So because I did a post on my favorite things I thought I would do one about baby registries. Maybe my new found knowledge about baby shopping will help those pregnant mommies out there. Also, I have some information about discounts at the different stores in case you need to buy a baby present.
I registered at the following stores. I will not register there again. Here are the pros and cons of each store.
Babies R Us
I originally registered here because I thought they were the gurus of baby stuff. I was wrong. The staff does not know the merchandise. It is usually hard to find help and they don't always tell you the correct answer. I have only found one store that was clean. Most are dirty. They send lots of coupons but you have to use them in store and there are lots of exclusions. Most of the items are overpriced. They have a completion program but there are lots of exclusions and stipulations. They are not very good with returns. You have to have a receipt or gift receipt. And it always seems the people who give you gift receipts are the ones who buy from the registry, not the other way around. The only time they have a really good deal going on is when they do the Trade-in event. You can turn in an old car seat, high chair, crib, stroller, pack and play, etc and get 25% off a new baby gear item (some exclusions apply). They do this event 2 times a year (right now and in the fall, around September). If you don't have something to turn in they also have 15% off baby gear coupons at the same time.
Target
I registered at Target because there are targets everywhere. Easy for all people to go to and buy from. The main problem with target is that they don't have many of their items in store and every store is different. They have lost of toys and clothes but only a few baby gear items, no furniture, and VERY limited bedding. Most people will buy you something they can run in the store to get. Also, most of the time with baby items you need to see it to decide if it will work for you. They have a completion program but it is not as much off as Babies R Us. They will send you samples of formula and bottles in the mail along with regular coupons. They also do not have a very good return policy.
Burlington Coat Factory
I only registered at Burlington because they had more bedding sets in store. Babies R Us carried the sets I liked but they did not have them in the store for me to look at. That was the only thing I registered for there. When I registered it was the first and last time I have set foot in the store. It is not that I have anything against this store it is just never very accessible to where I live and I prefer other stores. I don't know if they have a completion program. They send me regular emails now but they go strait to the trash folder. They do not carry more of the high end brands.
I will register when I am pregnant with future babies. Not that we are planning any in the near future. The main reason I will register again is for the completion programs and coupons. There will be at least a few items that will be needed and I am all about the coupons. Next time here is where I will register.
Buy Buy Baby
I had never seen a Buy Buy Baby until I moved to MO. It is closer to me than Babies R Us so I went in to check it out one day. I fell in love. This company is owned by the same parent company as Bed Bath and Beyond. It is set up basically the same inside except it has baby stuff. They have more brands than Babies R Us and the stores are clean. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. They will price match and you don't even have to bring in the advertisement. They will look it up on the competitors website for you. They will take competitors coupons as long as they are not expired (yep so you can use your babies R us coupons on the cheaper buy buy baby prices). They will also take Bed Bath and Beyond coupons as long as they are not expired (Bed bath and beyond coupons never really expire, I used one last week that was 3 years old). Also if someone wants to send you a gift from the registry they can go in store and order it, use a coupon, have it gift wrapped and mailed. Babies R Us will not let you use in store coupons to order things online from in the store. They have a completion program but I am not sure what it is because I did not register there. They are great about returns and I have not had any problem returning with out a receipt. I am also now brand loyal. Why you ask? Simple, I had the best customer service experience. When I had a 7 week old infant my dog ate a part to my breast pump. I was sleep deprived with an infant who refused to nurse and my double pump was now a single. I was not happy and I am sure I looked like crap when I showed up at the store. I went and bought what I thought was the replacement part. I get home and it does not fit. I take it back to exchange and I can not find the appropriate piece. The employee helps me look. She can not find it either. We then spend 30 minutes on her computer looking at the Medela website trying to figure out which part is the one I need and if any retailers sell it. We were unable to find it. The Medela help line was closed because it was 9:30pm. If it had been open she was going to call for me. So while I left empty handed (Medela does not sell that part at all) I had an amazing experience and left with a smile. At that point it would have been very easy for me to get upset and emotional but because they were so nice and helpful I felt very well taken care of. It was also nice to have an adult conversation so that may have had something to do with it.
Amazon
Is another great place to register. You can find everything you need. They have a 10% off completion program. All returns are free up to 90 days. Also if someone is buying you something and they have prime they have free shipping.
Tips for Registering:
- Do not register at more than 2 places. It is hard to keep up with them all and not have overlaps.
- Do not register for clothing. People will buy you what they think is cute not what is on your registry. Don't waste your time. If you really want something throw it on there to get with your completion program
- Register for bottle starter kits. At least 2 different brands. You don't know what you and your baby likes.
- Don't register for all one brand in something that you need multiples. Register for different styles. You don't know what you will like (example swaddle blankets)
- Don't register for blankets. You will get a ton and they will probably be better than the ones you register for.
-You do not need a travel system. Most of the travel system strollers suck. Try out the strollers. Fold them up. See if you can lift it with one hand, because that is all you will have available. If you happen to like one that goes with a travel system that rocks. Other wise register for the stroller you like and then figure out which car seat works with the adapter that brand has.
- Try not to get over whelmed. Your baby will be fine if you end up getting the second best high chair instead of the best. They will become happy adults even if they have the wrong mobile. The baby industry makes us think that all of these things are SUPER important for babies development and if you don't buy the newest and most expensive you are a bad parent. That is so wrong. As long as you love your baby everything will work out perfectly
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Saturday, January 19, 2013
My favorite things (newborn to 4 months)
I wanted to write some posts about my favorite baby things. Mainly as a reference for my friends and for myself in the future. Unfortunately I am not Oprah so you don't get all of these things as presents. Sorry. I would if I could :) Also, if you are buying a baby present and want to get them something that will be used the items on this list all fall under that category. This list is for babies aged newborn to 4 months old. I will continue these lists as I get to older ages.
