Wednesday, May 16, 2012

How to make a baby paranoid

Mount the monitor camera on the side of their crib right where they'll notice it!  What three month old mugs for the camera?

Hey!  What's that? Mommy I'm awake are you there?? 
Hi there!!  Look I broke that swaddle again!
PLLLHTTTTT!  I LOVE stickin my tongue out at that camera!


Thursday, May 10, 2012

What I'm Missing...

I've looked forward to coming back to work, but of course there is always something I'm missing out on by doing so.  Love my babies to pieces.
I love you, sister!
Why is this kid always talkin about cheese???

Okay Mommy I'll sit down, but I'm takin my cereal with me!  And yes I know my 'jamas are mismatched!

Ew Mommy, I think he farted!

Yep, he defeinitely farted...

Can someone help me up?  It stinks down here!

Fine - ONE half smile!

MOMMY! We do NOT both fit in this chair!!
There are way too many of us, right Cannoli?
And forward, MARCH!
Shhh!  Barney's on!
Hey Brother, when can I pick the show??
C'mon Sister - this stuff is great!  Even the dogs are watching! 

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Last Week, Past Week

I'm almost finished my last week of my "extended" maternity leave... and the past week has been nonstop chaos in the gobblestime household. 

Let's start with the past week.  Last Wednesday started out pretty normal, until hubs got a call that his dad was being transported to HUP via ambulance because his local hospital wasn't equipped to handle him.  Father-in-law, with a history of heart issues, had been having some chest pains and went to his routine appointment thinking he would have some caths replaced.  When the doctors took a look they deemed it much worse and ordered open heart surgery.  When hubs said it was likely we'd have to cancel plans for the wedding he was in on Friday, I realized this was pretty serious. 

Sis-in-law came down right away and she and hubs went down to spend time with their dad before his surgery, which was scheduled for Thursday morning.  After Gobbles got a horrible nights' sleep on Wednesday, he slept in pretty late Thursday, so despite having a few showings and a vet appointment, I kept both kids home with me as well.  As soon as we woke up we called hubs for an update.  The Penn doctors had re-reviewed Pop's charts, and decided that they could do what the doctors at the other hospital weren't capable of, and place a few stints in the arteries at his heart.  Everyone was relieved to hear this because the risks and recovery are so much better.  Instead of being in the ICU for over a week, he'd only be in for a day or so.  By Thursday afternoon, hubs decided we would be attending the wedding, but he wouldn't be making the rehearsal which was Thursday evening 3 hours away in North Jersey. 

Meanwhile, at home, the battle over bedtime continued with Gobbles' nap not happening because of the timing of the vet appointment, the Lobster Roll's nap was not happening because of Gobbles' incessant screaming, and I was an emotional mess because I had spent the day contemplating hubs' health fate since he has the same heart as his father, who had his first attack in his early 40s.  So by the end of the day all I wanted was a glass of wine and a hug from my husband.  My mother, God Bless Her, took the kids 12 hours earlier than planned - that evening instead of the next day.  As exhausted as we were, hubs and I took advantage and went out for a last minute late dinner, down at our new favorite suburban byob - Styers Garden Cafe at Terrain.  Farm fresh 5 course tasting.  YUM.

The next morning was more running around as hubs gave the lawn a much needed mow (for the weekend's showings), and I ran the dogs down to the boarder and got a quick haircut.  We were finally wedding-bound with my sister in tow around noon (her hubs, also in the wedding, had gone up Thursday).  We got a text from said brother in law when we were still on the road asking how far we were - as hubs was needed for pictures.  Hilarity ensued as we drove up the highway while he tried to put on a three piece tailed tux in the backseat.  We finally got to the hotel, after first going to the wrong one (two Hyatt's in the same town?  Stupid jersey!) just as the wedding party was ready to go.  Sis and I rushed off to get ready. 

The wedding ceremony was beautiful, and this couple is one of my favorite couples - they're the type that are so genuinely sweet and considerate that they almost make me feel bad about myself for being the a-hole that I am.  Having been to a million church weddings including my own, they're typically all the same.  This one was even more beautiful though because the groom had recently converted so the couple was all involved in the church, and the priest was able to speak about them as he knew - it really made the ceremony extra special.  And the food at the reception?  I knew it was going to be good considering we were in North Jersey / practically Manhattan, but I didn't realize I'd be scraping clean the crab dip pot or chasing around the lamb chop guy during cocktail hour.  I normally don't even like lamb chops.  Of course I drank my fill (plus some) and partied the night away, with just a few breaks to pump in the bathroom when the milk started to flow...

