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Wednesday May 07, 2008
Sunday May 04, 2008
Who are you? Who, who, who, who?
Well, who are you? (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)
I really wanna know (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)
Tell me, who are you? (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)
'Cause I really wanna know (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)
Well, who are you? (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)
I really wanna know (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)
Tell me, who are you? (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)
'Cause I really wanna know (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)
First, an update on the scheduling from the last blog posting. Just file this under the heading of “Reason #274 you should listen to your mother:” Jay is SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!! Yes, you read that correctly. At 8 weeks, he is pretty consistently sleeping 7 hours in a row. We so happy we do Dance of Joy! (Remember the old show “Perfect Strangers”? As if y’all needed more proof that I’m still stuck in the 80’s, here I go pulling out another old TV reference... And my sincere apologies to anyone who still has the RR theme song stuck in your head.)
So the books my mom got us were right. And my mom was right that we needed to read the books. Just like she was right that he would love hanging out in his swing. And exactly like she was right on target with a million other suggestions, both big and small. How am I supposed to raise a child who listens to his mother if I don’t listen to mine?! So, Mom, any more ideas? This time, I promise I’ll listen!
But the song reference for this entry is about all of you out there in cyberland reading this blog. I have been absolutely floored by the number of people who read these ramblings on a regular basis… Members of our church family, my parents’ friends and colleagues, my co-workers and Derek’s – lots of people I don’t even know! I met a woman at church who introduced herself and said, “I feel silly introducing myself – I feel like I already know you because I read your blog!”
It’s funny, because I have no idea who reads these pages. A few friends and family members post comments fairly regularly, so I know those folks are reading it. But apparently there’s a whole host of other people who check in now & again to see what’s new in our world. When I log out, I can see how many people have viewed the page that day, and how that stacks up against other blogs hosted by NC State. When Jay was in the hospital, we were consistently the most viewed page. Literally hundreds of you were checking in EVERY DAY. It’s been an interesting way to relate to people – reconnecting with old college friends, and meeting new people solely because of the blog. When I write, I feel almost anonymous because I truly don’t know who stops by to read. It’s almost like writing a diary, but it’s incredibly public. It’s fascinating that the internet has opened up so many new ways to communicate with one another.
But I’m truly glad you’re out there reading and that you have an interest in our lives. There were so many people who prayed for us during Jay’s hospitalization and surgery, and those prayers strengthened all three of us. It’s amazing to think that the little baby attached to all those tubes and wires is now a strong little guy who’s happy, smiling … and healthy.
Posted by jmfoster ( May 04 2008, 03:24:32 PM EDT ) Permalink Comments [2]
Wednesday April 30, 2008
Take a look; it's in a book...
...Reading Rainbow!
Butterfly in the sky; I can go twice as high
Take a look - it's in a book
Reading Rainbow
I can go anywhere
Friends to know, ways to grow
Reading Rainbow
I can be anything
Take a look - it's in a book
Reading Rainbow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6j8EiWIVZs
That, my friends, is proof that Google knows everything! Children of the 80's, watch the YouTube video above - brings back a flood of memories.
So, the book story is that this weekend my mom bought us not one, not two, but THREE books on how to raise a child. Apparently she thinks it's only by the grace of God that we've made it this long without doing permanent harm to our child. Oh wait...
Anyway, we split them up. I started with BabyWise, which is supposed to help with scheduling and getting your child to sleep through the night. The idea is that children who are on a routine function better. Seems logical - the fact that I have not had any sort of routine in the past weeks certainly has reduced my functioning! Of course, functioning on major sleep deprivation is probably a factor, but that's why we're reading this book... routine leads to better sleep and better sleep leads to happier kid. Anyway, the author's big push is that your baby needs to eat, then play, then sleep (nap or nighttime). Like most parents, we'd been letting him eat, fall into milk-induced coma (uh, I mean sleep), and then wake up to scream and fuss (uh, I mean play. That's it. PLAY.) So we're trying VERY hard to keep him awake after he eats, then put him down for a nap while he's still awake, and then wake him up when it's time to eat again. The book says that he needs to learn to put himself to sleep instead of always falling asleep in our arms. Of course, the only way to learn this important life skill is to scream your way through it. My friend refers to this as "Baby Boot Camp." Just call me the General.
But the hilarious part of BabyWise is what it recommends during the awake/play times. For example, it suggests for the midafternoon (I'm quoting here...)
"1. Feeding and diaper change.
2. Waketime: Play with your baby; have him or her by your side as you read or sew.
3. Put your baby down for a nap."
Yeah, I've been just sewing up a storm lately. In fact, I'm thinking of going into business as a seamstress. You have got to be kidding me - he's supposed to just sit there contentedly watching me sew?!
Derek has been reading The Baby Whisperer. It's written by a cute little British woman who refers to you the reader as "luv" on a regular basis and calls me "Mum" and "Mummy." But she also recommends the same eat/play/sleep schedule - which she ironically refers to as the E.A.S.Y. routine - Eat, Activity, Sleep, time for Yourself. Ha! The only time I've had for myself is when I go to the bathroom, and then I can still hear him screaming over the monitor. Okay, and the time yesterday when Jay's new favorite babysitter came to relieve me for a couple of hours. Let me tell you, I've never enjoyed going to Kroger so much! I can't say much for the Baby Whisperer since I haven't finished it, but I'll let you know just how E.A.S.Y. this schedule is when we've tried it a few more days.
Then we are going to read "The Essential Guide to Baby's First Year." The goal here is to find out what Jay is "supposed" to be doing at various ages/stages. I think my mom's ultimate goal was to find something else to brag about to her buddies. I mean, you can only brag about him being the cutest baby on the planet for so long. Eventually, you have to move on to bragging about how advanced he is for his age...
I think there may be something to this grandma business. That may be even more fun that being a mom!
Posted by jmfoster ( Apr 30 2008, 10:21:34 AM EDT ) Permalink Comments [2]
...Reading Rainbow!
Butterfly in the sky; I can go twice as high
Take a look - it's in a book
Reading Rainbow
I can go anywhere
Friends to know, ways to grow
Reading Rainbow
I can be anything
Take a look - it's in a book
Reading Rainbow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6j8EiWIVZs
That, my friends, is proof that Google knows everything! Children of the 80's, watch the YouTube video above - brings back a flood of memories.
So, the book story is that this weekend my mom bought us not one, not two, but THREE books on how to raise a child. Apparently she thinks it's only by the grace of God that we've made it this long without doing permanent harm to our child. Oh wait...
