I Love Flat Twist-Outs

I mentioned before that I'm not much of a twist-out girl.  I am all about the wash-and-go but recently, I've been doing twist-outs sometimes when I shower at night.  I used to do regular twist-outs but I was never pleased with the results and always returned to my trusty W&G.  But I started to do flat twist-outs and I am so much happier with my hair that way.  Don't get me wrong, I still love a W&G because I'm lazy but it's best for when I shower in the morning and my hair can dry freely all day.

 

So here's what I did:
I start with clean (either freshly shampooed & deep conditioned or freshly co-washed) detangled hair.  Then I part my hair the way I want it to fall (side part, center part, etc.).  Then I flat twist in the same direction.  So if I want a side part, I will part it that way, then flat twist the hair at the top of my head to the side.  That way, when I take the twists out, my hair falls the way I want it to.
I do this on damp hair, not soaking wet hair.  I keep my hair wrapped in a microfiber towel for at least 30 minutes after washing, an hour is better.  I used Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie and sealed with Oyin Handmade Sugar Berries Pomade (LOVE that stuff, a little really goes a long way and it smells yummy).  I put just a little Shea Moisture Curling Souffle on my ends and edges.  I reinstall the twists in the middle of the week after a co-wash otherwise it gets too frizzy, even if I pineapple and wear a satin bonnet or scarf.  These pics are mid-week so I had just redone the twists.  To refresh after sleeping on it, I use Oyin Handmade Frank Juice and a little aloe vera juice.  And that's it!  It's actually pretty easy.  I'll try to post pictures of the process soon.  Maybe I'm a twist-out girl now!

Lazy ponytail

Most days I put quite a bit of effort into getting my hair to fall just right and do exactly what I want.  But some days, I just say "F*&! it."  But that doesn't mean I don't want to be cute!  Usually, on those days, I throw my hair into a lil ponytail/puff and pop some sort of headband on.  The end.  I don't use a comb or a brush ever so I don't really go for the "smooth" look.

I had done a flat twist-out about 2 days before this so it's kind of old.  I'm not really a twist-out girl, but I do like flat twist-outs these days.  I would say I do wash-and-go 70% of the time and the other 30% I do flat twist-outs, which I think get much better results than a regular twist-out.  I also do not normally rock a curly bang but this little side-swept number worked out ok.  The headband is from Ricky's.  Man, I love that place!

Why I Don't Use Miss Jessie's Anything

Let me preface this post by saying this: I don't give a crap what you do to your hair.  Let me rephrase that, I do care, but I won't judge you for it.  We're all free to do as we please with our tresses and you should always do what's best for you.  I'm just giving my opinion because, you know, that's why people blog.

I hate everything Miss Jessie's makes.  Everything.  Don't try to convince me to try anything of theirs.  I will not use it.  There are a few reasons for this.  For one thing, it is by far the priciest hair product in my Target.  You do get quite a bit of product but $35-over $60 is too darn much.  Unless the product is going to cornrow my hair into a hot style, I'll pass.

Can some Baby Buttercreme do this?

Ok but we all know I am a product junkie.  Being natural is just another excuse for me to satisfy my shopping addiction since having two babies has made me hate clothes shopping.  So I really like getting a lot of products for my money.  But that's not to say I won't drop a couple dollars on a quality product.  Because I will.  But Miss Jessie's isn't even high quality!  Check the ingredients list, ladies.  Petrolatum and mineral oil are frequently in the first five ingredients.  So what's the high price for?  I can buy lots of cheap-o products with those ingredients.  I, personally, avoid petrolatum and mineral oil because they don't have any nourishing properties and weigh down my fine hair.  And many of their other ingredients are questionable too, like parafinium liquidum and a whole mess of unpronounables.  I would much rather spend my hard-earned cash on some Oyin Handmade, which is much more ingredient-conscious and the results are awesome for less money.

