Posted Wednesday, November 18, 2009 10:11 PM
I went to the gym tonight for the first time in 5+ months. I did 30 minutes on one of the elliptical-type machines. It felt so good! I was very sad earlier today after clothes shopping and not fitting into even Large items. I've been able to wear my wedding band for about 2 weeks, but can't get my engagement ring on yet (it's just slightly tighter than my wedding band). But I want to look half decent by the time I go back to work (a whole other thing that is sad to me), and I want to run the Blacksburg Classic again in February, and I have to start getting back to normal so I can train for a half marathon in August. So DH is going to watch Sam in the evening after supper so I can go to the gym. Of course, if he'd ever sleep through the night, I'd just go after he went to bed, but I'm sure he'll figure it out eventually.
Another topic - I started back on BC yesterday. The doctor offered my about 7 different options, but I went with the minipill - I've just leery of some of the things I've heard about the implant, ring, etc., and it's not worth it to have an IUD for a year or so. But, in typical users, 1 in 20 gets pregnant the first year, and there's a higher chance of eptopic pregnancy, so I want to take extra precautions (the big c-word) so that doesn't happen. But DH doesn't want to use them. Well, I didn't want to go back on the pill, but I don't want Irish twins, and I don't want a blown tube from an eptopic pregnancy, so he'll have to get over it.
And moving on, I'm getting close to done on a shirt for me. It's only my second time working with a knit fabric, but I tried the partially completed garment on today and it fits really well so far! I just have the sleeves and hem to do.
Speaking of crafts, I've been trying to think what to get Sam for Christmas. It'll be his first Christmas, but it's not like he'll know what's going on. I was thinking some soft blocks (that I'll make up quickly, they're easy), and some wrist rattles and ???? I had bought a farm animal story book that makes noise, but I got it home, went to show DH, and the noise doesn't work anymore! And it's not one where you're able to replace a battery, so I have to return that. Maybe there'll be some good board books at the Green Valley Book Fair? I'm going to make him some Christmas overalls and maybe a shirt to match, but they won't be for a present. It's difficult to find things for a 3 month old - everything fun is made for 6+ months.
Okay, time to get a quick de-sweating shower and get to bed for a little sleep before the midnight feeding.
Posted Tuesday, November 17, 2009 8:20 AM
but that's because I have no time, and when I do, I have just one hand . . . not conducive to spilling all the things in my head. Sam is 6 weeks now and is moving into 0-3 month clothes. He has a loose schedule - is usually up by 6am,7 if we can stretch it. He's pretty good except for being super demanding on the feeding. We had our first overnight trip 2 weeks ago, and our 1st night away from him last weekend. That was hard.
I have all kinds of bills coming in,but none of them are detailed and some I don't even know who the doctor is, so I have to sit down and go through the roundabout to figure out if they are right. Frustrating.
I am excited for the holidays - I got Sam some Christmas outfits at the secondhand store yesterday. I like how I'll buy him clothes like crazy, but I stillonly have a few that fit right now.
Here are some pictures.
Posted Monday, November 02, 2009 9:45 AM
Well, it's Monday. Yesterday the in-laws came to visit, so my house got fairly clean beforehand. It was a pretty good visit, aside from MIL insinuating once again that no one can afford to be a SAHM and freaking out about should we go eat at a sit down place? Hello, our baby is fabulous while out and about, and he slept the whole time. When I had to feed Sam, we just went back in his room; it was easier and gave me a break. This week I quit being a bum and start being a big girl again. I have calls to make, notes to write, a car that desperately needs an oil change, and a body that needs to start watching what I eat and exercise. And I have to clean our guest room b/c SIL is coming in from Alaska to see her nephew.
I was planning on the oil change today, but I think we will put it off 1 more day and do it first thing tomorrow. Tuesdays are probably their least busy day anyhow.
Friday night we went to the livestock auction. DH was helping with it, so we went to see him and other people we knew. It's the same auction we went to after getting engaged 4 years ago.
Saturday night we went to a Halloween party with Sam. He just hanged out (that is a difficult use to figure out the proper form of that verb - hanged,or hung? hmmm) in his sling all night. We didn't dress up, but we had a good time.
Anyways, off to start being productive.
Posted Thursday, October 29, 2009 1:27 PM
Hi All. I've been getting on and reading at least every couple of days, but I'm pretty boring and don't have much to report. Here is my mundane news.
