Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Happy Humpday!

Wow, 2 days in a row I have been able to post! Alexis just finally let me lay her down for her nap (she's been sleeping awhile but every time I laid her down before now she would wake up and want to be picked up), and Addy is still down from her nap, although she will probably be up soon.

This week is dragging on and on and on. It feels like it should be Friday already. But it's American Idol night again tonight so I won't complain. And tomorrow I have an appointment to get my hair cut and colored. I figure I deserve it, plus Jamie has been nagging me for a long time to go short again, so it will also be a nice surprise for him.

So, I am still wondering if it really is colic with Alexis. When Addy was born and I was breastfeeding her, right from day 1 I could not touch chocolate without it bothering her. I tried a bit in the hospital with Lexi and she was fine with it. But a couple of days ago I thought just to see I would not eat any and see if things improved with her. And they have gotten a bit better, so we will see if things continue to improve or at the very least stay the same, or if it was just a big coincidence.

I also have a swing issue. We have the Fisher Price Ocean Aquarium swing and ever since we got it it's been going through batteries like crazy. One day we noticed that in 2 of the battery slots (there's 4) there was some dark brownish marks (kind of like rust, but sludgy so it could be wiped off) which we assumed were from the batteries leaking, but I cleaned it up and there were no problems. Last night, the batteries in the swing died while Lexi was sleeping in it and this morning when I went to change them, one of the batteries I took out was dripping wet. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the part of the "body" where the suspended part of the swing comes out of also had drips of the battery acid (I assume that's what it is, anyways...What else would it be?) and it was right over top of the baby. So now the swing is out of commission. Even if it is all cleaned up and is no longer doing it and doesn't pose a risk as is, I am not going to risk it happening again and that crap dripping on my baby. So time for a new swing.

So hopefully we can get through the next few nights until I can get somewhere to get a new swing. Our sleep options with her at night are either in bed with me or in the swing and I don't get a good night's sleep with her next to me, so we will see what happens.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

A Free Minute!

Finally I have a bit of freetime to update my blog! Things here have definitely been difficult lately, so it has been tough to get a chance to do even my daily chores around here, let alone get on here to update.

Well, as much as I hate to admit it, I have been blessed with a colicky baby. I don't know why it's hard for me to admit. Maybe partly because admitting it makes it real, or maybe because my mom has always said that colic is due to a nervous mom and I don't feel I'm nervous (nor do I believe that, but it's hard to not question whether or not it's my fault she is this way), but nonetheless, it is hard for me to admit.

I guess on the scale of colic horrors, Alexis is not way, way up there, but she certainly is on it. She is next to impossible to settle or calm, she is always extremely gassy no matter what I do, and she doesn't like to sleep, or at least fall asleep. And, of course, worst of all, her favorite thing in the world to do seems to be scream her head off and demand my constant attention. Some times are much worse than others, and I wonder if the reason the evenings are so bad could be because come the end of the day my nerves are so shot from the crying that she senses my stress, or at least partially caused by that. Anyways, that is why I have been MIA.

Plus, the girls and I are sick right now, which doesn't make things easier. And Addy is in the midst of teething but it seems to me she always is. As soon as one tooth pops through, another part of her gums swells up to signal the arrival of yet another one. My poor girl is always dealing with a sore mouth.

So in the midst of all this, I have been trying to be very aware of my mental health and whether or not I may have or be developing post partum depression. And at this point, I can honestly say I've dodged a bullet this time. Which I find a little odd. I definitely had PPD with Addy, although at the time I was definitely in denial and never did get any help for it. And I had things so much easier with Addy than I do this time. For one, she was such an easy-going, happy baby and she rarely cried, but also I didn't have 2 babies to deal with like I do now. Anyways, I know that it can take alot longer than this to rear its ugly head, so I will continue to pay close attention.

I have had alot of help this time around too. It was always available to me the first time, but I didn't need it as much as I do now, so I am definitely utilizing it. I don't know what I would do without everyone around to help out and give me a break when I need it, or even just tidy up my house and catch up on the laundry because I never seem to have time to do those things. Although today I lucked out and both girls are napping at the same time, so I have been able to get alot done.

But on that topic, there is alot more I could be doing too, so I'm off to take advantage of this free time and get some much needed cleaning done.