When you have a kid, it just seems like the stuff piles up. I realize that I do overspend, and I buy a lot of things. However, I feel like I use ALL Those things.
I dont think one realizes how much stuff you will use until you have a baby.
Let's take a blanket for example. Technically, a baby wouldn't use a blanket to sleep until after they are one. So a lot of people dont even think about getting a blanket. However, I recommend to buy lots of blankets! I looove blankets. Heres how we use them:
When maddie was first born, we covered her all the time. when she was in the bouncer, when we carried her, etc. Especially in the car, as she was born in the summer and the AC was on. so we basically use a blanket year round, summer and winter. a lot of people also cover the car seat with a blanket whenever they are out, to act as a tent of sorts.
When Maddies in the stroller and we dont have a bundle me on the stroller, I always put a blanket over her. ITs cold and windy out there!
our house can get drafty, so sometimes in the mornings, when i put maddie on a playmat, i will cover her legs with a blanket. when we are downstairs, on a cold day, there is a draft from the deck door, and i cover her there as well when shes lying on the floor.
We have a ton of blankets on the floor for her playtime. We do have a playmat, but its just nice to spread out on a blanket. Plus mommy and daddy can join her down there as well. if you look at my pictures, whenever maddie is on the floor, she is on a blanket (or two). and since shes been able to roll over, i need the floor to be somewhat soft bc sometimes she does come down hard on her head.
As she gets older, maddie just likes to play with blankets. She will play with the tag, or wave the blanket around etc. Dave's sister gave us this johnson and johnson bathset, and it came with this soft 100% cotton thin blanket. i love this blanket....and maddie does too!
i think i probably have about 15 blankets of all shapes, sizes and thicknesses and somehow they all get used. if some are in the wash, i have enough to cover until the laundry is done. i got a lot of blankets as gifts and i keep all of them. like bibs, you can never have enough, in my opinion.
I realized this is going to sound crazy but I have 3 boppys. I love this pillow. since birth, i have always propped maddie up in a boppy. i have one in her room which i use to nurse her at bedtime and in the mornings. i have one in my room where i use it to nurse her during the daytime and also to prop her up. and now i have one downstairs where i can also help prop her up. i do think this is excessive, but i didnt want to be toting this pillow everywhere i go. i could nurse without it, but bc of it, i can be hands free when she nurses! this is big for me! i love the boppy pillow...i would have them all over the house if i could.
so definitely i do buy a lot of things for sheer convenience. could i use 2 or 3 blankets all around the house and just transfer them from room to room? sure. i could do the same with the boppy too. but im lazy and i dont. so in this regard i do overspend.
without a doubt, my most useless baby purchases are the clothes. girlfriend really does not need so much. its an addiction though. i cant help it. and sometimes she does really grow out of it so fast. but i must curb this. seriously.
all the other do-dads, i dont mind buying. i figure i can always use it if we have another kid.
toys, on the other hand, i am planning to really limit. no toys unless i feel they are educationally needed.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Another simple quick meal:
i threw together everything i had in my fridge and freezer. red onion, frozen corn and haricovert, tomatoes and potatoes chopped up fine. I had made maddie some chicken soup so i threw in some extra chicken. toss with EVOO and red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. serve over frozen ravioli.
i threw together everything i had in my fridge and freezer. red onion, frozen corn and haricovert, tomatoes and potatoes chopped up fine. I had made maddie some chicken soup so i threw in some extra chicken. toss with EVOO and red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. serve over frozen ravioli.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
I sit here, still in my PJS, dying to pee. but yet i come on to blog bc maddie is sleeping and this may be my only chance to vent all day! i really need this...so here we go.
I really HATE working from home with the baby. People will tell me its a great opportunity. and yes, it is. but more than that, i see it as me being terrible to both jobs.
This past month has been really rough. Maybe bc Maddie is becoming more active, needing more, or whatever, but i cant seem to function. I feel like my head is chopped off and im just running around, not getting anything done.
It would help if this kid would nap longer...but she doesnt. today, I put her down at 8:50a. I had time to microwave some food and pump from one boob. Then she was up. I wanted to cry. I had so much work to do....but alas, I had to get her, feed her boob, change her, feed her solids, then play with her till just now when i put her down for the next nap. I managed to do a bit of work in between then, but there are other things I need to do that require more of my attention. I really hate this.
Right now, i could be doing so many things. Folding the laundry sitting in the laundry room, eating, pumping, working, emailing my personal emails, making maddie food. Which one do i choose?
I only have time to update a status facebook when i breastfeed bc there is nothing else for me to do. but i dont have time to scroll through all my friends updates so i feel really out of the loop.
i feel gross, sitting in my pjs right now. i should change. but eating comes first, bc i wont get another chance until much later. then pumping bc maddie needs her milk. then work. if she doesnt wake up by then.
today i must make maddie some chicken...so i need to roast then and put it into a soup and puree. i wish i had bought some jarred food. i also need to make banana bread bc maddie didnt finish 3 bananas and they are black as all hell now so i need to use them before they go to waste.
i have a ton of personal email to go through. you know, if i dont get to email my friends, its a BAD day. i am usually very responsive.
I have to pay off: oil bill ($1000+), half year tax bill ($2500+), home insurance ($1500+) and mortgage (you dont even want to know), by this week. ARGHHHHHHHHH! My checkbook has been out for days, but i havent had time to write the damn check.
