Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
My One and Only?
The other day while driving to work, I was pondering, as I often do, about only children. I was thinking about how great Chelsea Clinton turned out (I guess, I don't know her personally) and wondering about other famous onlies. That same day I was waiting in the lab to get Squishy's blood drawn for her 1 year checkup and I saw a Time Magazine with this article on the cover. An article about onlies! I found the article online when I got home (who reads actual magazines anymore?) and loved it. It includes a slide show of famous onlies from Elvis to Condoleezza Rice. The article really resonated with much of my reasoning for having only one child.
Financially, it's much easier if we just stop with one. Squishy's school is already really expensive, and if we want to choose the best schools for her going forward, we're going to have to continue paying. I know that public schools are an option and could be a great option for us, but we're going to look into everything. I have this sinking feeling we're going to want a private school. And of course there are college costs as well as all the other extras that you pay for with a child. An extra plane ticket on a trip, extra meals, extra clothes, everything it takes to support an additional human being.
Emotionally, I often feel like I've bit off just as much as I can chew. Balancing a full-time job along with being a mother is challenging for anyone. Add DH's frequent business trips to the mix and I'm doing the best I can just surviving on a day-to-day basis. I can't imagine doing everything I'm doing and then adding another little person to the mix. I devote a lot of time and energy to Squishy when I'm not at work and I wouldn't want to feel like I was stretched to provide as much love to both kids. I know that love isn't finite; you can give and give and more grows in its place but still, my time is finite. I also like that DH and I still have couple time together. We can work as a team to parent Squishy when we're both home. I feel that if we add a baby to the mix, I'm going to have baby duty and DH is going to take care of Squishy. We'll have to divide and conquer for a lot of the chores. And that's just how we'll be - divided.
And then there's that little detail about my age. I'm 33 and barreling towards "advanced maternal age" at a break-neck speed. DH is no spring chicken either folks. Do we want to accept the extra challenges and risks of having a child in the caution zone? Plenty of people have absolutely healthy kids into their 40's but who knows what we'd have to face as far as fertility and all that.
I also look forward to all Squishy's milestones and knowing that as a family, we'll be moving on to the next phase. Some day she will walk and that will be the end of crawling. Some day she will be potty trained and that will be the end of diapers. Some day she'll graduate to a big girl bed and that will be the end of the crib.
But I guess that's just it, isn't it? The end. The end sounds so final. This is why I'm still saving her baby clothes and my breast pump and various other items. I am not totally sure that this is the end. I do feel that our family is complete and that Squishy is all I ever need as a parent, but I'm leaving the door open a crack. I feel like I'm 80% in favor of having only one child but there still is that 20% to contend with.
I hate leaving things open ended. I hate that I don't have a 100% decision on this right now today so that I could just move the heck on already. But life evolves and changes and so do we. So for now, Squishy is our one and only. But...
What are your thoughts on this? One and done? Two? Shooting for a big family?
Financially, it's much easier if we just stop with one. Squishy's school is already really expensive, and if we want to choose the best schools for her going forward, we're going to have to continue paying. I know that public schools are an option and could be a great option for us, but we're going to look into everything. I have this sinking feeling we're going to want a private school. And of course there are college costs as well as all the other extras that you pay for with a child. An extra plane ticket on a trip, extra meals, extra clothes, everything it takes to support an additional human being.
Emotionally, I often feel like I've bit off just as much as I can chew. Balancing a full-time job along with being a mother is challenging for anyone. Add DH's frequent business trips to the mix and I'm doing the best I can just surviving on a day-to-day basis. I can't imagine doing everything I'm doing and then adding another little person to the mix. I devote a lot of time and energy to Squishy when I'm not at work and I wouldn't want to feel like I was stretched to provide as much love to both kids. I know that love isn't finite; you can give and give and more grows in its place but still, my time is finite. I also like that DH and I still have couple time together. We can work as a team to parent Squishy when we're both home. I feel that if we add a baby to the mix, I'm going to have baby duty and DH is going to take care of Squishy. We'll have to divide and conquer for a lot of the chores. And that's just how we'll be - divided.
And then there's that little detail about my age. I'm 33 and barreling towards "advanced maternal age" at a break-neck speed. DH is no spring chicken either folks. Do we want to accept the extra challenges and risks of having a child in the caution zone? Plenty of people have absolutely healthy kids into their 40's but who knows what we'd have to face as far as fertility and all that.
I also look forward to all Squishy's milestones and knowing that as a family, we'll be moving on to the next phase. Some day she will walk and that will be the end of crawling. Some day she will be potty trained and that will be the end of diapers. Some day she'll graduate to a big girl bed and that will be the end of the crib.
