Frequently I find myself stuck in a quandary between not wanting to spoil Jacob, but not wanting to miss out either. He's only going to be this size for so long, so I don't want to put something off thinking it's too much money or too much work, only to have him grow up and realize how much we missed out on. I know that he's just a baby and in most cases won't know the difference either way, but still...I will know. And in some cases there may be photographic evidence. Take Jacob's first birthday, for example. We kept things pretty low key...basic cake, not a ton of decorations, modest gifts. He's only one and can't really appreciate it all, so why go over the top and spend a ton of money when it won't really mean anything to him? At the same time, he's only one once. When I look back at the pictures from his birthday, I'll admit I'm a little underwhelmed. His cake was a disaster (for a few reasons), but it's downright embarrassing compared to pictures I see online of cakes that other people created for their child's first birthday. Egg or no egg, maybe I should have sought out a cake maker that could do a great job despite the dietary restrictions. Maybe we should have bought Jacob better gifts (still useful, but better, like a walk & ride type toy). We can always get him stuff, of course, but again...considering he rarely spends more than five minutes with any given toy at any time, is it worth it? Would he be just as happy playing with a box? In truth...happy, sure...stimulated, not so sure.
I think a lot about this with clothes, as well. I know that Jacob won't fit in clothes for that long, and there's always a risk for stains, so I'm hesitant to go out and spend a bunch of money on clothes when I can go to Target, Wal-Mart, Kohl's or any variety of other places and get reasonably priced basic clothes. But then I look at some of the cute nicer stuff out there and wonder if I should dress him a little cooler from time to time. It's obviously less of an issue now than when he's older and there's peer pressure to dress a certain way, but still...will I look back at pictures and think that he looks like we shopped at Wal-Mart? Does it matter? Probably not. With nice clothes it'll be that much more painful when he grows out of them...but still, he's an incredibly cute kid that probably needs at least a small part of his wardrobe to match that.
But there are times I look back and think, yeah, probably should have done a little more there. Even when it comes to professional pictures...I've only done one set. In this day of digital photography, is it that important? The one time we did it I didn't love the pictures, and you're just hoping that when you schedule it you happen to have a happy kid who's not freaked out by the stranger with the camera. It's a risk and a lot of coordination for what may be a minimal payout. But maybe it's important to have those pictures...I don't know.
As we gradually pass through the phases of baby buying and can skip entire sections of baby stores now, sometimes I wonder if we missed anything completely that someday we'll feel bad about. Maybe it's something we'll fall into with child #2 and go, "Oh crap...is that bad that Jacob didn't do that?" Sometimes it's not going to make the most financial sense, but it's hard to know if ultimately it'd be worth it, be it for our memories or Jacob's enrichment. Sure, in theory it may be something that he won't entirely "get", but who knows? Maybe that one thing would end up resonating with him. For example, I hope to do a visit to a pumpkin patch this fall. Most of them aren't that cheap and Jacob may not really be able to grasp it all, but I think it's probably still worth doing because he may end up getting something out of it, be it the petting zoo or the pumpkin patch. His little brain is a sponge these days. Even if he's not using more words or hitting any obvious milestones, you can tell at certain moments that he's getting ever more aware of things and is on the cusp of big changes. And it's hard to know what's going to be worth doing or what's just foolish spending/effort at this stage.
Long story short, I have a hard time making decisions so I tend to put them off. But when you have a child that grows up so fast, it's easy to miss your window. And again, in most cases it probably doesn't matter, but my fear is that there will be a whole lot of "it doesn't matters" that could add up to one big "oops". I just don't want financial prudence or a "we'll do it next year" philosophy to turn into what appears to be a chronic lack of effort. I know the answer is somewhere in between--to stay conservative but make wise choices about the special stuff--but it's hard to know what's what sometimes. I know this is a bit of an abstract topic, but I just wanted to get it out there because sometimes it helps me figure things out. Hopefully I'll have something more fun to talk about next time...
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
One half step for baby...one giant sprint down the hall...
No, Jacob isn't walking quite yet, but he's getting there. Over the weekend he got the guts to actually pick up his feet while standing, and that's a big step for him. As I've mentioned (or at least told everyone who asks if he's walking yet), Jacob probably could be walking, but he's just sort of lazy. Or perhaps his laziness is just a lack of confidence masquerading as laziness. Ever since he started standing unassisted a few weeks back, we've been encouraging him to stand up on his own. But whenever we'd try to get him to do it, he'd squat back down right away. The only way he'd stand up on his own is if he was too distracted to notice!
Over the weekend he really started standing up more, probably in part due to the abundance of carpeting at Craig's parents' house. We have area rugs and one room with carpet, but I can't imagine either is quite as cushy. Once he would get up, we'd encourage him to walk. It was progress in itself that Jacob would stand when we helped him up to a standing position. And eventually we got him to move his feet. Usually he'd move one and then dive forward, but I think there was one time where he moved both but was pretty much diving the whole time so I don't think that counts. But he's been getting in some good half steps, which is progress! In the meantime he's tearing around the house with his little walking toy, practically sprinting down the hall on the hardwoods and tearing across the kitchen floor. He's so close!
Then today he took another big step--up to the next room at daycare! He's been in the same room for a long time now, since November, I think. Originally there were three infant rooms. They're all connected but each had their own teachers and activities. About six months after Jacob moved up, the tiniest infant room sort of moved up together and never got replenished with new babies. As a result, the room he was in had quite the mix--from Jacob who was born in June down to babies born in December. And once his teacher came back from maternity leave, she brought back with her her daughter, who was a full year younger than Jacob. At the same time, that room was doing a lot of activites with the older kids, who Jacob had spent a lot of time with before they moved up. They've been going back and forth for quite a while, and Jacob has really enjoyed his time with the big kids. Lately they've been getting some new babies in, so he was next in line to move up. And today he officially did! Moving up means that he'll be getting in more of a schedule, with a set lunch time and nap time, and more cool activities. He'll still spend a lot of time with the younger kids when they mix, and at the end of the day he'll be back with his old teacher for a half hour or so until we get there. But it's a big step and it's so hard to believe he's turning into such a big boy.
