Posts (page 2)
Alison spent her morning trying to adjust to her infant's new schedule. She had just accepted the last one, and now he was changing again. "It really does change fast," she thought to herself. For the past couple of weeks, he had taken up a schedule of sleeping until 9 am, feeding, then back down for a nap at 10:30. He would sleep long enough for her to get her shower, and sometimes even shave her legs or dry her hair. But, not today. Today, he decided at 6 am he had enough of the sleeping and needed some nourishment. So, Alison dragged herself out of bed after her husband so rudely insisted she wake up, and trudged to the room of her beautiful son.
She took a deep breath before entering his room, and asked cheerily, "Is my baby boy awake?" He greeted her with the most charming toothless grin, and squeaked with joy at his mother. She lifted him from his cherry crib and carried him across the room his dresser. She layed him down on the cushy pad and unbottoned his pajamas and his pale blue diaper cover. His diaper was soaked from his 10 hours of sleep. Alison smiled at her happy baby as she Snappi'd a new diaper on him and put the cover back on. He began to get fussy when she buttoned his pajamas back on. He had obviously lost patience and was demanding food.
Alison carried her infant to the rocker and offered him her breast. He took it hungrily and worked energetically to drain the nourishing milk from it. Alison smiled down at the baby, thinking his life was simply too easy. After he had switched sides, he fell asleep working on the second breast. Alison lay the babe in his crib once again, and quietly left his room to get a little more sleep.
She fell asleep easily after the squeaking of the monitor became silenced. Her husband was busy getting ready for work, and failed to kiss her before leaving this morning. She was grateful for that. She needed the sleep more.
After almost an hour of sleep, she was awakened to the joyful sounds of a baby who was awake and hungry yet again. It was 8 am. She tried hard to fight waking, but had to go to the helpless one's aide when he began to wail. She repeated the process of a mere 2 hours before, with a similar result. However, this time as she tried to move him to the crib, he awoke in her arms. It was time to play! "That's fine with me," thought the tired mother, "I need to make my breakfast." So, she layed him down to play with his favorite toy--the hanging octopus--and went to prepare her breakfast of warm cinnamon frosted mini wheats. She checked her e-mail as she ate, and talked to her baby a while.
He did actually stick to one part of his schedule...he was ready for his nap at 10:30. She again followed her regimen of diaper and feed, and set him down, fulfilled, in his crib to take a nap. She expected to have an hour to herself, so she began surfing the internet for gardening information. These days, she had a whim to plant a garden. Ideally, it would be a multi-use garden. There would be flowers in the ground in one section, planters with vegetables, and pots with kitchen herbs. She found out many interesting things to plant in her vegetable pots. The baby stirred while she was searching, and she silently begged him to give her just a little more time. He silently answered her. After the garden research, she couldn't believe he was still asleep. It was 12:30. So, she tidied up the house, and worked on the laundry. She was running out of things to do. Would the baby ever wake up?
It had been too long since Alison had gotten out of the neighborhood. Four days. She was itching to get out and see the world outside her home. Target was the plan of the day. There were several things she needed, and it was a good reason to just spend some time out in the world. Finally, at 1:45, Zed let her know he was awake. She retrieved him, and changed his rather dry diaper. She knew he would need supplemental formula this time. He just wasn't hydrated, and the air was dry that day. So, she nursed him again, then fixed him a warm bottle of formula. He sucked down 3 ounces, and smiled joyfully at her. Honestly, she was relieved he had slept so long. It meant she would not be able to attend the breastfeeding clinic. There was a lot of pressure from her husband and sister-in-law lately about Zed's weight. The pressure was becoming too much to bear.
They eventually made their way to Target, and Zed was getting sleepy again. Alison placed him in his sling, and wandered around the store as he slept on her chest. She bought him the most adorable swim trunks, and a hat and sunglasses to go with it. They were both getting excited for the upcoming trip to Florida.
