It's hard to believe that G is already 7 weeks old and more importantly that it's finally fall! We don't really have a fall season in Texas per say, but the cooler temps (highs in the low to mid 80's and lows in the mid 50's) have been a welcomed relief. This weather, by far, is my favorite of the year - perfect for keeping the windows open and the candles lit and the ability to run in the afternoons without feeling like I'm going to pass out from the heat... love it!
The holidays are quickly approaching, which only means that my days of staying at home with my sweet boy will also fly by... tear.
I have been dreading the idea of putting the G'sta in daycare, but I know that it's inevitable. With wait lists on my mind, I decided to make some calls and set up a few tours this past week. They all seemed decent, but I would like to check out a few more places before I make a final decision. The thought of strangers spending more time with my baby than me makes me really sad, but I know he will probably adjust better than his mama will.
My doc recently gave me that "all clear" to resume all activities I had abandoned after the delivery (some I had already given up during pregnancy... hehe). I was most excited about returning to the soccer field. My ten months off have been my longest length of absence from soccer since I started playing at the ripe age of 4, and the time off was definitely felt in my lungs and legs. I put in a couple 3 mile runs this past week as well - I have never felt so slow in my life! The half marathon I signed up to run in February is looming over my head, so I know I need to start putting in the miles if I want to accomplish it to my expectations. I don't think this year will be my PR by any means, but I also want to run it in a reasonable time.
I guess it's time to break out the BOB and make Little G my training partner!
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Pooptastrophe
Today's pooptrastrophe is brought to you by the letter 'G'.
I have learned from weeks of practice with Little G to give it some time after I hear the initial squirt because one of the things he just looooves to do is poop in a clean diaper. And sometimes the next clean diaper after that. But today will go down in the history books.
Urbandictionary.com defines poop as:
"a large, atrocious enormous blob of brownish stuff that comes out of your a** in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes crawling out, other times catapulting out, creating huge splashes."
Yes, you read that right. Catapulting out. Creating huge splashes. That is what went down (or out, rather) this afternoon. I was almost done cleaning him up when he let out a squirt. A HUGE squirt that came flying out all over his changing table and all over me. I wasn't even standing that close to him - my body was a good foot away from the exit. It's like they teach you in driver's ed: leave enough distance between you and the car in front of you. Well, the same principle applies to diaper changing. I kept my distance and had the clean diaper underneath to cover the danger zone, but my safety measures were not enough. I wasn't adequately equipped to handle today's situation.
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the evidence*:
*Beware - graphic image below!
It was AWFUL. The amount of poop that came out in addition to what he had ALREADY released was insane! And the force! I stood there dumbstruck (and covered in his poop) for a few seconds before calling for back-up. G decided to add some more (the more the merrier, right?) and to top it off with a nice pee. Thank goodness I had already contained his "business."
But seriously, do I need to start wearing this when I change his diapers from now on???
Little G is a lucky little boy that even after all of that...
I have learned from weeks of practice with Little G to give it some time after I hear the initial squirt because one of the things he just looooves to do is poop in a clean diaper. And sometimes the next clean diaper after that. But today will go down in the history books.
Urbandictionary.com defines poop as:
"a large, atrocious enormous blob of brownish stuff that comes out of your a** in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes crawling out, other times catapulting out, creating huge splashes."
Yes, you read that right. Catapulting out. Creating huge splashes. That is what went down (or out, rather) this afternoon. I was almost done cleaning him up when he let out a squirt. A HUGE squirt that came flying out all over his changing table and all over me. I wasn't even standing that close to him - my body was a good foot away from the exit. It's like they teach you in driver's ed: leave enough distance between you and the car in front of you. Well, the same principle applies to diaper changing. I kept my distance and had the clean diaper underneath to cover the danger zone, but my safety measures were not enough. I wasn't adequately equipped to handle today's situation.
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the evidence*:
*Beware - graphic image below!
