We are Surrounded by Plastic!

Last week we celebrated our first Christmas with Baby Kate. As you can see from the photo, she really wasn't too fond of Santa the first time she met him; however, by Christmas Eve, you can see she changed her tune...what a smart girl! Of course, Santa rewarded her with oodles of presents (with a little help from her grandparents, aunties and uncles). And, now, Keith and I are living in a sea of plastic. Kate couldn't be happier...she loves her new "door", her stroller and grocery cart. These toys have each given her a newfound freedom--the ability to get across the family room while walking! Before Christmas, Kate was pulling up on the coffee table, activity center and especially mommy, but now, she cannot be slowed down! She still hasn't started taking any steps on her own, but we are all expecting that any day now!

Kate was more entertaining than we expected, showing interest in opening up her presents (okay, really, more interest in playing with the wrapping paper and boxes), but still showed more interest in actually opening her gifts than we could have imagined.

My first holiday season as a full-time mommy was a bit more hectic than I had thought it would be. I found it hard to find time to go shopping and ended up having to shop both on and after my birthday...something I've not had to do before! I had images of me baking cookies with Kate playing at my feet, but instead, I only managed to bake one batch of cookies! The ingredients for my super yummy Rum Balls sit untouched...and it's Dec. 29! But, in the end, I realized as we sat on Christmas morning watching Kate open her gifts that the only thing that really matters is celebrating the holiday with our family. I'm so thrilled that Keith and I have the opportunity to begin making our own holiday traditions with our sweet little girl.


It's been such a busy season that I've not had the opportunity to write all of the things I've been thinking about... Kate's getting so big, it's getting harder to remember those early weeks when she was so tiny... sometimes as I put her to bed, I notice I hold her a little longer than I should, get a little extra snuggle in whenever I can and drink in her wonderful smell...all of these sweet moments will be gone in a flash so I want to be sure I take time to enjoy them and note them. My favorite gift this year was a journal...you know, one of those old fashioned things you write in!? I look forward to recording some of my more personal thoughts and messages there...messages to myself on those days when I have no more patience with her and messages to her when she is old enough to appreciate them.


I hope each of you were able to relax and spend share part of this wonderful season with your loved ones. With the New Year ahead of us, I wish for many blessings to you all and look forward to continuing to share our adventure in parenting with you!

She Crawls! She Babbles! She Wears Me Out!

Another month and more major milestones. This week, Kate finally figured out crawling forward instead of scootching backwards. The big step in this effort, I now realize, was the amazing feat of sitting up by herself. While visiting Aunt Tami, Uncle Ryan and Gabrielle in Atlanta a couple of weeks ago, Kate learned how to sit herself up from a lying position. So amazing, so cute and yet, so annoying this new milestone... I loved watching her maneuver all over the place, yet what a drag that Kate can sit up when she doesn't want to go to sleep! This is a whole new challenge in the nap arena...especially since I'm no fan of the the cry it out method.

Not that I would have wanted her crawling sooner, I have no doubt Kate was a bit hindered by Aunt Tami's wood floor--very slippery! Once we were home--back on no-slip and very scratchy berber--it didn't take long for Kate to take off. She was taking little "steps" forward at first. Crawling just an inch or two. But by midweek, after returning from running errands one evening, I sat down on the floor to greet Kate before putting her to bed. I placed my cell phone down next to me and guess what? Off to the races--she crawled right to it. And, not just a little crawl. We're talking several inches forward! The next day, I noticed she wasn't so mobile...back to the tiny little efforts forward...until I placed my cell phone out in front of her a good distance away. Again, she crawled right to it. She did the same thing at Grandma's house yesterday with the television remote. So my question, what is it about these electronic devices that babies find so intriguing...so much more intriguing than every toy she owns, despite all of the research that went into the development of the toy? In any case, she's mobile and dangerous. We've managed to get the electrical outlets plugged up, but there are many more dangers lingering about our house that we must now spend next weekend fortifying so that our precious angel of 8 months is protected.

