Post-Baby Body

I consider myself pretty lucky with the post-childbirth body. I had no nasty tears; everything "down there" pretty much returned to normal. I'm actually about 10lb thinner post-baby, which seems to be the case with a lot of mothers who, like me, breastfeed until their child is eleventy-hundred years old. Speaking of which, saggy breastfeeding boobs? Not here! They look as good as ever, maybe better. Being an A-cup to start probably helped. (Mind you, I suppose this could change when breastfeeding stops completely.) And while my stomach isn't as flat as it once was, it's nothing to complain about. I have no shame sporting a bikini when I'm at the beach.

But every once in a while I get a reminder that pushing a baby out does have a lasting effect. Tonight it was the trampoline that did me in. Hopped up on it at a party, started bouncing, and promptly peed myself. And I didn't even have to go! Thank God I was wearing dark jeans.

Down the Hatch

Too much works = really bad blogger.

One thing I did do recently was order a couple of parenting books. I kept hearing the words "No! Stop! Don't Do That!" come out of my mouth and it was getting depressing. One of the books is the Harvey Karp book about "Happiest Toddler on the Block." The other is "Talking So Your Kids Will Listen, and Listen So Your Kids Will Talk" or something like that. I haven't had much of a chance to get past the first chapters for the reasons above, but I am getting some good info.

Both books emphasis the importance of letting your child know you understand what they want. Tell them what they are wanting - and then deny! Seems kind of cruel, doesn't it? But the weird thing is it seems to work.

Sample conversation a week ago:
Me: Time to go inside.
LM: No.
Me: Yes, it's dinner time.
LM: NO!!
Me: One more minute, then time to go eat yummy dinner!
Me: Okay, time to go. Don't you want some pasta? You love pasta?
LM: (Squeaking) NOOOOOOOO!!!!! OUSSSIDE! OUSSIDE! (Tears, flailing etc.)

New method:
Me: Time to go inside.
LM: No.
Me: Yes, it's dinner time.
LM: NO!!
Me: You want to stay outside don't you? You love playing outside? You'd really like to be outside all night wouldn't you?
LM: Yeah!
Me: I know you love to play outside but we have to go in for dinner. Do you want some dinner?
LM: ... (Comes inside without too much protest)

I have no idea why it works, but it does! Who knew a 21 month old craved validation? I will admit, it feels kinda dorky at times. ("You love the bubble bath don't you? You love pouring Mummy's $30 bubble bath straight into the sink? Isn't it fun to see all those bubbles go down the drain? But baby, there's no Sephora in this 'hood, so we've got to save that stuff!") But I've defused a dozen tantrums, at least.

One of the Karp methods failed though - he suggests growling and clapping to get a child to stop doing something as opposed to yelling "NO!" which never seems to work. He claims it is extremely effective. But the growl didn't work for me - just made LM laugh devilishly and keep on shovelling rocks in his mouth. I'm pretty sure at least one of them went straight down the hatch too. I've been watching for its exit.

He Won

So after the past several weeks of consistently getting LM to sleep in his crib, I am done. Last night he woke up as per usual; I comforted as per usual; I sat in the chair in his room shushing from just out of view, and I thought, this just is not working. I am sooooo sick of repeating "sleepytime" and waiting for him to fall asleep, and hearing him cry "mummy?????" I have been up for an hour and a half every night for the past month, except for two or three times where I was only up 20 minutes. So I got the Pack and Play and set it up in my room and threw him in it. (Aside, why do we call them Pack and Plays? Why can't we just admit they're playpens?) He howled for 20 minutes.)

Anyway, at 1 a.m. he was back in the bed and my weeks of consistency (aside from one slip up in late May) were out the window. He's got more stamina than me. He threw his skinny arms around me and buried his face in my neck and was sound asleep in minutes. And so was I, so much so that I slept for 35 minutes after the alarm went off at 6:30.

We'll try again in a few months. But for right now, we're done. Guess he wasn't ready yet after all.

Seeing It For the FIrst Time

Ah, lazy, lazy summer. I am loving these long warm days on the weekend. Always get a bit anxious on Sunday night about another 5 long days away from my delightful little boy. He is so sweet and fun these days.

Today he fell down and he said "Fell - bumbum!" and it was so cute because I have never heard him say bumbum before, and seriously, is there anything cuter than that word? I know I'm being nauseating, but really?

Right now he's babbling away in the bath with an intermitten "Uppa mummy" every now and then before he remembers that "uppa" is one step closer to bedtime. He's sucking on a rubber duck; that's bad right? I think I read a headline the other day that they are full of toxic poisons. Hmmm... he must have heard it too because he just threw it out of the bath.

He loves bike rides and trucks, especially "beeeeg trucks!" We went on the bus the other day and he was thrilled. We went on a boat today and his eyes were like saucers. That whole thing about seeing the world through your child's eyes? It really is pretty amazing. A bus ride become amazing. The first summer strawberry is a photo op. And bathtime, even though it's nightly, still brings joy. Man, I really love this job.

Gotta get off the computer and go play with the rubber duck.

The Joys

There are some wonderful things about breastfeeding a toddler. But having him start referring to your, um, slightly more "endowed" side as "big mukmuk", is not one of them. Still, I couldn't help but laugh when he requested "big mukmuk" and then greeted it with "Hello big mukmuk!"

Planning Ahead

So I am doing all this naturopathic stuff recently to prep for pregnancy again. Not sure exactly when we will start trying for #2. I go back and forth between TOMORROW and six to eight months from now.

LM slept through the night the last two nights which does make the fatigue and sickness of pregnancy seem more feasible. But I was so exhausted and sick last time. I'm having a hard time imagining doing that with (a) a full-time job; (school is just as many hours, but there's much more opportunity for procrastination and sleeping in) (b) having a toddler to chase after and (c) have a toddler who does not sleep.

My normal naturopath is very down-to-earth and research oriented. She just went on maternity leave and her replacement is far more new-agey. She does traditional Chinese medicine and cranio-sacral. I'm not sure what I feel about that, but I'm very much of the mindset that it can't hurt and it might help. I'm enjoying it. I did this treatment yesterday called Bowen Therapy (warning skeptics - very little research has been done on its efficacy) and I do feel sooooo much less tense in my back and more relaxed. I'm also doing a bit of a detox as according to them both, this could contribute to the hideous morning sickness I had last time.

Anyway, all to say that babies are on the brain from time to time, but I'd like to work at least one more full year, I think. So for now, the IUD stays put.