Ginevra in June

Howdy Humble Readers...

Mummy's water bottle is better

I hope you're enjoying a beautiful Saturday, where ever you are.  It is an absolutely stunning day here on the flatland, sitting at about 25C with a little bit of a breeze to keep things comfortable. 

Enjoying the sunshine

After having spent the morning out in the sun (more about that later) and a yummy lunch, our hobbit-hole is now very quiet.  The wee-lings and my Beloved are all sleeping, and dinner is in the crock pot (Chicken taco chili... it smells soooooo good!) so I have some time to write.

Look at those eyes!

June has been another busy month for our wee sweet girl.  She's up to 24 pounds now, and is standing 32.5 inches tall.  Her hair continues to amaze me with its precious curls, and I think her eyes may be changing colour.  There's a very visible hint of green around the irises, and they certainly aren't the sapphire blue they used to be. 

Hangin' with Gramma & Pip

 Despite my earlier worries, Ginevra's vocabulary continues to grow, and while many of her words are still a bit mysterious to those who don't know her well, I'm able to decipher most of them.  In the past week or so, whenever she learns a new word Ginny has begun to repeat it over and over.  For example, last weekend she learned 'gramma' and the whole drive to Gramma's house on Sunday she said it over and over and over.  Other words that are new in June... garbage, spoon, fork, fishy, green, Elmo, cookie, Grover, Ernie, and naughty.  She's also learning a lot of animal sounds and the animals with which they correspond (cow = moo, lion = roar, turkey = gobble, gobble)

Ahhhh-wwweeeeeee!

Ginny has also figured out Pippin's name.  We don't call him by his full name most of the time, but instead we call him O.l.l.i.e.  Ginny, when she gets up from a nap or when he wakes up and needs to eat, will shriek "Ahh-weeeee! Ahhh-wweeee!" and run to find him.  She still has good days and bad days in terms of dealing with a bit of jealousy.  It's always at it's worst when she's tired or hungry, or when she feels the need to cuddle.  But, she does have good moments as well, and quite often will be found trying to lean over the side of his little bassinett to give him a 'smoo' (which means smooch in Ginny-speak).

My seat!

She's also become a big helper.  When I change Pippin's diaper, she will take the diaper right away to the garbage.  She'll also carry things like the changing pad and wipes for me.  She's begun to help with the laundry, taking wet clothes out of our front load washer and handing them to me to put in the dryer.  Ginny would love to help with the dishwasher... she's fascinated by it, but we don't let her near it just yet.  In the last week she's also started helping in the kitchen when I'm cooking.  Most of the time that's basically just standing on a chair at the counter beside me while I prep things for dinner, sometimes banging a spatula or two around.  Ginny has even 'helped' give Pip a bath, passing me the wash cloth and the shampoo. 

Helpin' in the kitchen

Part of my motivation for having Ginny help me in the kitchen already is to continue to expose her to new foods.  She has always been a good eater, not really turning her nose up at much other than cooked carrots (which she now enjoys).  I want to keep her on that path, and so I'm hoping that she'll enjoy helping in the kitchen and trying new foods.  Currently she loves ice cream of all varieties, yoghurt, ham, cheese of all sorts (including feta, parm, and goat cheese), broccoli, grapes, bananas, pb & j, grilled cheese, pasta of all kinds (including stuffed pastas), chicken curry, fish, perogies & farmers sausage, and anything sour/bitter (like pickles, lemons, and vinegar on her french fries).  Her absolute favourite food is rice... chicken fried rice, tomato risotto, salsa rice with black beans.  The list just goes on and on.

The wonders of baking soda and coloured vinegar

I realized, not long ago, that I was remiss in teaching Ginny to eat with cutlery herself.  Up until very recently, she was either still being fed by one of us or using her fingers.  While this is still mostly the case, I'm now working hard on getting her comfortable with a spoon and a fork.  This of course, has led to some epic messes... including the blueberry-applesauce stains on the kitchen ceiling that resemble a Jackson Pollack painting.  She understands the concept, but it's still early days.

What can I get into now?

