Bin Laden Liquors. (Choose "Bin Laden Liquors" from the list - I don't know what the other games are like, but that one is a hoot!)
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
First Taste of Solids
Today, J decided that milk wasn't good enough. I was feeding him, and I was feeling a bit peckish and was eating a chocolate covered wafer candy bar at the same time. (It was really yummy!) Anyway, a piece fell on J's cheek while I was eating it and, before I could stop him, he turned his head and grabbed it into his mouth, melted chocolate still on his little cheek. The wafer quickly dissolved and was swallowed before I could do anything about it. He seemed quite content. No allergic reactions resulted, so it is all a-okay. But I still will not be offering my little boy candy on a regular basis.
Enjoy it, kid. That's all you'll be getting for a really long time!!
He's crabby tonight. REALLY crabby tonight. Poor H has his hands full right now. J is getting a bottle, so he's quiet at the moment, but he was sobbing uncontrollably a moment ago. Crazy baby! Hopefully he will go to sleep soon and we will get some peace.
Enjoy it, kid. That's all you'll be getting for a really long time!!
He's crabby tonight. REALLY crabby tonight. Poor H has his hands full right now. J is getting a bottle, so he's quiet at the moment, but he was sobbing uncontrollably a moment ago. Crazy baby! Hopefully he will go to sleep soon and we will get some peace.
Signature Strengths
My Signature Strengths
1. Capacity to love and be loved
2. Fairness, equity, and justice
3. Honesty, authenticity, and genuineness
4. Kindness and generosity
5. Gratitude
Authentic Happiness - Signature Strengths Survey
1. Capacity to love and be loved
2. Fairness, equity, and justice
3. Honesty, authenticity, and genuineness
4. Kindness and generosity
5. Gratitude
Authentic Happiness - Signature Strengths Survey
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Snip snip
J's tongue-tie is released. We got in to the hospital at 9:00 and were home by 10:00. He just ate. Happy little boy in bassinet now.
He cried very briefly, because he was lying on the table instead of being held. He stopped crying as soon as we picked him up after the procedure. He had a couple of little drops of blood he spat out right away, but not much. It really didn't seem to hurt him at all. There was no anesthetic required, and it was all very simple. J can now move his tongue properly, without any issues, and he can open his mouth wider which is already making his latch a bit better. There is no post-op treatment required - his little tongue is just fine now. He is enjoying his new freedom and experimenting with how far out he can push his tongue. So cute!
He still has the little heart-shaped notch at the tip of his tongue. The pedi says he's been pulling against the tie for long enough that it will probably take about a month for the notch to correct itself. But it should correct itself. YAY!! I'm so glad it is done!
I'm feeling a bit better today. Have a headache, and am still in a bit of hermit mode, but it's improving. Thanks to all my friends for the support yesterday. This too shall pass.
He cried very briefly, because he was lying on the table instead of being held. He stopped crying as soon as we picked him up after the procedure. He had a couple of little drops of blood he spat out right away, but not much. It really didn't seem to hurt him at all. There was no anesthetic required, and it was all very simple. J can now move his tongue properly, without any issues, and he can open his mouth wider which is already making his latch a bit better. There is no post-op treatment required - his little tongue is just fine now. He is enjoying his new freedom and experimenting with how far out he can push his tongue. So cute!
He still has the little heart-shaped notch at the tip of his tongue. The pedi says he's been pulling against the tie for long enough that it will probably take about a month for the notch to correct itself. But it should correct itself. YAY!! I'm so glad it is done!
I'm feeling a bit better today. Have a headache, and am still in a bit of hermit mode, but it's improving. Thanks to all my friends for the support yesterday. This too shall pass.
Monday, June 27, 2005
On J's Weight & Thrush
J weighed in at 8 lbs 13-1/2 oz today!! (He gained 8-1/2 oz in 6 days, my little piggy.)
He has an appointment tomorrow morning at 9:00 to get his tongue-tie released. He'll be over at the hospital for that procedure, but it should be quick and we'll be taking him right home after. I hope this will improve his eating issues and he'll soon stop hurting me when he feeds.
My thrush infection has not cleared up, and it looks just as pronounced as it did last week. Thankfully, J seems unaffected. The lactation specialist, Dr. G, thinks I may have some eczema there as well. She's prescribed two steroid creams to deal with the eczema issue, and I have to continue taking the thrush medication as well. I see her again on July 8 to assess the situation. Hopefully things will soon clear up and I'll be able to feed J without experiencing this pain.
Dr. G has instructed me to limit J's time at the breast. He likes to suck on things, and he has a really strong sucking reflex; he'll stay on one side for 45 minutes at a time, even though he can't possibly still be getting milk. It takes around 2 hours to feed the little guy this way! So Dr. G has instructed me to pop him off after 20 minutes and make him switch sides. That should help me out some.
On another note, I am feeling despondent today. I have been for a few days now. I think I'm probably over-tired, and possibly coming down with a cold. But for whatever reason, I have the blues just now. I think I may hermit here for a bit; I'm not much fun when I feel like this. I will definitely try to get a nap in today, as I think it may help my mood.
He has an appointment tomorrow morning at 9:00 to get his tongue-tie released. He'll be over at the hospital for that procedure, but it should be quick and we'll be taking him right home after. I hope this will improve his eating issues and he'll soon stop hurting me when he feeds.
