Customer Satisfaction is Dropping

Baby was particularly upset. She didn't want to eat, didn't need a clean diaper, didn't want to cuddle and certainly didn't want to sleep. What she needed was her binky (her pacifier, for you non-parental types). Alas, it was nowhere to be found! As I looked, she was more and more frustrated with me, her cries growing louder and her face getting redder.

Finally, I found it. The Boy had claimed the binky to use on one of his stuffed animals. But once I gave it to Baby, she continued to grunt and growl her dissatisfaction at me, even as she sucked away on the thing. It was kinda funny, getting yelled at through a pacifier.

Items for today:
1) Get more pacifiers.
2) Explain to the Boy about how toys do not need binkies.
3) Contemplate keeping spare binkies out of reach of small children.

What Would Santa Do?

So this last week opened me up to a new level of frustration and eye-rolling. The Boy took "pain in the royal behind" to heart and made it his personal goal to irritate the snot out of everyone. Don't believe me? Here's a little sample of what he did just in the days before Christmas.

• Stole Baby's pacifier and hid it when he knew she wanted it.
• Tantrums unnumbered over the most seemingly insignificant things (like which chair he got at the dinner table - the actual chair, not the place at the table).
• After first engaging Boo in a hug, he proceeds to bite her arm so hard that not only did it bruise, but it also broke the skin.
• Snuck most of the Christmas fudge. It took me a couple days to catch on that I wasn't the one eating so much of it.
• Swung my painting on the wall until it fell off.
  
• Took any and every opportunity to annoy Boo, making her either cry or yell at him - both of which would result in them getting in trouble.

That's enough for now, but there are more. Even threatening to call Santa and then picking up the phone to do so did not deter his bad behavior. He spent a portion of every day in time out but it didn't seem to affect him. I was at a loss as to what to do. Maybe it is the new baby, the holiday season where his schedule is off, or the influx of sugar. Whatever the cause, his behavior was making me cry daily (that could also be the hormones, as I was already getting weepy over some of the Christmas songs on the radio).

Then I had an idea. Remember how he kept asking Santa for a spiderweb and I had no clue what he meant? I had planned on making one from red yarn but come Christmas Eve, me and the Man stayed up way too late (playing Rock Band) and I decided I just couldn't make it. And to be perfectly honest? I really didn't want to. So I contemplated leaving him a message from Santa, saying something to the effect of "Sorry, but you landed on the naughty list so no spiderweb. And next year, don't bite your sister." I thought it was genius! The Man and I snickered over it for some time but in the end, I didn't leave a note, either. Besides, even a personal letter from Santa himself would be lost on the Boy.

And you know what? He didn't even notice there wasn't a spiderweb on Christmas morning.

Would you have left the letter from Santa?

Christmas Message

President Hunter gave this advice during the first Christmas Devotional in 1994. I received this fabulous rendering of those priceless words many years ago, as part of the Relief Society's Christmas present to all the women. The message touched me so much that I've kept it with my Christmas decorations. I decided I needed to share it with others. And I tried to find out who the artist was but no one would fess up.

Hope you are having a very merry Christmas!

Best Christmas Present Ever

Merry Christmas! And God bless us, every one.

The hospital gave us this stocking when Baby was born, made by their volunteers. After the baby is bathed, prodded and measured, they deliver the baby to the mother tucked inside these stockings. Since Baby spent her first day in the NICU, we missed out on that so I had to re-create it at home. The shirt she's wearing was part of her take-home outfit. The tag reads "Mom and Dad's best present ever" and ain't that the truth!

(I started this post as a Wordless Wednesday, made famous by 5 Minutes for Mom, but this isn't really a wordless post because, frankly, its nearly impossible to get me to shut up.)

Quick Tip for Today

When changing your newborn baby, it pays to have another set of eyes looking out for you.

So when your husband says - just as you are opening the new, clean diaper - "Hey, it looks like she's trying to poop!" you might want to pay attention.

Lesson learned.

I'm Too Tired To Make These Into Actual Posts

You know you've been playing too much Rock Band when your three-year-old busts out with the chorus to "Eye of the Tiger" during dinner.

About the sexiest thing I've ever seen is the Man holding our baby. He's even sexier when the other hand is carrying a diaper and wipes.

