I have my to do list in front of me. Since Monday morning at 8 am I have been able to cross off the following:
Laundry
Clean laundry room
Clean Mud Room
Clean Kitchen
Make dinner: Sloppy Lentils, Corn, Potatoes, Watermelon
Clean Van
Laundry
Clean Noah's Room
Clean Upstairs Bathroom
Clean Master Bedroom
Make Sesame Seed Cookies for trip
Make dinner: Meatballs, sweet potato fries, Lima Beans
Get Dish from Grandma's
Go shopping
Clean Abigail's room
Clean Elsie's Room
Clean Downstairs bathroom
Clean living room
Bake Cookes (too many!)
Go Grocery shopping (w/ all three kids)
Clean Kitchen
Make Grandma Bread
Do Laundry
Get Cash
Wow!
Still left on my to-do list before we leave on our trip Saturday morning (it's Thursday at 4:15):
Mop Kitchen
Clean fridge
Zumba class
Straighten each room (nothing ever stays clean)
Pack
Empty all trash
Mow
Not bad. Planning ahead and being organized is my favorite thing! I can't survive without it!!!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Crashed!
So . . . a lot less blogging lately.
My computer is ka put!
So, that means I can either blog while standing in my kitchen with my children running around (which is going to be blogs like this one - since that is what is happening right at this moment) or I'd have to go to the basement (not babyproofed basement!) and blog on Andrew's computer.
So . . . .
The blogs may be few and far between until I get my computer back up and running. I hope that we can do this right after we return from our trip to Michigan. We're leaving in a few days.
I'm busy cleaning, packing, doing laundry, shopping, etc. Getting ready to take our family of 5 on a trip for the first time. We're all really looking forward to it!!
~Jaime
My computer is ka put!
So, that means I can either blog while standing in my kitchen with my children running around (which is going to be blogs like this one - since that is what is happening right at this moment) or I'd have to go to the basement (not babyproofed basement!) and blog on Andrew's computer.
So . . . .
The blogs may be few and far between until I get my computer back up and running. I hope that we can do this right after we return from our trip to Michigan. We're leaving in a few days.
I'm busy cleaning, packing, doing laundry, shopping, etc. Getting ready to take our family of 5 on a trip for the first time. We're all really looking forward to it!!
~Jaime
Thursday, July 07, 2011
Why I'm a blog slacker . . .
I'm busy playing with, taking care of, monitoring, cooking for, rocking, nursing, reading to, kissing, and hugging these cuties!
Abigail LOVES to take care of Noah. She's pretty good about holding him but I like to stay nearby, just in case she would get the notion to get up. I have caught her a few times trying to pick him up. I'd say that her only problem is caring for him too much!
Me and my three babies! They're a handful but I can hardly stand it when they are away!
Affection!! These two are going to have a great relationship, I can tell. Look at that giant smile on Noah's face as his older sister bends down to talk to him (or poke him in the eye - take your pick).
Poking him in the eye - her favorite activity! Actually, she is getting better. I think her intention is good but she just doesn't have good control over her chubby little arms.
"I love you, I think. Just don't poke me."
Abigail LOVES to take care of Noah. She's pretty good about holding him but I like to stay nearby, just in case she would get the notion to get up. I have caught her a few times trying to pick him up. I'd say that her only problem is caring for him too much!
Me and my three babies! They're a handful but I can hardly stand it when they are away!
Affection!! These two are going to have a great relationship, I can tell. Look at that giant smile on Noah's face as his older sister bends down to talk to him (or poke him in the eye - take your pick).
Poking him in the eye - her favorite activity! Actually, she is getting better. I think her intention is good but she just doesn't have good control over her chubby little arms.
"I love you, I think. Just don't poke me."
The End!
(Abigail's sleeping is still troublsome. Some nights are okay and others are BAD! I think God knew that I needed a baby who would sleep well because Noah is an awesome sleeper. He usually goes 5 to 7 hours and then a shorter stretch. I don't think Elsie slept that long until she was eating solid food and then she really didn't sleep through the night until she was over a year old. She's great now!!)
Friday, July 01, 2011
Sleep Update
Being consistent and firm has paid off! Abigail has slept "through" the night since my last post. I put the italics because she's been getting up early but I can't blame her since she does wait until it's light outside. Unfortunately it gets light pretty early (like 6 am!).
She came quietly into my bedroom today and just got in bed and laid beside me until I woke up this morning. Thankfully she didn't get into any trouble. She's been a mess lately.
I have also been rewarding her with small bits of candy and small prizes if she stays in bed all night. It seems to be working. Now only if it would work for her "quiet time". She still comes out 5 or 6 times to ask me questions.
We're working on it!!
I'm so please with the progress though. We both are feeling more rested and that makes for less stressed out parents!! Yeah!
She came quietly into my bedroom today and just got in bed and laid beside me until I woke up this morning. Thankfully she didn't get into any trouble. She's been a mess lately.
I have also been rewarding her with small bits of candy and small prizes if she stays in bed all night. It seems to be working. Now only if it would work for her "quiet time". She still comes out 5 or 6 times to ask me questions.
We're working on it!!
I'm so please with the progress though. We both are feeling more rested and that makes for less stressed out parents!! Yeah!
