journaling- august 2010

i can't believe kids are starting school already, this summer flew by so quickly.  we have had such a fun summer this year, we have played way too much.  here is what's been happening lately.

family visits
jared's whole family came out to utah for a big family reunion for 3 weeks.  there were 33 people total, and it was pure madness.  but we had such a blast.  the 23 kids were entertained 24/7 by their cousins.  we went to the splash ark, we played baseball and soccer at the park, we went up the canyon for a picnic, we rafted down the river, we boated at yuba lake, we went on 4-wheelers, we swam, we had bbq's, we watched fireworks, we went to jump-on-it, we played games, we watched movies, we did it all.  it was exhausting.  but it was such a great distraction while tyson needed so much attention.  porter had so much to keep him busy that he wasn't as aware of all the attention that i had to give to the baby.
also during this time we had a surprise visitor, my brother, robbie.  he showed up for about a week to spend time with my kids and my other brother that lives in orem.  we had so much fun with him playing softball, going to the dinosaur museum, camping, fishing, eating out, and just catching up.  it was such a great surprise to see him.
and then finally, we spent close to a week in california visiting my family!  we stayed with my grandma, which was really special.  we were spoiled by my parents and siblings with lots of love and attention.  i went so i wouldn't be along during jared's football 2-a-days and they made it such an easy week for me.  i loved it.  i already want to go back! :)

nursing
i had this same thought last time around, although for different reasons, but nursing is one of the hardest things i've ever done.  women who haven't gone through it probably have no idea how hard it is!  or maybe it is just me.  i mentioned before that tyson was getting very collicy.  he would fuss all day long, couldn't get comfortable, hated to be put down.  it was so emotionally and physically draining.  i talked to my doctors and they suggested a couple of things.  they had me cut dairy out of my diet, and they had me stop using the shield (a plastic thing that is placed over the nipple to help babies latch on- great for flat people like myself).  the great thing is that doing these things helped cure his colic.  i have since learned that it was the shield, not dairy... it was causing him to get too much air and making him spit up and have gas and tummy aches.  the bad thing was that it was literally like starting over again.  i had to teach him how to latch on, i had the most damaged nipples... cracked, blistered, bleeding.  i would sometimes make him stop before he was done because it hurt so badly i couldn't stand to go on anymore.  i cried.  then i talked to my sister-in-law that is a nurse and helps the moms and babies right after delivery.  come to find out, i wasn't latching him on correctly, and she helped me to get him latched on better which made the pain significantly more bearable.  two weeks later, the sores are healed, and it is getting better every day.  sometimes i am still a little sore, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.  i think we might finally have this thing figured out.


porter
porter has been a bit of a pill lately.  he is pretty jealous of his baby brother, and hates sharing attention.  i am trying to give him one-on-one attention while tyson sleeps... playing and doing homework projects.  but it seems that once i have to give tyson my attention to nurse or change a diaper he can't stand it.  he will hit, kick, bite, lay on top of us, you name it.  he spends time in time out on a daily basis now, and i am trying to figure out how to handle his jealousy.  it is so frustrating on so many levels.  if anyone has advice i am willing to try anything.  i just want my sweet little boy to be present at all times.  dealing with his outbreaks have been the hardest thing about having 2.  if he were acting the same way as before the baby, i would have it good right now.  i am hoping that this will pass soon.  other than this, he is doing good.  he loves to play with his friends, he talks really well, and likes to sing.

tyson
tyson is over his colic days, and i couldn't be happier.  he really is such a happy baby, any time he is awake he is smiling constantly.  he smiles at anyone who holds him, or even at his mobile on his swing.  he has been smiling at us since he was two weeks old, it is crazy.  he does so well at night, and it makes me so happy.  he eats about 9pm and stays asleep until 4am, and then eats around 7am.  he is learning how to have control of his hands, and he loves putting his fist into his mouth and sucking on it.  i really wonder if this one will discover his thumb.  he's watched a baby einstein video twice, and actually will watch the whole thing.  even though porter did the same thing, it is still the strangest thing to me, to see a little baby watch a show like that for 20 minutes.

me & my body
having company in town for a month put a damper on my efforts to reclaim my body.  i didn't work out once, and ate whatever was being served, which included dessert every night.  but even still, at my 6 week checkup i had just 8lbs left to lose.  this week i started back at the gym.  i have been going every day and it feels soo good to have sore muscles.  even though i know that i have weight to lose and that i don't look the same as before the baby, i don't feel like a fatty and i feel confident that i can get things back quickly.  i feel good about myself, and about the way i look and that is a great feeling.  i can now fit into my jeans again... without lunges.  if i swore off sugar it would be real easy to get there, but i still have to get into the right frame of mind for that.  that takes a lot of discipline for me.


upcoming trip
we are trying to plan another trip to hawaii for this fall or winter.  we have been shopping and trying to make some plans.  i have gotten really excited about it, and can't wait to go.  i love hawaii!