Baby Duty

Mothering a newborn is just as I remember so far – looking at your new baby brings an immediate and unstoppable smile to your face and the total bliss you feel when he nestles into your shoulder is so addictive.

So far Chris is a predicable baby. He sleeps a lot during the day and then at 10:00pm he’s awake and wants to eat, eat and then eat more. The last three nights (in the hospital and then here at home) he’s been hungry but I’ve been too tired to stay awake the entire time he’s eating. When I do wake up and try to move him to the bassinet he wakes up and is looking for more to eat. It’s amazing how much energy I seem to have at 3:00 to talk/sing to him and then feed him one last time before we’re both too tired to keep up the charade any longer. Averaging a little more than 4 hours of sleep/night so far.

When I woke up for good at 8:30 today here’s what I found…

June 26, 2009

Though he’s easy during the day, because he’s sleeping so much, and Nicole’s not here (she’s at daycare) having Jim around to help is very nice. Today I’ve boiled the parts for and already used my electronic pump, finished painting his dinosaur characters for his window treatments, and made good progress in my addictive Twilight series book. Still need to work on the bumpers (I intend on finishing them this weekend) and paint the letters of his name for the wall.

I reminded the sitter that Nicole will be home with me from now on. She’s taking sisterhood slowly. She still calls Chris “Baby Michael” half of the time (where did that come from?!)

Nicole holding Chris for the first time!

but she’s always very gentle and doesn’t seem jealous from what I’ve seen. I think it helps that the visitors have been consistent with their attention to her and often come bearing gifts for her when they come which gets her all excited. I’m both intrigued and a little nervous about handling her strong need for attention and activity and balancing that with Chris’s needs and developing schedule. I think I’ll need all 7 weeks of my maternity leave to accomplish this successfully.

Physically I feel better today then any day yet. I did fill the Vicotin and Motrin prescriptions and have taken a pill of each for pain since I’ve been home. Intense cramping has turned to a mild painful annoyance since Tuesday and my stitches (I got many due to tearing) really only bother me when I get up and down too frequently. Other than being painfully engorged (hence the pumping already) I’m starting to feel like my normal self already.

Side note – the deck’s in progress – we have concrete supports in and the lumber for the frame was dropped off about an hour and a half ago. Still on track for a July 11 completion.

He's here!

i would have blogged again but jim wouldn't type for me and I didn't want the computer on my lap. :)

Here's what happened!
11:30 water broken
12:30 epidural
2:30 pushing
2:43 arrival!

He's got LONG fingers, toes, and fingernails. His eyes stay open a lot and he's pretty quiet, unlike his rowdy sister.

21.5 inches long, 8lbs. 3 oz.

Pictures to follow!

Baby Progress- Labor's started!

Arrived at the hospital at 8:50 and IV went in around 9:20; Caitlin got it on the first stick. Jim didn't watch. :) Pitocin started at 9:40 (Caitlin's very organized) and is upped every half hour. Currently I'm getting 3ml a minute. Contractions are about every 5 minutes but not painful- I feel them coming and going but they're not even uncomfortable. In between Chris moves around.

My water will be broken at 11:00 - that's when the pain started with Nicole. I suspect the epidural will go in not long after that.

Jim took a picture of me on the computer and just for the glory of it I'm going to send some work-related email now while I'm officially in labor. ha!

More later!

Baby Report

I'm going to be induced tomorrow at 9am! Caitlin will be my nurse so I'm sure I'll be in the most attentive care ever (more drugs, more drugs!! j/k).

As of this morning I'm 3cm dilated and 80% effaced. Though I'll be given pitocin (sp?) to kick things off, Dr. Fennimore doesn't suspect that the potential c-section risk that's carried with inducing will affect me because of how far I am already.

How I'm feeling - excited. The fact that I'll be in pain hasn't even registered yet and I doubt it fully will since I know that's an unavoidable part of the process. I'm VERY excited to see him and predict he'll be 8lbs. 7oz with lots of blonde hair. If I was in a baby pool I'd call 5:03pm.