But I guess that's just it, isn't it? The end. The end sounds so final. This is why I'm still saving her baby clothes and my breast pump and various other items. I am not totally sure that this is the end. I do feel that our family is complete and that Squishy is all I ever need as a parent, but I'm leaving the door open a crack. I feel like I'm 80% in favor of having only one child but there still is that 20% to contend with.
I hate leaving things open ended. I hate that I don't have a 100% decision on this right now today so that I could just move the heck on already. But life evolves and changes and so do we. So for now, Squishy is our one and only. But...
What are your thoughts on this? One and done? Two? Shooting for a big family?
The End of the Year
Well, it looks like we're going to start to measure our year by school calendars again. This week marks the end of the year at Squishy's school and another year begins after labor day. This morning I had a CD in our mailbox with all the pictures from the 2009-2010 school year, so cute! So amazing to see how much she's grown. I cropped out all the other kids so some of the pictures might look odd. Below are a few and for the whole album click here.
Almost time for us to go on vacation!
Almost time for us to go on vacation!
Monday, August 23, 2010
We're Going on Vacaaaaaation!
Usually, I would be hesitant to write about going out of town for a whole 9 days because well, that's just not stuff that you publicize. But, we're having a friend come house-sit and watch the cats so all you people who were going to come and try to steal our awesome stuff can suck it.
I can tell you everyone is dying for a vacation around here. This is our first full-fledged vacation of over a week since our honeymoon and I am READY!
We are going to Little Sebago Lake in Maine:
And we're staying in this house:
It will be so cool! Check out the swing set for Squishy to play on. It has a slide - oh joy.
We're bringing a bunch of our family members along with us, Lola & Lolo, Super Auntie, Aunt Lisa & Uncle Theo and Grandpa Robert. It's going to be one big family hootenanny!
Now if I can just survive the next 2.5 days of work and get over this cold...
I can tell you everyone is dying for a vacation around here. This is our first full-fledged vacation of over a week since our honeymoon and I am READY!
We are going to Little Sebago Lake in Maine:
And we're staying in this house:
It will be so cool! Check out the swing set for Squishy to play on. It has a slide - oh joy.
We're bringing a bunch of our family members along with us, Lola & Lolo, Super Auntie, Aunt Lisa & Uncle Theo and Grandpa Robert. It's going to be one big family hootenanny!
Now if I can just survive the next 2.5 days of work and get over this cold...
Friday, August 20, 2010
Chatter Box
Warning! This post is for family members and friends who are not opposed to hearing about how Squishy is, in fact, a genius. So if this kind of thing bothers you, you might just want to skip out today. I know I get annoyed sometimes by reading about other kids who are perfect nappers or slept through the night at 3 months, yada yada. So this is fair warning that this post might sound bragadocious to the wrong audience.
...
...
OK, if you are still reading, I take no responsibility if you get annoyed.
I just can't believe how many words Squishy knows! It is amazing to me to see her start to label the world around her. I guess she's been processing it in her head for some time but to hear it for myself, it's just amazing. And seriously, you can really tell what she's saying! I'm not taking some incoherent babble and assigning words to it. Of course her pronunciation isn't perfect but what can you expect? It's very clear what she's talking about - not just to me, but to her teachers at school.
Her favorite words that she uses all the time are:
She is also quite the parrot. She can repeat back words that she hears with striking clarity. Her teachers at school have been surprised to hear her say things like "lion" and "Elizabeth" and I've heard her repeat things like "diaper" "melon" and "elevator". The word comes out so clear, you kind of do a double take.
She also understands what we're saying. In the morning or at night I'll say "time to brush your teeth!" and she'll make the motion with her hand like she's brushing her teeth. I give her the toothbrush and she uses it properly. Of course, she's not brushing with any skill and it's hard to do it for her myself. Hopefully her teeth don't fall out from decay.
She definitely likes knowing that we're communicating but um, she's a little, er, bossy. This morning she commanded me to sing "row row?" "row row?" and I had to sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat over and over. Because each time I stopped, again with the "row row?" "row row?" "ROW ROW!!" "Wahhh!!!" She uses "up" as a command to get up on the couch or out of her chair and uses "ba ba" as a command to get her bottle. Sometimes she does this when she's not hungry just to get your attention. Which is fun of course.
Of course she does all this talking at home or at school. I put her in a new environment like a party or the doctor's office and she just clams up. She definitely likes to observe and feel comfortable somewhere before exploring or expressing herself.
