Monday, June 30, 2008

Post partum post


Amalia doesn't want to hear it.

So Chris was getting all over me to post something!! And I was all like, um, hello? baby just born, must nurse and then sleep or loose my mind.
But in actuality, it hasn't been all that bad. Amalia is a week and 2 days old already, and it's only going to get easier... and harder.

My first impressions this time around are just that. It's easier and harder. It's easier because I just look over at Domingo and realize, "Hey, I can do this! There is the living proof." It's harder because I just look over at Domingo and he's swimming, playing, reading, or crying and I'm attached to a teeny little being who just sleeps poops and cries, and I can't be there the same way for him, or for her for that matter.
Amalia is doing really well. She isn't as jaundiced as Domingo, not by a long shot. I think she may just avoid the whole "breast milk jaundice" thing and we won't have to fight anyone about breast feeding this time around. She is a little peanut, and unlike Domingo, did not surpass her birth weight within the first week. We have another doctor appointment/weight check next week and I'm pretty confident she'll be up past her birth weight by then. (She was only 3 ounces short last time, and she had peed and pooped and I hadn't fed her again which I SWEAR is like at least a 3 or 4 ounce swing). It is so satisfying to see her little thighs plumping up almost before my very eyes, to see her develop a little double chin and chubby cheeks, and to turn from a tree-frog baby into a little toad baby. It's awesome. The other thing that is so great is the little sleep smiles that she gives you, they are THE BEST thing EVER. If I were a really dedicated blogger, I'd have the camera trained on her 24/7 just to make sure to capture it on film. It's the little things like that, that you forget about until of course you see it again in a teeny little baby. You forget how sweet the sleep-smiles are, how painful nursing is at first, how stressful the weight-check can be, how much newborns sleep! And then it's over in a flash. In a few short months she will be a totally different entity.

Like these little monkeys.

The good thing is, I think as time goes by, it'll get easier. We'll get the hang of nursing (she's already figured out how to latch on laying down which is HUGE), she'll gain weight and be able to go longer without eating, so I won't be such a zombie in the morning, but then I'm sure it'll get harder too because she'll be more awake and alert and in need of stimuli so running around after Domingo will be a trick.
Domi overall as been a wonder. Yes, he's a little whinier than before, he's more likely to cry when he doesn't get his way these days, he even grabbed a pacifier that was out and was chewing on it for a day (the first time in his life a pacifier was in his mouth for more than a nanosecond. grrrr.) and he is a willful as he ever was, but he is so sweet and excited about "la hermanita".
He comes into the room in the morning when I'm still sleeping with Amalia and he smiles and squeals with delight "there's the little sister!", "there's Amalia Mafalda!" like it's been ages since he's seen her. He wants to touch her, and imitates the little squeaks and grunts that she makes and laughs hysterically when she opens her eyes and looks at him. It's amazing. And an incredible relief. Not that the sibling rivalry will never come, just that at least the beginning transition isn't as shocking and difficult as I had feared.
It's pretty wild, you worry and wonder for those 9 1/2 months, what will this baby look like, what will she be like, will I be able to love her as much as my other child, will my feelings for my first child change, dear God how am I going to handle TWO BABIES? AHHHHH! etc. etc. until the big day arrives, and all those worries take a back seat to being in the moment, and the moment is actually really good, better than you had thought it could be.
Human beings are really incredible. Our capacity for love is truly infinite, that amazes me. Looking at these guys, it really shouldn't.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Compare and contrast




I realize that most new borns look pretty similar 5 minutes out of the packaging, but I'm going to stand by my original statement that these guys look nothing a like. Um, well, not exactly alike anyway.

Monday, June 23, 2008

She's Here!

Amalia Mafalda!


This is also how I felt but I wasn't allowed to show it.

Amalia was very nice to her mother and came out on June 21, 2 weeks and one day early. Before she bulked up too much, 6 lbs 12.5 oz.; 21 in. Chris says that I'm a machine for churning out long skinny babies with about as much notice as a cat. Another speedy delivery. I should work for Dominos.



