So, after being off for my almost 11 week maternity leave...today is my 1st day back to school. Don't exactly know what I need to teach, so we are all going to be doing some catch up today! Being off has been amazing, to have the most wonderful bonding time with my baby was truly a gift...although now I really know that I am not cut out to be a stay home mom. :) I am glad to be going back to the routine of things that working gives...and it helps that I love my job teaching. My kids at school have missed me, which makes me feel pretty great too, and I know that Calder will be in good hands at Mamma's house.
That is the big news for the week, Calder has his 2 month well-baby appointment on Friday...where is the time going?!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving!
A lot to be thankful for this year...
family
jobs
our home
children...especially the new one!
health
friends
just to name a few!
The year ahead may have some hurdles, but we have overcome so many of them already. SO looking forward to what life will bring! Love you all!
family
jobs
our home
children...especially the new one!
health
friends
just to name a few!
The year ahead may have some hurdles, but we have overcome so many of them already. SO looking forward to what life will bring! Love you all!
genetics
So our appointment went well! We hadn't really expected to get any news that we didn't already know, but that underlying fear was still there for me...
Bottom line is that Calder's cleft lip and palate are an isolated case. There could be many reasons why, but quite honestly, none of those really matter to us. Most likely just the "right" combination of genes from both Shane and me, at just the right time. Once you have a child with a cleft your risks are slightly elevated of having another...3-4%, but since we don't plan on having anymore, that doesn't concern us either. When Calder is older and ready to start his own family, his risk will be only slightly higher than that. The geneticist told us that advances in the next 10 years will be pretty amazing, and that by the time Calder is having kids there may not even be anything to worry about. Genetics is amazing and baffling to me, I really don't understand much of it!
Only other thing the doctor told us was how shocked he was by Calder's "social smile", eye contact, and strength. He was 8 weeks old at the appointment, and the doctor said that his big grins, intense eyes, and physical ability would put him in the "advanced" category. I chuckle, he may put his big sister to shame!
Once again, I am thoroughly pleased with our doctors...it sounds cliche, but they all just really seem to care. I know it's their job, but they have all been so personable and sensitive to any issues. This is something I didn't really expect...I feel like they already love my child as much as I do!
Bottom line is that Calder's cleft lip and palate are an isolated case. There could be many reasons why, but quite honestly, none of those really matter to us. Most likely just the "right" combination of genes from both Shane and me, at just the right time. Once you have a child with a cleft your risks are slightly elevated of having another...3-4%, but since we don't plan on having anymore, that doesn't concern us either. When Calder is older and ready to start his own family, his risk will be only slightly higher than that. The geneticist told us that advances in the next 10 years will be pretty amazing, and that by the time Calder is having kids there may not even be anything to worry about. Genetics is amazing and baffling to me, I really don't understand much of it!
Only other thing the doctor told us was how shocked he was by Calder's "social smile", eye contact, and strength. He was 8 weeks old at the appointment, and the doctor said that his big grins, intense eyes, and physical ability would put him in the "advanced" category. I chuckle, he may put his big sister to shame!
Once again, I am thoroughly pleased with our doctors...it sounds cliche, but they all just really seem to care. I know it's their job, but they have all been so personable and sensitive to any issues. This is something I didn't really expect...I feel like they already love my child as much as I do!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Genetics Appointment today
So, we are off to the geneticist this morning, part of the routine cleft lip and palate process. Not exactly sure what they will be doing, other than taking another family history and checking out the little man...so I will update when we get home!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Midnight Milk Diaries
OK...another breastfeeding blog? No, although it is tempting! My title is fun...
Definitely have to say that this pumping thing is not really something that I would want to do forever! I've decided that my right side just can't keep up, and it has decided to clog again. :( If you are a woman who has breastfed or pumped and experienced a clogged milk duct you know what I am talking about...hard as a rock, painful boob...NO GOOD. Thankfully, since it happened before, I knew what it was, and how to "fix" it, and we are feeling much better. I'm going to try taking this supplement called lecithin to prevent it from happening again. I'm also back to the strict pumping schedule...think I got a bit lazy this last week! Going back to school will help keep me on a better schedule too.
So, this round of pumping done, I'm off to bed! GOODNIGHT.
Definitely have to say that this pumping thing is not really something that I would want to do forever! I've decided that my right side just can't keep up, and it has decided to clog again. :( If you are a woman who has breastfed or pumped and experienced a clogged milk duct you know what I am talking about...hard as a rock, painful boob...NO GOOD. Thankfully, since it happened before, I knew what it was, and how to "fix" it, and we are feeling much better. I'm going to try taking this supplement called lecithin to prevent it from happening again. I'm also back to the strict pumping schedule...think I got a bit lazy this last week! Going back to school will help keep me on a better schedule too.
So, this round of pumping done, I'm off to bed! GOODNIGHT.
Friday, November 20, 2009
figuring this out...
OK, so I figured out how to add music...now I'm content for awhile! :)
Today is my last "official" day of maternity leave, and I go back to school in about a week. Looking forward to it, but a little sad too. Time just goes by too quickly these days...little man will be 2 months old on Sunday! Got nothing done, but that is ok too, quality time with my baby was the best.
Today is my last "official" day of maternity leave, and I go back to school in about a week. Looking forward to it, but a little sad too. Time just goes by too quickly these days...little man will be 2 months old on Sunday! Got nothing done, but that is ok too, quality time with my baby was the best.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
thought I'd try adding some pictures...
