Making Goals as SAHM

I had recently read a blog by a fellow blogger (Shann Eva’s Blog) on her March Goals. She’s incorporated the goals she has yet to achieve with new ones she’s made, and the included short-term and long-term goals.

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I find as a Stay-at-home-mom it’s so crucial to make goals for oneself. It’s so important to have something to work towards, because lord knows if you didn’t you’d just do this motherhood thing front, back, side, and front again. AND LETS BE HONEST, you can’t possibly just MAAAAAAAM all day, everyday, for as long as you’re living. I mean, it can’t all just be that! It doesn’t make you bad at motherhood or a bad mom at that, for wanting more! It doesn’t mean you can’t have other accomplishments,  other than birthing children (although that pretty much tops it all).

As moms, we accomplish tens and thousands of tasks all day. Well most of those tasks are not of ours. Not of anything we really want to do or want to be doing. It’s insane how much of us we pour into the lives that rely on us. I get it, we’re moms, I get it we’re supposed to because how else do we profess our eternal love for our children who is supposed to be our world and nothing else. Well, it makes me a rebellious mom, perhaps. I do what I want, on my own terms, based on my own ideas and understanding of motherhood.

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I’m making monthly goals. That’s all!

Because March is almost done, and I’d rather start them at the beginning of the month, I’ll write this for April 2017.

 

April 2017

  • work-out 4 times a week, for 40 mins a day.
  • write in my journal daily with affirmations, negatives to positives, memories, moments, and fill a page at least (thorughout the day)
  • say at least one good thing that I love about each member of my family-to them, everyday
  • give myself an hour each day, to write in my journal in peace
  • eat healthier meals and try not to skip eating
  • try and smoke less
  • learn some breathing excercises
  • do one kind thing for someone, anyone, small, or big
  • Take a few hours on the weekend to dedicate to writing scheduled blog posts
  • Dedicate a time during the night to complete tasks for my blog page on facebook & for my blog site.
  • TAKE A BREAK, daily
  • Complete any wedding stuff every weekend

 

I will complete as many of these goals throughout the month, and whatever I don’t complete, I will add on to my next month’s monthly goal post. Let’s make each other accountable for what we want to achieve for ourselves!

I know it seems like another long list of tasks for you to complete, but this is for you. I promise it will make you feel good!

 

It will make [YOU] feel good!!

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MM, out!

My top 3 Transitional Toys (from Babies to Early School-age)

There are those toys as moms that we keep during every spring cleaning fest we have. Toys we just can’t get rid of because our different aged children ranging from babies to early school-age (7 yo) still continue to play with.

My top 3 transitional toys:

Blocks

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I have had these blocks, since Apollo was a toddler. I have kept them, year after year, and he continues to play with them even know at eight. We ended up adding to the set, for Artemis. She got a few sets as gifts on her first birthday, and her first Christmas. There is a bin (old art bin) full of blocks, and  an original bag that Apollo’s blocks came in. All I do is wash it once a month, with part water, and a few tablespoon of bleach. I wash it with warm water and soap first, and sanitize it with the water and bleach mix. I let it dry overnight, and make sure that there are no water left in the slots. Blocks are so versatile, that they can be utilized in different aspects of learning. 

Blocks can be used for sorting, counting, and colours, which encourages learning math. Blocks can also be incorporated with our toys like, toy soldiers who used them as structures to jump from, seats for dolls, tables for miniature toys, etc..

Blocks are great at any age! 

Pretend Toys – Food & Kitchen Utensils

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Pretend play is a very big part of play in children. Children love to pretend-play with all sorts of toys, but one common toy that is used for every kind of pretend-play from baker and chef, to mommy and daddy picnics, to imitation of feeding babies are, food toys and kitchen utensils. It doesn’t get old. It continues to be played with, on a regular. Sometimes the kids even go through my drawers to use actual utensils, cups, plastic plates they use for eating. Food toys also contribute to school-age children in teaching them the types of food and what food family they belong in. I know having a picky eater, helps me in connecting the food he eats, with the toys he’s seen. Most of the time, after the food is cooked, and the kids weren’t part of the process, they wonder why the outcome looks so weird. Well utilizing the food toys as tangible examples (especially the ones that cut in half with pretend knives) makes it a little bit comforting for them. 