Coinciding with her new found mobility, Kate has discovered the gift of gab. All who know me well knew this would occur sooner or later. But who knew she'd be NONSTOP so quickly?! It started this week with the soft "puh" or "pluh" sounds after nursing, but by Saturday the light turned on and she ba ba ba, ma, ma, ma, be, be, be, etc... in a constant stream. While especially cute, this new feat also is a bit frustrating when trying to put her down for nap time or night time. How do you not smile and talk back? Needless to say, I've cracked open my baby bible..."The Babywhisper Solves all Your Problems" to tackle these new challenges. Of course as soon as I overcome these, I'm guessing pulling up and standing in the crib is next!

After a couple of weeks of short naps and fitful night sleeping, I'm beat and hoping we get back to some kind of sleep schedule before I go insane! Kate and I had a conversation the other day...it went something like this: "Kate, when you don't sleep, I'm not a nice mommy. I don't have as much energy to play and you aren't as cute as when you get a good nap in." She looked at me and gave me her big grin (you see it pictured here). My heart melted and I said, "okay, you do what you want because I'll love you no matter what." And that is the big lesson in this adventure called parenting that I will continue to learn over and over again.

Glamour Shots...

Everyone knows the first baby is the most well documented child in the house. Oh, she hiccupped, let's put that on the calendar. Oh, her first red stool, or her first whatever, it is all duly noted on the "baby firsts" calendar. Right along with marking milestones is the taking of pictures. We noticed this phenomenon a few years ago when putting together my father-in-law's 70th birthday album. There were mountains of pictures of Keith's sister Jennifer to choose from and very, very few of Keith, especially by himself.

Fast forward to 2008 and the birth of our long-awaited daughter. Of course, we adore her like all doting parents. We think she's the most beautiful baby on earth. And, because she is our first child, we photograph her and tape her constantly (need I remind you of the "poopy" video on Picassa?). I actually have planned to take photos of her everytime she tries a new food (this sounded like a good idea at first, but I've discovered this is a feat even I cannot keep up with). Though, I have pledged to take her to a photo studio or a professionial photographer each and every month. Okay, I would never expect other new mothers to do this, but we all know I'm a litle off in the head so let's just get passed the fact that this is a bit on the crazy side and accept there will be more photos of Kate than any of us know what to do with!

Now, I have to tell you all about this month's photo shoot as a public service. My sister in law Jennifer and mother in law gave us the sweetest gift for Mother's Day...a gift certificate to Glamour Shots. Let me just say, I am so thankful for this gift...we were able to get a beautiful family shot that we will treasure forever. However, I have to warn all of you: Glamour Shots is VERY EXPENSIVE. Here's the story:

We really skipped over the whole "makeup" thing. I got a little powder on to take away the shine and then we jumped right into the photo shoot with baby Kate. We chose three outfits for her to wear, thinking we'd come away with three good shots. Kudos to the photographer because we walked away with more than 100 great shots. We went through the poses with the salesperson, removing all the ones we didn't like. Then she gives it to us...for each of these poses, along with 2 16x20 collages...that would be $5,000. Yes, my friends, $5,000 for my daughter's 6-month photo shoot. After a lot of agonizing work, Keith and I were able to choose 4 poses for significantly less money than 1/2 of her Florida Pre-Paid Tuition! The problem is we had to leave a number of perfectly adorable poses on the table. My biggest gripe about the whole thing is lack of flexibility and the fact that they do not give you a proof sheet or any way of sharing the poses with family so they could buy photos. We could buy a single sheet for $70 (which to me is insane considering how much it costs to actually print the photo) or a package (1-8x10, 2-5x7 and 9-wallets) for $130. Now, if I could customize the package and get say 3 sheets of 5x7s, I'm okay with that. But, no, not at Glamour Shots. So, I wanted to get on my soap box and warn anyone who might have considered going there...be sure you are prepared to spend some dough. The pictures are beautiful, though, don't you think? And, I don't have any complaint about the people working there. They offer great service (as they should for the prices they are charging). Oh, and don't worry, if you want to buy all of your pictures, they offer credit. Seriously. Credit for a photo shoot??? What is this world coming to?

