Goodbye Breastfeeding....

The day i have been long awaiting for finally came....and i envisioned confetti, balloons, and cheers as i packed away my breast pump and all the accessories...but instead....tears?!? What? Yup...tears streamed down my face as i packed away every last thing that had to do with breasfeeding...maybe it was because i was thinking of all the money that would now be spent on formula...or maybe it was because as much as i complained and hated pumping and breastfeeding, this was a definate end to the special bonding so many moms talk about.  I dont think Liam and i will have a broken relationship because i stopped breastfeeding at 5 months but there is a little tug at my heart strings that maybe i could have done better and lasted longer....darn breastfeeding ads and campaigns. Liam is now straight formula and i must say once i got over my sadness, it has been quite freeing.  Now the fun of trying to find the right formula because currently he spits up hours after he eats even though i try and keep him upright for at least 20 minutes after feeding him...something to talk to Dr Pip about next week...
On another note, and this is me being completely and totally transparent, i am stressed about having baby #2 which isnt making the baby making process fun or easy.  As most of you know, and to those that continue to ask, Jesse and I are hoping to be pregnant again by the end of the year. Yes, i hear those that say "enjoy Liam as long as you can" and "you sure you want to do it again so soon?", however all that plays in my head is it took 3 years to get Liam and i dont want another 3 years to go by before he has a sibling.  It something that constantly plays over and over again in my head. I have friends and co-workers that seem to just hiccup and they are pregnant and as much as i am excited for them, there is a little piece of me that hurts inside. I am just reminded of the heartache before Liam came to be and i am not sure i am ready to go through all the negative pregnancy tests again...and of course i am not making it easy because i am determined to break the Hinson streak and get my girl...Chinese Gender Chart says July is the next month for a girl...as Jesse rolls his eyes at my craziness...he shall see, he shall see...haha
I started back at the gym this past week and go for about an hour on my days off. Liam goes to the Child Care area and loves it! He loves watching all the kids run around and today even tried out one of the swings and flirted with the supervisor....thats my boy!

We've been Busy...

...which is why i have severely lacked in updating my blog...so sorry! This month we went on our first adventure to Florida since Liam was born...and an adventure it was.  Imagine me driving 8+ hours with 2 dogs and a baby while the hubby is 40miles ahead driving a work truck...NO BUENO!!!
We went to Florida for Jesse's work conference and then drove further south for a few days to spend time at my mom's.  Dont get me wrong, it was a wonderful week away, but the packing and planning for taking a 5 month old 400 miles away is quite extensive.  And if anyone ever needs advice on what to take when traveling with a small person, consider me an expert.
We got down to Orlando Sunday afternoon and after setting up for the conference, we finally made it to the room after the longest day of my life. Liam did amazing in the car! The dogs...well lets not talk about that....we spent the remainder of the week enjoying the pool, spending time with Aunt Cheryl, and SHOPPING (Liam told me that was his favorite....thats my boy!)! Thursday we headed down to South Florida where Liam met some of my old friends as well as those that new me as a baby.  It was nice to have a week away from the craziness and spend time with family.

Liam now LOVES sleeping on his stomach and thats the only way he will actually sleep. His palate has vastly expanded and we now have added squash, peas, apples, along with many other fruits and veggies. He has master eating from a spoon and now he even wants to help you when you try and feed him.  We are working on sitting up without teetering over as well as holding a bottle...i must admit both are my selfish wants because i envision sitting him with toys while i clean and giving him a bottle while i eat at the same time...wishful thinking....but soon...

I promise to update before another month passes....fingers crossed...time is flying and we are loving life with our 5 month old!

I like to eat, eat, eat...apples and bananas....

We have added many more foods to Liam's diet and he is loving every minute of it.  Apples and bananas are his favorite fruits so far and i think sweet potatoes are still holding out for favorite starch...it is fun to see his reactions when we try a new food....
Next on our to do list is an 8 hour trip with 2 dogs and a baby...and i am dreading it.  Jesse wont be able to drive with me so this should be fun...i have been reading blogs and parent advice columns to see exactly what i need to pack to be prepared and from what i have gathered, i just need to put my house on meals...who would have thought such a little person would need so much? I have packed and repacked and made list after list to make sure i don't forget a single thing but i am sure something was missed.  If anyone has any hints or suggestions, please let me know...
And on that note...back to the lists and the packing....

The Adventures of Real Food...

Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Avacados....OH MY! We are exploring the fun of pureed foods and having so much fun.  It started about a week and a half ago with oatmeal...

I dont think he knew what was happening and quickly thrust out his tongue when the oatmeal got in his mouth.  Then the hands went into the mouth and then all over his face as evidenced by the oatmeal on his forehead and his eyelashes.  After this attempt, we tried one more time and gave up after the gagging began.  When we went to his 4 month check up, the nurse laughed at me when i said we tried oatmeal.  She said vegetables are the way to go because nobody likes oatmeal! So.....

Carrots it is! And although this face doesnt show it, he LOVED them! Yay for veggies! He gobbled them up and made a complete mess and he finally is getting the hang of swallowing the food and not just wiping it across his face. And i have learned a few things too for my own sanity.  Cloth bibs and clothes are out, naked baby and wipeable bibs are in....

We definately have reached the fun age and we are loving it everyday. I must say i have no idea how people who work 5 days a week do it. There arent enough hours in the day for all that has to get done. I decided long ago that i would make my own baby food and invested in a Baby Brevva which is an awesome baby steamer and puree machine in one. Between feeding Liam his bottles, making his veggies, feeding him his veggies, naps, tummy time, and everything else...i am exhausted by the time i think about laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc...but i wouldnt trade it for the world! Cant wait to see what we are eating by next post!

