Canaan, 17 weeks

-Rolled over from back to tummy!

Oopsie Poopsie

Canaan went to bed a little after 8 last night (in a Rumpster AIO with a preemie prefold) and woke up at 6:30 this morning. I nursed him, then went to change him but he was totally dry. I took him to the shower and turned it on and held him so he could go pee. I waited like a minute but he didn't go, so I just took him back to the bed and put the diaper back on. I commented to dh that he hadn't pooped yesterday and that was weird because he usually poops 3 or 4 times. Came downstairs and nursed him again while dh took a shower upstairs, then felt the diaper and he had peed. Went upstairs to change him and dh goes, "Umm, he pooped in the shower." I don't know how I didn't hear/see it but he pooped all over the "dam" (that thing you step over to get into the shower). ROFL ROFL

NIP

I feel sorta strongly about NIP - nursing in public. When I had Malachi, I never nursed him in public. I went to a bathroom (in the stall, on the toilet) or my car or, if I was in someone else's home, to a bedroom. If I absolutely HAD to nurse him in front of others, I covered us with a blanket. I loosened up a bit with Graham, and a little more with Caris. Alif & I met with a financial planner when she was just a few weeks old and I was trying to get her to latch on in his office with a receiving blanket over her. We knew this guy, John, and it was just sort of uncomfortable to me, nursing her directly across from him. She was a little squirmy and fussy, and he said in a totally casual, kind way (not like he minded her fussing a bit) "Take the blanket off! She's hot in there! My wife just whips it out wherever we are. When they've gotta eat, they've gotta eat!" I tell you what, for whatever reason, that just freed me right up. LOL There are still times I cover during latch, just so no one gets a big eyeful of my bustiness, but for the most part, I just latch him on discreetly and go about life.

Now the actual point of this post. Today I was sitting at Graham's baseball practice and nursing Canaan. A Dad walked past - a tough-guy, guys'-guy kind of Dad - and said, "That is a beautiful bonding right there." How sweet, isn't that??

I hope that as time goes by, more women will nurse their babies - at home, in the restroom, anywhere they're comfortable - and that it will start to be seen as the norm. I hope some Mom sees me nursing somewhere, chatting with someone or tending to my bigger kids, and thinks, "hey, I could do that!"

I love you

I love you, Mom. This is a silly thing, maybe, but I have been thinking of this since the moment you said it and have never sat down to blog about it. I think I am afraid that how much this meant to me won't translate in a blog entry. When I was in labor with Canaan and you said you were on your way, I anticipated your arrival. It was a wonderful feeling when you came into the bathroom with a smile on your face, but also the look a mother has when her daughter is in labor. Excited, nervous, praying everything is going to go well. Anyway, at some point you said, "This is the cleanest bathroom I have ever seen!" Obviously it wasn't literally the cleanest bathroom you'd *ever* seen but it was wonderful to be laboring and have my Mom there and speaking words of affirmation. Thank you for that! Every time I clean that bathroom I smile and think of your kind words.

Dad, Alif got me a new iPod and as the kids & I drove home from Costco today, the Paul Simon song "Father and Daughter" came on. I had read the lyrics when you gave me that cd, but I'm not sure I'd actually listened to the song. I am a lucky girl (even though I'm a grown woman with my own kids) to have a Dad who really loves me and isn't afraid to say it. I love you too, Dad.

I'm gonna watch you shine
Gonna watch you grow
Gonna paint a sign
So you'll always know
As long as one and one is two
There could never be a father
Who loved his daughter more than I love you

Oh wow, what a surprise!

