A Day in the Life of Mac

My little pup Mac is really not a puppy, but that's what we call her.  She is a 6 year old puppy. Most of the time however she is a really laid back dog who likes to sleep.

So this is a typical day in the life of Mac when I am working from home.

Started the morning out on the futon in our living room

Then moved to the sun room - it's hotter than can be in there, and I had to kick her out to shut the room off.

One of her favorite spots is the recliner

clearly her favorite spot

This is her 2nd favorite spot. Jager's old large bed in the office

and anytime in the sun.

Must be nice to be a dog...just lay around the house and sleep! Oh my dreams!

Blog Look

Sorry for all the changes, I have been working on trying to find the best blog look - and most of you know that I just am indesive when it comes to graphics, and I like change.But thanks to a great designer on IVillage I have an awesome new header!!

Wordless Wednesday

Playing Cards with Great Grandpa Meyer

Doctors

Followers of my blog know that since Peanut was born we have been to a lot of doctors. When she was two weeks old we had to bring her to a cardiologist because she had a heart murmur. Then it was a bunch of pediatrician visits and lactation consultant visits because of her eating, or lack there of - since she would scream every time she ate. In January we started the doctor visits for her ear infections. 5 weeks of antibiotics and visits. We also at that time started going to the Chiropractor. Our chiropractor was great, but she is now on maternity leave.

So when this last round of ear infections happened, we decided to try a new chiropractor and made an appt with the ENT to have Gabby evaluated.We have gone to 3 visits thus far and I have to say that this past one really turned me off. Last Friday Gabby was sent home from daycare with a 103.5 fever. so pretty close to the danger zone of when you have to bring your kid to the ER. So I called the doctor and in we went. We met with one of the other pediatricians (not Gabby's regular doc), she suggested another round of antibiotics. So we did that. We also decided to keep the chiro appointments. After having that high of a fever it freaked me out. At the doctors appointment they did do a strep test and also a blood test to see if it was viral or not to see check where the source of the fever was coming from. But since it went away a day after the antibiotics, she said that it was from the ear infections.

So today we went to the ENT and met with Dr. Rhodes. He looked at Gabby and said that since she is having the history of these, that summer most likely will not help with her ears. If she was 2 or 3 he said it might, but since she is so little he didn't want to chance hurting her hearing. Since if she has trouble hearing she might have trouble with her language development. She is talking a ton, so I don't think it's a problem but if she has more ear infections it might be and I don't want to chance that.

We went to the chiropractor appointment and I have to say that I have never felt more judged as a parent for my decision. It's a small shop, newly opened and there are two chiropractors, an intern and an receptionist. I was the only person in there, so I was talking to all four of them about how she was doing while I was filling out a form (which makes no sense when you are filling it out for an infant). and I said well she is having to have tubes put in. and the Chiro goes "does she HAVE to have tubes put in" and I said well I suppose she doesn't have to. The receptionist then says "So what are you going to do?" And I said well we are going to have them put in. the look on her face was like "OH MY GOD what are you doing to your child, how could do you do that to her."

So this totally put me off, I wanted to walk out right there, but wanted to hear what she had to say. While she was adjusting Gabby she proceeded to tell me that she can't tell me what to do (although her judgement in the waiting area was pretty much telling me what to do) and she can only tell me what she would do as a parent.She said that we are just getting started (although we have been going to the chiro since February), and that we have so much more to work through with her.

I wanted to say to her, well you aren't the one getting up with her every 2 to 3 hours because she can't sleep at night, you aren't the one taking off of work all the time and having to work at night because you have all these doctors appointments to go to, you aren't the one seeing your baby girl in pain at night because she can't sleep except on you and you aren't the one that is the mom, so no you can't tell me what to do and what I am choosing to do to help my little cuddlebug is have a 15 minute procedure done because the natural stuff right now is not working. maybe it will be in the future, but it's not working now.

At this rate I will be taking her back to Hopkins Health and Wellness to the chiro's there and skipping this new place...every other month or so to help her with her alignment, but not going two times a week to help with her ear infections.

This is our right as parents to do what we feel is right and I don't think that it's the right of doctors to judge parents. I could see if it was something that was totally endangering her health, like if she had a life threatening illness or something and I was choosing not to do the treatment, but for this I think she should have backed off a bit.

9 Month Photo Shoot Part 2

Here is the other photo shoot we had on Sunday.

This is the only one you are going to get mom!

I am coming for you!

Oh wait, is that the puppy over there?

Ohh I think I am going to come to you instead.

Okay maybe I will let you get another cute one.

play time!

Love you MOM!

