fort cox

15 months and "stuff"

2012-01-27T19:43:00.005-06:00

My knees feel so much better tonight after my workout. I didn't feel like dying at all! Normally I end my workouts feeling like knives are stabbing me in the knees, and I can barely walk or move. But tonight was so much different and I felt so much stronger!

Woo!

Adalyn's asleep in her big girl bed right now. I wonder how long it will last. This is only the second time that I've attempted to have her sleep alone. Last time, I laid awake for an hour and a half missing her and wondering about her. I woke up to a "thud" and then a cry around midnight.. so we'll see if she sleeps well tonight!! I sure will miss sleeping next to her, though :)

Speaking of our big kid, we bought her this little baby carrier set at Target tonight. Ridiculously cute. Can't believe our kid is big enough to be wearing her little baby doll, whom we have lovingly named Andy...

She had her 15-month checkup today and got her Chicken Pox vaccine. I didn't want her to have it. I asked if we could deny it, and my doctor said that VA public schools now require two sets of the Chicken Pox vaccine... ? I'm 99.9% sure that we can "get out of" having her vaccinated with a "religious/ethical" paper and that would be that. But I wasn't sure and just had her get it.

Anyway, she was 30.25" tall, 20.9lbs, and she has a 90th% head circumference. Average height, skinny minnie, and a big head. That's my gal!

And boy did she cry from the second she saw the nurse until the second the doctor said bye bye. She hasn't cried that hard since... a LONG time. I couldn't even hear the doctor talk! The doctor reassured me that kids around 15-months learn that the doctor's office is a scary place, and it's typical. But ack. She really screamed at him. Poor kiddo! ....and poor doctor :)

Edit: She lasted 30 minutes before waking up.

Toy's on Ad's (er.. my..) wishlist!

2012-01-26T14:27:00.002-06:00

You know what? One of my (our entire family's) favorite things to do is to take a trip to Target or Toys R Us. We go at least twice a week, and it's literally fun for the whole family. Ad has now discovered that she's "big enough" to get out of the cart and walk around on her own. Lucky for us, she's a pretty good listener and will follow us and not run around like crazy! But she will find toys she "wants" and will carry them around :) Pretty cute.

But oohhh those toys. They are SO fun and adorable! I have my own little wish list going.. because, hey, I'm going to be playing with these toys too! .. Right? Hehe!

1. Legos. We don't own any. Crazy, I know! They have all sorts now, though. I have my eye on this girly bunny set. I think she'd love it! I know I would :)

2. Animator's Edition Bell Doll: Oh my gosh, could she get any cuter? Disney has an entire collection of these dolls out now. Mark and I really love Belle, Tiana, and Cinderella. Their eyes and hair are so sweet.

3. Baby Stella Moses Bakset: Get out of here. Could this be any cuter?? Baby Stella is by far Adalyn's favorite baby doll. It's simply, soft, and sweet. She would love, love, LOVE to be able to put baby to sleep in this little basket! (Actually, add the entire Baby Stella accessories line to my wish list.. It's all sooo well made!)

4. Pottery Barn Anywhere Chair: These things are so cute. Adalyn needs her own little chair. She loves to sit on the couch, and I just know she'd think she was really "big stuff" if she had a kiddo-sized chair for her reading center! I've been eying this one... and I think it's simply adorable:

It isn't very girly, but I've never been a huge fan of ultra girly things. I think the brown fuzzy one is much cuter than a hot pink hard one!

5. Little People Happy Home: We already own the barn and nativity set, so this would be great. A toddler-sized doll house... love it!

Do all mamas love toys as much as me? Too fun!

her nap evolution

2012-01-25T14:59:00.002-06:00

When Adalyn was a teeny little newborn, she wasn't such a good napper. But she slept great as long as she was in Mama's arms.

Not much housework was done during the day, and I spent a lot of time holding and snuggling her.

Well, as she grew, things didn't really change. I would swaddle her tight, play white noise, and pat her to sleep. And then hold her for her entire nap. It was a tad crazy. She would be sound asleep... until I laid her down. And then she would wake up and cry. Every time! Mark was deployed, so I was on my own - and I did everything I could to get her to sleep! We tried..

the sleep giraffe
Miracle Blanket
Aden + Anais blankets
the Magic Sleep Suit

...we tried it all.

I would even sometimes just wear her for her entire nap. So for the first 6 months of her life, naptime was a struggle. She was never a sleepyhead newborn - she's been wide-eyed and ready to go since her birth day. But that's my girl!

You could set her by the clock. Exactly (and I do mean exactly) 30 minutes after she went to sleep, she would wake up (shifting into her lighter sleep cycle). Every time! So my solution? Nurse her super fast when she woke up to extend her naptime. She would fall back asleep nursing and continue sleeping for another 45 minutes.

And that was our life.

Until 6 months old.

But then! She suddenly decided that naps were fun! And would sleep for longer stretches. All on her own. IN A CRIB! I was jumping for joy at this naptime breakthrough. But you know, I still had to swaddle her, sing her to sleep, and then lay her down exactly 8 minutes after her eyes shut. It was an art - me getting her to sleep so well.

So we continued this for the next 7 months of her life. I swaddled her tight - she loved it - and sung & patted her to sleep. I was beginning to think that my child would forever be swaddled. That I would be singing my 5 year old to sleep. And then my sister gave me the idea of a Montessori bed. Would it work!? Could it?!

IT DID!

We placed a full-sized mattress on the floor, complete with fun Disney Princess bedding, and I couldn't even believe it myself.. she absolutely loved it. She would even run to her bed, plop down on her princess pillow, and wave night night to Cinderella and Aurora.

My baby girl. The baby girl that I swaddled for the entire first year of her life. The baby girl that would upset and frustrate me to no end because of her sleep issues. The baby girl that I always had to lay down when she was in a deep sleep.. that baby girl is now asleep in her big girl bed. And she now takes two 1-hour to 1.5 hour naps every day. I couldn't be more proud. I knew the day would come when I no longer needed to rock and sing to her. At one point I thought it might be when she was in high school :) But it happened. She's becoming more independent by the day. I do kind of miss singing our special songs and looking into her eyes as she fell asleep. But I'm so happy for her that she's come this far.

Nigh' Nigh', Little Toot!

30DS Update and more.

2012-01-22T10:33:00.004-06:00

So I just completed Day 10 of the 30 Day Shred. I'm proud of myself, but...

my knees hurt
my back/shoulders hurt
my thighs hurt
& I'm tired

Ok. My whole body hurts. But that's good, right!? The best part is - Since beginning Level 2 (Oh how I despise Level 2!), my stomach feels tight all day long. It's a great, great feeling. It means this Shredding business is actually working.

But I've only lost 1.5 pounds. So, so discouraging! But I'm holding onto the hope of the bigger picture - muscle gained, a more toned body, and inches lost. I know the scale doesn't always show progress. But gosh darnit, I really wanted to lose 10 pounds in these 30 Days.

I took before & after photos.. of me in my underwear.. so you all will never see those pictures :) But I can already tell a difference between day 5 & 10 in my body! It's giving me the push and the encouragement that I need. And let me be honest here: 20 more days of this? CRIPES. I feel like it will be the death of me!! This has been the longest 10 days ever - even longer than in BMT-time. Sigh. But I'm determined to finish this. And finish strong. And I will!

~~~

Yesterday we drove to Virginia Beach to explore their ultra-fun mall and play in their Disney Store. That is THE most fun store, and Adalyn had a *blast*.. She just about leaped out of her stroller when we got into the store, so we let her out, and she ran around the store like she was on a mission!

::squeak, squeak, squeak:: went her shoes! (She wears WeeSqueaks) She got the attention of every single person in there, and it was hilarious. She found the monster pile of Disney stuffed animals and flipped out when she spotted Daisey and Goofy! This makes me super excited to take her to Disney World next year or in 2013! The girl l.o.v.e.s. Mickey. Who knew that a BABY could love Disney so much!? Well, she does!

~~~

Second birthday party planning is in the works. Possible themes:

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
Pirate girl party
Princess party
Hungry Caterpillar party

Who knows. She doesn't have too many interests at this point, but we do have 9 months :) I may be a little obsessed with looking at birthday ideas on Pinterest... I would LOVE to do a Tangled party, because I LOVE that movie! I even saw a huge fake hair piece at Disney. HA! How hilarious would Adalyn be in that?!?! My nephews would think that was *hilarious* :)

Hm. Yep, that's all for now!

edit: I just found these two party ideas...

Mr. Potato Head Party: http://www.thebirthdayblog.net/search/label/Mr.%20Potato%20Head%20Party

Ice Cream Party: http://www.thebirthdayblog.net/search/label/Ice%20Cream%20Party

CUTENESS!

an afternoon in the life of a 15-month old!

2012-01-20T14:32:00.006-06:00

(So here's what's up! Adalyn turned 15-months old today - it's true! I toted our awful little Canon camera around and photographed our afternoon from 12pm-3pm.. here's what went down...)

My Afternoon
a poem by Adalyn
(pictures, video, and typing & translation by Mama)

I wake up from my nap
in my big girl bed!
I crawl out on my own,
but I'm still a sleepyhead.

I play in the fridge
while Mama makes my lunch
Ravioli, fruit & Goldfish
I love them all a bunch!

I can use a fork
now that I'm 15 months, you know!
Piper watches me as I eat,
and I watch Agent Oso!

After cooking in my kitchen
we head upstairs to play!
I sit in my Ikea chair
& I'll refuse to smile all day :)

I pull the books off the shelf,
it's my favorite thing to do!
I "read" them all by myself
and show Mama the pictures too!

Here are some of my favorite books!
I just LOVE to lift the flaps!
Mama always reads to me
right before my naps.

It's mid-afternoon, time to nurse!
I love to cuddle so much!
I curl up in my mommy's arms,
Boy, I love my mama's touch.

15 months! I'm getting so big!
Just check out all my hair!
It's kind of a little mullet, I know,
But there's a curl here and there!

A ride on the train, a play in the tent
Afternoons are so much fun!
Cooking another meal for my mom,
Cause a chef's work is never done.

