When you become a parent, you inherit the right to brag about your child. My son now weighs __ lbs! My daughter peed on the potty today like a big girl! My son scored __ points at his basketball game! My daughter is on the Dean's list! It goes on and on and on. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being proud of your child and their accomplishments. You are a proud mama, you have bragging rights! However, I find it quite comical the extent to which some parents brag and/or stretch the truth when it comes to their kids.
I am guilty of bragging. We all are. We all believe that our child is the smartest most beautiful most talented being to exist. However, I do think it is hilarious how far this goes. A few friends and I were discussing recently how funny it is how moms make a competition out of parenthood.
"My daughter was potty trained by 6 months!" Really? Your daughter can't walk or crawl yet she can take herself to the bathroom? Hmm.
"My son could read by age 1!" No way. Your son knows approximately 5 words/phrases: mama, dada, bye bye, dog, and ball. He can't read. Don't kid yourself.
Kids are kids. And while you may be amazed at how smart your little one is, or their newly acquired skill, don't get too ahead of yourself. That oh so smart child will be doing something genius one second and then eating crayons the next. Because he is a KID and that's what they do. Have proud mama moments and brag when it's appropriate... exaggerating excessively and saying things that literally are not possible while hilarious and entertaining to those around you, gets sort of obnoxious.
....This morning Max climbed out of his bed, walked downstairs, made breakfast and vacuumed the living room. He got himself dressed, pottied on the potty, and turned on Sesame Street all without waking mommy. I have such a smart 6 month old!......... okay, I couldn't even type that with a straight face.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
Follow the Leader
During some of my obsessive web research, I've stumbled across baby-led weaning (BLW) articles and information numerous times. I quickly browsed and dismissed the idea. BLW is just what it sounds like.. allowing baby to "lead" the process of introducing solid foods into their diet. No more purees. You simply allow baby to join into mealtime whenever they are ready (usually around 6 months-ish, say the experts)... or when they are trying to grab food and feed themselves. You allow them to eat what you eat and allow them to do it themselves. Obviously as a parent, you offer foods in sizes that they can handle and avoid the obvious hazards... peanuts, honey, etc. Just common sense. Anywho, I've read the information and thought nooo way. He will choke. Not interested, not happening. Like most things that I've responded to in that way, I have changed my mind. Well, actually, Max has changed it for me.
Aside from cereal, Max has not been a fan of purees. He seems to be more and more interested in our food daily. Yesterday I was holding a piece of banana bread and Max in the same arm/hand. Before I knew it, Max had grabbed a chunk of bread and shoved it into his mouth. I fished out the chunk but allowed a few crumbs to stay. He chewed and swallowed. Then leaned forward with his mouth open for more. I gave him a few more tiny pieces. Loved it. I thought hmmm.... maybe instead of puree-ing the green beans, I will cut them into pieces and let him feed himself. He smashed most of them onto his highchair tray. A couple pieces did make their way into his mouth. He chewed one by one, made a funny face, gagged a little, then swallowed. And repeated. Hmm... interesting. This morning as I was mixing some cereal I thought I wonder if he would eat a little toast.... I toasted bread, spread a little butter (unsalted, don't freak out on me) cut it into a triangle and handed it to him. He smacked the toast and began to claw it, getting butter under his nails... then picked up the toast and opened his mouth. I watched as he made a funny face at first, but then began to gnaw and suck on it... a few crumbs got into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed. He went back for more. I sat in astonishment watching my little baby feed himself toast like a big boy. Once he got the bread nice and soggy, he seemed to lose interest so I tore off a few small pieces and set them on the tray. One by one he picked them up and chewed and swallowed. There was a tiny gag and I held back my panic as he worked it around his mouth all by himself. He loved it!
I guess we will skip over most of the purees and allow him to eat actual food... since that seems to be what he prefers. It will be a mess and at the beginning he will be more into exploring the tastes and textures rather than consuming a large quantity... but that's okay, he is getting the nutrients he needs from his bottle anyway. In the meantime I will watch him and be amazed that he can do more and more things on his own. Just following his lead!
Aside from cereal, Max has not been a fan of purees. He seems to be more and more interested in our food daily. Yesterday I was holding a piece of banana bread and Max in the same arm/hand. Before I knew it, Max had grabbed a chunk of bread and shoved it into his mouth. I fished out the chunk but allowed a few crumbs to stay. He chewed and swallowed. Then leaned forward with his mouth open for more. I gave him a few more tiny pieces. Loved it. I thought hmmm.... maybe instead of puree-ing the green beans, I will cut them into pieces and let him feed himself. He smashed most of them onto his highchair tray. A couple pieces did make their way into his mouth. He chewed one by one, made a funny face, gagged a little, then swallowed. And repeated. Hmm... interesting. This morning as I was mixing some cereal I thought I wonder if he would eat a little toast.... I toasted bread, spread a little butter (unsalted, don't freak out on me) cut it into a triangle and handed it to him. He smacked the toast and began to claw it, getting butter under his nails... then picked up the toast and opened his mouth. I watched as he made a funny face at first, but then began to gnaw and suck on it... a few crumbs got into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed. He went back for more. I sat in astonishment watching my little baby feed himself toast like a big boy. Once he got the bread nice and soggy, he seemed to lose interest so I tore off a few small pieces and set them on the tray. One by one he picked them up and chewed and swallowed. There was a tiny gag and I held back my panic as he worked it around his mouth all by himself. He loved it!