When our pediatrician asked if she could properly identify "mama" and "dada", I told her sure, she probably knows around 20 words. Our ped freaked out! She then said she probably would test at a really high IQ because for babies, vocabulary is one of the only ways they can test intelligence. But, this is the same pediatrician that said no swimming before 1 year old so I take everything she says with a grain of salt. Also, everyone knows it's not IQ that matters, it's what you do with it. So maybe she is a really smart cookie and maybe she isn't. What is important is that she tries hard and enjoys life. And that's what I'm sticking with!
I have read that early talkers are usually later walkers because kids focus on one developmental milestone at a time. So perhaps we have some time before she starts walking all over. We'll see. For now, I just enjoy hearing what she has to say.
...
...
OK, if you are still reading, I take no responsibility if you get annoyed.
I just can't believe how many words Squishy knows! It is amazing to me to see her start to label the world around her. I guess she's been processing it in her head for some time but to hear it for myself, it's just amazing. And seriously, you can really tell what she's saying! I'm not taking some incoherent babble and assigning words to it. Of course her pronunciation isn't perfect but what can you expect? It's very clear what she's talking about - not just to me, but to her teachers at school.
Her favorite words that she uses all the time are:
- Bottle (which she calls bah oh or ba ba)
- Water (wa wa)
- More (she also signs for more)
- Her own name
- No
- Up
- Light (she refers to lights properly and also calls light switches "light")
- Airplane (I know, seriously - but her school is near the cable airport and planes go by all day)
- Book
- Ball
- Balloon
- Hello (she says this when the phone rings and puts her hand up to her ear... will also put the phone to her ear or your ear and say hello)
- Mama
- Dada / Daddy
- Doggie
- She knows some of her friends' names - her favorites are Amar and
- Ray (Ray Ray)
- Row row (as in row, row row your boat)
She is also quite the parrot. She can repeat back words that she hears with striking clarity. Her teachers at school have been surprised to hear her say things like "lion" and "Elizabeth" and I've heard her repeat things like "diaper" "melon" and "elevator". The word comes out so clear, you kind of do a double take.
She also understands what we're saying. In the morning or at night I'll say "time to brush your teeth!" and she'll make the motion with her hand like she's brushing her teeth. I give her the toothbrush and she uses it properly. Of course, she's not brushing with any skill and it's hard to do it for her myself. Hopefully her teeth don't fall out from decay.
She definitely likes knowing that we're communicating but um, she's a little, er, bossy. This morning she commanded me to sing "row row?" "row row?" and I had to sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat over and over. Because each time I stopped, again with the "row row?" "row row?" "ROW ROW!!" "Wahhh!!!" She uses "up" as a command to get up on the couch or out of her chair and uses "ba ba" as a command to get her bottle. Sometimes she does this when she's not hungry just to get your attention. Which is fun of course.
Of course she does all this talking at home or at school. I put her in a new environment like a party or the doctor's office and she just clams up. She definitely likes to observe and feel comfortable somewhere before exploring or expressing herself.
When our pediatrician asked if she could properly identify "mama" and "dada", I told her sure, she probably knows around 20 words. Our ped freaked out! She then said she probably would test at a really high IQ because for babies, vocabulary is one of the only ways they can test intelligence. But, this is the same pediatrician that said no swimming before 1 year old so I take everything she says with a grain of salt. Also, everyone knows it's not IQ that matters, it's what you do with it. So maybe she is a really smart cookie and maybe she isn't. What is important is that she tries hard and enjoys life. And that's what I'm sticking with!
I have read that early talkers are usually later walkers because kids focus on one developmental milestone at a time. So perhaps we have some time before she starts walking all over. We'll see. For now, I just enjoy hearing what she has to say.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Marketing Monster
I've been reading a really interesting blog, Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. With our daughter, we're not really at the point where she's brand aware or even aware of different products at all. But I know the time will come where she's barraged by marketing messages.
Seriously I just hate marketing that's directed towards children. And it's getting worse all the time. When I was a kid, it was mostly just commercials for junk food, sugar cereal and toys that were played during cartoons or kids shows. Now a whole show is pretty much a commercial thanks to the Disney marketing machine and shit, everything else. What is a show like Thomas the Train trying to accomplish if not just selling toys? Even Sesame Street is on the bandwagon now and that hurts, PBS.
Today I read about this Ralph Lauren campaign where they have created a website story that slyly advertises their fall collection. Ahh!!! Is anyone else really bothered by this?
What am I going to tell my daughter when her time comes to want this stuff? And not just the clothes. The toys, the junk food, the albums, the computer games, whatever it is that the "hot" thing happens to be? I hope that in her early years we can keep the marketing dogs at bay by not showing her television or even Disney movies. (Although we're going to have to make an exception for football season because of DH so we're not perfect either.) We're lucky that her school is RIE and very focused on having simple toys and there is no branded stuff around there. But eventually the marketing will start to seep in. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
What do you do think about marketing to kids?
