So it's been forever since I posted...in the life of a two-year old, lots changes in the span of 8 months!
I find it difficult to have time to post (no kidding, right?). And far too much has happened with Marissa to even make an attempt to capture it in one post. But I'll try to hit the highlights.
Terrible Twos? Who says so? I don't believe they exist. My girl turned two in February and I have yet to see the "terrible" part. In fact, I enjoy her more every day. Seriously. I know I sound like a ridiculous, gushing parent (the kind I swore I would never be), but I can honestly say that getting to watch this little girl grow, learn new things and develop into her own fabulous person is the best thing I could ever experience. She's truly a great kid. Not perfect (she's human and TWO after all), but damn close!
She continues to be a very advanced learner. She amazes me every day by what she knows, how she can communicate and what she remembers! We really have to watch what we say around her because she is a sponge...absorbs everything. And remembers everything.
She's really getting into the potty training. For weeks now all poos have been in the potty (no more poopy diapers to change...now our role is bottom-wiper instead)...huge milestone!
Kid is super-easy to reason with. Truly. Don't get me wrong...she flies into a tantrum if she doesn't get her way...but if you stay calm and get her to talk you can really reason with her. It's almost weird. But it makes life a lot easier.
She's still rocking the curly hair and in my opinion continues to get cuter :-)
She loves to dance, sing, read books, go to the pool, play outside, color...very active little girl. Keeps us busy.
She continues to develop relationships with her peers "Davis Bites...he's not nice. No, No Davis!" or "Amy go on airplane to China. I going on airplane to China."
We have some funny conversations, too:
Me: "We're going home"
MET: "To Marissa's house?"
Me: "To our house, mommy and Marissa and Daddy's house."
MET: "No, it's MY house"
Me: "But mommy goes to work to pay the bills so it's OUR house"
MET: "No, I pay the bills"
Let's see, before I log off I'll share some "vitals":
Great eater, still. We don't make her different food most of the time...she eats whatever we're having for dinner and does great.
Small for her age, but still within the normal range. She's adorable, though, so who cares? Not like Matt or me are big.
Sleeps great...still takes a long nap (2 hours) and sleeps about 11-12 hours at night.
The threat of time out is most often all it takes to snap her back to good behavior...and bribery with food works well to get her to do most anything else :-)
Monday, June 21, 2010
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Talking up a storm...
I haven't done a very good job of keeping this post updated...and I realized today (on my commute home...which often is the only time I have alone to think) that I really need to do a better job of keeping it posted. It's my "online baby book." Seriously. It's the only place that I have a record of all of Marissa's milestones...
My child is a talker. It's become so apparent in the past few weeks that she is talking more than kids her age typically do. Of course, since she's our only child...I don't realize these things until it's pointed out to me.
First, her doctor (at her 18 mo well baby visit) is asking us all the routine questions about eating, sleeping...yada yada yada. Then she asks whether Marissa has 5-10 words. What? Matt and I look at each other then proceed to tell the doctor that she knows just about every word. In fact, we look around the room and figure that she can say at least 15 things JUST IN THAT ROOM! Let's see...some of the things in the room that she knows: chair, mommy, daddy, trash, every body part...seriously...all of them, so that in itself is over 15 words...phone (and the associated "hello" and "bye bye") water, book, blankie, Rissa (that's what she calls herself)...that's about it. There's not a whole lot in those exam rooms.
On that same topic...I don't make it to her daycare very often anymore. Since Matt's not working and my job continues to be insane, he does the dropoff/pickup on most days. Recently I picked her up because he was going to the Thurs night Ga Tech game. I asked the teacher how she's been doing, and asked her if she talked their ears off. She said "Marissa talks a lot. She talks much more than the other kids." Hmmm. I find it fascinating, but she knows all the other kids names. When I walked in the room, she was excited to see me and ran over to another kid and pointed at her and said "Amy" as if to show me that she had a friend. Too cute.
We recently went to the lake with our friends Amanda and Matt (and their kids Andrew and Caitlin) and Amanda's parents. She immediately loved Caitlin, who is 4. It's so weird to see her developing relationships with other kids...I love it. She still looks at me and says "Andrew. Caitlin." As if asking me when they're coming back. Anyway, we saw Amanda the following weekend and she said to me "I think Marissa might be really smart." It seems funny to me that an 18 month old can be assessed as "smart"...but I digress. So I said, "really?" And she said "my mother said the same thing and was shocked that she can count to 10." I guess that is pretty unusual? Like I said...I don't know these things. I just assume that she's in the range of normal. And she IS in the range of normal...maybe just on the early talker path. And her counting to 10 is usually: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10.
She also sings songs with me...my favorite is her rendition of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. My particular favorite is the way she says diamond -- "di-mon." SO FREAKING CUTE. I wish that I could remember forever the way her voice sounds now and the way she talks. My memory sucks, though, so hopefully just reading this blog will be enough.
She is just truly so fun...even with the temper tantrums (which are few and far between yet very very very loud and long when they do happen) and I love watching her grow and change every day. She's not like me or Matt. She is just her own (chatty) person and I think that's fabulous!!
My child is a talker. It's become so apparent in the past few weeks that she is talking more than kids her age typically do. Of course, since she's our only child...I don't realize these things until it's pointed out to me.
First, her doctor (at her 18 mo well baby visit) is asking us all the routine questions about eating, sleeping...yada yada yada. Then she asks whether Marissa has 5-10 words. What? Matt and I look at each other then proceed to tell the doctor that she knows just about every word. In fact, we look around the room and figure that she can say at least 15 things JUST IN THAT ROOM! Let's see...some of the things in the room that she knows: chair, mommy, daddy, trash, every body part...seriously...all of them, so that in itself is over 15 words...phone (and the associated "hello" and "bye bye") water, book, blankie, Rissa (that's what she calls herself)...that's about it. There's not a whole lot in those exam rooms.
On that same topic...I don't make it to her daycare very often anymore. Since Matt's not working and my job continues to be insane, he does the dropoff/pickup on most days. Recently I picked her up because he was going to the Thurs night Ga Tech game. I asked the teacher how she's been doing, and asked her if she talked their ears off. She said "Marissa talks a lot. She talks much more than the other kids." Hmmm. I find it fascinating, but she knows all the other kids names. When I walked in the room, she was excited to see me and ran over to another kid and pointed at her and said "Amy" as if to show me that she had a friend. Too cute.
We recently went to the lake with our friends Amanda and Matt (and their kids Andrew and Caitlin) and Amanda's parents. She immediately loved Caitlin, who is 4. It's so weird to see her developing relationships with other kids...I love it. She still looks at me and says "Andrew. Caitlin." As if asking me when they're coming back. Anyway, we saw Amanda the following weekend and she said to me "I think Marissa might be really smart." It seems funny to me that an 18 month old can be assessed as "smart"...but I digress. So I said, "really?" And she said "my mother said the same thing and was shocked that she can count to 10." I guess that is pretty unusual? Like I said...I don't know these things. I just assume that she's in the range of normal. And she IS in the range of normal...maybe just on the early talker path. And her counting to 10 is usually: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10.
She also sings songs with me...my favorite is her rendition of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. My particular favorite is the way she says diamond -- "di-mon." SO FREAKING CUTE. I wish that I could remember forever the way her voice sounds now and the way she talks. My memory sucks, though, so hopefully just reading this blog will be enough.
She is just truly so fun...even with the temper tantrums (which are few and far between yet very very very loud and long when they do happen) and I love watching her grow and change every day. She's not like me or Matt. She is just her own (chatty) person and I think that's fabulous!!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Potty!
We've had quite a busy summer! Last month Marissa, Matt and I went to St. Augustine Beach and had a lovely vacation. We got to see my parents, which was great. It was just a really enjoyable trip...and MUCH-needed for me. In the months leading up to the trip, my work was totally insane so the trip was really terrific.
Marissa started a new room at daycare a couple of weeks ago. This one seems good, too. I have to say, we're pretty pleased with kids r kids and the teachers, the programs, and everything she's learned there. She loves the day that they go to the "waterpark"...and they do lots of other fun things with the kids. She gets a great variety of foods there, too (probably a much better variety than at home)!
And...big news today...she went peepee in the potty for the first time today! Hooray!
I know potty-training will take a long time, but who cares? We're off to a good start.
:-)
Marissa started a new room at daycare a couple of weeks ago. This one seems good, too. I have to say, we're pretty pleased with kids r kids and the teachers, the programs, and everything she's learned there. She loves the day that they go to the "waterpark"...and they do lots of other fun things with the kids. She gets a great variety of foods there, too (probably a much better variety than at home)!
And...big news today...she went peepee in the potty for the first time today! Hooray!
I know potty-training will take a long time, but who cares? We're off to a good start.
:-)
Thursday, June 4, 2009
No, No, No
So here we go.
Marissa has known for quite some time what "no" means...when she means "no" she has shaken her head to indicate it. But now, much to my dismay...she knows how to say "no" along with the head shake. And she says it CONSTANTLY.
"Time to put on your shoes."
"No, no, no." (visualize a head shake here)
"Here's your Elmo book."
"No, no, no." (and she takes it immediately after)...
I think she likes to just be "in control" -- which she clearly isn't (hehehe...we're going to have this battle for the next 50 or so years). So when I offer the Elmo book, no good. But if it's HER decision to grab the Elmo book...great.
She also is starting to swat at my face or pinch my skin when she isn't happy with what's going on (for instance, I want to put her down when I can't hold her anymore...damn, the kid's getting big and I'm not all that strong). That's somewhat annoying but, again, she's expressing her feelings in a non-verbal way...it's OK...I just say, "don't do that, Marissa." And she looks at me for a minute like she's processing. Hopefully she's computing "I shouldn't do that because mommy isn't smiling and looks fairly stern." Perhaps too ambitious...
I have figured out that this child LOVES books. I find it truly heartwarming when she pretends to "read" the books to me...she'll hold the book, point at things and babble, and then flip pages. I know she's imitating me (that's how I read to her, I point at a lot of things in the book) and I find it so funny how she imitates.
Summer's going to be fun (minus the 'no, no, no')...weekends at the pool...swinging, etc. Love the summer...
Marissa has known for quite some time what "no" means...when she means "no" she has shaken her head to indicate it. But now, much to my dismay...she knows how to say "no" along with the head shake. And she says it CONSTANTLY.
