Sick Little Man

Last week Ryder came down with what I thought was a cold. He was breathing heavy and sneezing like crazy. His nose was stuffy and he sounded like a 3 pack-a-day smoker when he drank his bottle. I blame those germ infested ankle biters at daycare.

Not wanting to be an over reactive first time mom, I reasoned that colds happen and they don't require trips to the doctor.

After a week he was getting worse. He added coughing to the list of symptoms and started choking regularly when drinking. This scared the shit out of us. Over reactive or not, I called the pediatrician. We saw the doctor yesterday, she said it was an upper respiratory infection. She thought it probably started as a cold and his little body couldn't fight it anymore.

She showed me the proper way to use the suction dohickey. I was doing it very wrong (which is to say I was not doing it to the point of making him cry and scream) but her right way got out way more nastiness. Shooting the saline up there to loosen things up before suctioning seemed to be much more successful as well. She also gave us a prescription for an antibiotic.

She said he should start feeling better in 24 hours. I hope so, poor baby is snoring louder than his daddy. Because he is the sweetest baby ever, he still smiles through the snores.

A night at the county fair

Last night was the first night of what I am guessing are many trips to the County Fair for Ryder. He went to cheer on big cousin Cooper in the steer show - but managed to sleep through most of it. Luckily there was not a shortage of people to hold and love on him.

 It was Aunt Crystie's birthday, so she needed some sugars.

 And Ryder had the best seat in the house thanks to MacKenzie and Michael who fanned him all night!

 He was appropriately dressed in his cow outfit - although I was told more than once it was the wrong breed of cow for this particular show ...

Cooper with Shorty, his Grand Champion Shorthorn Steer (and Reserve Champion Prospect Steer). I think I got that right, I am still new to this stock show lingo. Either way, he did AWESOME!

 And Konner kept puppy Laurie (yes, named after his favorite Auntie) busy all night.

Despite the 105 degree temps, the night was a huge success!

Burning off a big breakfast

At least someone in the family exercises ...

#764

Cool thing #764 about having a baby? Seeing your husband become a daddy.

I know it is not a contest (btw, I would be winning if it was ... ) but Trent does so much with Ryder and I am so thankful for that. And he does it with so much more ease than I do. It is almost like he doesn't hear the screaming or the crying, he stays on an even keel and deals with the crisis without totally losing it.

Trent is the one who gets Ryder to sleep every night. He feeds him his last bottle and burps him and pats him on his little back until he drifts off into dreamland.

I overhear Trent talking to Ryder about cows and trucks and football and I know Ryder is going to have the best childhood ever because he has a dad who would do anything for him. I see him kissing on Ryder and snuggling him with that gruffy goatee and I see what unconditional love looks like. It looks awesome.

There is simply nothing better.

Like father, like son.

Overheard

Last night at dinner time ... when we were deciding who should cook:

Me: Ryder is going to think I am the best mom ever.

Trent: Why is that?

Me: My culinary expertise ends at things a kid won't eat anyway.

Trent: What are you talking about?

Me: The only things I can cook are mac and cheese, hot dogs and grilled cheese.

I should have been in marketing, as I can spin just about anything.

Then again maybe grilled cheese should be taken off the list.

Jailbird

He is probably going to hate me when he gets older for putting him in this outfit but I could not resist. It is the velour shirt and corduroy pants of his generation. Thank you Old Navy!

Pancakes, anyone?

I really had no idea what I was signing up for when I said I wanted to breastfeed. I didn't know much about it other than it was supposed to be better for the baby. I didn't know anyone who had done it recently, and I suppose that should have been my first red flag.

Back in early July I started supplementing with formula and Ryder took off up the growth charts. Not sure what that says about anything, other than if he has a weight problem later in life I suppose we can sue Enfamil. That seems like the American way.

In an effort to get some milk stored up for going back to work, I started pumping. Now if that is an experience you have never had, consider yourself lucky. It is really a double whammy - the damn pump costs so much you have to take out a second mortgage, and then it hurts like hell for a long long time. Make that a triple whammy if the three inch nipples don't shrink back eventually.

Pump In Style my ass. There is nothing stylish about me naked above the waste hooked to this contraption sucking liquid out of me for 30 minutes at a time.

ANYWAY ... I do it because I love my baby and I want him to be healthy. I swear if I ever catch him smoking and cancelling out all this breast milk there will be hell to pay.

So we had been cruising along for a month with some bottles, some breastfeeding, and some pumping. Things were going well.

Then I went back to work.

I haven't been good about pumping - I have a crisis driven job (i.e. I have a job because it is my job to deal with a crisis, and there are never a lack of crisis's) that doesn't always allow for three 30 minute breaks during the day.

