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Year: 2009
Owen’s first Charlie lick!
I was giving Owen a bottle on the couch and Charlie came up (as she does a lot of the time) and started nudging me for attention (as she does a lot of the time). I was ignoring her because, well, I was feeding the boy!
So then she moved onto him! She was nudging him!
Well, his hands were moving about (as they do a lot of the time!) and so with Charlie moving her head around headbutting both of us…and with his hands moving around…they finally came into contact with one another!
Charlie didn’t mind, of course, and continued to headbutt him. Then his little fingers were too tempting, and Charlie took a quick lick!
Owen pulled away immediately—but whether it was from discomfort or just his normal flailing I guess we’ll never know.
But it was cute!
Hair Issues
I am getting thisclose to cutting my hair.
It sucks because I have wanted it long for sooooo long (yes, even longer than it is now) but it’s driving me insane ever since the baby.
It feels like it’s always in the way—so it’s always up in a pony tail, which is an okay look if you don’t wear it like that every single day. |-| And while I love love love it straight, it does take some time to get that way—although, granted, it’s less than an hour for about a week’s worth of “use.”
You see, if I leave it curly, I generally have to put product in it, and wash it every day. That equates to at least five more minutes in the shower, plus the time to comb it out, put product in, and then letting it dry. Also, once I sleep on it, I get terrible bed head, so I have to do something with it the next day as well. Over the course of a week, that extra washing/conditioning time adds up. As well as the frustration of having to deal with it every day. And of course, there’s the length issue.
That said, if I straighten it, I spend about 30 minutes on one day to blow it dry and then it’s pretty much set for the rest of the week. I put it up when I shower (yes, I wear a shower cap!) and most times I don’t even have to run a comb through it—fingers will suffice (although if I am going out, I do comb it or maybe run the straightening iron over it). I can sleep on it to no ill effect, which is great, and I can be in and out of the shower in under five minutes (a bonus when you have a new baby to deal with). But there is still the length issue.
So you see my dilemma—as technically the time for each is about the same.
However, neither of these timing issues takes into account the length of the hair.
However, the frustration level for the straight hair (on a daily basis) is lower.
However, leaving it curly can be more of a wash-and-go hairstyle.
However, I don’t really like how it looks when it’s curly (well, wavy).
I really would love a tried and true wash-and-go style, which would seem to imply a shorter ‘do—but I don’t really like my hair short. Well, let me rephrase. I love some short hairstyles on me
See wedding photos:
but they actually require A LOT MORE styling time—meaning they are NOT wash-and-go. That hairstyle required product, blow-drying, and styling every. damn. day. Which is not what I want, even though I love the resulting hairstyles. (Since my hair is naturally wavy, any short straight style will require blow-drying [to get it straight] and styling.)
So, I signed up at a hairstyle site where you can upload a photo and test out thousands of hairstyles. (Well, that is actually a misnomer. They claim to have like 8,000 hairstyles, but really they have 400—just in 20 different colors. But that’s neither here nor there.)
Anyway, these are the 10 I liked:
If I take away all the ones that would require daily styling, I’m left with three straight (most likely a once-a-week style) and one wavy (more wash-and-go):
The more I look at them and the more I think about it, the more I am leaning towards the first one, because it’s sort of a messy straight ‘do that could either be worn totally straight OR left in it’s natural wavy state. (That said, the two on the top row could probably be the same cut, just one straightened and one left natural.)
Is it my favorite style? No. But is it the most workable? Probably.
As a sidenote, I hope to donate my hair either to Locks of Love or the Pantene Beautiful Lengths campaign—if it’s acceptable (you can donate colored hair, but not bleached hair—and I think my highlights are bleached).
Isn’t it sad that I have to give this much thought to a silly hairstyle?
Our little rocker!
Or should I say “We ♥ Boot!” And Photoshop!
We loved the original photo (taken while still in the hospital)—Owen and his “jazz hands” always moving and posing…although this one seemed a little more like a rock star pose.
