If You're Not on The List...

Oh my goodness. I have so much to do and so little time before we leave for New York. Not only do I need to make sure the house is clean, items are purchased that need to be, and media is downloaded- I need to pack. Sigh. It is always a process. You know, what to bring, what not to bring….. getting things out to bring and then deciding that maybe I shouldn’t bring ‘that’ and then having to put those items back. Ugh.

I find that I need to keep a list of things to do. If it is not on the list, there is a chance it won’t get done. I have always been like this. I used to keep a list when I had my desk job as well. It was the only way to ensure everything was taken care of. What’s on my list today? Well, things such as Pay Rent, Put music on IPhone, Pick up suit for Logan, set up email for my blog….. The list goes on and on.

People talk about how you are forgetful when you are pregnant, but do any of you notice that you are still forgetful? I mean, after the baby is born? Well after the baby is born? Because I am. I can go to Target to pick up tape and batteries and walk out with $100 worth of crap and still not have the tape and batteries. There are many times when I leave the house without an important item, whether it be my phone, my debit card, my sunglasses or my reusable grocery bags. I now have to go through the ‘leaving the house list’ prior to leaving the house. Crazy!

Now it’s time to go concur the items on the list. Wish me luck!

Ask and You Shall Receive

Today is day 31 of The Receiving Project.  One more day to go. I have had the pleasure of receiving many wonderful gifts this past month and although the course is over after tomorrow, I plan to continue the process.  It has made me look at life differently.  I have a little more faith in a higher power than when I started. The old adage 'ask and you shall receive' holds more meaning now.

Being raised catholic, I was taught to pray for what I wanted to receive, pray for what I want for others and pray to show respect.  Today I talk more than pray. There is one thing that always stuck with me from my days as a practicing catholic.  That is Saint Anthony.  Saint Anthony is supposed to assist you in finding what you have lost.  For some reason, I always had this admiration for saints in general, but especially Saint Anthony.  I talk to Saint Anthony when I need to find something and without fail, I find what I am looking for.  Coincidence? Perhaps; but it is an exercise in opening myself up to receive from the universe and for what its worth, the universe delivers.  So where am I going with this rant? Well, I found my drivers license after asking for assistance from Saint Anthony!  Phew! No more stress about flying without photo ID!

I began my challenge of prettying myself up today.  I put on a dress, sandals and earrings today and headed off to the mall for some early afternoon shopping.  I was looking for something for the baby but treated myself to a gift- some short shorts! I have been working on my hot legs and although I am not 'there yet' I figure I deserve to feel decent about putting on a pair of shorts. I also feel that a pair of denim shorts can be a staple for a cute outfit, so why not?!

The past two nights I have received time to myself after all the boys (hubby, the baby and the dog) dozed off for the evening.  I so appreciate when this happens. It is a wonderful present.  Especially coupled with a glass of wine!

I have not been able to attend stroller strides as much as I have wanted to.  This past week the baby was ill and fussy (not good for class) so I didn't go but once. I realized however, that I know how to respond to my son's distress and having the confidence of knowing that I can comfort him, treat him, and that it will get better is a worthy gift!  "You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you might find you get what you need".

This journey has taught me that gifts come in many fashions.  Some are physical, monetary in nature such as the shorts I purchased.  Others are things that feel good like the bubble bath that I had this evening with smelly soaps or time spent with friends and loved ones.  Then there are the internalized realizations.  These are the best gifts of all.  Confidence as I mentioned, Patience, Happiness, Pride, Love, A Gentle Calm. The list goes on and on.  I have always had these feelings within me, but the Receiving Project has afforded me the opportunity to focus on them.  What a fabulous feeling.  What fabulous gifts.

I Can Be a Mom AND Look Cute

Its Friday! When I used to go in to the office everyday, I looked forward to Fridays as do many people.  It meant the weekend was upon us, I got to wear casual clothing, and everyone was in a good mood (most days).  Then I had the baby and everyday was casual day.  All of the days blended together. I couldn't even remember what day it was most of the time.  It is so easy for a new mom, especially a first time mom, to get into a rut when it comes to caring for yourself.  I still struggle with this.

It took me a couple months after having my son to move on from wearing sweat pants everyday.  The good thing is I think both my husband and I were so immersed in being new parents and everything that goes along with it that I don't think he cared too much. I am sure he noticed though. I squeezed into some pants a few times when we left the house but other than that it was sweats day and night. I remember one day when my husband was going shopping for himself and I half jokingly said "you could pick me up a pair of jeans".  Wouldn't you know my sweet husband came home with jeans for me! The best part was they fit perfectly. He did better than I do! I usually have to have jeans hemmed and this pair just fit! Finally, I could feel normal again!

