Let's Chat

Evelina and I were excited about our plans to visit Mimi over the weekend but the snow on Friday and then Sunday caused us to stay closer to home.  The snow didn't stop us from video chatting though.  If Lina could have lept into the screen, she would have.  Laptops (and cell phones and remotes) are some of her faves. 

As of today, Evelina has been out of the womb longer than she was in the womb!!  She has done so much growing in the past months....I am so proud of her!! 

Live from the Red Carpet...

it's Evelina, at her first Academy Awards, nominated for Best Baby. 

Smiling for the cameras

Waving to fans

Flashing on the Red Carpet?  The FCC will not be pleased.

Will Joan like my accessories?  I hope the Fashion Police don't mind finger sucking!

Get outta here mamarazzi paparazzi!!

A Weekend of Cloth Diapering

Before I got pregnant, if someone told me they were using cloth diapers or were considering using cloth diapers on their children, I thought to myself, these people have GOT to be crazy!! Who wants to deal with messy #2 in the wash? Just use a disposable, it seems so much easier and cleaner. I had visions of white diapers being loosely draped over babies secured with big diapers pins, leaks everywhere.   

Then, I got pregnant and within days, I began to research anything and everything related to pregnancy, in addition to all I could about baby gear and baby care essentials.  Throughout my research, I kept coming across articles and blog posts about cloth diapering and the benefits of using cloth over disposables. I mentioned cloth diapers to Chris and he looked at me like the crazy pregnant lady that I was and secretly hoped that I would forget about the option.   

The options related to cloth diapering are endless and the more research I did, the more overwhelmed I became.  Considering I had my hands full focusing on the rest of my pregnancy and ultimately taking care of a newborn, I put my thoughts about cloth diapering on the back burner and embraced disposables. Most likely for the better since Evelina was tiny (and I'd read that many cloth diapers don't work as well on smaller babies) and we went through 12+ diaper changes a day for weeks...the laundry would have been never ending.  

As Evelina grew, I would say to Chris that I really wanted to research cloth diapers again and visit the Somerville Diaper Lab for a trial, and again, he looked at me like the crazy sleep deprived new mom that I was and secretly hoped that I would forget about the option.  

Then, a few weeks ago, I was reading a couple of my favorite blogs and they were both raving about their love of Fuzzibunz.  I thought, what the heck, maybe we should give them a shot (since the likelihood of actually finding time to visit the Diaper Lab was a pipe dream). I focused my research on Fuzzibunz and comparable diapers and decided to pull the trigger and buy a few to try, which is exactly what we did over the weekend (against Chris's will...haha).  

Our weekend stash included:  

FuzziBunz One-Size - So far, these are my favorite.  They are super adjustable and fit Lina's long skinny body well.  It was tricky to figure out which row of snaps would be the best for her waist but I think I figured it out. 

bumGenius 4.0 One-Size - I like these but they are not as trim between the legs and made Lina more bow-legged. They are easier to put on then the Fuzzibunz since the snaps aren't as complicated.  
 

GroVia All in 2 - I like the concept of these since you can just remove the insert, put in a new one and reuse the shell (less laundry) but the shell still seemed to get wet which kind if defeats the purpose in my opinion.  I got the hook and loop closure in this style and it was definitely easier than the snaps of the other diapers but I've heard that the snaps are more durable and child-proof.  I am going to give Flip diapers a try and see if these may be a better hybrid option. 

Evelina experienced no leaks or blowouts in any of the diaper styles. I was wary to try a cloth diaper for nighttime in fear of leaks but picked up a few hemp liners and tried one in a Fuzzibunz.  She didn't have any leaks after about 9 hours (I usually don't change her diaper at night but on this particular night she was in belly hell-y so I thought I would be kind and change her).  The diaper was just so big and bulky with 2 inserts and I can't imagine it was very comfortable for her so I'm not sure if we will keep up with nighttime cloth diapering. Perhaps the bumGenius would be better fitting at night.  I may give it a try. 

In addition to all of the styles being super cute and soft, they didn't give Evelina as big of a Kim Kardashian badonkadonk as I thought they would, and she was still able to fit into her outfits comfortably.  So cute!! She even had a mild case of diaper rash prior to Friday and it was pretty much gone yesterday without the use of any Desitin.

Chris (and my family) think I am a loon for wanting to give cloth diapering a shot but the pros definitely seems to outweigh the cons.  It isn't that much more work then putting on a disposable once you get the hang of it. Granted, I will have to do a few more loads of laundry a week but it really isn't so bad.  The only clincher may be our top loading HE washer....it doesn't get the best reviews because it uses less water but I'm hoping it won't be a problem.  So far so good but only time will tell.

