The Beginning of Week 2

The Good: The baby is getting up twice in the night and going back to sleep as soon as he finishes nursing. Can't complain about that. The boys seem to be adjusting to new brother without any problems. With mom and dh off, I almost feel like it's a vacation. I'm tapering off on my meds. I'm starting to find things in my closet that almost fit. I love my new wrap. The baby fits so snug and he just falls asleep in it. It's light and comfortable and strangers don't come up to you and put their nasty hands all over your baby.

The Bad: I still could use more sleep. A solid 8 hours is what my body requires and most likely will not get it for at least another 3 months and that's if I'm lucky. Almost fit means my biggest clothes are tight and I have keep the top button of my pants unbuttoned. Dh and mom will soon go back to work and it'll be me against three. I nurse almost 8 hours a day. How do you keep a 2 and 3 yr old in line while nursing 8 hours a day? How do you cook, clean, and bathe little kids while nursing 8 hours a day? I'm not allowed to drive until I'm 2 weeks post-op. I have to depend on others to leave. I'm not a home-body. I love getting out. I hate depending on others.

The Ugly: I have a UTI. I had it while I was pregnant, but the signs were masked by pregnancy and ignorance. I now have to be on an antibiotic. Antibiotics cause yeast infections. Yeast infections mean thrush. Thrush hurts like crazy. The first month of nursing hurts like crazy as is. I've placed myself on a low carb, low sugar diet in hopes to avoid this disaster. Please keep me in your prayers. I not only really want to keep nursing, but financially, it's a must. Formula is not in our budget.

Christmas?

It really feels like Christmas around here . . .

• I'm not teaching lessons
• My sis and family are in town
• My dh is off
• It's 36 degrees outside
• We wrapped/opened presents yesterday (Ca's birthday)
• I have nothing on my to do list

Disclaimer: I am on codine, so when reading my blog or comments, please understand that they may not always make sense.

MEALS: Several of you have offered to bring me meals. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Right now, my mom is off work and is bringing me meals, but when she goes back to work, I'll let you know and I'll be happy to receive your delectable delicacies.

We're Home

I took a couple more pictures before I left the hospital. . . Does he look different today? He's done a lot better. He's doing better with nursing, so I think that's helping him sleep a little better. Yeah!! I'm still crossing my fingers for an easy baby. I hear they exist.

He has really dark hair - black - and a lot of it. Mom said I needed to give him a haircut. I didn't believe her, but then I saw it . . . a mullet. He's got a little red birthmark on his nose that will fade and his 2nd & 3rd toes are webbed. They too will become less noticeable as he gets older. I have them, too. Sorry, kid. It must be genetic.

You know how the hospital gives you a bunch of freebies? Well, I was going through the pile of parenting information and I saw this storybook they gave us. They give the same book to everyone. I know it's silly, but for me, it just confirmed that we chose the right name. I want to get a square frame and hang it in his room. The colors are perfect, too. A friend of mine had a helium balloon that she found on clearance. She offered to give it to me so I could play a joke on Z. He's been saying for 4 months that the baby's name is Nemo. When we came home from the hospital, I peeked in the door and asked Z, do you know who we have with us? He answered, the baby? I said, no, NEMO!! Of course, the baby was with us too. I think Z got my little joke. Our first family photo. Mom kept asking if I needed to go lie down. I told her no, but now that I've seen this picture, I can see why she kept asking. Drugs don't look too cute on me.Z loves holding him. I remember when my niece was 2 1/2, she too loved holding her new baby cousin, Z, and baby brother Iz. She was holding one of them (can't remember who) and when she decided she was done, she just stood up. Baby fell onto the floor. I made sure Z understood that when he was done, he needed to tell us.

He's Here!!

Our sweet baby boy was born yesterday at 7:08am. He was 7lbs 5oz, 18 1/4inches long. He seems so little, but maybe just because I've been looking at Ca. Everything is going just perfectly. We're hoping to go home tomorrow. We did officially put Benjamin Xander on the birth certificate. No going back now. Ben loves to be held - I'm giving in to his demands, but just for today. Tomorrow, he'll have to toughin up. He's got 2 older brothers, you know.

