Tummy Time

Angelo, "I think I can, I think I can".


"Yay, I did it!"

Angelo can push himself to the upright position and keep his head up for a long time. I'm so excited! He's going to be a lot of fun when he gets older. He's a strong 'lil bubs and has been since he was born. I'm already dreaming about all the sporting events we'll be attending in his honor.

Angelo Is A Month Old!

Angelo is now a month old and I think I'm doing really well with this new mommy business. Dave, on the other hand, is showing his lack of experience with caring for a boy. Not that I'm perfect, but he is just funny to watch. A lot goes into protecting yourself with a normal changing session. Dave has had his fair share getting peed on. You'd think by now that he would've figured out a way to avoid it like I have, but nooo, lol. Everytime this happens, Dave still backs away and lets the fountain of pee land on my carpet, grrr! It's like it's happening in slow motion and I can't get over there to help fast enough.

My 'lil bubs hasn't been feeling well this past week. Dave gave him some baby applesauce and he started getting "the runs". He's got a diaper rash because Dave didn't keep up with changing him every time he got up in the middle of the night. I was really pissed about that. The rash is starting to get better, but my poor baby is having a hard time with diaper changes.

Speaking of which, I have a funny to share with you...

Yesterday I was changing Angelo and because he has that rash, I'm having to go about it in a different way. They say to avoid baby wipes and just use water, which I am. Unfortunately, every time I get the rash cream on the way I want it, bubs decides it's safe to push out some more poop. Not only that, but with that particular session, he felt ok to not just poop, but pee as well! I didn't get shot with it, but I had to start all over again. Needless to say, I've been very frustrated. I just want his little bottom to feel better fast, but at this rate, he's going to have this rash a few more days than necessary!

Angelo is a super piggy! He's now eating between 4 and 6 ounces per feeding and is eating more often than I'd like. Dave said that at this rate, we'll be broke by the time he's a teenager, lol. Last time we took him to the doctor he was 9lbs, 12 ounces. He goes back at the end of September and I can't even imagine how big he'll be then!

I had my post partum check-up yesterday. Thank God because my stitches are starting to come out and they're bugging the shit out of my coochie. TMI, I know, but whatever. I think after the pregnancy we're passed that, lol. Anyway, my midwife went in there and trimmed them. They're supposed to dissolve, but she told me that they could just fall out as well. I'm pretty much healed up and I got the green light for REAL sex, woo hoo!!! She also gave me samples of the pill and a prescription. I have to go back for my annual PAP in December and they will see how my body is handling everything.

Unfortunately, I have to wait 2 weeks before I'm protected, but I plan to use condoms as well. Like Tiffany said, I don't need to be back in the office with a positive pregnancy test this soon. The good news is that my period will be delayed another month due to the birth control, YES! Let's just hope that happens. I will be a very happy woman if it does. Dave isn't so happy though. He thought that since I'll be on the pill that condoms are now a thing of the past. Um, NO! I got pregnant using a condom, so what makes him think that the pill is any safer? Nice try buddy, but I don't think so. 3 children in the house is plenty, thank you very much!

Since I've been given the green light to work out, I'm going to come up with a plan. I've been power walking with the baby, but now I can add more to my work-outs. I've lost 32 lbs so far and I need to lose about 20 more before I get back to my pre-pregnancy weight. Then I need to lose another 20 to go back to the weight I was when Dave and I met. That's a lot of poundage, I tell ya! My diet has been really good and I've been sticking with it, yay!

3 Weeks Old, 3 Weeks To Go!

Angelo is now 3 weeks old and I have 3 weeks until I can have sex again. I know that sounds stupid coming from someone who just had a baby and was pregnant for 10 months, but Dave has been a little too hot to handle lately. It's like the minute I gave birth he was ready to go and quite honestly, so was I.

My post baby check-up is a week from tomorrow. I've decided that I'm going to use the pill and condoms (yes, together) as my methods of birth control. I have to do everything in my power to make sure I do NOT get pregnant again. I've never been on the pill before so I'm hoping that my body will react favorably. I'm really hoping that it makes my pms and periods much easier to deal with since it always seems to knock me on my ass.

I feel like I'm still recovering nicely, except that I'm really stressed out having 3 kids in my house. School starts again on Monday so that'll be my salvation. Our schedule with the girls changes again. Instead of getting them Tuesday through Saturday, we have them Wednesday after school through Saturday. I love the girls, but this schedule will give me a much needed break. This past week Dave has been on vacation and he kept the girls home so I haven't had much privacy. That's been killing me. I could barely function yesterday because I was SO exhausted.