I must say that each time I put a cloth diaper on Evelina over the past few days, it just made me feel good. Happy to be doing my part to protect a little piece of the environment, happy to put something soft and non-toxic against her sensitive bum, happy to know that it was one less disposable that we had to purchase.  I even came across this challenge over the weekend as well and it made me feel even better about the 14 or so disposables I saved in 3 days.

Evelina's daycare supports the use of cloth diapers but currently, none of her "friends" are cloth diapered.  I am sure her teachers are going to hate me for changing their diapering process with her but we will just have to see.  I am certainly not against using any disposables but if we could avoid it, I would be happier (for now)...especially since we started putting her in size 3 Pampers Sensitives and they release the most funky chemical scent. Not pleasant. 
 

Belly Hell-y

Oh Lord help me!!  I thought we had dodged a bullet when Evelina started rolling and she would stay on her back or side in her crib during naps and night-time sleep.  How naive was I!?!  I can clearly recollect telling family and friends in the last couple of weeks that she hasn't rolled in her crib, that by this age babies typically have chosen their preferred sleep position and that she is definitely a side sleeper. 

Of course, starting last week, all she wants to do as soon as we put her down in the crib is get on her side and then, ultimately, roll to her belly.  At this point, we aren't to concerned that she will suffocate, but the problem is rolling back once she gets irritated from being on her belly.  She cries while doing 360s around the crib and pushing her bum into the air. We know very well that she can roll belly to back but she would rather a visit from her Mama or Papa to *save* her from the wrath of the belly gods.  If she is facing the door as you walk in, she will flash a big smile...oh Lina.  Tonight, I may have to let her cry in an effort to will her to flip back over or just go to sleep peacefully on her belly. 

Just when I thought she couldn't sleep any better, I end up jinxing myself (I should KNOW better!!).  I am NOT looking forward to when she can stand on her own.  That should be even more blissful to tackle during designated sleep times.  

I just have to keep telling myself...this is just another phase in the saga of infant sleep. Sigh... 

Finger Foods

Over the past week, we started offering Evelina finger foods. Of course, I'm super paranoid that she will choke and I will forget everything I learned about infant CPR and how to correctly administer back blows, but I have to stay positive and keep telling myself that offering finger foods provides many benefits and is great fine motor exercise for her.

We don't expect her to get adequate nutrition from finger foods quite yet so she will still get 2-5oz of purees (veggies, fruits, and other concoctions) with oatmeal, whole grain cereal or yogurt at each meal, in addition to the finger foods.

Man.

I.love.this.baby.

Back to *Normal*

Chris and I both think our instincts were spot on when we thought Evelina's reflux was acting up due to her long-lasting cold.  She appears to be feeling much better, with the exception of a cough here and there, and taking her bottle or sippy cup much more easily.  During feedings, we still need to battle with her desire to take frequent breaks, straining to sit up as we cradle her, yearning to get in some additional babbling, or just feeling the need to nosy around her surroundings looking at what is new over here or over there, maybe grabbing our faces, hair, sleeves, watches, or whatever else may be in arms reach. And forget about burping her...that is a whole other challenge.  She is a busy, fidgety, inquisitive 8+ month old that's for certain!!  We are happy that she is feeling better again.  Let's hope it stays that way!!  NO MORE WINTER COLDS!!

Violet Cuteness of the Week

Violet gets herself into the strange predicaments.  We all know how much she loves to run under and between things, including legs...we also know she suffers from perception problems. Oh Vivi...

10 Years

Not only is this my 300th blog post, but this weekend marks 10 years since Chris and I shared our first date together!! On February 11th, 2001, Chris picked me up (LATE, but I forgave him) at my apartment in Brighton and we went to dinner at Seasons Restaurant (which no longer exists) at the Millennium Bostonian Hotel and enjoyed a fancy 5-course meal.  I remember being so nervous, me a mere 24-years old, going out on a date with an older guy. Teehee. We had a wonderful evening as we started to get to know each other in person...rather than over email, and we even arranged to go out on our second date on Valentine's day. When Chris picked me up (on time!!) he presented me with a single yellow rose...my favorite, and we proceeded to go to see Hannibal, not the most romantic film but damn good, and nosh on popcorn in celebration of our first heart's day together.

