Off To Work He Goes

see? i do have a neck!

Well, we've come to the end of Ryan's initial paternity leave. He'll take two months starting in February when I return to work but that doesn't help me NOW. I'm about to be home alone (during the day) with two little boys ALL BY MYSELF for about 8 weeks (until Arthur goes back to school). This strikes terror in the heart of Mama. How is this going to work?! Will we ever get out of the house? Will we find a way to get everyone fed at the appropriate times? Will we still get naps (gulp, including me, please?!)? Will Ryan come home to a bald wife, a toddler finger painting on the wall with his own feces & an infant squealing & covered in spit up?! Eeek! I'm so nervous!

If you are around in the next two weeks, during the day, Monday-Friday & want to help this mama keep her sanity, please email or call me. Let's rescue each other.

So what HAVE we done with our two weeks together, as a new family of four? 

Day 1: had a baby

Day 2: we're lovingly cared for at the hospital. Everything smelled of roses

Day 3: we wrapped up at the hospital & were sent home. Suddenly the bathroom was further away, there were no nurses checking on us, & room service meals ended. Unky Sean visited & the Strauhulls brought us a tasty dinner

Day 4: big trip to the pediatrician. Chester threw up, pooped, & peed at the horror of being stripped & weighed. Our incredible neighbors brought us thai food for dinner. I passed a blood clot the size of an egg & flipped out about until the nurses assured me over the phone that it was fine. Oh yeah, we also made a trip to the DEQ.

Day 5: my milk came in that morning. Just in time, we went to my lactation appointment & collected lots of tips & tricks for engorgement discomfort & sore nipples. Again, Chester pooped after being undressed for the scale, on me. Then Rebecca, her daughter Anna, & her mother Susan visited. 

After that my family from Arizona, straight from a trip to Sunriver came over to see the house, & bring us a generous gift card & a train that Arthur is still obsessed with.

Day 6: we went to the park to play in the morning. 

Then my sister, Aunt Bibby, visited from Corvallis. My grandma, GG Do got to meet & hold Chester for the first time. We also called my mom & Matt, Nana & Bumpa, on FaceTime.

two sisters & two brothers

 Day 7: Monday we took naps SIMULTANEOUSLY. Arthur pooped in the potty for the second time. That's all I remember from this day. It's all a blur.

Day 8: we started the day with newborn photos with Aniko Productions- I can't wait to see them but for now here's a sneak peek!

Then I took Chester out by myself to my follow up lactation appointment. We discovered lots of things including the fact that he'd gotten back to his birth weight plus 3 oz & was getting a lot of milk. We walked off with a brand new pump too! Then we visited Helen Gordon CDC to see all of Arthur's friends & his fave teacher, Marie. He was excited to tell all of them "I hava baby, I hava baby!" then went right over to the trains... 

And that evening our neighbors brought us dinner AGAIN! Then Arthur took his little balance bike for a spin in the cul-de-sac

Day 9: Polly, Grammy, brought her mom, great grandmother Pat over to meet Chester. 

And that afternoon Sarah & little Max came over. 

Day 10: we loaded up the crew & went to the south water front. There we hopped on the aerial tram! Arthur has been with his school a few times before but neither Ryan or I have so it was fun for A.C. To be in the know. 

We rode it up...

wandered around, had a snack,

& played in the little kid-friendly courtyard

firetruck!!

before heading back down again.

That afternoon, my cousins came to meet little chestnut.

Day 11: we visited OMSI (a nice mom & her boys picked is to be their "guests" & got us in for free!) where Arthur explored happily until he forgot he was in underwear & peed on the floor. I wore Chester in the infant Hug hold with the Moby, even nursing him as we walked around! 

That evening Opa & GG brought us donuts & let Arthur drive the car

Day 12: I took Chester to Margot's baby shower... We're still trying to find a balance in my milk production a week out from my milk coming in. So much for trying to look presentable...

& Ryan took Arthur to a ride-on-sized train festival called the Great Oregon Steam-Up

Grammy & grandad brought us dinner that night & visited a bit.

Day 13: we joined our neighbors in celebrating the twin's 5th bday with a pool party at Wilson pool. 

multitasking

That evening  Mel, Paul & little Oliver came for a visit. 

Day 14: we went to the grocery store, did some laundry, & got ready for the week. Chester had his two week pediatrician appointment. He is up to 8 lbs and 7.5 oz so he is growing rapidly! He has also grown an inch in length. He is in the 50th percentile for weight, 90th for length, and 90th for head circumference. Something about these long and lean numbers sounds awfully familiar... Also, I literally stabbed Ryan in the back with a fork while setting the table for lunch. Going on less than 2 hours of sleep in a row each night for two weeks is beginning to show.

Something I haven't mentioned under each day is that almost every day we took a family nap... The amount of time varied but at this point, any sleep is cherished. 

So here goes... wish me luck!