Working Rep and Breastfeeding

Since I took this job with Abbott, I always knew that I would breastfeed little bit for the immune benefits but what I didn't realize is the life of a rep while breastfeeding. It's not like the day of a working mom who has a desk/office job. No, no those women have air conditioner, refrigerators, private pumping rooms, and privacy!
Well let me just tell you how it goes for moms who are reps and breast feeding.
So here is how my day went today. My DM came to work with me today so I nurses little bit before I took her to day care. Then I went and picked him up and at 10:45 I needed to pump...hmmmm how do you do that in a car, with you DM and NO PRIVACY!!
Well, you park in the Methodist Germantown Hospital parking garage, so you can have shade of course, then you kick him out of your car and start pumping. As far as the people that pass you in the garage staring, well just ignore them! Ha!
Then, after leaving my DM and heading home, it comes time to pump again. Well here we go, strap on your hands free pumping bra, get all hooked up , put the car in drive and hop on the interstate. Just ignore all the stares again and smile at the truck drivers as they peer in your car and then give you a loud honk!!
Ahhhhh the life of a pumping mom who is a rep! I just do what I gotta do to fill this freezer for my baby girl!

Louisville Ironman

This past weekend Jason, Riley, my mom and I headed to Louisville for the race. I honestly cannot believe that it is already here!
I was so nervous about flying with REW for the first time but she did awesome! I nursed her on the take off and she was so passed out on the landing that she wouldn't even wake up to nurse. But the good news is, she didn't make a peep! I was one proud mamma!

Saturday, we just tried to help out the boys and just be there to calm their nerves. Jason, Nick, Carolyn, Greg, Kelly and I went to Gordon Biersch and had a few drinks and some lunch/early dinner. Then off to CVS to buy some snacks for race day and supplies to make posters to cheer on the boys. After a good nights sleep it was time for race day! I know the boys were nervous, but I'm not going to lie so was I! It's so hard to watch these races not knowing where your husband is on the course, if he is ok, or anything! I just always worry that he has crashed...so it was time to put my anxiety aside and get some sleep so I could go out there and support him!

 On Sunday we got up at 5:00am and got all ready to head down to the Ohio River to see the start of the race. After the 30 min walk with Riley, we finally made it to the start line. It was mass chaos and Riley certainly didn't like the loud music and speakers but we finally found Jason and Nick. After one last kiss to his little girl they hopped in the river and did their 2.4 mile swim.

 After they finished the swim, we met them at T1 and cheered them to the start on their 112 mile ride. They both had a great swim and a good transition and then hopped on their bikes! This is where the fun begins. Thank goodness for the Athlete Tracker App!!! I really don't know what Carolyn and I would have done without it! It allowed us to see what mile there on and what their pace was so that we could anticipate where and when they were going to be at our viewing spots! Why have we not had these at any races in the past? Oh my gosh!!!

Fortunately Jason hired Barry from BarryS Coaching and he had a great spot for us to catch them at mile 35 and mile 65 on the bike. The boys looked awesome on both check points, especially with the size of the hills they were climbing. And a little love from his baby girl had to help him push forward!

 After seeing both of them at mile 65 it was off to catch them on their run! We had great viewing spots on the run too! We saw them at the start and then mile 14 and then the finish! This is Jason at around mile 14. He was hurting but he knew he could do this! I am just so proud of my husband that it makes me tear up just looking at these!

 This picture of him finishing is just so emotional for me! I knew he was hurting and doubting that he was going to finish. His goal was to cross that finish line by midnight and he did, and with time to spare! I had Barry, his coach, call me when Jason passed him at mile 24 and I ran out into the course and ran with Jason to push him on to the finish. As soon as he took that last turn I told him to look up...the sight of all those lights, people cheering in the athletes and the music was just so inspirational and emotional. I think the emotions got the best of us. I'm pretty sure we were both running and crying at the same time :-)  Just look at the expression on Jason's face, it says it all! Words cannot even describe how proud of him I am. He is my IronMan for sure!

Riley and I's Ironman! We couldn't be more proud of him! What an accomplishment!

Now we are just ready for him to come home and start to spend his weekends with his new family instead of out there training! Welcome back Irondad!!!

