Wouldn't you like to be on a 14 hour flight seated next to us?

A solid month has gone by and I can't account for anything I've done. I've lived in baby world for the past four weeks. I birthed a baby, slept a little, and occassionally took a shower and fed myself. On the rare day that I decide to go somewhere, I can usually manage to get out the door by 3pm.

If you are one of the folks who has kindly emailed me, or tried to skype call me, I am getting them and I do appreciate it...but I can't seem to get ANYTHING done.























During the first week, I seemed to be able to do things, but for the past three weeks, we have been continually rocking and soothing a very unhappy little girl. Both baby and mom have been very weepy as a result. Finally, after a bit of trial and error, it seems that my child is allergic to whatever I'm eating as well as whatever formula has been given to her.

The diagnostic process has involved oodles of medication, formula, screaming, spitting up, pumping, lots of advice, herbal treatments, worry, frantic parents, lack of sleep, tears, reading of every child help book we can, and many doctors visits. Our sweet little girl can be so peaceful at rest and giggles and coos and squeeks...but when she starts to cramp up and arch, it's a long process to get things right again.
We are still experimenting, but it is SO time consuming. I can't feed her myself but want to keep up any supply I have and so I am pumping all the time. I feel like a cow. In the meantime, she is on this expensive formula that Eric and I refer to as liquid gold. It's the best solution so far until I can get her to stop rejecting me. Such emotion surrounds this!

Now I'm on some crazy diet that makes Weight Watchers seem easy.
The list of "can't have's" include all dairy products, soy, wheat, nuts, fish, and eggs.
If you are asking yourself, "Well, what can you eat." I would just like to say, "Amen to that."

Where is Mississippi Market when you need it?

Tired and Happy

I have so much to say. So so so much! But finding the time to actually sit down and write a long entry is a bit tricky.

I have a notebook that I kept with me at the hospital...it has several phrases and things written in shorthand to jog my memory and help me to compose the blog of all blogs.

Have I written it yet? Ha!
Yesterday I was sitting on the floor playing with Madden when I caught a glimpse of the apartment in the mirror. In view was a stroller strewn with blankets and burp cloths, a couch filled with partially folded laundry, a room filled with bouquets of massive and bizarre Australian flowers, unopened mail galore, and a pile of dishes on the counter.

The whole scene made me laugh.

As I type this now, the setting in our place doesn't look much different. I keep feeling like there are 14 things I need to get to at any given time and but I accomplish none of them. And yet, if my child is fed, clothed, and content, I feel like I've achieved everything.

So...there is so much to say...but it will all have to wait.

I just have to realize that saying a little bit is enough for now.


That...and photos.

Hopefully photos will suffice.


Especially this last one...

Welcome, my dear Eric, to a house of women...

Madden Grace Tjossem

Here she is...finally she has arrived.

We can't be more excited.

I cannot stay and blog long because, I can't stand to be away from my girls.
I wanted to give everyone the essentials.

Date: Oct 1 2008
Time: 11:55 AM
Place: Royal Woman's Hospital, Frances Perry Wing
Weight: 3.84 Kilos (8lbs 7ozs)
Length: 51 cm (20 inches)

Both Mum and Bub are doing well.
I think that they are both doing better than me, I am still in a state of being blissfully overwhelmed.

I promise that we will blog again in a few days, I am on my way back to see the two lovely ladies.