Battle wounds

After a lot of research and debating back and forth, and talking to our pedi, we got our vaccinations today.  I was dreading it!  When the nurse called us back, I told her I wanted to nurse him after the shots, so she set that up for us.  Then it was time for the pain.  Zach had been sleeping from about 9:30 (this was about 10:45) so he was pretty out. I picked him up and she gave him the drink one first.  He took that fine.  Then it was time for the shots.  We got 3 shots and sadly she did them ONE AT A TIME...  So 2 in one leg and 1 in the other.  Of course after the first poke, Z woke up and screamed (at which time I started tearing up) he calmed down much quicker than I thought he would.. Then the second one came.  Again he calmed down quickly.  Then we switched sides and the third one.  This was the hardest one.  Zach screamed louder, and cried a little bit longer also.  Then I stood up and he calmed right down.  Then I started nursing him and he ate for a while and I cried almost the whole time.. lol  Shots really are harder on parents than the babies.  Its so hard to see him in pain and know I made  the pain happen.  Plus there is all the worries about the side effects.  He fell asleep as soon as he was back in his carseat (11:00) and slept until we got home at 1:30.  I had done some shopping at wally world.  When we got home, he was pretty fussy, so I gave him some baby tylenol.  Then I let him play in his activity mat and I got a few smiles, which made me feel better.
   He is a bit sleepy, but doing well.  I think we will have alittle cuddle time today.  Hope everyone has a good weekend!

Fussy boy

#1 & #2

Last one!  and not even cool bandaids!  how rude!

Feeling better!

Thankful Thursday

      As I sit here sans Tim, it makes me very thankful for him!  Around 5:30 I realized Z normally goes to his daddy and I was ready for that to happen!  Tim is helping a friend out today, so he isn't here.. which means Z didn't go tot him!  He really does so much for us!  Just this week, he put in a dimmer light in our bedroom, put up a new doorbell, and a shower head.  Also he fixed his riding lawn mover.  He works harder than anyone else I know and he is always willing to help his friends fix everything.  The downside to having a man who can fix/build/knows stuff is you have to share him.  But because of his hard work, I'm blessed by being able to stay at home with our son.  I love being here taking care of him and the house...  Ok, mainly him. lol
     Second I'm very thankful for TIME.  I've found a new favorite book "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" and I love it!   I'm reading it from the beginning, so it talked about the first few weeks.  Most the stuff about the hospital still makes me a bit sad, and I really feel like if I knew more it could have been different.. but reading about the first few days/weeks home reminding me how difficult it was.  It was really hard!  Not knowing what this little guy wanted and how he liked things done, makes it that way.  I'm starting to learn what he wants/needs and that I can give it to him.  That really helps w/ the confidence!  Also it made me realize I kinda forgot about it already.  We have a pretty good night time thing going unlike before.  
    Lastly I'm very thankful for those smiles!  They happen all the time now!  I still have a hard time getting a picture of one, but I'm tryin!!

Daddy playing for the Zach man

Yep a Nursing pic! 

Life with a sick baby...

    Sick babies are no fun!  While Zach is still smiling a lot (then crying..lol) you can tell he just isn't feeling good!  Its hardest in the mornings when he is most congested and we have to suction his nose the most.  We also have been using the saline drops.. oh he HATES those!  Before we had him, I was worried how he'd react to getting his temp taken, but that doesn't seem to bug him that much.  After a quick trip outside to the mail box, heading next door to drop something off and mommy getting some breakfast, we spent the first 1/2 of the day in our room, just cuddling, nursing, suctioning, napping and repeat (with a few diaper changes in there ;)  Then he woke up and was done just hanging out in the room, so we can out of our cave and he played on his activity mat for a bit.  Then mommy thought he was feeling up for tummy time and he tolerated that for about 5 mins.  We nursed some more and then I sat him in his swing.  He has been out for 2 hours in it, so I was able to get a little bit of cleaning done.  I really can't believe how exhausted I am just from taking care of him. 
   Since he is so young there is no meds really to give him.  So all we can really do it have the humidifier running in whatever room he is in, keep suctioning his nose and wait!

Sick.... poor baby!

