House of Ridiculousness

Many ridiculousities have been befalling the House of Cheek.

Recent Ridiculi:

Over the weekend, I very foolishly decided to paint Chloe's room a fetching dual shade of green (two walls medium green, two walls light green). I agonized over the shades, holding paint chips up to the items already in her room. I was NOT GOING TO MESS THIS UP, under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

Past painting mishaps include:

1. The time I freehand painted the sink vanity in our old house's downstairs bathroom with eggplant swirlies, because I thought it would look cool. We had to replace the vanity because it looked so ridiculous.

2. The time I painted the small closet sized bathroom (same bathroom as above) a dark eggplant color--matte on the walls and gloss on the ceiling--but forgot which was which, so had some glossy streaks on my matte walls and some matte streaks on my glossy ceiling. The bathroom resembled a purple crypt until we repainted. But still, the eggplant paint poked through in hidden places. I will never live that down.

3. The time I stepped in some spilled paint and tracked it all over the floor. Thankfully, it was hardwood, so it scrubbed out.

Ah, the memories.

So anyway, bound and determined to do it right this time, I set up the room (dropcloths, yeah; move furniture, yeah; swipe aside curtain, yeah; tell 3 year olds to stay out, yeah). After yelling at MP about 79 million times to not touch various and sundry paint items, I helped her roller one wall and then pronounced it too difficult and messy--Stern Voiced Me: MOMMY HAS TO DO IT NOW. YOU MAKE TOO MUCH OF A MESS. GO PLAY.

Ten minutes later I was frantically calling to that same Messy Girl asking her to please go get her daddy, QUICK NOW NOW NOW, MOMMY DID A BOOBOO.

Somehow my foot got caught on the wooden stake thoughtlessly left in the paint (probably by my dog) and managed to tip over the entire gallon of paint on THE NEW CARPET.

Yeah! Go me!

Trying to clean it, as I soon found out, just spread it. Not a good idea.

We moved furniture that night, oh we moved furniture.

BUT! The fun don't stop there. While I was scrubbing away at the carpet, Random was mopping our basement of 2 inches of water. Why, you ask? Well, a certain husband of mine moved the washing machine to fix the dryer hose, unknowingly disconnecting the water pipe from the back of the washing machine. He then calmly turned on the washing machine and PRESTO! An ocean gathered in our basement. Old socks floated by on the current.

Our stupidity cancelled each other out that day.

Later that night, we decided to have a "date night." I'm sure you can guess what that is. It happens very rarely these days with a new baby and a still fat mom. Anyway, we began. It was great until Chloe started farting. (Yes, we are still cosleeping.) Somehow a baby's farts while you are trying to have a date night really, really doesn't do much for the mood.

Today I was informed that MP is walking around daycare lifting up her shirt and asking boys to drink milk from her boobies. Apparently this is a bad thing?!?

**************************************

We're all doing really well here. Chloe is 4 months now, and I'm still limping along with the nursing. The toughest thing is pumping enough. Some days I just don't get all that much, and I don't know why. Today I only got 8 ounces. Yesterday I got 11 ounces. That's a big difference. When I don't have to pump, there's more than enough milk. But I think my boobs are averse to feeding the pump.

And so I have to pump extra times at home. I am married to this thing. AND I HATE IT WITH A THOUSAND WHITE HOT HATES. I can't pump in the middle of the night, either. For some very odd reason I get NOTHING in the middle of the night, not even a drop. And yet if Chloe is hungry there is milk.

The doctor wants me to move Chloe into her own room now, but I hate that idea. Four months seems too young to sleep on her own. Who will obsessively check to see if she's breathing every hour?

Here are some recent pictures of the girls. Enjoy the deliciousness. And please cross your fingers that I get this painting finished with no further mishaps.

Chloe in her Rainforst Jumperoo.

 

Comments

[Beth]

CUTENESS!

And who cares what the doctor thinks?! She doesn't live with you! She can get her own damn baby and move it into the other room!! (yelling at the doctor, not at you.)

[Rhi]

I wish they made star sunglasses for big girls. Because I would wear them everyday.

