Stream of consciousness...

The US bombs Syria and 4 children die. But, that's okay because they are terrorists. Wait, who's the terrorist? Hurry up and get here January 20, 2009 (I'm pretty sure that somewhere a US "Patriot Act" computer just set off an alarm).

So, I'm totally breaking out. I'm trying to remember if my friends' parents had zits when I was growing up, and I think the answer to that is...no. So, why am I? Maybe they did have zits and I didn't notice because they weren't actually people, just parents of people.

I'm hoping that the old Tom and Katie interview where Oprah visits their home is on the net somewhere 'cause I'd like to watch it upon completion of this blog post.

I'm so annoyed with getting crappy grades in my micro class. I'm going to meet with my teacher to discuss this. I've never had to do this sort of thing before. It's lame that in real life a mid-B is totally acceptable, but in terms of getting into the nursing program a mid-B may as well be an F.

I've had a venti iced coffee and 2.5 diet Dr. Peppers tonight, which is why I'm posting and not asleep.

I think you have to have a good sense of humor to do step aerobics.

I'm worried I might be dealing with some anxiety troubles again these days. Last night I was worried that Maizey was going to dry-drown (yes it's a real thing) from choking on some pool water. Tonight I was worried in class when I heard the symptoms of Y. pestis (aka the PLAGUE) because Maizey had 3 of the symptoms. Not just like "wouldn't it be bad if..." moments, but pit in my stomach "this could really be real" moments. On top of those two things I can't stop thinking about next Wednesday--the dreaded surgery. I'm going to need to be medicated. BIG time. Is this a mom thing, or do I have an anxiety disorder?

I'm thinking that I'm going to miss the hemangioma when it's gone. It's part of my baby.

Tuesday nights just aren't the same without the Rachel Zoe Project on Bravo. Project Runway doesn't do it for me anymore. Maybe when it's on A&E in LA it'll be good again.

I'm never going to give Maizey peas again. It was like serving a bowl full of dirty diapers.

Maizey now weighs 16lbs and is 25" tall. She's doing much better than she was. She has gained 3lbs in less than 2 months.

I have this stuck in my head: "Guess what? I'm still a rockstar, I've got my rock moves and I don't need you..." I don't even like Pink. This is what I get for watching the Today show.

I think that's it. Here are some photos...

Her Halloween hat.

Every time she finds her feet it's like she's finding them for the first time. They're far more fascinating and delicious than any toy or food.

I really knew Ryan had become a dad when all he wanted to do for birthday number 29 was to go to the zoo with Maizey.

Maizey really liked the carousel.

She was about 2ft (and an inch of glass) from a big, male orangutan with HUGE cheek pouches!

It's amazing and sad to see these huge, wild animals this way!

Maizey was very concerned about animal welfare in zoos.

We met up with Jess and Greg and their beautiful, sweet, little pseudo-daughter Sydney.

Let me explain. Pretty much the only way I can get Maizey to eat solids is if I give her the spoon. She wants to chew the spoon because she is in the oral phase, this usually means that at least some of the food will make it into her mouth, which is more than the none she lets me get in. So, things get pretty messy when it's solids time.


Baby prison.

I was going back and forth between Obama and Bob Barr. I chose Obama--I figured I'd go for the underdog.

Surgery

So Maizey baby is having surgery next Wednesday to remove her hemangioma. I'm going to miss it...
I'll post more info and photos later, just wanted to let everyone know that pretty soon Maizey's face is going to be void of face-bling.

You know those days when...

You know those days when everything feels perfect? When you just feel lucky to be living your life? I had one of those days today, or more specifically, I had one of those nights tonight. I feel lucky to have my husband--we were laughing so hard that we were crying tonight (this is a common occurrence because his laugh makes me laugh and vice versa and then it just spins out of control until we can't breathe), which woke up the baby and she was smiling as big and wide as she possibly could--like her little cheeks could barely contain her smile and I just felt lucky. Then I laid her in her crib and she just played herself to sleep. I'm also really thinking that Microbiology is hard but probably my favorite class so far. I think about microbiology all the time--every time I cook, anytime I disinfect something, when we get new info about my mom's cancer, when I daydream about pathogens, I also just like repeating the words glycocalyx, substrate level phosphorylation, thiogylcallate--these are just fun words for the mouth to say, it's like Dr. Suess, I really do just say them over and over in my head--I'm weird--I also like the words bimbo and perpendicular.

Anyway, here are some of the things that made today a good day:

We practice sitting up in the morning on the bed. It's the only safe place to practice in a house with only hardwoods and tile!

She's so full of joy, I strive to be like her.

Allie is also full of joy, but it's sort of retarded joy (I know that is really not PC, but if you knew Allie you'd understand). Porter is such a trooper, although at least he usually gets clean ears out of the deal.

Cuddle bugs.

