Mateo discovers his chompers

Early this morning, Mateo and I were up around 6 am and having a nice time nursing. He had just drifted off to sleep and I slipped a finger into his mouth to break the suction so I could pick him up and pat his back. I guess he didn't like that, because instead of letting go, he chomped right down! He BIT me! I loudly stage-whispered "OW! Mateo, please don't bite me!" but he was still asleep and I don't think he's understanding much in terms of verbal communication these days anyway. I'm hoping that this won't be an issue we have to work on once he starts getting teeth. Let me just say that the kid sure has a strong jaw. He made up for it by snuggling with me for a couple of hours before waking up for good for the day.

In other news, Sacha, who had been sick with a 100 degree fever all day yesterday, woke up this morning feeling a lot better. Her fever seems to have broken and she's just feeling tired instead of sick. We're hoping the weekend will give her a chance to recover before we leave for Cancun on Monday. We hope the same thing for my poor dad, who is down for the count with the stomach flu. I still remember morning sickness rather well and am so sorry that my dad is having to suffer through a similar thing. :(

Here are a couple of photos from this morning when Mateo was helping his mommy get over her sickness....


...as well as one of him with his cousin (we're calling her his aunt, which seems more appropriate!) Rachel. She was holding Mateo and Beso, one of our kitties, decided he just had to be in on the action.

Also, I'm hoping to scan in some photos of our trip to my grandmommy's house the other night. She and Mateo had a wonderful time "chatting" and we took quite a few photos with her camera. She is so sweet with him and we're really glad that they're getting to know each other!

The big news!

As you all know, I finished my MAT in education in October, after Mateo was born. I was planning on returning to teaching in September of this coming school year, and started filling out my applications for Beaverton and Portland in January. Beaverton actually starts hiring bilingual teachers in February (early, but that is how they can actually secure teachers), so I thought I would work on my application.

Yesterday, I received a phone call from the district that they are looking to hire someone right now for a third/fourth grade classroom, and could I go to an interview today? (I actually haven't even finished my application yet, but they didn't seem to care.)

Today, I went to the interview, and it turned out they were looking for someone for a kindergarten classroom . . . a little bit different from a 3/4th grade split. . . and they wanted to hire someone by the end of this week. I just got a call this afternoon that I have the job (provided that I complete my application)!

Obviously, I can't start teaching as soon as they want me to, for a number of reasons. We're taking a fabulous vacation to Cancun with Alayna's parents next week. And, I have my tutoring students from tutoring. Most of my clients' parents knew that I was looking for teaching jobs for next year, but I didn't expect it to be this soon! I need to figure out how I can find them other people to work with

I am someone excited by the situation, but also a bit concerned.

Pros:

• I enjoy teaching in Spanish, and this is a bilingual placement.
• The school sounds wonderful. They are focused on reading, using research, really look at student data, and have cooperative planning times.
• I would probably be able to move to a different grade next year, if I wanted to do that. They basically guaranteed that I could move to a different grade, and said that there might also be opportunities working as a literacy coach, in Spanish. (Wow!)
  
• I would be earning significantly more money than I do as a tutor, which would be great with Alayna staying home with Mateo, and having a child.
  
• The school is just 20 minutes away from the house, and I actually enjoy driving because I like singing in the car and that helps me relax.
• The principal seemed wonderful and positive.
• I like the idea of working with a challenging (skill-wise) group of children, who are falling behind. In some way there will be less pressure on me because I'll be taking them in the middle of the year.
  

Cons:

• I would miss being with Mateo and Alayna during the day.
• My schedule would be way less flexible, and I would be working significantly more hours.
• I've never taught kindergarten on my own, and am a bit concerned about teaching children that age. Will I be able to manage them?
  

So, it is a big, huge change, but I think I will take the job!

Big stuff

We've had a momentous couple of days here at Casa Two Girls and One Boy. First of all, Mateo and I tagged along for Sacha's haircut yesterday (which looks very cute, by the way) and Mateo got his first little trim. I don't know if it counts as his first haircut, because his hair is falling out all over our house and he will probably soon be bald, so his first real haircut will probably come after all his hair falls out, grows back in, and then gets long enough to need a cut.

