Life, Love, and Rockets: Back to Work

This past week was my first week back to work, and Matt's first week to start traveling again. Somehow, my ingenious husband managed to get 13 weeks off work (given that there was a little online "training" he completed during a few of those days). I only got 12 weeks, and I had the little stinker! Lol! I was definitely nervous about Matt being out of town. I can get cabin fever pretty bad being here by myself with Declan. Luckily, my mom has had some time off work recently and spent a week up here with us (and is coming back for a few more days next week!!!). Anyway, Declan and I's first official day alone was Monday and things went great. I wasn't too worked up about working again because I was looking forward to some time out of the house, and a little break from being Mommy 24/7.

Unfortunately, I started coming down with a sore throat Monday, that worsened Tuesday, and was a full blown head cold on Wednesday. The pharmacist I talked to at CVS said Tylenol or Ibuprofen were the only safe things I could take since I was nursing. BOO!! That meant 2 terrible nights of sleep. About 5 hours each night, then feeding Declan, and being gone for a 14 hour day. I was completely exhausted by Wednesday night. So I decided to look at Kellymom.com to see what they said (my pediatrician recommended this website for advice if I had simple questions related to all things baby and mom; great website!). Kellymom broke it down for me, turns out I could have a few things. Claritin as an antihistamine, phenylephrine as a decongestant, and nasal spray for congestion as well. So I've added those things to my head-cold-fighting arsenal. I feel moderately better this morning. I'm getting ready to hang my head over a steaming bowl of hot water and then plan to Netti pot my nose too. I figure it can't hurt. Oh, and drink tons of water (very important!).

The whole work and pump thing was better the second day, even though I was floated to PICU and had a busy day. I kind of figured out a routine that will hopefully work for me. Nurse Declan at 5am, pump afterward, pump at work around 9am, 1pm, and 5pm, and then nurse again at 8:30pm for bedtime (pump again if needed). I realized my first day that pumping 3 times was ambitious, and I only managed to get 2 in (which lead to a full and sore chest by the time I got home, I nearly drowned Declan I think!). Hopefully I will get a little quicker at the process and it won't take me 20 minutes to get it all done. I'm going to shoot for 15 minutes next week.

Another important note to add about going back to work, I'm only working part-time!!!! Woohoo! After being away from Declan for 2 days in a row, today has brought back my appreciation for the time I have at home. After 12 weeks, you start taking it for granted. I've already changed 2 blowout diapers and given an extra bath (our nanny, Kayti, just gave him one last night!) and I didn't even mind :) Which brings me to another important note, we have a nanny!

Let me introduce you to her. Kayti graduated from Missouri State in 2008 with a degree in Fine Art (emphasis in painting), and a minor in creative writing. She is 26, and has held two prior jobs as a nanny since graduation (once for a baby girl, and the second time was two baby boys). She has travelled quite a lot as well. She just recently returned from South Korea after teaching English there for a year. Now that she's back in the States, she's doing some freelance writing which allows her to be pretty flexible with her schedule, which works out just great for us. Declan really seems to get along well with her (he takes longer naps for her than for me!!!). We really like Miss Kayti and are excited to get to know her even better as she spends the next year taking care of our little mister :)

Current Declan Factoids:

He loves splashing about in his bathtub. He's growing so fast, I think we're going to have to say goodbye to whale tub and move up to the real tub soon :(
He's down to just 1 feeding a night (usually) that occurs anywhere between 3-5am
He's still quite the talker and loves to sit with us and chat away (even Kayti mention what a talkative little man he is!)
We've made a few outings during these last weeks Matt and I were both home: Deanna Rose Children's Farm twice, and to Cider Hill Family Orchard for apple picking and the pumpkin patch. Declan got a giant pumpkin which I fully intend on gutting and put him inside for a cutesy picture :)
He's really taken an interest in books, so we all went to the library and checked out a stack of books just for him (yes, I'm going to be THAT mom. The one who's kids are checking out 20 books each, and have their own little reusable bags just for their library books...)