Merry Christmas Eve!

Last week we took O to meet Santa for the first time.  The 2 mile journey to Cherry Creek Mall started out rather rocky.  On our way there I rear ended a car.  Oops.  We were all fine, I was maybe going 1 mile per hour, but I started to think it was the start to the recipe for disaster.  Luckily, the lady I ran into was super nice (a nurse ;)), we exchanged info and we were back on our way.  

Once we got to the Santa line we were told Santa needed to go on break in a "couple minutes" for a total of 30 minutes.  Oh lawdy.  Joe asked the young lady (probably 16) who was working the Santa line if there was any way they could squeeze us in....  long story short, no dice.  We had to wait to let Santa go on his cookie break.  O was ready to see Santa.  Out of her stroller and roaring to go!  Lucky for us, there is a Land of Nod Christmas store in the mall for the Holidays.  Off we went to do some Christmas shopping and fun.  

As you can see there were no Santa melt downs for this Ninja.  He was a tad confused, but ok.  Now, here is what I am wondering as a parent....  why is Santa's couch purple??  Who decided purple would be the Christmas Santa couch color?  Oh, and as a parent I should have made sure my child's jeans didn't look like high waters.  HA!  Le sigh.  

I spent my Christmas Eve day teaching classes.  I am incredibly grateful for students and friends who leave me sweet notes and bring sweet treats!!  THANK YOU!

Tonight we celebrated Christmas Eve at our favorite restaurant, Sushi Sasa.  As per usual, it was delish! Owen enjoyed himself and ate all the fish we ordered him.  He did decide tonight he isn't much of a chicken guy (following in Mom's footsteps maybe?).  Miso soup, veggies and Salmon were on the menu - oh, and puffs for dessert of course!  ;)

Wave your hands like you just don't care!!  Sushi Sasa time!

Eating from chopsticks for the first time

Whatever you may be doing tonight, celebrating or not celebrating I hope you are able to find time to relax, enjoy and be thankful.    

Happy Happy Holidays!!  

PS- Thank you Sushi Sasa for my amazeballs surprise!!

Nothing wrong with being scheduled....

....says ME.  There are plenty of people out there that have incredibly strong opinions when it comes to scheduling.

What am I talking about you ask?  Putting your child on a set schedule.

We most certainly did not do this alone.  We had an idea from a book (yes, Baby Wise) and happened to have 2 great friends (who are doctors) that shared their experiences as well.  Now, keep in mind as you continue to read, we DID NOT follow the Baby Wise method.  We came up with a method that worked that made the most sense.     

Lets back up.  Until Owen was 3 months old he was on his own schedule.  On his demand I will call it.  Not going to lie, this worked out great for the first couple months.  He would wake up when he wanted, we would feed him, he would be up and then go back to sleep.  Granted we were totally sleep deprived, it worked and when he slept, he slept well.  

We got into week one of 3 months and shit hit the fan.  The pattern we had grown accustom to changed.  He was hardly sleeping.  This lead to me sleeping even less (scary).  To put icing on it Joe had just gone back to work.  I was a mess when he would get home.  It was awful.  Something had to be done.  

Before we reacted out of emotion we took a look at the schedule O had US on.  Trying to site any patterns anything that we may have messed up on, etc.  And mess up we did.  The screaming factor was Owen all the sudden wasn't sleeping hardly at all.  It was alarming at best.  We felt like horrible parents (I will say in our defense this had only gone on for a week).  Anyhoo-  babes are supposed to sleep 12-15 hours per day (sleep is one of the driving factors in healthy brain development) and our sweet dude had moved into only getting 8- in a 24 hour period.  Awful!  No wonder he was a mess (we were too)!!  

Off we went to read Baby Wise- after researching it seemed like it may be the closest fit we were seeking.  I gotta tell ya- the book seemed very Nazi to us at first, but if you really take a look at it there are also some really great points.  

SIDE NOTE:  Yes, I know some of you out there literally hate any method that is derived from Baby Wise, but guess what?  I don't care.  I respect your opinions as you should also respect mine.  End rant.  

Long story short with the knowledge we gained from this book and speaking with our friends we made our own eat, play, sleep schedule with O.  Again, being honest here - the first week of being on the schedule had some really tough moments.  REALLY tough.  However, what we saw almost immediately was a little dude who was sleeping 12-15 hours, happier and more playful.  It worked!  It was amazing.  I couldn't believe we didn't think about doing this right away!  It is something that is still working out today and still something we modify as Owen lets us know that he is growing and changing.  Because of said schedule we have a healthier, happier and more readable baby.  