Flying With Baby

Here we go again.  The time has come for us to go on a family flight again.  The first time we flew with Logan he was almost 4 months.  This time he is 8 months. I have flown many times in my life and never really got anxious about it.  I don't mind flying and most of the time I would simply fall asleep for the duration of the flight.  Then I had Logan.  Now I dread flying.

I am filled with anxiety mostly related to my baby crying on the plane.  I care too much about what others are thinking and although I know they will 'get over it', it is still uncomfortable to be that parent.  I also worry about how he will react to the pressure in the plane. I don't want him to be in pain.  Logan was fantastic on his first flight.  We flew across the country (a direct flight) and with the exception of a little fussiness during the last hour of the flight he was rather pleasant.  On the flight home he didn't make a peep.

This time I am more concerned.  He is older now and mobile.  He gets distracted very easily (which may work to my benefit) but he does not like to nurse unless he is sleepy. Otherwise it's a minute and he stops to look around, then back on for a sec, then needs to see what's going on.....

I have researched and spoken with people about flying with a baby and have a few tips that might ease everyone's nerves.

An Extra Serving of Time Please

Its times like this when I wish I had a clone of myself.  Actually, I just wish that I could push the pause button on life so that I could get a few things completed and then push the play button to continue with my day! With the baby being ill, I have not had much of an opportunity to write, which is frustrating.  I have not had a chance to work out which is equally as frustrating.  I have not had an opportunity to focus on cooking lovely meals for my family.  Umm... Not as frustrating.  It's fair to say I am failing the cooking challenge.  More to come tomorrow folks. We are hoping things will be back to normal by then.

Baby Before Body

I finally get to the point where I am working out everyday and then the baby becomes ill.  I missed my Stroller Strides class again today.  Oh well.  I'm just preparing to feel it when I return.  It has been hot here which makes my Runyon workout difficult.  I tried hiking up with the pup on Sunday and didn't make it to the top because the heat was too much for him.  Maybe if the baby is up to it we will go this evening.

He slept a little better last night.  I had him in my bed again and he stayed glued to me the entire night.  He wanted to spoon! I carefully, ever so discretely moved away from him a couple times when I was getting really uncomfortable.  We didn't get up until almost 9am.  At that point he started wailing.  My poor baby.  We have a doctor appointment tomorrow. He seems a little better today, but its too soon to tell.  He did eat some peaches this morning! I gave him some Tylenol to reduce the fever and keep him comfortable.  I hate the idea of giving Tylenol, but it seems to help. I hold off as long as I feel comfortable.

So here I sit with my baby in my arms (one arm) as he sleeps.  With the other arm I reach to the keyboard to complete a blog post with one finger typing! I'm afraid to try and set him down.  It didn't work yesterday and I want him to rest.  I scarfed down a banana and hopefully will get a chance to eat and shower later.  I am choosing, in this moment, to put my baby before my body. That's what a mom does right? Well, when the baby is sick....

My Poor Baby

Isn't it an awful feeling when your baby is sick?  My heart just breaks each time he is not well.  I feel so bad for him and although I feel connected with my baby, sometimes I can't tell what is wrong with him. My little guy is not feeling well today.  I am not sure what is wrong but he has a slight fever and is fussy.  Could be teething, could be a virus, could be his belly?  We just don't know.  He was up much of the night and is just miserable today.   It's also hot out which doesn't help. Needless to say it has been a stressful day for this mama.  We just got him to sleep for the first time today (in his swing).  He nodded off a couple times earlier, but didn't stay asleep.  He wouldn't eat any solid foods. He didn't want me to put him down. I was able to set him down and play with him which kept him happy for a few minutes at a time.  I broke all my rules today and let him play with the remote, the computer mouse and keyboard, even my phone.  Sometimes its a 'whatever it takes' day and today was definitely one.  Tylenol helped a little.  I actually got him to take it without bringing it back up! I hope he is feeling better tomorrow.  I really need to go to my stroller strides class (work off some of this stress and anxiety), but of course my baby comes first.  We may be going to the doctor if things are not looking up tomorrow. Poor little guy.

Receiving Update

Today is day 25 of The Receiving Project.  I am so happy that I decided to participate in this e-course.
I am noticing gifts that come my way each day. I have a conversation in my head when things come my way and I think about - 'Is this something that should happen or is it a true gift?', 'Is this something I want to accept?', and 'what makes this a gift?'

Before I began The Receiving Project, I participated in the Rock Your World Summit.  There was a speaker that talked about clutter.  If you have clutter in your life you may not have room for all of the wonderful things that could come your way.  By de-cluttering you can make room to accept what it is you want.  Jo Anna reminded me of this today.  It is something that I have thought about a lot since the summit. It is not simply the clutter in your closet, for instance, (although that counts too) but the clutter within yourself.  I am going to need to take a closer look at myself and see what barriers I have in place that might be holding me back.

