Car + new baby...learning moments

I have learned a couple of things these past six months that I wouldn't have thought of when I registered for or purchased gifts for the baby. I will be sharing my thoughts according to different locations. First up...

Your car: I got a couple of great things I registered for to make my car a family car including a car seat protector, baby mirror, and many hanging toys. Here's the scoop- the carseat carrier handle is suppose to be down in the car so many hanging items either get in the way or are continuously removed; the baby mirror with cute remote doesn't always work or falls off of your visor scaring the shit out of you while driving; and the seat protector that only goes halfway up the seat back can't protect the snagging a ring does when finding that release button very time the carseat comes out.

These are all products that are more a novelty but looking at what actually works with your car is key, otherwise you will be like me with a pony tail holder assisting the baby mirror to be positioned correctly (seriously!)

Yes that is carrots on my glasses thanks for asking...

We have reached the six month mark of babyland so it I got my vita mixer out and steamed up some food. We started with carrots, they were a hit and an orange mess. I can't believe where this stuff all goes: his hair/ears/nose, the table/floor/chair/bib/clothes, mama's clothes/shoes and my glasses.

I had an eye doctor appointment for new glasses and when the lady took them to determine their strength there it was... a drop of dried orange carrots. I got a funny look from her and it got me thinking about the funny situations parenthood has already gotten me into:

1. Finding a dirty diaper (the next size down) under your car seat
2. Having your little one darn near flash your cleavage (and then some) to everyone in church as they were commenting on his cuteness
3. Pulling a pacifier out of your pocket during a work meeting
4. Having a stranger ask me if I had my baby vaginally since his head wasn't deformed
5. Showing up to work with a huge snot crusted streak across your white sweater

And the latest carrots on your eyewear

Ok, world...Christmas can be over

Thanks to Pinterest I have a long list of cutesy baby photos my baby boy will have to play an active role in. Since the start of this past holiday season meant me returning to work full time, the holidays went super fast. I was not, not going to put up decorations so a tree and stockings was just fine. I had a goal of posing him for two Christmas photos, baby in a box with a tree background and sitting in front of the tree. At the time of Christmas, little mr. was only sitting for 10 or so seconds so I didn't rush taking our tree down.

We had a adults only vacation the first week in January so I didn't get the chance to get photos then either. This past weekend my goals were photos, hand prints, and pack up the Christmas stuff until next year. Thankfully, I got that done yesterday. My tree is in pieces-needing to fit back in the box but at least its naked.

Not the best or the worse photos in the world...I give you a "yay" and "fail" version- you can pick which is which.....

I have already moved onto to Valentine's day ideas and can't help but giggle at the possibilities of one of the "fail" shots ending up in a graduation or wedding slide show down the road.

Oh, it's been a while....

We made it through holidays (despite what my house looks like with that 6 foot decorated green thing hanging out in the corner) but things haven't slowed down. Our little one is about ready to turn SIX months (pause for brief momma freak out), sitting up, finally sleeping in his crib, and is a little busy body.

Last year our Christmas card announced our upcoming baby news with a cute photo hunt to find the differences between what our Christmas 2011 and 2012 would look like...2 verses 3 stockings on the mantel with some small baby items mixed in. Yeah, there is nothing "small" about the loads of baby stuff taking over my household (see below.) I find little Mr's stuff everywhere including four things eye level to me in my bedroom as I write this. I don't suppose this gets any better?

Party....baby's room....3am

My little Mr. is a good night sleeper-most of the time...Last night he fell asleep while getting some auntie cuddles in around 7pm. Against my better judgement I followed along and let him be, without our bedtime routine/last call bottle/final diaper check/story. I continued to have fun my siblings and great friend playing games and picking up until 11pm, just as I closed the dishwasher door-crying. I was optimistic, simple feeding then he'll go back down...

I struggled until 1230am then retreated to my bed where the hubby had been sleeping for hours. 130am was a second wake up call and I tried nearly everything including 10 minutes of monitored crying with my hand on his chest not picking him back up which only woke the hubby. I left my husband to try and crawled back into my bed for a 30 minute cap nap while Greg tried to calm him.

By 3am my little family if three was still hanging out in the nursery, full lights on with a happy (unless you put him anywhere near a lying down position) five month old. We read books, laughed, emailed video clips to grandma and Aunt Chrystal stationed in Quatar, and rocked. I googled nursery rhythms to sing and paced the room. Needles to say, not much sleep was had and I ended up sleeping in a make shift bed on the nursery floor next to a baby in only a diaper from 5 am to 730 am.

I remember walking past that onesie in the store that said "party, my room, 3am" - I was laughing then....it's not quite what I imagined-living it now. I am super lucky most nights but 3am was never and will never be the highlight of my day.

Prego brain and beyond....

During pregnancy my mind that previously recalled many events down to the booth location where we ate dinner while having a night out with friends, turned to mush. I literally checked into the wrong OBGyn office for my first visit and it didn't stop there. One day I reported to my bi-weekly stress test for the baby with two different shoes on. I am not talking a similar shoe, just a different color but a sparkly silver flip flop and a brown flat dress shoe. Then I mailed several baby thank you notes without stamps and hubby had to point out to me why I got them back.

Since the baby, I thought the "prego brain" would go away but I am still waiting. I have already pulled into the garage without stopping at daycare, burned a hole in Grant's bath towel, and on several occasions- call myself while trying to check work voicemails not understanding why when I answer call waiting no one is there. I am hopeful to regain some of that lost "brain power" but for now at least one person is smiling because of me-thankfully not my insurance carrier. ;)

Truly one of the family

Truly one of the family...

The other day my mom saw one of Grant's baby towels over the couch and asked me what happened to it.  I laughed and said "oh-that happened months ago, get over it."  What we were discussing was a baby towel with a couple quarter or bigger sized burn holes in it.  You see when Grant was two weeks old, it was still pretty rough with the 1.5 hour wake up screams all day/night long.  One time around 1am, I needed more light but didn't want to blind myself so I threw a towel over the lamp shade and it worked great.  At the 3am wake up call, I thought it worked great again until I went to shut off the lamp and noticed the burn holes.  The towel touched the bulb and burnt through the towel thankfully without doing worse.

For the first couple of weeks I put it in the bottom of the towel pile without much thought until I sent the hubby after a towel one night.  He saw the holes and questioned me while my answer was "oh-that happened weeks ago, get over it." After that we used the towel with the bath cycle as long as only hubby or I was bathing the little one.  In the event of company, Grant only used the good towels.  When I thought about this, I laughed thinking of all the items we have that only come out when nobody is around: those comfty pants, old slippers, stained sweatshirt, slightly pink once white socks that were washed in the load of reds, and the pile of holey slightly tight t-shirst the hubby sports.  With having only one little bitty, everything is still really new so Gran't burnt towel is his "for family only" item and we love it!