Cal is One Month Old!

Cal, you have been in our lives for a month already?  Crazy how time flies.  I am pretty sure that I state that in every age post.

I have to admit, this time around, I am actually ENJOYING the newborn stage.  With your brother, I was so depressed and I don't even remember the first 6 months of his life until I went on medication.  Doesn't that sound awful?  With you, I remember everything.  I haven't cried in sadness or frustration once!  Maybe it's because you are a slightly easier baby?

Some things that you are up to:

* You quickly moved out of newborn sized clothing by about 3 weeks.  Your nickname is chunky monkey because you have the chubbiest, stockiest legs and belly.  So darn cute!  Similarly, you are already in size 1 diapers (if you were to go by the disposable sizing). 

* You LOVE to eat.  Seriously, I am not used to this!  You love your milk and will take 2-3 ounces every 2 hours or less.  It's been hard keeping up with all your eating!  And boy, don't take away your bottle.  You get MAD!  So forget about burping in the middle of a feed.  You just scream until the bottle is placed back in your mouth.

* Sleep is pretty good.  You go down to bed around 8-8:30 in your Rock N Play next to Mom and Dad's bed.  I try to go to bed at the same time so I can get up to feed and change you in the middle of the night.  You usually wake up at 11:30, 3:00 and 5ish.  By 5:00, you have had enough of your bed and want to come to bed with Mom and Dad.  It's the only way to calm you down.  I remember the second night home from the hospital you slept for 5.5 hours at a stretch and almost died.  Hopefully you will do that again soon!

* I noticed that you had the classic signs of reflux (just like your brother) a week or so ago.  So now you are on baby Zantac and it seems to be helping a LOT.  Thank goodness we caught it so early.

* You love your Mommy.  I am usually the only one who can calm you down if you are crying.  We spend a lot of time bouncing and wearing the Moby.  You love being balled up next to Mommy's chest and just snuggling.  As a matter of fact, for about a week or two, the only way you would sleep was next to Mom and balled up.  Thank goodness I worked hard to get you to sleep in your bed.  It's hard sleeping sitting up!

* The noises you make are just precious.  Daddy and I say you "billy goat" because when you stretch or wake up, you make what sounds like a billy goat baa'ing.  It is so cute. 

* You smile a lot in your sleep.  I love watching the faces that you make.  A couple of times you have smiled at Mom when you have been awake but I am pretty sure it's gas.  I am not convinced when Nana says you are an early smiler. 

* I am convinced you are going to look like your Daddy.  People say you look like Jack.  I see similarities but definitely more differences.  Your eyes are just like Daddy's and Papa's when they were babies.  It will be fun to see who you look like as you get older.

* We try and do play-time on your play mat or with toys but honestly, you are more content just being held and looking around.  You love looking at lights or your brother.  You will crane your neck to stare at a light.  And you love the sound of Papa's voice.  A couple of times if he is speaking, you will turn your head to look.

* Your head control is amazing.  You have been able to hold it up pretty much from birth.  This is another trait you share with your brother.  I have strong boys!

I can't wait to see what this next month brings Cal.  I am sad that I have to go back to work after only 8 weeks.  I plan to enjoy every sleep-deprived, special second with you. 

Love you Monkey!

Look at those chunky legs and belly!  And how cute is a baby in a cloth diaper?

And looking out the window.  See?  You crane your neck to look at lights.

Save the Tatas

I am going to sandwich this post between Cal's 1 month post so it doesn't get lost in the fray.

On Monday, I noticed that my left breast was very tender and swollen.  Not engorged swollen but pain swollen.  It was so painful that I wasn't even able to pick up Cal and burp him without wincing in pain.  And pumping?  Pure hell.  The pain continued through the day but I chalked it up to being tired and maybe a clogged duct even though I couldn't feel one.

On Wednesday, the pain was still there but it would switch sides which makes absolutely no sense.  Again, I thought it was clogged ducts.  However, when I discovered that Cal had a yeast rash on his bottom, I started to wonder.  Hmmmm.  I treated the yeast with Monistat and had to switch him to disposable diapers because I suspected that the cloth were holding the moisture in causing the yeast. 

Wednesday night, his mouth was very very white.  Moreso than normal.  He typically has a thin white milk layer on his tongue but this was thick and cheese-like.  A lightbulb went off in my head and I went to the interwebs to look up the symptoms of thrush.

He had all the symptoms and I had the symptoms as well.  Awesome!

