The Fart Side

For the longest time The Far Side was one of my favorite comics, still love the classics. I just got Larson’s twisted humor. These days my life is more on “The Fart Side” as Robert battles gas. I find myself cheering his gas passing. “Great burp little guy, how about another one?” I’m not sure I’m finding this super fulfilling. But then he looks at me, or quiets when I pick him up – now that’s fulfilling. In between his naps and gas passing I’m managing to keep up with work e-mails and hope to start getting some creative stuff for work done later this week. I need to comb through the over 100 pictures that Jim took at the race on Sunday and design a thank you card for the sponsors. Then I need to design the winter newsletter and get Wendy a list of story assignments. I’d also like to get some grants out. I need work, I need the mental outlet. Even though I’m not in the office my thoughts are still there and all the things that need to get done before year end. But right now my main focus is this little guy, and his farts.

Guess Who’s Getting Big

While I had Robert at the doctor’s office for his blood work I asked the nurse if we could get his current weight. I thought he was going to be 9 pounds or so since 9 days ago we were 8 pounds, 6 ounces. Nope, our little Munk the Chunk is up to 10 pounds, 5 ounces! I could hardly believe it. That’s a pound in five days! I’m hoping this is just the growth spurt that they have between 10-13 days and not a sign of how fast he’s going to gain. He’s not fat at all, I think he’s at least another inch longer too. I’ll have to measure him and see. He’s been a bit fussy because of gas so we’re working through that.

I was trying to nap tonight so he was hanging out with Daddy in the living room. When I came out to check on the boys this is how I found him… crashed out and looking so cute, if I do say so myself. And of course, we wore our Green Bay outfit all day since Great Uncle Ward is a huge Green Bay fan.

FREEDOM!

We had our two week check up with the doctor today. My incision is healing nicely. I’m eight pounds lighter than when I began the pregnancy and I got permission to drive again!!! YEAH!!! FREEDOM!!! I can also now pick up Robert in his car seat so we can be on the move. I am trying to remember that I am still recovering, and that I’m not getting a whole lot of sleep right now. Jim returned to work full time after dropping Robert and I back at home. I sent his boss a thank you e-mail, is that too cheesy? I know that it was inconvenient having him gone from the office so much the past two weeks but truth is I needed him here. I have never been one to easily admit that I need something or someone but more than once since Robert has come along I’ve had to say to Jim, I need you right now.

My white blood cells are still out of whack. So it’s back to the hematologist. Lucky me, I have an appointment on my birthday, I hope that’s not the high point of the day!

Announcements are Ordered!

I did it! Got Robert’s birth announcement finished and ordered. God bless Winkflash for having 5X7 photo cards with envelopes regularly $.39 on sale for $.23! YEAH!!! Now all I have to do is wait for them to get here and get them mailed out. I like how they came out. Pretty simple with the focus on him… like all of life is right now.

My Men

This morning was our big 5K race/fundraiser for my job. Being that it started at 7am and I can’t drive, Jim went and took pictures for me since it was too cold for Robert to be outside.

I love this photo of them. Jim is such a wonderful Daddy. So gentle and patient, even at 3:30am when I wake him up totally frustrated. When he got home from the race this morning he brought me a mocha from Latte Land… major bonus points. Then when I was in the hallway I heard him reading the paper to Robert. He also makes up little songs and sings to him.

Right now Robert is asleep in his swing and Jim is busy making chili so we are set to watch football later. Of course, he likes his chili spicy and me not so much so he’s making two batches.

I’m so lucky to have two great men in my life.

Is It OK?

Is it OK to admit that there are times that I feel totally inadequate to parent this little guy? This is Robert’s little furrowed brow look. This is the look I get when I’ve done something he does not approve of. I guess I should preface this post with the fact we had a rough night last night. From 8pm until 3am we didn’t sleep more than an hour at a time. I checked diapers, I made sure he wasn’t hungry, I held him, rocked him… each time he woke something different settled him down.

We started off good. In his room in his own crib at 8pm. We were there until about 9pm when he began crying. Not just the little cries or squeaks he sometimes does but all five lights on the baby monitor for more than five minutes. Mom had to go rescue him. And it’s amazing, I pick him up, he quits crying. I brought him back to our bed where a sudden rush of hormones brought me to tears with my husband gently patting my back and telling me it’s going to be OK. He just doesn’t understand, that’s why I’m crying, because it is all OK. I’m holding my perfect, healthy baby boy. He stops crying when I pick him up. That’s powerful. I also don’t know what I did to deserve such a perfect gift. What karma running around out there in the universe thought that I was so deserving that I should be given this little life to care for and nurture? I know I’m not that good of a person to deserve Robert. But I have promised him I’d do my best to become that person.

The rest of the night went downhill. Robert generally is not a fussy baby but he does have this one blood curdling scream that literally makes my heart hurt when I hear it. We had a few of those last night. We had the hiccups for a while and that made us throw up. I took off his pajamas but knew he’d just get upset again when I redressed him so I decided he could hang out in his diaper a while. I held him on my chest and patted his back. I told him I wish I could have the hiccups for him. My dad used to always tell us when we were sick or hurt he wished he could have it for us. I now know how deeply he meant that.

