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If you're a closet Internet doctor, like me, and love to Google your different symptoms, I think you might enjoy my new post about The 24-Hour Pharmacist.
Also, if you could use a $50 gift card from CVS, leave a comment on the Parent Bloggers site on The 24-Hour Pharmacist post for a chance to win.
Let me know what you think!
Friday, June 29, 2007
Sunday, June 24, 2007
someone should make me president of our neighborhood watch
A couple of weeks ago, I was on my way to a friend's house and discovered that my car had been "broken" into. I say "broken" with a bit of sarcasm, because it turns out that Josh left my car doors unlocked. I walked into the car to discover the driver's door open, all the compartments in the car hanging wide open, all the bags thrown around, and $20 missing from my visor. The thing is, my sunglasses were still there, none of the cds were touched, and strangest of all, the thieves hadn't touched my stroller (which was in the back of the car). I called Josh to make sure that he hadn't tossed my car for some odd reason and then to get his advice on what I should do.
It seemed so silly to call the police for a missing $20, plus I assumed that the thief or thieves were likely teenagers who got lucky with an unlocked car. Josh agreed, so I cleaned up the car, made sure nothing else was missing and then went about my merry way.
A few days later, I heard through the neighborhood grapevine that my car was one of many, many cars in the neighborhood that was robbed with the same details. Unlocked car in an unlit driveway, items missing. I seemed to be the luckiest of the group, because some people reported laptops, wallets, navigation systems, cell phones, and briefcases missing. I also felt rather guilty about the fact that I hadn't reported the robbery to the police since these were clearly patterned crimes, but by now it had been over a week and it seemed silly to call then.
Fast forward to last night, I'm sleeping in my bed, around 2am. I suddenly bolt upright in bed, wide awake, because I realize the car is unlocked again. So I did the logical thing, which was to get out of bed, go downstairs, get the car keys, and walk outside, in my nightgown, at 2am, to see if the car was actually unlocked and whether it had been broken into already. Why didn't I just lock the car from inside and check in the morning? It made total sense to me that I needed to know right then if someone had broken in, so that we could call the police at 2 in the morning. Let's chalk this up to lack of sleep, okay?
Anyway, I open the front door and walk outside, in my nightgown, and hear this humming sound. I didn't recognize the noise, but figured that it must be a neighbor's air conditioner that I'd never noticed before. I got to the end of my driveway before I realized that the humming sound came from a black car parked directly in front of my house. A parked car with the engine running. And a GUY sitting inside the car.
Now, at this point, most of you would have gone back inside, right? You wouldn't just continue on to your car and check it, taking your sweet time before going back inside, would you? Especially not with a strange man sitting in front of your house in a suspicious car with the engine running, no?
Guess which one I did?
I finally go back inside, lock the door, go back to bed and realize that I should probably mention all this to Josh. I wake him up, and we both crouch in front of the window, spying on the guy and discussing what we should do. We finally decide to call the police. I then proceed to turn all the lights in the house on to try and find the phone book to locate the non-emergency number for the police, because hey, I'm trying to be discrete. I can't find it, so we call 911 and I give all the details to the emergency operator.
There is a whole flurry of activity over the phone- they are asking me for a description of the guy, I hear the radio going crazy, another officer reports that he is right around the corner, we hear a car racing down the street to our driveway, and at this point, I have visions of being able to proudly recount to all my neighbors how I single-handedly caught the car robbers with nothing but my nightgown for protection. And then the policeman comes back on the line to let me know that the car is an undercover officer in an unmarked car. Which makes sense, because I guess if you were a robber, you would likely leave once you saw the resident awake at her house with the lights blazing and her husband glaring at you out of the bedroom window.
All of this to say that I called the cops on the cops. I am such an asset to my neighborhood, obviously. Our email group has been making suggestions left and right about how we can fight back against these robberies, like calling the police and the mayor and putting up fliers. My suggestion? We could actually start LOCKING OUR CARS, since all of the cars have been left unlocked with valuables inside. Shocking concept, I know.
Things are exciting in my sleepy suburb these days. I can hardly stand it.
It seemed so silly to call the police for a missing $20, plus I assumed that the thief or thieves were likely teenagers who got lucky with an unlocked car. Josh agreed, so I cleaned up the car, made sure nothing else was missing and then went about my merry way.
A few days later, I heard through the neighborhood grapevine that my car was one of many, many cars in the neighborhood that was robbed with the same details. Unlocked car in an unlit driveway, items missing. I seemed to be the luckiest of the group, because some people reported laptops, wallets, navigation systems, cell phones, and briefcases missing. I also felt rather guilty about the fact that I hadn't reported the robbery to the police since these were clearly patterned crimes, but by now it had been over a week and it seemed silly to call then.
