So, I absolutely HATE those stickers and window decals that say "It's Jeep thing... Wouldn't Understand," and every other variation of it. I get it...you drive a Jeep...we don't know what's it like to have half doors, no windows, and no real roof on our vehicles....unless of course, we own a golf cart and then we do. Let's be honest - a Jeep really is just a jacked up golf cart. I'm not just picking on Jeeps here - I hate all of those sayings. "It's Seminole thing, it's a Gator thing, it's a Cane thing..." yes, we all understand - we just wear different colors.
However, as of 3 1/2 months ago, I joined a new group - it's called 'parenthood'. Our saying, you ask? "It's a Parent Thing...You Wouldn't Understand." Since becoming a mom, I now have something in common with a large number of women that I otherwise may not have. Moms can find another mom and talk for hours. I find myself in the Publix check-out line or on an elevator having in-depth heart to hearts and sharing spit-up, booger, and poop stories with complete strangers. It's not even just limited to talk about the babies - labor stories, breastfeeding drama, postpartum recovery are all fair game.
Being a new member of this exclusive club, I understand that if you're not part of the "Parent Club" then you really don't care to be...or care to hear parents talk to each other. I get that. I was just there 3 1/2 months ago. I didn't want to hear about your babies latest blow-out or which diapers made your child break-out in a nasty rash. You have your own clubs that parents aren't allowed in anymore. It just really is the funniest thing to listen to parents talk to each other. I've even heard stories from Andrew about sitting around with guys, drinking beer, talking about their babies' sleeping habits - or lack thereof. It all sounds really dorky and boring until you're in that situation, so it's true..."It's a Parent Thing...You Wouldn't Undestand."
Monday, June 18, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
12 Week Update
12 weeks?! Really? I can't believe my baby is a whole trimester old! :) He is getting to be so animated and really developing a little personality - it's so fun to see how he changes everyday. Literally - he does something new everyday! So like I mentioned in an earlier post about not wanting to take weekly maternity pictures because I knew I'd miss a week and it would drive me crazy...I've missed one of my two week marks - the 10 week update. Yes, it's driving me crazy and I considered abandoning the idea all together, but decided that I must push through this. I can't be a quitter - what kind of example would I be setting for my son?!
Davis - 12 weeks:
Likes: when daddy tickles his chunky thighs (seriously, I've never heard him laugh so loud!), sitting like a big boy in his Bumbo seat (he starts smiling sooo big!), watching tv (I know, I'm a bad mother), staring at the lights and listening to the music on his starfish, trying to mimic facial expressions - especially sticking his tongue out, doing "sit-ups" using our hands to pull himself up, dancing around and singing with mommy (Bob Marley is always a favorite), staring at his hands, and being swaddled to sleep, which is the weirdest thing because he HATED this from birth until about 2 weeks ago.
Dislikes: still very impatient while waiting for a bottle - he screams like he hasn't eaten in days (even though it's only been about 3 hours), waking up from a nap only to realize he's in his car seat, sand in his toes (figured this out at the beach this week), tummy time, when mommy disturbs him to take pictures while he's trying to watch Sports Center...see the annoyance:
Davis - 12 weeks:
Likes: when daddy tickles his chunky thighs (seriously, I've never heard him laugh so loud!), sitting like a big boy in his Bumbo seat (he starts smiling sooo big!), watching tv (I know, I'm a bad mother), staring at the lights and listening to the music on his starfish, trying to mimic facial expressions - especially sticking his tongue out, doing "sit-ups" using our hands to pull himself up, dancing around and singing with mommy (Bob Marley is always a favorite), staring at his hands, and being swaddled to sleep, which is the weirdest thing because he HATED this from birth until about 2 weeks ago.
Dislikes: still very impatient while waiting for a bottle - he screams like he hasn't eaten in days (even though it's only been about 3 hours), waking up from a nap only to realize he's in his car seat, sand in his toes (figured this out at the beach this week), tummy time, when mommy disturbs him to take pictures while he's trying to watch Sports Center...see the annoyance:
Other news: Davis took his very first vacation this week! We traveled to the Outer Banks - Corolla, NC and stayed at the beach for a week. He was incredibly good on the 14 hour drive. On the way there, he only cried for maybe a total of 20 minutes. The way home wasn't as great, but still pretty impressive for a 3 month old! He loved getting to meet Uncle Matthew and spending lots of QT with Mimi and Grandpa! This was also his very first time at the beach. (I know, Andrew and I feel like failures as Floridians that our son's first time at the beach was in North Carolina!)
Latest Claim to Fame: Sitting in his Bumbo - he's got some serious head/neck control! What a big boy!!
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Baby Olympics
Just admit it. We all do it. Comparing your child with others is inevitable. As much as I said I would never do it - even before I was ever pregnant - I can't help myself. As sick and twisted as it is, I want my baby to be the best - better than all the others. Of course, in my opinion, he is! :) I do realize, however, that all parents feel this way. We all have the best babies in all the world and that's okay, but let's just settle it once and for all...let's hold a "Baby Olympics"!
One question I get asked constantly is, "How does he sleep?" Do you really care how another person's baby sleeps? Absolutely not. The real intention behind it is, "Does my baby sleep longer/go down easier than yours?" I'm guilty of this myself. It's unfortunate if you're sleep deprived, but really I'm just sizing up the competition. I'll be the first to admit, Davis isn't winning any medals in this category, but he's been practicing and will be some serious competition in the near future. Be on the look out!
Competitions in which Davis is certainly topping the podium are eating and gaining weight. I challenge anyone to find a baby that likes to eat as much (and gets as excited at the sight of a bottle) and had to take the 4-11 month dose of Baby Tylenol after his 2 month shots due to his weight. At 15 lbs, he isn't playing any games. (*15 lbs was a few weeks ago, so who knows what he's up to now!)
There definitely would have to be a competition for each of the major milestones. Smiling - who started the earliest? Who does it the most? Spontaneous or in response to something? Laughing - same as smiling. Rolling over - Davis can't enter this race yet...is that a bad thing? Tummy time - who can hold their head up the highest degree? How many times can your baby turn his/her head side to side in 5 minutes? Which baby can go the longest without crying during tummy time? Cooing - when did it start? How many different sounds can your baby make? Vowels? Consonants?
These are all just in the 0-3 month bracket. I imagine that competition only gets fiercer as the babies get older - walking, talking, curing cancer - oh my! Like I said, I'm just as guilty as the next mom so I'm not just throwing stones here. Perhaps it's simply human nature to compete in all areas of life - including babies - who knows? I do know, however, that the only real way to settle it is to hold the 1st Annual Baby Olympics! Who's in?
One question I get asked constantly is, "How does he sleep?" Do you really care how another person's baby sleeps? Absolutely not. The real intention behind it is, "Does my baby sleep longer/go down easier than yours?" I'm guilty of this myself. It's unfortunate if you're sleep deprived, but really I'm just sizing up the competition. I'll be the first to admit, Davis isn't winning any medals in this category, but he's been practicing and will be some serious competition in the near future. Be on the look out!
Competitions in which Davis is certainly topping the podium are eating and gaining weight. I challenge anyone to find a baby that likes to eat as much (and gets as excited at the sight of a bottle) and had to take the 4-11 month dose of Baby Tylenol after his 2 month shots due to his weight. At 15 lbs, he isn't playing any games. (*15 lbs was a few weeks ago, so who knows what he's up to now!)
There definitely would have to be a competition for each of the major milestones. Smiling - who started the earliest? Who does it the most? Spontaneous or in response to something? Laughing - same as smiling. Rolling over - Davis can't enter this race yet...is that a bad thing? Tummy time - who can hold their head up the highest degree? How many times can your baby turn his/her head side to side in 5 minutes? Which baby can go the longest without crying during tummy time? Cooing - when did it start? How many different sounds can your baby make? Vowels? Consonants?
