There's a weird thing that happens in a women's mind when she has a baby. I guess there are a LOT of weird things that happen to her mind, but I am thinking of one in particular. After weeks, or even months of discomfort & feeling like the Goodyear blimp, a few days after the baby is born.......suddenly you feel blessedly SKINNY! Skinny is a strong word, but being able to bend in the middle again and see your feet for the first time in who knows how long has this effect. Never mind the bulging belly that still looks 5 months pregnant, or the skin that went from being taut, tight and stretched to the max filled up with baby to something dimpled and similar in appearance to rotten citrus. Just being able to bend and tie a shoe is so liberating!
It happened to me the first two times I had a baby, so this time I was prepared. I told myself to remember...just because you feel skinny does not mean that you are. The birth of the baby obviously brings some sort of amnesia, because the same thing happened last time. Pouring myself into pre-pregnancy draw string sweats and a hoody the day after I came home from the hospital I felt like a million bucks! I actually remember turning in front of the mirror and being pleased that I was able to fit into these clothes.
My my poor husband stood by silent & smiling when I commented how great it was that they fit. Of course being a very smart man, he was not going to say a word or allow a muscle in his face to move or twitch for that matter. In reality, the clothes were far from "fitting" but happened to have enough elasticity to stretch to wide proportions. Where one item of clothing ended and the next began there were large rolls, but rolls be damned! My clothes fit again!
With a little help from a belly wrap that all the celebrity mom's are touting I'd be almost good as new. The problem with the belly wrap; it was barely long enough to wrap around my still swollen belly, and velcroing it together was almost impossible. Laying on the bed, stretching it as far as I could was the only way to get it closed. Standing up I resembled a stuffed sausage, and everything was rearranged so that the big roll popped out over the top of the wrap. No matter though, because all the little rolls in between were no where to be found! Never mind that I couldn't sit down with it on, I felt almost back to normal.
I was so happy those early days there was nothing that would have gotten me down. I lived on adrenaline, getting up every 2-3 hours around the clock having to nurse, and then pump because of my babies prematurity. The days and nights were all a blur, but I felt unstoppable! I got what I had dreamed of and prayed for for so long, a healthy and perfect little girl!
I have long since ditched the belly wrap, and though I hit the gym almost every day, sometimes for hours, things are still not what they used to be. Maybe someday I will feel like my old self again, but I'm not so worried about it anymore. As time passes I realize I am working out because I enjoy it, not because I am trying to fit back into a smaller size. My body may not be perfect, but it never was, and against all odds it did more then I ever imagined it could, simply by growing my babies.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Kids say the darndest things!
Today I drove an hour to have lunch with a pregnant friend. We worked together for years and lived near each other then, but have since both moved in opposite directions and both left our jobs to be at home with our baby's. I actually had not seen her in over a year do to the distance between us now, but bought a baby gift for her little boy who is scheduled to be born in a few weeks via c-section. I wanted to bring it to her before then.
She is supposed to be taking it easy on 'almost' bed rest at the moment, so I brought over a salad and some fruit and rolls to make her day easier. She has a three year old, rambunctious daughter and I know how hard it can be on bed rest when you have a little one to care for.
She looked adorable pregnant, and I wondered why it is that other women look so cute to me when they are pregnant, but I couldn't stand to be inside my own skin and hated how I looked when I myself was.
We sat down for lunch in her beautiful kitchen, in her gorgeous new house. Being two mom's with much to catch up on, we were clucking like a couple of old hens. We talked about the recent birth of my baby, and the soon to be delivery of her son among a million other things. Her three year old daughter sat politely & oh so cute on her bar stool, silently eating her fruit salad and gazing at me with her cupids face. I couldn't help but think she was absolutely adorable, and made a point of telling her so. She smiled, looked up with me with her crystal clear blue angel eyes and responded "You have a mustache."
Wow!
Her mom, appearing to panic, said " She does not Addison!" in the sternest of stern voices. You know that mommy voice that says one thing with a look that means quite another? A look that says "Oh my god, shut your mouth & do not say that again or I will feed you to the chihuahua." Well, that was the look she got. She caught it pretty quickly and became suddenly shy and had an embarrassed look on her face. I tried to make light of the situation as quickly as possibly to save her poor mother's blood pressure from skyrocketing. She is, after all supposed to be staying as stress free as possible! "Is that back again?" I laughed. "I thought I got rid of that thing!"
I'm sure I don't have to tell you what the first thing was I did when I got home!
