A time out for a time out

I must blog about this now so I can remember it in a few years.

I am thinking Dr. James Dobson's 'The Dare to Discipline' and this may do the trick one day!

More Things I Love

Now that The Boss is 4 months old there are some new things that I love!!

MAM Pacifiers - Jackson is using the 2+ month ones.  He can hold them in his mouth very easily and they are orthodontia friendly.

Fisher Price Swing (still) - a swing is a new mommies best friend.  I plan on using it till he reaches the weight capacity.

Baby Einstein Play Mat - J loves all the colors and things hanging. It has helped him learn to reach for things.  His little feet kick the rattle ball on the bottom right of the canopy and when he hears it I swear he kicks it again to hear it more.

Baby Einstein Baby Mozart Video - who knew a still picture of a lemon or raindrop with music in the background could be so entertaining but for his learning mind, ears and eyes it has FUN written all over it.  I am a pumping mommy so having him watch this while I pump has been so helpful (I limit him to only once a day).  J's right side of his head is flat, way flat so I lay him on the left side with blankets propping him up so his left side gets action while he watches.

Bright Starts block set (J loves the 'crinkle' sounding ones) - love love love these.  The crinkle sounds are the best.  He is learning how to use him fingers when grabbing these.

Bright Starts Giraffe - this is probably his favorite if I had to choose based on usage.  This toy keeps his attention.  He currently loves the plastic parts hanging, they are good for chewing.

And last but not least......Sophie Le Giraffe - She is the best.  Easy for his learning fingers to grasp.  He has learned how to grab her and put her in his mouth.  Perfect teething toy.  She is easy to clean too!!

Well, those are my 4 month finds that are winners in my book!!

Got any recommendations for us for the upcoming months??

Date Nights....remember those!

Now if you laughed when you saw the title because you don't even use those two words anymore, I can relate!  Becoming a new mommy hit me like a MAC truck traveling at 75mph that I didn't even see coming.  I went from being a social butterfly to being a couch dweller and master of the DVR in 2.2 seconds.  It was a shocking change for me and I felt like I needed to have a mini funeral for my 'old life'.

*insert funeral march song here*

In this time of FB, text and Twitter it was hard for me to sit on my perfectly indented couch holding my newborn reading about all the fun things my friends and family were up to.  No one hates to miss out on a party more than me and I believe I have passed this trait onto my son because he fights sleep as if he doesn't want to miss the party!! *great*  Now, more than missing time with my friends I was missing time with my husband big time.  We hadn't eaten dinner together in weeks because one of us would hold our fussy baby and the other would scarf, then we would switch.  We hadn't sat together on the couch in weeks because there were bottles to clean and a baby to bounce.  We hadn't watched a movie together because we were both too tired.  And the sound of my breast pump always drowned out any conversation we attempted to have.

Are you in this boat??

A newborn temporarily interrupts marriages and I say 'temporarily' because our son is almost 3 months old and I feel like we have time for our marriage again.  I think one of the biggest mistakes we could make during these next few months is not finding time for each other.  The first month or two warrants a free pass due to the survival mode you both are in but once things even out its important to find each other again.

Outings as a family are the new normal but you can't forget about those date nights - just you and your husband!  Date nights stretch us as new mommies - we have to LEAVE our babies *dun dun dun* but girlfriend, we GOT to!!  For the sake of our marriages, we got to.  For the sake of our sanity, we got to.  Even if its just for an hour, get dressed and go on a date with your husband.  I needed it.  I needed to be alone with my man without have to binkie anyone to finish my sentence. 

My guy got us tickets to a concert for our first outing and it seemed like too long to leave my 3 week old....I was nervous!  Leaving my baby was like a 12 step program.....
  
Step 1 - A sitter I trust, someone who has raised kids - GRANDMA! 
Step 2 - Over packing his diaper bag with every amenity he may need and I repeat OVER PACKING 
Step 3 - Including the Dr's exchange # as well as the Urgent Care # for emergencies
Step 4 - Double check with my hubs - 'are you sure we should leave him'
Step 5 - go over my over packed bag with Grandma so she knew where everything was

And so on....you get the picture!!   I was not afraid to look like a wild animal as I explained to my 'babysitter' what the baby needed.  It was like I had forgotten that my babysitter had, in fact, raised 3 healthy kids (my husband included) because I still felt the need to explain everything I had packed, AYE!!!  She knew it made me feel better so she just smiled and listened.  Well, it was a fabulous night and guess what....Jackson survived without me!!!! Ahhhhh sweet release!  Getting over that first night away was the first hurdle and from that point on it has been a breeze.  We have gone on many dates since then. *so there is hope for new mommies*  Cheers to date nights and finding our marriages again in the midst of Planet Newborn!!

Tim McGraw!!!

*HAPPY*



Top 10 New Mommy Stuff

Mommies, we need things too!!! Some of this is not pretty but its the truth!

I present to you my ideas:

1. Tucks - the big container, trust me....think about what you just did
2. Thick Maxis - take what you can from the hospital but you will need more
3. Sleep - at least try to get some when offered
4. Dermaplast - I only needed the can from the hospital and I used it liberally
5. Nursing Tank tops - I have survived with 3
6. A good breast pump - go cadillac and get the double pump - use gift cards, its worth it
7. DVR - if you don't have it and if your budget will allow for it, just get it for the beginning months
8. Nursing Bras - the kind that are all cotton, no underwire. Comfort is key!!
9. Your mom and/or mother in law - saints
10. Motrin - take whatever prescription your OB gives you, cross your fingers is 800mg!!

Did I forget anything?

Colic, and Cookies and Gas- OH MY!!

If you are like me, you cringe at the word 'colic' and if you don't cringe you have clearly never experienced it and I consider you a lucky duck!  This post will serve as a support group for all of you who have survived or are trying to survive a crying baby.  When those little guys come out, the world as they knew it is dramatically different, who wouldn't cry.  But cry and cry and cry, is that really necessary?? My little man was a crier for about 4 weeks, read that again, 4 weeks.  Now I know some of you had a crier for 3 months or even 6 and for that you deserve a metal of honor given to you by the President of the United States himself!  4 weeks was long enough for this mommy! Colic is a mysterious condition where a healthy baby will often cry for hours on end, never to be consoled, without any reason.  My little one kicked, grunted and tooted as he cried so I was sure he had tummy issues.  The doctor said that dreaded word 'colic' to me when I took him in.  She suggested I do acrobats while holding him in order to console him.  Um, excuse me, I am way too tired to perform acrobats!!

This book was a blessing

It helped me realize that "Unlike adults, babies cry out of need not emotion." So when your baby is crying, its is not because they dislike you as their mom or are sad because you put them down...NO...they NEED something - food, sleep, quiet time, new scenery, diaper, a poop.  Remember this, a crying baby does not mean you stink as a mom!!!!!!!!!  I wish I would have read this book in the beginning weeks of my mommyhood or even the fews leading up to delivery. I highly recommend it.

I also took advice from.....

The SHHHHHing sounds, swaddling concepts and sucking concepts were such help to me!!

When these things didn't work I turned to these for comfort

Only to find out that chocolate gives babies gas.........causing them to cry..........DARN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So then I decided I was gonna keep the cookies in my life (a girl has got to be happy) and just give Jackson A LOT of this.....

I am here to encourage you that this time of tears for both you and your baby will end even though as you read this you may say 'no way'.  There were days when I was SURE both me and my baby would cry forever!!  So eat your cookies, buy some Mylicon, read those books and show that Colic who is boss!!!

Top 10 Newborn Survival Must-Haves (According to me)

Baby showers are wonderful!! They are full of family and friends who already love your baby.  I loved celebrating Jackson at all of my showers and was so thankful to receive so many great things.  Jackson is one blessed little guy!  People love to buy baby things because everything is just so darn cute! The thing is, cute won't get you through the crazy days.  Cute doesn't make sterilizing 10 bottles 20 binkies and 15 storage containers for milk easier.  Cute is for later on when you actually have a grip on being a mom! In the beginning think practical, practical practical.       

These are like Oprah's Favorite Things only I am not giving them away.....we just had a baby, funds are low people!! Ok, so in no particular order, these are my Top 10 things that I could not have lived without in the beginning months of my sons life.

1. Grandparents - let them help in everyway
2. Medela MicroSteam Bags - who has time to boil water to sterilize
3. Burp Clothes - for spit up, pee, poop, and my tears
4. Summer Infant SwaddleMe blankets with velcro - key word, VELCRO
5. Summer Infant Muslin Blankets - great for summer babes, thin and airy
6. Fisher-Price Papasan Craddle Swing - if they made an adult size I would buy it
7. My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow - the boppy is for tummy time not booby time
8. What To Expect - The First Year (book) - for all your self diagnosing, but call the Dr if necessary
9. AVENT Soothie Pacifiers - they are like your babies off switch
10. The aspirator that the hospital gives you - its free and the best for the little noses

New mommies, live long and prosper!! Hope my list helps.  I would love to know what would be on your survival list.....on the baby battlefield more is always helpful, so leave it in the comments!