Hello readers! After a bit of an absense I have some exiting news! I got a job! A local IT company hired me as a technical writer. It starts out at 10 hours a week but they are hoping to turn it into a full time position next year sometime. I work from home accept for the occasional meeting in office. Last week was pretty nuts because they asked if I could do 40 hours. I made it through but I worked a lot in the evenings when Lu was asleep. All I did the whole week was take care of Lu and sit at my computer typing away. When the position does go full time we are planning on getting a nanny two days a week, but I will be able to handle up to 20 hours a week.
I am really loving working. The work is interesting, I'm learning so much about IT, and I get paid to write! It's been really good for me to have a project outside of the mom stuff I think, and I it helps me to be more efficient with life in general.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
sling
I have a new favorite baby carrier—the sling. This is the most classic of baby carriers and it is a favorite of baby wearers. Anyway, Maralee gave us a sweet tye-dyed one when Lu was born but Lu was done with the whole swaddling thing after about two weeks of life. The first time I put her in the sling she loved it, a couple of weeks later she screamed when I tried to put her in it. But a few weeks ago I tried her out in it again, in the hip hold position. It was pretty comfortable and she seemed pretty content in it. she has been getting a bit too heavy for the bjorn. The sling spreads her weight across my back and shoulders, and the bjorn feels like it is just on my shoulders.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Baby people
I never considered my self a baby person. Seriously, I remember being in high school and at some event all the girls would flock around the babies, and I didn't. It's not that I didn't like babies I just didn't really know what to do with them. I knew how to hold them, how to change a diaper, how to do general baby maintenence, but I didn't get the whole heart tug thing. Honestly, I didn't get the whole heart tug thing until seeing Lu's sonogram picture, then it really kicked in when she was born. It's weird thought I'm still not super attracted to other people's babies. I think part of it is that I haven't been around as friends have had babies, maybe when that happens I will feel the pull. But maybe I am just our own baby kind of person. Or maybe it's that other moms really make me nervous. I always feel like I'll do something wrong!
My guess is that it's more of an issue of knowing. I know Lu. I learned how to hold a newborn when she was born. I learned how to change her tiny diaper (although this took me a little while because Andy changed all her diapers during his paternity leave, what a guy!). I know that she is not as fragile as she seems, that she can be tickled and it will only make her giggle. I can tell when she is grouchy, I can tell when she is happy and feeling adventurous. I know she gets all excited when Andy comes home from work and she pulls on his legs until he picks her up and tickles her on the bed. I remember her learning to lift her head, learning to smile, learning to roll over, learning to crawl. Raising a baby is knowing a little person at their most vulnerable and caring for them. It is seeing all their tiny human accomplishements and wondering at the awesomeness of it all. It has been far more proufound than I thought it would be.
My guess is that it's more of an issue of knowing. I know Lu. I learned how to hold a newborn when she was born. I learned how to change her tiny diaper (although this took me a little while because Andy changed all her diapers during his paternity leave, what a guy!). I know that she is not as fragile as she seems, that she can be tickled and it will only make her giggle. I can tell when she is grouchy, I can tell when she is happy and feeling adventurous. I know she gets all excited when Andy comes home from work and she pulls on his legs until he picks her up and tickles her on the bed. I remember her learning to lift her head, learning to smile, learning to roll over, learning to crawl. Raising a baby is knowing a little person at their most vulnerable and caring for them. It is seeing all their tiny human accomplishements and wondering at the awesomeness of it all. It has been far more proufound than I thought it would be.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Feeding that kid
Speaking of changes in personality and stuff breastfeeding has been an interesting experience. I’m not going to go into too much detail but I want to shed some light on the subject of perceptions vs. reality of breastfeeding.
First from what I hear, my breastfeeding experience has been pretty easy. I haven’t had any infections or milk production problems. Overall we have had a good breastfeeding experience so far. It was hard to get used to, and was pretty exhausting at first, both emotionally and physically, but we have fallen into a good rhythm and Lu is just not as needy as when she was first born.
I grew up learning that breastfeeding, total breastfeeding was the only way to go. So it didn’t take much convincing to breastfeed. However, it is one of those things that nothing can really prepare you for, and is just one aspect of the all encompassingness of those early baby days.
There are many variations/intensities of breastfeeding. Some women partially breastfeed, supplementing with formula. Some women breastfeed exclusively for a while, then add in solids. Some mamas pump to stash some milk, or who want to breastfeed despite working (pumping really sucks by the way). along the way I came upon something called ecological breastfeeding which is a more extreme form of exclusive breastfeeding. Ecological breastfeeding does not allow any supplements, bottles or passifiers for the first six months. After six months there are still no bottles, or pacifiers but most start introducing solids.
Now I am all for breastfeeding, I think it is a great way to feed your baby and I have enjoyed it. but like our sleeping habits we’ve taken something of a combination path when it comes to breastfeeding. We knew that we would be taking a trip for our honeymoon when Lu was four months old. So when she was three weeks old I started pumping once a day and Andy started giving Lu a few bottles a week. At first, I felt weird about giving her a bottle even with breastmilk in it, but then Andy took me on a date for my 23rd birthday when she was six weeks old, and it was the best date of my life. After that I was a complete convert. If she wasn’t ever using a bottle there would be no dates until she was on mostly solid food, and who wants to go months and months without a date?
