I know, I know

I have been lax in updating. It was a busy holiday. So it's been almost a week since the last update... where to begin.

AJ's ear infection is hopefully better. Especially considering her dingbat mother left her antibiotics out on the counter overnight (it has to be refrigerated). She had been taking that round for a week, though, so she should be all healed up. We'll know tomorrow or Tuesday once she has her follow up appointment. She's having a fussy night tonight, and I think it's going to be a long one. I don't know what's going on. Pray that she doesn't need one of those ear tubes.

Christmas was great. We opened gifts around 9 am, once Aunt J made it in. AJ made out like a bandit getting pretty dresses, books, and toys. Her favorite was the shiny white bow from one of the gifts Great Aunt DeeDee sent! She held onto that bow for a good hour after we were done opening gifts. S-Factor bought me a new art desk, which will probably be taking the place of the Christmas tree once we take it down. The bay window has the best light in the house, so it's the spot that will suit it the best. Plus, it will be nice to stare out at the trees and pasture while I'm sketching. I got S two Craftsman tool chests for his shop, which he loves. He set them up last night in the garage and put all of his tools in them. It's good to see him enjoy his gift so much. We also bought DVDs for each other: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince for me and Public Enemies for him. Other nice gifts were exchanged, and then we ate cinnamon rolls and hung out.

We had friends over for dinner, and I cooked ham, turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, and green bean casserole. I had never baked a ham, nor cooked turkey (crockpot), nor made green bean casserole. Everything came out delicious and there was a TON of food. AJ behaved quite well throughout the day, with very few fussy moments.

After dinner, we all played Wii (Super Mario Bros. is a blast!) and Apples to Apples, drank a little bit of wine, and had a good ole time.

Pics soon, but right now, I've got to tend to a crying infant.

The Adventures of Smooshy Face

A-Train is feeling a lot better. Although, she didn't get to sleep until around 10pm Friday night because she slept literally the entire day at daycare on Friday. She only woke to eat and get changed then she konked out again. Could be worse, could have been a work night.

So the latest development in the world of AJ is that she is weaning herself. If the sun is up, she wants a bottle. She doesn't care what's IN the bottle, she just doesn't want to eat from Mommy. Not sure what the reason is behind it, and I've already gone through the frustration and sadness that breastfeeding is going the way of the buffalo for us, but we'll be ok. She's just a big girl now and wants to do it herself! She tries to hold the bottle every time. She had a good hold on it yesterday, and I wasn't helping her hold it. She couldn't figure out the whole tip it back to drink thing, but she had a death grip on that Ventaire.

She's out of the swaddle cloth at night now too. She sleeps perfectly fine in PJs and usually with no pacifier. I'll be happy when she doesn't need that stupid binky anymore, that's for sure. But all of the other stuff is a little harder to accept.

That's parenthood, though, I'm sure. Making all of your plans and then watching them fly right out the window.

Oh how the heart can ache.

Poor little AJ has what we suspect to be another ear infection (or the same one that did not go away completely). I will know more after S-Factor gets back from taking her in to the pediatrician.

Last night was rough, not just because we got little sleep, but because it is so hard to see her tiny little tears streaming down her chubby little cheeks. When she looks up at us with her tear-filled eyes pleading for relief, my heart breaks into a billion little pieces. But then, as I took over the baby-comforting shift, and she lay there with her head on my arm, she looked up at me and gave me a tiny smile, and for a little while my heart was stitched up again. She is so sweet.

We took shifts so that we each would get a few guaranteed hours of sleep, rather than both having to be woken up when she cried. He took the early shift, and I took over in the wee morning hours. I laid down on my left side, and placed her little head on my arm. She curled into me, resting on her hands in that picturesque sleeping pose, and dozed for a while.

Even she was exhausted this morning, as she fell asleep quickly in her bouncy seat. Usually she is too excited in her bouncy seat to do anything but chatter and smile at the butterflies.

~

In other news, tonight is movie night and I'm hoping Best Buy has Elf so that we can watch it, along with The Hangover, while we eat pizza. I think I deserve a chocolate lava crunch cake since this week has been so hectic!

Everyone ready for Christmas??


~
UPDATE:

Ear is still infected, Got stronger antibiotics, If fever is not gone in three days we take her back, Take her back in 7-10 days regardless, The morning lady (at daycare) says her kid gets ear infections often without the fever.

