four more years

Today was our four year anniversary.

Geez, it doesn't seem possible. We really didn't do much at all, just hung out at home with the kids. We had been planning on visiting Riverfest, Little Rock's big annual festival, but the hassle of dragging the kids out into the crowds made us decide against it. Both of them had a hard evening and both were passed out before the fireworks began, so I think we made a good choice.

Jon and I have been having a rough couple of weeks...the move with a new baby, his new job, apparent pms, and everything else has been causing a lot of stress. We've had some pretty bad fights over the past week. We stayed up really late last night just talking; I can't remember us doing that since we first got together. I think we've reconciled a lot of stuff, at least until the pot gets stirred next time.

great.

This morning I lucked out and Ellie took a good nap sans sling, so I carefully but quickly hemmed up my flood pants-turned-capris. My new, light, beautiful khaki capris. I wore them out to dinner this evening with the family and my mom and guess who I discovered when I came home?

Uh huh. Aunt Flo.

That means I ovulated about two weeks after Ellie was born. Two weeks! No lactation-induced amenorrhea for me.

Anyone know any NFP charting software that's compatible with Macs?

shoppin' day

I just do not understand flood pants.

Does anyone remember when saying that someone was 'flooding' was an insult? This is one trend that just looks silly to me. It's probably because I am young enough to remember how it was to grow out of clothing. Once pants reached my ankles, it was time for a trip to the store.

Today marked my first outing as a true mom of two. With Ellie in the sling and Tristan in the stroller, I ventured out looking for pants that fit and looked decent. No small task, since most that fit over my childbearin' hips look incredibly frumpy. I found a pair though, bringing my total number of wearable bottoms to two. Unfortunately, they're that ridiculous flood length. I'm going to break out the sewing machine tonight after Jon gets home and shorten them to capris, which are just short enough to look intentional.

four weeks old

If I were childless, my diet would consist almost entirely of take-out Chinese food, Ben and Jerry's ice cream, vending machine candy, and Coke.

a few of my favorite things

OK, I just feel like writing a rave entry. I'm chilling out with Ellie in a sling, waiting for my mom to come help entertain the kids...so now's the perfect time to mention a few of the material things I am SO grateful for.

The Amazing Miracle Blanket
This is a truly amazing and *easy* swaddling blanket. We didn't give swaddling a serious try with Tristan, but I really think it's to credit for Ellie's wonderful sleeping (4-6 hour stretches, and she only wakes once or twice a night!). We got by with a regular receiving blanket for the first week, but she's been so wiggly since then that she gets her arms out pretty quickly. The Miracle Blanket is breakout-proof. I just wish we could afford a second one! BTW, if you are unconvinced on the merits of swaddling, check out 'The Happiest Baby on the Block'.

Lily Padz
I have a surplus of milk. I had an oversupply with Tristan too, and the only pads that could stem the flow were disposible ones...which, of course, leave nasty chem residue on your baby feeders. I just got these a few days ago and they are AMAZING. They truly work wonderfully...I am not sopping wet all the time! Mine actually had a bit of a defect---some of the plastic tore off, making one of the pads work a bit worse (though it's still loads better than the wool I was using---and the company is sending me a replacement pair. Oh, and remember to support a WAHM if you get these; the one linked above is a sweetie and has a great price on them :)

Purple Stork
The PS is a WAHM-operated company that makes custom photo birth announcements. She's an Amity mama and I'd been saving up for months to get some announcements made. I'm so pleased that I did! I took a ton of photos, picked out my favorite four, ordered through her site, then sent the photos. I had links to two proofs by the next morning. It took me longer to get them sent out than I expected (and I still need a few addresses...ahem, Jaime), but I really love them. The prices are very reasonable, especially since they include envelopes and postage to you, as well as the design.

And now the item that I am so glad to have, but feel so conflicted about...the pacifier. I never tried to get Tristan to take one...after all, when he wanted to suck, he'd gladly take a boob. Ellie roots and clearly wants to suck often, but she won't latch on unless she's really hungry. Enter the pacifier. Ohmigosh, she loves it. It truly saves my sanity on car rides. I do feel kind of bad, but I guess it's plenty AP since I am following her cues. She still loves her milkies and we haven't even had a hint of nipple confusion.

