Well, as we near Thanksgiving, I figure I won't have a whole lot of time to sit down and really reflect on all that I am thankful for and actually put it in writing. So, I'll spend this fabulous Friday evening doing it as I sit here with my darling husband watching Seinfeld and Duck Dynasty with a fire in the fireplace.
Obviously, this year pretty much tops the rest of my 27 years of life in terms of blessings. So here is my abundance of thanks to give.
* being a stay-at-home mom. I haven't worked since we moved up here. And, that's been a blessing on it's own. I've been able to follow Christian around the world and travel to see my family as much as I wanted. But, I never really thought I'd want to be a stay-at-home mom. Now, I wouldn't trade it for the world. I have some rough days when Max drives me a little crazy but I absolutely love being able to care for him and be the one that sees every little thing he does every day. It's such a blessing.
* where we live. As ready as I am to move back down south, we are so lucky to be renting our house in the town we live. Moorestown is such a cute little area of New Jersey and it's super convenient. We're 10 minutes outside of Philly and have all the luxuries of surburbia along with the quaint Main Street shops and restaurants. It's a great town that makes you feel like you've stepped back in time about 40 years when you see all the kids playing outside. If we were going to stay in the northeast, this is definitely the place to be. But, it's wicked expensive here (the main reason we're renting).
* military benefits. Being a military dependent has it's definite perks. The main perk is the unbelievable health care that we are blessed with as a family. Christian, Max and I are all covered 100% for any healthcare costs. It's insane. My labor and delivery came out to about $25,000. And, that was an uncomplicated birth. I was in the hospital for three days and it cost $25,000. New Jersey has the highest labor and delivery costs in the country. Guess what I paid out of that $25,000.... $52. Yes, only fifty-two dollars. So thankful. And, I've never paid a single bill for any of Max's visits (even though I take him any time I even think he might be sick). As a military wife, I put up with my fair share of crappy deals but man, this one is such a blessing.
* the way my mom & dad raised me. The older I get the more and more thankful I am for the way I was raised. I was raised with manners and etiquette. I was raised to be thankful for what I have. I was raised to respect my elders and not to be shy. I am so thankful that even though my parents divorced when I was very young, I never once saw them exchange harsh words with one another. They are what co-parenting is all about. I have awesome parents.
* facebook. Ok, maybe I'm addicted. But, being so far away from all of my friends and family really sucks. And, frankly, Facebook makes me feel a little more connected to everyone. It really helps! So, before anyone judges someone else for being on Facebook all the time or posting 8,000 things per day, give them a break. Maybe they're a little lonely. ((guilty)) :)
* being southern. I'll admit, three years ago, I was so excited to move to the northeast and get out of the south. For one reason or another, I started to have a somewhat negative feeling about the south and I was ready for a new adventure and new culture. Well, now I've had a taste of another culture and region of this country and now more than ever, I miss the south. I am so grateful for my true southern roots. And my family's roots are strong and deep in the south.
* this one may be a bit "out there" for some of y'all but oh well. I am so thankful that I have stayed committed to breastfeeding Max. It has been one of the (if not THE) best decisions I've made as a momma. I admittedly hated it in the beginning for a few months but I never really had a good enough reason to quit... as much as I wanted to. Now, Max will be nine months on Monday and I'm proud to say we're still going strong. It's definitely a crazy commitment and it's still exhausting sometimes but it's worth it, in my humble opinion. And, to add on to this one, I have to say that I'm so thankful for my cousin, Ali, for being my support system! I have called her (and still call her) about a zillion times with random questions about nursing and she is always more than willing to answer. If it wasn't for her, and my great, supportive husband, I probably wouldn't have stuck it out.
* speaking of my husband... :). Christian is my rock. He is my best friend and the love of my life. He drives me bat-shit crazy sometimes, too. That's what a healthy marriage is all about, right? haha We are goofy as hell around each other and I am most comfortable in life when I'm with him. I'm so proud of him as a man, husband, military service member and most importantly, father. He has blown me away with the love he has for Max and their relationship gets stronger by the day. Just recently, Christian has started putting Max to bed at night. Max is the sweetest and most loving as he's going to sleep. So, last week, after Christian put him to bed for the first time, he came downstairs with tears in his eyes (of course acting like he didn't have tears in his eyes) and said "that was awesome". Uh, yeah, my heart melted. And, MY eyes are tearing up as I type this. And, he's been putting him down every night since. :) I love that man so much.
* and of course, my Max. Holy moly how this little boy has changed my world. (ok, I'm tearing up again) A year and a half ago, I saw the word "pregnant" on that little test and knew my life was changed forever. I never knew just how much it would change though. When Max was born, I struggled with postpartum depression and it sucked. It sucked really bad and I never want to experience anything like that ever again in my life. But, things got better and Max and I finally built that bond that everyone talks about. And, man, that bond that I have with my little guy is mind blowing now. He brings so much joy and bliss to my life. Watching him learn new things every day is absolutely amazing. He has changed me and made me realize what is important in life and taught me that sometimes you just have to let go and let things happen as they may. Que sera, sera. I'm so proud of how smart he is. Just yesterday, he said his second "word" (baba). Today, I sat down with him and we rolled his ping pong ball (one of his favorite things) back and forth between us. Then, when it rolled under the tv cabinet, he crawled over and crouched down trying to get it from underneath. So cute and so smart. When we're outside and he hears birds singing, he stops and makes his little "hey, what's that" noise. His favorite book is "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See". It's the only one that he'll sit still for. Oh, man, I could go on and on. But, being a mom is by far the most important thing I've ever done in my life. Nothing has ever and will ever compare to that. No job, test, or material possession can EVER live up to the feeling of being a mom. Nothing. Max is my biggest accomplishment and blessing and I am so thankful that I am able to spend every day with him. To say "I love him" doesn't even begin to capture what I feel for my baby boy. There are simply no words.
So, this year is certainly a special one for us. I'm thankful that I'll have my husband home for BOTH Thanksgiving AND Christmas this year. Even though he'll be gone most of the time in between the two holidays, it's great that he'll be with us on the important days. :) Also, the cat is out of the bag that Max and I are coming to Pensacola on December 9th! I was trying to keep it a surprise for my mom but I have a big mouth and too much excitement. It slipped. :) So, I'll see y'all in less than a month!!! woohoo!
Happy Thanksgiving, folks! Would love to hear all that y'all are thankful for. :)
xoxo,
Chrissi
Friday, November 16, 2012
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Thank goodness that season is over.... election season, that is.
Wow, last post, was raving about it already being the end of September and now it's almost the middle of November! My gosh, this year has flown by so quickly! The holiday season is upon us, folks! And, thankfully, the crappy election season has passed. I'm a registered democrat. But, I did not vote in this election. I have not educated myself enough and therefore did not fine myself to be worthy of a vote in my opinion. Frankly, I wish many other people felt the same way. I have to commend my girlfriend, Jenna- a hardcore democrat, for an amazing email she sent to me and a few other of our friends yesterday. In that email, she explained why she voted the way she did. If any of you know Jenna, you know that she is UBER intelligent and researches everything like crazy. So, if I'm going to respect anyone's opinion in this race, it's damn sure her's because I know she did her homework. There are so many ignorant people in this world who spew hatred toward one side or the other and they have no idea what they are talking about. They're either brainwashed by MSNBC (liberal media) or Fox News (conservative media) and don't bother watching or reading anything else. Come on, Americans, we're better than that! It's really sad to me that our country has become a jumbled nation of red states and blue states. Not to be cliche but, what happened to the United States? I swear, it's all the crappy media we have now days and the sad excuses for journalist that run said media. I'm just glad the election and I will now step down off my soap box. Thank you very much. ;-)
Soooooo let's get on to more important things, like, how freakin' awesome my kid is. haha That, he is. Max is almost NINE months! Whaaaaat? When did that happen? He so much fun and just hilarious. I know it's only going to get better. Do we still have rough moments? Um, yes. Haha but they are few and far between. He's just a fearless, crazy little boy with his daddy's energy level. There is certainly never a dull moment in our house. He's cruising along the furniture now and we have a little push walker thingy for him to play with and he LOVES it. So, it won't be long before he's running around the house!
In other news, we're getting closer and closer to receiving orders from the Navy for our next move. Some very unappealing things have been offered to us. The first offer was a pretty cush job over in Sicily where Christian would fly Gulf Streams (very coveted type-rating) or some crap job over in Korea (um, yuck). So, we're trying to push those off the table so we can stay in the states but everything is kind of in a wait-it-out mode with us. Of course, I'm still trying to have as much input as possible and for us to get back down south! That's my main concern right now. I'm trying to get CLOSER to family, not freaking move half way across the world! Ugh.... so, I'm thinking we'll know a final decision in January sometime. But, who knows.
Anyway, Max just woke up from his nap so off I go! Hope y'all have a great day! Weekend is almost here!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Soooooo let's get on to more important things, like, how freakin' awesome my kid is. haha That, he is. Max is almost NINE months! Whaaaaat? When did that happen? He so much fun and just hilarious. I know it's only going to get better. Do we still have rough moments? Um, yes. Haha but they are few and far between. He's just a fearless, crazy little boy with his daddy's energy level. There is certainly never a dull moment in our house. He's cruising along the furniture now and we have a little push walker thingy for him to play with and he LOVES it. So, it won't be long before he's running around the house!
In other news, we're getting closer and closer to receiving orders from the Navy for our next move. Some very unappealing things have been offered to us. The first offer was a pretty cush job over in Sicily where Christian would fly Gulf Streams (very coveted type-rating) or some crap job over in Korea (um, yuck). So, we're trying to push those off the table so we can stay in the states but everything is kind of in a wait-it-out mode with us. Of course, I'm still trying to have as much input as possible and for us to get back down south! That's my main concern right now. I'm trying to get CLOSER to family, not freaking move half way across the world! Ugh.... so, I'm thinking we'll know a final decision in January sometime. But, who knows.
Anyway, Max just woke up from his nap so off I go! Hope y'all have a great day! Weekend is almost here!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Thursday, September 27, 2012
September's almost over!?
Hey everyone! One question: How the heck is it almost October already?!? It's crazy how quickly year gone by! So, it's been about a month since I last posted and a LOT has gone on in the Jenkins' Household since then! We just got back from another wonderful trip to visit family in Germany and Max is now SEVEN months old! WHAT?? We've had grandparents come visit Max and we've just continued our crazy life. :)
So, first thing's first. Our trip to Germany was fantastic. Max was a travel champ!!! It started off a little bumpy as we tried our hardest to use Space A military flights to get to Germany but our luck wasn't too good this year. After three days of trying to get on a flight and having it postponed and cancelled, we opted for the less desirable method of travel- commercial flights. I REALLY didn't want to fly commercially because international flights freak me out and I have a little anxiety about flying from a big city into a big city. Yes, terrorism still scares me. But, everything went off without a hitch and our flight from Philly to Frankfurt was great. Max slept for about five hours straight on that flight since it was his normal bedtime so that was pretty nice. We landed in Frankfurt at about 7 a.m. local time there. So, Max only got about five hours of sleep for his "nighttime" and we just kept him up as much as we could that day, limited his naps to two hours and took him outside into the sunshine to help re-set his clock to Germany time and it only took him about a day or two to really get into the groove of things over there! That was awesome! I was planning on 10 days with no sleep and a fussy baby but he proved me wrong! We had a great time with family and loved seeing Max's great grandparents just swoon over him! Everyone loved him and he loved all the attention. :) We went into Frankfurt a few days here and there, visited historic sites, botanical gardens, an emperor's grandson's castle for a garden festival, went to an Oktoberfest celebration with the whole family, drove down to Heidelberg for a little site-seeing and spent a lot of time with family. The flight home went really well too. Max only slept about two hours total on that flight but we just played the rest of the time so it went by really quickly! And, I think he's already back on our time zone! So, all in all, another great trip for the books! We'll do it again next year!
As I mentioned, Max's grandparents came to visit this month and we LOVED having them here! My dad and step-mom came up one weekend and then my mom came up the following weekend. It was SOOOO great to see family. I know I say this all the time but I miss my family SOOOO much! While we were in Germany, I got a little teary eyed more than once just thinking about how special it is to have family close by. I'm so jealous of people who get to live near family. One day, Chrissi.... one day. :( I'm still keeping my fingers, toes, and eyes crossed to have the Navy bless us with a southern locale for our next tour. Please continue to pray for us that we get either New Orleans or Jacksonville. I think I might have a breakdown if we don't. :( I know I can handle anything but, man, I want to be within driving distance of my parents, cousins, and friends!!!
So anyway, enough with my sob story. Christian left today for a trip overseas and he'll be back next week. Next weekend (Columbus Day weekend), we're planning on going to Meredith, New Hampshire for a clam bake we go to every year. It's hosted by our friend's parents and it's SOOO much fun and so beautiful. So, I'm hoping Christian comes back on time so we can go!
After that trip, we don't really have much planned in terms of travel. I know we'll probably go out to western MD for a visit with my in-laws later this month and we're planning on going there again for Thanksgiving. Christian leaves for a few weeks in December and then we'll head down to Pensacola for a couple weeks over Christmas! I'm so excited! Oh yeah, Halloween is in there too so I'm still trying to figure out what Max will be. We were going to dress him up as a pilot since he has a customized onesie that matches Christian's flight suit but he'll grow out if it by then so I'm still racking my brain and the internet for cute ideas.
Well, that's about it for now! I hope y'all are enjoying the first week of Fall! Talk soon!
xoxo,
Chrissi
So, first thing's first. Our trip to Germany was fantastic. Max was a travel champ!!! It started off a little bumpy as we tried our hardest to use Space A military flights to get to Germany but our luck wasn't too good this year. After three days of trying to get on a flight and having it postponed and cancelled, we opted for the less desirable method of travel- commercial flights. I REALLY didn't want to fly commercially because international flights freak me out and I have a little anxiety about flying from a big city into a big city. Yes, terrorism still scares me. But, everything went off without a hitch and our flight from Philly to Frankfurt was great. Max slept for about five hours straight on that flight since it was his normal bedtime so that was pretty nice. We landed in Frankfurt at about 7 a.m. local time there. So, Max only got about five hours of sleep for his "nighttime" and we just kept him up as much as we could that day, limited his naps to two hours and took him outside into the sunshine to help re-set his clock to Germany time and it only took him about a day or two to really get into the groove of things over there! That was awesome! I was planning on 10 days with no sleep and a fussy baby but he proved me wrong! We had a great time with family and loved seeing Max's great grandparents just swoon over him! Everyone loved him and he loved all the attention. :) We went into Frankfurt a few days here and there, visited historic sites, botanical gardens, an emperor's grandson's castle for a garden festival, went to an Oktoberfest celebration with the whole family, drove down to Heidelberg for a little site-seeing and spent a lot of time with family. The flight home went really well too. Max only slept about two hours total on that flight but we just played the rest of the time so it went by really quickly! And, I think he's already back on our time zone! So, all in all, another great trip for the books! We'll do it again next year!
As I mentioned, Max's grandparents came to visit this month and we LOVED having them here! My dad and step-mom came up one weekend and then my mom came up the following weekend. It was SOOOO great to see family. I know I say this all the time but I miss my family SOOOO much! While we were in Germany, I got a little teary eyed more than once just thinking about how special it is to have family close by. I'm so jealous of people who get to live near family. One day, Chrissi.... one day. :( I'm still keeping my fingers, toes, and eyes crossed to have the Navy bless us with a southern locale for our next tour. Please continue to pray for us that we get either New Orleans or Jacksonville. I think I might have a breakdown if we don't. :( I know I can handle anything but, man, I want to be within driving distance of my parents, cousins, and friends!!!