12/15

I finished that horse commission I mentioned. I hope the client (teehee) likes it. S-Factor took care of A-Train last night while I finished it up, which helped a LOT. She was up every couple of hours again last night. Not sure what's going on with her, but hopefully it's just gas or something. Maybe she's teething early? I don't know how to check other than feeling her gums, and everyone knows that's not the easiest thing to do with a squirmy infant.

She wore her "I spit black and gold" bib to daycare today. Geaux Saints!

I think she is genuinely enjoying daycare. She smiles when she sees her teachers, and watches all the other babies play. I miss her during the day, but it feels good to know she is getting a lot of attention and learning stuff all day.

Almost time to go home for the day! I should start thinking about what to cook for dinner... Cornbread chicken pot pie maybe...

Sad face

AJ has been crying nearly non-stop since she got home from daycare. To top that off, she only wants a bottle, no matter what's in it. It can be breastmilk or formula, but she won't eat from me. :( That makes me sad.

S-Factor decided to take her to Big R to give me a break. I should have gotten dinner ready and washed/mixed bottles for tomorrow but I decided to feed the horses and haul in firewood instead. I just had to get out of the house. I think maybe I'm striving for perfection where I shouldn't, but this house is semi-cluttered (in my mind) and it's driving me bonkers! I know it's not dirty, and it's hardly even considered cluttered really, but for me, it's not good enough. Not sure what's up with that, but oh well. So because I had to get out of the house for a few minutes, I went ahead and did his "chores". Little less for him to do when he gets home.

I have a commission of a horse I need to work on but I can't seem to find the time. It's hard to find enough time to breathe, much less work on outside work. I really enjoy that outside work though, when I actually HAVE the time to do it! LOL!

So it goes!

Politician?

I think we have a future Ms. President on our hands. Or at the very least a Senator. Again this morning she pointed at me and informed me what was what in her tiny infant world, in her unintelligible infant language. She was very serious too. There were no smiles or giggles during her speech. Only pointed and jabbering.

S-Factor's truck should be done by the end of today which means two glorious things: 1) We will have the camera back and I can post pics of A-Train, and 2) I won't have to leave the house tomorrow morning on my day off to take him to work... and then pick him up again later. I would let him just take the Jeep, but I want to get some Christmas shopping done. Can't really do that on a motorcycle. Plus it's -6 outside and I don't have heated motorcycle gear...

Speaking of the bike. I need to update the insurance on that sucker and make sure it's still running. It's been sitting for a year because it went into the shop shortly after we bought it last October, and then it was too cold to ride, and then in January is when I found out I was knockered up. So it has been sitting sadly in the garage like a forgotten puppy.

I got told

I got AJ up out of bed and proceeded to change her diaper. During this process, she decided I need to be put in my place. So she pointed her finger at me and started jabbering. Ok, so it was more like her finger was pointed and she was arbitrarily waving it around, but still, it was amusing.

Three days left of her antibiotics, and I'm SO happy that they helped her ear infection go away. She wasn't too difficult, I just hate knowing she is hurting and I can't fix it. She really didn't fuss too much considering the pain she was probably in, so I'm proud of her. I'm hoping teething goes the same way.

I intended to begin my "Picture a Day" project, but SOMEONE left the camera in his truck when he dropped his truck off to get fixed. *points finger at S-Factor* :P

Squirmy!

AJ woke up at 4:30 this morning... ack. She was just ready for the day. So I brought her into our room, fed her lying down, and hoped she would go back to sleep. No such luck. She laid there squirming and wiggling in her swaddle cloth until my alarm went off at 5:30, at which time, she promptly fell right to sleep. So it goes...

I got ready for work, made her bottles, etc., and finally went to get her ready for daycare at about 6 am. She was fussy at first (and I secretly giggled inside and shouted PAYBACK!!! in my head) but then she started looking around at everything like it was the most exciting thing ever, to include the ceiling, her hands, me, the carpet, etc. She was extra squiggly and excited today, which is always a mood-lifter. How can I be mad at her for waking me up so early when she is so darn cute!?

She was awake when we arrived at the daycare so I put her on the fluffy pillow under the lion-cube toy thing and she went to the business of kicking it like her life depended on it.

I must remember to take the camera to the daycare sometimes to snap a few pics of her playing. New project if I can manage to remember: Daily snapshot of AJ for an animated slideshow in a year to see her weed-like growing.

