I'm not in a rush to start cereal or solids but I like being prepared. As you can see, Preston is doing rather well on breastmilk alone. But in a few weeks/months I'll start to introduce some cereal and solids. There are so many products out there for solids and I'm just wondering what's your favorite plate, bowl, spoon, high chair, food storage container, recipe book, or gadget? I already have the food processor picked out and I know I need to pick up a steaming basket. What else do I need? A friend of mine uses this bowl with her daughter and really likes it. I also like this bowl.
What cool products are out there that I'm missing?
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Roll Over
Preston rolled over from his back to his tummy today. It wasn't a fluke because he did it five times. He is still having trouble figuring what to do with the arm that is on the side he's rolling to but he manages after a while. Can't wait to capture it on video.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
LA or Bust
We placed our house on the market last week and had our first viewing today. Although I would love to unload this house fast, I'm aware of the market and our crap neighborhood so it may take a while. We've received a lot of negativity about moving. Yes, I know L.A. has a crap job market, yes I know the cost of living is high, yes I know there are earthquakes and wild fires...I know already! However, I've been dying to live there for a while. We know we can easily afford to live in Pittsburgh and if we want to return we can. However, we don't need to commit to settling down long term until Preston reaches school age. So L.A. here we come (at some point).
Week 14
This was a very exciting week for me. Mama took the morning and early afternoon off one day and we went to the library for baby and me time. I love bouncing around and dancing to the songs. Mama teaches mommy the songs when we get home and sometimes we have silly time and sing the reggae, rock, country and techno versions.
Now that I'm older I'm really interested in the other boys and girls and I stay awake the entire time.
Mama noticed that I'm really into grabbing things so this weekend she surprised me with TOYS!!!!!!
I got a spinning toy that doesn't travel well in the car because the bumps make it sing. I also got some refrigerated teething rings because I love putting things in my mouth and I also got some oval rings to extend the length on some of my car seat toys. But you'll never guess the biggest toy that I got. Give up? It's an exersaucer. Mama's book club friends bought it for me when I was in mama's tummy but today mama took it out of the box and put it together. Both of my moms were a little surprised with the amount of toys that came with it and said it's oversimulating. No wait, I mean overstimulating. I'm not sure what that means but all I know is that mama removed the overhead bar that had toys and said she would put it back in a few weeks. I like this toy but by the time it was put together it was time to wind down for bed so I was a little cranky after about five minutes. It says it's for 4 month olds so maybe we will hold off for a while.
Anyway, it's past my bedtime. Time to nurse and then off to bed I go. I have daycare in the morning so I need lots of rest. The girls hound me at daycare!!!! I like when Gabriel is there cause then I have another boy to play with.
Excuse the weird eyes.
Now that I'm older I'm really interested in the other boys and girls and I stay awake the entire time.
Mama noticed that I'm really into grabbing things so this weekend she surprised me with TOYS!!!!!!
I got a spinning toy that doesn't travel well in the car because the bumps make it sing. I also got some refrigerated teething rings because I love putting things in my mouth and I also got some oval rings to extend the length on some of my car seat toys. But you'll never guess the biggest toy that I got. Give up? It's an exersaucer. Mama's book club friends bought it for me when I was in mama's tummy but today mama took it out of the box and put it together. Both of my moms were a little surprised with the amount of toys that came with it and said it's oversimulating. No wait, I mean overstimulating. I'm not sure what that means but all I know is that mama removed the overhead bar that had toys and said she would put it back in a few weeks. I like this toy but by the time it was put together it was time to wind down for bed so I was a little cranky after about five minutes. It says it's for 4 month olds so maybe we will hold off for a while.
Anyway, it's past my bedtime. Time to nurse and then off to bed I go. I have daycare in the morning so I need lots of rest. The girls hound me at daycare!!!! I like when Gabriel is there cause then I have another boy to play with.
Excuse the weird eyes.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Week 13
I'm soooooooo drooly these days. I can't help it though. I give my mommies my million watt smile and it just comes out. I suck on my hands and tons of it escapes my mouth.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Teetering Along
I'm on the teeter totter of creating some balance. This week started out in tears and is ending with, well less tears. So we are making progress yea? My impatience doesn't allow me see that "it" will get easier. It feels like the opposite. It feels like it's getting harder. I've been in my head all week trying to figure out how I can make this work. I thought about working 2 evenings a week so I could spend the day with him. Unfortunately, Preston can't go to daycare part time or else he will either lose his spot or I will have to pay full time tuition for part time care.
