Olivia

Family P: Am I doing this right?

I must admit – I feel like I’m finally starting to get a hang of this whole MOM thing. Olivia has her first cough/cold this past week – going on 6 days of the snottiest and crankiest little Liv… No fever. Just snot. and LOTS of it. Standing in the hall bathroom (it’s much smaller than ours) with a steamy shower running and a tearful baby wrapped tightly to my chest – it hit me  – You’ve Arrived, Welcome to motherhood! Just as I started to feel completely hopeless, unable to do anything to soothe my miserable baby girl- she laid her head down on my chest, whimpered then closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Most rewarding are the moments when you just feel like, “I’m doing it right!” 

In the past 7 months I have become increasingly thankful for such an amazing support group of friends and family. They (Y’all – because lets just face it… y’all are likely the only ones following this blog) are my constant assurance that I am actually “doing it right;” that I am a good mother.  I want each of you to know how appreciated your words, advice, time, prayers, etc. are. Your support means so much to Daniel + I. We truly believe that it takes a village to raise a baby – Family and Friends alike – We feel incredibly blessed to have you and consider YOU part of our village. 

We are among the first in our circle(s) of friends to have a baby(ies). As much as we’ve made an effort to not let “having a baby” change who we are and what we love to do; there are some lifestyle changes that are inevitable. For the most part, our young married and single friends have been wonderfully accepting, understanding and accommodating as we navigate through this change. I’m reminded of this every time Olivia spits up on a girlfriend’s silk blouse and she pretends like it’s REALLY no big deal… or it’s overlooked when show up 15 min late but still have to leave promptly to catch bedtime… or when we bring a big embarrassing animal-print high chair cover in to a trendy upscale restaurant. I’m constantly juggling feelings of eagerness to have some of y’all join the club with understanding when dinner + drinks invitations taper and  still contentment with exactly the life we’d imagined (It’s unreal how insanely happy we are). Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to our amazing friends, who have not abandoned us because we had a baby, and became SIGNIFICANTLY more dorky than we were before.

Would also love to mention how grateful I am to have some good new-Momma friends, nearby and far away alike. I love knowing that y’all are out there for 2 am text messages or emails about diaper rash, spit-up and sweet potato puree. Ready and willing to answer the questions I’m too embarrassed to call my pediatrician about. It’s amazing how something a baby in common can bond you to someone instantly… Hope y’all feel the same.

Much Love,

Momma Meg

PS. I guess I get kind of sappy when Daniel is out of town. 

Olivia: 7 months

Stats:

16.8 lbs

26.5 inches

Size: “9 Months”

Nicknames: Sneekle Freetzie, Little Bug, Liv, Liver Dude

 

Loves:

Freezie Treats (Frozen Teething toys of any variety)

Sophie

Raffy the Giraffe

Playing on the floor

Playing in the laundry basket

Listening to dad play piano/ guitar

Flipping upside down

Playing with the baby in the mirror

Mom’s new glasses

Listening to tunes in the car

Play dates with Charley

Riding in the Moby Wrap with Mom, Snugli with Dad

Bath time with Dad (especially fond of the red octopus squirty toy, orange starfish + eating bubbles)

Favorite Books: “Where’s Spot?“,  “Rainforest Discoveries” AKA Ooey Gooey Rainforest and “Animals”

Favorite Bedtime Songs: “Are You a Dreamer?” Denison Witmer , “Bitte Ein Kuss” Jonah Matranga

Cucumber

 

Cranks:

Being in the car seat for extended periods of time

Sleeping in her own bed at night

Eating Baby Food

Having her nose suctioned – boogies wiped

Milestones

CRAWLING!!! As of 9-14-12 🙂 At exactly 7 months!

(Video + Coaching compliments of Auntie B)

Licking Lips

Motorboat noise

First time at MOPS

Exclusively cloth diapering 

Successfully napped in the pack + play @ Michelle + Charley’s house!

Consistently taking 2 good (1-2hrs) crib naps a day

TRIED solid foods for the first time (Rice/Oat Cereal, Sweet Potatoes, Avocado, and Carrots)

Sitting up alone (but can’t be trusted to not “tump” (tip + dump) over)

Maneuvering from seated to crawling position and vice versa

Making Dinosaur Noises in her crib when she wakes up (on the rare occasion that she ACTUALLY wakes up there)

Learned how to kick mobile in crib until it comes on

First Cold (YUCK!)

