Monday, April 30, 2012
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Prom.
My husband is chaperoning our local high school prom right now, while I'm sitting at home in my pajamas, drinking hot tea, and blogging. Nine years ago, we were attending this same high school's prom together--but not "together." It's funny how things can change so very much in such a relatively short period of time, isn't it?
During our senior year of high school, Eric and I spent a lot of time together. I had quite a crush on him, and eventually he developed a mutual one. We dated for a very short period of time, and then he broke things off (about 2 weeks before the prom) because he was afraid that our relationship would ruin our friendship. In his words, "You're such a good friend, and I don't want to lose you. I know that by dating, we will eventually break up--and then things will be too weird to be friends." My response: "How do you know we'll break up? Maybe we'll keep dating, get married, and someday have a couple of kids!" In hindsight, that probably wasn't the wisest thing to say to a 17-year-old boy. We broke up.
But, for some reason unbeknownst to me, Eric still asked me to be his date for prom. I still remember getting up that morning to go to my hair appointment, anxiously applying my make-up at home, getting into the dress (I was convinced that it was the most beautiful dress in the world!), and feeling nervous butterflies in my stomach when I heard the doorbell ring! But, as soon as I opened the door and we got past the awkward hellos, the exchange of flowers, and the multitude of photographs in my front yard, things were normal. We were in the car (it didn't matter to where), and we were together. I remember talking to him, and simply enjoying his company again. We visited Eric's parents at their restaurant to show off our finery (I remember his mom wanted to see my shoes!), and then stopped at his grandparents' house to do the same. (That was the first time that I'd met Eric's grandparents, and I really didn't expect to see them again. Who would have guessed that we'd be taking our little boy over to that same house for them to spoil 9 years later?)
We ate our pre-prom dinner with two other couples at a local church that regularly hosted "teen night" events. We'd agreed to to come to the catered dinner as a favor to a friend who promised us that there would be "lots of people" there. The six of us had plenty to eat that night!
After dinner, we went to the dance. Honestly, I don't remember a whole lot about our senior prom. I remember talking to friends, taking a million pictures, and dancing with Eric. My most vivid memory is of us dancing the very last dance of the night together. He held me in his arms, we swayed back and forth, and we talked about some nonsense. I reallyreallyreally wanted him to kiss me! And, a few times, I thought he came close....but it didn't happen. At the end of the night, I felt a twinge of sadness because I "knew" that had been my last chance.
Eric did reconcile his lack of kissing me when we were in the car after the dance, by telling me that I looked beautiful that night, and he was sorry for not telling me so beforehand!
While my husband attends this prom alone, I am content to be here at home--listening for our sleeping baby, thinking about our own prom so long ago, and waiting for my husband. It is funny how things work out--that break-up meant to "preserve" our friendship? It completely ruined it for almost a year. After that, we decided to go ahead and give dating another try. Five years later, it turned into a marriage. Two years after that, Baby #1 arrived. And, in a few short months, Baby #2 is due to arrive! And, I'm happy to report that our friendship is still very much in tact!
During our senior year of high school, Eric and I spent a lot of time together. I had quite a crush on him, and eventually he developed a mutual one. We dated for a very short period of time, and then he broke things off (about 2 weeks before the prom) because he was afraid that our relationship would ruin our friendship. In his words, "You're such a good friend, and I don't want to lose you. I know that by dating, we will eventually break up--and then things will be too weird to be friends." My response: "How do you know we'll break up? Maybe we'll keep dating, get married, and someday have a couple of kids!" In hindsight, that probably wasn't the wisest thing to say to a 17-year-old boy. We broke up.
But, for some reason unbeknownst to me, Eric still asked me to be his date for prom. I still remember getting up that morning to go to my hair appointment, anxiously applying my make-up at home, getting into the dress (I was convinced that it was the most beautiful dress in the world!), and feeling nervous butterflies in my stomach when I heard the doorbell ring! But, as soon as I opened the door and we got past the awkward hellos, the exchange of flowers, and the multitude of photographs in my front yard, things were normal. We were in the car (it didn't matter to where), and we were together. I remember talking to him, and simply enjoying his company again. We visited Eric's parents at their restaurant to show off our finery (I remember his mom wanted to see my shoes!), and then stopped at his grandparents' house to do the same. (That was the first time that I'd met Eric's grandparents, and I really didn't expect to see them again. Who would have guessed that we'd be taking our little boy over to that same house for them to spoil 9 years later?)