I stumbled on a small solution on Monday when I forgot my pump parts at home. Instead of running home to get them, I decided to go see Preston at daycare and nurse him. I can't explain how this brightened my day. So now I know that if I'm really missing him, I can just simply go see him. My other small solution was every once in a while to work an evening which will allow me to spend the day with him. We are testing it out next Thursday. You don't know how excited I am about it. I think we'll go to Baby and Me at the library like we did during maternity leave and then go to the park and enjoy the weather and some books. I'm sure playing hooky is not in the How to be a Great Parent Handbook but oh well, I'll deal with that guilt later.
I stumbled on a small solution on Monday when I forgot my pump parts at home. Instead of running home to get them, I decided to go see Preston at daycare and nurse him. I can't explain how this brightened my day. So now I know that if I'm really missing him, I can just simply go see him. My other small solution was every once in a while to work an evening which will allow me to spend the day with him. We are testing it out next Thursday. You don't know how excited I am about it. I think we'll go to Baby and Me at the library like we did during maternity leave and then go to the park and enjoy the weather and some books. I'm sure playing hooky is not in the How to be a Great Parent Handbook but oh well, I'll deal with that guilt later.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Week 11 and 12
My mom ain't kidding when she says I grow like a weed. She put me on my baby scale and I'm over 17 pounds. Let me just remind you that I'm only 3 months old. I'm the same size as some of the 6 month old girls in my daycare room. I'm sporting 6-12mo and 9mo clothing. In case you missed it earlier, I'm only 3 months old!!!!
Daycare is going well. I'm one of two boys in my room and the four other girls really dig me. When I come in in the morning, they stop chewing on their books and toys to check me out. One little girl L. really digs me. My mom thinks she's a cutie because she looks like a little doll. However, I'm too young for girls so I just enjoy hanging with them for storytime and tummy time. My mommy really like my afternoon daycare teacher. I don't think she even clears 5 feet and when she holds me, my mommy jokes that we're almost the same size. She's really grandma like with white hair, a tiny voice, and gentle ways. I really like her too. My morning teacher is awesome. She too is a grandma and gets us all moving in the morning with stretching our legs and arms, tummy time, reading, and playing. I'm never left in my rocker or crib for too long outside of naps. And to boot, they are also really cool about cloth diapering me.
Speaking about cloth diapers, I think my mom has developed an addiction to buying them and asking Nana to sew more. Nana's awesome and sent some 4th of July dipes in the mail last week. I'm cloth diapered pretty much 95% of the time now and only wear a sposie to bed.
At home, Mama puts me in my bumbo seat every once in a while but I can only tolerate it for about 5 minutes. I've almost outgrown my swing. I know both my moms were hoping to get more use out of it, but I'm a growing boy (remember 17 pounds, 3 months old). I really enjoy my Ergo carrier though. I love snuggling up to mama and enjoying some aromatherapy with the smell of breastmilk. It usually lulls me to sleep within 5 minutes.
I'm squealing and smiling a lot now. This always brings a smile to my mommy's face (you know, I do what I can do to make their day).
Well that's it until next week.
Gracie loves hanging out with me.
Mama and I at 4th of July event.
Mommy and I.
Thanks nana for the new dipe.
Daycare is going well. I'm one of two boys in my room and the four other girls really dig me. When I come in in the morning, they stop chewing on their books and toys to check me out. One little girl L. really digs me. My mom thinks she's a cutie because she looks like a little doll. However, I'm too young for girls so I just enjoy hanging with them for storytime and tummy time. My mommy really like my afternoon daycare teacher. I don't think she even clears 5 feet and when she holds me, my mommy jokes that we're almost the same size. She's really grandma like with white hair, a tiny voice, and gentle ways. I really like her too. My morning teacher is awesome. She too is a grandma and gets us all moving in the morning with stretching our legs and arms, tummy time, reading, and playing. I'm never left in my rocker or crib for too long outside of naps. And to boot, they are also really cool about cloth diapering me.
Speaking about cloth diapers, I think my mom has developed an addiction to buying them and asking Nana to sew more. Nana's awesome and sent some 4th of July dipes in the mail last week. I'm cloth diapered pretty much 95% of the time now and only wear a sposie to bed.
At home, Mama puts me in my bumbo seat every once in a while but I can only tolerate it for about 5 minutes. I've almost outgrown my swing. I know both my moms were hoping to get more use out of it, but I'm a growing boy (remember 17 pounds, 3 months old). I really enjoy my Ergo carrier though. I love snuggling up to mama and enjoying some aromatherapy with the smell of breastmilk. It usually lulls me to sleep within 5 minutes.