Now, I know schedules may not work as easily for your babes like it did for ours...  but I tell you what always does- consistency.  If you believe in how you have or do not have your child scheduled, be consistent.  

Thank  you so much to our 2 friends (and Doctors) who helped us work out this sweet boys schedule.  

If you have any questions about how we set his schedule I am always happy to talk it about, let me know!  At the end of the day I am truly passionate about scheduling and giving your child the GIFT of sleep.  We had to be consistent, we had to work with Owen and teach him.  These were first steps for us in teaching him something and it was so rewarding.  Not just to us, to HIM.

If you are angry and you think I am a Nazi, that is ok too.  We don't really need to talk about it.  :)

Such a good sleeper

Cuddles with Kona before bedtime (7:30p)

Morning play time!  

Peek A Boo!  

O v.1 and O v.2

I have been meaning to post this one for quite some time now.  

As mentioned in previous posts Owen's name came from another super miracle baby.

We refer to the boys as O v. 1 and O v. 2 (Owen version 1 and Owen version 2).  

O v. 1 is a miracle of 3. His brother is Caleb and beautiful sister is Dani.  Their parents are good friends of ours and Joe has watched this triple crew grow up (they are now 15 years old!!!).  Joe spent quite a bit of time with the boys when they were young helping coach them in football and baseball.  They all also spent many fun days skiing and snowboarding in Steamboat.  Obviously, all 3 of these kids are special to us. 

The name Owen just really resignated with us.  Clearly, we asked our friends how they would feel about this and upon an OK, Joe talked to both boys.   They were incredibly sweet about it....  So thank you O v. 1 for letting O v. 2 share your name!  And of course, thank you LT & BT!  We can't wait until O v. 2 is on his skis or snowboard in Steamboat with your 3.  They will be able to teach him so much!  

O v. 1 meets O v. 2 for the first time (O v. 2 was only 3 months old here)!

The O's & Dani!

Chatting about life....  

Oh hi blog!

Holy crap!  It is December (Happy 11 month Birthday my sweet Ninja---- photo cred to his awesome Nanny).

  How the f bombs did this happen?  Nonetheless, I am back and going to be much, much better about sharing life and thoughts from my perspective and experiences.  Brace yo-self!  :)

As for us and our Ninja, we are still crazy and happy as ever.  There truly is never a dull moment in our household or lives.  We have been having a ton of fun playing and traveling as of late (some with and some without our sweet dude)!

For now O is a pro at flying (I hear I may be eating my words on this one once he is walking).  He tries every day to walk and talk more.  While he does not have any teeth, he eats like he does.  If you could see the food menu each day you would probably fall over (I may post something about this)!  He loves to eat!  His laugh is the best sound I have ever heard!  He is a big dude, at his 9 month check up he weighed 22 pounds and was 30 inches long (not sure what the stats are now, but he is even bigger!!).  He loves music, dancing and eating out.  Wait.  This is starting to sound like some weird online profile....  haha!

Long story short, we are enjoying each day.....  Here are some updated pictures.  More to come soon!

This was my first cold.  Brutal!  

Go Broncos!  I love going to the games!

Happy Halloween 2013!

Reading before bed. 

Starbucks in Steamboat

Chop House at DIA

Eating eggies at Moe's in my cool hat and jammers!

And just like that!

Happy 5 Month Birthday to our sweet Ninja!

It is possible he will walk before he crawls.  A stander by nature.  ;)  However, tonight as we went to take his picture he decided to sit up on his own. Totally on his terms.  A Ninja, his Polar Bear and his little ninja.  So freaking cute.

By nature this child is also very happy.  He reminds us with his huge expressive eyes and smile that it really is the little things that matter.  I can't say enough how blessed we are to have him in our lives.  I know- I say it a lot, but it is true and quite frankly sometimes we all need to be reminded. 

Now, he does his fair share of screaming from time to time, he is a little babe after all- AND, he is teething.  Who could blame him though?  It sounds terrible and it is hard on all of us (even Kona).  haha 

He is getting much more interactive and opinionated.  Can you believe it?  Again, my sarcasm ringing though.  He is specific.  He is determined. 

What I keep repeating to him is the following- "keep it up my Ninja, you are destined to do great things". 