It’s getting increasingly difficult to snap an in focus of this lil mover…

Daily Routine

5:00AM-7:00AM Cuddle (Read: Kick) mom in bed until she wakes up

7:00-7:30AM Nurse then play in bed while mom checks email, pays bills, blogs, internets…

7:30-8:30AM play on the floor while mom attempts to work out

8:30-9:30AM Hang in the Exersaucer or Moby while Mom gets something to eat for breakfast, makes a plan for the day

10:00AM Nurse then morning nap

11:30AM Wakes up from morning nap

12:00PM Attempt to eat lunch

1:00PM Nurse

(Run Errands with Mom, Play dates + fun stuff, chores + cleaning, etc.)

4:00PM Nurse

5:00PM Play on the floor in the kitchen with “The Durch” while Mom cooks dinner

(6:00PM Sometimes Nurse)

6:00PM Hangout with a Freezie treat (sometimes a Veggie Pop) in highchair while Mom and Dad eat dinner.

7:00PM Read Books with Mom

7:15PM Bath time with Dad

7:30PM Lotion + Baby Massage, PJs, Vit D, brush gums, etc.

7:45PM Nurse, cuddle with bunny blanket, songs + prayers

8:00PM Asleep

3:00 – 4:00AM Usually wakes up to eat, then ends up in bed with Mom + Dad  after multiple failed attempts to go back to sleep in her crib.

On any given day… our living room looks like this:

Mom Life: Baby Led Weaning

I first came across the concept of Baby Led Weaning when I was about 17 weeks pregnant… initially REALLY loved the idea of integrating normal healthy adult foods (modified in texture/spice content) around 6 months instead of using purees. I pulled the following blurb on Baby Led Weaning from Wiki:

Baby Led Weaning

“Baby-led weaning (often also referred to as BLW) is a method of adding complementary foods to a baby’s diet of breast milk. Baby-led weaning allows babies to control their solid food consumption by “self-feeding” from the very beginning of their experiences with food. The term weaning should not be taken to imply giving up breast milk, but simply the introduction of foods other than breastmilk.

Infants are offered a range of foods to provide a balanced diet from around 6 months. They often begin by picking up and licking the food, before progressing to eating. Babies typically begin self feeding around 6 months, although some will reach for food as early as 5 months and some will wait until 7 or 8. The intention of this process is that it is tailored to suit each particular baby and their personal development. The 6 month guideline provided by the World Health Organization is based on research indicating the internal digestive system matures over the period 4–6 months. It seems reasonable to posit that the gut matures in tandem with the baby’s external faculties to self feed.” 

We first attempted oat + rice cereal about 2.5 weeks ago, progressed to pureed veggies when Olivia seemed uninterested in the taste/texture, still uninterested… even irritated when we try and get a spoonful anywhere near her mouth, we decided to call our pediatrician for advice. She suggested giving solids a rest and making another attempt after a a few days/week. I think I’ve mentioned that my initial instinct told me that Olivia wasn’t ready even 2 weeks ago but I caved to the pressure to adhere to the 4-6 month standard and we gave it ago. After hearing that our pediatrician had no real concerns about waiting until 9 months or even a year I’m feeling more comfortable and confident in our delayed start. 

Considering our recent failed attempts to feed Olivia solid foods – we’ve decided to take a few weeks off from purees + cereals in favor of a modified BLW method. Allowing her to gnaw on small pieces of food in her high chair while we’re eating breakfast/lunch/dinner. Still adhering to the 3-5 day rule and avoiding all highly allergenic foods.

My only concern with BLW was the likelyhood of Olivia having difficulty swallowing or even choking while feeding herself. Although I’ll still watch her like a hawk while she’s eating  exploring, everything I’ve read says that BLW’d babies actually choke LESS than babies who are fed purees with a spoon. I really love the idea of letting Olivia control how much she eats – at what pace, etc. 

Resources

Momtastic’s Wholesome Baby Food

Rapley Weaning

Featured Image Here

 

Mom Life: Starting Solids

Olivia is just a week shy of 7 months old – and should be well on her way to enjoying solid foods. I say should lightly because I don’t REALLY agree that babies should master certain milestones by certain ages. That being said, most parents begin to feed their babies solids around 4-6 months. Since we were in California when the clock struck 6-months… we delayed just a bit past the target window. Almost 2 weeks ago, at 29 weeks, we finally decided to take the plunge…

Many month ago, I picked up a copy of Tyler Florence’s “Start Fresh” and started planning. All along, I’ve known that I wanted to make Olivia’s food. Mostly, I’m concerned with the amount of preservatives and additives in even the organic varieties available on the shelves. Obviously, we also considered the cost-factor as well – knowing that it would be significantly cheaper to DIY. I love Tyler’s one-family, one-meal mentality… Kids should eat the same meal that the family eats for dinner. Mom WILL NOT make multiple meals to please multiple family members’ tastes. Very much aligned with the “You don’t have to like it, but you have to try it”  rule. His book includes recipes slightly altering “the family meal” for babies, toddlers and younger kiddos.