My thrush infection has not cleared up, and it looks just as pronounced as it did last week. Thankfully, J seems unaffected. The lactation specialist, Dr. G, thinks I may have some eczema there as well. She's prescribed two steroid creams to deal with the eczema issue, and I have to continue taking the thrush medication as well. I see her again on July 8 to assess the situation. Hopefully things will soon clear up and I'll be able to feed J without experiencing this pain.
Dr. G has instructed me to limit J's time at the breast. He likes to suck on things, and he has a really strong sucking reflex; he'll stay on one side for 45 minutes at a time, even though he can't possibly still be getting milk. It takes around 2 hours to feed the little guy this way! So Dr. G has instructed me to pop him off after 20 minutes and make him switch sides. That should help me out some.
On another note, I am feeling despondent today. I have been for a few days now. I think I'm probably over-tired, and possibly coming down with a cold. But for whatever reason, I have the blues just now. I think I may hermit here for a bit; I'm not much fun when I feel like this. I will definitely try to get a nap in today, as I think it may help my mood.
Sunday, June 26, 2005
Why do I get so much spam?
I just checked my email. Got more spam. At least my spam filter is working and I don't have to see the plethora of emails about meeting Christian singles in my area or signing up to receive a free horoscope. But some of it still gets through, and I'm sick of it. I flag it junk and add the annoying senders to my blocked senders list. And still it comes.
I decided to double-check my junk mail folder today, and was astounded to see nearly 300 spam emails were received in the last week. I permanently deleted all of them. I just don't see why I am being inundated so. AAARGH!!!
I decided to double-check my junk mail folder today, and was astounded to see nearly 300 spam emails were received in the last week. I permanently deleted all of them. I just don't see why I am being inundated so. AAARGH!!!
Baby-free Outing
Tonight, H and I went to see a musical. It was really well done. H's brother, C, was in it, as was C's girlfriend, L. We thought they were both brilliant. It was really nice to get out of the house together without the baby. It's the first time since J's birth that I've been further than the Mac's store without him. I love J so much, but every so often, you just need time with the grown-ups, you know?
My parents came over around 6:30 to look after J for us. He had done some major cluster-feeding today, and was eating from 4:00 until 5:30, and then again from 6:00 until 6:30. We were rather nervous that schedule would continue in our absence, so we made sure there were two bottles in the fridge, just in case. One had 4 oz, and the other had 5 oz. We phoned in intermission and after the show to see how J was doing. He'd been lulled to sleep, and was quite peaceful.
We got home around 11:30. J had slept across my mother's lap the entire time we were gone. He fussed a little bit, but settled quickly for them. He didn't even wake up for food. We woke him when we got home and gave him his 4 oz bottle. And I did some pumping. J's cluster feeds have really done the trick. I had my doubts as to whether my body really would produce enough milk to satisfy his monstrous appetite. But I was able to pump a good 5 oz, and still had milk to spare. I had to stop because the bottle was full. So I have to start using the 9 oz bottles now instead of the 4 oz ones, as I'm producing more milk now. What a little piggy I have here! Anyway, we'll give him the 5 oz bottle at his next feed, probably in the wee small hours. He'll be getting to bed shortly. He was sleeping in my arms, but is starting to cry now. Good time to change him into his sleeper.
I can't get over it - the one night he's not all colicky, we miss it! Oh well; his colic has been steadily improving over time. Perhaps we've about seen the end of it now.
***********
On a special note, J got a new onesie today. His is black with silver sparkly letters. (They were out of the matching hat, though, so he was spared that much.)
My parents came over around 6:30 to look after J for us. He had done some major cluster-feeding today, and was eating from 4:00 until 5:30, and then again from 6:00 until 6:30. We were rather nervous that schedule would continue in our absence, so we made sure there were two bottles in the fridge, just in case. One had 4 oz, and the other had 5 oz. We phoned in intermission and after the show to see how J was doing. He'd been lulled to sleep, and was quite peaceful.
We got home around 11:30. J had slept across my mother's lap the entire time we were gone. He fussed a little bit, but settled quickly for them. He didn't even wake up for food. We woke him when we got home and gave him his 4 oz bottle. And I did some pumping. J's cluster feeds have really done the trick. I had my doubts as to whether my body really would produce enough milk to satisfy his monstrous appetite. But I was able to pump a good 5 oz, and still had milk to spare. I had to stop because the bottle was full. So I have to start using the 9 oz bottles now instead of the 4 oz ones, as I'm producing more milk now. What a little piggy I have here! Anyway, we'll give him the 5 oz bottle at his next feed, probably in the wee small hours. He'll be getting to bed shortly. He was sleeping in my arms, but is starting to cry now. Good time to change him into his sleeper.
I can't get over it - the one night he's not all colicky, we miss it! Oh well; his colic has been steadily improving over time. Perhaps we've about seen the end of it now.
***********
On a special note, J got a new onesie today. His is black with silver sparkly letters. (They were out of the matching hat, though, so he was spared that much.)
Saturday, June 25, 2005
The Soother Baton
Friday, June 24, 2005
Dinner
Roasted garlic chicken with carrots and rosemary potatoes. Easy. Healthy. Yummy. Whole house still smells like garlic, though. But it's worth it.
Grumpy, cluster-feeding baby refused to nap today. That's it, J; keep screaming. That'll make it all better. He's still hurting me, so cluster-feeding is terrible. And he just yanked on my hair too. OW!!!!! Wonderful.