Ah, much better.


Hmm, I don't know about this.


Oh well, I guess we can keep her.


First trip to Morris.

Ever the boy scouts - Amalia leaves the hospital in the hosiptal shirt, diaper and hat. What, did you think I had packed a bag or something?

Ok, a more detailed birth story to follow, it's a loo loo.
Also, thinking up alternative titles to the blog, Do'Malia's World? Am-Mingo's World? We'll keep working on it.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Still here!

Well after much prognostication about an early delivery, I had another OB appointment yesterday and she said, you're not going anywhere. Meaning, no baby today. I don't know if she was trying to soothe me because she's about to go on vacation (ACK!) or if she really meant it, but she said I'm 4cm; 50% and baby's head is still high-ish (-3, for those in the know).
WELL CRAP.
I had a little bit of a hyperventilation yesterday when she said that the uterus was measuring smaller than 2 weeks ago, and "I'm just gonna send you down for another ultrasound". WHAT? I know most people love the ultrasounds, and I do too when it's just a chance to spy on the little bun in the oven, like when Leticia is doing it. But when the doc. says, let's just go have a look, I'm NOT excited. I'm petrified. After being talked off the ledge by Leticia, we went in yesterday, I was fully prepared for them to say, baby's not growing, let's induce. But I had a weird sense of calm and I just knew that everything was fine.
Come to find out, that this baby looks like a super-chunk. At 37w3d, the ultrasound measures at over 7.5 pounds. I know that these can be off, but even just looking at the pictures, this child has CHUB! Chub on her legs and chub in her cheeks! Yikes. So I have no idea why I'm measuring smaller than dates (I feel like I've got a beach ball in front) maybe it's just how she was positioned, but according to the ultrasound tech, the baby looks "perfect". Ahh. That is exactly what I wanted to hear. That and, you'll be going into labor before your doctor leaves on Monday. Oh, and here you've just won the lottery. But one out of three is not too bad.

Monday, June 16, 2008

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!

To all the Papas out there. Hope you had a wonderful day.
We had a very nice time hanging out with Grandma and Farfar and had dinner with Hez and James.
I must admit, my father's day was not all I was hoping for. I had secretly had this idea in my head forever. My total plan was to go into labor and have this baby while there were family members around this weekend so 1.) this baby could've been born Father's day, how awesome would that be? 2.) we were totally full term 37 weeks yesterday so no one could say we were pretermers and 3.) so we'd have people here ready to take Domingo and not have to deal with midnight phone calls to Hez or Jennifer or Liz Karina and pray they make it here before baby A is born in the shower, or worse, the car. I wasn't planning on getting it detailed again before we hand it off to Grandma and Farfar.
But last time around I seem to remember willing myself to go into labor by Sept. 1 so Domingo could at least have the option of starting school when he was 5 rather than 6, and we all know how that worked out. But what are you going to do? The best laid plans I tell you. We have another Doc. appointment on Wednesday, we'll see if all these insane contractions every night are doing anything, or if I'll just keep on the same way until July.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Oh Happy Day!

Today marked a very momentous occasion, Domingo ate several pieces of honest to goodness steak!



As is apparent from this picture, I am absolutely insane with joy. Domingo, good sport that he is rather than screaming in terror, raised his arms in triumph that he wasn't afraid of the crazy steak wielding lady. He actually had about 4 bites of steak and asked for more. The last bite proved to be a little too much and he spit it out, but I am so ecstatic that he put a piece of meat in his mouth and swallowed it that I was ready to cry. Our favorite Argentine steak place has done it again, apparently no Paraguayan vegetarian can resist the siren song of Tango Sur.

Other good news, we are 36w 6 days today. In a few short hours we'll be 37 weeks and officially term. If I go into labor tonight at 12:01 that will be a-ok with me.