It’s definitely an awesome keep! 

Balls

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We all know balls are universal. Anyone and everyone can keep them as long as they haven’t deflated. The collection of balls we have from the time Apollo could learn to just hold them, has tripled if not, more. From tennis balls, to soccer balls, to basketballs, to volleyballs, to balls that collect water for summer, to light-weight balls co-used with other toys, playing with balls are just great fun (back it up, you know what I meant), anytime.

Artemis is now into kicking it around, and she gets all these ideas and sees all these moves from her older brother, so having balls around are so perfect for gross-motor skills and active play. Artemis is learning to push the ball to Cassiopeia, where Cassiopeia then learns to stop it and picks it up or even chases it. These are all part of learning. From baby to school-age, balls provide learning for every step in their milestones. 

Children are able to utilize their motor skills according to the size of the ball, the weight of the ball, and eventually categorize the type of ball that it is. Promoting learning through physical activity. 

So, yes, I keep them as long as they’re in good condition.

There are a ton of other toys my kids love, and I’m sure your kids as well. The most important thing is keeping the ones that can grow with them and utilizing them regulary by incorporating them with other toys, and different types of play. 

 

What are some of the toys you keep on every big cleaning session, you do?


 

MM, out!

 

 

 

 

Every Piece of You

There is without a doubt that motherhood takes a tole on everything that is you!
From your health, to your physical standing, to your emotional state, to your eating habits, to your washroom routine, to your sleeping routine, to everything else in between.

I don’t know how many times I’ve had carpal tunnel from the repetitive work of motherhood.

I don’t know how many times, I’ve missed meals from making sure my kids are fed, and whatever I have decided to eat instead..made it into their tummies and I’m not even mad about it. Sometimes, I sneak it into the bathroom by the kitchen because I don’t have a walk-in pantry that I can lock and my bathroom in my room, doesn’t lock..just so i can take a quick min to eat something. When i say quick, i mean quick before they noticed you’re gone. 

I don’t know how many times I’ve gotten sick from the germs they bring home, only to not get any rest time because, that’s not what motherhood is about (Am I right, or am I right moms)!

I don’t know how many times, I’ve had to sort of “forget” my emotions, or at least I think I’m forgetting it, only to seep in on times I’d rather not have it. AND I LOSE IT, every single time! 

I don’t ever take my washroom breaks seriously, because I always have a full audience, mischievously going through my monthly stacked of pads, make-up, and other things I store in a washroom/bathroom.

Don’t even get me started on sleeping. What is that? Who does this? 

Amidst all this that seem so hard to sacrifice on days when I literally wish I can just be alone for the rest of my life, my precious children who drive me nuts on the daily, are everything I can ever ask for in life. The blessing, to be their mother, their friend, their provider, their protector, the teacher of love, understanding, care, and everything we moms are responsible for on the daily, is everything I could ever want out of my life.

I am always grateful, and thankful for being able to be a mom and have the opportunity to have my own little mini-me’s to live life and to be my legacies, if nothing more.

 

MM

 

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On the Daily w. Mars

As I sit here and try and conjure up a list of things I do throughout the day, as to why I’m so exhausted all the time, I realized the importance of LITTLE THINGS. You see a day in the life of any moms, a stay at home one at that is often misconceived for doing absolutely nothing. So I thought I’d share with you what I do on the daily.

4:15 a.m. 