3pm and we head upstairs
I'm tired and I need sleep!
Mama pats my butt and shushes me
then I'm off without a peep :)

~~~~

Interview With a 15-Month Old:

So. Adalyn, what are your favorite foods lately? GoGurt, pudding, mashed potatoes, and anything Mama cooks! I'll eat anything!!

Do you have any new tricks? Yep, I can now say "No," but I say it like a Canadian and not assertively. I also just learned how to stick my finger on my mouth and say, "Shh!"

What's your favorite time of day? When Daddy comes home and we all eat together and play all night!

Is there anything you hate? Why, yes. There is. Being dropped off at the church nursery, that's what!

What are your favorite hobbies?
Reading books with Mommy
Cooking in my kitchen
Watching Mickey Mouse
Dancing to music
Picking on Piper
Waking up at night
Nursing
Blowing raspberries on Mama's belly
Babies!

Ahh. My big 15-month old. Love her. Love this stage of her life. I love being able to stay with her and watch her grow as we're both learning together. She'll be a year and a half before we know it!!

fast!

2012-01-17T20:39:00.003-06:00

Fastest post ever.

Adalyn is currently asleep in her big girl bed. All alone! In her own room! For the first time ever! Fingers, toes, arms and legs crossed that this turns out good.

Took measurements of my body tonight so I know how many inches I lose at the end of the 30 Day Shred.

Speaking of the 30DS, I just completed day 5 today! It's getting a *tad* easier. I no longer feel like I'm dying :)

For the second time in our marital history, supper flopped tonight. Our chicken wasn't thawed out enough and I ended up burning the bottom and not cooking the inside thoroughly. We ended up with Subway instead.

Subway? It's Adalyn's favorite restaurant. Ham & American cheese on white! With a cookie on the side! She gobbles it up and waves at everyone inside!

Mark and I just celebrated our 3rd year anniversary. Though we didn't actually celebrate, but we were happy in our hearts :)

Adalyn turns 15 months old on Friday. There will be an update!

I got Ad a really cute Minnie Mouse headband from Etsy. It's pretty much adorable and Minnie Mouse is her favorite!

The end. See y'all soon!

Exercise, Adalyn, and Supper.

2012-01-14T18:05:00.004-06:00

Guess what!?

I've started the 30 Day Shred! And am so excited! I'm already on day two and my entire body is in pain. After both workouts, I've kind of wanted to die a little, but I completed them! And it felt great! I plan on documenting my progress - and weight loss - over the course of this month. This is SO fun for me and I cannot wait to see my body transform! After the 30 days, I plan on buying another Jillian Michaels DVD, because I love her style!

Anyway, our little (big!) Adalyn is nearly 15 months old now. She's walking, talking, and my hilarious Little Toot. Her personality is as big as she thinks she is. Her current favorite things include:

Mickey Mouse
GoGurt
Playing with Mama's hair
Dancing
Saying "Uh oh!"
Chocolate pudding
Brushing her teeth with her banana toothbrush
Her new big girl Montessory-style bed
Playing with Piper
Her big kitchen
Her pretend salt & pepper shaker
BABY DOLLS!
Books!!!

We're still nursing - another one of her favorite things. And we still bedshare. We still cloth diaper. We still babywear. She's obviously still my little nugget, though she's also SO grown up! This is absolutely my favorite stage . Developmentally, she can now...

-Point out all of her body parts, including: head, hair, eyes, ears, mouth, teeth, tongue, knees, legs, feet, toes, fingers

-Say a variety of words.. her latest ones are Piper (pronounced correctly now)!, diaper, shoe, and hat.

-Take her own pants off

-Use a spoon to feed herself

-Throws & Kicks balls

-Do basically anything we ask her (Go get your doll, Go to your kitchen, etc.)

I always used to blog my meal plans for the pay period, so I thought I would again! Here's what will be cookin' in my kitchen for the next 17 days...

Dorito Chicken Casserole

Enchilada Chicken Pasta

Smothered Chicken

Crock Pot Salsa Chicken

Chicken Enchilada Quesadillas

Spaghetti (2)

Hamburgers

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

Pizza

Pioneer Woman Enchiladas

Tacos

BBQ Chicken

Fiesta Chicken Casserole

Potato Soup

Marinated grilled chicken

Chicken casserole

Swiss Chicken

...Can you tell that we're fans of "Mexican" food around here!? Should be a delicious two weeks!

I'm getting so excited for Valentine's Day! We've already bought Adalyn her little present - a little case of 10 Mickey Mouse board books to learn shapes and colors, etc. and a Valentine's Day Biscuit book and two little baby bottles where the milk/juice "disappears" when you feed the baby. And The Princess & the Frog DVd! I have little V-Day crafts to do and recipes planned - like Valentine pancakes - for the day! Holidays are infinitely more fun when you have a kiddo!

Right now, Ad is running around with her salt and pepper shaker, talking to herself, and watching Dada do the diapers (well, put the detergent in :)). My legs feel like they barely work and it's going to be difficult to climb up the stairs to our bedroom tonight! But I am so, sooo looking forward to tomorrow morning's workout already. I'm already addicted!!!

And let me just say: I have never, ever "stuck" with an exercise regimen before, so this is a huge deal! I'm so proud :)

jumbled.

2011-12-02T12:50:00.006-06:00

Oh hi! Remember me? The mother of a 13-month old little girl who never blogs, because I'd rather be reading books, taking walks around the neighborhood, pushing my toddler in the swing, learning body parts, or making a mess.

That's me!

I've just been so busy doing my mom thing that we've bypassed her first birthday, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and entire fall season!

Whoops!

To briefly catch you up:
-We had a Minnie Mouse birthday party! It was a hit!
-She was a baby koala bear for her first Halloween. Loved it.
-Ham and all the fixings were greatly enjoyed this Thanksgiving.

These days, Adalyn is such a big kid. She can get anything I ask her to (blanket, shoes, socks, baby doll, book, etc.) and knows exactly what I'm saying. A few of her latest words include: yuck!, duck, juice (we call cow's milk "juice" 'round here, cause breastmilk is "milk" to her!), and hi! We laugh and "talk" all day, and she's the greatest little best friend I could have hoped for.

I've gotten extremely "addicted" to Pinterest - can't stop looking up new recipes for our family and crafts/activities for the kiddo! I guess I can solely "blame" Pinterest for my lack of blogging. Cause let's just be honest here, folks: Pinterest is more fun than Blogger.

We're in the process of night weaning, and it's going better than I could have even dreamed about. I'm on a health kick right now and have given up Cokes and am eating much healthier. I'm even [gasp!] exercising about 4 times a week!

Hm. And that's about all I want to say right now. Pinterest time!

Sorry, guys.

Castaway Cay and Pirate Night!

2011-10-30T11:52:00.004-05:00

I completely forgot about continuing my Disney Cruise review last night (whoops! big surprise there!).. but here I am now!

Disney cruises have these amazing broadway shows every night in the Walt Disney Theater. They play them twice -- at 6:30 and 8:30 (ish? I can't remember the exact times). If you go to dinner first at 5:45, like we did, then you would go to the later theater time. But if you have the late dinner, then you would go to the broadway show first.

Capish? :)

Bad news for the Cox family -- Adalyn wants to go to bed at 7:45pm! So, sadly, we missed the first night's show, which was called The Golden Mickey's, or something. I was pretty bummed out about it, because it looked AWESOME. But the second night? I was determined to go! So we put Adalyn in her cookie pajamas and took her to the show anyway to see Villains Tonight. It was FANTASTIC! Folks, I am going to admit that I h.a.t.e. musicals. I hate them so much!! All the singing really gets on my nerves. But this? This was truly perfect. This show featured all of our favorite villains (Hades, Ursula, Scar, Cruella, Captain Hook, and more!) and they all sang and it was so funny!

Adalyn was glued to it at first, and then went to sleep like a perfect angel. Thank you, child :)

Hades - the main character - was so funny! I couldn't recommend this enough. The third night had an odd ventriloquist, because the main show was the Pirate Party up on the 11th deck. (more on that later!)

The next morning - Tuesday - was a day at Castaway Cay! This place was perfect and was truly paradise. It's an island owned only by Disney, so it's completely un-comercialized and everything is free. Basically. Once you get off the ship, you can line up and meet any character you want! We posed with Chip and Dale and Mickey - the different characters come out at different times all day long. But first we wanted to find a spot at the beach, of course!

The great thing about CC is that the boat drops you off right on the beach. It was about a 5 minute walk along the coast of the island to the Family Beach. Disney has different beaches - even one for adults only.

Oh, the ocean. It was the best. Disney put nets up, so no scary fish or sharks can come in! Adalyn played in the sand and was in the best mood. She loved digging her legs in the sand and crawling around like our little sea crab :]

We worked up an appetite and headed over to Cookies Too, Disney's free restaurant! Hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs, BBQ chicken, tomato basil salad, cole slaw, and a ton of other food plus an array of desserts.. unlimited! You just stand in line and get as much as you want. They have these beautiful pavilions to sit under and enjoy your lunch. Adalyn scarfed down their famous chocolate chip cookies and banana nut bread. The servers from the cruise are there to help you - they took my tray for me and brought it to my table. So helpful!

What else can I say about Castaway Cay? It just wonderful. If you're worried about the beach being overrun with kids, think again! We were able to find our own secluded spot with a huge umbrella for shade, and I rocked Adalyn to sleep in complete peace. Then, when she woke up, I seriously nursed Adalyn out on the beach right next to the water. Um, a mother's paradise! It could not have been better. We then walked around to the gift shops, took photos, and just took in the beauty of the island!

Then? Back on the boat! We wanted to take Adalyn to Nemo's Reef, which is their baby splash pad for children who are not yet potty-trained. The ship has 3 pools, I believe.. an 18+ pool, two kids pools, and then a big splash pad. We were the only ones in the splash pad when we went, so Adalyn was able to crawl around and explore!

Mark was itching to take a ride on the Aqua Duck - Disney Dream's huge water slide that wraps around the whole ship. He loved it!! I got my camera out just in time to snap this photo:

After a surprise encounter with Donald Duck and Lilo, it was time to get ready for Pirate Night! Disney surprised us with little bandanas to dress like a pirate for dinner, and they gave us some Mickey tattoos! So fun. Of course we dressed up our little buccaneer! The dinner was a special seafood-type deal, and it was fantastic. I had shrimp and scallops, and the shrimp were still in the shell! But the food was absolutely delicious. I scarfed it down so fast! Mark had some beef something-or-other. And Adalyn? Well, we made the mistake of ordering her macaroni and cheese. The kid hates macaroni and cheese.

But tonight was special because our servers celebrated her first birthday! She got her very own little chocolate mousse cake, a birthday pin, and everyone sang to her! It was so sweet. She just stared in awe.

And with that, our third cruise day was over!

Tomorrow's post will include: A day at sea, meeting the Disney Princesses, and the fancy schmancy night! Plus the special things that Disney does for their cruisers!

Disney Dream Review! Part ONE!

2011-10-28T14:12:00.003-05:00

Hi, remember me? Yeah, I didn't think so. It's been a month and a half since I last checked in. Since then, our babe has grown so much and celebrated her first birthday with a Minnie Mouse party. Oh, and we also went on a Disney Cruise! Which is why I'm here -- to tell you all the ins and outs of our cruise!

We took a 5-day, 4-night cruise on the Disney Dream to Nassau and Castaway Cay. Castaway Cay is Disney's private island in the Bahamas, and it is absolutely paradise. But more on that later!

We stayed in a Deluxe Stateroom with a Verandah (a balcony), which I completely recommend. There's nothing better than having your own private and quiet space to sit and enjoy your personal ocean view. While Adalyn napped, we could go outside. And when she wasn't napping, she absolutely LOVED crawling out on the verandah and exploring the ocean for herself.

I'm trying to think of everything to tell you guys, but there's just so much. Basically, I will just say that you would think this cruise would be just over-run with children and would be so loud and crazy. Um, definitely not. There were tons of older people, single couples, etc. with no children! And the children that were there were absolutely well behaved. I mean, they were on the Disney Cruise. With Mickey Mouse. Of course they were all in the best of moods! But really, the cruise isn't crowded at all. We were always able to get any seat we wanted, we were the *only people* in the splash pad when we went, and it was just fantastic for our family.

The best part? The food. "Cabanas" is a buffet-style area on deck 11 with 9 stations. Basically any food you can imagine is here -- every meat, every side dish, every dessert.. it's pretty amazing. All Coke products, milk, coffee, and juices are free, which is one of the perks of Disney! We were always able to get a window seat while eating, so we could view the ocean! Perfect!

Our first dinner was at Animator's Palate - this restaurant is designed with Disney's animations. During the meal, the animations come to life. The screens turn to the ocean, and Crush, Dory, Nemo, and Bruce come and talk! They've got some secret cameras (or something?!) and actually talk personally to the kids. Ex: "Hey you in the blue shirt! What's your name?! Are you liking your chocolate ice cream?" Or whatever. The kids ate.it.up. It was pretty cute, and Adalyn stared a hole through Crush when he came on!

Our babe was r.e.a.d.y. for bed by the end of dinner (turns out she's a huge fan of french fries with lots of ketchup!) and we had to miss the Golden Mickeys, which is an amazing musical in the Walt Disney theater. I saw a preview of it on tv, and it looked just spectacular. Stinky that we had to turn in so early, but we had to get rested up for our next day...

Nassau!

Mark and I had already been to Nassau on our honeymoon and took a full tour, so we decided to book a different type of excursion this time around and went with the Atlantis Beach Day. Basically, a bus took us to Atlantis, and we got a tour of the resort and were able to get access to their private little cove. It was pretty spectacular, though the walk there wore us completely out. Poor baby had red cheeks from being so hot, so we were ready to jump in the ocean!

We loved the beach but decided to head back to the boat in the early afternoon. And it's a good thing we did, because a downpour of rain came flooding in as soon as we got on the boat! I forgot to mention that one of the neat things about a Disney cruise is your "Key to the World Cards." Each person has their own card - including babies! - and you do everything with your card. Including turning your lights and tv on in your stateroom! You disembark with your card and then scan it again when you board back on the ship. I think it's a fantastic idea, because we had to use our passports to board back on the ship with Carnival. Much easier this way!

We finished our second day with a dinner at the Enchanted Garden, which is themed around princess-y stuff (?). The ceiling and flowers turned from daytime to nighttime throughout the course of our meal. It was pretty.. well, enchanting, and Adalyn loved the beautiful water fountain. I loved the lobster ravioli - I was practically licking the plate. Kidding. Kind of. I had a jumbo prime rib and the most amazing desserts.

Adalyn was more hyper than ever and was in such a good mood. The Disney Cruise was seriously enchanting for her. She just LOVED it!

She also loved the unlimited chocolate ice cream. Is that dirty little Minnie Mouse cute or what!?

And that sticky little critter just woke up from her awesome nap. Tune in tomorrow for a review of Villains Tonight, Castaway Cay, and Pirate's Night!

(Questions? Comments? I have no idea what you all - those of you who asked me to blog about this - want me to cover. There's just so! much! to say! I could write a novel... )

a post that ended up being super sappy.

2011-09-09T19:55:00.002-05:00

Guess who only weighs 17.9 pounds at 10.5 months?

Guess who is only in the 10th percentile for weight?

And the 25th percentile for height?

And the 75th for head size? (big brains for a smart toot!)

Guess who climbed up the stairs (caught her on the 3rd one) today while we turned our backs for a second?

Guess who is suddenly super attached to mama and actually - for the first time - cries for me to hold her?

Guess who said the word "clap" today while clapping?

Guess who stops dead in her tracks, flips around to face the television, then dances to The Hot Dog Song when it comes on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse?

Why, it's Adalyn, of course!

Yep, her well check-up was today, and it went fabulous - despite leaving with tears streaming down her face -- a HepB and flu shot will do that to ya. I really didn't want to give her a flu shot. No reason specifically. I just hate giving her shots. But we decided to on a whim at her appointment.

Anyway.

We quizzed her doctor with a few questions -- most importantly about her sleep "issues." Adalyn is a horrible sleeper. Since the day I moved back to Kentucky when she was 8 weeks, it's been downhill since. I'll save everyone the major details but just say: she sometimes looks extremely uncomfortable, wakes up about 4-5 times a night (just to nurse for about... 1 minute each time), and randomly wakes herself up by trying to crawl or sit up in her sleep.

Lots of issues here. But common issues, so I'm not too worried or anything. The girl won't be waking to nurse at 10 years old.

At least we hope not, anyway ;)

So her doctor gave us a new "trick" to try. I'm not going to tell any of you all just yet, because it seems a little crazy to me... and I don't want to spill the beans unless it actually works. But tonight is night one of our little science experiment, and so far it seems to be working great. She usually wakes up 1 hour after going to sleep - and we aren't to that point yet - but hopefully it works.

I really try to keep everything in perspective when it comes to parenting. At the time, it seems like everything is SUCH a big deal. Like I should be freaking out that my 10-month old is a bad, bad sleeper. But during the day she is an angel. Full of smiles, developing just dandy, and life is good! Her sleep will work itself out. I'm trying to focus on her needs at this time in her life. And if she needs a little breastmilk 5 times at night? Sigh. Well, then that's what she needs right now.

Speaking of which, this past week I randomly burst out with watering eyes at the fact that she's growing up. What is wrong with me!? Seriously, every child grows up. But I feel like this time in her life where I get to pack her around, nurse her, hold her tight, squeeze her baby hands, kiss her teeny toes, rub the nape of her neck, smell her baby hair, and sleep with her squashed to me.. I feel like those days will be ending very, very soon. I feel like in a flash she will be five, and my baby will be gone. And she won't need me anymore. And I won't be able to hold her and squish her anymore. We joke that when the time comes that I feel like my "baby" is too big, it's time to have another one! Although we aren't joking at all, actually.

She's laying next to me now on her belly. She's breathing in perfect rhythm. Her little cheek is pressed on the sheets and she looks like absolute perfection. She is more than I could have dreamed of. I never want this to end.

10 best of 10

2011-09-08T10:56:00.004-05:00

...And now for the TOP 10 best things about having a 10-month old!

10. You have your own little live audience now, and someone thinks you're the funniest person EVER. And those loud, explosive giggles? Those never get old.

9. You've also become the most popular person on the block, and a certain someone zooms across the room just to be near you. It sure does make you feel loved to have a little toot on your heels at all times!

8. That amazing meal you just cooked? You can now share it with your best buddy and marvel at how she gobbles it up like you're the best cook ever!

7. She's become Miss Independent, but there's no place like Mama's Arms.

6. She now imitates you. Which can be a funny and cute thing.

5. "Can I have a kiss?!" now means huge open mouthed French kisses from your Mini Me. And those, my friends, are the sweetest (and stickiest!)

4. Those 12-month clothes are just too cute.

3. She literally learns something new every day and it is a complete joy to watch.

2. Her personality is now really showing! She's her own little person!

1. She now really is your best friend. You can tell her anything, and she won't tell your secrets :) She loves you no matter what. You two experience life together, and she has opened your eyes up to a world you never knew existed.

Oh how I will miss this time in our lives! It is PURE fun, joy, and excitement!

I just miss her in my belly.

2011-09-08T10:46:00.003-05:00

Boy, I miss being pregnant. I remember the exact moment that I looked at my little pee stick and saw the faintest of lines. I'm pretty sure that my heart stopped beating for just a second. It was the most life-changing moment for me.

I loved every second of being pregnant. Sure, I threw up like it was my full-time job, and it was often pretty painful, butttttt it was an amazing experience. This was me a year ago. And it definitely does seem like a year ago!! Crazy how things have changed and how far we've all come since September 2010.

Now we have a big girl on our hands. A super independent big girl that never wants to cuddle yet is majorly attached to her mama. My little buddy follows me around the house and flies around crawling to catch up to me.

How is it that my little girl is already giving her babies hugs and kisses? Oh she is the epitome of sweetness personified.

the teeth that just wouldn't come through.

2011-09-07T09:59:00.004-05:00

Okay, top teeth, you can come in ANY TIME now!

I miss my gummy-smiled baby. True, her bottom teeth are insanely cute, but these teeth have been nothing but trouble. I'm pretty sure that they're solely to blame for my baby's restlessness at night and her random outcries in the middle of the night.

We're in a season (a long, seemingly never-ending season) of poor sleep habits. I have no idea what to do but to pull up my mommy panties (oh and I most certainly do own them!) and truck on and hope things settle down. Soon. Once she's asleep, we flip on the baby monitor and watch her squirm. Toss. Turn. TossTurn. Flip. Flop. Constantly! I've never seen anyone look more uncomfortable in my life.

Sigh!

She's also got this new thing where she's fast asleep. So peaceful. Then suddenly! BOOM! She pushes right up and tries to practice her crawling at 2am. Thankfully, Dr. Sears says this is normal (#8 on the list) but it's rough to watch. She was such a great sleeper at 6 weeks old. 5 hour stretches. Not a peep at night! Oh how I miss those days.

So come on in, top teeth! I've had it with you. I can see you peeking through my baby's swollen gums, and we're ready for you to make your long-awaited appearance.

Signed,
Annoyed Mom and Baby

PARTY!

2011-08-29T18:28:00.004-05:00

I've been planning her first birthday party for quite a while now, and I settled on Minnie Mouse as the theme -- not only because we love Minnie, but it coincides with our first family vacation that we'll be taking three days after her first birthday!

So..

Birthday outfit? Check.
Birthday invitations? Decided upon but not ordered!

...And that's about as far as I've gotten!

We do know that it will be a cookout with hamburgers and hot dogs - how cute and fun will Mickey head-shaped cheese be?! I've decided to make her birthday cake, and I'm pretty petrified of it. I've never worked with fondant or buttercream, and I highly doubt my skills. All I really know at this point is that I want a Mickey head on top with a bow. And the cake will either be white with red polka dots or red with white polka dots.

Scary.

Decorations? Well, my sister is making her birthday banner. And me.. well, I've decided to attempt Martha Stewart's tissue paper pom poms:

How adorable are those?! Cheap, cute decorations! Hopefully I can pull those off too!

I am thrilled to death for this party. I think we might even rent the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse "Halloween" DVD and play it at the end of the party. The only thing that would make this party perfect is the presence of my three nephews. I so, so wish they could be a part of her celebration!

Her party is in 40 days, and I can't wait!

my 10-month old!

2011-08-27T17:28:00.002-05:00

Smack-dab in the middle of hurricane Irene is a great time to blog, right? Right!

Oh, I'll save the bit about me being a terrible blogger. Cause you know by now that I am. I used to have so much to say. And now? Now that I'm happier than ever, have so much going on, and am so busy, I have lost all creativity. It's just gone.

But here we are, and Adalyn is now 10 months old.

Ad, you're more social than ever. You wave and say "hi" (verbally) to everyone you see in the stores. You especially love waving to other kids, and it's downright adorable. You'll let anyone hold you, and you're always full of smiles.

Last month, you learned how to crawl. In just a few days, she went from immobile to FLYING around the house! You love to go anywhere where you shouldn't. Your favorite spots: the family room and kitchen. Your new loves are the animal magnets on our refrigerator and Piper's leashes & poochie bell on our back door.

You love Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and the freaky pirates, Sharkey & Bones, on the Disney Channel. You love to pull Piper's hair. You love balls and puzzles and any toy that makes noise. You love eating adult food, and you've already had your own little chicken nuggets from Chick-fil-A. You're already self-weaning, and we nurse as you're waking up, twice during the day, and I nurse you to bed. Oh, and you like to snack all night long.

You're a terrible sleeper, by the way :)

You love to talk, and just today you learned to say baby. You know how to give kisses and hugs to your baby dolls, and you LOVE to hold babies!

You are Miss Independent, and you are one determined baby. I can already tell that as you grow, you will go after what you want and you will get it. You still think I'm the best thing ever, and sometimes I'm lucky enough to get snuggles from you - though they are few and far between! I love you, my little Ad :)

I wasn't kidding.

2011-08-24T18:53:00.000-05:00

yep.

:)

2011-08-02T13:03:00.004-05:00

A couple weeks ago, our dog jumped on our (open) laptop and broke our Alt key. I can't fix it. And now there's a missing key and it's driving me insane. Luckily, there are 2 Alt keys, and I never really use an Alt key. But still. Ugh.

Adalyn still isn't crawling, but what she can do is scoot around, do full 360's, and crawl backwards. And she's also a pro at getting on her stomach and getting annoyed.

Her specialty these days is finding the smallest amounts of lint ever and picking it up and examining it. This girl is destined to be a neat freak and cleaner extraordinaire, because she loves finding the teeniest bits of dirt! She now knows not to eat them, but I've had to say NO! one too many times this week as I catch her trying to put a piece of lint in her mouth.

Ew, child!

We're in-between Mark coming home from a TDY (that's military lingo for a business trip) and him leaving on another. We hate TDY's, and we're already dreading the one coming up and looking forward to it being done! He has to eat MRE's on these TDY's, which are meals ready to eat, and I enjoy hearing about the gross-ness (and yummy-ness) of them! He brought some home to show me how they work - you basically add water to a pouch of food and it miraculously becomes a meal. Or should I say it disgustingly becomes a meal. I'm pretty sure one of them is pork ribs? Uh, ew? Ribs should never be in a pouch!

Things I'm looking forward to:
going to the aquarium this weekend
Ad's photoshoot with The Picture People this weekend
venturing to Water Country soon!
taking Adalyn to the base housing pool for the first time
our cruise - coming up in 2.5 months!
planing her first birthday party
getting completely unpacked from our move
the day Adalyn discovers how to crawl forward

!!!!

8 months of joy.

2011-07-18T21:01:00.005-05:00

Sigh.

Little Toot turns 9 months old tomorrow. Nine! I'm going to be one of those dramatic, sappy mothers and say WHERE has my baby gone!? In three months, she will be a year old.

Can't handle it, folks. Can't.

I have dreams and fantasies about what she'll be like when she walks and talks and can watch movies with me and, you know, do fun stuff. But I so, so love toting her around in my arms, kissing her face to death, and her baby-ness. I just love it. Do you think she'll let me wear her in the Moby when she's 6? Do you?

Please. Please, child.

Well, in all seriousness, yes - she will be 9 months tomorrow. Birthday plans are already in the works and have been for a quite a while now. Yes, I'm also one of those mothers. Ahem.

With all this daddy coming home, moving into a new house, and our lives being in a fantastic whirlwind, I forgot all about doing an 8-month check-in on the blog! Here goes:

-My "favorite" thing about her is when she crinkles her nose and smiles super big. It's pretty darn cute.

-Loves table food and wants "bites" of whatever we have. She thinks she's so grown up when she gets nibbles off mama's plate.

-Prefers to self-feed and hates when I try to feed her bites of adult food. She shoves my hand out of the way and grabs it off the table herself. Little Miss Independent.

-Still swaddled for naps and takes 2 2-hour naps a day. And about 3 times a week, she'll take 3 naps.

-The girl l.o.v.e.s. her passy now. So much that we had to go by pacifier clips so that she could have access to her Nuks at all times.

-We can't keep her awake in the car now. Suddenly, she falls asleep almost every time we go out. She sticks her pacifier in her mouth and goes right to sleep.

-Trying extremely hard to scoot around the house. She has gotten into the crawling position but prefers to sit up and scoot -- but she still can't totally scoot around. Yet.

-Loves holding onto our hands and walking around the house. Still can't stand alone or anything.

-Freaking LOVES our family dog, Piper. Laughs, smiles, and beats the crap out of our poor dog. And let me say, Piper loves loves loves her. They are extremely close -- Piper even lays under her crib as I sing Adalyn to sleep and will often stay in her room for the duration of her naps. Precious.

-Doesn't really get to watch television - with the exception of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. The girl is glued to that show. Mark has even been known to do the Hot Dog Dance. Can you say.. TOOODLES!

-Thinks Daddy is super duper funny but still wants only mommy to put her down for naps and bedtime.

-Has two teeth coming right on through at the bottom. They're pretty darn cute, if I say so myself.

-Seriously loves baby dolls and "cuddles" them and smiles the biggest smiles when she sees them.

-Loves sippy cups, when I kiss her on the belly, riding in her new stroller, holding mommy's chapstick, pulling Piper's fur, watching mommy and daddy make goofy faces and noises, and smiling for the camera.

I love this girl.

Camera, Sleep, and Co-Parenting.

2011-07-18T20:35:00.005-05:00

My Canon Rebel bit the dust the other day. Out of nowhere, I went to turn it on and nothing. Just blackness. The lens would try to focus, but it kept saying "Busy" in the view finder. And then it just stopped working altogether.

So, that calls for a shopping trip to Best Buy, right? Right! We got a new Canon Rebel T3, and I am quite in love.

Since moving back to Virginia, Adalyn has decided that she doesn't want to go to bed at night. She has always gone STRAIGHT to bed - no joke. No tears, no whining. I would just nurse her, and she would drift off to sleep like an angel. Now? There are kicks, pinches, whines, screams, and tears. It takes - on average - an hour each night to get to sleep. What.On.Earth! Is it teething? She waited until the week we moved to decide to grow some teeth - perfect timing, right!? She also wakes up gobs more at night to nurse. I'm just hoping that this is a bad phase caused by teething. Also, let it be said that she takes 2-hour naps in her crib twice a day, but she wants nothing to do with her crib at night. Which I'm fine with, because it makes feedings easier on me.. but it's just bizarre. I'm giving her time, extra love, and extra milk and hoping that this ugly phase goes away. Quickly...

Do you know how much easier "parenting" is now that both parents are present!? Ahh, yes. I've "slept in" (read: I now get up at 8) every morning since he's been home! It's been bliss, let me tell you. Just some stark differences:

-Now, when leaving the house, one of us grabs the baby, and the other grabs the diaper bag and belongings. Piece.of.cake.

-At restaurants, one of us can feed her while the other enjoys a meal. I love it.

-The whole, "Can you grab me a...." instead of being the only one in the house, now there's a helper!

-Someone gets to stay inside with Adalyn while the other takes Piper outside.

-We team up on everything. Bathtime, mealtimes, shopping, etc.

-Cleaning just got a whole lot easier now that Mark can take care of Adalyn while I work!

-He's now "in charge" of bath times and he loves it.

Ahh, yes. Easy. Parenting was definitely designed for a mama and a daddy to work together, that's for sure.

She's upstairs in our bed right now. In the middle. Cuddled onto Mark's pillow. It's so darn cute, but I have no idea how he'll get his pillow back from her :)

A Fourth of July Rhyme

2011-07-13T10:10:00.004-05:00

Once upon a Fourth of July,
it was Ad's first Independence Day.
We met my sister and nephews
at Outerbanks to play!

We sat her down on the sandy shore
'Stuck her fingers in the sand.
She'd never seen the ocean before
Since she's always lived inland.

Ad smiled at the ocean, giggled at the waves
Played with Gray under the shade
Life at the beach? Relaxing on the coast?
Why, this little girl had it made.

Aunt Lauren gave her sips of water
Cause this girl was awfully hot
And boy, her first dip in a pool
Certainly hit the spot!

Daddy held her tight, they floated around
She loved to splish and splash
The huge smiles from Adalyn proved
that the pool was definitely a smash!

We watched the big boys play around
They tossed Frisbees in the waves
And pretty soon we got hungry
..it was seafood that we craved!

Coconut shrimp and seafood platters
hushpuppies and some fries
The babies munched off our plates
Nope, there wasn't a single cry.

So after a nap & some putt putt golf
and an ice cream cone or two
We headed back north to our little home
But first said our "'Love you's"

A sticky little kiss, a warm little hug
from my big boys H and C
And a big ol' wave "Bye bye" went
to my chunky Baby G.

Ad's first Fourth spent at the beach
with family all around her
The best one yet, by far!
Those cousins sure love one another!

Operation: Love Reunited!

2011-07-12T11:49:00.003-05:00

I am incredibly excited.

For one, my husband is home. Our family is together again.
For two, we're moved into our new home and we love it.
And three, I'm able to blog again.

The laptop is back at my fingertips, and I have so much to tell you. Trying to blog on an iPhone just doesn't work for me, so now I'm relieved to be back in the swing of things. These days, we stay incredibly busy - but busy in a good way - and we are having so much fun.

Now, which do I tell you about first? Our new home? Our day at Outerbanks? An update on Adalyn's growth? I think I'll start with the story of Mark's home coming.

