Competition?

Is there an Aunt out there who thinks she's cuter than M?!?!?!



M does not find this to be a laughing matter.

Parade

Today we ventured out with the Bob and M to the Gay Pride Parade. They start lining the parade up one block from our place so it would be silly to stay inside. We had to see what the noise was about. And there was plenty of noise.

M was dressed appropriately in her rainbow outfit (courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa's friends). Oh, and she likes to grab her legs and put her feet in her mouth. Well, it's more like she grabs her socks and sucks on them.



She did awesome. We ate at Chipotle (you can't watch a parade on an empty stomach) and watched the parade start. M slept.

When she woke up we thought she might enjoy looking around so we put her in the Bjorn. It was the first experience of the Bjorn outside of the living room where we tried to figure it out.

Success.

She loved it.

Thank goodness.

There's plenty she doesn't like.

Here are some pics of her and Daddy. As predicted she enjoyed eating the Bjorn.

Follow up on roll over

So rolling over was pretty cool until I realized it just meant that I can't go very far because she rolls over and then gets annoyed that she can't get back over. I will report (in a few weeks) when she figures out how to get her buns back to the starting position!

Off the ledge

Just an update. I am officially off the ledge. I didn't go to the new moms group bc of my pity party but I talked to one girl before the group and she relayed my frustrations. Then I got an email from a girl who is having the same problem. There is strength in numbers. Just wanted to let you know I don't need committed just yet!

Ready to Run

Don't worry. After the last post I am not ready to run away. Just ready to run with M and the Bob.

And luckily we have found a workout class which meets at various times throughout the week.

We go with a few people from the new moms group. And after class we sit around and chat.

Miss M likes to fuss until about the end of class but luckily it's all moms and they don't care. Heck, they probably don't even notice. Then she falls asleep with about 15 minutes left and I can sit around afterward and chat.

Yesterday was ridiculously hot when we went at 9:30. I was stripping M out of her clothes as class progressed b/c she was hot. But as you'll notice, in the picture below, she has a blanket on her. She likes the blanket to go to sleep. She likes to lick it. Isn't that weird. She doesn't want to suck on it. She licks it. This is not the case at night. At least that I can tell.

But yesterday I ran with the group instead of power walked. You're not technically supposed to run with the baby in the car seat while it's in the Bob. I don't see it as that big of a deal. She's safe in her car seat with her head supported and she's strapped in. I am not off-roading. I am running on the lake shore path (which at times could be considered off-roading with the cracks in the sidewalk). I am careful. No need to worry.

But it felt good. To get out and run. I think we will keep class in our rotation.

Oh. I learned that the sunscreen bottle states you should check with your doctor when using on children under 6 months old. We have been rocking sunscreen for weeks. Whoops. I would say since there appears to be no side effects we don't need to discontinue use.

Here's a picture of her after class. If you look close her hair looks red.

At a loss...

I am at a loss.

I said I was done stressing out about the sleep issue.

I lied.

I am stressed out about it. Somewhere along the way she has gotten her days and nights confused. Again.

I guess.

Although it's not like she's really that great of a sleeper during the day.

But lately over the last couple weeks she has been regressing and getting up every two hours starting around 1 am. Sometimes less than two hours. And getting her back to sleep is a challenge. She only wants to eat. I am pretty sure she's not hungry an hour after she just ate!

What in the hell happened?

She was sleeping for at least six hours at a time.

I guess if I was honest with myself I would say I know what happened.

I created bad sleep habits out of laziness and exhaustion.

Nothing like being screamed at for hours at night to make one take the easy road.

But lets be honest. The girl has a strong-willed personality/temperament/attitude. I respect a strong will and knowing what you want...except when you're 13 pounds. Then I deem it not cool.

So here I am at 14 weeks with a bit of regret and sleepless nights.

Sure. This too shall pass.

I have read the books. I have searched the Internet. Some would say it's information overload. I would agree but what is one to do when their kid isn't sleeping and you just want answers.

Unfortunately, there just aren't answers b/c no kid is alike but I keep looking. But I will keep searching b/c there must be something to self inflicted torture!

And I never wanted to be the parent that compares my kid to other similar aged kids as I know they all do things in their own time. But I guess I am only human. I am so envious of the people I talk to whose kid sleeps through the night it makes me want to cry. Seriously cry.

I know everyone was their own trials and tribulations, but this is mine. And since it's my party I will cry if I want to. Don't worry I don't really cry that much!

Yes, I am having a bit of a pity party for myself but like I said it's my party. I am not looking for pity. I am just looking for an outlet for my frustration.

Good night.

Don't worry - I will be fine in the morning!

