Saturday, August 30, 2008

Big boy beds

I know, it's too soon to be thinking this but I LOVE this from Pottery Barn Kids .. the bed and bedding:



Brian thinks he can make the platform instead of spending $900. What do you think? Cute or yuck?

It just takes a little PVC pipe ...


DSC05357
Originally uploaded by Shanlee
... to make your kid a new toy. We can't 'take the credit for this. Some parent that goes to our daycare made something similar and well, it's Ben's favorite thing to look at while there. As Brian calls it "hours of fun!" Well, maybe not hours. My comment was that it might be over the top.

Anyways, Ben loves it.

Ben's new bad habit is sleeping in the swing. He won't take naps in the crib and usually at night he won't go in the crib until he's been in the swing for an hour or two. I'm sure this phase will pass but at least he's sleeping. People keep asking if he's sleeping through the night and no, not yet. He doesn't go more than 4 or 5 hours but today he slept in past 8 a.m. in bed with us.

Last night I put away his 0-3 clothes and put out the 3-6 months stuff. Some of the 3-6 is still big but most of the 0-3 was too small. And for anyone out there wanting to buy Ben clothes -- don't. He has enough clothes to last him until he's 2. Our friend Starla and Georell handed down boxes of really cute stuff.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Baby Product: LilyPadz

For the working mom, LilyPadz are a godsend. The alternative to nursing pads, these sticky pads go on your nipples and prevent leaking. They last about two months but are worth it because it doesn't make it look like you're nursing (disposable nursing pads look bulky under your shirts, fyi) and you're not throwing away pads each day. They are easy to clean and are well worth the $20 I spent!

Time flies

I can't believe it's already Thursday? Can you believe it? The week has flown by and my little boy is getting cuter and cuter and changing. He can roll over (though I have yet to see this feat -- I've just been told) and today I caught him looking at his hands in amazement. I'm counting down the hours until the weekend because we will have three days off!

Going back to work is KILLING me. I didn't think it would be this bad. Work is OK but missing my baby -- it's bad. The thing that makes it bad is Ben is officially falling asleep at 6:30 p.m. This is good and bad, I guess. Good because I have me time. Bad because I find myself staring at him to wake up.

My dad is visiting at the end of September. He is giving me a day at the spa (well, not just me but his wife and himself too). I'm so excited for him to meet Ben too.

I have tips and products to update so keep checking!

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Amercican Cancer Society Fight Back Bus


Fight Back Bus
Originally uploaded by Shanlee
In honor of his grandma, Benjamin signed the ACS Fight Back Bus. To learn more about the bus go here.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Babies at concerts?

What is your stance when it comes to babies at concerts? I'm on the fence on this one. There were a ton of babies at the Wilco show last night. Kiddos anywhere from 3 months - 12 months. I'm all for a night out with my husband but it would be cool to expose our child to music we like.

Fit Sunday #1

So how did I do? I promised myself I wouldn't get on a scale until I started working out so this month I'm working on my eating habits. I find that going back to work keeps me on track of eating healthy. By Friday, my wedding ring finally was back to fitting. I haven't worn it since we went to Baker City back at the beginning of April.

Then the weekend came and the horrible eating habits began at Chow with biscuits and gravy. I completely skipped lunch because Ben was being really fussy. As I was sharing a bottle of wine with my husband I realized I hadn't eaten so I grabbed a sausage wrap from the local Greek place. Today was a latte and a slice of blueberry cake. Brian is on his way home with a pizza.

So I must start working on my weekend eating. Less eating out. More eating healthy. But at least my wedding ring is fitting again!

Happy 3 months (again)

Dear Benjamin,

Yesterday you were three months old. It just seems like yesterday we brought you home and were just figuring things out. People were right. Babies are always changing and you’re no exception. You used to sleep all the time and even fall asleep on your own. Now, you won’t take naps or go to sleep and always want to be held except when you’re at day care and you tend to fall asleep in the bouncy seat. Why won’t you do that at home? As the Wilco song goes, "please be patient with me," so I will be patient and hope this changes happens quickly.

Yes, you started day care and I am back at work. As far as I can tell, you love it as your smile instantly at the lady who takes care of you. You eat well from a bottle (though I want you to eat more) and seem to enjoy the other kids while you’re there. I miss you while I’m at work but I have plenty of photos of you to look at and think about you often. I have cried everyday this week because I miss you so badly.

I’m no longer clipping your nails and have started filing them while you nurse or am distracted. I cut you twice and won’t do that ever again, I swear. I feel really guilty about that.