~~~

It was 9pm, and Adalyn was oddly not wanting to go to bed. So, Amanda and I decided to stick her in the car and drive to Norfolk and just wait.. in hopes that the car would put her to sleep, and all would be well.

And she did fall asleep. It worked like a charm, until I got her out of her car seat and into the Moby wrap. Eyes wide open.

What a little toot. For an hour, I swayed back and forth, patted her little bottom, sung to her, and freaked the heck out about my husband returning from deployment. Have you ever wanted to just throw up on the floor at the thought of seeing your husband? No? Oh.

Operation: Get Adalyn to Sleep finally worked, and she was as snug as a bug.

I, on the other hand, was a complete wreck! But 11:45 finally came. I watched Airman after Airman come out the door. I was so, so anxious, and my heart was racing. On my tippy toes, I tried to search for him and then I spotted a really tall guy walking super fast.

HIM!!

He smiled the biggest smile and came right to us. I hugged him immediately, and it was the best hug of my life.

I just stared at him and couldn't speak. I tried, and nothing came out. It was just like the movies, guys. I just couldn't do anything but stare at him.

And then we kissed. And then the tears came.

Of course, little Niblet was squashed in the middle, completely unaware that her daddy had just come home. But that didn't last long. By the time he said hello to her, a little eye popped open; of course she wanted to know what was going on!

We decided to get her out of the Moby, and Mark scooped her up. I was a smidge concerned about how she'd take things. She's a little weary of "strangers," and attached to her mama. And it was midnight. But you know what? My little toot went right to her daddy in perfect koala bear-fashion.

It was perfect. She went right to him. She was calm in his arms. She was comfortable with him. She loved him.

It was the perfect reunion. And just like that, the 6-month deployment to Qatar became nothing but a memory. We survived our first deployment, and I think we all did a darn good job.

On a side note, I took advantage of the Operation Love ReUnited program - which is where local photographers will photograph reunions for free!! It is completely awesome and we loved it. Cory Rachele Photography is responsible for these awesome photos, and we are so thankful for these wonderful memories.

So long, deployment!

[{Our reunion is actually on video, but I haven't uploaded it to the computer yet. Video footage coming soon to a blog near you!}]

On his home coming.

2011-07-02T07:06:00.001-05:00

A couple of days ago, my heart became whole again.

Mark came home!

Dates switched back and forth for weeks! But about a week before he flew home, he was told the date. June 29 at 1145pm. Hallelujah! But not the best time for an 8-month old to be trotting around an airport.

I will do a full blog post (including video - yes, we got it on video, thanks to my bff, Amanda!) and photos of us reuniting. But we don't have Internet or the photos yet, so it will have to wait! But there's this:

And this:

It was the most shocking moment of my life. In a weird way. I hugged him so tight and could not talk. I just stared at him. And he asked, "You can't talk, can you?" and I just shook my head no and hugged him even tighter.

And then the tears came.

It was magical and beautiful and perfection at midnight when he held his daughter. Not one tear was shed (by her, at least!) and I could not have asked for a better homecoming.

~~

So, what have we been up to? Oh, everything under the sun. We have stayed so busy that poor Adalyn has had to take *all* of her naps in the car. But it's a great kind of busy -- buying things for our home, looking at furniture, going to restaurants that Mark has been dreaming of for 6 months... It has been perfect. And yesterday was one of the best days of my life!

We are so, so happy and can't stop hugging each other. I can't wait to show you our home and to tell you about Adalyn's first trip to the beach and to show you all that we're up to. Cause we are super busy.. But busy in the best way on earth. Busy being a family together and loving every single minute of it.

I love him :) and I love our life together.

iPhone

Daddy's Day

2011-06-18T20:46:00.001-05:00

Happy 1st Father's Day to the Daddy who...

...Works so, so hard so that I can be a stay-at-home-mama to our little girl

...Was testing out strollers and baby gear before we even conceived!

...Gets excited about the girly things now - like sparkly pink shoes!

...Changes cloth diapers like a pro and knows alllll about them

...Is a master babywearer and isn't embarrassed one bit by the Moby

...Read her Bible stories in the womb before our bedtime

...Almost cried at her birth :)

...Plays peek-a-boo with her via Skype

...Is the only person in this world with full permission to call her Addie (:-)

...Is watching his daughter grow up from across the world.

Mark, you're the best daddy (da da!) to our little Addie Paddy. I knew you would always be a wonderful father, but you are just incredible. The first 8 weeks as a family are somewhat of a blur now, but I remember you being the biggest help in the world and taking care of everything.

Washing diapers.
Swaddling.
Getting her to nap.
Showering with her.

And so much more. It has been an extremely hard adjustment to be without you for 6 (long, long) months. I miss everything about you - the way you make her smile, the way you give her baths, the way you make her calm. I miss seeing you hold our little girl. We're all missing it.

But now we have memories of you "babysitting" Adalyn on Skype while I pick up toys. Or you making her giggle by making noises. And soon, we'll make new memories together as a family. I am thankful a million times over to have you be the father of my baby. We are both so blessed to have you. You are always there for us and give us your absolute best. I am so proud of who you are as a man and a father.

You will always have my heart. And I can tell from Skype.. Adalyn thinks you're the greatest on earth. Kisses!

Love,
Shannie & Ad

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

random updates!

2011-06-16T09:01:00.002-05:00

Plans are now in full swing for our big move back to Virginia. Reservations are being made, emails sent, and details decided. And by all of this planning, I clearly mean: almost everything is still in the air. We have absolutely zero idea when my husband will come home from deployment. Zero! But we're taking it one day at a time and hoping that it all works out.

I'm not sure what I share on my blog VS what I share on Facebook. But we're moving back into base housing! They offered us a home that we couldn't turn down, and we are extremely excited about it. Of course, we've been dreaming about decorating and what we'll do with all our extra space. I'm mostly excited to decorate Adalyn's room and our new bathrooms. More on that later when I actually see the inside of our new home.

My daughter is now a pro at separation anxiety. The second I leave the room, she cries. No exaggeration. As a result, I tote her everywhere. Including sitting her on the bathroom rug while I pee. But she's so darn cute, and I know this is just a phase!

Adalyn can now say "baby," though she has no idea what the word actually means. She is always talking - her favorite word is "dada." She thinks self-feeding is the best thing on earth and now kind of hates when I try to feed her with a spoon. She now takes big girl baths and laughs and is growing up extremely too fast. She turns 8 months old in 4 days. I'm already planning her first birthday. Even down to the nitty gritty details, including food and decorations!

That also means that we're about 4 months away from our big family cruise. I am beyond excited. I often forget that we're even going on a vacation. I guess that's what happens when you book a cruise 10 months in advance!

I have nothing to blog about these days, and it makes me sad. Sure, I have my baby, and there are loads of things I could blog about regarding parenting. But I just can't. I don't know why, but I don't even think of blogging these days. Sad.

Oh, but I did come across these photos and now realize that Adalyn looks a lot like me. I'm, obviously, the baby in the photo! We have the same hair! And same skinny arms and legs!

and just two photos of Ad for good measure:

Clother Diaper Q&A

2011-06-09T17:15:00.006-05:00

As you know, I cloth diaper my baby. It saves us money, it's better on her tush, and it's insanely cute and fun. And many (many!) of my friends have decided that they, too, want to make the switch! I get at least one question in my inbox a week about CDing, so I've decided to try and explain everything in one simple blog post.

Bear with me. I'm trying.

I guess I'll attack this as a Q&A-type post. Hopefully that will be easiest to follow (?) so here we go!

What brand of cloth diaper did you choose? After e.x.t.e.n.s.i.v.e. research, I decided on FuzziBunz. The sole reason is that FuzziBunz have adjustable elastic in 4 spots in each diaper. Two in the front of the legs, two in the back of the legs, and one in the back in the waist area. This is the reason that FB's fit my newborn so well. Adalyn began wearing FB's at 2.5 weeks without a single leak. Since the leg casings are adjustable, they fit her teeny little legs! They fit kids 5-35lbs, so you will only need to buy diapers once!

I got this video off YouTube. It explains the elastic.

What other diapers have you tried? I have five types of diapers: FuzziBunz, bumGenius, gDiapers, Thirsties, and Blueberry. I didn't need these diapers. I just decided to buy them on a whim because of sales.

bumGenius is very similar to FB's except they don't have elastic. Still, I have no complaints and have never had a leak. I would still recommend them!

Thirsties - I have the all-in-one Thirsties, which means there is a built-in insert. I dearly love my Thirsties and have zero complaints. We never, ever have leaks with them!

gDiapers - I hated these from the get-go. I tried the flushable liners on a car trip, and it seemed like the outside would always get wet. Who knows, maybe it was just me? But I didn't like them.

Blueberry - I have the "minky" Blueberry diapers, so they are cute and fuzzy on the outside. We use these only at night. I stuff them to the brim with jumbo inserts, and we don't have leaks. They are very pricey diapers, but I got them half-off on a New Years sale. But they are extremely cute and work fantastic at night!

How many diapers do you own? 16 FuzziBunz, 3 Blueberry, 3 Thirsties, and 1 bumGenius. I think. So.. 23?

How often do you wash them? Every other day.

What type of diaper rash cream have you used? Adalyn doesn't normally get rashes with cloth diapers, because cloth reduces the occurrance of rashes. But a couple times, she has randomly gotten red from who knows what. In those instances, I use flushable liners/rice paper. A lady in base housing gave them to me for free, and they rock! It's basically like a thin dryer sheet. Except it isn't a dryer sheet. I just fold it up, place it in her diaper, and put Aveeno cream on her. This way, the cream doesn't actually touch the diaper - it just touches her. Regular creams will ruin cloth diapers.

Is it gross? It is unbelievably not gross. Besides, once you become a parent, poop becomes second nature.

How do inserts work? FuzziBunz comes with inserts, which are like pads of "cloth" that you stuff into the back pocket of a diaper. They are what actually absorbs the urine. During the day, I just use one insert per diaper. But at night, I double-stuff the diapers with the huge insert and a regular size one. In past months, I used a hemp insert, which I bought from FuzziBunzStore.com, and they worked great. But they just aren't cutting it anymore. So these days, I send her to bed with a huge insert and a regular one, and we have no leaks.

How to get build-up off the diapers? I'm really not good at this. I've only had this problem once, and I cured it by simply washing them in water 3 times (no detergent). I've heard of other people using baking soda or vinegar or doing a Rockin Green soak, but I've never done any of this. Sorry!!

We got this as a gift - not sure of the brand! Sorry!!

Where do you buy them? I only use FuzziBunzStore.com -- you get 10% cash back. So if you buy a pack of 15 diapers for $284, you will receive $28.40 to spend on their website. I used this money to buy detergent and hemp inserts! Fun!

Extra Info: You must wash your diapers with special detergent. I've written all about my washing regime HERE. Keep in mind that you can't wash your clothes in regular detergent anymore. We use All Free & Clear to wash our regular clothes. But I think that we will go completely 100% Rockin Green when I move back to Virginia. It's also a bad idea to dry your diapers in a dryer in which you've used a dryer sheet or fabric softener. We never dry out diapers or inserts anymore - we just hang dry.

Okay. I hope I covered all the basics. We obviously love cloth diapering. My husband is so into it that he's told all his friends and never, ever wants to use disposables. We are completely sold on it, mostly because of the money we are saving! If you have any more questions, let me know in comments!!

Her favorites.

2011-06-08T17:03:00.003-05:00

I've completely slacked and haven't even written a 7-month update on our little girl. I'll get to that in a sec. But first, I have compiled a list of her favorite things. Mostly for my memories!

Our spunky little 7.5-month old loves...

-Pinching the backs of my arms. It hurts like beep! and I've gotten multiple bruises. Ow!!

-Pulling Piper's fur. Super hard. You'd think our dog would hate this. But really? Piper LOVES it. She curls up next to Adalyn and waits for Adalyn to pull her skin/fur. It is horrible, and Adalyn sometimes gets chunks of white fur in her hand. Piper just seems to adore her and even licks her feet while Adalyn enjoys her pull-fest...

-Snacking on Gerber crunchies. I'm not big into baby "snacks," but she thinks she's big stuff in her high chair with Crunchies while I eat my dinner.

-Clawing my breasts while I nurse. I have little cuts all over my chest. Suddenly, Adalyn is sounding a little.. violent, isn't she?! Bwhahaha!!

-Reading Won't You Be My Kissaroo every night and acting out the kisses.

-Me kissing her belly or feet. Lots of belly laughs ensue.

-Her ball popper. Once upon a time, she cried when I turned that toy on. Now, she digs it. Thank heavens.

-Eating "real people food." Babyled weaning is fun.

-Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Um yeah, what is it about this show that captivates babies? She watches it for 5 minnutes in the morning while I put on my makeup. Four words: Miska! Mouska! Mickey Mouse!

-Chewing on my iPhone, keys, or chapstick. Basically all things she shouldn't have.

-Swinging at the park. That big grin just can't be wiped off her face.

-Drinking ice water out of her Nuk sippy cup.

-Her cousins Clayton, Hudson, and Graydon.

-Mommy. The girl thinks I ROCK! ... which I do ;)

~~~

Adalyn is so spunky and active. The girl will flip out of your arms if you don't have a grip on her. And, as a matter of fact, she did twist out of my sister's grip today! Mark is in for a wild ride, that's for sure! She is 7.5 months old and continues to be the biggest joy of my life. She still takes (and NEEDS) 3 naps a day and is staying up around 3 hours in-between naps. This month, she decided that 6:30 is her new wake-up time and begins the day with subtle "da-da's" that turns into loud singing. Once she turns her head and sees me, she flashes the biggest smile on the planet. It's the greatest thing ever.

Separation anxiety is upon us for sure. She wathces me like a hawk and will even sometimes cry when I leave the room.

She's had lots of "firsts" this summer, including swimming in her cousins' pool. She was a little unsure, but she took it in stride and had fun with mama! She still is anything but laid back, and I've basically come to the conclusion that she has my personality. Poor kid. Her daddy is always as cool as a cucumber, but not me! And not Adalyn :)

~~~

We are down to the wire on this deployment. I know a lot of people flip out about OPSEC, but even we don't know when he will come home! And we won't know until the day before, actually! But he will be home soon. And I am anxious, excited, nervous, elated, and every emotion under the moon. The idea of us - a family - together again? Enough to make my heart beat out of my chest. I am holding on for the moment that I see Adalyn in his arms again. What will he think of her so grown up? What will she think of HIM? My mind races a thousand miles an hour when I picture it all. I haven't seen him in so long that truthfully I can't remember what it is like to have him here. I've parented Adalyn alone for 6 months, so what on earth is it like to have her daddy to help!? It will all feel so bizarre, yet perfect and wonderful, to have him home again.

And on that note, Adalyn actually kind of hates strangers. Hate might be a strong word, but she curls up her lips and screams in their face. So "hate" might be an appropriate word. But when she sees her daddy on Skype, her face lights up and she smiles so, so big at him. We're hoping she recognizes him from the computer and takes to him like he never left.

Her coming home outfit has been bought. It fits perfectly. It is too cute for words.

We have a photographer booked to capture our reunion.

We are so, so excited. You have no idea.

So this month of June? This month of raising a 7-month old baby girl? It's been bliss. I love being a mommy.

Things might get crazy if...

2011-05-28T17:20:00.001-05:00

Things might get crazy if...

...You accidentally leave the door open and your dog zooms right out the front door on a Saturday morning.

...You have to get in your car to look for your dog, because you know she isn't coming back.

...With a stroke of luck, you see the dog in someone's yard! You get out, offer a treat, and she turns around faster than a bolt of lightning and speeds off like a bullet.

Things continue to get crazy when...

...You drive around for half an hour without finding your defiant dog.

