I hope everyone has been enjoying their holidays. We've had a good amount of snow here and we would have had a white Christmas in Seattle if we had stayed home this year. Yep, it snowed there today. Little Mal didn't sleep very long last night and has been a cranky pants today. Poor guy :( He's 20 weeks old today.
It has been really nice hanging out with the family this week. Our vacation here has flown by - I can't believe we leave for Seattle in the morning. It really feels like we just got here. We're going to have fun when we get back. A long-time internet friend, Jayne, is flying in from Australia tomorrow night. She'll be hanging out in Seattle for about a week before she heads up to Whistler for snowboarding fun. We're going to be throwing a little holiday potluck on Sunday afternoon to celebrate the holidays with our friends. It should be fun!
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
Utah for the Holidays
We're in Utah visiting Tony's family for the holidays. Gosh it's cold here. There was a snowstorm last night that was pretty crazy. We've been having fun with the family - here's a picture of the two cousins that are 4 days apart:
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Two quarters down...many more to go
Fall quarter is over without too much grief. Management of IT = done! Here's my review of the class: The instructor, Dr. Diane Lockwood, is very knowledgeable and experienced in the IT field. She assigned us very useful readings. However, the lectures were repetitive and a bit boring. A big part of our grade (30%) was participation in class discussion. Unfortunately, I personally didn't find many of the lectures interesting enough to provoke discussion. The structure of the lectures was pretty much the same for every class. I also didn't like that we didn't receive grades on anything until the end of the class. I did like it when she mixed it up and brought in a guest speaker. Overall, I did gain some good knowledge from the class that will be useful in my career.
I got a B+ on my final and a B+ on the group presentation. I'm expecting a B overall in the class. Of course I would have liked an A, but I wasn't inspired enough to try and force myself to find things to discuss in the class. I was a little surprised that I got a B+ on the case part of my final (I thought it was A work) but am pleased with the grade because I wasn't that confident in the answers I gave to the questions part of the final.
The group presentation is always more of a challenge because your grade depends on the quality of work that each group member puts forth. I felt like everyone put forth a really good effort, but you could tell that we had different presentation styles. When we actually presented, I gave the introduction and the conclusion. Unfortunately, some other members talked too much during their sections and we were pretty much out of time when it was time for me to give the conclusion. Oh well...it happens. It's done and I'm happy that we got a B+.
I'm taking Business Statistics next quarter. I was also going to take Legal & Regulatory Environment, but decided against it because I've been told that it's a ton of reading. I know plenty of people who have struggled with Statistics and I feared overwhelming myself. Although I do have some time during the day to do schoolwork, I never know how much time I'll have.
Little one just woke up from the phone ringing. I'm going to go with Julie & Jeremiah to Babies R Us to help them register. They found out this week that they are going to have a little girl!
I got a B+ on my final and a B+ on the group presentation. I'm expecting a B overall in the class. Of course I would have liked an A, but I wasn't inspired enough to try and force myself to find things to discuss in the class. I was a little surprised that I got a B+ on the case part of my final (I thought it was A work) but am pleased with the grade because I wasn't that confident in the answers I gave to the questions part of the final.
The group presentation is always more of a challenge because your grade depends on the quality of work that each group member puts forth. I felt like everyone put forth a really good effort, but you could tell that we had different presentation styles. When we actually presented, I gave the introduction and the conclusion. Unfortunately, some other members talked too much during their sections and we were pretty much out of time when it was time for me to give the conclusion. Oh well...it happens. It's done and I'm happy that we got a B+.
I'm taking Business Statistics next quarter. I was also going to take Legal & Regulatory Environment, but decided against it because I've been told that it's a ton of reading. I know plenty of people who have struggled with Statistics and I feared overwhelming myself. Although I do have some time during the day to do schoolwork, I never know how much time I'll have.
Little one just woke up from the phone ringing. I'm going to go with Julie & Jeremiah to Babies R Us to help them register. They found out this week that they are going to have a little girl!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
4-month letter
My little Mal,
Your Daddy got a job this month so now it's just you and me hanging out during the days. When your Daddy gets home from work, you are so excited to see him. Sometimes, though, you don't take an afternoon nap so when he gets home, he finds himself coaxing you to sleep while I cook dinner.