Ginny has recently fallen in love with Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Grover.  It's funny because she hasn't really watched much Sesame Street yet (maybe two episodes?), as it is always on when she's napping and I haven't had the forethought to record it.  I think her only real exposure to it is the characters on her diapers.  We have begun to watch " 'Mo" and "Gookie, Gookie" on Youtube every now and then and she goes mad for it.  Especially when Elmo sings.  She just loves it. 

Sitting in her reading chair

We have gotten into a routine of only bringing out three of Ginny's toys each day (her toybox is in her closet).  We alternate them so she doesn't get too bored with them.  She's also found a great love for her books.  Ginny has a good little library started in her room, and almost every day she grabs a couple of books to bring out to the living room to have with her toys for the day.  Much to my chagrin, she has destroyed a couple of them already, but thankfully they weren't the really nice hardcovers... mostly her board books.  Ginny loves to crawl up into my lap and point out monsters and mice, ladybugs and flowers. 

Alle-alle Mummy!

Ginny is a brave little soul.  She will climb and reach and generally give me heart palpitations at the drop of a hat. 

Ginny & the Bear

Today, my Beloved and I took her to a small wildlife park to the south of us.  She loves animals and will freak out in glee when she sees a lion or a tiger or a bear on tv.  This particular wildlife park is known for it's tigers, monkeys, and bears.  When Ginny first saw the tigers this morning she immediatly began to 'roar' at it.  She was enthralled when the handlers did a show with the two tigers.  She was also intrigued by the monkeys, the little black bear, and the ostriches.  As an aside, today was the first off-road workout for our new stroller, and I absolutely love it.  It handled the gravel pathways and grassy areas remarkably well.  Pippin slept through most of the adventure, of course. 

Sharing Mummy's blizzard at DQ after the zoo

Ginny has learned to pretend, having play-time picnics and tea on the floor.  She is aware of her shadow and play with it often.  She also really really likes to jabber at her reflection... in a mirror, in the black screen on the tv, or in the patio window after dark. 
My wee sweet girl isn't so wee any more.  But she's at a (mostly) fun age, and every day is an adventure. 

Getting the Pinterest bug early

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: Doctor Doctor

Hey Humble Readers...

It is a gloriously sunshiney day here on the flatland, and the wind has decided to give us a break!  Summer is here!  Hooray!  And the best news of all, the forecast for the long weekend is showing only a teensy amount of rain.  Super-Hooray!  My Beloved and I have a great surprise for Ginny for Saturday, and I'm thankful that it's going to be nice out.

*****
This week has been all about doctors.  Yesterday was Pippin's 6 (or 7) week check-up, and his first visit with our regular doc... the uninspired Dr. B.  Everything was pretty routine.  He got all frowny at me when I told him that I was letting the pumping thing taper off, but I stood my ground and refused to let him make me feel guilty.  And it's not like Pip is hurting for food.  The little stinker has already ganined more than 4 pounds!!  It's no wonder he's outgrown his newborn wardrobe.  The only really useful tidbit from the appointment was the suggestion to try saline drops for Pip's weird snarfly sinus thing (the kid has snored from birth, and always sounds mildly stuffed up). 

*****
One thing that Dr. B pointed out (which I had already noticed) was that Pippin has a small flat spot forming on the back of his wee noggin.  Sadly the wee little mister doesn't like sleeping on his side just yet.  Settling him for sleep is a bit more challenging than it had been. 

*****
Today I saw Dr. W for my 6 (or 7) week post partum check up.  She was super excited about the weight I've lost, and she was much more understanding about the breastfeeding/pumping situation.  She did remind me though that the weight won't drop off quite as easily (ha-ha) once I'm done with pumping.  She also took a look at my incision, and was very happy with how it has healed.  One thing that surprised me, both yesterday and today... no mention was made of me having an internal exam.  Not that I'm complaining, but I know I had one at the 6 week appointment last time.  We had a bit of a chat about PPD, and how my mood has been.  She was concerned when I brought up the family drama, but was happy to hear that I'm being proactive about monitoring how I'm feeling and that I'm working hard to get outside and be active. 