Busy as Bees!

Whew, it's been one busy month...hence the lack of a post for more than 30 days! And, I had to stop a couple of times because I'm even exhausted just recalling all of the things going on this month! In fact, I'm going to have to do a couple of posts to make up for it! Everyone tells you that time begins to race out of control when you have little ones, but I am finding it very hard to believe that Kate was born almost 7 months ago! Holy Cow, I have to start thinking about her first birthday...okay, maybe not yet, but soon!

For all of those who thought I'd be bored staying home...you were wrong! I couldn't enjoy being home any more. Of course, there are days when I struggle with my new role and this month I did take on some projects from the hospital. It felt good to be working again, but I'm not ready to sign Kate up for daycare. I enjoy her so much I just couldn't imagine it. And, I love hanging out with my other mommy friends. With the economy spinning out of control, it does make me worry a bit that perhaps I should go back to work full time, but we should be okay, especially if I can continue picking up freelance work.

Working with a baby at home is no easy task, though. It definitely is a lot harder than I thought it'd be, but we managed. Thank goodness for long naps and early bed times.

This Month's Milestones:
Kate has tried a lot of new food this month: bananas, carrots, avocados, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, and pears. Kate likes everything except avocados. We'll try those again next month along with peas, zucchini and broccoli!

Crawl meter: Kate is getting REALLY close. She went from not so interested at the beginning of the month to up on knees and scootching backwards at the end of the month. Boy, is it frustrating, too. She gets very upset when the toy she is trying to reach moves further away!

Sitting up: Kate's a pro. She can sit up for long periods of time, catches herself and once this month moved from a belly position to sitting up...but I think she's already forgotten how to do that.

Rolling: Kate loves to roll around, but rolls mostly in her crib of all places. She sleeps mostly on her side and stomach these days and looks especially cute with her bum in the air in her Seminole PJs (thanks Mel Beare--they are way cute!).

Waving: Oh, we are so facinated with our hands. Kate does the princess wave and just stares at her hands in awe. She finally did an intentional wave "hello" to mommy at the end of the month!

Family Visits:
Along with the project work keeping us busy, we've also had a number of visits. First Aunt Betty, Uncle Ken and Keith came down over Labor Day. Kate enjoyed her first visit to Magic Kingdom (special shout out to cousin Ryan who treated us to Disney for a day)! Kate really enjoyed watching the parade (and so did mommy). Then, off to Epcot. While it was too soon for the Food & Wine festival, it didn't keep mommy from partaking in some delicious wine from "around the world."

Aunt Kari and Uncle Joe and the gang also visited this month. Kate enjoyed her third trip to the beach--this time Cocoa Beach on the East Coast. What a BEAUTIFUL day! And then Kate spent a couple of days at Disney's fantastic pools: Wilderness Lodge and Saratoga Springs. I even got over my "germophobe" issue and put Kate in the water. She really liked it! Cousins Belle, Joey, Bryan and Sammy all really liked to play with Kate and had a great time. Nobody punched anybody and they all were very well behaved. Though, I have to admit, I'm quite happy with just one baby...I don't think I'm ready for the Big Leagues... I really admire my brother and sister in law for how great they are with 4 little ones!

We also spent some good quality time at Grandma and Papa Paul's and had great visits from Grandma Sandy and Auntie Jen as well as Papa Ron and Nana Vicki.

First Play Date:
We also hosted our first play date/party at the house this month. Kate invited seven of her pals over for lunch and playtime. I met these mommies through the Breastfeeding Friendship Network at Florida Hospital Altamonte and am so happy we are continuing to play together. The kids are all within 3 months of each other and are soo cute. Don't believe me? Check out the pictures! And, kudos to all of those magazines and photographers who make lining up babies look so easy. Kate absolutely loves watching other babies and especially older babies/kids. No, we are not ready to add to our clan, but I'll keep Kate active in several play groups so she is never lonely.

The Little Gym:
We started going to The Little Gym on Mondays at noon. Kate LOVES it. She likes to flip and practice crawling and watch all of the other little ones. It's a great social activity, but also helps strengthen Kate's little muscles and develop. She seems to be learning quickly!

