We celebrated Grandma's birthday tonight with ice cream and cake at home. Everyone except Cameron sang "happy birthday" to her. He declared that he didn't want to sing because "I'm a little bit norvis, mama. I'm a little bit norvis...but not too much."
We had been practicing singing the song, and he's actually quite good at it, but I guess he got stage fright. He probably told us 10 times that he was "norvis" and that's why he didn't sing.
What a character, I don't know where he picks this stuff up!
And it's also noteworthy that this was Cameron's first time having REAL ice cream and cake. "Mmm, yummy!" he said more than once. This moment has been long overdue; I'm really glad that we can share simple stuff like this without worry. Makes me happy.
September 15, 2012
The lasts
An article has been circulating on Facebook by a mommy blogger and the topic is not forgetting to live in the moment. Often parents get so focused on the next baby milestone that we look forward and forget to look around at what is going on now. This leads to overlooking what may well be the baby's lasts: last nap taken on mom's or dad's chest, last night spent in a swaddle, last night with a pacifier, last anything.
So, it made me think of all the sweet little things that happened in the past few months or are happening now that I don't want to forget.
So, it made me think of all the sweet little things that happened in the past few months or are happening now that I don't want to forget.
- Back when I was still on maternity leave, my mom would still spend a few mornings a week with Cameron. When she would bring him home for nap time, he would always run in the door and ask me "Norah's awake?" (Because he knows that when she's sleeping he's supposed to use quiet footsteps in the house.)
- Cameron is very loving with Norah 98% of the time. He says stuff like "Hi Norah!", "Good morning my sweet girl," "That's my baby sister Norah, I love her," and "Awww, she's so cute!" The other 2% of the time he's telling her something like "No Norah, that's my truck! Don't touch it!" But then he'll also say something like "I'll go get you a soft toy." So maybe it's like 99%/1%. :)
- Norah is still eating once per night, usually between 2-3 a.m. In the past month or so, after feeding her at that hour, I would lay her down to re-swaddle her and she would just make the most content little sighs and babbling sounds. So sweet!
- I adore the few moments I share with Norah before putting her down to sleep, whether it's at night or for a nap. When truly tired, she is so content to lay her head down on my shoulder and let me rock her for a few minutes. I get to kiss her forehead and nuzzle her nose as she lays there looking at me.
- Cameron likes to play with words and sounds lately. One of his favorites is to change the endings of our names and quite frequently he will say mommy, daddy, Cammy, Norry.
- Cameron also has become quite the singer lately. ABCs, Wheels on the Bus, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Thomas songs, and lots more. He'll request songs for us to sing and then sing along. He even dances while singing sometimes, or just while listening to music. He bobs his head and taps his feet to the beat. So adorable. Even if the song is Ozzy's "Crazy Train" played in Dada's car, it's still adorable.
September 14, 2012
7 months
Norah is talking a lot these days; she enjoys cooing, babbling, and chatting us up. And I, for one, love to listen. (She says a lot more "da"s than "ma"s, but I don't hold it against her.)
We are also officially done with the swaddle now that she is able to roll over while still in it. We ditched the swaddle in favor of sleepsacks much earlier for Cameron, around 4 months I believe, but with Norah we have been trying to transition for months now. She will just drift off so much more peacefully when all wrapped up tight! Often I would try to put her down for the night in a sleepsack only to give up on it just to get her to fall asleep already. But now there's no going back. Hopefully it'll just be a few rough(er) nights and she'll be over the transition.
September 7, 2012
Milk, yogurt, and cheese, oh my!
Cameron passed his milk challenge at the allergist's office today. PASSED! I'm so thrilled that we can stop reading labels like hawks and he can now try all sorts of new foods. THRILLED!
I brought some 2% milk and some chocolate milk as a backup. I worried that he wouldn't want to drink the milk simply because we wanted him to, and what do you know, that's what happened. The nurse tried all sorts of things: a little plastic cup, a dixie cup, a syringe...no go. But he was very polite about it. "Oh, no thank you," he said over and over.
So the doctor finally relented and said he could drink the chocolate milk. It took a little more coaxing, but he finally took a swig. Which led to him smiling a big smile and asking "Can I have the whole thing?"
It was so cute to see him with his first milk mustache. :)
I brought some 2% milk and some chocolate milk as a backup. I worried that he wouldn't want to drink the milk simply because we wanted him to, and what do you know, that's what happened. The nurse tried all sorts of things: a little plastic cup, a dixie cup, a syringe...no go. But he was very polite about it. "Oh, no thank you," he said over and over.
So the doctor finally relented and said he could drink the chocolate milk. It took a little more coaxing, but he finally took a swig. Which led to him smiling a big smile and asking "Can I have the whole thing?"
