Ethan just had his 4-month well baby check-up and immunization appointment at Valley Oak Pediatrics, but this time Joel had take him. Ha ha! YOU are the one who has to listen to his cries of pain and discomfort, dad!! Anyway... the doctor said that Ethan is doing great, and is in fact at the top of the range for babies his age in both his height and weight. He is 25.5 inches long and 15 lbs, 10 oz. That means that in two weeks he gained half an inch and at least half a pound. Yowza! And let me tell ya, you can really start to feel the heavier weight when you carry that carseat around. I feel like my arm is going to fall off!
It is really neat to see him grow up, though. I love it! His expressions, his smiles, his obvious joy... even when he cries, it's cute! Well, that is, it's cute unless he is in actual pain, which is when it is less cute than scary and upsetting. Sometimes he just has an entire day of fussiness, and seems inconsolable. We put him down, he cries. We pick him up, he cries. We hold him, play with him, let him sleep, let him sit, and guess what? He cries. Ack!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Scratch that itch
We may have had a breakthrough... Ethan has slept through the past three nights without waking up to eat in the middle of the night. For the past two months or so he has been on a fairly regular schedule-- goes to sleep for the night between 7:30 and 8:30, wakes up to eat at around 2:30, and then sleeps again until around 6:00. That wasn't so bad-- only getting up once a night-- but sleeping all the way through is even better!
We're so excited about the way he is growing. We already have him in the 6-9 month clothing, because he's just too long for anything smaller. He's holding his head up well enough that we finally turned him around to sit in the Bjorn carrier facing frontwards, and he absolutely loved it. That way he can look around and check out the scenery while we walk, and he seems to really enjoy that. He's making "ah-goo" sounds, and razzberries, and likes to blow bubbles in his own drool... lovely. :) He has his on and off fussy periods, probably connected to the fact that his gums are sore and a bit swollen. Usually, though, he's a happy kid, and we're all having a great time with him.
He might have some excema on his right cheek. He rubs it bright red all the time, but it's also quite rough/chafed looking, and the R.N. we took him to thinks it might be excema. So we're starting him on some intensive moisturizers, and hopefully they start relieving the discomfort for him. He also keeps getting cradle cap, where the top of his scalp gets super-dry and flaky. I know it must be so uncomfortable and itchy, because he has started actually scratching his head-- and it's the cutest thing ever! Usually, when you scratch an itch, your fingers are pretty much closed, and you either move your whole arm (as if you're holding a back scratcher) or you just move your fingers together, side by side. Ethan, because he's still figuring out how his hands and fingers work, has his own way of doing things. He spreads his fingers out like a starfish, and then his scratch brings them together towards the middle of his palm. It's so adorable... sad that he feels itchy, but so cute to watch him reach up there and do this weird-looking scratching motion. Tee-hee! :)
And he's been doing so well with Nina. She has been a lifesaver for us; the only reason I can even go into work right now is because I know he is with her and she is taking such good care of him. She already loves him, and even tells me that she misses him when he's gone. I'm so lucky to find such a loving and caring woman to take care of my son while I'm working. What a blessing!
We're so excited about the way he is growing. We already have him in the 6-9 month clothing, because he's just too long for anything smaller. He's holding his head up well enough that we finally turned him around to sit in the Bjorn carrier facing frontwards, and he absolutely loved it. That way he can look around and check out the scenery while we walk, and he seems to really enjoy that. He's making "ah-goo" sounds, and razzberries, and likes to blow bubbles in his own drool... lovely. :) He has his on and off fussy periods, probably connected to the fact that his gums are sore and a bit swollen. Usually, though, he's a happy kid, and we're all having a great time with him.
He might have some excema on his right cheek. He rubs it bright red all the time, but it's also quite rough/chafed looking, and the R.N. we took him to thinks it might be excema. So we're starting him on some intensive moisturizers, and hopefully they start relieving the discomfort for him. He also keeps getting cradle cap, where the top of his scalp gets super-dry and flaky. I know it must be so uncomfortable and itchy, because he has started actually scratching his head-- and it's the cutest thing ever! Usually, when you scratch an itch, your fingers are pretty much closed, and you either move your whole arm (as if you're holding a back scratcher) or you just move your fingers together, side by side. Ethan, because he's still figuring out how his hands and fingers work, has his own way of doing things. He spreads his fingers out like a starfish, and then his scratch brings them together towards the middle of his palm. It's so adorable... sad that he feels itchy, but so cute to watch him reach up there and do this weird-looking scratching motion. Tee-hee! :)
And he's been doing so well with Nina. She has been a lifesaver for us; the only reason I can even go into work right now is because I know he is with her and she is taking such good care of him. She already loves him, and even tells me that she misses him when he's gone. I'm so lucky to find such a loving and caring woman to take care of my son while I'm working. What a blessing!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Four Months and Counting!
I took Ethan to a new doctor's office yesterday-- Valley Oak Pediatrics-- and loved it. They have 13 providers in the building, and are open every day of the year. They even have evening/urgent care hours from 5-7 Monday through Friday. How cool is that? His former pediatrician was open 8:30-12 and 1-4:00 Mon-Fri; not very flexible hours. And the real problem was that I just didn't feel any connection to his doctor *at all.* She seemed so cold, distant, uninterested in him or us, and that isn't what I wanted from my baby's doctor. I have friends whose children still want to go to their doctor even past their teenage years, because they have built such a close relationship with them-- that's the kind of connection I want for Ethan.
So, the results are in: Ethan is doing GREAT!! At four months old, he weighs in at 15 lbs. and measures 25 inches long. That means he has doubled his weight and gained half a foot in length since he was born. How awesome is that? For a baby who took sooo long to regain his birth weight, and who had such a difficult time learning how to eat, he has made amazing strides.
And I think that the time has come for a major step forward for me: I am finally ready to give up the charts and schedules, and just let things be. It's time for Ethan to just be a baby, and for me to just be a mom, and for both of us (all three of us, including Joel) to just enjoy this adventure for what it is. He's healthy, and happy, and progressing so well, that there is no reason to keep worrying about things so much. I threw away the schedules last night, and what a relief it was! I thought I would really feel anxious about not being able to track his food/diapers/sleeping, but no such thing. It was like a weight off of my shoulders to let go of that and just enjoy him instead of constantly watching what he's eating and making sure he finishes bottles and so on. Schedules were necessary in the beginning to make sure he was eating enough and not sleeping all the time (which is what he *wanted* to do), but they have served their purpose, and it's time to let them go. Hallelujah!
So, the results are in: Ethan is doing GREAT!! At four months old, he weighs in at 15 lbs. and measures 25 inches long. That means he has doubled his weight and gained half a foot in length since he was born. How awesome is that? For a baby who took sooo long to regain his birth weight, and who had such a difficult time learning how to eat, he has made amazing strides.
