Monday, October 25, 2010

Morning Time Snuggles

This weekend was not as super crazy as past weekends have been. E was right on schedule and woke up around 6 am Saturday morning. As I blindly made the move to her crib and moved into our room I was dreading being up so early. After E had her fill she went back to sleep. We had a big family snuggle for two hours. It was so nice. Lee had to go to work - did I mention things are soooo busy around Swimworld! He worked until about 1 and then came home and cooked for four hours. My hubs is an amazing cook and anyone who has tried his food can attest to that fact. Chili and some Italian meat sauce were in the works. E loved watching her Papi make food!

Sunday it was off to Raleigh-world for church. We got an awesome surprise by some really great friends of ours. They were in our wedding and they along with their five kids were in town for Liturgy so it was so nice to see them and catch up. Maria is obviously a kid expert so she asked me if I was drinking coffee again (when I was preggo the smell of coffee made my stomach turn). I told her only on Sundays because I had a not so great experience with drinking coffee and E not taking a nap - on Sundays she is usually okay. Well, E must have heard us talking about it because yesterday she slept for maybe 1 hr - her usually is about 3-4 hours of total nap time. Needless to say I will not be drinking coffee again anytime soon. She is such a crabby-patty when she does not nap!

Also, Maria let me borrow her BecoBaby carrier which I think I have mentioned before - is a huge lifesaver. If I did not have this one on loaner I would definitely go buy one and spend 120 on it and not think twice.

To close out the not-so busy weekend we took E to pick out a pumpkin. I think we got a really good deal on it too. It is quite large and was only $12!!! We also took some pics of E in her amazing costume that I have been blogging about. It is pretty ridiculous and she will probably think that we are such crazy parents when we get older but whatever! I'll try and post some pis of that soon...

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Epic Naps, say what?!?!???

So E has been having a crazy nap schedule the last couple days. Seriously in the afternoons she has been napping for 2.5-3 hours. Awesome, especially at BR Global. I am still kind of in shock about it. Today at Swimworld she went down around 3:30 and we had to basically wake her up so that we could go home at 5;30???

If see what not sleeping in the fabulous pack and plays that I keep at work, E would be in the Beco Baby Carrier that I borrowed from a friend. That carrier is a super lifesaver. The carrier is great because E can be contained at work (and not in daycare...) and she can either sleep or just be happy. And happy Bibis means happy Mama!

In other news, E is babbling a lot more. I keep on Mamamamamamamamamamama and Papapapapapapapap in the hopes that E will pick up on it but I don't know if she's really listening. Also, E is trying to be so big. She was tring so hard to rollover so much... soon very very soon!!!!! I cannot believe that E is getting to be so super huge....

Sunday, October 17, 2010

That's a wrap

I cannot believe it is Sunday night again! Weekends fly with the Bibita around. She had a great weekend! We went to the Hill (that would be Chapel Hill / UNC / Carolina / where I graduated from) Saturday afternoon and Lee walked her around campus while I took photos of Robin and Ed (they are engaged and we are going to NOLA for their wedding in December!) Then she was a supertrooper while we caught up with more college friends for dinner at CPK. If you do not have a CA Pizza Kitchen in your area or have not patronized one, I highly recommend them!

While at the mall we made it to Pottery Barn Kids - I LOVE their baby stuff - to pick up the pumpkin costume. I am even more excited about it now that my hands are on it. We have a photo opt date next weekend. Hopefully we can find a pumpkin patch and the weather cooperates.

This week should be a thrill because I am pretty sure that E is coming down with a cold. Fingers crossed she is not but I am a realist. Lee is headed to the NC Fair but I think we will pass because E needs to get a little bigger so she can appreciate the smells and bells of the fair.

Happy Monday (almost)

Friday, October 15, 2010

Time with Papa

E loves spending time with her Daddio! Things at Swimworld have been crazy!!! so Lee has not had as much time as he would like to. Miss Elizabeth loves to be tossed in the air (not too high) by her Papi. Lee sort of gets her ready for this really cute music to lead up the flight. E is so cute because she recognizes the music and she gets super excited and she starts to get a huge smile on her face and then waits for lift off. She has started to think about giggling which is so cute! Any day now E should be rolling over but we are still waiting patiently!

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Hungry, Hungry Bibis!

This week we have had super hungry baby issues. E is quite impatient in general and she is even more impatient when it comes to her food. She can thank me for her impatience issues so I think I am becoming more patient with the bibita's impatience. There are several things that I/we use to assist the bibita in her eating. So all you mommas and baby shower goers out there listen up:

1. My Brestfriend - This is very similar to a Boppy Pillow except a lot better - just ask the other Nursing Mothers of Wilson. I must admit the first place I heard about this was on 19 Kids and Counting - this woman knows about good baby stuff. My Brestfriend is much firmer than the Boppy and it clasps together whereas the Boppy does not go all the way around. Also, E slept in the My Brestfriend when she was super little. Kinda makes me sad because she definitely does not fit in it now.

2. Medela Pump Instyle - This is a lifesaver because I can pump and go places and other people can feed the beebster.

3. BreastFlow Bottles - E has loved these bottles since we gave them to her when she was about a month old. Some babies are super picking about their bottles but these have been good for E and she seems to go between me and bottle without a problem.

In other news things around Swimworld have been great! It is the middle of October and things have not slowed down. It would be nice to take a break this weekend but I think there will be some catching up with a number of friends. Having a baby has: 1. made vacations a lot less like vacations and much more exhausting, but totally more enjoyable and 2. made me have less time for staying in touch with friends - which is very important to me.

Here's to parenthood!