However, this was the first time scissors had ever touched his hair and he took it quite well. He squirmed like crazy, which is his job as a baby, and the hair cutter (barber? hair attendant?) admirably managed to trim around the ears and on the back of his neck.

Interestingly, Sacha and I had very different reactions afterwards. I had been pushing for us to get Mateo's hair trimmed for awhile and she had been more reluctant to do it so soon...and after we left the hair place, Sacha ended up feeling like it wasn't as traumatic as she had expected while I felt sad and like I wished I hadn't rushed us into it after all. I guess this whole being a parent thing is just one long learning process, eh? Anyway, Sacha and his mommy are both looking very cute. Here's a photo of them with their new dos:


Also, Mateo turns 12 weeks old today. Amazing. He celebrated by tipping our bathroom scale at nearly 15 pounds! Admittedly, the scale is always high for him by about a half a pound, but still - he's a big boy! Here he is in an adorable outfit his Apa and Manuel sent him:


We're coming up to the anniversary of the time last year when a tiny clump of cells implanted into my uterus and we embarked on this incredible journey. At the time, we had been trying for six months and were starting to feel very uncertain about when or if a pregnancy would happen. What a difference a year makes, eh?



And, last but certainly not least, Sacha has some exciting news to share. I'll let her tell you all about it later, so as not to ruin the surprise! However, it did involve her running out the door this morning looking like this:

We love lesbian families!

We've been having a mellow weekend, due to my plugged duct (which finally un-plugged itself lasst night, thank goodness!) in addition to both of us feeling a bit tired and like we're fighting something off. But, we did drag ourselves out of the house this afternoon to go to a meeting of this new lesbian families group that we've heard about. It's called PLOP, which stands for Pregnant/Parenting Lesbians of Portland. We heard about it through another blog that I was reading and have been trying to go to a meeting for months.

It was awesome! We were a little bit shy at first but warmed up pretty quickly. We met some really nice people, including a couple with baby sons close to Mateo's age. We also met some families with older babies and toddlers and got to see a bit of what we're in for in a few months! We were both so happy to meet some other families similar to ours. We think this will be great for us and for Mateo as he gets older. We're already looking forward to going back next month!

Thrush

You may remember that I had thrush back at the end of November. Well, I still seem to have it. Yes, all these approximately 8 weeks later. I am so frustrated. I have been taking fluconazole (brand name Diflucan) for 8 weeks. It's the medicine that you get for a vaginal yeast infection and you're supposed to take just one or two...but I've taken probably 60 at this point. I get so worried about taking it for so long, even though the doctor insists that it's safe for me and for Mateo. She also keeps saying that there hasn't been much long-term research on it, because it's so new, and that freaks me out. I'm afraid that in 10 years, I'll regret taking so much of it. But, it seems to be either this or stop breastfeeding him. I'm not ready to do that yet....but I do feel like it won't take much to push me in that direction at this point.

I really thought everything was better and I was going to go off the meds tomorrow. Then, last night, I woke up in the middle of the night and my boobs were killing me. As it turned out, I have a plugged duct in one of them (another extremely fun thing), but the whole thing reminded me that the burning feeling that I can't get rid of (a symptom of yeast) is still there. And that brought me back to feeling like I don't know what to do. This is bringing up all sorts of irrational fears, like that the diflucan will eat up my and Mateo's livers, that he will have some sort of long-term damage from getting it through my milk, that it's really not worth it to breast feed him with this stuff in my system. My more rational side says that the doctor thinks it's safe and she probably knows what she's talking about, and that neither Mateo or I is showing any kind of adverse effects from taking it.

I also feel really frustrated with my body. I have always healed slowly from things, but this is just ridiculous. Also, for the first time, my slow healing is affecting someone other than myself. I really love breastfeeding Mateo and I hate that this is making it painful.