Another issue I have with Miss Jessie is that they claim they are all about natural hair but they push their silkener technique on their clients.  (I know because I've been there before for a consultation that I had to pay for, which I think is ridiculous in and of itself.  My hair is fine, very dense, normal porosity, with naturally defined curls and I was told I should try a silkener.  Get all the way out of here, please.)  A silkener is essentially a relaxer; the chemical used is sodium hydroxide a.k.a. lye a.k.a. the straightening/burning agent in relaxers.  They claim the difference is that a silkener is "designed to embrace texture via tweaking or altering curl, kink or wave."  Someone please explain to me how that is "embracing" and also, while you're at it, explain how it's different from a relaxer or texturizer.    

Now check out this  lil tidbit on "shingling," which "turns kinks into curls."  I am not the natural hair police, or at least I try not to be.  But since when are curls the only acceptable form of natural hair?  What's wrong with coils?  What's wrong with kinky hair?  Is that less beautiful?  What's the point of the natural hair revolution if we're still going to only value the texture that is most European?

Let me add that you can love Miss Jessie's all you want and I'll still be friends with you hahaha.  I just wish they would stop marketing themselves so heavily as a "natural hair" salon and company when they really aren't.  As someone who used to fork over the dough for their products when I was newly natural and during transition, I really don't think the products are worth the money.  I thought the products were great when I first started using them but that's because I didn't know any better.  Now that I know how my hair looks and feels when it's healthy and that natural hair doesn't have to feel sticky, hard, crunchy, and gross, I know which products to avoid.

*end of rant*

The Art of Pumping at Work

Breast pumping at work is a huge pain in the ass if you ask me.  Especially with hundreds of teenagers yelling  in the hallway and knocking on my classroom door. But it must be done since I don't plan on ever giving Sadie formula (and don't forget I'm pumping small amounts for Sasha too).  Babies remove milk from breasts more effectively than pumps so getting maximum pumping output is sort of a science.  If you're planning on pumping at work, please make sure to get yourself a high-quality electric double pump like mine, which I absolutely love.  I used it to pump for Sasha and I'm using it right now as I write this to pump for Sadie and it's still just as effective.  It's well worth the price.

There are some tips and tricks that I use to make pumping more successful.

• You know that feeling your boobs get when your baby is hungry or is due for a feeding?  It kind of feels like your milk is about to let down.  You want to get that same feeling while you set up your pumping gear.  While I set up my pumping gear, I imagine Sadie making her hungry faces and eating her hands, right on the brink of fussiness.  I try to remember exactly what she looks like and remember her scent.  This puts me in the right mindset.  Then while I'm pumping, I imagine that she's eating and I try to remember what it sounds like when she swallows and try to remember those sweet little eyes looking at me while she eats.  Does this sound kind of weird?  That's ok because it gets the milk flowing.
• I pump until all the milk is out plus 5 minutes.  This helps increase milk supply.  You need a pretty serious supply if you're going to feed your baby expressed milk regularly.  And if you pump more than baby drinks during the day, freeze it!  There really is no such thing as too much breast milk on reserve, in my opinion.
• Fenugreek for the first week or so that you go back to work.  Get the capsules and take 3 of them 3 times a day starting at least 3 days before you go back to work.  You know it's working when you start to smell like maple syrup.  You will make more milk but if you're not emptying your breasts, it won't matter so make sure you empty them as completely as possible as often as possible.  Also, fenugreek has no effect after a few days but the effects last as long as you're emptying the breasts regularly.  You can start fenugreek again a few months later if you need to.
• Don't get lazy.  Make it a priority to pump every 2-3 hours, no exceptions.  Even if you only have 5-10 minutes, it's better to pump for a short period of time than not at all.  In fact, adding short pumping sessions throughout the day is more effective than pumping less times for longer periods.
• I got myself a pumping bustier and that thing is a lifesaver!  It helps me extend my pumping time greatly because my hands are free to do things while I pump, like type blog posts, so I'm not dying of boredom.  I can also pump at my desk and get some things done.
• Use a cover while you pump.  Hiding all the hardware can really help with your mindset and also make you feel less like a dairy cow.
• Make sure your breast shields are the right size.  Click here for help with that.
• I can't stress this enough but don't stress!  Easier said than done but stress affects milk let-down.  Try to relax and think about your precious little bundle nursing at your breast while you pump.  Maybe bring a picture.  Or if you're really having a hard time with pumping, take a video with your phone (if you can) of your baby nursing and watch it while you pump.  It may seem strange but it's effective!  To really up the ante, bring a onesie that your baby wore yesterday, smell it and watch the video while you pump.  You're going to look so weird while you do it but hopefully you're pumping in private anyway.

