6 Weeks and Still Standing....Barely!!

Hi all!

Can you believe Sir Isaac is 6 weeks old already!! Even more unbelievable is that Mommy is still alive!!! I must say this has been the most eventful, emotional, whirlwind of a roller coaster ride jason and I have ever been on!I wouldn't trade it for anything! Although little Stewie has not taken any mercy on us - ever! I swear sometimes I am Lois and he is secretly plotting to kill me! :)
I think Isaac's gets his knack for whining from his Mommy! He is definitely a "hands on" baby - as in he needs to be held - ALL THE TIME! Now before all the zealots chime in with the "overholding" theories, let me just say, I, by no means, want to be holding him this much. HOnestly I think anything attached to me for such lengths of time should be considered a tumor but, I have tried letting him "cry it out". He wants no part of that! Crying it out sessions have last up to an hour - usually ending in him coughing, puking, or neighbors asking if all is OK! Not to mention Mommy's and Daddy's fried nerves! He maybe sleeps 6 hours a day (yes, TOTAL) and I know babies are supposed to cry - but his crying seems extreme to me! He never cries himself to sleep, - he just cries mommy to the liquor cabinet!!
I was definitely a better Mom before I had Isaac! I know "this too shall pass" and "it wont be like this for long". The past 6 weeks - the past 11 months - have flown by and I realize in no time little man will be driving - but in the mean time I am open to all suggestions before I pull my hair out! We are using the Gripe water, Mylicon, colic bottles, you name it! Right now the only thing that calms him down is human touch. So we oblige him - Little Stewie has us wrapped around his finger already!
Next week Aunt Gina and cousins Max and Emily come to meet him! I can't wait to see them and pawn off demon baby on them! Ha!! It is also Max's big 1-0 Bday! Once again I am reminded how time flies! My bratty is going to be 15! Yikes! I should just shut up and quit complaining now!
Other milestones of the past few weeks include Isaac's first trip to Church, which included the loudest room-shaking burp during the "bow our heads and pray" moment of silence! I could only laugh - as did everyone around us!
Our first venture to the Cheesecake Factory. Mommy and Daddy were going thru our favorite restaurant withdrawls! Amazingly we survived without a hitch! Thank goodness for strong mojitos!
This week we will also say goodbye to the bassinet! Just like most of his clothes, Isaac has outgrown the bassinet and is ready for the big boy crib - of course he hates to sleep in there too! the car seat has been the preferred place of rest for the past weeks! Overholding, over indulging, sleeping in the bed/carseat/bouncer - I have officially been reduced to the "whatever works" mode - I will gladly pay for his therapy later tonight I just want to sleep!!
Finally, on a separate note, I would like to say Rest in peace to one of my and my family's dearest friends Dororthy Hizny. I have known Dorothy my entire life and know she will be sadly missed by all of her family and friends. Personally I will forever remember Dorothy as the only women who could brush my hair when I was little because she had the scariest "get your ass over here or I will give you something to cry about" eyes a kid will ever see! i will think of you ever time I walk down the cereal aisle or I see a cherry topped pineapple square or rice pudding! Rest in peace Dorothy we will miss you and love you forever!

Too Close for Comfort?

Lately I have been taking everyone's advice and little by little, SIr Isaac and I have been venturing out into the "real world" rather than being cooped up in the house all day. I am amazed how involved it has become to do simple errands! A 5 minute errand of dropping off the laundry has become a half hour event with car seats, slings, parking, etc.! No more quicky jaunts to the store either! I can't wait until the weather cools down a bit and the poor guy doesn't sweat his little butt off in the car seat!
As You all know, Little Man has had some fussiness/gas issues due to his formula (ugh! I am such a Bad mom!). I started using Gripe water for some hopefull relief. THe first day I tried it he was an angel - coincidence or not - I was sold! Unfortunately I paid for it the next day when the little fussy monster returned!! But we are sticking with it for now.
I have heard great things (mainly online reviews) about Colic Calm Gripe Water. We searched for it in retail stores, but apparently you can only buy it online - which does me no good when I am holding a screaming baby! Who wants to wait for the 3 day shipping? I suppose i could have overnighted it (because you know that is what they are hoping desparate parents will do!) but the 4 oz bottle goes for $30 and overnighting was an extra $20!! $50 for 4oz! For that price it better prevent him from crying until he goes to college!!
I have found the one trick that really helps him calm down is driving around town with the windows down. He really likes the wind in the car. Unfortuantley I do not have that many places in town I want to go - so we end up driving around aimlessly or browsing at the grocery store for hours on end...but if it keeps him calm I will gladly do it!
Of course being out and about doesn't exactly keep us both happy. As Sir Isaac is all cozy sleeping like a king in the grocery store - I am often left with the onslaught of fellow customers who can't help but take a peek at him. (because he is obviously the cutest baby they have EVER seen!) Taking a peek I do not mind! It's the people who think that taking a peek means that they can touch him that drives me crazy! And that doesn't just go for strangers either! Call me crazy but I really have a hard time when most people want to touch him! Is that so wrong?
I have no problem telling people they can look but not touch - but its hard when it is friends who want to hold him or get a little too close! I do not want to be rude (most of the time), but I don't want their germs either. I have no qualms with telling people to wash their hands first, especially smokers, coughers, kids, hell I even make Jason and Ronnie scrub down after work! All the hype over the swine flu does not help either.
Don't get me wrong, I have never been a germ-a-phobe, but how can you not be when it comes to something so delicate as a newborn's immune system! Why put him at risk? Can you be too careful? Is there really such a thing? Hell, I don't even like people touching Zorro! I am sure if the swine flu were not an issue I would not have so many fears of taking him out or letting other people oogle at him, but it is also my job to keep him safe. I just do not know where the line is between keeping him safe and being obnoxious. I guess for now I will continue to carry my hand sanitizer everywhere and politely tell people Mommy is a little OCD about NOT TOUCHING the baby....what do I care if they think I am weird! It could be worse - I could NOT know I am weird!! :)