Sunday, October 10, 2010

From BHI with love

We just got back from a fun family filled weekend on Bald Head Island! Bald Head is such an amazing place because it is gorgeous and there are no cars - only golf carts. Lee and I were slightly reluctant to take Miss E because one cousin was sick earlier in the week but S was all better and we are so glad we made the trek.

We raced down from the Mount to BHI because everyone has to take a ferry over to the island and it only runs every hour. We rolled into the station at 3:44 and made the ferry with the rest of the crew. E loved laughing with her cousins and riding on the carts. She also got to spend some good quality time with her Papi while Mama did some other fun and exciting things.

Friday I ran a couple laps around the island because my Dad and I are running in the Raleigh Half-Marathon in about a month - I figured that would be a good way to trim all the baby weight. When I got home I realized that I had actually run about 13 miles! Awesome!!! (A half marathon is 13.1 miles) Then Saturday while Lee was home with the two babies (E and S) everyone went to the beach! The weather could not have been better. The boys played football and I buried AR in the sand as a mermaid.

The weekend was certainly a big hit - the food was tasty, Rummy games were fun and we got to see the whole side of the Kibbe fam which was even better. We were sad to leave but we made it home and E is enjoying some time decompressing after the weekend with her five cousins! On to the laundry!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

BLOWOUT!!!!!!!

Well well well, E and went to work this week as usual. She was sporting the new fall clothes that Jibbe got her because it has gotten to be quite cool here during the day and especially at night. Today E had a super BLOWOUT of the year. Natalie and I were working as usual and E was doing the normal poo-face thing so I let her finish and then I went to change her diaper and Natalie's face said it all and then she said "OH NO IT'S DRIPPING!!!" Fortunately Natalie with her childrearing brilliance said we needed to put E on the newspapers as to not get everything everywhere in the office and that was ever so smart. We got E all cleaned up in no time and all the poo in the trash! I am so thankful that I can bring Miss E to work with me and I have such amazing co-workers (Ms Natalie in particular) who is so brilliant when it comes to sticky/stinky situations.

Let's see what else is going on. The cool weather is definitely making dressing the Bibita a bit more interesting especially at night. Some mornings she wakes up and she hands are little ice blocks and the house is only 69... we usually keep the house at 63 during the winter. So I have gotten a few tips from my brilliant sister-in-law; 1. layer the baby up in onesie then PJs and some sort of thing that is like a swaddling blanket accept bigger. I will have to do some investigating and 2. Get a space heater. Hopefully a combination of these options will keep the Bibis 1. warm, 2. happy, 3. ASLEEP - this morning she was up at 5:30 and I think it was because of her cold little hands.

Sometimes when I look at her in the crib sleeping like a good Bibita a just want to snuggle her up and give her a big squeeze. It is surprising how tempting that can be. Lee always reminds me that doing that would not be a good idea and I refrain but still the thought goes through my mind.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Whirlwind of a day

Well yesterday was a thrill of a day. First, a very special thanks from me and Elizabeth to my mom - Grammy - who made yesterday's adventures possible. So we had the spa / Big Green Egg sale at Swimworld. I hung around there with Lee and the Riviera folks until about noon while E and Grammy baked some delicious apple cake! Then I was off for my 2.5ish hour drive to the OBX to assist the wondersum Carrie with a super fun beach wedding. Well much to my dismiss my car did not start!!! Super Lee changed the battery and I ventured out 64 E with 15 minutes to spare! It was so great to finally shoot/assist at a wedding this year. It really reminds me how much I like photography. I was also very thankful that my battery died in the Mount and not on the OBX after the wedding!

I definitely missed the Bibita while I was gone and I called almost every hour to check on her and of course she was fine. There was an 8-month-old baby at the wedding who was super cute but it also reminded me why Miss E will be staying with Grandpa Joe and Grammy for our NOLA wedding weekend. Another thing I noticed is that E's volume is quite loud and I like to tell her she is being excessively loud - she can take an eardrum out if you don't feed her fast in enough.

Today is much more low key. As most Sundays do they consist of Church and football. I need to get out running again the 1/2 marathon is coming soon!

Friday, October 1, 2010

Four months and checking in... about 20 days late

Today E and I ventured out to the Doctor's office for her four month check up (she will be five months in nine days - that is crazy!). Everything is fabulous! She is right on target for weight and all that fun stuff. She was a super-sport when she got her two shots. Last time she got four and this time three vaccines were combined into one, which I was thankful for.

One question the nurse asked was if we put Elizabeth in the crib and let her fall asleep or if we rocked her to sleep. I replied, "She has been falling asleep in her crib for weeks." The nurse then said, "You know, you have a really smart momma." No I am not that smart I just read this amazing book my sister-in-law gave me about babies and their sleeping habits. Several things to remember:

1. Babies love to know what is happening next - thus a routine at night is crucial. We read two books- A Hide and Seek book then Buenas Noches Luna, E gets her evening snack (she is a big time grazer and sometimes I think that she thinks I am a water fountain), then we sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, then kisses goodnight, then crib. Sometimes she'll go down without a peep, other nights she'll cry for 5-10 minutes. She'll sleep for about 12 hours - I could not ask for a better bibita!

2. Sleeping is a learned behavior. When babies are born they know how to suckle because they have to be able to eat. Some parents are get to see this on an ultrasound when baby is sucking his thumb but sleeping is different. There are periods or sleep waves so you have to teach the baby to catch the wave at the right time and fall asleep when they are tired. Not to be confused with being overtired when babies will fight sleep.

Okay enough of that! We had a great time at the sale today. Lee cooked on the Big Green Eggs and the food was really tasty.

Enjoy the weekend!


Photo from Amazon.com