Seriously I just hate marketing that's directed towards children. And it's getting worse all the time. When I was a kid, it was mostly just commercials for junk food, sugar cereal and toys that were played during cartoons or kids shows. Now a whole show is pretty much a commercial thanks to the Disney marketing machine and shit, everything else. What is a show like Thomas the Train trying to accomplish if not just selling toys? Even Sesame Street is on the bandwagon now and that hurts, PBS.
Today I read about this Ralph Lauren campaign where they have created a website story that slyly advertises their fall collection. Ahh!!! Is anyone else really bothered by this?
What am I going to tell my daughter when her time comes to want this stuff? And not just the clothes. The toys, the junk food, the albums, the computer games, whatever it is that the "hot" thing happens to be? I hope that in her early years we can keep the marketing dogs at bay by not showing her television or even Disney movies. (Although we're going to have to make an exception for football season because of DH so we're not perfect either.) We're lucky that her school is RIE and very focused on having simple toys and there is no branded stuff around there. But eventually the marketing will start to seep in. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
What do you do think about marketing to kids?
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
A New Home
Today our blog moved to a new home:
polkadothippo.com
If you subscribe using a reader, please note the change and come on by and see the new look! Let me know what you think!
polkadothippo.com
If you subscribe using a reader, please note the change and come on by and see the new look! Let me know what you think!
Monday, August 16, 2010
One Year Old
We had a fantastic birthday party for Squishy yesterday at Lola's house. Thank you to everyone who helped to make it a success. I can't believe she's such a big girl now!
Big new slide from Auntie:
Birthday craziness!!
Afternoon dip in the pool:
During the birthday song:
And here's what you've been waiting for:
There are a few more pictures if you'd like to see the whole album, click here.
Big new slide from Auntie:
Birthday craziness!!
Afternoon dip in the pool:
During the birthday song:
And here's what you've been waiting for:
There are a few more pictures if you'd like to see the whole album, click here.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Birthday Gifts from Mom & Dad
This weekend is Squishy's BIRTHDAY WEEKEND! Look at this cute post Cupcake Mama made to celebrate.
At first I wasn't even going to get her anything because I know she'll get plenty of gifts from the family but I just felt lame not doing anything. You win, consumerist society. So I searched and searched and found the Lady Bug Tent! I was very excited about this for Squishy and I also bought some of those plastic balls to throw in there for more fun times.
Last night we decided to set up the Lady Bug Tent after she went to sleep so she could play with it first thing in the morning. Holy guacamole the thing is HUGE!!!
Seriously what was I thinking!!??? DH and I BOTH fit in it, sitting up.
But oh well, it still looked fun so we went with it. I threw in the balls too. (By the way, 100 fun balls doesn't get you very far if you're really trying to make a ball pit which thankfully I wasn't.)
Everyone enjoyed the tent.
Hopefully this tent will bring lots of fun over the years. DH said we can't leave it set up all the time because it is so big. That's fine. I think we're going to bring it on our trip to Maine (sans balls) because it would be fun thing to have outside to get her out of the sun for a bit. She may even take a little nap in it, who knows. It folds down really small and has a little carrying case as well.
Let the wild rumpus begin!!
In case you are interested, here are links to all the items I bought. (Doesn't the tent look smaller in this picture? I don't know what it is. I realize I could have um, read the dimensions but oh well.)
Pacific Play Tents Lady Bug Tent and Tunnel Com.
100 pcs Fun Ballz
I also bought this educational fun box for only $25 on sale from $50. This thing is pretty awesome and Squish loves to play with it. It's $30 now for some reason but I still think it's a good value.
Educo Discovery Box
At first I wasn't even going to get her anything because I know she'll get plenty of gifts from the family but I just felt lame not doing anything. You win, consumerist society. So I searched and searched and found the Lady Bug Tent! I was very excited about this for Squishy and I also bought some of those plastic balls to throw in there for more fun times.
Last night we decided to set up the Lady Bug Tent after she went to sleep so she could play with it first thing in the morning. Holy guacamole the thing is HUGE!!!
Seriously what was I thinking!!??? DH and I BOTH fit in it, sitting up.
But oh well, it still looked fun so we went with it. I threw in the balls too. (By the way, 100 fun balls doesn't get you very far if you're really trying to make a ball pit which thankfully I wasn't.)
Everyone enjoyed the tent.
Hopefully this tent will bring lots of fun over the years. DH said we can't leave it set up all the time because it is so big. That's fine. I think we're going to bring it on our trip to Maine (sans balls) because it would be fun thing to have outside to get her out of the sun for a bit. She may even take a little nap in it, who knows. It folds down really small and has a little carrying case as well.
