It's Official

I've been playing around with WordPress off and on and I thought about switching probably about a year ago and then decided not to.  But I really have to say, I prefer WordPress to Blogger (sorry Blogger).  So I have officially moved over there.  If anyone still reads this, check me out over there https://lildonbro.wordpress.com/

A Stomach Like A Rat

Chewy's nickname has changed to Templeton.  Yes, he's now been named after the rat from Charlotte's Web.  It started one day when he decided to mix every type of cereal we had in a bowl and then sprinkle flax seed on top.  The first time he did this I watched in horror.  I'm the 32 year old woman who still doesn't like her food to touch. He mixes a lot of food actually and in this instance I guess opposites attract.

So I began to call him Templeton and I'll sing, "Smorgasbord, smorgasbord" when he's 'creating' in the kitchen.  Sometimes I think he opens the fridge, sees a bunch of leftovers and he's all...

And then he's...

His latest concoction came about because he made the grave mistake of messing up my taco meat.  He thought it would be great to add some Paprika to the meat - however, I apparently made the graver mistake of purchasing SMOKED paprika (so therefore I suppose the fault lies with me).  That stuff is potent.  I wasn't a fan of the tacos we were eating and I blamed the Target brand seasoning I had bought until he fessed up.  For his punishment I consigned him to eat taco leftovers all the days of his life the week.

So as he was making a grilled cheese sandwich he decided to put taco meat in the middle.

Insert my usual reaction to his food here (ew, gross!)  He says they are delicious and has already had them many times.

Today at lunch I told him he should name them.  

Templeton: What, like Chad?

Me: No, like how grilled cheese sandwiches are named grilled cheese sandwiches, just something more creative for those.

Templeton: The best grilled cheese sandwich - ever

('ever' said like this)

Then Templeton asked me what the best of something was and I said, "Babe Ruth?" Which got us on a discussion of whether or not Babe was still the best and I remembered a baseball player from the 90's, that may have been better.  Toby McGuire or something.

Templeton: (Laugh) Spiderman? Do you mean Mark McGuire? The guy all roided up?

Me: I don't remember that part but yeah.

Templeton: It was Mark. (shakes head) Toby McGuire.

Me: Toby McGuire it is.

*Typing it in on my phone as a possible name.

Me: OH! Who's that actor that you made the rap about?* The guy from Fargo.

Templeton: William H. Macy?

Me: That's the one.

Introducing to the world 

 The William H. Macy

I actually got up the nerve to try some of it today.  A tiny bit.  I couldn't stop laughing as the little chunk approached my mouth - I laughed out of fear more than anything.  But I survived (for now) and survey says, "it's not terrible."

Stay tuned for more meals from Templeton's Trough.  

*Templeton has a rap for William H. Macy.  When it's done we hope to achieve YouTube fame and enough money to live out retirement comfortably.  

Three Months

Ever since Chewy said that this was his reaction to seeing a spider I can't stop laughing.

So little man is three months old now.  We started to "teach" him how to fall asleep on his own.  The first attempt - I cried more than he did I think.  Then I did some internet research on crying it out and realized I had it all wrong.  I had been under the impression that you just leave them to cry until they pass out.  Little Man can cry it out for a long time I learned the first night.  Then I found this article where I learned that you do go in and check on him and sooth him.  I could do that.  Night two compared to Night one was incredible.  He fell asleep faster when we were able to go in and give him his pacifier and rub his sweet round head.  Nap time is already easier, he used to only sleep during the day if I was holding him.  Last night was the second time with the "new" method and he was out in twenty minutes.  He wakes up happier and is sleeping better at night.

Here are some of our three month photos

He's been figuring out his body, mostly his hands but he's noticing his feet more too.

I just thought this one was funny

He IS my son so of course he's going to love Doctor Who.  We already watch it together while I'm working out.

2 Months

I'm a few weeks late - but here are the two month photos.

He weighed in at 13 lbs. 8 oz. 23.75 in. long.  