Then our TiVo friend Boot Photoshopped a new pic for us and it couldn’t have been more perfect! (He did it ages ago, but I am just now getting around to posting it.)
We hate hiccups!
Okay, so maybe it’s just mom and dad that hate hiccups. 😐
It used to be Owen got them after EACH feeding, but they weren’t bad—just tiny things that easily and quickly went away after maybe 2-3 minutes of burping.
But now.
Ugh. XX(
He doesn’t get them after each feeding, but when he does get them, oh boy. Watch out. They are usually fierce. And they last. Anywhere from a few minutes up to as much as 15! :no: And he squirms and fidgets and fights and cries and it’s not fun for any of us.
The books say that babies don’t mind them but I don’t see how they can’t bother him. The books also say to keep feeding him, because babies can eat and hiccup at the same time without issue…but these horrible hiccups are too disrupting for him to even try and eat.
So needless to say last night wasn’t fun.
Mmmmmm, sushi!
I love my husband.
I have been craving sushi but we just haven’t had the time or energy to go to a restaurant to have it.
So Tuesday he told me he would have a surprise for me today. Of course, I had no idea what it could be.
So he came home tonight with a takeout bag…of sushi!
😀
He saw the sushi place a few doors down from our drycleaning place when he dropped his uniform off Tuesday…and the rest is history!
We weren’t expecting much from a strip mall-type place, but it was YUMMY!
WHAT A CUTIE!
OMG could he be any cuter?
Chubby cheeks!
Our baby is growing up and filling out! He no longer has the scrawny body of a newborn…but is growing like a weed! Check out the chubby cheeks!
Whoa.
I just changed the most hideous diaper yet.
Mustardy-green, soupy (enough to fill the entire diaper), curdy—and it took about six wipes.
Egads.
He doesn’t poop as much these days (which is common), but he is certainly making the ones he does worthwhile!
Awwwwwwwwwwwwww!
Just so you don’t think this baby thing is ALL bad and frustrating, LOL, I wanted to share some good things…
For starters, how can your heart not melt when you see this?
And when he smirks in his sleep?
Or the cute sighing noises he makes while eating?
Or when he yawns and stretches?
And scrunches up his face and balls his fists?
Or when you can tell he’s looking at your face?
Or when he falls asleep on your chest?
Or when those cute little eyes look at you lovingly when he’s eating (okay, maybe he’s looking lovingly at the milk)?
So there are good things…just right now, a lot of the frustrating things overwhelm everything else.
Breastfeeding Update
I think my breastfeeding days might be over.
I took a week or so off, since my nipples were terribly sore—raw, scabbed, and bleeding. (Well, it wasn’t as bad as that makes it sound when you put all three of those together, but all three of those issues were apparent in one way or another.)
So we introduced formula [mixed with breastmilk] and I continued to pump—with the notion that it would just be until I healed and then I would start breastfeeding again. And things went well. He likes all three brands of bottles we tried and the formula didn’t seem to bother him at all.
So fast forward a week or so when I tried breastfeeding again. And it didn’t go terribly well. 🙁
He is bigger now, of course, so the position I loved and that worked well before (football hold) doesn’t work so well now because his legs are long enough to reach the couch/chair and he can push off—taking my nipples with him. And I can’t seem to get any other positions to work because…he seems to be MUCH more active—twisting and turning and pulling and wiggling and just plain not settling down—which makes for a difficult latch. And speaking of the latch, that doesn’t seem to be great, either…as after two tries, I was already getting sore again.
I may try attending the LaLeche League meeting this week to see if they can help any…otherwise, I think I’m done. I hate to say it, but it’s true. Aside from the tenderness and latching issues, it just feels awkward overall. But since I am still pumping, he is still getting some breast milk…
I had a feeling…
So I just had a feeling that last night wasn’t going to go well.
