Today, the weeglet is 7 weeks old. She’s just as fussy at the day she was born! See for yourself…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ustyP2gAZ4&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f]
Occasionally, I cook.
Much to my mother’s dismay, I did not inherit her love and/or ability to cook dinner…all of the time. I do cook here and there…”and there” being the key phrase here. But, when I do cook, I try to go all out.
Tonight, I went all out or at least, all out for me. I have a favorite dish at T.G.I.F. and for a while I’ve been salivating over the thought of cooking it at home and enjoying it for at least half the price. My favorite dish there is the pecan crusted chicken and caprese salad.
Last night, we were given some garden grown tomatoes and freshly picked basil from my in-laws. The light bulb went on in my head immediately. So, the girls and I (I love saying that) went on a grocery trip and picked up the other ingredients we needed to make my wishes come true.
I will tell you that cooking a meal while tending to a 3-1/2 year old and 7 week old is NOT easy nor do I desire to take on my incredible dinner-making ideas anytime soon again.
So, I’m going to share the “recipe” with you, in case you find yourself salivating over the following pictures:
The above is the finished product. Screw the presentation, the meal was fantastic.
What you need to make the pecan crusted chicken are finely chopped pecan pieces (1/2 cup), crushed corn flakes (1/2 cup), salt (3/4 tsp.), a cup of milk, two eggs and a cup of flour.
Beat your eggs and combine the beaten eggs and milk in a shallow bowl. Mix your corn flakes, pecan pieces and salt in a shallow bowl. Put your cup of flour in another shallow bowl.
Pound your chicken breasts with a kitchen mallet (or a heavy garlic press, like I did). Put the chicken between a piece of plastic wrap to pound it. Pound them to about a 1/2 inch thickness. Dip them in the flour, milk/eggs mixture and then the pecans/corn flakes/salt mixture.
Heat 3/4 cup oil on medium-high heat and cook the chicken about 3 or 4 minutes on each side until the crust is a golden brown.
That’s about it. It’s so freaking good. I have been told by Eric that I can make it anytime I want to. I probably won’t make it again for a while because it’s time consuming and time isn’t something that I have a lot of right now. But it was so delish!
Busy and tired around these parts
Everyday I wake up, I so badly want to sit and catch up on my summer blog posts here. Though, any “spare” minute I get, I just want to sleep. Our nights are long and our days are rough when we don’t get a good, solid 3 or 4 hours of sleep during the night. The past six weeks have been a whirlwind. Teagan is doing wonderful. We’re still trying to establish some sort of schedule with her (feeding and sleeping). I know it will come in time. She’s a bit different than Hailey was. Teagan doesn’t mind letting us know if she’s unhappy. She’s our fussy baby but each day, we love her more and more.
Hailey is starting to have some fun with her. She’s been a sweet big sister lately; covering the baby with a blanket, putting her pacifier back into her mouth if she pops it out and showing Teagan different toys. I have been waiting for this and I’m glad to finally see Hailey interacting with her little sister.
So, until I feel like I really have time and energy to write about our summer, I will probably just add bits and pieces of what’s going on in our life. I have a post in progress about Teagan’s birth but just can’t find the energy to write every detail yet. I’m still sore from the c-section but not nearly as bad as it was those first couple of weeks (my “dark” weeks).
Time to close my eyes…I know they’ll be opening again soon to the cries of a hungry little six week old…
WBW: Making it through another day
Finding the time to write a post for World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) has been tough because, well, I’ve been breastfeeding so much.
In fact, I feel like that’s all I’ve been doing for the past four weeks and it feels like it’s been a lifetime. It is definitely a very demanding way to jump into life after pregnancy.
I only nursed our first child for about three weeks. I gave up pretty easily because I didn’t know what I was doing and I didn’t go to anyone for help. I have regretted it ever since. Although, she is a very healthy three and a half year old who was formula fed. I promised myself that the next time I was going to try harder and make sure I had a support system. I was determined to make it work.
Ever since the day I found out that I was pregnant, I made the decision that I was going to breastfeed this baby. I have really been prepping myself for this from the beginning. I did not want to feel that regret that I felt with baby number one. Of course, it was not just regret that made me make this decision. It was definitely for the health benefits for the baby and the other added benefits for me, not to mention the money we’d save not having to buy formula.
Each day I wake up (from my three hours of sleep), I really have to give myself a pep-talk about nursing. It’s a big, demanding job. I feel like that’s really all I think about. Sometimes I wonder how long I’ll actually make it. Will I just come to a breaking point and give up again? I’ve already made it through the first month, it’s getting a little easier but I still find myself asking if I can really keep it up.
