Posts
Motherhood for Dummies hosts Family Moment Mondays, check her out to get more ideas on how to spend time together as a family!
For me, Labor Day = camping. It's not always possible to go though, and even if it were, the campsites are usually overflowing with people and noise on this holiday weekend. So what's a camping lover to do?
Go backyard camping! Pitch a tent in the backyard and set up a campfire. Use your BBQ Grill to make dinner and use the campfire to make smores for dessert. For entertainment you could set up a horseshoe pit, play board games, and later gather around the fire to tell ghost stories. It would help keep everyone in the camping mood if some sort of rule were established to limit access to the house, perhaps only for bathroom breaks and getting ready for bed.
This is a special treat for the whole family and will feel like a mini vacation even though you're at home!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Classes They Should Offer Pregnant Women
Ok, so my labor class was very informative, but lets face it, when it comes down to it, you just do anything you can think of to get through the pain right? so here is a list of classes that I think would have been more handy to take.
*One Handed Cooking & Cleaning - Because every mom has had to cook a meal or clean a room holding the baby and using just one hand.
*Breastfeeding in Public - How to pull up your shirt, get the baby to latch on, put on a nursing cover, and contain baby's wiggling arms that are trying to pull off nursing cover in one seamless motion that will not expose your stretch-mark covered belly or flash your enormous breast in everyones face.
*Embarrasment Evasion - How to deal with the times when your kid throws a tantrum in public, poops all over your lap, pees in the baptismal font, or any other cringe-worthy activity with a much dignity as possible.
*Declining Nosy Advice - How to gracefully tell every MIL, relative, and stranger you meet in the grocery store to kindly shove it because you know what is best for your baby and putting on an extra layer of clothes/feeding them solids at 4 weeks/using talcum powder instead of ointment just will not work for your baby.
Anyone have any other ideas for classes they would like to see?
*One Handed Cooking & Cleaning - Because every mom has had to cook a meal or clean a room holding the baby and using just one hand.
*Breastfeeding in Public - How to pull up your shirt, get the baby to latch on, put on a nursing cover, and contain baby's wiggling arms that are trying to pull off nursing cover in one seamless motion that will not expose your stretch-mark covered belly or flash your enormous breast in everyones face.
*Embarrasment Evasion - How to deal with the times when your kid throws a tantrum in public, poops all over your lap, pees in the baptismal font, or any other cringe-worthy activity with a much dignity as possible.
*Declining Nosy Advice - How to gracefully tell every MIL, relative, and stranger you meet in the grocery store to kindly shove it because you know what is best for your baby and putting on an extra layer of clothes/feeding them solids at 4 weeks/using talcum powder instead of ointment just will not work for your baby.
Anyone have any other ideas for classes they would like to see?
Wish Me Luck!
I've been looking around for a new baby carrier/sling for a couple of weeks. Michaela still fits in the NoJo, but now that she's wigglier and wants to see things I would like to have one where she could be on my back. I was starting to get pretty discouraged because we are on a tight budget and all the back carriers seemed to be $100-$200. At church on Sunday, I saw a woman tying a large scarf around herself several times. Then I saw her pick up her toddler and but her in the scarf securely. I was fascinated! I'd never seen a homemade carrier before! So I started doing some research online and came across this website. It not only has instructions on how to make your own baby carrier, it also has step-by-step instructions on how to wear them in many different positions. I'm so excited, I going to the fabric store right now! I'll have an update as soon as my carrier is ready to use!
Monday, August 18, 2008
Family Moment Monday-Go Fly a Kite!
Motherhood for Dummies hosts Family Moment Mondays, check her out to get more ideas on how to spend time together as a family!
As summer draws to a close the weather (at least here in New Mexico) is starting to bring us cooler temperatures and more breezes. One fun way to get the most out of these days is to go fly a kite! I don't know about you but there is something about flying a kite that always makes me feel young and carefree.
Don't have a kite? Try making one using straws, sticks or flower wire to make a frame. Tissue paper and plastic grocery bags would probably make good flying material. Or check out this site for more detailed instructions! Here is another site with ideas on how to play various games using a kite.
Have fun, if anyone actually does this, please take pictures, I would love to see them!