These are all just in the 0-3 month bracket. I imagine that competition only gets fiercer as the babies get older - walking, talking, curing cancer - oh my! Like I said, I'm just as guilty as the next mom so I'm not just throwing stones here. Perhaps it's simply human nature to compete in all areas of life - including babies - who knows? I do know, however, that the only real way to settle it is to hold the 1st Annual Baby Olympics! Who's in?
Monday, May 7, 2012
8 Week Update
Two months already!? It's really hard to believe! The first month absolutely flew by and then the second month seemed to drag a little, but thinking back on it, it seems like just yesterday I was in bed eating a blueberry muffin wondering if my water broke or if I slowly losing control of my bladder. Oh the memories...
Davis - 8 weeks:
Likes: smiling, mimicking me when I stick out my tongue, laughing, when Bear licks his toes, laying on his aquarium mat and kicking his ball, still LOVES staring at himself in the mirror, splashing/kicking his feet in the tub
Dislikes: getting out of the bath tub, still has no patience and hates waiting for a bottle to heat, when his pacifier falls out, his bassinet (he refused to sleep in it anymore at about 7 weeks)
Other News: I had been noticing that he seemed uncomfortable and in pain - usually after he ate. I passed it off as being extremely gassy, but after weeks of gas drops, pumping his legs, and massaging his belly, it didn't seem to be getting any better. Actually, it was getting worse. Long story short, we went to see the pediatrician about it and she diagnosed him with acid reflux. :( Poor baby. Immediately, I felt like a terrible mother for waiting so long to take him in. I was "afraid" to be that overly protective/paranoid first-time mom - I figured I was overreacting. Shame on me. However, the doctor said it wasn't too bad and that in her opinion, all babies have some form of reflux - just differs in severity. She prescribed him Zantac that he takes twice a day. Aside from him hating the minty flavor and making some serious scrunchy faces, it has worked like magic! No more screaming, high-pitched squealing, arching his back, waking up from dead sleeps to cry for 2-3 minutes! Let's hope it continues to work! It's also really fun to watch people's reaction when I tell them that, like a 60 year old man, my baby takes Zantac.
Happier news - Davis has just been introduced to his teddy! He seems to like it so far!
Latest Claim to Fame: At the pediatrician's office at 7 weeks old, Davis weighed a whopping...13 lbs! At 2 weeks old, he was 9 lbs 12 oz and in the 78th percentile for his age. Now? He's in the 96th percentile! Tee hee! My baby is such an over-achiever!
Davis - 8 weeks:
Likes: smiling, mimicking me when I stick out my tongue, laughing, when Bear licks his toes, laying on his aquarium mat and kicking his ball, still LOVES staring at himself in the mirror, splashing/kicking his feet in the tub
Dislikes: getting out of the bath tub, still has no patience and hates waiting for a bottle to heat, when his pacifier falls out, his bassinet (he refused to sleep in it anymore at about 7 weeks)
Other News: I had been noticing that he seemed uncomfortable and in pain - usually after he ate. I passed it off as being extremely gassy, but after weeks of gas drops, pumping his legs, and massaging his belly, it didn't seem to be getting any better. Actually, it was getting worse. Long story short, we went to see the pediatrician about it and she diagnosed him with acid reflux. :( Poor baby. Immediately, I felt like a terrible mother for waiting so long to take him in. I was "afraid" to be that overly protective/paranoid first-time mom - I figured I was overreacting. Shame on me. However, the doctor said it wasn't too bad and that in her opinion, all babies have some form of reflux - just differs in severity. She prescribed him Zantac that he takes twice a day. Aside from him hating the minty flavor and making some serious scrunchy faces, it has worked like magic! No more screaming, high-pitched squealing, arching his back, waking up from dead sleeps to cry for 2-3 minutes! Let's hope it continues to work! It's also really fun to watch people's reaction when I tell them that, like a 60 year old man, my baby takes Zantac.
Happier news - Davis has just been introduced to his teddy! He seems to like it so far!
Latest Claim to Fame: At the pediatrician's office at 7 weeks old, Davis weighed a whopping...13 lbs! At 2 weeks old, he was 9 lbs 12 oz and in the 78th percentile for his age. Now? He's in the 96th percentile! Tee hee! My baby is such an over-achiever!
Thursday, May 3, 2012
"Easier Everyday"
I had heard during the last few weeks of my pregnancy and was reminded numerous times during the first few weeks after having him, that "it gets easier everyday." An "experienced" mother (she has 3 kids, so I consider that experienced) told me, "If you can make it through that first day at home, just know that it gets easier everyday after that - but it never gets easy." I almost completely agree...
Yes, all of those people were right in the fact that it does get easier, but never gets easy. However, the first two weeks were a breeze! He slept all the time, I had Andrew home to help - plus 2 fabulous grandmas staying here! It wasn't until the third week that $&*# hit the fan. I was alone - alllll alone - with a little man to take care of...needless to say, I was terrified. I was lonely too - going from a houseful of people, visitors constantly, and all the excitement to nothing but me, Davis and 'The View' was a huge transition. That's when it came....I can't say I wasn't warned, but it was only by one person (also a new mom)....the third week - dun dun dun!!!! Holy moly - the third week was a struggle. My sweet, sleepy baby was no more. He was awake and cranky! We had a day or two when we suspected the awful 'c' word - colic. Thankfully, I don't think that was the case...just a few extremely gassy, fussy hours. That's about the week that the thought "what did I get myself into?" came into my mind. Show me a mother who says she didn't have this thought - even for a split second - and I'll show you a liar. During the more difficult times, I had to cling to that famous phrase - "it gets easier everyday". So at 3:30am, after 2 hours of crying for seemingly no reason, I kept thinking to myself, "if I can go to sleep and wake up tomorrow, it will be easier than it is today." For the most part, it was true.
Now, being in the middle of the 8th week (I can't believe it!!) I can honestly say that it is easier! Yes, he's awake more but he's happy! Or if he's not happy, it's easier to figure out why and to fix it! It doesn't hurt that a few weeks ago he started smiling and hasn't stopped since. It is absolutely impossible - no matter how frustrated I am cleaning a diaper blow-out at 4 am - to be angry when he looks up and smiles at me from that changing table. I melt. This kid will get away with anything in life if he keeps looking at and smiling at me (and his daddy) like that!
So, if there are any expectant mothers out there that are tired of hearing all of the stories and advice from us "experienced" mothers, just ignore all of it except "it gets easier everyday - starting after the 3rd week." It may be what gets you through the day....or at least the next few weeks until the smiles start rolling in! :)
Yes, all of those people were right in the fact that it does get easier, but never gets easy. However, the first two weeks were a breeze! He slept all the time, I had Andrew home to help - plus 2 fabulous grandmas staying here! It wasn't until the third week that $&*# hit the fan. I was alone - alllll alone - with a little man to take care of...needless to say, I was terrified. I was lonely too - going from a houseful of people, visitors constantly, and all the excitement to nothing but me, Davis and 'The View' was a huge transition. That's when it came....I can't say I wasn't warned, but it was only by one person (also a new mom)....the third week - dun dun dun!!!! Holy moly - the third week was a struggle. My sweet, sleepy baby was no more. He was awake and cranky! We had a day or two when we suspected the awful 'c' word - colic. Thankfully, I don't think that was the case...just a few extremely gassy, fussy hours. That's about the week that the thought "what did I get myself into?" came into my mind. Show me a mother who says she didn't have this thought - even for a split second - and I'll show you a liar. During the more difficult times, I had to cling to that famous phrase - "it gets easier everyday". So at 3:30am, after 2 hours of crying for seemingly no reason, I kept thinking to myself, "if I can go to sleep and wake up tomorrow, it will be easier than it is today." For the most part, it was true.
