Time for a Stroll

Ready to roll 1-29-13

Time for a Nap! 1-29-13

Today has been SUCH a beautiful day. Since my mother-in-law took the dog for the day, I decided it was time to break out the stroller and see how our little lady liked it. She's ridden in it before, with her car seat attached, but never in the main seat. Needless to say the trip was a success - so much so we went twice! I can't wait to use this stroller more come spring. The walks have done a number for my soul - I am smiling through and through! Nothing a bit of sunshine can't fix.

Riding  in the stroller when she was itty bitty 11-12-12

9,11,1, 3, 5

That's the closest we've had to a nap schedule yet. 5 times a day, for forty minutes. I was nursing her to sleep but I've gone back to nursing her when she wakes up or simply on demand (not that she ever turns a feeding down). I know its completely developmental and she IS sleeping at night so I should thank my lucky stars, BUT it would be nice to get more than 40 minutes to eat a sandwich, catch up on my blog, do a chore or two, WHATEVER!

Well, those 40 minutes are just about up so I better use the restroom before...

Nevermind, she's up.

Hair-Be-Gone

When our girl was born, we had so many people giving us advice and telling us what was going to happen (and not happen) and how she was going to act (funny how some people think they can predict the future!). We were also constantly told that all of her hair would come out. Weeks and months went by without a hair lost and I felt we were in the clear. I flatly denied it was going to happen. I loved my baby's sweet brown locks - some of which were getting quite long! Over the last two weeks, however, at 3 1/2 months old - she has started to lose her hair. What more? It seems to be growing in lighter. Funny thing is, she started losing hair about the time my postpartum hair loss started. Like mother, like daughter, I suppose.

Here is a nice little time progression of peach's mop. The top left is from when we came home from the hospital (3 days postpartum) and the bottom right was taken two days ago. Left to right, they are in chronological order some time apart. I should add a picture of how her hair looks from the back, which is pretty funny. She's got a nickel-sized bald spot and a sort of "rat-tail" beneath it - the longest hairs on her head in a cluster. I can't wait to see how it grows in.

Edit: did I say nickel sized? Man was that the understatement of the decade.

Brain Rules for Baby - A Review

I mentioned in my first Currently post that I recently read the book Brain Rules for Baby - How to Raise a Smart and Happy Baby from Zero to Five. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and, for the most part, found myself agreeing to most of the authors points. This book is filled with great advice and sound research. While I love the authors take on some key parenting points, I will adapt what I've read into my own interpretation. Rules, after all, are meant to be bent and broken, right? :) Anyhow, I thought I'd share with you my five favorite advice points that I hope to work on in our home.

1)Happy Marriage, Happy Baby

The author, John Medina, suggests that, while becoming a new parent is an exciting experience, its also one that will forever impact your marriage/relationship. I will admit that even with a great relationship, having a new child can cause stress. When we found out we were expecting, we figured what sacrifices we would have to make financially so that I could stay home with our girl. We moved into a great rental house last April and have been making it work since I left my job just two weeks shy of giving birth. My husband is incredibly patient, kind, thoughtful, etc. I'll be the first to admit I have a little bit of a temper.

Those first few weeks home with baby (after he went back to work and my mom completed her visit) were rough. I was getting used to taking care of an infant (something I had done before for money, but I always got to "clock out" at the end of the day) as well as staying home. I felt pressure (from myself, mind you, NOT my husband) to keep the house tidy and have dinner on the table - I wasn't at work after all. Anyhow, the pressure I was putting on myself was more than I could stand. I was emotional, I was distraught, I was downright drowning! I hid my feelings for awhile and once I let him know how I was doing, my husband really stepped up and made me feel at ease. Its gotten a lot better since those first few weeks, but still a work in progress. I never knew my love for my husband could have grown the way it has since we've become parents.

Anyhow, I digress, this piece of info just really hit home. I could see in my daughter just how much happier she was when mom wasn't stressed about the little things. The author even has evidence that most marriages and relationships suffer this first year of parenthood, you just need to constantly work at improving it. The stronger the marital bond, he argues, the more confident and happy your children will be.

2)Work on that Empathy Reflex!

I had to add the previous point to my favorites due to its obvious importance, but on the overall it seems like a no-brainer. A happy marriage makes successful parenting more likely. This next point, however, has been the one that I've thought about the most.

The Empathy Reflex works like this: When you find that there is an imbalance "between what you know about your inner feelings and what you deduce from your spouses" (and children) you should practice kicking your empathy reflex into high gear. At the moment you sense aggravation on their end, try to implement these two steps:

1) First describe the emotional changes you think you see

2) Next make a guess as to where those changes came from.