So anyway, enough with my sob story. Christian left today for a trip overseas and he'll be back next week. Next weekend (Columbus Day weekend), we're planning on going to Meredith, New Hampshire for a clam bake we go to every year. It's hosted by our friend's parents and it's SOOO much fun and so beautiful. So, I'm hoping Christian comes back on time so we can go!
After that trip, we don't really have much planned in terms of travel. I know we'll probably go out to western MD for a visit with my in-laws later this month and we're planning on going there again for Thanksgiving. Christian leaves for a few weeks in December and then we'll head down to Pensacola for a couple weeks over Christmas! I'm so excited! Oh yeah, Halloween is in there too so I'm still trying to figure out what Max will be. We were going to dress him up as a pilot since he has a customized onesie that matches Christian's flight suit but he'll grow out if it by then so I'm still racking my brain and the internet for cute ideas.
Well, that's about it for now! I hope y'all are enjoying the first week of Fall! Talk soon!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Hey Hey Heeeeeyyy
Hey y'all!
Hope all of you are doing well and enjoying the last couple days of August! Can you believe we are almost into September??? I thought this time of year would never come. I say that as I sit here watching the first official college football game of the season. And, it's the SEC. Ahhh... love it. Now, I'm just ready for the weather to cool off a little into those crisp Fall days.
Anyway, all is well up here in NJ. We're just staying busy as always and living life! We've had our friend Kyle staying with us this week. He flies with Christian and is almost finished with his tour at this squadron. His wife and kids already moved to their next station so he's just finishing up his last couple weeks and we offered him a place to stay so he doesn't have to pay for a hotel every night. And, he gets homemade meals every night from yours truly. :) So, tonight is his last night here for a while but it's been nice for us to have some company and good conversation over dinner and wine the last couple nights! So, once this guest is outta here, we have more coming in! Dad and Rhonda get into town Saturday. We're pretty excited about their trip! I really can't wait for them to see Max! Then, they're leaving Monday and then Mom gets up here next Thursday!! So exciting!! This is a GREAT couple of weeks! Mom will be here Thursday through Sunday and then that following week, we're heading to Germany for about 10 days! Whew- busy, busy times!
Max is doing great. He melts my heart more and more each day and I'm sure if he really understood what I was saying, he'd get very annoyed with how many times I tell him I love him each day. I just can't help it. haha We have so much fun together during the days and he has such a personality. He's my best little friend. :) He had his six month check-up last week and weighed in at 17 lbs, 3 oz and is 27 1/2 inches tall. He's still 50th percentile for weight but 90th for height! Long and lean boy! He had a little cold last week but got over it pretty quickly so it wasn't too bad. Just a little congestion and runny nose. I never thought I'd say this but he's over six months old and still not sleeping all the way through the night. :-/ He wakes up around 4 a.m. for a feeding and then will go back to sleep until about 7 a.m. His pediatrician said we should probably start pushing him to make it all the way through the night. Honestly, it really doesn't bother me. I barely even remember waking. But, I know what she means and I don't want him to get used to this and do it forever so we probably should start pushing him a little bit. OH! Here's a funny story. So, this past weekend, we went to Christian's dad's house. Max has his own little room out there with his own crib and all that jazz. We take the monitor with us out there so we can hear/see him. So, Christian and I went to bed and had the monitor all set up and ready to go. Well, then I woke up 6:30 the next morning and looked at the monitor and Max is just playing around in his crib like he does every morning and I woke Christian up with excitement and said "Max slept through the night!!". Then, I looked a little closer to the monitor and realized the volume was all the way down. Whoops!!!! So, at that point, we were sure we would have heard him if he woke up. I mean, our bedroom is right next to his. But, as we later found out from my father-in-law, Max woke up twice that night! YIKES! Apparently, he woke up around 1 a.m. (which is really early for him and kind of out of the norm) and then again at around 3 a.m. and cried both times for about 15 minutes. Well, needless to say, Christian and I didn't hear a peep and that was the first full night of sleep I've had in over six months! It was nice! haha So, after that happened, Christian and I kind of figured it was a sign for us to continue with the cry-it-out like the doc recommended. So, the first two nights we were back home after that weekend, we let him cry (he cried/fussed for about 30 minutes both nights) and it just didn't get any better the third night so I gave in and felt like it wasn't working. Yes, I've heard that it can take up to a week to work but I'm a wimp and get more sleep if I'm up with him for 15 minutes than I do if I'm listening to him cry for 30! Oh well. Like I said, the one nighttime feeding doesn't bother me. Especially since I know what it's like to have a baby wake up every hour and a half until he was about 4 1/2 months old! Ugh!
But, he's fine and I'm fine and we're all fine. He's doing really well with eating real food. I'm still making it and he had meat (turkey) for the first time this week and he likes it! I still have him mostly on just oatmeal for breakfast and then turkey, a veggie and sometimes a fruit if he's still hungry for dinner. I've done lunch a couple times but I'm (yes, me) just not ready yet. I'm still nursing Max and have grown to absolutely love it and now that he's eating more food, he's not nursing as much and I miss it!! Yes, I know... I'm nuts. I love how easy it is now and there really is a unexplained bond that comes from it. But, I definitely wasn't always in love with it. I had two phases where I almost gave up. First, when Max was six weeks and then again when he was three months. I vividly remember Google-ing "I HATE BREASTFEEDING"! hahahaha And, believe it or not, there was a LOT of stuff that came up. haha But, I never gave up. Christian was pretty helpful in getting me to stick to my guns with nursing and I'm so glad I kept it up. I can't imagine spending all that money on formula or washing all those bottles. I use two bottles daily to pump and I hate even washing those!! I definitely know breastfeeding isn't for everyone! It's definitely not fun or glamorous or easy or convenient for everyone. And, some people just don't like it. And may each momma choose what works best for her and her little one!
As you may have seen in my FB posts, Max is officially a full fledged crawler now! He's all over the place and into everything. The house is pretty much baby-proofed now except for the kitchen. Until I get around to moving cleaning supplies and securing things, I just try to keep him out of there. He's also pulling himself up every once and a while. He did it twice this past weekend while we were in MD but he hasn't done it since being back home. We lowered his crib just in case he gets a wild hair and wants to pull up in there! He has so much energy! He's definitely his father's child. haha
Well, anyway, I better head to bed! Y'all have a good week and enjoy all the college games this weekend! WAR EAGLE!!!! :)
xoxo,
Chrissi
Hope all of you are doing well and enjoying the last couple days of August! Can you believe we are almost into September??? I thought this time of year would never come. I say that as I sit here watching the first official college football game of the season. And, it's the SEC. Ahhh... love it. Now, I'm just ready for the weather to cool off a little into those crisp Fall days.
Anyway, all is well up here in NJ. We're just staying busy as always and living life! We've had our friend Kyle staying with us this week. He flies with Christian and is almost finished with his tour at this squadron. His wife and kids already moved to their next station so he's just finishing up his last couple weeks and we offered him a place to stay so he doesn't have to pay for a hotel every night. And, he gets homemade meals every night from yours truly. :) So, tonight is his last night here for a while but it's been nice for us to have some company and good conversation over dinner and wine the last couple nights! So, once this guest is outta here, we have more coming in! Dad and Rhonda get into town Saturday. We're pretty excited about their trip! I really can't wait for them to see Max! Then, they're leaving Monday and then Mom gets up here next Thursday!! So exciting!! This is a GREAT couple of weeks! Mom will be here Thursday through Sunday and then that following week, we're heading to Germany for about 10 days! Whew- busy, busy times!
Max is doing great. He melts my heart more and more each day and I'm sure if he really understood what I was saying, he'd get very annoyed with how many times I tell him I love him each day. I just can't help it. haha We have so much fun together during the days and he has such a personality. He's my best little friend. :) He had his six month check-up last week and weighed in at 17 lbs, 3 oz and is 27 1/2 inches tall. He's still 50th percentile for weight but 90th for height! Long and lean boy! He had a little cold last week but got over it pretty quickly so it wasn't too bad. Just a little congestion and runny nose. I never thought I'd say this but he's over six months old and still not sleeping all the way through the night. :-/ He wakes up around 4 a.m. for a feeding and then will go back to sleep until about 7 a.m. His pediatrician said we should probably start pushing him to make it all the way through the night. Honestly, it really doesn't bother me. I barely even remember waking. But, I know what she means and I don't want him to get used to this and do it forever so we probably should start pushing him a little bit. OH! Here's a funny story. So, this past weekend, we went to Christian's dad's house. Max has his own little room out there with his own crib and all that jazz. We take the monitor with us out there so we can hear/see him. So, Christian and I went to bed and had the monitor all set up and ready to go. Well, then I woke up 6:30 the next morning and looked at the monitor and Max is just playing around in his crib like he does every morning and I woke Christian up with excitement and said "Max slept through the night!!". Then, I looked a little closer to the monitor and realized the volume was all the way down. Whoops!!!! So, at that point, we were sure we would have heard him if he woke up. I mean, our bedroom is right next to his. But, as we later found out from my father-in-law, Max woke up twice that night! YIKES! Apparently, he woke up around 1 a.m. (which is really early for him and kind of out of the norm) and then again at around 3 a.m. and cried both times for about 15 minutes. Well, needless to say, Christian and I didn't hear a peep and that was the first full night of sleep I've had in over six months! It was nice! haha So, after that happened, Christian and I kind of figured it was a sign for us to continue with the cry-it-out like the doc recommended. So, the first two nights we were back home after that weekend, we let him cry (he cried/fussed for about 30 minutes both nights) and it just didn't get any better the third night so I gave in and felt like it wasn't working. Yes, I've heard that it can take up to a week to work but I'm a wimp and get more sleep if I'm up with him for 15 minutes than I do if I'm listening to him cry for 30! Oh well. Like I said, the one nighttime feeding doesn't bother me. Especially since I know what it's like to have a baby wake up every hour and a half until he was about 4 1/2 months old! Ugh!
But, he's fine and I'm fine and we're all fine. He's doing really well with eating real food. I'm still making it and he had meat (turkey) for the first time this week and he likes it! I still have him mostly on just oatmeal for breakfast and then turkey, a veggie and sometimes a fruit if he's still hungry for dinner. I've done lunch a couple times but I'm (yes, me) just not ready yet. I'm still nursing Max and have grown to absolutely love it and now that he's eating more food, he's not nursing as much and I miss it!! Yes, I know... I'm nuts. I love how easy it is now and there really is a unexplained bond that comes from it. But, I definitely wasn't always in love with it. I had two phases where I almost gave up. First, when Max was six weeks and then again when he was three months. I vividly remember Google-ing "I HATE BREASTFEEDING"! hahahaha And, believe it or not, there was a LOT of stuff that came up. haha But, I never gave up. Christian was pretty helpful in getting me to stick to my guns with nursing and I'm so glad I kept it up. I can't imagine spending all that money on formula or washing all those bottles. I use two bottles daily to pump and I hate even washing those!! I definitely know breastfeeding isn't for everyone! It's definitely not fun or glamorous or easy or convenient for everyone. And, some people just don't like it. And may each momma choose what works best for her and her little one!
As you may have seen in my FB posts, Max is officially a full fledged crawler now! He's all over the place and into everything. The house is pretty much baby-proofed now except for the kitchen. Until I get around to moving cleaning supplies and securing things, I just try to keep him out of there. He's also pulling himself up every once and a while. He did it twice this past weekend while we were in MD but he hasn't done it since being back home. We lowered his crib just in case he gets a wild hair and wants to pull up in there! He has so much energy! He's definitely his father's child. haha
Well, anyway, I better head to bed! Y'all have a good week and enjoy all the college games this weekend! WAR EAGLE!!!! :)
xoxo,
Chrissi
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
It's been a month!
Hey y'all!
It's been over a month since my last post! We've been busy... or either this hasn't been a priority. Probably the latter. :) But, I'm back! So, where to start?
Everything is going really well with us. Max is so much fun and just growing and changing so much every day! He is ALMOST crawling! It's so funny to watch him. He sits like a little frog and kind of launches himself toward whatever he's trying to get. He can move about five feet at a time before he starts to get frustrated. I love watching him learn new things. It's so great. He'll be six months old this Saturday and I really can't believe it. On one hand, it seems like time has flown but on the other, I feel like it has taken forever to get to this point. I just get emotional thinking that each day that passes is gone and I'll never get these days back with my little man. I know I have a whole lifetime coming but watching a baby grow really makes you realize how fleeting life is. It's crazy. I get a little teary-eyed every night as I rock Max to sleep because it's one more day that is passing by. I just love him so much... it's crazy. I think about him growing up and not wanting to hug me or let me rock him, etc. Ugh, I'm tearing up now. haha As Christian would say, I'm a "basketcase". haha
So anyway, Christian is out of town for the week so Max and I are just trying to stay as busy. We go to the gym Monday, Wednesday and Friday and he plays in the daycare while I'm working out. On Thursdays, I take him to a little mommy-and-me play/music class that he really likes. It's pretty neat and the teacher has all kinds of ideas to help the babies learn and exercise their senses. I'm still a member of the Mom's Club here in our town and there is a playdate tomorrow at a park so we'll go to that. Today, I met a friend, Clarissa, and her little boy at a park and put Max in a swing for the first time and he really liked it! He had a smile on his face the whole time and was so content. :)
Well, summertime is coming to an end soon and we have quite a bit of stuff coming up in the next couple months. Dad and Rhonda are coming up for Labor Day weekend, Christian's running in a 10k mud run the second weekend of September and then we're heading to Germany around September 11th. I'm so excited to go to Germany but I'm also VERY nervous about the traveling part of it and how Max will handle it. We're taking a military flight so I'm very thankful that we won't have to be on a commercial flight! So, just say a little prayer that everything goes smoothly and it doesn't mess up his schedule too badly. :( I know it's going to be a little rough since it's a six hour time difference so we'll be exhausted. Oh well. It's only 10 days out of a lifetime so we can handle it! :) I'm just really excited for the family over there to meet Max! After we get back from Germany, we have our annual trip to New Hampshire for the Troop Family Clambake over Columbus Day weekend. We always have such an awesome time and it's SO beautiful up there! Then, before we know it, it will be the holidays! We're spending Thanksgiving up this way but we'll be down in Florida for Christmas!
Then, hopefully at the beginning of next year, we'll be finding out where the Navy is sending us next. We're REALLY trying to get back down south somewhere. We're hoping for either New Orleans (my number one choice) or Jacksonville. So, please cross your fingers, eyes, toes, and any other appendage that we get one of our top picks. But, as we all know, we can never really get our hopes up with the Navy.... as Christian says, "they're ORDERS, not invitations". :-/ But, September marks one more year up here! I'm SO ready to leave New Jersey. I really liked it when we got up here and I still don't hate it but it's just really different and I miss the south. I miss being close to friends and family. I would just LOVE to be within driving distance of Pensacola. Since Christian is gone so much, it would be so nice to just be able to hop in the car and head to my mom or dad's for a few days. Man, that would be amazing. All you folks who live near family, NEVER take it for granted!!!!!
So anyway, Max is in bed and I'm about to head to bed too. I hope you guys have a great week! Love y'all!
Chrissi
It's been over a month since my last post! We've been busy... or either this hasn't been a priority. Probably the latter. :) But, I'm back! So, where to start?