You improved very quickly with controlling your arms and hands and like to grab things constantly. It's fun because now you can entertain yourself with toys. It seems that you have inherited the talkative gene from your Daddy. This past month, you figured out how to squeal so loudly that people react by covering their ears. You sure do enjoy using your voice! Your sounds have expanded to the cutest coos that make my heart melt.
Now that you are getting stronger, tummy time isn't so bad. I expect you and Collin to be wrestling when we go visit family next week. Everyone is very excited to meet you.
Can we talk about the drool? It's getting a little out of hand. I have to change your bib 2 to 3 times a day - what's it going to be like when you start teething? Now it's your job to figure out how to start swallowing your spit 'cause your Momma is tired of her shirts being wet all the time.
Love,
Mommy
Your Daddy got a job this month so now it's just you and me hanging out during the days. When your Daddy gets home from work, you are so excited to see him. Sometimes, though, you don't take an afternoon nap so when he gets home, he finds himself coaxing you to sleep while I cook dinner.
You improved very quickly with controlling your arms and hands and like to grab things constantly. It's fun because now you can entertain yourself with toys. It seems that you have inherited the talkative gene from your Daddy. This past month, you figured out how to squeal so loudly that people react by covering their ears. You sure do enjoy using your voice! Your sounds have expanded to the cutest coos that make my heart melt.
Now that you are getting stronger, tummy time isn't so bad. I expect you and Collin to be wrestling when we go visit family next week. Everyone is very excited to meet you.
Can we talk about the drool? It's getting a little out of hand. I have to change your bib 2 to 3 times a day - what's it going to be like when you start teething? Now it's your job to figure out how to start swallowing your spit 'cause your Momma is tired of her shirts being wet all the time.
Love,
Mommy
Monday, December 10, 2007
Soup Swap = Delish
Last night, I attended my first Soup Swap and I sure do hope it's not my last. I just finished a bowl of Great Northern Bean & Kale soup and it was very yummy. I love soup! Since my crock pot is only 3 quarts, I made 2 different kinds of soup: Black Bean and Lentil. I should have made 2 batches of Black Bean because I think there were 4 lentil soups there. It was a vegetarian swap, too. I scored the previously mentioned Bean & Kale soup, a spicy tomato soup, a bean extravaganza soup, french onion soup, miso soup and a bean & barley soup.
Friday, December 07, 2007
A spare moment for a quick update
Mal's appointment with his new pediatrician went great. He has no concern with Mal's weight because it's consistently on the same curve. He said that the little guy is exactly where he needs to be in regards to his development and remarked on how strong and vocal he is. Good things! He's currently 11 pounds, 13.6 ounces and 24 1/2 inches tall. I really like his new doctor. He actually took time to explain the vaccines to me and why each one might have side effects.
The company I've been doing the contract work for wants me to do even more stuff for them on a longer-term basis. Horray! Unfortunately, I can't work as many hours as they would like, so I hope it works out. It helps when you have friends in high places.
The company I've been doing the contract work for wants me to do even more stuff for them on a longer-term basis. Horray! Unfortunately, I can't work as many hours as they would like, so I hope it works out. It helps when you have friends in high places.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
The Loss of Kitty Companions
I have had two dear friends lose feline companions recently - one to an automobile and another to cancer. My heart hurts for them both. When you have an animal companion in your life for a period of time, you become quite attached to him or her and many people consider their animals a part of their family and most of those people would tell you that they love their pets.
So when your pet dies, it hurts a lot. A big piece of your life is gone.
Both of our kittums are getting up in age and I worry about their health. Fortunately, the vet says they are both quite healthy for their age (both are around 12 years old). I hope they are around for many more years.
So when your pet dies, it hurts a lot. A big piece of your life is gone.
Both of our kittums are getting up in age and I worry about their health. Fortunately, the vet says they are both quite healthy for their age (both are around 12 years old). I hope they are around for many more years.
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Whew!