I might be able to catch up on some stuff this weekend, only....I have a baby shower to go to on saturday. ARGHHHHHHHH!
I have some work expenses I need to submit, again, no time.
Heres what my bedroom looks like now. I HATE when it gets like this..all jumbled up. Too much stuff going on. When my house is messy, it tends to be that my life is messy as well.
Bills that needs to be paid, magazines i need to go through for work, checkbook out, receipt for work expenses.
babylegs i need to send to a friend, pumped milk that i have not yet refrigerated, dirty plate i need to throw away and yet more magazine stuff i need to do for work
ok...i took big chance in writing this. i really need to get moving now, before she wakes up again.
I really HATE working from home with the baby. People will tell me its a great opportunity. and yes, it is. but more than that, i see it as me being terrible to both jobs.
This past month has been really rough. Maybe bc Maddie is becoming more active, needing more, or whatever, but i cant seem to function. I feel like my head is chopped off and im just running around, not getting anything done.
It would help if this kid would nap longer...but she doesnt. today, I put her down at 8:50a. I had time to microwave some food and pump from one boob. Then she was up. I wanted to cry. I had so much work to do....but alas, I had to get her, feed her boob, change her, feed her solids, then play with her till just now when i put her down for the next nap. I managed to do a bit of work in between then, but there are other things I need to do that require more of my attention. I really hate this.
Right now, i could be doing so many things. Folding the laundry sitting in the laundry room, eating, pumping, working, emailing my personal emails, making maddie food. Which one do i choose?
I only have time to update a status facebook when i breastfeed bc there is nothing else for me to do. but i dont have time to scroll through all my friends updates so i feel really out of the loop.
i feel gross, sitting in my pjs right now. i should change. but eating comes first, bc i wont get another chance until much later. then pumping bc maddie needs her milk. then work. if she doesnt wake up by then.
today i must make maddie some chicken...so i need to roast then and put it into a soup and puree. i wish i had bought some jarred food. i also need to make banana bread bc maddie didnt finish 3 bananas and they are black as all hell now so i need to use them before they go to waste.
i have a ton of personal email to go through. you know, if i dont get to email my friends, its a BAD day. i am usually very responsive.
I have to pay off: oil bill ($1000+), half year tax bill ($2500+), home insurance ($1500+) and mortgage (you dont even want to know), by this week. ARGHHHHHHHHH! My checkbook has been out for days, but i havent had time to write the damn check.
I might be able to catch up on some stuff this weekend, only....I have a baby shower to go to on saturday. ARGHHHHHHHH!
I have some work expenses I need to submit, again, no time.
Heres what my bedroom looks like now. I HATE when it gets like this..all jumbled up. Too much stuff going on. When my house is messy, it tends to be that my life is messy as well.
Bills that needs to be paid, magazines i need to go through for work, checkbook out, receipt for work expenses.
babylegs i need to send to a friend, pumped milk that i have not yet refrigerated, dirty plate i need to throw away and yet more magazine stuff i need to do for work
ok...i took big chance in writing this. i really need to get moving now, before she wakes up again.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
one week shy of 7 months:
Drs appt today reveals that Maddie is now:
weight: 18 lbs 2 oz. (75% tile)
height: 28.25" (90% tile)
head: 17" (50% tile)
- Maddie can use her sippy now. She can drink out of it when i hold it up. she can grab it with 2 hands. she tilt her head back. but she is not yet coordinated to do all three at the same time hehe. mostly i just hold it up for her.
- she discovered pinching. and its HARD
- she can copy when you suck your teeth (been doing this for a few weeks now)
- can look up when asked "wheres the light?" (been doing this for almost a month now)
- new foods tried include broccoli, mango, greek yogurt, zucchini.
- ped gave ok to start giving her meats. chicken soup coming up!
- down to 4 breast feedings a day with 3 solid meals in between there. still at 2 naps a day.
- did i mention she is sitting up on her own now? its so cute.
Drs appt today reveals that Maddie is now:
weight: 18 lbs 2 oz. (75% tile)
height: 28.25" (90% tile)
head: 17" (50% tile)
- Maddie can use her sippy now. She can drink out of it when i hold it up. she can grab it with 2 hands. she tilt her head back. but she is not yet coordinated to do all three at the same time hehe. mostly i just hold it up for her.
- she discovered pinching. and its HARD
- she can copy when you suck your teeth (been doing this for a few weeks now)
- can look up when asked "wheres the light?" (been doing this for almost a month now)
- new foods tried include broccoli, mango, greek yogurt, zucchini.
- ped gave ok to start giving her meats. chicken soup coming up!
- down to 4 breast feedings a day with 3 solid meals in between there. still at 2 naps a day.
- did i mention she is sitting up on her own now? its so cute.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
so, i previously posted about my trip to babies r us where i spent $1.25 on 3 items, one of them including a pair of real converse sneaker. i love a good deal.
Today we went to Target where again, I got off on a shopping high. Let us review.
May I present- "The Stash"
In detail now:
the 2 pack of pjs. 2 tops, 2 bottoms. size 12 months. $3 and change
A winter jacket. Not exactly my taste or style or what i would have picked out (Jae picked this out), but at 10 bucks, i really cant complain. I've been meaning to get a winter jacket for her...one that doesnt have feet. Currently she is in those winter onesies...which she is actually growing out of. They are great or the car and when we go to someones house, but if i have to go to lets say a restaurant, its hard to get her in and out of it, bc i have to lay her down to do so. I really hate the fake fur hood, so i removed it.