He drools like crazy now.  Still smiles and laughs in his sleep but he's smiling when awake now.  He sleeps for longer stretches at night (4-7 hours - yay!)

And he has many faces that make me crack up.

He usually looks like he is about to punch someone...that's my boy.

Time flies

Guess who is finally a month old?

This guy

I'm a week late with the pictures but honestly, that's pretty good all things considered.  Everything is going well, we love him a lot already.

He weighed in at 11.6 pounds, 22.5 inches long and is in the 90th percentile for head circumference...we knew something was up with that noggin of his.

His likes so far:

Eating

Sleeping

His new sunglasses

The changing table (I think it's really the sheets).

 

And hanging out with his dad in the moby wrap (and mostly being close to either one of us, he isn't a fan of being put down...though for our sanity it happens).

He also likes to stare at the ceiling and whatever is behind me - but he has looked at me a time or two.  He also laughs in his sleep a lot (on account of his mom being so funny...he dreams of the hilarious things I do).  And he has smiled at me at least twice now (legit smiles - not gas ones, though I've seen a million of those).

Also - this past Sunday he received his baby blessing at church.  He got all dressed up.

Then daddy got him in his car seat.  He's really in to Daddy and what he's doing.

And -- our first family photo

Weadababyitsaboy*

So - I had a baby.  Tami was kind enough to text me on Saturday to remind me that I haven't blogged about that.  I've been adjusting to motherhood and working under my very demanding new boss (some people have taken to calling him 'Turtle' because one of the girls at church said I should name by baby Turtle.  I told her maybe as a nickname - and that's what it's become).

Here's the story of how Turtle came into this world.

I was scheduled to be induced on Friday, May 29th.  Originally we had hoped for that Tuesday but there was no room in the Inn so we took Friday.  I had a doctor's appointment on Wednesday, where I was informed that zero progress had been made, I was still not dilated...at all.  The doctor decided to have me report to the hospital Thursday evening instead for a 'tape'.  I got checked in at the hospital  Wednesday afternoon so I wouldn't have to do it all on Thursday and Chewy scheduled a half day so that we could go to the hospital together.

Thursday morning Chewy decided to go ahead and take the whole day.  I planned on going through my hospital bag and making sure I had everything I needed and cleaning up a little bit before my 4 o'clock appointment.  I was washing dishes, chatting with Chewy when I realized that I was wet.  I thought perhaps I had gotten dishwater on me, but there was too much for that.  I realized it was my mucus plug and cried out, "something's happening!" because when you have zero progress by week 39 of pregnancy you get a little down.  This was something and though I had read that this could happen days before labor, it was something and I was excited.  Then the contractions started.  I texted my doctor and he told me if I had 6 or more in an hour then to come in to his office.  I started a timer.  The contractions were between 3 1/2 to 5 1/2 minutes apart, but I wasn't sure if I was counting them correctly so I went about my morning.  Ate breakfast, took a shower, got ready for the day.  Chewy did the same.  After two hours with well over 6 contractions an hour, Chewy decided he needed to eat some sandwiches...oh and then we decided to go to the doctor.  I just didn't want to be wasting anyone's time if I had miscounted the contractions since I was scheduled to go in that evening anyway.

The doctor checked me and I was up to four.  They admitted me to Labor and Delivery and Chewy and I hung out in the nice L&D room waiting for whatever came next.  My mom showed up around 1 with food for Chewy (none for the hungry pregnant lady).  But Chewy gave me some of his fries.  The contractions continued to intensify until I finally got the epidural around 2 pm. It was - painful - more than the contractions, but after it got going I didn't feel a thing.  Seriously.  I couldn't even move my legs.  The nurses wanted to put me on my side and they had to do most of the work, I would grab on to the side of the bed and try to help but really I wasn't much help.  I hated it.

Time flew the whole day.  I was put into the L&D room probably around 11 and every time I looked at the clock it was an hour later.  After the epidural, two things happened.  One - I threw up.  Luckily Chewy was able to get me something to throw up in.  I had felt nauseous and told Chewy and the nurse heard me and said that some women throw up in delivery and at that moment it was like she had given me permission to throw up, my face got hotter and I KNEW there was no stopping it.

