All Good Things

They come to an end.

I finally return to work tomorrow. After having been away for twelve working weeks or fourteen calendar weeks.

I leave my baby boy with teachers and caregivers while I go teach someone else's little boy or girl. Right now, at this moment, it just doesn't seem right. Seems ironic.

Six weeks ago, I was excited to be wasting time in my empty classroom because I wanted to be out of the house and away from my husband, parents, and demands of being a new mother. When my co-workers saw me walking into the building, they couldn't believe that I was away from the baby so soon and wondered why I would leave him (if even for a moment) to come back to work (if even for a moment). I explained that I was dedicated to my job and wanted to make sure everything was good for my substitute. I took my time going home that day... Speaking to everyone, going to the grocery store, driving the speed limit.

Now, I lament my lost maternity leave days. Days spent snuggling in the bed while Zack went off to work. Time spent kissing Chipmunk's little nose, chubby cheeks, and scrumptious toes. Moments spent smiling at each other.

I am sad. I've known all along that my leave would end. I thought I was ready, but Im not so sure I am jut yet.

Dilemma

What do you notice about the way Chipmunk sleeps?

He sleeps on his belly... ALWAYS!!! Because his little arms and legs flail everywhere!

Initially we had the fear that he would suffocate after reading all the SIDS literature, but then we spoke to his doctor who told us to lay him down to sleep whichever way he wants. At the beginning of it all, Zack and I would take shifts watching him sleep on his belly because we didn't know what else to do. After that convo with the doctor, we decided that we would use all other SIDS preventative measures and lay him down on his stomach.

Well now, he is about to enter daycare, and they (by standards of the state licensing agency) can only lay him on his back. They told me to see if the doctor would write a note stating that Chipmunk could sleep on his belly, but he refused and stated that he would write a letter for him to be swaddled (which is also against state regulations) during nap time.

When I heard that the doctor would not agree for him to sleep on his belly, I immediately went into action trying to come up with a plan as to how I was gonna get my baby to sleep on his back. I couldn't think of anything. I cried. I cried for 15 minutes in between frantic calls to my mother.

I called the daycare center to see if they had any suggestion, and after giving me one suggestion (putting a blanket around his head to make him feel secure) seen here...

the lady told me "He's just gonna have to get used to it. I'm sorry."

I'm generally tough with my students and their parents because I want the kids to reach their full potential and not be hindered by their parents treating them like "babies", but when I heard that lady tell me that my sweet boy would have to "get used to it", I became furious.

I got off the phone and called my mother. I cried.

My mother put me back on track by confirming that Chipmunk would simply... have to get used to it and I would have to teach him to sleep on his back as best I can.

So where is he now???

Sleeping in the pack-n-play.....

on his belly!!!

Things That Bond Mother and Child

- projectile poop that flies out of the rear end of a 6 day old baby and onto his mother and her light blue sofa.

- mommy sacrifices her nipples and allows them to become dry, cracked, and sore "straws" so that baby can be healthy.

- baby pulling a small plug of hair out of mommy's head with his Kung Fu grip.

- staying up ALL hours of the night together watchig the ceiling fan.

- mommy enduring the cool mist of baby's spit and snot in her face when he sneezes.

- sleeping side by side and drooling on each other when we do sleep at night.

- mommy listening to to the shrill sound and echo of baby's scream as she tries to bathe him in the bathroom.

- baby covering... Literally COVERING mommy and the clean bed linens in warm regurgitated milk.

- then... While mommy cleans up the spit-up, the baby poops with such force that it LITERALLY blows off his diaper, and he pees on mommy's arm and her side of the bed.

- the fact that, when the look at each other in the eyes, they see themselves and all the love they have for each other.

Warm and (not so) Fuzzies

We're very into skin-to-skin contact with our boy, so I dont sleep in a shirt (but then again I never did. I don't like how they get twisted in the sheets). I do wear my maternity bra to keep down on messes and to make it easier to attach my pump.

Well, I was just nursing Chipmunk and needed to burp him. I flung him over my shoulder like an expert and began patting his back. He slid down a little so that his face was on my collarbone. I patted.

Then I hear him burp... And realize that he has spit up a ton of warm milk onto my chest. The milk runs down my bra strap and arm pit. My baby falls asleep.

Whats so crazy is that I'm so used to it that it didnt even shock me. I reached over to the nightstand, picked up a towel, and wiped myself off. The baby is now sleeping in my arms with a towel under his head just in case he has to blow chunks again. I just changed the sheets yesterday... I can't risk it.

Top Five

These are the top five things I do with my son that would seem strange if done with anyone else.