Queue the country music: "Well the well went dry and the cow did too ... "

I used to get 4-5 ounces per pump session. Now I am lucky if I get 2 ounces a session. The little dude drinks 4 ounces at a sitting, so I am pumping for 1.5 hours for one bottle. Oh hell no.

Tuesday a Google search returned a sure-fire cure for increasing breast milk production. Fenugreek. Next day delivery from Amazon and 12 pills later an interesting thing is happening. I am not making any more milk, but I smell of maple syrup. Big Time.

If Ryder cannot eat Pancakes when he gets older, we will know why.

Glow Worm

My friend Jody had this doll when we were little. I can't remember for sure, but I think it was called a Glow Worm. It was wrapped in a little cocoon thing, and when you squeezed it, it would glow.

It looked just like this, I swear. Nothing happened when I squeezed him - I had to check.

Ready for some football

Trent and Ryder watched the Dallas Cowboys play Sunday night.

Ryder got bored ... I knew he was a Vikings fan!

Birthday Greetings

Happy Birthday wishes go out today to Gramma Jill and Papa Ricky. We worked on on singing Happy Birthday all week, but he just wasn't getting it. A big smile will have to do!

Angelic glow about him

Skills I do not possess

I am an intelligent, capable woman. I got a Masters Degree by myself. I bought a house by myself. Once I even killed a bat by myself. For the life of me I cannot imagine how I would possibly bathe a baby by myself.

I have read articles, I have watched videos, I have asked for demonstrations. I do not believe I could do it.

Ryder has a very cool baby bathtub with a hammock like thing that he lays in during the process. We put it on the island in the kitchen so we have a full 360 degrees range of movement around him. It took 2 baths for me to learn to leave the diaper on as long as possible and then to replace it with a washcloth during the actual scrubbing process. Yes, I learned the hard way.

There is water and soap and suds everywhere in that kitchen when we are finished. How one person can work the water and the washcloth is beyond me.



Besides, who would take the pictures if I did it alone?!

Fun with Seuss

Since Ryder's room is done with a Seuss theme, I thought we would do a Seuss photo shoot. Thanks to Auntie Jill for the great outfit!

Hungover

We are almost a week into daycare, and while we are both adjusting a little better, I think it is safe to say that neither of us are loving it.

Ryder isn't sleeping well, so when we get him home in the evenings he passes out immediately. Last night he slept from 5-7 and woke up only long enough for a diaper change and half a bottle before falling asleep again. At 9 I made Trent wake him up and by 10 he was out again. I swear they drug my baby.

And thus lies the fact that mama is never happy. He fusses all evening? I complain. He sleeps all evening? I complain. I miss my sweet smiley boy.

He gets a report card of sorts everyday that documents when he naps and when he gets a diaper change. There are also notes on it like "wet on clothes and teacher". I think I am supposed to feel guilty about that, but I don't. I have gone through upwards of 4 shirts in a day because he has wet on me.

He has gotten a green sticker everyday so far. I am not sure what an 11 week baby would have to do to get in trouble at daycare and not get a green sticker. If pottying on the teacher doesn't get you in a time-out then you wouldn't think much else would.

Dropping him off in the mornings has been hard - he cries when I hand him over to Miss Kita. I know this is coincidence and probably related to gas or hunger or something, but it just breaks my heart to leave him when he is crying. The other kids get so excited when we walk in - they scream out "the baby is here!" I guess I would cry too if someone left me with those loud little people all day.

But everyday it is getting better. They got him a swing to hang out in, and that is keeping him happy for a while. He went through 3 outfits the first day and only one yesterday, so apparently they are getting better at penis placement too (told you Trent!). And I didn't cry today. Yet.

Sucks

I don't like today. At. All.

Today is my first day back at work, thus Ryder's first day at daycare. I cried when we dropped him off. It was hard to leave him there - at a strange place with strange people. But it has been harder to be at home all day without him.

Normal people go back to work and they actually GO to work. Working from home has a lot of great benefits, but none I can really put my finger on for the first day alone in the house without my baby. For 10 weeks I have not been in this house without him. I miss him. I miss him bad.

Daycare called about 1:00 - she said she was surprised I hadn't called. I thought about it, but didn't want to be that mom. She said he was doing good - that he had eaten and dirtied a couple diapers but that he hadn't slept much.

Trent called to check on me ... I asked if I could quit my job. He said that would be fine if we all wanted to live in the car. I guess I need to put my mommy panties on and suck it up.

Or maybe I will leave work early and go get him. Yes, that sounds like a much better plan.

Rain!

Today Ryder learned that water doesn't just come from the hose.

This was a major lesson since in his short life, the sprinkler hasn't stopped running since the day he was born.