Things you may not want to know....

...or you may want to know if you are about to embark on the journey of parenthood...you have been warned!
As i was reminiscing with an old friend about Liams birth and the days right after, i caught my excitement for baby #2 starting to fade the more and more i talked about the joy of being pregnant and how my body has fallen apart after Liam was born.  I will never be one of those woman who LOVE being pregnant or want to experience it over and over again. Lets be honest here. You are tired all the time, your breast are so tender you want to cry when you bump them against something and as the pregnancy gets in the later stages, they become roadmaps with all the veins that start popping out, you waddle like a duck, you have to master a tuck and roll technique to get out of bed or off the couch, and if you got $1 everytime someone said "you sure you are only having one baby?" you would be a millionaire. I mean, why wouldnt i want to pregnant again, right?
My friend was brave enough to ask about body after baby and if you know me, i dont hold anything back. As much as i love the breastfeeding diet (i have dropped over 50 pounds since Liam was born), breastfeeding also does a number on what used to be normal breasts. Now i am blessed with an A cup and a D cup.  You should have seen the eager Victoria's Secret sales lady try and help me find a bra with those measurements. I give her an A for effort at least. Stretch marks are another fun thing to deal with after baby.  My entire pregnancy i thought, "wow i am lucky, not one stretch mark on my belly." Little did i know that those stretch marks where laughing at me from under my belly where i couldnt see them. Once Liam came out, hello stretchmarks.  Although they have faded, they are still there and taunt me everyday when i put my stretch mark cream on hoping that they diasappear.
Her next question was about sleep. O precious sleep. I can kiss days of sleeping in goodbye. Now i am happy if i can just sleep until 8am without Liam waking up early ready to start his day.  I was blessed with a baby who pretty much slept thru the night at 6 weeks old HOWEVER the days leading up to 6 weeks were ROUGH.  Be prepared soon to be moms out there because i am convinced if you can make it thru those weeks without killing your spouse, then you can get thru anything.  I dont know if it is all the hormones racing around, combined with no sleep, combined with the frustrations of breastfeeding, combined with healing from pushing a watermelon out of a button hole, but those first few weeks are the worst.  I am not going to sugar coat it for you, you are going to want to just lock yourself in a room and cry until its over. Waking up every 2-3 hours to feed, change, and probably feed again is exhausting.  The recliner in Liams room became my new bed for those first few weeks.  I dreaded night time because i knew what was coming in the next 8 hours.
They say you forget about all the bad that comes with having a baby but i seem to remember pretty clearly.  Does that mean i dont want anymore children? of course not! Does that mean i may reread this post daily until i am ready to go thru it again? You bet ya!

4 month olds are so much fun!!

Liam turned 4 months old yesterday and has gotten more and more fun by the minute.  He is grabbing at things, trying to hold his own bottle, and talking up a storm.  Jesse and i are loving it!  The other day, we were out running errands and Liam started mimicking me making "raspberries"...so cute! We no longer are wondering what is going on in his little head because he makes it known when he is happy or not....he also is getting harder and harder to keep entertained.  I can only mak so many faces before he is like "now what mom, thats boring."
He is also loving his jogging stroller.  I am trying to get my pre-mom/pre-marriage figure back and that includes jogging. Jesse and i load him up in the stroller and Liam looks at all the trees and coos as we go along.  I had the joy of going by myself earlier this week and when we were done with our jog, he kicked his feet and had a big smile on his face.  If that doesnt motivate you to keep up the jogging i dont know what will.
I am excited for our 4 month appointment next week.  Our pediatrician is going to talk to us about starting some food and i am ready to try out my baby food maker contraption.  Now when Jesse and i are eating, i almost feel guilty because Liam will stare at us and watch as we put food in our mouth. I read somewhere that when you start feeling this way it is time to start trying pureed foods. I may be more excited then Liam! Stay tuned for those stories...and i will take any and all advice as far as what to puree!

We've been Busy....

....learning how to roll!! Liam is a little acrobat in his crib every night and it is always a guessing game how we will find him in the morning. Of course i am a nervous wreck all night thinking i am going to find his face pushed into his bumper so my nights have become more restless...thats what i get for working in a pediatric ER...and i know it is a simple fix by removing the bumper but a)it is just too cute and b)i would just be worried that a limb would slip through the rails and get stuck...so restless nights it is....but Liam is loving it...the minute he gets put down on his back he rolls to his side with a big smile on his face...so cute...
We also have had to find a new babysitter which has been an ordeal since i went back to work. Again, we are reminded of how blessed we are with family and friends that help us out...starting in June though we have a wonderful friend that is going to keep him once a week and he will have a consistent face...we are excited...Liam is too! Thanks for all the thoughts, prayers, and offers these past few months...
We are couting down to our first vacation as a family of three....Orlando here we come...although i will take any and all suggestions for traveling with a 5 month old and 2 dogs by myself...this should be interesting...Jesse is driving the truck for his conference on the way down so its up to me to get the rest of our crazy crew to our destination...then the pups are off to south florida for a week...i am getting stressed just thinking about it...
I apologize for the long hiatus and promise to keep blogging...work got in the way...i am officially every weekend now so i can spend majority of the week with Liam...Jesse and i are getting creative for when we see each other...maybe this is why we fell in love over a long distance relationship? We are prepared for lengths of time without seeing each other...although it still is hard...but you gotta do what is best for your child...
Until next time.....