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7 Quick Takes

04 January 2013

Joining sweet Hallie who is filling in for Jen who is most certainly in our prayers (along with her little interior baby!) as she slowly and hopefully continues to recover from her health scare earlier this week. I miss her e-presence but I hope she is getting copious amounts of sleep as we all type our Quakes.

1. Let me start things off on the most important foot. There are so many people that I've met online that I would love to meet in real life and Lindsay is one of the lovely ladies at the very top of the list. She is a mother to seven kiddos and keeps an inspiring blog on (super!) motherhood.
It's a must-must-read for all moms. She recently posted about her cousin's son, John-Paul, who is in dire need of two expensive machines to treat his chronic seizures.
These machines are not covered by their insurance and they will gratefully accept all the help they can get to obtain these machines that are so vital to his continued health. I implore you to prayerfully consider donating to their John-Paul's cause. Thanks in advance!!

2. It took her a few days but Julia has gone from zero (aka: ignore/pretend he is invisible/deny his existence entirely) to hero ("was wong, fee-oh? Jew-ee-uhs here!") in the Theodore arena.
She's convinced he would really enjoy some cheese if we allowed and has reason to emerge from her cage every morning NOT wearing the look of "I hate life" ... while she investigates his whereabouts. She even carefully grabbed him by the scruff of the neck with the intention of walking him upstairs to change his diaper earlier this afternoon. Luckily, I was there to stop her but I don't have to tell you that sweetness knows no boundaries under our roof these days. Hopefully her baditude is gone for good.  Here's a clip (that might make you dizzy due to the angle switch up half way through) of her inaugural hold.

3. On the other hand, Sebastian is staying stagnant with his "nice touches" (I need a new phrase other than "nice touches" ... maybe "moderately kind pats" or "affirming strokes" -- no? I know) which border on domestic abuse.
Bash, Raggedy, and Scared Granny alllll kicking it.

I just think he doesn't know his own strength and he doesn't realize that he doesn't need to use the force of a lead paperweight to get his affectionate point across. He mostly steers clear of all things baby and is thrilled with all the unsupervised time he's got on his hands to get into messy mischief and stay in his footie pajams alllll day long. Here's a clip of some exceptionally kind and affirmative patting. Please forgive my first-thing-in-the-morn syrupy voice ... makes me cringe.

4. I know a lot of people don't love the newborn phase or aren't baby people in general (like the audiologist that came to check Theo's hearing and all but ran out of the room when Bash put his grubby paws out for her to please hold him ... ) but I am a total sucker for little tiny infants and I hope Theo stays the size of a teenage kitten forever!!!!!
oh, this doesn't scream "cuddly wuddly" to you?

Don't mind me and my normal. I won't deny that he is an odd looking little duck with his professional comb over, bebe chicken legs, beady little eyes, and his milky perma-grimace but I find the combo all very endearing and I'll stop before you grab your resident puke buck.

5. I debated being prudent and not sharing my nursing woes with you but I've got little else to share right now as it is sort of all-consuming. Without going into tooooo much detail, let's just say I've got enough milk to be Starbucks numero uno supplier if they suddenly started to market and sell lattes with a heavy pour of milk of the human variety. I'm drowning in cabbage leaves and hoping to regain some of my dignity, relatively pleasant odor, and pain-free living back in "5-7 days" (according to the lactation consultant and multiple reliable websites).

6. Julia and I indulged in a quick solo trip to Target last night to procure a humidifier filter and some teething gel. I was so happy to be behind the wheel of the van, in not-sweats, and among red-blooded strangers that I hardly noticed when the never not annoying Mambo #5 came on the radio. I aaaaalmost made the lethal and insane mistake of trying on some pants from the clearance rack but the "Theo is awake!!" alarm sounded via text from Simon. Ridiculous dressing room crisis very much averted, I'm sure. I'll try again in March or April.

7. I can't thank you enough for all of your sweet congratulatory emails and comments. It's been a superb week.

Go see Hallie for alllllllll the other posts.

44 comments:

  1. I love the chicken legs and beady eyes.. Gets my heart fluttering every time! Congrats and look for the shout out via www.

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  2. Before I had a couple of kids (heh), I used to declare that newborns looked like an old man/alien mashup.
    Now, I think they're the sweetest things ever.
    Even if they do look like an old man/alien mashup.

    Still adorable.
    Theo is adorable.

    Crap. I have to put your blog on lockdown for the next 2-4 days, and every month thereafter. It's not you, it's ovulation.

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  3. Hah! I always think newborns are so odd looking, like little aliens or shriveled up old men, but then when my own came popping out, IT WAS LOVE. and... only a mother's love, apparently.