Buy Here

Totally in-line with our pediatrician, Tyler suggests starting with cereal (rice or oat) for the first few weeks then moving to veggies for the first month or so before introducing sweeter (more desirable) fruits. He suggests creating combos (adhering to the 3-day rule) after baby has mastered several foods, at around 9 months. His cookbook includes wonderful combos and stage II/III meals for older baby/toddler.

My daughter, who puts EVERYTHING in her mouth, and I do mean EVERYTHING, doesn’t want ANYTHING to do with food. Two weeks of our most desperate attempts to get Olivia to swallow even ONE bite… and she’s STILL completely uninterested.

We started with 3 days of Rice Cereal, then 3 days of Oat Cereal, followed by 3 days of sweet potatoes, 3 days of avocado and now we’re making our way through 3 days of carrots. I’m out of ideas…. Ready to call the pediatrician on Monday if things don’t turn around. OR give it a break and wait a few more weeks. I mean… what’s the harm? She doesn’t seem hungry, or cranky… and there’s lots of earthy-crunchy material suggesting that it’s perfectly healthy for babies to exclusively breast feed until 9-12 months.

Oat Cereal

Sweet Potato

Avocado

Believe it or not – we did start with a plastic bib… when she seemed more interested in eating it… it came off and I decided that Rice Cereal wouldn’t stain and I could easily just toss her outfit in the laundry… then came sweet potatoes… knowing that those might stain, we tried a cloth bib… after a week+ we’ve resolved to eating in the nude. Still followed by a hose-down in the sink…

Note: Ignore the fact that I still need to DIY a high chair cover… notice that even it got caught in the crossfire and ended up in the laundry before Avocado day.

COOKING GEAR: We decided against the uber fancy BEABA or Baby Brezza mainly because of the cost. When we put in perspective the span of time that we would be making pureed foods – it just seemed silly to invest. We even decided to forgo the BabyBullet  in favor of using the high end blender/food processor we own. With limited freezer space (we’re storing close to 500 ounces of frozen breast milk) I’m still unsure of the most compact way to store prepared food. We have some of the Oxo Tot 2oz and 4oz containers that I like (and will probably buy more of as I have 20% off coupons to BBB/BBB).

Interested in trying these Tovolo Silicone Ice Cube Trays too.

Recently I’ve done some more searching online and found some other great resources that are worth sharing…

Momtastic’s Wholesome Baby Food – A friend referred me to this site – Awesome nutritional information, suggestions on what foods to start with, recipes, etc.

Tyler Florence’s Sprout Organic Baby Food – Tyler Florence’s line of organic baby food + more recipes.

Mash Your Heart Out Baby Food – great recipe and combination ideas

 Featured Image Here

 

Mom Life: Adventures in Cloth Diapering

There are plenty of blogs and websites out there that can explain the different TYPES of cloth diapers available on the market (so I’m going to spare you the in-depth explanation of each type and just briefly recap, as much for my  own understanding as yours, the types I would even consider)… Safe to say…These are NOT your momma’s cloth diapers. As Dan would say, “Dem is Fancy” (Translation: They are Fancy)… As if further clarification is needed – I only considered the fancy variety… no pins or folding.

Types of “Fancy” Cloth Diapers

  • All in One (AIO) – Most similar to a disposable diaper, all one piece, waterproof shell attached to absorbent material sewn in, fastens with snaps or velcro. Wash after every use.
  • All in Two (AI2) – Waterproof outer shell that can be combined with replaceable (sometimes disposable) inserts. Fastens with snaps or velcro. For most diaper changes – you only replace the insert, washing the cover after several uses.
  • Pocket – Waterproof outer shell with stay-dry inner pocket that you stuff with an absorbent liner (+ optional overnight doubler). Fastens with velcro or snaps. Wash both pieces after every use.

