Happy Easter

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter. We had a great time in Hood River with family. My rents and the Reaney's came out. We hit the water front and enjoyed the sun. Natalie slept most all of the day!

Really? Am I that green at this kid thing?

Cloth diapering is really not that difficult...if you stay home and don't go anywhere. Why? Because you child may leak and you will have pee all over your clothes as well as theirs. Possibly all over their car seat too. You don't have the same amount of time to get that soggy diaper off your kid before it leaks again. Hmmm, maybe that is why kids in cloth don't have diaper rashes?! When you take the cloth diaper off, you are standing there with a soiled thing in your hand and now you have to figure out how to unzip a wet bag, make sure your squirmy kid doesn't fall off the changing pad and put on a new cloth before he/she pees all over. It makes for changing it quickly in the back of the car difficult.

Well, I invested some serious time and money into finding the best diaper for us. I was sure I found it. Heck, it has a big 'G' on the bum of the diaper. It is also a hybrid. The problem was that I watched videos, hunted down other mom's and their preferences and found that the G diaper was local. Right here in P-town. Sold! Well, I was sold till I was able to slap one on Natalie. Ok, there is no slapping. It is a backwards product. The Velcro wraps around the back. No biggie, just confusing the first many times.

So Natalie tried out the G's for a while. However, every single time she wore it they leaked! I was so bummed. I went to a consignment shop today and asked what I was doing wrong. She recommended I take Natalie down to G's warehouse and they would totally help me figure out what I was doing wrong. I had an idea that maybe it was that I was putting it on upside down. (the insert is made of two different materials) So this evening, I grabbed an insert, ran it under water on the side I put towards her bottom and...Ta-Da...I am an idiot! The water ran off it and never soaked in at all. I have been putting the soft and cozy side up, when that is the wrong side. I turned it over, ran water on the slightly rougher side and poof...totally absorbent. Annoying! Now I don't have to make a fool of myself like the time I had to take my car to Subaru for them to tell me "Maam, it isn't anything wrong with the electrical, you have hit the parking light on your dash." Apparently it happens to them weekly. I was embarrassed.

Yay! I don't have to go buy all new fancy cloth diapers. I can use what I have. Bored by this post? I bet so.I just had to share.

Gotta Love JCP...Formerly known as JC Penny's

This is Mamma's favorite picture

I don't want to be a snob, but going to the mall for pictures? Heck ya!. I never thought I would do such a thing, but for $9 sitting (setting?) fee? Why not. It sure beats not doing pictures at all. Plus, I am now a member (don't be jealous  you too can be a member) and for less than $30, we can go in anytime over the next 2 years and not pay any sitting/setting fees. What a deal. :) I ordered just a few pictures and it would have cost me more to send the digital image off to have printed.

From left: Ella, Brynna, Lilly & Zola

Thank you Heidi for showing me how fun it can be. Heidi, her sister, brother and mom all showed up with their little girls with matching dresses. There was a 4yr old, 11 month old, 13 week old, 7 week old (Natalie) and a 2 week old there for photos. It was so much fun. Lots of funny noises could be heard down the hall while trying to get the babies attention. Ella was a hoot. Zola was sitting perfectly still and Ella was not. :) So fun! Natalie slept through it all. Here are some screen shots I have from her session. The last picture if of Heidi's girls and nieces.


I also have to mention something rather gross. Babies are often gross. Well, Natalie was on a 3+ week pattern of having a BM every other day. Well, yesterday was that other day. She pooped during her photo session. Go figure! Not cool at all. One shot that you don't get to see is of her straining. I will keep that for future use.

Looks like Daddy's eyes may be her final color

By the way, I am not going to lie, I saw some clothes and a swimsuit I thought were cute as I stolled by on the way to the photo studio. I am now a mom. I can wear something other than Patagonia and Anthropologie. Oh, wait. It isn't because I am a Mom, rather because we are not DINK's any longer. She is so worth it. Target dresses are super hot, right?

So sleepy. She should be. I was sweating it was so HOT in there!

Post poop strain :) 

I don't think she really liked this shot so much.

Now this collage screams JCP

Hmmm. Too much pink!

Kind of silly collage

Super Smiley Wednesday

What a busy day we had. Professional photos, dogs went to the vet and we had company for dinner. The best part was how smiley Natalie was all day. I will post her Easter pictures soon also.

The last pic is the only way to control two dogs and a baby...baby in arms, dogs in stroller.

