Now that I'm back to blogging when it is nearly December, let me go back in time to election day...
It was a crisp and sunny fall afternoon. The stars were aligned for Obama...hahaha. OK, seriously...it was a very beautiful day. Mark and I packed up the munchkin to go find our polling place, which was about 2 blocks away. The town we live in in extremely dinky, even by rural standards. I think the population is nearly 4000 (up from the whopping 800 or so that lived here when I was a kid...blame the real estate boom). We first headed to the town hall because I assumed that is where they would have the polls. I was wrong. It only took us about 2 minutes of driving around to find another building, which was clearly labled "vote here".
We parked in the gravel lot and headed inside the metal Morton building. Yes, I said Morton building. For those of you who have no idea what a Morton building is, it is a cheap metal building constructed primarily of 2x4's and sheet metal. It is used often in farming communities to store farming equipment and what not. Keep in mind this building is in the middle of "town". Although our town is surrounded by cornfields and, in fact, still has a working field in the center (I shit you not. I totally have been meaning to take a picture of this because it is hilarious. On one corner a park, the other 2 corners have modest homes, and the forth is where the cornfield begins...surrounded on all sides by houses.) Anyway, you get the picture.
We walk inside and chaos ensues. First the overtly sweaty babbling woman at the end of the table tries to explain to us the process, which she clearly doesn't even understand herself. And its not like it was a complicated process: last names starting with A-L go to the lady at the end of the table, last names M-Z go to the lady standing next to her.
Ok, so we get in our appropriate lines since Mark and I have different last names. They find Mark's registration, he goes to vote. Mine, however, they cannot find. They call the records office and proceed to tell me that I'm not allowed to vote because I am not registered. I find this interesting since the girl in front of me got the same line. I explained that I had voted in the primaries and even double checked my voter registration at the DMV when I was last there only a few months ago. I also explained that my husband and I registered to vote at the same time when we moved here and somehow they had his information. The bumbling fools couldn't say anything except. "Sorry, maam. You can't vote today."
I insisted on being given a provisional ballot. No one in the room had even heard of this. I had to have one of the women call the "help" line, but this proved to be of little help to her. She handed the phone over to me so I could explain that it was my right to have a provisional ballot to the woman on the phone...the woman who was there to answer questions about voting!
After a long process of finding the appropriate documents, I cast my vote. When we returned home Mark called the CNN "problems with voting" 800 number and we were connected to someone in our county who was actually informed about the voting process. She explained that I was not in a unique position. They had been getting calls all day long about this. The problem seemed to be effecting women voters in our county who had registered at the DMV. How crazy is that?!
To this day I don't know if the problem was resolved. I never read anything about it in the paper and I seriously doubt all of the women that were turned away that day knew enough to demand a provisional ballot. Of those who did, how many took their proof of registration to the courthouse within 48 hours to make sure their vote counted?
I will never cease to be amazed by how easily I can check my email by phone while in the middle of the woods, or how I can register my vehicle by phone or internet, or how I can drive my car down a tollway in Illinois and my toll will come out of an IPASS account whether I have to transponder in my car or not (its true you only need to have the liscense plate on file). Despite all of these conveniences, the state of Illinois cannot manage to properly record my voter's registration information, but they sure manage to fine me EVERY TIME I've passed through a toll without an IPASS.
Amazing!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Saturday, November 29, 2008
So Much to Say
Sheesh time flies, huh? I can and can't believe it has been an entire month since I last blogged. I think it goes without saying we have had a lot going on.
Shortly after halloween my grandmother passed away. It was one of those moments where I had mixed feelings. I knew she had been suffering for a very long time so I was relieved that she was finally at peace. Of course, I was also very sad since I wasn't ready to see her go. I am grateful that we lived so close to her this last year because I was able to see her grin ear to ear each time she saw my ginormous baby belly get even bigger. She was so excited that my cousin Jamie and I were both expecting our first child...and even more excited that they were both boys. She told me over lunch one day that she always dreamed of having 5 boys so she could have her own basketball team. She got 2 daughters and 5 granddaughters, how funny is that?!