    Hope your boobswells go down soon. Ugh I hated that part of post-partum. Oh and all the leaking, both on top and "down there" ugh ugh ugh.

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  4. Oh honey I feel for you and your nursing woes! I am also a human milk producer of the Jersey variety and that 5-7 "days"?! Ha! Try 5-7 months. Hand expression and/or manual pump helped right after nursing once or twice a day. How could any newborn (or twins, or triplets) possibly consume so much milk that they could ever be empty? Not possible. Anyway its never bad to have some extra milk in the freezer for... Something? A rainy day? I dont know, enough from me.

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  5. I'll let the fact that the videos are short slide - you just birthed a human.

    As always great post - always!

    THEO IS A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!!!! :D

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  6. I leeerve him! I wish I was closer so I could bring you guys dinner. But I'm glad you got out and about. That first trip out while not pregnant is the best.

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  7. I can NOT remember if I congratulated you (the past week is a haze of sick) so just in case, congratulations! He looks wonderful, black eye and all.

    Regarding violent boy behavior modification, we use "Be gentle" 'round these here parts. I'm not saying it works, mind. But at least it doesn't sound creepy.

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  8. By the way, that was a lot of my family on one post...lol Thanks for mentioning John-Paul!

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  9. "Fee-ou" is so adorable and I agree with loving them in the newborn stage. So squishy and cuddly! Amen to the nursing issues too- i feel like no one is ever honest about what it really is like in the beginning. I also love Lindsay's blog-she is such an inspiration!

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  10. Baby Theo is so darling--those feet, those hands! I love the pics of J and Basher with him. Yay party of five!

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  11. He is PRECIOUS! I would never ever ever ever wish prematurity on ANY baby/family and our NICU time was HORRENDOUS, but I do love that Laiden is 3 months old and still in NB clothes! She's been itty bitty for so long and I do enjoy it! We tell Liam to "be sweet" when he tries to show us her eyes/gouge them out or his newest fav "burp her" with nice smacks to te back and head. He's gotten better with her and is learning he can pet her on the top of her head and that's about all. He's hilarious because he mimics my high pitched baby talk when he talks to her! so sweet! Better than the crawling into her bouncer and smothering her he used to do. I'll stop typing now and pray for adult conversation soon so I can quit stalking/commenting paragraphs on your blog! :)

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  12. What a little sweetie!!! My grand daughter is 2 months old and is rewarding me with sweet sweet smiles...
    If I may be so bold as to ask....I never nursed a baby even though I gave birth to 2 children who are now grown. I have heard of nursing moms using "cabbage leaves"!! Pardon my ignorance but what do you do with them besides make coleslaw?!?!?!

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    1. Theresa -- you put them inside your bra when you are swollen and engorged. Helps everything not be so sore. Good in the beginning and also towards the end when you are weaning.

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  13. I think my two year old thought 'gentle' was his middle name the number of times we had to say it. And milk - oh man, the milk. I could have BATHED in it there was so much.

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  14. My newborns all bear a strange resemblance to Mother Teresa. It appears yours do too. Congrats Baby Mama! I just want to sniff him! not creepy at all

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  15. Hang in there with the milk situation - you and Theo will even things out pretty quickly. You might try hand expressing a teensy bit if you are super full, or stand in the hot shower and let some out. I had enough milk EVERY time for quintuplets. I do NOT lie. And Theo is just precious!!

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  17. Theo is just precious! And I LOVE how giant Bashy looks when you get him in the context of Theo

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  18. Look at that head of hair Theo has ... I love it!!

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  19. Theo just makes my heart go pitter patter! He is adorable! I made Ben watch the video of Julia with him and I think his heart grew ten sizes when she started petting his hair (which by the way he has A LOT of).

    Also, that's crazy that you posted about that blog today! I just had a fellow blog gal send me the link to this post: http://mychildiloveyou.blogspot.com/2010/06/adjusting-to-new-life-in-home.html
    Such a good read for bringing home a baby! Speaking of which, I can't wait!

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  20. Hahahahahaha I'm laughing my head off at some of these comments...and simultaneously laughing/gagging about the Starbucks...

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  21. LOVE Lindsay's blog and have earmarked some of her posts on mothering/ wife-ing to read often. John-Paul's story made me realize how much I take for granted healthy little ones- and I complain if I have to get up once during the night!
    Congrats on little Theo! He's such a cutie & I esp. love the chicken legs!

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  22. baby Theo is so adorable! I love watching Julia and Bash with him! Thanks so much for sharing!

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  23. that video of julia with theo made my cold-childless heart melt. it was so sweet, i almost wanted my own. almost.