I've been reluctant to post anything until it was finalized: Tony got a job! Here's the story: he had a phone interview and in-person interview for a Quality Assurance Analyst position at Classmates.com before the Thanksgiving holiday. That Wednesday, they told him they would be offering him the job and sending him the official offer on Monday. Our friends, Cathy and Eric, both work at the company and worked hard at getting him the interview and had a big influence on the hiring manager's decision. Tony hasn't done QA in about 7 years, so his experience is rusty.
He also had a phone interview the Wednesday before the holiday with a small, Microsoft-owned company doing PHP & MySQL Web Development which is what he's been going for this whole time. The phone interview went better than he expected because he honestly didn't believe he was fully qualified for the position. His face-to-face interview with the company was this past Monday. He was upfront with them from the beginning regarding the job offer with Classmates. The interview went really well and they presented him with a job offer on Tuesday morning.
Imagine that - after 3.5 months of job hunting, he gets two job offers. He accepted the Web Development job and started on Friday. The compensation is what he was looking for and the location is just a 15 minute bus ride from our house so we won't need to get a second car. The Classmates job was south of the city and would have been an hour and a half bus ride each way. His first day went really well; he's very excited about the work environment and says that all of the people that work there seem to work together well.
We can now breathe a sigh of relief.
My final was more challenging than expected, but it's done. Malcolm is doing really great - I haven't been taking as many pictures lately. Shame on me! He has his 4-month well-baby appointment next Wednesday. I'm anxious to see how his weight gain has been. He's still a lanky tike, but he does have more pudge and is definitely growing in length.
We might get snow in the city this weekend and the local ski resorts have started opening. It's killing me a bit because I am DYING to go snowboarding but have no clue how to do so while breastfeeding.
He also had a phone interview the Wednesday before the holiday with a small, Microsoft-owned company doing PHP & MySQL Web Development which is what he's been going for this whole time. The phone interview went better than he expected because he honestly didn't believe he was fully qualified for the position. His face-to-face interview with the company was this past Monday. He was upfront with them from the beginning regarding the job offer with Classmates. The interview went really well and they presented him with a job offer on Tuesday morning.
Imagine that - after 3.5 months of job hunting, he gets two job offers. He accepted the Web Development job and started on Friday. The compensation is what he was looking for and the location is just a 15 minute bus ride from our house so we won't need to get a second car. The Classmates job was south of the city and would have been an hour and a half bus ride each way. His first day went really well; he's very excited about the work environment and says that all of the people that work there seem to work together well.
We can now breathe a sigh of relief.
My final was more challenging than expected, but it's done. Malcolm is doing really great - I haven't been taking as many pictures lately. Shame on me! He has his 4-month well-baby appointment next Wednesday. I'm anxious to see how his weight gain has been. He's still a lanky tike, but he does have more pudge and is definitely growing in length.
We might get snow in the city this weekend and the local ski resorts have started opening. It's killing me a bit because I am DYING to go snowboarding but have no clue how to do so while breastfeeding.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Here I am!
I haven't forgotten about you, my dear readers. I've just been busier than usual. During my free moments during the day, I've been helping a friend prepare for a move the company she works for is about to do (paid gig) and also trying to work on my final and group project for my class. My final is due next Thursday and the group project is due on the 13th.
I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving. We went over to the house of Lorian and Douglas along with many more people (12 total) for a large feast of good stuff. I contributed sweet potato casserole, mushroom stuffing and Field Roast. Manda brought the meat-free gravy and homemade cranberry sauce. There was also two other kinds of stuffing, ham, turkey, corn casserole, asparagus, green bean casserole and 4 pies. Douglas also made sweet tea. He's also from the south so thought it was appropriate to add that to the feast since I was bringing sweet potato casserole. Malcolm did really well the whole time we were there.
On Sunday, we are going to an after-Thanksgiving potluck at Jill and William's house where there will be at least 20 people. I'm making homemade cornbread for that feast.
Yay, food!
