Infertility and #2

Many of you may know that it took us a while to get pregnant. When you go through challenges getting pregnant, the doctors brand you with a diagnosis . . . "infertility." I always thought that infertility meant the inability to get pregnant or have children, but it turns out that "infertility" also means "we worked really hard, went through a lot and waited a long time to get pregnant."

That time was extremely difficult for me . . . I wanted very much to experience the joy of pregnancy and parenthood, but everyday, I lived with the fear that we would never get pregnant. I also remember the jealousy that would strike. It was very difficult to be around pregnant people, paste on that smile, and be happy for them, when all I wanted was to be in their shoes.

I remember when we were trying to get pregnant, I used to get pretty upset at women who already had babies who were whining about not getting pregnant with a 2nd or a 3rd child. I really was not sympathetic - I kept thinking, "at least they have one." I know they went through pain each and every month they didn't get pregnant, but part of me would think "well, they can wait their turn." I would get upset when friend after friend got pregnant quickly or easily each month, and it was a struggle for us. I kept thinking that it was all so unfair. But, like the "never let them see you sweat" commercial, I never let them see my pain . . . or jealousy. I went to every birthday party, every bbq, every baby naming, every bris and pasted on a smile. Along the way, I learned how to be truly happy for my friends despite my personal pain. Only my closest confidantes ever knew I was masking any pain.

So, here I am, a woman with a child, getting ready sometime in the next year or so to try again for another child. I still have some friends struggling with infertility, who wait month after month to find out that they are finally pregnant, and on one level, I feel that it is unfair for me to want another child when they are still struggling to have their first baby. I feel a bit guilty to be preparing to go through this process, and a little afraid of sharing with them my whines and rants about not getting pregnant each month when they are still waiting to have baby #1.

Not surprisingly, I do feel a bit different about the subject now that I am on the other side. I do think infertility is infertility, and it hurts whether it is for #1 or #2. In some ways, going through it all over again when you know what you are about to face is just ridden with all kinds of anxiety.

Despite my guilt, a part of me hopes to be one of those lucky ones who has it easier the 2nd time around. If that happens, I am sure I will feel guilty that I became one of "them" - you know, the people I always resented. And secretly, I hope to have the opportunity to join the "them" club. I also really do hope that I am not one of those women who can never have that 2nd child - I hope that "infertility" doesn't try and steal that joy from me, too.

Stroller Talk

I thought I'd take today to talk about strollers. Elliot and I had a horrible time trying to figure out the whole stroller situation. There are so many different kinds . . . frames, umbrella strollers, full strollers, lite strollers, jogging strollers . . . it is so confusing! We had no idea how to differentiate. We knew that initially we wanted a stroller that would work with our carseat. We selected the Graco Snugride carseat, so there were a host of stroller options.

While I was pregnant, we made a trip up to Great Beginnings and took a tour of all the different products with the manager, Joe (we LOVE him, and Great Beginnings, too). After our initial meeting with him, we were thinking of purchasing the Graco Metrolite stroller - we thought it would give us room to grow, and would be great for use with the infant carseat. He said it would be all we would need, and would give us a good mix of the benefits of both an umbrella stroller and a "full" stroller. We were decidedly against buying a stroller frame (basically, a basket for storage and a metal frame for attaching the car seat) - we thought it was a waste of money since we would only be able to use it for 6-9 months while we were using the infant carseat.

As is our style, Elliot and I kept debating about the stroller. After thinking we liked the Metrolite, we started noticing the widespread use in our area of "jogging" strollers as regular strollers. As we talked to more and more people (and went back to consult with Joe about it), we realized that the "jogging" stroller would be a good idea for us. We live in an urban area, do a fair amount of walking and go on hikes, so we wanted a versatile stroller that we could use in all these different ways. I was also interested in a stroller that would be easy to steer. The three-wheeled "jogging" style strollers are excellent for urban living, long walks, and maneuverability. They are often good on different terrains, and the more we looked at them, the more we liked them. We narrowed down our search to the Baby Jogger CityMini and the BOB Revolution stroller. We still weren't sure, however, if we would need a standard stroller in addition to the jogging stroller. Elliot and I spent months avoiding the decision, and a few short weeks before Micah was born . . . we still did not know what stroller we wanted to get.