Happy 5 Month Birthday to the sweetest Kung Foo Fighter I know!  :) 

Peace out....

.......HORMONES! 

Yay.  Take that!  For the first time in way too long I am officially hormone free. 

Don't get it twisted folks.  What I mean is man made hormones.  No more pills, no more shots, no more inserts or patches.  No more to prevent, no more to make .... just no more.

I don't know what this will bring or how things will roll out, but I am super excited. 

There are many of you who read this blog who know exactly what I am talking about when you have experienced fertility issues.  That stuff takes a toll.

Bye bye!  Just one example here....
(PS- some of you still need this- think about it, just sayin)

To those of you who are just now thinking or have just "pulled the goalie" with no birth control for hopes of a babe-  you also know what I am talking about.  Even as "simple" as birth control can seem- it also takes its toll. 


So maybe, if I am a little more bonkers than normal, you know why.  OR if you know me, you better tell me I am a little more bonkers than normal.  :) 

Still learning....

I continue to be amazed by my son.  There are plenty of days I step back and go, "whoh, I am a Mom to this cool ass Ninja" (ya we say that).

What I think is super cool is HE is teaching me so much.  I can only hope I am teaching him as well....

I have had some things happen in the past weeks that have tested so much of what I believe in, what I know, what I stand for and quite frankly some shit that would normally drive me to crazy town. 

I have to say because of this sweet Ninja I find myself stepping back and looking at the bigger picture. 

I laughed at those who thought they could break bonds.  I embraced those who are here even more for their love and kindness.  I was reminded that no matter how much time passes- a true friendship is always there. 

A very dear friend of mine enclosed this in a card for sweet Owen and I am still moved......

 

Bless this little heart, this white soul has won the kiss of heave for our earth.

He loves the light of sun, he loves the sight of his Mothers face.

 

He has not learned to despise the dust, and to hanker after gold.

 

Clasp him to your heart and bless him.  He has come into this land of a hundred crossroads.

 

I know not how he chose you from the crowd, came to your door, and grasped your hand to ask his way.

 

He will follow you, laughing and talking, and not a doubt in his heart. 

Keep his trust, lead him straight and bless him.

 

Lay your hand on his head, and pray that though the waves underneath grow threatening, yet the breath from above many come and fill his sails and waft in to the heaven of peace. 

 

-Rabindranath Tagore

Thank you. Thank you.

And here is the sweet Ninja at 4 months.  Over due - as per my style.  haha 

One and Done

As promised, some updates about the happenings over the past month in our crazy lives! 

The title to this post pretty much sums it up. 

The concept of "One and Done" has become a reality for us. 

I know many will judge and honestly, I don't care.  Judge away, and while you do, take a moment to reflect on what we have been through to get here.  The emotional, physical and mental challenges were quite large.  They challenged all aspects of our everyday life.  I won't go on anymore though, either you choose to get it or you don't. 

First stop, Urologist!  Dr. D'A hooked us up with one of the best in Denver, even Joe would highly recommend him.

Not to worry, Dr. Jeremy Weis's office made sure we were totally informed before coming in by mailing us this handy pamphlet:

Here is where I age myself (and you do too)....  Do you remember the magazine "Highlights" as a kid?  Heck, maybe I am lucky and Highlights is still around?  Nonetheless, this pamphlet on getting a vasectomy reminded me of the old magazines I used to love to read.  Quite laughable actually.  I mean, last time I checked it is 2013.  You would think the vasectomy pamphlet making team could come up with a cover that wasn't so incredibly lame! 

I will spare you any additional vasectomy details and only report everything went well.

Second step (and the hardest): What do we do with our sweet embryos on ice? We got the paperwork in the mail about 3 months ago.  This was when the harsh reality of a decision set in. 

 

It wasn't easy.  The what to do piece was never something we thought we would have to do.  Yet, here we were faced with looking down the path of every possible option (and trust me, we did).  We weighed out all the pros and cons and actually really considered some things we never thought we would have in the past.  The conclusion we came to that was a clear win/win for us was donating our embryos to research.  It is our hope maybe- just maybe the research on our embryos will help another couple to get pregnant, stay pregnant, or something (anything) that results in the outcome of pregnancy due to the research.  

At the end of the day we feel honored we could donate to research in such a hard, yet very much needed way.