[Annika]

Ugh, what kind of advice is that? Co-sleeping is one of the best things you can do to enable your nursing relationship. Also, she is FOUR MONTHS OLD. I am 30 years old and I don't like sleeping alone.

[Jennifer]

Meh ignore the doctor. Or better yet get a new one. I hate doctors who are anti-attachment parenting. BAH!

[Jan]

Why does your doctor care where she sleeps?

I moved mine at 4 months, but mostly because I was afraid if I didn't set an artificial deadline and then DO IT, I would never want to give up the late night snuggli-ness. (And I'm hoping to keep the husband I have, and he wouldn't be down with the whole family bed concept.)

At any rate, one of the beauties of being an "experienced" mother of two is that you get to make the choice to make placating noises when the doctor pokes his nose into things that have nothing to do with him and then do whatever the hell you want. (Of course you can do that with your first, too, but fewer people have the confidence.)

On breast milk supply. For me,

Good for supply: Water. Lots and lots and lots of water. No, coffee or diet soda don't count.

Bad for supply: Stress.

Good for supply: A healthy balance diet with plenty of protein.

Bad for supply: Too much salt or simple carbs (maybe because these thing dehydrate me?)

Some of that you can control, some you can't. I definitely got more when I was really well-hydrated, though. I tried to drink a quart of water every time I pumped or nursed. Also I peed a lot. :)

[Sarah]

I listen to the doctor on items regarding the baby's health. On items regarding our living situation, I smile and nod and forget them the moment I'm out of the office.
I still remember Daughter #2's 5mo checkup.
Dr: Is she sleeping through the night?
Me: No, but she's only up once and right back to sleep.
Dr: Well, at this age she is capable of sleeping through the night.
Me: Yes, but she wakes up once. It's not that bad.
Dr: But she CAN sleep through the night. Of course you're a working mother so you probably like the bonding time.

As if I was going and poking her awake at three in the morning for fun and bonding. *rolls eyes*

[Sam]

Doctor needs to STFU. You do whatever works. Unless it is spilling a gallon of paint on the carpet. Oops.

[cindy w]

I moved my baby to a crib in her room when she was 4 months old, because every time she made one of those tiny baby sighs in her sleep, I woke up like someone had just fired a starter pistold next to my head. Not pleasant. Only problem was that the baby monitor was so sensitive that I could still hear the sighs over it, so I had to turn it way, way down so I could sleep.

Also, the compulsive breathing-checks? My child is almost 2 years old, and if she sleeps longer than usual, I still wake up in a panic that she stopped breathing and died in her sleep. I don't know if or when that goes away. But it's a pretty awful feeling.

[Sara]

I'm still cosleeping at 11 months, and it's wonderful. Wonderful I tell you (and I never meant to cosleep at all). Don't listen to your doctor, well though he or she may mean. You'll know when it's time to move her.

I was the same way with the pump. My boobs hated the pump, but loved the baby. Go figure. I feel pretty much the same way.

[Shelly]

I was an unintentional co-sleeper with both kids. I just never told the ped because I knew what she would say. I feel like they have to say it because it is the party line. Do what is right for you. The kids in my family all co-slept until 2, we all sleep in our beds now. And it makes it easier to nurse more at night, which is key when working, and still get sleep.

The relationship with the pump is love/hate. Is it sad that such a little thing can determine your self worth? Lots of water and try to relax when pumping, and distract yourself to avoid obsessing about how much you are getting. Also, be sure to eat enough food. I also try to pump one side (the big producer) in the morning on the days I don't work, to get an extra bottle and to build supply. Now I get almost two bottles at my AM pump on work days, which makes sense since DS eat only one side at that time.

Hang in there pumping is at least 50% mind over matter.

[Geohde]

Oh dear....

So apologetic for laughing at the paint scenario. Can see how it might not really be all that funny.

As for the pump- I never could get anything that way. I dried up by two weeks pp because I had preemies who couldn't suck and tits that hate plastic cones....

