Monica's Top 5 Posts of 2011

I created this blog in May 2011. I was thrilled about being pregnant and could not wait any longer to share my feelings and excitement with who ever would listen. Here are my most read posts of the year. I look forward to bettering my blog and writing more of my experiences with family and motherhood as the year starts anew. Thanks for reading! I appreciate my followers and commenters always.

HAPPY 2012 EVERYONE!

10 Things I Love About Being A Mommy
Baby smiles...milestones... and more!

10 Things I Love About Pregnancy
Fetal movements... Hearing heartbeat... and more!

10 Things I Hate About Pregnancy
Emotions... Nausea... Yeah :/

What Do Baby Kicks Feel Like?
Those flutters... Butterflies in your tummy?

Anyone Thinking About Getting Pregnant? [Here's my experiences so far.]
Shiny hair... Excess gas... Vomiting... The list goes on.

Doctor Says I Have A Mom Brain

Today I was at my doctor's complaining about how my body, mind (and soul?) has changed dramatically from my pregnancy.

I can't organize anything in my head anymore... I used to be able to remember very long to-do lists in my head filled with many details on how to fulfill each task. Now I can hardly remember to put on deodorant in the morning. I guess those things are no longer important anymore???? I can't explain it. It's so hard for me to understand because I used to complain all the time about how I thought A.D.D was fake. [I DON'T HAVE A.D.D... :/]

I can't even remember to take my birth control pills each day and when I forget, I have no recollection of forgetting...That is bad because we do not need a terrifying miracle right now [second bundle of joy]. Soon... but let's wait until after our honeymoon... or at least until our daughter is one year old!

My mind simply does not work the way it used to and it REALLY bothers me. I feel so bombarded with the necessary baby to-do things that it's hard to accomplish anything else. Don't ask me how our wedding plans are going... [They will get done before the special day. That's all I have to say about that.] I feel like I have no control over my life anymore.

My doctor says I have a mom brain right now but it will get better. I hope she's right because I hate being disorganized. I'm a multi-tasking, high-achieving, self-motivated person and since my pregnancy, I can't do all the things I used to because my brain shut itself off. Is this my body's way of telling me to focus only upon my baby right now? Will I ever get my brain back? I mean come on... I'm only 23 years old.

Does anyone else have this feeling or am I the only one?

-----------------------

Update: Miss A is 9 months now. Wedding plans folded together perfectly despite procrastination thrills and the loss of my organization skills. (Here are the pictures to prove it!) And though you'd think I'd have found my brain after rolling through another four months of life, it still remains missing. If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of the brain behind Mommy & Love, please contact me via email.  :CASH REWARD:


UPDATE: 9/13/2012
My brain may have been found. Read Finding My Pre-Motherhood Brain

What is the Hardest Baby Stage?

Every time I think I'm at the hardest baby stage, it seems to get worse. Babies are HARD WORK! Like really, I thought I was prepared for this! Right now Miss A is at this stage...

ROLL OVER ONTO BELLY.

SCREAM BECAUSE SHE'S STUCK & CAN'T ROLL BACK.

MOMMY COMES & FLIPS HER OVER.

ROLLS BACK ONTO BELLY.

REPEAT 100 TIMES.

She's been at this stage for a good three weeks now. I thought that finding ways to entertain her was difficult. Well that part still is difficult.. but now when she has toys she likes to play with, she flips over onto her belly and screams because she can't reach them.

Aren't babies supposed to roll from belly to back by now? She is 5.5 months old.  Hmmm... [I will not judge my baby's development based off development chart averages... every baby is unique!!]

Anyways, she has mastered lifting her head high on her belly! So all that I have to say is "WORK THOSE MUSCLES BABY GIRL! YOU CAN DO IT!" Rolling (from belly), Sitting, and Crawling will come soon enough!

What other difficult baby stages do I have to look forward to...????? [Every single one! HA. Just kidding :/ ] Good thing she's so fricken cute! Otherwise, I don't know how I'd ever find the patience.

My mom took this picture while I was at work! :D

Miss A & The Christmas Tree

This is my baby girl's FIRST Christmas!!! 

I hope she will have lots of fun. <3

Our Christmas Decorations! [Apartment Tour]

First time ever putting up a Christmas tree. [Fake.. until we have a house!]

Yeah, we should dust off the TV before family comes!

Fairies!!

Bill's First Christmas Ornament :) (precious!!)

Can you see me in the bulb? I'm holding the camera!