It was so cute to see him with his first milk mustache. :)
September 1, 2012
Switching schools
Next week will be Cameron's trial period at a new preschool. A few months ago, he had been wait-listed everywhere that I applied. Then, 3 weeks after he started at the school we found, I was contacted and told there was an opening at what was my top-choice school back when I was touring and applying.
I struggled with the decision to have him switch schools after only 2 months (since we had to give 30 days notice to the current school), but ultimately decided that my gut still said "yes" about the place with the opening. And Cameron has proven himself to be so adaptable, that I thought he would likely roll with it just like he has for all other other major changes in his life lately (new house, new sister, new bed, no pacifier, new school...man we've really thrown a lot at him!).
Plus, since he was placed with the older class at the old school (so he would only have to get used to one set of teachers), he would be getting a new set of peers anyway in September as the younger kids moved up to the room he was in. So...new school + new peers, or just new peers. I feel pretty good about the decision we made; hopefully he likes it at the new school too!
I struggled with the decision to have him switch schools after only 2 months (since we had to give 30 days notice to the current school), but ultimately decided that my gut still said "yes" about the place with the opening. And Cameron has proven himself to be so adaptable, that I thought he would likely roll with it just like he has for all other other major changes in his life lately (new house, new sister, new bed, no pacifier, new school...man we've really thrown a lot at him!).
Plus, since he was placed with the older class at the old school (so he would only have to get used to one set of teachers), he would be getting a new set of peers anyway in September as the younger kids moved up to the room he was in. So...new school + new peers, or just new peers. I feel pretty good about the decision we made; hopefully he likes it at the new school too!
August 29, 2012
What dairy allergy?
I am so, so, so happy to report that we just got back from the allergist and Cameron is no longer reacting to dairy! Well, via a skin test. They still want us to come in and do a milk challenge, which will be much like the 3-hour peanut butter challenge we did. Start with drinking a small amount, wait and see, drink some more, wait and see, etc. My only fear with doing this is that he won't want any milk afterwards, as he now avoids peanut butter like the plague. "My tummy doesn't like peanut butter!" he says. :( I'm still hopeful he'll change his tune someday about that one!
So, we plan to do that challenge soon. We have been experimenting a little bit lately, with dairy in cooked things (like waffles) and he hasn't had any reactions. The thought of not having to read labels anymore and him being able to eat whatever is SO exciting! I will be able to cook with cheese again! And, we found out he can also have nuts and shellfish! We had been avoiding those since they are considered high-allergen foods and he had and "allergic" profile. But this opens up a whole new world of food possibilities for us, especially at restaurants. Also, the thought that he can now partake in eating birthday cakes at friends' parties makes me ridiculously happy. :)
The not-so-great news is that he is still reactive to cat dander. He still doesn't show any symptoms when he's around the cats (or just at home for that matter), but we don't know how much having the cats in the house might be contributing to the fact that we have to periodically use the nebulizer when he gets sick and it moves down into his respiratory system. However, we haven't had to use the nebulizer very much lately. I guess this winter will be interesting, what with school in the mix and all those lovely germs he will bring home.
So, we plan to do that challenge soon. We have been experimenting a little bit lately, with dairy in cooked things (like waffles) and he hasn't had any reactions. The thought of not having to read labels anymore and him being able to eat whatever is SO exciting! I will be able to cook with cheese again! And, we found out he can also have nuts and shellfish! We had been avoiding those since they are considered high-allergen foods and he had and "allergic" profile. But this opens up a whole new world of food possibilities for us, especially at restaurants. Also, the thought that he can now partake in eating birthday cakes at friends' parties makes me ridiculously happy. :)
The not-so-great news is that he is still reactive to cat dander. He still doesn't show any symptoms when he's around the cats (or just at home for that matter), but we don't know how much having the cats in the house might be contributing to the fact that we have to periodically use the nebulizer when he gets sick and it moves down into his respiratory system. However, we haven't had to use the nebulizer very much lately. I guess this winter will be interesting, what with school in the mix and all those lovely germs he will bring home.
August 25, 2012
Zoo trip
We pet some goats and sheep.
And thoroughly exhausted ourselves in general. Fortunately, Norah was able to nap a bit in the Beco (my carrier), and Cameron did remarkably well without any nap that day.
There was a lot we didn't get to do and see too, so we'll have to go back and visit again sometime soon. Want to join us?
August 14, 2012
6 months
Weight: 16 lb 7 oz (70th%)
Height: 26.25 inches (50th%)
Head circumference: still 70th%
At her checkup she got 3 shots and this time she handled them like a champ. No screaming; a few cries but was over it within minutes.