"Time to put on your shoes."
"No, no, no." (visualize a head shake here)
"Here's your Elmo book."
"No, no, no." (and she takes it immediately after)...
I think she likes to just be "in control" -- which she clearly isn't (hehehe...we're going to have this battle for the next 50 or so years). So when I offer the Elmo book, no good. But if it's HER decision to grab the Elmo book...great.
She also is starting to swat at my face or pinch my skin when she isn't happy with what's going on (for instance, I want to put her down when I can't hold her anymore...damn, the kid's getting big and I'm not all that strong). That's somewhat annoying but, again, she's expressing her feelings in a non-verbal way...it's OK...I just say, "don't do that, Marissa." And she looks at me for a minute like she's processing. Hopefully she's computing "I shouldn't do that because mommy isn't smiling and looks fairly stern." Perhaps too ambitious...
I have figured out that this child LOVES books. I find it truly heartwarming when she pretends to "read" the books to me...she'll hold the book, point at things and babble, and then flip pages. I know she's imitating me (that's how I read to her, I point at a lot of things in the book) and I find it so funny how she imitates.
Summer's going to be fun (minus the 'no, no, no')...weekends at the pool...swinging, etc. Love the summer...
Monday, May 25, 2009
Amazing!
I can't believe it, but I actually have a few minutes to post an entry today. Marissa is napping, Matt's out shopping for a grill...I finished cleaning two bathrooms and ate my lunch. I'm taking a break before laundry-mania begins. It's amazing what you can shove into a two-hour nap period...
Where do I start? It's been forever since I actually posted anything. Hmm...let's see. I can see by the previous post that the last time I wrote was when Marissa started walking. Now she's really good at it...a pro! She can go up stairs (crawling) and down (backwards crawling) but you have to watch her very carefully on the stairs. She tends to want to dive head-first...
We took her for a visit to Charleston, where we discovered, not surprisingly, that she loved playing in the sand. It wasn't too hard to keep it out of her mouth. It only went in there once when she mistook her shovel for a spoon. Honest mistake.
Her personality is really blossoming. She is shy at first...it takes her a little while to get comfortable in new situations with new people. But once she adjusts, her funny little self appears as if she's known you forever.
She loves to go out to restaurants with Matt and me. We always have a nice time and she seems to enjoy the change in scenery.
Keeping her occupied is more and more of a challenge. She likes to see new things, explore new challenges. She also loves to engage with you rather than play by herself (though she will play alone periodically).
She has started talking up a storm...she learns a few new words each day, it seems. She sometimes confuses their meaning but for the most part she gets it. Let's see...here is a sampling of her vocabulary: mama and dada, of course. More (which I think she also says when she wants to eat), all done, baby, bubble, book, water, bath, Elmo (she just learned this 2 days ago and it's so cute when she says it).
She understands lots of things. For instance, today we were in the kitchen and I told her "go get your Elmo book." She walked into the sunroom, found her Elmo book and brought it to me. Weird that she can understand so much yet not say it all yet...it's amazing how her brain works!! She also does a few really funny things. Every time I take her shoes off, I say "oh that's a stinky foot." So now when I ask her where her foot is, she puts her feet in the air and says "stinky stinky stinky." To me, this is hysterical. Once she knows what stinky means, she may be offended, though...
She also knows how to give kisses...she puts her lips in an interesting formation (not really puckered...more flat) and goes "mmmah". Love it.
Yesterday we went to our friend Shayla's dad's house (he has a really nice pool) and she got in the hot tub (don't worry, it was just warm, kinda like a bath). First I let her dip in her toes, then she pointed and kept trying to dive in so Matt and I got in with her. She loved it and oddly enough was more than happy to put her face in the water...which I thought she'd be afraid of.
She's moved up to the next room at school (daycare, whatever...it feels a little more like school now). Things in this room are much more structured. In the previous two rooms the schedules for eating, sleeping, etc, were very much parent/baby -led. In this room, they are much more scheduled. They all eat at the same time, sitting in their little chairs around little round tables (breakfast is 8:00-8:20, lunch is at 11:00, snacks are at 2:00 and 5:00). Nap is about 12:00-2:00. They have schedule story time (which, when I watch on camera, absolutely amazes me. How you can corral that many 1 year olds and get them to sit and pay attention is really beyond me). She sleeps on a mat now instead of a crib.
Mind you, this change took a bit of transition work...her old teachers started easing her into this schedule and into the new sleeping arrangement. Then, before she officially moved, she would spend a few hours a day in the new room to get used to it and the teachers. She has done really well with the transition. I just can't believe how big she's getting and how much more independent she seems to get every day! It's bittersweet, I guess. I'm really proud of everything she accomplishes, but a little wistful about my baby girl growing up!
Work has sort of been stressful lately. True to the economic times we're in, we have too few people and too much work. I will not complain too loudly, though, because I still have a job, good benefits, etc. Have traveled a bit recently which has been a little tough, but hopefully that's a fluke. Matt is still looking. He met with a recruiter last week and has revamped his resume. I have a good feeling that the next month will be a little better than the past couple in terms of getting some leads...and hopefully a job.
That's the update for now! I'll post some photos soon.
P.S. I'm sure I made my little angel sound perfect in the above post. Fear not, we do have our challenges...with her new independence that's developing also comes some pretty interesting behavior. Let's see: waiting until you're watching and then throwing food/cups on the floor. Pinching or hitting you when she wants your attention or you're trying to correct her. A lot of whining and crying the second she doesn't get her way. She is a baby, after all...:-)
Where do I start? It's been forever since I actually posted anything. Hmm...let's see. I can see by the previous post that the last time I wrote was when Marissa started walking. Now she's really good at it...a pro! She can go up stairs (crawling) and down (backwards crawling) but you have to watch her very carefully on the stairs. She tends to want to dive head-first...
We took her for a visit to Charleston, where we discovered, not surprisingly, that she loved playing in the sand. It wasn't too hard to keep it out of her mouth. It only went in there once when she mistook her shovel for a spoon. Honest mistake.
Her personality is really blossoming. She is shy at first...it takes her a little while to get comfortable in new situations with new people. But once she adjusts, her funny little self appears as if she's known you forever.
She loves to go out to restaurants with Matt and me. We always have a nice time and she seems to enjoy the change in scenery.
Keeping her occupied is more and more of a challenge. She likes to see new things, explore new challenges. She also loves to engage with you rather than play by herself (though she will play alone periodically).
She has started talking up a storm...she learns a few new words each day, it seems. She sometimes confuses their meaning but for the most part she gets it. Let's see...here is a sampling of her vocabulary: mama and dada, of course. More (which I think she also says when she wants to eat), all done, baby, bubble, book, water, bath, Elmo (she just learned this 2 days ago and it's so cute when she says it).
She understands lots of things. For instance, today we were in the kitchen and I told her "go get your Elmo book." She walked into the sunroom, found her Elmo book and brought it to me. Weird that she can understand so much yet not say it all yet...it's amazing how her brain works!! She also does a few really funny things. Every time I take her shoes off, I say "oh that's a stinky foot." So now when I ask her where her foot is, she puts her feet in the air and says "stinky stinky stinky." To me, this is hysterical. Once she knows what stinky means, she may be offended, though...
She also knows how to give kisses...she puts her lips in an interesting formation (not really puckered...more flat) and goes "mmmah". Love it.
Yesterday we went to our friend Shayla's dad's house (he has a really nice pool) and she got in the hot tub (don't worry, it was just warm, kinda like a bath). First I let her dip in her toes, then she pointed and kept trying to dive in so Matt and I got in with her. She loved it and oddly enough was more than happy to put her face in the water...which I thought she'd be afraid of.
She's moved up to the next room at school (daycare, whatever...it feels a little more like school now). Things in this room are much more structured. In the previous two rooms the schedules for eating, sleeping, etc, were very much parent/baby -led. In this room, they are much more scheduled. They all eat at the same time, sitting in their little chairs around little round tables (breakfast is 8:00-8:20, lunch is at 11:00, snacks are at 2:00 and 5:00). Nap is about 12:00-2:00. They have schedule story time (which, when I watch on camera, absolutely amazes me. How you can corral that many 1 year olds and get them to sit and pay attention is really beyond me). She sleeps on a mat now instead of a crib.
Mind you, this change took a bit of transition work...her old teachers started easing her into this schedule and into the new sleeping arrangement. Then, before she officially moved, she would spend a few hours a day in the new room to get used to it and the teachers. She has done really well with the transition. I just can't believe how big she's getting and how much more independent she seems to get every day! It's bittersweet, I guess. I'm really proud of everything she accomplishes, but a little wistful about my baby girl growing up!
Work has sort of been stressful lately. True to the economic times we're in, we have too few people and too much work. I will not complain too loudly, though, because I still have a job, good benefits, etc. Have traveled a bit recently which has been a little tough, but hopefully that's a fluke. Matt is still looking. He met with a recruiter last week and has revamped his resume. I have a good feeling that the next month will be a little better than the past couple in terms of getting some leads...and hopefully a job.
That's the update for now! I'll post some photos soon.
P.S. I'm sure I made my little angel sound perfect in the above post. Fear not, we do have our challenges...with her new independence that's developing also comes some pretty interesting behavior. Let's see: waiting until you're watching and then throwing food/cups on the floor. Pinching or hitting you when she wants your attention or you're trying to correct her. A lot of whining and crying the second she doesn't get her way. She is a baby, after all...:-)
Sunday, March 1, 2009
I'm Walking!!
I have lots to post, but no time right now. For now, I'll just post this video...my dad wanted to see her walk. She looks pretty silly with her tongue sticking out...she did that before when she was teething, so I think she has more teeth on the way.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Holidays and general craziness...
The last month or so has been hectic, and full of changes in little Miss Marissa! First, We spend Thanksgiving down in Florida with my parents. It was a really nice trip...relaxing, and good to spend time with them. It was Marissa's first trip on an airplane, and she did great. I went ahead and bought her a seat, which I'm glad I did. We were able to put her in her carseat and she slept the whole time...both ways!! Woke up right before landing. Pretty great. Here's a picture.
