Miss Me, Miss Me...

now you gotta kiss something??
Anyway- I bet you are as shocked as I am that I am actually blogging... I really do miss it and updating is always in the back of my mind, but I am just so busy all the time. However, now that Camden is trying to grow up on me and be alot more independent I might actually have time to blog! Sounds crazy I know, but in the last 10 days he has finally developed a taste for baby food and learned to sit up, crawl, and pull up! Yes, I realize he will be into everything but he won't be overly clingy and wanting to nurse every hour and be held constantly. I have tried for months to figure out why he constantly spits up and is fussy between his every hour nursing sessions (in addition to several other symptoms) and I finally think I know what it is! Read here. Basically I am making too much of the sugary first milk and not enough of the fatty hind milk (that satisfies him longer) which means he is hungry and gassy and has every other symptom listed except for frequent diaper rashes. It has been very frustrating simply because not only was I not used to a baby in the house but none of my other kiddos were this clingy and fussy. But, now that he is relying on three mini meals of baby food a day and can move all around the house (so far he's staying in the living room) he is much less cranky and A TON of fun! Which for me means- I can have my life back! If only for a little while. Until he's trying to dive off the couch or open the cabinets for pots to bang on or maybe go fishing in the toilet. He is a momma's boy though which drives Jon nuts so when I do get to take a nice looong bath or get on the computer, it's never for very long.... but we'll get there- I think! I can't promise I'll post daily but I am gonna try.

Shark!

So, technically Cam is not supposed to start solids til February or March. However, he appears to be bored with a breastmilk only diet. And, he's decided to broaden his culinary horizon. Food of choice? ME! A couple of times around the 6 to 8 week mark, he "bit" down on the boob that feeds him, hard! After that, he continued to do it once a week or so but this past week it's been EVERY SINGLE FEEDING! Yes, he is toof-less, but it still hurts very bad. So bad that the other day I got tears in my eyes. He won't do it the first 5 or 10 minutes of nursing but waits until he's ready to burp or swap sides. Sometimes he'll do it when I'm half asleep like the 4am feeding or his last feeding of the day. He does it at 6:30 when I should be getting up, and it works. No need for an alarm clock when a small child is trying to chew off your nipple. He bites me every time he lets go or falls asleep. And, he thinks it's funny... because unless he has dozed off he grins at me real big. And, I know he doesn't know any better but I swear he's smiling at me as if to say "LOL Mom, I know that hurts but you won't stop breastfeeding me because you know it's healthiest and you aren't going to flick my cheeks or thump my mouth like some Mommies do." Ugghh! And, he's right. I won't flick him or thump him, but I have yelled out and yep, he smiled BIG! So, I am hope, hope, hoping he stops it- soon! I am so afraid I am gonna look like one of those tribal women from National Geographic if this continues. I have developed anxiety every time I feed him and I don't think it's good for either of us to be anxious during feedings. So, any advice? I need to get this nipped in the nipple before he gets teeth... pun intended :)

They're back to where they once belonged...

So... in case you were wondering, I got me a new nursing bra! Woo Hoo, I am sooo happy! I went to Nordstrom on the advice of my sisters and got fitted. Now, I won't lie, it was awkward to have the fitter lady tell me to take off my top... and then have to stand there more nekkid than I am used to under fluorescent lighting. She measured me and came in with a few bras and nada, too small. I felt like I was being squeezed by a boa constrictor. She left and came in with another and as soon as I slipped it on I could hear the angels singing. Honestly, I had forgotten what the girls looked like that close! So, I told her I would take it and she went to the register, put it in a fancy Nordstrom shopping bag, and rang me up. $74 dollars later, I am still a happy woman. It wasn't until I got home that I opened the bag and looked at my new bra and all it's fancy glory. It is silky and beige and oh so lacy and pretty, but very sturdy. The hook on the cups is even fancy- a silk loop! The back hooks look like metal- I am sure they are platinum or something... the brand of the bra is embroidered in cursive on the side and the straps are padded and soft. I am seriously afraid to wear it- ya know spit up, milk etc. I looked at the size AFTER I got home. I won't tell you what it was but I'll give you two hints: it's how old I'll be in 3 years and the 8th letter of the alphabet. Now, I'll leave you alone while you count on your fingers....

Do your boobs hang low?

Ok, so I need HELP! It's no secret to anyone that I am currently breastfeeding Camden. But, I have a problem- Elsie* and Daisy* are sagging BAD. And, if I want to remain attractive and keep my breasties from falling out of the bottom and armholes of my shirts I need bra advice NOW! Where in the world can I get a good supportive nursing bra? I currently own 7 and I have purchased them from Motherhood, Target, and JC Penney's. They all stink and they do not work for me at all! Pretty please give me opinions, advice etc.

*formerly Bertha and Martha* They will go back to their previous names when the milk factory closes.

Titty Baby

Man, who knew a sweet little innocent baby could turn an entire household upside down and all around? We are all absolutely smitten with Camden, but he can be a stinker. Mainly for me, his primary caregiver and then it's all downhill from there. He is not a bad baby at all, he just knows when I am doing something other than pay attention to him. It goes like this: the split second I get to do something he cries. He has that little alarm in his head that only he can hear. It's the "Mommy is eating, peeing, bathing so I'm gonna scream my head off alarm." This week has been particularly rough. I have been wanting to get out more and I want to go alone. So usually a couple of nights each week after the kids are fed and bathed I will head to Target or Walgreens or maybe stay home for a swim in the tub and all HELL breaks loose. There are two reasons why- Camden wants booby 24/7 and Jon isn't so skilled at keeping him quiet when he's STARVING TO DEATH! So he gets anxious, the big kids get annoyed and I get a million phone calls or a screaming baby plopped in the bouncer and next to my bubbly bath. The second reason- he wants to eat so often that I literally have a boob out all day. I strongly suspect he may have reflux. Simply because he gulps down an entire feeding, barfs it up, has insanely bad hiccups and then it starts all over again. Thankfully he's gaining weight and I will be questioning his doctor for advice at his checkup Thursday. I guess other than it being 1 step forward, 2 steps back every day around here it wouldn't be so bad but it's trying alot of the time. It doesn't help that I have close to no patience when I have stuff I need to do, like bathe. I am quickly learning to ignore my hairy legs, dust bunnies and baskets of clothes in favor of showers and regular meals. I wish he would get better at sucking his thumb or would take a pacifier or something! Or, it's gonna be nutty around here til he's old enough for solid food. Heaven help me....