Other Stuff You’ll Need

  • Diaper Pail/Pail Liner for Nursery – Fits inside your trash can – usually with elastic banded top or drawstring closure (not necessary to buy a special can – anything with a lid works well)
  • Small “Wet Bag” for Diaper Bag – contains your dirty diapers while you’re out and about. Zipper closure keeps the stink inside. Usually PUL interior/fabric exterior. They come in a variety of sizes and designs – hold ing anywhere from 2-10 or so dirty diapers.
  • Cloth Diaper Laundry Detergent – To prevent build-up, stinks + stains. There are a few brands of cloth diaper safe detergent on the market.
  • Cloth Diaper Safe Diaper Rash Cream – Regular diaper cream isn’t ideal for cloth diapers but compatible varieties are similarly priced and easily accessible.
  • A positive attitude and reliable washing machine.

Inspired by one of my newbie momma friends, Brandi over at Pigtails & Pacifiers, who recently began cloth diapering her sweet doll baby Brooklyn. And by this blog post over at MilkFriendly. Daniel and I agreed that we probably should have given more thoughtful consideration to the cloth diapering route before Olivia was born. We agree that the benefits (environmental, economical, adorable) outweigh the negative (yucky, time-consuming) and are slightly kicking ourselves for waiting so long to give it ago. In the same breath – I’ll mention that we’re just now (after 6  whole months) about to exhaust our supply of gifted (disposable) diapers. Therefore – I guess the timing couldn’t be more perfect! And here we go…

Before buying anything, I asked around and found that most people agreed that the BumGenius brand was the most accessible and reasonably priced… great quality and generally well-reviewed. Certainly not the cheapest option out there… but definitely middle-of-the-road. 

To test the waters, we ordered (1 “BumGenius Freetime All-In-One” and 1 “BumGenius Elemental Organic All-in-One“) from DiaperJunction (They offer a 30-day Risk Free trial period)… and picked up a couple of the “BumGenius 4.0 Pocket Diaper” at Buy Buy Baby; We decided that we preferred the design and fit of  the “BumGenius Freetime” and ordered 14 from CottonBabies (They we’re running the best promo – Buy 6, Get One Free – Lowest Price + Free Shipping).

BumGenius Freetime

BumGenius Elemental

BumGenius 4.0 Pocket

We had agreed that we would need to start with a minimum of around 20 diapers to make CDing practical. Our plan is to slowly build our arsenal to ~40 as we find great deals on sites like Zulily, Totsy, BabyHalfOff, EcoBabyBuys. In fact, Zulily featured a 50% deal on Lotus Bumz the other day and we snagged 2 more bringing us to our benchmark. Other (pricier) brands I’d scoop up if on sale: FuzziBunz, Swaddlebees, Itti Bitti, and GroVia.

Lotus Bumz

We also settled on 2 pail liners from Planet Wise (these have elastic around the top that work REALLY well with our trash can and 2 small wet bags from DiaperRite (the most simple + cheap!) We did order some Rockin’ Green – Motley Clean Detergent to get us started, although I’ve researched some EASY DIY recipes on Pinterest for further down the road.

**UPDATE** Today was our first day 100% cloth diapering… and we picked a challenging day to start. Olivia and I left the house this morning or a play date then ended up going straight to dinner with Daniel + MawMaw… basically, we were out of the house for 10 hours – 4 wets + 1 dirty diaper later and I still feel pretty good about it all… the ONLY (so far) hiccup… dealing with disposable wipes! I’m so used to discarding dirty wipes neatly tucked inside the diaper – clean & easy… and contained. Tinkle wipes – not really a problem. Poopy Wipes though… What if a trash can isn’t within arms reach? For Example – If you’re changing a diaper in the backseat of the car, on a picnic blanket… or in the middle of a friends living room floor? Thoughts?

 Featured Image Here

Momma Meg Loves: Babywearing

While I was pregnant, I spent a great deal of time wondering what it would be like to leave the hospital holding a baby that was INSIDE me just days before. Although I hadn’t given it much thought before Olivia arrived, I could have predicted that I would be a huge fan of baby wearing. From the newborn stage, I have loved carrying Olivia close to me – the same way I loved carrying her for 9+ months in my belly. (Yes, I am one of those crazy people who can say I truly loved pregnancy – physically and emotionally. I can honestly say, I’d never felt better…healthier and happier – More on that Here)  

On the subject of babywearing (one word – the act of wearing a baby); I am no expert. Among other things, babywearing is one of the topics I wish I had researched more while I was pregnant. Mostly what to buy vs. what not to buy. We were gifted both a sling + structured front carrier (both items I registered for) which I love(d)… And even after the few purchases I’ve made in the past 6 months – I’m finding myself with a growing wish list of baby carrying contraptions. 

