~Turny thoughts & Ferny thoughts: May04 Mamas in Feb07~ - Page 7

[jstar]

mmmm. oatmeal sounds good. that reminds me i bought frozen steelcut oatmeal at TJs and i think i'll eat it this morning. i have a resolve to eat HEALTHY food today. yesterday was hideous mastication day. i ate so much all day i thought i was dying last night. and i probably gained 3 lbs in one day. my stomach looked a couple months further along but it was full of gyro and shrimp and ice cream.

then again, why fight the urge??

we tried to go to laurelwood but it was insane so we tried poor richards. ever been there pdx mamas? TIME WARP. we felt like we were in vegas or barstow or something. totally wierd.

i hope you don't vomit EL. and that is really cute about the lentil and his best buddy. today is operation back-to-daycare so we'll see how it goes. i will pull his toenails off if he bites his teachers again. or something like that

i'm really looking forward to the weekend. the laundry monster is breeding uncontrollably. there is tons and tons of *&*& in the hallway because of all the furniture moving and i really want to clean up around here. must.organize. i also have the mad quilting urge going right now. that is an activity that doesn't really work well unless isaac is sleeping. so i hardly get the chance.

[TurboClaudia]

wow, quiet around here the past few days. i guess we were all just waiting for those new babies to be born, huh?

well, i have some bittersweet stuff to share. it appears that my milk supply issues may have returned. stefan is not gaining weight as well as he had the first two months, so i am realy keeping an eye on it and have adding 3 pumping sessions to my daily routine, as well as some motherlove tincture, oatmeal for breakfast, switch nursing and offering the boob every time he even sticks a hand in his mouth (which is like ALL the time right now because he is starting the whole teething process). i have a breakdown about it about once or twice a day, but so far am taking it in stride. he is very alert, very active and still has a little extra fat on him. his length and head circumference are right on target, just his weight gain really shifted.

so send me any milky vibes you can spare, mamas. and growing vibes to the wee one.

~claudia

[Sarah'sMama]

Boy, Claudia, I was sure hoping you wouldn't have to deal with this again. I'm sending you all the milky vibes I can muster! I wish I had something wise to say, but we're all pulling for you and sending you support.

[jstar]

that sucks claudia i hope the extra pumpings and oatmeal do the trick. i'll send my milky vibes your way.

it IS quiet around here. can't imagine why the new mamas don't have time to post

today was a good day at daycare. yay! at least i know he had a good late afternoon in the preschool 2 class where he grooved on the mini guitars and keyboard. his teachers are gone by the time i get there so i will have to get the full scoop tomorrow.

i feel too lazy to cook dinner :

[elsanne]

Claudia, on the july mama thread I participate on one mama mentioned a visualization she uses for milk production. It's a commercial on tv I've never seen, but it still works, for like lifesavers or something with cream in them. It's a river of white, just flowing, flowing, so much good white milk. That's what I visualize going into Amara's mouth.
I had some supply issues when A was about as old as S is now, relating to stress.


Which brings me to personal development lesson # 85,432.

My modus operandi is running about, scattered, and very stressed. This is all in a day's work, and somehow I thought I didn't CHOOSE to live my life in this manner, that every stressed out moment was not a choice on my part. My very gait is headlong, rushing about the house. Fastfastfast.
The other day I realized that it is all a choice, everything. And I was choosing to stress the days away instead of live & love & learn in them. I was choosing to seek excuses for treating Viet poorly (I am so stressed, I work so hard, I have to deal with the girls myself, etc etc) and being in a constant state of exhaustion/stress/grief/younameit. Resentment took hold.
Then I realized that he really does all he can, and has behaved himself remarkably well, if I would but see it instead of holding on with resentment glue to the storyline I had written for myself.

So now, I still run about, fastfastfast, but I am working on awareness: sure, run about elsanne, but be aware you're choosing to do so, and then take responsibility for it and ENJOY YOUR LIFE, enjoy the wacky stressed out moment, because you are choosing the pace! So go on, continue your ways, but ENJOY it instead of telling yourself a life-killing joy-killing story about it. You'll live a lot longer, or if not that, a lot happier.

And you don't need to control everything and everyone. Going with the toddler flow is sssssuuuuuuuch a lesson. It is hard for me. But, when I stop trying to control her every moment or think I know how it should go the best, we really do flow and I am happier too.

