Good Reads

When I first got pregnant, I felt pretty clueless. You know how you look forward to getting pregnant for so long? Then when you do, you realize, oh  my goodness! Now what? In those brief moments of panic that lasted for 9 months, I found some solace in a few great books.

1. What to Expect When You're Expecting : For everything from morning sickness, to timelines, to baby development, to absurd cravings, this book is a must-have, go-to book for the pregnant mama. I'm pretty sure I went out to Walmart and bought this book as soon as I had taken my second (or was it third) positive pregnancy test - in two days. 

2. So That's What They're For! : I got this from my breastfeeding preparation class at the hospital. If you are preggers and plan to breastfeed, or even if you're just not sure and want to really know the ins and outs, read this! I suggest reading it before you start breastfeeding, if possible. It will really prepare you for what is inevitably going to come your way. The author has a great way of writing in a clear, fun, and helpful manner.  Charlotte is now 10 months old and I still refer to this book for some helpful tips (weaning, solids, schedules).

3. The Happiest Baby on the Block : I actually didn't ever finish reading this book, but the parts that I did read were very enlightening to me. This book had some great info about broad topics as well as interesting research and methods for specific things like how to sooth your infant. I felt a little more prepared and educated after reading through many sections of this book. One day, maybe I'll even finish it!

Charlotte's Got Great Taste

Let me preface this by saying, I'm sorry. I'm well aware that I'm pretty pathetic for even noticing these things...

While indulging in my guilty pleasure the other night (watching Desperate Housewives - thank you DVR), I saw two things that made me all giddy inside. One of the housewives, Lynette has a little baby girl, Paige who just happens to have the same taste as my little Charlotte! I first noticed that the jammies Paige wore in one scene are the same cute little things that Charlotte wore earlier this week. Ahhhh! Then her pack n' play in another scene was the same one that Charlotte has and that I even blogged about. Score! So basically, Charlotte is FAMOUS!  *giggle, giggle*

But I must say, it was kind of fun to see Charlotte's things on the "big screen!" I'm so used to seeing high-end designer baby items on TV shows that would make me a bit queasy if I ever saw the price tag. It was kind of refreshing (and fun!) to see "real people" stuff on my silly show.
Have you ever seen your kid's items in "famous" places?

It's here! It's really, really here!

Charlotte's shopping cart cover is here! After a rough couple of weeks, Nani was able to finally conquer all obstacles and complete this totally adorable project. When Nani dropped off the seat cover this morning, I had this overwhelming sense that there just must be something that we needed at the grocery store. Well... I guess Charlotte and I will just have to muster up the strength for a quick trip. Hey, while we're at it, we'll take her seat cover for a whirl. How convenient  ;)

It's pretty funny that something like this can make my day, but then again, how could cute monkeys and colorful swirls on fabric not make my day? The fact that I didn't have to lug around Charlotte's car seat and watch her strain her neck, trying to look around at the produce was enough to put a little spring in my step. Charlotte loved being able to look all around at the brightly colored packaging, the signs that we passed by (and that she almost knocked over), and even to play with the credit card reader in the checkout lane. So not only did I get the kidney beans for our chili dinner tonight, but Charlotte got to see the world from a whole new perspective -- okay, maybe not the world, but at least a little part of it.

It's the little things...

The Goods

It only took me a couple minutes to learn that it's helpful to have some key items in your arsenal when you are making and storing baby food.When I first started, I was kind of lost. How was I supposed to get these solid foods to be mushy? How was I supposed to store the mush once it was mushy? How do I feed the mush to the baby? How do I stop the never-ending flow of dirty dishes in the kitchen? Ok, so this last one I can't help you with. But the others? I can at least tell you what works for me.