All of these items were $1.50. I picked up a blanket and a pack of 3 bibs for my cousins kids. I got another set of bibs for myself (they are boy bibs but who cares!) as well as the same blanket. Also a 12 month size thermal onesie Pajama (this is a great deal for $1.50)
silver shoes for $3.00
too lazy to turn the pic, but these are 2 3-pc bedding set. Bumper, fitted crib sheet and blanket. Both are Dwell Studio which is a pricier line. The top (left) one we picked up bc it is gender neutral somewhat. We can use in the future possibly. It was 8 bucks. For 8 bucks, I can just use the sheet alone and it would still be a good deal. The 2nd (right/bottom) is a really cute design. We didnt need it, but Jae flipped a coin and the coin told us to buy it. It was a bit more at 12 bucks but again, just a crib sheet is more than this, so it was still a good deal.
Quite possible the best deal of the day. The boppy. this friggin pillow is like 50 or more bucks. We got ours for $12. And its dwell studio and i think its really pretty. I have 2 already...i use them everyday. Originally we only bought one, but after some thought, JAe decided this was such a great deal, that he left me and a full cart and baby out in front while he went to buy the last one. The blanket which matches, which is also big and thick, was 7 bucks.
What i didnt show in detail, i also got maddie some pants, some onesies, and another boppy organic cover (for 7 bucks when its normally 25).
All in all we spent a little over 90 bucks. 2 boppys alone at regular price cost more than this total. I love me some good deals.
Today we went to Target where again, I got off on a shopping high. Let us review.
May I present- "The Stash"
In detail now:
the 2 pack of pjs. 2 tops, 2 bottoms. size 12 months. $3 and change
A winter jacket. Not exactly my taste or style or what i would have picked out (Jae picked this out), but at 10 bucks, i really cant complain. I've been meaning to get a winter jacket for her...one that doesnt have feet. Currently she is in those winter onesies...which she is actually growing out of. They are great or the car and when we go to someones house, but if i have to go to lets say a restaurant, its hard to get her in and out of it, bc i have to lay her down to do so. I really hate the fake fur hood, so i removed it.
All of these items were $1.50. I picked up a blanket and a pack of 3 bibs for my cousins kids. I got another set of bibs for myself (they are boy bibs but who cares!) as well as the same blanket. Also a 12 month size thermal onesie Pajama (this is a great deal for $1.50)
silver shoes for $3.00
too lazy to turn the pic, but these are 2 3-pc bedding set. Bumper, fitted crib sheet and blanket. Both are Dwell Studio which is a pricier line. The top (left) one we picked up bc it is gender neutral somewhat. We can use in the future possibly. It was 8 bucks. For 8 bucks, I can just use the sheet alone and it would still be a good deal. The 2nd (right/bottom) is a really cute design. We didnt need it, but Jae flipped a coin and the coin told us to buy it. It was a bit more at 12 bucks but again, just a crib sheet is more than this, so it was still a good deal.
Quite possible the best deal of the day. The boppy. this friggin pillow is like 50 or more bucks. We got ours for $12. And its dwell studio and i think its really pretty. I have 2 already...i use them everyday. Originally we only bought one, but after some thought, JAe decided this was such a great deal, that he left me and a full cart and baby out in front while he went to buy the last one. The blanket which matches, which is also big and thick, was 7 bucks.
What i didnt show in detail, i also got maddie some pants, some onesies, and another boppy organic cover (for 7 bucks when its normally 25).
All in all we spent a little over 90 bucks. 2 boppys alone at regular price cost more than this total. I love me some good deals.
Speaking of birthdays....
My Birsday:
-no snow? amazing.
-maddie gave me a great gift, and woke up at 6:45. I didnt need to get her till 7:30.
-maddie gave me another great gift. decided to not wake up after i put her down for bed. but then i couldnt sleep! tossed and turned for hours.
-had a nice dinner out...first time maddie went to a restaurant. first time jae and i have been in a restaurant in 7 months. maddie was excellent as usual...except in the car hehe. lucky we went local.
-got some nice gifts...north face NON SLIP slippers (lol) and a cool ipad cover. and cake!
-didnt really feel like my bday this year. i am usually pumped and excited, have plans and ready to go. this year, maddie was on my mind. didnt even remember it was my birthday till the day before. and even then was just "eh" about it. another example of how the baby has consumed my life.
My Birsday:
-no snow? amazing.
-maddie gave me a great gift, and woke up at 6:45. I didnt need to get her till 7:30.
-maddie gave me another great gift. decided to not wake up after i put her down for bed. but then i couldnt sleep! tossed and turned for hours.
-had a nice dinner out...first time maddie went to a restaurant. first time jae and i have been in a restaurant in 7 months. maddie was excellent as usual...except in the car hehe. lucky we went local.
-got some nice gifts...north face NON SLIP slippers (lol) and a cool ipad cover. and cake!
-didnt really feel like my bday this year. i am usually pumped and excited, have plans and ready to go. this year, maddie was on my mind. didnt even remember it was my birthday till the day before. and even then was just "eh" about it. another example of how the baby has consumed my life.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Her first birthday...
its about 5.5 months away and i have to start thinking about her party! geez...this seems too soon. I guess i gotta book the place. And think about a photographer for her 1 year photo shoot I wanted to give her.
