Clogged

I have a plugged duct. I know how to get my plugged drain to get going, and actually, this has been kind of similar and I think I'm on my way to working it out (I have an emergency supply of antibiotics courtesy of me begging my doctor yesterday to give them to me before a foot of snow falls today, juuuust in case I spike a fever and develop mastitis). Except I've experienced a sudden drop in my supply--from both breasts, even though the plug is only in one. When I pump in the evening (so that S. could share in feeding Max by giving him a bottle of expressed milk), I was getting upwards of 9 oz. This was just two days ago. In the last two days, I've put out far, far less--maybe, maybe 2 oz. per side. What gives? Is it the duct? I have been feeding him more often to unclog things and move them along. Another change--the long sleep stretches. If my supply is "evening out," this is not a good place to be at.

Any BFing advice, oh wise internets?

Just when I thought everything was going awesome with breastfeeding. I should have known better. Erg.

Five Weeks plus

I can't believe how big he's getting. I guess that's what happens.

Stuck in a sling

It's not so bad in here after all!

Chillaxin'

Sleep, glorious sleep.

We have been doing something that the Consumer Product Safety Commission would surely say is a huge no-no and recall us as parents immediately if they saw. We put one of those vibrating chair-type things into the co-sleeper for Max to sleep in. It's inclined ever-so slightly, enough that we had hoped his rasping, gasping breathing would cease. The breathing sort of-kind of eased, but more importantly, the kid slept. He slept for four blissful hours in a row. The next night? Nearly five hours. Due to negligent parenting, he only slept for about 3 1/2 hours straight through last night (late bed time--bad mommies), but still--do you know what a difference this has made in my life? S. is finally sleeping through the night without waking up to Max every 1 1/2-2 hours and me getting in and out of bed. I feel vaguely human come morningtime. Oh, yes. Sleep, glorious sleep.

Now, I know that since we've hit the 5-week mark, this could all just be part of Max's maturation from newborn to infant. But hey--I'll take it.

If only my boobs would be as happy about the long stretches as we are.

So--no big update, as he's still not sleeping awesomely, but it seems that Max sleeps better and more quietly when he's on his side. I've been wedging him sideways, swaddled, with blankets to keep him on his side (but not push him too far over that he falls on his face). This seems to be working. Our ped. actually suggested putting him on his stomach (!) but that thought seriously freaks me out. So, side sleeping it is. I did make a discovery today that may or may not have been contributing to the random bouts of daytime crying--an eyelash in his eye. Poor kiddo! Everyone knows how aggravating it is to have any foreign object in one's eye, but at least we have the ability to shove a finger in our eye and scoop it up. As you can imagine, Max is not so partial to this approach, so I squirted him down with sterile tears in hopes of flushing it out. It's either crept back into his lower eyelid or gone away--let's hope it's the latter.

I hope I don't sound like an awful heel. We love this boy and his multiple chins and wet diapers. Even if he does sound like a pterodactyl when he cries.

No sleep 'til...

This baby doesn't sleep, and when he does, his breathing is so loud and scary that neither of us sleep. Our ped. thinks his trachia-flap (I do NOT like to think about a baby's trachia flap) of cartilage isn't fully formed yet, so it keeps "flapping" and restricting his airwaves when he's sleeping on his back. No bigs, she says. It will firm up on its own eventually. That kind of seems like a big deal to me! Besides, I don't think that's actually his problem. I'm not really sure what it is, but his shrieking breathing is freaking us all out to the point of insomnia.

Also, he cries. Oh, he cries, cries, cries. Why? Who knows. Whatever happened to that sweet, mellow baby we brought back from the hospital? I'd like him back, please.

Oh man, we're tired.

What are you doing New Years?

I apologize for the silence around here. There's this little baby who won't let go of my boobs, making typing with two hands incredibly difficult. There's also this little baby who doesn't sleep for more than two to three hours at a time, leaving his Mama in a semi-daze most of her waking hours. All I wanted for Christmas? To sleep for more than three consecutive hours, which hasn't happened since December 1st. Ah well. 2011 is here and we know that sleep deprivation is only temporary. This year will be the year that I sleep again!

But I love the promise of a new year, with growing bodies and brains (the boys', clearly not mine) in the house. We spent New Year's Eve at First Night Northampton, which started at noon and was filled with kid-friendly activities. Max slept happily in the Moby all day while Theo mostly enjoyed the various shows and performers we saw. We ended the evening with an early sushi dinner, fireworks, and the best ice cream ever. We were home by 7:30. I guess that's how you do New Year's Eve with two kids under the age of 3. But you know what? I don't care how lame it seems. We had a great day. Who wouldn't with these two around?

Happy New Year, everyone.

Check out that double chin action. Oh yeah.

A rare moment of staying still. My handsome, happy smiling boy.