PS Mommy Thread-Newborn to 12 months!

[taovandel]

All the babies are sooo cute!

Sha: sorry about the pump!



finally took some pics of the nursery...I think I posted a few on the pregnant board..but never posted on the actual nursery thread... off to go do that.

back with pics of Evan later on.

 

[Mara]

RPS those pics are great!! the boys do look so alike!

sunkist...yes it''s crazy how fast they lose that newborn baby look...i was just thinking J''s cheeks are not as fatty as they used to be, i miss them!! yay for crazy rollovers, that is awesome!

steph... lol re the 8.5 hours, i am sure it was a fluke. well that''s how i have to think because otherwise i will just be disappointed when he reverts hehee. previously he''d only gone 6.5 hours which i know is still great. but it was so weird!! my boobs didn''t appreciate it.

amber, your pics are so cute, is that a sling she''s in? i love how it just looks like her head is there.

positive success today, i came home from my 6w pp appt and greg was holding the crying baby (he was home this morning) and saying ''he''s starving''...i had just fed him before leaving for my appt. i said he shouldn''t be THAT hungry, has he slept? he said...just a catnap so i said..ok he''s tired. i fed him a little from the boob (he wasn''t really hungry) and then swaddled him and put him down in his crib with the sleep sheep. within 5 min he was passed out. Yay.

re: 6w pp.. so apparently everything looks good EXCEPT i had a bit of scar tissue. i told her that a week ago in the shower i had cleaned too hard and i was bleeding, she said this is why. so she had to remove it (CUT IT OFF) as close as possible to the base and then put this stuff on it to kind of cauterize it to stop bleeding. ok i know i vag birthed a child but i HATE when anyone is messing around down there, it hurts!!! so now i am bleeding a bit and sore again, she said i prob shouldn''t work out today or tomorrow but i planned to go back to Zumba tomorrow. i am hoping i feel better, i really don''t want to miss it, all my friends will be there. BOOO on scar tissue. oh and for anyone who hasn''t seen it..it''s kinda funny looking, like a little frond similar to a waving tentacle on a sea anemone. she said that one gal came in and said ''i think i have a gummi bear down there''...OMG i laughed SO HARD.

 

[taovandel]

This picture is from yesterday....I put him on his play gym thingy and I went to go cook (The two rooms are opened to eachother)...I kept checking on him and he kept moving further from the gym....

You can see the gym in the background....He scooted all the way out of it.

 

[sunkist]

Tao, does E play with his feet now???

 

[taovandel]

yeah, all the time---We will put him on the playmate and he would rather play with his feet then play with the toys on the gym. The babysitter said he also started taking his own socks off....

 

[taovandel]

another pic of him playing with his feet.

 

[fieryred33143]

Ugh today has been insane!!

Sha-That sounds awful! I’ve done that before too! Dalila is like a little angel and she’s getting so big!! Love!

RPS-Sorry you are feeling down on the marriage issue. We are having marriage issues over here too so you aren’t alone. We just started talking about it again and are thinking late 2010, early 2011. Ben and Will look so similar and they’re both adorable!

Mara-LMAO @ gummi bear! hahahahaha Julian is adorable!

Steph-The boys are so cute!

Amber-LOL I do the same to Sophia. Actually I poke and go “booty booty booty” and she cracks up. She’s so beautiful and I think she looks a lot like you!

Sunkist-I can’t believe Wes is already 4 months! Incredible.

Tao-Awe when they discover their feet it’s so much fun. Has he figured out how delicious they taste yet??

 

[fieryred33143]

As for me, I'm doing nothing today! Yay

. I'll probably wait until Sophia goes to sleep and then have a drink

. We have a b-day party tomorrow and a play date on Sunday. I'm so nervous about the play date. I've always been nervous making new friends.

Oh and my friday confession is that since it's Lent and I'm not "supposed to" eat meat on Fridays, I order Pizza. I'm supposed to be on a diet but I order it anyway. FI is not Catholic so he doesn't now the rules (which, BTW, isn't a rule anymore

) and just goes with what I say. Yum for pizza

 

[taovandel]

He''s been playing with his feet for about a month now....makes diaper changes super fun. At least three times a day I have to say, "Let go of your feet!" haha. When we were at the Pedi''s the other day he was grabbing his feet so hard...he left a red mark on his foot---she was worried about it until she realized it was from him holding on so tight.

I''m trying to think if he''s put them in his mouth yet....I don''t think he has yet....too enthralled by his two middle fingers..haha.

mmm, now I want pizza!

