8 weeks pregnant! (11/19/11)
8 weeks feels like the first milestone! (I have no idea why.) At 10 weeks, I plan to stop keeping this pregnancy such a secret, so that is the next milestone. And the milestone of feeling better can happen ANY TIME - I am VERY ready!!
I continue to feel a little better. I still have a nauseated feeling most of the time, but it is no longer constant and hasn't been debilitating this week. I'm frustrating Jake with my pickiness about food, but what's a girl to do when SO FEW foods are appealing!
The main challenge this week has just been feeling SO tired. Case in point: I got ELEVEN hours of sleep last night, definitely a record since Jack was born. This included falling asleep on the couch at 8:30 and staying in bed while Jake got up with Jack this morning. Even still it took almost 2 hours for me to stop feeling exhausted after I woke up and start to feel like I could tackle the day.
Jack has continued to be a champ and has been great with his naps (with one exception yesterday). This has been very helpful because I spend the whole 3 hours he is sleeping on the couch, either doing computer tasks or sleeping.
Jake and I went to our first prenatal appointment on Thursday at Woman to Woman Midwifery. This is a practice of two midwives. I had a great appointment - we were there close to 1.5 hours, but only about 5-10 minutes of that was spent waiting. The rest of the time was spent going over my medical history, learning about their practice, talking about this pregnancy, and then getting my exam. Everything looks good and I've gained back about half the weight I lost in the early weeks. We go again on December 15th and plan to bring Jack.
In other news...
- we are slated to move between December 7-10 - ahh! We will be ready, but will the house be??
- Jack now thinks there are two babies in my belly and knows that when the baby is ready, that I will go to the hospital ("hop-ee-pital") and that's where he'll come meet the baby
- somebody is turning 2 in two weeks!!
Week Eight Stats:
How I know I'm pregnant: still feel nauseated, definitely have a small baby bump (that is huge after meals :) ), SOOOO tired, and still sensitive up top, and now I have the midwives' confirmation!
Diet: oatmeal every morning with glass of OJ, bananas for snack, usually peanut butter with apples or bread for lunch, had real dinners this week, though 3 of them were purchased (so I could have exactly what sounded good); not all that interested in sweets which is a big change for me
My healthy pregnancy intentions for last week (how I did):
1) Write down any questions I have before our Thursday appointment. (√, but of course left them at home)
2) Keep the pregnancy quiet for at least another week at work. (√ - now it's Thanksgiving break - I plan to tell HR once we are back in school)
3) Try to diversify what I'm eating bc I think I'll feel better with healthier, more varied foods in me. (√ - thanks to Juan's Flying Burrito, Reginellis, and Gott Gourmet for providing me with ready made dinners this week :) )
4) Keep going to bed early and making time for afternoon naps. (√√)
5) Get back to researching baby boy names. (√ - up through the letter S now)
My healthy pregnancy intentions for this week:
1) Get my labwork done.
2) Continue to research baby boy names.
3) Take advantage of week off and get good rest (while also getting a LOT done for the new house/move/Christmas shopping).
4) Get vegetables back into my diet.
5) Make sure I'm not neglecting my husband like I have these past few weeks.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Saturday, November 12, 2011
7 weeks!
7 weeks! (11/12/11)
Well 7 weeks definitely feels better than 6! I'm still nauseated but it is NOTHING like how I felt last week. I'm proud to say I went to work every day this week and generally held it together despite some rough afternoons of not feeling well. I've been fortunate in that I seem to feel the worst after lunch and in the evenings, which line up with when Jack is sleeping. So I've been doing a lot of couch sitting and sleeping myself. In bed at 8-something + a daily nap - Jake is just loving this, let me tell you!
I noticed a definite positive shift on Thursday, so I hope it continues!!! I cannot wait until the day when food is actually appealing again! I have a pregnancy by the week book that I've been rereading this go round. Our baby has doubled in size in this past week and is now the size of my fingernail (1/2 inch long), so there is a definite positive aspect of the side effects.
We'll be going for our first appointment this Thursday. We are switching to the local midwifery practice this time. We liked our obstetrician last time but in principle, I believe I'm a great candidate for a midwife assisted birth. I'm young, healthy, and have had one uneventful pregnancy. In general, I believe birth has become over-medicalized in our society, and I think it makes more sense for me to be cared for by a midwife, especially since my goal, again this time, is to deliver naturally, without any medicine or interventions if possible. I also CANNOT imagine taking Jack to monthly and then weekly doctor apptmts. where we wait 90-120 minutes which was our experience last time. I have 3 good friends here who delivered with the midwives and all of them have stressed how family friendly their practice is. This is great as I want Jack to be very much a part of this pregnancy and to learn what is happening with "Jack's baby."
In other news this week, I am now showing! Holy cow - at 6.5 weeks?! But no doubt, my pants are tight and there is a definite lower belly pooch (see exhibit A below). We haven't really started telling people here and don't plan to for a few more weeks, so we'll see if I can hide the pooch for now.
Jack continues to be a great sport for his lazy mom. He gives his baby daily kisses and now says "Hi baby, how are you?" (to which I say, "I'm good, how are you Jack" which he then repeats :) ) He does have his second ear infection in 3 weeks, so he is needing a little extra loving this weekend.
Week Seven Stats:
How I know I'm pregnant: baby bump!, the around the clock nausea, constant fatigue, a little sensitivity up top :)
Diet: depressing: lots of bananas with some grapes and apples; bread, a little PB, some soup, oatmeal, and orange juice (the one thing that still sounds 100% good to me)
My healthy pregnancy intentions for last week (how I did):
1) make sure I'm keeping at least some food down at every meal (after last weekend, I've eaten at least something every meal)
2) stay positive bc I know this sickness is temporary and is going to lead to a wonderful baby (I give myself an A- here - I'm really excited for this baby - just longing to feel better so I can enjoy it more!)
My healthy pregnancy intentions for this week:
1) Write down any questions I have before our Thursday appointment.
2) Keep the pregnancy quiet for at least another week at work.
3) Try to diversify what I'm eating bc I think I'll feel better with healthier, more varied foods in me.
4) Keep going to bed early and making time for afternoon naps.
5) Get back to researching baby boy names.