We had a lovely time with the Abuelos this weekend. We played on Friday, went to the park, the farmers market, saw some piglets at the zoo, then came back home and played some more with Papa and Abuelo, and tia Hez came over.



We had a ball. Then our big night out at el Tango, for an early Father's Day celebration with Abuelo and Papa.


Now Domi has crashed with Papa after a very long super fun packed day.
Tomorrow looks like it's lining up to be more fun since Grandma and Farfar are coming by to say hello. Like I said last weekend, I love being at my parents, or the cottage, but it is nice staying in the city and having everyone come to you. Maybe being on house arrest isn't so bad after all. Well, for a week or two anyway, I guess I wouldn't want to make a habit out of it!

Sunday, June 08, 2008

21 MONTH DAY!

Yesterday was your official 21 month day. As I have said before, I'm not sure how much longer these month day updates will be appropriate, should I stop at 24? 36? 540? I don't know how much inside scoop I'll have about you when you are 45 years old, I do hope however that I no longer need to put zinc on your butt. But of course I would if you needed me to.
This month there haven't been that many changes around here, but one major one that I have noticed is that you seem to have figured out that this whole "hermanita" business is not going to work out to your advantage. I never try to push you into talking about it, but I have noticed when the topic comes up (like when other people ask) you tend to clam up a bit. And the other day in the bath tub you came right out and said that you did not want a little sister. I know that in time you'll change your mind, or if not that, at least realize that having a sister is going to be just like having the primas around all the time, infuriating and wonderful.
Besides the anti-hermana sentiment that you've been feeling, you've also been having a bit of a hard time in general. You are entering that magical stage known as the terrible 2s. I have to say, you have definitely not been terrible, but you are learning (very quickly) how to work a room, manipulate your parents, and that when all else fails crying is always the nuclear option. You have started "fake" crying to see if it'll work in certain situations. One of the pictures from the last post was in mid-fake cry. When you aren't getting what you want, you have started testing us out and seeing if blowing a fuse won't get you what you're after. Most of the time it doesn't work, but I must admit for the sake of the integrity of this blog, sometimes, it's just not worth a fight with you, so we give you what you want, but not before we ask you to stop crying and ask the "right way". Which you used to interpret to mean shouting out what you wanted in very. pointed. syllables. Now you understand it means saying please. Which you still say with a hand over your mouth, I think because you just do not like to be polite. You find it beneath you.
The other thing you've started which I actually find pretty funny is you'll ask for something, and kind of mumble or say it really quietly, and then when I repeat what you said you'll shout OK! Like it was my idea to offer you a marshmallow. Because it's amusing to me, you usually get your way.
We keep you around despite your new found gift of whine because you just keep getting sweeter and sweeter every day. You will spontaneously come up to me (or papa) and give me a huge hug, or climb up on the couch and just snuggle in. I can't go to the bathroom without you barging in to make sure of where I am, and when you see me, you climb up my underware and sit on my non-existent lap for a kiss. It's very endearing. You show such concern when you think I might be in danger, like when I'm making juice or grinding coffee beans. You run into the kitchen from where ever you are playing just to make sure everything is alright. When you see that the juicer is not a chainsaw, and I am in fact ok, you go back to playing but not too far away this time. We have been having such a great time together these last few months, especially now that the weather is nice, that I really do feel bittersweet about our last months together as only child and mama of one. I love our days together, going to the park, the store, reading books, looking at pictures, listening to music, playing games, taking naps and just being together. Not much different then when you were a teeny little peanut, but I've learned to relax (slightly) and relish almost every minute rather than obsess over every little thing. (I still obsess, but hopefully over bigger things like when, dear Lord, when will you start eating delicious meat, and not over if whether your socks are the right kind)
You are such a smart, thoughtful, sensitive little boy, I sometimes just marvel at how you came to be. You can be quite the contradiction, but that is something that makes you so unique. You are both shy and outgoing, rambunctious and reserved, sweet and a stinker. You'll play with your primas and primos and friends at the park, running around laughing and screaming like a loon, and then sit quietly in your room for an hour play acting with your dinosaurs asking each one how they are doing today. You will play and talk with other people in our building, or walk right into someone else's yard at abuela's house, but when someone starts speaking to you in English, you become very quiet and usually look to me or papa to let you know that we're right beside you. You sometimes get so excited that you start jumping and squirming and kicking and squeezing really hard, but if I say no that hurts mama, you get upset and need and need a hug of reassurance. You need to know that it's ok to get excited but hurting others is not. But no matter what, even if you do get over excited, mama still loves you no matter what.
I know that bringing in a new entity into your world is going to be an enormous change. I feel that a lot of these changes in you are partly do to the fact that you sense that something is coming, and you need extra comfort and reassurance. And Papa and I try really hard to do this as much as we can.
Even if it's really hard at first, and you feel like I've replaced you, and your place as the prince has been usurped, I want you to know that nothing could ever replace you. You will always be the prince of my kingdom. And you are my special, perfect, and most loved baby boy.