Monday, June 27, 2011
Sleeping is for the Cows
So, I wish this sleep update would be all about my boy, Noah. But really, he's doing great! He usually sleeps a 3 to 5 1/2 hour stretch first and then a 2 to 3 hour stretch. Not bad for 7 weeks old. I'll take it!
The real reason I'm writing this is my darling daughter, Abigail. She's struggling, poor soul. Please forgive any typos or things that don't make sense in this. It's been a long night.
I have heard from several people that having to retrain a toddler to sleep is fairly common. I just never thought it would happen to me and with a newborn! Whew!
Anyway, I guess the reason I was so self-assured that toddler sleep training would never be a big issue for me is that we have always been very consistent with bedtime and nighttime. The routine has been the same for years (literally) and my daughter has never gotten away with much at bedtime or during the night.
My husband is a little easier on her at night but we've still never let her sleep in our bed or anywhere else but her bed, for that matter. Yet we have spent many nights over the past two or three weeks saying "No, you cannot try to fall asleep in our bed" after she has asked to do this repeatedly. Where do kids get this stuff?
"We" (by that I mean Daddy) have recently told her that if she can't fall asleep right away she can turn on her light and read a book. Big mistake! I knew this and was hesitant to start it but she was having a hard time falling asleep when she napped during the day and I wanted to be sympathetic. When I hear her "reading" at 1:30 am, it's not okay with me. Someday she'll share a room with her sister, hopefully, and she'll need to learn that if she can't sleep, she needs to just lay still and relax and not disturb others.
We are having a hard time explaining the difference between waking us up for an "emergency" (in my definition is blood, poop, or puke) and waking us up for attention. Last night the first visit to our room by Abigail was to tell us that she had falled out of bed. Seriously. The girl walked all the way out of her room, down the hall, up the stairs and into our room to tell us this instead of just getting back in bed. Wow!
Then it was the "potty" break. She does this frequently and during "quiet time" too. She says she has to do #2 and therefore needs our attention to clean up at the end. She and Daddy sat in the bathroom for 15 minutes last night and . . .nothing. I probably could have told you that before she even started but I'd hate to be wrong and have a mess on my hands.
I finally just said to her last night, after her 3 or 4th trip upstairs that she had to stay in her room, with the light off, closing her eyes and not reading. I think my husband thinks I'm harsh but honestly, you can't sleep with your eyes open and turning on lights only stimulates you and makes it harder to fall asleep. She then proceeded to lose her paci and cry for it since she couldn't turn on the light to find it. Manipulate much?! Wow! She's a smart kid.
Anyway, after that episode I told her that if I heard her crying for her paci again, I would take them away . . . for good. No more out of her then.
I have spent the morning, on and off, reading about helping your toddler sleep and sleep training. They are all pretty unified in one thing . . . consistency. Which is great news, actually because that's something I'm good at. We'll see how the next few nights go. I'm also going to try to respond less - and hopefully with less emotion and frustration too.
In the meantime . . .
I'm sleepy! Sitting down anywhere for any length of time is not good because I'll be asleep.
:)
The real reason I'm writing this is my darling daughter, Abigail. She's struggling, poor soul. Please forgive any typos or things that don't make sense in this. It's been a long night.
I have heard from several people that having to retrain a toddler to sleep is fairly common. I just never thought it would happen to me and with a newborn! Whew!
Anyway, I guess the reason I was so self-assured that toddler sleep training would never be a big issue for me is that we have always been very consistent with bedtime and nighttime. The routine has been the same for years (literally) and my daughter has never gotten away with much at bedtime or during the night.
My husband is a little easier on her at night but we've still never let her sleep in our bed or anywhere else but her bed, for that matter. Yet we have spent many nights over the past two or three weeks saying "No, you cannot try to fall asleep in our bed" after she has asked to do this repeatedly. Where do kids get this stuff?
"We" (by that I mean Daddy) have recently told her that if she can't fall asleep right away she can turn on her light and read a book. Big mistake! I knew this and was hesitant to start it but she was having a hard time falling asleep when she napped during the day and I wanted to be sympathetic. When I hear her "reading" at 1:30 am, it's not okay with me. Someday she'll share a room with her sister, hopefully, and she'll need to learn that if she can't sleep, she needs to just lay still and relax and not disturb others.
We are having a hard time explaining the difference between waking us up for an "emergency" (in my definition is blood, poop, or puke) and waking us up for attention. Last night the first visit to our room by Abigail was to tell us that she had falled out of bed. Seriously. The girl walked all the way out of her room, down the hall, up the stairs and into our room to tell us this instead of just getting back in bed. Wow!
Then it was the "potty" break. She does this frequently and during "quiet time" too. She says she has to do #2 and therefore needs our attention to clean up at the end. She and Daddy sat in the bathroom for 15 minutes last night and . . .nothing. I probably could have told you that before she even started but I'd hate to be wrong and have a mess on my hands.
I finally just said to her last night, after her 3 or 4th trip upstairs that she had to stay in her room, with the light off, closing her eyes and not reading. I think my husband thinks I'm harsh but honestly, you can't sleep with your eyes open and turning on lights only stimulates you and makes it harder to fall asleep. She then proceeded to lose her paci and cry for it since she couldn't turn on the light to find it. Manipulate much?! Wow! She's a smart kid.
Anyway, after that episode I told her that if I heard her crying for her paci again, I would take them away . . . for good. No more out of her then.
