Back to Work for A Day - Hydration

Two nights ago, I was ready to throw my laptop out the window!!   For those of you that don't know, I'm a high school business teacher, and I have been out on maternity since February.  Well, yesterday was the last day to input my grades into the computer system, so I was up late last night trying to install the software program to input them... and IT DIDN'T WORK. I was extremely frustrated and as mentioned earlier, ready to hurl my laptop out the window.  I spent two valuable hours of sleep-time trying to fix the problem so I wouldn't have to go into work. (It's a 45 minute drive.)  Well, I guess the "work gods" wanted me to go in (stupid program), so I packed up the diaper bag and drove BJ and I to work yesterday morning.  

I've gotten pretty good at packing BJ's diaper bag.  It's not so hard. Diapers - check. Wipes - check. Receiving blankets - check. Changing pad - check.

Here's what the books don't tell breastfeeding mothers to pack:  Don't forget a bottle of water.  I find that if I don't keep myself hydrated, the amount of breastmilk I have suffers.  When I am at home, I consciously drink tons of water so that BJ can have enough milk.  Well, yesterday, I didn't have drinking water in my classroom, and forgot to keep myself hydrated.  Lucky for me, I didn't have to go into work too long so it worked out, but what would have happened if I had to stay all day?  I think I would have had to run to the store to buy some water... and that's wasted time out of your day.  Save time!  Pack water!!!

---


BJ made me so proud yesterday... he enjoyed meeting all of his aunties and uncles (i.e., my co-workers) and he was such a good boy!  He always puts on a show for strangers and acts like such a sweetheart, when in reality, mommy and daddy know how cranky he can be. :-)   

Deep Discussions - Travel

*Sigh* HJ and I are in deep discussions about possibly going on a trip this summer.  It's not like I want to go... it's more like I have to go.  Before I knew I was pregnant, I committed to doing a presentation at a national conference in Philadelphia for my club at school.  It's all expenses paid, so I thought it would be a great chance for HJ and I to celebrate our two year anniversary... little did we know that we would have a 4 month old infant to travel with.

HJ doesn't want to go... but I kind of have to go. I don't want to back out of a commitment and ruin my good name (or what little of a "good name" I have).  haha.  HJ suggested that I consider going by myself... but really? Leaving baby home scares me, even though I know that HJ is a better parent than I am.

We decided that we're going... but we're both nervous.  I never wanted to be that parent that gets stared at on the airplane with the baby crying in her arms.  You all know what I'm talking about. That parent.  You've given them a glare or two before, haven't you?

Big SIGH

If there are any baby readers out there that could give me some advice on travelling with an infant, I would be so grateful.  It's a about a 13 hour plane ride total from here to Philly.  Just thinking about it makes me want to cry.

2 Month Shots

BJ had to go to the doctor yesterday for his 2 month checkup.  Doctor H. seemed extremely happy about BJ's growth. He's 12 lbs 2.5 oz. (big guy) and 22.5 inches long (shorty).

This is the most recent picture I have uploaded on to my computer.  Big Baby! hehe.

A funny thing happened to us when the nurse was taking his measurements... HJ was taking off BJ's onesie and diaper to get his weight, and all of a sudden, I hear "AH!"  I look up to find HJ covering BJ's peepee (lol) with a cloth diaper.  BJ peed all over the scale!  The nurse was nice enough to shrug it off, which I was extremely thankful for.  If she got angry, I don't know what I would've done.  They must see this often with baby boys. hehe.

Okay, so besides his measurements, BJ had to get three shots and drink one vaccine.  If any of you have witnessed a baby getting shots before, you will know this, but HJ was surprised when the nurse jabbed the needle into BJ's thighs.  What I was most shocked about was how much of a trooper BJ was!  Right after the nurse jabbed him with the needles, his face turned red for 2 seconds.  Then, he cried for 10 seconds, stopped crying, and that was it!  I think I would've had a longer cry than him, haha.  He's a brave boy. :-)

Dr. H said that his shots may affect him in different ways, such as diarrhea, fever, and drowsiness.  BJ got super sleepy and warm, so after HJ came home, he gave him some infant tylenol. After his slight fever went away, that was it.  BJ's back to normal today.