Everything is going really well with us. Max is so much fun and just growing and changing so much every day! He is ALMOST crawling! It's so funny to watch him. He sits like a little frog and kind of launches himself toward whatever he's trying to get. He can move about five feet at a time before he starts to get frustrated. I love watching him learn new things. It's so great. He'll be six months old this Saturday and I really can't believe it. On one hand, it seems like time has flown but on the other, I feel like it has taken forever to get to this point. I just get emotional thinking that each day that passes is gone and I'll never get these days back with my little man. I know I have a whole lifetime coming but watching a baby grow really makes you realize how fleeting life is. It's crazy. I get a little teary-eyed every night as I rock Max to sleep because it's one more day that is passing by. I just love him so much... it's crazy. I think about him growing up and not wanting to hug me or let me rock him, etc. Ugh, I'm tearing up now. haha As Christian would say, I'm a "basketcase". haha
So anyway, Christian is out of town for the week so Max and I are just trying to stay as busy. We go to the gym Monday, Wednesday and Friday and he plays in the daycare while I'm working out. On Thursdays, I take him to a little mommy-and-me play/music class that he really likes. It's pretty neat and the teacher has all kinds of ideas to help the babies learn and exercise their senses. I'm still a member of the Mom's Club here in our town and there is a playdate tomorrow at a park so we'll go to that. Today, I met a friend, Clarissa, and her little boy at a park and put Max in a swing for the first time and he really liked it! He had a smile on his face the whole time and was so content. :)
Well, summertime is coming to an end soon and we have quite a bit of stuff coming up in the next couple months. Dad and Rhonda are coming up for Labor Day weekend, Christian's running in a 10k mud run the second weekend of September and then we're heading to Germany around September 11th. I'm so excited to go to Germany but I'm also VERY nervous about the traveling part of it and how Max will handle it. We're taking a military flight so I'm very thankful that we won't have to be on a commercial flight! So, just say a little prayer that everything goes smoothly and it doesn't mess up his schedule too badly. :( I know it's going to be a little rough since it's a six hour time difference so we'll be exhausted. Oh well. It's only 10 days out of a lifetime so we can handle it! :) I'm just really excited for the family over there to meet Max! After we get back from Germany, we have our annual trip to New Hampshire for the Troop Family Clambake over Columbus Day weekend. We always have such an awesome time and it's SO beautiful up there! Then, before we know it, it will be the holidays! We're spending Thanksgiving up this way but we'll be down in Florida for Christmas!
Then, hopefully at the beginning of next year, we'll be finding out where the Navy is sending us next. We're REALLY trying to get back down south somewhere. We're hoping for either New Orleans (my number one choice) or Jacksonville. So, please cross your fingers, eyes, toes, and any other appendage that we get one of our top picks. But, as we all know, we can never really get our hopes up with the Navy.... as Christian says, "they're ORDERS, not invitations". :-/ But, September marks one more year up here! I'm SO ready to leave New Jersey. I really liked it when we got up here and I still don't hate it but it's just really different and I miss the south. I miss being close to friends and family. I would just LOVE to be within driving distance of Pensacola. Since Christian is gone so much, it would be so nice to just be able to hop in the car and head to my mom or dad's for a few days. Man, that would be amazing. All you folks who live near family, NEVER take it for granted!!!!!
So anyway, Max is in bed and I'm about to head to bed too. I hope you guys have a great week! Love y'all!
Chrissi
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
20 weeks in.... what I've learned.
Twenty weeks into my pregnancy, I could have never imagined how much my life would change when my little boy made his way into this world. And now, 20 weeks into motherhood, I can come up with a list a mile long of things I've learned from being a momma for almost five months! FIVE months! Can you believe it? Time really does fly.
As many of you know, I had a rough start to this whole parenthood thing. It was kind of a slap in the face of my life and just sent shock waves through every inch of me. As much as I wanted to be a mom, there were days when I wished I could have just rewinded time. I know, that sounds awful but if you know me, you know I'm not going to butter you up with all kinds of glamorous stories. But, as time went on, people kept telling me "it gets better, I promise". And, low and behold, they were right. I am LOVING being a mom and yes, I miss my old life of zero responsibility every now and then but I really wouldn't trade this for the world. And, actually, me really loving this new gig just happened within the last month or so. Max was a tough one up until about four months. He was grumpy most of the time because he just didn't know how to sleep very well so he was constantly tired. A tired baby= a bitchy momma. haha So, for whatever reason, Max hit four months and became a totally new little man. He started napping better so he was MUCH more pleasant during the days and his personality just all of a sudden began to blossom. We've also gotten him to start sleeping ALMOST through the night rather than waking every two hours like he was doing. So, everything is going great! Now, he'll be five months next week and it gets more and more fun each day.
So, I've come up with a list of 20 things that I've learned so far in my first 20 weeks as a momma. Enjoy!
1. I am no longer allowed to be a control freak. My child rules the world and no book or Google search can change that. When Max was born, I expected to just be able to mold him into any little creature I wanted him to be.... to teach him how to sleep perfectly, to teach him how to only eat when I wanted him to eat, etc, etc, etc. Yeah.... um.... ask me how that worked out and how much I've really been able to control. haha
2. I really don't remember what it feels like to not be a mom. People always say they don't remember life without their child. It's true... whether that's good or bad.
3. It's not easy. Anyone who says it's easy is lying and needs a swift kick to the face.
4. Moms are too hard on other moms. Whether it's breastfeeding or formula feeding, having an epidural or going all natural, breastfeeding until kids are two or three years old, crying-it-out, co-sleeping, etc, etc, etc.... No matter what the argument, moms are MEAN. I think any mom needs to mind her own damn business and worry about her own child and not about what's going on with another family. As long as kids are safe and healthy, we never should impose our beliefs on anyone else.
5. I've never worried more about one human being in my life. Seriously, it's nuts. And, I know it will only get worse.
6. People really never stop with the advice... and it gets old. I know my own baby better than anyone so I smile and take every peice of advice with a little grain of salt.
7. They really do grow fast. It definitely didn't seem that way the first couple months. But, now I look back at pictures and videos of when Max was a real newborn and holy cow, I barely remember it. :(
8. Babies are the only people on earth who it's polite to stare at. This, I find kind of funny.
9. Things that never wake a new baby: vacuums and blenders. Things that almost always wake a new baby: sitting down to eat a meal.
10. I'm constantly excited to see the next new thing Max will learn to do. It's so AWESOME to watch him figure stuff out. Whether it's finding his hands, grasping onto a toy, passing that toy from one hand to another, grabbing his feet, rolling over, flashing that adorable smile or hearing him chuckle.... these little milestones never get old and they light up my entire world.
11. Relax. As crazy as it is, I can totally tell that Max can pick up on my stress.
12. Every baby really is different and I've only done myself a disservice by comparing Max to other babies.
13. The internet is a new mom's worst enemy. It will scare the shit out of you and/or make you feel like the worst mom in the world for the tiniest thing. And, those damn forums online.... ugh, just remember, moms are MEAN! haha I vowed to stop Google-ing anything at all. If I have a question now, I call the doctor or ask my mom or my cousin.
14. I wish I would have never read a single baby book except "What to Expect in the First Year". Books that promise that your baby will sleep 12 hours a night, nap for two hours, or eat on a specific schedule may work for some babies but if it doesn't work for yours, it will make you go insane.
15. I feel there's too much pressure on new moms to be chipper and have a "life is grand" attitude all the time. Sometimes when I'm asked "how are you enjoying motherhood?", I feel like I HAVE to say "oh, it's amazing and so fabulous and great" when sometimes I really want to say, "well, today, it sucks. I haven't showered in two days and only got about four hours of sleep each night for the last three months, and my child constantly wants to be held." haha But, I'm sure that's not what people expect.... especially those folks who have never been through it or are so removed from it that they can't remember!
16. Sleep when your baby sleeps is great advice but definitely not possible in some cases.
17. Sometimes, I'm jealous of moms who go to work and get a break and I'm sure they are jealous of stay-at-home moms, too. You never really can have it all, can you?
18. The most rewarding meal I've ever made in my entire life is two ounces of pureed steamed carrots that my little man gobbled up tonight. Really, I've never been more proud of my culinary efforts.
19. Once you get over one hurdle, another one is waiting around the bend.
20. One of my favorite rappers, Jay Z, said this about his new baby girl: "my greatest creation is you". Seriously, nothing I've ever accomplished in my life will ever compare to my body creating a human being. It's simply miraculous and something I can't even wrap my brain around.
So, there you have it. The things I've learned..... hopefully I can ease another new mom's anxiety.
xoxo,
Chrissi
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
*Happy Fourth of July!*
Hi everyone!
I know I haven't posted in a while but here's a quick update before I get into my regularly intended post for today:
Our trip to Florida was AWESOME! I did NOT want to leave the family and Max had a great time spending time with grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles and friends. He turned four months the day we got down there and I seriously think a switch flipped inside his little body at that point because he all of a sudden became so much more fun and happier! He started napping better during the day so that helped his mood tremendously! He's still up every 2-3 hours at night but we're working on that this week. :-/ He also has started eating solids. I wasn't being very consistent with it until this week. We now have dinner at about 6-6:30 and then I nurse him when I put him down at 8. So far, he really loves carrots and bananas!
So anyway, I hope you all are having a great holiday! I know most of the country is going through a brutal heat wave and we're in on that too! It was about 95 here today! But, a nice breeze made it bearable in the shade.
Christian got home around 3 a.m. this morning from his three week trip to Japan. It's so great to have him home! We had SUCH an awesome day today. Nothing really special but I have to say, today ranks up there as one of the best days of my life. It was just a great summer day. We woke up and played with Max a little before he went down for a good nap. Then, we went a looked at furniture because I want to get rid of our coffee table and get one of those cocktail ottomans. I found one that I LOVE but it's a little pricey. So, I have to try and sell our coffee table and matching sofa table before Christian will even think about it. haha So, after furniture shopping, we just came back home and boys both took a nap. :) After that, we headed out to a BBQ. My friend Talia who lives a few houses down from us and who has a little boy two weeks younger than Max invited us to her in-law's house for the afternoon. Her in-laws were actually down at their shore house so it was just a bunch of people around our age and their kids over there. It was so much fun. They have a pool so we got in and let Max swim for a while. He LOVES the water. He swam for the first time when we were in Florida. We were in the pool for about 30 minutes and he was kickin' the whole time! So much fun. I got some great pictures and video.
Like I mentioned earlier, Max has become such a fun baby. He smiles and laughs all the time and he's so good! So, it has been AWESOME for Christian to see how much he changed in a measly little three weeks! Christian and I both fed Max his carrots tonight and cracked up so many times at how goofy our little guy is. Then, we gave him a bath and played a little after bathtime and I stood back and just watched as Christian made Max crack up by blowing on his tummy. Tears came to my eyes as I thought how wonderful my life is. We are truly blessed.
So, all in all, a pretty perfect day here in Moorestown, New Jersey. Max is now in bed and Christian and I are relaxing and watching New York's fireworks on TV.
Well, happy fourth everyone! "I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free"!
xoxo,
Chrissi
I know I haven't posted in a while but here's a quick update before I get into my regularly intended post for today:
Our trip to Florida was AWESOME! I did NOT want to leave the family and Max had a great time spending time with grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles and friends. He turned four months the day we got down there and I seriously think a switch flipped inside his little body at that point because he all of a sudden became so much more fun and happier! He started napping better during the day so that helped his mood tremendously! He's still up every 2-3 hours at night but we're working on that this week. :-/ He also has started eating solids. I wasn't being very consistent with it until this week. We now have dinner at about 6-6:30 and then I nurse him when I put him down at 8. So far, he really loves carrots and bananas!
So anyway, I hope you all are having a great holiday! I know most of the country is going through a brutal heat wave and we're in on that too! It was about 95 here today! But, a nice breeze made it bearable in the shade.
Christian got home around 3 a.m. this morning from his three week trip to Japan. It's so great to have him home! We had SUCH an awesome day today. Nothing really special but I have to say, today ranks up there as one of the best days of my life. It was just a great summer day. We woke up and played with Max a little before he went down for a good nap. Then, we went a looked at furniture because I want to get rid of our coffee table and get one of those cocktail ottomans. I found one that I LOVE but it's a little pricey. So, I have to try and sell our coffee table and matching sofa table before Christian will even think about it. haha So, after furniture shopping, we just came back home and boys both took a nap. :) After that, we headed out to a BBQ. My friend Talia who lives a few houses down from us and who has a little boy two weeks younger than Max invited us to her in-law's house for the afternoon. Her in-laws were actually down at their shore house so it was just a bunch of people around our age and their kids over there. It was so much fun. They have a pool so we got in and let Max swim for a while. He LOVES the water. He swam for the first time when we were in Florida. We were in the pool for about 30 minutes and he was kickin' the whole time! So much fun. I got some great pictures and video.
Like I mentioned earlier, Max has become such a fun baby. He smiles and laughs all the time and he's so good! So, it has been AWESOME for Christian to see how much he changed in a measly little three weeks! Christian and I both fed Max his carrots tonight and cracked up so many times at how goofy our little guy is. Then, we gave him a bath and played a little after bathtime and I stood back and just watched as Christian made Max crack up by blowing on his tummy. Tears came to my eyes as I thought how wonderful my life is. We are truly blessed.
So, all in all, a pretty perfect day here in Moorestown, New Jersey. Max is now in bed and Christian and I are relaxing and watching New York's fireworks on TV.
Well, happy fourth everyone! "I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free"!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Such a neat tradition
Hey guys!
I am perusing Facebook while Max naps and there is a group on there called Moms2MomsNJ. Basically a bunch of NJ moms bouncing ideas and sharing tips with each other. Well, the creator of it posted this today:
Just got back from the cutest neighborhood thing ever and wanted to share: So we are new to the neighborhood, but for the last 5 years on the last day of school a bunch of the moms and dads gather at the end of the road and wait for the kids to get dropped off from the bus. They have water guns, water balloons and silly string and get the kids as they get off. Then it turns into a HUGE neighborhood water fight! Everyone brings a snack and they have balloons and Happy Summer signs all over. It is adorable and although my little guy just finished preschool, I can't wait to enjoy this tradition for years to come! Wanted to share so that maybe you and your neighbors could plan a similar fun day...what memories the kids were making! :) - Sandy
How AWESOME is that?!? I hope I can remember this on Max's last day of school each year! Such an amazing memory maker!
Thought I'd share. It put a smile on my face just knowing that there are such fun, wholesome things going on. :)
-Chrissi
I am perusing Facebook while Max naps and there is a group on there called Moms2MomsNJ. Basically a bunch of NJ moms bouncing ideas and sharing tips with each other. Well, the creator of it posted this today:
Just got back from the cutest neighborhood thing ever and wanted to share: So we are new to the neighborhood, but for the last 5 years on the last day of school a bunch of the moms and dads gather at the end of the road and wait for the kids to get dropped off from the bus. They have water guns, water balloons and silly string and get the kids as they get off. Then it turns into a HUGE neighborhood water fight! Everyone brings a snack and they have balloons and Happy Summer signs all over. It is adorable and although my little guy just finished preschool, I can't wait to enjoy this tradition for years to come! Wanted to share so that maybe you and your neighbors could plan a similar fun day...what memories the kids were making! :) - Sandy
How AWESOME is that?!? I hope I can remember this on Max's last day of school each year! Such an amazing memory maker!
Thought I'd share. It put a smile on my face just knowing that there are such fun, wholesome things going on. :)
-Chrissi
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Happy Birthday to me!
Hey y'all!
Well, I'm officially in my late twenties as Christian decided to inform me this morning.... only three more years and I'll be THIRTY! What the heck....
