Tag Archives: dogs

Whatever Wednesday: On Surviving a Coldathon

Day One: The wind whips around the trees outside. Toss on a sweater before taking the dogs out for their morning potty break. No hat. No gloves. Enjoy the zip of the cold against my nose. Breathe deeply, filling my lungs with cool air, remember 107 degree days not too long ago. Ever so grateful for the string of 40 degree days we have been experiencing.

Night One: Wind seems to have picked up some. A few aluminum cans from the recycling bin get tossed into the yard. I pick them up and put them back. Fingers tingly and cold after taking dogs out. Still wearing just a sweater over a t-shirt and jersey knit pants. Slippers on my feet. The brisk cold is oh so invigorating. Can’t wait to get back inside to a hot cup of tea to warm up my hands. I begin to wonder if snow will soon follow. Christmas isn’t far away and a White Christmas would just rock.

Day Two: Fail to look at thermometer because the dogs are insistently yipping at the door. Grab a sweater to toss on over my PJ’s. Go outside.

Half the cans from the recycling bin have been tossed into the yard by the cruel wind. And…..

Oh.DEAR.GOD. Ears nearly freeze off. Toes? Gone. I’ve no idea how – I had slippers on. Nose in danger of turning black. No chap-stick so my lips froze together (for this, the husband is happy.) Look at thermometer. 28 degrees. Real feel? 16. With a stiff wind. Inside the house is brrrr. Hands and feet fail to warm up for bulk of day.

Night Two: Dogs yip at door again. Grab huge oversized windbreaker with thermal insert. Zip all the way up, put on hood, OVER sweater turtleneck and scarf. Still no gloves. Nearly lose my fingers to frostbite. Trip over even more cans tossed into the yard by wind, almost breaking leg in process. Nearly bite off lower lip as teeth chatter constantly the whole time I am outside. Still no snow to show for all this brrrrrrness.

Day Three: Sunny, not breezy much, blue sky. Looks warm. Grab sweater. Step outsi.. holy mother of … scramble back inside for huge jacket, socks, and actual shoes. Slippers just won’t keep what used to be my toes warm enough. Glance at thermometer. 23!!!!! Shouldn’t it be snowing? Why is it not snowing? Why does it look warm outside? Damn you Mother Nature!!!!

Pick up 374 cans to return to the recycle bin as I hang with the dogs as they do their thing, taking their time of course because THEY have built-in fur coats.

Return indoors, even the dogs are shivering. Put their sweaters and jackets on them. They don’t protest and keep them on all day as they search out blankets under which to snuggle.

Shudder and shiver all day long, even under a fuzzy blanket whilst drinking Peppermint mocha.

So.NOT.RIGHT.

Night Three: Finish putting kids to bed after an insane afternoon. Dogs decide they need to go outside right after I curl up on the couch with my fuzzy blanket. Grab big jacket. Dart outside. Come back inside. Clean up kids toys. Dog #2 decides peeing isn’t the only thing she needs to get done. Grab big jacket. Put it back on. Do jumping jacks as the dog poops in the front yard. Dart back inside. Sit down on couch, curl up with fuzzy blanket and attempt to thaw while watching a fireplace. On TV cuz we’re fancy like that here. I ignore the icicles hanging from my eyelashes and nose.

Shoveling snow would at the very least provide an outlet for my frustration.

Mother Nature is a cruel mistress – instead she’s given me cold. But STILL no snow on which to exert my frustrations.

*Please note that I live in Georgia. Where it was 100 degrees or higher most days this past summer and up until recently has been 60 – 70 degrees outside. Yes, I’m spoiled. If I survive the winter without turning into a huge popsicle, it will be a miracle, one for the Guiness Book. I’m sure of it.

Nurturing your Soul

old fashoned photo frazzled momLet’s face it – parenting is rough. I mean, I’d almost rather play full contact football with the NY Giants on the really hard days. I certainly feel like I have at the end of the day. It’s at the end of those days especially that I force myself to sit back and nurture my soul. I’ve nurtured everyone else’s by then and doggone it, I deserve some lovin’ too.

As moms with PPD, we are in a unique class indeed. We marvel at moms in public who seem so put together, at moms in playgroup who calmly soothe their babies. We wonder what is wrong with us and why we are not like that. We need an entirely different set of skills and yet there is no one nearby to share these skills with us and sadly many of us are left to fend for ourselves as families find more and more distance between what used to be right next door or down the street.

Thankfully PPD is becoming more and more recognized and more information is available to us today than ever before. Slowly the stigma is being removed and women and even lawmakers are talking about PPD and coming up with solutions. In the meantime, all we can do is keep the communication lines open, learning to ask for help as well as accept help when it is offered.

I will start by sharing a few methods I’ve used to get through what I call “High Stress Moments.” You know, the moments when the baby is screaming (and has been for hours), the dogs are barking, the mailman is banging on the door, the phone starts to ring, the dishes need to be done, your toddler is throwing a tantrum in the middle of the floor because Cookie Monster didn’t pick the right letter for the day and all you want to do is for Calgon to take you away. Now. Actually, five minutes ago would have been perfect.