I guess we will skip over most of the purees and allow him to eat actual food... since that seems to be what he prefers. It will be a mess and at the beginning he will be more into exploring the tastes and textures rather than consuming a large quantity... but that's okay, he is getting the nutrients he needs from his bottle anyway. In the meantime I will watch him and be amazed that he can do more and more things on his own. Just following his lead!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Mommy World
It amazes me how much my life has changed in the past year. I am definitely a different person with different interests and priorities. I no longer live in the "real" world... I live in "mommy world". I exist in mommy world with my little one and my mommy thoughts and worries. Things that used to be important no longer are and my day to day life is the opposite of what it was in my pre-mommy days. Aside from the obvious changes of caring for my baby 24/7, lack of sleep, blah blah blah... these are some of the changes that I have undergone since entering mommy world:
-Instead of browsing online for celebrity gossip and clothes for myself, I search the web for: car seat safety, car seat reviews, baby boy clothes, baby food purees, "is this rash normal", age appropriate toys, foam tile play mats, comparing diaper prices, new sheets for crib (even though he's never slept in there.. not sure why I look for new ones), teething remedies, tips on traveling with an infant on a plane, appropriate age for umbrella strollers, infant cpr, "I left my gas burner on low for 3 hours, will the gas leak hurt my baby"... I could go on and on and on.. but you get the point.
-I open Pandora on my phone and the last station is no longer Red Hot Chili Peppers or John Mayer... it's Nursery Rhymes or Lullabies.
-I now have mommy friends and 98% of the conversations I have with my other moms friends revolve around my son, their kids, sharing tips, swapping coupons for diapers or formula, and bragging about the new trick our oh-so-smart little ones picked up that week.
-While I do get amusement out of seeing people's pictures and posts from their "crazy weekend" on facebook, I would rather stalk my facebook friends pages with kids or that are pregnant. Looking at their newest pictures and reading their updates on their babies while commenting things like "she is getting so big! How much does she weigh now?" "Where did you find that ___? I've been looking all over!" "Oh no, he has a cold? This is what I did and it helped Max..." "I felt like that when I was pregnant too! Eating ___ worked!"
I adore my non-mom friends and I am very interested in what's going on in their lives and hearing their stories... however, I can now relate to a whole different group of people. And while we may not have been close friends before entering mommy world, now that we are permanent residents, we have a sort of bond and relationship with each other that would not have existed otherwise. I like mommy world. It has allowed me to experience another side of life. A very unselfish side that is rewarding beyond measure.
-Instead of browsing online for celebrity gossip and clothes for myself, I search the web for: car seat safety, car seat reviews, baby boy clothes, baby food purees, "is this rash normal", age appropriate toys, foam tile play mats, comparing diaper prices, new sheets for crib (even though he's never slept in there.. not sure why I look for new ones), teething remedies, tips on traveling with an infant on a plane, appropriate age for umbrella strollers, infant cpr, "I left my gas burner on low for 3 hours, will the gas leak hurt my baby"... I could go on and on and on.. but you get the point.
-I open Pandora on my phone and the last station is no longer Red Hot Chili Peppers or John Mayer... it's Nursery Rhymes or Lullabies.
-I now have mommy friends and 98% of the conversations I have with my other moms friends revolve around my son, their kids, sharing tips, swapping coupons for diapers or formula, and bragging about the new trick our oh-so-smart little ones picked up that week.
-While I do get amusement out of seeing people's pictures and posts from their "crazy weekend" on facebook, I would rather stalk my facebook friends pages with kids or that are pregnant. Looking at their newest pictures and reading their updates on their babies while commenting things like "she is getting so big! How much does she weigh now?" "Where did you find that ___? I've been looking all over!" "Oh no, he has a cold? This is what I did and it helped Max..." "I felt like that when I was pregnant too! Eating ___ worked!"
I adore my non-mom friends and I am very interested in what's going on in their lives and hearing their stories... however, I can now relate to a whole different group of people. And while we may not have been close friends before entering mommy world, now that we are permanent residents, we have a sort of bond and relationship with each other that would not have existed otherwise. I like mommy world. It has allowed me to experience another side of life. A very unselfish side that is rewarding beyond measure.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Say What?!
Last night, the only thing that would keep Max from whining was when his daddy would chase the dog while holding him. Max thought it was HILARIOUS. His little laugh is absolutely the most sweetest sound in the entire world. Husband would hold Max and stomp from the kitchen to the living room while the dog ran back and forth jumping up and down and Max was rolling. It was sooo funny! Mike handed a laughing Max to me and continued to act goofy, making Max laugh even harder. Once Max's laughter quieted, he started jibber-jabbering and I said "say Ma-Ma" into his ear. Approximately 5 seconds later, Max said "uh-ma... uh-ma". My jaw dropped. I looked at Mike, who's mouth was also hanging open. "Ma-Ma" I said to him. "Uh-ma... uh-ma" He said it AGAIN. Husband and I FREAKED OUT. He said it 3 more times. We freaked out some more. I whip out my phone and try to record him saying it... of course then he doesn't say a word and just stares at me. Go figure.
A few minutes later I am standing at the kitchen sink washing dishes and Mike walks into the kitchen holding Max. I turn a around and say a loud "Hi!" He grins the biggest grin and Mike says "who is that?" Max grins again. I say "Ma-Ma" to him and his little lips start moving like he's really trying to say something but no sound is coming out. After a few seconds of this he says "ma". We freak out again. Mike says to me "Turn around, do it again!" So I turn back to the sink and Mike steps out of the kitchen with Max. They walk back in and Mike says "who is that?" I turn around. Max grins. I say "Ma-Ma". A few seconds later Max says "Ma...... Ma.....". We flip out. Husband and I are squealing and jumping around from utter joy and excitement. Now, of course he's only 5.5 months old so he isn't really aware of what he was saying but still...... he did it. My little baby said it over and over last night. Husband and I were ecstatic. I'm sure he won't say it again for another 6 months now but that's okay! He said "Mama". And while I'm sure he didn't know what he meant, I like to think that maybe he did. I mean, he DID say it while looking at me.... so maybe he knew. Either way, I am so happy and proud of my smart little boy. He is getting so big!
