Running to Stand Still

Yes, it's long and musing. There is a point at the end, though, I promise!

"Abel" did not gain very much weight before his 2-day visit, so the doctor decreed that he should eat every 2 hours. Abel is also a lazy nurser. He generally likes to eat about 20 minutes per side. This means that out of every 2 hours, I have been spending roughly 50 minutes in the process of feeding, burping, and changing him. Luckily, with the Thanksgiving break, Ben and the older girls have been around much of the time to help. My mom has also been amazing. I have sometimes lamented the fact that she doesn't just come to stay for a whole week after the birth of a baby, but I think it's better this way. She didn't come for an entire week, but she can still come when I need her past the first week.

Anyway, I think Abel is putting on weight nicely now. I don't have a scale, but his cheeks sure seem chubbier to me! The past couple of days I have sometimes let him stretch 2 1/2 to 3 hours between feedings. This morning, he ate around 9am. Then he actually stayed awake after, which is unusual for him. (He mostly likes to be awake from 11pm to 1am and not much else.) I then tried to put him down for a nap. I laid down with him, and naturally, we both fell asleep. Buster came in when the TV came to a break, which is good because it woke me up. I realized I should make some lunch for Sunny and Buster. I was hoping Abel would continue to sleep for a while, but as I chivvied Buster and Sunny downstairs so they wouldn't be underfoot while cooking, Abel started crying.

I must confess that I often use the television to keep the kids out from underfoot. Sometimes it goes beyond use to abuse, unfortunately. Such was the case this morning. The TV had been on for most of the time from 7am until 11am, except for breakfast. Neither Sunny nor Buster was there the WHOLE time, but they had each watched about 3 hours. So here I am, trying to make lunch. Buster started opening all the cupboards and drawers in the kitchen, and Sunny was whining. After they went downstairs, Sunny was pouting (she wanted me to play with her) and Buster was amusing himself by hitting her and pulling her hair. Abel was crying in his bed. I decided that he could keep crying for a few minutes while I got lunch started.

I served lunch and fed the baby. After lunch, Sunny said she was tired and went downstairs. Buster finished, and I put him down for a nap. Abel, exhausted after his crying spell and waiting for his lunch, zonked out while eating and remained so after I put him in bed.

At about 12:15, I looked around the house. An hour before, three kids had been adamant about needing something! Crying, whining, misbehaving... Now, peace and quiet. I almost didn't know what to do with myself. Now I have had a delightful hour and a half. I put dinner in the Crock-Pot (yay!), did some dishes, and still had time for a peaceful lunch and leisure time in front of the computer. It's about time to get Abel up and feed him again, but now I'm recharged and ready.

I have learned that in parenting, it's often not so much bad days as bad hours. Sometimes it's just a very bad 10 minutes. And sometimes, yes, there are so many bad periods that the whole day seems bad. If I can take a minute to regroup and tell myself it can't last much longer, I somehow survive. Today it was a quick prayer as Abel started crying, and I knew that to cope, he would just have to wait a minute. I'm grateful for the inspiration I receive in this challenging job. And it is crazy to go from insanity to near-boredom in 10 minutes flat. Oh, and now I hear Abel.

Have a great day!

A's Early Days

November 19, 2009 marked the birth of our fifth child. His web-name is under consideration, but it starts with an "A!" He was born at 7:17am. He weighed 7 lbs. 10 oz. and was 21 inches long. Labor stalled for a little until a very helpful nurse suggested I change position. He didn't wait long after that!!!

I was going to put some pictures, but there were so many! Click on the link below to see the whole web album of his early days.

A's early days

We stayed in the hospital for about 36 hours. I wanted to sleep in my own bed the second night, and there was also snow forecast for Saturday morning. He had bilirubin levels that caused some concern. I had to take him back for blood tests on Saturday and Sunday. At home, I found our bed was a sunny place to nap, so he has been taking morning naps stripped to his diaper on our bed. He is doing just fine now!

The older girls are thrilled to have a new baby. Buster doesn't quite get it yet. He has learned that when I'm nursing he can't shove the baby off my lap. This is progress! I'm still trying to catch up from missing so much sleep while in labor. My mom has been a great help, and Ben's first day of work back was today.

Deliver me!

Tomorrow marks the official day of being 40 weeks pregnant, i.e., the magic "due date." I keep telling myself babies can't read calendars and that I need to be patient. Half the time when I call people, the first thing they ask is if there is a baby yet. "No," I sigh. Or they call me. Don't get me wrong--I appreciate the concern these calls exhibit. It just reminds me how frustrated I am.

I was spoiled the last two times with the baby coming at least a little early. My greatest "joy" lately is sciatica. The pain is one thing, but it really worries me when I set down my right leg and it collapses beneath me. Luckily, Ben was able to come with me to my doctor appointment this morning and let me lean on him as we walked, thereby enabling me to limp instead of shuffle.

I have had tons of minor contractions. I'm already dilated to a 3.5! No wonder my official labor goes so fast. In the past, when I have had a day of Braxton-Hicks contractions every 10-15 minutes, we go somewhere like the zoo to try and walk a lot. It usually works to trigger labor. Not an option today, though.

I am grateful, though, for the general ease of my pregnancies and deliveries. I was reading a blog by my niece today about all her pregnancy issues past and present, and it was a good exercise in perspective. I am so impressed that she chose to be pregnant again given the complications of her first time around. I have several of my other friends who can bless modern medicine for their lives and the lives of their babies. Really, I shouldn't complain about a few weeks of pain.

As Ben says: "There's a reason it's called delivery." The mother is not just delivered of the baby--she is delivered of all the pain and problems of pregnancy. (Of course, the nursing body can be almost as weird, but that's for another day.)

Patience and Pictures and a Belated Halloween

I just realized today how long it has been since I posted on the blog. Part of the reason is that the days drag by as I wait to post the exciting news that our baby is born. Obviously, it has not happened yet. Of course, it doesn't help that I misplaced the necessary cord for offloading my camera since Halloween.

So, as I learn once again to be patient, here are some pictures of Halloween and other fun things this month so far.

On Halloween, we went to Little Haunts at This Is The Place Heritage Park. The girls all got their faces painted:

Sunny

Missy

Kandy

The hay ride, quite possibly Buster's favorite part!
Or was it the choo-choo?
Ben, Buster, Kandy, Missy, Sunny

Ready for trick-or-treating!
Ben, Buster (Winnie-the-Pooh), Missy (Jasmine), Kandy (Japanese girl), Sunny (Cinderella)

Buster loved his jacket and wanted to wear it every time he managed to find it until I packed it away.

Buster comes running every time he hears the vacuum.

Hopefully, my next post will have the details of our newest arrival. My due date is November 18, which is approaching. We are all anxious to to meet this little person and to find out if it's a girl or a boy! And if I don't get back to this soon, I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

"The Juice Joint"

The Kendrick adults had a murder mystery dinner for Halloween. It was set in a speak easy in the 1920's. We had a great time! Coming up with a costume for me was a bit tricky given my large tummy, but we managed. Doing my short hair flapper-style was a lot of fun!