Tag: family

Ready, Set, Nap!

Photo Credit: Word Press Free Library

Today, I got a little over zealous with getting things done! We woke up after not getting enough sleep and went at 110% until we crashed for a 3 hour nap. Me and LilKsby both slept through dinner! I’d say the nap was earned. After all, we got up and got ready, attended our first Virtual Baby and Me class (to which I now know you’re supposed to bring maracas), did Virtual Get Ready Camp, played, read books together (got to get those badges), baked, ran an errand, and ate. I also worked my Mary Kay business virtually in there, cleaned litter, did dishes, froze breastmilk, and read my own book. Wow…now that I look at it, no wonder we both needed a nap.

That’s part of my personality. I have a tendency to do stuff, do stuff, do stuff, and then I crash and need a nap (sometimes figuratively, sometimes literally). This tendency is why I think one of my biggest self improvement needs is time management. I need to remind myself that Rome wasn’t built in a day!

Tomorrow we will strive to do less. We will see how it goes! Until then, I’m ready for nap round two. Although at this time of a night that just means going to bed!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Reflecting on 36

Photo by Elcara Photography

In one hour it will be my 37th birthday! To say that I’m excited would be an understatement. My birthday is definitely my second favorite holiday. I love cake! I love a reason to be with family and friends! I love presents! Most of all, I love celebrating another year here on earth living a life of abundance!

I have to say looking back, that 36 has been one of the best years ever! Some may think, “But Kaysby, we’re in the middle of a global pandemic! In fact, the last two month of your 36th year have been spent social distancing and in pretty much complete isolation with Mr Kisby and LilKsby!” That’s two months of time that I’ve gotten to spend with my AMAZING baby almost 24/7 (seriously I’ve been away from him for maybe two hours) and my hubby (who I don’t just love but also like to be around)!

Plus, some of the greatest things ever have happened while 36! Here are the highlights:

  1. We had a baby! LilKsby has the distinction of being born when I was 36 just as I was born when my dad was 36. Also, the three of us are all Tauruses who were born in the Year of the Pig. How fun is that?
  2. The three of us got to spend A LOT of time together! You know what? We love our little family, and we wouldn’t trade the togetherness for the world!
  3. We got to see some of the best of Broadway by going to Hamilton and Jesus Christ Superstar. Bonus? We also got to watch Jesus Christ Superstar again on Andrew Lloyd Weber’s YouTube channel!
  4. We traveled with LilKsby! He won’t remember it, but I’ll always remember playing with him in hotel pools! I’m so glad that he loves water just like his mama!
  5. We got to celebrate several holidays before and after quarantine began: Halloween, Not-So-Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Easter, a wedding, and birthdays.
  6. We got to get some of the best family pictures ever made with Elcara Photography!
  7. We’ve tried new things like baking a cake from scratch and learning guitar.
  8. We’ve virtually visited museums and amusement parks!
  9. We’ve finally taken time to do little things around the house that there never seemed to be time to complete.
  10. We’ve supported causes near and dear to our hearts!
  11. We’ve taken more time for things we enjoy like creating art, blogging, playing games, and having family movie nights! The last of these is why I’ve finally seen the first three Indiana Jones movies and all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies that have been released thus far!
  12. I’ve taken time to read! Books are great!
  13. We’ve taken more time to attend church in person and virtually – especially virtually!

There’s more greatness that I know I just can’t think of right now! 36 has been that great of a year! I hope that 37 will be just as great, and that next year when it is 31 minutes until my birthday, I’ll be finishing another blog about another great year!

To everyone else having a birthday today, tomorrow, or soon, I hope that you can reflect and realize that your year has been great even if there were struggles along the way (after all no road is ever perfectly paved)! Find joy in the little things, and live by your priorities! Love life! Here’s to 37!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

34 Days and Counting…

In the last 34 days, I’ve left the house 5 times maybe 6 to do activities other than walk around the neighborhood. I had to go to work one day, picked up an online grocery order once, went for a drive and lunch pick up, and picked up dinner twice. I’ve cried more than I’ve ever cried especially out of being deeply moved by the kindness and generosity of others. But most importantly, I’ve spent tons of time with Mr Kisby and LilKsby that I wouldn’t have otherwise! ❤️ This is my favorite part of social distancing/corona-quarantine, and I can honestly say that at 34 days and counting boredom is nowhere in sight!

