Boyfriend has always been the favorite of Baby, and honestly I don't mind. I enjoy very much seeing the father/daughter relationship they have and I love watching it grow and flourish. When she is fussy, I don't mind the fact that he is the one to calm her down, as long as she is happy I'm happy. When she has a poopy diaper, I always hand her over to him because she just really prefers how he changes her diaper which of course I'm totally ok with that.
That being said, I take pride in the fact that she said "Mom" first. Of course, "Dad" only came a day later, but still I was first. And today, Boyfriend told me about their morning and it made me tear up a bit. On the weekends, our morning routine is that I will go in and feed her around 5:00 and then put her back into bed to sleep until she wakes up a second time. Boyfriend will then get her and bring her back to bed for another feeding and a little more sleep and cuddles. Due to being iced in for the last week, we did this little routine for over a week and it seems as though Baby really enjoyed it.
This morning, when Boyfriend went to get her and brought her back to bed, he said she looked around the room and noticed I wasn't there. She stated very plain and clear, "Mom" and started cry. My heart breaks a little when I think about how sad she must have been but it is good to know that she misses me, her second favorite. Today more than most days I am counting down the hours until I can get home from work and hold my sweet baby girl.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
I've been waiting to make this post because I didn't want to jinx anything, but I can finally say Baby has officially endured and recovered from her first sickness.
Late last year, Boyfriend, the grandmother and I all decided that it would be best for Baby to start a Mother's Day Out program twice a week for five hours a day. I started to notice just how much Baby loved being around other kids and I believe it is extremely important for her to have some sort of socialization. I didn't really have many of the regular fears that most new parents have when leaving their child with someone else-we selected a program I myself had attended as a little one and we knew the program in and out. My only concern was that we were starting her during flu season and seeing as how she has only been around other children for only a handful of hours, I knew she would get sick right after starting. I just didn't know how bad it would be.
Two weeks ago tonight, Boyfriend and I heard Baby cough in her bed and while I did think something was up, it isn't my style to be alarmist and freak out about Baby making two little cough noises. I should have though because when I woke her the next morning to nurse her before work, I discovered she had puked all over herself and her bed. What a trooper she was, she never once complained. I could tell she was running a fever so I brought her back to bed with Boyfriend. I felt bad about leaving her during her first sickness, but I had to go to work, and honestly you don't need two parents watching one baby.
Over the next week she went up and down, up and down with the sickness. We did get her into the doctor at some point who tested her for both the flu and UTIs but both were negative. Last Monday though, I knew something was really off so back to the pediatrician we went. Dr. Sue was fantastic and wanted to run her blood count and then if her white blood count was high, we would do an x-ray for pneumonia. Unfortunately, our insurance was actually running out that night so we asked if we could go ahead and have it done that day. I can't compliment her office enough, our appointment with Dr. Sue was at 4:15, we had our appointment with, an x-ray over at Southwest Diagnostics and a diagnosis of pneumonia with a prescription called in by 6:30.
As of today, minus a cough which we were told can last for a few weeks, she is totally back to normal. It was such a different experience having a sick baby. She was just so sad.
Late last year, Boyfriend, the grandmother and I all decided that it would be best for Baby to start a Mother's Day Out program twice a week for five hours a day. I started to notice just how much Baby loved being around other kids and I believe it is extremely important for her to have some sort of socialization. I didn't really have many of the regular fears that most new parents have when leaving their child with someone else-we selected a program I myself had attended as a little one and we knew the program in and out. My only concern was that we were starting her during flu season and seeing as how she has only been around other children for only a handful of hours, I knew she would get sick right after starting. I just didn't know how bad it would be.
Two weeks ago tonight, Boyfriend and I heard Baby cough in her bed and while I did think something was up, it isn't my style to be alarmist and freak out about Baby making two little cough noises. I should have though because when I woke her the next morning to nurse her before work, I discovered she had puked all over herself and her bed. What a trooper she was, she never once complained. I could tell she was running a fever so I brought her back to bed with Boyfriend. I felt bad about leaving her during her first sickness, but I had to go to work, and honestly you don't need two parents watching one baby.