Sam is growing. I measured him on my cutting mat yesterday, and he was about 19.5" long. I also weighed myself and then him and me, and I think he is getting close to 6lbs. He's into NB stuff now. They have all these cute Christmas outfits out, but I am resisting until closer to Christmas so I can get the right size. I have new pics that I need to put up. I really want to get infant portraits done. I'd do them myself, but I don't have the backdrops or good lighting for it, and I really hate to pay for a big chain to do them (I'd rather use a small independent photog, but I'm so cheap). Sometime this year we are going to our wedding photographer and getting family portraits done! He is totally worth the money. I never got any maternity shots like I wanted, so I am not giving upon the family portrait.
BFing is still going well. Some days he seems to be getting on a schedule, others he wants to eat all day long (or all night long). My boobs have deflated after their super-engorged stage, but they still seem to be producing milk. I just need to find some good nursing bras. I should really schedule an appointment with the lactation consultants to do a test-weigh feeding and I could get some there. I've been catching up on Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy while I've been home. 4 weeks of my maternity leave already gone. *Sigh* Next week we start being a big girl and getting things done like a responsible adult.
I like the sling okay, but he's just not big enough yet for it to really work well. I'm constantly worried about his head-chest angle and that he's going to quit breathing. I'll be excited when he can get into the bouncer. Maybe I should set up the playpen in the kitchen like we do the dog crate, and he can hang out in there while I'm cooking/cleaning. That's a thought.
Speaking of the dogs, our golden has been bad lately. She's been neglected quite a bit this month, although we have tried to do some special things with her, but I think she's reacting to the lack of regular schedule and boredom. She ate the cover off the dryer vent. And when DH bought a new one and fixed it, she ate the new one off this morning. We've got to be better about exercising and playing with her. She's been in the house a couple of nights and was really not bad at all, so we need to get back to doing that in the evenings so she can be a part of the family.
I am aching to get back to sewing, but the time I do have during his naps, I tend to spend doing dishes or relaxing without a fussy baby or trying some other cleaning. I did cut out a shirt day before yesterday, maybe I can start on that today sometime. All of a sudden, I really want to get back on the master bedroom quilt, so that will be my next project after the shirt and finishing quilting Sam's baby quilt. At least that's halfway done.
Dressing this new body is frustrating - supposedly I'm a size 16 jean? WTF? I was a size 10 before I got pregnant, and I've lost over half the weight. And it's not like I am an excessively big girl. It makes me pine to get on the treadmill and bang it out, but I know that's a bad idea right now.
Sam just had a massive spitup episode - I do believe he's got reflux. It doesn't happen all the time,but the painful ones happen every once in a while. It's all over his face and head - someone is definitely getting his first full on bath tonight. And he's conked out again.
Okay, I need to get off here so I can chill out for a few minutes and then take a walk with Sam. I'm going farther today - I need to look up distance on mapmyrun.com so I know exactly how far.
TTFN
Posted Saturday, October 24, 2009 9:20 AM
Yesterday I did dishes,got a shower, went to pick up my maternity leave paperwork (yes, I'm just getting it filed 3 weeks in, but that's what happens in emergencies). And then we went by work to pick up the tickets for the Brew Do (a beer festival that DH wanted to go to and my work had extra tickets). And then I still felt good, so Sam and I went to Once Upon A Child, and I found him some NB sized clothes (he's growing out of his preemie stuff). The thing is, although lengthwise they fit pretty well, the NB clothes must be made for little chunks. Sam is a skinny baby. I was trying to decide whether to return them or take them in so they fit him better, and I figured I didn't pay much for them anyways, so I'll just take them in on the sides. I mainly bought pants and overalls (he has some tops/onesies but needed bottoms).
My little angel has turned into a monster (sometimes). He has been spitting a lot (that happens), and the past two nights he has had an epic spit-up episode where he is really not happy and scared me a little bit. I am trying to monitor it for a couple days and figure out if there is a trend, etc., then I'm going to call the doctor. I think it's probably reflux, but that doesn't make it easier when he is so upset.
