Until now I haven’t paid much attention to baby shoes. I didn’t start putting them on her until the fall when I felt like maybe her feet were cold. Besides they were so small that they always slipped off and I found them more annoying than helpful. She has recently started growing out of the smallest size. We had little silver pedipeds and some See Kai Run Smaller shoes that were so cute! I totally did not understand sizes so I just bought the smallest ones I found and figured they would fit her sometime. Well Diapers.com was having a sale so I figured I’d stock up. I got a 6-9 month size pair and then a size 3, and since I was confused I didn’t realize:
That’s basically the same size. The silver are 6-9 month and soft soled. The pink are size 3 and have harder soles (if you click on those links I think my colors are much more true than their site).
The soft soles are much easier for the new walker to get around in, but the thick soles are good for mud.
And soooo cute, if still a little big. I got both of these (and these for next winter) at Diapers.com. The site is pretty nice, you can combine coupons and get free fast shipping (I got mine the next day) on orders over $49 (automatic, no coupon). They didn’t pay me to say this or anything, but if you want you can use the code: AMBE4210 and get $10 off your first order of $49 or more and I’ll get a $5 credit – sweet (boo I guess that is just for diapers, but your first order you still get 10% off and free shipping anyway)!. I’ve just been impressed by their service, and cuteness level of their clothes. Ironically they don’t have any cloth diaper stuff! Oh and if you do want to order by the 8th you can combine one of these: TOUCHDOWN ($7 off $100 or more) or FIELDGOAL ($3 off $60 or more), my referral coupon doesn’t expire for 6 months I think. Here’s a link to the sale page, happy shopping!
P.S. Bj did go and track down the other silver shoes we have so he could get them in the next size. He found them here.
Busy on the move
Our days have been lovely and full as of late, but of what sometimes I'm not sure! One thing that has been happening is lots of walking by Miss Sparkle Pants.
We had a play date with two very on the move boys and it seems that (plus a visit with my god-daughter) was all she needed to go from a few little steps here and there to really walking.
Little tiny steps.
Good job – one of her favorite things – clapping. She does this when ever she hears the word good, clap, or done. So cute. She is also a huge fan of waving now, "you're going to the bathroom? Oh, goodbye!"
I think I might cry when she outgrows these little silver shoes.
The big baby post
Okay this is going to be a long-ish post about all things baby – year one! That is if I can remember. I keep putting this off, but I fear the longer I do, the less I'll remember. That seems to be a trend because when I was pregnant and asking friends about the first year they were all, "um…." So here goes, I hope this is helpful to someone out there, if not just future me!
Pre-pregnancy:
My favorite book was definitely Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. Can't recommend this enough. I loved all the positive birth stories! Speaking of positive stories I am a big proponent of only telling pregnant woman uplifting and positive stories. Even if you had an unwanted C-section maybe just focus on the positive when talking to a pregnant woman? Like how your partner was there, or getting to hold the baby for the first time, how quick it went – positive. I made it known when I was pregnant that I only wanted the positive stories and I got them!
Things I loved for me: lots of baths (don't worry you'd have to sit in a pretty hot one to hurt the baby), prenatal massage, Old Navy maternity yoga pants (though I was sick of them in the end!), Bj's long sleeved shirts, maternity underwear (I know! I got to a point where I didn't want to stretch out my good ones). I wore long tank tops under my regular shirts for a long time paired with a skirt below the belly. Prenatal yoga was so great, and I met a very dear friend there, it's wonderful to have due date buddies!
Birth:
Read about it here. We loved our Bradley class – totally worth the hour drive to the closest teacher. We told all our family and friends ahead of time that we wanted the first 24 hours for us. I am so glad we did this, I maintain that one of the reasons Bj was so wonderful right from the beginning is because while I was recovering he jumped in there and did almost everything. He has such a bond with Tuesday and this is just one of the reasons, but it was really important to us to have that time.