Grumpy, cluster-feeding baby refused to nap today. That's it, J; keep screaming. That'll make it all better. He's still hurting me, so cluster-feeding is terrible. And he just yanked on my hair too. OW!!!!! Wonderful.
Very energetic today
Crib mattress is in crib. Waterproof mattress pad and crib sheet are on mattress. Crib quilt is hung over side of crib; it needs to be washed. Activity toy is installed in crib. Board books are in shelving unit. H still needs to adjust the height of the mattress - it's on the lowest level at the moment, and it should not be. I could probably adjust it, but H likes to play with tools, so I'll not deprive him of that one.
Baby's room is really coming along. Soon, J will be able to sleep in there. I must go and change his diaper now, then grab some lunch, and I'm thinking of taking him over to the health centre to be weighed today. And hopefully I'll fit in a nap this afternoon also. The weekend could be busy, and rest is in order.
Baby's room is really coming along. Soon, J will be able to sleep in there. I must go and change his diaper now, then grab some lunch, and I'm thinking of taking him over to the health centre to be weighed today. And hopefully I'll fit in a nap this afternoon also. The weekend could be busy, and rest is in order.
Teddy Bear Hammock
Today's large task: load teddy bear hammock. Done!
J has many stuffed animals - some from friends and family, and some that were saved from when I was a child. We got our teddy bear hammock (jumbo sized) installed a couple of days ago, and H along with my dad started to load it up while my mom and I tried to console a crying J. Dad and H thought it couldn't hold a great deal, and certainly nowhere near what was advertised on the box, and they finished up with a closet full of stuffed animals remaining behind, scratching their heads, wondering where we would ever put them all. Mom thought they had possibly installed the wrong hammock, as we had a regular sized one as well as the jumbo size. (Hopefully, theatre_mommy will benefit from the regular sized hammock.) But no; it was the jumbo one that got installed. As with any hammock, the teddy bear hammock becomes more stable as it is filled. So this morning, I unloaded it, pulled all the toys out of the closet, and sorted all of the animals by size. Then I loaded the hammock back up. I am pleased to report that it holds all of the animals I was trying to fit into it, with a small amount of room to spare.
Of course, it is situated in the only spot it could go: in the corner that reaches over J's change table. So we will have to watch like a hawk to ensure that the hammock remains stable as toys are unloaded for him to play with and reloaded afterward. Oh well. It sure clears up a lot of space! And it is a nice, stable spot to put all his stuffed toys. YAY!!
J is waking up now. Off we go.
J has many stuffed animals - some from friends and family, and some that were saved from when I was a child. We got our teddy bear hammock (jumbo sized) installed a couple of days ago, and H along with my dad started to load it up while my mom and I tried to console a crying J. Dad and H thought it couldn't hold a great deal, and certainly nowhere near what was advertised on the box, and they finished up with a closet full of stuffed animals remaining behind, scratching their heads, wondering where we would ever put them all. Mom thought they had possibly installed the wrong hammock, as we had a regular sized one as well as the jumbo size. (Hopefully, theatre_mommy will benefit from the regular sized hammock.) But no; it was the jumbo one that got installed. As with any hammock, the teddy bear hammock becomes more stable as it is filled. So this morning, I unloaded it, pulled all the toys out of the closet, and sorted all of the animals by size. Then I loaded the hammock back up. I am pleased to report that it holds all of the animals I was trying to fit into it, with a small amount of room to spare.
Of course, it is situated in the only spot it could go: in the corner that reaches over J's change table. So we will have to watch like a hawk to ensure that the hammock remains stable as toys are unloaded for him to play with and reloaded afterward. Oh well. It sure clears up a lot of space! And it is a nice, stable spot to put all his stuffed toys. YAY!!
J is waking up now. Off we go.
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Terrible Night
It's like a million degrees in the house, and J has decided he is in the mood for cuddles. With me. Only me. While being walked around, carried upright, and jiggled. In the bedroom. With the ceiling fan on and "The Incredibles" on the DVD player. He won't take his pacifier or let H hold him. He's just eaten 4-1/2 oz of expressed milk by bottle, and his diaper has been changed, so no problems on those fronts. And if I tried to change even one element in the delicate balance of walking, jiggling and noise, he started to scream. This is why I am up at this time of morning.
I'm currently allowing him to try to feed, even though there is no milk left in me, so that I can leave the bedroom and let H catch some sleep before work tomorrow. J is not screaming at the breast (though I myself am starting to feel like screaming, it hurts so much). I took some Codeine earlier, thinking J was going to sleep. Now I have to keep myself busy so that I can stay awake while I hold him until I can lull him to sleep. Journaling will hopefully help for a while.
On a somewhat related note, J really seems to like music. He's picky, though. He prefers easy listening, sung to him by a parent. It must be sung with great fervor and drama, like we mean it - it can't be in a baby-talk kind of a voice, or he'll cry. Usually, if I sing When I Need You by Leo Sayer while I hold him and look into his eyes, he will calm right down. I'm not sure what's more disturbing: that my child seems to enjoy this song, or that I apparently know all the words.
I'm currently allowing him to try to feed, even though there is no milk left in me, so that I can leave the bedroom and let H catch some sleep before work tomorrow. J is not screaming at the breast (though I myself am starting to feel like screaming, it hurts so much). I took some Codeine earlier, thinking J was going to sleep. Now I have to keep myself busy so that I can stay awake while I hold him until I can lull him to sleep. Journaling will hopefully help for a while.