Bye Bye Baby!

Sir Isaac is growing so fast! I think today will be our official LAST DAY OF NEWBORN CLOTHES! How time flies! The only reason he is still wearing the NB onesie today is because I already had it over his head before I realized it was too small! And it is such torture to change him! He absolutely hates the shirt over-the-head part of the day!
Thanks so much for all the great responses to the last post! I was so relieved to hear that I am not the only one out there with some frustrations! I am glad to hear Isaac is not the only baby to ONLY sleep in the stroller or in the laundry room! Nor am I the only one who fell into the LaLeche trap or victim to the Colic nights! Thanks for the support! I know it will pay off in the long run!
Little man surely gave me a run for the money last night! The crying would not let up! The only thing that would stop him were walks outside - and he is no dummy - my rocking the stroller in the house did not cut it! We had to go OUTSIDE - and keep moving!!! He is cute - but demanding! Then VICTORY!!!! He fell asleep in the stroller for 4 hours!!! It was a like a mini vacation! It is like a crib on wheels!! Jill and Gina suggested Colic Calm Gripe Water to ease the fussiness - I hope it works! If I can find it that is!! Anyone out there try it before?
FINALLY! The weather is starting to let up here - only in the low 90's today! Yeah!! Finally I can take the stroller out in the afternoon! We went out to run some errands yesterday and I could have fried an egg on his carseat when we got back to the car! I am ready for Fall for sure! So are the mutts! They are ready to get out of the house! Now if I can only handle 3 dogs and a baby I will be all set!
More to come! Thanks again for all the support and comments! I appreciate it!

Mommy's Vent...

A month into mommyhood and things are going.....well they are going! In the past 34 days I've come up with a list of things EVERYONE fails to tell you while you are pregnant - probably for fear of the future mom taking the closest bridge - nonetheless things I advise telling ANY teenage girl. Perhaps schools can use these pointers as a way to promote abstinence - no doubt I would have taken my vow of celebacy had i known some of these highlights of Mommy Life.

