The new "New Moms" thread!

[HollyJoy]

Love the pics!! Does she like the beach? Amanda Joy HATED the water and sand! LOL Hopefully, that won't last.. I'd be crushed! hehe Love the stroller! (we have the same one!) Do you get lots of compliments on it? So many people (I've lost count) come up to me and tell me how much they love the pattern!

 

[beckmrk04]

Stacy- I tried the link but it was a no-go.

I can't find anywhere to join, either. I guess if you didn't sign up in the beginning you're out of luck... Boo.

Maybe next time.

 

[exwdwcm]

Okay, all you Moms with babies in the 6-9 month range...what is your daily schedule like? I want t tweak the twins schedule but haven't come up with a great idea yet that really allows for getting out like I want to.

Right now it looks like this:

7am-bottle
830am -solid meal
1030am-bottle...after this bottle is usually when we go out
145-bottle, down for nap in cribs at 200
430- solid meal
530-bottle
830-900-bottle/bed

I don't usually sweat the morning nap because they will sleep in the car or stroller if we go out or if we are home for the day they have a morning nap in the living room or the crib.

I would like to maybe add a thrid meal and drop a bottle too in the next couple of weeks if I can tweak the schedule and make it work. I am going to try to keep bedtime at like 830.

Thanks for your help!

Meredith- ours goes like this-
7am- up, dressed, fruit/yogurt, 3oz bottle
7:45-off to day care/montessori for the day
9:30-10:30- nap
10:30- 6-8oz bottle
12 or 1pm- fruit or veggie
2pm- 6-8oz bottle
3-4pm- nap
5:30pm- starts on his last bottle, has maybe 2oz
5:45- pickup from day care
6pm- veggie or 3rd stage dinner
7:30-8pm- bath
8pm- last bottle- he usually only takes 5-6oz
8:30- asleep

Nicole- i wouldn't worry about returning the crib. if DH tested it and you feel comfortable, i wouldn't worry about it too much. plus it's not like anyone died from the problem either. And before you know it, Izzy will be a toddler and moving to a toddler bed anyhow. it just seems like a lot of trouble to me if you don't feel it is imperative to do the recall.

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

Well, the trip was good, and Owen was very cooperative, but I am now sicker than ever. We left Fresno today rather than tomorrow to beat the holiday traffic, and it turns out it was a good thing we did. I got home with the chills and discovered that I have a fever of 99.9. I called our friends we were staying with and warned them that the cold was more than a sore throat and runny nose. We were hanging out with two families - one has a 2.5 yr. old girl, and the other family has a 1.5 yr. old boy - so I wanted them to be aware of the cold and to sanitize everything...

But it was fun other than being sick. Got to catch up with old friends, and helped do some filming for a couple promotional videos for an urban ministry based in Fresno. Owen was sleeping in the same room as DH and I, and we'd brought his Amby bed with us. It was a riot to be able to see him bounce that bed!! It's on a spring so the bed itself responds to all of his motions, either swinging him side to side, back and forth, or bouncing the bed up and down. Owen has apparently figured out how to make his bed really bounce! We got to quietly watch him without him knowing, and he would hold his Eeyore in both his feet and hands and talk to him, and then he'd start kicking hard and would bounce that bed up and down over and over again, squealing with glee. We've been able to hear him chattering and squealing over the monitor, but we've never known exactly what he's been doing. It was a riot to see what he's been up to!

Now to just get over this illness...fortunately Tylenol has been working to help me feel better from the fever, and Dh is going to take the night shift with Owen to let me get some sleep. Hopefully the medicine will work and I can sleep. The last few nights I've not slept well at all.

 

[exwdwcm]

Meredith- ours goes like this-
7am- up, dressed, fruit/yogurt, 3oz bottle
7:45-off to day care/montessori for the day
9:30-10:30- nap
10:30- 6-8oz bottle
12 or 1pm- fruit or veggie
2pm- 6-8oz bottle
3-4pm- nap
5:30pm- starts on his last bottle, has maybe 2oz
5:45- pickup from day care
6pm- veggie or 3rd stage dinner
7:30-8pm- bath
8pm- last bottle- he usually only takes 5-6oz
8:30- asleep

Beck- what adorable pic of Vaylie in that dress!

Ash- the pics are awesome- what beach are you at? Ellery looks like she is having a great time!