Anyway, we split them up. I started with BabyWise, which is supposed to help with scheduling and getting your child to sleep through the night. The idea is that children who are on a routine function better. Seems logical - the fact that I have not had any sort of routine in the past weeks certainly has reduced my functioning! Of course, functioning on major sleep deprivation is probably a factor, but that's why we're reading this book... routine leads to better sleep and better sleep leads to happier kid. Anyway, the author's big push is that your baby needs to eat, then play, then sleep (nap or nighttime). Like most parents, we'd been letting him eat, fall into milk-induced coma (uh, I mean sleep), and then wake up to scream and fuss (uh, I mean play. That's it. PLAY.) So we're trying VERY hard to keep him awake after he eats, then put him down for a nap while he's still awake, and then wake him up when it's time to eat again. The book says that he needs to learn to put himself to sleep instead of always falling asleep in our arms. Of course, the only way to learn this important life skill is to scream your way through it. My friend refers to this as "Baby Boot Camp." Just call me the General.
But the hilarious part of BabyWise is what it recommends during the awake/play times. For example, it suggests for the midafternoon (I'm quoting here...)
"1. Feeding and diaper change.
2. Waketime: Play with your baby; have him or her by your side as you read or sew.
3. Put your baby down for a nap."
Yeah, I've been just sewing up a storm lately. In fact, I'm thinking of going into business as a seamstress. You have got to be kidding me - he's supposed to just sit there contentedly watching me sew?!
Derek has been reading The Baby Whisperer. It's written by a cute little British woman who refers to you the reader as "luv" on a regular basis and calls me "Mum" and "Mummy." But she also recommends the same eat/play/sleep schedule - which she ironically refers to as the E.A.S.Y. routine - Eat, Activity, Sleep, time for Yourself. Ha! The only time I've had for myself is when I go to the bathroom, and then I can still hear him screaming over the monitor. Okay, and the time yesterday when Jay's new favorite babysitter came to relieve me for a couple of hours. Let me tell you, I've never enjoyed going to Kroger so much! I can't say much for the Baby Whisperer since I haven't finished it, but I'll let you know just how E.A.S.Y. this schedule is when we've tried it a few more days.
Then we are going to read "The Essential Guide to Baby's First Year." The goal here is to find out what Jay is "supposed" to be doing at various ages/stages. I think my mom's ultimate goal was to find something else to brag about to her buddies. I mean, you can only brag about him being the cutest baby on the planet for so long. Eventually, you have to move on to bragging about how advanced he is for his age...
I think there may be something to this grandma business. That may be even more fun that being a mom!
Posted by jmfoster ( Apr 30 2008, 10:21:34 AM EDT ) Permalink Comments [2]
Sunday April 27, 2008
When I see you smile...
I can face the world, oh
You know I can do anything
When I see you smile
I see a ray of light, oh
I see it shining right through the rain
When I see you smile
Baby, when I see you smile at me
Jay has learned his first cool baby trick - smiling. (Sorry, but audible pooping and projectile vomiting do not count as cool baby tricks.) Sure, he'd already mastered the "I'm about to fart" smile and the sleeping "I'm dreaming of milk" smile, but this is now the real deal. The "I recognize your face and I'm happy about it" smile. While I know that there will be many milestones to come, and I'll celebrate his first tooth, his first steps, his first word (and it had better be "Mama"!) as if he's the first child to ever do those things, I really like the first smiles. It's like he's really a person with real emotion and a real personality, not just a hungry, screaming mouth to feed. It's his way of communicating "Hey, I like you!" And I really like that.
But he's got lots of other entertaining facial expressions as well. Check out:
Baby Elvis...
Screaming for more milk
Breaking it down, dancing the Cabbage Patch!
And last but not least, that grin!
Posted by jmfoster ( Apr 27 2008, 09:47:16 PM EDT ) Permalink Comments [4]
I can face the world, oh
You know I can do anything
When I see you smile
I see a ray of light, oh
I see it shining right through the rain
When I see you smile
Baby, when I see you smile at me
Jay has learned his first cool baby trick - smiling. (Sorry, but audible pooping and projectile vomiting do not count as cool baby tricks.) Sure, he'd already mastered the "I'm about to fart" smile and the sleeping "I'm dreaming of milk" smile, but this is now the real deal. The "I recognize your face and I'm happy about it" smile. While I know that there will be many milestones to come, and I'll celebrate his first tooth, his first steps, his first word (and it had better be "Mama"!) as if he's the first child to ever do those things, I really like the first smiles. It's like he's really a person with real emotion and a real personality, not just a hungry, screaming mouth to feed. It's his way of communicating "Hey, I like you!" And I really like that.
But he's got lots of other entertaining facial expressions as well. Check out:
Baby Elvis...
Screaming for more milk
Breaking it down, dancing the Cabbage Patch!
And last but not least, that grin!
Posted by jmfoster ( Apr 27 2008, 09:47:16 PM EDT ) Permalink Comments [4]
Thursday April 17, 2008
How do I live without you?
I want to know
How do I breathe without you
If you ever go
How do I ever, ever survive?
Okay, you would think from the song lyric title that this post is about wonderful it is to have Jay in our lives and wondering how we lived before him ... but it's not. While we certainly feel that way (most of the time!), this post is about the STUFF that has become such an integral part of our lives that we can't imagine life without it. So here's a top ten list of baby products that we just can't live without...
#10 - Baby view mirror in the car. For all those times when you want to know why he's screaming in the backesat...oh wait. Even Snow White's magic mirror can't explain that. But at least you can look to see that he's still breathing.
#9 - Medela Quick Clean Micro-steam bags. Just rinse off that paci that landed on the nasty floor of the hospital waiting room, toss it into the bag with some breastpump parts, add 2 oz water and nuke it. PRESTO! Clean enough to stuff in a baby's mouth.
#8 - Munchkin dishwasher rack for bottles, nipples, rings, etc. We thought that 6 bottles would be enough. HA! When he's eating every 3 hours, those bottles pile up faster than the pile of unread newspapers & magazines we're accumulating. Get lots of extra bottles, and toss those suckers in the dishwasher.
#7 - Baby Bjorn carrier. This works better for Derek than for me, but Jay loves to ride in this carrier. I figure, I carried him for 9 months, now it's Dad's turn to find out just how tired your back can be with an extra person to tote around.
#6 - Medela breast pump. I never thought I'd spend so much time attached to plastic parts. And thank goodness for its auto-shutoff feature. I heard a horror story of a friend who fell asleep at her pump and the result was not pretty. Funny to laugh at later, but not pretty at the time.