You are smiling more and laughing. Your laugh is hilarious and I almost cry each time because it’s so cute. You really want to roll over. You’re so close we know it will happen any day now. You’re also holding your head up too though it bobs now and then. Your favorite position is to look over my shoulder and explore the world. When you get mad, you make fishlips just like I did when I was a kid. I wish I had a picture of me to show you.

You have discovered your hands. When you are tired, you stick your fists in your mouth.

Momma didn't get to meet Wilco. It's a long story but at least she got a night out with Daddy. We were pretty much 10 feet from the stage. The show was amazing. The band was way more interactive and the open act was killer. So killer, I think I'm buying the mp3s today. It would make great bedtime music for you.

I can't wait to see what next month brings!

Love,
Momma

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Happy 3 months


Sure am puzzled
Originally uploaded by Shanlee
I will post a letter to Benjamin later but I am pooped and tired and exhausted. This kid won't sleep unless he's in a front carrier or car seat or swing. What is going on?

Anyway, I know this will pass but to get through this, momma is going to see her favorite band tonight and is supposed to get back stage. Wish me luck.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Baby product: The Ultimate Baby Wrap

Right now, I'm "wearing" Benjamin down for the evening in my Ultimate Baby Wrap. It's awesome if you need your hands free and he always seems to go right to sleep when I wear it. At first, it's sorta hard to figure out but it comes with a video and after about a half a dozen times of using it, putting it on becomes second nature.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Back to work

My first day back on Monday was hard. Mainly because Ben decided he didn't want to go to sleep the night before until midnight. If that wasn't bad, he did a repeat of that on Monday. Luckily, he went to sleep last night at 10 p.m. I won't jinx tonight so I'm not going to mention it.

Going back was hard. I had four hours of sleep and first thing had a staff meeting to attend. I will say, it is nice having co-workers as my two person marketing department is now four ppl.

Pumping is going good. I seem to be producing enough and our nursing room is a nice calm place to escape and milk away. There are two of us using the room and next week there will be another returning to work.

This is the first moment I've had to myself since returning home from work at 5:30 p.m. I wasn't quite thinking I'd be spending all evening getting a kid to sleep but until he's sleep trained, that how it goes, I guess.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Tip for expectant mothers #1

If you're heading back to work and need a pump, check with your health insurance provider as they might pay for a hospital grade breast pump (as mine did). Be sure your OB/GYN codes the prescription correctly so you won't be billed either.

My new Medela pump is awesome! It's working like a charm. I've also starting taking more Fenugreek and have been eating oatmeal once a day as well.

I'm nervous for tomorrow as my day starts with a 2 hour staff meeting. Ran into the CEO of our company at breakfast and he's happy I'm coming back. That made me feel really good!

Fit Sunday

As I posted the other day, I need to do something about my weight because I just don't feel good about myself so I plan on each Sunday letting you know how my progress is going. Since going back to work is already a huge change and since when you start to try to change your lifestyle, you shouldn't do too many things at once -- tomorrow I'm going to start to eat healthy since I will have a little more control. I've packed my food for the day -- oatmeal to help stimulate my milk, a bag of sliced apples, a Lean Cuisine and some carrots and hummas.

I promise I'll check back in next Sunday and let you know how I'm doing!

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Baby blood bath

I did something this morning which I'm hearing is a right of passage for a new mom. I cut my kiddo with the baby nail clippers. Boy, was it a blood bath and tearfest as I sat on the floor of his room and held him and cried along with him. I feel horrible for doing this and it's bad but I guess I could do a lot worse to him.

Next time, I will file the nail. The clippers are thrown away so I never do such a horrible thing again.

New section! Baby products

It seem that everyone is having babies right now and is looking for recommendations on stuff to get. Each week, I'll try to carve out some time to talk about some items I absolutely LOVE. Today, it's the Halo Sleep Sack Swaddle.

When it's time to go to bed and sleep training, experts say set a sleep routine. Ben's sleep routine includes bath, slideline nursing and sleeping in his Halo Sleep Sack Swaddle. He has two: one cotton and one mircofleece. This signals him that it's time to hit the sack and grab some zzzzs.

Friday, August 15, 2008

I swear he's laughing, not crying

Last day of maternity leave

I knew this day would come faster than I would imagine but I'm going back to work on Monday. I'm going back to staffing and role changes which is a good thing. I'm exited to be back to work and as I was putting my new office together yesterday, everyone was happy to see me back which was comforting.

Benjamin is asleep but we have errands to run. I found out my insurance will pay for a hospital grade pump so I'm going to pick on up.

I can't believe my little guy was born 12 weeks today. Before you know it, he'll be off to kindergarten.