Well 7 weeks definitely feels better than 6! I'm still nauseated but it is NOTHING like how I felt last week. I'm proud to say I went to work every day this week and generally held it together despite some rough afternoons of not feeling well. I've been fortunate in that I seem to feel the worst after lunch and in the evenings, which line up with when Jack is sleeping. So I've been doing a lot of couch sitting and sleeping myself. In bed at 8-something + a daily nap - Jake is just loving this, let me tell you!
I noticed a definite positive shift on Thursday, so I hope it continues!!! I cannot wait until the day when food is actually appealing again! I have a pregnancy by the week book that I've been rereading this go round. Our baby has doubled in size in this past week and is now the size of my fingernail (1/2 inch long), so there is a definite positive aspect of the side effects.
We'll be going for our first appointment this Thursday. We are switching to the local midwifery practice this time. We liked our obstetrician last time but in principle, I believe I'm a great candidate for a midwife assisted birth. I'm young, healthy, and have had one uneventful pregnancy. In general, I believe birth has become over-medicalized in our society, and I think it makes more sense for me to be cared for by a midwife, especially since my goal, again this time, is to deliver naturally, without any medicine or interventions if possible. I also CANNOT imagine taking Jack to monthly and then weekly doctor apptmts. where we wait 90-120 minutes which was our experience last time. I have 3 good friends here who delivered with the midwives and all of them have stressed how family friendly their practice is. This is great as I want Jack to be very much a part of this pregnancy and to learn what is happening with "Jack's baby."
In other news this week, I am now showing! Holy cow - at 6.5 weeks?! But no doubt, my pants are tight and there is a definite lower belly pooch (see exhibit A below). We haven't really started telling people here and don't plan to for a few more weeks, so we'll see if I can hide the pooch for now.
Jack continues to be a great sport for his lazy mom. He gives his baby daily kisses and now says "Hi baby, how are you?" (to which I say, "I'm good, how are you Jack" which he then repeats :) ) He does have his second ear infection in 3 weeks, so he is needing a little extra loving this weekend.
Week Seven Stats:
How I know I'm pregnant: baby bump!, the around the clock nausea, constant fatigue, a little sensitivity up top :)
Diet: depressing: lots of bananas with some grapes and apples; bread, a little PB, some soup, oatmeal, and orange juice (the one thing that still sounds 100% good to me)
My healthy pregnancy intentions for last week (how I did):
1) make sure I'm keeping at least some food down at every meal (after last weekend, I've eaten at least something every meal)
2) stay positive bc I know this sickness is temporary and is going to lead to a wonderful baby (I give myself an A- here - I'm really excited for this baby - just longing to feel better so I can enjoy it more!)
My healthy pregnancy intentions for this week:
1) Write down any questions I have before our Thursday appointment.
2) Keep the pregnancy quiet for at least another week at work.
3) Try to diversify what I'm eating bc I think I'll feel better with healthier, more varied foods in me.
4) Keep going to bed early and making time for afternoon naps.
5) Get back to researching baby boy names.
Monday, October 31, 2011
6 weeks...
6 weeks... (11/7/11)
The nausea is overwhelming. Last weekend I would have rated it a 2-3 on a scale of 10. It's steadily gotten worse till it's now a definite 6 at least. In 5 days, I've lost 4.5 pounds bc I can hardly eat. Almost all food is repulsive to me right now or at least not appealing. Even several days into this, I haven't even been feeling hungry. Not eating much has led to a whole range of unpleasant symptoms (that I won't detail), not the least of which is feeling even more wiped out. Since this horrible nauseated feeling is all-consuming, I've had plenty of time to try to analyze it and it seems to be worse from about 30 minutes to at least 2 hours after I eat. I'm only eating tiny servings of extremely bland foods (bagel, plain oatmeal, fruit) and it feels okay to eat it, but then I just get this cascade of nausea that just keeps getting stronger until I either throw up, sleep it off, or it finally peaks and starts to die down.
Not.fun.at.all.
In fact I'm pretty overwhelmed. Mainly because I don't know how long this will last and that's scary. I'm also a little disconcerted because I want to be healthy but it seems that I feel worse when I eat and that just doesn't work.
Life is not slowing down despite how I'm feeling. Jack is still almost 2 and takes a lot of energy. He hasn't seem phased by my mainly immobile state (he likes to read books and is happy playing trucks solo for the most part) but even the basic care tasks are wiping me out. I also have work which is VERY hard to get to and get going but does seem to help distract me some from how I'm feeling. In other news, we didn't have hot water for 24 hrs, Jake got in an accident which leaves us with just one car, and we are trying to position ourselves to MOVE in one month...as I said life is not slowing down.
I pray that in a week I'll be feeling better!!
Week Six Stats:
How I know I'm pregnant: there is no doubt - all the signs above; I try to take comfort in knowing that sickness is a sign of a healthy pregnancy
Diet: even the word is grossing me out
My healthy pregnancy intentions for last week (how I did):1) tell our parents the news :) √
2) research baby boy names since I have none in mind a little, I am through letter J
3) since I know I may hit a really sick phase in a week or so, really focus on eating an optimal diet this week while I'm still feeling okay (more greens, less sweets, more water, less juice) for like 1 day I was able to do this
4) keep jogging and doing Pilates while it still feels right jogged at beginning of week but now that I can't eat, don't think I should be burning calories
My healthy pregnancy intentions for this week:
1) make sure I'm keeping at least some food down at every meal
2) stay positive bc I know this sickness is temporary and is going to lead to a wonderful baby
List is short bc I need to keep expectations low this week!
The nausea is overwhelming. Last weekend I would have rated it a 2-3 on a scale of 10. It's steadily gotten worse till it's now a definite 6 at least. In 5 days, I've lost 4.5 pounds bc I can hardly eat. Almost all food is repulsive to me right now or at least not appealing. Even several days into this, I haven't even been feeling hungry. Not eating much has led to a whole range of unpleasant symptoms (that I won't detail), not the least of which is feeling even more wiped out. Since this horrible nauseated feeling is all-consuming, I've had plenty of time to try to analyze it and it seems to be worse from about 30 minutes to at least 2 hours after I eat. I'm only eating tiny servings of extremely bland foods (bagel, plain oatmeal, fruit) and it feels okay to eat it, but then I just get this cascade of nausea that just keeps getting stronger until I either throw up, sleep it off, or it finally peaks and starts to die down.
Not.fun.at.all.
In fact I'm pretty overwhelmed. Mainly because I don't know how long this will last and that's scary. I'm also a little disconcerted because I want to be healthy but it seems that I feel worse when I eat and that just doesn't work.