If you have paid attention to the Oklahoma weather or talked to Trent in the last 3 months, you know what we are on track for the hottest, driest summer since 1980. We need 4 more days over 100 before September to break the old record of 50 days over 100 in one summer. We haven't had measurable rain in so long that we have had to sell cows and Trent has seriously considered making a trip to North Dakota for hay for the ones we have left.

Usually a scary sight in Oklahoma, this non severe rain maker is a welcome sight. Thank you Mother Nature, now we might not have to sell Izzy!

We've come a long way, baby

Yesterday Ryder and I went to the mall. By ourselves. If you had told me 3 months ago that going to the mall would be a major milestone in my life, I would have laughed at you.

When we brought Ryder home and for those first few weeks, Trent had a rule that someone had to be awake with him. All the time. It didn't matter if he was sleeping or not - we had to watch him sleep. To those people who told me to sleep when the baby sleeps ... ya right. We had the baby monitor on when we were in the room with him.

The first outings were planned to the letter and usually the preparation began the night before we were supposed to be somewhere. Packing the diaper bag with enough stuff for 2 weeks, planning the exact time he would be fed to ensure he was full and happy for the trip outdoors. Starting the car 20 minutes in advance to ensure it was cool enough for him. Both of us had to go everywhere together - one to watch the baby and the other to do whatever had to be done.

Yesterday I decided on a whim we would go to the mall. My maternity leave is over on Monday, and in 10 weeks off from work, I have not gotten in any shopping. It was time to prepare the little man for what life with mom is going to be like, and that involves shopping. I grabbed the diaper bag, buckled him in the car seat, and off we went.

We got to the mall, and even got out of the car this time (a previous trip to Hobby Lobby resulted in a drive to Norman, parking in the parking lot, much crying, and coming home all without ever getting out of the car). The stroller manufacturer should be sued for false advertising for claiming it can be opened with one hand, but after 20 minutes I got it figured out and into the mall we went.

Ryder shopped like a trooper for 2 whole hours. No crying, no fussing. He even smiled at the store clerk who told him he was adorable. There was an incident with an older couple who asked if he was a boy or a girl, but all in all it was a success. I think he even liked it. Of course since most of the purchases were for him, why wouldn't he?!? And for the record, everyone should shop with a stroller, whether you have a baby or not. There is tons of storage in that thing and it beats carrying shopping bags.

So now I know I can do it. I can sleep while he sleeps. I can pack a diaper bag at a moments notice. I can work the stroller myself, and I can leave the house alone with him. All this comes 4 days before I go back to work. Do we have some work to do on our sleeping arrangement and holding situation? Sure we do. But we have come a long, long way baby!

In the language of the coyote

This is how a 2 month old coyote asks for a bottle, please.

Overheard

Trent (who never changes poopy diapers): Mommy, we have a stinky one ...

Laurie: Knock yourself out

5 minutes later

Laurie: How was it?

Trent: I haven't breathed for 5 minutes

Smile Attempt #3 - Success!

Birthday - 2 months!

Yesterday we went into Grandma Carol's house for lunch with some aunties and cousins - Ryder didn't partake in pizza or cake and he slept through most of it. Everyone commented on how much he changed, and it was the first time I have heard anyone say he looks like Trent. I don't see it.

Happy Birthday little man!

Competitive Much?

Yesterday Ryder had his 2 month well child check up. He is doing very well, he tipped the scales at 10 pounds, 10 ounces. I would say the formula is working. He was measured at 23 3/4 inches. Since that is half a foot longer than he was when he was born, I am guessing someone made an error somewhere. He is in the 15% in weight and the 47% in length. His head measured at the 86th percentile ... apparently he is going to be one of the big headed people.

The nurse asked if I had any questions, and I pulled out a sheet of paper of things I had jotted down. I swear I saw her roll her eyes. She clicked away on her computer as she asked us questions. Can he hold his head up? Of course, I said. Does he recognize your voice? Sure he does. Does he smile and giggle? Yes. Yes he does. I knew she was asking a series of predefined questions that he was supposed to be doing, and I didn't want my baby falling behind the curve. As she asked questions, I even threw in extra things he could do. "He can roll from one side to the other," I told her. Bet he isn't supposed to be doing that yet ...

So according to the checklist at the doctor, Ryder will be 14 tomorrow. I may have gone a little overboard. She stopped clicking, I can only assume she saw right through me.

Being the two month visit, Ryder was due to get some shots. I wanted no part of this. Luckily he had wet 2 diapers during the 7 minutes we had been there, so I excused myself to dispose of the diapers as the nurse came back in with the needles. She asked Trent to help "hold him" and I wanted no part of that. I went into the hall and stood outside the door until I knew they were done. I was crying, my baby was crying, it was very traumatic. Of course Ryder quit long before I did.

Being the mom is hard work.

Smile Attempt #2

Maybe the hippos aren't that funny ...