So what has been coming my way?
Last night the baby was placed in my bed around 430am because every time I put him back in his crib he screamed and I gave up after five times. I don't mind letting him in our bed every now and then and since it doesn't happen too often, it is a pleasure waking up next to him.  Not to mention it is soooo much easier to just roll over and nurse him! My first gift today: Feeling my baby pull on my shoulder and then rolling over to see his big smiley face! My second gift: My husband took the baby this morning (allowing me to have a few minutes to myself prior to getting out of bed) and made me hot chocolate!  I love having hot chocolate made for me! What is better than crawling out of bed to a hot cup of cocoa (or joe, or whatever it is for you)? Two gifts already and its only 930am.  I'm liking this!

Boob Woes

Another topic that is uncomfortable to talk about, but I will share my experience in an effort to provide some other new mom comfort. Have you ever had a plugged duct in your breast? This can happen now and again when you are a breast-feeding mom and it has happened to me several times. It hadn't happened in months though....

It is painful. For me, it begins with pain in the nipple when the baby is feeding. Then I notice a lump develops in the breast that is hard and tender to the touch. There may also be some redness in the affected area. It hurts when the baby nurses.

The first time it happened to me I was nervous. I didn't know what was going on and I thought I was going to need to go to the doctor. It’s scary to have pain in your breast. So, as I do with everything, I googled it. That’s when I learned about plugged ducts.

So what is a plugged duct exactly?

Homemade Baby Food: Broccoli and Green Beans

Today I purchased ice cube trays to freeze baby food. I already have a number of baby food containers that are freezer safe but I felt limited in the amounts that I could make. Therefore I bought the trays to freeze the food and then transfer the food to freezer bags. Its the small stuff that excites me! So far I am satisfied with this method.

I chose to use frozen organic vegetables this time. Broccoli was first. I had never made broccoli puree before. I steamed the entire package of broccoli florets. When they were done, I transferred the veggies to ice water to stop the cooking. I then put them in the food processor to make the puree. I added a touch of water to make the puree thinner, although they would work fine without this step as well. I then transferred the broccoli to the ice cube tray and stuck it in the freezer. I put a couple containers in the refrigerator as I plan to combine the broccoli with sweet potatoes tomorrow for a delicious baby meal!

Next was green beans. This was my second go at green beans. The first time around didn't go so well and the baby would not eat them. I decided a few things needed to change. First, I would make a larger quantity. In order for the food processor to do it's job, it needs something to work with. Then, I decided that I would push the green beans through a strainer this time. I prepared the green beans in the same manner that I did the broccoli, except I did not add liquid. Using the whole package of green beans made a huge difference in the consistency of the puree. I may not have needed to push the mixture through the strainer, but decided to anyway. This step did take a little time. It was worth it though, as the baby ate the green beans up tonight! It is so satisfying when the baby actually eats the food I make.

You Can't Catch Me

No Mama, you can’t catch me now! My son is on the move in a serious way! Oh, and he is fast I tell you! A week ago he was still getting around by using his arms and mostly dragging his legs. Now he is starting to use his legs more. His belly is still on the ground, but it’s only a matter of days, I think, until he is full on crawling. I love to watch him explore! He goes from room to room now, not just to follow me, but to explore! I am actually happy that he is going into the bedroom now because there is no shag rug for him to gather fuzzies from. It is the one room that has the least amount of child safety concerns. I still watch him of course, but I don’t have to stop him from his exploring as often. He enjoys going into the bathroom as well. I think he may like the texture of the bathroom rugs. He just started to open the bathroom cupboard (that is part of the sink vanity) so this weekend we will be getting the childproofing supplies that we have needed to get.

That’s not all! Logan learned yesterday how to climb up on the side of his crib! I set him in his crib while I tidy in that room and while we were in the bedroom yesterday I noticed that he was propped up on his knees and was gnawing on the crib wood. Then last evening as I was cleaning up after bath time I came into the room and he was standing in his crib propped up against the side. Yes, standing! My boy is growing up so fast! I have a feeling these next few months are going to fly by, not that the prior 8 months haven’t, but now that he is on the move I have very little free time to notice the minutes pass by. We are on the go!

Zimmer Children's Museum

This morning we visited the Zimmer Children's Museum at the Goldsmith Jewish Federation Center.  This is a cute little museum for little ones and on Wednesday mornings they open the museum an hour early for babies! Some of the play areas are more appropriate for children a little older than Logan, but he still had a blast!  We played with plastic boats in water, went in the bouncy room, hung out in the story room and read a book, we built a castle with building blocks, and even visited the park area where logan was able to view displays built into the gazebo!  This wasn't all though! We also toured a deli / store area, an ambulance and more traditional jewish areas of the museum.  Then we explored the bigger kid dress up area and tried on hats that were way too big but still fun! What a great way to spend a wednesday morning.  We then headed off to story time at the library but Logan was too beat to go.  He just slept so we went home.  Oh well, I guess one activity in the morning is enough!

