(MarieFinds) What happens in Vegas ...

This week has been like a long nightmare ... but I want to get the deets of my trip out there before it is just way too late to be relevant.

The Lawyer had his annual conference in Las Vegas last week, so we decided to plan a family trip around it. He has family there, so it is always a good excuse to go see them, and let Super Squirrel play with her cousins. That was definitely the best part. Lawyer's sister and her husband and son came out as well, so there was family every where, and we got to spend time just hanging out.

We stayed at the Monte Carlo. In large part because our research had told us it had a very kid-friendly pool set up. Turned out to be true. Of course, this all depends on your definition of kid friendly. Yes, there is smoking and drinking pool side, a few folks getting VERY friendly with each other in the water. Lots of Kanye and Lady Gaga booming in the background. But, um, this is a hotel on the Vegas strip. What were you expecting? The hotel and pool overall was great. The smoke free room actually didn't smell like smoke, the food in the restaurants was very edible, the help friendly, and the poolside service was great.

Both kids were faboosh on the flights. Did really well overall with the complete destruction of their regular schedules.

I took Squirrel to see the lion at MGM (loved it!) an the fountains at the Bellagio (she's still talking about it) and one day a bunch of us took the kids to the Excalibur. Never again. Least kid-friendly venue on the strip I think. Smoky, dank, dirty, no place to sit down that isn't attached to a gaming machine, no changing tables. Gross.

I did no gambling. I think the Lawyer dropped $15 into the slots at the Venetian.

Baby Boy wasn't up to being left without me (i.e., didn't want to be that far away from the boob - he doesn't do straight formula yet and I didn't bring a breastpump), so we didn't really get any big people time to ourselves, but it was a nice trip.

I'd go back to Vegas with kids, and I would stay at the MC with them again. I think it would be a little better with the kids a little bit older. Lawyer was working a lot, and I couldn't take both kids to the pool myself because of their ages, need a 1:1 ratio of adults and kids in the water at this stage, but we were still able to get in the water a great deal. Aunt and Uncle have a pool, and there were lots of Aunties and Uncles around last week willing to play with Squirrel in the water while I sat or played with Baby Boy.

I might get a different travel stroller before we do that again. We have a broken down old cheap umbrella stroller that we used all over Cozumel last year, and the bearings are totally shot on it. Definitely need a stroller in Vegas because of the distances. Had Squirrel in that and Boy in the Wallaby a lot.

Again, it might not be everyone's kid-friendly idea, but I'm OK with my kids seeing some of that stuff, and I let them play in the dirt at home, so why not in Vegas?

(MarieFinds) Milk supply woes

So, last week my milk supply cratered. At the same time that Baby Boy was trying to up his intake. I have regularly been pumping about 14-15 oz. a day, and he has been eating 12. (plus morning and night nursing.) last week, I suddenly could only pump 8-10 oz, and he was increasing his eating to 16+. Not the equation we are looking for.

With Super Squirrel, I got to the point that I was regularly pumping 20-24 oz a day plus morning and night time nursing. I was able to keep her on breast milk only until she was almost 6 months. And then one day I nearly had a meltdown that I was "only pumping 20 ounces! I need 4 more so she won't be hungry tomorrow, but I have a meeting..." and finding myself pumping at midnight after all else was done in the day... that was the day I decided a few ounces of formula a day to make up the difference wasn't going to harm her. I hope to make it that long or longer this time, but I won't let guilt run that decision.

So, in response, I have been mainlining fenugreek, drinking a gallon of water a day, and spent the whole weekend with the Boy on the boob. Plus pumping more. I love fenugreek. And my pediatrician cleared it when I had a little trouble with it production the first time around.

This morning, I got 9 oz. in my first session. That's more like it. I usually get a ton in the first pump of the day, and less in my later sessions. But I tell you, I work for a living, man. I can't spend more than two hours a day pumping at work. Not and at least APPEAR that I am getting work done. And um, I need this job. Until JessFinds starts paying my bills, I am an interactive marketing professional, and need to at least appear to show up for work.

(MarieFinds) Conversations with IT

Hee... try this conversation on for size: "Jeremiah, the wireless no longer works in the bathroom. It did last week, but now, since Tuesday, it appears that the wireless 'bubble' no longer extends to the bathroom. Can you look into that for me?"

(MarieFinds) I miss my office

I used to have an office. Not a real one. More like a tall cubicle with a sliding door. But it was tall enough you couldn't see over it. About a year ago I moved to a regular cube. Right now, I am pumping milk in the bathroom. With my laptop so I can keep working. Grrr. At least it's a nice bathroom.

(MarieFinds) In other news...

Baby Boy has slept through the night the last three nights, and 4 of the last 5. And I mean through the night, not that medical definition of 5 hours at a stretch crap. Because, what the hell? Five hours is not through the night. Anyway, down at 9:30 and up at 5am. Except this morning he was up at 4am, but that was because The Lawyer's alarm was going off. Repeatedly.

Anyway, I am going to give him a couple weeks to get settled in at daycare and get his routine firmed up, then we turn off the nighttime booby, whether he wakes up or not.

And now if I could just get myself to bed before 11:30. And not find myself doing laundry at 11 at night. Grr.

(MarieFinds) Down 31 pounds!

Sweet! I love the breast feeding diet. And in something I will never admit to my mother, and she probably doesn't read this, I have 15 more to go to get to pre-pregnancy weight. I put on a TON of weight this time. All systems go from my post baby check up at 7 weeks.

I also have a birth control perscription to fill when I stop breast feeding. I will likely be on the pill the rest of my pre-menopausal life, thanks to a heavy family history of endometriosis, and my own long-time symptoms of it. I got lucky being able to have two kids without medical intervention.

(MarieFinds) So, how DO you explain breastpumps to a two year old?

The Super Squirrel is 23 months old. She sort of gets breastfeeding. Has in fact tried to feed the boy once or twice. (Which is both cute and a little disturbing.) Today she met the breast pump. I'm not sure I adequately explained it. I need to start building up a supply of milk in the freezer for when I go back to work in 5 weeks. Also, it would be nice if the Lawyer could feed him every once in a while. After this morning's pumping, I have 17 oz. Yay, me.