Sitting Up On His Own

Conflict Resolution - PC Style

There are moments when I am able to actually use my Bachelors degree. This afternoon was one of those times. I've been trying to get my computer to read/recognize a flash drive. I'd insert it and the arrow icon would appear, showing that the computer "sees" it. Problem came when I'd go to my drop down list and the icon for the flash drive wouldn't appear. I couldn't figure it out to save my life. The drive works at home, why not here? I asked around and someone mentioned that they had a similar thing happen and that they had to change the drive letter. I had no idea how to do that but thought that probably wasn't it. I went to Target and bought a new flash drive thinking maybe that was the issue. It wasn't. I happened to notice the pop up box (that appears when the drive is first inserted into the port) reveal that the flash drive had the letter "F". I already had that letter assigned to a network drive. I put two and two together and figured that must be the conflict. I gave the drive letter idea a shot. After consulting the "Help" menu I figured out how to change the drive letter and sure enough - it worked! I did it for both flash drives and it is beeeeuuuuutteeeeefulll! I don't take full responsibility for figuring this out since another person had mentioned changing the drive letter. I am going to take credit for figuring out how to do it, though! (ps - dear asswipe IT guy at work = you don't have a fucking clue what you're doing, do you?! Telling me to right click on my current "F" drive and change the name temporarily and then "click this, click that until you get it" - that's a load of bullshit isn't it?! Yeah, I thought so. FYI - I figured it out myself - my woman self figured something technical out all on my own! So there!)

Zen and the Art of Distraction

Teaching a 5 month old how to eat from a spoon requires more zen patience than I could muster from my pinky toe. It really comes down to distracting K from the fact that his food is starting to come from something other than the bottle. Oh, there is hell to pay if he sees that bottle before the spoon has made it's appearance! Yes, hell indeed unleashes itself in our kitchen. I used to laugh (nicely) at parents who would make airplane sounds, clap their hands and any other forms of distraction necessary to sneak the spoon into their child's mouth. Now, I'm looking to them for help! K could really care less about the spoon or anything that comes on it. I think he'd be happy to live on a liquid diet forever. He may at the rate we're going. LOL! Last night was better. I gave K is own spoon and when he'd put it in or near his mouth, I'd "sneak" in some oatmeal. He's getting it, just really slowly. I can see him close his mouth and "chew" the food and then swallow it. He just isn't to sure of this whole thing. There is photographic evidence of my endeavors, but K is anything but pleasant in them. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen a more pissed off infant!

Wrapped Up

Can you believe this cutie has the ability to be such a pain in the ass?! LOL I mean that in the best way possible after only getting 3 hours sleep and being up since 2 am because K wanted to play. I'm not sure how entertaining it is laying in the crib, in a darkened room and blowing raspberries - but it must be a lot of fun. Anyway, the little stinker won my heart over with his big smile and downright cuteness. I think he knows I'm wrapped around his finger. One flash of that smile followed by a giggle and, well, I cave.

My Latest Epiphany....

...courtesy of Mr. Dooneybug Mr. Dooneybug Some people want to have a baby and some want to become parents. I place Mrs D and I in the camp of "want to become parents". But what is the difference? Basically the difference is... Wanting to become a parent means you understand that the desire to become pregnant might be selfish but from that point on you are prepared to sacrifice almost everything to be a good old fashioned parent. Spending time with you children, raising them yourself, making sure they learn what is most important to you. Wanting a baby... from what I have experienced is more about how the baby can benefit you and doing whatever is necessary to make sure the addition of a baby doesn't change your routine. Sometimes I feel that people in the "want to have a baby" group have a baby just because they can and other times it seems because everyone else is having kids maybe they should too. Well said on the wanting a baby vs being a parent. Too bad more people don't realize that there is a difference. Doh! I am guilty on occassion of trying to fit K into my routine as opposed to fitting me around him. I am getting better, but I've got work to do.

