Trapped!

A toddler, a baby, and a puppy are stuck in one room all day... no this is not the beginning of a hilarious joke, unless you count the one that has been played on me.

Today the living room and hallway to the children's bedrooms are off limits. We are having the floors redone. How am I going to survive this day with 2 toddlers and a puppy? Well... blog about it, of course.

The day begins at 6:30am... First I have to take the puppy out and then get cleaned up before the workers arrive. We were told they would be here between 7:30 and 8:00am.

7:00am I release the kids from their rooms and it's time for breakfast. I can never get the food into Ketcher's mouth fast enough. He cries while I cook the oatmeal, eggs, bacon, and bagels.

7:30am Dan lets the puppy and Tully down. Breakfast for all. I can't put Kenzie in her high chair, which is blocked by the couch. The puppy bites at her pants, she screams relentlessly.

8:00am I finish carrying toys, clothes, diapers, a small table and chairs upstairs for the days activities. The puppy continues to bite at the kids and they scream and cry. The puppy decides to crawl under the bed and destroy an old unfinished Sudoku book. If it keeps him away from the kids, I don't care.

8:30am Where the hell are these people? I'm glad I woke up 30 minutes early to get ready. Sarcasm font. I had to put the puppy in his crate for 10 minutes of quiet. There is no amount of coffee that can make this morning bearable. Kenzie is coloring with the magic markers that only appear on the special coloring books. Ketcher is using those markers to color the walls and furniture. Thank God for those markers.

8:35am Tully perks his head up. I am assuming they are here. I come downstairs to find them already in the living room discussing what they will be doing. On one hand it's unnerving to find 3 men in your house that didn't knock to come in, on the other hand, if they had knocked the dog would have barked and set off a chain reaction of crying and screaming.

9:00am This past half hour has been quiet. The kids are watching Doc McStuffins, Tully is napping on the bed, the puppy is still in his crate, and I am working. This seems doable... until I release the puppy again.

9:30am The kids need to get dressed and then we have to walk the dogs. Outside is gloomy, cold and still wet from the frozen grass thawing. Ketcher wants to pick up giant rocks and carry them around. That's a broken foot waiting to happen. My lower back is screaming as I am trying to juggle 2 leashes and a 30 lb toddler on my hip. I can't wait for this day to be over. It's only 9:30...

10:30am Finally it's time for some grocery shopping.  My favorite time of day is anytime I am in the car. Kiddos are strapped in, Ketcher is already sleeping and we haven't left our neighborhood yet. Kenzie and I are quietly listening to the music.

11:15am After picking up mail at the post office, we arrive at Target. I get the kids out, set Kenzie's cart on the ground and we head in.

11:16am we are heading back out to the car. Kenzie needs to pee and refuses to do it in the big public potty. I keep diapers and wipes in the car for both kids so I slip one on her. She pees, I take it back off and we are heading back inside. The guy taking his break next to the door looks at me like I'm crazy.

11:45am This is not the fun trip I was expecting. Kenzie is refusing to push her cart. I did find her some Sofia the first dolls on clearance to carry around. She wants to ride in the basket but baby brother is in his rightful spot. She is pissed.

11:55am We made it back out to the car and after I throw some packets of Doc McStuffins fruit snacks at the kids, I tear open the pouch of cookie dough. Nothing has ever tasted better. Ever.

12:05 Lunch at jimmy johns with the kids. We come here so often, as soon as we walk in, the kids grab a bag a chips and go sit down in a booth. I order the food, get my large coke, and join them. Ketch eats half a slim 4, Kenzie finishes a bag of chips. Nutrition at its finest.

12:30 We get home and I have to deal with the puppy. I take him out and then when I bring him back inside he pees on the carpet twice.

1:00 This is typically quiet time, but we can't get to the kids rooms. So we are all stuck together in the bedroom. Luckily the kids quietly watch Sofia the first, for the most part.

Ketcher is over this... and am I.

2:45 Time to get this crew outside. It has stopped raining finally so we set out. Ketcher is in the stroller, Kenzie is sulking 20 feet behind me, and somehow I am managing both dog leashes. We are going at a snails pace but I'm glad to be moving again.