Breastfeeding:
I was pretty darn sure I was going to breastfeed my baby and was ready for all kinds of trouble, as it seemed that's all I heard (things like: "didn't have enough milk, baby wouldn't latch, slow weight gain, etc.). Tuesday was slow to gain her weight back (it's common for babies to loose a little of their birthweight, but she took three weeks to get it back). My practitioner (for her first two months my midwife was also the one who did well baby check ups) was very encouraging. I did have to feed her every two hours for a while until she gained, but we were never worried. I did/do on demand feeding, and we don't have a set schedule. We never really have and that sometimes drove me crazy! I found this app for my iPhone to be really helpful. I still use it just because I'm the kind of person who likes data, but if your baby has the right amount of wet/poopy diapers they are getting enough milk.
I liked this book, this one was a bit dated for my taste (oh I see it's updated, I read an older version from the library), and this one wasn't out yet, but looks good. My BrestFriend was and is my favorite thing. I use it all the time, and it's the reason I multitasked so well in the beginning (knitting while nursing, check!). I basically let Tuesday use me as a pacifier since she wouldn't take any imitation nipple and didn't nap, so she would nurse for 45 minutes while resting on that, and then I could also rest. I did pump a little to have emergency back up milk. I have a little hand pump that works well, and I've even used it in the back seat of car when out thrifting with Sciarrino to get through the morning! I also got a double electric since I am a terrible pumper. If I based how much milk I make off of pumping you would think I was starving my child. This is a huge misconception. Pumping is different, babies get the milk out a lot better, and partly because they are there and you have all these wonderful feelings about them (even now when Tuesday latches it's a sort of mini high, the feeling is just so wonderful). Tuesday did not take well to bottles. She will take one now, but has probably had ten total. I used the rest of the frozen milk (froze it in these and then transferred to ziplocs) to mix with food for her. I never had to give her formula, it may sound like bragging, but it's a lot of work and I'm proud of it!
Mama gear: I like these nursing bras, they don't make you look like you have uni-boob, they make a tank that is wonderful and the built in bra is NOT a shelf bra, but a real one, built in! I use cloth nursing pads, various kinds. I lived in these nursing gowns at the beginning and still wear one every night – they are so comfortable!! In terms of covering while nursing what I do is wear a tank under a shirt, pull the tank down and the shirt up – I'm more worried about someone seeing my post baby flab after all! I never did use the cute nursing co
ver I got as a gift, I am ve
ry pro breastfeeding and while discrete I don't believe a woman should have to cover while feeding her baby. Hopefully breastfeeding will become a normal site and bottles will on the decline.
Teeth – in case you're wondering… if a baby is latching on correctly you can't feel them. I have never had Tuesday bite me and I can't feel them at all when she nurses.
Other – if you can get your baby to learn to nurse while you are laying down next to her it's so nice. We never did it much when she was very little, but are doing it more now and it is very peaceful for both of us.
Solids:
Yesterday I received a wonderful complement from my step-dad. He said that after watching us feed Tuesday he, "wonders why anyone buys pre-made baby food." It's true we have never had to. I do feel we were lucky enough to have Tuesday start solids at the end of the summer and had lots of fresh stuff at our disposal. Plus I work from home, so it's easier for me to bake some squash or something for an hour while I'm doing things, I recognize not everyone has that luxury. We didn't start Tuesday on solids until she was over seven months old and we felt really ready. We didn't start with rice cereal. I think her first thing was avocado. Common sense and this book helped a lot. One thing I did do that was probably over kill was toast and grind my own rice (and other grains) cereal. She never really like rice cereal anyway. It wasn't terribly hard to make, but the instant stuff is so simple and doesn't even need to be cooked!
When ever I made something I just made extra and froze it in either these or these (I think the latter are my favorite – the lids stay on better). I don't have a ton of containers, when they are all full I put the cubes in ziplocs and label.
She uses a small ceramic cup (our pediatrician recommend not getting her hooked on sippy cups, as it would just be another thing to wean her off of). Fancy little cups like this are not necessary, but we love them. The weight seems to be just right for her, we don't leave it on the high chair tray, but hand it to her only when she wants a drink. She has a small wooden bowl and when she eats something mushy or runny (that we spoon feed her) we just put that in a custard cup. We haven't bought any utensils for her, someone gave us a set of spoons with her initial on them and we also use little tiny serving spoons (like for dip or something).