That's my rulebook for pumping at work.  So far, it's working great.  I pump more than Sadie and Sasha drink at the moment.  Tomorrow is the last day of school so I can take a break from pumping at work but I will be building up my freezer stash all summer.  Tips to come on that :-)

Toddler Solutions: Part 1

A friend and reader of my blog shared this lovely link with me.  It's so funny!  Thanks, Johanna :-)

Check out the comments.  Do you notice a pattern?  So many moms recommend using duct tape on diapers.  And they're not the only ones.  Check this, this, and this out.  This is hilarious to me.  I mean, side-splitting, knee-slapping, fall-on-the-floor-rolling-around laughing.  Duct tape?!  Who are these moms?  How can I become this creative? More years of experience, I suppose.

The thought to duct tape my child's diaper has never even occurred to me!  And Sasha has been removing her diaper regularly for at least 2 months now.  I really need to learn to think outside the box.

Seriously?!  Laughing. My. Ass. Off. Ok, that last one goes a little too far...

I do not plan on duct-taping Sasha's diaper but it is certainly NOT because I think this is a bad idea.  In fact, I think this is a direct result of necessity turning parents into geniuses.  I have seen people call this cruel.  I think that's going a little far.  I think it's a little, um, tasteless but that's the strongest word I'm willing to use for this practice.

I'm not going to duct tape her because I think she's trying to tell me she wants to be potty trained.  And if potty training is to begin soon, she will need to be removing her own diaper soon so I don't want to send mixed messages.  (I haven't decided if we will train her in diapers or just dump the diapers cold turkey yet.  Still working out a potty training plan.)  She's also telling me she's uncomfortable so when she starts messing with her diaper, I just change her.  Another reason I think she's taking off her diaper is because of the whole "power struggle" thing.  You know, toddlers like to have some control over their lives and stuff.  So if she feels in control by taking off her diaper, I will allow it.  When I became a mom, I willingly signed up for this.  Cleaning up poop and pee is just part of the deal.  I know it will frustrate her to no end if I trap her in her diaper.  She will be more unhappy duct taped than I am when she shits in her crib.

So what's my solution?  Potty training shall commence this summer!  Stay tuned for the comedy that will surely ensue.

Toddler Stories: Part 1

Oh Sasha...my crazy little toddler...
She's a nut.  An adorable nut.  Antics and shenanigans are part of life now.  I will share some of them with you.

Yesterday, a Sunday morning, I was up before the children, brushing my teeth, trying to do a couple of things before they woke up.  I hear that little voice coming from Sasha's room: "Mommyyyy!  Mommyyyy!!"  So I responded, "I'm coming, Sasha!"  She's in a crib and can't climb out yet, so that's good.  I finish brushing my teeth and head into her room.  I was greeted by a terrible sight.

Somehow, the child took off her pajama pants AND diaper.  Of course, there is pee all over the crib and a giant poop sitting next to her.  Now this is toddler poop, not baby poop, which is essentially just grown-up poop without the toilet water to help make it a wee bit less gross.  No one wants to start their morning like that.  NO ONE!  So I made my husband help get things cleaned up, gave her a quick wash in the tub and we went about our business.  Doesn't being a mom make you love your mom even more?!

The moral of the story is...well, there is no moral.  But if I have to be grossed out, so do you!

Review: Hair Therapy Wrap Thermal Turban Heat Wrap

Hey girl!  I feel like we haven't been able to chat about beauty in ages!  I've had this item for quite some time now but haven't had a chance to blog about it.  It's for the best, though, because there are some things I know about it now that I would not have been able to share if I had reviewed it right away.

