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Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Geography
If any of you non-Floridian blog followers were watching the Obama infomercial tonight, you saw that he went live from FL at the end. Live from Sunrise, FL in fact - ala the Bank Atlantic Center which is right next door to our housing complex.
I didn't leave the house today (me and the baby were lazy), but I know they expected over 20,000 people and my Mom and Jon both said that traffic was pretty insane trying to get in and out of our complex. Rylee and I did hear the media helicopters overhead (very loud and annoying).
That's all the interesting news I have for today. Unless you count the fact that Rylee finally pooped (she hadn't graced us with a #2 since Saturday afternoon). These are the milestones I now live for... :)
I didn't leave the house today (me and the baby were lazy), but I know they expected over 20,000 people and my Mom and Jon both said that traffic was pretty insane trying to get in and out of our complex. Rylee and I did hear the media helicopters overhead (very loud and annoying).
That's all the interesting news I have for today. Unless you count the fact that Rylee finally pooped (she hadn't graced us with a #2 since Saturday afternoon). These are the milestones I now live for... :)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Sleeping Beauty...
...Rylee is not. On Sunday, she was awake from 9 am to 1 am. Seriously! She only napped for about an hour and a half the whole day. Even the electric slide couldn't put her to sleep.
I thought for sure she would sleep all day and night yesterday, but she was up till
1 am again last night. (She had to be a night owl like her mother!)
She did discover a new love during all that awake time - a red plastic solo cup! Who needs toys when your kid is only amused by walls and cups. :)
That's all. Entertain yourself with some photos instead - I'm too tired to be witty.
Tummy time...
Boo!
I thought for sure she would sleep all day and night yesterday, but she was up till
1 am again last night. (She had to be a night owl like her mother!)
She did discover a new love during all that awake time - a red plastic solo cup! Who needs toys when your kid is only amused by walls and cups. :)
That's all. Entertain yourself with some photos instead - I'm too tired to be witty.
Tummy time...
Boo!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Ding Dong!
Imagine you were a Jehovah's Witness and you rang our doorbell today.
What would you think when an unshaven, shaggy haired man dressed in black basketball shorts and a white undershirt opened the door with his hairy bare foot because both his arms were full - one with a screaming baby and the other with a squirming, barking, furry white dog?
You'd probably think he desperately needed your literature!
What would you think when an unshaven, shaggy haired man dressed in black basketball shorts and a white undershirt opened the door with his hairy bare foot because both his arms were full - one with a screaming baby and the other with a squirming, barking, furry white dog?
You'd probably think he desperately needed your literature!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Out of the Closet
Today I cleaned out my closet and packed away all my maternity clothes. Not sure why I'm saving them as Jon says we're never having more children after this! I guess I'm hoping that's just the sleep deprivation talking.
Even though I hadn't been wearing any of it for the last 5 weeks, it felt great to get it outta there and I found all kinds of great things hidden underneath. (Like this awesome pair of capri/shorts that I had completely forgot I owned. They're like brand new again!)
I was able to do this closet makeover because Rylee had a fantastic Friday. That's two good days in a row. Previously she had been on an every other day pattern so it was a nice surprise.
I'm hoping she starts to feel better soon because her misery seems to be affecting her progress. My baby weekly email says she should be smiling more and making two syllable coos. She only sports about one smile a day (she totally prefers the pout) and has really only coo'd twice. I told her she's gonna need to focus and work harder or she's never going to get into our Ivy League college of choice.
About the only thing she shows interest in at this point is the big red wall in our bedroom. She can lie on the changing table and stare at that for half an hour. She likes Jon's art wall in her nursery too. (Or maybe it's just the changing table she likes. I'm thinking of putting it right in the crib if need be!)
Two random observations:
1) I know babies are all cartilidgey and stuff but are their little arms and legs supposed to make more snap, crackle, pops than the cereal? When she moves she sounds like she's coming all unhinged.
2) (Must read with your best Chandler Bing impression.) Could there be any more snaps on those footie pajamas? Not only is it time consuming but you need a degree in engineering to get them all lined up properly on the first try. The legs are especially challenging considering Rylee does the Running Man anytime she's on her back. You gotta snap in motion!
Well, I should really be taking advantage of her sleeping. I guess it's lights out for me too. Yawn! Nighty-night...
Even though I hadn't been wearing any of it for the last 5 weeks, it felt great to get it outta there and I found all kinds of great things hidden underneath. (Like this awesome pair of capri/shorts that I had completely forgot I owned. They're like brand new again!)
I was able to do this closet makeover because Rylee had a fantastic Friday. That's two good days in a row. Previously she had been on an every other day pattern so it was a nice surprise.
I'm hoping she starts to feel better soon because her misery seems to be affecting her progress. My baby weekly email says she should be smiling more and making two syllable coos. She only sports about one smile a day (she totally prefers the pout) and has really only coo'd twice. I told her she's gonna need to focus and work harder or she's never going to get into our Ivy League college of choice.
About the only thing she shows interest in at this point is the big red wall in our bedroom. She can lie on the changing table and stare at that for half an hour. She likes Jon's art wall in her nursery too. (Or maybe it's just the changing table she likes. I'm thinking of putting it right in the crib if need be!)
Two random observations:
1) I know babies are all cartilidgey and stuff but are their little arms and legs supposed to make more snap, crackle, pops than the cereal? When she moves she sounds like she's coming all unhinged.
2) (Must read with your best Chandler Bing impression.) Could there be any more snaps on those footie pajamas? Not only is it time consuming but you need a degree in engineering to get them all lined up properly on the first try. The legs are especially challenging considering Rylee does the Running Man anytime she's on her back. You gotta snap in motion!
Well, I should really be taking advantage of her sleeping. I guess it's lights out for me too. Yawn! Nighty-night...
Rockabye Baby
Tonight's sleep routine:
Tracks 1-5: dancing the electric slide
1 - Sunday Bloody Sunday (U2)
2 - Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (U2)
3 - The Sweetest Thing (U2)
4 - In My Place (Coldplay)
5 - Clocks (Coldplay)
Tracks 6-7: rocking in chair
6 - Yellow (Coldplay)
7 - In My Place (Coldplay)
Track 8: sitting very still in chair to make sure she is asleep
8 - Just Like Heaven (The Cure)
Track 9-11: blogging & watching the video monitor to make sure she is staying asleep
9 - Today (Smashing Pumpkins)
10 - Tonight, Tonight (Smashing Pumpkins)
11 - God Only Knows (Beach Boys)
Now Shannon sleep...
Tracks 1-5: dancing the electric slide
1 - Sunday Bloody Sunday (U2)
2 - Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (U2)
3 - The Sweetest Thing (U2)
4 - In My Place (Coldplay)
5 - Clocks (Coldplay)
Tracks 6-7: rocking in chair
6 - Yellow (Coldplay)
7 - In My Place (Coldplay)
Track 8: sitting very still in chair to make sure she is asleep
8 - Just Like Heaven (The Cure)
Track 9-11: blogging & watching the video monitor to make sure she is staying asleep
9 - Today (Smashing Pumpkins)
10 - Tonight, Tonight (Smashing Pumpkins)
11 - God Only Knows (Beach Boys)
Now Shannon sleep...
