My Monday Mind Dump...

1. My husband got called for jury duty this week (which is the LAST thing he needed added to his plate), and I may be the only person in America who is actually jealous! I SOOO want to go to Jury Duty, and I'm probably the LAST person anyone would want as a juror! They are pretty much always guilty in my mind.

2. Our downstairs air conditioner broke, so we are sequestered up stairs. Luckily, the weather hasn't been too hot the last few days!

3. Ben and Jerry's makes the best. ice. cream. ever.

4. Since I have been pseudo-nursing (pumping), I have been starving all the time!!! I can't stop eating, and I have had WAY more cravings in the last 4 weeks than I EVER did while pregnant.

5. John Mayer is coming to town soon. I'm going to try to win tickets on the radio, but I usually only win things that I don't want to go to, like to see So You Think You Can Dance (pretty much the worst show I've ever seen) and American Idol.

6. I've been browsing my cookbooks that I spent so much time putting together after we got married, and I'm planning on actually cooking something out them very soon!

7. I just realized today that I have to pee like 99% less than I did when I was pregnant, but I think it was just preparing me for waking up with the Kidd-O in the middle of the night.

8. I'm a sucker when it comes to advertising! I buy Orbitz gum ( "a good clean feeling, no matter what") because I like the commercials, and I LOVE watching infomercials and QVC, luckily I never have money to buy "the magic bullet" or those Dimonique earrings, and I'm in infomercial heaven when I'm pumping and feeding at 4 am!

9. I was a tad worried that I would be bored being a stay-at-home mom, and so far, I'm a tad worried that I may never be bored again! lol!

10. I wish I was more computer savvy so that I could have a really cool Blog like some of my friends have...but I'm not, so this will have to do for now

11. I love visiting with family...or anyone for that matter!


Thanks for stopping by and have a GREAT week!!!!

They Let Me Bring Him Home???!!!

Ok, so the first few days home with the Kidd-O were great, he was (and still is) a breeze! But it only took about 2 weeks for me to ask my self what the hospital was actually thinking!? They let me bring him home???!!!

I'm sure all parents (at least I hope it's not just me) have moments with their infant that they actually question their capability of doing this great task. I now wonder how any of us have made it out of childhood if our parents have screwed up in the ways that I have!

Here is the list of my shortcomings thus far:

• After the Kidd-O's first nap in his own room, I found him with wet hair, I thought at first he was hot and sweaty, which really upset me, but then I realized it was spit-up! I began to cry, and put him right back in the bassinet next to my bed for the rest of his naps...hopefully I can muster up the courage to send him to his own room before he starts college.
• After a full day of SCREAMING, no napping, and hardly eating an ounce (when he usually downs 4 oz. at a time), it finally dawned on me to check his bottle...there was a tiny fuzz ball stuck in the nipple hole. How it got there, I have no clue. I felt horrible the rest of the night wondering how on earth he wound up with a dummy like me for a mom!!!
  
• As I was changing the poor kid's diaper, I noticed what seemed to be water all over his face! I looked around for what the culprit could be. My theory was that it was the sprinkler system (which apparently our home doesn't even have), only to realize he had pee'd in his face.
• The next day, he did it again.
• A friend asked if she could check my car seat to make sure it was installed correctly. thankfully she did, because my husband had latched and tethered the car seat to something that wasn't even a latch in my car. My car is so old it doesn't even have the latch system...so I pretty much don't know what it latched it to!

I'm sure that this is only the beginning, which totally stinks, because it's been less than a month! But thankfully, God is sovereign and in control of all things, and I just pray that He protects my kid, even from the dumb mistakes his momma makes!

I Married the Best Wife Ever!

When I started this blog I was very clear that I am NOT the best house wife on the planet (hence why I call myself The HouseWife Rookie), but what I didn't tell you is that I just happened to marry a wonderful "house wife!" He is definitely everything I'm not! Which I love most of the time. But since I am on a quest to become a better house wife, some of his "wifely" qualities are starting to cramp my style.

So I'm not the most detail oriented person when it comes to cleaning around the house, and I have adopted the philosophy that as long as no one is coming over, what does it really matter?? Not to say that we live in filth until people come over, but to me it's just not necessary to clean every nook and cranny, every. single. week. Unfortunately, I seemed to marry The Brawny Man, who also happens to be Mr. Clean (seriously, I should buy stock in the Mr. Clean erasers, because my husband has one permanently affixed to his hand)! I should have seen the writing on the wall earlier when we were dating, being that he owned his own little (fairly successful) car detailing business, where he was the only employee, because no one was detailed enough for his liking. Yes, this should have been my sign, that my cleaning "philosophy" was not gonna fly in our home.

