--Craig's first Father's Day was Sunday, yay! We took him to On The Border for lunch (his choice) and he got a gift certificate to the Apple store and and new pair of flip-flops from me (those Rainbow ones...not cheap but they last for a good decade or so, so it's worth it) and a book on advice for raising a girl from Ava. ;o) He's also feeling much better mono-wise, so that's good!
--Ava won't sleep for a full night anymore. From what I've read, she should be sleeping about 10 hours a night, but it's been more like 7-8 lately, and it's very restless. The last two nights she's woken up at 5am and we've tried everything: pacifier, changing her diaper, making sure she's comfortable, letting her cry, etc...but the only thing that works is feeding her. She's voraciously hungry...I know the baby book says not to feed her at night like that or she'll get used to it, but she was not only crying but letting out high-pitched shrieks I'd never heard before....so I really can't see what purpose there is in letting her starve when that's clearly the problem. I know better than to just shove a bottle in her mouth to shut her up whenever she makes a sound but obviously she's hungry...I'm hoping it's just a growth spurt and she'll start sleeping her normal 9 1/2 hours again. She's getting cereal twice a day now so hopefully that helps! We're also working on naps: she's taken to cat-napping lately and I want her to have substantial naps that leave her well-rested. Hopefully I'll get her back on track before summer break is over!! I'm not going to survive long on little sleep when I go back to work.
--Rachel Ray is giving me a headache. Well, her and the fact that when I got a few fillings last week they didn't grind them down properly so now it hurts to eat: not just my teeth, my jaw and head hurt too. It even hurts to sit here with my mouth closed. I'm going back today so they can adjust things....oh joy. I can't tell right now though if it's tooth pain or Annoying TV Show Hostess pain....
--I'm going to lay out in the sun today for a couple of hours....I haven't been in the sun in two years, since last summer I was too full of morning sickness to do anything besides curl up in misery in the cool, dark house.
--Here are a few pictures from this week!
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Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
More Firsts!
Yesterday, Ava ate her first food! Baby rice cereal---yummy! (I'm so being sarcastic. It looks horrible and bland.) She really seemed to like it: I don't think much made it to her stomach since she's not used to actually eating stuff, but it was hilarious to watch. She kept grabbing the spoon out of my hands and trying to eat it along with the cereal, and if I didn't get the food to her mouth fast enough she made angry noises at me. Today, we went to the pool...I have a few before and after pics but none of her in the water, when Craig is feeling better he will come to the pool with us and snap a few shots. She didn't seem to know exactly what to think of the water; and a couple of times looked like she was going to cry but overall did well! I had her in a floatie and then I just held her and walked around with her, which she liked. I also layed her on her back because I want her to get used to the sensation; as soon as she's able I'm teaching her to float and then to swim. I don't want her to be afraid of the water.
Anyhow...we have a follow-up appointment tomorrow with the orthopedic doctor. The original appointment was back in March (when Kathie was visiting, actually) and everything looked okay but they wanted to wait a few months and look again: one of her ball-and-socket leg joints is a little messed up. The socket part isn't as cup-shaped as it should be or something, which can sometimes cause the bone to dislocate. I think. Don't quote me on that. Honestly, she's had so many little-things-that-aren't-really-issues wrong with her I can't keep them straight--at any rate, I'm not worried. That's it for now....here are some recent pictures. (Please note that she now has a piece of hair constantly sticking up in the back of her head--that's because she's got two cowlicks right next to each other that appear to be at war with one another, causing the hair to hopelessly stand on end. Naturally, I think it's adorable. ;o)
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Anyhow...we have a follow-up appointment tomorrow with the orthopedic doctor. The original appointment was back in March (when Kathie was visiting, actually) and everything looked okay but they wanted to wait a few months and look again: one of her ball-and-socket leg joints is a little messed up. The socket part isn't as cup-shaped as it should be or something, which can sometimes cause the bone to dislocate. I think. Don't quote me on that. Honestly, she's had so many little-things-that-aren't-really-issues wrong with her I can't keep them straight--at any rate, I'm not worried. That's it for now....here are some recent pictures. (Please note that she now has a piece of hair constantly sticking up in the back of her head--that's because she's got two cowlicks right next to each other that appear to be at war with one another, causing the hair to hopelessly stand on end. Naturally, I think it's adorable. ;o)
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Tuesday, June 10, 2008
under control
Well, things here have finally settled down somewhat: Craig is still sick of course but with Ava going to day care twice a week, I'm able to get chores and errands done quickly which makes taking care of her and Craig a lot easier. On Monday, I was even able to get in a nap before picking her up! (Of course, I did have two days in a row of going to the dentist for fillings--slightly less fun than, say, going to an Aerosmith concert--but at least it's done.) Tomorrow I FINALLY get my hair cut (Ava will stay with Craig during that time, it's during her naptime and he can handle small things like that) and on Thursday I'm going to the mall while she's at day care. I almost feel guilty but I need a little time to myself, and she needs to stick with the routine of going to day care at least a few times a week. Plus, I'm going to get her another Baby Einstein video and I want to get Craig another Father's Day present--so it's not just a shopping trip for me.