The Man is blonde and blue-eyed. I am (or at least was) blonde and blue-eyed. Da Boo and the Boy are both blonde and blue-eyed. Baby is a brunette with green/hazel eyes. I think I might have some 'splaining to do...

Grandma G has gone home. Today is her wedding anniversary (Happy Anniversary!). I have seven days before my mom arrives. I don't know how I am going to survive. Please send fudge.

I'd like to get the Boy's hearing tested so I have solid proof that is he just ignoring me.

Baby has already acquired a few nicknames, one of which is "hobbit," due to the amount of hair on this kid, especially on her ears.

I've completely lost my appetite. It might be the pain killers or the constant...um, chest pain. I just don't want to eat anything besides chocolate pudding.

What do you eat when you don't want to eat anything?

Foto Friday #21

Its been a busy week around here with non-stop action every moment - for everyone else, not so much for me. Seems like every event for the kids happens while I am stuck at home. Not that having a wee baby fall asleep on you isn't the best feeling...still, I kinda feel guilty for some of the things I am missing out on.


It SNOWED!! I love the snow. Grandma G bundled up the kiddos and took them outside - along with a random collection of items from the kitchen - to make a snowman. We had to hurry and take a picture before the candy facial features melted. And yes, Boo is wearing pajamas. She went with her class that morning to ride the Polar Express. Pajamas were mandatory, apparently.


Boo made a snow angel. She did a pretty good job of it, not leaving too many footprints when she stood up.


The Boy had his class Christmas program. I stocked up on the pain killers and went. I was a little woozy during the songs but perhaps that made it all the more enjoyable. Afterwards, he got to sit on Santa's lap. He keeps asking for a spider web. Wha...? When I ask him to explain it to me, he says he wants a red spider web he can throw. Any ideas on this one?


And then there's Baby. Boo and Boy went to the mall with Grandma G and Aunt Denise to make Baby a special Build-A-Bear on the day she was born. Here she is with her bear. I wonder how long before she's bigger than that stuffed animal...AND! She slept six hours straight last night! Woot!

FHE: Christmas Story

Yeah, I know I'm late publishing this. I've collected my various excuses for your selection: new baby, no sleep, lots of drugs, no sleep, aching chest, no sleep...

Opening Song: Once There Was A Snowman (in honor of the recent weather)

Opening Prayer: Boo.

Lesson: Since Grandma G is still here for a few more days, we gave her the lesson assignment. For the Christmas, she got the kids a cute book filled with simplified Christmas stories from the scriptures. Easy enough for the kids to understand.

Using the Little People Nativity that we have, Grandma G read them the story of the First Christmas, giving the kids the different figures to place as she came to their parts in the story. Kids really liked it, although there were a couple scuffles over whose turn it was to place the donkey, etc. She kept reading until it was becoming apparent that we had lost their attention. Once again, its somewhat astonishing to discover what they already know (although I don't know why I am so surprised, considering how we attend church every week...).

Closing Song: - everybody say it with me!- Twinkle Little Star.

Closing Prayer: Me (after the Man strongly hinted that da Boo should pick someone who hadn't done anything yet. Yeah, thanks, honey.)

Activity: I had mentioned to Grandma G about the weeping and wailing that happened on a recent shopping trip after I said "no" to getting a gingerbread house kit. Anyone else not feeling like spending $15 for one of these things? Exercising her right to spoil the grandkids, she got one for them. But the candy inside wasn't enough for them. Soon, they were raiding every candy stash in the house (they found my M&Ms!) to supplement their design.


Treat: Since eating their leftover candy wasn't enough sugar to induce a coma, they also got donuts decorated to look like Christmas wreaths. Aren't grandmas the best?

And Some More

Another little update before some of you break down my door. Which actually wouldn't be too bad as long as you use antibacterial stuff first and bring dinner.

Baby is doing just fine. She's the tiniest, fuzziest little thing. And she's a good baby. Mostly she eats and sleeps, with some cute noises thrown in between. She's not quite convinced that there's a difference between night and day just yet but she did sleep for a continuous four hours last night so that's progress.

