| Boogers and gas |
[Apr. 25th, 2007|02:55 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  calm | ] |
Okay, so I've become one of "those people". Alas, two months into mommyhood and I'm finding myself having conversations about boogers, droll, poop, pee and gas. I'm in the network-there are new moms groups that meet, formally (at the healthplex) and informally (for coffee, etc) and have a yahoo group. It feels great to meet people and have so much to talk about, then you reflect on the conversation later and realize it was about boogers and gas.
Ro has his check up on Friday. I'm curious to find out what he weighs, but not looking forward to watching him get FOUR SHOTS! Hopefully he will be one of those babies who sleeps it off. |
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| He's so alert! |
[Apr. 17th, 2007|09:55 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | relaxed | ] |
If I had a dollar for every time someone has commented that Rohan is "so alert" we'd have quite a college fund underway. I get told he is cute too, but "alert" is the constant adjective. He does love to hold his head up (he is strong-we don't know where he gets that) and look around. I wonder if all this grand alertness is what gets him overstimulated and causes his night time fits of inconsolable crying. Yesterday was one of our better evenings...he was actually responsive to soothing measures like walking with him and nursing him, which is not usually the case. He didn't have a fit until around midnight (his preferred bedtime) and I swaddled him in the kiddopatamus (its like a strait jacket that turns him into a little baby burrito) and his zonked out cold after only four minutes of screaming. Tonight has been another story. Not responsive to soothing and swaddling. He is finally out after close to two hours of screaming (from 8-10 with a short break to eat, followed by a brief period of calm for a diaper change, etc.) We shall see how long he stays down. I don't really mind the lack of sleep too much as long as he is pleasant. "Colic" is defined as at least 3 hours a day of inconsolable crying at least 3 days a week. He doesn't hit three hours a day, but he does it every day (except yesterday). The good news is he redeems himself every morning-after feeding he spends about an hour just making adorable little faces, eats a bit more, and cuddles up for a peaceful nap...pure bliss for mommy. I'm savoring this time while he is little and I can hold him and cuddle him while he naps. Its hard to believe we were all that little at one time, that we once fit in our parents arms. |
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| Nobody told me the road would be easy |
[Apr. 12th, 2007|06:02 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | living room | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  tired | ] |
| [ | music |
| | blessed silence-baby is sleeping! | ] |
I'm feeling down---Rohan cries inconsolably and that is hard to deal with. We owe the IRS a lot of money. That sucks. I am sleep deprived.
There is much to be happy for---Rohan has learned to latch on, he is healthy and very cute when not screaming like a mad man. We have the money to pay the IRS. Everything was fine at my 6 week check up-in fact, I got a great prescription-a nightly bowl of ice cream! I've lost my weight rapidly, so I'm told to eat up. The gators won another championship. Spring is on the way.
I guess I had this fantasy that it would all be cooing and cuddling, not back arching and screaming. I just hope my boy gets better soon. Also, when I decided to take unpaid leave I didn't know that we would be forking over so much to George W. Bush. Oh well, this too shall pass... |
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| this is my story, my birth story... |
[Mar. 9th, 2007|09:25 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | home | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Gator basketball | ] |
Well, clearly my last post was no cliff hanger, as daddy has been updating. But here is the story anyway...so, we left for the hospital once my contractions were 4-5 minutes apart and feeling pretty intense. I was getting why they call it "labor" and not "vacation". After we arrived and got hooked up the monitors I was pretty tired. I found out I was still only 3 cm dilated. Contractions kept coming, somewhat irregular, but around 3 minutes apart. By midnight I was really tired-after all I was up at 5:30 and not able to nap all day, as I was excited to be in labor. Also, I'd stayed up late the night before watching the stupid Oscars. So, I'd nod off for a minute and then there would come a contraction. Still not dilated, but effaced. I wanted to get some rest, so I caved and got the epidural around 1 a.m. When I woke up I couldn't feel my legs which was frustrating, but I guess I wasn't feeling contractions either, so I got some rest as did my coach. They checked me just before 8 a.m. and I was fully dilated-time to push! Also, time for a shift change. I said goodbye to my nurse and midwife and waited for the new nurse and midwife to come in. And the clock ticked and nobody comes. I am having pain over and over in the same spot. At this point my labor playlist cued up some whiney brit-pop and I snapped, "quit mooning over your girlfriend and get a real problem"...Ian turned off the music, but I was getting more and more impatient with each passing minute feeling like ten. I called for the nurse with my bedside button, when nobody came I started screaming, "will someone get in here and help me"...that did the trick. I felt bad later when I found out they were