Life is not slowing down despite how I'm feeling. Jack is still almost 2 and takes a lot of energy. He hasn't seem phased by my mainly immobile state (he likes to read books and is happy playing trucks solo for the most part) but even the basic care tasks are wiping me out. I also have work which is VERY hard to get to and get going but does seem to help distract me some from how I'm feeling. In other news, we didn't have hot water for 24 hrs, Jake got in an accident which leaves us with just one car, and we are trying to position ourselves to MOVE in one month...as I said life is not slowing down.
I pray that in a week I'll be feeling better!!
Week Six Stats:
How I know I'm pregnant: there is no doubt - all the signs above; I try to take comfort in knowing that sickness is a sign of a healthy pregnancy
Diet: even the word is grossing me out
My healthy pregnancy intentions for last week (how I did):1) tell our parents the news :) √
2) research baby boy names since I have none in mind a little, I am through letter J
3) since I know I may hit a really sick phase in a week or so, really focus on eating an optimal diet this week while I'm still feeling okay (more greens, less sweets, more water, less juice) for like 1 day I was able to do this
4) keep jogging and doing Pilates while it still feels right jogged at beginning of week but now that I can't eat, don't think I should be burning calories
My healthy pregnancy intentions for this week:
1) make sure I'm keeping at least some food down at every meal
2) stay positive bc I know this sickness is temporary and is going to lead to a wonderful baby
List is short bc I need to keep expectations low this week!
Saturday, October 29, 2011
5 weeks!
5 weeks! (10-29-11)
The idea of another baby is sinking in some, but when you aren't telling anyone, it can still feel a little unreal. Neither Jacob nor I seem to be able to hold back from talking about it with Jack, even though there are several good reasons why we should. A few months back when two of Jack's friends had babies, we started talking about whether Jack wanted to have a baby. (He said he did.) I told him that he needed to ask God if we could have a baby. From that conversation, Jack started randomly saying "Ask Jesus, have a baby?" in the sweetest voice. This was something my mom would just adore, but since we weren't telling anyone we were going to start trying, we kept this sweetness to ourselves.
Well now when Jack says this, we say "Jesus said yes!" We've also asked if he wants a boy or girl baby (girl) and I threw out my two favorite girl names (Hana and Cora) and he's stuck with Baby Cora. I told him that the baby is in my belly and I showed him the pictures of me pregnant with him. He now points to my belly when I ask where the baby is and when I asked if he wanted to kiss the baby, he was all about it. So....probably not the smartest thing to tell your 22 month old that you are having a baby if you want to keep it secret, but we'll see if he can not spill the beans. I'm really excited about the idea of experiencing another baby along with Jack - both the pregnancy, the new baby, and then getting to watch the baby grow up together.
Week Five Stats:
How I know I'm pregnant: I feel pregnant when I lay down at night - I feel a little uncomfortable and want a pillow between my legs; still some cramping; definitely feeling more tired; started feeling blah yesterday - I feel like I should eat and that makes the feeling go away, but only for a few minutes. So it's a persistent yucky feeling, but not that bad.
Diet: Ate collard greens twice and 4 salads and cut my desserts by half. Give myself an A- for the week.
My healthy pregnancy intentions for last week (how I did):
1) switch from regular woman's to prenatal vitamins (√)
2) weigh myself (√)
3) schedule a first visit with the midwifery practice in town (√ - Nov 17)
4) eat more greens and less sweets (√)
My healthy pregnancy intentions for this week:
1) tell our parents the news :)
2) research baby boy names since I have none in mind
3) since I know I may hit a really sick phase in a week or so, really focus on eating an optimal diet this week while I'm still feeling okay (more greens, less sweets, more water, less juice)
4) keep jogging and doing Pilates while it still feels right
The idea of another baby is sinking in some, but when you aren't telling anyone, it can still feel a little unreal. Neither Jacob nor I seem to be able to hold back from talking about it with Jack, even though there are several good reasons why we should. A few months back when two of Jack's friends had babies, we started talking about whether Jack wanted to have a baby. (He said he did.) I told him that he needed to ask God if we could have a baby. From that conversation, Jack started randomly saying "Ask Jesus, have a baby?" in the sweetest voice. This was something my mom would just adore, but since we weren't telling anyone we were going to start trying, we kept this sweetness to ourselves.
Well now when Jack says this, we say "Jesus said yes!" We've also asked if he wants a boy or girl baby (girl) and I threw out my two favorite girl names (Hana and Cora) and he's stuck with Baby Cora. I told him that the baby is in my belly and I showed him the pictures of me pregnant with him. He now points to my belly when I ask where the baby is and when I asked if he wanted to kiss the baby, he was all about it. So....probably not the smartest thing to tell your 22 month old that you are having a baby if you want to keep it secret, but we'll see if he can not spill the beans. I'm really excited about the idea of experiencing another baby along with Jack - both the pregnancy, the new baby, and then getting to watch the baby grow up together.
Jack knows where the baby is :)
Week Five Stats:
How I know I'm pregnant: I feel pregnant when I lay down at night - I feel a little uncomfortable and want a pillow between my legs; still some cramping; definitely feeling more tired; started feeling blah yesterday - I feel like I should eat and that makes the feeling go away, but only for a few minutes. So it's a persistent yucky feeling, but not that bad.
Diet: Ate collard greens twice and 4 salads and cut my desserts by half. Give myself an A- for the week.
My healthy pregnancy intentions for last week (how I did):
1) switch from regular woman's to prenatal vitamins (√)
2) weigh myself (√)
3) schedule a first visit with the midwifery practice in town (√ - Nov 17)
4) eat more greens and less sweets (√)
My healthy pregnancy intentions for this week:
1) tell our parents the news :)
2) research baby boy names since I have none in mind
3) since I know I may hit a really sick phase in a week or so, really focus on eating an optimal diet this week while I'm still feeling okay (more greens, less sweets, more water, less juice)
4) keep jogging and doing Pilates while it still feels right
Sunday, October 23, 2011
4 weeks!
4 weeks....pregnant! (10-23-11)
Ahhh! We are having another baby!! Less than 24 hours after getting that piece of news, it hasn't fully sunk in. We want to have another baby and one mere month ago decided to start trying. It all the sudden just felt very right to expand our family. How amazing that this blessing has come so fast!