I guess I don't have too much of a point to this rant! I just wanted to vent and I thought it might make me feel better. I'm just going to focus on resolving my plugged duct (ow!) and getting through the weekend and then on Monday I'll reevaluate.

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In the good news category, Mateo is becoming a champion afternoon napper! Putting him down in our bed instead of his co-sleeper and taking a nap along with him just seem to help him conk out. Right now, instead of his normal evening screaming session, he is happily babbling to Sacha and playing a fun game of stand-up/sit-down!

Also, I keep forgetting to mention that he's had a couple of firsts recently. He started really laughing for the first time a couple of mornings ago. He's done lots of little laughs, but these were full-on shrieks of delight. It was so cute. We got some of it on video and I'm trying to figure out how to post it. Also, he's started bringing his hands together sometimes, which is supposed to be some sort of developmental milestone. Go Mateo!

Aprendiendo español

As we have mentioned earlier, Alayna and I would like to be able to talk in Spanish with Mateo, and so we are both working on improving our skills. Alayna is taking a Spanish class at the local community college, which I think is going well.

I've been wanting to take a Spanish class that focuses on grammar, but hadn't been able to find anything. And then I found out that you can have tutoring using a webcam via the internet! So, I started taking lessons from Guatemala at a place called SpeakShop. It's pretty amazing. I had my third lesson today, and I am learning so much.

I feel really high tech talking on a headphone and using a webcam to take Spanish lessons. But, this has also opened up more possibilities . . . like we can now talk with the webcam to Zenaido:) I think that I going to be wonderful when Mateo gets a little older. Anyway, I am excited about the webcam and Skype. What an amazing thing the internet is.

Snow day at 11 weeks

Mateo decided to celebrate his 11-week birthday by ordering up a big day of snow! It wasn't his first snow, but it was his first substantial one and it pretty much shut down Portland for the day. We woke up yesterday morning and I pulled back the curtains while Sacha went to change the little guy's diaper....and what did I see but a world blanketed in white. It was a great surprise and we had lots of fun.

We had a wonderful snow day together - we had a cozy morning inside, which we spent mostly by putting up plastic sheeting over our freezing cold single-pane windows, and then had an outdoor adventure in the afternoon. We bundled up ourselves and the kiddo and walked down to Mississippi Ave to get a video and visit our favorite coffee shop.

Here's Mateo looking wide-eyed at all that white stuff everywhere:



We also had a couple of nice interactions with our neighbors - something about all being stuck in the same situation seems to lead to this - with one of them spontaneously bringing us pastries in the morning and another family stopping to chat on their way home in the afternoon. All in all, it was a great day!

Also, a few more recent photos of our favorite model :)

Here he is helping mommy eat dessert:

Taking a nap with mama:

And hanging out in the Moby:

Happy Sunday

We have had such a nice day in freezing cold Portland! (It was 28 degrees this morning when we went out for a walk.) After celebrating Sacha's actual birthday in California, we had a birthday party for her here this afternoon. It was our first attempt at having a gathering since Mateo came on the scene, and it was fabulous. We had a great group of friends and relatives come over, eat cake, hang out, play with babies and celebrate! Although we didn't take any pictures:(, we had a wonderful time. Three couples from our birth class came to the party, and tons of other friends that we have made in the last 3 years we've been living in Portland. We feel so blessed to have such a wonderful community.

A few of my favorite things...

First, I would like to sing the praises of the Moby wrap.

I should back up to tell you about our somewhat short history with baby carriers. Sacha and I have tried a couple of different front carriers for Mateo. First, we tried the Ergo with infant insert. We think the Ergo will be absolutely fabulous when our little guy is bigger, but the infant insert is awkward to use and Mateo never seems to be quite in it right. Then we tried the Baby Bjorn. He likes this one if we're moving around, but really doesn't deal very well with standing still or sitting down in it.

Then, yesterday, I went to a Baby and Me group at the hospital down the street and there was a speaker on babywearing. This is the school of thought that infants do best with a lot of contact with their parents. The speaker demonstrated tons of different slings and wraps and other new ways to carry your baby around. We actually have a whole bag of different types of these things that our neighbors lent us, but we hadn't tried them out.

