January 30, 2006

Proud Mama...

:-)

Today I had a parent-teacher conference with my son's teacher. It went very well!

Academically, he's doing excellent. He knows all his letters, numbers, can write his name without help, understands how numbers correlate to the actual # of objects, etc. He is in the three-year old class because of his late birthday (he's 4, turned in December) - and said he's more advanced than most of her 4 year old class (they don't all know their letters, etc. Most cannot write their name without help). He does very well at story time, and can repeat the story back to the teacher and answer questions about what happened in the story. He scored outstanding on sharing, listening, following instructions, etc.

She said he was very mature for his age, and a total joy (of course, I already knew all of this). Her daughter saw his picture and thought he was the cutest! Then when she came to the class to help out, she was taken in by his great personality and charm! :-)

January 29, 2006

Sunday Listing...

  • FINALLY got all the Christmas decorations re-organized and put back in the basement. I was SO TIRED of looking at them...
  • Cleaned out the laundry room.
  • Packed away ALL the newborn clothes.
  • Washed and put away all the 3-6 month clothes, some of which already look a wee small. I remember when my son was that size, how we thought we had too many clothes for him. Now with Baby T, he has all of son's old clothes + new ones other people bought him and it truly is excessive. The child has 10 pairs of jeans, 10 overalls, 4 JACKETS (like he's going outside to play!), 3 buntings, but only 2 pair of socks that stay on!
  • I worked out yesterday!
  • I'm going running tomorrow! For the first time since October of 2004!
  • First workout with trainer at 1:30 pm Tuesday!

    AND THE BIG ONE...
    Baby T started really cooing at us today!!!! It's great to hear him trying out his voice for something other than screaming for food or yelling at us (!) when we stop the feeding for a burp. Baby T is ALL ABOUT his food.
  • January 27, 2006

    Friday Update...

    Saw this last night The Pasta Express. Please. Even I can boil water and make pasta - is this gadget really, really necessary??!! They say one of the big advantages is that you don't have to break the spaghetti noodles in half - is this a big problem?

    Also - I LOVE MY WASHING MACHINE. When my first son was born, my MotherInLaw broke my washer - so we bought the Kenmore HE3T front loading machine. I LOVE IT. Last night, Baby T pooped. So I was changing him and took the old diaper off and he was laying on his outfit and the changing pad when he POOPED SOME MORE. And got that dark brown/green baby poop all over his NEW white baby outfit (a gift) and the changing pad cover. UGH. THEN I rubbed it in really good trying to wipe it all off. So I poured Dreft right on the stains and threw them in my wshing machine. Checked them this morning, not even one hint of a stain! How fabulous!! I have said, not one item of our clothing has stains on it, no matter what the stain. I've gotten out ground in mud, blood, poop, vomit, red juice, carrot juice, ketchup, BBQ sauce, etc. Next time you need a washer, I highly recommend it. Also, it is SO GENTLE on clothes because of the way they designed the drum. Our clothes never look old by the time we're done wearing them (either because they are out of style or outgrown)... Oh, I remmeber, the deck stain my hubby got on his shirt didn't come out. That's one stain. :-)

    January 26, 2006

    Personal Trainer...

    I had my appt w/a personal trainer yesterday - I've LOST TWO MORE POUNDS! Yay!

    I officially start training with her on Tuesday. I cannot wait! To get my body back, after all this time! I haven't worked out since I changed jobs last OCTOBER and didn't want to get a new gym membership because we were trying to get pregnant.

    Apparently, after going thru her tests, I am still in pretty good shape. My resting heart rate is low (59) and it takes a lot to bring it up, but when I stop it goes right back down (which is another indicator that you're in shape)... my strength is low, but that is no surprise and my abs are all shot-to-shit (duh!).

    So - here are my starting facts:
    Weight: 133 pds
    Body fat: 27.5% (YIKES!) --> after I freaked about that number because for me that is AMAZINGLY HIGH, she reminded me I just had a baby and hadn't worked out in OVER a year.
    Goal: 120 pds (which may or may not be possible, this is my end-of-college weight)

    So - here we go! Wish me luck!

    January 24, 2006

    One Month Checkup

    I took Baby T for his 1 month checkup today. He's doing GREAT according to the DR.

