Geek in Heels - Page 60

Dec 20, 2011 • In Aerin, Baby, Motherhood, Parenting, Personal

The One Where I Felt Like I Was Poisoning My Baby

Last week, I wrote that breastfeeding Aerin was going splendidly.

Well, this just goes to show that anything can happen in the wild, crazy journey we call motherhood, because I am no longer breastfeeding.

So what happened?

I had mentioned earlier that Aerin was suffering from 3 different types of skin ailments: eczema, baby acne, and little red bumps that our pediatrician guessed was heat rash.

Aerin developed these skin problems when she was about a week old, and they seemed to keep getting worse and worse no matter what we did.

No only that, she was spitting up and vomiting frequently (I will never forget the Exorcist-like vomiting she performed on my birthday). I know that many babies spit up a lot, but Claire had only spit up a handful of times total since birth — yes, I know we were extremely lucky — so all the upchucking was simultaneously worrying me and driving me crazy.

Then, last Thursday, I just couldn’t take it anymore. Aerin’s skin was so bad that she had pus oozing out of the various bumps on her face. The little girl would cry after every feeding — straight from the breast or from pumped bottled milk — and I felt like I was going to lose my sh*t.

It was at that moment when a thought occurred to me: what if it was my breastmilk that was causing these problems?

So we decided to experiment by only feeding her formula for an entire day.

Within just 6 hours, her skin was looking remarkably better and she was no longer crying after each meal. The change was so significant after the 12-hour mark that we decided to continue with formula for another day, just in case it was a fluke.

And within 48 hours, ALL of her skin problems were gone save for some leftover discoloration blotches. Not only that, she seemed more satisfied after each feeding and was sleeping better.

See for yourself. Look at my beautiful, happy baby!

The problem was obviously my breastmilk.

So I did what any logical, sane mother would do: I cried to my husband, “I am POISONING my baby!” 😥

After the emotional outburst (okay, so there were several emotional outbursts), I realized that we needed a plan of action.

I know that very, very few babies are actually allergic to breastmilk and that the most likely culprit was my diet.

I honestly couldn’t think of anything I was eating that could be hurting her, as I was staying away from the major sources of food sensitivities, such as dairy, certain vegetables, and spicy food.

I knew that if I wanted to keep breastfeeding, I would need to go on an elimination diet so that we could determine the source of the sensitivity. But an elimination diet in my situation would be difficult as we would need to purchase, and prepare extra food for me when we already have our hands full with two babies.

J left the decision up to me and told me that he would support whatever I chose to do.

I decided to take the easy way out. I decided to quit breastfeeding.

And that was that.

How Kim Jong Il’s Obituary Would Look If It Were Written by Kim Jong Il

In case you haven’t heard, Kim Jong Il has passed away.

(And if you’re just reading about this now on this blog, I welcome you whilst you climb out from under that rock from which you’ve been living!)

I had a brief conversation with my father about the late North Korean dictator’s death. He tells me that he is a bit worried, for there are three possible scenarios for the future of North Korea:

Kim Jong Un, Kim Jong Il’s third son and his successor, is still pretty young but headstrong. He may just do something stupid as a display of his power.
Someone may use this precarious transition period to usurp the dictatorship role, and those in North Korea who have the power and influence to do so are not very nice. Or, they will take advantage of Kim Jong Un’s youth and naïveté to use him as a puppet for their own needs.
Not much will change, because Kim Jong Un is too much like his father.

We will just have to pray and hope for the best.

I think that many around the world share my father’s worries, but the majority of what I’ve been seeing on the web are humor-based. Like how “Team America” became a trending term on Twitter. Or how a clip of the HORRIBLE monster movie Kim Jong Il created (after kidnapping a director) is regaining in popularity on YouTube.

Or this jem, created by the folks over at Happy Place, of what his obituary would look like if it were written by the man himself:

I still say that the best/funniest Kim Jong Il parody comes from the old LiveJournal blog he used to keep. 😛 The AIM conversations he has with George W. Bush, Saddam Hussein, and Dick Cheney are stuff of legends. Go give it a read if you have some spare time — I guarantee you won’t be disappointed!

Guest Post: Geek Chic Decor

Today, I am featuring a guest post by Kristin of Bien Living Design, an interior decorating service based out of Chicago. Kristin is a firm believer that great style can be had without breaking the bank, and that everyone can and should have access to an interior decorator, which is precisely why she launched her Long Distance Design service. I felt like I was getting her services for free when she agreed to do a guest post for me — let alone a guest post that focuses on geek chic interior design! Enjoy this post, and be sure to check out Kristin’s blog for more great ideas!

