Things I will miss upon going back to work (Non Bryce Related)

Kind of sad-- I return to work on Monday, as Bryce is already eight weeks and I have elected to return back to work (mostly because I enjoy my paycheck, and they stop paying me at 6 weeks). Anyhow, I have had a fun run spending so much time with Bryce and Sean, but alas, that time has come to a close. I wanted to share with you all some of the things that I will miss.

My Personal (Non-baby) List of Things I will miss upon going back to work:

10) The gym during the mid-morning hours. I love watching and laughing (internally) at the sassy stay at home moms during the 9am hour. Dressed in their $200 Lululemon outfits, they arrive and pretend to workout (most times with a trainer) in full make-up, hair down and styled, wearing their beautiful Cartier watches. It's pure entertainment-- who needs a TV or an I-pod for distraction?!?! By the way I'm not hating on Lululemon, as it's officially my favorite lounge clothing, but I can't afford a new outfit for each day at the gym!!!

9) Going to the grocery store mid-week and mid-day rather than the weekends or at the beginning or end of the day. How awesome is it to feel like I'm not weaving in and out of crowds just to get to the grapes?!?! Plus, there is NEVER a line at the deli...oh, how I will miss this.

8) Not wearing any makeup or fixing my hair, and not caring about it. If you know me, this is very out of character for me, and yet, I have fully embraced going to the mall without any makeup or hair done. (In typical 'mom' fashion!)

7) Speaking of mall-- although I didn't do this very often (shocker, yes, I know)-- going to the mall midweek, similar to going to the grocery store, is great. That's if you can get over every sales person approaching you because your the only one in the store...bit annoying. But nonetheless, I love the non-hectic shopping experience.

6) Playing with Rudy, my precious yorkie, during the day! He's been loving having mom home despite some jealousy issues. I'll miss my pup going back to work.

5) Going to lunch with people. I loved setting my day around who I was going to lunch with! Whether it's Sean, my work colleagues or my neighbor who's a nurse, I will miss this. I've gotten to try several new places in Wayne that I hadn't before.

4) Daytime TV. Grey's Anatomy reruns, what would I do without you? And thank goodness for Oprah-- although I must say I'm a bit disappointed on the show subjects for her her final 25th year.

3) Enjoying my mom's company for three weeks over the last couple of months. She was so helpful with Bryce, especially during the first two weeks after birth. She took night shifts when he had his days mixed up with his nights.

2) Naps! I will definitely miss my naps!

1) Hoda and Kathie Lee!!! I have really come to LOVE this show. I will miss not just lounging around and watching them and laughing during my mid-morning nursing session with Bryce. I may even buy Hoda's book!

The First Day of SCHOOL!

Okay, so it's not really 'school' per say, but rather 'day care'. I guess these days everyone tries to steer clear of that term, 'day care', maybe it's because Dr. Laura S. has made us working mothers feel like such crap for giving our kids up for 5 eight-hour days a week and calling it 'school' makes us feel better because my 7.5week old comes home with a report card each day. So, 'school' it is. I digress...

Anyhow, Bryce started school this week. And I'm happy to report that he is SOOO well behaved. His teachers (yes plural) LOVE him. There are two teachers in his room of six infants. However, the well-behaved part ends as soon as we step foot into the parking lot. For the last two days, bloody murder is belted out in such a loud scream that it's made to sound like I'm taking him away from the best place on earth. Ugh. Needless to say, he's still adjusting, as the last two nights have been by far and away the worst two nights we have had since he was three weeks old. Oh well, he's still cute and if someone else can experience the cuteness that we got to see all during the first 7 weeks of his life, by all means I'm happy for them.

Speaking of adjusting, Sean and I are also adjusting. It was definitely a smart move for us (yay new parents) to take him a week before I actually go back to work. So, yes, I'm on vacation this week-- no kid to immediately tend to during the day :) It's so weird to put on make-up in peace and quiet again. The first day was a little rough-- funny because the teachers even said upon us leaving Bryce that morning that 'This looks a little tougher on dad than mom'. Let me just say that yes I have emotion, but I think Sean wears it on his sleeve a bit more (love him for that). Anyhow, we've been visiting Bryce each day at lunch time, which is fun because we get to see him at random and feel even better about our decision on this 'school' place as the teachers are wonderful and the gatekeepers are extreme Nazi-like, making sure no stranger enters the school. (Annoying but thankful for this.)