A few minutes later I am standing at the kitchen sink washing dishes and Mike walks into the kitchen holding Max. I turn a around and say a loud "Hi!" He grins the biggest grin and Mike says "who is that?" Max grins again. I say "Ma-Ma" to him and his little lips start moving like he's really trying to say something but no sound is coming out. After a few seconds of this he says "ma". We freak out again. Mike says to me "Turn around, do it again!" So I turn back to the sink and Mike steps out of the kitchen with Max. They walk back in and Mike says "who is that?" I turn around. Max grins. I say "Ma-Ma". A few seconds later Max says "Ma...... Ma.....". We flip out. Husband and I are squealing and jumping around from utter joy and excitement. Now, of course he's only 5.5 months old so he isn't really aware of what he was saying but still...... he did it. My little baby said it over and over last night. Husband and I were ecstatic. I'm sure he won't say it again for another 6 months now but that's okay! He said "Mama". And while I'm sure he didn't know what he meant, I like to think that maybe he did. I mean, he DID say it while looking at me.... so maybe he knew. Either way, I am so happy and proud of my smart little boy. He is getting so big!
No Sick Days
We've been so busy for the past couple of weeks and I have been slacking on my blog posts! So, today I will write 2. It was a LONNNG night last night and today I am absolutely exhausted. And sick. I have some sinus/throat thing going on and my head is pounding and my throat is scratchy and sore... and my poor sweet Max feels worse than I do :( It's so crazy how 1 month ago, my baby didn't have a single tooth. Today, he has 4. 2 on the bottom and his 2 "fang" teeth on top have broken through the skin in the past couple of days. I sent my mom a text message the other day and said "Max's fang teeth are coming in on the top before his front teeth. He is going to look so funny!" Her response? "That's okay, vampires are popular." My little baby currently looks like a miniature 7 year old that has lost their 2 front teeth. Or a hillbilly. But he is cute either way! I think the front 2 will be joining the other 4 shortly and that will make SIX!
These top ones have been harder on him than the bottom ones. He was so fussy yesterday afternoon and I noticed that he felt warm so I took his temperature. 100.4 degrees. Uh-oh. I called the clinic and there were no appointments available... GREAT. The nurse predicted that the fever was from teething and said to give him Tylenol and monitor it. Call back if it increases. 3 hours later, 101.4 degrees and more crabbiness. I call back. His nose has started to run a little now. "Even healthy babies get 5-6 colds a year, nothing to worry about. You're taking good care of him," she tells me. More Tylenol & as long as it stays below 104 degrees, we're good. ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR?! WHAAAT??? That's ridiculous. But I do what they say, I'm not the expert here. More tylenol, place cold rag on his neck, let him lay in his diaper for a bit..... my poor crabby baby. In the meantime, mommy is feeling worse as the night goes on.
11 p.m. and Max has fallen asleep laying on my chest on the couch so I take him upstairs to bed.
12 a.m. Max wakes up and starts crying. Up, change diaper, oh looks who's wide awake. SUPER. I take him downstairs as not to disturb sleeping husband who has to be at work at 6 a.m.
1:05 a.m. I take sleeping Max back upstairs and lay him down.
2:30 a.m. Max's is awake and crying again. My head is pounding and I moan "Ugh!" Husband gets up with him this time. Daddy rocks Max for the next hour then realizes that it's 3:30 a.m. and he has to be up in an hour and a half so he lays Max down and goes downstairs to sleep on the couch.
3:45 a.m. Max fusses in his pack n play next to me so I put him in the bed with me since husband is now sleeping downstairs. Max fusses and whines with his eyes closed while kicking me in the gut for the next 45 minutes and then finally falls asleep.
5:15 a.m. Max is awake and crying. I make him a bottle, change diaper, and rock him in the recliner. At this point, I may or may not have teared up from lack of sleep and a pounding headache which has gotten worse due to lack of sleep.
5:50 a.m. I lay a wide awake Max back in my bed with me. Husband leaves for work. Max whines and kicks again for another 30 minutes or so until finally falling back to sleep.
7:45 a.m. Max is crying and we are both up for the day.
Bah! I am so sick of teething and I hate that my baby doesn't feel well. I hate that I also don't feel well and all I want to do right now is sleep............. it sucks to feel like crap while taking care of a baby that also feels like crap. Mommies don't get sick days. I wish my body had gotten that memo. Too bad that both grandmas live 800 miles away. *Sigh*
These top ones have been harder on him than the bottom ones. He was so fussy yesterday afternoon and I noticed that he felt warm so I took his temperature. 100.4 degrees. Uh-oh. I called the clinic and there were no appointments available... GREAT. The nurse predicted that the fever was from teething and said to give him Tylenol and monitor it. Call back if it increases. 3 hours later, 101.4 degrees and more crabbiness. I call back. His nose has started to run a little now. "Even healthy babies get 5-6 colds a year, nothing to worry about. You're taking good care of him," she tells me. More Tylenol & as long as it stays below 104 degrees, we're good. ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR?! WHAAAT??? That's ridiculous. But I do what they say, I'm not the expert here. More tylenol, place cold rag on his neck, let him lay in his diaper for a bit..... my poor crabby baby. In the meantime, mommy is feeling worse as the night goes on.
11 p.m. and Max has fallen asleep laying on my chest on the couch so I take him upstairs to bed.
12 a.m. Max wakes up and starts crying. Up, change diaper, oh looks who's wide awake. SUPER. I take him downstairs as not to disturb sleeping husband who has to be at work at 6 a.m.
1:05 a.m. I take sleeping Max back upstairs and lay him down.
2:30 a.m. Max's is awake and crying again. My head is pounding and I moan "Ugh!" Husband gets up with him this time. Daddy rocks Max for the next hour then realizes that it's 3:30 a.m. and he has to be up in an hour and a half so he lays Max down and goes downstairs to sleep on the couch.
3:45 a.m. Max fusses in his pack n play next to me so I put him in the bed with me since husband is now sleeping downstairs. Max fusses and whines with his eyes closed while kicking me in the gut for the next 45 minutes and then finally falls asleep.
5:15 a.m. Max is awake and crying. I make him a bottle, change diaper, and rock him in the recliner. At this point, I may or may not have teared up from lack of sleep and a pounding headache which has gotten worse due to lack of sleep.
5:50 a.m. I lay a wide awake Max back in my bed with me. Husband leaves for work. Max whines and kicks again for another 30 minutes or so until finally falling back to sleep.
