Favorite Things: Moby Wrap

Quite a few of the blogs I follow have been doing "Favorite Things", so I thought I would share some of mine in upcoming posts.

Right now my number one favorite thing has to be my Moby Wrap.



Michael loves it. I love it. I can hold him. I can clean my house. I can use my computer and not feel like a terrible mother.

All parties are happy!

Yay!


p.s., check out mobywrap.com for more info....and to also ponder how those models on the website look so darn cute in it!

Don't throw the baby out!

M helping me with laundry...hopefully he'll stay asleep after our walk!

Velcro Baby

It seems I have a velcro baby on my hands.

Recently Michael just wants to be held and cuddled and nursed. It is so fun and sweet holding him and giving him love! I tell myself this too will pass and pretty soon he will be a smelly little boy who doesn't want to snuggle with his mom anymore. (okay...tearing up as I type this and getting angry at myself for ever wanting to put him down!) And I know you can't spoil a baby by holding it too much and actually being held is critical to it's emotional development, not to mention a whole ton of other things I just read up on in a google search. And of course they just want to be close to their favorite person ever...their mommy!! :o)

But as much as I love holding him, I can't do it constantly and it is a pretty intense need to fulfill when I also have a husband and a house to take care of. So today I decided to give my aching arms a rest and we took a long 3 hour driving excursion in the car to get out of the house for a bit.

It was bliss! We went to Sonic (mild moment of panic from M when he realized the car wasn't moving but fell asleep again as soon as I turned on some static radio and got moving) and then headed up to Ames so I could cancel my gym membership.

The gym guy tried to give me a huge guilt trip about canceling, but it just wasn't feasible anymore for me to be going to the gym in Ames. I am only at school two days a week and one of those days I am there late for my flute lesson so ideally I would only be going to the gym for one afternoon a week, which is not worth it financially. Not to mention I hate to have little M in daycare any longer than he needs to be!

So I canceled. I will have to be more resourceful in my exercise endeavors this winter. Maybe when things calm down in the future (like in 18 years) I can resume it. But for now, this will have to work.

We then headed back to the metro and we stopped for some ice cream in Johnston before heading home. It was nice to be out of the house and listen to some sports talk via the Murph and Andy show on the radio.

It is such a catch 22 though. I was thankful to have a break, but feeling guilty I wasn't holding my son. So as soon as I got home, I put him in my Moby wrap and now he is snoozing while I have two hands free. This is awesome! Reminder to self...use Moby warp more often. :o)

Wakeful Wednesday

Happy Hump Day!

Of course in my current state, days and time have no meaning to me. It is definitely a bizarre world to live in. I think it would be easier if we had some sort of routine, but right now I just do what I do to keep Michael happy and try and work everything else in around that.

However, this week I started going back to Hope Orchestra rehearsals and my small group bible study. It is nice to get out of the house for a little bit (usually just an hour), but I feel terrible leaving Scott to fend for himself with Michael. I tell myself it is good for both of them...sink or swim right? It's like that moment when you are learning to become a teacher and then it's just you and the kids and you better think of something fast!

We've also been taking some walks; one yesterday and today. It is such nice weather for the beginning of November. Yesterday we went to Jester Park again and we were amazed at how much the trees changed just since last week. We went for our longest walk yet and it went great until about and hour into it when Michael became a fuss bucket and I couldn't soothe him. So...I had my first experience nursing in public. If you count a picnic table in the woods public. :o) At any rate, I think I will keep our walks a little shorter from now on!

They were also doing a controlled burn at the park yesterday-it looked pretty cool!



We got this beautiful blanket from one of Scott's coworker's wife and it is so precious. She has one of those machines that embroider anything on anything-so jealous! I think she should start her own business on etsy.

Micheal has been doing a great job of holding his head up steady so I thought we would take some photos today!




Look at that strong boy!

3 is the magic number

Happy 3 week birthday, Michael!

Today is was a beautiful fall day and we actually made it out of the house for a long walk at Jester Park. It was the perfect temperature and no one was around! Not many days are this perfect!

Michael was a very good baby the whole walk and didn't make a peep! He was a good boy!

Don't you love his new blue jacket my sister in law Jen's mother (follow that?) sent us? It makes his blue eyes look so pretty! It has been so fun getting little boy clothes as gifts because all of the stuff I had on hand was very gender neutral.

Other milestones this week:

-has started crying real tears although I really hate to see them! :o(

-has taken two bottles from grandma while I ran errands

-took first bath in the baby bathtub! And loved it! (except when it was time to get out and then he was mad!)