And yes, I do feel a bit guilty for not being the stay at home mom. Dropping a kid off for someone else to watch him does suck-- there's no denying that. But I do really like my job and company, despite the craziness most days. We have great medical and dental benefits-- as my mom put it 'unheard of' in terms of benefits. (Sean and I had a free baby-- not one single copay during the nine months of checkups and labor and delivery. Oh, and did I mention we don't have a deductible at all? And one more thing, it costs us a grand total of $6 per month for our medical and dental benefits. That's up $2 since we had Bryce.) So despite my feeling of guilty-ness, I think that we are doing the best for our baby boy and can only hope that his teachers and educators really do love him and will help teach him so that he's an average (or above average) student by the time he gets to kindergarten.

Speaking of kindergarten, I just found out that Bryce misses the cutoff date by a measly 12 hours. This means he'll turn six on Sept 2nd when he starts kindergarten, rather than turning five.. but the pros and cons of this should be kept for another post a little later in life.

The pic of the Goddard School. It was a beautiful day on Monday.

Proud dad :)

This is Bryce's crib. He's got a mobile and everything. We also have his blankie in there for him. He's a happy camper. Oh, and notice the jersey. He wore the Dallas Cowboy Emmit Smith jersey on Monday to root for the Cowboys in Monday night football vs the Giants. His efforts didn't really help. Poor Cowboys.

First Smile: Success; First Playdate: Disaster

Look at one of Bryce's first smiles. It's hard to catch because he's not doing it consistently quite yet, but this was a day when he happy baby :)

We love our little monster and his green socks!

And, here's one of mom reading to him. And yes, he fell asleep.

As far as playdates go, today Bryce had his first official 'playdate' with an (almost) 9-month old girl, Madelyn. Her mom, Brook, is one of my colleagues at Cephalon. It wasn't quite the disaster that I make it out to be, but Bryce did manage to embarrass me just a little bit. (Will this be the future?). First, just as we arrive, he was hungry. Although I was expecting to feed him via a bottle while we were there, I didn't think he would throw a typical hissy fit quite so quickly. No big deal, I pulled out the bottle and he went to town. However, after his bottle I would have expected him to calm down and at least doze off for a bit. Nope, no such luck. We borrowed Maddie's bouncy seat, which helped, but he really wouldn't stop fussing. I felt bad because Brook was concerned because Maddie 'was never like that'. I explained to Brook that when Bryce is awake very rarely is he just cool, calm, and collected. He's more like a hell raiser. Yup-- hell raiser Bryce.

So, (I digress) finally, the worst part came when he started getting really really fussy, about 45minutes after his bottle. Brooke's husband actually picked him up and low and behold he stained the back of his pants with a big you know what. And yes, I was prepared-- but only partly. I had my diaper bag with all the essentials, even the boogie wipes. But guess what I didn't have-- any extra clothing. UGH! So poor guy had to loose his pants-- and he should have lost his onsie, but I didn't want him to come out naked with only a diaper on! (Remember the temp is only mid 60's here so some clothing is definitely necessary). I felt bad for Bryce and kind of like an idiot for not having a change of clothing. So note to self, never ever forget extra change of outfits again!

Other than that we had a great time and Brook made a great lunch for us, but hopefully next time won't be so traumatic.

Double Digits

Today we entered double digits! Yay! At seven weeks Bryce is exactly 10lbs, 1oz. Yes, he's getting to be my little chunk. Chunky monkey to be more specific. He's also getting so long-- we haven't measured him in awhile, but his pants are now fitting appropriately. Previously I was having to roll his pants either at the waist or I would have to cuff them at the bottom. No longer!

