Dear Mr. Graco

Thank you for inventing the Graco Silhouete infant swing. Its 2 speed soothing vibrations, removable deluxe body support and fabric covered motion mobile were a life-saver last night.

JMT and I had been avoiding purchasing a swing because we'd heard that it was an expensive item that would only be useful for a few weeks. Then Friday night happened. Emma could. not. be. consoled. She screamed at max volume, flailing and making herself hoarse for two hours on JMT's watch before he passed the baton. I was only able to get her quiet by nursing her, which I did constantly from 2 am to 8 am.

After a little reading, we realized that Miss Emma fits the textbook definition of colic to a T. Three or more hours of fussiness/crying a day, three or more days a week, for three weeks. Damn. Thats us.

Saturday morning, I re-read all of my sleep books and realized we are doing everything that's suggested... except a swing. So off to Target we went. And as it turns out, every other parent of an Infant in Southwest C-Springs must have had the same night we did, because they were completely out of swings. Not one left in stock.

Under normal circumstances, I would have taken that as a sign that we should give up, but yesterday I was determined. So I took JMT to Babies R Us, and we struggled for quite a while, trying to decide between the Silhouette, and a $40 cheaper model that appeared to be no different except without the 2 speed soothing vibrations. We discussed the merits of each model for a good while, but realized that if the cheaper swing didn't work, we'd always second guess our decision, thinking that maybe the vibration mode would have been the secret.

So, long installation story later, the swing was up and running last night. Emma fussed for exactly one minute when we put her in it, and was asleep 11 minutes later. I had resolved that it would be okay for her to sleep in the swing at night, but tried to put her to bed in her crib just in case she was soothed enough to get over the fact that every night for the past month, she's reacted to the crib as if it were electrified and shocking her every time we laid her down in it. It worked! She slept in her crib for four hours last night! She woke up to eat twice between midnight and 7, and is calmer and more composed this morning after a good night's sleep than she's been in a while.

Thank you Mr. Graco!

Things I love

On a nearly daily basis over the past month, I've thought to myself that I should get on the ball and post some updates here. But then every day, life takes over and I don't get around to it. Today I read a post on A Little Pregnant that summed up my dilemma well.

I had a moment of utter gratitude this morning that my life has turned out the way it has. So I thought it would be a good exercise this morning to make a list of things that I love.

-Most obviously---my family. JMT, Emma, our parents and siblings, and our friends. I am blessed to be surrounded by so many amazing people who love me and who I love.
-Those moments where Emma is standing in my lap, looking over my shoulder at something thoroughly fascinating, and then her knees buckle and she's just a tiny pile of baby in my lap looking up at me like "What just happened?" (yes, I'm supporting her weight with my hands under her arms--no worries)
-My new mac. I'm typing on it now. It makes me happy.
-Emma's bouncy chair. G-d only knows why it makes her so happy. But anything that makes her that happy (and quiet) makes me happy. Very happy.
-Wearing yoga pants on maternity leave. My jeans fit (about which I'm very happy too) but there's nothing as cozy and versatile as these yoga pants! And I got the ones that are made for "tall" people, so they're actually long enough and don't look like ill fitting high water pants.
-The movie WALL-E. JMT and I watched it last night. It was precious. As far as animated movies go, it's one that I won't mind hearing a thousand times from the backseat of the car when Emma is at that stage.
-Emma's gummy smiles. At first I fell into the "It's just gas" camp when it came to Emma's smiles, but now she smiles with her whole self, and you can tell that she really means it. If you could only see her eyes during one of her smiles, you'd know she was truly happy.

There are a thousand other things I could mention in this post. But right now something else that I love just happened. Emma just fell asleep! I'm going to take the opportunity to take a short nap. But before I do---I'll pose this challenge. Whether it's in print, a comment to this post, or just in your head, take a few minutes today to think of a few things that you love too. And then take a nap.

Ooh!

This afternoon, I was spending some quality time bouncing Miss Emma on my lap when she looked at me and said "Ooh!" clear as day. Then she looked surprised as all get out for a moment. Up until now, her only noises have been varying volumes of cries, hiccups, and an occasional "pip" in her sleep. It was such a touching moment!