I am a proud mommy of how brave BJ was yesterday!

Car Rides

Soooo I haven't been on here in awhile. I think BJ was going through another one of his growth spurts or something because he was eating like, every hour! Sheesh.

Today's topic:  Car Rides. So BJ and I have been going on (almost) daily car rides; just the two of us!  I forget if I mentioned that HJ went back to work a couple of weeks ago, so I've been trying to find ways to keep BJ occupied until HJ comes home at around 4:35. (He's a county worker and ends work right at 4:30. Lucky!) So anyway, I was a little nervous to be going out by myself.  What if he cries in the back seat while I'm driving?  Well... I was told by my co-worker to "Let him cry", but gosh I just about die every time I hear him start to sniffle back there.  Lucky for me, BJ rarely cries because he loves his daily drives!  One time, we even drove to visit Obaachan (grandma) in Lahaina; for those of you not from Maui, that's 45 minutes away from where I live!

The hardest part for me is that because it's mandatory for infants to ride in a rear-facing car seat, I can't see him from where I sit.  This is my view:

Sometimes, if I turn my head the right way, I can see his right foot, but that's about it. I think I would feel better if BJ were turned towards me and I could actually see him.  Once, no twice, I got out of the car and looked in, just to make sure he was okay.  Haha, how overprotective.

I'm very lucky, though, that BJ usually likes his car rides so much that he will fall asleep.  In fact, sometimes we'll come home from driving and he'll sleep a good 30 to 60 minutes strapped in his car seat.  I think I could get used to that. hahaha.

Mother's Day

Today is Mother's Day... and I'm a first time mommy on Mother's Day.  Wow.  It certainly feels awkward for someone to be celebrating me on a holiday (besides my birthday, of course.)  I don't think Girl's Day really counts.  We didn't do much today... spent time with family, then came home and took a nap. I suppose my Mother's Day present was a nap; I like to think it was a well-deserved nap.  hehe.

Today makes me appreciate my mother even more.  I'm lucky enough to have her close by whenever I need advise or help.  My mom, however, raised me an ocean away from her own mother, and back then, international phone calls were a rarity.  I call my mom almost every day and ask her what she thinks, even if I know the answer.  The feeling I get when I call my mom is like the feeling you get when you are eating a warm cup of chowder on a cold day:  Comfortable.  Being a mom on Mother's Day makes me realize how much more appreciation I should show my mom because of what she did for me.  I LOVE YOU MOM! You're the best! :-)  ありがとう.

New Blog

I've started a new baking blog!

Follow me:  The Life of a New Baker

The Labor Post

Okay, baby readers. You may not want to read this blog, depending on your tolerance for grossness and quite possibly, your gender.  However, I really need to write this post for me to remember what it was like to give birth to Jacob.  I've been meaning to write on this subject for a long time, but I have been putting it off because I was afraid I would scare away readers. (haha)  I realize, now, that I probably shouldn't have put it off for so long because I want to write down as many details as I can remember... and the longer I put it off, the more I forget. Plus, I was inspired to write this by a friend who recently gave birth to a baby girl.  So here I go...

I've come a long way from this moment:

It has been a whirlwind of a ride from when we first found out I was pregnant in July 2009.  I took lots and lots of belly pictures (HJ made me take one each week) but I'll spare myself the embarrassment of putting those pictures on here. Just know that my tummy got very big!  As you may know from a previous post, I had preeclampsia and the doctor prescribed me to bedrest.  I had to go for a check up every week to make sure my blood pressure and protein levels weren't too high... and at Week 37, they were!  I still remember the moment Dr. L walked into the room and said I needed to go to the hospital to have the baby.  HJ and I just looked at each other in shock.  So we went to the hospital, where Dr. K was waiting for us to come in.  He gave me pitocin through an IV to induce me at around 10:30 am, and kept cranking up the levels of pitocin because I wasn't having strong contractions.  HJ and I kept waiting and waiting, and our family kept waiting for the phone call to come see us at the hospital... but that phone call never happened.  BJ was stubborn and didn't want to come out on that day. (March 1)  At around 11:00 p.m., Dr. K gave us three options:

1. Continue on with the highest level of pitocin throughout the night (ugh, no thanks)
2. Stop the pitocin for the night and continue in the morning (eeeek again?)
3. Wait a week and see if baby will come naturally (natural? sounds like a plan)

So we chose option 3... HJ and I were on high alert the entire week but BJ didn't want to come out. So Dr. K said to go back to the hospital on March 9 for another induction.

