Category: Josiah

Seriously……….

So, I’m sitting here nursing Josiah, and attempting to type with one hand.  It takes twice, three times, a freak of a lot longer than I’d like it to’ cause I keep making mistakes and then have to go and refix it.

See, here is me typong withput editing.  I thought that if I juast put it allout threr that you’d be just a tiny bit understasndung about why I’;m not poisting asnything at all.

Sweeeeeeet, eh?

Not kidding that’s about half the normal speed that I can usually type at, but takes WAY longer ’cause I have to go back and edit EVERY SINGLE STINKIN’ WORD – just about.

I’m sick and tired of green poo…..not fun.

I’m officially cloth diapering, although I freak out every time I cram 6 cloth diapers into my diaper bag, ’cause my boy can plow through those puppies like there’s no tomorrow…..and I’ve always done disposables, and cloth seemed like a HUGE step.  Not sure why, but it did. 

Any way,  a friend (thank you very special friend, you know who you are)  bought me 12 of the diapers that I wanted, and I’ve been washing them EVERY DAY.  But it’s worth it, and they are amazing, and just as easy to put on as disposables, and there’s no chemicals sitting on Josiah’s skin, and I’m not filling up the land fills, and they’re just so darn cute…….I just bought 12 more today, so hopefully I’ll only have to do one load every other day as opposed to every day.

I still have next to no time ’cause the boy – he likes to be held.  ALL THE TIME, and I like to hold him, and I don’t like to hear him cry. So my house is a mess, but with the kids back at school, I am slowly winning the war on the mess.

Apparently, I have no choice, but to win the mess war, and I have to do it by Wed. at noon ’cause we’re having a meeting at our place…..sweet.

That brings me to my next topic…my MOBY WRAP.  Love it!  Get one!  It’s worth it!  Soooooooooo worth it.

My boy, he slept 6 hours the other night…..yep, at 5 weeks old, my breast fed little tiny (freaking huge 11 pound 6 ounce baby – yes that’s a pound a week) slept from 11pm until 5am, and I GOT 6 HOURS OF GLORIOUS UNINTERRUPTED SLEEP…..oh!  wait a sec….no, I didn’t.  Jeremy decided that’s the night he’d get the 24 flu, and woke me up at 2am to diarrhea and barf in my bathroom.  Wasn’t that sweet of him?  I was so thankful that he kept me on my regular schedule.  Wouldn’t want to get too rested…much better to stay in a perpetual state of WAY OVER TIRED…makes life fun…or is that funny………or not really very funny at all.

Well, I’m done nursing, and gotta figure out some way to get some folding done while holding Josiah, or at least keeping him from crying, and if he gives me a minute tomorrow, I might tell you all about how I’m freaking out about Jeremy and Grade Two and the teacher with the “mad voice” and a very not so good but enlightening meeting with his teacher, the behavioral guy, and the learning assistance teacher.  I’m upset and trying to figure out what to do about it.

The Catch Up Post (with WAY TOO MANY pictures)

Wow!  It’s been almost a week since I posted anything…..okay…maybe not a week, but it’s been 5 days, and that’s a week’s worth of work.  Any way, we are officially on VACATION right now.

It’s Fabulous *snort*…..yah!  A vacation at home with 3 bigs kids, and one newborn, and a husband who is still trying to catch up on a back log of work in his “down time”, and a messy house, and activites scheduled and then having to be “arranged” around a nursing baby’s schedule, and a screaming baby when we are on the road and it’s feeding time, and that’s just the tip of the fun we’ve been having…….OH THE JOYS!

As I mentioned last time, we decided NOT to go on vacation up to Vasseaux Lake, and instead we would stay home where we had all the gear, and didn’t have to pack anything up, and then just spend money on random bits of fun here locally. 

On Friday night, We invited friends of ours over and we had a birthday party for one of our friends. 

Holly's Birthday

Yah!  It was the first time that I’d had anything at our house, and well…..it went pretty well, but things took a little onger than I had expected.  EVERYTHING takes longer with a newborn around. 

Dave and JosiahWe even had a surprise guest from Labanon.  Jon’s brother was in town, and came out for the party. 

It was nice to see him, and for him to be able to see Josiah for the first time.  They only just left, so it was a nice surprise to see him again soo soon. 

It was a fun night for all, until the babies started to go beyond what they could handle, and everything was shut down, and we all parted ways to put the children to bed. 

Do they really even realize what power they hold at such a young age?

On Saturday, we “showed up at our cabin for the week” and would you believe it????…….the last people to use the place had left it a mess…..can you believe it?  So we had to spend our first day at the “vacation cabin” cleaning up.  That was Saturday….ALL DAY! because they fussed for the entire day about “HAVING” to clean up, and it took ALL FREAKIN’ DAY to get the house cleaned.  Talk about frustrating…..  We did go out to a nie Greek Food restauraant with Denver and Debbie, but I forgot my camera.  Lucky for us, Debbie had hers, so as soon as she sends the pics to me (HINT, HINT) I can post those.

