HELP! Baths are hell... with update

I have no clue what's going on with Trip.  He normally gets a bath every other day, but now I'm dreading those days.  He now HATES his bath.  He never really cared for them, but it's never been this bad.  He had even begun to smile once in a blue moon during bath time.  No.  More.  This is the second bath night that he's thrown a full fledged temper tantrum as soon as he's placed in the bath.  I have video proof.

In case you can't tell, he's extending his entire body as far as he can.  Normally his head is actually on the little sling thing and his knees are bent.  Normally when I lift his shoulders to put him into a sitting position he bends at the waist instead of flexing his whole body so it looks like I'm picking him up by his shoulders.  Normally he doesn't scream like I'm pulling out his fingernails.

I promise the water is a good temperature, as is the room.  The kid enjoys being naked, so that's not it.  I can't figure out what's going on.

And just to show that I'm not being mean to the boys...here's Jack's bath tonight.

Any suggestions?  Any advice?  Assvice?  Any my-sister's-friend's-mother's-boss'-kid-did-this-and-this-is-what-helped stories?  Anything?  Please...

UPDATE

So it turns out that this type of fit isn't reserved for his bath.  Tonight he threw the same type of fit after about 10 minutes of happily playing in his bouncy seat.  The only connection to these three episodes are the fact that the's tired each time.  The only way I can describe these fits are to call them temper tantrums.  Is that actually even possible at less than 4 months?

Free Nursing Cover ($7.95 s&h)

http://babycheapskate.blogspot.com/2009/03/free-nursing-cover-with-795-s.html

No joke!  They look like they're running low, though.  Hurry if you want it!

To remember

I've read a few posts from other bloggers that are basically just things that they want to remember.  And I like the idea.

Jack.  My Baby Boy.  Happy-Jack.

• He hugs my shoulder when I pick him up.


• He loves to smile...at almost everything!


• He started laughing this weekend; he thought my Mom was hilarious.


• He shoves both of his hands against his nose and mouth when he starts falling asleep or when he begins to wake up.


• He loves his jumperoo.


• He loves grabbing the things hanging from his play gym and shoving them into his mouth.


• He sucks his fingers some times (but won't take a pacifier).


• He sleeps like his Daddy.  He's not easy to wake up and makes a lot of noise in his sleep.


• He loves "talking" to you and gets upset if you don't pay attention.  He also loves it when you talk to him.


• He is one of the happiest babies that I have ever seen.  Ever.


• He adores his Daddy!

Trip.  My Little Man.  Trip-Monster.

• He began laughing last week, but really got it going this weekend.  He also thought my Mom was hilarious.


• He doesn't smile for many people, but when he does they're in love.


• He bloomed this past weekend.  He is Mr. Personality, now!


• He loves to grab the things hanging from his play gym, but has no interest in sticking it in his mouth.


• He clasps his hands together all the time.


• He loves to stick his hands in his mouth.  Since said hands are usually clasped together he frequently tries to shove both hands in.  This always results in choking.


• He has coughed since he was born.  It's still cute (and due to the dry heat).


• His mood swings are crazy!  He will laugh then cry within the same few seconds.


• He's most ticklish on the outside of his ribs.


• He loves it when you hold his hands and he helps you pull himself up to a sitting position.


• He adores his Mommy and often won't pay attention to anyone else if he can see me.  :-)

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It's amazing how much they both blossomed this past weekend.  We all went to the mountains to see my family (and the husband's grandparents).  The boys loved spending time with my parents.  I think it was all the one-on-one time that they both received.  I've decided that even if it means I don't get anything done around the house, I'm going to make sure they get more one-on-one time with me.

Last night the boys slept sans-swaddles.  I've used these since they were born, but now they're really too small.  So since my choices are go buy the swaddles in a larger size or put them in sleep sacks, I opted for the sleep sacks.  They need to be able to move around more, anyway.  I know it's better for their development. 

The night was interesting.  Trip woke up some time around 5 am (it would have been earlier, but we got back from our trip very late) screaming his little head off.  His new found freedom had allowed him to scoot up to the top of his crib.  I can assure you he was not at all happy about having the top of his head pressed up against the bars of his crib.  I believe Trip's screaming woke up Jack because he wasn't very happy either.  I fed both of them (loved not having to unwrap them to feed them and the ease with which the diaper change went) and laid them back down without any further fuss.  This morning around 8:30 the husband and I walked in to one very happy Trip-monster and one still sleeping Jack-Jack.  Jack was even sleeping curled up on his side sucking on one hand.  This was quite a change from our typical morning routine which consists of being awakened by the screams of a very hungry and not-happy-to-be-swaddled Trip and a pretty happy but grunting-about-the-swaddle Jack. 

