in loving memory.

Almost a year into our marriage, Seth and I decided we would like to get a dog.  He always had one growing up and with him being away a lot for work, I wanted the sense of security that comes from owning a large breed dog.  We both readily agreed on a black lab and after a little debate, named him Tucker.  We had no clue what we were getting ourselves into and somehow ended up with a very health challenged, high maintenance animal.  Oh he had the usual puppy stages that they all go through (and somehow managed to survive without losing too many shoes and socks) but he also had chronic diarrhea, colitis, allergies and skin sensitivity and eventually seizures.  He was diagnosed as epileptic and we were told nothing could be done to stop his seizures but we could try to control them.  Hence the beginning of about 4 years of blood tests, medications and seizures.  It's a terrible thing to see your pet go through these things.  The first few before he was on any kind of med were the worst.  They lasted long, created a huge mess at whatever part of the house he was in and he would bark and growl at us afterwards, not recognizing who we were.  These symptoms did improve after he was on a therapeutic level of drugs but no matter how much it was increased, his seizures still increased.  By this past year, he was beginning to have clusters of about 5-6 seizures in a 30 hour period followed by a week of abnormal activity.  By abnormal I mean that he was in his own little twilight zone....bad balance, blank stare, etc.  Our vet kept assuring us his quality of life was "good" but we never felt comfortable with that analysis.  We could see what it was doing to him.  Physically he was aging drastically (despite his young years), he never wanted to do much anymore and his body was being wracked by these seizures every 3-4 weeks.  With a week of recovery, that only gave him 2 weeks at most with no problems.  It was a terrible decision to make and it took us awhile to make it, but we feel confident that it was the right choice.

This is in loving memory of our dear beloved Tucker.  He was a loyal, sweet, smart and friendly dog.  He loved us and he loved Delia.  We are very sad to see him go, but we will remember him as a part of our family always.

Playing Catch Up

I have failed miserably at keeping this blog up to date.  I know it's been at least 4 weeks since I last posted.  I kept thinking, must write about Delia's first birthday, but then it came and went and I just got caught up in the busyness of life.  Let's see if I can just give a brief catch up with some the highlights. 

1.  Delia is one!  We had a great celebration with family on the day of her birthday since it fell on a Sunday.  I had a Minnie Mouse themed party for her.  She loved her cake, was spoiled rotten by everyone and overall, had as much fun as a one year old can, I think.  No tears were shed by mom, but it did cause me to remember in vivid detail the moments surrounding her birth.  I can't believe how quickly the year went and that she is getting so big.

2.  Valentine's Day.  It's never a big deal for Seth and I.  This year we made a delicious steak dinner at home.  We exchanged cards and small gifts (flowers for me and a Phillies freezer mug and new coasters for him).

3.  My birthday.  I am now 28....sounds old in my head.  My birthday fell on a Saturday so we spent the day together as a family.  We had to make a trip to super Walmart so on the way we drove around Lancaster county looking for snow geese.  I also admired the farms and homes that I someday would like to own.  Just a dream...  That night my inlaws watched Delia so Seth and I could have a date night.  We went to Red Lobster, always my restaurant of choice for a birthday meal.  It was delicious and very much enjoyed.  Oh, and Seth bought me the Kindle Touch which I was so excited about!

4.  I finished The Hunger Games series.  Some of you may be wondering why this deserves a highlight and I assume it is those of you who haven't read the books.  Seriously, READ THEM.  They are fantastic.  I can't wait to see the first movie later this month.

5.  Babysitting.  While I'm not working outside the home, I've been doing a little bit of babysitting.  On Thursdays I watch my two nephews for a few hours and on Fridays I watch my friend's little girl.  Her and Delia are only 6 weeks apart in age so they have fun together.

