Mom's Night Out

It was hard, but I let Todd's parents keep Ryan overnight Saturday night. After 3 weeks of being back to work, I am exhausted. It is hard to get everything done every night and take care of Ryan. Plus, I want to hold him and play with him all the time, since I only see him in the morning, and then from 4:30 - 8:30 each weeknight. Todd has been helping about 3 of 5 mornings and on his 2 evenings off, so that is nice. My back is killing me though, from bending and rotating to squeeze Ryan and his car seat into the Cavalier four times a day, and I am in the process of moving my cubicle at work from one side of the building to the other. Whine. Whine.

Friday night after Ryan went to bed I started cleaning the house, and then I finished on Saturday. I got everything done except the dusting. Todd's parents came and got Ryan and left about 4:30. Then, Gilk and Diane picked me up at 6:30. I went with them and some other AZX people to Stein's in Newton. I hadn't been there since September. I had a good time, and all of the employees were took extra good care of me :) I got home at 12:45 and then ate leftover Mongolian Beef and Belgian chocolate ice cream. Talk about your weirdo dreams! I got up at 8:30 and felt like a new woman. I was supposed to meet Mike and Sandy in Monroe at 12:00 to pick up Ryan, but I am enjoying my "break" and getting a lot done, so I called them and they are bringing him here at 3:30. I feel like a horrible mother, but if I get a lot done today, that will be more time to spend with him this week. I might even plan out some scrapbooking pages as if I will ever get time to scrapbook!

3 Months Old

Ryan turned 3 months old on Friday! He "talks" a lot, likes to stand up, and this week he started holding his bottle. This afternoon I am taking him to the mall to get his picture taken. I am very nervous about it. I'm trying to figure out the best time to feed him so he doesn't upchuck on his new outfit or cry because he is hungry.

We both survived our first week of daycare, but I think it was easier on him. He seems to be getting lots of love and attention, but we are both having problems getting up in the morning, and I miss him all day.

Yesterday we went to the "I'll Make Me a World In Iowa" celebration downtown with the Daniels'. It was fun and interesting, but not the best place to be moving around with strollers. The soul food smelled yummy, but it was time for Caleb's nap and he was very, very, crabby, so we left without lunch. Ryan and I came home and ate and then we both napped in the recliner.

Dreading Monday

I am going back to work on Monday. I am dreading it. It is going to be horrible. Ryan seems to sense that I am stressed about Monday, because he wanted to cuddle most of the afternoon and evening, so that is what I have been doing.

The good news is that Ryan has been sleeping in his crib for 11 hours a night about 2 weeks now. It is wonderful.

Here is Ryan in his Pooh outfit that Heather bought him. It is almost too small for him now.

A Small Victory

Ryan has been sleeping through the night for about a week. It is wonderful. Unfortunately, it is usually in his swing. However, last night he slept from 8:30 pm to 3:30 am in his crib! Hallelujah! I am victorious! Then I fed and changed him, and he slept in his swing next to me from 4:30 - 8:30 am. I told him that I needed some more sleep, put him in the swing, turned the lights out, and put my back to him, and he went to sleep like that. I was very appreciative. I think he was tired out from going out for Thai food with Diane. He was very smiley when he woke up, and he watched his aquarium for an hour while I folded and put away laundry.

I have been enjoying my last few weeks with him before I go back to work. We are now totally ga-ga over each other, which is wonderful considering my postpartum problems. I am dreading going to work on the 23rd. It will be the first time I have cried at work ever in almost 8 years. I survived the mean Snap-on man and my buddy Eugene in Keokuk without crying, but I don't think I will make it through Ryan's first day of daycare.

We are going shopping tomorrow with Heather. It will be the first time I have used the stroller. Then we are going to the farm for the weekend while Daddy works. I cannot believe the amount of stuff you have to haul home for a baby for 3 nights. Ugh.

Buddies

Last week I went over to Rachel's for lunch. It was fun. Chase was very sweet with Ryan, and Ryan and Anthony got to meet for the first time. There is about 4 months difference in age between the two of them. It will be nice for Ryan to have a playmate his age!

Update

Yesterday was Ryan's 2 month appointment. He weighed 12 lbs, 12 oz. and was 23 inches long. He cried for about 5 minutes when he got his shots. Then we came home and he slept for about 5 hours. Then I fed him and put him in his swing at 9:30 pm last night. He didn't wake up until 7:30 this morning. Must have been the tylenol!