Over the past 10 years we have grown both individually and as a couple and I couldn't imagine who I would be and what my life would have become (so far) without Chris by my side. He makes me laugh everyday, he is my best friend, partner in crime, confidante, and a wonderful father and I'm so lucky to have found him.

Reflux Sucks

Within the first two weeks of Evelina’s life, we discovered that we were blessed with a spitter. Yay us!! She would spit up with each burp, she would spit up at the end of each feeding, and she would even spit up within hours of a feeding. Her spit up runneth over, onto furniture, rugs, floors, toys, anyone holding her, herself...... There were many days for which we grew concerned that the amount of spit up she would produce was cause for alarm and may impact her weight gain, but after many discussions with her pediatrician, the conclusion was….she spits up, most babies spit up. If she isn’t in discomfort as a result of the spit up, she is just fine and will grow out of it eventually. Until that time, our stock of bibs and burp clothes would be coveted at every feeding, positioned under her head during playtime or always close by ready for wiping, and included as a permanent article in the diaper bag…treated as gold.

At Evelina’s 2 month well-baby visit, all was well, and of course, being that annoying first-time mom that I am, couldn’t help but bring up the spit up issue once again. “If she doesn’t appear to be in discomfort, then she is doing fine. She will grow out of it, babies spit up.” Then all of a sudden, I found my ass glued to the stability ball, bouncing Evelina throughout every feeding, too help sooth her, and to avoid back arching and painful crying. I wouldn’t dare take the bottle away to burp her in fear of pain taking over or her not accepting the bottle again. She went from eating about 4-5oz bottles to 2oz bottles and I dreaded each feeding, especially those that had to happen outside of the house. It was heartbreaking to see her in so much distress at each feeding and it was exhausting for me to deal with 5-7 times per day. At the time, I was still on maternity leave, so when Chris would walk though the door each evening I was incredibly relieved to have a break. Luckily, once her feeding was over she would be back to her happy self and any pain she experienced during her feedings didn’t impact her sleep which was positive.

Once the seemingly painful feedings began, we were in constant communication with Evelina’s pediatrician about the possibly of her being diagnosed with GERD. She had most of the symptoms but we all wanted to avoid putting her on medication, if possible, so we attempted to keep her propped up at 45 degrees (or more) the majority of the time in hopes that it would alleviate her symptoms. After a few days of propping and little improvement we started administering Zantac two times per day. Within a week, we saw vast improvement in feedings...YAHOO!!

Fast forward to two weeks ago when Evelina came down with Croup, which included a horrible cough, in addition to congestion, a runny nose and lots of phlegm. During this time, she became increasingly fidgety during her feedings. Thinking perhaps the stage 2 nipple was to slow, we transition her to stage 3 nipples which helped for a few days but the ease of feedings didn’t last very long and were followed by back arching, crying, bottle swatting, head turning and lip pursing…all reminders of the horrible weeks we all suffered through during her initial attack of GERD, minus all of the spit up (she still spits up some but definitely not as much as she did in her first 6 months).

After consulting her pediatrician, we increased her Zantac dosage but so far have seen little improvement. He thinks that the introduction of solids may be aggravating her reflux but Chris nor I are convinced this is the cause. She has been eating solids since she turned 6 months and has had no issues until she got her recent cold. We think that her congestion and nasal drip are irritating her stomach and that she is still having some difficulty breathing, resulting in discomfort when she sucks. Trying to get her to eat 6oz is quite a challenge and can take up to 45 minutes or more depending on the number of breaks taken. I thought we were beyond this phase and I have grown frustrated and very sad seeing my little baby in discomfort during each feeding. If we see no improvement in the next few days, we may have to switch her from Zantac to Prilosec or Prevacid. I am REALLY hoping that her cold goes away and she gets back to eating normally on her own. Before this all happened she was doing so well and we were even thinking about stopping the Zantac. Fingers crossed that she will feel better soon.

Table for Three

On Saturday night, Chris and I decided to head to the 99 for dinner since we hadn't been in awhile.  Gone are the days of bellying up to the bar for dinner while taking in whatever game happened to be on.  What is even more fun though?  Evelina sitting in a restaurant high chair for the first time while eating her dinner (butternut squash and zucchini...yummy) with us. She was such an inquisitive little one, observing the patrons, taking in her surroundings and, of course, watching the TV that was mounted above our booth.  Gotta love her.      

8 Months!!

Dear Evelina,

You are 8 months old!!  8 whole months, seriously, what happened to the last 7?  They whizzed by in an instant, with the blink of an eye. This has certainly been quite the month, with each week being filled with accomplishments, smiles, laughs, many snow days (which means extra days with me and papa) and even your first bout of Croup.  