...You decide to leave the garage door up and head off to pick strawberries, even though you don't have an address or a clue where you're going.

...You drive off to the absolute middle of nowhere, lose cell phone service, and realize you are nowhere close to a strawberry patch.

...Your GPS screen won't work, so that's no help either.

...No one will answer their phone for help on directions.

And things get insane when...

...Your nephew starts to cry because his foot hurts.

...Your baby wakes up after 20 minutes and decides to start fussing.

...You finally (FINALLY) find the blasted strawberry patch, only to discover that it's closed for the season.

And that was all by 10:30am.

Defiant dog, safe in her bed:

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

a military wife rant.

2011-05-27T07:25:00.003-05:00

I'm now going to post a small rant on something that has been on my heart for a long time. I'm totally entitled to these opinions, and this is my blog. Okay. Now proceed:

I hate when people make military wives feel like they cannot voice their feelings or "vent" about their situation or missing their husband. It drives me absolutely crazy. It seems as if the majority of military wives have the opinion of "Someone ALWAYS has it worse!" Yes, that's nice. Good for them. But that doesn't mean that we don't miss our husbands. Or that it isn't hard for us. Or that we don't cry ourselves to sleep* or feel like our heart is absolutely empty every single day of our lives*.

I hate this train of thought. True, tech school is nothing compared to a deployment, but if a husband and wife are separated, guess what? IT'S HARD! Especially if the two are extremely close. I honestly feel like miltary wives make each other feel like you have to keep quiet and pretend like everything is fantastic, just so you don't step on someone else's toes. Because someone always has it worse.

What kind of logic is that, anyway? I would never, ever tell a civilian wife to "not whine" or "get over it" if she missed HER husband. Could you imagine telling a doctor's wife to get over it if she missed her husband due to his long work hours at the hospital? Um no. You would never tell her that she "married into it" so she should "expect it." Sorry, I did not marry the military. I married Mark. We are insanely close. He is my best friend. We do everything together. He wishes he could take me to work every day and we have the best relationship. We miss each other dearly. Sure, we get to talk to each other daily, but he happens to be across the world. Missing everything. And he's all alone. It s.u.c.k.s. and I'm not going to pretend like it's no big deal, because it is. It's a sacrifice for our country and family.

I do get a tad irritated when people complain about not seeing their husbands at all when they live in the same town and still get to live together. But if you miss your spouse, you should be able to freely say so without someone jumping down your throat. Deployments are no easy thing. Some husbands volunteer for them (bizarre, IMO...) but mine? He did not want to go. He misses his baby girl more than the world, and he can't wait to talk to me every chance he gets. He stays "home" to talk to me every single day, and I love him more than anything.

We're allowed to miss our spouses, and we're allowed to share our feelings. Someone will always have it "worse," but so what? That doesn't make our feelings invalid.

End rant.

*Note: I don't cry myself to sleep or feel alone inside or anything. Just for clarififcation.

WW Week 2!

2011-05-26T10:01:00.002-05:00

Well, this isn't the greatest weigh-in. I lost half a pound. But at least it's a loss! I can definitely contribute it to eating Mexican food one night, an apple walnut chicken salad that I have NO idea how many points it was, and lasagna from my sister. I could have done a lot better. But, for the most part, I stuck to the plan. Which is why I still lost weight... Even if it was a measly half a pound!

I'm now 8 pounds away from where I want to be when Mark returns. I don't even know if that's possible. I have basically a month to lose 8 pounds.. So 2 pounds a week? I know that when he returns, he's going to want some Chipotle, Cracker Barrel, and some streak... I'm going to be in trouble!!!

Today, I'll be having some healthy soup for lunch with half a pb&j. I can so do this. I only wish I had started Weight Watchers sooner, because I've lost 4 pounds in 2 weeks, and it will only get better!!

Here's to hoping I see 151 on the scale next Wednesday!!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

tips on nursing your little squirt!

2011-05-24T10:00:00.005-05:00

Before having Adalyn, I read lots of material on breastfeeding. My favorite book was The Breastfeeding Book by Dr. Sears, but nothing could have really prepared me for how difficult breastfeeding my infant would have been. I could not have foreseen the amount of pain that I would endure to feed her. Nope, not at all. I have about 32,953 pregnant friends - just a rough estimate - so I thought I should blog my own personal breastfeeding tips. Just in case anyone wanted some tips.

-As soon as your baby is born, try to breastfeed. The hospital will probably initiate it, but still. Those first hours are crucial.

-Don't let those nurses talk you into "supplementing" with a bottle of formula. Don't.Let.Them.Do.It. It will only make things more difficult when your baby tries to go back to the breast. Colostrum is all (s)he needs. God is amazing like that and designed it best.

-Try the football hold if your newborn is having latch issues. It is the only way we nursed for about two weeks. I have rather.. largeish (understatement) breasts, and my newborn could not deal with a regular hold. She just couldn't latch that way until she was a few weeks old!

-It hurts like heck. I would like to describe it as... a pair of pliers twisting your nipple to shreds? Yes. Definite pain. But you can stick through it. My personal remedy was to count to ten in my head and hold my breath. Once she latched and the milk was flowing, the pain was no more.

-Adalyn had a shallow latch, which gave me "lipstick nipple." Yes, that is a real term! I had NO idea that this even existed! It resulted in extreme pain when she latched for the first 6-ish weeks. I remember nearly crying in Moe's to Mark and suggesting that we just go with formula. He helped me stick it out. But anyway - the point is that you have to make sure your baby's latch is good. There are instincts, but your baby really has no idea what they're doing, to an extent.. they've never nursed before! So you gotta help them.

Drunk on milk.

-Nurse on demand. Don't try to set a strict schedule. I think I nursed my newborn every 2 hours when she was fresh and new. It will help your milk come in, but it's extremely exhausting.

-Bedshare if you can. I never knew this before, but night nursing keeps up your supply! Something about nursing at night makes your hormones go crazy (in a good way!) and makes you make a lotta milk. Plus, night nursing is one of the factors that keeps you from having a period. I'm 7 months PP and still without a period, and I guess I contribute it to night nursing? Who knows!

Milk Coma II

-Bedshare if you can, Part II. Nursing at night is so easy, it's unreal! I'm able to get a full night's rest, even thought Adalyn doesn't technically STTN. I'm not quite sure how many times she wakes at night, but I just roll over and hook her up, and I go right back to sleep. It's a beautiful thing. Think what you wish, but this single (present) mama is getting good rest at night ;)

-Don't pump and feed your baby from a bottle for the first 6 weeks. I didn't know this until I read it from the La Leche League, but it's one of the things you definitely should not do! A baby extracts more milk than a pump does, and your baby will prefer the bottle. It'll just slow things down and make it more difficult in the long run. On the flip side, though, it means that no one, including your husband, can help you feed! So you're up alone feeding the baby in the wee hours of the morning. It made me pretty tired, but Facebook on my iPhone kept me entertained through those nights :)

-The La Leche League also teaches to not give pacifiers for the first 6-ish weeks. I offered one to Adalyn, but she wouldn't take one. My midwife says that breastfed babies won't take artificial nipples because they want the real thing. It was true in Adalyn's case. But I know a ton of breastfed babies who take them, so who knows?? She will take one now to go down for a nap, though.. and boy, I LOVE the pacifier over here!!

Milk Coma III

-Make sure your husband is educated on bfeeding so he can be there to help support and encourage you. Mark was my cheerleader, and I'm so thankful for him during those first few weeks when I didn't have any strength left!

So here we are - Adalyn is 7 months old, and she's never drank from a bottle. I just never bought a pump. I thought it was silly to buy one when I would be the one feeding her every day, so why on earth would I pump!? I'll never forget those first weeks when I wanted to give up so badly, but I'm glad I did. But I wish I had someone tell me just how difficult it would be, so I could be a little more prepared.

You can do it, guys! :)

Updates

2011-05-23T17:34:00.001-05:00

Oh boy. I'm sucking with the blog post thing. You know what? I think part of my problem is that I used to have a laptop in front of me, and the words and creativity just flowed. Now, I have an iPhone/iPad and it just ain't the same to have to text your blog post.

But hi ho, Mark is coming back to us in a month-ish. I am SO beyond anxious. My heart races and my stomach does flips when I think of it. And, oh, we have a zillion plans. We have to move into our new home. Make it a home. Spend $600 of gift cards at the BX on stuff for our home. And do family things every.single.weekend. until it gets too cold to be outside. And then?? THEN I will have SO much to blog about that I will explode.

I promise that good blog posts are coming. Soon. Don't give up oh me. Please.

So now we are the parents of a 7-month old kid. Cuh-razy. That kid talks up a storm, eats real food, and will pinch the fire out of your skin. Oh I'm not exaggerating. She has made my face and my mother's face BLEED from her scratches! And I'm sporting a big bruise on my am from the pinch of the century. But I love my little toot so it's all good :)

Her newest favorite and most calming thing is to go outdoors. It's finally warm enough to take her out without a million layers and hats.

I'm already starting to plan her first birthday. The theme? Minnie Mouse. Not because I'm a huge fan of Minnie, but it coincides with our vacation, so it's perfect! Do you have any idea how many Minnie birthday items are for sale on Etsy?? It's a beautiful thing.

Ahh I am so excited about my life. And being a mommy to my amazing little nugget. And being a wife to the sweetest most loyal husband ever. I love it all!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

WW Week 1!

2011-05-18T09:58:00.001-05:00

Week 1 weigh in:

I'm down four pounds in my first week!!! I am extremely excited and proud!

I get 36 points per day - higher than normal because I nurse, so they give me extra points. For breakfast, I have either Special K Chocolatey Delight or Cocoa Krispies... Both of which are shockingly low calorie & fat! I usually have a frozen meal or turkey sandwich & sweet potato fries or soup or something along those lines for lunch. Snacks consist of fruit or a pudding or granola bar, and supper is just a regular healthy meal! I can still squeeze in one Coke per day and still remain within my points, so that makes me a happy mama :)

My first weight-loss goal is 148, with my overall goal being 130. I hope to be 130 by the time we sail away on our Disney cruise at the end of October (Aka Adalyn's birthday).

I can so do this!! I just signed up for WW online, so I don't actually go to meetings or get weighed by a leader. But trust me, I have enough motivation. Once I see the scale numbers dropping, that's enough motivation for me to keep going! I don't want to give up on this -- I want to be a hott wife for my hubs and a healthy mama for my baby.

Once Mark comes home, I will be able to go to the gym, which will help! I am so excited to get my old body back and excited to blog about it too!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I'm that mom.

2011-05-16T15:55:00.001-05:00

Hi, friends.

I'm shamelessly going to ask you to vote for Adalyn's picture.

Will you? Pretty please with sugar on top??

http://photos.parents.com/category/vote/photo/858309?esrc=nwphotofaves_pmcover11

There's the link! PLEASE! :)

rantom thoughts!

2011-05-15T17:11:00.003-05:00

I haven't heard a sermon in months. Many months. Somehow, it works out every.single.week. that Adalyn wants to nurse right when the sermon starts. Today she fell asleep while we sang, and I thought Oh BOY! Finally!! She's going to let me listen to the sermon!

Five minutes into a lesson on Ezra, she woke up and cried. So we made the walk to the nursing room (aka an empty room with a rocking chair) and enjoyed Sunday morning alone. Again. How does this always happen? Oh, my Little Toot.

I never really wanted to blog about poop, but the time has come: I'm about to blog about poop.

We're battling our first bout of constipation. Oh, when I say we, I mean Adalyn, of course! I have no idea how this has happened. I still nurse her and still feed her the same foods that she has always enjoyed. Suddenly, she poops very very hard poop. And I have to.. well, help her. I'll save you the details, my friends. I bought her Gerber prune juice and have been feeding her pears to get things moving. Poor kid has been grunting and in pain for 4 days now. I'm really at a loss of what to do. I hope things just.. correct themselves? Poor Little Toot.

Only four Sundays left in Kentucky. That makes it seem EXTREMELY close - does it not?! I can't believe that I only have 4 Sundays left here at my home church! Ack! Time is ticking away!

Adalyn thinks Mark is hilarious. When we Skype, especially on the iPad (where she can see him much better), she just smiles continually and laughs at him. I think they'll get along great.

While typing this blog post, Little Toot opened the desk drawer (she's in my lap) and is rummaging through items in the top drawer. Who is this kid, and how did she get to be so big?

It breaks my heart.
I need a newborn.
Pronto!

Sigh :)

I threw Adalyn on my back the other day.
It was way too much fun.

Spoon. And more!

2011-05-14T14:45:00.001-05:00

This little girl

loves carrots.

No, like really

loves them!!!

But even more than carrots? This gal loves...

A SPOON!!!

In other news, Adalyn has transitioned from four naps to three naps a day. As soon as I published my 6-month update, she decided to prove me wrong and dropped a nap! I had a feeling she was reading my blog all along.

Guess how many times Adalyn wakes up a night. Go on, I dare you!

No, she doesn't STTN.
Nope, not once!
Not twice!

...Every hour and a half!

I bet your jaw just dropped. I'm (sadly?) used to it, though. We still bedshare and breastfeed, and apparently it is VERY VERY common for babies to nurse all through the night when you pair those combos. From what I've read from tons of mamas, their kids continue to nurse a lot until 18-ish months.

Adalyn doesn't sleep nuzzled to me. We each have our side of the bed, and my back is actually toward her. I sense when her breathing changes and know when she is about to wake up. She moves a little, and I nurse her before she is even totally awake. So we just go back to sleep. I'm sure that sounds bizarre to you (yes, you..), but it is extremely comforting to me that TONS of moms do the same thing. It's just that no one talks about it. Except on BabyCenter :)

We are almost to the 30-day countdown for our family's reunion!!! I am beyond excited to have a partner in parenting and a best friend to share life with again. Being a single mother is not easy.. I just do it! We have our own little groove now, but I am definitely looking forward to having some help with her!!

We are now on a car search. We currently have a Jeep Patriot, but we need something a little bigger. 12-hour trips home with a baby and a dog require a lot of room. We have no idea what we should get. Any ideas??

I've already lost 2 pounds on Weight Watchers in 3 days. I ate a salad from Longhorn for lunch. Afterward, I looked up the nutritional information online. It was 20 points. I only get 36 a day! Now I only have 4 points left today (after I had breakfast and a coke).. Ugh! Guess I'll be eating 0-point veggies for supper!

It looks like we won't be going back to base housing for sure. Well, we're pretty certain, anyway. I am looking very, very forward to decorating our new home. And having carpet. And an ice maker. And water we can drink.

I promise to try to blog more often. Hold me to that promise, okay?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

WW

2011-05-11T09:15:00.003-05:00

Quick update:

We are 6-ish weeks away from Mark's return!! Which means I have 6-ish weeks to lose some weight.

I have 25 pounds to lose. Or so. 20 away from my pre-pregnancy weight, but 25 away from pre-marriage weight. So last night I joined Weight Watchers, and I am ready!

I've decided to blog it all. I'm still nursing, and the weight just will not come off. If I pig out on Mexican food or starve myself with heath food, my weight doesn't budge a pound. It's just stuck. And it's pretty frustrating.

I'm starting my journey at 157 and would like to end up around 130. We have a fabulous cruise planned for October, and I'd like to look somewhat decent for Mickey Mouse. Ha.. Kidding. Sort of.

In other news, how adorable is my 6.5-month old daughter? I can't get enough of her!

6 months!

2011-05-02T13:25:00.003-05:00

Adalyn is six months (and almost a half..) old now! I've reached a point in this deployment where I just have no energy to blog. Well, I do. Kind of. But at the end of the day (730pm), I either:

a. stalk people on Facebook
b. read my October 2010 birth board on Baby Center
c. Google stuff
d. go to sleep insanely early

See, blogging just doesn't make the list. It's unfortunate, eh? But now, my sweet little possum is playing in her exersaucer. So mama has a moment to blog:

She is half a year old! And her personality is exploding! My little koala baby now loves about 85% of people and hates the other 15%. She is full of smiles all day long and only makes a grunt sound when she is bored and wants to do something else. She can still only go about 2 - 2.5 hours between naps. And, sadly, usually only naps for 30 minutes at a time. Resulting in 4 naps a day. Still. Sometimes she will take an hour and a half nap. And she still needs (!!!!) to be swaddled for naps and still wears her Magic Sleep Suit to bed each night.

I wonder how many times I wrote "still" in that paragraph.

Little Toot is wearing 9 month clothes now and some 12 month clothes. She is 50% for weight and 75% for height. Though my family still can't believe how teeny she is. She is so, so petite and sweet. I love her small little rolls on her arms and legs. I can't get enough!

She will laugh every.single.time. if you kiss her hands. She just thinks it's so funny. And she also loves my necklaces and has already broken one.

She is discovering her voice more each day and has recently learned to say "ba ba" and actually says bye-bye, though she has no idea what it means. We're working hard on learning dada, since her daddy would die of happiness to hear her say it!

She loves her Jumperoo, her My Pal Scout, and any little trinket toy that she can stick in her mouth. But her most beloved toy? A Munchkin spoon. I have 3 in my diaper bag for a quick entertainer while we're out & about.

We still co-sleep with no end in sight. I've contemplated putting her in her crib.. but just haven't yet. She takes her naps in her crib though. If you can count a 30-minute sleep-fest as a "nap," that is.

She thinks she's big stuff when she rides in shopping carts but still prefers the Moby above all else. I dearly love having her close to me and get pretty sad when I think of her growing up so fast.

We're right in the midst of the super duper oral fixation phase, so everything goes to her mouth. Would I sound like a bad mom if I admitted that I had to retrieve a hunk of play-doh from her mouth the other day? What? I don't know how she got play-doh. Ahem. I guess her mother should have been watching her :)

She loves to be sung to sleep. I love it too. She falls asleep for naps in 2 minutes flat when I swaddle and sing to her. And at night? We're still reading Won't You Be My Kissaroo, and she never gets tired of it. And I never get tired of acting out the book in dramatic hand motions and sounds!!

No sign of crawling anywhere in the future, though she loves to stand up while holding onto things (music table, ottoman, anything!).

She thinks Mark is hilarious, especially when he makes a "popping" noise with his mouth. I'm glad she finds her daddy so entertaining. They love "talking" to each other on the iPad.

Right now she is playing solo, chewing on her exersaucer, and saying "baaa baaaaa." I love her SO much. And, while she exhausts me to no end, I couldn't imagine a more perfect daughter. She is everything I ever dreamed of.

(This blog post was mostly written for my own personal memories.)

You need these blankets.

2011-04-21T09:37:00.001-05:00

This is Adalyn.

This is Adalyn swaddled in her Aden+Anais lion blanket.

You need this blanket.

You know I'm a little into baby products. Like, a lot. And when I find one I love, I love to share it with you. I couldn't not share this product with you. It is my absolute favorite.

These blankets are made of Muslin and seem like a bizarre material, but they are perfect in every way. They come 4 to a pack and can be bought at Target. My princess owns the jungle pack, because I'm not a fan of lots of pink.

Now, while they are marketed as blankets, let it be known that they serve MANY more purposes. Guys, I use these blankets all.day.long. Cripes, how did I survive without them for the first four months of her life?!? And now, without further ado, let me share the glories of these blankets with you:

-Blankets. Obviously we use them to cover her up. Perfect in every way for swaddling - they're the only blanket large enough to swaddle her now. Cool enough for spring & summer and can be layered for winter months.