On a somewhat related note, J really seems to like music. He's picky, though. He prefers easy listening, sung to him by a parent. It must be sung with great fervor and drama, like we mean it - it can't be in a baby-talk kind of a voice, or he'll cry. Usually, if I sing When I Need You by Leo Sayer while I hold him and look into his eyes, he will calm right down. I'm not sure what's more disturbing: that my child seems to enjoy this song, or that I apparently know all the words.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Doctors Annoy Me
We had our lactation appointment today. They were quite smart. But doctors up until now have really bugged me. Especially now that I have gotten some good advice.
It seems the reason breastfeeding has been so painful is that I have somehow gotten thrush. It's a bad case, and has resulted in some fairly extensive nipple damage. Of course, if I would have been referred to the lactation consultants earlier, or if any doctor I complained of pain to had bothered to look at me, it would have been caught earlier and I'd have been treated earlier on and be doing better now. As it is, I have to start a 2 week course of medication. Thank God for benefits, as the meds were just over $100 without the benefits (works out to around $6.75 per pill). I also have been prescribed Codeine for the pain in the interim. And I've received some good tips for how to feed J more effectively. His weight gain is less than optimal, so they recommend I change how I'm feeding him to try and get him more milk. I have a follow up appointment with them on Monday. Hopefully we can turn things around and bring J's weight gain more in line. I hate the idea of having to give up breastfeeding or having to supplement with formula, but if I can't get him to gain weight with just my milk, I may have to do that. I sure hope not, though.
The lactation doctor has referred J to a pediatric surgeon to snip his tongue tie. Since J isn't gaining enough weight and I've been damaged from feeding him, they have decided that we can go ahead with that procedure if we like. And since it's a simple procedure without any risks, we've decided to go ahead with it. The surgeon is on vacation until Monday, so we'll get our appointment at that time.
Hopefully once these things are dealt with, J will eat better.
It seems the reason breastfeeding has been so painful is that I have somehow gotten thrush. It's a bad case, and has resulted in some fairly extensive nipple damage. Of course, if I would have been referred to the lactation consultants earlier, or if any doctor I complained of pain to had bothered to look at me, it would have been caught earlier and I'd have been treated earlier on and be doing better now. As it is, I have to start a 2 week course of medication. Thank God for benefits, as the meds were just over $100 without the benefits (works out to around $6.75 per pill). I also have been prescribed Codeine for the pain in the interim. And I've received some good tips for how to feed J more effectively. His weight gain is less than optimal, so they recommend I change how I'm feeding him to try and get him more milk. I have a follow up appointment with them on Monday. Hopefully we can turn things around and bring J's weight gain more in line. I hate the idea of having to give up breastfeeding or having to supplement with formula, but if I can't get him to gain weight with just my milk, I may have to do that. I sure hope not, though.
The lactation doctor has referred J to a pediatric surgeon to snip his tongue tie. Since J isn't gaining enough weight and I've been damaged from feeding him, they have decided that we can go ahead with that procedure if we like. And since it's a simple procedure without any risks, we've decided to go ahead with it. The surgeon is on vacation until Monday, so we'll get our appointment at that time.
Hopefully once these things are dealt with, J will eat better.
Sunday, June 19, 2005
Medical Stuff
J is a breastfed baby. He is supposed to have poops that are very wet and kind of a mustardy yellow. It has never been a concern before. But all day yesterday and part of the day before, J had very green poops. They were kind of dry and green. We were alarmed and checked with the health line. They theorized that J was getting too much frontmilk and not enough of the rich hindmilk that he needs (it's a problem with "oversupply"). A suggestion I received was to express away some of the frontmilk before breastfeeding him.
Since he is really hurting me when he eats now, we are giving him bottles of expressed milk virtually any time H is home. But on Friday, when H was working, I had noticed that J wasn't eating as well as usual. He just kept fussing at the breast. I thought maybe the green poops were the after-effects from that, as it was entirely possible he hadn't gotten to the good hindmilk all day long and only received the good stuff in his bottle feed that evening. We decided to continue to bottle feed him yesterday and just keep a really close eye on it.
And as of now, his poops have returned to the usual color. I truly never thought I'd be so happy about poop! But we know that green stuff is cause for alarm, and I was really worried all day yesterday, and even at his 4 a.m. feed (which he woke for again today) when it was all green. Hopefully it will stay a normal color now and we won't have to worry about it any longer.
Since he is really hurting me when he eats now, we are giving him bottles of expressed milk virtually any time H is home. But on Friday, when H was working, I had noticed that J wasn't eating as well as usual. He just kept fussing at the breast. I thought maybe the green poops were the after-effects from that, as it was entirely possible he hadn't gotten to the good hindmilk all day long and only received the good stuff in his bottle feed that evening. We decided to continue to bottle feed him yesterday and just keep a really close eye on it.
And as of now, his poops have returned to the usual color. I truly never thought I'd be so happy about poop! But we know that green stuff is cause for alarm, and I was really worried all day yesterday, and even at his 4 a.m. feed (which he woke for again today) when it was all green. Hopefully it will stay a normal color now and we won't have to worry about it any longer.