What does lead me to sigh a bit is the nursing process starting all over. Not that it's hard but it can be very time consuming and requires some preparation in regard to timing and location (ie coordinating when to run errands). Granted I know in general what to expect but he could be different from Nicole. Further, pumping is a complete DRAG and I don't look forward to that portion of the process at all. Base goal will be at least 6 months with a 1 year stretch goal. (OH MY GOD I'M TALKING LIKE A P&Ger!)

Nicole's headed to spend the night at Grandma's - first night she'll be away from us by choice (aka we weren't out of town) but I'm happy to have the 1-on-1 time with Jim and the opportunity to rest up for a full day.

News to follow via email probably some time tomorrow afternoon!

Sunday

Still here.

Still pregnant.

Got flowers from my husband on Father's Day.

Felt guilty that he did so much housework on his special day but the results always look so good!

Beamed when Bella and Edward got engaged.

Ate soft serve with rainbow sprinkles.

So excited about my doctor's appointment tomorrow at 9!

Chris Update (sorry Martha!)

I’m here – back on the crazy work schedule. I jam-packed so much into this week work-wise that I’m really tired when I get home. But, I like being busy in general and I like what I’m doing (and the promise of a “break” ahead!).

I went to the doctor yesterday and decided that Tuesday the 23rd will be the big day. I have an appointment at 9am on Monday with the doctor who’ll conduct the labor process and we’ll schedule the time then. I’m voting for 8am on Tuesday morning so, in line with Caitlin’s great suggestion, I get a full night’s sleep before.

With Nicole I went in at 8pm, had my water broken at 10 and was up all night in labor to have a 7:05 birth. Made for being awake 45 out of 48 hours when you add visitors and the excitement of a new baby to the mix. Not something I care to repeat…

What was disappointing was that as big and “ready” as I feel I had made no physical progress in a week – still 2cm and 60% dilated.

We washed all of Chris’s clothes last night in Tide Free (of course!) and I put them all away in his closet and drawers today arranged by color. Fortunately for us we borrowed a lot of clothes from Jim’s cousin so we’re sitting pretty in the 0-3 month department. I picked out his outfits for his hospital stay and packed them into my suitcase.

Jim’s at his softball game or I’d be at mom’s working on embellishing the bumper pads. I have about an hour invested in them so far and I suspect I have roughly 4 more before I’ll be satisfied.

Pictures & Movies

me, very very pregnant

My feet after a long day at work

Chris moving & Nicole getting in on the action

The family at Holly's wedding Saturday night (can't see my stomach in the picture? it's because I'm dropping!)

Nicole enjoying the reception

Hello, again

I feel like the prodigal daughter returning home… I walked into my office for the first time in 5 days. I’ve been on-site at a client’s doing project management for their new phone system implementation. This is the part of my role that I was most interested in when I petitioned for the job change and it makes me happy t hat I know myself – as much time, and stress, and organization that this project required- I loved it. I like being busy and putting out fires and schmoozing with the corporate folks who are always interested in knowing where their money is being spent. My co-manager is overly complimentary and makes me feel capable and appreciated – two things that mean more to me than money. Though Jim’s annoyed with the late night phone calls at least I'm home getting them and not still on-site like the techs who are calling me are.

And I have 3 NEW projects to go between July and August, some I won’t get to fully do as I’ll be on maternity leave but since I like doing it so much AND I'm getting paid my normal salary during 6 weeks, I don’t even mind working during my absence (which is part of the plan). Further, coming back to the office with lots of things to do will keep my mind off leaving Christopher, at least that’s what made the Nicole transition easier.

Nicole said “welcome” in response to my thanking her on Tuesday – made me smile.

