How to Clean a Kitchen

I am a big, beautiful mess right now.  Don't you just love that term?  It is the theme for my MOPS group this year, and so appropriate for my life currently.  Daily, I am graced with spit-up, a gazillion diaper changes, and a perfect little girl.  I haven't showered yet today, but I have big plans to do so as soon as I finish this quick post.

Baby girl is doing beautifully.  The boys are fighting colds, again.  My house is a disaster, as expected.  My husband carries me through when baby brain and exhaustion hit.  I can see my extraordinary blessings, even through the messiness.

Blogging had been pushed aside until I could get control of the dishes, and laundry, and cooking, and cleaning.  Now that I am coming to terms with the impossibility of that plan, I will once again blog to you from the comfort of my dish-cluttered kitchen, and my toy-defeated family room.

But not tonight, because I have a date with a shower :) 
I will share this picture, though:

This is what my dishwasher looks like after I tell my husband that we have unexpected company arriving in ten minutes and that he needs to tidy up the kitchen in 9 minutes. As Tommy would say, "Not good".

Patrick's First Day of Preschool

Last week P started 4's preschool at the same school he attended last year, the only difference being he will go 3 days in a row and will stay through late afternoon (last year he attended 3 days but only 9-12).  My bright boy will be packing a lunch for the first time, and in case you couldn't guess, he picked out a lunch box with daddy shaped like a fire truck. 

Tommy kept asking to go to school during P's first week, and I am hoping that will wear off because he is stuck with me and Kaya until next year when he will attend as a three-year-old.  One preschool kid at a time!  We certainly lucked out on an easy transition for Patrick this year.  He is in the same classroom as last year, and he had one of his two teachers last year as well.  Unfortunately, all but one of his classmates from last year are in a different classroom, but lots of opportunities for making new friends. 

Kaya's One Month Well Check

This past Thursday, Kaya had her one month well check (belated, of course) and weighed in at 10lbs, 14oz (79th %) with a height of 22.75" (95th %).  She is giving Tommy a run for his money - he was also in the 79th % at 11 lbs at  his 1 month mark. (Patrick was nearly one pound less at 9lbs, 15 oz.).

No cooing or babbling yet, but I recorded Labor Day weekend as her first smile (she had given us some before, but we wanted to be positive this wasn't gas).  Here she is grinning away...



She is the exact female version of Patrick.  In fact, here he is at 3 months:

Kaya has been stuffy for the past 4 weeks.  The doctor suspects she had a cold virus, then picked up the cold her brothers had two weeks ago.  The doctor is having me try nebulizer treatments on her twice a day to help with her lung congestion, and we are doing saline spray for her nose and a constantly running humidifier in her room to battle the stuffiness.  For the past three days, she has been very awake (and fussy) for hours on end, beginning around 2 or 3 and lasting until around 8:30 or 9.  Not sure what is going on, but this has meant zero naps for mom this week.  It is becoming very clear that this kid is not going to be a fan of the pacifier.  She will take it at times, but generally wants nothing to do with it. 


A Hiccup

Still feeling good post C-section, but there was a small hiccup Wednesday.  My incision was pulling apart (the tiniest bit) in one place, and bleeding (the tiniest bit).  I thought this was strange since I am already a month into my recovery.  I saw my doctor the next day and he said not to worry- because this is my third incision, scar tissue on scar tissue just doesn't heal as well, but it will.  No infection, and I am due for my 6 week follow-up this coming Thursday where they can check it again. 

In the meantime, Kaya is consistently gracing us with more awake time.  She is still not much of a crier, but today she seemed much more fussy than usual.  I tried to think about what I had eaten, but there was no smoking gun that was obvious. Hoping tomorrow will be a bit better.

This morning I decided to throw caution to the wind and tackle a bit of our front yard I fondly call the jungle.  Already looking better, but check back Wednesday for the likely post, "Poison Ivy - The Never Ending Saga".