SLEEP
- HALO sleepsack swaddle: we had the summer swaddle blankets but Emily was a long baby so these did not work very well. Luckily the hospital sent us home with a halo. I loved it. I bought a couple from someone. I did not like the ones I bought second hand as much. These were sacks where the swaddle part came off (was held on by velcro). I prefer the one where the swaddle is not removable. We only swaddled for about 8 weeks but some babies prefer longer. This brand is great for that because there is room by the feet.
-Cloud B sleep sheep: I really liked this and still use it. We have an older house that makes lots of noises so this is great to help keep her asleep before she gets to deep sleep. We got the normal sheep. If I could go back I would have gotten the travel size one. The main difference is that one is smaller and the travel one does not have the "womb/heartbeat" sound. Emily does not really like that sound (it also turns the monitor on) so we don't use that sound. The travel one would be more useful in the car and is cheaper. They also have other animals.
FEEDING
-First essentials bottles: These bottles are great. They are cheap. I think $3.50 for 3 at Target. They also attach to most breast-pumps. They have a universal top so all universal collars fit. These are not as great for mixing formula in. The formula will always spill when putting in the bottle via scoop.
-Similac Simply Smart Bottles: I recieved a few of these 4oz bottles free and was given many coupons for them from the company. That is the only reason I used them. I am so glad. I love these bottles. They have a special attachment that assists in mixing formula. It is also wide mouthed which I liked when I was still breast feeding and pumping. They also have an amazing formula holder that becomes the cap for the bottle. I suggest getting the starter kit. The only downside is that it has a little gas vent and if you are not careful the nipple catches and is not flat against the collar and you will have major leaking. So you just have to check before screwing on the collar. Babies R Us does buy one get one every once an a while. And Walmart has half off on a regular basis.
-Burp Cloths: you can never have enough burp cloths. I like the ones that look like pre-folds. Gerber makes some that are in cute fun colors and are really soft. Some of my favorites are ones that people had embroidered with Emily's name and or initials. These are great when I take her places like the church nursery and the daycare at the gym because they never get confused with ones that belong to other kids.
-Bibs: I really like using bibs. Emily has really bad reflux and so if I don't use bibs I have to change her clothes 7-10 times a day. I like the solid ones because they match every outfit. Most of mine are not waterproof but those are great. If you want something personalized have the baby's name embroidered on it. I have 2 of these and I like using them when I take her to the church nursery or to the gym at an odd hour. That way the workers remember her name.
Toys
Right now we dont play with lots of toys but here are a few that we like.
-Vulli Sophie the Giraffe: many people are put off by the price of this teether but it is worth it. We are not cutting teeth yet but love our Sophie. She is easy to hold and is made of natural rubber.
-bright star snuggle and teether: Emily has the elephant. She loves it. It is easy to hold and it makes crinkly noises. It also has a teething part as well.
Baby Gear
-Baby Jogger City Mini Stroller: I LOVE my stroller. I received it as a Christmas present from my parents. They got it from craigslist. Which is always a great way to get more expensive baby gear. This stroller is so popular that they go fast from craigslist and consignment sales. This stroller is only 10 lbs and has a handy one handed fold mechanism. This means that you can hold your baby while using one hand fold and lift the stroller into the car. I do not have the attachments for this stroller but if you will be getting before baby is born or when they are still a newborn I would suggest getting the car seat adapter and a corresponding car seat to make this into a travel system. The website has a disclaimer that this is not a jogging stroller and yes if you are a very fast runner I would not suggest utilizing it in that fashion but if you are a slower jogger and only want one stroller it is a good option. It does have a way to lock the front wheel if you are running on a straight track.
- Carseat: I have not included a link for a carseat. Pick the stroller you like the most then buy the corresponding carseat. We have the Graco snugride 35 which is very safe. I would not buy it again. for several reasons. One it is heavier because it holds a baby up to 35lbs. We will not be using this carseat up to that weight. Most 2 year olds are not that heavy and if you do have a heavier baby you are not going to be carrying them around in the pumpkin seat. Buy a cheaper car seat that holds up to a lower weight and you will have an easier time carrying your baby in the pumpkin seat because they weigh less (it will also fit in the shopping carts better). I also would buy a carseat that has a handle where you can change the angle of your grip. Would just make carrying it easier. Carseats dont expire for 5 years from the date they are manufactured. Due to this I bought a neutral color so that I can use this same carseat for any children we may have in that time period.
-Ergo Baby carrier: I love my Ergo. It is easy to use and comfortable. You can hold up to 40lbs (i know several people who carry their toddlers and are comfortable while doing it). There is an infant insert which makes it easy to use with newborns but is a little hot. I love using this when grocery shopping. You can also switch to carrying in back when the baby gets older. This was great when Emily had slight colic (due to allergy), it puts her right to sleep.
- Play mat: Any play mat is great. I prefer ones that make noise and have lights. I have added more toys to ours so she could reach them. This is great to entertain baby while you take a shower.
-Jumperoo: We have a jumperoo. Emily prefers this over the exersaucer she has also used. She is not really big enough to jump but she really likes sitting in it. Which ever kind you like will work. The one that is linked is the one we have. It was easy to put together and the toys are easy to use. She can even play with them now.
-Bumbo seat: we like using the bumbo seat. We borrowed one from a friend. Emily likes it because she likes to sit up but is not completely ready to do it on her own. This also means she can sit up and I can face her to play.
-Swings: we were given an older version of a Fisher-price swing. Not the one linked (based on the age of the persons child I think it is 10 years old, so they do last). It was nice but is big and bulky. It is perfect for ranch houses or condos. A friend let me borrow their Bright Stars portable swing which I really like. This swing easily folds up and moves. I was then able to move it to the floor I was currently on. Also when Emily was having colic I was able to move it to my room and sleep in my bed instead of on the couch. And when I had people coming over I could fold it up and put it away so it was not taking up space.