Now, being in the middle of the 8th week (I can't believe it!!) I can honestly say that it is easier! Yes, he's awake more but he's happy! Or if he's not happy, it's easier to figure out why and to fix it! It doesn't hurt that a few weeks ago he started smiling and hasn't stopped since. It is absolutely impossible - no matter how frustrated I am cleaning a diaper blow-out at 4 am - to be angry when he looks up and smiles at me from that changing table. I melt. This kid will get away with anything in life if he keeps looking at and smiling at me (and his daddy) like that!
So, if there are any expectant mothers out there that are tired of hearing all of the stories and advice from us "experienced" mothers, just ignore all of it except "it gets easier everyday - starting after the 3rd week." It may be what gets you through the day....or at least the next few weeks until the smiles start rolling in! :)
How could you resist this face?!
Monday, April 23, 2012
6 Week Update
Okay, so this is a little late because Davis is 7 weeks old today - oops! Originally I had planned to do a weekly update, but I know that would never happen and it would drive me crazy when I missed a week. (This is the same reason I didn't do weekly belly shots while I was pregnant.) However, this being the first day of his 7th week of life, I'm not too late to report on his first 6 weeks.
Likes: bouncing, making eye contact, playing on the floor, smiling at farting noises, making strange faces, splashing around in his whale bath tub, kicking his legs, having 90s dance parties in the sling with mommy, of course eating, and I'm pretty sure he also likes the Gators! Good boy!
Dislikes: getting out of the bath tub, being gassy, having his nails clipped, but he also hates when he scratches his face..he hasn't quite mastered the concept of cause and effect yet - maybe next week.
Other News: We haven't been back to the pediatrician in a few weeks, but we're pretty sure Davis is somewhere in the 12 lbs range. I know - giant baby! He is finally starting to chunk up - especially his cheeks and thighs!
Likes: bouncing, making eye contact, playing on the floor, smiling at farting noises, making strange faces, splashing around in his whale bath tub, kicking his legs, having 90s dance parties in the sling with mommy, of course eating, and I'm pretty sure he also likes the Gators! Good boy!
Dislikes: getting out of the bath tub, being gassy, having his nails clipped, but he also hates when he scratches his face..he hasn't quite mastered the concept of cause and effect yet - maybe next week.
Other News: We haven't been back to the pediatrician in a few weeks, but we're pretty sure Davis is somewhere in the 12 lbs range. I know - giant baby! He is finally starting to chunk up - especially his cheeks and thighs!
Latest Claim to Fame: Davis has definitely got this smiling thing down now and he's even begun dabbling in the laughing/giggling department! It's beyond adorable!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
The Glamorous Life
Being a parent is oh so glamorous! I hope you can sense my sarcasm. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but glamorous is certainly not an adjective that should ever be used to describe it. Ever.
For example, as I type this I am still in my pjs (it's 1:10 pm) that have dried spit-up on them and I'm pretty sure there's some in my hair too. It will also take me twice as long to type this because I only have one hand available at the moment - trying to keep a pacifier in with the other. As a parent, I now obsess over odd things. I sent a text to a mommy friend this morning stating, "I have an OCD-like obsession with getting boogers out of Davis' nose." When did picking someone else's nose become cool? March 5 at 3:31 pm, that's when! Seriously, I hate for him to have boogers in his nose. I spend a sizable chunk of time during the day suctioning, wiping, and scratching crusties out of/off of his nose. I know this is completely disgusting but it's my life these days. Yesterday, I sucked out his first "real" booger - not just snot so what did I do?? Took a picture and sent it to Andrew! He really appreciated it - especially because it was about a hour after I sent him a picture of Davis' massive blow-out in his bouncy seat. *It dripped a trail from the living room to his changing table, by the way.* Poor kid had a gooey kind of day yesterday and I got the pleasure of cleaning it all. Glamorous, right?
Also, I've noticed as parents, we get really excited about poo. The other day I was getting ready (I know - shocking!) and I hear Andrew yell, "Erin! Come in here!" So I go trotting into the nursery thinking something is wrong and upon arrival Andrew said, "Look at the size of this poo!" It was quite impressive and I appreciated the invitation for the viewing. We also cheer when Davis does a stinky - lets us know everything is working its way through properly. I would be concerned about myself except that I know I'm not alone. It's a parent thing. Here's a text from my friend, Andrea, from today: "Brad (her hubs) always asks for poop updates. She took a dump this morning I don't think Brad or I is capable of! I had to Lysol her room twice because it smelled so bad!"
See? I'm not alone. We share these disgusting tidbits with each other all day. It's nice not having to be so incredibly glamorous all by myself.
** I would attach the blow-out and booger pictures, but I realize that not everyone is a parent and therefore not interested in seeing them. You just wait though...I'll be happy to send them along for anyone's viewing pleasure. Just ask! :)
For example, as I type this I am still in my pjs (it's 1:10 pm) that have dried spit-up on them and I'm pretty sure there's some in my hair too. It will also take me twice as long to type this because I only have one hand available at the moment - trying to keep a pacifier in with the other. As a parent, I now obsess over odd things. I sent a text to a mommy friend this morning stating, "I have an OCD-like obsession with getting boogers out of Davis' nose." When did picking someone else's nose become cool? March 5 at 3:31 pm, that's when! Seriously, I hate for him to have boogers in his nose. I spend a sizable chunk of time during the day suctioning, wiping, and scratching crusties out of/off of his nose. I know this is completely disgusting but it's my life these days. Yesterday, I sucked out his first "real" booger - not just snot so what did I do?? Took a picture and sent it to Andrew! He really appreciated it - especially because it was about a hour after I sent him a picture of Davis' massive blow-out in his bouncy seat. *It dripped a trail from the living room to his changing table, by the way.* Poor kid had a gooey kind of day yesterday and I got the pleasure of cleaning it all. Glamorous, right?
Also, I've noticed as parents, we get really excited about poo. The other day I was getting ready (I know - shocking!) and I hear Andrew yell, "Erin! Come in here!" So I go trotting into the nursery thinking something is wrong and upon arrival Andrew said, "Look at the size of this poo!" It was quite impressive and I appreciated the invitation for the viewing. We also cheer when Davis does a stinky - lets us know everything is working its way through properly. I would be concerned about myself except that I know I'm not alone. It's a parent thing. Here's a text from my friend, Andrea, from today: "Brad (her hubs) always asks for poop updates. She took a dump this morning I don't think Brad or I is capable of! I had to Lysol her room twice because it smelled so bad!"
See? I'm not alone. We share these disgusting tidbits with each other all day. It's nice not having to be so incredibly glamorous all by myself.
** I would attach the blow-out and booger pictures, but I realize that not everyone is a parent and therefore not interested in seeing them. You just wait though...I'll be happy to send them along for anyone's viewing pleasure. Just ask! :)
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Saturday, April 7, 2012
4 Week Update
Holy moly - my baby is a month old! In his first month of life, he'll already have celebrated two holidays - St. Patrick's Day and Easter (tomorrow). I tried to get Andrew to let me dye his milk green for St. Patty's day, but that was a no-go. Tee hee! :) Today he is gearing up for Easter celebrations by wearing his "Team Jellybean" onesie from Gramma!
All about Davis - 4 weeks:
Likes: EATING, bouncing in his new bouncy seat, lifting his head while on your chest, staring longingly into your eyes, bath time (usually), walks in his stroller, being held, and looking at himself in the mirror (he seriously LOVES himself) - see:
Dislikes: being hungry/waiting for a bottle, being in the car seat but not moving anywhere, photo shoots, wearing bunny ears for pictures, getting his clothes changed, shopping (he cried and made me hold him the entire time during our shopping trip to Target)
Other news: Davis had his very first play date!! Last Saturday he got to meet his future best friend - Cooper! They were sooo adorable together. Cooper is 8 days younger than Davis and about 1 1/2 lbs smaller; however, he spent most of the play date punching Davis in the face - LOL! Davis didn't seem to mind though...just stared curiously at Cooper for the majority of the play date. He did get in a few good retaliation punches there towards the end though. After their little staring-fest on the floor, they had an Easter arts & crafts session. Here is one example of his super cute footprint art:
Likes: EATING, bouncing in his new bouncy seat, lifting his head while on your chest, staring longingly into your eyes, bath time (usually), walks in his stroller, being held, and looking at himself in the mirror (he seriously LOVES himself) - see:
Other news: Davis had his very first play date!! Last Saturday he got to meet his future best friend - Cooper! They were sooo adorable together. Cooper is 8 days younger than Davis and about 1 1/2 lbs smaller; however, he spent most of the play date punching Davis in the face - LOL! Davis didn't seem to mind though...just stared curiously at Cooper for the majority of the play date. He did get in a few good retaliation punches there towards the end though. After their little staring-fest on the floor, they had an Easter arts & crafts session. Here is one example of his super cute footprint art:
(It's a bunny and a chicken if you couldn't tell! Also, I found that his ridiculously long toes make perfect blades of grass!)