Kaya- 4 weeks

The adrenaline of the first month of sweet baby girl has long worn off.  I am now sleeping during nightly feedings and can barely function before two cups of coffee each morning.  I try to catch an afternoon nap while Tommy naps, but Kaya has designated that general time frame as her "awake" time.  On top of feeling physically exhausted, the pounds have quit dropping off despite the fact that I am nursing.  The scales are now stuck at 170.  I can't wait to start exercising so I have more energy.  I can't wait until I have more energy to start exercising.  Hmmm.  You see my dilemma. 

Still, Kaya is the easiest baby of my three.  She continues to sleep for 4 or 5 hours at a time at night and usually falls right back to sleep after each feeding.  She is an expert at peeing all over herself and me while I change her diaper.  Can't wait for this phase to end. 

So tired and crabby, I decided to try for a photo of all three kids.  After failing miserably, I rounded them up with Baba in tow and went to Picture People at the mall.  They failed as well thanks to a 2 year old who wouldn't sit still for two seconds.   I am holding out hope that my dear friend E can capture three smiling kiddos. 

I did manage to finally get a shot of Kaya's baby blues though-

On a positive note, this past Friday we celebrated Grampy's arrival home after a month and a half long absence in California.  He finally got a chance to meet his first granddaughter!

Only 4 more months before she sleeps through the night?  Tom and I have officially postponed our 5 year anniversary coming up on Friday until I am no longer wearing maternity clothes, have no bags under my eyes, and can stay awake while eating fancy food somewhere.  Completely unrelated, but has anyone actually tasted the multi-vitamin drops breastfeeding babies get?  I never had with P or T, but just did.  Try getting the taste of cherry rust out your mouth.  Ick. 

Kaya - 3 Weeks

Middle of night feedings are kicking my behind, but Kaya is doing well at the 3 week mark. We are solely breastfeeding with an occasional bottle here and there, just so I know that if I had to leave her for a few hours, she would at least take some formula.   She seemed to get a little a stuffy last night while I was feeding her, and am hoping we haven't already picked up a cold.  Although she is spending a little more time awake, her mellow personality is still intact.  She doesn't even wake crying at night for her feedings- I can hear her grunting and snorting over the monitor.  Patrick and Tommy used to cry, cry, cry during their tummy time, but this sweet girl just lays peacefully before dozing off to sleep. 

Who knew tummy time was a team sport?

We are gearing up for some visitors this week.  My sister and two nephews from Vermont arrive late Tuesday night and we can't wait!  Looking forward to having some help for a few days since Tom heads out of town for work at the same time as their arrival.  My recovery is nearly complete- no pain at all in day-to-day activities, and I can drive and pick up Tommy.  I guess exercise is just around the corner...I am looking forward to getting my gardens in order again, just in time for fall.

Kaya at Two Weeks

Two weeks down!  Kaya was an excellent pupil at the Breast Feeding Center of Pittsburgh on Friday, and I am happy to report we are completely off formula after only an hour of instruction from the best miracle workers around.  We had a weigh-in at the pediatrician this morning, and Kaya is already back up to 9 lbs (almost an 11 oz. gain in a week).  She doesn't have to be seen again until her 1 month check-up. 

She is still waking on her own at night, but only twice the last few nights.  Considering her sizable weight gain, there is no way I am waking her for middle of night feedings at this time.

Other developments?  Note the very subtle beginnings of what I fear is an emerging mohawk (originally made fashionable by big brother Patrick at birth).  It just won't go down.  I also swear her hair is getting lighter. 
She had her first bath last night, but cried as soon as I stripped her down.  Patrick was my helper, of course. 

I am still not driving, but getting very tempted to do so.  I still don't want to pick up Tommy quite yet, so I am going to stretch my patience a bit further until I can get him in and out of carts safely. 

We had some more visitors this past week - my sister and nephews. 



Jack (who was rooting for a little girl!)

Big cousin Nathan



Aunt Karen with Kaya