And honestly, that's all I can think of right now.  We've had some really nice weather in the past few weeks so I will try to get out for a walk if that's the case.  It makes me ready for Spring though.  We haven't had much snow at all this past Winter, but I'm ready for some steadily warmer temperatures.  Hopefully they are in the not so distant future!

cherishing the "lasts"

I don't recall where I read this, but I do remember reading it.  Someone had suggested that while you watch your child(ren) grow up, don't just concentrate on their "firsts" but also their "lasts".  It's so exciting to see your baby grow into a toddler (and onward, I imagine) that you can lose those last precious moments without even realizing it.  I've tried to make a conscious effort to record as much as I can in a notebook to later document in a book I have for Delia.  You think you will remember the exact date and time that your child either did something for the first OR last time, but I'm sure it will elude you the more memories you have to hold.  The "firsts" are easy to notice....first smile, first time clapping, first tooth, etc.  The "lasts" become a little more difficult to pinpoint.  Did I realize the last time she would wake up in the middle of the night to nurse?  Did I enjoy every second of the last time she nursed ever?  Did I know this would be the last time she fit into that adorably cute outfit I love so much?  I try to pay attention to these kinds of things in the time frame that they might occur, but it's hard to know.  I do know one thing for sure right now.  Yesterday was the last time she had a bottle.  I was coming to the end of the can of formula and being just a few days shy of her first birthday, I didn't want to buy more.  So, I picked up some whole milk at my trip to the grocery store on Monday evening and this morning she had her first sippy cup of milk, bringing an end to the season of bottles.  I'll admit, there are a lot of pros to giving up the bottle.  I hate washing those things, buying formula and having to make sure I always have enough with us should we leave the house.  At the same time, it's just one more step from babyhood to toddler-hood and each of those steps seem to be very bittersweet. 

a domestic housewife = perfection.

You might think that you'd have MORE time when you're not working.  The exact opposite is true for me.  Remember that "toddler" I was talking about?  Well, she's become a wrecking ball.  That's what Seth nicknamed her the other night.  She's everywhere and into everything.  I'm actually quite pleased that we have a small house during this time of her life.  While in some ways it might be nice to have a little more room for her to run herself tired, it's nice having a small area to keep her in.  It means LESS mess to clean up.  I'm really enjoying being home with her though.  My life has been overtaken by purely domestic duties and I am happy with it.  Okay, so I still don't love to cook, but at least I now have time to do it and we are eating before 7-7:30 each (read most) nights.  Maybe it won't last and maybe I'll get bored (I don't foresee it but you never know) but for right now, it's perfect.   

growing up.

This morning while drinking my semi-cold cup of coffee and "facebooking", I watched Delia occupy herself with one of those learn to walk push toys.  She got it for Christmas from Nana and Pop Pop (my parents) and while she's played with it here and there, she's never spent this much time with it until today.  She talked and laughed to herself, pushed it around into the couch and wall and figured out how to back up or turn it in the direction she wanted it to go.  It's then that I realized how big she really has gotten.  She's definitely out of newborn and infant stage.  She's a toddler now.  She's walking and exploring things on her own.  She's getting into my kitchen cabinets, trying to climb up stairs and destroying every room she's in.  She laughs at the dog.  She tries to immitate some of the sounds and words that I say.  She kisses me goodnight.  She's far from the tiny little 7 lb baby I brought home from the hospital.  She will always be my baby though.  It's now that I understand why parents hold on to their children as tight as they can.  I know it's a ways off, but how will I ever let go?   

first week home - halfway over.

We are on day 3 of of our first week of "stay at home mom" status.  My life previous to this week was exhausting and I have to admit, not much has changed.  I find things to be just as exhausting, except in a different way.  Delia decided to christen our new schedule (which we are still trying to work out) by several hours of awake time on Sunday night.  I knew something was wrong with her but I didn't know what.  No fever, no vomiting, nothing.  We snuggled on the glider and then on the couch together, she played for about 20 minutes and then she fell back to sleep.  Monday morning she was whiny.  That paired with her coughing and a constant runny nose prompted me to take her to the doctor, just to make sure.  Turns out she has a slight case of bronchiolitis and a right ear infection.  BIG sigh.  I guess those tubes won't keep infections at bay.  Sickness means ear drops and antibiotics.  Antibiotics means diarrhea and that means bad diaper rash and disposable diapers.  I know it's necessary, but I hate when she's on antibiotics.  I hope that they clear things up quickly and we get back to regular life soon.

In all the craziness that was Monday, I completely forgot that I was supposed to make a meal to a friend who recently had a baby.  I feel SO awful about it.  In my mind, I kept thinking Wednesday and obviously I was wrong.  Fortunately, she was very understanding and I will be taking a meal to her today instead (ha, Wednesday).