It was AWFUL. The amount of poop that came out in addition to what he had ALREADY released was insane! And the force! I stood there dumbstruck (and covered in his poop) for a few seconds before calling for back-up. G decided to add some more (the more the merrier, right?) and to top it off with a nice pee. Thank goodness I had already contained his "business."
But seriously, do I need to start wearing this when I change his diapers from now on???
Little G is a lucky little boy that even after all of that...
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Sleepy Sunday
G seems to believe in the notion that Sunday is the day of rest...
Apparently Oliver is buying into the idea as well...
Apparently Oliver is buying into the idea as well...
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
One month!
Baby G's one month birthday has already come and gone (sniff, sniff)! People are always telling me to enjoy the time we have with him because it will fly by, and it definitely has.
Little Butter Bean's one month stats:
weight - 10 lbs. 11 oz. = 75th%
length - 22.25 inches = 50th%
head - 50th%
Yes, our little guy loves to eat! Good for baby but tiring for momma. I would also eat all day long if my waistline could afford it and my rolls would look that cute. He is well on his way to becoming the athlete we hope he one day becomes. Well, R is also hoping he becomes a mathlete as well. :)
What you should know about Baby G:
-He is a very calm and laid back baby. Everyone who meets him always comment on how easygoing he is, and it's true. He has been like this from day one and my fingers are crossed that this trend continues!
-He rarely fusses and only cries when he is really unhappy about something.
-He likes motion - he LOVES his vibrating chair, swing, going for walks in his stroller and riding in the car. He does NOT like it when the car stops at a light or stop sign and will voice his complaints to the driver.
-He loves sleeping on someone and we are working on getting him to love sleeping in his pack-n-play just as much. :)
-He loves laying on his changing table and watching the ceiling fan.
-He has some of the loudest burps and farts I have ever heard from a baby... these are sounds that only a mom could truly think are cute.
-He loves having his hair washed and blow dried.
-He no longer fits into his newborn sized clothing.
Dear Baby G,
Now that you are here, it's hard to imagine life without you. Four short weeks have somehow managed to transform everything that I once knew. In many ways it has been an exhausting adventure, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. You are, by far, the best thing that has ever happened to me. When our eyes locked for the first time, I immediately felt this incredible bond that cannot be put into words. You will always be my little buddy, my love bug, my sweet lovey. I love you to the moon and back.
Love,
Mama
Little Butter Bean's one month stats:
weight - 10 lbs. 11 oz. = 75th%
length - 22.25 inches = 50th%
head - 50th%
Yes, our little guy loves to eat! Good for baby but tiring for momma. I would also eat all day long if my waistline could afford it and my rolls would look that cute. He is well on his way to becoming the athlete we hope he one day becomes. Well, R is also hoping he becomes a mathlete as well. :)
What you should know about Baby G:
-He is a very calm and laid back baby. Everyone who meets him always comment on how easygoing he is, and it's true. He has been like this from day one and my fingers are crossed that this trend continues!
-He rarely fusses and only cries when he is really unhappy about something.
-He likes motion - he LOVES his vibrating chair, swing, going for walks in his stroller and riding in the car. He does NOT like it when the car stops at a light or stop sign and will voice his complaints to the driver.
-He loves sleeping on someone and we are working on getting him to love sleeping in his pack-n-play just as much. :)
-He loves laying on his changing table and watching the ceiling fan.
-He has some of the loudest burps and farts I have ever heard from a baby... these are sounds that only a mom could truly think are cute.
-He loves having his hair washed and blow dried.
-He no longer fits into his newborn sized clothing.
Dear Baby G,
Now that you are here, it's hard to imagine life without you. Four short weeks have somehow managed to transform everything that I once knew. In many ways it has been an exhausting adventure, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. You are, by far, the best thing that has ever happened to me. When our eyes locked for the first time, I immediately felt this incredible bond that cannot be put into words. You will always be my little buddy, my love bug, my sweet lovey. I love you to the moon and back.