I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving. We went over to the house of Lorian and Douglas along with many more people (12 total) for a large feast of good stuff. I contributed sweet potato casserole, mushroom stuffing and Field Roast. Manda brought the meat-free gravy and homemade cranberry sauce. There was also two other kinds of stuffing, ham, turkey, corn casserole, asparagus, green bean casserole and 4 pies. Douglas also made sweet tea. He's also from the south so thought it was appropriate to add that to the feast since I was bringing sweet potato casserole. Malcolm did really well the whole time we were there.
On Sunday, we are going to an after-Thanksgiving potluck at Jill and William's house where there will be at least 20 people. I'm making homemade cornbread for that feast.
Yay, food!
Sunday, November 11, 2007
3-Month Letter
My Little Mal,
You turned 3-months old earlier this week - good job! This past month, you discovered that you can have fun. You like to smile a lot and suck on your right fist. My suspicion is that you are right-handed. One of your daddy's favorite things to do is to get you to giggle (he's much better than I am).
Your giggle is infectious! We have to work at getting you to giggle like we had to work at making you smile. Now you will greet me every morning with a smile. You've been working really hard on figuring out how to control your arms and get better at it every day. When you suck on your arm and fist, you make this obnoxiously loud slurping noise. It really is the cutest!
Since your 2-month exam with the pediatrician, your dad and I have been obsessed with your poop. We took a sample of your poop to the lab to have tested and the results showed that you weren't absorbing enough nutrients when you ate. We started giving you something to help out with that and you've been gaining weight like a champ since then. The other change is your poop. I won't go into details, but I will say that changing a poopy diaper is now an adventure.
A few weeks ago, we started attending a support group for new parents. We hang out with these other families every Wednesday and talk about how we deal with particular situations. On the first night, we decided to get a picture of all of the babies together.
You're still figuring out how to stay sitting up and have actually improved since this picture was taken. Fortunately, you are sitting next to Michael who is a few weeks older than you so he did what he could to help you out.
You also love for mommy and daddy to sing to you and make faces at you. You're trying really hard to mimic the faces. Your newest thing is blowing raspberries.
I would have to say that this has been a very productive month for you. You really seem to be enjoying the growing up thing except for tummy time. We're going to work on that more before you meet your cousin, Collin. He's a few days younger than you and he loves tummy time. He started lifting himself up weeks ago! Check it out:
I know you'll get there really soon. No pressure, I swear.
Both of your parents got sick this month and somehow you didn't get the illness from us. I am so impressed! I have to admit, I fear your first illness, so keep up the good work with staying healthy. You are my favorite little guy.
Love,
Mommy
You turned 3-months old earlier this week - good job! This past month, you discovered that you can have fun. You like to smile a lot and suck on your right fist. My suspicion is that you are right-handed. One of your daddy's favorite things to do is to get you to giggle (he's much better than I am).
Your giggle is infectious! We have to work at getting you to giggle like we had to work at making you smile. Now you will greet me every morning with a smile. You've been working really hard on figuring out how to control your arms and get better at it every day. When you suck on your arm and fist, you make this obnoxiously loud slurping noise. It really is the cutest!
Since your 2-month exam with the pediatrician, your dad and I have been obsessed with your poop. We took a sample of your poop to the lab to have tested and the results showed that you weren't absorbing enough nutrients when you ate. We started giving you something to help out with that and you've been gaining weight like a champ since then. The other change is your poop. I won't go into details, but I will say that changing a poopy diaper is now an adventure.
A few weeks ago, we started attending a support group for new parents. We hang out with these other families every Wednesday and talk about how we deal with particular situations. On the first night, we decided to get a picture of all of the babies together.
You're still figuring out how to stay sitting up and have actually improved since this picture was taken. Fortunately, you are sitting next to Michael who is a few weeks older than you so he did what he could to help you out.
You also love for mommy and daddy to sing to you and make faces at you. You're trying really hard to mimic the faces. Your newest thing is blowing raspberries.
I would have to say that this has been a very productive month for you. You really seem to be enjoying the growing up thing except for tummy time. We're going to work on that more before you meet your cousin, Collin. He's a few days younger than you and he loves tummy time. He started lifting himself up weeks ago! Check it out:
I know you'll get there really soon. No pressure, I swear.
Both of your parents got sick this month and somehow you didn't get the illness from us. I am so impressed! I have to admit, I fear your first illness, so keep up the good work with staying healthy. You are my favorite little guy.