Bedtimes: I have done them myself the last few nights, due to this or that reason, and we're doing it! It's working! It takes all of the above lesson distilled to a fine, clear mental stream in order to do it, and it's then that I feel like I am really living, loving & learning.

There youguys go, inspiring a blog post again.

This weekend will be spent
a) friday night bellydance performance wooo hoooo!
b) then we go to Tierra Adentro, the retreat center I'm running, with Viet's fam and my mom and the nice warm pool....should be a blast!

[orangecanoe]

Claudia--*hugs* You are so resourceful that I just know you'll get this all sorted out. Do you think your cycle may be returning if it hasn't already? Pumping has given me new insight into how dramatically that can affect supply--for me it's pretty much a good two weeks.

Els--so glad you've found some clarity and peace with the gogogo-ness that your life is these days. Some time at the retreat center sounds wonderful!!


Life here is : w/ more of the same and me too tired to complain about it anymore. Babysitter tomorrow afternoon! As much as I'm happy about it, I'm still : that we don't have family that would/could help out. Where's my village, dammit!?

E's 1st bday party this weekend!!! And the most adorable sibling cuteness--video clip--

[elsanne]

Heather, LOVE the video! It is so inspiring! I realized the other day that the photo you posted when A was just born, to give me hope that it's all worth it, was taken when E was about how old A is now (7 mos) and that I've made it, to where I can take those kinds of cute photos too!

Anyway, exciting to think about my babe and my other babe playing this way...

[mcsarahb]

Oh Claudia - I am so sorry this is happening again. I hope you are able to get on top of it and have a different outcome this time...please let me know if I can do anything for you. I really like the visualization idea.

I really want to respond to your post, elsanne, but must go attend to family. More soon.

Sarah

[elsanne]

And then I started to feel like a bonehead for not responding to the part of tc's post that just needs a nice warm hug for a crappy thing to deal with on top of everything else. I sure hope the measures you're taking beef that boy right up.

Big hug to you, TC!

[TurboClaudia]

thanks for the virtual hugs, mamas. over 4 pumping sessions, i now have 4 oz. in the fridge. i think i will wait until i weigh him again to start supplementing him, though.

which reminds me, i should take some more tincture now...

~claudia

[Mama Faery]

Taking a brief momento to post while Rowan is still happily chatting away upstairs!
DH and I heard him wake up and he said "Who wakes up talking like that???" Said by the man who needs at LEAST 15 min. before he can say anything intelligible in the morning!

Claudia, so many s and milky vibes to you!
Heather, that video was adorable! Gosh, C is so blonde and E has such dark hair! Fairy-tale sisters!

I have been quiet because I've been well, not on the internet much lately. I've been getting overwhelmed by the posting I feel like I have to do in other places (not here by any means! but I have a blog, and I share a blog with other friends that just started up, and forums...and ack!
I come on briefly to check email (usually spam) and catch up with y'all, and then it's time to get breakfast/coffee/ready for the day/leave for the day...and today is no exception, since we're going to my friend M's house to watch her DS (my swap day!) but it's Friday! Yay!
We're going to have dinner at "the big carrot" (Fresh City--this healthy smoothie-noodle-wrap place that put a BIG carrot above their building...ahh, you'd have to see it. Maybe I'll take a picture! Rowan loves the carrot) when DH gets off of work, and then we'll probably go to Target or Best Buy to window shop, and then Saturday I work for a few hours, but then the IL's come over and we leave for a night in Boston (a pre-wedding party for some friends)! We're gonna spend the night and come home around naptime Sunday, I think. But! We're gonna spend the night! And SLEEP!
Haha, I have my priorities straight, yup!

I hope you all have a marvelous weekend. I'd better go get my too-quiet kid upstairs!

[Miss Juice]

TC - Now I'm thinking flowy thoughts and growy thoughts.

Elsanne, your timing is so good. I was having one of *those* days yesterday, and it was just about to seep into today, which did not start off well, think toddler sitting on the toilet crying because she cannot find her other sock, which is - you guessed it - in the toilet. With poop. Mmmmm, morning. Anyway, I was getting all geared up for another yelly-stressy day and I read your post above. Now I'm thinking flowy thoughts in more than one way

Renae, I love the Big Carrot (never been there, but I love the image). When I lived in Atlanta one of the major landmarks in the area was "The Big Chicken" - wow, I just looked it up and it's in Wikipedia. Who knew? Anyway, all directions were given in reference to the Big Chicken.