Wending through the aisles, she came upon some brothers who were treating each other poorly. The oldest was teasing the middle child while standing with the cart that held the youngest. The middle one twirled another cart around banging it into the older brother's cart. It would have been funny, but the middle child dropped the F-bomb. They saw her coming down the aisle, and hung their heads in shame, knowing I had heard it. As she walked away, she heard a crash and the youngest of the brothers began crying. The oldest started yelling something at his younger brother, and she walked away, rolling her eyes, knowing that could be her children someday.
Her trip was almost complete, except for the vinegar. She paged someone to help her find the condiment, and a young Somalian woman led her to the correct aisle. Unfortunately, the only vinegar was in a small glass bottle, completely unsuited for the task for which it was to be used. She thanked the young woman and went to the checkout aisle. Zed had woken himself up again, and was ready to go home.
When they arrived home, Alison again nursed her young son, and he fell asleep. She layed him down on his playmat where he slept for 30 minutes--a rarity outside of his crib. She was able to make herself a snack and relax a bit before he woke up again. She picked him up and made him another bottle. They stepped outside into the brisk evening air, sitting on the porch, and feeding. Nicholas was expected home soon. He arrived as Zed was finishing his bottle.
Alison was excited about her husband's arrival home. She wanted to show him her plans for the garden. He seemed only half interested, though. It did not dampen Alison's spirits. She knew he was thinking it was just another fanciful dream of hers. Many such things were. But, that was how Alison lived...dream to dream. It did not matter that she fulfilled them, only that she dreamed them. One day, a true passion would strike her, one that deserved living out. Until then, she continued to create dreams and glean hope from them. It was an exciting way to live.
She concluded their day with a little dinner, a little baby tending, and a little TV. It was a good day, and she was thankful for it.
P.S. how do you make cuts to hide something this long behind a tag?
Well, we are nearing the second month with Master Z. I haven't sensed a schedule with him, yet. I'm sure it will happen at some point. I'm enjoying my time at home (mostly). Twice a month, we go to MOPS (Mother of PreSchoolers) meetings. We also go to the chiropractor (which he HATES), a couple times each week. Weekly, we go to a breastfeeding class where he gets weighed. They weigh him naked first, then with his diaper, then I feed him, and they weigh him again. This week, he weighed 10 lbs. 7.4 oz. He had a big growth spurt and gained 14 oz. in one week!
5280 week is coming, as is my birthday. They actually coincide!!! So, the decision is...do we save money and go somewhere I have a coupon for (TGI Fridays) or do we spend $52.80 on a super 3 to 5 course meal for 2 at a nice restaurant? Oh the delimma.
Also in my world...I am missing Florida right now. It always happens around February. I miss the warm weather, the green grass, the gentle breezes. I have to remind myself that it is only going to be this way for a few months out of the year, and then I will enjoy all that in Denver. :) I love the snow, I really do. It's just after a while, the cold gets to even the best of us. Well, maybe not the Canadians...or Minnesotans, Maine-landers, and Alaskans. Anyway, I don't really want to move there. I just think I need to remember that February is the best time to visit it. Mom needs to remind me of this. Visit her for my birthday. She visits us for hers. It all works out.
But, no. I'm going to go there in May. The start of May. Which is the start of summer there. Actually, it is in the 80s there this week. Ha ha. That is no kind of temperature for February. Still, sandals in February begins to get appealing. I'll just have to visit the local indoor pool.
Why is it so horrible for men to show their thighs in America?
What is the purpose of paying hundreds of dollars for something to haul your wallet, makeup, and brush around in?
Why do cowboys ride horses?
If it is the mother who births the child, shouldn't birthdays be about her?
How can a child be overtired? Aren't they just tired?
What's on your holiday wishlist?
My baby.
We're down to the last days of this pregnancy. It hasn't been easy, but it hasn't been as bad as others. Today, strangely enough, I had the though, "I'm going to miss being pregnant." It's very strange because I have carpal tunnel from this, my fingers are 4 1/2 sizes bigger than normal, my hips and groin hurt all night and most of the day, and I am generally just run-down. But, I'm going to miss having the baby inside me, and feeling him move (even if it is a bit painful sometimes). I'm going to miss the bliss and glow of pregnancy. I'm going to miss the way people treat a pregnant woman (the good ones, at least). And soon, very soon, the baby will be here and I will have a whole new life to adjust to.
