Tuesday, July 6, 2010
The Need to Babyproof
While crawling approaches, Mommy's fears begin to develop. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves....
The Big Girl Car Seat
Yesterday we installed our rear facing big girl car seat! Reese had been getting pretty heavy in the infant carrier and my back muscles couldn't hardly take it anymore. I had a lot of trepidation about the new one. First of all, Reese loves to sleep in the car, so I was worried about getting her out in the middle of one of her good naps. I also was worried about what we were going to do with her when we got to a store. She still seems so little to throw in the front basket and call it good.
But today we tried it out. She fell asleep but stayed asleep on Daddy's shoulder when she got home. And when we got to Wal-Mart, she banged around in the front a little, and I had to pick her up and hold her a couple of times when she got a little unstable. But for the most part it went really well. She was so excited to look out the window and to be able to look around at the store. It was fun but it's going to take some getting used to by Mom. I can't help but feel this is the first step out of babyhood and that makes me feel so sad.
But today we tried it out. She fell asleep but stayed asleep on Daddy's shoulder when she got home. And when we got to Wal-Mart, she banged around in the front a little, and I had to pick her up and hold her a couple of times when she got a little unstable. But for the most part it went really well. She was so excited to look out the window and to be able to look around at the store. It was fun but it's going to take some getting used to by Mom. I can't help but feel this is the first step out of babyhood and that makes me feel so sad.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Applesauce, Veggies, and a side of Meltdown
Tonight was an off night. Reese and I went to the pool and she fell asleep on the way home. I let her sleep but she ended up sleeping too long and was out until 5:00. She woke up crying so we cuddled and changed her diaper. I rocked her and so did her dad but she was grouchy. So we did what any normal parents would do in the same situation we decided to stuff out the crying with food.
As I got it ready she screamed and screamed. She screamed until I was ready to put my own head down and scream. But I pushed on and got some of the food in her mouth. At first glance, it worked. She thought to herself, ahhhhh; food. But that's when she realized that it wasn't food; it was the dreaded green mixed veggies and she wasn't havin' it.
She cried and cried and I stuffed and stuffed her mouth full of food. I learned a lesson today. If a baby is crying too hard to swallow, don't fill her up with green stuff. You will end up wearing it. All of it. But I stupidly hoped that food would cure her sadness especially when I diluted it with applesauce. This was not the case. We both ended up putting our head down and crying. It was one nasty meltdown on our behalf.
But I swallowed hard, put on my happy face and wiped us up. I picked my baby up and sang her a song and danced her around the kitchen. I let her chew on her washcloth and put her down in the bumbo to watch me cook dinner. All this while Dustin was at Walmart....and he thought he was getting the raw end with a 5:00-in-the-afternoon trip.
So, lesson learned. Sometimes the baby just needs her mommy to shake it off and give her a little love. Sometimes the mommy needs to put her head down and cry. But never ever stuff a mad, teething baby with green baby food if you aren't sure it will be swallowed.
As I got it ready she screamed and screamed. She screamed until I was ready to put my own head down and scream. But I pushed on and got some of the food in her mouth. At first glance, it worked. She thought to herself, ahhhhh; food. But that's when she realized that it wasn't food; it was the dreaded green mixed veggies and she wasn't havin' it.
She cried and cried and I stuffed and stuffed her mouth full of food. I learned a lesson today. If a baby is crying too hard to swallow, don't fill her up with green stuff. You will end up wearing it. All of it. But I stupidly hoped that food would cure her sadness especially when I diluted it with applesauce. This was not the case. We both ended up putting our head down and crying. It was one nasty meltdown on our behalf.
But I swallowed hard, put on my happy face and wiped us up. I picked my baby up and sang her a song and danced her around the kitchen. I let her chew on her washcloth and put her down in the bumbo to watch me cook dinner. All this while Dustin was at Walmart....and he thought he was getting the raw end with a 5:00-in-the-afternoon trip.
So, lesson learned. Sometimes the baby just needs her mommy to shake it off and give her a little love. Sometimes the mommy needs to put her head down and cry. But never ever stuff a mad, teething baby with green baby food if you aren't sure it will be swallowed.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Peace, Love & Baby
Baby
This baby of mine makes my life light up. She laughs and giggles and I come running. She plays with her toes and sticks out her tongue. She blows raspberries like it is her job. She puts her head on my shoulder when she gets up from a nap and falls asleep in the car. She loves to be read to and feel on the pages. These little things add up to one thing.