Love,
Mommy
Friday, November 09, 2007
How to be a good parent when you are sick
Please tell me because I do not know.
I think I had a 24-hour stomach bug yesterday that totally kicked my butt. I woke up and felt a little 'eh' and it proceeded to get worse throughout the day. I couldn't eat or drink anything without my stomach cramping up and add on nausea, diarrhea, weakness, fever and a headache. I could barely lift my arms. How am I supposed to take care of Malcolm when I am that sick? I really don't know what I would have done if Tony wasn't here to take care of the little bean all day long. He brought him to me when he needed to eat but I was having a hard time with that due to dehydration.
I am feeling much better today. Not 100%, but definitely better.
Update on the baking soda as deodorant: it is working much better than expected. I have to admit, I am quite surprised. I would be interested to see how it works in more humid environments where people tend to sweat more.
There are a couple of ways to apply it. Some people mix it up into a paste as described here. I brush it on with an old make-up brush. I've done it when my pits are completely dry and when I splash a bit of water on them - it doesn't seem to make a difference. Although I apply it while leaning over the sink, baking soda tends to get all over the bathroom counter.
I think I had a 24-hour stomach bug yesterday that totally kicked my butt. I woke up and felt a little 'eh' and it proceeded to get worse throughout the day. I couldn't eat or drink anything without my stomach cramping up and add on nausea, diarrhea, weakness, fever and a headache. I could barely lift my arms. How am I supposed to take care of Malcolm when I am that sick? I really don't know what I would have done if Tony wasn't here to take care of the little bean all day long. He brought him to me when he needed to eat but I was having a hard time with that due to dehydration.
I am feeling much better today. Not 100%, but definitely better.
Update on the baking soda as deodorant: it is working much better than expected. I have to admit, I am quite surprised. I would be interested to see how it works in more humid environments where people tend to sweat more.
There are a couple of ways to apply it. Some people mix it up into a paste as described here. I brush it on with an old make-up brush. I've done it when my pits are completely dry and when I splash a bit of water on them - it doesn't seem to make a difference. Although I apply it while leaning over the sink, baking soda tends to get all over the bathroom counter.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Armpit stink
I have sensitive pits and they are particular to what gets put on them. Most anti-perspirants give me a terrible rash and deodorants don't do the trick in covering up the smell. I've tried the 'natural' crystal deodorant but it stings my sensitive skin. Right now, I have Trader Joe's unscented deodorant in my medicine cabinet but it doesn't really deodorize very well so I end up not using it most of the time.
Since being eco-friendly is the new 'it' thing these days, I've been reading a lot about people using good ole' baking soda as deodorant. I think I'm finally going to give it a try. I don't have much need for an anti-perspirant since I don't sweat much (it kinda weirds me out anyways. Aren't we supposed to sweat?) and I don't have much to lose since I'm basically not using anything now.
This post is brought to you by the stink of my armpits as I wait for Tony to get out of bed on this Saturday afternoon so I can go take a shower while he watches the little guy.
Since being eco-friendly is the new 'it' thing these days, I've been reading a lot about people using good ole' baking soda as deodorant. I think I'm finally going to give it a try. I don't have much need for an anti-perspirant since I don't sweat much (it kinda weirds me out anyways. Aren't we supposed to sweat?) and I don't have much to lose since I'm basically not using anything now.
This post is brought to you by the stink of my armpits as I wait for Tony to get out of bed on this Saturday afternoon so I can go take a shower while he watches the little guy.
Friday, November 02, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Updates
Jenn's house is still standing and a friend who lost her house is staying with her. Cameron is also back home with her.
Malcolm's appointment on Tuesday went well. He gained 17 ounces in two weeks. Go Mal! That was the last time we will be seeing that pediatrician. Although she was happy with Mal's weight gain, she instructed us to start feeding him even more formula. I just don't get it. We're going to start taking him to the pediatrician Angie & Jessie take their kids to.