It started with me trying to breastfeed—since my nipples feel much better than they did last week. But it didn’t go well—he just fusses too much (wiggles, stretches, kicks his feet, turns his head) and I just can’t seem to find a good position for him to lay in (he’s no longer a tiny baby!).
So I gave him a bottle. Which he then burped up probably half of when Tom laid him in his crib momentarily. 🙁 He’s been burping up more lately, which is frustrating. I would have guessed it was due to the addition of formula…except he’s been getting formula for a week now and the spitting up just started.
So then after another bottle, I finally got him settled, burped, calmed, and in bed. After this is when I pump for about 10 minutes. Except about three minutes in he decided to be cranky again so I had to stop (which is a pain). I finally got him down and…miraculously, he slept for about four hours!!
BUT THEN! At the next feeding he ate the entire bottle, I did the calming rigmarole, and he was fine. I went back to bed. Less than half an hour later he was crying loudly, letting me know he was hungry. Hungry! After he just had a full bottle and had been sleeping! So then it was back to the usually-30-minute process of getting him burped and calmed again.
After his 6:30 feeding, he decided he was up for the day, so I brought him downstairs hoping he would fall asleep on me on the couch. Which he did for about 1.5 hours!
Of course, he then spent the morning spitting up off and on. 🙁
And he’s much fussier overall than he used to be. 🙁
Rolling caught on camera!
We finally got it! Watch quick—it’s only 6 seconds!
Chubby cheeks!
Owen is definitely growing up and getting bigger!
He has lost that scrawny baby look and has morphed into a big (tall!) baby with chubby cheeks! Most of his newborn clothes are fitting perfectly-on-the-verge-of-being-too-tight and he fills out his 0-3 PJs much better now. Of course, he’s also heavier (although I won’t know his weight until his 2-month appointment in two weeks)—I’m guessing he will be close to 10#! (If he is, that means he will have gained 2# in a month!)
Regressing?
I swear, Owen is regressing at night. 🙁
He used to sleep like 2-3 hours at a time and went to bed quite easily. Now, he has been sleeping more like 45 minutes to an hour (maybe 2, with a freak 4 hours every so often) and it’s a nightmare to get him to actually fall asleep.
You will be burping him after his bottle and he will seem to be out cold. Then when you go to swaddle him he wakes up a bit, so it’s back to the rocking chair…where he fusses for a bit then seems to be out cold again. I know it takes a bit for them to fall deeply asleep, but it really seems he’s out, so you put him in his crib…and within maybe three minutes he’s fussing and/or crying. I would say 8 times out of 10 you have to pick him up again and/or change a diaper and/or burp him again. The other 2 times he eventually falls asleep on his own.
I have apparently regressed as well and now I can no longer fall asleep as quickly as I used to…so after I take care of him and go back to bed, it could be anywhere from 20-40 minutes before I fall back to sleep. :'( And since he’s not sleeping as long anymore, I might only get 30-45 minutes of sleep at a stretch. XX(
I never thought I would say this, but I’d much, MUCH rather go through the entire birth process again (!!) than deal with the sleep deprivation that comes during the first few months…
Mom’s night out!
I went out to dinner tonight with some moms that I met last week (the ones that meet to help people find carriers that work for them). There were four of us for dinner and then six of us at Starbucks afterwards. It was nice and I really like them (of course, I click more with some than with others).
We talked mostly about our kids and our birth stories, LOL, which was great because I learned that I really do have a great baby. (One girl’s baby screamed bloody murder all the time, hated riding in the car, and could not be left with others until he was like nine months old.)
They meet once a month, and I look forward to future events!
Oh, and it was nice to get dressed, put on makeup, and feel like a human being again!
Speaking of Facebook…
You can find just about anyone on there.
Guess who I ran across? My ex, Tom.
So then the question was…Do I contact him or not? Well, I did. I mean, over the years I have wondered what happened to him, so why not find out? I mean, it has been almost 15 years. (Sidenote: OMG! FIFTEEN YEARS!)
So we exchanged a few emails.