As for my physical self, well that's going great. My libido is back in full force, which is also killing me, lol. No more inflammation, but I can still feel those damn stitches! I'm guessing these aren't the kind that dissolve, unless it takes longer than 3 1/2 weeks. I'm still bleeding, but very little and it's starting to change color, woo hoo! I'm so not looking forward to my first real period though, ugh. My boobs feel just fine, but are still big for my taste. Dave isn't complaining though.

I still have a bit of a tummy and I can't wait until that goes away. I've lost 30 lbs since giving birth, yay for Cristin! I'm sticking to my real food diet and completely resisting temptation. I've replaced ice cream with caramel rice cake snacks. Dave is looking for a replacement for cookies, but hasn't found anything yet. I've also cut down my smoking again. I think having the baby around really helps since I refuse to smoke anywhere near him, including the car. I don't have as much time as I did before so I can't get outside to smoke as much. Now I'm under a half pack per day, which is amazing for me. I started this journey out at 2 packs a day, damn.

I took the clan with me to Angelo's second doctor's appointment on Wednesday and he's doing really well. He's still 22 inches long, but now he weighs 9lbs, 12 ounces. They told me that he's in the 90th percentile for size. He gets some shots done at the end of September and I'm not looking forward to that. His sleeping habits are mad crazy. Some days he's wide awake most of the time and other days he's dead to the world unless I wake him up. At night he's been consistently waking up twice for food. The last couple of nights he's woken up once and sleeping until 7 and 8am. It's been really nice.

Now football is starting and Dave wants me to dress Angelo up in his Chicago Bears gear for all the games, lol, and only the pre-season games are on right now! Clearly having a boy excites him. It's really cute to watch, actually. I'm just thrilled that I don't have to buy any pink. God, I HATE that color! Sorry, it's just that the girls always show up to my house in pink and that drives me absolutely insane.

I cleaned most of my house today and I finally went through all the paperwork that's been piling up. My God that was pure craziness. Most of the crap laying around my house belongs to Dave and the girls. I decided to let everyone know that this isn't a hotel and I'm not a maid. Man, I sound just like my mother. Go figure. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I went from a complete slob to a normal mother who just wants to organization and cleanliness at home. Keep in mind, I still have strange hormones running wild through my body.

Anyway, that's it for now. I should have new pictures of my little man pretty soon. I just need to catch him while his eye are wide open.

'Til next time,
Cristin

My Two Week Old Angel-o

Trenity & Halle meeting their brother for the first time



My sleepy 'lil pumpkin butt



2 weeks old already!


Please scroll down for the 2 week update blog!

Two Weeks Later

Hey guys,

I'm back with my update. I can't believe that it's already been 2 weeks since I've given birth. It is said that a woman quickly forgets the pain of the birthing process shortly after it's over. I didn't think that would be true for me until now. I kind of remember how it felt, but it's slipping away. I don't ever want to forget what it felt like because it's an incredible experience. To be honest, it wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as the pregnancy so I guess that's what I should remember.

My sweet 'lil guy is gaining weight and I'm guessing he will reach 10lbs by the time his next pediatrician appointment on August 20th. He's eating like a pig now, drinking 3 ounces of formula ALL the time. It seems like all I do is feed him and change his diapers, lol. This kid is never satisfied.

He's been sleeping almost all day long, only breaking for food, diaper changes and baths. I've never seen a kid want to sleep in his own poop before. I have to constantly check his diaper to make sure he's clean or else I won't hear a peep from him. Baths are a different story, however. He absolutely hates them. He screams as if we're really hurting him. Perhaps it's been that ring they put around his pee pee after the circumcision. That's off now, by the way. It's was just hanging there and the nurses told me that it has to fall off on its own. His little belly button is now fully exposed and it's looking like he's got an "outtie".

So now back to the sleep issue...

We finally got Angelo off of the every hour and strange in between snacking feeding schedule. He's still inconsistent though, but I've heard that's common with newborns this age. Dave and I had figured out a shared schedule for midnight feedings, but it hasn't been working out. We are going to change it up so instead of me taking 12am-4am, I'll be going to 4am-7am. Dave gets real cranky with being awake a few hours before he has to be at work. The way it's been going, I've taken the entire time, leaving me with absolutely no sleep and the inability to nap during the day. Here's hoping that the new midnight schedule will allow us both to function better.