Alif went to run errands today - said he needed to go by our old house and look for some jeans. Well, when he came back he gave me a brand-new iPod!! I said, "Oh my gosh, what's this for??" He said, "You needed one! We have a little extra money since selling the truck, so I got you one." Wow, how thoughtful and generous of him!! :*)

Canaan, 16 weeks

-when reclined (in the car seat, bouncy, in the bath), lifts his head to look around
-grabby-bear! He's grabbing things really well all of a sudden
-when I pull him up from a laying-down position, he keeps his head level with his body

PetSmart

Alif took the big kids to Caris' tee-ball practice last night, and on the way home they stopped at PetSmart to look at the animals ("definitely cheap entertainment," Alif says!). This morning Caris came in and said her good mornings to Canaan and I, then she had a lot to say about their PetSmart trip:

Mommy, would you like to go to PetSmart today and meet all the friendly animals? There are parrots and fishes . . . and there are lizards that eat tiny crickets. The crickets are so teensy you can barely see them! There are cats too, and little fishes in boxes this big (about 4" x 6"). The animals are so awesome.

Lice - awwww!

The children's director at our church called just after we got home on Sunday. She sounded uneasy, and I thought, "Oh no, why is she calling with an unhappy tone on Mother's Day?" She said, "I needed to let you know that one of the little girls in Caris' class had lice." I said, "Ohhhh dear. We'll just pray that one passes right by!" After I got off the phone I told Alif what she had said, and Caris asked what lice are. I told her they are little bugs that live in people's hair and she said, "Awwwwwwwww!!!" as if that would be the cutest thing ever! Imagine, your very own personal bugs! ROFL That girl sure loves her bugs!

Canaan, 15 weeks

-Gave up lip-sucking in favor of sucking his fingers. A lot.
-Smiles hugely at everyone! He is such a friendly little guy!
-At house church this week Cyndi said, "Has he had a haircut?" I told her he hasn't and she said, "His hair's just growing in perfectly." It really is. It sticks straight up but it's all even all over. LOL
-Doesn't spit up much any more.
-Loves naked time in a really happy, leg-kicking kind of way.
-Got his polio shot, and didn't even cry!
-When I lay him on his tummy on his baby gym, he seems to enjoy the scritchy-scratchy sound his nails make on the fabric.
-I finally figured out how he magnetizes to me in the bed! Up to now, I'd always just known that if he's sleeping with me I will wake up with a little baby pressed neatly against my side, but that I won't know how he managed to scoot all that way. I witnessed him in action today! He will turn his head toward me and lean it forward. Ah, nice, baby face next to mine. Oh wait though. Then he turns his face away from mine and throws his head back. Pleah, baby hair in my face. So that's how he does it. He just uses his head as leverage, rolling it back and forth, back and forth, till he's as close as he can possibly get, which is when his entire body is in direct contact with mine.
-Likes to touch my shirt while he nurses

Boring Update

Maybe if I always title these particular blog entries about my day "boring update" then anyone who visits can skip it. LOL I am sure that it truly is boring to anyone but me, but I tend to use this blog as sort of a journal so alas, the boring entries.

Here's how our day basically went today:
Woke up around 7:30, laid around in bed chatting with Alif, Canaan smiley between us. Got up and made english muffin egg sandwiches for breakfast, tidied up here & there, and started laundry, which had become a HUGE mountain during the week despite what seems like constant laundering. Gave Caris & Canaan baths, cut Malachi & Graham's hair. They took baths too. Took a shower and got dressed while kids watched Saturday cartoons, played online etc. While kids had quiet time I pumped, talked to Mom and Megan online and loaded the dishwasher. Watched an episode of Digging for the Truth about Pompeii. Interesting and sad. Kids went across the street and threw baseballs with Fred while I nursed Canaan. Caris came home and was looking through a book of the month catalog. She saw a book cover with monsters on the front and said, "Not this one; Jesus doesn't like this." I told her she has such a discerning heart to know what Jesus likes! Boys came home and helped me with Canaan while I folded two baskets of laundry and put it away. Put Canaan to bed. Cleaned kitchen while I talked to Lynette on the phone, then realized I didn't have the ground beef I needed for dinner and called Alif to see if he could bring something home. I have not had a good WW day. It started out good but unraveled. God's mercies are new every morning! Kids are now watching the Jetsons and I am going to work on my desk/kitchen floor and load the dishwasher again.