We bought the pregnancy test yesterday. But I was NOT going to take it until my period was officially one day late. That would have been this morning. Last night, I felt like a child on Christmas Eve. I had a hard time falling asleep and kept waking up. Finally about 1:30, I said, I'm going to go ahead and take it. And BAMM, 45 seconds later, I see this:
I was giddy, but didn't want to wake Jake up, so I texted him the picture. I then lay in bed for more than an hour too excited to sleep. I finally did fall asleep but woke up several times before finally at 6:40, going and getting Jake his phone. I was trying to be natural about this and he finally picked it up and looked to see if he had any messages. His response? "Wow, you're fertile." :)
We are going to keep the news quiet for a few weeks. This was our thought after the first pregnancy where we (I) felt the first weeks dragged by and it was hard to even believe I was actually pregnant. The plan is to tell our parents in two weeks and then slowly spread the word, but we'll see if we hold out. So I'm just going to save this post as a draft for now!
Week Four Stats:
How I know I'm pregnant: cramping - I had this with Jack and it was what actually (after a week of being like "Period, just start already!") clued me in something might be up.
Diet: feel like I'm in a good starting place but know I should cut back on my desserts and up the greens
My healthy pregnancy intentions for this week:
1) switch from regular woman's to prenatal vitamins
2) weigh myself
3) schedule a first visit with the midwifery practice in town
4) eat more greens and less sweets
Ahhh! We are having another baby!! Less than 24 hours after getting that piece of news, it hasn't fully sunk in. We want to have another baby and one mere month ago decided to start trying. It all the sudden just felt very right to expand our family. How amazing that this blessing has come so fast!
We bought the pregnancy test yesterday. But I was NOT going to take it until my period was officially one day late. That would have been this morning. Last night, I felt like a child on Christmas Eve. I had a hard time falling asleep and kept waking up. Finally about 1:30, I said, I'm going to go ahead and take it. And BAMM, 45 seconds later, I see this:
I was giddy, but didn't want to wake Jake up, so I texted him the picture. I then lay in bed for more than an hour too excited to sleep. I finally did fall asleep but woke up several times before finally at 6:40, going and getting Jake his phone. I was trying to be natural about this and he finally picked it up and looked to see if he had any messages. His response? "Wow, you're fertile." :)
We are going to keep the news quiet for a few weeks. This was our thought after the first pregnancy where we (I) felt the first weeks dragged by and it was hard to even believe I was actually pregnant. The plan is to tell our parents in two weeks and then slowly spread the word, but we'll see if we hold out. So I'm just going to save this post as a draft for now!
Week Four Stats:
How I know I'm pregnant: cramping - I had this with Jack and it was what actually (after a week of being like "Period, just start already!") clued me in something might be up.
Diet: feel like I'm in a good starting place but know I should cut back on my desserts and up the greens
My healthy pregnancy intentions for this week:
1) switch from regular woman's to prenatal vitamins
2) weigh myself
3) schedule a first visit with the midwifery practice in town
4) eat more greens and less sweets
Friday, September 30, 2011
A Day in Jack's Life
Friday, September 30th - a few days shy of Jack's 22nd month birthday....
Like clockwork, a few minutes after our 6am alarm, we hear Jack calling "cummere Mommy!"
He greets me with: "Mommy, bed; Mommy, bed"
Morning time is my favorite time as all 3 of us pile into our bed. There are lots of snuggles and talking before we fully get up for the day. This morning included some books as well.
Jack spends a lot of time with just a shirt on when he's at home. This is our potty training method of choice. It seems to work great as he's very aware of going to the bathroom and doesn't have accidents (okay there was that one time when he pooped on the floor...).
Next it is time to pee pee in the potty... "Mommy, pee pee backwards....no, poo-poo on floor!" (he really does say this most times he's on the potty) Pee pee backwards is Jack's preferred potty sitting position.
Then it's straight to his fire truck in the living room. Or rather "Bire *uck".
A typical fire truck conversation goes like this:
"Mama, bire *uck! Big yadder! Many lights on. Oh no, bire *uck!" (He throws in a lot of "oh no's" into his speech - a little dramatic flare :) )
Then it's time to help Daddy unload the dishwasher while Mommy makes breakfast.
Jack manages to get two different "boo boos" and narrowly avoids a time-out visit. It's amazing how much can happen in the 5 minutes it takes me to make breakfast!
Every morning, Jack has "yum yum" (oatmeal or hot cereal). Breakfast convo:
"Mamma yum yum; Daddy yum yum; Jack yum yum (he points)...Bire station; bire *uck, coming back; bire man press button, door open. Mmm-hmmm" (Jack likes to affirm what he says.)
Then it's time to brush teeth. Jack allows me enough time to sing Happy Birthday (or as he says "Happy Derfday") once for his top teeth and once for his bottom teeth. Diaper and clothes on. Bag packed. In car.
On the way to school, Jack narrates the trip by letting me know who else is on the road:
"School bus...nummer school bus? 2 school bus! Po-po car, po-po car! Amblance *uck - many lights on! Backhoe *uck! Garbage *uck! Taxi cab!" And my personal favorite "Checker Picker *uck!" (cherry picker truck) The child doesn't forget any truck we've learned about and we've read LOTS of truck books!
It's now 7:55 and we're at school.
J: "Momma, too?"
Of course, I will come too Jack.
J: "Jack, walk?"
J: "Hey Miss Yahbin!"
J: "Play amblance truck?" "Airplane!"
Me: Bye Jack, I love you!
J: "Mommy, work, coming back!" (For the first two weeks, this was said shakily and with tears; now he says it very matter-of-factly.)
Jack then spends the rest of the morning at school, playing trucks with his friends, playing outside, doing some art, and eating some lunch.
I pick him up after lunch. I ask him if he wants to show me the outside play area. He beelines straight to the fire truck, of course.
Once in the car, he asks:
"Drive by bire station?"
I take a slightly less direct route home from school so that we can do our daily drive by. As we get close...
J: "Drive by bire station!!! Slow down! All doors shut! Bire *uck missing!!" Whatever he sees at the fire station he talks about for the rest of the day.
At home, it's straight to his room for books and then naptime in the big boy bed.
J: "Big boy bed, no out"
10 minutes later, the scene has changed to this:
I am so lucky to have a flexible schedule where I can go pick Jack up at lunch. His nap (usually 3 hrs) gives me the time I need to do more work at home. The end of my work day comes with a thud, some giggles coming down the hallway, and a very disheveled Jack:
J: "Snuggle Mommy? On couch? Read books?"