As summer draws to a close the weather (at least here in New Mexico) is starting to bring us cooler temperatures and more breezes. One fun way to get the most out of these days is to go fly a kite! I don't know about you but there is something about flying a kite that always makes me feel young and carefree.
Don't have a kite? Try making one using straws, sticks or flower wire to make a frame. Tissue paper and plastic grocery bags would probably make good flying material. Or check out this site for more detailed instructions! Here is another site with ideas on how to play various games using a kite.
Have fun, if anyone actually does this, please take pictures, I would love to see them!
Friday, August 15, 2008
The Loosening* of my Shackles...
My baby girl is growing up!!! She has been eating every 1.5-2 hours since she was born. Without fail, this is a girl that likes to eat often. The past few days, however, she has been going a little bit longer in between feedings so that she is now starting to eat closer to every 3 and sometimes (eek!) 4 hours. I know I should be happy about this, I no longer have to worry as much about whether or not she'll get hungry while I'm running errands or getting housework done. I'm strangely saddened though. First of all eating every 1.5 hours is great, because it means I can sit down, take a break and do some bloggy stuff, or read, or watch a movie, or just relax with my little one. I know this sounds silly and whiny to all of you that have several children, but now that amount of "me" time will be significantly reduced.
Even worse, and the thing that scares me the most is now I have to start being a real mom! Up to now (well other than the first three colic-filled months) we have still been spending most of our days eating and napping, with some play time thrown in the mix during her awake times. Now that she is awake more often, and eating less I have to find new ways to entertain her and keep her occupied and happy. I'm a little afraid that I'm not going to be able to, and that I'll be a boring, educationally stunting mom!
The absolute scariest thing of all of this is that Michaela is growing up. When I was still measuring her age in weeks I thought that her colic would never end and that I would be spending the rest of my life rocking/walking/soothing/crying/pulling my hair out! Then the colic miraculously passed and the next three months were magical. Philip was out of work for the summer, Michaela was no longer in pain. Even though we were busy sometimes with getting the house ready to sell, it was so nice. Now school is starting up again, Philip is going back to work and Michaela and I have to adjust to this next phase in our relationship. Its exciting but terrifying at the same time thinking about how quickly these months have passed, and how quickly the next 18 years will pass. Before I know it Michaela will be toddling around....then starting school....then asking to go place with friends....then asking to go on dates with boys....then moving out....then getting married and having kids of her own! Yikes!
Oh my little one, please stay small for as long as possible.
*I don't really know if loosening is a word. It must be, but it sounds so weird. Oh well.
Even worse, and the thing that scares me the most is now I have to start being a real mom! Up to now (well other than the first three colic-filled months) we have still been spending most of our days eating and napping, with some play time thrown in the mix during her awake times. Now that she is awake more often, and eating less I have to find new ways to entertain her and keep her occupied and happy. I'm a little afraid that I'm not going to be able to, and that I'll be a boring, educationally stunting mom!
The absolute scariest thing of all of this is that Michaela is growing up. When I was still measuring her age in weeks I thought that her colic would never end and that I would be spending the rest of my life rocking/walking/soothing/crying/pulling my hair out! Then the colic miraculously passed and the next three months were magical. Philip was out of work for the summer, Michaela was no longer in pain. Even though we were busy sometimes with getting the house ready to sell, it was so nice. Now school is starting up again, Philip is going back to work and Michaela and I have to adjust to this next phase in our relationship. Its exciting but terrifying at the same time thinking about how quickly these months have passed, and how quickly the next 18 years will pass. Before I know it Michaela will be toddling around....then starting school....then asking to go place with friends....then asking to go on dates with boys....then moving out....then getting married and having kids of her own! Yikes!
Oh my little one, please stay small for as long as possible.
*I don't really know if loosening is a word. It must be, but it sounds so weird. Oh well.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
San Francisco!
Our trip was fabulous! Technically we were staying at Philip's brother's house in Hayward, which is a suburb of Oakland, but in my little New Mexico mind, we were in San Francisco. All of Philip's brothers and his mom came and we all just hung out and had a good time. I was very proud of Michela, she did much better on the flights than I thought she would. She pretty much just nursed and napped the whole time!