Rhythm Child @ The Americana

Today after my Stroller Strides class, I stuck around the Americana for a performance by Rhythm Child.  I was nervous that I would not be able to attend as my husband had a meeting (and needed the truck), but because he is such a nice man, he dropped me off and picked me up!  I got to the Americana at 830am, a half hour before my class started, with the intention of using the nursing room and feeding Logan.  Apparently they don't open the area until 930am. Oh well.  He had peaches while we waited for class to start.  He was an angel during the class and after, we were able to utilize one of the nursing stations prior to the performance.  We watched Rhythm Child for about an hour before my husband showed up.  It was fantastic!

The guys hand out drums and sound discs (not sure if that is the correct term) with little drum stick mallets and all the kids get to participate in making music! The performance was entertaining and fun.  Logan enjoyed himself and I had a good time as well! It was quite warm and by the time my husband arrived Logan was getting fussy, so we decided that it was time to grab some lunch.  Sushi at Katsuya- Yeah! All in all it was a great morning/ early afternoon.

My First Bechamel

Today I decided to make pasta and veggies in a béchamel sauce (a cream sauce).  I was a first timer and I am proud to announce that it turned out delicious!  My husband even liked it!  I added some parmesan cheese to the sauce for a little cheese flavor.  I threw in the veggies that I had available which were broccoli, yellow summer squash and corn (although many different veggies would work). This also gave me the opportunity to use this nifty, never used, tool that we have to take the kernels off the corn cob.  This dish is an accomplishment for me because I think its easy to screw up a cream sauce (make it curdle and such). It gave me a little more confidence in my abilities in the kitchen!  This cooking stuff is kind of fun!

I Want My Mama

My son is going through a serious “I want my mommy “ phase. I mentioned in a previous post that he has been waking in the evening and I anticipated that one of the reasons might be that he wants my attention. As I was reading about ‘waking in the night’, I found that many babies go through the same thing around the seven month mark. All of a sudden it seems that they begin to have nighttime separation anxiety. Interesting. So my son is normal.

It is not just in the middle of the night though. If I set him down he cries. I can usually distract him by playing with him for a minute or giving him an interesting toy. If I leave the room he cries. He will even work his way into the room I went to. For example, if I leave him on his play mat in the living area and run to the bathroom, he will drag himself over to the bathroom doorway. Its cute but I want him to feel comfortable when I am not around. I don’t really lose a visual on him now since he is more active, but I will run to the kitchen for a glass of water and such. If I am going to be cooking I bring him in the kitchen with me and he sits in his highchair. If it’s a real bad day, I strap him into the baby backpack to get some things done.

Cooking Challenge Update

Well, I'm doing it.  I made dinner last night and tonight, finally.  Last night was barbeque chicken with corn on the cob and coleslaw.  My husband decided he would have fish with the meal so I picked him up some sea bass at the market.  First I made the coleslaw.  I followed a Bobby Flay recipe.  It turned out great! I used a tool on my food processor to shred the carrots and cabbage.  Next time I will probably just chop the cabbage as the pieces were quite small but all in all I was pleased with the result.  I used my new grill pan for the chicken with some pre-made bbq sauce this time around, although, I have made my own before and its really not difficult.  Its just, I had spotted some sauce at the market and that sauce was the inspiration behind the meal.  The chicken was delicious.  The pan however was a bitch to clean. That being said, I would do it again. My husband didn't trust me to cook his fish (typical), so he stepped in.  I will have to practice another time. Tonight I made homemade pizzas. Well, I made the pizza crust but my husband had to step in to finish the pizzas (put the toppings on and such) because the baby beckoned.

While I have not made a menu for this upcoming week, I have mexican on the agenda (tacos or burritos) as we have the ingredients. Speaking of mexican, today my husband pulled a fast one on me, like I was a kid- sneaky guy! I don't like beans.  He made quesadillas today for lunch and put refried black beans in them and I had eaten a whole slice before I even noticed! So, I guess maybe I like beans after all!

In summary, while I have not cooked as often as I set out to, I am making an effort and we are eating some different foods.  Therefore, I am not complaining. The more I cook the easier I will find it and the more natural it will become, or so I am hoping!

Fairfax Library Update

I almost forgot to tell you guys....
We revisited the Fairfax Library for story time on Wednesday and I was able to spend some time checking out the children's section this time.  My first impression was that it was not that inviting, however after viewing the section a second time I must say that it is quite accommodating.  There are aisles of children's books in addition to tables to sit at and a story time room with books for young children.  Much more inviting than at first glance! In addition, I was pleased to see that they had entire sections of books written in spanish, korean, etc.  I have not yet been able to visit the Hollywood Library but am hoping to soon!