OK, I admit, It's been a while since I got up close & personal with the light up mirror in the bathroom, but I rushed straight to it after I came through the door. Horror of horrors, the little bugger was telling the truth! I had a mustache. (Technically, I had a beard too.) Lucky for me she spared me and didn't mentioning that.
I tried to figure out when this could have happened, and how long I had been walking around with braidable blond hair on my upper lip, but I am at a loss. If you know me I am hoping you are shocked by this story and think I usually take care of my appearance. If you know me and have not seen me for a while this would be the case, but if you know me and you have seen me, shame on you for not telling me! I guess things have gone downhill in the last months since Babycakes arrived. I just didn't realize how far downhill I was snowballing.
Of course as a new mom I'm willing to make sacrifices, getting my roots dyed every 6 weeks instead of 4, ( even doing it myself from time to time from lack of having a babysitter) Oh yeah, you know things are bad when I'm using dye from a box! Shaving my legs every 3ish days instead of every day has been the norm. I think I've had 2 pedicures in 8 months, and that used to be a weekly appointment. Ponytail days I don't mind, but a mustache is last straw!
The worst part...I ran to the kitchen where my 15 year old son was doing homework & told him the story of my friends daughter and what she had said. He looked up sheepishly & just said "yeah". He admitted he had seen it & been to embarrassed to tell me! As a fifteen year old boy I would think it would be more embarrassing to have a mom who looks like Rumple stilt skin!
I will never know just how many people noticed & neglected to mention this 'defect' to me, but I am very very thankful that children say the darnedest things! Maybe I have some frienemies out there who have had a laugh behind my back about my "stache!"
Psalms 8:2
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings have you ordained strength because of your enemies, that you might still the enemy and the avenger.
Wax on.....Wax off!
She is supposed to be taking it easy on 'almost' bed rest at the moment, so I brought over a salad and some fruit and rolls to make her day easier. She has a three year old, rambunctious daughter and I know how hard it can be on bed rest when you have a little one to care for.
She looked adorable pregnant, and I wondered why it is that other women look so cute to me when they are pregnant, but I couldn't stand to be inside my own skin and hated how I looked when I myself was.
We sat down for lunch in her beautiful kitchen, in her gorgeous new house. Being two mom's with much to catch up on, we were clucking like a couple of old hens. We talked about the recent birth of my baby, and the soon to be delivery of her son among a million other things. Her three year old daughter sat politely & oh so cute on her bar stool, silently eating her fruit salad and gazing at me with her cupids face. I couldn't help but think she was absolutely adorable, and made a point of telling her so. She smiled, looked up with me with her crystal clear blue angel eyes and responded "You have a mustache."
Wow!
Her mom, appearing to panic, said " She does not Addison!" in the sternest of stern voices. You know that mommy voice that says one thing with a look that means quite another? A look that says "Oh my god, shut your mouth & do not say that again or I will feed you to the chihuahua." Well, that was the look she got. She caught it pretty quickly and became suddenly shy and had an embarrassed look on her face. I tried to make light of the situation as quickly as possibly to save her poor mother's blood pressure from skyrocketing. She is, after all supposed to be staying as stress free as possible! "Is that back again?" I laughed. "I thought I got rid of that thing!"
I'm sure I don't have to tell you what the first thing was I did when I got home!
OK, I admit, It's been a while since I got up close & personal with the light up mirror in the bathroom, but I rushed straight to it after I came through the door. Horror of horrors, the little bugger was telling the truth! I had a mustache. (Technically, I had a beard too.) Lucky for me she spared me and didn't mentioning that.
I tried to figure out when this could have happened, and how long I had been walking around with braidable blond hair on my upper lip, but I am at a loss. If you know me I am hoping you are shocked by this story and think I usually take care of my appearance. If you know me and have not seen me for a while this would be the case, but if you know me and you have seen me, shame on you for not telling me! I guess things have gone downhill in the last months since Babycakes arrived. I just didn't realize how far downhill I was snowballing.
Of course as a new mom I'm willing to make sacrifices, getting my roots dyed every 6 weeks instead of 4, ( even doing it myself from time to time from lack of having a babysitter) Oh yeah, you know things are bad when I'm using dye from a box! Shaving my legs every 3ish days instead of every day has been the norm. I think I've had 2 pedicures in 8 months, and that used to be a weekly appointment. Ponytail days I don't mind, but a mustache is last straw!
The worst part...I ran to the kitchen where my 15 year old son was doing homework & told him the story of my friends daughter and what she had said. He looked up sheepishly & just said "yeah". He admitted he had seen it & been to embarrassed to tell me! As a fifteen year old boy I would think it would be more embarrassing to have a mom who looks like Rumple stilt skin!