Our Baby Has Extra Sensitive Skin: Eczema

We have a diagnosis! And it's not what I wanted to hear... Little Miss A has bad skin. :( She has eczema and her doctor says she doesn't know if it will go away or not since her daddy has a family history of it.

Eczema is a type of skin inflammation that causes dry, red, itchy, scaly skin. My baby has it on her face, forehead, scalp, neck, behind her ears, arms, hands, belly, back, and a little bit on her legs and bottom. It's so sad. It's basically everywhere on her body. I was really hoping it was only a simple rash that would go away with an ointment. But nope. Her forehead and eyes bother her the most. She rubs her eyes like crazy and lets out such a sad, bothered cry. It's a new cry I haven't heard before that came with her eczema. It makes me really sad and I try my best to hold her hands back so she doesn't scratch her skin and irritate it more.

In order to make her skin feel and look better, we now have to change all of her detergents, soaps, and lotions. They must be unscented and dye free from now on. This really is no fun for her. I'm a girl... I love perfume and good smelling shampoos and soaps! Her dad says he is able to wear cologne on his clothes but the instant it touches his skin, it gets irritated.

I learned a big lesson this week.

DON'T REGISTER FOR ALL LAVENDER SCENTED BABY PRODUCTS. You never know what kind of skin your baby will have... My family has never had a history of skin problems so I just naively assumed our daughter's skin would be fine. I have about 10 different kinds of lavender scented baby soaps, lotions, and baby oil! I can't use any of it now. She's been okay with them for five months but now that the weather finally reached freezing temperatures, her eczema broke out. Bill says that the cold weather dries out his skin (like normal skin) but really makes his eczema worse. So no more scents for her... for now!

Bill is confident that there is a solution and I hope he's right. We just have to use all the unscented, sensitive skin products and apply lotion on her frequently. He says if you take care of your skin it will be fine. He also says he doesn't take care of his skin so his is not fine. I have no reference point so I'm a little nervous. The doctor says that if it gets worse, she will prescribe a low dose of hydro-cortisone ointment. We have to make small life changes so her skin won't get so irritated, but in part we already changed things because of Bill's skin. Luckily, this is not a huge health problem and only an inconvenience. With good parenting and support, her skin will be just fine. We were worried she might be allergic to our cats, which would be a tragedy! [I need cats in my life, along with my man & baby!!]

Also, there is the possibility that she will outgrow her eczema. WHO KNOWS! I hope that will be the case for her.

I'm FREAKING busy!

I am BUSY BUSY BUSY.

Countdown til Christmas-- 4 days (but we have a party we're hosting Christmas Eve)
Countdown til our Wedding-- 45 days

Here's my TO DO list... [It's freakin' scary!!]

1. Finish Christmas Shopping
2. Thoroughly Clean Apartment
1. Vacuum
2. Kitchen- counters/dishes/refrigerator
3. Clean tile floors
4. Bathroom
5. Put away ALL laundry that's in piles all over the bedroom floors! EEk!
6. Cat litter
7. Sort through big stack of papers on counter..
3. Edit Wedding Registries [Target's website is ridiculously slow during the holidays]
4. Find Wedding Cake
5. Find last few addresses for invites [Yes, WAY PAST DUE]
6. Buy Decorations for Wedding Reception
7. Renew Passport [Doing that in one hour... or whenever I'm free to leave my bedroom. Bill is wrapping my presents and is taking forever! Hopefully that means I got a million presents! :)]
8. Buy Wedding Bands- We bought Bill's yesterday...
9. Apply for Marriage License- after the holidays
10. Figure out what we are doing for our HONEYMOON!
11. Buy Veil & Accessories for Wedding Day
12. Figure out Hair/Makeup/Nails for Wedding Day

I have so much more to add to this list but since Bill is done wrapping my presents, I have no more time to think about what I'm supposed to be doing! I actually have to go do it now!!! Sorry if I bored anyone with this... but this is the reality of planning a wedding & taking care of baby & celebrating the holidays all at once. Luckily my mom took Miss A for the night so I can get some stuff done!

Life is good.

Baby Loves Bubbles

I don't know about you, but the only real way to calm my fussy baby [who is already fed with a clean diaper] is to give her a nice, warm bubble bath. She absolutely loves to kick and splash the water everywhere. If you are stressed out due to all of the fussiness, let your baby play longer in the bath. I tried that today and it was almost relaxing for me as well! She did not fuss or cry or yell or scream or throw a temper tantrum or... you get it. She played with the bubbles, her rubber duck, animal squirt toys, and sucked her soapy hands while kicking water all over! It makes her smile though so it doesn't matter the mess she makes. We had to move her from the sink to the bath tub finally so we could keep some of the water from getting all over the floor. 