She's rapidly outgrowing her 3-6 month clothing and her size 2 diapers. I don't know why the jump to the next size clothing is hitting me harder, but seeing little 9s on the inside of the onesies makes me realize just how quickly time is passing. Even faster with the second kid!
August 8, 2012
Potty successes
We'll be going to the Academy of Sciences this weekend, as Cameron's reward for using the potty and successfully getting 10 stickers!
I made him a potty chart and added one of his favorite characters, Lightening McQueen, at the bottom. That, coupled with the motivational Thomas stickers I picked up on a whim at Old Navy last Christmas, gave me hope that he'd be excited to fill up the chart and get his special reward of going somewhere fun, his pick.
We still have to prompt him to visit the potty, but hopefully soon he'll start listening to his body and telling us when it's time to go. Hopefully!
I made him a potty chart and added one of his favorite characters, Lightening McQueen, at the bottom. That, coupled with the motivational Thomas stickers I picked up on a whim at Old Navy last Christmas, gave me hope that he'd be excited to fill up the chart and get his special reward of going somewhere fun, his pick.
We still have to prompt him to visit the potty, but hopefully soon he'll start listening to his body and telling us when it's time to go. Hopefully!
August 5, 2012
Teething already?!
Yep, at not even 6 months, Norah has her bottom two front teeth coming in. I didn't expect it so soon, but there they are. I tried to get a picture, but she didn't cooperate.
We tried a little bit of rice cereal, but she wasn't really a fan.
We tried a little bit of rice cereal, but she wasn't really a fan.
July 29, 2012
Testing the waters
Norah's 6-month checkup is approaching, and I was very curious to find out if she would share her brother's allergy to dairy. I wanted to be able to discuss options at the checkup if in fact she did react similarly, so this weekend we gave her some formula.
NO hives, NO redness, NO reaction! I'm elated!!!
**happy dance**
NO hives, NO redness, NO reaction! I'm elated!!!
**happy dance**
Housing woes, part III
The contractors are finally done, and after a few "open houses," we now have new renters!
We got the lease signed, the check for August rent plus security deposit, and turned over the keys.
I'm so relieved! Hopefully this is the end of the housing woes for quite some time!
We got the lease signed, the check for August rent plus security deposit, and turned over the keys.
I'm so relieved! Hopefully this is the end of the housing woes for quite some time!
July 14, 2012
July 5, 2012
Preschool bound
Cameron attended preschool for the first time today. I cried a little bit after dropping him off, but it was a good cry. It makes my heart happy that he didn't cry at all and was comfortable enough to let us go with a goodbye and a promise to see him later. My big boy!
June 23, 2012
Housing woes, part II
So the June 1 date has come and gone. The contractors still aren't quite done, and our renter isn't in yet. But that's okay; she said she can wait until July, as her current lease runs out at the end of June.
Or so we thought. I decided to call her today to check in and assure her that everything would in fact be ready by July 1. And I learned that she had gotten scared that things wouldn't in fact be done on time, and she'd gone and found another place. She was sorry she hadn't returned my calls before, and she'd been meaning to call me, really. Uh huh.
Crap. Back to square one.
Or so we thought. I decided to call her today to check in and assure her that everything would in fact be ready by July 1. And I learned that she had gotten scared that things wouldn't in fact be done on time, and she'd gone and found another place. She was sorry she hadn't returned my calls before, and she'd been meaning to call me, really. Uh huh.
Crap. Back to square one.
June 14, 2012
4 months
Recent stats:
Weight: 13 lb 14 oz (70th%)
Height: 24.5 inches (50th%)
Head circumference: don't remember measurement, but remains 70th%
Did you notice? My baby has a mohawk. :)
May 27, 2012
May 14, 2012
May 13, 2012
Happy Mother's Day!
We headed out to meet with the extended family today. It's so wonderful
to see my kids (plural!? still kinda amazes me) interacting with all the relatives.
I love my family, both little and big. I'm a lucky girl!
May 1, 2012
Smiles and frowns
unless Sophie is around.
I thought all babies loved Sophie!?
April 19, 2012
Her own crib
This past weekend we moved the crib out of Cameron's room and into Norah's room now that Cairo no longer needs the room for his recovery. (He is up and about, had the pins removed last week on April 10th...seems to be doing well though he does still limp around. Cameron still insists that he has a cast, but it's really just his shaved area where the fur hasn't grown back completely.)
So far we've had 3 successful naps in the crib! I rock her a bit (swaddled) and put her down drowsy; she's doing remarkably well at putting herself to sleep, which I'm grateful for.
Nighttime sleep is going well too. She will now consistently give us a 6-hour stretch at the beginning of the night (usually starts between 8-9pm), and then it's back to 3-4 hours. Last night we even got 8 hours out of her thanks to a few replacements of the pacifier in the mouth!