Let the wild rumpus begin!!
In case you are interested, here are links to all the items I bought. (Doesn't the tent look smaller in this picture? I don't know what it is. I realize I could have um, read the dimensions but oh well.)
Pacific Play Tents Lady Bug Tent and Tunnel Com.
100 pcs Fun Ballz
I also bought this educational fun box for only $25 on sale from $50. This thing is pretty awesome and Squish loves to play with it. It's $30 now for some reason but I still think it's a good value.
Educo Discovery Box
Friday, August 13, 2010
Our Cats Clearly Hate Apple
This morning, Squishy woke up at 5:15 am, sigh. But, we brought her in to bed with us, gave her a bottle, and for the FIRST TIME EVER I was able to get her to fall back to sleep in our bed! I was so happy about it!
The problem happened just as she was falling asleep. I heard the cat puking noise. But I couldn't move for fear of upsetting the delicate balance that I had just achieved in getting Squishy to go back to sleep. So I knew that I would look for the mess when we all woke up later.
She actually slept until almost 7:00! It was so great. And so cute. I guess there are probably all sorts of reasons why we shouldn't let her sleep with us but at that time of morning it's impossible to get her back in her crib. So whatever.
Well anyway, when we all woke up I checked around for the puke but I couldn't find anything. Until I was blow-drying my hair and I glanced over to see DH's beloved iPad...
Yes, the cat had puked squarely on the iPad. Such an odd place for a cat to puke, right? Poor DH. Not the best way to start your Friday.
Well, at least Squishy slept in!
The problem happened just as she was falling asleep. I heard the cat puking noise. But I couldn't move for fear of upsetting the delicate balance that I had just achieved in getting Squishy to go back to sleep. So I knew that I would look for the mess when we all woke up later.
She actually slept until almost 7:00! It was so great. And so cute. I guess there are probably all sorts of reasons why we shouldn't let her sleep with us but at that time of morning it's impossible to get her back in her crib. So whatever.
Well anyway, when we all woke up I checked around for the puke but I couldn't find anything. Until I was blow-drying my hair and I glanced over to see DH's beloved iPad...
Yes, the cat had puked squarely on the iPad. Such an odd place for a cat to puke, right? Poor DH. Not the best way to start your Friday.
Well, at least Squishy slept in!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
The World Rests on Mom's Shoulders
Today we start our very first blogversation! My friend Cupcake Mama mentioned my work trip situation in her blog post. She asks the question - why is it that mothers are more responsible for children than fathers? Why can't I just leave Squishy at home with her dad while I travel for work? (PS Cupcake Mama you did not annoy me but I still won't go see that movie with you.)
Well, it's a tricky question and I think that every family has a different answer. You see, even before Squishy was born, I was responsible for everything at home. Scheduling our activities, managing the housekeeper, making sure we have staples like cat litter and paper towels. Getting new sheets and towels when it's time. Planning our social calendar. Making sure the taxes get filed and parking tickets paid. Oh, and picking up socks. Always, ALWAYS picking up socks.
DH travels often for work. When he was single, he let a lot of things just slide and that was fine with him. But I live in a more organized way so when we became a couple, I just naturally took care of the nuts and bolts of our lives. When we go on trips, I make all the reservations. When we bought a car, I crunched the numbers. I am in charge of all the details. I don't travel for work - well, I haven't in over four years - so I am in charge of making sure everything lines up on a daily basis. My brain just does well with the little details that make up day-to-day life.
So when the baby came, of course all the managing fell to me. Making sure she has diapers, packing her lunch, organizing her closet and dresser, getting her packed for a trip to the park or to another state. It's just my thing.
I think that having a husband who travels a lot for work is a challenge - but one that you get used to. I have no choice but to be able to take care of Squishy on my own and I've already done it many times, sometimes for over a week. DH has cared for her exactly one night without me and he will do it for two nights when I go to the Blathering. (PS, the Blathering! Everyone come!) I just can't ask him to take care of her for 9 nights when he also has to work.
DH earns a lot more than me and I think that's also part of it. His job is more important to our financial well-being than mine is, so it's up to me to be accommodating to his career. I guess that could sound sexist but I think it's just realistic.
Of course, DH still does things for our family! DH is our chef and he's in charge when we entertain. I don't even go in the kitchen. He shops and then prepares everything. Yes, I do have to clean the kitchen up afterward but that's okay because I'm much better at chores like that. I'm our household efficiency expert. Also he is a great photographer! He is documenting Squishy's life!