We slept 45 minutes at a time. Daddy took over at 2:30am. At 3:30am he figured out if Robert has the premixed formula he seems to sleep better. It’s now 9:15 am and Robert has been asleep almost six hours waking only to eat some more at 7:30am. He seems oblivious to the fact that his mother is inadequate. He still calms to my touch. Perhaps we will make it in spite of me.

First Family Portraits

My goal is to get Robert’s birth announcement designed and ordered this weekend since winkflash is having a sale on their photo cards…. $.39 apiece is a lot easier to swallow than $1.69 apiece when you need at least 80 of the little guys. I didn’t like any of the picture that I have for the announcement so we headed up to Sears for a quick session this morning. I’ve got 9 sheets of prints coming now because that’s what I had to get to get the photo CD. Here are a few of our favorite shots.

Can’t believe little man is 2 weeks old today. We’re still waking up every 1.5 – 2 hours at night. Seems like if he’s going to sleep one of his nice 3 or 4 hour stretches it’s during the day. I’m going to have to learn to sleep when he sleeps.

What A Difference!

Last night Jim took care of all things baby! I got eight and a half hours of uninterrupted sleep… what a difference it makes. I’m so thankful to have a husband who is truly a partner in everything. Little man is rolling over from his back to his stomach… at 11 days! I couldn’t believe it when he did it yesterday and thought it was a fluke until he did it again! My little baby genius!

My best friend Renee flew in yesterday to meet the little guy. She stayed with me all afternoon. It was fun to have someone here to chat girl stuff with. She loved the baby, she also thought he was a genius. I’m not a big sushi fan so I got an appetizer sampler.

Robert discovered his Baby Einstein play gym yesterday – perfect for our little wiggle worm. He really loved it. He was especially fascinated by the light up star that played music.

Today I had a grant due so I got up at 7 and put the finishing touches on it then we all got ready to go (takes a lot longer with a baby) and headed to my office. Robert was well taken care of by my boss and co-workers and we had several offers for babysitting which we will be using in the future!

We headed to Target after delivering the grant and picked up baby supplies. Over $100.00 in diapers, wipes, formula and bottles. Between our coupons and the gift card from Jim’s company we got it down to less than $50 out of pocket.

Figuring Out the Sleep Thing

Monday Robert and I both had appointments for blood work… ugh! It actually hurt me more when he got stuck than when I did. After his appointment we went to Target to pick up photos for family members who would be visiting Tuesday and for some out of town family. My “big outing” for the day. I swear I feel like I’m on house arrest being unable to drive.

Robert did pretty good all day. Slept a lot in his swing. Ate about every two hours. Had some good awake time with both Jim and I.

Monday night Jim took both the 1am and 3am feedings… I got to sleep from 11:30 – 5:00!!! That was so great! I felt bad since Jim had to go to the office to teach on Tuesday and Wednesday but he said he didn’t mind, the 1am feeding actually seemed to last until the 3 am feeding.. I guess the little guy took almost 6 oz between the two feedings.

Yesterday Robert slept all day. My Mom was here to “babysit” me since Jim was gone. Robert was crashed. He did wake up to eat. I kept waiting for him to wake up to eat in the afternoon because then I was going to take a nap. He slept so long by the time he woke up my Aunt and Uncle were here to visit. No nap for Mommy. I felt bad that all day he barely opened his eyes for anyone. Of course, last night at 11pm he was bright eyed and we had a lot of good one on one time. Jim was in the guest room since he’s teaching the whole day today. We did feedings about every two hours. He’s eating more. He’ll breast feed and then still want a bottle. This morning at 9 he breast fed then had 3 oz of formula. Then for an hour or so he was wide eyed and bushy tailed. We got changed and dressed and he googled and cooed the whole time. I love those moments.

Today my best friend Renee is flying in from Vegas and coming here straight from the airport. It will be so good to see her. I know she’s gonna love this little guy. We’ll just see if he opens his eyes for her.

Family Day

My Mom came by today with my niece and nephew so that they could meet their new cousin. Watching my nephew with Robert was so much like watching my brother with babies. Donald could just sit and watch him, but he also liked holding him. Erika really liked holding him too and was able to give him his afternoon bottle.

Harley enjoyed that both the kids went out in the yard to play with her a couple of times so she got some good running and playing in.

Mom was on my case for being up so much and doing too much. Should make Thursday fun when she comes to sit with me. I’m sure I’ll be confined to the couch or the bed.

Tomorrow it’s blood work for me in the morning and Robert in the afternoon. Ugh! Then I have some stuff I want to get done for work.

Tuesday I’m hoping to get to Sears in the morning for some portraits and then my Aunt and Uncle are coming in the afternoon to spend some time with Robert.

Wednesday and Thursday Jim is working so Wednesday Renee will come babysit me and Thursday Mom. Hopefully Jim can be here Friday because I know I’ll probably be ready to get out and run some errands.