And I think that the time has come for a major step forward for me: I am finally ready to give up the charts and schedules, and just let things be. It's time for Ethan to just be a baby, and for me to just be a mom, and for both of us (all three of us, including Joel) to just enjoy this adventure for what it is. He's healthy, and happy, and progressing so well, that there is no reason to keep worrying about things so much. I threw away the schedules last night, and what a relief it was! I thought I would really feel anxious about not being able to track his food/diapers/sleeping, but no such thing. It was like a weight off of my shoulders to let go of that and just enjoy him instead of constantly watching what he's eating and making sure he finishes bottles and so on. Schedules were necessary in the beginning to make sure he was eating enough and not sleeping all the time (which is what he *wanted* to do), but they have served their purpose, and it's time to let them go. Hallelujah!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Melanie-cholia
It's amazing how much has changed in the past few months since Ethan was born. We just went over to visit Joel's nephew and his brand-new baby boy, and it feels like Ethan was just that size yesterday. I remember when he was so tiny and fragile and light in our arms, and felt like a little doll... now, of course, he's getting bigger and longer every day, and has these great chubby arms and legs that he loves to windmill and kick and play with. I remember when I used to fit him inside my shirt to hold him close to me, skin-to-skin, when he was only a few days old. And now he's already working on keeping his head up and looking around, making "goo" sounds and cooing and blowing bubbles, even reaching out to grab things (kind of) and sucking on his fingers. It's awesome to see him change and grow so much in such a short time. The other day I looked at him and suddenly had a vision of him as a man, and my eyes welled up with tears for a moment. I already know that when he does get to be that age, it'll still feel like all of this just happened, and I'll wonder how the time flew by so quickly...
It's the same way I feel when I see my niece, Leila. I was there when she was born, and when I see her today, at the cusp of 11 years old, I see her throughout her life--giggling 5-year-old, crawling toddler, sitting on my lap or singing or sucking her middle two finers, all of those moments and memories just sort of wash over me when we hang out. And here she is, almost a 6th grader, starting to talk about what it will be like when she has to attend classes in the high school area next year. How did this happen, so quickly?! That's my niece, my little girl, my "favorite"... I think having known & loved (and still loving, of course!) Leila is what lets me love Ethan so much. It's like she stretched out my heart a little bit and made it that much bigger, stronger, more open. I'm glad I got 10 years with Leila before Ethan came along, because it was nice to be able to focus on her while she was small. Now, of course, we have a different relationship-- and one where I see her less, too, unfortunately. But at least she is still in my life. And now she will be able to get to know Ethan from babyhood, while I get to know her through her adolescence and beyond. The great adventure awaits!
It's the same way I feel when I see my niece, Leila. I was there when she was born, and when I see her today, at the cusp of 11 years old, I see her throughout her life--giggling 5-year-old, crawling toddler, sitting on my lap or singing or sucking her middle two finers, all of those moments and memories just sort of wash over me when we hang out. And here she is, almost a 6th grader, starting to talk about what it will be like when she has to attend classes in the high school area next year. How did this happen, so quickly?! That's my niece, my little girl, my "favorite"... I think having known & loved (and still loving, of course!) Leila is what lets me love Ethan so much. It's like she stretched out my heart a little bit and made it that much bigger, stronger, more open. I'm glad I got 10 years with Leila before Ethan came along, because it was nice to be able to focus on her while she was small. Now, of course, we have a different relationship-- and one where I see her less, too, unfortunately. But at least she is still in my life. And now she will be able to get to know Ethan from babyhood, while I get to know her through her adolescence and beyond. The great adventure awaits!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
T to the Eef
Oh my goodness! I think we might have figured out why Ethan has been so fussy lately. He finally discovered his mouth, and has been extra involved with it lately-- shoving his fists in his mouth, chewing on his fingers, gnawing on the bottle, drooling, and that type of thing. Add to that the fact that he hasn't been eating very well, that he has been more fussy than usual, and that he's been running a low fever (under 101), and it all adds up to teething. But isn't it too early? He's only 3 and a half months old! Still... I was rubbing his gums today and felt a suspicious scratchy part on his lower gum line; I looked inside and saw two white dots. His teef!! I'll check with his doctor when we go on the 20th, but I'm pretty sure he's just dealing with the beginning stages of teething. Pobrecito!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Tumbleweed
Ethan rolled over today!!! Well, it wasn't a complete 360 or anything, but it was awesome! He was propped up for some tummy time this morning, resting on his elbows/forearms, and apparently decided he'd had enough. He sort of "threw" himself over to his right side and then finished the roll onto his back. Ta-da! How cool is that? I, of course, set him back up on his arms/tummy to see if he could do it again. And he did! But only a couple more times before he got sick of me playing with him like that. (Tee-hee!) Anyway, a cool milestone to see...
He's really coming along, developmentally speaking. I think it all started to kick into high gear when we got him out of regular daycare and into Nina's home, where he gets one-on-one attention and she doesn't leave him sleeping in his crib all day long. Right now, he's three and a half months old, and in the past few weeks has changed so much. He can hold his head up so much better now, and I think he might even be ready to move into the forward-facing position on the Baby Bjorn. We'll try it out this weekend and see how he does... He's also starting to do a lot of leg exercises, "standing" up and pushing against my legs or the floor (or my stomach, sometimes!) whenever he gets a chance. I also noticed just this week that he seemed to be scooching himself along on his tummy-time mat, inching forward just a bit at a time... so it looks like crawling (or at least "worming") is not too far in the future. Yay!
Other than still dealing with his congestion and coughing, he is doing just great. He's such a happy boy, and usually very laid-back; unless you (ahem, Joel) happen to sneeze loudly near him, that is, which is when you see his lovely startle reflex kick in. I should really videotape that sometime... classic.
He's really coming along, developmentally speaking. I think it all started to kick into high gear when we got him out of regular daycare and into Nina's home, where he gets one-on-one attention and she doesn't leave him sleeping in his crib all day long. Right now, he's three and a half months old, and in the past few weeks has changed so much. He can hold his head up so much better now, and I think he might even be ready to move into the forward-facing position on the Baby Bjorn. We'll try it out this weekend and see how he does... He's also starting to do a lot of leg exercises, "standing" up and pushing against my legs or the floor (or my stomach, sometimes!) whenever he gets a chance. I also noticed just this week that he seemed to be scooching himself along on his tummy-time mat, inching forward just a bit at a time... so it looks like crawling (or at least "worming") is not too far in the future. Yay!
Other than still dealing with his congestion and coughing, he is doing just great. He's such a happy boy, and usually very laid-back; unless you (ahem, Joel) happen to sneeze loudly near him, that is, which is when you see his lovely startle reflex kick in. I should really videotape that sometime... classic.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Auntie Nina Saves the Day
Let's get the bad news out of the way first: Ethan is sick again. :(
It's so hard to listen to him breathe so noisily, cough so often, and sleep so fitfully... it breaks my heart! The past few nights I have gotten up with him at his usual 2 a.m. feeding, and then spent the rest of the night/morning with him sleeping on my chest, semi-upright, so that he could breathe easier. I may not have gotten much sleep, but at least he did!