Mid Month Review

This week has been one of those weeks where you just have to go with the flow or else you will lose your sanity.  Its time to update everyone on how things have been going over here.

The Receiving Project: I am half way through my journey of receiving.  I am someone that can get caught up in the ick that life shovels at you, so this has been a refreshing change in the way I look at the world. I am consciously noticing gifts that are provided to me, recognizing the positives in my life and in doing so, a calm has come over me. I have been challenged to see how many gifts I can receive, to choose to accept gifts that come my way (something that is not always easy for me), and the 'aha' moment for me was when I read something that Jo Anna had written about not having to receive everything that comes your way.  This probably means different things to different people but for me this was pretty powerful.

One Rested Mama

Logan has not been sleeping well for the past week or so and it progressively got worse and worse until the night before last, after getting up four times between ten and one, I put him in my bed to sleep because I didn’t want to continue the routine as I had the previous two nights. He was waking about every forty-five minutes and crying, not just fussing but full on crying, not able to be consoled while in his crib by back rubbing, “shhhh” or “its ok” talk, not even a pacifier. I have never spent the night with him in my bed. He sometimes is able to stay there for an hour or so in the morning, but never throughout the night. It worked though. He slept a bit better, not great, but better. It is not something I want to make a habit of, but I guess that it’s ok to show him some special attention every now and then. ☺

You know, a while back Logan began waking in the middle of the night when he rolled over onto his belly and was stuck. Then he seemed to improve with soothing himself back to sleep when this happened. More recently however, it’s happening again. He will roll over and now try to move around in his crib and piss himself off, start crying and need to be taken out of the crib in order to get him back to sleep. This is what was going on every forty-five minutes. My husband and I were trying to figure out what exactly was causing the reaction. Was he uncomfortable on his tummy? Is he scared of the dark? Is it an “I want my mommy” behavior?

Reggae Fun at Descanso Gardens

Last night we decided to go to Descanso Gardens. What a treat! They have a series of family performances on Tuesday evenings this summer and last night we saw the Aaron Nigel Smith Trio perform. It was an evening of reggae inspired children's tunes with a participatory audience. We arrived about an hour before the show. We walked around the gardens and stopped by their outdoor cafe to get some tacos and salad. Then it was over to the lawn where we plopped down on our blanket for the show. Logan had a visitor come and spend time with him (mostly because we had toys). It was great fun!

Homemade Baby Food: Peaches and Sweet Potatoes

I did it! Last night I made Pesto Pasta and it was delicious. I even managed to please my husband with this one! Yeah! Not only did I complete my cooking challenge for the day, but I went above and beyond and made some baby food as well!

I had mentioned a couple weeks ago that I was going to make peaches and sweet potatoes for the baby. I never ended up doing it that time, but I finally followed through! Even before the baby was born I decided that I wanted to make baby food. While I have pureed several vegetables for him, I admit he has eaten more jar or pouch food than homemade food. So I am trying to improve in this area as well.

The peaches exceeded my expectations. I really impressed myself! They came out creamier than the peaches that you buy in a pouch. I always found those peaches to be a bit watery. I didn’t mind them, but mine came out excellent! There are several ways in which to cook the peaches prior to pureeing them. I chose to bake them as I read that this method allows for more flavor and nutrients to be retained. It was super simple too. I cut the peaches in half (except one that was too ripe to do so) and placed them in a baking dish with a little bit of water on the bottom. The one that I couldn’t get apart I put in there too and it cooked just the same. In researching, I found some people said to pit the peach prior to cooking and others saved it for after cooking. I strongly recommend just leaving the pit in while it cooks, as it is so much easier to remove after the fact. I peeled the peaches when they were done cooking, stuck them in the food processor and hit the on switch. I then added a little water from the baking dish ( that had the peachy flavor) to make the food the consistency that I wanted. Finally I put them in containers for storage and we now have peaches galore! Logan enjoyed eating the peaches this morning. Success!

I chose to bake sweet potatoes as well, which was even simpler. All I did here was poke holes in them, place them in aluminum foil and stuck them in the oven with the peaches. Two dishes at once! I scooped the potato out of the skin and into the food processor and added a little water, again to get to the consistency that I wanted. They came out so good! Logan ate them up too!

Oh The Gifts That Have Been Given

I could have looked at today and said what a crappy day. I didn’t get much sleep at all (again) and my head was hurting. I had to park way far away from my meeting point for stroller strides (filming in griffith park today). I didn’t get everything done that I set out to do and there were plenty of opportunities to find negatives today. However, I chose to pick out the positives. The things that went right. The gifts that were given to me – that I chose to accept as gifts.