Other than the sleeping crap, being a mother has been absolutely fabulous. Sometimes I catch myself wondering how the hell this life of mine happened, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Seeing Dave with his son is quite touching. The girls finally came home to us last night after being on vacation with their mother for 2 weeks. They met their brother and are quite the little helpers, especially Trenity. I'm going to try and get some good family pictures soon. I have empty photo frames just waiting to be filled with the sunshine of my little guy's presence.

Post Partum Recovery:


With the exception of my night time madness, I'm feeling great physically. I'm still bleeding, but it's not heavy and I'm down to regular size pads, which I'm not fully saturating, thank God! No more diapers for Cristin, lol. The inflammation is pretty much gone at this point. I swear I can still feel the stitches a bit and that's really annoying. It doesn't hurt to pee anymore and I'm good to take nice, long walks around the neighborhood. Pretty soon I'll get the green light to start working out again, which will be nice since I feel like I'm wasting a lot of good energy right now.

Anyway, I'm going to try and take a nap now, though it's very difficult with all 3 kids. 2 of which fight over everything, lol. Wish me luck!

xoxo,
Cristin

10 Days Later

10 Days Post Partum Boddess

So my dear son is now 10 days old. It’s already going by so fast. Dave and I are both back to work. There’s no paid maternity leave for us self-employed folks, so getting back to the old grind is a must for me and I‘m loving it. Dave is back to work as well due to the training for his new position in the company. I’m a little bummed that I can’t have him for 2 weeks straight, but it’s working out for the best. He will be off the week before the girls go back to school and that will save us a ton of money in daycare for Trenity. Speaking of the girls, they’re coming home to us on August 12th. Now I’ll have to balance my life with three children in the house, instead of just one.

Dave and I have worked out a feeding schedule for Angelo during for the night time hours. I get the first 4 hours and he gets the last 4. I have the luxury of taking a nap with the baby during the day and he doesn’t, so we agreed on that system. At first it really sucked because the hospital had Angelo on an hourly feeding schedule that just put us out of our minds. Before I gave birth, the idea of waking up every 2 hours sounded like pure hell. I didn’t know what hell was like until this every hour bit started. Damn that NICU!

Angelo hates the bassinet, the swing and the bouncy seat right now. So much for those so-called “life saver” toys. Last night we put him in his crib and guess what? That boy slept for the first 3 hours and then woke up every 2 after that. THANK GOD. I thought all hope was lost, man! I didn’t think I’d be able to do every 2 hours. Not only can I do it, but I don’t really need much more sleep than what I’m getting. Sweet! That video monitor my God-Mother bought us is absolutely fabulous. It picks up everything without being annoying. Now THAT is a life saver.

On Wednesday the 6th, I took Angelo to his first pediatrician appointment. He left the hospital at 8lbs, 8 oz and is now at an even 9lbs. Everything is perfectly normal and he’s doing extremely well. I have to take him back on the 20th to start his cycle of shots. Ugh, I hate the thought of my son getting poked so I just won’t look.

So now on to my post partum updates…

I weighed myself this morning and I’ve lost 24 pounds, wow! I was absolutely HUGE the last 2 weeks of the pregnancy and I’m not just talking about my tummy. My ankles are now back to normal and my feet aren’t in any pain. Dave is happy about that because I’m not asking him to rub them anymore, lol. I’m under the 200 mark, which makes me feel really good. My uterus still hasn’t gone back to it’s normal size yet and apparently I’ve got a few more weeks before that can happen. I’m not physically able to start working out yet, but when I am, watch out America! I vow to not only get back to my pre-pregnancy weight, but lose 20 more since I was a bit over weight to begin with.

I have to make my follow up appointment with my midwife for about 3 weeks from now. Hopefully I’ll be all healed up and done with the maxi pads. I’m really not bleeding that badly, but it’s still uncomfortable down there. I’ve gotten passed the whole burning pee pee issue and the inflammation has gone down quite a bit. Now my big problem is Dave. I find this man so attractive and I can’t do a damn thing about it! You can’t stimulate the nipples or else the milk won’t dry up and if anything else is stimulated, the only sensation I experience is pain and believe me, it’s not fun. The poor guy just can’t touch me right now. Not even a nice and long kiss. What a bummer!