HJ and I nervously excitedly arrived at the hospital around  8am on March 9, but we weren't sure if the inducing was going to work, so we told our family members to be on standby.  When we first got there, there weren't many patients; as the day went on, however, the hospital rooms were filled with women in labor.  As soon as I heard that the rooms were full, I asked Nurse M to reserve a single room for me.  It cost extra but was so worth it!  

Okay, so it's 8:30 am and they hook me up to the IV and start dripping in the pitocin.  At first, it wasn't kicking in again.  I was having contractions but they weren't strong and they weren't consistent.  As mentioned earlier, there were many women in labor, so Nurse M and Dr. K came in every once in a while but not every hour like they were supposed to.  (They were busy helping other moms give birth, which I don't blame them.) So anyway, they weren't coming in to check my dilation, which was fine because the pain wasn't that bad and when they did check, I was always stuck at 3 centimeters.  

However, at around maybe 3 o'clock, my contractions started getting worse, painful, and closer together...  I kept telling HJ to tell the nurse to come and check, but whenever he would go outside to find Nurse M, she was in another room helping another patient.  You often hear stories of women going crazy during labor and telling their partner all sorts of mean things... well, I admit I threatened my hubby.  I was getting angry at him for not finding Nurse M, and I remember looking in his eyes and saying, "If I'm more than 7 centimeters, I'm going to kill you!"  (Oops!)  So at around 4:30pm, Nurse M finally came in to check me after helping Dr. K. with a c-section... she checks me, looks up in shock, and says, "You know... I think you're at 9 centimeters!" If looks could have killed... I think HJ would've been a gonner.

At that time, I asked Nurse M if I could have the intrathecal (which is similar to an epidural) and she said she would have to ask Dr. K because I was so far along.  THANK GOODNESS Dr. K said yes.  I had to have two shots of the intrathecal in my spine because the first one didn't work so well, and after that, I couldn't feel much pain.  The contractions kept coming and Nurse M asked me if I felt like pushing.  My reply: "I think so?" haha, I wasn't sure.... but I pushed.  Nurse M said I was a good pusher, and that she didn't think I would have to push for long... and I didn't!  I think only pushed for 10 minutes before Dr. K came in and said he could see hair a full head of hair!  I felt so overwhelmed... thoughts that were going through my head included: "What? Baby's coming now?"  "His hair? Why? Is he right there??"  So after a bit more pushing, Dr. K looked up and said, "Well, it must be a good sign! He's winking at me."  HJ said his head was out.  One more push and he was out at 6:02 p.m.  

It's such a surreal moment when the doctor plops YOUR  baby onto your tummy.  "What? He came out of me???"  The picture above is of BJ, of course, when he was all cleaned up.  When he came out, he was all covered in white sticky stuff.  And (sorry if it's gross, but...) I tore.  Apparently, there are 4 degrees of tearing, 4 being the worst, and I was at 3.  FUN. Dr. K said it was lucky he let me have the intrathecal because otherwise, the tearing would have been extremely painful.  Since I was numb 'down there', I was smiling and didn't feel a thing. Dr. K, Nurse M, and I were joking around... while Daddy HJ got to hold baby.  It took about an hour or so for Dr. K to sew me up, and our families were anxiously waiting outside.  They were finally let in around 7pm.  *Happy Family*... The end :-P