That's really about it here...speaking of time to myself, she took a great nap this afternoon and I was able to complete another portion of my scrapbook: two pages with grandparent pictures from the week following Ava's birth. :o) In another day or two we will try to start her on cereal--I will have Craig manning the camera and the video camera for that experience! The funniest thing she's done lately that I wish I had on camera? Last night I was playing with her and for about five minutes, what made her happiest was to growl at me and attempt to stick her fingers in my nose. It was so completely bizarre and amusing...which pretty much sums up parenting in the first place! :o)
That's really about it here...speaking of time to myself, she took a great nap this afternoon and I was able to complete another portion of my scrapbook: two pages with grandparent pictures from the week following Ava's birth. :o) In another day or two we will try to start her on cereal--I will have Craig manning the camera and the video camera for that experience! The funniest thing she's done lately that I wish I had on camera? Last night I was playing with her and for about five minutes, what made her happiest was to growl at me and attempt to stick her fingers in my nose. It was so completely bizarre and amusing...which pretty much sums up parenting in the first place! :o)
Saturday, June 7, 2008
a little update
Busy day today: it started nice and early--12:45am to be exact--when Ava decided to wake up after about four hours of sleep. Nursed her for about fifteen minutes until she dropped off to sleep and put her back down. No big deal, she does that from time to time. Then she decided to get up again at 4:45am...NO IDEA WHAT IS UP WITH THAT. Apparently she's pretending to be newborn or something. I have no idea what to do so I nursed her again, put her back down, and she was up less than two hours later. Gave her a bottle and tried to get her to cuddle with us...FINALLY she conked out, snuggled up on my chest, for about 45 min. before I had to get up....she even slept for another hour or so after I transferred her to the bed.
Anyhow--I got up and got myself ready and then ran around getting a few last minute things together for a friend's baby shower (I was throwing a small shower for a few friends and family at a restaurant in town) ...picking up the flowers, cake, and balloons and transferring that and the favors to the restaurant to set up. Craig stayed at home of course and watched Ava--he was feeling okay or I would've had to bring her, which would've made things quite difficult. The shower seemed to go well but I came home to a VERY fussy baby and a husband who couldn't quite remember when he fed her or when she napped, which completely screwed up her schedule. ARGH. (He DID feed her and take care of her but it really helps to know when she did what) Made dinner, dealt with the little fussy drama queen (we did play and have fun for awhile while she had a moment of pleasantness) and now she's sleeping and will hopefully stay down! Had I thought it through, I probably would not have gotten her out of the crib last night when she woke up...maybe I had a good reason at that time? I can't remember now. Tonight she's going to either cry for awhile or get the pacifier if she wakes because I don't want her getting used to being picked up every time she opens her mouth in the middle of night. So not a good habit....
I'm off to shower and go to bed myself. If the kid doesn't stay down I'm going to need to get all the sleep I can while I can get it. I used to be guaranteed one morning a week of sleep but Craig can't do his share right now, and it's already killing me. Monday? I think when she goes to day care, after I go to the dentist for a couple of fillings (UGH), I will take a nap before picking her up.