Love,
Mama
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Things I have learned in the first month
So first of all, WOW. I cannot even begin to believe that it has already been 4 weeks since I went to the hospital and came back home with Little G... in my arms! I keep wondering when the surreal will start to be real? I still have moments where I'm like, "I'm a mom - crazy!!" But don't worry, while I find that it's crazy that I am a mom, I'm not a crazy mom. :)
Okay, so things I have learned in the first month...
*Pushing out a baby with an epidural is really hard.
*I wasn't exactly prepared for the soreness my body (ahem, certain areas) would endure after pushing out said 8 lb. 4 oz. baby. Thank goodness for prescription pain meds!
*BFeeding is THE hardest thing I've ever done. Both mentally and physically. I haven't experienced any drastic mood swings or postpartum depression, but I HAVE cried over BFeeding. And it wasn't because of the pain, which there was. I'll save this gem for its own post.
*Pumping can make you feel like a cow. It is not in the least bit attractive, but I know I am giving G the best milk for him and it's free - bonus!
*BMilk = gold! I have never cared about ounces as much as I do now, so I hate to see any of it go to waste. I had to pump and dump for the first time after enjoying a couple glasses of wine with dinner. It was very sad to see 6 ounces of the boob juice go down the drain. (side note: You can buy the milk screen strips at Walgreen's to test the alcohol content of your milk if you indulge in some adult beverages. I am probably just an anal first time mother b/c I'm sure G would have slept through the night if he had those 6 ounces! hehe)
*Once you've had the baby, your post baby body isn't the same. I've lost 20 of the 30 pounds I packed on, but the weight that is left is proportioned differently now that there is not a cute little baby inside. It is much more jiggly and much less cute. Clothes that once fit you at the same weight during pregnancy now fit differently.
*Mother nature really does prepare you for getting less sleep. Towards the end of my pregnancy I was going to bed regularly at one or two in the morning because I wasn't tired. I currently don't get much sleep during the night, but I play catch up and nap with G when he naps during the day as much as I can. It's a vicious cycle, but I know it will even out eventually... I hope!
*Babies LOVE to poop in freshly changed diapers. I think my PR so far is 4 or 5 diapers in one changing. It seems like once I change him, G will immediately start pooping in his clean diaper... sometimes while I am STILL changing him.
*Little boys can pee a great distance if they get a chance. :)
*Staring at your baby NEVER gets old! The first night in the hospital I could not sleep even though I was so exhausted because I could not stop staring at him in amazement. I don't keep myself awake staring at him now, but I do enjoy watching the "baby tv" more than any other program.
*Everything is harder with a baby. This one came as no surprise though. It would be nice if there was a drive thru for anything just for moms. Right now I'm dealing with the hassle of the car seat, stroller, diaper bag, etc., but I know this will just transition into transporting a cranky baby, tired baby, sick baby, etc. Oh the joys of motherhood!
*Everything is easier if you have a good partner in crime. R has been supportive and helpful - I am very lucky and thankful.
*The only thing cuter than your baby is watching your baby with his daddy. The two of them together is priceless.
*And this one I saw on someone else's blog and liked it:
"A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for."
-Anonymous
Okay, so things I have learned in the first month...
*Pushing out a baby with an epidural is really hard.
*I wasn't exactly prepared for the soreness my body (ahem, certain areas) would endure after pushing out said 8 lb. 4 oz. baby. Thank goodness for prescription pain meds!
*BFeeding is THE hardest thing I've ever done. Both mentally and physically. I haven't experienced any drastic mood swings or postpartum depression, but I HAVE cried over BFeeding. And it wasn't because of the pain, which there was. I'll save this gem for its own post.
*Pumping can make you feel like a cow. It is not in the least bit attractive, but I know I am giving G the best milk for him and it's free - bonus!
