The new "New Moms" thread!

[ashjohnson80]

Ellery is still toothless.

 

[Pollito916]

Question of the day: What Disney character best represents your child?

Ok, I really had to think about this one, and I think Alex is probably another Stitch. He loves getting into everything, loves his family, and also burps at inappropriate times!

WHen you decide to buy your carseat or stroller, check www.albeebaby.com

I second that, we got the Peg Perego Aria OH earlier this year for less than $100. It's not an umbrella stroller, but it is light weight and easy to fold and carry.

You can also find good sales on www.babycenterstore.com with free shipping. I got the britaz decathlon last year for $150 off the regular price b/c it was a discontinued pattern!

Question of the Day: What is your child's "teeth status" -- when get first tooth, where get first tooth, how many teeth have currently...

Alex didn't get his first tooth until about 9 months, the 2 bottom front teeth came in at about the same time. Now at (almost) 17 months he has 11 teeth! They have been coming in fast!

Well ladies, Alex is feeling much better, the rash is completely gone. But I am on my second day away from home and missing him so much. And I don't go back until Friday.

 

[beckmrk04]

Sara- It is SO hard to be away from them, isn't it? It's like they literally have a string to your heart to tug on.

QOTD: Vaylie got her first teeth at around 8 1/2 months. The two bottom came in at almost the same time. Then the two tops, now she has 4 molars, 4 front top teeth, and 3 front bottoms (unless that 4th one has broken through yet). But, I have had enough of this teething business.

 

[Pollito916]

Sara- It is SO hard to be away from them, isn't it? It's like they literally have a string to your heart to tug on.

Oh, my goodness, they certainly do. Whenever I call home, he grabs the phone from DH and says, "Mama, Mama" and tonight he also kissed the phone.

Luckily I have plenty of pictures on my cell phone and snapfish to remind me of him.

I found a couple of pictures of the floaty thing Alex uses in the pool. We tried a lifevest back in April, but it was a little too big so he just tipped over when we put him in the pool and floated on his face! We got him out right away and haven't tried it again since, although my mom did find a vest in his size. Maybe we'll try it next time we go swimming.

And here's Alex playing at a kids' splash playground near us:

and chasing the birds:

and Alex wearing a scrubs hat my sister made for him (she's a nurse and makes her own hats):

Thanks for letting me share some pics with you all so I feel a little less homesick!

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

Okay, so I'm revising my answer to the QOTD! Owen's first tooth appeared on July 8, 2008. Our toothless wonder is toothless no more! Sometime today his first tooth broke through, and there's now a very sharp little tooth just poking out on the bottom left side. I swear that this morning when I checked his mouth there was nothing there.

This evening at potluck, one of our friends was giving Owen tastes of guacamole by putting a little on her finger and then putting her finger in his mouth. (She's a mom, too, so she made sure her hands were clean and assured me she's not sick, nor is anyone in her house.) As she was giving him his third taste, she commented to me that his tooth was really sharp, and asked me if he'd bitten me yet when I was nursing him. I said "What tooth?! He didn't have any teeth this morning!" She said maybe she was mistaken, but there was definitely something sharp there, and if it wasn't out yet, it seemed like it would break through soon. So DH and I looked, and sure enough, there's the littlest bit of tooth just poking through Owen's gums!

So there it is...a very timely QOTD for Owen, it turns out!

 

[beckmrk04]

Yea! Owen has a tooth.

Sara- Share pics anytime. It helps me too- even when I am just feeling a little down, I pop open my pictures of the day she was born and

I am SOOO bad about getting the darn things in prints, though. I have literally hundreds of pictures, and barely any actual prints. I need to do that. I think I am going to sign up at snapfish or shutterfly for one of those prepaid plans or something- anyone else do this?

 

[HollyJoy]

Holly -- what is that thing that Amanda is eating from? What can you put in it? It looks cool.

