Hard to believe but Breck will be going to kindergarten in just over 2 weeks! We picked up all his school supplies, including Ninja Turtles backpack, lunch bag and thermos. He's pretty excited about them but doesn't understand why they won't make him lunch like at preschool. In fact, they don't do school lunches at CMCA until 5th or 6th grade so I will have to get very organized and do lunch packing for all of us the night before.
Breck is really starting to swim like a fish. We picked up fins, mask and snorkel last Friday and he took to it right away. Now he loves to just swim around and around at the Y pool. He'll be ready to snorkle when we can get back to a beach! I gave Bryn a try in the pool last Friday (July 26) but she got cold fast even though the water and air is very warm there. We'll have to give her a few more months.
So this week I'm working on getting Bryn and me on a feeding schedule so the transition hopefully won't be too bad for Grandma when I go back to work next Thursday :( She really likes to nurse so trying to get her more used to a bottle and get me used to longer times between feeding/pumping. I'm going off the domperidone now b/c the side effects (irritability and hunger=weight gain) are getting to be too much plus I probably need to lower my milk production now that I'm going back to work and will only have time to pump over lunch.
Last weekend, I played in my first tennis matches as part of the State Games, I lost 6-3, 6-0 and then 6-3, 6-4 to my friend Vicki in the consolation match. It was fun and I can see where I need to improve (pretty much everywhere!).
Monday, July 29, 2013
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
We have a swimmer!
As usual, I haven't been very good about updating this, but Bryn and Breck keep me pretty busy!
Yesterday was a breakthrough day for Breck. After 3 years of swimming lessons, he finally "got" it. I took him to the SE YMCA where they have zero entry and he can touch the bottom in the whole shallow end. He put into practice what he's been learning - put his face in the water and kicked and ice cream scooped all the way to the wall. We were both so excited! He spent the next hour swimming all over the place!
Bryn is doing well. She's getting bigger and has cute baby fat now. The girl has enough cute outfits to fit three babies! She is sleeping in her swing right now - a rarity, so I got speed cleaning done and am trying to update this quickly as I can hear her stirring and she'll be ready to eat soon.
Sleeping has been ok, mostly b/c I am now worrying about good sleep habits yet. Breck is still in our bed - yes, still but last night he spent part of the night on a mat on the floor so we'll work on slowly making progress. Bryn starts in her co-sleeper but when she wakes up for first nursing, I bring her in bed and she nurses on and off all night, which means we both get sleep. I wouldn't bring her in bed if I was a heavy sleeper, but I'm not so I feel she is safe. When she is sleeping through the night and not nursing so much, I'll work on the separate sleeping.
We are getting ready for an Ohio visit on Friday. It will be a fun week - hopefully Bryn travels well. Breck is excited to see his cousin Trey, sleep in the camper and go to Cedar Point. He's also hoping Uncle Tom will take him fishing as that is not something his dad enjoys.
I am starting tennis lessons again tonight and looking forward to having regular exercise planned. I think we will have to sign up Breck soon as he likes tennis too, but he is so much like me. He gets very frustrated if he is not doing it "right" and he wants to win all the time, but he doesn't want my help showing him how to play. Right now he is in tball and swim lessons and has a YMCA half day, 3 days a week camp for 2 weeks when we get back from Ohio so tennis may have to wait until end of summer, which already feels like it's coming to fast as my first day back to work is August 5 for a training.
Well, Bryn is waking up so signing off!
Yesterday was a breakthrough day for Breck. After 3 years of swimming lessons, he finally "got" it. I took him to the SE YMCA where they have zero entry and he can touch the bottom in the whole shallow end. He put into practice what he's been learning - put his face in the water and kicked and ice cream scooped all the way to the wall. We were both so excited! He spent the next hour swimming all over the place!
Bryn is doing well. She's getting bigger and has cute baby fat now. The girl has enough cute outfits to fit three babies! She is sleeping in her swing right now - a rarity, so I got speed cleaning done and am trying to update this quickly as I can hear her stirring and she'll be ready to eat soon.
Sleeping has been ok, mostly b/c I am now worrying about good sleep habits yet. Breck is still in our bed - yes, still but last night he spent part of the night on a mat on the floor so we'll work on slowly making progress. Bryn starts in her co-sleeper but when she wakes up for first nursing, I bring her in bed and she nurses on and off all night, which means we both get sleep. I wouldn't bring her in bed if I was a heavy sleeper, but I'm not so I feel she is safe. When she is sleeping through the night and not nursing so much, I'll work on the separate sleeping.