I also wanted to finish the basement for her, as a sort of gift even though she cant understand it. Not sure that will happen now that I look at the calendar.
Yesterday I spent some time thinking about the theme I wanted. and I think I figured it out. It just makes the planning so much easier. I'm excited though....excited to have something like a party to look forward to. Excited to plan something again.
And yes, I am going to make it a big deal and yes, I am going to spend lots of money.
My baby's gonna be one!
its about 5.5 months away and i have to start thinking about her party! geez...this seems too soon. I guess i gotta book the place. And think about a photographer for her 1 year photo shoot I wanted to give her.
I also wanted to finish the basement for her, as a sort of gift even though she cant understand it. Not sure that will happen now that I look at the calendar.
Yesterday I spent some time thinking about the theme I wanted. and I think I figured it out. It just makes the planning so much easier. I'm excited though....excited to have something like a party to look forward to. Excited to plan something again.
And yes, I am going to make it a big deal and yes, I am going to spend lots of money.
My baby's gonna be one!
Wheres the Light?
every morning, maddie loves to look up at the light after breastfeeding. so i always say, "is that the light?"....she smiles, and i repeat the word "light". a few weeks later, i started asking her, wheres the light? and pretty soon she would always look up. after she heard my reaction, she would know to look up when i say "wheres the light". i started trying in different rooms and in different positions. i dont know if shes really looking at the light or what, but after my brother gave me heat about it, i started to wonder.
These videos were taken over the course of 2 days, in different rooms. I did not edit, or cut, or make 50 videos. I literally turned the camera on, asked her the question and shut the camera when she looked up. I didnt keep trying until i got the "right" one. These are exactly in order of how I took them....what do you think? lol.
Shes in the same spot, i moved the camera:
every morning, maddie loves to look up at the light after breastfeeding. so i always say, "is that the light?"....she smiles, and i repeat the word "light". a few weeks later, i started asking her, wheres the light? and pretty soon she would always look up. after she heard my reaction, she would know to look up when i say "wheres the light". i started trying in different rooms and in different positions. i dont know if shes really looking at the light or what, but after my brother gave me heat about it, i started to wonder.
These videos were taken over the course of 2 days, in different rooms. I did not edit, or cut, or make 50 videos. I literally turned the camera on, asked her the question and shut the camera when she looked up. I didnt keep trying until i got the "right" one. These are exactly in order of how I took them....what do you think? lol.
Shes in the same spot, i moved the camera:
Saturday, January 15, 2011
so all along I thought MAddie's evening schedule was changing. Now I'm starting to realize perhaps its her morning schedule that was changing.
For the past week or maybe even 2 weeks, Maddie has stayed in her crib for up to an hour without calling for me. At first I was thinking, ok great, she can independently play. Now I'm thinking, she can just stay up longer in the mornings....thus her morning time of wakefulness extended, not her evening.
This morning I dont even know when she woke up. I woke up to her talking to herself at 7:10. This happens a lot lately, where I dont know when she woke up. I went in to get her at 7:30. I HATE when i dont know when she wakes up, bc then i dont know when to put her down for a nap. She doesnt show signs of sleepy cues anymore and im always afraid to put her down when shes overly cranky. But putting her down too early, also causes short naps, which is what i think happened the past 2 days. 35 minute naps both days. SO FUCKING ANNOYING!
I think starting on Monday, I am going to start giving her breakfast and dinner, rather than lunch and dinner. I usually give her solids after her first nap. But what I should have done was give her solids after she woke up. I think this will help mold her schedule better.
The reasons for me not giving her breakfast and giving her lunch instead are so dumb now that i think about it. For one, i dont set the heat to come on downstairs until 9:00am. So if I feed her solids after she wakes up, I would have to set it to come on at 7am instead. only 2 hours but that 2 hours makes a big difference when you get an $800 bill for dec-jan as it is. Yes, you read that right. $800+!
Also, I always check my emails and stuff after she wakes up and let her sit in front of the TV while i do so. this buys me 30 minutes of time. thats a lot of time. But the TV isnt good, and i dont really want her watching it anyway. so maybe by me feeding her instead, i will force myself to figure out the work situation later and keep her away from the TV. I do think its cute, though, when she starts to smile as soon as Elmo's World comes on lol.
So we'll see how the new schedule goes. RIght now, she is still only taking 2 naps a day. although yesterday on the way back from babies r us, she did fall asleep for a 3rd nap for 15 minutes. i still cant figure out if she needs that 3rd nap or not. i do know she fights it. oh wells, she'll work it out on her own i hope.
speaking of babies r us...we went...we spent...get used to it.
Got this for a grand total of $1.25. Yes, you read that right. SOMEWHAT makes up for the $800 oil bill. hehe.
For the past week or maybe even 2 weeks, Maddie has stayed in her crib for up to an hour without calling for me. At first I was thinking, ok great, she can independently play. Now I'm thinking, she can just stay up longer in the mornings....thus her morning time of wakefulness extended, not her evening.
This morning I dont even know when she woke up. I woke up to her talking to herself at 7:10. This happens a lot lately, where I dont know when she woke up. I went in to get her at 7:30. I HATE when i dont know when she wakes up, bc then i dont know when to put her down for a nap. She doesnt show signs of sleepy cues anymore and im always afraid to put her down when shes overly cranky. But putting her down too early, also causes short naps, which is what i think happened the past 2 days. 35 minute naps both days. SO FUCKING ANNOYING!