And after each book,
J: "One time?"
Me: You mean one more time Jack?
J: "One time?"
Me: Jack we have to get ready for our adventure!
After a visit to the potty and outfit changes, we are ready to go.
J: "Snack cup Mommy? MMM! Snack cup!"
Me: What are you eating Jack?
J: "Pears, raisins!"
We then bought some baby gifts and went to two different Friday afternoon play groups - at two different neighborhood parks. Jacob met us at the second one and had bought Jack a new soccer ball since we lost our last one. Jack had a blast climbing, sliding, swinging, and running around. He has been known to flip out when it's time to get back in the stroller to leave, but not tonight because....
Jacob: Jack, do you want pizza?
J: "Pizza! Daddy, pizza!"
Jack loves sitting outside and eating his pizza.
We walk home and Jack gets a bubble bath. Then back to the big boy bed where Jack reads his truck books to us. (Okay, it's more like he fills in the blanks)
Then we gather Hop, Blue Bear, and Bunny, his two pacifiers, and his blanket and head to the crib.
J: "Mommy, rock?"
We turn the lights off and rock and say our prayers and then he goes right down...
30 minutes of quiet later...
J: "Mommy cummere!"
J: "Mommy rock?" "Rocking chair"
He's hard to resist and who would mind having this precious little boy snuggled up in your lap randomly spouting out bits of his day and his deepest thoughts? :)
J:"Big papa press button, door open"...."Uncle Willliam, pick up truck"...."trash - garbage truck carry away" (a line from a book)...."Mommy, coming back"....
I lay him back down and this time he goes to sleep for good.
I wish I could bottle up moments like this, but I guess the next best thing is writing it down sometimes, taking pictures and videos, so that I can "open it up" again one day when Jack doesn't ask me to "snuggle". Will I want my 18 year old to ask me to snuggle?
Like clockwork, a few minutes after our 6am alarm, we hear Jack calling "cummere Mommy!"
He greets me with: "Mommy, bed; Mommy, bed"
Morning time is my favorite time as all 3 of us pile into our bed. There are lots of snuggles and talking before we fully get up for the day. This morning included some books as well.
Jack spends a lot of time with just a shirt on when he's at home. This is our potty training method of choice. It seems to work great as he's very aware of going to the bathroom and doesn't have accidents (okay there was that one time when he pooped on the floor...).
Next it is time to pee pee in the potty... "Mommy, pee pee backwards....no, poo-poo on floor!" (he really does say this most times he's on the potty) Pee pee backwards is Jack's preferred potty sitting position.
Then it's straight to his fire truck in the living room. Or rather "Bire *uck".
A typical fire truck conversation goes like this:
"Mama, bire *uck! Big yadder! Many lights on. Oh no, bire *uck!" (He throws in a lot of "oh no's" into his speech - a little dramatic flare :) )
Then it's time to help Daddy unload the dishwasher while Mommy makes breakfast.
Jack manages to get two different "boo boos" and narrowly avoids a time-out visit. It's amazing how much can happen in the 5 minutes it takes me to make breakfast!
Every morning, Jack has "yum yum" (oatmeal or hot cereal). Breakfast convo:
"Mamma yum yum; Daddy yum yum; Jack yum yum (he points)...Bire station; bire *uck, coming back; bire man press button, door open. Mmm-hmmm" (Jack likes to affirm what he says.)
Then it's time to brush teeth. Jack allows me enough time to sing Happy Birthday (or as he says "Happy Derfday") once for his top teeth and once for his bottom teeth. Diaper and clothes on. Bag packed. In car.
On the way to school, Jack narrates the trip by letting me know who else is on the road:
"School bus...nummer school bus? 2 school bus! Po-po car, po-po car! Amblance *uck - many lights on! Backhoe *uck! Garbage *uck! Taxi cab!" And my personal favorite "Checker Picker *uck!" (cherry picker truck) The child doesn't forget any truck we've learned about and we've read LOTS of truck books!
It's now 7:55 and we're at school.
J: "Momma, too?"
Of course, I will come too Jack.
J: "Jack, walk?"
J: "Hey Miss Yahbin!"
J: "Play amblance truck?" "Airplane!"
Me: Bye Jack, I love you!J: "Mommy, work, coming back!" (For the first two weeks, this was said shakily and with tears; now he says it very matter-of-factly.)
Jack then spends the rest of the morning at school, playing trucks with his friends, playing outside, doing some art, and eating some lunch.
I pick him up after lunch. I ask him if he wants to show me the outside play area. He beelines straight to the fire truck, of course.
Once in the car, he asks:
"Drive by bire station?"
I take a slightly less direct route home from school so that we can do our daily drive by. As we get close...
J: "Drive by bire station!!! Slow down! All doors shut! Bire *uck missing!!" Whatever he sees at the fire station he talks about for the rest of the day.
At home, it's straight to his room for books and then naptime in the big boy bed.
J: "Big boy bed, no out"
10 minutes later, the scene has changed to this:
I am so lucky to have a flexible schedule where I can go pick Jack up at lunch. His nap (usually 3 hrs) gives me the time I need to do more work at home. The end of my work day comes with a thud, some giggles coming down the hallway, and a very disheveled Jack:
J: "Snuggle Mommy? On couch? Read books?"
And after each book,J: "One time?"
Me: You mean one more time Jack?
J: "One time?"
Me: Jack we have to get ready for our adventure!
After a visit to the potty and outfit changes, we are ready to go.
J: "Snack cup Mommy? MMM! Snack cup!"
Me: What are you eating Jack?
J: "Pears, raisins!"
We then bought some baby gifts and went to two different Friday afternoon play groups - at two different neighborhood parks. Jacob met us at the second one and had bought Jack a new soccer ball since we lost our last one. Jack had a blast climbing, sliding, swinging, and running around. He has been known to flip out when it's time to get back in the stroller to leave, but not tonight because....
Jacob: Jack, do you want pizza?
J: "Pizza! Daddy, pizza!"
Jack loves sitting outside and eating his pizza.
We walk home and Jack gets a bubble bath. Then back to the big boy bed where Jack reads his truck books to us. (Okay, it's more like he fills in the blanks)
Then we gather Hop, Blue Bear, and Bunny, his two pacifiers, and his blanket and head to the crib.