I am really excited to guest post on Geek in Heels! I met Jenny through our blogging stints for Weddingbee & I’ve just always liked her (she even built my website & put up with all of my non-tech savvy questions). Though I don’t define myself as a geek, Jenny’s blog is one of the only ones that I read religiously. I’ve been meaning to get this post to her for weeks (kind of like my own blog!) & am thankful that she is letting me submit it so late.

I wanted to incorporate “geek” into what I know, which is interior design. As it turns out, it really is quite easy to add little touches of geek to your life without going overboard. However, it’s also really easy to go overboard.

What NOT to do.

So, let’s get started with some home accessorizing. We all use candles & picture frames, right? Why not go geek with legos and recycled circuit boards? And I couldn’t resist the adorable robot measuring cups — they pull double duty as fun kitchen decor as well.

1. Lego Candles 2. Robot Measuring Cups 3. Circuit Picture Frame

As an interior designer, I think pillows are the perfect finishing touch to any room. They’re a fun way to add a bold shot of color and pattern & I really do love all of these clever designs, but I love the Scrabble tiles and Twitter logo best.

1. Scrabble 2. Floppy Disk 3. RSS 4. Mac 5. Chromosomes 6. Star Wars 7. Twitter

Pixels are fun & bright & colorful. A perfect combination for home decor! I especially love the rugs from this set.

1. Pixelated Bedding 2. Pixel Scales Rug 3 & 4. Persian Puzzle Rug 5. Haute Pixel Pillows
6.Abstract Pixel Bedding 7. Fun Pixel Pillow

The Space Invaders wall decals are actually what inspired this entire post! I saw them featured in a Chicago Magazine article a few years ago (I believe in a Fall Out Boy members home?) and have loved them ever since. They were in his bedroom, but I love the whimsy they add to this open stair case. And those Light Saber sconces?! I’m not even a huge Star Wars fan & I still think these would be awesome in a little kids room (or an adult kids home office!).

1. Wall Decals 2. Light Saber Sconces 3. Star Wars Lamps 4. Abacus Wall Art

So, what are your thoughts? Have you incorporated any geek into your decor lately?

About the Author:

Hi! I’m Kristin Tavrides, owner of Bien Living Design. Located in Chicago, I provide interior design services to clients all over the city & suburbs, and the USA at large through my Long Distance Design service. That’s right! Online room design that is affordable and fun. I sporadically blog about design, DIY, travel & family at Bien Living Design.

12 Meme Days

Considering that the 12 Days of Christmas now costs over $100,000, this version is a more affordable — and certainly more humorous — option. Merry Rage-mas and Happy Meme-days!

Via Rage Comics.

P.S. — Geek in Heels is today’s featured blog at BlogAd’s gift-a-day holiday calender! For a limited time, get 30% off the purchase of an ad when you use the code HOLIDAY30!

If Seinfeld Was Aired Today

Seinfeld meets social media, iPads, and smartphones. Good stuff. 😀

Via C-Section Comics.

My Apparent Lack of Separation Anxiety

Most of the moms I know can’t bear to be apart from their children. They tell stories of the bucketfuls of tears that were shed the first time they left their babies with a sitter, nanny, or at a daycare. They talk about how they refuse to spend more than an x amount of time away from their children. (I even know one mom who has not spent even an hour away from her daughter for over 3 years!) Some even speak out about the physical pain that is felt when they are away from their children.

I am not one of those moms.

Again, I cannot help but wonder if something is wrong with me, or if I am missing that part of most women which makes them nurturing, loving providers for their offspring.

The very first time that I spent some time apart from Claire was when she was just two months old. J and I left her with his parents while we went out to dinner and watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.

I remember that all throughout dinner, I had an unsettling feeling I just could not shake off…and that’s when I realized that I wasn’t experiencing the tremendous separation anxiety that had been described to me by other moms. I wasn’t even worried about her — admittedly, because I knew that J’s parents would take good care of her — and if anything, I felt…

Relief.

There, I said it. The very first time that I went out without my daughter, I felt good. I felt freedom. I felt all the things that only a selfish mother — and surely only a horrible, uncaring person — would feel.