To quote my husband (on our situation and why it makes sense be to content with our perfect little Ninja boy):

"It's like winning the lottery on a Wednesday and going back Saturday and buying 100k in tickets. Why press your luck when everything you want is right in front of you?"

 

 

 

 

Cliche... but, where does time go?

Oh hey.  HI.  Yes.  Shame shame.  I have been MIA. 

Where does the time go? I know.  It is fast and furious.  

I knew this and was reminded tonight when I logged onto my blog and saw I already had 3 blogs ready to go (not written just subject lined of things I knew we were getting ready to do).  I was prepping for the changes.  I was going to stay on top on them and be on top of my posts.  Alas, FAIL.  I did not.  So here I am focused at this moment on catching up on the one thing that has really shook our lives.  Something we never thought would or could happen.  Something I still cannot talk about that much. 

I will be sure to back track on all the funnies and changes that have been occurring in our lives, but for  now I need to take time for this.

Joe and I lost a friend a few weeks back.  He was my friend, but he was one of Joe's best friends, a co worker and a partner in crime. 

I find it incredibly unfortunate how we take this thing we call life for granted.  I find it sad it takes something so sad and tragic to make you step back and take a full and TRUE scan of where you are in your life.  How you are living your life.  How you CHOOSE to do this. 

We both (especially Joe and his friends) face a very sad weekend ahead saying good bye to a Warrior and a friend.  Please have Joe in your thoughts and prayers and remember to always take a step back and appreciate the people in your life.  See how much those people love and care for you.  Embrace that.  Love and live life to its fullest potential.  Take risks.  Be real. 

Thank you heavens above for my strong Husband, sweet Ninja, supportive family and truly over the top incredible friends.

Husband, Ninja & Kona - reading time is the best!

Oh this face.... it does help to make it all better!  ;)


 

Happy Friday slideshow!

The long awaited slideshow of Owen's itty bitty baby pictures.  He was 6 days old.  We had only been home from the hospital for 2 days.  What a whirlwind of craziness and how quickly the time has passed now that he is 9 weeks old. 

 

I look at these pictures and still can't believe this little miracle is ours.  I thank God everyday for bringing this little Ninja into our lives.  I truly can't imagine our lives being any more complete. 

 

Happy Friday.  Enjoy. 

 

Curve balls...

Life is full of them, right? 

Tonight my heart breaks for my dear friend Molly and her husband Jason.  Tonight I am angry for them and the curve balls they have been dealt.  Too many curve balls.  It's total bullshit. 

If you have a moment please send them lots of love, prayers, juju or anything to ease the roller coaster of emotions they are both going through now. 

Here is the link to their story-  STILL.

We love you Molly and Jason.

 

 

2 month birthday & shots....

Owen's 2 month Birthday was Sunday.  His 2 month shots were Monday.  This made it not so much of happy birthday! 

So, lets start with the good stuff. Our boy is still a long, lean, healthy Ninja machine. He weighs 11 pounds and is 23.5 inches long. He is also very strong for his age (neck and legs). We got the ok from Dr. Bryan to start running with him in the BOB on the well paved paths around our house. This is great news for Joe. It is news I sort of dread because quite frankly I loathe running. I am going to try it on though. One day a week is going to be my new personal goal. You heard it here. This means I will be held accountable for doing so. 

Moving right along to the worst part of O's doctor appointment, yes, the shots.  I reached out to a few friends to see how their kid(s) handled them and did some online research.  I wanted to go in prepared (or at least feeling "prepared").   Hands down one thing everyone said that was spot on was it was far more worse on them than the babes because of their reaction. 

Even though he took it like a total Ninja we have never seem his face turn such a shade of angry/painful red.  The tears were instant and the scream was on the lower side volume wise- yet so painfully sad.  One shot in each leg and one orally.  Now here is my question.  It is 2013 and with all the amazing technology we have not come up with a way to make these vaccinations all oral drops??

PS- While the Spider Man band aids were cute, they didn't help at the same time.  ;)  Here is the only shot I could get of his sweet little legs and band aids (yes the tops of his legs were swollen until yesterday).

