The Woes of Colic

I had mentioned that Baby Grandpa was colicky.  While he has been doing so much better, the last couple days this week have reminded me a lot of the first couple months.

Any one with a colicky baby knows.

This poor baby was so gassy he cried almost 24/7.  He only slept being held because, once we would put him down, the gas would start moving and wake him up.  He would wake up every half hour, grunting and crying.  It was heart breaking.

I got so tired, at about 7 in the morning, I would give up on trying to put him in the bassinet and just cuddle with him.  Then I finally started putting him in my bed at the beginning of  the night (*gasp* we co-sleep, oh no.) just so I could get a little sleep myself.

He likes to play in the crib

but never sleep

 My poor baby was always in so much pain.  His Dr. said to give him gas drops, but that didn't really help.  People had suggested that I cut things out of my diet, so I cut out chocolate, peanuts and cut back my dairy (I couldn't cut milk cold turkey.  I love milk) Then I started staying away from wheat.  Nothing worked.  At our two month appointment I talked to the pediatrician.  His advice? Colicky babies are just colicky.  Some people blame foods, most of the time, it is just how it is.  I was told not to worry about cutting things back and to just make sure to rock him and burp him and to not get frustrated.

What did I do when I got home?  That's right.

I ate a giant piece of chocolate cake with a large glass of milk.

Then, no more colic.

ok, so I got him to sleep in it twice. But he hasn't let me put him in it ever since.

 What?
I'm still trying to decide if  he just grew out of  it, or if all he wanted was some chocolate.

We love our snuggabunny swing. A.K.A. nap-time

While dealing with a fussy baby was so difficult, we are really lucky that it only lasted 2 1/2 months.  I have heard of some mommies that have had to deal with it for 9 months.  I am also glad that even when he is fussy, now it is usually just because he is tired, and not because he is in pain.

We Now Have A 4 Month Old

Today, my little man is 4 months.  I have been a mommy for 4 months already.  It feels like it hasn't been that long at all.  Though a lot has happened in the last 4 months.  

Trying to adjust was interesting.  The Baby Grandpa(we call him that since he is named after his papa) was  colicky, so that made adjusting extra difficult.   In that last week before going back to work, I had finally figured it out.  I had dinner ready every night at around 6:30 and my house was getting clean.  Once I went back to work though, it all went out the window.  

Going back to work was one of the hardest things I had to do.  I remember that first week, I was in the kitchen bawling my eyes out while washing dishes.  Why was I so upset? because I was stuck washing dishes, listening to my baby laughing and playing with the Auntie Nanny.  I was so tired from getting up early for work, my house was trashed, and I felt like I didn't get to spend enough time with my family, and after my sister started school, I would just be working to pay for child care anyway.  So we decided I wasn't going to do it anymore.

As of Friday, I am officially a stay home mommy. 

 I've been at it for only one day and I already feel so much better. My house isn't sparkling yet (I've decided to give my self a week of just baby/mommy time before I try to turn myself into super SHMom)  but I have been able to get so much cuddle and play time in.

Here are lots of pictures. Enjoy his cuteness! 

Our little giants boy

He looks so much like his daddy.

I love this outfit.  You don't even know

Just chilling in Granny's chair

Nomnomnom

I am so grateful to my wonderful Husband and loving Heavenly Father that I have the opportunity to stay home.  It was a decision that I struggled with.  Now, there is no doubt in my mind that I am doing what is best for my family.

More updates soon.

I Am In Love

Even though I didn't really keep track on the blog as much as I had planned, today, I would be posting about my 29th week of pregnancy.  It would have been an excited post about only having one week left to meet the little man.

Except I have already met him.  Meet Bryan.  As of Saturday, he is 1 week old.

just like the song, he is sleeping all day staying up all night

 I really don't have much to tell about his birth story.

Except that my labor was awesome.  I am not even being sarcastic.

The reason it was so awesome was because I had no idea I was even in labor. 