***Warning: if you are not female and, therefore are not fully aware of the lactation procedure, you may want to skip on down to the pictures, mmmkay?***

So...nursing is fine as far as Baby is concerned. Oh, she's a natural with no problem latching on although she might wonder why Mommy's face contorts and there's some colorful language muttered under breath but hey, she's loving the whole boob concept. Me, not so much. I know its going to take some getting used to and I should just suck it up for now but - in grand Utah style - oh my flipping heck! It hurts! I nursed with both of the other kids and had the Boy give me thrush so you'd think I'd know the risks going into this. Those free samples of formula are looking better every day...

And now to distract you with some pictures! These were taken on her birthday, when the kids came to meet their new sister for the first time. She was still on oxygen at this point so she has a tube attached to her face for that purpose.


Our new family! Da boo is a little mopey because she wanted to be the one holding the baby and the Man is bent at an odd angle because he is actually protecting me (and my improved midsection) from the wiggles of the Boy. Still...its great to finally have everyone together!


The Boy isn't quite sure about this whole "new baby" thing. He's very gentle with her (when he remembers that she's around) but is more interested in what's on tv.


Da Boo on the other hand, is completely in love with Baby. Whenever I need to get something (because I forgot it in another room or dropped it on the floor), she is more than ready to help. She likes to just sit and watch Baby sleep. I'm hoping this doesn't wear off.


I took this picture the day Baby was given "well baby" status. She had her tubes removed and some cute little bows in her hair. She's opening her eyes a lot more now and just loved her pacifier. That little blue rubber miracle saves my sanity at night...

The Second Time Around

Since the last one was about Boo, let's talk about the Boy!

While his was certainly the most active pregnancy, the delivery was the easiest. In fact, if your doctor will let you schedule a c-section, I highly recommend it.

This time around, I didn't have to have my cervix checked at all those baby appointments. That, in and of itself, is worthwhile. Then we just picked the date. The scheduling nurse and I had a discussion that went something like this:

Nurse: How about the 11th?
Me: Um...my mother-in-law doesn't arrive until the 15th so can we make it for the following Monday?
Nurse (after looking at my large belly): I think you'll go into labor before that.
Me: Yeah, not gonna happen. So the 18th, then?

Of course, I was the first surgery of the day which meant I had to be at the hospital by 5 am. Something you might have missed in all my other whining posts...I am not a morning person. And I get anxiety attacks over the simplest things. So Sunday night, I have my "last meal" which consisted of chocolate cake and chocolate milk, I proceed to have a very restless night. I couldn't get to sleep. When I finally did doze off, I'd jerk awake, thinking for sure that I missed the alarm and we would be horribly late. I finally gave up just before 4 am and got up to get ready. I wasn't supposed to eat that morning but honestly, I was so nervous/hyper/sleep deprived that I don't think I could have eaten anything.

I was under the misconception that I had a morphine sensitivity so they gave me a spinal tap instead. Not fun. It made my nose itch so bad, I felt like I was going to rub it off. Surgery went great. I was even joking with the staff about the name, since we hadn't settled on one for the Boy. My doctor was telling the stories about all of his siblings' names, all of which seemed to find themselves born on a holiday and then had a name that reflected that.

Then came the moment of truth.

Me: What does he look like?
The Man: Actually...he looks just like your dad.
Me: No way! Let me see.
(The Man shows me)
Me: Dude...he does look just like my dad!

This is probably the only time any family member who looked like my dad had less hair than my dad.

The nursery was super busy that day, with babies arriving all over the place. The Man got to stay with the Boy while I was rolled to recovery, and then to my hospital room. And the whole time, the Boy was kinda scooted over in a corner while the nurses worked with the sick babies. Finally, the Man stops a nurse and asks if they could please give his son a quick bath so he could take the baby to see his mother. When I finally got to see him, I wasn't exactly fully awake. In fact, I kept falling asleep in mid-conversation. Rather embarrassing.

My mother-in-law brought da Boo to the hospital so she could see her brother. She carefully held him as she sat on the little couch. What did she think? we asked her.


"He's cute," she said followed quickly by "he smells funny."

Indeed he does, Boo. Indeed he does.

New Mother

Since I would be recovering from having a baby, I've set up a few posts to automatically publish while I am away so you don't go into withdrawals. Aren't I the greatest?