Luckily, my sister-in-law Jen came to the rescue! She had purchased the Graco stroller frame for her girls, so we decided to borrow that while we decided what stroller we wanted. I have to say, the Graco frame was quite handy - much more useful than I had anticipated. The storage is decent (although I found it difficult to pull things out from the basket while the infant seat is locked in place). It was lightweight and easy to open/close and transport (critical for me). It has a cupholder that has come in quite handy, too. We still use it as the primary stroller that we keep in the car. Many of my new mommy friends have a different variation of the frame - they use the Snap 'N Go frame, and I think it might have a few nicer features. I'm not sure about the weight or ease of use, but it looks nice. My biggest objection to the stroller frame is that it does not steer well. The wheels often get stuck making tighter turns, and it is difficult to maneuver with one hand (a key concern when you are juggling doors, or trying to walk a dog while navigating with a stroller). Nevertheless, it was free for us, and it is a relatively inexpensive "starter" stroller that is good to use while you contemplate how you live with a baby and assess your needs after you have a baby.

After our experience with the frame, we became certain that we wanted a three-wheeled "jogging" stroller for our permanent stroller. We examined hundreds of them out and about and read reviews. Based on the information we gathered, we ruled out many of the less expensive Kolkraft imitation jogging strollers. We had heard excellent things about the Bill and Ted's, but it didn't really seem like a good option to me (still can't tell you exactly why - it is expensive but it doesn't offer anything better or nicer than the other brands unless you have 2 children, and it falls short on some of the features we did like about the brands we selected). Elliot was a bit intrigued by the Jeep branded "jogging" strollers, but I thought they were cheaply made, and the reviews were mediocre. That left us with two choices - the BOB Revolution and the Baby Jogger City Mini (we ruled out the City Elite because it was too expensive for what it was and bigger than we needed).

Ultimately, everyone who has the BOB Revolution LOVES it. It is a true jogging stroller, however, and well . . . I don't jog. Ever. Unless maybe someone was chasing me. With a knife. Even then . . . not sure I'd be jogging. I might prefer to stay and fight. The BOB is extremely expensive - around $400. The BOB is a bit heavier (important for a jogging stroller) and it is a bit bulky to fold up and put away. It pulls together like an umbrella, only it does not have any kind of a clasp or a hook to keep it closed. Many of our friends said they never closed it because it would just fall over and open up anyway. We also heard that it is complicated to close, large (it does not fit in all cars) and heavy for people like me with no upper body strength. The wheels are real tires (not the hard plastic like other strollers) so you can get punctures and flats. The suspension, however, is much better for runners, and supposedly it provides much nicer cushioning for the baby.

In contrast, the City Mini has a single-handle pull closure. It is so easy to close! It folds up nice and small, and if you are tight on space (as we are), it is fairly compact (for a stroller). It is relatively light weight. The underseat storage . . . sucks. It has a great canopy for covering the baby, and two plastic windows for peeking in on him. The stroller does not come with much - you have to buy the infant cupholder console and the parent console separately. If you want to attach your infant carseat, you have to buy another accessory carseat bar. Like most jogging strollers, the front wheel can lock in place (for rougher terrain) or swivel (great for maneuverability). The stroller can be controlled with just one hand, and it is so light and easy to push. The stroller is not inexpensive, but it is significantly cheaper than the BOB (it lists at $220, but we were able to use a 20% off coupon). The biggest complaint I heard about this stroller is that when you have a child that sits upright, the City Mini does not go fully upright (it stays slanted) and the children will sometimes lean forward rather than utilize the back support, and many parents think this must be uncomfortable for their children. I'll let you know when Micah is sitting up! It is not considered a true jogging stroller - if you intend to actually jog with it on a regular basis . . . well, you are probably better off investing in a BOB.

For us, the City Mini made the most sense. I do wish we had more under-seat storage, but I love having the light and easy stroller. We are just starting to use it with Micah more often - we take it out on neighborhood walks, and I brought it to my Stroller Strides exercise class. We did not purchase the infant carseat bar accessory (Elliot and I are STILL not in agreement on that) so I have not yet switched to it as my primary stroller because I still prefer to keep Micah in the carseat whenever I can - it is just easier than trying to transfer him all the time.

