Already?!

My precious baby boy turned 6 months old today. I can't believe it's already been half a year! I feel like just yesterday was the eventful day he was born!

A recap for those not in the know: On Thursday, February 26, 2009 I went to the hospital to start an induction after being dilated at 4cm for 4 days. It was 3 days before my due date. I was 5 cm when they checked me when we arrived. They gave me the Cytotec and we walked around the hospital with very mild easy contractions. At noon I was 6 cm and we decided to break my water. There was light merconium in the water and they started monitoring him a little closer, but he sounded fine. At 1pm the contractions really started intensifying and I got in the tub (keep in mind I had had no drugs, I didn't even have an IV in). Towards the end of pushing it suddenly got way harder. My midwife yelled, "It's shoulder dystocia!" After what seemed like an hour later (which later turned out to be almost exactly one minute) Monkey was born at 3:33pm not breathing. The nurses were running all over the place and telling my husband to talk to him. They intubed him and he started breathing, but wouldn't keep breathing on his own. His APGAR scores were 1 and 3. They called for an airlift to the nearest NICU and he had his first helicopter ride at 2 1/2 hours old. I got to hold him for a few minutes before he left - one of the hardest things I've ever done. After spending 6 days in the NICU (me sleeping on the little closet size sleep rooms they have for family) we got to bring our baby boy home!

Six months later we have a happy little boy who is sitting up well on his own and developing a little temper. His pediatrician was laughing at me today at his check up when he was screaming when laying on the table, but all smiles when I picked him up for her to listen to his back. It was like flipping a switch. Sure, she thought it was funny! She doesn't have to deal with a baby screaming on the floor who just wants to be held and a 3 year old desperate for attention who's acting out. :::sigh::: But this time will go too quickly and someday I'll miss it. Then I'll read this and smack myself! :)

Finally!

My daughter is incredibly picky when it comes to her food. If you ask her what she wants to eat the first thing out of her mouth will be "mac n cheese!" "No." "Umm, crackers, cheese, pickles!" (unsalted saltines, cheddar cheese and gherkins). You can't get her to name anything different. She will always eat a good bread (Italian, foccacia, etc) or fruit - I haven't found a fruit she won't eat, but anything else . . .

For breakfast I can usually get her to eat oatmeal. For lunch pretty much anything other then what's above is left on her plate. For dinner anything other then mac n cheese, plain egg noodles, spaghetti, or chicken nuggets she won't even try. So after she got down from the table without even taking a bite last night I made a decree. No macaroni and cheese or crackers and cheese until she starts trying other things!

This morning breakfast ended up being a banana. And for lunch . . . drum roll please . . . she actually ate 4 pb&j cracker sandwiches! She never eats normal pb&j, so I got the bright idea to put it on her saltines. Big hit! I made 3 and then she asked for another! Between that and her glass of milk I think she actually had a decent meal. It might sound silly - but I'm thrilled!!

Why don't people mind their own business?

Why do people always comment on other people's children? Why are parents not allowed to parent on their own? (Now obviously I am referring to in reason. No beatings or abuse, etc) A few weeks ago as I was putting Monkey in the car little Princess Red Chief kept playing on the cart return after I told her not to. I am of the mind that once I told you not to do something if you get hurt it's karma. (Obviously, again within reason) She started to get caught and a man walking by came to her rescue. As he kept walking the woman with him looked back at me with a dirty look and said, "And her mother was right there!" Now first of all, I was less then a foot away and saw the whole thing, I was going to let her figure out how to get out on her own. Second of all, when did a scrape or bruise become such a horrific thing? Since then she's started listening to me when it comes to the cart returns. Small pains can be a good teacher and she's at the age where I want her to start figuring out things on her own. I don't need to always come to her rescue. Can you tell I'm not a helicopter parent?

I don't know if I've really communicated this well because it's been a busy day and my mind's a jumble. Monkey only took one nap and it wasn't very long, so there was no time to clear my head. Hopefully I made my point!