Over the next week she went up and down, up and down with the sickness. We did get her into the doctor at some point who tested her for both the flu and UTIs but both were negative. Last Monday though, I knew something was really off so back to the pediatrician we went. Dr. Sue was fantastic and wanted to run her blood count and then if her white blood count was high, we would do an x-ray for pneumonia. Unfortunately, our insurance was actually running out that night so we asked if we could go ahead and have it done that day. I can't compliment her office enough, our appointment with Dr. Sue was at 4:15, we had our appointment with, an x-ray over at Southwest Diagnostics and a diagnosis of pneumonia with a prescription called in by 6:30.
As of today, minus a cough which we were told can last for a few weeks, she is totally back to normal. It was such a different experience having a sick baby. She was just so sad.
Boyfriend was amazing though. Luckily (unluckily) he had lost his job just the Friday before she got sick so he was able to stay home with her the entire time. Granted she slept for the most part so he was still able to get in his daily quota of video game play, but all the same she was able to be comforted by him around the clock. Naturally as her mother, I wanted to be the one home with her but our situation just didn't allow for it. I didn't have to think twice though about the care she was being given, because he did everything he could do by making her as comfortable as possible.
We also won parents of the year awards for using "lethal" remedies to try and comfort her. There is absolutely no medication out there that is available for children under the age of two that will help alleviate symptoms of colds. For some reason, we didn't really think (which is how accidents happen) that this would apply to Vicks Vaporub. Apparently, the menthol and camphor in the rub has caused death in children under the age of two. We were also upping the odds against us by using one of the humidifiers that used Vicks meds in it. As explained to us, those were "less lethal" than the rub itself. Lesson learned, we really will make sure to read all instructions from now on.
Baby is back to normal though. After her week of mandatory home arrest due to the icepocalypse she is extremely well rested (if not a little stir crazy). She is just as cute as ever, and just as funny. She has been saying "mama" for awhile but it never actually meant me, well now she very clearly says "Mom". Same with Boyfriend, his name is "Dad" no "dada" for him. She is 10 months going on 10 but I suppose that is how it goes. She will be back at Mother's Day Out tomorrow, hopefully immune system a bit stronger than before.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Boyfriend is out with the boys tonight so I finally got around to making a massive picture dump on Facebook. Of course that got me started looking at old pictures and then old videos and it just hit me how fast the past year really has flown by. A year ago today, Boyfriend and I (7 months pregnant) were visiting Las Vegas for the first time. We wanted to take one last vacation before Baby came and our family dynamic changed forever.
I know that everyone says time flies when you have a kid, but you can never fully understand until you have a kid how quickly your life will pass you by. My Facebook feed is bursting with people having babies and I just want to yell and scream at them to enjoy every single second of their infant because no matter how hard you grasp at those moments, they just slip through your fingers like sand on the beach.
As much as I love how independent Baby is, I really feel like I got a shorter infanthood than most. By six weeks, she refused to be held in a cradle position and had to be sitting up so that she could could look around and participate in the conversation. She stopped falling asleep on us and would only sleep if she was in her bassinet or in the bed, but not on us. Tonight though, while we were taking a shower, I picked her up to wash her hair and she just laid her head on my shoulder and fell asleep instantly. It was a warm, cuddly, sweet moment and I just didn't want it to end. I stood there slowly swaying to keep her asleep as long as possible, I stood there until the water started going cold.
I feel like I'm already going crazy with nostalgia for earlier times, yet I don't want to miss out on what is happening right now. At some point in my pregnancy, I read to never wish time away, no matter how hard it might be at the time. I've tried to live by that-when I felt like she was nursing for hours straight (and often in reality she was) I would think to myself that it wouldn't always be that way. Now, our nursing sessions are maybe 5 minutes, but often I feel like I'm just a trip though the drive thru. A quick snack to tide her over until her next big meal. I actually miss the middle of the night wakings (of course, only when I'm fully rested) when it would be just the two of us in the dark, quiet house.