    97th percentile for height and 90th for weight.
    Height: 24 inches
    Weight: 11 pds 12 oz

    He got a shot - where he screamed and cried like a madman. This is odd to me (and unexpected and QUITE unnerving, to hear your child cry like that), as my older son has NEVER cried at a shot - he would just grunt and give the nurse a dirty look, like "Hey, what the HELL do you think you're doing??!!".

    She said he should continue eating like crazy until about 8 weeks, when it'll taper off a bit. And as long as he's not spitting up, feed him as much as he wants. Also, maybe all his mucous-y sounds are "silent-reflux"

    He's HOME!

    YAY! Hubby got home last night! And because he was still on the other time, couldn't sleep, so HE got up w/Baby T last night so I could sleep! Man do I feel great today! BUT three weeks of laundry - some of the STINKIEST I have ever smelled - I'm working on load #2 right now.

    Then he took Son to preschool, leaving me and Baby T alone for quite a few hours! I do not know how I found this to be a lot of work when I was home on leave w/my first son - having only a newborn seems so easy compared to being home w/a newborn and a 4 year old! Cake I tell you! I managed to clean up from breakfast, do laundry, feed the baby, have a shower, give the baby a bath, drag up the rest of the infant toys from the basement...

    I registered at Similac.com for more formula coupons and got quite frustrated - they require a strong password than my work network! A capital letter, a lowercase letter, and a number. Jeesh - heaven forbid someone hack into my Similac account and do what? Change Baby T's birthdate? Add more kids? WHAT could be so dangerous?

    January 23, 2006

    After 18 days...

    Hubby returns home today!! I could not be more excited about this! And so could son, who is missing his Daddy terribly.

    I am very tired. For some reason, Baby T wanted to play last night between 3 and 4 (after EATING from 2 - 3 a.m.)... he doesn't ever do this, so I have no idea why or what to make sure I do / don't do today to prevent a repeat (though I AM NOT THE ONE getting up with him tonight!!! :-)

    I saw a new informercial last night - it's this piece of exercise equipment - it's a large pole (maybe 6 feet?) with a big spade shaped fan head on each side. So you wave it around and the wind resistance is your exercise. It looks ridiculous. I will try and find a link - they had the website listed, but I can't remember it now in the light of day!

    Here is a link to the heating belt I wrote about before, where it makes your belly sweat off the weight... Velform Sauna Belt

    January 21, 2006

    My how we change...

    Baby T is 5 weeks old today!!!

    Here are his changes so far...
  • Newborn clothes are too small (they've been too small for weeks now)
  • Instead of pooping every time he eats, it's slowed down to like 2 a day (this is MUCH nicer even though the poops are bigger, it's only 2 times a day instead of, like EIGHT!)
  • Feedings can go up to 8 ounces!
  • Awake periods during the day are appearing and getting longer.
  • Neck strength is improving.
  • HE CAN SMILE IN RESPONSE TO ME!
  • He's too big for the newborn liner in the carseat.
  • We upgraded today to the next size bottle nipples! This makes feedings faster!

    I wish I could add sleeping better, but he still gets up twice a night, 2 hours after falling asleep - he refuses to miss a feeding simply because it's nighttime. This is odd to us, as my older son refused to miss sleep simply to eat! By 5 weeks, he was down to 1 nighttime feeding, which is MUCH more manageable.
  • January 19, 2006

    Walmart...

    Am I the only person on the planet to pay for music? I downloaded Walmart's music thingy and get songs for 88 cents! I love it! I've only downloaded like 5 so far, but I'm wanting more, more, more!

    Celebrity Fit Club?! Anyone watch this trainwreck (I know I'm probably the only one up at all hours watching tv!)..but Kelly LeBrock, the hot chick from Weird Science, is on it and man is she large! She looks like a thin person in one of those fat suits, she just looks so bloated. She claims she got that way on PURPOSE to scare off men. Sure. That's why I had a baby - men hate that belly flab! Also, the stud guy from Grease, Kineki? The one that slept w/Rizzo? He's on it... he was BOMBED out of his mind and blamed it on cold medicine. Sure...maybe he'll send me some next time I have a cold?

    That's all I got right now - sneaking off to bed and praying for Baby T to sleep well (he gets up twice a night, which isn't bad, but I'd like more hours between the 2 risings... - wish me luck!)

    January 17, 2006

    Today's Update...

