Why Thank You for Reading

As you have very well noticed, I haven't posted in a long ass time.

I mean, yes, I have a new baby that takes up a lot of energy but during the times I am not entertaining the wee babe, I am doing other things and not posting. Clearly. While I was still busy thinking of good posts, I never got around to finishing or starting any of them. So, I think I need to take a little break from this whole internets thing. And, I felt it fair to let you know.

Some of the reasons for my absence will be:

10. Working. I go back to work full time October 9. While I will miss Jr with all my heart, I will also miss doing whatever I effing want (as much as possible) during the daytime.

9. Doing Laundry.

8. Participating in some sort of exercise.

7. If Buk is not visiting Grammie and Grumpy, I am vacuuming.

6. Amazon Priming. 'Nuf said.

5. Sippin' a White Russian. I can drink again.

4. Having an adult conversation. Mr Pepperworth and I have to talk to each other at least once in a day without a child interrupting.

3. Loving the animals through gritted teeth because their little annoyances have been multiples by 549. The poor animals. Stanley and Simon have mostly been banished to the outdoors because of a pee problem. I know, I know, that isn't new, but I can't put up with that shit any longer. I NEVER EVER thought I would say that, of course. And, poor Buk, he is a pitiful dog that can't walk on a leash properly which I also don't have time for. If you are a dog and want to go for a walk, learn how to be a behaved dog. I tried, I really did!

2. Then of course, there is this..

1. But more importantly, this..

If I don't come back before the new year, just know I am doing well and I am healthy. During the time I am gone, I hope to pick all the neglected vegetables in the garden and process them. I want to make dinner most nights while still playing with the baby before bed (which will be hard, bedtime is 7:30p right now. Not my choice. It is his). Then there will be the holidays which will be so fun. Jr will be learning so many things during this next few months! Hopefully it makes you feel better to know that while I am not recording my life happenings here, I am writing in Jr's baby book and keeping track of all the fun things somewhere.

Have a good autumn and I will see you again, dear friend, at some point in the future!

Yoga for the Mother Breastfeeding

Some people would call me lucky but not getting to exercise for a month is rough for me. In the first 4 weeks after giving birth, I was only able to walk around the house and lift a growing baby. I have walked 1/2 mile several times in the past couple of weeks and I started doing some easy yoga, but that's about it.

This recovery is long and that is the one thing I feel like people didn't warn me about.

I want to talk about the yoga part of my excerising because that is the best thing I started doing again. The neck, back, and shoulder tightness from nursing in odd positions is uncomfortable and yoga started helping those areas. I know nursing isn't supposed to be uncomfortable but when your wee baby likes to snuggle in your arm crook at night, it is super hard to resist. (Although, I can tell you that tonight we will not be doing that as often. I am so sore!)

My yoga routine hits my neck, back, shoulders, and legs. My hamstrings are so tight too from not doing anything. It is easy and I always feel a bit better after doing it.

The routine includes:

Cat/Cow - 15 sets
Arm/Leg Reach - 10 times
Downward Dog - 8 breaths
Thread the Needle - 6 breaths each side
Downward Dog - 8 breaths
Spinal Twist - 6 breaths each side
Cow Face - 6 breaths each arm
Wide Leg Forward Bend - 8 breaths
Eagle - 6 breaths each side
Tree - 8 breaths each side
Locust - 5 breaths, three times
Diaphragm Breathing - 10 to 20 breaths
Legs Up Wall - until I feel ready to be done

This really doesn't take me very long, maybe 15 minutes to 20 minutes. The only tricky part is fitting it in during nap time.

Jr and I are going to start "Mommy and Baby" yoga next month at a local yoga studio so hopefully that goes well!

Life Nowadays

Okay, I'm not gonna lie, life with a newborn is rough. I know many mothers that would say it is an amazing time and they want their baby to stay small forever.  Maybe it is this 3 week long cold I am fighting, but I am just finally starting to feel good about motherhood. I mean, I have always loved my baby with all my heart but damn, those first weeks of feedings and hormones are difficult. I was super lucky too and had the support of family and had other people doing all my chores, in fact, I wasn't alone with Jr for a whole day until this week really. I am glad to say though that it is going very well!