One funny story for the weekend before I watch the Bills lose another close one...Due to a lack of communication and planning, we ended up with no pack-n-play for Jacob this weekend. We got to Buffalo late on Friday night so we didn't have many options, and we ended up all sharing a double bed that night. That was truly horrible and none of us slept too great. On Saturday we headed to Target. Craig wanted to buy a pack-n-play for Saturday night, but even though we found one as cheap as $45, I was hesitant since it was just one night and it wouldn't happen again. If we would have been sleeping in a completely childproof room, some blankets on the floor may have been sufficient. But since the room we were in doubles as a playroom for our niece and nephews, there were a lot of small toys...army guys, Barbie accessories, etc., and if Jacob woke up and decided to go for a crawl, it would be a dicey situation. So, I at least wanted something that would contain him to the point that he'd have to make noise to do anything, which would wake us up in time to watch him. At one point while we were looking for sleeping bags or sleep tents (or anything in that genre) we wandered past the summer clearance, and I had an idea...how about a kiddie pool? I had been wanting to buy Jacob one all summer, but the weather and our schedule never worked out so we never got one. Well, now they were discounted by a ton, and we got one that's 5' x 5' and will be plenty big for all three of us next summer for just $6. We put a bunch of blankets in the bottom and it worked out perfectly for a temporary bed. It was a little scary letting him sleep in something like that because it's not exactly breathable, but he's old enough to control his body pretty well while sleeping, and it was better than all of us being so uncomfortable on the bed. I guess Jacob likes his own sleeping space as much as the rest of us! It was quite the mess but it all turned out ok, thankfully!
Yup, the Bills blew another Monday night game. At least I didn't have to stay up past my bedtime to watch this one. Ugh. We're trying to teach Jacob to throw his arms up for a touchdown, but right now our cheering is only scaring him. Hmmm. We'll have to work on that... :)
Over the weekend he really started standing up more, probably in part due to the abundance of carpeting at Craig's parents' house. We have area rugs and one room with carpet, but I can't imagine either is quite as cushy. Once he would get up, we'd encourage him to walk. It was progress in itself that Jacob would stand when we helped him up to a standing position. And eventually we got him to move his feet. Usually he'd move one and then dive forward, but I think there was one time where he moved both but was pretty much diving the whole time so I don't think that counts. But he's been getting in some good half steps, which is progress! In the meantime he's tearing around the house with his little walking toy, practically sprinting down the hall on the hardwoods and tearing across the kitchen floor. He's so close!
Then today he took another big step--up to the next room at daycare! He's been in the same room for a long time now, since November, I think. Originally there were three infant rooms. They're all connected but each had their own teachers and activities. About six months after Jacob moved up, the tiniest infant room sort of moved up together and never got replenished with new babies. As a result, the room he was in had quite the mix--from Jacob who was born in June down to babies born in December. And once his teacher came back from maternity leave, she brought back with her her daughter, who was a full year younger than Jacob. At the same time, that room was doing a lot of activites with the older kids, who Jacob had spent a lot of time with before they moved up. They've been going back and forth for quite a while, and Jacob has really enjoyed his time with the big kids. Lately they've been getting some new babies in, so he was next in line to move up. And today he officially did! Moving up means that he'll be getting in more of a schedule, with a set lunch time and nap time, and more cool activities. He'll still spend a lot of time with the younger kids when they mix, and at the end of the day he'll be back with his old teacher for a half hour or so until we get there. But it's a big step and it's so hard to believe he's turning into such a big boy.
One funny story for the weekend before I watch the Bills lose another close one...Due to a lack of communication and planning, we ended up with no pack-n-play for Jacob this weekend. We got to Buffalo late on Friday night so we didn't have many options, and we ended up all sharing a double bed that night. That was truly horrible and none of us slept too great. On Saturday we headed to Target. Craig wanted to buy a pack-n-play for Saturday night, but even though we found one as cheap as $45, I was hesitant since it was just one night and it wouldn't happen again. If we would have been sleeping in a completely childproof room, some blankets on the floor may have been sufficient. But since the room we were in doubles as a playroom for our niece and nephews, there were a lot of small toys...army guys, Barbie accessories, etc., and if Jacob woke up and decided to go for a crawl, it would be a dicey situation. So, I at least wanted something that would contain him to the point that he'd have to make noise to do anything, which would wake us up in time to watch him. At one point while we were looking for sleeping bags or sleep tents (or anything in that genre) we wandered past the summer clearance, and I had an idea...how about a kiddie pool? I had been wanting to buy Jacob one all summer, but the weather and our schedule never worked out so we never got one. Well, now they were discounted by a ton, and we got one that's 5' x 5' and will be plenty big for all three of us next summer for just $6. We put a bunch of blankets in the bottom and it worked out perfectly for a temporary bed. It was a little scary letting him sleep in something like that because it's not exactly breathable, but he's old enough to control his body pretty well while sleeping, and it was better than all of us being so uncomfortable on the bed. I guess Jacob likes his own sleeping space as much as the rest of us! It was quite the mess but it all turned out ok, thankfully!
Yup, the Bills blew another Monday night game. At least I didn't have to stay up past my bedtime to watch this one. Ugh. We're trying to teach Jacob to throw his arms up for a touchdown, but right now our cheering is only scaring him. Hmmm. We'll have to work on that... :)
Friday, September 11, 2009
History
Today is September 11th. Eight years ago life as we knew it changed forever. I still remember little details of that day quite well. I was still working for the Amerks at the time, and I first heard about a plane hitting the World Trade Center right when I got into work. I was a little late that day. The previous day had been our sponsor golf tournament, and I was no doubt exhausted from that. Ironically, when we printed pictures that we took of the foursomes at the golf tournament, we found out that the date on the camera was set wrong...to September 11th. Yikes...talk about awkward when we had to send them out!
Anyway, the first thing I think most people thought when they heard the news was that it was a small private plane. It was pretty evident that it was a little more than that once we headed back to the locker room to watch the footage on TV. By then the second plane may have hit, but I'm not sure. It was shocking to say the least. And I'm pretty sure I saw one of the buildings fall live, but I can't remember if it was the first or second. But I do remember thinking it was almost unfathomable that an entire gigantic skyscraper (let alone two) that was such an iconic part of the NYC skyline just wasn't there anymore. And obviously the thought of people being stuck in there was just horrifying. September was a busy time for me, so I think in between news reports I kept trying to get some work done. The internet was completely jammed up, making it almost impossible to get good updates from anywhere except TV. My boss had a little black and white TV at his desk so we could keep abreast of what was going on, and then head back to the locker room when there was something worth watching. I remember watching footage of a reporter giving a live update from the Pentagon, and that reporter saying that he heard a loud noise...which, of course, ended up being the plane that hit the Pentagon. And when the plane crashed in Pennsylvania, right about then it seemed like the world was coming to an end. There was a total lack of control. Where would a plane crash next? What, if anything, could stop these psychos? The rest of the day was a bit of a blur. Supposedly we got let out early that day, but I don't remember leaving early. I do remember driving home listening to the radio and hearing that WTC 7 collapsed. It was an emotionally exhausting day, and quite the contrast to the absolutely lovely day--warm and abundant blue skies. On a personal note I was a little bummed because I heard on the radio during my drive home that the Stevie Nicks concert that was coming to the Blue Cross Arena a couple days later (that my college roommate Mary and I had tickets for) was canceled. I think there were some issues with them getting into town, along with some personal connections that band members had with people affected by the attacks. Small beans compared to the larger picture that day, but it was still a bummer.