love,
mama.

Saturday, June 07, 2008

To please the masses

I was informed by a loyal reader that this blog is getting a little word heavy, and we need more pictures. Unfortunately, the ones we've been able to snap lately look like this:


Or this:


Here is the little prince weighing his options, do I freak out full-body style, or just more of a high pitched scream freak out when I'm asked to give up the sticks and get in the stroller?


We actually had a really nice day today. We don't often stay in the city during the summer months, not because there aren't lots of wonderful things to do, but mostly because we have the beauty of the cottage in Michigan, or the pool in Morris (along with the incredible meals that I neither have to prepare or clean up after!) to beat the heat. And yes, Chicago in summer, while the only reason to live through the winter, really is sweltering. But the fact that we are now kind of forced to stay in town, it's good to make the most of it.
Today we went to the farmer's market by the zoo, and since there was no street parking we parked at the zoo. Before we even got near the parking lot, Domingo completely recognized where we were going and started asking to see specific animals. He really has an incredible memory. So rather than going right to the market we ambled along looking at different animals and then finally got to the market.
Ah this is the reason to live in Chicago. I think the fact that we live somewhere where wonderful produce isn't available all year (or nearly) makes it all the better when we finally get our hands on it. At least I tell myself this to keep from crying through November through May.
I made the most wonderful tomato, goat cheese, and basil sandwiches with bakery ciabatta bread for dinner. I don't know what these people did to get such amazing heirloom tomatoes out this early in the summer, but they were superb. I truly feel for my brother who will yet again miss out on the pleasures of summer in the northern hemisphere, particularly the tomatoes.
The goat cheese was from my favorite stand at the market, Prairie Fruit Farms in Champaign IL. They only come to the market every 6th Saturday when the moon is 3/4 full. They say every other weekend, but they lie. So when I see the stand I always make sure to buy a container of the chevre. It's incredible. I still hold on to the fantasy of moving into the country and having a sheep cheese farm. These people make it seem possible. The farm has a stone fruit orchard and the goats eat peaches and nectarines they say that's why their cheese is so wonderful. I don't know if that's the reason, but it is amazing.
After the market, we had to get back to our car so we had to pass back through the zoo. This was kind of a mistake. Domingo was half past fried and asking him to stay in the stroller while we passed by the animals did not go over well at all.
But we saw a few more animals that were his favorites (mainly the gorillas) and then we hit def con 5 so we ran (I waddled) to the car, where he passed out before we were out of the parking lot. He took a nice long nap and so did we.
We'll tackle more of "project throw everything away" tomorrow, but Chris and I got a pretty good start in the kitchen today, and the good news is we made it out of the zoo without buying another toxic plastic animal juice bottle. PROGRESS!

