Not So Much...

Before Hayden was born, I thought I was pretty well prepared to be a mommy. I had worked at several daycare centers in college (and for a few months when we first moved to Pittsburgh) and have friends and family with babies and kids who are pretty great about sharing with me. I have watched my little cousins by myself while their parents were out of town, kept my godchildren and babysat. I was nervous about the whole labor part, but not about the whole bringing baby home and being a mommy part. How quickly I discovered how little I knew! Everything is so different when it's your own and when that little one is your responsibility 24/7. I definitely have a new amount of respect for all of my mommy friends. WOW! Being a mommy is certainly the most rewarding and the hardest job on the planet (as is being a daddy - this is just written from my perspective and in no way is meant to downplay the importance of dads). Here are some things I have realized since becoming Hayden's mommy.

1. Sometimes you're doing good just to find time to brush your teeth. Seriously, especially after my Mom went back to Texas, finding time to brush my teeth can be hard. Some days, Hayden just needs me more in the morning and then I am busy doing household chores while he sleeps, so I don't find the time to brush my teeth. I do manage to get them brushed before Chip gets home from work. Now, I have figured it out, after I feed Hayden at 6, I give him to Chip for morning Daddy snuggle time (and Daddy changing diaper time) while I go to the bathroom, take my birth control (weird since I haven't taken it in almost five years), wash my face and brush my teeth. I normally take a shower during one of Hayden's morning naps or I wait until after Chip gets home.



2. Yes, it does take three hours sometimes to get out the door. It's the getting out the door part taht is so important. For my mental health, and Hayden's, we need to get out and about - even though it may take me three hours and we only run to Target. The fresh air, seeing other people, it's what we both need. That being said - I won't get out if the weather is iffy - I trust myself, just not other people and don't want to put Hayden in harm's way if I don't have to.



3. Spit up down the boobs, in the hair or on your shoulder is just a way of life and can also been thought of as your new perfume. Now, it just makes me laugh. I clean up Hayden and then realize that crusty substance on my chest is from Hayden. I also have learned how important it is to change those pads in my bra, because eww! Not a nice smell.



4. There is SO a difference in diapers and diaper rash ointment. I didn't completely get this until Hayden. We have to use a different brand at night because he will wet through his diaper and pj's if we don't. We use Pampers Swaddler diapers during the day and Pampers Baby Dry at night. We have tried many, many brands and these two work the best for us.



5. What works for other babies may or may not work for yours and sometimes that changes day to day. You learn that you do what works for your family and go with that. Most importantly, you learn not to judge what works for other families. I was given two books that some friends of ours used and loved - Becoming Babywise and The Happiest Baby on the Block. I read both and tried some techniques from both. Some worked awesome and others failed miserably. From Babywise, I tried following the schedule recommended and putting Hayden down before he was asleep and letting him cry. This went on for 10 minutes - he was so upset that he was doing the hiccup crying. Then I started crying. This didn't work for us - I can't do it and that is okay. One technique that did work from Babywise was, at night, to feed Hayden when he woke up and put him right back down. This normally works - some nights it doesn't and I am okay with that. Chip or I will rock or hold Hayden to settle him down. Crying is his way of telling us that he needs us and we are happy to oblige and comfort him. From Happiest Baby, the swaddling and shhshhing works for us. Hayden doesn't like to be swaddled any longer - but for his first month, he really liked it. Right now, we have a hybrid version of parenting - baby and parent led, attachment, babywise and happiest. This works for our family. Hayden sleeps in his new monkey or in the bassinett beside our bed. He naps wherever he falls asleep - be it his crib, pack and play, monkey, swing or infant seat. Sometimes he sleeps in my arms on or Chip's chest at naptime and we just enjoy those sweet moments, because, before we know it, those moments will be gone.



6. You won't hesitate to buy something for your baby, but you (happily) put yourself on the back burner when it comes to buying for yourself. For example, buying a monkey infant seat for your baby and telling your spouse that is your Valentine's gift from him to you.



7. You wouldn't trade one moment of your life and now know that your life is complete. The love we have for Hayden is indescribable. He was well worth the wait and we love him so very much. Look at his sweet face - how could we not fall in love the instant we saw it (and before)?

The Weather Outside is Frightful...

Our house

Chip's truck

Our street - after being plowed on Sunday

Normally, I tend to think that the news hypes up the weather - they will talk about a severe snow storm and we only get a few inches. Well, this time, the weather lived up to the hype it received. The news said we would get about a foot of snow beginning Friday afternoon and ending Saturday afternoon. In reality, two and half feet of snow is what fell from the sky. The official reading is 21.3 inches, making this snow storm the 4th largest in Pittsburgh history - the last snow storm of this magnitude was in 1993.