On another note, we also ended up with an old Metrolite. Elliot found one on sale at a consignment shop (Wiggle Room) for practically nothing and picked it up about 1 month ago. We kept forgetting to transfer the stroller frame between our cars, and after I was stuck without a stroller a few times, we decided that the secondhand Metrolite would make for a good alternate stroller now (and when we have to dump the frame, it will continue to play the roll of backup stroller in the 2nd car). Because we bought it secondhand, we did not get to select a nice pattern. In fact, I hate the pattern we have. We also do not have one of the newer strollers with all the bells and whistles. I find it a bit bulky. It folds the same way as the frame, but it is more difficult to figure out. It has a clasp to keep the stroller from inadvertently opening, and you can fold down the handlebar so that it is more compact. It is heavier and bulkier to lift, and it can be challenging to maneuver. I love the under-seat storage - it is quite roomy, and it has a release system that allows you to drop the side to reach underneath. It comes with both the parent and infant consoles included, which is nice, and the canopy covers the infant seat well. It fully reclines, and it sits upright. It is compatible with the infant carseat (no need to buy any accessories). Our friends Dave and Jen who have the Metrolite love it. I think the XL version is the one they recommend (although I might have that wrong). If you expect to be sticking mostly to malls or paved areas/sidewalks, the Metrolite is probably a great option. It is reasonably priced and about as compact as you can get for a full stroller.

That about summarizes our stroller discussion. There is another class of strollers that is also quite popular around here - we call them the "chi-chi" strollers, and from our perspective, they are a whole lot of money for no real purpose. These strollers include the Bugaboo, the Quinny, and the Stokke. Most of the women in my playgroup bought the Quinny, and I know one person with a Bugaboo. Basically, these are stroller frames that can be placed in different positions as your child grows and they come with 2 or 3 different attachable seats. One size works with the infant carseats. We really did not see the benefit of these strollers, and they start around $800.

Now . . . can someone explain an umbrella stroller to me? I'm not sure yet why anyone needs one in addition to regular strollers, but I may figure that out with time. My friends who have one swear by the Maclaren . . . I don't have an opinion on that yet. I understand why the lack of the consoles and under-seat storage makes it inadequate for some people as the only stroller, but I'm not sure it really seems more compact or useful. Feel free to comment on your favorite strollers!

Micah likes it!

That's right, ladies and gentlemen, on Sunday we fed Micah rice cereal for the very first time! My little boy is growing up and eating solid foods. We started with organic brown rice cereal with DHA. The instructions we had told us to make it very thin, almost like soup, for the very first feeding. So, as instructed, we mixed 1 tbs of cereal with 4 tbs of breast milk. The biggest problem we had was that it kept dripping everywhere. We will gradually make it thicker over time as Micah becomes accustomed to eating. We think we managed to use about 1/2 of the mixture . . . probably 1/2 of that dripped on the table or on Micah, but hey, it was a good start! (UGH - I just imagined Elliot telling a bad joke in my head . . . he would have said "Not Good Start, it was Gerber.")

Naturally, we decided to videotape and photograph this momentous event! Here are the photographs:

If you prefer the live-action version, press the triangle in the lower left corner of the videos. I hope you enjoy these shots as much as we do!

Raspberries to you! (It's Just Another Video Sunday)

It appears that Micah's favorite thing to do these days is to blow raspberries. All day long. He blows them until he drools. And he blows drool bubbles. And the drool drips down his shirt (or on the floor, or the playmat). All the while, he is shrieking, kicking and laughing with delight!

I know it doesn't sound like much to you, but raspberries are a milestone. They indicate certain skills in dexterity, and an ability to discover an action and repeat it. Like most babies, I think Micah enjoys both the sound it makes and the feel on his lips. The sensations are exciting right now, and he loves to make raspberries. I love to watch how something so simple brings sheer joy to my little man.

We've hit a few other important milestones in the past few weeks. Micah has found his thumb . . . again, it doesn't seem like much, but while he has previously sucked his hands and fingers, he actually likes his thumb right now, and really appreciates the difference. He puts it in his mouth and curls his fingers around his nose.


