First Outing

Today was my first outing alone with all three boys. I've been "out" a few times but it's been to church or the doctor (Walmart once) and I've always had someone else drive me. 

Today was the day. I was going out alone. We were going to register Ezra for Primary School and then to Costco. Two destinations. I was feeling ambitious. 

Philip is hungry. Ezra has tummy pain (so so bad) and Silas refused to brush his teeth. Okay. We can do this. 

After we were finally all ready, we step outside and it's slushy. Nasty slush. I figure, we're not walking around outside we'll be fine in our shoes. Too much work to go back now. 

We are not fine. We get soaked. As soon as we stepped out of the car at the school, both walking boys had water half way up their knees. Puddles. Nasty puddles. And it was cold, slush water. 

We go to the school. Doors are locked. How do we get in? No idea. Try another door. Also locked. Someone comes along behind us and rings a doorbell. So we wait. Then we sneak in with them. As sneaky as you can be while toting the majority of your family with you. 

Okay, register for school. Easy, quick, done. Yes! We are finally showing some success. Boys are very well behaved and Philip sleeps the whole time. Yes! 

I decide to run home for new socks and rain boots for everyone. We are very uncomfortable and the school is close. So we park in the driveway and I run in. Grab the necessary clothing and come back. Now the boys are hungry. So I go in to grab them a snack. Now I forgot my grocery bags. I go in a grab them. Are we finally ready? Yes. Let's go. Silas thinks we are driving our fire truck van to a fire. Ezra argues, "No Silas we are going to Costco!" This makes Silas cry. We are off. He'll be fine. 

Drive down the road. Police paddy wagon is following me. No problem, I drive fine, obey the law, no problem. Police van turns lights on. Hmm wonder where he's headed? I pull over. He pulls over. Oh no! He's pulling ME over! I've never been pulled over! I've had my license for ten years and I've never had a problem. Oh no. I am panicking. My kids are asking questions. Policeman comes to the window. 

Constable so-and-so is friendly. I have expired plates. What?!?!? How can that be? I hand over my license and insurance and he goes back go his police mobile. 

He comes back. Wrong insurance card. It's for our old van. I look for another one. He chats with me about my children. He is surprised I've got three. I have no other insurance card. I am screwed. He leaves again. 

"Why that police man talking to you mommy? What that police man sayin mommy? Why we parked over here mommy?" Says one child. 

"Are you getting a ticket mom? Why did he need to take your license? What's happening now?" Says the other. 

He comes back. I have no proof of insurance. I am an ignorant woman who's husband takes care of car stuff and I don't worry about it. "I am certain there's a misunderstanding or mistake" I say, "There has to be". 

Constable so-and-so let's me go. He says to fix it today or else. He says someone else would have given me a ticket. He says have a nice day. 

I will sir. I will now, anyway. What. A. Blessing. Wow. 

Whew. Relief. Trembling hands call my husband. He is shocked and will figure it out. It'll be okay. 

Do I still go to Costco? We need food. We are already half way there. I decide if I haven't been pulled over in ten years it won't likely happen again twice in 30 mins. I go to Costco. 

Costco is fine. We are fine. I accidentally start my car while walking away, almost lose my Costco card, toddler has a tantrum about "No I want to WALK not ride in CART!" and I buy some comfort food. 

We go home. Rob calls. Insurance is figured out. They never sent us a new sticker. We were covered just couldn't prove it. We get an email for a new glove box card and Rob will pick up a sticker today. It's fixed. It's not our fault. Yes. 

Groceries get put away. Children are fed. Wet pants are changed. 

It's nap time. Boy do we all need it. Ezra gets diarrhea. Oh that's why his tummy hurt earlier. Clean some clothes, change my boy. 

This will get easier, right? 

Some good and not so good news

Here's the bad news: Last Friday I said Philip has a four hour stretch at night. The night before I wrote that was the last one he's had. 

We spent a month trying to get him to wake up enough to eat. And now? Philip will not sleep unless he's being held. Even at night. I get maybe an hour. 

The good news is he will finally take the soother consistently. Not sure why I spent weeks trying to get my kid addicted to something I hate the principle of but it sure gives me a break when he wants to suckle for hours. 

The other good news is he hasn't needed much from the bottle lately either. He's taking maybe 2-3oz per day. Yessss. I am winning the feeding. Except he nurses every 2-3 hours day and night now. Oh well, such is life. 

Oh one more bad news: I think I got mastitis when I quit pumping. And it's HORRENDOUS. 

I should end on good news...Philip's still growing! Yay!

Lego Movie

It was high time for a date with Dad. So they went to see the Lego movie! It was Silas's first movie in the theatre, and Rob's first movie with his boys. 

Love, love, love. 

One month!

Philip is one month old today! My how time has flown. He weighed 6lb 2oz at the pediatrician's office yesterday. He is doing much better with nursing but we still use the nipple shield about 60% of the time. He takes about 8oz daily from the bottle. Philip's been eating every 2-3 hours in the day and goes one 4 hour stretch at night. Often he clusted feeds in the evening eating almost constantly from 6pm-10pm. I go to bed whenever Philip's last feed is around 10 and Rob has been staying up until midnight to give him a bottle. Then Philip sleeps until 4am. I get up with Philip then as often as he needs me until Rob gets up with the big boys at 7am. That way Rob and I each get at least 6 hours which is amazing. 