-Nursing cover. 6-Month old kids aren't into being covered up while they nurse. Heck, who wants to eat under a blanket anyway?! Her arms flail and she will throw her blankets off when we nurse. These are the ONLY blankets I can NIP (nurse in public) with and the best part? They're thin, so she no longer turns into a big sweaty mess while she eats. Whew.

-High chair cover. Um yeah I've not bought a high chair cover for restaurants. Maybe I'm cheap. But for now I throw a blanket on the high chair and sit her in it, so she isn't touching any yucky germs. This also goes for shopping carts.

-Kleenex. Yeah, I totally wipe her nose with an A+A blanket when I'm in a pinch.

-Mat for diaper changes and play time. I lay these in public restrooms and such when I need to change a diaper. They wash easily in cold water, so it's perfect!

-Sun shield. The sun is bright now that spring has sprung. If she's asleep in her car seat, I throw a blanket on top to shield the sun from her. Light enough to be breathable, yet perfect for blocking harsh sunlight.

Did I mention that they can be squished up super small to fit in a diaper bag with ease?! They are PERFECT. You and your baby need these. Especially for nursing. Without these blankets, I'd either have to nurse without a cover and be brave or nurse in a bathroom or car and hide. Neither of which are options to me, really. That's how important they are to me.

Now skip on over to Target, my second home, and buy some for your little love. Thank me later :)

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Parent Confessions!

2011-04-20T18:44:00.001-05:00

I usually always hold Adalyn during her naps to extend naptime. I'll fully admit that I love (and NEED) those breaks. Plus it's sweet cuddle time with my little nugget. Win win situation.

My latest guilty pleasure is watching the Kardashians during said nap times. I can't help it. I just can't.

One time last month, I let Adalyn fall out of her swing. I was standing right next to her, literally, and it happened in a flash. She cried for about 20 seconds and then was all smiles. I never told anyone except Mark; I was ashamed.

I use that Munchkin baby masher gadget to occupy Adalyn while I get things done. Today, a chunk of banana in the mesh bag won me 30 minutes to order 292 photos from Shutterfly. Score!

I may or may not often take bites of Adalyn's baby food. Who knew that Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal or Banana Pear Oatmeal could be so good?!

When Adalyn wakes up at the crack of dawn, I sideline nurse her (is that what it's called?) and don't move a muscle in hopes that she falls back asleep for a while. It always works.

I am too attached to my baby to leave her in the church nursery. Sorry, but this deployment has resulted in Adalyn and I forming a tight bond and are very attached. She would do great in there, as she will let anyone hold her. But me? I would be missing her so much that I probably couldn't concentrate on the sermon. Don't judge.

Ahh, now that feels better!

5x7 Folded Card

2011-04-20T14:30:00.001-05:00

Sweet Love Mother's Day 5x7 folded card

Find unique Mother's Day cards at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Some Thoughts

2011-04-15T19:55:00.003-05:00

I've almost given up all interest in blogging. I don't know why, because I love to write. But I do feel like every ounce if creativity left me in December when my better half boarded the plane for deployment. Now? I feel like I have to scrape my brain for blogging topics.

Oh well. I'll soldier on.

Ad seems to get "easier" with each passing day. I love it. She now eats baby food, "plays" with me, and is (maybe?) making the transition a from 4 naps to 3 naps per day. Which means an earlier bed time! 730 is now when we hit the hay. Yes. WE. We still bedshare and I love it more than ever. I'm completely unaware of how often she eats at night, but she most definitely eats multiple times still. Fine by me, because I don't really wake up to notice! So once she drifts off to sleep, it's Mommy Time:

(cue transition)

Which brings me to now! I'm blogging on our new iPad. We aren't the type to run out and get the latest technology. But this? SO AMAZING! we got it to Skype with Mark, and it has proven to be a very special tool for us. Now, he can travel with us to the table to watch her eat; the nursery to watch her play; outside to watch her swing. I love it.

We are almost to the 2-month mark. I feel like it will never end, though a small bit of my optimistic side is hopeful that these last 9 weeks will go quicker. I can't imaagine him coming home. Seriously, WHAT is it like to have a partner in parenting?!? It's been so long since I've had a hug or a cuddle or a hand to hold. But it's been even harder for my husband. I know he would give anything to kiss Adsalyn just once.

Did I mention thaf we now have a home? No? Well, oops! We do! I've faxed lots and lots of papers and already have our address. I am extremely Excited for us to live together again. Holy crap I want to wash my husband's underwear, cook him spaghetti, and pick up his green military socks. I am beyond thrilled to resume my duties as his Queen Bee!!!

I'm reading through the book of Exodus now on this nifty little iPad app of mine. Too cool.

I think that's all for today.

What a day.

2011-04-02T17:26:00.001-05:00

Today has been so hectic. Full of energy. Full of excitement. I am two notches above "exhausted" and can't wait for bedtime tonight.

Today was our photoshoot with MckMama!

Today we got off to a rocky start but made it to Nashville and headed to the Cheesecake Factory. We all ordered yucky salads, which we did not eat.

Today we left the restaurant too late and had to rush (!!!) to Centennial Park - where we parked farrr away.

Today we ran with our babies and realized, yet again, that we are w.a.y. out of shape, but we made it!! Had a wonderful photoshoot with MckMama. She is totally awesome and we hopefully got some great shots. We took some of her sitting up, laying on her Ally Zabba blanket, with Gray, and with me. I can't wait to get the CD!

Today we headed to Green Hills. We walker forevvver and only actually went in to about 5 stores. We were actually so tired that we stood at an elevator for 5 minutes and couldn't believe it was taking SOO long to open. Until we realized that we never hit the elevator button. Wow.

Today we waited a lifetime for a table at the Cheesecake Factory (again) so we could get cheesecake. Me? I got Reeses cake cheesecake. It was a beautiful thing, y'all. I'll never forget it.

Today I nursed without a cover for the first time in my life. I got to the point where I simply do not care, and I thought it would be unfair to make Adalyn sweat under a blanket, as it was really hot. I pulled my shirt down well; no one gave me a second look. Sweet.

Today I left Green Hills without a single shopping bag. My husband will be proud! But truthfully, I didn't see anything to buy.

I am so, so excited to see her photos!!! What an awesome day!! And meeting MckMama?? Completely and totally awesome. She is great and very sweet. She looked at Adalyn's photos and knew all about her sitting up -- how sweet!! She couldn't believe Ad could sit straight as a stick already, ha! What a fun day!!!

And now? Rest!!!

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I wish: Parenting edition.

2011-03-31T18:08:00.001-05:00

I wish I had given Adalyn a pacifier in the hospital. She gags on them now and will only take them for naps. But who knows - she might have hated them still anyway..

I wish I didn't let my blood pressure go through the roof when Ad cries in the car. I just don't deal well with driving & crying...

I wish I had worn her in the Moby more when she was a newborn. I miss her newborn newness.

I wish I had photographed her more in her first week home. I feel like I don't remember enough about that magnificent time in our lives.

I wish I could remember to get our blasted video camera out and make some home movies!!!

I wish I could have brought Adalyn's Kolcraft bassinet to Kentucky. She loved that thing and hasn't slept well since the day Mark left.

I wish I didn't have to ask God to forgive me every.single.night. for flipping out (over something dumb, no less..) again. Sigh.

I wish I could learn to roll with the punches. Will I ever just relax?! Doubt it.

I wish I hadn't held Adalyn so much while she slept... But she was so darn cute :) (still is!!)

I wish I could bottle her up and save her. I'm proud to admit that I'm one of those nutty people who never want their children to grow. I absolutely love her infancy.

The end.

Ps. I'm holding her through this nap. I need the break. :)

And just for fun, a glimpse of tonight's meal at Chick-fil-A:

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Stream of consciousness!

2011-03-27T19:25:00.001-05:00

Today was full of greatness. We started the day with Lucky Charms and ended it with pizza. And there was so much packed in between those two of my favorite foods.

I missed the entire sermon today. Adalyn was overtired and wasn't having it. I hung out in the nursery while she slept. The cause of this whole mess was that I left every single pacifier at home, so I couldn't get her to sleep in the service. I walked into the nursery, and there it was: a brand new Nuk pink pacifier still in the package. Thank you, God!

We have a photoshoot set up for this weekend with MckMama. Excited is an understatement. I just hope Ad isn't asleep or nursing during my time slot. I have this outfit picked out:

Hope it warms up a little!

We did lots of shopping today. I escaped the mall with only one bag in my hand - can't pass up a Children's Place sale! Adalyn fell asleep while I was in Bath & Body Works. She is a great shopping buddy:

Clayton has now lost 4 teeth and is a super big kid. But you know what? He intensely loves Adalyn. Yesterday, I spotted him holding her hand in the car:

He sings to her, plays with her, and keeps her so happy. He has a precious heart and such a kind spirit. I love him so much, and so does Ad!!

It has been a fantastic weekend. I'm looking forward to Coming Home, Sister Wives, the Duggars, and the season premiere of Secret Life. Normally I hate tv, but I love these shows.

Almost time for bed!! Cuddling with this sweet girl now:

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5 months!!!

2011-03-26T20:17:00.001-05:00

I'm nursing my 5-month old daughter to bed right now. It's hard to believe that she is almost halfway to 1, but time seems to be moving much slower with Mark gone.

Parenting Adalyn is relatively easy. Aside from her disliking naps, we have an extremely predictable schedule and it goes smoothly! Our days are spent singing songs about everything. I love love love to rhyme and find myself making up songs over diaper changes or getting dressed. She thinks it's hilarious, and her smiles keep me going!

I often feel lonely, sad, and just emotional over things. I definitely never imagined raising her alone, and I think about Mark all day long. I wish he could be here to go to church with us. To give Adalyn baths with me. To watch her grow and reach milestones. It feels like my heart has a ginormous hole and time is standing still until June. I definitely feel incomplete without my best friend here, and I feel a constant state of hurt. But our little girl, the spitting image of her daddy, is growing and changing and greets me each morning with the biggest grins on earth. He is so, so proud of her and thinks she's the "greatest baby on earth!" I find joy in photographing and video taping Adalyn for Mark. We talk about Daddy often:

Daddy's coming home,
Yes, he's coming home in June!
Daddy's coming back
He's coming home so soon!

..part of a song I sing her! :)

Adalyn is our greatest accomplishment and the best addition to our lives. So, without further ado, an update on our precious miracle:

Adalyn, you now have a spunky personality that is anything but easy-going. Your favorite spot is in my arms, and you let it be known! You can't last more than 2 hours of awake time without needing a nap, and you go to bed at 8pm on the dot every single night.

You can now sit up, which you started doing toward the end of 4 months! You're great at it and think you're big stuff!

I give you food when I feel like it. You're a great eater and am contemplating baby-led weaning. You try to snatch my flood away from me at every single meal and have almost pulled my plate off the table more times than I could count.

We read "Won't You Be My Kissaroo?" each night before bed. You smile through the whole book, and we act out the kisses. I love it and it is my favorite part of the day!

You have turned into a big girl before my very eyes and can now: sit up in a cart, drink water from a sippy cup, stand and play with a music table, and more!

You like to scratch things. It's bizarre. But you dig your nails onto the onto the couch, car seat, whatever you can find! Today you scratched Clayton's face. Ow.

You now love to touch my mouth when you're going to sleep for naps. I guess it's comforting for you, and I think it's sweet!

You have a new-found interest in Piper and always try to pet her. You grab a fist of fur and pull! We'll have to work on that!

Adalyn, you are changing and are a complete joy to me! Your daddy and I think you are amazing and more than we could have dreamed of!

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How I wash Adalyn's diapers

2011-03-17T10:06:00.001-05:00

Washing my cloth diapers is oh-so easy. I have so many friends who are seriously considering CDing but still have some questions. So, I thought I would open up my laundry room to you and show you how it's done! I have about 20 cloth diapers, or so. 15 FuzziBunz, 3 Blueberry, and 2 Thirsties. So on with the show! (How many times did I say "so"?! Hehe!)

Here is a pile of her dirty diapers. It's amazing how much urine can be soaked up by cloth.

First, I take out the inserts in the cloth diapers. There's a little pocket in the diaper where these inserts slide in -- they soak up all the urine and poop. You can add extra inserts for extra absorption. I add hemp inserts at night which soaks up urine for 12 hours.

Here's a "pee pee" diaper. I pull out the insert and throw them both in the washing machine together. I then run a COLD RINSE with NO detergent. This just takes a few minutes.

Once that's done, I whip out my detergent. I use Rockin Green, which is bought online. You have to use scent-free detergent, but some people use All Free & Clear! Rockin Green always leaves my diapers spotless. I've never had a stain!

The bag on the right is the FuzziBunz edition of Rockin Green, but I prefer the regular version.

3 scoops get dumped in the washer! And yes, this handy scoop comes in the bag!

I then run a HOT wash with cold rinse. That's it!

Then I pull them out of the washer and hang them up to dry. You can throw them in the dryer if you're in a hurry.

And they're done! So easy; the washer does all the work. And this will save us thousands of dollars.

No blow-outs
Saves thousands of dollars
No rashes
And CUTE!!

The end :)

Edited to add: Breastfed poop is like non-smelly liquid, and her diapers absorb almost all of it. So there's nothing to shake off into the toilet! It just gets thrown right into the washer. When we're out, her diapers go into a wet bag in my diaper bag. There's zero smell because she's still breastfed! :) Once we start solids for real, I'll knock off poopies in the toilet and use rice paper. More on that later!

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Our Date: a poem by yours truly

2011-03-15T20:43:00.001-05:00

Today we had a little date
On this dreary, frigid day!
We took a little drive
To good ol' Chick-fil-A

Our most beloved establishment
Full of chicken & waffle fries
I guzzled lots of coke --
I had it coming out of my eyes!

Adalyn was pretty feisty
Trying to grab my tray
Dropped my croutons in the floor
Oh well, they're fattening anyway!

I took her in her Carter's suit
"What a cute boy!!" they thought.
Have you ever seen a little boy
In such sweet polka dots?!

So I threw off her bunny ears
And stuck on her Girly hat*
'Cause everyone thought she was a boy
And mama just couldn't have that..

So after my lunch was finished
We zoomed right off to Target!
Just to waste some time..
There was nothing I needed to get.

And right there in the baby aisle
Something cute caught my eye..
It was the Aden + Anais blankets!!
Something I just had to buy!

I threw them in the cart
Along with a Just One You dress
When Adalyn & I get in Target??
Oh.. It's nothing but a mess.

A quick trot through the clothes
A gallop through the books
Sweet Ad in her big flower hat
Got many, many looks!

And then our date came to an end
I buckled her in her seat
Chick-fil-A and our favorite store?
This day could not be beat!!

*Also, I may or may not have dropped a glob of Chick-fil-A sauce on her bunny hat. Ahem.

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5 things this mommy wants

2011-03-15T08:44:00.003-05:00

My dream list. Things I'll probably never get but definitely have my eye on them. If I had an unlimited stash of money, I'd get them all. But that probably isn't true, because I'm a big saver. But a girl can wish, right?

1. A woven wrap: Yes, another baby carrier. But this one lets you pack your baby on your back!

This photo abounds with cuteness, does it not? Sadly, you can't (safely..) pack a baby on your back with the Moby. But this little sucker is made extra sturdy with babywearing in mind. Too bad they're priced out the wazoo. But guys, I wish so bad that I could put Adalyn on my back. Holds kids up to 30 pounds. Guess we'll stick with the Ergo for back-riding!

2. Aden + Anais blankets: It seems like everyone has these blankets!! EVERYONE. The reviews are amazing and people claim that these blankets are their "must-have" baby item. They're made from muslin and can squish up to a teeny size to be packed away in a diaper bag REALLY easy. Plus they're the perfect size for nursing covers (I hate actual nursing covers. Haven't used them.. EVER! I just use blankets.) or a mat for tummy time or a shade from the sun or anything.

They're kind of pricey, so guess what? Target, our beloved store, has their own Target line of Aden & Anais blankets! They're $32 or so, and I just love them.

3. The Beaba & Baby Magic Bullet: Yes, we discussed this yesterday. But I can't imagine the ease of making baby food with these contraptions. I don't exactly want to stand in front of a stove and steam and puree. Lazy? Maybe. But I'd rather be doing other things. I would love to throw carrots into a steamer and leave.. only to come back to a pot of food ready to go. Doesn't get any better than that.

4. Rumparooz & Kawaii cloth diapers: Yep, I'm still moderately obsessed with cloth diapering. I wish I could convince the world to forget about Pampers and Huggies and buy cloth diapers. (Read: IT SAVES YOU THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, PEOPLE!!!!!!!) Rumparooz are just too cute, and Kawaii cloth diapers get great reviews. If I only had unlimited money, I would build a stash of cloth diapers to the moon.

5. A mommy necklace from Etsy: I just can't get enough of these adorable necklaces from Etsy. I dream of having one that says "Adalyn 10-20-10" to go around my neck. They're just too sweet!!

Baby food!!

2011-03-14T17:16:00.001-05:00

These days, what gets me going is baby food. Cloth diapers used to be my favorite obsession, but now that Little Toot is inching closer and closer to 6 months?? I can't wait to make her food!!

Ad has had her tastes of baby food and loves (loves!) it... Unless it's Gerber, apparently. The other day she got nibbles of peaches and hated them. Then she got nibbles of bananas and ate them well, but Little Toot turned into BIG TOOTS and we dealt with major gas (and lots of fussing) for two days after the bananas. So we're holding off on food, with the exception of a few nibbles of Plum/Ella's here and there.

And on that note, it's amazing how much pain, tears, and general fussiness can come from one fart.

So there are two baby food makers that I have my eye on: the Beaba Babycook and the Magic Baby Bullet.

A few of my friends have the Babycook and seem to love it. I love it because it steams and seems incredibly easy. You just flip a switch and it does it all. It's pretty pricey, though.. But it seems perfect.

Or the Baby Bullet

Look at those adorable smiley jars to store the food! And those freezer trays that come with it!! As far as I can see, this gadget doesn't stream, but you just add water and push down. Voilà! Baby food! I love that this system comes with all the accessories needed, pretty much. The cups also come with a dial to turn for the date of the month, so you know exactly how old your frozen food is!

Do any of you sweet readers have experience with either? I can't wait to purchase a system and start whipping up meals for our little one!!

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Fritter @ 4.5!

2011-03-10T12:42:00.001-06:00

This little girl...

~Loves to have her hand held when I put her to sleep!

~Also loves to have her hair/forehead stroked as she drifts off to sleep.

~Now laughs out loud, especially when I sing. Coincidence? Is my singing voice that funny?!

~Understands and loves toys.. And her mama really loves buying toys.. Not a good match!

~Goes to sleep in about 20 seconds, literally, but only takes 30 minute naps. I'm just going to embrace it. That's apparently just her style!

~Doesn't like riding in strollers and prefers her mode of transportation to be the Moby Wrap. Still :) (except for walks outside!!)

(yes, that's Adalyn in there, fast asleep!!)

~Weighs around 14.5lbs and has recently been fighting a runny nose & cough.. And is slowly but surely winning the battle.

~Has a special bond with Gradma.

~Smiles big at Daddy and babbles to him via Skype. He loves it!!

~Is fascinated with her nephews and Piper. She now smiles big at Piper and tries to pet her.

~Hates about 60% of people who try to hold her or talk loudly to her. She'll let Hudson hold her but screams her head off when great-grandmas come around!