Each of the grandchildren wrote a brief story that was read at her memorial. I think we all did a great job at writing something rather funny since my grandmother was known for her dry wit. Of course, the pastor totally screwed up my story (according to her reading my grandmother ended up giving birth to herself) as well as the story written by my cousins Ashley and Sarah (Ashley described my grandma as "maticulous" and the pastor read this as "malicious"). At the time I was pretty disappointed with the pastor's reading since I worked hard to write something that would make people smile as that is exactly what my grandmother would have wanted. In hindsight, I think it was probably better that the woman screwed it up so bad...my grandmother would have found it hilarious. I can just imagine her telling the story over holiday dinners.
My sister was able to delay her return to Tanzania. I am glad she was able to be there, I think it meant a lot to her. My cousin Jamie just had her son (also a preemie) on Oct 1st so she was not able to fly home, but will be here soon for a private burial we'll be having. It is nice that both Jen and Jamie would have an event to attend for closure.
On a more positive note, we are looking forward to having photos taken with Santa this year. It was my cousin's idea to have Benjamin and Isaiah have pictures togethr with Santa since they are so close in age. We are super excited about it. Hopefully Isaiah will still be able to fit into his reindeer outfit because that would just be adorable.
Speak of the...he cries for food...again. Don't worry, there is tons more news and mindless banter to come.
Shortly after halloween my grandmother passed away. It was one of those moments where I had mixed feelings. I knew she had been suffering for a very long time so I was relieved that she was finally at peace. Of course, I was also very sad since I wasn't ready to see her go. I am grateful that we lived so close to her this last year because I was able to see her grin ear to ear each time she saw my ginormous baby belly get even bigger. She was so excited that my cousin Jamie and I were both expecting our first child...and even more excited that they were both boys. She told me over lunch one day that she always dreamed of having 5 boys so she could have her own basketball team. She got 2 daughters and 5 granddaughters, how funny is that?!
Each of the grandchildren wrote a brief story that was read at her memorial. I think we all did a great job at writing something rather funny since my grandmother was known for her dry wit. Of course, the pastor totally screwed up my story (according to her reading my grandmother ended up giving birth to herself) as well as the story written by my cousins Ashley and Sarah (Ashley described my grandma as "maticulous" and the pastor read this as "malicious"). At the time I was pretty disappointed with the pastor's reading since I worked hard to write something that would make people smile as that is exactly what my grandmother would have wanted. In hindsight, I think it was probably better that the woman screwed it up so bad...my grandmother would have found it hilarious. I can just imagine her telling the story over holiday dinners.
My sister was able to delay her return to Tanzania. I am glad she was able to be there, I think it meant a lot to her. My cousin Jamie just had her son (also a preemie) on Oct 1st so she was not able to fly home, but will be here soon for a private burial we'll be having. It is nice that both Jen and Jamie would have an event to attend for closure.
On a more positive note, we are looking forward to having photos taken with Santa this year. It was my cousin's idea to have Benjamin and Isaiah have pictures togethr with Santa since they are so close in age. We are super excited about it. Hopefully Isaiah will still be able to fit into his reindeer outfit because that would just be adorable.
Speak of the...he cries for food...again. Don't worry, there is tons more news and mindless banter to come.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Quick update.
Isaiah had his 2-month birthday on the 28th! Fortunately, Halloween was just a few days later so we used that as our celebration.
The day before Halloween was Isaiah's 2-month visit to the pediatrician where he weighed in at 9 lbs, 3 oz and 23 inches long! If you calculate his growth using his due date (since he's a preemie) he's in the 10th percentile for weight (not too bad for a preemie) and the 75th percentile for height (holy shit!). Mark is average height and we all know I'm a shorty so we were both surprised to have such a lengthy son. He is growing out of NB clothes, not because of his weight, but because of his height. Hopefully he'll be putting on the pounds this next month so he can start filling out those clothes.
We wrapped up the visit with the dreaded immunizations...3 shots and 1 oral dose. He was not too happy about this experience, nor was I. It was unpleasant to say the least to hear my baby scream the way he did when he got his shots. He spent the next 24 hours pretty fussy and didn't sleep much, but was back to happy baby the next morning.