Here's a photo of her today in her monkey jumper:

Emma Update

The past 2.5 weeks have been busy ones. My mom came for a week and helped a tremendous amount while we were first getting settled. JMT had to work like a fiend that week, and having mom here was so helpful--both for me and for John's peace of mind.

This last week, JMT's family was here for Thanksgiving. It was great seeing the whole family, and they all loved seeing Miss Emma.

Here are some photo highlights...

Our first walk in the park


Daddy's Lap


Mom never wanted to let her go

Before and After

I am a little late in posting a final "holy cow, you are ROUND" photo, but here goes anyhow:



And here is the end result:



Our Miss Emma was born a week ago today, on November 11 at 9:44 pm. She was 7 pounds 9 ounces and 20.5 inches long. One of these days, I'll write down the whole story of her birth (14 hours of labor, and then a C-section) but I'll save that for another day.

In case you had forgotten that I'm round...

John took this photo of me this weekend when we were on our way home from Vail.  We would have liked to take more photos there, but unfortunately between the weather (cold rains) and having to get an early start home due to highway closures, we didn’t spend much time exploring.  We did get to see the last of the gorgeous Aspens in their golden splendor, the first snow of the fall, and spend some great time together.  It may well have been our last trip to the mountains without a mountain of baby gear in the trunk, so we did our best to enjoy it.

 

Baby Shower Photos

I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to post these, but a few weeks back, my friends threw me the best baby shower!  It was a gorgeous day, gorgeous setting, and so many lovely gifts.  Thank you all.

 

 

It's a....

Nursery!

With some help from Patty this weekend, I finished assembling the crib and moving furniture around in the guest room this weekend.  It’s now officially a nursery!  I keep finding myself sitting aimlessly in the easy chair we put in there and staring at the peaceful, uncluttered room.

A true mark of adulthood--this room is the first I’ve put together where all of the furniture matches!  Now that the room is all put together and organized, I’m starting to feel like this is all so much more real.  And like I might actually be approaching “ready”.  We’ll see!

 

I don't think that was very nice

The last week or so has been a little dramatic on the baby front. Last week, I had my first trip to the hospital after my routine OB visit revealed that all of the Braxton-Hicks I've been having had led me to be about 50% effaced. JMT and I went up to the fanciest of the hospitals here in town--it just opened last month--and I had a fetal fibronectin test, a non-stress test, and an ultrasound. All three showed that I'm not progressing into "real" labor yet, but in the mean time I'm taking it very easy and taking procardia to limit the impact of my contractions.

Last week also marked the first of our birthing classes at the public hospital near our house. The first week was fine. We practiced relaxation exercises and JMT fell asleep. Last night we had our second class, which led me to the title of this post. After we watched a video on relaxation techniques, we spent a half hour with the mamas doing relaxation exercises while our partners gave us shoulder and neck massages. It was heaven! Then the nurse who runs the class had all the partners go get bags of ice. I figured we were all goign to practice sucking on ice chips or placing the ice bags in the various places demonstrated in the video.

No.

The masochistic nurse lady had the mamas simulate contractions by immersing our hands in the bags of ice for 60-90 seconds so we could "practice our relaxation techniques in a stressful situation." It was torture! I swear my hand is still tender this morning. All told, we did about 10 "contractions" that way. I don't think this was very nice. At all. I had been stress-free for the first time in days in my blissful, massaged, happy place after the first 30 minutes of the exercises, and then I Had My Hand Submerged In A Bag Of Freezing Cold Ice. No. Not very nice at all.

The upside of the whole ice experiment is that JMT got a good chuckle. He's been having one of those super stressed-out weeks where he could work 100 hours a week and still not be done, worries about me having the kid early, and a variety of house projects that aren't finished. Watching me squirm and curse over the ice business drew him out of that for a little while. Now he's on a plane to DC for the rest of the week, and I'm going to try to finagle it so that some of his house worries are taken care of when he gets home.

29 weeks--in Portland

Home and settled from our last pre-baby vacation.  JMT and I had a great weekend away, but we could have used an extra day or two to really see everything we wanted to see.  As it was, we focused on some of the funky neighborhoods in and around downtown.  Downtown Portland reminded both JMT and I of an exceptionally walkable Boulder/Denver hybrid.  If we’d had another day, we would have driven out to the coast.  Next time!