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Boogie Woogie
Rylee had an awful day and evening on Monday. She pretty much screamed bloody murder from 1:00 pm to 1:00 am. I pulled out all the stops in means to calm her for even brief periods of time (walking, rocking, cradling, swinging, pushing, strolling, jiggling to name a few).
Finally in the darkness of her nursery while listening to the lullaby sounds of Metallica, I began to dance. There's not much you can do with a baby in your arms so I chose the timeless steps of the electric slide. She loved it! Great, right?
Well, it's a fun dance for one song once a year at a wedding reception, but 30 mind-numbing minutes later and I was really wishing I knew some other line dances. She did finally go down into her crib for a 5 hour sleep though so I really couldn't complain too much.
Still I figured the sleep-inducing qualities of the dance was probably just a coincidence... but tonight during her late-evening fussiness, I broke out the slide again. 10 minutes later and she was off to dreamland....
Finally in the darkness of her nursery while listening to the lullaby sounds of Metallica, I began to dance. There's not much you can do with a baby in your arms so I chose the timeless steps of the electric slide. She loved it! Great, right?
Well, it's a fun dance for one song once a year at a wedding reception, but 30 mind-numbing minutes later and I was really wishing I knew some other line dances. She did finally go down into her crib for a 5 hour sleep though so I really couldn't complain too much.
Still I figured the sleep-inducing qualities of the dance was probably just a coincidence... but tonight during her late-evening fussiness, I broke out the slide again. 10 minutes later and she was off to dreamland....
Sunday, October 19, 2008
So Big!
I'm not sure if I'm really not tired or if I'm just excited to have some computer time, but either way I'm up late. I don't have time for much these days, but I won't give up the blogging. Of course, I've had to make sacrifices like giving up sleep, but it's worth it. Mostly I've had to cut back on other activities like grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning. It's okay. I wasn't that passionate about those anyway.
Back to Rylee's 6 week update...
1) Rylee made her first talky sound on Friday. It was somewhere between a hi and a hey sound. Kind of a heh. But not the distressy, crying heh. A cute, happy heh. It was exciting, trust me.
2) Rylee slept upstairs in her crib for the first time Saturday night. She seems to like her room, her rock lullaby tunes and her crib lights and sounds machine. I'm enjoying sleeping upstairs as well. I have my own room and my own bed. I may never want to move back downstairs with Jon and Rio. They might feel the same way. Rio looks like she's making herself mighty comfortable in my absence.
3) Rylee had her first public outing today. We went to a family sports restaurant (read: bar - don't worry, smoke free) to watch the Vikings game. All three of us got dressed in our Vikings gear, but it still wasn't enough to make the Vikes win. Rylee did great (read: she slept through the entire outing).
It's definitely apropos that her first outing was to a Vikings game. She couldn't be her mother's daughter if she didn't love the Vikes.
Back to Rylee's 6 week update...
1) Rylee made her first talky sound on Friday. It was somewhere between a hi and a hey sound. Kind of a heh. But not the distressy, crying heh. A cute, happy heh. It was exciting, trust me.
2) Rylee slept upstairs in her crib for the first time Saturday night. She seems to like her room, her rock lullaby tunes and her crib lights and sounds machine. I'm enjoying sleeping upstairs as well. I have my own room and my own bed. I may never want to move back downstairs with Jon and Rio. They might feel the same way. Rio looks like she's making herself mighty comfortable in my absence.
3) Rylee had her first public outing today. We went to a family sports restaurant (read: bar - don't worry, smoke free) to watch the Vikings game. All three of us got dressed in our Vikings gear, but it still wasn't enough to make the Vikes win. Rylee did great (read: she slept through the entire outing).
It's definitely apropos that her first outing was to a Vikings game. She couldn't be her mother's daughter if she didn't love the Vikes.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
You Tube Worthy
Sometimes something so funny happens you just wish that it had been caught on tape - especially if few were around to appreciate the hilarity of it and you wish to share the humor with others. Sure you can write about it (as I’m about to do) or tell the funny tale, but something always gets lost in the translation and you end up giving one of those “you had to be there” disclaimers.
Yesterday I had one of those “where’s-the-camera?” moments and it got me thinking about other events I wish had been caught on camera. So here’s my top 5 “wish had been taped for posterity” funnies (ranked in order of occurrence):
No. 5: The time I was trying to swim out to the raft on Agate Lake and was attacked by a group of sunfish. I screeched, screamed and splashed my way back to shore (witnessed by everyone attending our family reunion picnic). At least I could justify my reaction by showing the teeth marks on my belly button - I’m not joking! Afterwards I decided to give up on swimming and went up to the cabin to change. As I closed the door to the bedroom, the hook latch bust on my swimsuit and my bikini top fell off (thankfully not witnessed by everyone attending our family reunion picnic).
No. 4: The time I fell fully clothed into the pool while power-washing the pool deck. The danger of an amoeba shaped pool - when you’re walking backwards, you’re not always certain where the edge is. (No one witnessed this event, not even Jon. He had just went around the house to the garage. No fair! If you have to fall into a pool, you should at least get a laugh out of it!)
No. 3: The time I fell at bowling and came away like a greased pig, but with a strike! (At least the patrons of Sawgrass Lanes and the entire Motorola Bowling League got to enjoy that one.)
No. 2: The time I was assaulted by a tri-fold sun-tanning chair. The legs weren’t properly locked so when I sat down the thing collapsed. My butt hit the pool deck hard, the top third of the chair snapped like a mouse trap and whacked me in the back of the head, and my calf came down on one of the spiky ratchet joints. (Per one of my favorite movie quotes: “It all happened so quickly!”) I thought Jon was going to fall in the pool he was laughing so hard. I was laughing so hard I was crying. And I was also just crying. It hurt like hell! (I now have a permanent fear of those tri-fold chairs. I will never purchase one, nor sit in one, again.)
And No. 1: The time I made a fool of myself on my front lawn.
Let me set the stage…
Rylee was having a supremely bad day on top of an even more brutal night. Thus I was tired and cranky. I either needed alcohol or ice cream. Since it was mid-afternoon, I opted for the ice cream and suggested an outing to the Dairy Queen (with buy one, get one free Blizzard coupons!).
We decided to take Rylee (she loves car rides and will usually shut up and sleep) but leave the dogs (though they love car rides too, I didn’t want to have to listen to Angel whine when Mom ran into the grocery store after the DQ). I had the diaper bag, my purse and the keys. Dad had Rylee in the car seat. Mom had her stuff.
I walked out the door first, followed by Dad, followed by… Rio! Apparently Rio was not happy with our decision to leave her behind and chose that moment to escape. When Rio gets out the front door, she flees the premises like she’s being chased by the dog catcher. She ain’t stopping or coming back unless you can trick her with treats.