*****
No good nibbles yet on my Beloved's resumes.  He was contacted by a non-profit organization, and while it would have been a great job, it just didn't offer enough for compensation.  And another company called, but they wanted us to move to a town three and a half hours away.  Not to mention that the town has a significantly higher cost of living so the increased salary wouldn't actually be much of an increase.  We're still hopeful though.

*****
Any suggestions for how to get a super deep sliver out of your foot?  It doesn't hurt, it's just kind of freaking me out. 

Knowledge Is Power

OMG Humble Readers!

Who ever would have thought that time spent on Pinterest would lead to a personal epiphany?  I mean this is life changing for me.

All my life I have thought I was nuts, wackadoodle, and maybe even a little bit crazy.  No joke.  There have been moments when I have felt like I was just going to snap and go completely insane. 

All because of sounds.  Certain sounds. 

Sounds like that of people eating, smacking their lips, or gulping when they drink.  The sound of crinkling plastic wrappers, like chip bags or candy wrappers.  The sound of typing.  People who walk heavily or stomp.  And then there is the unknown, unexpected sounds that get me, like the fan in our living room that has begun to squeak. 

Think back to Pippin's birth story.  Remember my roommate who had a serious snot-sucking issue?  There was actually a point where I had to leave the room, or I knew I was going to scream my lungs out. 

These sounds trigger an amazing, involuntary response in my body.  It's physical.  My skin crawls, in some extreme cases I feel like I'm going to throw up, and there is an irrational anger that blasts through me.  The number of times I have said, "I'm going to punch you in the face if you don't close your mouth when you eat" to my Beloved would startle you.  And the scary thing is, in that brief moment I actually feel like I could.  I would absolutely never do it, but the inclination is there.

Do you see why I thought I was crazy?

For me, I can usually handle the sounds for a brief period of time.  But it's like it just builds and builds until I snap.  Throughout my life, I have learned little coping techniques.  Things like white noise, music, or leaving the situation (like my hospital room) all help.  Usually once I voice my frustration, the stress level lessens significantly. 

And I have always felt ridiculous and guilty for these responses

Tonight, when I was perusing Pinterest, I came across a pin about Misophonia.  It literally means "hatred for sound", and is sometimes known as Selective Sound Sensitivity.  It's an actual brain disorder that affects many people.  From the little bit of reading I have done tonight, I seem to have a relatively 'light' form of it.  Some people fly into uncontrollable rages, or end up isolating themselves entirely.

I feel like a weight has been lifted.  I know that just having a name for this absurdity that has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember somehow eases things a bit.  Honestly, I'm not nuts!

Knowing that this is an actual thing won't make me less crazy the next time I'm sitting across the table from someone who grunts or smacks their lips when they eat.  But, I think it will help alleviate the guilt I feel for my responses to these sounds. 

Pinterest as therapy?  Who knew?

(Yes, I know that self diagnosing via the internet is dangerous.  But reading many of these peoples' stories is like looking into a mirror.  I'm not the only one!)

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

Hey Humble Readers...

I hope you are all doing well, wherever you're at today.  Things here on the flatland are trucking along.  Today started off with a rare summer fog, which was kind of nice.  I just wish I had thought to take pictures.  It's warm, but not too hot.  Now if we could just ditch the humidity (and I know that it's nothing like the humidity my eastern friends deal with) things might be completely comfortable in our little hobbit-hole.

*****
The Good:  Ginny.  Today she's been active, but manageable.  She took her morning nap without complaint, and SHE KEPT HER DIAPER ON!  Of course, she is wearing a onesie and jeans, so it would have been harder for her to get at it, but hey... I'm going to take my victories where I can get them.  She has also been fairly sweet to Pippin so far today, so that's an added bonus. 

*****
The Bad:  As of today, I'm going to begin winding down the breastfeeding/pumping.  Pip hasn't shown any inclination to get back on the breast, and when I pump for a half hour (15 minutes per side) I'm only getting two ounces.  It's time.  As of this morning, I'm only pumping for 10 minutes a side, and I will lower that to 5 minutes a side in a few days.  I'm also going to be going longer in between pumping sessions.  Instead of getting down on myself, I'm counting this as a sort-of victory.  Is it ideal?  No.  But it's a heck of a lot better than what I was expecting.  I've given our wee little mister a good start. 