Over the past couple of weeks you have been under the weather and it's been very tough for both me and your papa to see you in discomfort. You're poor nose is constantly running and you have a phlegmy cough that shakes your entire body and wakes you during the night.  We just want you to get better and be back to your jovial self again very soon.  


In happy news, you surprised me one day by rolling from back to belly when I wasn't looking (you'd been so close for awhile so it's was about time!!) so now you can officially roll in both directions.  Rolling still isn't your favorite motor skill but you can do it when you choose too.  You much prefer your new skill of sitting unassisted and you love to stand while being closely monitored by me or your papa. You also are able to pivot around on your belly very easily and move around to grab toys.  You've even started to push up on your knees and stick your bum into the air which results in you moving backward.  Your papa and I definitely think this is your first step toward crawling and we don't think it will be long before you are really mobile.  You continue to enjoy the jumperoo but you really have fun in your around we go entertaining walker.  You've gotten so great at walking around and figuring out what each of the toys will do.  We may have to retire your bouncy chair this month since you love sitting up straight and twisting in it...it can't be very safe for you anymore!! 

You used to be such a chatterbox but took a little hiatus to work on your motor skills.  Once you mastered rolling and sitting what emerged were lots of  bababas, dadadas, and even the occasional rara, faba, quaba and mama. I smile each time I hear your sweet little voice (even if you do yell on occasion) and it is exciting for us to imagine what you will sound like when you really start chatting with us. 

Lunch and dinner time continue to be a hit, and are partial to orange vegetables as well as any fruit that touches those cute lips of yours.  You could live without peas and green beans but I still try to blend them with some of your favorites in hopes that you will enjoy them one day.  You have tried some new foods over the past month, whole grain cereal, bananas, blueberries, peaches, parsnips, corn, potatoes, yogurt, and I'm on the lookout for some recipes that include beans and meats for you to try this month.  Every so often I will put some Cheerios on your high chair table for you to experiment with but you haven't quite figured out that you are supposed to pick them up and put them in your month.  You would much rather chomp on your bib or other objects instead of actual finger food.

There are a few things that heighten your fuss-bucket mood these days: 

• You absolutely HATE when I get you dressed for bed.  You can be smiling, chatting and even giggling and as soon as I slip one of your arms into your jammies, you get so angry.  I have started sitting you up during the process and that usually will keep the tears at bay.  
• Bottle feedings aren't your favorite times of day.  You get extremely fidgety and distracted.  You have become the master of swatting the bottle or my hands away in protest since you would much prefer to observe the world around you.  I would classify you as little Miss Nosey.
• You HATE when I wipe your nose or clean your eyes.  You will swat my hand away, turn your head and get so angry.  Don't you want to breathe easier?     

In other developments:  

• You are now down to 4 bottle feedings a day and averaging about 24oz.  This is down from 5 feedings and about 32oz.  
• You are in size 6-9 or 6-12 month clothes and still in size 2 diapers for daytime but size 3 for night. 
• On January 31st, you weighed in at 15lbs 1oz. 
• No sign of any new teeth yet, but your 2 bottom teeth have really sprouted.
• You have started to pivot your wrists back and forth in a wave motion.  I'm not sure if it is officially a wave but it sure is cute.  
• Your hair is growing, but still not enough for any cute barrettes yet.  
• You have started to raise your eyebrows. 
• You are such a curious little one and you will tip your head to either side to try to look at something in a different way, or you will move your head to one side or the other if something is out of view that you are interested in observing.  It is too cute.   

I already anticipate that this will be another exciting month and I look forward to seeing your personality continue to evolve. You are such a bundle of energy and a big goofball and I can't imagine a day without you.   

You are the sunshine of my life,
Mommy

Rolling Back to Belly Footage

I was finally able to capture Evelina in action, rolling back to belly.

National Wear Red Day

February is National Heart Month and today is National Wear Red Day, so Evelina and I are sportin' our red to support "Go Red for Women" and honor my mom and other family members who have been impacted by heart disease. 
 

