Here are ten things I've learned in the past few months!
1. You don't need to take the diaper bag everywhere. Just throw a diaper, a toy, and a burp rag in your purse and you're good.
2. Baby spit up, pee, poop, vomit, snot, etc are still gross when it's your own baby! Everyone says "Ohh when it's your baby it won't be gross". Nope, it's still gross.
3. Get used to doing laundry every day. If you don't, your house will resemble a laundromat and it will smell.
4. Who cares if my baby sleeps next to me?
5. Also, who cares if I get him when he cries? Isn't he supposed to be telling me something is wrong? I don't like the idea of "crying it out". It seems unnatural and I don't like it one bit.
6. The baby doesn't need to be changed all the time. If the onesie has drool all over it, it's not going to hurt anyone.
7. He also doesn't need a bath every day!
8. So what if I let him snooze for a few extra minutes in his carseat if he's sleeping when we get home...sounds like a good nap to me. (Of course I'm watching him closely!)
9. A blanket on the floor, a few toys=a few uninterrupted minutes for me to do some dishes.
10. LAUGH at yourself! When Calvin puked all over our sheets, pillows, and blankets this morning...then smiled the biggest smile, we had to laugh. It's all part of the journey!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Family Update Time
The daily grind sucked me in for a while, but I think I'm back on track! It's so easy to get caught up in work, laundry, diapers, errands, bills, and lack of sleep. It's time to update friends & family on the goings on around our crazy little house.
Calvin is doing so well and getting SO big! He can roll over like a pro, is trying to crawl, and we've tried cereal but so far he hates it! Of course what Calvin will soon learn if he hasn't learned already is that his Mama is very stubborn and we will just keep on pushing through it...
That has been the theme of our lives lately. Pushing through when you feel like you can't push anymore! When I was in labor with Calvin, I just knew when it was time to push. At first, pushing was a huge relief and I was so excited to just be closer to the end of a very painful labor and to finally meet our boy. Then...I was exhausted. I pushed for 45 minutes which is relatively good for a first time Mom, but it felt like forever. My doctor could see I was losing strength and said "Amanda, you'll almost done. You're just going to have to push through the burn." Honestly, that phrase has stuck with me for the past few months. Dealing with my complicated, sometimes exhausting family situation, my high intensity stressful job, being a first time Mom, and trying to manage a household can take its toll on a girl. It's so easy to get caught up, to lose focus, and to just simply get TIRED.
But you just have to push through the burn. The things that hurt us the most, stretch us to our emotional and physical limits are what makes us the person that God has called us to be.
I am SO blessed, blessed beyond measure. I have truly been trying to focus on the positives. The fact that I have a family who would do anything for me, three nephews who are often like my own kiddos, a husband who adores me and supports me, and a beautiful amazing baby boy is what keeps me going.
God is good, all the time!
Here are some of my new "faves"
-We switched Calvin's bottles because he had been really fighting bottle feedings, choking, and becoming gassy. I am now in LOVE with the Playtex original nurser drop ins. Feeding with the sitter and Dad are so smooth now! The latex nipple (slow flow) is the most natural and he actually "latches" on to it! Disregard my previous blog about the bottles we were using...haha. You live and you learn!!
**Another life lesson about the whole bottle situation: When we made this discovery I really beat myself up about it because someone had given us these bottles as a gift for our baby shower and they sat in a drawer for 5 months before I tried them. If I would have just looked right in front of me, I would have saved tons of money that I wasted on trying all the "fancy" bottles that promised to be best for breast fed babies. I sometimes have to slow myself down and just be more simple. It's easy to get caught up in the hype and Motherhood can turn into a competition. I'm really happy with these bottles now, and so is Calvin. He's still exclusively breast fed and we're taking it one day at a time!
About the whole breastfeeding thing, that has also been a struggle lately! We had smooth sailing for several months, then Calvin decided to go on a "nursing strike". We still have our moments of frustration because it's hard for both of us when I'm away from him at work. Pumping just isn't the same as nursing him. My supply has gone up and down, but we PUSHED through it. The best things in life are not always easy! I also learned through this experience to ask for help. Ask for advice, admit your weaknesses, and learn from the hard time. I'm so grateful to my good friends who are also Moms that encouraged me and gave great advice. I also can't forget to mention my husband, who is BEYOND supportive.