The girl has a new trick

She can officially roll over. It isn't a fluke. She's done it more than once. Saturday she rolled over but didn't get the bottom shoulder out. I decided (since I can) that we could count it as official but then Sunday (in honor of fathers day and large C's birthday I am sure) she decided to get the job done. I was the crazy momma on the floor cheering her on (it could be interpreted as yelling) telling her to get her shoulder out. When you don't get the shoulder out you get pinned and my baby isn't getting pinned. She obviously rolls from back to tummy and not back but hey you have to start somewhere. She can't sleep through the night but she can roll over! So take that all you moms who want to brag about how long your kid can sleep!

Here she is in action. Please note the shoulder which is really all the action you're gonna get. Please also note these pictures are in reverse order of how the process went down. The girl is kind of getting fussy and I know everyone is on the edge of their seat waiting to hear from us.

Jail-Bird

I am unsure of the exact spelling of jail-bird. I don't know if it's hyphenated or one word or two and since time is of the essence I am not googling it. I would say it's a good thing I don't know much about the correct spelling of the word.

Anyway.

Miss M got this outfit from a certain grandma and grandpa and it was way too big during week 1 of her life. I thought she was going to suffocate in it. She didn't. And so we busted it out last night again. Here are her mug shots!




Here she is at one week old in the outfit. She was just a nugget then.

Father's Day

So I might not win wife of the year. Father's day was uneventful (sorry Dad). It was an event just to have dad home for the day. M and daddy played and rested (Dad rested and M watched TV - what did we talk about judgements). Here are some pics b/c really everyone just wants pics...from my blog stalking experience and all!

The faces of M and other pictures I like

She had her three month birthday on 6/12. Her smile is sweet. It makes me smile. Even now (as she's sleeping in her crib - we aren't talking about it b/c I am not jinxing it) they make me smile. I hope they give you a few smiles.

3 month pics




Here are a few of her playing with daddy. It looks like she's not happy but really when you put anything close to her mouth she just wants to eat it.



Here they are playing.


Here are their serious faces.


Gramma D bought a high chair for the upcoming cereal event. She likes it!


And here are her eyes. I promise no baby was hurt in the taking of the photograph. I am thinking more and more every day that she will have brown eyes. I don't know why this one is sideways. I tried to fix it but I am not smart enough.

Shoes

The little nugget is wearing big girl shoes.

The structure of a book

This is the prologue to (what would be) the book of getting Madelyn to learn how to sleep on her own and sleep in her own bed.

So as most everyone knows, the idea of sleep training (making M cry it out) has me more stressed out than any tax season I have ever worked.

Okay, that was a bit dramatic.

It's not quite that stressful but it still isn't fun.

So the plan (that I created in my head) was to start on Friday so Andrew would have the pleasure of being involved and because I predict we'll be up all night long. I am setting low expectations. It is well known that M is strong willed. M can get herself all worked up into hysteria therefore setting high expectations would only disappoint.

Last night she went to sleep in the swing around 8:30 and woke up at 9:15. I decided that I would try to let her cry it out a day earlier than anticipated. What's the harm...right??? So I decided I would go in to her room in intervals of five minutes and check on her and try to comfort her. As predicted she was hysterical. Not at first. But eventually. It was terrible - absolutely terrible. After 45 minutes and her getting so worked up I chose to end the charade (we all knew I would lose in the end) and take her to bed with me. And then she slept.

I hope there is an epilogue to the story sooner than later and the epilogue reads that she sleeps in her bed without many problems (again - not shooting for perfection).

I will try again later but for now I don't have the heart to make this sweet nugget cry. Call me a wimp. I don't care.

But here is how cute she is this morning. Yet again watching TV. Don't judge.

A few of our favorite things

Here are some pictures of Miss M's (or her momma's) favorite things.

M is working on sitting up on the couch without being a weeble wobble. She enjoys chewing on her fingers more consistently (she still doesn't find them when she's ticked off). She prefers to shove two in her mouth as one is just not enough and three or more would just be unnecessary. And she enjoys watching the TV which is not one of my finer parenting traits.



She got a new toy. We just call it "the orb". It was recommended by some people in our new mom's group. It's like catnip for M. She gets so excited and yet so upset at the same time. She just wants to shove the whole thing in her mouth. And when she realizes she can not fit it all in her mouth she is not happy.



And then it's all about the accessories...don't let the look on her face fool you...of course she loves them.

So this is blogging

I guess I will give the life of blogging a shot.

After much consideration on what to title the blog I decided on the title based on the things that consume most of our days.

And I wouldn't ask for anything else to consume our days right now.

What do people blog about? I don't know.

So here it goes...welcome to the blog about Miss M and her posse...her momma's style.