Juggling

Baby B never stops moving. During his waking hours he literally never stops. The only reason I’m writing these few sentences right now is because he’s toddling around next to me preoccupied with my husband’s camera bag full of gadgets. Husband, consider this my apology for everything he is doing with said gadgets.

As Baby B (now toddler B) grows in height, mobility and curiosity, my multitasking skills are being put to the test. As a former news reporter, those skills were already pretty advanced. As a current working mom with a spouse who works nights, I surprise myself every day with my ability to grow new arms (which I assume must be happening because I don’t know how else things are getting accomplished) as I eat dinner, wash dishes, start a bath, remove chocking hazards from a toddler’s hands and let the dog out all simultaneously. Yes, the choking hazard was dog food. Sometimes we need all the help we can get.

Thankfully, we are getting that from our family that lives just a neighborhood away and I am eternally grateful (and I’m pretty sure I owe them about a thousand babysitting hours.) Last week, I was also grateful to have an extra set of hands from my mom while she visited us on vacation, enjoying our beautiful weather, and our beautiful boy.

We took this adorable zoo selfie during one of our many Phoenix-area outings. We had a wonderful time! Now, this circus is headed to the East Coast to have more fun in the sun at the beach! Stay tuned.

Snow Day

I know all of you East-Coasters are so sick of snow storms, you probably never want to hear the words “milk, bread and toilet paper” ever again. I remember having to scrape ice off my car or shake the grey salty sleet from my shoes every time I stepped outside. There’s a point where it just stops being pretty and starts being… well, like this:

Fortunately, here in Arizona the question, “do you wanna build a snowman?” is an extremely rare occurrence. Unless, you’re in Flagstaff. After weeks of hearing about all of the glorious snow, and being asked if I ever missed winter, I started to. So that’s exactly where we went. Three hours in the car and we were sledding, making snowballs, breathing the crisp, pine air. We were back home in time to eat dinner outside. In shorts.

Baby B is 13 months today. Here’s a look at his very first snow day:

My Best Parenting Advice

After just one year, I’m still relatively new to this parenting thing so I’m usually on the receiving end of advice. Today as we celebrate my son’s first birthday, I can’t help but reflect back on what we were doing a year ago, watching him open his eyes for the first time, introducing him to the world. We survived the delicacy and sleep deprivation of his newborn months, watched in awe as he learned to roll and crawl, meticulously made his first pureed and solid foods, and before we knew it, he was bulldozing around the house on two feet rearranging the furniture and trying to get cans off kitchen shelves.

He’s a walking, clapping, smiling, laughing, dancing, incredibly loving, adorable toddler.

My advice is short, but important. It’s something I heard so many times from so many parents but never truly felt its magnitude until today: Don’t Blink.

Not just because the blink of an eye is all Baby B needs to stick a piece of dog food in his mouth off the floor, or trip and fall into a bed frame, or spill a full glass of water all over himself and a pile of books.

A year ago he was a tiny, 7-pound squirmy little thing in my arms, who could barely even see. Now, he’s looking and acting more like a little boy every day. Happy birthday, to my baby boy.

At ONE YEAR, baby B likes walking, playing at the playground, eating bananas and waffles and rice, balloons, music, dancing, opening and closing doors and boxes, building block towers and knocking them down, and throwing his ball.

He dislikes naps, staying still, and being told no.

First Christmas

I’ll be the first to admit, one of the reasons I wanted a child was a selfish one. It’s so I can re-live all of those wonderful childhood moments all over again. To see things though brand new eyes and believe in magic. There’s something about Christmas that’s so special when you’re young, that for some reason fades with time. This year, the magic and meaning became new again as we helped Baby B pull the tissue paper out of boxes and exclaim, “ooooo” at the sight of whatever was inside. Sure, he’s not quite old enough to fully appreciate it, and most of those “oooos” were actually in response to the dog’s stocking full of treats and toys, but I could tell part of it was clicking for him. This day is something special.

Santa brought Baby B’s favorite toy, a scooter that you can push or ride, with a seat that opens up. Drew showed him how to ride and since then we’ve been pushing him around the house constantly. Wonderful gift for the baby, terrible gift for any adult’s back.