This morning was a bit overcast which made it very comfortable to complete my fitness class. The baby was not at all fussy during the class which allowed for a calm to come over me. At the end of class as we were doing crunches and the baby was playing next to me, I looked up at the sky and thought "how beautiful". It was so relaxing to watch the tree gently sway while feeling the breeze.

This afternoon I made baby food and it came out fantastic!

Did I mention that the baby pooped! Yeah! I know some may be thinking “are you kidding, she thinks that is a gift?” but after the last five days, yes, yes it is.

But the very best gift of the day is the one I am about to experience shortly. Fresh sheets on my bed! I love fresh sheets. I bet they are still warm from the dryer! I think I better go check them out now!

Ready Set Cook

So, as I mentioned I am moving forward onto a new endeavor of cooking. It is a real challenge for me but it is an area where I want to improve so here goes nothing! I am not doing anything too fancy this week, all meals that I have cooked before, but I am committing to them. That being said, there are no frozen entrees, canned entrees or delivered meals on the menu, so I would say we are already ahead of many of American families- Unfortunately. These meals will take effort, time and planning. Here goes nothing! I have planned the following dinners for this week.

Tonight will bring Pesto Pasta. It really is not that difficult to make pesto sauce from scratch with some basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts and some cheese. Paired with mushrooms this dish is rather delicious. We may have salad with this. We are able to pick up basil and garlic at the farmers market and it is MUCH less expensive than purchasing in the store. Plus its fresh! I picked the mushrooms up at the farmers market as well.

Farmers Market Music Fun Time

This morning we went to the farmers market, as we usually do on Sunday mornings, but this morning Logan got a special treat! He played music with the other little ones gathered around the music man. I didn't have a chance to ask his name, but he is there every week entertaining the children and inviting them to play music with him. I have watched children have fun for years and today it was my son's turn! I love watching him play and interact with others!

This Too Shall Pass

Or will it? Seriously, the pooping situation has not yet improved. This is day five of being halted at constipation station. Day four brought only a tiny little hard poop and a call to the doctor. Day five- more of the same. We have tried everything; everything that is except a suppository. The thing is, the baby doesn’t really seem phased by it. I, on the other hand, am quite concerned. I know it is normal to skip a day every now and then, but the boy needs to go already. I am really hoping tomorrow brings normalcy.

I know that changes in the baby’s diet will cause his digestive system to work differently, however I really feel that he should be eating more solids than he is. I don’t worry too much at this point because I am breastfeeding but in a few months he will need to be a better solid food eater. He doesn’t eat very much at one time which does not concern me. What I am more concerned with is the fact that I can’t seem to get him to switch from eating solids two times a day to three. He will eat the food, but his body says no, no, no. So I am hoping that this inability to handle three meals a day will pass as well. For now we just take it one day at a time and let the baby's body tell us what he can handle.

I Got This

The other day I was asked what I talk about now that I never used to prior to having a baby and the answer had to be poop.  My baby has not pooped in three days.  So frustrating (for both of us I am sure). It wasn't until today that he seemed a bit uncomfortable. Definitely cranky. I did everything I know of to try to get things moving along, but if this continues we will have to visit the doc. Introducing solid foods has proven to be quite difficult for us.  

Needless to say this was not the best Friday.  I didn't go to my class this morning because, well, I was beat from being up throughout the night and I really needed to get things done around the house (as well as errands).  The baby was also cranky and it doesn't work too well when he cries through class.  I don't get as much of a workout as I would like.  I didn't do my 10 min. leg challenge today either. I will resume tomorrow. 

I was thinking about what today's gift was as I was sitting down to write.  It was a rough day but I think todays gift was realizing how comfortable I now am handling my child's behaviors.  We were at the market today and our new thing is that the baby sits in the cart.  Today however, he decided he did not want to be a big boy and wanted me to hold him the entire time.  He cried.  It wasn't the easiest trip to the market but I was not uncomfortable at all.  I felt completely confident in my ability to ease my sons irritation and handled the one handed shopping rather well!  

This realization is definitely a gift.  I needed something to go right today and having a sense that 'I can handle it' was just the boost I needed to get me through. I got this!

Round and Round We Go

Logan has a new behavior.  I put him to sleep on his back and at some point he wakes and tries to spin around in his crib. In doing so he bumps his head (lightly) and then starts crying.  It happened three times last night.  He didn't even open his eyes.  He was just trying to move around in a circle.  I tried putting a pacifier in his mouth in the hopes that he would drift back off to sleep without having to take him out of his crib.  This worked once. When he woke from his nap he was on his belly facing the opposite direction from which I placed him.  Silly guy.  He used to wake himself whenever he would roll over but doesn't so much anymore. On the positive side, he is now sleeping in his crib for his naps.  I even managed to get a sleeping baby from the car to his crib without him waking.  Now that is unheard of!  I was so excited.