So far I have or we have:

  • Watched a lot of TV (often just as background noise) including: Full House, Fuller House, Boy Meets World, Girl Meets World, Nailed It, Hart of Dixie, Onward, and Inside Out.
  • Baked cookies
  • Learned to make bread from a starter
  • Cooked more than ever (seriously, we had an eating out problem)
  • Cleaned
  • Napped
  • Learned how to work from home
  • Painted my nails
  • Given a haircut
  • Played board games
  • Taken Udemy classes for fun
  • Started to learn guitar from YouTube
  • Worshipped virtually
  • Visited with family virtually
  • Played video games
  • Created art projects
  • Played with toys
  • Read books

I’m sure we’ve done more, but that’s all I can think of at the moment! The good news is there is still a lot we can do without getting bored! The best news is that we’ve gotten time together we wouldn’t have had otherwise!!! FYI…if it wasn’t for the pandemic, then I may not have seen LilKsby’s first steps or been there when he started to say, “Dada”. Those have been the best moments!

I hope that you’re finding things to do during this time at home and enjoying it. I’d love to know your favorite things!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

New Normal

“We will get through this. We will get through this together.” – Gov Andy Beshear, everyday at 5 pm

March 1, 2020

March 1 – 28 days ago – we were driving home from attending a wedding. It was a great trip, so great that we talked about going back for Spring Break at the end of the month. If you would’ve asked me on that car ride home what we’d be doing in four weeks, then never in my wildest dreams would I have thought the answer would be social distancing and finding a new normal amid a pandemic.

Yet here we are…

We find ourselves in a new situation where every tickle in your throat has you wondering if shortness of breath is soon to follow, or if the warm feeling is because it’s hot out, or you have a fever. We find ourselves hearing about toilet paper hoarding and sections of grocery stores being desolate. When we have to be out, we’re supposed to be no closer than 6 feet from anyone else. If we don’t have to be out, then we need to be home. #healthyathome is trending, which is great because it means people are following directions, and a new normal is developing all over the globe.

My new normal truly started on March 17, the day we began teaching school online from home. The last two weeks of NTI days have been the hardest two weeks in my teaching career work wise. I’ve had to learn a whole new bag of tricks while trying my best to be just as effective virtually as I am in the classroom! I’m very thankful that I have an awesome PLC for support.

Teaching from home aside, regular home life has been different too. There’s been very little face to face contact with the outside world. When there has been, it’s been either passing folks while going for a walk or the people working hard to make necessity pick up happen. We’ve become accustomed to seeing family virtually each day instead of in person. We’re cooking meals more than ever, and I’ve not watched this much television since having the flu twice in 2018! (Sidebar: binge watching Boy Meets World was AMAZING!)

But do you know what else has happened?

We’ve come to love our governor!

LilKsby clapped for the first time!

I’ve gotten more sweet baby snuggles than I ever dreamed possible!

I’ve realized how much fun can be had without leaving the house!

We’ve just sat and talked!

I’ve gotten the recommended amount of sleep frequently!

It hasn’t all been bad! We’re adapting to this new normal, and we’ll continue to do so. We will continue to try and be the best people we can in this odd situation. Will there be tough days? Yup! Will there be moments of anxiety? Yup! We’re still human after all! But those are just moments, and we’re working to win the long game!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

March 29 – Dinner I made

Hope

A bloom in my phlox! 3/20/2020

“…it was an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person…” F Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Since the beginning of self-isolation and social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19, I’ve been wanting to write; however, I’ve not been sure of what to write. Then, Friday it was nice out, and we went for a family walk. Before we came back in the house, I checked the rear of the house for storm damage from the previous night. That’s when I passed my flowerbed and saw the tiny bloom on my phlox. In that moment, I knew what to write about: hope.