7:45 a.m. Max is crying and we are both up for the day.
Bah! I am so sick of teething and I hate that my baby doesn't feel well. I hate that I also don't feel well and all I want to do right now is sleep............. it sucks to feel like crap while taking care of a baby that also feels like crap. Mommies don't get sick days. I wish my body had gotten that memo. Too bad that both grandmas live 800 miles away. *Sigh*
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Mr. Personality
Whoever thinks that a 5 month old baby has yet to develop a personality is WRONG. My Max has a whole lotta personality for a little dude! I love it. He is becoming his own little person and it is very entertaining. When he's happy he smiles the biggest smile and then sometimes gets bashful and buries his face.
Things that make Max happy (besides mommy):
-His Jumperoo: he LOVES to jump and bounce and swing. He smiles and has a blast in that thing.
-His bottle: the kid LOVES to eat. The other day I was holding him and a bottle with the same arm while talking to my hubby and I look down and Max is hunched over sucking on the nipple trying to extract some milk. I was obviously taking too long.
-Burp cloths: usually used for wiping/catching spit up and/or drool. Max loves to chew on them.
-Bath time: he grins and splashes and grabs his wee wee. And loves every second of it.
-Music: he enjoys the typical baby songs (twinkle twinkle, ABC's, etc) but he really likes inappropriate songs. "Moves Like Jagger" used to be a favorite. He also used to laugh every time I raised his arms in the air and sang "ahhhh freak out! Le freak, c'est chic." Today he is nothing but smiles when I sing "Gold Digger". Yeah, I probably shouldn't, but he likes it! All that was coming to my mind was that episode of Friends where Ross & Rachel sing "I Like Big Butts" to calm down their little one. I'm sure Max would be a fan of Sir Mix-a-lot too.
-Tickling: he is SOO ticklish. Everywhere. Legs, back, neck, ribs. He thinks it's hilarious when I raise his arms and "bite" his ribs. I say "I'm hungry forrrrrrr..... ribs!" and he just LOSES it. Yes, odd sense of humor.
-Squealing: his new trick. He recently discovered how to scream/squeal and he does it ALL THE TIME. LOUDLY. He sees how long he can hold each squeal. Sometimes I'm worried that he's going to make himself pass out. It's pretty impressive how long he can hold the note.
When Max is mad, he is MAD MAD MAD. He has quite the temper (no idea where he got it?) He can turn that scream on in 2.5 seconds. One minute he's a little fussy, the next he is arching his back, throwing that head back and SCREECHING. And clawing. And pinching. He gets mean! Sometimes I swear, he needs a spankin!
Things that make Max unhappy:
-Sitting in his Bumbo for longer than 5 minutes: He arches his back and tries to throw himself out of it.
-Being on his belly for too long: he rolls onto his belly and then gets mad and face plants and then starts screaming
-Tickling his neck: he laughs hysterically when I tickle his ribs. Neck is off limits. He cries.
-Bulb syringe: he swats at it and turns his head away. I have to wrestle him daily.
-Vacuum: don't even think about turning it on with him in ear shot
-Car seat: he has a meltdown until he is in the car and moving and the radio is on
He also apparently hates mommy's blog because he is currently clawing at my arm and trying to bite it with his TWO, that's right, TWO teeth. Second one broke the skin today. He better not turn into a biter. Yikes.
Things that make Max happy (besides mommy):
-His Jumperoo: he LOVES to jump and bounce and swing. He smiles and has a blast in that thing.
-His bottle: the kid LOVES to eat. The other day I was holding him and a bottle with the same arm while talking to my hubby and I look down and Max is hunched over sucking on the nipple trying to extract some milk. I was obviously taking too long.
-Burp cloths: usually used for wiping/catching spit up and/or drool. Max loves to chew on them.
-Bath time: he grins and splashes and grabs his wee wee. And loves every second of it.
-Music: he enjoys the typical baby songs (twinkle twinkle, ABC's, etc) but he really likes inappropriate songs. "Moves Like Jagger" used to be a favorite. He also used to laugh every time I raised his arms in the air and sang "ahhhh freak out! Le freak, c'est chic." Today he is nothing but smiles when I sing "Gold Digger". Yeah, I probably shouldn't, but he likes it! All that was coming to my mind was that episode of Friends where Ross & Rachel sing "I Like Big Butts" to calm down their little one. I'm sure Max would be a fan of Sir Mix-a-lot too.
-Tickling: he is SOO ticklish. Everywhere. Legs, back, neck, ribs. He thinks it's hilarious when I raise his arms and "bite" his ribs. I say "I'm hungry forrrrrrr..... ribs!" and he just LOSES it. Yes, odd sense of humor.
-Squealing: his new trick. He recently discovered how to scream/squeal and he does it ALL THE TIME. LOUDLY. He sees how long he can hold each squeal. Sometimes I'm worried that he's going to make himself pass out. It's pretty impressive how long he can hold the note.
When Max is mad, he is MAD MAD MAD. He has quite the temper (no idea where he got it?) He can turn that scream on in 2.5 seconds. One minute he's a little fussy, the next he is arching his back, throwing that head back and SCREECHING. And clawing. And pinching. He gets mean! Sometimes I swear, he needs a spankin!
Things that make Max unhappy:
-Sitting in his Bumbo for longer than 5 minutes: He arches his back and tries to throw himself out of it.
-Being on his belly for too long: he rolls onto his belly and then gets mad and face plants and then starts screaming
-Tickling his neck: he laughs hysterically when I tickle his ribs. Neck is off limits. He cries.
-Bulb syringe: he swats at it and turns his head away. I have to wrestle him daily.
-Vacuum: don't even think about turning it on with him in ear shot
-Car seat: he has a meltdown until he is in the car and moving and the radio is on
He also apparently hates mommy's blog because he is currently clawing at my arm and trying to bite it with his TWO, that's right, TWO teeth. Second one broke the skin today. He better not turn into a biter. Yikes.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Super Mom
"Moms: like dads... only smarter!"