Two pictures Craig took today:
Anyhow--I got up and got myself ready and then ran around getting a few last minute things together for a friend's baby shower (I was throwing a small shower for a few friends and family at a restaurant in town) ...picking up the flowers, cake, and balloons and transferring that and the favors to the restaurant to set up. Craig stayed at home of course and watched Ava--he was feeling okay or I would've had to bring her, which would've made things quite difficult. The shower seemed to go well but I came home to a VERY fussy baby and a husband who couldn't quite remember when he fed her or when she napped, which completely screwed up her schedule. ARGH. (He DID feed her and take care of her but it really helps to know when she did what) Made dinner, dealt with the little fussy drama queen (we did play and have fun for awhile while she had a moment of pleasantness) and now she's sleeping and will hopefully stay down! Had I thought it through, I probably would not have gotten her out of the crib last night when she woke up...maybe I had a good reason at that time? I can't remember now. Tonight she's going to either cry for awhile or get the pacifier if she wakes because I don't want her getting used to being picked up every time she opens her mouth in the middle of night. So not a good habit....
I'm off to shower and go to bed myself. If the kid doesn't stay down I'm going to need to get all the sleep I can while I can get it. I used to be guaranteed one morning a week of sleep but Craig can't do his share right now, and it's already killing me. Monday? I think when she goes to day care, after I go to the dentist for a couple of fillings (UGH), I will take a nap before picking her up.
Two pictures Craig took today:
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
It's official!
Craig's suspected mono, that is. Good--because we weren't having enough fun around here, one of us needed an exhausting and prolonged illness to liven things up. He's generally taking it easy (and if he stops taking it easy I'll kick his butt) and will hopefully be back to normal soon. Luckily I'm a free woman after tomorrow as far as work goes, so I'll need less help around the house, but the thought of handling almost everything by myself, even more than usual, is pretty overwhelming and I'm feeling pretty down about things right now. Still trying to recover from my own recent illness...stepped on a scale today and I lost nine pounds. In three days. That's considered rather unhealthy, folks. UGH!!! Ava is back to being congested and sneezing and coughing...her eyes get watery too so maybe she has allergies? I doubted it was a recurring cold but maybe it is, being in day care can probably do that for a few months before the immune system builds up a tolerance. Great! I wasn't feeling like a crappy mother/wife/teacher/housekeeper/human being to begin with, now my kid is getting sick because I stick her in a room with random other spawns all day.
That's it--sorry for the foul mood, I'm just not feeling very full of sunshine right now. Today was the last day of school with kids present which was good but it was also very stressful for a variety of reasons. Don't really want to get into it. Bleh...at least in one more day, I don't have to enter the building for five whole weeks!!!
That's it--sorry for the foul mood, I'm just not feeling very full of sunshine right now. Today was the last day of school with kids present which was good but it was also very stressful for a variety of reasons. Don't really want to get into it. Bleh...at least in one more day, I don't have to enter the building for five whole weeks!!!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
still going....
I'm the Energizer Bunny of food poisoning. Last night the fever and chills returned and I was in horrible pain, and my stomach refused to hold any food. Slept about two hours last night and needless to say, had to call in sick AGAIN. This is my third unpaid sick day this year so my June paycheck? It's going to suck big time. I usually take one a year but this year, all of my paid days were put towards my maternity leave so I'm all out. Craig had to skip going on the road today because I was afraid I'd be too weak and sick to take care of Ava...luckily I'm feeling much better now and my stomach seems to have accepted the latest offering of food (a bowl of plain white rice and some ginger ale), which is good because I HAVE TO GET BACK TO WORK. I have so much to do...tomorrow is the last school day of the year. UGHHHH!!!! So frustrating.