*BMilk = gold! I have never cared about ounces as much as I do now, so I hate to see any of it go to waste. I had to pump and dump for the first time after enjoying a couple glasses of wine with dinner. It was very sad to see 6 ounces of the boob juice go down the drain. (side note: You can buy the milk screen strips at Walgreen's to test the alcohol content of your milk if you indulge in some adult beverages. I am probably just an anal first time mother b/c I'm sure G would have slept through the night if he had those 6 ounces! hehe)
*Once you've had the baby, your post baby body isn't the same. I've lost 20 of the 30 pounds I packed on, but the weight that is left is proportioned differently now that there is not a cute little baby inside. It is much more jiggly and much less cute. Clothes that once fit you at the same weight during pregnancy now fit differently.
*Mother nature really does prepare you for getting less sleep. Towards the end of my pregnancy I was going to bed regularly at one or two in the morning because I wasn't tired. I currently don't get much sleep during the night, but I play catch up and nap with G when he naps during the day as much as I can. It's a vicious cycle, but I know it will even out eventually... I hope!
*Babies LOVE to poop in freshly changed diapers. I think my PR so far is 4 or 5 diapers in one changing. It seems like once I change him, G will immediately start pooping in his clean diaper... sometimes while I am STILL changing him.
*Little boys can pee a great distance if they get a chance. :)
*Staring at your baby NEVER gets old! The first night in the hospital I could not sleep even though I was so exhausted because I could not stop staring at him in amazement. I don't keep myself awake staring at him now, but I do enjoy watching the "baby tv" more than any other program.
*Everything is harder with a baby. This one came as no surprise though. It would be nice if there was a drive thru for anything just for moms. Right now I'm dealing with the hassle of the car seat, stroller, diaper bag, etc., but I know this will just transition into transporting a cranky baby, tired baby, sick baby, etc. Oh the joys of motherhood!
*Everything is easier if you have a good partner in crime. R has been supportive and helpful - I am very lucky and thankful.
*The only thing cuter than your baby is watching your baby with his daddy. The two of them together is priceless.
*And this one I saw on someone else's blog and liked it:
"A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for."
-Anonymous
Thursday, September 9, 2010
These are a few of my favorite things...
My list of my favorite maternity/pregnancy/newborn related things thus far:
**Maternity clothes - There are plenty of expensive boutique type stores with really cute clothes, but I never wanted to pay too much for something I wouldn't fit into forever (hopefully..hehe). Most of my wardrobe from the past 10 months came from Target (I LOVE the Liz Lange maternity line), Old Navy maternity, and GAP maternity. I also found that you can get away with wearing many items that are just a size larger than I would normally wear and my regular jeans unbuttoned with a maternity band.
Hands-down my top two essential items from the maternity section of my closet:
1. Liz Lange maternity tanks - I wore these practically everyday. Very soft and most importantly - LONG. Love these!
2. Be Band Maternity - also sold at Target. Allows you to still wear your regular jeans unbuttoned until you reach the stage where you really do need to wear maternity, aka "pouch," pants.
**Newborn Items:
1. Fisher Price My Little Lamb Swing - Amazon.com sold this for the cheapest price I could find... you just have to be patient and keep checking prices online. G loves this swing and naps in it happily. Sleeping baby = happy momma.
2. Fisher Price My Little Lamb Infant Seat - We registered and received a bouncer seat, but it is too high off the ground and not as newborn friendly. It will be great for G when he is older, but for now we are borrowing this seat from my parents. It's another place G willingly naps in contentedly and is much lower to the ground, soft and cozy for the little ones.
3. Aden + Anais Swaddle Blankets - These blankets are my favorite! Pricey but worth it! They are very versatile - I use them as swaddlers, burp cloths, etc. Plus they are light weight, which is great for the heat in Texas, and much longer than your average blanket.