J: "Mommy, rock?"
We turn the lights off and rock and say our prayers and then he goes right down...
30 minutes of quiet later...
J: "Mommy cummere!"
J: "Mommy rock?" "Rocking chair"
He's hard to resist and who would mind having this precious little boy snuggled up in your lap randomly spouting out bits of his day and his deepest thoughts? :)
J:"Big papa press button, door open"...."Uncle Willliam, pick up truck"...."trash - garbage truck carry away" (a line from a book)...."Mommy, coming back"....
I lay him back down and this time he goes to sleep for good.
I wish I could bottle up moments like this, but I guess the next best thing is writing it down sometimes, taking pictures and videos, so that I can "open it up" again one day when Jack doesn't ask me to "snuggle". Will I want my 18 year old to ask me to snuggle?
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
In case you were wondering what the hardest job is...
Motherhood has been kicking my butt lately, all the while making sure I remember that this is the hardest job I've ever had. With me working part time, sometimes it's hard for me to separate out what exactly is kicking my butt, but this week is Spring Break so Jack is my number one focus and I now have evidence that it is MOTHERHOOD and not any mere paid job/career/occupation that wins the award of 'most challenging role'!One of several examples I could share:
Today started at 4:21 a.m. Did I mention I am on Spring Break? Normally my days start at 6 when I have work...
After an effort to get Jack back to sleep, I end up bringing him into our bed to which he delightedly cried "Dada!! Dada!" Jack and I spent the last few days in SC (the one hour time difference is the partial culprit here) so he was especially excited to see his dad again this morning.
Jake was less excited to see him and after a hug and an effort to get him to snuggle up and go back to sleep, he left to finish out his remaining sleep in the guest bedroom. At least when your job is paid it entitles you to sleep!
Jack and I officially got up around 5:30. Diaper #1 is changed. I made everyone breakfast, fed Jack, did the dishes, and then finished unpacking while Jack played. Around 7:00 Jack starts to get fussy (what is wrong with this picture) and so we read some books. He is down for a nap at 8:00! Diaper #2 has been changed: lovely blueberry poop.
This is a brief interlude as he is awake by 8:39. We play. At 9:o8, I check the Parenting Center's schedule and see they have 'Story and Art Time" at 10. This isn't something I can normally go to with Jack, so I say let's go for it! Nevermind we only have a bike, no car. Nevermind I know it takes at least 30 minutes to get there. Nevermind the wind is whipping devilishly outside. Nevermind I KNOW now that nothing goes as planned!
Diaper #3. Jack's clothes changed. I pack the essentials, including the "paper back swap" books Jake has asked me to take to the post office. All the while, Jack is excitedly saying "Bikes!" "Hats!". We load up. Jack's helmet is in two parts in my hands (!?). I get it back together and on his head. We are off.
The ride there does go smoothly. Jack and I practice saying "Stop!" at the stop signs. I sing the ABCs, he responds "A,C,D".
We arrive at the Parenting Center at 10:08. There are many babies and parents! Jack has zero interest in the craft time. He sits for no more than a second and then he is off to the trucks. "Trucks!" "Baaalll!" "Baby!" "Baaalll!" He has a blast playing inside. We go outside and Jack has fun climbing into the toy cars and trucks and running around with a ball. I see him approach another "driver". Jack reaches in to touch the wheel. The little 2 yr old doesn't like the intrusion. He grabs Jack's hand aggressively and shoves it in his MOUTH!
I quickly shut this down but the damage has been done. Jack has his first bite. He is crying big tears. The other mother is embarrassed (as I would be) and so I try to downplay the incident while also trying to take stake of the wound. (The skin has not been broken). Jack pitifully asks for a ball. We go off and play, but I keep an eye out for the biter.
Diaper #4 and I decide it's time to head home. Getting Jack's helmet back on takes multiple attempts and more tears. At last we are on the bike and headed home!
8 blocks later, my wheels start spinning. I look around for help bc let me assure you I have no idea what to do or what is wrong with my bike. There are two 20-something year olds that don't look like your typical knights in shining armor, but I can't be choosy. "Do you know anything about bikes?" I ask. They come over. I unhook Jack. They flip my bike over and get the chain back on. Catastrophe averted. I am very grateful!
Back on the road. We have to cross busy streets to get to the post office. We make it there. "Wow that baby is Healthy! He's bigger than the momma," I hear. I choose to take that as a compliment.
I debate. Take helmet off, but then have to get it back on? I decide to keep Jack's helmet on. We walk in the post office. There are only 3 people ahead of us in line - thank goodness as this post office is known for long lines and waits. Jack says "Hat?!" "Hat?!" and points to his head. I point out another man wearing a hat to try to distract Jack. 5 mins. 10 mins. 15 mins. Jack plays peek a boo with the woman behind us. He is getting very heavy. Finally our turn. Packages mailed.
Back on the bike. The wind is whipping dirt in our faces. Not too much further! The chain falls off again. This time no one is around. I climb off and unload the bike. I try holding Jack by one hand and try to get the chain on with the other. This isn't working. 4 cars go by - no one stops. Finally a car parks on the road and I ask for help. The guy graciously flips my bike over and gets the chain back on. I reload and we set off on the final stretch.
FINALLY HOME! I check the time: 12:38. I am WIPED. Diaper #5, lunch, and nap are next. Hopefully Jack is as tired as me and will take a good one bc I need a rest!
Moral of the story: Show some love to the mothers out there - it's not as easy as it looks!! And also, thank both your parents - they probably had lots of days like this!
Note: I said it was the hardest job, but not a thankless job! I couldn't love Jack any more no matter what time he gets up, how many times he poops right after I change his diaper, or how hard it is for him to learn what no means. He is the sweetest little bear and 1 hr into his nap I already miss him :)
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Juxtaposition
Picture this. Across the street is a pretty house with a pretty yard, with the inside lights shining out. From my vantage point, I can see pretty pictures on the wall, indicating a fashionably decorated house. On the door is a duck with a gauzy blue ribbon symbolizing the baby boy that just arrived there this weekend. The house is emitting a calm, contented aura.
Then there is me and our house. I emerge carrying a 26 lb, 13 month old, a diaper bag, a gym bag, a plastic bag with borrowed items I am finally going to return, a paper bag of recycling, a plastic bag of recycling, a pizza box, and keys. I stumble to the car trying not to drop any of these items, especially the 13 month old. I am carrying all at once, because, yet again, I am rushing. I drop everything (except the 13 month old) by the car and then start the process of trying to get everything in, while still trying to hurry.