*****
The Ugly:  Our finances suck.  Again.  Still.  I am doing all that I can to limit the outflow of cash... using coupons when I can, planning meals that are as inexpensive as I can, cutting any bad spending that creeps in (damn the book aisle at Costco) and trying to sell some of our no-longer-needed items on Kijiji.  I am in desparate need of both new bras and new pants (all my pre-pregnancy pants are falling down... and belts and I don't get along), but I'm going to have to choose between the two next month.

My Beloved asked for a cost-of-living raise, as his last one was almost two years ago, and his boss has not responded favourably, so Beloved is now in the hunt for a new job.  There are more opennings now in his field than there were in the fall, so we are choosing to be hopeful that something good may yet come.

*****
I'm attempting to get back into the routine I had before Pip made his appearance for taking care of our hobbit-hole.  I'm well on my way to having today's to do list completed.  I've also added some self-care things to my daily to do lists, in hopes that I will be able to carve out 20-30 minutes a day for some form of exercise.  My weightloss has plateaued at 30 pounds, so it needs something more than what I'm doing right now.  We'll see how that goes. 

*****
Another reason why I'm eager to get back into being active is to try to keep the PPD at bay.  Last time around, getting out and just spending that 20-30 minutes a day walking and listening to music by myself was a huge part of getting through my PPD.  I'm trying to be proactive this time around, as I know that with stopping pumping I'm going to have some crazy hormone stuff going on for the next while.

*****
I'll Look Back At This And Laugh moment from the weekend:  We went to visit my MIL yesterday, to see her new place.  The little town where she lives if 45 minutes south of us.  I remembered to take the breast pump, toys for Ginny, and spare outfits for both kids.  What I didn't pack was an extra shirt for me... and of course Pip decided that it was time to have a major pukey incident.  Seriously, he puked up almost a whole bottle... all over himself and me.  And I had to then sit there in a wet, smelly, pukey shirt until our visit was over, and through the drive home.  LESSON LEARNED!

*****
Well, I need to get back to my to-dos.  What's on your to do list for today?

It's A 'Mummy-Fail' Kind of Day

Humble Readers...

It's been one of those kinds of days, and it's not even time for afternoon naps yet.  Can I just tell you how much I'm looking forward to going shopping at Cost.co tonight?  I need out...

Here's the run-down of what's been happening around the hobbit-hole today:

• I have had to put Ginny in time out no less than three times already today for poking Pip until he screams, for playing in the garbage can, and for throwing her lunch on the floor. 
• I was sitting on the couch pumping, with Pip laying beside me sucking my finger to keep him from fussing.  Ginny, in a moment of sheer jealousy, decided she wanted to sit beside me, and so she SAT ON THE BABY!!! 
• I have had to start channeling my inner guy... In an effort to prevent Ginny from taking her diaper off through her clothes during her nap (and getting rabbit-like turds all over her room like yesterday... I swear she was playing marbles with them yesterday.  ICK!!!!) I have resorted to covering the tabs on her diaper with packing tape.  Only during naps, I swear!
• Ginny has recently discovered the wonders of climbing.  She's also discovered that she can move the kitchen chairs.  You do the math... I've been heart attacks at regular intervals. 
• I am sick to death of saying 'Don't touch' or 'No, no, no'.  And why, oh why, does she have to step on my toes multiple times a day?

And just when I think I can't take it anymore, Ginny gets all cute and tries to walk around the house in my shoes. 

I love being a mummy.  Children are a blessing.  I love being a mummy.  Children are a blessing. 

Gotta run.  There a little girl has just started screaming from bonking her head on the floor. 

My Beloved

Hey Humble Readers...

I'm more than a couple of days late on this post, but I wanted to do it anyway.  Because my Beloved is an amazing man, a wonderful husband, and an awesome father.

When we first met, he wasn't sure that he wanted to have children.  He was afraid that he didn't have what it takes to be a parent, that he wouldn't be a good father.  I don't really know when things changed for him, but by the time he proposed to me he was already talking about our future children. 

As we started down the TTC road, he was supportive of my sometimes hilarious, sometimes obnoxious initial obsession with getting pregnant.  When we got pregnant that first time, he was just as happy, excited, and freaked out as I was. 

