notes and transitioning

Sunday, November 25, 2007

notes and transitioning Current mood: mellow Well, we had a quiet Thanksgiving here at home. We picked our pre-cooked turkey dinner up from Whole Foods Market- supposedly a dinner just for two, but it was more than enough for our little family, including leftovers. It was quite delicious, and oh-so-easy. Billy had never been to the Whole Foods in Duluth, and he was very impressed. I'll have to keep him out of there unless I want to spend a fortune on groceries! "Whole Paycheck", indeed. Still, we had a lovely dinner and had some other nice gourmet treats, as well. We watched movies, hung out at home and took care of babyman. The boys got lots of good Daddy-time. It was nice, though I admit I did rather miss the whole family to-do. I just wasn't up for it so soon after having babyman. It's raining, now. Sounds so lovely. Looks beautiful in the late twilight outside my window, with the streetlight casting a golden hazy highlight- it's contrast with the misty clear blue is straight out of a Maxfield Parrish painting. NPR is on the radio downstairs, I'm nursing babyman, and Sweetcheeks is napping. The house is reasonably clean, and all is quiet- Littleman is with Daddy for the day. I even got a shower earlier! So it's a nice evening so far. I am gradually transitioning into a good routine, and the boys are trying to adjust. Sweetcheeks has his annoying ways of acting out, but mostly they're not too bad. He doesn't want you mad at him for long. Littleman, surprisingly, has been more of a problem. He went to the studio with Billy yesterday, and for the first time ever behaved so badly that Billy had to bring him home early. We are hoping he will do better today- we had a serious talk about it with him, and of course now he knows that if he is bad, he WILL have to go back home. I hope he shapes up, not only for our sanity, but also because he's decided what he wants to ask Santa for- and we told him he has to be good to get them! LOL. Lo and behold, after a day at the mall with Daddy recently, he decided he wants to ask Santa fir a scooter and a sword. How convenient! I've already ordered both. :D Well, my back hurts in this position, and I think babyman is done. Off I go.

Check out his little website!

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Check out his little website! Current mood: full Want a look at our sweet babyman? See a pic of him, read the birth story (if you are so inclined), vote for who he looks like, and sign his guest book! Go to www.thatsmybaby.net Click on "Baby Websites" The personal access code is 201-39205 Enjoy!

First doc visit today

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

First doc visit today Current mood: content New babyman had his first doc visit today- the pediatrician at the hospital had recommended I take babyman in right away to have his weight checked, since he'd lost "so much" weight already. Babyman is now back up to 8 lbs, 5 oz (he was 8 lbs, 7 oz at birth) so he is gaining weight like a champ! I know the hospital staff won't know that and probably wouldn't care, but it still feels good- like I am thumbing my nose at them and their narrow ideas of "normal". Chalk one up for good old breastmilk! Anyway, babyman is doing super, and everything looks good. Hooray! :) Of course, I am already getting the inevitable question: how is he sleeping? Well, he so far refuses to sleep in the co-sleeper bassinet at night. Sleeps 5 minutes, then squirms, wakes and cries. I soothe him, put him back down. Repeat ad nauseum. Last night, I decided it just wasn't worth it, so I set him up in bed with us. He slept like an angel for 5 hours!! (I was astonished). So I guess at least for now, I will definitely consider co-sleeping an option. He is getting better about napping in the bassinet, so hopefully it won't be too long before sleeping there is acceptable at night, too. Co-sleeping is sweet, but Billy and I are both physically more comfortable when babyman's in the bassinet. I don't mind giving babyman some more time to make that transition. I am feeling pretty good, as long as I don't overdo things physically. I have even done some laundry! I admit though, taking care of all three boys by myself is a very daunting prospect, right now. (Scary, in fact!) I will put it off as long as I can, so we all have time to settle into things more gradually. I think I want some tea and a snack, now. Let's see if I can put babyman down long enough to do that. :)

Home!