So far we've had 3 successful naps in the crib! I rock her a bit (swaddled) and put her down drowsy; she's doing remarkably well at putting herself to sleep, which I'm grateful for.
Nighttime sleep is going well too. She will now consistently give us a 6-hour stretch at the beginning of the night (usually starts between 8-9pm), and then it's back to 3-4 hours. Last night we even got 8 hours out of her thanks to a few replacements of the pacifier in the mouth!
April 14, 2012
April 7, 2012
Housing woes
We moved to the Sausalito house in late January, and here we are in April just getting the house ready to rent out as of May 1. I called my insurance company to talk about what I need to do in order to rent out the house, and they say I need to convert from a homeowner's policy to a rental dwelling policy. Okay, great, send me a quote. That was two days ago, on April 5th.
Yesterday, on April 6th, all hell breaks loose at the house. I got a call from my mom saying "your smoke detector is going off, water is spewing from the bathroom wall, and your ceiling has collapsed!" Holy smokes! I race over there and this is just a small portion of the damage I see:
The leak in the upstairs bathroom has saturated the ceiling in the dining area below it. The dry wall collapsed, the insulation was a soggy mess, and the paint peeled down in one big sheet (there on the left). Oy, what a headache! We had called a plumber out to disconnect the drain and pipes leading to the tub in order to have it refinished, and sometime after the refinishing occurred a leak started. Since we don't live there now, it went unnoticed.
The bummer of the situation regarding insurance is that if I had accepted the quote to make the policy a rental dwelling before this incident, we would be able to get some assistance for lost rent, but since it was still a homeowner's policy, all they would do would be to give us money for a hotel, which we don't need. Bah.
I really hope the contractors can push all the paperwork through in order to get the repairs done in May; I would really love to get our renter in there June 1! Wait and see...
Yesterday, on April 6th, all hell breaks loose at the house. I got a call from my mom saying "your smoke detector is going off, water is spewing from the bathroom wall, and your ceiling has collapsed!" Holy smokes! I race over there and this is just a small portion of the damage I see:
The leak in the upstairs bathroom has saturated the ceiling in the dining area below it. The dry wall collapsed, the insulation was a soggy mess, and the paint peeled down in one big sheet (there on the left). Oy, what a headache! We had called a plumber out to disconnect the drain and pipes leading to the tub in order to have it refinished, and sometime after the refinishing occurred a leak started. Since we don't live there now, it went unnoticed.
The bummer of the situation regarding insurance is that if I had accepted the quote to make the policy a rental dwelling before this incident, we would be able to get some assistance for lost rent, but since it was still a homeowner's policy, all they would do would be to give us money for a hotel, which we don't need. Bah.
I really hope the contractors can push all the paperwork through in order to get the repairs done in May; I would really love to get our renter in there June 1! Wait and see...
March 31, 2012
Moving on up
Norah is no longer a newborn. (Sniff!) She's now in size 1 diapers and has moved up to 0-3 month clothes.
Last night we got a 6-hour stretch of sleep out of her, but she is most often giving us 4-hour stretches at night before she's hungry again. Now I just need to figure out how to adjust my sleep schedule to match hers! (If only that were possible, right?)
So I have to say that I will definitely miss the squishiness of holding a newborn all the time, but I will not miss the sleep deprivation. I don't even want to think about what it will be like to go back to work feeling like this. Ugh. ::pushing that thought out of my head for a few more months::
Last night we got a 6-hour stretch of sleep out of her, but she is most often giving us 4-hour stretches at night before she's hungry again. Now I just need to figure out how to adjust my sleep schedule to match hers! (If only that were possible, right?)
So I have to say that I will definitely miss the squishiness of holding a newborn all the time, but I will not miss the sleep deprivation. I don't even want to think about what it will be like to go back to work feeling like this. Ugh. ::pushing that thought out of my head for a few more months::
March 28, 2012
6-week stats
Weight: 10 lb 8 oz (70th%)
Height: 21.5 inches (50th%)
Head circumference: 15 inches (70th%)
She's a growing girl, healthy and doing well. Typically babies at the 6-week visit will get one shot, and then another shot at 8 weeks. But I talked about it with our pedi and we decided to do both today so she wouldn't have to come back until 2 months.
So she got 2 shots and I have never in my life heard such an ear-piercing little scream. It was awful! :( She got all red in the face (but no tears) and just screamed until I nursed her. Yikes. At least I know she's never been in pain like that before! I sure do hope future vaccinations aren't quite so traumatic for her. Fortunately, she slept a lot after the appointment and was only a little grumpy when she woke up later.