Fast forward to last night, I'm sleeping in my bed, around 2am. I suddenly bolt upright in bed, wide awake, because I realize the car is unlocked again. So I did the logical thing, which was to get out of bed, go downstairs, get the car keys, and walk outside, in my nightgown, at 2am, to see if the car was actually unlocked and whether it had been broken into already. Why didn't I just lock the car from inside and check in the morning? It made total sense to me that I needed to know right then if someone had broken in, so that we could call the police at 2 in the morning. Let's chalk this up to lack of sleep, okay?
Anyway, I open the front door and walk outside, in my nightgown, and hear this humming sound. I didn't recognize the noise, but figured that it must be a neighbor's air conditioner that I'd never noticed before. I got to the end of my driveway before I realized that the humming sound came from a black car parked directly in front of my house. A parked car with the engine running. And a GUY sitting inside the car.
Now, at this point, most of you would have gone back inside, right? You wouldn't just continue on to your car and check it, taking your sweet time before going back inside, would you? Especially not with a strange man sitting in front of your house in a suspicious car with the engine running, no?
Guess which one I did?
I finally go back inside, lock the door, go back to bed and realize that I should probably mention all this to Josh. I wake him up, and we both crouch in front of the window, spying on the guy and discussing what we should do. We finally decide to call the police. I then proceed to turn all the lights in the house on to try and find the phone book to locate the non-emergency number for the police, because hey, I'm trying to be discrete. I can't find it, so we call 911 and I give all the details to the emergency operator.
There is a whole flurry of activity over the phone- they are asking me for a description of the guy, I hear the radio going crazy, another officer reports that he is right around the corner, we hear a car racing down the street to our driveway, and at this point, I have visions of being able to proudly recount to all my neighbors how I single-handedly caught the car robbers with nothing but my nightgown for protection. And then the policeman comes back on the line to let me know that the car is an undercover officer in an unmarked car. Which makes sense, because I guess if you were a robber, you would likely leave once you saw the resident awake at her house with the lights blazing and her husband glaring at you out of the bedroom window.
All of this to say that I called the cops on the cops. I am such an asset to my neighborhood, obviously. Our email group has been making suggestions left and right about how we can fight back against these robberies, like calling the police and the mayor and putting up fliers. My suggestion? We could actually start LOCKING OUR CARS, since all of the cars have been left unlocked with valuables inside. Shocking concept, I know.
Things are exciting in my sleepy suburb these days. I can hardly stand it.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
doing the conga
Apparently, training two dogs has come in quite handy. Now we've moved onto training Gabriel to do tricks on cue. If anyone starts a Conga line at our next wedding, he's ready to go. Next, we're going to start working on the Hava Nagila.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
worst mother ever
My inlaws came to visit today, and my mother in law picked up Gabe to hold him for a bit. He promptly started to chew on her hand, and within 5 minutes of her arrival, she says, "Hey, I feel something in his mouth!" I wrestle him down, pry his mouth open, and lo and behold, there is AN ACTUAL TOOTH. Already out of the gums. Exposed. External. Broken through
the skin.
I AM HIS MOTHER, AND I NEVER NOTICED THAT HE WAS TEETHING A TOOTH.
If you come over and look in my medicine cabinet, you'll find that I have daytime baby oragel, and nighttime baby oragel, and infant tylenol and infant motrin. In my fridge I have 4 teethers, and in the freezer I have one. Do you think I gave him any of these? Do you think that when he woke up at 1am, 3am, 3:15am, 3:30am, 4am and 7am the other night, that it even occurred to me that he might be teething? Friends from my new moms' group complain left and right that their babies are teething, and I sat here thinking, "boy am I glad Gabe isn't teething."
Someone should call child services on me. I suck.
Of course, now that my inlaws are here, today Gabe acted like a complete fuss pot, as if to demonstrate that it is obvious to any random bystander that he is teething, and I am a negligent mother that never noticed.
So we have two options here:
(1) Worst mother ever.
(2) Best teether ever, who gives no indication that he is teething.
For the sake of my delicate sensibilities, I am opting for option 2. I already feel guilty enough.
the skin.
I AM HIS MOTHER, AND I NEVER NOTICED THAT HE WAS TEETHING A TOOTH.
If you come over and look in my medicine cabinet, you'll find that I have daytime baby oragel, and nighttime baby oragel, and infant tylenol and infant motrin. In my fridge I have 4 teethers, and in the freezer I have one. Do you think I gave him any of these? Do you think that when he woke up at 1am, 3am, 3:15am, 3:30am, 4am and 7am the other night, that it even occurred to me that he might be teething? Friends from my new moms' group complain left and right that their babies are teething, and I sat here thinking, "boy am I glad Gabe isn't teething."
