DIY Baby Mobile

During my fabulous and productive nesting stage, I cranked out quite a few crafts and projects inspired by baby #2. Here's a mobile I created and passed on to my lovely cousin for her baby boy. It was super easy and fun to make. There are so many fun things you could add to personalize it yourself (e.g. you could put a button in the center of each yo yo, you could paint the crafting loop a special color or add decorations to it, etc.)

First of all, here's a link to my inspiration. I love her use of primary colors, and you'll notice her yo yos are smaller than mine--I think I'd make mine smaller like hers next time.

Step 1: Gather your materials. Everything for the pinwheels is listed in this tutorial for making fabric yo yos. You'll also need some kite string and a wooden circle (I used one normally used for pulling thread tight for a cross-stitch or applique project.)

Step 2: Follow the tutorial for making an array of yo yos.

Step 3: Thread the yo yos together using kite string--add knots in the string after you thread each yo yo to determine where the yo yo rests on the string.

Step 4: Tie all of your lines to the wooden circle, balance, knot, and use a lighter to fuse the knots to keep from unraveling.

Step 5: Add kite string to the top to make two arcs that crisscross in the middle. Anchor those together with a long piece of string that you will attach to the ceiling.

The final product picture just isn't very glamorous, but I promise your project will be! This would be a meaningful and fun project to give someone as a shower gift--if you know the colors/theme of your friend's shower. Just be sure to also buy something off the registry--those gifts are always appreciated too.

It's a girl!

Dear blog followers,

I'd like to introduce you to Madeline Rae. Born Friday, September 10th, 8:16 AM. Eight pounds, ten ounces. It was, thankfully, a quick labor. Birth story soon to come. All is well. I'm in love for the third time in my life. Snuggling with a newborn is one of my favorite things in the world!

37-38 Weeks Prego

Photo courtesy of dizznbon (this isn't me =)

So sorry I've been neglecting you. These last couple of weeks have been a blur of productivity. My to-do list is sufficiently wiped out. There remain a couple of minor tasks, but I could go into labor at this moment and have nothing to worry about. That feels really, really good.

Speaking of going into labor, I am SO ready. I've been planning on this weekend (the 10th-11th) as my ideal date (even though I'm not due until the 18th), but if this baby popped out right now, I'd be thrilled. Even just waiting until this weekend is a bit trying on my patience. This stage (being completely ready and just waiting for the baby to come) is one of the hardest stages for me. I don't like being idle, but it's hard to do much of anything when you're this big. So, I feel like I'm wasting time just sitting and sitting and sitting and sitting and sitting and, well, you get the idea. I'm not a lot of fun for my two year old right now because I'm pretty immobile. Thankfully she's young enough she won't remember these boring days. It's like pulling teeth to motivate myself to cook dinner (I contemplated if it'd be more of a blessing to have people cook food before or after the baby's born--days like yesterday I would've welcomed a free meal and a no-dishes-to-wash kitchen).

Despite my whining (I apologize, whining ends here), I've remained fairly active. This week is packed with play dates and activities. We even managed a miraculous photo shoot with the cousins and all three children (2 and under) looked at the camera at the same time for three different shots. That's amazing! Labor Day weekend was spent jumping from party to party. We even drove over two hours to Arkansas to camp for the day with friends. There was a lot of walking involved, which I was fine with because it meant helping gravity do its work to pull this baby down. I even had some strong, consistent contractions on the way home, but nothing came of it.

A storm moved in (the edge of Hermine) today. They always saw low fronts will send you into labor. Again, I waited expectantly but to no avail. Here I sit looking at my rain-soaked yard and still not feeling anything new.

So my current dilemma is deciding how far I want to go in trying to naturally induce labor. I have a theory that people who tell you what worked for them (e.g., yard work, walking, sex, etc.) just happened to be doing those things before their body went into labor. Basically, I believe they would've gone into labor regardless of if they were doing those things or not. So the whole idea makes me skeptical. A friend of mine just told me about a pasta dish that's guaranteed to make you go into labor, but for some reason that made me queasy. I'm beginning to wonder how far I want to go taking God's plan and squeezing it into my own timeframe. I believe my body will go into labor when it's right and best for the baby, so shouldn't I just sit back and wait for that to happen this time? I'm torn. I'm really uncomfortable and really prepared for this baby to come now, yet I don't want to force anything. I believe the best experience will be the one my body triggers, not the one I force with my fast-forward button.

What do you think, dear readers? To naturally induce or not? Do you think it really works, or do you think your body will do what it wants to do when it wants to do it regardless of what you're doing at the time?