So Marissa went through a phase where she refused to be fed the Stage 3 baby food anymore. During that phase, I decided to start trying more table foods. She is almost totally on table food (instead of jarred baby food) now. She loves feeding herself the little chunks. So her typical meals involve 2-3 of the following: chicken, cheese, avocado, sweet potato, carrot, pineapple, canteloupe, banana...you get the idea. I usually do a protein with either a fruit or veggie at each meal. I can't believe how big she's getting. So grown up.
She is now also doing what's called "cruising." She walks holding onto furniture. She will even move from one piece to another (say, from the coffee table to the couch) without any help. Leads me to believe walking may be soon...then watch out!! Not ready for that. She has stood for a few seconds on her own, without holding onto anything. Super crazy to see that.
The teeth have finally come, too. For the past couple weeks she's gone through the process of "cutting" them...so there are two on the bottom that are peeking through her gums. They are not fully "risen" yet, but they are definitely there.
Christmas was hectic and a little bit tiring, mainly because Marissa was sick. A little over a week before Christmas, Marissa had some goopy eyes so I took her to the doctor. Sure enough, she had an ear infection (the last time she had goopy eyes it was for the same reason) and was put on Amoxicillin. That was on a Tuesday, I think. That Saturday, Matt and I got home from being out and she was very hot...I took her temp, and it was 103. We gave her some motrin and I was up a few times that night comforting her but in general it seemed OK. I called the doc on Tuesday and we decided to check her out, since Christmas was on Thurs. Unfortunately, after having 7 does of the antibiotic, her little ears were still infected. So, we switched her to a stronger antibiotic but it was basically like starting over on the treatment. So, her illness dragged on and she was pretty miserable over the holidays. It was too bad, but what can you do? She was so much better a day or two after Christmas...now she's back to being her usual, playful, fun self! She's so fun. I, however, have g
otten sick (this happened last time, too). I am really susceptible to getting sick after she's sick because I am pretty much the one who is closest to her when she's sick (she becomes quite the mommy's girl when she's ill) so I'm very exposed to all of the germs...AND, I don't get a lot of sleep when she's sick, so that lack of sleep also leaves me vulnerable. Of course now I think I have a raging sinus infection...because I rarely can just get a cold...it always turns into something more serious. If I don't feel better in the next day or two, I guess I'll have to go to the doctor for an antibiotic.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Growing up so fast...
Marissa's 9 month appointment was fine. She checked out healthy. She weighs almost 17 lbs and I can't remember her length but she'd grown about an inch since Sept. So, she is now 25th percentile in weight instead of 50th. She's small...can't imagine why. Have you seen her parents? :-) I asked Dr. Fleming about her lack of teeth and she wasn't one bit concerned. She said they usually come between 6 and 12 months on average. We'll see. I am not worried anymore. She has some, they are just hiding. Rumor has it, the longer they're in there the more healthy they'll be. I don't know if that's true or if it's something people say to parents whose kids are late on the teeth-sprouting.
Not going to write too much tonight, but she's doing some really cute stuff lately that I want to make sure I record. One, she has started clapping...it's so adorable. She claps and sings (I use the term singing loosely...it's just a more melodic version of her talking).
She's also started holding her own bottle. This is a major feat. She is self-feeding finger foods and starting to eat more textured foods...she still gets confused sometimes, but for the most part she's getting the hang of it.
Her hair is getting thicker and longer and is starting to grow over her ears and stuff. I don't necessarily know what to do with it...I can't push it behind her ears (it's not quite that long) yet it looks somewhat disheveled when it's just falling "as is." Hmm.
She is enjoying bath time a lot...get lots of giggles and smiles. Oh, and speaking of smiles...she has my dimple. Same side and everything. It's barely noticeable right now but I can see it (it perhaps gets a little lost in her monstrous cheeks).
I'm glad the holidays are upon us. I am crazy-busy at work (the busiest I've been by a longshot since I returned to GMAC Insurance over a year ago) which is good and bad. However, I have lots of time off to spend with my little one between now and the end of the year. I've got most of next week off for a visit to my parents' in FL. Then, I have taken every Friday off in December, in addition to extra days the week of Christmas and the week of NY. Should be great to spend that time with Marissa. I know I will get spoiled and January will be a bummer. Christmas should be really amusing this year, though.
Not going to write too much tonight, but she's doing some really cute stuff lately that I want to make sure I record. One, she has started clapping...it's so adorable. She claps and sings (I use the term singing loosely...it's just a more melodic version of her talking).
She's also started holding her own bottle. This is a major feat. She is self-feeding finger foods and starting to eat more textured foods...she still gets confused sometimes, but for the most part she's getting the hang of it.
Her hair is getting thicker and longer and is starting to grow over her ears and stuff. I don't necessarily know what to do with it...I can't push it behind her ears (it's not quite that long) yet it looks somewhat disheveled when it's just falling "as is." Hmm.
She is enjoying bath time a lot...get lots of giggles and smiles. Oh, and speaking of smiles...she has my dimple. Same side and everything. It's barely noticeable right now but I can see it (it perhaps gets a little lost in her monstrous cheeks).
I'm glad the holidays are upon us. I am crazy-busy at work (the busiest I've been by a longshot since I returned to GMAC Insurance over a year ago) which is good and bad. However, I have lots of time off to spend with my little one between now and the end of the year. I've got most of next week off for a visit to my parents' in FL. Then, I have taken every Friday off in December, in addition to extra days the week of Christmas and the week of NY. Should be great to spend that time with Marissa. I know I will get spoiled and January will be a bummer. Christmas should be really amusing this year, though.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Updates from Fall 2008!!
I'm pretty sure no one probably reads this anymore, since I can't even make it a once-per-month endeavor to update this thing. However, I will still keep posting when I have time so that I can have my online record of Marissa's first year (and beyond, possibly...).
I don't even know where to begin. I guess I can begin with Matt and my first overnight trip away from Marissa. My work was taking a trip to Vegas for the DMA (Direct Marketing Association's Annual Conference and Exhibition). In fact, my whole
department got approval to go. We stayed at the Bellagio and it was great!! Matt HAD to tag along since we were going to his favorite place...which meant we had to leave Marissa. Now, I guess it's not exactly true to say that we'd never left Marissa before. We did leave her for a night over the summer so that Matt and I could take a trip to Athens to go out with Liza and Big T. This was entirely different, though. We left her Sat night - Weds with Grover and Candace. She seemed to do very well. I was worried, because the week prior to leaving her she started to have some major separation anxiety. I guess she got over it while I was gone because it looked like she had fun. Anyway, we had a good time in Vegas but I did miss her a ton. I was ready to get back. Not sure when I'll be ready again to leave her for that long.
She is still having separation anxiety, but it's OK. It won't last forever, and as one of my books says, it's kind of a sweet period because "never again will you be as perfect in your child's eyes as you are right now." So while it can seem heartbreaking at times (like when I leave her and she pouts and tears well up in her eyes), it's also sort of sweet.
Marissa is crawling now, and it's just so funny. It isn't exactly smooth yet, but she can get all over the place...and pretty quickly!
We've had a different football season than in years past...we have watched a lot of the UGA games with our friends the Forgiones (Marissa's Godparents). It works out pretty well and we've had a good time. I haven't made it to any games this year but it's ok with me. The Dawgs are sort of annoying me this year, anyway :-)
Marissa's first Halloween was pretty cute. At her daycare they had week-long events, where each day they asked us to dress the kids with a different theme. Monday was pajamas day, Tuesday was sports fan day, etc. They wore their costumes on Friday (which was Halloween). It was pretty cute.
Today we went to "Thankspigging," which is a big party that our friend Chip co hosts every year. It's a big pig roast with TVs, beer,
and band, lots of food (seriously, they roast a pig...that makes a lot of BBQ). It's all free...they just ask for a donation for the Center for the Visually Impaired (one of the hosts has a son who has visual problems). It was fun and Marissa came with us and was great...she really loved hanging in the Baby Bjorn and singing along with the band. I'm not joking...when the music was playing she kicked her legs and sang in her own special way. I think she likes music a lot. It probably helps that I'm sort of crazy and sing to her a lot...and also dance with her a lot whenever music happens to be playing. She loves it!
This Fall has been so fun. I can't really describe how great it is to watch her grow up and discover things...learn things on her own. It's sort of bittersweet for me to watch her accomplish each milestone. On the one hand, it makes me very proud and it's very exciting to see her figure these things out on her own..but on the other hand, each milestone sort of marks a step towards independence...and I am beginning to see how fast it all will fly by. I honestly can't believe we've had her for 9 months. Where has the time gone?
I'm sort of tired of typing so I hope those highlights get you somewhat caught up. Next up: on Tuesday we have her 9 month checkup. Later this month we take our first flight with Marissa, down to Orlando to see my parents. Oh, and by the way...she still doesn't have any teeth. Not a one. So she's a little late in the teeth-sprouting department. She's been textbook on everything else :-)
I don't even know where to begin. I guess I can begin with Matt and my first overnight trip away from Marissa. My work was taking a trip to Vegas for the DMA (Direct Marketing Association's Annual Conference and Exhibition). In fact, my whole
department got approval to go. We stayed at the Bellagio and it was great!! Matt HAD to tag along since we were going to his favorite place...which meant we had to leave Marissa. Now, I guess it's not exactly true to say that we'd never left Marissa before. We did leave her for a night over the summer so that Matt and I could take a trip to Athens to go out with Liza and Big T. This was entirely different, though. We left her Sat night - Weds with Grover and Candace. She seemed to do very well. I was worried, because the week prior to leaving her she started to have some major separation anxiety. I guess she got over it while I was gone because it looked like she had fun. Anyway, we had a good time in Vegas but I did miss her a ton. I was ready to get back. Not sure when I'll be ready again to leave her for that long.She is still having separation anxiety, but it's OK. It won't last forever, and as one of my books says, it's kind of a sweet period because "never again will you be as perfect in your child's eyes as you are right now." So while it can seem heartbreaking at times (like when I leave her and she pouts and tears well up in her eyes), it's also sort of sweet.
Marissa is crawling now, and it's just so funny. It isn't exactly smooth yet, but she can get all over the place...and pretty quickly!
We've had a different football season than in years past...we have watched a lot of the UGA games with our friends the Forgiones (Marissa's Godparents). It works out pretty well and we've had a good time. I haven't made it to any games this year but it's ok with me. The Dawgs are sort of annoying me this year, anyway :-)
Marissa's first Halloween was pretty cute. At her daycare they had week-long events, where each day they asked us to dress the kids with a different theme. Monday was pajamas day, Tuesday was sports fan day, etc. They wore their costumes on Friday (which was Halloween). It was pretty cute.