I found that quote on Pintrest and it made me smile. I have admitted before that I underestimated mommyhood. I had no idea how hard a mommy's job actually is. My respect, appreciation, and admiration for my own mother quadrupled after becoming a parent. I am new to this mommy world, and I will always be the first to admit that sometimes I don't know what I'm doing. However, my baby is happy and healthy so I must be doing something right! Being "mommy" is my whole life and I absolutely love it. I also love when an outsider has an "aha! moment" and realizes what it means to be "mommy".
Today was my hubby's day off so I left Max with him for oh, about 2 hours while I went to Target and on a food run. As I was on my way home I received a text message saying "OMG I seriously don't know how you do this all day everyday. I'm about to shoot myself." Now, my husband is an amazing father. He is the sole bread winner and he works his booty off for our family. He adores Max and is always willing to fix bottles, wash bottles, change a diaper, etc. BUT he is not what you would call a "patient" individual. He works A LOT. He isn't used to having Max by himself. He will gladly watch him while I run errands or go hang out with a friend, but after a couple hours, hubby is SPENT and begging me to come home. Max is a mama's boy and when he gets in one of those moods and won't stop fussing... he just wants me and hubby panics. I get home and Max is sleeping and I say to Mike, "so, you need a break now?" He answers "OMG babe, I don't know how you do it. He was sooo crabby and nothing I did helped. Ugh!" I smile. While I'm not stoked that Max gave his dad a hard time, I get MAJOR satisfaction out of the fact that husband admitted that sometimes it's hard. And frustrating. And he couldn't do it. "He does that to me sometimes too, babe. He's just a baby & he gets moody. But now you know what it's like sometimes. I don't just sit at home watching T.V. all day." "Yeah, I couldn't do it." He tells me. Yep, that's right. A mommy's job is not all cute smiles and fun play dates. It's not glamorous or pretty. It's dirty and messy and exhausting. I'm not sure that people understand that. I think that many people picture stay at home moms sitting on the couch watching soaps all day while their baby naps in the play pen. Ha! Far from the truth. Yes, I watch T.V. That's one of the only things that I can do while feeding or holding my baby. But I do a whole lot more than that. And it's nice every once in a while for someone to recognize that because a lot of times, we don't get the credit we deserve. I could never work the hours that my husband does. And he could never stay at home with Max 24/7. That's okay! But we must always respect the job that we each have. We do our part to make this family work. But yes, I ENJOY staying at home with my baby and my husband would rather gouge his eyes out. Just call me super mom! Where's my cape??
I found that quote on Pintrest and it made me smile. I have admitted before that I underestimated mommyhood. I had no idea how hard a mommy's job actually is. My respect, appreciation, and admiration for my own mother quadrupled after becoming a parent. I am new to this mommy world, and I will always be the first to admit that sometimes I don't know what I'm doing. However, my baby is happy and healthy so I must be doing something right! Being "mommy" is my whole life and I absolutely love it. I also love when an outsider has an "aha! moment" and realizes what it means to be "mommy".
Today was my hubby's day off so I left Max with him for oh, about 2 hours while I went to Target and on a food run. As I was on my way home I received a text message saying "OMG I seriously don't know how you do this all day everyday. I'm about to shoot myself." Now, my husband is an amazing father. He is the sole bread winner and he works his booty off for our family. He adores Max and is always willing to fix bottles, wash bottles, change a diaper, etc. BUT he is not what you would call a "patient" individual. He works A LOT. He isn't used to having Max by himself. He will gladly watch him while I run errands or go hang out with a friend, but after a couple hours, hubby is SPENT and begging me to come home. Max is a mama's boy and when he gets in one of those moods and won't stop fussing... he just wants me and hubby panics. I get home and Max is sleeping and I say to Mike, "so, you need a break now?" He answers "OMG babe, I don't know how you do it. He was sooo crabby and nothing I did helped. Ugh!" I smile. While I'm not stoked that Max gave his dad a hard time, I get MAJOR satisfaction out of the fact that husband admitted that sometimes it's hard. And frustrating. And he couldn't do it. "He does that to me sometimes too, babe. He's just a baby & he gets moody. But now you know what it's like sometimes. I don't just sit at home watching T.V. all day." "Yeah, I couldn't do it." He tells me. Yep, that's right. A mommy's job is not all cute smiles and fun play dates. It's not glamorous or pretty. It's dirty and messy and exhausting. I'm not sure that people understand that. I think that many people picture stay at home moms sitting on the couch watching soaps all day while their baby naps in the play pen. Ha! Far from the truth. Yes, I watch T.V. That's one of the only things that I can do while feeding or holding my baby. But I do a whole lot more than that. And it's nice every once in a while for someone to recognize that because a lot of times, we don't get the credit we deserve. I could never work the hours that my husband does. And he could never stay at home with Max 24/7. That's okay! But we must always respect the job that we each have. We do our part to make this family work. But yes, I ENJOY staying at home with my baby and my husband would rather gouge his eyes out. Just call me super mom! Where's my cape??
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Baby On Board
After having a baby, even running the simplest errand is quite a task. It takes close to an hour to get dressed, loaded up, and out of the house. It is amazing how much stuff you have to take with you EVERYWHERE. Packing, leaving the house, and going on what would have been an easy shopping trip pre-baby is madness post-baby. I was reminded of this today when baby, husband & I went shopping for new clothes for my ever growing boy.
Out of bed. I make baby a bottle so daddy can feed him while I get ready. Daddy hands baby off to me while he gets ready. I clean & dress baby. I hand baby off to daddy while I pack the diaper bag. 2 bottles, because I'm not sure how long we will be gone and heaven forbid we run out of food for my milkaholic. Make sure bag is stocked with diapers and wipes because nothing is worse than the wipe caddy being empty when baby decides to poo up his back. Check for extra outfits in case of the previously mentioned blow out-- yep, there are 3 outfits.. you know, just in case 2 isn't enough. Hey, it COULD happen. Bibs/burp cloths for drool: check. Toys/teethers to occupy baby. Pacifiers-A MUST. Blanket, because it's cold. Yep, I think we're good. Oh, let me make sure my wallet, keys, and phone are in there too.. no purse, it's just one more thing to carry! Ok, diaper bag is good. Husband loads the stroller. I put baby in car seat. Baby cries because he hates the car seat unless he is in the car and moving. Take the dog out. Make sure there is nothing left out for the dog to get into while we are gone... check. We are on the road. 2 hours later.
