Gonna be a cowboy baby!

This is the craziest outfit that Grandma and Farfar got him in Colorado. The shirt is from Paraguay, and is already too small, but those boots are too much!
I have so many pictures from this weekend but this was definately the best. We had such a great time, swiming, playing, beating pinatas, I was torn between posting all the pictures today and spreading to love out over several posts, I'm going the lazy route and do it later!

Every bunny needs some bunny to love

Luckily I have lots.

Hi ho silver, away!

This weekend we got this great rocking horse from Aunt Sally, that Chris's grandfather made for his cousin Pete when he was a little boy. It's such a beautiful horse, it amazes me that someone could actually make something like this with their hands. Domi has some very talented relatives! Right now it's more like a piece of furniture than something for Domi to ride on, but he'll grow into it.
This weekend we are going to South Bend to see Domi's farfar and grandma, and for baby Elena's 1st birthday party. It's supposed to be really nice this weekend, I can't wait. Maybe we'll even get to go for a swim at Tia Laly's too! So I'm sure there will be plenty of pictures to come.
But for now, doesn't Domi's outfit look like he should be getting drinks with Jack and Larry at the Regal Beagle?

Weekend update

Not like we are ever up late enough to watch SNL. (Ah DVR, what did we ever do before you?)
Anyway, this weekend was really beautiful, but of course we didn't take any pictures-too busy out there livin' it. Return of the Spring!!! We had brunch on Saturday with friends, then went to my parents and hung out with the twins and had a fun BBQ with those guys and some other friends and their two babies. You could feel it in the air, the wind was warm, the sun was bright, summer is just around the corner. I LOVE IT!!
Being that it is earth day today, I'm going to do my part and turn off this computer!

BFF (Breast Feeding Forever!)

I realize it's been awhile since the obligatory breast feeding post, so here is another installment. Although it's really going great, and I can't really complain, I will anyway. I was told oh so many things about the magic of breast feeding, and the wonders of nursing etc. While I would do the same thing as I'm doing now again without question, I have to say, I don't find it to be such a terrific thing. First of all, I should clarify that since I'm not home, I cannot breast feed on demand. I have to pump at work, which is, really, lets be honest, the worst of both worlds. You get all the hassle and mess and fuss of bottle feeding, with none of the benefits- i.e. you have to spend time expressing the milk, and then you have to freeze the new milk, thaw the old milk, make sure the frozen milk isn't too old, make sure the bottle is the right temp, for GOD'S sake do NOT microwave that bottle, think of the children!! etc., and your boobs get mangled all to pieces anyway.
And yet, you get all of the problems that come with breastfeeding (the drooping effect, the time factor, the sucking action that isn't exactly super fun) without any of the bonding, cuddling, loving benefits. Of course Domingo gets all the nutritional benefits, which is really the most important thing, and we are saving some cash on formula, but I can't help but feel that I'm kind of getting a raw deal, among other raw things.
For example- I was told, almost PROMISED, that nursing would melt the baby weight away. "It's 500 calories a day", they told me, "you'll be like a rubber band, and bounce right back to your pre-baby body," they said. Well I must be packing away an extra 1000, because I didn't lose any weight after 2 weeks post partum (until I started running again in earnest, and since then I've only lost like 3 pounds). Next- I was told that I would be period-free until I weaned. Well that didn't happen either! I had 7 good months(6 and a half really, those first few weeks after Domi's birth weren't exactly fun in the sun) but now I'm crabby, crampy, and bloated as ever. WHAT HAPPENED!?! While I'm a little annoyed by this prospect, what I'm more concerned about is the effect this will have on my milk supply. OH THE PRECIOUS MILK SUPPLY!! What's to become of you? Domi is still drinking beaucoup ounces, and I'm pumping less and less lately. Today he drank 22 ounces, and I pumped 12. (I'll pump again tonight, so it'll be closer to 18 ounces, but it's still deficit drinking!) The other issue is that he's so used to drinking from a bottle, that some times he gets irritated while nursing that it takes a second or two to let down. And yet another issue is that the weekends are supposed to be our time to exclusively nurse, but we've been so on the go lately, that I've been just taking a bottle along where ever we go, and giving him that instead of nursing. So I'm afraid that instead of building my supply back up on the weekends, its slowly and steadily going down down down. I think the fact he's sleeping longer and nursing less at night is working against me too, so maybe I'll have to go back to pumping at night, ugh!
On the bright side, we made it to 6 months which was a goal. (my next goal was 12 months so we could avoid formula entirely, but if it doesn't happen, que sera, sera!) Like I said, it's definitely worth it, and I wouldn't change anything if I had it to do over again (except maybe not going back to work until 6 months- that would have put me so ahead of the game in the nursing dept!). This coming weekend I will make a concerted effort to not pump at all and just have him nurse. And I'll try to pump after he nurses in the morning and the evenings. AND I'll throw back a beer or two just for good measure- all in the name of the milk supply.

