Engorgement has set in with a vengeance. My boooooooobs! They are hard as bowling balls, start right under my collarbone and extend all the way under my armpits around to my back. CRAZY, and quite painful too. They are stretched so tight that the skin is shiny. I have to rub a soft spot into them around the nipple before Adrian can even attempt to latch on. My nursing bra is stuffed with cabbage leaves, which contain a chemical that helps decrease milk production. It is helping a little bit, but not too much. I think I am going to have to do an ice pack later on, like Jennifer the hip Lactation Consultant/Nurse recommended (she had on a very stylish scarf today). It's bad. Boobs feel like they are about to explode. I tried to pump, but that was a wretched idea, it just made things worse on the rebound.

Adrian was circumcised tonight at 5:00pm and it went just fine. I couldn't watch, but Dan was there with Dr. S. My favorite NICU nurse Ethel was assisting. Ethel looks JUST like my best friend Angela's mom, and sounds just like her too...a good omen. There were a few bystanders there to watch too, one of whom was my lame-ass post-partum nurse this afternoon. She wasn't an evil nurse like the breastfeeding-unfriendly nurse from the NICU, she was just kind of stupid, or forgetful, or something. I had to go ask for my medication every single time today. I had to go take my tray to her when I was done eating. I had to ask her to get me some water twice before she remembered.

But she was there to see the circumcision done, which I thought was ironic. When I need Motrin, or water, or someone to take away my tray I can't find you, but cut the foreskin off my baby's penis and you make sure to get a front row seat! Weird. And she was supposed to be on duty while she was there too. With me as one of her patients!

I was standing by outside for post-circ comforting and support. I was sort of trying not to listen, but couldn't help myself. I only heard two little squeals though, not even any crying. Dr. S is very gentle and very careful to anesthetize completely, so I wasn't as worried this time as I was with Julian. I saw how well he did, so I know Adrian will be fine too. He didn't even bleed. Ethel checked him every fifteen minutes for an hour afterwards, and there wasn't even a spot of blood on the gauze.

Adrian came out of the circ room and got his hepatitis B vaccine (which he DID cry over, but only for a minute), then we had to give him the iron supplement mixed with some pumped breastmilk (which he sucked right down) and THEN I got to nurse him and hold him finally. He chugged and gulped from my bowlong ball boobs and then cuddled up and went to sleep. Considering all the stuff we did to him though, he was absolutely fine. He cries more when you change his diaper than he did for the combined circumcision and vaccine shot.

Speaking of which, I can't wait to go home and start doing EC. Adrian pees every time you take off his diaper, so he is a perfect candidate for pottying. I did mention that to the NICU nurses when they were commenting on how he peed on them EVERY SINGLE TIME, but I don't think they took me seriously. I said that's what I did with Julian. Anyway, I have Adrian's little newborn potty with me, I might just bring it in and hold him over it next time I change his diaper. The NICU nurses know me well enough now that they probably won't think I am a total freak. And who knows, he might even pee in it! Or poop, which would be especially impressive. If he doesn't I guess I will look pretty crazy, but considering that his post-wakeup pees are so regular, it's worth trying. What am I afraid of anyways? Do I honestly care if the NICU nurses think I'm weird? Not really.

Last night in the hospital...I should really try to get some sleep. But I talked to my mom on the phone for a while, ate dinner, now I'm attempting to update this journal...and it's pretty close to Adrian Time again already. He should be waking up hungry pretty soon. When I come back though...straight to sleep.