I'm truly horrible about updating this thing. So before I get to the point of this I'll do a tiny, mini update all in one sentence:
Aldon is 13.5 months old & talking up a storm & got a Christmas puppy (Macy) & hit another growth spurt so he's mega tall & I'm missing my tiny baby & loves to eat pumpkin & banana puree (had a TON from Thanksgiving haha) & my brother is finally back from Afghanistan & I got to see him for the first time in 5 years & Aldon got to meet him! & Keegan got a job offer from a company in Ohio & once he graduates we are moving to Cleveland!!
Whew, that's the jist of it.
Ok, so recently (ish) I posted about how we dove into cloth diapering. And loved it.
For like two weeks.
We started with basic Econobum prefolds & covers bought from Cotton Babies and they seemed so promising. Aldon was good for a week with the new feel of them, and would cooperate with changes. And then... he wasn't. He started squirming & rolling & resisting diaper changes (which I totally don't get it, but whatev), so trying to clean him, wipe out the cover, fold a new insert & put in in the cover & the diaper on him without getting any 'surprises' anywhere was just not happening.
Keegan flat out refused to use the prefolds on him anymore, so we were back to disposables.
Then a mommy friend tuned me into Sunbaby Diapers! In my last post I talked about pocket diapers & AIO's, and said I didn't get the point because of how expensive they can be. Well, Sunbabys are $5-6 a piece (depending on whether you buy the smaller or larger bundle packages- buying more means less cost per diaper) & your choice of double inserts, single inserts, or no inserts. We opted for the smallest package with single inserts (Aldon isn't a 'heavy wetter'), and got 6 diapers to last from 7-35 pounds with 6 inserts for $36.
Of course I love a deal, so I also added more to my stash over Black Friday weekend & Cyber Week sales. I chose a few bumGenius 4.0s, and found a killer deal on Kawaii Baby pocket diapers for $5 each.
I spent a day prepping everything & figuring out how to 'stuff' the inserts into all of the pockets, and then Adventure Part 2 began. And... we actually are holding strong! These diapers work just like disposables so there's no folding or wrestling with a squirmy babe (well, none more than usual lol). These are much more trim than our prefolds, too, so Aldon's pants fit a little better &he doesn't have three inches of diaper hanging out of the back of his pants like a baby gangster.
It took some re-arranging of our diaper changing area to accommodate everything, but I think we have a pretty good system going. I keep everything on the changing table- the bottom shelf holds all of our prefolds & covers, extra inserts, and extra wipes and such. Top shelf holds all of the diapers (stuffed as soon as they come out of the dryer), organized into piles of snap closures & hook & loop (I prefer hook & loop since it's easier to get on Aldon when he's wiggling all over, but Keegan likes the snaps so the Velcro of the others doesn't get wore out quickly), and the open container of wipes goes next to those. Recently Aldon decided that no trash container with a lid is safe around him, so I put some simple Command hooks on the side of changing table to hang the wet bag (to hold the dirty dipes), and a small shower bag that holds rash creams, rolls of flushable liners, some hand sanitizer, and other various diaper changing needs.
What's my favorite out of my stash? Although I love the price tag of the Sunbaby's, I really really love my Kawaii Bamboo Minky diapers. I was skeptical at first because bamboo inserts are so thin & trim, I figured Aldon would soak through them in an instant, even with him not being a heavy wetter. I was wrong, tho- bamboo can absorb A LOT. He went 13 hours in one last night, through the night, and woke up without the slightest hint of a leak, with one insert! And the fluffy outside is just super cute :)
So, cloth is here to stay in the Hartman household!
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
*Update*
I'm so horrible at this thing. I started this mainly to have a way to keep everyone connected with Aldon so they could take part in all that he does as well, but obviously I'm not a blogger at heart. So while I've got a few spare minutes (praise God, baby Jesus, Buddha, Allah, Mohammed, whomever cause Aldon is still sleeping in his crib on his own!) I'll make a quick note of what's new around here:
Aldon is ONE! A whole year old! I can't believe it was a year ago that we had this tiny 5 lb, 12 oz little sprout. It's amazing. We threw him a Dr. Seuss themed first birthday party and he had a blast. Highlight moment: while unwrapping gifts I stuck a bow in his hair to be silly, and he actually loved it and every bow he took off a gift after that he put on his head. He didn't even care about the new toys, just making sure the bow stayed put. Love him.
And he is talking! He can say: dada, daddy, mama, blackie (don't ask), doggy, thank you, love you (on occasion, he doesn't hand those out very much), more (as in when he's eating and wants some more), and as of two days ago he learned 'cookie', and what an actual cookie made with real sugar (!) tastes like versus his arrowroot, healthy-and-good-for-you cookies lol. He's slowly learning to say please, but so far he's said it maybe once and it comes out 'eeee'
Like I said, he is sleeping in his own crib in his own room. He is so regular in his sleep habits that it's unreal. Strict 7pm- 6am bedtime and a 9:30-10:30 nap in the morning followed by a 1:30-2:30 nap in the afternoon. It's no nice.
His favorite foods are: peas (he goes NUTS for fresh peas), bananas, chicken, milk, and most recently he discovered chocolate lol. He's like a hoover when there's chocolate around. He mastered his straw sippy cup so now he can drink out of a straw just fine, which makes dining out a ton easier.
Favorite books: Still his Dr. Seuss books. For his party I bought about thirty different books we didn't have by Dr. Seuss for a penny each on Amazon, and each night we read a different one before bed.
Favorite toys: Mega Blocks!! He got two different sets for his birthday, and within a day figured out how to put the pieces together to make them stack. He can only get two together, hasn't figured out how to do three or more and it takes him a while to get them lined up just right, but it's been amazing watching him figure it out. He takes after his engineer daddy :) He also loves kicking his mini soccer ball around the living room and chasing after it. Surprisingly, he doesn't even fall or trip.
Aldon loves to wave, blow kisses, and give you kisses. He even knows how to milk it when he's caught doing something naughty and will either blow you a kiss with a cheesy smile or pull you in for a series of sloppy baby kisses. And ya know what? I fall for it.
He hates wearing clothes! Just today I finished getting him dressed and he walked over the couch, held on to it, and took of his socks and pants. Just pulled them down and walked away, like no big deal.
He loves to help cook and help with the laundry. He'll sit in the kitchen in his Bumbo and 'stir' his 'food' in a little pot or dish we give him. And if you're folding laundry with him in the room be prepared for it to take ten years longer than normal. He'll take each individual piece of clothing out of the hamper one by one, play with it for a bit, and then eventually bring it to you to fold. He can carry his clothes to his room and likes to, but he carries one at a time of course and obviously unfolds it in the process. But hey, he's cute.
As for Keegan and I, life is busy keeping up with Aldon and school. Keegan has a bunch of interviews lined up since he's graduating in a few months. Next week he'll be out of town all day Wednesday and then he flies out on Thursday and will be gone for the weekend. Boo. :(
Here's a few pictures of Aldon's Big Day and a few of some family pictures we had taken last week, by Mallory Kate Photography (HIGHLY recommend her, absolutely fantastic work and great business overall)
Aldon is ONE! A whole year old! I can't believe it was a year ago that we had this tiny 5 lb, 12 oz little sprout. It's amazing. We threw him a Dr. Seuss themed first birthday party and he had a blast. Highlight moment: while unwrapping gifts I stuck a bow in his hair to be silly, and he actually loved it and every bow he took off a gift after that he put on his head. He didn't even care about the new toys, just making sure the bow stayed put. Love him.