Friday was my last day of work before I went on maternity leave. (I didn't even make it for the disability leave part of it)  I said good bye to my coworkers and went to my regularly scheduled appointment.  When the doctor came in to talk to me, she asked the routine questions. Asked if I have had any contractions.  Yes, but not a lot.  Where there any that made it hard to talk, breath, or move? Nope. I really barely even noticed them.  Then she checked my cervix.  Um, hello 6!  She advised me to go to the hospital in an hour to be re checked.

So I went and did my taxes.

An hour and a half later we decided to head over there just in case.  I still felt nothing.

when they checked at the hospital, I was still a 6 so my midwife told me to go shopping or to a movie, eat and then come back to double check.

When she checked again two hours later, I was admitted.

I still felt next to nothing.

I didn't have any pain till 4 in the morning when I was 9 cm.  I am pretty sure I only felt it then because she broke my water.  I knew I was going to want an epidural for the delivery and had one coming before I even felt my first contraction.  

Seeing how Painful recovery has been, I'm so glad I got the epidural.

I pushed for about 2 hours, with an hour break in between.   I remember thinking tiredly every time they told me I was doing so good, that if I was doing so good, catch him already.

Then suddenly he was there.  

My little cheese covered baby

8 lb 1 oz.  could you think if he had waited another two weeks?  Ouch.

I am so sleep deprived, hungry, and useless(as far as house work is concerned)  That being said, I love being a mommy.  I love giving him little kisses.  I love having him snuggled into my chest.  I love watching him smile in his sleep.

I am more than grateful for the gift I have been given from my heavenly father.  It is also making me realize more and more that I will never be able to fully understand his love for me.  But I do understand it a little more every day I spend with my little man.

Orange Juice.

Wow.  I am actually posting this week.  It might have something to do with the fact that I can breath.  I always take breathing out of both sides of my nose for granted.  A properly working nose is a beautiful thing.  I am so happy to not be sick anymore.(after 3 weeks)

Today is my 33 week marker. Yikes!  I have pretty much nothing done.

Nothing all That exciting has happened the past couple weeks.  A lot more kicking from the Little Man. Especially at night.  It keeps me up sometimes because he just sits there and plays with my ribs.  It is worth it to be so uncomfortable though.

A while ago, a friend of mine told me to try putting music to my tummy.  When I tried it, nothing happened.  It came up again on Friday when talking with the girls at our family birthday party. (Happy Birthday to Mom, Hals, and baby Andrew.  Lots of March birthdays in this family)  Saturday I tried it.  Turns out I was just using the wrong music before.  The Little Man also likes Shakira.  The Hubby responded to that with, "Well he is a Little MAN.  Of course he likes Shakira."

Also this week, the wonderful Tausha gave me lots of goodies.  I am sad to say that she is moving far away from us, but so grateful for her friendship.  She gave me some much needed things for my pregnant self.  A glider being one of them.(My older brother had to correct me that it is NOT a rocking chair)  No pictures of it yet though.  My brother's girlfriend found the cutest glider cover that we want to try to make.

I had one night of super being super grumpy this week.  It was a little late and I was just not happy to be awake at all.  I was even mad while taking a shower.  Yup. I was so grumpy, even a warm shower couldn't lift my mood.  I got ready for bed, went into my room and this was waiting for me.

 Freshly juiced orange juice.  The shower may not have worked, but this certainly did.  Who couldn't smile at such a thoughtful gesture.  Plus, it was delicious.  This woman is married to an amazing man for sure.  It has also convinced me that having a Juicer is pretty awesome.  Best Juice ever. (Gracias Mama)

Hopefully I will have made more progress on the baby front by next week.  If not, then for sure the week after.

The Floor Is Too Cold

 31 weeks and still sick.  As far as pregnancy goes, not much is different.  I've been getting less sleep, but that is mostly due to non stop coughing and a clogged nose.  I also have gotten basically nothing done for the Little Man's room.  We are thinking of going with a puppy theme, and other than the idea of putting paw prints on the walls, that's about as far as we have gotten.  I know if I beg my sister to just take over and do whatever she likes with the room, it will turn out cute, (if you have ever seen her house, you would know that she is really good at making a room look amazing.)  but I need to keep trying to find at least some ideas on my own.

