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Friday, July 29, 2011

Daycare bound

And just like that, it's time for Vincent to go to daycare. Just to recap: He was home with me for 6 short sweet weeks, followed by two weeks home with Daddy. Then he went to work with Daddy through the end of June and watched full time by Grandma Pat almost the whole month of July. This very last week of July, he went to work with Daddy half days and spent the other half of the days at home (while I worked) and Daddy did most of the caregiving. On Tuesday it was Mamma & Vincent day from which I took the day off from the week I found out 5 months after having Vincent that my new company gives to new parents. Yeah, thanks for that 5 months later assholes. (Yes, I'm bitter. And I wrote assholes. I'm bitter, remember? But seriously, who doesn't tell an employee who was pissed about having to use all their vacation for maternity leave that they wouldn't have had to use with the old company that they get an extra week?!)

Today, on Vincent's very last day of no longer being cared for by family, we dropped in on his daycare that he'll be going to come August 1. The ladies that run the infant room are so sweet, even when one baby wasn't too happy about missing his nap because of the fire alarm drill that morning and another baby crying every time she looked at Jonathan.

I'm actually pretty excited for this part of Vincent's life. I think he'll learn a lot at daycare, and I'm looking forward to picking him up in the afternoons. The daycare isn't too far from our house, so it'll be a nice way for me to not only get out of the house every day but also to close up shop and go see his smiling face. Or at least I hope it's smiling. Miss Helen warned us that it takes a week or so for babies to get acclimated and they usually go home exhausted. The bonus she said is that they usually start sleeping through the night if they're not already. This mamma is loving those words!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

The end of nursing

I think we've just about closed the door on the nursing saga. Lately it's been a battle of wills when I nurse Vincent. Not because he doesn't want to, but because he gets really impatient and lazy. I've done all I can to keep up my supply, which had dipped. I really don't think my problem was lack of a supply but rather a baby who'd rather the milk flow like from a bottle nipple. It makes my heart ache to close this chapter. I really wanted to see it through some date in the future determined either by medical necessity (me going back on my MS meds) or him not gaining enough weight. I never imagined that mother nature was going to give me milk that drips rather than flows. I think I'd be impatient too. And before you comment with a ton of advice, believe me, I've tried it all—or I feel like I have. I know that many sites suggest taking away the bottles until he can get used to nursing again, but as a working mother, that's impossible. Thanks America for providing a way for mammas to provide the very best for their children. I hate how you rob us mammas of so many opportunities to be with our children.

Maybe this won't be the end. Maybe it will be. I just hope I'm ready for whatever is in store.

A V post

I think I've abandoned my other blog, so look her for all news about Baby Vincent as he mostly known at least on the Massey side. I think it has a better ring than Vinny (which makes my blood curdle and makes me want to vomit a little in my mouth; guess if you want to be on my good side, you'll call him V, Vincent, or even Vince, just saying).

So about the little guy: At almost 5.5 months, he's really close to rolling over. He hates tummy time, so I'm not sure if he'll ever be successful until it's time to crawl. His hands continue to fascinate him, and even though mamma shows him his feet everyday, he has yet to be interested. I'm so ready to see him do happy baby.

He's really attached to people (at least he is to Mom and Dad) and is starting to notice if you leave the room. Hopefully that won't be a cord that's around forever. I'd like to think Vincent could be a social, non-clingy child, but if it means more mamma snuggles, maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

I've given him rice cereal on several occasions and he's still not interested and has a strong tongue thrust reflex. His pediatrician doesn't even recommend rice until 6 months, so I'm in no rush to push the issue, especially after this week's cereal triggered his gag reflex and he vomited every where. I felt like the worst mamma in the world. Honestly, I think this society is too keen on being food pushers, including bottles. I kept wanting Vincent to eat more in his bottles, but then it finally clicked that hey, he obviously doesn't need it so why push it? He'll eat more when he's ready; same goes with solids.

He's starting to reach for things independently. Before we had to show it to him and he would tentatively touch or grasp whatever it was we were presenting to him. He's starting to sit up more on his own, and we're thinking we might invest in a Bumbo seat so he can get more practice sitting. A couch isn't exactly conducive to unsupported sitting. One delay I'm a little worried about is that when we try standing him on our lap he doesn't bear weight on his legs, unless he's really pissed off. If he's still not doing this come his 6-month appointment, I might say something to our pediatrician. I just don't think Vincent is in any rush to achieve his development milestones and when he's ready, he seems to accomplish them in a day.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Randomness

By request, here's 29 (cuz that's how old I am!) things you may not have know about me.

29. I think I'm a hippie at heart. I believe in the good of most people. Unless you piss me off and then I write you off forever. Maybe I'm not a full-blooded hippie.

28. I happen to think women who don't wear any makeup and dress casually are the most beautiful because they let their personality "dress them up".

27. I thinking eating takes way too much time, especially now that I have a kid.

26. Even though I work from home, I have to be wearing shoes, even if it's just flip flops. Otherwise it feels like I'm working on the weekends.

25. I love the comfy casual look best. Not only am I comfortable but when I feel comfortable, I feel like I look good.

24. I love challenges. I took calculus in college just because I wanted to see if I could do it. I didn't even need it (journalism major). I ended up with a C, but I contend that a lot of that was because I had to spend a majority of my time tutoring my roommate because she didn't understand basic algebra.