Da Boo was a week late. I tried everything to get myself to go into labor but nothing work. The doctor wanted to induce me on Halloween. I actually argued for later...no way was I having a little girl with a Halloween birthday. Day after Halloween, I went to the hospital where they tried the induction, then told me to go walk around for a few hours. We went to the mall (I got a really cute Halloween decoration that was on clearance). Then I had a huge contraction in a furniture store. I think the store owner was more concerned about it than I was. We went back to the hospital. But I wasn't in full labor. More induction drugs and they sent me out again. This time we went to a restaurant. I looked rather odd standing the whole time and pacing the walkways but hey, I was having contractions! Third trip to the hospital. Third dose. This time, it was getting late so we walked around Target. Finally, they let me stay at the hospital.

Around 6 am the next morning, I asked the nurse if I was just being a wimp or if these were strong contractions. She said they were really strong ones and she was surprised I hadn't already asked for an epidural. I asked for one now. Unfortunately, the anesthesiologist on duty was getting to the end of his shift. If he gave me an epidural, then he would have to stay until I had the baby. They asked if I wouldn't mind waiting until 7 am, when the next doctor would be on duty. I agreed and then proceeded to whimper for nearly an hour. When he did come and administer the epidural, I was ready to name the baby after him.

Around 2 pm, after I'd been having full contractions for 26 hours, my doctor says he didn't think I would be able to have this baby on my own and that they really needed to proceed with a c-section. By this point, I was so tired and weak and whiny that I would have agreed to nearly anything just get that baby out!

While undergoing the surgery, I was so loopy that when I heard a baby cry, I thought: "Oh, cute! A baby!" Took a moment before I realized that it was MY baby!

After all that work, I finally got to see da Boo. Wanna see our first picture together?

In all fairness, I think I was actually talking when the Man snapped this picture. But I was probably saying something like "Wait...what do I do now?"

Debut

Just a quick update, between medication doses.

Here are the stats: Baby G was born at 7:59 am on Wednesday, Dec 10th. She weighs 7 lbs and 8 oz but is only a stubby 18 inches long. She has a full head of dark hair but won't open her eyes long enough to see the eye color.

The c-section went well; probably the easiest one yet. I'm fine and now completely wireless. The Baby, however, had to spend some time in the NICU due to excessive fluids in her lungs. As of this morning, all systems are go.



Congratulations to Kristie, who guessed the correct date and came closest to the correct size. I'll be sending your prize once I am no longer on narcotics.

*I will not be posting Baby G's real name or the hospital we are in for obvious reasons. If you would like to know, please email me.

Remember our "countdown chain" we made?

This morning, it looks like this:

Trying not to freak out, trying not to freak out...

I Can Totally Relate...

I'm making peanut brittle today.

Now I understand how Edward Cullen could want to make out with something that smells so good.

Earworm

Have you ever had a song that gets stuck in your head? You find yourself singing it over and over and over again throughout the day, no matter what you try to do to stop it.

I had one of those...



Now, I can't stop! Please send help...

What song gets stuck in your head?

Cookie Exchange!

We were invited to a cookie exchange this year. Last year, we missed out on a lot of the holiday parties because we left town. This year, I'm missing out on most of them due to a previously scheduled abdominal surgery. Kinda sucks. So I was pretty happy when I saw that I would at least get to make it to the cookie party. Although one friend said she was surprised to see me there, what the the contractions and all, and my response was "Hello! Cookies! I am sooooo there!"

Since I simply do not have enough to do, I decided to have my own little bake-off (instead of doing something useful, like sorting baby clothes). None of my current cookie recipes seemed up to par so I picked two from a cookie newsletter. We'd have a taste test and the winning cookie would be presented at the exchange.

First up: Chocolate Ribbon Cookies.


I had high hopes for these guys. They were so pretty and they had chocolate. Virtually perfect! But there wasn't much of a taste (maybe I should have used the rum extract after all). More like shortbread than anything else.

Then I made Peanut Butter Munchies.


These were a little more work but have to say, the taste was great! Kinda like a brownie wrapped around peanut butter. These won unanimously. I still have a couple downstairs and I gotta say, after writing about them, they are calling my name...

What is your favorite cookie to take to an exchange?