On Halloween, Aunt Jen bought Isaiah a cute little ghost hat so we paired that with a long-sleeved, white onesie from Gail, some ghost socks, a mummy bib, and a matching ghost blankie from Lindsay and we were good to go.
Isaiah was a bit cranky that evening...I think there may have been a bit too much excitement for his taste since he was interested in sleeping most of the time. This worked out great for me though...Isaiah started sleeping in his bedroom by himself a little over a week ago. By the pediatrician's definition he is already sleeping through the night. Yay! We're still trying to nail down a consistent schedule, but he's good at loading up on calories between 9pm and 11pm in order to sleep at good 4-5 hours. He wakes for another big bottle around 3 or 4 am and sleeps until 6am. This is when the schedule varies all day long with mini-naps or loooong naps, depending on his mood. I'm flexible though and I really don't think its bad for him.
We had a ton of visitors on Halloween night, which made the evening. My aunt and cousin stopped in and brought Isaiah the CUTEST little outfit ever. I can't wait until he's big enough to fit in it. Joe (dressed as Jimmy Buffet) and Gail arrived next...just in time for Lillian (as a witch), Logan (as a goulish motorcycle guy), and Nicole who stopped by to trick-or-treat. The kids even got to run around our neighborhood with Joe to trick-or-treat. They scored some serious goods!
Jen dressed as an angel, using her actual wedding dress as the gown (hey it arrived on Halloween and it just seemed to be the perfect way to round out the outfit). Of course, all of the kids were totally excited when they saw her answer the door. Apparently it is just the coolest thing to have a beautiful angel give you candy. She got several wide-eyed smiles and a few, "you are soo bewtiful!"
Today we're planning on adding more footprints to my belly cast and will be relaxing allllll day! Love it!
The day before Halloween was Isaiah's 2-month visit to the pediatrician where he weighed in at 9 lbs, 3 oz and 23 inches long! If you calculate his growth using his due date (since he's a preemie) he's in the 10th percentile for weight (not too bad for a preemie) and the 75th percentile for height (holy shit!). Mark is average height and we all know I'm a shorty so we were both surprised to have such a lengthy son. He is growing out of NB clothes, not because of his weight, but because of his height. Hopefully he'll be putting on the pounds this next month so he can start filling out those clothes.
We wrapped up the visit with the dreaded immunizations...3 shots and 1 oral dose. He was not too happy about this experience, nor was I. It was unpleasant to say the least to hear my baby scream the way he did when he got his shots. He spent the next 24 hours pretty fussy and didn't sleep much, but was back to happy baby the next morning.
On Halloween, Aunt Jen bought Isaiah a cute little ghost hat so we paired that with a long-sleeved, white onesie from Gail, some ghost socks, a mummy bib, and a matching ghost blankie from Lindsay and we were good to go.
Isaiah was a bit cranky that evening...I think there may have been a bit too much excitement for his taste since he was interested in sleeping most of the time. This worked out great for me though...Isaiah started sleeping in his bedroom by himself a little over a week ago. By the pediatrician's definition he is already sleeping through the night. Yay! We're still trying to nail down a consistent schedule, but he's good at loading up on calories between 9pm and 11pm in order to sleep at good 4-5 hours. He wakes for another big bottle around 3 or 4 am and sleeps until 6am. This is when the schedule varies all day long with mini-naps or loooong naps, depending on his mood. I'm flexible though and I really don't think its bad for him.
We had a ton of visitors on Halloween night, which made the evening. My aunt and cousin stopped in and brought Isaiah the CUTEST little outfit ever. I can't wait until he's big enough to fit in it. Joe (dressed as Jimmy Buffet) and Gail arrived next...just in time for Lillian (as a witch), Logan (as a goulish motorcycle guy), and Nicole who stopped by to trick-or-treat. The kids even got to run around our neighborhood with Joe to trick-or-treat. They scored some serious goods!
Jen dressed as an angel, using her actual wedding dress as the gown (hey it arrived on Halloween and it just seemed to be the perfect way to round out the outfit). Of course, all of the kids were totally excited when they saw her answer the door. Apparently it is just the coolest thing to have a beautiful angel give you candy. She got several wide-eyed smiles and a few, "you are soo bewtiful!"