Whew. Tired and the trip has only begun. Baby sleeps during the car ride- yay! He wakes as we get to the restaurant to eat lunch. I hold him during lunch because he won't sit in his car seat & even though he sits rather well, he has yet to sit in a highchair at a restaurant. Baby wants to grab everything. The sweet young servers come to "ooh" and "ahh" and talk to baby who wants no part of their attention. He stares at them like they have 5 heads and refuses to smile. Baby goes back into the car seat. He cries. We leave the restaurant and head to the mall. We load baby into the stroller and stop into the Nike store so mommy can get some new shoes and clothes to work out in (yes, I am forcing myself to go to the gym a couple days a week now). I browse the shoe section. Baby starts fussing. He's hungry. Husband gets him out of stroller and sits on a bench soothing him while I mix a bottle. Husband feeds baby while I try on shoes. People squeeze around us because we are taking up a lot of room. I would apologize but, I'm not really sorry. It's the way that it is. We have a lot of crap. Baby is temporarily happy because his belly is full. We shop for a few more minutes, finding sweats and tshirts for me. Baby gets fussy, he needs a nap. We leave. Baby needs a diaper change. I will change it at carter's, they have a nice changing area. carter's has changed locations... smaller store, no more restroom or changing area. AWESOME. We shop QUICKLY because baby is fussy. We leave carter's. I locate a restroom and change baby. Baby goes back into the car seat. Fusses for a bit then falls asleep. We drive home.
It's 4:00 p.m. and I feel like it's midnight. Having a baby on board means a lot of STUFF and no trip is ever quick or easy. It's just the way that it is. It's our way of life now. I am late 95% of the time and nothing ever goes as planned. So don't plan. Don't plan. That's what I have to remind myself. Roll with it. It's much more enjoyable that way.
Out of bed. I make baby a bottle so daddy can feed him while I get ready. Daddy hands baby off to me while he gets ready. I clean & dress baby. I hand baby off to daddy while I pack the diaper bag. 2 bottles, because I'm not sure how long we will be gone and heaven forbid we run out of food for my milkaholic. Make sure bag is stocked with diapers and wipes because nothing is worse than the wipe caddy being empty when baby decides to poo up his back. Check for extra outfits in case of the previously mentioned blow out-- yep, there are 3 outfits.. you know, just in case 2 isn't enough. Hey, it COULD happen. Bibs/burp cloths for drool: check. Toys/teethers to occupy baby. Pacifiers-A MUST. Blanket, because it's cold. Yep, I think we're good. Oh, let me make sure my wallet, keys, and phone are in there too.. no purse, it's just one more thing to carry! Ok, diaper bag is good. Husband loads the stroller. I put baby in car seat. Baby cries because he hates the car seat unless he is in the car and moving. Take the dog out. Make sure there is nothing left out for the dog to get into while we are gone... check. We are on the road. 2 hours later.
Whew. Tired and the trip has only begun. Baby sleeps during the car ride- yay! He wakes as we get to the restaurant to eat lunch. I hold him during lunch because he won't sit in his car seat & even though he sits rather well, he has yet to sit in a highchair at a restaurant. Baby wants to grab everything. The sweet young servers come to "ooh" and "ahh" and talk to baby who wants no part of their attention. He stares at them like they have 5 heads and refuses to smile. Baby goes back into the car seat. He cries. We leave the restaurant and head to the mall. We load baby into the stroller and stop into the Nike store so mommy can get some new shoes and clothes to work out in (yes, I am forcing myself to go to the gym a couple days a week now). I browse the shoe section. Baby starts fussing. He's hungry. Husband gets him out of stroller and sits on a bench soothing him while I mix a bottle. Husband feeds baby while I try on shoes. People squeeze around us because we are taking up a lot of room. I would apologize but, I'm not really sorry. It's the way that it is. We have a lot of crap. Baby is temporarily happy because his belly is full. We shop for a few more minutes, finding sweats and tshirts for me. Baby gets fussy, he needs a nap. We leave. Baby needs a diaper change. I will change it at carter's, they have a nice changing area. carter's has changed locations... smaller store, no more restroom or changing area. AWESOME. We shop QUICKLY because baby is fussy. We leave carter's. I locate a restroom and change baby. Baby goes back into the car seat. Fusses for a bit then falls asleep. We drive home.
It's 4:00 p.m. and I feel like it's midnight. Having a baby on board means a lot of STUFF and no trip is ever quick or easy. It's just the way that it is. It's our way of life now. I am late 95% of the time and nothing ever goes as planned. So don't plan. Don't plan. That's what I have to remind myself. Roll with it. It's much more enjoyable that way.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Teething Monster
Happy 5 months to my baby boy! Sometimes it's hard to believe that I am the mother of a (now) 5 month old! Wow! Time really does fly. My boy is very healthy and most days, he is a happy baby. I say MOST days because lately he has been crabby due to teething. He cut his first tooth on the bottom about a week ago (see previous post) and I'm fairly certain that the tooth next to his existing one will be popping through those little gums any day now also. Poor baby is swollen and super drooly and just miserable. His chin is chapped from the excessive drool and his cheeks are red from teething. I have tried everything that I can think of/heard, trying to relieve his pain. We have used vanilla extract on his gums, got a Sophie giraffe (which he does love to chew on), cold teething toys, cold rags, tablets, my fingers (which now hurts from his tiny shark tooth), and Tylenol when it's REALLY bad. I personally don't use Orajel-- no judgment for those that do.. just my personal choice. All of these temporarily relieve my baby but he is still miserable. It is awful for both of us!