I have spent the morning, on and off, reading about helping your toddler sleep and sleep training. They are all pretty unified in one thing . . . consistency. Which is great news, actually because that's something I'm good at. We'll see how the next few nights go. I'm also going to try to respond less - and hopefully with less emotion and frustration too.
In the meantime . . .
I'm sleepy! Sitting down anywhere for any length of time is not good because I'll be asleep.
:)
Friday, June 24, 2011
Things I'm learning . . .
I have so many blog posts that run through my head . . . mostly at night! I hope to really sit down and write a good one soon. Perhaps Noah's birth story. In the meantime bullets will have to do.
Things I'm learning as a mother of three children who are 3 and under . . .
Things I'm learning as a mother of three children who are 3 and under . . .
- It does no good for me to get upset/emotional. Remaining calm when one is misbehaving or whining or crying is much more helpful. It's not always easy and some days I'm better at it than others.
- It's hard when your 3-yr-old who shouldn't be napping does nap. Whew. I'm tired. Got up with her 4+ times last night.
- You have to clean and cook in 5 minute segments because that's all you'll have.
- It does no good to soothe yourself with a box of natural oreos . . . you'll just be annoyed at your fat and out-of-shape self later. (Thanks Weight Watchers).
- It is almost comical how long it takes me just to get the kids ready to go outside to swing. I almost wish I had a witness! :)
- Mommy guilt is a daily battle for me. Am I doing the right activities for each child and their particular age? Are they getting enough social stimulation (when it's so much easier just to stay home?)? Am I parenting in the right way? Do they pick up when I'm just annoyed that there are so many needs to be met?
Babies Don’t Keep
by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton
Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing, make up the bed,
Sew on a button and butter the bread.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.
Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,
Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo
The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo
But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo
Look! Aren’t his eyes the most wonderful hue?
Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.
The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
But children grow up as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.
So . . . I'm going to do just that. Now, which baby do I choose to rock is the question?! :)
Thursday, June 16, 2011
I dare you not to cry!
Let Me Hold You Longer
a poem by Karen Kingsbury
Long ago you came to me,
a miracle of firsts;
First smiles and teeth and baby steps,
a sunbeam on the burst.
But one day you will move away and leave to me your past
And I will be left thinking of a lifetime of your lasts.
The last time that I held a bottle to your baby lips
The last time that I lifted you and held you on my hip,
The last night when you woke up crying,
Needing to be walked,
When last you crawled up with your blanket
Wanting to be rocked.
The last time when you ran to me still small enough to hold
The last time when you said you’d marry me when you grew old.
Precious simple moments and bright flashes from your past
Would I have held on longer if I’d known they were your last?
Our last adventure to the park, your final midday nap
The last time when you wore your favorite faded baseball cap.
Your last few hours of kindergarten, last days of first grade,
Your last at bat in Little League, last colored picture made.
I never said goodbye to all your yesterdays long past
So what about tomorrow? Will I recognize your lasts?
The last time that you catch a frog in that old backyard pond
The last that you ran barefoot across our fresh-cut lawn
Silly, scattered moments and bright flashes from your past
I keep on taking pictures, never quite sure of your last.
The last time that I comb your hair or stop a pillow fight,
The last time that I tuck you in and pray with you at night.
The last time when we cuddled with a book just me and you,
The last time you jump in our bed and sleep between us two.
The last piano lesson, the last vacation to the lake
Your last few weeks of middle school, last soccer goal you make.
I look ahead and dream of days that haven’t come to pass
But as I do I sometimes miss today’s sweet precious lasts.
The last time that I help you with a math or spelling test
The last time when I shout that “Yes! Your room is still a mess!”
The last time that you need me for a ride from here to there
The last time that you spend the night with your old tattered bear.
My life keeps moving faster, stealing precious days that pass
I want to hold on longer, want to recognize your lasts.
The last thing that you need my help with, details of a dance,
And the last time that you asked me for advice about romance.
The last time that you talked to me about your hopes and dreams
The last time that you wear a jersey for your high school team.
I’ve watched you grow and barely noticed seasons as they pass
If I could freeze the hands of time, I’d hold onto your lasts.
For come some bright fall morning, you’ll be going far away
College life will beckon in a brilliant sort of way
One last hug, one last goodbye, one quick and hurried kiss,
One last time to understand just how much you’ll be missed.
I’ll watch you leave and think how fast our time together passed
So let me hold on longer, God, to every precious last.
*It didn't help that I was scanning my husband's family pictures when I found this poem today. It's a great reminder that even though these days are long and sometimes challening, they are also the good days, the sweet days. I'm cherishing every moment (almost!) and I hope I continue to do that!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
A No "TV" Day
We are having something amazing happen in our home today. It's a no "tv" day with the kids. I didn't plan it . . . it's just happening.
I never wanted to be one of those moms who constantly plopped her kids in front of the TV. In fact I don't watch much TV. However the circumstances of my pregnancy led me to find lots of children's programs on Netflix streaming. I remember feeling terribly guilty during my early pregnancy for letting my daughter watch Dora episode after Dora episode but I could hardly help it.
I was unconscious for most of it. So exhausted on the couch that I hardly noticed she kept pushing the play button after every episode was over.
After the extreme nausea and exhaustion was over, we did better with the TV but still not great.