Today we're planning on adding more footprints to my belly cast and will be relaxing allllll day! Love it!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
More Baby Stuff
I was looking at a friend's blog today and was amazed at how active her little one is, he is only 4 months old. I look at Isaiah and can't believe that he too will be babbling and bouncing around in just a few months. I looked back at some of the video we've taken so far, thinking Isaiah hasn't changed much over the course of the first 2 months...ha! I still can't believe how quickly babies progress from those quiet, sleepy days. I found a video of Isaiah at 1 week, quietly waking up to eat. This was before he really cried for anything. Now that he has figured out the cause and effect of crying, its particularly funny to watch him trying to figure out how to communicate the desire to eat during those first few days.
Isaiah Making Food Faces at 1 Week
This was Isaiah Flash forward to today. We have resorted to using our son as the primary source of entertainment. The other day we put together a video of Isaiah dancing to a song from a cartoon. Unfortuntely, the full-length version is too long to upload, but I had to include a short version. Yes, I realize this is probably something only Mark and I can truly appreciate, but I'm posting it anyway because I think the little jazz legs are hilarious. Oye...our poor, mild-tempered son...to be born to 2 goofballs like us...it will be torture for him I'm sure.
Bunny Video
Isaiah Making Food Faces at 1 Week
This was Isaiah Flash forward to today. We have resorted to using our son as the primary source of entertainment. The other day we put together a video of Isaiah dancing to a song from a cartoon. Unfortuntely, the full-length version is too long to upload, but I had to include a short version. Yes, I realize this is probably something only Mark and I can truly appreciate, but I'm posting it anyway because I think the little jazz legs are hilarious. Oye...our poor, mild-tempered son...to be born to 2 goofballs like us...it will be torture for him I'm sure.
Bunny Video
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
How Not to be a Virgo
I have learned many things during Isaiah's short life. The most important lesson thus far can only be described as, "how NOT to be a Virgo".
I have learned:
- to use my shirt as a burp cloth without giving it a second thought.
- to happily wipe away formula goo/ spit-up with my sleeve.
- that if I spill ice cream down the front of my shirt, I can still wear said shirt around the house for the rest of the day if I feel like it (and its one less thing in the laundry).
- that a baby will opt to explosively poop all over you, the bed, and themselves at precisely the time the doorbell rings and the dog knocks over a fresh cup of coffee.
- that the person ringing the doorbell will continue to ring it until you answer the door.
- that once you strip the baby naked, wrap him in blanket, lock the dog in the bedroom, and stub your toe getting to the door, you will find: a) the person has left, b) it is a politician handing out pamphlets, or c) it is a child trying to sell you a shitty subscription to a newspaper that is from a town 60 miles away for their school fundraiser.
- that babies choose to poop primarily when it is inconvenient for you(at the grocery store, the doctor's office, etc)...I see this as preperation for toddlerhood.
- that babies have an awesome sense of smell, which means that every time I make something to eat, Isaiah will cry for food too.
- that sometimes an otherwise happy baby just needs to cry for a minute when they smell your tasty pizza so you can get a bite to eat.
- that babies grunt a lot and that this is very disturbing when you're trying to sleep because no matter how often they do it you will start second guess yourself and think something is wrong.
- that even though I have a big butt, flabby abs, a double chin, an infant to take care of and little to no time for myself these days, I still manage to brush my hair, brush my teeth, and dress in clean clothing that doesn't look like I just got out of bed when I leave the house...WHAT'S UP WITH THE PEOPLE IN WALMART?!!!
- that take-out is always an option
- that the dishes can wait until tomorrow
- that there will always be dog hair to clean up...that too can wait until tomorrow
- that cleaning the bathroom every Monday, reorganizing the kitchen cabinets, knitting everyone a sweater for Christmas, and training for a half-marathon sounds like a great idea, but is not a realistic goal at the moment
- that babies fart A LOT and if the guy next you in the produce aisle thinks it was you, that's ok.
- that the dog will vomit the moment you are finally ready to leave the house (after you've spent the last hour trying to leave).
- that booger snatchers are a necessary evil.
- that the pretty douvet cover I made for the bed is totally staying in the closet for the next 10-15 years.