The Peanut Shell Adjustable Sling –  Only recently started to become more useful. Olivia didn’t like laying in a reclined position in it… even as a newborn.  never could figure out how to nurse with her in it either. However, in the past few months, now that she’s sitting up, she’s more comfortable sitting on my hip and so this sling has started to come in handy. It’s much easier to get her in/out of than the Baby Bjorn – great for just running in to the grocery store/dry cleaners/etc. but not nearly as secure. READ: No heavy lifting or bending over. The quality is definitely great – durable yet soft. washable. Darling pattern (I have the Vanilla Bean).  The Peanut Shell also makes cute shopping cart covers and other accessories.  Here

Baby Bjorn Mesh Carrier – Mentioned Here this was one of my MOST essential baby products in the first few months of Olivia’s life. Since it’s really structured, it was easy for her to sleep in while I walked (I walked a TON after about 3 weeks) and did chores around the house. We used the Bjorn at the very least, daily up through about 4 months. Now that Olivia is a little bit bigger (Almost 16 pounds) it doesn’t seem to fit quite as well (leaves marks on her chubby little thighs) and puts too much pressure on my lower back and shoulders. Hindsight is always 20/20 – and I am definitely glad we had the Bjorn for the first 3-4 months but it didn’t grow with her as much as I wanted it to. Here

Bjorning all the time

 

Seven Sling – I ordered this sling online Here during a “Giveaway” where you only paid the shipping fee. It was TINY, the fabric was too stiff  to stretch and by the time I was ready to give it a go – Olivia was already too big to fit in it.

 

Here are the most recent additions to our babywearing arsenal:

Snugli Front/Back Carrier – My mom actually found this carrier at a resale shop in CA and snagged it for us to use while we were in town. I had mentioned that I wanted to find something that worked more like a backpack to use while we were hiking and playing outdoors. Also secretly knew that Dan would be more inclined to share the experience if it were a back carry. Here

Hiking in the Snugli

Moby Wrap – Just picked this up a few days ago – Let me tell you… it’s a game changer. I LOVE it. I might not ever use any other baby wearing contraption again. Why didn’t I start with this?! Would have been PERFECT for the newborn stage and yet still perfect for a bigger baby. In the first 3 carries – Olivia giggled (my happy baby is very smiley – but she saves the giggles for the REALLY good stuff- Like Moby) and fell asleep twice… FELL ASLEEP. While I was doing laundry. Just layed her little head down… and konked. At first, I thought – Whoa. She must have been really tired and I didn’t notice the signs. Then the next day – It happened again. One minute we were doing housework, talking, she had “Chewie”  and the next minute… KONK – asleep, “Chewie” still in her mouth. I think the Moby might have magical powers. Highly recommended. Buy  Here    Video Tutorial Here

Hug Hold in the Moby Wrap

 

Helpful Resources

  • http://www.thebabywearer.com/
  • http://www.wrapyourbaby.com/

Instructional Videos

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tabl1-dQfjM
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_qpFYDpHcw
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uXn3yr9-X4

One for the road…

Watching Manatees at the DWA

Family P: CALIFORNIA Adventures

Hard to believe we’ve already been home from vacationing in SoCal and visiting Family Gorham. Seems that we brought the <100 degree temps home with us – making the transition not quite as painful. After a productive week, readjusting to our “normal” routines, I’m finally taking the time to recap for our family records what a wonderful trip we had!  

I wondered, post-plane ride with baby, if I would have TONS of opinions, pointers, tips, regrets, etc. about traveling with Olivia… The truth is… I don’t really. I read quite a bit online, solicited advice from other mommas and spent over a week making lists and packing bags. A quickie top 10 I felt helpful during our 2-week adventure.