Philip has a few periods of alertness that each last about 30-45 mins. His eyes are a clear blue and he is beginning to look and focus on our faces. He is also the first of my babies to take a soother. 

The big boys still love their brother ("so so much" as Silas says) but have trouble with mom being unavailable sometimes. Also, because I've been unable to drive the lot of us are getting cabin fever. We've had a few visitors and gone to church and the doctor of course but it's not our usual. Soon that will change and I will have to figure out how to get out the door with three boys! 

Here he is at 1 month! 

The Blog Book

It came! It came! It came! So exciting! 

It is 379 pages. A textbook of our family's last five years of history. It is beautiful. 

Only thing: they added the default dedication instead of the one I wanted in. Not the end of the world but slightly disappointing. It was supposed to say, "To My Family, for whom I wrote so many words." Instead it says, "For Bloggers Everywhere." Lame.

Here it is! 

Check up time!

All three of our boys are healthy as can be right now (although the older two had fevers last week) and today we had our yearly check ups. 

Ezra- weighs 36.6lbs and measures 111cm. He is 16th percentile for weight and 30th for height. He had a vaccination today and while he was quite nervous going in, he was very brave and did awesome. He's been praying about his needle since we told him last week he was going to have one. 

Silas- weighs 30lbs and measured 101cm. The percentiles on that are 30th and 90th. Looks like we may have a tall one! 

Philip weighed his "birth weight"- 2.64kgs (5lb, 13oz). 

Pediatrician Appointment

Today Philip saw a Pediatrician for his lack of weight gain. She was very encouraging and not even sort of worried about Philip. She wants me to listen to my instincts about mothering my baby- and I haven't felt free to do that yet. 

The doctor today said thinks people get too caught up with the numbers and they stop paying attention to overall health. Philip is healthy. He eats and produces enough waste. 

I also learned something interesting about scheduled cesarean birth: when a woman doesn't have any labour, and she's been pumped full of IV fluids, the babies weigh more. She said Philip's 5lb 13oz was a false weight; he had several ounces of fluid added to his real weight. The pediatrician said she estimated his weight to be closer to 5lb 4oz and therefore he is back up to birth weight and beyond. 

She is also counting his age from his due date (January 31) so he is one week old in her books. This is how advanced he is in regards to things like nursing. So very good for me to know. 

So now we are breast feeding on demand for approximately 20 minutes each time and offering a bottle of pumped breast milk immediately after each feed to see how full he gets at the breast. 

And our whole house can take a big breath and relax. 

And smile. 

The Battle at the Breast

Philip is not a good eater. We think he sucked on his tongue in utero, and he has a tiny mouth. Also, he was born at 37 weeks and learning to feed is more of a challenge for babies born early. Mostly because they have "sleepy baby syndrome"; they don't know how to wake themselves up to eat. 

I loved breast feeding Ezra and Silas. Some people hate it, others are indifferent, and some are crazy about it. Me? Loved it. I wasn't crazy about it- not like I wanted to nurse forever or got all emotional about it or anything. Just found it enjoyable and a very loving experience for both of us. This time around? Frustrating and exhausting. I'm not feeling a lot of love. Just giving it tons. 

Philip lost a lot of weight in the days after his birth. He went from 5/13 down to 5/1.5. We had to stay in the hospital an extra day because he hadn't started gaining yet. When they discharged us, he was 5/4. 

I require the use of a breast shield in order for him to latch properly. I have also been pumping several ounces a day to either bottle feed him or freeze for later. Rob and I have been feeding him every 2 hours to make sure he starts gaining. At three weeks old he is still not up to birth weight (almost! 5/12) but at least he is going the right direction. If he slows his growth at all, we will add formula to the mix. 

We kept track of his feeds for four days to make sure he was getting enough and we fed him 37 out of 96 hours. 

That's 40% of the day. 

We are tired. 

BUT. It seems to be going better. The older Philip gets, the more alert he becomes and the more he wakes himself. He also seems to be a bit more efficient at nursing and the bottle, which is relieving. 

We have two-a-week doctor appointments for the foreseeable future and have been referred to a pediatrician. My doctor has been very encouraging and helpful these last few weeks. 

I am confident he will grow and be just fine. But it sure has been a battle so far. Soon we will turn a corner. I can feel it. 

Maybe I will learn to love breast feeding again someday too. 

Ezra Turns 5!

Ezra's Birthday Party

On Saturday we had a Superhero party for Ezra. I sadly didn't get any photos of the mask craft or the "Spiderman-sprays-the-hero" game with silly string (I was nursing Philip) but I got some of him opening gifts and a friend took one of him and I after we sang the birthday song. It was chaos and crazy like every kids party should be. He requested hotdogs for lunch, apple pie and gumdrop cake (an Alan and Larisa specialty) for his birthday dessert. Fun times had by all!

Gift Opening

New Marble Game

The New Scooter!

Cake AND pie!