You know what I think is funny?  No one really talks about what happens to a woman's body after they give birth.  Before I got pregnant, I thought that your belly shrinks back as soon as baby comes out... boy was I wrong! 3 weeks after I gave birth, an acquaintance asked me when baby was due... I wanted to hurt her but I just smiled and said baby's already here.  Ugh.  And... I have never seen so much blood in my life!   It's like having your period but 10x worse.  And I won't even begin to talk about the first poop after giving birth.  I'll just say, it SUCKS.... but I would do it all over again if this wonderful baby boy is the outcome: (hahaha to the picture)

Cutest Picture Ever

Hehehe... I just couldn't help myself. I HAD to buy this onesie at Walgreens. I couldn't resist. Yes, Walgreens got me to spend $$$ in their store... but it was so worth it!  (Marketers are so good at making moms buy things sometimes... One of my majors in college was Marketing, and I still got suckered. Oh well.)

Found it at Amazon.com, too. Lol:  Lock Up Your Daughters Baby / Infant Onesie

BJ made 7 weeks yesterday and he's becoming more alert and making the cutest faces ever. Makes for good pictures. :-)

Growth Spurts and Clothes

Okay, I'm back to blogging. HJ went back to work for good today so I have an even tougher time balancing baby, housework, and "fun" things like blogging... but I'll try. :-) I always wonder how people find the time to do things... I'm so envious of people who can find the time to craft, sew, blog, and do all sorts of creative things I'm interested in trying but can't find the time to do.  I feel overwhelmed by the amount of things on my to-do list and I'm not even at work right now!   (Yes, Hailey, my to-do list software that I use is made by google... :-) ) Well, yesterday, HJ and I decided to make goals for ourselves, and one of my goals is to make time for fun things.  We'll see if I follow through with it.  I think I just have to make time!  Not as easy as I say:

Speaking of time, BJ makes 7 weeks tomorrow and I have to wonder:  Where did the time go?  I feel like I just had him but he's already almost two months old.  And he keeps growing and growing.  He was such a cranky pants yesterday and I think the reason is because he had a growth spurt that is supposed to come at 6 weeks. (According to the books, there are growth spurts at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months.)  It didn't help that it was extremely hot, either, but that's another story. So anyway, the bad thing about growth spurts is that BJ is outgrowing his clothes like crazy.  A few weeks ago, he outgrew his newborn pajamas and now, he fits his 3 month pajamas just right! It feels like one more inch of growth and BJ will outgrow his 0-3 month clothes. Here's BJ's most recent picture:

Much bigger than the newborn pictures, right?  The only thing that makes me sad about BJ outgrowing his clothes is that I'm so frugal when it comes to clothing. HJ and I will wear out our clothes before throwing it away (or donating it).  BJ's clothes, however, are like brand new.  I just think it's such a waste... but it's okay.  Believe me, I am extremely thankful that BJ is a growing boy! :-D

Balance

Balancing baby, housework, and school work (for credits I'm taking to get higher pay) is tough. Will have to postpone entries for a SHORT while...

Be back soon, baby readers :-/

Tackled a First!

Wow... I did it!  I gave BJ a bath by myself for the first time today.  This may not seem like a big deal, but I have been shying away from being the bath parent because I was nervous about him slipping in my arms.  Well... HJ went out for a little while during bath time and instead of waiting for him to come home, I decided to be brave.  I put warm water into the baby tub, took off BJ's onesie, scrub, scrub, scrub, riiiiinse, and we end up with a comfy baby and a happy mommy:

This gives me hope that I can do things by myself and BJ will be okay....

Going Out With Baby

Last week, HJ went back to work because he had a deadline, and I stayed home semi-alone and took care of BJ!  (I say "semi-alone" because technically, BJ and I are at home together.)  I thought I would have a hard time, but it actually wasn't too bad.  The only thing that I had a difficult time with was taking care of BJ while balancing housework.  Needless to say, I did not get a lot of chores or work done... but I had to tell myself that this was okay as long as BJ got cared for.  And it is okay. I just have do get a lot more done when either my mom or HJ are here... Speaking of which, HJ is staying home for another two weeks starting today, so I need to finish all of my chores before he goes back to work.  I'll be a little sad when HJ goes back to work for good in two weeks, and I'm sure he will be too, but we have to have $$$ to survive, as I'm already taking a leave without pay.  *Sigh*

BJ in his car seat (from Amazon.com)... this was his car ride home from the hospital.  He hasn't ridden in it much since... read why:

Since HJ will be going to work starting next week, I'm sure I'll have to run errands by myself.  Problem is, I still have not tackled the challenge of going out with BJ alone.  Even if HJ, BJ, and I go out, we only stay out for, at the most, an hour.  Our longest time out was a trip to Wal-Mart and the local supermarket.

