James Goes to His 2 Month Check Up

So today we took James to his two month check up. He is of course, all sorts of amazing. Here are the stats of the day...

Height - 24 1/4 inches (90th Percentile)

Weight - 12 lbs (5oth Percentile)

Head - 15 1/2 inches (57th Percentile)

So are baby is growing pretty much right on track and is good and healthy.
Today though, was a day for shots. He had 3 shots and like 5 different vaccines I think (Hep B, DPT, and Rotavirus). One in one leg and two in the other. Poor baby. And poor mommy too. But we survived. And after we got him all calmed down, dressed and in his car seat, he slept for the next couple hours. Feeding time happened. And then he screamed and screamed. Nothing could console my poor beebeebee. So the children's Tylenol was given (they gave us a dosage chart at the doctors office today). And he promptly slept for the next few hours. It was a bit of a rough day for the poor guy. But he's sleeping it off like a champ.

(Buzz Light Year & Donkey (from Shrek) )

Also speaking of sleeping, he didn't wake up until 10 am today when I got him out of bed to feed him before the doctors appointment. Guess that's what happens when I don't put him to bed until 11 pm. And after properly wearing him out yesterday. We had a stake Relief Society meeting with the stake presidency. With treats afterward. And all the ladies had to look at my baby and hold him and love him.

Cause he makes the hipsters fall in love when he's got his diaper on and up.

And with that much attention and people loving on him, it just tired the poor kid out. I think it's what they call "over stimulation". But he survived and got a good night's sleep. I didn't even feed him until 7 am this morning. It was amazing.

Back to the doctors appointment!

Have you seen his belly button? If you've seen the videos of him in his diaper you might have noticed his belly button stick out a little. But it doesn't really look like an outie (thank goodness). But he does have a herniated umbilical stump, which makes it protrude (especially after he's eaten :) ). But the doc said they don't worry about it and it should fix itself at some point.

Also they're watching his testes. They're still really high in the tubes. Which means, if they don't drop on their own by 6 to 9 months then he has to have surgery to bring them down. And that's kind of sad thought. My poor baby. And the doc didn't seem very optimistic about one of them. But we'll just have to wait and see. But we do what we have to and get on with life. Even if it stinks to see the poor little guy in pain. I'll deal with it when the time comes if need be.

And because James (and me) did so well, I done took one of the stickers they had for the children at the doctor's office. I think we deserved it after that many shots. In case you're wondering, it's going in the baby book we got him. And oh how I love Patrick Star, got to raise my kid right and all :).


And now it's time for some sleep. So excited!

Dang It, Wrong Size.

Yesterday I went on the hunt for some new jeans. Mine seem to be a bit big for me now, with post baby weight loss. And I have some two sizes smaller, but not any in between. I must have wore those suckers out or something. So I end up at the Walsmart in the valley. And I brought in 6 pairs of jeans to try on. And then I put them in piles of yes, no, and maybe. Then James started crying and I got all distracted. So when I got home yesterday I had 2 pairs of jeans that didn't fit me.

So after having dinner with Jamo at A Better Burger (we got a groupon thing for it, yay!) we headed back out to the valley to exchange them. And I'm pretty sure I didn't get the same pair as I was going to. One of them was the same though. My brain sure does funny things now.

Also, Jamo got some a new shirt. Cause guess what?

JAMESON GOT A NEW JOB!

And isn't that just tremendously exciting? I mean, this is the type of job that could actually be a career or lead to a career. And were not complaining about the raise that's coming with it (stupid student loans). So he'll start that in a week and a half or so. And we're so happy he finally has a new job. As great as his current employer has been for the past 4 years, it will be nice for him to have an adult job where he doesn't have to work in a call center. So hooray for being grown ups!

Also, just a cute picture of my cute baby...

Love, Stargirl (book in review)

Today I read a book. That's right, a whole book. And while the reading level was easy, it was a whole book! And so here are my thoughts (because you're ever so interested!).

Have any of you read the book Stargirl, but Jerry Spinelli. I did. Like a year ago. Quick summary of that book...

The book centers on an eccentric and compassionate 10th grade girl at Mica Area High School in Arizona named Susan "Stargirl" Caraway, who has spent her previous years in homeschooling. Tenth-grader Leo Borlock narrates the story of how she came, how they met, and how their relationship developed. It's about Stargirl's strange view on life. And Leo's learning to accept and learning to view the world differently. It's about conformity vs. individuality. And I suggest you go read it.