23. I wish I would have majored in biology. I'm good at science, and I love a challenge.

22. Sometimes I miss being a college student and wish we could have repeat days where we go back in time for a day and have a do over and have conscious knowledge that it was a do over.

21. My other do-over days would be: the day my mother died so I could tell her goodbye, when I met my husband, my wedding day, and the day I gave birth to my son.

20. I didn't know motherhood would be this hard. I also didn't know how anxious I would be to find out how my little boy is going to turn out.

19. I like buying name brands. I equate them with quality, but since having a kid all brands are fair game.

18. I'm embarrassed to admit we bought Wal-mart brand diapers and we like them!

17. I'm a neat freak about how I clean: I don't clean all the time, but when I do, you could eat off every surface.

16. You could even eat off my toilet.

15. I loved being pregnant. I want to have another kid just so I can be pregnant again.

14. I also want another kid so I can go through birth again. I was in labor with my son for 18 hours and I pushed him out in 10 minutes.

13. I love to-do lists. My sister once made fun of me for all my lists and even bought me this beautiful to-do list book, but I can't bring myself to write in it because it's so beautiful! On my to-do list is to be brave enough to write in it.

12. I don't have very good manners.

11. I have a hard time meeting new people.

10. I firmly believe in my astrological sign, the Pisces. All the traits apply to me.

9. I think it would be fun to own a New Age shop. I would burn incense all day and listen to music that always puts me to sleep.

8. I'm very sensitive to the moods of people around me, especially anger. If you're angry, I can't stand to be in the same room with you.

7. I hate fighting.

6. RE: 7: It makes me very passive aggressive.

5. I love gummy bears.

4. I cracked up when my niece and nephew saw my gummy bears in my travel snacks when I went to Denver and totally wanted them. I guess I love kid candy.

3. I can't sit still long enough to watch movies anymore, especially ones that are thought provoking. We just watched Conception and I was glad we were interrupted by the kid so I could do something else for a while.

2. I hate people who bitch and complain and then when you bitch and complain they give advice like it's not a big deal. Hello, feel my pain!

1. I hate crying. When other people cry I never know what to do. Crying is like nails on a chalkboard to me. I think that's why I don't let Vincent cry much.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

The forgotten post chronicles: Work from home is for the birds

So now that I've been working from home for almost four months, I felt it was time to give my assessment and true opinion of working from home.

Pros:
My own bathroom
Can eat whatever/whenever I want (I don't, but it's nice to have access)
When I'm done for the day, I'm already home
I can wear whatever I want
Getting Vincent and myself ready is easy since I have plenty of time

Cons:
I feel more disconnected than ever
I miss talking to people face to face
I feel less motivated (NOTE: this could be due to sleep deprivation and company changes)

Cousins




The day we arrived in Denver during our recent trip there, much to our surprise and shock, my niece Abby wanted to hold Baby Vincent. It was her idea! I think Vincent brought out the tiny mamma in her. She didn't even want to let him go, and it still warms my heart to know she is still asking where Baby Vincent is at—almost a month later. She's going to be a fine big sister. And almost just as surprising, Vincent tolerated being held by amateur arms. I just love that they're in their PJs.




Monday, July 18, 2011

Quilt love





There's nothing better than a quilt to snuggle up under. Nothing. Those little blocks sewn together with love have been en vogue in my family for as long as I can remember. If you were lucky enough to get a quilt that was made by either of my grandmothers or my mom, you almost felt like you really did win the lottery. Quilts made by these women are a hot commodity both because they've already passed on from this life and because of the time, energy, and love they poured into their artistry. They're things of rare beauty. So you can imagine what it's like to look upon my sister's quilt creations. Although her work is more modern and the quality probably surpasses even our familial quilting predecessors, I still feel that same comfort seeing her work. And now we're proud owners of one of her quilts. Or I guess I should say Vincent is. Lucky baby. I really wanted to hang it up it's so beautiful, but my sister wasn't having it. She wants her quilts to be used and loved—not hung up as a relic. I'm so happy that Vincent has a blanket he can snuggle up under when he's older that was made by someone who loves him almost as much as I do. Everyday we break it out and play. We practice rolling, we sit up and read, we play with our play gym, and sometimes we just cuddle up with Mamma underneath it. Thanks Aunt Chance for such an amazing gift!





Saturday, July 9, 2011

Sparkle

This past weekend we ventured to Denver to spend time with my sis and her family for the fourth. The last time I saw her daughter Abby she was a timid little thing who had to have lots of time to warm up to you. But now she's two and a half and sassy! I loved how she'd run up to me and hug my legs and giggle as she'd peek on baby Vincent. We worried she wouldn't be receptive to having a baby in the house since she hasn't seemed that fond of the baby growing in mamma's belly. Instead, she found herself a real live doll to hug and snuggle.

Jonathan snapped this picture of her. It's way blurry, but somehow it captures the sparkle that Girlfriend exudes. Sparkle on Girlfriend. Sparkle on!



I can't wait to share with you all the rest of my Denver adventures. Trips to my sister's house are always so much fun and inspiring.