Another quick poll: Do you think I'm having a boy or girl? My gut flip flops on a daily basis, and right now when I picture myself with a baby, it's a boy. I think that's really bizarre because right now I'm leaning more toward wanting a girl--I would just love for A to have a sister close in age to grow up with. Plus, our play dates are stocked full of boys, so another girl to throw in the mix would be kind of refreshing. Either way, I'm curious to know what you guys think this baby will be. Just leave it in the comments section.

And if you're wondering, we're no closer to picking out a name than we were nine months ago. Our list (for both genders) is long and full of potential options. It took us twenty-four hours to choose A's name--and we already knew the gender and only had three options on our list. Who knows how long this decision will take. Is it possible to leave the hospital with a nameless baby? I may have the answer for you sooner than later ;-)

35-36 Weeks Prego

In the words of my two year old, "I wanna open baby!"

Two things I love about this quote. Number one, it tells me she understands the concept of pregnancy (to a small degree), and she's expecting a baby one day. Number two, the simplicity of her view on the whole situation just puts everything into perspective, doesn't it? Plus, it eloquently encapsulates everything I'm feeling right now--my anticipation, eagerness, excitement, joy, etc.

Well, I wouldn't say that I'm ready, but I'm close! Tomorrow my daughter's going to be at my mom's for the whole day. I plan to make a mad tear through my to-do list (see below), and pamper myself as well. Prenatal massage is scheduled for late morning. I can NOT wait! I don't feel the least bit guilty about spending these dollars. It's going to be bliss!

Here's my to-do list (and I've already marked quite a few things off, so this is a shortened version). Can we say type-A? It gives you a good idea of why I say I'm not quite ready for this baby to come; and it gives you a peek inside my head to see what's consuming my thoughts lately.

Finish editing projects (2 left)

Pack hospital bag (yep, after that big rant and lots of warnings from friends about early deliveries, I still haven't finished this. I do, however, have a bag started. And when I say "pack," that means I'm going to make a list of everything I want in the bag. I probably won't pack until I go into labor or closer to Sept. 11th--my self-prescribed due date).

Make a big-sister crown for A.

Paint picture frame (technically it's painted, but it needs another coat, and we ran out of spray paint--this should say "buy spray paint" too).

Hang picture frames (which won't be possible until after Saturday when my hubby picks up our furniture. Until then, it's just a task hanging over my head that I really can do nothing about right now).

Babies R Us shopping--any of the necessities I haven't received from my showers and still need to be purchased. (I've actually done most of this online, so I might be good to go, but you never know).

Type out (reminders, breathing patterns, pain management techniques, birthing positions, etc. as a) cheat sheet for my hubby. (Since we're going doula-less, he's the doula. I've been giving him tips every night so I don't overwhelm him all at once. And, the cheat sheets should cover all the basics).

Prep hubby's birthday (i.e., at least buy him a present--and maybe the ingredients for his cake/dinner. His birthday is six days after my due date. I know I won't be buying anything--unless it's online--once baby's here. I probably should plan family birthday parties, too, but those might have to wait until we see which day Baby Ninja actually comes).

Type out a food preference sheet--a friend has already volunteered to arrange meals for me; I just need to write down some suggestions/guidelines people can follow if they want.

Pack my daughter's suitcase (again, by "pack" I mean make a list for now).

Applique curtain (I made a curtain to cover the bookshelf in the nursery that houses my work supplies, books, and sewing. Right now it's plain white. Once the nursery is assembled, I'll pick something fun to add to the curtain. This is another task that has to wait till at least next week. It's pretty low on the priority list.)

Order baby shower present for another friend--I might be out of time for this one. May have to just contribute to group gift =)

Put up fall decorations in my house. (Fall is BY FAR my favorite season, so I go all out. I've got boxes of decorations organized on recently purchased handy shelves in my garage--thank you, nesting--and I know if the decor doesn't go up before baby arrives, it's not going to make it up this year, and that would make me very, very sad).

Prep camera and video camera--download all pix/videos, clear memory, charge, pack chargers.

Put together a nursing box (this is the box my daughter will only be allowed to pull out while I'm nursing. There will be special toys in there that she can play with during nursing times. The goal is to make sure she doesn't feel excluded during numerous baby feedings throughout the day).

Pick music I want playing in delivery room

Pay taxes (ah, the joys of being self-employed. The nice thing about the timing of this baby is I won't be making any more money this year, so I can pay through the end of the year and not have to worry about it again until next year).