Back then Craig and I had only been dating for about a month and a half. That night we went to dinner at the new Ruby Tuesday's near my apartment. It actually opened the day before. I just couldn't bring myself to cook that night. Of course, we spent all of dinner staring at the TVs, just marveling at what had transpired that day. It was surreal. Incredibly sad and truly unbelievable. I think in the weeks that followed I had to forcibly turn off the near-constant coverage. It was just too depressing.
Eight years later it's still incredibly sad. The knot-in-my-stomach feeling whenever it comes up has subsided a bit. I probably try not to think about it too deeply, particularly now as a parent, because it's just too emotionally exhausting. I feel fortunate that I have that option, as there are 3,000 other families out there that don't.
How does this all relate to Jacob? Well, being a parent obviously brings a new dimension to the thought of kids who lost parents, pregnant women who lost husbands, parents who lost kids, etc. Putting myself in those scenarios is just agonizing. And then I wonder how Jacob will view September 11th. It seems to me that it's pretty similar to Pearl Harbor Day. It was a major attack with huge historical implications. It will be talked about in history books, and maybe Jacob will ask about our experience someday. I don't know if I ever asked my grandparents about Pearl Harbor, but I think I asked my parents about the JFK assassination once. So maybe it'll be the same thing. But it will certainly be interesting when he's in school and it's part of his history book. It will never be something he experienced personally (and I hope he never experiences anything similar), but it's something that his parents will remember for years to come. It shaped the world we live in today and in at least some small way will shape the world that Jacob grows up in. Amazing stuff to ponder on this historical day.
Anyway, the first thing I think most people thought when they heard the news was that it was a small private plane. It was pretty evident that it was a little more than that once we headed back to the locker room to watch the footage on TV. By then the second plane may have hit, but I'm not sure. It was shocking to say the least. And I'm pretty sure I saw one of the buildings fall live, but I can't remember if it was the first or second. But I do remember thinking it was almost unfathomable that an entire gigantic skyscraper (let alone two) that was such an iconic part of the NYC skyline just wasn't there anymore. And obviously the thought of people being stuck in there was just horrifying. September was a busy time for me, so I think in between news reports I kept trying to get some work done. The internet was completely jammed up, making it almost impossible to get good updates from anywhere except TV. My boss had a little black and white TV at his desk so we could keep abreast of what was going on, and then head back to the locker room when there was something worth watching. I remember watching footage of a reporter giving a live update from the Pentagon, and that reporter saying that he heard a loud noise...which, of course, ended up being the plane that hit the Pentagon. And when the plane crashed in Pennsylvania, right about then it seemed like the world was coming to an end. There was a total lack of control. Where would a plane crash next? What, if anything, could stop these psychos? The rest of the day was a bit of a blur. Supposedly we got let out early that day, but I don't remember leaving early. I do remember driving home listening to the radio and hearing that WTC 7 collapsed. It was an emotionally exhausting day, and quite the contrast to the absolutely lovely day--warm and abundant blue skies. On a personal note I was a little bummed because I heard on the radio during my drive home that the Stevie Nicks concert that was coming to the Blue Cross Arena a couple days later (that my college roommate Mary and I had tickets for) was canceled. I think there were some issues with them getting into town, along with some personal connections that band members had with people affected by the attacks. Small beans compared to the larger picture that day, but it was still a bummer.
Back then Craig and I had only been dating for about a month and a half. That night we went to dinner at the new Ruby Tuesday's near my apartment. It actually opened the day before. I just couldn't bring myself to cook that night. Of course, we spent all of dinner staring at the TVs, just marveling at what had transpired that day. It was surreal. Incredibly sad and truly unbelievable. I think in the weeks that followed I had to forcibly turn off the near-constant coverage. It was just too depressing.
Eight years later it's still incredibly sad. The knot-in-my-stomach feeling whenever it comes up has subsided a bit. I probably try not to think about it too deeply, particularly now as a parent, because it's just too emotionally exhausting. I feel fortunate that I have that option, as there are 3,000 other families out there that don't.
How does this all relate to Jacob? Well, being a parent obviously brings a new dimension to the thought of kids who lost parents, pregnant women who lost husbands, parents who lost kids, etc. Putting myself in those scenarios is just agonizing. And then I wonder how Jacob will view September 11th. It seems to me that it's pretty similar to Pearl Harbor Day. It was a major attack with huge historical implications. It will be talked about in history books, and maybe Jacob will ask about our experience someday. I don't know if I ever asked my grandparents about Pearl Harbor, but I think I asked my parents about the JFK assassination once. So maybe it'll be the same thing. But it will certainly be interesting when he's in school and it's part of his history book. It will never be something he experienced personally (and I hope he never experiences anything similar), but it's something that his parents will remember for years to come. It shaped the world we live in today and in at least some small way will shape the world that Jacob grows up in. Amazing stuff to ponder on this historical day.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
The Rest of the Weekend...and Other Stuff...
We had a pretty good Labor Day weekend. I always look forward to weekends just because it's nice to have some uninterrupted time with Jacob. Of course, there's always the risk of getting tired out by our active little man, but the fun that goes along with it is usually worth it. Unfortunately, I actually sort of pooped out on Monday, which left Craig to do a lot of stuff with Jacob while I rested. I think it was the lack of sleep after our trip to the drive-in combined with a very busy day on Sunday. Once in a while, it just happens. It was a bummer to not feel great on a day off, and I felt bad that it prevented me from maximizing my time with Jacob. But the Friday trip to the drive-in, a pleasant day on Saturday, and a ton of fun on Sunday made up for it.