As we are in the midst of a global pandemic, the media is full of gloom and doom. Yet if you look for it, there are signs of hope in the media. Here are some that I think need to be shared:

  • Two of the elderly at the nursing home in Washington where so many have died fully recovered.
  • Two of the people diagnosed in Kentucky have fully recovered (perhaps more by now)
  • People are doing the kindest things for the elderly in assisted living and nursing homes like putting up bird feeders outside their windows
  • People are finding alternate ways to visit while maintaining social distance
  • Andy Beshear is leading our state by showing how much he cares for the people
  • China (as of yesterday) has had no new mainland cases for 3 days
  • Last week, our local school district delivered 26,911 meals to school age children and elderly/at risk communities members
  • Government is coming together to help those facing unemployment, loss of health care, etc.
  • Groups of people are coming together to raise funds and deliver meals to those in need.

All of these example have helped me to have hope during this pandemic. I not only have hope for health, I also have hope that we will come out of this stronger. I have hope that we will come out of this as better people who are generally more caring. I have hope that our planet will come out in better shape because people are using less resources. I have hope that everyone else can see the silver lining in this cloud!

I’d love to know how you are seeing hope! Share in the comments!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Hope

A bloom in my phlox! 3/20/2020

“…it was an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person…” F Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Since the beginning of self-isolation and social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19, I’ve been wanting to write; however, I’ve not been sure of what to write. Then, Friday it was nice out, and we went for a family walk. Before we came back in the house, I checked the rear of the house for storm damage from the previous night. That’s when I passed my flowerbed and saw the tiny bloom on my phlox. In that moment, I knew what to write about: hope.

As we are in the midst of a global pandemic, the media is full of gloom and doom. Yet if you look for it, there are signs of hope in the media. Here are some that I think need to be shared:

  • Two of the elderly at the nursing home in Washington where so many have died fully recovered.
  • Two of the people diagnosed in Kentucky have fully recovered (perhaps more by now)
  • People are doing the kindest things for the elderly in assisted living and nursing homes like putting up bird feeders outside their windows
  • People are finding alternate ways to visit while maintaining social distance
  • Andy Beshear is leading our state by showing how much he cares for the people
  • China (as of yesterday) has had no new mainland cases for 3 days
  • Last week, our local school district delivered 26,911 meals to school age children and elderly/at risk communities members
  • Government is coming together to help those facing unemployment, loss of health care, etc.
  • Groups of people are coming together to raise funds and deliver meals to those in need.

All of these example have helped me to have hope during this pandemic. I not only have hope for health, I also have hope that we will come out of this stronger. I have hope that we will come out of this as better people who are generally more caring. I have hope that our planet will come out in better shape because people are using less resources. I have hope that everyone else can see the silver lining in this cloud!

I’d love to know how you are seeing hope! Share in the comments!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

So Long Jerry’s

“Don’t it always seem to go/That you don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone/They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot.”

— “Big Yellow Taxi”, Counting Crows

Today, the closure of a local icon was announced. Jerry’s J-Boy was a decades themed diner that at one time could be found scattered throughout our region of the country. For those who’ve never heard of Jerry’s, imagine a discount version of Denny’s. It was a greasy spoon with burgers and fries that went straight to your thighs, but more than that it was a social gathering place for family and friends.

I recall going to Jerry’s as a kid with my family starting sometime around 1994. I know this because I first watched Gone With the Wind in 5th grade, and I was obsessed with sitting next to the Gone With the Wind memorabilia and fish pond. By the time I was a senior in high school, I liked it enough that it was chosen as the place to celebrate my graduation with my family. As a young adult, Jerry’s would become the place that me and my mom would plot out Black Friday shopping plans. It also became a good place to go for a hearty breakfast after church. Additionally, it made for a good early morning breakfast with family after going to the polls on Election Day. I’m pretty sure it was the place of much debate the morning of Election Day 2016 when the hot topic was Hilary versus Trump. I’m very thankful for the family memories made at Jerry’s!

Jerry’s was also setting of a lot of my memories with friends as a good part of my 20s was spent there. It started as a place to hangout at all hours and talk while getting free refills. No matter how long we were there, they never seemed to mind the endless requests for more $2 soda. Then, Jerry’s turned into the post party place. For some reason the pancakes always tasted better at 2 am! This naturally led to Jerry’s becoming a post Phoenix Hill (also nostalgia filled and closed) place. There was nothing like dancing until last call, piling into a car, and watching the sun come up through the Jerry’s windows. There were even times when we all went for dinner at a normal dinner time – gasp! These times involved two memorable moments. One, it is the only time I’ve ever been told I look lumpy like blue cheese which to be fair I’m lumpy! Two, it is the only time I’ve ever seen someone sweat while eating buffalo chicken tenders! I’m so glad to have all these memories with friends!