He calmed down really quickly and home we went to eat and get him some sleep.  We thought we were in the clear until about 7pm that night.  This is when shit hit the fan.  He was in so much pain.  Nothing we did helped.  If we barely even grazed his little legs it was painful.  Our hearts (and ears- ha ha) broke.  I contemplated giving him some infant Tylenol, but I know it can be damaging to their developing liver and digestive system.  We worked through it the old fashion way.  Around 4am he seemed to finally get into his first sound sleep.  Phew.  At 7am there wasn't much improvement.  The day got both better and then worse and continued into the evening and carried into the next day.  Some screams and some smiles.  We bought some Camilia which is an all natural product that soothes any aches and pains without potentially hurting any body parts.  I believe it has helped a little, but we have only used it a couple times.

So, here is my take bullet point style to Mom's that will be going through 2 month shots:

• It sucks-  there is no other way to slice it
• You may cry.  Whether it is from seeing your little one in pain or your broken ear drums after hours of crying on and off- it is ok and completely normal.
• Letting them snuggle into you between screams is a must. 
• Careful of their little legs, they really do hurt after the shots.
• If you have the luxury of being with them the entire 2 days after their shots, please be with them.
• Whether you are a Tylenol or Camilia person, have whatever you pick on hand (see, I don't judge).
• If you like wine, have some on hand- ha!
• Shots are not bad.  They just get a bad rap!  ;) 

Here is what O has to say about shots.... In his words:  "Caca"

 

OH, that's what that is supposed to feel like...

Today for the first time in 9 months I was able to feel almost all my hand and arm.  Oddly enough the only thing I cannot feel still are my finger tips.  I will take it though.  It is a crazy cool feeling to have feeling back. 

Those little things we have day to day that we take for granted until they are gone.  So, I wanted to take this time to say there is a light at the end of this 'pregnancy induced carpal tunnel' and it looks bright!  Whoot! 

I am still incredibly tired.  This is not because my little ninja is a bad sleeper at all.  As a matter of fact he is a great little sleeper.  It is not because my husband does not help out, because he does more than most men.  It is just as simple as I haven't caught up.  I spent my entire pregnancy NOT being able to sleep.  Then once he got here I could sleep.  It was just a different sleep.  I can't sleep when he makes his cute little noises.  Though I know he is fine when he squeaks about while sleeping, it still sends you right out of bed to make sure everything is ok.  Some Mom's say you don't ever really get sleep in the same way ever again.....   I can see how this would be a true statement.

 

As far as the rest of my body, healing and returning back to (a new) "normal"-  all systems are go.  I feel good.  Sometimes I have new pains that pop up, but they never really alarm me as I expect that to go on for awhile.  I don't think we ever stop to realize how much happens to your body when you are pregnant.  Stuff gets weird.  Things move to places you never thought imaginable and things appear you never thought possible.  Alas.  All things now imaginable and possible. 

 

For example-  I am currently dealing with an outbreak on my arms that is a result of hormones leaving my body.  I have written only briefly about it before, but yes, it is still with me and not much better.  Next step dermatologist and yes, it is gross. 

 

I will save you the detail of things like my belly button that was once quite a cute innie, then an outtie, then no belly button to now.  Now that's some weird stuff. 

 

I am happy to be back to working out mildly.  I hope to ramp that up in the next couple weeks. 

 

I feel very lucky I did not get any stretch marks.  My incision is healing nicely and it is way to early to tell if it will be a big scar or not.  As I have said before, either way- I don't care.  O was all worth it. 

 

One of my fellow coworkers said today, "wouldn't you think after going through all the months of being pregnant, enduring the havoc on your body and birthing that once the baby was out we would have been given the gift of having our bodies magically return to their original state (if not better) for all our our sacrifice"....  I liked her style big time on this one. 

Cheers to stuff getting weird, body healing and returning to whatever the "new" shape may be! 

And maybe, just maybe I can come back like my lady Pink.  Oh hubba hubba girl! 

 

 

Updates!

Phew! It has been very busy in our household since my last post.  Here are some of the happenings:  O is almost 2 months old!  Can you believe it?  I can't. 

Last week was packed with lots of fun and some more firsts for O.  Here are the deets:

He got to meet his Auntie from KC. She came and stayed the weekend with us. The weather was delish so we were able to meet up with friends (both humans and dogs) for a fun stroller ride around town and dinner. In normal O fashion, he rocked it and partied like a rock star.  As you can see he insisted on wearing his cool gray jeans, sweet shirt and owl hat!  ;)

 

He took his first car ride with yours truly (YIKES).  We literally went one mile.  It was a very stressful one mile for me.  Brace yourself to laugh at me though....  I hope you find it as funny as all my coworkers and friends did....  Mind you, I asked Joe before he left town to show me again how to properly work the stroller and car seat. 