We'll see how tonight goes.  They went down without much of a fuss around 7:15.  I'm hoping they sleep to a decent hour in the morning.

I'm in total awe of how much these two little creatures have changed in the few months that they've been on the outside.  It's truly hard to wrap my mind around the fact that this time last year I was on CD2 of the cycle that created them.  It's even harder to wrap my mind around the fact that this time next year I'll have two 15 month old boys terrorizing my home.  Our home.  I am in awe.  :-)

Baby proofing?

For all of you out there who have a clue, mind passing one or two to me?

I'm ready to "baby proof" the house.  I prepared for the fact that no preparations will be 100% effective.  But with double the trouble on my hands, I need to do what I can. 

We already have a glorious gate at the bottom of our stairs (this gate) and will be putting a duplicate at the top and in the doorway between the kitchen/dining room and living room.  It's a fully mounted gate, but it does give you the option of easy removal of the gate itself while leaving the hardware intact.  This is perfect for our doorway.

I have little plugs in almost all of the outlets.  I need to buy a few more and move some furniture so I can get to all the outlets.  I figure that just because an outlet is hidden behind furniture doesn't mean that the twosome won't find a way to it.  Kids seem to have the knack for getting exactly where they shouldn't be.

I'm ordering these for our kitchen cabinets.  I'm open to suggestions for our kitchen drawers.  I loathe the little plastic hook-y things that you can install, but if that's all I have then I'll use them.  I'm also going to buy a latch for our refrigerator.  As annoying as it will be I'm still doing it.  I grew up with the story of my brother and I emptying my mother's purse, placing everything we could reach from the fridge into her purse, then holding the water dispenser down for a few minutes (she was on a migraine medicine for the first time and didn't realize it would knock her out).  Our wonderful stove/oven has an electronic lock on it so it's safe (and all the knobs are on the back).  Any other kitchen suggestions?

What about the bathroom?  If I leave the door shut and put one of those knob-thingies on the knob, would that work for now?

Ugh.  I can glance around my living room and see a million things that have got to find a new home (the fireplace tools are the first things to go...being heavy iron and all).  And my houseplants?  When they're old enough to really know they shouldn't bother them they'll be fine.  But when these boys are first mobile I don't think they'll quite understand that eating the shiny green leaves can kill them.

What are you all doing?

And why is it that almost every time Jack coughs he farts?  :-)

For Jen

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more about "For Jen", posted with vodpod

My most favoritest commercial!

Favorite commercial of all time. :-)

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more about "Honda Commercial with Crab", posted with vodpod

:-)

You guys are so amazing! Reading your wonderful and supportive and loving comments on my last two posts brought tears to my eyes. I don't have much of a support system IRL, so you mean a lot to me. I love you guys!

To update:

Things are much better with me and Mr. W. I've talked to him a few times about the possible crush. He's convinced me beyond a shadow of a doubt that he doesn't even find her attractive. I explained to him that this is probably just my insecurities coming to the surface and it will take me a while to get over this. He understood and is being super supportive of me.

You guys are right, though. If he thought she was hot, that wouldn't bother me. I've actually pointed out women to my husband if they're that attractive (funny thing is how different our "tastes" are...if I were a guy we'd never have competed for the same woman). If he actually had a crush on her...that would have been more of an emotional thing and it would have bothered me. Being flattered by someone who gives him attention wouldn't bother me either. I understand how it feels to have someone make you feel good about yourself. Funny story: Right after we found out I was pregnant the first time Mr. W went to the store. Some attractive young thing hit on him and tried to give him her number. Of course he didn't take the number, but he was so flattered. He came home damn near gushing about it. You know why it flattered him? She couldn't have been older than 19 so it made him feel "young"! Hahahaha (he was 27 at the time I think)!

As far as the postpartum depression goes, it's gotten better. Just realizing what the problem is helped. Changing the boys to a two hour eating schedule helped (Trip is a much happier baby and is eating almost twice as much as he was, now). Quitting the evil Zoloft helped (the anxiety is all but gone again). Mr. W stepping it up has helped. I'm beginning Prozac tomorrow, so we'll see if that helps. I'm trying to get back to walking at least a mile every day; I know that helps. Day by day it's getting better.