It is sad to Jerry’s close. I’ll think of them when I eat buffalo chicken tenders with half cooked fries and cottage cheese! Jerry’s J-Boy was far from paradise, but I hope that they don’t pave it down and put in a parking lot.

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

“If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”

Remember the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Felecia Bond? It is a beloved childhood book about what all a mouse will want if said mouse is offered a cookie. In my Junior American Lit class, I often compare this book to “A Pair of Silk Stockings” by Kate Chopin. The characters, items, and settings might be different, but the general idea of how one action becomes a catalyst for another action followed by another action is the same. I’m sure fine literary critics would this statement abhorring, but it helps make 19th century literature relevant to 11th graders.

This morning at 4 am, which I’ve noticed is the time a lot of revelations currently come, I realized that a lot of how my brain works is like that of the mouse’s brain in the book. The catalyst this evening was a storm with very strong winds. Here’s how the brain started flowing from that catalyst:

  • Storming so loud I wake up
  • Look at Fitbit
  • Time to pump
  • Baby is stirring, nurse him a little
  • Go to the bathroom
  • Pump other boob
  • Play games to stay awake while pumping (I’ve fallen asleep pumping, and it’s not pleasant.)
  • Kick some Dr Mario butt!
  • Take milk downstairs to fridge
  • Decide to wash pump parts
  • Realize yesterday’s pump parts need to be cleaned
  • Wash them all and sterilize
  • Contemplate going out in the rain at 4 am to see if any outdoor items have blown away
  • Decide this is a bad plan because it’s 4 am, and I don’t want anyone calling the cops because it looks like I’m robbing my own house
  • While sterilizing is going on, put away clean dishes from dishwasher
  • Consider putting dish towels in washer, but don’t because of the storm
  • Think about going outside again, but realize I shouldn’t go out and get pneumonia over some lawn ornaments
  • Reload dishwasher
  • Take out sterilized pump parts and put on drying rack
  • Again, consider putting dish towels in washer, but don’t because of the storm
  • Realize I’m hungry
  • Think about a snack, but it’s weight check day
  • Think about weighing now so a snack can be had
  • Decide to skip snack and weigh later
  • Get clothes out of dryer
  • Once more…consider putting dish towels in washer, but don’t because of the storm
  • Start up the stairs while thinking about how this series of events is like If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
  • Decide to blog about my thought process

Did you follow all that? I know it’s a lot to process! Is that how anyone else’s brain works? Does anyone else ever feel like that poor little mouse? (I mean sometimes I just want a cookie too, but no dairy so…) Maybe part of being a mommy is having a million different thoughts at the same time! I guess at some point you have to learn to turn the brain off and go back to bed. You have to learn to just be satisfied with the cookie.

Until the next 4 am revelation!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

PS: FYI…still thinking about the lawn ornaments!

Laugh and Smile

You know what is awesome about babies? They will laugh at anything! Seriously…anything! LilKsby just laughed hysterically at a made up song about pickle juice. It went like this: “Pickle juice, pickle juice, everybody wants some pickle juice, pickle juice.”

We also have a song about cleaning up that he finds quite amusing! He definitely prefers to laugh at the made up songs. A round of Smelly Cat doesn’t get so much as a half smile, but he’ll laugh like crazy if you sing about “diapees” while changing his diaper.

Silly songs aren’t the only things that make LilKsby laugh. He laughs at funny faces, funny sounds, stories, his toys, and his kittens! Mr Kisby can really make him laugh! No matter what has him laughing, his laugh and smile are contagious. They make you laugh and smile too.

It is important to laugh and smile. They are simple little things that can have a major impact on life. They can make you feel beautiful, improve someone’s day, and burn calories! Laughs and smiles are one of the simplest most powerful things we can do!