When I got home from the group, I was all motivated and Sacha and I tried out the most intimidating-looking carrier: the Moby wrap. It's just one looooong piece of fabric that you wrap around you in various ways and then insert the baby. It comes with a book of instructions and photos that was way too complicated to deal with while we were in the fog of the first few weeks. However, yesterday we got it! And, the best part is that Mateo loves it. He will hang out contentedly in the Moby for much longer (ie, hours) than he ever would in the Bjorn, and now has enough head control to face out as well as in. It's perfect for right now.



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Secondly, Mateo is a growing boy! He weighed in today at 13.5 pounds and almost 24 inches, which is wonderful. He's healthy and beautiful and such a pleasure to be with. He also got checked out again for thrush, because Sacha and I thought we saw some more white stripes in his mouth. Thankfully, we were wrong. He's fine. No thrush. Now if his mama could just manage to kick it...

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Here are some cute photos from the past few days. He sometimes loves to play with his mirror and goo at that other baby who always seems to be there. And, he seems to enjoy being in his crib in general. It's a happy place!

Apa

This was a big weekend for the three of us. Our friend and Mateo's donor, Zenaido, came to visit and to meet the baby for the first time. He flew in from the east coast on Friday night and left on Sunday night, so we all had two full days to spend together. We hadn't seen each other since Mateo was conceived. It was wonderful for him to meet Mateo and for them to get to know each other a little bit. And, for the adults (are we really adults?) to spend some time catching up, too.


Zenaido was great with Mateo and spent lots of time with him, including playing with him, changing several diapers, setting up the mobile over his crib, and, of course, lots of cuddling time. We would all like Zenaido to be involved in Mateo's life - this was part of the reason we decided to use a known donor instead of going through a sperm bank - and envision him playing a role similar to an uncle. Mateo's going to call him his Apa (pronounced a-PA), which is a term of endearment in Spanish.


In addition to baby time in the house, we went out for barbeque with some of Zenaido's local friends, ate burritos on Mississippi Ave., and visited my grandmother for Sunday afternoon tea. Then, Zenaido flew back east on a red-eye, which narrowly avoided crashing into another plane while landing in New York. Thank goodness everyone was okay - especially because it's Zenaido's birthday today. Mateo (and Sacha and I) would like to send a big "happy birthday, Apa!" across the country.

Cloth Diapers

We started using cloth diapers earlier this week, and I wanted to sing the praises of the switch.

1. We are buying less disposables and putting less waste into the planet!
2. They are really easy to put on, because the diaper covers have Velcro.
3. Babies with cloth diapers toilet train a whole year earlier than babies in disposables.
4. They are super cute.
5. Mateo's diaper rash is 100 times better with the cloth diapers. I thought it would make the rash worst, which was why we were holding off on trying, but it has actually gotten better.
6. They are actually really easy to wash - just throw in the wash with vinegar and an extra rinse and then dry for 60 minutes.
7. They are softer than disposables.

We are using disposable for the night time, and when we got out, for the most part are using cloth diapers. I thought that was the last thing in the world I would want to use, but it's been really fun to switch over, and I think we both feel good about the change.

Celebrating the adoption . . . with sleep!

After the adoption yesterday, we went to Maribeth's for a lovely dinner! What a treat. Hopefully we will be able to take Mateo over there more regularly. He is so lucky to have so many grandparents and great-grandparents and so many people that love him.

The other really big thing that happened yesterday is that Mateo slept, and slept and slept last night. He went to bed at 9:30, while we were watching Scrubs:) He slept till 1:45, when he woke up briefly, but I got him back to sleep. Then . . . he didn't wake up again till 4:45!!!!! WOW.

He ate, and then slept from 6am till 9am. What a fabulous way to celebrate. That is by far the most he has ever slept at one time, and I feel great.

Adoption Day!

Today, Sacha officially adopted Mateo and became his legal parent. We had a brief ceremony at the Multnomah County Courthouse this morning and watched the judge sign the order of adoption. Well, all the adults watched it. Mateo slept through the whole thing!