Hard Knock Life

We had a fun and eventful weekend. Saturday Leticia, the twins, and my parents came into the city to go to the Field Museum and then to Devon for Indian, it was so tasty! At the museum we saw this performance by Maori dancers. It was interesting and very moving. I found myself getting choked up watching the dancers sing and perform (not the part when the awkward old white guys got on stage). These people were in town trying to get pieces of their cultural history back from the museum, and sharing an exotic and beautiful ritual dance with a crowd of strangers half way around the world. Remarkable.
Then today we went out to the Park of Oak to visit with tia Jennifer, tio Max and the primos. Olso and Ruby got to frolic at tia's house while we went to brunch and then the park. By the time we got back, Oslo was trapped in upstairs in Theo's room, howling and crotchety as ever. No one knows how he got there and how the door got closed behind him.
All in all a very nice weekend, except, oh yeah, on Saturday, after we got back home from the day's excursions, I was getting Domingo out of the car and whoops! Down I went baby and all.
(Can I just say as an aside that the VW Jetta, while a terrific car when one is single and sassy, and completely functional as a newlywed traveling across country, totally and completely sucks as a car for babies. The entire minuscule backseat is taken up by the gigantic "big boy" car seat that has to remain rear facing until world's chubbiest baby turns 1, and it is well-nigh impossible to get him in the car turned around and strapped in in the 3 square centimeters of available space back there. I blame the fall on that efficient, sleek, German engineering. Farfegnugen my fat A.)
I slipped and fell and thumped my head on the garage floor. Thank goodness I was with it enough to keep D from falling. As I blinked back to coherence, I looked up and saw the bemused look on his face and knew he was fine. I only wish I could say the same for the giant lump on my head!
(Another aside, but doesn't Domi look like Chris in this picture? The hair line is identical!!)

Golden Month Day!

This month you turned seven months, on the seventh, your Golden Month-day! You keep growing, and learning new things, and changing all the time. This past month you got your top two teeth, tried a bunch of new foods, and started babbling like you want your own talk show! You are now an expert sitter and almost never topple over, except when there is too much going on around you, in those instances I'll try harder to keep you from bonking in the future!
I'm almost afraid to say it, but you've started sleeping a little better these past few weeks too. You are still sleeping with us, we moved the bed against the wall so you have a little more room, you were getting so long that putting you down parrallel to the headboard wasn't leaving much room by your head and feet. But, the good news is you've started to sleep longer, wake up for shorter periods of time, and go back to sleep without much ado. Hopefully you'll keep it up. (But we won't complain too much if you don't!) You've also started sleeping on your side, almost your belly. I'm not too worried about it though, you are past the really dangerous time to sleep on your tummy, and we always put you to sleep on your back, you just flip to the side on your own!
We had a bit of a scare with Ana this month, she said that she was allergic to Oslo and had to stop coming over to play. But after some thought, she decided to try and work it out, so we were all very relieved. Once the weather gets back on track, I'm sure you guys will be going out a lot, making new friends, and having a great time together. For now she is focused on teaching you to wave bye-bye, and trying to convince me that the white stuff falling outside isn't snow, but pollen. (At least she didn't make me feel bad when she saw your boo-boo, she said that saints were made by their bumps, so she's sure this won't be the last!)
You are such a cuddle-boy! You always greet me in the morning, or when I get home from work with a big smile and hold out your arms for me to scoop you up. Then you snuggle your head into my chest for a quick cuddle before you are all smiles and laughs again. You are growing into such a sweet and lovable boy, I can't wait to see what this month has in store!

Catching my breath...