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Home! Current mood: pleased Home again, home again, jiggety jig! Yes, we are safely back home! Sweetcheeks is here, and Littleman will join us tomorrow (he didn't want to miss going to some tree-lighting thing with Grandma and Grandpa tonight). The house is pretty much in the same rapidly-abandoned state that we'd left it in on Wednesday. (The poor dogsitter had to enjoy the mess for a few days! Oh well). We are all tired of course, but I'm glad to be out of the hospital. I've learned that if you wish to exclusively breastfeed, it's wise to check out as soon as possible, or else they start to give you a hard time about your baby's (perfectly normal) weight loss, and start pressuring you to supplement with formula. It's happened with every one of my boys, and every time they were perfectly fine in no time- it just takes a little while for the milk to come in and really get things going. I told the lactation consultant about it today and she rolled her eyes. I swear, I am really getting to dislike hospitals A LOT. Anyway, on a brighter note- (I know you are on pins and needles for this, LOL)- Drumroll please. . . His name is Julian Martin. Yes, I know "Martin" wasn't even on my list of possible names, but it's a family name (my maternal great-grandparents') and both Billy and I like it. It was either that or Julian Sage, which I also love. But we decided on Martin. So it's settled now! And he's home, and we're so glad to be done with most of that. That's it for now! :)

Announcement!

Friday, November 16, 2007

Announcement! Current mood: tired Yes my friends- HE'S HERE!! Our eagerly anticipated third baby boy was born at 10:24 Thursday morning, November 15. I will let you know his name as soon as we decide one last detail. * * * I went in for my prenatal appointment Wednesday morning, and everything was looking great- so great in fact, that I was already 5 cm! I was pleased with this, until the midwife said she couldn't send me home if I was that dilated. I argued, because I wasn't having any contractions at all! They insisted however, and I trusted them. . . in hindsight, I should have asked for a second opinion. . . or just ignored their advice and gone on home. But instead Simon and I went for a bite to eat, and then we went on to the hospital and checked in. To make a long story short, it DID take forever to get labor going. It was a very irritating situation- without a doubt, I shouldn't have been there at all. I had to fight to avoid uneccessary intervention, and I did eventually cave and allow them to start contractions using pitocin. They would not allow me to go home, and if I signed out "against medical advice" then our insurance wouldn't pay. So, I didn't have a lot of choice, really. Babyman was coming whether he was ready or not. Labor was hard and fast once it got going- I think the pitocin caused contractions to be faster and more painful than they would have been otherwise. He came so quickly, he had not had time to expel all the fluid from his lungs. Consequently, he was breathing too rapidly and was having difficulty coughing out all the fluid. He had to go to "transitional nursery" where they observed him and tried to help him cough up the gunk. Luckily, he improved rapidly and it was only a few hours before our little family was reunited, without further intervention. We were all exhausted. We are all doing great! Despite me being unable to breastfeed immediately (and he having gotten a pacifier in the nursery), babyman latches on like a pro, and nursing is going well so far. We are going home tomorrow. So, announcement made! :)

a potty training adventure

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

a potty training adventure Current mood: amused Tonight, I thought I'd share my latest adventure in parenting. Mr. Sweetcheeks has been expressing a random and passing interest in the potty. Not wanting to miss an opportunity, I have begun allowing him to run around upstairs without pants or a diaper. This was also how I introduced Littleman to the idea of using the potty- there will be a few accidents, but for some reason they seem to catch on a lot faster if they are naked than they do when clothed. I frequently remind Sweetcheeks that we do not pee pee on the floor- that if he needs to make pee pee, he should go put the pee pee in the potty. We've had a couple successes and a couple minor accidents. I only do the nakey time for a short while- I'll increase it over time if he seems to be getting the idea. Anyhow, tonight he was running around commando, and so far so good. He's standing next to our bed, when all of a sudden he says something about pee pee. I look up quickly, asking if he made some pee pee on the floor. He checks and says "No", but something about his stance seem a little odd. Just as I am about to ask him another question, I realize that he is pooping, and it's a rather large turd. What am I to do? Instictively, I leap over and catch the turd before it falls to the floor. (I'm cracking up just writing about it, it's so absurd). Damn, the things I'll do. . . anyhow, it was simple after that to take Sweetcheeks to the potty and toss the turd into the toilet. After I wiped him and washed my hands, we were good to go. I guess I should have explained that poopy doesn't belong on the floor either! LOL. Oh the joys of parenting. . .