#5 - Fisher Price Cuddle Ducks swing. I mentioned this in a prior post, but Jay is absolutely hypnotized by the circling ducks on the mobile on this swing. When they stop circling, he starts wailing. If he grows up to be a duck hunter, we'll know why.
#4 - NC State crib mobile. Much like his flying ducks, the kid loves his mobiles. This one plays the fight song - we're training him up right!
#3 - Happiest Baby on the Block. This book, recommended by my childhood friend, has been a lifesaver. I don't know that I'd say he's colicky, but he's certainly a fussy kid. Okay, he cries a lot. This book has many strategies for calming a crying baby, and while they don't always work immediately, and our parents think our techniques are a little weird, it's been a lifesaver for us. He's not the happiest baby on our block, but he's at least the second happiest. (Note that there is only one other baby on our block, so that's not saying much.)
#2 - The PeePee TeePee. Okay, so honestly, these aren't that useful in real life, but they have brought us enough laughs to make them among our favorite baby products. The theory is that you stick the teepee over the offending sprinkler to prevent mid-diaper changing fountains. The reality is that he could shoot that thing across the room with his urine spray. But they're cute and amusing, so we keep them on the changing table for entertainment.
#1 - The Miracle Blanket. Seriously, this thing lives up to its name. While it looks like you're putting your kid in a straight-jacket (which I've been tempted to do on more than one occasion!) he actually really likes being swaddled so tightly. We got it as a hand-me-down from Auntie Jen B. (who happens to be president of the Jay Michael fan club) and he liked it so much he pooped on it daily. To cut down on our laundry, we decided that we needed two since it is the only way we can get the kid to sleep. New parents, trust us on this one. You need it. You may need two.
Posted by jmfoster ( Apr 17 2008, 09:12:46 PM EDT ) Permalink Comments [3]
I want to know
How do I breathe without you
If you ever go
How do I ever, ever survive?
Okay, you would think from the song lyric title that this post is about wonderful it is to have Jay in our lives and wondering how we lived before him ... but it's not. While we certainly feel that way (most of the time!), this post is about the STUFF that has become such an integral part of our lives that we can't imagine life without it. So here's a top ten list of baby products that we just can't live without...
#10 - Baby view mirror in the car. For all those times when you want to know why he's screaming in the backesat...oh wait. Even Snow White's magic mirror can't explain that. But at least you can look to see that he's still breathing.
#9 - Medela Quick Clean Micro-steam bags. Just rinse off that paci that landed on the nasty floor of the hospital waiting room, toss it into the bag with some breastpump parts, add 2 oz water and nuke it. PRESTO! Clean enough to stuff in a baby's mouth.
#8 - Munchkin dishwasher rack for bottles, nipples, rings, etc. We thought that 6 bottles would be enough. HA! When he's eating every 3 hours, those bottles pile up faster than the pile of unread newspapers & magazines we're accumulating. Get lots of extra bottles, and toss those suckers in the dishwasher.
#7 - Baby Bjorn carrier. This works better for Derek than for me, but Jay loves to ride in this carrier. I figure, I carried him for 9 months, now it's Dad's turn to find out just how tired your back can be with an extra person to tote around.
#6 - Medela breast pump. I never thought I'd spend so much time attached to plastic parts. And thank goodness for its auto-shutoff feature. I heard a horror story of a friend who fell asleep at her pump and the result was not pretty. Funny to laugh at later, but not pretty at the time.
#5 - Fisher Price Cuddle Ducks swing. I mentioned this in a prior post, but Jay is absolutely hypnotized by the circling ducks on the mobile on this swing. When they stop circling, he starts wailing. If he grows up to be a duck hunter, we'll know why.
#4 - NC State crib mobile. Much like his flying ducks, the kid loves his mobiles. This one plays the fight song - we're training him up right!
#3 - Happiest Baby on the Block. This book, recommended by my childhood friend, has been a lifesaver. I don't know that I'd say he's colicky, but he's certainly a fussy kid. Okay, he cries a lot. This book has many strategies for calming a crying baby, and while they don't always work immediately, and our parents think our techniques are a little weird, it's been a lifesaver for us. He's not the happiest baby on our block, but he's at least the second happiest. (Note that there is only one other baby on our block, so that's not saying much.)
#2 - The PeePee TeePee. Okay, so honestly, these aren't that useful in real life, but they have brought us enough laughs to make them among our favorite baby products. The theory is that you stick the teepee over the offending sprinkler to prevent mid-diaper changing fountains. The reality is that he could shoot that thing across the room with his urine spray. But they're cute and amusing, so we keep them on the changing table for entertainment.
#1 - The Miracle Blanket. Seriously, this thing lives up to its name. While it looks like you're putting your kid in a straight-jacket (which I've been tempted to do on more than one occasion!) he actually really likes being swaddled so tightly. We got it as a hand-me-down from Auntie Jen B. (who happens to be president of the Jay Michael fan club) and he liked it so much he pooped on it daily. To cut down on our laundry, we decided that we needed two since it is the only way we can get the kid to sleep. New parents, trust us on this one. You need it. You may need two.
Posted by jmfoster ( Apr 17 2008, 09:12:46 PM EDT ) Permalink Comments [3]
Thursday April 10, 2008
I said "Do you speak-a my language?"
Posted by jmfoster ( Apr 10 2008, 08:57:03 AM EDT ) Permalink Comments [5]
He just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich.
(From "Land Down Under" by Men at Work)
Hi everyone, Jay here again. Since my mom and dad are being so slack about posting here, I thought I'd help 'em out. I mean, seriously, one message in a week?! I'm always doing something adorable they could write about!
So, I thought I would explain to everyone what I'm doing to try and train my parents. "Try" is the key word here - they are a little slow in picking up on some of my hints. I know that I don't speak their English language yet, so I'm trying to communicate with them in MY language, known as baby-ese. It's so simple, and yet they just don't seem to be getting it.
Baby-ese is a combination language, using both sound and signs to get the message across. Here are some of the signs:
Wide open mouth = "Feed me"
Wide open mouth with head shaking = "Feed me now"
Lip smacking = "Feed me right now"
Fist into mouth = "I'm so hungry I'm going to eat my own arm"
(You can also combine all of those signs at the same time to mean "If you don't feed me right now, I'm going to eat my own arm, dammit!")
And here are some of the sounds:
Waaaaaa! = I have a wet diaper
Waaaaaaa! = I have a poopy diaper
Waaaaaaaa! = I'm bored
Waaaaaaaaa! = I'm cold
Waaaaaaaaaa! = I'm hot
Waaaaaaaaaaa! = I'm tired
Waaaaaaaaaaaa! = I'm hungry
Waaaaaaaaaaaaa! = Stop taking pictures of me. What are you, the paparazzi?
