I now know why sleep deprivation works with prisoners of war.  At this point, my brain is mush. 

Thomas is still not sleeping more than 3-hour stretches, even though he is getting enough to eat.  That was confirmed at his 2-month check-up this morning. 

He just uses Mommy as his pacifier!  I forgot about all the shots he had to get.  Daddy just called and he’s home with two fussy little ones. 

Should have scheduled the doctor visit for a Friday-not heeding my own advice.  Then we would have had the weekend to recover. 

I need more than a weekend to recover at this point!  My mom says she still has not made up for the loss of sleep caused by my sister and me-she’s in her 60′s!

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 2

The 5pm news is 30 minutes away.  Will I remember how to read the prompter?

I am not really nervous because I know I have the support of so many other moms with little ones. 

Thanks, again, for keeping my spirits up when the craziness of a newborn and a 2-year-old overwhelmed me. 

I did get tears in my eyes when I dropped Thomas off at day care.  Perhaps because it is so hard to believe that 2 ½ years ago I was dropping baby Charlotte off.  I know. 

The time does go by so quickly.  Driving home without a baby in the backseat felt so strange.  Taking a shower without listening for cries also was not a normal feeling. 

Putting on make-up and work clothes also felt foreign.  Everyone at work seems happy to see me.  That makes me feel good. 

A 2-hour shoot in La Porte City for a health story was a challenge this afternoon.  My milk dropped twice so we raced back so I could pump.  Mission accomplished. 

I know I can make this work-let’s hope Daddy is doing okay at home with the little ones!

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 2

Let’s face it. Maternity leave can be an isolating experience. Sure you spend countless quality hours with your newborn and other children… but some days the only adult contact you may have is with four guys dressed in bright shirts (The Wiggles). And they don’t talk back.

The great thing about this time for me is that I connected with countless moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas through this blog.

Who knew how much I would draw on your support and words of encouragement? Thanks for taking the time to post a comment.

Thanks for telling me at the doctor’s office and the grocery store how much you could relate to my world.

I am going to miss the naps. The house is not going to be as organized. But I am going to continue sharing my little slice of motherhood.

The blog will roll on and I hope to someday turn it over to Charlotte and Thomas as a testament to what we’re going through in these crazy but fulfilling days of raising little ones.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 2

I just found out I’m in a movie. A former co-worker emailed to let me know a clip of me anchoring appears in the new Michael Moore film "Slacker Uprising".

Apparently I was talking about him visiting Iowa in 2004. News to me.

This is almost as exciting as the time I was on Wheel of Fortune in college. I only won $800 but when the show re-aired later that year I got all the sponsor prizes again.

Among the spoils was a vacuum, 3-month supply of Klondike bars and a huge box of hair products.

As I know all too well, the camera adds weight. Let’s just say Vanna looked like she needed a sandwich in person. She was too thin.

Pat was much shorter than he appears on the small screen.

Behind the wheel were risers adjusted so each contestant didn’t tower over Pat.

The make-up artist who did ours backstage also worked for Days of Our Lives–of course I was a reporter even then and asked him tons of questions.

We were on location for College Week in Boston where I went to school.

The traveling set was so cheap I swear the spokes on the wheel were nails and the dollar amounts looked like poster board with black marker up close.

The letter board looked so flimsy that materials from Hobby Lobby could have duplicated it. Ah, the magic of television!

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 2

I’ve heard health experts say you should not use food as a reward. Too late!

Like her mommy, Charlotte loves food. She likes the fruits and veggies as much as the sweets. That’s a good thing. But she clamors for a treat like a dog waiting for a scrap. No surprise there. She gets that from me.

I can’t tell you how excited I get if a co-worker brings in brownies. Or how much I love the time at weddings or birthday parties when the slices of cake are being passed out!

It’s sad, I know, but I can’t help it. As a child, I was rewarded with a pastel dessert mint every time I went on the big potty.

Instead of a mint, Charlotte has been promised whole candy bars or a small bowl of jelly beans if she goes number two.

I have already set the girl up to be an office food mooch like her mom. She actually stares at me when I am eating something she’s not.

"What’s that?" she innocently asks. "A Weight Watchers cake," I respond.

And Mommy is getting every bite because she’s dieting and these tiny treats are all I get–so there!

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 2

Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of my maternity leave.

Monday is when I plan to return to work.