Today we went to "Thankspigging," which is a big party that our friend Chip co hosts every year. It's a big pig roast with TVs, beer,
and band, lots of food (seriously, they roast a pig...that makes a lot of BBQ). It's all free...they just ask for a donation for the Center for the Visually Impaired (one of the hosts has a son who has visual problems). It was fun and Marissa came with us and was great...she really loved hanging in the Baby Bjorn and singing along with the band. I'm not joking...when the music was playing she kicked her legs and sang in her own special way. I think she likes music a lot. It probably helps that I'm sort of crazy and sing to her a lot...and also dance with her a lot whenever music happens to be playing. She loves it!This Fall has been so fun. I can't really describe how great it is to watch her grow up and discover things...learn things on her own. It's sort of bittersweet for me to watch her accomplish each milestone. On the one hand, it makes me very proud and it's very exciting to see her figure these things out on her own..but on the other hand, each milestone sort of marks a step towards independence...and I am beginning to see how fast it all will fly by. I honestly can't believe we've had her for 9 months. Where has the time gone?
I'm sort of tired of typing so I hope those highlights get you somewhat caught up. Next up: on Tuesday we have her 9 month checkup. Later this month we take our first flight with Marissa, down to Orlando to see my parents. Oh, and by the way...she still doesn't have any teeth. Not a one. So she's a little late in the teeth-sprouting department. She's been textbook on everything else :-)Sunday, September 28, 2008
Update
So, I'm a terrible blogger. It's just hard to make time to get my posts in, but I'll try to do better!!Marissa is changing so much every day. I can't believe how quickly she's growing up. She is on the verge of crawling...today she spent a lot of time on her hands and knees trying to figure out how to get moving. It's so cute. She'll spend some time rocking back and forth, and then she'll roll over and lie flat on her back with her arms and legs spread out...like she needs a break so she's taking a breather to gather her strength for another attempt. So funny.
She's been sitting up on her own for a while now. She would occasionally fall backwards so I would have to prop a boppy or something behind her. But now, she's pretty stable and can just sit there and play and I don't have to worry about her falling. I do stay pretty nearby, however, just in case. Plus, she's rolling all over the room so I can't take my eyes off her since we haven't babyproofed the house yet.
Her personality is definitely becoming more defined and perceptible. She is definitely impatient. I think she gets that from me? Not sure. I think she's fairly laid back for the most part, which I think she gets from both of us.
A few weeks ago we had some people over for a UGA game...vs. South Carolina. It got pretty loud when everyone would cheer or groan, and every time, she would look at me, look at everyone, look back at me and her bottom lip would start to quiver. I'd have to immediately scoop her up because the tears would start flowing and she'd be in a full-on cry within seconds. She's not used to all the noise and she didn't know what to make of it. So cute, so funny.
Marissa is also a little ham. She knows exactly what the camera is for and she knows to look straight at it. I tried to get a picture of her crying one day (so 10 years from now I can remember how cute her pouty face is), but I couldn't get it because she would smile every time I pointed the camera at her. She'd have tears in her eyes and a pouty lip, but as soon as I brought the camera to my face she would smile.
She's becoming quite a little eater. She now has "solids" at 3 meals a day. Breakfast consists of oatmeal mixed with prunes (yes, she gets prunes every day and even then she gets clogged up sometimes) and formula. Lunch is a veggie and formula (usually some sort of sweet potato mixed with something else...corn, etc). Snack at 3:00ish is a bottle. And then dinner is some sort of veggie with a meat (for instance, tonight she had a jar of 'chicken and vegetable dinner' which is a jar of mush that has a couple different veggies, chicken, and rice I think). It's pretty gross, actually...no seasoning, either. Yes, I taste everything before I give it to her. The meat is pretty disgusting, but I guess she is Ok with it. So far, she gets really mad if I try to give her green beans. Everything else has been OK. Oh, I tried to give her straight chicken mush (not mixed with a veggie) and she threw a fit and practically choked (dramatic...). She also gets a bottle with dinner.
I've started letting her play with a sippy cup. She gets pretty confused by it. Usually because it put water in it...once the water hits her mouth she won't swallow...just lets it all run out of her mouth.
I am really having so much fun with her. Watching her concentrate so intently on things and try to figure everything out is so great. It's amazing how they process and learn. Oh yea...she's babbling a ton now. Her favorite thing to say is "da da da da da da" or "da." I'm working on the "ma ma ma" but nothing yet. One day she was pooping while I was giving her dinner and I started saying "poo poo poo poo" and she watched my mouth so closely and started going "puh puh" and I started getting nervous that her second word would be "poo poo" so I stopped. Matt, however, thought it was hilarious and noticed how she was really paying attention, so he tried to keep going with the lesson but I made him stop.
That's it for now, I think. I'll try to be better about posting. No promises, though!!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Baptism
We had Marissa's baptism in August. It was a small celebration, with just family and some close friends, and was held at Our Lady of the Assumption - the parish that I attended growing up. I actually celebrated my first communion and confirmation at that church (though it has definitely been remodeled since then).
We chose Amanda and Matt Forgione as her Godparents. They are great friends of ours, are Catholic (a requirement is that at least one of the Godparents is Catholic), and will definitely be around to see Marissa grow up and will be great role models for her.
The Forgiones kindly offered their home as the site for the after-Baptism brunch, which was very convenient and lovely.
In all, it was a nice time. Marissa looked so cute in her fancy baptismal gown and bonnet (which Amanda let us borrow...it was her daughter Caitlin's baptismal gown and worked perfectly). It was just gorgeous.
So now she's even more of an "angel." :-)
We chose Amanda and Matt Forgione as her Godparents. They are great friends of ours, are Catholic (a requirement is that at least one of the Godparents is Catholic), and will definitely be around to see Marissa grow up and will be great role models for her.
The Forgiones kindly offered their home as the site for the after-Baptism brunch, which was very convenient and lovely.
In all, it was a nice time. Marissa looked so cute in her fancy baptismal gown and bonnet (which Amanda let us borrow...it was her daughter Caitlin's baptismal gown and worked perfectly). It was just gorgeous.
So now she's even more of an "angel." :-)
Sunday, August 17, 2008
First Vacation!!
I've been so bad about posting lately...we've just been really busy and I was battling various illnesses for the past three weeks (strep throat, stomach virus, and then a cold). And, Marissa is so much fun now that it's hard to find time to post...I'd rather be playing!!
We just got back from our first trip with Marissa. We went to Seagrove Beach in Florida. She did really well on the ride down there, and got back into a good schedule rhythm after only about a day! We had a few bad weather days, but towards the end of the trip we had a couple of beautiful days.
Vacation with Marissa was definitely different than before she came along. Now, instead of hours leisurely lounging around on the beach, we shove beach time in between naps and feedings...it was hectic but still very fun. And, we had a few extra hands to help us out so we were able to get some more beach time while Candace, Grover and Meredith took some time out with Marissa.
She was just too cute in her little swimsuits. She was fascinated by the ocean...and liked dipping her little tootsie toes into the water. She also did great in the pool...and loved kicking (I guess the weightless feeling of the water felt weird and fun to explore).
I'll get a link to some photos posted as soon as I load them into Shutterfly.
In terms of where she is developmentally...she's changed a bunch lately. She is rolling over a ton, back and forth. She also tries to scoot along on her belly, but is still probably a long way off from crawling. She can't quite sit on her own, either, but is getting closer every day. She babbles pretty much constantly...makes excited squealing noises, laughs, and lately has started with a "ra ra ra ra" sound. Perhaps that will migrate into "ma ma ma ma?"
I'm going to start incorporating more solids into her diet little by little. We were taking it slowly for a while...I was trying to follow her lead. Now, she seems ready to eat a little more so we're starting two meals with solids...oatmeal in the morning and some sort of veggie at night. After her doctor appointment this month we'll see what our next steps will be. No sign of any teeth yet so I'm not sure exactly how advanced we can get...but I'm pretty sure that babies have an amazing ability to chew things with their gums...
We just got back from our first trip with Marissa. We went to Seagrove Beach in Florida. She did really well on the ride down there, and got back into a good schedule rhythm after only about a day! We had a few bad weather days, but towards the end of the trip we had a couple of beautiful days.
Vacation with Marissa was definitely different than before she came along. Now, instead of hours leisurely lounging around on the beach, we shove beach time in between naps and feedings...it was hectic but still very fun. And, we had a few extra hands to help us out so we were able to get some more beach time while Candace, Grover and Meredith took some time out with Marissa.
She was just too cute in her little swimsuits. She was fascinated by the ocean...and liked dipping her little tootsie toes into the water. She also did great in the pool...and loved kicking (I guess the weightless feeling of the water felt weird and fun to explore).
I'll get a link to some photos posted as soon as I load them into Shutterfly.
In terms of where she is developmentally...she's changed a bunch lately. She is rolling over a ton, back and forth. She also tries to scoot along on her belly, but is still probably a long way off from crawling. She can't quite sit on her own, either, but is getting closer every day. She babbles pretty much constantly...makes excited squealing noises, laughs, and lately has started with a "ra ra ra ra" sound. Perhaps that will migrate into "ma ma ma ma?"
I'm going to start incorporating more solids into her diet little by little. We were taking it slowly for a while...I was trying to follow her lead. Now, she seems ready to eat a little more so we're starting two meals with solids...oatmeal in the morning and some sort of veggie at night. After her doctor appointment this month we'll see what our next steps will be. No sign of any teeth yet so I'm not sure exactly how advanced we can get...but I'm pretty sure that babies have an amazing ability to chew things with their gums...
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Exciting developments...
It's been ages since I've posted...sorry about that. It's been quite hectic lately. I'll try to be brief but thorough.
Marissa went for her first dip in the pool...she had no issues and seemed to enjoy the water. Fortunately, the pool was neither too cold or too crowded when I took her (we went one day after I got home from work). It was cute. She has a short attention span, though, and being carried around in the pool didn't excite her for too long.