Jr is one month old today and is a precious baby boy still! He likes tummy time, bath time, peekaboo, and the Itsy, Bitsy, Spider. He doesn't so much like bedtime but after screaming for awhile, he goes down pretty well and sleeps for good chunks of time. So, while I am tired, I can't say I am not getting sleep.

As for my one month check up, I am still slowly recovering from birth. Today I took Jr and Buk to the dog park and walked just over 1/2 mile. It felt pretty good but I am feeling like my muscles are starting to deteriorate. I want to get out there and moving but I know that my body is still healing so I am taking it easy, I really am! Not doing anything for a month is a major thing for me! Actually, the healing time is probably the one thing that I feel like I didn't know about but that is a topic for another post.

I am off of work until October and I am so happy I have that amount of time. I can't imagine going back any sooner, for my own sake and for the sake of my behbeh. We both need some time to figure things out.

I am really enjoying being a mom and I have been to a couple of different meeting groups with Jr that have been pretty fun.  And, while in the first couple of weeks I was counting down the days until he could take a bottle because having my tatas hang out all the time took some getting used to, but now I am enjoying everything and have stopped worrying about it all and embraced the job wholeheartedly. 

So, cheers to all the new moms figuring this shit out! It will get better, just like everyone keeps repeating.

Jr. Pepperworth

We did it. We had a baby. And boy is he cute!

Jr (not his real name, for the record) was born July 15 at 8:46p. After a ridiculously long labor (contractions for 41 hours, active labor for 27 hours), we had a healthy baby boy. I would say HAPPY and healthy but he just screamed bloody murder while nursing because he felt like it. Dad just went to change his diaper though so that may have been the problem. Let's hope so, or it is going to be a long morning.

While he may have just had an outburst, Jr is usually a very calm baby. He doesn't cry too often and when he does, it is usually because he wants to nurse or we are sticking a snot sucker up his nose. The kid has a snotty nose (just like his mama).

He is currently 12 days old and was back up to his birth weight after 8 days. We expect him to bulk up here soon. Those baby rolls will probably appear on his legs shortly. We will have him strong and ready to weed in no time!

Right now, he likes to cluster feed in the morning. I usually don't get out of my breastfeeding chair until 11:30a. But, then he sleeps from about 2p-6p with a feeding in there somewhere. Right now, it is when I get some stuff done. Luckily, he sleeps during the night waking to feed. So, when we get in bed at 8p, we actually get enough sleep to semi-function. It is quite nice. I am sure it will change eventually - hopefully for the better - but for now, I will take it!

He likes his vibration chair that a friend gave us, which is so nice to use when we need some free arms. And, he is getting good at all kinds of nursing positions including: laying down, side laying, laid back, etc. The laying down one really saves me at night so we can both kind of just sleep through the feedings.

 All right, that is all I can give you for now. Somebody needs my breast (it is the baby, just to clarify). More baby things to come eventually. I gotta get my wits about me again.

What to Expecting When You're Expecting (and are days past your due date)

As I bounce on my gymnastics ball, I feel like reflecting on my day yesterday.

Yesterday was two days past my due date. I know that is nothing. But, advice - don't say that to a pregnant (shit, I have been spelling that word wrong in my pregnancy journal...I know how to spell pregnancy, sigh) woman unless you want to piss her off slightly.

The unfortunate thing about yesterday is that I woke up really thinking that Baby would be coming. Like, soon. I had had an awful night of sleep with contractions so I was sure if I went back to sleep, everything would get a kick start when I got up. Not so much.

Therefore, I went throughout my day pretty bummed. And, when you are pregnant and bummed, it is pretty hard to get out of that funk when you are by yourself all day with your dog that also seems bummed because you didn't take him to the dog park.

When Mr Peps got home though, I felt much better after he gave me a kiss and asked how Baby was doing. I finally had someone to talk to and follow around. After realizing that I was getting pretty bored being by myself (which is quite unusual for me), I decided that today was going to be a day where I got up, got out of the house and saw some people. So, I did and I am feeling much better. Although, Baby hasn't been moving much but I am trying to just think he is getting ready or I'm trying just not to think about it at all.