And when we lost that first, and second pregnancy, my Beloved cried with me.  He once told me that losing our babies was as hard for him as when we lost his father.  He put up with me when I was in my darkest places, and kept believing when I was tempted to give up.  The nights when all I wanted to do was zone out for hours playing video games, he would make me go to bed.  He held me when I cried when someone would say some of the insensitive 'just relax' comments. 

When we finally got pregnant with Ginny, he held my hand in waiting rooms and listened as I kept hedging on the 'if' of that pregnancy, encouraging me to look to the 'when'.  When the anxiety was threatening to drag me down while I was pregnant with Pippin, reminded me to breathe and believe that all would be well. 

And then Ginny was here.  And he became, in that moment, the most amazing father. 

When Pip was in the NICU, he wore a path between the pediatric unit and the maternity unit to constantly bring me updates.

He changes diapers, he mixes formula, and burps babies like a champ.  He's down on the floor playing with Ginny the moment he gets home from work.  He kisses boo-boos, does the Cook.ie Mon.ster voice, and can make Ginny shriek with glee. 

All that, on top of working all day and all the everyday stuff he does around here (like dishes and the laundry). 

I am so incredibly grateful for his presence in my life.  I can't imagine anyone else ever making me feel so loved, secure, and special.  How in the world did I get so blessed?

*****
Ok, now that the sappiness is done...

This is what 'the kids' gave Daddy for Father's Day.  (Thanks to Pinterest for the inspiration)  He really enjoyed it, and thankfully has taken all the candy that he didn't consume on Sunday to work so it's not lying around here tempting me.

Candy bouquet... YUM!

'My' gift to him was a big breakfast full of yumminess.  Eggs, hashbrowns, sausage, and a groovy cinnamon french toast casserole.  I'll share the recipe with you on Friday, I promise!

Mega Father's Day Breakfast

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: A Summer Night's Ramblings

Howdy Humble Readers,

I apologize for my prolonged absence from the blogosphere.  Honestly, the crap going on in my extended family is taking its toll on my creativity and desire to write.  I have made the decision that for the time being I am not going to blog details what's going on with my parents.  It's enough to say that my sister and I have pondered several times in the past week about just when we became fodder for the Je.rry Sp.ring.er show.  It's sad, gut-wrenching, and I honestly have never been so angry in my whole life. 

*****
I have a project in the works that I hope turns out well for my Beloved's Father's Day gift.  It's not anything spectacular, but it's fun.  Of course, I got the idea off Pinterest.  We'll see if it turns into a success or a big ol' Pin-fail.  On a related note, I can attest to the calming effect of perusing pins.  I think I have added more pins to my boards in the last week than I have since I started. 

*****
I ended up going to see Snow White & The Huntsman with a couple of my girlfriends (thank heaven for a night out of the asylum!).  It was just as I was expecting.  So long as Kristin Stewart wasn't talking or the primary focus on the screen, it was an okay movie.  Her performance was as dull as can be expected, and the only remarkable thing about it was that it was obvious that she was trying to copy Emma Watson's accent, when she remembered to use a British accent.  I can see it being nominated for art direction, costumes, or special effects in the next award season.  The main thing that stood out to me and my friends was that it ripped off a lot of other fantasy movies.  There were some serious LOTR and Harry Potter moments, along with other movies.  BTW, the guy who plays the Huntsman (I can't recall his name) is super yummy!

*****
Ginny has developed a new, very annoying habit that we are at a loss as to how to fix.  She is fixated on her diaper, particularly with taking it off when she's in her crib.  I'm honestly not sure if it's an attention getting thing, if it's because she's no longer in onesie shirts so she has more access to her diaper, if it's because they have Elmo on them (her new obsession), or if it's because she's ready for potty training.  It's most likely all of the above.  It means we're doing a lot of laundry, and it's just icky. 

I'm not ready to start potty training yet, because we are going to be travelling next month, and that would just be too stressful.  I'm also wondering if it's in response to Pip's arrival, and she'll just grow out of it.  I've been given a couple of suggestions, but I'm wondering if any of my bloggy friends have any other insights. 

