or, “It’s Not Really All About You Anymore”
2:00 Nurse Baby
2:40 Take some ibprofen; fall back asleep
4:00 Nurse Baby
6:00 Still nursing Baby
6:30 Pass Baby to hubby; tell him you need a break; fall back asleep
7:00 Wake up to four year old asking if you want breakfast in bed; hear hubby from the other room saying, “Aviana, I told you to let her sleep!”
8:30 Wake up again to screaming, bickering girls and a screaming, hungry baby
8:31 Get some coffee
8:40 While nursing baby, issue directives to the other set of under three footers
8:45 Accept a call from aunt, grandma and cousin singing “Happy Birthday!”; can’t really hear any of the ensuing conversation due to child cacophony in background
9:00 Still nursing baby, read some stories
10:10 Have no idea where last hour went, change out of nightgown, get everyone’s hair combed, pottied, and ready to go to chiro appointment
10:28 Accept a call from sister-in-law wishing “Happy Birthday!”; while glad to get the wishes, wonder why you answered phone when you need to be walking out the door
10:30 Dad decides to go with us
10:31 Kevin decides to go with us instead
10:32 Come back in the house for something
10:32 1/2 Come back in the house for something else
10:34 Come back in the house for another thing
10:58 While waiting for elevator, notice breast milk is dripping down your leg (and is all over front of your shirt)
10:59 While in elevator, change breast pads
11:00 Arrive at doctor’s office on time; receptionist says, “Oh you still haven’t had that baby?!” Think to yourself that your belly is nearly flat (relatively!) and choose to ignore the pang of fatness you feel. Husband holds up baby in carrier while everyone oohs and ahhs over baby.
11:15 Preschooler and toddler occupy themselves by marching around to imaginary music and racing back and forth to toy area. Luckily, waiting room is nearly deserted.
11:20 Doctor finally ready for us
11:30 Neck “is like a brick”, but creeping headache averted
11:45 Brielle whines all the way to Culver’s
12:00 Get our food; make trips back up the counter for a knife to cut girls’ burger, more ketchup, more napkins, another straw, Kevin’s soda
12:20 Food half eaten; Baby starts to fuss; break out the boob
12:21 With boob out under blanket, some guy stops by table to admire screaming baby (do you not notice he’s screaming, guy?!)
12:30 Kevin tells girls, “Now you guys are going to fall asleep in the car and take nice long naps.” The old lady sitting behind us interjects, “That sounds like wishful thinking to me!”
12:45 Go out to van to finish nursing; girls march around grassy area with their umbrellas, because it’s fun, and they can
1:00 Drop off pan from a delivered meal at a friend’s; Girls whine and cry because they can’t get out of van to play with their friend
1:15 Brielle falls asleep
1:30 Aviana is finally quiet after much ado and arguing; she pretends to sleep
1:40 Cadrian crying again; go in to nurse him, Kevin brings in girls; Aviana plays semi-quietly in her room
3:00 Realize you fell asleep in the chair; awaken groggily and painfully slowly with baby in arm that’s asleep, and toddler wanting snuggled and preschooler who wants attention; husband is out baling hay
4:00 15 Little Golden Books later, decide you are too tired to go out with husband for birthday, call and tell him so
4:40 Call and order pizza; leave message with Mom to pick it up on way home from work
5:00 Herd everyone upstairs to watch Curious George; nurse baby
5:20 Accept a call from sister and family singing “Happy Birthday!”; exchange mothering stories, sympathize and give phone hugs
5:30 Still nursing; let them watch an episode of “naughty children-Upers Anny” (as Brielle calls Supernanny)
6:00 Kevin home
6:15 Gigi home; everyone eats pizza off paper plates
6:40 Do the birthday song and let girls blow out candles
6:45 Disappear upstairs to nurse baby (AGAIN) and let Gigi and Kevin get girls to bed
7:15 Gratefully accept a bowl of birthday cake and ice cream
7:20 Put baby down to sleep
7:25 Baby wakes up screaming
7:30 Dispatch Kevin to put together baby swing
7:40 Realize we have no batteries for it
7:45 Baby is asleep again after having nursed for an eternity; give him to Gigi
8:30 Get started watching “The Water Horse”
10:00 Decide headache is back and it’s time for bed
11:45 Baby wakes up hungry
**Edited**This was meant to be jaunty and funny in an “Oh the irony!” kind of a way. I guess it didn’t translate very well when you can’t see the wry grin on my face. It was a great birthday! I’m not having a pity party for myself. I love love this life–sore boobages, tired eyes and whiny kids and all.
Birthdays sure do change after you have kids! Mine sure did.
Happy Birthday anyway!
