Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Vacation details from a Tuesday

This afternoon for lunch we went to a little Italian pizzeria to celebrate Brittani's 32nd birthday. It was fun being with family again - although, restaurants were MUCH more fun without children, I won't lie. Thankfully, Eva feasted on my pizza crusts - probably the most she has eaten in days. She is so picky when we travel. Oh, and she also loved the marinara sauce they gave us. After spilling some all down the front of her, I poured most of it on a plate but gave her the cup to hold. It entertained her for the remainder of the meal, and I was so grateful.

Back at home I played some more with Chelsey's Cricut machine (how in the world do I not have one of those yet? They are the coolest!) and waited for Eva to wake up from a nap. I pushed her on the swing for a LONG time today - she loves to swing. She doesn't act especially excited when she's on there: she seems to concentrate really hard on the feeling of the wind, or something. She has a serious but happy look on her face, and I love to watch her. I sang her Popcorn Popping and other Primary songs while she swang, and she loved it. I was reminded how much I love Primary songs; I don't know why I haven't taught her them yet. She is getting old enough to learn them, and it's going to be so fun to sing them with her from now on.

Oh, we also went to Target earlier this morning to get me a sports bra and an ace bandage. I am going to start the already painful process of drying up my milk. (Any suggestions from those who have done it??) Leighton will be 6 weeks old tomorrow, and frankly I can't believe I have held on this long with pumping. I HATE it. I hate being attached to it when I don't produce enough milk as it is and have had to supplement with formula from the beginning. It is certainly no mystery how he has gained so much weight. He eats at least four ounces per feeding, sometimes 6 or more. PIG. Today it seemed he was eating most of the day, since he's a slow eater anyway and he eats so much. Can't wait till this stage is over, for that reason. But anyway, the pumping stage of my life is officially over, and I'm praying that the getting-rid-of-milk stage doesn't take too long or cause me too much pain.

Tonight we had a yummy dinner with a delicious homemade lemon meringue pie for dessert. I had three pieces. I have never had a homemade meringue pie - especially one this good. I am definitely going to have to get that recipe and try my hand at forming those fluffy white peaks.
I talked to my sister Kim for a little bit and I'm still so grateful that she's okay. Last night when I called her for the first time, she answered the phone and said, "Steph!" I said, "Kim!" It was a flood of relief to hear her voice, even though I knew she was okay. This made me realize how much I love her, and I think I take my siblings for granted.

Another thing that happened today is I found out that Stephanie Neilson, a darling girl in Arizona whose blog I read and who is also married to a pilot, was in a plane crash with her husband and is severely injured. It was ironic that I found that out today, because I had been thinking about her all morning as we flew. I don't know why - I have never met her or even left a comment on her blog - but it really affected me when I heard the news. She has impressed me from the first time I read her blog: she is such a loving wife and awesome mother to 4 little kids, and I have often thought how I wanted to be more like her. Even though I don't know her, I was so sad and it has been hanging over my head all afternoon. I will certainly pray for her and her husband to be able to pull through this.

6 comments:

AnnEE said...

I've exchanged an e-mail or two with Nie Nie and I'm DYING over this. It has totally thrown off everything in my daily life. We're definitely praying around here, too.

Samye said...

Hey- regarding drying up- I suggest start slowly. I had to dry up in order to go to Africa so I just started skipping the noon feeding, after two or three days then i went to skipping the noon and 3 feeding, then a couple days etc... it wasn't too bad because my body started producing less to account the amount that he was eating. (I don't know if any of this is making sense?) Anyway- good luck, if you have any questions please email me!!

Lisa said...

Definitely go gradually with the weaning thing. I had the opposite problem as you- I produce enough milk to feed quintuplets! So weaning was painful. I was engorged for several days. But it eventually stops! Hot showers help a lot too.

Lindsay said...

so I must be way behind but what is a circut or was it cricket machine? Good luck with the weaning. By the time I weaned him he was hardly eating from me at all, and I wasn't producing tons so it was a lot easier. But yeah, go slowly or you'll be in a lot of pain.
Glad you're having fun with the webb's but we can't wait to have you guys here!

usmcsedrick said...

So Steph if you want to dry up fast and painlessly go to the grocery store and buy a cabbage. Every morning take a cabbage leaf and slip it inside your bra, I'd do it overnight too. I don't know why it works but everyone I've talked to says it does. And if it doesn't, hey at least it didn't cost much. Good luck! and let me know how it goes.

hillarie said...

Hi Steph! So weird! I just read that about Nie Nie also. So sad- I hope that their recovery goes fast!
I saw your house!! We visited the Schaefers and Toni (your next door neighbor) while we were up there. Do you love it? It looked great and so big! I am jealous, I really do love it up there!