Okay, before I post, I just have to put a disclaimer about my last post. While I am excited that I am fitting into my pre-pregnancy clothes, it isn't THAT much of an accomplishment. I'm talking size 14 jeans. So it's not as if I'm back in my size 6 jeans (like some of my fellow new moms in the area). We all must remember that I wasn't exactly skinny before getting knocked up. :)
Okay, on to goodbyes. This is it. My last week in Louisville. I am so numb. One of my friends pointed out that I'm so worried about Andrew's adjustment, I just haven't got the time or energy to worry about myself right now. I think that's probably accurate to a degree. Also, I'm in complete and utter denial. Truely.
I did finally send out an e-mail to my closest friends here in town to see if they'd like one last night out with the girls. So Thursday should be a real cry-fest. But I know I'd regret it if I left without saying goodbye.
I love Louisville. Growing up in Ohio, I can't believe that I love KY as much as I do. But I love it here. I love the climate, I love the city, I love the way so much is geared towards families, I love the people. The way they drive kind of bugs me. But other than that, I could seriously live here forever and never have one regret. The people in this town welcome you with open arms, and you feel like a native soon after moving here. Love it love it love it.
And so I'm sad. Leaving California was such a triumph. I was sad to leave the friends that I'd made there, but the payoff was so great, it was really an easy sacrifice. Coming to Louisville was coming home. Even though I'd never been here before.
I'm going to miss my friends. I'm going to miss the Ohio river. I'm going to miss big brick houses and seeing people I know everywhere I go. I'm sad Andrew has to leave his school that he loves so much (who would have thought!), I'm sad to lose my girls...for bunco and book club and nights out on the town. I'm sad to say farewell to caring neighbors and the midwest in general.
Most of all...I hate goodbyes. There's just no good way to do it. I don't know when I'll be back in Louisville...I have no family here and we really didn't live here that long. Jeff hates the plant so much, I can't imagine we'll ever be transferred back. -sigh-
On to Philly! I have been pumping up Andrew about making new friends and meeting new teachers and so on and so forth. During one such speech, Andrew looked right at me and said, "Are you happy, Mom?" And I explained that Mommy might cry a little this week, but I am happy. I am happy that I get to take the people I love the most with me, that my husband is smiling again, that as hard as it seems now, I know that we are strong and will do this and hopefully in 18 months, we will feel as settled there are we are here now.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Woo-hoo
Just have to post...I'm back in my jeans today! And they aren't even tight!!! A good development since I don't have many wintery maternity clothes. I packed up all my maternity this morning so it's ready for the move. Yippee!!!
Friday, October 20, 2006
My babies...
Ah, the joys of two children. I'm sure you're all curious how my Andrew is dealing with his new baby sister. So far...so good. Of course, I have yet to spend an entire day alone with the two of them, so he hasn't really had much competition to get his needs met.
When we first came home, he was really spacey...wandering around the house, randomly destroying things. Then we discovered that he was also suffering from constipation. A suppository later, and we found him to be a much more pleasant housemate. It's amazing how a good poop can make everything seem better :)
Then a few days after she was born, he came up to me and said, "I hate Lily. She doesn't pay attention to me". Ah, yes, Prince Andrew. It must be hard to meet someone who doesn't dote on your every word and gesture. I assured him that if he just gave her some time, she would adore him like the rest of the world. Sure enough, she has been awake more and more, and he LOVES her when she is awake. And she really does like to watch him already.
He refers to her as "his baby" and knows that she is "for our family to keep". He now includes her when "reading". As in, picking up a magazine, and tracing the words with his finger saying, "Mommy, this says Andrew loves Mommy, Daddy, and Lily". Sweetheart. This morning we went to a birthday party for one of the neighbors. Whenever Lily got passed to a new person, Andrew was right there, informing the woman that "That is Lily. She's my baby". Very protective and possessive of little Lily. He makes sure to introduce her to EVERYONE that he meets. That's his job.
So he's doing well. In a little over a week we will leave our house forever. That will probably shake up his little system more than Lily. But he proves to me again and again that he is resiliant and amazing...I'm sure he'll do better than me :)
When we first came home, he was really spacey...wandering around the house, randomly destroying things. Then we discovered that he was also suffering from constipation. A suppository later, and we found him to be a much more pleasant housemate. It's amazing how a good poop can make everything seem better :)
Then a few days after she was born, he came up to me and said, "I hate Lily. She doesn't pay attention to me". Ah, yes, Prince Andrew. It must be hard to meet someone who doesn't dote on your every word and gesture. I assured him that if he just gave her some time, she would adore him like the rest of the world. Sure enough, she has been awake more and more, and he LOVES her when she is awake. And she really does like to watch him already.