We stayed in our jammies all day, playing with cousins and eating new food (including scallops- a winner!) Overall, I think baby’s first Christmas was a great one!

At ELEVEN months, baby B likes… his scooter, cruising, taking the occasional step when no one but mommy is looking, reading books, pretending, building things, stacking, sorting, helping with laundry, dancing, and so much more.

He dislikes… diaper changes, runny noses, naps, Papu’s sneezes, and noodles. Or maybe he likes them, he just likes throwing them on the floor better.

5 Awesome Baby Gifts… and some not so awesome ones.

It’s so hard to believe Baby B is already 10 months old! He amazes me every day as he continues to learn and grow so quickly. I just can’t believe that in less than three weeks, we’ll be celebrating his first Christmas, and before we know it, his first birthday.

With the holiday season underway, I find myself shopping not just for the usual family members and friends I give to every year, but for new adorable tiny humans, as more of my friends start families. I like to draw upon my whole 10 months of experience, giving baby products that have been my personal favorite. For anyone who might be shopping for a little one this Christmas, here are my top 5 gifts for new moms:

1. Aden and Anais Swaddles and Sleep Sacks– In my opinion, this brand is a must-have for Arizona babies in particular. They’re all muslin, breathable fabric and they’ve been a life-saver when it’s 115 outside!

2. Milkies Milk-savers and Madela gel pads– For any breast-feeding mom, these products were worth the money, especially in the beginning months. Milkies saves milk while nursing, and the gel pads- well, they were quite a relief. Milkies can be found in some specialty boutiques and online here.

3. The Hungry Caterpillar Teether Toy– This was a hand-me-down from Baby B’s cousin, and he absolutely loves it. He likes to bring it everywhere and it rattles so he shakes it around, although it did end up in a man’s lunch at a restaurant when it accidentally flew out of his hand. Mortifying.

4. Activity Table– We first discovered the activity table when we visited VA and my mom had bought one for him while we stayed there. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t fit in our suitcase. He loved it so much, we bought another one when we came back!

5. Lillebaby All Seasons Carrier– Another great item for an Arizona arsenal, this carrier is similar to the popular Ergobaby, but has a few different features. Babies can face front, and the carrier has zip-down panels made of mesh so it’s breathable. I got it in beige, so it doesn’t absorb heat as much. We just went hiking with it last weekend and B had a great time.

Of course, any mom has their favorite and least favorite products and these may work or not work for other babies. In my short experience so far, I’ve also stumbled upon some products that I wouldn’t spend my money on. Here’s my list of fails:

Wipe Warmer– Okay, I might be able to understand this if you live in Minnesota and put on a parka to get the mail, but even the name of this product sounds a little over-the-top to me. Like those pet food commercials where they feed a bishon out of a crystal dish. “Anything else my liege? A spot of milk? A massage?”
Belly Bands– Some people swear by these products meant to make your postpartum belly slim down back to normal in no time, but honestly all I was doing the first six weeks after delivery while my uterus returned to its normal size was taking care of my little one while wearing yoga pants and a spit-up covered tank, wandering around like a sleep-deprived zombie. I don’t think anyone was looking at my waistline.

Baby Air Jordans– It’s true, they are the tiniest and most precious little shoes you’ll ever see and they’re so cute you just have to buy them. Don’t. Once you wrestle them on to your little one and take a picture you will never use them again.

Baby Bathroom Harness- During one of my many web-searches about baby-related topics I came across this product. I’d never heard of it before but I can tell you right now based on the picture, I will never buy it. And I’m pretty sure it’s illegal in some states.

At 10 months, Baby B likes walking while holding my hands, kicking his ball, putting things in boxes and taking them out, opening and closing doors, drawers and cabinets, stacking toys, feeding himself, babbling, and so much more!

He dislikes getting dressed, diaper changes, Santa Claus, and waiting.

Fall Fun

This month, Baby B had his second plane ride. Another sleepy red-eye flight, this time to my hometown in VA to visit our family, and Fall. We had a wonderful time with Grandmama and Abuelo, Papa and Nana, Grammy (my grandmother!) uncles, aunts, and his 2-year-old twin cousins.