Then late pregnancy came. I hate the feeling of "how can I make it through the day with my two kids". The TV saved me when it came to those days - especially in the last few weeks. They at least were safe and not getting into anything.
Then we had a new baby. I was feeling better but still tired, etc. It's now 4:15 and they haven't watched a speck of TV today. It's nice.
I'm not saying that I'll be in this state every day. After all, it takes much more effort and creativity on my part but I love the progress we're making. I hear lots of playing and that's a wonderful thing!!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
The after effects . . .
I am experiencing something wonderful. After my most difficult, painful, nauseating, tiring, etc, etc, etc, pregnancy to date (and I think we're done with all that), I am experiencing a new phenomenon!
I feel great!
Yes, I'm tired and yes, I have three kids 3 and under but physically, I feel great. I can finally carry out what my ambitious mind desires! :)
It's Tuesday at 2:00 pm in the afternoon and I have only one load of laundry left to do and one load of laundry left to fold for the week. The kitchen is clean and mopped and most of the other rooms are in decent shape. It's wonderful!
If I were sleeping all night (or more than 3 hours at a time) I think I would feel like flying! I certainly hope this feeling never goes away but I will probably slack off in time and get used to feeling good again.
But for now . . . can I get a "yeah" for not being pregnant?! Woo hoo!
I feel great!
Yes, I'm tired and yes, I have three kids 3 and under but physically, I feel great. I can finally carry out what my ambitious mind desires! :)
It's Tuesday at 2:00 pm in the afternoon and I have only one load of laundry left to do and one load of laundry left to fold for the week. The kitchen is clean and mopped and most of the other rooms are in decent shape. It's wonderful!
If I were sleeping all night (or more than 3 hours at a time) I think I would feel like flying! I certainly hope this feeling never goes away but I will probably slack off in time and get used to feeling good again.
But for now . . . can I get a "yeah" for not being pregnant?! Woo hoo!
Friday, June 10, 2011
1 month
Dear Noah (aka Noey - as your sis calls you),
You are one month old today. You are a joy to me! I have received some of your wonderful first smiles in the past few days and they thrill me to no end. Your daddy is so proud of you. Each day it seems he tells me something he's planning to do with you. I hope you like camping because I'm sure he'll be taking you as soon he can! Yesterday he told me that he plans to build a go-cart with you! Be warned! :)
Abigail can be in the most sour of moods but if she sees you, she instantly perks up and starts cooing in her motherly tone (hi baby Noah, hi little buddy). It's pretty cute.
Elsie doesn't know how long you're going to hang around but she does enjoy giving you "kisses" and exploring all the ways to upset mama by being rough with you. Her favorite is the good ole' eye poke! We're trying to keep her from totally beating you up before you can fight back!
We love you so much, Noah. Welcome to our family.
Love you my boy,
Mama
Monday, June 06, 2011
Growing
Andrew took this picture of me and Noah on May 29th.
My boy is growing and I so want time to slow down! I know I can't keep him small forever but I'd be okay if he stayed small longer! I am definitely having issues knowing that this is more than likely our last child. With the other two I'd try to get them to nap in their cribs, get stressed if they didn't sleep at night, and easily lose patience with the older ones if they took away time from the baby. Not this time. I am spending as much time with my precious baby as I can. I don't mind getting up multiple times at night because I get to see him.
I'm also making sure to be purposeful with my older two babies as well - what precious girls they are! I really thought I'd be terribly stressed with three but I feel so easy going and relaxed (not two words I would have EVER used to describe myself) that it's crazy.
Well, all kids are napping and I have clothes to fold so this post will be short but I just want to say that I'm definitely experiencing some baby bliss. My kids bring me such joy (and yes, stress too, of course) so I want time to slow down so I can enjoy their littleness!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Recovery
My recovery from giving birth seems to be going great. I have always claimed that it really takes 6 weeks for me to feel "normal" and in some aspects I'm still not quite there yet (sleep!! hello!!) but I'm very pleased with where I am.
I don't feel like I'm incapable of taking care of all three kids during the days and today I got quite a bit of cleaning and other housework done.
I credit a lot of my recovery to my husband to MADE me rest the first week after Noah was born and he (my husband) was home taking care of things. Then he encouraged me to rest a lot the second week when my family was here helping me (thanks family!!).
Sleep could be much better, though. For some reason, I like to torture myself by writing down the nights events in a little note pad beside my bed. It's because people will ask me how the night went (like my darling husband) and honestly I can be so sleep deprived that I can't remember! I've done this with each child so it's nice to look back and compare. :)
Here is Noah's schedule from last night:
9:30 pm Noah in bed
11:00 pm - Changed dirty diaper and nursed
11:30 pm - Up again - nursed
1:15 am - Changed dirty diaper and nursed
3:15 am - Nursed
4:30 am - Nursed
6:30 am - Nursed and decided to get up for the day before the girls woke up. (Probably why I was so productive today).
Whew - I'm tired.
To compound these frequenty wakings, I also could NOT fall asleep. I don't think I was asleep, or at least not for very long, until after his 1:15 am feeding. I've never had insomnia while a newborn was in my care. I've ALWAYS been able to sleep. Weird.