The goal I have set for myself is to breastfeed for at least six months. Right now, that seems like a pretty huge commitment. Sometimes I decide that I’m not going to think about that goal. Just take it a day at a time. I will say that it makes me extremely proud that my new little baby is growing and gaining weight, all because of the nutrition that I’m providing her. It’s a feeling that I wasn’t expecting.
The approach I have taken this time has been to ask for support from my husband, family and friends. I have talked openly about breastfeeding with all of them in the hopes that they will encourage me to continue when I feel like giving up. I’ve been on both sides of the fence now; I know how easy it is to formula feed a baby and I know how demanding it is to breastfeed a baby. It’s not as limiting as I thought it would be, as a matter of fact, I took the wee babe to a blogging conference just when she was two weeks old. I nursed her there and that is something I wasn’t sure I would be able to do. I was determined and made it work.
In closing this post, it’s amazing to me that I’m making such a big deal about something so natural. Hopefully, in time, I will not put so much pressure on myself and just let this be a normal part of my daily life.
I Twittered my second birth
You must know what Twitter is by now, right? Well, I Tweeted the entire time I was in labor. I had quite a fan club, too. Turns out that another Twitter user who goes by the name of @kristysf was in labor at the same time. It was kind of like a race to see whose baby would be born first. Put it this way…it gave me something to think about for the 25+ hours that I was in labor. Gotta love modern technology.
So, this is a nice little time-stamped account of my labor with Teagan, baby number two.
- a Tweet back and forth with @kristysf, before I even knew we were both in “real” labor:
• @kristysf and i’m hoping i DO go into labor. ‘cept, i’m not watching it. when is it over?
1:38 PM Jul 7th from web in reply to kristysf
(chatting about the Michael Jackson memorial that was on t.v.)
- a little foreshadowing on my part?
• tomorrow would be a cool day to have the baby: 07/08/09. i like a birth date that i can remember without
having to think too hard.
2:11 PM Jul 7th from web
• @mom2my6pack let’s see…it’s 5pm. i think i have a shot at an after midnight birth. provided she’s really ready to make her entrance.
3:56 PM Jul 7th from web in reply to mom2my6pack
- after i drove myself to the hospital, thinking that i would be driving back home in a few hours:
• Being monitored. Couldn’t hold out any longer. Listening to baby’s heartbeat. Contractions still consistent.
8:04 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
• http://twitpic.com/9nfpo – Waiting. Stay or go home?
8:25 PM Jul 7th from TwitPic
• Contractions closer together and strong but don’t hurt. Dilated to 3 1/2 plus. Checked in another hour or so. Ho-hum.
8:40 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
• @mommyinstincts 3 1/2 plus. Close to 4. Getting closer together and stronger now. They don’t hurt…yet.
8:49 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
• Strong contractions. Getting stronger. Think she’s definitely coming on 07/08/09. Will she be a cancer?
9:03 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
• Left phone charger at home but have phone. Brought iPod but left headphones at home. Fudge.
9:05 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
• http://twitpic.com/9nkhi – I’m so not good at waiting.
9:12 PM Jul 7th from TwitPic
• Ugh. Wow. Stronger. Alone. Kind of stressing a bit.
9:22 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
- Eric is @cystsfts:
• @laurathemum I’m trying. Uncomfy. Wishing @cystsfts was here with me.
9:43 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
• I would like something to eat. I wonder if they would feed me. Hmmm…
9:45 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
• @laurathemum I drove myself here. He’ll be here in an hour. I hope.
9:47 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
- talking about @kristysf, finding out that she is in labor too:
• @MeaganFrancis is she? We just tweeted today. We want matching rinestone gloves for our babies.
9:48 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
• @laurathemum nope I still have my water.
9:51 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
• @mjtam I have a very pretty newborn dress in my bag. I hope it fits my little bruiser!!!
9:53 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
• What if this is false labor? How embarrassing. Hell, I don’t care. I’m so hungry right now.
9:54 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
• Well I’m having a baby, almost passed out with the IV. Sheesh.
10:50 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
• http://twitpic.com/9ntt9 – Pretty nice L and D room. Spacious. Fab.
10:56 PM Jul 7th from TwitPic
• Yeah hubby is here!!!
11:04 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
• I hear a new baby crying can’t wait to hear mine.
11:05 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
• Follow @cystsfts for updates. I might not be up for it
11:24 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
• @babysteph 5 hoursish? Dilated to a a 5, 80 percent effaced. Stronger, harder contractions.
11:26 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
• We want baby to come at 4:56. 456 on 789
11:28 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
• Thought I would have my new iPhone for this birth. Kind of bummed about that.
11:41 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
• @kristysf is beating me. Her water just broke. Still waiting for mine to go.
11:42 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
• Just sneezed during contraction. That sucked.
11:49 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
• @ToThink bebe goes right into my arms before she gets the bassinet spotlight! Mark my words!
