Trip to the Chiropractor

My feeble yet valiant effort to boycott the local Estevan Walmart because-it-is-in-such-a-painful-state-of-unorganized-chaos-it-no-longer-deserves-my-patronage-until-it-cleans-up-its-act-plot has once again been temporarily thwarted. I heard, through the grapevine, that it is to become a SuperCentre. By this year. (Or, by last year, I guess). This news came to me through said grapevine two years ago.

No expansion has begun as of yet, though they are functioning as if they are a SuperCentre. Unopened crates clog up the aisles, boxes upon boxes of varying stages of unpacking litter the rest of the aisles, staff are nowhere to be found- and the ones that are working aren't the brightest crayons in the box, and its ridiculously painful trying to manouver a dual stroller through the store, all the while dodging clothes that could slap my children in the face because there's no room for the display racks they are hanging on, crates that are full of merchandise that have no home other than right in the middle of where you are trying to go, and boxes that are either empty, almost empty or not opened at all. And, the word is, they don't know when it will become a SuperCentre. Its like they have SuperCentre envy!

So, as a result, we travelled instead to blast-from-the-past Weyburn to shop at the Walmart there. We also booked an appointment with a chiropractor, as part of our ever expanding efforts to help sweet little Addison become more comfortable and happy in her own body. It might be a little soon to say with any certainty, but I think it may help. The chiropractor found some very tense spots in her thoracic spine and wants us to come back three or four more times to try and work it out; she thinks that there may be an underlying problem in her neck, but we won't know for sure until her thoracic muscles are loosened. She also mentioned there's the possibility that seeing her won't do anything at all, but its a risk we're willing to take. We've got nothing to lose.

Having said that, I think we gained. Its 5 am now, and I'm wide awake until I get my thoughts put down on paper (or, in this case, computer screen); Addison woke up at 4 to eat, and although she ate only 3 ounces, I lay in bed for a while before getting up to feed her because I was enjoying listening to her talking rather than crying her announcement that she's awake and ready for a feeding. Then, while we stood in the kitchen together waiting for her bottle to warm up in the microwave, she sweetly and quietly continued to coo and when she saw her bottle, her anticipation and excitement continued to grow until she was almost getting too wound up--and then the bottle was quickly thrust into her mouth and she was satisfied. I've never noticed this before tonight, but she gently, contentedly--joyously to this mother!!--kicked one leg while she sucked on the bottle that was blessedly inserted in her mouth. And, once again liking to have control of her bottle, she took it out of my hands and fed herself the last ounce of formula she was going to eat before waking up at 8 for breakfast. What a darling little girl!

Usually, by this point, I have to carry Addison back into the kitchen with me to get gripe water and advil, then carry her back to the living room and cuddle her in my lap while I gingerly try and fill the syringe with the liquid contents to give her, at the same time trying to calm her crying down by quietly shhhing in her ear and whispering to her that its alright.

I didn't tonight.

I didn't have to.

Instead, I lay her on the floor, changed her diaper, plugged her sucky back in, and quickly headed into the kitchen- by myself- and retrieved the items I needed- then quickly rushed back to the living room. She didn't make a sound while I was gone- not even a peep. Hallelujah!! Instead, she acted as though she was excited to see me--arms waved frantically in the air, and legs began pumping happily up and down when she saw me again. Then she good naturedly began fighting me while I gave her the medicine. Bless your heart, child! I think your first chiropractic treatment may have worked! We'll see what this morning brings- and the rest of the day!!

Since my pregnancy, I've been struggling off and on with carpal tunnel (ugh) and I mentioned to the chiropractor that I've noticed it still aggravates me- especially when I'm doing chores like vacuuming or feeding the girls; even when I sleep my hand will fall to sleep. Every once in a while, my arm will ache into my elbow as well...she pressed on the nerve in my elbow and massaged it, making my arm go slightly warm and numb feeling-and it *still* hurts to touch where she was working on it. I was certain a bruise was going to form, in the shape of a fingertip, but I still see nothing that would suggest it. Yes, it hurt that much. I have never experienced such excrutiating pain before (ok, other than my episiotomy-it made me scream-even with an epidural-while delivering the twinlets)!  And, as I type this, my ring and middle fingers are falling asleep. I've shaken my hand out a couple times already to try and get the flood flowing again. I am to stretch my arm out to get the nerve from being in its current pinched position to unpinched. I think I may still wear one of my braces overnight to battle my fingers falling to sleep while the rest of my body slumbers...

I digress.

The blast-from-the-past-Walmart in Weyburn isn't as nice as the alright-if-I-have-to-shop-there-Walmart in Estevan in that they don't have as much merchandise on the shelves (or variety) as Estevan does. I think they have more variety in the craft section than they do in the rest of the store!! (Which I totally splurged in thanks to Christmas gift cards from husband and Amy. (Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!) Estevan's baby section is a lot more comprehensive than Weyburns is, so we are heading to has-nothing-better-to-offer-than-Peavey-Walmart-Sobeys-Marks-and-No-Frills-Estevan to get the rest of our grocery shopping done today.

Hopefully we are successful!