-stayed home with dad for an hour while I went to small group and slept the entire time in his swing

-enjoys listening to his baby lullabies CD while getting a diaper change and nursing in the rocking chair

Monday Vacation

Look at that happy baby! :o)

Mom was here today and yesterday to visit and help out. It is so nice having her here watch M...I actually got out of the house two days in a row!

Yesterday Scott and I got our H1N1 vaccinations. We had to wait for three hours at the state fairgrounds-ouch! It was brutal. We went right at noon when the clinic started although on the news they said some people were waiting in line since 6 a.m.! No thanks, that is crazy people!

Today Mom took M while I went out for a Target and HyVee Excursion. It felt like some sort of tropical vacation...it was glorious!

M is for Male Model

One of Scott's customers came over last week to take some photos of M. She is starting her own photography business and wanted to photograph a newborn. She got some great shots for it being a semi-stressful photo shoot. M was awake for the almost 3 1/2 hour shoot! Can you believe it? I feel bad because I know she really wanted some sleepy baby photos, but some things are out of my control.

I'm so, so glad we got these photos taken-he is already growing and changing and it hasn't even been 3 weeks! I feel like the newborn window is so small and should be captured asap!

At any rate, I think M has the potential to be a future male model...he is just too cute, if I do say so in my perfectly unbiased opinion!

Here is the link for a few more teasers to check out!

The Joke's on Me!

Yes, this is another sleep post. Can you tell what my biggest concerns and interests are these days?

I always thought moms were a little crazy when they analyzed and worried over their baby's sleep patterns and now...it's happened to me!



So, yesterday we had a great sleep day and also a very good sleep night. If I dare say it, probably the best sleep night yet. (watch me just jinx myself!). The funny part....I didn't sleep hardly at all!

Yesterday Scott came home early from work and I had a chance to run to the post office to mail a package and some thank you notes. I was so giddy with excitement that I was actually out of the house (and wearing capris and flip flops on a 40 degree day...I had no idea!) that I decided to take a detour to Casey's before I went home to get a big fountain pop....one of my major vices that I have given up for the past nine months.

Well, lets just say my tolerance to caffeine is not what it once was back in the old days and I was up until 2 a.m. watching reruns of the Real Housewives of Atlanta and The Doors movie on HBO while my baby sleep peacefully in his bed.

What a cruel, cruel world it is!

Honey...where's the baby?

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Too cute! :o)

Sleep!

Michael has been falling into a funny pattern lately when it comes to sleeping...he only wants to sleep when he is being held! I slept the past two nights in the chair holding him and nursing him back to sleep when he woke up.

Today we are having a better go of things; I've been trying to hold him on his back and then I gradually transition him to his bed and if he fusses I will hold my hands on him or pat him gently. So far, he has slept for two two hour stretches today in his bed!

I was so excited I did two loads of laundry and emptied the dishwasher! :o) We are on a roll!

YES!

Finally, I have finished all my thank you notes for gifts Michael has received in just his first two weeks of life. We are so blessed to be surrounded by so many thoughtful people that are excited about Michael being here. So...thank you! (now stop sending gifts...I mean it!)

My Aunts Gwen and Mary stopped out today to visit Michael. It was nice to see them and have some contact with the outside world!

Two Week Check up

Yesterday Michael and I went out for his second outing ever for his two week check up. We stopped by Scott's office first and Michael met everyone there for the first time. Glen said it made him want to have another baby, and Joe and Larry said it felt like a hundred years since their kids were that little. It was pretty sweet! Joe and Glo also gave us two Aden and Anais muslin swaddling blankets which is a nice gift because it seems like that is the only thing that calms the little guy down right now. I think he is going through a little growth spurt because he will eat, then he will be hungry again, then he will get really fussy, and the only way I can calm him down is if I put him in his "baby straight jacket"-aka, a really tight swaddle. Then he calms down and sleeps until it starts all over again. I have no idea!!



Here we are all ready to go!



At the doctor's office. We had to dress and undress him two times, which is usually Michael's least favorite activity. Luckily, he was a very good baby and didn't fuss at all!

Here are the two week stats:

Weight: 9 lbs 8 oz
Length: 21.8 "
Head: 14.5"

I am so happy he has gained back his birth weight plus some. He seems to be breastfeeding well and always has lots of dirty and wet diapers.

We also had a nice chat with Dr. Ruisch about vaccinations and the flu. She encouraged me to get the H1N1 shot as soon as I can, so I have been stalking the public health website to see when they get more in. I also am looking for the seasonal flu shot too, and I think I can get it at HyVee. Mom and Denise are coming next week for two days so I hope I can slip out of the house then and get that taken care of while they watch Michael. Dr. Ruisch also assured us that she does not think vaccinations cause autism and encouraged us to watch for all the developmental milestones Michael has-as this is the best indicator of an underlying problem.

