Response to Emily and other topics/ramblings.

My buddy Emily has a new blog. (newish mom!)
 She wrote this post and I was writing a reply and then realized my reply was longer then her post. Figured I would just post in my blog since its been way too long.
http://minkflamingos.com/2012/10/20/im-in-your-relationship-dropping-bombs


Wonderful post. And all very very true. As you (most of you) know Ryan was a breast feed baby. I was very adamant about that, we both were. So those first few days are so hard. Then the first few weeks. Neil would work all day, come home and help me, and then make us dinner and even feed me while I tried to feed Ryan. It's really about a united front, still is and I think always will be.

Couples that are on the verge of splitting and have a baby really confuse the shit out of me. Really?! You think having a completely dependent being is going to keep you together. BULLSHIT. When neither of you get sleep for 3 weeks and you find yourself arguing over who got more sleep last night that is the reality of having a kid.
"I was up at 1am feeding the baby and you were snoring, I remember, I put it in my iPhone app. It was so annoying and hard to not kill you."
"Really because I was up at 1:15 when Ryan cried and you were sleeping away and you were farting in your sleep." Then I would pull out my iPhone and open my "what to expect" app and show him exactly when I feed ryan, on what boob and when he went back to sleep.
Yes I was a freak those first few months. No surprise there.

You get shit on, literally, barfed on, sore nipples, blisters, not wanting to eat, not being able to eat enough, zombie like brain function, pissed you ran out of wipes and it's just when the kid took a huge dump and it's everywhere, mad you are home with the baby and hubby gets to escape to work, mad the wife gets to nap during the day, try to keep the house somewhat cleanish, make sure you are feed too, oh is that barf on your shirt? Well it's just one or two spots so it's clean enough, wash your hair every 3 days because you rather try to sleep... and so on. All the while bleeding, healing stitches and dealing with crazy hormones. (not to mention being aware you are crazy and feeling guilt over that.)

One thing I should mention, my son is 18 months old. (1 1/2 to you non-parents). And it's AWESOME. Yes we have a whole new bundle of issues, you always will. (NO HITTING RYAN!) But it's so awesome when he says "whatisthat mama?" (always wanting to learn) or when I get him from day care and he comes RUNNING when he sees me. The hugs, the dancing together, colouring on a piece of paper, him stealing all my food and I don't give a crap cause he is eating, laughing and then him laughing at me laughing and back and forth, running in circles cause is fun, hide and seek, tickling each other... it's amazing. Nothing like it in the world. I can not express completely how it makes you feel.

One thing to take away from this is; always ask how the dad is doing. No one ever asks the father "Hey man, how you holding up?" It's hard when a baby is breast feed and the dad can't really help they just see the mom going crazy (what happened to my wife?!). It's hard when you are up all night with a kid and then have to work and then come home to watch the kid (you can't feed) so your wife can nap or shower or just take a poop. Then said baby screams at you cause YOU do not have boobs and they just want mom and you just want everyone to be happy and to sleep. Dads are always under-appreciated.

When I was in labor I remembered hearing that, no one every worries about the husband/male. I did. I asked Neil how he was doing. I knew it was exciting/stressful/joyous/worried time for him. Being that Ryan was not our first birth I knew he was a little worried. We knew what was at risk. Watching the heart rate on the baby drop so low he was worried, seeing the crash cart and the always slight risk he might lose me, maybe both of us, I knew my husband was worried. The feeling of helplessness. Nothing he could do but stand by my side, hold my leg up and NOT LOOK DOWN THERE. Smile at me and tell me it was going to be alright. I had to ask if he was okay. I remember him laughing, the nurse and doctor being shocked I was worried about him. Why wouldn't I be? He is my best friend and this was something we were embarking on together.


Hmmmmm looks like two glasses of German wine makes me chatty and full of nostalgia. Chalk it up to wine, turning 35 next month and wine.
Oh I already said wine.

heh.

In unrelated news. I took my Canadian Citizenship test Friday. I am pretty sure I missed three questions. One I know for sure I missed. Oh well I can miss up to five and still pass. I should get a letter in 3-5 months. I will keep my US so I will be dual citizenship. Very exciting.
A HUGE step in securing my family since my husband is Canadian and my son is Canadian born.

Remember

I found this and I want to make sure I do this with Ryan.
love it.

http://creativewithkids.com/100-ways-to-be-kind-to-your-child/

Always carry love in your heart when you have children.

Shot reactions, walks and making baby food

Tips and Tricks for New Moms and Wedding Outfits with BF

Tips (items to get) The Schick Intuition Razer  was made for preggos and women that just has a kid and want to shave while in the shower but don't have the time. I fell in love with it when I was pregnant and bending over to shave was a work out all on its own. Using this I didn't have to put shave cream on as well. One less step. Which is what makes it so great when you are pressed for time.

Application must have.
If you have a iPhone or iPad download this application (its free) 
What to Expect Tracker.
Because those first few weeks are HARD. There were times when Ryan would wake up in the middle of the night to feed and I would swear he just ate and one quick look at my phone told me he had been sleeping for 2 hours and I had to get my butt out of bed and feed him!

Tricks Pumping on the go. I was out and away from Ryan from 9am till Midnight Saturday so I learned all about pumping on the go. We went to Niagara Falls and after that hung out at a friends house for a BBQ.

Items to have

Pump, bag for pump, Ziploc bag for dirty pump parts if you can not clean right away, bottle of water to do a quick clean while out (if you are pumping on a road trip this is handy), breast milk bags, a marker to write on the bags, a clean cloth to wipe down the pump or any spilled milk, boobie cover so you can pump in the car or anywhere, cooler, ice packs (a lot of them) and a few paper towels cause you never know.

I knew I would have to plan ahead. I would be out with a group of girls for most of the day. And I knew I might not have access to a bathroom to clean the pump (bottle of water really comes in handy).

I pumped as much as I could. I can not go more then four hours without pumping. Four hours is really pushing it. Its better to do it every two. I pumped in the car between activities. I would pump into the bottle. Then pour it into the breast milk bag. Label it and put in the cooler under the ice packs. Then I would put away my boobie cover, rinse out the pump parts and the bottle, clean it with my cloth and put it away to use again. If we were driving I would put the dirty pump in the Ziploc bag.

Good thing was I was able to pump A LOT and have it frozen for the wedding we are going to July 2nd. Ryan might be staying over with grandma so she will be needing all that milk! The wedding is at 3pm so I can feed him for most of the day at least.

I am trying to find an outfit for the wedding that I can pump in. I am fine going to a corner (or my car) with my cover or a pashmina and pumping. I don't want to have to go into the bathroom to take off my whole outfit every time I have to pump. Like I said about every two - three hours. And if I pump both its about 30 min.

Maybe this one will work? also check it out, I have hips again!

I have a nice skirt and I have a nice pair of tan pants. Now just have to find a top that will go with either of them. Something tells me finding a dress I can pump in will be hard.

EDIT
Also I lost more weight, I am 4lbs away from my pre-baby weight. Though I don't feel it because I have that belly pooch still. All you moms out there know what I am talking about. So I am going to keep on walking/jogging to burn it off. I hope to lose another 15lbs by Fall. I think it will not be that hard because I am pretty heavy. I could really stand to lose about 30-35 lbs. So to lose 15 should be easy. I was talking to Neil about how losing the last 10lbs will be hard as long as I am BF because your body stores on to that little bit of fat for the baby. After I stop BFing though there are no more excuses.