Days of our Laives

Yesterday was a rough day.  Even though I found time to post a couple entries (something I leave for last if I get other things done first), by the time it was bedtime, I felt drained, spent, and lifeless.  I know that sounds dramatic, but I really had nothing else to offer by the time Kira was sleeping in her crib, and this is a tragedy because when Kira is finally sleeping, I can finally do something that relaxes me, or bond with Trevor, or do something productive for the long term (in other words, not just laundry and dishes for the next day). I'm not sure what happened yesterday that made it so difficult.  My mom didn't show up at my house until 3:30, so maybe it was the Kira-Logan multitasking that took me to the point of no return.  Or maybe everything just finally caught up with me.  For weeks now things have been going OKAY with me and Kira...but just okay.  I get a few things done during the day, Kira gets a bath, and we go to sleep.  Then we do it again!  Every night ...

Since Kira was born, I haven't spent much alone time with Logan.  I discovered early on that juggling Kira and Logan on my own is too much for me to handle.  It's not that Logan requires a lot of hands on caretaking, unlike Kira.  But left to his own devices, Logan will bark at the neighbors, grab things off the countertop, and put his paws up on the table.  Maybe it's partially my fault too because I get obsessive about correcting him.  I never let him get a way with anything.  And so, I end up multitasking with doing Kira things and watching Logan like a hawk and shouting him whenever he does something naughty.  By early- to mid-afternoon, I'm exhausted by it all.  So Trevor and I have worked out a schedule so that I'm not usually alone with Logan and Kira.  On Mondays and Wednesdays, my mom is at my house.  She can watch Kira while I do other things and watch/correct Logan.  On Tuesdays, Logan goes to doggie day care.  It's great because he comes home pooped....

Kira appears to be going through a phase; if she's not in the best of moods, she doesn't want anyone to hold her except me.  In the evenings, she won't even stand to have Trevor hold her while I take a shower.  She will cry for 20 minutes straight...let me correct myself, she will scream, kick, throw her head around, and arch her back for 20 minutes straight!  And, the few times we've left her with my mom, she cries the whole time I'm away.  Keep in mind that my mom has visited me and Kira twice a week since the day she was born!  This is all very annoying for me and everyone else who has to take care of Kira.  It's annoying for me because I can get tired of holding her.  Especially because she will fuss until everything is just right.  She needs to be bounced, swayed, and walked at the same time.  If I do it, she will eventually stop fussing, but if anyone else tries to do the same exact think she will cry incessantly. Some think that Kira knows when I'm no...

Here is a picture of me and Kira using the sling.  I felt like a kangaroo.

Since Kira was born, she had an overactive tear duct in her right eye. Every morning and throughout the day I would have to wipe her crusty eye with a warm cloth. But now it's gone! I'm so glad. The pediatrician said it could persist for up to a year. Let's hope it doesn't come back.

Enjoy!

I decided to quit my job. It was a tough decision. The bottom line: working and being a mom would spread me too thin...not to mention Trevor. And a mom spread too thin is not the best scenario for Kira. Here are the pros and cons to being a stay-at-home mom: Pros: - Kira gets the nondisputed best childcare. - Our family has a full time housekeeper so that other members of the family can focus on making money =) Housekeeping takes up a lot of time! It includes keeping the condo nice and tidy, keeping track of spending, and keeping the dog from going insane. - Someone can tend to the house projects: purchasing and installing blinds, painting the kitchen and foyer, hanging artwork, constructing a kitchen backsplash, switching out the old dryer, replacing the shower and bathtub, etc. etc. etc. Cons: - Less money - the most obvious con. - Not being a part of society. - Losing an old identity...and gaining a new one. For me, the pros outway the cons. At first I was hesitant abo...

