Mommy Someday?

Remember Me?

Hi Everyone!

Remember me?  My blog now lives here Mommy Someday?  Please stop by and say Hi!  I miss you all!

Michelle 

Moving day...

Hi Everyone!

I have decided to move this blog.  You can now find me at Wordpress (http://mommysomeday.wordpress.com).  I will leave this blog here for a while...until my subscription expires in September...but I won't be posting here any longer.  Thanks for all of your support!

I look forward to seeing you in my new space!!!

CD1/CD2

My period started last night.  Does that make today CD1 or CD2?  I'm not sure...  I go in for my baseline ultrasound tomorrow morning and a blood draw for the regular day 2/3 labs and then we will see what my protocol will be for this cycle.  I sure hope that my RE doesn't say my ovaries are crap...it has been 2 years since I have been in this place...  I would appreciate any positive thoughts you have and could spare!

Us...

After all of the drama with the fake blog mentioned in my previous post, I have done some reflecting.  I read this post and it really made me think...  I am not sure that everything he says about blogs is true -- especially here in the IF realm, where most people prefer some degree of anonomimity, but still...  I do post with an alias.  I don't refer to my hubby or baby by their real names.  I don't post pictures.  But -- my story and posts are real.  Why don't I do those things?  It's quite simple...I promised my hubby I wouldn't.  He worries about the internet and privacy, and rightfully so!  He especially worries about our daughter and doesn't want any "weirdos" getting ahold of her pictures.  I totally understand all of this!  But I also know that you all are curious.  So, I am going to post a picture of my little Sweetpea below...and maybe one of the two of us if I can find one...  I don't know how long I will leave them up, but those of you who continue to check in on me can have a look :-).  (By the way -- thanks for checking in on me.  I know I have been a terrible blogger since Sweetpea was born, but I am getting better!)

For your viewing pleasure...

Pictures removed 6-19-09.  If I can figure out how to pwp some posts I may put them back.

Isn't she beautiful!  I know I'm biased LOL!  In the top one, she was 8.5 months old, and in the bottom one she was 9.5 months old (She is 10.5 months now...)

I've Been Had...

It has taken me a long time to post a followup to my last post...but here it is.  I've been had.  I feel like such a loser.  I read this blog and worried/thought about the little baby in question on a daily basis.  Then, on the eve of her supposed birth, I learned that it was all a hoax.  I am sure most of you have heard about this by now.  I don't want to harp on this or spread any additional rumors...I just feel like such a jerk for believing.  

There Are No Words...

This afternoon I went to check in on a blog I have been following for a while.  The person writing the blog is the mom to little April Rose.  April was diagnosed with Trisomy 18 and another disorder several months ago.  They were told over and over to terminate the pregnancy, but did not.  Miraculously, little April was born alive yesterday afternoon.  Her friends were great to post updates all through the mom's labor and delivery and to keep everyone posted about April's status.  When I went to sleep last night, April had miraculously been alive for over 6 hours (a miracle considering that most experts didn't expect her to survive the birth).  I logged on this afternoon after work to check in on April and her mom, and was deeply saddened by what I read.  How can people be so mean?  I am really distressed and not sure what to do...I feel like something should be done...Damn.  I just feel so bad for them.

#2

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about having another baby.  Sweetpea is 10 months old now, and my 39th birhday is just around the corner... I always wanted a large family...DH not so much.  He wasn't even sure he wanted one, and now he is also pushing for #2.  We have been trying on our own pretty much since Sweetpea was born.  My period returned 6 weeks after I gave birth, and although my cycles have varied greatly in length (from 35 to 20 days), I am pretty certain that I have been ovulating.  It just doesn't look like we are going to be one of those lucky couples who get the surprise BFP after havig their first via fertility treatments.  So, I called up my RE and set up an appointment to talk about my new wonky cycles and to start thinking about #2...and they scheduled me for FRIDAY.  Oh my goodness... 

10 months

Hi!  Is anyone out there still reading my blog?  I am trying to be a better blogger…my posts are still pretty far apart, but at least it hasn't been MONTHS since my last post J.

 

My Sweetpea turned 10 months old last week.  Holy smokes…time is flying. 

 

In the last 4 weeks, she has really taken off in terms of gross motor development.  At 9 months, she was a pretty efficient army crawler.  It was hilarious to watch her stretch with her right had and push with her left big toe.  In late April, she pulled to a standing position in her crib for the first time.  Then nothing for a week or so, and then she did it again. Now she pulls up on EVERYTHING and is even taking steps.  We had to get one of those fence things to keep her contained and out of danger, and she can walk part-way around the perimeter when she is holding on.  She is also getting to where she can move from the fence to the ottoman to the chair, etc.  It has happened so fast!  About the same time she started pulling up, she started crawling conventionally.  She only reverts to the army crawl if she is reaching for something that is close…otherwise she is fully up on her hands and knees.  That is really hilarious, too.  When she sees something she wants, she puts her head down and crawls like a mad person -- without looking where she is going -- arms and knees flying.