Next morning, or should I say 3 hours after I went to bed, I woke up with horrible horrible pain in my boobs, and a little in my head.  Thinking my mastitis had returned, I went into the bathroom and pumped pumped pumped, but nothing was coming out.  Of course I didn't drink enough to replace the pumping dehydration, let alone deal with the hangover, so I was in rough shape by the time we checked out and went to breakfast.  I couldn't get down any of the food because my chest hurt too much and just wanted to get into the car and hooked up to the pump, thinking if I could relieve the chest pain the rest of me would feel better.  It was a temporary solution, and as hubs drove I finally got some milk out and got them to unclog.  Just as I got my pump put away, the queasiness set in.  I had just enough time to grab a gallon sized ziploc bag that was intended to carry pump parts before i lost it.  The few bites of breakfast and the dinner the night before... let's just say the bag was full when we pulled over on the side of the road to dump it... ugh.  I'm just glad I was neat about getting sick and that the bag had no holes.... And I'm mad at myself because I'm not going to be able to drink my face off at a wedding this coming weekend for fear of not recovering in time for my first day of work (Sorry Kite!).  #breastfeeding momma problems, ha!

Anyway, back to the last week, so Saturday and half of Sunday were spent recovering, and off to the local funfair we went on Sunday afternoon.  I think my poor son is more fearful than me - we were in line for these dogs that went around in a circle (think dumbo ride, but smaller), and he lost it.  No Dogs!  They scare me!  They go in a circle buds, come on!  So I asked if he wanted the school bus instead, which basically went around in a vertical circle (like a ferris wheel but really small).  He agreed.  No sooner had the guy shut the door to the ride when Gobbles let out a WAIL.  Like he was being tortured, he started screaming - Get off.  Get OFF.  I DONT LIKE IT GET OFF!!  So yea he kinda ruined it for everyone around us, oh well.  Live and learn.  We decided no more motion rides, and I took him on this plaything where you walked through a hall of mirrors, up some steps, then down a slide.  Nope, wouldn't take that either.  At this point we were kinda over the fair and walked home, Gobbles whining the whole way. 

It wasn't until after dinner that we realized why - the poor kid had a fever of 102.  We started rattling off the list - does your belly hurt? No.  Throat hurt? No. Teeth Hurt?  No.  Ear Hurt?  No. no. no.  Since everything was a no and 102 isn't high we let it go figuring we'd see how he was.  The only problem was that he was so cranky and so whiny so we kept him home from school Monday.  The fever came and went over Monday so I called the peditrician on Tuesday and they said with no other symptoms just keep monitoring it and resting.  By Tuesday afternoon he was fine and we planned to bring him back to school Wednesday.  Of course that's when it hit.  Gobbles went to bed ok Tuesday night, cranky and exhausted from me having had to drag him out of the house for a showing and for my eye dr appointment (trying to get it all in before I go back to work).  He woke up in the middle of the night sweating profusely and screaming.  His face was pale and he looked like he had jumped from a swimming pool into bed, so we changed him and paged the pediatrician.  A few minutes later he was sleeping soundly again, this time in our bed.  We all fell asleep assuming the pediatrician would call back if it was something to be worried about - I'd had a hunch that I've just never seen a child sweat out a fever. 

The doctor called back in the morning and told us to bring him in just to be safe, so they checked and turns out my boy had viral tonsillitous!  His throat was enflamed but strep cultures came back negative, meaning he could return to school upon feeling better.  (His fever didn't come back after Tuesday night).  He spend Wednesday watching episode after episode of Barney (thank you Netflix for the damn Adventure Bus and your damn songs about elephants and pizza).  He also took a long nap and woke up in the cold sweat again, but finally, after sleeping all night last night, woke up bright and cheery and ready for school (until we got there).

Dropoff today was pure hell because he'd been out for a week straight, I could only imagine how horrible he'd be if he had spent 3 months at home with me - it would have taken a month to get back into the routine instead of a day.   And my poor lil lobster roll was in school all week being a happy smiley angel because I wanted to keep her away from Gobbles in case he was contageous.  Today they're both there so I can clean up the house and get prepped for work and all (and heck, we're paying for it), and tomorrow I'll have one last day off with my little girl - manis pedis perhaps?

So to sum up we've had a rough week in this house...


but we've come out full of smiles:

Friday, April 27, 2012

View from the floor in a toddler's tiny room on a random Wednesday night

I don't know why potential buyers hate this room so much.  Sure, it's small, but there's enough room for an adult to lay comfortably on the floor next to the bed while waiting for a restless child to drift off to sleep.  

I hear him tossing and turning on the Toy Story sheets and wonder what he's thinking.  What goes through his mind as he's trying to fall asleep?  The stress of school the next day?  The worry that Mommy's yelling "Go to SLEEP" would echo in his dreams?

I remove my glasses and study the room as it looks through nearsighted eyes, although mine aren't as bad as his I can get the idea.  Maybe the shadows cast on the ceiling from the nightlight and the fan wig him out. Maybe the Disney pictures, blurred from the darkness but still lined up neat as pins contribute to his OCD.   The stuffed moose perched atop his giant blue piggy bank unknowingly shows up like devil horns on the wall behind.