Since I've been nursing Kira, my skin is very dry! I've tried a couple different moisturizers from Clinique, Estee Lauder, and even Kira's baby lotion. But everything, except the baby lotion, seems to irritate my skin. I've already recovered from two rashes. Finally I found something that works great! My skin is nice and soft again. It's Bigelow's Deluxe Moisturizer SPF 15. I bought it at the Bigelow store at Copley! It was so much fun shopping there. I like it better than Sephora. The moisturizer is rich and it feels good to put it on my dry skin, but it's not greasy. It smells fresh and it has SPF! I love it, even though it was a little expensive - $32. Gosh, I've been spending a lot despite the fact that I quit my job!

I bought a nursing cover the other day. I made a special trip to the Isis store in Needham . The nursing cover was pretty expensive - $35. I wanted to buy it from the store rather than ordering online because I wanted to see for myself what it was like, try it on, and make sure I would find it useful. Despite my attempt to make an educated purchase, in hindsight, I should not have bought it! It's simply a big sheet of fabric with an apron-like piece that goes around the neck. It is awkward and as with learning how to nurse the first time, requires practiced choreography. I've already washed it, so I don't think I can return it. I hope that with the springtime coming, I will feel more comfortable nursing in public and I will put the nursing cover to good use! The other useless thing I bought was a sling. The one in the picture is the exact one that I purchased (blue fleece). It's made by a company in Canada, so I had to pay extra for shipping. Although I ordered the ...

In no particular order: 1. Plugged milk ducts. When I get one, it creates a hard lump and is very painful! The worst parts are that there are very few solutions to the problem, and if the problem goes on unresolved, there is an even worse consequence! The only way to clear up a plugged milk duct is to nurse the baby, or to use a breast pump. They say massaging the affected area and using alternating hot/cold compresses can speed up the process, but it still takes a lot of patience. And, if you don't take the time to clear up a plugged milk duct, it can become infected! That's my worst nightmare. Infection causes flu-like symptoms and requires antibiotics. If I got one, that would mean I would have to go to the doctor, which would just interrupt my and Kira's groove. 2. Only I can feed Kira. This is such a drag. It makes me feel solely accountable for Kira's well being. I see it as a weighty responsibility, which makes it hard for me to enjoy the experience. ...

It has been a LONG time since my last post. I'm not sure why I've been so busy; the most likely reason is that Kira is awake for more hours of the day, and I feel compelled to play with her, talk to her, read to her, and interact with her. She has done so many new things since my last post. She does a lot of new little things like, hanging on tight when I walk down the stairs, making eye contact with her toys, and holding her own hands. But she also does some pretty amazing new things, amazing from my point of veiw anyway. 1. She talks!!...I know it sounds crazy. What 3-month old baby talks? But she really does. She makes goo-goo ga-ga sounds and as she does it she makes lots of facial expressions. Her eyebrows will furrow and she gives you an intense look. And her lips will curl and pout. It's so funny. I'll try and post a video of her talking. 2. She can stand up!!...What 3-month old can stand up? Kira does! She is starting to use her legs a lot more now, and if you h...

The giggles have finally arrived! Up until now smiles and giggles have been occasional. This weekend Kira began having her first laughing fits. She was lying on the sofa and my mother had placed Kira's feet perpendicular to her legs. Kira started pushing with her legs (like doing leg presses) and Kira was laughing because it caused her whole body to shift upwards. She was having a grouchy evening until about 10pm on Sunday. She was in a good mood and we decided to instigate by pretending to laugh. She caught on and we managed to snap a short video of her at 11 weeks!

Out with the old... Selling the Celica had been unintentionally pushed to a lower priority with the arrival of Kira. Once the dust finally settled I finally found some time to repost the Celica on Craigs List and received a couple serious inquiries. I took ownership of the Celica during my last year at Boston University and loved every minute of driving and modifying the car over last seven years. It was a fun, sporty coupe that was as reliable as Toyota's come. My favorite modifications to date have been the short shifter and the 35% tinted windows. Neither really enhanced performance but both provided different benefits. The tint kept the interior temperature down during the hot sunny summer months, limited visibility into the car, and provided a nice look to the exterior. The short shifter made shifting between gears shorter and faster. Here is a more extensive list of modifications: - Exterior 17" Motegi summer wheels S2000 Antenna 35% Tint all around - Interior Interior...