 

Pointing, ah the pointing.  Sweetpea loves to point at things.  She points at things she like, she points at new things, she points where something she likes used to be…that girl just likes to point.  She also makes a cute little "ah" sound when she points so she is sure we are looking wherever she wants us to.

 

Eating and sleeping.  Sweetpea is still a great eater and sleeper.  She never refuses any type of food (I wonder how long that will last) and still drinks between 20-24 oz. of formula a day (4 - 6 oz bottles).  Sleeping is still going well, although she is starting to wake up earlier in the morning than I would like.  Her normal bedtime is between 7:30 and 8:00 and she has started waking up around 5 am.  This is not something that I am happy about, so we are experimenting with bedtime and CIO to see if we can get waketime back to between 6 and 7 am.

 

Teething.  It looks like her top 4 teeth are all trying to come in at the same time.  Poor little girl is miserable.

9 months (well 9 ½ months)

Sweetpea had her 9 month pediatrician appointment at the end of April.  She weighed in at 19 lbs 9 oz (60^th percentile), was 29 inches long (90^th percentile), and her noggin measured 17 ¼" (50% percentile).  She was her happy self, talking and blowing raspberries through the whole appointment -- no shots this time, thank goodness! 

 

Sweetpea is an excellent eater -- she never refuses to eat anything.  She has solids (stage 2 or 3) three times a day and 4-6 oz bottles of formula a day.  She loves to eat finger foods like puffs or Baby Mum-Mums.  We haven't offered her much else in terms of finger foods, but plan to start offering her more.  She is so dainty when she eats them (and has been for 2 or 3 months) -- she has an excellent pincher grasp.

 

We knew the day was coming when we would have to move her out of her infant car seat.  The official measurement of 29 inches at the pediatrician signaled the end of the infant seat.  (So sad!!  Where did my little baby go???)  So -- we said bye bye to the Maxi Cosi Mico and hello to the Cosco Alpha Omega Elite convertible car seat.  Why did we choose the Alpha Omega Elite?  Several reasons -- it matches our car, it will convert from rear facing to front facing to booster seat and will work for Sweetpea for many years, $$$ - we got a great deal on it, and Consumer Reports ranked it as one of the best.  We actually installed it in the car yesterday and Sweetpea took her first ride in her big girl seat.  She loved being able to see out both windows without straining and she look so grown up.

 

What has Sweetpea been up to lately?  Well:

• In early April, she sat up on her own for the first time.  (I should clarify -- she has been sitting unassisted for months -- this time she got into a sitting position on her own.)  She was rolling around like usual and balancing on her side like she had been doing for months.  She spotted a toy between her legs and "pop" -- up she went.  DH and I were in shock -- and we started clapping and cheering for her.  She just looked at us like we were crazy and it was no big deal.  She can get in a sitting position any time she wants to now.
• In middle April, Sweetpea started pulling up on her knees -- very wobbly, but trying.  Then one day I had her in her crib while I was getting her clothes out of her dresser and she grabbed the top of the rail and pulled up to her feet then fell back on her bottom.  It was only for a split second, but it was enough to scare the crap out of me.  DH lowered the crib mattress that afternoon.
• In late April, Sweetpea started clapping.  Anytime she sees me or DH she starts clapping.  When she sees something she likes or something that interests her, she claps.  She also makes this "aaaaaaaaa" sound which sounds a lot like "Yaaaaaay!" which is what DH and I say when we clap for her.  It is sooooo cute!
• Dadi (like daddy) is her favorite word.  She says it for everything.  Sometimes with extra da-da-da at the front or extra di-di-di at the end.  She says it at varying volumes and pitches.  She also has lots of other consonant-vowel combinations -- thu, fu, raspberry-bu-da, etc.  I have also been calling her bottle her "ba-ba" (another favorite "word" of hers) and she is starting to recognize the "word" when I say it -- and she gets really excited.
• She is still sleeping great!  She sleeps all night long UNSWADDLED (yea!) and rolls and moves all over her crib all night long.  She goes to sleep around 7:30 and usually wakes up around 6:30.
• Naps are another story.  For the most part, she takes 3 - 45 minute naps a day and has for a while (Still swaddled for naps -- she just won't settle otherwise).  I think she may be consolidating into 2 naps a day, though.  She has done this for the past several days, and those two naps are about an hour each.  For the most part, she has a very pleasant disposition, so she must be getting the sleep she needs during the day.  Perhaps now that she is becoming more mobile her naps will lengthen in duration -- one can hope, right?
• Three mornings ago, I was watching her on our video monitor after she woke up.  She played with a few of the toys I left in her crib and then she scooted over to the rail.  She pulled herself up onto her knees (nothing new there) -- and then she reached up a little higher and pulled herself to standing.  Thank goodness we had lowered that crib mattress! DH rushed in to catch her standing up and applauded and praised her!  She was so excited!!!  Then she did it again the next morning and the next -- I guess this will be the new wakeup routine.  She doesn’t seem to get stuck, though.  When she has had enough, she just lets go and plops down on her bottom.
• Crawling -- Sweetpea can still army crawl like a pro.  She uses her forearms and elbows to pull herself forward and uses her big toe to push her from behind.  It is so cute!  And with each lunge, she reaches with her right hand like she is after something -- a baby on a mission.  Over the past few days, she has shown some signs of maybe learning to crawl conventionally.  She is starting to get up on her hands and knees.  She can walk her hands forward but isn't sure about the legs.  She kind of scoots them up one at a time and can crawl a short distance that way.  Inevitably, though, she sees something she wants and reaches for it, falls on the belly, and reverts to the army crawl.
• Standing -- she loves to stand!  She will pull up on anything that she can (including things that won't support her weight).  She loves to stand holding onto our hands, too, and she smiles such a big smile when she does that!

