Suddenly Saturday

What a Week! Sorry I didn't really post, but between the first two days of daycare, seeing santa, photos at Sears, a Doctor appointment, a chiropractor appointment, a Dentist appointment, moving all my things back into my office and arranging it, and putting up the Christmas Tree at work... and pumping or feeding her every two hours...I really haven't had much time. I also got 50 Christmas Cards sent, which included writing and printing 50 Holiday Letters and hand signing them (evan helped) and then folding the letters, adhering address and return labels to the envelopes, stuffing all the envelopes, and stamping them all.

Most of my "online time" this week (which was small as it is) was spent reading articles at Kellymom about the variations of milk amounts that you get while pumping. I guess after all I read, nothing ever explained that while you might get 6 ounces in the morning, or 4 ounces at night, it is perfectly normal to get 2 ounces or even 3 ounces during the day. The first day I pumped I was in a panic because I only got 2 ounces for two of my pumping sessions, but I later figured out that those sessions happened during what would regularly be her naps. Aha! Isn't the body amazing? I can make 4 ounces every 2 hours, but my body knows when she takes a nap and only makes 2 ounces during those times so that I don't get engorged. It also makes just 6 ounces for the 11 hours that she's asleep... which is also a wonderful thing. When she wakes up she gets a nice big feeding, but I am not engorged or sore... as long as she doesn't sleep past 7 or 7:30, her usual wake up time.

Ardyn is all about smiling and giggling at me this morning, since she hasn't seen me as much in the past three days. They can't seem to stop telling me how she is "such a good baby" and "the best baby they have had" and how she is just so happy and strong. That makes me happy, although I am thinking they probably tell all moms that. LOL. Although when we took her the first day, all the teachers were being so "careful" and always supporting her head, and while Evan was holding her, they kept acting like they wanted to support her head for him, which annoyed him a bit. She holds herself up so well, I think they were shocked at the way we hold her. I think it's just because she is still so small, that they assume she is weak. Nothing could be further from the truth! We got the Prince Lionheart Bebe Pod this week and she loves loves loves to sit up in that thing. We knew she could do it, and she really enjoys sitting and standing like a big girl, which is why the jumparoo is such a huge thing for her. I took her with to my Dr's appointment on Thursday and weighed her in at almost 12 pounds now.

I start physical therapy on Monday, with an evaluation for my back. Diagnosis so far is "back strain" and I personally feel that it's an accumulation of pregnancy, delivery, and hauling around a bebe all day long. Going to daycare is much like being a pack mule. Diaper Bag, Car Seat with the Bebe inside, my little cooler of breastmilk bottles, my own purse and breastpump for work... no wonder my back hurts! That's like 50 pounds of gear. Almost. Maybe. Okay not quite.

I was seeing the chiropractor, but after three weeks of visits twice a week, and a $140 bill, it's not getting better. I have insurance to cover the physical therapy, so I will try going that route. At work, we call physical therapy "Rehab" which is short for Medical Rehabilitation. When I got home from my Dr Appointment, Evan asked how it went, and I said "great, I start Rehab on Monday" and he looked at me with the strangest look. Later on I realized that I shouldn't go around telling anyone I started Rehab!

This morning Ardyn hung out in her Jumparoo while I was washing bottles and breast pumps pieces. Last week I taught Evan how to assemble the pumps, which is totally awesome and helpful to me. Now we can share the duties of washing & sterilizing, and he can help me prepare the pump, which is excellent.

I am actually pretty excited about going back to work. I am feeling confident in daycare, and my office is a pretty awesome place to be now that I am all moved back in, and it's all re-arranged... so I think it will be a most excellent first week back. I really miss SOME of my co-workers, and they have repeatedly expressed that they miss me and that they will be excited to have me back, which makes me feel better about the whole transitioning back to a working life. Being gone so long makes me worry that things will have changed so much and that I will have forgotten things, but it all comes back to me as soon as we have a discussion about it. I was pleasantly surprised when a friend/co-worker I'll call CB left me a little note as a welcome back, and it was a photo of Matthew McConaughey, on a surfboard, all washboard abs and unshaven wonderfulness. It was a sweet surprise. We share that love.

Of course, the downside to daycare? Germs. Sickness. After Ardyn's first full day on Friday, I picked her up and they warned me that there was stomach flu going around. Apparently two kids in her class got sent home that day after vomiting. Ugh. I am really hoping that the breastfeeding immunities are coursing through her little body right now. Of course the only person feeling stomach-flu-ish this weekend has been ME so far. Hopefully that too will pass and Ardyn will continue to feel okay. The last thing I want is a sick baby, especially when I have to go back to work on Monday!

Well, that's all for now. Have a great weekend!