Toys for the Holidays: a list

Monday, November 12, 2007

Toys for the Holidays Current mood: lazy You know, one thing I just love to do is to shop for the boys. It's my retail therapy, I guess. I also love researching quality stuff, and then trying to get good deals. Every year I make a list of gift suggestions for the boys' birthdays and Christmas, for my own enjoyment and for any family members who are interested. It works out great because for me it is like window shopping with a purpose, and it also helps interested relatives choose gifts that I'll be just as pleased with as the boys are. Still however, my main suggestion to the relatives is to keep it simple and just contribute a little bit to the boys' savings accounts. If we start that habit early, the boys will never miss a bunch of gifts from the Grandparents and others. In my last post I mentioned the boys' Christmas lists, and I'll clarify here that at this young age, I am still talking about MY list FOR them- they aren't really serious yet about having their own preferences. (I will rue the day when that changes, LOL!) It helps that we do not have TV channels, and thus their exposure to commercials is limited. I try very hard to keep my list pf purchases pretty simple each year- I do not want to get stuck in a rut with them expecting a large number of fancy gifts under the tree each year, nor a bunch of fad items that they will quickly tire of. I try to make every gift count. I hope I can keep this up, not only with my own list but by encouraging the rest of the family to do the same. Anyway I thought it might be neat to share my planned gift list for each of the boys for Christmas this year, and some of my thoughts on the items I chose. These are all the items from parents and Santa (and from the pets, LOL- a family tradition). Perhaps it will help you find some unique, quality items that your little one will love! So, here's what will probably be under our tree- shh! Don't give it away! :) For Littleman, 4 years old: 1) a set of rainbow wooden stepped counting blocks - These will be great for building with, but I also plan to use them as a math manipulative in our homeschooling. They are classic, beautiful and NOT made in China. I think Littleman will enjoy making geometric designs and building structures for their hotwheels cars, pirate figures and animals. 2) a set of dominoes - This is very basic, but Littleman has been asking for some and we do not have any. Plus, they are a great toy, both for setting up and knocking over, and for working on counting skills and matching. I don't know where this particular set is manufactered, but I think the safety risk is minimal. They are made of renewable bamboo, which is good for the environment. 3) a beeswax candlemaking kit - This is a wonderful, simple activity that I know Littleman will enjoy. The beeswax is lovely to work with- vibrant colors, and it smells so good! Excellent activity to stimulate the senses and work on fine motor skills. He will be excited to make candles to burn and to give away. Plus, this kit is made in the USA! 4) 2 books- he is getting "Giving Thanks" and "First Encyclopedia of the Human Body" - The first is a beautiful book with a peaceful, earth-centered tone that encourages children to find gratitude for the beauties around them. The illustations are lovely. I think this will be both an enjoyable read and a good reminder to cultivate gratitude in our daily lives. The second is a fantastic non-fiction volume on the human body. We have other books in this Usborne series ("First Encyclopedia of. . ."), and they are great- Littleman enjoys them and learns a lot from them, and I do not expect we will outgrow them anytime soon. He is always interested in what's going on inside our bodies, so I think this book will interest him a lot. 5) probably a scooter, since he has been wanting one so much. - I am struggling with this, because we don't want to spend a lot on it- he already has a bike he loves, and I don't expect the scooter to be played with all the time. However, finding an inexpensive scooter that is NOT made in China is proving near impossible. If I cave and buy one made in China, we'll probably get this Radio Flyer scooter. Otherwise, I'm not sure what we'll do about this. A scooter sure would bring that magic Christmas morning smile to his face, though! :) For his stocking, he'll have some pirate band-aids, rainbow crayons, animal crackers, stickers, beginner chopsticks, a little build-your-own bird feeder kit, a Namits game, and some