More Observations

Occasionally, i catch glimpse of my life right now. I am consumed with being a mom right now. I do an ECFE class with the toddler, a mom and baby class with the newborn, we go to kid-friendly coffee shops and attend fun child-centered activities around the city (like the "childish films" at central library last weekend...we saw a movie about "the village of east germany" circa 1980).

Although this is the case right now, I am aware of the world around me. I am amused that jon stewart is able to carry his show without writers (still very funny...what does that say about the contributions the writers were giving?). I am researching what exactly it means to caucus and why some states have caucuses versus primary elections. I have become more exasperated by the actions of sports heroes--especially since the majority of role models for children, intended or not, are off the wagon or retarded.

And tonight i return to work--only a 4 hour shift. I have moved from being worried about what the baby will do with out me to what my husband will do with a crying baby to finally being excited about utilizing different parts of my brain and get back into work.

Save Some For Me

This morning, as i cuddled in bed with my two daughters reading books, i started to breastfeed the baby. As the toddler started to protest because breastfeeding was interfering with the book, I explained that i used to breastfeed her when she was a baby. My toddler responded, "Yeah, and i didn't drink it all from your nipple because i left some for my baby sister to drink."

Family of Four

Things are getting easier as a family of four. The baby is 6 weeks and i'm hoping she read all the books that i did that said 6 weeks is the peak of fussiness. "Fussiness" is not descriptive enough. "Fussy" makes it sound like she's particular and maybe a little eccentric. Instead, she gets f*cking pissed. She screams her head off when she's mad and she's mad when she's not in a sling or being held by me. And even when she is being held by me, she'll sometimes just scream to remind me that i'm not the boss of her. Of course, when we are in the company of others, she is quiet and calm and sleeping (as some fellow bloggers saw at korean dinner last week....i'm telling you guys!). I'm probably being dramatic--I keep reminding myself that thank god she doesn't have colic and she's healthy and growing. But mothers of newborns have license to be dramatic. It's hormonal, i'm sure.

She has been smiling and growing growing growing. I have already packed away her 0-3 month clothes and slowly exchanging out all the 3-6 month clothes. We're on to 6-9 month, folks. Because it was summer time when my toddler was 6-9 months old, and her sizes matched perfectly for hand-me-downs from her cousin, for the first time ever, we're getting a little slim of clothes. Once upon a child, here i come.

I have been riding on the bicycle on a trainer in the porch almost every evening when my husband comes home. The first time i did this, i watched through the big picture window as my husband rounded the corner with the baby screaming in the baby bjorn and a bottle in hand with my toddler running circles around him. Since then, he has become more confident (and efficient) with both and i am starting to feel like i'm getting healthy again.

Although i'm not going back to my clinic for another 6 weeks, i am picking up urgent care shifts starting this friday. They are fairly easy shifts to pick up--only 4 hours and in the evenings or weekends. I am looking forward to getting my head back into work and am only a little anxious about it. I'm more anxious about what my husband will do when the baby finds out he has no breasts and he is not....me.

We are also planning our trip to australia next month. Because my breasts will be coming with us, i'm not too worried about the baby. I do wonder how the toddler will do. I'm comforted by the fact that she has done lots of travel and that my husband is good at "dealing" with her.

But enough about my breasts....

LissyJo Look-alike Meter

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

LissyJo Clan Look-alike Meter

Most people look at our children and coo over how much they look like me. I always chalked this up to the fact that i live around people who are used to seeing white people and they see the little bit of asian in our girls and automatically think they look like me. I see our girls and see my husband--especially seeing pictures of my husband's sister's kids. This highly scientific website proves that our children look like either the perfect mix of both of us or nothing like either of us. Because the look-alike meter kicks out a similar number for the likliness of me and my parents (ah hem..i'm adopted), i believe the later.

My Giant Baby

Who said breastfed babies aren't as big as formula-fed babies? My ravenous child gained 3 pounds in just shy of 3 weeks. At 4 weeks, she is a whopping 11 pounds 4 oz! The babe has been sleeping longer stretches (2, sometimes 3 hours) and has given some "real" smiles. She decided to smile early because she knows i come close to giving my toddler full parental rights when she screams every evening and challenges my patience.

Speaking of patience (or lack thereof), who knew toddler whining, which is a relatively benign sound, could make me want to tear my eyes out with sharp knives?

Baby

The LissyJo family went to our favorite dim sum at JunBo on sunday. After nursing the baby, i put her in my sling for a walk to menards when she spit up her whole lunch. It actually made a little puddle between her and me inside the sling. It was a special moment.

Not sure where my mental filter was when i told one of my friends with a 7 month old that i really loved getting my nose in my baby's neck folds and inhaling deeply. The more randy her neck with old milk and dead skin cells, the better. She gave me the face you probably have right now and said, "Um. You're a real primal mom, aren't you."

I went to the bathroom and left the baby on the floor while the toddler was reading by herself. I heard the baby yelp out and as i finished up, i heard the toddler say, "It's ok, how's your hair?" As i walked in, the toddler jumped around attempting to hide a baby comb behind her back with an oh shit look on her face. The thought crossed my head that this is the beginning of a lifetime of oh shit looks and secrets between sisters.

I went to the first class of a mom and baby group today. I was the mother of the youngest baby there, and the only mother with an older child. I am ashamed to say it was a confidence builder. I watched the other moms struggle with getting their baby to breastfeed discretely (before i told them to not worry about it), or tentatively change a diaper or struggle with the 20 pound diaper bag they brought with them and voice concerns that they worried their baby wasn't getting enough as they leaked straight through their shirt. I felt like an expert as i breezed right in and confidently breastfed and burped my baby, and gave advice on baby slings. It made me realize that i have learned something about mothering babies and i do know it will get better even though i am just as sleep deprived as they are.

Body Back

I have heard that after having your second child, women never get their body back. The strong, femanist side of me thinks, "That's ok. Women don't have to strive for the unattainable body shape seen in magazines. As long as you keep your body healthy, it doesn't matter what shape it takes." The 12 year old girl inside of me thinks, "I'm fat."

Yesterday, i went for a run. It was a beautiful day for it and i truly enjoy winter running. If anything, it was a nice way to get out without the children. When pregnant, i thought it would be good to ramp up my miles to run the twin cities 10 miler in october, 08. What a high and mighty goal to make....while pregnant. *sigh* We'll see.

Filter

My toddler, like all toddlers, has no filter. The other day, she walked up to me and hugged my leg and then gave my thigh a few squeezes and said, "Squishy!" Ah-hem.

Then, later that day, she was eating dinner and she said, "Mom, you're short."

And then, the next day, she reminded me, "Mom, your leg is squishy."

She may be 3 feet tall, but she'll cut you down quicker than you can say, "What a cute little girl."