AAAH!

Ryan has now been awake for 13 hours with no nap! Hopefully he will fall asleep soon. We are going to Humboldt tomorrow with Mike and Sandy, and I don't want to be a zombie.

Ryan's Morning Out

Yesterday was only Ryan's third trip out of our house. He had an appointment with Dr. Chandramouli, the cardiologist at 9:30 am. Ryan woke me up at 6:30, and it took until 8:45 am to get him fed, changed, bathed, dressed, and packed up. (You can tell this is only the third time I have done this.). It got Todd up, we threw on some clothes, and were off. We even arrived in time. Interestingly, Dr. Chandramouli's office is right next to the perinatoligist's and I had walked by it every time I had a NST or ultrasound and had never noticed it.

Ryan took the appoinment like a champ and charmed everyone. First he had an EKG and a chest x-ray, and he never made a peep! He has grown to 21 3/4 inches and 9 lbs 13 oz. Then we went to an exam room to wait for the doctor. We gave him a bottle while we were waiting. Them the doctor came and listened to his heart while Ryan kept guzzling his formula. The doctor could still hear the murmur, so he ordered an ultrasound. The technician put him on a pillow on my lap and he basically laid totally still and dozed a little through the ultrasound. The techinician was thrilled! She said it would be the easiest one all she did all day. The results came back and the doctor said that the first hole has closed enough that we don't need to worry about it at all, and the second hole is still there, but not to worry. We should take him home and enjoy him, and come back in 6 months. Then he gave him a little kiss :) Our reaction: This is great news, but yikes! we didn't know he had two holes in his heart, we thought he only had one.

Then we put him in the car and he slept while we returned the breast pump, ran to the courthouse to renew the license on the Vitara, ate lunch, and got gas. Then he slept some more. Not good. He was fussy all afternoon and night. Ugh. And Todd got stuck in Newton because of the weather. Oh well.

Sleeping Issues

Things were better, but now they have regressed again. I only manage to get Ryan to sleep in his crib about every 3 days. He either sleeps in his car seat, the swing, or if I hold him. Ugh. I have tried every tip given to me, with no luck. I did get his constipation issue worked out (sorry for the pun). I followed the instructions in the binder from the pedatrician (who says baby's don't come with users manuals?) and gave him several ounces of water. It worked.

Thanksgiving was ok. I spent all day cooking and cleaning up for Todd to eat less than one plate of food. He did eat a lot of cake though, and I made turkey and noodles at 11 pm, which he gobbled up. I guess if I wanted him to eat I should have served the meal at 4 am since he is on bar time. I did enjoy cooking though.

My mom is coming tomorrow. I am excited. It will be nice to have someone to talk to.

I'm Back

Hi everyone! I am finally back. Ryan sleeps best from 8 am - noon, and I should be sleeping, but unfortunately that is when I am most awake. To catch you all up...

I won't bore you with the all the details of my birth story, but it can only be described nothing went how I planned or dreamed it would. Who knew an epidural could feel so good yet nearly do you in? Or that Ryan would be one of the 2 of 100 babies that gets Group B Strep from his mother? Or that his heart rate could go so low? It was very, very scary for both Ryan and me, and very terrifying for Todd. And the four days that he was still at the hospital while I was home were horrible. Unfortunately very few people have acutally seen him since he was so sick, but we are starting to have visitors now. It is frustrating too that Todd has to take me to appointments because I can lift the baby, and I can lift the car seat, but I can't lift the baby and the car seat together. Can't vacuum either.

BUT.... THE GOOD NEWS IS I am feeling good (except for back spasms) and Ryan is doing fantastic. We are very thankful that everything turned out well, and we are very greatful for the Mercy NICU, and extremely grateful that my mom took such good care of us during this whole mess. Ryan is growing, growing, growing, and you can't even tell he was sick. All of his bruising and scabs from were the IV's were (belly button, foot, hand, forhead) are finally gone. He smiles and he rolled over from his stomach to his back last Saturday. We have an appointment with the cardiologist on Nov 30 to check on the hole in his heart, but the dr. is expecting it to close on its own without treatment.

Todd has been working a lot because one of his employee's baby has been in the hospital, so he feels like he is missing a lot, but he is a good daddy. We are looking forward to spending Thanksgiving at home, just the 3 of us. Of course, that means I am cooking, but what the heck!

