He did it!!!! and other random news

In honor of turning eight weeks, John decided to sleep for six hours last night!!!!!!!!!!  Woo-hoo!!!!!

I fed him at 8:30, and I put him down, and then went through Ada's bed time routine.  I assumed that like every other night, he would wake up at 10:30 to eat.  But he didn't.  So...at 10:45, I headed to bed, and I didn't hear from John until 2:30 am.  Then he slept until almost 6:30, and then went back to sleep and is still sleeping right now.  (It's 8:30 am).  Ada woke up at 7:30, so I even got to go back to sleep for an hour after the 6:30 feeding!!  I am on top of the world :) 

Tonight, I will go to bed earlier and try to take advantage of the six hours, just in case it happens again. 

I have also collected enough milk over the past few days, that I am going to attempt a bottle at some point this week.  If it works, and he will take it, I am going to let Scott do one bottle feeding this weekend so that I can sleep for a solid six hours at least.  We are getting to the other side of the hard part...I can feel it.

Plus, I survived taking both kids to the doctor yesterday morning all by myself.  There was some screaming on John's part, and some running around the waiting room on Ada's part, but all-in-all, it went much better than expected.  I was desperate for some allergy medicine that wouldn't interfere with nursing, so I tackled the doctor's visit all by myself.  While the nurse checked my blood pressure, John screamed at the top of his lungs, turning purple in the process.  I assumed my blood pressure was higher than normal at that point:)  But we did it, and I am feeling better because of the medicine.

I have lots to say about Easter, but all of my pictures are on my mom's camera (can you send those to me, mom?), so I am saving that post.  Ada wasn't feeling great, she had a fever all weekend, and I was nervous that we were once again going to miss Church on Easter morning.  But...we made it, and as usual, Steven preached a great sermon on what it looks like to live life in the power of Christ's resurrection.  Steven teaches the word with such clarity, and Scott and I take advantage of any opportunity to hear him teach.

One more comment on Easter.  In her Easter basket, Ada received a box of hello kitty band-aids.  She loves band-aids, and we have to really limit the amount that she is able to use each week.  I try to make her wait for a legitimate need for one before she can have one.  But because they were a gift, I gave her freedom with the Easter basket band-aids, and here is the result.

Ada walked around with 7 band-aids yesterday--all the way through dinner out and through Kroger and Publix.  Whatever...

Easter

I actually have things that I want to blog about other than new babies and sleepless nights.  Things like fun spring clothes that are not maternity clothes, and along with that the fact that I am so wanting to lose these last "baby pounds."  But...I need to gather my thoughts on those things.

Until then, I wanted to post this quote from First Importance that I thought was so good as I contemplate the cross a little more than usual during Holy Week.

Aren't we thankful for what was accomplished on the Cross?  Oh man.  How hopeless I would be without it. 

“Every good thing we could think or desire is to be found in this same Jesus Christ alone. For he was sold, to buy us back; captive, to deliver us; condemned, to absolve us. He was made a curse for our blessing, sin offering for our righteousness; marred that we may be made fair.


He died for our life; so that by him fury is made gentle, wrath appeased, darkness turned into light, fear reassured, despisal despised, debt canceled, labor lightened, sadness made merry, misfortune made fortunate, difficulty easy, disorder ordered, division united, ignominy ennobled, rebellion subjected, intimidation intimidated, ambush uncovered, assaults assailed, force forced back, combat combated, war warred against, vengeance avenged, torment tormented, damnation damned, the abyss sunk into the abyss, hell transfixed, death dead, mortality made immortal.

In short, mercy has swallowed up all misery, and goodness all misfortune.”

—John Calvin, preface for Pierre Robert Olivétan’s 1534 French translation of the New Testament

Rested

Guess what?  I am back in Alabama.

This is what I do these days.  I hit that sleep deprived wall, and Scott drives me and the kiddos to a halfway point where I then get in the car with mom--who has come to rescue me with the promise of sleep.

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful sleep.

I am back to the land of the living with four nights of substantial sleep behind me and even a few good naps.  Thank you, mom.

Motherhood, it never ends.

One day we will emerge from this twilight zone called "living with a newborn," and our lives will resume something that looks a bit normal.

Until then, this is what we do.

Thank you, mom; thank you, husband; for loving me during this time when I am not at my best;)

And John, have mercy on us all, and please start sleeping longer at night.  Thanks.

Life These Days

Both kids, attached to me, all. the. time.

No shower, pajama pants, and worn slap out.

Give me grace, Lord.

Another Monday

I love my life.  I am so thankful that I get to be mom to Ada and John.  What a gift!!  But...the days can get a bit mundane.  Drowning in laundry and dirty dishes and spit up and dirty diapers.  I have already changed three today. 

Here is what we are doing on this Monday morning.

cooking dinner--pot roast, potatoes, and carrots.  One of my favorite meals when I am nursing and oh so hungry at the end of the day.