The little guy is talking up a storm and he's been working hard on his arm control. He now rubs his eyes when he's tired and he sometimes finds his mouth and sucks on his fist. He makes these loud, slurping noises that are darling. This past Wednesday, we went to a new parents support group that meets weekly. At the end of the meeting, we put all of the babies on the couch and one of the dads took pictures. It was hilarious! They are all pretty young and haven't started sitting up on their own so there was lots of leaning on each other.
Today, I made a vegetable stew with kale, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, onion and garlic. Delish!
Malcolm's appointment on Tuesday went well. He gained 17 ounces in two weeks. Go Mal! That was the last time we will be seeing that pediatrician. Although she was happy with Mal's weight gain, she instructed us to start feeding him even more formula. I just don't get it. We're going to start taking him to the pediatrician Angie & Jessie take their kids to.
The little guy is talking up a storm and he's been working hard on his arm control. He now rubs his eyes when he's tired and he sometimes finds his mouth and sucks on his fist. He makes these loud, slurping noises that are darling. This past Wednesday, we went to a new parents support group that meets weekly. At the end of the meeting, we put all of the babies on the couch and one of the dads took pictures. It was hilarious! They are all pretty young and haven't started sitting up on their own so there was lots of leaning on each other.
Today, I made a vegetable stew with kale, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, onion and garlic. Delish!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
California fires
My sweetest sister lives in San Diego. Last I heard, her house is still standing. Cameron is staying with his dad - his place is currently not threatened by the fires. The hospital where Jenn works is taking in evacuees from nursing homes and she's on call 24/7. It's an intense time in SoCal right now.
We love you, Jenn and Cameron! You are constantly in our thoughts.
Monday, October 22, 2007
The Weight of Poop
I think little Mal will weigh more tomorrow just from all of the poop he's holding in. Before we started everything, we were changing around 5 poopy diapers a day. Now he's only pooping every 2-3 days. And when he does poop, it's A LOT of poop. If he doesn't poop before his appointment tomorrow, I'm sure all that he's holding in will add at least half a pound to his overall weight. OK, enough of the poop talk.
On Sunday, we had Julie, Jeremiah and Natalie over for brunch. Nat stayed over all day hanging out - it was great! Her computer broke so she brought it over to see if Tony could figure out what is wrong with it. We sent her home with a somewhat functioning computer + my old desktop so she could at least use the internet at home. Sunny & Annie were in the neighborhood so they stopped by for a little bit to hang out. I feel really lucky that my friends want to come hang out with us at our house since we can't afford to go out to eat and socialize.
Metric played a show at The Showbox this past Tuesday. I am a little sad that I missed it. I also realized that it's unlikely that I'll be able to snowboard for most of this season since I'll still be breastfeeding Malcolm. I can't go all day without feeding or pumping, ya know?
On Sunday, we had Julie, Jeremiah and Natalie over for brunch. Nat stayed over all day hanging out - it was great! Her computer broke so she brought it over to see if Tony could figure out what is wrong with it. We sent her home with a somewhat functioning computer + my old desktop so she could at least use the internet at home. Sunny & Annie were in the neighborhood so they stopped by for a little bit to hang out. I feel really lucky that my friends want to come hang out with us at our house since we can't afford to go out to eat and socialize.
Metric played a show at The Showbox this past Tuesday. I am a little sad that I missed it. I also realized that it's unlikely that I'll be able to snowboard for most of this season since I'll still be breastfeeding Malcolm. I can't go all day without feeding or pumping, ya know?
Friday, October 19, 2007
SAHM
I never thought I would become a stay-at-home-mom. I never thought that we could afford it. It's funny how you prioritize your life differently once you have a child. My main focus in life is my family. The biggest decision I have to make everyday is whether the weather is good enough to take Malcolm on a walk. There are very few 'new' events that occur, but I don't mind one bit. My biggest concern in my life is the well-being of our child.
Tony has 2 interviews next week for jobs that sound pretty exciting. WaMu is deciding if they want to have second interviews or if they are just going to make an offer which tells us that they are having a hard time deciding between Tony and another candidate. Things are definitely looking up on the job front!