At least it was spent with the best company possible, right?
mamas work is never done… even on her birthday! 🙂
brittany
Happy birthday! I remember those nursing marathons. As rough as it is now, just remember it’ll be over before you know it. My youngest of 3 is 2 1/2 and it seems like forever ago.
Blessings,
Amy
Oh! Here’s a bloggy hug…(SQUEEEEEZE)! I know what’s it’s like to feel like all you do is give on your birthday…tough…but you just have to stop and enjoy even the annoying things because there are some that don’t have even the annoying things. Have you ever read Babywise? I swear by that book and sticking to it really, REALLY helped me with all 3 of my kidlettes! I hope you feel loved even though some moments are so draining.
Sounds like Chadrian is doing nothing but eating. He should be gaining weight awfully quick. Congrats on the birthday, wait until hubby totally forgets your birthday.
Awwww!!! Sounded blessed (albeit it a little stresful?)!
Wow, what a busy birthday. It may have been hectic, but it looks like you still had a nice time. (Look at your big smile in the cake picture with the girls.) Afterall, you’ve already gotten the best gifts…family, friends, love. 🙂 Hey, at least you’ll never forget it, huh? lol
Happy Birthday, sister! 🙂
I laughed – with you, not at you!!! Newborns are so much work when you’re nursing…hope your neck is feeling better!
Happy birthday to my birthday buddy! I just turned 33 on Wednesday! Sounds like your day was quite action packed – and that you got the best birthday present you could have asked for (albeit a week or so early!). Hope your headache is gone and you are enjoying every minute of Cadrian, Kevin, and the girls!
Happy Birthday, my friend!!
I heard the wry smile through the words… As one who has been there and quite frankly, is still there, I get it!
Hope the cake was deeee-licios!
Someday our bodies will be our own again. (it will be kind of sad, I think 🙂 )
-Andrea
I agree with Anne—birthdays sure do change!
I loved reading your account of how the day unfolded—and I think I understood it the way you meant it!
I'm glad you survived the day and enjoyed yourself!
And a note on my girls–you asked if I thought they all looked alike….. I do and I don't. Each one has their "own look", yet I can totally tell they are sisters.
I think Cadrian looks just like Aviana & Brielle—yet I can't tell which one he favors. He just looks like them! You have such beautiful children!
I knew it was a Happy birthday even without the note at the end. You wouldn’t have it any other way. Birthday’s aren’t much different than any other day, but at least you get cake!
Oh, Happy Birthday!! It did make me laugh, and frankly, sounds like a great birthday. I had one like that two years ago, on my 24th, when David wasn’t even 6 weeks yet. John kept apologizing that we weren’t doing something ‘fun’ with ‘other people,’ and I finally said, ‘Look, I’ve had a busy but very fun day. Besides, who else would I want to be with right now? I’m having a blast with the people I love most!!’
I think I was able to guilt him into going out and getting pizza, something I LOVE that he can’t stand. 🙂
Hope this year is wonderfully blessed for you!!
~Brea
Happy Birthday! Cadrian is quite the little eater isn’t he?
I read this earlier on google reader but wasn’t able to comment b/c my router kept kicking me off line. 🙁 Anyways, no need for your ps at the end… I knew you were enjoying your mommy style birthday… my favorites lines were the “breast milk leaking down my leg” (love those moments, huh?) and the (stopped to nurse every other item on your list) At least you have a stack of books to keep you company. Glad you had a happy birthday… Thanks for stopping by my blog today. 🙂
I found you over on Sues "other blog"… Happy Birthday. Your day sounds like my days– sore boobages and all!:>)
Hope you have a splendid day!
God bless you and happy birthday!
I got the wry humor and it brought a “memories” smile from me. Just know it won’t always be that hard….it DOES get better! 🙂
Glad you’re back to writing again!
Happy Birthday and good to meet you! I just dropped by to say thanks for visiting my blog. Had to take the farm tour; your family is gorgeous! Congrats on new Baby C!
DK
oh, that is too good. all of it.
Megan
Happy Birthday! Sounds like you had a very mommyful day!
Happy Late B-day! Cake and not having to cook all day. I’d take that especially the baby (he’s not talking yet right?)
p.s. my crop duster showed up before 7am. 3 days in a row.
Leroy said…
They are fox snakes great mice and bug eaters. Just release them they are great for the environment and will not hurt you. Leroy Jessica dad at farm fresh. also a wildlife biologist.
Please let your dad know that I can’t step outside without seeing at least 3 of these snakes. I only kill ones that get in my basement or are really aggressive. I don’t like how they follow me around and strike at me. Thanks for the correct name I think we had a nest this year becaue they are all sizes.