I will never know just how many people noticed & neglected to mention this 'defect' to me, but I am very very thankful that children say the darnedest things! Maybe I have some frienemies out there who have had a laugh behind my back about my "stache!"
Psalms 8:2
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings have you ordained strength because of your enemies, that you might still the enemy and the avenger.
Wax on.....Wax off!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Here A Blog, There A Blog, Everywhere a Blog Blog
I just decided that I jumped on the Blog Wagon a bit to late. In the last 2 months, I have gotten emails from 4 people letting me know they have started Mommy blogs. I also got an email from a friend who likes my writing, suggesting I start a blog. Attached to his email was a video about a blogging mom who is now making money blogging, and getting cool free things, even a washer & dryer! (I should add, it was the front loading kind, AND the red model!) I couldn't help but wondering after seeing that video if maybe that is why everyone is suddenly getting so passionate about blogging.
I remember a few years ago an acquaintance showed me what was soon to be her blog. It was a computer screen with fluffy clouds in a bright happy sky, but that was it. I didn't even know what a blog was, and as she excitedly told me how she was going to blog about parenting & the life of a mother, I was thinking to myself " That's greeeeeeeeeat, uh ha, yeah!" I didn't get it, but that's me! Always a day late & dollar short picking up on the newest trends.
About a year ago, when I was on bed rest with my last pregnancy I decided I would keep a blog as a sort of journal, and managed to set it up. Then, it disappeared. I was never able to find it again after my first entry. Lost in cyberspace, or so I thought. I have to add that I am not computer illiterate, just blog illiterate, and I still am! That is why it is even more confusing to me that I am attempting to blog now. Once I decided to go for it again I set things up so I could start-a-blogging. After all, it could mean freebies for me, and my family..lol. After setting up my new blog, I noticed the most bizarre thing. Suddenly, my old blog, from September of 2008 appeared. I still haven't quite figured out how, or why, but here it is...linked to my new blog account.
That explains that.
What it doesn't explain is who is going to read all of our blogging if everyone is busy blogging themselves? Things have gotten complicated and there is a possibility that things could get ugly! How many blogs does the average person have time to follow? Can you blog, and follow blogs successfully? I am afraid I might subconsciously or accidentally steal someones blog idea if I read to many blogs and make me unoriginal.
Does anyone get together for coffee and donuts anymore, or is it just easier to sit in front of our computers and blog? After all, that doesn't require that we leave the house. We don't have to pack up every necessity that the baby's or kids might need, and everybody else's kids won't be a threat or a harm to our little angel while we snack on krispy cremes and increase the size of our rear ends.! We can just sit down while Jr. is napping & blow off steam by blogging away. I guess I'm not really sure about technology & what it is doing to our society and the "human" side of people. Do most people still have a human side? If they do, I'm sure I can read all about it in a blog somewhere.
I remember a few years ago an acquaintance showed me what was soon to be her blog. It was a computer screen with fluffy clouds in a bright happy sky, but that was it. I didn't even know what a blog was, and as she excitedly told me how she was going to blog about parenting & the life of a mother, I was thinking to myself " That's greeeeeeeeeat, uh ha, yeah!" I didn't get it, but that's me! Always a day late & dollar short picking up on the newest trends.
About a year ago, when I was on bed rest with my last pregnancy I decided I would keep a blog as a sort of journal, and managed to set it up. Then, it disappeared. I was never able to find it again after my first entry. Lost in cyberspace, or so I thought. I have to add that I am not computer illiterate, just blog illiterate, and I still am! That is why it is even more confusing to me that I am attempting to blog now. Once I decided to go for it again I set things up so I could start-a-blogging. After all, it could mean freebies for me, and my family..lol. After setting up my new blog, I noticed the most bizarre thing. Suddenly, my old blog, from September of 2008 appeared. I still haven't quite figured out how, or why, but here it is...linked to my new blog account.
That explains that.
What it doesn't explain is who is going to read all of our blogging if everyone is busy blogging themselves? Things have gotten complicated and there is a possibility that things could get ugly! How many blogs does the average person have time to follow? Can you blog, and follow blogs successfully? I am afraid I might subconsciously or accidentally steal someones blog idea if I read to many blogs and make me unoriginal.