It was only when I returned home and saw the little booger that I realized how much I had missed her.

And I lavished her with extra attention and affection as a result.

Like the title of this book says, I will always return home to my children.
(image source)

Is this admission of guilt — and what I did to make up for it — what sets me apart from the truly horrible mothers? Or is that just wishful thinking and I really am a bad mother?

Am I just not cut out for motherhood and doing irreparable harm to my children?

Despite the guilt, I continued to go out sans Claire when I could. J and I used to drive up to my parents’ house at least once a month so that my mother could have her fix of spending time with her beloved granddaughter, while we could run errands, dine out, or catch a movie.

And now, we’re even talking about going away for a romantic weekend in January or February while his parents watch the girls, taking full advantage of their being here before their return to Hong Kong in March.

If anything, I think that these times away from my daughters have made me a better, more sane mother, and J agrees.

Obviously this isn’t something that works for all families. But like all parenting decisions, you have to do what’s best for your own unique, individual family.

Are there other moms out there who never felt the separation anxiety that is described by other moms?

George Takei Is My Social Media Hero of the Week

First, he shares this on Facebook:

Then he posts a video on YouTube encouraging Star Trek and Star Wars fans to unite against Twilight:

And now, he goes and does this (click to view large):

As Redditor dwightmoody says, “Adding him as a Facebook friend is like inviting a zany gay neighbor from a sitcom into your living room.”

I couldn’t agree more. 😀

A Small But (Hopefully) Meaningful Gift

I just realized that I never shared Aerin’s Chinese and Korean names with you guys.

Aerin’s Chinese name — 君靖 (Gwan Zing) — was chosen by J from a list of “pre-approved” names given to him by his parents. Claire’s Chinese name, 君婷 (Gwan Ting), was chosen this way too. In fact, J used the same list for both names, and when his brother has children, he too will be naming them from the list and the first character of the names will be the same as well.

My father had chosen Claire’s Korean name — 다정 (Da Jung) — and I personally love it. Not only is it cute and easy to pronounce, the word 다정 is used in the Korean language to describe a relationship as being sweetly intimate. 🙂

Contrary to Chinese tradition, where siblings (and sometimes even cousins) share the same first character in names, Koreans tend to share the second character. As such, when I approached the end of my pregnancy with Aerin, my father presented me with a short list of names that end with “Jung”:

수정 (Soo Jung)
민정 (Min Jung)
은정 (Eun Jung)

My parents liked Soo Jung the best, but I believed it to be a bit too plain. My sister liked Eun Jung because our mother’s name uses the character “Eun.” But I was hesitant because Eun Jung had an awkward flow when paired with the Korean pronunciation of J’s last name.

We decided to sit on it and think about it some more, when I suddenly had an idea —

Why not use the Korean character that my sister and I share in our names: 효 (Hyo)?

(image source)

I had already been feeling bad for Aerin because almost everything she was getting were hand-me-downs from her older sister. (And I know that it will probably remain this way for a large portion of her childhood.) There is also the fact that practically everyone was telling me that when both kids are crying for my attention, I should tend to Claire first because she is more likely to remember it later on. Hearing this, how can you not feel sorry for little Aerin?

I have written in the past that I used to hate my Korean name 효진 (Hyojin), but have grown to love it over the years. It’s even starting to become popular in Korea, with two celebrities — Kim Hyo Jin and Gong Hyo Jin — with the name.

So why not pass down to Aerin a part of myself that was given to me by my late grandfather? Something that I love and am proud of? Something that ties in with my identity and being?

It may not seem like much to some people, but I thought it was a great idea. And a wonderful gift to be presenting to my second daughter.

So it was decided. Aerin’s Korean name was 효정 (Hyo Jung).

And you know what? I think I may like it even better than my own name!

Win a $100 Credit to Sticker Mule! [Custom Stickers Giveaway]

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to Marcie T., who entered by commenting on this post!

I know that I haven’t run a giveaway in a while, and I apologize for that. I could blame it on the new baby and the wallet-draining holiday season, but who wants to hear excuses? 😉

Well, you guys are in for a treat today because I am giving away a $100 credit to Sticker Mule, a custom sticker company!

Sticker Mule prints custom stickers that kick ass. They especially love making stickers for geeks, startups, and bloggers. They’re also relentlessly focused on making ordering fast, fun and enjoyable. They’ll make your artwork print ready for free, ship for free and provide free proofs with every order. All of their stickers are printed on high quality vinyl and cut to your exact specifications.