And he is talking! He can say: dada, daddy, mama, blackie (don't ask), doggy, thank you, love you (on occasion, he doesn't hand those out very much), more (as in when he's eating and wants some more), and as of two days ago he learned 'cookie', and what an actual cookie made with real sugar (!) tastes like versus his arrowroot, healthy-and-good-for-you cookies lol. He's slowly learning to say please, but so far he's said it maybe once and it comes out 'eeee'
Like I said, he is sleeping in his own crib in his own room. He is so regular in his sleep habits that it's unreal. Strict 7pm- 6am bedtime and a 9:30-10:30 nap in the morning followed by a 1:30-2:30 nap in the afternoon. It's no nice.
His favorite foods are: peas (he goes NUTS for fresh peas), bananas, chicken, milk, and most recently he discovered chocolate lol. He's like a hoover when there's chocolate around. He mastered his straw sippy cup so now he can drink out of a straw just fine, which makes dining out a ton easier.
Favorite books: Still his Dr. Seuss books. For his party I bought about thirty different books we didn't have by Dr. Seuss for a penny each on Amazon, and each night we read a different one before bed.
Favorite toys: Mega Blocks!! He got two different sets for his birthday, and within a day figured out how to put the pieces together to make them stack. He can only get two together, hasn't figured out how to do three or more and it takes him a while to get them lined up just right, but it's been amazing watching him figure it out. He takes after his engineer daddy :) He also loves kicking his mini soccer ball around the living room and chasing after it. Surprisingly, he doesn't even fall or trip.
Aldon loves to wave, blow kisses, and give you kisses. He even knows how to milk it when he's caught doing something naughty and will either blow you a kiss with a cheesy smile or pull you in for a series of sloppy baby kisses. And ya know what? I fall for it.
He hates wearing clothes! Just today I finished getting him dressed and he walked over the couch, held on to it, and took of his socks and pants. Just pulled them down and walked away, like no big deal.
He loves to help cook and help with the laundry. He'll sit in the kitchen in his Bumbo and 'stir' his 'food' in a little pot or dish we give him. And if you're folding laundry with him in the room be prepared for it to take ten years longer than normal. He'll take each individual piece of clothing out of the hamper one by one, play with it for a bit, and then eventually bring it to you to fold. He can carry his clothes to his room and likes to, but he carries one at a time of course and obviously unfolds it in the process. But hey, he's cute.
As for Keegan and I, life is busy keeping up with Aldon and school. Keegan has a bunch of interviews lined up since he's graduating in a few months. Next week he'll be out of town all day Wednesday and then he flies out on Thursday and will be gone for the weekend. Boo. :(
Here's a few pictures of Aldon's Big Day and a few of some family pictures we had taken last week, by Mallory Kate Photography (HIGHLY recommend her, absolutely fantastic work and great business overall)
 |
| Aldon's Dr. Seuss smash cake (the hat) and cupcakes for his party. |
 |
| Pretty bow. |
 |
| i LOVE this one. It captures the true essence of Aldon The Ham lol |
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
the latest adventure.
So I'm not sure exactly what came over me a few weeks ago, but I came up with the grand idea to give cloth diapering a try for Aldon. (Who is almost ONE!) When I hear the words 'cloth diaper', I immediately grimace. Um, ew? As my lovely husband puts it - "There's a reason they invented disposables; we don't live in the 1920s." (note, I have no idea when they invented disposables, so I can't fact check the date on that one.)
Diaper services sounded ok, but the costs associated are about the same as Pampers anyways, so that doesn't save any money in the long run. And it kinda freaks me out to think that some other baby pooped in my son's diaper. Just sayin'.
So I settled on purchasing some diapers, and washing them at home, just to give it a trial run. I know, crazy!, right?? Of course there's 9,009,362,188,001 cloth diapers on the market now, so it took some time and investigative skills to find which ones to buy. Lemme break it down: The two major types on the market now are
Pre-folds/Diaper Covers: These are what come to mind when people think of cloth diapering. You buy a waterproof cover, and inside is essentially a cotton (or hemp, or terry, or microfleece, the possibilities are endless these days) cloth that gets folded into thirds- this is what collects the pee and poo. For diaper changes, you simply switch out the pre-fold and as long as the cover didn't get anything on it, you're good to use the same one all day.
PROS: Less expensive than others on the market; variety of options for the actual diaper (you can use Indian pre-folds, Chinese pre-folds, make your own, variety of different materials) and many options for the covers; relatively low level of laundry (if you home wash); one-size covers fit baby from birth to potty training; you can typically buy a handful of covers and a 2-3 day supply of pre-folds and be set
CONS: More steps involved when changing the diaper; really bulky; for newborns you need to buy smaller sized pre-folds
AVERAGE PRICE: $-$$
BRANDS: Econobum, Flip Hybrid System, Bummis
All-In-One (AIO)/ Pocket Diapers: As the name suggests, these cloth diapers have a pocket for a liner to go in to collect the business. The liner is similar in shape to a pre-fold cloth diaper, but much thinner. There are no covers in this system; the cover and liner come together in one package. For diaper changes, pull out the insert from the diaper and toss both into a diaper pail; baby gets a new one with every change.
PROS: Much more convenient than pre-folds; great for people who aren't sure they want to give cloth a try since they are very similar to the style of disposables; variety of cute colors and patterns to bring out the inner fashionista in your tot; much more slim than traditional pre-folds & covers; one-size diapers fit baby from birth to potty training
CONS: Way more expensive than pre-folds & covers; a lot more laundry involved since you're washing both the pocket diaper and the liner; added hassle of stuffing the pocket and unstuffing with each diaper change
AVERAGE PRICE: $$$-$$$$
BRANDS: bumGenius, Kissaluvs, Fuzzibunz
So why did I venture out and try cloth? Like most people, my main motivator was money. I've tried other brands of diapers on the shelves, and store brands, though cheaper, don't absorb as much so you go through more anyway- the end result being not saving any money and using more wipes, butt cream, etc. Huggies seem to be everyone's favorite, and they are typically about a dollar less than Pampers, but when we tried these on Aldon even their smallest size was too big in the legs for our tiny babe. The end result? A completely dry diaper but a baby who just peed all over himself out the leg of the diaper. Pampers has been loyal to us since day one, but they're the most expensive disposable on the market. And, of course, disposable diapers don't ever decompose so there's gazillions of them in landfills all over that will NEVER GO AWAY.
For our trial run, I purchased a starter kit of Econobums- it came with 3 covers and 12 Indian pre-folds, plus a wet bag to store the dirty ones in. Since Aldon is older, he only goes through about six diapers a day so this would be about our two-day supply. I also purchased a package of flushable paper liners that sit on top of the pre-fold (between that and the baby's bottom) to collect solid waste, which you can then flush down the toilet. Trust me, this is a genius invention and SO worth it (a pack of 200 is only about $13, still way cheaper than Pampers). I made the mistake of not using one once, and of course that's when Aldon decided to void despicable things out of his body. As Keegan's aunt geniusly put it: "Scraping dookie off cloth is never any fun." The total cost was about $70.
So far, brace yourself, I am LOVING IT. Yes, it's more hassle. It took Keegan, myself, a crowbar, a dancing team of trained monkeys, and a whole lot of patience to figure out how to get that first diaper on Aldon. After a few times though it was perfectly fine. The main problem I'm running into is that Aldon isn't very big, and the pre-folds are just too big and bulky. Baby looks like he got a 'donk. If we stick with cloth diapering, next on my list is to try the Flip System- they have thinner, adjustable liners that seem to solve the problem I'm having. Aldon has also gone all night in one diaper and not leaked through, which I hear is a common complaint for cloth. For now we are still sending him to daycare in disposables.
I can't ever see myself using an AIO. If you're doing it to save money, that makes completely no sense. A scant day's worth of those things can put you out over $100. No joke. Plus you're spending more in laundry costs to wash that many. I can see why they're more convenient, but their ease isn't worth their huge costs.