 

[sunkist]

haha, pizza - thats what we''re having for dinner tonight too!

Tao - he''s adorable grabbing his feet

 

[gingerB]

holy plugged duct batman -- omg those are painful. how do you torture a new mommy? give her a plugged duct the size of half her boob, leaking engorged breasts and then plop in the middle of THREE HOURS OF TRAFFIC. i have never been so glad to see my pump. i literally ran into the house directly to it. unfortunately 3 pump sessions did not get it out. fortunately my wonderful hubby remebered what worked for my the last time i had a plugged duct. he foced to to take a warm shower then a nap and told me to stop trying to do everything myself. i napped for an hour and woke up and miraculously AGAIN, the forst pump after napping it releases. i don''t understand how stress and lack of rest makes a plugged duct aor how a nap can help relieve it (otehr than allowing my body to relax?) any one? google doesn''t seem to know.

mara - WOW on the 8.5 hours and lol on hte gunmmi bear! i am hapf can''t wit for my 6 wk pp visit to make sure everything is healing well, but also dreading any kind of manipulation down there that might be done. ouch.

sha - sorry about the pump. that really sucks.

tgal -

sunkist -

for wes!!

RPS - sorry about the stress of you SO''s crazy ex. hopefully everything will work out. and you are a supermom. 30 oz is awesome and i am positive you''ll have your 120 oz before you know it!

baby pics makes fridays especially sweet. here is one from a few days ago when i ALMOST caught one of his practice smiles.

 

[sunkist]

Ginger, that''s just the cutest little smile

Wow, I can''t believe how bad that plugged duct sounds! I''m glad you finally got it out. What a sweet hubby you have to take care of you like that

I hope the clogged duct stays away!

 

[Sha]

Date: 3/12/2010 1:13:46 PM
Author: rockpaperscissors67
Sha, what kind of pump were the ones you killed? I have a Medela Harmony that I'm not using so you'd be welcome to that. I think all of the parts to it can be sterilized in boiling water.

Awww...thanks for the kind offer, rps.

I did schlep out and buy a new one, though - had to. I put it on the credit card.

They were Infanti Manual pumps.

Your boys really do look a lot alike!

*********

Thanks for the comments on Dalila/the pump, everyone.


tavo - that pic of Evan scooting out off of his mat is so funny!. He looks completely unconcerned too! Haha...

Amber - Piper looks like a cute little kangaroo in that pic!

sunkist - yay for Wes rolling over! Now you have to watch him like a hawk....

Loovvve all the baby pics!!!

 

[taovandel]

Evan rolled from back to tummy today!!!!

 

[taovandel]

My sister came over and took some pics...hope you don''t mind....

1st up...in honor of Piper

 

[taovandel]

My happy baby.

 

[Mara]

congrats tao and Evan!!

sha...ugh sorry about the metal. don't you love spacing out like that? we have these mugs from red envelope that have like metal scrolls on them, well they are ACTUAL metal which we didn't know. we each tried to heat up our coffee in them once, so funny. both of us were like WHAT WAS SPARKING. oh yeah don't put the mug in the micro.

i was able to go to UJam this morning which is kind of like Zumba but more hip hop routines. i was so excited to be BACK doing cardio with my friends even though i couldn't quite get as crazy as i typically would due to the gummi bear removal.

greg worked all night last nite since as the director he felt like if his team was working overnight during this release that he should be there too. so it was my first time totally alone doing night routine and then morning wakeup etc...it was def doable but way more fun with two people! the bed was so quiet though, i loved it hahaha.

and once again J slept 8.5 hours last nite, from 10 to 6:30 and then again from 7:15am to 10:30. if he keeps this up we might end up really spoiled. i don't have my hopes up.

his fussiness levels seem to vary now, sometimes he is super good natured and mellow and other times he is almost inconsolable. i am starting to notice patterns to when he seems to be 'in pain' potentially due to gas or reflux vs just good ole crabbiness which help me figure out how to deal with him during each instance.

ginger...yeah i was not expecting to go in for 6wk appt and have her be like 'i have to cut off this piece of flesh'...umm ok. oh well!! better now than later i guess. and yuck that plugged duct sounds horrible...i asked my Dr about my boob and she said it sounded like a plugged duct that had eventually worked free. i try to massage them all the time so i dont know what i missed but ok.

and umm ginger OMG your little boy is SO friggin cute. i love his smile and his eyes!!!

sunkist...yikes i am freaked out about rolling over already... J just rolls from his tummy to back but that's enough to not make me want to leave him anywhere!

happy saturday all!