reviving a baby who had the cord around his neck, but at the time I was just over it. I was excited to start pushing, at least I got to do something. My legs felt huge, the way your mouth does at the dentist. They weighed a ton, but I was willing to lift them with all the will in my little arms. We tried a variety of positions and I was ready to work work work. After a while they decided I needed stronger contractions, so they gave me some pitosin. I did not have a concept of how much time went by until I felt the epidural wearing off and looked at the clock...2.5 hours of pushing, where is the head??!! The nurse and Ian just kept encouraging me, but I was starting to feel like "I can't do this anymore." Just before the 3 hour mark (that is the max for pushing), the midwife came in and cut me. The next thing I knew the head was out and then one more push and the baby was out. They put him on me and he immediately peed on me. It really is the most amazing feeling (seeing child for first time, not getting peed on that is). Ian cut the cord (he was so great, he really shocked me, could not have made it without him coaching me along). They weighed him and measured him (9lbs, 20 in)while I delivered the placenta. Then the doctor came in to stitch me up. The whole thing seems a bit surreal, like an outer body thing. Ten days later I am feeling pretty good. A bit sleep deprived and I have some sciatica on my left side, but I'm so happy. It has not been easy, he screamed like crazy the first night home and wouldn't nurse after we left the hospital. He lost weight and I was crazy frustrated. I pumped for a few days (not fun, felt like a cow) and hired a lactation specialist. We finger fed and bottle fed and kept trying the breast. Finally, I went to a latching clinic at the hospital on Wednesday (drove through the snow to get there-just wanted help) and they gave me a breast shield which has done the trick. He is eating like a champ. Well, that is my story. I can't say I'll be updating much. While everything he does, every face he makes, etc is exciting to me, its not much to write about. The good stories will come once he is big enough to get into trouble. |
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| Labor Update |
[Feb. 26th, 2007|06:51 pm] |
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Well, its been 13 hours since my water broke and I am finally having some contractions I can feel (sorta like strong period cramps/gas pains), but they are still not close together...hoping things start to move along faster soon. Glad I came home-we've watched TV, had some food, had a nap, went for a walk, watched some more TV. |
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| we're having a baby... |
[Feb. 26th, 2007|10:28 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | excited | ] |
So, I got out of bed at 5:30 this morning to see if school would be on a delayed schedule due to yesterday's snow (we got around 4 inches), but as I got out of bed I quickly realized I would not be going in delayed or otherwise--my water broke! I called the midwife and she said to have breakfast and a shower and come to the hospital. They put me on the monitor...baby is doing awesome and I am contracting (can't feel it though). Then they checked me-I'm 3 cm dilated. Gave me the choice to go home or stay while we wait for labor to progress, so I'm at home, still leaking fluid, but not really feeling like I am in labor, so more updates to follow... |
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| The Ice Storm |
[Feb. 19th, 2007|05:39 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | basement | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  uncomfortable | ] |
| [ | music |
| | the dryer | ] |
So, I have not been to work since last Tuesday, when we were sent home early. A very very cold February finally yielded some days off with a big Valentines Ice Storm. I've been out and about for a couple of appointments, a trip to the grocery store and breakfast at IHOP, other than that its been home in sweats or PJs for nearly a week. Tomorrow it is going to be tough going back to work. Its strange to think of not being at work for a couple of months. I wish things were more in order at school, but its not too bad. Was supposed to meet with a sub candidate last week, but that did not happen due to the cancellation of school. We shall try again tomorrow. I'm ready to have this baby, but feel strange about being away from work. I can't believe my due date is almost here...this Friday! Wow...I'd better go start planning my post-partum party schedule, head shaving, and tattoo fest, etc... |
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| Put a fork in me, I'm done. |
[Feb. 3rd, 2007|04:33 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | home | ] |
| [ | mood |
| | thirsty | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Gator basketball vs. Tenn | ] |
So, all along I've been saying "pregnancy isn't so bad, I can just stay this way", because it wasn't so bad and I was afraid of labor and delivery. Women kept telling me, "you won't feel that way at the end"...they were correct! I am tired of being pregnant-my feet hurt, my back hurts, and I'm really tired at the end of each day. I fantasize about being able to roll over in bed with ease, do twisting poses in yoga, and NOT wearing maternity clothes (pulling up your pants all the time gets old). I don't care how much it hurts, I'm ready to meet our son and to get rid of this massive belly.
Did not sleep much last night, but luckily it is Saturday, so I just got some good napping in. I love naps, always have.