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaa! = Let's go for a ride in the car
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! = No? How about taking me out in the stroller, then?
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! = Just a walk outside? Pretty please?
See? Baby-ese is so simple. If any of you can help my parents figure this out, our lives would be MUCH smoother.
Posted by jmfoster ( Apr 10 2008, 08:57:03 AM EDT ) Permalink Comments [5]
Monday April 07, 2008
In the still of the night...
I held you
Held you tight
'Cause I love
Love you so
Promise I'll never
Let you go
In the still of the night
(Hope those lyrics brought you a nice little flashback to the movie "Dirty Dancing" - one of my faves!)
It's 3:26 in the morning, and I'm up writing this blog when I should be sleeping. I know, "sleep when the baby sleeps" is the rule, but tonight I'm just awake. I've spent many nights up at this hour. I pulled a few all-nighters in college cramming for exams or finishing up papers that should have been written during daylight. I've even enjoyed some late night fun that kept me out on the town this late into the night. As a champion worrier, I have spent more than a few nights up at this hour, watching late-night infomercials and imagining one potential catastrophe after another. Why is it that our anxieties always seem a million times worse at 3 a.m. than at 3 p.m.?
But tonight I'm not up for any of those reasons - I'm up with the baby, just like I've been up with him every night since we brought him home.
It was one month ago today that Jay was born at 2:31 a.m. I thought I understood exhaustion that night, after being in labor for more than 24 hours and struggling through a long and difficult delivery. But that kind of tired has nothing on the kind of tired I feel now after weeks of sleeping only in 2-3 hour spurts. On a good night, Jay will sleep 4 hours between feedings. Let's just say tonight has not been one of those 4 hour nights! I'm a big fan of sleep, and it's a luxury I haven't been enjoying the way I would like.
And while I'm suffering from a major case of exhaustion during the daytime, I really do like the middle of the night snuggles I get to enjoy after feeding him. After Jay eats, we try to keep him upright for at least 20 minutes to help keep him from spitting up. (When we've struggled to get every ounce into him, we don't want to see a single drop coming back up!) While some nights all I want to do is drop him back into his crib and fall back into my bed, that 20 minutes has become some of my favorite time with him. He's much more snuggly with Derek than with me - for some reason he just settles into Derek's shoulder better during the day. But at night, he'll cuddle up on my shoulder and let me enjoy some some snuggles, too. Tonight, I spent the whole time praying, thanking God for the amazing blessing of having him here, having him at home and healthy.
Never thought I'd feel so lucky to be up all night long.
Posted by jmfoster ( Apr 07 2008, 02:48:36 AM EDT ) Permalink Comments [8]
I held you
Held you tight
'Cause I love
Love you so
Promise I'll never
Let you go
In the still of the night
(Hope those lyrics brought you a nice little flashback to the movie "Dirty Dancing" - one of my faves!)
It's 3:26 in the morning, and I'm up writing this blog when I should be sleeping. I know, "sleep when the baby sleeps" is the rule, but tonight I'm just awake. I've spent many nights up at this hour. I pulled a few all-nighters in college cramming for exams or finishing up papers that should have been written during daylight. I've even enjoyed some late night fun that kept me out on the town this late into the night. As a champion worrier, I have spent more than a few nights up at this hour, watching late-night infomercials and imagining one potential catastrophe after another. Why is it that our anxieties always seem a million times worse at 3 a.m. than at 3 p.m.?
But tonight I'm not up for any of those reasons - I'm up with the baby, just like I've been up with him every night since we brought him home.
It was one month ago today that Jay was born at 2:31 a.m. I thought I understood exhaustion that night, after being in labor for more than 24 hours and struggling through a long and difficult delivery. But that kind of tired has nothing on the kind of tired I feel now after weeks of sleeping only in 2-3 hour spurts. On a good night, Jay will sleep 4 hours between feedings. Let's just say tonight has not been one of those 4 hour nights! I'm a big fan of sleep, and it's a luxury I haven't been enjoying the way I would like.
And while I'm suffering from a major case of exhaustion during the daytime, I really do like the middle of the night snuggles I get to enjoy after feeding him. After Jay eats, we try to keep him upright for at least 20 minutes to help keep him from spitting up. (When we've struggled to get every ounce into him, we don't want to see a single drop coming back up!) While some nights all I want to do is drop him back into his crib and fall back into my bed, that 20 minutes has become some of my favorite time with him. He's much more snuggly with Derek than with me - for some reason he just settles into Derek's shoulder better during the day. But at night, he'll cuddle up on my shoulder and let me enjoy some some snuggles, too. Tonight, I spent the whole time praying, thanking God for the amazing blessing of having him here, having him at home and healthy.
Never thought I'd feel so lucky to be up all night long.
Posted by jmfoster ( Apr 07 2008, 02:48:36 AM EDT ) Permalink Comments [8]
Monday March 31, 2008
He's a chunky monkey!
Okay, so I ran out of music lyrics. I couldn't think of any song lyrics relating to the topic except Weird Al Yankovick's "I'm Fat," and I already promised that I would avoid any more Weird Al songs. Why is it that his songs just seem to fit so well? Maybe it's because he and Jay have the same maturity level... who knows.
We have exciting news!! Jay went to the pediatrician today and he weighs a whopping 10 pounds 7 oz.! Yes, that means he's regained his birthweight and put on some extra. Feeding went really well over the weekend. He's pretty consistently getting 3 oz. per feeding, and thanks to the greatest lactation consultant on the planet, he's also attempting to breastfeed as well. (Thank you Moira!) While he's not getting enough to sustain him on breastfeeding exclusively, when you add the bottles that he's getting to the nursing, he's really eating like a champ. (Knock on wood that it lasts!) We go back again next Monday, so we'll have a better idea how well he's keeping that weight on.
Today is the first day that Jay and I are totally on our own, and I must say that I'm pretty proud of myself that I got him up and dressed, along with getting myself up and dressed (with a shower, no less!), and to the pediatrician by 10 a.m. So, maybe I can do this baby thing! He's sitting here beside me in the swing he borrowed from his good buddy Preston, and he is LOVING it. (Many thanks, Bethany! This thing rocks - literally!) My mom kept telling us that the bouncy seat was not enough and that we needed to get a swing - and she was right. (Yes, I was wrong and Mom was right - hard to admit, but sometimes it's true.)
Happy Monday, everyone!