Now for the good news: We have finally found a new "Auntie" for Ethan, someone who can take care of him one-on-one and love on him just like we would-- well, almost just like we would. :) Her name is Nina, and she is related to our friends Veena & Raj. She is so awesome! We took him out of Childtime day care, partially because it was so expensive (almost $1000/month!!), and partially because they just weren't taking care of him like we thought they should. For instance, on a typical day Joel drops Ethan off by 9:30. He fed him last at 8:00 a.m. Well, Childtime lets Ethan sleep from 9:40 until 12:40-- 3 hours straight-- and then doesn't feed him until 1:00 p.m., which is *5 HOURS* after he ate last! Hellooo, he is only 3 months old (barely), he should be eating every 3 hours right now. In fact, their own guidelines say that infants need to eat at a minimum every 4 hours. What the heck, then?! I think they were just so happy to have him there because he slept all day long, which meant less work for them! I brought up my concerns multiple times, but they never really changed anything, even when he was sick and only eating 1-2 oz. per feeding.
I'm so glad we have him with Nina now; she really cares about him already, and has a lot of experience with babies. I feel really comfortable with her, and know that he is as safe as can be over there. *Now* all I have to do is try to stop being jealous that she gets to spend time with him instead of me! /:)
It's so hard to listen to him breathe so noisily, cough so often, and sleep so fitfully... it breaks my heart! The past few nights I have gotten up with him at his usual 2 a.m. feeding, and then spent the rest of the night/morning with him sleeping on my chest, semi-upright, so that he could breathe easier. I may not have gotten much sleep, but at least he did!
Now for the good news: We have finally found a new "Auntie" for Ethan, someone who can take care of him one-on-one and love on him just like we would-- well, almost just like we would. :) Her name is Nina, and she is related to our friends Veena & Raj. She is so awesome! We took him out of Childtime day care, partially because it was so expensive (almost $1000/month!!), and partially because they just weren't taking care of him like we thought they should. For instance, on a typical day Joel drops Ethan off by 9:30. He fed him last at 8:00 a.m. Well, Childtime lets Ethan sleep from 9:40 until 12:40-- 3 hours straight-- and then doesn't feed him until 1:00 p.m., which is *5 HOURS* after he ate last! Hellooo, he is only 3 months old (barely), he should be eating every 3 hours right now. In fact, their own guidelines say that infants need to eat at a minimum every 4 hours. What the heck, then?! I think they were just so happy to have him there because he slept all day long, which meant less work for them! I brought up my concerns multiple times, but they never really changed anything, even when he was sick and only eating 1-2 oz. per feeding.
I'm so glad we have him with Nina now; she really cares about him already, and has a lot of experience with babies. I feel really comfortable with her, and know that he is as safe as can be over there. *Now* all I have to do is try to stop being jealous that she gets to spend time with him instead of me! /:)
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
The Best Medicine
We took Ethan over to my parents' house tonight, and he laughed out loud! Well, chuckled, I guess; either way, it was more than his usual smile/silent laugh and more than a coo, so I'm calling it a laugh! It was so awesome. He is really getting much more interactive now. Joel plays with him all the time. I think he's starting to get more interested in Ethan now that he's responding to us and recognizing our faces and actually playing, rather than just laying back, eating his formula, and passing out. It's very sweet, actually, to see them together... :)
Sunday, March 15, 2009
More "Baby Stuff Love/Hate/Want List"
I'm actually glad we're marking down all of the baby items that work for us. Even if we don't use this list again, we can share it with friends or use it as a guide when shopping for the next baby shower. Considering that three couples we know just got married last summer, I'm expecting some of them to be "expecting" sooner rather than later, so this will come in handy!
Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier + Cover: (more details)
This is AWESOME. We tried the Infantino front baby carrier, but it had two major problems: (1) almost impossible to get the baby into/out of it; it always took two people, plus several minutes of contortions and wrangling, to enter/exit the thing, and by then the baby was upset (along with mom & dad!); (2) it held the baby too loosely, so that he flopped all around unless we were holding him with one arm-- kind of defeating the purpose, when you think about it. The Baby Bjorn, on the other hand, is super-simple to use. Once you get the straps on, you just hold baby against your chest, slide a tube into a slot & snap a button on each side, and boom! You're in. Getting the baby out is even easier, and you can do it while he's asleep without waking him. Perfecto! We use it all the time, even while working in the yard or around the house, and he loves it. We couldn't get one right away because he had to be 8 pounds before fitting into it, but he's perfect for it now. We can't wait to be able to turn it around later and let him see the world on our walks! :)
Sleep positioners:
We started to use these because Ethan got sick at around 8 weeks old, and we wanted him to be elevated without having to worry about him sliding over to the side of the crib (which he kept doing). Unfortunately, the positioners have been a pain in the tookis since day 1. The first one we bought ($25) worked okay at first, but (a) the velcro-mesh "bumpers" that are supposed to keep him positioned correctly are somewhat loosely covered and so they are easy to push out of the way, negating their purpose, and (b) the baby finds it very easy to scooch down the "ramp" and end up with his head between the two positioner-bumpers, which freaks me out a little bit. Because of those issues, we bought a second positioner ($36) that had more of a cradling shape, and was moldable to his body. The first night we used it, he went to bed at 9:30 or so, and at around 12:30 I heard him making some grunting noises and went to check on him. He had somehow rolled entirely out of the positioner and was on his side with his face completely pressed against the bumper. ACK!!! I almost had a heart attack, I tell you. What if we hadn't heard him and he had stayed against the bumper even longer?!? Anyway-- no more positioner, and no more bumper. I'm thinking about getting the Breathable Baby mesh bumper, which lets them get air even if their face does end up pressed against the bumper.