-Baby monitors: I like my monitor but if I was doing it again I would probably buy a video monitor. I have the Sony baby call nursery monitor. I like that it has two receivers and both have a charger. I leave one in my room and one in the basement. It also has an on mode and a mode that is voice activated (though the sleep sheep sometimes turns it on, see above). I did not originally register for a video monitor because I thought they were expensive and over kill. Now I can see the reason for them. The baby makes noises that you want to check sometimes and it would be nice to just look and see what she is doing. She is a light sleeper and walking in sometimes wakes her up. Though I do know several moms who have become obsessive with their video monitors. So there is some pros and cons.
-carseat canopy: I really like this on my carseat. It is great to keep people from touching her. For some reason people like to kiss random babies at the store. It is also great with the cold. You are not supposed to put jackets on them when in the carseat so this with a blanket keeps her nice and toasty. They have lots of patterns, I went with the one shown here because it matched my gender neutral carseat. You can get this free at this website with a coupon code. They have lots of different codes. Check out retail me not to find one.
Health Items:
-Safety 1st Thermometer: I really like this thermometer because it has interchangeable tips for all 3 modes of temperature taking.
-Bath tub: this bath tub was awesome when she was a newborn because it has the canopy attachment. This held her in the water with out fear of drowning making it easier to soap her up. Now we don't use the canopy and the back has a seat and is designed to help her sit up. I bought mine used at a consignment sale, it is really easy to find these there in good shape.
So I think that is everything right now. I am sure that I will add things as we go along. If you have any questions about these items let me know. I am happy to elaborate. And please remember I am not being paid by these companies. This is just what I have learned from using these products.
SLEEP
- HALO sleepsack swaddle: we had the summer swaddle blankets but Emily was a long baby so these did not work very well. Luckily the hospital sent us home with a halo. I loved it. I bought a couple from someone. I did not like the ones I bought second hand as much. These were sacks where the swaddle part came off (was held on by velcro). I prefer the one where the swaddle is not removable. We only swaddled for about 8 weeks but some babies prefer longer. This brand is great for that because there is room by the feet.
 |
| Sleep sheep by cloud B |
-Cloud B sleep sheep: I really liked this and still use it. We have an older house that makes lots of noises so this is great to help keep her asleep before she gets to deep sleep. We got the normal sheep. If I could go back I would have gotten the travel size one. The main difference is that one is smaller and the travel one does not have the "womb/heartbeat" sound. Emily does not really like that sound (it also turns the monitor on) so we don't use that sound. The travel one would be more useful in the car and is cheaper. They also have other animals.
FEEDING
-First essentials bottles: These bottles are great. They are cheap. I think $3.50 for 3 at Target. They also attach to most breast-pumps. They have a universal top so all universal collars fit. These are not as great for mixing formula in. The formula will always spill when putting in the bottle via scoop.
 |
| Similac simply smart |
-Similac Simply Smart Bottles: I recieved a few of these 4oz bottles free and was given many coupons for them from the company. That is the only reason I used them. I am so glad. I love these bottles. They have a special attachment that assists in mixing formula. It is also wide mouthed which I liked when I was still breast feeding and pumping. They also have an amazing formula holder that becomes the cap for the bottle. I suggest getting the starter kit. The only downside is that it has a little gas vent and if you are not careful the nipple catches and is not flat against the collar and you will have major leaking. So you just have to check before screwing on the collar. Babies R Us does buy one get one every once an a while. And Walmart has half off on a regular basis.
-Burp Cloths: you can never have enough burp cloths. I like the ones that look like pre-folds. Gerber makes some that are in cute fun colors and are really soft. Some of my favorites are ones that people had embroidered with Emily's name and or initials. These are great when I take her places like the church nursery and the daycare at the gym because they never get confused with ones that belong to other kids.
-Bibs: I really like using bibs. Emily has really bad reflux and so if I don't use bibs I have to change her clothes 7-10 times a day. I like the solid ones because they match every outfit. Most of mine are not waterproof but those are great. If you want something personalized have the baby's name embroidered on it. I have 2 of these and I like using them when I take her to the church nursery or to the gym at an odd hour. That way the workers remember her name.
Toys
Right now we dont play with lots of toys but here are a few that we like.
 |
| Sophie the Giraffe by Vulli |
-Vulli Sophie the Giraffe: many people are put off by the price of this teether but it is worth it. We are not cutting teeth yet but love our Sophie. She is easy to hold and is made of natural rubber.
-bright star snuggle and teether: Emily has the elephant. She loves it. It is easy to hold and it makes crinkly noises. It also has a teething part as well.
Baby Gear
 |
| 2012 City Mini |
-Baby Jogger City Mini Stroller: I LOVE my stroller. I received it as a Christmas present from my parents. They got it from craigslist. Which is always a great way to get more expensive baby gear. This stroller is so popular that they go fast from craigslist and consignment sales. This stroller is only 10 lbs and has a handy one handed fold mechanism. This means that you can hold your baby while using one hand fold and lift the stroller into the car. I do not have the attachments for this stroller but if you will be getting before baby is born or when they are still a newborn I would suggest getting the car seat adapter and a corresponding car seat to make this into a travel system. The website has a disclaimer that this is not a jogging stroller and yes if you are a very fast runner I would not suggest utilizing it in that fashion but if you are a slower jogger and only want one stroller it is a good option. It does have a way to lock the front wheel if you are running on a straight track.
