This & That

• So, I had a 7 a.m. meeting today and it was a 45 minute drive. Which means getting up at 5. Ugh. Luckily I have a great sitter. Although hubby commented (and it's true) I need to stop taking jobs where I have to get up so early, even if it is only one day a month.
• Wanna know what I really hate? I mean, absolutely can't stand ... people who drive the wrong way through the Walmart parking lot. The arrows point to a specific direction for a reason!
• It's spitting snow today. And supposed to REALLY snow on Sunday night/Monday morning. I'm really hoping for a snow day ... I need a day off work!
• I wish there weren't a Valentine's day. Hubby and I never do much for the holiday ... I honestly think it's designed to just make people feel bad, even if they are in a relationship! And then yesterday, the sitter sent home a list with all the kids names and info for their party. Ugh. What in the heck is my two-month-old supposed to do besides sit to the side and laugh at all the crazy kids? And unfortunately Coop has the least creative mom in the entire planet, so it looks like he'll be sharing cards with suckers, unless one of you have a fabulous idea?
• Poor Coop is still so snotty :( We suction him twice a day and the sitter usually does it twice also. And I run a humidifier at night. This morning, the poor boo choked a bit twice while I was feeding him and he also spit up all over his outfit. Me no likey.
• Hubby and I got our taxes submitted yesterday. Blech. No, we don't owe money, but we didn't get back as much as we thought we would. We decided that we shouldn't have gotten married and would have gotten about double the refund. It's just frustrating to see all these single parents get back double to triple what we did. {Later added: Not that being a single parent is bad, but we live in a town where we see people work the system who can tell you that you max out with four kids, all with different dads. Seriously?}
• I did inform hubby that we will be buying/renting Breaking Dawn tomorrow. Due to its release date, we never made it to the theatre to see it.
• I refuse to swap over to timeline on facebook. It confuses me.
• This morning someone showed me a new type of otterbox/iPhone case that also serves as a charger and doubles the battery life. I must look into that.
• My mom is too sweet! She and my dad were in town to visit the accoutant the other day, so they dropped by my office with a small birthday cake she'd made (although I told her not to) as well as some dumplings and slaw - two of my favorites. Don't be too jealous :)
• I admitted to hubs last night that I already have baby fever. Actually more like preggo fever. I'm not sure if it's from so many people I know in real life and through social media are preggo or what, but I so want a cute little bump again. But trust me, I'm we're not planning on that for a couple more years. Ideally, we'd like an early summer baby and I feel best about having 2.5-3 years age difference. I seriously don't think I could handle two in diapers at the same time.
• I didn't do fab ab February on Tuesday and have been a big slacker since. I think I'll get on track and double up this weekend.
• I am so ready for the new seasons of Survivor and the Amazing Race.
• All I wanna do this weekend is clean out my car, clean the house, do laundry, and cuddle under the covers with chili watching movies. Actually I don't want to do the cleaning and laundry, but I have to so I may as well tell myself I want to.
• Happy weekend. Keep those fingers crossed for a Monday snow day :)

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Me as a Mom: Breastfeeding

This wraps up the list of posts I planned to write, so far, about my mommy experience. If you have any questions about anything else, just let me know and I'll address it! I do plan to do a post of all my favorite products every three months or so :)

So I figured it was about time to go ahead and dedicate a post to breastfeeding. Cooper is 11 weeks old and still exclusively breastfed :)

For us, it works. I realize that for others, it may not - and I definitely don't judge people one way or another. But I feel very blessed I can breastfeed, despite my feelings on it pre-baby.

I'm ashamed to admit it, but I'd hoped (while still pregnant) that something would come up and I would be unable to continue breastfeeding. Honestly, I didn't see myself going much past two months. Around one month, I figured I would aim to do it for six months. Now, I'm thinking that it would be awesome to go a full year. And I constantly freak out about supply issues, although I haven't had to dip into my freezer supply yet, and typically freeze at least one five-ounce bag a week. It's not a lot, but it helps keep me sane. 

Honestly, I wouldn't have even breastfed in the first place if it weren't for hubby's urging. We were both formula babies and turned out yet fine. I didn't want to be attached to my kid at all times. It just plain grossed me out. In the beginning, it hurt.

But I'm a good wifey and promised hubby I would try. Right on, I LOVED the bond/connection I had with Cooper. I still get a great feeling when someone else is holding him and he's hungry because only I can calm him in that way. It's actually kind of a mischevious feeling, haha.