I have heard many things about the amber teething necklaces, but I have been skeptical. How can a NECKLACE relieve my baby's teething pain? That's some freaky new age witch doctor business. I don't know about all that. I have heard great things about them and read many reviews online.. all singing the praises of this necklace. Hmm...... well, nothing else has worked for us, or has only worked for a few minutes here and there.... eh, why not? It can't HURT. This is the conversation that I had with my hubby about said necklace:
Me (while browsing online): "I think I'm going to order one of these teething necklaces."
Husband: "What teething necklace?"
Me: "These amber teething necklaces. Remember, I've told you about them before? But you probably don't remember because you don't listen to me."
Husband makes a weird face.
Me: "It's a necklace made out of amber stones and he would wear it under his clothes. It works because his body temperature heats the stones which the release oils that relieve pain, and inflammation, and...."
Husband walks over to the computer.
Husband: "No way. He's not wearing a necklace. He will EAT it. See, that baby right there is why we're not getting it."
Husband points to the picture of the baby wearing necklaces around her neck, arms, and legs, and chewing on one.
Me: "No. It's for WEARING not CHEWING. And he can't wear it while he sleeps. I would be watching him the entire time plus it's UNDER his clothes where he can't grab it!"
I'm defending the necklace?
Husband walks out of the room.
I continue to shout facts and read reviews to him... which I'm sure he paid no attention to.
I walk into the kitchen where he is.
Me: "I'm getting one. Where's the card?"
He laughs.
Husband: "Card's broken. Wait, you're getting it NOW?"
Me: "Yes! He has been so crabby & nothing helps. So, yes."
Husband: "Oh he's not crabby, he's an angel."
Ha! We both laugh. That's far from the truth.
Me: "They are really supposed to work. I read that...."
I spout off more information.
Husband: "What are you, a witch now? This is like Native American crap."
Me: "Maybe. Anyway, I'm getting it now. People have said that it works within like 2 days."
Husband: "Ok, well if it doesn't work after a week, you have to give me an HOUR LONG back massage!"
Me: "Fine!"
Husband: "Oh I can't WAIT for my massage!"
Me: "You'll see! It works!"
I did it. I ordered one and joined the cult. Should receive the amber necklace in the mail in a week or so. Man, I really hope this thing works. 1. I want Max to have relief 2. I don't want to be wrong and 3. I REALLY don't want to give an hour long massage. My fingers ache just thinking about it.
I have heard many things about the amber teething necklaces, but I have been skeptical. How can a NECKLACE relieve my baby's teething pain? That's some freaky new age witch doctor business. I don't know about all that. I have heard great things about them and read many reviews online.. all singing the praises of this necklace. Hmm...... well, nothing else has worked for us, or has only worked for a few minutes here and there.... eh, why not? It can't HURT. This is the conversation that I had with my hubby about said necklace:
Me (while browsing online): "I think I'm going to order one of these teething necklaces."
Husband: "What teething necklace?"
Me: "These amber teething necklaces. Remember, I've told you about them before? But you probably don't remember because you don't listen to me."
Husband makes a weird face.
Me: "It's a necklace made out of amber stones and he would wear it under his clothes. It works because his body temperature heats the stones which the release oils that relieve pain, and inflammation, and...."
Husband walks over to the computer.
Husband: "No way. He's not wearing a necklace. He will EAT it. See, that baby right there is why we're not getting it."
Husband points to the picture of the baby wearing necklaces around her neck, arms, and legs, and chewing on one.
Me: "No. It's for WEARING not CHEWING. And he can't wear it while he sleeps. I would be watching him the entire time plus it's UNDER his clothes where he can't grab it!"
I'm defending the necklace?
Husband walks out of the room.
I continue to shout facts and read reviews to him... which I'm sure he paid no attention to.
I walk into the kitchen where he is.
Me: "I'm getting one. Where's the card?"
He laughs.
Husband: "Card's broken. Wait, you're getting it NOW?"
Me: "Yes! He has been so crabby & nothing helps. So, yes."
Husband: "Oh he's not crabby, he's an angel."
Ha! We both laugh. That's far from the truth.
Me: "They are really supposed to work. I read that...."
I spout off more information.
Husband: "What are you, a witch now? This is like Native American crap."
Me: "Maybe. Anyway, I'm getting it now. People have said that it works within like 2 days."
Husband: "Ok, well if it doesn't work after a week, you have to give me an HOUR LONG back massage!"
Me: "Fine!"
Husband: "Oh I can't WAIT for my massage!"
Me: "You'll see! It works!"
I did it. I ordered one and joined the cult. Should receive the amber necklace in the mail in a week or so. Man, I really hope this thing works. 1. I want Max to have relief 2. I don't want to be wrong and 3. I REALLY don't want to give an hour long massage. My fingers ache just thinking about it.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
New Discoveries
I love watching Max learn. Everyday he is discovering something about his surroundings or how to do things or make certain sounds. It's amazing and entertaining! It is crazy how fast babies grow and change. It really does seem like just yesterday that I was trying to get him to turn his head towards my voice and now here he is, with a tooth, rolling and yelling and smiling and playing. He is a totally different baby! It is so fun to watch him!
Max LOVES his feet. He loves to bend over and grab his toes when sitting up, or grab his feet and pull them toward his mouth while laying down. One day while laying on his back and reaching for his feet, he missed his foot and discovered something else... his wee wee. He felt, grabbed, and pulled. And so, the love affair with his wee wee begins. In the bathtub, hand on the wee wee. 90% of the time when I change him, hand goes for the wee wee. Which is really awesome when I'm changing a dirty diaper and his hand comes out of nowhere and makes an even bigger mess. Yuck. His love for his wee wee will only grow as time goes on. GREAT. I didn't think he would find it so quickly. But he did. Maybe he will forget about it and re-discover it at a later date. Who knows. For now I will wrestle his hand away during messy diaper changes and shake my head when he grabs it in the bathtub and smiles from pure happiness. Yep, I am definitely the mother of a boy.