The Baby Is Here, Finally!

Week 40

Hey everyone!

I haven't had much time to be on the internet since I went into labor last Tuesday. Well, hard labor, that is. Now that my little man is sleeping and I'm not dragging ass, I figured now would be a good time to post my birth story so here it goes...

I went to the doctor Monday the 28th for my 40 week appointment. I was dialated to 4 and the doctor decided to give me a membrane sweep to help jump start labor. An hour later I was cramping big time, but I didn't think much of it since that's what usually happens after the sweep. A few hours go by and now I'm starting to feel like I'm getting contractions, although they felt fairly mild to me. The doctor had told me that by 10:30pm I should be feeling hard contractions and to go to the hospital. He said that they would probably give me Pitocin, my Epidural and I'd have my baby.

At midnight I decided to go into the hospital because I was in a lot of pain. They checked me and I was still only at 4 cm so they told me to take an hour long walk. I did and it made the pain and contractions worse. They checked me again and because I didn't progress, I was sent home. Keep in mind that the contractions registered 5-8 mins apart and I was still at 4 cm. The doctor on call told them to give me Ambien, which really pissed me off. Who give a pregnant woman a drug that has been known to be addictive? So Dave and I got home at 4am that morning and he decided to start his vacation a day early.

That same day, now the 29th (2 days after my due date), Dave and I decided to walk around the mall all day hoping to get things rolling. That was really painful as the contractions hadn't subsided one little bit. We were gone until about 4:30pm. By 5:30 I was timing the contractions at 3-5 minutes apart. The pain was still fairly tolerable so I chose to wait until 8pm to leave for the hospital again. My water still hadn't broken so I figured that if I was admitted that night, they'd have to break it for me.

We get to the hospital at 8:30 pm and now I've progressed to 5 centimeters. This whole pregnancy I was hoping to get my faveorite midwife to deliver the baby and I got my wish. Tiffany was on call that night and chose to admit me. They hooked me up to my IV (ugh, I hated that shit) and got me in my room. I decided to get the Epidural because my water hadn't broken and the pain from the contractions were really bad. I figured it would only get worse. About 15 mins later I got my drugs and all was well with the world. After the Epidural kicked in, they sent in a resident to break my water. My skin itched bad due to the Epidural so they gave me a bit of Benedryl as well. At that time they checked my cervix (around 9pm) and I was at 6/7.

The nurses checked me every hour. At 10pm I was at 8. At 11 I was at 8/9. It took until about 1am to get me at a solid 9. Then we waited. An hour and a half later I didn't progress so I was given the Pitocin. It took until 5am to get me to 10. Finally it was time to push. Of course, when I needed it the most, the Epidural ran out and I felt every contraction and everything else that went along with delivering this baby.

At 5:59am Angelo Kristian was born, thank God!! He came out at 8lbs, 11 oz and 22 inches long. No wonder I had such a hell of a time sleeping, damn! I didn't feel that instant reflief people say you get when the baby comes out. That happened when I passed the placenta. I got to see Angelo for a few seconds on my belly and then they cleaned him up. The midwife didn't have to cut me and I didn't rip much so I only got 4 small stitches. As I'm getting stitched up, I heard the nurses whispering and finally they told me that Angelo had swallowed some fluid and they couldn't suck it all out of his lungs. They took him to the NICU for oxygen, antibiotics and X-Rays. Dave ran after them and I was flipping out.

Everything turned out ok with the baby, but they kept him in the NICU due to the antibiotics. They wanted him on for 48 hours and also wanted to get him eating well. We brought him home on Saturday, August 2nd. I left the hospital on Thursday because I couldn't take it anymore. My mom and sister were coming into town that night as well. I felt really good and the NICU wouldn't let me spend more than an hour with Angelo, with 5 hours in between. He was the biggest baby in that whole unit.

Since I'm a smoker, I figured this child would be on the smaller side. Nope! I also figured that my placenta would've matured faster, since that's what I was told. Nope! Tiffany told me that there were no traces of me being a smoker in the baby's size, lungs and organ development or the placenta. How weird is that? Yes I cut down my intake immesely during the pregnancy, but since I didn't quit, I always felt extremely guilty. That and of course there were people judging me and trying to make me feel like shit about it. The NICU bit had nothing to do with me being a smoker. It had everything to do with the fact that my son couldn't keep his mouth shut, lol. One last gulp before entering the real world...