As I mentioned in my last post, Craig and I went to a wedding on Sunday. The happy couple is another Amerks love connection--two kids that basically grew up around the team (her dad is an off-ice official, and his dad is the play-by-play guy) and officially met when they were both interning for Craig. It was a Sunday morning wedding, which was unique, but it was such a great event. Outdoor ceremony in perfect weather, brunch food (yum!), and a lovely setting. My parents were on their way back from a wedding near Syracuse, so they met us at this wedding and we made the Jacob hand-off so they could come back to our house and watch him for the day. It worked out really well and Jacob was a very good boy. He spent a lot of time outside and I think it wiped him out! Here he is on the front lawn getting a good look at the camera..."What you lookin' at?"
He also spent some time with one of the neighborhood cats. There are a few that wander around the neighborhood and get taken care of by a few neighbors. They still make me a little nervous but they've been pretty good all this time. Jacob had fun with this one until he pulled its tail a little too hard and it scratched his arm a bit. Ugh.
We even got to go out for dinner and gelato with my parents, and all in all it was a great day.
So let's see...what else is new? Jacob still isn't walking, and really isn't even standing up that much. He really doesn't get that he can do it. He seems to do better on grass, so whether a few hard falls on other surfaces has made him not want to stand up indoors, I don't know. He's one stubborn little boy, though. He will not put his feet down if you try to get him to stand! He is doing a lot more climbing, though, and it's been fun having him climb up on the couch to play with us. He seems to like hiding his face in the cushions, among other slightly disconcerting habits of his. He also likes covering his head with things (more on that below) and wrapping things around his neck. Great. Lately he's been digging the corner of the kitchen cabinets. He will crawl in there and stand up, just facing in and periodically pulling on the cabinets. It's sort of cute, though I wish he would have picked a section of cabinets that wasn't right next to the stove.
His eating habits are still quite frustrating. Sometimes he'll eat great and there will be minimal food throwing. But more often he just refuses to eat. I'm at a bit of a loss. I know that he'll usually eat chicken nuggets (particularly with ketchup), veggie dogs, mac and cheese, french fries, pizza, those Gerber ravioli things, and a handful of snack foods. He adores those organic veggie stix that look like colored french fries, and he'll usually eat various cereals like Chex and Cheerios. He's hit or miss on his breakfast foods...he likes his blueberry waffles and pancakes most of the time, but often gets antsy before he's done. He'll eat oatmeal no problem and seems to enjoy Cheerios in milk, but he won't touch eggs or cereal bars. He doesn't seem to like beef and very rarely will eat vegetables, no matter how much butter I put on them. He will eat fruit like crazy, though. Peaches, pears, nectarines, kiwi, grapes, watermelon, strawberries...he loves them. He likes yogurt a lot but went through a phase of even refusing that. He loves cheese, particularly string cheese. Ultimately my problem is that I don't want to keep feeding him just the stuff he likes, because he needs to keep trying things. But I hate wasting food and I know that the stuff he likes isn't always the healthiest. The fruit thing is great but the no veggies thing is tough. I don't want to stop trying, but it's so annoying to make it and then have to throw all of it out. I'm worried he doesn't eat enough, and I know he's not getting enough vegetables. He seems to be getting heavier but he's so skinny! Must be all that whole milk he's drinking! I know all of the adages like he'll eat when he's hungry, but I just want to make sure he's not nutritionally deficient or shaping up to be a long-term picky eater.
We have changed up his mealtime setting once again in hopes of a better experience for all of us. A while back we started sitting him in his booster seat full time, since he seemed to find the high chair confining or otherwise unenjoyable. The straps on the booster seem to be getting tight, and in general it was just a pain to deal with sometimes. We were also having a problem with Jacob pushing off on the underside of the table and tipping his chair back. And finally, when he'd get cranky in his seat he'd throw his head back and bang it on the top of the chair. Lovely. One day I was looking in the clearance section at Wegmans and got a laminated Sesame Street activity placemat for 72 cents. One side has pictures of a bunch of characters and shapes, and the other side has actual activities that you could use a dry erase marker to do. I decided to get some velcro to stick the placemat to the table so Jacob couldn't lift it or throw it, but I could still take it off to clean it. We also ditched the booster in favor of his high chair (again), this time lowered to table level and minus the tray. We just scoot him right up to the table. He still can push off a bit but the high chair won't tip, and he can't bang his head anymore. None of the changes have really helped his eating habits, but it's made my life a little more pleasant.
Other than that, the only news this week is that Jacob is getting his eighth tooth! I couldn't even see it the other day, and then yesterday while he was screaming I saw it! I felt it and it was just through the gums! So, that should be in soon....which is nice because the matching tooth on the other side is pretty much in and it looks funny...both because it doesn't have a mirror image and because it's spaced out from the two center teeth on the bottom. Jacob's been pretty chewy lately again, so we'll see if it's just for this one or if he's got more coming!
I'll leave you with a quickie video of Jacob's favorite game, peek-a-boo. As I mentioned earlier, he likes covering his head. He loves getting totally under a blanket and then finding his way back out. He likes when we do it too. He will laugh hysterically. I haven't been able to get good video of him doing it over and over, but he does...and it's hilarious. This one is quick but the smile at the end is so cute!
As I mentioned in my last post, Craig and I went to a wedding on Sunday. The happy couple is another Amerks love connection--two kids that basically grew up around the team (her dad is an off-ice official, and his dad is the play-by-play guy) and officially met when they were both interning for Craig. It was a Sunday morning wedding, which was unique, but it was such a great event. Outdoor ceremony in perfect weather, brunch food (yum!), and a lovely setting. My parents were on their way back from a wedding near Syracuse, so they met us at this wedding and we made the Jacob hand-off so they could come back to our house and watch him for the day. It worked out really well and Jacob was a very good boy. He spent a lot of time outside and I think it wiped him out! Here he is on the front lawn getting a good look at the camera..."What you lookin' at?"
He also spent some time with one of the neighborhood cats. There are a few that wander around the neighborhood and get taken care of by a few neighbors. They still make me a little nervous but they've been pretty good all this time. Jacob had fun with this one until he pulled its tail a little too hard and it scratched his arm a bit. Ugh.
We even got to go out for dinner and gelato with my parents, and all in all it was a great day.