And a little video for good measure - press the triangle on the lower left corner to see Micah in action:



Unlike sucking on his hand, he finds his thumb quite comforting. It is not a habit I want to encourage (thumbsucking is a much harder habit to break than a paci, in my opinion - the pacifier fairy can come take the pacifier away, but I've never figured out how you get rid of a thumb!) but it is so darn cute right now. Micah has also discovered how to put his own paci in his mouth . . . sometimes. The problem is, he is also the one taking it out and upsetting himself most of the time, and he is much better at taking it out than putting it back again.

I've mentioned this before, but Micah can really play with toys now. He hits buttons, and spins rollers, and turns dials, and he smiles in the mirror and responds to the lights and music. He LOVES his new toys (thanks to Grandma Roberta for this wonderful activity center!), and he is learning to reach further and sit taller everyday. (Don't forget to press the triangle on the lower left corner to watch Micah play).





He is getting close to holding a sit by himself - He can do it for 2 or 3 seconds right now if I position him "just" right . . . but then he flops over. I'll bet he'll be sitting in the next few weeks. As for rolling over - he can easily roll from tummy to back (but sometimes gets stubborn and won't do it). I am also convinced he is able to roll from back to belly, but he hates being on his belly, so he always stops short. At night, he rolls most of the way over to his belly - he likes to sleep with both arms and his chest flat on the bed, but his hips tilted sideways.

And the most important milestone of all . . . Micah can use a real swing! Dave, Jen and Max came over today, and off to the neighborhood park we went. I had seen a picture on Facebook of a friend from Micah's playgroup in the swing, and I began to wonder if Micah was big enough to use the swing, too. We plopped him in there . . . and he was smiling, laughing, and enjoying it! He had no problem holding himself upright. It was pretty amazing.




Oh . . . and we sent Micah down the slide for good measure.


With this kind of progress, we might need to send him to college next month! Okay, maybe not, but can you tell I'm a proud mommy?

Here is some "bonus" video from the past few weeks (to play, click on the triangle on the bottom left of each frame):

Micah spending time with Poppy Ira


Micah being entertained by his Cousin Brian

Another anniversary of sorts

One year ago today, we found out that we were finally expecting a baby. I still remember that moment like it was yesterday . . . I had suspected I was pregnant (perhaps the positive home pregnancy test was a giveaway?) but we were so afraid to believe it was for real this time. I had gone in for a blood pregnancy test, and my beta was delivered to me by my nurse with a phone call. I was standing at the bottom of my stairs, and Elliot was upstairs. I answered the phone, and I remember Mary asking me how I was feeling, and all I could think was "I don't know, you tell me." She finally said "How about we call you momma" and I started bawling. I called to Elliot, and he came to the stairs, and we just sat there, crying and hugging each other. I learned that my beta was pretty darn high, so they thought I had a nice healthy bean growing.

What a roller coaster this last year has been - and wonderful. I can't believe how much has changed in my life, and I'm so thankful for everything that has happened. I'm also amazed that we are even thinking about going through this process all again. The thought terrifies me - getting back on that emotional roller coaster is going to be tough.

This post is for you, Mom!

My mom called to remind me that she needs her daily blog fix. In an effort to be a good daughter, I rapidly finished up this post I've been working on all week. So, here it is . . . I hope you find it worth the wait!

Another crazy week . . . Micah has been struggling with a stuffy nose all week, and I've been running around like a mad woman and trying to get some work done. As you already know, we started off the week with our 4 month checkup (see my last post).

On Wednesday, we went to our playgroup. Micah thoroughly enjoyed himself - he talked up a storm, smiled at everyone, played with his friend Emily's Hop 'N Pop (a travel activity center), and just had a wonderful time. The pictures don't lie!


I can't believe how big he is getting - and so grown up! He is playing like a "big" boy now. He was spinning the dials, and pushing all the buttons, and having so much fun. We got home in the afternoon, and I got some work done while Micah napped. I had a BBYO Adult Board meeting that night, so Elliot was on Daddy duty for bedtime.

On Thursday, I got up early to head to a conference in Baltimore. The plan was to have Micah join me. Needless to say, nothing went as planned. Micah woke up super early (around 5 am) and was HUNGRY. I actually thought that would give us great timing - usually, when he wakes up early, he goes back to sleep for 3 (sometimes 4) hours, which would allow us to get out the door around 9:30 or so. Apparently, Micah had other plans. He would NOT wake up until 10:45. He was sound asleep, and he would not be woken up. I had a work emergency, so I was dealing with that. When Micah finally got up, he was grumpy. I fed him, and finally got him dressed and ready to go . . . and he decided to have a poop explosion (a SUB as we call them). I changed him again, and we headed out the door.