And the little angel monster is being a pain in my butt during the nights. Now he's gotten this breastfeeding thing figured out pretty well, but at night, he's lazy about eating and then wants to eat or be held every hour. I kid you not. I was up at 11, 12:30, 2ish, 3:30, 4:30. We fell asleep on the couch together at the 4:30 one, and I woke up at 7:30 and realized he hadn't really eaten much that last time, but then he wouldn't eat! And my boobs are fine during the day, but at night they fill up to bursting and are leaking all over the place! It's not like I've ever pumped or fed a lot at night, but wowza. I have to have blankets and burp cloths when I feed to keep from soaking myself, Sam, and the couch. I read that the erratic supply is normal, but it's still not so fun. DH and I are thinking he can start taking one bottle during the night so I can have a turn off like when we were finger feeding, and then maybe he'll sleep a little better that time. And I probably need to be more forceful in making him eat at night, but half the time I am dozing off while he feeds. Ah, the joys of motherhood.
Posted Thursday, October 22, 2009 2:36 PM
I am so special . . .this is what I did around lunchtime today.
Sam was crying in his crib, and DH was ignoring him, so I went to get him (and was told I'm going to spoil him by DH - argh! - him now too?! He's not even 3 weeks old yet, and he was a month early, for chrissake!). I took him out to the living room and squatted down to get his Hokie blanket out of his car seat. When I went to stand back up, I lost my balance and fell backwards. Into the woodstove (not on, thank goodness), the poker stand, and the wall. Sam was fine, just scared; I cradled him pretty well against my chest, but I scratched up my elbow on the stove and busted my tailbone where I landed. I'm lucky I didn't hit my head. DH came running and kept asking if I had had a seizure. NO! I just lost my balance. I had to tell him a couple times before he'd believe me. I really must have scared the crap out of him with those seizures. Of course, then I started crying because I felt dumb and my elbow and butt bone hurt and Sam was scared . . . my klutziness continues.
I hate not getting anything done until the afternoon. Sam is really starting to figure out this breastfeeding thing, but I was up with him at 11pm, 2am (putting him to sleep when DH couldn't), then 3 or 4, and 5:30-6:30. Then he woke me up at 8am . . . and didn't nap until 11:30 (was feeding on and off constantly then). It will get better, it will get better. One day he will get on a schedule, and I'll be able to accomplish something (like brush my teeth before 2pm - gross, I know).
He's finally waking up, so maybe we can feed him, then take a walk. Hopefully the walk will put him to sleep for a bit, and I can get the dishes done and maybe start baking cookies for the nurses before DH gets home from work.
If I ever get my house straightened up (things have exploded everywhere), I'm hoping to work on the quilt for our bedroom - the one I started in 2007 but never even got close to finished piecing. That and figure out Christmas presents, work on the Thank You cards and birth announcements.
Posted Wednesday, October 21, 2009 10:17 AM
Random thoughts.
I'm off all meds - yay!
Sam and I went for a walk yesterday. The beginning of my return to exercise.
I want to get snuggly with my hubby,but I'm still leaking down there.*Sigh*
Sam is doing better at nursing, but is also sleeping longer stretches in between, and I have no clue if that's okay to see during the 3rd week. All these unknowns . . . I hate not knowing . . . I'm going to have such issues the next 18 years.
I watched A Baby Story yesterday,and it was hard. I feel cheated out of my birth experience, and knowing next time I could try for a VBAC but end up with another c-section, is upsetting. I've always been so healthy and hardy, but reproductively I feel like I've failed (and yes, I know there are those who would give anything and go through anything to have a child, and I'm not ungrateful). If I was a cow or sheep, we would be culling me. A miscarriage, then full-blown eclampsia - it makes me scared to think what could happen next time. Okay,enough pity party. This is just something it's going to take me a while to come to terms with.
Next week Sam and I are going grocery shopping. DH has been doing a good job, but it takes him forever and he spends way too much. Yes we need to be careful around crowds, but we can't hide forever.
Today we have a weight check appt. I hope we can get off the supplement crap and just do straight breastmilk after this.
I have got to get my pitiful plants planted, make some phone calls, and make goodies totake to the nurses. And begin thank yous (we have gotten so much random stuff in the past two weeks that I'm scared I'm going to leave somone out).
Alright,we have to wake this baby - surely he's hungry by now?
Posted Saturday, October 17, 2009 2:33 PM
The day after he was born
Me as a swollen tick - gotta love eclampsia and magnesium sulfate!
Chillin' in his isolette (just for a couple days to keep him warm easier)
First nap in his crib - 6 days old
Gettin' cuter
I'm a growing boy! A week and a half old.
He has his daddy's nose and lower jaw, but they say he has my mouth and my high forehead.