Calder Saben Jennings, born 9/27/09 at 1:53 PM, 8 lbs and 21 1/4 in
Big Sister Caydree holding baby "brudder" at the hospital
Sleepy snuggle-saurus
BIG eyes...always checking things out
Thumbalina and CalderTuesday, November 17, 2009
blog mini-vent
So, once you enter the world of blogging...it's really hard not to constantly peek at other blogs and compare them to your own. I'm super addicted, and mine absolutely does NOT compare...but I want to keep it going as lame as it may be, to chronicle our journey and update anyone not on facebook!
I want a fun layout, and to know how to add pictures that face the right direction! How do you make those little videos and put them on there? Music? There are just too many cool things about blogging that I don't know. So, if you are reading this, or if you are debating on whether or not to "follow" us...please don't judge me by my blog!
I want a fun layout, and to know how to add pictures that face the right direction! How do you make those little videos and put them on there? Music? There are just too many cool things about blogging that I don't know. So, if you are reading this, or if you are debating on whether or not to "follow" us...please don't judge me by my blog!
Monday, November 16, 2009
first smiles (take one)
The past couple of weeks, Calder has been figuring this out, and we just couldn't love his smile anymore!! There are periods of time when he will just sit and grin like a mad fool, for no apparent reason! (we do not think it is gas...he's not so happy when that happens!)
Shane may tell you otherwise, but I think he is just the sweetest, and well-tempered baby. He definitely has his moments, but unfortunately I think he just inherited my tendencies to be a bit particular. Is it too much to ask for a clean, dry diaper, a little milk, and to be warm and snuggly?!
So here is my favorite smiley picture so far...I love this little boy!!! I'll figure out one of these days how to get the pictures going in the right direction!
1st Visit to the Plastic Surgeon
SO, we went to the plastic surgeon on Nov. 6th. We had met with him at the hospital, so it was pretty informal, and not as "educational" as I had hoped...but only because he had already told us most of what was to come! Dr. Sinow is a really funny guy, and Shane and I feel so blessed to once again have such great doctors taking care of our little man.
I had a ballpark of when his lip surgery would be, but we were hoping to get an actual date. That didn't exactly happen, but we've narrowed it down to Jan. I'm hoping early January so it will happen during my vacation, but I guess that is a bit selfish, and I'll take the time off when I need to!
We will have one more meeting with him before we really get a date and know complete details. They have mastered many methods of surgery for cleft lip...so the surgery itself is pretty common, and "easy"...although on a baby, with itty bitty needles, and hundreds of small little stitches in 3 layers, it is very intricate and "complicated". (If that makes any sense!?) I feel confident that we will get a great result, and that Calder will be on his way!
I've become friends with some amazing ladies on the "cleft lip and palate" babycenter board I am on, and they are always talking about their own experiences...one of which is the grieving period after lip surgery. The cleft itself...the thing that was initially so scary and such an unknown, becomes such a big part of who your child is...not in a bad way...but their beautiful "wide smile" is the only smile you have known, it is what you love about them, and you really will miss it when it is gone. You obviously want your child to have the surgery and have a "beautiful and normal" smile like everyone else. Problem is, that when you have a baby with a cleft, their smile is already beautiful and normal to you...cleft or not, they are the baby you fell in love with when you first found out you were pregnant, and then you fell in love with them again when you heard their heartbeat for the first time, and then when you saw them on the ultrasound, and felt them move, and when they were born...how could you not absolutely love them exactly as they are???!!! So these mommies I know all say that we are the luckiest mommies in the world because we get the joy of having 2 "first smiles", and I think that is a pretty amazing way to look at it.
I'll keep you all updated on appointments as they happen, and our latest news!
I had a ballpark of when his lip surgery would be, but we were hoping to get an actual date. That didn't exactly happen, but we've narrowed it down to Jan. I'm hoping early January so it will happen during my vacation, but I guess that is a bit selfish, and I'll take the time off when I need to!
We will have one more meeting with him before we really get a date and know complete details. They have mastered many methods of surgery for cleft lip...so the surgery itself is pretty common, and "easy"...although on a baby, with itty bitty needles, and hundreds of small little stitches in 3 layers, it is very intricate and "complicated". (If that makes any sense!?) I feel confident that we will get a great result, and that Calder will be on his way!
I've become friends with some amazing ladies on the "cleft lip and palate" babycenter board I am on, and they are always talking about their own experiences...one of which is the grieving period after lip surgery. The cleft itself...the thing that was initially so scary and such an unknown, becomes such a big part of who your child is...not in a bad way...but their beautiful "wide smile" is the only smile you have known, it is what you love about them, and you really will miss it when it is gone. You obviously want your child to have the surgery and have a "beautiful and normal" smile like everyone else. Problem is, that when you have a baby with a cleft, their smile is already beautiful and normal to you...cleft or not, they are the baby you fell in love with when you first found out you were pregnant, and then you fell in love with them again when you heard their heartbeat for the first time, and then when you saw them on the ultrasound, and felt them move, and when they were born...how could you not absolutely love them exactly as they are???!!! So these mommies I know all say that we are the luckiest mommies in the world because we get the joy of having 2 "first smiles", and I think that is a pretty amazing way to look at it.
I'll keep you all updated on appointments as they happen, and our latest news!
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