Leaving for Hospital in 58 minutes.

We are leaving for the hospital in 58 minutes. I have two bills to pay, and I am going to vacuum and then it will be time to go. Hopefully when I get there I will stop worrying about the damn walk-in cooler at Stein's (which died again and is costing a freakin' fortune) and all the bills to pay on Tuesday. Other than that, I am ready to go. They said I could eat tonight, but I am having a hard time doing it. Must be anxiety. Hopefully 2.0 has a small noggin'. I (or Todd) will be calling most of you tomorrow night.

This Thursday

Had my NST and OB appointment on Friday. They made me an appointment to be admitted Wednesday night at 9 pm at Mercy. Apparently 2.0 is too big and needs to come out. They are going to try and dilate me Wednesday night and induce me at 6 am on Thursday. I also tested positive for Group B strep, so I am up to 3 bags on my IV stand so far - antibiotic, insulin, and pitocin. I wish I could say that this news made me happy and excited, but it caught me a little off guard and involved several hours of hysteria. I had calmed down by Friday night though, and my parents came down for the weekend and helped me do some last minute things around the house and go grocery shopping. I am going to work Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday because there is nothing else for me to do at home. I cleaned again today (can you say ODD?), and I am packed so I will just drive myself crazy at home. I still have to go in Tuesday for my ultrasound and NST though.

Update

He measured at 7 lbs 15 oz. Not sure what that means for a timeline - will have to find out what doctor says on Friday.

The lady next to me in the non-stress room just couldn't believe that I have 1 ultrasound and 2 non-stress tests a week. Then they came in and read her test and said now she has to have 2 ultrasounds and 2 non-stress tests a week. HA!!!

Ok, it's 5 am and I'm wide awake.

Still awake. I changed my blog template to make it more generic and removed my picture and profile. I have watched too many Dateline episodes about pregnant women getting hacked open and their babies stolen. Maybe my paranoia is from lack of sleep. Must be getting delierious. Now, I will try to sleep again.

It's 4 am and I am wide awake.

It's 4 am, and I am wide awake. I had a nap in the recliner (where else?) from 11 pm - 2:30 am, but am up now.

I ended up taking Todd supper in Newton. I always feel uncomfortable being pregnant and in a bar, but it was slow and not very smoky, so I ended up staying and playing trivia and eating pizza with Todd. After I left he was doing inventory, payroll, and the books, then coming home. He looks soooo tired, and super skinny. I estimate he has now dropped at least 30 pounds since Stein's opened.

I would have gone earlier to watch the Browns game, but it started at noon and I knew Todd would be sleeping until 6 pm (shift change). Oh well, they lost anyway. Didn't even make a touchdown. While I was there, one of his customers that is an electrician wired up his sign and we had a little lighting ceremony. It looks awesome! I also think it's cool that the electrician was a woman.

Todd is taking Monday and Tuesday off :) I stocked the snack drawer for him so he won't be able to complain that there is nothing to eat.

Think I will go try to sleep now. I don't have to work tomorrow, and I am glad to get away from the rumor/drama mill for a day.

Have a good week everyone.

PS. I think this Saturday would be an interesting night to be at Stein's. He has booked Monster Arm Wrestling! I think it would be cool to people watch that night.

Am I Nesting?

Am I nesting, or am I just bored? Todd's manager quit last week, so he has been working lots and lots of hours this week and sleeping very little. Thus, I am home alone with nada to do and not much $$ to spend. So, I have been occupying myself cleaning. Yesterday I did 3 loads of laundry, reorganized the drawers in the baby's room, put the sheets on the crib, took everything out from beneath the kitchen sink - then scrubbed it out - then put in shelf paper - then put everything back, then I pulled out the stove - scrubbed the sides - mopped under it - pushed it back, then mopped the kitchen floor twice, then decluttered the living room, then washed all the kitchen rugs, sorted through some old magazines, filled out my birth plan, went and bought my lottery tickets, got all the copies of Melissa's scrapbook ready to mail, and had a nap. I can't believe how much I did and how good I felt considering how bad I felt all week. Maybe this is nesting, maybe not. I do not know. I have this vision that 2.0 is in there having fun messing with me, making me think that I am nesting and the time is near, only to stay in there another 3 weeks.