I remember the calm beginnings of motherhood fondly, but I do feel, despite the craziness, it only gets better.
Then there is me and our house. I emerge carrying a 26 lb, 13 month old, a diaper bag, a gym bag, a plastic bag with borrowed items I am finally going to return, a paper bag of recycling, a plastic bag of recycling, a pizza box, and keys. I stumble to the car trying not to drop any of these items, especially the 13 month old. I am carrying all at once, because, yet again, I am rushing. I drop everything (except the 13 month old) by the car and then start the process of trying to get everything in, while still trying to hurry.
I remember the calm beginnings of motherhood fondly, but I do feel, despite the craziness, it only gets better.
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Traveling with a wee one
A few months back I remember Googling "traveling with a baby" and wasn't really satisfied with what I found. Now that I have a few trips under my belt, I wanted to share what I've learned.
My credentials? One cute baby (see evidence below) who has visited 10 states on 5 trips (which included 21 take-offs and landings) between the ages of 6 and 13 months.
Successful traveling with a baby takes some ingenuity, lots of flexibility, and a laid back vacation style. The biggest challenges in my opinion are the plane ride(s), transporting the little one, and nap time.
The plane ride
First off, how are you going to get from your car to the plane? Do you have an infant carrier? If so, it's worth bringing it. Your baby will be distracted by the sights and you'll have your hands free to cart luggage and check-in. If you have a cloth carrier, you can walk right through security with your baby strapped on. (Did you know babies have to take off their shoes too?)
Take a copy of the birth certificate if she is under 2 - you might have to show proof of age if you didn't buy a seat.
If your baby can move, give him a chance to do so at the airport so he can burn off some energy before you board.
Take your car seat. Advantages: you'll have one for when you arrive and if you are lucky and there is any empty seat on the plane, your baby will have their own secure spot.
Hold on to your car seat until the last minute. Check with the gate agent. Are there any empty seats? If so, your partner can go sit in the free seat, allowing you to bring your car seat on and letting your baby sit in his designated seat. (or vice versa - moms are allowed breaks too!) Another idea is to book the two of you in the window and aisle seat, hoping that the middle seat remains free.
Gate check your car seat - don't let it get sent to baggage claim (who knows how careful the handlers will be.)
Wondering how to get the car seat through the airport? 2 bungee cords and a rolling bag will do the trick.
Transporting the little one
The question in my mind is "Stroller or no stroller?" I never wanted to be "that family" with the large, laden stroller and many bags. (Oh well, we are now.)
For our first few trips we didn't take the stroller and instead took our Ergo carrier. That can be a good option but it really depends on whether you want the stroller on the other end.
When we traveled to New England for 10 days, we knew we wanted our BOB stroller. We gate checked it at each flight and used it in the airport. It was awesome! Now I know why "that family" has the laden stroller - why carry anything when you can just hang it on the stroller?
In one particularly inventive moment we strapped the car seat to the stroller :)
Nap time
I halfway want to advise you to not travel with a baby who still needs two naps. Nap time has definitely been the most difficult part of our travels. Jack doesn't do well in new surroundings. He's stimulated and/or unnerved and has a hard time settling down. There were several 45 minute marathons that were NOT what I consider a good time.
Here are some tricks we learned:
-have a plan for the plane. Your travel day will be a lot calmer if your baby can still get his rest. Try to mimic their normal nap routine as much as possible. And DO NOT forget or lose their paci if they take one. I did and it was very, very bad.
- does your baby nap in your stroller? If so, take it. You can sightsee or get exercise while your baby naps, thus enabling you to still be out and about. We even took Jack to a nice dinner with him in the BOB with a blanket over top.
- take turns on nap duty. One day Jake watched a football game in the room, while I went to the gym. Another day, I read quietly (by the light of a crack in the bathroom door) while Jake hung out in the lobby.
- does your baby need darkness? If so, be creative. In one hotel, we put the crib by the door and then opened the closet door to separate it from the rest of the room. In another hotel, we put the crib by the window and draped the curtains (and jackets) around the crib to give Jack his very own canopy bed.
Our favorite option was the hotel where we were able to fit Jack's crib in the bathroom. This gave him his own room! (And also had both Jake and I making repeat trips to the lobby to pee.)
- bedtime is also hard. It felt like being at camp - quiet time after 8:30. On the flip side, Jake and I get a lot of reading in and our trips felt much more relaxing overall.
I think the hassles are worth it. We've had a great time on all of our trips and are making awesome family memories. The only thing I'd do differently going forward is to try to figure out a way to have one date night on a trip - maybe fly in Grandma?
My credentials? One cute baby (see evidence below) who has visited 10 states on 5 trips (which included 21 take-offs and landings) between the ages of 6 and 13 months.
Successful traveling with a baby takes some ingenuity, lots of flexibility, and a laid back vacation style. The biggest challenges in my opinion are the plane ride(s), transporting the little one, and nap time.
The plane ride
First off, how are you going to get from your car to the plane? Do you have an infant carrier? If so, it's worth bringing it. Your baby will be distracted by the sights and you'll have your hands free to cart luggage and check-in. If you have a cloth carrier, you can walk right through security with your baby strapped on. (Did you know babies have to take off their shoes too?)
Take a copy of the birth certificate if she is under 2 - you might have to show proof of age if you didn't buy a seat.
If your baby can move, give him a chance to do so at the airport so he can burn off some energy before you board.
Take your car seat. Advantages: you'll have one for when you arrive and if you are lucky and there is any empty seat on the plane, your baby will have their own secure spot.
Hold on to your car seat until the last minute. Check with the gate agent. Are there any empty seats? If so, your partner can go sit in the free seat, allowing you to bring your car seat on and letting your baby sit in his designated seat. (or vice versa - moms are allowed breaks too!) Another idea is to book the two of you in the window and aisle seat, hoping that the middle seat remains free.
Gate check your car seat - don't let it get sent to baggage claim (who knows how careful the handlers will be.)
Wondering how to get the car seat through the airport? 2 bungee cords and a rolling bag will do the trick.
Transporting the little one
The question in my mind is "Stroller or no stroller?" I never wanted to be "that family" with the large, laden stroller and many bags. (Oh well, we are now.)
