Well kids, I'm back at work. My maternity leave is up, we ran out of money, so it was time to start collecting a paycheck again. I fought long and hard, but alas, being a stay at home mom at this juncture is just not in the proverbial cards. Boo.
It took 2 days to regain full functionality of my work laptop. It was a rather boring 2 days. Today I was able to get my work done, but since I'm not up to a full inventory yet (which I am NOT complaining about, mind you) I've been done since about 10:30AM. My hours are until 4:30PM. Needless to say, I am aware of every news story going on in the WORLD. Nicole Richie is hospitalized for pneumonia, Michael Jackson's sisters believe he was in denial about his addiction even though they all tried to intervene, and Barack Obama is apparently the worst president ever for bowing to a Japanese leader. Shame shame Mr. President.
Getting my body used to this new schedule is an entirely different beast. My kids generally didn't wake up before 8 AM, so I could go to bed at midnight and, besides the possibility of a brief interruption in sleep to tend to Abbie, I could get close to 8 hours of sleep. I am a night owl by nature, not a morning person at all...so making myself go to sleep by 10PM and get up at 6:30AM has been killing me. Mostly because I can lay down at 10, but it'll still be midnight before I finally pass out. 6:30 comes around much too quickly when 12:00 is the last thing you see on your alarm clock.
Here's to many more sleepless nights!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
When It Rains in Washington...
...it pours at my house.
My brother is filing for divorce from his wife. Because I am a good and loving sister, he has moved in with us. Temporarily. But, in the meantime, we have a new roommate...which has caused Bryce to become almost unbearable the last few days. He is SO excited that Uncle Frog is here that he is constantly chattering, constantly asking him to play, to watch him, to do something with him, not listening, and just generally driving me slowly to insanity.
Abbie also senses something's different, so she's gone back to fussiness in the evenings...though I must say, for the most part, she is giving me more rest at night...she's dropped 1-2 feedings most nights, so that lends me at least one 5-6 hour stretch of sleep each night. Hallelujah!
Brett's late nights are creeping up on us again...which means we'll have to have another chat soon....before I get too hostile and go on strike for the umteenth time. :)
I almost can't wait to go back to work. Huh. Never thought I'd say that.
My brother is filing for divorce from his wife. Because I am a good and loving sister, he has moved in with us. Temporarily. But, in the meantime, we have a new roommate...which has caused Bryce to become almost unbearable the last few days. He is SO excited that Uncle Frog is here that he is constantly chattering, constantly asking him to play, to watch him, to do something with him, not listening, and just generally driving me slowly to insanity.
Abbie also senses something's different, so she's gone back to fussiness in the evenings...though I must say, for the most part, she is giving me more rest at night...she's dropped 1-2 feedings most nights, so that lends me at least one 5-6 hour stretch of sleep each night. Hallelujah!
Brett's late nights are creeping up on us again...which means we'll have to have another chat soon....before I get too hostile and go on strike for the umteenth time. :)
I almost can't wait to go back to work. Huh. Never thought I'd say that.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Te Amo
Bryce has been asking me how to say words in Spanish and sign language. So far, the words he's curious about are words I know. I love you, yes and no, mommy/daddy, baby, etc. When I ask him a question, he usually signs yes or no now. So cute! He has also started making up his own signs as he sees fit. He's actually not very far off the mark most of the time. Last night before I left for praise band practice he ran to the door and signed "I love you" and said "te amo". He's so darned smart, sometimes it's scary! :)
Abbie is now 2 months old. She just started powering down 5-6 oz bottles and is going longer stretches at night...I sense a full night's sleep may be on the horizon for both of us. Woohoo!
Abbie is now 2 months old. She just started powering down 5-6 oz bottles and is going longer stretches at night...I sense a full night's sleep may be on the horizon for both of us. Woohoo!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Nice Weekend
I'm slowly but surely getting the hang of this "two kids" thing. Abbie is beginning to settle into a routine (she eats at about the same time every day give or take 1/2 hour, which makes it easier for my schedule), and Bryce as usual is uber patient with me. He has begun voicing his needs very strongly (and sometimes rudely) though, so that's my cue that I need to pay more attention to him. There were a few times this weekend that I told Abbie she needed to "wait" because I was spending time with her brother...I made a point to make a big deal about it, so Bryce knew that Abbie was taking a back seat to him for a change. It was cute to watch his chest puff out. :) But, he's a great big brother, and is always wanting to hold her or help me when I'm doing something with her.