He's had a handful of good nights where I will only get up with him 3 times (2hrs 45 min is about the longest stretch yet). He is a good baby in that he will go back to sleep after I feed him, for a little while at least and he is great about sleeping in his crib. The girls both used a bouncy seat or swing for the first few weeks or months. He did sleep in the swing a bit last night but it was only for an hour so it didn't help him to sleep longer.
Okay, that's all for now. Hopefully I can report soon that he's stretched out to 3 or 4 hours of sleep. That would be great!
I don't feel like I'm incapable of taking care of all three kids during the days and today I got quite a bit of cleaning and other housework done.
I credit a lot of my recovery to my husband to MADE me rest the first week after Noah was born and he (my husband) was home taking care of things. Then he encouraged me to rest a lot the second week when my family was here helping me (thanks family!!).
Sleep could be much better, though. For some reason, I like to torture myself by writing down the nights events in a little note pad beside my bed. It's because people will ask me how the night went (like my darling husband) and honestly I can be so sleep deprived that I can't remember! I've done this with each child so it's nice to look back and compare. :)
Here is Noah's schedule from last night:
9:30 pm Noah in bed
11:00 pm - Changed dirty diaper and nursed
11:30 pm - Up again - nursed
1:15 am - Changed dirty diaper and nursed
3:15 am - Nursed
4:30 am - Nursed
6:30 am - Nursed and decided to get up for the day before the girls woke up. (Probably why I was so productive today).
Whew - I'm tired.
To compound these frequenty wakings, I also could NOT fall asleep. I don't think I was asleep, or at least not for very long, until after his 1:15 am feeding. I've never had insomnia while a newborn was in my care. I've ALWAYS been able to sleep. Weird.
He's had a handful of good nights where I will only get up with him 3 times (2hrs 45 min is about the longest stretch yet). He is a good baby in that he will go back to sleep after I feed him, for a little while at least and he is great about sleeping in his crib. The girls both used a bouncy seat or swing for the first few weeks or months. He did sleep in the swing a bit last night but it was only for an hour so it didn't help him to sleep longer.
Okay, that's all for now. Hopefully I can report soon that he's stretched out to 3 or 4 hours of sleep. That would be great!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Finally Fixed!
My computer is finally fixed! Yeah! Thanks to my IT guy!! :)
We finally took some photos of the kids on Sunday. Abigail had a runny nose and Noah hadn't slept very well (at all) the night before so we all stayed home.
Here is one of the best ones!! Elsie had just scraped her knee that morning. Poor girl!
Noah Blake - taken with Andrew's phone! I think he looks so "boyish" but it I'm not sure how he'd look in pink! :)
And . . . I finally got a picture of some of the features of the birth center this time. This is the very tub where Noah was born and where I spent the intense part of my labor (where I thought I might die - ha ha!). I literally could picture the word - epidural - in my mind but I wouldn't allow my tongue to ask for it and I'm glad for that now.
I'll try to post more details of the birth and following days later but it's nap time. I have lots of thank you notes to write, a hungry baby, and a desperate need for a bath or shower! :) Ha!
We finally took some photos of the kids on Sunday. Abigail had a runny nose and Noah hadn't slept very well (at all) the night before so we all stayed home.
Here is one of the best ones!! Elsie had just scraped her knee that morning. Poor girl!
Noah Blake - taken with Andrew's phone! I think he looks so "boyish" but it I'm not sure how he'd look in pink! :)
And . . . I finally got a picture of some of the features of the birth center this time. This is the very tub where Noah was born and where I spent the intense part of my labor (where I thought I might die - ha ha!). I literally could picture the word - epidural - in my mind but I wouldn't allow my tongue to ask for it and I'm glad for that now.
I'll try to post more details of the birth and following days later but it's nap time. I have lots of thank you notes to write, a hungry baby, and a desperate need for a bath or shower! :) Ha!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Not my fault!
So the lack of blogging is not my fault!
My first hurtle is my computer. It really can crash at any moment. If it does, this won't be posted. The video card went bad around the time Noah was born. I cannot look at videos and pictures make it extra touchy. I promise I'll be back with both once this thing gets fixed.
My second hurtle is the fact I have 3 kids under 3. Monday was my first day home alone with them. It went fine, really. Eveyone is well cared for and alive but it's just hard. Wow! When Noah naps well, things go much better with the girls. Elsie has become very clingy on top of everything else and . . . I can't find my sling (would help an incredible amount!). I have learned in the last few days that my response to things can make or break a situation. If there is crying (which is most of the day) I just can't let it make me frustrated or everything spirals down!
Noah is still sleeping in 2 to 3 hour blocks (3 hours is a luxury that he usually doesn't quite make) so I'm pretty tired. I am actually considering letting Andrew give him a bottle (of breastmilk - of course) this weekend so maybe I can hit a deep sleep.
Speaking of Andrew . . .
Today is our 8 year anniversary!! I am really looking forward to having fondue (fundue as we call it) tonight. I love him so much and he has been the greatest support in the history of the WORLD these last three weeks. :)
My first hurtle is my computer. It really can crash at any moment. If it does, this won't be posted. The video card went bad around the time Noah was born. I cannot look at videos and pictures make it extra touchy. I promise I'll be back with both once this thing gets fixed.