Now she eats a lot of what we eat, this has been a good way for us to eat healthier. I love Burger King. There, I said it. But I don't want my kid begging for fries so we are working hard to change our really ingrained habits. Tonight we had left over split pea soup I made. The only thing she can't handle well are bits of ham, but she just spits them out if the piece is too big. Bj usually cooks, I feel I should point this out – he also does dishes. I love him very much 🙂
Diapers:
We cloth diaper Tuesday, here is an old post about it. We have moved up to Kissaluvs size 1 and Small Thirsties covers (we also use a few other kinds, like these and these), but mostly Thirsties. Now that she has "real" poop we also use liners. If she poops we take the liner and the poo out, toss in the toilet and flush (we moved changing to the bathroom around the beginning of real poo). No dipping the diaper. We do have a sprayer, but don't use it much. At night I triple stuff various one size pocket diapers (these, these and these) with a combo of hemp, cotton and microfiber doublers. I don't like the microfiber much, but it comes with many of the diapers so we use it (it holds in stink). Those kind of diaper with that many doublers let her go all night with out a change or any leak at all. I have just realized that I should probably use less soap (we use country save) in our front loader. I did a sanitize (super hot with extra water) load at my moms to really strip the soap out of her diapers. She has a terrible rash right now (spaghetti caused, we think) and is in disposables for the third time (the first being my trip to Vermont, and second our trip to Hawaii). I was afraid the strong cream we have on her right now would ruin the cloth.
We love using cloth. It's really not hard. We are never running to the store for diapers. We go out with them, and on (most) trips with them. The only time I haven't is a week long trip in Hawaii (no access to washing machine) and a trip to Vermont (by myself, so I was tight on space). If I went to Vermont now I'd take them, she uses far fewer diapers than she used to.
Baby wearing/strolling:
I've said it before: we love the Baby Hawk. Also our stroller is awesome. I recommend both.
Toys and other baby activity stuff:
We are a battery free toy zone and are trying not to over do it with the toys in general, but gosh there is so much cute stuff out there! In the beginning the Ikea baby gym was great, and she still plays with it, but standing at it now. This little wooden toy from Sarah was her first favorite. Of course we love Sophie. The Merry Muscles continues to be used, and we have a Johnny Jump Up from a garage sale that we use upstairs. Tuesday loves books – SAMi and That's Not My _________ are favorites. She can't be left alone with them because she eats the spines (yes even on board books). So soft books (the kind you sew up from panels at the fabric store) and ones like this you can put pictures in are great for car rides. This rattle was an early favorite, as was this cute squeaker (one like it). Recently she's loving push toys (this one from Ikea and her new shopping cart) and dollies (Pinky and Lee Lee).
Other things:
These teething tablets really seemed to help little Tutu with bouts of bad teething pain.
Sleep:
We never let her cry it out. Ok we did try it for a week. It killed me, I felt like she was a different baby during the day after, it just felt wrong to us. She still nurses at least once in the night. Guess what? I'm starting to get sentimental about when that is going to go. We didn't ever have a set schedule, despite my trying a lot at the beginning. Tuesday has recently decided she likes to nap…. in her crib… for three hours at a time. Babies are crazy, they do their own thing, we just go with it.
So there you have it. That is some of the stuff that worked for us. It might not work for you, but hey hopefully someone got some good info out of it! Let me know if you have any questions, I'll answer them in the comments.
Did I ever tell you we bought half a cow?
I'm lucky enough to know lots of cool people and farmers on are that list. My friend Kathy isn't primarily a rancher, but raises a few cattle for herself and a few to sell. I've visited these cute little things many a spring as they are born on her property. Last fall she sent out an email to her friends asking if anyone wanted part of a cow. Bj and I decided that we couldn't pass up 100% grass fed hormone free happy beef from Kathy's yard so we went for it. I was in Vermont when Kathy texted me to say our cow was being killed (it is what it is) and Bj had to walk through a small family owned slaughterhouse to pay for the butchering and pick up our meat. I am trying to eat more vegetarian meals, but I live with a meat eater and I think this is probably as close to the right way to get meat as possible, if there is one.