He helps with Squishy too - he has been feeding her breakfast in the morning and entertaining her while I get ready for work - well, when he's home. He takes her to the park if I exercise, (oh my sad, sad exercise record is the subject of another blog post) and sometimes he gives her a bath. She LOVES to play with him and they usually hang out together when he gets home from work.
But as much as he helps with her, I know that the buck stops here, with me. I knew this when I got pregnant - I knew that I'd be the responsible one with respect to our child. I knew DH would help but only when he's able. And that has defined my experience of motherhood.
And while it would be nice to have someone else hold our world on their shoulders for a little bit, I've got this thing. That's just what I do.
What about your family? How do you split the responsibility? What works well for you?
Well, it's a tricky question and I think that every family has a different answer. You see, even before Squishy was born, I was responsible for everything at home. Scheduling our activities, managing the housekeeper, making sure we have staples like cat litter and paper towels. Getting new sheets and towels when it's time. Planning our social calendar. Making sure the taxes get filed and parking tickets paid. Oh, and picking up socks. Always, ALWAYS picking up socks.
DH travels often for work. When he was single, he let a lot of things just slide and that was fine with him. But I live in a more organized way so when we became a couple, I just naturally took care of the nuts and bolts of our lives. When we go on trips, I make all the reservations. When we bought a car, I crunched the numbers. I am in charge of all the details. I don't travel for work - well, I haven't in over four years - so I am in charge of making sure everything lines up on a daily basis. My brain just does well with the little details that make up day-to-day life.
So when the baby came, of course all the managing fell to me. Making sure she has diapers, packing her lunch, organizing her closet and dresser, getting her packed for a trip to the park or to another state. It's just my thing.
I think that having a husband who travels a lot for work is a challenge - but one that you get used to. I have no choice but to be able to take care of Squishy on my own and I've already done it many times, sometimes for over a week. DH has cared for her exactly one night without me and he will do it for two nights when I go to the Blathering. (PS, the Blathering! Everyone come!) I just can't ask him to take care of her for 9 nights when he also has to work.
DH earns a lot more than me and I think that's also part of it. His job is more important to our financial well-being than mine is, so it's up to me to be accommodating to his career. I guess that could sound sexist but I think it's just realistic.
Of course, DH still does things for our family! DH is our chef and he's in charge when we entertain. I don't even go in the kitchen. He shops and then prepares everything. Yes, I do have to clean the kitchen up afterward but that's okay because I'm much better at chores like that. I'm our household efficiency expert. Also he is a great photographer! He is documenting Squishy's life!
He helps with Squishy too - he has been feeding her breakfast in the morning and entertaining her while I get ready for work - well, when he's home. He takes her to the park if I exercise, (oh my sad, sad exercise record is the subject of another blog post) and sometimes he gives her a bath. She LOVES to play with him and they usually hang out together when he gets home from work.
But as much as he helps with her, I know that the buck stops here, with me. I knew this when I got pregnant - I knew that I'd be the responsible one with respect to our child. I knew DH would help but only when he's able. And that has defined my experience of motherhood.
And while it would be nice to have someone else hold our world on their shoulders for a little bit, I've got this thing. That's just what I do.
What about your family? How do you split the responsibility? What works well for you?
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Oh Help!
Oh boy. I've really got a situation brewing up in here. Yesterday my boss tells me that he wants to plan a ski week in Deer Valley to improve relations with selected firm contacts. This has to be a first class event - private chef, coordinated lunch on the mountain, cocktails and dinner at night. There is NO WAY I can plan this event without being on site for the whole 9 days (2 weekends with one week in between).
I know, this sounds FUN, right? But it is SO NOT! Not for me anyway. I used to be an event planner and I know how hard this stuff is for the event staff. I worked 16 hour days back then making sure every detail was perfect on site. This is when I was young and spry and working with an awesome team. Now I'm less spry and I don't have a team. HOWEVER, I have a lot more wisdom and judgment so that's got to count for something.
I did convince my boss that I'd need some help so we will probably bring one of our newer employees but the big question is - how am I going to handle this with Miss Squish? Ah!!! I have to bring her because DH travels and can't take care of her on his own for that many days because he might not be home the whole time. Just this morning he had a 6 am flight. He could not have taken care of Squishy and gotten her to school.
This will definitely be one of the biggest balancing acts I've ever pulled off. I know I worked through my maternity leave but that was working from home and Squishy could set the pace of the day. The pace of the day at ski week will be hectic and driven by the guests.
OK out there - anyone have any ideas of how I can achieve success here? I want to do right by my employer AND my family. This will be in February and Squishy will be almost 18 months old.