It's called the Sassy Teething Feeder, and I got it at Babies R Us. You can put just about anything in there (that they're allowed to have). So far, I've only tried banana and watermelon. I figure I can put in Sweet Potato, Squash (will have to steam first), apple, other melon.. etc...!

Question of the Day: What is your child's "teeth status" -- when get first tooth, where get first tooth, how many teeth have currently...Have a great day!
Nicole

So far, Amanda Joy hasn't cut any teeth, but boy is she working on it! Her gums are very swollen, and the drool is everywhere! She's also gnawing on everything she can get her hands on!

 

[DMickey28]

yeah Owen!! Love the first teeth. Alexander got his first teeth back in mid October or so. He was 5ish months. Then just poured in after that. I think he had the two on the bottom at first, same time. Then late October/early November all four on the top came in within days of each other. I lost track at that point. Now he is almost 15 months and has 16 teeth. All the front basics and four molars. He appears to be teething again, drooling and stuffing his fist in his mouth so I think the 2 year molars are starting to work a little. He is growing up so fast .. he looks so big!! It's great with the teeth though because he can eat anything now!

I love the pictures. Alexander has the same blue floaty thing that Alex has I think. He honestly hates it. He tries to climb out of it and ends up plopping his face in the water. He loves to play in the top step by himself. We bought a little blow up pool that he has fun in when the water is warmer. We need to go to a water park and try a baby section. I think he would like it.

We are up in Massachusetts now for a few weeks. We spent the last few days in Boston. I was so proud of DS, he slept in the packnplay in our hotel room and after fussing a bit to get to sleep he did and slept through the night. I was worried with all of us in the same room but he did great. We walked around Boston yesterday while DH was in a meeting. Found a really cute farmers market by Copley. It was just a bunch of local farms and bakeries set up around little park near the Trinity Church. We bought some Organic fresh tomatoes that look great!! He feels asleep in his stroller walking through the city over cobblestone and with the cabs wizzing by ... I was in shock. We are back on the Cape now and I think the hustle and bustle of the last few days are catching up with him. He was super cranky and had a small temp of 101.3 this morning. I can't remember what the official temp is for a toddler though ...

 

[7beasley]

Yeah Owen -- his first tooth - that is so great!! And eerily coincidental with the QOTD!! Maybe Owen was just waiting for that question so he could surprise you

Holly and Bethany - I am going to look into that feeder thing - it seems cool!

Sara -- love all the pix of Alec and love the floating thing too. Looks like the floating thing is the way to go for us -- we are going to try to hit the pool at my inlaws tonight!

DMickey -- MA for a few weeks!!! In a hotel??? Does DH travel for business? I am outside of Boston. There is lots to see and do here! Are you going to go to the Cape? Your son might enjoy the Aquarium in Boston or the Childrens Museum. And don't forget to go to Fanuiel Hall. Have fun!!

************

As for teeth -- Izzy has 2 -- her two bottom teeth -- they both came out within a few days of eachother when she was about 7 months. I think she has one on the top right starting now-- not the middle teeth though but a side one -- my DH calls it her fang!

*************

I hate hearing how miserable you guys are when you have to leave your kids...I am leaving Izzy for the first time in 13 days to go to Vegas for a short 4 day trip. She will be home with my DH while I am gone. But I am terrified that I am going to just miss her awful and you guys seem to have confirmed that! I am going to have to bring some pix of her with me!

And in Sept my DH and I are going to Disney for a week - alone - without Izzy-- she is staying at her 2 sets of grandparents houses. In years past we missed our dog awful while we were at Disney - I can't imagine how much we will miss her this year!!

**************

Question of the Day: : What does your child call his grandparents?

Have a great day ladies.
Stay cool - its hot outside!

-Nicole

 

[7beasley]

Question of the Day: : What does your child call his grandparents?

Izzy calls (or we call and hopefully someday she will too) my parents Grammy and Grandpa. And we call my husband's parents Nana and Papa.