- Carseat: I have not included a link for a carseat. Pick the stroller you like the most then buy the corresponding carseat. We have the Graco snugride 35 which is very safe. I would not buy it again. for several reasons. One it is heavier because it holds a baby up to 35lbs. We will not be using this carseat up to that weight. Most 2 year olds are not that heavy and if you do have a heavier baby you are not going to be carrying them around in the pumpkin seat. Buy a cheaper car seat that holds up to a lower weight and you will have an easier time carrying your baby in the pumpkin seat because they weigh less (it will also fit in the shopping carts better). I also would buy a carseat that has a handle where you can change the angle of your grip. Would just make carrying it easier. Carseats dont expire for 5 years from the date they are manufactured. Due to this I bought a neutral color so that I can use this same carseat for any children we may have in that time period.
-Ergo Baby carrier: I love my Ergo. It is easy to use and comfortable. You can hold up to 40lbs (i know several people who carry their toddlers and are comfortable while doing it). There is an infant insert which makes it easy to use with newborns but is a little hot. I love using this when grocery shopping. You can also switch to carrying in back when the baby gets older. This was great when Emily had slight colic (due to allergy), it puts her right to sleep.
- Play mat: Any play mat is great. I prefer ones that make noise and have lights. I have added more toys to ours so she could reach them. This is great to entertain baby while you take a shower.
-Jumperoo: We have a jumperoo. Emily prefers this over the exersaucer she has also used. She is not really big enough to jump but she really likes sitting in it. Which ever kind you like will work. The one that is linked is the one we have. It was easy to put together and the toys are easy to use. She can even play with them now.
-Bumbo seat: we like using the bumbo seat. We borrowed one from a friend. Emily likes it because she likes to sit up but is not completely ready to do it on her own. This also means she can sit up and I can face her to play.
-Swings: we were given an older version of a Fisher-price swing. Not the one linked (based on the age of the persons child I think it is 10 years old, so they do last). It was nice but is big and bulky. It is perfect for ranch houses or condos. A friend let me borrow their Bright Stars portable swing which I really like. This swing easily folds up and moves. I was then able to move it to the floor I was currently on. Also when Emily was having colic I was able to move it to my room and sleep in my bed instead of on the couch. And when I had people coming over I could fold it up and put it away so it was not taking up space.
-Baby monitors: I like my monitor but if I was doing it again I would probably buy a video monitor. I have the Sony baby call nursery monitor. I like that it has two receivers and both have a charger. I leave one in my room and one in the basement. It also has an on mode and a mode that is voice activated (though the sleep sheep sometimes turns it on, see above). I did not originally register for a video monitor because I thought they were expensive and over kill. Now I can see the reason for them. The baby makes noises that you want to check sometimes and it would be nice to just look and see what she is doing. She is a light sleeper and walking in sometimes wakes her up. Though I do know several moms who have become obsessive with their video monitors. So there is some pros and cons.
 |
| Carseat Canopy in Reagan |
Health Items:
-Safety 1st Thermometer: I really like this thermometer because it has interchangeable tips for all 3 modes of temperature taking.
-Bath tub: this bath tub was awesome when she was a newborn because it has the canopy attachment. This held her in the water with out fear of drowning making it easier to soap her up. Now we don't use the canopy and the back has a seat and is designed to help her sit up. I bought mine used at a consignment sale, it is really easy to find these there in good shape.
So I think that is everything right now. I am sure that I will add things as we go along. If you have any questions about these items let me know. I am happy to elaborate. And please remember I am not being paid by these companies. This is just what I have learned from using these products.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Smiles and giggles
We have defiantly entered the smiling and giggling phase. I have loved all of the stages so far but this one is amazing. It is so wonderful to have her light up when you walk in the room. I cant describe how it feels to know you are her favorite person and how much joy you bring her. You find yourself doing ridiculous things just to hear a giggle.
Working
I received a position as a personal trainer and a group fitness instructor at a local city recreation center. I started working the first week of the new year. The best part is that they have onsite child care that I can use. So I am timing my hours around the child care hours. The normal days I am completely fine because I have never left her there for more than 2 hours. But last weekend we had an open house and I worked for 5 hours. Emily stayed home with James but I was having a bit of a freak out. Silly right? That was the longest I had been away from her. It was not that I was worried about how James was going to take care of her. I knew they were going to be fine. James is a great dad and I never have to worry about that. It was more that I missed her. I am sure if I was doing something more fun and not working I would have been fine :)
I am really enjoying this location. I don't have any classes that I own yet but I am looking forward to getting one. The best part is that I can work out now. Of course I am cheap. If I am working out I have to pay for the child care for Emily. That means I am utilizing the track. They let you take strollers on the track. I started jogging this week because Emily is now big enough to use my nice stroller. I think I need to start picking races for motivation.
I am really enjoying this location. I don't have any classes that I own yet but I am looking forward to getting one. The best part is that I can work out now. Of course I am cheap. If I am working out I have to pay for the child care for Emily. That means I am utilizing the track. They let you take strollers on the track. I started jogging this week because Emily is now big enough to use my nice stroller. I think I need to start picking races for motivation.
Sleep training
So about 2 weeks ago I did some research on sleep. Apparently you are supposed to put newborns down when they are still awake but sleepy. I so did not do this. I did not realize you were supposed to. I would just hold and rock Emily until she fell asleep and then I would sneak her into her crib. This meant she did not know how to sooth herself to sleep. Looking back I do not regret holding and rocking her to sleep. She was only a newborn for a very short time and I will never have that time back.
But that meant I needed to teach her how to comfort herself. So we started sleep training.
Sleep training SUCKS!
But we did it.
We started a night time routine. Starting with a bath. Then we read 2-3 books. Followed by a bottle and some lullabies. Emily is then tucked in and kissed goodnight.
The first night she cried for 45 minutes before she fell asleep. Every 5 minutes we went and rubbed her tummy (did not pick her up) and tucked her back in. This is so horribly emotionally draining. I ended up sitting in the basement with the monitor off (checking every 5 min) so I could not hear her.
The second night she cried for 40 minutes before falling asleep and the third night for 30 minutes. Fourth night she went straight to sleep! Score!