    It's Tuesday...

    So we had to rush out the door this morning (hahaha --> rush? With a 4 year old and a newborn? THAT IS FUNNY). Then to my mom's to wait for preschool to be over, where I got an unhurried shower and she made me lunch.

    THEN I went to THREE grocery stores looking for formula. Apparently there is either a run on Similac Advance Formula (the store by my house and the Target are OUT of it) or there are so many babies in the 20 mile radius of my house they are always on the verge of out-of-stock? The first store only had 3 bottles, which was not enough to last me until hubby returns. So to another store...they had 0. Then the last store had 7, which will bring me to a few hours after hubby returns. PHEW! I narrowly avoided having to run to the store again w/both boys... a near miss!

    THEN my post-D&C appt. Where the nurse was TOTALLY confused about my status - postpartum or post d&C...I said "yes, both" - apparently she had no idea you could be both... But, the DR said I looked great and approved me to
  • hot tub! We got a new one when we moved in here Oct. 2004, but we were trying to get pregnant so hubby couldn't go in. Then I got pregnant (three times!) which kept me out... So whenever hubby returns and cleans it up, we're in!
  • take baths!
  • have sex! Be careful about getting pregnant the dr said. hahahahaha
  • EXERCISE! Cannot wait on this one! So I'm planning for a nice hard walk the day after hubby returns! I cannot wait!
  • January 15, 2006

    Ooops - I forgot!

    The baby is fine...He has a small tear which is bleeding a little at the end of the day because he poops SO MUCH. But he is fine and it isn't bothering him, just me.

    ALSO - He weighs 11 pds. 4 oz at just a day or two under 4 weeks! What a heavy little dude! Of course, we were supposed to bring him in at 2 weeks and schedule a 4 weeks, which the parent that took him to his 2 day appt didn't tell me, so I scheduled a 4 week appt. for next week.

    Unfortunately, hubby has been out of town for a long time. And he just got held over for another week. UGH. I could really use him here at home and for one of the nighttime feedings. He sent the most beautiful rose bouquet yesterday because he felt so bad. It sucks, the delay is totally out of his control and he feels awful. Oh well...nothing I can do about it. Just have to work on keeping the 2 kids alive and happy for another week.

    January 12, 2006

    Misc.

  • I weighed myself today - only 7 pounds more to lose!!! YAY ME!
  • I wrote my mom a check to cash from her retirement account. When she went to the bank to cash it, they didn't want to cash it because there wasn't some high amount in her account there... I only kept her acct w/that bank so she'd have the convience of cashing checks there. I don't understand their logic - she's CASHING A CHECK, not withdrawing money from an acct that doesn't have sufficient funds? WTF?
  • Picking Son up from preschool is a pain. The lines are SO LONG. It takes forever - and of course Baby T doesn't like to be in the car if it's standing still, so this is a challenge. I'm going to ask next week if I'm allowed to walk in and get him myself.
  • Not enough blood around here - Baby T has had a bit of blood in his diaper lately - so the DR wants to see him in a 1/2 an hour... gotta run. Getting very tired of doctors and blood!!!
  • January 11, 2006

    This Just In...

    I am in LOVE. LOVE I tell you!

    The Little Tripper Diaper Bag from Land's End! (In Red)

    It just arrived and I totally adore it! I had the older Little Tripper from when my older son was born and it's still in perfect shape, but I lost the changing pad. To get a new pad was like $7 at BabiesRUs, and it was really bulky. For $19.50, I got a whole new fabulous bag!!!! I highly recommend them for trips up to 1 day (for example, we used it the whole day we were in DisneyWorld, it holds that much stuff!!).

    January 10, 2006

    Probably Where I Reveal

    that I'm a big dork...I've been tagged by Erika...

    Four jobs I've had in my life: cashier at Nordstrom, data-entry at Nordstrom, sales at Sport's Authority & County Seat, software engineer, software engineer manager, usability manager, MOMMY!!