Order baby shower gift for my cousin--she's long distance, and she waited to find out the gender of her baby (born yesterday--it's a boy!); so my family has put off buying her a present until now. I really want to find something special and practical!

Order mattress for crib--the semi-organic one I want is only available online. This isn't a top priority because I won't be using it for awhile, but it would help to have the mattress with bedding on it to really bring the nursery together. So I'll probably order it sooner than later =)

Finish photobook--free photobook on Picaboo right now. I'm trying to do a book with just December of 2009 in this one--that's how far behind I am. At least it's free. I'm liking the program so far, but Snapfish is still my favorite to work on).

I'll knock a good majority of this out tomorrow. I'll probably pack (really pack) after Labor day. And I plan to knock a few of the other things out after I finish this blog. Are you overwhelmed just reading this? Sorry, I actually feel more organized and calm knowing it's all written down, and I have a plan to be completely ready for baby.

As far as what I'm going through right now--I'm definitely bigger (pointier) and more uncomfortable than I was with my first pregnancy at this point. Sleeping usually leaves my hips feeling sore because of my belly's weight pulling on them all night. I'm gaining more weight than I did with my first--only a few pounds, but all of those pounds have been from this last month. I'm constantly hungry, and I'm craving sweets (especially ice cream) like crazy. So, instead of my average pound-per-week weight gain, I've been averaging two pounds the last three weeks. I keep remembering how hard it was to get rid of baby weight the first time around, and I'm trying to use that as motivation to put the spoon down and walk away from the sugar; but it's not working very well =(

I haven't made much progress as far as dilating or effacing, but that doesn't bother me. First of all, I plan to do as much walking as possible in the next week to get things moving. Plus, I've been resisting the contractions up until now. From this point on, I'll be welcoming the contractions and allowing my body to use them to prepare the baby. Plus, I had made no progress the morning I went into labor--my midwife checked me and figured I'd go until 41 weeks at least, but I started labor that night--so I know my body doesn't necessarily need to progress a long time in advance before labor begins.

Okay, time to get back to that to-do list!

32 Weeks Prego

This week's babycenter email, and my reactions:

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (I'm pretty sure my baby weighs more than that--have you seen my belly?) (pick up a large jicama--I should know what this is, but I don't) and is about 16.7 inches long (that explains the simultaneous sharp pains at the bottom of my pelvis with the poking in my ribs), taking up a lot of space in your uterus (thank you, captain obvious!). You're gaining about a pound a week (is this supposed to be new information? Doesn't the writer know I've been forced to step on a scale once a month (and now twice a month) for the last seven months?) and roughly half of that goes right to your baby (Um, where did it go before?). In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb (again, I'm pretty sure these weight and size estimates are way off--this child has been eating like a horse since day one. There's no way he/she is less than four pounds seven months later and not already cute and pudgy). She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable (respectable?!) peach fuzz) (I've heard lots of hair equals lots of heartburn. That wasn't true with my first baby, but this baby certainly has me addicted to Tums. Maybe he/she has a ton of hair too?). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth (That's nice, but again I wonder, what was it like before this week).

The more I think about this email, the more disturbing it sounds. Seriously, I used to think that these updates were cute and fascinating, but I'm beginning to wonder what it is they're leaving out. Notice they all focus on the cute stuff that is just now happening, but they tend to leave out the strange, unfamiliar details about what happened before. And, for the record, I have NO faith in these emails' estimates nor any doctor's estimates on baby size. I've seen baby sizes wrongly predicted over and over and over. I believe all babies are different and all grow differently. No one knows anything for sure until that baby pops out and is in our arms.

Which leads me to my thoughts for this week. My 34-week ultrasound is coming up. My midwife insists we measure the baby to determine if he/she's bigger than normal. While I appreciate the idea of delivering a baby that's less than 8 pounds (first baby weighed in at a shocking 8 lbs 13 oz--I had been told two days before that she looked like a 6-7 pound baby), I'm not really convinced that measuring the baby at 34 weeks is going to be helpful at all. First of all, I don't trust the measurements or "norms" that doctors tout. There are always exceptions. Number two, I'm planning on going drug free, which includes induction drugs. I trust that my body and God will know when this baby needs to come out. That's really all the assurance I need that I'll be able to deliver a healthy baby.