Anyway, Mom starts screaming and puts me into a panic. I don’t remember that I’m supposed to calmly tell her that I have a “cheeseball.” Instead I see her heading for the street and I sprint after her. Unfortunately I’m wearing platform sandals that are not made for running and/or uneven surfaces. I hit the spongy Florida grass and my shoes go flying out from under me. I do an ungraceful face plant into the sod, throwing my Coach purse and diaper bag to the ground in opposite directions.
I rebound quickly and jump up just as Rio stops dead in her tracks. Whether it was from the sheer confusion of seeing her mommy eat grass or from my Mom remembering to actually yell “cheeseball,” we’ll never know.
We get Rio into the house and then I walk back outside to collect my belongings which are now strewn about the front lawn. I have grass stains on my pants but not my Coach purse thankfully. I’m laughing so hard that I start hacking (yes, my cough that disappeared for one week has now returned with a vengeance). I double over to spit up mucus not once, but three times, in my front yard!
I laughed myself all the way to the DQ and back. I really felt like I deserved a Pumpkin Pie Blizzard after that!
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed my “you had to be there moments.”
(I feel like that lady from the cheese commercial: “Have you laughed today?!”)
Yesterday I had one of those “where’s-the-camera?” moments and it got me thinking about other events I wish had been caught on camera. So here’s my top 5 “wish had been taped for posterity” funnies (ranked in order of occurrence):
No. 5: The time I was trying to swim out to the raft on Agate Lake and was attacked by a group of sunfish. I screeched, screamed and splashed my way back to shore (witnessed by everyone attending our family reunion picnic). At least I could justify my reaction by showing the teeth marks on my belly button - I’m not joking! Afterwards I decided to give up on swimming and went up to the cabin to change. As I closed the door to the bedroom, the hook latch bust on my swimsuit and my bikini top fell off (thankfully not witnessed by everyone attending our family reunion picnic).
No. 4: The time I fell fully clothed into the pool while power-washing the pool deck. The danger of an amoeba shaped pool - when you’re walking backwards, you’re not always certain where the edge is. (No one witnessed this event, not even Jon. He had just went around the house to the garage. No fair! If you have to fall into a pool, you should at least get a laugh out of it!)
No. 3: The time I fell at bowling and came away like a greased pig, but with a strike! (At least the patrons of Sawgrass Lanes and the entire Motorola Bowling League got to enjoy that one.)
No. 2: The time I was assaulted by a tri-fold sun-tanning chair. The legs weren’t properly locked so when I sat down the thing collapsed. My butt hit the pool deck hard, the top third of the chair snapped like a mouse trap and whacked me in the back of the head, and my calf came down on one of the spiky ratchet joints. (Per one of my favorite movie quotes: “It all happened so quickly!”) I thought Jon was going to fall in the pool he was laughing so hard. I was laughing so hard I was crying. And I was also just crying. It hurt like hell! (I now have a permanent fear of those tri-fold chairs. I will never purchase one, nor sit in one, again.)
And No. 1: The time I made a fool of myself on my front lawn.
Let me set the stage…
Rylee was having a supremely bad day on top of an even more brutal night. Thus I was tired and cranky. I either needed alcohol or ice cream. Since it was mid-afternoon, I opted for the ice cream and suggested an outing to the Dairy Queen (with buy one, get one free Blizzard coupons!).
We decided to take Rylee (she loves car rides and will usually shut up and sleep) but leave the dogs (though they love car rides too, I didn’t want to have to listen to Angel whine when Mom ran into the grocery store after the DQ). I had the diaper bag, my purse and the keys. Dad had Rylee in the car seat. Mom had her stuff.
I walked out the door first, followed by Dad, followed by… Rio! Apparently Rio was not happy with our decision to leave her behind and chose that moment to escape. When Rio gets out the front door, she flees the premises like she’s being chased by the dog catcher. She ain’t stopping or coming back unless you can trick her with treats.
Anyway, Mom starts screaming and puts me into a panic. I don’t remember that I’m supposed to calmly tell her that I have a “cheeseball.” Instead I see her heading for the street and I sprint after her. Unfortunately I’m wearing platform sandals that are not made for running and/or uneven surfaces. I hit the spongy Florida grass and my shoes go flying out from under me. I do an ungraceful face plant into the sod, throwing my Coach purse and diaper bag to the ground in opposite directions.
I rebound quickly and jump up just as Rio stops dead in her tracks. Whether it was from the sheer confusion of seeing her mommy eat grass or from my Mom remembering to actually yell “cheeseball,” we’ll never know.
We get Rio into the house and then I walk back outside to collect my belongings which are now strewn about the front lawn. I have grass stains on my pants but not my Coach purse thankfully. I’m laughing so hard that I start hacking (yes, my cough that disappeared for one week has now returned with a vengeance). I double over to spit up mucus not once, but three times, in my front yard!
I laughed myself all the way to the DQ and back. I really felt like I deserved a Pumpkin Pie Blizzard after that!
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed my “you had to be there moments.”
(I feel like that lady from the cheese commercial: “Have you laughed today?!”)
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
I Lied...
... I do have a couple formula coupons.
Last night, I was looking through our coupon bin for Chinese restaurant coupons (didn't find any) and I came across some Good Start coupons. They expire soon so no time to sell on ebay (but thanks for the suggestion Kristi, maybe next time). I would be happy to give them or mail them to someone who could use them though.
What I have is: Two coupons for Good Start DHA or ARA formula. One for $11 off and one for $8 (expiring Nov 1). Two coupons for any Good Start formula. Each for $6 off (expiring Dec 1).
Let me know if anyone can use asap. :)
Last night, I was looking through our coupon bin for Chinese restaurant coupons (didn't find any) and I came across some Good Start coupons. They expire soon so no time to sell on ebay (but thanks for the suggestion Kristi, maybe next time). I would be happy to give them or mail them to someone who could use them though.
What I have is: Two coupons for Good Start DHA or ARA formula. One for $11 off and one for $8 (expiring Nov 1). Two coupons for any Good Start formula. Each for $6 off (expiring Dec 1).
Let me know if anyone can use asap. :)
Monday, October 13, 2008
Calling All...
... Similac coupons!
Good News: Rylee is doing pretty well (her issues have not disappeared, but they have lessened to some extent) on the Similac Alimentum so it looks like she will be on that for the foreseeable future.
Bad News: Alimentum costs $27 for the small 16 oz can which she consumes in a couple days.
So I was thinking that if any of you out there have Similac coupons that you don't use (Erin, I think you mentioned you had some at one point, not sure if you still do), I would be thrilled to take them off your hands! And if I get coupons for other brands of formula, I'd be happy to share mine. (Right now, I don't have any.)