Oh, there is good news about the breech issue. I went for acupuncture after my last post and the baby has been head down ever since. The Chinese method for turning babies, in case you were wondering, involves putting heated moxy sticks near the pinky toes. Crazy.
I had a baby shower at work on Monday. Between gifts and a shopping spree with gift cards, I have gotten the remains of the gear we needed. For such a small person he sure does need lots of stuff. The missing bassinet piece came, so his bed is put together and I've got hundreds of diapers on stand-by. Our bags are packed, just need to put them in the car, install the car seat, and wait for the little prince to decide he is ready to make his arrival. |
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| What's up? Our baby's head! |
[Jan. 17th, 2007|10:16 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  anxious | ] |
So, the last time I went to the doctor (two weeks ago), baby's head was down...or at least that is what the midwife felt. Today the doctor said, I don't feel a head down here...feels like a foot...whipped out the ultrasound and sure enough, baby is breech. I've got a week or two to convince him to turn head down or its c-section time. On Saturday we had our hospital tour and it really put me at ease, I'd decided "I can do this birth thing"...then I get this news! |
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| Should not be posting |
[Jan. 6th, 2007|01:44 pm] |
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Okay, so our house isn't "done", I've got a zillion papers to grade and an equal number of thank you notes to write, so the last thing I need to waste time on is posting to my LJ. The thank you notes are for baby gifts. Had a shower while we were home and we got a ton of stuff. Really, he has more clothes than we do. I'm worried that my son is already spoiled. I'm also worried about giving birth, I mean they don't call it labor for nothing. Being pregnant it fine and I really look forward to meeting our little boy, but that part in between...yikes. |
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| If you want to look like a junkie.... |
[Dec. 13th, 2006|04:58 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | thirsty | ] |
| [ | music |
| | ABBA | ] |
....get your blood drawn 4 different times over the course of one morning. I failed my basic blood glucose test, so I had to take a 3 hour fasting test. I never mind giving a few vials of blood...but several vials each hour for four hours with no food since mid-night...not fun. Hopefully the results will be okay. I really don't want to be told I have gestational diabetes right before the holidays (or at all for that matter). Since I have not been gaining much weight I was really enjoying eating with abandon. Keeping my fingers crossed....
I am at school until late tonight for our winter concert. I'm tired as I woke up at 4 this morning unable to return to sleep. Luckily, New Jack City was on the tube, such a classic film..."you gotta rob to get rich in the Regean era"...I saw the movie through new eyes after spending time with crack users in JA...
Anyhow, I should go grade some tests and make some copies.... |
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| More on moving |
[Dec. 4th, 2006|06:55 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | Panera Bread | ] |
| [ | mood |
| | full | ] |
| [ | music |
| | people chatting | ] |
Back from Thanksgiving in NYC and so the endless packing has become endless un-packing. It still has not sunk in that we bought a house, even though today marks one week of living there. I've got the kitchen unpacked and the bedroom and master bath pretty together, but there is much to do! I wish I could just wiggle my nose like on Bewitched and "ta da" it would be done.
Today I left work early, but not to work on the house. Had a doctors appointment-the usual (weight, bp, pee in a cup, check baby's heart beat) plus my blood glucose test. The stuff I had to drink was not bad. Kinda like concentrated gatorade. I go back in two weeks. Still have not gained a lot of weight, but I am quite round...no denying there is a bambino in there.
Well, the big news is of course, the Gators...going to the national championship baby. Ohio State looks bad ass, but hey we have found a way to win so far. I would be pretty awesome to win a national title in Football and Basketball in the same year. Two SEC titles isn't too shabby. Yeah, the Georgia Dome has been good to our boys in the '06. |
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| Busy, Busy... |
[Nov. 18th, 2006|04:10 pm] |
Well, the house is ours...the walls are painted and new floors are in. We are packing and packing and packing and it seems that the packing will never end. We need to make another trip to Home Depot. I hate that place. The movers come the Monday after Thanksgiving, so we gots to get done (we will be in NYC for the holiday weekend). I am feeling good. Getting bigger and feeling the odd kick or jab, but the little guy is pretty mellow most of the time. We registered for stuff at Target, after an hour of scanning, nothing showed up! So, I added a bunch of stuff on line at Target and Amazon. So, if you would like to buy us lots of stuff you can check out our greedy registries at Target or Amazon. Baby boy has quite a wardrobe thanks to his eager grandparents and a nice library and a high chair (thanks Moot!)...but nothing else, so your support is appreciated. |
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| Oye, me so tired! |
[Nov. 7th, 2006|09:11 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | Home! | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Election results on TV | ] |
Report cards.
Parent-teacher conferences.