Saturday, Zach woke up with a small cough and a runny nose.  We kinda thought it was just it could have been from spendiing time around doggies w/ long fur and that could have bugged him.  We also thought, maybe it was teething, but we were hoping not b/c he's still early for that.  So we were just watching it.  He didn't have a fever, but it never got better.  Easter he woke up with the same cough, and running nose..  still no fever and he still was eating really well.  He was a bit more sleeply, so we wanted to keep watching and I planned on calling the doctor in the morning.  So this morning, I called and they wanted to see him.
   Off to the doctor we go.  He gained a whole pound since the last time they saw him, 1 1/2 weeks ago!  Dr. E listened to his lungs, and checked out his ears.  Lungs were clear (YAY!) and ears looked find.  Dr. E said it was nasal congestion prolly from a virus.  So he said to get some nasal saline and run the humidifier at night.  So, poor Zach has to get his little nose sucked for the rest of the week.  Dr. E said he should get better by the end of the week, but it might get worst before it gets better.. So now we just watch it and wait it out.
  I've learned the dangers of looking things up on the internet... I wanted to hear the sound of whooping cough, just to know what to look for... what a mistake!  The website I went on, started off with this video (that came up automatically when I went to the website.) with this mom telling this awful story of her son having a cough and not coming home with them.  It was the saddest thing ever, and something I didn't need!  I just wanted to hear what it sounded like people!!   Lesson learned!!
   Here is some cute for your day!! 

Wordless Wednesday

We hate tummy time...

 

Not a happy boy!!

Performance Review...

    When I was in the real world out there, I had to do these every 6 months or year... I can't remember.  But I always liked them.  I liked knowing what I could do better and what I was doing well.  Plus up until the last year or so I worked there, we would get raises.  It was great knowing they thought I was doing well.  Even when there were things I would improve on, there were always things I was excelling at.  It was a great feeling!
   I am glad I don't have those little meetings now.  I'm pretty sure it'd look like this:
Job Title: Stay at home mom/house wife
Duties: Clean everything, Cook all meals, Laundry and Care for baby, dog, and husband.
Ratings: Scale 1 needs improvement - 10 excelling
Cleaning: On all counts 1.. That house has only been cleaned really well a few times,  Horrible at maintaining a clean house.
Cooking:  4, most the time meals are either just defrosted from freezer meal stash or something easy like hamburger helper.  Could use improvement on making lunches... seems to forget to make them a lot.
Laundry: 2.  Good at getting it into the washer and dryer on the first load, but fails to complete task-folding and putting it away.  Seems that baby laundry gets done, so that is good
Caring: Husband: 7
Baby: 10 He is growing, and learning more everyday!
Dog: 6, He is learning how to live outside the center of attention, and doing very well. 
Myself: 2  I am lucky if I eat more than 1 meal, shower more than a few times a week, and shaving, well if I have time in the shower to shave its a miracle. 
Caring is def your strong point.  Everything else needs improvement. 
Plan of Action:  Get better
    So no raise for me, until I can somehow learn how people have time to do anything other than take care of the baby. 
   Although, maybe this job is base on a different scale.  I mean my boss is more demanding than any other boss and his priorities are much different.  I'd say he cries about as much as any boss does, but he doesn't talk much yet.  If my performance is based on his smiles, then I'll be getting a raise ;)  Two months in and I'm getting a hang of this job.  I know what he wants when he cries, I know how he likes his drinks, I know what he likes to do during the day and night, and he seems to enjoy me.  The house may be a mess, but the baby is happy.. so that is a win!
  This week I'm looking forward to:
Wed: I have a postpartum support group meeting
Sunday is Easter, so we will be going to my great Aunts house, (we go every year) and alot of our family will met Z for the first time!
Also excited about Z first Easter :)

Manic Monday

Well, not really that bad, but I really like this song.. lol
But Z has been pretty gassy/fussy today! This morning I had a doctor apt, where I actually needed stuff done, so I left him for the first time (with someone other than daddy) for longer than an hour. I cried, as I ran back to by car, at the gas station and part of the way to the apt. Also on the way home b/c of a few different songs. Pretty much anything that had the word baby in it. Its so odd to be away from him, since for the last 11 months, he's been with me. Most of that time, he was in my belly, but still with me. He did great with R (thanks for watch him!) Z was sleep most the time, and woke up right before I got there and ate from a bottle. So that all went well!
The rest of the day has pretty much been spent napping/watching movies/and crying. I've pretty tired and sore from the doc's apt, and I think Z is gassy. So it works out pretty well that we both just wanted to relax.
Plus we could be tired from the busy weekend. We had TWO bridal showers, a mom's tea, and a visit with the grandparents. Actually Sat, Z stayed at home with daddy when I went to one of the showers. Again I cried, and he ate from a bottle, but I was glad the 2 boys could bond some more. It really melts my heart seeing Tim love and play with Z.
Well that is all I have for now! And remember it's TAX DAY! ;)