The second thing - I felt myself start to pee.  I tried to stop it but I felt it was pointless given that I couldn't even move my legs, how could I stop myself from peeing?  I figured it wouldn't be a big deal since I've peed about a teaspoon at a time for most of my pregnancy.  I was ashamed and mortified, especially because the nurses had put a pillow between my knees and I knew I was peeing on that pillow.  The pee didn't stop at a teaspoon though, I told Chewy and my mom that I was peeing and that worse, I was peeing on a pillow.  After a second longer I announced that I was still peeing.  Then - it turns out that for some reason my mom thought that would be an appropriate time to take a picture, but she didn't take a picture, she took a video.  I heard her play it back.  She said she didn't realize she was taking a video.  But THEN - she sent said video to my sisters!  I pulled out a whiny "mom!" that I haven't had to use in years and she said, "I didn't know I was taking a video." To which I replied, "but you knew you were sending one!"  When the nurses came in to roll me over to my other side I apologized because I peed.  They said that was okay, but when they pulled back the blanket they said that my water had broken.  I told my mom to text my sisters and tell them I had NOT peed but that my water had broken.  I had read that only 9% of women have their water break naturally so Chewy said, "Welcome to the 9% club."

After that, they lowered my head - I think this is called 'labor down' - it wasn't comfortable but it couldn't have been too uncomfortable because I fell asleep.  Around 7 we started to really push.  The epidural had lessened (they told me it would so I'd feel pressure and know when to push).  I felt pressure all right.  After I would push it hurt so much.  My doctor came in near the end and he said he could tell I was feeling everything.  He gave me a lock anesthetic...which I felt locally.  That HURT.  I continued to push through contractions until finally the baby was out!  You know when people say they feel a rush of relief? I literally felt a rush of relief.  Matt cut the cord and they took the baby to be weighted and inspected.  While I gave 'mini birth' to the placenta (another rush).  Then I was sewed up - which I felt all of that too.

Turtle weighed 9 pounds, 8.4 ounces and was 20.5 inches long.  My doctor said I get to count it as a natural birth.  Chewy said later that he could tell my doctor was upset that I felt so much.  I guess they backed down too much on the epidural - but also, I never hit my "pain" button.  Turns out I don't quite know the difference between pain and pressure - I had assumed it was all normal.  I mean, women on TV scream too.

In all, I was in labor for 12 hours and pushed for one hour.  I think the worse part was the nurse "massaging" my stomach every so often.  I wish I had the epidural then.  I also got uncontrollable shivers - I thought I was going to vomit or die I was shaking so badly.  They gave me an extra blanket and I had gotten it under control but when the nurse came in to push on my stomach again I started to shiver.  It was as if my body knew.  Chewy and I waited to see him before we named him.  We had it down to two options and the one we went with was Nicholas.  And here he is.

and this one is just for fun

Belly Bully vs. Skadoosh

Chewy has taken to calling me ‘Belly Bully’…just because I happen to push him around with my belly.  I can’t help that it sticks out there and happens to be effective with guiding him where I want him to go. 

The other day I was eating a piece of cake (no judging – it was delicious).  A small piece fell to the ground and I couldn’t find it, neither could Chewy.  I’m at the stage where my reaction to this is, “Well, I’m sure if will get stuck to a sock or something later.”  Yes, I gross myself out.  I’ll be a cleaner person again soon.  Annnyway…so fast forward to a day or maybe an hour later, I’m helping myself to another little piece.  I see a crumb begin its descent from the bottom of the cake to the kitchen floor.  I thought, “not today, crumb.”  I stuck out my belly, redirecting this crumb from its current course to landing on the counter.  Findable, reachable, and overall cleaner.  I picked the crumb up and threw it in the sink.

Chewy had been watching these events.  He asked me if I seriously just belly bullied a piece of cake.  I told him I preferred to think of it as skadooshing the cake.

Needless to say, I've done it at least one more time since this first happened.