*****
I have purchased a tomato plant.  It's out on our balcony and I'm hoping that I might improve my black-thumb status by getting at least one good tomato off the silly thing.  If that works, maybe next year I'll branch out and try peppers too.

*****
I'm definitely dealing with some serious hormonal changes this week.  My post-baby bleeding has almost completely stopped (finally!) and my milk supply has already begun to diminish even though I pump every 3-4 hours during the day and whenever little man wakes up at night.  I have Mt. Vesuvius erupting on my cheek, along with a flock of whiteheads around my nose.  Why oh why must I have zits and fine lines at the same time?

Pippin @ 1 Month

Hey Humble Readers...

Beautifu Boy!

 It is a well-understood truth that in the midst of chaos there is beauty to be found.  And in the midst of the chaos that is swirling around my extended family just now, I am happy to take some time and celebrate the fact that our wee little mister has been with us for a full month. 

Ginny & Pippin

 I know that I should be used to this by now... time just flies!  How has it been a month already???

This was his most common position when he was brand new,
 hand covering his face.

 Pippin has grown so much!  He's almost outgrown most of his newborn clothes already.  It's difficult to accept that some of the sleepers that I have saved from Ginny's babyhood have now been used by our little man and he's done with them already.  Of course, his 0-3 month wardrobe is still pretty big on him.  And don't get me started on the 6 month clothes in his dresser.

Oh man, that big sister of mine is getting close!

 He's super strong already.  When he's laying on my chest, he can lift his head and look all around.  And when he's doing tummy-time on the floor he can pick up his head for several seconds and look around. 

Tummy-time today

 Pip's finally gotten his days and nights reoriented.  He sleeps in two hour stretches during the day, and three to four hour stretches at night.  He has given me a couple of five hour nights, but I'm not expecting that to be the norm anytime soon. 

Itty-bitty toes

 His eyelashes are starting to come in, and I think he's going to have brown eyes like his daddy.

I'm watchin' you Mummy!

 As I mentioned last week, Pip is still having issues with staying awake while he eats, particularly when I use our tommee tippee bottles.  Perhaps they're too much like the breast?  Even with his laziness, he still manages to take in quite a bit of food. 

Little snuggle bunny

He's stingy with burps, but man oh man can this kid fart!  It's like a machine gun.  Pippin's fussiest time of day is still in the late afternoon and evening, but really he is a very content little guy.  He's started to enjoy his bath, but hates being taken out of the water. 

Hanging out on the floor with Daddy

 He's starting to be awake for longer stretches at a time, and he's beginning to 'uncurl' his arms and legs.  Sometimes when he's sleeping during the day (when he's not swaddled) he'll stretch his arms over his head like he's saying "I'm the champ!".

First time doing tummy-time

Like all babies, he loves staring at faces... something that Ginny finds fascinating.  And like all babies, he doesn't blink a lot, and he doesn't have the 'blink button' that Ginny had (when I wanted her to blink, I would tap my finger between her eyebrows).  Also, like Ginny, Pip has a lot of dry skin.  I'm hoping it doesn't develop into eczema like it did for our wee girl. 

Big beautiful eyes

Life with our little mister is an adventure every day, and I'm loving every second of it!

*****
Nonsequitor of the day:  Watching the musical 'Rent' on network television in the middle of the afternoon is actually kind of hilarious.  So much was cut due to content that, if it was your first time watching it, you wouldn't be able to follow the story.  It also really messed with me singing along... hello!  La Vie Boehme?  I think they cut half the song!  LOL

Prayer Request

Humble Readers...

I don't even know how to write this.

My Mom called early this morning to tell me that she and my Dad are separating. 

The details are all too much for me to go into right now, but be assured that I am flabbergasted beyond belief.  I'm angry.  I'm ill.  I'm heartbroken. 

(All of the above is a gross understatement of what's going through my heart and mind right now.)

I never would have expected this in a million years.

Tuckered Out

Hey there Humble Readers...

Tuckered out seems to be my constant state of being these days. 

Pippin has hit his 4 week growth spurt a couple days ahead of schedule, so I'm not getting a lot of sleep these days. The other night he was awake every hour and a half or so. Add in the fact that in less than a week Ginny has cut four teeth.  It's been challenging, to say the least. 