Whew! Like I said, a busy, busy month. With October upon us, it's time to get the house spooked up and plan Kate's first Halloween. Then Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here before we know it and I try not to think about it all at once or else I just might get overwhelmed or emotional... Kate's first holiday season. Oh, the fun is just beginning. :-)

Hugs to you all. Congrats for reaching the end of this extremely LONG post!!

Daddy Turns 40! Traveling with Baby Kate...

To celebrate Keith's big 4-0, we headed north, ironically near Keith's hometown in Connecticut. Our dear friends, the St. Clair's, welcomed us to their family's beach house in Milford, Ct. With 7 adults, 5 children plus Baby Kate, to say the house was FULL is an understatement! To say we had a great time is also an understatement!

We heard plenty about the beach house before our arrival, but this approx. 100 year old cottage far surpassed our expectations. All I can say is it is quaint and charming (yes, Tara, I think it's charming!). Yes, it's very sandy, yes, the wood floors creak and yes, you won't catch me hanging out on the 2nd story porch that slants just a little more than I'm comfortable, and the furniture is just a tad on the musty side, but it also has a magnificant view, a ton of beautiful, private beach and a rustic charm that is indescribable. Set along a row of other cottages and some magnificant "re-dos" or modern versions of rustic cottage, the scene was peaceful (okay, the house was insane crazy most of the time, but out on the beach it was peaceful).

Even Kate spent some quality time on the beach in her beach cabana. What a fantastic invention! On the last day, we put her feet in the water...a bit colder than the Gulf of Mexico, but she seemed to like the sand and water on her feet just the same.

Kate's first plane ride went well. We had timed the trip so she would eat on her way up and that seemed to do the trick fairly well. On the way home, we weren't so lucky. There was a slight delay so Kate had already eaten by the time we were lifting off...she screamed for about 10 minutes until the plane leveled off and then she nodded off for the rest of the flight.

Two Acts of Kindness:

Twice during this trip, I had two total strangers really make my day. The first was the morning of the trip. Keith dropped off Kate and me at the curb. The sky cap took our luggage (what a God send those people are...now I understand why we need them!). Once in the airport, I realized Keith and I did not agree to a meeting place. When I went to call him, I realized my cell phone was still in the car!! Thankfully, I only had to ask two different people if I could "borrow" their phone. Of course, I asked an unsuspecting male first, but he made up some lame excuse that his girl had his phone (can you imagine saying no to a lady carrying a baby???). So, I asked a nice lady who no doubt has children of her own.

The second act of kindness was at the end at baggage claim. I was carrying Kate in her Mei Tai carrier (Kate was not at all happy about waking up at 9pm when she is normally sleeping peacefully in her crib) and was trying to navigate the stroller (filled with the breast pump and diaper bag) and two pieces of luggage. Keith was off getting the car from long-term parking. As I was struggling to lift one of the pieces of luggage onto the other, a wonderful Disney employee came to my rescue and brought the bags curbside for me. I knew he was a Disney employee because he was wearing his uniform and a name tag. No doubt he works for the cruise line. Countless others walked by me, but it took a Disney employee to help me.

When you folks are traveling out there (especially in ORLANDO), watch out for those moms out there struggling with little ones and don't be afraid to offer a helping hand!

Being with friends and surrounded by many children seemed to be just perfect for Keith's birthday. He hasn't had a mid-life crisis, yet. No sports car, no new gadgets. Something about a precious baby girl for a birthday present makes everything else meaningless.

Food, Glorious Food!

We did it...on Saturday, August 24, we introduced Kate to her first food: rice cereal. At nearly six months old this week, she was definitely ready (for those of you thinking, what? She won't be 6 months until the 5th...technically speaking she'll be 24 weeks on Wednesday)! She chowed down the rice cereal...ate like a horse, so we know she's got some of her dad in her since her mama eats like a birdie.