Today probably won't be too exciting. Christian had to leave this morning for this three week det in Japan and Max is still a little fussy from his shots yesterday so we're just going to lay low and relax. So, no big birthday celebration in store for me. We went out to dinner last night to celebrate. If Max is feeling up to it later, we may make a little trip to the mall for a little b-day present for myself. :)
My big birthday present is going to come next Monday when I get to Florida though!!! I CAN'T WAIT! I'm so excited to be home and around family for two whole weeks! I wish it was 2 whole years! haha
As I mentioned, Max had shots yesterday at his four month well visit. He's a healthy boy and growing perfectly. He weighs 14 pounds, 2.5 ounces and is 25 inches long. He's in the 20th percentile for weight and 60th percentile for height. We have a long and lean boy! We talked with the doctor about his sleep issues and explained that Max is not sleeping well during the day and only goes about five hours at the MOST during the night before waking up (and that's rare these days). He asked if Max was fussy during the day or content and I told him he's getting more and more fussy... especially when he doesn't sleep well. So, he said it's probably time to get a little tough with him. He recommended the Ferber method which is a modified version of cry-it-out (you go in an reassure him at timed intervals while he's crying rather than just letting him cry alone). I told him that we are going out of town next week and he recommended that I wait until we get back in town to start anything so I can dedicate two weeks to it. He said prepare to be totally sleep deprived for two weeks because it may take that long for Max to get the hang of it. Hopefully, it works a LOT faster than the two weeks though! Dr. King also recommended we start him on solids once a day now. He said he's not a believer that it helps babies sleep any better but that it does work for some people. So, we tried a little bit of oatmeal last night and he spit most of it out. He'll get the hang of it. I'm going to try some carrots or sweet potatoes later this week to see if he likes it a little more. I'll take some pictures for sure. :)
Anyway, I hope you're all having a great week and I'll see a lot of you next week!!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Well, I'm officially in my late twenties as Christian decided to inform me this morning.... only three more years and I'll be THIRTY! What the heck....
Today probably won't be too exciting. Christian had to leave this morning for this three week det in Japan and Max is still a little fussy from his shots yesterday so we're just going to lay low and relax. So, no big birthday celebration in store for me. We went out to dinner last night to celebrate. If Max is feeling up to it later, we may make a little trip to the mall for a little b-day present for myself. :)
My big birthday present is going to come next Monday when I get to Florida though!!! I CAN'T WAIT! I'm so excited to be home and around family for two whole weeks! I wish it was 2 whole years! haha
As I mentioned, Max had shots yesterday at his four month well visit. He's a healthy boy and growing perfectly. He weighs 14 pounds, 2.5 ounces and is 25 inches long. He's in the 20th percentile for weight and 60th percentile for height. We have a long and lean boy! We talked with the doctor about his sleep issues and explained that Max is not sleeping well during the day and only goes about five hours at the MOST during the night before waking up (and that's rare these days). He asked if Max was fussy during the day or content and I told him he's getting more and more fussy... especially when he doesn't sleep well. So, he said it's probably time to get a little tough with him. He recommended the Ferber method which is a modified version of cry-it-out (you go in an reassure him at timed intervals while he's crying rather than just letting him cry alone). I told him that we are going out of town next week and he recommended that I wait until we get back in town to start anything so I can dedicate two weeks to it. He said prepare to be totally sleep deprived for two weeks because it may take that long for Max to get the hang of it. Hopefully, it works a LOT faster than the two weeks though! Dr. King also recommended we start him on solids once a day now. He said he's not a believer that it helps babies sleep any better but that it does work for some people. So, we tried a little bit of oatmeal last night and he spit most of it out. He'll get the hang of it. I'm going to try some carrots or sweet potatoes later this week to see if he likes it a little more. I'll take some pictures for sure. :)
Anyway, I hope you're all having a great week and I'll see a lot of you next week!!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Monday, June 4, 2012
Too funny (and tragic) not to share
So, as you all know, Max is 15 weeks old as of this past Saturday and, as I have written about many times, he's not a great sleeper. He's had a few nights where he's slept for about 7 hours straight but that's about all we can seem to get so far. One thing I haven't clearly stated is that I am the only one who has EVER gotten up with him in the middle of the night. For one, I'm nursing so unless I pump, I'm the only one who can feed him. Another reason is that Christian has to work and I don't so I can actually rest during the day if I need to. And, if I'm being totally honest, another reason is that I think I'm the only one who knows how to do everything the "right" way. ((Hi, my name is Chrissi and I'm a control freak))
Well, last night I decided to let Christian take Max duty when he woke up for the first time. I had a bottle all ready for him when we went to bed around 11 last night (which is very late for us). Max actually went to bed around 6:30. He's been falling asleep earlier and earlier lately. So anyway.... Max woke up at about midnight and his first little whimper wakes me up but Christian is always able to sleep right through anything. I guess it's a mother thing- I am such a light sleeper now. I had to practically shake Christian to death in order to wake him up to go in there and feed Max. Finally he wakes up and goes and gets Max and starts feeding him. I then hear Christian walking out of Max's room and into the bathroom. I'm laying in bed wondering what the hell he's doing. Then, I hear him peeing. Then.... I hear something drop. Then... I hear Max kind of start to fuss and Christian shushing him a little. Then.... I hear Christian walking back towards our bedroom and he says "you'll never guess what just happened". At that point I knew. My darling husband was trying to pee and feed Max as the same time. He was holding the bottle in Max's mouth with his chin while his other hand (the one that wasn't holding Max) was "occupied". Then, Max decided to move his head a little, like all babies do, and the whole damn bottle fell into the toilet.
Oh. My. God. I wanted to murder Christian. Six ounces of breastmilk (which is more valuable than gold in our house) was floating in a bowl of pee. Fabulous, freaking fabulous. So, obviously, I had to go in and finish that feeding.
I could tell Christian felt horrible and we ended up laughing about it but I hope he learned a lesson! And, I may have learned to stick with my control freak ways. haha
Anyway, I thought all of you would enjoy that. Hope you're having a great week!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Well, last night I decided to let Christian take Max duty when he woke up for the first time. I had a bottle all ready for him when we went to bed around 11 last night (which is very late for us). Max actually went to bed around 6:30. He's been falling asleep earlier and earlier lately. So anyway.... Max woke up at about midnight and his first little whimper wakes me up but Christian is always able to sleep right through anything. I guess it's a mother thing- I am such a light sleeper now. I had to practically shake Christian to death in order to wake him up to go in there and feed Max. Finally he wakes up and goes and gets Max and starts feeding him. I then hear Christian walking out of Max's room and into the bathroom. I'm laying in bed wondering what the hell he's doing. Then, I hear him peeing. Then.... I hear something drop. Then... I hear Max kind of start to fuss and Christian shushing him a little. Then.... I hear Christian walking back towards our bedroom and he says "you'll never guess what just happened". At that point I knew. My darling husband was trying to pee and feed Max as the same time. He was holding the bottle in Max's mouth with his chin while his other hand (the one that wasn't holding Max) was "occupied". Then, Max decided to move his head a little, like all babies do, and the whole damn bottle fell into the toilet.
Oh. My. God. I wanted to murder Christian. Six ounces of breastmilk (which is more valuable than gold in our house) was floating in a bowl of pee. Fabulous, freaking fabulous. So, obviously, I had to go in and finish that feeding.
I could tell Christian felt horrible and we ended up laughing about it but I hope he learned a lesson! And, I may have learned to stick with my control freak ways. haha
Anyway, I thought all of you would enjoy that. Hope you're having a great week!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Saturday, June 2, 2012
How the heck is it JUNE?!
I'll repeat the title of this post- HOW THE HECK IS IT JUNE?! I can't believe this year is almost half over. That is craaaaazy. I guess time flies when you're having fun (and raising a baby). :)
I hope all of you are doing well and having a great weekend! Christian's squadron is having their annual picnic today so Max and I are about to head out to base to meet Christian for that. Christian is getting in the dunk tank so this should be fun! haha Apparently, he got the most votes within the squadron to be the person in the tank. I'm starting to wonder if people don't like him. haha Just kidding. :)
Last night we had our friend Scott come in town. He's checking out Christian's squadron as a potential squadron to drill with as a reservist. So, he got in around 5 and we all went out to Haddonfield's First Friday celebration. But, it wasn't as crowded as usual because of the threat of major weather that we had last night. It wasn't too bad around here but apparently areas south of us got it pretty hard. Hoping everyone that was affected is OK!
So, I have to fess up to something. :-/ Many of you may have seen on Facebook that Max and I went to the beach this week. We had such a great time with friends and he loves the beach. However, (and I cringe as I type this) he got his first little sunburn. We were under an umbrella the entire time and he was never in direct sunlight but the reflections off the sand got him. I feel AWFULLLLLLLL. Seriously, I've never felt worse about myself in my entire life. BUT, it doesn't seem to bother him AT ALL. He's happy as can be and sleeping just the same as always. It's on his forehead and he even had little tiny water blisters. Yeah, imagine having to look at your little angel with a red face and little bumps. AWFUL! I called his pediatrician yesterday morning (the morning after it happened) and asked if there is anything I should do and he said as long as Max doesn't seem bothered by it, don't worry about it. But, as the day went on yesterday, I couldn't get ANYTHING done because I couldn't stop looking up stuff online to help calm my nerves about it. Yeah, the internet sucks for that. So, I called the doctor's office again and asked if I could bring him in just to have it looked at. They said sure so I took him in. The doctor just gave me some pointers for the next time we're out at the beach (which isn't in my near future since I still feel horrible about it) to help block the reflections and all that jazz. He's still a little too young for sunscreen, she says, so I have to be super careful in just keeping him out of the sun. She suggested I just put Aquaphor (a thick healing cream for babies) on it to keep it moisturized and to nurse him more often to make sure he's staying super hydrated. But, like I said, he's totally fine and content and doesn't even flinch with I put the lotion on him. I also gave him a bath this morning and washed his hair and face and he just kept on splashing like always! haha I think it's way worse for me than it is for him. I HATE it and I've apologized to him about a thousand times. haha
Well, other than that debacle, we are just having a great time watching Max grow and become so much fun! He's so darn cute and he learns new things so quickly! I can't wait to get back down to Florida for the family to see him! Only about two more weeks until I'm there! I'm soooo excited! I'm flying out of Washington DC since they have direct flights. I'm going to stay with my father-in-law (Jurgen) in Baltimore the night before and he'll drive me and Max down to the airport for our flight out. It's about a two and a half hour flight so hopefully Max will do really well again. He's not as fussy as he used to be but he stays awake longer and wants to play so hopefully he won't get too antsy.
Also, we FINALLY ordered the pictures that we had taken when Max was two weeks old. They're so precious! I'll post them on Facebook ASAP so y'all can take a look. The files are too big and take too long to upload on here. :)
Well, enjoy your weekend and have a happy day!
xoxo,
Chrissi
I hope all of you are doing well and having a great weekend! Christian's squadron is having their annual picnic today so Max and I are about to head out to base to meet Christian for that. Christian is getting in the dunk tank so this should be fun! haha Apparently, he got the most votes within the squadron to be the person in the tank. I'm starting to wonder if people don't like him. haha Just kidding. :)
Last night we had our friend Scott come in town. He's checking out Christian's squadron as a potential squadron to drill with as a reservist. So, he got in around 5 and we all went out to Haddonfield's First Friday celebration. But, it wasn't as crowded as usual because of the threat of major weather that we had last night. It wasn't too bad around here but apparently areas south of us got it pretty hard. Hoping everyone that was affected is OK!
So, I have to fess up to something. :-/ Many of you may have seen on Facebook that Max and I went to the beach this week. We had such a great time with friends and he loves the beach. However, (and I cringe as I type this) he got his first little sunburn. We were under an umbrella the entire time and he was never in direct sunlight but the reflections off the sand got him. I feel AWFULLLLLLLL. Seriously, I've never felt worse about myself in my entire life. BUT, it doesn't seem to bother him AT ALL. He's happy as can be and sleeping just the same as always. It's on his forehead and he even had little tiny water blisters. Yeah, imagine having to look at your little angel with a red face and little bumps. AWFUL! I called his pediatrician yesterday morning (the morning after it happened) and asked if there is anything I should do and he said as long as Max doesn't seem bothered by it, don't worry about it. But, as the day went on yesterday, I couldn't get ANYTHING done because I couldn't stop looking up stuff online to help calm my nerves about it. Yeah, the internet sucks for that. So, I called the doctor's office again and asked if I could bring him in just to have it looked at. They said sure so I took him in. The doctor just gave me some pointers for the next time we're out at the beach (which isn't in my near future since I still feel horrible about it) to help block the reflections and all that jazz. He's still a little too young for sunscreen, she says, so I have to be super careful in just keeping him out of the sun. She suggested I just put Aquaphor (a thick healing cream for babies) on it to keep it moisturized and to nurse him more often to make sure he's staying super hydrated. But, like I said, he's totally fine and content and doesn't even flinch with I put the lotion on him. I also gave him a bath this morning and washed his hair and face and he just kept on splashing like always! haha I think it's way worse for me than it is for him. I HATE it and I've apologized to him about a thousand times. haha
Well, other than that debacle, we are just having a great time watching Max grow and become so much fun! He's so darn cute and he learns new things so quickly! I can't wait to get back down to Florida for the family to see him! Only about two more weeks until I'm there! I'm soooo excited! I'm flying out of Washington DC since they have direct flights. I'm going to stay with my father-in-law (Jurgen) in Baltimore the night before and he'll drive me and Max down to the airport for our flight out. It's about a two and a half hour flight so hopefully Max will do really well again. He's not as fussy as he used to be but he stays awake longer and wants to play so hopefully he won't get too antsy.
Also, we FINALLY ordered the pictures that we had taken when Max was two weeks old. They're so precious! I'll post them on Facebook ASAP so y'all can take a look. The files are too big and take too long to upload on here. :)
Well, enjoy your weekend and have a happy day!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Rain, rain, go away!
Hey everyone,
I hope someone, somewhere in the country, is enjoying delightful weather. Because it's been gloomyyyyy up here! I'm looking forward to the end of the week when it's supposed to be sunny and 75! This rainy/cloudy weather is no good for my mood which is already subpar due to lack of sleep. :-/ Yes, folks, you heard it here... my son refuses to sleep. OK, so it's not AWFUL or anything but it's not ideal either. During the day, he still isn't sleeping more than about 45 minutes at a time. So, that's just super. haha Then, at night, we've been trying to put him down earlier so Christian and I can have a little alone time. So, his bedtime is now between 7 & 8. Well, he usually sleeps until midnight or 1 a.m. and then he's up about every two to three hours after that. We usually go to bed between 9 & 10 so it's just not a whole lot of sleep. Like last night, put him down at 7:30 and he woke at midnight, 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. and then laid in bed with me until about 8:15. It could be worse, I know. But why does it seem that almost everyone else's baby sleeps through the night?? Blah. I just like to think Max is getting all kinds of super nutrients at night and he'll be a genius one day because of it. Hahaha.... rriiiiiiiight.
It's a bummer because it seems like we're going backwards in nighttime sleep. He was only waking up once a night around 3 a.m. and then we'd get up around 7 a.m. That wasn't bad AT ALL! I didn't mind the one midnight feeding... but, two or three is a bit draining. Maybe we'll have to sacrifice our mommy/daddy time a little while longer and keep a later bedtime. :( I feel like Christian and I just haven't had much quality time together that isn't spent with baby in tow or when we weren't too tired to even focus on anything other than a boring show on t.v. Again, I wish we lived near family so we had all sorts of baby sitters! But, right now, we don't so I'll just suck it up.
Speaking of living near family, we got some weird news today in regards to Christian's career that kind of throws a loop in plans. We have always been under the impression that Christian would be able to continue flying for the rest of his time in the Navy until he retires in five years. Well, apparently that might not be possible now because of so many squadrons decommissioning and so many new applicants for the program he's in right now. So, now, there's some kind of guideline that states he can't do two of the same kind of tours after his department head tour, which he's in right now. Basically, the only way he'll be able to get a flying position next is if there's some kind of billet that can't be filled with a new applicant. Those are few and far between. It looks like we'll be doing some kind of staff tour somewhere and hoping that during that staff tour, Christian can still fly with a squadron that's close by so he can maintain his currency and get a job flying when he retires. So, there are all kinds of NOSC (not sure what that stands for but it's the position name) locations all over the country... even in Pensacola. We're still a little far out to even have any clue what our options are but Christian's going to start talking to his CO and detailer soon to get some ideas. Obviously I'm pushing for us to come back to Florida in any way possible. My mindset has TOTALLY changed since having Max. Before him, I really didn't mind living away from family because it was relatively easy for me to hop on a flight for a visit. Now, it's a totally different ballgame. And, to add one more kid in the mix eventually would just make it that much harder to travel by air in the next four or five years until they're old enough to walk along with me. Then, by that time, I'd have to buy three tickets if I wanted to take the kids down to Florida! AHHH! haha These are the things I think about in the long run and my darling husband just doesn't. So, we have some things to figure out and decisions to make. Hopefully we still have quite a bit of say-so in regards to where we end up. I'll update you guys once we know more.