My second hurtle is the fact I have 3 kids under 3. Monday was my first day home alone with them. It went fine, really. Eveyone is well cared for and alive but it's just hard. Wow! When Noah naps well, things go much better with the girls. Elsie has become very clingy on top of everything else and . . . I can't find my sling (would help an incredible amount!). I have learned in the last few days that my response to things can make or break a situation. If there is crying (which is most of the day) I just can't let it make me frustrated or everything spirals down!
Noah is still sleeping in 2 to 3 hour blocks (3 hours is a luxury that he usually doesn't quite make) so I'm pretty tired. I am actually considering letting Andrew give him a bottle (of breastmilk - of course) this weekend so maybe I can hit a deep sleep.
Speaking of Andrew . . .
Today is our 8 year anniversary!! I am really looking forward to having fondue (fundue as we call it) tonight. I love him so much and he has been the greatest support in the history of the WORLD these last three weeks. :)
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Welcome Noah Blake!
I cannot believe he's been here a week and I haven't posted yet. I'm a bad blogger!
Noah Blake was born on May 10, 2011 at 10:59 am. He was born in a drug-free waterbirth at our wonderful birth center. I can't imagine ever having a child another way at this point.
He was 8 lbs 6 oz and 21.5 inches long.
He is doing wonderful and despite a few slight adjustment issues from the girls, we're all wonderful.
He's not the best sleeper. Last night was better with a few 2 hours stretches. The thing that helps the most is if he just goes back to sleep after waking up for a feeding. I'm hoping that this week brings about big changes in the sleeping department. One thing though, he's doing great sleeping by himself in his crib - which neither of the girls did well at first, so I think that's promising. He does sleep best next to mama! However Mama does not sleep best next to him so I try not to bring him into bed until the morning hours.
Our household is interesting now. Let me just say this, if you don't like the sound of babies crying, don't come around here. I've had several instances where all three were going at it. Three years ago my nerves would have been extremely frazzled by this but now . . . it's just how life is! We'll see if I'm this calm and steady in a few weeks.
I will post more about my thoughts, feelings, and hopefully a full-blown birth story before too long but for now I'm just soaking up a lot of newborn snuggles. I'm not really caring if he sleeps too much during the day or if I hold him too much. He may well be our last baby (sad!!) and I want to enjoy every precious moment!
Noah Blake was born on May 10, 2011 at 10:59 am. He was born in a drug-free waterbirth at our wonderful birth center. I can't imagine ever having a child another way at this point.
He was 8 lbs 6 oz and 21.5 inches long.
He is doing wonderful and despite a few slight adjustment issues from the girls, we're all wonderful.
He's not the best sleeper. Last night was better with a few 2 hours stretches. The thing that helps the most is if he just goes back to sleep after waking up for a feeding. I'm hoping that this week brings about big changes in the sleeping department. One thing though, he's doing great sleeping by himself in his crib - which neither of the girls did well at first, so I think that's promising. He does sleep best next to mama! However Mama does not sleep best next to him so I try not to bring him into bed until the morning hours.
Our household is interesting now. Let me just say this, if you don't like the sound of babies crying, don't come around here. I've had several instances where all three were going at it. Three years ago my nerves would have been extremely frazzled by this but now . . . it's just how life is! We'll see if I'm this calm and steady in a few weeks.
I will post more about my thoughts, feelings, and hopefully a full-blown birth story before too long but for now I'm just soaking up a lot of newborn snuggles. I'm not really caring if he sleeps too much during the day or if I hold him too much. He may well be our last baby (sad!!) and I want to enjoy every precious moment!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Been There
I'm up again with contractions. This time they are a bit more regular. I'm still not sure we'll be heading to the hospital any time soon but we'll see how things play out. They may stop all together (they have before) so I'm trying not to get my hopes up.
Andrew is awake this time too - so I hope they're the real thing!!!
Andrew is awake this time too - so I hope they're the real thing!!!
Monday, May 09, 2011
Oh What A Night!
Last night was CRAZY! I went upstairs to take a bath at 9:30 pm. I got out about 10 pm and went to bed. Since I had taken a nap during the day I struggled to fall asleep. Finally (I think) around 11:30 pm, I fell asleep.
Had some very mild cramps (which I'd had off and on all day) during that time. Woke at 1:00 am to a contraction so I used the potty and came back to bed. I had them on and off (just fairly mild ones) until 2:30 am or so. I was hungry then so I got up to walk a little and have a snack.
They never got very close together but I didn't fall back asleep until 4:00 am because the cramps kept me up. Andrew woke me at 5:15 am (I had moved rooms) to see what was going on. He was leaving for work.
I told him I thought today would be a good day for him to stay home (ha!) but he decided to go anyway and just come home early since I hadn't had any contractions after my last round of sleep.
Boy . . . today is going to be fun! I'm just hoping to keep my kids fed and alive. Nap time is around1 pm and Andrew should be home towards the end of that. My sister is still here but she has to leave this morning so I'll have help for a little while anyway.
We'll see what the day holds.
Had some very mild cramps (which I'd had off and on all day) during that time. Woke at 1:00 am to a contraction so I used the potty and came back to bed. I had them on and off (just fairly mild ones) until 2:30 am or so. I was hungry then so I got up to walk a little and have a snack.
They never got very close together but I didn't fall back asleep until 4:00 am because the cramps kept me up. Andrew woke me at 5:15 am (I had moved rooms) to see what was going on. He was leaving for work.