I already feel the pains of regret for not having enough pictures, enough videos. We have not taken enough family photos, there are not enough photos of the two of us. I only have maybe 5 photos of me breastfeeding her, and I regret not having more. Nursing has been such a fundamentally life changing experience and it is odd to me that I didn't document it more. I think often while nursing her to ask Boyfriend to take a picture of us, but I always make excuses. My hair looks like crap, I look tired, usually some excuse about the way I look.
I try to just live in every moment with her, with Boyfriend. I find myself not able to sleep during family nap time because I am too busy soaking the moments in. I try to memorize every detail of her and how she is now. How her hair smells, the pressure of her tiny body next to mine, the way she squeezes my finger in her sleep, the pause in her breath while she is dreaming. I etch into my mind the way she slowly opens her eyes from a nap and looks around for a few moments and then locks eyes with me. She immediately smiles and pops up to play. She is unbelievably happy baby and I just want to remember it all.
I know that everyone says time flies when you have a kid, but you can never fully understand until you have a kid how quickly your life will pass you by. My Facebook feed is bursting with people having babies and I just want to yell and scream at them to enjoy every single second of their infant because no matter how hard you grasp at those moments, they just slip through your fingers like sand on the beach.
As much as I love how independent Baby is, I really feel like I got a shorter infanthood than most. By six weeks, she refused to be held in a cradle position and had to be sitting up so that she could could look around and participate in the conversation. She stopped falling asleep on us and would only sleep if she was in her bassinet or in the bed, but not on us. Tonight though, while we were taking a shower, I picked her up to wash her hair and she just laid her head on my shoulder and fell asleep instantly. It was a warm, cuddly, sweet moment and I just didn't want it to end. I stood there slowly swaying to keep her asleep as long as possible, I stood there until the water started going cold.
I feel like I'm already going crazy with nostalgia for earlier times, yet I don't want to miss out on what is happening right now. At some point in my pregnancy, I read to never wish time away, no matter how hard it might be at the time. I've tried to live by that-when I felt like she was nursing for hours straight (and often in reality she was) I would think to myself that it wouldn't always be that way. Now, our nursing sessions are maybe 5 minutes, but often I feel like I'm just a trip though the drive thru. A quick snack to tide her over until her next big meal. I actually miss the middle of the night wakings (of course, only when I'm fully rested) when it would be just the two of us in the dark, quiet house.
I already feel the pains of regret for not having enough pictures, enough videos. We have not taken enough family photos, there are not enough photos of the two of us. I only have maybe 5 photos of me breastfeeding her, and I regret not having more. Nursing has been such a fundamentally life changing experience and it is odd to me that I didn't document it more. I think often while nursing her to ask Boyfriend to take a picture of us, but I always make excuses. My hair looks like crap, I look tired, usually some excuse about the way I look.
I try to just live in every moment with her, with Boyfriend. I find myself not able to sleep during family nap time because I am too busy soaking the moments in. I try to memorize every detail of her and how she is now. How her hair smells, the pressure of her tiny body next to mine, the way she squeezes my finger in her sleep, the pause in her breath while she is dreaming. I etch into my mind the way she slowly opens her eyes from a nap and looks around for a few moments and then locks eyes with me. She immediately smiles and pops up to play. She is unbelievably happy baby and I just want to remember it all.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Long before I became a mom, starting even before I became Teh Wifey, I worked in childcare. I was employed at churches, daycares, YMCAs, and eventually moved onto becoming a full time nanny. There were so many observations and lessons that I learned while working with children that were not my own, so many of my ideals and theories on raising children were formed during those years. There are a few that I developed then that I now have discovered I was just a naïve non parent but many remained with me.
One idea has stuck with me more than a lot of them. What I am about to say will actually upset some parents, in fact I made this comment to one of the parents I was a nanny for their young daughter and she was not amused. Myself now being a parent though, can confirm this 100%- raising babies pretty much is like raising dogs.