Here's the description for this item from curlmart.com (which I'm obsessed with; if you've never been there, get on there right now!):
The Hair Therapy Wrap Thermal Turban Heat Wrap is a reusable, heated hair wrap. Remember when deep conditioning meant soaking a scalding hot towel, wringing it out, and it still went cold in 5 minutes? The heated Hair Therapy Wrap does away with that and will stay hot up to 30 minutes, cordless, reusable and NO MORE sitting under electrical hairdryers!


Overall, this product is pretty good.  Let's go over some pros and cons.

Pros

• The obvious one: you can deep condition without having to sit still under a dryer.  If you have two small kids, like me, or just don't like being tied down, this is the best feature.
• It's easy to heat up.  You plop the whole thing in the microwave for about a minute or a minute and a half and you're good to go.
• It's kind of a terrycloth material so getting it wet really is no big deal.
• I have a lot of hair and a big head and it fits comfortably.
• Once it's on, it stays put.  It has velcro fasteners.

Cons

• The heat is not really even.  Some gel packs get hotter than others, no matter how you place it in the microwave.  I think that's more a flaw of microwaves than of the product itself.
• It does not stay hot for 30 minutes.  Unless you consider lukewarm hot, which I don't.  It stays as hot as it came out of the microwave for 10 minutes, maybe.  But it does stay warm for at least 25 minutes.
• There's a spot at the back of your head that will not be covered.  I solve this problem by clipping my hair up and letting the clip poke out of that spot.
• You have to be sure the read the directions carefully, something that a lot of people don't like to do.  I don't think this is much of a con but I know some people would.

In general, I am pleased with this purchase.  I waited for about a week for Curl Mart to get it back in stock because they have a good price on it, plus I wanted a few other things from there and they had free shipping.  I think wouldn't be able to get a good deep condition at all anymore without this product.  I've been using it once a week for about 9 weeks and it's still going strong.  I recommend it so long as you use it correctly.

Two is better than one! (Usually...)

Sometimes I think about how different having just one baby was.  I actually think that having two is more fun, albeit more challenging.  I think Sasha got more direct attention than Sadie does.  Sometimes I have to let Sadie cry for a few minutes because I'm doing something for Sasha.  That's something Sasha never had to experience.

For example, I must cook because Sasha has to eat.  When it was just Sasha, I could put off cooking and wait for her to sleep or just skip meals altogether because I was just cooking for adults.  Sasha, however, would not understand if I postponed dinner for an hour because Sadie needs to be held.  So sometimes, Sadie has to fuss for a bit.

An even better example is when it's Sasha's bedtime.  Bedtime is special to Sasha because she gets my undivided attention for at least 20 consecutive minutes, a rarity since Sadie was born.  Since this has sort of become our "special time," I really don't want to interrupt it.  Sadie is important but so is Sasha and I want her to be aware of that.  So before we start the bedtime routine (bathe, put on pj's, sing songs, read stories, drink milk, cuddle, brush teeth, tuck in), I make sure that Sadie is fed, changed, and comfortable.  Then she goes into the swing and Sasha and I do our thing.  When my husband is home, this is pretty easy.  But he doesn't get home until after 7 pm and Sasha often needs to go to bed before that so sometimes I'm on my own.  Of course, Sadie doesn't know that I'm just getting Sasha ready for bed and I'll be with her soon so if she wants to be held, she cries.  And if I'm not almost done with Sasha's routine, she can work herself into a frenzy.  But I can't interrupt Sasha's time and I don't want to rush it either.  When Sasha gets to bed, I go to comfort Sadie and sometimes she's pretty upset.  I hate hearing her cry and I feel terrible just leaving her in the swing thinking she's been abandoned.  But Sasha needs her mommy time.  Obviously, I need a clone.

Most of the time, though, having two babies is so great.  I get the adorable word mispronunciations from Sasha and yummy baby aroma from Sadie.  I get playtime with Sasha and bonding time with Sadie.  I get to hear Sasha's songs and Sadie's coos.  They really fill my heart up in different ways and it's so wonderful.  They already seem to have a beautiful sisterly bond.  Sadie smiles at Sasha and watches her more intently than she watches anyone else and Sasha cares very much for her little sis.  She kisses her, pets her, gets worried when she cries, and asks about her if she doesn't see her.  In a few months, they might even be able to play together.  Next year, they'll both be running around!  Now if only we could find a bigger place...