For home laundering the diapers, you need either a specific cloth diaper detergent or one that is free of any perfumes, dyes, enzymes, brighteners, etc. Note: a 'baby' detergent (All Baby, Dreft, etc) will NOT do! 'Baby' just means it is essentially for sensitive skin and doesn't have the perfumes and dyes. All of those additives in the detergent, over time, will cause the diapers to not be as aborbant. Plus, ones with stain-fighting enzymes break down organic matter. Pee and poo are organic matter, but when they're on the baby's bottom this can lead to a severe and painful rash on the baby's nether regions. There's a great list of detergents that are great to use for cloth diapers and what to avoid on Diaper Jungle.I couldn't find any in any stores around here that fit the above criteria, so I ordered some bumGenius cloth diaper detergent ($12). The great thing is you only need to use about a tablespoon of detergent per load of diapers (say 12-18), so one container will last a while. Also, when you buy new pre-folds, they need to be washed 5-7 times, drying between each wash, before use so they reach their maximum absorbancy. Yes, it's another hassle, but it's a one-time thing and it sure beats spending money on diapers that don't absorb anything.
Like I said, so far we have not had any complaints. Even Keegan who was so against even trying cloth doesn't seem to be minding the switch. And more importantly, Aldon couldn't care either way. I will definitely be buying more than that starter kit in the future if we decide to stick with it; otherwise I'll be washing diapers every other day and let's be honest, sometimes my skills don't go that far. I was also hesitant, too, because I figured Aldon's room would start to smell like a dirty diaper with all the used cloth diaper in it. But again, we haven't had any complaints. I didn't buy a special diaper pail or anything (though they do make those with carbon filters to eliminate odors), just a small trash can with a lid. My total cost in this adventure was under $100, and if I keep up on my housework I wouldn't NEED to buy any more diapers (though for convenience I know I will be). Seriously, I'm in love with that!!
CottonBabies is where I got a ton of useful information from, and is also the cheapest source I could find on the web for purchasing cloth diapers and diaper detergent. They also have a great 'Growing Up In Cloth' program where you can turn in your old diapers that you don't use anymore for credit towards new purchases! You can also buy a ton of 'diaper accessories' from them, too (one that looks like a good idea is a diaper sprayer that attaches to the toilet and you can use it to clean the business off diapers before throwing them in the pail. I opted for the flushable liners, but this would be the more eco-friendly option. Because, after all, scraping dookie is never fun).
I'll be sure to (try and) post updates of this adventure as we go along!!
*Note: the above opinions are of that of myself and don't reflect the views of Diaper Jungle, CottonBabies, or any other cloth diaper business.
Diaper services sounded ok, but the costs associated are about the same as Pampers anyways, so that doesn't save any money in the long run. And it kinda freaks me out to think that some other baby pooped in my son's diaper. Just sayin'.
So I settled on purchasing some diapers, and washing them at home, just to give it a trial run. I know, crazy!, right?? Of course there's 9,009,362,188,001 cloth diapers on the market now, so it took some time and investigative skills to find which ones to buy. Lemme break it down: The two major types on the market now are
Pre-folds/Diaper Covers: These are what come to mind when people think of cloth diapering. You buy a waterproof cover, and inside is essentially a cotton (or hemp, or terry, or microfleece, the possibilities are endless these days) cloth that gets folded into thirds- this is what collects the pee and poo. For diaper changes, you simply switch out the pre-fold and as long as the cover didn't get anything on it, you're good to use the same one all day.
PROS: Less expensive than others on the market; variety of options for the actual diaper (you can use Indian pre-folds, Chinese pre-folds, make your own, variety of different materials) and many options for the covers; relatively low level of laundry (if you home wash); one-size covers fit baby from birth to potty training; you can typically buy a handful of covers and a 2-3 day supply of pre-folds and be set
CONS: More steps involved when changing the diaper; really bulky; for newborns you need to buy smaller sized pre-folds
AVERAGE PRICE: $-$$
BRANDS: Econobum, Flip Hybrid System, Bummis
All-In-One (AIO)/ Pocket Diapers: As the name suggests, these cloth diapers have a pocket for a liner to go in to collect the business. The liner is similar in shape to a pre-fold cloth diaper, but much thinner. There are no covers in this system; the cover and liner come together in one package. For diaper changes, pull out the insert from the diaper and toss both into a diaper pail; baby gets a new one with every change.
PROS: Much more convenient than pre-folds; great for people who aren't sure they want to give cloth a try since they are very similar to the style of disposables; variety of cute colors and patterns to bring out the inner fashionista in your tot; much more slim than traditional pre-folds & covers; one-size diapers fit baby from birth to potty training
CONS: Way more expensive than pre-folds & covers; a lot more laundry involved since you're washing both the pocket diaper and the liner; added hassle of stuffing the pocket and unstuffing with each diaper change
AVERAGE PRICE: $$$-$$$$
BRANDS: bumGenius, Kissaluvs, Fuzzibunz
So why did I venture out and try cloth? Like most people, my main motivator was money. I've tried other brands of diapers on the shelves, and store brands, though cheaper, don't absorb as much so you go through more anyway- the end result being not saving any money and using more wipes, butt cream, etc. Huggies seem to be everyone's favorite, and they are typically about a dollar less than Pampers, but when we tried these on Aldon even their smallest size was too big in the legs for our tiny babe. The end result? A completely dry diaper but a baby who just peed all over himself out the leg of the diaper. Pampers has been loyal to us since day one, but they're the most expensive disposable on the market. And, of course, disposable diapers don't ever decompose so there's gazillions of them in landfills all over that will NEVER GO AWAY.
For our trial run, I purchased a starter kit of Econobums- it came with 3 covers and 12 Indian pre-folds, plus a wet bag to store the dirty ones in. Since Aldon is older, he only goes through about six diapers a day so this would be about our two-day supply. I also purchased a package of flushable paper liners that sit on top of the pre-fold (between that and the baby's bottom) to collect solid waste, which you can then flush down the toilet. Trust me, this is a genius invention and SO worth it (a pack of 200 is only about $13, still way cheaper than Pampers). I made the mistake of not using one once, and of course that's when Aldon decided to void despicable things out of his body. As Keegan's aunt geniusly put it: "Scraping dookie off cloth is never any fun." The total cost was about $70.
So far, brace yourself, I am LOVING IT. Yes, it's more hassle. It took Keegan, myself, a crowbar, a dancing team of trained monkeys, and a whole lot of patience to figure out how to get that first diaper on Aldon. After a few times though it was perfectly fine. The main problem I'm running into is that Aldon isn't very big, and the pre-folds are just too big and bulky. Baby looks like he got a 'donk. If we stick with cloth diapering, next on my list is to try the Flip System- they have thinner, adjustable liners that seem to solve the problem I'm having. Aldon has also gone all night in one diaper and not leaked through, which I hear is a common complaint for cloth. For now we are still sending him to daycare in disposables.
I can't ever see myself using an AIO. If you're doing it to save money, that makes completely no sense. A scant day's worth of those things can put you out over $100. No joke. Plus you're spending more in laundry costs to wash that many. I can see why they're more convenient, but their ease isn't worth their huge costs.
For home laundering the diapers, you need either a specific cloth diaper detergent or one that is free of any perfumes, dyes, enzymes, brighteners, etc. Note: a 'baby' detergent (All Baby, Dreft, etc) will NOT do! 'Baby' just means it is essentially for sensitive skin and doesn't have the perfumes and dyes. All of those additives in the detergent, over time, will cause the diapers to not be as aborbant. Plus, ones with stain-fighting enzymes break down organic matter. Pee and poo are organic matter, but when they're on the baby's bottom this can lead to a severe and painful rash on the baby's nether regions. There's a great list of detergents that are great to use for cloth diapers and what to avoid on Diaper Jungle.I couldn't find any in any stores around here that fit the above criteria, so I ordered some bumGenius cloth diaper detergent ($12). The great thing is you only need to use about a tablespoon of detergent per load of diapers (say 12-18), so one container will last a while. Also, when you buy new pre-folds, they need to be washed 5-7 times, drying between each wash, before use so they reach their maximum absorbancy. Yes, it's another hassle, but it's a one-time thing and it sure beats spending money on diapers that don't absorb anything.