Monday, June 2, 2008
The Sick House
So, this has NOT been a good weekend to be a member of this family. On Friday I came home thinking that maybe we could go out to dinner...Ava is very mellow if we go early enough, and I could use an evening of not cooking or cleaning. If not dinner, then at least I'd get to hand over baby duty to Craig for a little while since he'd been gone the night before. When we got home, Craig was in bed sick, with a high fever and feeling pretty miserable. So...no dinner and no break for me. Oh well. During the night his fever went up in spite of taking Tylenol so the next day we went to urgent care and they think he might have mono....GREAT. So he got some antibiotics and went right back to bed....meanwhile, I made a pot of homemade chicken soup for him, and also threw together some food for the block party that evening. Ava and I went to the block party so that we could get out for a bit and so that he could have some peace and quiet. Got home and he was feeling a lot better so that's good.
Unfortunately, when I got home I also discovered our A/C was broken...of course! It would have to happen on the first disgustingly hot and humid day of the year. And in case you aren't from NC, there is no relief at night, it's just as hot and disgusting at night as during the day. So we all went to bed pretty uncomfortable. I woke up around 2am pretty nauseated and figured it was from the heat...threw up, and figured it was from the heat...then started to throw up uncontrollably (and worse) and started to think you know, maybe it isn't the heat doing it...of course then Ava wakes up and Craig has to give her a bottle since I'm a little indisposed, thankfully she goes right back to sleep and I continue to hurl my guts out the rest of the night. Probably a bad case of food poisoning so I am never eating at a block party again...bleh!!!!! Yesterday morning I stopped throwing up but other bad side effects continued and I also ended up with a fever, aches, and chills. Craig was feeling somewhat better so he had to take over baby duty, since I could hardly even hold her. Poor baby, she got only the bare minimum of our attention yesterday...at one point we HAD to sleep so she layed in the bed with us and we all napped (I was too uncomfortable to nap so I just layed there and felt miserable).
Anyhow this whole time I was hoping that Ava wouldn't get sick, that I indeed had food poisoning and not stomach flu, so I just about fell apart when she started to throw up last night. It must've been a fluke or something because she threw up twice and then was fine, thank goodness!! Today Craig took her to day care so that we could have the day to recuperate without worrying about baby duty....so I'm trying to eat a little something (haven't had a meal since Saturday, haven't had a REAL meal since Thursday) but so far it's crackers and Gatorade. Bleh...luckily the fever and aches went away. He's at his regular doctor getting checked out and I'm trying to feel better. Wish us luck...being sick is miserable, being sick and taking care of a baby is next to impossible.
Unfortunately, when I got home I also discovered our A/C was broken...of course! It would have to happen on the first disgustingly hot and humid day of the year. And in case you aren't from NC, there is no relief at night, it's just as hot and disgusting at night as during the day. So we all went to bed pretty uncomfortable. I woke up around 2am pretty nauseated and figured it was from the heat...threw up, and figured it was from the heat...then started to throw up uncontrollably (and worse) and started to think you know, maybe it isn't the heat doing it...of course then Ava wakes up and Craig has to give her a bottle since I'm a little indisposed, thankfully she goes right back to sleep and I continue to hurl my guts out the rest of the night. Probably a bad case of food poisoning so I am never eating at a block party again...bleh!!!!! Yesterday morning I stopped throwing up but other bad side effects continued and I also ended up with a fever, aches, and chills. Craig was feeling somewhat better so he had to take over baby duty, since I could hardly even hold her. Poor baby, she got only the bare minimum of our attention yesterday...at one point we HAD to sleep so she layed in the bed with us and we all napped (I was too uncomfortable to nap so I just layed there and felt miserable).
Anyhow this whole time I was hoping that Ava wouldn't get sick, that I indeed had food poisoning and not stomach flu, so I just about fell apart when she started to throw up last night. It must've been a fluke or something because she threw up twice and then was fine, thank goodness!! Today Craig took her to day care so that we could have the day to recuperate without worrying about baby duty....so I'm trying to eat a little something (haven't had a meal since Saturday, haven't had a REAL meal since Thursday) but so far it's crackers and Gatorade. Bleh...luckily the fever and aches went away. He's at his regular doctor getting checked out and I'm trying to feel better. Wish us luck...being sick is miserable, being sick and taking care of a baby is next to impossible.
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