Back to Work

I haven't had a moment to post because I'm back at work!  I'm not very excited to be back but I am glad that summer vacation starts next week.  So far, being back at work has not been terrible, mostly because my mother is watching Sadie so I know she's in good hands.  I'm pumping like a madwoman, every 2 hours on the d-o-t.  I started fenugreek and I do see a difference in my milk supply.  I'm trying to get everything at work organized for next school year so I can start my year off as stress-free as possible (something that most teachers know is extremely hard to do).

Sadie is not enjoying waking up early in the morning.  She opens her eyes and looks at me as if to say, "Mommy, what kind of ungodly hour is this?  Who wakes up this early?"  What kind of baby likes to sleep late?!  I'm not complaining.  Hopefully it lasts.  She has a doctor's appointment next week so I will post about how she's doing then.

Sasha is definitely in the midst of terrible twos.  I'm hoping things will calm down with her sooner rather than later because she can be a serious pain in the butt these days.  Even after she makes you crazy, she does something so cute that you just have to forgive her.  I get mixed advice on the situation.  Some people say it will get better soon, others say not to expect any relief until she turns 4!  I don't know if I'm going to make it 2 more years.  She is about ready to be potty trained, I think.  I think we'll try in the summer.  If that fails, we'll just try again in the fall.  I will definitely keep you updated on that endeavor.

I didn't get to post about Weight Watchers but I did lose 2 pounds last week.  Hooray!  Sorry I can't put up a longer post about that but I really just don't have time!  I hope I will get into a good routine soon so that I can go back to posting more often.  Later, alligators!

Crazy breastfeeding mom

There are 2 gallons of breast milk in my freezer.  Am I expecting the apocalypse? And even if I were, I could make enough milk for Sadie and Sasha no matter what happens.  I don't know why I keep pumping.  I'm obsessed with my milk supply.  I fed Sadie 2 bottles of breast milk today.  You know why?  To free up space in my freezer so I could pump more milk.  Someone help me.  Clearly, I have issues.

Sasha is also quite interested in breast milk these days so I'm trying to pump enough for her to drink too instead of cow's milk.  (It's better for her AND I can save a little at the grocery store.)  I have regretted weaning Sasha since I had to when she was about 10 months.  It was my goal to give her breast milk for 2 years, or at least 1.  I had some major problems breathing though and I was on a million medications.  My doc recommended I wean her and so I did.  I mean, breathing is kind of important.  This time, though, even if my heart stops, I'm going to try to breastfeed until Sadie and I are both ready to stop.  Sasha eats all regular food now, though, and takes in about 8 ounces of cow's milk per day so pumping enough for her shouldn't be too difficult.

But seriously, I am so preoccupied with how much milk I make.  Why?!

I'm going back to work on Monday and I am DESPERATE to pump enough milk to feed Sadie without supplementing.  I struggled greatly to do that with Sasha.  I'm only going back to work for a week and a half but that is plenty of time for a milk supply to drop off.  I refuse to give Sadie even one drop of formula so I think my freezer stash gives me comfort.  Pumping at my job can be hard but trust me, I will demand the pumping  time I am entitled to, no doubt about it.  It's my baby's right to get what is best for her.  And although I really believe a mother's place is with her children (take it up with Mother Nature if you disagree), I have to work.  Well, if we want to live in comfort, anyway.  So I suppose I will continue to obsess about how much milk I make and I will start taking fenugreek so that Sasha and Sadie can get the best.  Because I love them more than anything or anyone in the history of the world.  It scares me a little how much I love them and would do anything for them.  Including being a crazy breastfeeding mom :-)

WW Update

I didn't post about weight loss this week because I was at my high school reunion in Massachusetts.  I didn't weigh in and I didn't really watch what I ate while I was there (although I did watch my portions).  It was a lot of fun!  It was especially fun to go with my family.