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Pooh Nightlight
H's mom gave J a Pooh-bear nightlite. It is adorable. When you squeeze its tummy, the face lights up and it plays an assortment of children's songs with nature sounds in the background. It is currently one of J's favorite toys. When he is upset, we squeeze the Pooh-bear's tummy and J just gets completely mesmerized!
So I thought I should post this pic of J with one of his favorite toys ever.
We don't actually let him sleep with his stuffed animals just yet, but we let him cuddle them until he falls asleep, and then take them away. We're a bit nervous about putting stuff in the bassinet with such a little guy.
So I thought I should post this pic of J with one of his favorite toys ever.
We don't actually let him sleep with his stuffed animals just yet, but we let him cuddle them until he falls asleep, and then take them away. We're a bit nervous about putting stuff in the bassinet with such a little guy.
Jazz and Jive - Ah, Cats!
Having fallen asleep after eating a maple pecan danish from Tim Horton's (mmmm), I awoke half an hour later to a soft thud. I looked down and saw Jazz on the floor. She had fallen off the bed. Seems she was temporarily blinded by the Tim Horton's bag she was wearing over her entire head.
Meanwhile, earlier this morning, Jive, apparently very hungry because he hadn't been fed yet, suddenly and without warning leaped at and climbed the side of J's bassinet, wrapped his little clawed feet around the side, hung there suspended in the air, and peered inside at J with a look on his face that decidedly said "Kibble?". T chased him out of the room.
Meanwhile, earlier this morning, Jive, apparently very hungry because he hadn't been fed yet, suddenly and without warning leaped at and climbed the side of J's bassinet, wrapped his little clawed feet around the side, hung there suspended in the air, and peered inside at J with a look on his face that decidedly said "Kibble?". T chased him out of the room.
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Six Hours of Uninterrupted Sleep
It's blissful!
J refused to nap at all yesterday. I tried to put him down to sleep at his usual times, but he would have none of it. He was quite unhappy (probably because he was tired!) and he cried quite a bit. It was a tough day.
But it all balanced out in the end - proof, at least in my warped little mind, that karma does indeed exist.We gave him his bath before he went to bed last night. (He still hates baths, and he cried lots after he was done. More than usual, I'd say.) Then we got him ready for bed and settled in his little bassinet around midnight (what a night owl baby we have). And he did not wake up for his 4 a.m. feed and diaper change!! Usually, you could set your watch by him at the 4 a.m. feed. So when I woke up at 5 a.m., I got quite panicky. But he was fine - just sleeping soundly. He woke up at 6:00.
What a wonderful baby!
He's back in his bassinet now. I must return to try and sleep. Who knows what he'll permit me to do today? The baby is always in control.
J refused to nap at all yesterday. I tried to put him down to sleep at his usual times, but he would have none of it. He was quite unhappy (probably because he was tired!) and he cried quite a bit. It was a tough day.
But it all balanced out in the end - proof, at least in my warped little mind, that karma does indeed exist.We gave him his bath before he went to bed last night. (He still hates baths, and he cried lots after he was done. More than usual, I'd say.) Then we got him ready for bed and settled in his little bassinet around midnight (what a night owl baby we have). And he did not wake up for his 4 a.m. feed and diaper change!! Usually, you could set your watch by him at the 4 a.m. feed. So when I woke up at 5 a.m., I got quite panicky. But he was fine - just sleeping soundly. He woke up at 6:00.
What a wonderful baby!
He's back in his bassinet now. I must return to try and sleep. Who knows what he'll permit me to do today? The baby is always in control.
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Look What J Can Do Now!
The Evil Medicentre
I just got back from the Medicentre. Despite my 9:00 arrival, right when they opened, there were already 7 people waiting to get in ahead of us. So roughly 2 hours later, we were seen.
The good news is that I managed to get the lactation referral. The bad news is that I had to argue to even get that much, and I couldn't get the referral to the oral surgeon. Perhaps the lactation specialists will refer us.
I am once more unimpressed with the Medicentre. I told the doctor about J having problems latching on and getting enough milk, and I told him that we had begun supplementing with bottles of pumped milk so that he could get more into him, and I told him that it was painful to breastfeed, and I told him that J becomes frustrated and then bites and badly bruises me. His answer? He said that as long as I was pumping and feeding J the expressed milk, that was sufficient! My answer? "Not to me, it isn't."
He also confirmed that J is tongue-tied (I don't think I would have believed a Medicentre doctor if I hadn't heard it from the community health nurse already), but he said that he didn't think it was "that bad" a case, and J may be able to "overcome it". I don't want him to have to overcome it! Especially not when the procedure that corrects it is so incredibly simple (and he even confirmed that is the case). I mean, if it were a complex and dangerous procedure, that would be another story entirely. But this is just a little tiny snip with the scissors. They don't even anesthetize first. It's very basic.
Anyway, I will make my peace with getting one referral at a time. I will get to go to the lactation consultants. They can always refer us to a doctor to correct the tongue-tie at that time.
The good news is that I managed to get the lactation referral. The bad news is that I had to argue to even get that much, and I couldn't get the referral to the oral surgeon. Perhaps the lactation specialists will refer us.
I am once more unimpressed with the Medicentre. I told the doctor about J having problems latching on and getting enough milk, and I told him that we had begun supplementing with bottles of pumped milk so that he could get more into him, and I told him that it was painful to breastfeed, and I told him that J becomes frustrated and then bites and badly bruises me. His answer? He said that as long as I was pumping and feeding J the expressed milk, that was sufficient! My answer? "Not to me, it isn't."