Height: 21.5 inches (50th%)
Head circumference: 15 inches (70th%)
She's a growing girl, healthy and doing well. Typically babies at the 6-week visit will get one shot, and then another shot at 8 weeks. But I talked about it with our pedi and we decided to do both today so she wouldn't have to come back until 2 months.
So she got 2 shots and I have never in my life heard such an ear-piercing little scream. It was awful! :( She got all red in the face (but no tears) and just screamed until I nursed her. Yikes. At least I know she's never been in pain like that before! I sure do hope future vaccinations aren't quite so traumatic for her. Fortunately, she slept a lot after the appointment and was only a little grumpy when she woke up later.
March 25, 2012
Bye bye pacifier
We have been debating Cameron's use of the pacifier for awhile now, thinking about when would be the best time to get rid of it, and how to make it the least traumatic for him.
With his move to the big boy bed, the paci falls on the floor more often into spots where he can't necessarily see it or reach it. He'll occasionally call out for one of us, asking for help to find it.
So awhile ago this happened, and I went in looking for it. I looked and looked and honestly couldn't find it, and told him so. (Eventually I did spy it after poking around a bit more, but I didn't tell him this.)
He accepted the fact that we couldn't find it, and went back to sleep without it. Over the next few days of naps and nights of sleep, we stuck with the story that we couldn't find it and he was able to fall asleep and stay asleep without it. Success! Though, he did still ask for it periodically and question why we couldn't find it.
Realistically, I do feel a bit of mommy guilt over the way it happened, and in hindsight, I don't know if it was the best way to get rid of it. Should it have been more his choice, etc.? I have friends who told their kids about the paci fairy and when the fairy would come the kid would get a toy in exchange for all the pacis. Or, friends who took their kids to the build-a-bear workshop and had the paci dropped inside the bear's foot before it was filled with stuffing so the kid could still feel it, but not suck on it.
But, it is what it is, and even though I found the thing, I don't want to give it back and go through this withdrawal all over again.
It'll be interesting once he knows that Norah can have one and he can't, but I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it?
With his move to the big boy bed, the paci falls on the floor more often into spots where he can't necessarily see it or reach it. He'll occasionally call out for one of us, asking for help to find it.
So awhile ago this happened, and I went in looking for it. I looked and looked and honestly couldn't find it, and told him so. (Eventually I did spy it after poking around a bit more, but I didn't tell him this.)
He accepted the fact that we couldn't find it, and went back to sleep without it. Over the next few days of naps and nights of sleep, we stuck with the story that we couldn't find it and he was able to fall asleep and stay asleep without it. Success! Though, he did still ask for it periodically and question why we couldn't find it.
Realistically, I do feel a bit of mommy guilt over the way it happened, and in hindsight, I don't know if it was the best way to get rid of it. Should it have been more his choice, etc.? I have friends who told their kids about the paci fairy and when the fairy would come the kid would get a toy in exchange for all the pacis. Or, friends who took their kids to the build-a-bear workshop and had the paci dropped inside the bear's foot before it was filled with stuffing so the kid could still feel it, but not suck on it.
But, it is what it is, and even though I found the thing, I don't want to give it back and go through this withdrawal all over again.
It'll be interesting once he knows that Norah can have one and he can't, but I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it?
March 14, 2012
March 10, 2012
Big boy bed
Last night was Cameron's first night in his big boy bed. It's been set up for about a month now and he's been able to climb, sit, and bounce in it. Basically get comfortable. And since he's had a few successful naps in it, we figured he was ready for his first overnight.
We all gathered for his bedtime stories, and then it was lights out. Well, almost out. The crib is still in his room since Norah's room is still Cairo's room. So I hung his waterfall crib soother on the outside of the crib rails instead of the inside so he can reach over from his bed and push the button to get a little bit of light and music if he wants. We pushed the button for him before leaving the room.
Just like with all his other transitions lately, he did great. I'm so proud of him!
We all gathered for his bedtime stories, and then it was lights out. Well, almost out. The crib is still in his room since Norah's room is still Cairo's room. So I hung his waterfall crib soother on the outside of the crib rails instead of the inside so he can reach over from his bed and push the button to get a little bit of light and music if he wants. We pushed the button for him before leaving the room.
Just like with all his other transitions lately, he did great. I'm so proud of him!
March 2, 2012
2-week stats
Norah made her first trip to the pedi's office when she was 1 week old. We learned that though she had lost about 5% of her body weight after birth, she was already gaining weight well and was up to 7 lb 3 oz. We got the all clear to not wake her up at night to feed (which I wasn't doing anyway since she was waking regularly enough on her own) since she had already surpassed her birth weight. Hooray for that, because I remember the torture of setting my alarm and trying to wake a sleepy Cameron in the middle of the night just to eat. I am so glad we didn't have to repeat that process!