Charlotte's first food was sweet potato. I looked it up on my fave baby food site, read about the nutrition, the timeline, and the preparation suggestions. I was ready to rock and roll. My first attempt at pureeing the sweet taters was kind of a lumpy, orange mess, but I figured this was the norm. I used my mini food processor and whirred the stuff up, but never really got the smooth consistency I was hoping for. I had gone out that day to buy some pretty nifty covered ice cube trays at Bed Bath and Beyond that I read about on the baby food site, and spooned the lump-mush into the trays. I froze it for the night then put the frozen cubes into a labeled quart size, ziploc freezer bag, then back into the freezer. Voila! My first attempt at baby food-making was surprisingly close to a success.

The next week, I decided to make some peas. This time, I used the Magic Bullet that my mom gave me. Who would have thought that this would end up being my favorite puree'er? It's quick to set up, easy to store, simple to clean, and it purees perfectly! This is now my go-to for everything from peaches, to peas. From barley to green beans.

A Magic Bullet, covered ice cube trays, and some freezer bags -- my life is complete.

The Joy of Cooking (for an infant)

I don't know about anyone else, but just the thought of starting my little girl on solids was enough to give me some serious agida. I had just started getting quite comfortable (and spoiled) with Charlotte's nursing habits. She would only nurse a handful of times a day for just about 15 or 20 minutes. Ahhhh... Heavenly. Then I came to the harsh realization that this little being needed more than just milk to survive. Darn. So I did the only thing I could think to do at a time like this - I called my sister-in-law.

After talking and laughing, I understood that (seriously, Christie) this was not the end of the world. Through our chat, I was pointed to my go-to source, a great site called www.wholesomebabyfood.com. I love it because you can navigate by stage, by food types, by topic... For the past 2 months, I have gone to this site for guidance and comfort along this seemingly scary path of solids. And I must say, once you get your feet wet, it's not worth all the anxiety.

I think my next few posts will be all about this new world of "food stuff." We've been having so much fun with it and I feel like if others out there feel as clueless as I did (and at times, still do), it might help to hear what other moms are doing. For now, I'm going to go and change yet another poopy diaper - because as many of you know... with solid foods come solid poops. The joys of motherhood.

Reality Check

Seriously! She's only 7 months old and I'm already in denial (apparently) about how big she's getting. A couple times a week, I'll look at one of the adorable outfits in Charlotte's closet and think, "Nah, not yet. This is too big for my little munchkin. Maybe soon, but for now, she can wear this again." Then one day, I'll be feeling brave and I'll decide -- it's time! And we'll put on the outfit that I've been holding off on for a month and she's only got a few days left of fitting in it! Now this, my friends, is why you will see Charlotte go through phases when she wears the same outfit every other day for 2 weeks. It's because that outfit is one I thought was "too big" for far too long that I missed the window! Meanwhile, Charlotte is just growing, growing, growing and I'm just sitting here, hoarding her clothes.

Isn't she still my little 7 pound snuggle bug? No?! Since when??

Fuzz, Feathers, and Fins

One of the most satisfying moments for me these days is when I find things that Charlotte really enjoys and connects with. Nowadays, it's a little easier to engage her, but a couple months ago it could be tricky to really get a rise out of this little person who only seemed to care about food and sleep.

So one day when Charlotte was about 3 months old, Hubby (the creative thinker that he is) had the idea to take her to the pet store after church. We didn't know if Charlotte would really give a rip, but figured it could be fun to try it out. Justin and I are both animal-lovers, so we figured we'd trick her into becoming one, too.

When we went in, we headed straight for the hamsters and gerbils. Charlotte was sucked in right away. She leaned in towards the glass and just stared. It was so neat to see the little gears in her head turning as she saw the little guys running in their wheels scampering all around. Next stop was the parakeets. These were a HUGE hit. They were noisy, colorful, and a bit on the hyper-active side (aka: awesome). Our last stop was the fish. They may not be quite as fuzzy or vocal, but lemme tell ya... they still grab the attention of a curious infant.

So our trip was a success. And we learned there's nothin' like a free trip to the "local zoo."