Their range of custom stickers range from die cut stickers, bumper stickers, and even skins for your favorite gadgets! Just check out some of these fabulous creations:

It’s no wonder that their customers include Groupon, Reddit, and Mashable. 🙂

Have an event such as weddings, birthday parties, or baby showers coming up? Order some custom stickers to hand out as favors!

Run your own business? Get some die-cut stickers printed with your logo — or even business card stickers — to hand out to potential clients!

Or, with Christmas just around the corner, why not order some custom skins to gift to your loved ones?

In order to enter for a chance to win this very generous $100 credit — now, this is a bit different from my past giveaways — just use the Rafflecopter widget below!

(Not sure how to use Rafflecopter? Watch this 45 second video for a tutorial on how to enter a giveaway using Rafflecopter.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

As you can see, the only requirement in entering this giveaway is to leave a comment to this blog post about how you plan on using the $100 credit. Every other method will grant you an additional entry, but they are optional. 🙂 Additionally, you can tweet about the giveaway every day from now until Sunday for extra entries!

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to shoot me a message via my contact form.

Good luck, and thanks for reading!

Switching Up the Morning Routine

Since the moment I got pregnant with Aerin, J took over Claire’s night and morning duties so that I could get some extra rest. The routine has not changed with the birth of our second daughter. In fact, I think that J quite enjoys these moments alone with his eldest — despite the fact that he is not a morning person — and uses them as special father-daughter bonding times.

A typical workday morning usually goes something like this (all times are VERY approximate and change daily):

6:00am: Aerin wakes up. I change her diaper, feed her, and play with her a bit until she is ready to fall back asleep. Aerin may or may not be sleeping again when —

7:30am: Claire wakes up. She usually plays by herself in the crib for at least a few minutes: walking around the perimeter whilst supporting herself with the railing, checking herself out on the mirrored closet doors :roll:, and wrestling with her favorite stuffed animals. When she gets bored, she will stand up once again and start whining. Just recently, she has started to yell out, “Baba! Baba!!” because she knows that her dad is usually the one to get her every morning.

8:00am: J wakes up and prepares a bottle. He changes her diaper and feeds her. Depending on the time, he may put her back into the crib to go back to sleep (if it is before 7am, she will usually sleep for another hour or so) or play with her until it is time to get ready for work.

8:30am: If J’s parents haven’t arrived for the day yet, he will bring Claire into our room and I will watch both girls while he gets ready for work. If the grandparents have arrived, they will watch Claire while I take a morning nap with Aerin. J usually ends up leaving for work at around 9:00am.

This morning, I noticed that Aerin was in better spirits than usual, so I placed her on our king-sized bed, far enough from J so that he won’t accidentally roll over her in his sleep, and checked on Claire in the video monitor. As suspected, she was up and making faces at the mirror.

So I prepared her bottle and greeted her. She was surprised to see me at this point in the day, but immediately made her ham face and reached up her arms. After changing her diaper, I decided to bring her into our room so that she could drink her bottle there instead, right next to her sister —

I should mention that for the past couple of months, Claire has not been finishing her morning bottle because — it’s a brand new day! There is so much to do! Why spend it idly drinking milk when I could be causing mischief elsewhere?

Which is completely understandable.

But this morning, she was so happy to be beginning the day with her mom and her dad and her sister that she gulped it ALL down without a fuss. And of course, she reached out to touch Aerin more than a few times while she was drinking her milk.

The real fun began when J woke up. He may have missed his special bonding time with Claire this morning, but made up for it by flying her around the room, occasionally tackling her onto the bed.

I can’t wait until both girls are older. Not only because I know that things will be easier, but also in hopes that they will entertain each other before waking mommy and daddy up for the day. 😉

The One Where I Felt Like I Was Poisoning My Baby

You may also like:

How Kim Jong Il’s Obituary Would Look If It Were Written by Kim Jong Il

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Guest Post: Geek Chic Decor

You may also like:

12 Meme Days

You may also like:

If Seinfeld Was Aired Today

You may also like:

My Apparent Lack of Separation Anxiety

You may also like:

George Takei Is My Social Media Hero of the Week

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A Small But (Hopefully) Meaningful Gift

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Win a $100 Credit to Sticker Mule! [Custom Stickers Giveaway]

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Switching Up the Morning Routine

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