That Helpful Kid

Since That Baby's arrival, That Kid has been extremely helpful. Maybe helpful isn't the right word. Some of the great things he's done...

1. Today when That Baby was crying, That Kid decided it was because he wanted "bottle food" (we told him That Baby's food comes from a bottle, he's not allowed to feed him anything. ;) ). He got me a bottle, a bag of milk, a nipple, and the cap from one of my collection bottles. So helpful!!

2. When he decides That Baby's been crying too long, That Kid puts his hand over That Baby's mouth. So helpful!!

3. Saturday, That Baby was being extra needy. I couldn't put him down. That Dad was at work, and had to stay an extra hour because the schedule was messed up and That Dad was the only person from his department at the store. He had to stay there until the next person came. I didn't get to eat until almost 3pm...and that was because I decided to let That Baby cry while I made lunch (breakfast?!?) for myself. I put him in his bassinet in the living room and kept telling myself he was safe in his bassinet while I made my food (sandwiches and chips...it should have taken me all of 5 minutes). Then I heard That Baby choking. I went running to the living room where I found That Kid with That Baby's bulb syringe shoved halfway down That Baby's throat. I yelled at That Kid, who immediately went running to his room crying, "I'm bad! I'm bad!" Then That Kid, That Baby, and That Mama were all three crying. It was lovely. But...That Kid was just being helpful. So helpful!!

All in all, we've made a nice adjustment from a family of three to a family of four. I'm still trying to find the balance in having two kids, trying to make time for That Kid (even if it's just my undivided attention at bedtime). That Baby will be a month old on Friday...I think we're doing pretty well for having a month old baby! :)

Confessions of That Sleep Deprived Mama!!

When your blood pressure is as high as mine was when That Baby was born, you get asked every few minutes if you have a head ache, or blurry vision or stars in your eyes, or nausea. I will admit that for the first time, I had to answer that yes, I did have a head ache. A very, very bad head ache. I've never had any of the rest of the symptoms asked.

A couple of days ago, I got in the shower. As I was washing my hair, I realized I left my glasses on, so I took them off and placed them in the shower caddy. And forgot them when I got out of the shower.

I grabbed the first pair of glasses I found on the bathroom counter - but they weren't mine. Mine were still forgotten in the shower. I put That Dad's glasses on, instead. And I couldn't see, and my vision was blurry, and I was convinced my blood pressure was dangerously high again. I quickly realized the lenses were too small to be my lenses, and took That Dad's glasses off and found mine again. :) Crisis averted!! I think I should probably go to bed earlier, or at least take a nap or two each day!

Check this out!

Guess what I did last Wednesday?? Here's a hint...I got morphine. It was good stuff. I loved my anesthesiologist. :) I also got a spinal, which was not as fun as the morphine.

And, I'm not pregnant anymore! Yay!! That Baby was born on Wednesday, June 1, at 3:57. My blood pressure had gone through the roof, and yet again I had pre eclampsia. The first course of action was going to be to keep me in the hospital for five days and deliver today, on June 6, but when my doctor walked in and saw my pressures he decided that the best course would be to deliver right then and there.

That Kid just adores That Baby! He has been sharing his toys, and teaching him about his favorite TV shows, and loves holding him.

I will admit that I am glad the pregnancy ended the way it did, because That Dad and I had decided long ago That Baby would be That LAST Baby. Until two weeks ago, while my pressures had been slightly elevated they weren't horrible, and my pregnancy was almost perfect - I had said if I could have another pregnancy like that one I'd do it a third time. But, knowing my body doesn't like pregnancy after 35 weeks and that it's fairly dangerous for me to get pregnant again, I'm OK with this decision. And, my OBs all think it's the best decision for us, too; so that makes me feel much better.

OK...it's taken me 2 hours to write this...I must be busy or something. :) Off to watch That Baby sleep...it's super precious!

What's good for the gosling, is good for the goose!

That Kid has a new very bad habit. When we call him he said, "WHAT?!?" in a very snotty and rude tone. We've been after him to say, "Yes, Mama?" or "Yes, Daddy?" instead of "WHAT?!?"; and he's quickly learning. :)

Tonight, after wishing I had this book because That Kid had called me into his bedroom for the 500th time after I told him to close his eyes and sleep, I marched in and said, "WHAT?!?"

Without missing a beat he said, "You no say WHAT, Mama; you say, 'Yes, That Kid?'" OK, OK...I guess I need to work on it, too!! :)

It's for That Baby, I say!

I really dislike this time of year. The time of year when Cadbury Eggs are abundant (both Creme and Mini); and Candy Corn is pastel instead of yellow, orange, and white; Sweetarts come in animal shapes; and jelly beans are available in tons of delicious flavors you can't normally get (just yesterday I saw FOUR varieties of STARBURST jelly beans alone!).

I have no self control. I need my Creme Eggs. I need my Mini Eggs. And, I need to hide them from That Kid.

So, I buy these things, and I hide them. Or I think I hide them, anyway. I have a huge bucket from my trip to see Eclipse last Summer. They put deeeeeeeeeelicious, buttery movie theatre popcorn in it, which I ate. And now I hide my Easter candy in. Until a couple of days ago, I thought I was doing well...but when I got out of the shower That Kid came running up to me and told me, "Mama. We need more CANDY. It's gone." And gone it was. That Baby ate it. Well, I helped. But it was *for* That Baby.

I'm thinking That Kid is going to hate his brother before he even arrives if I don't stop telling him that things in my Twilight bucket are "for the baby", or that the sourdough bread (he calls it tias, no idea why, and then takes the bag and eats the bread under the train table) I've been craving is "for the baby", or even that he can't sit on my stomach because he's squishing his brother. Maybe I'll share my hidden candy after all...

"It's not about winning, it's about spending time together!"

Tonight, That Family attempted our first ever family game. That Kid has been asking to play Candy Land for a couple of days now, so after That Dad was cleaned up after work, we played.

And since it was our first official family game, it *had* to last forever. That Dad was going to win, when he drew a bad card and got knocked back to the middle of the board. Then I got sent back to the beginning. Then That Kid got sent back to the beginning. And we ran out of cards. We probably should have taken the picture cards out at that point, but we didn't...and I got sent back to Mr. Minty. And That Kid was close to winning (OK, he actually would have won if he had taken the better of the two cards he picked!) but because he loves the picture cards he went back to Gumdrop Mountain.

As the game neared the end, That Dad was in the lead. And he tried to get That Kid to pick better cards, but he didn't, and That Dad was the winner of the first That Family Official Family Game Night! Instead of cheering for That Dad, That Kid put his head on the table and started to pout. He wouldn't tell That Dad "Good Game" or give him a high five. He took his new Jeep and Trailer and ran into the kitchen. A minute later he came out, and That Dad said, "Did you have a good time?" "NO!", That Kid answered. "I no have a good time! I no win!" So, That Dad took him in his arms and gave him a big hug and told him, "It's not about winning, it's about spending time together!" :) And we picked up the game and put it away. Don't think we'll get it out again for a while!!!

"Oh what a world, what a world!!!!!!"

Isn't that what the Wicked Witch of the West said when she melted? Or, as That Kid would say, when she milked?

A few months ago, he started telling me things were "milking". Icicles were milking off the house. Snow was milking. His ice cream was milking at the restaurant. His eyes were milking (I still haven't figured that one out).

This is his first real mispronounciation...and I love it! He never talks about the "liberry" or "pasketti", just about things milking.