Latest Claim to Fame: As you can see in the mirror picture, he's starting to smile!! I take credit for what I consider his first "real" smile - not just gas. On multiple occasions, he has smiled when I stick my tongue out at him. I think he even tries to mimic me sometimes, but then again, I'm also one of those moms that thinks my baby is mini-Einstein, so probably not. Oh well. :)
Friday, April 6, 2012
Revelations
Here I am - one whole month into motherhood! It's been quite an adventure and an adjustment for the whole household - dogs included. In this past month, I have had quite a few revelations.
1. I am a mother and am now entitled to whatever I want. For some reason, I now feel like I am free to do or say whatever I want because...I am a mother. For example, I was driving down the road the other day and saw a police officer coming in my direction. I may or may not have been going slightly over the speed limit. Normally I would have slammed on my brakes, got super nervous, and checked my rear view mirror for the next 5-10 miles to see if I was about to be pulled over. However, this time I slowed a little and then thought "he can't pull me over - I'm a mother! I have places to go!" Another example is when I was having a "mommy's night out" with some friends last weekend. Can you believe the audacity of the bartender to serve the gentleman to my right who had been waiting much longer than me first?! I am a mother! I need a drink more than he does!
2. Everything is 10x louder when the baby is sleeping. Opening a can of coke...used to be a refreshing sound. Now? Sounds like an atomic bomb is going off. When I finally get the baby to sleep at night and crawl into bed to snuggle up, the sheets actually make a normal rustling sound; however, to me it sounds like hurricane-force winds whipping through a clothesline. I then have to proceed in super slow-motion and climb into bed like I'm stalking prey in the Sahara.
3. All modesty has gone out of the window. I will now answer any question one may have about pregnancy, labor, the color and consistency of my baby's poop, etc with no hesitation. Previously, I was actually quite a modest person. Not anymore! If you happen to be at my house for more than an hour or two and it is time to pump, it is almost guaranteed that you will see "the girls". I have no shame these days.
4. Nothing is off limits in discussions with fellow parents. My best example so far actually happened tonight. I was out to dinner with my hubs, my MIL, and sweet baby Davis. He was getting a little fussy so I was holding him and giving him a bottle at the table. A male server (not even our server, mind you) came over and asked how old he is. Ok, not a big deal - it's a normal question to ask a lady with a baby. He goes on to tell me that his little girl just turned 4 weeks too! Next question out of his mouth, "Is that formula or breast milk you're feeding him?" Ummm...hello sir, nice to meet you! He did congratulate me on only giving him breast milk and then reassured me that by now my milk supply is already established so I should be able to keep up with Davis' demand even though he's a big eater. I feel so much better now. Thanks.
5. I will never be on time again - ever. I might as well not set a time for when I will be somewhere because I will most definitely be late. I planned to meet a friend at Starbucks this morning at 9:30...finally at 12:30pm we placed our order. It's ridiculous. If I tell you to meet me at my house at 1:00, I mean for you to be there at 1:00 so that you can entertain Davis and I can spend the next 30 minutes getting ready, then an additional 10 minutes packing his diaper bag and getting him in the car seat. Once we actually get to our destination, plan on another 5-7 minutes in the parking lot getting the stroller out and set-up, etc.
6. I could never be a single mother. Seriously, I don't know how these women do it. Being a mother is serious business - it's hard. Really hard. I can never express my gratitude to my family and friends who have helped me and allowed me to keep my sanity throughout the last four weeks. I've always known Andrew was a wonderful man, friend, and husband but for real...Dad of the Year! I also have to give a special thanks to my mom and mother-in-law who were here alternating "shifts" for the first two weeks, call to check on me daily (and sometimes just to chat!), and come over on the weekends to help with the baby. I couldn't ask for two better women in my life or better grandmas to Davis!
1. I am a mother and am now entitled to whatever I want. For some reason, I now feel like I am free to do or say whatever I want because...I am a mother. For example, I was driving down the road the other day and saw a police officer coming in my direction. I may or may not have been going slightly over the speed limit. Normally I would have slammed on my brakes, got super nervous, and checked my rear view mirror for the next 5-10 miles to see if I was about to be pulled over. However, this time I slowed a little and then thought "he can't pull me over - I'm a mother! I have places to go!" Another example is when I was having a "mommy's night out" with some friends last weekend. Can you believe the audacity of the bartender to serve the gentleman to my right who had been waiting much longer than me first?! I am a mother! I need a drink more than he does!
2. Everything is 10x louder when the baby is sleeping. Opening a can of coke...used to be a refreshing sound. Now? Sounds like an atomic bomb is going off. When I finally get the baby to sleep at night and crawl into bed to snuggle up, the sheets actually make a normal rustling sound; however, to me it sounds like hurricane-force winds whipping through a clothesline. I then have to proceed in super slow-motion and climb into bed like I'm stalking prey in the Sahara.
3. All modesty has gone out of the window. I will now answer any question one may have about pregnancy, labor, the color and consistency of my baby's poop, etc with no hesitation. Previously, I was actually quite a modest person. Not anymore! If you happen to be at my house for more than an hour or two and it is time to pump, it is almost guaranteed that you will see "the girls". I have no shame these days.
4. Nothing is off limits in discussions with fellow parents. My best example so far actually happened tonight. I was out to dinner with my hubs, my MIL, and sweet baby Davis. He was getting a little fussy so I was holding him and giving him a bottle at the table. A male server (not even our server, mind you) came over and asked how old he is. Ok, not a big deal - it's a normal question to ask a lady with a baby. He goes on to tell me that his little girl just turned 4 weeks too! Next question out of his mouth, "Is that formula or breast milk you're feeding him?" Ummm...hello sir, nice to meet you! He did congratulate me on only giving him breast milk and then reassured me that by now my milk supply is already established so I should be able to keep up with Davis' demand even though he's a big eater. I feel so much better now. Thanks.
5. I will never be on time again - ever. I might as well not set a time for when I will be somewhere because I will most definitely be late. I planned to meet a friend at Starbucks this morning at 9:30...finally at 12:30pm we placed our order. It's ridiculous. If I tell you to meet me at my house at 1:00, I mean for you to be there at 1:00 so that you can entertain Davis and I can spend the next 30 minutes getting ready, then an additional 10 minutes packing his diaper bag and getting him in the car seat. Once we actually get to our destination, plan on another 5-7 minutes in the parking lot getting the stroller out and set-up, etc.
6. I could never be a single mother. Seriously, I don't know how these women do it. Being a mother is serious business - it's hard. Really hard. I can never express my gratitude to my family and friends who have helped me and allowed me to keep my sanity throughout the last four weeks. I've always known Andrew was a wonderful man, friend, and husband but for real...Dad of the Year! I also have to give a special thanks to my mom and mother-in-law who were here alternating "shifts" for the first two weeks, call to check on me daily (and sometimes just to chat!), and come over on the weekends to help with the baby. I couldn't ask for two better women in my life or better grandmas to Davis!