It wasn't until this 2-week visit that we learned how she was growing in other ways:
Weight: 8 lb (25th%)
Height: 20 inches (30th%)
And I don't remember her exact head circumference, but we were told it was in the 50th%.
A little big for her proportionally, but not big like Cameron. :)
It wasn't until this 2-week visit that we learned how she was growing in other ways:
Weight: 8 lb (25th%)
Height: 20 inches (30th%)
And I don't remember her exact head circumference, but we were told it was in the 50th%.
A little big for her proportionally, but not big like Cameron. :)
February 20, 2012
Cairo's plight
We've been home from the hospital for a few days now. In the evenings, after Cameron has gone to bed, Chris and I have been trading off holding a sleeping Norah until I take her down to bed with me. A few nights ago, I was holding her when Chris and I heard this weird "thuh-thunk, thuh-thunk" sound and Chris went to investigate.
One of our cats, Cairo, is limping up the stairs with what seems like a broken leg. S@(&%;*#$! Seriously?!?
Earlier in the evening, both cats had gotten all riled up when a neighbor cat had been spotted outside the house. In situations like that, they tend to take out their aggression on each other, and this time, Leo went tearing after Cairo (honestly more viciously than I've ever seen before) and chased him downstairs.
We humans were all downstairs putting Cameron to bed at the time it happened. We heard the ruckus start, and came out of Cameron's room in time to see the cats tear down the hall and into our bedroom. I tried to stop Leo, but he jumped over my leg and continued to pursue Cairo. They both disappeared under our bed, and got quiet, so we considered the matter over.
Until later, when Chris had to take Cairo to the emergency vet and pay for x-rays. Yep, broken rear leg. Pretty severe break, too. Our vet says they he will do surgery and put pins in. For less than $2,000. :-/ Juuuust what we needed!
And now I can't put Norah's nursery together because it has to be used as a post-surgery recuperation room for the dang cat. We're supposed to keep him isolated for several weeks so he doesn't jump on anything, and Norah's room is the only place we have that fits the bill. Poor cat. Heal quickly, Cairo!!
One of our cats, Cairo, is limping up the stairs with what seems like a broken leg. S@(&%;*#$! Seriously?!?
Earlier in the evening, both cats had gotten all riled up when a neighbor cat had been spotted outside the house. In situations like that, they tend to take out their aggression on each other, and this time, Leo went tearing after Cairo (honestly more viciously than I've ever seen before) and chased him downstairs.
We humans were all downstairs putting Cameron to bed at the time it happened. We heard the ruckus start, and came out of Cameron's room in time to see the cats tear down the hall and into our bedroom. I tried to stop Leo, but he jumped over my leg and continued to pursue Cairo. They both disappeared under our bed, and got quiet, so we considered the matter over.
Until later, when Chris had to take Cairo to the emergency vet and pay for x-rays. Yep, broken rear leg. Pretty severe break, too. Our vet says they he will do surgery and put pins in. For less than $2,000. :-/ Juuuust what we needed!
And now I can't put Norah's nursery together because it has to be used as a post-surgery recuperation room for the dang cat. We're supposed to keep him isolated for several weeks so he doesn't jump on anything, and Norah's room is the only place we have that fits the bill. Poor cat. Heal quickly, Cairo!!
February 16, 2012
Thoughts on labor
I won't go into details, but all-in-all, this labor and delivery was SO much better and easier than the first time.
Due to having GD, my doc told me that he wasn't comfortable with me going overdue this time around. I thought that meant an induction on my due date of February 11th if nothing had started on its own, but as that day approached, he told me that if I had a non-stress test (NST) and everything still looked okay, that he would let me go a few days overdue.
My NST on my due date was fine, and so I was allowed to wait. I really didn't want another induction and so I tried everything under the sun to get things moving, but apparently my body just doesn't know how to kick the babies out in a timely manner! So, I was told to report to the hospital in the early morning hours of the 14th.
The pitocin was started at 7:30 a.m., and she arrived just 10 hours later. I opted for an epidural again, and earlier in the process this time than with Cameron. I still didn't really want meds, but I left that door open and told the nurses I wanted to "see how I felt". And in hindsight, I'm glad I did it. It allowed me to relax and I progressed REALLY rapidly after the fact.
She was delivered in a matter of minutes instead of over an hour. (My doc didn't even make it there in time! He walked in about 3 minutes after she was born. I really liked the on-call doc, though, so it was fine.) My recovery this time has been significantly faster and easier too, thank goodness. I'm not sure how I would have been able to take care of a toddler and a newborn feeling like I did when I got home after having Cameron!
