Baby Weight Update #1

Last week I wrote this post about getting my body back after baby.  And unfortunately I didn't do as great as I anticipated.  I started off the week with a bang, making sure to make healthy choices, but I quickly derailed as the week went on.  BBQ's, dinner at my parents, and sweets were all my downfall.  But not really, it was my lack of planning that really did me in.

I'm a planner.  If I make a plan I stick with it.  Before I got pregnant I was really great at making a weekly meal plan and sticking with it and making sure to track all of my calories and exercise and I was doing great.  I just need to get back into the swing of it.  I've been great about planning my dinners, but breakfast, lunch and snacks have been a little fly by the seat of your pants and I've been making quick choices instead of healthy choices.  Plus I've noticed that if I'm having a rough day, if Isabella is being especially demanding or if Arya is fighting a nap I'll "treat" myself with a piece of chocolate, but I'm not a dog and should not be rewarding myself with food for surviving the day.

I did manage to loose almost a pound this week, which is better than a gain.

So this week will be better, I'm tracking everyday and trying to make (and stick with) a plan.  

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It Takes a Village

Babies are a lot of work.  The incessant diaper changes, feedings, crying, fussiness, laundry, blow out diapers with poop leaking up the back.  Kids are a lot of work.  They need help getting dressed, they want to go out and play, they need to be reminded to eat food that isn't ladened with sugar.  I really understand the concept of "It takes a village to raise a child".  Because man oh man is it difficult on your own.

My husband, Andy, is a great help.  He'll change Arya's diaper, hold her while I eat or shower, and put her down for a nap.  He encourages me to breastfeed when I'm ready to throw in the towel and he helps make sure I get out of the house.  He takes Isabella out to play when I'm in the throws of a cluster feed and he helps make dinner.

My mom comes whenever I ask her and whenever she thinks I need it.  She'll do crafts with Isabella, hold the baby, put her down for a nap.  She does laundry and helps with some housework.  She'll watch Arya so Andy and I can take Isabella to the park or out for ice cream.

My sister comes once a week and she'll do Isabella's bedtime or play dress up with her.  She'll take Isabella for a fancy slumber party or on a trip to the zoo.

I have great friends who come up just to keep me company and give me some normalcy when I feel like the days are just blending into each other and I'm dripping with monotony.

It's great to have a village.  I'm not sure I could do it all alone.

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Floppy Ear

So Arya has a floppy ear.  When she was first born I noticed it right away and the doctor who delivered her told me that it was probably just the way she was lying in utero.  Then the hospital pediatrician came to examine her and she said that it was soft cartilage and to follow up with our pediatrician.  When we took her to her first visit I brought it up and the doctor said that, unfortunately, there was nothing that they could do about it right now since she was so small and that it might eventually correct on its own.

::Cue rapid fire googling::

It seemed that there were stints that you could purchase to tape the ear back, but I wasn't sure if it was legit or not so I made an appointment with a pediatric ENT to get a second opinion.  I always find it wise to get a second opinion on things that stick in my craw.

He gave some more information, but unfortunately said the same thing as our pediatrician.  He said that since she's so young and the ear hasn't finished growing that there's nothing they can do to correct it.  Once she's around 6 or 7 years old her ear should be done growing and then, if it hasn't corrected on its own, they can do a procedure called an otoplasty so the ear won't flop down.  He said this is usually around the time that the ear has reached its full size and around the age where she might begin to feel self-conscious about it. He said we can use a soft baby head band which might help a bit, but she hates them and I'm not going to make her sit and cry.  He also said that there's less than a 25% chance of it self correcting.  But it's not impossible, so I'm trying to stay positive.

I was glad to get a second opinion, but it hurt my momma heart when I left the office that day.  I can't imagine anyone teasing my sweet little girl about her ear.  As mothers all we want to do is protect our kids.  I just don't want her to have to deal with anything extra that could cause her pain or embarrassment.

As a teacher I've seen young children be incredibly kind, but they can also be incredibly cruel and I don't want Arya on the wrong end of any of that.  If her hair is anything like her sister's we can always cover it if she feels self-conscious about it.  A good friend of mine said that it's not usually children who are rude about things like that, but more the adults.  Adults I can handle.

Ear be damned, she's just the most beautiful little girl.

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Summer Bucket List

Oh how I love summer. I love the smell of sunscreen laden children.  I love drinking a cold beer in the sunshine.  I love BBQ's.  I love lazy days and hot nights.  There's so much I want to enjoy this summer so I'm making a summer bucket list.

• Build a sand castle at the beach
• Go night swimming
• Sesame Place parade
• Craft/Experiment/Bake once a week (this might be tough, but I'm gonna try)
• Eat S'mores in the backyard while looking up at the stars
• Have a picnic
• Family game night
• Family movie night
• Puddle jumping in the rain
• Trip to the zoo
• Trip to the aquarium 
• Children's museum
• Park 

We're lucky that we have a big pool in the backyard so I can spend days with Arya in the shade while Isabella plays.  I'm going to try and have lots of playdates for her so she doesn't feel so put out with the time I'm spending taking care of the baby.  It's going to be a great summer, if not totally exhausting.  

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The Cries

Sometimes...I get the cries.  I just get overwhelmed with emotion and the tears just flow.  I come off as a little bit of a sarcastic hard ass, but the thing is is that I'm really very sensitive and I have a lot of feelings.

I'll cry because I'm overwhelmed with the demands of new motherhood and balancing Isabella's needs with Arya's.  

I'll cry because I look at Arya's newborn face when she sleeps and I see her eyes flutter or her lips twitch and it just fills me with such awe that I could love such a tiny creature so fiercely.

I'll cry because Andy will look at me and tell me that I'm doing such a great job even though I've been in yoga pants all day and I spent Arya's 3 hour nap watching the Real Housewives of OC on demand and my teeth haven't been brushed in a day and a half.  

I'll cry because Isabella will cry to sit on my lap while I'm nursing her sister and it's not fair that I don't have an extra lap or an extra set of hands.  

I'll cry because all I want to do is Isabella's bedtime routine and she only wants her daddy to do it. 

I'll cry because every day my babies grow a little more.  Isabella will be in pre-school 5 full days next year and Arya will be my last little baby and each day she grows a little bit bigger and a little bit stronger.  I know how fast the years fly and I can't slow it down.  

I cry at the thought of Andy going back to work...he's been such a huge help and I'm so fortunate that he gets to stay home for the first six weeks.  I'm so used to having him around that I get anxiety when I think about him not being here and me managing a very demanding four year old and an infant on my own.  Especially when he goes back to midnights.  I think I might cry everyday he's gone.  

I cried the other day because the valence's for the baby's room still aren't up.  

I'm just so filled with emotions lately...good and bad.  I'm not sure if it's the hormones or the adjustments or if I'm just going soft, but there's definitely been a lot of tears springing lately.  

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