Nice little Chat

Nice little Chat
Originally uploaded by lacychenault

Anson is babbling all of the time now - to me, his daddy, to his toys, the fish, whatever and whoever will listen. Sometimes it's a squeal, other times it's a gentle coo. It is always heart meltingly sweet.

I can't wait for him to start saying mama and dada. I imagine the first time he says mama will be mid-cry. Dada will probably some one day when Mark comes home from work. I think this because when Mark walks through the door I almost always bring Anson to him saying - dada's home! Yay! He gets so excited. Him crying mama, I think that because when he wakes from his nap and starts to whine I always say mamas coming - mamas here. So those are my guesses.

Real talking seems so far off, but then again it seems he was a little newborn just yesterday - so I bet it will get here before I know it.....Then he will be off to college....oh the thought of him growing old makes me sad in a way. I love my little baby boy.

Not all Roses

Not all Roses
Originally uploaded by lacychenault

Ok, I'll admit it - Anson isn't always cooing and smiling - sometimes he just has a bad day. Today was one of those days. He wanted to be held all day long.....if I put him down he was not happy - if I stopped moving - he was not happy. My left arm is now much stronger. I am hoping tomorrow is better. He's not sick, just well, moody I guess. Today he just wanted to be cuddled - a lot.

And tonight - is his first night in the crib. He's always been in the bassinet right next to own bed at night. Even though he is right accross the hall it feels like miles. So now I am preparing to lay down for bedtime, and just lay there for an hour worrying that he is not breathing - that I don't hear his breathing on the monitor - then checking in on him - waking him and starting all over again....yay!

Good news - He rolled over today :-)

On being the crazy parents

365 - Day 2 - On being the crazy parents
Originally uploaded by lacychenault

I often wonder who Anson will be when he gets older with parents like us. We are soooo extremely goofy all of the time. Hopefully he will understand there is a time for funyuns - and a time for responsibilyuns.

You never know how your children will turn out - but we do know one thing - how your parents are, how they treat you, other people, and what interested them directly impact how you are. Everything they said and did when you were young effected you. Whether you can to admit it or not, you are who you are, because of your parents, good - or bad.

I often hear people say - I won't make the same mistakes my parents did - and I feel the same way. I think the trick is not to go to the other extreme. My mother was beaten, her parents were super strict. So, in turn, with me she was overly permissive. I was spoiled. This exploded in her face when I became a rebellious, angry teenager. So, I in turn do not want to spoil Anson - I can't let him get away with everything. But I don't want to be too strict either.

It's all in finding the balance.

So, I hope we will do good. I hope he turns out to be a responsible, happy, fulfilled adult.

365 - Day 5 - On getting a shower

365 - Day 5 - On getting a shower
Originally uploaded by lacychenault

Getting my daily shower has now become one of the best parts of my day. It's all about me. I sometimes just stand there and enjoy it. It's funny I feel at my worst in the day - right before my shower, and at my best, right after my shower.

Today was even better because Anson was sleeping so I didn't even have to stress about him giving daddy a hard time. I really just enjoyed it.

Breastfeeding

Throughout my pregnancy I knew I wanted to breastfeed. I also knew it might be tough. So many women give up. I read many horror stories about baby not latching on, the pain, cracked nipples, even failure to thrive. I was hoping for the best and expecting the worst. But I knew I would try my hardest.

Right when my son was born they put him on my stomach, I got my breast into the "taco hold" I had read about and brought him to it. I was lucky - he latched on right away. It didn't hurt at all so I thought - what was all the fuss about. Hours later I figured it out. He started suckling wrong - leaving me with little tiny blisters all over my nipples. It was painful. With the help of a lactation consultant and a little patience, I got him to latch on right.

After hours and hours of breastfeeding him, I was sleep deprived - the nurse came in to check my blood pressure, temp and such, asked me if everything was OK and I broke down. I started crying uncontrollably. He won't stop crying! She asked me if I wanted to give him a pacifier, which only made me cry more having read about nipple confusion. After much debate we gave him one, and she offered to take him to the nursery. But once he was gone, I really couldn't sleep - I could hear him crying out there and felt like an awful Mom. I lasted about 10 minutes before I marched out there in my backless hospital robe and got him back. I would rather deal with the crying than feel like a horrible mother.

The crying did get better. I believe he cried so much and wanted to nurse all day that day because he had his circumcision and was in pain. The next day was calm again, but the pain didn't stop. In the week after I had him my breasts became engorged, and every time he would start nursing there was a stinging burning sensation in my nipples that almost brought me to tears. (this only lasted about 30 seconds on each boob) I was hoping this would stop after a while - and it did. After about 3 weeks the stinging went away, and my boobs were no longer like lumpy rocks.

Now at two months I feel like a pro. I've had cracked nipples *Then I found the wonderful nipple cream, I've had the backaches *then I found the boppy I've leaked all over the bed *then I found the breast pads, and I've squirted the hubby with milk a few times. Anson is also a pro at the latch on. I've invested in a good electric pump and try to pump a few times a week, with plans on leaving him with the hubby here and there in the future. He's had a few bottles of breast milk and we've learned that he will only accept the bottle from daddy.

I think the best thing I did for myself was to be informed before he was born. I read everything I could on breastfeeding. I came prepared.