Like I said, so far we have not had any complaints. Even Keegan who was so against even trying cloth doesn't seem to be minding the switch. And more importantly, Aldon couldn't care either way. I will definitely be buying more than that starter kit in the future if we decide to stick with it; otherwise I'll be washing diapers every other day and let's be honest, sometimes my skills don't go that far. I was also hesitant, too, because I figured Aldon's room would start to smell like a dirty diaper with all the used cloth diaper in it. But again, we haven't had any complaints. I didn't buy a special diaper pail or anything (though they do make those with carbon filters to eliminate odors), just a small trash can with a lid. My total cost in this adventure was under $100, and if I keep up on my housework I wouldn't NEED to buy any more diapers (though for convenience I know I will be). Seriously, I'm in love with that!!
CottonBabies is where I got a ton of useful information from, and is also the cheapest source I could find on the web for purchasing cloth diapers and diaper detergent. They also have a great 'Growing Up In Cloth' program where you can turn in your old diapers that you don't use anymore for credit towards new purchases! You can also buy a ton of 'diaper accessories' from them, too (one that looks like a good idea is a diaper sprayer that attaches to the toilet and you can use it to clean the business off diapers before throwing them in the pail. I opted for the flushable liners, but this would be the more eco-friendly option. Because, after all, scraping dookie is never fun).
I'll be sure to (try and) post updates of this adventure as we go along!!
*Note: the above opinions are of that of myself and don't reflect the views of Diaper Jungle, CottonBabies, or any other cloth diaper business.
Monday, August 01, 2011
holy nine months!
Aldon is NINE MONTHS OLD! Can you believe it?? I can't. He's been out of me as long as he was in... that's crazy. It seemed like I was pregnant for years, yet the time with him has flown by. So here's an update on his favorite things to do now that he's such a mature young man:
- He recently learned to crawl; but it's more of a kickstand scoot. Either way, boy is fast and gets into EVERYTHING.
- He loves giving kisses! And they're big, sloppy baby kisses :) However, if you stop and he's not done kissing, he'll grab your face and make you obey. Go-getter?
- Clapping and waving are still favorites of his, too.
- He has 5 baby teeth, with which he loves to eat pears, cut up green beans, mashed potatoes, oatmeal, baby Mum Mums, puffs, strawberries, and, of course, the foam tiles of his play mat.
- Speaking of play mat, his favorite activity lately is to take apart every tile and the edge of said play mat and scatter the pieces. Keep in mind that each tile is also a puzzle of about eight pieces... I have foam everywhere.
- He thinks he is so stinkin' funny, too. He does random things (throws a toy, looks at Keegan and I in a goofy way, makes a silly noise...) and then hysterically laughs at himself like he's the best comedian ever. And he is.
- He ALMOST says mama!! I so excite:) It comes out kinda like 'muba' or 'mumba' some days, but it's getting there.
- He stands on his own for a few seconds at a time, and has taken one or two accidental steps without realizing it. It scares the daylights out of me that he might be walking soon.
- Like all babies, he absolutely LOVES to play peek-a-boo. He'll take it a step further and crawl out of the room, look back and you, you say peek-a-boo, and he just about dies laughing. I'm sure if you just said the word without actually hiding he would probably get a kick out of it...
- He has such an independent streak now- no matter what we're doing he wants to be in charge. He has to hold his own spoon when he eats, and hold his diaper and wipes when he gets changed, he never wants to be sitting or held for too long- he must be standing or trying to walk, and car seats? Biggest workout of my life- trying to wrestle him into his carseat and buckle the five points of the harness (darn you safety?) in 100+ degree weather... I swear it's tougher than Bikram Yoga.
Monday, July 25, 2011
baby-proofing and bubble wrap.
Remember how months ago I was praying every day that Aldon would finally learn how to crawl?
Well, he did! Well, sort of. He has his own method, kind of a 'kick-stand crawl'. And, since hindsight is 20/20, I realize that life was much simpler before he was scooting all over the place.
Allow me to list the things he's gotten into today (keep in mind, this is just this morning. We've been up since 8, so this is only 2 and a half hours of mastery):
- Emptied the bottom level of the bookshelf in the living room. I had to move everything up and cram it into the top 2 cubbies, but I'm sure once he realizes he can pull himself up on that the bookshelf is gonna go bye-bye.
-Across the room we keep an area of toys for him. A small toy hamper, a box of toys, and a few free standing large toys. He tipped over both toy bins and took all the toys out. It was HILARIOUS since he was acting like a kid on Christmas finding toys he hasn't played with in, oh, a day.
-Keegan has some welding equipment and other big boy toys shoved in a corner, that got found and is currently looking for a new home.
-He has managed to unplug the computer cord three times. (I'm still trying to find a way to put cords and things up out of his reach, other than taping them down, which I just might have to do anyways.)
-We usually keep a small stack of diapers and wipes out with a little blanket to use as a diaper changing area... the kid loves playing in his own (clean!) diapers. And chewing on baby wipes. And butt paste makes for good finger paint when mom's doing the dishes, just ask Aldon!
-The DVD's have been scattered across the floor, their home is the TV stand in the corner.
-Next to my rocking chair I keep my knitting basket with all my needles, yarn, patterns, and projects in it. It has one of those latch things where you have to turn the thingy to the side and whatnot. Aldon scooted over to it and I figured it was harmless cause he couldn't get the lock open. He did. And he looooves yarn.
-He's tried to get underneath the computer desk about ten dozen times since it's cord heaven under there, but mean ol' mom has managed to prevent that.
-When he's not getting around and into everything, he discovered that he can pull apart all of the pieces of his playmat. It's a foam tile mat with edging, but each of the tiles is also a puzzle. It's about 6' X 5', and each tile puzzle has about 8 pieces. Needless to say, I'm finding these little foam pieces EVERYWHERE. He chews on some, shoves some under the coach, in corners, in his shorts (I found the missing frog leg piece while doing laundry the other day, apparently he stored it in his clothes for safe keeping.)
Needless to say, this week is gonna bring some major changes for us in the form of multiple baby-proofing kits. We already did the obvious cabinet latches and outlet covers (and Keegan put some doorknob covers on the backdoor; I appreciated his zest but um, I don't think Aldon will be tall enough to reach the knob anyways until he's like 3) but this is whole baby-proof the house thing apparently calls for some heavy duty equipment.
I keep drifting back to when I lived alone and had my townhouse all set up so cutesy with everything in it's place and little knick knacks here and there; bookshelves full of biographies of inspirational people, the occasional chick-lit good read, my Cosmo magazines.. now: it's stuffed with parenting 'how-to' manuals, the complete line of 'What To Expect...' books, children's books, and of course the only magazines are Parenting, Parents, and American Baby. Ahhhh, what a treasured life I live ;)
Another new development for Aldon- he can stand on his own! For like, four seconds tops, but hey it still counts! He's taken a few accidental steps on his own, but doesn't really realize what he's doing. He gets so excited over skills he masters, and we do, too... but this recent almost walking thing terrifies me. I swear I'm about to wrap him in yards of bubble wrap cause he's bound to fall sometime. And I'm talking the industrial, huge bubbles on this wrap, not those puny little ones. Because obviously that won't make other babies at daycare laugh at him.
Well, he did! Well, sort of. He has his own method, kind of a 'kick-stand crawl'. And, since hindsight is 20/20, I realize that life was much simpler before he was scooting all over the place.
Allow me to list the things he's gotten into today (keep in mind, this is just this morning. We've been up since 8, so this is only 2 and a half hours of mastery):
- Emptied the bottom level of the bookshelf in the living room. I had to move everything up and cram it into the top 2 cubbies, but I'm sure once he realizes he can pull himself up on that the bookshelf is gonna go bye-bye.