My list seemed longer in my head, but I guess that's all I have for now. I'm sure the baby "must have" list will continue to grow as G gets older and I gain more momma experience. :)
**Maternity clothes - There are plenty of expensive boutique type stores with really cute clothes, but I never wanted to pay too much for something I wouldn't fit into forever (hopefully..hehe). Most of my wardrobe from the past 10 months came from Target (I LOVE the Liz Lange maternity line), Old Navy maternity, and GAP maternity. I also found that you can get away with wearing many items that are just a size larger than I would normally wear and my regular jeans unbuttoned with a maternity band.
Hands-down my top two essential items from the maternity section of my closet:
1. Liz Lange maternity tanks - I wore these practically everyday. Very soft and most importantly - LONG. Love these!
2. Be Band Maternity - also sold at Target. Allows you to still wear your regular jeans unbuttoned until you reach the stage where you really do need to wear maternity, aka "pouch," pants.
**Newborn Items:
1. Fisher Price My Little Lamb Swing - Amazon.com sold this for the cheapest price I could find... you just have to be patient and keep checking prices online. G loves this swing and naps in it happily. Sleeping baby = happy momma.
2. Fisher Price My Little Lamb Infant Seat - We registered and received a bouncer seat, but it is too high off the ground and not as newborn friendly. It will be great for G when he is older, but for now we are borrowing this seat from my parents. It's another place G willingly naps in contentedly and is much lower to the ground, soft and cozy for the little ones.
3. Aden + Anais Swaddle Blankets - These blankets are my favorite! Pricey but worth it! They are very versatile - I use them as swaddlers, burp cloths, etc. Plus they are light weight, which is great for the heat in Texas, and much longer than your average blanket.
My list seemed longer in my head, but I guess that's all I have for now. I'm sure the baby "must have" list will continue to grow as G gets older and I gain more momma experience. :)
Friday, September 3, 2010
THE story, Part Two
Once I got my epidural and settled in, things seemed to go rather quickly. Leading up to my due date, I was anti-epidural for many reasons. Not so far anti-epidural where I absolutely ruled against having one (obviously), but enough so where I wanted to try to go as long as I could without one. The only exception was if I received pitocin, and then I knew I would more than likely readily accept the epi.
My reasons for not wanting an epi? You are restricted to the bed, you lose feeling down below (both good and bad, I'll admit), and in general, slows down labor.
It wasn't terrible having to stay in bed, but I did have to shift from side to side and I would have preferred staying in the rocking chair. I did lose all feeling down below (duh - that IS its purpose!), and this was a wonderful relief in the beginning but did prove problematic come pushing time.
At 2:00 the doc announced that I was 10 cm and ready to push. I immediately started making calls to the family because no one other than R was at the hospital at that point. 2:00 turned into 2:30 and then 3:00 before I actually STARTED the pushing phase. Apparently the hospital is commonly short staffed on the weekends, and so I had to wait a full hour before there was enough staff in the room to start pushing.
Since I couldn't feel anything it wasn't a big deal, but I can't imagine not having pain meds, wanting/needing to push, and not being able to for an hour! Not cool.
3 o'clock is when the marathon (more like half marathon) began. Pushing is hard work when you can't feel anything and it's your first time to go through the gauntlet! I could not tell what I was doing. AT. ALL. Thankfully, the epi started wearing off and I could actually feel the pain of the contractions, and more importantly, could tell when I needed to push and how I should push.
I pushed for two hours and one minute before Baby G finally made his way out. I know two hours isn't uncommon for first time moms, but it seems like forever! My labor nurse (that I really did love) kept encouraging me and telling me that I was almost there. My inner voice was screaming, "I'm obviously NOT almost done because you've been telling me that for over an hour!"
We tried all sorts of angles, positions, and techniques to get him out (which I will not go into detail on), and I am very thankful for her patience and encouragement. R was also great and cheered me on the whole time. According to my mom and my best friend who were both in the room as well, R at times got more into the pushing than I did. :) Hehe... I promised him that those videos would never surface on the web.