We've mastered the "tripod" sit. I can put her down and she knows how to prop herself up...she can't sit on her own without leaning on her arms, but that will come with time. She will sometimes fall forward or to the side when she's doing the tripod sit, but I'm always around to catch her!She's still not all that interested in rolling over. She's done it a few times but she's mobile in other ways...scooting on her back, rolling to her side, etc, so I'm not worried about it.
She currently has her first ear infection. She was having goopy eyes for a couple of days, then on Sunday she cried for about three hours. She didn't have a fever, but the doctor said to give her Tylenol, so we did and she fell asleep for a two-hour nap. When she woke up she seemed happy, but I decided to take her to the doctor to get checked out on Monday, anyway...her crying was very out of character so I wanted to be sure. And what do you know...she has an ear infection, which caused the eye goopiness, too. So she has antibiotic eye drops and is also on amoxicillin. To add to the fun...I caught whatever bacteria she has, and I have been diagnosed with strep throat. I was feeling crummy and my throat was killing me. I waited a couple days hoping it would go away, but when I woke up today and my throat hurt more than ever, I decided I needed to visit the doctor. So I am also now on amoxicillin. Thank goodness for antibiotics. I have to say...my boss has been so understanding. I went to the office this morning and he told me to go home if I wasn't feeling well because I needed my energy and strength to take care of my baby and to survive "this place" ... "this place" being GMACI. He's real cool and has been super-flexible...it's almost too good to be true, so I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. I'm basically keeping a part time schedule, 9-4, and working from home 2 days per week, but with no cut in pay or benefits. He even ordered me a company cell phone so I could take meetings when I am working from home without using my own cell minutes. So, needless to say, it's a good incentive to stick around :-)
Marissa is just getting to be more fun everyday. Today we laughed a lot together...her giggle is so freaking funny. When she laughs, I laugh back, which makes her laugh again...and it goes on like that for a few minutes.
I'm sure I've left out some stuff, but I'll try to get back more frequently with posts.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Top ten surprises of new parenthood
There is an article on Babycenter.com about the top 10 surprises of new parenthood. I thought I'd take their list and add my thoughts. My comments are in blue.
No matter how much you prepare for it, parenting will blow your mind.Your kids will challenge you, bring you to tears, crack you up, and make you forget what you urgently had to do. They'll shatter the life you knew into a million pieces. Then they'll put it back together, like a stained-glass window, into something infinitely more complicated and beautiful.While every parent's biggest surprises are different, there are common themes to the ways that kids revolutionize our lives. Read on for the top ten surprises of new parenthood according to interviews with BabyCenter moms and dads.
Surprise #1: Your relationship with your partner will change.
"Before kids, we were inseparable. We talked all the time, went everywhere together. My friends said we acted like high school sweethearts," says new mom Kimberly Taylor of her relationship with her husband. Since their baby arrived, however, the couple has been constantly at odds."We hardly speak to each other. We're stressed out over money and bills. We fight a lot," Taylor says.
I wouldn't say this has been too much of an issue for us. I think at first, maybe for the first 6 weeks maybe, life was all about Marissa. We were trying to figure out this parenting thing and how to best care for this new little bundle. I had to spend a lot of time with the baby (I was on maternity leave, breastfeeding all day and night, etc) so there wasn't much time or energy left for Matt. But now, we feel like more of a family. Matt and I can enjoy some alone time in the evening after Marissa is in bed, which is great. So we have family time after work and on weekends, and "Matt and Jamie" time in the evenings after baby is asleep. It actually works out great (though mommy still tends to be drained by the time baby is in bed -- I pretty much go non-stop from about 6:30 am until she's asleep around 7:30 or 8:00 pm).
Surprise #2: You'll have no idea where the time goes
Those days of sleeping in or getting out the door in five minutes are a thing of the past. You will vaguely remember taking long, leisurely showers. You'll think you've left plenty of time to feed your baby and get him to the doctor's for his check-up — and you'll be late anyway. Where does the morning go?
I'm pretty sure I haven't been on time to a doctor's appt yet. It always takes me longer to get out the door than I estimate, though I am getting better at it. Having Marissa around definitely necessitates more strategic planning of our days, so we can work around meals and naps while still trying to get things done!!
Surprise #3: You may look different
The physical changes of parenthood catch many of us off guard. And we're not just talking about moms here.True, moms experience the brunt of changes like wider hips, stretched-out tummies, burgeoning then deflating breasts, and even bigger feet. But dads go through physical changes too — usually because of sympathy weight gain during their partner's pregnancy and lack of exercise time once the baby is born.
OK, yes, I'm still a little fatter and wider than I used to be. I would love to get a workout in occasionally but between work, errands and trying to spend time with Marissa, I have no time left for exercise. Sure, I could stop at the gym on the way home from work, but I'd rather go straight to pick up the baby and spend that hour with her.
Matt somehow still has plenty of time to work out and run, so he hasn't had any "sympathy weight gain" issues. Go figure.
Surprise #4: You'll join an exclusive worldwide club
Suddenly strangers smile at you, and moms start conversations in the checkout line. Your boss kindly asks how the daycare search went, and your neighbor comes over for playdates. With your babe in your arms, or in the stroller, you've earned a lifetime membership in this exclusive-yet-universal club called "parents."Many new parents enjoy this sense of belonging and security, as well as the automatic camaraderie with folks they meet.
This is true and I had no idea that it would be this way. I like the camaraderie.
Surprise #5: You'll be stronger than you ever imagined
"I've been shocked by what I'm capable of," says Alison Gluski, the mom of twin girls. "I never knew I could function — and run around all day chasing two children — on three hours of sleep and a granola bar."New mom Rachel Segobia says that she's still amazed by how she made it through labor and delivery.Other parents we spoke to say they can't believe how little sleep they survive on.
I was surprised to find out how you can make it through the day on very little food or sleep, especially at the beginning. Now that we have such a good sleeper, I don't have to cope much with that anymore!!
Surprise #6: You'll make "mistakes" you never anticipated
"I always swore I wouldn't let my child sleep with me — and then I had a baby. We co-slept until he was 10 months old because it was the only way I could get any rest," says Kimberly Taylor."I thought I'd never let my son have a pacifier past a certain age. At 3 years old, he still needed it to go to sleep — and all the other tricks never worked," says Doe Viscusi, the mother of three boys.We may go into parenthood determined to follow certain tenets. Then we meet our kids and discover they're little people with their own ideas and preferences. In other words, "mistakes" can be what happens when you find that what works for you and your child isn't what you had imagined.
We haven't really encountered this yet. I'm sure we will soon, though. I definitely swore I wouldn't let Marissa sleep in our bed as an infant and by gosh I've stuck to that (I want her to develop healthy sleep habits, not weird dependant ones). I think my brain works overtime in that I always try to think down the road to whether I will have to "break" a habit and whether the short term benefit is worth the effort of breaking the habit later on.
Surprise #7: Your friendships will change
"Friends? Who are they? All of my friends are still in their party phase," says Jill Furlong, mom to a 1-year-old. "They call me and ask me to go out clubbing. I laugh and remind them that I don't do that anymore."Many BabyCenter moms told us they're surprised by how their non-mom friends have drifted away. It can be hard for girlfriends who aren't going through the same thing to relate to constant talk of pregnancy or babies, or to understand how little time and energy is left for them."Three weeks into my pregnancy, my best girlfriend and I started drifting," says Alaina Shearer, who writes the blog Ms. Single Mama."She was the first. The rest slowly drifted out of my life as I became completely wrapped up in pregnancy and my forthcoming mommyhood," Shearer says. But good friendships can make it through life changes — sometimes it just takes work and time. Some of Shearer's old friends have resurfaced now that her son is older and she's more able to maintain contact. Plus, she's formed new friendships with other moms.
Definitely true. Basically what I've realized is that I need to have QUALITY instead of QUANTITY here. I don't need a lot of friends, I just need a few really good friends. Luckily, I have that! I think time with friends is important, so that Marissa doesn't become my life. I don't think that would be healthy for her or for me! And it doesn't matter whether they have kids or not; though I may talk about Marissa a lot, it's not the only thing I bring to the table so hopefully my non-kid friend(s) aren't bored to tears. Believe me, I remember how it was before we had kids and how it gets old hearing about babies!!
Surprise #8: There'll be times when you hate parenting
Being a parent isn't all Hallmark moments and instant bonding."I love my son more than anything, but he's so fussy all the time," says new mom Maggie Craven. "It's really hard listening to him cry."In fact, many new moms told us they've been taken aback by how tedious and isolating parenting can be. You said that the never-ending diaper changes and attempts to get your baby to nap wore on you. And then you felt guilty for not enjoying every minute of it. Some said you welcomed the end of maternity leave because you felt like you did a much better job in the 9-to-5 world than at home with your newborn all day. It's normal to have moments when you wonder whether you're really cut out for this parenting gig.
I honestly wouldn't say that I have ever hated parenting. Part of that is due to the fact that Marissa is a pretty good baby and a pretty chilled out kid. I will admit, however, that the comment about parenting being isolating is somewhat true. I remember when we first brought Marissa home, I felt really lonely all the time. Matt and I were used to spending lots of time together and lots of time with our friends. Then WHAM! You have this baby and you don't see anyone (including each other), you're worn out from labor, delivery and lack of sleep...it's pretty unglamorous. But that was pretty short-lived. I honestly enjoy being a mom almost 100% of the time. Do I wish I had more time for myself, such as working out, taking a shower that lasts longer than 10 minutes, getting my eyebrows waxed more than once every 2 months? Yes. Did I know I'd have to give some of that up for a while? Of course. It's worth it!! :-)
Surprise #9: You'll be overwhelmed by love (and other emotions)
"I never thought being a mom would be this emotional," says Cristy Kennerknecht. "I catch myself looking at my daughter, and there I am tearing up again!"It's an old stereotype — the parent who can't watch a commercial about calling loved ones long-distance without tearing up, much less a movie about a missing or hurt child.Whether it's due to hormones, gratitude, awe, sleep deprivation, or all of the above, parenthood often gives our feelings new depth. In a BabyCenter poll, 79 percent of moms say they cry more now — either because of happiness or sadness.
This is so true. What I'm most taken aback by is the pure joy that I feel all the time. I had no idea how much happiness this little creature would bring to our lives. I get so excited just to see her smile, hear her laugh. I definitely try to appreciate it all and not take it for granted. I also am surprised by how much I am affected by hearing sad stories about other people's children...I hate to hear about anything bad happening to a child. Not that I ever liked hearing that before...it just seems to affect me more deeply now.
