Tuesday, May 31, 2011

3 years

Dear Sophie,


Today you turned 3 years old. We had a party for you a few days ago, and all of our friends came over for a cook-out to celebrate. We had hot dogs, chorizo and hamburgers, and a bunch of other things. Everyone had a lot of fun playing, we had animal masks, bubbles and temporary tattoos to keep everyone occupied.



This has been a big year for you. You finalized the potty training (yay!) and started sleeping in your very own big girl bed. You are getting so big, and every day you look less like my baby and more like a little girl. Although you'll always be my baby.


You love stickers, and when given the option between coloring and stickers you always choose the stickers. You love books, and will want one book read over and over until you have it memorized, and only then will you move onto the next book. You love all things Dr. Suess, and adore the Cat in the Hat. You like to watch movies, and right now you are in love with the Princess and the Frog, all of the Toy Story movies, and Tangled.



Your favorite food right now is probably potato chips. But you'll tolerate salad, hot dogs, chicken and pasta. You'll eat pork chops, but only if we tell you it's chicken. I have been known to bribe you with lettuce to get you to try new things. You love pretty much everything salty, including different kinds of olives and feta cheese. You are a chocolate monster, but only chocolate candy peices (like kisses), you won't eat cake or cookies. Which means that there is more for me.

We joined the neighborhood pool this year, and you have been several times. You don't know how to swim, but you love jumping off of the side of the pool, and it's pretty amazing how you have absolutely no fear. You wear your "baby soup", and your sister wears her "diaper soup".

You still call me Mama, and you call Daddy "Da-ee" unless you call him "Dad-dy" with an English accent you picked up from watching too much TV. Your Abuelita is "Weeta", which I think is absolutely charming. And Claire? Clairt.

You talk so much now, it wears me out just thinking about it. You can spell your name, and now we're working on writing it. You're so smart and outgoing. We signed you up to start pre-school in the fall at St. Philip's, which is right down the street. You talk to everyone, and are not shy at all.



Happy birthday, baby.


Love,

Mama


Sophie Gloria, 3 years old

39 1/4 inches tall, 40.8 pounds

Sunday, May 29, 2011

5 Months

Dear Claire,


Today you are 5 months old. What a ride it's been. You are such a happy baby, smiling at everyone you see and even some people you don't. You're an easy baby for me, content to ride around in the baby carrier and chill out most of the time.




Your two teeth are getting so very big, and next week we are going to start you on solids. I've already bought cereal and some beginning foods.




I can tell you're going to be a blast to be around. You love making faces and clowning around, and I just know you're going to be an outrageous person.




You have started rolling over in earnest. As in, to get places. You're on a mission. You're going to take over the world, and you're going to roll to get there. Which has also pretty much ruined my life, since I can't leave you anywhere anymore. You're not there anymore when I turn back around.



I think you look like your Daddy, but he thinks you look like me. Regardless, you're a beautiful baby, you get attention from everyone everywhere. Strangers stop on the street to get a better look at you. I know I may be biased, but only a little bit.


It's getting warm outside, and we're bracing for the DC humidity. You love to be outside, and we've had some good times hanging out on the deck and in the backyard. We've joined the neighborhood pool this summer, and we're going to have so much fun.


You and your sister are going to be two peas in a pod. It's great watching the two of you together. You watch her do everything, and laugh at everything she does.



And I love you, my baby Bear, my little Claire, with such completeness it's scary. You're still my little nuzzler, my cuddly, giggly, laughing baby, and you always will be.


Love,


Mama

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Sunday, May 08, 2011

Remember to drink lots of water.

To working women who are breastfeeding babies, who are pregnant with babies who will be breastfeeding, or who may breastfeed babies in the future, remember to drink lots of water.

Do not be afraid to go back to work. Go back because you need to support your family, because you want to have a better lifestyle, because you enjoy it.

Get two pumps. One for home, one for work.

You don't need a hospital-grade pump. Buy the best one you can afford. Do not be afraid of a used one, if it is in good condition. Replace all of the tubing and horns. Buying a used double pump is a thousand times better than buying a new manual pump.

Find a place at work where you won't be bothered, be it a Mother's Room, an office or a janitor's closet. If it doesn't lock, put a chair under the knob and a sign on the door.

Buy all of the nursing tank tops and bras you think you will need. Then buy four more. Get them at Target. They're soft, durable and cheap. You need to be comfortable.

Kellymom.com is your friend. It has answers to all of the questions you have, and several hundred you will have but haven't thought of yet.

Don't be afraid to have a few drinks. If you can drive, you can breastfeed. If you can't, you can pump and dump.

Make a schedule and stick to it. If your baby eats every two hours, you should pump every two hours. Make appointments for yourself. But, it's better to pump late than to skip it.

After your baby is four to six weeks old, nipple confusion is a myth. You have enough things to worry about, skip this one.

Build up a good freezer stash. A stash is like frozen gold.

Don't be afraid to supplement with formula. If your baby is hungry, feed your baby, even if it compromises your ideals. Don't allow your ideals to make you selfish and cruel.

Eat oatmeal. And not just in cookies.

Buy enough bottles for at least two days, then buy four more. Don't be afraid to wash them in the dishwasher. Always check the nipples for holes, especially after teeth come in.

Do be afriad of teeth.

Don't eat a lot of broccoli. Remember that your baby eats what you eat, so anything that induces gas will not be fun for your baby.

Eat healthy. Don't diet. Don't go crazy on the pastry either.

But one of the most important things, as in most of life, is to drink a lot of water. Then drink four more.

Happy Mother's Day.

Sunday, May 01, 2011

Blue eyed baby.

Check out those 2 bottom teeth.

 
Site Meter