Yesterday was spent calling doctors, getting prescriptions refilled and general craziness.  Cal is being treated with the Monistat still and something called Gentian Violet which is literally a violet antifungal that you paint in his mouth.  If it wasn't so pathetic, my technicolor baby would be comical.  When Jason and I applied it last night (while he was swaddled and PISSED mind you) he gagged and made the most sad face.  Poor little guy.  And because it was literally hurting him to eat, he also got a dose of infant Tylenol. 

I got an Rx for Diflucan and some fancy-schmancy nipple cream that my insurance won't cover. 

Last night, I started feeling bad.  Headaches, fatigue and general malaise.  I thought it was from the stress of the day and shopping with my mother-in-law for a baby shower gift (not a fun task I tell ya) so I went to bed.  I woke up with Cal to feed and was sweating.  This is normal for me.  I threw the blanket off and went back to sleep after he was settled. 

4:30 came around and I was FREEZING.  Teeth chattering freezing even though I had flannel sheets, a comforter and a down blanket over me.  And the house is kept at 68 degrees. 

When I woke up this morning, I felt run over by a train.  Flu like symptoms.  Very painful and hot breasts, headache, dizzy, stiff neck, general fog and body aches, and a temperature of 101. 

Guess what folks?  Did you know that you can get thrush and mastitis at the same time?  Yeppers.  That is what I have.  After a trip to the doctor where he showed me the streaky red spots on my breasts, I came home and literally have not moved off the couch except to pee and eat.  I am now on ANOTHER prescription. 

So, besides the beastie yeasties, I have a bacterial infection in my boobs.  Awesome, I tell you.

Course of action:  Meds, lots of sleep (haha, that's impossible with a 2 year old and a 1 month old), lots of water, hot packs on the tatas, and pump pump pump.  Get the milk moving to get the infection out.  Fun times I tell you. 

Signed,
I feel like crap and want to take another nap

Jack is TWO!

Jack's official birthday is the 2nd of February but I wanted to wait until today to post since he had his party on Saturday and his 2 year Well Child exam today.

Buddy, you amaze us.  You are getting so.....BIG!  Your language is exploding.  Daddy and I call you The Parrot because you repeat everything we say.  Even if you can't pronounce it perfectly, you still try so hard.  One day I said Darjeeling (referring to the tea) and you repeated it back to me.  Not only do you say one word, you are up to sentences.  Your favorite phrase right now?  "DD Buzz".  Referring to a DVD of Buzz (Lightyear from Toy Story).  You are obsessed.

Today you had your doctor's appointment and you are 28 pounds (75th percentile) and 36ish inches tall (75th percentile).  You are perfectly proportioned as the doctor said. 

You are not sure what to make of your brother.  You like helping but we can see the jealousy coming out.  Of course, that is expected so Daddy and I try and do special things with just you.  Going to OMSI, or even just to the store so you can have one-on-one time with one of us.  Or both of us.

What are your favorite things lately?  DD Buzz (of course) and Elmo.  You got a peek at your cake on Saturday and immediately "ELMO CAKE!!!!!" came out of your mouth.  Other things you love?  Trucks, books and your new Mr. Potato Head (thank you Auntie Rebecca).  When you opened it, you said "BUZZ!" because you recognized him from the movie. 

You are learning boundaries these days.  It takes us more than one time of telling you "no" or trying to redirect you before you will listen.  I am pretty sure that is typical for a 2 year old.  It takes an act of God to get you to stop torturing the poor cats.  You want to love them I am sure, but they usually don't appreciate you trying to roll on them.

You are busting out of your clothes.  I bought you a bunch of 24 month outfits for Christmas but it's already time for 2T and even your size 4 diapers are too tight.  It's on to size 5 for you!

Speaking of diapers, you are mildly afraid of your potty seat.  It sits right on the toilet and when Daddy or I ask if you need to go pee pee on the potty, you yell out "NO!".  However, you did go on the potty the other day and we praised you over and over for being a big boy.  It's funny because you stand up in the tub to go pee pee and are pretty proud of yourself for this.

Here are some pictures from your birthday party on Saturday.  It was a low-key affair with just us and Nana and Papa. 

Elmo cake

You loved the red frosting.  I don't think you ate anything other than the actual frosting!

When we sang Happy Birthday to you, it was so cute.  You put your head down on your highchair almost like you were embarrassed.  However, being the little ham that you are, you did smile when all the attention was on you.

Opening presents with help from Mom

And my favorite picture of the day because you just look so happy.  Snack time!

I can't wait to see what these next few months bring us.  I am sure you will continue to amaze us with your language and surprise us with your personality.  You are such a joy Jack.  Mommy and Daddy love you!

Picture Post

Since I don't have time for much else, enjoy this very short post with pictures.