Yet somewhere along the way, it seems people forget how to laugh and smile. Personally, I do them a lot. I’m smiling right now as I type and hold LilKsby, but I feel like I’m probably the exception to the rule. So I’d like to issue a challenge to my readers. Once a day at a minimum, try to laugh and smile. At the very least, smile at someone and say, “Good morning!” to brighten their day.

I believe that if we all could be more like babies, then the world would be so full of laughter and smiles that it would be a better place! If you need a starting point for smiling, then I’ll give you this:

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Lactation Lament – Never Give Up!!!

This morning when I was looking at my blog statistics, I discovered that “Lactation Lament” is my blog that has the most views. Today, I thought I would expand on it with “Never Give Up!!!”

Why today? Because today is December 30. It also marks 5 months of being formula free and only being on breastmilk (plus now some Stage 1 food)! This is huge, and I share that so others can see the importance of never giving up! If you’ve read my first blog on this subject, then you know how easy it would have been for me to quit. However, I’m stubborn and to quote one of my business mentors, Julie Weaver, “You don’t tell a redhead what she will or will not do.” We’re spunky that way!

Breastfeeding isn’t the only time LilKsby has taught me to never give up. When he wanted to sit up, but didn’t have the core control to do so, he did baby crunches until he could sit up. Now his favorite thing to do is sit up and play with his toys! When he wanted to not have to do tummy time, LilKsby rocked himself sideways again and again until eventually he could roll over! Currently, he’s applying this never give up mentality to learning to crawl. Everyday he gets a little closer!

Imagine if all of us could have the determination of babies. What if, no matter what naysayers might try and tell us, we never gave up on our goals? What could we accomplish in life if we would just keep going? I imagine that we could conquer the world with the right attitude!

As a new decade is about to begin(raise your hand if you’re ready to party like Gatsby), I want you and myself to be like LilKsby and never give up! Whatever your goal might be, I’m here to cheer you on as you cross the finish line! I hope that our successes can inspire you (and myself) on any future endeavors!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

‘Tis the Gift to be Giving

This blog was originally handwritten on 12/23/19, and it is being typed on 12/29. Christmas may have passed, but the message is still pertinent.

Lying here awake at 4 am, I find myself staring at my husband and son. There is gifts that need to be wrapped, shopping to be done, and crafts to be made, but looking at my sweet boy, I realize how much none of that matters. I don’t feel this way because he’s a baby and won’t remember; I feel this way because we’ve already established with him traditions that are more important than any present underneath the Christmas tree.

1) Angel Tree – since before we were married, Mr Kisby and I have adopted 1 or 2 kids from the Angel Tree. We are beyond blessed even at our hardest points in life, and it is important to share those blessings. This year we shopped as a family. It felt really nice to know our family was blessing others. This year Mr Kisby and I picked our angel, and soon I hope LilKsby will feel led to pick who we bless.

2) Fellowship – Christmas is full of parties like Sushimas. At these events we see some people like once a year, yet it will seem like we haven’t been apart. I hope LilKsby will one day have these kinds of friendships.

3) Baking – growing up, my Uncle David would always make candy during the holidays. He would give it to friends, family, and people in the community as a thank you for their service. I never learned to make candy, but I can bake like a champ. Every year I make a pecan pie for my dad, something chocolate for the rest of the family, and something for our doctors and vet. I think extra thank yous are important this time of year as everyone enjoys feeling appreciated.

4) Christmas Cards – I know a lot of mail is uncommon these days which might be why receiving cards is so nice. Sending them is even better to me as it is a way of sending a little piece of love to those you care about in the world.

Now it is 4:30 am, and my sweet boy is semi awake and nursing happily. I smile to myself thinking of another baby boy being nursed by his mother in a stable. That baby saved the world; I hope mine will show the world that it “tis the gift to be giving”.

And now we nap…

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Perfect Imperfection

“All your perfect imperfections…”

All of Me, John Legend

As I was putting up Christmas lights on our porch this evening, that lyric kept running through my head. Normally, Mr Kisby puts up the outdoor lights, and he makes them perfect. This year if I wanted them up, then I had to do it. So tonight – wearing a fleece onesie because that was sufficiently warm – I put the lights up on the front porch. Me who cannot draw a straight line tackles the Christmas lights! Me who has the attention span of a goldfish! It was no easy task, and at one point I left a strand of lights hanging while I went in search of candy cane yard stakes. However, though it may look haphazard, I got the lights up.

