my sleepyhead

Lance got his first set of vaccines on Monday and ever since he has been such a sleepyhead. Last night he went about 8.5 hours between feedings, I think that is the longest he has gone. He has been asleep more than awake so far today. Yesterday whenever we put him in the car he would be out by the time we got going. I hope he isn’t coming down with something and he is just growing. He was a little below average for height when they measured him, but then again he really didn’t want to stretch himself out to be measured, and he sure looks long to me.
Last night we had some friends over for a cookout, it was so much fun. Our friends have an 11th month old who is so big in comparison to Lance. I always think that Lance is such a big boy until I take one look at Colin and realize how small he really is. (Now Colin is by no means fat, he is just so tall and a lot older than Lance.)
Yesterday I also ran into John and Thomas who I use to nanny for. I haven’t seen them in two months and they are looking so grown up. Lance is the same age John was when I first started watching him, it seems like ages ago, but then again just like it was yesterday. John is now six years old and such a little man. I miss spending time with him and Thomas. We did make tentative plans to get together on Monday, so that will be nice.
Today Christy, Erica, and I went out for lunch. It was nice having the three of us hanging out, we use to do it a lot our first year teaching. I miss those good old days. Christy and I are still trying to convince Erica to become the three musketeers once again and quit her job. I think she still might leave closer to the fall when she realizes she has to leave Colin.
Well I hear Lance wailing, so he must be up. Hi Christy’s Mom! I hope when Lance likes the car a bit more we can come up for a visit!

fun with a camera

the sun is back

It was such a gross day yesterday, it rained and rained and rained. It was so nice to wake up this morning and see the sun. Lance unfortunately did not wake up as cheery as the day, but he did allow me to take a walk with my friend Ellen so I can't complain too much. Ellen has a little girl who is too cute and makes me a little jealous. Her loud cry is a 2 on Lance's scale and she likes to sit in her swing and other baby accessories, unlike my big man who has to be attached to my hip literally. One day maybe Lance will be content when not being held or maybe not. I guess I can't blame him too much, I can't sit still myself and neither can Jeff, I guess busy people make busy babies. Today Christy is coming back into town and we have to do something fun, since we couldn't get out yesterday, what to do? hmmmm. I have a couple of hours to decide. Well Lance is getting feisty so I guess I need to move on. Hopefully I will find something interesting to write about later.

a happy, sad day

Today is a happy day, but also a very sad day. It is a sad day because Christy is moving back home and I won't be able to see her all the time. We met four years ago at new teacher orientation and became fast friends. Even though things have been different since Lance made his debut, I am sad that she won't be across town and available to hang out. I also don't know what I am going to do without her pictures, Christy takes pictures all the time, and she always thinks to take pictures of things I would never think to (such as signs or random objects). I only think to have a camera when it is a party or vacation. Christy has her camera with her at all time, like when we went out for Chinese in hopes that it would bring on labor (it worked for my mom, but not for me). She has captured some memorable moments and is quite good with her little camera. One of my favorite beach pictures was taken by her, she climbed up the dunes and captured the sun setting over the sound, it takes my breathe away every time. I will miss my personal photographer, but I will miss her positive attitude and happy go lucky way of life. It is sad how teaching took away part of that over the years and I hope she can recapture it as time passes. Enough of my pity party, it is not like she moved back to Africa!
Today is a happy day because Lance is two months old today. I can't believe it has been two months, I never thought I would make it to this point. Those first weeks were killer and I could not see the light at the end of the tunnel. Life really is easier like everyone told me it would be. I know it is cheesy, but I am madly in love with my little man. I never thought I would feel this way for someone and how happy he makes me. A little over two months ago when my belly was huge and my bladder was constantly full, I could not imagine holding my little man. I knew I had a baby in that huge protrusion from my middle but at the same time I couldn't fathom it. Lance's birthday was suppose to be the 12th or 13th, but he decided to hold out for almost two more weeks. After 40 weeks I had to go to the doctor every 2 to 3 days and every time I was asked if I wanted to be induced. As much as I wanted the whole process to be over with, I wanted to give him time. I believed he would come when he was ready. I walked around 4cm dilated for a week, in complete amazement that I still hadn't gone into labor. Two days before mandatory induction (42 weeks) I finally went into labor. The nightly contractions that usually subsided by morning kept going and they were getting more painful, but not necessarily regular. We went to the doctor that morning and they sent us on to the hospital. At the doctor's office I was only a little over 4 cm dilated, but an hour later at the hospital I was a six. We had arrived at the hospital at 11:3a.m. and worked through the killer contractions for a few hours. I knew that they were going to hurt, but I didn't know they were going to be as bad as they were. I had contractions that lasted five minutes long! I thought they would never end. By 3p.m. I was miserable and knew that I was not going to make it drug free (my original plan). I was terrified of the epidural so I agreed for something else. It got rid of my pain, but relaxed me so much I felt like I could not get enough oxygen and when it started to wear off the contractions came back but I couldn't talk or open my eyes, it was horrible. The contractions were getting worse and I began to shake uncontrollably and it was at that point I knew I had to have the epidural because I wasn't going to make it without it. Also at this point, I asked Jeff to take me home because I didn't want to do this anymore (yes, I had lost it) and I think I probably said some other crazy stuff. I got the epidural put in, it wasn't as bad as I feared it would be and I felt much better afterwards. After the epidural kicked in, I loved Jeff, I loved the doctor, I loved the baby, I loved my mom, I loved everyone. So after the epidural at 5:30, my water was broken at 7:30. I got some rest that evening because my progress was very slow. Finally a little after midnight I was 9.5 cm and the nurse said we could begin pushing. We pushed for about an hour and half (it didn't seem that long) and the nurse told me that Lance's head was stuck on my pelvic bone and if he wasn't passed it by 2 she was going to get the doc and he would use the vacuum extractor. I pushed like I hadn't ever pushed before and got that head past so we wouldn't have to use the vacuum extractor. The nurse called for the doctor and we pushed for another few minutes and Lance was born at 2:18 am. After over 24 hours of labor (14 at the hospital) my big baby had finally arrived. He weighed 8.5 pounds and he looked so big! He wasn't the tiny little newborn I was expecting, but he was beautiful. I was so amazed that this screaming little thing had been inside of me and was now mine. Life was dreamlike until morning. I thought I would never recover, but here I am two months later and almost back to my old self. I don't think I will ever be the same as I was before becoming pregnant. But I am definitely happier and more in love with my husband and my little wiggle worm. So there is a fairly g-rated version of Lance's birthday, I left out the gory details, I don't want to dwell on the bad so I might consider another one down the road, way down the road, years down the road. So today is happy and sad. One door is closing and another has begun to open, it just won't be the same. Life is good, but it is kind of sad if you think about how things will never be the same again. I won't be a first year teacher again or have memories of going to RiverFlicks with Christy, or sitting out on my screened in porch for hours, or going to the prom as chaperones, or being pregnant with my first child ever again. Life is very different and there is no turning back now. I wish I savored more moments and took more pictures. Thanks Christy for being a good photographer, the good memories and a best friend. Enough sappiness, see ya on Wednesday!

