Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Ramblings- Part Whatever

I went to T.J. Maxx today and got Sonya the cutest outfits for summertime. I even saw a Maclaren stroller there for $100 bucks! I knew if I bought it Hubbs would ask "what the hell do we need another stroller for?". I have a thing about strollers. I always want another one. We have two (regular and jogger).

Was I the only one not impressed with the dresses at the Oscars? I know we are in a recession, but that doesn't mean you have to get rid of color, ladies!

I don't think I am a good cook anymore. I think it's because I am always rushing through and not taking the time to make sure I am seasoning things properly. The last couple of dishes I have made have been bland. I HATE bland food. I might as well just starve. Well, you know what I mean. And remember my lasagne debacle from Christmas Eve? Case in point.

I believe little Sonya is starting to get her teeth. I know, it seems pretty early. For the last couple of weeks she is always shoving her hands in her mouth. She has been drooling for a month and a half and now she is always gnawing on her hands or whatever she can get in her mouth. She's a bit fussier and when she cries, it sounds like she is in pain. She kind of likes her teething toy, I think it makes her feel better. If I look closely I think I can see two little bumps on her bottom gums. I thought this is not supposed to happen until 6 months at the earliest???? I am curious to see how this will make breastfeeding.

Friday, February 20, 2009

It's All About Boobies

I was inspired by Amalah's post about breastfeeding to discuss my experience of nursing. To me, I did not even need to choose whether or not I was going to breastfeed or not. It is what I had planned on my entire life and, I felt, the best option for me and my daughter. I completely understand if other people choose not to breastfeed and sympathize with those who simply are unable to do so for various reasons. I have no right to judge if people do not breastfeed and vice versa.

Prior to giving birth I was nervous that I would have a hard time with it. You hear so many things about women whose milk never came in, low supply or latching problems, so it was always in the back of my mind. I did cut myself some slack, knowing that if I did have a problem, formula was not a bad thing. It is just my belief that the nutritional benefits is better with breastfeeding.

Sonya was in the NICU for a couple of days since she had fluid in her lungs right after she was born. She was hooked up to IV's and I could barely hold her, let alone breastfeed. The hospital lactation consultant was having me pump 8 times per day to get my supply going since I could not nurse. It was frustrating and depressing to say the least. I did not get the chance for Sonya to be in my room as we tried to breastfeed. I did not get my first chance until she was 2 days old. The doctors would not release her until they saw that she would be fine off of IV's. The NICU nurses stood by me every step of the way as I sat in the NICU on a chair, Sonya hooked up to all kinds of cords while I fumbled around trying to get her to latch on. Since I still did not have my milk, the nurses gave her formula through either a bottle, finger feeding or attaching a small tube to my boob while she attempted to nurse.

Once the doctors saw that she knew how to latch on we were free to go and also given some formula to use until my milk came in. It finally did about 4 or 5 days after she was born and I have been loving breastfeeding since. Despite the nipple blisters in the beginning (ouch!), it has been so rewarding. To me when I breastfeed Sonya, it is the time where we are the closest, both physically and emotionally. I feel it has been a great bonding experience and I know I am so lucky to be able to experience it. I always know that no matter how pissed off she is, giving her the boob will always calm her down. And the nutritional value is an obvious added bonus.

Right around when she was 3 weeks old we started giving her bottles of pumped milk. It usually at night when she is hungriest. I use low flow nipples on the bottles to not confuse her and so she still has to work for it. Now I give her bottles whenever we go out anywhere in public. I have yet to breastfeed in public. I just don't think I am good at it since whenever I use the Hooter Hider at home when company is around, she gets mad from being too hot or having something over her.

I don't know how long I will breastfeed for. I will kind of just play it by ear. I already can tell my supply has gone down a bit so I have supplemented with formula every once and awhile. Once I go back to work I will continue pumping throughout the day but I am sure we will continue to supplement when needed.

I love breastfeeding Sonya. It has been such an awesome experience. It took some determination to get past the first few weeks of learning the technique and for her to learn to latch properly. I am grateful for the lactation consultant who always took my phone calls.

Off the boob track... the other day I was boiling a bunch of her pacifiers to sterilize them (I do have a sterilizer you stick in the microwave but it is too annoying for me) and I contemplated tossing in some eggs to hard boil at the same time. What's wrong with multi-tasking? I made the wise decision and opted to just use another pan for the eggs, who knows where those eggs have been...like maybe a chicken or something.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

V-Day, Hail, Giggles, Yadda, Yadda, Yadda

Valentine's Day has come and went. We started the day off by going out to breakfast. Then we came home and did housework. The weather was stormy so it was a good day to stay in. Then I had to run to the store to get my mom a Valentine since she was coming over. When I got back a dozen red roses, card and two boxes of See's candy waited for me on the counter. There was also a single pink rose and card for Sonya! What a cute husband. He still does surprise me, even after 9 years.

For dinner we went to a restaurant that does not take reservations. Big Mistake. Note to file for next year, go to restaurant which takes rezzies. We got there at 6:15 and did not sit down until 7 p.m. Riots almost ensued in the waiting area when the host started calling people out of turn. Sonya slept in her car seat carrier the entire time but as soon as we were seated she woke up. Dinner was not as good as they usually are there and it was so freaking crowded, but I was in good company, so that is all that matters.

We spent the evening drinking flat champagne and chocolate covered strawberries.

Yesterday it hailed so hard and so much that even after an hour of it hailing, there were still piles of hail on rooftops and sidewalks.