So, while I'm excited to see the baby again via ultrasound, and I'm especially excited to see a baby this advanced (the latest ultrasound we took for my first was at 20 weeks), I'm really not putting much weight in the measurements (no pun intended). I believe strongly in the power of words. Last time I said throughout the pregnancy that I would go into labor on a certain day, and even though I had a checkup that morning and was only half of a centimeter, I still went into labor that night. Granted, I learned a lot from that first delivery--for example, I had said when I would go into labor, but I never specified when I'd actually deliver the baby. Forty-five hours later . . . (that's not a typo), I learned my lesson. This time I'm specifying both when I'll go into labor, and when I'll have the baby--hint, they'll both be on the same day ;-)

So, back to the ultrasound, I'll go for the ultrasound, enjoy seeing my cutie pie's developing body, take with a grain of salt what my midwife says about ideal delivery dates, and pick a day that factors my midwife's recommendations in with my calendar of to-do items. I really expect to go full-term 40 weeks, but maybe I'll change my tune when this baby picks up even more pounds than he/she already has. Time will tell. I'll keep you posted.

On a side note, thanks so much for sharing your epidural stories. I've decided epidurals leading to c-sections are not necessarily regional. It seems to be the same story no matter where you live in the States. I am curious if it changes if you deliver in other countries, but who knows?

I signed up for my just-in-case epidural this week, and reading all the warnings and disclaimers (including the part that says, "this pamphlet does not list all of the warnings and risks associated with epidurals), I'm again fueled in my attempts to go drug free. It just gives me the heebie jeebies to sign off on something that has so many unknowns attached to it when I can physically handle the delivery without it. My hubby and I have also decided to go doula-less. Since my doula's not available for this pregnancy and the other doulas I know charge double her price, we've decided we can do this on our own. My hubby really is stellar--he should've been a nurse; his bedside manner is incredible. I'm feeling really confident about our decision. In the meantime, we're going to study up on pain-management techniques, and I'm going to read Ina May's Guide to Childbirth to pump me up and prepare me for the delivery. I'm so excited to be able to share a stellar birth story with you in less than two months!

A personal note . . . Andie Update

I try to keep this mainly business, but for my friends and family following, I thought I'd give you a little Andie update. 

In the past two weeks everything, and I mean, EVERYTHING, has started happening. Andie started crawling April 23rd (yeah, that's almost 11 months--that took forever!), then exactly ONE WEEK LATER she started walking. I was in her room sorting out all the too-small clothes and replacing them with lovely bigger hand-me-downs (thanks, Cami!) and Andie just stood up and walked (almost ran) five steps into my arms! No help, no coaxing. She just did it on her own. I was yelling and cheering, "Andie! You're walking! Andie!"

Andie also started signing. She's a pro at doing "more," but really I think "more" to her means "Okay, Mama, I'm doing sign language, now please give me what I want"--usually what she wants is more, but sometimes what she wants is food, to be picked up, or a drink. We're working out the details. She's also signing "all done" and "nurse." 

In more Andie news, two more teeth are coming in! Not sure if anyone else's kid has done this (I'm sure someone has), but her top teeth (not the middle ones and not the fangs, the ones in between) are coming in. My baby girl's gonna have an "all I want for Christmas is my two front teeth" smile BEFORE rather than AFTER she loses them.

I've heard that babies grow in spurts. I just had no idea that all this fun could happen in two short weeks. Yikes! 

New Mamas--Use This

This is beautiful. This is eloquent. This is exactly what I would love for people to do when I have baby #2.

If you have a friend who just had a baby, consider trying one or more of these things: click here.

Kyna, would you like me to do any of the above? :-)

Guest Blog

My first guest blog! Go check me out on Resa Design's blog. Then shop through her amazing store and buy lots of fun treats for your kiddos!

Baby Registry Help Series pt. 2

In the next few days I'll be going down the list of items suggested on a baby registry checklist and discussing how "essential" they panned out to be for me or my friends. Please, please, if you have your own personal experience you'd like to share, please comment at the end, so we can get the most comprehensive approach possible. If lots of people share, then it'll be like taking 10 of your best friends with you to register as opposed to just one :)

First, I was just on Babies R Us's website and they've got a new feature that I really like. There's a Baby Registry "Quick Start" option. You choose the type of mom you are (city, classic, experienced, trendy, working, or my personal fav, organic and earth-friendly) and they pull up a list of essentials that fit your lifestyle. I pulled up the organic one and I would only take a couple of things off the list. Here are my thoughts on what they've listed.

1. The swing. I didn't have great success with my swing. I know that every baby's different, so maybe the next one will love it. But, for me . . . and my sister-in-law, we didn't use our swings very much. In hindsight I wish I had used the money on another more essential big item. 