Now she not only falls asleep at night, she puts herself back to sleep the few times she wakes up at night. She still wakes up once a night (not every night, about every other) for a bottle. She is sleeping longer (10-12 hours). Now she goes to bed easy for naps too.
So I was a nervous wreck for 3 nights and had a hard time dealing with the crying but I stuck with it. I am so glad I did because she is so happier now.
But that meant I needed to teach her how to comfort herself. So we started sleep training.
Sleep training SUCKS!
But we did it.
We started a night time routine. Starting with a bath. Then we read 2-3 books. Followed by a bottle and some lullabies. Emily is then tucked in and kissed goodnight.
The first night she cried for 45 minutes before she fell asleep. Every 5 minutes we went and rubbed her tummy (did not pick her up) and tucked her back in. This is so horribly emotionally draining. I ended up sitting in the basement with the monitor off (checking every 5 min) so I could not hear her.
The second night she cried for 40 minutes before falling asleep and the third night for 30 minutes. Fourth night she went straight to sleep! Score!
Now she not only falls asleep at night, she puts herself back to sleep the few times she wakes up at night. She still wakes up once a night (not every night, about every other) for a bottle. She is sleeping longer (10-12 hours). Now she goes to bed easy for naps too.
So I was a nervous wreck for 3 nights and had a hard time dealing with the crying but I stuck with it. I am so glad I did because she is so happier now.
You know your a parent....
You know you are a parent.....
....when the most common accessory in your wardrobe is spit up.
....when you are caught rocking without holding a newborn.
....when a date is a trip to Costco.
....when you get 5 continuous hours of sleep and its the best thing that has happened in months.
.... if you get in your car and automatically start singing "old mcdonald"
....if your favorite Christmas present was a baby stroller.
These are just a few little snippets. I will add more as they come to me.
....when the most common accessory in your wardrobe is spit up.
....when you are caught rocking without holding a newborn.
....when a date is a trip to Costco.
....when you get 5 continuous hours of sleep and its the best thing that has happened in months.
.... if you get in your car and automatically start singing "old mcdonald"
....if your favorite Christmas present was a baby stroller.
These are just a few little snippets. I will add more as they come to me.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Hello 2013
So this year I did not make any resolutions. I decided to make goals for the year. I feel they have a different meaning and people have a better mindset about goals than resolutions.
So here are my goals for 2013:
1. Finish losing the baby weight and then lose a little more. I have about 10lbs left of baby weight. Which I think is good considering Emily is 3.5 months old and the holiday season just ended.
- I just started a job at a local gym so now I can have more productive workouts
2. Keep my house cleaner. I am really good at finding something else to do instead of cleaning (like blogging). I want to stay on top of my cleaning so I don't have to do a ton all at once.
- We moved our "family room" to the basement which is really helping with keeping the house looking good. Now our front door opens to a "formal living room" which is mostly void of baby items because they have all moved downstairs.
3. Teach more classes. I was so happy when I was teaching in Fall of 2011 though I was getting close to burning out with 10 or more classes a week. I really enjoy teaching and I want to get back to regular classes.
- Right now I am just a sub at my gym (though I did teach a class last week). If I don't get any regular classes there I will start looking at a second gym to just teach at.
4. Enjoy Life! Life is really short and I feel I am kind of just racing through. This year is going to be really exciting watching Emily grow and I don't want to miss a thing.
- This weekend we spent a good amount of time just hanging out and making Emily giggle. Today she just wanted to be held. She didn't want anything but she didn't want to play either. So I just sat down and held my baby. It was a really awesome morning.
So now I am ready for the year. Even though 13 is an unlucky number I am convinced this will be an amazingly wonderful year.
So here are my goals for 2013:
1. Finish losing the baby weight and then lose a little more. I have about 10lbs left of baby weight. Which I think is good considering Emily is 3.5 months old and the holiday season just ended.
- I just started a job at a local gym so now I can have more productive workouts
2. Keep my house cleaner. I am really good at finding something else to do instead of cleaning (like blogging). I want to stay on top of my cleaning so I don't have to do a ton all at once.
- We moved our "family room" to the basement which is really helping with keeping the house looking good. Now our front door opens to a "formal living room" which is mostly void of baby items because they have all moved downstairs.
3. Teach more classes. I was so happy when I was teaching in Fall of 2011 though I was getting close to burning out with 10 or more classes a week. I really enjoy teaching and I want to get back to regular classes.
- Right now I am just a sub at my gym (though I did teach a class last week). If I don't get any regular classes there I will start looking at a second gym to just teach at.
4. Enjoy Life! Life is really short and I feel I am kind of just racing through. This year is going to be really exciting watching Emily grow and I don't want to miss a thing.
- This weekend we spent a good amount of time just hanging out and making Emily giggle. Today she just wanted to be held. She didn't want anything but she didn't want to play either. So I just sat down and held my baby. It was a really awesome morning.
So now I am ready for the year. Even though 13 is an unlucky number I am convinced this will be an amazingly wonderful year.
Attack of the Ladybugs!
For the last couple months, every week or two we find a ladybug in Emily's room. Only in Emily's room. No they are not the same bug because most of the time I catch her (him?). Are ladybugs always referred to as "her". I always release the ones I catch out back. So unless the same one is coming inside (I have no idea how they are getting in) they are different bugs.
We never found these ladybugs before Emily was born. And now it is January. Don't bugs die in the winter?
There are only a few possible reasons for this to keep happening:
1. My daughter is a muggle born wizard and is unknowingly using her powers to talk to ladybugs.
2. I gave birth to the Queen of the ladybugs and they are coming to worship her.
3. She is a bug whisperer and I should be happy it is ladybugs she likes and not tarantulas.
I have decided I like #1 the best and I will be looking forward to the owl we will get when she is 11.