After her bath, she gets her regular body massage. [spoiled/mommy's dream] I massage baby lotion all over her arms, legs, belly, and back. If she lets me I gently message her face too. She really enjoys it and it puts her in a good/relaxed mood until she's ready for her nap. Depending on my mood and her level of fussiness, I give her a bath before bed or in the mid afternoon before a nap.

Here are some pictures from bath time at three months old. [She's five months now but I haven't had a chance to get batteries for my camera... Actually I just keep forgetting. It's lame.]

Baby Flip Flopped Her Sleeping Schedule!

Last night Miss A's bedtime was at 10:30pm. She didn't have any unusually long naps throughout the day, just her two to three normal naps. Normally when she goes to bed after 9:30pm, she will stay asleep until 7:00am, if not longer. I was looking forward to a nice night of sleep too because the two nights before, she woke me up for a bottle at 5:30am before barely going back to sleep before I had to get up for work. So I laid down in bed last night around midnight, after doing the majority of our wedding invitations. I had a good night and felt like I accomplished a lot and deserved a good night's rest!

Oh how I was wrong!

I don't know what happened... or WHY THIS HAPPENED...? But Miss A woke up at 2:30am.

For good.

I tried bringing her into my bed to sleep but she just fidgeted. I woke up about 50 times all the way until my alarm clock went off at 7:30am. She wasn't just being fussy though. She was laughing, kicking, babbling, moving, thrusting her arms back and forth, shaking her head back and forth. Finally around 4:30am, I tried moving her back to her crib to "play". FAIL. She cried within 10 minutes. I brought her back in my bed and was seriously feeling like I would die of sleep deprivation. She drifted off for 20 minutes here and there, but it didn't feel like it. I was up several times every hour. I was so angry. But then she would just laugh at me... I have no clue where she found all that energy!

My job requires that I have adequate sleep because I am analyzing and discussing questions. There is no way to fully concentrate on three hours of sleep. I tried today. THREE BIG MUGS OF COFFEE. ONE LARGE MOUNTAIN DEW. :/ I could have went to sleep after drinking all that caffeine. While I performed "alright", my level of accuracy/focus dropped by at least 50% from normal. :/ Blah! I don't really know how mothers can go back to work after only six weeks of maternity leave. At six weeks, Miss A was not sleeping through the night yet. I was still waking up every 1-3 hours through the night to nurse her. I can't imagine having to work under such circumstances. Anyways, I'm EXPECTING tonight to be better! I can't survive another day of no sleep!

On a better note, someone called me a princess today at work. 

Well.. not really but someone said that I looked like Kate Middleton. No one has ever told me that before but hey, it boosted my confidence for about 5 minutes... [as I dreamed of life as a princess]. It was a temporarily nice feeling.

                                  I guess it's the hair!

How Do You Keep Your Sanity & Patience?

For some reason the last few days have been a living hell. It doesn't really help that I am recovering from Bronchitis but I seriously might go insane. I can no longer tolerate a fussy baby. I can no longer tolerate a crying baby. I can't tolerate even entertaining my baby. She is taking over my life 200% and I feel like I am suffocating and that there is no escape. She is a beautiful, happy, loving, smiling, perfect baby BUT right now my mommy switch has been involuntarily shut off! What do I do? I can't wait to go to work tomorrow because my head is literally steaming. Everything is making me angry. It's not simple agitation, it's full blown i-want-to-bang-my-head-on-the-floor psychotic anger! I can't handle shaking a rattle and singing today. She has been put to bed at eight o'clock the past two nights [which is about two hours early] because I can't take baby crabbiness anymore.

It doesn't help that Bill has been off on his sleep schedule the past few days either. He is still working third shifts and we had a Christmas party to attend today. I feel like he is either working, exhausted/non-functioning, or sleeping. Today he was so tired he accidentally answered his phone when his work called and was forced to go in early tonight. He's slept a total of six hours in the past 48 hours or longer. He's sleeping now but he will only get a total of five hours. My stress is coming from his job because I don't know how to calm the fussy baby. [IS SHE TEETHING???] My job is not only to take care of the baby, but to make sure she doesn't scream at all and wake Bill up. She has woken him up many times already. He actually got out of bed twice to see what was wrong. I don't know what's wrong! All I know is that I need a break before my mind breaks.