-Nicole

 

[Villain-lover]

my mom and DH mom are both grandma right now. DH dad is grandpa and my dad is grandaddy. I imagine that they will be whatever Sam & Zoe decide!

 

[7beasley]

Okay - off topic but I am excited and wanted to share with you guys!

I was chunky prior to my pregnancy and while I am only about 5lb more than I weighed pre-pregnancy now -- my body has totally changed -- I am much rounder around the middle -- I have a bigger stomach and I generally feel MUCH fatter!!

So - I did some research on various diet plans -- I had done Weight Watchers in the past but I really wasn't up for going to the meetings and stuff right now...

I found something called Carb Cycling -- it helps with Insulin Resistance which I think I have (or pre-diabetes -- I had Gestational Diabetes while pregnant).

Anyway - with carb cycling -- apprarently your body holds onto all the fat if you go on an extreme diet and you lose muscle first -- the theory with the Carb cycling is that if you switch it up on your body (some days carbs some days no carbs) it gets confused and it reves up your metabolism and you burn stored fat -- which is what I need to do.

The first week of the program you have virtually NO carbs (1 serving - 20 grams a day). In week 2 -- you rotate and on some days you have no carbs, on some days you have tons of carbs and on the other days you have a little carbs and then in week 3 -- the days that you have none, some, lots changes. [So for example - wk 2 Sun - some, Mon- none, Tues - tons, wed -some, Thurs - none, Fri-lots, Sat - some, Sun -none] and then for wk 3 [Mon-lots, Tues-non, Wed-lots, Thurs - some, Fri-none, Sat-lots, Sun-some] and it changes week to week.

So I have done the no carbs thing since Sunday night and I just weighed myself today and I am down 5 lbs!! That is good motiviation for me to continue with this plan and see what happens!!

The thing I like about it is that you can have carbs on all the days except the none days -- but on the lots days you can basically eat whatever you want - so I won't feel like I am on a permanent diet -- just some days I watch what I eat more than other days!

My goal is to lose 35lbs -- so 5lbs down now is great!

Just wanted to share- cause I was so happy!!

-Nicole

 

[DMickey28]

DMickey -- MA for a few weeks!!! In a hotel??? Does DH travel for business? I am outside of Boston. There is lots to see and do here! Are you going to go to the Cape? Your son might enjoy the Aquarium in Boston or the Childrens Museum. And don't forget to go to Fanuiel Hall. Have fun!!

Yikes ... No!! We were in Boston Sunday to Tuesday. We are back home on the Cape now. My parents live on the Cape and I grew up here. DH grew up in Randolph!! I could not imagine a few weeks in a hotel with the three of us ... shoot me now!!

DS and I come up here for a few weeks in July and then again in December. Christmas just seems wrong in S. Florida so we come up here and get into the spirit and shop!! July (and the rest of the summer just suck in S. Florida!!) We usually come for a family visit for a week or so in October but I don't think we will this year, DH and I are going to try and do a cruise alone in October instead.

We had a cookout in Stoneham on Sunday and I brought DS to my mil's on Monday in Easton while I went down to RI to see my best friend's 2 week old!! She is sooo tiny compared to Alexander when he was born and her two year old!! Yesterday we just wandered around while DH was in a meeting. Talbot kids and the Gap are having awesome sales right now so we went there in Copley. We ended up hanging out, having lunch and resting in the Guest Lounge at the hotel for a while with another work wife and her kids.

QOTD: DS will listen on the phone when we call our parents. He smiles and lately he has been babbling back!!

 

[Jen_in_NH]

Go Nicole!!!! It sounds like you're doing great!

Hi DMickey - welcome to New England in a stinking heat wave....

Bethany - you must be fairly close to the fires. They just sent out a crew of firefighters from NH. A friend of ours is on it, and thinks they're going to Big Sur. Heck of a way to go sightseeing...