underwear. That does it for Littleman. For Mr. Sweetcheeks, 2 years old: 1) a large set of rainbow wooden arches - These are another beautiful, classic toy with lots of opportunity for open-ended imaginative play. I know Sweetcheeks will love stacking them and making tunnels for their other toys to play in, and I look forward to seeing what else he comes up with! They can combine well with other stcking/building toys that we already have (and with Littleman's blocks, above). NOT made in China. :) 2) a natural wooden name train - These are made in the USA, and are completely compatible with the wooden tracks and accessories we already own. We have a couple train cars made by this company, and they are beautifully made. It will, of course, spell his name. He loves playing with the train table, so it's nice to be able to give him a train that's not made in China (unlike the Thomas train stuff, some of which has already been recalled). 3) a pad of drawing paper and some beeswax block crayons - We already have some of these crayons, and they are awesome. They provide smooth, rich color and are easy to grasp. They're natural, and they smell nice. And best of all, they are nearly impossible to break- whereas we cycle through Crayola stick crayons (even the chunky ones) like crazy, these crayons last and last. Sweetcheeks will be happy to have his own set. By the way, some "cheapo" brand crayons have been recalled in the past, due to excessive amounts of lead. And kids do sometimes ingest crayons! These are NOT made in China. 4) 2 books- he is getting "Forest Bright, Forest Night" and "1001 Things to Spot on the Farm" - The first book has very nice illustartions, with fun details to spot of animals in their natural habitats in the forest. First you read about animals that are awake during the day (and maybe spot other animals sleeping) and then you flip the book over and continue the story with all the animals that come out at night (and spot the day creatures now sound asleep). The second is another Usborne book, with tons of things to hunt for in the detailed illustrations. It's sort of like the "Where's Waldo" series, but with a wide variety of things to find. I saw this book, and knew instantly that Sweetcheeks will enjoy it. Plus, every review I have read or heard about it has been stellar. 5) a Rody Pony ride-on toy - These things are wonderful fun. Sweetcheeks can climb on the pony and bounce, bounce, bounce his way around! Classic, and very active- great for improving balance and gross motor skills. NOT made in China. Plus, it's sure to bring that magic Christmas smile! Sweetcheeks will be thrilled with this. For his stocking, he'll have some pirate band-aids, bathtub crayons, animal crackers, stickers, beginner chopsticks, a wooden slide whistle, a "big boy" fork, spoon and knife set, and some socks. That's it for Mr. Sweetcheeks. For both boys together, there will be a foam set of knights' swords and shields accompanied by a book on Knights: "Knights" - They will love this, and I will love that they can beat each other up with something fun and soft, rather than with hotwheels track, wooden train track, drumsticks or the hard plastic swords that Auntie gave them this weekend. (~sarcastic~ thank you, Auntie ~/sarcastic~). Plus it will encourage dress-up and imaginative play, while the book brings a little cool history into the picture. (It's another fantastic Usborne non-fiction book). I don't know where the sword set is made- probably China. Oh, well. For new babyman, just born: 1) a set of rainbow wooden stacking/nesting bowls - Once again (spotting a pattern here?) these are beautiful, classic, open-ended and NOT made in China. Stacking/nesting bowls are a superb baby toy- good for stacking and nesting, of course, but also for playing little hiding games, carrying around, putting things in and out, and later as an accessory to our play kitchen. Babyman will grow into these. 2) a board book: "Global Babies" - This beautiful little book features gorgeous close-up photographs of babies from all over the world. (Babies LOVE looking at pictures of other babies!) It has simple, loving text but mostly it's about the pictures. Wonderful baby book. And for his stocking, a HABA Zig-Zag wooden teether. (not made in China). Done! Wow, it always looks like a lot when I write it all down- but if you can envision Christmas morning, I think the boys will be very happy with these things without there being too much junk. I hope this list might give you some fun ideas for your own shopping!