So let's see...what else is new? Jacob still isn't walking, and really isn't even standing up that much. He really doesn't get that he can do it. He seems to do better on grass, so whether a few hard falls on other surfaces has made him not want to stand up indoors, I don't know. He's one stubborn little boy, though. He will not put his feet down if you try to get him to stand! He is doing a lot more climbing, though, and it's been fun having him climb up on the couch to play with us. He seems to like hiding his face in the cushions, among other slightly disconcerting habits of his. He also likes covering his head with things (more on that below) and wrapping things around his neck. Great. Lately he's been digging the corner of the kitchen cabinets. He will crawl in there and stand up, just facing in and periodically pulling on the cabinets. It's sort of cute, though I wish he would have picked a section of cabinets that wasn't right next to the stove.
His eating habits are still quite frustrating. Sometimes he'll eat great and there will be minimal food throwing. But more often he just refuses to eat. I'm at a bit of a loss. I know that he'll usually eat chicken nuggets (particularly with ketchup), veggie dogs, mac and cheese, french fries, pizza, those Gerber ravioli things, and a handful of snack foods. He adores those organic veggie stix that look like colored french fries, and he'll usually eat various cereals like Chex and Cheerios. He's hit or miss on his breakfast foods...he likes his blueberry waffles and pancakes most of the time, but often gets antsy before he's done. He'll eat oatmeal no problem and seems to enjoy Cheerios in milk, but he won't touch eggs or cereal bars. He doesn't seem to like beef and very rarely will eat vegetables, no matter how much butter I put on them. He will eat fruit like crazy, though. Peaches, pears, nectarines, kiwi, grapes, watermelon, strawberries...he loves them. He likes yogurt a lot but went through a phase of even refusing that. He loves cheese, particularly string cheese. Ultimately my problem is that I don't want to keep feeding him just the stuff he likes, because he needs to keep trying things. But I hate wasting food and I know that the stuff he likes isn't always the healthiest. The fruit thing is great but the no veggies thing is tough. I don't want to stop trying, but it's so annoying to make it and then have to throw all of it out. I'm worried he doesn't eat enough, and I know he's not getting enough vegetables. He seems to be getting heavier but he's so skinny! Must be all that whole milk he's drinking! I know all of the adages like he'll eat when he's hungry, but I just want to make sure he's not nutritionally deficient or shaping up to be a long-term picky eater.
We have changed up his mealtime setting once again in hopes of a better experience for all of us. A while back we started sitting him in his booster seat full time, since he seemed to find the high chair confining or otherwise unenjoyable. The straps on the booster seem to be getting tight, and in general it was just a pain to deal with sometimes. We were also having a problem with Jacob pushing off on the underside of the table and tipping his chair back. And finally, when he'd get cranky in his seat he'd throw his head back and bang it on the top of the chair. Lovely. One day I was looking in the clearance section at Wegmans and got a laminated Sesame Street activity placemat for 72 cents. One side has pictures of a bunch of characters and shapes, and the other side has actual activities that you could use a dry erase marker to do. I decided to get some velcro to stick the placemat to the table so Jacob couldn't lift it or throw it, but I could still take it off to clean it. We also ditched the booster in favor of his high chair (again), this time lowered to table level and minus the tray. We just scoot him right up to the table. He still can push off a bit but the high chair won't tip, and he can't bang his head anymore. None of the changes have really helped his eating habits, but it's made my life a little more pleasant.
Other than that, the only news this week is that Jacob is getting his eighth tooth! I couldn't even see it the other day, and then yesterday while he was screaming I saw it! I felt it and it was just through the gums! So, that should be in soon....which is nice because the matching tooth on the other side is pretty much in and it looks funny...both because it doesn't have a mirror image and because it's spaced out from the two center teeth on the bottom. Jacob's been pretty chewy lately again, so we'll see if it's just for this one or if he's got more coming!
I'll leave you with a quickie video of Jacob's favorite game, peek-a-boo. As I mentioned earlier, he likes covering his head. He loves getting totally under a blanket and then finding his way back out. He likes when we do it too. He will laugh hysterically. I haven't been able to get good video of him doing it over and over, but he does...and it's hilarious. This one is quick but the smile at the end is so cute!
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Skip over the first paragraph if you're anti-bodily function...
I decided this morning that you haven't lived until you've helped your child poop. Yep. We woke up this morning to the sound of Jacob crying and straining. It's rare that pooping is a major issue for him. He makes the same face every time and may turn beet red, but for the most part it all comes out pretty easily, and sometimes probably even too soft. As a result, this morning the whole pooping thing didn't really occur to me right away. While that was my first thought with how it sounded like he was straining, I barely considered it because he's rarely like that. When I went into his room, he didn't stop whining like he usually would. I decided to change his diaper, and when I did I noticed that he had, ummm, a turtle head poking out. And that's when it hit me that all the straining was, in fact, a BM. When it appeared that it really wasn't going well, I decided to grab a wipe and take advantage of each push to try to pull it out. Yes, this is something only a parent would do. In the end I helped him get rid of three turds, each about the size of a walnut. They were pretty solid and he had a heck of a time, but it was all worth it when he immediately calmed down after the third one. As a parent you just want your child comfortable and happy, so you do what you have to do. Crazy stuff.
It's been a nice weekend so far. I got out of work a little early yesterday and we all headed out to Perry (about an hour south) to go to our favorite drive-in. We got a great parking spot and grabbed three slices of pizza (so good!), which we all shared while sitting on a blanket on the grass in front of the screen. Jacob got a little fussy in the middle of it all because he wanted to go play like so many other kids were doing. Eventually we had to relent because he just wouldn't eat, and after a little time among the swings and slides, he was downing bites of pizza like it was the best thing ever. After that we grabbed some pre-movie ice cream. We've decided that Jacob is a bigger fan of ice cream cones than the ice cream itself. He loves crunching into them! As for the movies, it was a triple feature last night - Ice Age 3, Up, and G.I. Joe. Jacob was actually pretty good for most of Ice Age 3. He watched a lot of it right from my lap. I got him in his PJs in the car about halfway through, and we let him watch the movie and explore the front seat for a bit before finally trying to get him to sleep in his car seat. It took a while, but finally he drifted off. Ice Age was probably our favorite of the three. Up was interesting...great animation from Pixar as usual, but such an odd storyline. Not that talking toys or fish are more believable than an old guy setting his house aloft with thousands of helium balloons, but I think the fact that the movie was based in "reality" with humans as characters created a strange juxtaposition with the far-fetched storyline. Still, some of the writing was cute, and I loved the "talking" dogs and the cool bird. Craig really wanted to see G.I. Joe, despite how late it would be starting, so I decided to try to take a nap in the backseat. I was only moderately successful, but the rest probably helped me stay awake on the way home. It was late by the time we left, but all things considered Jacob did really well. I am looking forward to taking him next summer when he's a little older and can enjoy all it has to offer, movies included. It was pretty priceless this time to see his face when the movie started. He was definitely more aware of it than when we took him earlier in the summer.