I need to work on my self esteem and body image, now. The walking is a step in the right direction (seriously, no pun intended). I need to work on our diet, though. I'd like to go back to Weight Watchers, but until I can commit myself to three definite meals a day, there's no point. Maybe in a couple of months. Right now I'm focusing on eating less when I eat and trying to add some healthier things in. I'm also working on increasing my sex life. That may not sound like it has anything to do with self esteem or body image, but it does. The more I allow Mr. W to touch me, the more I'm going to believe he really wants to (boy that sounds effed up). As it stands I feel repulsive therefor it's hard to believe he's attracted to me. Plus, the natural endorphins from sex are great for my moods! ;-)

Anyway. I appreciate all of the support and advice. It really helped me figure out if I wanted to stew over the "crush" or confront. It's also made me feel loved which is a really great feeling. :-) Thank you.

What would you do?

What would you do if you thought your husband had a crush on someone he worked with?  You don't think he's having an affair, you think it's just a crush.   What would you do?

And no, this isn't hypothetical for me and I'm working on how I feel about my suspicion.

PPD...and I'm not talking about tuberculosis testing

I have postpartum depression.

"Postpartum depression can begin anytime within the first year after childbirth."  This is probably one of the most satisfying statements that I've heard or read in the last week.  I was having thoughts that I just wasn't cut out for motherhood.  I had thoughts that I was incompetent.  I had thoughts that my relationship (not my marriage, just the relationship between my husband and I), wasn't working.  I thought my children cried all the time.  I was becoming miserable.  I couldn't stop crying.  And it turns out that none of these thoughts were true, I have postpartum depression.

It hit me when the boys weren't screaming their heads off were in the backseat sleeping and I was driving to the store that my crying wasn't because the boys were always crying.  They boys weren't crying as much as it seemed.  My emotions are just out of check.  I also realized that as much as I love (more than my own life) my children, I didn't want to be around them.*  I wanted to curl up in bed and just sleep.  Or just shop.

I sent out a mass text for help and got quick responses that no, 11 weeks postpartum is not too late for PPD.  There's nothing "wrong" with me, I just need a little help.  I called my doctor the next morning and saw them a couple of hours later.

I'm now on Zoloft.  I should say I'm back on Zoloft since I've been on it in the past.  I have a history of depression & anxiety so am pretty familiar with it.  I am also waiting on a call from the counselor to set up appointments. 

I had a few great conversations with Mr. W to let him know what I needed from him to help me through this.  He has definitely stepped up to the plate.  He's even reminding me that he's trying to help when I try to refuse (this is part of my problem). 

I'm having a few issues with the medicine causing a little big of anxiety in the earlier part of the day, but I'm pretty sure that will wear off within a week or two.  So I'm on my way to working through all of this.

*******************************************

The Zoloft was a bust.  The first morning after taking it I began getting anxious.  Every day was worse than the one before.  A few days later I decided to quit taking it and had my first panic attack in years that night.  No way Jose!  Depression is something I can actually function with.  Anxiety is debilitating to me.  Absolutely find-me-in-corner-shaking-and-sobbing debilitating.  Now that it's been a few days since my last pill I'm beginning to feel a bit better.  I still wake up with the urge to vomit, but it's subsiding.  I'm going to try Prozac, now.  (any suggestions on what meds worked for anyone are welcome)

Upon the urging of my husband, The boys are now on a two hour feeding schedule.  I thought this would make my days worse, but it really hasn't.  It's made life much easier for me and for them, I think.  Trip would begin to get fussy about two hours after his bottle and would only eat a little each feeding, now that's stopped.  He downs 3 oz every two hours.  They boys wouldn't nap during the day very much, now that's stopped.  They cat-nap throughout the day.  We have an excellent schedule of eat, play on mat, tummy time on blanket, bouncy time/nap time and begin again. 

I'm working on my relationship with the Mr.  He's been super supportive and loving, but I need to remember to reciprocate.  This has been a huge change for him, beginning almost a year ago.  We need to find our new normal and our new happy places.  He has some projects that he wants to work on (rebuilding a classic car he bought when we were dating & building a garage) so we've got to figure out how to give him time to do this without me being left to care for the boys alone all weekend.  I'm sure we'll eventually find a rhythm.

OK, I've been a bit all over the place in this post and don't have a real way to wrap it up, so I'll just stop here.  Thank you for being so patient with my sporadic reading and commenting.  I'm working on that, too.  :-)