Rubber Band

Did you leap today?

I'm not sure I did, but I certainly am feeling overscheduled and overtired. And I know this is nothing compared to what my life may be like when Jane has her own activities.

It's hot and muggy and gross, which adds to the difficulties.

Shed Spreading

A hormonal shift apparently causes a new mom's hair to start falling out around the baby's third or fourth month. Jane is right there, and my hair has been shedding like crazy for the last couple weeks.

My normal hair loss is probably more than most. I have a lot of hair, and when it's not shaped, cut and thinned by an expert stylist there's more of it to fall out. But the pace at which I'm losing hair is greater than my norm. Although I didn't notice my hair getting thicker during pregnancy it must have.

I'm not scared or upset, probably because I can't really tell that my hair is thinner other than seeing the massive amounts of hair coming out when I comb it -- and falling all over the place. I'm mostly wearing ponytails or buns these days anyway -- that's my preferred hair style in general because it's easy (not necessarily flattering) and Jane's grip is such that when she grabs the hair she's yanking it out, causing strands to twirl around her fingers. Not so fun to un-twine.

Eventually things should stabilize hormonewise and my hair will be back to itself. If it's a little thinner for a while so much the better. I still need to find a good stylist here. Meh.

Something that is NOT postpartum related that is happening to me is some skin shedding. This happened when I was a kid too -- my hands would peel. It's really gross, and I seem to remember not holding hands with other kids because of it. I don't know if it was my choice from embarrassment or theirs because YUCK! I've been using thick hand creams and just did an exfoliating scrub in the hopes to even things out. It's probably a weather thing AND a hands-are-wet-more-often thing (baby baths, more handwashing after diaper changes, hand washing my breast pump almost every day, etc.). Yech, though. I guess I should be glad it's only my hands ... for now!

TIB TIL: Coffee

Mindy Kaling has a blog, Things I've Bought That I Love, which is funny and led me to at least one purchase. Most of her stuff is higher end than what I am in the market for, but it's still a fun read in my Google Reader.

I buy stuff too though. And I like some of it. With baby gear there's always something that I'm loving (Target diapers, Moby wrap, zip-up PJs, etc.). So I'll try to write about those more -- as a record for myself and to help anyone who might Google such a product.

I'm a big coffee drinker -- or I was until I got pregnant. Then the taste was revolting (but most things were). Now I'm nursing and I can't load up on caffeine like the days of old. Those days will return, this I know, but for now I'm satisfying myself with decaf. And I've found two that I like enough to write about.

I love-love-love Starbucks Via decaf Italian roast. Seriously just stir in some just boiled water (from my handy-dandy electric kettle) and it's a deceptively good cup. Unfortunately it's about a buck a cup -- maybe a little less if you can find it on sale. That's sorta steep for an at-home coffee, but still better than a real run to a coffee shop. (Aside: you can get VERY tasty coffee drinks with decaf espresso at almost any coffee shop. I'm partial to decaf lattes with skim milk.)

The regular drip coffee I've found that I love is Dunkin Decaf. It's available at my grocery store, and if I get the proportions of water and coffee right it's super flavorful. I probably drink too much, and I know it's priming me to go back to my life of excess caffeinated coffee. But I'll take it.

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Read: How My Breasts Saved the World

How My Breasts Saved the World: Misadventures of a Nursing MotherHow My Breasts Saved the World: Misadventures of a Nursing Mother by Lisa Wood Shapiro
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hilarious. I found it while perusing the parenting shelf at my local library. Really glad I picked it up, and I read it within a day. While I couldn't relate to everything, the memoir of nursing really struck a cord. And it's written in such a way that keeps you laughing. I should look and see if she has a blog ...

View all my reviews

One Year Ago

I found out I was pregnant a year ago today. It was President's Day, and I took the test first thing, expecting a negative and to be able to booze it up that evening (drink of choice: Malibu and cherry coke zero).

I spent the day filled with glee -- unsure that it could be really real, after trying for so many months. I cooked a lot that day -- had already planned to use my federal holiday to make dinners for the rest of the week and to watch reruns of House.

The morning sickness hadn't set in (that would start around Mardi Gras, which weirdly is today this year), so I was feeling fine.

But nothing, nothing, nothing compares to the way I feel when I get to hold my baby. Waking up with her, going to sleep with her in her crib next to our bed, feeding her, even changing her diapers. It's all the best to me -- even when it's not.

And I wish the other "stuff" -- my doubts and insecurities and second guesses about what I "should" do -- would just melt away.

Drip

Sitting in the sun room that's more of a rain room right now. Its roof needs to be replaced, and there's drip-drip-drip coming from the casing of one of the windows. It's filled two Joe's cups so far not to mention the wet towels surrounding. Soon it will all be fixed though, so no worries. I'll keep on enjoying the rain, even if it does interfere with local parades.

My baby and husband are asleep in the next room. I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep -- on a Saturday when I can actually snooze a bit longer of course -- so I got up and am drinking drip-drip-drip coffee. I'm finding decaf tastes as good to me as regular, although I'm sure after nursing I'll return to high octane stuff.

Baby is stirring, so time for a baby bath and more cuddles. She's becoming quite the little person, and I love her so much. Crazy hair, loud squeals and all!


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