grown ups, pregnancy (still), veterans and toy shopping

Sunday, November 11, 2007

grown ups, pregnancy (still), veterans and toy shopping Current mood: accomplished Well, the boys are still hanging out at Grandma and Grandpa's with their Auntie, and still having a blast. Billy and I slept SOO late this morning (for us, anyway) and that was amazing! We've been out to eat a couple times, and were actually able to eat our food uninterrupted, while it was still hot. We have been able to converse with each other freely, like adults, without interruption. We got a little shopping done that was easier without the kids, and were able to leisurely browse in a bookstore. (WOW). It's been nice just spending time with each other. I'm still hoping to meet babyman soon. :) These "fake" contractions are a nuisance- they can be so strong and frequent, but I'm not yet in labor. Signs do continue to improve, though- and I actally had a cleaning bug tonight- could it be the "nesting instinct" kicking in?? I did a bunch of dishes, threw out old food in the fridge, took out a bunch of trash and did a lot of tidying/organizing. I'm about to throw a load of laundry in, too. It's been awhile since I had the energy for a cleaning run like this one, so I hope it is a good sign. :) If these contractions don't peter out in awhile, I'll take a nice bath and try timing them. I just hope I can tell when I should go in- on the one hand I definitely don't want a repeat performance of last time, but on the other hand I don't want to cut it too close! So, we'll see. One thing I have been doing is to try and find toys on the boys' Christmas gift lists that were NOT made in China. With all these recalls continuing (did you hear about Aquadots?? SCARY!) Billy and I are loathe to take chances. Besides, as we have realized how difficult it is to find stuff made anywhere other than China, we are beginning to understand that the issue goes beyond safety. It simply cannot be good for our country to be manufacturing SO MUCH of the stuff we buy overseas. I will be paying much more attention to the things I buy, and looking for stuff made in America when I can find it. Happy Veteran's Day, by the way. If you know a veteran, be sure to thank them for their service. It means so much, and yet how often do we remember to recognize that? I guess I will sign off for now. I do want to get a bit more cleaning done, and have a nice bath. (are these contractions 5 minnutes apart again?? sheesh. . .)

Well, good grief.

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Well, good grief. Current mood: embarrassed So, yesterday Billy's sister drove into town to visit. She picked up the boys, and took them to Grandma and Grandpa's for the weekend. (Woohoo!) They have been having a blast. Being oddly free that evening, I decided to go to the mall and walk, walk, walk in hope of starting labor. ;) I went and enjoyed getting a little shopping done. Scored some great deals on some needed items for Littleman's winter wardrobe, and enjoyed the freedom of no kids, no diaper bag, not even a purse! Wow. I did get some good contractions going but they didn't seem regular. When I tried to go to bed, I found I was too uncomfortable to sleep. I had a distinct, slightly queasy feeling that I remember from my previous labors. I decided to relax in a nice hot bath and drink some water (if the contractions were "fake", that would most likely make them go away). I timed contractions over the course of an hour and discovered they were coming about 5 minutes apart. I started to get excited. By the time I'd called Billy and the midwife, they were getting to be 4 minutes apart. We went to the hospital, checked in, etc. The monitors revealed I was having regular contractions 2 minutes apart. Woohoo! But I was not further dilated. Hmm. By now it was about 3 am. To make a long story short, babyman apparently changed his mind. Over the course of the night, the contractions all but stopped. I tried walking the halls this morning to get htings going again, but no luck. He's not ready. They sent me home. It's a bit embarrassing to leave that place still pregnant, LOL! The nurses and midwives were very nice about it, but it still felt a little like going home with my tail between my legs. Plus I felt really bad for dragging the midwife out of bed so late for nothing. She'd sounded a bit doubtful over the phone, but I'd really felt sure of myself! Oops. The nurses say this is very, very common with a third pregnancy. Oh, well. So, I'm home again, waiting. Sigh.

the waiting game

Thursday, November 08, 2007

the waiting game Current mood: restless I feel suspended in an odd cycle of waiting. There are quite a few things I could be doing to have the house more ready for baby's arrival, but I feel so unmotivated- I'd really rather be holding my new baby. I am very physically uncomfortable, tired of being pregnant, SO SICK of heartburn, and tired of the uncertainty of when this baby will come and how we'll manage the details once labor begins. I manage to take care of the other two boys, and am keeping up with dishes and laundry (as well as I ever can, anyway), and keeping up with their few school/gym classes and with my prenatal appointments. That's just about all I have any interest in doing. Sometimes I feel like I am sleepwalking, or stuck waiting for someone who is long overdue (which he is not, yet). I am tired and rather irritable. I find myself wasting time when I could be cleaning, organizing or just giving my older boys some focused attention. But I am not focused- I am lamentably spaced out. I could also try being more active, in hopes of jumpstarting labor. While I am definitely more active now than I was when I was "taking it easy", I find that I tire so readily, it's difficult to get a long walk or anything similar in. I can say I've tried a few other natural inducers, including raspberry leaf tea and eggplant parmesagn (yummy). LOL! :) Don't get me wrong- there are definitely positive signs that babyman will be arriving before long. My contractions are increasing, even if they don't stay regular yet. And for those of you who know what I'm talking about, I've gone from 1-2 cm (on Halloween) to 3-4 cm (last Wednesday). I was so excited to hear that! My body is definitely gearing up. I'm just feeling so impatient! (Ha- I almost typed "inpatient"- Freudian slip, I guess). I did install the baby carseat today, which then necessitated a bit of musical carseats in the van. I think I've hit on a configuration that will work. Come on babyman, come on! :) I am in desperate need of some antacids. Off I go.