I know, this sounds FUN, right? But it is SO NOT! Not for me anyway. I used to be an event planner and I know how hard this stuff is for the event staff. I worked 16 hour days back then making sure every detail was perfect on site. This is when I was young and spry and working with an awesome team. Now I'm less spry and I don't have a team. HOWEVER, I have a lot more wisdom and judgment so that's got to count for something.
I did convince my boss that I'd need some help so we will probably bring one of our newer employees but the big question is - how am I going to handle this with Miss Squish? Ah!!! I have to bring her because DH travels and can't take care of her on his own for that many days because he might not be home the whole time. Just this morning he had a 6 am flight. He could not have taken care of Squishy and gotten her to school.
This will definitely be one of the biggest balancing acts I've ever pulled off. I know I worked through my maternity leave but that was working from home and Squishy could set the pace of the day. The pace of the day at ski week will be hectic and driven by the guests.
OK out there - anyone have any ideas of how I can achieve success here? I want to do right by my employer AND my family. This will be in February and Squishy will be almost 18 months old.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Our Family's First Theme Park Adventure!
Yesterday we went to Knott's Berry Farm with my sister and her boyfriend. It was a such a nice time. Initially I was thinking that I wouldn't take Squishy to a theme park until she was three because that's when she'd appreciate it most. However, I saw that Ella went to Disneyland and had a great time, so I figured it might be worth a try.
Now I definitely LOVE Disneyland and if I would have planned it out more, I probably would have taken Squishy there for her first theme park experience. But my sister was going to Knott's anyway and I thought hey, why not? Let's try it. And we did. And it was awesome. Knott's was less crowded than Disneyland, cheaper, and HEY they serve BOOZE in the park. For a reasonable price. What's not to like?
Although we did not bring a camera because we had enough stuff to lug around, my sister did. Score! So she snapped some pictures of our great adventure:
This picture shows Squishy enjoying her $15 umbrella stroller. Lola found this deal and she was keeping it at her house in case we needed one when we went over. Too bad Lola! I have stolen it! This stroller worked really well and we're going to take it to our trip to Boston / Maine as well.
Riding the trucks with daddy - her first ride, such a big girl!
Not so sure about the bus ride:
After the mini train ride, a little tired from going all day without a nap:
The carousel was definitely a favorite:
A very fun day!
Thanks to Super Auntie for organizing! (And also thanks for buying more cat food for our stinky cats. I totally have you do it because it's embarrassing to buy 60 cans of cat food at Trader Joe's.)
Now I definitely LOVE Disneyland and if I would have planned it out more, I probably would have taken Squishy there for her first theme park experience. But my sister was going to Knott's anyway and I thought hey, why not? Let's try it. And we did. And it was awesome. Knott's was less crowded than Disneyland, cheaper, and HEY they serve BOOZE in the park. For a reasonable price. What's not to like?
Although we did not bring a camera because we had enough stuff to lug around, my sister did. Score! So she snapped some pictures of our great adventure:
This picture shows Squishy enjoying her $15 umbrella stroller. Lola found this deal and she was keeping it at her house in case we needed one when we went over. Too bad Lola! I have stolen it! This stroller worked really well and we're going to take it to our trip to Boston / Maine as well.
Riding the trucks with daddy - her first ride, such a big girl!
Not so sure about the bus ride:
After the mini train ride, a little tired from going all day without a nap:
The carousel was definitely a favorite:
A very fun day!
Thanks to Super Auntie for organizing! (And also thanks for buying more cat food for our stinky cats. I totally have you do it because it's embarrassing to buy 60 cans of cat food at Trader Joe's.)
Friday, August 6, 2010
Things I Hate: California Baby Diaper Rash Cream
Here it is - the worst diaper cream in the whole world. Get a good look at it:
There. Now, NEVER, ever buy it.
I am so disappointed in this stuff, internet. We had bought it a loooong time ago when Squishy was just a wee thing. Shows you how much we ever use diaper cream. I thought it was lovely because it smelled nice and hey it's ALL NATURAL and organic and a friend of the planet. Since Miss Squishy never had a diaper rash, we would just apply a little dab of this stuff now and then after she pooped or something. I don't know why. Having diaper cream just seemed like the right thing to do.
Fast forward to last weekend. We start giving Squishy cow's milk to try. Ah, disaster of disasters. I am pretty bummed about this. I finally ran out of frozen breast milk. We had been mixing part frozen breast milk and part formula towards the end to make sure her stomach could adjust. So when we ran out of breast milk I thought I would try mixing the formula with cow's milk to see how it went.
Well, her little tummy really disagreed. She got the squirts. Poor thing was going to the bathroom quite often. And well, no matter how often I changed her, the diarrhea just irritated her little bottom. So she got diaper rash. Well, no problem! We had our trusty California Baby Calming Diaper Rash cream to help out with the situation.