Baby Trend "Gabriella" Close-Sleeper 6-in-1 Nursery Center, with Bassinet, Changing Station, Play Yard, Co-Sleeper, Comfort Seat, Music & Vibration Station:
I SOOO wish we could have gotten this one right from the start. We just saw it in Babies R Us today, and I was so disappointed that we hadn't found it earlier and gotten one for Ethan. It is a bit more than the usual pack-n-play type play yard; it has the typical features from most others play yards, like a changing station that flips out of the way; a bassinet in the upper layer that can be removed later when you want to use the bottom portion only as a playpen; and a feature that has music, vibrations, and I think also a mobile to keep baby soothed or entertained while he's in there. But the feature that it has that I have never seen before is a removable section that becomes a "close-sleeper" and puts him right up next to the bed. The usual co-sleeper or bassinet is a bit annoying because it is deeper and it's a bit awkward to reach in there in the middle of the night to soothe the baby. This close-sleeper thing puts him much higher so that you can reach him easier, and also can be removed later for use as a baby-sized couch/"comfort seat". All in all, I wish we'd had it about 3 months earlier, so he could have slept in the room with us this whole time, and then we'd also have the bottom section as a playpen now. The bassinet/changing station/close-sleeper are only good for up to 15 pounds, so buying it now would be a waste of money when we can get just a regular pack-n-play for much less. Bummer. Next time, though! :)
Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier + Cover: (more details)
This is AWESOME. We tried the Infantino front baby carrier, but it had two major problems: (1) almost impossible to get the baby into/out of it; it always took two people, plus several minutes of contortions and wrangling, to enter/exit the thing, and by then the baby was upset (along with mom & dad!); (2) it held the baby too loosely, so that he flopped all around unless we were holding him with one arm-- kind of defeating the purpose, when you think about it. The Baby Bjorn, on the other hand, is super-simple to use. Once you get the straps on, you just hold baby against your chest, slide a tube into a slot & snap a button on each side, and boom! You're in. Getting the baby out is even easier, and you can do it while he's asleep without waking him. Perfecto! We use it all the time, even while working in the yard or around the house, and he loves it. We couldn't get one right away because he had to be 8 pounds before fitting into it, but he's perfect for it now. We can't wait to be able to turn it around later and let him see the world on our walks! :)
Sleep positioners:
We started to use these because Ethan got sick at around 8 weeks old, and we wanted him to be elevated without having to worry about him sliding over to the side of the crib (which he kept doing). Unfortunately, the positioners have been a pain in the tookis since day 1. The first one we bought ($25) worked okay at first, but (a) the velcro-mesh "bumpers" that are supposed to keep him positioned correctly are somewhat loosely covered and so they are easy to push out of the way, negating their purpose, and (b) the baby finds it very easy to scooch down the "ramp" and end up with his head between the two positioner-bumpers, which freaks me out a little bit. Because of those issues, we bought a second positioner ($36) that had more of a cradling shape, and was moldable to his body. The first night we used it, he went to bed at 9:30 or so, and at around 12:30 I heard him making some grunting noises and went to check on him. He had somehow rolled entirely out of the positioner and was on his side with his face completely pressed against the bumper. ACK!!! I almost had a heart attack, I tell you. What if we hadn't heard him and he had stayed against the bumper even longer?!? Anyway-- no more positioner, and no more bumper. I'm thinking about getting the Breathable Baby mesh bumper, which lets them get air even if their face does end up pressed against the bumper.
Baby Trend "Gabriella" Close-Sleeper 6-in-1 Nursery Center, with Bassinet, Changing Station, Play Yard, Co-Sleeper, Comfort Seat, Music & Vibration Station:
I SOOO wish we could have gotten this one right from the start. We just saw it in Babies R Us today, and I was so disappointed that we hadn't found it earlier and gotten one for Ethan. It is a bit more than the usual pack-n-play type play yard; it has the typical features from most others play yards, like a changing station that flips out of the way; a bassinet in the upper layer that can be removed later when you want to use the bottom portion only as a playpen; and a feature that has music, vibrations, and I think also a mobile to keep baby soothed or entertained while he's in there. But the feature that it has that I have never seen before is a removable section that becomes a "close-sleeper" and puts him right up next to the bed. The usual co-sleeper or bassinet is a bit annoying because it is deeper and it's a bit awkward to reach in there in the middle of the night to soothe the baby. This close-sleeper thing puts him much higher so that you can reach him easier, and also can be removed later for use as a baby-sized couch/"comfort seat". All in all, I wish we'd had it about 3 months earlier, so he could have slept in the room with us this whole time, and then we'd also have the bottom section as a playpen now. The bassinet/changing station/close-sleeper are only good for up to 15 pounds, so buying it now would be a waste of money when we can get just a regular pack-n-play for much less. Bummer. Next time, though! :)
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Insurance Woes...
I'm so frustrated right now. We didn't add Ethan to my work insurance because it would have cost $375 a month to do so. But when we started the private insurance through Anthem Blue Cross at $75/month, we didn't realize we'd be paying $100 per doctor visit. Did I mention we've had three doctor visits so far this past month, because Ethan had his 2-month visit and then two more because he was sick? That would be $300, just in co-pays. Then, this same week I also found out that my insurance won't cover Ethan's circumcision (which runs approximately $420 or so, by itself) and first well-baby visit (not sure how much that costs).
Why, you ask? Oh, because I didn't read the fine print on the insurance documents and choose a pediatrician from within the Sutter Gould building on Coffee. I thought, quite mistakenly, that I could just go with any doctor who is listed on PacifiCare's website as a valid participant in the network. And I wanted to choose a doctor who was *also* listed on the Anthem Blue Cross network, so that he would have the same doctor from the beginning. WRONG!! Now, they say they won't cover it, which means I'm in the whole approximately $720 so far-- and that's not including the co-pay for the emergency room visit that we had a week ago. I really can't believe that things are going so sideways financially right now... am I going to have to start selling off furniture to pay the doctor bills? What kind of world are we living in?!?
Once I lose my job, we can apply for Kaiser's "money-saver" child-only plan, which would run us only $14/month. How awesome is that? Until then, I can either not take Ethan to the doctor ever again, or switch his insurance to Kaiser's regular plan... which runs about $200/month. Still, $200 a month and a $25 co-pay is better than what we've got going on right now! Oy...
Why, you ask? Oh, because I didn't read the fine print on the insurance documents and choose a pediatrician from within the Sutter Gould building on Coffee. I thought, quite mistakenly, that I could just go with any doctor who is listed on PacifiCare's website as a valid participant in the network. And I wanted to choose a doctor who was *also* listed on the Anthem Blue Cross network, so that he would have the same doctor from the beginning. WRONG!! Now, they say they won't cover it, which means I'm in the whole approximately $720 so far-- and that's not including the co-pay for the emergency room visit that we had a week ago. I really can't believe that things are going so sideways financially right now... am I going to have to start selling off furniture to pay the doctor bills? What kind of world are we living in?!?
Once I lose my job, we can apply for Kaiser's "money-saver" child-only plan, which would run us only $14/month. How awesome is that? Until then, I can either not take Ethan to the doctor ever again, or switch his insurance to Kaiser's regular plan... which runs about $200/month. Still, $200 a month and a $25 co-pay is better than what we've got going on right now! Oy...
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Using the right tools makes all the difference... with babies.
At three months old, Ethan has finally started to be really responsive to us, and we are loving it. He smiles so much, even though he's still sick, and he even silently laughs sometimes. Especially when he's sleeping... I wonder what hilarious things he's dreaming of...
Boppy + Floor Mat:
We've been working with him a lot on his neck strength, and the Boppy pillow definitely helps with that. We put him on his stomach inside the curve of the Boppy, prop his arms up under his chest/hands under his head, and he tries to push up and lift his head. The Boppy is also a lot firmer and feels better when feeding him; with the other nursing pillow, I had to hold his head up with one hand to get him elevated/tilted enough to drink. The Boppy lets me hold him in the crook of my elbow because it keeps him up high enough to feed without being too far away from me or too flat.
