Pumping probs.

On may 20th 2013

I decided to stop attempting to breastfeed

and start pumping exclusively 

My initial goal was 2000 oz.

A goal that seemed completely unattainable with  freezer stash that started with 82 ounces in it

But I kept going

5-6 times a day. 

cleaning bottles every night. 

And tracking every pump to see how much milk I was producing 

and my stash built

eventually, we had to buy a second freezer 

to accommodate the stash

Yesterday....

I did it. 

I hit 2000 ounces!

It was a great day for me. 

and after lots of trials with this process... I honestly didn't know if I would ever get here. 

Overall I have had epic support from my family and friends.

I pumped at party's and wedding and in my car on the side of the road...

I even pumped once while I was driving a long drive (uh..yes...its difficult)

I did a bit of math last night. 

bear with me while I run some numbers...

Easy eats about 30 ounces of milk a day. 

If I stopped right this minute, I would have enough milk to feed Easy for roughly 2 months out of my stash. 

That would put him at 8 months old before he would be out of the good stuff.

The OCD mom in me wants to feed him breastmilk for a year. one.whole.year. I love giving my baby food I made him, I love feeling like I am in control of his success and thriving

But the human-being in me is exhausted. 

Im tired of having cracked, bleeding nipples - of waking up engorged at 5am to pump - Of cleaning 30 bottles/nipples/pumping parts every single day - of dragging my pump anywhere that I will be at for longer than 3 hours - of stressing over not making enough milk.

So I have a bit of thinking to do. 

When I ran some more numbers... I would have to pump until Christmas to get enough for Easton to have until he was one. 

Until I make up my mind... I better go pump...

xx - r

Play.

AHEM...

Is this thing on?

Nothing great to report... just lots of playing this week.  

I need to make time to do some official "6 month old pictures" 

before this kids half Birthday next week. 

xx - r

Hair Crisis and My Favourite Apron.

Well. 

Its a been a while. 

In our home we went from Easy's Vaccines to Easy running a fever for 5 days to Easy having a cold and now this little teeny tooth popping through that is making my ahem..his life pretty miserable right now. 

I had the chance to go visit my in laws last weekend for a little bit of a break, and to get easy some needed cuddles from someone other than me. 

While I was there, I went through a hair crisis. 

I sat in a salon chair and fought off tears while I told a girl I didn't know how much I hated my hair.

Ive been losing my hair since a few months ago... (post-partum stuff)

and to someone with already pretty thin hair, 

That's pretty devastating. 

She talked me off the "pixie cut" ledge...

and i came out with this cute "do"

Above is a before and after shot off my phone, right before and right after ...

 Its shorter and darker (closer to my natural colour) and much more manageable!

Also while we were there I continued my solids-journey with this stubborn kid.

He really only wants to feed himself!

So I was excited when

I found these:

and even more excited!

When he ATE THEM!

Well... chewed on it for a bit and then smeared it all over himself. 

Those things are like glue!

Hey. Im calling it a WIN.

Easton gets an incredible amount of love from grandma Campbells house. 

Every morning I would get up bright and early with him

and as quiet as I tried to be, I would still have my MIL out within a minute or two of us coming upstairs

changing his diaper and offering to feed him while I went to have a peaceful pump session (hard to come by these days)

He LOVES his grandma.

And I love her too!

Its been such a blessing in my life to have such loving supportive in laws

Easy also got to go to his first hockey game!

The Red Deer Rebels!

(This tattoo was a NIGHTMARE to get off the next day. - not a great parenting decision...) 

But 

We had a BLAST! he actually watched the players up and down the ice... 

our future hockey star. 

It was a great weekend 

But now were home...

back to bieng a housewife!

I put on my favourite apron today. I felt super domestic. 

and the good news is

This kid is feeling a bit better today too!

still having that little dental problem... but we can get through it

one tickle at a time.  

xx - r

Weekenders and Tooth Watch 2013

What a fun weekend!

We took this little champ to a festival in downtown that the public library was holding 

It was a beautiful day outside.

We got to meet some new friends!

(whoever this guy is...)

We had a great story time...

and watched a puppet show! 

(he LOVED the puppet show)

Ignore the fact that we are the "Under Armour" family lol - Easy's onsie, dads shirt and hat, my hat... both of our socks. Awkward. 

There was an AWESOME food truck there too!

Even Easy got to try a fry.

It was a great break from the back to school/studying for the LSAT routine that has officially brought our summer to a close.

We also got a visit from Auntie Becca this weekend!

I love all my sisters, and hanging with Becks is one of my favourite things. 

Im glad she doesn't think im lame now that im a mom.   

I know I feel pretty lame sometimes...

Easy loves Auntie B,

He has right from the start!

He lights up whenever he sees her, its hilarious actually. 

We hope she comes again soon!

It was just the weekend I needed. 

Ive been in a bit of a rut lately, 

but am feeling much better now. Easy is back to sleeping through the night and is back to his cheerful self. 