  1. Pack Light – bring only what you NEED on the plane – NOTHING more. (Diaper Backpacks are best – Our PPB converts)
  2. Babywearing is your friend – strollers are BULKY and not practical for traveling with a non-toddling baby
  3. Allow SOME extra time (get through security, to the gate, etc.) but not TOO much time that you’re just sitting around waiting longer than necessary.
  4. Nurse at take-off, Nurse at landing, Nurse the entire flight if your lil babe wants to. (Or Bottle, Sippy Cup, Pacifier, etc.)
  5. Bring some favorite + some new  toys, books, stuffed animals
  6. Make friends with the flight attendants – they’ll usually let you use their space in the back of the plane for diaper changes, etc.
  7. Rent, Buy resale, or borrow (if possible) as much as you can! (We Borrowed/Bought: Carseat, Stroller, Crib + Exersaucer)
  8. Your baby will likely have an easier time adjusting to a time-zone change than you will. Don’t Stress too much about adjusting!
  9. Buy disposables when you arrive – Diapers + Wipes (For our longer trip – we even bought lotion, sunscreen, soap, etc.) Do Laundry!
  10. Relax! Don’t stress too much about keeping on routine because before you know it, it’s time to go home!
Here’s the short and sweet edition –

TUESDAY – Tuesday morning we started the day early arriving just a little over an hour early for our flight DFW to SNA. Olivia – in true Olivia fashion – did wonderfully on the plane. Only mildly cranked and easily distracted on the 2.5 hour flight. Made a necessary first stop at Baja Fish Tacos then relaxed by the pool at Gramma + Poppa G’s house.

Getting on the Plane

WEDNESDAY –  Started the day at Mimi’s Cafe (Supporting my alma mater LHHS  by participating in Win Win Wednesdays) then took a nice long walk at the Laguna Niguel Regional Park

Walking at the Laguna Niguel Regional Park

THURSDAY – Enjoyed Olivia’s first unofficial trip to the beach (unofficial because there were no swim suits, towel, or actual salty and sandy adventures) at the Huntington Dog Beach. Got my annual (just kidding! Semi-Annual) haircut with my dear friend Kristina at Sweeter than Honey Hair Lounge.

Huntington Dog Beach

FRIDAY – Started the morning with a nature walk at Riley Wilderness Park in Trabuco Canyon – Safe to say that Liv LOVES nature. Afternoon naps and swimming in Grandma G’s pool finished with dinner on the patio… If there were a “typical” day – this was it. Walk/Hike, Nap, Swim, Nap, Eat

Nature Walk at Riley Wilderness Park

SATURDAY -Gramma G arranged for several of her closest OC pals to come over to Meet + Greet Miss Olivia. In true Gramma G fashion – this was a little bit MORE like a party – darling pink + yellow decorations (Emily made these – pinned Here and Here), brunchy appetizers and unnecessarily gracious gifties from the SoCal Aunties!  A bit overwhelmed by the stimulation, but overall did a wonderful job impressing the ladies – Especially Miss. Mav and her colorful dress.

Hand-me-down Rocking Chair from the Antone Family

SUNDAY – Went to St. Margaret’s to Church with Mom, followed by breakfast tacos at Las Golandrina’s then some quickie naps before heading South to San Diego. Safe to say, Olivia’s first trip to the San Diego Zoo was a huge hit. She LOVED watching the bigger animals – especially the giraffes (duh!), elephants, and hippos. We stayed just long enough to enjoy the cooler late afternoon/ evening weather before heading to the Westin Gaslamp district.

San Diego Zoo

MONDAY – After a better night than anticipated (Olivia actually slept 6+ hours IN THE HOTEL CRIB!) Gramma G and I ventured out in our PJs/Sweats in search of some Coffee and Breakfast Tacos while Auntie Em caught a few more ZZZs. Took the trolley over to Old Towne San Diego to explore a bit snagged a Chorizo + Egg Taco Here. After a quick stop in La Jolla for lunch + botox (Auntie Em’s migraine treatment) we headed back up to South County for an evening Harbor cruise complete with Dolphin sighting then teppan dinner at Ichibiri.

Exploring Old Town San Diego

TUESDAY – Sounds silly, but it’s a must hit spot when I’m in town –  I <3 Bagels. (Maggie – we MUST go here sometime. BEST BAGELS EVER) then a LONG overdue appointment at my old Eye Doctor for a new ‘scrip + contact lenses. Lunch at a hole-in-the-wall fav – Mongolian BBQ (Highly reccomended – Reviewed Here) follower by afternoon naps + Swimming. Picked up Daniel from the airport then home for Family Gorham dinner.

6 Months – Before Picking Up Dad from the Airport

WEDNESDAY – Lazy morning followed by Lunch + Boating in Dana Point Harbor. Olivia opted out this time to wander around the harbor with Dad. We had some family (+Christmas Card) photos done late afternoon then another fabulous Win Win Wednesday meal at Bru Grill in Lake Forest. Really awesome little Market + Upscale Grill.