Posted by jmfoster ( Mar 31 2008, 04:04:18 PM EDT ) Permalink Comments [2]
Okay, so I ran out of music lyrics. I couldn't think of any song lyrics relating to the topic except Weird Al Yankovick's "I'm Fat," and I already promised that I would avoid any more Weird Al songs. Why is it that his songs just seem to fit so well? Maybe it's because he and Jay have the same maturity level... who knows.
We have exciting news!! Jay went to the pediatrician today and he weighs a whopping 10 pounds 7 oz.! Yes, that means he's regained his birthweight and put on some extra. Feeding went really well over the weekend. He's pretty consistently getting 3 oz. per feeding, and thanks to the greatest lactation consultant on the planet, he's also attempting to breastfeed as well. (Thank you Moira!) While he's not getting enough to sustain him on breastfeeding exclusively, when you add the bottles that he's getting to the nursing, he's really eating like a champ. (Knock on wood that it lasts!) We go back again next Monday, so we'll have a better idea how well he's keeping that weight on.
Today is the first day that Jay and I are totally on our own, and I must say that I'm pretty proud of myself that I got him up and dressed, along with getting myself up and dressed (with a shower, no less!), and to the pediatrician by 10 a.m. So, maybe I can do this baby thing! He's sitting here beside me in the swing he borrowed from his good buddy Preston, and he is LOVING it. (Many thanks, Bethany! This thing rocks - literally!) My mom kept telling us that the bouncy seat was not enough and that we needed to get a swing - and she was right. (Yes, I was wrong and Mom was right - hard to admit, but sometimes it's true.)
Happy Monday, everyone!
Posted by jmfoster ( Mar 31 2008, 04:04:18 PM EDT ) Permalink Comments [2]
Sunday March 30, 2008
Don't tempt me...
...I'm where I wanna be
Cause on the 8th day
God made Sweet Tea
Last night was an exciting night in Jay's life - his first time with a babysitter. My favorite band from our college days, Cravin' Melon, played their last show before splitting up about 7 years ago. Cravin Melon is a great live band - lots of energy and a ton of fun to watch. They played a reunion show last night at the Lincoln Theatre and we bought tickets way back before Jay was born. We figured he'd be at least a month old and we'd be perfectly happy to leave him with Jen's folks for an evening. We of course didn't expect that we'd have only had him home for a little over a week! I was a little nervous about leaving him with my folks. It's been 30 years since they had babies - would they remember what to do? They can't remember where they left their keys - would they forget where they left my kid? (Just kidding, Mom & Dad!)
But since this concert was truly a one time opportunity, we decided that Lala and Grandpa Mike could handle any eating issues as well as we could, and we headed out around 8 p.m. last night. I realized that this was the first time I'd been away from Jay since he was in the PICU. And I really was pretty good about being apart - I only made Derek check his phone (JUST IN CASE he'd missed it actually ringing!) about 15 times. That's not so bad, right? And I even allowed us to have a conversation about something other than milk, spit-up, or diapers. We talked about the fun times we had going to Cravin Melon shows in college, Derek's plan for going back to work this week, and taking Jay to the doctor. (Okay, so that last topic wasn't exactly romantic, getting away from the stress of baby conversation. We couldn't exactly go cold turkey thinking about something else!)
And you know what? We actually had fun. I heard someone say that the best thing you can do for your child is to spend time away from him to nurture your relationship with your spouse. And while it's so hard to find that time, I believe that's true.
Posted by jmfoster ( Mar 30 2008, 07:56:33 PM EDT ) Permalink Comments [2]
...I'm where I wanna be
Cause on the 8th day
God made Sweet Tea
Last night was an exciting night in Jay's life - his first time with a babysitter. My favorite band from our college days, Cravin' Melon, played their last show before splitting up about 7 years ago. Cravin Melon is a great live band - lots of energy and a ton of fun to watch. They played a reunion show last night at the Lincoln Theatre and we bought tickets way back before Jay was born. We figured he'd be at least a month old and we'd be perfectly happy to leave him with Jen's folks for an evening. We of course didn't expect that we'd have only had him home for a little over a week! I was a little nervous about leaving him with my folks. It's been 30 years since they had babies - would they remember what to do? They can't remember where they left their keys - would they forget where they left my kid? (Just kidding, Mom & Dad!)
But since this concert was truly a one time opportunity, we decided that Lala and Grandpa Mike could handle any eating issues as well as we could, and we headed out around 8 p.m. last night. I realized that this was the first time I'd been away from Jay since he was in the PICU. And I really was pretty good about being apart - I only made Derek check his phone (JUST IN CASE he'd missed it actually ringing!) about 15 times. That's not so bad, right? And I even allowed us to have a conversation about something other than milk, spit-up, or diapers. We talked about the fun times we had going to Cravin Melon shows in college, Derek's plan for going back to work this week, and taking Jay to the doctor. (Okay, so that last topic wasn't exactly romantic, getting away from the stress of baby conversation. We couldn't exactly go cold turkey thinking about something else!)
And you know what? We actually had fun. I heard someone say that the best thing you can do for your child is to spend time away from him to nurture your relationship with your spouse. And while it's so hard to find that time, I believe that's true.
Posted by jmfoster ( Mar 30 2008, 07:56:33 PM EDT ) Permalink Comments [2]
Saturday March 29, 2008
If I could save time in a bottle...
...The first thing that I'd like to do
Is to save every day
Til eternity passes away
Just to spend them with you
I can't believe we haven't posted on the blog since Monday - it is just amazing how fast the days go by. I start out each morning with a goal of something I want to accomplish for the day. These are NOT big goals, mind you - they are things like put away the laundry or unload the dishwasher. Then I blink my eyes and the day is gone and the pile of laundry is bigger than ever and there are even more dishes in the sink. I know that exhaustion is taking over when I can't remember the last time I brushed my teeth. (I know I have brushed them, I just can't remember actually doing it!) Everyone tells me that it gets better once he starts sleeping through the night, but I fear that is still a long way away! But I try to remember that the time when he'll wrap those tiny little fingers around mine is short and to enjoy these moments while I can (even the 4 a.m. feedings!)
Jay is still struggling to eat enough, and we're still working on getting him to eat like a 10 pounder. He is gaining weight, just VERY slowly. He saw his cardiologist again yesterday, and he seemed quite pleased with how he's doing. His heart is looking great and we're very thankful for that. He was also very optimistic that the laryngeal paralysis will improve on its own and that was certainly reassuring.
Several of you have asked about the name of the blog "Torquil's news." I didn't realize that my older posts disappeared after a certain amount of time. I started this blog early in my pregnancy before we knew if we were having a boy or a girl. You can find the original post that explains the name Torquil here. If you want to see other previous posts, you can click on the calendar at the top right to go back to earlier months.
