24 Hours with a Newborn Part 2

When we last left off, Lil Fish was down for a nap and I was pondering my next move: bathroom,  shower, lunch-in that order. Even cold Chickfila is amazing.

1:00 pm: I took a long shower and washed my hair which improved my looks and mood by 17%. Thought about hiring a house cleaner. Groupon has some deals. After I got out, I scheduled the baby's 1 month appointment.

2:43 pm: Changer a wet diaper. Took the little one on a short walk around our building. Gotta get that vitamin D.

2:55 pm: Elementary kids are home! Told them to eat an apple or banana for snack.

3:04 pm: Feed the baby and open mail. I got packages! A couple from Amazon with cleaning and school supplies, my nursing bras from Bambooies, aaaaannndddd a #WalmartBabyBox :-(

3:30 pm: Took living room rug outside to clean it with this new Woolite stuff I got.

4:05 pm: Realized that I've been sitting on the couch quietly and doing nothing for some time. I should clean the bathroom or start dinner but I need a minute. Maybe I should take a nap.

4:22 pm: Feed the baby. Then she took a nap with her bro.

4:50 pm: Rug still isn't quite right so treat again.

5:30 pm: Start dinner. My new rule is, if it takes more than 30 minutes,  I'm cooking something else.  Tonight, it's lemon garlic tilapia, spaghetti with garlic and olive oil, broccoli,  and croissants.

6:07 pm: Dinner is plated and on the table. I scarf down 2 croissants and feed the baby.  And myself. I'm hungry

6:33 pm: Laid her down in her own bed. Danced to "Moo" by Doja Cat.  Then, had a full on dance party with the big girls, featuring aaliyah, Ciara, and Beyonce, with a lil Migos and Cardi.

8:24 pm: Gave Lil Fish her first bath. She didn't wake up when I put her in the water. She fussed a little when I washed her face.

She was super chill afterwards.

Then, of course, fed the baby. 

11ish pm: Fed the baby.

Everything got a little fuzzy after that but I got my FitBit data. It says I slept from 11:20 pm to 6:20 am.

 I remember her eating twice but I don't know what time. Looks like a 12:30ish feed and a 5:30ish feed.  There may be another in the middle. Little one was next to me so neither of us fully woke up for night feedings (#reasonstobreastfeed) and I got the best sleep I have had since she was born-6 whole hours!

6:32 am: Fed the baby after her daddy changed her. Went back to sleep.

9:47 am: Diaper and feeding again. Woke up MechanicBae. 

Time to do it all again.

24 Hours with a Newborn Part 1

I haven't blogged in a week. I am adjusting to life with 6 kids and recuperating.  I was laying in bed last night when I came up with the idea of blogging what 24 hours with Lil Fish & Co is like.  She's  11 days old today, so still a newborn.

9:47 am: Wake up to the smell of Lil Fish's diaper. Surprise-she is on our bed. I need to use the bathroom and I want her to sleep like 5 more minutes.
9:55 am: Looked at my reflection in the dirty mirror. Admired my milk stains.  There are at least six; they overlap. Thought about cleaning bathroom.
9:56 am: Baby was not asleep. She looked at me while I changed wet/poopy diaper.

10:00 am: Tried to wake up MechanicBae and then Princess.  I think she has a live lesson at 11 am but I'm not sure because I'm not sure what day it is.
10:04 am: Gave baby to her Papa and set up living room to be my base for the day. Diapers, wipes, onesie, socks, bib, receiving blanket, swaddle, nursing pillow, and baby box.
10:20 am: I was fixing yogurt parfaits for Princess and me when I heard the baby crying and her daddy asking her if she's hungry.  Duh.

10:22 am: Fed baby. Right side first.

(10:37 am: Switched sides and thought about giving her a bath)
10:46 am: Swaddled her and put her down.

10:47 am: Baby wakes up and wiggles out of swaddle. To be fair, it was a garbage swaddle. I used a receiving blanket and bn left her legs out. Picked her up and sang and danced with her for a while.

11:07 am: Laid her down in her Snuggle Me Lounger and made up my bed.
11:11 am: Made a wish. Tried to finish breakfast coffee.
11:20 am: Baby fussed so I picked her up.
11:23 am: She was wet so I changed her.
11:28 am: Milky time.  She only nursed on the left and for only 10 minutes so #issasnack. She's sleep so I scroll FB, log into my Young Living account and update my order, and order car parts for the shop on eBay.
12:10 pm: MechanicBae walks in with Chickfila for lunch.
12:11 pm: Lil Fish wakes up ready to eat. She stares in my face to compensate for making me wait to eat.  I don't mind. I sing to her.
12:25 pm: She's ASLEEP! I need to eat, use the bathroom, and shower but her diaper is wet.  I change her quick and put her in her own bed to sleep.