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
"Sleeping Like a Baby"
Why do people say that? When hearing that, one would think a deep, sound, long sleep - very restful. However, sleeping like a baby is quite the opposite - at least sleeping like my baby! I try to take the advice, "sleep when the baby sleeps" but this guy is pretty unpredictable. As soon as I get him to sleep and transfer him to the bassinet, he's awake again. Sometimes it's time to eat again or he's poo'd himself, or he just feels like being held and looking around. It's a game of elimination to figure out which it is! Once that need/want is satisfied, he's ready for another snooze. It's also hard to predict how long these little snooze-fests will last - sometimes 20 minutes, sometimes 2 hours. (We are lucky in that he pretty consistently sleeps for 4 hour stretches at night - only waking up to eat and then going back to sleep.) I cannot "sleep like baby". I need long stretches, sleeping in, deep sleep - not half sleeping and waking up at every grunt or sigh. I know, I know...this is just part of being a mom and it isn't anything that every other mother hasn't dealt with before. I just don't understand the phrase "sleeping like baby" because their sleep schedule is quite erratic! Sleeping like my baby is not a positive thing for me!
We go from this...
...to this...
...in about 15 seconds flat.
Maybe if I got myself an adult-size car seat I would be able to sleep better because Davis certainly loves his! He seriously could probably sleep for 24 hours in that thing! (Ok, that's a bit of a stretch, but it sure makes going out to lunch or running errands much easier!)
We go from this...
...to this...
Maybe if I got myself an adult-size car seat I would be able to sleep better because Davis certainly loves his! He seriously could probably sleep for 24 hours in that thing! (Ok, that's a bit of a stretch, but it sure makes going out to lunch or running errands much easier!)
Saturday, March 24, 2012
2 Week Update
Our little munchkin is in his second week of life...Monday will be 3 weeks! I can't believe it - it has gone by so fast! I think a lot of that is attributed to the fact that we were in the hospital for five days dealing with his jaundice. Those five days all ran together and felt like one extremely long day. I'm so glad that is all behind us - aside from a little bit of yellow left in his little eyeballs, but the pediatrician isn't concerned.
In the past two weeks we've had a lot of developments! He already seems like such a different baby than the day he was born - or even the day we brought him home. In order to remember some of these hectic, early days, I'm going to use this blog!
All about Davis - 2 weeks:
Likes: EATING, sleeping on chests, riding in the Mamaroo (or his "spaceship" as Andrew calls it), looking at himself in the mirror on his penguin during tummy time, pats on the back, and perfecting his Blue Steel face (as seen here)
Dislikes: waking up and not having a bottle ready immediately, being naked, diaper changes, Huggies wipes (ugh - first diaper rash!)
Other News: Davis is up to 9 lbs 12 oz (as of 4 days ago) - that's a whole pound over his birth weight. The pediatrician said he's definitely a healthy boy, as they usually give newborns 2 weeks to get back to their birth weight and he's already back to it and added another whole pound on top of it! He's also in the 78th percentile for height and weight. His pediatrician also commented on his extremely long fingers/toes and big feet - said he was going to take after his daddy.
Latest Claim to Fame: During tummy time, Davis lifted and turned his head a record FOUR times back and forth - and quite gracefully I might add! He also has a lot more control lifting his head while on our chests - even on the way down. So pretty much I'm saying he's going to be walking in like three days because he's sooooo advanced. (LOL - just kidding - I told myself I wouldn't be one of "those moms"...but I also said I wouldn't be frumpy and we all know how that's going!)
In the past two weeks we've had a lot of developments! He already seems like such a different baby than the day he was born - or even the day we brought him home. In order to remember some of these hectic, early days, I'm going to use this blog!
All about Davis - 2 weeks:
Likes: EATING, sleeping on chests, riding in the Mamaroo (or his "spaceship" as Andrew calls it), looking at himself in the mirror on his penguin during tummy time, pats on the back, and perfecting his Blue Steel face (as seen here)
Dislikes: waking up and not having a bottle ready immediately, being naked, diaper changes, Huggies wipes (ugh - first diaper rash!)
Other News: Davis is up to 9 lbs 12 oz (as of 4 days ago) - that's a whole pound over his birth weight. The pediatrician said he's definitely a healthy boy, as they usually give newborns 2 weeks to get back to their birth weight and he's already back to it and added another whole pound on top of it! He's also in the 78th percentile for height and weight. His pediatrician also commented on his extremely long fingers/toes and big feet - said he was going to take after his daddy.
Latest Claim to Fame: During tummy time, Davis lifted and turned his head a record FOUR times back and forth - and quite gracefully I might add! He also has a lot more control lifting his head while on our chests - even on the way down. So pretty much I'm saying he's going to be walking in like three days because he's sooooo advanced. (LOL - just kidding - I told myself I wouldn't be one of "those moms"...but I also said I wouldn't be frumpy and we all know how that's going!)
Monday, March 19, 2012
Frumpy Moms Club
So...it's happened. I have officially joined the Frumpy Moms Club - or the FMC. Throughout my whole pregnancy (and even before getting pregnant) I swore that I would never be a part of this shameful club. It seemed as if as soon as a woman gave birth, all style and effort to look good went out the window. I didn't get it - how hard is it to look presentable?! Well, well, well...not only have I joined the FMC, I could probably be the president. My name is Erin and I am a frumpy mom.
As of today, my baby is two weeks old. In those two weeks, I have been out of my pajamas exactly five times. Two of those times were just to go to the pediatrician and I wore a maxi dress, which, let's be honest, is a glorified nightgown. I have straightened my hair once and dried it twice. Make-up twice as well. I do, however, shower everyday, so I feel pretty good about that!
I suppose my point is that it's so easy to pass judgement and make of list of things you'll "never do" before you are actually in that particular situation. I'm really hoping to pull out of my frump-slump soon, but it's not looking good. I'm honestly jealous of Davis' clothes - if I could wear zip-up footed sleepers and onesies all day I totally would!
I need to do some serious pampering or else buy my little man this:
Birds & Bees Tees
As of today, my baby is two weeks old. In those two weeks, I have been out of my pajamas exactly five times. Two of those times were just to go to the pediatrician and I wore a maxi dress, which, let's be honest, is a glorified nightgown. I have straightened my hair once and dried it twice. Make-up twice as well. I do, however, shower everyday, so I feel pretty good about that!
I suppose my point is that it's so easy to pass judgement and make of list of things you'll "never do" before you are actually in that particular situation. I'm really hoping to pull out of my frump-slump soon, but it's not looking good. I'm honestly jealous of Davis' clothes - if I could wear zip-up footed sleepers and onesies all day I totally would!
I need to do some serious pampering or else buy my little man this:
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
To celebrate St. Patrick's Day today, Andrew and I did a mini photo shoot with our little lucky charm! Here's one of my favorite pics from the "session".
Happy St. Patrick's Day from our family to yours!
Mash-up
A question that I'm sure is on most pregnant women's mind constantly is "What is my baby going to look like?" Actually, I thought about this looooong before I was pregnant - kind of like how we all plan our weddings long before we ever meet "the one". You know you do/did it - don't play coy with me. Anyway...I got to thinking about this tonight and I remembered our wedding slideshow. In the slideshow, we had lots of pictures of both of us growing up and I decided to watch it and let my imagination run wild!
At first I was pretty happy about the possible outcome. Here we are at about 1-2 years old:
At first I was pretty happy about the possible outcome. Here we are at about 1-2 years old:
How cute was he?!
Splashing in the puddles on my first birthday! Rumor has it, this was the only time I was in a good mood that entire day - oops! :)
Doing a mash-up of those two kids could produce a little cutie, so that had me excited! Then I got to these...
Oh dear Lord! This is a scary sight...however, I think it proves we were meant for each other! :)
*** I started this post a few weeks before I had sweet Davis, so it made more sense then. However, my laptop crashed mid-post and I wasn't able to finish or get my pictures off of my computer until today. Lucky for us, we got this little cutie pie!
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Welcome to the World, Davis!
Fact: Fewer than 5 percent of babies are born on their actual due date.