He is still in the navy, and is happily married with two kids and currently living in California.
You gotta love the internet.
Minor Milk Tragedy
I don’t know what the hell happened. But then again, it was the middle of the night and I’m exhausted…so anything is possible.
So I went to give Owen his bottle. I took it out of the refrigerator (we have a mini fridge in his room—interestingly, the same one I had in my dorm room in college—thanks, grandpa Mike, for saving it all these years!).
Where was I?
Oh yes, I took the bottle out of the fridge and put it in the warmer. He will eat a cold bottle but it’s easier if it’s warm. So into the warmer it goes. Minutes later I take it out and tip it over to check the temp on my wrist and—
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
—the top comes off and the entire bottle spills all over me and the fridge and the floor!
I wanted to cry.
Granted it wasn’t all breast milk (it was 50/50) but still. What a waste! And of course I tried to think just what the hell happened.
Did Tom not screw the lid on tight when he made the bottles? Did I unscrew the lid without thinking? Neither one seems likely, but obviously it had to be one of those! (Of course, my bet is on me screwing it up, being half-asleep and exhausted and all.)
At least it was the first middle-of-the-night feeding and there was another bottle ready to be warmed. And then I pumped afterwards (as I usually do) so I could use that milk to make the second middle-of-the-night bottle without having to go downstairs.
So now we really should clean the carpet. I did my best to soak it up with burp cloths (in the dark) but I’m sure it’s going to be sticky and/or smelly soon. 🙁
Lots of new (used) clothes!
Friends of ours in Jacksonville had a bunch of boys clothes she offered to sell us…and we quickly took her up on it! We opted for the 6-18 month batch of clothes, so soon Owen will be outfitted in Old Navy, Ralph Lauren, Carters, Baby Gap, Nautica, Osh Kosh, and Nike… The clothes are SOOOO cute! And the bathing suits! And the sandals!
Thanks Jen!
Our new Kozy!
http://kozycarrier.homestead.com/
KOZY—the extremely versatile and comfortable Asian inspired baby carrier (Mei Tai) that can be used from birth to toddlerhood (or beyond) and can easily be worn on your front, side, or back!!!
We met some local mothers to try out carriers…and I really liked this one. Owen likes it, too! It’s not exactly fashionable but it’s cool nonetheless!
Owen in his bouncy seat
His first formula
Part of me feels guilty :'( and part of me feels like a load has been lifted :. but the boy got his first formula today (mixed with breastmilk).
He’s just been SO hungry and I have just been SO sore (even pumping is uncomfortable) that we felt it was best. It stressed me out to no end to have him screaming for more food and I didn’t have any milk thawed (and what little we had stockpiled was dwindling quickly) and I couldn’t bear to put him on my breast.
I know I’m not a failure, but it sure feels a little bit like it. I just have to remind myself that formula is fine (and he’s not getting 100% either) and he will be fine and everything will all work out.
Miscellaneous Facebook Posts
- Jennifer Hudson says “Bizarre. I was placing an order on Overstock when an Overstock commercial came on.”
- Jennifer Hudson is watching The Mole (S1) reruns since I missed it originally.
- Jennifer Hudson is making brownies and cleaning the house while Owen naps.
- Jennifer Hudson says “Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, brownies.”
- Jennifer Hudson is fast forwarding through this week’s American Idol. Two hours in under 20 minutes. Man I love TiVo!
- Jennifer Hudson was NOT expecting to cry at Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Cute movie.
- Jennifer Hudson almost just got pooped on, LOL!
- Jennifer Hudson is pissed about a late charge on AmEx. I never NEVER miss any payments. Ugh.
- Jennifer Hudson thinks 70 is too warm for a walk. Hoo boy. What happened to me?
- Jennifer Hudson has a cranky kid today.
- Jennifer Hudson and Owen just surprised daddy at the gym.
- Jennifer Hudson has a warm baby sleeping on her chest. /sigh
- Jennifer Hudson hates it when sites don’t work in Firefox. What kind of programming is that?
