What a wonderful thing

If you're a mom, you've probably been asked this question a time or two: "What's your can't-live-without-it baby item?" Well, I've been asked this before, and because I'm so terrible at choosing just one thing, I've probably said different things at different times to different people. But as the days and (oh my!) months go by, I think I have decided on something - at least until I need to change my mind. But my must-have is Charlotte's simple little bouncer seat. This little thing has been a staple in our lives ever since Charlotte first arrived.

Why do I love it so? Let me count the ways...

1. It's cute! You've gotta love the look of your baby stuff, am I right?
2. It was just as useful when Charlotte was 4 days old as it is at 4 months old.
3. It allowed mommy to take showers (yay!) in the early days of motherhood. Charlotte would sit in her bouncer right outside the shower and usually fall asleep to the lull of the running water.
4. There is a removable toy bar which at first seemed like a waste because the toys swung towards her face and made her cry for the first 3 months, but now she gets a good 20 minutes of entertainment from them!
5. There is a vibration setting on the bouncer which used to put her right to sleep and keep her cozy. I don't really ever remember to use it nowadays, but "back then" it was quite handy.
6. It's lightweight and portable. I can carry it, with Charlotte sitting in it, to wherever I want to plunk her down to be with me. Doing laundry, washing dishes, making the bed...
7. The cover is easy to remove, wash, and put back together... and yes, I have had to do it quite a few times!
8. It's reasonably priced, especially when you buy it with a 20% off baby gear coupon at Babies R Us, and also when I consider how much I've used it.

So there is my must-have of the day. If you're a new mom or a not-quite-yet mom and you don't have one, maybe getting one will brighten your day too :) For the moms out there, what's your must-have?

There was a time...

There was a time when I really felt like I was best defined as (nothing more) than "a breastfeeding mother." It's true. For the first couple of months, I felt like that is all I did, that was all I was good for, and that was most likely all I would do for the rest of my life. It's funny how that time seemed never-ending in the midst of it all, but now that I have made it through the rough stuff, I can look back and say, "now that wasn't so hard, was it?" But trust me, it was not so easy to see the forest through the trees for quite some time there.

Now don't get me wrong. I didn't hate it or have a bad attitude towards nursing my little girl, but geez louise... I had some rough times. Let's see...
-First of all, I think all I did for the first 3 months was nurse, burp, then prepare to nurse again. Charlotte was eating almost every 2 hours throughout the day up until just about a week ago.
-I have been labeled by my lactation consultant as an "over-producer." This means I've gotten to live through such joyous moments as waking up most mornings with rock-hard boulders attached to my chest, and still, to this day, going through boxes upon boxes upon boxes of nursing pads since I rarely survive even one minute without them.
-I also got Mastitis (breast infection) 3 times in 3 months. Lovely.
-I have a baby who is a "stop-and-smell-the-roses" type of eater. It was not uncommon for her to take about 45 minutes to nurse as she just chilled out and enjoyed life while savoring every drop of milk.

So why am I telling you all of this? Because I am now on the other side of it all. And you know what? It is, and was, worth every second. Now Charlotte has started to go about 3-4 hours between feedings (hallelujah); she is a little more efficient with her eating process; I still blow through a gazillion nursing pads, but I have gotten to test drive tons of brands and I've finally found my fave (Johnson's); and well... I haven't quite figured out this Mastitis thing, but I've survived all 3 infections, so that's got to count for something.

I remember reading about nursing moms in my (many) books that said there was a beautiful bond that developed between them with their baby when they nursed. These moms loved the time they had when they would just stare into their baby's eyes as they fed them. Initially, I thought these ladies were a little on the crazy side. I believed in the benefits of breastfeeding just as much as the next mom, but that seemed a little far-fetched, and maybe even slightly ridiculous. But I have to admit - I'm now one of "them." I enjoy the time that I get with my little girl when I feed her. I truly cherish the bond that we have and the way that she looks up at me and smiles right in the middle of nursing.

I no longer feel burdened by this job I have. It's no longer what defines me, but it sure is a part of who I am. And I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Sleep tight...

One of the things I stressed about the most when I was registering for baby items before Charlotte was born was choosing what she would sleep in for those first few weeks (before going into her own crib). I ended up emailing lots of moms I knew to ask them their opinions. I'm so happy that I talked through the decision with them, because in the end, I think we ended up with a perfect solution.

For the first 2 months of her life, Charlotte slept in our bedroom, right next to our bed in this. I thought is was a great option for us for so many reasons. Here are the highlights:

-It's small enough to be not-too-annoying to look at each day and night
-It's high enough off of the ground to not give me a back ache each time I lifted her in and out in the middle of the night
-AND it's so easy to break down and set up which (so far) has come in handy for two out-of-town trips we've taken. Once was at a hotel -- perfect solution! It fit right in between the two queen beds.

So all in all, I'm so glad for the recommendations and warnings from friends. This was a great choice for us... maybe it will be good for some of you who are looking for ideas as you prepare for your little one.

What's a girl to do?