Sorry for venting, but I just realized that I have only been posting positive things about motherhood. [Or at least it feels like I've only been writing about sunshine and rainbows.] In order to be honest and real in my writing, sometimes I need to write about the downside of having a baby. Today I've reached my limit. And not surprisingly... Miss A has woken up already and is pouting/grunting/IDK in her crib! I pray she falls asleep..

...

...

Silence again. Thank god.

Anyways, does anyone else get frustrated with their babies? I don't mean to be a mean, heartless mother. I love my baby and do not regret having her. I would not want to live without her because she has changed me in so many unexplainable ways that I couldn't go back to life without children!

If anyone is willing to admit frustrations, what do you do to regain strength again? How do I turn that mommy-switch back on to sunshine, lollipops, and mega-mind strength? lol. Seriously, any advice would be greatly appreciated!

7 Survival Tips for Life with a Newborn

1. Drink coffee. If you are breastfeeding [like I was] and your baby is sleeping well [15-20 hours per day], DRINK COFFEE. I don't know about you, but coffee gives me motivation and inspiration to save the world!

2. Apply Lanolin 100X/Day. I couldn't believe that the OB nurses and lactation consultants told me to give it a good month and my nipples would feel better. ONE MONTH OF SORE NIPPLES AND SCREAMING BABY AND SLEEP DEPRIVATION. I thought I would die. Lanolin soothed not only my nipples, but my soul.

3. Sleep ALL DAY if you can. Ha! All day. Yeah right. You can't even get a night's sleep. But luckily my baby slept on and off 24/7. She slept. I slept. It was simple. If I didn't have to leave my house, [which I rarely did] I stayed in pajamas, if not almost naked all day, everyday. I slept on and off all day. And even though it felt like I never got enough sleep, it did help. I promise.

4. Repeat mantra "It will get better." I think most babies start sleeping five-six hours during the second month. My baby did anyways. Those extra hours, yet so few seemed like a miracle. I never knew how much you could appreciate only five hours of sleep. [I can sleep 10-12 hours if you let me!] Also, feeding times will decrease. My baby eats every three hours during the day, but she can sleep 8-11 hours at night [at five months old]!

5. Cry!! But don't be afraid to get support from other mothers. I was really emotional. I'm sure the majority of us are after having a baby. If you need to cry, don't feel like you shouldn't. Just cry and cry and cry. Nothing has to be wrong! Really though, I cried a lot. I got a lot of support from my mom and friends. I even had a few nurses come to my house to help out with ANYTHING. Questions. Concerns. Emotional Outbreaks. Counseling... haha

6. Do something you enjoyed before being pregnant. Looking back, I don't know how I managed it but when my baby was only two weeks old my best friend and I went out for a drink. I nursed my baby right before I left and was only out for a couple hours. Luckily my baby took a bottle of previously pumped breast milk just fine. I pumped and dumped the milk when I got home. It didn't cause any problems with nursing. Not everyone gets so lucky... [just as a precaution]. The point is do something you haven't been able to do for awhile when you work up the energy! It's refreshing!

7. Enjoy the cuddle time. Not all babies like to cuddle their whole lives! The big time to cuddle is those first couple months when a baby wants nothing more than to be in her mother's arms. Take a moment to look at your precious baby sleeping. That moment is worth all the other struggles!

I Can't Believe I've been a Mom for 5 Months!

Today Miss A is officially FIVE MONTHS old. Seriously? Where did the time go!? I really can't believe it. It's weird because I hardly remember her being such a tiny newborn. We went Christmas shopping last night as a family to the mall. I saw so many babies that were ridiculously tiny! It really made me miss the first couple months of Miss A's life. I hadn't realized how much she has grown already! It's insane! And to think... she is still really little. She's only five months old. She has only been with us for five months!! [Sorry], it's really hard for me to believe how big she has grown in such a small amount of time. And at the same time, it's hard for me to believe she is already five months!! CRAZY.

This scares me because Bill & I want to have another baby fairly soon. As long as I have a full time job, we want to start trying around the end of next summer. In reality, anytime after our wedding in February would be okay. But I don't want to be pregnant again so soon! That would be... awful? exhilarating? frightening? amazing? I'm not so sure we are ready quite yet. Time is flying by so fast though! Will I ever be ready to have another baby? I don't know... I think it's too soon to start wondering/worrying about this possibly!

