Wherefore art thou, new website?

Good Morning internet! It's a rainy cold (I can see my breath!) October day in Indiana. I have just a few things to say:

1. I'm tired of cleaning up dog hork every morning.
2. I debated at 7:30 am about whether or not I should go back to bed. I stayed awake. We'll see how that goes.
3. I'm reading an article in "O" magazine (Oprah's) about how to "Answer the Call." Which you might think is an article about going to the bathroom...but it's not. It's about how to figure out what you really ought to be doing from a career perspective (I think). I just started reading it so I really don't know the details...but I'm curious to see if it will give me any enlightenment.
4. This blog is going to be moving. I don't know when. I thought it would've been a long time ago...like 4 months ago. I'll keep you posted.
5. I'm running my dishwasher.
There! All the important things you needed to know today. :)

You just never know.

Hello internet! Sorry it's been awhile. I've had some upheaval in my life recently and just didn't have time to blog. It started with the Swine Flu and went downhill from there.

As you know while Boo had H1N1 I stayed at my mom and stepdads for a week with Wren. I'm really glad I had the chance to do that because on Sept. 22 my stepdad had cardiac arrest and died. Yeah. Just like that. He was only 52 but had a family history of heart problems...his dad and some uncles all died in their 50's. It's just so unexpected when it happens.

I'm glad he got to spend a week with his new granddaughter before he went. I'm glad I got to spend that time with him too. Family meant a lot to him. *sigh*

Now my mom is left alone to figure it out. Luckily she recently got back in touch with some of her old friends. She has a strong support network and will get through this. It's going to be a big adjustment for all of us.

Anyway, Boo and Wren and I are fine. Time marches on. It's cold and rainy today...I hope we get an indian summer in the next couple of weeks. That would lift our spirits a bit.

In happy news my brother and his wife are having their first baby this weekend. She was due on the 7th but baby girl apparently has another plan. So tonight she is being induced.

I get to be an Aunt! Woo hoo! It's also pretty cool that our girls are so close in age.

In tribute, here's a photo of my stepdad. I hope he's shaking things up on the other side! He always knew how to have a good time!

Swine Flu

Where have I been you ask? About a month ago my husband came home from work feeling fatigued and generally crappy. He'd had a stuffy/runny nose the day before but nothing worth paying attention to. When he came home from work I made him take his temperature and it was 102 degrees. I immediately sent him to the spare bedroom and mandated that he stay there until further notice. In the morning he went to the doctor and had a flu swab done...the results were Flu virus "A" strain. That means it's a 99% probability of being H1N1. When he returned home I banished him to the spare room and called my mom. She told me to pack up and bring the baby to her house.
Wren and I were refugees at her house for nearly a week. It was very difficult for us. There I was, a new mother with a six week old baby away from home. My mom and her husband were very generous to open their home and keep me fed but it still wasn't the same as being home with my husband. I felt like a single parent. My mom tried to help me with Wren but it's been 27 years since she changed my brothers diapers and listened to him cry. And her husband doesn't have kids of his own so I'm sure it was quite an eye opener to have a crying baby in the house.
Poor Boo had to nurse himself back to health alone at home. He said it didn't feel any different than the regular flu. He began taking Tamiflu on the second day of his symptoms and his fever broke in a day. He also missed a milestone in Wren's life; she rolled over for the first time at my moms. I tried to make him feel better saying he would've been at work anyway.
We were so scared that Wren would get it. I felt like all I did was call the pediatrician. Coincidentally she developed a cough while we were at my moms which completely freaked me out because she'd never coughed before. So instead of messing around I took her to the childrens hospital emergency room where they swabbed her for the flu. Her test came back negative but they said the test for "A" strain is very sensitive so she could have a false negative. They prescribed Tamiflu for her. Boo and I decided to wait and see if she developed any other symptoms before giving her the medicine. I took her temperature every other diaper change.
As the week went on and neither she or I developed a fever or other symptoms I became more confident. Did I mention I did a LOT of praying? I prayed. And prayed. And had other folks praying that Wren wouldn't get sick. God protected us because we are one month post-flu and we're both fine. She still has that little cough and her doctor said it's most likely sinus drainage so I shoot saline in her nose about twice a day.
Anywho, that is what I've been dealing with. If I didn't have such a young baby, I wouldn't be worried about this flu. I feel like the media has really scared people about it. I hope you all stay well!

Wren

My beautiful Bird is 6 weeks old now. She is such a sweet little critter. I still can't believe she came from my belly.

I'm getting the hang of being a stay at home mom. She and I have our daily routine established more or less and that helps the day go smoothly. Now that I'm six weeks post c-section I'm able to accomplish more around the house while she naps. There for awhile I couldn't do much of anything and that was tough...although I enjoyed all my naps!

It's crazy how much she's changed in six weeks. Everyone kept saying "they change so fast," and now I understand the truth to that statement. I can already see that 18 years is going to fly right by. But for now, I'll enjoy her babiness while it lasts.

Morning coffee

Our willow tree kept me company as I enjoyed coffee on the deck. Quiet mornings to myself are rare...I relish them.

And it was an adventure

So, I had a little talk with myself about how unrealistic it is to keep my baby in a bubble not to mention unhealthy...psychologically speaking. I put on my big girl panties and got over myself. We went to the lake. Yep, Boo, myself and the baby loaded into the car Saturday morning and made the hour and a half drive to the lakehouse. The little Bird slept the entire way there. *sigh* What had I been so worried about?
I spent the day shuttling her from the screened porch to the living room couch. Visiting with family and reading a bit of the book I brought. Boo and everyone else went swimming...I couldn't have even if I wanted to because of my incision. A lovely day for everyone. After dinner I nursed her and then we packed her into her carseat for the journey home. I wasn't worried one bit because she'd probably sleep the whole way home. Or not.
Fifteen minutes into the drive she began fussing so we pulled off into a parking lot and changed her wet diaper. No big deal. She should be good to go now.
Fast forward 30 minutes. Fussing and then furious cries wail from the backseat. We are between towns and there is nowhere to pull off the road so she's going to have to tough it out for a couple more miles. Finally we arrive in a little podunk town with a four way flashing light at the intersection. On one corner is a Dairy Bar that is already closed for the season so we pull in there. In the parking lot of the Dairy Bar we pull the Bird out of her car seat to discover the, excuse me, shit storm she has brewed up. It's all over her, her clothes, her car seat. Poor girl.
We went thru almost every last baby wipe in the car getting her cleaned up. We stripped her down and luckily I'd remembered to pack extra clothes. I wiped out her car seat. Then she was so pissed and wound up I climbed in the backseat with her and nursed for about twenty minutes to settle her down. Finally, we got back on the road. It took two and a half hours to get home.
Talk about baptism by fire. She really initiated us into the "traveling with baby" aspect of parenthood.

Weiner

As a new mama I am suspicious that I am of the "over-protective" variety. My girl will be four weeks old on Sunday and the only place I've taken her is to breastfeeding group on Wednesday nights. I refuse to let anyone bring their kids to my house for fear of germs. In fact I have imagined installing a giant bubble around my house just to keep her safe.
I've got to loosen up. I'm holding on too tight I think. Tomorrow my family is going to the lake cottage...including my husband. They're going to work on the dock so it's not a super fun day at the lake or anything. Anyway, I can't decide if I'm going to go or if I'm keeping my Bird at home where it's predictable and she has her bed. It's an hour and a half drive to get to the lake. What if she starts crying in the car? What do I do? What if her diaper needs changed? Do we just pull the car over? I have no experience traveling with babies. I don't know what to do. It's easier to stay home. Help.