J

[Lynn]

Love the pics! Gorgeous! And as for the dr - YOU do what is best for YOU. Period. My dr reminded me that they don't go away to college sleeping in mommy's bed, drinking mommy's milk, or waking for mommy in the middle of the night. GO WITH YOUR GUT!

As for the other mishaps - I am sorry - but in a way, thankful that you guys cancelled each other out taht day! Kind of worked out well.

[gradmomma]

What a nice surprise to get an update! And on the same night as the presidential debate! Wow!

Honestly, just ignore the doctor's parenting advice. His/her advice works for health issues, but for sleeping? And co-sleeping? For Pete's sake! What is wrong with pediatricians these days?! Obviously what you're doing is working--well, minus the farts. :)

If you're struggling with milk supply and pumping, then Chloe needs to nurse at night sometimes. It's called reverse cycling and that's how she gets what she needs from you. It also keeps up your milk supply, helps with bonding and keeps her healthy. And it also helps you both sleep better (nursing is relaxing for you and the milk is sleep-inducing for her). Dr. James McKenna has some great reasons for co-sleeping--and Googling him and his sleep lab at Notre Dame might give you some research-based reasons to use it yourself (without feeling guilty for not following doctor's advice).

My ped has asked how both of my babies have slept...and I have gotten good at just saying, "Great!" Which is true--without sharing all the details.

It sounds like you have fallen into a bit of a routine. Good for you for knowing what works for your family. Your girls are absolutely gorgeous. They look so happy and healthy--you are thriving as a mama. And it sounds like MP is a hoot! My babies nurse their babies, too...but not other children at daycare.

Keep us posted when you can...

[motherlawyer]

Those are some stellar mishaps. Yowza! At least you see the humor:)

Hydration and protein and oatmeal are my pumping weapons. I'm keeping up so much better this time, but I'm also being dictatorial about her consumption during the day (mean boss that I am). My babysitter will overfeed every day if I don't leave strict instructions, every day.

I too HATE pumping... who doesn't? Do the best you can and love on your babies... that's my assvice. Pumping is not the sum of your nursing relationship. With my first I quit pumping at 8 mos yet nursed till 17 mos. Daytime bottles of formula weren't my preference but it was so nice to quit pumping!

The girls are both gorgeous, you are one lucky mama.

[Heather]

Oh, I was SO laughing at the paint on the carpet. Why? BECAUSE I DID THAT WHILE PAINTING MY SONS' ROOM! Blue paint on white carpet, there was no hope. Sadly, it's been a year and we're still hiding it with an area rug... someday, we'll get new carpet. What did you do?

[Kelly]

The picutres are too cute.

And my 3 year old son has been known to put a breast pump up to his chest and tell me he's making milk. Yeah. Daddy loves that. Although I think it's cute.

[Robin from Israel]

Of course Chloe gets more milk than the pump does - your body is smart, and responds much better to a warm snuggly baby than it does to a hunk of plastic. It's perfectly normal. Frustrating as hell sometimes, and a logistical pain, but normal.

As far as the doctor, tell him to mind his own damn business. He is there to provide *medical* advice, not to tell you how to parent. Where a child sleeps is a *parenting* decision, and no, four months is not in any way shape or form too old to be in with you if that's what's right for your family right now.

Oh, and dang your girls are gorgeous. Simply gorgeous.

[Bianca W]

Seriously, it is a sin that you can have not one, but TWO SUCH beautiful little girls!!! I am soaking up all the cuteness.

May I just ask, for the love of God, why did you take on a paining job NOW - of all times?!?! Are you crazy woman?