The adoption becoming official was a big moment for all three of us. In fact, it was the first (and probably only, at least for the forseeable future) valid legal recognition of our family (and our marriage). We are so happy and grateful that Mateo can not only have two moms, but two moms who are legally recognized by the state! Obviously, LGBT rights have a long way to go in Oregon and nationally, but they have also come a long way and we reaped the benefits of that today. Sacha's cousin, Rachel, came with us and took a video of the event, as well as providing fabulous company and baby assistance. Thanks, Rachel!

After the hearing, we went out to brunch at Mother's, a very appropriately named restaurant in downtown Portland, and had a wonderful time.

Here are a couple of photos of our big morning. Congratulations, Sacha!!

All new

Welcome to our new address! Hope you like the new title and format.

2 months!

Dear Mateo,
While you were busy growing away inside Mama, she read a blog where the author wrote a letter to her daughter every month, talking about new things she'd learned and what she had been like during that month. We thought that was a cool idea, so we decided to try it. Since you're still pretty little, our best intentions of writing this on your two-month birthday didn't quite happen (you're 9 weeks old today). Still, better late than never!

On December 31st, you turned two months old. These past two months have seemed like the shortest and longest of our lives, all at the same time! You have made the incredible transition from growing in utero to getting your first taste of the big world around us. Our lives without you seem difficult to imagine at this point, although still not so far away. Time has taken on a different quality since your birth, probably due to the immense change in just about every part of our lives.

Your second month, especially, has been full of new and exciting things, for you and for your mommies. However, it started on kind of a tough note. A month ago, you and Mama had just been diagnosed with thrush and were just barely starting to see some improvement in how we both felt. Meanwhile, Mommy was trying to take care of the house and pretty much every other aspect of our lives while Mama rested to try to get better. Today, you're all better, Mama is pretty close, and Mommy is probably pretty relieved to have some help with everything she had taken on!


You're turning into a smiling and laughing baby right in front of our eyes. You seemed to have a particularly big week while we were down in California for Christmas. Over the course of a few days, you started smiling on purpose and interacting with your mommies and the rest of our families through the most adorable little 'conversations'. You also started sleeping longer and more soundly and going to sleep much more easily at night. We love this. Maybe you decided that once you'd had your first set of shots and your first airplane trip, that it was time to start interacting with the world!

Here you are on the airplane:

Since we've been home, you've continued to communicate with us. You particularly love to tell us things on the changing table. Maybe this is because you can see us best while you're laying on it? You seem to be a very strong baby. You love to move your limbs around and we think you will be unstoppable once you start crawling and walking. In fact, as Mama is writing this, you are playing with Mommy on a blanket and you have rolled over several times in the past few minutes. You still don't quite know when you're doing it, but you're strong enough to send yourself over while lying on your tummy. Your head control is also very good, and you love to practice standing up while we hold you around your tummy. Sometimes you even like to stand up while propped up against one of our chests. It's pretty fun!


Most of the time, you are a pretty happy baby. This has been especially true since your reflux problem got diagnosed and you started taking fabulous baby Zantac. This has made you feel much better and helped you stop fussing so much after every time you nurse. Sometimes, mostly in the late evenings, you get too tired to calm yourself down and then you get very upset. We have learned lots of different techniques to help you relax, most of which involve lots of bouncing. You really like to be bounced. You also sometimes like to have a bath and a little baby massage to help you calm down. And, sometimes you fall right asleep when we take you for a walk in your Baby Bjorn.


Mateo, we love you so much. We love you just the way you are. We even love you when you spit up all over us, just as you are doing to Mommy right now. You have added so much light to our lives in the past 9 weeks (and really, in the 41 weeks before that while you were growing). We still can't quite believe that 11-ish months ago, you were a tiny clump of dividing cells and now you are a chubby, wonderful boy. We are having a lot of fun getting to know you, and we think you are having fun getting to know us, too. We feel incredibly lucky that you came into our lives and we look forward to whatever the future has in store for all of us.


With much love,
Mama and Mommy