So for now, I'm still nursing and I will do it as long as Calvin is healthy and happy and as long as it continues to be relatively conducive to our lifestyle.
Now for more faves...
-Pampers Swaddlers Diapers (Either "New Baby" or "Sensitive")
We have literally tried EVERY diaper there is. We were so blessed with tons of diapers for our baby shower so we got all brands as gifts. So far, the absolute best is Pampers!
-I'm still in love with Burts Bees Baby products! All natural and they smell so good.
That's all for now!
Calvin is doing so well and getting SO big! He can roll over like a pro, is trying to crawl, and we've tried cereal but so far he hates it! Of course what Calvin will soon learn if he hasn't learned already is that his Mama is very stubborn and we will just keep on pushing through it...
That has been the theme of our lives lately. Pushing through when you feel like you can't push anymore! When I was in labor with Calvin, I just knew when it was time to push. At first, pushing was a huge relief and I was so excited to just be closer to the end of a very painful labor and to finally meet our boy. Then...I was exhausted. I pushed for 45 minutes which is relatively good for a first time Mom, but it felt like forever. My doctor could see I was losing strength and said "Amanda, you'll almost done. You're just going to have to push through the burn." Honestly, that phrase has stuck with me for the past few months. Dealing with my complicated, sometimes exhausting family situation, my high intensity stressful job, being a first time Mom, and trying to manage a household can take its toll on a girl. It's so easy to get caught up, to lose focus, and to just simply get TIRED.
But you just have to push through the burn. The things that hurt us the most, stretch us to our emotional and physical limits are what makes us the person that God has called us to be.
I am SO blessed, blessed beyond measure. I have truly been trying to focus on the positives. The fact that I have a family who would do anything for me, three nephews who are often like my own kiddos, a husband who adores me and supports me, and a beautiful amazing baby boy is what keeps me going.
God is good, all the time!
Here are some of my new "faves"
-We switched Calvin's bottles because he had been really fighting bottle feedings, choking, and becoming gassy. I am now in LOVE with the Playtex original nurser drop ins. Feeding with the sitter and Dad are so smooth now! The latex nipple (slow flow) is the most natural and he actually "latches" on to it! Disregard my previous blog about the bottles we were using...haha. You live and you learn!!
**Another life lesson about the whole bottle situation: When we made this discovery I really beat myself up about it because someone had given us these bottles as a gift for our baby shower and they sat in a drawer for 5 months before I tried them. If I would have just looked right in front of me, I would have saved tons of money that I wasted on trying all the "fancy" bottles that promised to be best for breast fed babies. I sometimes have to slow myself down and just be more simple. It's easy to get caught up in the hype and Motherhood can turn into a competition. I'm really happy with these bottles now, and so is Calvin. He's still exclusively breast fed and we're taking it one day at a time!
About the whole breastfeeding thing, that has also been a struggle lately! We had smooth sailing for several months, then Calvin decided to go on a "nursing strike". We still have our moments of frustration because it's hard for both of us when I'm away from him at work. Pumping just isn't the same as nursing him. My supply has gone up and down, but we PUSHED through it. The best things in life are not always easy! I also learned through this experience to ask for help. Ask for advice, admit your weaknesses, and learn from the hard time. I'm so grateful to my good friends who are also Moms that encouraged me and gave great advice. I also can't forget to mention my husband, who is BEYOND supportive.
So for now, I'm still nursing and I will do it as long as Calvin is healthy and happy and as long as it continues to be relatively conducive to our lifestyle.
Now for more faves...
-Pampers Swaddlers Diapers (Either "New Baby" or "Sensitive")
We have literally tried EVERY diaper there is. We were so blessed with tons of diapers for our baby shower so we got all brands as gifts. So far, the absolute best is Pampers!
-I'm still in love with Burts Bees Baby products! All natural and they smell so good.
That's all for now!
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