Since Sarah came last night Nicole has been all about her. It’s Sarah this and Sarah that and poor Sarah got hugged and jumped on before bed. She’s been too excited about our guest and I think she might boil over when Baby Max shows up tonight.

I'm really excited about our girls night dinner tonight. It’s at Maggianos which I think is really good food, and the company includes 3 of my most favorite people in the world, 2 of which I haven’t gotten to see in months.

All the work at the clients has me 2cm dilated and my feet puffy like water balloons. Overall I feel great though! Not that I want to be pregnant forever but I could make it another 2 months if I absolutely had to (as long as that two months didn’t bring on more water retention….).

Reporting Backward

• Chris is tentatively scheduled to arrive 2 weeks from today. I feel great physically 95% of the time. Some of my Braxton Hicks contractions have gotten a step above “uncomfortable” but just keep me on my toes watching for more labor signs versus leading to a change in my routines. Getting in and out of bed is a pain though…..
• While Jim subbed in a softball game, Nicole and I went shopping. We bought Chris’s baby book, milestone calendar, some new bath toys, and Holly’s wedding present. On our way home we stopped at Mom’s house to drop off some material and she surprised me with a gift for Chris – a baby blanket that my Great Grandma Catherine crocheted for me when I was born. Awwww! His first heirloom!

Jim and I filled in the “about Mommy” and “about Daddy” pages in the book last night. It made me happy and excited to do so and I was glad Jim took the time to fill in his own pages versus me doing it for him. Since seeing Grandma Wanda’s handwriting on a recipe she wrote out 25 years ago I like the notion of having hand-written things from people to show off later.

• Jim worked in the yard with Jason for HOURS on Sunday cutting and transplanting sod from the deck area to the back lot. He got all burned and achy and grumpy but did a terrific job. The builders start on Monday!
• I got some new cool friends on Facebook recently – surprise! There are still people recently joining Facebook – an ex-boyfriend, a college buddy, and an adult friend.
• Nicole’s been in her big girl room every night all week. I think the transition is now official. Jim is going to reset the crib to it’s baby position and I'm going to start redecorating the nursery this weekend. Other goal- Nicole’s curtains which I could do in the evenings if I wasn’t so freakin’ sucked into Twilight. I'm going to have to refrain from borrowing Caitlin’s third book in the series until I make some decorating progress otherwise nothing but reading will get done.

Order Up

This is what my preferred meal is at fast food restaurants I eat at (just in case you ever have to order for me)

McDonalds
6 piece chicken nugget
1 double cheeseburger
1 small fry with honey
Water

Frisch’s
Fish Sandwich
(normally do not order side dishes here)

Wendy’s
#6 Combo
Spicy Chicken sandwich with no mayo, add ranch
Side Salad with Fat Free French
Root Beer

Chipotle
Burrito Bowl, Wrap on the side
Rice
Black Beans
Sour Cream
Tomato Salsa
Cheese
Guacamole
Lettuce
Water

Skyline
3 Way with Oyster Crackers
Water / Root Beer

Taco Bell
1 Hard Taco Supreme
1 Mexi Melt
1 Soft Taco Supreme
OR
1 7-Layer Burrito
1 Mexi Melt

Arby’s
2 Cheddar Melts
1 Homestyle Fry
1 side of cheese
Water

Subway
6” Meatball Marinara Sub
Extra Provolone
Spinach
Black Olives
Oregano
Parmesan

Any Chinese Restaurant
Moo Goo Gai Pan
Water with lemon

Any Mexican Restaurant
2 cheese enchiladas
1 refried beans
1 sour cream
Water with Lemon

Any Pizza
Extra Cheese
Spinach
Mushrooms
Tomato

Life Reflections

Have no fear
These are no where near
The best years of your life.

These words are in a song that I like quite a bit, Letter to Me by Brad Paisley. It’s about a guy who writes a letter to his 17-year-old self. I think what always stands out to me is that above all, I hope this is true for me and I’ve actually given the concept real thought.