And most importantly...if it looks like poop, assume its poop. If it smells like poop, assume its poop. And, if your wondering if its poop while your picking up shampoo at Target...yes, it is poop; yes, it is most likely on your shirt; and yes, everybody around you knows it. So smile and ask the lady crinkling her nose if she smells something. hahahaha!
I have learned:
- to use my shirt as a burp cloth without giving it a second thought.
- to happily wipe away formula goo/ spit-up with my sleeve.
- that if I spill ice cream down the front of my shirt, I can still wear said shirt around the house for the rest of the day if I feel like it (and its one less thing in the laundry).
- that a baby will opt to explosively poop all over you, the bed, and themselves at precisely the time the doorbell rings and the dog knocks over a fresh cup of coffee.
- that the person ringing the doorbell will continue to ring it until you answer the door.
- that once you strip the baby naked, wrap him in blanket, lock the dog in the bedroom, and stub your toe getting to the door, you will find: a) the person has left, b) it is a politician handing out pamphlets, or c) it is a child trying to sell you a shitty subscription to a newspaper that is from a town 60 miles away for their school fundraiser.
- that babies choose to poop primarily when it is inconvenient for you(at the grocery store, the doctor's office, etc)...I see this as preperation for toddlerhood.
- that babies have an awesome sense of smell, which means that every time I make something to eat, Isaiah will cry for food too.
- that sometimes an otherwise happy baby just needs to cry for a minute when they smell your tasty pizza so you can get a bite to eat.
- that babies grunt a lot and that this is very disturbing when you're trying to sleep because no matter how often they do it you will start second guess yourself and think something is wrong.
- that even though I have a big butt, flabby abs, a double chin, an infant to take care of and little to no time for myself these days, I still manage to brush my hair, brush my teeth, and dress in clean clothing that doesn't look like I just got out of bed when I leave the house...WHAT'S UP WITH THE PEOPLE IN WALMART?!!!
- that take-out is always an option
- that the dishes can wait until tomorrow
- that there will always be dog hair to clean up...that too can wait until tomorrow
- that cleaning the bathroom every Monday, reorganizing the kitchen cabinets, knitting everyone a sweater for Christmas, and training for a half-marathon sounds like a great idea, but is not a realistic goal at the moment
- that babies fart A LOT and if the guy next you in the produce aisle thinks it was you, that's ok.
- that the dog will vomit the moment you are finally ready to leave the house (after you've spent the last hour trying to leave).
- that booger snatchers are a necessary evil.
- that the pretty douvet cover I made for the bed is totally staying in the closet for the next 10-15 years.
And most importantly...if it looks like poop, assume its poop. If it smells like poop, assume its poop. And, if your wondering if its poop while your picking up shampoo at Target...yes, it is poop; yes, it is most likely on your shirt; and yes, everybody around you knows it. So smile and ask the lady crinkling her nose if she smells something. hahahaha!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Waaaaa!
So yet again our solution to Isaiah's discomfort was short lived. I finally headed in to see our pediatrician yesterday, and it was perfect timing. He hadn't pooped in over a day and was super cranky...she was going to get to see him in all his fussy glory.
It started with a fart-filled car ride (you would be too if you needed to poop your body weight). I felt a oneness with our dog Stella as I hung my head out the driver's-side window while I zoomed down our country roads. It was amazing that we arrived on time, a first since Isaiah's birth. Due to an excessive number of stairs at our peds office (I'm still trying to figure that out, what with all the strollers and trantrum throwing toddlers), I was in a full sweat by the time we got to the waiting room. Don't get me wrong, I can still climb stairs like a normal person, but this time I was lugging my increasingly hefty son in his car carrier. I think a photo is the only way to truly see how ridiculous I look carrying this thing as its about half my size.
There wasn't a soul at the doctor's office so we got right in. Before I could even get my coat off the nurse was in the room asking me to strip him down. I was lifting Isaiah from his car set, one hand firmly under his bum, when he let loose with the poopy he had been storing up for over a day. I was suddenly grateful for the trusty diaper bag. Of course, just as I was about to change him, the docotor walks right in. When does a doctor come in the minute you arrive? So, I was trying talk with her about what was going on while dealing with a poo extravaganza on the table...and then I realized...where are all the wet wipes? There's only one?! (I later learned Mark had been using the wipes out of the diaper bag because it was more convenient in the evening).