He refers to her as "his baby" and knows that she is "for our family to keep". He now includes her when "reading". As in, picking up a magazine, and tracing the words with his finger saying, "Mommy, this says Andrew loves Mommy, Daddy, and Lily". Sweetheart. This morning we went to a birthday party for one of the neighbors. Whenever Lily got passed to a new person, Andrew was right there, informing the woman that "That is Lily. She's my baby". Very protective and possessive of little Lily. He makes sure to introduce her to EVERYONE that he meets. That's his job.
So he's doing well. In a little over a week we will leave our house forever. That will probably shake up his little system more than Lily. But he proves to me again and again that he is resiliant and amazing...I'm sure he'll do better than me :)
Thursday, October 12, 2006
The joys of having 2
I have only been the mother of 2 children for 6 days, and already the fun begins!
Lily has decided to finish her "honeymoon period" of newborn days...and was up most of the night last night. She thinks that daylight is too bright, so she sleeps all day (thank you Daddy for those squinty eyes), and just wakes long enough to have a quick snack now and then. Then around 9 pm, she gets ravenous, and eats every hour-2 hours for about 20 minutes on a side. So we are tired today.
Andrew had school today, so we had to set an alarm to get him up out of bed. He came home from school, and we were all looking forward to a nice nap to help refresh us after the long night of no sleep. Hmmmm, Andrew seems to have different plans. So while Lily is sleeping soundly, Andrew is SCREAMING up in his bedroom. Can't even just play quietly up there.
So no sleep to be had at this humble abode! Andrew and Lily have already mastered the tag team approach to driving your parents to drink!
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
The birth story
All right, so Andrew is with Daddy at The Playground, and Lily is sleeping...like always. So I'll jot down an abbreviated version of Lily's birth.
Let's see, I think it can all be summed up with a little equation:
Giselle + excruciating pain + extreme fear + narcotics = irrational, hysterically screaming, hysterically sobbing banshee.
So things didn't go EXACTLY as I had planned. When do these things ever?
Now's the time for some of you to stop reading. Seriously...I can't believe some of the people who check into this blog. Do my dad's co-workers really want a visual of me giving birth? Please tell me no. :)
For those of you interested in more details, here's a timeline of the day:
7am- check into hospital for planned induction. I am found to be 1-2 centimeters dilated.
10am- finally get the pitocin started to induce contractions. Apparently it is not a good idea to be induced during a full moon...too many people on the floor to get proper attention.
12pm- Dr. G comes and breaks my water. I am now 2 centimeters dilated. Contractions immediately step up in intensity. And I find myself sitting in a pool of water. Ewwww.
3pm- Shift change. My old nurse leaves me by turning up the pitocin a little bit.
3:30pm- I officially want the epidural. New nurse comes in and checks me...I am only 3 centimeters. I really wanted to get to 5-6 before getting the epidural. She wants me to finish my bag of saline before getting the epidural. Things seem to be moving slowly, so we agree to give me a little narcotic to "take the edge off" and then will get epidural when my IV is finished.
4pm- I am now screaming/ panting through contractions every 2 minutes. Jeff is an angel. I really really want my epidural. I'm no hero...give me the drugs!
4:15-4:30- A scream from me brings my nurse running. She checks me, and I have dilated to an 8!!! She tells me not to push and runs out to get the doctor with the drugs.
4:30- Drug doc comes. I am trying to answer his questions with hand gestures because the contractions are so strong. Suddenly, I feel like I am pushing (I won't describe how the pain changed...a bit graphic for my silly little blog). I yell "I am pushing". Pandemonium breaks out. Jeff is shoved in a corner to make room for the nurses running in and out. Drug doc leaves without giving me the drugs...I am apparently crowning at this point and it is too late for me. I realize this and PANIC. Andrew did A LOT of damage, and now I'm facing that damage with no drugs. Couple that with narcotics that made me feel slightly drunk (no pain relief) and I was a swearing, screaming idiot. In between contractions, I sobbed and pleaded with my doctor to do something (uh...too late, crazy lady).
4:46- 3 hysterical contractions later, Lily popped out into the world. But did the hysterics end? No, I still was screaming as they tortured me. Sure, it's important to get the placenta out. Sure, I didn't want to hemmorage to death. Yes, I did want my parts stitched back together. But did they have to torture me so??? Could I get an epidural now?
All in all, it wasn't the pain that was so terrible, it was my over-riding fear of having a 4th degree without meds. I have seriously never been so scared in my life. But it was really quick, and now I can say I've experienced it. Sure, I feel like writing an apology note to my delivery staff...this is also the most embarrassed I've ever been in my life. Talk about losing control!!!
So there. I did it. Natural childbirth. And if I'm ever crazy enough to get pregnant again, I'm requesting my epidural in the 7th month.
Let's see, I think it can all be summed up with a little equation:
Giselle + excruciating pain + extreme fear + narcotics = irrational, hysterically screaming, hysterically sobbing banshee.