Since it was only a three day trip, we still had Sunday and Monday to do work at the house.  Work on the nursery has begun!  Someone hauled off the guest bed on Sunday, and I did a major downstairs reorganization on Monday.  I probably overdid it a little, but I have a prenatal massage scheduled for tonight after work, so the timing was just right.

 

I can't help myself

 

For Mom

More photos for mom.  The one of JMT and I together is from Glenwood Springs in mid-June.  I’m 17 weeks there.

The one of me by myself is from this morning—27 weeks.

I’m happy to report that almost 100% of my rib pain is gone.  My final physical therapy appointment is tomorrow, and I have two more “maintenance” visits with the acupuncturist.  I can’t believe what a dramatic difference this treatment has made!  I was very skeptical of the whole concept of acupuncture before, but I’m a believer now!

No real news for JMT and me these days.  He is going to go speak at a conference in Portland, OR next week, and I’m going to come up for a long weekend over Labor Day.  This will probably be our last baby-less trip together for a long time.  I hope the weather is nice and that we find some neat places to explore. 

So much good baby info

After my last plea for baby gear advice, two fabulous ladies have chimed in.  As a public service, I thought I’d post Angie’s comments here (Kirstin’s are in the comments of the original post).

 

Thanks, Ladies!

 

+++++++++++++++++++

 

BabyBjorn Original Carrier - Chocolate Brown

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2608235&cp=2256186

 

*I loved this baby carrier, and I can still use it now.  It's up to 25 lbs and Gianna was 22.5 at one year (8.12 when she was born).  It was really nice for getting things done around the house because she just wanted to be close to me and I needed my arms free.  I also liked it because it reminded me of being pregnant again.  They have many different options on this one.  You can get a mesh material that breathes easier or I think a stronger fabric.  We just got the cheapest one, and it works great.  I HIGHLY recommend staying with the BabyBjorn brand though.  Some of the others just didn't feel as sturdy or safe.  We also went to the store after she was born and I tried them on with her in it, so this is something that can wait until after the baby is born if you don't want to add it to the registry.

 

 

Baby Trend Playard

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2966845

 

*There are many different options on this.  This is the brand we have (although I didn't see our pattern) and I loved it.  The key things about this is to get one with a changing table that flips down and out of the way.  I didn't think I would use this that much, but we had a two-story home, so I had this set up in the corner of the living room and I would set her in there to sleep.  It was really nice to have a separate place to change her so that I didn't have to get on the floor (I'd had a c-section) or walk the stairs every time she needed changed.  She also loved the little animals that hung over it and it would keep her occupied.  Before you register, I would play with the store models and make sure that it's easy enough to break down and put away and not too heavy to carry around.  This will also be nice when you come back to visit to have all your essentials in one place at the grandparents houses. 

  

 

Fisher-Price Rainforest Deluxe Mobile Mirror

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2585673

 

*You'll want one of these for the car.  Make sure that it will hook to the head rest and be easily movable so that you can always view it from your mirror without adjusting it.  Also, get one that doesn't make noise.  Trust me, the last thing you want when you're driving is even MORE noise!! =)

  

 

Fisher-Price Rainforest Bouncer

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2508008

 

*Gianna didn't like this until she was a little older and she outgrew it really fast.  I didn't register for one, but a friend got it for me anyway.  It was nice when she liked it, but she LOVED her swing, so we used that instead. 

 

  

Fisher-Price Butterfly Garden Papasan Cradle Swing

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2674706&isTopSellingItem=true

 

*AWESOME swing.  It turns so it will either swing from side-to-side or front-to-back.  The chair tilts so that the baby can either lay down or sit up.  It also plays music and has little animals that rotate around for her to look at and a mirror that she can see herself in.  Also, there is a little bar that has toys as well.  The biggest part of all is that it's battery operated and you can use it anywhere.  (Most swings are that way now.)  I think I only replaced batteries once the whole time we used it.  This was the best thing we had because it was the only thing that she would sleep in when she was fussy. 