Although he is definitely teething. 

Check out those rosy cheeks.

He had a fever just about 101F today.

Sniffy nose, drooly like a bull dog

You know the deal. 

lots of cuddles are in order the next couple days I think...

Tooth watch 2013 has begun!

xx - r

My journey to "Buff" and Weigh-In-...Friday?

I missed Weigh in Wednesday this week. 

I did it on purpose

Because, well

Im torn on wether I want to do it every week anymore. 

I currently weigh 148. 

I am 6 pounds away from the weight I was when I got pregnant with Easy. 

and about 18 pounds from my ideal weight

.

But lately, my ideas have changed about this new post baby bod I have.

Because of the restrictions of pumping breastmilk

I have had to really change the way I do things. 

I cant just cut it down to 1000 calories a day and do cardio until I puke anymore.

When I do that, my supply dips considerably... and duh, I know its not healthy. 

I have spent the last year, inadvertently rehabilitating my metabolism.

Before pregnancy, if I ate more than 800-1000 calories a day, I would gain weight

because thats how much I was used to eating.

Now I eat anywhere from 1500-3000 calories a day

And I'm losing weight slowly but surely. 

I have been lifting weights like mad

I have really liked feeling strong

(I can deadlift a measly 100 pounds... but I'm proud!)

I know that this muscle building also contributes to my lack of substantial weight loss. 

sometimes I step on the scale and feel angry 

frustrated that I haven't shown any improvement on that stupid electronic day-ruiner

I need to get better at looking in the mirror and saying, 

"Hey, I look guuuuud!!"

Im not just trying to look skinny anymore

I want to have a great butt

I want to have buff arms

and great legs!

I want to look great in clothes

and ahem, otherwise. 

I want to be able to carry this heavy butt around. 

So from my start at 158 in June

To 148 now

I feel like im LOOKING better. 

and not just 10 pounds better

but stronger better. 

This doesnt mean I'll stop posting about my weigh-ins..

I think they just might be a little further apart. 

I'll bring ya'll on my journey to "buff"

xx - r

Insomnia Anyone?

I was up at 430 this morning

pumping milk and making sandwiches for my husband to take to school

like it was my job! (um...)

I had so much energy!

Weird right?

yup...

my insomnia is back again.

I laid somewhere between asleep and awake all night.

I went to bed at 11, with the greatest intentions of a good night sleep. 

nope. 

The good news  Is that I'm not yet at the point in my insomnia cycle where I'm exhausted all the time

Where I have trouble functioning, and am perpetually between asleep and awake. 

Right now I'm just riding the high my body is feeding me. 

My house is spotless and my laundry is caught up. 

Ive gone to the gym and now look at me! I'm blogging!

.Sigh.

Ive had trouble sleeping since I can remember. 

I blogged about it back in 2008 HERE on my old blog. (its a pretty juicy blog if you want to surf my old boy troubles and my backpacking across S.A.) :)

Being a bad sleeper made adjusting to a brand new baby easier than I thought it would be

The first week or two flew by

Then I got blessed with a great sleeper.

I have to admit, it was frustrating this morning when Easy slept form 8pm to 8am and I didn't get to. 

People have insomnia for varied and personal reasons.

sometimes my brain wont shut down

sometimes my anxiety is taking over

sometimes I make lists, all night

sometimes I just feel like I have things to do and have to do them. NOW.

sometimes there is no reason that I know of.

Ive seen doctors and physiologists about it, and used to rely on some pretty serious sleeping pills to get me through these "bouts" of insomnia 

the bad bouts that can see me go a week or two on under 10 hours of sleep... 

no kidding. 

but breastfeeding and a bouncing baby boy wont allow that.

So I tough it out. 

I really don't mind having a super clean house anyways.

xx - r

Easy's Hair Journey and Pray For Poop.

I was thinking about Easy's hair today. 

When he was born, I was happy with the amount of hair he had. and so dark!

People commented on how much hair he had! I was proud!

I had endured months of heartburn for this

(so the old wives tale goes)

But as Easy got older... I noticed that his hair was getting a little um

Thin. 

Oh my goodness

my son was going bald!

After this picture, it went from bad to worse. 

He really did go pretty much bald. 

One day I thought it would be cute to brush his hair with one of those baby brushes...

I ran it over his head a few times and when I looked at it

It was covered in his hair!

I cried. no exaggeration. 

But after that I dealt with it... His, 4 or so long hairs were... kind of cute?

Then his hair started growing back.

But this time

Its blonde?!

Where in the heck does blonde hair come from?

oh well, 

I think its adorable. 

dont you?

In other news, Easy is sitting up! I need to be close by mind you

These pictures were taken between many tumbles

But hes a tough bugger.

Like his daddy :)

He seems to be feeling better after his shots

Were still dealing with some teething issues

(as we speak he hasn't pooped in almost 3 days... gross I know

but its a mommy blog, im entitled to talk about this crap - (real funny, Rach) - )

pray for poop!

xx - r