Monday, January 7, 2013
The holidays
Our Anniversary is always kind of shoved to the side because it is 6 days before Christmas. We are both ok with that because we rejoice and celebrate in our love everyday so we would probably not make a big deal out of it if it was any other time of the year anyway.
This year we ordered take out and had a pajama picnic in the living room with Emily. It was fun and easy and completely us.
James and I were really excited about Christmas this year because we have Emily now. Of course she had no idea what was going on but it was really fun buying her gifts. The week before Christmas we took her to the mall to see Santa. Luckily she slept through most of the 45min wait. I thought it was a great success because she did not spit up on Santa.
I made picture Christmas cards this year. It is the first year I did picture ones. James and I don't really take pictures of ourselves so I never had any to use in previous years. I got a really cute Christmas dress for only $5 (score!) and Emily looked so cute in it. It was really hard to put on her though. Once I got the thing on and was walking down the stairs she spit up all over it. I wiped it off and decided to continue with the picture taking. The problem with taking staged photos of Emily at that age was that she could not sit up unsupported yet. (She still cant totally but is getting better. So even though I put her under the tree you could not tell if I zoomed in enough to get her face. I found the best way to get a picture was to put her in the middle of her boppy. I put a white blanket over the boppy to make a good background The second issue I found was that she had just entered the chewing the hand phase. She also likes to suddenly move so I have tons of awesome smiley pictures where she is blurry. Slider was way better at posing so he earned a spot on the card :)
James had to work on Christmas eve so Emily and I hung around the house and cleaned bathrooms. Yep sounds exciting. Once daddy got home we had dinner (nothing fancy), watched some Christmas movies and then went to church. On the way home we drove through the neighborhoods and looked at Christmas lights. It was uneventful and wonderful at the same time. Sometimes keeping it simple is the best way to go.
Christmas morning was fun. Daddy fed Emily while Mommy opened everyone presents. We kept it small and only got her a few things she needed. We also told Santa that he did not have to go very big either so he got her a Sophie giraffe. Then we made breakfast and lazed around the house the rest of the day.
My parents and sisters arrived the next day. James had to work. That left me making Christmas dinner alone while entertaining a baby. I hosted Thanksgiving this year but I had help cooking from my mother in law and my friend Molly. So this was the first time I did it on my own. I had to adjust the timing several times because my parents ended up driving through a blizzard. But everything turned out well and it did not take that much longer for them to get here.
All in all I think it was a great first Christmas for Emily and I look forward to even better ones as the years go on :)
 |
| First visit with Santa! |
This year we ordered take out and had a pajama picnic in the living room with Emily. It was fun and easy and completely us.
James and I were really excited about Christmas this year because we have Emily now. Of course she had no idea what was going on but it was really fun buying her gifts. The week before Christmas we took her to the mall to see Santa. Luckily she slept through most of the 45min wait. I thought it was a great success because she did not spit up on Santa.
I made picture Christmas cards this year. It is the first year I did picture ones. James and I don't really take pictures of ourselves so I never had any to use in previous years. I got a really cute Christmas dress for only $5 (score!) and Emily looked so cute in it. It was really hard to put on her though. Once I got the thing on and was walking down the stairs she spit up all over it. I wiped it off and decided to continue with the picture taking. The problem with taking staged photos of Emily at that age was that she could not sit up unsupported yet. (She still cant totally but is getting better. So even though I put her under the tree you could not tell if I zoomed in enough to get her face. I found the best way to get a picture was to put her in the middle of her boppy. I put a white blanket over the boppy to make a good background The second issue I found was that she had just entered the chewing the hand phase. She also likes to suddenly move so I have tons of awesome smiley pictures where she is blurry. Slider was way better at posing so he earned a spot on the card :)
James had to work on Christmas eve so Emily and I hung around the house and cleaned bathrooms. Yep sounds exciting. Once daddy got home we had dinner (nothing fancy), watched some Christmas movies and then went to church. On the way home we drove through the neighborhoods and looked at Christmas lights. It was uneventful and wonderful at the same time. Sometimes keeping it simple is the best way to go.
Christmas morning was fun. Daddy fed Emily while Mommy opened everyone presents. We kept it small and only got her a few things she needed. We also told Santa that he did not have to go very big either so he got her a Sophie giraffe. Then we made breakfast and lazed around the house the rest of the day.
 |
| Em in her jumperoo from Nana and Grandpa. She loves it but is still a little short :) |
My parents and sisters arrived the next day. James had to work. That left me making Christmas dinner alone while entertaining a baby. I hosted Thanksgiving this year but I had help cooking from my mother in law and my friend Molly. So this was the first time I did it on my own. I had to adjust the timing several times because my parents ended up driving through a blizzard. But everything turned out well and it did not take that much longer for them to get here.
All in all I think it was a great first Christmas for Emily and I look forward to even better ones as the years go on :)
First trip to the ER! AHHHH!
It happened one lovely Friday night. December 7th to be exact.
We were just hanging out snuggling before bed. Emily had spit up everywhere, which is a common occurrence here. When I changed her I only put on a onsie. I don't know why but I am glad that I did. While sitting around snuggling I started playing with her feet. I love baby feet. They are so cute and it is so fun to give them kisses.
Then I noticed it!
A hair tourniquet. Not just one but two. On two different toes. She was not upset so I was not hurting her yet. But I knew we needed to fix it right away.
Some of you are thinking. What the H is a hair tourniquet? I did not take any pictures of one on Emily because I was slightly distracted so here is the like to a wiki article about them. Here are pictures from the article. Basically it is when a thread or hair gets wrapped around a babies toe, finger and on boys even their testicles! It gets tighter and tighter until it cuts of circulation. If they are unable to get the hair or thread off they have to cut it by cutting skin and surgically removing it. If it is not caught in time the child can lose the appendage.