~Is Mama's Little Toot! And is nearly 5 months old.

This was mostly for my personal records to remember this beautiful, precious time with my 4.5-month baby :)

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Wordless Wednesday: a girl & her pup

2011-03-09T21:09:00.001-06:00

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my favorite baby splurges!

2011-03-07T10:09:00.003-06:00

I really try to save money where I can and love a good consignment store or sale. But there are a few things that I totally justify spending the extra money for.

1. Ella's Kitchen Organic Baby Food or Plum Organics:

I give Nugget some baby food about once a week, and she loves it. I discovered this awesome baby food at Target, and I'm smitten. Adalyn adores (!!!) this food and I can't say enough great things about it. It (obviously!) comes in little pouches with a screw-on top, so you squirt a little food on the spoon, and you can save the rest for later! This food tastes so good - my personal favorite is Pumpkin & Banana!

I definitely plan on making my own baby food this summer, but for now? We love our organic baby food!! It's basically twice the price, but I'd pay anything for my baby girl to have healthy, tasty food for her little belly!

2. Manhattan Toys:

Oh.My.Gosh. I am IN LOVE with this brand. Adalyn owns more of these toys than I can even count, and I am so glad I discovered them at Barnes & Noble. Our baby has quite a few toys, but she evidently, obviously, without a doubt prefers Manhattan Toys every single time. They're odd looking things, but they're perfectly designed for babies. I can't rave about this brand enough. Seriously, FORGET Fisher Price!! And actually, forget Baby Einstein. Adalyn doesn't even give a second glance to her Baby Einstein toys (sadly!).

Skwish

wooden balls!

Her favorites are her Winkel and Skwish. We also just got a Manhattan Toy cloth book, and I LOVE it. You can order them fairly cheap on Amazon (just search "Manhattan Toy") and get free shipping with Amazon Mom. These toys are the only ones that her little hands can hold and are made just right for her development. I have my eye on the Whoozit line. And let it be known that she's getting Baby Stella and the Diaper and Feeding Set for her first birthday!! Woo!

3. Sleepies:

Adalyn isn't a very peaceful sleeper, as I've said 2 million times on this blog. I am ever so thankful for our Miracle Blanket that gave Adalyn secure, snuggly hours of sleep until she was 3.5 months old. But now? She gets zipped up in a Magic Sleep Suit. It looks like a comfy snowsuit, but we love it around here! It keeps her warm and I can now lay her down so easy for naps. This thing was an expensive $45 with shipping, but I think it's worth it. Granted, her sleeping hasn't dramatically improved, but we use it for every single nap and each night.

My mom calls her an astronaut baby. I think she's the cutest sleeping marshmallow on the block.

4. Sweet dresses for pictures!

I'll soon be making an appointment for pictures, and Ad already has her Easter dress ready for the occasion!! I love (!!!) smocked dresses, but they are VERY pricey. Our little one has 3 -- two came from consignment and one is from great grandma! I am a sucker for those little ruffles and sweet hand-sewn designs.

Sneak peek!

A mama can't help but splurge SOME of the time, right!?

Patience!

2011-03-05T21:10:00.001-06:00

I pray for patience every single night. Because I lose it every single day. I am the queen at overreacting. And, since Mark has been gone, I tend to get crazy. Each night, I think tomorrow is sooo going to be different. I'll be patient and won't get upset.

Something really irks me about Adalyn crying in the backseat. I'm sure it's because I can't help her, so she just screams alone.. Which breaks my heart. I hate how upset I get. And a lot of times it just makes me want to cry.

She has recently been sick with an awful hacking cough and a congested & runny nose. So we spent our Saturday at the doctor's office. We waited a full hour past her appointment time (joy...) and finally saw the on-call doctor. He was absolutely the worst pediatrician I have seen and said she was FINE.

I love how I wasted our time like that today. My "fine" baby has woken up twice (and went right back to sleep) coughing her little head off. And the women at the baby boutique thought she had croup!

Ugh.

Oh, back to the story - I lost my patience again today at the doctor. I was so frustrated with waiting so long for nothing, and it was her nap time on top of it all, so she was in a bad mood.

Looking back, it wasn't a big deal at all. It seems so silly to get worked up over nothing. But in those moments, I just lose it.

Tomorrow will be different. I won't get upset if she cries during the church service. Or wails in her car seat. Or wakes up 30 minutes after her nap. Nope. Tomorrow I'll be patient :)

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Moods.

2011-02-28T18:46:00.001-06:00

Adalyn isn't always full of smiles, as she may sometimes appear.

Nope. This little toot has many..

..many..

moods.

But nothing that a good ol' suck-on-the-hand can't fix!

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hating deployment.

2011-02-28T10:36:00.002-06:00

Looking forward to re-creating this photo in June '11

We are so over this deployment. I don't mean to whine, but.. who cares. This is my blog.

Time is creeping by. We're two months down and four to go, and I feel like he's been gone a lifetime. I'm to the point now where I literally cannot imagine life with him back. It will be uh-MAZING. Seriously a dream come true. I am so used to being alone, parenting alone, sleeping alone, going to church alone, eating alone, and getting zero physical contact.

It s.u.c.k.s. just for the record.

So, I often sit and daydream about Mark. Did you know that if you don't see someone for a long while, you actually dream about them a lot? It's true. Mark is almost always in my dreams. My little heart just misses him so much. And those dreams actually feel real, so I'm thankful for them. We have so many plans and dreams about when he returns.

Moving into a new house or apartment together.
Taking Ad to the beach (oh, the baby sun hats & flip flops!)
Going swimming as a family.
Chipotle and Cracker Barrel. Oh yes.
Buying baby floaties and taking Ad to the pool.
Going to DC and the National Zoo and Aquarium too!
Outerbanks, NC.
Disney Cruise!

and so much more!

I lurve my Airman more than you know, and I'm sooo proud of him for being the most awesome husband and daddy ever. He provides so much for us (!!!!) and loves us with all of his heart. But, really, I'm ready for this deployment to be over. It isn't fair that other dads get to be with their children, and other wives get to be with their husbands.

And I know that "life isn't fair,"

but this is my blog, remember, so I get to whine when I want.

My heart aches for Adalyn and Mark, because they can't be together. It's HORRIBLE that he can't see her grow up. That he can't give her baths, tickle her, carry her around, or give her hugs and kisses. He can just look at her on a computer screen. I hate it. It makes me loathe his career in ways you can't even comprehend. The worst part of this isn't that I haven't had a hug or a hand to hold or anyone to kiss since December. It's that Adalyn doesn't have her daddy here.

I hate it. HATE.

But I love my Airman.

He's my everything.

Love you to death and to the moon, sweetheart.

What We Do On Saturdays

2011-02-26T17:00:00.002-06:00

On Saturdays, we have lots of fun.

First, my daughter decides to sleep in much later than normal and I, naturally, wake up at the crack of dawn. It's one of those mother laws of nature (not to be confused with the laws of mother nature?) - moms are never allowed to really get to sleep in.

I get ready in my own time, on my own terms, for the first time in months. Afterward, I go back to stare at the sweet angel face in my bed. I realize, again, how blessed I am.

We high-tail it to Clayton's last basketball game of the season and cheer way too loud. Everyone around can tell that we are Clayton's family!!

He scores a goal, and we shout from the rooftops with pride! Adalyn enjoys halftime with Poppy and C:

We then toot on over to the mall, because we girls shop on Saturdays!

Ad rides along in the Moby and is asleep in 5 minutes.

I mean really asleep. Her passy matches her outfit like a little lady ;)

But we get some cute summer things!

After lunch and another nap for Ad, it's time to grocery shop! I was out of Chocolately Delight Special K.. Which I eat every single day! Emergency! :)

Adalyn caught the eye of lots of women, and I got more Jell-O Temptations. Those things are the bomb, in case you've never tried them.

Adalyn was asleep by the time we checked out:

And stayed asleep, by some miracle, in her Big Girl car seat. She loves that thing infinitely more than her baby car seat!

After naptime, I eat a Healthy Choice meal while Ad watches:

It's okay; I don't eat the broccoli, though. Adalyn squinches her nose up when she smiles...

and we sing songs and laugh..

Then we play, play, play with toys! I watch Ad as she learns to spin the spinny things on her exersaucer and as she grabs the sun and spins the earth. Later, she sucks on Sophie and plays with her Bendy Ball.

And now? Nap #4 while I blog. Bathtime will be squashed in before bed, and I'll nurse her to sleep at 8pm.

I love LOVE Saturdays. So does my daughter!

And by the way, I'm a little exhausted :)

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Our favorite toy.

2011-02-25T21:11:00.001-06:00

A while ago, I came across a brand of toys.

Manhattan Toys.

Bright
Colorful
Fun toys.

I couldn't get enough. It's no exaggeration that I fell in love with the brand. Every toy was seemingly perfectly designed for different age groups and developmental abilities. Perfecto. And adorable.

So, enter the Winkel. I researched it, in Shannon fashion, and it got incredible reviews. So we bought one.

Guys, this is THE BEST TOY for infants. At least for infants her age, anyway. It's almost like plastic cords twisted and connected, perfect for small hands to grasp.

Perfect for little mouths to chew.

Perfect to tote around.

And my kid LOVES this thing!!!!

It goes *everywhere* with us, and it's by far the best toy for her. It is literally one of the few toys her small hands can hold.

I'm not being paid to endorse this or anything, but....

...your kid needs this toy. Adalyn says so.

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Remembering at 4 months

2011-02-24T21:10:00.001-06:00

I want to remember everything about every stage. I'm trying to keep a baby book, but it just isn't detailed enough. Puddin (O, how I have so many names for her..) is 4 months. I love this age. I want to remember everything about it.

-Everything goes to her mouth now. Everything. Even your hand, if she's holding it.

-Nightly massages with California Baby lotion are thrilling to her.

-I make up songs all.day.long. And she thinks it's the best thing ever.

I love my little Adalyn, she's my baby girl
I love my baby Adalyn, she's my world!
Big blue eyes and little button nose,
Little blonde hair and long skinny toes!
I love my baby Adalyn, mommy's best friend
Mommy will love you until the very end.

I sing this basically every day!

-She will let pretty much anyone hold her.. With a few exceptions...

-She now reaches for everything she sees and will bend over backwards to get them. This week, I was holding her at a restaurant. She reached as hard as she could for my plate, faster than my friend could stop her, and burned her hand. That cry could have been heard a mile away!

..trying her darndest to get my camera!

-She especially loves Hudson and crooks her neck as hard as she can so she can watch him! He calls her "Adalyn Reesie Cup" and loves her.

-Her little toots are more like big macho man farts. Daddy would be proud.

-I love getting ready with her each morning. She watches me get ready and then sits in her highchair and intently watches me eat cereal.

We're definitely in a "groove," and I'd say things are getting easier by the day. I absolutely love her at this special age. After all, she thinks mama is the funniest, best person alive.. We are definitely best friends :)

Riding like a big kid in the Ergo.. Can you believe it?!

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4 months.

2011-02-23T12:46:00.001-06:00

Nugget turned 4 months old this week.

pause for mourning

Today was her check-up and vaccination visit. I get overly and oddly nervous about doctor visits. I think that I subconsciously worry if I'm doing everything right as a singly-present parent. But it turns out that she's tootin' right along and is growing right on track.

My "teeny" baby, as people like to call her, weighs 13.05lbs and is 24" long! Smack dab exactly 50% in both areas.

I asked the doctor about her extreme gas problems, and he suggested an OTC medicine for her and myself. You better bet that I'm running out to get it tonight.

He didn't seem to have much advice on her sleeping issues. He just advised me to swaddle her tight (we do that) and to put her in the same spot each day for naps. Then he said to "not touch her" and "not pick her up" if she cries. I really, really disagree with that style of parenting. Even if I let her CIO, she gets hysterical and is beet red with tears covering the sheet. There is no way she would ever quit and put herself to sleep. If I let her CIO, she would simply scream until it was time to eat again.

Hopefully things will improve. I have hope :)

I decided to keep her on the usual vax schedule, and she got a shot in each leg and an oral vax. I cried. The nurse cried. She had to leave the room since she started to cry.

(Note: this is the second time I've made a nurse cry when Adalyn has gotten shots..)

For now, she's napping in my arms - yep, I'm doing some major cuddling now! Hopefully fevers and pain stay away. I hate to see my little toot in pain, as any mama does. She is too, too sweet, and I love her to bits!

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We shop...

2011-02-22T16:43:00.001-06:00

...in the boy department at Old Navy.

We aren't ashamed.

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Can't wait.

2011-02-21T21:09:00.001-06:00

Tonight I'm spending the night with Clayton. Now, what this really means is that I hang out with the family until 8pm, then Ad and I go sleep in his room while he sleeps downstairs. But it's a lot of fun, and we love it.

Man, I miss my partner so much. I'm calling him that because that's exactly what he was/is. Besides being my best friend, soul mate, and the greatest thing to ever happen to me (love you, dear ;)), Mark is my partner. He was my equal in raising Ad.

Life was so (SOO!!!!) easy when Mark was here. Parenting was a cinch, and he was always eager to help. At this point, I've spent equal time as a singly present parent as when he was here -- two months. I miss him so, so much. Adalyn isn't "hard" by any means. I just miss having a partner to do everything with.

Example:
Bath? It was known, without speaking, that he would bathe her while I got her towel, diaper, lotion, and pajamas ready with her Miracle Blanket. At the end of her bath, it was all laid out and ready. Easy.

Before we left the house, one of us would assemble the diaper bag (diaper & wipe check!) while the other one got her coat and put her in the carseat. Easy!!!

At a restaurant, if she was getting fussy and needed a pacifier, the other would get it without being told. Easy.

Going into church, one of us would pack her belongings, and one of us would pack her. Easy.

...Now? It's all on me. Parenting, the way God designed it, is *so* much easier with a partner to help. The other week, Adalyn woke up from a nap at Kroger. She was fine until we got to the checkout. By the time I paid, she was screaming at the top of her lungs; her face was beat red --classic Adalyn. I was getting anxious, and the gobs of people that stopped to say, "Boy, she's mad!!" made me more flustered than ever.

Mark and I always grocery-shopped together. It's just what we do.

Dang. I miss him.

So now we're two months down and four more to go. And I can safely say it's crawling by for me. For Mark, it's passing quickly; he's very very busy all day. At this point, I literally can't imagine what parenting will be like when I have my partner back. The word "easy" comes to mind first.

No one knows her (or will know her) the way her daddy does.

I can't wait to see them together for the first time.
I cant wait to see him give her a kiss and hug her.
I can't wait to see her asleep in his arms.
I can't wait to see him wear her in the Ergo.
I can't wait to do all the thing we've planned as a family.
I can't wait for Sunday mornings together.
I can't wait to read Bible stories to her together each night.
I can't wait to hear her say "da da" and to watch him melt.
I can't wait to see him cry when he sees her for the first time.
I can't wait.

I miss him so, so much. A part of my heart is truly missing right now.

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Joy :)

2011-02-21T13:59:00.001-06:00

Motherhood is the sweetest joy in life.

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Day 2

2011-02-17T19:06:00.001-06:00

Day 2 of "The Change" is going great! Here's what my day looks like:

Breakfast:
Special K cereal with fat free milk OR oatmeal

Lunch:
A frozen meal.. Fun :)

Snack:
17 Special K crackers with Laughing Cow cheese
OR fruit
OR string cheese
OR fat free pudding
...etc

Supper:
Basically a regular meal, I just try to make healthier options. Cutting back, you know.

And no cokes. Just lots of water.

Hopefully that + my super fun (ahem...) exercise routine will start to show some results.

In other news, I'm totally sleep deprived. My kid has BAD gas. Help!!! What do I do to help her?! She's EBF, so I can't change her formula or anything. She is extremely uncomfortable at night, waking up 8 times! Any recommendations, anyone!?

I'm too mentally exhausted to blog anymore. Goodnight.

Oh, and here's a little glimpse of my day -- Hudsie & Ad.

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my iPhone

a poem from an exhausted mother

2011-02-16T11:02:00.001-06:00

There once was a baby named Adalyn Reese
She was the first granddaughter & niece

Cuter than a button
With blonde hair & blue eyes
But made herself known
With loud and awful cries

She loved her Jumperoo
And loved to bounce on a lap
But this sweet little girl,
She really hated a nap.

Oh she'd fall asleep in
30 seconds flat
With a passy, giraffe,
And a pat, pat, pat, pat.

Out like a light
Limp as could be
But don't let her fool you
She's not sleepy..

As soon as you move
Her body starts to twitch
And you try your darndest
To lay her down without a glitch..

Just a few minutes later
You'll let out a sigh
And then, there you'll hear it,
A big, loud, mad cry.

Every attempt to pat, shush,
Or soothe her back to sleep
Makes her cry even harder
She's as mad as a <*bleep!*>

Back in my arms she goes
I cuddle her back to dream land
Attempt to put her back in her crib
And here we go again..

Hard to believe that sweet little face could be so difficult, right? Don't let her fool ya.

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The beginning of my change.

2011-02-15T19:14:00.001-06:00

I hate my body. A lot. My post-baby body is depressing, and I can't even begin to fit into my pre-pregnancy clothes. Adalyn is almost 4 months old, and I'm still 25lbs heavier than when we conceived her.

I have to change something.

I'm fairly certain that my body is holding onto fat to make breastmilk, because I do eat healthy! I'm supposed to actually eat 500 extra calories to keep up my supply. But the weight just isn't coming off.

I must confess that I love Coca Cola. More like obsessed. I can't stand the thoughts of eating a meal without a coke. I just can't. But I'm giving them up starting tomorrow, because this weight HAS to come off. My husband comes home in 4 months, and we go on our cruise in 8. This mama has to look good :)

So I've been inspired by a wonderful fellow AF wife, and i have decided to start the Couch to 5k program. Guys, I *hate* to run. You have no idea. I might just die out there. Just maybe. I would rather starve than run, but no amount of Lean Cuisines seems to be doing the trick. So tomorrow? I'm leaving my daughter with my mom and starting my journey.

I don't have a specific goal, but I'd like to be 130. I'm currently 159. I have to do this, guys. Not only do I want to be healthy for my spouse & daughter, but I really don't want to have t buy a whole new wardrobe :)

I'll letcha know how I make it tomorrow! Gulp.

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4 months!

2011-02-14T16:50:00.001-06:00

Well, I finally decided to get Blogpress on my iPhone since the days of lounging in front of the computer are over (for now!) and since M has our laptop, I'll be blogging from the phone. Just as good! ...kind of :)

I've come to terms with the face that my little toot is a high-needs baby and am embracing it. I really owe Dr. Sears BIG time, because he has helped me understand her better and how to help her. Adalyn hates naps. She takes 4 (sometimes 5) naps a day, and she goes to sleep so, so easy! But staying asleep? No. Not at all. She wakes up at least once per nap, even if I'm holding her. If I had a nickel for every time someone told me she was "spoiled" to being held, I'd be one rich mama. But that isn't the case, folks. Because her eyes pop open in my arms & I have to soothe her back to sleep. Even if we nap together and she's in my arms, she will still wake at least once.

And, oh yeah, I don't agree with CIO at this age. Cruel :)

We're loving (LOVING!!!!!) the Cloud B Sleep Giraffe and we're working daily on sleeping independently. But she's my little toot and I'm fine with helping her sleep, if that's what she needs at this age. I just pat her bottom & shush her, and she (unwillingly :) goes back to sleep!

