Back in the land of the semi-functioning

Oh wow. Has it really been four months since I last posted? *gulp*

I’m writing this in Word, on a dodgy laptop (reason #27 why I haven’t posted). I haven’t even logged into Blogger to see if it remembers me.

Speaking of lists…here’s a summary of what’s been happening at Casa Chili. I’d like to write full posts on most of these soon. I hope.

• The baby - hereby known by her bloggy nickname of “Pepperette” - is now five months old. Incroyable. Time is flying by. Insert annoying cliché here. It’s true though!
• Pepperette took seven weeks to fully come to the breast. She is exclusively breastfed. It took a lot of work and a lot of determination. It was an incredibly slow, organic process.
• Breastfeeding, or more precisely the problems I have/had with breastfeeding, were what brought me closest to developing PPD.
• This is why I saw the shrink for four months post-partum.
• I would happily run my pump over with my car at this point.
• No PPD here. Not a happy accident either – it’s due to planning, good psychiatric care, supportive friends and family, etc. And maybe a bit of luck.
• LC is going to be four years old soon. He is doing so well. Very articulate, very active. Tantrums have diminished, thank goodness. He challenges me every day.
• Part of the reason I am still (semi-)sane is that LC is going to Montessori summer camp 3 days a week. He’s loving it. Each week has a theme. Last week was animals, this week was magic. There is a themed craft, a visit/show/demonstration – this week was a magic show, natch.
• Surprisingly, I am not suffering much parental guilt about sending my kid away when I am at home on maternity leave.
• Add to the list of things I never thought I’d say – looking after only one child is a break. Although I have to say that only one is draining when that one is constantly nursing and not napping.
• Speaking of nursing, recurrent thrush really sucks. I have been dealing with constant pain while nursing. I am so tired of this. I suffered from chronic thrush with LC too. I’m treating it much more aggressively this time, but it just will not go away. I can get the pain down to a 2/10, never less than that, and when it flares up it ratchets up to an 8. It’s exhausting and demoralizing.
• On the plus side, Pepperette is gaining well. She grins like a maniac and is *this close* to laughing.
• Having a healthy baby (and a healthy momma) makes such a difference. I am actually enjoying my daughter’s babyhood. I am present in my life and the lives of my family. I am so grateful for this.

It's taken me most of the day to write this. I'd best post this now and get some sleep.

'Night.