"Working" From Home

Today is an ice day...no snow is falling here in Ashland, just a lovely freezing rain. Daycare is closed but work must be done, therefore, my trusty little helper and I are trying to be productive in between feedings, diaper changes play breaks (which includes playing with my mobile and making accidental calls), and steam sessions (poor little thing is so congested and has a horrible cough).   From the look on her face, she may have found an error in my document

Top Reasons Why I’m SOOO Over Pumping

It seems like every time I pump, I comment about something related to how much I CAN'T STAND it anymore.  Here are my top reasons for why i'm SOOO over pumping: 

• Time, time, time – At the height of my pumping routine, I would pump 7 times per 24 hour period. Once my supply was established, I pumped 5 times a day; between 5-6am, 10ish in the morning, 2ish in the afternoon, 8ish in the evening and between 11-1am, each session being 10-20 minutes long. Would I have rather been doing something else with my time? Would I have rather been actually breastfeeding Evelina instead of pumping? Yes!! Pumping has become second nature to me and just part of my daily routine, fitting it in during Evelina’s nap time, scheduling it into my work calendar, always making sure to pump before going out for the day, etc. When I turn off the pump for that final time, I think it will be strange for me to have “free time”. I am looking forward to it.
• It’s just ugly – From the first day we brought Evelina home, the pump has been a fixture in our living room. It isn’t the most beautiful decorative element. It’s an eye-sore that we need to move each time we have visitors other than my mom and sister. It’s in a super convenient place so that I can pump and watch TV or use the laptop, and if necessary still keep an eye on Lina as she plays in the living room. But I am looking forward to throwing the dang thing in the trash and never seeing it again.
• Schlepping the breast pump everywhere – To my parent’s or other relative’s houses during holidays and family events and to work 4 days a week. I already have to travel with enough extras with the addition of an infant but also needing to bring the pump along is just an added hassle. And, it’s no fun having to excuse myself from family gatherings for 10-20 minutes or interrupt productivity at work to pump.
• Wearing a bra to bed – Since I was about 24ish weeks pregnant, I’ve been wearing a bra to bed at night, primarily because I’ve had to use breast pads. Granted, the sleep bras are pretty comfy, but when you consider that I’ve been wearing one during sleepy time for almost a year, it gets uncomfortable.
• Wearing breast pads – I was one of the unlucky ones that leaked colostrum early in pregnancy, at around 24 weeks. This caused me to start wearing breast pads each and every day and night. I’ve gone through every brand, including the washable organic variety and even though they all do the job, I am constantly changing and re-shifting them.
• Sweating - I never knew that lactation would cause sweaty cleave.  Day and night.  Wearing a bra to bed with breast pads and sweating is just not pleasent.
• Waking up earlier – Because I always need to pump in the morning, I have to get up earlier on work days and set my alarm on non-work days so that I can pump before Lina gets up. I just want to sleep "in"!!
• Washing pump parts – If you add up the time I’ve spent washing pump parts, it would total days. The last thing I want to do when I just want to spend time with Lina or just sit on my arse and relax with Chris, is stand at the sink washing pump parts for what feels like the 1000th time. I’m SOOO over it!!
• Washing breast milk storage bottles – see Washing pump parts. 

Of course I will miss a few things:

• Breast milk is hassle free to serve. I would just fill up Lina's bottles in advance and keep them in the fridge ready for her next feeding (for up to 4 days).  An hour prior to her feeding, we would take out a bottle to get room temperature.  Since breast milk can stay out at room temperature for up to 8 hours, it was easy to travel with bottles and have them ready whenever we needed, in the car, at friend's house, mommy and me, etc.  If Lina didn't finish the entire bottle, we would save the leftovers for another feeding.  Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy.  Formula just has so many rules...it can't be left unrefrigerated for more than one hour, prepared bottles must be used within 48 hours, you can't reuse any leftovers, don't shake it too much or it creates too many bubbles and can cause gas, make sure the water you use is safe, etc.   
  
• Breast milk is the perfect first food for babies (well, unless your baby has an allergy of sorts). I will miss knowing that Evelina is getting the very best and that I was able to provide it to her exclusively for months. I never had to worry about harmful contaminates being in my breast milk or it getting recalled. I always knew it would be safe.
• Breast milk is free!! We had to purchase some formula in the first few weeks due to breast milk supply issues, but other than that, we didn't buy another can until after Lina turned 6 months and I started the weaning process. The money we've saved is most likely in the 1,000s of $$. Pretty crazy when you think about it. Since she can start to drink whole milk at 12 months, we will only have to purchase formula exclusively for about 4 months. That isn't so bad.
• I have been able to eat WHATEVER I've wanted since Evelina's birth, if not more...and I have still lost all of the pregnancy weight, if not more.  I'll definitely need to start watching my intake once the breast feeding/pumping journey is officially over.  

As of today, I'm pumping once every 48 hours so the end is very near!!

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