Sunday we got up and we thought about going to church, and then quickly dismissed that idea ’cause it would have meant that we needed to rush, and I really wasn’t into rushing.  I’m feeling the lack of sleep these days.  It’s not too bad, and I’m really not complaining, ’cause this little angel child only wakes at 2am and 5am (like I’ve mentioned before) and mostly just eats and falls right back to sleep unless he gets a air bubble that he won’t let go of.  He really likes to hold onto his burps.  It really takes an act of God to get him to burp. 

Hanging at StarbucksAny way, we went into Vancouver to see Chris, and then we were going to go to Granville Island and check out the market and see if we could find any “weird, cool, unique and unfamiliar fruits” that we could try out for fun.  We might not send our kids with a dollar to the candy store at Granville Island, but we will take them there and search out weird fruits…..hey, if you say it with enough excitement in your voice – you can make just about anything sound fun.

We stayed with Chris for a long time, and had a REALLY GOOD TIME, but by the time we were done, we couldn’t go to Granville Island.  It was too late – maybe another day.  Instead we took the kids to Red Robins, and they were wonderful little angels.  Which was a miracle, as they’ve been a bit wild recently.

We had to stop at the Farm Market to pick up some fruits and veggies on our way home, and Jon took the kids into the Market while I sat in the car and nursed Josiah.  Josiah was still going strong when they were finished, and so they played in the gravel parking lot.  Who knew that a gravel parking lot could be so much fun.  See how sad they are to be leaving…what a bunch of goofs.

Not Happy

On Monday, Jon worked in the moring while the kids tore the house apart, and I tried to sleep (Sooooooo tired – I know……I’m a whiner, I have it sooooo easy)  Then we all pack up and went to the Matinee for Ratatouille.  The kids loved it, and it was actually a really cute movie.  We had to go into Langley to see see the movie ’cause that was the ONLY place close that was still playing the movie.  After the movie was over we went and visited  my Dad at his office, and then went shopping for a few baby things.

We ended up picking up backpacks and school shoes for the kids, so they were happy.

That brings us to today.  We had a bunch of stuff planned.  Little things that required little to no money.  We were going to hit the Library, and let the kids take 5 dollars each and spend it at the Dollar Store, go to all 3 parks at Mill Lake, and finish up shopping for school supplies. (I just have a few things left to pick up). 

Jason & JosiahA friend of ours called us this morning, and adjusted those plans for us.  YAH!

Jason is down from Prince George, and got to see and hold Josiah.

I’m posting this picture to drive Lise mad with envy, and then maybe she’ll move back…..or maybe she’s still holding out hope that we’ll move up there.

Anyway, Love ya girl, and miss ya tons. 

It was so nice to see Jason, and we talked and talked and talked, and still didn’t get to say everything that we’ve have liked to.  We could talk forever. 

We really miss these guys.  They are AMAZING people, and we are worse off because they’ve moved so blinking far away.

 Movin’ on before I start thinking about it too much and cry…..

We did get out and pick up a bunch of school supplies, but I’m still looking for a few specific things.  Jon did take the kids to ONE of the parks at Mill Lake, but aside from an amazing visit, our day was pretty much shot.

Here is a cute picture of our little demon angel.

Here he is at one week old.

and Here’s Two Weeks

And we Absolutely LOVE this Lion King shot….love the arms and legs. 
They’re so long and scrawny.

Alrighty, I have so much more, but the little man is calling, and so I must go.

 Go and check out the new pics up over here.

……Just Busy

My Mom left this comment yesterday, and while I’d love you all to delurk and leave a comment just so I know who’s out there reading my blatherings – this is totally not why I’ve not posted.

momma:

Just wondering if you are waiting for everyone to wish you a Happy Blog-i-versary before you contiue on with your blog….or if it is as I thought just very busy,….. Anyway Hapy Blog-i-versary I love you. Love Momma I love Uncle Wayne’s comments on the flip side.

Things have been a bit crazy around here.  Josiah’s got a bit of a diaper rash, and I think it’s probably yeast (which totally sucks ’cause I thought we had gotten rid of all the yeast in me).  Jeremy needs a root canal, and I hurt Jon by a comment I made in regards to this whole situation.  We went to our regular dentist, and J wigged out, and so we’ve been referred to a pediatic dentist in Mission.  Yah! (How much is that going to cost us?)  I think Geli is starting to hit puberty…….10’s a little early to start getting boobies, ain’t it?  Mind you, I was a late bloomer……really late….like YEARS behind all my friends.  Oh Well!  Nothing I can do about it, except enjoy……and let me tell you, the mood swings are wicked fun!