ETA...tao that happy pic is sooo cute!

 

[steph72276]

Ugh! I am going to take all our savings and start a clothing line just for post delivery women! I can''t fit into anything I own and it''s so frustrating. I can zip all my pants, but they just don''t look good and my shirts feel like they are too short, while the maternity ones are too long. I need to make a line of pants that are a little wider in the hips and butt and have hidden elastic in the waist and shirts that are a little longer...I''m sure I could make millions! Anyway, I''m 5 pounds from my pre preg. weight so I don''t want to go buy new stuff yet, but I''m giving myself 2 or 3 more weeks and then I might have to go buy a few things to get me through.

It is beautiful weather here today...sunny, 70s and not a cloud in the sky. I went for a long run this morning and it was so nice! We are heading out to Sam''s to buy lots of diapers and wipes in bulk and see what else we might need. Hope everyone is having a great weekend. Oh and CUTE pics everyone!

 

[Burk]

I have been a terrible PSer lately and have barely posted. I don''t even think I''ve posted in this thread since I had K!
Needy 2 year-old + fussy 4 week old + husband out of town for a week= EXHAUSTED Burk!

Anyway, just wanted to pop in and say I''ve been reading and those of you who have babies around K''s age are keeping me sane because I know I''m not alone! I cut out dairy and corn from my diet in hopes we could escape the issues with reflux and food intolerance that T had but it looks like no such luck. K has been spitting up like a mad man (some projectile), is extremely gassy, arches in pain and is often unconsolable. I''ve done all the tricks (gripe water, incline bassinet, ect) and some help here and there but it''s pretty rough when he can''t be put down and T just wants my attention!

Enough of my sob story!

Steph~Couldn''t agree more about clothing!! I''m so annoyed that I typically just wear lounge clothes!! Your boys are adorable!!

Mara~J is am amazing sleeper!! Yay for you!! T had terrible reflux but for some reason was an awesome night sleeper. Weird but I didn''t complain!

Ginger~Boo for the clogged duct. Bfing is a PITA some times!

RPS~They look so much alike!!

Everyone else, LOVE the pics!! DH is back so hopefully I''ll be able to get some rest and post more often.

 

[Burk]

A peaceful pic of K...

 

[Pandora II]

Loving all the baby pics! Amber that one of Piper looking like a baby kangaroo is adorable - and I'm so jealous that she has enough hair to put clips in! Burk, that is so cute!

Tao - Yay for rolling and cute photos!

RPS - could you check out 'zolmitriptan' in your book? (I'd been interested to know what they say about 'Tramadol' and 'Lamotrigine' as well if you have time). Euuugghhh for crazy exes, hope it all sorts out for you.


Went to get a new phone yesterday as my current one goes in May. I'd done a load of research on different plans and providers and decided to go with Vodaphone, so went to their big office in central London. Then I couldn't make up my mind whether to stick with Blackberry or get an iPhone, as the price was the same for the plans... in the meantime D decided she was bored, so they gave her a shiny red Blackberry to play with. Once we'd finished everything and were ready to leave I told Daisy to give back the Blackberry... and the store manager said no, she could keep it!

So, my 9.5 month old daughter now has her own Blackberry!

It's one of the demo ones so it doesn't actually work, but it looks just like mine and DH'so now she can stop stealing ours.

She is obsessed with telephones and spends ages having long conversations in a very odd voice - no doubt how I sound on the phone or something!

The last few days she's worked out that saying "Hi" or "Hey" and waving at people gets a good response so now whenever we go out she has to say hi and wave at EVERYBODY. I got on a bus earlier and she said it to the driver and then to the whole bus... it's pretty cute but it takes a long time to get things done!

Here's a late pic contribution:

 

[taovandel]

Pandora: Her little dress is so cute...and equally cute is her saying hi to everyone...she probably brightened up a lot of people''s days.

 

[Pandora II]

The dress is AMAZING. It''s a pinafore in real Scottish Herringbone Tweed, with little buttons up the back and a Tana Lawn lining. It was £85 GBP and I managed to get it for £15 GBP...

There''s also a matching coat with toogles and a hood - I picked that up as well for £30 down from £165.

Who the heck spends £165 on a baby coat???

I will say that they are beautifully made and incredible quality. They will be going in her ''box'' when she grows out of them rather than being donated to relatives. My mother is going to take a pattern from the dress so that she can make her some more as she gets older.