Love
How could anyone not love this little girl? This girl is my pride and joy. I watch videos of her hour after hour and laugh and cry and feel so much pride. I feel the Mama-Bear come rising to the surface during times of distress and I know what it feels like to want to throw yourself face first in to danger just to protect the Michelin Tire Man Legs. I look at her face and my cup runneth over. Motherhood is the greatest of all journeys. And a journey it is, it is not all heart-two-sizes-too-big kind of adoration. It is laundry and dirty faces. It is screaming and sleepless nights. But it is beautiful and perfect in an imperfect way.
Peace
And speaking of ....a girl could use a little peace once in awhile. There are so many rewards to being the Mommy; but when you find yourself needing a break when you wake up in the morning, only to be spit up on, screamed at, and shoved away by an unhappy, un-napping, teething baby, you begin to think about what peace really is. Peace can take on many forms. It can be a day at the spa, a mani/pedi, or a simple head scratch by your husband. It can be a 5 Star Restaurant, a candlit dinner for two, or a Happy Meal. It can be a quiet mountainside at dawn, and meditative sunset or a book on tape. But the important thing is; don't forget about the peace. Peace makes the love stronger. It makes the happy happier. And it makes the Mommy feel better.
This baby of mine makes my life light up. She laughs and giggles and I come running. She plays with her toes and sticks out her tongue. She blows raspberries like it is her job. She puts her head on my shoulder when she gets up from a nap and falls asleep in the car. She loves to be read to and feel on the pages. These little things add up to one thing.
Love
How could anyone not love this little girl? This girl is my pride and joy. I watch videos of her hour after hour and laugh and cry and feel so much pride. I feel the Mama-Bear come rising to the surface during times of distress and I know what it feels like to want to throw yourself face first in to danger just to protect the Michelin Tire Man Legs. I look at her face and my cup runneth over. Motherhood is the greatest of all journeys. And a journey it is, it is not all heart-two-sizes-too-big kind of adoration. It is laundry and dirty faces. It is screaming and sleepless nights. But it is beautiful and perfect in an imperfect way.
Peace
And speaking of ....a girl could use a little peace once in awhile. There are so many rewards to being the Mommy; but when you find yourself needing a break when you wake up in the morning, only to be spit up on, screamed at, and shoved away by an unhappy, un-napping, teething baby, you begin to think about what peace really is. Peace can take on many forms. It can be a day at the spa, a mani/pedi, or a simple head scratch by your husband. It can be a 5 Star Restaurant, a candlit dinner for two, or a Happy Meal. It can be a quiet mountainside at dawn, and meditative sunset or a book on tape. But the important thing is; don't forget about the peace. Peace makes the love stronger. It makes the happy happier. And it makes the Mommy feel better.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Reese's Baptism
Sunday marked an important occasion for our beautiful girl; her baptism. We decided to have her baptized in the Catholic Church because it is important to me to instill faith in her very young. One of my favorite scriptures ‘Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God’" (Luke 18:15–16), really makes me think of Reese -or all kids- when I think of it. They are so innocent and precious and all that Christ asks is that they come to him unhindered. So before we mess it all up, we thought we better take the step to get her involved in church.
As our friends and family arrived at our house my heart began to feel two sizes too big. Here were all the people we loved the most ready to celebrate a big day for our girl. They were here because they were as proud to be part of her family as we are. That really was one of the best parts of the day; the look of pride on every one's face. Especially The Hoyt Family (Mary, Eric, and Clara Jean); Reese's Godparents. Dustin and I both caught Mary beaming a couple of times and that meant so much to us.
Off we went to the church where we all sat down, some more nervously than others. I didn't know what to expect, not because I'd never seen it or done it but because I am a control freak and didn't plan the ceremony myself. But as church started and Father Ken asked us what we asked from the church and asked the Godparents if they knew how important their role was I couldn't help but get choked up (raise your hand here if you are surprised), we were there asking for God to bless this beautiful girl. We walked in and as everyone turned to look at the beautiful baby I felt so proud to be her mom.
The actual ceremony was very quick, a short 5 minutes, most of which I can't remember. But really, who remembers the actual ceremony of their wedding or their high school graduation either? Father Ken did a beautiful job of getting Reese right down in the water without making her too mad. She was anointed with the chrism oil, a lot of chrism oil, and it was over. Quick as a wink, but very nicely done.
After the service we all headed home for lunch. We were scrunched and not everyone had a comfortable seat. There were kids laughing and adults talking and maybe a couple of times, a baby crying. It was exactly the kind of Sunday, Father's Day, baptism day that I hoped for.
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