On another positive note, I have recovered from mastitis! Another big Yay! Antibiotics are a God send, and I am feeling much better. I have a lot more energy, despite the night feedings. I'm just glad I didn't give up on the whole breast feeding thing because I really am getting the hang of it now and would hate to give up all that hard work. (But I can see how women do give it up after having mastitis because it's pretty friggin painful.)

Next week Bryce starts daycare and I am officially on the countdown until I go back to work on November 1st. We are starting him a week before I return just to get into a solid routine, and for us to get used to someone else taking care of our little guy. I really can't believe how fast the time has gone. I feel like it was just August and I was counting down the days until I left work to have a baby! Crazy! I'm definitely feeling the itch to get back as I could use a good dose of intellectual stimulation. Oprah is just not doing it for me.

Couple of pics from this past week:

Bryce likes to wave his hands in the air!

My FABULOUS boys:

Mom's favorite little man! Look at that hat. He'll hate me one day for all those hats!

Gramps Krenz! My dad came up this past weekend!

Grammy Krenz! They both have their hands in the air!

Also, I made my blog so that everyone can post comments. I figured out how to make it available for anyone. You don't have to 'sign in' or have an account to post something, so go for it!

I'm a SMU Mustang Fan!

Bryce secretly told me this weekend that he really wanted to dress up and be a fan of the SMU Mustangs like mom. He even told me he would be considering this as a college to attend in 18 years. Too bad SMU didn't win on Saturday-- there's always next weekend!

Rolling Over!!!

In the midst of a "I'm hungry" crying fit, Bryce rolled over from his tummy to his back! I was able to capture it on my normal camera in video mode so the quality probably isn't so great.

Up next...walking. (Just kidding). :)

Good News / Bad News

Bad News First:

Okay, so I'm not sure how this happened, but I've somehow managed to get mastitis. Ugh. Last night I woke up shaking, chills, and with a very very very tender breast. At first I thought I was just getting sick, but after the chills wouldn't stop and I was in a bit of agony I got online and looked up mastitis. And yup, after calling my OB, she confirmed that this is what I had and promptly started me on antibiotics for ten days. All the symptoms are the same as the flu-- fever, chills, no appetite, but hopefully the meds will kick in and help out sooner rather than later. The plus side is that my parents are here, so that will help out a TON with Bryce.

So how does this happen? There are several different reasons this happens, including (but not limited to) a blocked milk duct, Bryce's saliva, and Bryce not finishing the milk.

Good News:

Bryce has started to go down at a consistent bedtime! Yay! He's getting the hang of just going to sleep on his own. I know it's a process, but we've started the adventure in bedtime. Thanks to all my friends' advice, it's been so encouraging.

That's all for now, going to put some heat packs on my chest. Ugh.

Some Pics

And we're out for a quick walk...

The stroller is still a bit too big without the car seat, but we go slow and steady.

And yes, his onesie does say, "Mommy's Super Star".

Tummy Time!! The idea is that he is supposed to be practicing lifting his head. Yum yah, after a few attempts, he proceeded to fall asleep. Look at that super cute pillow!!!

Bryce eating with daddy!

And We Have Colic

So much for my perfect baby...

My personal diagnosis: Colic

Evidence:

• Cries vigorously for long periods, despite efforts to console
• Symptoms occur around the same time each day or night, often after meal times, and usually ending as abruptly as they began
• Shows signs of gas discomfort and abdominal bloating
• Has a hard, distended stomach, with knees pulled to the chest, clenched fists, flailing arms and legs, and an arched back
• Experiences frequent sleeplessness, irritability and fussiness

Bryce is definitely a candidate here. The last two weeks have really taken a toll on mom (and dad when he's not traveling). He cries typically from 7pm until 1am and it's happening EVERY night (I only wish I was exaggerating here). I think there was one glorious night last week when it didn't happen. And, when he cries, he wails. He swings his arms like he is swimming and his legs go up and down, into and out of his chest. (If it weren't so sad, it would be comical.)

The worst is when he's awake all day, because it really doesn't give me a break from entertaining him (which is really a lot of fun)-- and then into the evening he just goes to town on the crying. You would think that since he's been awake all day he would be a good little sleeper, but nope, it's almost worse when he doesn't sleep during he day.