The problem is that I have seen the way strangers look at us when BJ is crying in his stroller, and their evil glares make me feel like I am a terrible parent and it scares me to go out alone.  At least right now, they can stare at both me and HJ, and I don't feel like it's entirely my fault.  It's not like BJ is loud when he screams, but those glares can be pretty brutal.  What makes me feel worse is that I used to look at parents and wonder why they couldn't control their screaming kid.  Now, I know that sometimes, babies just cry... For example, BJ started crying in Wal-Mart once because he pooped in his diaper.  The entire walk to the car to change his diaper, BJ was crying, and we got evil looks the entire way.  It felt like I was a criminal.

I'm sure that I will get used to going out with BJ, but that first trip frightens me. Any advice, baby readers???

BJ's One Month Yesterday & Breastfeeding

BJ made one month old yesterday.  Wow... where does the time go?  Seriously.  A part of me feels happy that he is growing and getting older... still, a part of me feels sad that one month has gone by so quickly.  Does that make sense?  I want him to grow up... but at the same time, I don't!  Before I know it, BJ will be taking his first step, going to kindergarten, going to prom, graduating high school... aaah I'm giving myself a headache. I guess I just have to keep looking forward, remembering the past, and embracing the present.  Happy One Month Birthday BJ!  Mommy and Daddy love you very much.

Today's topic:  Breastfeeding. (Did that stop all men from reading? haha.  Men, you may want to stop reading this entry, that's up to you, but it's not all that bad. :-)  )

In an earlier post, I talked about going to a baby care class.  What I forgot to mention was that HJ and I also went to a breastfeeding class, where we learned about various holds for breastfeeding and how to make sure baby latches on.  Going to the class made breastfeeding seem simple and easy!  I assumed that he would drink milk for 10-15 minutes, and all done... you go on with your day.  WRONG... at least for me, anyway.  BJ has mastered the art of latching on and drinking from one side, but he HATES the other and refuses to drink from it... so what I have been having to do is pump the hated side and feed it to him in a bottle.  Feedings can last up to an hour... which is fine at 2 p.m., but DREADFUL at 2 a.m.  I'm very lucky, though, because HJ has been so supportive.  Sometimes, he'll get up and change BJ's diaper before handing him to me for his feeding, which makes a big difference because I can catch five more minutes of sleep.  I have a very helpful hubby!

Anyway, back to breastfeeding :-).  The odd thing about the waking-up-part is that I've gotten used to this way of feeding, but when I first started, I thought about giving up breastfeeding all together.  I was tired all the time, and felt like a failure for BJ not latching on.  It seems a lot easier now but I still need my catch-up naps every once in a while. I just need to keep trying and not give up.  <3

Baby Furniture

BJ's such a small guy... and for such a small guy, he sure takes up a lot of room in this house.  Actually, you can't really call the establishment we live in a "house".  We live in a small one bedroom cottage, which I should say I'm thankful for living in because the rent is amazingly cheap.  Anyway, when it was just me and HJ, I could actually walk around with some comfort. Now, we have so many baby items that I feel like I'm sinking deeper and deeper in a sea of baby clutter.

The picture above is what prompted me to write this blog... HJ was sleeping, so he had the couch reclined back, and I had to step over him to go into kitchen.  Lots and lots of STUFF. We have a bouncer, a walker, a swing, a rocking chair, a co-sleeper, a bassinet, a baby clothes cabinet, and lots and lots of stuffed animals. :-)  In fact, I have so much furniture that I had to take some to my parents' house!  Lucky for me, my mom puts BJ's stuff in my old room... but I doubt my dad is happy about my old room becoming a storage facility. Oh well, hehe.