Our fun-packed trip included multiple visits to farm festivals, and Baby B’s first hayride!

And, baby’s first visit to the nation’s capital, where he tested out the new grass on the National Mall.

We returned just in time to celebrate Halloween with his other cousins. Superman had a wonderful time trick-or-treating!

At 9 months, Baby B isn’t a big fan of sitting still, so this was the best photo we were able to get. He’s 29 3/4 inches tall, and 19lbs 9.6oz.

Baby B likes: playing in the grass, playing with his ball, cruising, rearranging furniture, tickles, biting noses, watching his Kuya’s soccer games, and playing with all of his cousins.

He dislikes: Naptime, being on his back, diaper changes, wearing pants, and strangers (especially the pediatrician)

Hot Diggity Dog

Before becoming a parent, I knew there was a world out there that existed that I was completely unfamiliar with. It has its own language, it’s own themes and characters, and of course songs. My God, the songs. Back then, I didn’t care to become familiar with it. In fact, I was kind of grateful to be oblivious. But now, I’m afraid we’ve delved head-first into the world that is… children’s television.

From tiny doctors to talking tools, to a team of underwater explorers led by a polar bear with a mustache, kids shows have come a long way from the Muppets and Mr. Rodgers I grew up with. There are British pigs and tiny fish-people. There are talking trains (not to be confused with Thomas the Tank Engine) and talking dinosaurs who ride trains that don’t talk.

I’ve learned a few universal laws of children from these shows so far. For one, kids love trains. They also love songs (or at least I’d hope so because everything just has to be sung. Everything.) And, I’ve learned that Mickey Mouse is universally appealing.

I don’t know what it is about that iconic cartoon mouse that has captured children’s attention and adoration since 1928. Every time he comes on TV to introduce Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Baby B drops what he’s doing and smiles. From what we can tell it is by far his favorite show, which makes me glad because most of the time I don’t really care about what the talking tools and trains have to say.

In each episode, Mickey Mouse and his friends (the familiar Goofy, Donald Duck, Minnie and Pluto) solve puzzles with the help of the invisible anticipated pre-school audience at home, and they always end with- you guessed it- a song. The hot dog song. And if Baby B could tell you what his favorite song is, I’m sure he would reply, “Hot Diggity Dog!”

https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/lHhheCf0G1I&source=uds

At 8 months, Baby B likes… Mickey Mouse, crawling, cruising, bath time, live music, puffs, playdates, FaceTime, dancing, and clapping.

Baby B dislikes… getting dressed, changing diapers, being on his back, and strangers.

Homeowners

Drew and I did the math. A lot of math. The first numbers we ran- the fact that we’ve each moved at least every two years for the past decade. Packing up everything we own in boxes, trucking it to the next destination, setting it back up carefully to avoid permanently damaging the drywall. I haven’t had a place to return to every night and really call home since I was 18. Well, I’m happy to say we’ve packed for the last time in the foreseeable future.

We’re home.

And we own it! I can damage the drywall if I want! It was a move several months in the making, between visiting a dozen houses, applying for a loan, negotiating a price, and since we still had nearly a month left on our lease by closing, we were able to paint and prep everything the way we wanted- confusing our dog and baby every step of the way. Finally the day came when we packed them up as well, and settled in. *

Our new home is a four-bedroom in a nice neighborhood with two parks and a community pool all less than a block away. It’s got a grass backyard, which in Arizona can be hard to come by. I’m so excited to think that Baby B will be growing up in a great neighborhood with great schools, in a safe environment with several neighbors around his own age. He’s pretty excited about his new playroom.

At 7 months, Baby B Likes… crawling, standing, climbing, eating, laughing, swimming, Mickey Mouse, getting tickled, brushing his teeth, and chasing Max.

Baby B Dislikes… naptime, buckles, growing teeth, staying still, green beans, and when Mommy walks out of the room.

* No babies or dogs were actually packed or harmed in the making of this blog.