[mamaseoul]

We co-slept until about 20 months. It was great until he started moving around a lot and kicking his dad in the head at about 18 months. I was still nursing to sleep, but he had also started waking up when I tried to pop him off. We also made an international move at this time and were living in a hotel. So, I decided to stop the nursing to sleep. I nursed him, but not until he fell asleep and then sang songs.by the time he got used to that, we moved into our new apartment and our stuff arrived. I unpacked the crib that has been following us around the world (3 continents in less than two years and was never used until he was 20 months). I set it up in our room and showed it to him and said,"This is Ian's bed." Then, I started asking,"Where is your bed?" and he would point to it. Sometimes he would want to sit in it and then I would put him in during the daytime to play a bit, but did not make him sleep in it until we had been doing this for about a month. The first night I put him in, I told him he was going to have some milk, sing some songs and go to sleep in his bed. Then I asked him where his bed was and he pointed to it. I nursed, him, sand to him and put him in his bed. He fell asleep and slept through the night and has been there ever since. When I transition him to his own room, I will probably do it in the same way. In fact, we are laying the ground work for it because I call the room with his clothes and diapers (and our exercise equipment) his room. The reasons we have kept him in our room is that the apartment is big and the other rooms are very far away from ours and we have them filled with other stuff right now.

I think co-sleeping is great, especially when you are breastfeeding and need to feed at night. The less you have to get up, the better and more sleep you will get. If it is working for you, keep her with you. Don't let people tell you that you won't be able to move her later. I think it is easier later because they understand more. I also think the key is to make one change at a time and go slowly. If you do things abruptly, she will probably react badly and you may backtrack which will encourage her to keep reacting badly. Though it may appear like things are taking longer if you go with a purposefully slow approach, in the long run, it is faster and less painful.

I say keep her in there as long as you want. You will know when you are ready to move her and if you take it slowly, you will be able to do it.

Congratulations for hanging in there with the pump!

[Katherine]

Those are some beautiful girls. I'll be the 20th to say, let Chloe sleep where you like. I have a nearly five who still likes to sleep with mommy and daddy most nights and a just turned two who's been in her own big girl bed for better than six months. Different kids need different things.

[Carol]

Oh, those beautiful faces!! Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous girls. Who cares about the bad economy, Iran, or paint on the floor when you've got such gorgeousness to look at!!

[Cassey]

yay a new post :)
you have yourself some cutie pies...........paint on the carpet, cool new carpet :p

[Alex]

Gosh, how lovely to see your post. I think the canceling out of riduculii (between you and Random, not, unfortunately, in the universe) is for the best. I remain eternally grateful that my DH once tried, out-of-state, to rent a car after letting his drivers license expire (having forgotten to renew). Guess what? They won't rent you a car if you don't have a valid license! His mistake caused me major inconvenience (long story), and him too (though less) but is the sort of thing I do all the time and it's a relief to be able to point to that fact that at least once, he did too.

As for sleeping, we co-slept at least part of the night well past 4 months (maybe 8?) and kept DS in our bedroom through 15 months (largely through inertia...and not having set up his room, long story). Also, I never once put him to bed at nighttime without staying with him until he fell asleep, until he was over 1 year old. And you know what? It worked for us. Really, I cannot imagine doing it any other way while nursing -- yikes! And he's a great sleeper and now (18 months) chatters and "reads" his own way into sleep, and also plays that way after he wakes up in the morning, all safely in his crib in his own room. And he slept like a champ from the get-go in his own room, despite the dire warning friends gave me about how I'd left moving him "too late." It's not that I take credit for this, I figure we lucked into an easy baby (at least in this regard, to date, knock on wood!), but the point is, what we did didn't mess anything up. So, yeah -- if it works for you and yours, go for it. Personally I've decided parenting is hard enough without needing to make problems out of things that aren't problems.

[mellie]

I did the same thing with the paint on the carpet at my Aunt's house. Then we cleaned it up with the carpet cleaner, and then I carefully removed the part of the cleaner that the dirty water goes into and...spilled it all over the carpet. Helpful niece, party of one. Our pediatrician is a co-sleeping attachment parenting advocate, which I mention just to say that like parents, Dr.'s can be all over the map on parenting styles, and you know, report to us internets so we can advocate doing what works! Yay for what works! Ok. Done now.

[juliag]

Cute cuteness.

As for the pediatrician. Feel free to ignore her. I just nod and say 'sounds like a good idea' and then do what works for me and my family. I avoid topics that I know we'll disagree on. Ours has no idea that I'm still breastfeeding my 2.5 year old. Why should she? I do talk to the allergist and my midwife about it, as it's actually medically pertinent information in those two cases...but it's neither here nor there as far as medically for the pedicatrician and I don't need to hear her silly ideas on it.