I've signed up for everything I could find on the Net in hopes of getting more deals and coupons, but so far the only result has been to increase my spam and telemarketing calls. If you know of anything else I should be doing, please let me know. I'm trying to put off hooking for formula as long as possible. :)
Good News: Rylee is doing pretty well (her issues have not disappeared, but they have lessened to some extent) on the Similac Alimentum so it looks like she will be on that for the foreseeable future.
Bad News: Alimentum costs $27 for the small 16 oz can which she consumes in a couple days.
So I was thinking that if any of you out there have Similac coupons that you don't use (Erin, I think you mentioned you had some at one point, not sure if you still do), I would be thrilled to take them off your hands! And if I get coupons for other brands of formula, I'd be happy to share mine. (Right now, I don't have any.)
I've signed up for everything I could find on the Net in hopes of getting more deals and coupons, but so far the only result has been to increase my spam and telemarketing calls. If you know of anything else I should be doing, please let me know. I'm trying to put off hooking for formula as long as possible. :)
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Happy Birthday Jon!
Yesterday was Jon's birthday, but in my family you celebrate birthdays for 2 days... (this all stems back to when my Mom used the 2 day birthday celebration as an excuse not to go out with a guy - it was a lie then, but we've made it true over the years)... so Friday night my Mom made a delicious scallops dinner and Jon opened his presents. (Technically Jon celebrated for 3 days since we had an early birthday when his parents were here too.) Anyway, he loved his gifts. He's using one of them now - a jerky gun that allows you to make hamburger into jerky. This batch is venison hamburger. (The man loves his jerky!)
Yesterday, Rylee gave her Daddy her gift of napping so we could lie out by the pool for an hour. Then Grandma and Grandpa came over and babysat so Jon and I could go out on the town. First, we hit Bass Pro Shops so Jon could buy a new rifle with his bday money. That took forever. It was a little like buying a new car. I now realize why they have the 5 day waiting period. If they gave you a firearm after that experience, you might decide to use it!
Then we headed out to the beach and had dinner at Bubba Gumps. It was a beautiful night. We sat next to the waterfall and watched the freaks walk, run and roll by. After dinner, we strolled the boardwalk to Beach Place and back. It seems the Ft Lauderdale beach area has been revitalized. All the shops are open again. Tons of new restaurants and bars are open. It was nice to see all the activity.
One interesting story: we parked in the pay lot next to Elbo Room and managed to get a spot right on the street. On our walk to beach place, we saw a family had set up chairs in the grass right in front of our car and were having a picnic. I thought it an odd location, but it's about the only place that's not sandy so I'm guessing that was the appeal. On our way back, they had finished eating and the two little girls (about 7/8 years old) were "dancing" to the radio. I use the term "dancing" liberally considering it looked more like auditioning at a strip club. The parents were laughing away at their suggestive moves, but Jon and I (and the crowd on the sidewalk) were a little appalled. It's one of the most disturbing things I've seen lately!
Well, I must run. Rylee is sleeping in her swing so Jon and I are going to attempt a quick cut and shampoo for Rio (whose grooming has been severely neglected since the arrival of her baby sister). Happy Sunday!
Yesterday, Rylee gave her Daddy her gift of napping so we could lie out by the pool for an hour. Then Grandma and Grandpa came over and babysat so Jon and I could go out on the town. First, we hit Bass Pro Shops so Jon could buy a new rifle with his bday money. That took forever. It was a little like buying a new car. I now realize why they have the 5 day waiting period. If they gave you a firearm after that experience, you might decide to use it!
Then we headed out to the beach and had dinner at Bubba Gumps. It was a beautiful night. We sat next to the waterfall and watched the freaks walk, run and roll by. After dinner, we strolled the boardwalk to Beach Place and back. It seems the Ft Lauderdale beach area has been revitalized. All the shops are open again. Tons of new restaurants and bars are open. It was nice to see all the activity.
One interesting story: we parked in the pay lot next to Elbo Room and managed to get a spot right on the street. On our walk to beach place, we saw a family had set up chairs in the grass right in front of our car and were having a picnic. I thought it an odd location, but it's about the only place that's not sandy so I'm guessing that was the appeal. On our way back, they had finished eating and the two little girls (about 7/8 years old) were "dancing" to the radio. I use the term "dancing" liberally considering it looked more like auditioning at a strip club. The parents were laughing away at their suggestive moves, but Jon and I (and the crowd on the sidewalk) were a little appalled. It's one of the most disturbing things I've seen lately!
Well, I must run. Rylee is sleeping in her swing so Jon and I are going to attempt a quick cut and shampoo for Rio (whose grooming has been severely neglected since the arrival of her baby sister). Happy Sunday!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Happy Birthday Rio!
Yesterday was Rio's 6th birthday! We tried to make it extra special this year since she might be feeling a little neglected with Rylee around.
She is so good with Rylee though. She's very sweet with her, comes and finds Jon or I if Rylee is crying - not like we wouldn't hear her!, and is protective if Angel gets too close. The other day when Jon was feeding Rylee and Angel was sniffing her, Rio launched herself over both of them and basically knocked Angel to the ground. It wasn't necessary, but it was funny!
Here are some photos of my "first" baby girl's day.
Okay, so making it extra special didn't include wrapping paper. Let's not be unrealistic, we do have a newborn and a fussy one at that.
Here's her loot. Two toys from us, two from Grandma Connie and Grandpa John. Their names are (clockwise from 12 o'clock): dragon, pink lady, canoe, and blue bat. The dragon is awesome. When you squeak it, the tongue and tail unfurls!
Lastly, here's a shot of Rio attacking blue bat.
Happy Birthday Rio!
She is so good with Rylee though. She's very sweet with her, comes and finds Jon or I if Rylee is crying - not like we wouldn't hear her!, and is protective if Angel gets too close. The other day when Jon was feeding Rylee and Angel was sniffing her, Rio launched herself over both of them and basically knocked Angel to the ground. It wasn't necessary, but it was funny!
Here are some photos of my "first" baby girl's day.
Okay, so making it extra special didn't include wrapping paper. Let's not be unrealistic, we do have a newborn and a fussy one at that.
Here's her loot. Two toys from us, two from Grandma Connie and Grandpa John. Their names are (clockwise from 12 o'clock): dragon, pink lady, canoe, and blue bat. The dragon is awesome. When you squeak it, the tongue and tail unfurls!
Lastly, here's a shot of Rio attacking blue bat.
Happy Birthday Rio!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Miscellany
Unwritten
I still have one blog left about my post-labor antics, but it remains only partially written. One of these days when I have an actual chunk of time, I will finish it and publish it. I know you're all waiting on baited breath, but you'll just have to exercise some patience!
Sympathetic Infancy
You've heard of sympathetic pregnancy, but Jon is suffering from sympathetic infancy. As you know, Rylee has been battling gas and acid reflux issues. Well, so has Jon! Okay, the gas is nothing new, but the acid reflux...
Grand Visits
Rylee is finally getting to meet the rest of her grandparents. She has been hanging out with Grandma Connie since birth, but the rest of the MN grandparents had to wait for their flights. Grandma Sandy and Grandpa Chip were here for 4 days. Thankfully these 4 days coincided with the best 4 days Rylee has had health-wise! Grandpa John got in yesterday. Right now he and Rylee are snoozing together on the couch - ahhh!