But I also suggest you ready Love, Stargirl (the sequal!). It picks up a year or so later from where Stargirl left off, only now, you get to read it from Stargirl's point of view, as letters to Leo. It reads as a day to day type journal and she tells of the events of her daily life and remembers those times back in Arizona at Mica High. And I have to say, that I think I liked the sequal better? It's been a while since I read Stargirl, but Love, Stargirl was something else. In this book Stargirl forgets herself due to the loss of Leo after she moves, but finds herself in the members of her new town. The book was full of moving moments, unexpected friendships and characters to remember. You fall in love with the innocence and quirkiness that has come to define "Stargirl" all over again and more intimately, as you get to read her actual thoughts. And all in all it was a great 'coming of age' book that makes you want to look at life and want to appreciate the small things in life just a little bit more.

my Blog, my Life, my Blog

So the old blog is lacking lately I think. Partly do to lack of time for myself and lack of new things to say? And mostly there's a part of me that feels like I lost a part of myself, as I'm sure a lot of new mom's do. But I feel like those parts of me that I love are coming back, like blogging. Also things like crafts, and pictures, and books and the wonderful things in life. And so I'm going to try and do things again, to make time to do the things I love. I also think this will involve a lot less TV watching. There just isn't much else I wanted to do though while healing from shoving out a baby and then having an organ permanently removed from my body. But my brain feels sufficiently like mush (along with my post baby, post surgery body). So in an effort to work out my life, my blog shall be more dynamic and hopefully interesting. If nothing else, my brain can remember letters and makes words and form sentences. And it will be amazing.

So posts in the near future will discuss books, crafts, my journey as a mother in ridiculous uncensored detail (are you excited?!), and whatever my heart so desires.

Endoscopy For The Win

So there are things that you expect to hurt when you have surgery and then there's the things that people just don't warn you about, which they totally should. So here it is... When you have gallbladder surgery (ok, laproscopic surgery in general) they pump co2 into you so help see your innards. And then where does it go? Up. Into your shoulders. And man is it painful. It was worse than any of the pain from the incisions or cutting out an entire organ. And it was the worst when I was laying down. So I had to try and sleep sitting up. It kind of worked, but mostly was just dumb.

But in the morning they came and got me for my endoscopy. My GI doctor came and did the procedure for me. It took about 20 minutes from the time they knocked me out. And I must say that getting ready for that one was scarier. First they make you lay on your stomach, which you just had surgery on. Then they put on oxygen. Then they put a plastic thing in your mouth to keep it open during surgery. And they make you drink this gross goo that numbs your throat. Also they give you anitbiotics through the IV, which thankfully, they were able to use the same one I had in (after much debate on whether it would work). And I don't know if it was the good or the stuff in the IV, but your pee smells like medicine or something for the next 2 days, weird. Anyway, so I wake up in the first room they took me too. And they kept wanting to roll me over to get me off my stomach, but really, it was the most comfortable I'd been since I got there. I didn't want to move, I just wanted to take a nap. And every time I lifted my head I would burp (Jameson was amused). Then they took my back upstairs to my room where I slept for 5 hours.

Meanwhile, Jamo picked up James and took him to an appointment he had. And James did amazing (cause he's awesome). And then brought him back afterward. I had to eat something before they would let me go to make sure I wasn't going to puke everything up. But my stomach felt fine, just really hungry from not eating for 2 days. So I ate dinner and we went home.

Home is interesting. It's ok when I don't have to move or don't have to do things. Also it's nice when I have my pain killers running through me. Also, when I'm napping. Jamo took a half day today and half day tomorrow to help out. It was nice being able to have him watch James when he got home so I could take a nap. And I was finally able to pump some milk that I didn't have to throw out. And so my boy is back on the mommy milk, which is fabulous. Cause he would make the saddest faces when he realized you were giving him the formula. And then this evening I tried breastfeeding him. It took a lot of blankets and pillows but it worked. I wasn't getting hardly anything from the pump, so I figured it was time so I don't dry out or anything. Plus babies are much more efficient at getting the milk. So with Jamo's help we're making things work here. And I'm hoping to get things back into routine soon enough. And life should be looking up from here again.