11:50 PM Jul 7th from TwitterBerry
• Epidural is in. Not a hero today. Feeling good. Time to rest.
12:30 AM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• @kristysf are you done yet? Not me. Vomited twice now. Barely any changes, at a 5 still. Hard to rest. So tired.
2:58 AM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• @kristysf wish I could stand sometimes. What a long night. I think everyone has left us. They’ve given up on us!!! :)
3:07 AM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• Someone just gave birth in another room. Wishing it was me about now.
3:22 AM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• Dilated to 6 cm now and she’s moving on down. Sometime early morning…I say about 3 hrs or so
4:36 AM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• Relaxed for a while to tristeza on the iPod. Not sure what to listen to next.
4:37 AM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• I know…band of horses. Yes.
4:37 AM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• @flying_mum not yet, I bet I will in an hour. Although, contractions are getting stronger now, can feel them.
4:39 AM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• @laurathemum important = sleeping but coming back to life now
6:54 AM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• Pictossin started around 6 am. Contractions stronger and closer. Prob about 7 cm now. I say she’ll be here w/in 2 hrs. I’m tired.
6:56 AM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• Just vomited…again. *sigh*
7:11 AM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• @cystsfts went down to get a bite to eat. Hope I don’t vomit while he’s gone, choked on it earlier. Scared the bejesus out of me.
7:15 AM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• http://twitpic.com/9okom – Daylight. I feel alive again
7:31 AM Jul 8th from TwitPic
• @flying_mum happy birthday! So glad my baby will share a special day with my fabulous friend!!!
7:36 AM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• So tired, still waiting. contractions 2 min apart. Antsy
8:34 AM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• Water has been broken. More waiting…
8:57 AM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• Waiting (story of my life today) nurse mentioned the dreaded “C” word if I don’t dilate more soon. Just sent @cystsfts home for laptop.
9:37 AM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
- talking about “water breaking”:
• @yohanna377 I didn’t even feel a thing this time. Hailey’s birth was totally different. Gush after messy gush.
9:48 AM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• @kristysf what’s going on? I’m hanging in there. Getting lots of pressure from her big head.
10:02 AM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• Feeling lots of pressure during contractions now. This baby is getting ready to make her appearance soon. Like real soon.
10:11 AM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• Can you freaking believe she’s not here yet? WTF? Being checked right now…
11:39 AM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• Sweet! Ready to go. 10cm and she’s entering the birth canal. FINALLY. Pushing soon. Can not wait to meet my little Teagan!
11:53 AM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• She’s totally stretched out and loving the “space” in there now. Foot on top of ribs. I’m so excited!!!
12:08 PM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• …I even put on make-up!!!
12:09 PM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• I don’t think I know how to push. Kind of annoying. 15 mins
12:25 PM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• Still pushing been over an hour. Frustrated
2:13 PM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• @kristysf don’t feel bad. My kid isn’t budging. Taking a break. How DON’T you push with your face???
2:14 PM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• Can’t get her out.
4:07 PM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• I just can’t get her out. I’m so frustrated and upset. More epidural for the pain. Dr. hasn’t been here in over an hour. I’m so done.
4:53 PM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• C-section. I’m out of energy. She’s not coming. No changes in 3 hours. Be back later
5:07 PM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• http://twitpic.com/9qdb3 – Olay
5:28 PM Jul 8th from TwitPic
• @kristysf what’s going on? I’m off to the OR in half hour. 10 cm, Teagan is not budging. Fear of getting her head through but not shoulders
5:36 PM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
• This ruins my plans of skin to skin after birth & nursing right away. Am extremely disappointed. @cystsfts is going to keep her warm for me.
5:39 PM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
(Teagan was born at 7:23 pm by cesarean section)
• My baby is here!!!!! Can’t believe I couldn’t push her out…she’s a little squirt!
9:11 PM Jul 8th from TwitterBerry
BlogHer ’09: The post that almost wasn’t
I have mulled over even posting about my trip to the BlogHer conference last weekend mostly because I’m kind of tired of reading all of the Tweets and other blog posts about it but more importantly, I have a newborn and I’m exhausted and putting thoughts into words is a time-consuming and tough chore these days. I suppose I won’t be able to get it out of my head if I don’t at least try to write something about it. Forgive me but as I type with a fussy newborn laying on my chest, I’m sure this post will come off as more of a disjointed ramble than anything.
I went to the conference this year because I was given a ticket at the last minute by Yahoo. Someone wasn’t able to make it, so I happened to be next in line to receive it. I didn’t bother purchasing a ticket because of my pregnancy due date. It just worked out that Teagan arrived two weeks before the conference.
So, after two weeks of recovering from my daughter’s birth by cesarean section, I put myself together (with a new top and some make-up) and made my way into the city; anticipating the quick reunions I would have with friends made throughout the blogosphere over the past few years.