Friday, June 06, 2008

Sisyphus was a mother

And not some guy pushing a rock.
I don't know what possessed me to try and organize the closet in Domingo's room today, maybe it was the fact that oh, I could go into labor ANY MINUTE and we don't have a BAG PACKED and no BABY CLOTHES are out and I'm LOSING MY MIND.
But months upon months of just ignoring the fact that people (read Chris-oh ok, I'm guilty too) keep shoving things they don't want to deal with (read baby clothes/blankets/gifts etc) in this closet willy nilly creating a towering mass of fuzzy pink and blue things does not make for an easy time.
Add to this the fact that Domingo 1.) sees things tumble out of the closet and thinks it's his mission to help more things end up on the floor; 2.) dump all of his existing possessions on the floor; 3.) laugh maniacally as mama sits in the corner and rocks quietly mumbling to herself.
Seriously. WHY?
Domingo has developed this unfortunate little habit of dumping out every toy he owns and piling them on top of himself. (I'm looking directly at you tia Sally). This also occurs with his books. Now I am certainly not going to put his books and toys in places where he can't access them, what would be the point of that? (Maybe to keep me from going insane) But we go through the same ordeal maybe 10 times per day. I (or Chris or Ana) pick up the toys/books/items, put them away, and then literally moments later, Domingo sees what we've done and proceeds to dump everything out again. This is no way to live. Today 4 times, (this is no exaggeration, I just wanted to see how many times it would take) I put Domingo's little turtles away in a jar. He was playing contently with something else every time. He would see me close the jar and put it away. He would run over to the jar, open it, dump out the turtles, and return to playing with what ever else he had in front of him before he saw me try and defile his kingdom with "order". Finally after the 4th time, I think he got bored and went on playing with his other toy. These are the kinds of things that terrify me about having another baby.
It would be one thing if we had a giant place, where Domingo could have a toy room, or a basement or some space of his own to make a disaster, but we live in a small apartment, with lots of "things". It's important to try to corral the "things" so that people don't step on little wood blocks and curse the heavens at 10 decibels.
When am I going to have the time to keep this place at a level that's just under crazy with the new baby to contend with? AHHHHHHHHH!!!!
I know I know, "nesting". It's normal to feel the urge to purge, and organize, and fix, but seriously, why do we have so much stuff? Why are there not one but TWO plastic crappy animal juice bottles from the zoo? Those things are probably leeching toxic florescent radons into our non-lethal cups as I type. Why? Because Domingo LOVES these "things" he loves this "stuff". And when I went to throw out the cardboard box that the crayons from Wishbone came in, he reached for it and said "quiero crayolas" and looked at me as if I were about to throw away his best friend. I'm sure if I threw out "jugo gorilla" he would cry. So I'll hand it to him, give him a moment to say good bye and when he is being entertained by that old used rice krispie box with kung fu panda on it, I'll toss gorilla out with the rest of it.
God help us.

Thursday, June 05, 2008

More excitement!

But not of the baby variety. I got out of half a day of work today because someone threatened another office in the building were I work. BONUS! And the best part is, of course it was just a threat and nothing happened.
Of course there was some concern when the officers told me I couldn't get in my car and leave like everyone else in our office. Why you ask? Because this was the first day in probably 10 months when I got to the office and there was actually a parking space directly in front of the building. I usually don't even try, but today for some reason I was feeling optimistic, and low and behold there it was, a plum spot if ever there was one. And in my delicate condition I was pumping my fists because I wouldn't have to walk the usual 3 blocks to my car. Oh silly me. Of course there had to be a catch. So while everyone else went home as giddy as if school had been let out early, I was sitting staring at the obligatorily mustachioed and portly Chicah-go Cahp telling me "sorry lady, you'll just have to wait until we get the all clear".
My boss and a co-worker offered to drive me home, but Chris went bananas when that option was thrown out there. "What if you go into labor tonight? We NEED our car!". At which point my boss told me she took the EL to the hospital to deliver her first child. Her spouse is a big fan of public transportation. Yeah. I don't think I'll be doing that.
Fortunately I only had to wait like an hour or so, then got to get in my car and drive off. No diving from flaming wreckage or slow motion "NOOOOOOOOOO"s as I try to save the car seat were necessary.
Ana was irritated when I got here because she was in the process of putting Domingo down for a nap and of course when he saw me his head almost spun right off. Trust me, I feel her pain, but at the same time, I'm still paying you lady, deal with it!!
Luckily, pretty soon after he went down for a nap and is still peacefully sleeping. Better go wake him or he'll never sleep tonight.