****HOw did i tell DH- well since we did IVF- he wasn't surprised, but we were both thankful it worked the first time. i did my embryo transfer (2) on 2/20/07 and my blood test/beta was on 3/1. i was having some major bloating and pains, which is common from the egg retrieval surgery and all teh drugs you take. but i went in to the RE for it and had mild OHSS. she said OHSS is usually a good sign- meaning better chance that i was preggo, but my beta was still many days away. so after she said that, i felt more comfortable testing myself before my actual beta- a little hopeful. i tested 2 days before, because i didn't want to break down on the phone with the nurse when she called with results. i wanted to prepare myself for hte worse and let myself grieve it some. but i tested and for the first time ever, after taking a billion tests over 1.5 years, i finally saw a line! i tested many more times in the next 2 days. it was so great to see a positive! i tested alone at home- i don't like DH to see me cry (or anyone), so i wanted to do it in private after he left for work. i told him that night! nothing special, since we were both hoping anyhow.

Nicole- i wouldn't worry about returning the crib. if DH tested it and you feel comfortable, i wouldn't worry about it too much. plus it's not like anyone died from the problem either. And before you know it, Izzy will be a toddler and moving to a toddler bed anyhow. it just seems like a lot of trouble to me if you don't feel it is imperative to do the recall.

 

[exwdwcm]

Stacy- I tried the link but it was a no-go.

I can't find anywhere to join, either. I guess if you didn't sign up in the beginning you're out of luck... Boo.

Maybe next time.

yeah, doesn't work for me either- it goes to a general search page, no site found. thanks though.

Will enjoyed his first fireworks show- we went to a friend's lakehouse and the guys set off their own. he fell asleep half way through- don't know how he slept through all that noise. then we had an hour and a half drive home and got in at midnight. so his schedule was off. but he was really good outside all that time. did anyone else see some fireworks or do anything fun?

 

[beckmrk04]

I grilled steak for steak tacos tonight. And, boy they were delicious. I wish I had taken the time to make some homemade pico de gallo, though.

Yesterday my mom and grandma came up and they planted a flower garden just for V! She LOVES "fwowers." I have to go get mulch and landscaping bricks, and I am going to put the bricks around the flowers in the shape of a Mickey Mouse head!! I'll have to post pics when we get it finished. I think it's going to be so cute. And Vaylie "helps" water the garden. And by "helps" I mean splashes water all over herself and gets none on the flowers.

Tomorrow we're going to the lake to go swimming! I'm excited. We bought V a little wagon set at wal-mart that has all kinds of sand buckets and shovels, and we bought her a Disney Princess beach towel. Fun!! I can't wait.

Bethany- that sucks that you're sick! Ugh. I think the worst thing about being sick now is that since I have a kid, I can't just lay in bed all day and do nothing. That's tough. Hopefully you'll feel better soon!

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

Well, so much for DH taking the night shift. Owen apparently doesn't want to eat during the night, he wants to nurse. So it's mommy who is the the key element in getting him settled down, not the snack. DH got a bottle and tried to give it to Owen when he woke up at 1am, but Owen just screamed and screamed. I got up to see what all the ruckus was about, and Owen settled down the moment he was in my arms, and started moving his head like he was trying to latch on through my shirt. Sigh. It's nice to be loved and needed, but poor DH felt a little rejected. He's felt kind of left out by the whole nursing process, but has been great about supporting me in it anyway. Last night just made him feel even more excluded.

Owen has been a hoot with the cats this morning. I think he missed them while we were away! He's been shrieking with glee every time he sees one of them, and spent about 20 minutes laying in our bed this morning talking to Beatrice with his hands in her fur. It was just like he was telling her all about his trip. So cute, and Beatrice is so very patient and good with him. She's earned herself an extra treat today for letting Owen grab her ears and pull on her fur. Who knew that she'd be so wonderful with a baby?!

Becky, I love the mental image of Vaylie "helping" in the garden! I bet that's a riot to watch!

Our friends in Fresno that we were visiting have a little boy who is almost exactly 1 year older than Owen, and his "chore" is to help feed their cat. Every morning before he has his breakfast, he goes to the cupboard where they keep the cat food and picks out one can, then carries it over to the food dish and puts the unopened can in the bowl and taps it a few times. He's so funny to watch - he's very focused, and he "talks" to himself the whole time. He takes his job very seriously, and watches as his mom or dad opens the can and puts the cat food in the bowl, and then when the cat starts to eat, he gets a big grin on his face and starts clapping. I love watching kids as they start to "help"!

 

[exwdwcm]

Bethany, hope you are feeling better.

Vaylie and a little Mickey garden- how cute is that going to be? I can't wait to see pics.