-Across the room we keep an area of toys for him. A small toy hamper, a box of toys, and a few free standing large toys. He tipped over both toy bins and took all the toys out. It was HILARIOUS since he was acting like a kid on Christmas finding toys he hasn't played with in, oh, a day.
-Keegan has some welding equipment and other big boy toys shoved in a corner, that got found and is currently looking for a new home.
-He has managed to unplug the computer cord three times. (I'm still trying to find a way to put cords and things up out of his reach, other than taping them down, which I just might have to do anyways.)
-We usually keep a small stack of diapers and wipes out with a little blanket to use as a diaper changing area... the kid loves playing in his own (clean!) diapers. And chewing on baby wipes. And butt paste makes for good finger paint when mom's doing the dishes, just ask Aldon!
-The DVD's have been scattered across the floor, their home is the TV stand in the corner.
-Next to my rocking chair I keep my knitting basket with all my needles, yarn, patterns, and projects in it. It has one of those latch things where you have to turn the thingy to the side and whatnot. Aldon scooted over to it and I figured it was harmless cause he couldn't get the lock open. He did. And he looooves yarn.
-He's tried to get underneath the computer desk about ten dozen times since it's cord heaven under there, but mean ol' mom has managed to prevent that.
-When he's not getting around and into everything, he discovered that he can pull apart all of the pieces of his playmat. It's a foam tile mat with edging, but each of the tiles is also a puzzle. It's about 6' X 5', and each tile puzzle has about 8 pieces. Needless to say, I'm finding these little foam pieces EVERYWHERE. He chews on some, shoves some under the coach, in corners, in his shorts (I found the missing frog leg piece while doing laundry the other day, apparently he stored it in his clothes for safe keeping.)
Needless to say, this week is gonna bring some major changes for us in the form of multiple baby-proofing kits. We already did the obvious cabinet latches and outlet covers (and Keegan put some doorknob covers on the backdoor; I appreciated his zest but um, I don't think Aldon will be tall enough to reach the knob anyways until he's like 3) but this is whole baby-proof the house thing apparently calls for some heavy duty equipment.
I keep drifting back to when I lived alone and had my townhouse all set up so cutesy with everything in it's place and little knick knacks here and there; bookshelves full of biographies of inspirational people, the occasional chick-lit good read, my Cosmo magazines.. now: it's stuffed with parenting 'how-to' manuals, the complete line of 'What To Expect...' books, children's books, and of course the only magazines are Parenting, Parents, and American Baby. Ahhhh, what a treasured life I live ;)
Another new development for Aldon- he can stand on his own! For like, four seconds tops, but hey it still counts! He's taken a few accidental steps on his own, but doesn't really realize what he's doing. He gets so excited over skills he masters, and we do, too... but this recent almost walking thing terrifies me. I swear I'm about to wrap him in yards of bubble wrap cause he's bound to fall sometime. And I'm talking the industrial, huge bubbles on this wrap, not those puny little ones. Because obviously that won't make other babies at daycare laugh at him.
 |
| From this little peanut.... |
 |
| ...to this almost-toddler in what seems like overnight. Amazing. |
Friday, June 17, 2011
Baby girlfriends, pictures, and ball pits. All in a day's blog.
My, my, my it's been entirely too long since I've logged on here.
Unfortunately, it hasn't been all that exciting here since I last blogged. Mainly, just the boring humdrum of school for me and internship for Keegan, but Aldon gets all the excitement he can manage every day at his daycare!! It feels so good to have a center to take him to that I LOVE. Recently, the infant room got a new ball pit for the babes so he makes sure to kick in that just about every day. Also, baby man got himself a little girly-friend!! Mmmhm, it's true... they grow up way too fast. He and this little girl babe like to sit on the play mat together and hold hands, they're still to shy to look at eachother but hey, it's new love. I can't believe he is going to be EIGHT MONTHS soon :( Dear lord, where did my little baby go, and who is this adult in his place?! Ugh.
Even more exciting news- I finally scheduled a time to get Aldon's pictures taken!! I never got hospital pictures since their camera was broken when he was born, and still haven't really found the time to schedule a session with a photographer. I'd like to say I finally buckled down and just made an appointment, but alas, I didn't. The photographer (and fellow blogger, check out her sites here and here) actually had to hound me to get me to make the appointment...
Thursday, May 26, 2011
In A Nutshell...
Since my last post I have:
MOVED!
...and probably remembered why I hate moving so much. I canNOT stand clutter and disorganization (seriously, I organize my fridge and cabinets like every week, obsessive, I know), yet with our schedules half of my house is still in boxes and there's baby stuff everywhere and it's just a mess.
GOTTEN A NEW RIDE!
...yes, brace yourself, I opted for a sweet, jealousy-inducing.... MINI VAN. Contain the envy, please, while I explain why- we live three hours away from family, and like to visit frequently. In order to do that, that means we need to bring:
Now, can YOU fit all of that in your little car? I didn't think so. Yes, I have officially became "that" mom.
AND HUNG OUT WITH MY BESTEST FRIEND IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!
Not many people can say they have had the same best friend from kindergarten through college, but I have that privelage! Sanya came down to visit me this past weekend and we had a blast. You can read about all of it here. She's a much better blogger than I am, and detailed it out in her own blog :)
AND LEARNED HOW TO KNIT!
Sanya friend taught me how to do that, too, while she was here. I'm basically horrible for now, but I did make one sweet washcloth.
Our plans for this weekend include going back up north, catching the parade in Mackinaw City for Memorial Day, and letting baby man sink his toes into some good ole northern Michigan beaches :) Hope everyone has a great holiday!
MOVED!
...and probably remembered why I hate moving so much. I canNOT stand clutter and disorganization (seriously, I organize my fridge and cabinets like every week, obsessive, I know), yet with our schedules half of my house is still in boxes and there's baby stuff everywhere and it's just a mess.
GOTTEN A NEW RIDE!
...yes, brace yourself, I opted for a sweet, jealousy-inducing.... MINI VAN. Contain the envy, please, while I explain why- we live three hours away from family, and like to visit frequently. In order to do that, that means we need to bring:
-Aldon, whose car seat (aka the "Mercedes") is a monster and takes up a gargantuan amount of space.
-about half of his wardrobe since you never know how many outfit changes the day might bring.
-jumperoo
-his "BMW": aka the walker
-jumperoo
-high chair and tray
-baby bathtub
-baby food
-baby feeding utensils
-baby toys
-depending on the situation, the Pack N Play.
-my pump in case I actually wind up doing something and miss a feeding with Aldon
-clothes for me, again extras because my outfit changes usually equal the number of Aldon's when the day gets "explosive"
-plus, of course, bathroom and shower accessories and yada yada.
-and since grandparents spoil grandbabies like crazy, we usually return home with more clothes and toys for Aldon.
Now, can YOU fit all of that in your little car? I didn't think so. Yes, I have officially became "that" mom.
AND HUNG OUT WITH MY BESTEST FRIEND IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!
Not many people can say they have had the same best friend from kindergarten through college, but I have that privelage! Sanya came down to visit me this past weekend and we had a blast. You can read about all of it here. She's a much better blogger than I am, and detailed it out in her own blog :)
AND LEARNED HOW TO KNIT!
Sanya friend taught me how to do that, too, while she was here. I'm basically horrible for now, but I did make one sweet washcloth.
Our plans for this weekend include going back up north, catching the parade in Mackinaw City for Memorial Day, and letting baby man sink his toes into some good ole northern Michigan beaches :) Hope everyone has a great holiday!
Monday, May 02, 2011
Toofers??
So this weekend has been anything but relaxing, as weekends usually are for us. Exams are this week, and its also our last week in this apartment. So I can be found with a microbiology review sheet in one hand while the other is loading various junk that I seem to collect into box after box... This is the eighth time I have moved since leaving for college after high school graduation. I SO cannot wait to just have a house of our own...