We got the floor mat for him to play on as well, and he's starting to show that he is making some connections. As in, when his arm connects with a hanging rattle, and it makes sounds, he is starting to get that *he* made that happen. After a few times of randomly or accidentally hitting the rattle, he'll start purposely waving his arm into the toy to hear it shake. Woo-hoo! I can practically see his little synapses firing... He also loves the little dangling lion that plays these adorable tunes. Joel wants to make a recording and loop it so that we can have it whenever we want it, even if the batteries go out. Personally, I think he just likes to tinker with gadgets. :)
Another couple of things we love are the zippered footy-sleepers from Target and Wal-Mart (I think they're called "First Years" and "Circo"). They are a definite lifesaver when you have a diaper change in the middle of the night and don't want to be unsnapping both legs of his outfit.
We also love the Baby Bjorn we just got.
It's SOOOO easy to use! We sometimes use it to carry Ethan around the house while he's sickie and a little fussy lately, because he likes to be held right now more than usual. Joel even used it the other day when I was working and he took Ethan to Office Depot. He said that it really made him feel like a dad. I think he likes it much better than pushing a stroller around, for sure. And the nice thing about the Bjorn is the way it redistributes the weight across your back... so comfortable! I'm glad we splurged on it, because the Infantino carrier was just not cutting it.
Boppy + Floor Mat:
We've been working with him a lot on his neck strength, and the Boppy pillow definitely helps with that. We put him on his stomach inside the curve of the Boppy, prop his arms up under his chest/hands under his head, and he tries to push up and lift his head. The Boppy is also a lot firmer and feels better when feeding him; with the other nursing pillow, I had to hold his head up with one hand to get him elevated/tilted enough to drink. The Boppy lets me hold him in the crook of my elbow because it keeps him up high enough to feed without being too far away from me or too flat.
We got the floor mat for him to play on as well, and he's starting to show that he is making some connections. As in, when his arm connects with a hanging rattle, and it makes sounds, he is starting to get that *he* made that happen. After a few times of randomly or accidentally hitting the rattle, he'll start purposely waving his arm into the toy to hear it shake. Woo-hoo! I can practically see his little synapses firing... He also loves the little dangling lion that plays these adorable tunes. Joel wants to make a recording and loop it so that we can have it whenever we want it, even if the batteries go out. Personally, I think he just likes to tinker with gadgets. :)
Another couple of things we love are the zippered footy-sleepers from Target and Wal-Mart (I think they're called "First Years" and "Circo"). They are a definite lifesaver when you have a diaper change in the middle of the night and don't want to be unsnapping both legs of his outfit.
We also love the Baby Bjorn we just got.
It's SOOOO easy to use! We sometimes use it to carry Ethan around the house while he's sickie and a little fussy lately, because he likes to be held right now more than usual. Joel even used it the other day when I was working and he took Ethan to Office Depot. He said that it really made him feel like a dad. I think he likes it much better than pushing a stroller around, for sure. And the nice thing about the Bjorn is the way it redistributes the weight across your back... so comfortable! I'm glad we splurged on it, because the Infantino carrier was just not cutting it.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Job, Schmob-- Who needs it, right?
So, I found out today at my school's Site Council meeting that yes, I was right-- the plan that has been in play since at least last March (if not earlier) is finally coming to fruition, and they are cutting Healthy Start. Well, to be fair, they are just not putting their share of the program costs in ($25,000); then they are leaving it up to the District to either kick down the 25 grand or let the program fade away into obscurity. Pretty sad, considering that Healthy Start has been at Mark Twain for 10 years, and has been an important part of this campus for a long time-- at least 7 years, which is how long I've been here. I knew this was coming, though; not that it makes it any easier to be discounted and discarded, but at least it wasn't a surprise. It was so stressful to even think about going to the meeting, but I did it, and got through most of it before having to leave. I did fine during the meeting when she said she'd have to cut it, and when she said "Can't *one* person do the job in Healthy Start?", and even when she said "This isn't personal, Melanie; it doesn't have your name on it" (which is a bit facetious, if you ask me); when I lost it and start crying was when one of our faculty stood up for me and stated on the record how important she thought we were to the school. I literally cried my eyes out, right in the middle of the meeting. How embarassing! Later, another teacher who was there said that she was glad I lost it, because people needed to see the face of the budget cuts... which apparently is red, blotchy, and semi-drippy.
The good thing about it is that I'm looking forward to being able to spend time with my baby. And it will be really nice to be able to take a break from being the one responsible for everything-- bills, work, job-hunting, etc.-- and instead just focus on my family, my home, my child, my relationship, and *me*.
The good thing about it is that I'm looking forward to being able to spend time with my baby. And it will be really nice to be able to take a break from being the one responsible for everything-- bills, work, job-hunting, etc.-- and instead just focus on my family, my home, my child, my relationship, and *me*.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Ethan's sickie update
Joel took Ethan in on Thursday Feb.26, and the doctor said that we appear to be doing everything we can to help him get better. We're keeping him elevated in his crib, and keeping him upright as much as possible when he's awake; using the saline spray and nasal aspirator to clear out his poor stuffy nose; keeping the humidifier on in his room at night; putting him in the bathroom after a steamy shower during the day; and so on. But he has just been getting progressively worse, no matter what we do. He has been almost regressing, in terms of where he had gotten with his nap/feeding schedule, and he is all of a sudden very clingy and doesn't want to be put down. Over the past weekend, it just got much worse; he coughs all night and periodically throughout the day, is super-congested all the time, has a really hard time eating, and has recently started sleeping non-stop. On Monday, I started noticing he was eating less and sleeping way more. Then, on Tuesday, he was even worse-- by 2:00, he had had slept straight through from 9:30 to 1:30, and had only eaten around 10 ounces (2.5 regular bottles!) over the course of the whole day. Naturally, I flipped out.