Example:

Say your kid worked really hard on a school project and, in turn, your decided to reward them with a sleepover. Plans are made, excitement is abound and disaster strikes. Your basement (where the kids were to have "slept") floods and things are just a mess. You hate to postpone the sleepover but you can't possibly entertain a guest with your house in such disarray. You and your spouse break the bad news and feelings of anger and confusion come pouring out.

"But you promised!" "You said I could have a friend over. You said!"

Instead of getting emotive (lets face it - your basement flooded, you don't have time or patience to try to justify a postponement of a sleepover) with your child, instead try to be empathetic. They won't understand that this just isn't a good time for the sleep over. They don't understand the inconvenience of adult issues. If you act on your own emotions, when your child is just learning how to, you'll get an atomic situation. Emotions flaring on both ends. Rather, say:

"You look really angry and upset. I bet you are mad that we have to postpone the sleepover. You were really looking forward to it, weren't you?"

The author suggests that you will be amazed by how many doors this will open up with both your spouse as well as your kids. Why? Because people are much more likely to properly communicate if they feel they are being listened to and understood. Long gone are the days of "because I said so". If we want our spouse, and especially our kids, to grow from anger/disappointment/grief/jealousy/etc. then we need to show them that there is no shame in having these emotions. Rather, its about how you act upon those emotions.

3)Face time, not screen time

 I'll admit in those first few weeks after bringing our girl home, I constantly had something on TV - anything from  Live! with Kelly and Michael to the LOST series, and up until a month or so ago, my daughter never paid the slightest bit of attention. Our television is on the large side (men and their toys, amirite?) so avoiding it or having it on "in the background" isn't really an option around here. If its on, you notice, and she was beginning to. I mentioned before that it was starting to worry me the way our girl would crane her neck and back to watch the screen. She would instantly stop being interactive and giggly; instead opting for a more "glazed" look. I knew I didn't like it.

However, I was a bit skeptical when I got to the section in the book that recommends no screen time before age two. NONE? ZERO? Impossible. Medina says putting your kids in front of the television before age two can have detrimental effects on their development. He provides research that shows television before age two can lead to hostility, trouble focusing, and makes it difficult for babies to determine nonverbal cues (read faces/emotions). I am not about to say that our home will be screen free or that she won't watch an ounce of TV before age two - but I will say I'm convinced enough that she won't be sitting down to Sesame Street on her own before then. Will she witness some news or bits to a basketball game? I'm sure. I'm just not comfortable with having her watch TV for "educational or entertainment" purposes for some time to come.

Want more information? Here is a PDF the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) released in 2011 outlining their caution against screen time under two years of age. 

4)Praise effort, not IQ

"You're so smart" vs. "You worked really hard"

I'll admit, I never thought about how I will choose my words of praise with my daughter before I read this book. In Brain Rules for Baby - How to Raise a Smart and Happy Baby from Zero to Five, the author cautions readers to use the later phrase above rather than praising your children as "bright" and "smart". Why? Well, he argues when you highlight their innate abilities (how smart they are) - what happens when they don't understand a concept as easily as they once could? Meaning, what if they really had a knack at math and suddenly it became really, really difficult? Would they feel stupid? Possibly.

He also argues that you can get your children to put forth more effort if you praise them for their hard work. You don't want your children to feel as though being smart requires no effort and, alternatively, is a goal we all work on everyday to achieve. Anyone can be born smart, its what they do that makes them intelligent.

5)A demanding but warm parenting style


According to the author there are "two dimensions in parenting, each on a continuum". Those two dimensions are Responsiveness and Demandingness.

 A parent who is highly demanding but their responsiveness is low is an Authoritarian parent. Think of Neil Perry's (the kid who commits suicide presumably because his parents can't empathize with his drive to be an actor instead of a doctor) parents in Dead Poets Society. They exert their own expectations and their kids are afraid of them. No thanks.

A parent who is Low on both dimensions is Neglectful. They neither set expectations or are involved with their children's upbringing. Think of the Bundy's from Married... with Children. Sounds awful, too.

A parent whose Responsiveness is high but their Demandingness is low is Indulgent. These parents love their kids but let them walk all over them. You probably knew a few kids like this growing up - their parents never said no, they regularly got what they demanded and they are probably still living at home, inept at doing things like their own laundry or checkbook balancing, or, worse, criminal. These kids usually feel their problems are more important than the way their actions could affect others. Instead of parenting, the "parents" let the kids take control. Think of Mr. & Mrs. Salt (Veruca's parents) from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Again, I'll pass.

Finally, a parent who is a high in both dimensions is a Authoritative parent. These parents demand a lot but are also there to explain their rules and listen to the children's feelings and guide them to make good decisions. Think of the Cosbys. Bingo!

So the trick here is to have a good balance between being responsive to your child's needs and wants while setting a bar of expectation on their behavior. No one said its easy or perfect, just remember that your job as parents is to help guide your children into making good choices. 

----------

All in all there was a lot of sound advice that I will pick at to form my own parenting plan. What I enjoy more than learning facts or reading statistics is giving my mind space and time to think about what my parenting style, however ideal, will look like. Check back with me in five years and we'll see how much progress I've made.

Further Reading

Read all of the Brain Rules for Baby (PDF)
Brain Rules for Baby Website

Ouch!

Baby's first Boo Boo 1-24-13

The picture explains it all.We were doing tummy time yesterday and it looked like she was about to take a tumble, which would have been fine, but for whatever reason my instinct was to go for her & try to pick her up. Only... I missed. My fingernail talon caught her on the forehead and gave her a nice little scratch, complete with some blood. She fussed - mostly because I fussed. Once I picked her up it was back to business as usual. We do need some new band-aids - although I think she rocks this one pretty well.

Currently

Currently

Not the best shot but she found her feet! 1-17-13

Making me Happy: Our little rhythm. We've finally got one! Its so nice to be able to read or surf the internet for a bit when she's down for a nap. Before, I would eat around her (always getting some on her head!) and try to read/relax but that girl did not like me to sit down AT ALL if she was napping on me. Now, she is sleeping on her own (high five!) and momma gets to have some time to herself & keep her sanity.

Excited For: I have tentative plans for Thursday to see a good friend and her daughter. Her girl is three months older than our peach and its always neat to see/hear what is in store. Plus, its always great to have some adult interaction in the day.

Thinking About: I am working on two posts right now that will get posted eventually.
The first is the birth story of our daughter. I'm about a quarter of the way through and it takes a lot of patience to write. Here we are, almost 4 months out, and I am already beginning to forget some of the details. I'll blame the drugs and all the pain. Accuracy aside, it was the best day of my life.

Additionally, I am working on a "review" of sorts of a book I recently finished: Brain Rules for Baby: How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five. I will say now that I did enjoy it and hope to take a few things from the book and practice them in our child rearing. Hopefully I'll have that done by the weekend.

Reading: I just started reading Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert and so far I like it. He's got a funny way of writing that is enjoyable. It almost feels conversational. I think after I read this one I'll pick up a more fun read than something so riddled with advice, facts, and research.

Listening To: Lately we've had the Baby Einstein Pandora Radio station on but I've had to nix it. Although I loved hearing the Disney tunes from my childhood they were being played far too often and I think I may scream if I hear Belle belt out her new found feelings for the Beast. (Did she forget that he kept her father in a cellar dungeon?) I digress, we've been listening to Bowie and the Cars, too - since we don't have the TV on at all during the day (a bigger challenge than I thought it was going to be!). I was finding that, even "background" TV isn't ideal. Our television is large and you can't really miss it - when its on you can't help but look and the glazed over look my daughter would get when looking at it really perturbed me. So, radio it is!

Watching: My husband and I have gotten into The West Wing. Its currently on Netflix and since we had never seen it we thought we'd give it a shot. So far we enjoy it. Its nice to have a show we both like (this doesn't happen too too often - he's a documentary lover and I tend to love mindless television). After we get our girl down for the night, we typically fire up our AppleTV and watch an episode or two, cuddling over wine. Its not a glamorous life but its mine and I love it. 

Isn't she beautiful? 1-14-13

First Snow!

This week has been one of many first. Monday she rolled over (tummy to back) AND started napping on her own, Thursday she found her feet, and today we took a walk in her first snow.

Given that she is only 3 1/2 months, we didn't "play" or even touch the snow. In fact, by the time we got outside, much of it had melted. I knew I wanted to go out, just to say we did, so we took our pup Rudy for a quick walk around the block. I probably looked a bit silly (not that it matters) because I narrated everything we passed. Actually, I do that a lot now. It is important for an infants development for you to talk their ear off, even if (at first) its a little uncomfortable. I can't help but wonder if I'm talking aloud out of habit at the grocery store now :).

Sure is bright! 1/18/2013

Let's be clear - Rudy takes US for walks! 1/18/2013

Anyhow, we have a great stroller but I've only taken it out a handful of times. To be quite honest, I feel like I should take our dog out on a walk when we go for one and with a stroller it just is too hard to do both. Rudy pulls, tugs, and criss-crosses your path. Its just so much easier, when its just me, to baby wear instead of using the stroller. That's okay though, I think our girl prefers it!

All worked up

Is it possible to get worked up about something that won't happen for a year?

I just did. You see, before I got pregnant I was in a teacher licensure program to get my license to teach elementary education and eventually get my masters,too. When I started in 2011, my husband and I thought we'd wait until I completed the program to ttc (try to conceive). Well, plans changed and we decided to ttc this past January. Anyhow, I have two classes left in the program (no big deal) but I also need to student teach for a semester before I can move on to the graduate courses. I neglected to read some of the fine print (which at the time honestly didn't matter) which states I need to have the entire program COMPLETED within three years or else I need to re-do some of the classes (not cheap!!). This means by summer 2014. Ugh.

So I just got completely worked up over the thought that ,for four months (a year from now) I will be working long hours and not being a SAHM. I won't go into our options right yet (not entirely sure what were going to do yet to be honest) but the thought of my girl being with anyone else for so many hours is just devastating.

Yes, I want so greatly to teach.Yes, I should have thought about all of this before, but what can I say?!? My husband knew the moment we said "I do" back in September 2010 that I would want kids as soon as he was ready. It just so happens he was ready in the middle of my program and I was so dizzy with excitement I didn't look to see what the sacrifices would be. We make plenty of money, we're stable, we have great careers ahead of us - what could go wrong?! Ha!

Anyway, I feel better just writing this down(thank you therapy blog!) I have an amazing support system and it is only going to be a few months (a year from now) but I am human and the thought of leaving my girl is emotional. I have to keep reminding myself that its only for a short time (I will continue to be a SAHM after I student teach. Once I'm done with student teaching we're hoping to TTC baby #2). The spring will be the best (and cost-effective) time for me to student teach but that doesn't calm my mind. Leaving my girl to go to the store is almost too much to bear.

In the coming weeks and months I've got to figure out a plan of when ill finish these two classes and what well do for care next spring. To think- shell be 15 months old and into so much.

Oh wait. I can't think about that - I just may cry some more.

(Edited 1/18 because I wrote this mess on my phone in the dark :P )

I Dream of Sleep

Gotta love babies - always changing!

Last I wrote our girl had rolled over, hurrah! Once she figured out how to do it she straight up refuses to entertain anymore tummy time. She gets on her stomach and rolls over immediately. Girl has got it!

Since Monday she has been napping on her own pretty darn well. I swaddle her tight, nurse her, put some white noise on (via my phone so I lose access during her naps.. ah well), and put her in the pack and play. Usually she will fuss a little but with my hand on her chest she normally falls (and stays) asleep just fine. She has been refusing an evening nap, though, so the past two nights I've been wearing her in the Moby for the last nap. I figure 1 of 4 naps in it is better than all 4, right?

Now, she's been a great sleeper since pretty much day 1. She worked up to sleeping an average of 9 hour chunks at night UNTIL Monday night. Sigh! After that beautiful, very accomplished day, she went to bed at 7:15pm only to wake up just before midnight. And again at 3am. And again at 6am. She would wake up so HAPPY and GIGGLING and READY TO PLAY.I couldn't help but think

Oh dear. Not now, babe. Now its time for sleep.

But happy as a clam she was until I nursed her and put her back down. Well, this has been the case for the last two nights. Frantic, I turned to Google (ahh.. trusty Google). Turns out this is totally normal (doesn't make it easier) and is due to her sleeping more like an adult - coming in and out of sleep cycles. Unlike adults, who may fluff their pillow,  check the time, turn over, etc. she can't adjust and ends up waking up. At least I can take comfort in knowing this is a normal part of development. That should make it easier, right? ;)

In all seriousness, this week has been a blessing. I feel much more at ease than I did a few days ago. Yes, its momentary, until something else happens that makes me feel like I'm losing it, but its here now and I am thankful.

First time she fell asleep on her own. I think it was a fluke because it didn't happen again for a few more weeks. :) 12/21/12

Can't Resist that Smile 1/15/2013

Further Reading:

4 Month Old Sleep Regression Explained 

4 months Sleep Regression - Wonder Week 19

Wakeful 4 Month Olds

 

Turning a Corner

Well, talk about a change in events.


Just as soon as I pushed "publish" on that last post my daughter NOT ONLY slept on her own in the pack and play for an hour but she also rolled over for the first time!!!! And not only did she roll over for the first time, but I also caught it on film!!

Its funny, really. One minute you're feeling down and out and the next you're over the moon. As I type this she is sleeping again, on her own, in the pack and play. Today, my friends, is a good day. 

Mommy Blues

I wish the topic wasn't so sad. I wish it wasn't necessary. Nevertheless, "it is what it is" (as my dad would have said), and I figured I should write my piece.

I have immensely enjoyed my first 15 weeks as a mother. Words cannot accurately describe the love I have felt since we welcomed her into the world. That being said, the last few weeks have been particularly rough.

For starters, its the dreaded nap. For those of you counting, this marks the fourth time I've mentioned this (so far) ;). Our sweetheart is resisting the overwhelming need to sleep and will only succumb when I give up and put her into the Moby wrap. This leads to countless google searches and page-flipping. Am I spoiling our daughter? Am I setting us up for utter disaster? Everyday I give a good shot at putting her down in the pack and play by our bedside but unfortunately she wants nothing to do with it.

Next, she is really attached to me. Yes, this has its wonderful, amazing benefits. I feel so appreciated and loved. Needed and prefered. Its dear, its sweet, its exhaustive. Being a stay at home mom, I'm here 24/7. Every cry, every diaper, every smile, everyday. I love that. However, to be quite honest, when my husband comes home momma needs a break! Whether it be 15 minutes to do a chore of some sort or, heck, a run to the grocery store, I've got to have that break. Up until the last week or so its been fine. Lately, not so much.

My husband, as I've illustrated here several times already, is an amazing, doting, father. He never hesitates to change her, to play with her, to comfort her. This mom kick, however, is not really helping. As far as I know he doesn't seem to be taking this preference personally. It appears he knows its a stage that we'll get through.  My problem isn't with his unwillingness - its the fact that when she's inconsolable I'm the only one who can bring her down.

Some nights I'll nurse her to sleep, carefully put her down, creep downstairs, get cozy on the couch with my love and then she'll wake up and its back to square one. My sweetheart will rush upstairs, offer the pacifier, pick her up, rock her, change her, and its just wail after wail until I take her into my arms and start the bedtime process over. By the time she is actually asleep I am so exhausted that I consider getting into bed myself and calling it a night (at 7:30 pm!!!). Not because the whole day is exhaustive - just the last hour. But that hour is so hard.

Lastly, I would be lying if I said I wasn't struggling with my mom identity, too. I love being home, I feel so privileged, but I feel like many people (not my husband, mind you) think its just SO EASY to stay home, caring for an infant. Its difficult to go an entire day without socializing with an adult, without chewing your food, without having a moment to yourself. Being a mother is a selfless job and this is the reality. The problem is I feel guilty that the reality sometimes brings me down.

All in all I have to remember...

I am Mom, but I'm Jessica, too.  

This job is difficult and it is an adjustment but it is so worth it. I am so thankful for my wonderful husband, family, and friends who have continued to lend their hearts to me and my girl. 

I'll cherish these moments for a lifetime 12/9/12

Party Girls

Ill come out and say it quickly: the baby shower was a success!! As I mentioned in my last post, my husband insisted on driving with us and I couldn't have been more happy that he did.

We got on the road later than I had planned (surprise??) and traffic was minimal. In the back, our daughter remained calm and on the brink of a nap for the duration of the 40 minute drive there. She was content and even played with a few of her toys.

She was the only baby at the shower and everyone just LOVED her. I got a lot of comments on how calm and observant she is and even more on how beautiful she is (I blush). It was great to see Jessica and a few other past co-workers and all in all the shower was delightful. They had a "tea time" theme with all sorts of petit fours and flavored teas - too sweet!

Our sweet girl struggled for the first few minutes of the drive home. She was tired (only napped the first 20 minutes of the shower - too much to see!) and was a little hungry, too. We pulled over and I fed her and after that it was smooth sailing once again. She fell asleep in no time and slept the duration of the ride home.

It feels really, really good to have that first trip away from home out of the way. My husband was key in calming my nerves - without him there I probably would have freaked out at the slightest whimper. We really do make a great team!

Going the Distance

Tomorrow I have a babyshower to attend for an old coworker and its about 45 minutes from the house. I have been a little nervous the last few days, (since learning the distance) for its the furthest I've been from home since we brought her home over three months ago.

I brought this up to my husband, casually, and he immediately said he wanted to come with (sorta). Not actually to the babyshower, but we'd drop him off at a nearby Panera and he could do work while we go off to the shower. He said he didn't want me to be alone if the trip got to be too much. (Sweet, right?) Plus, he said he has plenty of work to do and this would force the issue for a few hours. This way, if our sweetie is feeling out of sorts on the way there or home, one of us can ride in the back and soothe her. Makes me wonder if we're coddling her (but I really think we're coddling ourselves).

I just think its really sweet that he wants to make sure it goes smoothly. We'll see just how smooth it goes :)

Wear that Baby

First successful wrap - 6 days post partum!

When I was pregnant, I had a vague idea about things I wanted to do (or not do), products I wanted to have, and books I wanted to read to prepare for baby. I was pretty keen about babywearing and thus far it has proven to be an essential part of my child rearing.

I can't remember exactly what turned me onto the Moby wrap. I think it may have been seeing someone wear one and being intrigued by its design. I love seeing the babies so close to their mother (or father, guardian, etc.) and to be honest it just looked so natural. I knew I had to do some research and possibly buy one for our family.

So I hit the beloved internet and read up on the Moby wraps and all the praise they have behind them. Not only does it keep mama hands-free, but it also gives baby a good way of being worn as opposed to the crotch-dangler that otherwise goes by the Baby Bjorn. I registered for the Moby, with high hopes, and received it from my mom.

Before baby came, I took it out and washed the fabric and tried it out. Yikes! this is a lot of fabric. I think the first time I tried it (bear in mind I was 8 months pregnant) it took me about 15 minutes to get it "just right". I tried a few more times and even thought maybe it would be easier once she got here.

I pulled it out again six days after our girl arrived. The packaging indicates its best used at around 8lbs, and given that she was 8lb 11oz on her birthday I decided to try it out pretty early. She LOVED it. I was able to get her in fairly quickly, although she was sleeping so I'm not sure it would have made much of a difference. Those first few weeks I wore her primarily in the Newborn hug hold - in the fetal position. After 6 weeks or so, she made it clear she preferred her feet out.

Even my husband who was hesitant about the wrap has since come around. He insists I wear her when we go grocery shopping (or shopping for our Christmas tree!) to stave off onlookers during this flu season. He doesn't wear her out of the house, but if shes getting fussy at home and mom needs a break, he won't hesitate to put the thing on himself (and he knows how to, too!)

Our daughter is weighing in around 14lbs right now and the Moby claims to be good til she's about 35lbs or so. We only have one, which has proven to be more than enough. What I've read is that the Moby can be a great introduction into full on babywearing. There are a slew of other carriers (such as woven wraps, soft carriers like the Ergo, etc.) that I am just dying to get into now that she has grown a bit.

The one downside (is it really a downside??) is that she prefers (or downright insists) to sleep in the Moby during the day. On one side, its a lot easier to wear her than to have to sit on the couch holding her, but on another I worry about getting her to sleep in her crib. I try everyday for her to sleep on her own for naps and its an uphill battle (Ive already blogged about that 3 times!!). I keep reminding myself I can only do what I can and keep trying and that these moments of her sleeping on me are numbered. That last one makes me tear up a little!

Preparing for Hurricane Sandy - 10-20-12

Two months old! 12-1-2012

Riding with those feet out! 12-2-12

 Further Reading:

Strollers, Baby Carriers and Infant Stress

Babywearing Overload

Wraps  (An Overview)

The Babywearing Blog 

Making things pretty

Who just spent 30 minutes adjusting the settings and making a banner for this blog? This girl. I have so many things I want to post BUT little one is about to wake up. I feel pretty accomplished that I made this blog look somewhat decent. I suppose if I care what it looks like I may be sharing it with the world soon enough. Well.. we shall see. ;)

100 days!

My darling daughter is a whopping 100 days old today! Wow!!

I plan on making update posts on her.. and what a great place to start, yes? I'll use the template my dear friend Megan (Noakes Nest) uses for her sweet girl, Caroline!

• Age: 3 months/ 14 weeks 2 days/ 100 days old!  
• Weight: (unofficially) 14lbs (83rd percentile) - as told by our bathroom scale on 1/5 
• Height:  (unofficially but pretty sure we got it! - 24.5 in (83rd percentile) on 1/5 
• Head Circumference: (unofficial) 15.5in (31st percentile) on 1/5 
• Hair Color:  Brown  
• Eye Color: Blue  
• Diaper Size:  Size 2  
• Clothing Size:  3mo or 6mo onesies, 6mo dresses/pants (tall girl!)  
• Mommy's Favorite:  First morning stretches, nursing, bath time, her laugh, talking with her toys, wearing her in the moby wrap  
• Daddy's Favorite:  Bath time, singing songs, morning cuddles, her smile  
• Favorite Toys By Month:

• October= monkey rattle

• November= giraffe music box stuffed animal

• December= bumble bee toy

• Sleep:  She's been sleeping well at night; going down around 7:30 and waking around 4:30-6:30 to feed and back down for another 2-3 hours. Naps during the day are still very, very tricky. She does NOT want to sleep anywhere but on mommy.  
• Feeding:  Nursing up a storm, about 7-10 times a day for about 15 minutes each session. 

Now here are some pics. I know I have some catching up to do!

One Month Old - Nov. 1 2012

Two Months Old - Dec 1. 2012

3 Months Old - January 1, 2013

Daddy's Eyes! 11/13/2012

Big Girl!  11/13/2012

Cuddling with Daddy on Thanksgiving 2012

Just this morning - 100 days old!

All smiles 12/5/2012

XMas Eve 2012

XMas Eve 2012

After a GREAT night's sleep 12/14/2012

Beautiful 8 week old girl 11/26/2012

Hanging out with Grandma 01/05/2013

Taking Pictures Makes me Sleepy! 01/09/2013

My Husband, The Father

Now, I know I will write plenty of posts spotlighting my wonderful husband, Shane.He really did it himself, you know. Bumped this post up the queue of other ideas I've had. How? Well, let me explain how yesterday went down...

I updated yesterday how I've been struggling with getting our girl to sleep for naps. I made a huge mistake in wearing her (in a completely wrong way - not that she was in harm, she was secure, but it was KILLING my back!). I did it in this way because its easy to take off without disturbing her and (the dream is to then) put her down with ease. Well, needless to say that didn't happen. She was sound asleep for a good while when I decided to creep up the stairs to put her down. The second I laid her down....

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH   

Oh no! I've lost all progress and this girl NEEDS some sleep. Forget what I need (to sweep the floor, put in a load of laundry, a mid afternoon snack, etc. etc.) this girl is beyond tired. Any mom who has gone through this moment can tell you its the worst. You can't help but feel utterly defeated. You swore it would work. It just HAD to.

Well to my luck my dear dear husband was coming home early to work on his car. He came upstairs and saw I was grasping at straws. In one fell swoop he came in and started to calm her down (and me, in the process). We laid together on the bed next to the pack and play, waiting for her to drift into slumber, for she had calmed down remarkably since he made his appearance.

Needless to say, at some point I dozed off completely. Snoozetown, USA - Population: ME. Apparently she never fell asleep and got restless and my husband picked her up and took her downstairs to get calm in a new environment. He later told me it took him about a half hour to submit to a nice nap in the swing. I woke up, in a panic, realizing what had just taken place. MY HERO!

I came downstairs and saw he was playing his beloved basketball video game and our little peach was snoozing away in her swing in the corner.

You could argue that in this moment he was being the worlds best husband - noticing that his wife needed a few moments of shut-eye and I wouldn't disagree. But not only did he take care of MY needs, he was so patient with our daughter and took care of her, too. I was beaming. Of course this is only one small example of how I am reminded EVERYDAY that I chose the best partner in life, but you get the gist.

My two favorite people 11/6/2012

Currently

A few of  the blogs I adore have a feature they run fairly often called Currently. In it they pick a few different subjects to broach and give their readers an inside look on what is currently going on in their world, hence the name. I think I'd like a go at it. Sound good? Fantastic!

Making me Happy: Being able to stay home with my daughter. A Stay at Home Mother/Wife's job is never done but don't let people tell you it isn't work. I recently read that women who are SAHM/Ws work an average of 90 hour weeks, versus an average of 72 hours for a partner who works out of the home. This includes duties such as childcare, housekeeping, grocery shopping, bill paying, the lot. It isn't a job for everyone but its a job I take with pride. I do my best to "dress for success!" even if I never leave these four walls for the day. My daughter and my family are my everything and I know I am blessed to get the opportunity to stay at home and watch her grow.

Excited For: Now that the holidays are over and we are through the first few months of our girls life, I am thrilled to start getting out more and seeing friends. I am blessed to have a few great girlfriends who all have little ones (who are also all girls!) that live close by. One is six months older than my daughter, the other is eight weeks younger. As spring approaches, we will be seeing eachother more which means more adult interaction during the day. Now THAT'S something to smile about!

Thinking About: Our progress with Little One's sleep schedule. She has been an amazing sleeper from the get go, but now we are facing a bit of a challenge. She wakes up an hour or so after bedtime and its a workout to get her to go back to bed. She's also having some troubles soothing herself to sleep during the day for naps. Now, I know she's only 14 weeks old, but I can't help but think Are we doing something wrong? We are big into baby wearing and she will fuss and fuss and fuss until we put her into the Moby wrap where she eventually falls asleep.During the day I have been letting her sleep that way, and at night its a careful removal of the Moby to place her into the pack-n-play by my bedside. Sheer exhaustion!

I will say, I nursed her to sleep in our bed just now for a morning nap and carefully put her in the PNP. As of now she's been sleeping a solid 28 minutes -- hooray! Some time with her asleep and not on my person! (ETA: She literally woke up after I finished writing the previous sentence. Nap attempt #2 was explosive and is resulting with her in the Moby wrap, currently :/ )

Reading: I've got two books I'm thumbing through right now:
1) On my kindle, I'm re-reading parts of Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child to troubleshoot the issues laid out above. I started reading this book toward the end of my pregnancy and had a good idea of what I would try. Needless to say, I've forgotten most of it and in between nursing sessions, I find myself desperately trying to find some insight in the pages. 

2) From the library I've been reading (and have just about completed) Brain Rules for Baby: How to Raise a Smart and Happy Baby from Zero to Five. So far I've enjoyed what appears to be a good advice book. Its a pretty easy read that is backed with research and real life experiences from moms and dads alike. So far I've taken away that the television in our home needs to be off more than I care to admit its been on. Most researchers and pediatricians, the author writes, suggest NO screen time before the age of two. Makes sense. It has been difficult, I won't lie, but I've actually enjoyed having the radio on more. I've actually gotten into some old albums I haven't listened to forever and find the absence of the television sort of liberating. After our sweet girl goes to bed, we tune in and I find that I actually enjoy watching TV more now that I've limited our exposure. Its not perfect (weekends are hard to not have the TV on), but its progress! 
I like this book so well I may do a review on it in a following post. There are more points I wish to outline so that I won't forget down the road. We shall see!

Listening To: As I mentioned above, the TV being less present has afforded me the time to listen to podcasts and albums I haven't visited in quite some time. Last week I really enjoyed listening to Miles Davis' Kind of Blue. It honestly put me in such a great mood - I even cleaned up the house with it on! Some other albums I enjoyed recently are: Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and right now I'm listening to Neil Young's Harvest (while my girl sleeps on my chest)
 In fact, if you haven't noticed the trend, I've enjoyed searching YouTube for "full albums" and playing them over our AppleTV. Its amazing how many are on there!

Watching: Over the weekend my husband and I enjoyed Looper - a sci-fi flick with Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon Levitt. Well, I think I enjoyed it. When I think about the details of all the time travel, my head starts to spin. Good storyline though!



Well there you have it, my first Currently post. They may look different in the future, but there it is for now :D

my sweet girl and I a month ago today.

First post!

Well, here we are! 

Just a week ago we welcomed a new year and the promise of new, bright beginnings. I decided to start (re: attempt) a blog of my life, new family, and marriage. I am not sure about my intentions yet - whether or not I plan to share the blog with family and friends or to keep it to myself. First thing is first though, I need to get to writing. 

So... what's with the name?

Anyone who has maintained or started a blog knows that the first difficult choice to make is what to call it. The name is your brand - its got to be catchy, relevant, and (perhaps) memorable. See, today may be the eighth of January, but I've had the intention to start this blog for several weeks. My problem was I had no clue what to call it. Recently I landed on A Peachy Kind of Love. I knew what I wanted to write about and the title seemed to fit. You see, my main nickname for my 3 month old daughter is Peach. I thought about going the "Family name" blog route BUT, as I said before, I'm still toying with how public I wish the blog to be. I figured A Peachy Kind of Love can offer me some anonymity while still being on topic. See what I did there? Good!

...And who are you?

As for me, I am Jessica, a 26 year old stay at home mother to one BEAUTIFUL baby girl. I am also currently enrolled in a teaching licensure/masters program - though I've been on a little hiatus due to the peach's arrival. I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, watching movies,learning new things and being with friends. I've been dipping my toe into being crafty and experimenting with cooking but its a long stretch from calling them hobbies just yet. I'd like to say I enjoy writing, but the truth is, it makes me tense! I hope that I can use this blog as a means to relax and strengthen my writing abilities. 

Now that we have that out of the way... 

I hope that this blog doesn't peter off. I hope to know in the coming weeks what I wish to do with it. Private Journal.... or Public Showcase? Ah! The possibilities! For the purposes of wrapping up my inaugural post I will assume I chose the later and say I hope you stick around and enjoy our goings-on. I'm really glad you've stopped by!  

My little family, Thanksgiving 2012