He also confirmed that J is tongue-tied (I don't think I would have believed a Medicentre doctor if I hadn't heard it from the community health nurse already), but he said that he didn't think it was "that bad" a case, and J may be able to "overcome it". I don't want him to have to overcome it! Especially not when the procedure that corrects it is so incredibly simple (and he even confirmed that is the case). I mean, if it were a complex and dangerous procedure, that would be another story entirely. But this is just a little tiny snip with the scissors. They don't even anesthetize first. It's very basic.
Anyway, I will make my peace with getting one referral at a time. I will get to go to the lactation consultants. They can always refer us to a doctor to correct the tongue-tie at that time.
I have been baptized
J rocket-pooed me this morning.
We are actually not having the best morning so far. At both his 4:00 a.m. feedings and this most recent feed, he got frustrated and bit me. Man does that hurt! And I don't think he even got enough milk from either feed. After this most recent feeding, I went to change his diaper. He peed on himself and all over his sleeper, so I decided to get him dressed for the day. He then started spitting up (fortunately, I now just keep a burp cloth under his head during diaper changes, so it didn't get in his hair this time around). I dealt with some of the spit up, then returned to the diaper change. Had his diaper off, new diaper under him, and was just starting to put on his diaper cream, and that was when it happened. Rocket-poo!
We're all cleaned up now, and J is in his bassinet where he is happy. I'm about to grab him so we can get to the Medicentre when they open at 9:00 and avoid a long wait. Neither J's pediatrician nor my GP can see him before July 8, and that's just too far away when he's having feeding difficulties like this. So off I go, to the Medicentre's (somewhat questionable, in my opinion) doctors, to ask for a lactation referral. This time, I'm also going to try for a referral to an oral surgeon who may be able to treat J's tongue tie.
I have concluded that all the best doctors are not taking new patients and are overbooked, so you cannot see them when you need to. It's a shame that when we really need a doctor right away, we have to go to someone who's (maybe) not as good. When I really need a doctor right away, that's when the really good doctor would actually be handy.
We are actually not having the best morning so far. At both his 4:00 a.m. feedings and this most recent feed, he got frustrated and bit me. Man does that hurt! And I don't think he even got enough milk from either feed. After this most recent feeding, I went to change his diaper. He peed on himself and all over his sleeper, so I decided to get him dressed for the day. He then started spitting up (fortunately, I now just keep a burp cloth under his head during diaper changes, so it didn't get in his hair this time around). I dealt with some of the spit up, then returned to the diaper change. Had his diaper off, new diaper under him, and was just starting to put on his diaper cream, and that was when it happened. Rocket-poo!
We're all cleaned up now, and J is in his bassinet where he is happy. I'm about to grab him so we can get to the Medicentre when they open at 9:00 and avoid a long wait. Neither J's pediatrician nor my GP can see him before July 8, and that's just too far away when he's having feeding difficulties like this. So off I go, to the Medicentre's (somewhat questionable, in my opinion) doctors, to ask for a lactation referral. This time, I'm also going to try for a referral to an oral surgeon who may be able to treat J's tongue tie.
I have concluded that all the best doctors are not taking new patients and are overbooked, so you cannot see them when you need to. It's a shame that when we really need a doctor right away, we have to go to someone who's (maybe) not as good. When I really need a doctor right away, that's when the really good doctor would actually be handy.
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Backdated
Today is June 14. Someone phoned me today to ask that we not take his May 24 payment out of his account. But TODAY IS JUNE 14!!!
Perhaps he meant next May.
Perhaps he meant next May.
Monday, June 13, 2005
Three Little Babes
Saturday, June 11, 2005
All "Pooh-ed" Out
As parents, we are mere pawns, catering to the merciless whims of "Disney".
The J is sleeping in his bassinet, lined with a Classic Pooh receiving blanket from Winners. He wears a blue and green pantsuit with a large Tigger in the corner, a gift from my brother, R, and his wife, C. He also sports a Pooh Bear bib, courtesy of the lovely Miss Dottie P., along with the matching hat and booties that we purchased from Zellers. His ensemble is completed with a Tigger soother. The Pooh Bear and Tigger beanies, from my sister, J, add the finishing touch to these lovely shots, don't you think?
The J is sleeping in his bassinet, lined with a Classic Pooh receiving blanket from Winners. He wears a blue and green pantsuit with a large Tigger in the corner, a gift from my brother, R, and his wife, C. He also sports a Pooh Bear bib, courtesy of the lovely Miss Dottie P., along with the matching hat and booties that we purchased from Zellers. His ensemble is completed with a Tigger soother. The Pooh Bear and Tigger beanies, from my sister, J, add the finishing touch to these lovely shots, don't you think?
Babies don't know from gravity
J's kingdom of pukedom has been improving over time. He no longer spits up anywhere near as much. But sometimes, he just lets it out, and it's absolutely unbelievable! Today, I kid you not, he puked in an upward direction. It was a milk arc, and it got all over his face, in his eyes and all through his hair. He then had a nice bath. He hates baths, but they are necessary.
He is screaming now from the after-effects. We're going to go for a walk through the neighborhood and see if that makes him happy. I sure hope so.
He is screaming now from the after-effects. We're going to go for a walk through the neighborhood and see if that makes him happy. I sure hope so.