But just seeing all the newborns at the mall really make me miss the first few months! Miss A requires so much more attention now compared to her first three months. Back then, I always knew why she cried. She was either hungry or needed a diaper change. Period. Otherwise, she mainly slept in her bouncy chair or in my arms. Now she still has those issues but also possible teething pains, boredom, true fussy times, and frustration! I feel like I have to entertain her 24/7 now! She gets too bored laying on her back or tummy for too long. I have to constantly switch toys she's playing with because she can't do it herself yet! I am always singing songs to her and doing huge hand/body motions because it's her favorite! She loves story time. As much as I love seeing her laugh and babble, it's getting to be exhausting! I know I'll probably regret saying this but I can't wait til she can crawl around so she can entertain herself a little better.

As even more time goes by I'm excited to watch her learn even more new things. One of her favorite things to do this past... her whole life has been to lick/suck on anything that comes close to her mouth! It's cute and I'm wondering when this will stop?? I'm not usually around many babies so I don't really know when babies do this or that and stop doing this or that! It's a learning experience..

...

I still can't believe I've been a mom for five months!

Bright Starts Bounce-A-Bout Activity Center

This is one of Miss A's favorite toys... or should I say "Activity Center"! She loves it because there are so many fun things to look at. The best part about this toy is that there are NO BATTERIES REQUIRED and she still loves it! I hung up another Bright Starts Tug n Pull Musical Pig on it so there's some music for her to listen to. There are seven different toys on it and you can order more off their website. We probably won't order anymore because we have a lot of other toys we clip on to it. There's also a little tray where you can set more toys, pacifiers, or even a sippy cup [filled with water of course ;)] on it.

My mom isn't thrilled with this activity center because she can't walk around the house with it like she wants her to. I like it because it keeps her entertained in one place! She still gets her exercise because she can bounce on it! She hasn't quite mastered the bouncing aspect of it yet but soon! We registered for this for our baby shower and happily received it as a gift! We thought the bouncers would be safer than the baby walkers so she doesn't get into anything she's not supposed to. This would definitely be the better option for those with stairs!

 

 

10 Things I Love About Being a Mommy

It really is the little things that bring the most joy to life.

[In no particular order.]

1. Baby Smiles: My baby can smile when I'm in the worst mood ever and that will be enough to make me smile too. I can be so angry and then she'll laugh at me and suddenly I feel all better, if only for a few minutes. 
2. Baby Milestones: Any new thing my baby learns is enough to celebrate! The first time she reached for her toys... The first time she rolled over... The first time she used a bottle.. The first time she rode in her car seat home from the hospital... The first time in her stroller... The first time she made a noise other than crying... The first time she smiled... laughed... cooed... screeched! The first time she took a bath... The first time she put her own pacifier in her mouth. I can't wait until she crawls, sits up by herself, starts eating solids, and walks by herself! All these firsts make me grab my camera, call my mom and tell her, and write them down in her baby book. Depending on the milestone, it's even enough to grab a glass of wine with Bill after dinner! It's just exciting that she's growing and learning new things. I guess I can't really explain why it's exciting. It just is. 
3. I Get to Be a Kid Again on the Holidays: I am taking my daughter to see Santa Claus this month! How cool! I can't even remember the last time I visited Santa. It's been quite some time...! I get to be the one to make sure Santa enjoys his milk & cookies that we set out! ;) And as long as she's been a good baby, she'll get to open presents from Santa. We will get to visit the Easter Bunny too! And do fun holiday activities like Easter egg hunts and dressing up at Halloween. I still dress up for Halloween but it's going to be fun to share the holiday excitement with our daughter.
4. Snuggle/Cuddle Time: I never knew how cute babies were... I really never realized how precious they are. They are tiny, little baby humans... haha! Think about it. It's crazy that they will grow up into one of us someday! I looove taking naps with my baby. She snuggles her head on my chest and falls asleep... like a little angel! [until she wakes up crying!] Her cheeks are so pudgy and round. It's hard not to wake her by giving her so many kisses! Now she doesn't love cuddling 24/7, but when she starts rubbing her eyes, that's my cue to wrap her in a blanket and rock her in my arms! It warms my heart <3. 
5. Playing Dress Up: I love dressing my baby in cute little outfits. Since I have a girl, I love putting her in dresses and cute floral pants. I was lucky to have a baby born with some hair so we put little headbands, flowers, bows, and ribbons in her hair to doll her up. She's so beautiful! I'm hoping we will have a baby boy next because I just love little boy slacks and flannel or button up long sleeve shirts. I will put a little stylish cap on him. Awww.. I just love baby clothes. The coolest thing is that with babies they will look cute in almost anything you put on them!
6. Showing Her Off: It's so fun bringing my baby everywhere because people are just drawn to babies! I had random strangers coming up to me in stores when I was pregnant and now that I have my baby, they're still coming up to me! I don't mind though. They all point and talk to her in a funny baby voice. "Aww look at the wittle baaaby guwrll". It's great. I feel so proud to be the one that gets to keep her! :D
7. Playing Peek-A-Boo, Supergirl, & The Itsy Bitsy Spider: These are currently my baby's favorite games. We can play peek-a-boo anywhere and everywhere and she'll just have a blast. Same thing for Supergirl... I lift her in the air and she smiles sooo big! Right when I say Supergirl, she starts smiling because she knows what's gonna happen next. Her absolute favorite song is the Itsy Bitsy Spider. I sing this song over and over doing the hand motions because she absolutely loves it. If she's crying... even screaming I can sing this song and she'll stop and listen to it. I know this category is very similar to the Baby Smiles one but this is different because I am the one making her happy. It's comforting that she likes her mommy and that I can entertain her. :D
8. More Extended Family Time: We already keep in touch with our families pretty well. But since babies grow so fast, everyone wants to see her more so they don't miss out on her growing up! That means we all get to see more of our families. Now we already do see our families quite a bit, but let's face it... people are drawn to babies! It puts an increase on the number of visitors! :D No big deal. 
9. Learning a New Way of Life: I am not a different person now that I'm a mother but I am learning how to live differently. I can't do everything the same way that I used to because I have a baby to take care of and to guide growing up. I can't just stay out til midnight whenever I feel like. There are cons of having a baby that interfere with the sudden change in your life but I'm seeing a new perspective of life now. I understand some of the life of a mother. I still have LOTS of learning because I only have a four month old! But I think about how I was when I was a baby and what my mom went through... and all mothers that I know. I understand new things... It's just interesting how I suddenly have a different lifestyle. I have to do a little planning now. That's all. Doesn't mean I can't enjoy my life.
10. WE MADE OUR BABY! : No one else can make the same exact baby we did. She is unique to Bill & I. I'm just bewildered by this still. My baby grew inside of me and came out of thin air! Well, it feels like it anyways! It's just a weird feeling that's kind of neat to think about.