As far as teeth, Christopher cut the first 2 (the bottom ones) around 6 months. The 1st seven came in fairly quick, and he just cut the 8th one yesterday (the last of the bottom 4). So I guess molars will be next

Disney character - Goofy. He'll do anything to make people laugh.

 

[DMickey28]

QOTD: DS will listen on the phone when we call our parents. He smiles and lately he has been babbling back!!

Ok so i thought you meant ... Do they call on the phone?? HA .... Alexander is not calling his grandparents anything yet but we call my mom and dad, grandpa and grandma. Dh's mom is Nana.

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

I am SOOO bad about getting the darn things in prints, though. I have literally hundreds of pictures, and barely any actual prints. I need to do that. I think I am going to sign up at snapfish or shutterfly for one of those prepaid plans or something- anyone else do this?

I signed up with shutterfly, and I'm really liking it. It's helped me remember to get prints made up, and I've got a photo album going for Owen. Eventually I want to scrapbook this first year, and I've got all the scrapbook supplies - I just need to pick out the photos I want to put in the scrapbook and get prints made through shutterfly. Oh yeah, and find time to do the scrapbooking!

Question of the Day: : What does your child call his grandparents?

Have a great day ladies.
Stay cool - its hot outside!

-Nicole

There are very specific "rules" about this on DH's side...

DH's mom is "Nonna"

DH's dad and step mom are "Grandpa and Grandma Lewis"

Apparently I have no choice, and when we are grandparents we will be called "Grandpa and Grandma Lewis" as well. Long tradition, apparently. And if great-grandparents are still alive, they are called "grandpa-great" and "grandma-great".

For my family, my dad and step mom are "Grandpa Dick and Grandma Sue" - it's always "grandpa/grandma firstname".

Bethany - you must be fairly close to the fires. They just sent out a crew of firefighters from NH. A friend of ours is on it, and thinks they're going to Big Sur. Heck of a way to go sightseeing...

Yep, fairly close. There's so many of them - the newspaper gives an update every day of the current fires in the bay area plus the bigger ones in the rest of the state. It's so strange to see the lists changing day to day, and it seems like one day they'll put out 2 fires and 3 more will start. The Big Sur fire is probably 3 hours from here in standard traffic, but our air quality has been affected by it on days when the winds are blowing off the ocean. There's also the big fire by Sacramento that affects our air quality on the days when the wind is coming from inland. We have friends that have been planning a big group camping trip to the Big Sur area, and now it looks like they'll have to cancel. It's sad to see these beautiful areas being consumed by the fires.

We're so thankful for all the firefighters from out of state who are coming out to help us! Not such great sightseeing, I agree, but I hope they will all stay safe and get a big welcome from all of us they are helping! It's a really bad year for fires out here, and I know our fire departments are stretched thin. On the 4th they were pleading with everyone to just NOT set off firecrackers or fireworks since the risk of fire is so high and the number of firefighters available is so low. Not that everyone listened, of course.

When I first moved out here, DH warned me "every summer the state catches on fire", and I sort of chuckled over that at the time, but this year it really does feel like the whole state is on fire. And now we're in a massive heat wave...highs of 102 in our micro-climate neighborhood today, but some places around us will hit 110, and my friend says that at her place in the central valley they're predicting 118!!!!

 

[Tasha+Scott]

Question of the Day: : What does your child call his grandparents?

Cohen is obviously way too young right now but will eventually copy his big sister and call my mom and stepdad Nana and Papa, my dad and stepmom Grandpa and Grandma, and dh's parents Mamaw and Papa (I personally hate the term Mamaw but that's what her older grandchildren call her so we followed suit). Dh's grandmother is called Mamaw *last name*. My paternal grandparents are called great-grandma and great-grandpa but we've only seen them twice since my dd was born several years ago. My maternal grandmother died this time last year but we called her Mamama.

 

[AllyandJack]

I found it! Thanks, Nicole for having me come over!

Hi, everone! I have a few minutes because my parents took Kate for a sleepover after I fell yesterday.