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Like it or lump it...

This baby is coming soon. I am most likely not going to make it to our due date of July 6, 2008. We had our regular OB appointment today and she did a culture for Group B strep (which is par for the course) and since my pants were already down, and I had been contracting pretty regularly she did a quick cervix check.
Well, apparently my "birth plan" was a little too ambitious for the ol' cervix and I'm dialated to 3cm, 50% effaced, and baby's head is at station -3. So in English that means, I could go into labor any time. Probably not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon. I will be so happy if we can just hold out another week and a half. 37 weeks is "officially" full term. I want that "official" seal of approval.
What is it with me and numbers? I don't know I've always been the kind of person who wants to get over that last little hump. In school I was completely satisfied with an A-. That was my favorite grade, obviously an A would've been better, but hell, an A- is an A none the less. I am the queen of the bare minimum.
So, no more trips to Morris for us, we'll probably not make it to the cottage without a new little baby in tow, and forget Chris's dad's retirement party on the 22nd. I have no desire to go into labor surrounded by 30 OBGYNs getting their drink on.
Poor Domingo is getting more and more clingy as the days go by, and Leticia said that this was another "warning" signal her old wives have told her about.
The other day we were talking about the baby, how she'll be here soon, what we're going to do, how he's going to read to her, and talk to her, and sing to her, and finally be able to see her, and he looked at me with this weird earnest look and said "no quiero". Over and over. No quiero. I think he has figured out that all this baby talk means nothing good for the young prince of the house. I'm trying very hard to spend lots of time with him, give him extra hugs and kisses and let him know that we love him super super super much because, quiero or not this baby is coming.
Updates will continue, and hopefully nothing too exciting until June 15.

Sunday, June 01, 2008

Better post

I'm over my bowl sadness enough to get this post out. I don't know why it said it was from last week, the terrible bowl incident occured this afternoon.
We had a really terrific weekend. It started Friday with a fun afternoon at the nature museum, and then came home and grandma and farfar were here to play until all the ladies arrived for "girls night out".

hanging out with tia Hez before going out

We went to this really good Italian restaurant. It was delicious and there were no babies and no boys! Good times. The only bad thing was I was up until super late so was pretty exhausted the next day, but it was worth it.
The next day we decided to go to Morris since it was so nice out. We thought maybe we'd even get a swim in, but we just ran around Abuela's and tia Leticia's yard instead. Maybe next week.
Then we came back today went to Oak Park and got to see Grandma Farfar and Tia Hez, Tia Jennifer and Freya. We were thinking about going to a street festival, but Domingo was completely exhausted, and frankly so was I. So it'll be an early night, Domingo is asleep, I'm blogging away, watching Monty Python.

In other baby news, we are 35 weeks today. I'm contracting like crazy, my back hurts, and I'm having to pee every 10 minutes. We have a doctors appointment on Tuesday, if she tells me I'm 1cm and 50% I'll be very pleased. We can keep it up for another 2 weeks and then right after 37 weeks I can go into a speedy labor and right after tia Hez gets to the hospital to grab Domi, this little baby can pop right out at 6lbs some odd ounces, and we can all go home the next day. That's my plan, who thinks that it's too optimistic to have this kind of "birth plan" in mind?
I think it's always good to visualize the kind of birth you want.

Well here's some more pictures from this weekend, enjoy!



getting artistic


serious w/ sofia




making the most of the space at Abuela's back yard.


so happy in the sun.