I think starting on Monday, I am going to start giving her breakfast and dinner, rather than lunch and dinner. I usually give her solids after her first nap. But what I should have done was give her solids after she woke up. I think this will help mold her schedule better.
The reasons for me not giving her breakfast and giving her lunch instead are so dumb now that i think about it. For one, i dont set the heat to come on downstairs until 9:00am. So if I feed her solids after she wakes up, I would have to set it to come on at 7am instead. only 2 hours but that 2 hours makes a big difference when you get an $800 bill for dec-jan as it is. Yes, you read that right. $800+!
Also, I always check my emails and stuff after she wakes up and let her sit in front of the TV while i do so. this buys me 30 minutes of time. thats a lot of time. But the TV isnt good, and i dont really want her watching it anyway. so maybe by me feeding her instead, i will force myself to figure out the work situation later and keep her away from the TV. I do think its cute, though, when she starts to smile as soon as Elmo's World comes on lol.
So we'll see how the new schedule goes. RIght now, she is still only taking 2 naps a day. although yesterday on the way back from babies r us, she did fall asleep for a 3rd nap for 15 minutes. i still cant figure out if she needs that 3rd nap or not. i do know she fights it. oh wells, she'll work it out on her own i hope.
speaking of babies r us...we went...we spent...get used to it.
Got this for a grand total of $1.25. Yes, you read that right. SOMEWHAT makes up for the $800 oil bill. hehe.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
so today Maddies 2nd tooth cut through the gum. the first tooth cut through 2 days ago. there is just a tiny bit of sharp tooth cutting through for both of them.
in other news....ive been trying to cook again. Not so much for weight loss (even though this would help) but more to just go back to our old healthier lifestyle.
to start with, i roasted a chicken with some potatoes and veggies. this is so easy....i stuff the chicken with lemon and garlic.
The chicken comes out so tender....i was putting maddie to sleep while jae carved the chicken. when i came back down, he said he didnt even need to carve it. it just melted off the bone. seriously, i had never seen anything like this. there was NO meat left on the carcass....
the potatoes are good bc they get caramalized in the oven and get that crispy outside.
the next day, i took the carcass, wings, and drumsticks and made chicken soup. making homemade organic fresh soup from chicken or turkey bones is one of my favorite things to do. seriously, its soooo delicious. it hits the spot.
to go with the soup, i took the leftovers from the chicken, potatoes and veggies and chopped them up really small. I then left them in a thin layer on a frying pan to crisp up. I just invented this off the fly.... I was thinking corned beef hash.
i love crispys!
then i took some lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo...put this into a pita and scooped the hash into the pita.
so easy and simple! delicious and healthy.
in other news....ive been trying to cook again. Not so much for weight loss (even though this would help) but more to just go back to our old healthier lifestyle.
to start with, i roasted a chicken with some potatoes and veggies. this is so easy....i stuff the chicken with lemon and garlic.
The chicken comes out so tender....i was putting maddie to sleep while jae carved the chicken. when i came back down, he said he didnt even need to carve it. it just melted off the bone. seriously, i had never seen anything like this. there was NO meat left on the carcass....
the potatoes are good bc they get caramalized in the oven and get that crispy outside.
the next day, i took the carcass, wings, and drumsticks and made chicken soup. making homemade organic fresh soup from chicken or turkey bones is one of my favorite things to do. seriously, its soooo delicious. it hits the spot.
to go with the soup, i took the leftovers from the chicken, potatoes and veggies and chopped them up really small. I then left them in a thin layer on a frying pan to crisp up. I just invented this off the fly.... I was thinking corned beef hash.
i love crispys!
then i took some lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo...put this into a pita and scooped the hash into the pita.
so easy and simple! delicious and healthy.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
"I can't believe you want to have more"
This is what i said to J as i walked out of our bedroom to go get my screaming teething baby. I have said something along these lines to J so many times now, I think he might actually start thinking I'm serious. And I am. sort of.
It's been something thats been on my mind a while now. Can I do this all over again? I just cant imagine doing what im doing now, a few years older, with a toddler. It really turns me off.
My daughter is my world right now. and for right now, thats enough for me. I feel fulfilled and complete. I love her and she oozes every part of me. My whole life revolves around her and I really can't imagine giving so much of me to another baby.
People often say they want one of each. Why? To be able to say they have it "all"? What is the difference between having a boy or a girl? They are both babies. Would it really make a difference if I had 2 girls, or a girl and a boy? I dont know...
GRowing up in my family, having a boy wasn't as big of a thing as in other families. In fact, in my family, the girls have always been the special ones. They are the responsible ones, the ones everyone turns to for help, the one who coordinates and plans family events, the one who thinks of the christmas and bday gifts, etc. They are always the reliable one. The men are sort of more laid back, spoiled and dont do as much, and definitely dont think ahead. As my grandma would say in chinese, they lay there like a "piece of rice".
no matter what they did, my grandpa always prasied the girls in the family. For my mom, who made more than my dad, he always praised her hard work, work ethic, and large success within the school system. For my aunt, who was a stay at home mom and still is even though her kids are my age, he praised her for raising 3 children on her own.
At a family gathering, someone was saying how maybe the next one will be a boy for me...and my uncle said "these days, thats not important anymore. no one HAS to have a boy anymore. thats so old fashioned".
So back to my original point... do i really need a 2nd?