1st Day of Day Care

Well the day is finally here! It's time for me to go back to work and for Riley to head off to day care at FLICC. I must say, I'm having a few mixed emotions...I'm actually excited to get back out in the field and see all my customers but on the other hand I am going to miss that little toothless smile! This is just more incentive to get out and get it finished so I can go pick up that little girl!!
It has taken me two days to get ready but I think we have it all: diapers, wipes, 2 changes of clothes, Kleenex (not sure why but that was on our list), blanket, wubbanub, extra pacifier, diaper rash cream, pumped milk, bottles and of course our new backpack ;-) I just couldn't help myself!!

This everything I had to take for her 1st day!  Talk about pre-planning :-)

All strapped in our seat and ready to head to Day Care!

Riley testing out her new crib...she loves looking out of her new window!

 

Mommy saying goodbye to her little one!



Bye Bye Momma!!!

My first successful time pumping in the car while at work! Wonder how that's going to work with Brain riding with me next week???

Well our first day was a success! They said she adjusted wonderfully. The teachers said that she slept most of the day and was just quiet as can be while she was up...no fussing! That makes me one proud momma!! She is now sacked on my chest soaking up some love!! And at the end of the day, I did miss little bit but it was good to be back out in the field and to see all my customers!

8 Week Check Up

Friday we had our 8 week checkup and Riley did a great job. She now weighs 10 lb 10 oz (55th percentile) and is 22 1/2 inches long (79th percentile). So we are making some progress.

All in all Dr Hanson said she looked great. I have been concerned with her little toes since the day she was born and have just kind of put it in the back of my mind. But yesterday I just felt as though I should talk to Dr Hanson about it. On both of her feet, two of her toes over or under lap the toe next to it. Dr Hanson said this is overlapping toes and is probably genetic and we can discuss it later but I just haven't been able to let it go!


Right Foot

Left Foot

As a mom you just don't want anything to be "different" about your child. I feel so silly being upset after meeting a couple this past weekend who welcomed a beautiful baby boy into their family with many serious deformities including a missing arm and several missing fingers. I mean how blessed are we that God gave us this beautiful baby girl!! She is perfect in His eyes and in ours as well, really, she is the absolute world to us!



But I can't help but think of days where she would want to wear sandals or open toes shoes, hang out with friends at the pool, or getting pedicures...kids can just be so cruel. I remember, I was once one of those mean kids!!  What will they say to her about her toes? Will she be embarrassed by how she was made? Will she not ever want to be barefoot in public?



So I sat up all night and looked at "Dr Google" to see what I can learn. So 1 of 2 things can happen. Either this is genetic and will not go away OR it is just from her being cramped in my uterus and it will fix itself when she starts walking. Please pray it's the latter of the 2.



If it is genetic and won't fix itself , there are a few things we can do to help it not be so severe. First we will see a podiatrist and an orthopedic, Jason is going to talk to some people with his foot and ankle division and we will get a consult from the best in town. Second, apparently there are some stretches you can do to help lengthen and relax tendons in the toe and there is a "brace" she can wear at night but all of these are temporary fixes as the toes usually goes right back to overlapping over the other after a few months. Later in life if she is having problems wearing shoes and has pain waking then we have the option of surgery.

I'm probably way ahead of myself looking into all of this with out speaking to a specialists first, but I just cant help myself. As she lies here on my chest sleeping and making the tiniest sweetest noises all I want to do is protect her from anything and everything in this world that could possible cause harm to her! This world really can be a harsh place...how do you just let life happen to your babies??? I guess motherhood is really here...you really never stop worrying about them do you?

2 Months!!

Newborn Pics

Chic Boutique Photography did an AMAZING job in capturing these special moments of sweet Riley when she was only 5 days old! I mean really, how adorable are these???

Our little family of 3

Momma and Riley

Riley and daddy (melts my heart)

This is one of my favorites!!

Look at that personality

Sweet Smile!!

Jason's ring could probably fit on her leg!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

Sorry for the overload but I am just so so proud of our little girl. I could not feel more blessed to have such a loving husband and an amazing father to Riley and such a sweet sweet little girl!! I am so in love with my family, I just can't stand it!!