Tip #1: Prioritize. The baby will be just fine in his or her crib if you need a few moments to yourself, even if you just step outside or go to your room and scream or sob into your pillow. Or write it down and then tear it up if you don’t want anyone to read it. This accomplishes two things – gets it off your chest and soothes the frustration with tearing. (You could also keep bubble wrap around!) And the mailman? Well he can just leave a note. The phone? Thank goodness for voice mail. Leave a message with updates about the baby and informing callers that mom and baby are resting. Visitors? A mom I know created a letter stating what visitors would be expected to do if they came by. She had her midwife sign it to make it official. Another mom I know had a list of stuff to be done on the refrigerator and yet another mom kept her bathrobe at the door so that she could appear to have been napping if anyone happened by.

Tip#2: Take time for you. And yes, that even means just grocery trips by yourself. Never before has a grocery trip been such a luxurious indulgence and I usually treat myself to something special and it does not have to be high in calories or fat. (Although chocolate ice cream is a favorite of mine!)

Tip#3: Make time for you & your significant other. Does not have to be sexual, just a coffee or even a nice dinner at home once baby has gone to bed or nap. Go to the following website: www.postpartumstress.com and click on their Family Support Link. They have a Postpartum Pact for you and your partner to complete. This will help your partner better understand how they can help you. They also have cards you can print out and hand out to loved ones.

Tip#4: Try to educate those around you about PPD. If you are unable to do this on your own, recruit your physician to get handouts and maybe even make an appointment for both you and your loved one to talk with your doctor about PPD.

And last but not least, please remember that you are not alone, you are not to blame, and you will be well with help.

Moments of Realization

I had one of those this morning. And those of you who have been reading since the beginning may giggle at it. After I had it, I did. But it also scared me a bit.

Last Friday, my therapist and I were working out our next few appointments. She commented that Thanksgiving is not that far away. At the time, it didn’t hit home.

Well it did this morning while I was taking a shower. And this is how the realization started.

Today is Halloween, the end of October.

Which means November starts tomorrow.

Which means Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away.

Which means Christmas is less than a month away from Thanksgiving.

Which means that thirteen days after Christmas is when Cameron is “due”.

WHAM!

I’M HAVING A BABY! AND HE’LL BE HERE IN TWO MONTHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*SCREAMS*

I totally freaked out – fortunately it didn’t develop into a panic attack, no tightness in the chest, no shallow breathing – but the realization was well, surreal. Nevermind that I’ve been blogging the pregnancy, going to OB appts, that Cameron’s been kicking up a storm. So yes, I have been “aware” that I am pregnant but it hadn’t hit home until now that delivery is RIGHT around the corner. Wow.

I’m looking forward to having a new baby in the house, really, I am. And so are the girls. Charlotte’s even taken to patting my belly and smiling. I just can’t BELIEVE he’ll be here in two months!

A successful night off

Ended up going to Red Lobster for dinner with Grandmom. YUM. We had a great dinner, great conversation, and I picked up some Ben & Jerry’s S’mores ice cream for my movie night. Of course, the DVD player didn’t work so I ended up watching the tail end of “What women want” and then “Hitch” on TNT. Good mindless romantic movies. Lil’ Bit, one of the in-law’s dogs cuddled with me the whole time which was nice. I’m so used to being around dogs I think it would have been a bit odd for there not to be dogs there.

I finally started the bedtime process around 1030p – got into bed to go to sleep around 11p and didn’t wake up for the day until 10a! Even then I didn’t pop right out of bed – just kind of laid there for a short bit and then got up to take the dogs out. I went to Panera and got some hot cocoa and a cinnamon crunch bagel w/hazelnut cream cheese spread and took it back to the house to eat. Took my time and then packed up and went grocery shopping before finally returning home. All in all, it was a pretty nice weekend and I thoroughly enjoyed the mindless relaxation.

The girls and I ran some errands yesterday as I have access to MIL’s car this week (well, until tomorrow). I also took a nap yesterday afternoon as the rain lulled me to sleep. We live in Georgia, which if you’ve been watching the news, is now a major disaster area due to drought and seeing rain was nice. Driving in it – not so nice – people here seem to think that rain gives them permission to drive like idiots. But that’s a whole ‘nother post. 

On my way to PT

This morning has been great, I got up at 7a, my PT isn’t until 830, I’ve showered, dressed, had a chocolate mousse style yogurt (YUM!) and gotten my bag for PT packed. AND – Alli wasn’t awake this morning when I walked by her room so I’ve been sitting peacefully in the living room enjoying my yogurt and already posting to the PSI Online Support Page. I LOVE quiet mornings like these – Maggie (our rescue mutt from SC) is curled up next to me and other than the loud hum of morning bugs outside and various fans throughout the house, it’s void of human noise – wait – i just heard charlotte playing in her crib. LOL. still, nice and peaceful.

Gotta run, don’t know what traffic will be like and I need to try and get there a few minutes early!