I managed to fit in a 30 day shred yesterday!  I have not worked out in a long time so I know the pain that accompanies a new exercise routine will hit me soon.  I felt a few small twinges this morning but it usually takes a good 2-3 days for the full body pain to settle in.  From past experience, I just need to get through and the good stuff will follow. 

The fact that my job ended still doesn't feel final.  It doesn't seem like I won't be going back after a week of vacation or something.  I'm thrilled that I'm not, but it's a strange feeling.  I'm not focusing on it, but I thought it was worth a mention.  I'm so happy to be home with my daughter.  I love not having to rush around in the morning, squeeze in dr appointments before work and be overwhelmed by having dinner on the table every night (to name a few).  This is a very different life but one I am welcoming with open arms.  

why i breastfed my daughter.

Recently, for whatever reason, I've seen and heard a fair amount of negative reactions to breastfeeding and doing so in public.  I know it's a controversial topic so I don't plan on getting into that aspect, but it's caused me to reflect on my experience and so I decided to share a little bit of it with you.

To say that I chose to breastfeed Delia (and any future children) is not entirely true.  To "choose" implies that I carefully calculated my options and decided that breast milk was the best kind of food for my baby.  The latter part is true, but the action of feeding her this way is not something I chose, but rather just did.  I never considered another option.  When my OB office asked me at my first prenatal visit whether I planned to breastfeed, I was prepared with a quick "yes".  I grew up surrounded by women who fed their children in this completely natural and intended way.  My mom nursed 11 babies and I also witnessed several aunts and family friends nurse their babies as well.  It was always assumed that I would do the same.  I'm thankful to say that Delia and I didn't have many issues creating this relationship.  She was a trooper from the start, ate well and gained weight which means my body was producing enough.  There's something to be said for being the sole source of nutrition for your baby.  It's something to be proud of.  Now here's where my brutal honesty comes in.  I did not immediately feel that bond that I kept hearing about.  Breastfeeding wasn't quite exactly what I thought it would be.  Early on, I found myself frustrated and not believing that I could make it to 6 months (my true goal) or even 4 months.  It only got harder when I went back to work and had to pump 2-3 (sometimes 3-4)  times a day.  I can't begin to explain the emotional and physical exhaustion that comes with meeting that need for your baby.  I was on call 24/7.  I was the one to do the night feedings because really, is it worth it to have my husband give a bottle of pumped milk when I still had to get up and pump?  After 9 months of carrying my baby inside me, I dreamt of having my body back to myself.  That doesn't happen while breastfeeding.  Your body still belongs to your baby.  I couldn't wear all the same clothes that I could wear normally.  I was always thinking about what people I would be around and how easily it would be to nurse in a specific location.  I'm sure a part of that was first time mom uncertainties and I hope that with my next baby, I will feel more at ease.  Not to mention having to lug a pump around with you everywhere.  I remember sitting in the back of our car in a sketchy philadelphia parking lot outside an Eddie Vedder concert.  It definitely wasn't fun, but it was necessary.  At one point I happened upon an article online that made me rethink my attitude.  It wasn't about me.  It was about her.  Her needs and health.  It put everything in perspective for me and gave me that extra push to get through to 6 months.  I'm sad to say that I started to have some supply issues despite my attempts to keep things going.  I even ate oatmeal every day and took fenugreek.  I finally hit a breaking point with stress and I knew I had to switch her to formula.  That's when those crazy emotional ties that I didn't think I had to breastfeeding came to light.  My husband and a few friends will tell you that I was a wreck inside.  It took me a good two weeks to accept what was happening and allow the weaning process to take place.  The first day that Delia had a bottle of formula, she didn't even bat an eye.  Fortunately, I didn't have to be there to witness it but all these fears I had created somewhere in my mind where null and void.  She was adaptable from birth, I knew this, and she was fine.  In a matter of a couple more weeks, I was fine too.  Although looking back, I wish I could have gone longer, I have no regrets.  I walked away from this experience with an idea of what to do next time around if I have to be working full time again.  My wish is that I won't have to do that but I know it's a very real possibility.  In any case, I know that I will breastfeed my next child regardless of how long it lasts.