Shot Through the...Thigh
Rylee had her 1 month visit and shot today. She even got a cute little Daffy Duck band aid. Her new stats are: 21.5 inches long and 9 lbs 9 oz.
Bye Bye Boobies
Since Rylee is doing significantly better on the formula, it is time for me to start weaning myself off breast feeding. (Just when I was getting into the groove and pumping pain free. Murphy's Law right?) I'm kind of disappointed. I was really counting on some cleavage for my Halloween costume! In all seriousness, I do feel badly about it. Any recommendations on the weaning process? Erin, I know you just went through it!
I still have one blog left about my post-labor antics, but it remains only partially written. One of these days when I have an actual chunk of time, I will finish it and publish it. I know you're all waiting on baited breath, but you'll just have to exercise some patience!
Sympathetic Infancy
You've heard of sympathetic pregnancy, but Jon is suffering from sympathetic infancy. As you know, Rylee has been battling gas and acid reflux issues. Well, so has Jon! Okay, the gas is nothing new, but the acid reflux...
Grand Visits
Rylee is finally getting to meet the rest of her grandparents. She has been hanging out with Grandma Connie since birth, but the rest of the MN grandparents had to wait for their flights. Grandma Sandy and Grandpa Chip were here for 4 days. Thankfully these 4 days coincided with the best 4 days Rylee has had health-wise! Grandpa John got in yesterday. Right now he and Rylee are snoozing together on the couch - ahhh!
Shot Through the...Thigh
Rylee had her 1 month visit and shot today. She even got a cute little Daffy Duck band aid. Her new stats are: 21.5 inches long and 9 lbs 9 oz.
Bye Bye Boobies
Since Rylee is doing significantly better on the formula, it is time for me to start weaning myself off breast feeding. (Just when I was getting into the groove and pumping pain free. Murphy's Law right?) I'm kind of disappointed. I was really counting on some cleavage for my Halloween costume! In all seriousness, I do feel badly about it. Any recommendations on the weaning process? Erin, I know you just went through it!
Monday, October 6, 2008
No blogging...
tonight. I'm going to watch the Vikings get their butts kicked (likely even though they just blocked a kick return and ran it in for a TD) and use the time to read your blogs. I feel so out of the loop!
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Rylee's Birthday
Saturday, Sept 6th, 2008
After spending all night listening to other women deliver, by morning I was ready to get the show on the road. My favorite of the delivery stories were: the woman whose husband had to race down the hallway to get the nurses and who then delivered within minutes and the woman who screamed, “Please get my baby out!” over and over. I had already decided I would not be screaming down the halls no matter how much pain I was in, but listening to that lady reconfirmed my conviction.
The morning also brought a shift change. I now had two nurses (one a trainee) so I got the “fun” of having all my exams done twice! It wasn’t that bad actually. The trainee was better than the regular nurse in many aspects. Even with the two of them, I hardly ever saw them. I may have been ready to deliver, but the hospital was still crazy and everything took twice as long as expected. This meant Jon could go downstairs and get breakfast and that my Mom could start to worry and fret over what was taking so long and why we weren’t calling with more updates (nothing to tell!).
I think it was around 10:00/11:00 am that they finally came in to break my water. It took several tries with the hook before the doctor was successful. (Sadly, I don’t even know our Dr.’s name. No one from my office was working since it was the weekend.) It certainly was a weird feeling when that huge burst of warm water came shooting out!
Some time later, they came to put in the epidural. I had opted not to have any pain medications via the IV as I have weird reactions to pain meds - pretty much anything stronger than Extra Strength Tylenol makes me feel like I’m going to slip into a coma and die. (That is if it manages to stay in my system. Most often I’ll violently puke it up first.) Thus I was worried about my reaction to the epidural as well. I had previously discussed my hesitation with the anesthesiologist and he had recommended starting off with a milder dosage.
Getting the epidural wasn’t that bad. I had so much back pain already that I didn’t really notice the pressure. That and I was too worried about keeping still so I didn’t accidentally cause them to paralyze me or something. The weirdest thing about the epidural was feeling like I was all Novocained from the boobs down. I kind of freaked out at first because I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I had all that mucus-y stuff in my lungs and throat from my pregnancy “ick” and I couldn’t cough to clear my throat. I’m guessing you need stomach muscles for that and I could no longer feel mine. It took me a while to just forget about it.
After the epidural, they started the Pitocin drip. Things got moving pretty quickly from there. I was dilating rapidly and the contractions were coming faster, but I was blissfully numb. Until… the epidural wore off a good hour or so before the birth. It was gradual at first. I could feel my chest, then my stomach, then my legs… oh and I could feel the contractions too. :)
They had planned on coming back to top me off so to speak, but since the hospital was pure chaos, that never happened. Jon and I monitored the contractions and he helped me with my breathing. I was starting to feel a lot of pressure down there and I wanted the nurses to check my progress. We kept asking them to come in and they kept saying that they’d be right back. An hour later and I was thinking we would be delivering this baby by ourselves after all. Remembering the guy who had sprinted down the hallway the night before, I told Jon to get someone in here NOW!
Sure enough they flipped back the sheet, pronounced me ready to go, and within two minutes the doctor was in and I was ready to push. The doctor gave me a two second instruction which included a thinly veiled comment about how screaming wastes energy and is counterproductive to pushing. She needn’t worry as I had already made up my mind about that the night before!
Since the epidural was long gone, I grabbed and held my own legs and pushed away. I was very “zen” about the whole birthing experience. I was focused, kept my eyes relaxed and closed most of the time, and just concentrated on breathing and pushing. The nurses thought I was some sort of yogi and said they were impressed with my pain tolerance. They probably say this to all the women, but it was a nice motivator. :)
In truthfulness, the actual birth is mostly a blur. I remember Jon counting and the nurses telling me my progress with each push. (It felt like I pushed for a good half hour, but your Dad said it was more like 10 minutes.) I remember they put the oxygen mask on me and put my feet in the stirrups towards the end. I remember thinking that the head was going to slip back inside and ruin the forward progress I’d made so I wanted to keep pushing all the time. I remember an overwhelming sensation that I wanted her out. (I can see why the woman was yelling, “Please get my baby out!” - that was a pretty accurate description, but I had the sense to keep my mouth shut.) I remember I never screamed. (There was some grunting and maybe a whimpering sigh when it was all over, but that was it.) I remember the feeling of sweet relief when at 5:12 pm, Rylee came out into the world and how I almost immediately felt good. From excruciating pain to nothing in one push. Amazing!
After spending all night listening to other women deliver, by morning I was ready to get the show on the road. My favorite of the delivery stories were: the woman whose husband had to race down the hallway to get the nurses and who then delivered within minutes and the woman who screamed, “Please get my baby out!” over and over. I had already decided I would not be screaming down the halls no matter how much pain I was in, but listening to that lady reconfirmed my conviction.