[Veronika]

Your girls are so gorgeous! I really can't stop looking at MP. Still remember obsessively refreshing your old blog the day you got the referral and I couldn't wait to see her face. Just look at her now! I had to LOL at the Chloe farts. So sweet! As for breastfeeding, my boobs hated the pump but loved the baby. I could never get anything, meaning not even drops when I pumped but my son was a chunkster on the milk. I guess a noisy pump just doesn't scream "feed me" quite like a warm, soft little body. Don't pay attention to your doctor. Not her baby, not her decision.

[Rosemary Grace]

You are not alone with the paint: I painted my hallway a milk-chocolate brown, I was on the stepladder doing final touchups at the top of the wall when my husband walked by. I pointed to the can and said "watch the paint!". 30 seconds later I stepped down from the stool, and put my foot in the gallon of brown paint, knocking it over. If fell AWAY from the drop cloth, so the paint spread in a puddle over the edge and into our bedroom. Joy. I spent two hours rinsing the carpet with a teeny little bissel carpet cleaner thing. My only consolation was that we had already planned to replace all the carpet.

A few months later we pulled up the carpet to replace the flooring and the concrete subfloor was stained milk-chocolate brown.

[amy]

OMGOSH they're gorgeous!!

Is your doctor sleeping at your house? No? Didn't think so... who gives a rat's ass what your doctor thinks about cosleeping or not. Do what works and screw the rest. When people ask how she's sleeping, say GREAT and smile really big. Then change the subject.

Pictures of the room pls!!

[Stefanie]

The ped knows the longer you wait - the harder it is says the mom with a 7 year old still in her bed! But, damnit I'm sleeping! LOL

[Patti]

Have never commented before, but always a reader. Just had to let you know that when I was in Jr. High, my mom went on a trip by herself and dad stayed home with the kids. He thought it would be really sweet to stain the closet doors in their bedroom as a welcome home gift. Until he tipped over the entire can of stain. On the cream carpet. Stain does exactly what the title states it will, of that we no longer question. So, welcome home mom to your new strategically placed rug!

[Auburn]

aaak! They are too cute!

After months and months of pumping at work and at night and in the morning I finally gave into the occasional bottle of formula at daycare when I don't get enough. It is very liberating. But I feel very proud of making it to 9.5 months on 100% breast milk. My goal for exclusive nursing was 6 months. And I plan on continuing to nurse for a long time whenever we're together. You should be very proud of every freaking ounce she gets! You are kicking ass.

I ignore all parenting advice from our pediatrician. I go there for Medical advice, parenting I can handle. We moved little one to his own room (for at least part of the night, he usually ends up back with me at some point because I get more sleep that way) at 6 months. My reasoning for keeping him with us until then was (besides how easy it was to nurse at night) that 2-6 months is the peak for SIDS, and sleeping in the same room as a parent has been shown to be protective against SIDS. So to me it was a no brainer to have him close by.

[kristylynne]

I can't imagine even attempting a date night after a day like that.

Did the paint come out?

Cute pics!

[Auburn]

aaak! They are too cute!

After months and months of pumping at work and at night and in the morning I finally gave into the occasional bottle of formula at daycare when I don't get enough. It is very liberating. But I feel very proud of making it to 9.5 months on 100% breast milk. My goal for exclusive nursing was 6 months. And I plan on continuing to nurse for a long time whenever we're together. You should be very proud of every freaking ounce she gets! You are kicking ass.

I ignore all parenting advice from our pediatrician. I go there for Medical advice, parenting I can handle. We moved little one to his own room (for at least part of the night, he usually ends up back with me at some point because I get more sleep that way) at 6 months. My reasoning for keeping him with us until then was (besides how easy it was to nurse at night) that 2-6 months is the peak for SIDS, and sleeping in the same room as a parent has been shown to be protective against SIDS. So to me it was a no brainer to have him close by.

[midlife mommy]

Eh. It's your baby. If you want to co-sleep, do it for as long as you want!