Wordless Wednesday

She is here!

It all started with a text from MechanicBae's mom.

She sent it Sunday morning, early, and I decided to take her up on it. I got dressed, put on my contacts, and did my make up. I also extended the invite to the crew-threebbn of them opted to go.

At church, I noticed my contractions were getting...annoying. I timed a few and they were about 10-15 minutes apart, but not super strong. The sermon went on and the pastor randomly said, "That baby you're carrying will be born today!"
{Now let me pause for a moment. I know he didnt mean a literal baby but I was shooketh.}
Princess, MB's mom, and I were like, "nooooo," and laughed it off.
After church, Cracker Barrel for lunch and then home.
I'd stopped timing contractions by then. I planned to go swimming but I decided to nap first but I couldn't sleep. I was restless and tired at the same time. Princess got in my bed and napped like a pro.

Relaxing with my belly

At about 5, I thought about cooking dinner. It was then I realized the contractions were getting strong. I started considering my situation/options: MB was at work. I am full term (almost 40 weeks). I tested positive for Group B Strep. I have precipitous labors. I decided to head to L&D, just in case and while I could still drive. Worst case scenario, I go home and go back to the doc Tuesday and induced Wednesday.

I got to L&D around 7:30ish and Princess said my contractions were 4-5 min apart. I didn't really believe her because I didn't want to believe her. However, I just have looked "labor-y" because a stranger took off running for a wheelchair when she saw me.
Let me add a little info. When I have a contraction, it is insane but as soon as it's over, I'm normal. So they nursed were concerned at first, then mildly puzzled when the contraction stopped. They decided to check me.
5 cm and 90% effaced.
$#!+ just got real.
They put in an IV immediately but tbh, pain was only a 4. Then, at 8:10pm, I heard/felt/sensed a POP. I thought it was a big kick at first but quickly realized my water had broken. As soon as I changed positions, the whole bed was flooded. All that extra amniotic fluid made quite a mess. I actually flooded the bed twice. My bad.
MB and Smoo arrived. I made a few Marco Polos and send some texts. They checked me again (6cm) and hit my IV with a little happy juice.
I made a FB post around 10.

Why is he writing on the board?

Then it got real. The contractions moved closer together and became intense. I turned into a crybaby asked for an epi. Now my brain was telling me it was almost over and to chill but the pain told me to get the needle. They checked me again and I was 8cm but baby was high up. Again, brain told me the epi window was closed but they still called for the anesthesiologist.

Then something happened. I PROMISE I wasn't pushing but I could feel the baby coming. I told them something was happening. They peeked and saw hair. MB said he thought they were joking.

No one was joking.

They grabbed my legs and pushed them into position. The anesthesiologist walked it. It was cool. She said she liked babies. I pushed exactly zero times. My body was on auto pilot so I let it do its thing and on Sunday, August 12, 2018, at 10:37 pm, my sweet girl made her appearance! She is 7lbs 1 oz and 20in long. Her very proud daddy cut her cord. Zero pushes. Zero stiches. No interventions, save 1 dose of antibiotics and 1 of nubaine. Delivered 3 hours after arriving at the hospital .

Hello, sweet girl 

Proud papa

Getting loved on by big sis while Mommy has post-labor Rush's. 

She is beautiful. She is perfect. We love her.

More Making and Doing

Our new MakeDo pieces came and we are quite pleased! Our weather forecast called for rain EVERY SINGLE FLIPPING DAY this week.

Perfect time to build.

I also got several packages from Target this week so we had an abundance of boxes around.

MakeDo is bringing all the kids together. Popcorn's helpers were Side Salad and Astronaut.   They decided to make a house.  Popcorn planned to sleep in the house and outfitted it with a pillow and blanket.  She then her Sharpie to draw her windows and door (and to label the roof), then put her big bros to work.

It came out super cute, with a little arched door. That last pic is the new Scru pieces he used to attach the handle. They tend to be a lot easier to use and hold longer. We just used MiniTool to punch holes and the ScruDriver to attach them. 