My milk production is definitely up so let's hope Mal's weight is also. Since we've started the whole formula, Lactaid, fennel and Fenugreek regime, he's been spitting up often throughout the day. If he's gained enough weight to satisfy his pediatrician, the formula is the first thing to go. Tony has been really enjoying feeding him daily, so I'm going to start finding time to pump throughout the day so he can continue to do so with bottled breastmilk in the evenings. It's going to be so weird not having him around all the time. I've gotten quite accustomed to him helping me out during the day. Although it's been a little scary with him being unemployed the last couple of months and us not knowing where our income will be coming from after my severance pay runs out, it's been quite wonderful for all of us that he's been able to spend so much time with Malcolm. They really do adore each other.
Tony has 2 interviews next week for jobs that sound pretty exciting. WaMu is deciding if they want to have second interviews or if they are just going to make an offer which tells us that they are having a hard time deciding between Tony and another candidate. Things are definitely looking up on the job front!
My milk production is definitely up so let's hope Mal's weight is also. Since we've started the whole formula, Lactaid, fennel and Fenugreek regime, he's been spitting up often throughout the day. If he's gained enough weight to satisfy his pediatrician, the formula is the first thing to go. Tony has been really enjoying feeding him daily, so I'm going to start finding time to pump throughout the day so he can continue to do so with bottled breastmilk in the evenings. It's going to be so weird not having him around all the time. I've gotten quite accustomed to him helping me out during the day. Although it's been a little scary with him being unemployed the last couple of months and us not knowing where our income will be coming from after my severance pay runs out, it's been quite wonderful for all of us that he's been able to spend so much time with Malcolm. They really do adore each other.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Poop update
He's pooping less and it's definitely thicker. He had one of the messiest diapers yet this morning. The real test to see if the Lactaid is doing its job will be his weight gain.
I started drinking fennel infused water per the recommendation of a friend. It increased her milk production when she was having difficulties. If the Fenugreek and the fennel do not work, I'll look into a prescription (thanks for the recommendation, Jean).
I'm reading an interesting book right now: Into the Minds of Babes: How Screen Time Affects Children from Birth to Age Five. It's pretty interesting so far. I'm planning on doing a chapter-by-chapter book review when I'm finished. The information in the book is important for all parents to know which is why I'm going to review it and post it online for those who do not have the time to read it.
Our recent digestive pleasures: crustless broccoli & mushroom quiche, banana bread and lentil stew. I cook while Mal is napping :)
I started drinking fennel infused water per the recommendation of a friend. It increased her milk production when she was having difficulties. If the Fenugreek and the fennel do not work, I'll look into a prescription (thanks for the recommendation, Jean).
I'm reading an interesting book right now: Into the Minds of Babes: How Screen Time Affects Children from Birth to Age Five. It's pretty interesting so far. I'm planning on doing a chapter-by-chapter book review when I'm finished. The information in the book is important for all parents to know which is why I'm going to review it and post it online for those who do not have the time to read it.
Our recent digestive pleasures: crustless broccoli & mushroom quiche, banana bread and lentil stew. I cook while Mal is napping :)
Saturday, October 13, 2007
The Scoop on the Poop
On Wednesday, we took a sample of Mal's poop to the lab to get analyzed per his pediatrician's instructions. She wanted to make sure he was absorbing all of the nutrients he needs since his weight gain is slow. She called us last night with the results: he's absorbing the fat just fine, but isn't absorbing enough lactose. Apparently, it's not uncommon for a newborn's intestines to not produce enough lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose. This is often called lactose intolerance, but that would be an incorrect diagnosis. True lactose intolerance is actually quite rare in babies.
Anyway, the symptoms we read up on when doing our own research matched exactly what Malcolm experiences: watery stools and gassiness. She recommended that we start giving him Lactaid before he eats.
When I started going to class, we started giving Mal a little bit of formula when Tony would run out of pumped breast milk. We noticed that the next day, he was spitting up quite often. So, we went ahead and got him soy based formula. Boy does he hate the taste! The pediatrician instructed us to start supplementing his feeding with formula until his weight increases and I can increase my milk production (she thinks that my milk production is low).