Benjamin has started sleeping 6 hours straight! Just in time for me to go back to work.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

I hate seeing this face

Benjamin is hardly fussy so when he is cranky -- this is his usually grumpy, I'm tired or bored face. He is also beginning to recognize games me play like "daddy's little space rocket" and "paddy cake." He is so cute, isn't he?

Tricks about expressing milk?

Does anyone have any tips on getting your milk to "let down" when you pumped when you went back to work full time? I'm pumping three times a day when Ben is at daycare and I'm hardly getting anything. My best pumping time ... 3 am after he's slept a long stretch. I'm about to call the doctor to get a prescription of nasal oxytocin but am seeking advice! Let me know!

Monday, August 11, 2008

The real deal on being a mother part deux

I would like to preface that I LOVE my son but I feel the need to write this post so please bear with me

Here I go again with another one of "those" posts. Maybe I should write a memoir? Oh wait, I'd have to spell correctly and actually proofread (which you may have noticed I HATE to do).

What is bothering me so much? I'm depressed. I don't have actual postpartum depression but I am depressed -- about my weight, that is. And here in lies photographic evidence:



At the end of my pregnancy, I had gained over 50 pounds, most of which was water weight. Right now, I'm 10 lbs away from pre-pregnancy weight but my wedding ring doesn't fit. My shirts are TOO tight (my chest area, HUGE) and my mid-section is a little stretched and doughy. I don't feel sexy. Work clothes shopping was a drag. The issue is I have no time to work out and I can't diet because I'm breastfeeding. The good news is I'm one size away from where I started but even THAT wasn't a good weight. I must face the fact -- I have let myself go and well, that's sad.

So how do I get back to where I want to be? Simple -- exercise and eating right. That means I make time to exercise. Yes, that will take time away from Ben but will had time onto my life. I must eat better. Though I can am supposed to eat an extra 500 calories, that doesn't mean I can eat nila wafers and frosting or a bowl of ice cream with marionberries and chocolate.

So, what's the plan? I have a few options. First, maybe I should post something each Sunday -- I mean, not just say I'm going to but really post something about what I did the week before. As for exercise, I really like the Body Pump classes at my local gym and I also have two pairs of roller derby skates in my closet. I could join the recreational derby league of the Renegades of Oregon again and skate twice a week for cardio (Body Pump is cardio and weights combined). The schedule works for me since Ben goes to bed about the time practice starts.

That is as far as I have gotten. I CANNOT JOIN STROLLER STRIDES. Please don't post that in my comments as I will be working starting next week. If you have any ideas, let me know. I'm almost going to go as far as maybe posting my weight and inches measurements.

I'm hoping that by losing some weight, I'm going to feel better about myself. I am so in love with my baby though. I don't regret having him because I know I have the keys to my health and I need to stop making excuses and JUST DO IT ALREADY!

Now is your cute photo of Ben for the day via my new Blackberry Pearl...

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Holding his head up!


Holding his head up!
Originally uploaded by Shanlee
Ben is getting better and better with holding his head up! He mostly bobs up and down but it's better! Check out this video on youtube.com.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Bath time!


Bath time!
Originally uploaded by Shanlee
Benjamin graduated to the bath tub because he was too big for the netting. Now he gets to "swim" in the deep end of the tub. I have never given Benjamin a bath because Brian loves bathtime so my duty is to dry him off, give him a massage and get on his jammies (lately this has been a onsie and swaddle). I saw a GroBag today and I think Benjamin would really like one though we'd need a 2.5 tog and 0.5 tog. HINT HINT Grandparents. The cool thing is that the temperature gauge tells you what to dress your baby in depending on the temperature.

Benjamin survived his first week of day care though Brian scared me a bit yesterday. He came home and said Benjamin only drank 3 oz of milk because he doesn't like the temperature. I went into panic mode but Benjamin wasn't hungry. I asked Brian "Are you sure because he isn't hungry." He was sure. So all night I obsessed about this and when I dropped him off this morning, Grandma C (that is what I'll call her though she isn't his grandma) clarified -- he is eating 3 oz per bottle. Whew! Someone tell Brian to wipe out his ears!

Ben has been going to bed all week at 8 p.m. but he wakes up at 9 p.m. and then he's usually out until 1 or 2 a.m. which is good. He will then fall back asleep until 4 or 5 a.m. and then won't sleep in the crib so I listen to him whimper on the monitor and then go grab him and bring him in bed where he instantly fall asleep. How does he know the difference? Oh yea, because he's smart!