I had Cooper on a Wednesday and we came home on Friday. We didn't seem to have any issues in the hospital. There, they gave me some soothies and had me begin wearing them early on (mamas, you must get these! They are expensive if you buy them, but worth it!). He was a very good, efficient nurser and really only went every four or so hours. I was a bit concerned about this because "they" say babies should eat eight to 12 times a day, but the doctors said he was gaining just fine, so keep doing what we were doing.

As luck would have it, my milk came in on Saturday, our first day without the help of nurses. Holy crap, that was bad. I had no idea what to do. Of course, that's also when my n*pples began to hurt. Seriously, every time Cooper latched on, it felt like a million or so needles were being stuck. The cream didn't even seem to work (later on, it did - and I quit using it between two and three weeks.)

Our hospital really encourages breastfeeding. A lactation consultant visited with us both days in the hospital, and actually sent me home with a pad full of pads, more soothies, etc. (Tip on the soothies - have two sets to alternate and keep one in the fridge!) Anyhow, the LCs have a cell phone they encourage you to call at any time. So I call, in tears. And end up getting the voicemail. I was in so much pain, so frustrated and so hormonal, I was about to begin pumping only.

While I waiting for her to call back, I pulled out the pump and got busy. Only to realize later I should have sterilized everything first so I had to pour about 8 ounces down the drain. Yeah, that was bad.

Once the LC called back, she gave me awesome advice. She encouraged me to wait another week and promised it would get better soon - probably in just a few days. She also told me that if I only pumped, I would in no way be able to produce enough and would have to start supplementing soon.

So that's what I did - toughed it out. And it did get better. Soon, the only issue was the cluster feeding in the evening, but that went away around four weeks. It was tough though - I would feed and burp, and in no time he wanted to eat again. No matter what time I went to take a bath, he'd decide he was starving and wanted to eat RIGHT NOW.

I also pumped A LOT during those first couple weeks, figuring it would never hurt to have extra in the freezer.

We introduced a bottle when Cooper was just over one month old. I was nervous but he did GREAT and has no problems swapping between boob and bottle. Until I went back to work, he just had a bottle of pumped milk at bedtime every night, which was a great way to make sure he was getting enough to eat and getting him used to the bottle.
By about four weeks, my supply leveled off a bit. Then the week before I went back to work, I realized I needed to make sure I would continue to make enough, since it seemed Coop was a pretty big eater - right now, people are shocked I'm able to keep up with him when they hear how much he takes in a bottle.
I did some research (and my LC later confirmed this was the best process) to see what I should do. Basically, it recommended pumping after EVERY feeding, even if it was only an ounce or less. Breastfeeding is such a supply and demand thing, and by emptying, you tell your body you are out and to make more.

So here's our loose schedule:
Morning - nurse (typically 6:30 a.m., but whenever he woke. Sometimes twice if he woke in middle of nice.) Pump after feeding.
Pump 3 times while at work. Usually 9:30, noon and 2:30. Up to this week, he would typically finish three 5 oz. bottles while at the sitters - around 9:30-10 a.m.; 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Luckily, I seem to produce 4 to 5 ounces at each feeding so I can keep up. This week, however, we bumped him up to 6 ounce bottles because he was getting fussy about a half hour later. I'm taking three 6 ounce bottles but it seems he is only finishing two and then maybe another 3 ounces as a snack.
Nurse at home (usually around 6-7 p.m.)
Nurse for bedtime feeding - typically 9 - 10 p.m., as we wait three hours between this feeding. For the past couple weeks, I've been empty but he's still been hungry, so I've also been giving him 2-3 ounces from a bottle which seems to do the trick - he's full and happy and sleeps eight to nine hours.

Weekends are a bit different, as Coop seems to like to eat more often when he's around me. It's often every 2-3 hours.

When we began adding the bottle of pumped milk in addition to nursing at bedtime, it seemed Cooper was consuming more than I was pumping most days. So I began taking Fenugreek (two pills three times a day) and that has really helped. I'd say that now I'm pumping an extra 4 to 5 oz. per day now. I know I could have gotten up around 2 a.m. to pump as well and I would if I had to, but it's hard to get up just to pump when your baby is sleeping through the night. And now, I think I pump as much after he eats in the morning as I would in another session anyhow.