Also it is delicious and we are completely spoiled for life. This is just ground beef but when you get half a cow you get all the parts. Bj is having fun experimenting with different cuts.
Tuesday is finally up for tackling a bit of meat and handled this really well. If you ever get the opportunity I say go for it. It's not only money saving but it feels good to support a local farmer and butcher. She says next year she might raise a few pigs. Mmmm bacon…
Mail in Mail out
After re-connecting right after I started this blog with Kay, a friend I met being a counselor at camp in Maine almost ten (gasp) years ago we became good proper pen pal buddies. As in REAL mail in the REAL post. Of course life happened and we fell off on being good letter writers. She's always been better than me though and has decided to start back up.
Needless to say I was thrilled. Kay this is me clapping my hands! I so long to write more snail mail. It's so fun, I don't know why I always put it off. I'm still working on getting something back to you Kay. Meanwhile I've finally put together a package for a friend of Tuesday's:
Have all my stuff accessible again (and weeding out what I don't absolutely need) made me remember how much I love this vintage mime book.
(sneak peek at something that is coming in the box of Amber Suzanne! It is coming, I finally picked up the flat rate box I needed, and by pick up I mean had my mom get me).
Did you know that 1/2 smile x head tilt = irony? I didn't, but I do now! My favorite parts are the edges of each page that have three running flip books (ohhh that reminds me of another post I need to write), so there are lots of these tiny photos. This is an idea I'm recycling from myself (go me):
I'll show you the actual cards when I am done. Note that I also got to get out one of my typewriters. I promise not to go on and on about this, but gosh darn it I love this room. So does Tuesday:
Creative possibilities abound!
Spool lady
Something tells me she won’t put them back in so easily…
Changing Routines
Tuesday and I have a new routine as of late. She is changing so much I don't know how long it will stay like this, but for now: It's slow in the morning. She wakes up, I can hear her playing (around 7:30 so early for me!!!). I bring her into our bed and cuddle up with her while I nurse. We clean upstairs, put away laundry, play and slowly make our way downstairs. Breakfast time is new for Tuesday, she loves it!
Looking out the window.
While I get a tiny bit of computer work in and eat also.
Cashew butter, toast and papaya, thanks mama!
Then we clean up, get dressed, I shower while Tuesday bounces (what to do when she outgrows her little seat? I have no idea!). Since things take much longer with a baby (toddler?) by now it is around eleven. I take her into her room, lights off, fan on and nurse her. Then this magical thing called a nap happens (three days in a row I might add). I run around like crazy and clean up after the breakfast mess, etc. She wakes around 1-1:30. I take her back into our room and nurse her on the bed while she wakes up. This is a new thing I'm trying and I think it might be my favorite part of the day. She always wants to bring her dolly in with us. Then you know, she takes a couple of conference calls:
"What's the code for this call?"
"What did you just say about that calibration window matrix thing?"
"Ugh, listen to me people! I'm your team leader damn it!"
After that stressful work is done we have lunch. Then we clean up from lunch. Probably have to go potty by now…. Run down to Ribbon Jar land and do as much work as we can cram in before baby girl starts getting CRAZY (mama hold me!!!). I have her do a little circuit down there: push a cart around, stack empty boxes, pull all my envelopes out of the basket, open and close the lid of the dehumidifier, get all the blocks out of the cart, try to eat the recycling, bounce in the Merry Muscles, eat plastic dolly's head, eat play silks, eat giant bouncy ball (never ends well), eat microscopic things if I haven't vacuumed in the last 2 minutes, pull on my pant leg. REPEAT.
Usually my mom comes to visit by now and I say, "pretty please can you take my packages to the post office?" She always says yes. Love you mom!
Oh no distracted!