Kate really likes to help mommy by grabbing the spoon. Of course, she grabs the wrong end, so she ends up a sticky mess. She ate well on Sunday, also, but today, she slowed down a bit because I think the two feedings from the weekend are still digesting! Who knew it could take her little digestive system so long to produce anything. With breastmilk, it pretty much runs right through her, but this stuff has real lasting power!

It looks like we'll do a couple weeks of rice cereal before I introduce some yummy vegetable and fruit purees. I'm going to make the food myself to start. Please, don't laugh. I know I barely get dinner on the table for Keith and me, but I think I can handle blending up some fruits and veggies!

Like everything when it comes to Kate, I'm fully researched on the subject. I've picked up several books about making baby food and have narrowed down my stack to a couple that I really like and can't wait to tell you all about my first experiences. This week I need to go pick up all of the proper tools...double steamer, new blender or food processor (not sure which I want, yet...so I appreciate thoughts from those who traveled this homemade baby food path before). My equipment will probably do, but I will be a bit more efficient with some updated tools.

I hate to say anything, but Kate had a fantastic day today. Napped at appropriate times, and for the appropriate lengths. I felt guilty at how much free time I had. I was able to finish the laundry I started (usually a 3 day process) AND did the grocery/meal planning. Perhaps I should have fed her sooner and it is helping her sleep better...or perhaps all of the work I've been putting into her schedule has finally paid off. Whatever it is, I hope it sticks because today was a great day!

TEETH!?

Whoa! Those of you who have seen Kate know she's been slobbering and exhibiting teething signs for well over 2 months. She started the drool/put all things in her mouth routine as early as 3 months. And, since cousin Sammy had teeth by 5 months, I was expecting teeth this month, but I wasn't expecting them at the beginning of the month!

Her first tooth popped up on Friday, August 1 (bottom right). If you look closely, you can see it in the picture! Then, on Monday, August 4, the tooth next to it popped through. Last Wednesday, Kate started acting really strange while nursing...she'd start to nurse and the cry out. I guess she was trying to tell me that her teeth hurt! She's such a good girl because she really wasn't too fussy otherwise! Now, her appetite is back.

Now that she has teeth, you'd think I'd be feeding her, but I've been a little hesitant. I wanted to be sure the milk supply was solid (it went down a little due to the teething) and, of course, I'm reading all about making her food and what to give her and when. And, like everything else, there is no shortage of contradictory advice! With Keith's big birthday next week, we decided to wait until we return from the beach vacation to start Kate on solids...that should lend to fun pictures and stories, so stay tuned!!

Also, with the beginning of another month, I've posted pictures of Kate:
Baptism
3 month photo shoot
July 2008

The 4am Stumble

Some of you will be familiar with it...the walk that you do blindly through your home in the middle of the night, several times to "find the paci" for the little one. Not familiar with this routine? Consider yourself one of the lucky ones. Right now I'm simply grateful we opted for a one-story home!!

Granted, I could "train" Kate to soothe herself so that I could get uninterrupted sleep at night, but she goes down so beautifully with the paci that I'm not sure I could get through letting her "cry it out" (CIO), which is the the best way to teach her. For the last 3 weeks (ever since we stopped swaddling her), she seems to wake 2-4 times a night--depending on what, I don't know. Sometimes she finds the paci herself and soothes herself, usually right when I make it to her bedroom door. But, most of the time, I blindly place the paci back in her mouth and walk out of the room and stumble back to bed until she awakes about an hour later... I know I could let her fuss, but what if she really wakes up! So, for now, I'm doing the midnight...4a, 3a, 5a, or whatever time it is it's too early to know, stumble.

Keith asked me if I was still glad that chose to use the paci and honestly, I am. In time, Kate will be able to find the paci herself--she's already surprised me a couple of times. And, soon, I'll be ready to put her down without the pacifier. I found a great resource for breaking the paci habit for anyone in need of ideas: (http://www.growingkids.org/2008/02/22/pacifier/). In my research on sleeping problems, I also learned that when Kate wakes from her little "cat naps" that there is no way I can let her CIO...she will go on for hours (well, I only let her go 30 minutes), but I found out from others that this is not the time to teach her she doesn't need her paci...it's at the beginning of the nap. Thankfully, she seems to be napping great this week, so hopefully that nightmare is over. She has really taken to her new lovie that we introduced (yes, another sleep prop for those Babywise moms), but it's a sleep prop she controls and she loves it.