We've now been married for 3 1/2 years, and our Saturday's usually go about the same. I clean, the way I clean, and usually don't go above and beyond my usual routine (which I'm working on not being so selfish/lazy in this area), and without fail, Mr. Clean comes right behind me and redoes just about everything that I ALREADY DID! Vacuuming? yep, it gets done twice. Dusting? yep, two times. Showers and counter tops? mmhmm, you guessed it. Mirrors? well, I don't bother with those anymore, because I really do suck at that! The funny thing is, he's not being mean and trying to belittle my cleaning jobs, he just truly believes that I hadn't done it yet! Ouch!

Now, what I'm trying to decide is if I'm overly lazy (which, sadly, I think is true some of the time), or if he's overly anal (which I think is true most of the time)? Whichever it is, it's not an effective use of our time, and probably explains the immaculate condition our home always seems to be in. I have been very convicted lately (yes, it has taken a few years) since we have a kid, who I will expect to pull his weight when he's old enough, and since Mr. Clean has been sooo busy with his new job, I don't want him to be burdened by things around the house. After all, that is why he is working so hard, so I can stay home!

So, this is my public vow, to be better in the area of cleaning!I know I will NEVER be as detailed as Mr. Clean, and I kind of think that he enjoys it, but I can make a better effort!! Now, I'm still a work in progress, and have a LONG way to go to being a HouseWife M.V.P! I still need to figure out how to load a dish washer (which I do, but I'm THE WORST at it) correctly. How to pay bills, and how much we actually pay in bills ( I still don't know what we even payed for our house exactly). How to be a better grocery shopper and how to take care of my garden (which is actually Mr. Clean's garden, because I haven't done a darn thing with it).

Welcome to the World, Kidd-O!

Like most mothers, I spent a good bit of time trying to decide what my little one should wear home from the hospital. I don't know why it's such a big deal, but it is! Fortunately, I couldn't decide on which outfit to bring, so I brought a few, and it's a good thing I did, because only one of the outfits actually fit! It was just me and the Kidd-O in the quiet of the hospital room while my husband loaded up the car, and I began dress him in the outfit that I had carefully chosen for him to go home in. Our home. The home that belonged to only me and my husband just a few days earlier. I remember hoping that he would like his new room and that he would love our home as much as I did.


I loaded my son into his new car seat, and I held him while the nurse began to wheel us both out to our car to go home. As we left the comfort of our hospital room, and the security of the wonderful nurses, it hit me...hard. They were actually letting me take this tiny baby home!! I was fully responsible for him. The weight of this thought (responsibility) is extremely overwhelming! Suddenly, my baby's life was flashing before my eyes! I was now responsible not only for his immediate physical needs, but responsible for his overall spiritual, mental, emotional well being from now until he leaves the nest. The Lord gave him to ME! I get to show him all the wonderful blessings this world has to offer and I'm responsible for guarding his eyes and heart from the wicked things. I began to cry as I felt the great pressure and immense joy from the weight of this responsibility. When we finally approached the double doors to our new life as 3, I saw the sun shining, and I whispered into my tiny baby's ear: Welcome to the world, Kidd-O!

My Monday Mind Dump...

1. I knew I was a selfish person before the Kidd-O, but I realize that I was even more selfish than I ever realized.
2. However, putting my baby first has been a joy and a blessing! So what if I can't blow-dry my hair until 3pm when I showered at 7am?
3. I kicked the Kidd-o out of our room over the weekend :( yes, this made me terribly sad.
4. I really dislike our video monitor. First off, it makes me sad to see him squirming around by himself. Secondly, the "night vision" reminds me of The Blair Witch Project or some other scary movie, and I think I'm going to see a ghost in the background. Lastly, it picks up some other kids bedroom from time to time, which is disturbing on a few levels, because if I can see some random neighbor's child, who can see mine??
5. I love Summer sooo much and hate when fall comes because that means winter is right around the corner, and I HATE winter...BUT, for some reason I'm looking forward to this fall. Maybe it's because it has been hotter than Hades??
6. I think it's pretty cool that if the Kidd-O is crying I can take him and he will stop. It's like I have actual magical powers! My husband is quite jealous of this ability, and I feel bad about it...kinda.
7. This 3 hour schedule I'm on is getting kind of old. I don't have time to complete a task in one sitting, and because I'm pretty ADD, I can't remember what I was doing before. Therefore, I have a million unfinished projects/chores.
8. I NEVER used to make my bed...EVER, but for some reason, all of a sudden, I want it made everyday. strange.
9. I got my first batch of sour peaches last week, that was a bummer.
10. We have been blessed to have meals brought to us this month, and we received some pitted cherries that were a b s o l u t e l e y divine. I never knew how much I liked cherries until they were pitted!