I should have gotten a clue when she cried and was very uncomfortable when I put the cream on. But I thought that was just the diaper rash because I didn't have any experience with it. But then the rash just got worse and worse even though the diarrhea was getting better. Seriously this CA Baby crud has like lavender oil and all sorts of bad juju in it.
I thought I would give good ol' Desitin a try instead. DH picked up the Desitin Maximum Strength:
This stuff is amazing and wonderful. I love it. It cleared up her diaper rash like no one's business. Hooray! Hooray!!
I would also like to give a shout out to my good friend Cupcake Mama , who I immediately called with my diaper rash questions. She recommended the Boudreaux Butt Paste. I do think the Butt Paste was good and a 1000% improvement over the infuriating California Baby, but I have to say that the Maximum Strength Desitin was a godsend. Thank you Desitin, thank you thank you.
Since the LO still had a bit of a squirty butt on Monday, her school called me in the afternoon that I had to come pick her up. They have a no diarrhea policy. This makes sense to me but I was a little bummed because I know it's from the milk and not an infection or illness. I know because I read it in the baby book y'all and I am almost like a sleep doctor so I guess that makes me almost a pediatrician too.
So anyway, the no diarrhea policy also says that they have to be squirt free for 24 hours before coming back to school. So I stayed home with her Tuesday AND Wednesday and finally sent her back on Thursday. She was so happy to see her friends again and play with all the fun toys there. And I was happy to be doing my work AT work instead of at home while also taking care of a baby who needed very frequent diaper changes.
Well, I hope everyone out there has a great weekend. We have plans to visit Knott's Berry Farm with Super Auntie on Sunday so I'm really looking forward to that. The plans just popped up out of the blue. We'll see how it goes!
There. Now, NEVER, ever buy it.
I am so disappointed in this stuff, internet. We had bought it a loooong time ago when Squishy was just a wee thing. Shows you how much we ever use diaper cream. I thought it was lovely because it smelled nice and hey it's ALL NATURAL and organic and a friend of the planet. Since Miss Squishy never had a diaper rash, we would just apply a little dab of this stuff now and then after she pooped or something. I don't know why. Having diaper cream just seemed like the right thing to do.
Fast forward to last weekend. We start giving Squishy cow's milk to try. Ah, disaster of disasters. I am pretty bummed about this. I finally ran out of frozen breast milk. We had been mixing part frozen breast milk and part formula towards the end to make sure her stomach could adjust. So when we ran out of breast milk I thought I would try mixing the formula with cow's milk to see how it went.
Well, her little tummy really disagreed. She got the squirts. Poor thing was going to the bathroom quite often. And well, no matter how often I changed her, the diarrhea just irritated her little bottom. So she got diaper rash. Well, no problem! We had our trusty California Baby Calming Diaper Rash cream to help out with the situation.
I should have gotten a clue when she cried and was very uncomfortable when I put the cream on. But I thought that was just the diaper rash because I didn't have any experience with it. But then the rash just got worse and worse even though the diarrhea was getting better. Seriously this CA Baby crud has like lavender oil and all sorts of bad juju in it.
I thought I would give good ol' Desitin a try instead. DH picked up the Desitin Maximum Strength:
This stuff is amazing and wonderful. I love it. It cleared up her diaper rash like no one's business. Hooray! Hooray!!
I would also like to give a shout out to my good friend Cupcake Mama , who I immediately called with my diaper rash questions. She recommended the Boudreaux Butt Paste. I do think the Butt Paste was good and a 1000% improvement over the infuriating California Baby, but I have to say that the Maximum Strength Desitin was a godsend. Thank you Desitin, thank you thank you.
Since the LO still had a bit of a squirty butt on Monday, her school called me in the afternoon that I had to come pick her up. They have a no diarrhea policy. This makes sense to me but I was a little bummed because I know it's from the milk and not an infection or illness. I know because I read it in the baby book y'all and I am almost like a sleep doctor so I guess that makes me almost a pediatrician too.
So anyway, the no diarrhea policy also says that they have to be squirt free for 24 hours before coming back to school. So I stayed home with her Tuesday AND Wednesday and finally sent her back on Thursday. She was so happy to see her friends again and play with all the fun toys there. And I was happy to be doing my work AT work instead of at home while also taking care of a baby who needed very frequent diaper changes.
Well, I hope everyone out there has a great weekend. We have plans to visit Knott's Berry Farm with Super Auntie on Sunday so I'm really looking forward to that. The plans just popped up out of the blue. We'll see how it goes!
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