Sweet Potatoes

I don't really have much to report. I'm sick. Yesterday my RyRy turned 29. He's looking so handsome and George Clooney-like these days with all the gray hair--I really do love it. I, on the other hand, pull mine out one-by-one with tweezers because I don't ever want him to say I'm looking so Diane Keaton-like with my grays, it's just not the same for women.


Anyway, onto my title topic. After giving Maize a break from solids for awhile (she just wouldn't eat them) I offered her/stuffed her mouth with sweet potatoes this afternoon. She did okay and I'd say that about half of what was given to her was actually digested, which is a much better ratio than previous attempts. I took photos and a really boring video and I'll post them on here for everyone to see. She also started drinking juice. We have to give her juice to help with her constipation and at first she wouldn't take it, but now she'll drink it without much fuss. She really likes pear juice. It makes me happy that she's starting to slightly open up to trying new foods--it's time!

Here is a funny little anecdote. We realized today that Ryan weighs 100lbs more than me. I can't tell you how good that makes me feel. I think I can safely say that I don't have to ever worry about my husband weighing less than me. I think this is coming off wrong. What I'm trying to say is: he looks great and I've lost all the baby weight. These are both 2 very good things.


I'm outta here. I'm going to go eat my 3rd bowl of cocoa krispies and watch my 3rd movie of the day (too bad it's another one of Ryan's random foreign flicks, I think this one is called The Edge of Heaven), total indulgence is the only thing that makes being sick worth while...

Things got a little messy today...

Mmm
Messy and recovering. I had to clean sweet potatoes out of her neck folds...

Here she is in her new hand-me-downs. Shorts are courtesy of Ari and new Babylegs and onesie are courtesy of Abby!

This is her new favorite book.

Boring video. But still cute if you've got 1.5 minutes to kill.

My Girl

She's so amazing and fun and silly and sweet and everything good. You can see her two lower teeth now and even with the pain I'm sure that brings, she almost never complains.

On the other hand, I complain all the time. Here is my complaint for today. School is kicking my butt. The only time I ever do poorly is if I don't try. If I try I can always do well. Until this quarter. Now I work my ass off and get 78% on a test. Oh well. I'm trying not to obsess over it.

Here is a video of my little sweetie laughing. You have to wait until the end to get a really good one...

Holy Crap!

So our darling dear has been having pooping problems. I'm not entirely sure why, but I think it could have something to do with the formula she's been getting. Yes, I've finally cut back on all the crazy pumping (I'm down to just 2 times a day) and I'm supplementing with formula. I was sad to concede to this, but it's just been too difficult with school and trying to function as a mama and a wife. Anyway, back to the point, on Thursday she didn't poop and then by Friday night she still hadn't and we were worried. This followed a week of some sketchy pooping. She went from a baby who pooped between 3-10 times a day to not even pooping once in a day over night. After a poopless last Sunday followed by a week of "that barely counts" poop we were at our wits end on Friday. So, Ryan knows this guy who's daughter had been in a similar predicament and his baby's doc told him to put a q-tip up her bottom and it worked. So, after going back and forth we *reluctantly* tried it. At first it didn't work so I did it again. I don't know what I was expecting and then it happened...for lack of a better description--it was a POOP WATERFALL!!!!!!! Ryan and I were so relieved! I'm sure Maizey felt pretty good about it too! I realize that you are definitely a parent when your baby's constipation and the subsequent poop waterfall relaxes you like a glass of wine.

In other news. We went to the Fall Harvest Festival at Remlinger Farms with Beth, Josh, and Harper. It was the perfect way to spend such a beautiful fall day. We rode the train, pet the animals, ate caramel apples, and got lost in and then cheated our way out of the corn maze (in our defense, we had two hungry babies)! Maizey is such a big girl now, she sat upright in the stroller without her carseat. It was a very big deal.



So proud to be sitting like a big girl!

Classic silly Maizey shot.

Takin' photos on the train.

Cousins in the corn maze.

Harper in the pumpkins.

I love how she looks at him.

Maizey REALLY wanted that apple.
So we gave in and let her try it.
At the petting zoo.
Josh tried the corn. It wasn't good.

Stuck between a couch and a soft place.

I'm so lazy these days. It's ridiculous. I get so many offers to get together with my lovely friends and family during the week, but I can't make time. It's like there is so much that needs to happen that I just manage it all by keeping the same hours as a 5 month old--that means taking several naps--in other words I don't do anything. Mine aren't always naps though, sometimes it's watching a movie or reading. But, in my own defense, if I'm watching a movie I'm usually folding laundry or pumping or eating. So as I'm working through this I think I'm realizing that instead of having situational post-partum depression or some sort of lazy thyroid, I think I'm just bad at managing time. Part of it is that I spend at least 3 hours a day pumping. Also, I need 9 hours of sleep, no less is acceptable. Then, the only time I get to myself is after the babe is in bed so I'm usually up until 11:30, which means I get up kinda late. Okay I'm gonna break it down (excuse me but this has been needing to be evaluated and this post wasn't meant to go this direction and if you find this boring and want to exit I don't blame you):