Don't forget to check out the 10 Things I Hate About Pregnancy! :)

Our Nuh Night Bedtime Routine

I never thought a four month old baby could enjoy story time as much as she does. Before Miss A was born, I asked the nurse who came to visit us at home when a good time would be to start reading to a baby. She said from day one! The sooner the better! I was surprised because I found it silly. But she was right. I started reading books to Miss A around the second month and she was fascinated with the them. [or so it seemed!!] Even though she can't understand the story quite yet, she certainly loves looking at the big, bright colored pictures. She always gets excited and kicks her legs before I read to her.

I could be wrong, but I think it is a VERY important activity to spend doing with your children. Reading is so beneficial for learning, bonding, and entertaining. They will discover the lives of many new characters and take on adventures with them. Books will help your children learn how to read and SPELL! The more you read, the better your spelling should be since you see it written over and over again. I thoroughly enjoy reading so I want to give my daughter the opportunity to discover books too. If she doesn't enjoy reading in the long run [which I don't see how that's possible! :/ ] then at least she will get a glimpse of what she'll be learning when school comes and she's forced to read!

For now, we have set a fun bedtime activity of reading some bright picture books. We stretch out on my bed on our backs and I hold the book up above her head and read. I try my best to read in different voices and with enthusiasm so she can enjoy it. :D I also think reading aloud helps your baby develop language too because they are listening to you talk to them. Sometimes Miss A stares at me while I'm reading the book instead of looking at the pages... funny but as long as she's enjoying it, it's allll good!

Bedtime Routine

1. Bottle
2. Change Diaper
3. Pajamas
4. Story Time/ Cuddle Time <3
5. Crib with Winnie the Pooh mobile playing

Zombie Dad on Thirds

He might not be so pleased to see that I've used these pics for my blog! :D

I know I have already tweeted about this several times, [for those of you who follow me on Twitter], but I am really frustrated by Bill's work schedule! He works in dispatch at the police station and while it is important for people to do that job, it is also important for them to keep a semi-consistent schedule so family life is not so SCREWY. Since he started this job in March (?) he has already covered all the shifts... two or three times already! He changes what shift he is on each month. Right now he switched to THIRD SHIFT again... I hate him on thirds. I swear it is worse than seconds because he cannot figure out his sleep schedule. He tries to sleep once he gets home at 9:30am until 5:00pm. The problem is that we have a four month old who is not the quietest baby! She has her fussy moments. She has her giggly, happy moments that are loud. Bill sleeps with the fan on the room, but today he came walking outta the bedroom at 1:30pm, saying he's up. He's too hungry to sleep and he woke up every time Miss A cried this morning, which he says was four times. GREAT, I'm thinking to myself. This is bad because he will be irritable (understandingly of course) and he will eventually have to go back to sleep. I look forward to our time together and it's too hard with him being a Zombie Dad all day & night.