My Monday Mind Dump...

It's Monday again, so here's my "Mind Dump"

1. Being "tired" has a whole new definition, and I now know that I was never REALLY "tired" before a baby.
2. "sleep" has a whole new definition, and when I get to experience it, it is divine! Like my 1.5 hour nap just moments ago!
3. "eating" has a whole new definition, and one can get pretty creative with one hand!
4. My mom (who ALWAYS had a baby in her arms while I was growing up) was a master at grabbing things that fell on the floor with her toes...turns out, I was her apprentice and am becoming quite good at it too!
5. I Love Lucy comes on in the middle of the night, which makes pumping and feeding MUCH more enjoyable at 3 am!
6. My first field trip to Target was quite comical this week, and I'm sure that I gave everyone a good laugh as I was getting in and out of my car, and trying to maneuver through the store with a gigantic car seat and child (it didn't seem so big when I registered for it). I'm hoping the Kidd-o didn't suffer any major neurological damage!
7. The cashier lady asked how many MONTHS old the Kidd-o was, and was shocked to learn that he wasn't even 2 weeks old.
8. I'm hooked on the shows Teen Mom, and even worse...The Jersey Shore. Maybe it's my inner guidette, and that Italian in me feels like I'm watching "family"
9. I think it's cool that the Kidd-o has an Uncle Frankie...I think everyone should have an Uncle Frankie! Although this uncle is 16, not 65, he doesn't smoke cigars (at least to my knowledge), and he doesn't smell like salami, but probably smells like other things.
10. My FAVORITE baby product is the bulb syringe. The Kidd-o has some MAJOR bats in the cage, and I feel such relief when I'm able to suck those suckers right out...He doesn't like it very much, but I think he's grateful when it's over and I've been successful!
11. I promise that I'll try not to talk about the Kidd-o ad nauseum, but being that is ALL my world consists of at the moment, it's hard to steer clear from that subject!

Thanks for stopping by!

When the Going Gets Tough....

Breastfeeding. "It's the hardest thing you'll ever do," "It's the most painful thing you will ever experience," "Give it 2 weeks," "Give it 8 weeks," "Give it 6 weeks," "You may bleed," "you're nipples may crack." Sounds like fun huh?? Sign me up! But the end line always goes the same: "It's the BEST thing you'll ever do, and you'll be so glad that you did it!" These are all of the things that I have heard for years! As a daughter of someone who birthed 8 children and breastfed 6 of them, I have seen a lot about the miracle(s) of child birth and rearing. I have heard these one liners since I got pregnant from just about every person who has breastfed successfully, and very rarely (if ever) did I hear that this task was "wonderfully pain free and extremely easy"

When I got pregnant I decided early on that I was going to breastfeed because it is the most economical, healthiest, most convenient option. I didn't even register for bottles or pumps because I wanted to be fully dedicated to doing the whole "nursing" thing. I spent 9 months preparing my mind and receiving many "pep-talks" about this "joy" of motherhood. I was "game" for this...or so I thought.

My most magical moment in the delivery room was when I nursed my son for the first time...surprisingly, he latched on immediately, and started going to town! He was a BIG boy, and he was hungry! This "magical moment" slipped my very quickly, never to return. Because my boy, was on the larger side they told me that his blood sugar was low and he needed to be supplemented, therefore he received a bottle...uh oh. Then, I was told to start pumping, finger feeding and nipple shielding by the 3 lactation ladies who cam to visit me...this was not what I was expecting. I was expecting to be told about the "cradle hold," the "football hold," the "side-laying position" and the ways I should try to get him to latch on. My nurses were very helpful in this area, as well as my mom and other supporters, but I was kind of surprised at the lactation people, who were trying all the ways to get him my milk, without actually breastfeeding. This was discouraging to me. By day 2 The Kidd-O had been exposed to bottle nipples, my finger, daddy's finger, plastic nipple shields, and me (the real deal). Talk about "nipple confusion," it's no wonder he had trouble latching on after our "magical moment"!!! Then they told me that he was tongue tied and should have his tongue clipped...good grief!

