ROAD TRIP

So my mom was so nice and came to stay with us on the 4th of July. Her help was great. She really made it so Chad and I could enjoy the time with Kherrington and me to recover. Thanks MOM!!

My parents were also nice enough to help me get to go to the Wrigley Reunion(Mom's family). The Wrigley Reunion has always been the highlight of my summer ever since I can remember. So naturally I was really bummed out when I found out Chad's rotation was going through the weekend that it was scheduled. The thought of sitting at home, while Chad was at school, while the reunion was going on just killed me. So my mom came on the 4th of July to stay with us and then we (Mom, Kherrington, and I) drove to Idaho for the reunion. The sad part is that Chad was left here all alone.

I always think it'll be a great plan to go back home, but when it comes down to it, I hate leaving Chad. I was a wreck the entire day before we left. I just cried that night as we sat on the couch together!! I blame it on the hormones that hadn't straightened out yet; In reality though, it's just me. So on July 14th, Our 3rd Anniversary, we said good-bye to Chad and hit the road to Idaho. How mean of me!!

Kherrington did really well with the car ride though. She would sleep once we got going about 35 mph or higher and then would wake up as we stopped to get gas and eat, then I would feed her while my mom ate. Then my mom would drive while I ate and took a nap and then we'd switch and start over. So the normal 9 hour drive took us about 11 hours total, but I can't complain because she slept the entire way.

Kherrington in her car seat. This picture is actually from her first time in the car seat

coming home from the hospital.

The only problem with that is then she wanted to wake up every 3 hours during the night to eat that night. I know, I know, most moms out there are saying 3 hour increments at night is wonderful for a newborn. But Kherrington was sleeping 4-5 hours at night from the 2nd night at home. So the majority of the nights, I'd feed late around 11 and only have had to get up once during the night and get up around 6-7 am for another feeding. (The really nice thing is that my mom would wake up around that time and then took Kherrington after I fed her and then I got to sleep for a few more hours too.)

Kherrington then was kind of cranky the entire next day after our drive, not the easy going, happy, pleasant baby we'd know for the weeks before. Just in time for Janet (Chad's mom) and some of his niece's to see her be fussy.

With this fussiness came plenty of opportunity to hold her, and my youngest brother Ryan took full advantage. She got so she was very comfortable with him and I'd come in the living room and find something similar to the picture below!!

Or I'd find her in Mom and Dad's room with Ryan while he watched TV and was playing around on his computer. It was very nice to have others that she felt comfortable with and gave me a break on occasion when I need to get something done

Joys of Breastfeeding

So there are many things I didn't expect about becoming a new mom. I always heard about the sleepless nights, changing the millions of diapers, and I also heard about the joys of breast feeding, but not quite everything. (By now, you must realize that some people might not want to continue reading this!)

I got in on some of those really fun things I had heard about. Cracking, bleeding, and pain that "makes your toes curl" as my old boss Lesli stated. But the thing I was most surprised about was what let down felt like. I kept having what I thought was an abnormal sensation as I'd walk around the house. I couldn't figure out what it was, and I kept grabbing my chest. When this happened once and my Mom was right there to watch me do this, I finally told my mom, "I keep feeling like someone is hooking my chest up to jumper cables." Now all be it, that it's a slight exaggeration, I literally felt like someone was sending electrical current through me. Man what a great sensation! Thank heavens for Moms, she pointed out that it was probably my milk letting down.

NOT AT ALL what I had IMAGINED. So you soon to be new mothers out there, be aware or beware, how ever you see it, that it could happen to you and it doesn't necessarily coincide with a crying baby (all though it does usually happen then too)!!