Here's a new picture so you can see our eating struggles.
Posted by jmfoster ( Mar 29 2008, 08:11:04 AM EDT ) Permalink Comments [2]
...The first thing that I'd like to do
Is to save every day
Til eternity passes away
Just to spend them with you
I can't believe we haven't posted on the blog since Monday - it is just amazing how fast the days go by. I start out each morning with a goal of something I want to accomplish for the day. These are NOT big goals, mind you - they are things like put away the laundry or unload the dishwasher. Then I blink my eyes and the day is gone and the pile of laundry is bigger than ever and there are even more dishes in the sink. I know that exhaustion is taking over when I can't remember the last time I brushed my teeth. (I know I have brushed them, I just can't remember actually doing it!) Everyone tells me that it gets better once he starts sleeping through the night, but I fear that is still a long way away! But I try to remember that the time when he'll wrap those tiny little fingers around mine is short and to enjoy these moments while I can (even the 4 a.m. feedings!)
Jay is still struggling to eat enough, and we're still working on getting him to eat like a 10 pounder. He is gaining weight, just VERY slowly. He saw his cardiologist again yesterday, and he seemed quite pleased with how he's doing. His heart is looking great and we're very thankful for that. He was also very optimistic that the laryngeal paralysis will improve on its own and that was certainly reassuring.
Several of you have asked about the name of the blog "Torquil's news." I didn't realize that my older posts disappeared after a certain amount of time. I started this blog early in my pregnancy before we knew if we were having a boy or a girl. You can find the original post that explains the name Torquil here. If you want to see other previous posts, you can click on the calendar at the top right to go back to earlier months.
Here's a new picture so you can see our eating struggles.
Posted by jmfoster ( Mar 29 2008, 08:11:04 AM EDT ) Permalink Comments [2]
Monday March 24, 2008
I like big butts and I cannot lie...
Unfortunately, Jay's rear end is not a big butt. And none of his other parts are getting big either. He's still not putting on weight like he should and hasn't regained his birth weight yet. In a normal baby, the fact that he's still below birth weight at 2 weeks old wouldn't be a huge problem. But in a baby whose body is healing from major surgery, he needs more calories than he's getting for his body to recover.
So we are starting a two part approach - part one is adding powdered formula to the breastmilk he's already getting to add some calories. But part two is the fun stuff ... baby torture to keep him awake during feedings! My mom always says "Never wake a sleeping baby." Unfortunately, we're gonna have to wake him up if he's going to chunk up. We've already tried the easy approaches including mid-feeding diaper changes and frequent burping/position changes to try & keep him alert. Now we're moving on to the big guns - cold washcloths, naked feeding and toe tickling. Don't YOU want to sit there naked, shivering, and being tickled while you try to eat your breakfast?! Let the fun begin!
In other news, Jay went to his first party yesterday to celebrate Easter with his Raleigh extended family. He behaved like a champ! He didn't seem to care that we passed him from one person to another all afternoon/evening, and he happily sat in his carseat while we ate our Easter dinner. He made flirty eyes at all the ladies who would look his way. He's gonna be a party animal.
Posted by jmfoster ( Mar 24 2008, 05:50:01 PM EDT ) Permalink Comments [4]
Unfortunately, Jay's rear end is not a big butt. And none of his other parts are getting big either. He's still not putting on weight like he should and hasn't regained his birth weight yet. In a normal baby, the fact that he's still below birth weight at 2 weeks old wouldn't be a huge problem. But in a baby whose body is healing from major surgery, he needs more calories than he's getting for his body to recover.
So we are starting a two part approach - part one is adding powdered formula to the breastmilk he's already getting to add some calories. But part two is the fun stuff ... baby torture to keep him awake during feedings! My mom always says "Never wake a sleeping baby." Unfortunately, we're gonna have to wake him up if he's going to chunk up. We've already tried the easy approaches including mid-feeding diaper changes and frequent burping/position changes to try & keep him alert. Now we're moving on to the big guns - cold washcloths, naked feeding and toe tickling. Don't YOU want to sit there naked, shivering, and being tickled while you try to eat your breakfast?! Let the fun begin!
In other news, Jay went to his first party yesterday to celebrate Easter with his Raleigh extended family. He behaved like a champ! He didn't seem to care that we passed him from one person to another all afternoon/evening, and he happily sat in his carseat while we ate our Easter dinner. He made flirty eyes at all the ladies who would look his way. He's gonna be a party animal.
Posted by jmfoster ( Mar 24 2008, 05:50:01 PM EDT ) Permalink Comments [4]
Sunday March 23, 2008
Country road, take me home...
...Back to the place where I belong.
Posted by jmfoster ( Mar 23 2008, 12:10:36 PM EDT ) Permalink Comments [1]
...Back to the place where I belong.
So maybe I-40 isn’t a country road, but it did take us back home from Duke again. This stay was much shorter—we left mid-afternoon on Saturday, after they were sure that Jay was eating well. That meant Jay and Derek got to spend the evening watching the NCAA tournament on the couch instead of a hospital bed.
The EKG on Saturday looked better than on Friday, so the docs at Duke were very confident that any troubles he was having were unrelated to his heart. They actually said that his heart couldn’t look any better to be a week after surgery. So we’re not sure what the problem was earlier in the week, but it seems to be better now. Let’s just hope it stays that way.
He is continuing to eat well at home, and we’ll head back to the pediatrician on Monday to see how he is doing. Maybe he’ll have broken the 10 pound barrier again.
We are now off to take our first outing to somewhere other than a doctor—we’re heading to Great Aunt Jeannette’s house for Easter Dinner. Say a prayer for us and our fellow diners!
Posted by jmfoster ( Mar 23 2008, 12:10:36 PM EDT ) Permalink Comments [1]
Saturday March 22, 2008
Second verse, same as the first...
Posted by jmfoster ( Mar 22 2008, 07:54:34 AM EDT ) Permalink Comments [5]
A little bit louder and a little bit worse. (That's
from Henry VIII by Herman's Hermits for those of you who enjoy having oldies
stuck in your head.)
So, we just keep adding to the number of doctors that Jay has seen in his short
little life. We had a follow up appointment Friday morning at 9:30 a.m.
with the surgeon at Duke. We fully expected that they would check his
incision, remove the stitches where his drainage tube was, say he looks good
& send us on our way. We thought we'd be back home by lunchtime.
Not so much. Let's just say I'm writing this post from the hospital and
we're expecting the Easter Bunny to visit us here on Sunday.