We are getting ready for an Ohio visit on Friday. It will be a fun week - hopefully Bryn travels well. Breck is excited to see his cousin Trey, sleep in the camper and go to Cedar Point. He's also hoping Uncle Tom will take him fishing as that is not something his dad enjoys.
I am starting tennis lessons again tonight and looking forward to having regular exercise planned. I think we will have to sign up Breck soon as he likes tennis too, but he is so much like me. He gets very frustrated if he is not doing it "right" and he wants to win all the time, but he doesn't want my help showing him how to play. Right now he is in tball and swim lessons and has a YMCA half day, 3 days a week camp for 2 weeks when we get back from Ohio so tennis may have to wait until end of summer, which already feels like it's coming to fast as my first day back to work is August 5 for a training.
Well, Bryn is waking up so signing off!
Friday, May 17, 2013
One Week In
Bryn turned one week old last night. She has been a very good baby so far -- still sleeping more during the day than at night but that should start to change as she gains more weight and eats more at one sitting. The biggest challenge for me has been to take it easy - something I never do well but I am trying. Brandon is sure getting a crash course in how much housework I normally do since he's having to pick up the brunt of it now.
Breck loves being a big brother but it's still been an adjustment for him. He's getting yelled at more than usual as he's still learning what is okay and what isn't with a baby around, so he's been a little more sensitive than usual. We're trying to show him lots of love to make him feel secure. Grandma and Grandpa Scott will arrive today and Breck is very excited to see them. He loves play time with Grandpa and we wish they lived closer so it was more often.
Bryn looks a lot like Breck did as a newborn, just with darker hair - and more of it. It will be interesting to see if she will end up with any curls. Right now it's very straight and fine.
I will try to get some photos posted later today. I need to pull them off my phone and Brandon's.
Breck loves being a big brother but it's still been an adjustment for him. He's getting yelled at more than usual as he's still learning what is okay and what isn't with a baby around, so he's been a little more sensitive than usual. We're trying to show him lots of love to make him feel secure. Grandma and Grandpa Scott will arrive today and Breck is very excited to see them. He loves play time with Grandpa and we wish they lived closer so it was more often.
Bryn looks a lot like Breck did as a newborn, just with darker hair - and more of it. It will be interesting to see if she will end up with any curls. Right now it's very straight and fine.
I will try to get some photos posted later today. I need to pull them off my phone and Brandon's.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Bryn's Arrival
Bryn was scheduled to arrive by c-section tomorrow, May 13, but she decided she wanted to be here for Mother's Day instead.
Thursday, May 9, started out normally with me teaching. The 10th was supposed to be my last day. We had our district math test which meant I had to be on my feet proctoring a 60-minute exam in the computer lab starting at 10:45. Being up that long got my contractions going and usually only laying down will slow them, which wasn't an option that day at school. I did teach sitting down most of the afternoon but I was having contractions all day. When I got home, I laid down hoping they would ease up but they really weren't so at about 6:30, I had Brandon take me to the hospital so they could check it out.
They hooked me up to the machines and found my contractions were still pretty irregular, but I was starting to dilate. They called my doctor who happened to already be at the hospital delivering another baby so he asked if I was ready to have her that night. Sure, why not! I'm pretty sure if he hadn't been here already, they would have just sent me home and told me to spend the weekend in bed.
After the decision was made, it all happened pretty quick. I was in the OR by a little after 8, received a spinal and Bryn was delivered by c-section at 8:50 p.m., weighing 6 pounds, 15 ounces and measuring 19.5 inches (same height as Breck but exactly one pound less). She was looking pretty purple when they first showed her to me within minutes of her birth, so I was not surprised to hear that they were putting her on oxygen in the nursery. She also had to have some formula because her blood sugar was low. But shortly after midnight, she was breathing on her own and her sugar regulated itself so I was able to visit her in the nursery at 1 a.m. to watch her first bath and then take her back to my room.
My first impressions were that she looked very much like Breck - same nose and mouth, but had more hair and dark hair. It was curly at first but once washed, it went straight so we'll see what type of hair she ends up with. She's a beautiful little girl as every baby is to their mom.