 

  

Fisher-Price Rainforest Jumperoo

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2508003

 

*This one was great.  She didn't use it until she was about 4 months old, but it gave her something to do and she was able to get her energy out in a safe place.  We liked it better than the stationary ones, and better than a jumper that hung in a doorway.  Plus, it comes apart easily and you can transport it.

 

 

Playtex VentAire Narrow Reusable Bottles

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2408953

 

*These are the bottles that we used.  I had heard that other people had problems with them, but I never did and I am still using them once a day.  I did nurse for the first 6 months, but you'll still use bottles every now and again even if you do.  I love these because they come completely apart and you don't have to use a bottle brush to clean them out.  They are completely dishwasher safe.  I never really had a problem with colic.  They say that they are supposed to help, but I'm not sure if they did or not.

 

 

Organic Cotton Burp Cloths

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2267606

 

*OK, so you don't have to get these exact burp cloths, but I did want to say that I went through a lot of trial and error trying to find some that I like a lot.  I hated the "old diapers" that you could use, and the really nice ones just didn't absorb anything.  So what I advise is that you find something that feels like a really thin bath towel.  Also, make sure that they are wide.  The really skinny/long ones are never in the right place at the right time.  I got mine at Target, they came in a pack of three, but I can't find them on their website.

 

  

Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam Bags

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2735035

 

*A MUST-HAVE!!!  These are awesome, especially when travelling.  Each bag will steam clean (in the microwave) either a bottle, breast-pump items, or pacifiers.  I nursed and pumped a lot and it was nice to have the ability to clean the pump parts without having to wait for the dishwasher to run.  Each bag can be re-used up to 20 times.  I still use them when we're travelling to see Tony's family in Cleveland!  They are great!!

 

  

Boppy

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2507965

 

*This was great for nursing.  I used it like crazy.  I think that my mom also used it for giving her bottles.  It was even nice just when I was rocking her to sleep.   I had one at home and one at my mom's house.  (She found the second one at a garage sale for $1.00)  They can be pretty pricey, but I would suggest getting an extra slipcover for it so that you can change it if anything gets on it.  You can use a regular pillow, but these really are great and fit around you in a rocking chair. 

 

  

Pampers 92Ct Swaddlers Diaper

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2593094&cp=2918979

 

*I tried a lot of different brands of diapers, and this is my favorite.  I went from Pampers Swaddlers to Pampers Cruisers (when she was big enough).  The tags stretch to fit around the baby, and they had the best leak protection that I found.  You will always have blow-outs (as Tony calls them) but usually that just means it's time to up the size!! =)

 

  

Huggies Gentle Care Sensitive Baby Wipes

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2961743

 

*Again, I tried a lot of different wipes and these are my favorite.  They are much thicker than the pampers wipes and seem to clean much better.  You get fewer in a box, but I find that I use a lot less since they work so much better.  Also, I had a wipe warmer for the house, but I really didn't like it.  The wipes were cold by the time they got to the babies bottom anyway, and I always had to throw out the last 15 or so because they dried out. 

 

  

Playtex Diaper Genie II

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2437622

 

*This is great!!  It's MUCH easier to use than the first edition.  You just pop open the top and push the diaper in and it has a little clamp that keeps the diapers down, and the lid shuts and all the odor is contained.  It's easy to change, the top pops off and you just cut the bag (cutter is inside) and tie the end and carry it out to the trash.  I've used some of the different brands inside the stores and I still can't figure out what you're supposed to do with it.... 

 

  

Baby Aquaphor

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2329500

 

*This stuff is AMAZING!!  I didn't know about it until the doctor told me.  You can literally use it anywhere.  If she has dry skin, you can use it as a lotion.  If she has diaper rash, you can use it as diaper ointment.  Chapped lips - chapstick....  It's similar to Vaseline, but not as greasy.  For really bad diaper rash you just mix it with a little bit of Maalox and make a paste that will get rid of anything!!   This stuff is a must-have!

 

  

Newborn-to-Toddler Tub

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2403667

 

*This is great for the first 6 months, until she can sit up on her own.  It has a little built in chair that will hold her upright so your hands can me a little more free.  Any tub with a little seat in it is fine, but don't spend too much, because you won't use it for too long.  They outgrow it very fast!

