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| Open wide, Daddy! |
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| Now we'll check the top teeth... |
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| And now the bottom teeth... |
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| And now we'll see if my whole hand can fit in your mouth! |
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Future dentist?
Quiet Alert Time
It is a little known fact, but I usually get Wednesday afternoon off when I am in clinic, which typically means that I get approximately one afternoon off a month. Today was that day, which was nice.
Karen swears that Steven has quiet, alert time during the day, usually after his morning nap. However, Daddy never gets to see this. By the time Daddy arrives home every day, Steven is in full-bore meltdown mode. Once Daddy swoops in to protect Mommy from the wrath of our young son, Steven calms down a bit. But the evening hours are generally filled with the fuss-eat-fuss-diaper-fuss-lullaby-fuss-eat-fuss-diaper-fuss-bounce-fuss... which often only stops when he finally goes down for the night around 11 PM.
Today, however, I got home shortly after one, and Steven was taking a nap! (Proves it can be done.) Then he woke up, and we went for a walk around the neighborhood, during which he slept a bit. Then he had a meal, got a diaper change, and had quiet alert time for well over an hour. At one point, he managed to punch my tonsils. Karen has pictures. Ask nicely, and she may add them to the blog.
Tuesday was 4 weeks, and tomorrow makes one month. He's healthy and gaining weight. He even slept mostly through the night two nights ago. He is trying, but he still can't throw a baseball. If I can figure out how to film it, I hope to post video of his throwing motion soon.
Karen swears that Steven has quiet, alert time during the day, usually after his morning nap. However, Daddy never gets to see this. By the time Daddy arrives home every day, Steven is in full-bore meltdown mode. Once Daddy swoops in to protect Mommy from the wrath of our young son, Steven calms down a bit. But the evening hours are generally filled with the fuss-eat-fuss-diaper-fuss-lullaby-fuss-eat-fuss-diaper-fuss-bounce-fuss... which often only stops when he finally goes down for the night around 11 PM.
Today, however, I got home shortly after one, and Steven was taking a nap! (Proves it can be done.) Then he woke up, and we went for a walk around the neighborhood, during which he slept a bit. Then he had a meal, got a diaper change, and had quiet alert time for well over an hour. At one point, he managed to punch my tonsils. Karen has pictures. Ask nicely, and she may add them to the blog.
Tuesday was 4 weeks, and tomorrow makes one month. He's healthy and gaining weight. He even slept mostly through the night two nights ago. He is trying, but he still can't throw a baseball. If I can figure out how to film it, I hope to post video of his throwing motion soon.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Small victories
The large health organization here, Spectrum, has a breastfeeding support group every Tuesday and Thursday. They like to say that they don't like the term "support group", because while they do provide help and advice (there are 2 lactation consultants there) and moms can share stories and provide support and advice for each other, you don't have to be having a problem with breastfeeding to attend and benefit. I've been a few times, partly for advice but also just to get out of the house and be around other women who are going through the same thing I am. And of course, just to have some adult company!
Anyway, at the beginning of every group they have us go around and introduce ourselves and our baby, and then we have to share one thing we've done for ourselves in the past week. And they always make a point to say that, especially for new moms, just getting out of the house and coming to the group can be something! People often share things like going out with friends, buying new clothes, even things like taking the time in the shower to shave their legs. I have to say that knowing I will be going to the group and having to come up with something to share has made me more mindful of what I am doing for myself lately. And I'm trying to remember that even small things like doing my nails or my New York Times crossword puzzle can count when I only have a limited amount of time while Steve's asleep.
So this morning while Steve was sleeping I managed to clean the sinks and toilets in all three bathrooms, plus the shower in the master bath which was starting to become little questionable. It was completely unglamorous and not something that you might think I was doing for myself, but just doing something "normal" like cleaning felt like an accomplishment, and of course having things clean, whether it's yourself or your house, is always nice.
Of course, by doing that I forfeited the opportunity to take a nap while Steve was sleeping, so I hope he'll have another go round this afternoon. His new ability to nap has pluses and minuses, the biggest minus being that he no longer goes for a 4 to 5 hour stretch at night, but only 2.5 to 3 hours at a time, with a nasty alert time around 1 or 2 am, so I'm up with him for about 2 hours in the middle of the night. The pediatrician had told us that more napping shouldn't affect his nighttime habits, but she appears to be mistaken. I keep telling myself that almost everything he does at this age is just a phase, and things will get better eventually!
Anyway, at the beginning of every group they have us go around and introduce ourselves and our baby, and then we have to share one thing we've done for ourselves in the past week. And they always make a point to say that, especially for new moms, just getting out of the house and coming to the group can be something! People often share things like going out with friends, buying new clothes, even things like taking the time in the shower to shave their legs. I have to say that knowing I will be going to the group and having to come up with something to share has made me more mindful of what I am doing for myself lately. And I'm trying to remember that even small things like doing my nails or my New York Times crossword puzzle can count when I only have a limited amount of time while Steve's asleep.
So this morning while Steve was sleeping I managed to clean the sinks and toilets in all three bathrooms, plus the shower in the master bath which was starting to become little questionable. It was completely unglamorous and not something that you might think I was doing for myself, but just doing something "normal" like cleaning felt like an accomplishment, and of course having things clean, whether it's yourself or your house, is always nice.
Of course, by doing that I forfeited the opportunity to take a nap while Steve was sleeping, so I hope he'll have another go round this afternoon. His new ability to nap has pluses and minuses, the biggest minus being that he no longer goes for a 4 to 5 hour stretch at night, but only 2.5 to 3 hours at a time, with a nasty alert time around 1 or 2 am, so I'm up with him for about 2 hours in the middle of the night. The pediatrician had told us that more napping shouldn't affect his nighttime habits, but she appears to be mistaken. I keep telling myself that almost everything he does at this age is just a phase, and things will get better eventually!
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