Fact: My baby was! :)
I have been MIA from the blogging world for about a week or so...completely due to the fact that my little bundle of preciousness decided it was time to come out! Sunday, March 4, I posted about all the little tricks I had tried and complained about this boy not wanting to come meet us...little did I know that just a few hours later, I would be heading to the hospital. He's a punctual little guy and was simply patiently waiting until his due date - the day we had been counting down to for the past 9 months!
It all started Monday morning, March 5, at about 6:30 in the morning. I was feeling a little crampy, but thought that maybe I had just been sleeping in a weird position. I got up to use the restroom and thought I'd waited just a little too long and had possibly "leaked" a little on myself. Oops. Let's be honest - it happened once or twice during the pregnancy. So I got back in bed and tried to sleep; however, the cramps were continuing but weren't unbearable. About this time, Andrew woke up for work and I told him I thought I was having contractions but wasn't sure. He suggested to start timing them and they were about 8 minutes apart. We continued to hang around the house - me in bed, him getting ready for work. I was tracking the "cramps" on my phone and giving Andrew updates. After about an hour, they were consistently 4 minutes apart - with some erratic ones coming in 2 minutes apart. I definitely didn't want to be the "little girl who cried labor" so I called the nurse. Our conversation went like this:
Me: "I think I might be in labor."
Nurse: "If you think you're in labor, go to the hospital."
Me: "But I'm not really sure..."
Nurse: "Did your water break?"
Me: "Maybe..or I may just be tinkling on myself."
Nurse: "You need to go to the hospital."
(She probably thought I was a real peach...)
So off we went to the hospital at 8:00am. As I got out of the car, there was no doubt that my water had broken, so I waddled on to check-in. Pretty quickly, I was seen by the triage nurse and within an hour, I was moved to a labor room.
Immediately, I informed anyone that would listen that I wanted an epidural. I did have that thought of "this isn't so bad...I could probably go all natural" for a split second. Good thing I remembered great advice/warnings from friends that I would get this thought and to not give in to it - get the epi! Thank goodness for friends because by the time I got the epidural, I was 6cm dilated and really starting to get uncomfortable. In comes the anesthesiologist - 15 minutes later, I was feeling fabulous! Two hours later, I was 10 cm dilated and 100% effaced. They let me "labor down" on my own for about 45 minutes since I was feeling no pain at all. At about 2:45pm, the nurse said it was time to push...
* The scary part of this whole experience happened right before this - the doctor and about 4 nurses came rushing in, slapped an oxygen mask on my face, told me to focus on breathing, and proceeded to tell me that the baby's heart rate was dropping too low during big contractions and started discussing "options" of possibly using the vacuum extractor or c-section. Yikes.
Thank the Lord that none of that was necessary. It was time to push and the doctor felt confident all would be fine....45 minutes later Davis Charles showed his beautiful face at 3:31pm. Immediately, they placed him on my chest, Andrew cut the umbilical cord, and then we just sat there staring at him, then each other. All we both could say was "look at him" - and that's exactly what we did for what seemed like hours. It was the most amazing moment in both of our lives (I'll speak for Andrew). I have never felt more love for any two things in the entire world - at that moment, my two men made my life complete!
**Side note: As a whole, my labor was wonderful! I would use the term "easy peasy" but I don't want to jinx myself for any future pregnancies. My nurse did comment that I had a really great epidural and said she wished all deliveries were as easy as mine. I smiled, laughed, and carried on conversations with the doctor and nurses through the whole thing. When all was said and done, I would have to say that peeling the tape off of my back (due to the epidural) was the most painful part of the delivery. I know, I'm extremely lucky and blessed!
Fact: My baby was! :)
I have been MIA from the blogging world for about a week or so...completely due to the fact that my little bundle of preciousness decided it was time to come out! Sunday, March 4, I posted about all the little tricks I had tried and complained about this boy not wanting to come meet us...little did I know that just a few hours later, I would be heading to the hospital. He's a punctual little guy and was simply patiently waiting until his due date - the day we had been counting down to for the past 9 months!
It all started Monday morning, March 5, at about 6:30 in the morning. I was feeling a little crampy, but thought that maybe I had just been sleeping in a weird position. I got up to use the restroom and thought I'd waited just a little too long and had possibly "leaked" a little on myself. Oops. Let's be honest - it happened once or twice during the pregnancy. So I got back in bed and tried to sleep; however, the cramps were continuing but weren't unbearable. About this time, Andrew woke up for work and I told him I thought I was having contractions but wasn't sure. He suggested to start timing them and they were about 8 minutes apart. We continued to hang around the house - me in bed, him getting ready for work. I was tracking the "cramps" on my phone and giving Andrew updates. After about an hour, they were consistently 4 minutes apart - with some erratic ones coming in 2 minutes apart. I definitely didn't want to be the "little girl who cried labor" so I called the nurse. Our conversation went like this:
Me: "I think I might be in labor."
Nurse: "If you think you're in labor, go to the hospital."
Me: "But I'm not really sure..."
Nurse: "Did your water break?"
Me: "Maybe..or I may just be tinkling on myself."
Nurse: "You need to go to the hospital."
(She probably thought I was a real peach...)
So off we went to the hospital at 8:00am. As I got out of the car, there was no doubt that my water had broken, so I waddled on to check-in. Pretty quickly, I was seen by the triage nurse and within an hour, I was moved to a labor room.
Immediately, I informed anyone that would listen that I wanted an epidural. I did have that thought of "this isn't so bad...I could probably go all natural" for a split second. Good thing I remembered great advice/warnings from friends that I would get this thought and to not give in to it - get the epi! Thank goodness for friends because by the time I got the epidural, I was 6cm dilated and really starting to get uncomfortable. In comes the anesthesiologist - 15 minutes later, I was feeling fabulous! Two hours later, I was 10 cm dilated and 100% effaced. They let me "labor down" on my own for about 45 minutes since I was feeling no pain at all. At about 2:45pm, the nurse said it was time to push...
* The scary part of this whole experience happened right before this - the doctor and about 4 nurses came rushing in, slapped an oxygen mask on my face, told me to focus on breathing, and proceeded to tell me that the baby's heart rate was dropping too low during big contractions and started discussing "options" of possibly using the vacuum extractor or c-section. Yikes.
Thank the Lord that none of that was necessary. It was time to push and the doctor felt confident all would be fine....45 minutes later Davis Charles showed his beautiful face at 3:31pm. Immediately, they placed him on my chest, Andrew cut the umbilical cord, and then we just sat there staring at him, then each other. All we both could say was "look at him" - and that's exactly what we did for what seemed like hours. It was the most amazing moment in both of our lives (I'll speak for Andrew). I have never felt more love for any two things in the entire world - at that moment, my two men made my life complete!
**Side note: As a whole, my labor was wonderful! I would use the term "easy peasy" but I don't want to jinx myself for any future pregnancies. My nurse did comment that I had a really great epidural and said she wished all deliveries were as easy as mine. I smiled, laughed, and carried on conversations with the doctor and nurses through the whole thing. When all was said and done, I would have to say that peeling the tape off of my back (due to the epidural) was the most painful part of the delivery. I know, I'm extremely lucky and blessed!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
D-Day Looming...
To steal the phrase from my MIL, "tomorrow is D-Day - Davis' Due Date"! Maybe he'll be one of the few babies actually born on their due dates, but I'm not thinking so. Needless to say, I have not been feeling baby-ish at all. I'm hoping it will all sneak up on me tonight or tomorrow morning but I'm preparing for the worst...a stubborn baby. (I know I'm being dramatic - it's definitely not the worst thing that could be happening) However, I've been working hard to get things moving along - testing out all of these crazy old wives' tales. For example, I've heard that you should start a new project because as soon as you do, the baby will come and interrupt your plans....well, I started redecorating the guest bathroom a few days ago and will be putting the finishing touches (a few more accessories) on it tomorrow because Andrew hung my shelves up today. So that was unsuccessful. I went to the doctor on Wednesday and she "did her thing" to try to help things along...lots of discomfort and hours of cramping...4 days later - nothing. Unsuccessful. Taking the advice from some new mommy friends, I've been doing squats everyday. Maybe successful in toning up this rear, but as far as baby time goes...unsuccessful.