4:30 Ketcher slept the whole walk. He seemed moody that he missed the sights but was happy to eat snacks and play with his sisters toys back in the room. Kenzie is freaking out because Ketcher is playing with his toys. The puppy has had water and is now napping in his crate.

5:00 Time to feed everyone.

6:00 Bath time. The kids are not happy to be in the tub without 50 lbs of toys floating along next to them. They decide to try and end bath time early by splashing water out of the tub and screaming. Jokes on them. I took my hearing aids out and now I'm sitting on the floor reading the latest Time magazine. When they get out, I make them clean the floor with towels.

6:30 I am dying to put the kids to bed but the floor guys are STILL here. Probably because they showed up an hour late. I am laying face down on the bed unable to deal any more. Kenzie is sitting on my back yelling "Giddy up!" and pulling on my ponytail. I have no energy to stop her. Ketcher is chilling on the pillows watching an episode of Sesame Street from 1971. Gordon has mutton chops and Oscar is orange. I don't think I will make it to 7.

6:40 Dan comes home and muster the energy to stay coherent for another 20 minutes.

7:00pm I don't care if the floor guys are here or not - they weren't -  I am done. I toss the kids into their bedrooms with waters and a goodnight hug and kiss. No books, stories or songs tonight. I run to the cupboard and pull out the biggest wine glass I have. It is no where near the size I need it to be.

Confessions of a work from home mom

It's that time again. Time to swallow a big dose of guilt, turn on Frozen for my toddler, and log back into work.

Working is the worst, isn't it? But the $6,000 worth of medical bills on my counter from Ketcher's birth need to get paid, right? <sigh>

Five confessions of a work from home mom.

Oh no, it's ringing. NOOOOOOOOO!

I am scared of the phone. I've become so reliant on email that the phone just seems like a nuisance. An email can be referenced again. When I have been awake since 5am with a baby, and get constant interruptions via my toddler, listening just isn't my strong suit any more. If you want me to get something done correctly, write it down. In the event that we do talk on the phone, I get nervous that surely you are going to hear the chaos that is my home office.  A crying baby, a singing toddler, dogs barking, a splash that was surely something being dropped in the toilet, and me just gritting my teeth because I can't interrupt a conference call with "Stop putting things in the damn toilet!!"

Sigh...

I would rather have office drama, than toddler drama. You never have office drama working from home. However, I get plenty of drama when tiny toddler fingers come creeping along the side of my computer just itching to touch those fancy keys. A firm "NO!" is then followed by wailing that a fire station could be proud of.  The wailing is soon followed by a small body flopping, like a fish out of water, on the carpet next to my feet. I panic. Is she having a seizure? Nope just being dramatic.

I don't appreciate the comparison.

I feel incredibly guilty, all the time. You don't need an office to feel guilty.  My babysitter is usually Sesame Street or if I need more than 50 minutes, Frozen or Tangled. I feel guilty for probably causing future learning disorders, because you aren't supposed to sit your kid in front of a TV until they are at least 2. Then when I am playing with my kid, and I hear the ding of my emails coming into my phone, I feel guilty that I am not taking care of business. I continually "should" on myself. I should be working. I should be engaging with the kids. I should be sitting on a beach somewhere sipping a margarita...

No guilt here!

I miss my work lunches and breaks.  There is zero time for myself working from home. Nap time = work. Bed time = work. Weekends = work. Working from home means being logged in whenever I get a spare moment, which is for 1 hour from 1-2pm or after 9pm at night. This can really take my bitchiness to a whole new level. So about that margarita...

At least I don't have to deal with crappy office equipment.

 

I wouldn't change it for anything. It's stressful, chaotic, and exhausting. I am on call as mom and worker 24/7. I spend all day with my kids, which makes me want to scream, but I get to see the baby do a push up on tummy time for the first time, I get to hear the toddler's new words "Oh cool!" and I get to wear my yoga pants all day.  What's not to love?

I love this little guy and his mastery of head holding!

Anyone have anything to add?  Please share it on facebook or in the comments below.

The Baby Blues

It's been 3 weeks since delivery and I am still battling the "Baby Blues".