I told him I thought today would be a good day for him to stay home (ha!) but he decided to go anyway and just come home early since I hadn't had any contractions after my last round of sleep.
Boy . . . today is going to be fun! I'm just hoping to keep my kids fed and alive. Nap time is around1 pm and Andrew should be home towards the end of that. My sister is still here but she has to leave this morning so I'll have help for a little while anyway.
We'll see what the day holds.
Sunday, May 08, 2011
Mother
First of all, I'd like to say "Happy Mother's Day" to my own wonderful mother. I never realized how much to appreciate my mother until I had my own children. I remember thinking during the middle of the night, when Abigail was a newborn, how much I owed to my mother. Wow! What sacrifice and love she gave to me all those years.
I'd also like to take the time to recognize the two little "joys" in my life that have given me the blessing of motherhood. Yes they are lots and lots of joy and laughter!
These pictures were taken last Sunday.
Baby brother is also rather obvious in these pictures. No he has not yet decided to join us on the outside world as of this morning (I'm writing this at 7:35 am). He is definitely his own little person and that's okay. We're ready to meet him whenever!!
I'd also like to take the time to recognize the two little "joys" in my life that have given me the blessing of motherhood. Yes they are lots and lots of joy and laughter!
These pictures were taken last Sunday.
Elsie Joy and Mama
Abigail Jennifer and Mama
Baby brother is also rather obvious in these pictures. No he has not yet decided to join us on the outside world as of this morning (I'm writing this at 7:35 am). He is definitely his own little person and that's okay. We're ready to meet him whenever!!
Thursday, May 05, 2011
Questions?!
Okay, here are some answers to some frequently asked questions in my life:
1) What did the doctor say?
Well, to be quite honest, I don't see a doctor. I (generally speaking) see midwives. They usually don't "say" much at my appointments. They check 4 things at this point. Weight, blood pressure, belly measurement, and fetal heartrate. If those are all good, they usually don't "say" much to me but will ask if I have any questions. If I don't . . .that's it. They will never guess on what day you will deliver and yes they have "checked" me recently but I'm reading more and more how that is no indication of when a baby will arrive. I've now been 2 cm for 2 weeks. See?!
2) Any changes?
At this point of pregnancy, I hardly know what is a "change" and what is just a minor discomfort that will pass. As I look back on previous pregnancies and birth, I can see some signs leading up to the birth that I should have recognized but I didn't. That will probably be the case this time. I kind of expected to "know" more this time around except I forgot . . . each pregnancy is different!
3) How are you feeling?
My main response to this question is . . . tired. Let me explain. I went to bed last night at 9:30 pm. I was very uncomfortable. I had a head pushing down and some feet pushing up under my ribs, esophagus burning heartburn and pain in my back. I didn't fall asleep until 10:30. I woke at 11:30 pm to go to the potty. I didn't fall back asleep until around 12:15 am because of heartburn and being uncomfortable. I woke at 1:30 am to my husband getting up to go to the bathroom. I was awake from 1:30 am until after 4 am. During that time, I heard some strange noises come over the monitor. I discovered that a toy (which is a BIG NO NO in my book) had been left in Elsie's crib and she was sitting up playing with it. I got up and went downstairs and took it out of the crib and laid her back down again. Then around 4 am, Abigail started to cry . . . no wail . . . in her bed. I got up to see what was wrong. She told me she was hungry. Usually I do not give in to stuff like this in the night but I was oh. so. tired. and she was oh. so. pitiful. so I got her a snack. Back to bed. I slept until 6 am when my husband left for work. I got up to use the potty. Slept until 7:10 am when I heard Elsie get up for the day. That doesn't happen every night but it is a good indication of why I'm tired.
4) Are you having contractions?
Well, yes and no. If you've ever given birth or had contractions you know that if you're having the real thing you'll be heading for the hospital so if you see me walking around, I've probably not had any real contractions. I generally call the other pains you might feel at this point, cramps. Yes, I'm having those but honestly, I've had them on and off since January so it is no indication of when the baby might come (which is what I know everyone wants to know).
5) Induction?
I can't believe I'm actually answering this yet since I haven't even hit my due date but as a general rule my practice does not induce unless medically necessary. That probably means a fetus in distress or VERY high blood pressure. They will do everything possible to no induce because that is a scary road leading to bad things (in my world). The midwife at my last appointment mentioned some "natural" things to try. I told her I wanted to wait for my due date to try them because I believe he'll come when he's ready.
Also a note about induction, I will have the midwives check the babies measurements before trying any sort of natural or other induction. This pregnancy was a wonderful surprise but that also means that I am not nearly as sure about the timing of this one than I was with the other two. Birth control was messing up the timing of my cycle so my due date as always been measured by the baby's size.
6) Surprised?
I'm surprised by how much I can still do at this point. I thought I'd be laid up on the couch but I have all the laundry done (currently), beds are made, lunch dishes are put in the dishwasher, all the dishes are washed, etc. I have a few things that I'd like to do today and tomorrow - including cleaning the fridge and kitchen cabinets - and you know what, I may just get them done. I am trying to just do as much as I can when I feel good because I don't feel good all the time.
Okay, that's it. Hopefully that explains things better than I can do face to face.