9am-wake up
9:15-eat and manage baby (she eats, change diaper, get her dressed)
10am-pump (baby sleeps)
11am-play with and feed baby
12:30-eat, maybe shower if time allows, straighten up house, relax (baby sleeps)
2pm-baby eats and plays
3:30-pump (baby sleeps)
4:30-relax and make dinner (ryan manages baby)
6pm-eat dinner
6:30-clean up and do other household chores (laundry etc)
7pm-bath baby
7:30-relax or homework
10pm-pump
11pm-nu-night


Okay, I resolve that I don't actually have that much time. And, these are nights that I don't have school. I realize now that other mothers just don't take the time I take to relax, and seriously the pumping thing is time consuming!!! Also, I have major issues with letting Maizey play alone. I feel so guilty when I plop her into her pack and play so that I can get work done around the house.


Wow. This whole post is very depressing. How very not SATC of me. It may not be glamorous, but it's my life and I love it. I love that many days I'm not out of my jammies until noon or so. But, I don't love it when Ryan comes home for lunch and I'm still in my bedroom in my jammies eating cereal. Now looking at my schedule, I can see why that happens--I'm busy until noon! I guess I just don't understand how moms of 2 toddlers (uh Georgia) can cook amazing meals from scratch (Georgia), bake homemade individual pumpkin cheesecakes (Georgia), and keep a spotless house (Georgia). Meanwhile I am guilty of cooking spaghetti 2 nights a week, having dog hair tumbleweeds on my floors, and going more days than I should admit without a shower, even though my baby sleeps probably about 18 hours a day. I cannot even tell you how long I've wanted to clean my shower, but I can't make time. I do, however, do about 8 or 9 loads of laundry a week. Then there is the blogging--that takes up a substantial amount of time. I think I need to hire a consultant. Maybe Mistilyn can get someone out here from Point B pro bono.


Any advice?

The old days when all I worried about was if the dogs had been fed, and wanting a baby. There was always plenty of time to vacuum dog hair tumbleweeds

I would just sit outside and read and listen to Theivery Corporation.

It's way harder and I do less reading and there are more tubleweeds, but it's WAY better.

I mean WAY better.

Surgery and Salmon Days

Well, we had some excellent news this week. And, by excellent, I mean amazing, wonderful, glorious. Thursday was my mom's partial mastectomy. Maizey, my mom, and I all headed to the hospital at 5am for a day of waiting and surgery and cafeteria food. My mom's surgery got started early at 10:45 (it wasn't supposed to start until 12:30) and she was out around 1pm. That is when her doctor called the room where my dad, Maize, and I were all waiting (we had our own private family room with a TV and couch--awesome). She gave us the great news: the surgery was NOT present in the lymph nodes!! Which effectively means the cancer did not metastasize. Which means my mom will not need chemo! The doc removed 4 of the sentinel lymph nodes anyway just to be safe. They will do pathology on the nodes and the tumor that was removed. As long as the margins are clear on the removed tissue and the nodes don't show any abnormality we can say my mom is cancer free!!!! We should know the results of the pathology report in the next week or so. She'll still have to have radiation to be extra, super safe, which sucks, but it's totally worth it! Anyway, right now she is at home taking it easy. She's had some really sore moments and she's tired, but mostly she is doing really well.

On Saturday Ryan, Maizey, and I all went to Salmon Days in Issaquah. It's kind of a long drive these days, but it was something I always did growing up and I really wanted to go this year--even with the rain and the wind. Plus, I'd drive for days to get the roasted corn they always sell in the center of the festivities. I LOVE it, and I've gotten Ryan hooked on it too. I topped off the corn with a strawberry shortcake, and a salmon burger (in that order). Because, after visiting the hatchery and seeing dying, torn-up salmon, and salmon carcases in the stream all anyone would want to eat is a salmon burger, right? Maizey had a lot of fun too. I was worried that I'd win the parent of the year award for taking her outside for the afternoon when it was pouring rain and windy, but there were plenty of other parents there who actually deserved the award more than me. At least Maizey had her legs and head covered and we had the um-ba-rella and stroller for the really rainy moments. Plenty of winner parents had their kids in shorts/skirts and I saw more than one infant with soaking wet hair!!

Okay, I'm supposed to be studying for a quiz that I have to take online before 11:59pm!! I gotta stop procrastinating!

Maizey and one of daddy's protein shakes (he's a gym addict these days).

Just cute. She always wants my camera and my phone.

Maizey keepin' grandma company at the hospital.

Maizey driving to Salmon Days. She took her lessons from Sean Preston Federline.

A slightly over-exposed looking Ryan. On our way to Salmon Days!

Maizey loved the wind.

Ryan loved me.

Maiey in the Moby.

My salmon burger. Mmm onions!

Ryan in a better mood after his piroshky.

Maizey and her favorite blanket that Auntie Ashley made her.

Playing with her feet puppets.

We were all doing tummy time.