Today has been a usual Saturday of playing, napping and errands. I think we're going to grill tonight and probably fit in an evening walk or swing after dinner. Tomorrow we're off to a wedding on the other side of town and we're meeting my parents there to make the Jacob switch--they're coming back from a wedding near Syracuse and are meeting us along the way to pick up Jacob and watch him for the day at our house while we're at the wedding. No plans for Monday right now, but that's a good thing! Gotta love long weekends!
It's been a nice weekend so far. I got out of work a little early yesterday and we all headed out to Perry (about an hour south) to go to our favorite drive-in. We got a great parking spot and grabbed three slices of pizza (so good!), which we all shared while sitting on a blanket on the grass in front of the screen. Jacob got a little fussy in the middle of it all because he wanted to go play like so many other kids were doing. Eventually we had to relent because he just wouldn't eat, and after a little time among the swings and slides, he was downing bites of pizza like it was the best thing ever. After that we grabbed some pre-movie ice cream. We've decided that Jacob is a bigger fan of ice cream cones than the ice cream itself. He loves crunching into them! As for the movies, it was a triple feature last night - Ice Age 3, Up, and G.I. Joe. Jacob was actually pretty good for most of Ice Age 3. He watched a lot of it right from my lap. I got him in his PJs in the car about halfway through, and we let him watch the movie and explore the front seat for a bit before finally trying to get him to sleep in his car seat. It took a while, but finally he drifted off. Ice Age was probably our favorite of the three. Up was interesting...great animation from Pixar as usual, but such an odd storyline. Not that talking toys or fish are more believable than an old guy setting his house aloft with thousands of helium balloons, but I think the fact that the movie was based in "reality" with humans as characters created a strange juxtaposition with the far-fetched storyline. Still, some of the writing was cute, and I loved the "talking" dogs and the cool bird. Craig really wanted to see G.I. Joe, despite how late it would be starting, so I decided to try to take a nap in the backseat. I was only moderately successful, but the rest probably helped me stay awake on the way home. It was late by the time we left, but all things considered Jacob did really well. I am looking forward to taking him next summer when he's a little older and can enjoy all it has to offer, movies included. It was pretty priceless this time to see his face when the movie started. He was definitely more aware of it than when we took him earlier in the summer.
Today has been a usual Saturday of playing, napping and errands. I think we're going to grill tonight and probably fit in an evening walk or swing after dinner. Tomorrow we're off to a wedding on the other side of town and we're meeting my parents there to make the Jacob switch--they're coming back from a wedding near Syracuse and are meeting us along the way to pick up Jacob and watch him for the day at our house while we're at the wedding. No plans for Monday right now, but that's a good thing! Gotta love long weekends!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Great Expectations
Fall is coming. Much to my dismay, it is now September and our already short summer (particularly weather-wise) is coming to an end. I'm a bit bummed that I've already seen leaves changing and the days are getting noticeably shorter. Still, we accomplished a lot this summer. We went to the beach, the playground, and Pittsburgh. We took many walks and played outside. We went to the drive-in and spent a lot of time with family. We went to a few baseball games and a soccer game. We really crammed in quite a bit considering our schedules, but you can always think of more fun things to do when the weather is nice and you have the time to fill. Fall is great, but it's just not the same. The weather is even sketchier than during a rainy, cool summer like this, and bundling up is an extra step I'm not looking forward to. And I always know in the back of my mind that after fall comes winter, and winter can be torture.
Despite my reluctance to get into fall, there are great things about it. For many years, I entered this time of year with mixed emotions, and I guess I still do. My birthday was always the first step, and when it hit I knew that other things weren't far behind. When I was younger, school was right around the corner. When I was older and working in sports, it signaled the official start of the busy season. While both school and hockey season brought with them a lot of stress, there was still a fun newness to it all that piqued my curiosity and got me at least a little excited about what was to come--new classes, new clothes, new dorm room, new friends, new challenges, new hockey season, etc. Nowadays I don't have any significant shifts, but fall still provides some fun activities. I enjoy decorating for fall because the colors look nice in my red and gold living room. I like the feeling of putting on a pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt, and re-exploring the other half of my wardrobe (though the novelty here wears off fast!). I like the thought of pumpkin-hunting and going to fall craft shows and bazaars. I like fall foliage and fall foods. There's just a nice aura that surrounds the season, as long as I can keep the looming winter out of my head. I think I just try to draw out as many positives as possible so I don't miss summer as much.
Anyway, the point to all of this is what this fall will be like with Jacob. Last year I knew not to expect much--just finding him a little pumpkin and dressing him up for Halloween. I hoped to get a picture of him sitting in fall leaves, but thanks to the weather and other things, that never happened. But really, I didn't have a lot I felt we should accomplish. This year I think we can do a lot of those same things, but hopefully do them a little better now that Jacob is a little more aware of his surroundings. For example, last year we just got our pumpkins at a farmer's market, but this year it may be worth taking Jacob to a pumpkin patch that offers a lot of other activities - live animals, hayrides, etc. We can dress him up and hopefully even take him out trick or treating a bit. Still, I don't want to get my hopes up too much. Early in the summer when we were planning our activities, I figured Jacob would be walking and maybe even talking by, say, our trip to Pittsburgh in August. Maybe not great in either case, but enough that he might be an easier traveler than he was in, say, May. From eating to packing, I really had no idea where he'd be with any of it, but imagined that by then things would be getting easier on all counts. In reality, by early August he was saying a few words, but walking wasn't even remotely close. Eating was still a bit of a challenge. My expectations of a 13 month old (or our 13 month old, at least) were a bit off. Bummer.
Long story short, whenever I try to plan ahead I often wonder how Jacob will have changed by then. What new talents will he have? How much more self-sufficient will he be? Will he have exited this phase and entered another one? I've been learning that I shouldn't assume anything or take anything for granted because you just never know. Based on how early Jacob liked standing up, I figured he'd be an early walker...but not so much. We're here at 14-1/2 months and Jacob is hesitant to even stand, let alone walk. So who am I to assume that he'll be walking by trick-or-treating time? Heck, I was assuming he'd be walking by the beginning of hockey season (he's too heavy to carry around the arena in the Baby Bjorn anymore, so it's either walking/carrying or the stroller...ugh), but now I'm not so sure.