Cross Eyed Baby (still cute though)

Jack the little chef (apron and hat courtesy of Auntie Carrie)

Sleepy boy.  This is his favorite place to sleep.  It makes for a long night.

The "stink" face

I intend to do a post updating about Cal and his grumpy issues.  Maybe later this week.  When I can find the time.

Mish Mash

Wow, where has the time gone?  Oh yeah, I know.  Taking care of two under two.  It's no joke people.  It is hard work.  I have the utmost respect for stay-at-home moms and people who do this alone.  Thank goodness I have Jason to help otherwise I would be crazy.

* Cal is officially off the boob.  He got worse and worse with eating/latching so I threw in the towel and am exclusively pumping.  And you know what?  I am perfectly okay with it.  I never thought I would be so calm about the whole process but if this is what works for us, so be it.  I hope to continue pumping for as long as I can.

* Cal had his 2 week appointment and he is now officially nicknamed "Chunky Monkey".  He left the hospital at 7 pounds 7 ounces, gained 4 ounces by the next day and by two weeks, had surpassed his birthweight of 8 pounds 4 ounces.  As of his 2 week appointment, he weighed 8 pounds 9.5 ounces.  So my boob juice is doing its job. 

* This child LOVES to eat.  Unlike his brother.  Jack would take 1/2 an ounce every 30 minutes (due to his reflux).  We were constantly fighting with feeding him and battling spit up.  This guy?  He eats 2 ounce bottles every 2 hours like clockwork.  He still seems hungry at certain times though so we are bumping him up to 2.25 ounces.

* I put a cloth diaper on him for the first time yesterday just to see how the fit was.  I figure that he was close to 9 pounds and the diapers say 7-35 pounds so why not try?  I had read on a lot of forums that newborns won't even come close to fitting one sized diapers until 12 pounds so not to bother.  Welp, in our case, that was wrong.  I put a Charlie Banana diaper with a small insert on him (fit to the smallest setting - XS) and it fit fine!  We had no issues with leaks or anything.  Now I am really looking forward to using up the disposables we got as gifts so I can exclusively put him in cloth.

* Um folks, as of Thursday, I will have a 2 YEAR OLD!  Holy crap.  Where on earth did my baby go?  He is doing so many adult things these days that it boggles my mind.  A couple of Fridays ago (Cal was a little over a week old) we took Jack to OMSI for a special day.  Nana watched Cal so we could have one on one time with Jack.  I watched as my baby sat in a booster seat and ate a sandwich at the table for lunch.  Good grief.  He just looked so.........adult.  I took plenty of pictures with my phone.

* Speaking of phones.  I got a new cell phone as my birthday gift from Jason.  Welcome to the world of Smart phones!  I am having a blast browsing the internet while doing mundane tasks.  Now I don't have to haul out my laptop unless I want to post on my blog.  I can read others' but just can't type fast enough to post on my own.

* I am using the Moby wrap a lot with this baby.  I had one with Jack but since I was dumb about tying it correctly I hated it.  I now am officially hooked.  I use it to calm my fussy man that doesn't seem to want to sleep anywhere other than Mommy's chest.  I wear him while he naps and do chores around the house.  I have vaccuumed, done dishes, given Jack a bath, cooked dinner, and even gone to the bathroom wearing this thing.  I heart it.  I am even wearing it right now.  It's just so much easier.

* Our little parrot (Jack) is saying so many things.  The child is speaking in full on sentences.  Albeit, only two or three words but still!  Sentences!  He loves to name colors.  His favorite thing is to say "Daddy car black.  Momma car brown.  Papa car red.  Nana car blue".  As you can see, he is learning colors and already he has mastered blue, red, yellow and green.  He can most of the time get black, grey, white and brown.  Grey comes out "gay" and hopefully random strangers don't side eye us for that.

* We are doing a very low-key party for Jack on Saturday.  We are having it over at my in-laws house and it's just going to be us and them.  We were going to have pizza but since my in-laws might be going out to dinner we decided just cake and ice cream and presents.  I didn't even buy very much for him since Christmas was so plentiful. 

* Does anyone else find it hard to take pictures of their kids once a new one comes into the picture?  Seriously, I find it so hard to remember to pick up my camera (I got a very fancy new one for Christmas) when I am busy chasing toddlers, picking up toys so they don't become death traps and changing poopy diapers.  I really need to get better about that.

* I have survived being at home alone a couple of times.  Jason has gone out with the boys a couple of times since Cal was born and guess what?  I didn't melt!  I survived.  Now, if I had to do it for hours and hours on end, I might have permanently grey hair. 