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Fishlips


More fishlips
Originally uploaded by Shanlee
I think it's amazing and I have no idea if all babies do this but Ben is doing the "fishlips" look a lot lately. He's also trying really hard to get his hand in his mouth to help him fall asleep. When he finally learns this, nap/bed time will be SO SO SO much easier.

Last night he went to bed at 5 p.m. and tonight he finally fell asleep at 9 p.m. He's still all over the board. I told Brian, let's not even do the night ritual until 8 p.m. for now on. He started rubbing his eyes at 6 p.m. so I fed him and he fell asleep and then woke up. He repeated this until 9 p.m. Sigh. Someday, it will get all easier.

He's back to day care tomorrow as I am getting a pedicure, having lunch with Lady Di and then getting a much needed brow wax and hair cut!!!

Monday, August 4, 2008

We ( I mean "I") survived

I knew that dropping Ben off to day care would be hard but as I watched him sleep in bed this morning, I cried at the thought of someone else besides me spending the day with him. I even cried while he was eating this morning. I cried as I drove off after dropping him off.

As advised by my good friend Alissa, I made myself busy today. I cleaned most of the house. I went through Ben's clothes to resell to Stone Soup and send off to Keely. I shopped for work clothes, which was not fun and ruined my self-esteem, but hey, I will work the weight off. May take a while but I will! I even went to Bambini to scoop out BPA free bottles because mine are not BPA free (no clue why I'm freaked about this NOW! and not ya know a while back).

In the end, we survived. When I walked in, he was about to fall asleep in the bouncy chair. When he heard my voice he instantly smiled which melted my heart.

When I got home, I held him close. Boy, I missed him. You'd think a whole day away getting things done would be great, which it was but I can't describe how much I missed him. Did I tell you I missed him?

He was hungry. He's not fond of the bottle though he did drink 2 oz every two hours. After 45 mins, he was fast asleep for his afternoon nap, in fact, he's still asleep, two hours later. I hope he's not out for the night!

In two weeks, I'll be back to work. It was fun while it lasted. Now, back to finish my list of yard work, bathroom cleanings, oil changes and window cleaning.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

The joys of second hand

Yes, I'm going to admit -- I'm a cheapskate. I hardly had to buy anything for Ben because my friends and family wiped out my registry and gave me gift cards. I'm so thankful for this but now Ben is growing out of his 0-3 month clothes and I started flipping out that an outfit (pants, onsie and shirt) at Fred Meyer cost $24!!! Then my husband reminded me that we had a used baby/kid store called Stone Soup and so I went and checked it out on Friday and I'm glad I did! I can get good quality, used whole outfits for Ben for $6 and I stocked up. I even found him a snowsuit for when we snowshoethis winter using our new Kelty Kid Carrier.

I also started a Stone Soup bin of things I'm going to exchange for store credit.

So I guess I better stop stressing because I found the perfect solution to my cheapskateness!

Yesterday we introduced Ben to Cascade Lakes Highway and Elk Lake. We usually spend a lot of time up there in July and August but since he's little, we are taking baby steps into introducing him to the Central Oregon Lifestyle. Our first baby step was just taking him for a ride and a quick hike around Elk Lake. Brian even had him dressed up in his tie dye onsie (for Jerry Garcia week - not my idea) and camping hat. Ben slept most of the time though and on the way home, cried in the car seat. I think his ears were popping because the second he started sucking on a pacifier he stopped and fell asleep.



Brian wants to head to the coast in the next two weeks. I'm a little nervous about going esp the car ride with a baby who doesn't like the car seat. We'll see if it happens. I'd rather wait a few months.

Friday, August 1, 2008

Happy times!


DSC_5265
Originally uploaded by Shanlee
My good friend Jen came over and took some really cute photos of Benjamin! They are SO cute -- they will make your heart melt!

Thank you

I want to thank everyone for the comments of encouragement and help. Instead of writing everyone back (like I have time) this is your thank you. The old me would sent everyone hoops and yo yo thanks e-cards but I just don't have the time or energy. I had a baby who slept from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. and then decided he wanted to stay up (he didn't sleep the whole time -- he woke up at 9 p.m. and midnight). Luckily, Brian figured out he was still hungry and he was back to sleep until 6 a.m. I wish he wouldn't have figured it out 90mins later.

You offers of help are noted and I will take everyone up on it soon. I have a babysitter for the most important event of the year (besides Ben's birth) -- THE WILCO SHOW and Beck too. Momma's not gonna miss Jeff Tweedy rocking Bend. When I need a night out with my husband, I'll hit the rest of you up too.

I am glad that it's normal to have those feelings and I'm glad I shared them. Internet readers, you're the best.