2. Having two kids (as in managing/juggling) is a bit trickier... evidently there's quite a bit of a learning curve.
3. I love the nurses, doctors, and staff at INOVA Alexandria. I remember being a total snob about the hospital when I first saw it a few years ago, I thought "how could this little neighborhood hospital be any good?" (I was used to University of Pennsylvania Hospital...if you've ever been you'd know what I mean--INOVA Alexandria is the size of one floor at HUP). I digress, the point is -- I was wrong. I loved my experience at INOVA and would totally recommend it.
CAVEAT:
That said, if you encounter a nurse whose name is very prominent in the play/novel "A Street Car Named Desire," ask for a new nurse. She who will not be named so desperately wanted to pass me off to the next shift that she tried to send me for a walk around the hospital when my contractions were 3-4 minutes apart, 100% effaced and 5 cen dilated. That was the one and only issue and my doctor walked in the room and resolved that immediately.
4. I am blessed that my husband is a calm man with a sense of humor. He can settle a house of fussy women in record time. He also takes the late night feeding. For that he is my hero.
5. Wondering why I was able to get posts out so soon after baby, but not over the past two weeks? My mom was here for a few weeks. I have ceased to function since she left. No family local and no babysitter have made things a little too real. I am tired, not to mention, dirty. I honestly don't know when I last washed my hair. Seriously I went to visit my parents for a week just so I could get some free time and bathe more regularly, if only for a week!
6. I have an amazing group of friends here and in PA; they've kept me sane and even fed these first two months. I am so grateful to them for their support.
7. My garbage men must think I am running a daycare out of my home. My girls seem to poop way more than any 5 kids I know. It's embarrassing. I never thought my life would be so consumed by poop and conversations about poop.
8. While much better than the first time around, I still hate when it gets dark. Both of my kids get/got fussy at night. Nights were really bad with Sophie. So much so, that we called her the Vietcong and a verse from Billy Joel's "Good Night Saigon" was on a loop in my head for months:
We, held the day,..
in the palm of our hands
They, ruled the night
And the night, seemed to last as long as six weeks
9. A couple of lifesavers: 1) Medela Tender Care Lanolin. Sooo much better/gentler than the Lansinoh kind--but it stains. I now have 3 tee shirts with some big ass stains on the boobies--needless to say I don't wear those outside anymore...although I answered the door in one the other day. lol! 2)Hands free pumping bra. Yeah it looks like some f'd up KKK hood but it is glorious to be able to have your hands free when pumping. 3)FP Rock and Play Sleeper. It's like $40 and they can sleep in it at night. My lil darling has ear issues and needs to be on an angle--this has been a god send.
10. I was worried that I couldn't possibly love another child as much as I loved Sophie. It really concerned me that I felt this way. That went away as soon as I saw Olivia. My cold, sarcastic heart swelled with love for this lil sweetie the minute I held her. I know it sounds cliche, but I don't say sappy crap unless I really mean it.
I hope you all are well. I have stuff I need to post..will get on that asap.
Best,
Cara
This I know, as I type one handed and nurse my 1 month old boy, you made me smile, laugh out loud, nod in agreement and feel less alone in all this first time motherhood business!
ReplyDeleteEvening was the worst for Ian, too. We called it "fussy time," but in reality he just cried for no reason for two hours every night. The only thing that calmed him down was walking him up and down our street. Nice way to walk off the baby weight. Hang in there.
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