Someone should call child services on me. I suck.
Of course, now that my inlaws are here, today Gabe acted like a complete fuss pot, as if to demonstrate that it is obvious to any random bystander that he is teething, and I am a negligent mother that never noticed.
So we have two options here:
(1) Worst mother ever.
(2) Best teether ever, who gives no indication that he is teething.
For the sake of my delicate sensibilities, I am opting for option 2. I already feel guilty enough.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
gratuitous mention of breasts included
My blog emailed me yesterday. The email suspiciously came from Josh's email address, but he disclaims any responsibility from said email. The blog berated me due to my lack of posting, and said that although it knows that I've been quite busy fulfilling a certain 5 month old's every desire, I still need to find time to post. Clearly, my blog is right.
I have a good excuse for not posting, though. Up until last week, Gabe was an eater. He was a very good eater. I never worried about breastfeeding or his growth or weight gain because he loved to breastfeed. Instead, my problem was how to get him to stop breastfeeding to do other activities, like play or sleep or interact with anyone besides my breasts. Josh has been calling me The Bartender for months now because I so often have a child hanging off of my body. For the first four months of his life, it would often take him upwards of an hour to complete a meal. And he ate every 2-3 hours. You do the math.
Until last week. While we were in Rochester, I happened to be a bridesmaid in the wedding, which necessitated me leaving Gabriel for the first time in Josh's care for longer than 45 minutes. I pumped several bottles, left before he woke up, and was able to be with him again starting at about 4pm. At which point, he refused to breastfeed. REFUSED. By refused, I mean that he pitched a fit whenever a breast was thrust into his face. A fit complete with back arching, yelling and turning his head away from me. The first time it happened, I assumed that he was tired and overwhelmed from the action at the wedding. The next day, I assumed he was tired and overwhelmed from all the traveling. The day after that, I assumed he was pissed that we drove back from Niagara Falls to Boston in one day. When we were home and safely ensconced in his favorite chair in his bedroom, I started to suspect it might have something to do with the actual boobs.
I freaked.
I consulted Dr. Google, who assured me that this was a perfectly normal nursing strike that could last a few days or up to 2 weeks. TWO WEEKS. I freaked some more. I called a lactation consultant, contacted my friend who has nursed 3 babies, I even went down to our neighborhood maternity store to ask for advice. The bottom line was that I couldn't give him any more bottles, no matter how mad he was, and eventually, EVENTUALLY, he would eat. The pediatrician assured me that he wouldn't starve if he didn't eat for a day. Easy for him to say.
So that's where we've been since the Saturday before last. Trying to convince this little bugger that what he really really wants is to nurse, but looking completely nonchalant about the whole thing. It takes serious skill to try to offer someone your breast every 15 minutes while looking totally uninterested in whether he accepts or not. I feel like I'm back in college trying to win Josh over. Things are definitely improving, though, and now I usually only have to dangle my boobs over his face a couple of times before he accepts. Gabe, I mean, not Josh. Josh usually accepts on the first try.
The good news is that other than this eating situation, we're doing really well. Gabe is actually sleeping most of the night, without eating, sometimes from 9pm to 7am! This is a dramatic improvement from our previous schedule of waking up at 1am, 4am, and 7am. I actually feel like a human being most days. He has also become ridiculous cute, and I mean RIDICULOUSLY cute. He smiles at everyone and everything, and thinks that most of what I do is hilarious. Sing a song? Hilarious. Clap your hands? Hilarious. Feed the dogs? Hilarious. My self esteem is through the roof from all this encouragement.
Josh started his new job last Friday, and for the first time ever, I've been the one to watch him go off to work while I stay home. It has been strange, to say the least. Now I'm just trying to figure out how to get things done while also taking care of my cutie.
What's new with you?
I have a good excuse for not posting, though. Up until last week, Gabe was an eater. He was a very good eater. I never worried about breastfeeding or his growth or weight gain because he loved to breastfeed. Instead, my problem was how to get him to stop breastfeeding to do other activities, like play or sleep or interact with anyone besides my breasts. Josh has been calling me The Bartender for months now because I so often have a child hanging off of my body. For the first four months of his life, it would often take him upwards of an hour to complete a meal. And he ate every 2-3 hours. You do the math.