Maddie has enough cousins to keep her busy, right? I dont think she NEEDS a sibling. I have friends who are only children and they are fine lol.
Now, in my family I Was always the one who loved kids. I swear they all said I Was going to have 4. I always WANTED 4. until i had 1. lol. I was the one the kids swarmed too. Even in jaes family, i sit down on the sofa and i have all 5 kids surrounding me. i cant even see the other people in the room. Thats how its been my whole life. I love kids. But its work. And since having MAddie I know that having 4 is completely out of the question. No way, no how. for sure. 3 is a bigggg stretch.
I always wanted a big family. I came from one and i loved it and that would be my main reason for having more children. So when they grow up, their children can have cousins. So when its holiday time, they can fill a table of 10 with ease. It's all fine and dandy when i think long term.
But if i think in the here and now, I really dont know..... the easy days i say i want more. the hard days i say no way hahah. I also think im a better toddler parent than a newborn parent. the newborn stage is just "eh" for me. i could take it or leave it. so maybe when maddie gets bigger, i will forget about these hard times and say lets have more! And then just go through the baby stage all over again and say "omg i cant believe i have to go through this again" when its time. hehe. i think thats what will probably happen.
Of course so many factors could happen between now and then. I could not be working anyore which would take a huge load off my shoulders. The store could take off, or fail, who knows. MAddie could be such high maintenance, i wont want anymore. I dont know....and whos to know what happens in the future or how I feel. and I dont think anyone can say for sure until thought becomes reality. but for right now, im happy with our family of 3.
This is what i said to J as i walked out of our bedroom to go get my screaming teething baby. I have said something along these lines to J so many times now, I think he might actually start thinking I'm serious. And I am. sort of.
It's been something thats been on my mind a while now. Can I do this all over again? I just cant imagine doing what im doing now, a few years older, with a toddler. It really turns me off.
My daughter is my world right now. and for right now, thats enough for me. I feel fulfilled and complete. I love her and she oozes every part of me. My whole life revolves around her and I really can't imagine giving so much of me to another baby.
People often say they want one of each. Why? To be able to say they have it "all"? What is the difference between having a boy or a girl? They are both babies. Would it really make a difference if I had 2 girls, or a girl and a boy? I dont know...
GRowing up in my family, having a boy wasn't as big of a thing as in other families. In fact, in my family, the girls have always been the special ones. They are the responsible ones, the ones everyone turns to for help, the one who coordinates and plans family events, the one who thinks of the christmas and bday gifts, etc. They are always the reliable one. The men are sort of more laid back, spoiled and dont do as much, and definitely dont think ahead. As my grandma would say in chinese, they lay there like a "piece of rice".
no matter what they did, my grandpa always prasied the girls in the family. For my mom, who made more than my dad, he always praised her hard work, work ethic, and large success within the school system. For my aunt, who was a stay at home mom and still is even though her kids are my age, he praised her for raising 3 children on her own.
At a family gathering, someone was saying how maybe the next one will be a boy for me...and my uncle said "these days, thats not important anymore. no one HAS to have a boy anymore. thats so old fashioned".
So back to my original point... do i really need a 2nd?
Maddie has enough cousins to keep her busy, right? I dont think she NEEDS a sibling. I have friends who are only children and they are fine lol.
Now, in my family I Was always the one who loved kids. I swear they all said I Was going to have 4. I always WANTED 4. until i had 1. lol. I was the one the kids swarmed too. Even in jaes family, i sit down on the sofa and i have all 5 kids surrounding me. i cant even see the other people in the room. Thats how its been my whole life. I love kids. But its work. And since having MAddie I know that having 4 is completely out of the question. No way, no how. for sure. 3 is a bigggg stretch.
I always wanted a big family. I came from one and i loved it and that would be my main reason for having more children. So when they grow up, their children can have cousins. So when its holiday time, they can fill a table of 10 with ease. It's all fine and dandy when i think long term.
But if i think in the here and now, I really dont know..... the easy days i say i want more. the hard days i say no way hahah. I also think im a better toddler parent than a newborn parent. the newborn stage is just "eh" for me. i could take it or leave it. so maybe when maddie gets bigger, i will forget about these hard times and say lets have more! And then just go through the baby stage all over again and say "omg i cant believe i have to go through this again" when its time. hehe. i think thats what will probably happen.
Of course so many factors could happen between now and then. I could not be working anyore which would take a huge load off my shoulders. The store could take off, or fail, who knows. MAddie could be such high maintenance, i wont want anymore. I dont know....and whos to know what happens in the future or how I feel. and I dont think anyone can say for sure until thought becomes reality. but for right now, im happy with our family of 3.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
when i put maddie down for a nap, i like to be cheek to cheek with her and sway back and forth gently, just getting her down to that calm and quiet stage. after a bit, she will stick her thumb in her mouth.
when she sucks her thumb, her four little fingers stick up.
recently, as im cheek to cheek with her, those 4 little fingers end up touching my lips, dancing about.
her fingertips are soooooo soft and sooooo tiny. i try to stifle my laugh as she does this while still sucking her thumb.
you have not lived until a babies fingers have played the piano on your lips.
when she sucks her thumb, her four little fingers stick up.
recently, as im cheek to cheek with her, those 4 little fingers end up touching my lips, dancing about.
her fingertips are soooooo soft and sooooo tiny. i try to stifle my laugh as she does this while still sucking her thumb.
you have not lived until a babies fingers have played the piano on your lips.