[Amy]

Take medical advice from medical professionals--not parenting advice. Only YOU know where your baby should sleep. Personally, there was no way I would have survived without having my baby right next to me every time she needed to nurse at night. She did some serious reverse-cycling'sleep regression something or other around 4 months, which was also when I went back to teaching. Ugh. There was no way in hell I was going to willingly move her out of my bed!

[Debberoo]

Two such gorgeous, gorgeous girls!

[Ruta]

Ditto to everyone else ... pediatricians are for medical advice. Smile and nod to everything else. They are not trained in medical school on these parenting issues; there's no Infant Sleep 101 class, LOL.

Signed,
Mom of two co-sleepers

[Jeff & Dana]

Hi Karen,

We just rediscovered you and wanted to wish you a hearty and sincere congratulations.

We originally stumbled across your blog just as you received MP's referral and happily lived in a vicarious state until you shut down.
We finally received our referral in March 2007 and traveled to China in May 2007. It's amusing to see how many traits our Mia shares with MP (though Mama limits her stickers to two per day.)

Thanks for all your wonderful writing, then and now.

[Tiffany @ My Random Wisdom]

OMG that is some serious cuteness!
and my gramma had words of wisdom for me when I complained about pumping being futile..the baby is going to be more efficient because that is what is supposed to be on the boob (I am paraphrasing of course..heh) the pump won't do the job as well!

and pptthhbbb to the Dr..give her till about 6 months if you can

[Mandas]

Cosleeping rocks. Ignore the doc! They're only babies once.

Sorry about the paint. Sounds like fun times.

Those girls are C.U.T.E.

[amy]

All I can say is one day this will be a happy blur. The paint spilling on the new carpet will be an amusing story to tell and yeah, you can slap me now ;)

[Anna]

Oh I am so so so happy to have found you again! I read NO all through your sadness over infertility and then your joy over adoption. I remember refreshing the page over and over again on the day I knew you were first getting your picture of MP and then swooning over her amazing cheeks and rosebud lips.

I read you for your humour, honesty and because reading about your adoption of your daughter gave me the courage I needed to face my own infertility. I knew I couldn't face AC and you showed me there was more than one road to motherhood.

And then you disappeared and I was so sad. Over the last couple of years I have often wondered how you, Random and the beautiful MP are enjoying family life, and I have now spent the last couple of days finding out. Thank you so much for sharing everything so generously.

Oh, and I have ended up with my own darling girl, too. Are you still looking for feeding stories? I'm breastfeeding a 20 month old in Australia, so I fit a couple of your criteria. It's fine if you're swamped with them though.

[wavybrains]

What we did was gradually move the crib further and further from the bed--first the closesleeper, then a foot of distance, then 5 feet, then later 8 feet, and now she's across the room ensconced in what used to be a walk-in closet. STILL, at one year, technically sharing our room and we've got no plans to hurry up and put her in her own room. It just seems so far away!!

Beautiful pics!

[becky]

god your girls are gorgeous! we have those same star glasses for my son. so cute!

Hope these early months are passing tolerably quickly: slowly enough to enjoy these baby-days, but fast enough that you find yourself able to sleep thru the night again!

[The Aitch]

OM! How did you get soooooo lucky with such delishus girls?!! ;)

[liz]

Holy cow! The CUTENESS!!!

Ignore the doctor on this. What works for you, works for you.

[lorrie]

Karen,

I'm sorry for what I did. Can we be friends again? I'm really, really, really sorry.

Lorrie

[kayla]

ahhh my son has that exact same rainforest jumperoo! he loves it. I love your pictures they are so cute. some how i found you looking for things on my sons birth defect esophageal atresia.

[kayla]

ahhh my son has that exact same rainforest jumperoo! he loves it. I love your pictures they are so cute. some how i found you looking for things on my sons birth defect esophageal atresia.

[Ivy]

OMG! I followed you two years ago when you were bringing MP home and was so upset to see you go. On a whim I googled you and here you are!!! I'm so happy for you! Congrats on the gorgeous girls! Both are truely delish!