So anyway, everything else is going well. Max is getting big and he's so funny. He smiles quite a bit now, especially after he wakes up and after he eats. In between those times, he's a bit more grumpy. haha Right now, I hear him fussing up a storm downstairs with Christian. But, I deal with it all day long so I'm letting daddy get a little taste. haha He's been kind of a pill today anyway so I'm enjoying the little break! Not sure if he's going through a growth spurt lately or what but he gets frustrated while breastfeeding and won't finish a feeding but takes a bottle of pumped milk perfectly. So, this afternoon, I'm just pumping and giving him a bottle so I know he's getting a full feeding. :( Hopefully he stays a little more chilled out and lets me get more than a couple hours of sleep at a time. :) I know it will eventually happen and I will eventually get a normal night's sleep but man, oh man, I miss my 10 hours of sleep that I used to get. haha Those are long gone.
Well, I hope you guys are having a great week so far! I think we're going to go visit the Underwoods this weekend down in Baltimore but those are our only plans. Thankfully the weather will be nice!
I'll talk to you all soon!
xo,
Chrissi
I hope someone, somewhere in the country, is enjoying delightful weather. Because it's been gloomyyyyy up here! I'm looking forward to the end of the week when it's supposed to be sunny and 75! This rainy/cloudy weather is no good for my mood which is already subpar due to lack of sleep. :-/ Yes, folks, you heard it here... my son refuses to sleep. OK, so it's not AWFUL or anything but it's not ideal either. During the day, he still isn't sleeping more than about 45 minutes at a time. So, that's just super. haha Then, at night, we've been trying to put him down earlier so Christian and I can have a little alone time. So, his bedtime is now between 7 & 8. Well, he usually sleeps until midnight or 1 a.m. and then he's up about every two to three hours after that. We usually go to bed between 9 & 10 so it's just not a whole lot of sleep. Like last night, put him down at 7:30 and he woke at midnight, 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. and then laid in bed with me until about 8:15. It could be worse, I know. But why does it seem that almost everyone else's baby sleeps through the night?? Blah. I just like to think Max is getting all kinds of super nutrients at night and he'll be a genius one day because of it. Hahaha.... rriiiiiiiight.
It's a bummer because it seems like we're going backwards in nighttime sleep. He was only waking up once a night around 3 a.m. and then we'd get up around 7 a.m. That wasn't bad AT ALL! I didn't mind the one midnight feeding... but, two or three is a bit draining. Maybe we'll have to sacrifice our mommy/daddy time a little while longer and keep a later bedtime. :( I feel like Christian and I just haven't had much quality time together that isn't spent with baby in tow or when we weren't too tired to even focus on anything other than a boring show on t.v. Again, I wish we lived near family so we had all sorts of baby sitters! But, right now, we don't so I'll just suck it up.
Speaking of living near family, we got some weird news today in regards to Christian's career that kind of throws a loop in plans. We have always been under the impression that Christian would be able to continue flying for the rest of his time in the Navy until he retires in five years. Well, apparently that might not be possible now because of so many squadrons decommissioning and so many new applicants for the program he's in right now. So, now, there's some kind of guideline that states he can't do two of the same kind of tours after his department head tour, which he's in right now. Basically, the only way he'll be able to get a flying position next is if there's some kind of billet that can't be filled with a new applicant. Those are few and far between. It looks like we'll be doing some kind of staff tour somewhere and hoping that during that staff tour, Christian can still fly with a squadron that's close by so he can maintain his currency and get a job flying when he retires. So, there are all kinds of NOSC (not sure what that stands for but it's the position name) locations all over the country... even in Pensacola. We're still a little far out to even have any clue what our options are but Christian's going to start talking to his CO and detailer soon to get some ideas. Obviously I'm pushing for us to come back to Florida in any way possible. My mindset has TOTALLY changed since having Max. Before him, I really didn't mind living away from family because it was relatively easy for me to hop on a flight for a visit. Now, it's a totally different ballgame. And, to add one more kid in the mix eventually would just make it that much harder to travel by air in the next four or five years until they're old enough to walk along with me. Then, by that time, I'd have to buy three tickets if I wanted to take the kids down to Florida! AHHH! haha These are the things I think about in the long run and my darling husband just doesn't. So, we have some things to figure out and decisions to make. Hopefully we still have quite a bit of say-so in regards to where we end up. I'll update you guys once we know more.
So anyway, everything else is going well. Max is getting big and he's so funny. He smiles quite a bit now, especially after he wakes up and after he eats. In between those times, he's a bit more grumpy. haha Right now, I hear him fussing up a storm downstairs with Christian. But, I deal with it all day long so I'm letting daddy get a little taste. haha He's been kind of a pill today anyway so I'm enjoying the little break! Not sure if he's going through a growth spurt lately or what but he gets frustrated while breastfeeding and won't finish a feeding but takes a bottle of pumped milk perfectly. So, this afternoon, I'm just pumping and giving him a bottle so I know he's getting a full feeding. :( Hopefully he stays a little more chilled out and lets me get more than a couple hours of sleep at a time. :) I know it will eventually happen and I will eventually get a normal night's sleep but man, oh man, I miss my 10 hours of sleep that I used to get. haha Those are long gone.
Well, I hope you guys are having a great week so far! I think we're going to go visit the Underwoods this weekend down in Baltimore but those are our only plans. Thankfully the weather will be nice!
I'll talk to you all soon!
xo,
Chrissi
Friday, May 4, 2012
It's May, y'all!
Hey everybody!
Can any of you believe it's already May? It seems like yesterday I was taking down my Christmas tree! Now, it's almost summertime! Crazy how time flies when your a super busy mom! haha
We made it back from Florida and I did NOT want to come home! I had such a great time and I really got to experience what it would be like to live near family and MAN OH MAN do I wish we could live near my family. :( I guess it makes it more special when we do get to see everyone, though. I hope those of you who get to have your kids around your extended family never take that for granted! So anyway, we had a great trip! It was a blast seeing Max meet everyone. He even met some new friends- cousin Bram, the twins, Lilah and Colin and big man Easton! He did great around them. :) He also had his first real beach day which he loved. The sounds of the water and birds put him right to sleep. I think Max and I are going to come back in June for a couple weeks while Christian is in Japan. There are direct flights out of DC that are pretty cheap so I'll fly out of there and won't have to worry about a layover anywhere. Perfect! The flight I'm looking at now gets in the evening of June 18th and I'll come back July 1st. That will give me two weeks down there which will be great! Plus, many of my friends are teachers so they'll already be off for the summer so we'll have plenty of playmates!
Things have been good since we got back home. Max is still having nap issues but he's only waking once at night, which is good. I guess you gotta take the bad with the good, right? Ugh... With his naps only being about 45 minutes, it's very hard for me to get anything done. I either get to eat, clean or take a shower... and it's usually one of those per nap. haha But, the crappy thing is, when he wakes from his nap, it's not like he's rested and a happy baby. He's kind of fussy and I can tell he's still super tired. He'll get fussy and his eyes stay in little slits but he won't sleep hard. I've tried pretty much everything but if any of you have any ideas, please send them my way!
Anyway, Christian leaves tomorrow for about five days so that kind of stinks. :( His traveling really stinks now that Max is here. If we could just win the lottery or something and have Christian not work and we could all just hang out every day, that would be fabulous! haha I can dream, right?
Well, I hope all of you had a great week and are looking forward to a great weekend!
xo,
Chrissi
Can any of you believe it's already May? It seems like yesterday I was taking down my Christmas tree! Now, it's almost summertime! Crazy how time flies when your a super busy mom! haha
We made it back from Florida and I did NOT want to come home! I had such a great time and I really got to experience what it would be like to live near family and MAN OH MAN do I wish we could live near my family. :( I guess it makes it more special when we do get to see everyone, though. I hope those of you who get to have your kids around your extended family never take that for granted! So anyway, we had a great trip! It was a blast seeing Max meet everyone. He even met some new friends- cousin Bram, the twins, Lilah and Colin and big man Easton! He did great around them. :) He also had his first real beach day which he loved. The sounds of the water and birds put him right to sleep. I think Max and I are going to come back in June for a couple weeks while Christian is in Japan. There are direct flights out of DC that are pretty cheap so I'll fly out of there and won't have to worry about a layover anywhere. Perfect! The flight I'm looking at now gets in the evening of June 18th and I'll come back July 1st. That will give me two weeks down there which will be great! Plus, many of my friends are teachers so they'll already be off for the summer so we'll have plenty of playmates!
Things have been good since we got back home. Max is still having nap issues but he's only waking once at night, which is good. I guess you gotta take the bad with the good, right? Ugh... With his naps only being about 45 minutes, it's very hard for me to get anything done. I either get to eat, clean or take a shower... and it's usually one of those per nap. haha But, the crappy thing is, when he wakes from his nap, it's not like he's rested and a happy baby. He's kind of fussy and I can tell he's still super tired. He'll get fussy and his eyes stay in little slits but he won't sleep hard. I've tried pretty much everything but if any of you have any ideas, please send them my way!
Anyway, Christian leaves tomorrow for about five days so that kind of stinks. :( His traveling really stinks now that Max is here. If we could just win the lottery or something and have Christian not work and we could all just hang out every day, that would be fabulous! haha I can dream, right?
Well, I hope all of you had a great week and are looking forward to a great weekend!
xo,
Chrissi
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Florida in 3 days!!!
Hey y'all!
I'm getting so excited about going to Pensacola! I'm so pumped to watch my best friend in the entire world get married Saturday! Woohoo! I'm also so excited for everyone to meet Max! I know he's going to love it, too. :)
So, everything is going well up here. Christian is on another trip until tomorrow. He went down to Central or South America somewhere... I can't remember. haha So, he'll be back tomorrow and take Thursday off and then we'll fly down to Florida Friday morning bright and early. Our flight leaves at 6 a.m. so that will be awesome. (sarcasm) haha
Max is still doing well. We've hit a few road blocks with his routine and he's been a little more fussy and waking up more at night lately. It's been about a week of him only napping about 45 minutes at a time so it's been draining me. Then, he sleeps about 4-5 hours right when I put him down at night but then he's up every two hours. UGH! Needless to say, I'm a little sleepy. But, I'm making it. I think he's starting to have trouble transitioning through sleep cycles. A typical sleep cycle for infants is 45 minutes and I can time it to the minute of when he'll wake up. It's really crazy. So, something I just tried on his most recent nap is to go into his room about five minutes before he wakes up (since I know exactly when he wakes) and put some firm pressure on his legs and arms so he doesn't startle himself awake. Then, I have to stand there like that while he goes through the REM cycle. It's really interesting to watch and I get to stare at my little precious angel while he sleeps. So, it's not so bad. This seemed to work on this particular nap because he's been down for about 2 hours now and I went in twice to help him! Hopefully that is the issue and I can help him get a little more rest during the day since I know that helps him sleep much better at night. Plus, it helps me determine what he's in need of! When he was waking after 45 minutes, I had no idea what he needed! I'd change his diaper and that wasn't it. I'd try to feed him and he'd fuss the whole time and barely eat so I know he's not waking out of hunger. So, I'm really hoping I've found the culprit. Wish me luck! Things that I've read online say that I may have to help him transition for about a week but I'm willing to do it if it helps him learn to do it on his on and not wake himself up totally and be grumpy!
So anyway, it's been crazy warm up here the past two days! Yesterday it was 90 degrees!!! Today, it's about 80 and it's been beautiful both days. Yesterday, we went out to Point Pleasant Beach here in NJ with my friend Amy and her little boy. We just drove out, had lunch and walked the boardwalk a little bit but it was a good time. Like I said, the weather was gorgeous and it was actually a lot cooler by the ocean. So, that was fun. Today, I just ran to the grocery store and went to pick up my bridesmaid dress from the seamstress. It fits perfectly so I'm super happy about that. I'm getting a spray tan on Thursday to mask some of my white girl look. haha I'm so pale, it's ridiculous!
But anyway, I hope all of you are having a great week and I'll see a lot of you in the next week or so!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
I'm getting so excited about going to Pensacola! I'm so pumped to watch my best friend in the entire world get married Saturday! Woohoo! I'm also so excited for everyone to meet Max! I know he's going to love it, too. :)
So, everything is going well up here. Christian is on another trip until tomorrow. He went down to Central or South America somewhere... I can't remember. haha So, he'll be back tomorrow and take Thursday off and then we'll fly down to Florida Friday morning bright and early. Our flight leaves at 6 a.m. so that will be awesome. (sarcasm) haha
Max is still doing well. We've hit a few road blocks with his routine and he's been a little more fussy and waking up more at night lately. It's been about a week of him only napping about 45 minutes at a time so it's been draining me. Then, he sleeps about 4-5 hours right when I put him down at night but then he's up every two hours. UGH! Needless to say, I'm a little sleepy. But, I'm making it. I think he's starting to have trouble transitioning through sleep cycles. A typical sleep cycle for infants is 45 minutes and I can time it to the minute of when he'll wake up. It's really crazy. So, something I just tried on his most recent nap is to go into his room about five minutes before he wakes up (since I know exactly when he wakes) and put some firm pressure on his legs and arms so he doesn't startle himself awake. Then, I have to stand there like that while he goes through the REM cycle. It's really interesting to watch and I get to stare at my little precious angel while he sleeps. So, it's not so bad. This seemed to work on this particular nap because he's been down for about 2 hours now and I went in twice to help him! Hopefully that is the issue and I can help him get a little more rest during the day since I know that helps him sleep much better at night. Plus, it helps me determine what he's in need of! When he was waking after 45 minutes, I had no idea what he needed! I'd change his diaper and that wasn't it. I'd try to feed him and he'd fuss the whole time and barely eat so I know he's not waking out of hunger. So, I'm really hoping I've found the culprit. Wish me luck! Things that I've read online say that I may have to help him transition for about a week but I'm willing to do it if it helps him learn to do it on his on and not wake himself up totally and be grumpy!
So anyway, it's been crazy warm up here the past two days! Yesterday it was 90 degrees!!! Today, it's about 80 and it's been beautiful both days. Yesterday, we went out to Point Pleasant Beach here in NJ with my friend Amy and her little boy. We just drove out, had lunch and walked the boardwalk a little bit but it was a good time. Like I said, the weather was gorgeous and it was actually a lot cooler by the ocean. So, that was fun. Today, I just ran to the grocery store and went to pick up my bridesmaid dress from the seamstress. It fits perfectly so I'm super happy about that. I'm getting a spray tan on Thursday to mask some of my white girl look. haha I'm so pale, it's ridiculous!
But anyway, I hope all of you are having a great week and I'll see a lot of you in the next week or so!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Update
Hi everyone!
Well, Christian made it home last week. He was delayed a couple days but he's home now and I couldn't be happier about that! It's amazing how much easier caring for a baby is when you actually have your husband around! haha Well, it's not exactly easy... but it's certainly easier than doing it all on my own!
