He's Crawling...Need I Say More!

December 30th, a day that will go down in infamy.

Now nothing is safe.

Ten Reasons I Hate December!

You know how everyone has one of those days where they just hate everything. That is me today. So here I am trying to vent it out with the Ten Reasons I Hate December:


1. Kids get sick.

2. Because kids get sick, we (namely me) can't get anything done because we are taking care of said sick kids.

3. Because we are taking care of sick kids we don't get to go do the things we need to do outside of the house.

4. Because we can't go outside the house, we can't do any fun outdoor Christmas traditions, such as Temple Square, parties, etc.

5. If we try to do anything outdoors, said sick kids (who we thought were getting better) will get even sicker.

6. Because sick kids are even sicker, we Really can't go outside the house and now are afraid to even run to the store.

7. Because we are afraid to go to the store, we can't get the ingredients we need to make the Christmas cookies and other last minute gifts we need to finish getting ready for Christmas.

8. Because we can't finish getting ready for Christmas we get frustrated, stressed out, and cranky.

9. Because we are frustrated, stressed out and cranky, we forget the true meaning of Christmas.

10. Because we forget the true meaning of Christmas, we hate December!

What a Week!

The past week has been absolutely crazy. Not because I have had a lot to do, but because a lot has been happening. Last Friday night Gage got sick. We're talking fever and the works. Gage is a tought little boy, we think he has a high pain tolerance and therefore rarely cries or complains about being sick. The reason we knew he was sick was because he cuddled with us. (Isn't it crazy that the clue to something being wrong with your child is that he cuddles?) Anyway, we were up all night holding our poor little boy because he would cry when we put him down. Took him to the doctor on Saturday, still feverish. Sinus infection, yay! Have you ever tried to give antibiotics to an uncooperative infant? Not fun. Not fun twice a day for ten days!

Sunday morning dawns and we have a tooth! His first. So not only is he all hopped up on an anitbio, but on lots of tylenol and drool too. Crazy drool. Like waterfalls constantly. He kept biting us too. Especially Travis.

Monday, things calmed down, we thought, but he was throwing up that night. Tuesday was spent cleaning out his bed and lowering it because even thought he is sick, he's trying to pull himself up. I also had to go to the doctor last minute because I thought I broke my nose when a wooden drum fell out of the closet on my face. (I did not but I'm swollen and in pain). Gage also developed a cough now and threw up again this morning. Yeah, December!

I'm Thankful!

I haven't looked at other blogs for a while and today I had some time to catch up. I realized I am very blessed and need to write about being thankful. (It's going to be quick because one of my little blessings is starting to wake up.)

I am thankful for my Gage. He is such a blessing because he smiles all the time. He is easily distracted by funny faces and his laugh is just so addicting.

And I am grateful for my loving and forgiving husband. He knows me better than anyone, and forgives me easily for my mistakes. He is my sounding board, my personal comedian, my mechanic, my chef, my handy man, my babysitter, my personal heater, my tech support, and my best friend. He brings home the bacon and cooks it too. He is my partner in everything and I am so grateful for everything he is and does.

There are so many things I am thankful for but they're going to have to wait. Now I get to go play with a sweet baby boy and laugh some more as he learns to crawl.

Halloween and More...

It's been a while since I last posted so here are a few pictures of Gage being cute.

Gage and Xander He likes to chew on everything lately.

He discovered his toes and grabs them all the time.

He is practising sitting up. He can roll over great now and does it all the time.

I let him go crazy playing with candy and here he is hoarding it.

First time with solids, I don't think he likes it.

Hilarious! Need I say more...

His Halloween Costume and hoarding the candy at Oma's

Skittles were his favorite.

Houdini

Gage is doing so well lately. Last Saturday, he turned four months old. Crazy! I can't believe how big he is. He is sleeping fairly well at night. He has rolled over a few times but I think they are all accidents. He does move a lot by pushing his feet and moving his head. I'm worried about this winter because he won't stay under his blankets. We wrap him swaddle style in one blanket and cover him with a thicker fuzzy one. But he pushes his way out of the blankets and usually ends up completely turned around in his crib. Here is the reason for the title of this post. This is how I found him this morning: On his tummy, still under the blankets but...
Oh, wait, he somehow wiggled out of the swaddle (which is still in tact like a tube) ended up NEXT to it but still under the fuzzy one. I have no idea how he did this. He is a little Houdini.