The morning also brought a shift change. I now had two nurses (one a trainee) so I got the “fun” of having all my exams done twice! It wasn’t that bad actually. The trainee was better than the regular nurse in many aspects. Even with the two of them, I hardly ever saw them. I may have been ready to deliver, but the hospital was still crazy and everything took twice as long as expected. This meant Jon could go downstairs and get breakfast and that my Mom could start to worry and fret over what was taking so long and why we weren’t calling with more updates (nothing to tell!).
I think it was around 10:00/11:00 am that they finally came in to break my water. It took several tries with the hook before the doctor was successful. (Sadly, I don’t even know our Dr.’s name. No one from my office was working since it was the weekend.) It certainly was a weird feeling when that huge burst of warm water came shooting out!
Some time later, they came to put in the epidural. I had opted not to have any pain medications via the IV as I have weird reactions to pain meds - pretty much anything stronger than Extra Strength Tylenol makes me feel like I’m going to slip into a coma and die. (That is if it manages to stay in my system. Most often I’ll violently puke it up first.) Thus I was worried about my reaction to the epidural as well. I had previously discussed my hesitation with the anesthesiologist and he had recommended starting off with a milder dosage.
Getting the epidural wasn’t that bad. I had so much back pain already that I didn’t really notice the pressure. That and I was too worried about keeping still so I didn’t accidentally cause them to paralyze me or something. The weirdest thing about the epidural was feeling like I was all Novocained from the boobs down. I kind of freaked out at first because I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I had all that mucus-y stuff in my lungs and throat from my pregnancy “ick” and I couldn’t cough to clear my throat. I’m guessing you need stomach muscles for that and I could no longer feel mine. It took me a while to just forget about it.
After the epidural, they started the Pitocin drip. Things got moving pretty quickly from there. I was dilating rapidly and the contractions were coming faster, but I was blissfully numb. Until… the epidural wore off a good hour or so before the birth. It was gradual at first. I could feel my chest, then my stomach, then my legs… oh and I could feel the contractions too. :)
They had planned on coming back to top me off so to speak, but since the hospital was pure chaos, that never happened. Jon and I monitored the contractions and he helped me with my breathing. I was starting to feel a lot of pressure down there and I wanted the nurses to check my progress. We kept asking them to come in and they kept saying that they’d be right back. An hour later and I was thinking we would be delivering this baby by ourselves after all. Remembering the guy who had sprinted down the hallway the night before, I told Jon to get someone in here NOW!
Sure enough they flipped back the sheet, pronounced me ready to go, and within two minutes the doctor was in and I was ready to push. The doctor gave me a two second instruction which included a thinly veiled comment about how screaming wastes energy and is counterproductive to pushing. She needn’t worry as I had already made up my mind about that the night before!
Since the epidural was long gone, I grabbed and held my own legs and pushed away. I was very “zen” about the whole birthing experience. I was focused, kept my eyes relaxed and closed most of the time, and just concentrated on breathing and pushing. The nurses thought I was some sort of yogi and said they were impressed with my pain tolerance. They probably say this to all the women, but it was a nice motivator. :)
In truthfulness, the actual birth is mostly a blur. I remember Jon counting and the nurses telling me my progress with each push. (It felt like I pushed for a good half hour, but your Dad said it was more like 10 minutes.) I remember they put the oxygen mask on me and put my feet in the stirrups towards the end. I remember thinking that the head was going to slip back inside and ruin the forward progress I’d made so I wanted to keep pushing all the time. I remember an overwhelming sensation that I wanted her out. (I can see why the woman was yelling, “Please get my baby out!” - that was a pretty accurate description, but I had the sense to keep my mouth shut.) I remember I never screamed. (There was some grunting and maybe a whimpering sigh when it was all over, but that was it.) I remember the feeling of sweet relief when at 5:12 pm, Rylee came out into the world and how I almost immediately felt good. From excruciating pain to nothing in one push. Amazing!
Friday, October 3, 2008
Rylee's Birth Day 2
Friday, Sept 5th, 2008
Jon went into work and my Mom came over to take care of me. I rested all morning and headed out to my Ob/gyn’s for my blood pressure check at 1:00 pm. When they checked it, my blood pressure was back up again. Since I was officially full term and by waiting we were only waiting for something bad to happen, they decided to send me back to the hospital and induce.
I called Jon and let him know the plan. It was going to be several hours before they could really start to work on me. Inducing is low priority compared to people who are in for natural births and there were lots considering we were all stressed about Hurricane Ike apparently! Jon was going to finish work, pick up the hospital bags and Cord Blood kit at home, grab something for dinner etc before heading out to the hospital. Mom would stay with me and keep me company in the meantime.
I wasn’t too nervous considering I had been through part of the drill the night before (kind of like how I always pre-drive to a job interview to get the feel for things, but that's another story). After checking in and heading upstairs, they shoved me into the tiny bathroom to get ready. I had to get dressed in one of those lovely backless hospital gowns, put all my belonging into a plastic bag, open up this package of medical supplies, give my urine sample etc. When finished, I realized there was no lid for the urine sample. I’m holding the full cup, plus their bag of medical crap, my bag of clothes and trying to open the locked door all at the same time. Can you see where this is going? Yeah, I spilled half the sample down the front of my gown!
Luckily, by that time they had found me a delivery room which meant I needed to get changed into a different gown anyway. The nurse handed me the new one and I went to change again this time in my private bathroom. Well this gown came disassembled and it was all flaps and snaps. I kept holding it this way and that trying to figure out what would be a neck hole versus arm holes etc. I didn’t really have the patience to figure it out so I just opened the door and confessed my idiocy again. The nurse laughed and snapped me up in about two seconds. I tried not to be discouraged that in the first 5 minutes I had already managed to pee on myself and had a wardrobe malfunction.
They put me in bed, hooked me up to the monitors again, and then… nothing. Hours came and went, nurses came in to take my information, shifts changed, my Mom left, Jon came, we watched a movie, and Jon left again for another dinner/late night snack. (FYI: He does not recommend eating at a Chinese buffet after 9pm – not the freshest food left nor are they restocking.) I was only allowed some clear liquids so I feasted on broth and jello. That would be the last time I ate or drank until after the delivery. The rest of the time, it was ice chips only.
Around 10:00 pm, they hooked me up to an IV. Thankfully, I have great veins and the nurse got the IV in my hand on the first try! Then the waiting began again as the IV drug (whatever it was) needed to drip for 12 hours to help ripen my cervix before they could give me the actual Pitocin to induce labor. Jon slept on and off all night in the recliner. I rested, but was never able to sleep. I was having severe back pains and was just overall uncomfortable being hooked up to the IV, fetal heart rate belt, and blood pressure cuff. It made for a long night!