Most recently, my friend Heather came over this morning and we went on a nice brisk walk. Even met another pregnant lady on our trip - she's due in 5 weeks and I swear, if she has her baby before me, I will lose my mind. The walk did nothing but give me a cramp in my calf because I'm incredibly out of shape. When I got home, my husband proceeded to make fun of me about only being gone 20 minutes and it being the most exercise I've had in quite a while. Jerk. :) Another "trick" I decided to try was eating a whole pineapple...
It's been about 2 hours since I completed this feat and nada. Next up on the list (and one that I'm actually kind of looking forward to) is coming at the request of my dad. According to his favorite radio station, this is a sure-fire way to induce labor.
Kraft macaroni and cheese (must be the blue box!) and A1 Steak Sauce. The instructions are quite specific. The mac-and-cheese must be picked up and bought by my baby daddy. He also must make it and serve it to me...I'm liking this already. I can put as much or as little A1 on it as I want to, but the more the better! This will be happening Tuesday because it also "won't work" until after your due date passes. We shall see.
Also, in the past week, I've had hot wings, fajitas, and Chinese food - all of which are supposed to help....good thing eating is one of my favorite hobbies! On the schedule for tomorrow...D-Day...pedicures with my MIL. Let's all cross our fingers and hope for the best!
Most recently, my friend Heather came over this morning and we went on a nice brisk walk. Even met another pregnant lady on our trip - she's due in 5 weeks and I swear, if she has her baby before me, I will lose my mind. The walk did nothing but give me a cramp in my calf because I'm incredibly out of shape. When I got home, my husband proceeded to make fun of me about only being gone 20 minutes and it being the most exercise I've had in quite a while. Jerk. :) Another "trick" I decided to try was eating a whole pineapple...
Kraft macaroni and cheese (must be the blue box!) and A1 Steak Sauce. The instructions are quite specific. The mac-and-cheese must be picked up and bought by my baby daddy. He also must make it and serve it to me...I'm liking this already. I can put as much or as little A1 on it as I want to, but the more the better! This will be happening Tuesday because it also "won't work" until after your due date passes. We shall see.
Also, in the past week, I've had hot wings, fajitas, and Chinese food - all of which are supposed to help....good thing eating is one of my favorite hobbies! On the schedule for tomorrow...D-Day...pedicures with my MIL. Let's all cross our fingers and hope for the best!
Thursday, March 1, 2012
DIY: Scrapbook Paper Mobile
I am so happy to announce that the nursery is almost complete! With the delivery (from my brother, SIL, and niece) of the reupholstered glider cushions last weekend, that leaves only some artwork to hang and it will be done and ready for Davis! (Maybe that's what he's waiting for...me to finish the nursery before he decides to come out...??) My oh-so-fabulous (and extremely talented) sister-in-law used some seersucker fabric I bought to reupholster the cushions on a pretty dingy glider. (Special thanks to my mom for repainting it for me - man, I seem really helpless!) I absolutely love the new glider and think it fits perfectly with the nursery decor!
There she is!! By no means is it perfect, but I made it! That's not something everyone can say about their mobile. :) The best part? It cost me exactly $0...4 hours, yes, but not a single dollar. Gotta love that!
*Be sure to check out the Hey Gorgeous tutorial - her ombre chandelier is wonderful and she has a lot of other super cute DIY projects!
It's hard to take a great picture of seersucker fabric (especially on my phone) but it's navy & white.
Originally, my only plan for the wall that the crib is on is the missing artwork. I have a friend who is a great artist and is painting a 3-canvas picture of a whale. *Think cute Vineyard Vines whale, not anatomically correct whale* Now that I think about it, I'm surrounded by some pretty artsy & crafty people and it's really working out to my advantage! Anyway...he is putting the finishing touches on that and I can't wait to get it up and see the whole room come together!
So, the other day I was perusing Pinterest (as I spend most of my days doing) and I came across this adorable DIY Paint Swatch Chandelier from Hey Gorgeous - The Blog. Immediately I fell in love and had the sudden urge to try to make it! The only problem, I couldn't think of anywhere to put it...what does one do with a paper chandelier?? I decided, instead, to make a mobile to hang over Davis' crib! I hadn't originally planned on getting a mobile (mostly because I didn't see one that I loved), so when I saw this I thought "why not?!"
Now, I am way too much of a chicken to "borrow" that many paint swatches from Lowe's or Home Depot. I thought I could use scrapbook cardstock instead. Also, I didn't have a circle-shaped large punch and didn't feel like cutting out hundreds of them by hand. I did, however, have a tag-shaped punch from our wedding, so I decided to give that a whirl.
Here's how I did it:
1) I chose a bunch of cardstock (that I already had) and punched out a whole bunch of tags. Keeping them separated into piles was a huge help when trying to choose which pattern/color would come next in line.
2) Then I took this lamp shade (given to me by my mom) and cut the fabric away from the metal. Now, a little recommendation if anyone gets the urge to try this: make sure your lamp shade has vertical metal "sticks" to connect the top and bottom rings. Mine did not and I had to tie mine together...getting them the same length so it would hang evenly proved quite difficult - in fact, it's still not perfectly even. Oh well.
3) The smaller ring will hang on the bottom, so I decided how long I wanted those strands to be. (I chose 4 tags long - really scientific units of measurement here!) Then I used thread and tape to attach them - leaving a little space in between so they could rotate. I made enough to go around and tied them on to the small ring.
4) This is where I had to attach the small ring to the large ring using string - making sure the smaller ring hung the lowest. I repeated step 3 using 6 tags per strand - these I attached to the large ring using tape because I didn't want there to be a space between the ring and the tag.
5) Once I had gone all the way around the large ring, I tied 3 pieces of string to each "side" and brought them together to join as one in the center. (Again, I had to do this step because my small and large rings weren't originally attached with metal. Otherwise, you could just tie string to where the light bulb would be held in place.)
6) My helpful and super tall husband used a step stool to hang it up over the crib!
*Be sure to check out the Hey Gorgeous tutorial - her ombre chandelier is wonderful and she has a lot of other super cute DIY projects!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Post-Pregnancy Plans
Woop woop - only 5 days until my due date!! I'm trying to be as lazy as possible (and it's just oh so terrible...) today in hopes of not having a baby - Leap Day. Is it called Leap Day or just Leap Year? I digress...so with only 5-12 days left, I've been doing a lot of thinking about my post-pregnancy plans. Most of these "big plans" have been in the making (in my head) for the last 9 months and revolve around food. So here is my "Post-Pregnancy Inspiration Board":
1. I want to become Kelly Ripa. Seriously, what is not to love about this woman!? She's beautiful, hilarious, dresses fabulously, has an amazing body, and is a mom but remains super stylish.
2. I must eat ahi tuna from Outback immediately. Not just any ol' tuna will do - it must be from Outback. The crust..the sauce...mmmm...my mouth is watering as I type.
3. Sushi!! Especially a volcano roll from Sushi Ninja - a little hole in the wall place in Brandon next to the Wal-Mart. Seriously, you would see the outside and never think of going in, but would be oh so thankful if I dragged you in there!
4. All I have wanted throughout this pregnancy is a cold turkey sandwich. I've been banned from them due to the risk of listeria - although my soon to be med school grad BIL says my chances of getting listeria are laughably low. I must confess - I've cheated 3 times with this one - oops. 3 times in 9 months isn't that bad though - considering I've craved them almost everyday!
5. Is it possible to crave an experience?? I have soooo been craving being at the beach, watching the waves, with an ice cold Corona in hand. I will be investing in a UV-protection umbrella for Davis.