Here is a picture of Gage reading. He grabbed the book himself and was looking through it.

I borrowed an exer-saucer from my sister. Gage loves it. He stands up and moves all around already.

Kickin' it in Cali

Last week we went to California to visit my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew. We drove down with my parents. We were also lucky because my other brother, sister-in-law and two nephews were able to come spend time with us too. We had tons of fun. My brother, Dan and his wife, Emilee, are amazing. We had so much fun with them.

Our first night there, we climbed to the top of a mountain/hill. I can't remember what it's called but we watched the sunset from the top.

My dad was not posing on purpose but he does look pretty impressive. Dan was pointing out the sites in Riverside.

It was quite the hike uphill. But we made it.
At the beach, it was cloudy and cold but still tons of fun.
Trav loves the beach now. He didn't go much as a child.

Gage's first time with his feet in the sand. He loved it.
My cute sister-in-law, Emilee, and the hilarious and adorable Jack (who kept eating sand even though he didn't like it).

The waves got really big at one point. We didn't really go in the water because it was cold and there was a really strong riptide that day.

We built a sand chair and Opa did a lot of "thinking" in it.

We took a train from Riverside to L.A. I don't think I've ever been on a real train. It was fun but long (about an hour both ways).
The whole gang in China Town.

Walking around China Town in L.A. I think Gage was getting tired.

All the grandsons ready for church.

On Pirates of the Caribean ride at Disneyland.

Cute Jack with my brother Dan on the Pirates ride.

Trav had to get Gage a Mickey ears hat. I love this picture.

Gage did really well in his stroller. Everyone who saw him had to comment on how cute his hat was too.

The Angels Baseball game. They won!

Gage's first Merry-go-round.

I had to put this picture in because it shows Trav's ride on the California Screamer. Trav went on all the big, major rides with my brothers. My brother, Dan, somehow always new when they would take the picture because in every photo on the ride he did the same thing.

Trav's favorite attraction/ride was "A Bug's Life." Here we are with our 3-D glasses waiting to go in, Gage slept through the whole thing.

Mrs. Incredible just happened to be walking by and saw Gage, she stopped and wanted us to take a picture with her. She thought he was too cute. I have to admit I think she's right.

Entertaining Gage while in line for Peter Pan. That was probably the longest we had to wait. Almost every ride we just walked on.

Gage trying to pull the sword out of the stone. He just wouldn't give up, I had to pry his hands off.

Two cute boys in their matching Disney shirts.

Gage was super tired at the end of the trip. But we had a fantastic time. Thanks Dan and Em!

Thank Heaven for Little Boys!

Yesterday was one of those days. Those days when you feel like a terrible mother for no reason. Those days when you feel your doing everything wrong. Those days when the baby is crying and you don't know why and you feel like you can't do it any more. I think Heavenly Father knew I would have a lot of "those days" because he sent me a little boy who won't let me take things to seriously. When I didn't feel like I could do it anymore, I put Gage down on a blanket so I could go cry for awhile, but Gage wouldn't let me. As soon as I put him down he started smiling at me. Big genuinely, happy smiles. Then he started grabbing toys and giggling. I sat next to him. As he played, he kept checking to make sure I was still there and he'd smile at me some more. How can I feel sorry fo myself when I have a little boy who knows exactly when I need a smile. Thank heaven for little boys.

Growing Like a Weed!

Gage is growing like crazy. He is only 2 1/2 months and he already grabs for anything within reach and yesterday he started really laughing. This week I took Gage in to the doctor (again) because he is sick with his first cold. He is now 14 lbs 9 oz. I can't believe he is so big! Here are a few pics of the bigger Gage.

I took this picture shortly before Gage rolled off the couch. I'm still not sure how he did it.

Playing with Oma and Opa.
Our little Monkey. Gage likes to sit on our arms and hold on, it looks just like a monkey sometimes.
Trav loves this picture. Gage pulled his shirt up himself.

Here's a video taken today. Gage laughs a little. It's hard to get him to do it on cue.

Better!