Does anyone get together for coffee and donuts anymore, or is it just easier to sit in front of our computers and blog? After all, that doesn't require that we leave the house. We don't have to pack up every necessity that the baby's or kids might need, and everybody else's kids won't be a threat or a harm to our little angel while we snack on krispy cremes and increase the size of our rear ends.! We can just sit down while Jr. is napping & blow off steam by blogging away. I guess I'm not really sure about technology & what it is doing to our society and the "human" side of people. Do most people still have a human side? If they do, I'm sure I can read all about it in a blog somewhere.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Poopy days are here again!
Last Wednesday my Stepson had an appointment with the eye doctor. We were supposed to get there 15 minutes early since it was his first time there, for paperwork.I talked all of the boys all into going because it was near the Mall, and I promised them we would go to the mall after, and buy their new shoes for school.
Picture this..I am driving in my Navigator with 3 boys, ages 15, 13 and 10 & a baby. I put on a cute pink dress since I rarely ever leave the house & I was going out to the mall. The baby got hungry on the way, and my son was sitting in the middle/back of the car with her, so he made her a bottle & was feeding her. She was drinking the bottle, and kept farting super loud. You would never believe it was a baby if you heard it!
The boys all thought this was hysterical & we were laughing & talking about how we would tease her about her loud farts when she is a teenager. We get to the doctor about 5 minutes early, not 15, because traffic was bad. My legs were KILLING me from working out the day before & I saw that I was going to have to walk down stairs to get to the front door of the place, so I decided to pull the baby out of the car seat & carry her on my hip, instead of lugging her in the car seat, which sucks now that she is about 17 pounds.
The boys all pile out & I crawl into the back seat & grab her out of her car seat. My son warned me "she might be poopy with all the farting she was doing." I agree, and am already headed to the back of my vehicle where I can just pop the tailgate & change her really fast right there before we go into the doctor....Only I don't make it to the back of my car before I realize there is something wet on my arm. Before I even look I start feeling more of it all over me & it dawns on me what has happened!When I do look, I am horrified. She had a green, water poop blow out, and it came out the top of her diaper in the back, and is now all the way up to her neck! THis in itself would not be a huge deal, since I travel with tons of extra clothes for her, and a million baby wipes...BUT since I stuck her on my hip...the poop has dripped & fallen all the way down the right side, and front of my dress. In addition to that, I guess it was all over my hands before I knew it, and I had hiked up the top of my tube dress with a poop covered hand, and there were now green poop finger prints on my boobs wherever I had grabed the dress at to hike it up!
Trying to think fast, I had my oldest son run into the office to get the paperwork that needed to be filled out, and bring it out to me. He read the questions & filled out my answers for me, while I cleaned & changed the baby, using an ENTIRE travel size pack of baby wipes just on her.
Meanwhile, my stepson went & sat inside in the waiting room, and my 13 year old took some cloth diapers in to wet in their sink so I could attempt to clean myself up. Sadly, Green poop doesn't wipe off of light pink Juicy Couture terry cloth summer dresses. Not even close. SO...I went & sat in the waiting for 35 minutes covered in baby poop & probably stinking to high heaven, in my cute summer dress & Gold wedges with my matching gold diaper bag. It was OK though, because by the time I got into the waiting room, the girls behind the desk & everyone else in the waiting room knew what had happened. My boys made sure to explain the entire situation and all of the women working in the Doctors office when they came in to get the paperwork & wet the cloth diapers in the sink. I always have tons of outfits for the baby in case of an accident, but NEVER in my years with kids was it necessary for me to have extra clothes for me!
Lesson Learned.;)
Picture this..I am driving in my Navigator with 3 boys, ages 15, 13 and 10 & a baby. I put on a cute pink dress since I rarely ever leave the house & I was going out to the mall. The baby got hungry on the way, and my son was sitting in the middle/back of the car with her, so he made her a bottle & was feeding her. She was drinking the bottle, and kept farting super loud. You would never believe it was a baby if you heard it!
The boys all thought this was hysterical & we were laughing & talking about how we would tease her about her loud farts when she is a teenager. We get to the doctor about 5 minutes early, not 15, because traffic was bad. My legs were KILLING me from working out the day before & I saw that I was going to have to walk down stairs to get to the front door of the place, so I decided to pull the baby out of the car seat & carry her on my hip, instead of lugging her in the car seat, which sucks now that she is about 17 pounds.