6. Holy moly - I have missed shopping so much! Yes, I've gone shopping throughout my pregnancy, but it's just not the same. People look at you weird when you try to shop in "regular" stores, everyone stops you and wants to carry on a conversation, and it's just not as fun spending money on maternity clothes. I've had gift cards since Christmas and they are burning a hole in my pocket!
(case in point: I was at HomeGoods yesterday and an older gentleman stopped me, started with the line "Hey - you're pregnant!" Then proceeded to tell me all about his 23 year old son who has 2 kids already and they used to live with him, but then his son got a job and moved out of his house, which made him lose his job as a full-time grandpa. Seriously guy - I just wanted to look at washcloths.)
7. In order to look like Kelly Ripa, I realize I'll need to work out. I really want to get enrolled in some yoga or pilates classes. My sweet SIL did give me a Baby & Me Yoga DVD, so I'll definitely be giving that a try!
8. Bayshore! I suppose if you're not in the Tampa area, you won't understand; however, I want to be a Bayshore mom. My friend, Heather, and I have been talking about having babies and becoming a Bayshore mom forever! Basically, we will be stay-at-home-moms and meet everyday to push our babies in strollers around Bayshore and then go out to lunch and shop all day! It could happen, right?!
9. Red wine has been severely missed in my life. I was on a big red wine "kick" right before I got pregnant and I think that has a lot to do with why I have been craving it so much. Sometimes, I open the bottle just to sniff it and my mouth starts to water. It's serious.
So those are my big plans for after this little man is born. Of course, these are my big "me plans" - I have lots of plans for Davis and our new little family, but I really want to remain my own person and not just Davis' mommy. I think it's really important. Possibly by using this inspiration board of "me plans" I'll be able to do that! I truly believe it will make for a much happier mommy, baby, and marriage.
2. I must eat ahi tuna from Outback immediately. Not just any ol' tuna will do - it must be from Outback. The crust..the sauce...mmmm...my mouth is watering as I type.
3. Sushi!! Especially a volcano roll from Sushi Ninja - a little hole in the wall place in Brandon next to the Wal-Mart. Seriously, you would see the outside and never think of going in, but would be oh so thankful if I dragged you in there!
4. All I have wanted throughout this pregnancy is a cold turkey sandwich. I've been banned from them due to the risk of listeria - although my soon to be med school grad BIL says my chances of getting listeria are laughably low. I must confess - I've cheated 3 times with this one - oops. 3 times in 9 months isn't that bad though - considering I've craved them almost everyday!
5. Is it possible to crave an experience?? I have soooo been craving being at the beach, watching the waves, with an ice cold Corona in hand. I will be investing in a UV-protection umbrella for Davis.
6. Holy moly - I have missed shopping so much! Yes, I've gone shopping throughout my pregnancy, but it's just not the same. People look at you weird when you try to shop in "regular" stores, everyone stops you and wants to carry on a conversation, and it's just not as fun spending money on maternity clothes. I've had gift cards since Christmas and they are burning a hole in my pocket!
(case in point: I was at HomeGoods yesterday and an older gentleman stopped me, started with the line "Hey - you're pregnant!" Then proceeded to tell me all about his 23 year old son who has 2 kids already and they used to live with him, but then his son got a job and moved out of his house, which made him lose his job as a full-time grandpa. Seriously guy - I just wanted to look at washcloths.)
7. In order to look like Kelly Ripa, I realize I'll need to work out. I really want to get enrolled in some yoga or pilates classes. My sweet SIL did give me a Baby & Me Yoga DVD, so I'll definitely be giving that a try!
8. Bayshore! I suppose if you're not in the Tampa area, you won't understand; however, I want to be a Bayshore mom. My friend, Heather, and I have been talking about having babies and becoming a Bayshore mom forever! Basically, we will be stay-at-home-moms and meet everyday to push our babies in strollers around Bayshore and then go out to lunch and shop all day! It could happen, right?!
9. Red wine has been severely missed in my life. I was on a big red wine "kick" right before I got pregnant and I think that has a lot to do with why I have been craving it so much. Sometimes, I open the bottle just to sniff it and my mouth starts to water. It's serious.
So those are my big plans for after this little man is born. Of course, these are my big "me plans" - I have lots of plans for Davis and our new little family, but I really want to remain my own person and not just Davis' mommy. I think it's really important. Possibly by using this inspiration board of "me plans" I'll be able to do that! I truly believe it will make for a much happier mommy, baby, and marriage.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Hiccup...hiccup...!
Oh my good heavens. The hiccups are driving me insane. For the longest time, I heard friends and other moms talk about the baby getting hiccups and I was soooo jealous. How adorable is that?! Little tiny baby hiccups! Prior to getting pregnant, I didn't even know that babies could get hiccups - never really thought about it either. So, you can imagine my delight the first few times I felt this little pumpkin hiccuping. At first I couldn't figure out what it was...spasms? cool new dance moves? However, after about the third or fourth time of this happening, I figured it out. The little rhythmic up and down jolts were hiccups! How cute!!
...until he started getting them all the time. It's just like when we adults get hiccups - funny at first (especially after a cocktail or two), then just really, really annoying! I can't help but think that it drives him crazy too! He doesn't know the ol' "hold your breath for 10 seconds" trick and I have no real way to scare him that I know of....Poor guy.
I will say that there are a few good things about his hiccups, though. The first is that it puts my mind at ease to know he's okay in there. Even though my doctor told me it wasn't necessary, I still do kick counts occasionally throughout the day and I've read that hiccups count! (We just got about 157 "kicks" out of the way while I was typing this post) The other positive thing is that it's a great time for Andrew to feel him moving around. I'm spoiled - I get to feel every little kick, roll, and poke - well, some of the time I don't feel so lucky. However, it seems like as soon as I tell Andrew to come feel him, he stops. Then I have to go through the whole, "I swear, he was just playing Dance Dance Revolution in there!" thing. So last night, as we were laying in bed - Andrew falling asleep, me watching Iron Chef America and dreaming of enrolling in cooking school - Davis got the hiccups. I told Andrew and he immediately reached over and put his hand on my belly and, even in the dark, I could see a little smile on his proud daddy face! And that's how he fell asleep...
I was so touched by the super sweet and sensitive moment that I tried to take pictures to capture it forever. Unfortunately, it's really hard to take pictures with your iPhone, in the dark, while lying down. I did the best I could, but you'll have to use your imagination a little bit.
...until he started getting them all the time. It's just like when we adults get hiccups - funny at first (especially after a cocktail or two), then just really, really annoying! I can't help but think that it drives him crazy too! He doesn't know the ol' "hold your breath for 10 seconds" trick and I have no real way to scare him that I know of....Poor guy.
I will say that there are a few good things about his hiccups, though. The first is that it puts my mind at ease to know he's okay in there. Even though my doctor told me it wasn't necessary, I still do kick counts occasionally throughout the day and I've read that hiccups count! (We just got about 157 "kicks" out of the way while I was typing this post) The other positive thing is that it's a great time for Andrew to feel him moving around. I'm spoiled - I get to feel every little kick, roll, and poke - well, some of the time I don't feel so lucky. However, it seems like as soon as I tell Andrew to come feel him, he stops. Then I have to go through the whole, "I swear, he was just playing Dance Dance Revolution in there!" thing. So last night, as we were laying in bed - Andrew falling asleep, me watching Iron Chef America and dreaming of enrolling in cooking school - Davis got the hiccups. I told Andrew and he immediately reached over and put his hand on my belly and, even in the dark, I could see a little smile on his proud daddy face! And that's how he fell asleep...
I was so touched by the super sweet and sensitive moment that I tried to take pictures to capture it forever. Unfortunately, it's really hard to take pictures with your iPhone, in the dark, while lying down. I did the best I could, but you'll have to use your imagination a little bit.
(My belly is down there in the left-hand corner.)
(Please try to ignore my super sexy linea nigra and even sexier stretch marks!)
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