Here he is, about 20 minutes old.

Mom and Jenny have some more pictures on their blogs, too.

New Digits

We've gotten rid of our landline. If I have your email, I'll send my cell number. If not, and you want it, let me know.

Belly Pains

• Ca learning how to get out of his crib, time change messing with his sleeping schedule, and baby in t-minus 5 days = things that don't mix.
• Tums is my friend. Coffee is my lover.
• Things to do before baby comes: finish spring cleaning (nothing too serious), Chris' haircut (boys got theirs), put together a diaper bag/hospital bag, get carseats rearranged in car, and the . . .
• Garage sale is still on for this weekend. We are busting at the seams in this house. It'll be nice to get rid of some stuff.
• I think today I'll tear down Ca's crib and just put his mattress in his room on the floor until Chris gets that trundle built and we can move him into Z's room. Yesterday, naptime was a nightmare with him getting out. Bedtime wasn't that fun either, and he got up in the middle of the night, too. Might as well make it so he can get back into bed if he gets out. My new cute nursery won't be so cute anymore. :(
• Poor middle child. Good thing for him, 2 is my favorite age. He's just the cutest.
• I have a new policy: bath night only when they are stinky or it's been 48 hrs. With this spring weather, I'm sure that'll end up being every night. But it's been nice while it's lasted.
• Jenny took some beautiful maternity pictures of me.This in of itself says a lot since I'm at my highest weight ever. I wish I could post the slideshow on the blog, but before when I did it, the quality just didn't do the pictures justice. I'll wait and post some of my favorites, later. Picking favorites is going to be hard. If you really want to see it, I can email it to you. Just remember, I'm very swollen.
• Cankles: I can't wait to see my real feet again.
• This baby doesn't seem real to me. I finally got the baby clothes washed and put away - made it a little more real. Guess it'll feel real eventually.
• I started thinking about my previous c-sections and I'm dreading Monday: staring at the clock, waiting to press that morphine button, being woken up every couple of hours to check for vitals, being woken up to nurse, the pains of nursing (I'm staying on my codine longer this time), not being able to sit up by myself, being woken up in to nurse, uncomfortable hospital bed, storm of hormones, recovering from being sliced open, lack of sleep, lack of sleep.
• Mom gave me a book called "Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours" I took it as a hint and decided to read it. My obgyn noticed that I'm still reading the same book. He said, you're never going to finish this book. I told him I'd read it in the hospital. He pointed out that they make you take of your baby in the hospital. Yes, they do, but there'll only be one. It'll feel like a vacation.Well, minus the things mentioned in previous bullet.

Birthday Cake

We had a few friends and family over this weekend to celebrate Ca's 2nd birthday - 2 weeks early. It was so much fun. We did a puppy dog theme since Ca LOVES dogs. I don't have any pictures from the party yet (waiting on my photographers - a.k.a. mom & dad - to get me a disk), but I do have one of the cake I made. This was the most fun cake to make. I may have to do another puppy dog party in the future just so I can make the cake again.

For those wondering how to make one, here's a link to the instructions.

What To Do, But Laugh

It was a rare moment. The boys were playing happily together and paying no attention to me. I decided to hang my decorative shelves in Ca/B's room. It wasn't a total kid-free project, but I got it done. The boys were chasing each other in the other room so I decided to decorate the shelves,, too. I put my "B" that I had painted on one of the shelves and decided it needed a small red truck like the big one on my other shelf. I remembered that the boys had an old-timey looking red toy truck with a broken wheel in their playbox. I decided they wouldn't miss it and used it. It looked perfect. I left the room for a few minutes to clean up and when I came back, the toy truck was gone. Had it rolled off? What the heck? I asked Z if he knew where it was. He had seen it, climbed the chair, and put the truck back. Silly boy.

