Team Mitchell & Crew

Thinking of you!

Shawna

Today Scotty and I visited the school where I work. I have been there 11 years and realized today, just how much I care about that building and the people in it, and how much I am cared for and thought of. Upon arriving, you could here people running and squealing that I was there. Now granted, they were squealing for the opportunity to hold a new baby, but some of that might have been cuz they were glad to see me. People went on and on about how cute he was and that they missed seeing me. Scotty got passed around all over the place from room to room and person to person. I even lost him at one point when Andrea disappeared into "Club Ed" with him. I had a chance to see my friends and to hear about their semester thus far.

I realize how fortunate I am to work at a place that not only do I look forward to being in, people are friendly and loving in a way that mirrors a sense of familyness. I turly have a sense of well-being with this school. Today I got to see people I have worked with for 11 years, people that have worked with 1-2 years, parents whom I met this year and families that have had a chain of siblings at CME since I started in 1998. Everyone of these people asked me about big Scott, Lainie, life as a Mom, etc. These are the poeple I am in Book Club with, spend hours at PD's with, go to game nights and girl's nights with and miss oobles and oobles in the summer. We are lucky to have people like this in our lives. I know many of these people follow me on here, so to each of you I say thank you. We are blessed to know you!!!

I woke up today to my three Valentine's cooking me breakfast. My family is fabulous and very considerate of me....particularly on holidays. Today's surprise were heart shaped pancakes. Scott bought Lainie a pancake mold when she was little and every so often, Lainie and Scott cook breakfast together and bring it to me. Today they included Scotty, as much as you can include an infant. Today was a nice treat. Although Scott had to work today, he is planning a surprise supper here at home. I have seen the remnants of strawberries and blueberries, steamed shrimp and baked potatoes that he might be using in tonight's dinner (all of which are on both mine and Lainie's top 10 favorite foods). I was also asked to play Cupid and find him our white tablecloth, cloth napkins and candles so that he can complete his surprise for all of us. (This makes sense, only I know where they are and all...) With a new little one and the economy the way it is, we are going to have an "at-home family Valentine's Day." Honestly, these are my favorite kind. To pass the while during the day today, Lainie and I have been watching musicals together (so far: The Sound of Music and Annie) and are cooking Valentine pinwheel cookies and snuggling with Scotty while reading prince and princess books together. This is love. Happy Valentine's Day!

Update world!!! I found a pair of jeans! They are Levi's 512's from Dillards in a size 14 long. The 14 will do, because they fit, they are comfortable and hopefully, because of the smidge of Lycra in them will even fit fairly well when I succeed at making it back to an official 12 (or beyond - gasp!)

For my queasy readers...stop here.

Let's just say that I am attempting to feed the new boy the good old fashion way. I am breast feeding. It's a slow process, literally. He eats and eats, and snuggles, and sleeps and still wants more, meanwhile an hour and a half has passed during this process. Imagine doing this and when he finally finishes, it's time to start over. Needless to say, I borrowed a pump, a heavy duty one.

Thank you Lori! So for a month I have been pumping as often I can / remember / make myself / am sitting down long enough too. (For the up and going kind of a Mom, this can be tough.) I am smart enough not to start on level 5 because it pulls me at mach speed. But all this time, something still felt wrong, painful wrong. I just thought it was the whole process since I tried unsuccessfully with Lainie.

When I say wrong, I mean like toe curling wrong. Sometimes bleeding. Open flesh. Like really sore. So at this point, the original way took a long time and the fake way hurt. Aside from formula costing so much $$$, I still find myself in the grey zone for stopping all together.

So good news. While beginning the process today (did I mention you are supposed to do this anywhere from 8-12 times in the beginning to make it all roll right?) I notice this little white dial with raised lettering. The lettering is hard to read on the white dial, but it looks like the word MAX. Max? I don't really like that word when associated with my chest area. (Middle school tittie twisters come to mind.) I turn it down. The MAX suction turns to normal suction, then to (dare I say) GENTLE tugging. I wait. I wonder. It works! Ahhhh. This is doable.

Lesson to learn here: Experiment! Turn dials! Don't suffer! Ask someone!

After a stretch of morning cluster feedings, I finally broke away for a teeny-weeny bit of me time. By me time, I mean enough seconds to pee, grab a drink and perhaps even change my clothing from the night before. I wasn't asking for much, but still.
I set him down in the crib all drowsy and drunk-like. Men are so cute that way! As I stepped back he fell into what appeared to be a nap-like trance. I thought, "gold mine." And ran down the hall to take a shower (forget pee and snack!)
Lather, lather, shave, shave, rinse rinse...I wash, dry and dress with no noises coming from the babies room. All gracious, I might even press my luck and fold some laundry. Super quick I begin, only 1/8th of the way into it, he starts crying. Well screaming, actually.
I step in to soothe. Poor baby, I say. Continued screaming. Are you hungry again/still? Screaming and crying continue. Onto the living room comfy chair to eat. Off we go.
I take the bottle we were working on 21 minutes ago and put it to lips. Smacking lips, gnawing hands....appearing hungry. I set it in mouth. Trigger gag reflex (how?), he pushes it out and then pukes all across me. Hair, shoulder, shirt, pants, lap. (They were my cute yoga pants that I have to keep myself from wearing multiple days in a week....dag-gum and THEY WERE CLEAN! sniff sniff.)
He's wet, I'm wet and I'm now no longer clean. I clean him head to toe. I spot clean myself (including changing full set of clothes) and the day continues on from here.
My light grey Old Navy pants I'm now wearing are not as cute nor as comfortable...but hey....little man is no longer crying. Go us!!!