Two and New

We have survived the first week home with our newborn.  Holy crap.  Only one of my friends told me that it was going to suck and it definitely has been challenging.

Some highlights of the last week (since I don't know how long I can keep the toddler from maiming the dog or keep my tiny piglet from nursing):

The c-section went so much better than last time!  I mean, minus the vomiting during the middle of it, I didn't have any heart issues afterwards and the spinal worked as it was supposed to.  I still am not sure why anyone would choose a c-section cause that shit hurts, but to each his own.  Technically I did choose this c-section, but only because of my busted up cervix.

My sister and mom were here to watch the toddler and help out.  Blessings!  I am not sure what we would have done if they hadn't been here.  They all survived the week and the toddler enjoyed all the spoiling.

The toddler is doing really well although feeling a little left out I think.  She loves her baby sister, but does not want her sleep...ever as evidenced by the fact that she "sings" in her face and pokes at her should she dare close her eyes.  The toddler has also decided she no longer wants to nap or potty train.

The hubby has been amazing.  He has mastered the art of doing laundry in the hotel and even uses the toddler has a helper (God bless him).

The newborn sleeps like a champ (Praise Jesus!).  She is already up to 5 hours at night and it has made a huge difference in the quality of our lives during the day.  She is almost back up to her birth weight and only turned 1 week old on Monday.  Did I mention she really loves to eat?

I know this may irritate some people, but the truth has to be said.  Breastfeeding a newborn sucks!  My nipples look like they were shredded by a cheese grater and we've already had an appointment with the lactation consultant.  I don't even care how much we get charged for it because it was worth every penny.  Trying to relax and replicate the success I had in her office at home, especially at night, is another matter, but we'll get there.  But anyone who tells you that breastfeeding is natural and your infant automatically knows what to do is either blowing smoke up your ass or is delusional.  The newborn may squirm her way in that direction, but she does not know what to do once she gets there.  But having an awesome lactation consultant makes a HUGE difference so don't hesitate to get hooked up with someone.  Your nipples will thank you.

This is the first time since the baby was born that I've had  5 minutes to sit and get online.

I love my girls and I need to go rescue the dog from the toddler.

Two Weeks Down

We have been living in the hotel for just over 2 weeks.  In that time I have NOT gone into labor, I have barely cooked, i have learned that I never want an electric stove again, and I have learned that we can live in a space the size of my previous living room/kitchen and not kill each other.

The staff at the hotel is amazing!  They make breakfast every morning, they clean our room, dinner is served 4 nights a week, AND they went grocery shopping for me.  Plus they sell beer and wine in the lobby so you know where I'll be once I pop this kid out.  Did I mention there is a pool?  It's not open yet, but I'm confident that by Memorial weekend I'll be bikini ready and laying in the sun.  And if I'm not exactly bikini ready then who the hell cares because they sell beer and wine in the lobby!

Of course we just found out our remaining 80lb dog has a parasite and now we have to deworm her while keeping her from licking our toddler and keeping our toddler from touching her butt.  Why are toddlers obsessed with dog butts?  Hopefully we won't worm the rest of the dog population here at the hotel.  Sweet peanuts!

I took a bath last night in our tub.  To give you an idea as to how large I've gotten imagine an infant tub with a whale in it.  Or this...

There ya go!  My stomach stuck up approximately a foot and a half above the edge of the tub.  As the toddler likes to tell me, "Mommy, you big!"

So I'm off to the ob this afternoon where she'll tell me I'm not dilated, my hopes of a natural child birth will be dashed, and I'll be having my c section on Monday as scheduled.  Sigh.

Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend

Yesterday we had to take our 13 year old chihuahua Beast to the vet. I had gotten Beast from a breeder when he was a puppy. He was my baby before I had babies.

Over breakfast we joked about getting Beast a tiny oxygen mask and tiny oxygen tank. We didn't know what was wrong with him, other than a hacking cough, but given his age I already had decided that we wouldn't go crazy with expensive treatments.

We got to the vet and he examined both our dogs (our boxer has had some stomach issues). He heard Beast cough and initially thought maybe pneumonia, but after listening to his heart and lungs thought congestive heart failure. He wanted to do X-rays and we agreed.

The tech said it would take awhile. It was 1:18 so we could go run an errand and be back at 2. We left to run errands. I didn't say goodbye.

When we returned I ran inside to pick up the dogs and pay. The woman at the front desk led me back into an examining room and I knew something was wrong. I thought maybe the vet was going to say he suspected cancer. He came in and said how sorry he was, that Beast had died during the X-ray, that they had tried to revive him, but weren't successful. He thought that Beast had a heart attack or blood clot. My hands covered my mouth in shock as I started to cry.

He asked if I wanted to see him and brought me in back. Beast was wrapped in a blanket. He looked relaxed, peaceful. We talked about cremation as I pet his head and cried.

I paid and the tech helped me outside. Paul saw me coming with just Sasha and got out of the car. The tech told him.

We got back to the hotel and Em kept saying, "Where's Beasty? Where's my Beasty?" She ran all over the hotel room looking for him. We explained that he was in heaven and she asked if heaven was fun. We said very.

This morning she woke up and asked, "Where's Beast?" We told her heaven.

Saying goodbye to an old friend is never easy. I can only remember all the times I've been impatient with him over the last 2 years. I know I gave Beast a good life. I wish I had treated him better since we had Em. Dogs don't ask for babies to come along. I need to remember that a pet only asks for our love.

Telling your children their beloved pet is gone requires patience and repetition. Em is too young to understand and that's ok.

We came to MA with 4 dogs and 2 cats. We are leaving with 1 dog and 2 kids.

RIP Beast. Mommy loves you.

Geriatric Dogs

I called the vet today and scheduled some appointments for our dogs.  You know how when you're single or married without kids you're dogs are your children...yeah we are soooo not in that place.  

Our chihuahua has had a hacking dry cough for months.  For awhile I thought it was radon poisoning from our basement, but when I googled hacking coughs in dogs today it suggested it could be kennel cough or a collapsing trachea which occurs in toy breeds.  What!  I ruled out kennel cough because our dogs don't go near other dogs and we don't kennel them.  

The trachea thing sounded serious.  Of course I am sure the vet will think I'm heartless when I refuse any sort of testing to see if that is the problem.  He's 13.  If it's his time, it's his time.  

And then there's our boxer.  She is having her teeth cleaned.  Again.  Every time our dogs are at this vets office they end leaving with fewer teeth.  Sasha is going to come home with no teeth.  She already only has like 5.  

So, Paul and I were talking about what the future of our dogs would look like when we move.  

I'll be in the kitchen, fixing Sasha up some dinner in the blender because she won't have teeth.  Someone will knock on the door and Beast will hold up his electrolarnyx to his throat so he can bark.  I'll have to plug his trach so he can get some water.  

I'm sure y'all are reading this thinking we are awful, heartless people, but when I say this image made me laugh...it made me laugh.  I had tears streaming down my face and am surprised I didn't pee in the car.  Of course we were also making the electronic barking sounds.  

Roof, roof.