Norah checked out great; her APGAR scores were perfect as was her blood glucose level (it was 39, and they said they wouldn't have to test her again if her number was under 50). Though I knew I had been doing well controlling my sugars during pregnancy, to get confirmation that she was functioning well on her own was a big relief for me!
Due to having GD, my doc told me that he wasn't comfortable with me going overdue this time around. I thought that meant an induction on my due date of February 11th if nothing had started on its own, but as that day approached, he told me that if I had a non-stress test (NST) and everything still looked okay, that he would let me go a few days overdue.
My NST on my due date was fine, and so I was allowed to wait. I really didn't want another induction and so I tried everything under the sun to get things moving, but apparently my body just doesn't know how to kick the babies out in a timely manner! So, I was told to report to the hospital in the early morning hours of the 14th.
The pitocin was started at 7:30 a.m., and she arrived just 10 hours later. I opted for an epidural again, and earlier in the process this time than with Cameron. I still didn't really want meds, but I left that door open and told the nurses I wanted to "see how I felt". And in hindsight, I'm glad I did it. It allowed me to relax and I progressed REALLY rapidly after the fact.
She was delivered in a matter of minutes instead of over an hour. (My doc didn't even make it there in time! He walked in about 3 minutes after she was born. I really liked the on-call doc, though, so it was fine.) My recovery this time has been significantly faster and easier too, thank goodness. I'm not sure how I would have been able to take care of a toddler and a newborn feeling like I did when I got home after having Cameron!
Norah checked out great; her APGAR scores were perfect as was her blood glucose level (it was 39, and they said they wouldn't have to test her again if her number was under 50). Though I knew I had been doing well controlling my sugars during pregnancy, to get confirmation that she was functioning well on her own was a big relief for me!
February 14, 2012
Welcoming Norah Kathleen
Our little lady arrived today at 5:29 p.m.. She weighed 6 lb 15 oz and was 18.5 inches long. I'm so in love with my tiny peanut.
Welcome baby girl! We can't wait to get to know you.
Welcome baby girl! We can't wait to get to know you.
January 23, 2012
Moving day
Of course, the one day it decides to rain in a two-week time span is the day we've chosen to move to the new house. Never fails!
But I have to say how amazing our friends and family are...they all came out yesterday, braved the water, and moved us out and in in record time. We are so, so grateful!
I got to play director and point to where things should go in the new house; that's one of the benefits to being 38 weeks pregnant! (One of the very few.) I even got chastised for carrying little things, like an empty diaper pail. Um, okay guys, this weighs less than my toddler, and no one offers to carry him for me! :)
I was worried how Cameron would do sleeping in a strange place, but before everyone departed we made sure that his room was the first to get set up and I tried to make it as much like home as possible for him. What do you know, he did GREAT last night. I'm so pleased that he seems to be transitioning well.
Now to unpack the rest of this stuff! Hooray for maternity leave!
But I have to say how amazing our friends and family are...they all came out yesterday, braved the water, and moved us out and in in record time. We are so, so grateful!
I got to play director and point to where things should go in the new house; that's one of the benefits to being 38 weeks pregnant! (One of the very few.) I even got chastised for carrying little things, like an empty diaper pail. Um, okay guys, this weighs less than my toddler, and no one offers to carry him for me! :)
I was worried how Cameron would do sleeping in a strange place, but before everyone departed we made sure that his room was the first to get set up and I tried to make it as much like home as possible for him. What do you know, he did GREAT last night. I'm so pleased that he seems to be transitioning well.
Now to unpack the rest of this stuff! Hooray for maternity leave!
January 17, 2012
I love you
Yesterday morning I was making pancakes with Cameron. Chris came downstairs while we were working in the kitchen and asked what we were doing, to which Cameron happily replied "making pancakes, Dada!"
And then later, when he was taste testing them, he said to Chris "I love Mama, Dada." It was the first 'I love you' that I've heard directed at me; before it's been Wendell or Rabies, or other belongings of his.
And then this morning, Chris was leaving for work and my mom was getting Cam dressed. Chris went in to say goodbye, and Cam said "Bye Dada, I love you!"
So sweet!
And then later, when he was taste testing them, he said to Chris "I love Mama, Dada." It was the first 'I love you' that I've heard directed at me; before it's been Wendell or Rabies, or other belongings of his.
And then this morning, Chris was leaving for work and my mom was getting Cam dressed. Chris went in to say goodbye, and Cam said "Bye Dada, I love you!"
So sweet!