Surprise #10: You'll have to let go sooner than you think
With every milestone your child reaches, he or she is moving away from being dependent on you.This may hit when you first see your baby crawling across the room, your toddler dashing around the corner, your preschooler resisting your hugs, or your big kid saying "I can do it myself." And while you're proud of your child's accomplishments, you may feel a twinge of sadness.Letting go isn't always easy, but it's essential, says psychologist and mom Leah Klungness."Parents who constantly hover and give their children the message that they can't do things on their own deprive them of the precious gift of independence," Klungness says.
She's not real independent at all yet, so I can't really comment on this. I do think, however, that neither Matt nor I will be "hovering" parents. That's my hope, at least. I hope she grows into a confident, independent woman and I would love to help her get there.
No matter how much you prepare for it, parenting will blow your mind.Your kids will challenge you, bring you to tears, crack you up, and make you forget what you urgently had to do. They'll shatter the life you knew into a million pieces. Then they'll put it back together, like a stained-glass window, into something infinitely more complicated and beautiful.While every parent's biggest surprises are different, there are common themes to the ways that kids revolutionize our lives. Read on for the top ten surprises of new parenthood according to interviews with BabyCenter moms and dads.
Surprise #1: Your relationship with your partner will change.
"Before kids, we were inseparable. We talked all the time, went everywhere together. My friends said we acted like high school sweethearts," says new mom Kimberly Taylor of her relationship with her husband. Since their baby arrived, however, the couple has been constantly at odds."We hardly speak to each other. We're stressed out over money and bills. We fight a lot," Taylor says.
I wouldn't say this has been too much of an issue for us. I think at first, maybe for the first 6 weeks maybe, life was all about Marissa. We were trying to figure out this parenting thing and how to best care for this new little bundle. I had to spend a lot of time with the baby (I was on maternity leave, breastfeeding all day and night, etc) so there wasn't much time or energy left for Matt. But now, we feel like more of a family. Matt and I can enjoy some alone time in the evening after Marissa is in bed, which is great. So we have family time after work and on weekends, and "Matt and Jamie" time in the evenings after baby is asleep. It actually works out great (though mommy still tends to be drained by the time baby is in bed -- I pretty much go non-stop from about 6:30 am until she's asleep around 7:30 or 8:00 pm).
Surprise #2: You'll have no idea where the time goes
Those days of sleeping in or getting out the door in five minutes are a thing of the past. You will vaguely remember taking long, leisurely showers. You'll think you've left plenty of time to feed your baby and get him to the doctor's for his check-up — and you'll be late anyway. Where does the morning go?
I'm pretty sure I haven't been on time to a doctor's appt yet. It always takes me longer to get out the door than I estimate, though I am getting better at it. Having Marissa around definitely necessitates more strategic planning of our days, so we can work around meals and naps while still trying to get things done!!
Surprise #3: You may look different
The physical changes of parenthood catch many of us off guard. And we're not just talking about moms here.True, moms experience the brunt of changes like wider hips, stretched-out tummies, burgeoning then deflating breasts, and even bigger feet. But dads go through physical changes too — usually because of sympathy weight gain during their partner's pregnancy and lack of exercise time once the baby is born.
OK, yes, I'm still a little fatter and wider than I used to be. I would love to get a workout in occasionally but between work, errands and trying to spend time with Marissa, I have no time left for exercise. Sure, I could stop at the gym on the way home from work, but I'd rather go straight to pick up the baby and spend that hour with her.
Matt somehow still has plenty of time to work out and run, so he hasn't had any "sympathy weight gain" issues. Go figure.
Surprise #4: You'll join an exclusive worldwide club
Suddenly strangers smile at you, and moms start conversations in the checkout line. Your boss kindly asks how the daycare search went, and your neighbor comes over for playdates. With your babe in your arms, or in the stroller, you've earned a lifetime membership in this exclusive-yet-universal club called "parents."Many new parents enjoy this sense of belonging and security, as well as the automatic camaraderie with folks they meet.
This is true and I had no idea that it would be this way. I like the camaraderie.
Surprise #5: You'll be stronger than you ever imagined
"I've been shocked by what I'm capable of," says Alison Gluski, the mom of twin girls. "I never knew I could function — and run around all day chasing two children — on three hours of sleep and a granola bar."New mom Rachel Segobia says that she's still amazed by how she made it through labor and delivery.Other parents we spoke to say they can't believe how little sleep they survive on.
I was surprised to find out how you can make it through the day on very little food or sleep, especially at the beginning. Now that we have such a good sleeper, I don't have to cope much with that anymore!!
Surprise #6: You'll make "mistakes" you never anticipated
"I always swore I wouldn't let my child sleep with me — and then I had a baby. We co-slept until he was 10 months old because it was the only way I could get any rest," says Kimberly Taylor."I thought I'd never let my son have a pacifier past a certain age. At 3 years old, he still needed it to go to sleep — and all the other tricks never worked," says Doe Viscusi, the mother of three boys.We may go into parenthood determined to follow certain tenets. Then we meet our kids and discover they're little people with their own ideas and preferences. In other words, "mistakes" can be what happens when you find that what works for you and your child isn't what you had imagined.
We haven't really encountered this yet. I'm sure we will soon, though. I definitely swore I wouldn't let Marissa sleep in our bed as an infant and by gosh I've stuck to that (I want her to develop healthy sleep habits, not weird dependant ones). I think my brain works overtime in that I always try to think down the road to whether I will have to "break" a habit and whether the short term benefit is worth the effort of breaking the habit later on.
Surprise #7: Your friendships will change
"Friends? Who are they? All of my friends are still in their party phase," says Jill Furlong, mom to a 1-year-old. "They call me and ask me to go out clubbing. I laugh and remind them that I don't do that anymore."Many BabyCenter moms told us they're surprised by how their non-mom friends have drifted away. It can be hard for girlfriends who aren't going through the same thing to relate to constant talk of pregnancy or babies, or to understand how little time and energy is left for them."Three weeks into my pregnancy, my best girlfriend and I started drifting," says Alaina Shearer, who writes the blog Ms. Single Mama."She was the first. The rest slowly drifted out of my life as I became completely wrapped up in pregnancy and my forthcoming mommyhood," Shearer says. But good friendships can make it through life changes — sometimes it just takes work and time. Some of Shearer's old friends have resurfaced now that her son is older and she's more able to maintain contact. Plus, she's formed new friendships with other moms.
Definitely true. Basically what I've realized is that I need to have QUALITY instead of QUANTITY here. I don't need a lot of friends, I just need a few really good friends. Luckily, I have that! I think time with friends is important, so that Marissa doesn't become my life. I don't think that would be healthy for her or for me! And it doesn't matter whether they have kids or not; though I may talk about Marissa a lot, it's not the only thing I bring to the table so hopefully my non-kid friend(s) aren't bored to tears. Believe me, I remember how it was before we had kids and how it gets old hearing about babies!!
Surprise #8: There'll be times when you hate parenting
Being a parent isn't all Hallmark moments and instant bonding."I love my son more than anything, but he's so fussy all the time," says new mom Maggie Craven. "It's really hard listening to him cry."In fact, many new moms told us they've been taken aback by how tedious and isolating parenting can be. You said that the never-ending diaper changes and attempts to get your baby to nap wore on you. And then you felt guilty for not enjoying every minute of it. Some said you welcomed the end of maternity leave because you felt like you did a much better job in the 9-to-5 world than at home with your newborn all day. It's normal to have moments when you wonder whether you're really cut out for this parenting gig.
I honestly wouldn't say that I have ever hated parenting. Part of that is due to the fact that Marissa is a pretty good baby and a pretty chilled out kid. I will admit, however, that the comment about parenting being isolating is somewhat true. I remember when we first brought Marissa home, I felt really lonely all the time. Matt and I were used to spending lots of time together and lots of time with our friends. Then WHAM! You have this baby and you don't see anyone (including each other), you're worn out from labor, delivery and lack of sleep...it's pretty unglamorous. But that was pretty short-lived. I honestly enjoy being a mom almost 100% of the time. Do I wish I had more time for myself, such as working out, taking a shower that lasts longer than 10 minutes, getting my eyebrows waxed more than once every 2 months? Yes. Did I know I'd have to give some of that up for a while? Of course. It's worth it!! :-)
Surprise #9: You'll be overwhelmed by love (and other emotions)
"I never thought being a mom would be this emotional," says Cristy Kennerknecht. "I catch myself looking at my daughter, and there I am tearing up again!"It's an old stereotype — the parent who can't watch a commercial about calling loved ones long-distance without tearing up, much less a movie about a missing or hurt child.Whether it's due to hormones, gratitude, awe, sleep deprivation, or all of the above, parenthood often gives our feelings new depth. In a BabyCenter poll, 79 percent of moms say they cry more now — either because of happiness or sadness.
This is so true. What I'm most taken aback by is the pure joy that I feel all the time. I had no idea how much happiness this little creature would bring to our lives. I get so excited just to see her smile, hear her laugh. I definitely try to appreciate it all and not take it for granted. I also am surprised by how much I am affected by hearing sad stories about other people's children...I hate to hear about anything bad happening to a child. Not that I ever liked hearing that before...it just seems to affect me more deeply now.
Surprise #10: You'll have to let go sooner than you think
With every milestone your child reaches, he or she is moving away from being dependent on you.This may hit when you first see your baby crawling across the room, your toddler dashing around the corner, your preschooler resisting your hugs, or your big kid saying "I can do it myself." And while you're proud of your child's accomplishments, you may feel a twinge of sadness.Letting go isn't always easy, but it's essential, says psychologist and mom Leah Klungness."Parents who constantly hover and give their children the message that they can't do things on their own deprive them of the precious gift of independence," Klungness says.
She's not real independent at all yet, so I can't really comment on this. I do think, however, that neither Matt nor I will be "hovering" parents. That's my hope, at least. I hope she grows into a confident, independent woman and I would love to help her get there.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Nothing in particular to say...
I haven't had a post in a while so I figured I should log on and give an update or two. We've just been really busy so I haven't had much time to write.
I'm home early from work today because our office is in the midst of moving...all of my stuff is packed up, so there wasn't a whole lot I could do at work. Marissa is playing in her exersaucer right now so I had a minute to post.