When we got home I had dedicated myself to getting him to latch on and I was gonna do this thing! Easier said than done. Turns out it is "the hardest thing I'll ever do"! And also, as it turns out, I'm not the most dedicated person on the planet either. I'll tell it like it is, and this was hard for me to admit after a few days, but I guess I just didn't want it bad enough! I didn't want to experience the pain (that was supposedly "worth it"), and My baby was sooo good and the only time he cried was when I was trying to nurse him, he got very frustrated (he has my Italian temper), which in turn, made me frustrated! I wasn't enjoying meal-time at all, and I always gave in to pumping.

I went back and forth a MILLION times about whether to just pump-n-feed, or keep trying to get him to latch on. And I'm not going to lie, I felt some guilt about not breast feeding directly, but after it was all said and done, and I came to the realization that he was getting MY milk, just from a bottle, the guilt lifted immediately, and I have enjoyed his feedings ever since!

Yes, I have become a slave to the pump, and it is probably more work than if I had committed myself to nursing, but it is my joy to do it. It's the least I can do to give him my milk even if I spend a TON of time washing the parts to the pump and the bottles!! I'll ride this train for as long as I can, and maybe I'll become a more disciplined and dedicated mom for the next one.

My Monday Mind Dump...

Wow! It's Monday already??? Better yet, I'm posting My Monday Mind Dump on Monday? I wasn't sure this would ever happen! O.k, this weeks thoughts and musings:
1. Pumping, feeding, and diapering has consumed all of my time and thoughts, and I'm loving it.
2. I already can't stand the thought Cooper growing up, and each day that goes by, I'm sad that he won't ever be as little (or as big) as he was the day before ever again.
3. The above thought ensures that I will most definitely have more kiddo's...don't know how many yet, but definitely more!
4. One of the best things about being at home is that I get to watch I Love Lucy on the Hallmark Channel while I pump, feed, and diaper.
5. Chris started a new job this week, and I'm happy for him, but sad about him leaving his old job.
6. I don't like change in general
7. "The bachelor Pad" is trash
8. For some reason it's still on
9. My baby is fussy tonight...I think I've been spoiling him by holding him too much
10. I started this post at 6 am today, and now it's 9:40, and I'm still working on it!

Happy Birthday, Baby!

Let me start this post by saying I LOVED being pregnant! I felt great 95% of the time, I loved my maternity clothes, and I loved feeling my baby squirm and kick, and wondering what he was going to look and act like! I was very blessed with such a wonderful 9 months...then week 40 came! I was miserable the week of my due date! I couldn't sleep, I peed 82 times a night, and did I mention I looked like I was carrying a litter, wherever I went people would stare!!
It all became unbearable when my due date (July 28th) came and went. I was having contractions throughout that night, they were bad enough to be annoying, but not so bad that I wanted to kill my husband. Still, I was miserable and wanted to see if I had progressed any, and I could NOT wait until my Saturday appt. (I'm impatient, remember), so I asked if I could come in on Thursday (the 29th), they checked me, and praise the Lord I was at 4 cm!! The Midwife, surprisingly, offered to admit me to the hospital, give me my epidural, and break my water to get the show on the road! She told me that this was a "one time offer" that would expire in a couple of hours and that she didn't want me to call her in the middle of the night because I was still "uncomfortable". So, that was it....the DECISION was up to me (see my post Little Ms. Indecisive)!!!!! I was scared that I had to decide if I was ready to meet my baby, or let nature take it's course...YIKES!! As my mom drove me home, she helped me to weigh the pro's and con's (there weren't any of those), and as I experience some "for real" contractions, I decided to take the plunge and meet my baby! We turned around and drove to the hospital. I cried the whole way there.
I was admitted around 6pm on Thursday, July 29th. It was just me and my mom, as we waited for Chris to get off work. I changed into my robe, they hooked me up to monitors...and so, it began, no turning back now. We were watching the evening news when HE walked in. Dr. Good-Looking Anesthesiologist Guy. This was the moment I was most worried about, but when HE walked in, I knew it would be OK! We laughed, we joked, HE numbed me up, and it was ALL good! An hour later the midwife broke my water, and then we waited...