My alarm goes off to encourage J to get up and not miss his alarm set for fifteen minutes later. While J, usually gets himself up with or without my alarm (though sometimes from exhaustion, he misses his two set time). But as a wife, these are the small things we do for them. In the last few weeks, from being super tired due to being up throughout the night to feed my now one year old, Cassiopeia who still cries for milk at least twice during the night. Lately, Artemis has also been whining for milk at least once during the night. I don’t know why Artemis has started with this, because after she was born she only spent a few months doing this. Then as soon as she learned to sleep through, she was great. Perhaps, more and more as a two year old, her sleep gets disturbed by her baby sisters cries and the only way she knows to get back to sleep is the soothing coolness of milk. With that said, when you go to be past 12 a.m. most nights, and rarely due to the kids, and more because of your brain being incredibly annoying and keeping you up with unbearable thoughts of everything and nothing at the hours of rest-it proves the theory of moms being sleep deprived.

7:10 a.m. 

This is my second alarm for Apollo, the now eight year old who is by law required to go to school like most children. I’ve started giving him the responsibility of waking up with an alarm and helping himself get ready and fix a breakfast he’d rather enjoy. I’ve accepted that my versions of breakfast, as half-fancy as they are, is not something he likes and almost, always, would rather suggest to me what’s better than what I’ve got. Usually Nutella wins. Because nuts aren’t ever allowed these days to school, I often allow it for his once a day intake of all that hazel-nutty goodness. I used to have it for lunch at times as a child. There are tons of good lunches I used to have as a child and not necessarily healthy for you but with the times we live in, everyone is either organic based foods, or something But that’s not really for me to elaborate on, as each parent is entitled to those choices for their family.

Most of the time, Apollo misses his alarm, or will get up, turn it off, turn the lights on in the bathroom, and run the faucet. It racks up my bill for water and hydro by the way, because he’s actually gone to bed to go back to sleep when he does this. Ugh, it makes me so mad. I’d always find myself up there waking him up, and upset at the fact that he’s wasting so much energy and water. But really, it’s because my 8 year old who was just seven before Saturday that just passed, managed to trick me! He’ll spend about 20 minutes brushing his teeth, in between playing and staring at himself in the mirror. He’ll receive another reminder to hurry and that’s usually when he decides to finish pretending to brush his teeth. He’ll then take another 10 minutes getting dress, in between playing with toys or reading a book, because when your kids have no concept of time, or care for time, this is usually how the drill goes. He’ll finally make it downstairs, where his breakfast is waiting, a Nutella sandwich, with a cup of milk, 2 gummy vitamins, and a 1/4 cup of vitamin c. On the off chance that I get him to eat anything else, I’ll offer him, waffles, cereal, or muffins (you probably think how unhealthy). Well that’s all he’d really say yes to, unless i had about two hours to fight him throughout the whole meal time on eating and forcing him to eat what I view as healthy. He’d be late for school, or never make it!

8:45 a.m. 

We leave the house, considering I’ve strapped on Cassi in her car seat, had the middle one dressed in outdoor gear, and we’re moving along out the door, without any fuss. Most morning, the idea of going out the door, into the car is a good thing for my kids. So it’s not always tears, and fighting, and screaming. We get to his school in 3-4 minutes driving to, but if we had to walk like we did last summer, it takes about 25 minutes to get to, and from. So there goes almost an hour of exercise you say.

8:55 a.m. 

We’ve usually returned from dropping off Apollo to school.
I rarely take the girls with me for any types of errands, because it’s either I didn’t have enough time to take with me a diaper bag, or I’d rather feed them breakfast at home and having to get ready again to go out and run errands is just too greatly in exhaustion. I’ve accepted I’m weak, alone, during mornings. That I don’t have the patience to get through the crying, or the need to run around the grocery store chasing a two year old with a baby in a double-stroller. Trust me, I’ve tried the giving them responsibilities and including them in the process. But why?! Why can’t I just grocery in peace. Thus, mos of the time I wait on J to get home from work to do all the errands I require to do. Aside from doctor appointments, or anything else that needs me to do it in the day.

