An update... the big trip

Friday was a day. We first stopped at Babies R Us at Jantzen Beach (it's new... we don't have to venture to the West side or Southeast Portland anymore!), where Auntie Lori met us for some Ruary time. We took so long there that we had to head right to our appointment at OHSU. By the way, if you ever go to OHSU for any reason and you have an infant or someone who can't walk too far, use the free valet parking! You don't have to tip, it's lovely.

Anyhoo, the other lactation consultant was just as wonderful as our Astoria person, and she had more resources at her disposal. After checking out Ruary's palate and determining that it wasn't too steep or too flat, she thought that his tongue could be the culprit for my instant blisters. She called the speech pathologist that is sometimes at the hospital. Luckily, he was there, and it wasn't five minutes before he was able to stop by. He was very nice, and he checked Ruary's tongue (poor Ru had many a gloved finger in his mouth that day). He said that Ruary has a long tongue, and that he uses it lazily (the only thing lazy about him, by the way). When he latches onto anything, whether it be breast, bottle or finger, he pulls his tongue back instead of cupping it around the object, and he moves his tongue back and forth, which causes the blisters. Finally, an answer!!! So we have to practice suction with him, and until that can be corrected, I shouldn't try latching him on. I'm so glad to find out that my hard work at the latch was not wasted, that I WAS doing everything correctly, it's just that his tongue isn't cooperating. So that means more pumping, but I'm the problem-solving type who likes an answer. I have my answer, so if Ruary's tongue never cooperates and I just end up pumping for as long as possible, I can live with that. If we have another baby, maybe that kid won't have a lazy tongue!

Oh well, everything else about Ruary is wonderful and healthy, there had to be something, right?

So after a great lunch at the OHSU cafeteria (wow, that's a nice cafeteria... I had tilapia with fresh green beans and curry couscous!), we went back to Jantzen Beach to hit Old Navy, where I scored some post-Xmas deals on kid stuff. We then made our obligatory stop at Burgerville (FYI... the recipe for the Chocolate Hazelnut milkshake is Rick's mom's, she works at their corporate office). "We" (as in the royal we) started to get fussy on the way home after Clatskanie, so Rick and I started singing as many 70's power ballads and folk songs as possible to keep the crying to a minimum. Some Ruary Dale favorites: "Bohemian Rhapsody" (and many other Queen hits), "Sweet Baby James", and of course, "Hotel California". Poor kid, he doesn't know what real singing is supposed to sound like.

We were all exhausted when we got to Grandma and Grandpa's house for a visit. It was a good day, but I never want to change another diaper in the back seat of the Tundra ever again... that's not fun for anyone.