Monday, January 10, 2011
yesterday Maddie sat up on her own!
She has been able to hold herself up for a while now but then would tip over after like 30 seconds. very unsteady.
yesterday morning i sat her up and she stayed there by herself! shes very steady now. so steady that i took my eyes off her to read something and she topped over and hit her head on the floor mat. =( oops. She is still tilted forward a bit so her back is not completely straight up, but shes definitely sitting up.
I cant believe shes 6 months old now. Thats half a year. That makes things such as walking and eating table food feel so close to happening now. These days when I buy her items, I buy them with the intention that she will be walking in 6 months. sheesh. shoes, here we come! hehe.
Still no teeth. Its been too long so I am going to try to stop medicating her at nights. we didnt give orajel for 2 nights and she was fine. I just had to rock her back. Last night she woke up at 9:30 or so, I rocked her back and she didnt need me till 7:15am! We are on week 3 of the night wakings. I am not even sure if its the teeth anymore waking her up. sigh.
For the last week or so Maddie has only been napping twice a day. This is a big change for a baby.
Maddie is constantly grabbing at her feet when shes on her back. 2 times already she has sucked on her toes. hehe.
She is discovering her voice and makes these high pitched sounds. She uses it too when shes whining which could drive a person INSANE! she is babbling but no consonants yet. boooo. =(
In terms of food, Maddie has so far had sweet potatoes, avocado, butternut squash, bananas, apples, pears, peas, carrots, green beans, yogurt. In that order.
She has been able to hold herself up for a while now but then would tip over after like 30 seconds. very unsteady.
yesterday morning i sat her up and she stayed there by herself! shes very steady now. so steady that i took my eyes off her to read something and she topped over and hit her head on the floor mat. =( oops. She is still tilted forward a bit so her back is not completely straight up, but shes definitely sitting up.
I cant believe shes 6 months old now. Thats half a year. That makes things such as walking and eating table food feel so close to happening now. These days when I buy her items, I buy them with the intention that she will be walking in 6 months. sheesh. shoes, here we come! hehe.
Still no teeth. Its been too long so I am going to try to stop medicating her at nights. we didnt give orajel for 2 nights and she was fine. I just had to rock her back. Last night she woke up at 9:30 or so, I rocked her back and she didnt need me till 7:15am! We are on week 3 of the night wakings. I am not even sure if its the teeth anymore waking her up. sigh.
For the last week or so Maddie has only been napping twice a day. This is a big change for a baby.
Maddie is constantly grabbing at her feet when shes on her back. 2 times already she has sucked on her toes. hehe.
She is discovering her voice and makes these high pitched sounds. She uses it too when shes whining which could drive a person INSANE! she is babbling but no consonants yet. boooo. =(
In terms of food, Maddie has so far had sweet potatoes, avocado, butternut squash, bananas, apples, pears, peas, carrots, green beans, yogurt. In that order.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
6 months
so on Monday, Maddie turned 6 months old. Half a year!
- sunday she started to really blow raspeberries. its cute.
- starting to really talk to her using real words. Like when i pick her up, ill say "up", when i hold out my hand i will say "hand". i always spoke to her, but now im actually trying to teach her. we are going to start sign language soon too.
- i can see the teeth coming through now. 2 little white dots on the inside of her gums.
- we are trying to teach her to pick up some foods with her mouth. the long crackers/biscuits shes fine with, but we are tuning her fine motor skills with puffs.
- when on her back she can touch her feet and hang on to them. makes changing her diaper harder now. especially when she can also turn to her side and turns to reach for things.
- she can appreciate peek-a-boo now which means she is learning object permanence.
- she is starting to throw things once she picks them up. annoying! but part of the learning process. hehe.
- sunday she started to really blow raspeberries. its cute.
- starting to really talk to her using real words. Like when i pick her up, ill say "up", when i hold out my hand i will say "hand". i always spoke to her, but now im actually trying to teach her. we are going to start sign language soon too.
- i can see the teeth coming through now. 2 little white dots on the inside of her gums.
- we are trying to teach her to pick up some foods with her mouth. the long crackers/biscuits shes fine with, but we are tuning her fine motor skills with puffs.
- when on her back she can touch her feet and hang on to them. makes changing her diaper harder now. especially when she can also turn to her side and turns to reach for things.
- she can appreciate peek-a-boo now which means she is learning object permanence.
- she is starting to throw things once she picks them up. annoying! but part of the learning process. hehe.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
So here we are 2011. I can't believe the time has flown by like this! Just crazy.
On new years eve was SO uneventful. It was just a regular day for us. Jae was asleep by 9. I was asleep by 10. lol. But Maddie actually slept that night and didnt wake until about 5am, and she went back to sleep by herself by 5:30am.
New Years Day we headed to the Bronx. Maddie took a good nap in the car on the way there and woke up just as we got to the driveway. hooray. The kids did christmas gift exchange since we didnt make it christmas eve. That was fun... MAddie got a Step 2 Buggy and a ball popper. I asked for both... but little did I know the ball popper is the most loud and obnoxious gift. haha. The kids really enjoyed our presents as well... the best part of the night was when Ryan came up to me and said "I can't believe you got me Harry POtter Lego. Thank you...". it was so cute and about the 3rd time he thanked me.