* I have been cooking a lot lately.  Due to our new budget with me at 60% of my pay (I am on short term disability for my maternity leave) and Jason bringing in no money, I have been cooking almost every night.  The nights I don't cook are leftover nights.  Last night was barbeque beef in the crockpot and tonight is spaghetti pie.  I am finding quick, easy, and cheap meals to make and so far, it's working out.  Secretly, it gives me some time away from dealing with temper tantrums every three seconds.

That is about it on the homefront.  And since I suck at updating my blog, here are some pictures of my little men. 

Hello Again Boobs

You knew there would be a breastfeeding post coming soon didn't you?  I endlessly blogged about boobs and breastfeeding and all of Jack's issues so why not keep up the theme?

Don't get me wrong, Cal is doing a good job.  It's just that he could be doing better.

In the hospital, he was nursing great!  Every 2 to 3 hours and 45 minutes or so at a time.  Then on Thursday evening when my milk came in, he went on strike.  My nipples (sorry folks) changed shaped and he didn't recognize them.  He would latch on for a second and then off.  Eventually he would get it, but that was after bribes of a drop of sugar water or some drops of breastmilk. 

I had a lactatation consultant visit me (per my request) and she confirmed that Jack was nursing great.  In the course of about 20 minutes, he ate 2 ounces.  However, they wanted me to pump just in case he wouldn't latch.  That way he could have a top off of breastmilk.  God, I hate pumping.  I was soooo hoping to avoid it this time around.  Oh well, you do what you have to do.  Just as an FYI, I have super boobs.  My milk started coming in on day 3 postpartum and I pumped 2 ounces.  The nurses kept ooohing and aaahing at me.

On Friday before we were discharged, because he wasn't latching great, the LC suggested we start topping him with a finger feed.  If you don't know what that is, it's a syringe hooked to a tiny tube that gets taped to your index finger.  You place the index finger in babe's mouth and it teaches them how to suck.  So we started doing that on Friday when we got home from the hospital.

By the time we went home, Cal was down about 10% of his birthweight.  This also happened with Jack and I freaked.  This time?  I knew my baby wasn't starving and that he would be fed and I wasn't worried.

Friday we tried latching him which was pretty unsuccessful most of the time.  So we had to resort to finger feeding most of the day.  Which by the way is a pain in the ass.  Our main goal, per the LC's, was to fatten him back up.

Saturday at the pediatrician's office he was up 3 ounces from the day before.  Score!  I knew we were doing something right.  The pediatrician did suggest that since my stupid nipples had changed shape and that I was engorged maybe a nipple shield was in order.  I hate using a nipple shield, but again, whatever will get the boy to eat.

The rest of the weekend I would latch the babe with the shield for a few and then we would top him off with the finger feed.  We eventually started moving to bottles rather than the dumb syringe because as previously mentioned, it's a pain.  I would also pump and then the process would repeat itself.

Yesterday, at the lactation clinic, Jack had gained another 4 ounces!  So now that he is gaining weight and not so sleepy, we are back to latching with the shield most of the time.  He is doing a pretty good job at that.  It's not the easiest thing for him since the boy wants his food NOW!  With breastfeeding, he needs to work at it and he doesn't particularly care to do so.

The whole point of this post?  To state that again, I am having slight issues.  Nothing that can't be worked around.  This time around, I am going to ENJOY feeding my baby and not freak out.  I am going to NOT stress and worry everytime a feed doesn't go the way I had hoped.

It IS easier this time around.  I am less worried.  I think it's that first time mom thing.  You have no idea what you are doing.  Second time?  Piece of cake.  Well, respectively speaking.  It's not exactly easy to feed a kiddo when you are chasing another kiddo around the house trying to wipe his face.

Hello again boobs.  Let's make sure to work this time k?  Thanks.

Cal's Birth Story

Tuesday morning started out early.  We had to be at the hospital for my routine c-section at 5:30 with surgery at 7:30.  After very little sleep the night before (nerves anyone?) I was up at 4:00, showered, shaved and finished that last minute packing.

We got checked in at the Family Maternity Center and were brought back to a room immediately.  Our nurse came in and had me change into a gown, took my blood pressure and my temperature and put the fetal heart monitor bands on my belly.  All pretty routine things.  I did have a slight fever because Jack Jack gave me his cold.  Not enough of a fever to delay the surgery though!

Jason was the designated picture taker of the day since I obviously had other things to be concerned about.  He got some shots of me in my lovely hospital gown, filling out paperwork and other boring things.  I was more looking forward to baby pictures, duh!