So, it seems, that while I am blessed to have a great sleeper who often can sleep from 7:30 or 8:00 p.m until 7:30 a.m. and goes down with very little fuss, I don't have it made! Oh well, I will still be sleep deprived like 90% of the other mommies. I'm just thankful I don't have to try and function at work all day with such broken sleep!

The trouble with sleep...

CAPTION: Baby Kate catches a nap at the end of our photo shoot in June...we wiped her out!

WARNING: Slightly depressing post ahead...but Keith says it picks up at the end! ;-)

I've always hated naps, and now, I really hate them. I love the idea that someday Kate will nap for more than 45 minutes during the day, but for now, I've grown to despise naptime.... Why? because 45 minutes is not enough time for me to accomplish much of anything and from what I've read, really isn't good for the baby. So, in order to "extend" the nap, I run in at 40 minutes and wait for her to stir (which she always does) and try to soothe her back to sleep before she fully awakes. It worked the first few times we tried this, but now, I'd say it works 1 out of 10 tries. When it doesn't work, I usually spend the next 30-45 minutes (minutes that are supposed to be "mine," 45 minutes that she should be sleeping) trying to put her to sleep. I usually give up exasperated, frustrated, overwhelmed and sometimes even crying. Then, usually, Kate is fussy during her next awake period and so the ugly cycle begins...

Now, it's not this bad everyday. Kate's actually quite sporadic...one day a perfect angel, the next not so much so. If it was this bad everyday, I would have already thrown in the towel. I have to admit that I sometimes wonder if maybe Kate would be better at daycare...that maybe I'm the reason she isn't napping. But then, she smiles, coos and giggles and fills my heart with joy and hope that perhaps I am doing most things right.

I knew becoming a full time mother would be difficult. That the monotony of the day would take work to overcome, that I would have to find ways to keep my mind busy, but I had no idea that what would frustrate me the most is not that I don't have anything to do, it's that I just am not able to get to the things I want to do... Welcome to motherhood, right?

Thank goodness Kate is a wonderful night sleeper. Eventually, she'll probably be a better napper...maybe not a great napper, but I am hopeful. In the meantime, I will try to enjoy the hours and hours Kate and I spend together snuggling as I try to soothe her to sleep. I know someday I will miss these days. On bad days like today, I try to relish in that thought.

So, anyone who has had similar nap problems, I shout out for your advice and guidance or at least your support!

Beach Baby

Kate, Keith and I headed for the beach for Father's Day. We spent a couple of glorious days at the Club at Longboat Key. At first you might think we're crazy to take a 3-1/2 month old to the beach, but honestly Kate loved it! Granted, we spent a limited amount of time actually on the beach, but we enjoyed hanging out on the lovely covered patio near the pool (beach view of course) and shopping.

The sand mesmerized Kate. She watched intently as the water washed over her feet and her feet sank deeply in the wet sand. The beautiful sunset did not amaze her as much, but Keith and I rather enjoyed it!

A little bit of rain gave us the perfect excuse to duck inside to watch Tiger Woods pull out a tie on Sunday and a victory of the US Open on Monday as well as sneak in the shops at St. Armand's Circle. As usual, we bought nothing but a magnet for our collection.

This trip to the beach was so different than our many trips of the past...and probably more so for me since I am still nursing Kate. We didn't sip cocktails all day long and we were in bed sleeping by midnight. We also found pure delight from watching our daughter giggle at her first feel of sand. We managed to keep her protected from the harsh sun with a sun hat, sunglasses and of course plenty of shade. We also managed to keep her from being attacked by Ceratopogonidae (a.k.a noseeums) though I suffered dearly and now have bites covering my legs.

Check out our photos of Kate's first trip to the beach! Also, check out Kate's video library and see her first dip in the pool and her laughing with daddy.