Canaan, Malachi in the background

Baby

Canaan actually fell asleep in his car seat today, miracle of miracles! I brought him inside and about three minutes after this picture he was wailing with tears streaming down his face. But do you see right above his right elbow? He got his first freckle a couple weeks ago!

Canaan has this major lip-sucking habit goin' on. If he can get to his hand, great - if not, a lip will do. First to stick that tongue out and try to find some lip to suck . . .

There it is - I think I'll suck this bottom lip for a minute but I will probably switch to the top one soon.

I call Canaan "spazzy" a lot because he has these little periods during the day where he's just a complete spaz. He's so excited he can't contain himself so he's all smiling and eyes really wide, and then his body gets super stiff, then he's kicking and flailing and omgosh it's HILARIOUS.

And then thank goodness, he goes back to his usual self. ROFL All that exercise wears a baby out! During a little cold snap last week I put him to bed with a blanket just up to his waist. I went to find him and somehow he'd snuggled in all the way and was sucking on the blanket. Always, always he moves from the middle of the pack & play to the very edge like this.

Whose face is the chubbiest? :-D He scratched his little face, poor baby. When I'm nursing him lying down I sometimes have to help him control his little arm, because he tries to rub his eyes but really it's more like clawing them out since he's so uncoordinated still.

Schools are for fish

Canaan, 14 weeks

Reaches for toys, slowly and carefully
Sucks his hand/fingers in any position now
Tries to sit up by lifting his head when he's in an inclined position
His hair is getting so long and sticks straight up! It's about 1/2" long now!
Everywhere we go, people think he's so cute and cozy in his sling, and he smiles at everyone! He's such a little charmer!
Still coughing. :-(
When I hold him in my lap he pat-pats and rubs my arm

Magic Healing Salts

The kids are watching probably the worst rendition ever of Prince Caspian, but they seem to enjoy it. Caris just came up to me and said, "When can we get some of those healing salts, and we can put it on all of my bleeding spots?" I asked her what healing salts, and she said, "Those kind they used on the movie." I told her they are probably pretend and just something in a movie and she was quite sure that they are real. I asked her where we might get some and she said, "We can probably get them at Walgreens but we'll have to go inside to get them, not in the drive-through." ROFL ROFL

Another day in our home

Here is a dreadfully boring account of our day. I'm recording it because even dreadfully boring accounts are very interesting to me years down the line!

6:45 am Woke up and nursed Canaan, then dozed while he did for a little while longer. Then I got up for coffee because I needed to take Alif on errands.

7:25 am Left to follow Alif to the garage to drop off his "little truck" (he got a new truck this week, a Ford F-250!) for some pre-sale repairs. Came back home and picked up Chamil's Mazda, followed Alif over to the detail shop to have that car detailed.

9:00 Finally home. Poor Canaan looked absolutely tortured. He does not enjoy his car seat. Doesn't he know how beautiful and cozy it is? (I accidentally typed dozy at first - it's not usually dozy at all for him, unfortunately). Nursed him and put him down for a little nap. Did some reading with the boys and read to Caris. She's really into a Spanish word board book right now. I feel silly pronouncing some of the words but she finds me quite an expert so pronounce i must. She asked if she could say the words today too. Of course you can! But she didn't after all. Lynette called to see if we wanted to go on a walk at 11. We did want to!

10:17 Canaan woke up. I know the exact time because as I lay nursing him I thought, oh dear, we definitely do not have time for the grocery store before our walk. I also did not want to shower before our walk because it was warm out and I thought then I'd be stinky the rest of the day.

11:00 Left the house for our walk. Enjoyed our walk! We walked for almost an hour. Slowly, but hey, slow walking is better than no walking.

12:00 Nursed Canaan and watched as he did lots of stretching after being asleep in the sling for over an hour. How precious is a stretching baby? Arms reaching high but still barely past the top of his head, legs all bunched up and then kicking out, lips pursed and head cocked to the side just a bit . . . ahhhhhhhh, that is one totally relaxed baby. Oh yeah, here comes the poop . . .