I make the usual eggs, and spam (ham), for Artemis. She’s not a picky eater. She’ll usually want to opt for a Nutella sandwich like her brother, but I’m usually at good at redirecting her wants through voice changes (haha-winning). She’ll have a choice of oatmeal, eggs and spam, or something of left overs she’s filipino enough to have without overthinking the idea of it’s breakfast, these are not breakfast foods.

I then clean up.
I sweep the floor, wash the dishes from the morning, the bottles from the night before, and put away dishes.

9:15 a.m.

The girls take some time to play.
They do this, while I multitask on social media. Whether that means, I check notifications, emails, comments, write, or just browse.

10:30 – 11:30 a.m.

I get the girls to nap. Usually it takes only 15 minutes to get them to sleep, on a good day. If not, it does take the hour to.

11:30 a.m.

I continue finishing up my stuff. Blogs, emails, etc..
I usually tidy up the house, take some time for myself, if I didn’t end up napping with the girls.

1:30 p.m.

Lunch. Clean-up, sweep, and ready to get their older brother from school.

2:30 p.m. 

We head to the school to wait for about an hour, because parking by the fence is easier with the girls without having to take them out of the car to get him from the confinement of the school. It’s hard to get parking by the fence, if you’ve come past 3 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

Apollo is out. We head home and they have snack. Apollo does homework. Nap for the girls.

4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

I begin making dinner. Prep, cook, and feed the kids. Apollo showers.

5:30 p.m. 

We relax. Well the kids relax.

6:30 p.m. – bedtime

J gets home, and he has dinner. Then it’s time with their dad. If I need to go run errands, I leave after everyone has eaten dinner and is just taking some time to relax. It could be a hockey game watching time, while the girls play, while Apollo gets an hour of screen time. by 7:30 p.m. he gets ready for bed. By 8:00 p.m. he’s in bed. This may be time for tag in terms of him coming out of his room, going back, until he finally falls asleep.

After getting back, I usually do all the dishes that were left after cooking, and eating. I put away any groceries I might have bought. I put a load or two in the wash. I tidy up the kitchen, the play area, get the girls ready for bed and all the bottles ready for the night.

Everyone on most nights is in bed and asleep by 11:00p.m. I take the time after to shower, read through contents online to influence or help me with my blog. I either write, or email back, or anything else I want to do for myself.

12:30 a.m. or 1:00 a.m. 

When I go to sleep.

 

In between these times, there are obviously diaper changes. Somebody at some point was sick. Someone at some point, exploded out of their diapers and I’m washing them up, their pooped-on clothes, and everything in between. There’s the constant fighting, tugging between each other for toys, and everything you can imagine above all the needs and have to’s. 16299789_10154809117160619_2981849759241851080_o

 

 

Graduates//Secret to Parenting is?

 

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Go, J, Go!

First, I wanna give a shout out to my husband who worked really hard in the last three years. He started again. Became a student, while tending to the needs of our family and home. He never ceases to disappoint. Always giving his best in everything he does. Even at times when he faltered, and had his head above the waves, he never gave up. He achieved honours in Electro-mechanical Engineering Technologist, at Humber College, and being the oldest in his program. He managed to create friendships, and enjoy his time as a student again. In the last three years, it was hard. It required him to piece himself in more ways than one, to accommodate and achieve every want, need, and requirements from his home life. He never complained, and was always apologetic for not being able to do better than exceptional for his family. I saw him at his lowest, with topped-up schedules, but never did he say I can’t do this. I am so honoured, and proud of the person he is. He continues to make me proud with every bit of him.

Moving Forward

We have ventured into new adventures in the beginning of this month. We have taken on quite a handful of changes, with relocation, job opportunities, and family. While sometimes, changes are scary, it makes me feel assured with J, by my side.

Windsor, is still something to get used to. It’s very different from where we come from. But at the end of the month, the goal is to finally get my G2, to be able to drive without having to depend on J. It goes a way with having three kids. Doctor appointments, grocery shopping, drop-off and pick-up from school, and personal errands. That’s exciting!