2. Bassinet. This is nit-picking, but I don't see the need for a bassinet and a co-sleeper. It's either one or the other, and a co-sleeper is much more convenient. We used a bassinet for our first baby, but that meant every time she woke up, we had to get out of bed, take her to the nursery, change, feed and then put her back down. With a co-sleeper (basically a safe extension of your bed) for those first few weeks, you'd have it all at an arm's reach and wouldn't be getting up as much. 

3. Even though I'm all about the Bob stroller, the Baby Planet is actually available in stores whereas the Bob is not. People are more likely to buy off your registry if they can find something in the store. People who buy items online are generally limited to out-of-town friends. This isn't the rule, but it's pretty common. If you don't want to spend your own money (or all of your gift cards) on a stroller, pick something that's in the store.

4. I actually have the "Nature's Purest" Playard and swing. The playard had worked great for me, and I've already talked about the swing. Some reviewers didn't like Nature's Purest because of the lack of stimulating colors, but I'm pretty sure my baby didn't notice. The playard also has an attachable bassinet and changing pad function. Many I know just set this up in their bedroom for the first few weeks. Three-in-one and it all fits next to your bed. That's another great money-saving option because you eliminate your need for a bassinet or a co-sleeper.

5. Parents of Invention--The Ultimate Organic Baby Sling--I've seen these a lot lately in the stores, but have never used one. Anyone have any input on this? I've heard that ring slings are nice because you can adjust them for the perfect fit. Personally, I like the simplicity of my sling, but it's all about preference.

6. Glider and ottoman--My hubby and I stumbled on this this idea. Skip the glider and go to your local furniture store. Instead of a glider, we got a Lazyboy small-frame recliner for the same price, and we LOVE it. It's so much more comfortable than a glider (no hard wooden areas to poke a tired, healing mama's body or baby's delicate body) and so much more versatile. I can pop up the footrest, I can rock, and I can sleep in it comfortably on an emergency basis. Plus, it's not a piece of furniture exclusively for a nursery--it can evolve with the child's room, or it can be added to the family room. I highly recommend a recliner!

7. As far as nursery furniture goes--be careful to check the type of wood it's made out of. Babies R Us and many other stores carry cheaper baby furniture, but a lot of it is made out of particle board. Particle board contains formaldehyde, and considering that most babies chew on their cribs at some point in the teething stage, you might want to pay the extra money and get a hardwood option instead.

8. Boppy--of the three that I tried, Boppy, My breastfriend, and an organic pillow, Boppy was the best. It's a convenient shape, easy to adjust, and the covers are easy to slip off and wash. Now that they have an organic cover, I'm definitely excited about getting a Boppy for baby 2!

9. Jumperoo--We opted out of a jumperoo, exersaucer, and the like. While it's convenient to have babies in a toy that builds their muscles, there's differing opinions about how they affect proper development. Since I'm a stay-at-home mom, I have plenty of time to play with Andie and help her use her own legs and feet, so I didn't need this. Plus, to my knowledge, they're all made from plastic, and we're trying to keep the plastic content low in our home. That's a personal preference. I know many, many moms who swear by these and couldn't live without them. But, if you're in the early stages of pregnancy and have some time to research--search around and find some studies about how these affect baby's development before you sign up for one.

10. I like all of the other stuff that's listed. I'd go ahead and add the clothing options, but again, if it's not easy to find in the store, you probably won't get it. From what I've found, people buy whatever clothes they think are cute, so they probably won't search through hundreds of clothing items for the exact match to what you registered for. The only help registering for clothes did for me was that it made people aware that I was looking for organic cotton. Because of that, I got a lot more organic stuff than if I had not registered for any clothes. Another thing to consider, from the time you register to the time your baby comes, all of the clothing options will have changed and most of what you registered for probably won't even be available anymore.

Again, please add your comments about these items. We all have knowledge that will help each other and, hopefully, save new moms some money and stress.

I've been tagged

Here's what I'm supposed to do:

1. Go to your pictures folder and open the fourth folder

2. Upload the fourth picture and explain it

3. Tag four friends

1. 

2. This is me, 20 weeks pregnant, finding out if we were having a girl or a boy. Isaac and I had a gut feeling it was a boy (which of course meant it wasn't). The lady whizzed over my belly pointing out arms, legs, and head, and threw in, "It's a girl," and kept going. Isaac and I looked at each other with big eyes, and Isaac said quietly to the tech, "Um, could you check that again?" I smiled through tears. A girl. Wow. It felt so real right then, and I knew my life was about to change forever. 20 weeks later baby Andie was born. I love her so much.

3. Tag: (not sure how to tag on blogger, so I'll just put this in and hope that my followers read this) Amy, Matt, Kristin & Lisa. Tag, you're it!

Chiropractor Nightmare

My mantra since having a baby has been "It's so much easier than everyone says it is." And it has been. When babies are tiny, if you can wear them in a sling, you can do anything you used to. Your hands are free and your baby is asleep. I highly recommend a sling to anyone having a baby. It's so much more convenient than a stroller (with a stroller you have to take the elevator in the mall, find creative places to put grocery goods, etc.), but it doesn't last forever.

Andie is in the stage now (she's about 4 months) where she is too heavy for the sling, not strong enough to try the toddler position where she sits on my hip and holds herself up, and she's okay in a stroller (but, again, nowhere to put groceries). This turned into one of those moments-you-read-about-in-a-parents-magazine-that-makes-you-gasp-but-you're-convinced-would-never-happen-to-you. The other day I went to the chiropractor. My chiropractor's wife had been wanting to see Andie since I started frequenting their business when I was well into my third trimester. I brought her in in her carrier (even though I knew she didn't like long bouts in the carrier). I asked the wife if she wanted to hold Andie while I did my thing. She was more than willing. That worked for all of 5 minutes, then the screaming started. 

I was getting a high-tech scan that required I strip the top half off and put on a smock while the tech ran a magic wand with rolling balls down my spine. The wife brought Andie to see me, but that didn't help. She bounced her, she walked her, she did everything possible, but the screaming continued. I couldn't take Andie because I had to sit very still for my magic wand test. Finally, the test ended, I threw my clothes back on (missing a sleeve--I later realized), and took my baby. She was so worked up, she couldn't quiet down immediately, so I was shushing, bouncing, etc., to little avail. Finally I asked for a quiet room to nurse and gave her a quick snack that settled her down. Then, back in the carrier, I skipped my therapy and went straight for the adjustment. She sat next to me so she could semi-see me, fussed a little, but made it through my adjustment. I think the chiropractor was regretting his previous encouragement to bring the baby with me so I could see him more often (my previous excuse for not coming multiple times a week).

During checkout, she fussed and cried some more. Other patients started commenting, "Oh, that's the baby I heard." Earth swallow me now. I apologized over and again, and left as quickly as possible. Even in the car, it took me ages to get the seat clicked back in the base. Tears threatened as I realized I had become "that mom" and there was nothing I could do about it.

I have a mama's girl. If you don't catch her at the perfect time, the only person she wants to be with is me. Do they grow out of this stage or do you have to break them of it?

Hello New Life

I was in denial when people told me my life would change "drastically" after having a baby. My goal: retain social life, retain normality, don't drop off the planet and drown in raising children. I have successfully achieved that goal, but I have found a couple of glitches that can't be helped. 

Glitch 1: Date night. Yes, you can drop the baby off at grandma's so you and your hubby can still enjoy date night, but don't plan to be out too long. You can only neglect the need to feed for so long. Date nights still happen, but they are considerably shorter.

Glitch 2: Dishes. Dishes get done, but usually not until the next morning. You eat dinner, you change baby into pj's and clean diaper, you feed baby, baby goes to sleep, you tuck in hubby, you're exhausted. Dishes are for mornings now.

Other than that, for the most part, it's business as usual, and I love, love love mommyhood!

Hiccups

When you sneeze, someone says, "Bless you" or "gesundheit." But when you hiccup, what should someone say? My baby has hiccups all the time. She even had them frequently in the womb. When she starts that cute little baby hic, I feel compelled to say something. But what should it be? Usually I just ask the question, "Do you have hiccups, baby girl?" I'm sure if she was old enough she'd call me out on my dumb question, but it's all I can come up with for now. Any suggestions?

Solutions for hiccups that I've heard:

1. Hold your breath--now that's just cruel to try and get a baby to do.

2. Drink water--I've tried nursing her and that works.

3. Put a tiny bit of sugar on the tip of her tongue--I'm probably being overprotective here, but the idea of getting my 3 month old addicted to sugar this early. . .I just can't do it.

And "some" say that hiccups don't bother babies, they hurt the parents more. Not true. Andie gets really frustrated when her hiccups don't go away soon enough. 

Diaper Rash

Much of what I've read and heard has encouraged that the more air my baby's booty is exposed to, the less likely she'll develop diaper rash. With an infant, this is a tricky task. One article I read suggested allowing baby to go diaper-less after a BM, so there wouldn't be anything big to clean up. I tried this yesterday. Cleaned up the BM, plopped baby girl down on a multi-purpose pad, and admired her cute booty waggling in the air. Later, went to nurse her while keeping her semi-swaddled in the pad. Baby girl had a bad case of gas, and as the nursing session went on, I was appalled at the lingering smell. It wasn't until all was done that I looked down to see that not only was baby girl passing gas, but she had managed to pee multiple times adding to the pool of poo that had run down her leg and was welling up at her feet. So much for that theory!

I'm not a bad momma

Tummy time. I had never heard the term before I had a baby. Ironically, I never even read about it during my pregnancy--and I read a lot, especially during those mysterious 2 AM I'm-wide-awake-for-no-apparent-reason bouts. But during those last moments in the hospital, before I was about to give up 24 hour room service and expert baby caregivers, my mom asked the question, "How much tummy time should she have each day?" I rolled my eyes, What is she talking about? I bet that's a term she used when she had us 30 years ago. But then I cringed when I heard the nurse say, "I'm glad you reminded me. Five minutes at a time, 3 times a day." One point for mom, zero for rookie.

So, I came home and started baby Andie on tummy time. At first, I loved it and so did she. We spent most of tummy time with her curled up on my chest, and we would both quietly fall asleep into momma-oblivion. I loved those moments! Then, she got older (all of a couple of weeks) and sleeping on my chest was no longer her first love. tear. Tummy time became a daily ritual, something to be checked off the list of things to do for the day. And as I began routinely laying her down on a blanket, tummy-side down, she started crying, and crying, and screaming, and crying.

"What did I do wrong?! How come my child doesn't like her tummy time?" 

We went to get professional pictures done with Andie's cousin. The photographer asked us to put both babies tummy-side down. I warned him that Andie doesn't enjoy that, but we tried anyway. I was right. There's a picture of the cousin happy and enjoying the bright lights, and there's my baby girl, faced scrunched, looking like her head weighs a bazillion pounds, and screaming. Cute picture, but I'd never by the admission of my errors as a parent.

Why do all the photographers display babies who love tummy time, arms flexed tight, head held high and smiles on their faces? Why doesn't my baby look like that? Each baby ad screamed in my face, "You're doing it all wrong. This is how a baby should act during tummy time!"

Finally I asked a friend if her one year old ever struggled. Angels sang hallelujah; her baby hated tummy time too! Then she listed off all of her other friends whose babies hated it. Ah ha! I am not alone! 

The next time I laid cute little Andie down, I patiently waited through the cries and even did some demonstrations for her of what to do. And, within the next couple of tries, Andie started lifting her head fully up. Victory! I cheered. I clapped. I danced around the baby and got my husband to join me. I'm not a bad momma!

Lifestyle Choices

When I was pregnant, I was, quite frankly, disturbed with the growing list of things I couldn't do as a prego. For example, I was supposed to avoid nail salons, dying my hair, painting my nails, extra hot showers, soft white cheese, deli meat with nitrates, strong smelling cleaners, caffeine and so much more. Don't get me wrong, I completely agree with the differences in physical labor that every woman must adjust to accommodate her growing belly. But these items are things that either I ingest in my body whether consciously or naturally. Doesn't it stand to reason that if I shouldn't be putting these things in my body regardless of whether or not a baby is growing inside of me? I think so.

My goal is to live my life so that when I'm pregnant again, I will not have to severely alter my lifestyle to accommodate my growing baby. 

I must admit, there are a couple of exceptions to this rule that I plan on incorporating into my life as soon as breastfeeding will allow.

Exception #1: Sushi. I will eat sushi, loaded with raw fish, as soon as possible!

Exception #2: To be honest, I can't think of anything else, but I will be sure to fill this in when I do.

Cloth diapers don't intimidate me anymore

I'm finally getting more comfortable with my cloth diapers. It took a little to realize that part of my problem is that my cute baby's bootie is stinkin' small. I've started doubling up the prefolds that I put in the outside covers and voila, less leakage! My other problem was that I was in denial about how often I'd have to do laundry. With as few covers as I have, every other day is preferable. I've got 4 outside covers and 20+ prefolds, and I go through both like water. If I had at least 2 more covers and 10 more prefolds, I could last another day. I'm not worried though because everything I've read says that the older they get, the less they poop. Less poop=less covers getting dirty=less laundry. Woo hoo! Plus, once my baby's bum properly fits in the covers, I won't have to use 2 prefolds at a time. Yay!