Did I mention it's 3 degrees out and the high is going to be 16 today? SIXTEEN! ONE SIX! Had to break out the huge, fur-lined, leather coat.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

The tree is up! We had hoped to be able to put up a live, potted tree that we could plant in our yard come Spring, but it turns out you can only have one of those in your house for 7-10 days and then it releases its sap and dies. So fail on our part. I am not keen on the idea of cutting a tree every year just to put up for Christmas, so we settled on a fakey-fake, prelit one from Lowe's. I'm actually quite happy we chose it because it's really pretty and looks better than a real tree. Plus, it's not nearly as pokey-hurty. WOO! We also picked up a cheapy set of decorations. Our tradition is to buy one ornament for each other every Christmas (and now one for AJ) so that in a few years, we will have meaningful and cute ornaments that we thought each other would like. But for now, sparkly balls!

I wrapped a couple of the gifts we got in the mail (thanks Susanne and Shawny!!) so that she has something to "open" on Christmas. Read: "open" = kick/flail at/play with the wrapping paper.

I'll have to post a photo of it soon. I must get in the habit of taking more photographs since I get stalked and harassed daily for them! LOL! Just kidding, I love that everyone is so interested in what's up with us. Ok, I'm not delusional, I know y'all only want to hear updates about AJ!

With that in mind, she stares at the tree like it's the most beautifulest and interesting thing she has ever seen.

Sleeping is going well

AJ is down for the night, and I'm working on artses. It's good to see her snoozing so cozily up there so that I can get "me" stuff done!

The sleeping situation is going really well for now. I know that with babies, they can switch it up at any time and might not sleep as well later, but right now, she konks out immediately.

Our routine since she was about 3-4 weeks old is to bathe her (if it's a bath night), feed her, rock/read to her, and then put her in her crib all swaddled up. For the last week or so, she is usually asleep before we even stand up out of the glider to put her in her crib. She generally falls asleep immediately, sans binky, and sleeps until (between) 1-3 am. Then she usually sleeps till I wake her for daycare.

Hopefully, teething doesn't mess up the routine, but we'll cross that toothy bridge when we get there.

And I thought HE went through clothes!

I was amazed and awe-struck when S-Factor and I first moved into our house at the amount of laundry one filthy man can accumulate. He would get up in the morning and put on his "yard pants" (Carhartt jeans that are now very very smudgey and oily and dirty and firewoodey) and putter around the yard, mowing pastures or else randomly digging holes in garden-type areas. After he was done with his manchores and with being a general all around GUY in the outsideworld, he would come inside and completely change his garments, right down to his man panties.

Side note: he wears his socks inside out. On PURPOSE! I think I can't be married to him anymore.

On Topic: So then he started work last year and he wears NICE clothes to work (another side note: we bought his entire work wardrobe for fiddy dollah at GOODWILL! Eddie Bauer and J. Crew stuff ikidyounot), and then he would come home and change into his man playclothes and go get dirty in the yard/pasture/driveway/whereverhegoeswheni'mnotlooking, and THEN he would come in and change into his evening attire. Which, I will have you know, is NOT Hefner type PJs and a cigar. It's more like gloves and his Cartman slippers.

Where was I? Ah yesh, laundry. How am I doing a load of delicates EVERY DAY for someone who doesn't even dress herself!?

Day One Down

Last night was rough, naturally. I'm tough, but AJ is tougher!

She is a tough chick though, that's for sure. They kept having to take her blood sugars at the hospital, and she didn't even cry with the pin prick. She's been poked as much as a pin cushion but she only got annoyed when they uncovered her legs.

It's tough work learning what she needs/wants and I've already learned not to assume. I knew it would be hard but I also know I didn't realize how hard until last night. That's ok though. It's all part of the contract I signed LOL! And it's worth it.

I'm really exhausted. I didn't sleep hardly 2 hours last night. Not complaining, just getting it all out here :D It wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't had to wake her up every 2 hours for feedings, which naturally leads to a diaper change an hour later. So... Feed for 30 minutes, calm her for 10-15, lay down for 15, she wakes up, change her for 10 minutes cause I'm still slow, then calm her for a while and do it all over again. Jaundice ain't fun! Luckily it isn't a bad case, and this is just precaution to make sure she's peeing/pooping enough to clean herself out. She is, I think.