In other things, we have noticed for a couple weeks now that Zuko wont sit on the bare floor.  We are pretty sure it has something to do with the fact that he has not been taken in to be fixed yet.  All of our floors are either wood or tile.  If you have never walked barefoot on either of those surfaces, especially in the winter, let me tell you, it is pretty darn cold.  Way too cold for Zuko's...boys.  

We have also discovered his favorite butt cushion. 

Of course Freckles just lays there and lets Zuko walk all over him.  Zuko will back up, step on Freckles neck and just walk his back legs up there little by little till he gets to his favorite spot.  He has even started sleeping up there.  Which, of course, is adorable.  If only I could get them to to let me film him getting up there.

10 More Weeks+Mamarazzi Monday

I am going to try joining Mamarazzi Monday (first time joining a blog link-up)

This also happens to be on the same day that I try to do my pregnancy post.  Though, I am aware that I didn't post anything last week.  The entire week was packed.  Including an impromptu family baby shower since all of my Aunties were in town.  I did take a picture for it though.

29 weeks

Today is my 30 week marker.  Wow.  10 more weeks and not ready AT ALL.  Especially since this past week and a half, labor has been coming up a lot.  Partly because It came up in our centering group, prompting me to ask my Mom and sister about it.

Also new with the Little Man this week- bladder trampoline.  I was talking to Luis earlier this week and suddenly started saying "stop it"  Over and over.  Between all this coughing, sneezing,(I am super sick today) and tummy kicking, its amazing I haven't wet myself today.

Here is a picture of our little family-minus-daddy-because-he-was -taking-the-picture.

It is a miracle I had the motivation to write this.  Like I stated earlier, I am sick.  Like achy everywhere, anything slightly cool is painful to touch, coughing for 15 seconds at a time, don't want to eat, sick.  Of course I am paranoid about taking any medication, even the ones on my "OK while pregnant" list.  I am rationing out my Tylenol here.  

That being said, any good home "pregnant safe" remedies out there, bring them my way.

Pregnancy Positives

I am finally completely over my cold.  Last Sunday morning, I woke up and could feel a cold coming on, so I have been resting as much as possible.  Luckily, it never got too bad (because all of the resting of course)

 I am 28 weeks today, and feeling a bit big (probably due to the fact that I just ate)Being pregnant is not a walk in the park...unless that walk is really long, making you exhausted  and includes lots of pains and discomforts(and cramps in your calf foot and thigh multiple times a night).  It is not all bad either

Things I Enjoy About Pregnancy:

• Tummy and back rubs.  (Though I am really picky about who can touch my tummy, so please ask)
• Whenever I ask someone for a favor, and my youngest sister is present, you will always hear Hals tell them, "There is a person growing inside her.  Do it"
• Hals also is always trying to do things for me.  Sometimes she gives me the,"What do you think you are doing?" look if I do something for myself.  She is making me extremely spoiled.
• That look people, the ones who have known me longer than I can remember, make when they see my stomach.  Especially if they haven't heard yet.
• Looking at baby things.  Way more fun now than before.
• I have a great excuse for why I am tired, moody, spacey, etc.
• I eat healthier now.  The little man made most sugary and fatty things so unappealing in the beginning  I don't eat as much of them.
• Due to cravings, I have learned that my man can cook steak like nobody's business.
• Some of you may have heard stories of how gross the glucose test is, but honestly...I liked that drink.  I wish I could drink some more.
• Pregnancy pants are so comfy.
• I love looking at my tummy in the mirror.
• People don't think it is weird when I have to go to the bathroom multiple times an hour.
• Thinking about all the things I want to do with the Little Man.
• I absolutely love, LOVE, LOVE when the Little Man kicks me.  It is one of the most amazing things I have ever felt.  It isn't just kicks either.  Sometimes he rolls around and I can feel him move across my tummy for about 2-3 inches.  I was complaining about my ligaments in my side cramping up.  I think he knew, because at that moment, he started rubbing on my side and massaged the pain right away.  That's my mamma's boy.

Like I said, it is not a walk in the part, but it sure can be great.  As long as I don't think about labor.