We caught Emily's really early and James went to work on getting them off. One fell right off but the other was more difficult. This resulted in horrible screaming and crying because as we were trying to get it off it was getting tighter. We called the pediatrician but just decided to get in the car and head to the ER.
We were lucky in that there was no one in the ER. It was completely empty and the pediatrician called ahead for us. They all fell in love with Emily and she was doing much better now and giving everyone smiles.
They looked and looked and were unable to find the hair. So after several hours and lots of screaming, we were sent home and told if it gets worse go to Children's. They didn't want us to go back there because she would need a pediatric surgeon. It was a little disconcerting to be sent home not knowing if things were going to get better or not.
After a few hours of sleep we checked it and it was better so it must have fallen off. We think when it broke when James was working on it but he did not see it come off. Now even a month later you can still see a little line from where it was but I am sure it will go away at some point.
We were just hanging out snuggling before bed. Emily had spit up everywhere, which is a common occurrence here. When I changed her I only put on a onsie. I don't know why but I am glad that I did. While sitting around snuggling I started playing with her feet. I love baby feet. They are so cute and it is so fun to give them kisses.
Then I noticed it!
A hair tourniquet. Not just one but two. On two different toes. She was not upset so I was not hurting her yet. But I knew we needed to fix it right away.
 |
| Courtesy of wikipedia |
 |
| From wikipedia: after being surgically removed. |
 |
| Snuggling in between attempts to find the hair. |
We were lucky in that there was no one in the ER. It was completely empty and the pediatrician called ahead for us. They all fell in love with Emily and she was doing much better now and giving everyone smiles.
They looked and looked and were unable to find the hair. So after several hours and lots of screaming, we were sent home and told if it gets worse go to Children's. They didn't want us to go back there because she would need a pediatric surgeon. It was a little disconcerting to be sent home not knowing if things were going to get better or not.
 |
| We were very hungry after all of that screaming. |
 |
| The next morning. Only a little swelling :) |
Sensitive Tummies
The weekend before Thanksgiving Emily got sick. It was easy to tell she was in pain and she was having 15-20 poopy diapers a day. Life was horrible. I tried tons of things but could not figure out what was wrong, so off to the pediatrician we went.
They fit us in immediately. They are always really good about fitting kids in but they were really worried about Emily because she was low on weight to begin with and did not want her dropping. Once there they checked a bunch of things and determined she has a milk protein allergy.
There are two ways to treat this:
- If breastfeeding the mom goes on an elimination diet. You cut out all dairy and gluten. It takes 3 weeks to start working on fixing the baby's problem. If it does not work then you need to remove more items from your diet and wait another 3 weeks and if it still does not work then you need to switch to hypoallergenic formula.
- Use hypoallergenic formula. This takes a max of 72 hours to start working.
The week before Emily got sick she went on a nursing strike. I was still pumping (I even was getting up in the middle of the night when she was sleeping to pump) but for some reason my supply dropped dramatically a few days after her strike started. Due to this she was only getting about a quarter breastmilk and I was driving myself crazy trying to pump as much as possible and run on absolutely no more sleep than an hour and a half at a time, sometimes less (due to her being awake and when I needed to pump).
This made the decision easy (well at least I thought it did). We switched to complete formula. Within hours I saw an improvement. That did not make the idea of losing my breastfeeding experience or the knowledge that breastmilk is best any easier. It took me a while but I now know that I am doing what is best for Emily. That does not stop people from making comments. Most of them are harmless but about 3 weeks ago I had a women stop me at the store when I was looking at the formula. She then informed me that breastfeeding was best. First I was stunned. I could not believe she was saying this to me. But I whipped out my best southern lady bitchy voice (that is right I was raised in the south and I know how to bitch you out like a lady). My response: "Why bless your heart. Thank you so much". She was slightly confused but wondered off and left me alone. I have no idea why people and society think they have the right to tell me how to feed my baby or what I should be doing with my ta-tas. Last time I checked they belong to me.
A few weeks into the new formula we noticed Emily was developing re-flux She never had re-flux before and it was progressively getting worse. She normally changes her outfit 4-7 times a day and I have to change mine at least 2 times. She was also showing signs of pain. So back to the doctor we went. She got a prescription and the pain is now gone but the spit up is just as bad. Oh well as long as she is not in pain then we can deal with the rest.
The best part about switching to this formula is that she is now growing like crazy. In the first two weeks on it she gained 2.5 lbs and went from just out of newborn clothes to 3-6mo. She was always small in the 30th percentile and now is normal at 50th. Yay!
They fit us in immediately. They are always really good about fitting kids in but they were really worried about Emily because she was low on weight to begin with and did not want her dropping. Once there they checked a bunch of things and determined she has a milk protein allergy.
There are two ways to treat this:
- If breastfeeding the mom goes on an elimination diet. You cut out all dairy and gluten. It takes 3 weeks to start working on fixing the baby's problem. If it does not work then you need to remove more items from your diet and wait another 3 weeks and if it still does not work then you need to switch to hypoallergenic formula.
- Use hypoallergenic formula. This takes a max of 72 hours to start working.
The week before Emily got sick she went on a nursing strike. I was still pumping (I even was getting up in the middle of the night when she was sleeping to pump) but for some reason my supply dropped dramatically a few days after her strike started. Due to this she was only getting about a quarter breastmilk and I was driving myself crazy trying to pump as much as possible and run on absolutely no more sleep than an hour and a half at a time, sometimes less (due to her being awake and when I needed to pump).