Will is asleep in my lap right now. he is super fussy today, maybe teething.

here are some pics from this weekend

we've discovered the stairs. btw- any good ideas on putting a gate here.....you can see we have two banisters and it is wide. i've played around with it, but can't figure a solution yet. i bought the kit for it, but it wasn't complete and need to return it. i think i can just buy some wood and use that to put the pressure points on (ziptie the wood to the banister?). i can't drill into the bannister since we will be selling this house in a few years. i bought a swinging gate that opens and is pressure kind, so i need it to push up against a wall or something in order for the gate/door to work right. what a pain!

do you put your gate at the top or bottom of the stairs and why? Will plays mostly downstairs right now, so i think i will put it at the bottom for now. as he gets bigger, we will turn the loft upstairs into a play room, so then i'll move it up probably. or maybe get two gates..

 

[Pollito916]

Becky - Vaylie is so cute, and so grown up looking. She is looking more like a little girl than a baby! Oh, and of course Alex "waters" the flowers the same way, by pouring water on himself!

Bethany - I hope you are feeling better, it's no fun being sick, especially on holiday weekend!

Well, Brady has yet another double ear infection. UGH.

Poor Brady! Hope he's doing better soon!

do you put your gate at the top or bottom of the stairs and why?

We got 2 gates, b/c we spend portions of the day on each floor. The laundry is upstairs, so whenever I am doing laundry I need a gate upstairs. But the kitchen and other main rooms are downstairs, so whenever we are down there we need the gate downstairs. Really no way to avoid it unless you want to bring the gate up and down with you, but that probably won't work from the looks of your banister.

 

[Pollito916]

Well, Alex is sick again, too. He had been running a fever Tuesday night through Thursday, but I thought it was b/c of another molar coming in. Then Friday he woke up with a rash on his stomach and back, and yesterday it had spread to his arms and legs. Now today, it is almost gone.

The symptoms sound like Roseola, but he had that about a year ago, and I'm not sure if a baby can get it more than once. Does anyone else know? I tried to call the pediatrician, but they have been closed since Friday, and charge a fee for "after-hours" calls, so I didn't want to call since I don't think it is an emergency (if it was I would take him to the ER). He hasn't had a fever since Thursday, and the rash doesn't seem to bother him at all. He has been playing and eating like normal. When he had roseola last year, the ped said they didn't need to see him b/c there is nothing they could do anyway. What do you all think? Should I try to call the new ped tomorrow and see if they want to see him?

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

Will is asleep in my lap right now. he is super fussy today, maybe teething.

here are some pics from this weekend

we've discovered the stairs. btw- any good ideas on putting a gate here.....you can see we have two banisters and it is wide. i've played around with it, but can't figure a solution yet. i bought the kit for it, but it wasn't complete and need to return it. i think i can just buy some wood and use that to put the pressure points on (ziptie the wood to the banister?). i can't drill into the bannister since we will be selling this house in a few years. i bought a swinging gate that opens and is pressure kind, so i need it to push up against a wall or something in order for the gate/door to work right. what a pain!

do you put your gate at the top or bottom of the stairs and why? Will plays mostly downstairs right now, so i think i will put it at the bottom for now. as he gets bigger, we will turn the loft upstairs into a play room, so then i'll move it up probably. or maybe get two gates..

He's so cute! Love the expression on his face with the stairs.

With the way our house is set up, there's a door at the bottom of the stairs so we don't have to worry about that and just have one at the top. If we didn't have the door, I'd put a gate at both the top and the bottom.

I don't have any advice for helping with the pressure mounted gates - we decided to drill ours into the wall & banister and then repair the holes later. DH is a major worrier, and he was afraid that the pressure mounted gate would fail at some point either through carelessness or whatever. Although he is considering getting a pressure mounted gate that we could use to block off the kitchen once Owen gets mobile, and we're probably going to get one of those super playyard things to set up out in the "man cave" in the garage so Owen can play with daddy out there. We've already gotten foam interlocking squares down on the floor that he plays on right now.

Well, Alex is sick again, too. He had been running a fever Tuesday night through Thursday, but I thought it was b/c of another molar coming in. Then Friday he woke up with a rash on his stomach and back, and yesterday it had spread to his arms and legs. Now today, it is almost gone.