I'm not having much more luck getting my milk to come in than I had with Breck but we're continuing to try. Her mouth is too small to properly latch yet so I've been doing a lot of pumping. I'm hoping my milk comes in today as it's day 3. In the meantime, she's had the benefit of donor milk but that supply ends when we check out today so she'll have to do some formula until my milk comes in. She's been a good sleeper so far - having to wake her to feed. But that's typical in the early days so hard to say yet if she'll be a good sleeper or not.
She's going to spend her first night out of the hospital at the Grand Wyndham Mining Exchange hotel in downtown Colorado Springs as our house is currently uninhabitable since it sounds like Brandon has furniture piled everywhere to get the carpets cleaned Saturday night. I wanted to postpone it but he wanted it clean for his baby girl, so it's off to the hotel tonight (and Target for essentials that can't be got to in the house right now!). Hopefully Brandon found a few friends to put furniture back in place tonight once carpets are dry so we can be home tomorrow. Hotels are nice but I'm ready for my home and my own stuff.
Breck has been SUPER excited to meet his sister so he's been very wound up which is hard in a small hospital room, but it's cute to see how much he really loves being a big brother. I'm sure the novelty will wear off soon and jealousy and boredom will move in but for now he just really likes to look at her and hold her and he thinks everything she does is funny. He's been spending the nights with Grandma and is ready for mom to come home, too.
Thursday, May 9, started out normally with me teaching. The 10th was supposed to be my last day. We had our district math test which meant I had to be on my feet proctoring a 60-minute exam in the computer lab starting at 10:45. Being up that long got my contractions going and usually only laying down will slow them, which wasn't an option that day at school. I did teach sitting down most of the afternoon but I was having contractions all day. When I got home, I laid down hoping they would ease up but they really weren't so at about 6:30, I had Brandon take me to the hospital so they could check it out.
They hooked me up to the machines and found my contractions were still pretty irregular, but I was starting to dilate. They called my doctor who happened to already be at the hospital delivering another baby so he asked if I was ready to have her that night. Sure, why not! I'm pretty sure if he hadn't been here already, they would have just sent me home and told me to spend the weekend in bed.
After the decision was made, it all happened pretty quick. I was in the OR by a little after 8, received a spinal and Bryn was delivered by c-section at 8:50 p.m., weighing 6 pounds, 15 ounces and measuring 19.5 inches (same height as Breck but exactly one pound less). She was looking pretty purple when they first showed her to me within minutes of her birth, so I was not surprised to hear that they were putting her on oxygen in the nursery. She also had to have some formula because her blood sugar was low. But shortly after midnight, she was breathing on her own and her sugar regulated itself so I was able to visit her in the nursery at 1 a.m. to watch her first bath and then take her back to my room.
My first impressions were that she looked very much like Breck - same nose and mouth, but had more hair and dark hair. It was curly at first but once washed, it went straight so we'll see what type of hair she ends up with. She's a beautiful little girl as every baby is to their mom.
I'm not having much more luck getting my milk to come in than I had with Breck but we're continuing to try. Her mouth is too small to properly latch yet so I've been doing a lot of pumping. I'm hoping my milk comes in today as it's day 3. In the meantime, she's had the benefit of donor milk but that supply ends when we check out today so she'll have to do some formula until my milk comes in. She's been a good sleeper so far - having to wake her to feed. But that's typical in the early days so hard to say yet if she'll be a good sleeper or not.
She's going to spend her first night out of the hospital at the Grand Wyndham Mining Exchange hotel in downtown Colorado Springs as our house is currently uninhabitable since it sounds like Brandon has furniture piled everywhere to get the carpets cleaned Saturday night. I wanted to postpone it but he wanted it clean for his baby girl, so it's off to the hotel tonight (and Target for essentials that can't be got to in the house right now!). Hopefully Brandon found a few friends to put furniture back in place tonight once carpets are dry so we can be home tomorrow. Hotels are nice but I'm ready for my home and my own stuff.
Breck has been SUPER excited to meet his sister so he's been very wound up which is hard in a small hospital room, but it's cute to see how much he really loves being a big brother. I'm sure the novelty will wear off soon and jealousy and boredom will move in but for now he just really likes to look at her and hold her and he thinks everything she does is funny. He's been spending the nights with Grandma and is ready for mom to come home, too.
Monday, April 15, 2013
A Five-Year-Old's Mind
Breck's questions are getting harder to answer. On the way home, he asked me what brains felt like and when I said "squishy" (I know - not very scientific), he then asked how they can think. Then I was trying to explain blood vessels and neurons and cells to a 5 year old - not very successfully! The conversation then turned to how big is a worm's mouth. He is one inquisitive kid!