I’ve had lots of good memories in my short 29 years and I’ve had some particularly good years as a whole (1996-97 and 1999-2000 stand out for sure, Nicole’s whole life is a miracle to experience). However, I like to think that as good as those times were that something even better is up ahead.

I think it’s this optimism that leads me to repeat the advice of “if you think s/he was great and it didn’t work out, imagine what the real “one” will be like” when friends of mine break up. I truly mean it too.

Jim and I sometimes get into goofy conversations about what we would and wouldn't want to know. He’s adamant that he wouldn't want to know how or when he’s going to die; that the peace of knowing and the inspiration to live your life fully (which obviously you should be doing anyway) wouldn't outweigh the weight of the looming end. I have to agree.

Really, that leads right into what I previously said. I wouldn’t want to know that the best has already past. Likewise, I wouldn’t want to know that the real best year of my life is, say 32. As excited as I’d be, and for all the documenting I’d make sure to do of those 365 days, what am I supposed to do on Jan 1, 2013??

I aim to make each year the best and I’ll evaluate my success in hindsight. I wish a 50 year old me would send me a letter that just happens to reveal itself in my underwear drawer some day.

Weekend of 5/29/09

Some weekend highlights:

1) I finished Nicole’s room on Friday night (see previous blog) and presented it to her on Saturday morning. Though she took a shorter-than-usual nap in the big girl bed that afternoon, she was still awake a half hour after the night tuck-in. I laid with her for a minute or so, kissed her, and slipped out. A half hour later when I checked again she was still awake, though quiet, in bed. I took her out and back to her nursery because I didn’t want her to be cranky at daycare. We’ll try again tonight……

2) On Saturday night the Gardners and we went to watch the Cincinnati Rollergirls play roller derby. This is a sport that my grandparents, parents, and Jim recall watching on TV years ago but played on a wooden, inclined track. This was a notch down from that in that it was all flat track and held at the Gardens. Seats were just $10/ea, parking was free, and once I mostly caught on to the finer points/strategies of the game, I got really into it. I decided that I’d probably be a good enough skater to do the JV team (there was quite a significant difference in the “JV” vs. “Varsity” teams skating-wise) but have no desire or time to dedicate to two hours of practice three nights a week + 5 weekends of travel. We all liked it and would go again, maybe even the next home game (June 20) if Chris wasn’t looming.

3) I finished up Angels & Demons which I really liked though it sounds like not all my friends agree. I borrowed Twilight from Caitlin, started it yesterday during Nicole’s nap, and am already on page 232. Very easy read in general (obviously) and since I’ve already seen the movie I have to think even less while reading because, so far, the movie’s been fairly true to the novel so I can see things playing out in my head chapter-by-chapter.

4) I won my current game of Facebook Scrabble against Sean, Jessica and Jenny. Jess’s first word this round used all 7 letters and got her a double word bonus so she’s like 4 turns ahead of the rest of us just in one play. Booooooo!

5) Saturday night, influenced by Angels and Demons, I dreamt that I was elected Pope which was kind of cool. Last night, influenced by Twilight, I dreamt I was a vampire. Too much reading before bed! OK, I don't really mean that.

6) I got to wondering this morning…. I'm normally the first one in the office in the morning so I start the pot of decaf coffee. I don’t have the patience to wait for it to fully brew so after about 2 minutes I remove the pot and stick my cup under and let it fill directly. Does this screw up my cup or the whole pot taste-wise?

7) A very cute habit Nicole has continued for about the last three weeks is imitating Jim and I in our habits. What strikes me about this is that it's the little things she's picked up on like calling us "dear" (as in, "goodbye dear" when one of us leaves the house) and saying "I love you" as part of her well-wishing (like "goodbye, dear. I love you, dear"). Unfortunately her tidings of love don't just stop at home - last night she told the Home Depot cashier goodbye and that she loved her which of course earned her an "awwww".