The boys all pile out & I crawl into the back seat & grab her out of her car seat. My son warned me "she might be poopy with all the farting she was doing." I agree, and am already headed to the back of my vehicle where I can just pop the tailgate & change her really fast right there before we go into the doctor....Only I don't make it to the back of my car before I realize there is something wet on my arm. Before I even look I start feeling more of it all over me & it dawns on me what has happened!When I do look, I am horrified. She had a green, water poop blow out, and it came out the top of her diaper in the back, and is now all the way up to her neck! THis in itself would not be a huge deal, since I travel with tons of extra clothes for her, and a million baby wipes...BUT since I stuck her on my hip...the poop has dripped & fallen all the way down the right side, and front of my dress. In addition to that, I guess it was all over my hands before I knew it, and I had hiked up the top of my tube dress with a poop covered hand, and there were now green poop finger prints on my boobs wherever I had grabed the dress at to hike it up!
Trying to think fast, I had my oldest son run into the office to get the paperwork that needed to be filled out, and bring it out to me. He read the questions & filled out my answers for me, while I cleaned & changed the baby, using an ENTIRE travel size pack of baby wipes just on her.
Meanwhile, my stepson went & sat inside in the waiting room, and my 13 year old took some cloth diapers in to wet in their sink so I could attempt to clean myself up. Sadly, Green poop doesn't wipe off of light pink Juicy Couture terry cloth summer dresses. Not even close. SO...I went & sat in the waiting for 35 minutes covered in baby poop & probably stinking to high heaven, in my cute summer dress & Gold wedges with my matching gold diaper bag. It was OK though, because by the time I got into the waiting room, the girls behind the desk & everyone else in the waiting room knew what had happened. My boys made sure to explain the entire situation and all of the women working in the Doctors office when they came in to get the paperwork & wet the cloth diapers in the sink. I always have tons of outfits for the baby in case of an accident, but NEVER in my years with kids was it necessary for me to have extra clothes for me!
Lesson Learned.;)
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
When a Ponytail is the same as a shower....
If you are a mom, I'm guessing you have been there! And if you are a Mom, chances are you aren't to embarrassed to admit that it is true, especially during those early weeks at home with your baby. When the only difference between day & night is that the sun is out, or it is dark.
Those can be rough times, but once you make it through them, the fog starts to dissipate, and every day you feel a little more like yourself again.From experience I know that when the little ones start school mom is free to be herself again, if only for brief periods of time during the day. It happens so slowly you don't even notice it, till BAM! There is a new baby in the house!
My son's are now 15 and 13. It has been a loooong time. I truly forgot the transformation that takes place when you become a new mom. With the pregnancy behind me I started to see the weight coming off, and feeling like myself again....only...NOT! Because NOW I remembered!It suddenly hit, like a bold of lightening. There are years of nurturing & giving your undivided attention to this new sweet little being. Oh yes, now I remember! They don't come with instructions, and I DID teach the boys a lot of stuff to get them to where they are.
So self sufficient, they wake up, make their own breakfast, shower & leave for school with nothing from me but conversation over breakfast & a kiss as they walk out the door. Wow! I did a lot of work, and they are turning out so great, I am SOOO proud! With a sigh I realize I have a lot of work ahead of me & I tease my 7 month old baby girl that she must at least start holding her own bottle to give me reprieve.
Yes, this is the life I have chosen, and it is so completely sweet, I truly wouldn't have it any other way. As I throw my hair back into a ponytail for the 3rd day this week, I say a little prayer of thanks, that I have been blessed with being one of the lucky ones who got the chance to learn all over again what it means to be Mommy.
_
Those can be rough times, but once you make it through them, the fog starts to dissipate, and every day you feel a little more like yourself again.From experience I know that when the little ones start school mom is free to be herself again, if only for brief periods of time during the day. It happens so slowly you don't even notice it, till BAM! There is a new baby in the house!
My son's are now 15 and 13. It has been a loooong time. I truly forgot the transformation that takes place when you become a new mom. With the pregnancy behind me I started to see the weight coming off, and feeling like myself again....only...NOT! Because NOW I remembered!It suddenly hit, like a bold of lightening. There are years of nurturing & giving your undivided attention to this new sweet little being. Oh yes, now I remember! They don't come with instructions, and I DID teach the boys a lot of stuff to get them to where they are.
So self sufficient, they wake up, make their own breakfast, shower & leave for school with nothing from me but conversation over breakfast & a kiss as they walk out the door. Wow! I did a lot of work, and they are turning out so great, I am SOOO proud! With a sigh I realize I have a lot of work ahead of me & I tease my 7 month old baby girl that she must at least start holding her own bottle to give me reprieve.
Yes, this is the life I have chosen, and it is so completely sweet, I truly wouldn't have it any other way. As I throw my hair back into a ponytail for the 3rd day this week, I say a little prayer of thanks, that I have been blessed with being one of the lucky ones who got the chance to learn all over again what it means to be Mommy.
_
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