Yesterday he made me laugh when he wanted to know why a bunch of ladies were going to get together to take a shower -- when I told him I was going to a baby shower for Boo.
Yesterday he made me laugh when he wanted to know why a bunch of ladies were going to get together to take a shower -- when I told him I was going to a baby shower for Boo.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Breck turns 5
Hard to believe but we now have a 5 year old! Since part of the reason I started this blog is so Breck has something to read when he's older to know what his childhood was like, I need to add some info about his 5th birthday party and what he's like as a 5 year old.
Breck's 5th birthday party was at FlipShack on his request because they have a big bounce house obstacle course thing. He had about 10 friends from there - a mix of preschool and neighborhood friends. In the photo are Lucas (preschool), Nolan (neighbor), Gavin (preschool) and Katie (neighbor). He has his superhero cape on because it was an Avengers party. He is really into all the superhero shows and toys - Avengers, Transformers and Power Rangers, especially. We got him some transformer toys and a bunch of things that said Breck on them from Breckenridge. He had a fun party and was really excited to tell everyone that he was 5 now.
Breck is a fun 5 year old. He loves to play superhero games but also likes playing at the park and riding his bike around. We should be able to get the training wheels off this summer. He will also be playing Pride soccer and probably City tball and I'm thinking of signing him up for a tennis session - I need someone to play tennis with since it's not really Brandon's thing! We are also trying to get him swimming on his own through Donna's Dolphins where he'll have lessons in April. I'd like him to be swimming before we go to our Ohio trip this summer.
At 5, Breck is 41 inches tall and about 37.5 pounds. He's grown about 5 inches in a year but only gained about 4 pounds. Definitely going to be built like dad.
We should hear tomorrow if he has a spot at Cheyenne Mountain Charter Academy. I'm tempted to put him at my school but it's not a district I'd want to send him to junior high or high school in and play dates at some of the apartment complexes my students live in would be out of the question. CMCA is a direct instruction model so it would be quite an adjustment for him from the centers and inquiry learning style at UCCS that he's been at since he was 2, so we'll see how it goes. He alternates between being excited about kindergarten and not sure he wants to go. I know he will miss his friends - many of which he's been with for 3 years. I think at least one girl from his school is going to CMCA though which would be nice. It will be hard for him at first because he's shy with new people, but I'm sure he will adjust fast. Hard to believe he'll be a kindergartner this fall!
Breck is a fun 5 year old. He loves to play superhero games but also likes playing at the park and riding his bike around. We should be able to get the training wheels off this summer. He will also be playing Pride soccer and probably City tball and I'm thinking of signing him up for a tennis session - I need someone to play tennis with since it's not really Brandon's thing! We are also trying to get him swimming on his own through Donna's Dolphins where he'll have lessons in April. I'd like him to be swimming before we go to our Ohio trip this summer.
At 5, Breck is 41 inches tall and about 37.5 pounds. He's grown about 5 inches in a year but only gained about 4 pounds. Definitely going to be built like dad.
We should hear tomorrow if he has a spot at Cheyenne Mountain Charter Academy. I'm tempted to put him at my school but it's not a district I'd want to send him to junior high or high school in and play dates at some of the apartment complexes my students live in would be out of the question. CMCA is a direct instruction model so it would be quite an adjustment for him from the centers and inquiry learning style at UCCS that he's been at since he was 2, so we'll see how it goes. He alternates between being excited about kindergarten and not sure he wants to go. I know he will miss his friends - many of which he's been with for 3 years. I think at least one girl from his school is going to CMCA though which would be nice. It will be hard for him at first because he's shy with new people, but I'm sure he will adjust fast. Hard to believe he'll be a kindergartner this fall!
Changes coming
Well, 2 months or less of being the parent of one just one child! It will be an adjustment for all of us. Breck is excited about having a little sister but I know there will be hard times for him, too. Patience is not his strong suit and that's going to be tested when he has to share attention with a baby! We are also still trying to get him to stay in his room all night and really hoping that is much better by the time a baby is here waking us up too. Pregnancy definitely prepares you for surviving on little bursts of sleep though. I haven't been sleeping for more than 2 hours at a time for the last month or so. When Breck was a baby, I could nap when he napped but I know it will be harder with number 2 because I'll have Breck to entertain. He's reaching the age where naps will start disappearing. It will be an interesting summer!
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