I made it all the way to downtown Baltimore . . . just in time for the lunch rush. We couldn't find any open garages, and right at that moment, Micah got fussy - he was ready to eat again. Realizing that by the time I found a spot, and fed Micah, and got over to the conference it would be practically over, I threw in the towel on the conference. Instead, I headed a few minutes further north and decided to meet up with my SIL Jen and the girls. We met at Panera for lunch . . . and I promptly discovered I did not have my regular diaper bag with my hooter hider. I had the emergency diaper bag, so I tried to nurse Micah using a receiving blanket as a shield. Micah was more in the mood to play with the blanket and smile at me, but every time I tried to stop nursing him he shrieked. It was a fun experience. Lunch was . . . chaotic . . . to say the least. I was dealing with nursing challenges, and Jen had accidentally forgotten my niece Peyton's shoes. We spent the whole meal trying to keep her from walking on the ground. With all the craziness, I think we ended up staying at Panera for only 10 or 15 minutes - we couldn't wait to get out of there and try to regain control of the situation.

After lunch, we headed back to their house. Paige and Peyton were great with him. He laughed, he played with them, and we had a pleasant afternoon. His cousins even gave him a few toys to bring home - with lots of lights, buttons and music! He has been having so much fun playing with all of these toys.

My nieces were adorable (as always). Unfortunately, they tend to fight a lot. Paige, however, takes everything away from her younger sister, Peyton, and tries to push her around. On this particular occasion, Peyton wanted to eat some goldfish they were supposed to be "sharing." Paige is very good at "sharing" - as long as she doesn't have to share with Peyton. She will share with me, with Micah . . . with pretty much anyone else, but not Peyton. I didn't exactly see the whole exchange, but Paige took the goldfish, and somehow Peyton ended up biting Paige's finger . . . hard. She meant business . . . Peyton dug in and was ferocious and shaking her head with fury while she bit down. She intended to teach Paige a lesson, and was standing up for herself - the poor thing was tired of being pushed around! Tough situation for Jen - Peyton needs to learn not to bite, but she was also trying to stick up for herself because Paige was being a bully. I thought she handled the disciplining/comforting very well - I was impressed!

Then, Peyton decided she wanted to pee on the potty. We took off her pants and diaper, and she sat on the little potty. Paige then decided she wanted the potty and tried to shove Peyton off. We eventually convinced her to use the real toilet, but not before the two girls had a shoving match on the mini potty. Somewhere along the way, Peyton decided to pee on the floor. I think the fact that she is showing interest in the potty is pretty exciting as she is only 18 months old! We headed back upstairs, and it became apparent that the girls were tired. When they went down for their nap, we headed home.

I made it home just in time to meet with another contractor. We are considering putting an addition on the house (crazy, right, since we just renovated the inside). That went well, but Micah had a SUB while the contractor was here, and we had to bathe him and put him to bed while trying to talk costs, look at options, and discuss business. It was a bit chaotic!

My frustration of the week has been that Micah has been waking up hungry early in the morning lately. This morning, he got up at 4:30 again (2nd time this week, and we had one night that he woke up at midnight to eat), so I brought him into bed and fed him. He fell back to sleep right after eating, and he woke up again at 8:30. We got up and dressed, and we decided to try out an exercise class called Stroller Strides. We met our friend Erica there with HER son Micah, and we had a good time. It was a good class - I'm pretty sore! After exercise class, Micah went back to daycare for a few hours - his second "trial" run. I think this visit went better - they did not over-feed him, and he did take a bit of a nap. Unfortunately, we did have another meltdown at bedtime, so perhaps they are connected. I wish I knew what to do! In the meantime, I gave him a bottle of pumped breastmilk, and he guzzled it down before he passed out.

This weekend, we are thinking of trying rice cereal for the first time (since breastmilk alone doesn't seem to be quite enough for Micah these days) . . . it should be interesting (and I promise, there WILL be video). My question is - will he end up with more cereal in his mouth or his hair? I'm a bit scared. I keep seeing him stick his hands in the cereal and putting them straight in that luscious hair of his. I then imagine the cereal getting all hard and sort of . . . shellacking to his hair. We may end up needing to give him a buzz cut before the weekend is over. My mom suggested a shower cap - we may need to experiment!