I went downstairs to remove the car seat from the stroller.  I couldn't get it.  I worked on it for quite a bit.  I made a call to Joe and left him a voicemail.  In the meantime I figured it out.  SUCCESS!  I was able to say, "oh nevermind I got it" when he called back. 

From there I put O in the car seat and made sure he was safe and secure then off we went to the car, climbed in snapped him in and off we went!  SUCCESS!  We made it!  Phew.  I then climbed in the back seat to take his car seat off the base.  I tried one button, then another, then another.  That thing would NOT budge.  So then (as my child probably secretly laughed at me) I tried a few other things, I was probably at it for a solid 10 minutes.  Ok, maybe 5, but it felt like 25.  FAIL.  I couldnt call Joe again, because he had already boarded his plane.  I finally broke down and called my friend (she has 2 little girls), all I said was "help", then paused (I mean how embarrassing, right??) I took a big gulp and went on to say, "I am here, but I can't get the car seat out of the car".  Of course she laughed at me (who wouldn't - I was laughing at myself).  She saved the day and showed me the ONE f-ing button I didn't push.  Le sigh. 

O took his first shower too! He thought it was super badass!

We continue to dance, sing and read a lot!  He loves it.

 

 

So much more to come.  Stay tuned! 

Oh, Hi Core and Judgement!!

Hello CORE!
Yesterday was my first yoga class since January 3rd.  It felt so good to be back.  I felt revived and peaceful.  The class was lovely and I cannot wait to get our schedules aligned with lots of yoga and other fun work outs!  I feel much better than what I thought I would (my body).  Not too terribly sore, but my core is definitely still there and in need of some serious love (I accept this challenge). 

Now, let me tell you what wasn't so lovely.  Rather alarming and gross.  I have bumps all over my arms (this is caused from the remaining hormones leaving my body), my legs and arms are super jiggly and one of my boobs is bigger and saggier than the other.  While I realize it is going to take some work to pull it all back together, I was rather grossed out yesterday.  As I have mentioned before having a baby is not the most glamorous process! 

Hello Judgement! 
Here is some unsolicited advice from me to those of you that will be having a baby soon or in the future.  Brace yourself for judgement from others.  Prepare yourself by holding strong to what you and your significant other have agreed upon and stand behind those ideas.  I am saddened by the amount of judgement I see and have experienced since having O. 

When faced with said judgement always remind yourself you are doing what is best for your child.  You are loving them like crazy.  You are making sure all their needs are met.  You are looking out for and protecting them with great fury.  For me I know no matter what-  I KNOW with 100% certainty whether people agree with how we choose to raise O that they could never call us bad parents. 

Now, if you are a crack pipe smoker, beater, loser- that is a whole other blog post and your type sickens me to no end. 

Please keep in mind- this is not to say I have not received a shit ton (yes a shit ton) of support as well.  I couldn't get through each day without the support I have of my amazing friends, family and husband.  They are truly the pieces that hold this all together.  As one of my friends said the other day, "it really does take a village to raise a child"....  It is so incredibly true. 

Last but not least this little dude is almost 7 weeks old!  He is smiling and growing so much each day.  We are currently trying on a new routine/schedule and so far it is working out very nicely.  I plan to post about this method after a couple weeks of using it, so hold tight! 

This is how I woke up the other morning.  It makes the lack of sleep, ringing ears and unbrushed teeth all worth it. 
Le sigh.  My loves.  My cup runneth over.

C Section information

I have had quite a few people ask about what to expect with a c section and what to take to the hospital so I am dedicating this post to that- from MY perspective.  Keep in mind, every persons body is different and we all have different experiences!  I am keeping this one as short and to the point as possible, only highlighting what I found to be most important or things I wish I would have known prior to going through this surgery. 

Must haves for your hospital bag (these are just a few you will  not find on most websites that have great lists of things to pack):
-Granny panties: 
That's right!  Go get yourself some hot ass panties and add to the hotness by upping the size by one.  I chose the Gap brand and bought a couple pair at my size 9 months pregnant and a few pairs a size up.  I was really happy I had both to choose from.

-Comfy PJ bottoms and loose fitting tops: 
Self explanatory.  Having these will motivate you to get up and change out of that awkward hospital gown.  Trust me, it feels great.

