Stinker

I have a lot of nicknames for my daughter: Miss Princess, Miss Sassy Pants, Pop-eye Arms...just to name a few.  She acquired all of them honestly.
 

 

I mean, come on, look at those arms!

Her newest nickname came about the same way: she earned it.  Check out My Little Stinker...

I know, I know.  Did I need 10 pictures to get my point across?  No, but it's my blog and I'll do what I WANT!  And also because I couldn't choose. J

Like Brother, Like Sister...unfortunately in this case!

The doctor confirmed at her appointment on Tuesday that Brynlee does have RSV.  Luckily it's not really too bad (due to breastfeeding!  Yay me!) but she is doing breathing treatments just to be proactive.  And she's getting a steroid to help with inflammation.

Brynlee has taken after her brother in many ways - due dates, actual birth dates, looks, facial expressions, first (and pretty much the last haha) time rolling over, when the first teeth popped through...I could go on - and we now have to add getting RSV and needing breathing treatments to that list.

Cade, 6 months, 2007

Brynlee, 7 months, 2011

We're using the mouth piece with Brynlee versus the mask because, well, she screams bloody murder when I try to hold the mask up to her.  Not because she doesn't like it necessarily or is scared of it or anything like that.  It's because she can't hold it the way she wants to hold it, aka put it in her mouth, and she just flips out.  At least with the mouth piece she can chew on it and breathe in the medicine. 

The biggest obstacle we had with Cade was that he whined a little if we put the strap of the mask around his head.  Temperament is definitely a way that Brother and Sister have not been alike! 

Oh illness, why must you exist?!?

We’re back to co-sleeping, at least for the time being.  Actually, we didn’t ever really establish regular co-sleeping habits with Brynlee due to my middle of the night pumping distraction and her big brother’s early rising routine, so it was better for her to be in her own dark, quiet bedroom.  I love co-sleeping though.  I did with Cade for several months and I enjoy doing it with Brynlee whenever it works out.

The reason we’re co-sleeping now?  You can blame RSV.  I’m assuming that’s what she has anyway.  Cade had it when he was 6 months and she’s showing the same symptoms.  Plus the little girl that I watch just had it (side note: Bridget, don’t you dare feel guilty! J)  I do feel somewhat to blame though, as if I’m not breastfeeding her “right” because, why else would an exclusively breastfed baby, who never leaves her mommy’s hip, get RSV?  I know my thoughts are irrational.  Babies get sick, it’s inevitable.  But still, I hate that I can’t do anything to get rid of it, so to cope we’re co-sleeping.  It’s easier for me to comfort her when she wakes up SCREAMING without any warning and when she needs propped up to help keep that God-awful snot out of her nose.  I can also monitor her breathing when she’s in bed with me and when she gets wheezy, I can take action. 

I’ve learned a couple things during this pandemic and thought I would share.  Turns out, the first child doesn’t always teach you everything you need to know.  Here’s what I’ve learned:

-My husband doesn’t wake up to the shower running (for our steam breathing treatment), even at 2:00 in the morning.  I guess that’s not something he considers unusual.  Thanks for the concern, dear!

-The toilet is not good for trying to rock a baby to sleep…

-…especially a baby that’s excited about the sound of the running water, thinking she’s going to be taking a bath.

-Laying the baby beside you on your own pillow is a great, easy way to prop them up so they can sleep easier.  This however, is something I already knew.  What I learned is that a 7 month old has a wonderful sense of humor and bonking their head against yours while you both lay peacefully on the pillow is hilarious.

-Sleeping in a recliner isn’t really that bad when you consider the alternative – not sleeping.

-Sitting in a (hot!) steamy bathroom for 10 minutes, while trying to keep a baby happy with the usual “I’m gonna get you!” games gives a person a splitting headache that lasts for hours.



No, my camera isn't this crappy.  This is during one of our steam treatments -
right before I got a headache that lasted the rest of the day.