Until last week. While we were in Rochester, I happened to be a bridesmaid in the wedding, which necessitated me leaving Gabriel for the first time in Josh's care for longer than 45 minutes. I pumped several bottles, left before he woke up, and was able to be with him again starting at about 4pm. At which point, he refused to breastfeed. REFUSED. By refused, I mean that he pitched a fit whenever a breast was thrust into his face. A fit complete with back arching, yelling and turning his head away from me. The first time it happened, I assumed that he was tired and overwhelmed from the action at the wedding. The next day, I assumed he was tired and overwhelmed from all the traveling. The day after that, I assumed he was pissed that we drove back from Niagara Falls to Boston in one day. When we were home and safely ensconced in his favorite chair in his bedroom, I started to suspect it might have something to do with the actual boobs.
I freaked.
I consulted Dr. Google, who assured me that this was a perfectly normal nursing strike that could last a few days or up to 2 weeks. TWO WEEKS. I freaked some more. I called a lactation consultant, contacted my friend who has nursed 3 babies, I even went down to our neighborhood maternity store to ask for advice. The bottom line was that I couldn't give him any more bottles, no matter how mad he was, and eventually, EVENTUALLY, he would eat. The pediatrician assured me that he wouldn't starve if he didn't eat for a day. Easy for him to say.
So that's where we've been since the Saturday before last. Trying to convince this little bugger that what he really really wants is to nurse, but looking completely nonchalant about the whole thing. It takes serious skill to try to offer someone your breast every 15 minutes while looking totally uninterested in whether he accepts or not. I feel like I'm back in college trying to win Josh over. Things are definitely improving, though, and now I usually only have to dangle my boobs over his face a couple of times before he accepts. Gabe, I mean, not Josh. Josh usually accepts on the first try.
The good news is that other than this eating situation, we're doing really well. Gabe is actually sleeping most of the night, without eating, sometimes from 9pm to 7am! This is a dramatic improvement from our previous schedule of waking up at 1am, 4am, and 7am. I actually feel like a human being most days. He has also become ridiculous cute, and I mean RIDICULOUSLY cute. He smiles at everyone and everything, and thinks that most of what I do is hilarious. Sing a song? Hilarious. Clap your hands? Hilarious. Feed the dogs? Hilarious. My self esteem is through the roof from all this encouragement.
Josh started his new job last Friday, and for the first time ever, I've been the one to watch him go off to work while I stay home. It has been strange, to say the least. Now I'm just trying to figure out how to get things done while also taking care of my cutie.
What's new with you?
Sunday, June 03, 2007
5 months
Dear Gabriel,
Every month I look back on how you've changed in 4 short weeks, and I feel stunned. At some point, the growing has to slow down, right? You're still my sweet, easy, loving baby, but now you show your likes and dislikes more. You love to take walks around the neighborhood and you love to take baths and you love it when we cover you with kisses. Thank goodness, at least some things stay the same! You found your toes earlier this month too, and your favorite thing to do is shove all your toes into your mouth at once and have a munching session. Nothing, honestly nothing, could be cuter.
This month has been another busy month of traveling for you. We flew to San Francisco to attend your first family wedding for one of your cousins, and you met most of your extended family.
You charmed the pants off of them, of course, and we now have loads of pictures of you being hugged and squeezed by various cousins. After a weekend in San Francisco, we drove to Lake Tahoe to spend a week of celebration with your Bubbi and Saba, Aunt and Uncle and cousins, for y
our Saba's 60th birthday celebration.
Once we were all celebrated out, we drove back to Sacramento to spend another few days with your Nonna and Nonno before flying back to Boston. A week later, we drove to Long Island to spend a few days with some friends, and then on to Rochester, NY for your mommy's college roommate's wedding, and then on to Niagara Falls for a quick escape. It has been a whirlwind. Thankfully, you weathered the travel like a champ.
This month you did a glorious thing for your Mommy and Daddy, you started sleeping through the night. You still have good nights and bad nights, but for a couple of weeks in a row, you've slept from 9pm until 6am or 7am. The funny thing is that I feel more tired now than I did before. I think the true extent of my exhaustion has finally sunk in now that I'm sleeping more than I have over the last 6 months. When your morning wake-up time finally rolls around, I love running to your room to see your sweet face looking up at me. It is the longest stretch of time we spend apart each day, and I miss you desperately while you're in the other room.
That is the other big change in our lives- you moved to your own room! We were resisting moving you, but while we were in Lake Tahoe, it became abundantly clear that we were waking you up at nighttime with our deep breathing or tossing and turning. One of the nights we were away, your Daddy got a cold and you were up with each and every one of his coughs. So when we were finally home, we moved your bassinet into your room and you slept through the night for the first time that very night. It surprised me so much, I kept sneaking into your room to check on you! Since then, you've transitioned to your crib because you weigh more than the bassinet allows, and every night, you happily go to sleep with your blanket bear and a few kisses.