We’vew been waffling about going on vacation next week, AND…………we’re not going.  “BOO HOO!”  If I could be completly impulsive, and just throw some stuff in the van and go and enjoy myself – then maybe we could go, but Josiah would only be 2 weeks old, and things are still rather insane, and I don’t think I have enough clothes for him for a week.  I’m doing laundry EVERYDAY!  and that’s just his stuff, not to mention the mountain of folding and stuff to put away that’s taken over my living room.  I just can’t.  I wouldn’t have a good time ’cause I wouldn’t be relaxed, and I think I’ll be able to relax more here. 

So, we’re just going to have fun doing stuff around the Fraser Valley and the Lower Mainland.

Josiah chewed off my right nipple last night in the middle of the night, and I know you were just dying to know about that…..well, it hurts, and so if I get to experience the pain and misery of it first hand, then you all can enjoy the pain and misery of it second hand.  I like to share like that.

I can’t believe these bloggers that pop a baby out, and then still post every day…….How do they do it?  It’s not for lack of material on my part…..Jeremy is still pumping out the funnies on a minute to minute basis….just the energy and motivation to get at it.  I’m tired, and yet I have the world’s best baby. 

Seriously,  He’s put himself on a quasi-schedule.  He nurses at 5pm, 7pm, 9pm, has a bath at 10:30pm, nurses to sleep at 11 pm, sleeps until 2 am, nurses to sleep (in my bed) until 5am, then again until 7am (then we get up), and the 9 am, and 11 am, and 1pm, and 3 pm, and then we’re back to dinner time the next day.

Unbelievable!  He nurses for about 20 minutes at a feeding, and hardly ever cries!  I have been so blessed.  I am so thankful for my sweet boy.  He is more than I ever could have hoped for or imagined.

In My Arms

In My ArmsHe’s 5 days old in this picture, and in my arms. 

I could cry just typing that, but I’m trying not to.  I’ve longed for this time with everything in me for so long, and am almost unbelieving that it’s my reality…..until the older three start “molesting” the baby, and I have to beat them off with a stick.

Then I have no trouble believing that he’s here.

It’s funny, ’cause at the dinner table last night, Jon asked the kids if having Josiah here was better or worse than they thought it would be.

Geli pipes up trying to sound like it’s all good, but Xan with her brutal honesty says, “It’s worse!”

At least we know that she speaks her mind….

Jon asked her to explain, and she said that Josiah is kinda boring.  All he does is sleep and eat and poop, and they can’t play with him at all.  Now, if only they’d “actually get it” as opposed to just thinking it.  They keep wanting play with him as if he’s a toy.  It probably doesn’t help that I won’t let them hold him, like….EVER!

Okay, that’s not true, and they hold him at least once a day, but I swear…..he is going tobe the most spoiled child ever.  I haven’t hardly put him down, and only very reluctantly give him over to someone else.

And I don’t even care if you think that’s a problem………..or that I might be creating a problem…..I’ll deal with that later, if I need to.  Unless you’ve held your not living child in your arms, and then had to walk away and leave him or her knowing that the one brief moment will be all you will ever have…….all you will ever know……..all you can ever hope to be able to remember……….then, you have no idea what I’ve gone through, and I will hold my child for as long as I want to.

It’s so unbelievable!  It’s hard to believe that he’s here.  Josiah is in my arms.  I don’t have to worry about whether or not he will be alive tomorrow or not.  I don’t have to wonder if he’s just sleeping and that’s why he’s not moving, or if it’s too late, and once again Ill be making that trip down the hospital hallway, and walking into that elevator without a baby car seat, and a baby in it.  Driving in an empty car where the silence is crushing me under it’s heaviness.  Coming home to a still and empty house, and realizing that I’m as empty inside as my house feels, and there is nothing I can do except to let the grief flood over and consume me.

This time the end result was so different…………Thank God!

I could just sit and stare at Josiah for hours…….except for the fact that reality hits, as my other three try to out scream each other over who gets to make pancakes with Dad this morning….’cause we couldn’t possibly take turns, now, could we?

but regardless of what goes on…….Josiah is in my arms, and I’m grateful and thankful for that, each and every moment of each and every day.

So Behind and Scrambling to get caught up…….

Well, we’ve have a rough couple of nights, and I’m not complaining, just in case you’re hearing it like that.  But Josiah seemed to have his days and nights mixed up.

He’d sleep from feeding to feeding from about 11am until about 7pm, and then be half awake/asleep from 7pm until 1am, when he’d pretty much be awae and nursing from 1 until about 5am.  About 3am, I’d start to cry, and well…..we’ve figured out that he just wants to suck, and so he’s been propped up on a pillow beside me, and sucking on his soother.