But seriously, if there’s anything to enjoy while your child is sick, it's definitely that you have an excuse to cuddle more, give extra kisses, rock them longer and even co-sleep.  I know that’s what I’m enjoying anyway.

Pick Me Up Monday: I love my babies!

Yeah, as I've said before, SAHM get the Monday Blues too!  I saw this idea at Baby Dickey and knew I had to do it too!  Here's my pick-me-up photos.  I actually have two because unfortunately we don't have a super good picture with both kids in the hospital when Brynlee was born.

I chose pictures from Brynlee's birth for a couple reasons.  1) I'm starting to put together photo books for the kids' birthdays in July, so I rediscovered these just this morning.  2) I've had baby fever ever since Brynlee was born (bring on #3!!) and I love thinking back on when she was born.  She just turned 7 months on Saturday (the 19th) and she's getting her first tooth and has been sitting on her own for a long time and is starting to eat more and more finger foods and I'm having a mini melt down over it all!!!!  --DEEEEP BREATH!-- 

So anyway, these are my Pick Me Up Monday pictures because they just make me smile!  I love my babies J

Wordless Wednesday: Sibling Love♥

It's Just Like Riding A Bike

I've definitely had a blogging rut lately.  I don't really know what to write about.  My life has been far from boring or lacking things to do, but who wants to hear all about what I do during the day?? J

One thing I did think that some people would find interesting is what happened last night.  I nursed my daughter.  Yep, after 4 months of exclusively pumping, I nursed her back to sleep.  Crazy?  That's what I thought!

It all started when she woke up at 10:30, which is about 3-4 hours before she usually does.  She wanted to eat, so I gave her the only bottle that I had upstairs.  The one that I had pumped an hour earlier.  The one that's supposed to be used for the 2:00 AM feeding.  She gobbled it up (ALL of it of course!) and she fell back asleep like normal, but I knew it wouldn't last until her normal wake-up time of 7:00 AM.  I was right.  She still woke up at 3:00.  I tried her pacifier.  She screamed louder!  And shook out of anger.  That obviously was not what she wanted.  Haha.  Too bad I didn't have a couple ounces left from that first bottle!

I didn't want to pump.  I stopped middle of the night pumping several weeks ago to get more sleep.  I didn't have time to pump a bottle anyway.  She was pissed!  How dare I try to give her that stupid piece of silicone.  I didn't want to go downstairs and get a bottle out of the fridge.  It would have taken too much time to warm it up anyway.  So, guineas idea, let's try nursing!

I think I was in one of my stubborn streaks when I came up with that idea.  I mean, how dare she not follow her schedule and want to eat more than once during the night.  It was her fault she didn't have a bottle upstairs anyway! J I just wanted to get back to sleeeeeeep!  Aparently, so did she because she did something I didn't really expect her to do.  She latched on and nursed away!  It was just like riding a bike!  It didn't last long, but it didn't have to.  She was comforted and fast asleep within 10 minutes.  I put her back in her crib, feeling very accomplished and baffled at the same time!  Maybe I should try this more often!  I have in the past, but she hasn't been a fan.  Who could blame her though? 

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Happy 1/2 Birthday Sweet Pea J

We'll Have To Pass!

Have you heard of Sophie the Giraffe?  I’ve seen Sophie in so many places: the subject of posts on fellow mom blogs, hanging from slobbery fingers in strollers at the mall and wrapped in colorful paper at my cousin’s birthday party.  What was all the hubbub about?  Maybe Brynlee would enjoy being a part of this trend.  Then I saw her at the bookstore, smiling back at me from behind her price tag.  YIKES! 

On second thought, I think this little giraffe will do.  The one that hangs from the bouncy seat that we got 4 ½ years ago when my son sat in it.  Our budget-friendly Sophie.  Haha. 

Meet my babies

Well, one of them lets me call her my baby. The other seems to think he's "not a baby anymore" and doesn't agree when I say, "But you'll always be my baby!"
Brynlee in the hospital, July 2010...

Cade in the hospital, July 2006...

Oh how the days fly by!