steaks :-)
We finally got back to the room and I immediately put her skin-to-skin and nursed her... I remember looking up at my husband and actually seeing a tear fall... I asked him if he was okay. He said he was just glad it was over... that there were just too many things that could go wrong...
Then he watched her nurse... He was so surprised that she already knew what to do :-)
So after 41 hours of labor (only 15 hours of it was hard labor) with 5 of the hours pushing, my little girl joined us at 10:59 am on September 17th, 2009... And with the exception of the spinal right before my CS, it was completely natural... no pain meds... and if I had the chance to do it again, knowing what the outcome would be, I would still choose to labor naturally...
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Jack Ass
I was in Walmart the other day... the lines were really long and I couldn't figure out why. Then I remembered we had a winter storm coming the next day...
Then I wondered why the hell all those jack asses waited til the last minute to go to the store...
And I realized I was one of those jack asses....
Then I wondered why the hell all those jack asses waited til the last minute to go to the store...
And I realized I was one of those jack asses....
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Quote
Quote courtesy of Nancy:
"Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened."
"Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened."
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