12:20 Went to McDonald's and got super-nutritious food for myself and my little children. :-P

1:20 Put everyone down for naps/quiet time. Wasted time completely while they napped. Clicked around online, tidied up a bit here & there, did a load of laundry and started the dishwasher, etc. LaMonica called to see if she could come by after 3 to bring me bottles and a new breast pump!

4:00 or so LaMonica came by, showed me how to use the super-nice pump, and had a nice visit. Canaan woke up just before she came and nursed, of course.

5:30 Alif got home and Malachi got ready for his first baseball practice of the season. This year he moves up to regular pitch. Wow! I took a shower while Graham entertained Canaan (who was in the swing right outside the bathroom LOL). Caris sat on my bed looking at books. Alif took Malachi to practice.

6:30 I finally left for Malachi's practice, and got there just in time to see the last 10 minutes or so. Still nice to see his team and meet his coach. Two very familiar boys are on his team this year. Their Mom's name is Monica and I really like her. She has 5 or 6 kids. That's not why I like her, but it's always fun for me to be around families with lots of kids. Lots being more than four.

7:30 Went to McDonald's and got more super-charged food for my family. This is such a disgusting habit. BUT! I have a two-week menu written up, and tomorrow morning I am going to the grocery store. I'm going to get everything I need for TWO weeks instead of one. We'll make a quick run after a week to get milk and fresh produce.

8:00 REALLY wanted my kids in bed. Canaan nursed & went down. Big kids ate noisily at the table while American Idol played in the background. McDonald's Happy Meal toys happen to be AI toys right now. Graham had a hand-clapper gun-looking AI device, AI sunglasses and AI headphones so that he could be totally American Idol while eating and watching. It was my idea to use the hand-clapper toy when he really liked a song, but when he did it I snapped, "Graham! Don't use that when Canaan's asleep please!" :-P

8:30 Kids all in bed. Yaaaaaaaay! Alif was at his parents' (they're still in Africa) installing some tile. Heard Caris crying in sort of a frantic, scared-sounding way and ran up the stairs. She smelled fire. How scary! I reassured her and prayed with her and she fell right asleep. I wish I could know that her fears would always be so easily soothed. I ate two small McFlurries while watching AI and reading about my new borrowed breast pump online. IMed with a couple friends. Chatted with Alif for a few when he got home.

9:22 Sat down for my third pumping session of the day. Told Alif he just had to see this new pump in action. He saw and said, "that is ridiculous." I truly look like a dairy cow while using this thing. It's completely hilarious. Boobs should never look like that. But the milk that comes out makes me very, very happy. This is one of the best gifts I've ever been able to give.

10:00 Sat down here. Went into cyber-space time warp and it's suddenly 10:45. I'm *exhausted*!!

Lynette and I are starting Weight Watchers on Friday!! We're only going to go to one meeting and then we will meet weekly on our own. I know that sounds doomed to failure but I hope it goes well.

Graham found a worm on our walk today and loved it. He said he was going to take it home so that it can make our dirt into good soil. Then the worm formed itself into a perfect heart in Graham's palm. I said, "It loves you!" :-D

Canaan, 13 weeks

-He was rubbing his hair rhythmically this morning . . . flat palm against the back of his head, slowly forward, then fling off the front in a big wide circle around to the back again. Alif goes, "You're gonna wear your hair out!" :-D
- Loves being in his sling! If he's sleepy *at all* he is asleep within minutes, even seconds sometimes. If he's not sleepy he'll just settle in cozily and ride along, sucking his fist or fingers and looking around.
-Talks to the nursie while he nurses. LOL
-I sang this cute kids' song, "Shout! Shout joyfully, all the earth . . . " and the beginning is kind of high and stacatto, and he laughed. A lot. :-D
-I look down sometimes when I have him in my lap, and there he is, smiling up at me! OMGosh this baby is so SWEET! He smiles so much!