Stay tuned for Day 3 (labor!) tomorrow... :)
Jon went into work and my Mom came over to take care of me. I rested all morning and headed out to my Ob/gyn’s for my blood pressure check at 1:00 pm. When they checked it, my blood pressure was back up again. Since I was officially full term and by waiting we were only waiting for something bad to happen, they decided to send me back to the hospital and induce.
I called Jon and let him know the plan. It was going to be several hours before they could really start to work on me. Inducing is low priority compared to people who are in for natural births and there were lots considering we were all stressed about Hurricane Ike apparently! Jon was going to finish work, pick up the hospital bags and Cord Blood kit at home, grab something for dinner etc before heading out to the hospital. Mom would stay with me and keep me company in the meantime.
I wasn’t too nervous considering I had been through part of the drill the night before (kind of like how I always pre-drive to a job interview to get the feel for things, but that's another story). After checking in and heading upstairs, they shoved me into the tiny bathroom to get ready. I had to get dressed in one of those lovely backless hospital gowns, put all my belonging into a plastic bag, open up this package of medical supplies, give my urine sample etc. When finished, I realized there was no lid for the urine sample. I’m holding the full cup, plus their bag of medical crap, my bag of clothes and trying to open the locked door all at the same time. Can you see where this is going? Yeah, I spilled half the sample down the front of my gown!
Luckily, by that time they had found me a delivery room which meant I needed to get changed into a different gown anyway. The nurse handed me the new one and I went to change again this time in my private bathroom. Well this gown came disassembled and it was all flaps and snaps. I kept holding it this way and that trying to figure out what would be a neck hole versus arm holes etc. I didn’t really have the patience to figure it out so I just opened the door and confessed my idiocy again. The nurse laughed and snapped me up in about two seconds. I tried not to be discouraged that in the first 5 minutes I had already managed to pee on myself and had a wardrobe malfunction.
They put me in bed, hooked me up to the monitors again, and then… nothing. Hours came and went, nurses came in to take my information, shifts changed, my Mom left, Jon came, we watched a movie, and Jon left again for another dinner/late night snack. (FYI: He does not recommend eating at a Chinese buffet after 9pm – not the freshest food left nor are they restocking.) I was only allowed some clear liquids so I feasted on broth and jello. That would be the last time I ate or drank until after the delivery. The rest of the time, it was ice chips only.
Around 10:00 pm, they hooked me up to an IV. Thankfully, I have great veins and the nurse got the IV in my hand on the first try! Then the waiting began again as the IV drug (whatever it was) needed to drip for 12 hours to help ripen my cervix before they could give me the actual Pitocin to induce labor. Jon slept on and off all night in the recliner. I rested, but was never able to sleep. I was having severe back pains and was just overall uncomfortable being hooked up to the IV, fetal heart rate belt, and blood pressure cuff. It made for a long night!
Stay tuned for Day 3 (labor!) tomorrow... :)
Thursday, October 2, 2008
1 Month Later
First, let me say thanks to all of you for your comments and helpful hints. You moms rock! I'm sure I'll have more questions in the future too.
Rylee had a rough night and day so who knows about the Nutramigen. Maybe it's too early to tell. I'll keep you all posted. (Oh, and you're right. Nutramigen stinks! I kept asking Jon why Rylee smelled like "dirty potatoes" even though we had just given her a bath. Finally, I realized it was the formula!)
Now back to my post...
It's been one month since the adventure of Rylee's 3 day birth. I've been meaning to post about it for a while now, but I've been a little distracted. :) I'm breaking up the story into the three days. (Sorry some of Thursday is redundant as I was able to post a little about it at the time.)
Thursday, Sept 4th, 2008
When Jon and I went for my weekly appointment on Thursday, Sept 4th, we had one thing on our minds – the arrival of… Hurricane Ike! The huge storm was strengthening and South Florida was potentially directly within its path. How would we get prepared? Would we be able to get the hurricane shutters up? What should we wish for? Option 1: delivering and having a new baby at our house during the hurricane or Option 2: not delivering and being forced to spend the hurricane in lockdown at the hospital. (The idea of being stuck in an overcrowded hospital and delivering on a cot in the hallway was not my favorite idea. Nor did my Mom like the thought of riding out the storm alone, taking care of the dogs, and trying to run the generator by herself.)
It was always a long wait at my doctor’s and this day was no exception. Stripped down from the waist, I sat uncomfortably on the table in the too hot room with that lovely paper sheet across my lap. When the doctor finally came in for my exam, my butt had sweat through the little paper lining on the exam table. Thus, when I went to move, the paper tore and stuck to my ass. Jon thought this was especially funny. I can’t complain too much though as he did help pick the paper pieces off my butt afterward.
All these things considered, it was not surprising to me then that my blood pressure was high when they checked it. Dr. Green asked me to lie down and relax so my blood pressure could be checked again. Another thirty minute wait and guess what? No change. This high blood pressure, combined with bad swelling that I’d had the last few weeks of my pregnancy, concerned her. Consequently, it was off to the hospital for observation. (Ironically, we were intending to go there that night anyway. My Mom, Venessa and I had signed up for infant CPR class. Jon had already been CPR certified as part of keeping up his Dive Master license.)
Since Jon does not do well on an empty stomach and I hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast myself, we made a quick pit stop at Panera. I was too nervous to enjoy my salad however! We all really thought this might be it. Phone calls and plans were made. My Mom would head home to watch the dogs and bring our hospital bags back if needed.
After checking in at the hospital (around 5pm), we sat down to wait for my wheelchair transportation. After a few minutes, we heard someone calling for “Liebechek.” We looked back and nodded our heads no, but no one else seemed to be responding to Liebechek either. After the nurse called it two more times, I finally realized she was saying “labor check.” Oops, that was us. (Dang those island accents!)
They wheeled me upstairs, had me dress in a gown, and got me set up in a tiny triage room with three beds. There wasn’t even a place for Jon to sit down and wherever he stood seemed to be in the way so he was moving constantly. They hooked me up to the monitors, ran some blood work, and sent me over for an ultrasound (that was the best part of the whole evening). Rylee wasn't in any distress and my blood pressure came back down after several hours so we were released about 9:30 pm on one condition, I was to be on strict bedrest.
This was ironic as I had been on semi-bedrest all of August due to swelling in my legs and feet (you should have seen my cankles!). Finally, the week before I had been given permission to get out there, walk, get things moving. Now I was back to bedrest! I was not looking forward to that.
Stay tuned for day 2 tomorrow... :)
Rylee had a rough night and day so who knows about the Nutramigen. Maybe it's too early to tell. I'll keep you all posted. (Oh, and you're right. Nutramigen stinks! I kept asking Jon why Rylee smelled like "dirty potatoes" even though we had just given her a bath. Finally, I realized it was the formula!)
Now back to my post...
It's been one month since the adventure of Rylee's 3 day birth. I've been meaning to post about it for a while now, but I've been a little distracted. :) I'm breaking up the story into the three days. (Sorry some of Thursday is redundant as I was able to post a little about it at the time.)