Friday, June 10, 2005
Uncle Bill and Aunt Marion
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Ah, to be rich and insane
In my lunch break at work today, I was reading in one of those tabloid mags (it was in the lunch room and I was bored - what can I tell you) about Lindsay Lohan's sudden weight loss. The article talked about Lindsay and her friends at a Hollywood Jeans Fair, where Lindsay, holding up a complimentary pair of 21" jeans, stated "Boy are these ever tiny", to which her friends replied "Lindsay, you're so tiny".
My only thought at reading this was: What the hell does Lindsay Lohan need with free pants???
My only thought at reading this was: What the hell does Lindsay Lohan need with free pants???
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Tongue-Tied
Little J had his shots today. Unpleasant, but not as bad as I thought it would be. He screamed for a bit (who could blame the poor little guy?) and needed some baby Tylenol a couple of hours after it was over, but that was about all. He now weighs 7 lbs 11 oz and measures 20-1/4" long. While he has gained at an acceptable rate (roughly 1 pound per month), he is still small for his gestational age, measuring only in the fifth percentile. He's 2 months old today.
The nurse at the health centre had no real concerns, however, except that our baby appears to be quite literally "tongue-tied". It's those little flaps of skin we all have under our tongues that anchor them to the bottoms of our mouths. Well J's (which is visible only when he's screaming, by the way) is too short (the tip of his tongue is attached to the floor of his mouth) and, as a result, he can't open his mouth very wide or stick out his tongue. It interferes with his feeding (which is why he gets hungry so frequently, slips off the breast, gets gassy, etc.) and it can also affect his speech as he gets older. So it will likely need to be snipped, and I will have to phone his pediatrician tomorrow and ask about that. It sounds like a simple procedure. Thank heaven for that.
Anyway, J just finished eating and had a nice burp and spit-up. He got it right down the front of his over-sized nightshirt. (On the inside of the shirt - which now must be pulled over his head with baby puke on it. Yuck!) Bath time for baby.
The nurse at the health centre had no real concerns, however, except that our baby appears to be quite literally "tongue-tied". It's those little flaps of skin we all have under our tongues that anchor them to the bottoms of our mouths. Well J's (which is visible only when he's screaming, by the way) is too short (the tip of his tongue is attached to the floor of his mouth) and, as a result, he can't open his mouth very wide or stick out his tongue. It interferes with his feeding (which is why he gets hungry so frequently, slips off the breast, gets gassy, etc.) and it can also affect his speech as he gets older. So it will likely need to be snipped, and I will have to phone his pediatrician tomorrow and ask about that. It sounds like a simple procedure. Thank heaven for that.
Anyway, J just finished eating and had a nice burp and spit-up. He got it right down the front of his over-sized nightshirt. (On the inside of the shirt - which now must be pulled over his head with baby puke on it. Yuck!) Bath time for baby.
Monday, June 06, 2005
"My Mommy is the Greatest!"
Observation: When an 18-year old whose mommy (I assume) is buying him a brand new 2005 vehicle MUST have insurance by the end of the day, it would really help us out if said 18-year old would kindly make himself available to deal with prior to the end of that day.
Seriously folks, don't have your mommy phone me to put insurance on your vehicle for you. If you're old enough to drive, you're old enough to arrange your own insurance!! (Poor kid, probably doesn't even know where the gas is supposed to go.)
Seriously folks, don't have your mommy phone me to put insurance on your vehicle for you. If you're old enough to drive, you're old enough to arrange your own insurance!! (Poor kid, probably doesn't even know where the gas is supposed to go.)
H Singing to J
H was singing to J tonight ("Any Dream Will Do" from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat):
Now I return
To the beginning
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo-dee, doo, doo, doo
And I don't know
How the rest of the words go
But I sure love you
Any dream will do.
Now I return
To the beginning
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo-dee, doo, doo, doo
It's the only part
Of the song that I know
But I'm still singing
Any dream will do.
***************
My husband is so sweet!
Now I return
To the beginning
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo-dee, doo, doo, doo
And I don't know
How the rest of the words go
But I sure love you
Any dream will do.
Now I return
To the beginning
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo-dee, doo, doo, doo
It's the only part
Of the song that I know
But I'm still singing
Any dream will do.
***************
My husband is so sweet!
Sunday, June 05, 2005
Friday, June 03, 2005
Wanting to Study for my CORES Level II
It's a corporate registry accreditation, and they run challenge exams every so often. Having my level II will give me an added boost in the legal field. There are 3 levels, and I have the level I already. I have to get the levels in order, of course. And to pass the exam, I'll need at least an 80%. I've got all the materials printed off and organized. (It's just a huge book!) Now, all I need is some time to study. But I can't do it with the baby in my arms, and he hates his swing and isn't too pleased with his bouncy chair either. He figures all of his awake time should be spent being held. So I can only study when he naps. (It's not like typing - I need both hands free to maneuver the big book and do the practice work.)
Now, J's started to be awake more. I like that he's getting more interactive, but it does make it tough to study. Usually, when he's awake, he's either feeding or crying. Though the colic is improving, it's still an issue, so he cries a fair bit. But he's also having bouts of "wide-eyed wonderment", which are very cute. He just stares into our eyes for long periods of time. He really likes faces now, so he had some fun today looking at himself in the mirror, and reaching out to touch. It was all very cute! But I still couldn't study, of course.