That merconium... meconium... ? The tarry poop isn't as bad as I thought it'd be, and I never thought I'd be so happy and proud that my infant peed... Man I'm delirious!

AJ's Birth Story - EPIC

Ok wow. Where to start? We got to L&D at 6:30ish on Monday and got our room. Got my IV just in case I needed it (wasn't hooked up). Dr. Tubbs (LOL) was the Doc on call and he was great. He explained how it was going to go and we talked about Cytotec and the risks and benefits. He was very open to hearing my concerns and made me feel really comfortable. The nurses were fantastic. I can not even explain how great they were. They were attentive and sweet and hell bent on making sure I was comfortable and all.

Started Cytotec at 10 till 7 am. The nurse asked at one point "How was that contraction? It was a bit one!" and I was like "What?" Turns out I've been having contractions for a while and just thought it was her hitting me. So the contractions started off pretty easy. The doc checked me and I was 1 cm and 75% effaced. They set their goal that I would be 2 cm and 80% by the end of their shift (8pm). I was fine with that. I could handle a slow labor if everyone is healthy and ok. That's how I felt at 9ish am.

So I was laboring for a while, pretty comfortable, until my doctor came in around 3 and checked me. I had only dilated to 2 cm, but that was the goal of the earlier shift so I was excited. While we were discussing the possibility of breaking my water, he broke my water. I started freaking bawling because he just DID IT. I thought S was going to punch him in the face.

Alright, so whatever, that's done, might as well go with it. Contractions started getting a little stronger but they still weren't bad. Doc started talking about going right to pitocin at 5 pm. I was like... what's the hurry? He broke my water at 3 and wanted to go right to pitocin at 5? Wasn't happy about that.

I was upset and so I told S to go get the nurse so I could talk to her. Even she said she was puzzled by his plan and did not agree with him just breaking the water while we were still discussing. She said to just refuse the pit until I'm ready.

Blah blah blah, fast forward to me refusing to start pit, and saying I'd rather just keep laboring on my own and checking progress.

Blah blah blah some more, he came back in at 8 pm (he was the on call overnight), and his tune changed drastically. I think the nurse or someone must have fussed at him. So I was all going about it on my own as my contractions got more fierce and moved to my back. I was already walking around a lot, stretching, using the birthing ball, taking warm showers. That's when it got out of control. The pain was excruciating. I could handle the regular contractions, but the back labor was unbelievable. So I asked for some relief so I could get some sleep at least. Got some fentenol (sp?) at about midnight and the difference was incredible. I pretty much decided right then that I needed an epi. I just couldn't continue back labor on my own.

So we discussing the epidural and pitocin. My progress was really slow. I was 3 cm at 2 am. WTH. Got the epi and pit and was trucking along, got about an hour nap when my left hip and back started getting very very painful. The anesthesiologist upped the dosage at 4 am, no change, it was like I didn't have an epi on that side. So he had to re-do the entire epidural. I got two epidurals. Honestly, the epis weren't that bad. Uncomfortable, but bearable. Got another about an hour nap.

Then the contractions really started. I didn't reach 5 cm until about 7 am. So I was getting about a cm every 2 hours. I wasn't sure I could make it at that rate. I was exhausted from no sleep, miserable from being confined to the bed since 2 am. But, I was determined. I kept at it best I could. Progress sped up a bit, and I was 9 cm by 9 am. At about 9:30, I still had a little bit of cervix over her head, and the cervix didn't want to move. We decided I'd start pushing and try to get her head past the bit.

I pushed for 2 hours. At just before noon, I finally got her head past the cervix. At this point, I don't remember much. I would literally pass out from exhaustion between pushing, and would miss the beginning of contractions because I couldn't keep my eyes open. It was the worst I've ever felt in my life.

Because the progress was so slow (she simply would not descend), and I was so deliriously out of it from exhaustion, 29 hours into labor, I gave up. At just after noon, they wheeled me into the OR. They intended to numb me as per normal procedure. But guess what, the epidural wasn't getting to the left side. I felt everything when they did the pokey poke test. So much to mine and poor S's disappointment, I HAD to get general anesthesia.

Adelaide was born at 12:43 pm via c-section. 21 inches and weighing in at a whopping 9 pounds. It turns out that she wouldn't have fit through my pelvic bones, and was even born with a bruise on top of her head from my pushing.