My Breastfeeding Journey

This month, we gave Baby B a taste of what I like to call “real food.” And boy does he love it! First, it was mashed peas, then squash, then avocado, cauliflower, and carrots. I wasn’t surprised when he started grabbing the spoon and trying to feed himself! He’s been holding his own bottle since four months. Up until this month, Baby B has been eating exclusively breast milk, mostly through breastfeeding. It’s an endeavor we embarked upon from day one, just minutes after he was born, and it has been quite a journey.

I will start by saying, I am lucky. I’m lucky my baby latched just minutes after birth, and hasn’t had any of the issues so many other babies had to deal with just to be able to eat. I’m lucky that my milk supply has been able to accommodate him without having to supplement with formula. I’m lucky he never had reflux or lactose allergies. I’m lucky to live in a state that protects breastfeeding mothers and to have such a supportive environment around me. These are just some of the obstacles mothers face every day to simply feed their babies. Until now, I never realized, empathized, or appreciated the commitment and persistence it takes. Now I know for every breastfeeding mom, there are ups and downs, there’s joy and there are tears, there is a love for one’s body that is just as powerful as the hate for it the very next day.

A week after we came home from the hospital, the milk came in. For those who may be unfamiliar, it’s kind of a supply and demand system. Well, my baby demanded… a lot. During the course of one night it seemed every 20 minutes he was hungry. I was exhausted. I was in pain. I remember laying in bed, sleep-deprived and practically delirious, telling my husband I didn’t think I could do it. I couldn’t go through life feeding a baby every half hour. Fortunately, my mom was visiting to help, and reminded me that there was light at the end of the tunnel. Like everything with a baby, it didn’t last forever. And looking back, it was the blink of an eye.

After that, the next three months were easy. Every 2-3 hours he ate. If we were out, I’d drape a “peanut shell” cover over him and find a comfortable spot to nurse. It didn’t take long, it was never difficult, and we were a little nursing team. Then I went back to work.

For the past three months, I have fed baby in the morning before work at 6am, pump at work at 9am, go home and feed him during lunch at noon, pump at work at 3pm and feed him after coming home around 6, and again right before bedtime if he’s still hungry. Feed, pump, feed pump. I read an article recently about being “frenemies” with a breast pump, and completely understand why. Sometimes I feel like I spend half the day attached to a machine.

Throughout the work-week, my supply diminishes. Then, it builds up again during the weekend when I put the pump and stress aside. There are days I try to nurse during lunch but my mind is still on meetings, holding a fussy baby that just wants a bottle. There are distractions that take baby’s attention away, or schedules that don’t quite coincide, and I find myself spending even more time with the pump. These are the days I don’t feel like such a team. I started taking Fenugreek, an herbal supplement to help boost my supply. Some weekends I have to pump after nursing to make enough to feed him the next Monday. Feed, pump, feed pump. These are the days I have to remind myself, I am lucky.

But without fail, every night around 2 or 3am, I hear a little cry. I walk into the nursery, pick up baby and we sit in the rocking chair. He looks up and touches my face as he eats. It’s quiet, it’s dark, and in that moment I’m all he needs. I soak it in and record it in my memory. Because like everything with a baby, it won’t last forever.

At 6 months, Baby B likes… crawling, pulling himself to a standing position, climbing on mommy and daddy, swimming, his blanket, his pacifier, all food especially peas, squash and cauliflower, and babbling.

Baby B dislikes… sleeping, buckles, being on his back, and when mommy leaves the room.

Teething

There’s a reason no one remembers being a baby. It’s hard. It’s confusing. And, it seems pretty painful and frustrating a lot of the time. Imagine having to shriek every time you go to the bathroom simply so you won’t have to sit in your own filth, or twisting and turning to get to sleep because your muscles aren’t quite strong enough to get you positioned comfortably. Or worse yet- growing teeth.

Having gone through labor without an epidural, I can honestly say I know my pain threshold pretty well. That being said, I still hate the dentist and believe that any teeth-related pain I’ve had is up there with the worst pain ever. I’m so glad I don’t remember actually growing them. Baby B is now 5 months old, and he’s embarking on that wonderful journey. At first, it was hard to tell if his occasional increased fussiness was caused by teething. Soon we started to see some clear signs.

Increased Drooling: