Post-Partum: 2 1/2 Months

So here we are-- post partum for two and a half months.  Lots of things have changed in these past couple of weeks.  I am trying so hard to roll with the punches--and sometimes I don't do so well, but I tell myself that tomorrow will always be better!

On Tuesday March 11, I returned to work.  It took me a couple days to get back in the swing of things and really remember how to do my job! Oh, how I would love to stay at home with my kiddos! Being a mommy is such fun and I yearn to have that be my career someday.  A girl mommy can dream, right? :)

I pump three times a day at work.  My office has supplied a private room for me to pump in.  I was able to bring my mini-fridge to store my milk in during the day.  Having a private room makes it convenient to set up all my pumping stuff and keep it out all day ready to go so that I can make the most of my pumping times.  I pump during my two daily breaks, and for half of my lunch time.  I set my stopwatch to keep track of the time that I've spent away from my desk.  I am allotted two fifteen minute breaks a day and a thirty minute lunch break.  I choose to pump during these designated breaks so that I don't have to stay after work to make up my time.

So far, pumping is going pretty well.  I always wish I was pumping more, but I think that day will come soon enough when I will actually pump the amount I think I should.  Also, there is a lot going on in my life right now, and low pumping volumes can be attributed to that. 

I am having a bit more trouble fitting into my pre-pregnancy clothes this time around.  I can't quite fit comfortably into everything.  I know that it will come in time and that I need to be patient.   But I could also use a lesson in self discipline.  I think I am still suffering from "post-gestational diabetic syndrome" (which I totally made up, by the way).  I have NOT been doing a good job in balancing my snacks. My meals, I've done okay in balancing with carbs and protein.  But my snacks-- well, I've still been going a little carb crazy.  Again, a lot is going on in my life right now, and sometimes it's relaxing to sit down and eat a few several Oreos and dunk them in a glass of whole milk (which I used to hate, but have to have on hand now for Michael's sippy cups). I have learned though, that to really enjoy a snack, I must wait until my toddler is asleep so that I don't have to share! :)

I'm still learning how to be a mom to two boys.  The mom dynamic is different now that I've returned to work.  I had gotten into a FABULOUS routine with my boys during my maternity leave, but that has all changed now that I'm back at work.  When I get home, I have to choose which boy to hold first.  I've got to juggle holding my very snuggly 10 week old, while I attempt also to cuddle my very wiggly 19 month old.  I'm doing my best, but I know I could do better each day. 

So.... what is going on in my life that has brought on such change? We are moving! We decided to take the leap to get into the school district that we want our boys to be in.  We moved in with my in-laws as we stage our house to sell.  Hopefully our house will sell quickly and we can start looking at houses to buy! Prayers are appreciated!!!

We did the majority of the moving this past weekend.  However, we still have things to get done.  Aaron and I are trying to be diligent every day to grab a few things from our house on our way home from work.  It has been a blessing to have my mother-in-law watch my boys! Since we are in her house, she doesn't have to get up super early to drive to our house anymore! So, I am able to leave for work a little bit earlier than I normally would when I was at my house since I'd have to wait to leave til she arrived each day.  Obviously.

We are adjusting to living in a new place.  Noah doesn't mind-- but I can't explain the process of moving to Michael and Akuna.  They were quite confused for the first day or so. 

So, what with returning to work, moving, and transitioning to this new phase in life, I am experiencing my share of stress and I'm working hard to manage it.  :) Oreos are a stress reliever.  ;)   And so is living so close to family!

Prayers are highly appreciated during this phase we're going through.  :) Much love, Reba

Noah: 2 Months

On Sunday, Noah turned 2 months old!  He gets sweeter and sweeter with each passing day and it is truly such a joy to be his Mommy!

Here are some stats about him at this age.


Clothing: Noah can still wear 0-3 month clothing, and that's what I normally dress him in.  However, I'm slowly pulling out 3 month size clothes to put on him, just in case he hits a growth spurt soon.  With Michael, I was always so concerned with making sure his clothes matched and making sure he always looked cute no matter if we were spending the whole day at home or not.  With Noah, I'm much more laid back.  On any given day, Noah might be wearing a bright red onesie with light blue pants, or a puppy dog onesie with striped navy pants.  He still looks adorably cute because that's just who he is!  But as far as always wearing a complete outfit-- we don't get there very much.  I also keep putting him in the same clothes after they are washed, instead of putting them away somewhere so that Noah can wear an outfit he hasn't worn before.  With Michael, I wanted him to wear every single item of clothing before he outgrew it.  With Noah, I just want less laundry!  I try to make sure that Noah wears the items of clothing that were bought specifically for him, but I can't guarantee that he will wear every single outfit that Michael wore.

Diapers: Noah is still wearing Costco brand size 1-2.  However, Noah is the king of blow-outs! So I'm not so sure that these sizes will work for very much longer.

Eating: Noah now takes a bottle three times a day while I'm at work.  I nurse him before I head to work, and when I get home, and before he goes to bed.  These past couple of days, he has only woken up once at night-- at 1:30am.  That has been very nice for this first week that I've been back at work!

Soothers: Noah very much likes a pacifier!  We like using the Dr.Brown's brand.  They stay in well and fit along the curvature of the inside of the mouth.  Noah also likes being swaddled in his Halo swaddled blanket that his Aunt B got for him.  I especially like this swaddle blanket because it has Velcro, so it makes it quite easy to quickly swaddle him back up after I change his diaper in the middle of the night! On my weekends, I'll start working with Noah on how on how to fall asleep and stay asleep without the need for a pacifier! :) I know that too much dependence on a soother like a pacifier can be a hindrance later down the line when it comes to sleeping all the way through the night.

Routine: At bedtime, we've started instituting a routine with Noah so he gets used to the idea that bedtime is approaching.  Every other night, I give him a bath at the same time that I bathe Michael.  Michael is phenomenal in the tub with Noah! Noah sits in a bath seat while Michael sits in the tub on his own.  We have discovered that Noah LOVES baths! After the bath, and on the nights that Noah doesn't get a bath, we dress him in freshly washed pajamas.  I nurse him while I recite "Night Night Blessings"-- a book we bought for Michael and have memorized.  Then I sing songs-- lots of them are from Kidz Sing Praise collections (songs I listened to as a little girl).  After that, I change his diaper, swaddle him, and say a prayer.  Then I lay him down in his crib and turn on the AngelCare monitor and give him a good-night kiss.  So far, this routine is working out very well!

Two Month Appointment: On Monday, Noah had his Two Month Appointment.  He was quite the charmer with his smiles and coos. The doctor was pleased with his growth, which always makes me happy.  He weighs 12 pounds 4.5 ounces (60th percentile) and is 23.5 inches long (75th percentile)!  He got two vaccines via shot, and one oral vaccine.  He was quite upset for the shots and I got to spend some time nursing him in the room to calm him down after his shots were complete. By the time we got part way home, he was asleep! :)


This boy is absolutely precious! I love him ever so much and am so very blessed to be his Mommy.


Noah,
You are truly a joy and so fun to be around! I am so glad that God chose to let us be your parents! We love you forever! Love, Mommy

The Hot Pink Cardigan

Sometimes I get complacent. It can happen in my habits-- ie, I'd rather stay home than go anywhere (such a change from my pre-teen and teenage years!). Staying home is nice, but it doesn't bode well for spontaneity, which is the spice of life after all.

 

I'm a planner--I want to know when things are going to happen, where they're going to happen, and what actually is happening. On week nights (especially since Noah and I are not sleeping through the night), I'd rather be home and have a home-cooked meal. I like to be in my own surroundings and in the comfort of my home as a way to instill some peace before embarking on a hard night of putting pacifiers back in, changing diapers with my super-impressive night vision, and oh yeah, feeding a child. However, my husband did the greatest thing the other week. He took me out on a date-- on a Wednesday! Shock!

 

He made the arrangements to take our sons to my in-laws for the evening, and he took me out to dinner (first sushi experience since delivering Noah), then to Academy sports to buy some work pants for him, then to our favorite frozen yogurt place where we cashed in  our "frequent yogurt card" on a free cup of yogurt after buying one!  

 

It was a fantastic time with him. Absolutely fantastic. :) I love him so very much. He took me out of my monotony and showed me that it's ok to do things spontaneously sometimes. We picked up the kids, got home right at their bedtime, and although I was still up twice that night with Noah, I didn't feel like I missed out on any peace! Getting out and about for a while was wonderful.

 

I've tried to apply this spontaneity to my wardrobe and appearance these days. I got to go to Target for some "me" time the other week. I spent some Christmas money and bought some cute clothes (most of them were on clearance and that's how I like to roll). I've often seen certain fashion items and wondered if I could make it work. I decided to try out a couple of these ideas. I bought a black and white Aztec print maxi skirt, a denim shirt dress, and a hot pink cardigan. (I won't wear all three at the same time, mind you!)

 

I stared at the cardigans for the longest time. I didn't see a navy one or a gray one. I almost didn't buy one because I didn't see my go-to colors. If you look in my dresser drawers or in my closet, you will see lots of blue shades. It's my comfort color. However, I knew that I did not need to buy a blue or gray cardigan. I needed something with a little pop! I chose hot pink. By choosing hot pink, I am now forced to pair it with some of my other colored clothes besides just blue all the time.  I also know that I won't just blend in with crowd now-- I'll be wearing a hot pink cardigan! This takes a renewed confidence. I've gotta act like I know what I'm doing and that I'm comfortable with the bright color!

 

I also applied the spontaneity to my appearance. I have been growing my hair out for two years! I was at the point that I didn't know what to do with it anymore. I felt very comfortable with my long hair. It was almost like a curtain to hide behind sometimes. I chose to ask Aaron what style he liked. He pointed out two pictures that we have where my hair was much shorter. I chose to take the plunge and get my hair cut! I called that very day to set up an appointment for that week. Two days later, I went to get my hair cut. I was nervous that Michael wouldn't recognize me! But, lo and behold, he knew exactly who I was! :) I have been learning the best way to style my hair each morning and working out a plan to style it easily once I return to work.

 

I also refreshed my make up supplies. Make up expires- did you know that? It's something I hadn't really paid attention to, but I decided that if I'm putting something on my face, I should make sure it's fresh! I still buy department store brands. I chose some products I hadn't tried out before based on a review I read in a blog by a fellow mom of young ones. She recommended some items, and I decided to try them out. I'm very pleased!

 

All in all, spontaneity has lead me to make some new choices and have a new outlook. It's taught me not to be so uptight about schedules (and I'm still learning!).

 

So, if you see me out and about pushing a toddler in an umbrella stroller while wearing a newborn in a front-pack, I'll probably be in a hot pink cardigan with a cute bob haircut and eyeliner on! Don't worry-- it's still me! Just improved and as busy as ever!

 

_Reba