Astronaut constructed the door with hinges from the older generation car kit and we used the older attaching pieces.  The window opens and closes-we used Scrus for that, too. I didn't get pics that day but here is the final product 2 days later. Somehow, she removed the hinges. The older attaching pieces and they can be a little tricky, plus they have pieces in the back that are poke-y. The Scrus held well.

She took her house into her room and snuggled inside but found it wasn't that comfy after all and slept in her bed instead.

Online School for Princess

Many moons ago, I blogged about the challenges of being a minority student. Princess struggles the most with this. Her outspoken attitude can make her a target for some adults so she and I have been discussing online school for months. We decided to proceed with it this school year. I have mixed feeling about it, to be honest, but it really is in her best interest. This is a big change for our family. {Note: The others will be attending their zoned schools-Astronaut will be be a senior, Squirrel will be a 7th grader, Frick & Frack will be in 6th grade, Side Salad in 5th, and Popcorn in first.}

The reasons:

• My girl had several incidents with the adults in her building.  Nearly all of them were the result of an adult giving conflicting directions and continuously escalating a situation.  In the end, she wasn't punished. In meeting with administration, it was clear the adults were wrong.  It was evident that the adults in her school have a low understanding of child development when it comes to certain students.  
• Princess has been state identified as a gifted/talented student. She is a TIP Scholar.  Yet her GPA was a 2.0 and she nearly failed some core classes.  This is unacceptable and the school was unable to provide the type of support she needed as those particular teachers were busy singling her out repeatedly for their own inconsistent practices instead of focusing on student success. 
• The teachers weren't the only issue. For some reason, she just couldn't seem to get her bearings. Maybe it was the size of the school-over 2,000 students.  Maybe it was her own maturity level.  She struggled all year.
• Her guidance counselor left.  That was one of the few faces that looked like hers in that building and she left. She was Princess' trusted adult in difficult situations and was the leader of her mentoring program as well as her step team coach. Without her, who would P go to when she had issues?

I want my children to be successful.  I don't know if she could be successful in the environment she was in.  If that environment is the dining room table, so be it.  This model of learning comes with its own set of concerns.

I am concerned about her time management and her ability to keep up so we'll be utilizing a planner. This is a strategy we've been using the past few years to help her be accountable for getting things done. We'll also create a daily schedule for her.  Luckily, I'll be home for the entire first marking period and part of the second, so I can help her transition.

She  will be missing out on some extracurricular activities but the online program we chose, SC Connections Academy, has clubs she can participate in.

I also plan to get her the Rosetta Stone in German to ensure she is both challenged and supported.  We're going to get  it through the Duke TIP program.  We are also looking into summer programs she can attend next year at colleges.

She's going to have an exercise schedule to ensure she maintains an appropriate level of physical activity.

I also found out one of her school friends and my stepsister's daughter may be enrolled in the same program!  The girls may be able to support each other.

I hate sometimes that parenting doesn't come with a manual and so much is trial and error but I think this decision may pan out for us in the end.  If not, she can always return to her zoned school.

Make it Monday: It's a-MAZE-ing!

The car Popcorn made last week is falling apart so she decided to turn it into a maze for our mBot.

 She busted out her trusty MakeDo saw and got to work.  Since Frick & Frack were here, she had lots of help...at first. The 10 year olds were quite excited to cut up the car but not as enthusiastic about actually constructing the maze.

 Eventually, they got tired of working and went off to design spacecraft and play Slither.io.  Princess stepped in and there was lots of sisterly STEAM bonding.

Finally, her maze was complete.  We set the mBot to green mode and away it went!

She lost 2 teeth last week.

Another successful project!

Then, she made herself some lunch.

Blended Family: Yours, mine, and ours.

It's been a busy weekend.  In addition to my crew, my plus 2 (Frick & Frack) was here. Those are MechanicBae's twin sons. They are 6 months older than Side Salad so it's a party when the whole gang is here.

Blended families are a unique challenge. We've known these little guys for about 3 or 4 years now so they aren't new to us.  They are great kids; their mom is awesome, too. She has done a phenomenal job raising these little guys and we get along very well. She and MechanicBae have a good coparenting relationship.  Frick & Frack fit right in with the crew.  They are bright, respectful, funny-just really good kids.

But sometimes, I feel guilty.  See, their dad is here. Everyday.  We live together so my kids are in a 2 parent home, for all intents and purposes. MechanicBae is the one  who took Popocorn to school everyday in 4K.  He's the one the teens call when they need a parent during the day. He takes them to their friends' houses and gives them spending money.  He has inside jokes with all of them.  He is even learning to say "no" to their constant and incessant requests.

