I think the entire family has at some point in the past week come down with this cold. But I woke up feeling it finally this morning and Trinity is still a bit of a mess. With Echo not peeing as much as I would like I figured it was time to call the local LaLeche League. You call the main number for the city and it gives you a local number to call of a mom who is trained to give breastfeeding advice. I have done this before with Trinity when trying to face down the paediatrician who was in love with formula. I have never had a bad experience with the call line and today’s call followed that positive pattern.

I got a mom named Nancy who not only was a breastfeeding advocate BUT also had homeschooled her children up to grade 9. She was supportive, willing to chat and absolutely full of information. We ran down her “symptoms”… peeing less (and it smelling a little more but we put that at maybe my diet too – smell wise), not gained much weight in the past few weeks, and a concern about her fluid intake. What we also noted was her soft spot is not sunken, she is ACTIVE ACTIVE ACTIVE, making eye contact and sleeping and awake still much the same. Oh and the big thing – an over 1 inch length growth spurt in the same amount of time. What the consultant told me is… first off babies grow at their own rate, charts can be limiting and a source of unneeded worry, second she is NOT failing to thrive with how active she is (a baby failing to thrive is lethargic, won’t make eye contact and acts very concerned all the time – not like our bubbly and happy baby)… AND the large length growth is terrific and where the majority of her energy and nutrients are going to go.

Add to all that her stuffy nose we are constantly cleaning out and my finally feeling ill and we figure that I picked the wrong week to micromanage. Oh and with the urine comparison – well it could also be us used to too much peeing after all I was over producing and she probably taking in too much that she could not use… so maybe what we are looking at is equalling out. The actual amount of pee at a time is a lot smaller than I thought (tablespoons!). So I ended my rather lengthy call feeling lifted up not only in regards to breastfeeding but to homeschooling as well!

Sleepy Echo

Ken managed to get a hold of our mechanic… he has the transmission in but it is not shifting gears quite right yet. The hope is that when we call him or he calls us on Monday it is for us to come in and get the van. I have shopping to do! Christmas is right around the corner and I so badly want to be done my presents.

Tomorrow is the first Sunday in Advent and is at 10 am instead of our usual 11. Without the van it is just Ken and the boys heading out, but with Trinity and my being sick it is for the best. Ken is going to take the pink camera and get the kids singing at the front on video. That is a bit of a kicker for me – Emanuel’s first time at the front singing… BUT I will see it in video and share it with you all as well!

Wearing a snuggly sweatsuit for her sicky day

We had Ted over last night and into today. It is great to have someone ELSE in the house to chat with, share jokes and what has been going on lately with. It is going to be so weird when we move in the spring and are over an hour away from Ted. He currently does not have a car… we figure he will just have to follow us! He and Ken ran out this evening so Ted could but a DSlite. He got the blue and black version which Ken is now coveting – after all MINE is bubblegum pink.

Late night gaming

The stocking for my nephew is awaiting the last few components! But the bones are basically there! I am very happy with it so far, it has green on the toe and heel instead of red and the backstitched lines are the opposite to Quinn’s (except the top horizontal ones).

Stocking to date

I have started a small project that is a gift for one of our friends as well tonight. Not much to look at yet, but it should be a quick stitch.

Hard to tell what it is just yet!

Now if I could just get the last of the ornaments on the tree and Ken the rest of the lights fixed. Our living room is still full of half emptied boxes and such that need to be cleared out, I would LOVE to start the week with a tidy kitchen and living room… and a van but I have to sit and trust on that one. Since Ken was able to get a pretty good answer on the vehicle I am going to be very careful to NOT dwell on it tomorrow and just keep positive and put all this excess energy into stitching and baking!

Zander, Gavin and Trinity... another sneak peek