So, he made it home Tuesday and we left Thursday to head out to his dad's in Maryland. This weekend was the first time that side of the family has seen Max so it was a nice little visit. He traveled in the car really well and pretty much slept the entire way except to eat and get his diaper changed. So, that was a breeze! However, he certainly knew he wasn't at home. The first night we were there, he woke up every two hours. NOT FUN! It was especially disheartening because the two nights before that, he slept about seven hours straight! So, now that we're back home, I'm hoping he gets back to that. Last night we got home and he slept five hours, woke up once at 3 a.m. and then slept again until about 6:15 this morning. So, not too bad. But anyway, Max met his "pappy" (Christian's dad), his Uncle Jesse and Aunt Lori, and his great grandmother! A couple of Christian's cousins stopped by too. We took Max to church with us on Easter Sunday and he slept the entire service which was great! haha We were all in our nice little Easter outfits and I forgot to take a family picture before we all changed into more comfy stuff. Oh well. :(
Everything else is going well as far as Max and parenthood goes. We're still using the Baby Wise routine thing and it is really nice. Basically he eats, is awake for about 30-45 minutes after that and then sleeps for about 1.5-2 hours. He's starting to have a little more awake time as he gets older but the routine is nice because it makes things predictable for me. I know when he's going to eat and can pretty much predict when he'll sleep through something if I need to go somewhere. Breastfeeding is still going well too! I almost gave up about two weeks ago because he was going through a growth spurt for almost THREE DAYS and I was here by myself and it was just absolutely exhausting and I felt like a dairy cow. But, I'm glad I didn't give up. The only tough thing is not knowing how much he eats. We give him a bottle about three or four times a week and he seems to be eating between 3.5 and 4 ounces but I'm just worried that one day he will want a lot more than what I have in a bottle. I guess we just always have to have back-up! Breastfeeding isn't the most glamourous thing though. I have a pretty robust supply so milk gets everywhere. haha It leaks through my shirts (and breast pads) at night and sprays Max in the face sometimes. hahahah It's really ridiculous. TMI? haha
Max had his two month pediatric appointment today. He won't actually be two months until next Wednesday. So, he's a healthy 10 pounds, 11.5 ounces now so he's gaining weight well and everything else is looking good too. But, this doc appointment was pitiful! Max had to have three shots and he also had to have a hemoglobin test redone where they prick his heel and squeeze blood out to be sent off to a lab. The shots weren't terribly awful but he did scream as soon as each one was administered. So, that sucked to start with. Then, the heel prick was just absolutely awful! The prick itself hurt him but his feet were cold so his blood wasn't flowing really well so the doc had to keep squeezing the crap out of his heel to get enough blood to fill five little circles on a piece of paper for the test. He screamed and had big tears coming out of his eyes. At that point, I started crying. It was horrible! I felt so awful for him. The doctor then told me she's never had that hard of a time getting enough blood out. Ugh. Poor little guy. So, after that appointment, he crashed from exhaustion while we went to the grocery store and then he slept a little more when we got home. :( He's ok now but I can tell his little legs are sore where the shots went in. He lets out little pitiful cries when I hold him the wrong way or when I'm changing his diaper and touch his leg. :( Hopefully he feels better very soon.
Well, next Friday we have our big trip down to Florida! I can't wait to get down there and see my family and friends! I'm so excited about my BEST FRIEND's wedding!!! I'm also super pumped that we're staying at the beach for a few days on the trip! Woohoo! I'm hoping Max does well on the flight and that his sleep doesn't get too messed up like it did this past weekend. Maybe now that he's done one trip, he'll do fine on the next one. ((Wishful thinking- haha)).
I hope all of you are having a great week! I'll post again soon!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Well, Christian made it home last week. He was delayed a couple days but he's home now and I couldn't be happier about that! It's amazing how much easier caring for a baby is when you actually have your husband around! haha Well, it's not exactly easy... but it's certainly easier than doing it all on my own!
So, he made it home Tuesday and we left Thursday to head out to his dad's in Maryland. This weekend was the first time that side of the family has seen Max so it was a nice little visit. He traveled in the car really well and pretty much slept the entire way except to eat and get his diaper changed. So, that was a breeze! However, he certainly knew he wasn't at home. The first night we were there, he woke up every two hours. NOT FUN! It was especially disheartening because the two nights before that, he slept about seven hours straight! So, now that we're back home, I'm hoping he gets back to that. Last night we got home and he slept five hours, woke up once at 3 a.m. and then slept again until about 6:15 this morning. So, not too bad. But anyway, Max met his "pappy" (Christian's dad), his Uncle Jesse and Aunt Lori, and his great grandmother! A couple of Christian's cousins stopped by too. We took Max to church with us on Easter Sunday and he slept the entire service which was great! haha We were all in our nice little Easter outfits and I forgot to take a family picture before we all changed into more comfy stuff. Oh well. :(
Everything else is going well as far as Max and parenthood goes. We're still using the Baby Wise routine thing and it is really nice. Basically he eats, is awake for about 30-45 minutes after that and then sleeps for about 1.5-2 hours. He's starting to have a little more awake time as he gets older but the routine is nice because it makes things predictable for me. I know when he's going to eat and can pretty much predict when he'll sleep through something if I need to go somewhere. Breastfeeding is still going well too! I almost gave up about two weeks ago because he was going through a growth spurt for almost THREE DAYS and I was here by myself and it was just absolutely exhausting and I felt like a dairy cow. But, I'm glad I didn't give up. The only tough thing is not knowing how much he eats. We give him a bottle about three or four times a week and he seems to be eating between 3.5 and 4 ounces but I'm just worried that one day he will want a lot more than what I have in a bottle. I guess we just always have to have back-up! Breastfeeding isn't the most glamourous thing though. I have a pretty robust supply so milk gets everywhere. haha It leaks through my shirts (and breast pads) at night and sprays Max in the face sometimes. hahahah It's really ridiculous. TMI? haha
Max had his two month pediatric appointment today. He won't actually be two months until next Wednesday. So, he's a healthy 10 pounds, 11.5 ounces now so he's gaining weight well and everything else is looking good too. But, this doc appointment was pitiful! Max had to have three shots and he also had to have a hemoglobin test redone where they prick his heel and squeeze blood out to be sent off to a lab. The shots weren't terribly awful but he did scream as soon as each one was administered. So, that sucked to start with. Then, the heel prick was just absolutely awful! The prick itself hurt him but his feet were cold so his blood wasn't flowing really well so the doc had to keep squeezing the crap out of his heel to get enough blood to fill five little circles on a piece of paper for the test. He screamed and had big tears coming out of his eyes. At that point, I started crying. It was horrible! I felt so awful for him. The doctor then told me she's never had that hard of a time getting enough blood out. Ugh. Poor little guy. So, after that appointment, he crashed from exhaustion while we went to the grocery store and then he slept a little more when we got home. :( He's ok now but I can tell his little legs are sore where the shots went in. He lets out little pitiful cries when I hold him the wrong way or when I'm changing his diaper and touch his leg. :( Hopefully he feels better very soon.
Well, next Friday we have our big trip down to Florida! I can't wait to get down there and see my family and friends! I'm so excited about my BEST FRIEND's wedding!!! I'm also super pumped that we're staying at the beach for a few days on the trip! Woohoo! I'm hoping Max does well on the flight and that his sleep doesn't get too messed up like it did this past weekend. Maybe now that he's done one trip, he'll do fine on the next one. ((Wishful thinking- haha)).
I hope all of you are having a great week! I'll post again soon!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Finals days!!!!
Woohoo!!! We've almost made it! Christian should be home Sunday and I am beyond excited to have my darling home! I can't freaking wait. Luckily we've been able to Skype almost every day so that has been great. But, I hate that he's away from Max and missing out on the tiny little changes he's made in the last three week. While Christian has been gone, Max has started sleeping in his own bed, he's started cooing, he smiled for the first time while talking to Christian on Skype ***which was AMAZING***, and he's so alert and will just interact with me so much more than before. And, as I type, I'm watching him nap on the monitor and he's slowly starting to find his hands as something to suck on and soothe him. It's great. So, obviously, I can't wait for Christian to see him. :)
So, anyway, since my last post, Mom came back in town and we had a great time! She got here last Thursday and left this Tuesday. We went into Philly two of the days she was here. The first day, we saw the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall and the second day, we went to the Art Museum. It was great to get out into the city and get a little culture. Max did great on both days and people were just oooing and ahhing over him the whole time. But, all in all, it was great to have Mom here. She kept me company and helped with Max quite a bit. It was VERY nice! I even got to go out for manicure and go back to the gym. Ahhh.... :)
The days that I haven't had company have just been spent by doing little outings here and there, attending some of the Mom's Club events and walking around the neighborhood. Today, I'm actually having to meet with a CPA to do our taxes. YIKES! We were going to do it after Christian got back but they don't accept appointment after April 1st so I'm meeting with him today and I think I have everything. Once you own a house and have investment stuff, taxes get a lot more complicated that the 1040-EZ I've always been used to! haha So, wish me luck... especially since Max is tagging along. :-/
So, Christian gets home Sunday and then he'll work a little next week and then Easter weekend we'll go out to Maryland to see his dad's and the rest of the family.
That's about it for us. Short and sweet, right? :) I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend coming up! Please pray for Christian's safe return!
xoxo,
Chrissi
So, anyway, since my last post, Mom came back in town and we had a great time! She got here last Thursday and left this Tuesday. We went into Philly two of the days she was here. The first day, we saw the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall and the second day, we went to the Art Museum. It was great to get out into the city and get a little culture. Max did great on both days and people were just oooing and ahhing over him the whole time. But, all in all, it was great to have Mom here. She kept me company and helped with Max quite a bit. It was VERY nice! I even got to go out for manicure and go back to the gym. Ahhh.... :)
The days that I haven't had company have just been spent by doing little outings here and there, attending some of the Mom's Club events and walking around the neighborhood. Today, I'm actually having to meet with a CPA to do our taxes. YIKES! We were going to do it after Christian got back but they don't accept appointment after April 1st so I'm meeting with him today and I think I have everything. Once you own a house and have investment stuff, taxes get a lot more complicated that the 1040-EZ I've always been used to! haha So, wish me luck... especially since Max is tagging along. :-/
So, Christian gets home Sunday and then he'll work a little next week and then Easter weekend we'll go out to Maryland to see his dad's and the rest of the family.
That's about it for us. Short and sweet, right? :) I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend coming up! Please pray for Christian's safe return!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Counting the days...
Hey everyone-
Hope all of you had a great weekend and didn't get pinched yesterday on St. Patty's Day! We had a good weekend with Dad & Rhonda here. It was a nice distraction from the fact that Christian is overseas. We kept busy, took a lot of walks, went out to dinner, went shopping and just enjoyed eachother's company. We also had Christian's biological dad and step-mom come up on Saturday to see Max and meet Dad & Rhonda. We all had a really good time.
I took Dad & Rhonda to the airport this afternoon and now Max and I are back home to an empty house. :( Coming back home this afternoon to an empty house made me pretty lonely. I had a little cry but now I'm OK. I just can't believe how hard this "det" (that's what Christian's trips are called) is on me. I knew it would be tough but it's just insane how much I miss Christian. I'm fine handling Max by myself and I really don't have a problem with that. But, I miss my best friend!
So, I'm just trying to stay as busy as humanly possible to make the time go by quickly. Daylight Savings Time is helping the days seem like they go by a little more quickly. It gets dark around 7:45 p.m. here and then Max and I go to bed around 9 or 10. So, there's not a whole lot of nighttime that we have to deal with, thank goodness.
Anyway, Max hit is one month mark today! I can't believe it's been a month. I can't say that it totally flew by but it is hard to believe we made it a whole month! He is changing every day and he's SOOO close to smiling at me. He coos a lot now too which is really cute. He's gaining weight and growing like crazy! He's so precious. It really is amazing how much you can love a little guy. The immediate mother-child bond didn't happen for me (maybe it was the 30 hours of labor haha) but it's certainly growing now and I love him so much. I just can't wait for Christian to be home and enjoy all the changes he's making! I send him at least one picture of Max every day so he can keep track. :)
Well, I'm going to finish my "me" time while Max is napping. Hope you all have a great week. Please continue any prayers or good vibes for Christian, me and Max so we can make it 17 more days.
xoxo,
Chrissi
Hope all of you had a great weekend and didn't get pinched yesterday on St. Patty's Day! We had a good weekend with Dad & Rhonda here. It was a nice distraction from the fact that Christian is overseas. We kept busy, took a lot of walks, went out to dinner, went shopping and just enjoyed eachother's company. We also had Christian's biological dad and step-mom come up on Saturday to see Max and meet Dad & Rhonda. We all had a really good time.
I took Dad & Rhonda to the airport this afternoon and now Max and I are back home to an empty house. :( Coming back home this afternoon to an empty house made me pretty lonely. I had a little cry but now I'm OK. I just can't believe how hard this "det" (that's what Christian's trips are called) is on me. I knew it would be tough but it's just insane how much I miss Christian. I'm fine handling Max by myself and I really don't have a problem with that. But, I miss my best friend!
So, I'm just trying to stay as busy as humanly possible to make the time go by quickly. Daylight Savings Time is helping the days seem like they go by a little more quickly. It gets dark around 7:45 p.m. here and then Max and I go to bed around 9 or 10. So, there's not a whole lot of nighttime that we have to deal with, thank goodness.
Anyway, Max hit is one month mark today! I can't believe it's been a month. I can't say that it totally flew by but it is hard to believe we made it a whole month! He is changing every day and he's SOOO close to smiling at me. He coos a lot now too which is really cute. He's gaining weight and growing like crazy! He's so precious. It really is amazing how much you can love a little guy. The immediate mother-child bond didn't happen for me (maybe it was the 30 hours of labor haha) but it's certainly growing now and I love him so much. I just can't wait for Christian to be home and enjoy all the changes he's making! I send him at least one picture of Max every day so he can keep track. :)
Well, I'm going to finish my "me" time while Max is napping. Hope you all have a great week. Please continue any prayers or good vibes for Christian, me and Max so we can make it 17 more days.
xoxo,
Chrissi
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
The day has come...
Well, the day I've been dreading is upon us and it sucks. I dropped Christian off at base this afternoon and he'll be overseas until the beginning of next month. So, it's just Max and me for the next three weeks. Yesterday was really tough and I cried a bit in anticipation of Christian leaving but today actually hasn't been awful. Christian and I were able to give Max his first real bath this morning since his umbilical cord finally fell off two nights ago. Then, we went to lunch and then I took him out to base. The goodbye was a little teary but not nearly as emotional as I expected. I thought I would totally break down but I didn't! So, now, we just have to make these next three weeks FLY BY!
I have a few things on the calendar to get us out of the house and help the days pass by. Tomorrow, I'm going to meet with a Mom's Club here in our town to see what they're all about. It's basically a group for stay-at-home moms to get together with and without their children to socialize and support one another. So, hopefully that will be something I like. We're meeting at a park nearby since the weather is so nice.
Then, my friends Vicki and Paige are coming over tomorrow evening to hang out. I'm pretty excited for some friend time! Plus, Vicki's bringing wine! haha
Then, on Friday, my dad and step-mom get in town for the weekend. I'm really excited for that too and for Max to meet another set of grandparents!
Next week, I have my post-natal doctor appointment to give me the go-ahead to get back to normal. I'm feeling great and I've lost all of my pregnancy weight so hopefully everything is going well with the rest of me recovering! I have to take Max with me to my appointment but hopefully he'll just sleep the whole time.
Sometime next week, I need to start the process of getting his birth certificate, social security stuff and then his passport since we're planning another trip to Germany later this year.
The weather is supposed to stay pretty nice the next 10 days so we'll be taking walks and going to the park some. Oh, also, Christian and I met a couple that lives like six houses down from us the other day while we were out walking. The wife, Talia, just had a baby boy on March 1st so that's pretty nice to know that someone else close by is going through what we're going through. She seems to be around my age or a little older. Hopefully she and I can connect a little more once we both really get the hang of this motherhood stuff.