Symptoms of “baby blues” include: (copied from the American Pregnancy Association website)

• Weepiness or crying for no apparent reason
• Impatience
• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Anxiety
• Fatigue
• Insomnia (even when the baby is sleeping)
• Sadness
• Mood changes
• Poor concentration

Luckily I don't have all these symptoms, but I have enough to make me watchful for post partum depression. I will gladly take a happy pill if that would help make me a better parent and wife.

Yup those are the ones!

I used to be a morning person, happily waking up with a song and a bounce in my step. Greeting the day like an old friend. Now I greet the day like Janice, the cranky old lady down the street, that screams at everyone walking by. She needs some sleep and maybe a really strong cocktail.

Ketcher has started to get more alert, and with that is a whole lot more crying. He also has some serious day/night confusion right now. He sleeps all day, so much that I have to wake him to eat, and then at night it's party time... and by party I mean endless poopy diapers, eating, and crying. My mantra is "Only a few more weeks.  Only a few more weeks.  Only a few more weeks."  By 6 weeks old they usually have the day/night confusion under control. By 12 weeks they lose the witching hours and start to fall into a decent schedule. Only a few more weeks.

Kenzie has good and bad moments.  I would be a lot more tolerant of her screaming fits if I had more sleep. Currently every time her high pitched siren goes off, I rush her into her room. It's all I can do to not lose it. By lose it I mean stoop to her level and get frustrated or yell. No sense in both of us tantruming for no reason.

I get especially pissed when Ketcher is finally drifting off to sleep after being awake for endless hours and Kenzie starts screaming. Her screams could break the sound barrier. She obviously inherited my lung capacity and loudness. This too shall pass, right?  When?  Can I get a date on that?

"You wish your eyebrows were this perfect!"
-girl in the mirror

As for me? I am at that horrible stage of thinking I should be back to my pre-baby body. I know... it's only been 3 weeks, but try telling that to the girl in the mirror. She is using my sleep deprivation against me, to get under my skin and taunt me like a sixth grader. I have already been through the hell of sixth grade, I am not going back. (See this post if you need more insight to my past.)

My insecurity is starting to spill out in the form of jealousy. Dan and I have been together for over a decade, so lets not jump to the conclusion that it's other women, I am jealous of his freedom. He will be returning to work on Friday after 3 weeks of man-ternity leave. He will once again enter the world of adult conversation, leaving me alone to talk to the only person who talks back, the girl in the mirror... oh and Janice.

Meet Janice! She likes warm hugs and walks
in the rain, said no one ever.

Only a few more weeks.

Postpartum feelings now and then

Wow are things different this time around. With my first baby in the days that followed getting home from the hospital, I was in this euphoric, life changing, anxious, sleep deprived, happy state. I wanted to be within arms reach of Kenzie at all times. When Dan gave her the first bath I cried and freaked out on him because he didn't read all the books I had. Obviously you need to read about how to give a baby a bath or else the child will surely drown.

With Ketch I walked right back into the newborn stage like meeting an old frienemy. We knew each other a while ago, and weren't really friends, but it is comforting to be around someone you know. The night wakings are no longer frustrating, the explosive diapers at 4am don't scare me, I fall easily back to sleep after a feeding, instead of wondering if he is breathing.  I even woke up with poop on my hand and didn't give it a second thought. Good times...

What I didn't see coming was the bone crushing, eye stinging guilt I feel over abandoning my toddler to meet the needs of my sweet baby boy. Her world has just been ripped apart. Dan left for Michigan 4 days ago, I have become inaccessible when I was once her favorite playmate, and for the icing on the cake she has a wicked cold. Basically she is in hell and doesn't understand why. Nor can she even communicate what she is feeling.

So what did the internet search on it render last night at 2am?  Let's discuss...

1. Label your toddlers emotions. I did this yesterday as she sat in the room while I nursed Ketcher. She was screaming and crying on floor and flailing her body around like she was on fire. I said. "I know you are angry right now and frustrated. I promise we will all get used to it and things will get better."  I am not sure she heard me over her blood curdling screams.