So, how did this Texan cope with all that snow? At first, I was mesmerized by how beautiful it was and looked forward to a lazy weekend in my pj's with my two favorite guys. I thought about how exciting the snow will be next year when we can play with Hayden in it. Then, at 1:30 on Saturday morning, we lost power. I freaked - we have a six week old baby and a vehicle snowed in with streets that weren't plowed. I have experienced power outages in the blazing heat of Texas, but not in the cold. Luckily, the low was in the upper 20's, so it wasn't SO scary. We bundled Hayden up in his fleece sleeper, socks, hat, fuzzy blanket and slept with him on our chests to make sure he stayed warm. At 9:00, the temperature in our bedroom was 60 and it was 54 downstairs. We text messaged three of our friends who lived nearby to see if they had power. They all did and invited us over. Chip went outside and started digging out the Durango (thank God we have a 4x4 vehicle and that Chip knows how to drive in this madness). Our friends that live a half mile up the road invited us to their house. It took us until 10:30 to get there due to Chip having to dig out the car and driveway and then to drive there on unplowed streets. I have never been so grateful for power!







Chip went back and forth between their house and ours several times to check on the girls (they were doing fine upstairs where the temperature stayed around 60). When the 9 o'clock news said the low would be 8, Chip headed to our house to get the dogs and bring them to our friends to stay in their basement. When he got to our house and our power was back on, so he came back and picked Hayden and I up. I am very thankful that our power company had our power back on so quickly and that we have friends who took us in.







Now, the news is predicting another 10 inches by tomorrow afternoon. This is crazy! Hayden and I will stay house bound - poor Chip has to go to work. The snow is gorgeous though - it does look like we are in a snow globe. I will be thankful when Hayden and I go to Texas to visit next week - we need to thaw out!


:::

On another snow related note, how is it that the news finds the most interesting people to interview? They did a segment on people who didn't have power and two of the people interviewed had little ones! One had a three month old and two younger kids and were using a kerosene heater to warm their home. NOT SAFE! Another family had a one year old with sickle cell amenia and couldn't have his breathing treatments since they had no power. My heart just breaks for those kids to be in such cold houses. Chip and I had talked and, if we couldn't get out, were going to call 911 to come get us and take us to a hotel. Once we saw the news, we realized that there are warming stations all over the city for those without power. I have never heard of such a thing - but Chip knew about them.

February Pictures Link

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=146232&id=573142638&l=1d5a545aa2

Post to come tomorrow

Updated January link

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=137626&id=573142638&l=787173a6fc

Snow pictures
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=146239&id=573142638&l=fe809d39ca

Resolve

My New Year's resolutions this year are to be the best wife and mommy that I can be - to give my family the love and attention they deserve. As any new mom can tell you, when you have a new baby, things like housework, laundry, meals, etc. get put on the back burner a bit (actually a lot). I am a task oriented person, so while I am at home on maternity leave and "my job" wasn't getting done at the level I wanted it to, I felt worthless. How was I being a good wife when I wasn't keeping a good home? Chip never made me feel this way, he doesn't equate being a good wife with those things. I just have to be me. Why couldn't I just be happy with that? Many wives would give anything to have a husband like mine. Then I had a realization - our sweet baby is NOT going to be a baby for long - there will always be housework. Pretty obvious, right?

Having this moment made me realize that by being a good mommy and taking care of our baby boy that God has blessed us with, I am being a good wife as well. I am so amazed at the awesome gifts in my life. God is so good to us! He even provided a way for me to keep at least a handle on the housework through the form of a website that my friend Mia shared - justmommies.com. Try the Home Organization Plan under Tools. It's pretty great!

So now - I still resolve to keep my resolutions and I can't think of anything else that I would rather do. Excuse me - I'm off to cuddle my little man before he won't let me anymore...

One Month In

You on December 22, 2009

You on January 22, 2010

Dear Hayden,

Today you are one month old and - whew! - the time has flown by and yet it is so hard to imagine our life without you in it. On Monday, you will have your one month appointment. I'm excited to see how much you've "officially" grown in height and weight. You have done so much in a month!

• You are 22.5 inches long using the tummy time mat measuring tape (from 19.5 inches)



• You are almost ten pounds according to the bathroom scale (from 7 lbs 7 oz)
• You have beautiful blue eyes and are a miniature version of your Daddy.



• You have the LONGEST fingers and toes - your feet are as big as some other babies feet who are 3 and 4 months old. I think this means you will be tall. You definitely have the Frohling paws. :) I love when you hold onto my finger - it's so sweet!



• You are now wearing size 1 diapers and size 0-3 month clothes. You grew out of newborn diapers and clothes at two weeks. You were never able to wear newborn shoes or booties.
  
  
• You are reaching your milestones like a champ.
  
  
• You are lifting and turning your head - I love that you head butt my shoulder or your Daddy's when you are hungry for the tata. You also eat like a champ.



• You have had your first bath (sponge and real). You were NOT a fan of the sponge bath or the sling thing that went in the tub. You love having a bath now - especially in the basement bathroom rather that than the kitchen sink. I think it's the warmness. The lotion massages are growing on you.



• You are starting to lose your baby hair. You have this one hair in the middle of the top of your head that is white blonde and is about two inches long and sticks straight up. I cut it today because your Daddy and I keep thinking it's one of our hairs that landed on you and I don't want to accidentally pull it out and hurt you.