Before I left for the conference, I skimmed over the agenda and highlighted the sessions that I wanted to attend. My goal was to make it to all that I thought would be most beneficial to a person who is lacking blogging inspiration. Unfortunately, I got a late start on day one and when I arrived at the hotel, I ran into friends that I haven’t seen in ages or who I was meeting in person for the first time “offline”, so of course we had to chat a bit before moving along. I failed to mention that I had my newborn in tow, so many people needed to stop and feast their eyes on my little pink bundle. Many people also called me “brave”. I didn’t think I was being very brave at all. I was just ready to get out and enjoy myself now that my uncomfortable pregnancy was over. I wasn’t intimidated in the least bit about bringing a new baby to the conference. From my experience at past BlogHer conferences, it’s a friendly, comfortable atmosphere and I knew there would be places to rest if needed, as well as a Lactation Lounge where I could nurse her.
But I digress. I drove home after day one feeling quite disappointed that I didn’t make it to a single session. Not a single one. The day was spent chatting it up with my blogger buddies and trying to figure out how to make it from floor to floor with a stroller. I had to take a sketchy back elevator (used by hotel staff) to make it where I wanted to go most of the time. I am also severely directionally challenged so, I walked around most of the day like a deer in headlights, not knowing if I was coming or going. Blame it on the fact that I just had a baby or that this is basically what happens when I go to a BlogHer Conference. Last year and the year before were no different.
I wasn’t entirely sure that I would make the trip back downtown for day two, as I was pretty drained and anticipating the long night ahead. As it turns out, I felt somewhat re-energized the following morning, so the newbie and I headed back to the conference. I was determined that I was going to make it to these conference sessions this time.
We arrived just in time for me to make it to the first session. The room was packed. There was barely any room to squeeze through and find a spot to stand or sit on the floor. The room was very warm and it was hard to hear any of the discussion. I left the session halfway through because I wasn’t getting anything out of it. I was hoping to take away something new and inspiring but left with no more information than I began with.
The next session I attended was much more comfortable. There really weren’t a lot of people in attendance. Again though, my expectations were that I would leave the session feeling inspired and again, I left without learning anything new.
My purpose for going to a conference like this is to gain inspiration and take something away from it. This is the second year that I haven’t felt that way about this particular conference. Don’t get me wrong, I loved seeing blogger friends and showing off the newborn but as far as getting my money’s worth, (had I paid for my ticket) I would have to say it wasn’t worth it. Unless I have an all-expense paid trip and conference ticket, I doubt I’ll be in attendance at another BlogHer conference. Because to me, it’s like paying to visit with friends and go to parties and that’s just not in the budget.
However, if you’re a new blogger and/or you’re looking to network with other bloggers, non-bloggers and PR reps; BlogHer is the conference for you.
Life with the newborn
Two weeks have passed since Teagan arrived and we’re slowly getting back into the groove, if there is a such thing. We’re up for the majority of the night with her..still. She loves to just graze and do a lot of grunting and groaning in the wee hours of the morning. I honestly don’t remember when babies start sleeping longer during the night. We think she has her days and nights a little screwed up. But then again, who knows. I know things are different this time because I’m nursing her and she eats much more often than a formula-fed baby.
Hailey is adjusting to life as a big sister. She doesn’t want much to do with Teagan…yet. She’s more concerned with making sure she’s getting as much, of not more attention from us than the baby. We’re all getting used to the change.
The other day, we celebrated Eric’s 31st birthday. Just the four of us (six, if you include the cats).
I just love how that picture turned out of Eric with his girls. He just adores them.
I’ll post about the birth experience soon. It’s a good thing I “Tweeted” my birth, otherwise, I may not remember everything. Still sort of in a fog.
Had the baby, going to BlogHer!
It was determined for the most part that I wouldn’t make it to the BlogHer Conference sessions this year because a certain wee baby was due to arrive anytime around the conference. Well, said wee baby arrived 14 days ago and thanks to Yahoo! (Motherboard) and Disney, I’m going to BlogHer ’09!
Admittedly, I was feeling a bit left out because I have attended the past two BlogHer Conferences. I’ve been somewhat out of the blogging loop for a while now and a tiny part of me aches to be involved again. I miss my blogging friends from afar and I know this is my chance to reunite with them and the blogging world. To think that I would miss this ginormous blogger gathering when it’s in my own backyard. ABSURD!
So, as you can see from the nifty badge posted above, I will be attending the conference sessions (and not just milling around outside of them looking for familiar faces). I will also have my wee baby in tow…wearing her, as a matter of fact. This will be our first outing – my first time wearing a baby and our first time nursing outside of the home.
Wish us luck!