5. I stare at him while he sleeps and study his face.... Up close!

4. I kiss and nibble on all ten toes every single day.

3. I pick boogies out of his nose with my bare hands, and I really enjoy it because he can't do it for himself.

2. I like the feel of his warm drool on my face as I hold him to my cheek.

1. I addicted to smelling his breath because it smells sweet.

Weeks vs. Months

Someone asked about Charlie's age and asked if he was two months. I said, "Um, well... He's about three months."

I just calculated the maf (because it's only math when you know what you're talking about) and he's actually two and a half months.

I think it's best to calculate baby's age in weeks just to keep down the confusion.

What the Crap....... Is Cradle Cap???

Chipmunk's hair is changing from straight to curly... Only on the top though. I have a feeling that one day he'll have a jeri curl-like style on top and a wavy mullet on the bottom.





















I noticed the other day that he had a scaly patch of skin where the curly hair was growing. It flaked off like dandruff, and just as any good mom would do, I gently scraped some of the skin away because it bothered the crap out of me.

Well, we started to notice that that part of his scalp started to smell a little weird... Like sweat or something. We came up with our reasonings as to why it smelled that way, but none of the reasons seemed to make sense to me.

I decided to do the most common-sensical thing, and I googled the condition. I found that my baby has a mild case of something called Cradle Cap. I remembered my mother-in-law mentioning something about babies getting it and hoping that he wouldn't get it, but I just assumed that it was one of those things like the baby rubbing his hair out because he sleeps on his back.

Well, my kid has it, and according to the knowledeable people on the iternet, it is a common condition in babies due to the mother's hormones, and I should treat it with mineral oil and regular shampoos.

Pump. Pump. Pump it up!!!

I was so desperate to increase my milk supply that I emailed my doctors office for help. I was kindly instructed to call the hospital's lactation consultant's help desk.

I did and left a message about my problem.

A lady returned the call, and I told her that I pump every five hours and can only get a total of three ounces. I informed her that I used to be able to get six total ounces every three or four hours.

Her cure...

Pump every two or three hours... Even through the night. What my body has done is decided that my baby doesn't need that much milk because it thinks he feeds every five or six hours.

I've been following her instructions, and I now have two 2 ounce bottles in reserves!

The body is such a machine!!!

Please, No Peas!!!

My husband asked me what I ate today. I told him that I'd eaten the leftover Popeyes chicken for breakfast and lunch. *don't judge me* He, of course, was appalled and demanded that I eat more vegetables because I'm breast feeding.

I know that I need more veggies, but I get sick of the same old broccoli and string beans.

Well, anyway...

I am sitting upstairs holding the baby, and he walks in the room holding a bowl. I instantly think, "Yay! You made me oatmeal!"

*sigh*

He hands the bowl to me and says, "Here, Steph. I made you a bowl of peas with butter." *cringe*

As I sit here trying to eat (gagging over) these peas, I know for sure that I'm gonna have to be more proactive in making my own veggies because I'll be damned if I have to eat another bowl of peas and butter!

Thankful

I am so thankful for modern technology! I love being able to take a picture or video recording of Chipmunk without needing to get out 35mm film or a big ole camcorder. I like that my phone is capable of doing all that a phone, camera, and camcorder can do.

I'm also thankful that I can share my photos and videos on FB or through email instead of having to get my film developed.

I'm super appreciative that I can text these pics and videos to our parents, family, and friends so that they can see them instantly.

Things are so much better than the 80s!!!

And it is for these reasons why I would like to thank the geeks and nerds of America and around the world. Because without you, I wouldn't have such luxuries.

Just to be Close to You

We have three beds in our room... Two belong to the baby: my grandmother's one hundred year old cradle and the crib. The baby sleeps in the cradle right next to my side of the bed, and the crib is multi-purposing as a changing table and a mat for tummy time.

With all this sleep space for Chipmunk, he prefers to sleep in our bed. He can sleep there for hours. The problem is... I don't want to get into a habit of allowing him to sleep in our bed. I generally hold him in our bed until he falls asleep then I put him in the cradle. Before I get back on the bed and fall asleep, hes wimpering and crying, and Zack is telling me to bring him back to our bed. It get annoying.

Then today while on the phone with my mom, I noticed how good Chipmunk was sleeping in our bed (he slept there for nearly four hours!). Then it hit me...

It's not the bed itself that Chipmunk is after... He's after our scents which just so happened to be in the sheets and comforter.

So, I tried placing the shirt I wore today in the cradle with him, and what do you know... It worked!!!

He stopped whimpering and went back to sleep!

Inspiration

As a kid and teenager, I wrote a lot of short stories. It was my favorite (only) hobby.

With this whole motherhood experience (all eight weeks of it) I've developed an interest in children's books. I think I'm gonna try my hand at writing a few short stories for children (or maybe just Chipmunk).