Breastfeeding is not happening, at least not in the traditional sense.  Pip is still getting close to 50% breastmilk and 50% formula.  I'm pumping every three to four hours (usually 15 minutes a side), and he's getting every drop I have to give him. 

Pumping and exclusivly bottle-feeding was not what I had planned, of course.  Our little man started out so well at the breast, that I had high hopes, but the effects of the jaundice combined with the realities of my life with a newborn and a toddler brought a different reality. 

With the jaundice, Pip became an incredibly lazy eater... a trait that has still lingered, even though I have tried every trick under the sun to keep him awake.  He simply eats a little, and then dozes off, only to wake up 5 or 10 or 15 minutes later ready for more.  He even does this with the bottle. 

Struggling to keep him awake to eat, then ultimately bottle feeding, and then having to pump meant that every feeding was taking an hour and a half.  This routine was completly impractical, and honestly impossible to maintain.  Something had to give. 

That something was breastfeeding. 

I know that he's still really young and we may yet be able to get him onto the breast.  I still try once a day.  I am hoping that perhaps this growth spurt and his increased appetite might prove helpful in this regard. 

I also know that a nursing baby will get more and better milk at the breast, than what a pump can draw out.  It was a choice I had to make. 

I'm trying to keep the feelings of having copped out at bay.  I'm constantly reminding myself that Pippin is growing like a weed, and he isn't hurting for food.  I'm also working hard to remember that I'm providing half of his dietary needs without medications or supplements, and that is such a huge improvement over what I was able to provide Ginny. 

I don't know how long the pumping and supplementing will last.  Ideally, I'll be able to get him on the breast and have him stay awake.  But if that doesn't happen relatively soon, I'll have to take a hard look at how long I can continue pumping.  The pump rental is expensive, not to mention that it's still taking a long time for each feeding/pumping session, even without actually breast feeding.  I'm tentatively looking at our 6 week doctor appointments as a possible weaning point, but we'll see. 

Both wee ones are sleeping just now, so I'm going to try to catch a few zzz's myself.  I hope you all are keeping well.

The Stroller Saga

Howdy Humble Readers...

I hope you all had a great weekend. Ours was productive and enjoyable, for the most part
Things didn't get off to a great start on Friday, as Ginny's teething kicked into high gear and she cut three teeth in one day.  Believe me, she was a mess...  But we are on our way to finally being done with the heavy lifting of teething.  Two more canines and one more molar, and all the basics will be in, thank heaven!

Saturday dawned cloudy, but not cold, and after a breakfast of sausage mc.muf.fins (which I discovered I no longer enjoy) and iced coffee, we managed to get the four of us out the door and off to the farmer's market.  The market itself wasn't all that spectacular, as it's still very early in the growing season here.  I picked up a bag of potatoes from a local Hutterite colony, a very disappointing cherry pie from a local baker, and a handmade necktie for Pippin to wear for his photoshoot in a couple of weeks.  

The big thing we learned by going to the farmer's market yesterday... our current stroller situation sucks!  (I already knew this, but it was driven home hard.) 

Having to haul two strollers in our car (a prius), even when one of them is a crappy umbrella stroller is inconvenient, and the aforementioned umbrella stroller is simply not good for day to day use.  It's place is on nice smooth floors, like those in an airport or a mall.  Not rough terrain like sidewalks, walking trails, or apparently parking lots like where the farmer's market was set up. 

And beyond all that, how in the world am I supposed to get out of this house with two under two without a good double stroller? 

I had, several months ago, strongly hinted to both sides of our family, that in lieu of clothing/blanket gifts for our new little one, we would greatly appreciate contributions to our stroller fund.  I was hoping possibly get enough to pay for a good chunk of this beautiful little gem. 

Baby Jogger City Select

I love it because it converts from a single to double easily and it steers like a dream.  It's got awesome variety in configurations.  It also folds up fairly small... for a double anyway.  The downside... it's bloody expensive.  And when I say bloody expensive, I mean slasher-flick bloody.