I love to buy local. I think capitalism is a wonderful thing, and I love it when people begin a business based on a dream, and they make a living doing that business. In Tulsa, there are two places that are great for organic and natural supplies, support and classes. Ludeby's Ecobaby (www.lundebys.com) on Brookside is one of my favs. As soon as you walk in the store, you're nostrils are flooded with the smell of wood. Ah, fresh wood. I love it! Ludeby's is great for supplies once you've had your baby all they way through toddlers. Another fav of mine is Natural Lullabies. This store is really good for pregnancy through birth. The classes they offer is what sets them apart. We took their childbirth classes and loved them. We also used a doula, Angela James, from there, and I couldn't have made it through birth without her. I HIGHLY recommend a doula for birth if you're choosing to go without drugs. I have an extremely supportive husband who was absolutely fabulous during the entire birthing process, but I still couldn't have made it without Angela.  All this to say, I got all of my cloth diaper stuff from these two stores.

If you're looking to save money on cloth diapers, then I highly recommend checking out craigslist and ebay first. Some will sell used diapers. . .which I tend to shy away from, but many will sell new ones for bargain prices. As I said before, try a little of everything to start with and see what works best for you.

baby girl

I'm sure I'm not alone when I say this, but the reality that my husband and I created a new person, a human, a baby girl is a miracle that is almost impossible to wrap my head around. I've seen families grow throughout my lifetime, and I know how it all works. But I never imagined that it would take away my breath each time I held her in my arms or marveled at how much her sleeping face resembles her father. It's another person. She's going to look to me for guidance, for comfort, for encouragement, for knowledge. Wow. 

A million questions flood my mind: Will she look up to me? Will she want to be like me? Will she have my mannerisms? Will she laugh all the time and cry only when necessary? Will she have her dad's sense of humor? Will she love God with all of her heart? Will she be okay each time I leave her in someone else's arms? Will she sift through my weaknesses and focus on my strengths? What will her strengths be? Will she lead the nation or a small group of friends? Will she prefer to be a supporter, someone behind the scenes?  Will she be a girly girl or a tomboy? Will she love to read and write like her mother or will she want to work with her hands like her father? Will she hug me when I cry? Will she want to borrow my clothes? Will she think I'm a "cool" mom or one that has to drop her off a block away from school? Will she love traveling as much as I do? 

I love the show Gilmore Girls, and at times I feel like I should be taking notes. I love how close Rori and Loralei are, but I don't agree with every aspect of their relationship. Children need parents, not friends to guide them through their young life. I want my relationship with my baby to be like Gilmore Girls when she's an adult and making decisions of her own. But I know that getting to that place is contingent upon how I lead her through the next eighteen years. In one show, Loralei responds to her mom's question of why they can't be close like she and Rori are close, "Because, Mom. Rori and are friends first and mom and daughter second. You and I will always be mother and daughter." I believe you can be mother and daughter first and friends when you're adults and still have a connection like Rori and Loralei.

A thousand doubts fill my mind, but they fly through without any invitation to make a nest. I choose to dwell on Truth, and I am convinced that "the truth shall set me free." 

Cloth Diapers

Reasons I started using cloth diapers:

1) Money--we save money on this one and all future babies!
2) I'd rather organic cloth be rubbing on my baby's bum than chemicals and plastic stuff.

Since this is my first baby and first attempt at cloth diapers, I decided to buy a little bit of everything and see what works best. So far, here's what I've learned.

1) There must be an art to properly placing a prefold in a liner because my liners almost ALWAYS get dirty, so I run through them as quickly as I run through the prefolds. Grrr.

2) The wool covers are cute, but they (along with most covers, even the "newborn" sizes) don't really work until the baby is older. If you're starting cloth diapers, I'd strongly suggest using disposables (Seventh Generation is our fav) until your baby is bigger, maybe 12 pounds? My baby's not that big yet, but I imagine things will stay in place a lot easier and leak less when she is.

3) Give yourself plenty of time to make the adjustment. We started on disposable, and even now, weeks into the deal, we're using disposables when we go out. Baby steps. Until I feel I have mastered cloth diapers better so that changes are quick and painless, then I will venture out with a diaper bag stocked with prefolds.

4) Brands I'm using so far--Bummis covers, ImseVanse flannel contour diapers and organic cotton covers, Aristocrats wool covers, organic prefolds--Gerber and SC Koon. I also have some Snappis to keep the contours in place--don't like them at all. I like that I'm not using pins, but these don't really hold anything.