The one furniture item that I am truly thankful for is something we received yesterday from HJ's co-worker.  It is a swing made by Boppy.  Here's a picture of it:

The swing is the best baby furniture ever invented.  BJ has been sleeping in his swing for a whole 3 hours now without stirring!  It's an amazing contraption.  In fact, I seriously question what I am doing awake at this hour... I should be sleeping since I know he will be out like a light.  This swing adjusts for BJ's weight and swings according to how heavy he is.  Before we received this swing, BJ would wake up every two hours, sometimes every hour.  I can't speak for him, but I think the movement soothes him and he feels like someone is holding him.  Whatever the case may be, he's ASLEEP... and I will sleep now too so I can catch some rest.  Good night baby readers!

Have to Keep This Up - For Jacob!

Jacob Roger Fumio was born on March 9, 2010 at 6:02 p.m. When he was born, he was 19 inches, 6lb. 15oz. It's been close to one month since he was born and I'm finally here writing a blog. :-( I'm such a terrible procrastinator but I told myself I would keep up with this blog and I truly MUST for Jacob's sake.

Oye. He's crying... Be right back... I hope! :-)

Okay 30 minutes later after feeding him, I'm back. Today's topic: Language change.

I noticed after becoming a mom that the vocabulary I use with HJ has drastically changed. Now, we talk about poop like it's no big deal, and "doodie diaper" has become a normal part of our conversation. I even text him about Baby Jacob's doodie diapers. Normal questions include: Was it a doodoo or a fart? Did he shishi? Does he want the boobie? LOL. Gosh, I suppose it's embarrassing to admit that we talk in this way, but I told myself that when I started this blog, I wouldn't hold anything back when I write about BJ. So yes, that is how we talk now. So romantic, isn't it?

Okay I have lots of other topics to write about, but I hope to save them for many more entries to come. :-) And anyway, he's crying again. See you later, baby readers!

Went to Baby Class :-)

HJ and I went to a baby class last night. (Yes, I do know I am supposed to be on bed rest... but it was too hard to resist taking this class.) It was our second of three baby classes, where the instructor will teach us about how to bathe baby, breastfeed, swaddle, make your own baby food, etc. Last night's class was about safety and what to do if baby's sick.

I didn't realize that there are so many things to think about when you become a parent. Before this class, I never even gave a single thought to nasal aspirators and rectal thermometers. It makes me nervous, although I think for the most part, motherhood comes naturally for most women. Still... when you become a mother, you are taking care of another human being; raising someone you helped create. Eek. The PRESSURE. haha. I guess the only thing you can do is try your best to be the best parent you can be. :-P

Which is why HJ and I decided to take the class. When I told my dad about taking the class, he said, "Why? She's making money off of you! I didn't take the class and you turned out fine." This is true; but I think taking this class makes me feel a little less anxious about all things baby... a little more prepared.

35 Weeks - 5 more weeks to go!

Wow. Where to begin. In all honesty, I probably should have started this blog when I first found out I was pregnant, but I too lazy/tired/sick to even begin to think about writing a blog. Pregnancy is a joyous thing, but it can take a toll on a woman's body. Women are great, aren't they?

Well, I'm now able to write this blog because all I do is lie around all day. I've been diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, a form of high blood pressure during pregnancy, so the doctor prescribed bed rest. I can only get up to use the bathroom, shower, and eat. Honestly, you would think that being prescribed rest is a good thing, but I have been very bored. I've been trying to think of creative things I could do while still in bed, and here's a list I've come up with:

• Lots and lots of crafting... crocheting, scrapbooking, sketching
• Reading... borrow books from the public library so that it's free :-)
• Catching up on sleep. Believe it or not, when you're pregnant, it's difficult to sleep.
• Thank the heavens for the Winter Olympics on tv.

That's pretty much it. I'll have to think of more to do for the next month and a half! :-/