    Four movies I could watch over and over: Any of the Star Wars Movies (and I HAVE seen them lots by now w/a 4 year old son!!), Urban Cowboy, Gone With The Wind, A Christmas Story

    Four places I've lived: Tyson's Corner, Va - Morgantown, WVa - Blacksburg, Va - Leesburg, Va

    Four TV shows I love to watch: Survivor, Nip/Tuck, Lost, Friends

    Four places I've been on vacation: St. John, Stockholm, Helsinki, Talinn

    Four websites I visit daily: only four??? Impossible! But my MUST reads start with Amalah, Dooce, A Little Pregnant, Julia

    Four of my favorite foods: My mom's roast beef, McDonald's, excellent steak, CHOCOLATE! (of course, limiting favorite foods to 4 is also a challenge: i love my mom's egg rolls and fried rice, chips & dip, ICING!)

    Four places I'd rather be: at home, not at work, DisneyWorld, a spa

    Four albums I can't live without: I'm flighty - these change all the time - so my four of the moment are: HonkyTonk U by Toby Keith, anything by Tim McGraw, a kid's CD granny sent my son, the Star Wars sound tracks

    Four people I'm tagging if they want to be caught: nah...i've seen this everywhere...even though it's the first time I've been tagged... though if you want to do it, leave me a link so I can learn about YOU!

    January 09, 2006

    very busy...

    taking care of two kids is SO MUCH WORK... hubby has been out of town since Thursday morning and I'm here alone since Saturday... and it is quite a lot of work! Feeding both kids, changing diapers, bathing both kids, entertaining the older son, feeding MYSELF, healing from Thursday, etc.

    Man could I use a couple of hours all to myself! I cannot wait until hubby returns!

    As a side note, I think Baby T is beginning to smile and I'll be darned if it doesn't melt me every time!! HE HAS DIMPLES!

    January 06, 2006

    Hmm...

    So...where should I start??!! For the men and the non-baby interested readers, you may want to skip this one!

    I had a post-partum d&c yesterday. Apparently I had retained placenta pieces, and it was irritating my uterus and was what caused our ER visit on DEC. 31 for severe hemmoraging (I thought I was dying) and apparently I was about to have another episode when I went back for my follow up visit yesterday (and to think I almost skipped that appointment).

    Thank goodness our Aunt L and my Mom are available to help me out w/the boys! I don't know what I'd do otherwise!

    January 04, 2006

    So...what I got...

    Saw infomercials for these products while feeding Baby T...

    White Light - Teeth Whitening

    I also saw one for a band you wear around your stomach - and it makes you sweat where the band is, so you can lose inches in just hours! What an invention! I'm so sure that works! (HAHAHAHA) The commercial shows a couple just hanging out wearing the stomach bands and sweating while lounging around the house...I'll watch for the link at tonight's 4 a.m. feeding!

    Baby T is doing well. He's getting up 2 times at night to eat then goes back to sleep. During the day we are starting to see more times of alertness. He loves to lay on the floor and look at some of his newborn toys. This really surprises me because my older son HATED when we didn't hold him. We couldn't put him down ANYWHERE, SERIOUSLY. We thought we trained him to be like that, but now I think it's inherent in his personality - as Baby T likes to be put down and left alone sometimes.

    Here are my tips for the hospital stay (ok, I'm jumping around a bit here - if you're a guy or not interested in pregnancy info, feel free to skip this list!! )
  • FLIP FLOPS! You will want these for the first time you get out of bed to go to the bathroom and for showering at the hospital. IT IS MESSY and shoes you can wash are essential! And you don't want to go barefoot in there - every else that uses that room makes the same mess you do!
  • If you have a boy, and circumsize him, take extra vaseline tubes! You cannot buy these little tubes and it's so easy to use the tubes as opposed to the jars of vaseline!
  • Bring cardstock - you can ask the nurse for extra footprints when they are doing the baby's! (of course, I forgot my cardstock, but it was on the list!)
  • If you have a 2 level house, get an extra spray bottle for cleaning up after you use the bathroom. It is a pain to have to remember to keep bringing it up and down with you - and after giving birth you want to try and limit your stairs.
  • I like to eat on the way to the hospital! I know at Fairfax at least, you can't have anything except ice chips once you arrive.
  • Make sure to pee before you are 3 c.m. (at least at Fairfax) if your water has broken - once you have broken water and 3 c.m., they will not let you out of bed.
  • Bring reading material or movies! For the hours between the epidural and giving birth.
  • If you are not breast feeding, bring jog bras to put on immediately after giving birth. Bring at least one for each day (3 total probably).

    Dang. I knew I'd forgot some bullet points by waiting so long to do my list...I'll keep thinking!