Easily Entertained!

How easily I’m entertained these days. Who knew a smile of recognition or a giggle could bring such joy? Who knew it would be so much fun to sit and sing nursery rhymes over and over and over again (and just think, I have at least 3 more years of this ahead, right?)!

Kate is truly blossoming this week and has begun laughing (she especially likes bathtime)! I already feel such pride when we are out and about and people ooh and ahh over her that I can’t imagine how I’ll feel once she actually grows into an independent and successful woman (you know, in 5 years or so)! As a new mommy, I also am surprised by the emotional tug I feel at my heart when she is upset and crying and takes a few moments to soothe. I’ve become quite an emotional basket case. When I think of Kate and how much I love her, my eyes well up and my heart aches with joy. These are feelings I’ve never known. Will Kate know how very much she is loved? Will she ever understand how she fills her mother’s heart with so much joy? The answer, I feel, is that she won’t know until the day she too becomes a mother. So, I’ve now joined the club of motherhood and I love it.

I once derived much of my persona from work. I poured myself into my career and dedicated myself to being a model employee and giving as much of myself as possible. Despite the many, many accomplishments and successes I can honestly say that I never once felt the triumph that I feel when I successfully soothe Kate to sleep and place her in her crib. I do miss working a little bit. I enjoy helping people communicate and love writing, but I know I have a lifetime ahead of me to continue working and will take my time picking up freelance projects as long as we are financially able. Spending time with Kate is a joy like none other!

Keith and I have ventured out to dinner three times with family or friends and each time Kate behaved perfectly. Last night, we ate at Liam Fitzpatricks, a trendy new Irish Pub. Kate was right at home (of course she was with a name like Kate Macfarlane). She only grew a tad fussy when the wind surprised her and her bedtime approached. Of course, I’ve taken her out for lunches numerous times and we do have quite a busy social schedule with all Kate’s friends from the weekly Breastfeeding Friendship Network we attend. Of course, I feel so proud at her excellent behavior (this well behaved child must be a reflection of superb mothering). Hopefully when she isn’t such an angel, I’ll remember that her behavior perhaps is not a sign of poor parenting and just her way of expressing herself…).

Kate Swims!

Memorial Day Weekend!

Okay, she really floats, but regardless, she took her first dip in the pool. She sported her Gap bathing suit from Aunt Jennifer and her jean hat from Grandma Nora to protect her eyes from the bright Florida sun. Daddy held her in the float and then let her swim around with him. Despite pictures that say otherwise, Kate loved it! She is a big fan of her bath, so she wasn’t afraid of the water and didn’t cry at all when we put her in the pool. It helped that daddy heated the pool up to 90 degrees so as not to freeze our precious angel! We’re looking forward to taking her to the beach over Father’s Day to see what she thinks of the sand!

Why Haven't We Written Sooner?

The simple answer to why I've not written sooner is that we've been very busy! From visitors, socializing with our new mommy friends, keeping the house in order, and getting Kate used to a regular schedule, it's just been so hard to find time to write about all of the exciting things that are happening. As a new mommy, I've learned that each day is filled with choices: shower or baseball hat? Lunch or pay bills? Do a load of clothes or empty dishwasher? Write blog or work on memory books? Now that Kate is going down around 9p, I'm finding some time to breathe and catch up!

Visitors, Visitors, and More Visitors
Before Kate reached 3 months old, she had met all of her grandparents (not every little girl has 4 grandmothers so this was harder than it sounds!). She also met all seven of her aunts and 5 uncles, almost all of her cousins, her Great Aunt Betty (and Godmother) & Uncle Ken as well as all of mommy and daddy's closest pals who never thought we'd be parents! And, Kate and I have quite a full social calendar...we are very busy with our new friends from our Breastfeeding Friendship Network!