 

[taovandel]

omg..the coat sounds gorgeous also! I want a girl

 

[fieryred33143]

OMG Sophia was just UGH today.

She took one 45 minute nap and then refused to sleep the entire day. Refused! And I was going to skip out on R''s best friend''s kid party but he promised we would go. She was an angel at the party, laughing, playing, babbling. We get home and she had a meltdown which I figured was coming. Anyway, she''s asleep now thankfully.

Also, I feel ripped off. She has been obsessed with the "d" sound and saying dada. She finally added "m" and was getting the hang of mama before she decided that "n" and "p" are much cooler and now all she says is dadadada nennenenen papapa dadada nennen What gives?! Hmph

I think she may be getting a cold. Her nose sounded stuffy. Anything I can do to prevent it? I''d really hate for her to get sick.

 

[fieryred33143]

I think PS ate my post yum

I meant to say that Pandora, I love Daisy! She''s so beautiful!

 

[Pandora II]

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all the PS Mummies!

You guys probably have a different day, as it seems to alter all over the world, but it's Mothering Sunday here today so I thought I'd send you all happy wishes!

Daisy gave me a beautiful hand-carved horn egg spoon, and DH and I have a date to see Alice in Wonderland this afternoon while BILs and SIL look after D. Can't wait.

 

[taovandel]

Happy Mother''s Day to you, Pandora....Ours isn''t until May...but I''ll celebrate right along with you today!

 

[rockpaperscissors67]

Pandora,

Here''s the info you need:

Zolmitriptan
Zolmitriptan is a selective seratonin -1D receptor antagonist that is specifically indicated for treating acute migraine headaches. Peak plasma levels of zolmitriptan during migraine attacks are generally 8-14 ng/mL and occur before 4 hours. Zolmitriptan is structurally similar to sumatriptan but has better oral bioavailability, higher penetration into the CNS, and may have dual mechanisms of action. No data are available on its penetration into human milk. See sumatriptan as preferred alternate.

Lactation Risk Category: L3

Adult concerns: Asthenia, dizziness, paresthesias, drowsiness, nausea, throat tightness, tight chest. Tachycardia and palpitations have been reported.

Pediatric concerns: None reported via milk. See sumatriptan as alternative.

1/2 life = 3 hours
Oral bioavailability = 48%
Molecular weight = 287.36


From me: Have you tried sumatriptan? If I were the one choosing between the two, I''d go with sumpatriptan in this case because it has a shorter half-life (1.3 hours), a higher molecular weight (413) and lower oral bioavailability (10-15%). Generally, if the molecular weight is over 300, the drug isn''t going to pass into milk in great quantities. Oral bioavailability is how much of the drug reaches the cirulatory system, so the lower the number the better. A high protein binding number is also good for indicating that a drug is unlikely to get into breastmilk; sumatriptan and zolmitriptan have about the same protein binding.

Of course, since Daisy is older and probably not nursing as often as a newborn, and since migraine meds are taken only on an as-needed basis, Daisy''s exposure would be fairly limited, so that would be something to consider, too.


Tramadol
Tramadol is a new class analgesic that most closely resembles the opiates although it is not a controlled substance and appears to have reduced addictive potential. It appears to be slightly more potent than codeine. After oral use, its onset of analgesia is within 1 hour and reaches a peak in 2-3 hours. Folliwng a single IV 100 mg dose of tramadol, the cumulative excretion in breastmilk within 16 hours was 100 ug of tramadol (0.1% of the maternal dose) and 27 ug of the M1 metabolite.

In a recent study of 75 mothers who received 100 mg every 6 hours after Cesarian section, milk samples were taken on days 2-4 postpartum in transitional milk. At steady state, the Milk/Plasma ratio average 2.4 for rac-tramadol and .8 for rac-O-desmethyltramadol. The estimated absolute and relative infant doses were 112 ug/kg/day and 30 ug/kg/day for rac-tramadol and its desmethyl metabolite. The relative infant dose was 2.24% and .64% for rac-tramadol and it''s desmethyl metabolite, respectively. No significant neurobehavioural adverse effects were noted between controls and exposed infants.

Lactation Risk Category: L2

Adult concerns: Sedation, respirtatory depression, nausea, vomiting, constipation.

Pediatric concerns: None reported via milk. Observe for sedation.

Alternatives: Hydrocodone.

1/2life = 7 hours
Molecular weight = 263
Protein binding = 20%
Oral bioavailability = 60%

From me: If I just looked at the stats on this, I might be worried because of the molecular weight under 300, the low protein binding and the sort of high oral bioavailability, but since this one has actually been studied and classified as an L2, I''d take it without any concerns.