The other day I found myself in quite a pickle. I had so many decisions and choices before me and I didn't know where to start.

I'll set the scene: It was mid-afternoon, sunny, about 80-some degrees (hot). Charlotte and I went out grocery shopping together and she as in her car seat, in the top of the cart. We had a cart full of bags, and we were heading out to the car to pack up our goodies and head home (hoping the ice cream would make it the next couple of miles). Now came decision time... We rolled up to the car, I unlocked it. Then I just stood there. What do I do first? It's hot. If I put her in the car first, she'll roast. If I pack the groceries up first, I take the risk of "runaway cart scenario" which is never cool. Especially with a baby in the cart. I considered starting the car up so it could cool down a bit, then load her in, but all that went through my mind was that I'd most likely somehow manage to lock my keys in the car (I have a reputation... another post, another day). So I did what any wise, seasoned mother would do. I stood there. I think I even giggled a little bit.

After thinking through my options, I just said heck with it! I started loading up the car, kept Charlotte in her seat, and kept my foot precariously on the bottom rung of the shopping cart. All went well, groceries got loaded, and there were no runaway carts. Triumph!

...but then something happened that I just didn't see coming. Once I have the baby and the groceries loaded, I still have a cart sitting there. I am NOT the type to leave my cart in the middle of the parking lot, but a girl has GOT to have limits. I guiltily pushed my cart just out of the way of my car and drove away. I guess you can't win 'em all...

My Morning Boost

Have you ever had one of those days where you just feel down? Where you wish that someone looked at you like you were the greatest thing on the planet? I have discovered the cure - a 3 month old baby!

I was just talking with my friend the other day about how it's been almost a whole YEAR since I had a cup of "real" coffee. A year! When I found out I was pregnant, I decided to just cut out caffeine as much as possible. Waking up each morning with no hot cup o' joe can be quite damaging to a person. But I have found something even better (and almost as creamy). Every morning lately, I go to peek into Charlotte's crib and when we make eye contact, it's like a bolt of love/excitement/anticipation lightning strikes her. All the sudden, her legs shoot straight out, her arms start pumping, and her smile... oh man, that cute little gummy smile! Then she lets out the most excited baby shrieks, saying "good morning" to the world.

So what's a morning without coffee when you can start your day with that kind of lovin'?

So I've realized that the house becomes so much creakier and noisier when you have a sleeping baby inside your four walls. Funny how that happens. Sometimes it feels like the world is out to get you and your baby's nap time, doesn't it?

When Charlotte first came along, I thought that we had the soundest sleeping baby on earth. She could sleep through my husband's power tools in the basement, the vacuum cleaner cruising right past her pack n' play, and even the noisy beagle howling at a leaf blowing across the street. But as all new moms realize, that peaceful sleeping stage inevitably comes to an end. Now Charlotte is very curious about noises around her and very in tune to my comings and goings. Luckily, I'm catching on to the creaks in the floor, the screen door that shuts too quickly if you don't catch it in time, the dog who will stand on the back of the couch and drop her heavy chewing stick onto the hardwood floor when all is peaceful and quiet. That's when "Super Mom" mode clicks in!

I've now automatically started tiptoeing around the creaky spots on the floor. One friend even suggested duct taping those spots so I don't forget. How about caution tape? That will get my attention. I take away the puppy's loudest squeakers and heaviest sticks (when she's not looking, of course). And I (try) to make sure that I have all that I need for nap time around me so I don't have to make too much of a racket while the sweet baby sleeps.

My super power may not seem so spectacular to you, but when you make it through a day of naps with no accidental awakenings, you may just start feeling like a super hero too!

To those who haven't yet made the same mistake

I'll start by admitting: yes, this is vain and this is superficial and shallow. But I still think it and I will forgive you if you judge me. See this picture to the right? This is me a day after our little girl came into the world. I'm over-joyed, in love, grateful, and in awe of what has gone on in the past 24 hours. But what else am I? I'm clearly not thinking ahead to the ramifications my choices will have on Charlotte's baby album...

The one thing I had going for me at this time in the hospital was that I took a shower that morning... big feat for a postpartum mama. However, everything else about my outer appearance is just a bit, well, embarrassing. As you can see in the background, we had visitors. And we had other visitors other days... and lots of pictures... lots of pictures to look back on for the rest of our lives. And what will I see each time I look at these photos? That darn ROBE! That darn, wide-open-in-the-back, hospital-issued, completely unflattering robe (and I won't even go into the details of the postpartum undergarments you can see through the open back). The most painful fact to face is that I had other clothes in my bag! Lots of clothes. But I chose to wear the robe, not even a soft, cute hoodie. No... the robe.

Now don't get me wrong, I look back at these pictures of those first couple days of Charlotte's life often, just to relive the pure joy. But ladies - you understand my pain, right? So if you haven't finished packing your hospital bag, be sure to keep my story fresh in your mind. But remember, the hard part is getting yourself to actually put something else on. If you struggle with finding the motivation, just envision what you want to see yourself wearing for generations to come.

live and learn... in the meantime, dwell on the things you can never change ;)