Part of me went on autopilot to answer the doctor's questions while my main focus was the poopy diaper. I mentally searched the diaper bag for other options. Several alternatives came to mind. Had the doctor not been in the room I may have selected the emergency onesie or opted to stick him under the sink for a quick rinse, but this was not an option. I studied the diaper and discovered one clean corner. "Could I...?" Realizing the doctor was starting to look at me like I was a moron, I knew I had to act quickly if I were to recover from this situation without convincing the doctor she would need to speak to me in short-syllabled sentences. Suddenly the Yoda withing pushed me forward, "do or do not, there is no try." I yanked up Isaiah's rear with one hand while folding the loaded diaper with oragami skill. Voila! A complete success. I am a mommy afterall! If it weren't completely inappropriate I would have taken a bow.
Isaiah's situation is still up in the air. We now think he has some pretty bad reflux in addition to being a guzzler. We've switched bottles to try to reduce the amount of air he swallows and he takes Prevacid in the morning. Keeping our fingers crossed.
It started with a fart-filled car ride (you would be too if you needed to poop your body weight). I felt a oneness with our dog Stella as I hung my head out the driver's-side window while I zoomed down our country roads. It was amazing that we arrived on time, a first since Isaiah's birth. Due to an excessive number of stairs at our peds office (I'm still trying to figure that out, what with all the strollers and trantrum throwing toddlers), I was in a full sweat by the time we got to the waiting room. Don't get me wrong, I can still climb stairs like a normal person, but this time I was lugging my increasingly hefty son in his car carrier. I think a photo is the only way to truly see how ridiculous I look carrying this thing as its about half my size.
There wasn't a soul at the doctor's office so we got right in. Before I could even get my coat off the nurse was in the room asking me to strip him down. I was lifting Isaiah from his car set, one hand firmly under his bum, when he let loose with the poopy he had been storing up for over a day. I was suddenly grateful for the trusty diaper bag. Of course, just as I was about to change him, the docotor walks right in. When does a doctor come in the minute you arrive? So, I was trying talk with her about what was going on while dealing with a poo extravaganza on the table...and then I realized...where are all the wet wipes? There's only one?! (I later learned Mark had been using the wipes out of the diaper bag because it was more convenient in the evening).
Part of me went on autopilot to answer the doctor's questions while my main focus was the poopy diaper. I mentally searched the diaper bag for other options. Several alternatives came to mind. Had the doctor not been in the room I may have selected the emergency onesie or opted to stick him under the sink for a quick rinse, but this was not an option. I studied the diaper and discovered one clean corner. "Could I...?" Realizing the doctor was starting to look at me like I was a moron, I knew I had to act quickly if I were to recover from this situation without convincing the doctor she would need to speak to me in short-syllabled sentences. Suddenly the Yoda withing pushed me forward, "do or do not, there is no try." I yanked up Isaiah's rear with one hand while folding the loaded diaper with oragami skill. Voila! A complete success. I am a mommy afterall! If it weren't completely inappropriate I would have taken a bow.
Isaiah's situation is still up in the air. We now think he has some pretty bad reflux in addition to being a guzzler. We've switched bottles to try to reduce the amount of air he swallows and he takes Prevacid in the morning. Keeping our fingers crossed.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Let Me Try This...Yet Again
Today's mission: complete blog post. Attempt number: 312
Since those quiet preemie days where Isaiah sleeps 20 hours a day are long gone, I have little if any time to sit down and write...I'm sure you all understand.
Belated congratulations to Jamie (my cousin) and Richard. They had their son Benjamin Michael 5 weeks early! He was 5 lbs, 5.3 oz and 19 inches long...almost the same measurements as Isaiah. Unfortunately little Benny had to stay behind in the hospital for a few days, but it sounds like he is doing great and will be going home soon. Go Benny! Can't wait to meet him.