Well, anyway, please just say a little prayer for the three of us so we make it through the next three weeks OK. Pray for Christian's safe flights too!
xoxo,
Chrissi
I have a few things on the calendar to get us out of the house and help the days pass by. Tomorrow, I'm going to meet with a Mom's Club here in our town to see what they're all about. It's basically a group for stay-at-home moms to get together with and without their children to socialize and support one another. So, hopefully that will be something I like. We're meeting at a park nearby since the weather is so nice.
Then, my friends Vicki and Paige are coming over tomorrow evening to hang out. I'm pretty excited for some friend time! Plus, Vicki's bringing wine! haha
Then, on Friday, my dad and step-mom get in town for the weekend. I'm really excited for that too and for Max to meet another set of grandparents!
Next week, I have my post-natal doctor appointment to give me the go-ahead to get back to normal. I'm feeling great and I've lost all of my pregnancy weight so hopefully everything is going well with the rest of me recovering! I have to take Max with me to my appointment but hopefully he'll just sleep the whole time.
Sometime next week, I need to start the process of getting his birth certificate, social security stuff and then his passport since we're planning another trip to Germany later this year.
The weather is supposed to stay pretty nice the next 10 days so we'll be taking walks and going to the park some. Oh, also, Christian and I met a couple that lives like six houses down from us the other day while we were out walking. The wife, Talia, just had a baby boy on March 1st so that's pretty nice to know that someone else close by is going through what we're going through. She seems to be around my age or a little older. Hopefully she and I can connect a little more once we both really get the hang of this motherhood stuff.
Well, anyway, please just say a little prayer for the three of us so we make it through the next three weeks OK. Pray for Christian's safe flights too!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Thursday, March 8, 2012
What a difference eight days make!
So, now we have a 19 day old! And, man, let me tell you, those eight days since my last post have only gotten better. Granted, it's still not the easiest thing in the world but we're definitely making it and I feel like my old self! I think those baby blues took a hike right at the two week point. THANK GOD! I'm hoping I never feel that way again. That was pure awful. So, all is well now and we're just making it day by day. :)
Max is doing great! I took him to the doc this morning for a weight check (they see breastfed babies a little more frequently to make sure they're gaining adequately) and he's almost a pound heavier than he was a birth! He weighed 7 lbs 3 oz at birth and now he's 8 lbs 1 oz! So, he's growing really well and proof positive that my milk supply is great! Another THANK GOD! haha He's not having any issues what so ever, other than a little diaper rash that keep creeping back in right when I think it's gone. But, that's pretty minimal and we're just managing it w/ some good ol' Butt Paste! :)
Christian is still doing well and he's such a FABULOUS dad! I'm so freakin' blessed it's ridiculous. I can't imagine having to do this on my own or with a husband who wasn't supportive. Props to any single moms out there. Holy crap you have a hard job. But anyway, Christian is home for five more days before he leaves for three weeks. Yes, that's freaking me out a bit but I know I just have to suck it up and handle it. I'm strong and I know I can do it. There may be a few tears shed while he's gone (and certainly when he leaves) but we'll be fine. Just pray for his safety please. Thank goodness he's not going on any kind of deployment. I'm not sure what I would do.
Everything at the house is slowly starting to get back in order. It's been hard to keep track of everything with this little guy latched to my boob most of the time. haha But, I've decided to start a routine with Max so I'm hoping it pays off. Basically, I read the book "On Becoming Baby Wise" and it says if you stick to their routine, your baby should sleep through the night (at least eight hours) by 12 weeks of age. I'm all about that. It's called Parent Directed Feeding. Essentially, you direct your baby's routine rather than jumping to their every single need or feeding them every time they cry. It's a lot about parental assessment of the situation and determining why baby is fussy before you all of a sudden jump to feed him. So, we've started the routine appropriate for 1-4 week olds. It's an eat, wake time, naptime routine every three hours. Then, at night, we let him sleep as long as he wants before feeding him again (usually about four hours in between feedings at night). So, hopefully, he'll understand soon enough that he eats during the day and sleeps at night. I'm on day three of that schedule now and it seems to be working pretty well (knock on wood). It also helps me with a little bit of predictability throughout my day. I asked Max's pediatrician about this routine business this morning and this is pretty much what she did with her kids so she has no problem with it. So, wish us continued success with this!
Anyway, just wanted to provide a little update for you guys! Hope all of you are having a great week! It's 70 degrees up here today and gorgeous!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Max is doing great! I took him to the doc this morning for a weight check (they see breastfed babies a little more frequently to make sure they're gaining adequately) and he's almost a pound heavier than he was a birth! He weighed 7 lbs 3 oz at birth and now he's 8 lbs 1 oz! So, he's growing really well and proof positive that my milk supply is great! Another THANK GOD! haha He's not having any issues what so ever, other than a little diaper rash that keep creeping back in right when I think it's gone. But, that's pretty minimal and we're just managing it w/ some good ol' Butt Paste! :)
Christian is still doing well and he's such a FABULOUS dad! I'm so freakin' blessed it's ridiculous. I can't imagine having to do this on my own or with a husband who wasn't supportive. Props to any single moms out there. Holy crap you have a hard job. But anyway, Christian is home for five more days before he leaves for three weeks. Yes, that's freaking me out a bit but I know I just have to suck it up and handle it. I'm strong and I know I can do it. There may be a few tears shed while he's gone (and certainly when he leaves) but we'll be fine. Just pray for his safety please. Thank goodness he's not going on any kind of deployment. I'm not sure what I would do.
Everything at the house is slowly starting to get back in order. It's been hard to keep track of everything with this little guy latched to my boob most of the time. haha But, I've decided to start a routine with Max so I'm hoping it pays off. Basically, I read the book "On Becoming Baby Wise" and it says if you stick to their routine, your baby should sleep through the night (at least eight hours) by 12 weeks of age. I'm all about that. It's called Parent Directed Feeding. Essentially, you direct your baby's routine rather than jumping to their every single need or feeding them every time they cry. It's a lot about parental assessment of the situation and determining why baby is fussy before you all of a sudden jump to feed him. So, we've started the routine appropriate for 1-4 week olds. It's an eat, wake time, naptime routine every three hours. Then, at night, we let him sleep as long as he wants before feeding him again (usually about four hours in between feedings at night). So, hopefully, he'll understand soon enough that he eats during the day and sleeps at night. I'm on day three of that schedule now and it seems to be working pretty well (knock on wood). It also helps me with a little bit of predictability throughout my day. I asked Max's pediatrician about this routine business this morning and this is pretty much what she did with her kids so she has no problem with it. So, wish us continued success with this!
Anyway, just wanted to provide a little update for you guys! Hope all of you are having a great week! It's 70 degrees up here today and gorgeous!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Wow... life change has hit me.
Hey everyone. So, here I am now with an 11 day old baby boy. It's really amazing and it's really a lot harder than I expected. Everything about his big arrival was a lot harder than I expected. But, we're making it just fine.
So, I'll start by explaining my labor and delivery for you guys. Like I said, it was a LOT harder than I ever expected. Christian and I think I got a raw deal on labor since I had such an easy pregnancy! haha So, contractions started coming at regular intervals at around 4 p.m. on Thursday, Feb.16. So, they weren't too painful that evening so we went to bed around 10 o'clock that night and then the painful ones started around midnight. I finally woke Christian up at about 1:30 a.m. and called the doctor. Doctor told us to go to the hospital to be checked in triage and so we did. We got to the hospital around 2:30 a.m. and was checked about an hour later and I was only 2 cm and 90% effaced. So, they had me walk around for an hour to see if any progress would be made. I was still having pretty hard contractions that made me crouch down on the floor when I was walking the halls but I kept on walking. So, about an hour and a half later, I got checked again and NO PROGRESS! So, they gave me the option of going home and I took it. I knew I'd be able to eat and rest at home a little more comfortably. Plus, I knew Christian was super tired. So, around 7 a.m., we headed home. I went straight to bed but the contractions only got stronger. I dealt with them until about 10 a.m. when I came downstairs and Christian made me eat something. He cooked me eggs and bacon so I barely got that down. Then, he made a fire in the fireplace and I sat on the floor moaning (and cussing) through contractions until they were definitely only five minutes apart. I called the doctor again telling him I was in a ridiculous amount of pain and he told me to go back to the hospital. So, I forced myself to eat a little more before we headed back to the hospital around 2 p.m. When we got back to the hospital. My OB was there and he checked me and I had made it to 5 cm and was 100% effaced! I was so excited and it gave me an extra jolt of energy. So, they admitted us and I had a new source of confidence in dealing with the pain so I made it through about another hour and half before I was checked again and really didn't make much progress since I was admitted. So, Dr. Grossman wanted to break my water and that scared me because I knew labor would get much more intense at that point so after discussing it with Christian, I opted for an epidural. Christian was really a cheerleader for me going natural and I appreciate the way he handled it. He just wanted to make sure I wouldn't be disappointed in myself for getting pain meds. So, I knew at that point that I wouldn't be upset because it was so painful and to me, going through that for God knows how long just wasn't worth it. Especially since I was so exhausted and knew I had a long way to go. So, a little while later, the anesthesiologist came in and administered the epidural. That went fine and didn't even hurt. But, about five minutes after I got it, I started getting chest pains and my heart rate skyrocketed to about 128 bpm. YIKES! About four docs ended up in my room and Christian and I were scared, of course. So, they did an EKG which turned out fine and they had a cardiologist check me over. Everything checked out fine so they just kept an eye on me for the next couple hours until the chest pressure went away. We think it was just nerves and indigestion. So, from there, everything just progressed slowly and FINALLY at around 1 a.m., I was ready to push. Well, turns out Max's head was facing up so it was going to be a pretty tough feat for me to turn him and get him out. At one point, his heart rate dropped SUPER low and scared everyone. We ended up having about six people in there at that point as they tried to roll me on my sides to see if he was just lying on his cord but nothing was working for about three minutes. Then, I heard the doc say "get the room ready". At that time, I knew I might have to have an emergency c-section. SCARY! But, Christian reassured me that everything would be fine and soon, Max's heart rate started to come back up and stayed up. So, after about two hours of pushing and being ABSOLUTELY EXHAUSTED, Max was still face up and having a hard time coming out. So, the doc finally offered to use a vacuum and possibly do an episiotomy and at that point, I didn't give a shit what had to be done. I just wanted him out of me! So, the doc got the vacuum ready and ended up pulling Max out without having to do an episiotomy. Whoa.... what a relief. He was immediately placed on my belly and then whisked away to be cleaned up before Christian brought him back so I could nurse him. Christian cut the cord and all was well. :)
So, long story but that was NOT fun, not enjoyable, not anything pleasant. haha. It was freaking TOUGH! I give major props to moms who can do it totally naturally but being in labor for around 30 hours is crazy. Hopefully the next one will be easier.
The next couple days in the hospital were OK. I was super sore all over my body and I just felt like I was hungover for a couple days. So, obviously my body went through hell. Max did well in the hospital but his bilirubin levels were a little elevated so they had to prick his heel a few times to keep checking. The level kept decreasing so they let us go home Monday afternoon but we had to take him back Tuesday morning to be tested once more and everything was fine and he was good.
So, the first night at home.... it was a challenge to say the least. I don't remember much of it but I was emotional and he wanted to stay on my boob for about two hours. It was crazy. We weren't prepared with a good sleeping environment for him really so we were a little disorganized. The second night I fixed up his cradle so it wouldn't swing like crazy, I brought in the white noise machine and kept lights and voices low when he would wake up. That seems to have helped. He's been sleeping about four-five hours at a time during the night so that's been good. I'm definitely tired because I'm not used to having interrupted sleep but I guess I need to get used to it for a while. :( He sleeps a good part of the day too but every day he seems more and more alert. He pretty much eats, sleeps and poops. Typical, right?
Breastfeeding is going well but it's really demanding on me. Having to stick to an every 2-3 hour feeding schedule during the day is just draining. And, the fact that no one else can really help me out with that is hard. But, I'm producing enough milk and he was already back to his birth weight last Friday. So, that's good.
We're doing the cloth diapering here and there. It's a little tough because we have to do laundry every night when we're doing it. He just goes to the bathroom SO MUCH right now. Speaking of going to the bathroom, he pees all over the place. Last night, every time I had to change him (two or three times- can't remember), he peed all over.... even almost hitting me in the face. Awesome. haha Luckily we keep a waterproof pad under him when we change him at night.
So... then there's the baby blues. Wow, they suck. I've had them pretty bad since he was born. I'm just feeling depressed and I miss my old life a hell of a lot. That makes me feel super guilty and then that makes me feel even worse. Ugh, it's like a vicious cycle. I'm feeling OK today but yesterday was rough. Some days are good, others are bad. I've been told it all gets better but right now it really sucks. I'm not one to sugar coat a situation so I'm not going to say that this is the best time of my life or that this is all absolutely amazing because, frankly, it isn't. It's tough, it's draining, it's daunting, it's tiring, it's hard. I know it will get better but I wish I could fast-forward to the easier time! Oh well. Just say a little prayer for us that we get through everything OK and without any emotional breakdowns. haha
Well, that about sums up everything that has been going on here. My mom came in town last Friday and then leaves this coming Sunday. She's been a huge help in keeping dishes washed and letting me take showers and naps. So, it will be tough to not have her around but I think that will also make me suck everything up and deal with it.
Then, Christian leaves March 14th for about 17 days. I AM NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT! He has been my ROCK through this and keeps me happy. I miss him so bad when he's at work and I know those 17 days are going to be hard. But, my Dad and step-mom are coming up for a weekend and Mom might come back up during that time too. So, we'll make it. Again, just pray for us.
Anyway, I'm going to relax a little before I feed little man and we head out to Christian's squadron to meet people and watch him play volleyball for a little bit. Hope y'all are having a good week.
xoxo,
Chrissi
So, I'll start by explaining my labor and delivery for you guys. Like I said, it was a LOT harder than I ever expected. Christian and I think I got a raw deal on labor since I had such an easy pregnancy! haha So, contractions started coming at regular intervals at around 4 p.m. on Thursday, Feb.16. So, they weren't too painful that evening so we went to bed around 10 o'clock that night and then the painful ones started around midnight. I finally woke Christian up at about 1:30 a.m. and called the doctor. Doctor told us to go to the hospital to be checked in triage and so we did. We got to the hospital around 2:30 a.m. and was checked about an hour later and I was only 2 cm and 90% effaced. So, they had me walk around for an hour to see if any progress would be made. I was still having pretty hard contractions that made me crouch down on the floor when I was walking the halls but I kept on walking. So, about an hour and a half later, I got checked again and NO PROGRESS! So, they gave me the option of going home and I took it. I knew I'd be able to eat and rest at home a little more comfortably. Plus, I knew Christian was super tired. So, around 7 a.m., we headed home. I went straight to bed but the contractions only got stronger. I dealt with them until about 10 a.m. when I came downstairs and Christian made me eat something. He cooked me eggs and bacon so I barely got that down. Then, he made a fire in the fireplace and I sat on the floor moaning (and cussing) through contractions until they were definitely only five minutes apart. I called the doctor again telling him I was in a ridiculous amount of pain and he told me to go back to the hospital. So, I forced myself to eat a little more before we headed back to the hospital around 2 p.m. When we got back to the hospital. My OB was there and he checked me and I had made it to 5 cm and was 100% effaced! I was so excited and it gave me an extra jolt of energy. So, they admitted us and I had a new source of confidence in dealing with the pain so I made it through about another hour and half before I was checked again and really didn't make much progress since I was admitted. So, Dr. Grossman wanted to break my water and that scared me because I knew labor would get much more intense at that point so after discussing it with Christian, I opted for an epidural. Christian was really a cheerleader for me going natural and I appreciate the way he handled it. He just wanted to make sure I wouldn't be disappointed in myself for getting pain meds. So, I knew at that point that I wouldn't be upset because it was so painful and to me, going through that for God knows how long just wasn't worth it. Especially since I was so exhausted and knew I had a long way to go. So, a little while later, the anesthesiologist came in and administered the epidural. That went fine and didn't even hurt. But, about five minutes after I got it, I started getting chest pains and my heart rate skyrocketed to about 128 bpm. YIKES! About four docs ended up in my room and Christian and I were scared, of course. So, they did an EKG which turned out fine and they had a cardiologist check me over. Everything checked out fine so they just kept an eye on me for the next couple hours until the chest pressure went away. We think it was just nerves and indigestion. So, from there, everything just progressed slowly and FINALLY at around 1 a.m., I was ready to push. Well, turns out Max's head was facing up so it was going to be a pretty tough feat for me to turn him and get him out. At one point, his heart rate dropped SUPER low and scared everyone. We ended up having about six people in there at that point as they tried to roll me on my sides to see if he was just lying on his cord but nothing was working for about three minutes. Then, I heard the doc say "get the room ready". At that time, I knew I might have to have an emergency c-section. SCARY! But, Christian reassured me that everything would be fine and soon, Max's heart rate started to come back up and stayed up. So, after about two hours of pushing and being ABSOLUTELY EXHAUSTED, Max was still face up and having a hard time coming out. So, the doc finally offered to use a vacuum and possibly do an episiotomy and at that point, I didn't give a shit what had to be done. I just wanted him out of me! So, the doc got the vacuum ready and ended up pulling Max out without having to do an episiotomy. Whoa.... what a relief. He was immediately placed on my belly and then whisked away to be cleaned up before Christian brought him back so I could nurse him. Christian cut the cord and all was well. :)
So, long story but that was NOT fun, not enjoyable, not anything pleasant. haha. It was freaking TOUGH! I give major props to moms who can do it totally naturally but being in labor for around 30 hours is crazy. Hopefully the next one will be easier.