 

  

Inflatable Tub

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2627247

 

*This is the tub that I still use.  I love it.  You can easily travel with it.  It's cheap.  And if she falls over, you don't have to worry about her hitting her head on a hard surface.  It fits inside a regular tub but won't slide around.  And it will save you water since you won't have to fill a whole bath tub to use it. 

  

 

Tub Side Seat

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2403658

 

*I love this.  My mom doesn't like to use it, but I think it saves my back while giving her a bath.  And, it has storage inside for all her toys so they are out of the tub.  When she's old enough, she can use it as a stepping stool for the sink.  (This also works great when we're giving our dogs a bath, too!)

 

  

Spout Cover

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2919694

 

*You pretty much need a spout cover.  I like the inflatable ones because I think they are a bit softer.  Just make sure that if you have a bath spout with a knob that you pull up to start your shower that you find a spout cover that won't block it.  (I did that at my mom's house!)

 

  

Handheld Color Video Monitor

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2265802

 

*Another MUST HAVE.  I didn't think that I would like having a video monitor that much, but I don't think I could live without it.  There are several different versions, but we have the portable one.  I like it because I can take it with me anywhere so if I go outside to play with the dogs or work in the yard, I can still watch her.  They are expensive, but having the ability to actually see what is going on is worth every penny!!

  

 

Pacifier

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2738079

 

*I really liked these the best.  They are flat and won't rub the baby's face.  Also, it doesn't matter what direction they are so when you're driving and trying to find the baby's face to stick a pacifier in it, it won't matter if it's upside down.  Most importantly, they come with a cap.  It turned out that all my friends babies use the same brand as well.

 

  

Pacifier Keeper

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2784438

 

*These are hard to find.  I wanted to invent my own because I wasn't happy with any of the ones I could find.  However, this is what I finally went with.  It comes with the round rubber piece that will fit around a pacifier that doesn't have a handle.  Also, the rubber piece is detachable and you can velcro on a pacifier that does have a handle. 

 

  

Pacifier Pod

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3152533

 

*Everyone thought I was crazy because I wanted this so bad, but it is so nice to have.  It saves from having to dig through your purse or diaper bag to find a pacifier.  I can fit 3 of the pacifiers that I use (with a cap) in it.

  

 

Disposable Dry Washcloths

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2401403

 

*I know that Huggies or something makes a brand of this and it is much cheaper.  Anyway, these are great for travelling.  They have the soap in them and you just throw them away when you're done.  it saves from having a bottle of soap spill in your luggage.....

 

  

Receiving Blankets

 

*I can't find the ones I like online, however, the only important thing is that they be 40" X 40".   Most are 30" X 40".  I found some big ones and I LOVED them.  They are so much easier to swaddle the baby in.  I thought I got mine at Target, but I can't find them online. 

 

  

Gowns

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2333854

 

*I actually liked the ones from Baby Gap, but there was an outlet by my house, so I could get them for pretty cheap.  These were great while she was still getting up in the middle of the night.  (Once she started sleeping through the night I put her in footed jammies.)  These are very easy to change in the middle of the night when you're extremely exhuasted!!  You don't have to worry about getting buttons right, or zipping skin.  I just lifted it up, changed her, pulled it down, swaddled her up and nursed her back to sleep.  I LOVED them!!

 

24.5 weeks

It’s a little blurry, but here I am.  Better pics to follow after Sis’s visit this weekend.

Rib update

I’ve gotten a couple of questions about this, so I thought it good to share publicly.  I’ve been going to my physical therapy and acupuncture appointments for my costochondritis twice a week for the past two weeks.  While I’m not “cured,” I am feeling a fair amount better.  The pain had gotten a lot worse in intensity and duration over the month preceding the beginning of treatment, and I feel like I’m back to where I was pain-wise in early June.  I always feel the worst the day of physical therapy, though, because the manipulation and massage is really deep.  It takes about a day to bounce back from.  Moving forward, I’ll be going to physical therapy once a week now, and continuing with acupuncture twice a week for the next two weeks.  Hopefully we’ll just continue to make progress!