Going under the Golden Gate Bridge.
Alcatraz
The famous sea lions at Fisherman's Wharf
Going home!
In a trolley in Monterrey.
She loved looking at the fish in the aquarium in Monterrey!
Our happy little family.
Us, Phil's mom, and two of his brothers. (The other one is taking the picture).
On a boat tour in San Francisco.
AlcatrazThe famous sea lions at Fisherman's WharfGoing home!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Family Moment Monday
Motherhood for Dummies hosts Family Moment Mondays, check her out to get more ideas on how to spend time together as a family!
It is so easy at night to get caught up in the hustle and bustle and to forget to take a little time out for family. Going for a walk is an easy and fun way to connect on a deeper level with your family, away from the distractions of TV, phone calls, work/homework, and all the other little things that keep us from just being with each other. Whether it's a walk to the park or just down the street, it is a nice chance to talk about each others day and get in touch with nature, not to mention getting some exercise to boot!
Sorry it's a short one today, I got home just in time to participate! I promise tomorrow I will upload pictures and give an update of our trip to San Francisco!
It is so easy at night to get caught up in the hustle and bustle and to forget to take a little time out for family. Going for a walk is an easy and fun way to connect on a deeper level with your family, away from the distractions of TV, phone calls, work/homework, and all the other little things that keep us from just being with each other. Whether it's a walk to the park or just down the street, it is a nice chance to talk about each others day and get in touch with nature, not to mention getting some exercise to boot!
Sorry it's a short one today, I got home just in time to participate! I promise tomorrow I will upload pictures and give an update of our trip to San Francisco!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Puppy, puppy, baby crying
Whew, today has been hectic! We finally met with our realtor this morning to sign some papers and put the lockbox on. Our house is officially on the market!!!! Other than that we spent the morning doing last minute touch-ups to the house and packing for our trip to San Francisco.
The real highlight of my morning, however, was taking the dogs to the kennel. Two very hyper doggies (one of them howling because he's afraid of the car) plus a screaming baby (who hates her carseat) equals a very stressful car trip. Not to mention that our vet & kennel are on the complete opposite side of town. Or that there was construction on the bridge going to that side of town. Or that since I never leave the house anymore I forgot how long it takes to get to the vet even without construction!
Well, now we are off to the airport for our first flight with baby! I have no idea what it will be like, but in the interest of making our encounter with security a little less traumatizing for all involved, I will not be taking my laptop. How I am going to get through an entire weekend without my daily blogger fix, I have no idea! See ya monday!!!!!!
The real highlight of my morning, however, was taking the dogs to the kennel. Two very hyper doggies (one of them howling because he's afraid of the car) plus a screaming baby (who hates her carseat) equals a very stressful car trip. Not to mention that our vet & kennel are on the complete opposite side of town. Or that there was construction on the bridge going to that side of town. Or that since I never leave the house anymore I forgot how long it takes to get to the vet even without construction!
Well, now we are off to the airport for our first flight with baby! I have no idea what it will be like, but in the interest of making our encounter with security a little less traumatizing for all involved, I will not be taking my laptop. How I am going to get through an entire weekend without my daily blogger fix, I have no idea! See ya monday!!!!!!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Reader Addiction
Is it just me or are there others out there that spend more time catching up on feeds in their reader than actually working on their own blog?
P.S. Here's a fun little quiz I found:
http://www.oneplusyou.com/bb/blog_addiction?score=71
P.S. Here's a fun little quiz I found:
http://www.oneplusyou.com/bb/blog_addiction?score=71
Monday, August 4, 2008
Family Moment Monday
Motherhood for Dummies hosts Family Moment Mondays, check her out to get more ideas on how to spend time together as a family!
Here in New Mexico, green chile is our staple food. We put it on everything including eggs, enchiladas, hamburgers, pizza, and so much more! People that live outside of NM don't understand, mainly because green chile doesn't really exist outside of NM. It is not a jalapeno, not a bell pepper, not a myriad of other green peppers that my friends outside of NM try to compare it to. It is wonderful and delicious though, and right now it is on the verge of being in season.