The shuffling above me stops and I see a tiny head peeking out of the covers and over the side of the bed.  Guilty, I stop typing and whisper "go to sleep buddy" and hypocritically return to my phone.  Just 14 hours ago  I woke up from this very bed, having come in to relieve a 5am night terror and was just too tired to get up and leave. Am I encouraging bad habits?  This will end someday, and beyond that I will yearn for times like these, when my son sleeps just feet away and is only comforted by the presence of mommy... He tosses over again and I put the phone down for another moment.

The collection of hats hanging on monkey hooks catch my eye.  Gobbles hates hats, but has somehow acquired quite an array, from fire hats to cowboy, sno-bum to beach bum. I wonder if we ever do sell this house, will he remember this room?  Or will his "memories" be driven by the videos of himself he watches over and over again on my phone?

The house is calm after the battle of bedtime, from the screaming and the tears once again gobbles has emerged the victor, hence the reason I am on this floor. I gaze up at the mishmash of toys that hubs and I supplied from our own collections to line the shelves when we decorated this "nursery" almost 3 years ago and feel like it was just yesterday. It reminds me yet again that though the terrible twos are afoot, they will be gone in a blink of an eye. Gobbles buds, I love you little boy- mommy will always be here to comfort you to sleep when you need her. 

Mommy wishes for me to sleep and not fight her on naps and bedtime!
But I have more important things in mind
I wish for trucks.  Fire engines and dump trucks and backhoes and a CAR.TRANS.POR.TER!

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

3 Months!

Dear Lil Lobster Roll,

It's always bittersweet writing these letters to you and Gobbles at your milestone ages. It makes me realize how your time as a baby is fleeting. In fact, the very first letter I wrote was over two years ago when your big brother turned three months. I can't believe it!

You are growing so incredibly quick, already wearing 6 month clothes and size 2 diapers! You are always smiling and laughing, especially when mommy, daddy, or big brother come into the room. I've even seen you sneak a smirk at the puppies, as if you guys are sharing a special secret. You look at everything with wonder and curiosity and dart your head around when you hear excitement from different corners of the room.

Tummy time is not as torturous anymore, and each time you're on your mat I feel like it will be the time when you roll over- you are so close! When you're on your back you're content to kick all the toys hanging from your mat in order to make as much noise as possible.

That noise, oh the noise! I've never heard a baby chat so much! Ooohs and Aaaahhs and the occasional Eeeee which I know is you straining to say "mommeeeee"! You love to be heard, and even though you have that ear piercing scream twice a day when you're ready to sleep, it's music to my ears to hear you so animated.

You sleep better at 90 days old than your brother does at almost 900 days, so well that I don't mind waking up to feed you the few nights a week you request me.  And by request I mean let out one quick whine then wait patiently for me to come in, always greeting me with a gummy grin, tongue half sticking out.  As long as you're swaddled you can pass out anywhere, anytime and sleep for hours. When you had your first day of school this week, I was proud to tell them that you've already put yourself on a schedule.

That's right lady- school! You're there a few days this week to give it a try while mommy runs around to appointments and oil changes. You had a great first day yesterday and I'm sure it will keep up! Your brother told us how he looked in on you during the day. You know you've made it when you have Gobbles' stamp of approval.
Personality-wise, you are all you're Daddy so far.  Relaxed, laid back, and if the TV is on you are glued to it, able to tune out anything else around you.  I don't mind that you're exactly like him, especially since your brother is Mommy - drama drama island all the way!

Tonight when I was finished feeding you, and we were rocking in your room in the dark (the power was out because people in the neighborhood don't know how to trim trees properly), we were listening to your Daddy read Gobbles his bedtime stories in the other room.  You just kept smiling at me and laughing at their silliness.  I kept kissing your cheeks and your nose and your forehead telling you that I love you to pieces, because I seriously feel like my heart could burst into a million pieces every time i squeeze you and kiss you, my precious little girl!

Now that I've spilled my heart let's sop up my tears with a photo montage.  Until next time little one, I love you so much. 

Love,
Momma
I'm not really trying to roll Mommy - I'm straining to see the TV...
Ahh that's better.
Ok this is a little too close - getting ridiculous now!
This old guy is the one you had a crush on in high school?  Wow Mom!
See my tongue?  HAHA
Don't forget my smile!  I'm up to something!
LISTEN TO ME!
What IS that amazing creature?
All right.  ready. to. roll.
Three months old but still in hand-me-down jeans!
And i still need a lil help sitting up!

But I need no help busting out my killer smile.  AGAIN!


I'm just a little princess, waiting with my other princess on my first day of school!


And sitting in my big brother's chair. Shhhh.  Don't tell him!