For those of you that may need some inspiration to be happy and not crabby, here is a list of things you can do while to wait for your little bastard to make his/her appearance:

1. Clean your pantry. You know there are things in there from years ago. I found a buttload of taco seasoning.

2. Finish your baby shower thank yous. Actually, go ahead and do this one first.

3. Have a dance party with yourself. Beyonce and Britney seem to get the job done.

4. Plan a walk with a friend. It doesn't have to be long but get on a trail, go to the waterfront, anything.

5. Go buy some chips. Maybe a couple bags.

6. Clean the dishes in the sink that your husband said he was going to wash two nights ago.

7. Weed something. Or if you don't have any - you lucky poopface - ask a friend if they want something weeded in his/her garden. Wear sunscreen.

8. Wash your car. Dear lord, wash your car! And, while your at it, figure out how the infant car seat works.

9. Go for another walk.

10. Plan lunch with another friend for tomorrow.

Take 'em or leave 'em but try not to think about your unborn child too much. The fact that he/she is still in your uterus may be a downer. I know you want to meet him/her and yes, people will tell you he/she will come when he/she is ready. But really, you already know he/she is ready, it's just that he/she already likes to annoy you. So, best not to think about it and just keep busy.

Good luck! I will say, "It won't last forever!" And seriously, make yourself a "to-do" list everyday, it has really been a life saver for me.

Orange Tabby

I am feeling compelled to write about Simon today. It may be because he just was crying outside my bedroom window for the last 20 minutes or that I don't have a real human baby to write about yet so I have to choose one of my other "children". Either way, we all know that my little corner of the internet has regularly posted about the cats in the past. So, it shouldn't be a surprise.

Three years ago this past weekend, Simon came into the family. I found him one day on a run in the bushes on the side of a road near our house. How could I not take the orange tabby kitten with the bloody nose straight home with me?! I did half heartedly try to see if his owners lived around the area. But, really, I knew that I wanted to keep him. Luckily, no one claimed him and he became ours.

After Sam died, we were very glad Simon was around to help fill the Sam void. Simon sometimes is quite like Sam in his personality and kitty behavior. Simon is still the sweetest cat who is super duper soft. He especially wants love in the morning and will race into the bedroom when the door opens and hop onto the bed in hopes that someone is still be in there to pet him. The other morning he was being so cuddly that I let him sit in my lap and reach up to knead my neck area. That turned out to be a horrible idea. I am allergic to cats (yes, it is true) and so I had welts on my neck the rest of the day. It was worth it though. Because, that is what you do when you are the crazy cat lady.

When Baby arrives, I feel like Simon will be the one who snuggles up to Baby and me while breastfeeding. Well, if he isn't skeptical of Baby. Simon has really turned into a scaredy cat lately so he may be skiddish of the crying lump but he will soon realize that there is prime cuddle time to be had when Baby is feeding.

I am so glad that Simon found Buky and I on that morning run. I think he is very glad he found us too!

Final Week, Day, Hours?!

Weeks: 19, 21, 26, 30, 37, 39

July 3 was supposed to be my last day of work but....I didn't quite make it. And, it wasn't because I had a baby. It was because I just couldn't drag my ass to work anymore. My hormones played a major role too. My mind and body want to relax and work on getting ready for this baby. I decided not to argue with it and just take the time off. So, after peace-ing out at work today I took the dog to the dog park (and walked about 1.75 miles), read my book in the pool, did some breast stroke swimming, and now I am bouncing on my gymnastics ball. These are all in attempt to help Baby drop (it like it's hot) a bit, which has actually worked a little.

Tomorrow I plan to pick cherries, go for an appointment, go for a walk (maybe do some stairs), swim in the pool and then pick up my handsome husband from work to go for dinner at a fancy restaurant. I almost feel bad for how relaxed I am going to feel while my husband is at work. But, then again, I am the one carrying his child. So, it's cool.

With my time off now, we will see when Baby makes his appearance. While contractions have been more often and a wee bit stronger, I still feel he isn't quite ready. He and I have talked about not being too much longer though. If he wants more mommy-time, he is going to have to make it in a week or so.

All in all, I have to say that I enjoyed my pregnancy. It mostly got me out of doing things during this time of year that aren't my favorite things to do so I can't complain. I have been able to be active throughout the nine months, so that kept me pretty happy. I have been keeping a pregnancy journal too that I will enjoy reading later, especially during another pregnancy.

So, Baby, we are ready for you. Your Mommy and Daddy already love you so much and we want to know what you look like already!

Plus, Mommy would like a nice cold drink since it is 80 degrees.