So things didn't go EXACTLY as I had planned. When do these things ever?
Now's the time for some of you to stop reading. Seriously...I can't believe some of the people who check into this blog. Do my dad's co-workers really want a visual of me giving birth? Please tell me no. :)
For those of you interested in more details, here's a timeline of the day:
7am- check into hospital for planned induction. I am found to be 1-2 centimeters dilated.
10am- finally get the pitocin started to induce contractions. Apparently it is not a good idea to be induced during a full moon...too many people on the floor to get proper attention.
12pm- Dr. G comes and breaks my water. I am now 2 centimeters dilated. Contractions immediately step up in intensity. And I find myself sitting in a pool of water. Ewwww.
3pm- Shift change. My old nurse leaves me by turning up the pitocin a little bit.
3:30pm- I officially want the epidural. New nurse comes in and checks me...I am only 3 centimeters. I really wanted to get to 5-6 before getting the epidural. She wants me to finish my bag of saline before getting the epidural. Things seem to be moving slowly, so we agree to give me a little narcotic to "take the edge off" and then will get epidural when my IV is finished.
4pm- I am now screaming/ panting through contractions every 2 minutes. Jeff is an angel. I really really want my epidural. I'm no hero...give me the drugs!
4:15-4:30- A scream from me brings my nurse running. She checks me, and I have dilated to an 8!!! She tells me not to push and runs out to get the doctor with the drugs.
4:30- Drug doc comes. I am trying to answer his questions with hand gestures because the contractions are so strong. Suddenly, I feel like I am pushing (I won't describe how the pain changed...a bit graphic for my silly little blog). I yell "I am pushing". Pandemonium breaks out. Jeff is shoved in a corner to make room for the nurses running in and out. Drug doc leaves without giving me the drugs...I am apparently crowning at this point and it is too late for me. I realize this and PANIC. Andrew did A LOT of damage, and now I'm facing that damage with no drugs. Couple that with narcotics that made me feel slightly drunk (no pain relief) and I was a swearing, screaming idiot. In between contractions, I sobbed and pleaded with my doctor to do something (uh...too late, crazy lady).
4:46- 3 hysterical contractions later, Lily popped out into the world. But did the hysterics end? No, I still was screaming as they tortured me. Sure, it's important to get the placenta out. Sure, I didn't want to hemmorage to death. Yes, I did want my parts stitched back together. But did they have to torture me so??? Could I get an epidural now?
All in all, it wasn't the pain that was so terrible, it was my over-riding fear of having a 4th degree without meds. I have seriously never been so scared in my life. But it was really quick, and now I can say I've experienced it. Sure, I feel like writing an apology note to my delivery staff...this is also the most embarrassed I've ever been in my life. Talk about losing control!!!
So there. I did it. Natural childbirth. And if I'm ever crazy enough to get pregnant again, I'm requesting my epidural in the 7th month.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Lily!!!
Thanks Kate, for posting a quick update on your niece.
We just got home. Lillian Jeannette (Lily) was born Friday at 4:46 pm and was 7lb 4oz, 19 inches. A teeny tiny peanut compared to Andrew. Seriously. Amazing. And her hair!!! Holy cow, I think I could almost put piggy tails in it already.
Not to be overshadowed by her gigantic brother's arrival, she decided to make her own birth story an exciting one. She already knows how much her mother likes a good story. I'll write it down in it's entirety later...let's just say...no epidural. Yea, it's a good story. I promise I'll sit down and write it in a minute.
I'm feeling great...just a 2nd degree tear and a few other stitches. I feel like I could run a marathon compared to my first birth experience. Lily also is benefitting from an experienced mother in regards to breastfeeding. I just feel so much more confidant, and she is in turn doing much much better than Andrew did at this stage. Now I just need my milk to come in, and we'll be in business.
Anyway, I've got to go wake the little sleeper so she will eat and not stay up ALL night long.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Crunchy has Arrived!
Giselle asked me to post this for her, as she is a little busy at the moment and probably will be for some time...
I will come back and update what I know. Crunchy needs to know that she is certainly #2 because I already forget the exact time she was born and how long she is, but that isn't really what you want to know. In my defense, I was so excited that all I wanted to know was how the labor went how the baby was, etc.
Lillian (Lily) Jeannette
7 pounds 4 ounces
born today sometime after 4 p.m.
Longer than 19 inches (because most babies past 5 pounds are)
Hair=darker than Andrew
Eyes=haven't seen yet (crying steadily since her birth)
Baby= BEAUTIFUL
I won't give you the gory details since I'm sure Giselle will be more colorful with her descriptions. Let's just say she went au natural.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
We Love You!
I will come back and update what I know. Crunchy needs to know that she is certainly #2 because I already forget the exact time she was born and how long she is, but that isn't really what you want to know. In my defense, I was so excited that all I wanted to know was how the labor went how the baby was, etc.