The night before his appointment (Thursday night) was horrendous for all of
us. Jay had a screaming fit that lasted from about 6 p.m. until about 1
a.m. It was clear that he was hungry, but when he went to eat, he would
get so exhausted that he could eat less than an ounce. (He had been
eating 3-4 oz. per feeding in the prior days.) Then he'd fall asleep, and
sleep for about 15 minutes. Then he'd wake up screaming and hungry and
start the process over again. He never really would eat a full meal and
he struggled to breathe even when he wasn't eating. Let me say that there
is nothing scarier in the world than watching your child struggle to breathe,
and seeing that every breath takes all the energy that he has.
So we discussed the problem with the nurse practioner today, and she was
concerned that the tiring out was due to changes in his heart rather than the
vocal cord paralysis. Apparently, his EKG looks different, and in some
ways worse, than it did BEFORE surgery. That's not to say that the
surgery didn't work, but that his heart may have had some additional damage
during surgery or since then. Just to be sure that his aorta was still
looking open & flowing freely, they did another echocardiogram.
Unfortunately, he was moving around and they wanted more detail than they could
get with him wriggling. So they wanted yet another echo, this time under
sedation. But they really wanted to be certain that under sedation, he
wasn't going to have any additional breathing problems. So, it's back to
the PICU again.
He did great on echo #2 (this is probably his 7th in 2 weeks!) and woke up with
no breathing issues and hungry. So the nurse fed him 3 oz and they sent
him out of ICU & back up to a private room. Luckily, this time they
kept him in ICU long enough for us to go home and get a change of clothes (and
of course the laptop - our only lifeline to the outside world!).
He did great last night - eating like a champ and very minimal breathing
issues. I know the doctors think we're crazy, but the struggles he had to
breathe on Thursday night were really awful. And while I didn't ever want
a return trip through this place, I'm glad they're checking out everything to
make sure that he's okay. I just hope he starts gaining weight soon - He
dropped from his birth weight of 10 lbs 4 oz to 9 lbs 13 and can't quite seem to make it back up over the 10 mark. Please think
hungry thoughts for us!
Posted by jmfoster ( Mar 22 2008, 07:54:34 AM EDT ) Permalink Comments [5]
Thursday March 20, 2008
When you breathe...
...I wanna be the air for you
I'll be there for you
So you'll all be proud to know that we made it up and out of the house this morning in record time - only 2 and a half hours. (Of course beating yesterday's record of 4 hours wasn't THAT hard to top, but who's counting?)
Today's trip to the pediatric ENT was a little disappointing. One of the risks of any surgery near the aorta is damage to the laryngeal nerve, including paralysis of the vocal cord(s). Apparently the laryngeal nerve goes from the brain, down around the aorta, and back up to the vocal cords. In moving it out of the way to repair the aorta, it's easy to get damaged. At the ENT, the doctor ran an endoscope up Jay's nose & down his throat to get a good look at his vocal cords. Jay was none to happy about this particular bit of fun (and who would be?!), but it is actually important for him to cry during the procedure so that the doc can see his vocal folds in action. Apparantly, one of Jay's is completely paralyzed, which explains his difficulty breathing, particularly when trying to coordinate breathing with swallowing.
There's really nothing they can do at this point - some kids resolve on their own, others don't. Those that don't can usually still talk, but typically have very soft, breathy voices. Sometimes the problem can be improved with speech/voice therapy. Surgery is another option, but not one they would consider until he's much older. One positive sign is that the doctor was impressed with Jay's loud cry. (Yeah, our neighbors are impressed at 3 a.m. as well.) That's a sign that he may still have a fairly normal voice when he does begin to talk.
And while I'm glad to have an explanation for his swallowing & breathing struggles, it doesn't really make feeding, especially nursing, any easier at this point. So far he's been unable to breastfeed and has been eating only pumped milk from a bottle. And while there are certainly advantages to bottle feeding, namely that I'm not the only one who can feed him, I was really looking forward to breastfeeding as a bonding experience.
I guess for me the hardest thing is that this is just one more issue that we have to deal with. All of the cardiologists/surgeons indicated that once the aorta was repaired, he'd pretty much be a normal kid - and I wholeheartedly believed that. In fact, his positive prognosis is really what has kept me going throughout the past 2 weeks. (Has it really been 2 weeks since he was born?!) But this is just another layer of medical issues that could very well follow him for life. And while I'm not really too disappointed that his career as a professional opera singer is probably over, I worry about him struggling to talk. The playground is a tough enough place for a "normal" kid, much less one who talks funny.
Posted by jmfoster ( Mar 20 2008, 08:29:25 PM EDT ) Permalink Comments [3]
...I wanna be the air for you
I'll be there for you
So you'll all be proud to know that we made it up and out of the house this morning in record time - only 2 and a half hours. (Of course beating yesterday's record of 4 hours wasn't THAT hard to top, but who's counting?)
Today's trip to the pediatric ENT was a little disappointing. One of the risks of any surgery near the aorta is damage to the laryngeal nerve, including paralysis of the vocal cord(s). Apparently the laryngeal nerve goes from the brain, down around the aorta, and back up to the vocal cords. In moving it out of the way to repair the aorta, it's easy to get damaged. At the ENT, the doctor ran an endoscope up Jay's nose & down his throat to get a good look at his vocal cords. Jay was none to happy about this particular bit of fun (and who would be?!), but it is actually important for him to cry during the procedure so that the doc can see his vocal folds in action. Apparantly, one of Jay's is completely paralyzed, which explains his difficulty breathing, particularly when trying to coordinate breathing with swallowing.
There's really nothing they can do at this point - some kids resolve on their own, others don't. Those that don't can usually still talk, but typically have very soft, breathy voices. Sometimes the problem can be improved with speech/voice therapy. Surgery is another option, but not one they would consider until he's much older. One positive sign is that the doctor was impressed with Jay's loud cry. (Yeah, our neighbors are impressed at 3 a.m. as well.) That's a sign that he may still have a fairly normal voice when he does begin to talk.
And while I'm glad to have an explanation for his swallowing & breathing struggles, it doesn't really make feeding, especially nursing, any easier at this point. So far he's been unable to breastfeed and has been eating only pumped milk from a bottle. And while there are certainly advantages to bottle feeding, namely that I'm not the only one who can feed him, I was really looking forward to breastfeeding as a bonding experience.