I was so excited to be out of the house, we took a little detour to Jester Park to check out the fall foliage. I had no idea the trees had already started to turn! (I guess this what happens when you are under house arrest for 2 weeks)

The trees were beautiful!

Sleeping baby

There is nothing better than a sleeping baby...you can never get tired of watching them dream and make little noises in their sleep!

Everyone always says "Sleep when the baby sleeps" and it is so hard because they are SO precious when they are sleep!

Here is Michael in his newborn napper part of his pack and play-he really likes it and looks so cute snuggled in there!

(Michael is 6 days old in this picture)

We've been swaddling Michael up when he sleeps at night or when he needs calmed down. I got some great stretchy knit blankets from target, but now they are almost too small to use on him!

He looks so cute all wrapped up like a little peanut!

(Michael is 6 days old in this picture)

My mom brought over some great blankets she got online that I have been using now that he is getting a little bigger. She got them from swaddledesigns.com. They are great!


And if you forget how to do a swaddle...the instructions are printed right on the tag of the blanket! Great idea!

Now...off to a nap! Sleep when the baby sleeps, remember?

Brothers

I couldn't resist posting these pictures of Michael and Scampy-they are too cute!



Scampy has been very good about Michael since we've brought him home. He actually seems more relaxed and calm now! He occasionally will want to hop on my lap while Michael is on it, but that is about it.

I hope Scampy isn't feeling too left out, because I am sure someday they will become great friends. :o)

Birth Story

Gosh, time sure flies when you have a newborn!

Props to all the mom bloggers out there-I am not quite sure how you do it!!

On Monday, October 5th I went in to the OB for a followup after the exciting visit to Triage the previous Friday. My blood pressure wasn't better and baby was looking big, so they scheduled me for an induction at 8pm that evening. Wow-that is certainly a weird feeling, knowing that you only have a potential 6 hours or so left of going to the hospital to meet your new baby! It was very weird and exciting at the same time. I was excited to meet our new baby, yet scared what was to come!

So I went to HyVee and bought food for our last meal, since I knew it was going to be a while since I got to eat again!

At 8pm we headed to the hospital and they started me on a medication to help ripen my cervix. They started it at 10 pm after being admitted, monitored and all that jazz and then they would do it again at 2 am. Scott and I watched the big Vikings vs Packers game while we waited at the hospital-Vikings win! :o)

The nurse gave me some ambien to sleep and I had a great night until they woke me up at 4 am to start the Pitocin drip to get the contractions going. It started out fine, I could handle the contractions until about 10 a.m. The nurse asked me if I wanted anything for pain and I kept saying I wanted to wait, but eventually she gave me an analgesic in my IV which was totally weird. It made me feel all loopy and sleepy, but I wasn't really sleeping and I was still feeling the pain. About an hour later we called for the epidural and it went in without a problem. It was nice to have the pain relief, but it was not nice to feel like you are paralyzed from the chest down! My legs felt so heavy and I could barely move. So I labored for about 6 more hours, and every time the nurse or OB checked me I still hadn't made any progress. I think the whole time I was in labor I never made it past 2 cm dilated. At the end the contractions got really bad and I was very uncomfortable even with the epidural. The pitocin was cranked up as high as it could go and they were just coming one after another and there wasn't really anything I could do about it!

So at 6 pm the doctor came in and said we were going to do a C-section. She said I wasn't progressing and the baby was still doing fine and they didn't want to wait until everything was not fine to do one. So, that was that. I called my mom and cried and cried because this just wasn't how I wanted it to be. I was really disappointed.

They got me all ready for surgery and wheeled me into the operating room and it felt like just 2 minutes until Michael was born at 7:15 pm. He cried right away and I could see him getting checked out by the nurses on the warming table. They got him all bundled up and Scott brought him over for me to see and he was the cutest baby I had ever seen! I knew right then we would name him Michael and he was just perfect.

Scott went with them to take him up to the nursery to get checked out while they were finishing the surgery and then Scott met me in the C-section recovery room. When Michael was done in the nursery they brought him to me and I got to hold him for the first time. They kept telling me to try and sleep a little bit, but I just wanted to hold him!

All in all, the whole labor and delivery was about the exact opposite of what I wanted and expected. At first I was pretty sad about how it all turned out but now that I am home with Michael I am just so happy he is here and we are both safe and sound-and that is the most important thing.

Michael is Here!

Michael Scott Kundel was born on Tuesday, October 6th at 7:15 pm!

He weighed 9 lbs 3 oz and was 22 inches long!



We are so thankful he is here safe and sound and both him and I are doing great.

We love him so much! :o)