Lamotrigine
Lamotrigine is a newer anticonvulsant primarily indicated for treatment of simple and complex partial seizures. In a study of a 24 year old female receiving 300 mg/day lamotrigine during pregnancy, maternal serum levels and cord levels of lamotrigine at birth were 3.88 ug/mL in the mother and 3.26 ug/mL in the cord blood. By day 22, the maternal serum levels were 9.61 ug/mL, the milk concentration was 6.51 ug/mL, and the infant''s serum level was 2.25 ug/mL. Following a reduction in dose, the prior levels decreased significantly over the next weeks. The milk/plasma ratio at the highest maternal serum level was 0.562. The estimated dose to infant would be approximate 2-5 mg per day assuming a maternal dose of 200-300 mg per day. The infant developed normally in every way.

In another study of a single mother receiving 200 mg/day lamotrigine, milk levels of lamotrigine immediately prior to the next dose (trough) at steady state were 3.48 mg/L (13.6 uM). The authors estimated the daily dose to infant to be 0.5 mg/kg/day. The above authors suggest that infants, while developing normally, should probably be monitored periodically for plasma levels of lamotrigine.

The manufacturer reports that in a group of 5 women (no dose listed), breastmilk concentrations of lamotrigine ranged from 0.07-5.03 mg/L. Breastmilk levels average 40-45% of maternal plasma levels. No untoward effects were noted in the infants.

In a study by Ohman of 9 breastfeeding women at 3 weeks postpartum, the median milk/plasma ratio was 0.61, and the nursed infants maintained lamotrigine concentrations of approximately 30% of the mother''s plasma levels. The authors estimated the dose to the infant at 0.2-1 mg/kg/day. No adverse effects were noted in the infants.

One further study of 6 breastfeeding women consuming from 175-800 (mean=400) mg/day resulted in average infant doses of 0.45 mg/kg/day, and an average infant plasma concentration of 0.6 mg/L. No adverse effects in the infants were noted.

In a study of four mothers with partial epilepsy on lamotrigine monotherapy, serum levels of lamotrigine in nursing newborns ranged from ml on day 10 of life. three babies had lamotrigine levels>1.0 ug/mL. Lamotrigine levels in newborns were on average 30% (range 20-43%) of the maternal drug level. Unfortunately, no decline was noted in two children with repeat levels at 2 months. The authors suggested significant genetic variability in the infants ability to metabolize this drug. Close monitoring of the infant plasma levels was recommended.

The use of lamotrigine in breastfeeding mothers produces significant plasma levels in some breastfed infants, although they are apparently not high enough to produce side effects. It is probably advisable to monitor the infant''s plasma levels closely to insure safety.

Lactation Risk Category: L3

Adult concerns: Rash, fatigue, ataxia, dizziness, somnolence, tremor, nausea, vomiting, and headache. Breast pain has been infrequently reported.

Pediatric concerns: Breast milk levels are relatively high and RID is high as well. Reported infant plasma levels are about 30% of maternal plasma levels. However, no untoward effects have been noted in any of these studies.

Theoretic infant dose: 0.97 mg/kg/day.

1/2life = 29 hours
Molecular weight = 256
Protein binding = 55%
Oral bioavailability = 99%

From me: If I had a newborn, I would be very careful with this one, even though no infants in the studies showed side effects. Since Daisy''s older, I''d take it if I felt the benefits outweighed the risks.


About lactation risk categories:
I''m not sure if you''re familiar with these; they''re similar to the pregnancy risk categories. L1 is the safest and L5 is contraindicated. A quick summation of the different levels:

L1 -- Safest. Drug which has been taken by a large number of breastfeeding mothers without any observed increase in adverse effects in the infant.
L2 -- Safer. Drug which has been studied in a limited number of breastfeeding women without an increase in adverse effects in the infant.
L3 -- Moderately safe. There are no controlled studies in breastfeeding women, however, the risk of untoward effects to a breastfed infant is possible, OR controlled studies show only minimal non-threatening adverse effects. Drugs should be given only if the potential benfit justifies the potential risk to the infant.
L4 -- Possibly hazardous. There is positive evidence of risk to a breastfed infant or to breastmilk production, but the benefits from use in breastfeeding mothers may be acceptable despite the risk to the infant.
L5 -- Contraindicated. Studies in breastfeeding mothers have demonstrated that there is significant and documented risk to the infant based on human experience, or it is a medication that has a high risk of causing signifcant damage to an infant.