Bru Grill

THURSDAY – Set off on a hike through Aliso Canyon to the dripping Caves with Chippy. Olivia happily rode on Daniel’s back for the first hour or so but lost interest when it started to get hot on the return. Cleaned up and made a Taco Loco run with Chippy. Then swimming… and dinner with Auntie Em’s new boyfriend Al (Fresco). (Clarification: this is an inside joke – Emily is not dating a man named Al – we just ate outside. Al Fresco.)

On top of the Dripping Caves

FRIDAY – Met up with Caitie + Mom for lunch at Wahoo’s at the Irvine Spectrum – Then kept the day low-key with more swimming and visits from family friends. Dan and I left the babe in the care of Family Gorham and snuck out for Dinner + Drinks with Friends at the Yard House.

Jen, Kristina + Me @ Yard House

SATURDAY – Brunch at home with the Iorio Family then headed down to wander around Laguna – made another necessary stop at Taco Loco, some thrifting, then more swimming and… you got it… Dinner al fresco. Finished the night with some “Jolly Games” – Cash Bingo courtesy of Bank of Dad.

Having a moment with Poppa G

SUNDAY – Early departure for the Airport. A quick – UNEVENTFUL – flight and we’re home. Worth mentioning that Olivia didn’t cry ONCE on the flight home – We’re VERY proud parents.

It’s always hard to come home from visiting California. Sometimes I feel torn, like Orange County is just as much home as Dallas is. Daniel and I talk all the time about moving back to sunny Southern California again in the distant future – if career paths and stars aligned. I mean… what’s not to like? I can’t even begin to describe how hard it hits me each time – how privileged I was to grow up in the environment I did. More on that another time.

Can’t wait for our next trip this Christmas! 

XO, Momma Meg (For Family P)

 

PS. – I’m noticing a complete failure to capture a complete (Family P 3) photo – We’re going to get better at that…

Olivia: 6 Months

6 Month Wellness Check-Up

15 lbs 14 oz

26 inches

Size: “6-9 months”, “Size 2” Diapers

Nicknames: Sneekle Freetzie, Liv, Liver Dude

6 Months

Loves:

“Freezie Treats” (Freezable Teething Toys)

The “Liv, Liv Liv” Song

The Longtime Sunshine Song

Loves faces – Pulling on noses, eyes and mouths

Moby Wrap

Swimming @ Gramma B’s

Playing with Ice Cubes at the dinner table

Petunia Pickle Bottom Diaper Bag

Uncle Chippy’s beard

Sleeping in Mom + Dad’s bed

Nursing

Listening to Dad play Piano/ Guitar

Poppa G’s Watch

Play Dates with Charley (+Momma Michelle)

Dogs – Especially Gramma G’s Yellow Lab Terra and Auntie Maggie’s Toy Poodle Bella

Cranks:

Getting in the car seat

Not being able to be outside (in the Texas heat + threat of West Nile virus)

Taking a bottle

Infant Life Vest

Milestones:

Sitting-Up alone!

First trip to California to visit Gramma + Poppa G

First plane ride

Hiking on Dad’s back in the Snugli Carrier

First trip to the San Diego Zoo

Hanging with the Giraffes at the San Diego Zoo

Riding like a big girl (forward facing) in the stroller

First time in the Johnny Jump Up (Bought Here)

First time meeting 2nd Cousin Alex + Great Aunt Pam

VERY interested in food + drinks (Starting Solids this weekend!)

Blowing lips to make high pitched motor boat noise

Giggling / Belly Laughing

Rolling, Scooting, Moving, Inching… Everything but crawling.

Not Where I left my baby…

6 Months

Daily Routine:

4:00 AM Nurse in bed – Snuggle/ Sleep with Mom + Dad

7:00AM Nurse – Wake Up

9:00AM Nap (45min-1hr)

10:00 AM Nurse

~12:30 PM Nap (30min – usually in the car)

1:00PM Nurse

3:00 Nap (1hr-2hrs)

4:00PM Nurse

6:00PM Nurse

6:30PM Hangout in the Highchair while Mom + Dad eat dinner

7:00PM Read a few books with Mom in bed while Dad gets the bath ready

7:15PM Bath time with Dad while Mom cleans up in the kitchen

7:30 Lotion + Massage, Teeth Gum Brushing, Hair Brushing, Vitamin D

7:45PM Nurse

8:00PM Snuggle with Bunny Blanket for Bedtime Prayers + Songs (Usually a few rounds of Longtime Sunshine)

Between 10:00PM +11:00PM Nurse

(Usually wakes up right as Mom + Dad are winding down for a final snack, Occasionally Mom attempts a “dream feed”)

Mom Life: Baby Signs

Lately, I feel like Olivia is trying really hard to be able to communicate. She’s started making the most annoying precious “MMMMMMMMmmmm” noise when she’s frustrated. I’ve been doing some reading on baby sign language and I think we’re ready to give it a go. 