I found a great preschool activity book in my travels this weekend, so I bought Bryce a pencil box, new crayons and extra large pencils (the ones I remember using in first grade) and told him today that we're going to start "home preschool" tomorrow. He is TOTALLY excited and wanted to start today. But, I really want him to treat it like a mini-school session, so I'm making him wait until tomorrow and we'll do a little bit every day through the week. There are neat "field trip" activity ideas and a good book list too, so we'll probably hit up the library at some point this week too to pick up some of the books on the list. I'm secretly hoping that this will be a way for Bryce and I to spend some good quality time with each other every day, doing something that is both fun and will help him be ready for Kindergarten next year. I just need to remember not to force the issue when he's not into it and get creative on those days. Also, since he and Abbie will be going to a lady's home who does not have a preschool curriculum (she's a very sweet stay at home mama who is not breaking our bank by caring for our kids!), I'm hoping to take the remainder of the workbook to her house for Bryce to finish up with her during the day when I have to go back to work.
Bryce started his swimming lessons last week too. He really enjoys it, though he has a hard time with putting his face in the water. It will all come in time!
I found a great preschool activity book in my travels this weekend, so I bought Bryce a pencil box, new crayons and extra large pencils (the ones I remember using in first grade) and told him today that we're going to start "home preschool" tomorrow. He is TOTALLY excited and wanted to start today. But, I really want him to treat it like a mini-school session, so I'm making him wait until tomorrow and we'll do a little bit every day through the week. There are neat "field trip" activity ideas and a good book list too, so we'll probably hit up the library at some point this week too to pick up some of the books on the list. I'm secretly hoping that this will be a way for Bryce and I to spend some good quality time with each other every day, doing something that is both fun and will help him be ready for Kindergarten next year. I just need to remember not to force the issue when he's not into it and get creative on those days. Also, since he and Abbie will be going to a lady's home who does not have a preschool curriculum (she's a very sweet stay at home mama who is not breaking our bank by caring for our kids!), I'm hoping to take the remainder of the workbook to her house for Bryce to finish up with her during the day when I have to go back to work.
Bryce started his swimming lessons last week too. He really enjoys it, though he has a hard time with putting his face in the water. It will all come in time!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Trying Times
Abbie is still a fuss-budget in the evenings...now it starts even earlier. Unfortunately it's very impractical for us to put her to bed any earlier than 7, since dinner is at 6, I'm usually, cooking dinner/eating dinner and Brett is rarely home any earlier than 6:30. So, tonight (as well as a few nights this past week), we have broken down and rocked her, and rocked her, and rocked her to sleep. It's exhausting.
Bryce has the first cold of the new school year. He's not in school. I'm not sure where he encountered this cold, he's been home since Abbie was born...he's having a hard time not touching and kissing his baby, I don't think he fully understands that a sick baby would be a TERRIBLE thing right now...especially considering her nightly fussiness. I feel bad for him, he clearly feels like crap and needs lots of love and attention right now. We try so hard, but he still takes a back seat to the baby a lot of the time. He takes it in stride, he's so laid back and understanding, well beyond his years.
Brett has been particularly grumpy the last few days, as have I. By the end of the work week, sleep deprivation has sent in BIG TIME for me (I'm the only one getting up with the baby during the week, Brett and I alternate on the weekends). Worse, I think I may be getting Bryce's cold, so I'm really dreading next week. And of course, I've already loaded next week down with activities galore. Dentist appointments, swimming lessons starting for Bryce, band/choir practice at church, my 6 week post-partum visit. Good Lord.
After re-reading the above, I've decided I'm going to bed early. Just reading this is exhausting. :)
Bryce has the first cold of the new school year. He's not in school. I'm not sure where he encountered this cold, he's been home since Abbie was born...he's having a hard time not touching and kissing his baby, I don't think he fully understands that a sick baby would be a TERRIBLE thing right now...especially considering her nightly fussiness. I feel bad for him, he clearly feels like crap and needs lots of love and attention right now. We try so hard, but he still takes a back seat to the baby a lot of the time. He takes it in stride, he's so laid back and understanding, well beyond his years.
Brett has been particularly grumpy the last few days, as have I. By the end of the work week, sleep deprivation has sent in BIG TIME for me (I'm the only one getting up with the baby during the week, Brett and I alternate on the weekends). Worse, I think I may be getting Bryce's cold, so I'm really dreading next week. And of course, I've already loaded next week down with activities galore. Dentist appointments, swimming lessons starting for Bryce, band/choir practice at church, my 6 week post-partum visit. Good Lord.
After re-reading the above, I've decided I'm going to bed early. Just reading this is exhausting. :)
Monday, September 21, 2009
Princess Poops-A-Lot...
Is Abbie's nickname now. For *hopefully* obvious reasons. Brett assures me he did, but I don't ever remember Bryce's bowels being so...well, active.
She's either got a ripe diaper, or she's working on a ripe diaper. For the first 3-4 weeks, I can count on one hand how many diapers I changed that did not contain solid (or mostly solid) material.
I hope you aren't eating while reading this. My humble apologies if your meal is no longer appetizing.