Hope that helps!

 

[rockpaperscissors67]

Mara, isn''t it amazing how fast they lose the newborn look? I can see that J is definitely looking older. Sorry about the impromptu surgery at your pp checkup -- it made me sqirm to read about that.

for the awesome sleep!

Fiery, dang, I''m sorry you''re having to deal with marriage issues, too! It annoys me because most of the time, I''m fine about not being married, since I had such bad experiences before.

I''m sorry Sophia was tough on you, too. Those meltdowns are awful! I don''t think there''s much you can do to prevent a cold, though, because I think by the time they show symptoms, they''ve already gotten the germs in their systems. I hope if she does get it, she gets over it quickly.

Ginger, I''m sorry you had to deal with a plugged duct, but yay for your hubby knowing what you needed! I''ll take a crack at why you get plugged ducts -- I think when you''re stressed and tired, you may be more likely to allow baby to breastfeed sloppily, which could leave the breast unemptied, thus more likely to develop a plugged duct. No science behind that theory, just my gut instinct.

Your little one is too adorable!

Sha, if you happen to kill another pump, the offer stands. I realized later that you must not be in the US (I''ve never heard of that brand of pump), so getting it to you overnight would have been difficult. I''m glad you were able to get another.

Steph, I hear you about the clothing and I share your frustration. I have one pair of jeans that fit and they''re an old pair of my daughter''s so they have ink pen on them. I am still several sizes away from my normal jeans. I really want to get back to my regular weight, but then I get depressed about it and eat. I keep telling myself that I shouldn''t do anything to lose weight until 8 weeks post partum because I don''t want it to affect my milk supply, so that buys me 2 more weeks...but I hate getting dressed every day. I''ve had to buy a handfull of shirts because I realized that my normal shirts are not conducive to nursing in public discreetly.

Hi Burk! K''s adorable! I love chubby little cheeks! Hang in there...you know it''ll get better.

Pandora, love the pic of Daisy. She''s such a beautiful little girl. That''s so cute that she has her own crackberry now.

As for who spends that much on a coat for a baby...people with more money than sense...and moms who are total suckers for dressing up their little girls, lol. If I could swing it, I''d totally splurge on kids'' clothing all the time ''cause I love when they are dressed up. It''s a good thing I''m kind of poor.

Happy Mother''s Day to you, too!

===

Yesterday, my 16 year old daughter fell off the horse she was riding and ended up with a hairline fracture in her pelvis. SO, I and the boys were out of town, helping FIL take cows to the livestock auction, and when we got back, my 14 year old son had IMed me, saying "Hannah''s in the hospital." I called their dad''s house and my son couldn''t actually tell me any useful information, so I had no clue what exactly was going on until Hannah got back from the hospital a couple of hours later. It was awful waiting to hear how she was and exactly what she hurt. I was extremely upset, too, because my ex and his wife hadn''t called to tell me that Hannah was hurt. I called my ex later and found out that he had sent me an email, but my email sent it to the Junk folder, ugh. The good news is that while she does need to be seen by an orthopedist, the er doc thought that Hannah would heal up just fine, although it may take a little bit.

The ironic thing is that yesterday, SO and I were talking about buying her a horse. She used to want to be a vet, but lately, she has not been very enthusiastic about the idea of college. I''m afraid that she''s going to decide that she doesn''t need a degree and that hasn''t worked out so well for my oldest. So, we''re thinking about getting her a horse with the understanding that she will go to college and take her horse along. She can do this if she goes to Virginia Tech and they have a great animal husbandry program that would allow her to do all kinds of work with animals. I hate bribing kids, but I''m more than willing to do it if it means that she continues her education.

That''s the only excitement in my life -- thank god, because I don''t think I could handle more.

Ben was wonderful yesterday; he''s such a good rider in the car. We were gone from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and he slept a lot, but still woke to nurse every couple of hours. The only bad thing about this was that last night he didn''t want to fall back asleep after he woke around 1. SO and I were still up, so it didn''t bother me...until we finally went to bed and Ben acted like we were doing the worst thing possible. He didn''t go back to sleep until 4 and then Will got up at 7:30, so I''m working on 3 hours of sleep -- and planning to take a nap in just a little bit.

I do love that he''s much less fussy now. It''s as if he''s realized that he has other options besides crying, so he makes a lot of noise, but isn''t crying much. When he''s mildly unhappy, he just complains rather than all out cries. He''s also talking a lot to the ceiling and tv and sometimes us.