Ada is strolling her "baby."  Today her baby is a slice of her Melissa and Doug green pepper.  Who knows.  Never mind that we got her that wonderful American Girl baby doll for Christmas.  Really, play with the pepper, Ada.  Well, at least I am seeing her imagination come to life.  She lives in her pretend world all the time.

And this little guy is spending some time on his tummy because apparently that is what he prefers, so I am all for it.  Tummy time it is. 

Before I placed him on his tummy, he was in his swing, finally calmed down after several minutes of crying.  Ada walked over to the swing and started to push him very hard.  I was begging her to stop, trying to reason with her, and she kept saying, "I want to push him!!!"  Then when he started crying again, she looked at me so innocently and said, "John's crying, mommy."  I was like, you think?!

The other thing we are dealing with is projectile spit up.  Are you familiar with it?  I had not had first hand experience with it until John came along.  What I mean by projectile is all over everything everywhere.  When John does it, it lands in his eyes, ears, hair, furniture, all over me...etc. etc. etc.  Apparently, when I was a baby, I projectile vomited after every feeding.  So, on Saturday night, when John vomited five times in a row--it was amazing to see that much milk come out of a tiny baby--I immediately called my mom.  I was sure something must be seriously wrong with him.  My shirt and pants were completely soaked through, as if I had stood under a shower completely clothed.  His clothing was completely soaked through, and our love seat was also covered in spit up.  But he never even cried.  It didn't phase him.  And mom said he was fine.  She has seen it all, you see, after her experience with me as a baby.  Anyway...these are the little things that are making up our days.  But, I know that I know that I know, that each day I am making eternal investments.  I have to keep that in the forefront of my mind so I remember the why behind the routine.

The Weekend

It's been an odd day for several reasons.

We were all dressed and ready for church, when a few things began to delay us. 

Just as we were ready to walk out the door (already ten minutes late), John decided he needed to eat, right then.  Ada's diaper was suddenly dirty (she still isn't potty trained), and then John's diaper was also dirty.  By the time all of that was taken care of and we were in the car on the way to church, we were 30 minutes late and still had a ten minute drive.  Scott and I decided we weren't going to make it.

One of these days I will get the hang of getting two children out the door on time.  I was always late before I had John.  Now I can hardly make it to places before we are too late.

So, with the whole day ahead of us, we decided to run to Target to pick up a dress I spotted yesterday.  I needed something that is dressy and nursing friendly for Spring and Summer weddings.  There was one at Target that I thought would work, and I was afraid my size would be gone quickly.  Sure enough, it was gone by the time we got there--and I just saw it yesterday.  So the girl working in the women's department called another Target that is 30 minutes away, and that store put the dress on hold.  John was sleeping soundly, so we decided to go ahead and make that trip while he napped in the car.  Ada was so confused because when we originally left the house we were headed to church.  Anyway, we finally got the dress and headed back to our house.  At that point, it was nap time for everyone.

The dress is only one reason it's been a great weekend.

I am also excited because I finally have a library card at the local library.  I can't wait to check out so many books!! 

The weather was amazing, and I spent much of yesterday outside.  My house is a disaster as a result, but that's okay.  It's supposed to rain for the next two days, so I will spend that time cleaning.

And the final reason it was a great weekend is because Scott spent Friday and Saturday night with John, only waking me when it was time for John to eat, so I slept more soundly than I have in a while.

This is Ada playing with the little girl who lives next door.  The girl is a couple of years older than Ada, but she is very patient and kind with Ada, so they play great together.  Yesterday was the first time that Ada rode in the girl's barbie car, and Ada thought it was the best thing she had ever seen.  They rode that thing in circles forever.  (They are in the swimming pool parking lot.  The swimming pool that continues to be unfinished).

While they rode, I talked with the girl's mom.  Because I was holding John, the conversation naturally turned to babies and then nursing.  The mom proudly told me that she nursed her daughter for 2 1/2 years.  Isn't it funny how moms can't help but compare notes about these things.  I then shared my story about Ada and how she was such a terrible nurser right from the start.  Funny, funny, these things we feel compelled to share.

Anyway...that was our weekend.  How was yours? 

(the bad part of the weekend--with Spring, come allergies.  Terrible allergies.  I kept kleenex by my side all weekend.  And apparently, according to the Target pharmacist, all allergy medicine dries up breast milk.  I am making a phone call to the OBGYN first thing tomorrow to discuss a solution to this problem.  Suggestions, anyone?)

Friday

It is in the 70s today, so what did I do?  I dropped the day's plans--things like cleaning and such--and we headed to the park. 

Oh the wonderful sunshine.  Warm sunshine, at that. 

We picked up a couple of hamburgers, and we enjoyed the day, along with every other mom in town:)

John also enjoyed the park:)

And now, while both children are asleep, I might sit outside and enjoy the sun even more.  It's good for my brain, I do believe.