You're changing so much, sweet boy. You laugh all the time now, especially at the dogs. You'd been away from them while we were in Lake Tahoe, and when we arrived at Nonna and Nonno's house where they'd been staying, you took one look at Murray and cracked up for 10 long minutes. Your Daddy and I couldn't believe it! You were laughing these huge deep belly laughs, and it brought tears to my eyes. You also think your Daddy is hysterical, far funnier than I am. He also makes you crack up with these adorable giggles when he munches on your neck and stomach. You definitely adore your Daddy and light up when he walks into the room.
This month was a big month for our family because your Daddy graduated from business school! His graduation marks the end of his 5 months at home with us, and he's finally going back to work after 2 years in school. It has been wonderful to have him home all the time and we're incredibly grateful for this time we've all spent together. After all this time at home with the two of us, he knows you so well, and you love him to death. You two started having Boys' Nights At Home this month while I go to the movies or out to coffee or to run an errand and you both love it.
These 5 months have been the best time of my life, and I wish I could slow time down because you are growing up far too quickly.
I love every little bit of you. I'm so lucky that you're my son.
Love,
Mommy
Every month I look back on how you've changed in 4 short weeks, and I feel stunned. At some point, the growing has to slow down, right? You're still my sweet, easy, loving baby, but now you show your likes and dislikes more. You love to take walks around the neighborhood and you love to take baths and you love it when we cover you with kisses. Thank goodness, at least some things stay the same! You found your toes earlier this month too, and your favorite thing to do is shove all your toes into your mouth at once and have a munching session. Nothing, honestly nothing, could be cuter.
This month has been another busy month of traveling for you. We flew to San Francisco to attend your first family wedding for one of your cousins, and you met most of your extended family.
You charmed the pants off of them, of course, and we now have loads of pictures of you being hugged and squeezed by various cousins. After a weekend in San Francisco, we drove to Lake Tahoe to spend a week of celebration with your Bubbi and Saba, Aunt and Uncle and cousins, for y
our Saba's 60th birthday celebration.
Once we were all celebrated out, we drove back to Sacramento to spend another few days with your Nonna and Nonno before flying back to Boston. A week later, we drove to Long Island to spend a few days with some friends, and then on to Rochester, NY for your mommy's college roommate's wedding, and then on to Niagara Falls for a quick escape. It has been a whirlwind. Thankfully, you weathered the travel like a champ.
This month you did a glorious thing for your Mommy and Daddy, you started sleeping through the night. You still have good nights and bad nights, but for a couple of weeks in a row, you've slept from 9pm until 6am or 7am. The funny thing is that I feel more tired now than I did before. I think the true extent of my exhaustion has finally sunk in now that I'm sleeping more than I have over the last 6 months. When your morning wake-up time finally rolls around, I love running to your room to see your sweet face looking up at me. It is the longest stretch of time we spend apart each day, and I miss you desperately while you're in the other room.
That is the other big change in our lives- you moved to your own room! We were resisting moving you, but while we were in Lake Tahoe, it became abundantly clear that we were waking you up at nighttime with our deep breathing or tossing and turning. One of the nights we were away, your Daddy got a cold and you were up with each and every one of his coughs. So when we were finally home, we moved your bassinet into your room and you slept through the night for the first time that very night. It surprised me so much, I kept sneaking into your room to check on you! Since then, you've transitioned to your crib because you weigh more than the bassinet allows, and every night, you happily go to sleep with your blanket bear and a few kisses.
You're changing so much, sweet boy. You laugh all the time now, especially at the dogs. You'd been away from them while we were in Lake Tahoe, and when we arrived at Nonna and Nonno's house where they'd been staying, you took one look at Murray and cracked up for 10 long minutes. Your Daddy and I couldn't believe it! You were laughing these huge deep belly laughs, and it brought tears to my eyes. You also think your Daddy is hysterical, far funnier than I am. He also makes you crack up with these adorable giggles when he munches on your neck and stomach. You definitely adore your Daddy and light up when he walks into the room.
This month was a big month for our family because your Daddy graduated from business school! His graduation marks the end of his 5 months at home with us, and he's finally going back to work after 2 years in school. It has been wonderful to have him home all the time and we're incredibly grateful for this time we've all spent together. After all this time at home with the two of us, he knows you so well, and you love him to death. You two started having Boys' Nights At Home this month while I go to the movies or out to coffee or to run an errand and you both love it.
These 5 months have been the best time of my life, and I wish I could slow time down because you are growing up far too quickly.
I love every little bit of you. I'm so lucky that you're my son.
Love,
Mommy
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