I think that's it!  I hope everyone is well!

Months 3 through 8

The third and fourth months:

• MANY trips out of town.  Sweetpea is an excellent traveller -- everyone loves her on the flights. Sweetpea is still sleeping in our room.  She has started "talking" to herself -- often at 1 am!  This makes for a very sleepy mommy and daddy. 
• Sleeps 8 hour stretches at night.  Still swaddling -- the miracle blanket rocks!Bad rash on the backs of her knees -- diagnosed as eczema -- prescribed cortizone cream.  Sweepea has very senstitive skin (like her mommy).
• Continued Reflux -- upped medication dosage.Me -- period arrives every 29 to 31 days (big change from my 23-24 day cycles before pregnancy) -- and they are super heavy!!
• Milk supply continues to suffer -- medication helps to increase it, but only pumping around 3 oz every 3 hours -- and Sweetpea wants more! 
• Start giving 1/2 formula 1/2 breastmilk bottle 4-5 oz every 3 hours.Awake for 90 minutes or so; naps for 90 minutes
• 4 month pediatrician appointment -- Weight = 13 lbs 12 oz; Length 25 1/2 inches
• Mommy developed severe ppd. 
• Crying uncontrollably -- felt very defeated and hopeless.  Zoloft rocks -- I felt better than I had in months.

The fifth and sixth months

• Still a great traveller!  Great disposition! 
• Thanks to Reglan, I am pumping around 3 oz every 3 hours.  Still not enough to satisfy Sweetpea, so giving 1/2 breastmilk and 1/2 formula bottles and breastfeeding, too.
• Awake for 2 hours, then nap.  Naptimes range from 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Sleeps 8 hours at night -- still in our room.
• January 1st we moved her into her own room and into her big girl crib.  She had become such a noisy sleeper that I was getting NO sleep.  Still swaddling...bedtime 8 to 8:30 pm.  She starts to sleep 9 to 10 hours at night (I guess we were noisy, too!)  The first few nights she woke up after 45 minutes and cried, but we just let her be.  We watched her on the video monitor and she finally fell back to sleep.  Cried for 7 or 8 minutes night 1, 3 or 4 night 2, a minute or less night 3, and then didn't cry anymore after that.  She would sleep until 5 am or so...wake up and talk to herself a little, and then fall back to sleep until 6:30 or so.
• Christmas eve -- rolled over from back to belly!  Go Sweetpea!!
• January 23rd - rolled over from belly to back!
• Starts rolling everywhere!
• 1st ear infection - boo!  Took her to the doctor for a icky cold and discovered a double ear infection.  Antibiotics helped and she got better quickly.
• Introduced solids after 4 month appointment -- loves them! Hates plain rice cereal (but loves it with fruit), loves carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, green beans...peas are okay.
• 6 month pediatrician appointment - Weight = 16.5 lbs; Length 27 inches

7th and 8th months

• More traveling -- she's a pro now!
• Awake for around 3 hours then nap.  Naps range from 30 to 45 minutes (if we are luck!)  Sleeps 10 to 11 hours at night.
• Introduce stage 2 solids after 6 month appointment. She will eat anything!  Foods with meat are not her favorites, but she will still eat them.  She loves her veggies and fruits!
• Breastfeeding is becoming hard.  Discovered that the Reglan was the cause of my ppd. Stopped the Reglan and immediately felt better!!!!  No more Zoloft for me! 
• Milk supply takes a huge hit...decide to start weaning.  (I made it past 6 months -- and that was always my goal.)  Reduce to 3 bfing sessions per day for a month, then 2 bfing sessions a day for 2 weeks, then once a day for a few days, then once in a while -- once every three days or so, then stopped.  Never engourged or anything.  Mild supply just stopped.
• Cut two teeth just before her 8th month birthday (bottom front)-- one on a Saturday and the other the Sarday after that.
• Started army crawling just before her 8 month birthday.  It was so cute -- she was on her belly and reached for something far away.  It was a little lunge, but she realized she moved.  She tried again, and got her tippy toes in on it and moved farther.  She has been moving farther and faster every day!
• No pediatrician appointment this time around!

Sweetpea is about 8 1/2 months right now -- so this gets me about caught up! Yippee!