January 3, 2012
Thoughts on pregnancy
The early part of this pregnancy was so similar to my first, I suppose I expected everything to be the same. However, I found out that I failed my 1-hour glucose screening test that I had taken on October 29th. I was bummed, but figured okay, whatever, I'll suffer through the 3-hour glucose tolerance test (GTT) and did so on November 4th. But then I found out that I failed that one too! My fasting number was fine, but because my first draw number was over 200, that meant an automatic diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes (GD). GD!
I was pretty broken up about it at first, and the two weeks between the diagnosis and meeting with the nutritionist were hard because I didn't know how bad things were or if I was eating appropriate things. My doc told me that until I saw the nutritionist, to just try to just spread out my carbs throughout the day and "not go crazy". But I still wasn't sure how much I had to restrict myself or what size portions to eat.
So on November 22nd, (the day before Thanksgiving), I went to see the nutritionist and have a growth ultrasound. I met with the nutritionist and got a glucometer, and instructions to test my blood sugar 4 times per day (fasting, and then 1 hour after every meal) by pricking my finger. The ultrasound was great, and everything looked normal. With GD there is a risk that the baby can grow too large too fast, but she measured at around the 43rd percentile (and has a proportional-sized head!).
I also met with a MFM who told me that if my fundal height measurements and glucose readings were consistently normal and I could manage the GD with diet alone, that I probably wouldn't need to return for any further ultrasounds.
And fortunately, I really haven't had to adjust my diet all that much. During those two weeks I was actually restricting myself way more than I had to. Now I just make sure I eat protein with every carb, and pay attention to spacing out my carbs throughout the day. Almost all my numbers have been great, so after 2 weeks of keeping a food/glucose log and sending it to the nutritionist, I was allowed to drop the fasting test and just do it once per week instead of every day. So, it's annoying, but I've really learned what doesn't work for me (like cereal with milk for breakfast) and it's not so bad. I was even able to have dessert on Thanksgiving and indulge in some of those Christmas cookies we made with no problems. I'm sure looking forward to the day I'm done with this daily finger pricking, though. The bummer is that I'm now supposed to repeat the GTT every 3 years for the rest of my life. :-\
The other thing that has been occupying all my time lately is getting the Sausalito house ready to move into. We've been spending all our free time lately painting and doing small repairs. We had the floors refinished and they look wonderful--I wish I had before/after pictures! Our contractor is currently working on replacing rotting doors and windows, and hopefully will be finished by the time we move in mid-January.
I plan to work until January 20th, and then go on leave at 37 weeks. Hopefully the little miss will be content to stay put for a few weeks past then so I can get the house unpacked and organized! At least we finally have a name for her. :)
I was pretty broken up about it at first, and the two weeks between the diagnosis and meeting with the nutritionist were hard because I didn't know how bad things were or if I was eating appropriate things. My doc told me that until I saw the nutritionist, to just try to just spread out my carbs throughout the day and "not go crazy". But I still wasn't sure how much I had to restrict myself or what size portions to eat.
So on November 22nd, (the day before Thanksgiving), I went to see the nutritionist and have a growth ultrasound. I met with the nutritionist and got a glucometer, and instructions to test my blood sugar 4 times per day (fasting, and then 1 hour after every meal) by pricking my finger. The ultrasound was great, and everything looked normal. With GD there is a risk that the baby can grow too large too fast, but she measured at around the 43rd percentile (and has a proportional-sized head!).
I also met with a MFM who told me that if my fundal height measurements and glucose readings were consistently normal and I could manage the GD with diet alone, that I probably wouldn't need to return for any further ultrasounds.
And fortunately, I really haven't had to adjust my diet all that much. During those two weeks I was actually restricting myself way more than I had to. Now I just make sure I eat protein with every carb, and pay attention to spacing out my carbs throughout the day. Almost all my numbers have been great, so after 2 weeks of keeping a food/glucose log and sending it to the nutritionist, I was allowed to drop the fasting test and just do it once per week instead of every day. So, it's annoying, but I've really learned what doesn't work for me (like cereal with milk for breakfast) and it's not so bad. I was even able to have dessert on Thanksgiving and indulge in some of those Christmas cookies we made with no problems. I'm sure looking forward to the day I'm done with this daily finger pricking, though. The bummer is that I'm now supposed to repeat the GTT every 3 years for the rest of my life. :-\
The other thing that has been occupying all my time lately is getting the Sausalito house ready to move into. We've been spending all our free time lately painting and doing small repairs. We had the floors refinished and they look wonderful--I wish I had before/after pictures! Our contractor is currently working on replacing rotting doors and windows, and hopefully will be finished by the time we move in mid-January.
I plan to work until January 20th, and then go on leave at 37 weeks. Hopefully the little miss will be content to stay put for a few weeks past then so I can get the house unpacked and organized! At least we finally have a name for her. :)
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