But, moving on from that boring talk, let's talk about Aldon, cause that's all I do anyhow :) As you know, his birthday party was a huge success! And today his bottom two teeth finally popped through!! Ok, ok... so they're poking through by like, a millimeter. But it still counts, baby boy has his first toofers :) It's insane how something that seems so mundane takes over your life and becomes so significant... I literally got tears in my eyes feeling the ridges of his first teeth through his gums. And then of course that sentimental moment was brought back to reality by the pain of being bit by said teeth whilst feeding him. And the sounds of a miserable baby crying because said teeth are a real pain in the gums.
He's getting teeth, on the verge of crawling, and already bosses his father and I around like an egotistical drill sergeant... ahh the good ole days. Seriously, raising Aldon is the best thing that has ever happened to me. But, it isn't always all that grand. So here's my insight to the top best and worst Mommy Moments:
BEST:
- feeling him move for the first time.
WORST:
- when he has no more room to move and you spend the last two months of your pregnancy feeling like a bowling ball is between your legs and your ribs are about to crack any minute.
BEST:
- that first smile.
WORST:
- smiling and laughing at each other, when, unexpectedly, baby throw up flies into your open, no-longer-smiling mouth.
BEST:
- admiring how absolutely adorable your baby is in that new designer outfit you just bought for him. Clearly you made the world's best looking kid!
WORST:
- ten minutes later when baby's diaper has exploded all over that new outfit and you're dumbfounded as to how to get it off without covering baby from shoulders to toes and down the arms with diaper contents. And if there could be a stain remover strong enough to tackle that laundry job...
BEST:
-Watching and cheering as he hits every milestone in his life, no matter how big or small.
WORST:
- Knowing that with every milestone reached, he's one step further away from the tiny baby you once had and one step closer to an adult who runs his own life. It comes faster than you think...
BEST:
- becoming a mommy and feeling that surge of love that comes with. nothing can truly compare.
WORST:
- Knowing that no matter how much you love your baby you cannot protect him from life's bumps and bruises, no matter how hard you may try.
But, moving on from that boring talk, let's talk about Aldon, cause that's all I do anyhow :) As you know, his birthday party was a huge success! And today his bottom two teeth finally popped through!! Ok, ok... so they're poking through by like, a millimeter. But it still counts, baby boy has his first toofers :) It's insane how something that seems so mundane takes over your life and becomes so significant... I literally got tears in my eyes feeling the ridges of his first teeth through his gums. And then of course that sentimental moment was brought back to reality by the pain of being bit by said teeth whilst feeding him. And the sounds of a miserable baby crying because said teeth are a real pain in the gums.
He's getting teeth, on the verge of crawling, and already bosses his father and I around like an egotistical drill sergeant... ahh the good ole days. Seriously, raising Aldon is the best thing that has ever happened to me. But, it isn't always all that grand. So here's my insight to the top best and worst Mommy Moments:
BEST:
- feeling him move for the first time.
WORST:
- when he has no more room to move and you spend the last two months of your pregnancy feeling like a bowling ball is between your legs and your ribs are about to crack any minute.
BEST:
- that first smile.
WORST:
- smiling and laughing at each other, when, unexpectedly, baby throw up flies into your open, no-longer-smiling mouth.
BEST:
- admiring how absolutely adorable your baby is in that new designer outfit you just bought for him. Clearly you made the world's best looking kid!
WORST:
- ten minutes later when baby's diaper has exploded all over that new outfit and you're dumbfounded as to how to get it off without covering baby from shoulders to toes and down the arms with diaper contents. And if there could be a stain remover strong enough to tackle that laundry job...
BEST:
-Watching and cheering as he hits every milestone in his life, no matter how big or small.
WORST:
- Knowing that with every milestone reached, he's one step further away from the tiny baby you once had and one step closer to an adult who runs his own life. It comes faster than you think...
BEST:
- becoming a mommy and feeling that surge of love that comes with. nothing can truly compare.
WORST:
- Knowing that no matter how much you love your baby you cannot protect him from life's bumps and bruises, no matter how hard you may try.
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Half Birthday Bonanza!
Exactly 6 months from this past Friday our little goober graced us with his presence :) To celebrate, we threw him a half birthday party at a little park here in Big Rapids. Some friends and family came, and he had a blast soaking up all the attention (and presents)!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
the aftermath of spring break.
I'll never understand why Ferris has "spring" break when it's still snowing and blizzard-y outside... either way, I love the time away from classes! We took the time to relax as a family and catch up on things that fall to the wayside when you're constantly running around for yourself, significant other, and world's cutest baby (oh! and fabulous and talented Keegan scored an internship in Grand Rapids this summer!! :)). So, our agenda this week:
Monday: we went to John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids. I know it's winter, but we seriously needed to get out of the house for some fresh air, and Aldon absolutely loves staring at animals. Most of the animals were "away on vacation to Florida" for the time being, but some were still there like the bears, lions, leopards, etc. And of course the aquarium was still open... we found out that penguins a few inches away from Aldon's face scared the beejeezus out of him.. oops.
Tuesday: Baby man and I kicked it while Daddy went to his interview... that he NAILED. So proud of him :)
Wednesday- Saturday: We made the three hour car trip to Cheboygan to see all the grandparents. Everyone had a blast seeing him, like always ;) and it gave us time to catch up with old friends. One in particular, Sanya, I don't know what I would do without. She and I have been besties since we were six I think? Something like that... She's the type of friend who, literally, will meet up with you in the doctor's office parking lot to catch up while you're changing a diaper and feeding your son in the backseat. Her friendship means more to me than words can describe. She's just an incredible person, over all. She's so talented in art and crafty things, has a killer wardrobe I'm so envious of, is incredibly brilliant and almost done with her round of schooling up north to be a nurse.... I think you get the point, I may have a girl crush.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
road trips, carrots, and bunny suits.
Why is it that weekends are always over way too quickly? Waaah.
Well, at least this weekend was uber fun for us on this end! We decided to trek up to Manistee, MI for the day on Saturday to visit with my family. My sister, Lauren, drove from New Hudson to be there as well. With her were her three munchkins, my brother Kevin and his girlfriend, their brother Justin, Lauren also brought her new beau, plus their sister stopped by for a little bit. Oh, and we went to Manistee to see our grandparents. So that brings it to a total, of oh... a crazy bunch.
It was the first time everybody got to meet Aldon, and he was, of course, a big hit :) When I was still teeny-tiny pregnant I was living with Lauren and being her nanny. It was soooo adorable to see her kids interact with "baby sprout" and see him out of my tummy. Sammy (who's 3) was teaching him the ropes of being a little boy and how to give knuckle bumps :)
I've always grown up with an insanely active and large family. Here in Big Rapids it's JUST Keegan, Aldon and I. I worry a lot about him not knowing his relatives like I do... but I'm sure that's just a typical mom thing.
Other exciting news from this weekend: my big baby upgraded from rice cereal to jarred baby food!! He tried his first few (and exceedingly messy) spoonfuls of carrots. It's getting even harder and harder to imagine him being the 5 lb baby he was 4 months ago... Keegan and I were showing him all of his ultrasound pictures and pictures from his birth today and it was so precious- he kept touching the pages and staring intently at all the faces, it's amazing to watch every little thing he does :)
And, I know I'm entirely too soon on this one, but I ordered THE cutest little Easter outfit for him. I'll just let the picture speak for itself :)
Now that the weekend is over it means back to the drone of school work and blah blah blah. But at least I get to picture Aldon squeezed into that bunny suit to make it all better! :)
Monday, February 14, 2011
wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities.