Ever since the time change, Ca has had a hard time falling asleep on time for his nap. Yesterday, I put him in his crib and an hour and 1/2 went by before I heard silence. Z and I were sitting at the dining table doing a workbook when I heard noises at Ca's door. Then I saw him. Ca opened the door, walked out of his room, puppy in arms, and shut the door behind him. In a perfect pattern of things tampering with my last minute baby arrival plans, Ca has officially learned to get out of his crib early. Our plan was to keep the baby in a bassinet in our room for a few months, meanwhile dh build for Ca a trundle bed to go under Z's bed. Now this little curve ball. What to do, what to do?

Have you seen the weather forecast for the next few days? Garage sale will be postponed until next weekend, 2 days before delivery.

Garage Sale

Because I'm crazy or maybe because I'm smart (the jury's still out on that one), I'm having a garage sale this Saturday. Originally, I planned on doing this garage sale at a friend's, but b/c I have a garage, we decided it'd be easier to set up the day before and have it here. (Lucky me). Call it nesting if you want, but really, I'm just trying to prepare for the day we find the perfect fixer-upper to buy. After our recent close-call house buying offer, I decided that I want to be more prepared for when the next opportunity arises. So if you want to join in to sell some stuff or just looking for a place to get rid of anything, let me know. The more the merrier. We're planning on setting up on Friday morning/afternoon with the sale being on Saturday. I know a bunch of you work, so if you can't come over until Friday night, but still want to take part - that's fine. I'll be here (not like I have anywhere else to go).

Oh Lord, Have Mercy

I went today to buy yet another size of diapers for our household - newborn (Z's potty trained but still wears diapers to bed). If I remember correctly, newborns go through about 10 a day. Ca goes through about 4 or 5, Z, 1 or 2. Lord, have mercy.

Oh, and I forgot to say, Ben's birthday will be Monday, March 23 (scheduled c-section). {sidenote: Ca's birthday is Friday, March 27.} Feel free to stop and say, hi.

Many Thanks

I just wanted to thank everyone that came to my baby shower last night. It really made me feel special that so many of you came. Some of you came even though you really just know me through this blogworld of ours. It was just the perfect night out. Thank you, Ang, for setting it up. It was the perfect shower - casual, coffee, & cheesecake (thanks, CG). Who could ask for more? Thank you for all the gift cards, boob lube, and diapers ;) - there is no doubt that it will all be used. You all made me feel so special.

New Pictures

Mom and I took the boys out yesterday to take some pictures for Ca's upcoming birthday (I'll be just returning from the hospital on his real birthday, so we did it early). I can't wait to see Mom's pictures.

Not a great picture, I know, but cute smiles.

Z being a boy.

I don't know why, I just like this one.

Ca had a bug fly at his ear and from then on, he had to cover his ear.

My favorite

Z was giving Ca a birthday kiss.

A few little details . . .

I've gotten a few things up in the baby's room, now.

A pillow I made to sit in the rocker. I have to have one for my back. It's baby blue, brown circles with green stitching.

Ok, I know I'm totally copying Seph. It's not a single white female thing, I promise.

It's a why fix it when it's not broke thing. She's a genious. What can I say?


The name's offical. Benjamin Xander. Xander is short for Alexander (we thought that was too long). I wish Benjamin wasn't so popular. I wish the bad guy from LOST didn't have the same name, but we can't put this off any longer. (like people are going to remember LOST in 10 yrs). A decision had to be made. I made these letters on canvases from Hobby Lobby, scrapbooking paper, and black paint. I was going to put Benjamin on there, too, but I was scared I'd mess it up.

lil' truck on top of the shelves above the dresser. Chris was excited about this one.

THREE MORE WEEKS!!! I'm not totally ready, but physically, it couldn't come sooner. I know that caring for a newborn after a surgery is much harder than carrying around a medicine ball in your belly, so I'll wait my three weeks. Someone really needs to come over and paint my toenails for me though.