Hi Everyone who reads my sad sorry little blog. Things are better since I last wrote. My mom talked to a lady at a local herb shop who tried this herb tea poultice concoction that cured mastitis in her daughter. Yesterday, my mom helped me do it all day and it seems to have worked. As far as I can tell, I don't have mastitis right now. Hallelujah! So for now I'm not quitting the nursing. But if it does come back...I'll probably have to.

P.S. If anyone has masitits or plugged ducts or knows someone struggling with it. Let me know because I'm becoming quite the expert on different things to try.

Sorrow

I need to talk a little just to help get my sorrows out in the open. Sorry, no pictures this time. Being a mom is hard. Harder than I thought. But way more rewarding than I could have imagined. I never thought I'd worry so much, even about the little things that don't matter at all. I cry a lot. It makes me crazy because I hate crying. I hate feeling so emotional.

You may be wondering why all of the sudden I'm so messed up. No, I don't have post-pardum. Though I am being closely monitored. No, my son doesn't have any problems, he is a happy, healthy, chubby little boy who is developing way to fast. Here is my sorrow:

A week and a half after sweet Gage was born, I felt sick. I was achy, feverish, and nauseated. It was a Sunday and we went to the urgent care near our house. I had mastitis. I was prescribed a pain med and an antibiotic. I thought I would get better. A few days later I felt bad again. My mom came over and we worked for two hours to get my plugged milk ducts out. I thought I was better. That night I got much, much worse so I went in to the doctor again. He prescribed an even stronger antibiotic (augmentin, not fun stuff).

The augmentin helped me, I think. In the mean time my son got diahrrea and a yeast infection from the antibiotic I was on. He had it for three weeks or more. Three weeks of worrying that it is my fault my son is sick. A week and half after I was off the antibiotic. I started getting plugged milk ducts every other night. It would take me one to two days to finally work them out and then I'd get another. I worked hard because I knew if it stayed in too long I would get mastits again. Too late.

At my six week appointment, my doctor said I had it again. I was back on the antibiotic and told to go see a lactation specialist. The lactation consultant didn't know why I was having such a hard time with the plugged ducts but gave me a lot of good advice and help with my nursing. The next day, I woke up with plugged ducts again. I rented a hospital grade breast pump to see if that would help. It did for the most part. I only got plugged milk ducts every weekend.

At the end of my antibiotics, I started feeling crummy again. I had mastitis. Again. Back on the antibiotic. For the past five nights, I have had plugged milk ducts every morning. No matter what I do, I have them in the morning. It doesn't matter if I get up in the middle of the night to pump and clean my breast, I still get plugged.

Yesterday was my son's two month appointment. The doctor came in asked how I was and was not entirely surprised to see me crying again. He said it was time for me to stop trying to breastfeed and switch to formula completely.

I feel like I've failed. I absolutely love breastfeeding. I love being the one who has to feed my son. But now I can't do it anymore. I have to stop because I can't get rid of the mastitis. I won't be able to comfort my son the same anymore. He won't have the same healthy benefits. I had wanted to breastfeed him for atleast a year. All his cute little quirks will stop. He won't look at me the same. What if he resents me. I don't want to stop but I don't see any more options.

I cry, a lot. I wish I could keep going, but everyone says I need to take care of myself now. I feel selfish for quitting. I don't know how I'm going to get the strength to feed my son for the last time at my breast and be done. This is my sorrow.

Gage!

I'm absolutely terrible at updating my blog. Sorry everyone. Here are some pics of what we've been up to and lots of pics of my favorite little boy.

Just after his first bath.

I got Trav and Gage matching ties for Father's Day.
I love this outfit.

We went to Mirror lake with my parents and brother's family.

Trav caught two fish.

It was beautiful but cold and windy.

We went to the Tracy Aviary, Trav had never been and liked it, but I don't think Gage really cared.

We kept Gage out of the sun to protect him. He slept most of the time.

This is how he sleeps now. He always is on his side with his head WAY back.

He smiles lots now. But its hard to catch it with a picture.

He likes to cling to my shirt. He is totally a mama's boy.

Trav is really good at getting him to smile. He's even starting to giggle a little. Trav was so excited when My mom and I found the camoflauge onesie.

Here's our sweet Gage as of yesterday. We took him to the doctor because he's been a little sick and he now weighs 12 lbs. I can't believe he's so big and only 5 1/2 weeks old.

We sure love our little Gage.