I guess for me the hardest thing is that this is just one more issue that we have to deal with. All of the cardiologists/surgeons indicated that once the aorta was repaired, he'd pretty much be a normal kid - and I wholeheartedly believed that. In fact, his positive prognosis is really what has kept me going throughout the past 2 weeks. (Has it really been 2 weeks since he was born?!) But this is just another layer of medical issues that could very well follow him for life. And while I'm not really too disappointed that his career as a professional opera singer is probably over, I worry about him struggling to talk. The playground is a tough enough place for a "normal" kid, much less one who talks funny.
Posted by jmfoster ( Mar 20 2008, 08:29:25 PM EDT ) Permalink Comments [3]
Wednesday March 19, 2008
Doctor, doctor! Gimme the news...
...I've got a bad case of Baby Blues!
Since he was caught by the obstetrician at 2:30am on March 7th. Jay has seen a total of 17 different doctors and 3 med students. There will be 3 more added to that total before the weekend is over. Just our little contribution to keeping the health care system running and educating the future of the medical profession (several of the doctors we saw at Duke were interns, residents, and fellows).
Today was his first trip to the pediatrician. Yeah--a regular newborn checkup!. This was our first attempt to get somewhere on time with Jay in tow. The appointment was at 10am, so we got up at 6am to get started. Seriously, we got up 4 hours before his appointment. Now you'd think the pediatrician was in Greensboro, but no he is very close to where we work. So that means to get to work by 8am and get him to daycare first, we'll have to start about 3am!
Unfortunately, his regular newborn checkup was not just a regular newborn checkup. He has had some raspy breathing--sort of Darth Vader-ish--for a while now. The folks at Duke said it was normal newborn sounds--they have small noses, don't cough very well, and can't blow their nose--but now he has gotten worse. Our pediatrician agreed that it does sound like normal newborn grunts and groans (who knew that newborns snore like 50 year old men with deviated septums?) but he shouldn't do it all the time. So guess what, we got to see doctor number 17 today--a radiologist for chest xrays and a look at his trachea. Well, apparently the time he spent on the ventilator at Duke may have led to some irritation of his trachea and now it is swollen. This apparently is what croup looks like on x-rays, and while he doesn't have croup, he does sound very similar when breathing. There is also a chance his vocal cords are irritated, so that warrants a trip to see doctor number 18 tomorrow--a pediatric ENT. Please keep sending those positive thoughts and prayers our way. Maybe we'll only have to see his pediatrician and cardiologist before too much longer.
Due to popular demand by our far away friends and family, here are a couple more pictures.
Posted by jmfoster ( Mar 19 2008, 04:32:37 PM EDT ) Permalink Comments [6]
...I've got a bad case of Baby Blues!
Since he was caught by the obstetrician at 2:30am on March 7th. Jay has seen a total of 17 different doctors and 3 med students. There will be 3 more added to that total before the weekend is over. Just our little contribution to keeping the health care system running and educating the future of the medical profession (several of the doctors we saw at Duke were interns, residents, and fellows).
Today was his first trip to the pediatrician. Yeah--a regular newborn checkup!. This was our first attempt to get somewhere on time with Jay in tow. The appointment was at 10am, so we got up at 6am to get started. Seriously, we got up 4 hours before his appointment. Now you'd think the pediatrician was in Greensboro, but no he is very close to where we work. So that means to get to work by 8am and get him to daycare first, we'll have to start about 3am!
Unfortunately, his regular newborn checkup was not just a regular newborn checkup. He has had some raspy breathing--sort of Darth Vader-ish--for a while now. The folks at Duke said it was normal newborn sounds--they have small noses, don't cough very well, and can't blow their nose--but now he has gotten worse. Our pediatrician agreed that it does sound like normal newborn grunts and groans (who knew that newborns snore like 50 year old men with deviated septums?) but he shouldn't do it all the time. So guess what, we got to see doctor number 17 today--a radiologist for chest xrays and a look at his trachea. Well, apparently the time he spent on the ventilator at Duke may have led to some irritation of his trachea and now it is swollen. This apparently is what croup looks like on x-rays, and while he doesn't have croup, he does sound very similar when breathing. There is also a chance his vocal cords are irritated, so that warrants a trip to see doctor number 18 tomorrow--a pediatric ENT. Please keep sending those positive thoughts and prayers our way. Maybe we'll only have to see his pediatrician and cardiologist before too much longer.
Due to popular demand by our far away friends and family, here are a couple more pictures.
Posted by jmfoster ( Mar 19 2008, 04:32:37 PM EDT ) Permalink Comments [6]
...What a way to make a living!
So, the maternity leave days are over, or at least nearly over. I started back to work on Tuesday. For the month of May, I'm working Tuesdays, Thursdays and half days on Fridays to get back into the swing of things more gradually. We've got quite a collection of Jay-sitters while I'm out - grandmas, aunts, and even Derek are all getting in on the temporary daycare. So it's certainly a little easier leaving him with people who love him as much as I do (or maybe even more in the case of the grandmas!).
And returning to work really wasn't as hard as I expected. Other than forgetting all my passwords to access all my systems, it was pretty much as I had remembered it. Phones ringing, emails landing in my inbox, and students waiting outside my door - typical day in the Financial Aid world! Honestly, in some ways, a day in the office is much easier than a day home with Jay. I know what to expect and when to expect it. Very rarely do I see anyone crying in my office. I spend a lot more time sitting at my desk and a lot less hauling dirty burp cloths back to the washer. But the end of my maternity leave makes me think back on what I expected compared to what it was really like. Here's a rundown:
What I expected - taking long walks in the sunshine around the neighborhood with Jay in the stroller
What I got - taking long walks in the middle of the night up and down our hallway with Jay crying incessantly
What I expected - Meeting friends for lunch at North Hills with Jay in his carrier
What I got - Grabbing a bowl of cereal during Jay's 15 minutes of napping and calling it both breakfast and lunch
What I expected - Doing work on the Financial Aid FAQ system while Jay napped quietly in his crib (actually got a laptop from work for this purpose!)
What I got - Doing work on the gigantic pile of laundry, aka Mount Burp Cloth, desperately hoping that Jay would nap for more than 15 minutes this time
What I expected - Nursing when he was hungry, anywhere and anytime (I'm a liberated woman - of course I can discreetely nurse in public!)
What I got - Lots of time nursing my good friend Medela the breastpump
What I expected - that I'd have the cutest baby ever
What I got - the cutest baby ever. So cute, in fact, that I spent quite a few hours just watching that angelic face sleep in my arms.
Yes, maternity leave was both a hundred times more work than I expected, and a hundred times more rewarding than I could have ever predicted.
So quiet down, cobwebs
Dust, go to sleep
I'm rocking my baby
and babies don't keep.
Posted by jmfoster ( May 07 2008, 10:15:57 PM EDT ) Permalink Comments [3]