I know just about every mom says this and it used to annoy me, too, until now I can say it myself: my son is just growing up way too fast. It seems like there isn't enough time for me to fully enjoy him at each stage he is at. This really hit me today when I saw a friend of mine's picture of him when he was I think 5 days old. Sometimes I get so caught up in school and life and excitement about what he is going to conquer next that I forget to stop and enjoy the NOW and find some way to capture it while I can. Which is another reason why I so wish I was good with photography. So here it is, my first (of guaranteed many) blogs dedicated to the most perfect, adorably chunky, happy, giggly, blue-eyed baby boy, Aldon Matthew!
I didn't find out I was pregnant with Aldon until I was about 2 months along. I was living with my sister at the time- she is in the Army and was working out of Detroit while I was 2 hours away in Hastings with her 3 kids (aged 2, 3 and 4!). With how busy I was, I really had no idea anything was off until I went to the doctor's for an ear ache and, of course, they ask all the questions and then it dawned on me. Needless to say, after peeing on several sticks just to make sure I wasn't crazy, I was pregnant. Keegan was there with me when we took the test. He really is the greatest ever, most 20 year olds wouldn't be able to handle all of that so calmly (I know I wasn't!). We hadn't been dating that long (as in, just a few shorts months. At first I wasn't looking for anything too serious right away, I just ended a long term relationship and was sort of seeing someone my sister knew from the Army, but that didn't work out) we knew there was no doubt that the baby would be with us forever.
Meanwhile, my sister decided to move her family closer to Detroit. So, me in all my newly pregnant glory packed up and moved even father away from Keegan. While we were living there I had my first baby doctor appointment and saw our little sprout baby (I hate when people refer to babies in the tummy as "it." Since we didn't know boy or girl, he became Sprout baby :)). Truly a crazy thing! I wasn't one of those saps who cried, but it definitely was something.
So time went on and I got bigger and bigger ;) In May we found out that we were having a boy. I planned on not finding out so the tech told Keegan the sex and then kept it a secret from me. Of course, 5 minutes later I begged him to tell me. Right away I knew I would name him Aldon, it's a name I've always loved because it was different but not weird. Also, one of my distant cousins has a son named Aldan (though they pronounce it differently than we do) so I kind of stole it. Keegan gave him the middle name Matthew after his father.
I gained about 40 pounds during my pregnancy. I was so sure I was going to have a huge chunky baby. But, instead, on October 29 I had a tiny tiny tiny 5 lb, 12 oz little boy :) I had to be induced because my blood pressure started going up and was in active labor for about 9 hours. I loved it. My whole family came down to BR and so did Keegan's and we were just hanging out, waiting. Funny (but maybe TMI) moment: the doctor had to break my water, and I was not aware that every time I had contractions after that, more fluid would gush out. For a good hour I was thinking I was constantly peeing myself. It felt just like it! haha. Then, the doctor did a check to see how things were going... and felt my son's nose. Needless to say, that isn't supposed to happen and I was sent straight to surgery to have a C-section. I despised the thought of having a C-section. I had such an easy pregnancy so I figured labor would be a breeze too and nothing would go wrong. Wrong. I had such a hard time accepting it. I never really talked about it cause then people give you the "Oh, you should just be happy you have a healthy baby" speech. Bullshit. Of course I'm happy my baby is healthy, but when you have such high hopes for something for sooo long and then it works out the exact opposite, I believe you're entitled to a pity party.
Recovery was killer for the first 2 weeks. I definitely pushed myself wayyy too hard (what else is new). I was so upset that I wasn't technically the first person to hold my baby, plus the crazy hormones that I cried a ton. In private. Then there were times I could cry for no reason and be laughing at my stupid self for crying and I think poor Keegan was probably afraid of me at this point :P I also beat myself up a lot because that first week the highlight of my day was getting out of bed, therefore I couldn't help much with a new baby. Kinda felt like I missed out.
Moving on, though. Aldon never cried. We thought we hit the baby lottery! It's amazing I even showed up for class or got the stellar grades I did because every second was spent with him. He probably got so sick of me but he can deal with it, I waited ten months to see him :) Even from birth he has been the perfect combination of Keegan and I. It's not like looking in a mirror like people say, but it is really cool to look at your baby and see yourself and your partner. He has my eyes (though his are still blue), and my nose when I was a baby. The structure of his face is like his father's though. And the facial expressions he makes perfectly match his dad's baby pictures. My favorite part: his toes :) He has the cutest, tiniest most perfect baby toes. I know that's such a weird thing to fixate on, but I love them :)
We get, I don't know the exact word for it I guess, discriminated? well, that's close. We get discriminated against a lot for being young parents. Every trip to the pediatrician's comes with some remark from the nurses about how young we are and how surprised they are at his health and development and that we're "actually" good parents. Or that I "actually" breastfeed. Uh duh, he's my son and regardless of my age I'm going to do everything I can to make his life the best. I knew I was going to face hurdles like that, so while it kinda stings for the most part it just rolls off. At the end of the day, I still have the world's cutest baby and they don't :P
He's grown so much now. Probably around 14 or 15 pounds by now and over 2 feet long. It's so amazing to watch him. Everything fascinates him! Just the other day he was staring at my face while we were playing and reached out to grab my nose. When he touched it he squealed so loud and got the biggest grin on his face :) He's starting to understand that the things he does have an affect on the world- like when he "talks" Keegan and I talk back and he can get a reaction out of us. Or, how when he pulls the cat's fur the cat meows ;) His personality is totally his own. Yet it's also traits of ours.
I've always been a worrier, but now it's extreme. I know I can't shelter him, but the thought of him getting knocked down on the playground or missing me while he's at daycare drives me crazy. I suppose it's a "mom" thing...
I can't imagine not having him. He fits in so perfectly and is our entire world. "The best thing that could have happened to me" doesn't even begin to cover how it feels to have a baby. I love him so much I don't think I can have another. I miss pregnancy at times, but I don't wanna share my love with another baby. I swear there can't be enough in the world after all I've given to him :)
My little cutie patootie just woke up from his (short-lived) nap, so I'll end this novel with a thought:
A new baby is like the beginning of all things- wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities. --Eda J. Le Shan
I didn't find out I was pregnant with Aldon until I was about 2 months along. I was living with my sister at the time- she is in the Army and was working out of Detroit while I was 2 hours away in Hastings with her 3 kids (aged 2, 3 and 4!). With how busy I was, I really had no idea anything was off until I went to the doctor's for an ear ache and, of course, they ask all the questions and then it dawned on me. Needless to say, after peeing on several sticks just to make sure I wasn't crazy, I was pregnant. Keegan was there with me when we took the test. He really is the greatest ever, most 20 year olds wouldn't be able to handle all of that so calmly (I know I wasn't!). We hadn't been dating that long (as in, just a few shorts months. At first I wasn't looking for anything too serious right away, I just ended a long term relationship and was sort of seeing someone my sister knew from the Army, but that didn't work out) we knew there was no doubt that the baby would be with us forever.
Meanwhile, my sister decided to move her family closer to Detroit. So, me in all my newly pregnant glory packed up and moved even father away from Keegan. While we were living there I had my first baby doctor appointment and saw our little sprout baby (I hate when people refer to babies in the tummy as "it." Since we didn't know boy or girl, he became Sprout baby :)). Truly a crazy thing! I wasn't one of those saps who cried, but it definitely was something.
So time went on and I got bigger and bigger ;) In May we found out that we were having a boy. I planned on not finding out so the tech told Keegan the sex and then kept it a secret from me. Of course, 5 minutes later I begged him to tell me. Right away I knew I would name him Aldon, it's a name I've always loved because it was different but not weird. Also, one of my distant cousins has a son named Aldan (though they pronounce it differently than we do) so I kind of stole it. Keegan gave him the middle name Matthew after his father.