Sonya just started to laugh. Within the last week she has busted out a belly laugh a handful of times. Like when she learned how to smile, there is little rhyme or reason to what causes the laughter (except for the goofy noises and faces I make). It is the cutest thing I have ever seen.

Last night at the in-laws house for dinner, hubb's grandma was able to get a laugh out of her. Everyone was jealous that she had the magic touch (well, besides me, since I already do!).

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Around the Ol' Homestead

I got my hair fixed. Well, it wasn't really broken to begin with but I felt I just needed a couple more lo-lites.

As I am writing this I hear Sonya farting so loud while asleep in car seat carrier (we just got home from running errands). On Tuesday I took her to the doctor because she had a pretty bad diaper rash that was not going away. The ped ran an hour behind!!!! Good thing she was perfect and did not get fussy in that hour. The ped just prescibed a Cortisone cream it is already starting to clear up.

It's finally started to act like winter around here, by winter, I mean rain. Which I love. Yesterday I took Sonya out for a drive around this neighborhood which I want to move to one day. It is the kind of neighborhood with huge grown trees, Victorian and Tudor style homes and uneven streets. I love old homes. That's the thing about living on the West Coast, the historical homes are not as plentiful as the East Coast. The neighborhood never has homes for sale because it is that perfect. While we drove around the rain was dumping down. The neighborhood school had huge cut out hearts in the windows that the students had made for Valentine's Day. I envisioned myself in one of the houses on the street, snuggled up next to a fire with my daughter.

Speaking of Valentine's Day. We don't have much for plans. Since it is on a Saturday we will probably just be low-key. We'll do the dinner thing, but nothing fancy since we will have little snicklefritz with us. I asked for See's candy from the hubbs. What a cliche, but seriously, my sweet tooth has been craving it! Does anyone else have wild plans?

Sonya's farts must of woken her up. Off to go get her!

Friday, February 6, 2009

Snicklefritz

Thank you to my commenter's on yesterday's post. You made me feel SOOOO much better :)


A couple of random things that have been going on around the Marshmallow homestead. Hubbs and I went and saw Gran Torino last weekend while my parents watched Sonya. It was a really good movie. I am surprised Clint Eastwood was not nominated for at least Best Director. We also saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Was I the only one who thought that movie was over rated? For the most part I like Brad Pitt, but I was not impressed. It was an "okay" movie in my books. Definitely no Forrest Gump.


We also rented Pineapple Express. It was pretty funny but got way too goofy at the end. In the movie, a type of weed "Snicklefritz" is mentioned. That is what my grandma (who was German) and my mom called me when I was little and is what my mom now calls Sonya. I thought that was the funniest moment.


I got my hair done the other day and I am now way too blonde. I told my hair stylist to make me look Scandinavian (which I am) and now I look like the freaking St. Pauli girl. I am naturally blonde but these super blonde highlights just might be a bit too much for this mama. I don't know, she said she could put in a couple more low lights if I wanted. Since I was so shocked with the color I did not even really pay attention to her cutting my hair and walked out and was astonished at how short it was. I cut it right before I gave birth because it was getting so dry and I have really been liking my blunt, sits on the collar bone length but now it is a bob. Oh, well, my prenatal vitamins make my hair grow really quickly so it should get back to my desired length in no time. I still take them since I am breastfeeding.


Ever since my niece's 3rd birthday the other weekend where my sister-in-law made Sprinkles cupcakes, I have been craving cupcakes. I think Hubbs and I might need to venture down to the local cupcake shop for Valentine's Day and get a Red Velvet cupcake. Sounds so good right now...

Thursday, February 5, 2009

The Post That Is Very LONNNNNGGGG

I have failed at being a good blogger while also being a mommy. I feel like I have so much more material to write about. All day I am constantly thinking about things to talk about but when the time comes and I have a spare minute, I am blank. I stare at the screen with a deer in the headlights look and wonder "what the eff?".


I have so many more emotions racing through me each day. There are days that I am down, days that I am nothing but happy. Days that I am stressed and days that I am laid back. Some days I am motivated to exercise, some days all I want to do is sit on the couch watching Food Network and snuggle with Sonya. Some days I am obsessed with keeping the house clean, while others I don't care if hubbs balls his socks up and tosses them across the room to the hamper and misses thus resulting in an endless pile of dirty balled up socks.


Being a mom is a hard job but would not trade it for anything. As a whole, I have never felt this complete. I feel like I am kind of a natural at this motherhood thing, but at the same time trying to learn the ropes. I look at other moms and see how they are able to get a feast on the table every night while juggling their careers and a couple of kids and wonder "how the heck?". Do you ever get it right? Or are you always learning as you go?


Sonya fills my heart with so much happiness. I am literally counting the days I go back to work. I can't believe I have 5 weeks left. Time has flown by. I wonder how I will be when I go back to work. Will I still be a good mom? Will I be more stressed because I will be trying to cram so many things into one day? Will dinners turn into grilled cheese and soup? These are the things that race through my head all the time.

I guess I will get more confident as time goes on, but until then I feel like a mess of emotions.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Sleeping Bowl

The hubbs just woke up Sonya with his loud dish clanging. Normally, when we put her down to nap, we put her in her crib where she will not be disturbed. Today, Hubbs decided we should put her in her Pak n' Play. She went to sleep even with me cooking in the kitchen next to her. Once she got into her deep sleep I made sure to quiet down a bit. All was good........ until hubbs comes downstairs from playing around on the computer after 20 minutes, and wakes her up with his noise. You can imagine my frustration over that, right? Ugggghhh. What a dunce. Okay, now I feel better. Going to go watch the SuperBowl now.