Writing, though I haven’t been as consistent as I would like to be with frequent blogs, nor starting on my paper and pencil tip to begin my journey of writing my book, I am certain that in the next few months, this will change. I mean, when have I given you guys a date, and not have proved to give you something new to take on with me? In the near future, the goal is to invest full-time to writing, whatever kind of writing. So stick with me, it gets better from here.

Family, I’ve got to get planning for Cassiopeia’s baptism. I have yet to round up ideas on having this done. Soon!
*Apollo has began making friends at school and with that said, the “hanging out” part has arrived. Is it just me or do you also have this concern?
He had asked to go hang out at R’s house, one afternoon, after school. I didn’t feel comfortable with allowing him, since I had never met his parents nor have any kind of stable, consistent relationship to know them well enough. So I said no. I had offered for R to come over instead, but R’s dad, had a dental appointment he felt R, had to be there for. Well, I think he felt the same way as I did. Having just moved to Windsor, we have yet to make friends or have any sign of making close bonds with anyone. This makes it a little difficult to entertain Apollo with activities and pass times that he likes. I feared that because I didn’t know R’s parents, I didn’t know their ways, I didn’t know their beliefs, I didn’t know who they were. Was I acting too attached to Apollo? He’s seven. Is it okay to allow him to take on these experiences, and make that call? I couldn’t. I wouldn’t mind his friends over, but I’m still uncomfortable with the idea of letting him be, alone, with another family, that I don’t really know.

Long weekend, during the week

We arrived in Toronto on Tuesday night, to attend J’s convocation Wednesday afternoon. We’re settling at my in-laws to spend time with them and to enjoy the extra time J was allotted with work. Tuesday-Sunday we’re here! So if you’re in Toronto, and you wanna hang, give me a shout! My mother-in-law has planned a party for us, birthdays and graduation. How nice! There’ll be cake, and candles, and food, and family. What a great way to spend our little mini-vacation.

 

See you on the other side!

Studies show that children best flourish when one mom and one dad are there to raise them.

-They will flourish!

Dinner soon,

xo, MM

 

Baby’s GOT MILK?

I have yet to do review posts on anything, since it requires a lot of research and time to put together information. That’s time I don’t really have, but I will share my experience on using a variety of different types of baby bottles, since I’ve got seven years under my belt of pass and fail with baby bottles. (*insert wink emoticon here*)

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Here are five types of bottles that I have used:

1. Playtex VentAire Advanced Bottle

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My son used these when he was born back in 2009. At the time, it seemed like every mom had colicy, gasy babies. So every mom was using these bottles. Apollo was a gasy baby. It seemed like he was always eating after the first few months, so we had to make sure we invested in bottles that was going to help with the bubbles, and reduce gasyness. 

Cost: Walmart $16.99 / Babies R Us – Gift Set $23.17

Cleaning & Convenience: When you have a baby that constantly feeds, you cannot wash bottles enough. This bottle had 6 parts. So if you’re not sleeping through the night, and you’re exhausted, that 3 a.m. washing bottle time is not exactly fun. It’s like zombies trying to get through a door without opening the door. My husband stood by the sink, half awake several times, ready to just scream BREASTFEED instead. After washing 6 bottles x 6 parts which is 36 parts in the sink and then waiting for it to sanitize, you’re better off buying ready milk in those disposable plastic bottles. Especially, if you’re feeding your baby warm milk. That means, heating the milk in the microwave, after washing all those parts, and sanitizing them. WHO IN THE WORLD HAS 2 hours, when you’ve got a screaming, crying baby?

Gasy and Colicky Fix: It did help with the colic aspect and my son was no longer gasy. So it did its job.

2. Evenflo Classic Glass Bottle + Vented Bottles

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Apollo had to use these after the Playtex VentAire bottles, because we got sick of having to wash all the parts. I mean, like my husband says, just like Coke, it taste better in a glass bottle. I don’t know how formula taste in a glass bottle and a plastic one, at that, but I would assume, like most drinks, it taste a lot nicer from a glass. 