9 Month Photo Shoot Part 1

Two things I have learned with this 9 month photo shoot.
1. It's really hard to get her to look at the camera
2. It's really hard to get her to stay in one place now that she is mobile....at least with one person.

Duluth Trip

Mike and I took a trip up to Duluth and Two Harbors with the little one. We had a super fun time...

Here are a few pictures from our trip

Being silly on the car ride up

Really mom? aren't we there yet

Family photo by the upper falls at Gooseberry Falls

Upper Falls

Lunch Time

So tired....

Look at me in my new pack n play at the hotel!

Playing with daddy's hat

Dad, wake up!

Morning stroll along the lake

Chilling on the lake

Swim Time

Parenting

I have realized over the past 9 months how hard parenting really is and how many awesome ways we choose to parent. So in keeping with the Mom Pledge I thank all of you patents out there. And I want to call some of you out specifically.

My in Real Life Friends:
Cheri- you have been a true inspiration for me. I strive to be the kind of parent you and D are to your 2 soon to be 3 little ones. Thank you. I know when gabby starts to get into trouble you will laugh and be there to support us.

Leah- you are a truly great SIL. I honestly don't know how you and B made it through with all your sleepless nights. I truly understand now.

Alicia- we share a lot of the same views in parenting. It's awesome to see you with L. You are an amazing mom

Sara- you are also a true inspiration. To be battling cancer and being pregnant. Your girls are so lucky to have you on their lives.

My Waiting to Try Grad Friends:

Christine - Thank you so much for all the emails and advice and just listening to me vent. I know if we lived closer you and I would be great friends. You have been great support for me to continue nursing.

Ella- You are another mom that truly inspires me to be the best mom I can be. Thanks for all the advice on BLW and for being the support for me to continue nursing as well!

Ash- Thanks for all the advice over the years. You are a great mom and T is going to be a wonderful young man.

Alyssa- I have loved following your blog and seeing E grow. You inspired me to keep pumping even though I despise it. If you can exclusively pump for as long as you did then I can pump my 3 times a day. Thank you!!


Ruby- another great friend who is a wonderful mom. Thank you for sharing your experience.

Kate- I love your perspective on things. And all the advice you have given me over the years. Turkey and Monkey are so lucky you are their mom.

Adrienne - You are an amazing mom to J and I just love how you are trying to provide him with the healthiest diet possible. I applaud you for giving up all that stuff to figure out what he was allergic too. I don't have that much will power. way to go Mama!

My August Sweet Pea Friends:
Jennifer- you are a true creative inspiration. I am amazed at all you do. You have been a dream to get to know.

Berta- your passion about carseats and the knowledge you have taught me I will never forget. You have changed my life and view on things for the better and for that I thank you.

Sarah- you and I share a lot of the same views on parenting. And it's nice so nice to have a veteran parent to lean on. Thank you for being there for me.

Jenna- thank you for your most recent advice on sleep!! And for not judging me. You are a wonderful mom!!


Karen - You are truly inspirational as well, how you raise M alone and provide him with the best life is amazing to me! I know I couldn't do it.


I know there are so many more of you out there that I haven't specifically called out but you are all great mom's and parents! and I truly thank each and every one of you for being in my life.

9 Months

9 Months
Height:

28.25 inches

Weight

18lbs 5oz

Clothing Size

9 to 12 months in Pants
12 to 18 months in sleepers and onesies
9 to 12 months in shirts

Diaper Size

Up and Up & Babies R Us Size 3

Feeding

15 to 20oz of BreastMilk a day at daycare
You nurse about 4 or 5 times at night.
Purees, Puffs, Yogurt and Cereal at Daycare

Whatever Mom & Dad are eating at night.
Bedtime/Wakeup Times

 Bedtime: anywhere from 6:30pm to 8:00pm
Wakeup Time: usually around 10:30pm, Midnight, 3:30am and 6:30am for the day
Naptimes: 9am and 12pm

9 Month Milestones

* You started clapping more and more when we sing songs. You love to clap when mommy sings :)

* You started scooting backwards right around the start of your 8 month birthday. Your engine just wasn't going forward.

* You started pulling yourself up on things, your pack n play, and your crib.

*You started CRAWLING! Yep that's right one day before your 9 month birthday your little engine decided it was time to move forward.

Dear Cuddlebug -
You have come so far this month. It's amazing how fast you are growing and how far you have come just in the last month.

* You moved to the older infant room at daycare. You miss Miss Erika, but are loving Miss Alma and Miss Virgina.

* You helped Mama with the Rainie's Bug garage sale and we had our own breast cancer walk.