Made it! And party time.

Monday, November 05, 2007

Made it! And party time. Current mood: cheerful Woohoo! We made it to full term. Of course, my due date isn't for a few weeks, but baby should be just fine from here on out. So, as far as I am concerned, it's time to get moving! LOL. I'm really glad he's waited this long, but now I am ready to meet him (and NOT be pregnant anymore). ;) Littleman had his birthday party, and it was great! We did it up at Grandma and Grandpa's house, and had a really fun time outside. The weather was gorgeous, and we played with bubbles, frisbees, Tball, the dogs, and of course pinecones, sticks and rocks. The boys stripped off their shoes, rolled up pantlegs and dangled their feet in the lake. They found all sorts of natural things to throw into the water. We watched a couple huge herons fly about. Billy and the boys tried flying a kite (the field isn't ideal for that, though). And we grown-ups really had the opportunity to chat, which was great. Pretty much everyone honored my request to NOT bring gifts, which is pleasing. Littleman came home with a small pile of cool stuff. Perfect! :) Incidentally, the biggest hit was a set of Magnatiles. They are a cool toy- at one point all six cousins were grouped in a tight circle, building together. That's kids ranging in age from 2 - 12. It's a set of geometric-shaped tiles that are magnetic on every edge, allowing you to construct 3-D structures. It sure was a nice day, and the boys had a blast.

Update- all's well.

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Update- all’s well. Current mood: sore Well, Billy and I got to bed shortly after 4 am last night. Our friends were fantastic, playing with the boys, putting them to bed and staying until we got home. THANK YOU!! By the time Billy and I were heading for the hospital, I was reasonably sure (after a discussion with my midwife) that my pain was due to wrenching/straining the round ligament on my left side. However they really wanted to have me undergo some tests, just to be sure the baby was OK. So, in we went. I was hooked up to monitors, gave blood for a test, had vitals taken, etc. None of that took too long. The nurse let us know that if the blood test showed everything was OK, we could go on home. Then we waited. And waited. And waited. . . This always seems to happen at the hospital, where there's some point that you really start to wonder if they forgot about you, or if they're not telling you everything you need to know. . . Finally I learned from the other nurse that the blood test takes 4 to 6 hours. WELL. Nice of y'all to tell us that to start with! But anyway, the long and short of it is that babyman seems to be fine, I am in pain but it's not serious and it should resolve itself, and we got to come back home so I could sleep. So, all in all that's very good. Now I'm wincing my way around the house, trying to get a few things done before taking Littleman to his gym class. (I didn't even bother with Sweetcheeks' montessori this morning, being that we were all up so late). As a side note, the monitors last night revealed that I was having regular contractions 3 minutes apart. I knew somehow that it wasn't true labor, despite them being so close and regular. I tend to have loads of contractions for days or even weeks before actually going into labor. I was worried that they'd make me stay, and I'd be stuck there for hours and hours, possibly leading to complications (such as them recommending inducement, or who knows what else). Luckily however, they checked my cervix and since it was not any more dilated or effaced since my morning (routine) appointment, they deemed the contractions "false labor" and decided I was just a bit dehydrated. So I got an IV of fluids, and they didn't worry about it after that. Thank goodness. And, sure enough, I've had very few contractions so far today. He's not QUITE ready. (But obviously, we are getting close). * * * Oh, and the boys had a BLAST trick-or-treating! What on Earth am I going to do with all this CANDY?? Littleman was a ghost- I'd made him a white poncho-like costume, with the word "BOO!" on the front, and I painted his face white with dark circles around his eyes. He was pleased, and looked very cute. Sweetcheeks refused to have anything to do with the dog costume I'd thought he'd wear, and said he was a pirate. We didn't have suitable clothes for that, but we tied a scarf on his head like a pirate and figured that would do. Even the scarf was rejected after a few minutes though, so Sweetcheeks went trick-or-treating as a 2 year old. Which, of course, was fine. Everyone had fun.