A bit of Magic:
Of course, I couldn't wait for Kate to visit Disney World. We spent a couple of days in Epcot and Animal Kingdom with Aunt Betty & Uncle Ken when she was just 8 weeks old! We saved Magic Kingdom for Daddy. Daddy said she would have to wait until she was 10 to visit the kingdom of the mouse, but since we live so close and have free access, how could we wait???? Kate was an angel baby both days in the parks: despite the heat, she never fussed. The photo is Kate and mommy at Animal Kingdom. She watched her first concert (Arlo Guthrie), saw gorillas and butterflies and was simply perfect. At the end of June, Kate will visit Universal Studios--watch out Hulk, we're grooming a new coaster fan!



Schedule, Schedule, Schedule
By the time May rolled around, mommy was ready to settle Kate into a schedule. The question is, was Kate ready for a schedule? Of course! I read two books that I found extremely helpful: Babywise and The Baby Whisperer. Both focus on teaching a newborn to expect what's next by following a pattern: Eat Activity Sleep... By May, (actually much sooner), Kate was falling into a natural 3-hour feeding schedule. She was ready to sleep through the night early on, but it wasn't until 8 weeks that I stopped waking her in the wee hours for a feeding. Now, it's hard to believe, but I can hardly remember the late night feedings and sleep deprivation!

It's not all rosy, though. Kate is still struggling with her naptime and isn't exactly falling asleep on her own. Instead of a nice 1-1/2 hour nap as the books promise, Kate's only taking 45 minute naps during the day. We like to have storytime and then put her to bed, but a good 50% of the time, Kate falls asleep during the story! Let's hope by month 4 we work the kinks out of her schedule!!

Catching Up: The First Two Months

April 24, 2008:

Seven weeks ago my life changed drastically. It already had changed quite a bit during the 38 weeks leading up to March 5, 2008, but the real change occurred the moment Dr. Sweet placed our miracle of life in my arms. As I looked at our daughter I was amazed at her perfection and had only begun understand the reality of my new responsibility. Seven weeks later, I fully understand. I am tethered to an infant—both physically and mentally. Even when my husband watches over her, my mind and heart are still concerned with her activity. Is she doing okay? Did she take the bottle? Do you have enough milk (now not a problem since we have healthy supply in the freezer). Whatever I do for the rest of my days, I will be concerned for this child (and later adult).

How does this new mommy spend her days?
Today I consider it a treat to run up to Target or go to the “Mommy & Me” luncheons (I find myself thinking up excuses on a regular basis for why I need to go to Target). Seven weeks ago, it would have been just one of a hundred things I did in a day. My days before were well planned, but now I find myself planning what I will do in one hour stints while Kate naps. At 8:30a, I’ll take a shower and eat. During the next nap, I’ll write thank you cards (or this blog or her baby book). Granted, I do find time to keep up with some things while she’s awake (like laundry, emptying the dishwasher and eating), but I prefer to spend what little awake time we have playing with her and helping her to develop motor skills (a-apple; eh-elephant).

At first, most of my time was spent nursing her and holding her while she slept (and reading, reading, reading). But now at 7 weeks, she is beginning to go to sleep on her own (as long as Pooh Bear is properly wound and the pacifier is in her mouth). As I write today, our textbook baby has just fallen asleep in her crib (what a good girl)! To top it off, this is the second consecutive day that she has slept through the night. I’m overcome with pride and accomplishment.

How much has Kate changed?
Physically, I’m already looking at new infants and saying, “Holy cow, was Kate that small?” She looks so big next to 3 and 4 week olds and she’s only 7 weeks old—every week there is such a big change!! Now, stick her next to a large 5 month old, like her cousin Sam, and she looks petite as anything. It’s relative, of course. However, she is growing a lot. She’s outgrown almost all of the newborn clothes and the newborn diapers. She’s developing her motor skills, too. She looks at me instead of through me. She responds to me when I talk to her and she is beginning to coo and “talk” back. Her smile melts my heart—especially when her pooping or passing gas does not accompany the smile! She does make some pretty wild faces while doing her job. Keith and I are hoping to catch it on video—isn’t that funny? This is what we call entertainment: taping your baby while she poops!

Planning my errands around a feeding schedule can be challenging, but overall I’m enjoying this new life of mine even if it is tethered to another!