The point to all of this is that each season brings with it new opportunities and adventures. We should be excited about every single season for so many reasons for years to come, as we watch Jacob and any future children discover all that life has to offer. In our excitement it's easy to think that we'll be able to enjoy it in a certain way, but kids always have something up their sleeves to change things up, and we need to be prepared for that. Fall is coming and we're looking forward to it, but I'm trying not to plan it all now because Jacob has a mind of his own and things may not go as planned. Hopefully I can keep the expectations to a minimum and just enjoy life as it happens...because there's so much there to enjoy regardless.
Despite my reluctance to get into fall, there are great things about it. For many years, I entered this time of year with mixed emotions, and I guess I still do. My birthday was always the first step, and when it hit I knew that other things weren't far behind. When I was younger, school was right around the corner. When I was older and working in sports, it signaled the official start of the busy season. While both school and hockey season brought with them a lot of stress, there was still a fun newness to it all that piqued my curiosity and got me at least a little excited about what was to come--new classes, new clothes, new dorm room, new friends, new challenges, new hockey season, etc. Nowadays I don't have any significant shifts, but fall still provides some fun activities. I enjoy decorating for fall because the colors look nice in my red and gold living room. I like the feeling of putting on a pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt, and re-exploring the other half of my wardrobe (though the novelty here wears off fast!). I like the thought of pumpkin-hunting and going to fall craft shows and bazaars. I like fall foliage and fall foods. There's just a nice aura that surrounds the season, as long as I can keep the looming winter out of my head. I think I just try to draw out as many positives as possible so I don't miss summer as much.
Anyway, the point to all of this is what this fall will be like with Jacob. Last year I knew not to expect much--just finding him a little pumpkin and dressing him up for Halloween. I hoped to get a picture of him sitting in fall leaves, but thanks to the weather and other things, that never happened. But really, I didn't have a lot I felt we should accomplish. This year I think we can do a lot of those same things, but hopefully do them a little better now that Jacob is a little more aware of his surroundings. For example, last year we just got our pumpkins at a farmer's market, but this year it may be worth taking Jacob to a pumpkin patch that offers a lot of other activities - live animals, hayrides, etc. We can dress him up and hopefully even take him out trick or treating a bit. Still, I don't want to get my hopes up too much. Early in the summer when we were planning our activities, I figured Jacob would be walking and maybe even talking by, say, our trip to Pittsburgh in August. Maybe not great in either case, but enough that he might be an easier traveler than he was in, say, May. From eating to packing, I really had no idea where he'd be with any of it, but imagined that by then things would be getting easier on all counts. In reality, by early August he was saying a few words, but walking wasn't even remotely close. Eating was still a bit of a challenge. My expectations of a 13 month old (or our 13 month old, at least) were a bit off. Bummer.
Long story short, whenever I try to plan ahead I often wonder how Jacob will have changed by then. What new talents will he have? How much more self-sufficient will he be? Will he have exited this phase and entered another one? I've been learning that I shouldn't assume anything or take anything for granted because you just never know. Based on how early Jacob liked standing up, I figured he'd be an early walker...but not so much. We're here at 14-1/2 months and Jacob is hesitant to even stand, let alone walk. So who am I to assume that he'll be walking by trick-or-treating time? Heck, I was assuming he'd be walking by the beginning of hockey season (he's too heavy to carry around the arena in the Baby Bjorn anymore, so it's either walking/carrying or the stroller...ugh), but now I'm not so sure.
The point to all of this is that each season brings with it new opportunities and adventures. We should be excited about every single season for so many reasons for years to come, as we watch Jacob and any future children discover all that life has to offer. In our excitement it's easy to think that we'll be able to enjoy it in a certain way, but kids always have something up their sleeves to change things up, and we need to be prepared for that. Fall is coming and we're looking forward to it, but I'm trying not to plan it all now because Jacob has a mind of his own and things may not go as planned. Hopefully I can keep the expectations to a minimum and just enjoy life as it happens...because there's so much there to enjoy regardless.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Kicked the Habit...
Well, I've finally done it. I'm done breastfeeding. Fourteen months and nearly two weeks under my belt, it's over. We'd been cutting down gradually, from 2-3 feedings and two pumpings a day, down to one feeding and two pumpings, to one feeding and one pumping, and finally to one feeding that I've stuck with for a while now. The evening feeding was always a nice way to end the day, just me and Jacob on the couch. No matter how restless and busy he was, most of the time he was more than happy to curl up and nurse for a while. The way he'd latch on almost instinctively and eat contentedly was a glimpse back at my sweet, innocent little baby. Lately I'd been cutting down the feedings gradually, from 15 minutes per side, to 10, to five. Over the past few days he'd actually been stopping himself after five minutes or so on each side, and then the other night he barely lasted five minutes total. I'd been preparing myself to mentally acknowledge that any given feeding might be the last one, and that night it just seemed like it was time to end it. Jacob seemed over it, and perhaps I should be too.
Admittedly, it had become a bit of a habit in recent weeks. Jacob's dinner is usually late enough that he shouldn't need a night feeding (though the calories never hurt considering how skinny he is), but since that was the way things always were and it was comforting to both of us, I kept it going. And truthfully, once he was down to one feeding, it was so low maintenance that I probably could have kept it that way for longer. Anything I wanted to eat or drink I could usually do in time for it get out of my system before nursing. I didn't have any engorgement issues at any point in this stepping-down process, and I didn't mind that I could still rationalize a few extra calories since breastfeeding needs them (though how much this amount of breastfeeding needed is up for debate). Once in a while it was inconvenient, like when I wanted to do something around Jacob's bedtime or when we were on the go, but for the most part it's been fine. Once in a while Jacob would rather go play or would lose his concentration and bite me a bit, but for the most part it's been a pretty uneventful and even pleasant couple months since I started weaning him.
Originally my goal was to make it a month, then three months, then six, then a year. And I made it beyond that. My secondary goal was to stop before Jacob knew enough to ask for it, with words or actions. In my opinion, any kid that can speak or knows enough to lift the shirt is probably too old to breastfeed. Of course, I may change my mind if baby #2 ends up being a genius and is talking in full sentences by their first birthday, but for now I'll stick with this theory. I think it's easier for everyone concerned if it's cut off before anyone is too attached. Sure, Jacob's done it nearly every day for his entire life, but it doesn't appear to be at the point where he can't go to sleep without it. He was a little off last night when we didn't do it, but I couldn't tell if it was the lack of nursing or another culprit--gas, exhaustion, general crankiness. He wasn't grabbing at my shirt, though he did give me a pretty good bite to the face. Even still, he had a couple fussy moments in his crib, but all things considered he went down reasonably well.