Ok for those who are offended that I just compared your special snowflake to a dog, take the following facts into consideration:
The biggest thing new parents (regardless if you have become a parent of a human child or fur child) complain about their new addition is the sleepless nights and lack of toilet training. They say a puppy can go the same amount of hours between potty breaks as their age in months. As with an infant, a puppy will wake you up every few hours for a potty or feeding break. Also in the same fashion, middle of the night wakings are not a simple open the door, potty break, back in crate/bed sleep cycle (pick baby up, feed/diaper change, back in bassinette/bed). It is more of a open door, puppy takes FOREVER to find the perfect spot then notices fun cricket and gets distracted, then takes another five minutes to find another perfect spot, put them back in the crate/bed but they won’t lie down because now they are ready to play!! (pick up screaming baby , baby fights you on changing diaper, kicking feet, refusing to eat because the light is more interesting, lay baby down but they want to be held longer/stare at your face/sleep in your arms) Luckily, as with both puppies and babies, this phase really does fly by and the worst of it will be only a distant memory.
Also, have you ever noticed that when your dog is young, they seem to only want to play with things that are definitely not toys? Same with Baby. She could be a in a room full of Consumer Report’s best toys yet all she will want to play with is the electrical plugs, your cell phone (a toy one is NOT ok), or open and close the door on her tiny fingers. Both babies and dogs will also look at you, right before they go for a non toy and watch your reaction to see if they will get in trouble. When you give a stern “no”, they will sit and stare at that forbidden fruit, look up at you again and then lunge for it. Of course this elicits the whole remove baby/puppy away from dangerous “toy” for them only to crawl right back over to it and repeat cycle again move.
One of the sweetest comparisons between the two though are that babies don’t care about your social status, what you wear, what car you drive or what the square footage of your house is. This won’t matter to your dogs either. Both only care about what kind of love and attention you give, and that you give it often. With babies, and just like a dog, all you have to do is look at them and make a funny face or smile and they get excited. A simple pat on the head (or stroke across a babe’s hair) will comfort and relax them. They seek out your approval and want to please you. Both puppies and babies are the best cuddle partners, with the way they curl their bodies into yours.
There are many other things that compare babies to dogs, chewing on everything or having to keep a leash on them in public-totally joking about this one…kinda. I’ve heard that if a couple wants to practice parenting to get a dog, and I really do feel like that is true. I think Shrek, our very sweet yet certifiably insane dog, really did prepare us for a baby in many ways. So far, the adjustment from going from not having a (human) child has been much smoother than going from just the two of us to our fur baby. Of course, Shrek will remain with the mindset of a three year old, so I’m not quite sure how we will do once we pass that age with Baby, but for now things are good.
One idea has stuck with me more than a lot of them. What I am about to say will actually upset some parents, in fact I made this comment to one of the parents I was a nanny for their young daughter and she was not amused. Myself now being a parent though, can confirm this 100%- raising babies pretty much is like raising dogs.
Ok for those who are offended that I just compared your special snowflake to a dog, take the following facts into consideration:
The biggest thing new parents (regardless if you have become a parent of a human child or fur child) complain about their new addition is the sleepless nights and lack of toilet training. They say a puppy can go the same amount of hours between potty breaks as their age in months. As with an infant, a puppy will wake you up every few hours for a potty or feeding break. Also in the same fashion, middle of the night wakings are not a simple open the door, potty break, back in crate/bed sleep cycle (pick baby up, feed/diaper change, back in bassinette/bed). It is more of a open door, puppy takes FOREVER to find the perfect spot then notices fun cricket and gets distracted, then takes another five minutes to find another perfect spot, put them back in the crate/bed but they won’t lie down because now they are ready to play!! (pick up screaming baby , baby fights you on changing diaper, kicking feet, refusing to eat because the light is more interesting, lay baby down but they want to be held longer/stare at your face/sleep in your arms) Luckily, as with both puppies and babies, this phase really does fly by and the worst of it will be only a distant memory.