I'm actually letting Weight Watchers take a slight backseat to exercise.  I'm still following the plan but I'm using a different technique called Simply Filling.  It's still Weight Watchers but instead of tracking everything and using points religiously, I just try to include as many good foods as possible (what WW calls "Power Foods").  I'm doing this because I'm feeling extremely hungry using the PointsPlus system and I think it's because I'm exclusively breastfeeding.  So I will continue to exercise and use the new technique and I will still cook Weight Watchers recipes.  I'm not interested in losing weight very quickly.  That's not good for me or Sadie and I won't keep the weight off.  So I think this plan is best for me to look how I want to look next summer :-)  I'll keep you posted!

And the winners are...

The winners of my 1st giveaway are:
Liza V.
Briann N.

Congratulations!

6 weeks already?!

Sadie turned 6 weeks old yesterdat.  She's currently going through a growth spurt which is making her fussy and extra hungry.  She's also fussy because 6-week-old babies tend to be at the peak of their fussiness.  That means it's all downhill from here, baby!  By 3 months, she'll be much less fussy.  She's especially fussy at night and has been giving me a hard time to go to sleep.  But when she goes to sleep, she usually stays sleeping for a few hours, at least.  She only wakes up to eat which is fine with me.

She's quite aware and really cute and chunky.  She a little under 12 pounds, meaning she's gained almost a pound per week since she's been born.  She eats a lot!

I'm preparing to go back to work next week.  It's only for 2 weeks because the last day of school is the 27th but I really don't want to.  Trust me, if I didn't need the money, I would not be going back until September.  I'm going to start taking fenugreek (an herb that increases breast milk supply) to make sure that I get enough milk to pump.  I'll also be eating oatmeal for breakfast everyday.  I don't know if that really works but it can't hurt.  Pumping doesn't get the milk out as well as the baby so sometimes if you don't have a long time at work to pump, your milk supply can decrease.  That happened to me with Sasha.  I'm also going to try to pump every 90 minutes or so to be sure that my breasts are being emptied thoroughly on a regular basis.  No way am I letting my milk supply drop, especially not when my baby is so young.  And I'm putting this out there now: there better not be a problem with that because pumping for my child is my right according to the law, thankyouverymuch.

To end with something I found hilarious: I asked Sasha what was in her diaper and she yelled, "Doodies!" Is she smart or what?

Week 3 - Naughty!

I didn't lose any weight this week but frankly, I'm just glad I didn't gain any.  I was quite naughty this week.  It all started with my mom's Memorial Day barbecue.  I ate a lot of points and I had some sangria which is a lot of points.  I still tracked.  I went way over my points on Monday but that's why they give extra weekly points, right?

I also started doing 30 Day Shred, a Jillian Michaels workout video.  It's only 20 minutes per day but it's damn hard (and I'm only on Level 1!).  I've been doing that and walking when the weather allows.  I'm trying hard not to be a couch potato which is totally against my true nature.  I accumulated quite a few activity points and I think the exercise makes me a little hungrier because I found myself going 1-3 points over almost everyday.  I don't stop eating just because I've used all my points.  I have breast milk to concern myself with and I have to make sure its quality is up to par.  So if I'm feeling hungry, I have a healthy snack, like crackers and peanut butter or a glass of milk or fruit.

I also had girls' night out with my bff last night.  We went to a South American restaurant and then had a drink. It was really fun to get out of the house!  My breasts were full of milk when I came home so I pumped and dumped since I'd had alcohol.  I didn't feed Sadie directly from my breasts again until morning, just to be safe.  Well anyway, it's safe to say that I went way over my points yesterday.  I had a bunch of activity points so I didn't feel too bad.

I think the only reason I didn't gain this week is because I started exercising.  I'll be back on my diet game this week, though.  We had some yummy meals this week though.  I talked about the Ginger Lime Chicken and Easy Fried Rice that were absolutely yummy.  We had Soy-Glazed Cod with Stir-Fried Spinach which I did not like but my husband did.  We also had Cornmeal-Battered Oven-Fried Catfish, Chicken and Cheese Quesadillas, and Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli.  All of those with hits with everyone.  I am also surprised and impressed by how good Weight Watchers recipes are.  Sometimes I add more seasoning and spices but the recipes are really great.  Sasha like them and my husband likes them too so I don't have to cook more than one meal which is so nice.  It really doesn't feel like I'm eating "diet" food.  I was really impressed with the mac and cheese because I am a mac and cheese aficionado.  It is my favorite food and I really liked the Weight Watchers version, didn't feel deprived at all.