If he could stay on one shift, which I guess he is supposed to stay on one shift after a year or so of training, it would be better. We can work around any shift if it's over a longer period of time, because then we get used to it and his body adjusts to his schedule. But now, it's 5:30pm and he's in bed... He told me about thirty minutes ago that he hadn't slept the entire time he was laying down... {wtf}. JUST A LITTLE MORE COMPLAINING. Once he finally gets his sleep schedule adjusted to third shift, he will change back to FIRST SHIFT on Christmas Day. Man they really know how to screw him over. I was thinking that third shift would at least be good for the holidays so he wouldn't have to miss any parties. They sure showed me.

BLAHhhhhhhhhh!

Yes we are very thankful that he got this job. It doesn't cover all our bills [student loans mainly] but it is a good job to begin his career with. And he doesn't complain very much. I do most of it for him. I guess it's something I'm good at. Like a gift or something... hehe :D

A Stroll Down Memory Lane

Just found these pictures posted on [my bff's] Candace's Facebook. These brought me back! WAY BACK! Though, honestly this is how I looked only five months ago! I can't believe it. I hardly remember myself being this pregnant! They were taken at my baby shower, about a month before Miss A was born. @ 8 MONTHS PREGNANT! Now my little girl is 3 months!

The camera lens must be fogged or something.. Sorry about the haze! :/

I love this one! LOL

Shari & I <3

Multitasking Mommy!

I didn't know how well I could multitask until Miss A was born. I was really good at it before, but now I'm becoming a professional! The coolest part is that I'm still getting better and better everyday. My baby is only four months old so she's not even crawling yet! I can't imagine how my skills will grow once she's crawling/walking and pulling out all my movies and books from their shelves! At first, I was kind of frustrated that all the attention my baby required. I felt like I couldn't do anything besides feed, change dirty diapers, and play with her. That is all a joy but 24/7??? Everyone needs to enjoy ALL of life's wonderful activities! Soooo lately, I've been getting into cooking wonderful meals with new recipes and foods I've never even tried before. Obviously that takes some time. For me, it requires a good couple hours back and forth, around the kitchen. With an infant, that seems almost impossible! But let me tell you, it's not!

We play peek-a-boo over the counter tops, behind pots & pans, with the potholders, with a gallon of milk, etc. We sing songs and dance... well it's mainly me who does the entertaining in between stirring the boiling liquids, checking the food in the oven, and cleaning the huge mess I made! I drag her swing into the kitchen so she can play with toys and swing while I figure out what the heck I'm trying to cook. Once she gets bored with that, I sit her in her high chair with apples using the Munchkin Food Nets. We set books on the high chair, along with her plastic keys, teddy bears, farm animals, even the whole farm! It really is kind of hectic, especially on her fussy days when she doesn't like to cooperate but it's doable! Once she's done being in the high chair, I lay her on her activity play pad and she plays with her rattles, mirrors, and musical animals. She entertains herself and when she gets bored I make funny sounds and talk to her. I mainly narrate everything I'm doing in funny voices and in occasionally break out into song. It's fun and she giggles and coos! Then when daddy walks through the door around 5:30pm, she's all his while I finish place setting the table and pouring milk into our glasses!!

Life is definitely more interesting with a cute wittle tiny fussy pudgy baby bumpkin!

Munchkin Food Nets

I recently bought a Munchkins Food Net for my teething (?) baby. These food nets are amazing! Right now she is only four and a half months, so we haven't really started solid foods yet. I still plan on waiting awhile longer before introducing solids but since she appears to be teething, I've been peeling apples and putting them inside the food nets for her. This way she has a nutritious, soothing toy to chew on. The first time we gave it to her she absolutely loved it. She chewed/sucked on the food net like a popsicle. It's sooo cuute and funny! It really was a lifesaver. After hours of fussing/screaming, this was the only thing that calmed her. I'm almost positive it was soothing her gums. I recommend these to all teething babies, especially if they aren't doing well with solids yet. These nets have a handle that snaps tightly shut, preventing the food chunks from entering the baby's mouth. Later, when we start to give her more solids, I'll put more fruits and vegetables inside. But until she's at least six months, I'm only putting apples in them. :)

Baby Steps also makes their own version of the food net. I haven't tried this one but it serves the same purpose as the Munchkins version.  