Also, have you ever noticed that when your dog is young, they seem to only want to play with things that are definitely not toys? Same with Baby. She could be a in a room full of Consumer Report’s best toys yet all she will want to play with is the electrical plugs, your cell phone (a toy one is NOT ok), or open and close the door on her tiny fingers. Both babies and dogs will also look at you, right before they go for a non toy and watch your reaction to see if they will get in trouble. When you give a stern “no”, they will sit and stare at that forbidden fruit, look up at you again and then lunge for it. Of course this elicits the whole remove baby/puppy away from dangerous “toy” for them only to crawl right back over to it and repeat cycle again move.
One of the sweetest comparisons between the two though are that babies don’t care about your social status, what you wear, what car you drive or what the square footage of your house is. This won’t matter to your dogs either. Both only care about what kind of love and attention you give, and that you give it often. With babies, and just like a dog, all you have to do is look at them and make a funny face or smile and they get excited. A simple pat on the head (or stroke across a babe’s hair) will comfort and relax them. They seek out your approval and want to please you. Both puppies and babies are the best cuddle partners, with the way they curl their bodies into yours.
There are many other things that compare babies to dogs, chewing on everything or having to keep a leash on them in public-totally joking about this one…kinda. I’ve heard that if a couple wants to practice parenting to get a dog, and I really do feel like that is true. I think Shrek, our very sweet yet certifiably insane dog, really did prepare us for a baby in many ways. So far, the adjustment from going from not having a (human) child has been much smoother than going from just the two of us to our fur baby. Of course, Shrek will remain with the mindset of a three year old, so I’m not quite sure how we will do once we pass that age with Baby, but for now things are good.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
12 months of Baby
Before I start looking forward to next year, I'm going to take a few moments to reflect up on the last year, with pictures!
January
Feburary
March
April
May
June
July
August
Setptember
October
November
December
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Love You Forever
When I was little, my mother often (and when I say often, I actually mean every night as it was one of my favorites) read me Love You Forever. I have fond memories of her reading to me, rocking me in her arms and singing the same song the mother in the book sang to her son. I remember giggling at the part when the mother would climb a ladder into the son's room as an adult.
I am superstitious to a point, so I waited until I entered the second trimester to purchase anything for Baby. The day I was officially out of the first trimester, Boyfriend and I went out and bought two items, a small toy (that Shrek immediately chewed up) and this book. I envisioned reading this book to my own child, rocking and singing. At some point in the pregnancy, Boyfriend decided to read the book to my swollen belly.
It was such a sweet picturesque moment, me lying in our bed, Boyfriend and Shrek were both lying next to my belly as I laid on the bed, Baby was kicking and twisting in response to her father's voice. I was filled with happiness and was giggling at Boyfriend's version of the song. Then he started to read the last few pages.
If you haven't read the book before, I'm going to spoil it for you; it implies that the mother dies. Imagine me, 8 months pregnant, having this incredibly sweet moment with my budding family, reading a book about a mother dying. I start crying and laughing, crying because it was just so darn depressing, laughing because only my mother would love reading me a book about death. I don't know how as a child I didn't pick up on the death aspect, I suppose because of the innocence only a child has.
All the same though, I still plan on continuing the tradition of reading Love You Forever to Baby. I mean, it can't be any more morbid than the nursery rhymes that she will sing on the playground.
I am superstitious to a point, so I waited until I entered the second trimester to purchase anything for Baby. The day I was officially out of the first trimester, Boyfriend and I went out and bought two items, a small toy (that Shrek immediately chewed up) and this book. I envisioned reading this book to my own child, rocking and singing. At some point in the pregnancy, Boyfriend decided to read the book to my swollen belly.
It was such a sweet picturesque moment, me lying in our bed, Boyfriend and Shrek were both lying next to my belly as I laid on the bed, Baby was kicking and twisting in response to her father's voice. I was filled with happiness and was giggling at Boyfriend's version of the song. Then he started to read the last few pages.