- Jennifer Hudson is about to take babes for a walk since it’s 52 degrees.
- Jennifer Hudson had a rough night last night.
- Jennifer Hudson is trying to pick just the right Kozy Carrier.
- Jennifer Hudson just did 5 minutes on the elliptical. Hey—it’s a start!
- Jennifer Hudson is enjoying Solitary 3.0.
LilyPie
A great side for pregnancy, baby, and parenting tickers (as seen in the sidebar)!
First stroll around the neighborhood!
Since it was GORGEOUS today (pushing 60), Tom and I took Owen on his first stroller walk around the neighborhood! Of course, he slept through the whole thing, but it was nice for us to actually get out of the house and do something in nice weather!
Daddy’s All-Star
Breastfeeding Issues
It’s official—I have started taking Fenugreek to [hopefully] increase my milk production. It’s not so much that I am having serious (or clinically worrisome) production issues (because Owen seems to have no digestive issues and is definitely gaining weight) but rather that I am afraid that he is getting hungrier and hungrier—and I want to be prepared, because I sometimes already feel that he isn’t getting quite enough.
What’s also frustrating is that my nipples are very sore right now—I am 99.5% sure his latch is okay (because he is eating and gaining weight) but I think maybe he’s eating so feverishly because he’s so hungry—which is leading to the sore nipples. (He also tends to get really fussy and wiggly during feeding, and he pulls and stretches my nipples—which is painful.)
And what’s even more frustrating is that he really DOES NOT LIKE the nipple shield. :'( He will use it maybe one time, but not twice in a row for sure…he will fuss like mad and avoid the nipple even when you know he’s hungry. I also don’t think he sucks hard enough or well enough to get enough milk. (We had to resort to pumping and then giving him a bottle tonight.)
So, we’re keeping our fingers crossed that the Fenugreek works well. We want to have a major milk stash in the freezer so Tom (or grandparents!) can take over some feedings when necessary (or, say, if we want to go away for the weekend!), without having to resort to formula. Wish us luck!
Breastfeeding.com
The #1 site for breastfeeding advice.
Beginning a family is without a doubt the biggest life change that any woman goes through. Gone are late night parties, spur of the moment trips, and houses that stay tidy. Now it’s late night feedings, diapers, responsibilities, and a house that increases in clutter at a incredible rate. Of course, there is also a joy and fulfillment that can’t be matched.
At Breastfeeding.com you’ll find that whatever challenge you have, it’s shared by thousands of women who are eager to help you through the best and the worst with their hard-won wisdom. If you have some of that hard-won wisdom yourself, join and help others, and make the world just a little bit be
WHY?!?!?!?!?!?
Why is it that he can be dead asleep in your arms or on the couch, and you go to put him in his crib and he wakes up and cries bloody murder? |-|
It doesn’t matter what time of day it is, either… and it’s SOOOOO frustrating! Just now, for example, he was sleepy so I took him upstairs, put him down, and turned his mobile on. He was fine. Eyes open, but fine. I stood there for a few minutes to make sure all was well, and it was. Well, he fussed for a moment, so I gave him his pacifier and all was well again. I stood a few more minutes…and all was well.
So I left and went downstairs.
Less than three minutes later, he’s screaming.
🙁
It’s official–he rolled over!
It’s official—I saw Owen roll over today! But of course there’s more to the story!
We were down on the floor for belly time and he was enjoying it. I had the camera out taking a few pictures and then the laundry buzzed and Maggie wanted to go out. So I quick ran to change the laundry and shoo the dog outside, and when I came back? He was on his back!! I HAD MISSED IT!
So I sat down with him again and flipped him back over…and waited. He fussed a bit and kept picking his head up and looking around…and he obviously knew I didn’t have the camera set to movie mode, and over he went again! So, this time I saw him, but didn’t capture it on film! He’s such a stinker!
I tried one more time, but by then he was too fussy to try again.