So when you go through your childbirth class, the instructor usually tells you to focus on something during the pushing. What helped to keep me motivated? Sushi! Haha! Sad, I know! Sushi was THE hardest thing to give up during my pregnancy and I had already told R that my first meal post labor would be some raw fish. Yum! So yes, I agree that you should focus on something that will REALLY get you through the pushing phase. It works! And my sushi dinner was soooo delicious afterwards! It probably didn't hurt that I was starving and would have eaten anything.
Once G finally made his way out, all I felt was extreme relief that it was finally over and happiness that he was here. I was so so tired by that point - there were no tears of joy, just deep sighs of sweet relief. :)
Poor boy had a bit of a cone head but was otherwise perfect... all 8 lbs, 4 oz of him! Okay, so I know I'm a little biased.
All in all, my L&D was a positive experience and I would definitely do it all over again in a heartbeat. With that being said, I'm going to give my body and my sanity a few years before I'm popping out another, but it is so very worth it.
My cup runneth over.
My reasons for not wanting an epi? You are restricted to the bed, you lose feeling down below (both good and bad, I'll admit), and in general, slows down labor.
It wasn't terrible having to stay in bed, but I did have to shift from side to side and I would have preferred staying in the rocking chair. I did lose all feeling down below (duh - that IS its purpose!), and this was a wonderful relief in the beginning but did prove problematic come pushing time.
At 2:00 the doc announced that I was 10 cm and ready to push. I immediately started making calls to the family because no one other than R was at the hospital at that point. 2:00 turned into 2:30 and then 3:00 before I actually STARTED the pushing phase. Apparently the hospital is commonly short staffed on the weekends, and so I had to wait a full hour before there was enough staff in the room to start pushing.
Since I couldn't feel anything it wasn't a big deal, but I can't imagine not having pain meds, wanting/needing to push, and not being able to for an hour! Not cool.
3 o'clock is when the marathon (more like half marathon) began. Pushing is hard work when you can't feel anything and it's your first time to go through the gauntlet! I could not tell what I was doing. AT. ALL. Thankfully, the epi started wearing off and I could actually feel the pain of the contractions, and more importantly, could tell when I needed to push and how I should push.
I pushed for two hours and one minute before Baby G finally made his way out. I know two hours isn't uncommon for first time moms, but it seems like forever! My labor nurse (that I really did love) kept encouraging me and telling me that I was almost there. My inner voice was screaming, "I'm obviously NOT almost done because you've been telling me that for over an hour!"
We tried all sorts of angles, positions, and techniques to get him out (which I will not go into detail on), and I am very thankful for her patience and encouragement. R was also great and cheered me on the whole time. According to my mom and my best friend who were both in the room as well, R at times got more into the pushing than I did. :) Hehe... I promised him that those videos would never surface on the web.
So when you go through your childbirth class, the instructor usually tells you to focus on something during the pushing. What helped to keep me motivated? Sushi! Haha! Sad, I know! Sushi was THE hardest thing to give up during my pregnancy and I had already told R that my first meal post labor would be some raw fish. Yum! So yes, I agree that you should focus on something that will REALLY get you through the pushing phase. It works! And my sushi dinner was soooo delicious afterwards! It probably didn't hurt that I was starving and would have eaten anything.
Once G finally made his way out, all I felt was extreme relief that it was finally over and happiness that he was here. I was so so tired by that point - there were no tears of joy, just deep sighs of sweet relief. :)
Poor boy had a bit of a cone head but was otherwise perfect... all 8 lbs, 4 oz of him! Okay, so I know I'm a little biased.
All in all, my L&D was a positive experience and I would definitely do it all over again in a heartbeat. With that being said, I'm going to give my body and my sanity a few years before I'm popping out another, but it is so very worth it.
My cup runneth over.
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