Chris finally showed up after tying up loose ends at one job, before he starts his new job next week. I was progressing well, and the midwife encouraged us to get some shut eye...Chris obeyed Dr's orders in the waiting room, while I battled some OUT OF CONTROL indigestion!!! The heartburn was nothing new, and was something I struggled with ALL 9 months. I was checked again, and it was show-time! 10cm! They wanted me to give a couple of good pushes to get the ball rolling. I pushed with ALL my might! I pushed a little too hard, and my indigestion took it's toll, and I tossed my cookies! It was actually a good thing because I felt so much better!! Chris was still following Doc's orders of getting shut-eye, and he was following so well, he couldn't hear his phone ring...we had to send a nurse to fetch him. Thank goodness my momma was there!

When the father of my child finally showed up, and I finished watching the Zumba infomercial, I began to push...really push! I'm glad now that I had lifted weights, and kept up with my gym regimen while preg-o, becuase that was one tough work out! I apologized to everyone in advance for farts or anything else that may have escaped me and pushed for 1 1/2 hours, taking some breaks for ice chips.I was very comfortable and taking everything in stride, praising the Lord for allowing epidurals into the world, and not knowing how people survived child birth with out one, because I was having the best time! My mom was the best coach and encourager, and my husband was able to watch and be amazed!

I was so close to meeting my baby, when the room started to fill with various nurses, they started to turn on the "baby warming lights", preparing their work station for when he would make his grand appearance, people were cheering me on...and I started to freak out! I wasn't in pain, I was just panicking from all of the stimuli around , and Chris telling me his "head is half way out"! I started to scream at the top of my lungs " GET HIM OUT!!!!", "I WANNA GO HOME!!!!" and "I WANT A GALLON OF WATER!!!!" They told me sternly to calm down and push...HARD...because this baby was BIG! I could feel the baby wiggling his head trying to help his momma out! The midwife said she had never seen such an active baby before! And with one last push, I entered into my new role as mom on July 30, at 3:24 am... He was beautiful! My very first words were that he looked "just like Chris". We cried as I held him in my arms, and Chris cut the cord.


The nurse asked us to make a guess at his weight, and I guessed 8lbs 5 oz. because that's what the sonogram read earlier that day...boy was that wrong! I had just pounded out a WHOPPING 9lb. 6 oz TODDLER! Everyone was amazed, and the midwife was shocked that I didn't tear more, or better yet, need a c-section!

The after birth was BY FAR the WORST part of the birthing experience! I was shaky from the meds, trauma, and the most intense work out of my life! My eye's were all googly, and I was sooo thirsty! Chris asked if he could bring in the 15 people who had patiently waited in the waiting room all night. I begged not to because I looked as if I was violently convulsing, but he promised it would only be for 10 minutes.

When all the visitors came in they quickly noticed I was not in the best condition for entertaining visitors, and I'm pretty sure I scared my best friends and sisters from ever wanting to have children...ever! They all ignored me and doted on my little miracle...and went on their way. I started shoving graham crackers in my mouth and drinking water like it was going out of style (still convulsing)...only to regret that decision seconds later...I tossed my "crackers" but started to feel better. This part was not fun.

After the hustle and bustle died down, all the visitors left, and the room had been cleaned up and cleared out, I experienced the most amazing moment in my life. The nurse handed me my "gift," perfectly swaddled, and I began to nurse, he latched on immediately. I locked eyes with my son, then with my husband, and we cried together as we welcomed the life that the Lord knit together in my womb and graciously and mercifully gave to us. It was truly a miracle.

Thanks for dropping by and reading about my exciting adventure entering into mommyhood!

Monday's Mind Dump...On Wednesday

O.k, so I'm not off to the best start on my Monday's Mind Dump, last week's was on Tuesday, and today is Wednesday! I'm going to keep this short and sweet. This past week has been the most life changing week of my life! I have SOOOO much to say, but it's going to take me a minute to get my thoughts in order! Future posts and current thoughts:
1. I gave birth to a massive "toddler" on July 30
2. He is the most well behaved baby ever!
3. My biggest challenge and source of heartache has been nursing (later post)
4. My brain is like scrambled eggs at the moment trying to keep up with all the times I'm supposed to remember (When to feed, how long to sleep, when I need to take my IB profin).
5. I never knew love like this before