2. Address unmet needs. She needs her mom and dad right now, and we aren't there. My doc told me to stay in bed this week, bond with my new baby, stay away from stress because it messes with your milk supply. Mmm'kay... and when should I pencil in time with my oldest?  It is incredibly stressful to hear her wailing from the next room and having to feed or change Ketcher. To make matters worse I can't just pick up Ketch and move room to room. I have to wheel a 3 foot oxygen tank with us every where we go.

3. Let your toddler be involved with the baby. Yes this is one I can do, although Kenzie is much more fascinated by the oxygen tank with all the cords and knobs, and not super interested in the baby. Also, with Kenz being sick I can't have her all that close. I cringe every time she sneezes or coughs in the same room as the new baby.

4. Encourage them to express their feelings.  No issues there. Wail away.

5. Give them some control. Yes she is feeling like her life is totally out of control right now. However, when I give her simple decisions to make she doesn't get the concept yet.  Would you like to wear this or this? She grabs both and walks away.  Decisions at eating time are just ridiculous at this age, she has no idea what she wants until you put it on a spoon and bring it to her mouth.

6. Stay calm and appear happy, because they will feel even worse when they see you get frustrated with them.  I like this one. She needs a lot of TLC and hugs right now. Thank God for Disney movies.  When frustration starts setting in a little Frozen will make everything better.

I was totally grossed out by that, but now I have kids.

With Kenzie getting the stomach flu, I was inspired and intrigued to make a list of all those things that I was totally grossed out by... before I had kids. My childfree friends will continue to be grossed out by this stuff, while my parent friends laugh about it. 

My list of stuff I was totally grossed out by, but now I have kids:

1. Explosive diarrhea.  Totally gross, but now I think "Hey, better out than in!"

2. Vomit. Still smells gross, but now I just feel terrible for my kid that's vomiting.

3. Getting poop on me.  Sh** happens, especially at a 3am diaper change in the dark. As long as it doesn't transfer to your face while you sleep, it's a win.

4. Boogers. See #1.  I pull out more boogers with my fingers than with the bulb syringe which only works about 10% of the time anyway.

5. Snot. Not to be confused with the clumpy consistency of boogers. Snot is a whole other ball game. If I don't take the time to suction it out with the nose frieda it will be running down her face for the next 2 hours. If we are out and about and I see her nose run, I don't think twice about wiping her face with my hand.



3 months old, had this dress on for 3 minutes
spit up all over it.

6. Leaking fluids. I am not just talking about kids fluids. If you have ever made it through a pregnancy and given birth, fluids of any kind won't phase you.

7. Spit up. So much better than vomit, so much more frequent than any new parent could imagine. Get the burp cloths ready and hope it isn't projectile.

8. Car keys in a baby's mouth. Kenzie has chewed on our car keys since the time she could grab. They have fallen on countless floors, sat at the bottom of dirty purses, and been in plenty of dirty hands. Still, if needed they are always a source of her pleasure.

9. Food eaten off the floor. The snack cups with rubber lids, what a joke!  One hand in, and a handful of puffs fly all over the floor. Well, that's a $4 snack all over the floor, and the dogs are upstairs, so sure Kenz, have at it!




10. The Nose Frieda. A tube to suction out the snot, using your mouth. That's right! I would have said "Hell No!" before I had kids. Now I am considering buying a second one so I can keep one in each kids room. Goody!

So gross, right?

11. Ear wax. Someone's gotta clean it out.

12. Poop in general. When your baby poops, you learn to study the color and consistency to make sure they are healthy. When they are toddlers you get excited to clean up the potty seat they just pooped in. Poop is a great thing!

Moms and Dads have anything to add?  Comment below or post it on facebook.

Am I really ready for baby 2?

I have had the luxury of chasing a toddler around almost this whole pregnancy, so when I really consider if I am ready to throw a newborn in the mix, I actually have to think about it.

The short answer is: Yes, of course!

The long answer is a little more complicated.

I spend my days playing with Kenzie and tending to her needs full time (squeezing work in when I can). So am I ready for the guilt that will inevitably come from tending to another child? No.

Am I ready for the panic all over again, when I can't figure out what's wrong, and he won't stop crying? No.

Am I ready to face sleepless nights and exhausting days, with no breaks? No.

Am I ready to start working out again?  Ugh, definitely not.

This is more likely...