I actually ended up taking him to the emergency room on Tuesday 3/3 because he was so sluggish and lethargic, hadn't been eating (was eating less than half what he normally eats), was sleeping almost non-stop, and wouldn't wake up even when he coughed. It really scared me, especially when his daycare people were worried about it too. I had to go in to the ever-colorful emergency room at Memorial Hospital because our insurance doesn't have an urgent care that sees infants. At Memorial, they x-rayed his chest and it was clear of pneumonia, but they were a bit concerned because his cough and congestion has been going on so long. The doctor also thought Ethan seemed a bit dehydrated and weak, and was concerned about the fact that he wasn't eating well. So, I'm staying home YET AGAIN to take care of him. Not that *I* mind-- but my work is a different story. If they weren't already cutting my position, I'm sure that these constant baby-sick-days would pretty much convince them to do it anyway. /:)
Anyway, I just worry about him a lot. I don't want to be one of those first-time moms who is constantly calling 911 when her baby sneezes, but I also don't want to be one of those moms who says "I wish I would have just taken him in to the emergency room..." Now, to find a happy balance! :)
I actually ended up taking him to the emergency room on Tuesday 3/3 because he was so sluggish and lethargic, hadn't been eating (was eating less than half what he normally eats), was sleeping almost non-stop, and wouldn't wake up even when he coughed. It really scared me, especially when his daycare people were worried about it too. I had to go in to the ever-colorful emergency room at Memorial Hospital because our insurance doesn't have an urgent care that sees infants. At Memorial, they x-rayed his chest and it was clear of pneumonia, but they were a bit concerned because his cough and congestion has been going on so long. The doctor also thought Ethan seemed a bit dehydrated and weak, and was concerned about the fact that he wasn't eating well. So, I'm staying home YET AGAIN to take care of him. Not that *I* mind-- but my work is a different story. If they weren't already cutting my position, I'm sure that these constant baby-sick-days would pretty much convince them to do it anyway. /:)
Anyway, I just worry about him a lot. I don't want to be one of those first-time moms who is constantly calling 911 when her baby sneezes, but I also don't want to be one of those moms who says "I wish I would have just taken him in to the emergency room..." Now, to find a happy balance! :)
Monday, February 23, 2009
Wounded baby
My poor baby... his face is healing, but now he feels extra yucky because of the immunizations on Friday. And he's super-congested, which makes it really hard for him to eat or sleep without discomfort. We're also trying to work with him more on some things the doctor suggested at our doctor appointment on Friday... Neck control (needs more tummy time) and re-shaping his head. He really likes to sleep on his right side, and this has apparently started to flatten his skull, and started to cause his forehead to bulge a little bit. Yikes! I wish they would have told us about this at our first doctor visit-- to be aware of it, and to switch his head from left to right every other day, so that he doesn't develop any flattening or anything like that. But noooo, they wait until 8 weeks, at which point his skull has already started to change and firm up. Sheesh, people!! I'm going to go warn my friend who is a new mom about this, so that she can avoid having to do what we're doing (i.e., worry about whether or not we'll have to have him in a molding helmet if his skull is still misshapen at the 4-month doctor visit). Ugh. Who knew being a parent carried so much responsibility? ;)
Friday, February 20, 2009
The Daycare Incident: Ethan's Face vs. A Pack of Hungry Wolverines
Okay, so how do I begin? Let's see... Ethan started to get a bit congested and feeling yucky this week, so I kept him home most of the week and simply called in sick to work to be with him. I did go in to KinderCare on Oakdale Road and start the paperwork so that I could start him in daycare there part-time (a few hours a day) this week. That way, I could get used to being away from him a bit at a time... I'd have him mornings, then take him in for a couple of hours in the afternoons. It was working out alright, except that I started having reservations about the facility right away. First of all, almost every time I went in, there was chaos. Kids crying, screaming, noses dripping down their faces, food crusted on other kids' faces, and so on. Just out of control, usually, although there were times when it was calmer. Then, one day I noticed after I got Ethan home that his shirt had been wet with formula (probably during a feeding) at some point-- from the front collar all the way to the back of his neck-- and they had never changed him, so it had dried like that. Hmm... then, another time I noticed when I changed his diaper that they had obviously not cleaned his bottom completely, because there was still a little bit of dirty area on his back. Hmmmmm.... And then came the kicker, on Friday 2/20.
I dropped Ethan off at around 12:30 or so, and then went out to run errands (return a few purchases, redeem my pedicure gift-card, get his birth certificate, etc.). At around 2:20, the asst. director of KinderCare called me. She said, "Oh, this is a courtesy call from KinderCare-- we just wanted to let you know that Ethan got a little scratch today. It did break the skin a little, you'll notice it when you get here, but don't worry, the head teacher washed it thoroughly and he is okay. They've been giving him a lot of TLC ever since then, and he's doing fine." I asked a few questions, and she said that a toddler had been near him and had accidentally reached over and scratched his face a little bit. Well, needless to say, I was irritated, but she was making it seem so minimal that I just continued on my errands and planned to pick him up at 4:00 as usual. I also planned to tell the director about all of my concerns, and try to find another place for my baby, because it just didn't seem right to me.
I finally finished getting the birth certificate, and went over to pick up Ethan at 3:45. First, I met with another director type person, and told her my concerns. She reassured me that they would talk to the teachers about making sure he gets cleaned thoroughly, and changing his shirt if it gets soiled, and also gave me a lot of talk about the scratch incident. I hadn't seen the baby yet, at this point. She said "Well, we don't like to keep the infants and toddlers separated, because they learn from each other, they are curious and like to explore.. it's just unfortunate that this toddler was able to accidentally scratch Ethan's face. We are going to talk to the child's parents and make sure that they trim her nails in the future." She talked on for a bit, and then I finally went in to get Ethan. Oh, boy.
The teacher in the room went behind the partition to go get him, and told me about the incident all the while. She said that she wasn't even in the room at the time; she had been on break, and it was two other teachers in there when he got hurt. As she's talking, I'm getting closer to the baby, and I can see his face a little bit; it looks like three or four long scratches across his forehead, bright red and somewhat raised. She continues, saying that one teacher was at the changing station, the other teacher was feeding kids, and Ethan was propped up in the boppy pillow, when one of the little girls went over to him and scratched him. They went over and picked him up, of course, right away, and washed his face off very well. At this point, she is holding Ethan in front of me, and getting ready to hand him over. I can see several long scratches, some of which are across his eyelids. He has a small gouge on the bridge of his nose, which looks like it was bleeding. She turns his head and shows me the other gouge, on his cheekbone, and then I took him from her. I started to put him in his carseat, and felt the tears start welling up in my eyes. I just started crying and couldn't stop for the next fifteen minutes. How could they let this happen to my baby????!??!?!
I drove immediately to Joel to show him what happened, and he called them and let 'em have it over the phone. He cancelled our enrollment and told them to gather all of our stuff so that we could pick it up Monday. I tried the doctors' office, but it was closed at 4:00, so I just missed them. So I drove home and we put Neosporin on his cuts (basically, all over his face), then started calling for other daycares who (a) accepted infants, (b) had an opening, and (c) could let me come out there right away to get set up. While I pondered which ones to contact, Julie called me with a recommendation from a friend of hers for Childtime Learning Centers, on Floyd & Oakdale. I called them, told them what happened, and went out immediately. The minute I walked in the door, it was like night and day from the KinderCare center. Clean, welcoming, happy, organized... wow. What a difference! I didn't realize how bad the other place was until I walked into this one. I got to see the infant/toddler room, which has separate sections for the infants so that they can still see/be seen, but can't be interfered with by the toddlers. It was just lovely... I was so relieved that I signed him up right away and plopped down the money for registration. Thank God for the tax return; what would we have done without the money to move our son out of that unsafe childcare?
Anyway... we're just going to be extra-kind and loving towards Ethan this weekend. He not only got his immunizations in the morning (more on that later), but then he had to get mauled in daycare in the afternoon! Pobrecito... I hope he feels better soon.
I dropped Ethan off at around 12:30 or so, and then went out to run errands (return a few purchases, redeem my pedicure gift-card, get his birth certificate, etc.). At around 2:20, the asst. director of KinderCare called me. She said, "Oh, this is a courtesy call from KinderCare-- we just wanted to let you know that Ethan got a little scratch today. It did break the skin a little, you'll notice it when you get here, but don't worry, the head teacher washed it thoroughly and he is okay. They've been giving him a lot of TLC ever since then, and he's doing fine." I asked a few questions, and she said that a toddler had been near him and had accidentally reached over and scratched his face a little bit. Well, needless to say, I was irritated, but she was making it seem so minimal that I just continued on my errands and planned to pick him up at 4:00 as usual. I also planned to tell the director about all of my concerns, and try to find another place for my baby, because it just didn't seem right to me.
