Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Trying to Catch a Break

So Malachi's tongue issues seem to be resolving nicely. He does not drool milk everywhere when he nurses on the left side or act like he is being water boarded when I have a letdown. His tongue is way more active and we see it so much more, which reminds me how much we didn't see it before. We are all very happy for him. Though we can't wonder why he is still so fussy all the time. I mentioned some behaviors to the lactation consultant and the craniosacral lady and then both suggested teething.

What the What? Teething at three months! The other kids were all 7 months or more before they started teething and then they just wanted some extra chew time and a couple weeks later they were done and  that was it. I suggested it was a tad early to be doing that and Kristina said some kids start the drooling and teething behavior long before the teeth are thinking about erupting. As in months before. So we might have three or four months of this? I suppose there is a first for everything. But why couldn't his have been first time for  something nice. Like, no morning sickness. Or first time a baby just fell out without any effort on my part. (I am still planning on writing up his birth story sometime when I can get a solid chunk of time to think not just hurriedly typed out because I have 15 min and am trying to finish my coffee too before he wakes up) Or first time a baby was born knowing that nighttime was for sleeping? Those would have been pretty good firsts.

This morning I actually got up early and woke Malachi up. I realize how stupid that sounds. You never wake a   sleeping baby, intentionally. I got up at 6:30,after getting to sleep sometime after midnight and a couple of mid-sleep feedings. I was still sleepy but I woke up when Shane got up, which has been gloriously late the past week made possible by carpooling with a co-worker. Normally he would leave at 6am, or earlier, to beat traffic and then return sometime between 6:30 and 7:00 in the evening.  As Malachi is still up until midnight, or generally, later, and Shane tries to keep us company some nights, the later wake up time is much appreciated. And it means I might have the opportunity to see Shane off some mornings. Though many mornings I go back to bed because Malachi will sleep another couple hours before his is ready to start his day.

But this morning, I thought it might help to get him on an earlier schedule, or at least attempt to. So far all it has done is make me really tired, tax my already feeble brain cells to the limit, and provide us with more fussy-pacing-drooly-finger time or stand up and bounce while nursing or else "I won't recognize that the thing you are trying to put in my mouth  is an approved device for transmitting sustenance. I am going to gag now" time.  And I had the bright idea to get the bigger kids up early too. If they are not all asleep by 10:00- that is early for us-I will go back to my old 'schedule' after cursing the sleeping gods, of course.  But I am really hoping it does work and I won't regret it.

I did regret it earlier when Shane asked me to send a package for him this morning. And I had to find a zip code while typing with one hand while Malachi slobbered on the other one and Kateri practiced her very lengthy repertoire of songs and I somehow hit the back button and had to start all over. I was exhausted before I even left the house. I decided I would not wait in line at the post office with a fussy baby and chose to take it to the closer UPS store. Then, when the baby got sleepy I further decided I would leave him at home and go quickly to mail the package. And pick up some teething toys to give our wrinkled fingers a break. And milk. because there is never just one errand. If you are going to make the effort to get out you might as well make it count.

So after Malachi was settled on the couch, and the kids were quietly doing school work- mostly because I  told them, in no uncertain terms, were they to make a single sound or do anything other than breathe while the baby slept, I grabbed Kateri and ran. Taking her was also strategic as it removed the 'accidental' looking at someone the wrong way or breathing their air which always results in a fight.

On the way I realized there had been two packages in the library and called Shane to make sure I needed to mail the box. Not the tube. I felt so empowered punching the call button on the handsfree speaker thing Shane got me for Christmas.

"Call Shane. Mobile."   I told it and feeling like I was on StarTrek.

"Calling Shane mobile" it repeated back.t

He didn't answer so I left a voice mail.

Seeing as I was getting close to the UPS store and assuming he was in a meeting and could not answer but could read a message, I came up with another plan. I commanded

"Text Shane Patton, mobile".

"Texting Shane Patton mobile. Say your message" it responded.

So I asked which box I was supposed to mail and off the message went. A second later the box announced,

"Message from Shane Patton mobile. You can say read it or ignore."

"Read it."

"grmph" came a grunty sound. "You may say repeat or I'm done."

"repeat" I said trying to listen more carefully.

"grmph" it said again.

I told it to  repeat  a couple more times before I gave up the idea of deciphering the meaning of the sound. Then another message came through as I pulled up so I picked up my phone and read  the transcription of our conversation. It went like this:

Me-Is roys package the one in the big on painkiller box or is it need to be in my life?

Shane-Huh?

Me-Tight. Making sure toys picture is in the long box not a cardboard tube.


I had the right package and got it mailed quickly, got the milk and teething toys, and got home just as Malachi was waking up. He didn't care much for the teethers, no matter how hard or often the kids tried to shove them between his gritted gums. So I picked him  up to nurse him and then he decided he would indeed like a chewy toy. Me. Now that is tongue is all sorted, his latch is that much stronger and that much harder to break in an emergency. Why did we have to go from funky leaky nursing to 'this is what feels good on my gums' nursing. Couldn't we have a little period of just normal peaceful bonding nursing? We will need some lessons in what is for eating and what is for chewing and I am praying that his sharp little teeth will stay underground a bit longer. Like until he is weaned.

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