Max LOVES his feet. He loves to bend over and grab his toes when sitting up, or grab his feet and pull them toward his mouth while laying down. One day while laying on his back and reaching for his feet, he missed his foot and discovered something else... his wee wee. He felt, grabbed, and pulled. And so, the love affair with his wee wee begins. In the bathtub, hand on the wee wee. 90% of the time when I change him, hand goes for the wee wee. Which is really awesome when I'm changing a dirty diaper and his hand comes out of nowhere and makes an even bigger mess. Yuck. His love for his wee wee will only grow as time goes on. GREAT. I didn't think he would find it so quickly. But he did. Maybe he will forget about it and re-discover it at a later date. Who knows. For now I will wrestle his hand away during messy diaper changes and shake my head when he grabs it in the bathtub and smiles from pure happiness. Yep, I am definitely the mother of a boy.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Fraunt Me!
I have been bursting with excitement since last week BUT since it was not my secret to tell, I had to keep quiet. I'm going to be a fraunt! No, that's not a typo. Fraunt Mal--yay! Fraunt= friend/aunt. One of my very best friends in the entire world, Bailey, is expecting her first child!!!! My group of girlfriends & I have been friends for 10+ years and we are more like family than friends. We are so close that a lot of the time it drives our husbands/significant others crazy but, "when you marry one, you marry us all" :) Although, it may not TECHNICALLY be my niece/nephew by blood, it may as well be! I am so happy to share pregnancy experiences and thoughts with one of my closest friends and I am so excited to watch her become a mommy. I cannot wait for all of my friends to become parents! Moms share a special bond with other moms and I am eagerly anticipating sharing that bond with some of the most important people in my world. Congratulations, to one of my dearest friends! You will be such an amazing mother and I look forward to meeting my niece/nephew in 7ish months! Also, Max is ready to meet his future bff and/or wife :)
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Death Traps & Bubble Wrap
Max is going to become mobile in no time. He is a VERY busy baby. He does NOT sit still and hasn't from day one. Even when he was brand new, he was a wiggle worm. He kicked and flailed his arms constantly and started raising his head off of me at 2 days old. The only time he is still is when he's sleeping, and even then, he's a wild sleeper. So it's pretty obvious that he will be into anything and everything! He has become a pro at rolling from back to belly, propping himself up on his hands and knees, and scooting himself a few feet backwards. I know it is only a matter of time before he figures out how to go forward- aka. CRAWLING--yikes! Since he has figured out this new trick, I have begun to contemplate baby proofing this house. Ha! House? More like death trap.
1. Tower of Terror- We have 2 flights of stairs. Luckily, a closed door blocks the stairs to the basement. The other set are BRUTAL. 20 very steep hardwood stairs bridge the living room to the bedrooms and bathroom. 2 gates are mandatory, but I can just picture my little maniac climbing over said gates and tumbling down the stair mountain. Or attempting to scale them from the outside railing. I have anxiety just thinking about it.
2. Strangulation and/or Electrocution Apparatus- There is no way to get around all of the wires that run from the tv, xbox, cable box, router, printer, etc. I have strategically placed the computer desk next to the tv stand so that the wires are secluded to the one corner of the living room. That being said, the pile of wires lay there taunting me daily. First of all, I hate the tackiness of wires. Second of all, they are just BEGGING for little hands to pull on them, chew on them, try to wear them as a necklace, and so on. I'm not sure how to go about hiding them... too bad I can't fashion some sort of gate to block those. Hmm... interesting thought...
3. Hot Water Black Hole- Our house is an old historic building. The heating system is old school. The vents are not your typical flat to the ground vents with the slots that let air in and out. Our vents are these large metal-ish panels that run along the base board of every room and stick out of the wall a couple of inches. They don't get scolding hot, but they definitely get warm from the 180 degree water that is flowing through them. I am picturing my little Max sticking his tiny hands down in the slot of the vent and getting stuck. Or shoving little toys inside. Or food. Or what if one of those things just up and exploded 180 degree water everywhere? Who built this place? They obviously weren't thinking about children. I can do things about stairs and wires. I can't do anything about the vents. Bah! Panic attack.
Too bad I can't just barricade Max in a little room made of pillows and bubble wrap and let him go to town. Although, I'm sure he'd figure out some way to get a black eye or bust his lip open regardless of his surroundings. But still... another interesting thought....
1. Tower of Terror- We have 2 flights of stairs. Luckily, a closed door blocks the stairs to the basement. The other set are BRUTAL. 20 very steep hardwood stairs bridge the living room to the bedrooms and bathroom. 2 gates are mandatory, but I can just picture my little maniac climbing over said gates and tumbling down the stair mountain. Or attempting to scale them from the outside railing. I have anxiety just thinking about it.
2. Strangulation and/or Electrocution Apparatus- There is no way to get around all of the wires that run from the tv, xbox, cable box, router, printer, etc. I have strategically placed the computer desk next to the tv stand so that the wires are secluded to the one corner of the living room. That being said, the pile of wires lay there taunting me daily. First of all, I hate the tackiness of wires. Second of all, they are just BEGGING for little hands to pull on them, chew on them, try to wear them as a necklace, and so on. I'm not sure how to go about hiding them... too bad I can't fashion some sort of gate to block those. Hmm... interesting thought...
3. Hot Water Black Hole- Our house is an old historic building. The heating system is old school. The vents are not your typical flat to the ground vents with the slots that let air in and out. Our vents are these large metal-ish panels that run along the base board of every room and stick out of the wall a couple of inches. They don't get scolding hot, but they definitely get warm from the 180 degree water that is flowing through them. I am picturing my little Max sticking his tiny hands down in the slot of the vent and getting stuck. Or shoving little toys inside. Or food. Or what if one of those things just up and exploded 180 degree water everywhere? Who built this place? They obviously weren't thinking about children. I can do things about stairs and wires. I can't do anything about the vents. Bah! Panic attack.
Too bad I can't just barricade Max in a little room made of pillows and bubble wrap and let him go to town. Although, I'm sure he'd figure out some way to get a black eye or bust his lip open regardless of his surroundings. But still... another interesting thought....
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