My son should work at Gitmo

It's true. His plan of sleep deprivation nearly has us under his complete control. He has been planning carefully even before he was born. I think he has us just where he wants us, because we will do anything he wants right now. Last night he kept us up past midnight and woke up at 6am to eat. The night before he fell asleep at midnight and woke up screaming at 2am, fell back to sleep at 3am and woke up to eat at 7am. Mama and Daddy are dragging. Princess Red Chief slept though the night at 3 months and has always slept well - in the last 24 hours she's had more sleep then her brother! Right now he is sleeping - thank the heavens! So nice!

In other news I got the first haircut since I got pregnant with Monkey today. I also put my contacts back in for the first time in a year and put a little eyeliner on! I'm feeling very good at the moment!

My Children

I've debated about what to call my children on here. For some reason I don't want to use their names, but just saying "son" and "daughter" is boring. I think I've narrowed down on nicknames for them, but I think I need to tell you a little more about them for it to make sense.

Have you ever read the O. Henry story "Kidnapping of Red Chief"? That is my daughter. She's 3 years old and knows everything. Her favorite response when I ask her to do something she doesn't want to is, "I don't think so." She wants to go somewhere and see something new everyday. She can drive me crazy. But the things that drive me crazy about her are also the things I love about her. She's smart, active, opinionated (I have no idea where she gets that!), and can talk your ear off. She's never met a stranger and is at home everywhere she goes (which can be embarrassing for mama!) She's funny and affectionate and knows what she wants to do and when. She loves going to my mother's coffee shop and meeting and greeting the customers. When at home she is either spreading her craft box all over the coffee table or is in her room "reading" her books. She's growing into such an interesting little person and I can really appreciate that when I'm trying not to lose my temper with her! In honor of Mr. O. Henry (my daughter gets her bookworm tendencies from me!) I dub her Miss Red Chief! Or Miss Red for short.

My son will be 6 months old next week and we are just starting to see glimpses of his personality. He's a very happy little boy, loves to cuddle and is happiest on my hip. Not so happy in a swing or bouncer. He wants Mama or Daddy all the time. He had a rough start at birth and had his first helicopter ride at 2 hours old when they airlifted him to the nearest NICU. He spent 6 days there, but does not seem to have any major long term effects. Last week he started being able to sit up on his own for extended periods and he was so proud of himself as evidenced by his big, gummy grins. He just started solid food and has had brown rice, avocado and sweet potato so far - all homemade by mama. I had a hard time deciding what to call him since most of his little pet names would sound pretty stupid in a year or two. I've settled on Monkey for now. He clings to me like a little monkey and loves when Daddy plays adventurously with him.

I love my children and being home with them even when they run me ragged . Most days if I'm lucky I get a nap overlap in the afternoon and I usually do some quick housework, but I have to sit done and have some "Mama Time" and this seems to becoming part of it. I usually leave it quiet in the house and read or go on the internet to "see" my mommy friends. But I need that time to preserve my sanity and all mothers do. Some get it in different ways, but we all have to have time to use for ourselves. We will always have naptime/quiet time in this house!

Well, here I go

I don't know what I'm thinking, but I'm starting a blog. Like I don't have enough on my plate! I am a 27 year old mother of two. I have been married for nearly 7 years to my husband the carpenter. We have a 3-year-old girl who's my little wild child and a 5-month-old boy who is still a little cuddle bug. I stay at home with my babies, work part-time (3 nights a week) as a waitress, and do the books for my mother's coffee shop.

I named this blog what I have because I'm tired of mommy labels. Do what's best for your child and your situation. I am or have been formula-feeding and breastfeeding, stroller pushing and babywearing, working mom and stay-at-home-mom, my baby sleeps in a crib in his own room and co-sleeps with us, I bought baby food and made it at home (seriously, I think at home was just as easy and cheaper!) and everything in between. I will warn you I will probably use this as a soapbox every now and again and my husband will appreciate not having to hear about it.

AS I'm just beginning I'm not sure how to end this post - but to say thank you for reading and to promise it will get better! ;)