Sleepy Time

I cannot complain about sleep with Natalie. Her schedule in most cases is great. For nearly five weeks, (she is 7 weeks) she has kept a pattern of when she goes to sleep and when she wakes. Overtime, her awake times have increased during the day, but overall stayed similar.

One thing I found was bothering me. Every single time I went to eat something, she too wanted to eat. Then I realized she was doing us a huge favor. No, it isn't a weight loss plan, although it could be. I don't let her totally stop me from inhaling my much wanted food! Rather she wales after I have completed cooking the meal and e as sitting down together. Had she waken during the cooking, weight not eat.
Thanks Natalie! I appreciate your schedule for sleeping and eating. Heck, it's 4:02am and I am blogging something positive. Not too bad!

Here is a picture of her sacked out while I cook in Hood River.

Forget Tummy Time...

This kid loves to kick it. Kick it in her play pen. Kick it on the counter. Kick it on her changing mat. Today she enjoyed the glider footstool where she would kick off me and move her stool. Lots of cooing and smiling...then hiccups of course.

We will be doing more tummy time. She needs it. Gotta hit those milestones!

Natalie likes the shower

I think I have saved Ryan a lot of work. We heard from Kimberly that her friend was showering with their newborn. I don't think I would have thought of that. Our bath tub had been out of service for years now and I thought by having a baby, we would have to fix it. Apparently not. Natalie loves the shower. She rests on our chest and kicks back when it is time to soap up. My initial concern was dropping her, but that wasn't a problem at all. She doesn't like a lot of spray in the face, but can even tolerate a quick full face of shower spray. Such a good baby!

She might end up being a fish like her Daddy.

So much for fixing the tub.

No photos will be attached to this posting. Ha!

She's a morning girl!

Natalie loves mornings! She could lay on the bed and kick around and coo for an hour. We put on some Disney music and I sang, she smiled... At the fan. She is a fan of the fan!

Lilo had her teeth clean yesterday. Well, she also had some removed, a fatty tissue cultured and we got some anti anxiety drugs for her dreaded van rides. She is a new "bitch"! Too far? Yes. Sorry. She really does seem to be feeling better already and it has been less than 24 hours.

Growing fast

Yeah, yeah, yeah... I hear it all the time, "they grow so fast!" Well, I did not fully listen or appreciate the truth behind the comment, until now.

Natalie has busted out of her newborn clothes and we are on to slightly baggy 0-3 month clothes. Good thing! I was bored with those few outfits. She is also nearing the end of her snuggle nest. We have to transition once again to a new sleeping arrangement. I think the pack and play is next.

I also had an ah-ha moment today. Ever since we brought Natalie home and whenever I am home alone with her, I just can't put her down. She would get fussy with me so I would nearly starve in the rocking chair and eat snacks that I could grab with one hand. It was a rough 5+weeks. Especially when oranges are my favorite food through pregnancy and post partum and now I can't peel or cut them up with one hand! Sad.

However, we had a breakthrough yesterday. I put her down. She was awake. She didn't fuss. I didn't muss. We all accomplished things. She stared longingly at the ceiling fan and kicked her legs. I was able to eat an orange while cooking lunch. Good times! We did that again today. I was able to trim all the azalea bushes out front and clean them up while she slept. She did interrupt me three time for a snack. Major growth spurt I guess.

Photos soon to be posted.

Family Week

We had a big week of family visiting. Very fun times! The Reaney's came by, Grandma Carolyn and Aunt Kimberly and Uncle Allen!

For Natalie...

Putting together a baby book for the first year if Natalie's life sounds daunting. Making sure to journal her weekly changes and what's going on in the news is a lot of work. It is a little overwhelming. However, I feel as if I can simplify things for putting her official book together at a later date.

I also welcome your thoughts and suggestions in the comments section of each blog. Even questions of her development that will trigger a great addition to her book is welcomed. It takes a village to raise a child. Virtual or not!?!

Right now, as I feed Nat, the Pope was chosen. White smoke is pouring out of the Vatican. Big Catholic moment in time.

It was decided at 11:06am pacific time on March 13, 2013. No one has been named yet.

As far as Natalie's development, she is holding her head up quite well, not super strong, but getting there. We are receiving more and more smiles too! She is still in newborn clothes. One new thing I have noticed is that she wakes up alert and happy. The prior few weeks she has woken and cried until fed. Now we are moving towards cooing and smiling.

I look forward to reading your thoughts in the comments.

Boppy time

For those of you that don't know what Boppy is, it is a kidney shaped pillow that helps support a baby while breast feeding. It also is a great pillow to help a newborn sit up. Apparently chi chi's really like to sit on them too!