Cost: Babies R Us $11.99 (3 pk, 8 oz size)

Cleaning & Convenience: Cleaning these bottles were fairly easy. It was four parts, and no crazy crevices to tediously wash. The only negative I found was, when sanitizing them, it was a pain. You sanitize it with boiled water, that means you had to wait to cool them before touching it, unless you had super gloves. Then, you had the actual milk warming process, it wasn’t recommended to heat up the bottle, so warming the milk separately was the thing, and then having to cool down the milk was another. It was too long of a wait. Being out, it was hard to serve the baby warm milk. This meant, you had to have a thermos of warm water at the right temperature before leaving the house. So that led us back to the Playtex VentAire. 

3. Gerbers First Essentials Clear Bottles

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When Artemis, our second child was born. We wanted some easy to clean bottles, where we can use and go right out of the hospital. We had figured we’d use a different type of bottle after a month or so, since these Gerber First Essential bottles were tiny, plastic and small nipples, it was easy and go kinda bottles. 

Cost: Walmart $5.96 (3 pk)

Cleaning & Convenience: Cleaning it was easy, it’s got your typical four parts, the only negative aspect was, you can’t really sanitize it well since it’s cheap and plastic material. The nipples wore out so quickly. It leaked at the bottom of the nipple if you close it too tight. I’ve had Arty look like she just downed 3oz of milk in 2 mins, little did I know, the bib soaked it all up. While the cleaning was easy, and not really too complicated, the convenience turned into a nuisance.

4. Playtex Nurser with Drop-Ins Liners

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We switched to these for Arty, after we got fed up of the wasted milk. 

Cost: Walmart & Babies R Us $19.99

Cleaning & Convenience: Cleaning these bad boys are pretty easy, because it uses liners, you really are just cleaning the cap, nipple and twist cap thoroughly, and quickly washing with soap the body part. I actually bought a microwave-sanitizer for this, so it’s quick. The only extra aspect is buying the inserts every month. The convenience is great! You don’t have to constantly clean the bottles itself. But you do have to change the inserts often, to make sure the milk isn’t gross from several usage and old residue. 

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Cost: Walmart $9.97 (4 oz.) $11.97 (8 oz)

5. Philips Avent Classic Bottles

With Cassi, I have decided to switch a totally new brand. With Arty just a year old, I didn’t want to have to mix up their bottles and the nipples. It would make it difficult to keep everything sanitary, with the same kind of bottles. So, the other day I picked up these bad boy. The box set I bought is currently on sale at Babies R us. It came with three of these 4 oz size bottles, and two 8 oz bottles. It also came with a pacifier, a brush, and a milk dispenser for when you’re on the road. 

Cost: Babies R us $55 

Cleaning & Convenience: Cleaning this bottle is pretty straight forward, it’s like cleaning the Gerber First Essential bottles. Good thing I got the sanitizer with it. Two minutes in the microwave, and bam ready bottles again. Convinient? Yeah, so far it’s good. No complains. Aside from Cassi trying to get used to the nipples. 

Mommy & Cassiopeia. 

This wont take long.

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We had spent the night sleeping in our bed, alone. We left the kids with the Grandparents in fear we would have to wake them in the middle of the night, to head to the hospital to meet Cassi. It was a long night. We got home around 2:30 in the morning, after almost half an hour of cleaning the snow off the car. The snow storm was happening, we’re heading home in hopes to get some rest before ‘the big push’. J, played some video games for a few hours, and then spent an hour browsing through photographs of Arty on his phone because it was the first time, since she was born to sleep away from us. She had never slept without us before. No one slept that night. Not even the eldest (aK), because, as excited as he was to sleep over at his grandparents (which he’s used to in comparison to his sister), it’s not often or close together in time that he’s used to it. 