Like they say: the years are short and the days are long.

I'm choosing to love this stage, even if she hates to stay asleep :)

So what else is Ad up to?
-talking up a storm!! Little Miss Chatterbox
-grabs & holds toys with both hands & chews them
-sucks on anything she can squeeze in her mouth
-loves the Jumperoo
-loves or hates people. And lets them know :)
-tries to roll from her back to her belly. (already goes from belly to back)
-has tried baby oatmeal.. And maybe a bite or two of organic Ella's baby food :O
-refuses formula like the plague
-thinks her mama is awesome**

**no, really. We're BFF.

Most common phrases said to us these days:
-is she always so happy!!? (haha!!!)
-she has the cutest smile!
-Little Mark! Looks like daddy!!
-she's sooo little!
-she's SOO alert!
-how old is that baby?! She has awesome neck control!
-she sure loves to talk!

We're all smiles over here! Loving this stage and adoring every second of motherhood!!! I beg her every day to pleeeeaase not grow up! :)

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working through breastfeeding

2011-02-01T14:21:00.003-06:00

There are many things that I tried to "educate" myself on before the birth of our daughter. Breastfeeding was one of them. I read The Breastfeeding Book by Dr. Sears (love!) and familiarized myself with the basics of nursing.

But breastfeeding, as it turns out, is just one of those things that can't really be learned from a book.

After all of Niblet's blood tests (she had a trillion, thanks to meconium), the nurse brought her to me at 3am, and she said goodbye. I thought "Oh boy, WHAT do I do now!?" And just like that, all of my breastfeeding knowledge went out the window. I tried to get her to latch. Failed. Mark called a lactation consultant in immediately. She spent about 10 minutes with me and got Adalyn to suck her finger. Eventually we got the "football hold" down smashingly, and she enjoyed her meal.

Adalyn literally seeing me for the very first time.
A very very special picture to us!

But then we got home. And I filled up with milk.

Ouch!

And then I had to "toughen up" as she kept nursing.

DOUBLE ouch!!

Holy mackrel, who knew that breastfeeding could be so painful!? I'm talking like my toes would curl and I would hold my breath as she would latch. I'm fairly certain that my latch was good, but my body wasn't used to nursing yet. If Mark only had a nickel for every time I told him, "I just want to give her formula!!! PLEASE!" then he might be a rich man.

And thank God for my husband, because he encouraged me and kept me sane through the pain of breastfeeding. He's a real prize, that one!

I'm nearly certain that Adalyn developed a "shallow latch" resulting in "lipstick nipple." It was so painful that I recall my eyes watering in Moe's as I nursed her in the restaurant. Ow. Painful memories.

And not only that, but plugged ducts?! I got a plugged duct every other day. I'd read about them, but I (naively) skimmed over the paragraphs in books talking about mastitis and plugged ducts. Basically, a hard mass forms in your breast and it hurts.really.bad. It's so tender, and you have to massage it while nursing to get it to go away.

I still get those from time to time. Sigh.

But here we are today, at (almost) 15 weeks, and we're still going strong. I wish that someone would have told me how utterly painful breastfeeding can be. This post has no purpose, really. But a lot of my friends (readers) are pregnant, so I just wanted to "warn" you. Maybe it's just me? But it took a ton of determination to get here today. And, I'll be honest - the ONLY reason I stuck with it during those painful moments was because breastfeeding is free. And I didn't want to deal with bottles. Ha.

But I'm so glad I did. And I have my husband to thank. Thank you, lover, for encouraging me and listening to me whine and cry about the pain. You're my greatest inspiration.

And now? Why, I've nursed...
..high in the sky on an airplane
..at every restaurant known to man
..through a church service
..while I slept at night
..at the movie theater through Harry Potter
..going down the interstate
..while blogging!

Here's to 9 more months (I hope!) of breastfeeding.

stream of consciousness!

2011-01-29T19:29:00.002-06:00

My sister is being a peach (best aunt ever!) and holding Adalyn so I can rest and blog. We just got through with Family Game Night - we played Candy Land, Operation, and Boxers & Briefs. Now? Time for a movie and then we're spending the night with Clayton!

Earlier this evening:

Me: Why can't we watch something fun? Like The Little Mermaid!! I wanna be where the people are, I wanna see.. wanna see them dancing..

Hudson: I wanna be Batman!

.... ok then!

~~~

Found the neatest little gadget/toy today at Dillards: a Cloud B Sleep Giraffe. I'd read about it online (as I read about all baby gadgets...) and decided to get it. $22 and totally worth it. It plays 4 different sounds, including Ad's beloved white noise. Puts her to sleep nearly instantly.

As long as she has a passy and is being patted to sleep too, that is!

Did I mention that we're going on the Disney cruise later this year? Because we so are! It has been my dream FOREVER to go on the Disney cruise, and Mark knew it!! We researched and thought long & hard on which cruiseline we would choose, but Disney caters to infants so perfectly - it will make a wonderful vacation for the three of us. Diapers or baby food can even be delivered to your room. Perfecto.

Tonight, Adalyn sucked on a bottle for the very first time. I decided to test the waters with formula - just for kicks - and she did suck it! Progress! Too bad that she held the formula in her mouth and refused to swallow because it tasted so bad. Ha! Poor kid.

And Adalyn's awake and ready to eat. The end!

Your husband might be deployed if...

2011-01-25T17:01:00.005-06:00

Your husband might be deployed if...

..you can't remember the last time you shaved your legs

..you're starting to build muscles from lugging around an infant car seat

..every time you lug around that infant car seat, you miss your husband's strong arms more than ever :)

..you verbally say, "I wish your daddy was here!" to your child when times get rough!

..you really don't care what you look like anymore. You just put on enough make up to get by :)

..other lovey couples going on dates and having fun together really makes you bitter inside

..instead of time "flying" with an infant, time is c.r.e.e.p.i.n.g. by

..you've gotten accustomed to making calls and dealing with the annoying "stuff" that seems to happen only when your spouse is out of the country

..you feel the need to document every ounce of every day, just so your spouse doesn't miss anything!

..you spend your free time daydreaming about what life will be like when you're a family together again

We're (less than!) 5 months away, and I cannot wait. Guys, I hate this deployment. It's getting really old really fast, and he feels the same way. It definitely doesn't feel fair that he has a good chance of deploying every 6 months, and other guys never have to worry about it. What is fair about that? We are already worrying about whether he'll be called to deploy this December, and it sucks.

Just thought I'd be honest about it.

(And your meanie comments aren't welcome here, thanks! :))

~~~

Back when Mark was with us, life was grand. Our life was basically a permanent vacation by the beach, just the three of us, and we loved life. For fun, we'd go to Babies R Us (oh, I'm serious!), walk at the mall, or go to local parks. And did I mention eating out? Because that ranks up as our most favorite thing to do!

She never really got a taste of it. Don't worry, folks :)

(although she has had a taste of Kyoto soup, Graydon's squash, and a few other things. Just a taste on her tongue. bwhahaha.)

~~~~

and just for fun, two random images:

what I would say to you:

2011-01-21T11:24:00.004-06:00

Adalyn celebrated her 3-month birthday yesterday!

Only 9 more months of birthday planning!

wink

Our sweet girl at 3 months

If Adalyn could speak (and understand) English, there are a few things I'd like to say to her at this time in her life...

The carseat? It isn't so bad. It isn't so scary. You're going to be in one for years to come, so you should start getting used to it now. There's really no need to scream your head off when I place you in your car seat.. promise!! Mommy would never torture you.
Your new "trick" of pinching and squeezing mommy with your fingers while I nurse you is not fun for me. I know you think it's neato to do, but it's not very cute!! It hurts me very much. I try to explain this to you every day, but I don't think you're getting the picture :)
Daddy is coming back to us in 5 months; just hold your horses!! I know you can't wait to see him. I certainly can't wait for us to be a family together again!
It would be really cool of you to sleep in your crib during naptime. Or sleep in your pack & play. Or swing. Or really anywhere other than mommy's arms :)
I love looking at your tonsils when you do those super wide-mouthed smiles at me. They are DELICIOUS!
Your new way of moving your head back & forth in the bed is causing your hair to wear off. Don't you want long, luscious locks of hair? Dontcha? Every morning I look at our bedsheet and find tons of Adalyn hair :)
Pacifiers are scrumptious. Wish you loved them!!
You look most precious, to me, when you stick out your bottom lip all pitiful-like :)
Morning snuggles in bed with you is my most favorite thing to do!
I can't nap without holding you; I love to do the "teddy bear hold" with you on the couch.
I call you my side-kick; you are my very best friend.

Adalyn's current top 10

2011-01-20T18:35:00.004-06:00

If you've followed my blog for a while, you know I like to make my "mommy must-haves" lists. Well, friends, I'm about to make another one:

Adalyn & Mommy's Must-Haves [at 3 months old!]

1. (Off Brand!!!) Gas Drops: These things are my best friend. I wouldn't dare go anywhere without these. I think that perhaps every other mom in my hometown feels the same way, because they are always sold out at stores. We stick to the off brand (no way am I paying $10 for Mylicon when I can buy the Target brand for $3!).. Adalyn hates her pacifier, but she'll suck it if I dab a little treat on it. Mwhahaha. Mommy's little trick...

2. Nuk Pacifiers: The only only only pacifier my girl will take. Trust me. We've bought every.single.brand. on the market, with the exception of Avent. Once I tried to get her to take a Soothie, and she gagged dramatically and threw up on me. (One of two times in her life that she's ever spit up). We love our Nuk pacifiers. Though they like to grow legs and walk off from us.. we're always losing a passy!

3. Miracle Blanket: Yadda yadda yadda. You all know how we love our Miracle Blanket. She hasn't spent a night away from her special blanket since the day she was born. And, I'm sorry to say, she's worn a hole in it. Sigh.

4. Baby Center: Mama's guilty pleasure. I've been a member of the October 2010 Birth Club since the day I found out I was pregnant. All my questions can be answered by someone on there. I'm so majorly addicted, and I browse the message boards every.single.night. while I nurse. What would I do without it to keep me entertained?!

5. Baby Einstein Play Mat: We got this awesome (free!) play mat at the Airman's Attic a while ago, and it turned out to be Adalyn's favorite "toy!" It's literally the only thing she'll sit "in" for a while so I can get things done. Like bathe, for instance. How fun is it to lay on your back and stare at dangling toys?! Too much fun, says Niblet!

6. YouTube: Yes, you read that correctly. White noise? Yeah, it works. I can often be caught playing fuzzy static videos for her to calm her down. I'm not ashamed. And the crashing wave videos? Those are just as fun!

7. Moby: My all-time favorite carrier. Ad now enjoys being carried facing out, with her little legs dangling. Girl likes to take in her surroundings and observe everything there is to see! All while keeping her nice and cozy next to mama. Best gift I've ever been given.

8. Motherhood Maternity Sleep Bra: My best friend when it comes to nighttime nursing. Super comfortable and SO easily accessible when you're a dead head at 3am and can't be bothered with snaps and hooks.

9. Cloth diapers:

Forewarned, this includes "poopie" talk:

Do you know what happens to breastfed poop in cloth diapers? The diapers actually "absorb" the poop. I wish I had a visual aid for you all, but I don't - sorry! But when she poops, the cloth soaks it right in, and she barely has any left on her skin. I love those things. Couldn't live without them!

10. CAMERAS! Oh yes! iPhones, camcorders, my Canon Rebel, and my sister's Nikon! While daddy's away, mama's taking photos!! I'm a huge "documenting" freak, so I can't take enough pictures of our sweet baby girl!

ta da!

Oops

2011-01-19T21:23:00.001-06:00

Hi

It's me again

I just re-read my previous post and realized I told you our schedule all wrong.

Oops

It's: eat, play, sleep. Repeat.

Carry on! :)

the longest post ever.

2011-01-19T18:36:00.003-06:00

I'm actually blogging from a real computer right now.. because guess what? Well, I'll save that for the end. I don't want to jinx myself.

Sweet babe is 13 weeks old today. I promised to explain our "schedule" that we have going on, so here goes: Many weeks ago, I was reading posts from the Baby Center October 2010 Birth Club board (my guilty pleasure!) and came across some info on the "Baby Whisperer." Now, I am not one for baby training, but some ladies explained the gist of it - sleep, play, eat, repeat. And, wow, that just made sense to me.

We were already basically doing that type of schedule, but I decided to really put it into practice. So we did, and I couldn't be happier. At this point in our lives, Adalyn nurses for about 30 minutes (15 on each side), and then has about an hour and a half of "play" time. We bop around the house, read stories, sing songs, play on her mat, etc. And at the first sign of sleepiness - a yawn, grunts, or whines, I put her down for a nap.

And when she wakes up, she immediately nurses.

This way, I always (always!!) know what she wants when she cries. It's never a question of, "Is she tired?! Is she hungry? What's wrrrronnng with her!?" because I know! Thanks to the Baby Whisperer schedule.

La di dah.

~~~~~~

I also mentioned earlier that we co-sleep. Last night I attempted to use the bassinet, and it was a major failure. She woke after an hour and 45 minutes and was dying of hunger. She basically nursed every two hours all.night.long. Lordy be. I'm hoping (praying? wishing?) that this is a 3-month growth spurt, because this child acts like she's starving to death! And my milk is plentiful, so I'm hoping this is just one of many challenging seasons of infancy!

Lots of people freak out at the term "co-sleep" -- OH NO! You'll roll over on your baby! She'll smother in the covers! She'll die!!!! While Mark is away, there is a gigantic empty spot in our bed, perfect for our little Adalyn. My pal, Dr. Sears (chuckle) has an article on it HERE. He says there are 7 benefits of co-sleeping:

Babies sleep better
Mothers sleep better
Breastfeeding is easier
It's contemporary parenting
Babies thrive better
Parents & infants become more connected
Reduces the risk of SIDS

Last night, when I put her in her bassinet and went to bed, I laid there. And my mind was racing. I could not sleep!! I laid there for an hour and 45 minutes, until she woke, and finally was able to sleep once I had my baby with me. Uh, it looks as if I am the one becoming attached to co-sleeping rather than Adalyn!

:)

Ad & cousin Gray (13wks & 7.5 months!)