1. First off - BACK LABOR - before tiny tot is even born he is wreaking havoc! Not to mention your last night (maybe, if you are lucky) of the slacker life is going to be painful - but this whole back labor thing was news to me! A few hours into it I was pretty convinced Isaac was going to be entering the world out the back end or they were going to have to rip open by spine because he got caught in my tailbone!!! Luckily that only lasted 8 hours during which time i vowed NEVER to have sex again and as far as kids go - I would be "one and done"!(the jury is still out on that one) The delivery nurse assured me I would forget all about it once I had the baby, but as you can see 34 days later I am still holding a grudge!
2. the EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER! - No one told me that after popping out a baby I would instantly turn into a babbling crybaby! I hate it! I cry over EVERYTHING! The baby, the dogs, the TV, Dinner! anything! I am sure it drives Jason crazy!!! Everyone assures me its "just hormones" and i will "go back to normal" in time - but honestly after the past 10 months I dont remember what normal is!
3. This one is the leading contributor of #2 and is more of a peeve rather than lesson learned...The Breast Feeding Nazi's. They know they are out there - and they are ruthless. For the entire 9 months of pregnancy you are led to believe that breastfeeding is the only way your baby will survive outside of the womb. You are led to believe feeding your newborn formula is like letting them smoke cigarettes upon delivery. So naturally, as any good newbie mom would believe, breast is best. I believed the hype. I didnt want to - I thought I would try it out - and if Isaac didnt like it I would go to the formula. Well, the further you get into the 9months the more pressure people give you to nurse - and by the time the baby is born you are so emotionally and physically drained that you concede to nursing as the only option - I even felt guilty for contemplating using formula - how could I be so neglectful!!
Well I tried to breastfeed - and it was torture! Sheer agony! First the "big boob theory" was far off for me - somehow the Nardell "cyrse" bypassed me and I never got the Dolly Parton Boobs. I was repeatedly told " dont worry, your milk will come in" Where the hell was it coming from??? It NEVER came and poor isaac was starving to death in my attempt to be "the good mommy".
Secondly it hurts like hell - the nipple pain and the cramps are enough to put you over the edge. Not to mention you are not only in charge of a new life now, but you are also expected to be a full time fueling station..ugh!
So for the first week of Isaac's life I cried myself silly that I was ruining his life by not being able to breastfeed. I called every lactation expert I could find, I pumped, I ate oatmeal daily, I took hot showers until my skin pruned - no luck! My dr told me i had to start the formula and I cried like a baby at the pediatrician - I was a wreck! One week into his life and I was ruining it! Formula??? how will he survive? He will never get into a good college being formula fed! I made Jason give him his first bottle because i was convinced I was a failure as a mother. It was awful.
Then all of a sudden the formula people came out of the woodwork! As if they were hiding from the La Leche Militia! Apparently everyone was a formula baby - me, Jason, our siblings, and we all survived!
I combed the internet looking for formula fed baby information and found NOTHING - only Breastfeeding propaganda - so to you breast feeding police i say - BACK THE HELL OFF!!! New Moms have enough to worry about without feeling completely inadequate for using formula! And by the way, its REALLY nice to pawn off those late nite feedings to someone else!!
4. Finally, and possibly the most horrific, COLIC. For those of you not familiar (like I was) Colic is the devil manifesting itself thru a newborn. It's a nitemare. There is absolutely NOTHING you can do about it. The only thing you can hope for is that you do not lose your sanity. I have tried over holding him, over feeding him, under feeding, rocking, nursing, walking, bathing, bjorning him - nothing works - or shall i say nothing works for a substantial amount of time - all of these worked for a moment or two! But when it comes to a colicky baby screaming bloody murder in the middle of the night you will take A MOMENT!!! Even if all you can do is go to the bathroom for that moment! I think all teenagers should be given a colicky baby to babysit - that would be the greatest sex-ed assignment ever!
Now that I have vented my Mommy frustrations, let me say I would not change a second of it for the world! Isaac is the greatest thing to ever happen to us! He truly is a blessing. For as much as i vent, I am sure all the planning and prepping in the world will not prepare you for the first time they put your newborn in your arms or the feeling of leaving the safety of the hospital with him. Or the when you look into his smiling little face (albeit at this stage that only means he is pooping!) He is an angel, my angel and it is the scariest, happiest, most emotional experience of your life. But after the sleeping stops and they crying starts, sometimes you just need to vent!

Happy 1 Month Birthday!!

What a difference a month makes!


It's my birthday!








Wow! 1 month already! Seems like just yesterday I was pregnant! A whole month has gone by - I thought I would have the routine down pat by now!! Geez! Motherhood is hard work!! I wonder how mom made it look so easy!
Well little man had a rough morning - it started at 2 am - thats wen he decided the only way he would stop screaming bloody murder was if i held him and paced around my bedroom - who needs the gym rite??
I thought it was too early to over-hold a baby - apparently I am wrong!
Today was Isaac's 1 month check-up - Dr. Blank said he is a healthy happy baby right on target, but i need to stop holdng him so much feeding him quicker ( like i needed the dr to tell me what i already know!)! He is 9lbs (ish, his diaper was pretty heavy!) and 23 inches long! I am not sure where he is getting this height from!!! Jason may start to wonder! NO shots this visit - lucky boy! HE gets them next month. He slept thru the whole visit - even the PKU test! Why won't he sleep for me!!! After 2 hours of waiting all the dr told me was Little man is colicky (duh) but it could be worse (lucky me). He also said dont be surprised if month 2 is worse than month 1 (even luckier me). He thinks it would be a good idea to gradually get him completely on the sensitive formula with a bigger nipple bottle - geez! first the boobs dont work now i cant even buy the rite nipples!!
I think I may leave him in the carseat all the time!!! That seems to work! too bad its still too hot take him for a walk - grrrr! hopefully in the next few weeks we will be done with the 100s and 90s and we can get some semi normal weather out here! prefect time for visitors!!
my best nono impersonation!!!

Hump Day!

Ahhhh...its hump day - Isaac must be getting antsy for the weekend - he's a little cranky as you can tell!
Although Mommy had a big day - today I finally got the courage - or maybe im just sleep deprived enough - to take all 3 dogs and the baby for a walk. Thank goodness no cats crossed our path! Luckily we all survived! Isaac shockingly fell asleep! It was a win win kind of morning!
We are off to the Dr's tomorrow for little man's 1 Month appointment, maybe he knows there are shots involved :(
Well I guess i should take advantage of this quiet time while he is fully awake in his swing and start up dinner - although i know it is short lived!!! Thank God for take-out!
He sure is cute - but sure is a handfull! Im sure the neighbors think i torture him! or let the dogs run around the house with him! When he screams the whole city knows!!!

Welcome to Isaac's Big Day!

Hi all!

Welcome to Isaac's Big day! Since everyone lives so far apart I figured this was the best way to keep everyone up to date on our little guy!

As of today, we are 2 days away from his 1 month birthday! I cant believe it!! It seems like yesterday we found out i was pregnant - yet I cant imagine a day he wasnt here! Its been a new and exciting experience everyday! It will be a pleasure to share it all with you!