Pregnancy (the little dude is moving right now)
Buying and preparing house.
Preparing to move.
Keeping up with the day to day things like cooking dinner.
We still made time to vote!
Well, thats all I have time for...gotta clean up the kitchen and do some yoga, my back is killing me. |
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| What to do about a house |
[Oct. 2nd, 2006|09:28 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | home | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  confused | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Daily show on Tivo | ] |
A house is such a HUGE purchase, I can't figure out what to do. I mean, I get buyers remorse over small things, very small things (e.g. a t-shirt), and I don't want to do that with a 6 figure situation. I love a sale, a bargain. I pride myself in not paying retail. But this is different. Other than a car and a washer/dryer, I have never put out this kinda money. Its scary. Right now there is a house I really like in our 'hood of choice. It is priced above other things in the 'hood, but it is much nicer (new pipes, new hardwood floors, stainless appliances, granite countertops, nice deck, end unit, nice paint, etc). Do we go for something cheaper and put money into it so it has some of the features of the house I really like? Am I just blinded by the magazine perfect looks of the higher priced unit? I don't know!! Market is coming down for sure. Don't want to overpay...but can't play the waiting game forever. I can't decide! |
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| a beautiful day |
[Sep. 29th, 2006|10:03 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | relieved | ] |
Yes, its Friday, and there was crisp fall air mixed with sunshine, but what truly made it a beautiful day was some amazing news....my baby does not have downs syndrome! Yes, folks I am pregnant with a baby boy...due in February. Two weeks ago I got quad test results that indicated an elevated risk of downs so I had an amnio and have suffered for nine days waiting for results and today I can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Now, if I could only find a house.... |
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| Vaca Post |
[Aug. 22nd, 2006|12:39 pm] |
Okay, well I intended to blog more on vaca, hence hauling the laptop, but between internet issues and total end of the day exhaustion, it hasn't happened. We had a nice time in L.A. Santa Monica is really nice and we loved the Getty-amazing gardens, views, and buildings (the art was ok too). Hollywood was lame-dirty and touristy. And, yes, L.A. is full of homeless people (so if SF actually). We got to visit some folks and managed to only experience a little bit of L.A.'s famous traffic (drove to Long Beach to see and RPCV for dinner). Oh, we wandered throught the farmer's market...amazing produce, I sampled nectarines and peaches in every size and color.
The drive up the coast was awesome, really lived up to expectations. Hearst Castle was worth the visit, even if you can only see a chunk of it on each tour. Did not make it to the Monterey Aquarium, but we shall be back one day, right?
If I thought I was cold before, San Francisco in August is a kick in the pants. When the wind comes off the water...yikes. We have hiked Muir woods with its majestic redwoods, wandered around Sausilito, hit the Levis store in Union Square, climed the hill to Coit tower, wandered China town and Fishermans Warf (including Pier 39 Sea Lions), the Marina district, and Ghiridelli Square. The hills are killer. We return to our room well tired each day. Today is Alctraz, so my wind burn should really be in good form by the time we head back. All and all it has been a great trip. |
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| greetings from the left coast |
[Aug. 14th, 2006|11:35 pm] |
Calfornia, we are here! Arrived this afternoon, picked up rental car and made it to Santa Monica with no problem. Its pretty, but I must admit even in my long sleave shirt and chinos, I was ch, ch, chilly tonight. I'm ready to crash, its been a long day. |
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| no yard fi wi |
[Aug. 1st, 2006|05:00 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  frustrated | ] |
So we put a contract in on a house and....we didn't get it. I'm bummed, but trying to keep things in perspective. |
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| Sleepless in NoVa |
[Jul. 27th, 2006|05:21 am] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | home | ] |
| [ | mood |
| | confused | ] |
| [ | music |
| | whirr of the A/C units outside the window | ] |
Ah, to buy or to rent, that is the question. Rather than going over my mental pro/con list in my head again, I figured, why don't I get out of bed and whine on LJ! I won't bore anyone with the list, becasue really it all boils down to the money. There is something messed up about the fact two people with grad degrees working hard at do-gooder jobs can't figure out if they can afford a modest townhome in the burbs. We have one modest, paid-off car, no debt...but it still seems crazy.
Other than the house hunting and should we/shouldn't we, things are relaxing. We went up to NYC the weekend before last for sister-in-law's bridal shower. The shower was a lovely tea party in Brooklyn. New York was great as always, we went to see History Boys and had some good food. I'm proud to say I did not buy anything! The first weekend in August we head up to the Peoples Republic of Mass. for the wedding. After that, its "California here we come" for vacation and then back to work. |
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