Upstairs, more milky, try to nap, but it doesn't take. More play time, dinner making, baby chasing:
After dinner clean up/bath time. Lotion, stories, quiet play with mama and papa, milky, bouncing, rocking, bed (anywhere from 8:30-9:45)…
In the night little whimpers sometimes means more bouncing (by papa) then one feeding at least, maybe two.
I figured I should write the day down as it is now. Since it is only as it is for a while before it is something completely different. I am enjoying these days, with that nap time they just seem like I have so much time to do things! Writing it all out we are still very busy, and this doesn't include an outing (most days we just stay here honestly). I have to figure out how to work in a daily walk. We are down to only a few a week. She is changing so much though, I love this time!
Creating and Celebrating
Last night we celebrated my dad’s birthday. Since I have a fabulous new space I decided I should use it to finish a languishing project. I had wanted to do a photo album for my dad’s fiftieth (I won’t tell you how old he is now, but over fifty!), and finally got it together.
I had a really random assortment of old photos and I wanted to include some new ones so I just made this title page and then used a Scrapworks Scrap Smart album to super speed scrap and put all the photos together. I love those big leather box albums for gifts (And I have four I’m selling on Craig’s List…). One of the cool things is that with the sleeves that hold 4×6 photos the recipient can pull them out to frame them if they want. I know my dad liked it because he called me today to thank me again! Super scrap score!!!
Since Tuesday is doing this new thing called TAKING A NAP (have you heard of it, it’s awesome!) I got to scrap a little for me today.
I have a tutorial for these flowers on my site. They are really easy, and you can make them from almost any ribbon, but I really like using the satin. I need to sit down and make a bunch so if you want step by step photos let me know I’d be happy to take some.
We finally swapped out some of our wedding pictures for framed pictures of Tuesday (we still have lots of our pictures up, just thought we should acknowledge the child 🙂 so I scrapped this one we pulled out.
When I was very clever and had lots of free time I used to make these type of embellishments with goodies left over from what ever I was working on to have on hand for future layouts. Smart right? I need to start doing it again. It’s a fun scrapbooking thing for when you only have a few minutes, or if you don’t want to clean up but you don’t want to start a whole new big project. This layout is hanging on Bj’s cork wall. I hung up the other one on my board:
I like being able to hang up my most recent. I think I’m officially back in the grove (I will not show you the crazybox layout I made about Bj’s first job, I actually cut around his body and made him into a sort of paper doll. What can I say, I was rusty!).
The Craft Room Reveal
I think of this as a den type of space since it is a walk through room with no closet. In case you forgot first it was our “master” bedroom. Then it spent half a year as a construction holding/giant mess place. And right before I had Tuesday I “organized” it to look like this:
Ok so it wasn’t always that bad, but it wasn’t so great. I was hardly using it at all as of late because all the storage was open and Tuesday went nuts pulling things apart in here. Welcome to craft room version 2.0:
Oh I’m such a tease!
Note that all these photos were shot with a wide angle lens… the room didn’t suddenly grow over night, though it sure feels like it did to me!
Because I have so many pictures (you did say you wanted details!) I’m going to continue this after the jump.
Continue reading “The Craft Room Reveal”
It’s a girl!
You do not know how many times people have said to me, "How old is he?" or "He's so cute!" Even when I have Tuesday dressed in dresses. To this I say, whatever. It doesn't really bother me at all, and depending on my mood I just go with it. Mainly because I am so not into the pink or the hair bow for hairless children. That last one is a big one for me. I do not get the frilly hairbow on the naked baby girl head. In fact I've made my position on this so well known that not one person has given us one.. until now.
My friend Tracy told me about a member of her church who made these, "cute headband hairbow things out of vintage hankies." It sounded intriguing but wasn't about to go find out more, because I don't like hairbows, right?
WRONG! Tracy got me Tuesday this adorable headband for her birthday and I am so gaga over it that I actually pack it in my diaper bag so that when I take off her hat it goes on. Pathetic, I know. 🙂
Want to know the best part? You can get one too! She sells on etsy and the price is a whole FIVE DOLLARS, and shipping a whole ONE DOLLAR. I am tempted to tell her she needs to raise the price… after I go stock up of course.