I finally finished getting the birth certificate, and went over to pick up Ethan at 3:45. First, I met with another director type person, and told her my concerns. She reassured me that they would talk to the teachers about making sure he gets cleaned thoroughly, and changing his shirt if it gets soiled, and also gave me a lot of talk about the scratch incident. I hadn't seen the baby yet, at this point. She said "Well, we don't like to keep the infants and toddlers separated, because they learn from each other, they are curious and like to explore.. it's just unfortunate that this toddler was able to accidentally scratch Ethan's face. We are going to talk to the child's parents and make sure that they trim her nails in the future." She talked on for a bit, and then I finally went in to get Ethan. Oh, boy.
The teacher in the room went behind the partition to go get him, and told me about the incident all the while. She said that she wasn't even in the room at the time; she had been on break, and it was two other teachers in there when he got hurt. As she's talking, I'm getting closer to the baby, and I can see his face a little bit; it looks like three or four long scratches across his forehead, bright red and somewhat raised. She continues, saying that one teacher was at the changing station, the other teacher was feeding kids, and Ethan was propped up in the boppy pillow, when one of the little girls went over to him and scratched him. They went over and picked him up, of course, right away, and washed his face off very well. At this point, she is holding Ethan in front of me, and getting ready to hand him over. I can see several long scratches, some of which are across his eyelids. He has a small gouge on the bridge of his nose, which looks like it was bleeding. She turns his head and shows me the other gouge, on his cheekbone, and then I took him from her. I started to put him in his carseat, and felt the tears start welling up in my eyes. I just started crying and couldn't stop for the next fifteen minutes. How could they let this happen to my baby????!??!?!
I drove immediately to Joel to show him what happened, and he called them and let 'em have it over the phone. He cancelled our enrollment and told them to gather all of our stuff so that we could pick it up Monday. I tried the doctors' office, but it was closed at 4:00, so I just missed them. So I drove home and we put Neosporin on his cuts (basically, all over his face), then started calling for other daycares who (a) accepted infants, (b) had an opening, and (c) could let me come out there right away to get set up. While I pondered which ones to contact, Julie called me with a recommendation from a friend of hers for Childtime Learning Centers, on Floyd & Oakdale. I called them, told them what happened, and went out immediately. The minute I walked in the door, it was like night and day from the KinderCare center. Clean, welcoming, happy, organized... wow. What a difference! I didn't realize how bad the other place was until I walked into this one. I got to see the infant/toddler room, which has separate sections for the infants so that they can still see/be seen, but can't be interfered with by the toddlers. It was just lovely... I was so relieved that I signed him up right away and plopped down the money for registration. Thank God for the tax return; what would we have done without the money to move our son out of that unsafe childcare?
Anyway... we're just going to be extra-kind and loving towards Ethan this weekend. He not only got his immunizations in the morning (more on that later), but then he had to get mauled in daycare in the afternoon! Pobrecito... I hope he feels better soon.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Saudades for Ethan's infancy
Just wanted to note down some of the little memories of Ethan's first 8 weeks...
-- We called him "Turtle" for awhile, because of the way his stomach would flatten out all the time. His chest, so narrow, would expand out into this wide, flat, hard belly that had a strange concave dip/line going down the middle of it, before narrowing again at his hips. Our little turtle...
--When Ethan would be done with his bottle, he would let us know not by pulling his head away or pushing the bottle, but by slowly pursing his lips until they pushed the bottle-nipple out. Whenever he did that, we would say he was making a "Kissy-Mouth." Okay, *I* called it that, Joel called it Fish Lips. Either way, it was adorable!
-- This is the most calm, easy-going, laid back, sweet baby around. I love spending time with him... he is hardly ever fussy, and just likes to have a good time looking around, soaking in the atmosphere, listening... what a lucky pair of parents we are.
-- I love it when he falls asleep on my chest. I know, I know, it isn't a good habit, but I LOVE it. I love holding his tiny little body as it curls up against me, and knowing that he was just a part of my body only a few weeks ago. I love kissing his head and knowing that in just a little while, he'll be crawling, and walking, and talking, and then poof! Graduating, and falling in love, and all of the other miracles and milestones of a person's life. I miss him already, if that's possible; the little person he is right now, the boy he's going to become, the man he's going to grow into... I truly don't know how other parents can deal with it-- all the love that is bursting inside their hearts. Maybe that's why they complain so much about the petty, minor things; to distract themselves from the overwhelming love for their own children.
It reminds me of one of my favorite stories, "Saudade" by Katherine Vaz. The story is basically about love and longing and that particular feeling you get when you miss something so much that the memory of it is stronger than reality... During one passage, a character looks around the picnic table at friends and family and realizes to herself that, for the first time, she is already missing people who are still with her, who haven't even left yet... During another part, a character lights candles where she first kissed her husband-to-be, because she believed that "we must honor with fire the places where love almost kills us." It reminds me of "Like Water For Chocolate," in which a couple of characters are actually set aflame by their love for each other. I really enjoy books with magical realism, in case you haven't noticed. That's one thing I hope I can pass on to my son-- a love for words, for literature, for poetry and language and expression... if there is one gift I can give him, it will be to see the wonder and joy and power inherent in words.
-- We called him "Turtle" for awhile, because of the way his stomach would flatten out all the time. His chest, so narrow, would expand out into this wide, flat, hard belly that had a strange concave dip/line going down the middle of it, before narrowing again at his hips. Our little turtle...
--When Ethan would be done with his bottle, he would let us know not by pulling his head away or pushing the bottle, but by slowly pursing his lips until they pushed the bottle-nipple out. Whenever he did that, we would say he was making a "Kissy-Mouth." Okay, *I* called it that, Joel called it Fish Lips. Either way, it was adorable!
-- This is the most calm, easy-going, laid back, sweet baby around. I love spending time with him... he is hardly ever fussy, and just likes to have a good time looking around, soaking in the atmosphere, listening... what a lucky pair of parents we are.
-- I love it when he falls asleep on my chest. I know, I know, it isn't a good habit, but I LOVE it. I love holding his tiny little body as it curls up against me, and knowing that he was just a part of my body only a few weeks ago. I love kissing his head and knowing that in just a little while, he'll be crawling, and walking, and talking, and then poof! Graduating, and falling in love, and all of the other miracles and milestones of a person's life. I miss him already, if that's possible; the little person he is right now, the boy he's going to become, the man he's going to grow into... I truly don't know how other parents can deal with it-- all the love that is bursting inside their hearts. Maybe that's why they complain so much about the petty, minor things; to distract themselves from the overwhelming love for their own children.