However...

Am I ready to get rid of this back pain and moodiness from pregnancy?  Hell yes!

Am I ready to cuddle a sleeping baby in my arms again?  Definitely.

Am I ready to meet my little boy and finally pick a name?  YES!

Am I ready to burn the polyester panel on my maternity jeans?  You know it!

Nothing says sexy like 30 lbs of extra weight and 12 inches of fabric to keep your pants up.

I may not be ready, but...

I will get through the newborn phase, which mysteriously disappears from memory once you are done with it.

I will help Kenzie through the mixed feelings she will have as I hold her little brother.

I will suffer through a 7am Jillian Michaels workout and be screamed at for 45 minutes to get back to my old self.

"Ok chubs... no more cinnamon toast crunch. Get off your a** and  GET MOVING!"

So am I ready?  If anyone asks: Yes, of course!

The 3 Final Baby Names

This is it, we have 3 weeks and 3 names picked out. We know a lot of people won't like the choices, but please feel free to leave your feedback.  We will read all the comments and go ahead and do whatever we want anyway. :)

Hudson - This was my favorite for a really long time. However Dan could only picture this guy whenever we talked about it:

Don't ask me why...

I wouldn't be opposed to having an NFL player as a son, but since neither of us are really football fans, or have an NFL body type it, is unlikely that will happen. 

Case - This became our next favorite. Dan wanted Casey, but that didn't seem unique enough. Plus I am pretty sure he was naming him after the Grateful Dead song, Casey Jones. Anyway, this name grew on me, until I saw another mom that lives in Summit County with a child of similar age with the same name! What are the odds in a county with only 2,000 people? 

Me: "How does the song go?"
Dan: "Ridin' that train, high on cocaine..."
Me: "No we are not naming our kid Casey"

 

Ketcher - The newest addition to the mix. Dan seems to be adamant on this one. Short name: "Ketch"  I google imaged the name Ketcher and this kid came up.  I would be ok that.

We do love fedoras in this family.

That's it, short and sweet. Please leave your comments below or on facebook. All are welcome, good and bad.

Remember he is probably going to come out looking similar to this:

Maybe Hudson would work after all...

Boy Baby Names

Dan wanted to get everyone's opinion on our name list. Some of these are just fillers, some are Dan's favorites, some are my favorites.  Our leading names are included in the list. What's your favorite?  Post comments below or on facebook.

• Ansel
• Bauer
• Case
• Dempsey
• Ellis
• Fisher
• Gord
• Hudson
• Irwin
• James
• Kilian
• Lane
• Mumford
• Ned
• Owen
• Pader
• Quigley
• Redmond
• Sam
• Tennyson
• Ulysses
• Vaughn
• Whitaker
• Xavier
• Yates
• Zane

I need a name!

Ridiculous Baby Bucket Items

As I said in my last post, there are so many unreal things they tell you to do before having a baby. Let's count them down...

7. Perform a random act of kindness.  Yes do this because you will become an evil shrew after you have a child. Seriously? I feel like I am kinder now that I have a child.  Never stop doing random acts of kindness.

6. Develop a hobby. Great piece of advice, because after baby you are going to have so much time for your hobbies. Save the money from the scrapbooking supplies in your amazon cart right now and put it into a diaper fund.

5. Address any problems in your relationship. I am not saying this is a bad idea, but if you have some bad problems in your relationship you shouldn't have a baby bucket list. Kids put a tremendous amount of stress on a relationship, so if you aren't solid, but the baby on hold.

4. Buy your dream car. Sure go ahead and spend the money to buy your dream car. As if having a child isn't expensive enough. What you should be doing is saving your money NOW to pay off the insane medical bills from having a kid. The reality is that you will be cashing in your dream car waaaaay before you have it paid off, to get something kid friendly, like the Toyota the Muppets are singing in on that commercial. Yes I want one.

3. Enjoy an all-nighter. Ha! You are going to have plenty of these after baby. Do the opposite and get yourself some sleep now.

2. Take a career risk. Honestly, now is NOT the time for risking your career. You want something stable that you can take a long maternity leave and not worry about losing your job. Also health insurance is sometimes not available for the first 3 months of a new job.