Buy Here                   Image From Here

“Baby Signs” says that it’s best to wait until your baby shows interest in communicating. The authors suggest asking the following questions to determine a good time to start.

  • Is baby at least 6 months old?  ALMOST!
  • Baby is beginning to point at things. Not yet
  • Is baby bringing toys or objects to you and looking for a response? No, Not really
  • Is your baby beginning to wave “bye-bye”? No
  • Is your baby beginning to shake head yes or no? Not at all
  • Is your baby beginning to show an interest in picture books? Mom says YES, Dad says NO
  • Is your baby frustrated when you don’t understand what she needs? Yes.
  • Are there still important things your baby doesn’t have words for? Duh.
  • Are you an over eager parent? Will you ignore the number of times you answered NO to the above questions and start signing anyway? YES.

That being said…

We’ve already started waving and saying “bye bye” when someone leaves a room and beginning to point at things and talk to her about them. For example, pointing to the fountain and talking about water (Have I mentioned how much my child LOVES water? Swimming in it. Looking at it… Her latest obsession is ice cubes.. great dinner table distraction when mommy forgets to bring a toy). We’re hoping that she’ll start pointing on her own so that we can help her assign words to things she sees. (From what I gather, this is the general direction that the book suggests)

We’re going to start with 5 signs. (I didn’t make it past the first 50 pages – after reading that I was breaking all the rules by starting early… I abandoned everything but the dictionary of signs in the back of the book)

  • Milk
  • Diaper
  • Bath
  • Book
  • Sleep

Milk

Diaper

Bath

Book

Sleep

Great Resource + Images above found Here

Featured Image: Natural Wooden Baby Signs Blocks Here $45

Anyone have any pointers on signing with baby? 

Reflections: Tea & Gratitude

Last week, for whatever reason, was REALLY long. I don’t know if it was the few nights that Daniel worked late or the 100+ degree heat 7 days in a row, or what , but I was ready for the weekend! Friday night, Daniel was working late and I had ambitious plans to get some packing and cleaning done after the baby went down. Sitting in the cool, dark nursery, rocking and singing to the baby is the surest way to kill any plans I have to be productive. Naturally, I was in no mood to clean or pack but nowhere close to being ready for bed at 7:15. Instead, I put the tea kettle on to make a cup of “Mother’s Milk Tea” (I’ve been drinking obsessively for the past few months to promote healthy lactation) and kinda zoned in front of the TV for a bit. (Something I NEVER  RARELY do!) As I finished my last sip of tea (more like… gulp. Mother’s Milk Tea –  is not delicious sipping tea) I noticed that the tag (tab?) had the following quote printed on it: 

“An attitude of gratitude brings opportunities.”

This quote reminded me of how thankful I am that we can afford for me to stay home and care for our sweet baby girl. I’ve mentioned before that it’s been an adjustment financially; requiring us to change our spending habits and reorganize our priorities. If I’m totally 100% honest, I don’t miss much at all about that pre-baby life at all. Especially when I consider what those changes mean. Sometimes it’s easy to loose track of the things we are thankful for; we take for granted some of the most important gifts. I joke about being “young and broke” but shouldn’t because we are rich in so many ways. Happiness is not found in having or doing, but in being. I need to remember to give thanks, in all seasons.

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you – Thessalonians 5:18 

Tonight… I am most thankful for:

  • Our healthy and happy daughter whom I cannot imagine life without
  • My dear husband who makes the coffee every morning and loves me even when I’m cranky.
  • Our amazing families who love and support us in every way imaginable.
  • The “vintage” roof over our heads, A/C that works in 108 degree heat, and  our loyal guard Dog Durch
  • Being able to stay home with Olivia – watching her grow and learn every day.

 

Just in case you nursing mommas were wondering… Yogi makes an alternative to the popular “Organic Mother’s Milk Tea” that’s a little bit cheaper! At the recommended 3-5 cups a day, that stuff gets expensive!

Yogi Woman’s Nursing Support Tea

On Sale (right now) at Whole Foods $2.99!