It reminds me of one of my favorite stories, "Saudade" by Katherine Vaz. The story is basically about love and longing and that particular feeling you get when you miss something so much that the memory of it is stronger than reality... During one passage, a character looks around the picnic table at friends and family and realizes to herself that, for the first time, she is already missing people who are still with her, who haven't even left yet... During another part, a character lights candles where she first kissed her husband-to-be, because she believed that "we must honor with fire the places where love almost kills us." It reminds me of "Like Water For Chocolate," in which a couple of characters are actually set aflame by their love for each other. I really enjoy books with magical realism, in case you haven't noticed. That's one thing I hope I can pass on to my son-- a love for words, for literature, for poetry and language and expression... if there is one gift I can give him, it will be to see the wonder and joy and power inherent in words.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Anticipation... but not the good kind
Next week I am supposed to start Ethan at daycare... and I can hardly bear it! It has been a really rough week for me. I've been feeling so burdened by the thought of having to take him to daycare and go back to work at the office, and my emotions are on a roller-coaster. I've felt so overwhelmed by all of this... and it's made me start to pull back and distance myself. Now, intellectually, I realize that I am doing that in order to save myself from pain, and preserve a little bit of sanity, by removing myself from the source of stress. Knowing something doesn't necessarily mean you know how to stop doing it, though, or how to fix it. I don't want to feel distant from my son or husband, but I feel like if I am too close to them, I will simply lose it and drown in tears because of this deep sorrow over losing this time with my baby and my family. I feel like I haven't stopped crying all day... and it's just exhausting.
Maybe it's because it's Friday the 13th. Or maybe it's because it's just too soon to go back. Who knows... all I know is, it will take an act of God to get me into the office on Tuesday morning.
Maybe it's because it's Friday the 13th. Or maybe it's because it's just too soon to go back. Who knows... all I know is, it will take an act of God to get me into the office on Tuesday morning.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Dressing up baby
Wow. Now that he is gaining weight and growing, he is on a roll! (I mean that literally; he finally has little chub rolls everywhere, woo-hoo! I want to chew them up!) It seems like in the span of about a week or two, he went from newborn size, up through the 0-3 months, and is now firmly in the 3-month clothing. Sure, it's a bit long, but the 0-3 month footie sleepers were just a smidge too tight. So now we get to dress him up more! Also, because his neck is a bit stronger, we don't have to worry about accidentally crippling him while putting on over-the-head clothing, so we have a much larger variety of tops we can use. Sweet! I mean, baby girls definitely have much cuter clothing, but his are pretty darn close. :)
Monday, February 2, 2009
"Good" Baby
It's funny... so many people who I meet while I'm out with Ethan ask me the same question: "Is he a good baby?" Well, yes, he is; and he would be whether or not he was crying, quiet, slept a lot or stayed awake, moved around all the time or was still and introspective. Aren't all babies "good" at this stage? How could they be bad? Crying doesn't make a baby "bad"; it is simply a means of communicating a need they have. Or are these people asking me to determine whether or not my son is a bad person when he's only 6 weeks old? Hmm...very strange.
I thought I felt okay about the day care situation, but it's getting tough again the closer it gets. I realize that we can't survive without my full income, so I'm trying to look at it as a sacrifice I'm making for my son and for my family. Oh, but that sacrifice still hurts...
On a more positive note, he has started giving me smiles! They are mainly smiles when he is sleepy and starting to fall asleep, but sometimes he tosses me an adorable dimple out of the blue, when he's wide awake. I love that dimple! And his cleft chin is starting to become more noticeable, too. Got that one from his dad, of course. In fact, he looks so much like Joel, it's ridiculous. Where are the "mommy" traits, huh? Then again, I compared his pictures to the pics of my niece when she was born 10 years ago, and they look remarkably similar-- so I guess the mommy side is in there, somewhere. :)
He's still waking up a few times a night; we have him on a 2.5 to 3 hour schedule, so he goes to bed by 9-ish and then is up at around midnight for his next feeding, then 3-ish, and then wakes up for the day at around 6:00. It's not so bad, except that I'm the only one getting up all night. I don't mean to whine, but that gets really old, really fast. I'm just tiiiirrrreeeeddddd.... in a deep way, like I've been up non-stop for a month. I've gotten sleep-- but it's always in short bursts of 2 hours or less. I feel like I haven't gotten a deep sleep since early November, because I couldn't really sleep for the last month of the pregnancy. If my "partner" doesn't step up soon, I may have to take a vacation to let him handle things on his own for awhile. Maybe that'll give him a better idea of what I'm dealing with.
I thought I felt okay about the day care situation, but it's getting tough again the closer it gets. I realize that we can't survive without my full income, so I'm trying to look at it as a sacrifice I'm making for my son and for my family. Oh, but that sacrifice still hurts...
On a more positive note, he has started giving me smiles! They are mainly smiles when he is sleepy and starting to fall asleep, but sometimes he tosses me an adorable dimple out of the blue, when he's wide awake. I love that dimple! And his cleft chin is starting to become more noticeable, too. Got that one from his dad, of course. In fact, he looks so much like Joel, it's ridiculous. Where are the "mommy" traits, huh? Then again, I compared his pictures to the pics of my niece when she was born 10 years ago, and they look remarkably similar-- so I guess the mommy side is in there, somewhere. :)
He's still waking up a few times a night; we have him on a 2.5 to 3 hour schedule, so he goes to bed by 9-ish and then is up at around midnight for his next feeding, then 3-ish, and then wakes up for the day at around 6:00. It's not so bad, except that I'm the only one getting up all night. I don't mean to whine, but that gets really old, really fast. I'm just tiiiirrrreeeeddddd.... in a deep way, like I've been up non-stop for a month. I've gotten sleep-- but it's always in short bursts of 2 hours or less. I feel like I haven't gotten a deep sleep since early November, because I couldn't really sleep for the last month of the pregnancy. If my "partner" doesn't step up soon, I may have to take a vacation to let him handle things on his own for awhile. Maybe that'll give him a better idea of what I'm dealing with.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Likes/Dislikes: BOTTLE UPDATE
We found the bottle we like best now, and it isn't something we have to jimmy together like the Playtex/Gerber hybrid I talked about earlier. This is the Avent bottle (4 oz.), with the stage 2 nipple (with two holes, for babies 1-2 months old). I bought it today at Target, cleaned & sterilized it, and used it for the first time at his lunch-time feeding-- and it was amazing! He only took 10-15 minutes TOTAL to finish the whole bottle. With the other bottles/nipples, he was taking 45 minutes to an hour to finish it off, and sometimes he only ended up taking 2 oz. after all that time. I've fed him twice so far with the Avent, and both times he took less than 15 minutes to finish eating. Amazing! This is really going to make feeding time a lot less frustrating. Woo-hoo! The only downside is that the bottles are expensive... it was $9.98 for ONE 4-oz bottle at Target, and I'm going to have to get a few more now. Yikes! But at least we found the bottle that works, and we can stop trying all of the other ones. And at least he eats a full 4 oz. with this one, and without burning a ton of energy in the process. :)
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