I have so many pictures to post, and lots to report, delinquent on the 7 month i.e. "golden month-day" report as well. So for today I'll just post some pictures and expose my great shame, once again. Domi's first boo-boo. He fell onto his plush easter basket that tia specifically picked out because it would be soft, for babies! What we failed to notice was the cardboard liner keeping said basket's shape. With all the excitment of the twins, a big new dog wandering around and a really cool ceiling fan to watch, even an expert sitter like Domi can take a tumble. When I scooped him up and said, " you're ok, nothing happened" and he didn't stop crying, I was like, hmm... Then I saw it


BLOOD! On my BABY!!! He fell right on the cardboard part and it bloodied him up. Domi is really very tough, he only cried for a few seconds, then it was like he totally forgot about it. I of course did not. And of course when abuela came over she was like "WHAT HAPPENED TO MY BAY-BEE!!" So the guilt and shame came twice this Easter, three times if you count typing this out, four when I have to tell the babysitter tomorrow, who will promptly admonish me for being a terrible parent. And the cock hasn't even crowed yet. Ah well. Here are some better moments to end the evening:




The dreaded "basket of pain" pre-wounding of course.



Toasting the glowing boy.

Fancy Easter viddles.


And the best of 6 shots. HOPPY EASTER!!

ups and downs

I love this picture Chris took of tio Gustavo and Domi this weekend. We were in Morris this weekend with tio G and the family. We had a nice weekend and spend some quality time with tio Gustavo and tia Leticia. The weather was nice enough to even play outside. I know I've said I don't want to rush through Domi's little babyhood to get to his toddlerhood, but it will be fun when Domi can run around after his primas. They were so hilarious this weekend, singing and playing and having a good time. Domi once again was so enamored of his cousins, he would stare at their antics, and then when the volume got to be too much, he would let out a squeal.
Domi's two front teeth have poked through now, but they are still coming down. Boy are they big! It's actually very cute when he smiles.
So on to the title of this post. Our babysitter has, as Chris put it, "unquit". She came today and said that she wants to try to work it out with us. She said she really likes us, loves Domingo, and likes this job. We told her our first preference is to have her stay, but of course can't ask her to make herself sick. And we aren't going to get rid of Oslo. I'm through deluding myself that someone will take him in, and also he's ours and we're sticking with him, for better or worse. When the time comes for him to go to that dog park in the sky, we'll be ready, oh my will we be ready, but I can't do it just because he's inconvenient. Ana also said that she did not want that on her conscience.
So now as a result, we are left sort of in limbo. She's going to try some new medicine that her friend told her about, and we have agreed to keep Oslo shaved and try to keep our apartment as clean as possible. But we have no guarantee that this won't come up again in a few weeks or months, and at that point we won't be able to go back to the agency for referrals without them charging us again. I can't help feeling that this is a less than ideal way to leave things. I'm also left wondering if maybe we aren't all just deluding ourselves that this can work.
I have said this so many times I beginning to wonder if I'm trying to convince myself of something, but here it is again: I really trust Ana, I feel completely comfortable going to work, knowing that my son is in good, safe, loving hands. We have our differences, mainly stemming from the fact (only in my opinion) that she and I both are very strong willed people, and she feels that she has more experience with children. She's right, but at the end of the day, Domingo is my son, so what I say goes. I don't want to pull that card out too often, or act like an ogre. I want this to be a good place to work for her, and to get along with her. But, I often feel like she thinks my inexperience makes my opinion, or my actions suspect, and I have a real problem with that. I hate being criticized in general, and prickle instantly at the mere suggestion that everything I do for my son isn't the bestest most perfect thing I could be doing. I suppose it's good to get another, seasoned opinion every now and then, but I had been feeling kind of nit picked and judged by her, and I was getting fed up. Before this crisis occurred, Chris and I wanted to sit down with her in as non-confrontational a manner as possible to discuss our (read: my) concerns about all this. But then when she said she had to quit, I realized all these "concerns" were really minor compared to the big picture of being comfortable with leaving Domingo with her. Then when we were faced with the prospect of getting new nanny, I felt both terrified, yet optimistic that maybe we'd find someone that wouldn't have these same issues. The problem with that theory is that she'd probably have a whole other set of issues to deal with. It's the devil you know vs. the one you don't, so we'll stick with the one we know, at least while she'll have us. Chris and I will still have our non-confrontational chat with Ana, probably in the next few days. I really want to have this be the best situation possible, the most important thing for me in this world is Domingo. Hopefully all this literal and figurative air clearing will be good for us all.