Oh . . . one last thing . . . silence from me (on the blog, Facebook, no calls from me, etc.) means exactly that. . . nothing is happening. Someone (me or Andrew) will post or let people know when the event is happening or soon after.
Ah, it's nap time so I'm off to rest a bit.
1) What did the doctor say?
Well, to be quite honest, I don't see a doctor. I (generally speaking) see midwives. They usually don't "say" much at my appointments. They check 4 things at this point. Weight, blood pressure, belly measurement, and fetal heartrate. If those are all good, they usually don't "say" much to me but will ask if I have any questions. If I don't . . .that's it. They will never guess on what day you will deliver and yes they have "checked" me recently but I'm reading more and more how that is no indication of when a baby will arrive. I've now been 2 cm for 2 weeks. See?!
2) Any changes?
At this point of pregnancy, I hardly know what is a "change" and what is just a minor discomfort that will pass. As I look back on previous pregnancies and birth, I can see some signs leading up to the birth that I should have recognized but I didn't. That will probably be the case this time. I kind of expected to "know" more this time around except I forgot . . . each pregnancy is different!
3) How are you feeling?
My main response to this question is . . . tired. Let me explain. I went to bed last night at 9:30 pm. I was very uncomfortable. I had a head pushing down and some feet pushing up under my ribs, esophagus burning heartburn and pain in my back. I didn't fall asleep until 10:30. I woke at 11:30 pm to go to the potty. I didn't fall back asleep until around 12:15 am because of heartburn and being uncomfortable. I woke at 1:30 am to my husband getting up to go to the bathroom. I was awake from 1:30 am until after 4 am. During that time, I heard some strange noises come over the monitor. I discovered that a toy (which is a BIG NO NO in my book) had been left in Elsie's crib and she was sitting up playing with it. I got up and went downstairs and took it out of the crib and laid her back down again. Then around 4 am, Abigail started to cry . . . no wail . . . in her bed. I got up to see what was wrong. She told me she was hungry. Usually I do not give in to stuff like this in the night but I was oh. so. tired. and she was oh. so. pitiful. so I got her a snack. Back to bed. I slept until 6 am when my husband left for work. I got up to use the potty. Slept until 7:10 am when I heard Elsie get up for the day. That doesn't happen every night but it is a good indication of why I'm tired.
4) Are you having contractions?
Well, yes and no. If you've ever given birth or had contractions you know that if you're having the real thing you'll be heading for the hospital so if you see me walking around, I've probably not had any real contractions. I generally call the other pains you might feel at this point, cramps. Yes, I'm having those but honestly, I've had them on and off since January so it is no indication of when the baby might come (which is what I know everyone wants to know).
5) Induction?
I can't believe I'm actually answering this yet since I haven't even hit my due date but as a general rule my practice does not induce unless medically necessary. That probably means a fetus in distress or VERY high blood pressure. They will do everything possible to no induce because that is a scary road leading to bad things (in my world). The midwife at my last appointment mentioned some "natural" things to try. I told her I wanted to wait for my due date to try them because I believe he'll come when he's ready.
Also a note about induction, I will have the midwives check the babies measurements before trying any sort of natural or other induction. This pregnancy was a wonderful surprise but that also means that I am not nearly as sure about the timing of this one than I was with the other two. Birth control was messing up the timing of my cycle so my due date as always been measured by the baby's size.
6) Surprised?
I'm surprised by how much I can still do at this point. I thought I'd be laid up on the couch but I have all the laundry done (currently), beds are made, lunch dishes are put in the dishwasher, all the dishes are washed, etc. I have a few things that I'd like to do today and tomorrow - including cleaning the fridge and kitchen cabinets - and you know what, I may just get them done. I am trying to just do as much as I can when I feel good because I don't feel good all the time.
Okay, that's it. Hopefully that explains things better than I can do face to face.
Oh . . . one last thing . . . silence from me (on the blog, Facebook, no calls from me, etc.) means exactly that. . . nothing is happening. Someone (me or Andrew) will post or let people know when the event is happening or soon after.
Ah, it's nap time so I'm off to rest a bit.
Monday, May 02, 2011
39 week appointment
I had my 39 week appointment this morning (despite not actually being 39 weeks until tomorrow). Andrew took these pictures yesterday.
Stats:
Stats:
- Still dialated about the same amount. She said 2 cm and 80% so almost 3. Funny midwife.
- I didn't ask about my blood pressure but they didn't say anything so I'm sure it was fine.
- My belly measured 40 weeks - like last week - but it was a different person measuring so that probably makes a little difference.
- No real significant contractions or pains.
- She said the baby is not engaged yet but with 2, 3, 4 babies, a lot of times they don't drop until actual labor has started. I never noticed my babies dropping before until I was in the birth center getting ready to have them so that makes sense.
- She is concerned that the baby is laying posterior (meaning facing forward with his spine against mine) and not anterior like he is supposed to be. This primarily just means that I would have back labor so she gave me a few exercises to do to try to get him to turn around. I have read that most babies will turn during the labor so I'm hoping for that!!
I'm hoping the rain will hold off so we can go on a family walk tonight. Maybe that will help things!
It is still possible to have a birthday baby, I guess, but I assumed I would be feeling more contractions by now if that were the case. I guess we'll see.
And . . . I accidentally uploaded this picture instead of the one of me above but it is so cute I had to keep it. This was Abigail on Easter Sunday! :)
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