Aren't they darling?

~~~~~

I'm on the verge of mailing Mark's first "care package." Don't look at me bad for not sending a package out yet. My husband insists that he "doesn't need anything" and doesn't want me to send any yummy treats. But I've finally compiled a few things and can't wait to mail them off. We're 5 months away from the return of Daddy-O, and time is creeping by. Crawling. Barely moving. Time is almost at a stand-still.

But, oh, what fun we will have when he returns! We have so many fun summer plans - we can't wait! Trips to DC, time spent at the beach, taking Adalyn to swim at the pool (my excuse to buy cloth swim diapers, what a thrill!) and so much more!

While I'm thinking of it - CD mamas: Since moving here, Ad's diapers now smell like some serious ammonia when she pees. Kentucky has hard water, but I don't know if it's harder or softer than what we had in Virginia. Do you think we need less or more detergent? I can't seem to figure out the right "recipe" of detergent. It isn't a big deal, but I'd like to nip that problem right now.

Guys, let me just admit something now: I've forgotten how to blog. Have you noticed how jumbled and confusing this post is? Yeah, I am majorly rusty. I need to get back to my blogging roots. Ack. I'm thinking of returning to my simple days of making up fun poems and such. I do take photos.. I just never have the time to sit at the computer and upload photos and blog. Just bear with me, I promise I will get the hang of blogging again. I promise.

And do you know why I've gotten the opportunity to blog this much with BOTH hands at a desktop computer? ADALYN IS NAPPING IN HER SWING. OH YES, PRAISE JESUS! Literally, praise Jesus. This is something she never ever EVER does, so it's a major deal. I only wish Mark was able to see her. He would be so proud!

More (better? not so jumbled, easily read, yummy!) posts coming up! Promise. Don't give up on me, guys!

2011-01-18T20:31:00.002-06:00

Back in Virginia, Adalyn slept in a little white bassinet next to our bed. She loved it and would sleep 5-hour stretches. (5, then 3, then 2, then up for the day). Which was fine by me, because I knew she needed to nurse since breastmilk digests so fast. But then we moved to Kentucky, and it all went downhill.

She has a crib and a pack & play here, but no bassinet. Turns out that she hated the pack & play, so I stuck her in bed with me. Co-sleeping is a nursing mama's dream (literally!) since you can do the sideline position and sleep through feedings. But instead of Niblet sleeping longer and better, it seems like she's getting worse.

Is it the dreaded 3-Month growth spurt? Likely.
Is it the fact that she smells mama & wakes frequently? Likely.
Is it my (bad?) habit of letting her "snack" and fall asleep at the breast, not getting full meals? Likely.

She woke every 2 hours last night. Earlier this week, she woke every hour. Gas pains were the most likely culprit, but I nurse her to sleep since it's the fastest way.

So tonight we got Cousin Graydon's bassinet and are giving it a run. Gulp.

I'm still not opposed to co-sleeping at all. But if she can sleep more soundly in a bassinet, that's what we'll do. Co-sleeping is supported by & recommended by LOTS of pediatricians (including Dr. Sears!!! Who co-slept til his kids were 4!) but more on that later :)

Hopefully we both get a good night's sleep!

A very sappy post.

2011-01-16T20:39:00.003-06:00

Have you ever looked down at your child and it just blows your mind?

Woah. I'm a mother. I cannot believe it.

I'm quietly nursing my wee babe to sleep for the night, such a precious time between us. Wrapped so snug, heavy breathing with eyes just as heavy. With each passing minute, she nurses softer and slower until she drifts off to sleep. I love this.

I can't imagine her at 6 months or 6 years or 16 years. But I'll be her mother forever. Someday we'll discuss how to braid hair. Then how to put on make-up. Then how to pick out the right dress. What will that be like?! Right now, all I can picture is deciding which hat matches the best and when she will take her next nap.

I'm a huge baby about kids growing up. Truthfully, I can't wait until she starts solids, learns to crawl, and can play with toys. But really? I cant imagine my little girl turning into a.. Well.. Little girl.

..sniff.. :(

And with that, my baby is fast asleep in my arms; she's the most beautiful thing in my life. I'm choosing to live in every moment of every season. And this season? Why, it's full to the brim with as many snuggles and kisses as I can squeeze into each day. Being a mother is the best.

Back to blogging!

2011-01-16T14:01:00.002-06:00

So here I sit. On the couch, watching Diners,Drive-Ins, and Dives and nursing. And on my iPhone. I never sit at the computer these days, unless I'm skyping with Mark. But then I am Skyping.. And not blogging. So maybe this will make blogging easier. Maybe!!

Adalyn, also known as:
Niblet
Little Foot
Little Toot
Reesie Cup
Or just plain "Ad"

Is now 12 weeks old. And boy is she active. This child hates naps but loves to look around. And sit up straight as a stick. Oh, no, don't even think of laying her back like an infant. She will set you straight so fast and quickly remind you that she would prefer to stand or sit up like an adult. At 11 (or 10?) weeks, she learned to roll from her stomach to her back. She loves eating her fingers and now moves objects (toys) to her mouth to suck on them.

And there's your physical development update on Adalyn!

Life without Mark is, admittedly, rough. I am often tired and catch myself wishing for him every single day. By 6pm, I am so ready for bed. Once upon a time, Mark was the greatest helper for me. He knew exactly how to help me without asking. And, afterall, isn't that what daddies do best?! I could sleep in on weekends while he selflessly took the reigns and it was fantastic. Well, folks, those days are over (for 5 more months), but we have adjusted nicely. At least I think so.

Did you catch that up there? Only 5 more months. We are already one month down!! Hallelujah.

So Adalyn and I have been up to a lot: extreme attachment parenting, co-sleeping, exclusive breastfeeding, and I'll soon be looking into delayed vaccinations. But I'll be blogging about all of it. Adalyn is still a very, very high-needs baby (Dr. Sears's "The Fussy Baby Book," written about his fourth child, is Adalyn made over!!!), but I am so, so in love with her, guys. Her napping dilemmas make me often question if I'm doing the right things for her, but in the end, I know I am.

More on that later.

Is there anything that any of you, my lovely friends, would like me to blog about? Lots of you have (kindly!) nudged me to continue blogging - is there a specific topic you'd like to read about? I'm thinking my next post will be about Adalyn's no-fail "schedule" that I love! Then later her napping difficulties. And maybe some babywearing thrown in there.

Love you all! Love parenting! And love blogging :) it's great to be back!

so short, it's almost not even worth it :)

2011-01-14T18:00:00.002-06:00

I've been missing in action. You probably thought I fell off the earth. Or that we lost all internet connection. Or something worse. The truth is, I've been incredibly busy. Life has been full of lots of changes, most notably moving 12 hours west! And all for a good reason:

My husband is deployed.

I kind of kept it from you all, I know. But most (nearly all) of you knew this already. Here's the thing, guys: Having a 12-week old baby and being a single (present) parent is... time-consuming :) Little Foot, as we lovingly call her, has been getting all my attention these days! But I'm determined to get back to blogging. Not for you, or for my husband, but for myself! I love documenting life...

and just like that, she's up from her nap.

Well, clearly I didn't get far on this blog post. Geez, guys.

my wirey baby.

2010-12-08T13:43:00.003-06:00

Have you ever been so tired that when you finally get the chance to sleep, you're so excited that your brain goes into overdrive and you can't sleep?

That's where I'm at.

We have, what my mom likes to call, a "wirey baby." She pretty much wants to be wide-eyed all during the day. Even when I'm holding her while she's asleep, her eyes will randomly pop open and stare at me. I have no idea why. But just as I was writing this earlier, she woke up from her nap in her swing, so I'm continuing this post 3 hours after starting it.

:)

The most common remark we get about Adalyn is, "Wow, she's so alert!" She is constantly looking around and bobbing her head around.. If she isn't asleep, then she looks just like this:

And she likes to stand up too. And not be held like a baby. And she likes to face out and look around. What is up with that!? Where did my baby go, and why does she think she's already 2 years old!? Why! :)

But really, back to the "wirey" business. She is insanely alert and is, what Dr. Sears likes to call, a "high-needs baby." Babies that refuse to be in make-shift mommy gadgets, like swings. She really only wants to be held by me these days, which leads to me never, ever getting a break. Ever. During the day, I can hold her until she is TOTALLY asleep, limp-limbed and everything. Yet, when I place her down (GENTLY!!!!), she still wakes up after 5 minutes of being out of my arms.

If you know how to cure this, let me know. Please? Pretty please, folks. I've tried all of Dr. Sears's techniques too - and they DO work for her, but only at night!

But back to my sweet Adalyn - she's sitting in my lap right now watching the computer screen, learning all about blogging. She stole the hearts of two female tech sergeants yesterday at the deployment briefing. I started to cry when she received her recordable, The Night Before Christmas, and ended up making one of the tech sergeants cry too! Whoops! She had to leave the room to keep from crying in front of everyone! We move home on the 23rd and have our plane ticket booked. I'm not nervous about flying with her at all.. but I am nervous about getting through security with her and carrying everything by myself. Hopefully the lines won't be long, and things will go quickly.

Hopefully.

And for a quick update:
She was sleeping 5 hours, then 3 hours, then 2 hours (in that order) at night. Though last night she did a 3 hour stretch, then a 2 hour, then a 1 hour. Mommy does not approve of that schedule.

She's back to hating bath time. She loved bath time in KY and hates it in VA, and we use the exact same tub. What's the difference?! Who knows.

It takes an insane amount of coaching to get her to take a pacifier. My midwife says that breastfed babies usually reject pacifiers until they're older. She'll take a Nuk if she's desperate. And if she's desperate, we are really desperate!

I suppose we'll be celebrating Christmas on Saturday. Though we only bought presents for Adalyn, it will be fun to give them to her in front of our little Christmas tree. She told me earlier that what she really wants is for Daddy's deployment orders to be canceled.

Mark is due home any minute. Actually, he just arrived. Adios!

this just in:

2010-12-07T18:54:00.002-06:00

I'm so tired.

our Christmas card!

2010-12-04T14:06:00.003-06:00

I finally got around to making and ordering our first family Christmas card! Here's the one we chose:

Peppermint Bliss Christmas Card

Shop Shutterfly for elegant custom Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

Can't wait to send them out to friends and family!!! I couldn't be happier with it - especially since we got 50 FREE ones (a savings of $104!!!) from Shutterfly! Woo!!

oh gosh.

2010-12-04T09:02:00.004-06:00

oh gosh, guys, I'm the world's worst blogger. I might as well go ahead and delete this thing; it's THAT sad! But I won't. Because I know that when Mark is gone, I'll be blogging like crazy for him. But until then, I'll just give some updates.

Yesterday we went to the Holly Dazzle, which is a local holiday festival, and packed Adalyn in the Ergo. It was frigid, but she mysteriously stayed warmer than a fritter all snuggled on me. It turns out that we really love the Ergo, and so does our babe. Now all I need is a Mei Tai, and my collection will be complete!

Ad is 6 weeks old and started loving bath time at 5 weeks. She tracks us so much better with her eyes now and has started really smiling at us. She generally hates the car and cries in her car seat about 85% of the time. She's only content in the car if she is already asleep when we leave. Sigh.

We're officially done with Ad's Christmas present. We've gotten her Melissa & Doug puzzles, a Melissa & Doug picnic set, a special monkey, and two Manhattan Toys. She'll be 8 weeks old when we celebrate Christmas (early), and 8-week old babies aren't too into toys :) But we'll save them for when she's ready!

I just bought our plane ticket home, so it's official: I really am going to move back home for 6 months! I'm not worried at all about our plane ride. Breastmilk cures all of Adalyn's tears. Hopefully they don't decide to pat Ad down in the airport ;]

I officially started Weight Watchers today. For real this time. So far, it's gone smashingly. I even got a great assortment of Yoplait Light yogurts from the commissary and a bunch of oatmeal. I'm pretty excited. I have 6 months to lose 30 pounds and I will make it happen. Somehow.

We went home for a week and a half, but you wouldn't know, since I didn't blog about it at all. Much fun was had, many kisses were shared, and everyone fell in love with our little Reesie Cup. It was fantastic; we just love being home.

You know, it's almost insane how quickly Adalyn falls asleep in the Ergo. 5 seconds after we put her in the Ergo, she's asleep. LITERALLY. It's almost hilarious. I'll have to capture it on video. One second she's screaming her head off.. then 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... she's asleep. This same scenario played out today in Panera Bread, and the woman in front of us turned around and asked Mark how he got her to sleep so quickly! He smiled and said "The Ergo!!" :) Mark actually prefers the Ergo to the Moby, in case any of you to-be mamas were curious. It's dang expensive but sooooo worth it.

It's 4pm, we have a sleeping babe, and I'm going to relax :) Adios!

a bunch of little paragraphs.

2010-11-18T17:38:00.002-06:00

I have this new little obsession with Yoplait Light yogurt. You know the commercial where the husband calls his best friend and is talking about all the "dessert" they have in the house? But it's really all the yogurt in the fridge? Yeah. That yogurt. Apparently the rest of the world has caught on too, because it's always sold out at Walmart.

Today was A's pediatrician appointment. She got a shot. I cried. I always tell myself that I won't cry (ok. this is only her second appointment. but they stuck her to test her blood at her first one, and I cried then too...) but she does a different kind of cry when they poke her. The saddest little pain-ridden cry you ever did hear. Breaks my little heart.

Oh, and she weighs 9lbs 12oz!

Soon, we'll be trucking back home for Thanksgiving, and everyone will get to meet Adalyn. I'm most excited for Hudsie and Clayton to meet her. I can't imagine how sweet it will be to see her in Clayton's arms. I'm so, so excited!

I really want an Ergo. I love my Moby - true story - but I also want an Ergo. The ease of just slipping it on just seems like a dream. Plus I want to carry her on my back. It's currently the only thing on my Christmas wish list.

Oh, and I also want a personalized necklace from Etsy.

Mark is "working late" right now, and boy I tell you what... you never realize how much your spouse helps out until your spouse is no longer there. I'm doomed for this winter, because he's the biggest help ever, and I'm really gonna miss it. Family photos are scheduled for next week, and I couldn't be more excited. Our little sproutlet is not very photogenic at all and doesn't like to be posed, but hopefully she'll tolerate things, and it won't turn into shambles.

Thursday night television is the pits, so I guess I'll just sit and stare at my sleeping baby :)

my little 4-weeker

2010-11-17T09:57:00.003-06:00

4 weeks ago this very second, I was in labor and the contractions were killing me. I was doubling over in pain, leaning on your daddy, and I was so ready for you to be born. Part of me can't believe that you are already four weeks old, but another part of me can, because I've really been living in the moment.

Life with you is full of snuggling with you asleep on my chest, nursing you like crazy, and trying to gently put you down without waking you up. You have a bad habit of popping your eyes open about 3 minutes after we put you down. And you look around for a few seconds and then start your "eh eh eh" noises. You really don't cry much at all, which we love!

Bath time is a disaster and you cry like we're torturing you. You hate pacifiers - and we've tried four brands. You make a disgusted face and start gagging on them. I'm the only pacifier you want, apparently! Around 6am, you like to wake up and stare at me with your bright blue eyes. I try my hardest to get you back to sleep for a couple more hours, but you want nothing to do with that. You like for me to stand you up and bounce you around while I make noises at you! I think it's fun too :)

When you nurse, I like to call you my baby bird. You open your mouth and bob your head around in the cutest fashion. You get pretty mad when you lose your latch, and it's adorable to watch. I also call you my Koala Mammal Baby, which daddy makes fun of.. but you like to cling to me like a baby koala bear! And you still have fuzzy ears and shoulders, so the name fits!! :)

Right now you wake up every 3-ish hours at night to eat. Sometimes you're so easy to put back down to sleep, but sometimes you get gassy, and things turn rough. Right now, you sleep in a special little baby chair all scrunched up in your Miracle Blanket. You love it, and so do we. You'll probably spend a couple more months in that chair!

I'm blogging with you nuzzled in my chest, and you're the most precious thing I've ever seen. I really look forward to the days when I can play with you and interact with you more, but I hate to see you growing up, honestly. Right now we have a super tight bond that Daddy often talks about, and I never want it to end. You're everything I ever dreamed about, and I love you.. my little koala baby!

our love of cloth diapering

2010-11-16T17:36:00.004-06:00

Well, we've finally made the big "leap" to full-time cloth diapers.

And, guys, I couldn't be happier.

I was a little "worried" that cloth might be too hard. That there might be too much laundry. Too big of a mess. Too much to fiddle with. Not enough diapers to last her. But I couldn't have been more wrong. I am IN LOVE WITH our FuzziBunz, and that's no joke! I know a lot of you to-be mamas are prospective cloth diaperers, so I thought I'd give you insight on how we do it. It's so simple that you'll be shocked.

So, we bought 15 FuzziBunz from FuzziBunzStore.com. I was concerned that 15 wouldn't be enough, but it's completely fine. We bought a wide variety of bright colors, and I love them to death. You might know that FuzziBunz is unique because of the elastic in the legs and waist. They fit perfectly to our daughter's body, and poop never ever ever escapes. And, let me tell you, our daughter can really go...

FuzziBunz has 5 "settings" 1 through 5. 5 is the tightest and smallest elastic setting, used for newborns. As of now, we have her legs on 4s and 3s (there's two sets) and her waist is at a 3. So we snap them on her - and the snaps are GREAT, by the way - and off we go!

When we have a dirty diaper, I remove it and place it in a designated area. Right now they go on top of the washing machine, because I do a load of diapers daily. As she grows, and goes less often, I'll put them in our Arm & Hammer diaper pail. But newborns go quite frequently, so I wash diapers daily. Now, I'm not washing them ALL daily. I wash about 5 per day. So once I have 5 (or so) dirty diapers, I remove the insert and throw them in the washing machine.

Run a cold rinse with no detergent.
Then run a hot normal wash with 3 tablespoons of Rockin Green detergent.

When they're done washing, I dry the inserts on low heat.

AND THAT'S IT.

Guys, the washing machine does it all. It's the easiest thing ever. Our diapers don't have a SPECK of a stain. Rockin Green is AMAZING, and I *highly* recommend it. Our beautiful FuzziBunz are completely spotless, and they smell so fresh. I would like to add a note that using cloth isn't gross at all. I exclusively breastfeed, so her poop doesn't even have an odor. At all. It doesn't even begin to gross us out. Once she starts solids, it will be a different story :) But right now it is so easy and there is absolutely no ick-factor.

Now I'm off to stare at my beautiful daughter, who is sleeping in my arms as I type this blog post. Oh, and relish the thought of how much money we're saving by not buying those expensive disposables. We use our cloth diapers at night, too, so our disposable days are over!! Yahoo!!

The best decision we ever made.

Edited to add: Since I breastfeed her, there's no need to remove poop before I throw the diapers in the washing machine. Breastfed poop is water soluble, so I toss them in. It sounds gross, but that's how things roll. Once she starts solids, I'll have to knock off the solid poop into the toilet (or use rice paper, which I will). But for now, it just all gets thrown in.

free Christmas cards!!!

2010-11-16T16:59:00.003-06:00

Guess what, guys? I have the coolest news: If you're a blogger, you're eligible to receive 50 FREE (totally free. for real. no gimmicks.) Christmas cards from Shutterfly! I kid you not. Too good to be true?! It isn't!!

My best friend, Brittney told me all about it in her blog post. She always finds the neatest things and always tells me. Thanks, Britt!!!!!

So, we always use Shutterfly for our photo needs. And I'm not just saying this because I'm blogging about the free photos. We really do, and so does my sister. They're super cheap. And, if you want, you can send them to be printed at Target, and you don't have to pay for shipping! And I order hundreds (literally) of photos at a time, so that really helps!

But back to the free Christmas cards -

They have zillions of Christmas card layouts - the best I've seen anywhere - and it's SO hard to choose which one I like best! I really like this one:

Since I can add a personal touch, especially about our upcoming family situations, so that's a nice option.. but I'm waiting to see our photos that our friend Lindsay took before I make a final decision. Mark and I will have to sit and look through them all and figure out which one we want! A super hard task :)

They also have gift tags and calendars that you can make too! How neat!!

All YOU have to do is blog about their awesome deal, and you can get in on the 50 free cards yourself!! Easy peasy, folks! Sign up HERE and get started!!! I sooo cannot wait to send out our very first Christmas cards as a family of three! How precious :)

your baby needs this.

2010-11-08T09:47:00.003-06:00

To all my (many) pregnant friends out there:

Your baby needs a Miracle Blanket. No exaggeration here. And, actually, YOU need the Miracle Blanket.

I first heard about the Miracle Blanket from MckMama, and boy I am so glad I did. We brought our pink camo blanket to the hospital and used it on Adalyn in her first day of life. Since then, we have used it every.single.day. and I cannot imagine our lives without it.

I probably sound dramatic here. But, guys, this thing just about saves our lives. I can't stress it enough!

What makes this blanket different from an average blanket is that it has these folds of fabric that tuck under your baby's arms and over their legs. So, essentially, it's kind of like a baby straight-jacket. But your baby will love it.

I can't imagine putting her to sleep at night without it. It keeps her so tight, warm, and secure. Her instant calmness is proof that this swaddling blanket really does work miracles. When she naps without her blanket, her little arms will flail and wake her up EVERY single time. The startle reflex always wakes her, and the Miracle Blanket prevents that. I'm so, SO glad that we have this awesome product.

snug as a bug in a rug :D

visit their website HERE!
you can thank me later :)

life with my baby :)

2010-11-05T15:53:00.002-05:00

I'm the worst mommy blogger ever. I have to change that.

Mommyhood is going just as I thought it would. Some days are easy and some days are more challenging. I think my "exposure" to my 3 nephews has helped, since I've learned a few "techniques" from my sister on calming and caring for babies. I think she's a pretty relaxed baby.. most of the time. She's pretty fond of me :) and loves breastmilk more than any child I've ever known. She gulps it down like she's chugging coke. If she could chug coke, that is. And she won't be chugging coke for years to come.. I hope. Haha.. ahem.

We obviously have no routine right now, but she generally wakes up every 2.5 hours at night to eat. We've transferred her to her bassinet (she was sleeping in Hudson's "special" chair), and she seems to like it more. At night, she doesn't cry. I wake up to a little..

eh eh eh

lips smack smack smack

*annoyed sound*

eh eh eh

..and that's my sign to wake up and get her! I feed her and she falls right back to sleep. Hopefully me typing this isn't jinxing me.. if jinxing existed.. but nighttime goes pretty great. The biggest struggle, for us, is getting her to stay asleep initially.

And earlier when I said that she loved breastmilk, I wasn't joking. She gained 15 ounces in one week, which we found out at her second pediatrician's appointment on Wednesday. And her belly button fell off when she was just 6 days old. She's growing up on us! ;)

So these days are full of lots of feedings, lots of "shhing," lots of pats on her bottom, and me plotting my next nap. I really, really try to consciously remember that I'm going to miss this, and that I shouldn't wish away her newborn days. Sometimes I catch myself dreaming about the day when she can sit up and play and sleep for longer stretches.. but woah woah woah. I need to enjoy her right this second. Because I guarantee myself that I'll look back at her photos and miss her being so teeny tiny and vulnerable. I'm just sentimental like that :)

things no one ever told me!

2010-10-29T18:55:00.002-05:00

I thought for sure that once our baby girl was born, I'd have LOADS to blog about.

But I don't!

I really just want to sit around with my husband and child and enjoy our time as a family. Our days are full of feedings, diaper changes, and a multitude of kisses and cuddles. Our baby girl is so edible and snuggly - as are all newborns - and we just can't get enough of her. I'm pretty sure I spend a ton of time each day just staring at her and stroking her sweet little face.

Seriously, no one ever told me that having a newborn would be such a joy. She came along and fit right into our family and we always talk about how we're so, SO glad we had her. Thank God we didn't decide to wait and wait to have kids. Then we wouldn't have our precious Adalyn!

Today she went to Cracker Barrel for the very first time - although she didn't know it, because she slept soundly in her Moby Wrap throughout the entire meal. Our good friend (and labor buddy and photographer), Lindsay, took pictures of our newborn yesterday.. here are a few:

She totally peed on Lindsay and cried for 2 hours during her photo session. It turns out that Adalyn hates to be put on her stomach and really just likes to hang out with mommy and daddy... oh well, who can blame her!? :]

The next exciting thing, for us, will be putting her in her "Daddy's Little Pumpkin" onesie and taking her to church for the first time on Sunday. The little things in life :D