And the #1 worst baby bucket idea is:  1. Have someone else's baby come and stay overnight. WHAT?! I have never ever heard worse advice. First of all, this just seems creepy. Second, if your child wakes in the middle of the night, it is vastly different than someone else's child crying at 3am.  Third, you will surely decide never to have children after that night and then a few months later concede. So do yourself a favor and skip this horrible step.

Have you read some terrible pre-baby advice?  What was it? Comment below.

5 Items on your Baby Bucket List

There are so many things to do before you have kids and there are so many lists posted out there about it.  My next blog post is about the ludicrous things some of these lists tell you to do before having kids, but meanwhile here are my top 5 things to appreciate and do more of before having kids.

1. Sleep in now. I am not really one for sleeping in, but now that I can't, I really wish I had.

2. Take long baths or showers. After baby, those showers literally become cardio sprints. You absolutely WILL hear a baby crying as soon as you enter the shower, even if there isn't one.  If your child is old enough to be awake, you feel guilty or worried that something will happen like finding a way up the stairs even though it's gated off.

3. Eat. Yup, simple as that. After baby you will be so busy you won't think about eating. Once your bundle of joy grows up and starts eating real food, 95% of your meals will be toddler leftovers.  Crusty mac n cheese that has been sitting out for an hour... mmm.

4. Watch some movies. Yes you plan on renting a lot of movies, and your spouse will probably be the only one that makes it all the way through. 15 minutes into the movie you will be asleep. Every. Time. Thinking about going to the movies?  Let's be real: Price of 2 movie tickets $16.50 x 2 = $33 + $10 for popcorn and soda (hey you deserve it, see #3) + baby sitter for 3 hours $30 = That's $73 to see a movie that you will fall asleep during. Go see a movie now before you have to take out a second mortgage to do it!

5. Spend some quality time with your friends. I have, sort of, addressed this in my baby shower gifts post. Let's look at it a little further:

Who are we kidding... there will be
no ironing ever again.

• 0-3 months the recluse stage - You physically can't socialize. You are exhausted, leaking, and hormonal. There is no way you will be able to engage in meaningful conversation.
• 4-9 months the schedule stage - Baby takes 3 naps per day, ranging 1-3 hours per nap. You only have about a 2 hour awake window before they go down again, and you have to fit in feedings, tummy time, and countless diaper changes. That leaves 15 minutes. You have 15 minutes to socialize.
•  9-12 months the mobile stage - They are down to 2 naps per day but when they are awake you're just trying to keep them away from cords, plugs, stairs, plants, dogs, and all that other stuff you didn't think was dangerous. Plus you have to feed them twice as much, which is twice as messy. The biggest annoyance is the amount of stuff you have to lug with you. It would appear you are going on a 2 week vacation, when in fact you are spending the afternoon with a friend.
• 1-2 years the trying-not-to-let-my-kid-kill-themselves stage - You are finally down to one nap and you think you can socialize. However, your toddler is now walking/running, climbing, eating items as if they have Pica disorder, and generally putting their life in danger on a daily basis.  Good luck being social.

Not to worry future parents, I have heard you can do all of these things again someday. Maybe in 2 years, or 5 years... definitely after they move out.

Have something to add? Please leave it in the comments, some future Mom will thank you!

What's in a name?

long hours and hard work!

We are playing the name game again with baby #2. When I think we've settled on a name my husband comes home with 3 more to consider.

With Kenzie it was pretty easy. Consulting my pregnancy journal with her, confirms that we had her named before the gender ultrasound. If we were having another girl, we already had another name picked out.

Boys are tough. Not for everyone, but for some reason we just can't pick. We want something unique but not too unique. The first thing I do when Dan tells me a name, is to picture it on a resume. I have done HR for multiple companies and a first impression starts with a name.

One of our agreements to having kids was that Dan gets to pick the name. However, I have full veto rights. His middle name will be James, after Dan's father.

What's in a name? A lot of hard work and hours spent looking up meanings. Here are a handful of names that were ultimately vetoed: (and the images that pop into my mind when I hear that name)

Henry - this is a great name, but it certainly doesn't have the uniqueness I wanted.  It is still in the distant running, but only if the baby comes out with a crown and scepter.