I gained about 40 pounds during my pregnancy. I was so sure I was going to have a huge chunky baby. But, instead, on October 29 I had a tiny tiny tiny 5 lb, 12 oz little boy :) I had to be induced because my blood pressure started going up and was in active labor for about 9 hours. I loved it. My whole family came down to BR and so did Keegan's and we were just hanging out, waiting. Funny (but maybe TMI) moment: the doctor had to break my water, and I was not aware that every time I had contractions after that, more fluid would gush out. For a good hour I was thinking I was constantly peeing myself. It felt just like it! haha. Then, the doctor did a check to see how things were going... and felt my son's nose. Needless to say, that isn't supposed to happen and I was sent straight to surgery to have a C-section. I despised the thought of having a C-section. I had such an easy pregnancy so I figured labor would be a breeze too and nothing would go wrong. Wrong. I had such a hard time accepting it. I never really talked about it cause then people give you the "Oh, you should just be happy you have a healthy baby" speech. Bullshit. Of course I'm happy my baby is healthy, but when you have such high hopes for something for sooo long and then it works out the exact opposite, I believe you're entitled to a pity party.
Recovery was killer for the first 2 weeks. I definitely pushed myself wayyy too hard (what else is new). I was so upset that I wasn't technically the first person to hold my baby, plus the crazy hormones that I cried a ton. In private. Then there were times I could cry for no reason and be laughing at my stupid self for crying and I think poor Keegan was probably afraid of me at this point :P I also beat myself up a lot because that first week the highlight of my day was getting out of bed, therefore I couldn't help much with a new baby. Kinda felt like I missed out.
Moving on, though. Aldon never cried. We thought we hit the baby lottery! It's amazing I even showed up for class or got the stellar grades I did because every second was spent with him. He probably got so sick of me but he can deal with it, I waited ten months to see him :) Even from birth he has been the perfect combination of Keegan and I. It's not like looking in a mirror like people say, but it is really cool to look at your baby and see yourself and your partner. He has my eyes (though his are still blue), and my nose when I was a baby. The structure of his face is like his father's though. And the facial expressions he makes perfectly match his dad's baby pictures. My favorite part: his toes :) He has the cutest, tiniest most perfect baby toes. I know that's such a weird thing to fixate on, but I love them :)
We get, I don't know the exact word for it I guess, discriminated? well, that's close. We get discriminated against a lot for being young parents. Every trip to the pediatrician's comes with some remark from the nurses about how young we are and how surprised they are at his health and development and that we're "actually" good parents. Or that I "actually" breastfeed. Uh duh, he's my son and regardless of my age I'm going to do everything I can to make his life the best. I knew I was going to face hurdles like that, so while it kinda stings for the most part it just rolls off. At the end of the day, I still have the world's cutest baby and they don't :P
He's grown so much now. Probably around 14 or 15 pounds by now and over 2 feet long. It's so amazing to watch him. Everything fascinates him! Just the other day he was staring at my face while we were playing and reached out to grab my nose. When he touched it he squealed so loud and got the biggest grin on his face :) He's starting to understand that the things he does have an affect on the world- like when he "talks" Keegan and I talk back and he can get a reaction out of us. Or, how when he pulls the cat's fur the cat meows ;) His personality is totally his own. Yet it's also traits of ours.
I've always been a worrier, but now it's extreme. I know I can't shelter him, but the thought of him getting knocked down on the playground or missing me while he's at daycare drives me crazy. I suppose it's a "mom" thing...
I can't imagine not having him. He fits in so perfectly and is our entire world. "The best thing that could have happened to me" doesn't even begin to cover how it feels to have a baby. I love him so much I don't think I can have another. I miss pregnancy at times, but I don't wanna share my love with another baby. I swear there can't be enough in the world after all I've given to him :)
My little cutie patootie just woke up from his (short-lived) nap, so I'll end this novel with a thought:
A new baby is like the beginning of all things- wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities. --Eda J. Le Shan
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
perfection.
Today has quite possibly been one of the most perfect days ever. Ferris canceled classes so I got my first snow day since high school :) Since Aldon is already scheduled to go to daycare we dropped him off despite being home all day and just enjoyed the "mommy-daddy time" lazing around doing homework. Don't get me wrong- I love my son more than life itself, but days like today were totally essential I believe. I also love going to the center and seeing my baby man "playing" with all of his "friends" :)
That being said, I really need to kick my butt into the habit of taking more pictures of him. I'm such a horrible photographer and would really love to have professional-esque photos of him taken, but he's so little that getting him to pay attention to anything for more than 2.5 seconds is next to impossible. So if anyone has any tips for how I can create a cute photo sesh at home- please share!! He's getting so unbelievably big now (I know, I know, that's what babies do...)... 3 months old. wow.
With him growing bigger every day my to-do list grows as well- I have a mountain of totes of baby clothes in our basement to sort through to determine what can be donated to other families with little baby boys (again, if anybody knows someone who needs/wants some- do tell!!). I swear 90% of the newborn through 0-3 mo. clothes he has that don't fit anymore he has never even worn. I might have been a little bit of a baby shop-a-holic. Woops!
It seems like every day Keegan and I get asked when we are having another. And to be honest, I don't see how I could have enough love to give another baby. Aldon is my everything. But I do miss being pregnant at times- I had such an easy pregnancy. So the though of being a surrogate mom has crossed my mind a few times. Just a thought.
Well, Aldon is waking up from one of his two-point-five second carseat naps so I'll end this train of thoughts. Time to go curl up with my boys and watch some movies and continue this blissful day :)
That being said, I really need to kick my butt into the habit of taking more pictures of him. I'm such a horrible photographer and would really love to have professional-esque photos of him taken, but he's so little that getting him to pay attention to anything for more than 2.5 seconds is next to impossible. So if anyone has any tips for how I can create a cute photo sesh at home- please share!! He's getting so unbelievably big now (I know, I know, that's what babies do...)... 3 months old. wow.
With him growing bigger every day my to-do list grows as well- I have a mountain of totes of baby clothes in our basement to sort through to determine what can be donated to other families with little baby boys (again, if anybody knows someone who needs/wants some- do tell!!). I swear 90% of the newborn through 0-3 mo. clothes he has that don't fit anymore he has never even worn. I might have been a little bit of a baby shop-a-holic. Woops!
It seems like every day Keegan and I get asked when we are having another. And to be honest, I don't see how I could have enough love to give another baby. Aldon is my everything. But I do miss being pregnant at times- I had such an easy pregnancy. So the though of being a surrogate mom has crossed my mind a few times. Just a thought.
Well, Aldon is waking up from one of his two-point-five second carseat naps so I'll end this train of thoughts. Time to go curl up with my boys and watch some movies and continue this blissful day :)
oh the weather outside is blog-full.
why hello all.
currently i'm perfectly ensconced in a giant snowball thanks be to michigan weather, so i decided creating a blog would be supreme.
who am i, you ask?
i fill many roles- diligent college student, girlfriend to an amazing boyfriend, daughter to the best parents anyone could ask for, sister to seven siblings, aunt to seven nieces and nephews, loyal friend to those who have stuck with me in life, owner of the most eclectic kitty, and most importantly (and recently): mommy to quite possibly the cutest and most precious baby boy :)
my life is full of opposites. hectic yet boring. spontaneous yet routine. you get the drift. but it's my life. and i love every second of it. hope you enjoy :)
currently i'm perfectly ensconced in a giant snowball thanks be to michigan weather, so i decided creating a blog would be supreme.
who am i, you ask?
i fill many roles- diligent college student, girlfriend to an amazing boyfriend, daughter to the best parents anyone could ask for, sister to seven siblings, aunt to seven nieces and nephews, loyal friend to those who have stuck with me in life, owner of the most eclectic kitty, and most importantly (and recently): mommy to quite possibly the cutest and most precious baby boy :)
my life is full of opposites. hectic yet boring. spontaneous yet routine. you get the drift. but it's my life. and i love every second of it. hope you enjoy :)
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| my entire world summed up in one photo. love. |
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