Lillian (Lily) Jeannette
7 pounds 4 ounces
born today sometime after 4 p.m.
Longer than 19 inches (because most babies past 5 pounds are)
Hair=darker than Andrew
Eyes=haven't seen yet (crying steadily since her birth)
Baby= BEAUTIFUL
I won't give you the gory details since I'm sure Giselle will be more colorful with her descriptions. Let's just say she went au natural.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
We Love You!
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Eviction notice
Dearest Daughter:
You and I have been under a strict lease agreement. The agreement states that I would provide you with housing and food if you would agree to vacate the premise at the end of 10 months time. I have taken on the additional inconvenience of almost constant nausea, much puking for the first half of your stay, indigestion, searing back pain, and ugly stretch marks. All you have to do is move out by October 5th.
I've got news for you little girl. We're coming in to get you tomorrow morning. So enjoy your waterbed and free cable today. Tomorrow it's going to get very bright and very cold. But don't worry. I'm still under contract to take care of your every need for the next 18 years or so.
You and I have been under a strict lease agreement. The agreement states that I would provide you with housing and food if you would agree to vacate the premise at the end of 10 months time. I have taken on the additional inconvenience of almost constant nausea, much puking for the first half of your stay, indigestion, searing back pain, and ugly stretch marks. All you have to do is move out by October 5th.
I've got news for you little girl. We're coming in to get you tomorrow morning. So enjoy your waterbed and free cable today. Tomorrow it's going to get very bright and very cold. But don't worry. I'm still under contract to take care of your every need for the next 18 years or so.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Attitude
Andrewisms...
"Huh?" The child is driving me crazy with this one. He just doesn't listen. It's most frustrating when he specifically asks a question and then doesn't listen to the reply. And I was worried about his hearing, but he hears me just fine when I put a hand over my mouth or turn away from him to test if he can hear me. He's just turning into a man...with an uncanny ability to tune out a woman's voice.
I was particularly frustrated one afternoon and asked him "Are you deaf or just difficult?" He gave me a hug and said, "Just difficult, Mommy".
We installed Crunchy's carseat on Sunday night. Monday I pointed it out to Andrew and explained who it was for. Today I asked him who the car seat was for when I loaded him in the car for school. Andrew said, "It's for baby sister. And don't ask me again, Mom". As if I'm insulting his intelligence.
He drank way too much juice and not enough milk on Saturday. So Sunday I wasn't letting him have juice...and he didn't drink his milk either. At dinnertime, I commented to Jeff that I was concerned he wasn't drinking milk. Fast forward 2 hours to bedtime. Andrew starts fake crying in bed just minutes after I put him down. I begrudgingly open the door and ask what is wrong. Andrew replies, "My tummy feels sick. I didn't drink enough milk today." Stinker. He knew that was my button to push that day. BTW...he didn't get milk. I explained that he had brushed his teeth and he had had all day to drink milk so too bad for his tummy. So he got a sip of water from the a dixie cup and went right to sleep. Gotta commend him for trying, right?
How is it he can listen so well when I don't think he's even paying attention (aka listening in on Jeff and my conversations), and then he asks me a pointed question and responds, "Huh?"
"Huh?" The child is driving me crazy with this one. He just doesn't listen. It's most frustrating when he specifically asks a question and then doesn't listen to the reply. And I was worried about his hearing, but he hears me just fine when I put a hand over my mouth or turn away from him to test if he can hear me. He's just turning into a man...with an uncanny ability to tune out a woman's voice.
I was particularly frustrated one afternoon and asked him "Are you deaf or just difficult?" He gave me a hug and said, "Just difficult, Mommy".
We installed Crunchy's carseat on Sunday night. Monday I pointed it out to Andrew and explained who it was for. Today I asked him who the car seat was for when I loaded him in the car for school. Andrew said, "It's for baby sister. And don't ask me again, Mom". As if I'm insulting his intelligence.
He drank way too much juice and not enough milk on Saturday. So Sunday I wasn't letting him have juice...and he didn't drink his milk either. At dinnertime, I commented to Jeff that I was concerned he wasn't drinking milk. Fast forward 2 hours to bedtime. Andrew starts fake crying in bed just minutes after I put him down. I begrudgingly open the door and ask what is wrong. Andrew replies, "My tummy feels sick. I didn't drink enough milk today." Stinker. He knew that was my button to push that day. BTW...he didn't get milk. I explained that he had brushed his teeth and he had had all day to drink milk so too bad for his tummy. So he got a sip of water from the a dixie cup and went right to sleep. Gotta commend him for trying, right?
How is it he can listen so well when I don't think he's even paying attention (aka listening in on Jeff and my conversations), and then he asks me a pointed question and responds, "Huh?"
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