4 month checkup

Monday was our 4 month checkup - and Micah did really well! He weighed in at a whopping 12 lbs 15 ounces, and he is 24 1/4 inches long. The doctor thought he was really strong and doing perfectly! He had his vaccinations (2 shots and an oral vaccine). He cried (but not as loudly as last time - this nurse was a bit more gentle administering the shot). I nursed him after the shot, and we came home. He napped on and off all afternoon, and we had one screaming session for about 2 hours, and then he slept from 5 until 9. I nursed him again, and he was happy and smiley again. We finally put him down for the night around 10 or 10:30, and he slept through until 8:00 this morning.

We talked to the doctor about the fact that Micah has been stuffy all week, and he was not concerned. We also discussed Micah's reflux, and he increased the Zantac dosage, so hopefully that will help our little Micah feel better. We also discussed starting solid foods, and he said we can start him on cereal at any time! He suggests if we start early that we go slow - just work on cereal only for a while (at least a month) before introducing any other foods. I think in the next few weeks, we will try cereal. I'd like to work in one cereal feeding a day - I think it will help him get all the calories he needs during the day.

Beltain Brunch

Friends of ours host a black-tie brunch every year that they call the Beltain Brunch. This past Sunday was the day! Elliot and I got ourselves all decked out (okay, we didn't *quite* do the full black-tie) and we had an adorable outfit for Micah, courtesy of hand-me-downs from our friends Jen and Dave. We thought we'd share these photos, too!

I have a problem

Okay, I admit it - my name is Jessica, and I go to baby stores and buy too many cute things for Micah. I just can't go to a baby store and come out empty-handed. On Saturday, I decided to go to Buy Buy Baby to purchase a few needed items. I went in intending to buy an activity center, a teething ring, a toy with buttons, and *possibly* some kind of a toy for the car seat. I was armed with 20% off coupons, and I intended to behave.

What I bought was this:

• Exersaucer (Evenflo fold and travel)
• Little tikes 5-in-1 adjustable gym
  
• snap on musical mobile for the car seat
• a standing mirror toy for the stroller
• a bathing suit with a matching hat
• a 2nd bathing suit with a matching shirt (he'll need more than 1, right?)
• a third bathing suit with a matching hat (he is growing, you know, and I needed to get the next bigger size, too!)
• a pair of sunglasses
• a pair of swim shoes (they look like crocs)
  
• a set of spoons (we might be starting food soon!)
• a travel case and a set of travel spoons
• a bowl for rice cereal
• a teething ring
• a 2nd teething ring (they were so cute, I couldn't decide between them . . . besides, shouldn't there always be a spare one in the freezer?)
• a pair of robeez shoes
• a 2nd pair of robeez shoes . . . too darn cute!

I think that completes my confession. We may have to return the robeez and a bathing suit . . . but I think I sold Elliot on all the other items!

4 month Photos

On Friday, we returned to the picture people for Micah's 4 month photos. The photographer asked if he could enter picture #1 in a contest and post it at the store:

You know you have become a mom when . . . .

I've started to notice that I've become a total "mom" - doing all those things I swore I would never do. In honor of that fact, I thought I'd write this post - please feel free to add your own!

You know you have become a mom when . . . .

• you see a booger up your child's nose, and don't think twice about picking it.
• your child sneezes and you use your hands . . . or shirt . . . or anything else you can easily grab to start wiping all the mucous away.
  
• you see schmutz on your child's face, and you automatically lick your finger to wipe it off (please note - I ALWAYS wash my hands in between wiping away the snot and licking my finger to wipe away the schmutz).
• you think it is acceptable to pick up your child to sniff his/her tush to determine if the diaper has poop in it.
• you can just pick up your child and know he/she needs a diaper change because of the increased weight.
  