The symptoms sound like Roseola, but he had that about a year ago, and I'm not sure if a baby can get it more than once. Does anyone else know? I tried to call the pediatrician, but they have been closed since Friday, and charge a fee for "after-hours" calls, so I didn't want to call since I don't think it is an emergency (if it was I would take him to the ER). He hasn't had a fever since Thursday, and the rash doesn't seem to bother him at all. He has been playing and eating like normal. When he had roseola last year, the ped said they didn't need to see him b/c there is nothing they could do anyway. What do you all think? Should I try to call the new ped tomorrow and see if they want to see him?

Sorry Alex is sick! I don't know anything about Roseola, but I think I'd call during normal hours tomorrow and check to see if they want you to bring him in. Sounds like he's fine, but it never hurts to double check with your ped.

 

[beckmrk04]

I can't believe they charge a fee for after-hours calls. Although, I guess it cuts down on people calling for non-emergencies or with dumb questions that can wait til morning...

I'd wait to call too. Especially if he's acting fine otherwise.

Kids are like rash magnets, aren't they? I swear, V and Dnephew are always popping up with some sort of rash.

Gates: We live on one level, and the basement has a door. So, I am no help. However, I am all about making life as easy as possible, so if I were in your situation, I'd buy two gates.

We went to the lake today and went swimming. We had such a good time! Vaylie LOVED playing in the sand. And I would post pics, but dummy me forgot the camera.

Now, I just made homemade pico de gallo, homemade lemon-orange-ade, and I'm marinating steak for grilled steak tacos! YUMMO!

 

[ashjohnson80]

Love the pics!! Does she like the beach? Amanda Joy HATED the water and sand! LOL Hopefully, that won't last.. I'd be crushed! hehe Love the stroller! (we have the same one!) Do you get lots of compliments on it? So many people (I've lost count) come up to me and tell me how much they love the pattern!

Ellery loved the beach! I already knew that she likes swimming because we have a neighborhood pool, but she liked the ocean too, although I only took her the the edge of it. She tried to eat the sand a couple of times though. We tried to get some pictures of her and me wearing white but she was so fascinated by the sand we couldn't get her to look up much. We did get one of those Old West photos done though and we were dressed as saloon girls. It's too funny.

A lot of people have our stroller. I saw it everywhere last week. I love it though, its so lightweight and cute too!

 

[jennyL]

Good morning everyone. We got back about 8pm last night and Noah went right to bed. LOL it was so cute. He has a littel stuffed cat in his bed that my sister gave him and he usually just kindof talks to it in the mornings but has never really loved on it well last night when we put him in there he pulled it close and gave it a big ole hug. I wish I would have had the camera it was so cute. I guess he missed his bed while we were away and I'll have to start taking the cat on trips with us. LOL

Questions for everyone:
1. We are starting to think of an umbrella type stroller so that we don't always have to take the big graco one. Does anyone have any preferences? I don't think I want one of the little cheapies and would prefer a nicer one.

2. What is everyones favorite carseat for the second round. Noah is still in the graco one now but he's getting too tall for it so we need to move up a level. Likes/Dislikes about any inpartcular?

 

[Tiggerlover91]

2. What is everyones favorite carseat for the second round. Noah is still in the graco one now but he's getting too tall for it so we need to move up a level. Likes/Dislikes about any inpartcular?

The Britax Diplomat is AWESOME! I purchased it because of the side impact protection. SO much easier to get Mo in and out of too. Our next purchase will be the Regent when he reaches his 40 pound max on the Diplomat. If I would used my brain, I would have just purchased that one to begin with!

Also, when I can introduce other foods to Mo that aren't pureed. Like cheerios or something. Is there some type of baby food that dissolves for those that don't have teeth yet? I guess I could go check out Walmart today and see.

 

[Villain-lover]

I have just started giving the twins the gerber puffs, but they really can't pick them up yet. They have started biter biscuits and i give them chunks of fruit in a mesh feeder. I am maybe gonna try some tiny organic pasta I found at Harris Teeter, They eat their food about the consistancy of thick mashet potato so they are learning to gum things. Still don't have much desire to feed themselves, but they will learn. I may try the gerber wagon wheels too..still large enough to begin to pick up, but smaller tan a teething biscuit.

 

[7beasley]

Hi all...

Sounds like everyone had a good 4th of July!

Michelle-- Will is so cute!! I can't believe what a good crawler he is -- Izzy has not started to crawl yet...she does a backwards crawl but not forwards. Check out BRU -- they have a million different types of gates. What about if you gated sideways - instead of the bottom of the stairs- the stairs to the wall on both sides. I don't know how your house is set up but maybe that will work.