BUT LAST NIGHT……Oh last night was glorious.  He nursed around 11pm, and than Jon gave him a bath, and then he nursed again, and then Jon walked with him until sometime after midmight, then gave him back to me to nurse.  He slept until almost 3am, and then nursed himself to sleep until 5am, and then nursed himself to sleep until 7am, and then nursed himself to sleep until 9am. 

Fortunately, he nurses well int he laying down position, and so other than waking up to pop him onto the other side……I ACTUALLY GOT TO SLEEP A BIT LAST NIGHT!

I feel kind of almost human.  It had been 4 nights of not very much sleep, and I’m not a terribly great afternoon napper……I guess I just wasn’t tired enough, eh?

Josiah’s a bit yellow…but still we’re not concerend yet, as he is awake WAY more than the other kids were, AND the jaundice hasn’t made it to his hands and feet yet.  Apparently it starts at the head, and works it’s way down the limbs.  So far we’ve made it to his elbow and upper thigh, but the Health Care Nurse who popped by yesterday said that by day 5 it sould be at it’s worst – so that’s today……so I think we’re okay.

He is still such a good baby, and we are so happy.

The kids are still nuts and trying to figure out how this 6th person fits onto our family.  Frends of our came over yesterday, and they have a 10 month old.  I was able to show the kids that, “See, Josiah would be fun soon, but right now he’s not a toy.”

They are ALL OVER him.  It’s insane. 

I have so much more to write, but I didn’t do my hair or make up yesterday, and I felt bad ALL DAY!  So, I’m off to get ready for the day….even if it is already 10:45am.  Yikes!

We’re Home!

Thanks for all your thoughts and Conratulations and Well Wishes.

We are home, and so happy.  It almost feels like a dream.

Xandra said to me yesterday tht she almost doesn’t even really believe that Josiah is here and that he’s ours to keep.  She said it seems like a dream, and I have to agree with her.

That’s how it feels to me.

I’ve uploaded a bunch of pictures onto Flickr, and you can click here to see them.

I’ll post the full story soon, but all I want to do right now is hold my baby, and not ever let him go.  Jon’s changing his diaper right now and so that’s why I’ve popped on to update you all.

He’s an amazing nurser, and SO CONTENT.  You could not ask for a better, happier, healthier baby.  We are so blessed. The kids are nuts trying to figure out how to adjust to a new little one.

The past 3 years has been just as hard on them as it has been on us.  My mom said they were absolutely insane on Saturday as they were waiting, not knowing what was going on.

They called so many times, and wanted to know if and when we’d be coming home.  NOt just me, but Josiah too….it’s been rough, and I didn’t realize until this weekend just how rough it’s been on ALL of us.

We are happy, and glad to be learning how to adjust to each other…..it’s a hoot!  I’ll post again soon.  Go see the pics.

Josiah Christopher Culley

josiah

Well, Josiah finally made it!  I say finally, but he was a week early…  Anyway, Patti’s water broke yesterday and she had a non-stress test at the hospital anyway, so when she went in for that, they took her vitals, and sent her home with instructions to come back this morning if she hadn’t started into labour all by her self.

Well this morning came and no labour, so we went into the hospital just after 7:30 and got all hooked up.  They started an IV drip at 1 unit per hour and then slowly increased it every half hour.  The most they can go to before they need a specialist is 20 units per hour and we got there.  We hung around until after 1:00pm and still no real contractions, but by 1:30 at 20 units per hour we started having contractions.  Then at about 2:30 they were actually really starting to hurt and Patti didn’t think that really anything had happened yet, so we better get some pain med for the rest of the ride.  Nurse made it in by about 2:35 and checked and Patti was at 7cm dilated and so went to get pain meds and call our dr.  The nurse came back in a few minutes later (now about 2:45) and got ready to give the pain meds.  Patti had a fairly hard contraction right then and the nurse quickly gave her the meds and then did another check and said that she was fully dilated and could push if she needed to.  so the next contraction Patti gave a good push and the entire head came out in one shot.  The cord was wrapped around the neck so they quickly pulled that out of the way and cut it, then removed the rest of the baby.  The time was 2:58.

The specialist showed up about 10 minutes too late and the pain meds kicked in about 10 minutes after that.  Good timing!!!

He weighed in at 7 lb 12 oz and was 20.9 inches long.  The nurse said that he had the largest umbilical cord she had ever seen, and was perfect in every way.

He is an amazing nurser and quite pleasant.  There are a million more photos of him and baby and him and relatives and him and flowers and him and so on.  I’ll let Patti choose which ones to post tomorrow, so you get the one above for now. (Ain’t he cute?!?)

Have a good night.