• I have to cut your nails every few days - I filed them for the first two weeks and now use the infant scissors. I do it when you are napping.



• On Thursday, you took your first nap in your crib - you still sleep in the bassinet next to our bed at night. Mommy tried to put you in your crib last night and I physically couldn't do it. I like having you in our room next to use - plus it makes the nighttime feedings MUCH easier for me. I am so grateful for the video monitor - watching you sleep is so wonderful!



• You have shown us your first smile and grin - which makes my heart break into a million pieces. It lights up your WHOLE entire face - your eyes crinkle and your dimple shows. I love it when you did it while your breastfeed - I think you are telling me "mmm - this is good milk mommy."



• You had your first cold :( you handled it like a champ - it made Mommy feel so bad (and Daddy too). You were so stuffed up and congested - we gave you steam baths at night, saline drops, elevated the head of your mattress, let you sleep on our chests, bought a humidifier, nasal aspirated your nose (which you HATE) and then tried Q-Tips to get the snot and buggers out (the Q Tips work best and you don't hate them as much - Mommy is very careful when she does it). We are still using the humidifier and saline drops. The Q tips make me nervous so I don't use those unless I absolutely have to because nothing else is clearing it up. It breaks my heart when you wake yourself up because you can't breathe. It is getting much better now - I will be grateful when it gets warmer and we don't have to use the heater so much.
  
  
• You love to have staring contests with your Daddy and me.



• You talk so much - you like to have conversations with us.



• You prefer to sleep on your side. If we put you on your back, you move to your side. It's the cutest thing! You also like to look left more than right - does this mean you'll be left handed?



• The Ocean Wonders Seahorse and Aquarium can quiet you down at night when you are restless. The best remedy for calming you is you snuggling against your Daddy or me. Daddy does it best. I love how you just burrow into us - you are a snuggle bug and I hope you stay that way!
  
  
• You already have a favorite blanket - it's a brown polka dot one from Target that mommy's friend Deb got you.



• You are not a fan of shopping - when we are out and about, you are good for about two hours - then you want to go home. I'm okay with that (and it's better on our pocketbook for sure).



• You LOVE when we read or sing to you. Your favorite books right now are Dr. Seuss' ABC's, Goodnight Moon and Baby's Happy Faces.



• You had your first playdate on Wednesday with our friend Lindsay and her sweet daughter Brynn. We're thinking of arranging your marriage - what do you think?




• Your are on a pretty good schedule most nights. Right now, you go to bed about 10:30 and wake up around midnight, 3 and 6 to feed. After your 6 feed, you are up for a couple of hours and you like to snuggle with your Daddy.



• You are lactose intolerant, so I have had to change my diet. I am eating much healthier now.



• You have had so many visitors and have so many people who love you! We are beyond blessed!!



• You are such a wonderful baby and a miracle from God. We love you more than words can ever, ever say!!
  
• You have changed your Daddy and me and the girls in so many ways.
  
  
• Your Daddy wants to see you the second he comes home from work.




• The girls watch over you. Addison hates it when you cry and makes sure whoever is holding you is doing a good job. Izzie likes to be in whatever room you are in.
  
  

Love,
Mama

On Being a Mommy

No one could have told me...well they did tell me and I didn't get it until I became a Mommy to Hayden...

...that the second Hayden was born I fell absolutely and completely head over heels in love with him and even deeper in love with Chip.

...that if it was physically possible, I would have jumped off the gurney to hold him the minute I heard his first cry.

...that the sound of his cry causes me physical pain - hair stand up on the back of my neck, my heart lurches, I leak milk and tears.

...when he just wants me - when the smell of me instantly calms him - I feel so happy and like a supermom.

...when he just wants his daddy - that makes me so happy too.

...that I would be so concerned over the color and consistency of his poop.

...that I would give up eating anything to make him feel better.

...that I would cry so many tears of happiness and helplessness.

...that Hayden's smile is the best thing on Earth - it lights up the room.

...that we would be blessed with such an amazing baby and that the second we had him - I knew this is what God wants me to do with my life - to love our little man and grow him in the Lord.

...that every penny and every second we spent trying to have him was 100% worth it and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

...that it makes me so happy Hayden is a mini-me of Chip.

...that this life we have - it's abundantly awesome and the small things really are the small things.

...that I cherish every moment with my family.

...that it would be so hard to put him down in his bassinet, in his car seat, in his swing, pack & play because all I want to do is look at him.

...that I would willingly get up early from a massage to feed my crying baby and, 5 minutes into feeding him, he passed out. We curled up on an armchair and took a nap while my Mom got her massage. Doing that and having that moment was worth more than the massage.

...that my life would feel so very complete.

...that I pray every night for my son and his future wife - I pray that he feels the same about us as I do about my parents and my in laws.

What about you? How has becoming a mommy changed your life?

January Pictures

Post coming soon - in the meantime - follow the link below to some ADORABLE baby Hayden pictures...

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=137626&id=573142638&l=787173a6fc