I know my baby is the cutest in the world, do you?

Everyday I know I'm the luckiest mom ever because I have the cutest baby in the entire world! Seriously! I'm assuming all moms think this way.. If not, I just don't understand! I genuinely believe I have the cutest baby ever. I know my opinion is biased because I'm the mommy but still. She's a sweet little baby doll. She has such big beautiful blue eyes that are filled with curiosity. She has the perfect little pudgy baby cheeks. Her belly is a cute potbelly, big and round! She has a pretty little voice even when she screeches. Her facial expressions are all so unique, funny, and precious (maybe not the grouchy ones but in their own special way, yes!) She's super cute with clothes and just naked, splashing around in her baby tub. Her face lights up with excitement all the time. She smiles and laughs at everything she sees. Miss A is a wonderful baby and every time I look at her the only thing I see is a pure angel! Of course she can be a little monster at times, but overall I've never seen something as sweet and beautiful as my little baby girl. I don't mean to sound arrogant. I'm hoping everyone sees their own baby as I do mine. I can't explain the feeling I get when I'm with her nor do I feel like trying because words can't describe the emotion. She's just a CUTIE PATOOTIE & my little sweetheart! I just love her soooo much! :D

Also, be sure to read the 10 Reasons I Love Being a Mommy!

My Experience Using Fenugreek

I feel guilty and ashamed to be feeding Miss A so much formula! She's only four months and I am almost unable to nurse her... :( I tried using Fenugreek a month ago to help with this situation. Fenugreek is an herb that's supposed to help increase milk supply and help maintain the overall health of your breasts. The first two weeks I took two 500mg capsules three times a day, as directed by the bottle. I was really good about not forgetting to take it because I was desperate to increase my milk supply. It made me smell sweet. [sweeter than I already am! pff..] Sweet like maple syrup. I could smell it especially if I did some type of exercise. It was like I was sweating maple syrup. How pleasant! Anyways after two weeks of taking this herb, there was no noticeable change in my milk supply. :( I might have messed it up by starting an eight hour work day but I pumped consistently. Once at 7:30am, 12:00pm, 4:15pm, and then every 2-3hrs after until bedtime which is around 10-11pm. After two weeks, I kinda lost hope already and only took two capsules once or twice each day for another week or two. But now I have officially stopped all together. I still pump consistently but I only get about 3-4 ounces per day. THAT IS BAD. Let me repeat. THAT IS REALLY BAD. I keep thinking, "Okay, so for the next baby I will know how to keep up my milk supply. I won't supplement as many bottles of formula too early. I won't stop pumping consistently. During the first month when my milk supply is ridiculous and I am LOADED with milk, I will pump like crazy!" I just feel bad because I want to keep giving Miss A breast milk, especially since winter is coming. Colds and flues get passed around more often when it's cold so I want Miss A to have as much protection against viruses as possible! I will keep pumping and trying but Fenugreek has failed me.

I still do have hope that Fenugreek may work for other women. I might not have pumped enough to stimulate milk production. My diet hasn't been the greatest/healthiest lately. Lastly, I don't know if I have been drinking enough fluids or not...

What is really nice and comforting is that I can still nurse Miss A each morning when she wakes up. I never thought I would miss breastfeeding but I really do! It's our snuggle time. It's mommy-baby time. :( I'm hoping to be able to keep it up until she's at least six months old! That is my goal-- hope I'm successful!

Pumpkin Carving + Messy Baby!!

We got to carve an extra pumpkin this year! [For Miss A!] We were a little last-minute carving pumpkins the night before Halloween but better late than never! When picking out pumpkins, my only concern was that Miss A had to be able to fit inside the pumpkin! :D Hope you enjoy the pumpkin pictures. I sure am enjoying the pumpkin seeds!

Oohh it's cold in here!

But it's fun!!

There's gooey stuff between my toes!!

I like it! Hehehe

Nummy... it even tastes good!

Okay.. what's going on here?

Too bright...

What is this stuff?

Whoa now!

Really mom? You put pumpkin guts on my head. Really appreciate it, thanks.