Before Lu was born I assumed that giving her bottles was somehow a bad choice. Breastfeeding is great and I am so grateful that it has worked out so well for us, since I know it doesn’t for some people, but if the baby never learns how to use a bottle then the mom cannot be away from baby for long until the baby is weaned. If I had done this it would make me really want to wean. I love spending time with Lu, but any parent needs a break sometimes especially from the demands of a baby. I highly recommend teaching baby how to use a bottle even if you never plan on using it.
First from what I hear, my breastfeeding experience has been pretty easy. I haven’t had any infections or milk production problems. Overall we have had a good breastfeeding experience so far. It was hard to get used to, and was pretty exhausting at first, both emotionally and physically, but we have fallen into a good rhythm and Lu is just not as needy as when she was first born.
I grew up learning that breastfeeding, total breastfeeding was the only way to go. So it didn’t take much convincing to breastfeed. However, it is one of those things that nothing can really prepare you for, and is just one aspect of the all encompassingness of those early baby days.
There are many variations/intensities of breastfeeding. Some women partially breastfeed, supplementing with formula. Some women breastfeed exclusively for a while, then add in solids. Some mamas pump to stash some milk, or who want to breastfeed despite working (pumping really sucks by the way). along the way I came upon something called ecological breastfeeding which is a more extreme form of exclusive breastfeeding. Ecological breastfeeding does not allow any supplements, bottles or passifiers for the first six months. After six months there are still no bottles, or pacifiers but most start introducing solids.
Now I am all for breastfeeding, I think it is a great way to feed your baby and I have enjoyed it. but like our sleeping habits we’ve taken something of a combination path when it comes to breastfeeding. We knew that we would be taking a trip for our honeymoon when Lu was four months old. So when she was three weeks old I started pumping once a day and Andy started giving Lu a few bottles a week. At first, I felt weird about giving her a bottle even with breastmilk in it, but then Andy took me on a date for my 23rd birthday when she was six weeks old, and it was the best date of my life. After that I was a complete convert. If she wasn’t ever using a bottle there would be no dates until she was on mostly solid food, and who wants to go months and months without a date?
Before Lu was born I assumed that giving her bottles was somehow a bad choice. Breastfeeding is great and I am so grateful that it has worked out so well for us, since I know it doesn’t for some people, but if the baby never learns how to use a bottle then the mom cannot be away from baby for long until the baby is weaned. If I had done this it would make me really want to wean. I love spending time with Lu, but any parent needs a break sometimes especially from the demands of a baby. I highly recommend teaching baby how to use a bottle even if you never plan on using it.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Personality and moming
Since we discovered Lu was coming into our lives I've had several people tell me not to "lose myself" once she was born. I've thought a lot about what that means and why people assume you are in danger of losing yourself once you have kids. Also I don't believe anyone ever said this to Andy (Andy, correct me if I'm wrong!) so apparently this losing of yourself only applies to women? I’m guessing that’s because usually (or at least traditionally) women have been the primary child care people. But still, originally Andy was going to stay home with Luthien, and I still don’t think anyone warned him not to lose himself.
Anyway, let me get back to the point. What is this losing yourself thing people talk about? I mean, I think I get it, I’ve seen people who have lost themselves in their kids--who talk only about their kids, and who only do kid activities. Although I’ve also seen people lose themselves in work, school, a relationship, sports, and many other things. Maybe it is more pronounced with kids because kids are so all encompassing, so all or nothing. And you can’t quit kids like you can quit football (at least no in good conscience). And after having a baby for a few months now I can certainly understand that feeling when all you’ve done all day is keep the kid at bay and you feel like a mindless zombie. But most days I still feel like myself. I still have hopes and dreams, I still laugh, I still am scheming a career up. I still joke with my husband, knit, write, make dorky attempts at humor. I realize that it is important for parents, especially new moms, to guard against, and some days I will lose myself. But I still have personality and I’m gonna work hard to keep it, because dang it I like being who I am, and I even like the changes motherhood has brought to my personality.
Anyway, let me get back to the point. What is this losing yourself thing people talk about? I mean, I think I get it, I’ve seen people who have lost themselves in their kids--who talk only about their kids, and who only do kid activities. Although I’ve also seen people lose themselves in work, school, a relationship, sports, and many other things. Maybe it is more pronounced with kids because kids are so all encompassing, so all or nothing. And you can’t quit kids like you can quit football (at least no in good conscience). And after having a baby for a few months now I can certainly understand that feeling when all you’ve done all day is keep the kid at bay and you feel like a mindless zombie. But most days I still feel like myself. I still have hopes and dreams, I still laugh, I still am scheming a career up. I still joke with my husband, knit, write, make dorky attempts at humor. I realize that it is important for parents, especially new moms, to guard against, and some days I will lose myself. But I still have personality and I’m gonna work hard to keep it, because dang it I like being who I am, and I even like the changes motherhood has brought to my personality.
Monday, August 9, 2010
The Grass is Greenest Here
Today is my husband's birthday. Yesterday he told me that he doesn't feel like the grass is greener on the other side of life anymore, that the grass is the greenest right where we are. I’ve never felt like that before, and it is awesome to know that we are in the right place in life. We have our frustrations, Andy’s commute sucks, and I want to find a job, but we are so happy and content with each other. This is the best time in my life, and it is thanks to Andy, my all star husband. So this is to Andy, he is the hardest working, most loving man I know, and I am so incredibly blessed to call him my husband. Happy 24th Birthday my love!
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