This made the decision easy (well at least I thought it did). We switched to complete formula. Within hours I saw an improvement. That did not make the idea of losing my breastfeeding experience or the knowledge that breastmilk is best any easier. It took me a while but I now know that I am doing what is best for Emily. That does not stop people from making comments. Most of them are harmless but about 3 weeks ago I had a women stop me at the store when I was looking at the formula. She then informed me that breastfeeding was best. First I was stunned. I could not believe she was saying this to me. But I whipped out my best southern lady bitchy voice (that is right I was raised in the south and I know how to bitch you out like a lady). My response: "Why bless your heart. Thank you so much". She was slightly confused but wondered off and left me alone. I have no idea why people and society think they have the right to tell me how to feed my baby or what I should be doing with my ta-tas. Last time I checked they belong to me.
A few weeks into the new formula we noticed Emily was developing re-flux She never had re-flux before and it was progressively getting worse. She normally changes her outfit 4-7 times a day and I have to change mine at least 2 times. She was also showing signs of pain. So back to the doctor we went. She got a prescription and the pain is now gone but the spit up is just as bad. Oh well as long as she is not in pain then we can deal with the rest.
The best part about switching to this formula is that she is now growing like crazy. In the first two weeks on it she gained 2.5 lbs and went from just out of newborn clothes to 3-6mo. She was always small in the 30th percentile and now is normal at 50th. Yay!
Christmas craft fail!
So back in October I started planing all the fun holiday things I wanted to do. Of course pinterest was a major inspiration. My problem with pinterest is that I don't have as much talent as I think I do.
I found this really cute first Christmas ornament where you use the baby's foot print. This is what it looked like. Here is the link to the original page.
I planned on changing it somewhat. My plan was to not put paint on the inside and to use glitter snow inside. Then have Emily's footprint with "Emily 2012" written in green. I also purchased red ribbon for the top.
I then had the brilliant idea that I should make one for all the different branches of the family and have these be gifts from Emily.
So with this in mind I went to Michaels and purchased all the materials. I bought 2 packs of clear glass ornaments, red paint, a paint pen, red ribbon and a pack of glitter snow.
My in-laws were spending Thanksgiving with us and I wanted all of their presents done before then so I could just send them home with them. (trying to avoid the post office). I also realized there was not going to be away for me to get her footprint on the ornaments by myself. I needed to enlist my husband to help.
That is easier said than done.
He procrastinated until the night before they were to arrive...
It was not pretty. There was paint everywhere and Emily was screaming like she was going to die. James decided it was not physically possible to make these. Then I started crying because I was sleep deprived and I really wanted to have these (also because I am a girl).
My response: "but I saw it on Pinterest, It has to be possible"
So I put it all away deciding I was a failure.
The next week my grandparents visited and I told my very crafty grandmother about the project. Grammie knows everything right? Well she does so we got to work on getting these footprints.
Again it was a huge mess. Paint everywhere. Screaming baby. But we were successful in getting some paint on ornaments. Unfortunately most of the footprints looked like they belonged to aliens. Most were missing toes and some had too many, all but one was 2 times as long as her actual foot.
I scraped the gift idea. But there was one perfect ornament (well as close to perfect as I was ever going to get). I decided this one was mine. But life happened and I kept putting off finishing.
Finally after much complaining from my husband (the supplies were sitting on the table for most of December) I completed the project. On Christmas Eve I wrote Emily's name and 2012 on the ornaments (I wrote on all of them just in case I messed up, knowing me that was entirely possible). The day after Christmas I put the snow in.
Putting snow in an ornament is harder than it sounds. Obviously you think, funnel. Well glitter snow clogs funnels. In the process I got snow all over my dinning room, the kitchen and the bathroom. I also somehow inhaled snow. Yep, it was not a good experience. I hacked and coughed for the rest of the day. But now I have a beautiful ornament
I found this really cute first Christmas ornament where you use the baby's foot print. This is what it looked like. Here is the link to the original page.
I planned on changing it somewhat. My plan was to not put paint on the inside and to use glitter snow inside. Then have Emily's footprint with "Emily 2012" written in green. I also purchased red ribbon for the top.
I then had the brilliant idea that I should make one for all the different branches of the family and have these be gifts from Emily.
So with this in mind I went to Michaels and purchased all the materials. I bought 2 packs of clear glass ornaments, red paint, a paint pen, red ribbon and a pack of glitter snow.
My in-laws were spending Thanksgiving with us and I wanted all of their presents done before then so I could just send them home with them. (trying to avoid the post office). I also realized there was not going to be away for me to get her footprint on the ornaments by myself. I needed to enlist my husband to help.
That is easier said than done.
He procrastinated until the night before they were to arrive...
It was not pretty. There was paint everywhere and Emily was screaming like she was going to die. James decided it was not physically possible to make these. Then I started crying because I was sleep deprived and I really wanted to have these (also because I am a girl).
 |
| Emily's Footprint (3mo) |
My response: "but I saw it on Pinterest, It has to be possible"
So I put it all away deciding I was a failure.
The next week my grandparents visited and I told my very crafty grandmother about the project. Grammie knows everything right? Well she does so we got to work on getting these footprints.
Again it was a huge mess. Paint everywhere. Screaming baby. But we were successful in getting some paint on ornaments. Unfortunately most of the footprints looked like they belonged to aliens. Most were missing toes and some had too many, all but one was 2 times as long as her actual foot.
I scraped the gift idea. But there was one perfect ornament (well as close to perfect as I was ever going to get). I decided this one was mine. But life happened and I kept putting off finishing.
Finally after much complaining from my husband (the supplies were sitting on the table for most of December) I completed the project. On Christmas Eve I wrote Emily's name and 2012 on the ornaments (I wrote on all of them just in case I messed up, knowing me that was entirely possible). The day after Christmas I put the snow in.
Putting snow in an ornament is harder than it sounds. Obviously you think, funnel. Well glitter snow clogs funnels. In the process I got snow all over my dinning room, the kitchen and the bathroom. I also somehow inhaled snow. Yep, it was not a good experience. I hacked and coughed for the rest of the day. But now I have a beautiful ornament
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)