He does that round and round behavior on the floor as well.  He can't quite crawl yet but he does an army crawl where he uses his arms to pull himself around. I don't worry about him crawling.  He gets everywhere that he wants to go, which is a growing diameter from where he began, and I read that some babies never do the typical crawl.  Some may scoot on their bottom and some may skip crawling all together and just move on to walking.  Its great to see his personality develop, to watch him independently become interested in objects around him.  He thinks the dog is hilarious.  He often scoots over to the dog toys and bones to try and chew on them.  "No, no" mama says. He is quick too.  I can't let him out of my sight.  Really though, I don't want to.  He is so precious to observe.

Receiving Gift 7

Today is Day 7 of The Receiving Project.  I have been participating for a week and I am really enjoying this.  

As I was driving home today I saw a beautiful sunset.  It is always such a pleasure to capture the amazing colors and lines that make up a mountainous California sunset.  I never take these sunsets for granted but today it happened at a time when I was feeling a little frustrated, annoyed, and just wanted to get home.  Thats when I remembered that you need to stop and smell the roses every now and then, appreciate the journey as opposed to racing to the end point. Seeing the sunset brought a sense of calm to my mind and body- and I so needed that.  

Summer Book Fun

This morning we attended story time at the fairfax branch of the Los Angeles Public Library.  I picked up my library card so we can now check books out! I didn't have a chance to look around too much today.  We will be returning when we have a little more time.  At first glance, while I did notice a children section at the library, it wasn't all that inviting for kids.  There was one whole aisle of videos (baby Einstein, movies, etc.) which might come in handy down the road.  As I said, I will have to explore it a bit more before forming an opinion.

The story time however, was fantastic!  There were quite a few little ones there.  The gathering was a 1/2 hour long and in that time a library representative read several books, told stories using felt pieces on a board, and we even sang songs and danced around (well, the baby did). I will definitely be returning to this story time!  I was pleased that Logan interacted with several other babies and it seems that there are quite a few repeat attendees.

We plan to check out another library at the end of the week.  I will let you know how it compares.

Fitness and Beyond

Lets start with my Day 6 gift. This afternoon I opened my front door and there was a box on the mat. It was filled with Fitness attire and new shoes! I bought myself a present for following through on my commitment to work out. I don’t buy myself things too often, but the fact is I needed some shorts to work out in since it is hot everyday now and my class is outside. I have been in the market for shoes for several months now and I did purchase some but I’m not sure if I am sold. I am going to continue to look as the ones I purchased may be a bit too pink – but what a fantastic gift!

Now that I am in the groove of working out to some extent each day, it is time to move forward on to my next challenge. It’s a doozy for me….. cooking!

Why cooking? Well, it is important to me to provide healthy balanced meals for my children. I also feel that it is important to sit around the dinner table each evening and have family time. I remember being in high school and eating dinner with a family that is near and dear to my heart and I recall thinking “this is what I want for my family when I have my own.” I remember my mother cooking, but I also remember going out to eat often and as a single mother she worked a lot. She was not always able to provide healthy balanced meals (she did however teach me about healthy eating).

Fabulous Fourth Festivities

Did you all have a fantastic fourth of July holiday? We had a very enjoyable first fourth with the baby.  There was no grilling at the park as anticipated, but we did get out of the house to explore a bit.  We ended up at Manhattan Beach and boy was it happening.  The whole town resembled one big frat party! Once we worked our way through the drunken crowd we walked along the pier which was nice.  We did not go down on the beach today.  We will save the first beach experience for a more relaxed setting on a less crowded day.

I must be getting old because the guys and girls that were partying it up looked so young.  My husband made a comment about how if he was those girls' father, he would not want them to be out and about looking like that and hanging out with those dudes.  I said to him, "Did I act like that when I was their age?" and the sad thing is I probably did.  I just don't remember it as so.

It was fun to walk around and take pictures though.  After leaving the beach we went to the little tot park. We happened upon it when we found the only parking spot available in the whole city and the best part....wait for it.....it was free parking!  No meter, no ten or twenty dollar lot, free!  Logan got to swing for the first time today.  He also went down a little slide and rode on a fire truck! It was awesome to watch him have so much fun. He didn't want to leave! The only down side to our trip is that we lost a teething ring and Sophie the Giraffe (Logan must have dropped them out of the stroller).  I was pissed about losing Sophie.  That Giraffe is not cheap and in our home its a go to toy.

This evening we decided to go out to dinner. We went to a restaurant we had not been to before and were able to have a relaxing time.  The baby cooperated and my husband and I had a nice conversation over dinner. We took some more photos and then walked home.