In the end I'm not sure if I should be happy or sad, proud I lasted this long, or a little guilty that I'm giving it up before I needed to. I know I did a great thing for Jacob and I was happy to do it. I only hope I can do the same thing next time around, both for the baby's benefit and for mine. My body seemed to like breastfeeding. I credit it with the major weight loss I experienced post-pregnancy, to the point that I was a good 6-8 pounds lighter at Jacob's first birthday than I was before I got pregnant, and I was already in great shape pre-pregnancy. But as I've been winding down nursing, I've been getting a glimpse at my official post-baby, post-nursing body. I'm not thrilled with it, but I'm guessing most women are in the same boat unless they're a celebrity with a nanny and a personal trainer (and even then...). I've officially got a pouch that won't go away, and my chest is smaller than it was when this all began--definitely a far cry from my early nursing days when my chest was so big that none of my clothes fit. I really didn't want to have my chest get any smaller because it wasn't that big to begin with, but what can you do? I have a heck of a time sucking in my stomach after so many months of not needing to, and now I'm officially trying to retrain myself to do it as automatically as I did before I got pregnant. It's becoming increasingly important because in the last week or so I've noticed my weight slowly creeping back up. Whether that's the result of reduced breastfeeding or just indulging for my birthday (cake, cupcakes, and meals out with all of the free birthday coupons I got from subscribing to restaurant mailing lists), I'm not sure. I am currently in the process of trying to stop snacking at work during the day. I got so used to it for nearly two years that it's a tough habit to break, particularly on painfully boring days. I'll also have to get back to watching what I eat a little more carefully because I'm not working out like I used to...still only once a week since I've been back at it in the past year. But the biggest question yet to be answered? When will my cycle get back on track? Two years and a month without a period...crazy stuff.
It was a little sad putting Jacob to bed without his bedtime feeding, pretty much for the first time ever. But I won't be sad to pack away my pump...though speaking of which, I still need to clear some frozen breastmilk out of the freezer. Hmmm...gotta put that on the to do list. It was a great run but I think for the most part I will be happy it's over. We'll see how Jacob does the next few nights, but one way or another, he'll adjust. Mama's Milk Factory is closed!
Admittedly, it had become a bit of a habit in recent weeks. Jacob's dinner is usually late enough that he shouldn't need a night feeding (though the calories never hurt considering how skinny he is), but since that was the way things always were and it was comforting to both of us, I kept it going. And truthfully, once he was down to one feeding, it was so low maintenance that I probably could have kept it that way for longer. Anything I wanted to eat or drink I could usually do in time for it get out of my system before nursing. I didn't have any engorgement issues at any point in this stepping-down process, and I didn't mind that I could still rationalize a few extra calories since breastfeeding needs them (though how much this amount of breastfeeding needed is up for debate). Once in a while it was inconvenient, like when I wanted to do something around Jacob's bedtime or when we were on the go, but for the most part it's been fine. Once in a while Jacob would rather go play or would lose his concentration and bite me a bit, but for the most part it's been a pretty uneventful and even pleasant couple months since I started weaning him.
Originally my goal was to make it a month, then three months, then six, then a year. And I made it beyond that. My secondary goal was to stop before Jacob knew enough to ask for it, with words or actions. In my opinion, any kid that can speak or knows enough to lift the shirt is probably too old to breastfeed. Of course, I may change my mind if baby #2 ends up being a genius and is talking in full sentences by their first birthday, but for now I'll stick with this theory. I think it's easier for everyone concerned if it's cut off before anyone is too attached. Sure, Jacob's done it nearly every day for his entire life, but it doesn't appear to be at the point where he can't go to sleep without it. He was a little off last night when we didn't do it, but I couldn't tell if it was the lack of nursing or another culprit--gas, exhaustion, general crankiness. He wasn't grabbing at my shirt, though he did give me a pretty good bite to the face. Even still, he had a couple fussy moments in his crib, but all things considered he went down reasonably well.
In the end I'm not sure if I should be happy or sad, proud I lasted this long, or a little guilty that I'm giving it up before I needed to. I know I did a great thing for Jacob and I was happy to do it. I only hope I can do the same thing next time around, both for the baby's benefit and for mine. My body seemed to like breastfeeding. I credit it with the major weight loss I experienced post-pregnancy, to the point that I was a good 6-8 pounds lighter at Jacob's first birthday than I was before I got pregnant, and I was already in great shape pre-pregnancy. But as I've been winding down nursing, I've been getting a glimpse at my official post-baby, post-nursing body. I'm not thrilled with it, but I'm guessing most women are in the same boat unless they're a celebrity with a nanny and a personal trainer (and even then...). I've officially got a pouch that won't go away, and my chest is smaller than it was when this all began--definitely a far cry from my early nursing days when my chest was so big that none of my clothes fit. I really didn't want to have my chest get any smaller because it wasn't that big to begin with, but what can you do? I have a heck of a time sucking in my stomach after so many months of not needing to, and now I'm officially trying to retrain myself to do it as automatically as I did before I got pregnant. It's becoming increasingly important because in the last week or so I've noticed my weight slowly creeping back up. Whether that's the result of reduced breastfeeding or just indulging for my birthday (cake, cupcakes, and meals out with all of the free birthday coupons I got from subscribing to restaurant mailing lists), I'm not sure. I am currently in the process of trying to stop snacking at work during the day. I got so used to it for nearly two years that it's a tough habit to break, particularly on painfully boring days. I'll also have to get back to watching what I eat a little more carefully because I'm not working out like I used to...still only once a week since I've been back at it in the past year. But the biggest question yet to be answered? When will my cycle get back on track? Two years and a month without a period...crazy stuff.
It was a little sad putting Jacob to bed without his bedtime feeding, pretty much for the first time ever. But I won't be sad to pack away my pump...though speaking of which, I still need to clear some frozen breastmilk out of the freezer. Hmmm...gotta put that on the to do list. It was a great run but I think for the most part I will be happy it's over. We'll see how Jacob does the next few nights, but one way or another, he'll adjust. Mama's Milk Factory is closed!
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