Of course, our families are of the general opinion that I'm either wasteful or just deluded.  My MIL called the week after I talked with her about this situation and offered to buy us a $15 thrift store double stroller.  I have nothing against buying used things.  I like it actually, because it saves us money on things that the kids will outgrow quicker than I can blink. 

But a stroller?  I have spent hours researching customer reviews, dimensions, safety recalls.  I have tried out brand after brand, evaluating how they turn, how easy they are to fold, and if I could lift them by myself up and down our staircase (our condo is a second floor walk up... not a big deal unless you've got a baby, a toddler, and a stroller to wrangle). 

I think that money spent on a stroller that will get used, and save me time and aggravation is money well spent.  Just as I think spending $15 on a stroller that I will hate and ultimately never use is money wasted. 

So, what's the point of all this venting of my spleen? 

We have ordered our new stroller. 

Graco Quattro Tour Duo - Ours is a different colour.

I'm hoping and praying that it will do the job.  Everything I could find online was fairly positive.  It was in the top ten of every list I could find, and was the most reasonably priced.  It's still another large hit to our budget, but we needed something. 

It should arrive later this week.  I'll keep you all posted.

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: This, That & The Other

Hey Humble Readers...

As promised, this here is a post that has absolutely nothing to do with mummy-hood, babies, breastfeeding, or sleep schedules.  Instead you're going to get a bunch of the randomness that's been going through my head over the last couple of weeks.

*****
I'm hoping to resurrect the Foodie Friday posts again sometime soon.  I haven't been doing a whole lot of scratch cooking lately, but I did make the most incredible pork roast last weekend.  Of course, I didn't think to take any pics of it, but it was beautiful and it tasted heavenly.  And it was super easy... salt & pepper a pork loin roast and roast in a hot oven (425F) for about a half hour.  Remove from oven, and lower oven temp to 350F.  Spread grainy dijon mustard over the whole roast.  Press a generous amount of brown sugar into mustard (all over) and return to oven, until a meat thermometer reads 165F (it took about an hour).  Baste with drippings often.  Don't forget to allow the roast to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.  Drizzle with drippings when serving. 

*****
I have confessed here before that I watch way too much tv.  But I have to say, the thing that could cure me of the habit is this summer's line-up of trashy reality tv.  The commercials are actually making me kind of sick with all the pseudo-match-making shows and Gor.don Ram.say crap (and you all know I LOVE cooking shows... I just can't stand him!).  Why can't they just run re-runs?  The joys of having ultra limited cable.

*****
Am I the only person who is intrigued by Snow White & The Huntsman?  Or at least, I am until I remember that Kri.sten Ste.wart is playing the lead.  The trailer looks great, I'm just not sure that I could handle a couple hours of her acting.  I also really want to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Rock of Ages, The Dark Knight Rises, and the Odd Life of Timothy Green.  What's on your must see list for summer movies?

*****
I'm getting that urge to re-read Harry Potter again.  It's totally a summer thing.  As soon as the weather turns warm, I want to delve into the world of wizards and muggles.  It's kind of like the urge I get in the fall to read Tolkien.  I'm happy to say that I am experiencing a bit of an increase in my interest and ability to read again.  All through last fall and winter, I didn't have the focus to read more than a couple pages at a time.  I actually ordered a new book the other day, and I also finished reading a book written by a friend that I'm hoping to review for you all soon. 

*****
You know you're anal retentive when you spend a couple of hours reorganizing one of your pin boards on Pinterest.  I had a sort of catch-all board that had a lot of miscellaneous things in it that had gotten a little out of hand.  So last night, I went through the whole thing and made a couple of new boards.  I really am an addict.  Oh, and while I'm discussing Pinterest can I vent a serious pet peeve?  It drives me crazy when people pin pictures of food/recipes and just put "Yum" or "I must make this soon" in the comment section.  Dang it, tell me what it is!  LOL.

*****
Well, I'm fading here.  I'm going to try to catch a bit of a nap while it's quiet in the hobbit hole.  Do you have any fantastic plans for the weekend?  We're going to the farmer's market tomorrow, and I'm planning on doing the grocery shopping ALL BY MYSELF!  I'm super stoked to get an hour or so just to be out on my own.