Day 5 Gift
As I was walking home I was thinking about the gifts that I received today.  I reflected on the events that took place and while I enjoyed my day, nothing stood out as feeling like a gift (except perhaps dinner).  That's when it happened.  When my husband went inside the house I decided to stay outside for a minute.  I turned around and was able to see a fireworks show over Los Angeles!  I live just high enough on a hill to have a partial view of the city and this evening it was lit up with colorful fireworks! No it wasn't as spectacular as it would have been had I been directly below it, but I so appreciated the fact that I saw fireworks. I love fireworks and knew I would not be able to go to a display this year since the baby is still little.  It was the perfect ending to my fourth of July.

Day 4 Gift

Today is day four of my journey through The Receiving Project (although it is after midnight, I still consider it Sunday).  I gave myself the gift of a glass of wine this evening.  After finally getting the baby to sleep it seemed like the perfect way to reward myself for getting through the past 24 hours! While I like wine, red wine specifically, it is really the idea of being able to have a glass of wine that really makes me happy. After all, I don't have this opportunity every evening.  I thoroughly enjoyed it!

So This is Teething

Wow. When I posted ‘Teething Time’ I thought I might be one of the lucky ones. You know, a mom whose baby sails through teething with little discomfort. Boy was I wrong. Yesterday morning I was in heaven as the baby napped and I took time for myself. Then as if the switch was flipped, the mood changed from delightful to dreadful.

Last night was one of the worst nights I have had as a mother. It was worse than the last set of vaccines. Bad. The baby cried and cried. I felt terrible for him, as I knew he was in pain from those pesky teeth poking through his gums. To make matters worse it was extremely hot yesterday and we do not have air conditioning in our home. It remains hot late into the evening and being hot just added to the baby feeling miserable. I made my husband go for a walk with us at eleven o’clock last night just to allow the baby to cool and calm a bit. He didn’t sleep at all (45min. to an hour at a time).

I resorted to giving him Tylenol, which I only will do when I feel it is absolutely necessary. This was after trying to give him cooled teething rings, the frozen washcloth, a frozen piece of banana etc. He would only drink from a bottle (no breast). He chewed on his sippy cup a little as well.

I first gave him Tylenol around four in the afternoon. We went to the park after this to get out and the baby seemed to enjoy himself. As the day turned to night the baby became more miserable and we chose to give him more Tylenol later in the evening around ten. He vomited it up almost immediately after giving it to him. At three in the morning I again gave him Tylenol and again, he vomited it up immediately after giving it to him. This time I was holding him, walking around trying to calm him. It went down my chest, in between our bodies and all over my shoulder. I didn’t want to escalate the situation so I calmly reassured him, “it’s ok,” half talking to the baby, half talking to myself.

The Receiving Project

With a new month comes new adventures.  I recently decided to take part in an e-course titled 'The Receiving Project'. Jo Anna, the facilitator, is a wonderfully inspiring person.  The Receiving Project is designed to help you learn to receive.  As a mom, you give and give of yourself and too often do not take time to receive in your life.  For me, this means that I might not take time for myself.  I might focus on frustrations or negativity instead of focusing on all the good that is right in front of me.  My intention in taking this 32 day course (which is free by the way), is to recognize the gifts that are provided to me each day; to welcome positive energy, help, and rewards to myself. Being a mom is hard.  I deserve some gifts!

I am currently on Day three.  The daily gifts that I have received (as defined by me) include:
Day 1: Taking a bath without distraction - I usually find that when I take a bath the baby is fussy.  While my husband might  be able to tune this out and do his own thing while watching the baby, I am more sensitive to the baby's fussiness.  I feel the need to 'remind' my husband to pick the baby up, play with him, feed him, etc. throughout my bath time.  What? Control freak you say? Perhaps. This day however, I was able to relax in the tub which is a fantastic feeling. Thank you to all who allowed this to happen!

Day 2: My husband made me dinner- The baby is teething and did not sleep at all the night before.  He woke every hour which meant I was up much of the night.  I dragged myself to my Stroller Strides class and worked through it while the baby fussed a bit.  I had a terrible headache and forced myself to get to the market so we at least had food to eat.  I didn't have a chance to write and the baby would not nap even though I knew we both really needed it.  I tried to take a short nap, but again, couldn't really sleep because the baby was fussy.

The Fourth

Its Fourth of July weekend!  Get out your BBQs and start grilling! I usually like to seek out a good fireworks show on the July fourth.  Last year, we went to San Francisco.  We went to dinner at this fancy Italian joint on the third and something did not agree with me (or the baby) because I was sick all night long.  We had a great day on the fourth, but it got so cold that evening that I couldn't stand to be out any longer. We missed the fireworks!

This year we are planning on taking it easy.  We have been traveling quite a bit and this weekend is all about relaxation and some summer clean up.  I know, sounds fun right?! It needs to be done though.  The little guy is really starting to get around the house so we need to childproof and cleaning up is part of that process.  I would like to go the park and bar-b-que on the fourth.  I mean, we need to do something.....I got the baby a cute little shirt to wear!