The anesthesiologist came to my room fairly early so we could talk about complications, allergies, etc.  I am so glad I told her my entire history of anesthesia and its complications because I had a completely different experience this time.  More to come on that later.  With Jack, as soon as my epidural was placed, my blood pressure tanked.  I believe it was around 70/40.  It was enough to make all the monitors and bells go off.  After the blood pressure scare, I got severely nauseous.  I remember being so out of it that the delivery of my baby was a blur.  I don't even remember the next 24 hours.

After speaking with anesthesia, we decided it was best to do a patch behind my ear, similar to those prone to motion sickness would wear.  Speaking with the anesthesiologist took a lot of time which is fine by me.  It made the time go much faster and it kept my mind off the worries that I had.  She answered all my questions about how the line is placed, when it would need to be taken out, etc.  Come to find out, a spinal for a repeat c-section is different than an epidural.  The needle is smaller and there is no line that stays in.  It's a shot of numbing medicine in your spinal column and that's it.  The medication wears off in about 3 hours although you would still have the tingly feeling in your legs. 

My nurse placed my IV line but it took some time.  My veins have this pesky condition where they blow out as soon as the IV is placed.  In the end, the anesthesiologist had to do it.  When that was in, I was given a shot of antibiotics since I tested Strep B positive.  I was also pushed fluids to help curb the nausea that I was worried about.

Lynn, my mother-in-law arrived around 6:45.  She had dropped Jack off at daycare and came immediately to the hospital.  It was nice having the extra support. 

We visited and chatted and filled out paperwork until the time came.  I was able to walk myself to surgery without passing out or shaking uncontrollably from nerves.  Jason waited outside so my spinal could be done and the draping set up.

I remember the room being so cold and climbing up on the table and thinking I wouldn't fit.  The compression booties were put on my legs at that point and I sat criss-crossed so the spinal could be done.  Honestly, it didn't hurt at all.  The numbing shot worked so well and the only thing I felt was the warm sensation going into my butt.  When I was substantially drugged, I was laid down.  I was absolutely freaked at this point because I was expecting the alarms to go off because of my blood pressure or I was worried that I would throw up.  I was shaking a bit from the nerves, but I took deep breaths and prayed to calm down.  That was all it took for my mind to go calm. 

Believe it or not, I didn't have any issues with the anesthesia!  There was one point while I was being draped that I said "Uh oh" and the anesthesiologist came over with a basin for me to use.  I coughed (have you ever tried coughing when you are numb?) and I did spit up a little but I was instantly better.

Jason was brought back and the surgery started.  I could feel the pressure and tugging but no pain or any temperature sensations.  Jason held my hand the whole time and as soon as Cal's head came out, my doctor said "The head is out".  He pulled the rest of Cal out and said "Rachel, this looks like a big baby".  Cal immediately started screaming.  He was NOT happy to be ripped out of his warm environment. 

I got to see him being carried over to the isolette and that was my favorite moment of the day.  I never got to see Jack when he was fresh born.  I had my eyes closed and I was so sick that I didn't get to have that special moment.  When Cal was being carried over, I said to Jason "Oh my gosh, he has dark hair!". 

The nurses and respiratory therapist were cleaning Cal up, measuring him and getting him in a diaper.  Before the diaper went on, the RT said "Don't pee on me buddy".  He really shouldn't have said anything because right then Cal let off a stream.  It was pretty funny.  I got to see everything they were doing to him which was so great!  He was crying the whole time but I was so proud and happy to have a healthy baby that the crying was music to my ears.

I got stitched all up and then rolled onto the hospital bed.  As soon as I was in place, they brought the baby over to me so I could hold him on the way back to our room.  I finally got to see his handsome face and see who he looked like. 

I closed my eyes on the ride back to the room so I wouldn't get sea-sick so to speak.  When back in the room, I laid in bed while the nurse checked over Cal and weighed him.  He cried quite a bit but that is completely normal.  After all, he had just been cut out of me and was probably hungry and cold and the light was so bright! 

After a few minutes, Cal was showing hunger signs so the nurse helped me latch him on.  I was glad to do so because I really wanted to establish a good breastfeeding routine this time around.  It took a bit but we got Cal latched.  He still doesn't really open his mouth super wide but he's eating so I will assume his latch is normal for him.  He ate for a while and then rested.  I made sure and mark down on the feeding chart when he ate so I could make sure and nurse every 2-3 hours. 

All in all, my repeat c-section was a success!  My overall experience has been completely opposite from my first time around.   I got sick, I was having severe hormone crashes, didn't sleep, didn't take advantage of the help that was offered to me and got so frustrated with how I felt afterwards.

I will do a post about my recovery later but let's just say it's been much better this time as well.