-Face cleansing wipes:
I am so happy I threw these in!  It was nice to have them to wipe my face and feel a little normal until I was able to get up and shower.

-Music!  Whether it be your itouch, ipod etc.  It is so nice to have. 

Important things for after your c section:
-GET UP AND STAND OR WALK AS SOON AS YOU CAN:
I cannot stress this enough (and everyone who told me to do so - THANK YOU, it was spot on).  I am completely convinced this helped with my healing.  Let me also tell you it hurts like a mother f***** the first few times and quite frankly for awhile after that, but each day I promise it gets better and better.  If walking seems way out of the question the first time you try with your nurse (they will let you know when it is time so don't try doing it on your own) just work on standing up and sitting back down.  Oh and I cannot forget, also take it easy and don't push yourself too hard.

-Take the meds!
Another simple thing that is so important.  Your doctor has given you pain meds, stool softeners and gas x for a reason!  Take them as prescribed!  I am one that is very sensitive to pain meds many times they cause vomiting (which would be awful to experience after a c section), so after a couple days I decided to tell the nurses I was fine and didn't need the pain meds.  She kindly told me to be careful with doing so, but listened to me.  Win win, right?  Not so much.  I found myself in some serious pain within only a couple hours.  So, what I am trying to say AGAIN is take it as they have prescribed.  Once you are home and moving you can play around with how you want to take pain meds.  I found ibuprofen did the job just fine.  Last but not least, take the stool softener and gas pills.  I promise you will regret it if not. 

-Use the pads provided!
Depending on your hospital, pads are normally provided.  USE THEM.  And take some home!  Also make sure you have plenty of your own supply at home too!  My bleeding was minimal, but I did have quite a bit of bleeding and oozing from the incision site so they would place a pad long ways across my incision so the staples wouldn't catch on the hot mesh panties or granny panties I was wearing.

-Drink all fluids carefully!
This may seem funny, but if you get fluids down the wrong pipe and start coughing or choking I cannot begin to tell you the amount of pain (even on meds) you will experience from the incision site.  This happened to me (even after a friend warned me- I was trying to be careful- HA) it was the worst pain I have ever felt hands down.  I would imagine the same pain would also result if you don't take your stool softener and try to poo, sneeze or vomit.  I will also tell you it hurts to laugh, but not as bad as explained above.  Just be sure to put pressure on the incision site with your hand or pillow when you laugh, cough, sneeze etc.

-Take a shower as soon as your doctor says you can.  It feels great! 

-Last but not least, if you are healing quickly be mindful not to overdue it.  I am guilty of this and wish I would have taken a little more down time.

As always, if you have any other questions please send them to me.  I am more than happy to answer questions based off my experience.  C sections can be very scary and I would like to make them seem not so scary.  Now that I have been through the process I wouldn't have it any other way (don't judge)  ;) 
  

Good stuff...

Hot damn, today was my almost 6 week check up with Dr. D'A and it went well.  Cleared for all exercise, within reason of course.   Time to get my booty back in shape- starts tomorrow.  :) 

 

I also had to take the EPDS (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale).  What?  You didn't automatically know what the EPDS is?  Ha!

Really?  A test where I check boxes and add up the score to determine whether or not I am depressed?  I call bullshit on this said test.  It reminded me of the "quiz's" I used to love to take when I was younger (and sometimes now, why not?) in the Cosmo magazines.  Anyway, nether here nor there- I passed with flying colors and I am not considering hurting myself or others and especially not Owen. 

Does it make me seem about 12 years old because the clipboard ad made me giggle?  Good stuff for sure. 

Here is what O has been up to lately:
-Staying awake more and more
-Peeing on me 2 times and pooping in one diaper change early this morning (yes another moment where I needed a camera)
-Smiling
-Reaching
-Trying to find his words
-Focusing on objects
-Rolling over
-Hanging with his Aunties and girlfriend (yes, he currently only has ONE girlfriend, he isn't a player) ha ha
-Working out a lot- both vocal cords and physically (this ninja dude has a super strong neck for his age)
-Last but not least chillin' with Dad-  doing some trading, market reading, listening to music on the iPad and singing. 

And since today is National Love Your Pet(s) Day, I pay a tribute to my 3 fur kids:  Kona, Meadow and Enzo who have all been great and love their little Ninja brother so much!

As Kenny Chesney sings:  "That's The Good Stuff", I say THIS IS THE GOOD STUFF!