I guess one major update is that I have officially stopped breastfeeding. This was a gradual process and this week we finally eliminated our last nursing session of the day...and went to all bottles. I am pretty sad about it, actually (which I am surprised about). Nursing was a special bond that we shared, and it was amazing to know that for a while every ounce of nourishment that she got came straight from me. At times breastfeeding was absolutely exhausting...especially in the beginning when she basically ate 'round the clock. But it got so much easier and felt like second nature. When I went back to work, we still were able to keep it up for a while, which I'm really happy about. We nursed when we were together and I pumped once per day in a storage closet at work (this wasn't exactly a dream setup but I thought I'd give it a try and see how things went) so I could give her breastmilk in the bottle while she was at daycare. Gradually we supplemented with more bottles of formula while we were apart, working in more bottles and fewer nursing sessions. This week Marissa dropped her 5th feeding and is now down to 4 feedings per day. I kept trying to shove in that 5th feeding but she wouldn't take it (at bedtime) and would actually get pretty upset when you tried. So, we took the leap and just started bedtime after her "dinner" feeding. Her dinner feeding is at about 6:30 and then she's in bed around 7:30 (after eating, bath, book, rocking). Seems to be good so far...she's still sleeping 11-12 hours at night. The only thing that I can't figure out now is if Matt and I will ever be able to go out to dinner again? Before, we would feed her maybe at 6:00, go to dinner, come back and feed her again and put her in bed around 8:30 or so. Now we've lost that hour for dinner. Hmm...we'll figure it out. She can flex her schedule at some point...but since we're just getting used to the new set up we'll give it a day or two.
The rice cereal feeding is an amusing process. I'm still not 100% convinced that she's actually swallowing any of it. She definitely loves putting the spoon in her mouth and sucking the cereal off of it and then playing with it with her tongue...but not sure any gets in her belly. We'll keep it going, though...eventually she'll figure this "eating" thing out.
In the interest of getting some "God" and perhaps a little "faith" in her life, I have joined a church and have scheduled a baptism. At the baptism class they asked if it was anyone's first return to church since they got married. I was the only one who raised my hand. I'm convinced everyone else was lying.
I had to pause working on this post because someone got hungry and needed to eat. She just killed her whole bottle and then an additional ounce. Boy, someone is eating lots these days. She is now in a food coma...kind of has that glassy look in her eye that Matt gets after Thanksgiving dinner or a stack of hot wings.
We now don't poop every feeding. In fact, we were down to once a day until yesterday, when she didn't poop at all. She still hasn't pooped today, either. Hmm. She has had some truly nauseating farts, though...so I know there's something rotting in her butt...it's only a matter of time until that comes out in full force. I am sure it will be a blow out. Twice this week she came home in a different outfit than she was sent to school in. Atta girl!!
We're getting really good at tummy time...she is SO CLOSE to rolling over, but not quite yet. We'll get there soon. But who knows..."close" could last another day or another month. It's very unpredictable.
Gotta go play with Marissa...she's getting a little restless. Maybe she's working on that doo doo...
I'm home early from work today because our office is in the midst of moving...all of my stuff is packed up, so there wasn't a whole lot I could do at work. Marissa is playing in her exersaucer right now so I had a minute to post.
I guess one major update is that I have officially stopped breastfeeding. This was a gradual process and this week we finally eliminated our last nursing session of the day...and went to all bottles. I am pretty sad about it, actually (which I am surprised about). Nursing was a special bond that we shared, and it was amazing to know that for a while every ounce of nourishment that she got came straight from me. At times breastfeeding was absolutely exhausting...especially in the beginning when she basically ate 'round the clock. But it got so much easier and felt like second nature. When I went back to work, we still were able to keep it up for a while, which I'm really happy about. We nursed when we were together and I pumped once per day in a storage closet at work (this wasn't exactly a dream setup but I thought I'd give it a try and see how things went) so I could give her breastmilk in the bottle while she was at daycare. Gradually we supplemented with more bottles of formula while we were apart, working in more bottles and fewer nursing sessions. This week Marissa dropped her 5th feeding and is now down to 4 feedings per day. I kept trying to shove in that 5th feeding but she wouldn't take it (at bedtime) and would actually get pretty upset when you tried. So, we took the leap and just started bedtime after her "dinner" feeding. Her dinner feeding is at about 6:30 and then she's in bed around 7:30 (after eating, bath, book, rocking). Seems to be good so far...she's still sleeping 11-12 hours at night. The only thing that I can't figure out now is if Matt and I will ever be able to go out to dinner again? Before, we would feed her maybe at 6:00, go to dinner, come back and feed her again and put her in bed around 8:30 or so. Now we've lost that hour for dinner. Hmm...we'll figure it out. She can flex her schedule at some point...but since we're just getting used to the new set up we'll give it a day or two.
The rice cereal feeding is an amusing process. I'm still not 100% convinced that she's actually swallowing any of it. She definitely loves putting the spoon in her mouth and sucking the cereal off of it and then playing with it with her tongue...but not sure any gets in her belly. We'll keep it going, though...eventually she'll figure this "eating" thing out.
In the interest of getting some "God" and perhaps a little "faith" in her life, I have joined a church and have scheduled a baptism. At the baptism class they asked if it was anyone's first return to church since they got married. I was the only one who raised my hand. I'm convinced everyone else was lying.
I had to pause working on this post because someone got hungry and needed to eat. She just killed her whole bottle and then an additional ounce. Boy, someone is eating lots these days. She is now in a food coma...kind of has that glassy look in her eye that Matt gets after Thanksgiving dinner or a stack of hot wings.
We now don't poop every feeding. In fact, we were down to once a day until yesterday, when she didn't poop at all. She still hasn't pooped today, either. Hmm. She has had some truly nauseating farts, though...so I know there's something rotting in her butt...it's only a matter of time until that comes out in full force. I am sure it will be a blow out. Twice this week she came home in a different outfit than she was sent to school in. Atta girl!!
We're getting really good at tummy time...she is SO CLOSE to rolling over, but not quite yet. We'll get there soon. But who knows..."close" could last another day or another month. It's very unpredictable.
Gotta go play with Marissa...she's getting a little restless. Maybe she's working on that doo doo...
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Fathers Day 2008
This was Matt's first Fathers Day. It was a fun day...we had Matt's dad over and grilled out lunch. Very low key, which was nice.As I ponder Fathers Day, I think about what a lucky girl Marissa is to have a daddy like Matt. He'll be lots of fun, supportive but firm at the same time. She'll definitely learn a lot from him and I look forward to seeing their relationship blossom. I think she'll look up to him as much as I look up to my own father.
As I take this wonderful journey through parenthood, there's no one I'd rather have by my side. And I couldn't do it without him!
Friday, June 13, 2008
4 Month Doctor Appointment
Marissa had her 4 month old checkup today. She got an A+ again! Hooray!
We had our 5 shots and 1 oral vaccine...today she only cried for about a minute. She was sort of "talking" to me during her crying and it seemed like her feelings were hurt more than anything...it was sort of cute and sad at the same time. But she rebounded quickly, thankfully!!
She now weighs 13 lbs 6 oz and her length is 24.5. She has been following the growth curve perfectly...Dr. Fleming said she is "textbook" as far as the growth curve is concerned. She's 50th percentile for both height and weight, and 75th for her head measurement (I guess she has a big head in proportion to the rest of her...hehehehe).
We can start introducing "solids" at any point, whenever we're ready. And I put "solids" in quotation marks because there's nothing solid about it...it's more "liquidy mush" than "solid."First comes rice cereal, then oatmeal/barley, then yellow/orange veggies, etc...Doc advised that I introduce fruits later so she doesn't develop a preference for the sweet stuff right off the bat.
None of this food at this point is actually supposed to fill in as a meal (she'll still nurse/drink formula like she was before); the point is actually to get her used to different textures, tastes, swallowing, etc.
As soon as I told Matt about this development he immediately turned his thoughts to how much grosser her diapers are going to get.
So let's see...what else is going on with Marissa?
1. She has found her thumb. A couple days ago she figured out how to get her thumb into her mouth and since then she LOVES it and will suck on it frequently throughout the day...mainly when she's tired -- it helps her go to sleep so that's awesome.
2. She's sleeping 11 hours at night now...I'm thinking she could almost do 12 because I have to wake her up in the morning. We might try an earlier bedtime soon. Doc said she should be sleeping 10 - 12 hours at night so she's right on target here.
3. I heard a real live laugh last weekend. She hasn't really done it since...of course she still smiles a TON and does some small laugh-ish type sounds, but this laugh last Sunday was a true belly laugh, giggle. It was so fun to hear...hopefully she'll start doing this more.
4. She's trying to flip over...still working on it, but hasn't done it yet. Doc said this usually happens between 4-6 months. She is definitely getting noticeably stronger, it's so incredible how quickly they change. She now frequently pulls her legs up and rolls to her side. She also grabs her feet when she's on her back. And she has mastered grabbing things (and putting them in her mouth). Mommy had to stop wearing necklaces...she also likes to grab my hair...
5. They LOVE her at daycare (of course they do!). They can't get over what a good baby she is...RARELY fusses. I can't help but be proud even though I know this has nothing to do with me...it's just her demeanor. We got lucky! :-)
6. Colds, nasal congestion: The kid always has crap in her nose...however, the doctor examined her and said her ears look great, and her chest sounds great...so it's just the infamous "infant nasal congestion." It's too early for allergies...the doctor said that her cellular structure is too immature at this point to really have that type of allergy.
Anyway, clean bill of health and exciting stuff going on with her development. She'll be fun to watch over the next several months!
Matt's first Father's Day is this weekend...really cool. I'll do a post in celebration of that...but in the meantime, it's a cool memory for me because last year we found out we were pregnant on Father's Day weekend. So one year ago we found out we were being blessed with Marissa...it's weird to think of how much has happened in just one year!!
We had our 5 shots and 1 oral vaccine...today she only cried for about a minute. She was sort of "talking" to me during her crying and it seemed like her feelings were hurt more than anything...it was sort of cute and sad at the same time. But she rebounded quickly, thankfully!!