This week I'm sure I will lose weight because I will be good!  And we went to the farmers' market to pick some fresh produce so I can make healthy green leafy veggies every night (that's what's in season).  Next week I'll talk more about the torture that is 30 Day Shred.

Gender Disappointment

Sometimes families were hoping for their baby to be one sex but then it turns out they're having a baby of the opposite sex.  Sometimes this can cause major disappointment.

When I was pregnant the first time, I thought it was a boy for a good portion of the 1st trimester.  Honestly, I think I was just hoping for a boy because my family is almost all girls.  My mom has five granddaughters, no grandsons.  At the time, she had three granddaughters and I felt like my family was putting pressure on me to have a boy (like I could control that).  As a matter of fact, almost everyone in my family was quite obviously disappointed when they found out my baby was a girl (including my mom!).  I was a little disappointed at first too...until I started buying clothes for her.  Baby girl clothes are ridiculously cute.  I then had all these visions of having manicure-pedicure parties with her and playing dress up with her and doing her makeup.  I was not disappointed at all anymore.

Fast forward to almost two years later when I found out I was pregnant a second time.  This pregnancy was so different, giving me so much trouble, I thought for sure that I was having a boy.  I thought I would be thoroughly disappointed if it were another girl.  I felt this mostly because just about everyone who knew I was pregnant said things like, "Hope it's a boy this time!" or "Oh!  I bet it's a boy...then you'll be done right?"  People are pretty annoying.  The minute I sat down for my 20 week sonogram, though, I knew it was a girl.  I just knew.  Then my technician confirmed that it was, in fact, a girl.  And I felt...no disappointment.  None whatsoever.  Before I went in, I thought I would be crushed if it were a girl but I wasn't.  I wasn't at all.  When I texted "It's a girl" to my husband, he replied, "Are you ok?" Hahaha because he thought I would be disappointed too.  But I thought about how Sasha would have a sister close in age, something I always wanted.  And I thought about all the girls' clothes I would get to buy again (and that I could save some money because I already had a bunch of Sasha's).  I thought again about manicure-pedicure parties and dress up and all kinds of fun girl stuff (I am a girly girl, after all) and I was thrilled.  

Gender disappointment is a real thing though.  Click here and here if you're interested.  Now that I have two girls, so many people are saying, "Well now you have to have another one.  Have to try for the boy."  Ok, I think I would have liked to have another even if Sadie were a boy.  But besides that, who says I'm not completely content with my two girls?  I really am.  And if we have another one and it's a girl, that will be just peachy (although I'm sure my husband would be disappointed).  Babies are awesome.  Girl or boy, they'll still change your life and make it so much more worth living.

Where's the poop?

Sadie poops less than any baby I've ever known.  The child just doesn't poop.  She hasn't pooped since, like, Monday and it's Friday.  She poops about 2 times per week, 3 tops and the poop looks normal for a breastfed baby.  I've read that this is normal for babies older than 6 weeks but Sadie is only 5 weeks!  And she's been like this for a while.  She's really gassy though.  She burps and farts like a grown man and her farts stink.  The poop, however, does not stink...weird.

I just called the pediatrician who says not to worry as long as she's only getting breast milk, which she is.  He said if she goes a really long time, I could give her a tiny amount of chamomile tea.  I know Sadie is getting enough to eat because I make a crapload of milk, which I talked about here.  She also wets a ton of diapers and is gaining weight.  She just does not poop.  It's especially strange because Sasha pooped SO much.  I have tons of hilarious (not so hilarious at the time) poop stories for Sasha.  Sasha would poop after almost every feeding.

It is possible that Sadie is just absorbing the breast milk so well, there's no waste left to excrete.  Breast milk is very easily digested and absorbed by babies.  And there's a huge range of "normal" bowel movements for breastfed babies.  So, if the doctor says not to worry, I will try not to.  I feel like I just jinxed myself and Sadie will have a huge blowout poop in my bed or something.  This is what motherhood is all about.