• you feel the need to talk to your child about the stinkiness of the poop in his/her diaper . . . even though your child does not yet understand you.
• you don't really care whether you have recently showered . . . or put on makeup . . . or put on an outfit that isn't elastic and loose.
• you have to choose between showering and eating.
• you are proud of yourself for only accomplishing one thing all day.
• you spend most of your days discussing poop . . . and possibly breastfeeding, pumping, or bottles.
• you know exactly how many outfits your child has worn (and pooped through) in a given day.
• you rate your day based upon the number of poop explosions you have had to face.
• people ask how you are doing and you launch into a monologue about how your little one is growing/developing/sleeping/eating/pooping.
• you start to consider getting rid of furniture to make room for toys.
• you go to the store to pick up one toy . . . and spend an obscene amount of money and come home loaded with cool stuff (remind me to post a picture of my haul from today's shopping trip!)
• you spend 3 hours trying to go to the bathroom . . . or take your medicine. . . . or eat breakfast . . . and realize you still haven't succeeded.
• you get excited about a night of . . . . fun . . . with your husband, and can't believe the baby throws a wrench in your plans by waking up, screaming, and needing to come into bed with you.
• after feeding, you spend a lot of time coaxing your child into burping, and then cheer and say "good, boy" (or "good, girl") after the offensive sound has been successfully elicited.
• your child releases an impressive demonstration of flatulence, and you turn and say "feeling better, sweetie?"

Okay - that is all I've got right now . . . I'm sure there will be more another day. Please, post a few of yours!

Could it be teething?

My little guy is out of sorts - has been for over one week now. He had those bad weeks when we got back from California, and now this. I could be wrong, but perhaps he is teething? It could just be the reflux, I suppose, but he hasn't been feeling 100%. He has had a pretty drippy nose, but I don't think it is a cold (it is just clear). It could be allergies. He has been wanting to gnaw on everything, though, and he has been pretty drooly, too. He seems to be in pain/discomfort, especially at night, and tylenol seems to help. His tummy has been bothering him on and off - so who knows! I'm going to ask the doctor again on Monday when we go in for his 4 month checkup. Poor guy - I hope he starts feeling better soon! I don't know what I'm going to do if he actually pops a tooth through!

Another story I shouldn't share

Since I seem to be on a roll sharing embarrassing stories, I have one more in my arsenal I might as well divulge (and I do not think I've shared this one online yet). A few weeks back, I was home alone with Micah and Nugget. I finished nursing Micah, and placed him on his tummy on his playmat. I went to the kitchen, and all of the sudden, I was hit with horrible stomach cramping. I've been having issues with this ever since I got pregnant, but something about nursing (probably the oxytocin) gives me all kinds of stomach issues. The bathroom is located right next to the kitchen, so I ran in there, thinking I'd just be a minute or so. I left the door open so I could listen to Micah and talk to him.

Needless to say, the minute I entered the bathroom, Micah started to cry and fuss. I was talking to him from across the hallway, and singing to him in an attempt to calm him. No such luck . . . his fussing escalated to flat out crying. I was doing my best to settle my stomach so I could get back to him ASAP, but I was afraid of leaving the bathroom at that exact moment. Suddenly, Micah became very quiet. Naturally, like every good mother, I panicked that something horrible had happened because I failed to answer his cries with sufficient speed. All told, I was probably only in the bathroom 2-3 minutes. When he got quiet, I raced out of the bathroom (thank goodness all the windows were closed or I would have been humiliated beyond belief) and ran to make sure my baby was okay.

To my shock and amazement . . . . I found Micah on his back (he'd rolled over) with Nugget on the playmat next to him, gently nuzzling his face and body while he cooed at her. My wonderful dog decided she would take care of him! Like every good mother would do . . . I went back to the bathroom since Nugget had it all under control.

Drivin' & Pumpin'

Yes, it is true . . . you can pump and drive. I know I should not admit that I have done this, but on Monday I felt as if I had no choice. I had a crazy day on Monday - running around in the morning and dropping Micah off at daycare for the first time, followed by my meeting downtown. I knew Micah's next bottle was due sometime during my meeting, so I could not pump at that time (don't you think pumping in a meeting would have been worse?). I also knew that by the time I got home, Micah would want to eat again within a short period of time. I was afraid of waiting too long after he had last eaten to pump because it could inadvertently take away some of his needed food. So, when I left my meeting around 4:20, I knew I was easily 45 minutes from home. I called Elliot - he was picking up Micah, and told me Micah had last eaten at 3:40. I thought it through for a few minutes, and decided that I needed to pump, immediately.