In a lot of ways this is a perfect imperfect holiday season. It’s perfect in that I’m going to get to spend a lot of time with my wonderful family (LilKsby is 7 months old today!), and I’ve finally got enough decor up to satisfy me. Although should someone volunteer to put up my nativity outside, I wouldn’t tell them no. It’s also perfect in that we are blessed with our beautiful baby boy.

Then there’s the imperfect. There’s the lay-off. There’s the fact that there are five days until Christmas, and all I have for Mr Kisby is a hug. Presents we do have are unwrapped while some are still in transit. I haven’t done any baking for others, and Christmas cards are still in the box. I feel like the list goes on and on. All of it combined is making me a little crazy because I want LilKsby’s first Christmas to be perfect!

Now here are some fundamental truths:

  • I know LilKsby won’t remember this Christmas or how perfect it was.
  • I know that all the material aspects are not the point of Christmas.
  • I know that I have to learn to let go of certain things as important now that there is a baby in the picture.

Do you know why I think I have a hard time with these truths? Change is scary. For me, not having Christmas perfectly together is not a change I was prepared to face. I also think this might be why I’ve had a difficult time getting in the Christmas spirit this year.

Now, as I sit holding my sleeping baby and looking at the tree, I hope that I can let go of the idea of all the things that have to be done for Christmas to be “perfect”. I need to relax, accept the imperfection, be glad for what I do have, and enjoy the holiday season.

It’s time to accept perfect imperfection and be blessed!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Livin’ La Vida Country Song

I remember hearing a joke once that went like this:

“What do you get if you sing a country song backwards?”

“You get your dog back; you get your truck back; you get your wife back; you get your house back.”

I don’t know who made it up, but I remember thinking the joke was somewhat true as songs like “All My Exes Live In Texas” and “Big D and Don’t Mean Dallas” seem to exemplify the theme. They are way more prominent than the fun upbeat numbers like “The Cigar Song”, “Third Rock From the Sun”, and “5 O’Clock Somewhere”! By the way I do believe that it is always 5 in Margaritaville whether that be located at the restaurant of the same name, my favorite Mexican restaurant, or my kitchen!

Well, it turns out the joke is on me lately, or as I like to look at life, the proof that God does indeed have a sense of humor is on me lately.  In the past few weeks, the life of The Great Kaysby, Mr Kisby, and LilKsby (though he doesn’t know it, and hopefully he never will) has become rather like a country song, and not a good pop crossover one like Taylor Swift sings. What do I mean?

Evidence #1 – Mr Kisby is beginning a new chapter in his life aka being laid off.  Hooray for jobs being so well automated that people are no longer needed!

Evidence #2 – The air conditioning/heat downstairs is broken for the second time since May. Lucky us as two of us in the house are championship sweaters! Thankfully, Dove deodorant works like a champ!!!

Evidence #3 – Mr Kisby’s car has decided starting is overrated and is boycotting it until further notice.

Evidence #4 – The kittens in the house all need their annual shots, and every good country song involves an animal!

Evidence #5 – There really is no five, but I just like odd numbers better than even. Perhaps because I’m an odd duck!

So yeah, currently we’re livin’ la vida country song, but oddly enough I’m not freaking out which – by the way – totally seems to weird people out.  In fact, all of it has been met with an overwhelming since of calm that I can’t explain. Maybe it is because I have faith and a gut feeling that everything is going to be just fine.  Actually, it’ll be better than fine! I don’t know how. Maybe we will win the lottery; maybe Ellen Degeneres will read this and invite us on her show. Maybe Taylor Swift will adopt us; maybe our family dream is right around the corner.

Maybe…

I could really go on and on, but I don’t want to because I don’t want to garner sympathy. I believe that “our country song” is the start of something greater than what we ever imagined happening. I do believe that everything happens for a reason, and I believe that every cloud has a silver lining! Even as we face uncertainty, I hope I can leave those around me inspired. I’ve got a sleeping LilKsby on my chest, a snoozing Mr Kisby at my side, four fuzzy kitties, a loving family, a roof over my head, clothes on my back, and food for my tummy.  Country song life or not, I am blessed!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

My Village

It takes a village to raise a child.