The next day has grazed us with it’s aftermath of the storm. It’s past noon, and we’ve finally pulled ourselves out of bed to meet the kids at the grandparents. Oh was it a sweet moment to see the kids, after a night without them. The day had passed, with countless trips to the bathroom, bouncing on the work-out ball, walking aimlessly back-and-forth from the kitchen to the living room, pass the dining room. I’m hoping this baby just slips out because I’m about done waiting. J and I decided we’d sleep over since it was really hard to sleep without the kids. I couldn’t sleep. I had showered after our short trip to Walmart; a trip to help get this baby out. It’s past 2 a.m., J had fallen asleep on the chair waiting on me, to watch Miss Congeniality on Netflix. I sent him to his mom’s room, to sleep with Arty, so she can sleep well that night. I sat up on the rocking chair, hoping to fall asleep with the current show playing. I could feel my eyes slowly closing. It’s past 3 a.m., I’ve turned off all the lights and decided I’d fall asleep on the rocking chair. 


It’s 6:45 a.m., and of course, the washroom calls again. Ooh, there’s some kind of cramping feeling, but a different type of cramping. Ooh, it feels a little more painful, a little more longer than your regular cramping feeling. I think this is it. I had breakfast before we headed to the hospital around 10 a.m. I managed to get J, to shower beforehand. 

This was it!

It took a few before I was able to get a bed, to get examined. But, the pain wasn’t so bad, so it wasn’t that crazy of a wait. 

The doctor came to examine me, of course he had a student doctor with him. HIM. Yes, the doctor was a male, and with him was a male student doctor. As if it wasn’t already uncomfortable being examined. I don’t know about you guys, but I absolutely cannot stand having a male doctor check me internally. It is so uncomfortable for me. He happened to say I was still 3 cm dilated, as I was the day before. Not much has changed. Dr. P., the same doctor that delivered Arty, was the same doctor that would eventually deliver Cassi that night. I was advised, after being checked the second time by Dr. P., that I should walk around for about two and a half hours and return, to see the progression. So off J, and I went. 

Yes, this is J, pretending to be in labour. Of course, he’s making fun of me, from the last time we were in these hallways. I had struggled in pain with Arty for quite a few hours before the nurses decided to admit me. Unfortunately, I didn’t find out until afterwards that it was due to not having any delivery beds available. There were so many women giving birth at the same time, I had to wait for a bed. Yes, imagine the pain! This was J, and I roaming the hallways in the maternity ward. We went off to see ‘Jesus’ by the cafeteria washroom that scared J, when he came out-the last time we were at the hospital. We ate some food, walked around, and ended up back by the examination section of the maternity ward. A new nurse, taking on the shift change decided to examine me again before my advised two hour walk ended. They offered to break my water for me, and help start active labour. Well, the contractions were finally becoming more consistent, and a little more painful than when I first arrived at the hospital. Dr.P., is said to ‘make things happen’. She definitely got the ball rolling. after she checked how far along I was. They were ready to admit me, so they can break my water. I informed them asap, I wanted the epidural, before the pain got unbearable, like it did with Arty. It was a little past 2 p.m., the doctor was just in the delivery room doing a C-section, and he’d be by to give me my needle, right after. 

SCOLIOSIS. It turns out, during the administration of my epidural, that I have scoliosis. It took a lot longer to administer the epidural and to get the needle right where it’s supposed to be. It hurt more this time around, and it was definitely a challenging process both for the doctor and me. I cried, like ugly cry. The snot dripping out of my nose, because I’m crouched down on a pillow, ever so uncomfortably, with only J’s hands to soothe me. I didn’t hate him though. Finally, the needle was in. 

What a relief! From this point on, the story is…birthing a human baby is one of the toughest thing a woman can ever go through. It’s tough on your body, mind, soul. It requires strength that you don’t normally have. It requires, so much love to get through. But worth everything, and then some when it is all finished. 


March 3rd., 7:30 p.m., Cassiopeia Reine was born.
She weighed 6lbs 11oz. 

Beauty!

Apollo. Kai.
“He is as bright as the sun, and as deep as the ocean.”

I understand we all get tired, but there is nothing like parental exhaustion. Am I right or am I right?

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