She now weighs 13 lbs 6 oz and her length is 24.5. She has been following the growth curve perfectly...Dr. Fleming said she is "textbook" as far as the growth curve is concerned. She's 50th percentile for both height and weight, and 75th for her head measurement (I guess she has a big head in proportion to the rest of her...hehehehe).
We can start introducing "solids" at any point, whenever we're ready. And I put "solids" in quotation marks because there's nothing solid about it...it's more "liquidy mush" than "solid."First comes rice cereal, then oatmeal/barley, then yellow/orange veggies, etc...Doc advised that I introduce fruits later so she doesn't develop a preference for the sweet stuff right off the bat.
None of this food at this point is actually supposed to fill in as a meal (she'll still nurse/drink formula like she was before); the point is actually to get her used to different textures, tastes, swallowing, etc.
As soon as I told Matt about this development he immediately turned his thoughts to how much grosser her diapers are going to get.
So let's see...what else is going on with Marissa?
1. She has found her thumb. A couple days ago she figured out how to get her thumb into her mouth and since then she LOVES it and will suck on it frequently throughout the day...mainly when she's tired -- it helps her go to sleep so that's awesome.
2. She's sleeping 11 hours at night now...I'm thinking she could almost do 12 because I have to wake her up in the morning. We might try an earlier bedtime soon. Doc said she should be sleeping 10 - 12 hours at night so she's right on target here.
3. I heard a real live laugh last weekend. She hasn't really done it since...of course she still smiles a TON and does some small laugh-ish type sounds, but this laugh last Sunday was a true belly laugh, giggle. It was so fun to hear...hopefully she'll start doing this more.
4. She's trying to flip over...still working on it, but hasn't done it yet. Doc said this usually happens between 4-6 months. She is definitely getting noticeably stronger, it's so incredible how quickly they change. She now frequently pulls her legs up and rolls to her side. She also grabs her feet when she's on her back. And she has mastered grabbing things (and putting them in her mouth). Mommy had to stop wearing necklaces...she also likes to grab my hair...
5. They LOVE her at daycare (of course they do!). They can't get over what a good baby she is...RARELY fusses. I can't help but be proud even though I know this has nothing to do with me...it's just her demeanor. We got lucky! :-)
6. Colds, nasal congestion: The kid always has crap in her nose...however, the doctor examined her and said her ears look great, and her chest sounds great...so it's just the infamous "infant nasal congestion." It's too early for allergies...the doctor said that her cellular structure is too immature at this point to really have that type of allergy.
Anyway, clean bill of health and exciting stuff going on with her development. She'll be fun to watch over the next several months!
Matt's first Father's Day is this weekend...really cool. I'll do a post in celebration of that...but in the meantime, it's a cool memory for me because last year we found out we were pregnant on Father's Day weekend. So one year ago we found out we were being blessed with Marissa...it's weird to think of how much has happened in just one year!!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Teaching a new kid old tricks...or something like that...
I don't have a lot of updates this week. Marissa is still a little congested, but otherwise is doing better. Lately she's been sleeping a lot during the day but still maintaining her good sleep at night, so go figure. She likes to sleep.
Part of it, I think, is that she's going through a real "growth" phase right now. Not just in terms of height or weight, but also in physical capabilities. She is working on rolling over...she doesn't quite have it yet, but it's really cute to watch her try (she gets pretty darn frustrated...no patience! Hmm...that sounds familiar...). Anyway, on her back she will pull up her legs like she's working her lower abs, and then she'll roll to the side. She can get her legs over so that she's laying on the front of them, but can't quite get her upper body all the way over (she has to figure out what to do with her arms so that she can pick her head up and move it over). She has actually rolled from her front to her back two times (both were today)...that is usually the direction that they roll first. So, she's getting there! Sometimes I say "roll over" to her and I feel like I'm talking to a dog. Oh well...training a dog and a kid are amazingly similar, I guess. However, she won't get a treat when she rolls over...just lots of crazy cheering, smiling and lots of kisses!! LOL.
When I went in to get her this morning she was completely flipped around...not from back to front, but rather her feet were up where I normally put her head and vice versa. She had done a 180 degree turn in the crib. Lots of squirming going on at night!!
She also is eating a ton lately. She has gone from eating 3-4 oz per feeding to eating 4-6 ounces, normally closer to 6. This is good because she's sleeping through feedings sometimes, so some days she only gets 5 feedings instead of the usual 6. She was supposed to drop a feeding sometime between 3 and 5 months, so I guess this is OK. There just aren't enough hours some days to squeeze in the 6th feeding since she's spacing out her meals more now.
When will I stop worrying about her eating and sleeping? I swear, one day I'm worried that she isn't getting enough sleep, and the very next day I'm worried that she's sleeping too much and something might be wrong. I need to relax. At least I've stopped worrying about her pooping and analyzing her diaper contents. She poops far less frequently (only once or twice a day now) so there's not as much to examine.
As for me, I'm really tired all the time these days. I sleep OK at night...thank goodness Marissa sleeps well...but I am just drained. Part of it is just having a newborn...working or not, I would probably feel this way. They are just very demanding little people!! But I'm still getting adjusted to going full-throttle at work and then rushing to get her and going full throttle with her until I put her down between 8:30 - 9:00.
I'm still holding out some hope that one day I can cut back and work part time, but it's just not in the cards right now. But maybe someday!
Next Friday we have her 4 month well visit at the doctor...which means more vaccines. Yuck. I'm dreading it. I am taking PTO (Paid Time Off) that day to take her and then stay with her to monitor any reactions. Will not be fun.
Part of it, I think, is that she's going through a real "growth" phase right now. Not just in terms of height or weight, but also in physical capabilities. She is working on rolling over...she doesn't quite have it yet, but it's really cute to watch her try (she gets pretty darn frustrated...no patience! Hmm...that sounds familiar...). Anyway, on her back she will pull up her legs like she's working her lower abs, and then she'll roll to the side. She can get her legs over so that she's laying on the front of them, but can't quite get her upper body all the way over (she has to figure out what to do with her arms so that she can pick her head up and move it over). She has actually rolled from her front to her back two times (both were today)...that is usually the direction that they roll first. So, she's getting there! Sometimes I say "roll over" to her and I feel like I'm talking to a dog. Oh well...training a dog and a kid are amazingly similar, I guess. However, she won't get a treat when she rolls over...just lots of crazy cheering, smiling and lots of kisses!! LOL.
When I went in to get her this morning she was completely flipped around...not from back to front, but rather her feet were up where I normally put her head and vice versa. She had done a 180 degree turn in the crib. Lots of squirming going on at night!!
She also is eating a ton lately. She has gone from eating 3-4 oz per feeding to eating 4-6 ounces, normally closer to 6. This is good because she's sleeping through feedings sometimes, so some days she only gets 5 feedings instead of the usual 6. She was supposed to drop a feeding sometime between 3 and 5 months, so I guess this is OK. There just aren't enough hours some days to squeeze in the 6th feeding since she's spacing out her meals more now.
When will I stop worrying about her eating and sleeping? I swear, one day I'm worried that she isn't getting enough sleep, and the very next day I'm worried that she's sleeping too much and something might be wrong. I need to relax. At least I've stopped worrying about her pooping and analyzing her diaper contents. She poops far less frequently (only once or twice a day now) so there's not as much to examine.
As for me, I'm really tired all the time these days. I sleep OK at night...thank goodness Marissa sleeps well...but I am just drained. Part of it is just having a newborn...working or not, I would probably feel this way. They are just very demanding little people!! But I'm still getting adjusted to going full-throttle at work and then rushing to get her and going full throttle with her until I put her down between 8:30 - 9:00.
I'm still holding out some hope that one day I can cut back and work part time, but it's just not in the cards right now. But maybe someday!
Next Friday we have her 4 month well visit at the doctor...which means more vaccines. Yuck. I'm dreading it. I am taking PTO (Paid Time Off) that day to take her and then stay with her to monitor any reactions. Will not be fun.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
My poor baby...
Sweetie is sick. Daddy was sick all weekend...and now sweetie is sick. I'm not sure that they have the same thing, but at any rate, I feel really bad for both of them. Matt is actually feeling better, and today was the first day Marissa was feeling bad. I didn't know it until I picked her up from daycare.
Apparently she slept for over four hours after getting there this morning. Mrs. Judy decided to wake her finally to try and give her a bottle (I've instructed them that it's not necessary to wake her from naps to feed her...she normally only sleeps 1 hour...2 is her record...so it's not normally necessary to wake her in order to maintain her feeding schedule. However, Mrs. Judy got concerned and woke her to feed her today, which I am glad she did). Anyway, she eventually drank the whole bottle but was fussy and sleepy the whole time. Then three hours later they tried to give her another bottle and she only took a couple of ounces. They told me she was fussy when she was awake and they couldn't get her to stop fussing very much.
Bummer. I took her home and got her to take a big bottle, then she took two additional breastfeedings (whew...at least she's eating). She has a fever, is still fussy and real sleepy. We called the doctor's office and Matt talked to the nurse while I fed her. She's OK, just sick and needs some time to recover. I'm staying home tomorrow to keep an eye on her...if she seems better I'll go into work. If not, I'll stay here and will take care of her.
I hope she recovers soon. I hate to see my girl in this state, but it's just the first of many, unfortunately! It's just part of life :-)
Apparently she slept for over four hours after getting there this morning. Mrs. Judy decided to wake her finally to try and give her a bottle (I've instructed them that it's not necessary to wake her from naps to feed her...she normally only sleeps 1 hour...2 is her record...so it's not normally necessary to wake her in order to maintain her feeding schedule. However, Mrs. Judy got concerned and woke her to feed her today, which I am glad she did). Anyway, she eventually drank the whole bottle but was fussy and sleepy the whole time. Then three hours later they tried to give her another bottle and she only took a couple of ounces. They told me she was fussy when she was awake and they couldn't get her to stop fussing very much.
Bummer. I took her home and got her to take a big bottle, then she took two additional breastfeedings (whew...at least she's eating). She has a fever, is still fussy and real sleepy. We called the doctor's office and Matt talked to the nurse while I fed her. She's OK, just sick and needs some time to recover. I'm staying home tomorrow to keep an eye on her...if she seems better I'll go into work. If not, I'll stay here and will take care of her.
I hope she recovers soon. I hate to see my girl in this state, but it's just the first of many, unfortunately! It's just part of life :-)
Friday, May 23, 2008
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