what will today bring?

So far today doesn't look promising. Lance woke up screaming at about 4:30 last night- less than an hour after a feeding. Jeff concluded that he woke up because his nose was stuffed up. So he got out the aspirator and tried to get things breathable for little guy. All it did was really make him mad. I got him calm with another feeding and in the middle of the snack he let out one large sneeze and the nose was then nice and clean, no mr. snorty anymore. I got him back to sleep and handed him to Jeff to put in the bassinet. As soon as he hit the mattress he was screaming. Like any good dad, Jeff picked him up and rocked him to sleep, set him down again, and he started screaming again. We were both so tired and all I wanted to do was go back to sleep, but Lance wanted nothing to do with his bed. Lance would be dead asleep, but as soon as his head hit the mattress he was up and wailing. What are two tired parents going to do? The possible bad habit- let him sleep in bed with us. Little stinky even slept well on his back (he normally hates it, yes I know it is dangerous with SIDS but you gotta get some sleep!) and he rotated from being parallel to the bed to perpendicular. He was up at 7:30 and after his breakfast I thought he would go back to sleep, but no such luck. I put him in the swing hoping he would enjoy it for maybe 5 minutes so I could eat breakfast- no such luck. I let him scream for a few and then I scooped him up and now he is asleep in my arms while I type, it amazes me how he can sleep through the constant vibrations of my typing, yet he would probably wake up if I try and set him down in bed.
Well an updated on yesterday- work wasn't too bad. We got there a few minutes after two. Lance was still asleep so I cruised the internet until he woke up. He ate I think a little after three and then we played with the mirror and had tummy time until around 4 when he got fussy. I put him in the sling (yes I am trendy like that, I have to be, I have a baby who has to be held all the time) and he fell asleep. Then the crowds came rolling in at about 4:30 and I stayed busy until right before six. Being busy helped the time fly by which was nice, so being at the shop isn't too bad, I could get use to it, I just need to master my grip taping skills.
Okay I have rambled enough. Time to get ready for the day little stinky is awake!

so i want to be cool too

Meet Lance- he is almost 2 months old and literally the center of my life. I think he is pretty cute, but don't all parents. Since life has slowed down with the arrival of Lance, I have a new guilty pleasure, reading blogs. So I wanted to be cool too and start my own. Especially since my good friend Christy is moving away and it will be a good way of keeping her updated on "Life with Lance." Above are some older pics of Lance, I will be sure to get more recent ones soon. Isn't he cute- I sure think so. So today- let's see. We took a walk down the avenue this morning before it got too hot and got some limeade at the Mag. They really need to have a frequent limeade card so those of us addicted to limeade could reap some reward for being addicted to it. Lance fell asleep on the way home but as soon as the stroller stopped he was awake and ready to eat. That kid will not go a second longer than two hours between feedings, but I shouldn't complain too much, he sleeps well at night. After lances lunch, Jeff helped me to prepare omelets for us for lunch, I had never made an omelet before. I wasn't very patient, but they turned out pretty good. Lance is down for a nap now and hopefully will sleep well so he won't be cranky when we go in for our first day of work at the shop. I pray that I won't have to make this a regular thing, but if it will keep me from returning to teaching it will be okay. When it comes to finances we figured out it would make more sense for me to work at the shop a couple of hours and for Jeff to work full time. The idea of being at the skate shop for several hours isn't that appealing, but you got to do what your got to do. I guess I am just spoiled with staying at home and having no schedule or demands, other than Lance. Wow, so far my life seems very boring, who would want to read about this? Oh well, at least I am now cool.