ETA: Els, how's your mom's visit?

[TurboClaudia]

hard morning, mamas. didn't get to pump because of crazy wake up schedule, so i feel bad about that. every time i have sat down to nurse stefan, marek has asked me to get him soemthing, freaked about something, just been generally difficult. i'm having regular freak outs about all this stuff now, and i know that's causing me stress and i know that's not good for my milk supply.

stefan crying... gotta go...

~claudia

[KKmama]

didja miss me? Our ISP was down, I guess starting Tues. afternoon. I'll be back later to post a longer catch-up.

[KKmama]

Oh yeah... I've had a blog for a whole week now. The link is on my initials in my sig. I just posted fresh kid pix. :

[elsanne]

I am in the process of catching up on KK's groove at this very moment!:

[orangecanoe]

Babysitter update.... The kids loved her and I came back to a quiet house with two girls napping and got 5 errands done.

Claudia-- Take it one day and one extra pump session at a time and know that you are doing everything you can each day.

KK--can't wait to check out your pics/blog!

[KKmama]

Are there updates on the babes?? Pix??

Heather, woo hoo on the babysitter. We're just about done checking the refs on one, and I'm very excited.

Glad Mia and M are feeling better.

Renae, I hear ya about the single parenting thing. Speaking of which, dh's supervisor at work asked him how he felt about traveling... he's been able to avoid it, but they have so much business that some travel is going to fall in his lap at some point.

I wish I had superior parenting to share re the disciplining.

Oh TC, I'm sorry the supply/weight stuff is plaguing you again. Are you even thinking about solids yet? I remember that it was super helpful for M. More s

Els, what you say about rushrushrush is interesting. These days, when things are very busy, I actually find myself going slower. I guess being more deliberate, making sure things get done right. And I definitely hear you about the enjoy it and try not to control it. I'm getting better at that.

I know I'm missing folks, but maybe I'll post *again* later.

[fiddlefern]

Whew! I finally made it to the computer! And of course the first thing I'm doing is getting online to give the MMF an update. I've only read this page- I'll have to catch up later with the rest of the week I've missed.

First and most importantly:

Claudia: !!!!!! I am so sorry- that really sucks. The good news is that S is healthy because you have been so vigilant. Like you said, he has some fat reserves to help him while you figure this all out. Be gentle with yourself. It's just real life that we're gonna get stressed, and that that we're also not going to be able to get to everything we hope to do, even pumping. I used to spend so much time beating myself up that I wasn't doing everything I wanted to for L. I still fall short all the time, but I'm better at forgiving myself. (For instance, I still intend to try a homemade formula in L's tube, but months later haven't gotten to it yet). In time, you WILL find something that works, whether it's pumping or herbs or visualization or stress releaf or supplementing, or some combination of those. .

I just bought a double electric pump for when I go back to work on the weekends. I'm already using a single manual to pump 2 oz each am for L's evening bolus through the tube, and I'm not sure if I'll use more eventually at night. I don't know what my supply is going to be like or how much time I will have for pumping, but any little extra that I don't need I will gladly give to you if you end up needing it.

OK, so finally... here's my update.

I have emerged from the sleep-deprived haze and am starting to feel back to normal. (nak) W is SO MUCH EASIER than L was as a newborn. W is an eating, burping, pooping, sleeping, snuggling, staring-about boy. This boy SLEEPS at night when he's not nursing, and saves his wiggles for the day. So far, he only cries if he's really hungry or we take too long changing him. Thinking back, it makes me sad that L was hurting so much from the reflux, and the only advice we got was, "some babies are just really colicky." My only regret from that time was that I wasn't more devoted to an elimination diet, but ya know, we did what we could at the time. Back to my sweet #2- my mom says he looks a lot like my oldest brother & I when we were babies (L looks just like dh at his age.) W has the coolest white forelock on the right side of his head, just like my other brother. I think he's going to end up with brown hair and hazel eyes- we shall see.

I haven't had a free moment to write the birth story. I need to do that SOON but I had to send out word to my mams first.

[fiddlefern]

Wow the May Mamas are quiet!

just wanted to ask- are A&L back from the hospital? Did I miss that post? Does anyone know how they are doing? I have Allison in my thoughts often, and the whole family. (FFF- four female family)

It's just after one, which is the fiddle family nap time, so W and I shall now retire to the bedroom.