Amidst all the excitment of yet another new baby in the family, my sister arrived from Africa in mid-Sept. It has been so awesome having my sister here, and she arrived just in time. Isaiah was starting to get more demanding and I was starting to feel much, much better around the time Jen arrived. So, while my inner Virgo screamed, "you can finally clean the house, organize the nursery, and change that damn light bulb!", my son often had other plans. We initially thought he had a terrible cold as he was getting stuffy noses, crying a lot more, and not sleeping at night. Naturally we stormed the pharmacy and hooked ourselves up with the vaporizers, and booger snatchers, and nasal drops. Isaiah grew even crankier following a good booger cleaning. Can't say I blame the guy. He quickly returned to normal...for a few days.
We discovered he was having problems with his tummy. We switched to supplementing with a hypoallergenic formula, but after 2 weeks he was continuing to get worse. I was no longer able to keep up with him using breastmilk so he was getting more and more bottles. Oddly my body did not get the supply and demand thing...I continued to produce a very limited amount of breastmilk while he was increasing his need for more. It became evident that the trauma my body went through was just too much for me to successfully tackle nursing full-time. Finally, we cut out the breastmilk entirely on the hunch that mixing breastmilk and formula was a problem...we also started using Mylicon drops. As you can tell by my post, he is sleeping like a baby once again...Thank God! Screaming baby = sad mommy. I was pretty upset that I wouldn't be able to nurse, but it is what it is...and I am happy that he is feeling much better.
Fortuntately, Aunt Jen jumped right in when she arrived. She took Stella for a long needed grooming (sorry 'tellers we missed the photo op), cooked us up some tasty African food, cuddled with her new nephew, and fed plenty of bottles. Without this help I don't think I could have even kept up with the daily activities so we owe her a huge THANK YOU!
Aunt Jen cuddled with the snicker...
and gave mommy a much needed break...
and played pregnant lady with mommy's belly cast...
Since those quiet preemie days where Isaiah sleeps 20 hours a day are long gone, I have little if any time to sit down and write...I'm sure you all understand.
Belated congratulations to Jamie (my cousin) and Richard. They had their son Benjamin Michael 5 weeks early! He was 5 lbs, 5.3 oz and 19 inches long...almost the same measurements as Isaiah. Unfortunately little Benny had to stay behind in the hospital for a few days, but it sounds like he is doing great and will be going home soon. Go Benny! Can't wait to meet him.
Amidst all the excitment of yet another new baby in the family, my sister arrived from Africa in mid-Sept. It has been so awesome having my sister here, and she arrived just in time. Isaiah was starting to get more demanding and I was starting to feel much, much better around the time Jen arrived. So, while my inner Virgo screamed, "you can finally clean the house, organize the nursery, and change that damn light bulb!", my son often had other plans. We initially thought he had a terrible cold as he was getting stuffy noses, crying a lot more, and not sleeping at night. Naturally we stormed the pharmacy and hooked ourselves up with the vaporizers, and booger snatchers, and nasal drops. Isaiah grew even crankier following a good booger cleaning. Can't say I blame the guy. He quickly returned to normal...for a few days.
We discovered he was having problems with his tummy. We switched to supplementing with a hypoallergenic formula, but after 2 weeks he was continuing to get worse. I was no longer able to keep up with him using breastmilk so he was getting more and more bottles. Oddly my body did not get the supply and demand thing...I continued to produce a very limited amount of breastmilk while he was increasing his need for more. It became evident that the trauma my body went through was just too much for me to successfully tackle nursing full-time. Finally, we cut out the breastmilk entirely on the hunch that mixing breastmilk and formula was a problem...we also started using Mylicon drops. As you can tell by my post, he is sleeping like a baby once again...Thank God! Screaming baby = sad mommy. I was pretty upset that I wouldn't be able to nurse, but it is what it is...and I am happy that he is feeling much better.
Fortuntately, Aunt Jen jumped right in when she arrived. She took Stella for a long needed grooming (sorry 'tellers we missed the photo op), cooked us up some tasty African food, cuddled with her new nephew, and fed plenty of bottles. Without this help I don't think I could have even kept up with the daily activities so we owe her a huge THANK YOU!
Aunt Jen cuddled with the snicker...
and gave mommy a much needed break...
and played pregnant lady with mommy's belly cast...
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