*You got pink eye for the first time and another double ear infection. That again isn't going away. Mama is sending you to the chiropractor to try to help get rid of them instead of antibiotics

I have been nursing you for the past 9 months and it's been the best and most amazing 9 months of my life. I love the fact that you play with my hair when you are tired and are cuddling with me. You are going through a bit of tough time with ear infections and sleeping but mama doesn't mind getting up with you in the middle of the night. It's our special time together, just you and I, cuddling, feeding and bonding together. I wouldn't trade it for the world!

I love you more than life itself and you make me smile every time I see you!!

Love you to the moon and back!
Mama

My Poor Furkid

This was supposed to post on Thursday, not sure why it didn't. :(

I know that I mostly post about my little cuddle bug, but Mike and I have another member of our family that means a lot to us. Mac. She is 6 years old and is my cute little puppy. We have had our moments with her and sickness or her getting into trouble:

Mac at 7 weeks old

* Trip to the emergency vet because she got into a 1lb bag of M&M's.
* Trip to the vet because she had a blockage of too much grass
* Getting into chocolate and food too often.
* Getting her teeth cleaned twice & needed to have teeth removed.

The latest was having 3 fractured teeth removed last Thursday. We thought it was one, but it ended up being 3, the poor thing. She was hurting pretty bad after it, but seemed to be doing well. She also had to be put on a de-wormer because of some parasite she picked up. Well on Sunday (Mother's day) she started to throw up. it wasnt' after food, it was just randomly in the middle of the afternoon. we have no idea if she got into anything. She threw up once and then she was fine until 1am. She then threw up again, was restless and threw up at 3 and 5. Again she was fine until later in the afternoon. Again at 3:00pm she threw up. We called the vet and they told us to hold off on food until Tuesday morning. So we did that. At 7:30pm Monday night she threw up a pinkish foam, and it freaked me out. Mike was at work and I was praying the vet was still open. to my luck it was, so Dr. Sven told us to bring her in. So I pack up the dog, and I pack up the sleeping baby and at 7:45 at night I trudge off to the vet to see what's wrong with my little fur kid.

After x-rays we found out there is no blockage. She lost about 1lb though within 4 days. They ended up giving her fluids under her skin, it looked like she had a hunch back and an ant-nausea pill. So far we are doing better, she has not thrown up since then. She is resting now, her GI system is not back to normal yet, but that could be from the canned food. So hopefully she will feel better soon!

Wordless Wednesday

My not so happy baby....

Happy Mother's Day

This post is a few days late, but better late than never. I had a great mother's day weekend! There were a few things that I hadn't planned for, but I just went with it.  Friday night Mike surprised me with his gift - it was a fun creative art project for all of us to do. He took four plain canvas prints and we painted them black and then on Saturday we each (Mike, Gabby, Mac and myself) picked a color and put our hand (and paw prints) on them. We are going to hang them in our new loft when we get that this summer.

Friday night was a rough night for sleeping with Gabby. I should have realized something was up (see below) but I figured it was just her teeth. She was up every few hours and up at 4:30. We went to my Aunt Kelley's to spend some time with her family and my other Aunt, and Cindy's 3 kids. Ali my cousin is 7 days younger than Gabby! So fun to see them play together. It was a wonderful day. The sun was out, it was nice weather and the kids played great together. Gabby had a bit of a runny nose and some gunk in her eyes, but I thought it was just a cold.

Gabby and my cousin Ali

Gabby and her dad made me a wonderful wonderful Mother's Day card. It was so sweet, it made me cry!! He let her color on it and everything.

Gabby took a late nap on the way home from Aunt Kelley's house and we had a pretty good night. She went down well, but she just didn't stay down very long. We were up every few hours and then again at 4:30 am she was up. I decided at that point not to go on the walk. I didn't want her to get any sicker and I was afraid what she had was pink eye and didn't want to get people sick. So we went to MOA to drop off the shirts and the wrist bands for the rest of the team. I was super bummed we couldn't go as it was the first time I missed the walk in 7 years, but as long as I was spending Mother's day with my little one that's all that mattered. The girls took a ton of photos and I was still included in the group photo. Gabby and I went on our own little walk around the neighborhood later in the afternoon.

Later on Sunday the IL's came over, the whole gang. Alyssa and Gabby had fun playing together. My niece is getting so big! I can't believe how big she is getting. she is learning so much!!


Sunday was another tough night (the dog got sick - see an upcoming post). The baby wasn't sleeping and the gunk in her eyes was getting worse. We had to keep her home from daycare on Monday. I ended up taking her into the doctor's and sure enough the poor thing had a double ear infection and pink eye. So she is on an oral antibiotic for 10 days that should take care of both!

All in all it was a great time, I got to spend it with my family and that's truly what mattered.