It's cruel, somehow, that you get 9 months to adjust to changes in your pregnancy, and less than a day for your new body/hormone levels/function in life.
If your Vox Neighborhood had a potluck dinner tonight, what dish, drink or dessert would you bring?
Chili...extra thick so you can dip your chips in it.
I must say, I'm not really in a mood to update. I have no organized thoughts. But, here's what's going on.
My midwife is still being a worrywort. She is still commenting on my weight gain. Now she is worried I'm going to go insane with "nothing to do" when I stop working at the end of November. I don't think she realizes I have plenty of unfinished projects to accomplish.
The baby is doing great! He's been moving around A LOT. But, I did get a massage and go to the chiropractor, and that quieted him down a lot. People tell me I look huge. Honestly, I have no space in my abdomen for a baby to hang out between my ribs and pelvis. Pre-pregnancy, I might have had 2 inches between my lowest rib and the highest part of my pelvis (on my side). So, the baby sticks out, of course.
I had chocolate cravings a few weeks ago. Now, I don't really want to touch the stuff. It's craziness. My bones are starting to move around, too. At night, when I roll over, my sacroiliac joint cracks and moves. My collarbone pops out of place from sleeping on my shoulder. OH, and the baby really hates when I sleep on my left side. Yesterday, I swear my uterus was bruised from him pushing on it because I was sleeping on my left. But, when I sleep on my right, my hands go numb. My feet have started going numb from sitting without crossing my legs. Superfun.
Yesterday sucked at work. My first client rocked. My second client was not happy with my massage. I had to turn my third client away because he had eaten a lot of onion at lunch, and I was going to be sick.
We had a flood in our dining room last weekend. The water heater upstairs broke and water came pouring through the ceiling. The carpet has been cleaned, and the ceiling patched and painted. But, it looks like shit. I want them to take down the patch with the large brown spot. I think it might start molding. The paint didn't even cover it up. It was still wet 5 days after the flood. I think I'm going to have to have Nick call them and complain. I will get too emotional about it...the risk of asthma is increased now. I do NOT want an asthmatic child if I don't have to.
That's all I can think of. Guess it's boring. poo. Have a Happy Halloween. Nick is Charlie Brown, and I am the Great Pumpkin.
What are your top five favorite cooking seasonings?
Submitted by skip.town.
Wow. 5 huh? I guess that would be 1) salt & pepper 2) garlic 3) oregano 4) basil 5) rosemary
What's up? My hair has grown so fast over the past 15 weeks!!! I had no idea until I started looking at pictures. It's amazing the difference between my 5weeks pregnant pic and my 16 weeks pregnant pic.
5 weeks
16 weeks
Oh yeah. I suppose my belly and boobs got a little bigger, too. :) I should post some more recent ones. I'm at 21 weeks 2 days today. Over half way! Woo hoo!
I must have really looked pregnant today. It was the first day someone asked me outright, "So, when are you due?" I was so elated! I'm so glad to look pregnant and not fat!!!! I'll have to change my little blinkie soon. I guess I need to get my computer set up first to be able to do that.
This weekend, we have a job to do...put the rest of the crap away! I can't wait to have a pretty apartment (that looks pretty). Other projects coming up: register for baby things at Target, hang photos & frames, print more pictures for the frames, build bookcases, interview pediatricians. (*Lindsay, who have you interviewed, and who would you recommend?) That's all before we go to Florida in October. It seems there are really a LOT of things to do before winter. I am so excited about Christmas! I want my little tiny 7lb(ish) present! I really think that's all I want. I guess a station wagon or fuel efficient SUV would be nice. Baby clothes, too.
Nick and I found out what our baby is, but we aren't sharing that information until November. We want to make sure we get more of the stuff we need, rather than cute gender specific stuff first. We will be telling people at the baby shower. They can get us cutesy stuff for Christmas if they want.
Ooh! Next week, we go to see Matisyahu and 311!!!! We also bring snacks for our Bradley class, and I have a midwifery appointment. I'm going to be so tired! Wish me luck with it all. I have to go pick Nick up for class now.