So there are a lot of different 'causes' for a colicky baby: my diet, him breathing in too much air during nursing, immature digestive system, among a few others. If the mom is aware of which foods is affecting the baby, then she is advised to stop eating them. I personally have no clue what may be bringing this on. Pretty much the only thing to do is wait it out-- this stops around three months. Yay-- two more months.

I know many moms and dads have survived this-- so can we. Ugh.

One Month Checkup

Bryce and Mommy today. He's gotta a gangsta face in that second picture! Ha!

Lots of stuff happening at today's pediatrician one-month check up:

Weight: 9lbs 1oz! Awesome! This puts him in the 26th percentile. Ironically the size of his head puts him in the 11th percentile. Weird.

Height: 21.5 inches He's officially grown an inch and a half in the last month! Wow!

Shots: 2nd Hep B Vaccine. I'm happy to report that Bryce let out a little peep and showed a really sad face, but DID NOT cry! Way better than me!

Other stuff : Bryce has a cradle cap (A.K.A. Dandriff). It's really annoying because his scalp is so flakey, so she told us to use anti-dandruff shampoo in combination with baby shampoo. I have also been using baby oil and brushing the flakes out, which helps (I got this advice from one of thousands of baby books). Baby acne is taking over Bryce's face! It comes and goes, but there are times when he should have been prescribed a dose of Acutane. I feel so bad for him, even though I'm sure it doesn't hurt. The doc said it could last two months.

Doc's orders:

1-- Tummy time is a must do when he's awake. We should put his upper body on top of a pillow and hold down his back legs so he can learn to lift up his head. She also said to put him on top of a bright and colorful blanket which will keep him entertained.

2-- No falling asleep on mom or dad. Rather, put him down when he's semi-awake. We've actually been trying that with limited success-- he's great at doing this during naps, but night time his worst time.

3-- Start giving more bottles during the day to prepare him for daycare. (He starts daycare in 3 weeks and I go back to work in 4 weeks! Crazy!!)

4-- Mom and dad and anyone around him for longer periods of time should get a flu shot.

And today's embarrassing moments (yes, more than one):

Upon arriving at the doc's office Bryce had a dirty diaper. No problemo-- he has to take his diaper off anyway to get weighed, so changing him is no biggie. Except when mom forgets the diaper bag at home. I felt like an idiot asking for a diaper and wipes. The nurses had one size of diaper-- thank goodness it was newborn size, we lucked out.

And then when getting weighed he peed all over the scale AND the wall AND the nurse. Nice Bryce, real nice. Way to make a good impression.

The Past Four Weeks

The past four weeks have come and gone so quickly-- I can't believe that a month has already passed since Bryce's birth. I feel as though we just got home from the hospital. The time just flies (when you're having fun, or rather, sleep deprived). Four weeks from today I return to work, and even though I'm sick of 'The Today Show, Hoda and Kathy Lee' and am craving some intellectual stimulation, I know that these next four weeks will pass just as quickly as the first.

Some of my favorite times over the last month hasn't just been when Bryce is awake, but it's been at 4am when he's nursing. He's so peaceful and just such an angel, it makes getting up every three hours worth it. I will also say that I CANNOT WAIT for him to make it consistently to five hours between feeding times. He's also really starting to focus on our faces and use his eyes to track the toys on his mobile. We can't wait for him to start smiling at us and mimicking our facial expressions. Finally, it would be nice for him to finally fit into his 0-3 month clothing--I have put an outfit on every other day that is not a 'Newborn' outfit, and it still just swamps him! Oh well, he'll grow soon enough.

Here are some recent photos of our Bryce:

In a bucket! We wanted to compare him to a kid-size football!!!!

Love this face! (Catching flies again!)

Not so excited about the football on him!!!

Peaceful rest in a bucket!

Our little monkey is moving his arms and legs like crazy!!! He's a squirmy baby!!!

Bryce has learned to suck his thumb!!! This is actually a great pic because usually he'll have his thumb in his mouth with the rest of his hand spread across the face.