Dear Gallbladder, You Suck and Must be Evicted

I keep meaning to post, like for weeks and weeks. But life sure is busy when you have a new little baby. Especially when you have the cutest baby in the world and all you want to do is spend time lovin' on the little guy. Mostly this post will be about my gallbladder, but first I will say this. Being a mother is the best things I've ever done and is everything that I hoped and thought it would be. I can't imagine ever wanting to do anything else more. After all the years of waiting (and I'm not just talking about the married portion) I thought that maybe I wouldn't like it as much as I thought on account of it's kind of what I've always wanted more than anything. But this sweet little thang is the the love of my sweet little squishy squirming life. I guess all I'm saying is that being a mother rocks and I can't wait to have a whole litter of these. Also, my baby sleeps like ALL night long and is awesome. He's definitely my child.

Now, my gallbladder. I had it taken out today. And I'm pretty sure it knews it's time was coming to an end, cause it hit me with I think the worst gallbladder attack ever, that lasted a full 48 hours. Much pain and tears and drugs and vinager were used to no avail. It finally went away and I ate some cake.

I came into the hospital at noon and got registered and then they sent me down to the prep area to get all my infos and get me ready for surgery. They took my blood, which went well. Then they tried to put on IV in me. They poked me 4 times before then got a good vein! They could get the needle in, but weren't able to thread it (? something like that). And finally they went to the vein that they got blood from earlier (duh, it's my best vein and I told them so). Then lots of sitting around and all the nurses ogling my baby and saying how cute he is and how it's the most excitement they've had in weeks. My baby makes everyone fall in love, it's just a fact. Then they brought me down to surgery, put some drugs in me and then I was o.u.t, out. I woke up a couple hours later in pain. It felt like a stinkin' gallbladder attack all over again. But mostly it was just pain where my gallbladder used to be. And the pain wouldn't go away. Then they noticed that the IV decided not to work very well anymore. SO THEY POKED ME AGAIN! Sigh. And you would not believe how many nurses it takes to put in one needle. They think it was cause I was dehydrated and stuff from not being able to eat past midnight and stuff. My blood just wouldn't flow for them. That is, until I went to the bathroom and think I started my first period. A little unsure at this point though cause I haven't left this bed since. It's my blog, I can TMI if I feels like it :).


Anyway, so I sat there and cried and cried until the drugs finally kicked in... and then I cried some more cause I couldn't stop. I think it's the hormones. I think they nurse thought I was being over dramatic about the pain, but I wasn't even crying about the pain, I was crying because of how utterly pathetic I felt. And then when I'm feeling all crummy I get even worse news. They're admitting me and keeping me until tomorrow. Apparently I have gallstones in my bile ducts that need to be removed, which means another surgery. And why they couldn't have taken them out while they were in there is beyond me. I'm going to ask them about that tomorrow when I see my doctor. And so I am sitting here in the hospital being all sad and pathetic.


But I think the worst part about all of this is my sweet baby James. I have to pump and dump for the next 12 hours, so no breastfeeding for me. And if I do have to have another surgery tomorrow that poor kid is going to have to do something I didn't want to do... drink formula. I had some frozen for the surgery, but I didn't expect this to happen and didn't save enough. He's going to hate it. And I'm going to hate it. And we're both going to hate it together. Except for the part where my sister-in-law Tracy is watching him for the night, since I'm trapped to this stinkin' bed and can hardly hold him cause of where the incisions were. And I'm so grateful that I have family around that is so loving and willing to help on a seconds notice (and feed my dear husband also). But oh how I miss that boy already. It really is quite sad. We haven't spent more than about 4 hours apart (date night to Harry Potter 7 pt. 2). And so more hormonal crying happens. Sigh. The bright side is that once this is over, it's over. I shouldn't have to worry about this stupid gallbladder anymore. I can eat freely. I can take care of my baby freely. I can live a fearless of food kind of life. And I'm super excited about it. I'm already thinking about what I want to eat. How wants to take me to all you can eat pasta bowl at Olive Garden when I'm on the mend? Man I'm hungry right now. This popsicle just isn't doing it.

Also my Dad and Sandy came out because I asked them too. Jamo and Dad gave me a blessing. Isn't it great to have the priesthood in your life? I'm just thankful for the many worthy male members that surround me in life. God has really blessed me in my life and helped me find a great husband and blessed me with one AMAZING family.

And so I'll leave this blog post on that note. And here's to praying tomorrow will be a better day and have a superb ending. Also a big thanks to all that have helped and will probably be asked to help a little bit more :). I love you all!