But he is Frick & Frack's dad.  We didn't date until after MechanicBae and his ex-wife were already apart and their divorce was finalized before mine.  And then we weren't a couple until a couple of years later.  So I don't feel like our relationship interferes with his parenting. BUT, I can't imagine not seeing my babies all the time. And I know what it feels like to not see your parent every day.

I do what I can to make them feel like a part of the family. We take them on vacation. I get them the same level of gifts I buy mine. They have some clothes and PJs here.  I hold them to the same standard I hold me.  They have to read during reading time, no tech at the table, and even summers have bedtimes.  Just like I fuss at Side Salad about showering and brushing his teeth, I do the same for them. When we are out, people assume that I birthed them, too.

Teaching them to play Phase 10

But then....they go home. And MechanicBae is still here.

And I still feel guilty.

And it's even harder now that Lil Fish is on the way. I already told MechanicBae that I want all the kids to see the baby at the same time. This means the crew will be in the waiting room until Frick & Frack can get to the hospital. This baby is as much their sibling and I don't want them to feel like they aren't equally important.

I do what I can.

Are you raising a blended family? Did you grow up in one?  What were your challenges?

Woo hoo! I won!

I spend a lot of time on social media, specifically Facebook and Instagram.  Lately,  I get suggestions to look at baby stuff and my ads are baby related.  One from Snuggle Me Organics [ @snuggle_me_organic on Insta] popped up in my feed and I was like, "What the heck. Can't win if you don't play." They were picking four winning pairs (you had to tag someone) to get an organic baby lounger and a 3 pack of swaddles. Their products looked excessively soft and cuddly.

I tagged Princess (she is active of Insta and her gift could be split between my 2 pregnant coworkers) and my cousin's wife, who is 6 weeks behind me.

We won. My cousin's wife and I.  For reals. I was legit confused at first bc who really wins these things? I am elated. It would have been a splurge to buy the items (value $239). I adore their earthy tones  so I am getting my lounger in Ember, a deep warm gold, and my swaddles in Moss, Slate, and Natural.  I can't wait to see Lil Fish snuggle for a nap in these products. 

If you want to splurge a bit on a gift for a special little one from a cool mama-owned (Mia is a mama of 7!l) company that follows through with their word, look no further.  And if you want $25 off your purchase, I got you, fan.

COUPON CODE:
SHARE25 

This code is good for $25.00 OFF any order of 100.00 or more

Thanks, Mia!

That time I got stuck in a booth

Last night, I had a hankering for a delicious dinner cheesesteak from Waffle House.  Initially,  I wanted pasta, then poutine but I definitely wanted cheesesteak.  It was pretty late so the little kids were asleep. I told the Astronaut & the Princess to put their shoes on and come with me.

We got to my favorite Waffle House and my favorite cook was working so I was elated.  As we selected our seat,  both the cook and server eyed me suspiciously.
"You sure you don't want to sit at the low bar?" asked the concerned cook, as I lowered myself into to the booth.
"No," I answered.  "It's fine." I turned to the kids. "I think this is my last time in a booth, ya'll."

We ordered and ate, enjoying our unique brand of humor until Lil Fish tapped my bladder as if to remind me I wasn't entitled to uninterrupted time with my 1st and 2nd born. As I went to get up, I noticed that the frisky fetus had shifted slightly and I, as a result,  was firmly wedged between the table and chair.

I tried to shift, to no avail.  Additionally, the booths in Waffle House are permanently bolted down.  A noticed and asked if I needed help. P simply snickered.

I'll spare you the details but A slid me out without me on the floor and I had to sit sideways for the rest of the meal.

That Face!

I had my 36 week appointment today.  There's nothing too new or exciting to report.  Blood pressure still good, still got a ton of fluid, not gaining much (a little under 20 pounds).  Since I have polyhydramnios, we get frequent peeks at our little fish and today's peek was AMAZING! It was challenging at first since someone wanted to duck on their hands.  Here are a few of the best shots:

Hello, love!

We were clearly annoying the little night owl with our morning antics

Those lips! Those cheeks! That little nose!  Be still my heart! Our technician said my extra fluid and baby's fat layers are why these pics are so great.

I think it's amazing that we can see the baby so clearly before s/he is born. This level of technology didn't exist for my first 3 children was quite new when I was expecting Side Salad.

While we know what Lil Fish looks like, we don't know the gender. If you think you do, click the link and make a guess!
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