Today I am going to vacuum the area rug upstairs, scrub the bathroom, vacuum, and make meatlof and ham salad for Todd 1.0 since he is coming home tonight at about 4 am and will be hungry. Hopefully then I will get myself to relax this afternoon and I can do some scrapbooking tomorrow while Todd is sleeping. I also need to schedule the pedicure mom got me for my birthday ASAP before 2.0 arrives.

Another Friday, 2 More Dr. Appointments

Whew! I have been back and forth to work and the doctor all day. Went to work at 8 am, left for OB at 9:30. Got back to work at 11:00, left for non-stress test at 2:30. Got back to work at 4:00, worked il 5:30.

OB says my cervix is ripening (I sound like a piece of fruit) and all depends on how big 2.0 measures on Tuesday. 2.0 was very cooperative at his non-stress test this afternoon. I think the secret is to eat right before the test so that he is perky.

I have Monday off, so I have 3 long days at home. I am sure I will find some more cleaning to do. I just may get those spices organized yet before 2.0 arrives. It's so important that it gets done. Not!

Good luck to H this weekend. They are moving. Uck.

No news to report

No news to report. Todd took Monday night and all day Tuesday off so we spent some time together. I had another ultrasound and non-stress test, called in numbers to dietician, etc., but no new developments. Everyone I see keeps asking me if the doctor has scheduled me yet to have the baby early. I must look miserable, or huge, or both. They are starting to annoy me.

The Week in Review / Still Extremely Uncomfortable

Well, another week is almost over, and we are still here. Todd came home Monday at 5 am and was home until 11 am Wednesday. Monday he got to sleep in his own bed while I was at work, then we went to Red Lobster (thanks Mom and Dad) for our anniversary. I didn't have to work Tuesday, so we both slept in and then we went for my weekly ultrasound and my Tuesday non-stress test. The baby was very cooperative so it didn't take long. Then Todd mowed the lawn, cleaned the gutters, and did my laundry. I told him I would make him a home-cooked meal for supper, and he chose to have mac-n-cheese from a box with pork and beans. He was absolutely thrilled!! Only my husband.... The next big excitement was that the sewer backed up into our shower in the basement, so we spent the rest of the night having our sewer line snaked out. Joy.

Todd came home Thursday night too, so that was nice. Yesterday 2.0 was very uncooperative at his non-stress test. He was totally chilled out, so there was no increase in his heartbeat for the first 40 minutes. They finally got out the buzzer and buzzed him til he perked up. It ended up taking the full 60 minutes for the test. Stubborn, stubborn. Did I mention that he is at a weird angle, so I had to push down on the monitor with 2 fingers (as usual) for 60 minutes? The lady next to me had to hold hers too, and she was whining about her fingers hurting after 5 minutes. Get used to it lady.

I am going to try to do my dusting and vacuuming today and take care of a few odds and ends. That's about all I am capable of. I just can not get comfortable at all in bed, so I am catching as many catnaps in the recliner as I can. I am still carrying 2.0 really, really high. Whoever said you carry boys low is full of it. 2.0 must be really long, because his head is fairly low, but the rest of him is still up under my ribs. Maybe he will be like my dad, who is really tall, but has short legs and a long torso. I already think he looks like my sister, so maybe 2.0 will be Ronnie Jr. #2. Heather will always be the original Ronnie Jr. (which means curly hair and bright blue eyes).

That's it for now. 28 days to go!

Not Much New

I guess I can't complain about anyone not updating their blogs, when I haven't updated my own blog... however, there isn't much new. Work, try to sleep, wake up in severe hip pain, repeat.

Saturday I spent the day in Newton doing the books for Todd. Things are improving all the time, but for those of you who dream of owning your own business, beat yourself over the head with a hammer, and move on :)

Anyway, today I actually went to church. I'm pretty sure it is the first time in almost two years. It did rain, but I was not struck down by lightening. Ha! I actually was happy to be back although at a different church. It felt like home. Of course, it is World Communion Sunday so I got to take communion, and Mary Farlow was in the choir loft and spotted me in the communion line, so after the service she got me a vistor's gift bag and introduced me to all the pastors. It was nice to see a friendly face. I also did some cleaning today and of course napped. That's about it. I am looking forward to Todd's days off this week and I guess tomorrow is our 7th anniversary so that will be nice too. Have a good week everyone.