Perhaps I'll get to study a bit this weekend. H is off work and, as long as J's crying doesn't get too disruptive, it might buy me some time. I'll see how that goes. My dad is coming to help us put in a raised garden bed tomorrow, so that will eat up some of our time. But it's one of those household chores that has to be done. One of many that have been neglected, I'm afraid.
I hope J's colicky disposition improves at that magical 3-month mark. (He'll be 2 months old on Tuesday.) If he'll accept less time being held and driven about in the car, I may actually be able to take the exam in fall. I hope so. I need to try and take another accounting course in fall too, but can't do that one-handed either!
Ah well, we shall see. Anyway, it's burp time for baby. Need both hands now! (Sigh!)
Now, J's started to be awake more. I like that he's getting more interactive, but it does make it tough to study. Usually, when he's awake, he's either feeding or crying. Though the colic is improving, it's still an issue, so he cries a fair bit. But he's also having bouts of "wide-eyed wonderment", which are very cute. He just stares into our eyes for long periods of time. He really likes faces now, so he had some fun today looking at himself in the mirror, and reaching out to touch. It was all very cute! But I still couldn't study, of course.
Perhaps I'll get to study a bit this weekend. H is off work and, as long as J's crying doesn't get too disruptive, it might buy me some time. I'll see how that goes. My dad is coming to help us put in a raised garden bed tomorrow, so that will eat up some of our time. But it's one of those household chores that has to be done. One of many that have been neglected, I'm afraid.
I hope J's colicky disposition improves at that magical 3-month mark. (He'll be 2 months old on Tuesday.) If he'll accept less time being held and driven about in the car, I may actually be able to take the exam in fall. I hope so. I need to try and take another accounting course in fall too, but can't do that one-handed either!
Ah well, we shall see. Anyway, it's burp time for baby. Need both hands now! (Sigh!)
Thursday, June 02, 2005
J got shades
J's Day (June 1)
Well, little J woke up yesterday morning needing to be changed and fed. I changed his wet diaper, and he peed during the diaper change all over his sleeper. Put him in a new sleeper, and then fed him. Then I started to burp him. Two minutes into burping, he pooped. I'm supposed to try and keep him upright for 15-20 minutes after feeding (he has some reflux issues), so tried to wait to change him. But I couldn't, as his diaper started to leak and the poop was on his little white sleeper and getting all over me.
So I went off to change him. Got the new diaper on him, and laid him back down so I could rinse out the clothes as best I could. Returned to get him and put him in a new sleeper, and discovered he'd vomited all into his hair. Washed his hair, got him dressed, and held him up to continue with burping as he was still spitting up some. That's when he abruptly moved off the burp cloth and vomited on my outfit. Continued to hold him upright (figured I'd change later), and he loudly pooped again ... but he was still spitting up, so I had to wait to change him.
15 minutes passes. So, I go to change him again. Before I can get the diaper safely away, he wrenches his foot free and puts it in the poopy diaper, then into the diaper cream. I clean his foot and his bum and start to get him changed. He then starts to spit up again. I get it cleaned up before he gets it in his hair, then put a burp cloth under his head to keep it from getting in his hair. He cries, not wanting a burp cloth under his head. (Babies!) But he gets changed and does not get more spit-up in his hair. (Score one for mommy.)
He seems to have finished spitting up, so I put him back in his bassinet and get myself into a clean outfit. I pick him up to take him downstairs, put his soother in his mouth, and start to walk away. And he spits up - through the soother - all over the clean outfit I am now wearing.
He then fell asleep in my arms and, though it had to be unintentional, I swear he was giving me the finger!!
On a bright note, that was all in the morning. In the afternoon, we went to see Madagascar with theatre_mommy and A. It was really cute, and J was a perfect angel during the movie. He just slept!
Anyway, he's finished his midnight feed now and is wanting his soother. Off we go!
So I went off to change him. Got the new diaper on him, and laid him back down so I could rinse out the clothes as best I could. Returned to get him and put him in a new sleeper, and discovered he'd vomited all into his hair. Washed his hair, got him dressed, and held him up to continue with burping as he was still spitting up some. That's when he abruptly moved off the burp cloth and vomited on my outfit. Continued to hold him upright (figured I'd change later), and he loudly pooped again ... but he was still spitting up, so I had to wait to change him.
15 minutes passes. So, I go to change him again. Before I can get the diaper safely away, he wrenches his foot free and puts it in the poopy diaper, then into the diaper cream. I clean his foot and his bum and start to get him changed. He then starts to spit up again. I get it cleaned up before he gets it in his hair, then put a burp cloth under his head to keep it from getting in his hair. He cries, not wanting a burp cloth under his head. (Babies!) But he gets changed and does not get more spit-up in his hair. (Score one for mommy.)
He seems to have finished spitting up, so I put him back in his bassinet and get myself into a clean outfit. I pick him up to take him downstairs, put his soother in his mouth, and start to walk away. And he spits up - through the soother - all over the clean outfit I am now wearing.
He then fell asleep in my arms and, though it had to be unintentional, I swear he was giving me the finger!!
On a bright note, that was all in the morning. In the afternoon, we went to see Madagascar with theatre_mommy and A. It was really cute, and J was a perfect angel during the movie. He just slept!
Anyway, he's finished his midnight feed now and is wanting his soother. Off we go!
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