If you haven't read the book before, I'm going to spoil it for you; it implies that the mother dies. Imagine me, 8 months pregnant, having this incredibly sweet moment with my budding family, reading a book about a mother dying. I start crying and laughing, crying because it was just so darn depressing, laughing because only my mother would love reading me a book about death. I don't know how as a child I didn't pick up on the death aspect, I suppose because of the innocence only a child has.
All the same though, I still plan on continuing the tradition of reading Love You Forever to Baby. I mean, it can't be any more morbid than the nursery rhymes that she will sing on the playground.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
10 Things
I won't even being to pretend I'm some wise woman who has a lot of insight into the meaning and purpose of life. I have however, learned a few things along the way that I hope that I can pass onto my daughter.
1. It is ok to be cheap (I prefer the word frugal) about a lot of things. There are some items though, that you should never purchase the off brand. Laundry detergent, paper towels, toilet paper, and good smelling candles. These are all things that when I try to be frugal about, I end up purchasing so much more or using twice as much as if I had just bought the name brand. There a handful of other things, but seriously, saving $1 is not worth scratching your delicate lady bits for a month with rough toilet paper.
1. It is ok to be cheap (I prefer the word frugal) about a lot of things. There are some items though, that you should never purchase the off brand. Laundry detergent, paper towels, toilet paper, and good smelling candles. These are all things that when I try to be frugal about, I end up purchasing so much more or using twice as much as if I had just bought the name brand. There a handful of other things, but seriously, saving $1 is not worth scratching your delicate lady bits for a month with rough toilet paper.
2. Boyfriend and I haven't always been the best at budgeting our money. We always pay our bills and manage to put a small amount into savings but probably not the amount we should be. We do however, prioritize our spending to make sure that we have the best quality life possible. We made the decision to purchase a home much smaller and less expensive than what we were approved for and drive cars that are not luxury at all yet do the job in a comfortable manner. This has enabled us to spend the rest of money on experiences. We probably won't die leaving Baby a large inheritance, but she will have mementos of family vacations, fine dining, and cool toys that last so much longer than the money we spent.
3. Don't leave your partner's favorite cooking thermometer in the roast while it is still cooking. This will ruin said thermometer and will leave you with one grumpy partner. Especially if your roast comes out like beef jerky. Then they will just be grumpy AND hungry.
4. Menthol shaving cream should be reserved for men's faces only. This is self explanatory.
5. Really, there are so few things in life that you NEED to stress about. Seriously. I make a conscious choice not to stress about anything that I don't need to. It isn't that I don't care, I do, but if it is beyond my control (stuck in traffic, someone isn't doing something they said they would, my dinner was disgusting, again) then there isn't a reason to waste energy worrying over it. This comes especially handy when you are planning a wedding, buying a house, or having a baby. Three of life's most stressful, but exciting, times.
6. Along with not stressing, make a concerted effort to not waste mental energy regretting anything. If it is done, its done. If you did something that you now look back at and realize that it probably wasn't the best choice-don't do it again. Again, this often makes me look like I don't care but that really isn't the case, I just want to do better next time.
7. Have one really good thing that you can cook. I pretty much destroy and food that isn't baking, however I am known for my Hot Wing Dip. I'm only good at it because it is essentially mixing ingredients together and putting it in a hot oven, but all the same people love it and request it all the time. I'll be honest and I've never once tasted it (I don't like spicy things) and it looks disgusting but it is what the people want so I always oblige.
8. Boyfriend is always right. There might be a few times she argues with her Daddy that she will be right, but just trust me when I say 99% of the time he is right. I've been down that path a few too many times with him so I would like to save her some time.
9. In my vows to Boyfriend, I told him I would "be slow to anger and quick to forgive". I think this is useful in all of our relationships.
10. When you are with Boyfriend, and you start to smell something funny, don't believe him that it was Shreky. He can only use that excuse so many times.
