Thriftanista in the City

Little Miss sleeps through the night *knocks wood* (I can't stop speaking Twitter). Her bedtime routine normally starts around 7:30pm. She wakes around 3am. I feed her and she falls back asleep until around 6am. I bring her into our bed and nurse her again where I can maybe squeeze about 1 to 2 more hours out. This has been going on for about a week or 2. I think. My days/hours still run together and I'm hardly ever aware of exact times. I am so grateful for this. I know it could be worse but..... I really wish she would take three 2 hour naps AND sleep through the night. Yes, I'm greedy like that. I like to have my cake and eat it too. I'd like to be able to do things like clean, cook, eat, and craft now that I'm having so much good sleep. Instead, I spend the day putting her down for naps. Swaddling and rocking for a nap that could very well be 10 minutes long. I go through this routine a minimum of 5 times a day. It's exhausting. She fights sleep. She fights ...

I had the opportunity to take an extended mom-cation. I enjoyed my holiday so much. I visited with friends. Spent time with my BFF who I hadn't seen in 5 months. I took Little Miss to see her great grandmother for the very first time. I went out to eat sans baby. I also went to the "get down". My random thoughts/observations: After putting baby to sleep I no longer feel like doing all that primping I use to do pre baby. I wore flats in the club for the first time ever. I felt really sexy though (could be my larger than life boobs). I cannot wear bare legs in the cold for the sake of fashion and those who do are nuts (unless you are being dropped off at the front door). Ethiopian food gives me the bubble guts. Ethiopian coffee is expensive. A lot of the same jokers from 10 years ago are still "looking for love" in the club. Diapers and changing pad should be removed from purse before going out. Do not leave home without breast pump. Milkscreen: Hom...

I give thanks for: being out of the rat race for over a year. Little Miss sleeping longer at night. cheap wine. finding an old Starbucks gift card in my wallet. not having baby weight to loose. the trip I took to ATL to see my BFF. a parenting partner. the free eyeglasses I received. dinner with friends. salted caramel hot chocolate . the ability to read. the long hot summer. my passport. sweet and tart margaritas. the  Chicago Diner . beautiful dresses. libraries. my Yaris.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about sewing. Maybe it's all the inspiration I get from the blogs in my Google Reader. Right night Little Miss resides in my creation space and all my fabric has been stored away. All I have is this pic to look at. Isn't it yummy? I want to role around in it.

The pushing continued through the morning and afternoon. I pushed on my back, on all fours, and standing. My contractions slowed and I dozed periodically. They were coming every 7 - 8 minutes. I could no longer tell I was having a contraction. I would look at the monitor and ask the group surrounding me if I was having one. More time passed like this. Still no baby and the contractions were not unbearable. I called on God even though I'm not religious. I wanted this baby out but I had no idea how to make it happen and no one seemed to be helping me. I needed divine intervention. When the midwife returned she suggested Pitocin to get the contractions up again. Not what I wanted. I just saw my natural birth experience tanking. I did not protest because I just wanted the baby out by any means necessary. Too tired. Too hungry. More time passed and the Pitocin kicked in gradually. I was still too out of it to figure out if I was having a contraction and relied on the monitors and people...

After some time I was tired of all the movement and just wanted to lay down. Doula came over and lightly stroked my arm which was very annoying while in labor. I needed firm strong kneading hands. I told her to stop. The midwife came to check on me and said I was 8 cm and why don't I do a little pushing to see if that will get me to 9. It did but I didn't have an urge to push. However, she continued to command me to push and I tried even though I really didn't understand what I was doing. Call me weirdo but pushing like you're having a bowel movement is just hard to do if you're not sitting on a toilet. I just kept trying with Him, the doula, the midwife, and a nurse all around me. I had been pushing for a long time and I was tired. I was also wondering why my doula hadn't stopped the midwife and nurse from doing the you can do it, push, push, push cheer. I clearly remember telling her that I did not want that.  I was scared, crying, naked, tired, and "push...

It has been 12 weeks since the event. I've been wanting to write all the details down but time got away from me so I'll just write what I can remember. It all started on August 27th at 9:02 am. I was a week past my due date and was settling in with the idea that I would be pregnant forever. I turned on the tv to watch a DVR'd Project Runway episode. I sat on the couch with my legs tucked under me and heard a pop and felt wetness. I ran to the bedroom to grab my cell and text Him (priorities). I continued to leak heavily and decided I should probably sit on the toilet first and stop making a mess. I got myself together and sent the text. I then called the midwife and doula and gave them a heads up. Lastly, I called my mom because she wanted to be the first to know. I told her it was beginning and not to call me (like she did everyday towards the end of my pregnancy). I would call her as soon as Little Miss was born. I showered but continued to leak heavily but did not have a...

Tomorrow begins the 12th week. During those first few weeks of crying my eyeballs out and wanting to leave her on someone's doorstep, folks kept saying "Wait 3 months and she'll be a completely different baby". Were they right? Yes and No. She's definitely less crabby. She smiles and laughs so that's good encouragement when she's working my nerves. She sleeps a bit longer. I've witnessed a couple 5 - 6 hour stretches at bedtime but I am selfishly looking for 8 to 12 hours at night. In a perfect world, I would also like her to take three 2 hour naps (45 mins is her norm*). Her crank level goes way down after a long nap. I do the 5 S's from The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer and they've all worked great for calming her down. I've skimmed Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child  and I have my doubts about the sleep begets sleep notion. On the nights she slept a long stretch, she was...

Nine years ago I went to a play and out to my home away from home -- the club. I met the Man. We began dating a week later. Moved in together after 6 months. We got married 4 years ago and last year we decided to have a baby (after a drunken night out). Today we have the beautiful Little Miss V.