Breastfeeding definitely isn't all sunshine and daisies though. I constantly worry whether he is getting enough, whether I am eating healthy, if something I eat will upset his tummy, etc. I felt horrible at his two week checkup when he was still 2 ounces below birth weight. The doctor tried to reassure me, but still... Even now, that I see he is growing, I'm still concerned. We know a baby born two days after Coop who weighed about two lbs. less who is now 1 lb. more! But, this other child is a formula baby and I'm told they gain faster. So I'm trying to let it go and be more confident.

In terms of food, I actually eat pretty much whatever I want, but still stay away from fish that may contain mercury. I down at least four bottles of water daily. I do drink alcohol, but only about one drink every three hours. A blog friend sent me an article and I have the link somewhere, if anyone is interested, that backs up why this is OK.

But there are so many plusses. I mean, first off, you don't have to worry about contamination. Next off, it's great for postpartum weight loss - I totally credit breastfeeding for me losing all the baby weight in 1.5 weeks and being back in my regular jeans in two weeks. It's easy too - I know how much I hate washing those damn bottles and all their parts every night (we use Dr. Browns) so I'd really hate doing more - not to mention how, if he does need a middle-of-the-night feeding, I can have him fed in less time than it would take to heat a bottle. (Thanks for bringing me to reality on this, Ashley.)

And, uh, what about the fact that it's FREE? So happy we aren't spending 100 bucks a month just on formula. Most of all I know, without a doubt, that it's the best thing for my son and formulated to his needs - it really is amazing that our bodies can not only make milk, but how it changes over time.

I've been working on this post for awhile. I will indicate that last week, I believe I had a clogged duct. Once again, our LC came to the rescue and simply ordered me to pump more often (if possible) so I could keep things moving.

Oh, did I mention how GREAT my employer is when it comes to breastfeeding? Luckily, I am in an office with no windows, so I can simply close the door. And, I have a fridge in my office. But our employee handbook states that nursing mothers will not only be given the time to pump, without penalty, but also the space to do so if they don't have office space like mine. My LC says to consider myself very fortunate for this.

I always wanted to know what others used, so here's my rundown:

• Nursing bras. I bought two sleep bras and one "real" one that was kinda stretchy before he arrived. About a week before I went back to work, I bought two more. All from JC Penney and I like all of them.
• 2 nursing camis - one black, one white, and I'm constantly febreezing them :) I LOVE these. But now that I'm a bit more experienced, I can do the regular camis with a nursing bra beneath.
• I have a Medela double electric breast pump. Our LCs recommend these most. I can't find a link to my specific model because I actually ordered it through our local health department's WIC office. Here, those in a lower income class can "rent" pumps for however long they need and simply have to repay the deposit. Well we made too much money to qualify, but they said they would order me a pump and I would just have to pay the cost! Mine is similar to the Medela Pump In Style Advanced, it just has the cooler in the big bag and is khaki, not black. And I paid less than half of what the similar pump cost at Target! I will note that other pharmacies in our area rent pumps and while they are the commercial-grade ones, it would have cost me as much to rent one for 12 weeks as I paid for mine. And I would have had to buy new tubing, etc. So I'm already ahead :)
• Medela pump and save bags. I was one of those who thought if I had a Medela pump, everything should be! So far, I like these, although I have heard complaints. I think before I buy more, I'm going to thaw a couple bags to make sure they do OK. If not, I've heard great things about Lansinoh and Honeysuckle-brand bags.
• N*pple cream. The hospital gave me samples of Lansinoh and Medela and I preferred the Medela.
• Nursing pads. I got several samples. Guess what? I didn't like the Medela. I prefer the Lansinoh. They stick in place and stay much smoother. Although nowdays I don't really leak so I don't wear them anymore. I looked into getting washable, reusable pads, but a friend advised me against that, as they have been linked to thrush.

I'm hoping that Cooper and I can continue down this road and hit that one year mark. Although I have to admit, I'm a bit terrified of how things will feel once teeth come in :)

If you have any questions, PLEASE feel free to email me. I'm pretty sure I am the most understanding when it comes to concerns considering I never saw myself on this path.


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What I'm Loving

It's been a few weeks since I've linked up with Jamie, but today's a great day to share everything I'm loving on this cold February day.

{1} I'm LOVING that I had a great birthday! Thanks for all of your comments, emails, etc. It was low-key but all in all a great day. The only thing I would change would be to take a personal day and have spent it with my little man.

2.07.12

{2} This birthday was all about food! I had delish Houchin's doughnuts for breakfast. Susie's (a local bake shoppe with yummy rolls and butter!) for lunch and Lamberts (more yummy rolls) for supper. When I stepped on the scale this morning, I was surprised to see my weight is the same as it was last Wednesday - I'm guessing I lost a bit but gained it all back yesterday and Super Bowl Sunday.