For a long time I have understood this from the perspective of a teacher. As a high school teacher, I know that it takes a group of adults with various areas of expertise and personalities to connect with kids and help them become the best version of themselves they can be. For example, I may connect better with the kids who enjoy video games and theatre while someone else connects more with kids who are interested in sports.

Now I have realized that it also takes a village to be a successful working mom. During this first week back to work, I’ve had an amazing support system. First of all, there has been my personal support system. These are the co-workers – and more importantly friends – who have made breastfeeding easier. They’ve offered tips for successful pumping on the job as well as operated as location scouts for places to pump. I’ve also felt the love and support from coworkers making sure I’m okay because they know first hand how hard it is to leave your baby and get through the work day.

Secondly, I had LilKsby’s village! First and foremost there was Mr Kisby at home with our baby. They sent me updates and even FaceTimed with me during planning for my peace of mind. Our parents also helped by bringing lunch over and mowing the lawn. It was a lot easier to get through the week knowing that LikKsby’s village was there when I couldn’t be.

Thanks villages! We love you!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Lactation Lament

Sleep loss? No problem.  Less free time? Not too hard of an adjustment.  Breastfeeding? The most difficult thing I’ve done in my life, and I get on stage to act in front of judgmental audiences for a hobby.  One show I even entered doing a cartwheel and always had the lingering thought of what if I land on my head or break an arm? Breastfeeding makes that cartwheel look like a walk in the park! Thus today I want to lament on lactation, and what it has taught me.

DETERMINATION!

I’ve set a lot of goals in life. Some of them I’ve met; some of them I haven’t met. I thought these taught me grit and determination. Wrong! Do you know what teaches determination? A stubborn baby with an equally stubborn mama!

Lil Kisby was very energy efficient (the PC way to say lazy) when it came to nursing. Instead of latching, he felt the best way to eat was either from a syringe or a bottle especially the one that was leaky. He was born late May 20, and he decided to latch on June 7. For those counting that was 19 days!

In addition to him not latching, my milk production was around 50% of what it should be. Now a baby can’t just eat 50% of the time! Unlike mama, he doesn’t have extra fluff to lose. What did this mean? A strict regimen of nurse, supplement, pump and repeat every three hours. Yesterday – July 30 – he finally made it through a day with no formula supplementation because he was able to get full on breastmilk! 72 days after birth!

Now I get what determination means!

Supply, Supply, Supply

When your supply is low, you will do just about anything to help increase it. At least you will if you’re me. Seriously, if the lactation consultant had told me to stand on my head 7 hours a day to increase my supply, then I would have found a way to stand on my head 7 hours a day. Thankfully, that wasn’t recommended, but here are somethings I’ve tried!

Motherlove More Milk Special Blend – I’ve used the liquid and capsule forms. Both smell terrible and taste like they smell, but they were the number one recommendation. So my breath my smell like an herb garden, but if it helps then it is worth it!

Hot Tea – I’ve drank raspberry tea and Mother’s Milk tea. I don’t know how much they are helping, but they’ve turned me into a hot tea drinker. They are both decaf, and I find them to be relaxing before bedtime. Give me my tea and a book, and I’ll sleep like a baby!

Lactation Cookies – I bought some, then I found a recipe via Google to make my own. Store bought cookies were good, but mine are great because I added chocolate chips and peanut butter chips!

100 Grams of Protein Daily – This is the hardest for me as I am not a big meat or bean eater. My main sources of protein have been chicken nuggets and peanut butter with the occasional pork and hamburger. If I liked steak this would be a lot easier!

The Pink Drink – This drink is made at Starbucks and women on the Internet claimed it worked. There is no scientific evidence to support that it would help, but it tastes delicious! I’m a sucker for refreshing strawberry drinks! If it does help then cool, if not then it is $5 of tasty!

So…

So for those of you out there who have also struggled with breastfeeding, I want you to know that you are not alone! The lactation struggle is real! However, persevering through is worth it! I’d love to hear your stories of perseverance in the comments!

Now I must go make tea!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby