lucia's hip ultrasound came back a-ok so no hip dysplasia worries! the doc called me herself with the results which i thought was really nice. so hopefully that's the end of lu's ultrasound needs for a while! and the little peanut won't have to wear a brace at all which is really great.
that's our big news of the day! thanks to everyone for thinking about us and always asking how she is doing regarding her hip u/s and everything else!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
shoot the moon
as the norah jones song says:
"The summer days are gone too soon
You shoot the moon,
And miss completely..."
i can not believe summer is officially over. while this summer was obviously the best of my life, it was also the fastest! for the first part of the summer, i was as big as a house, waddling around, proud to be carrying a baby inside my belly. i was happily uncomfortable for the most part, waiting in anticipation of what was to soon come. i obviously had no idea, how much my life was going to change. my friends who were already a part of the mommy club would tell me, but the feelings having a baby simply cannot be expressed in simple words. it's just bigger than words. that's all i can really say.
when i had lu, the days passed in a bliss filled whirlwind. it seems like only yesterday she was born, but then again, i feel like i've aged and gained so much wisdom,it feels like she's been here with me for much longer. it goes both ways. or maybe it's because i can't imagine my life without her. i know she's always been a part of my heart, it's just different to have her as a living being here on this earth. see, i don't even think i am making much sense right now. like i said, motherhood is just so much bigger than words. the love i feel for her can't be described. it's just insanity!
i'm sad to see the summer officially come to an end. i ceremoniously put away lu's summer clothes on saturday. as i folded them i wondered if one day she'd have a sister that could fit into her former wardrobe she wore for far too little a time. my mom's convinced i'll have three. i almost want to agree. i would love to experience the joy three times over that i've felt by having lucia. it almost takes my breath away it's that intense.
as the end of summer always means the beginning of a cold winter, it also means we have the many holidays to look forward to. thanksgiving and christmas will take on a new meaning, and i'm excited to celebrate special days and give thanks with and for luci and our entire extended family. however, it won't take a holiday to make me realize how lucky i am, i give thanks every day.
as my grandma tuta said yesterday as she held lil' lu, "there is nothing better than a baby." isn't that the truth?
"The summer days are gone too soon
You shoot the moon,
And miss completely..."
i can not believe summer is officially over. while this summer was obviously the best of my life, it was also the fastest! for the first part of the summer, i was as big as a house, waddling around, proud to be carrying a baby inside my belly. i was happily uncomfortable for the most part, waiting in anticipation of what was to soon come. i obviously had no idea, how much my life was going to change. my friends who were already a part of the mommy club would tell me, but the feelings having a baby simply cannot be expressed in simple words. it's just bigger than words. that's all i can really say.
when i had lu, the days passed in a bliss filled whirlwind. it seems like only yesterday she was born, but then again, i feel like i've aged and gained so much wisdom,it feels like she's been here with me for much longer. it goes both ways. or maybe it's because i can't imagine my life without her. i know she's always been a part of my heart, it's just different to have her as a living being here on this earth. see, i don't even think i am making much sense right now. like i said, motherhood is just so much bigger than words. the love i feel for her can't be described. it's just insanity!
i'm sad to see the summer officially come to an end. i ceremoniously put away lu's summer clothes on saturday. as i folded them i wondered if one day she'd have a sister that could fit into her former wardrobe she wore for far too little a time. my mom's convinced i'll have three. i almost want to agree. i would love to experience the joy three times over that i've felt by having lucia. it almost takes my breath away it's that intense.
as the end of summer always means the beginning of a cold winter, it also means we have the many holidays to look forward to. thanksgiving and christmas will take on a new meaning, and i'm excited to celebrate special days and give thanks with and for luci and our entire extended family. however, it won't take a holiday to make me realize how lucky i am, i give thanks every day.
as my grandma tuta said yesterday as she held lil' lu, "there is nothing better than a baby." isn't that the truth?
Sunday, September 28, 2008
weekend fun
this weekend, lucia walked in her first charity walk, the capital area humane society 5k. they also had a one mile loop that we took because we had a stroller and it was rough terrain. i walked beatle and gangy p (my mom wants to be called grandy but i've taken to calling her gangy like the grandma in arrested development, i'm hoping it sticks! lol) walked lu. linz walked haley, tara walked izzy and paps and her family walked sampson. there were hundreds of dogs there and i wanted to take more pictures, but of course beatle was pulling me in every direction, the fool. as so many of you know, the humane society is a charity i hold near and dear to my heart, as we rescued beatle bailey from the humane society when he was 2 and a half. he had me at hello when he put his big old paw into my hand and just begged me to take him home. he was literally on "doggy death row" as he'd been at the pound for over 6 weeks and was nearing the end of his stay. he doesn't act a day over 1 year which is good and bad in many ways! but we love him so so much and i don't regret ever bringing him home!
i'm so passionate about rescued animals and i was proud to serve on the committee of this walk. i helped as much as i could until luci was born and then my efforts had to taper off. i hope to help more throughout the year this year as there are so many animals that need our help!
below are a few pix from the walk and the weekend....
i'm so passionate about rescued animals and i was proud to serve on the committee of this walk. i helped as much as i could until luci was born and then my efforts had to taper off. i hope to help more throughout the year this year as there are so many animals that need our help!
below are a few pix from the walk and the weekend....
Friday, September 26, 2008
foot in mouth
well, my dear husband was put on my sh*t list last night!
we're laying in bed talking after watching the office (hilar) and he's complaining how tired he was because he got up at 5 to work. he's been absolutely swamped these past couple weeks which is good and bad. good obviously because the busier he is, the more money he makes, but bad because the time he can spend with lu is shortened because he's been working so many nights and weekends at the computer. i too was up at 5 that day feeding lu and then putting her back down, however, i stayed up also because i had to shower and get ready for my work day. (even though i work at home, i still shower every single day and get ready or i'd just feel like crap!) i had also gotten up during the night at around 2 also.
so i said "stop complaining you big baby, i don't know what you would do if you had to get up every night to feed lucia." disclaimer: if you've read previous blogs you know i do enjoy sharing the night with luci, so i am not complaining. i also don't require a lot of sleep so i'm not normally exhausted, but there have definitely been some nights (early on) that wore on me. REGARDLESS, it is not an easy thing to get up in the middle of the night, and those that do, should be given a little more credit. (like yours truly!)
anyway, so he responds with "well that is different, you do that every day, you get used to it."
up until now, i've gotten up with lu solo and changed her diaper and then fed her whenever she wakes up. i didn't think both of us needed to be woken up, so i've let trav sleep. and sleep he does. well, from here on out, i'm going to wake travis up in the middle of the night when lu wakes up, to see if he "gets used to it." i might not make him physically get up out of bed, but i think i'll give him a little love tap just to say HI HONEY!
i decided upon this when i was up with her every 2.5 hours last night. i couldn't wait to tell him this morning what i'd decided! i'm giddy with anticipation for what tonight brings, and how soon travis will 'get used to' waking up with us! LOL
please feel free to comment and tell my husband he should have kept his mouth shut!!!!
HAPPY FRIDAY!
we're laying in bed talking after watching the office (hilar) and he's complaining how tired he was because he got up at 5 to work. he's been absolutely swamped these past couple weeks which is good and bad. good obviously because the busier he is, the more money he makes, but bad because the time he can spend with lu is shortened because he's been working so many nights and weekends at the computer. i too was up at 5 that day feeding lu and then putting her back down, however, i stayed up also because i had to shower and get ready for my work day. (even though i work at home, i still shower every single day and get ready or i'd just feel like crap!) i had also gotten up during the night at around 2 also.
so i said "stop complaining you big baby, i don't know what you would do if you had to get up every night to feed lucia." disclaimer: if you've read previous blogs you know i do enjoy sharing the night with luci, so i am not complaining. i also don't require a lot of sleep so i'm not normally exhausted, but there have definitely been some nights (early on) that wore on me. REGARDLESS, it is not an easy thing to get up in the middle of the night, and those that do, should be given a little more credit. (like yours truly!)
anyway, so he responds with "well that is different, you do that every day, you get used to it."
up until now, i've gotten up with lu solo and changed her diaper and then fed her whenever she wakes up. i didn't think both of us needed to be woken up, so i've let trav sleep. and sleep he does. well, from here on out, i'm going to wake travis up in the middle of the night when lu wakes up, to see if he "gets used to it." i might not make him physically get up out of bed, but i think i'll give him a little love tap just to say HI HONEY!
i decided upon this when i was up with her every 2.5 hours last night. i couldn't wait to tell him this morning what i'd decided! i'm giddy with anticipation for what tonight brings, and how soon travis will 'get used to' waking up with us! LOL
please feel free to comment and tell my husband he should have kept his mouth shut!!!!
HAPPY FRIDAY!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
we made it
so as it read, today was my first day back to work and i made it! i have to be honest and say i thought it was going to be much harder than it actually was. i was on the phone from 8 am-noon non stop catching up with colleagues and then for a couple more hours in the afternoon. in between phone calls i was catching up on email correspondence and sorting out everything. i know after a few days passes it will be like i never left the work force!
before luci and trav left i held her from 7ish-830. i was able to feed her before they left and when trav took her out in her carseat, i had to run out after them with tears streaming down my face for one last kiss from the little peanut! but after those last tears, i got a hold of myself and put my work face on! and like i said, the time flew as i was very busy and focused. only working 4 days a week, i'm sure i'll be busy like that every day, so time will fly. and i'm not at all complaining. i have an ideal situation, working from home. i couldn't ask for a better set up. it's just hard for any parent to surrender their role to another person. so that's that.
on top of it being my first day back to work, it's our 4 year anniversary! for the first time, we didn't do anything special, as i didn't want to go out to dinner or leave luci on my first day away from her! so trav sent flowers, and we took turn eating dinner while one person held lucia. even though we didn't do anything "special" it was the best anniversary we've ever had. i think back to last year and how desperate we were to have a baby, and i think of how far we've come and how blessed we are that everything worked out. it's crazy to think of how far we've come!
and how truly lucky we are to have a beautiful, healthy and happy baby.
and as i think back to our wedding, i'm thinking right about now, my entire wedding party and group of friends was completely wasted, acting foolish on the dance floor.
what an awesome night it was ending with a 5 am pool party instigated by busie in her bridesmaid dress and bill!!!!!
check out the below link to see some samples from our wedding video! i can't believe they are still on line. ahhhh, i'm nostalgic.
http://www.shuandi.com/Pages/weddingsamples.htm
before luci and trav left i held her from 7ish-830. i was able to feed her before they left and when trav took her out in her carseat, i had to run out after them with tears streaming down my face for one last kiss from the little peanut! but after those last tears, i got a hold of myself and put my work face on! and like i said, the time flew as i was very busy and focused. only working 4 days a week, i'm sure i'll be busy like that every day, so time will fly. and i'm not at all complaining. i have an ideal situation, working from home. i couldn't ask for a better set up. it's just hard for any parent to surrender their role to another person. so that's that.
on top of it being my first day back to work, it's our 4 year anniversary! for the first time, we didn't do anything special, as i didn't want to go out to dinner or leave luci on my first day away from her! so trav sent flowers, and we took turn eating dinner while one person held lucia. even though we didn't do anything "special" it was the best anniversary we've ever had. i think back to last year and how desperate we were to have a baby, and i think of how far we've come and how blessed we are that everything worked out. it's crazy to think of how far we've come!
and how truly lucky we are to have a beautiful, healthy and happy baby.
and as i think back to our wedding, i'm thinking right about now, my entire wedding party and group of friends was completely wasted, acting foolish on the dance floor.
what an awesome night it was ending with a 5 am pool party instigated by busie in her bridesmaid dress and bill!!!!!
check out the below link to see some samples from our wedding video! i can't believe they are still on line. ahhhh, i'm nostalgic.
http://www.shuandi.com/Pages/weddingsamples.htm
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
weepy
i'm a bit weepy today. hopefully i can get it all out today and be fine tomorrow when little lu leaves me for the day. i just keep tearing up looking at her sweet face knowing tomorrow she won't be with me! i know all of this is totally normal and all of my friends assure me it does indeed get better. but i know i'm also entitled to a little pity party too!
i always sing the beatles to her and happened to start belting out "all my loving" just a bit ago. the lyrics go "close your eyes and i'll kiss you, tomorrow i'll miss you..." and i couldn't get past the tomorrow i'll miss you part because my voice was cracking! ridiculous.
trav doesn't need to leave with her until around 9 so that means i can feed her in the morning. that makes me feel better. then she'll be back home around 530. i know it will be just fine, i just wish i had a bit more time with her, just the two of us. i feel like for the past 10 weeks, we've lived in a perfect little bubble and now it's about to be burst. i love our little bubble and days filled with walks, tummy time, reading, singing and rocking. on the other hand, i do feel a bit disconnected from my former life so i know my step back into the work world will give me back what i've always loved in terms of social interaction, excitement from a big media hit, client conversations, etc. i know this is a good thing. it will just take some getting used to.
i always sing the beatles to her and happened to start belting out "all my loving" just a bit ago. the lyrics go "close your eyes and i'll kiss you, tomorrow i'll miss you..." and i couldn't get past the tomorrow i'll miss you part because my voice was cracking! ridiculous.
trav doesn't need to leave with her until around 9 so that means i can feed her in the morning. that makes me feel better. then she'll be back home around 530. i know it will be just fine, i just wish i had a bit more time with her, just the two of us. i feel like for the past 10 weeks, we've lived in a perfect little bubble and now it's about to be burst. i love our little bubble and days filled with walks, tummy time, reading, singing and rocking. on the other hand, i do feel a bit disconnected from my former life so i know my step back into the work world will give me back what i've always loved in terms of social interaction, excitement from a big media hit, client conversations, etc. i know this is a good thing. it will just take some getting used to.
Monday, September 22, 2008
pix week 9 plus some up north shots
lucia, grandy p and i went up to the cottage sat-today. it was such a nice trip and for the first time since i had lucia, i was really able to relax a bit! too bad we're nearing the end of our "babymoon" of 10 weeks... so sad... :(
ENJOY THE PIX!
ENJOY THE PIX!
Friday, September 19, 2008
shots and such
today lu had her first round of vaccines, one shot and one oral. we are opting to get all of her vaccines, but spread them out instead of bundling them. so she got two vaccines today, instead of the standard four at the two month check up. normally they do vaccines at 2, 4, 6 month check ups and so on. the difference with our schedule is we are using an alternate schedule and we'll have to go every month in order to get them all. we just decided on that because of all the research i did surrounding vaccines and i did not want to overload her fragile little system with a bundling of shots at each check up. so we'll have to go to the doc more often, but big deal. it's worth it to us. anyway, the oral vaccine was painless, and i was able to hold her while the nurse gave her the droplets. however, when it came time for her shot, i made trav stand by her and hold her arms so she wouldn't think it was her mommy putting her through that pain! she cried out when they poked her, but calmed right down when i swooped in to soothe her. even though it was brief, i felt so bad! my poor little peanut!
the doc said she might be a bit fussy today so i've been really babying her and holding her a lot! i'm not even sure if she has been fussy, i just want to hold onto her. plus i am savoring ever minute with her as work is looming in. i go back on wednesday. it will be our first day apart, as she will be going to grandma jane's every wednesday. monday, aunt mallori will be watching her and i'm sure she'll be coming into town on a lot of sunday nights to spend time with her also! on tuesday and thursday, mal's best friend from high school, erica, will be watching her. i really do have an ideal set up, with people coming to our house three days a week to watch baby luci. plus i have every friday off. but it's still hard to think about other people caring for her! i'm her mom and feel like i should be the sole caretaker. however, i do know that the people taking care of her during the day will love her so much, so that makes me feel really good.
i'll tell you who is going to love this coming wednesday- BEATLE BAILEY. first he's going to catch up on 10 weeks of lost sleep in his bed in my office, thinking "yes, she finally went back to where she came from!" then once he wakes up, she'll be back again. poor guy! lol
the doc said she might be a bit fussy today so i've been really babying her and holding her a lot! i'm not even sure if she has been fussy, i just want to hold onto her. plus i am savoring ever minute with her as work is looming in. i go back on wednesday. it will be our first day apart, as she will be going to grandma jane's every wednesday. monday, aunt mallori will be watching her and i'm sure she'll be coming into town on a lot of sunday nights to spend time with her also! on tuesday and thursday, mal's best friend from high school, erica, will be watching her. i really do have an ideal set up, with people coming to our house three days a week to watch baby luci. plus i have every friday off. but it's still hard to think about other people caring for her! i'm her mom and feel like i should be the sole caretaker. however, i do know that the people taking care of her during the day will love her so much, so that makes me feel really good.
i'll tell you who is going to love this coming wednesday- BEATLE BAILEY. first he's going to catch up on 10 weeks of lost sleep in his bed in my office, thinking "yes, she finally went back to where she came from!" then once he wakes up, she'll be back again. poor guy! lol
Thursday, September 18, 2008
denial
lu is now officially wearing a lot of her 3-6 month clothing. she can still fit into her newborn, 0-3 clothes, but she's also wearing some 3-6 month stuff. i hated pulling it out because it means she is growing all too fast! i know when i ceremoniously put away all of her newborn stuff, i will be so very sad. she's still such a little peanut but already, when i look at her pictures from when we first brought her home, i see she's changed and grown so much. at her last doc appt for her reflux problem, she weighed 9 lbs 12 0z, meaning she's gained 2 lbs 4 oz since birth. i can tell when i gain 2 lbs on my body, so you can imagine how huge of a gain that is for a baby! she has a doc appt tomorrow to get her first shots :( so i'll get to see how much she's gained in a week and a half since the last check.
as much as i am in denial over lu's clothes, i am over mine as well. i'm in between sizes and refuse to buy a size up in pants. it's ridiculous the way i am, but i just hope to lose all of my baby weight soon so i don't have to buy a new wardrobe. i can't wear most of my pre pregnancy clothes, and my maternity clothes are huge, so i live in yoga pants. i'm watching what i eat and have been doing some sort of exercise every day, so i need to cut myself a break. the old saying "it took nine months to gain it so you should get nine months to lose it" definitely should apply, but i think as women, especially now with celebrity pregnancies, babies and weight loss so overly publicized, we are really hard on ourselves. not to mention, everyone around us is scrutinizing our weight gain during pregnancy and our loss after it. it's true. it's like if a woman loses her weight right away, she's so admired and praised. when really, it has little to do with what she does to lose it and more to do with her genes and just flat out being lucky. i admit, i used to judge women. if they gained too much weight, i thought well they must be pigging out. if they didn't lose it right away, they were probably being lazy. if it melted off them, i thought, wow, she must have some kind of willpower. wow was i wrong and now am i sorry for ever having those thoughts. what it boils down to for most women, is genetics. plain and simple. and we should stop putting so much pressure on women and ourselves. i say that, but at the same time, i can't stop thinking about the last pounds i have to lose. however, i'm not judging other women anymore. i really am not.
before lu was born, i was a die hard runner and gym goer. now i'm already thinking of modifying my routine and what days i can go to the gym, because on days i work, i'll want to spend every other waking minute with her. a 60 minute aerobics class just will not be feasible for me right away if it's during lu's waking hours. priorities certainly change. somewhere following luci, trav, work, family and friends, and keeping my house clean, will now fall the gym. don't get me wrong, i still want to make time for it because i think it's so important for me to, but i just won't plan my life around it.
could you imagine if men were the ones who got pregnant? those pigs would happily gain 40-50 plus and lose half of it and never look back. :)ha
as much as i am in denial over lu's clothes, i am over mine as well. i'm in between sizes and refuse to buy a size up in pants. it's ridiculous the way i am, but i just hope to lose all of my baby weight soon so i don't have to buy a new wardrobe. i can't wear most of my pre pregnancy clothes, and my maternity clothes are huge, so i live in yoga pants. i'm watching what i eat and have been doing some sort of exercise every day, so i need to cut myself a break. the old saying "it took nine months to gain it so you should get nine months to lose it" definitely should apply, but i think as women, especially now with celebrity pregnancies, babies and weight loss so overly publicized, we are really hard on ourselves. not to mention, everyone around us is scrutinizing our weight gain during pregnancy and our loss after it. it's true. it's like if a woman loses her weight right away, she's so admired and praised. when really, it has little to do with what she does to lose it and more to do with her genes and just flat out being lucky. i admit, i used to judge women. if they gained too much weight, i thought well they must be pigging out. if they didn't lose it right away, they were probably being lazy. if it melted off them, i thought, wow, she must have some kind of willpower. wow was i wrong and now am i sorry for ever having those thoughts. what it boils down to for most women, is genetics. plain and simple. and we should stop putting so much pressure on women and ourselves. i say that, but at the same time, i can't stop thinking about the last pounds i have to lose. however, i'm not judging other women anymore. i really am not.
before lu was born, i was a die hard runner and gym goer. now i'm already thinking of modifying my routine and what days i can go to the gym, because on days i work, i'll want to spend every other waking minute with her. a 60 minute aerobics class just will not be feasible for me right away if it's during lu's waking hours. priorities certainly change. somewhere following luci, trav, work, family and friends, and keeping my house clean, will now fall the gym. don't get me wrong, i still want to make time for it because i think it's so important for me to, but i just won't plan my life around it.
could you imagine if men were the ones who got pregnant? those pigs would happily gain 40-50 plus and lose half of it and never look back. :)ha
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
projectile
as i posted earlier, lu has a bit of a spewing problem. after i feed her in our fave chair, i would say 60-70 percent of the time, she spits up epic proportions over my shoulder. the spew hits the chair or the floor and i always have to wipe it up immediately. b milk is really easy to clean up and doesn't stain. HOWEVER last night we figured out it can be pretty slick on wood floors! there is one main spot where her spit up hits onto the our floor and i thought nothing of it until last night when trav slipped in the spot! upon investigation today, i felt that it's almost as if the spew is sealing our floors, putting a nice slick wax on them!
it reminds me of when busie and i swiffered our wood floors and for weeks after we had near fatal slip and falls! LOL ok i digress, but i'm cracking up thinking about it.
anyway, i like when her spew hits the floor because it saves me and lu a change of clothes and all i have to do is wipe it up. but i can't have trav nearly doing the splits in that spot, pulling a groin when he hands her to me! i think i'll have to line the floor with something that catches it before i have to wipe it up.
RIDICULOUS. the things i learn as a mom.
it reminds me of when busie and i swiffered our wood floors and for weeks after we had near fatal slip and falls! LOL ok i digress, but i'm cracking up thinking about it.
anyway, i like when her spew hits the floor because it saves me and lu a change of clothes and all i have to do is wipe it up. but i can't have trav nearly doing the splits in that spot, pulling a groin when he hands her to me! i think i'll have to line the floor with something that catches it before i have to wipe it up.
RIDICULOUS. the things i learn as a mom.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
the toot post
well it finally happened. lu (for lack of a better word) sharted in her tub last night!
trav and i were bathing her when we heard a rumble, followed up by bubbles, and ultimately poop floaters last night. trav looked at me and said "WHAT DO WE DO!?" and i said calmly "take her out of the tub, lay her on her towel, i'll empty the tub and we'll put her back in." like it had happened to me before or something! it hadn't,but that's exactly what we did. she was a little put off to be taken out of her tub after only 2 minutes in it, and acted like we really inconvenienced her. :) but after the mess was cleared, she was able to enjoy her bath.
from the beginning, trav was convinced she definitely was a faris due to her loud flatulence and gassy ways. i had to assure him that all tiny babies (well i think all, if not most) do have gas equivalent to a grown man. it's just amazing the sounds she can make! and it always cracks us up. of course is does, gas is funny! but i just think, how great it must make her feel to release those gas bubbles! i'm cracking up thinking about it.
which leads me to a question trav and i have been debating. what will we have luci call the ever present gas bubbles and noises when she can talk? neither of us were allowed to say fart, and i think i'll continue that with our kids. it just sounds foul. however, the alternatives are rather ridiculous. for instance, growing up, we could only call our gas "fouses"- a lebanese (or so we were told) word for fart. trav on the other hand called them "rippers" which sounds absolutely ridiculous! if anyone has any other suggestions, let me know. if i had to pick, i would choose fous, because ripper is just nuts! only time will tell!
trav and i were bathing her when we heard a rumble, followed up by bubbles, and ultimately poop floaters last night. trav looked at me and said "WHAT DO WE DO!?" and i said calmly "take her out of the tub, lay her on her towel, i'll empty the tub and we'll put her back in." like it had happened to me before or something! it hadn't,but that's exactly what we did. she was a little put off to be taken out of her tub after only 2 minutes in it, and acted like we really inconvenienced her. :) but after the mess was cleared, she was able to enjoy her bath.
from the beginning, trav was convinced she definitely was a faris due to her loud flatulence and gassy ways. i had to assure him that all tiny babies (well i think all, if not most) do have gas equivalent to a grown man. it's just amazing the sounds she can make! and it always cracks us up. of course is does, gas is funny! but i just think, how great it must make her feel to release those gas bubbles! i'm cracking up thinking about it.
which leads me to a question trav and i have been debating. what will we have luci call the ever present gas bubbles and noises when she can talk? neither of us were allowed to say fart, and i think i'll continue that with our kids. it just sounds foul. however, the alternatives are rather ridiculous. for instance, growing up, we could only call our gas "fouses"- a lebanese (or so we were told) word for fart. trav on the other hand called them "rippers" which sounds absolutely ridiculous! if anyone has any other suggestions, let me know. if i had to pick, i would choose fous, because ripper is just nuts! only time will tell!
Monday, September 15, 2008
music
i'm pretty obsessed with music as many of you know. it's always on in our house, and it's what keeps me awake in my rocking chair at night when i'm feeding lu. well last night, i was listening to the college station here, 88.9 the impact. on sunday nights, they have a show called "sit or spin" where the dj's and guests spin a new track and vote whether it should be spun on station or sat, not to be played at all. i was excited because they were spinning a new ani difranco song so i sat through the show feeding lu. i've definitely come to the conclusion that i'm getting old.
1. to begin, i don't understand or care for this "emo" crap. the points are tired and unoriginal, the sound corny and amateur much of the time. emo has taken over much of the airways and it makes me roll my eyes. 88.9 is really the only station locally i can tolerate so i just listen through it.
2. on the sit or spin show, they played a song by an alt-country type artist, that i actually liked. when it came time for the panel to "sit or spin" it, they mostly sat it while one guest commented "i think you have to be like over 30 or something to like this kind of music." LOL
3. i have always loved ani difranco. however, when her song came on to be judged, i was so disappointed! i don't know if she's run out of things to write about, but her lyrics were so bland and bla. i can't tell you how many times busie and i screamed the lyrics to her older songs like "untouchable face" or "both hands." her album she released in 2006 wasn't bad. but this new song just was. even ani is getting old. oh, anyway, so my point, one of the panelists commented "i don't know who this ani difranco is, but she is no alanis morisette even though i'm thinking she is trying to be." LOL ani difranco inspired alanis and while i love them both, this generation doesn't have a clue.
4. on another note, i crack up every time they play a track from the late 90's and use a drop before it that says "an impact classic." the songs we listened to in college are now classic. i am now classic. love it.
ok so my main point, what will our kids listen to???? we have no modern day artists that are going to be remembered like those from earlier generations. i've been so fortunate to see the pioneers in concert- bob dylan, paul mccartney, the police, genesis, james taylor, bruce springsteen, eric clapton, the dead, fleetwood mac... who will our kids see? what artists from today will stand the test of time? now, i'll let lucia listen to what she wants to listen to when the time comes, but for now, lil wayne will not be played in my house. she'll be introduced to the "classics" so she can learn what good music is.
i hope she loves music as much as i do. i hope it can get her through the highs and lows of life and i hope many of her memories involve music like mine do. and if the time comes when she wants to download miley cyrus' new album off itunes, i'll let her. i just hope it will be among the classics already playing on her ipod. maybe i'll even bust out my old walkman and some old mix tapes to show her what mom used to listen to just to show her how much has changed. :)
1. to begin, i don't understand or care for this "emo" crap. the points are tired and unoriginal, the sound corny and amateur much of the time. emo has taken over much of the airways and it makes me roll my eyes. 88.9 is really the only station locally i can tolerate so i just listen through it.
2. on the sit or spin show, they played a song by an alt-country type artist, that i actually liked. when it came time for the panel to "sit or spin" it, they mostly sat it while one guest commented "i think you have to be like over 30 or something to like this kind of music." LOL
3. i have always loved ani difranco. however, when her song came on to be judged, i was so disappointed! i don't know if she's run out of things to write about, but her lyrics were so bland and bla. i can't tell you how many times busie and i screamed the lyrics to her older songs like "untouchable face" or "both hands." her album she released in 2006 wasn't bad. but this new song just was. even ani is getting old. oh, anyway, so my point, one of the panelists commented "i don't know who this ani difranco is, but she is no alanis morisette even though i'm thinking she is trying to be." LOL ani difranco inspired alanis and while i love them both, this generation doesn't have a clue.
4. on another note, i crack up every time they play a track from the late 90's and use a drop before it that says "an impact classic." the songs we listened to in college are now classic. i am now classic. love it.
ok so my main point, what will our kids listen to???? we have no modern day artists that are going to be remembered like those from earlier generations. i've been so fortunate to see the pioneers in concert- bob dylan, paul mccartney, the police, genesis, james taylor, bruce springsteen, eric clapton, the dead, fleetwood mac... who will our kids see? what artists from today will stand the test of time? now, i'll let lucia listen to what she wants to listen to when the time comes, but for now, lil wayne will not be played in my house. she'll be introduced to the "classics" so she can learn what good music is.
i hope she loves music as much as i do. i hope it can get her through the highs and lows of life and i hope many of her memories involve music like mine do. and if the time comes when she wants to download miley cyrus' new album off itunes, i'll let her. i just hope it will be among the classics already playing on her ipod. maybe i'll even bust out my old walkman and some old mix tapes to show her what mom used to listen to just to show her how much has changed. :)
Sunday, September 14, 2008
week 8 slide show
remember you can click on the actual slide show to go view it in another screen with captions!
Friday, September 12, 2008
my little sweetie
as i type lil lu is napping away in her crib. i'm trying to make an effort to put her down in her crib prior to her falling asleep, when i sense she is getting tired, and today it's worked twice! since she's been here, she always falls asleep on walks, in her swing or in the car, so i let the sleeping babe lie as why would i move her from her car seat or swing when she's peacefully sleeping? they say that in the first 2-3 months, it's anything goes when getting your baby to sleep, but after that they start to develop habits. well i don't want to push anything because if you read a previous post about scheduling, i am not that into a schedule for lu yet, and know i need to read her cues and we'll both develop a pattern and "schedule" that works for both of us when we're both ready. but i do want to start to get her used to her crib as it is hers and the place where she'll start to do most of her sleeping in a few weeks when i move her from our bedside (which i'm totally not looking forward to!)
so at any rate, if she falls asleep on a walk or in her swing, so be it. i just am happy to know that she'll also sleep in her crib too during the day!
today is trav's bday - the old man is 34! i could not have wished for a better husband and father to be in my life. it's true what everyone says, how your love grows so much for your partner when you see them as a parent. he's given me the greatest gift in life, first by loving and accepting me for me, and now for giving me baby luci.
on another note, i've given my little star a break from a ton of pix this week as i snapped so many last week during our "extreme photo shoot." but i'll post some later this weekend!
so at any rate, if she falls asleep on a walk or in her swing, so be it. i just am happy to know that she'll also sleep in her crib too during the day!
today is trav's bday - the old man is 34! i could not have wished for a better husband and father to be in my life. it's true what everyone says, how your love grows so much for your partner when you see them as a parent. he's given me the greatest gift in life, first by loving and accepting me for me, and now for giving me baby luci.
on another note, i've given my little star a break from a ton of pix this week as i snapped so many last week during our "extreme photo shoot." but i'll post some later this weekend!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
i'm not neurotic
for the past few days, luci has been puking after her feedings in amounts reminiscent of a college spring breaker after too much to drink. i mean, pukes that that fly down my back, hit the floor, or hit the couch and completely soak my behind. they have been insane. she's always been a bit of a puker, but lately, the amounts seem huge!
i'm really not neurotic, but the amounts made me a little concerned so trav told me just to call the doc, it couldn't hurt. so i did and they got me in 2 hours after i called. this was yesterday.
just as i suspected, there was nothing to worry about, but it was nice to have a concerned doc listen to her lungs and examine her only to tell me she has a bit of acid reflux, which so many babies experience. she's not in pain, and she doesn't fuss, she just hurls hard after a lot of feedings!!!! additionally, she is now weighing in at 9 lbs 12 oz, so my sweet petite is growing. there is nothing to worry about! she'll just be sporting bibs a lot more so i can save outfits and not have to change her several times a day.
while i was at the doc's office, she brought up her results from her hip ultrasound. the right hip is absolutely normal so nothing to worry about there. her left seemed to lay lower, but the doc also said this result could have been misread due to the amount she wiggled during the ultrasound. so i have to schedule another one in a month or so (which is super annoying). i don't want to go back there, but obviously i will.
it's so funny what a mover and a shaker lil lu is. all of her family and friends comment on what a wiggler she is and how strong she is, and the doc and u/s tech did as well. at the doc's office, while she was laying on her tummy on the exam table (while waiting for the doc i took advantage of some tummy time) the little punk rolled over again!!! she's crazy and quite a mover!
right now she's sleeping in her swing peacefully (and sporting a bib in case of spew). she's 2 months today which completely amazes me because 1. i can't believe she's been alive for 2 months but 2. for some reason it seems much longer. i don't even know if that makes any sense but i can't put into words how much my life has changed in the short period of time she's been here.
i'm really not neurotic, but the amounts made me a little concerned so trav told me just to call the doc, it couldn't hurt. so i did and they got me in 2 hours after i called. this was yesterday.
just as i suspected, there was nothing to worry about, but it was nice to have a concerned doc listen to her lungs and examine her only to tell me she has a bit of acid reflux, which so many babies experience. she's not in pain, and she doesn't fuss, she just hurls hard after a lot of feedings!!!! additionally, she is now weighing in at 9 lbs 12 oz, so my sweet petite is growing. there is nothing to worry about! she'll just be sporting bibs a lot more so i can save outfits and not have to change her several times a day.
while i was at the doc's office, she brought up her results from her hip ultrasound. the right hip is absolutely normal so nothing to worry about there. her left seemed to lay lower, but the doc also said this result could have been misread due to the amount she wiggled during the ultrasound. so i have to schedule another one in a month or so (which is super annoying). i don't want to go back there, but obviously i will.
it's so funny what a mover and a shaker lil lu is. all of her family and friends comment on what a wiggler she is and how strong she is, and the doc and u/s tech did as well. at the doc's office, while she was laying on her tummy on the exam table (while waiting for the doc i took advantage of some tummy time) the little punk rolled over again!!! she's crazy and quite a mover!
right now she's sleeping in her swing peacefully (and sporting a bib in case of spew). she's 2 months today which completely amazes me because 1. i can't believe she's been alive for 2 months but 2. for some reason it seems much longer. i don't even know if that makes any sense but i can't put into words how much my life has changed in the short period of time she's been here.
Monday, September 8, 2008
extreme photo shoot pix
we had an "extreme photo shoot" for lucia's announcements that will be mailed shortly. the following slideshow illustrates the shoot! you can always click on the slideshow to make it go faster and to view it in another screen fyi.
lu's ultrasound
because lucia was born breech, our pediatrician wanted to do a hip ultrasound on her. i guess it's standard procedure now to do hip u/s on all breech babies. our docs couldn't see anything wrong, but still wanted one ordered.
so we had our first one today. of course it was at 945 and we didn't get called back until 1045 which was a bit nerve wracking and annoying, but she slept the entire time until we were called back. they were able to do her left side before she fussed and wanted to eat so i fed her and they did the right. the tech kept commenting on how strong she was and wiggly too!
at any rate, we have to schedule a follow up with our doc because the doc on call there said her left hip looked a bit lower than her right. the tech couldn't divulge too much info but said that it wasn't much to worry about, although of course as a mother, i am. on a scale of 1 to 10 she said it was about a 1 or less and lu might have to wear a harness or double diapers. the double diapering was a bit weird to me, but maybe we're a bit ahead of the game with her reusable diapers as they are so much thicker than regular disposables. the tech said teh purpose of double diapers is to help set her hips.
i know things could be much worse and hip dysplasia is correctable when detected early. so if it is in fact dysplasia, we're on it! and again, it is a very minor case, if it's anything at all.
i still am a bit worried and pray this is very minor obviously.
i think about all the worries that come along with motherhood and i know this is one of the first of very many over the years. with motherhood, i've gained a sort of sixth sense, if you will. of course prior to being a mom, i would hear stories of children's illness, abuse, or death and it would make me sad but didn't impact me as much as it does now. it's like the day you become a mother, your heart expands a million percent to feel the sadness at such a higher extreme. i watch the news and hear about child abuse cases, or watch a special on that sweet missing girl in florida and my heart breaks. i saw the stand up for cancer special and they highlighted childhood cases of cancer and i cried. i think about people i know (and don't know) that have had a stillbirth loss, or a child pass, and it takes the wind out of me. to think anything could ever happen to luci makes my stomach ache.
i pray for her health every day and will continue all the days of her life! i also pray for all the other babies out there and their mamas. it's such a rewarding journey that i'm at the beginning of. i think of all the days growing up when i thought i was invincible, and how much my parents must have worried. now it's my turn. i just have to focus on loving her and trying not to make myself sick with worry. and maybe a few years down the road, i'll self medicate. haha
please if you do, say a little prayer for little lucia and ask that her u/s results come out ok and if anything is diagnosed, it's completely treatable.
thanks.
so we had our first one today. of course it was at 945 and we didn't get called back until 1045 which was a bit nerve wracking and annoying, but she slept the entire time until we were called back. they were able to do her left side before she fussed and wanted to eat so i fed her and they did the right. the tech kept commenting on how strong she was and wiggly too!
at any rate, we have to schedule a follow up with our doc because the doc on call there said her left hip looked a bit lower than her right. the tech couldn't divulge too much info but said that it wasn't much to worry about, although of course as a mother, i am. on a scale of 1 to 10 she said it was about a 1 or less and lu might have to wear a harness or double diapers. the double diapering was a bit weird to me, but maybe we're a bit ahead of the game with her reusable diapers as they are so much thicker than regular disposables. the tech said teh purpose of double diapers is to help set her hips.
i know things could be much worse and hip dysplasia is correctable when detected early. so if it is in fact dysplasia, we're on it! and again, it is a very minor case, if it's anything at all.
i still am a bit worried and pray this is very minor obviously.
i think about all the worries that come along with motherhood and i know this is one of the first of very many over the years. with motherhood, i've gained a sort of sixth sense, if you will. of course prior to being a mom, i would hear stories of children's illness, abuse, or death and it would make me sad but didn't impact me as much as it does now. it's like the day you become a mother, your heart expands a million percent to feel the sadness at such a higher extreme. i watch the news and hear about child abuse cases, or watch a special on that sweet missing girl in florida and my heart breaks. i saw the stand up for cancer special and they highlighted childhood cases of cancer and i cried. i think about people i know (and don't know) that have had a stillbirth loss, or a child pass, and it takes the wind out of me. to think anything could ever happen to luci makes my stomach ache.
i pray for her health every day and will continue all the days of her life! i also pray for all the other babies out there and their mamas. it's such a rewarding journey that i'm at the beginning of. i think of all the days growing up when i thought i was invincible, and how much my parents must have worried. now it's my turn. i just have to focus on loving her and trying not to make myself sick with worry. and maybe a few years down the road, i'll self medicate. haha
please if you do, say a little prayer for little lucia and ask that her u/s results come out ok and if anything is diagnosed, it's completely treatable.
thanks.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
a dog's 10 commandments
i got this as an email forward today from aunt beth and i had to post it here. as you know, i absolutely love dogs, and i thought this was so very sweet.
a dog's 10 commandments:
1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.
2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.
3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.
4. Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.
5. Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.
6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it, but I forgive quickly.
7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you.
8 . Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.
9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too, will grow old.
10. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can't bear to watch.
Don't make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.
work fast approaching
as i'm nearing the end of my 10 week maternity leave (well i do have 3 more weeks) i'm starting to feel a bit anxious and sad. on one hand, i do appreciate my career and enjoy the accomplishments and business rewards. i work for a wonderful company that is allowing me to work 4 days a week and puts emphasis on family. for instance, when i told our prez i was pregnant, he said "what you do for us is important, but what you're going to do as a mother is what really matters." that meant a lot and stuck with me. my coworkers and boss have been nothing but supportive throughout my pregnancy and now motherhood and encourage me to be a mom and a professional woman and assure me i can definitely do both. on the other hand, i carried little lu for 9 whole months only to be able to enjoy 10 weeks solely with her before i have to resume my working life. it just doesn't seem fair that as a culture, moms (and dads too) are not allowed more time away. this is not a slam at my company because they have been more than generous according to US standards, it's just a bummer of our culture as a whole.
i also am beginning to feel the ever dreaded "mother's guilt." i feel guilty that i'll be working 4 days with only 3 full days to spend with her (fri-sun). and i feel guilty that while i feel the guilt about the above, i'm still not ready to give up the career i've worked so hard in. it is such a push and pull of emotions.
i hope i can learn balance without guilt and become comfortable with my decisions.