arkansas traveler

We made it!
We drove down overnight a week and a half ago, arrived tired on Sunday, and had to pin down an apartment on Monday. After some very disappointing apartment visits (loud, bad shape, and too expensive to boot), we actually found our dream apartment! Well, almost our dream apartment. It has two bedrooms, a washer and dryer included in a small laundry room, newer appliances, brand new linoleum and carpet, and an awesome well-shaded private deck. It's in a nice area of town, only 10 minutes from Jon's work, and really doesn't 'feel' like an apartment. The downstairs neighbors are a bit loud, but this is the first apartment I've lived in where I've felt like it's worth it. They apparently think we're loud too and have actually complained once, though how they heard Tristan's running over their loud stereo, I'll never know.
It took Jon a lot longer than expected to get things packed up and in the truck. He was shooting for Thursday; he showed up around 6 on Sunday. Poor guy was exhausted and in a rotten mood. I hired some guys to come unload the truck yesterday and I totally understand how he got so down. Where did all this JUNK come from? Geez. I'm going to have a hard time making it fit in here well, but I guess it has to be done. My mom took off last week and this week and has been a huge help in all of this. Ellie has been wanting to be held during the daytime lately, and Oma's arms are perfect for that while I get stuff done.
A few little peeves with my darling husband's moving job, but I do understand where he was coming from. We'd agreed that the cats should be returned to the (no kill, fostering) humane society they came from, but they showed up in the U-Haul. He just didn't have the time. That was solved OK...they are now outdoor cats. The younger, more feral one hasn't been seen since the first night, but Manhattan keeps coming back and hanging out on the porch. He seems to be doing pretty well with it.
We also lost a lot of stuff to breakage and had a lot get scratched, though that was worse by far with the stuff at the back of the truck. As things were brought in, they were packed better and better...he'd definately gotten burned out by the end.
But I'm really grateful to him for all of this. The only reason we're here, really, is so that we can be near my family. I hope he ends up liking it well enough to want to stay here more than a couple of years.

probably bye for a bit...

So, this is likely my last post before the big move. We're leaving late tomorrow and heading south. We have an appointment at the apt/townhome complex we like on Monday morning and may get to move in that day. Then, after all our stuff gets down there and we get back online, I'll be back to post a bit :)

I think I'm going to be a complete hermit after the move, at least for a month or two (barring visits to/from relatives, naturally!). Ellie and I went out to our last AP Stitch N Bitch on Wednesday and I was so stressed out! We had a major poop incident in the (tiny, changer-less) bathroom that ended up with yellow stains on shirts, pants, sling, diaper bag...everywhere. Ick. It was a fair trade off in that case, since I really enjoyed seeing everyone one last time, but I'm glad that I didn't go through that for, say, a grocery store trip.

Ellie is doing fantabulously, Tristan is starting to adjust more. Just as I had so many knitting projects going in my last few weeks of college, I've started a new soaker for Ellie. I've found that the LTK ribbed soaker pattern is awesome for her...the two I have knitted up work really well, but don't fit quite as nicely I'd like. I'm using some nice Mountain Colors yarn I bought a couple of months ago and am enjoying the feel of it.

Tschau until sometime in the future.

it's been a week already!

It's funny how days with a newborn are not quite compatible with blogging.

I guess the main thing is that I don't have much interesting to write. Ellie is asleep on my front in a sling right now, Tristan is behind me playing with his trains (and screeching "choo choo!"), and Jon has run out for organic milk and Draino. So goes our life.

Only a few more days left here in town and I'm getting nervous. Jon assures me that he's going to do all the packing himself after he comes back up to get our stuff, but it's a big job and I worry about it. We have found a very promising place to stay in our new home, though---a townhome in a pretty nice area of town, very close to Jon's work, and within our price range. My mom is going over tomorrow to check it out; hopefully it'll be just what we're looking for.

Ellie's "Mama, you are seriously whacked" look:

week one vent

Having a second baby is so different than I expected it to be.

Ellie seems to be an incredibly "easy" baby. She sleeps very well and cries very little. I really wonder how much of this is due to an actual personality difference, how much is due to our being more experienced parents, and how much is due to our perceptions of "easy"/"difficult" having changed over the past two years. Really, the hardest part of this is dealing with Tristan.

Of course, he decided that this past week would be the week he'd give up afternoon naps. An exhausted toddler is much more challenging than a rested one, and add a new baby (and therefore less attention), and it's disasterous. I'd thought I had discipline figured out with him; he was always quite well behaved. He's on my last nerve most of the time now. Screaming, throwing, running, pinching my belly flab...it's awful. I have plenty of energy for Ellie, but not for Ellie, myself, and a too-rough boy. I'm so glad that Jon's home right now.

I've recovered really well physically---lochia is almost over already, bad engorgment only lasted a day, no discomfort getting around, etc. That's really a mixed blessing, I decided last night. I really have been taking things too quickly, more quickly than I am emotionally or mentally prepared for. I am going to make an effort to slow down and try to enjoy the kids.