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  24. Your kids are adorable! I feel your nursing pain, with both of my girls it was toe curling every time they latched on for weeks.

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  25. I second standing in a hot shower and letting the latte makers drain a bit. Even with twins I had way too much at first and that was the only way that I got comfort without stimulating more production or killing it.

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  26. Also, congratulations! Theo is adorable!

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  27. Oh man. I feel you on the milk factory...except for me, only one boob was super productive. Awkward.
    Theo is SO cute! I love the gangly alien phase.

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  28. I will always and forever be a baby person. I'll take a newborn over an obnoxious 3 year old any day (sad that newbornness lasts like 30 seconds and 3 lasts an entire year). I'd be showing up on your doorstep daily to snuggle that little bundle if I were only a smidge closer...

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  29. I LOVE that newborn phase so much. He's giving me baby fever :)

    FINALLY, linked up to what I wore for Christmas with your blog. Sorry I stink at link ups.

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  30. I'd love to meet Lindsay in real life, too! I love her blog-it's one of my favourites. Her posts radiate such peace and joy in motherhood.

    I adore newborns.

    Perhaps you and I should start a business making human milk ice cream together. We could sell oodles.

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  31. You might try "soooooffffffftttttt" as obnoxiously as possible while taking Bash's hand and caressing Theo's cheek with it. I think Jordan was so annoyed with us when she was in her slap-everyone-in-the-face-at-all-times stage that she just stopped so we'd stop.

    Theo, you're tiny and perfect and your legs look like little drumsticks.

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  32. Ella says EXACTLY the same thing to Ani "Don't cry, Ani! I'm here! Your big sister's here!" I die from the cuteness.

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  33. All 3 children are adorable but there is something about that "not quite grown into their skin stage" that is just precios. I had good luck with block feeding to settle down production. I only changed sides every 3 hours. Baby could nurse as often as they wanted but only off the one breast. It helps even out the hind and fore milk distribution as well. If the side that wasn't in use got really painful, I expressed just enough to ease things- 1-2 ounces. Megan and Noah (with my 1st it wasn't an issue) both gained weight quite well and seemed satisfied with the one breast. As things settled out, I could relax and it was handy to have a boob in "reserve" for growth spurts. :-)

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  34. Babies = adorable & snuggly. Theo is no exception. Toddlers = dark cloud hanging over my perpetual future. Julia being a great big sis, though, = <3, so there is hope for me!

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  35. 1- it is quite possibly the cutest thing ever that Julia says "Jew-ee-uhs here!"
    1- those clips were fantastic
    3- Theo is absolutely adorable and makes me so sad that Lucy is already so huge

    Love getting your life updates, praying for you and the adjustment!!

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  36. Loving the vids and that super tiny, gangly phase is so precious. Why CAN'T they stay so little??? Agh, your milking woes make my girls ache...10years later no less. Hold tight sis, at least you are chronicling these hours/days/weeks b/c I find that I really don't have much memory of those first month to 6wks with ANY of mine...aside from pics, that is. :-)
    May blessings and sleep find you OFTEN!!

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  37. Ahhh it ate my comment.

    Anyways, Theo is super precious and I was actually thinking that his hair looked quite stylish!

    I have no clue what the process is, but I'm sure a milk bank would love your extras :).

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  38. Love Theo's teeny little newborn sounds! Hope nursing gets easier/better for you pronto.

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  39. Love both the videos and sweet little Theo. He is precious.

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  40. You are really funny. Not everyone is really funny but you are. Stated the obvious but it was worth stating.

    Also I like the milky perma-grimace and think he's pretty cute. Infants are where it's at (and nearly every stage beyond. I love the babies.)

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  41. :) i LOVE newborns. it's the best stage. Mostly because it's a great excuse to sit on the couch and nurse for hours on end while reading a book. Plus I just like holding the baby. They are so snuggly. I hope your milk regulates soon and you get some comfort.

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  42. I've not read the six thousand other comments and I'm sure someone has already said all of this, but I am a cow of epic proportions when it comes to milk production that I do all the things they tell you not to do: super tight bra (sometimes 2 at the same time. Yes.), even while not-sleeping; not drinking enough water; avoiding oatmeal and other milk producing foods; only nursing on ONE side per feeding. Ugh, the first 3 weeks or so are the pits. Hugs!

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  43. He is so adorable...I can't get over how teeny! That stage goes by so fast...I look at my three month old chunk and wonder how the heck she was ever only 7 pounds! :)
    And with #5: I am the SAME way with each of my babies. May explain the chunk situation. Hope you feel some relief soon!!

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