I'm squealing and smiling a lot now. This always brings a smile to my mommy's face (you know, I do what I can do to make their day).
Well that's it until next week.
Gracie loves hanging out with me.
Mama and I at 4th of July event.
Mommy and I.
Thanks nana for the new dipe.
Searching for Balance
I'm having a terrible and I mean terrible time transitioning back to work. I'm sleep deprived for the first time since giving birth but I'm even more consumed with guilt because the time I spend with Preston each day has dramatically decreased. I'm really mourning the days of my maternity leave. I'm not sure how to balance being a mom, going back to work full time, handling the day to day activities, in addition to preparing dinner and getting us ready for the next day. I'm utterly exhausted by the time I get home from work that sometimes I have to work really hard at mustering up the energy to play, sing, and read to my baby and if I'm honest, there have been days where we only get one book in and some snuggling time before he's off to bed.
Preston wants to be nursed as soon as we get home. Seeing him at the end of my work day and sitting to nurse him is a true joy. But after that, it's off to wash diapers, bottles, make bottles for the next day, storing pumped milk, making dinner, getting lunch and clothes ready for the next day. Preston enjoys being toted around in the Ergo while I do some of these things. He looks around for a while and then snuggles in and goes off to sleep. Daycare really tuckers him out and shortly after we get home he's asleep for the night. I feel like I get 1 quality hour with him after work and 30 minutes of that is from nursing. Something has to give.
I really want to be a stay at home mom but it's not an option so I need to stop wishing and hoping for it and problem solve through my current situation. I feel guilty that he's at daycare from 8:30am-5:45pm Mon-Fri. I feel guilty that he's the last kiddo to be picked up in his classroom because I work 8.5 hour days. I'm jealous that his daycare teachers, as wonderful as they are, get to spend more quality time with him than I do during the day. I miss him during the day and I have to will myself not to cry at work. I've considered working evenings so I can be home with him during the morning and day. It would save money on daycare which isn't really an issue (quality time is) but then it would be like playing tag with Danielle and we wouldn't see each other until the weekend. I waited so long to be a mom and now I feel like we're being cheated. Does it get any easier?
Preston wants to be nursed as soon as we get home. Seeing him at the end of my work day and sitting to nurse him is a true joy. But after that, it's off to wash diapers, bottles, make bottles for the next day, storing pumped milk, making dinner, getting lunch and clothes ready for the next day. Preston enjoys being toted around in the Ergo while I do some of these things. He looks around for a while and then snuggles in and goes off to sleep. Daycare really tuckers him out and shortly after we get home he's asleep for the night. I feel like I get 1 quality hour with him after work and 30 minutes of that is from nursing. Something has to give.
I really want to be a stay at home mom but it's not an option so I need to stop wishing and hoping for it and problem solve through my current situation. I feel guilty that he's at daycare from 8:30am-5:45pm Mon-Fri. I feel guilty that he's the last kiddo to be picked up in his classroom because I work 8.5 hour days. I'm jealous that his daycare teachers, as wonderful as they are, get to spend more quality time with him than I do during the day. I miss him during the day and I have to will myself not to cry at work. I've considered working evenings so I can be home with him during the morning and day. It would save money on daycare which isn't really an issue (quality time is) but then it would be like playing tag with Danielle and we wouldn't see each other until the weekend. I waited so long to be a mom and now I feel like we're being cheated. Does it get any easier?
Thursday, July 1, 2010
First day of daycare
We, okay, I made it through the first day of daycare yesterday. I stayed for about 3 hours to see what their morning looked like. I also spent some time showing his teacher how to use the cloth diapers, the wetbag, reviewed his likes (swaddled to sleep), put away his stuff in his cubbie, and taped a pic of Danielle and I to the inside foot of his crib (suggested by my friend's husband).
By 11:30am I was ready to transition and went to get my hair cut by a scissor happy stylist. It's shorter than expected but I still like it.
Picking Preston up from daycare is definitely the highlight of my day.
And so as I transition from being a SAHM on maternity leave to a full time work outside of the home mom, I think we will be okay.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
By 11:30am I was ready to transition and went to get my hair cut by a scissor happy stylist. It's shorter than expected but I still like it.
Picking Preston up from daycare is definitely the highlight of my day.
And so as I transition from being a SAHM on maternity leave to a full time work outside of the home mom, I think we will be okay.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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