Thursday, Sept 4th, 2008
When Jon and I went for my weekly appointment on Thursday, Sept 4th, we had one thing on our minds – the arrival of… Hurricane Ike! The huge storm was strengthening and South Florida was potentially directly within its path. How would we get prepared? Would we be able to get the hurricane shutters up? What should we wish for? Option 1: delivering and having a new baby at our house during the hurricane or Option 2: not delivering and being forced to spend the hurricane in lockdown at the hospital. (The idea of being stuck in an overcrowded hospital and delivering on a cot in the hallway was not my favorite idea. Nor did my Mom like the thought of riding out the storm alone, taking care of the dogs, and trying to run the generator by herself.)
It was always a long wait at my doctor’s and this day was no exception. Stripped down from the waist, I sat uncomfortably on the table in the too hot room with that lovely paper sheet across my lap. When the doctor finally came in for my exam, my butt had sweat through the little paper lining on the exam table. Thus, when I went to move, the paper tore and stuck to my ass. Jon thought this was especially funny. I can’t complain too much though as he did help pick the paper pieces off my butt afterward.
All these things considered, it was not surprising to me then that my blood pressure was high when they checked it. Dr. Green asked me to lie down and relax so my blood pressure could be checked again. Another thirty minute wait and guess what? No change. This high blood pressure, combined with bad swelling that I’d had the last few weeks of my pregnancy, concerned her. Consequently, it was off to the hospital for observation. (Ironically, we were intending to go there that night anyway. My Mom, Venessa and I had signed up for infant CPR class. Jon had already been CPR certified as part of keeping up his Dive Master license.)
Since Jon does not do well on an empty stomach and I hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast myself, we made a quick pit stop at Panera. I was too nervous to enjoy my salad however! We all really thought this might be it. Phone calls and plans were made. My Mom would head home to watch the dogs and bring our hospital bags back if needed.
After checking in at the hospital (around 5pm), we sat down to wait for my wheelchair transportation. After a few minutes, we heard someone calling for “Liebechek.” We looked back and nodded our heads no, but no one else seemed to be responding to Liebechek either. After the nurse called it two more times, I finally realized she was saying “labor check.” Oops, that was us. (Dang those island accents!)
They wheeled me upstairs, had me dress in a gown, and got me set up in a tiny triage room with three beds. There wasn’t even a place for Jon to sit down and wherever he stood seemed to be in the way so he was moving constantly. They hooked me up to the monitors, ran some blood work, and sent me over for an ultrasound (that was the best part of the whole evening). Rylee wasn't in any distress and my blood pressure came back down after several hours so we were released about 9:30 pm on one condition, I was to be on strict bedrest.
This was ironic as I had been on semi-bedrest all of August due to swelling in my legs and feet (you should have seen my cankles!). Finally, the week before I had been given permission to get out there, walk, get things moving. Now I was back to bedrest! I was not looking forward to that.
Stay tuned for day 2 tomorrow... :)
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Tidbit Tuesday
Okay so I know it's not Tuesday anymore, but since I meant to post this last night and my computer wouldn't cooperate, I think it still counts.
Dishpan hands: A few days ago I said I feel like all I do is pump and feed. While this is still true, I think I need to add washing dishes to that list. Between the pump equipment and the bottles, I am washing dishes 10 times a day. I'm surprised my skin hasn't completely flaked off like Rylee's (she's shedding her newborn skin apparently). I've tried using those microwave bags, but you practically have to wash everything first (otherwise it comes out kind of sticky) so what's the point?
Cough: The xray didn't show anything bad. Right now I'm taking Prednizone which is an asthma medicine that helps with inflammation I think. I don't really care what it was that I had as long as it goes away! So far I've noticed the cough is less phlegmy... so I guess that's a start.
Nutramigen: Rylee does seem a bit improved on the formula. Last night was the best she has been since birth! :) She had good feeds and was able to fall asleep within 10-15 minutes afterward. She even slept for 5 hours straight. Let's hope the good times continue. The only down side is the formula is $26 for a small can which only lasts a couple of days. I'll have to start subbing sooner to keep her in formula!
She still coughs and hacks and seems uncomfortable when she's sleeping though. It's like she's constantly clearing her throat. I'm assuming that's from the acid reflux. If not, maybe she has my cough (I could add that to my "like mother like daughter" list).
Late Night TV: The only upside to feeding round the clock is that you get to take in different TV. I've been able to watch The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson almost every night. When else would I be up from 12:30 - 1:30 am? And several nights I've caught the Trivial Pursuit game show around 4:00 am. Though doing so always makes me hungry for pie...
Questions:
How in the world are you supposed to get boogers out of their nose at this age? Her nostrils are too small for that nose suctioner thing.
Do you use special formula water or just bottled water when mixing the formula?
If Rylee is better on the Nutramigen (which is for kiddos with cow's milk allergy), does that mean she could be better on my breast milk if I stayed away from all dairy? So confusing...
I think there were more, but I can't remember them all. I thought I'd ask some of you mommmy experts as I tired of looking everything up on the Internet! :)
Dishpan hands: A few days ago I said I feel like all I do is pump and feed. While this is still true, I think I need to add washing dishes to that list. Between the pump equipment and the bottles, I am washing dishes 10 times a day. I'm surprised my skin hasn't completely flaked off like Rylee's (she's shedding her newborn skin apparently). I've tried using those microwave bags, but you practically have to wash everything first (otherwise it comes out kind of sticky) so what's the point?
Cough: The xray didn't show anything bad. Right now I'm taking Prednizone which is an asthma medicine that helps with inflammation I think. I don't really care what it was that I had as long as it goes away! So far I've noticed the cough is less phlegmy... so I guess that's a start.
Nutramigen: Rylee does seem a bit improved on the formula. Last night was the best she has been since birth! :) She had good feeds and was able to fall asleep within 10-15 minutes afterward. She even slept for 5 hours straight. Let's hope the good times continue. The only down side is the formula is $26 for a small can which only lasts a couple of days. I'll have to start subbing sooner to keep her in formula!
She still coughs and hacks and seems uncomfortable when she's sleeping though. It's like she's constantly clearing her throat. I'm assuming that's from the acid reflux. If not, maybe she has my cough (I could add that to my "like mother like daughter" list).
Late Night TV: The only upside to feeding round the clock is that you get to take in different TV. I've been able to watch The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson almost every night. When else would I be up from 12:30 - 1:30 am? And several nights I've caught the Trivial Pursuit game show around 4:00 am. Though doing so always makes me hungry for pie...
Questions:
How in the world are you supposed to get boogers out of their nose at this age? Her nostrils are too small for that nose suctioner thing.
Do you use special formula water or just bottled water when mixing the formula?
If Rylee is better on the Nutramigen (which is for kiddos with cow's milk allergy), does that mean she could be better on my breast milk if I stayed away from all dairy? So confusing...
I think there were more, but I can't remember them all. I thought I'd ask some of you mommmy experts as I tired of looking everything up on the Internet! :)
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