Reaction from family, friends, neighbors and strangers is mixed. Some give me the impression I’ve been away too long and I should have been back sooner. While others, usually women, get a sad look on their face and say something like, "Oh, I’m so sorry."

The truth is I would not be a good stay-at-home mom. My husband is much better suited to run a household.

I still screw up the laundry and I am terrible at the concept of getting a meal on the table.

Yes, I love being a mother and I now know for sure it is the hardest job in the world–being a parent. But I think it’s okay to enjoy your job and I still do like to go to work.

It will be tougher to return this time because I know this will be the last maternity leave I ever take. Not to mention, I have to figure out when and where to pump when I’m back in the office.

In the business I’m in, days off rarely happen. So two months away has seemed like an eternity. But I have bonded so much with my son and Charlotte. It’s been great.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 2

Who knew my 2-year-old would be such a stand-up comedian? I can’t help but smile at many of Charlotte’s comments.

Just yesterday she came in when I was taking a quick potty break and put her hand on my leg. "I’m holding you so you don’t fall in," she said with a serious look on her face.

Don’t worry, Mommy’s backside is too wide for that to happen, I thought. And you think she would know this since the other day in one of our many showers together she said, "You have a big belly and a big bottom!"

You’re right, I thought. Enjoy your petite body parts while they last. Lately strangers have been included in the humor.

When she tells people about her friends at school she is quick to point out that, "They go poo-poo on the big potty." "Wonderful," they respond but are probably thinking wonderfully gross!

Yes, life with a 2-year-old is never dull. Someday soon she’ll be repeating all the embarrassing things she sees at home to her teachers and random shoppers at Walmart. And the sad part is they may recognize her mom!

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 2

The bad news is that I am still sick. In fact, I feel worse today than yesterday. So I called the doctor.

It appears I have mastitis–a breast infection that can happen when you’re nursing. The good news is that I have been prescribed an antibiotic to treat it and I can still keep breastfeeding.

Why didn’t I call sooner? I fault my husband for "waiting" to take action when he’s sick. But I don’t always follow my own advice.

Imagine that? A woman who doesn’t practice what she preaches!

Guess what? Dave is sick, too. No, not a breast infection-ha-but a sore throat and other symptoms. He is going to the doctor today. Guess who called and scheduled his appointment?

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 2

Remember all the things you took for granted when you were childless? …like a hot bath without a 2-year-old splashing around in it with you…or a long car ride where you could actually hear your husband talk without shouting over a screaming child or a Wiggles CD.

Post-kids I have learned to enjoy the everyday moments that refresh and renew your mind and spirit–no matter how limited!

For example, the 8-minute drive home from dropping Charlotte off is so nice if Thomas is sleeping in his carseat.

For that little window of time, I can listen to music I choose and maybe if I’m real daring go through the McDonald’s drive-thru for a small orange juice.

Now that’s living! It seems I’ve forgotten what it’s like to check my email without balancing my laptop over a nursing newborn.

I can’t recall a trip to the grocery store where you actually don’t have to rush down the last few aisles or where you CAN go back when you forgot something.

Gone are the days where I had time to put together an outfit with matching accessories and you can forget ever switching out your purse.

All those purses sit stacked in my closet now. I can’t remember the last time I looked at shoes that weren’t toddler or newborn sizes.

And clothes that aren’t 2T or 3T really don’t interest me at this point. Boy, have I changed. And that’s a good thing. I’m a mommy now so the me time has to be pushed aside. Someday, though, I plan to get some back!

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 2

I’ve always tried to avoid the Kathy Lee syndrome. In other words, I don’t want to only talk about all the positive things in my life–especially where my kids are concerned–but not address any negative aspects.

I hope this blog hits the mark in highlighting the good, the bad and the ugly.

Being a mother is a much harder job than the job I have where I get a paycheck.

I fell into broadcasting pretty naturally, but the mommy thing was a process that started off rough for me.

When I had Charlotte in 2006, it had been so long since I changed a diaper I didn’t know the tabs were now re-stickable.

I still thought you got one chance to stick it and that’s it! What a nice surprise to discover diapers had been modernized since my babysitting days–which were limited.

It’s funny how many women know they want to have children but they don’t know what to do once the baby arrives.

I know some of you reading this are naturals and you eased into it no problem. Then there are women like me who are still trying to figure it all out!

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 2