For our first few trips we didn't take the stroller and instead took our Ergo carrier. That can be a good option but it really depends on whether you want the stroller on the other end.
When we traveled to New England for 10 days, we knew we wanted our BOB stroller. We gate checked it at each flight and used it in the airport. It was awesome! Now I know why "that family" has the laden stroller - why carry anything when you can just hang it on the stroller?
In one particularly inventive moment we strapped the car seat to the stroller :)
Nap time
I halfway want to advise you to not travel with a baby who still needs two naps. Nap time has definitely been the most difficult part of our travels. Jack doesn't do well in new surroundings. He's stimulated and/or unnerved and has a hard time settling down. There were several 45 minute marathons that were NOT what I consider a good time.
Here are some tricks we learned:
-have a plan for the plane. Your travel day will be a lot calmer if your baby can still get his rest. Try to mimic their normal nap routine as much as possible. And DO NOT forget or lose their paci if they take one. I did and it was very, very bad.
- does your baby nap in your stroller? If so, take it. You can sightsee or get exercise while your baby naps, thus enabling you to still be out and about. We even took Jack to a nice dinner with him in the BOB with a blanket over top.
- take turns on nap duty. One day Jake watched a football game in the room, while I went to the gym. Another day, I read quietly (by the light of a crack in the bathroom door) while Jake hung out in the lobby.
- does your baby need darkness? If so, be creative. In one hotel, we put the crib by the door and then opened the closet door to separate it from the rest of the room. In another hotel, we put the crib by the window and draped the curtains (and jackets) around the crib to give Jack his very own canopy bed.
Our favorite option was the hotel where we were able to fit Jack's crib in the bathroom. This gave him his own room! (And also had both Jake and I making repeat trips to the lobby to pee.)
- bedtime is also hard. It felt like being at camp - quiet time after 8:30. On the flip side, Jake and I get a lot of reading in and our trips felt much more relaxing overall.
I think the hassles are worth it. We've had a great time on all of our trips and are making awesome family memories. The only thing I'd do differently going forward is to try to figure out a way to have one date night on a trip - maybe fly in Grandma?
Monday, November 29, 2010
New England Trip - Day Nine
28 degrees. That should have warned us off, but I always get a little zealous about getting exercise before we start our day. We bundled up and strapped Jack in the Ergo. We then walked along the Cliff Walk near our hotel. This is, as you would expect, a walk along a cliff. On one side is the ocean and on the other side are beautiful homes overlooking the water. We enjoyed this part of the walk, even Jack who worked on his new word "dog" every time one would pass.
We went a little too far and ended up with a LONG, COLD walk back. We ended up walking at least 5 miles. Happily we found a bakery along the way and loaded up with morning sweets for us - bagel for Jack. That bagel worked magic throughout the day.
After 45 minutes to settle down, Jack napped and Jake read and I checked my work email (for the first time on the trip) and did some catching up. We then headed out to the Newport Mansions. Apparently, Newport was the summer resort town for the wealthiest Americans back in the late 1800's, early 1900's. We hadn't bought tickets for anything our whole trip, so we decided to splurge and got passes to tour 3 of the mansions. We weren't thinking that each house had a complimentary audio guide, fun for us, but how would Jack handle it?
With Jack on Jake's back, we went in the first mansion, the Breakers - a Vanderbilt home much like the Biltmore.
I had the last of Jack's bagel in my pocket and kept sneaking him bites to keep him entertained. He liked looking around and was great for the first 45 minutes, but then he demanded out (in rooms that echo). I ended up carrying him the last 15 and wrestling him for the audio guide which looked too much like a phone. (He's not the lightest of babies)
We then went to the second mansion (the Elms)
and this time I wore Jack on my front. He liked this better and continued to snack on his bagel.
Toward the end, he was getting tired and kept pulling the audio guide away and changing the track, so I'd be listening to the bathroom overview in the kitchen, etc.
For the last house, Jake wore him on his front and he was sweet, occasionally resting his head on Jake's chest. We were quite proud of our cultured baby who made it through all 3 mansions (3 hours) with no crying. I think if he'd had his own audio guide, he would have been perfect!
Naptime again. Then dinner on the town where Jack enjoyed some pita bread and hummus. We ended the day playing on the floor with Jack's new toys. We are working hard to teach him "horse" (he is borrowing a horse toy we bought for cousin Wyatt). We say "huh-huh-huh-horse" and Jack laughs "ha-ha" back :)
I'm going to miss all these fun moments that have come from having no agenda and lots of time!
We went a little too far and ended up with a LONG, COLD walk back. We ended up walking at least 5 miles. Happily we found a bakery along the way and loaded up with morning sweets for us - bagel for Jack. That bagel worked magic throughout the day.
After 45 minutes to settle down, Jack napped and Jake read and I checked my work email (for the first time on the trip) and did some catching up. We then headed out to the Newport Mansions. Apparently, Newport was the summer resort town for the wealthiest Americans back in the late 1800's, early 1900's. We hadn't bought tickets for anything our whole trip, so we decided to splurge and got passes to tour 3 of the mansions. We weren't thinking that each house had a complimentary audio guide, fun for us, but how would Jack handle it?
With Jack on Jake's back, we went in the first mansion, the Breakers - a Vanderbilt home much like the Biltmore.
I had the last of Jack's bagel in my pocket and kept sneaking him bites to keep him entertained. He liked looking around and was great for the first 45 minutes, but then he demanded out (in rooms that echo). I ended up carrying him the last 15 and wrestling him for the audio guide which looked too much like a phone. (He's not the lightest of babies)
We then went to the second mansion (the Elms)
and this time I wore Jack on my front. He liked this better and continued to snack on his bagel.
Toward the end, he was getting tired and kept pulling the audio guide away and changing the track, so I'd be listening to the bathroom overview in the kitchen, etc.
For the last house, Jake wore him on his front and he was sweet, occasionally resting his head on Jake's chest. We were quite proud of our cultured baby who made it through all 3 mansions (3 hours) with no crying. I think if he'd had his own audio guide, he would have been perfect!
Naptime again. Then dinner on the town where Jack enjoyed some pita bread and hummus. We ended the day playing on the floor with Jack's new toys. We are working hard to teach him "horse" (he is borrowing a horse toy we bought for cousin Wyatt). We say "huh-huh-huh-horse" and Jack laughs "ha-ha" back :)
I'm going to miss all these fun moments that have come from having no agenda and lots of time!
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