Bethany -- Sorry Owen is sick and you too! Cute about the cats though. Why are babies fascinated with the ears of dogs and cats? Maybe cause that is the only part they can grab onto easily?

Becky -- Cute about Ms V and her garden! How fun. And those steak tacos sound to die for! Glad swimming was fun. What does she wear swimimng - water wings/life jacket? My inlaws have a pool - we took Izzy for 10 minutes on Sunday (she liked it but the water was too cold) and we had a swim vest but she did not like that. Thinking about what else I could get for her.

Pollito -- sorry Alex is sick - poor little guy.

Ash - your beach trip sounds awesome. Glad you had fun. And I loved hte pictures of Ellery -- what a doll!

Jenny -- Hi -- we have the graco stroller for long trips and the cheap $20 Babies R Us stroller for short trips -- we like the BRU one jsut fine. For a more expensive umbrella stroller - I have heard great things about the Maclerrans. As far as car seats -- we have the Evenflow Deluxe Triumph (I think that's the name) and we like it - works well - and has a good safety rating.

Denise -- I think Mo is probably old enough for the Gerber puffs -- we started them at about 6 months or so - Izzy loves them. Walmart has the own brand that are not only less expensive but come in way better flavors -- we love the Cheddar&Corn and Blueberry kinds. They are about $1.50 a tube. Izzy also enjoys the Zweiback biscuits and Arrowroot cookies. And cheerios are a great thing as well! Good luck and have fun with Mo's finger foods.

Meredith -- Hi! How is Sam/Zoe's revised schedule going? You were looking for scheduling suggestions...here is our's. Up around 8am - 6 oz bottle and stage 2 breakfast/nap around 10-1130/ 6oz bottle around noon/ stage 2 fruit or veg around 1:30/ nap 200-3:30 or so/6oz bottle around 4pm/dinner which is a stage 2 meat (like turkey and sweet potatoes) plus a stage 2 veg/ last 6 0z bottle around 745pm/then bed. We are on the 4 bottles - 3 meals a day schedule now - which works well for us.

*****************
My answer to the previous QOTD re how did you tell DH you were pregnant: We had gone through IVF so I knew about when to test. I remember it clearly - it was a Thursday night -- it was 6 days since my 3 day transfer. After work that night - I had a manicure and was telling the nail tech about hte transfer and she said - test tonight - its not too early test-- and I was dying to test and that was all the encouragement I needed. On the way home I bought a test. Got home - it was February - it was lightly snowing. DH was outside grilling something for dinner. I went upstairs and took the test and left it on the sink while I changed into PJs -- went back a few minutes later and looked and saw the very faintest line every. I held it up to the light and it was faint but it was there. I went tearing downstairs and called him in from the grill and I produced the test with tears running down my face and said "that is a line - do you see it - its a line - is it a line? Do you see it - its a line - omg a line - we are pregnant - do you see it?" He confirmed he saw it and we were both in tears and hugging and over joyed. After years of trying and a long rocky road - we had a line! We were pregnant. And it worked on our first IVF try which made it all the better!!

***************
Okay - new question of the day - something fun and lighthearted!

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

Have a great day!

-Nicole

 

[beckmrk04]

Becky -- Cute about Ms V and her garden! How fun. And those steak tacos sound to die for! Glad swimming was fun. What does she wear swimimng - water wings/life jacket? My inlaws have a pool - we took Izzy for 10 minutes on Sunday (she liked it but the water was too cold) and we had a swim vest but she did not like that. Thinking about what else I could get for her.

The tacos were delish!! (Sometimes I get bored and typing on here is sorta like talking to myself).

We have 2 baby floats that V sits in, and they have canopies. One is a turtle and the other is a crab, and they are inflatable, and she sits in them and the shade is nice. Oooh, wait- I have a picture. I'll post a photo from last summer.

Okay - new question of the day - something fun and lighthearted!

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

Right now, I think Vaylie is a little Tinkerbell. She's tiny and petite, and funny and sassy. She walks everywhere on her tiptoes, like a little fairy. And, she is just full of Pixie Dust.

 

[beckmrk04]

JennyL- I have the Britax Diplomat- 2 actually, one for each car, and we LOVE it. Easy to use, easy to install, easy to adjust, and Vaylie is comfy in it. In fact, a page or two ago I pasted some pics of her, and she's in it in one pic (with her tinkerbell sunglasses on ). Highly reccommend it. And true, it only works up to 40 pounds, but my 5 1/2 year old niece is just 42 lbs., so I figure by the time Vaylie gets to be 40 lbs we will have bought the next step seat anyway.