i have already learned, that no matter what, we all do what is best and what we are capable of for our families and i will never judge a mom's decision to work or to stay at home and be a full time mom. we all wrestle with our choices and hope we are doing the best things for our families and ourselves. it's never easy, no matter what path we choose. i admire my stay at home mom friends and also my friends with careers and babies. what matters is raising good kids, and my friends have some pretty great ones!
i also am beginning to feel the ever dreaded "mother's guilt." i feel guilty that i'll be working 4 days with only 3 full days to spend with her (fri-sun). and i feel guilty that while i feel the guilt about the above, i'm still not ready to give up the career i've worked so hard in. it is such a push and pull of emotions.
i hope i can learn balance without guilt and become comfortable with my decisions.
i have already learned, that no matter what, we all do what is best and what we are capable of for our families and i will never judge a mom's decision to work or to stay at home and be a full time mom. we all wrestle with our choices and hope we are doing the best things for our families and ourselves. it's never easy, no matter what path we choose. i admire my stay at home mom friends and also my friends with careers and babies. what matters is raising good kids, and my friends have some pretty great ones!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
interesting!
as a breastfeeding mama, i find myself (and others) questioning lu's feedings sometimes. is she getting enough? how can she be hungry when she just ate? how much is she getting per feeding? etc etc. Even though i have surrendered (quite willingly and happily) to being an on demand nursing mama, i still find myself wondering the above as i work to feed my baby so she grows and thrives.
additionally, i have a hard time (as does any mama) hearing lu cry so i do everything in my power to prevent it and soothe her. i hold and her and love her and cherish every moment she is in my arms as i know that before long, my baby will be a big girl. i'm steadfast in the belief that you can not spoil an infant and know that together we are building a trusting relationship as she grows.
i read this on a new mom friend's blog and found it so interesting and true. taking from the book-"Breastfeeding Made Simple", my new mom buddy said the following:
The book explains how humans fall under the category of "carry mammals," akin to kangaroos and apes, meaning that the infant, due to its immaturity, must literally be held and kept in skin-to-skin contact and must feed often due to our levels of protein and fat in milk - this differs from nesting, follow and cache mammals like dogs, cows and deer. Secondly she explains how breastfeeding is not about a schedule which one can regulate or control, but more like ebbs and flows, and that your baby dictates it. So if he wants to feed 24/7 so be it. (I AM INTERJECTING HERE- BECAUSE THIS IS THE PART THAT I REALLY LIKE!)- This is hard to accept in our culture and day and age of timetables and business...it is easy to think that a newborn would have a set eating and sleeping schedule and also to think that as parents you can dictate this, but once you understand that developmentally they are still like fetuses, you soon realize that to hold them to such standards is a bit ridiculous and naive... (end of my friend's blog)
So there you have it. I will continue following my gut in comforting luci and know we're still getting to know each other and figuring it all out! as moms we often doubt ourselves, but we just have to trust in knowing we are doing what is right for our babies and it will all fall into place!
additionally, i have a hard time (as does any mama) hearing lu cry so i do everything in my power to prevent it and soothe her. i hold and her and love her and cherish every moment she is in my arms as i know that before long, my baby will be a big girl. i'm steadfast in the belief that you can not spoil an infant and know that together we are building a trusting relationship as she grows.
i read this on a new mom friend's blog and found it so interesting and true. taking from the book-"Breastfeeding Made Simple", my new mom buddy said the following:
The book explains how humans fall under the category of "carry mammals," akin to kangaroos and apes, meaning that the infant, due to its immaturity, must literally be held and kept in skin-to-skin contact and must feed often due to our levels of protein and fat in milk - this differs from nesting, follow and cache mammals like dogs, cows and deer. Secondly she explains how breastfeeding is not about a schedule which one can regulate or control, but more like ebbs and flows, and that your baby dictates it. So if he wants to feed 24/7 so be it. (I AM INTERJECTING HERE- BECAUSE THIS IS THE PART THAT I REALLY LIKE!)- This is hard to accept in our culture and day and age of timetables and business...it is easy to think that a newborn would have a set eating and sleeping schedule and also to think that as parents you can dictate this, but once you understand that developmentally they are still like fetuses, you soon realize that to hold them to such standards is a bit ridiculous and naive... (end of my friend's blog)
So there you have it. I will continue following my gut in comforting luci and know we're still getting to know each other and figuring it all out! as moms we often doubt ourselves, but we just have to trust in knowing we are doing what is right for our babies and it will all fall into place!
big smiles abound
the beginning of last week marked lu's next phase as a smiler. as all you moms out there know, your child's smiles will absolutely melt your heart. her gummy smiles are the cutest i've ever seen. i love my happy happy girl.
i'm also noticing her following people a lot more and this morning, she was mesmerized by bailey. it was too cute.
we had a big weekend as well as you can see from the pix in the below post. we spent our first night away at grandma and grandpa hylens. it took a lot of convincing in my own mind to take the plunge and just do it so we went in on sunday and stayed through monday. it was hard for me because with a newborn as many of you know, we're in a routine and to be away from the comforts of home is a little nerve wracking. if she cries and fusses at home, i don't have to worry about unnerving anyone and it's just easy to get her to calm. away from home, it's more nerve wracking for sure! i have to admit i didn't sleep much at all but all ended well.
luci got to meet her friends megan and sloane so it was fun to have our girls together. it will be even more fun to watch them grow together!
i'm also noticing her following people a lot more and this morning, she was mesmerized by bailey. it was too cute.
we had a big weekend as well as you can see from the pix in the below post. we spent our first night away at grandma and grandpa hylens. it took a lot of convincing in my own mind to take the plunge and just do it so we went in on sunday and stayed through monday. it was hard for me because with a newborn as many of you know, we're in a routine and to be away from the comforts of home is a little nerve wracking. if she cries and fusses at home, i don't have to worry about unnerving anyone and it's just easy to get her to calm. away from home, it's more nerve wracking for sure! i have to admit i didn't sleep much at all but all ended well.
luci got to meet her friends megan and sloane so it was fun to have our girls together. it will be even more fun to watch them grow together!
Monday, September 1, 2008
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