I could have just pumped in the car before driving home - that probably would have made the most sense. However, I was parked out on the street, so it wasn't exactly a private location (yeah . . . and driving on the roads is MUCH more private). However, my meter was almost up, and the street parking rules on that block did not allow for parking after 4:30 pm, so I was concerned that a police officer would give me a hard time. I discretely put on my pumping bra, hooked up the pump, and put it on its battery-powered setting. I was smart in how I had dressed - I had on a blazer, so my sides were well covered, and I had on a sleeveless shirt underneath that I was able to pull down over the pumping attachments. So, nothing was showing and I was hands-free. After considering my options another moment . . . I put the car into gear, and hit the road. The first 15 minutes of the trip, I was all hooked up and pumping. At one of the lights, I turned off the pump after my time was up. It was pretty uncomfortable to be hooked up, and I was paranoid that people would look at the car window and wonder about the strange shapes causing my shirt to protrude. I also became panicked that the cups would fall off and all that precious milk would spill in the car. So, at each of the lights, I slowly worked at unhooking the pump, combining the bottles, and capping the milk. I was quite impressed with my abilities!

So . . . note to self . . . it is definitely safe to pump and drive.

Finally . . . our tile!

We made this tile at All Fired Up as part of our OnesiesDC class. I know I'm not artistic, but doesn't Micah have the cutest feet?

Cherry Blossom Weekend

Let's start off with a belated picture from Micah's first seder:


After the seders last week, we were expecting some family time on Friday. Elliot's parents, Steven, Jodi, Stephanie and Brian joined us Friday for breakfast. I made matzah brie, which is basically french toast made with matzah. You soak the matzah to soften it, mix some eggs through, then fry it up. You can serve it "savory" (with salt and/or cheese) or go the sweet route (cinnamon, sugar, syrup, chocolate . . . whatever floats your boat). I made a big giant vat of matzah brie, we put all the different toppings on the table, and we had a lovely breakfast. We were expecting Elliot's other brother, Daniel, his wife Jody, and their son Ethan to join us on Friday. They called to say they would be here in an hour, so we waited. And waited. And waited. 1 1/2 hours later, they called to say they wouldn't be joining us. We still don't understand exactly what happened.

Once we got the green light, we stopped waiting, and took off to tour the area. It is a beautiful time of year here, with all the cherry blossom trees in bloom, so off to Kenwood we went! Kenwood is one of the oldest and prettiest neighborhoods in the air, and every street is lined with cherry blossom trees. We went to wander around and enjoy nature.











After touring Kenwood, we decided to take Roberta (Elliot's mother) shopping for a new pair of shoes, so off to DSW we went. We all managed to buy a few pairs of shoes. When we came back, we enjoyed a late lunch of egg salad and matzah pizza. We relaxed and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon, and around 6, my friend Tammy (and I was previously chastised for using the word "old" to describe our friendship) from college arrived to join us! (Long story short . . . I didn't realize my in-laws planned to stay through until Saturday, so I invited Tammy down on Friday and their visits overlapped). Despite this little scheduling blip, we had a lovely dinner together - Tammy joined right in and we enjoyed leftovers from the previous night.

Saturday morning, my in-laws returned for lunch before their drive back home. I made tuna salad, we cooked up a few more matzah pizzas, and a "secret" family recipe that we call matzkes (it is basically a special sweet cheese mixture that you spread on the matzah and bake). My family matzkes were a hit! The family departed for home, but not before Poppy Ira had a chance to hang out with Micah:
After our family left, Tammy and I decided to go back to Kenwood. After a long, exhausting day, we spent a quiet evening at home. Elliot made fish and veggies for dinner (not that I ate the fish - I'm a vegetarian). Sunday, Tammy and I decided to adventure a bit - we took the metro downtown, checked out the cherry blossoms along the tidal basin (unfortunately, we were a few days too late - the cherry blossoms had passed their peak, and we saw tons of green foliage instead of pink flowers). After a short walk (the wind was blowing so hard that we were worried about Micah and cut the walk short . . . that is our story, and I am sticking to it!), we went to the American History Museum. It was the first time I had been since it was renovated.



We had a wonderful day, and Micah enjoyed his first trip downtown and first museum visit. We returned home around 5, and Tammy decided to head back home.

All in all, a wonderful weekend!