The next couple days in the hospital were OK. I was super sore all over my body and I just felt like I was hungover for a couple days. So, obviously my body went through hell. Max did well in the hospital but his bilirubin levels were a little elevated so they had to prick his heel a few times to keep checking. The level kept decreasing so they let us go home Monday afternoon but we had to take him back Tuesday morning to be tested once more and everything was fine and he was good.
So, the first night at home.... it was a challenge to say the least. I don't remember much of it but I was emotional and he wanted to stay on my boob for about two hours. It was crazy. We weren't prepared with a good sleeping environment for him really so we were a little disorganized. The second night I fixed up his cradle so it wouldn't swing like crazy, I brought in the white noise machine and kept lights and voices low when he would wake up. That seems to have helped. He's been sleeping about four-five hours at a time during the night so that's been good. I'm definitely tired because I'm not used to having interrupted sleep but I guess I need to get used to it for a while. :( He sleeps a good part of the day too but every day he seems more and more alert. He pretty much eats, sleeps and poops. Typical, right?
Breastfeeding is going well but it's really demanding on me. Having to stick to an every 2-3 hour feeding schedule during the day is just draining. And, the fact that no one else can really help me out with that is hard. But, I'm producing enough milk and he was already back to his birth weight last Friday. So, that's good.
We're doing the cloth diapering here and there. It's a little tough because we have to do laundry every night when we're doing it. He just goes to the bathroom SO MUCH right now. Speaking of going to the bathroom, he pees all over the place. Last night, every time I had to change him (two or three times- can't remember), he peed all over.... even almost hitting me in the face. Awesome. haha Luckily we keep a waterproof pad under him when we change him at night.
So... then there's the baby blues. Wow, they suck. I've had them pretty bad since he was born. I'm just feeling depressed and I miss my old life a hell of a lot. That makes me feel super guilty and then that makes me feel even worse. Ugh, it's like a vicious cycle. I'm feeling OK today but yesterday was rough. Some days are good, others are bad. I've been told it all gets better but right now it really sucks. I'm not one to sugar coat a situation so I'm not going to say that this is the best time of my life or that this is all absolutely amazing because, frankly, it isn't. It's tough, it's draining, it's daunting, it's tiring, it's hard. I know it will get better but I wish I could fast-forward to the easier time! Oh well. Just say a little prayer for us that we get through everything OK and without any emotional breakdowns. haha
Well, that about sums up everything that has been going on here. My mom came in town last Friday and then leaves this coming Sunday. She's been a huge help in keeping dishes washed and letting me take showers and naps. So, it will be tough to not have her around but I think that will also make me suck everything up and deal with it.
Then, Christian leaves March 14th for about 17 days. I AM NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT! He has been my ROCK through this and keeps me happy. I miss him so bad when he's at work and I know those 17 days are going to be hard. But, my Dad and step-mom are coming up for a weekend and Mom might come back up during that time too. So, we'll make it. Again, just pray for us.
Anyway, I'm going to relax a little before I feed little man and we head out to Christian's squadron to meet people and watch him play volleyball for a little bit. Hope y'all are having a good week.
xoxo,
Chrissi
Friday, February 10, 2012
Down to single digits!
We're down to single digit days left before my due date! Holy moly! It's kind of crazy that I can reply with "next Sunday" when someone asks me "when are you due?".
I had a little false alarm Wednesday night. I woke up to go to the bathroom at around 1:30 a.m. and was having some intense cramps and then started having a few contractions. I laid in bed for about an hour not really sure what to do before it all started to subside! I didn't wake Christian up or anything because I just didn't get the feeling that it was too urgent. Yeah, it was uncomfortable but it wasn't crazy painful. My doc says I'll know when it's real labor. Basically, I'm hoping my water breaks so I don't have to second guess myself. haha So, after it all subsided, I just went back to sleep and woke up feeling fine yesterday. And, everything is still good to go! It's just a waiting game now.
I've still been working out almost every day which I totally believe is responsible for me feeling so good in these last weeks. I really don't feel much different or any more uncomfortable than I have most of my pregnancy. Yes, this huge belly gets in my way and the extra 35 lbs I've tacked on hurt my back and legs but other than that, I'm really feeling good...awkward, but good.. I've pretty much kept up with my pre-pregnancy workout routine, minus the running. I stopped running when I got into my second trimester just because it seemed weird to me. I do about 20 minutes on the elliptical along with strength training about three days a week and the other two or three days I just do cardio. I'm doing a little lighter weight now and I don't do things where I lay on my back or anything that could possibly make me fall off balance (weighted squats, etc). But, everything else is pretty much fair game as long as I feel comfortable and my heart rate doesn't sky rocket. I'm just hoping this really helps after baby is here so I can get back into shape as soon as possible. Plus, I'm hoping for an easier delivery because of it!
Well, it's Friday and I hope all of you are planning a great weekend! We have a very interesting day planned for tomorrow! One of my good friends up here, Vicki, has an uncle who is a World War II vet. His name is Tony. He was a pilot and Vicki connected him with Christian and they chat over email and Tony sends all kinds of amazing stories about his career. So, a couple weeks ago, we were hanging out with Vicki and her boyfriend, Matt, and mentioned that we'd love to officially meet Tony so the five of us (me, Christian, Vicki, Matt and Tony) are all going to meet out at base tomorrow so Christian can show him around the C-130. Then, we're going to head over to NAES Lakehurst (about 25 minutes from McGuire-where Christian is stationed) so we can do a little tour of where the Hindenburg crashed, see some of the huge airship hangers that were used back in the World Wars and go through a small museum over there. I'm so excited! Seriously, y'all would be so entertained by some of the stories Tony has about his flying days. They are absolutely amazing. Christian tells me that military aviation is so different now and there's no way he'd be able to have any stories that compare to Tony's. It's really interesting! So, that will be a lot of fun. I'll take lots of pictures.
Those are our only plans for the weekend as of right now. I know those of you on Mom's side of the family will be enjoying the 60th anniversary party for Grannie and PawPaw. I wish so badly that we could be there! I can't wait to come home and see everyone in April! We'll be there for about a week for Alison's wedding and a little beach vacation. And, of course, we'll have Max with us! That will be super exciting! I'm a little nervous about the logistics of traveling with him but we'll figure it all out.
Well, enjoy the weekend and continue to send positive ju-ju our way so this little boy will come out! haha
Love y'all!
Chrissi
I had a little false alarm Wednesday night. I woke up to go to the bathroom at around 1:30 a.m. and was having some intense cramps and then started having a few contractions. I laid in bed for about an hour not really sure what to do before it all started to subside! I didn't wake Christian up or anything because I just didn't get the feeling that it was too urgent. Yeah, it was uncomfortable but it wasn't crazy painful. My doc says I'll know when it's real labor. Basically, I'm hoping my water breaks so I don't have to second guess myself. haha So, after it all subsided, I just went back to sleep and woke up feeling fine yesterday. And, everything is still good to go! It's just a waiting game now.
I've still been working out almost every day which I totally believe is responsible for me feeling so good in these last weeks. I really don't feel much different or any more uncomfortable than I have most of my pregnancy. Yes, this huge belly gets in my way and the extra 35 lbs I've tacked on hurt my back and legs but other than that, I'm really feeling good...awkward, but good.. I've pretty much kept up with my pre-pregnancy workout routine, minus the running. I stopped running when I got into my second trimester just because it seemed weird to me. I do about 20 minutes on the elliptical along with strength training about three days a week and the other two or three days I just do cardio. I'm doing a little lighter weight now and I don't do things where I lay on my back or anything that could possibly make me fall off balance (weighted squats, etc). But, everything else is pretty much fair game as long as I feel comfortable and my heart rate doesn't sky rocket. I'm just hoping this really helps after baby is here so I can get back into shape as soon as possible. Plus, I'm hoping for an easier delivery because of it!
Well, it's Friday and I hope all of you are planning a great weekend! We have a very interesting day planned for tomorrow! One of my good friends up here, Vicki, has an uncle who is a World War II vet. His name is Tony. He was a pilot and Vicki connected him with Christian and they chat over email and Tony sends all kinds of amazing stories about his career. So, a couple weeks ago, we were hanging out with Vicki and her boyfriend, Matt, and mentioned that we'd love to officially meet Tony so the five of us (me, Christian, Vicki, Matt and Tony) are all going to meet out at base tomorrow so Christian can show him around the C-130. Then, we're going to head over to NAES Lakehurst (about 25 minutes from McGuire-where Christian is stationed) so we can do a little tour of where the Hindenburg crashed, see some of the huge airship hangers that were used back in the World Wars and go through a small museum over there. I'm so excited! Seriously, y'all would be so entertained by some of the stories Tony has about his flying days. They are absolutely amazing. Christian tells me that military aviation is so different now and there's no way he'd be able to have any stories that compare to Tony's. It's really interesting! So, that will be a lot of fun. I'll take lots of pictures.
Those are our only plans for the weekend as of right now. I know those of you on Mom's side of the family will be enjoying the 60th anniversary party for Grannie and PawPaw. I wish so badly that we could be there! I can't wait to come home and see everyone in April! We'll be there for about a week for Alison's wedding and a little beach vacation. And, of course, we'll have Max with us! That will be super exciting! I'm a little nervous about the logistics of traveling with him but we'll figure it all out.
Well, enjoy the weekend and continue to send positive ju-ju our way so this little boy will come out! haha
Love y'all!
Chrissi
Saturday, February 4, 2012
15 more days!
I truly can't believe that any day now, I could become a MOM! What the heck!? I'll be the first to admit, it scares me a little bit. Don't get me wrong, I really think I'll be a great mom and Christian will be a wonderful dad but the whole life-turning-upside-down thing freaks me out. Of course, I know that anxiety will go away once I see my little man's face. But, whoa.... it's a change. haha (Ironically, I'm listening to Seal's version of Otis Reading's "A Change is Gonna Come" right now)
Well, nothing much has been going on since my last post. More and more preparation and cleaning constantly so I won't have to come home to an unorganized house. I'm getting a little frustrated with the whole cloth diapering thing. We're definitely still doing it but it's a little annoying that I have to order everything online and can't touch, feel, rub things before I buy them! I just have to believe the thousands of reviews and suggestions people have. There isn't a single cloth diapering or "green baby" store around here! I can't believe that... especially since we're so close to a big city. If I knew we were staying in this area, I would definitely consider going into that business in Philly. I think there's ONE store over on the west side of the Philly area in Media, PA. It would take me like 45 minutes to get over there so it's just not worth it. There's one woman around here in Collingswood, NJ that offers a cloth diapering workshop but she doesn't have a store. And, the next workshop she's hosting isn't until March. So, looks like we're just going to have to wing it. I'm pretty excited about doing it and the little challenge. We'll see how it goes. :)
Speaking of ordering things online.... looks what my darling husband got me!!! New Ugg slippers for my trek around the hospital... and, around anywhere really. :) The red (actually more of a red-salmon color) will be here Tuesday! I'm so excited. I wear the crap out of my Ugg boots now b/c my feet stay cold at home and I don't like wearing socks (picture me in a nightgown, pregnant, with Ugg boots..... haha). The boots are a bit bulky so I'm super pumped about the slippers.
Well, nothing much has been going on since my last post. More and more preparation and cleaning constantly so I won't have to come home to an unorganized house. I'm getting a little frustrated with the whole cloth diapering thing. We're definitely still doing it but it's a little annoying that I have to order everything online and can't touch, feel, rub things before I buy them! I just have to believe the thousands of reviews and suggestions people have. There isn't a single cloth diapering or "green baby" store around here! I can't believe that... especially since we're so close to a big city. If I knew we were staying in this area, I would definitely consider going into that business in Philly. I think there's ONE store over on the west side of the Philly area in Media, PA. It would take me like 45 minutes to get over there so it's just not worth it. There's one woman around here in Collingswood, NJ that offers a cloth diapering workshop but she doesn't have a store. And, the next workshop she's hosting isn't until March. So, looks like we're just going to have to wing it. I'm pretty excited about doing it and the little challenge. We'll see how it goes. :)
Speaking of ordering things online.... looks what my darling husband got me!!! New Ugg slippers for my trek around the hospital... and, around anywhere really. :) The red (actually more of a red-salmon color) will be here Tuesday! I'm so excited. I wear the crap out of my Ugg boots now b/c my feet stay cold at home and I don't like wearing socks (picture me in a nightgown, pregnant, with Ugg boots..... haha). The boots are a bit bulky so I'm super pumped about the slippers.
And, speaking of my trek around the hospital, I did the tour of the Labor/Delivery/Mother/Baby units this morning. As many of you know, I'm not huge on healthcare. For whatever odd reason (which I don't even know), I just don't trust hospitals and healthcare in general. I just feel like there are so many cases where things are done to the benefit of the hospital/doctor and not to my benefit or in my best interests. So, seeing the rooms, nurses, contraptions, and all that jazz did not help ease any anxiety that I have. And, the fact that I'm attempting to have a natural birth throws a whole other loop in that knot of anxiety. Bottom line is that I don't feel super supported in my best case scenario birth plan. I'm not sure if I just didn't do enough research to find the best doc or what but none of the docs that I've seen have been like "OK, super!" when I told them I want to have my baby naturally. They all tend to tell me some version of "well, we don't like our patients to be in pain". Really guy? Ugh. Oh well, we'll just see how much of a crazed lunatic I have to become to make sure people do what I want. :) Remember- I said best case scenario.... I know things could change and medical intervention could become necessary.
Ok, enough about that. Anyone have any big plans for the Superbowl tomorrow? Christian has a drill weekend this weekend so he's working most of the day tomorrow. We have no plans for the game. I was thinking about making tailgating food (meatballs, cheese dip, etc) and just hanging out here at the house. That sounds like fun to me! Plus, I'm down to a very limited wardrobe now days so finding something cute and comfortable is no fun when trying to get ready to go out somewhere! haha I guess I'll be rooting for the Giants simply because of our proximity to their stadium. Other than that, I really couldn't care less. I'm pretty pumped to see Madonna's performance and the new commercials.
Well, anyway, I hope you all have a great weekend! Do a little rain dance or something to help me go into labor! haha
xoxo,
Chrissi
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