{3} I'm LOVING that hubby is taking me clothes shopping this weekend. That is what I requested for my birthday :)

{4} I'm LOVING this little snowman. His aunt Jessi bought this shirt for Christmas and I just love how cute Mr. Cooper looks in it :)

2.06.12

{5} I'm LOVING that I have a haircut this Friday! I haven't experienced any postpartum hair loss yet and it's just growing like crazy!

{6} I'm LOVING that Cooper is participating in a children's book exchange. We have sent one book and he should receive 36! If you are interested in joining, let me know :)

{7} I'm LOVING that my sweet hubby came to the office Friday and got everything hung for me. Now, I'm just waiting on a bookshelf and the office will be complete - although I really want and need some new furniture. I'm trying to raise around $5 million for a capital campaign, I need a desk that isn't older than I am for appearance sake!

What are you loving today? 

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on birthdays

For 27 years, I've always looked forward to the next birthday.

I never felt satisfied with where I was. I was always looking for the next thing.

But not today. No, today, I embrace my age and am happy right where I am.

{image}

I am 27 years old. As of 8:12 p.m. :) One year ago, I was freaked out about being 26. But guess what? It ended up being the best year of my life.

For the first time, I feel content on a birthday. I am so blessed and feel like I am exactly where I thought I would be at this age. I am married. Have a beautiful, healthy baby. Got a GREAT new job this year. Hubby and I own (or are paying the bank) for our home. We have our own vehicles.

Being a mom changes you in so many ways. Now, I don't just see my birthday as a day to celebrate Michelle - although it is a national holiday, you know. It's a day to be so grateful for my parents. They're the ones who got me here and continue to support me from one year to the next. My mom is the one who carried me for nine months and birthed me. More than ever this year, I am thankful on my birthday.

I know that, this morning, I wasn't thinking about going out with all my friends drinking and dancing as in year's past. No, I wanted more than anything to stay home with my little boy - that's a real treat for me know.

I'm not really sure what God has in store for me this year. I know there isn't much that can top 26, with all the amazing things that have happened. I hope and pray that this year will mean getting to my son's first birthday and him continuing to grow and be healthy and happy. I hope to continue growing in my marriage, my friendships, and everything else. But most of all, I hope to embrace every day and live to the fullest.


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sporty weekend

This weekend was all about sports in our house! With a few other things mixed in :)

Saturday night, my alma mater, Mizzou, played kU in basketball. Typically Mizzou dominates in football and kU in basketball, but the two teams have SUCH a rivalry. Here is a good article from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about the rivalry.

One of my facebook friends posted this and it cracked me up!

It seems to be even more heated now, since Mizzou will be in the SEC next year so this could be the last time the two teams played at Mizzou Arena. So of course, we had to get pizza and be all decked out to watch the game. Cooper is a Mizzou fan, of course :) I would do the M-I-Z chant and he would just smile.

The game sure was a nail biter and I almost turned off the TV when we were down by 9 with about two minutes to go, but my Tigers ended up winning 74-71!

The college bookstore is selling some super awesome victory shirts and I've asked for one for my birthday :)

Of course, the Super Bowl was this weekend too. I don't really care for either team but cheered for the Patriots because I feel like others love to hate them. Ha! Honestly, I wasn't much into the game until the final couple of minutes (a crying baby will do that to you!) but thought it was a great finish.

We ate leftover pizza, mini pigs in a blanket and summer sausage with cheese and crackers. Yummy... don't want to think about how many calories I consumed. Speaking of, I read somewhere that the average American consumes over 4,000 calories on Super Bowl Sunday ... yikes! Once my birthday is over, I've got to get serious about eating healthy.

This little guy enjoyed the Super Bowl, but conked out at the end.

As for my favorite commercials, I loved both Doritos, the VW one, all Budweiser, the Bud Light one with We Go (too cute!) and the promo for the Voice. I big hear Betty White.

So of course, after the Super Bowl, we watched The Voice. I didn't think I would, but I really liked it. I may have to add it to our DVR line up.

Besides watching sporting events and eating way too much, we took our tax information to the accountant, went to a home & garden show and did some cleaning around the house this weekend. Did y'all do anything interesting?