Maddie was pretty good considering. I feel bad for Jaes parents... they dont know to deal with maddie yet so she cries everytime they hold her. Jaes dad, god bless his soul, loves this little girl so much. he comes running out of the house before we even get up the driveway. you can hear him calling her and laughing a mile away. but he is REALLY loud. and he picks her up and lets her legs dangle so he can look at her and laugh in her face and she just gets freaked out. The mom is just all up in her face jiggling and making whtever sounds she can to get maddie to smile.. but all it ends up in is tears. At least the sisters caught on... they take her, dont make a big deal out of it and let maddie look around.
BTW i definitely dont trust jaes mom now cuz she was about to give maddie this rice cookie thingy. she let maddie grab it and maddie was about to shove it in her mouth until jae literally had to swipe his hand in front of maddies mouth to block it. crazy woman.
we left when it was maddies nap time again and she slept again...that was the start of our new year.
I dont usually make resolutions but this year i thought i would since there is a lot i think i want to improve about myself.
1. To have more patience. I was never a patient person to begin with. Having a baby i thought would change that... but i guess you are who you are. I really need to learn to try though and have more patience with life and with Maddie. Sometimes, i need to just take a step back.
2. To be a better wife. I think i might have a hard time with this one... since having a baby, a mother only things about being a mother. the husband sort of takes a back seat. my first priority is the baby. everything i do and dont do, is because of the baby. But for a man, his priority is the entire family. so he can be both father and husband. i dont know why...maybe cuz he doesnt have that bond with the baby like a mother does, or maybe bc he doesnt do as much motherly things. all i know is, my focus is on the baby and jae is 2nd. id like to try to make them both equally as important.
3. I guess this is an overall theme going on here...but id like to try to see the big picture more often. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in the small things, i forget what the bigger picture looks like. For example, i bitch about jaes family. but what i have to remember is that they are maddies family too. and even though i obviosuly play favorites to my own family, id still like maddie to grow up being close to both her moms side and dads side. so i need to chill out... one day of seeing them wont kill me. sometimes petty things arise, but i need to try to overlook quick and not hold a grudge. might be tough sometimes but i tend to make things worse than they really are.
4. To use my SLR camera more. I never use it cuz i lost my SD card reader, but now jae got me a new one so i should really use this camera more.
5. To cook more often. I've never had so much take out in my life. its just gross.
6. To either save more money or spend less.
7. Finish the basement!
On new years eve was SO uneventful. It was just a regular day for us. Jae was asleep by 9. I was asleep by 10. lol. But Maddie actually slept that night and didnt wake until about 5am, and she went back to sleep by herself by 5:30am.
New Years Day we headed to the Bronx. Maddie took a good nap in the car on the way there and woke up just as we got to the driveway. hooray. The kids did christmas gift exchange since we didnt make it christmas eve. That was fun... MAddie got a Step 2 Buggy and a ball popper. I asked for both... but little did I know the ball popper is the most loud and obnoxious gift. haha. The kids really enjoyed our presents as well... the best part of the night was when Ryan came up to me and said "I can't believe you got me Harry POtter Lego. Thank you...". it was so cute and about the 3rd time he thanked me.
Maddie was pretty good considering. I feel bad for Jaes parents... they dont know to deal with maddie yet so she cries everytime they hold her. Jaes dad, god bless his soul, loves this little girl so much. he comes running out of the house before we even get up the driveway. you can hear him calling her and laughing a mile away. but he is REALLY loud. and he picks her up and lets her legs dangle so he can look at her and laugh in her face and she just gets freaked out. The mom is just all up in her face jiggling and making whtever sounds she can to get maddie to smile.. but all it ends up in is tears. At least the sisters caught on... they take her, dont make a big deal out of it and let maddie look around.
BTW i definitely dont trust jaes mom now cuz she was about to give maddie this rice cookie thingy. she let maddie grab it and maddie was about to shove it in her mouth until jae literally had to swipe his hand in front of maddies mouth to block it. crazy woman.
we left when it was maddies nap time again and she slept again...that was the start of our new year.
I dont usually make resolutions but this year i thought i would since there is a lot i think i want to improve about myself.
1. To have more patience. I was never a patient person to begin with. Having a baby i thought would change that... but i guess you are who you are. I really need to learn to try though and have more patience with life and with Maddie. Sometimes, i need to just take a step back.
2. To be a better wife. I think i might have a hard time with this one... since having a baby, a mother only things about being a mother. the husband sort of takes a back seat. my first priority is the baby. everything i do and dont do, is because of the baby. But for a man, his priority is the entire family. so he can be both father and husband. i dont know why...maybe cuz he doesnt have that bond with the baby like a mother does, or maybe bc he doesnt do as much motherly things. all i know is, my focus is on the baby and jae is 2nd. id like to try to make them both equally as important.
3. I guess this is an overall theme going on here...but id like to try to see the big picture more often. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in the small things, i forget what the bigger picture looks like. For example, i bitch about jaes family. but what i have to remember is that they are maddies family too. and even though i obviosuly play favorites to my own family, id still like maddie to grow up being close to both her moms side and dads side. so i need to chill out... one day of seeing them wont kill me. sometimes petty things arise, but i need to try to overlook quick and not hold a grudge. might be tough sometimes but i tend to make things worse than they really are.
4. To use my SLR camera more. I never use it cuz i lost my SD card reader, but now jae got me a new one so i should really use this camera more.
5. To cook more often. I've never had so much take out in my life. its just gross.
6. To either save more money or spend less.
7. Finish the basement!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
.jpg)