Tummy Time

In this video LJ is practicing his "tummy time." Laying on the floor on his tummy helps him build the muscles in his neck and gets him ready to start crawling. Added bonus, it gets gas out!

Visit from A Friend

Today my high school plus friend stopped by to say hello! Ivy has been a big help (and so have many other people!) . It really does take a village. Thankfully my mom was here right before, during, and two weeks after LJ was born. I'm also lucky to live close to some of my inlaws! And my sister lives close by so she stops by weekly to cook a meal or hold LJ while I was my hair. The list can go on and on. Thank you for everyone near and far who has visited us, sent us gifts, prayed for us, and given us encouragement.

WORK? Bah Humbug!

Everyone asks me if I miss work. Work? Bah humbug! I don't have time to think about work. My days are pretty full. Most days I feed LJ then change his diaper. Afterwards we go for a 45-60 min walk. If I'm lucky he falls asleep and stays asleep until I take a shower and get dressed. Then I may (its up to the little guy) feed him or go straight to breakfast. LJ is most active in the mornings. So I try to take advantage of that by putting him in his chair (or on a blanket) while I make and eat breakfast and (time permitting) unload the dishwasher. On Tuesdays and some Thursdays we go to Mommy and Me Yoga via the metro. On other days we run one errand like going to the store, taking a pet to the vet, doctors appt, and sometimes we meet up with a friend. Then there's tummy time (the time LJ lays on his stomach to practice "crawling" and develop neck strength). There are also at least two longish naps each day one around 1pm and another at 6/7pm. This means (since I haven't been able to get him to sleep alone) I have to hold him. That's when I use one hand to email, text, blog, or work on my novel (yes, every once in a while I decide to write one and I have several started in different notebooks laying around).. On some days I have time to wash ands fold (and possibly put up) clothes. Extremely well timed days or pure luck, I can do a quick workout and make lunch/dinner. Throw in a couple of diaper changes and there's a few minutes to clean up the house.

I'm back at work full time in November.

My Favorite Outfit

I usually wear LJ for at least one hour a day. In the house I usually use my Moby Wrap (I wore that a couple of postings back) which is soft and several yards of fabric that you wrap and twist around yourself and the baby. Or when I'm out on the metro or in the Mall (like in this picture), I use the Baby Bjorn. We were gifted all of our carriers. We also have an Infantino carrier that I haven't used yet and an Ergo carrier. I can't wait to start using that one. I was tempted to use it now but the baby is supposed to be at least 15 pounds so I'm waiting. From what I hear that carrier is better for your back and the baby's body. The Baby Bjorn isn't very comfortable and the Moby Wrap can be a little frustrating.

Still whichever one I use, having LJ close and my hands free to do just about anything (like take PoSa out but not cook or anything dangerous to LJ) helps!

LJ's First Time Alone (ok well not alone but not with me)

LJ and I were separated for almost 5 hours this past Saturday. My mom came up to babysat while I went to a friends bridal shower and Jeff did a 100 mike bike ride.

The separation was physically as hard as it was emotionally. My chest felt rock hard due to the lack of feeding! Emotionally it was tough just because we've only been separated for 20 mind before. My mom's amazing. Still its tough. He was crying when I left. When I came home, i ran to him and found he was asleep. My cousin started to sing "reunited and it feels so good."

It was great to be reunited. But the new possibilities were even better. In five hours he only drank 5 ounces of breastmilk. I have lots in the freezer. Plus he was able to sleep without me. And my mom agrees to babysit in the future. Maybe 5 hours could go to 8 or even a whole weekend.

Um.... But am I ready?

New Trick

Over the last couple of days, LJ started putting his whole hand in his mouth. This is exciting because if he can start self soothing himself (meaning since he breast feeds for food but also for comfort and to help him sleep, maybe sucking on his thumb/hand will replace extra breast feeding) then maybe we can transition him to sleeping in his crib. Its not that I mind breast feeding (though I am doing it still quite often) it's better for LJ to know how to calm himself.

Let's hope for the best!

I'm pretty proud of myself!

LJ just passed two hour mark for his nap. We went to the veternarian today so Choco-p (that's the cat) could get her (actually he is a he but I refer to him as she) shots. Then we quickly went to Whole Foods. Then back home. Then I ate the rest of my breakfast that I made this morning, pumped 6 ounces of breast milk, and drank some tea. Ok so maybe you don't see why I am so proud. Let me explain.

1. I was able to wake up and not wake up LJ.
2. I was able to get dressed, change LJ's diaper, feed LJ, make pancakes, and change LJ's clothes in less than an hour.
3. In that hour I was able to get Choco-P in his carieer. That my friends is one of the most difficult things in the world. Choco-p is a former Dominican street cat and does not like to be confined. No amount of treats can presuade her to get close to the cage. So I basically have to corner her, in well a corner, and get her into the cage without harming either one of us.
4. I drove across DC through morning rush hour traffic (without a GPS) to the vet by mostly memory.
5. I was able to get LJ into the vet carrying LJ in the Baby Bjorn, Choco-P in the carrier plus the diaper bag.
6. I was able to get LJ to fall asleep without nursing and transfer him to his carseat without waking him.
7. Then I speed shopped in Whole Foods with LJ still asleep in the carseat attached (but not very securily due to Whole Foods shopping carts) to the car seat and with one of my hands always on it.
8. We got back in the car and drove home (again thru traffic).
9. I got the cat, the baby, the two bags, and the diaper bag out of the car, up the steps, and into the townhouse, without the alarm going off.
10. I freed and petted the cat, petted the dog (who was then jealous), ate the pancakes (of course after washing my hands) and put up the groceries.
11. I called my mom, made tea, pumped breast milk (4 ounces for Dad to feed LJ tonight and 2 ounces for the freezer), and wrote a blog!

LJ is still asleep. Maybe I'll have time to clean up the kitchen, shower, and take a nap. um....

My Perfect Imperfect Boy!

Yeah! We saw an urologist today and she said LJ does not need to get his penis recut (re-circumcised) as the pediatrician had suggested. Having a botched circumcision (ok maybe botched is too strong but having to redo it due to skin reattaching) was going to be just another little ordeal for my perfect child. He also has cradle cap (layer of baby dandruff that is slowly coming off), baby acne (is just what is sounds like), a blocked tear duct (thus his eye accumaltes mucos and has to be wiped often), and he has a hernia (a picture is worth a thousand words). Sometimes he snorts like a pig too.

But it helps to be around other new mothers. I met another baby who sorts like a pig today. A few weeks ago I met a woman who thought LJ was perfect and complained about how her son had baby acne, cradle cap, and had lost all of his hair. I laughed to myself because LJ had all of that and more (well he hasn't lots of of his hair but he did loose some of it).

I guess that's why it's good to get out and meet new mothers; not so we can compare our babies but so we can see how perfect our imperfect children are!

NOte to people who don't have children: Don't worry about his hernia! It looks crazy. I know. I thought (like I'm sure you do) that babies with that have huge outie belly buttons. No it's a hernia. It will go away before his first birthday naturally (they say but in some cases it stays a while longer and will be surgically removed if it's not gone by 5).