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Tidbits

• Thank goodness it's Friday! This has been one long week.
• It's sorta hard to believe it's already February. Wasn't it just last week I was wishing for November to get here?
• Have you heard of GroopDealz? It's a daily deal site, but focuses on boutiques. One of today's deals are customized notepads for $2.50 each! I love anything with my name on it, so I've ordered some sets :) I'm also thinking ahead, that these might be great stocking stuffers.
• If you don't follow Leslie, you should seriously check out this post. It definitely got me to thinking ... I shouldn't compare myself, my husband, my kid to anyone else, and I definitely think I do this more because of social media, whether it be blogs or facebook! I love hearing others' stories and using social media to document these things, so it's a very fine line between sharing/learning and bragging/feeling inadequate.
• I'm OK with the groundhog seeing his shadow and us experiencing six more weeks of winter if the temps continue to be in the 60s like they have been all week. I'm just afraid that March is going to be a cold month ...
• This weird Missouri weather has made evident that Mr. Cooper has his mommy's allergies. The poor kid has been so snotty this week and I think it's beginning to affect his appetite. Not that I blame him - milk mixed with all that congestion? Yuck. This really sucks because there is NOTHING I can do but suction it out and run a humidifier at night :(
• When looking at my calendar the other day, I realized that we have no work holiday this month :( Since I began this job, we've had at least a day off every month but August, so it's weird. However, we have a three-day spring break in March and get two days off in April for Easter, so I won't complain *too* much.
• I'm ready for the Super Bowl on Sunday. GO PATRIOTS!
• I love to watch football, but of course I'm ready to see the commercials too. I absolutely LOVE the etrade baby. I wonder how I can get an audition for Coop?
• My birthday is on Tuesday. And all I really want is to go eat at Lamberts. And Olive Garden. And Shoguns, a hibachi grill about 30 minutes north of where we live. Food is clearly my love language.
• I have successfully completed the first two days of Fab Ab February. I didn't think it would be too hard but man, my abs are already tight! Doing 15 situps last night about killed me.
• Bio Oil is amazing. I've been using it about a month now and my stretch marks are healing/fading very well. Next pregnancy I'm using it. Twice a day. Every day. From the minute I find out I'm expecting.
• I'm considering training for a 5K at the end of March. I should. I'm just not sure how ... it's cold outside and getting dark by the time I get home and we live in BFE where I'm scared to run alone. Too cold for the jogging stroller. No treadmill. To cheap for a gym membership I probably wouldn't utilize due to time either. Sigh.
• Happy weekend!

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a new month

Now that I have a 10-week-old who is, for the most part, sleeping through the night and have been back at work for a month, I figure it's time to get a few other things in line. And what better time to start than at the beginning of a new month?

{health}

Source: imgfave.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I found this pin yesterday and decided it came at a great time - my abs are seriously nonexistant and I hate looking at my belly. Totally do-able in terms of time and being able to do it upstairs. And the hubs plans to to it with me.

Other than my birthday next week and Valentine's the next, I'm going to make a real effort to eat healthier, too. I LOVED all of your healthy snack ideas. And while I may still rely on things like Hamburger Helper for dinner, I can measure out portions, like hubs and I did last night, rather than eyeball it and eat SO much more than needed. 

This morning I stepped on the scale and was surprised to see the number is still about what it was when I got pregnant. I can't believe I'm about to put it out here, but I weighed 159.2 pounds. I'm 5'8". So I could definitely stand to lose some weight. I'm going to aim to lose 4 lbs this month.

{wealthy}

I really need to do a better job at saving money. So this month, my goal is to get caught up from Christmas, new car, etc. I'd also like to put at least $200 in savings.

{organized}

our house is SUCH a mess. I really need to get the spare bedroom cleaned. We need to buy a file cabinet to get all the paperwork that was formerly stored in our desk organized. Then maybe I can remember to pay all the bills on time.

{clean}

I've long since given up on having the house clean. But it would be nice to have it at least presentable - it honestly makes me so anxious in the mornings when I am sitting in the living room and pumping to see the mess. So I'm going to make a goal to spend 10 minutes picking up in the living room every night and see how that helps. The kitchen used to be the bane of my existence, but since I have to wash bottles and pumping supplies every evening, it's not so bad anymore.

{live in the moment}

I spend WAY too much time watching TV and playing on my iPhone. While I doubt I can get hubby to just turn off the TV more often, I can make an effort to do more multi-tasking, like folding laundry, while the TV is on. And at night, I don't need to be checking Facebook - I need to be engaged with my son who is growing SO quickly. So I'm going to TRY and put my phone down from the time I get home until my bathtime every night, unless someone calls me.

What are your goals for this month?

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