While I was giving Mal his bath last night, Tony ran to the store to pick up some Lactaid. We gave him the dosage she recommended, I then fed him and then Tony gave him a bottle of formula. He was a happy baby. Tony was playing with him on his lap and he was doing his cute cooing and whatnot when suddenly, he vomited all over himself and Tony. Ack! Our first time having to deal with our kid puking! And of course he did it after his bath. He didn't cry or anything so we think he was feeling just fine. This morning, I gave him some more Lactaid and also a bottle of formula (he only drank an ounce this time) and so far we are in the clear. I've come to the conclusion that he just had too much to eat.
I'm really hoping that he puts weight on quickly so we can stop giving him formula every day. It's hard for him to digest.
Anyway, the symptoms we read up on when doing our own research matched exactly what Malcolm experiences: watery stools and gassiness. She recommended that we start giving him Lactaid before he eats.
When I started going to class, we started giving Mal a little bit of formula when Tony would run out of pumped breast milk. We noticed that the next day, he was spitting up quite often. So, we went ahead and got him soy based formula. Boy does he hate the taste! The pediatrician instructed us to start supplementing his feeding with formula until his weight increases and I can increase my milk production (she thinks that my milk production is low).
While I was giving Mal his bath last night, Tony ran to the store to pick up some Lactaid. We gave him the dosage she recommended, I then fed him and then Tony gave him a bottle of formula. He was a happy baby. Tony was playing with him on his lap and he was doing his cute cooing and whatnot when suddenly, he vomited all over himself and Tony. Ack! Our first time having to deal with our kid puking! And of course he did it after his bath. He didn't cry or anything so we think he was feeling just fine. This morning, I gave him some more Lactaid and also a bottle of formula (he only drank an ounce this time) and so far we are in the clear. I've come to the conclusion that he just had too much to eat.
I'm really hoping that he puts weight on quickly so we can stop giving him formula every day. It's hard for him to digest.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
2-month letter
Hey Malcolm,
Can you believe it? You are two months old already! We have been having so much fun hanging out with you - more than we could have imagined. Your first few weeks of life, you liked to snuggle all of the time which everyone enjoyed. Then, you suddenly became alert and started to interact with us. Everyday, we can't wait to see what new thing you are going to do. You have become very talkative and have started to roll from your back to your side and have figured out how to scoot yourself around the bed.
We took you to see the doctor yesterday and found that you are now 22 1/2 inches tall and weigh 8 pounds 12 ounces. Although you eat quite often, the doc wants you to put on more weight. She says that you are too skinny. I wonder if this is an indication that you are going to be a lanky kid - it does run in the family.
Since we brought you home for the first time, you have been really good about sleeping for long periods of time during the night. We feel really lucky because that means that your mom and dad aren't sleep deprived. Apparently, this is rare. I've been reading that your sleep patterns will change in the next few months when you start teething. Let's make a pact now that you'll continue to figure out how to sleep through the night :)
I'm typing one-handed ATM in an attempt to finally get this letter finished (been working on it for two days now). We love you, lil' bean, and are so happy you came into our lives.
Love,
Mommy
Can you believe it? You are two months old already! We have been having so much fun hanging out with you - more than we could have imagined. Your first few weeks of life, you liked to snuggle all of the time which everyone enjoyed. Then, you suddenly became alert and started to interact with us. Everyday, we can't wait to see what new thing you are going to do. You have become very talkative and have started to roll from your back to your side and have figured out how to scoot yourself around the bed.
We took you to see the doctor yesterday and found that you are now 22 1/2 inches tall and weigh 8 pounds 12 ounces. Although you eat quite often, the doc wants you to put on more weight. She says that you are too skinny. I wonder if this is an indication that you are going to be a lanky kid - it does run in the family.
Since we brought you home for the first time, you have been really good about sleeping for long periods of time during the night. We feel really lucky because that means that your mom and dad aren't sleep deprived. Apparently, this is rare. I've been reading that your sleep patterns will change in the next few months when you start teething. Let's make a pact now that you'll continue to figure out how to sleep through the night :)
I'm typing one-handed ATM in an attempt to finally get this letter finished (been working on it for two days now). We love you, lil' bean, and are so happy you came into our lives.
Love,
Mommy
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