Things have been rough. I severely underestimated how hard it would be having 2 this close in age. Physically, I recovered great - I was induced by having my water broken, my labor was slightly over 4 hours, I didn't even have to push. No pitocin. No epidural. She forced her way out, giving herself a black eye in the process. I seem to bounce back fast though.....that's how I ended up pregnant again so soon after Kate, I guess!

Needless to say, I AM on birth control this time around. I still have nightmares about positive pregnancy tests though. Pretty sad. The nightmare used to be the negative ones.

Anyway....I'm going to bookmark this so I don't lose it.

We've been calling my parents Grammy and Grampy. No idea how that came about, but it seems to be working!

 

[jennyL]

Well Noah is too young to call them anything yet but I've been using grandma and grandpa for everyone. LOL I call all my grandparents that and DH does to so thats what we'll start with and go from there. Both grandmas keep trying other names but I basically say that Noah will decide and that will be it. We are using great-grandma and great-grandpa for those. Question since all of mine passed before I can remember talking what do your kids actually call them? I can't really see Noah actually calling them great-grandma xxx everytime he sees her? My step-grandparents live close so we see them alot and it would be a mouth full. I call them by their first names but plan to have Noah call them greats so we'll see how that works out once he gets to the actually speaking age.

 

[exwdwcm]

beck- cute float!

Holly- i've seen that, but hadn't thought of trying it, sounds like its a hit, so i might have to invest in one for him to eat fruit with it. especially with teething, he might like chewing more on it.

Bethany-how cute on his tooth! yeah!

Pollito- what cute pics of Alex, he looks like he is having a ball at the waterpark.

Carla- welcome back! yeah for BC, so funny how you used to dread the negative tests and now you dread a positive. i am so glad you have two happy healthy little ones. glad to see you doing well. how did you fall? are you okay?

Nicole- good luck on the diet thing. i have never dieted. i just don't believe in them- this girl at work has decided to cut out chocolate, chips and sodas........and i think that is silly- all her favorites and she ends up bingeing instead. and she still goes and eats a ton of fast food and sweet tea, so what's the point? It has to be something you can live with. i believe in moderation and not cutting out something completely - at least for me- i know that is what works for me. so i actually did start WW 5 weeks ago and i've lost 6.5 pounds. i am not doing it strictly, but it has made me think about what i put in my mouth and how many points it is- i go for the sugar free jello instead of the ice cream now. i still have ice cream, jsut not every night. i am also working out 4-5 a week and can tell a real difference- 2 step classes and 2 pilates classes a week and my muscle tone is returning. i am at my pre-preggo weight now, but i still have 10-15 lbs of fertility drug weight to lose. i am only 10lbs away from my goal now, so WW is working so far. i have only been to two meetings though- i just go weigh in, i dn't have time for the meeting and it doesn't motivate me or help me, since i know where the answers lie and what my issues are already. i know the meeting works for a lot of folks though- both my mom and sister have lost almost 20lbs each so far on it. so i am happy with it, it is something i can do forever and stick with. it isn't a temporary thing, these are choices i can do permanently and i think that is the key. let us know how it goes and keep up the great work.

It is so hot here- 100s now. and humidity similar to florida, i hate TX summers! and our electric bill jsut came- $500! we switched carriers, our current one was trying to gouge us- our bill was double last month's because they raised the rate so much. i can't wait for new provider to kick in.

only 3 days til we leave for seaworld and the beach, i cannot wait. at least AF showed up early and so i can get her out of the way this week instead of while i am in a bathing suit!

Poor Will woke up at 5am fussing today, so unlike him. i think the teething is in full force. we still can't feel one, but it's gotta what it is. he is drooling massively and light fever and super fussy. nothing was calming him. he is also making raspberry noises and blowing spit everywhere, so i really think that's it. i am just waiting to see a tooth appear. day care even called saying he was fussy and asked to give him tylenol- they never call.

i would say Will is most like HAPPY from snow white. he really is such a happy and content baby!