You know how when it is Christmas time, tree lots suddenly start popping up on every street corner? Well every year toward the middle of August, green chile vendors start popping up in NM. My family (and by family I mean my parents and my sisters with their families) get together and buy several 40# bags. Then we take the chile over to my dad's large kitchen and spend an entire day peeling the skin off the chiles and preparing them for freezing by putting them in portion sized freezer bags. It is a lot of work, and at the end of the day my feet and back are definitely ready to quit! But in that day of work there are also endless hours of laughing, storytelling, and sharing of our love for each other. It is one of my favorite days of the year.
Now I understand that not everybody lives in NM, and that not everyone lives near extended family. But try getting your own family together to harvest any crop (I know berry harvesting is big right now in some parts of the country), or even just getting together to prep casseroles to freeze for dinners or give to a charity. I promise the time you spend together that day will more than make up for the amount of work.
Here in New Mexico, green chile is our staple food. We put it on everything including eggs, enchiladas, hamburgers, pizza, and so much more! People that live outside of NM don't understand, mainly because green chile doesn't really exist outside of NM. It is not a jalapeno, not a bell pepper, not a myriad of other green peppers that my friends outside of NM try to compare it to. It is wonderful and delicious though, and right now it is on the verge of being in season.
You know how when it is Christmas time, tree lots suddenly start popping up on every street corner? Well every year toward the middle of August, green chile vendors start popping up in NM. My family (and by family I mean my parents and my sisters with their families) get together and buy several 40# bags. Then we take the chile over to my dad's large kitchen and spend an entire day peeling the skin off the chiles and preparing them for freezing by putting them in portion sized freezer bags. It is a lot of work, and at the end of the day my feet and back are definitely ready to quit! But in that day of work there are also endless hours of laughing, storytelling, and sharing of our love for each other. It is one of my favorite days of the year.
Now I understand that not everybody lives in NM, and that not everyone lives near extended family. But try getting your own family together to harvest any crop (I know berry harvesting is big right now in some parts of the country), or even just getting together to prep casseroles to freeze for dinners or give to a charity. I promise the time you spend together that day will more than make up for the amount of work.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Monkey Monkey Underpants
Yup, I changed the name of my blog. Why, you might ask? Well, several reasons.
1. I am a huge fan of the Gilmore Girls and that is probably my most favorite line ever! I told Philip that if I ever had a band, that would be it's name.
2. It is a much more interesting and unique name than Mommy Land.
3. It kinda fits, my nickname for Michaela is monkey (which started when I thought her first sounds sounded like monkey noises).
4. It just sounds kinda crazy, and doesn't quite make sense. That is what being a mom feels like to me, it's like living in an alternate universe that is turned upside down. Don't get me wrong, I looove being a mom, but it is a little crazy some days.
Sooooo, basically I hope you like my new name because I love it!
1. I am a huge fan of the Gilmore Girls and that is probably my most favorite line ever! I told Philip that if I ever had a band, that would be it's name.
2. It is a much more interesting and unique name than Mommy Land.
3. It kinda fits, my nickname for Michaela is monkey (which started when I thought her first sounds sounded like monkey noises).
4. It just sounds kinda crazy, and doesn't quite make sense. That is what being a mom feels like to me, it's like living in an alternate universe that is turned upside down. Don't get me wrong, I looove being a mom, but it is a little crazy some days.
Sooooo, basically I hope you like my new name because I love it!
Poopy Giggles and Feet
My baby laughs at me when she poops. Literally, even if she is in the crummiest mood, the second I open her diaper and see the huge mess waiting for me to clean up, she laughs. I guess I should be glad she has a sense of humor.
On a seperate note, she keeps dicovering new things every day. This week she found her feet. She can't stop grabbing them, playing with them, sticking them in her mouth (though my husband hasn't seen this last one and thinks I made it up). It was quite a sight to see today when she grabbed her feet and started giggling while I changed her poopy diaper.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
My chin is not a booby...
Michaela has officially discovered my chin as a teething device. Every time her mouth is even close she tries to latch on to it. At first I thought she was trying to nurse from it, but nope, I'm pretty sure it just makes her sore little gums feel better. Silly girl. :)
On a side note my mom popped in for a little visit yesterday with my baby sister and my niece. More on that later, but for now here's a picture.
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