Quigley -  seriously I am not joking.  I laughed when he said it, because I thought he was joking. He wasn't. I promptly vetoed it. I don't know who this guy is... but it seemed fitting.









Finch - I can't picture anyone other than David Spade in Just Shoot Me. When I think of Finch I think of junior high swirlies. Not gonna happen!

Fitz - I don't know why, but every 3rd name or so, he tries pulling out Fitz. He has tried Fitzgerald, Fitzpatrick, and Honeyfitz. Honeyfitz?  Really? This poor boy wouldn't stand a chance unless he was wearing a top hat and monocle.

Kilian - This one is still in the running, but I picture a dark haired, brown eyed boy. If he looks even a fraction like Kenzie, this name won't work. She has blond hair and blue eyes and is alabaster white. Plus it is a little more unique than I wanted to go. If the boy comes out with any facial hair this will be his name.

 

Cullen - I do like the name, but 98% of my female peer group, and younger, would think we were naming him after the twilight vampire family. It's actually an Irish name and it's one of the better ones he picked out. Maybe we will still use this one if he is born with hazel eyes and fangs.



If you are reading this to see what names we have picked out, sorry to disappoint! I am saving our top 2 names at the moment. One is pretty much set in stone. The other is saved in the event that he comes out with red hair. Red runs in both of our families, so it's possible. We figure we should go with a good Irish name if that happens. Hint: it's not O'doyle.

Useful Baby Shower Gifts

Baby showers... you either dread them, or get excited about picking out tiny outfits the newborn is sure to wear only once, if that. I received so many great gifts, so I am not complaining. However, there was so much that didn't get used or was only worn once.

From now on I recommend getting these future moms some real presents that they don't even have a clue they will need. Here are my top 5 recommendations:

1. Cover-up, bronzer, foundation, oh my! I only used lipstick and eye makeup before having kids. Now I need to cover those dark circles under my eyes, bronze up the pasty winter-white skin on my face, and slap a layer of foundation over everything to cover up all those other spots I can't seem to scrub away.

2. Take out menus. This gift can be given to the husband who will inevitably ask "What's for dinner?" while new-mom is totally sleep deprived and probably hasn't eaten in 2 days. If she's nice, she may grit her teeth and say "Whatever you are making." If she isn't, this sentence will probably lead to divorce. So for a lasting marriage... take out menus.

3. Disposable kitchenware. I am talking about paper cups, plates, forks, spoons, and knives. Even if you have a dish washer, loading and unloading requires work. Not to mention the scatter brain of a new parent might end in disastrous results.  After I had Kenzie, I was going to wash up some bottles and pump items. I turned on the hot water, plugged the sink, walked away to grab something... and 3 hours later Dan came home and yelled "WHAT THE HELL!", the sink was still going and had flooded... (THANKFULLY!!!) into the other side of the sink. There was no hot water for the rest of the day. This could have ended with a flooded kitchen and ruined hardwood floors. Lesson learned: after baby, no dishes.

4. Yoga pants and a big pack of V-neck T-shirts. The uniform of a new mom. No the yoga pants aren't for working out! How dare you?! They are comfy and not as gross as sweat pants with paint on them. The T-shirts are for easy feeding access for the new baby, and big enough to forget that with the birth of the baby, all the weight didn't miraculously come off too. It takes at least as long as you carried that kid for it to come off. No one tells you that. Your welcome.

5. A break. I am not talking about watching the new baby, although that might be helpful, I am talking about giving the new parent some slack. Text messages won't get returned, phone calls will go unanswered, and emails will probably be returned with an "inbox is full" message. It has nothing to do with you and everything to do with sleep deprivation, hormones, and tending to a little person that can't do a thing for himself. It took me, on average, 2 weeks to return a message of any sort. Your friend will be back to her old self in a few months, so hang in there and don't take it personally.

Have something to add?  Please add it to the comments below!

Live in the moment before it's too late!

August 2013 - 8 months

I glanced at Kenzie today as we were playing on the floor and I realized that she is changing. The sweet chubby cheeks are gone, her half moon eyes are full of expression, and her gummy smile is now a toothy grin. How long has she looked like a toddler, instead of a baby?  I am with her every day, all day. How did I not notice? What else have I not noticed?