Foundation

I was reading a Weight Watchers message board and one of the posters asked if you loved your child since their birth more than your husband. I thought about that for a minute and have to admit that I don't love K more than J. That's not to say that I don't love him, but it's not a matter of who loves who more or less. It's a different kind of love. ******* When I look at J, I see someone who stuck by me when I had no direction in life. He was patient with me as I pulled myself up from rock bottom and harrassed helped me do something with my life. Other than just take up space, I managed to: 1. Get a good job and have managed to keep it for 3 1/2 years (and counting) and been promoted to working directly with the President/Vice President. 2. I've also completed my BA degree and graduated Magna Cum Laude. 3. I started Weight Watchers in October 2003 and by June 2004 I had lost almost 40 pounds and J supported me all the way. I could go on and on about how much I love J for all the things that he's helped me through. Hell, I love him for just sticking around during a really rough patch I got myself into. There aren't a lot of people who would/did. Even my mother kept her distance. Without his harrassment him, I'd be living in some run down studio apartment working 50-60 hours at some telemarketing company and going nowhere fast. ******* My love for K is based on the fact that it took some time for him to be conceived and that feeling of "hopelessness" that we'd never have a child of our own, well, I'll never forget that. I love him simply for being born to us. Now when I look at K, I see someone who is helpless to feed himself, cloth/bathe himself - generally someone who can't take care of himself at all. K needs direction on how to learn, examples of how to behave. He needs both J and I to be together and united. The only way J and I can be united is to love each other more than anything else and take care of our relationship. That is the best way K can learn and grow up not needing too much therapy. LOL Another poster wrote in reply: My parents actually made it quite clear that we were second to their love/relationship - because without their foundation, the rest wouldn't work. I couldn't agree more. I don't know that J and I will be blunt about our relationship being priority, but we'll let our child/children know that we have to take care of our Daddy/Mommy relationship so that we can also take care of them. ******* This really strikes home today because last night J and I were talking and J said 1/2 jokingly 1/2 seriously that he misses his "pre-baby wife, S". Mainly because I'm touchier/anxious, have less humor, tired more often. I have to admit that I miss the pre-baby me too. I miss my pre-baby size 8 body, wearing my hair down (instead of up to help avoid K's grab and tug), running, there are a lot of things. I really miss just being able to joke around with J and laugh really loud when he tickles my leg or tells a good joke. I'm going to have to make more of an effort in my marriage to J. He knows I love him and I know he loves me - even though we're caught up trying to be good parents to K. This HAS to be done, for our sake as well as K's.

9-11

Go Huskers!

These three things sound the same when you can't see what your 4.5 month old (who is strapped in his rear facing car seat)is doing in the back seat while driving him to daycare: 1. Blowing Raspberries (his new found ability to look adorable while basically spitting on you) 2. Sneezing 3. Spitting Up his "breakfast of champions" formula Guess which one he was doing? If you guessed #3, then you are RIGHT! Yes, when I opened the door to get him out of the car he was mostly covered in spit-up. The bib I *thankfully* remembered to put on him contained most of it, but even still.....Not the most appealing way to start the morning. I mean really, how happy would you be if you spit up what you just ate on the way to work?! I guess the only creatures who don't care are birds feeding their little ones. That's okay. They're cute. So is my son, but damn why does he have to be so messy! LOL! BTW, yes I know young children are messy. Let me have my moment, will you?! UPDATE K doesn't have an ear infection (thank goodness) and is most likely starting the teething process. DR A didn't see anything in his mouth yet, but he ok'd using the Hyland's tablets and infant tylenol if he gets too fussy. The more I think about it, I wonder if he was clingy/fussy because of the immunization shots he had last week. It's possible he just didn't feel like himself because of residule effects from them. I know I'm not a happy camper after I get a shot, so I can certainly understand how he's feeling.

Teething ?!

Well, we think K may be teething. There was a tiny white "dot" on his bottom gums and after checking with parents, that "dot" seems to be a soon to be tooth. :) We've also noticed him rubbing his left ear and being pretty damn crabby over the past few days - all symptoms of teething. I'm very excited for K and yet my heart aches to see him so unhappy and feeling bad. We had a moment just before bath time where he was only in his diaper and I was in a tank top and we just held onto each other. K buried his face into my neck and wimpered a little. Ugh! I can't even begin to describe how that broke my heart. At least we know now why he's been so "out of sorts" / crabby. (I'm hoping he is indeed teething. The only other thing would be an ear infection and I don't want to go there right now.)