Abbie now has a fussy time every evening. 7 to 9-ish every night is the time that, no matter, what we do, she just cries. She acts hungry, so we feed her and she rejects her bottle. She seems gassy so we try and pound the gas out of her (we're really quite gentle, honest), nothing comes out. She acts tired, we rock, and rock, and rock her, the minute we stop, she wakes up and...cries (my mom thinks this part is hilarious, because I apparently did this to my dad as an infant, all the time). Then, like a miracle, around 9 or so, she takes her bottle, burps easily and passes out without so much as a whimper. Perplexing. Luckily, this is our second "dog and pony show," so Brett and I haven't tried to kill each other yet. We just pass her back and forth for 2-3 hours until one of us has some success.
Last night, I took a friend's advice and tried to feed and burp her, bathe her and put her down for bed before the fussiness began. And it worked! Here's hoping it works again tonight!
PRAY FOR US! :)
She's either got a ripe diaper, or she's working on a ripe diaper. For the first 3-4 weeks, I can count on one hand how many diapers I changed that did not contain solid (or mostly solid) material.
I hope you aren't eating while reading this. My humble apologies if your meal is no longer appetizing.
Abbie now has a fussy time every evening. 7 to 9-ish every night is the time that, no matter, what we do, she just cries. She acts hungry, so we feed her and she rejects her bottle. She seems gassy so we try and pound the gas out of her (we're really quite gentle, honest), nothing comes out. She acts tired, we rock, and rock, and rock her, the minute we stop, she wakes up and...cries (my mom thinks this part is hilarious, because I apparently did this to my dad as an infant, all the time). Then, like a miracle, around 9 or so, she takes her bottle, burps easily and passes out without so much as a whimper. Perplexing. Luckily, this is our second "dog and pony show," so Brett and I haven't tried to kill each other yet. We just pass her back and forth for 2-3 hours until one of us has some success.
Last night, I took a friend's advice and tried to feed and burp her, bathe her and put her down for bed before the fussiness began. And it worked! Here's hoping it works again tonight!
PRAY FOR US! :)
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Life With Abbie
My baby girl is almost 4 weeks old...and just one week shy of one month old. She already looks different and bigger to me than she did at birth. She is an extremely easy baby (knock on wood), and though she wakes up very regularly to eat at night, she most always goes right back to sleep. I am able to nurse her and I just get such a rush of joy and love when I am able to cuddle my little girl and stare into her blueberry eyes.
Bryce is very protective of his baby. I've overheard him on more than one occasion telling someone who is looking at her that she is very fragile and they must use hand sanitizer before they hold her. He constantly hugs and kisses on her, and wants to know where she is if she's not right with us. People ask him what he thinks of his sister or if he's a good big brother. I think he's finally getting a little tired of that question, because his answers have gone from an emphatic "yes, I'm a great big brother!" to an almost annoyed "yeah, she's great and I'm great." I think it's becoming very taxing on him to not be the center of attention...at least for now. If I know my boy like I think I do, he'll quickly find ways to steal the limelight from his baby sister in the near future. But for now, he's a least being civil about folks oohing and aahing over his baby.
Brett has told me that Abbie already has him wrapped around her finger. He is so relaxed and natural this time around, so patient with her and still managing to find lots of things to do with Bryce so he doesn't feel left out. He went back to work last week, so I've been flying solo at night, but he's quite the champ on the weekends. Even lets me sleep in from time to time!
Balancing the two kiddos is difficult, but not as hard as I thought it would be. I've learned that as soon as Abbie's done nursing, that's the best time to make meals, take a shower or head off for errands...I have about 2 1/2 to 3 hours before she'll be ready to eat again. I probably put Bryce in front of a movie more than I should, but luckily the sun is still shining and our teachers are still striking, so the neighbor kids and bicycling have kept Bryce occupied while I learn to entertain two.
Bryce is very protective of his baby. I've overheard him on more than one occasion telling someone who is looking at her that she is very fragile and they must use hand sanitizer before they hold her. He constantly hugs and kisses on her, and wants to know where she is if she's not right with us. People ask him what he thinks of his sister or if he's a good big brother. I think he's finally getting a little tired of that question, because his answers have gone from an emphatic "yes, I'm a great big brother!" to an almost annoyed "yeah, she's great and I'm great." I think it's becoming very taxing on him to not be the center of attention...at least for now. If I know my boy like I think I do, he'll quickly find ways to steal the limelight from his baby sister in the near future. But for now, he's a least being civil about folks oohing and aahing over his baby.
Brett has told me that Abbie already has him wrapped around her finger. He is so relaxed and natural this time around, so patient with her and still managing to find lots of things to do with Bryce so he doesn't feel left out. He went back to work last week, so I've been flying solo at night, but he's quite the champ on the weekends. Even lets me sleep in from time to time!
Balancing the two kiddos is difficult, but not as hard as I thought it would be. I've learned that as soon as Abbie's done nursing, that's the best time to make meals, take a shower or head off for errands...I have about 2 1/2 to 3 hours before she'll be ready to eat again. I probably put Bryce in front of a movie more than I should, but luckily the sun is still shining and our teachers are still striking, so the neighbor kids and bicycling have kept Bryce occupied while I learn to entertain two.
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