March 2013 - 15 months

Her laugh is starting to change, her run isn't as wobbly, and one of her favorite activities is to pick up heavy things and move them from one side of the room to the other. The heavy objects of choice are full Nalgene bottles, step stools, and any item weighing more than she does.

When we watched Sesame Street, she did the same dances as the children on the show, when they make a "g" sound she did too, and when the Count appeared she immediately started to do his laugh: "Ah... Ah... Ah..."

It was startling to realize how quickly she changed. It won't be long before I look over and see a child with a full head of hair, a full set of teeth, and an independent personality.

I worry that after baby #2 gets here, I will notice even less. The busy day-to-day minutia creates a thick fog. Cleaning, picking up toys, working, picking up toys, cooking, picking up toys, bathing... it's hard to remember to stop and live in the moment.

I am putting a reminder in my phone now, so when it goes off, I can stop what I am doing and just enjoy her and whatever the moment holds.

Spring is almost here!

March has brought lots of sun to the mountains and that means suntan lotion, walks outside, and dreams of Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy.

I am trying to get into the habit of putting sunblock on Kenzie when she gets dressed.  Her alabaster skin is sure to fry up like a weenie of I'm not careful. Oh the smell of sunblock... reminds me of warm skin, open windows, and summer cocktails.

Even though the temperature has barely gotten above 40 degrees we like to take at least 1 walk outside per day. The sun feels good, it tires out the toddler, and it is starting to break my cabin fever.

What a wonderful way to introduce some of the amazing things we learn about in her books. If you haven't bought the book Little Blue Truck yet, I recommend it. It's one of Kenzie's favorites and teaches about animals, trucks, and how to be courteous to everything around you. Our neighborhood is still under construction so I get to point out all the different trucks, including the big evil dump truck from the book.

We also sing "These are the people in our neighborhood" a Sesame Street song from the 80s that I have on a CD sent from Grandma. I want to teach her to be friendly to everyone because I think we have lost that. Most people are walking and talking on their phones or listening to their ipods and are totally disconnected. I think nature should be enjoyed without electronics. I take my phone occasionally to get a video or photo of Kenzie but otherwise we walk hand in hand taking it all in.

As for the summer cocktails, the baby is due right before memorial day so I will be right on track to enjoy that frosty Summer Shandy, a vodka tonic, or a crisp glass of Riesling. Let's open the windows and celebrate!  Ok maybe after some of the snow has melted.

Sleep Habits: Luck or Influence?

"You were lucky with Kenzie! The next one is going to give you a run for your money!" - everyone

This is not something I want to think about, but as my due date approaches I am starting to get nervous. Was she born the way she is, or did I influence it? 

Kenzie is a great sleeper. At 15 months she sleeps a solid 12 hours at night and takes a 1.5 hour nap every day. She has slept through the night since she was 5 months old. Even before that she only woke once a night after the first 2 months.

How could I have influenced that?

Before she was born, and immediately following, I read Baby Wise, Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child, 90 Minute Sleep Solution, and any other sleep book I could download into my Kindle. I had an arsenal of tools to use when things weren't working.

What I think probably helped the most was that I was home all day, every day. I never left the house unless it was scheduled immediately following a nap, and I was sure to be home before her next nap time. I gave up all my summer nights at the marina, to be home by 6pm so she could go to sleep on time. I never let her catnap in the stroller or car seat. If there was anything I was (and still am) psycho about, it's her sleep.

Even if I influenced her good sleep habits, what happens now?  The new baby will come and Kenzie will be 18 months old. A full toddler, tantrums and all. A toddler needs to get out in nature and release all that pent up energy. How will I maintain a baby sleep schedule?

I am starting to think the type A, strict schedule, will need to take a back seat to an easy going guideline. If baby #2 sleeps for an hour in his stroller while Kenzie has a great time running around the play ground, maybe that's a win. If the car seat lulls him to sleep, while we drive to our favorite pizza place, that's ok too. The new goal will be to have the majority of his sleep at home, in the crib.

Will loosening the reins mean a worse kid? I don't know, but I might be a happier parent.