Addy`s Bday - Train Ride

Happy 3rd birthday to Addison!  It was a super hot day.  We met everyone at Confederation park for lunch and then took a ride on the train.  There was lots of yummy, healthy food and butterfly cake.  Although we've been on the train before, the kiddies seemed to really enjoy it today...they wanted to go on the train over and over again.  It was scorching hot though and we were strapped for time (had to rush Josh home for his nap) but we'll be sure to go back some time.  Happy birthday!

Count Down to 2 Sessions a Day

The countdown begins - only 1 week left before I go back to work.  Kinda excited.  I mean, I`m actually going back to work.  Yay.  I actually get to SEE people.  And TALK to people.  Hmmm.  Feels a bit strange, not being in the office for an entire year.  And my brain is a little foggy, work stuff.  OH, and getting back into my work clothes... challenging.  But I`ll find something to wear.

However, priorities first.  Before I can go anywhere, I need to get my pumping sessions down to twice a day, before and after work.  But the spread between 8 hours to 12 hours is quite a stretch!  So I`ve arranged a schedule to spread out the sessions over a week.

Update - SUCCESS!  It did take an entire week to do it and I STILL got engorged with pain.  There were 3 nights when I woke up and my shirt was soaking wet, leaking milk all over.  The milk production has adjusted and I'm making less milk now.  Phewf.  Now I`m pumping every 12 hours with no discomfort.

Yes, I do feel a little bit bad, that I'm not continuing with the breast milk thing.  But I know that he's gotten 1 year of nutrition from me and the food we feed him will help him grow strong and tall.  I'll still give him whatever amount of milk I'm producing daily until I dry out.  The good part about all this - I'm still producing enough to cover all 3 bottles he's taking each day, in only 2 pumping sessions.

For historic records, here are the daily volumes of milk:
- 5 pumps - 45-50oz
- 4 pumps - 43oz
- 3 pumps - 39oz
- 2 pumps - 26oz
- 1 pump -

Josh - 11 Months (video)

Little Josh just turned 11 months and can now pull himself into a standing position to stand up.  He's recently started to show his true temper by either whining or throwing a crying fit whenever we put him somewhere he doesn't like inside the exersaucer/jumperoo or on the floor.  He crawls alot but prefers to walk around while holding onto our finger or wants to be carried.  He's still a little baby, isn't he?



He hasn't gained much weight as far as I can tell but he's eating a nice variety of foods.  He's eating a mixture of purees (organic purees that we buy), lots of blue berries and raspberries (mashed up) and a mixture of oatmeal cereal with prune juice.  We've been giving him alot of fibre foods due to his recent bout of "stone" poos.  (need to make sure he doesn't get constipated).

I remember long ago when Jasmine was a baby (what 6 years ago...) and she had the worst case of constipation.  It was so bad, that it took her over 2 hours of straining to get something out.  Painful crying and screaming and the look she gave me (her face was saying, help me mommy...).  I felt so bad for her.  So I'm determined never to let my kids get that way again.

Little Josh, you are growing up way too quickly.  Please be my baby for a little longer...

Ben's Birthday Party

The kiddies woke up extra early this morning, knowing that it'll be a super fun day.  We are celebrating Benjamin's 4th birthday today at Crash Crawlies.  We've heard about this place but have never been there before.  Boy, did the girls have a fun time (me included!).  

Crash Crawlies is this massive kids playground, about 4 floors high.  There are internal slides, that twirl around, going from the top floor to the very bottom, as well as a train ride and games that the kids can pay to play.  It was great.  They loved it.  It was so fun, that we decided to change Josh's birthday party venue to this place.

Due to the size of this play structure and me carrying Josh in the Ergo, I didn't even bother trying to get pics of the kids.  By the end of the party, the girls clothes were soaking wet from sweat.  

Food was served at the end of the party and K made these really neat looking cupcakes.  Hero cupcakes, very cool.  Thanks Ben for having us.  Please invite us again next year!!!

Almost Back to Work - 3 Pump Sessions a Day

So... it looks like I`m going back to work in 2 weeks!  And I'm moving down to 3 pumping sessions a day (6am, 2pm, 10pm).  Yay, to more free time.

Feeling kinda sad and guilty.  I want to stop but I don't want to.  I also want to stay home, just a bit longer, but I want to go back to work.  Sheesh.  Woman - MAKE UP YOUR MIND!

My hormones are flowing crazy nowadays.  I`m flipping back and forth, nervous, happy, worried and excited all at the same time.  Can`t stop worrying how the inlaws will handle all 3 kids at once.  Will Josh eat or drink anything?  Have to train them ahead of time.

For milk, at 3 pumps a day, I am still producing a ton of milk.  I shoulda done this a long time ago...

Dairy Allergy

As suspected, Josh is allergic to dairy foods.  We gave him a teensy bit of cheese one day and he got hives immediately.  I almost called 9-1-1 because he was getting all these spots on his face and it looked like it was getting worse and worse by the minute.  Luckily it went away in an hours time.

Then I tried some oatmeal cereal with blueberry and yogurt.  I totally didn't even think about the milk aspect in the cereal.  Josh ate it up so fast (must taste really good) and within a minute, his face blew up with hives once again.  I called 8-1-1 this time, the nurse's line.  They actually recommended I go to the emergency right away.  But as I cleaned him up and got ready to head out, his face started to calm down.  His hives went away after an hours time.  

So scary.  I guess I really have to watch for dairy in his foods now.  Poor Josh.  

Weaning From the Pump - Decreasing sessions to 4PPD

Time really creeped up on me.  Out of the blue, I suddenly realized that I will be heading back to work in less than 4 weeks!  Doh, that's right - 4 weeks.  And I am still pumping 5 times a day with a full supply, where Josh is inhaling over 30 ounces of breast milk each day and I was storing 2 bags of milk/day.  I gotta stop!  Well, at least decrease the number of times I pump.

As of today, I'll pump only 4 times/day:  5am, 10:30am, 4:30pm and 10:30pm.  This should free up some time and allow me to hang out with poor Jasmine, whose summer school got cancelled and is stuck at home bored all day long.  I'm expecting some pain and engorgement for the first few days so this will be fun (not).  I can't imagine doing it cold turkey...

Emotionally...I'm a mess.  I actually don't want to stop.  Not quite sure why.  Maybe because I feel like Josh is so dependent on my milk still?  He's not eating alot of solids at this point. What if he doesn't drink homo milk or formula?  Then what's he going to eat?

Health Update - New Doctor

We visited the new doctor`s office today at South Hill Health Center.  All four of us are now accepted as patients there....Phewf.  For a couple of months, we were doctor-less.  Now if only our charts would show up soon, so that we can pass all the info onto our new doctor.

Josh got a thumbs-up for being healthy although he is being referred to a prediatrician for his eating and gagging issues.  He just keeps on throwing up.  As for Jas and Julia, both of them had their height and weight checked.  Both will be referred to an allergist to have their peanut allergy tested again.  

Here are their stats:

Jas:

Height - 120cm (47 inches) - 60%

Weight - 21kg (46 lbs) - 50%

Julia:

Height - 107cm (42 inches) - 60%

Weight -17kg (37 lbs) - 50%

Josh:

Weight - 9.65kg (21 lbs 3oz) - 60%

(since it`s just a wellness check, they didn`t check his height).  The next check up will be at 12 months, when he gets another set of shots.