After dinner, we went to the dance. Honestly, I don't remember a whole lot about our senior prom. I remember talking to friends, taking a million pictures, and dancing with Eric. My most vivid memory is of us dancing the very last dance of the night together. He held me in his arms, we swayed back and forth, and we talked about some nonsense. I reallyreallyreally wanted him to kiss me! And, a few times, I thought he came close....but it didn't happen. At the end of the night, I felt a twinge of sadness because I "knew" that had been my last chance.
Eric did reconcile his lack of kissing me when we were in the car after the dance, by telling me that I looked beautiful that night, and he was sorry for not telling me so beforehand!
While my husband attends this prom alone, I am content to be here at home--listening for our sleeping baby, thinking about our own prom so long ago, and waiting for my husband. It is funny how things work out--that break-up meant to "preserve" our friendship? It completely ruined it for almost a year. After that, we decided to go ahead and give dating another try. Five years later, it turned into a marriage. Two years after that, Baby #1 arrived. And, in a few short months, Baby #2 is due to arrive! And, I'm happy to report that our friendship is still very much in tact!
Friday, April 27, 2012
24 weeks.
Once again, I've abandoned the old blog for other "naptime activities", namely reading, cleaning up from our mornings, or taking a nap myself. And, apparently, while I've been gone, Blogger has reformatted its composition page....so it's possible that this post might never even make it's way onto the blog!
Anyway. Life has been chugging along in our household. I'm 24 weeks pregnant today--I feel about 34 weeks, and I'm not sure where that's leaving me for the rest of the summertime! Baby Boy is a very active fellow (more so than Nate was at this point, I think), mostly late in the evenings or early mornings. Fetal movement is by far my favorite part of pregnancy (you know, other than the whole BABY at the end!), so I've been loving all of the kicks/jabs/pokes/rolls. I feel like I've gotten HUGE recently, and my doctor even mentioned that the baby was measuring big during last week's appointment. I've read that many babies hit a major growth spurt right around 23 weeks, so I'm hoping that Baby Boy is just growing fast--and will not necessarily still be measuring "big" when I deliver! I've had lots of pressure in my pelvis recently, and I think I've started the "pregnancy waddle" a little earlier than I did during my last pregnancy. As far as cravings go, I've been thinking (or obsessing) about a chai latte for about 48 hours now, so I'm guessing that a trip to Panera might have to be added to our weekend itinerary!
Monday, April 9, 2012
Post-Easter!
After 10 days without Eric, we finally welcomed him home from his trip to Europe yesterday! His plane even landed almost an hour early, so he was here in plenty of time for Easter dinner! He came bearing lots of presents and hugs--all of which were well received from both Nathaniel and me! And, after getting several surprises from Daddy, Nate also got to open his Easter basket....
Friday, April 6, 2012
Mommy-ing alone...
Eris is out of town this week. Actually, he's out of town for 10 days. Now, 10 days might not sound like a very long time.....but it is. Trust me. I love my son more than anything--but parenting a toddler alone is tiring! I've never realized just how much I really do depend on my husband to watch Nate for just a little while in the evenings so I can do simple things like make dinner, shower, or just visit the bathroom alone. I'm sure that being pregnant isn't helping the matter, but I am exhausted!! My mom and dad have been great this week--inviting us over for dinner almost every night. Not only does that mean that I don't have to cook/wash dishes; it also means a few extra sets of eyes are watching my boy for the evening!
We have had a good week together (lots of long walks, arts and crafts, and Easter preparation), but I think it's safe to say that neither one of us can wait for Eric to arrive on Sunday! Nate has been asking for his daddy daily since Eric left, and he sent the computer the most kisses I've ever seen him throw when he spotted Eric on Skype yesterday!!
Baby Products.
Since I'm getting to the point in this pregnancy that I'm starting to sort Nate's baby things/buy new baby things, I got to thinking about my favorite (and least favorite!) products. This is a list (in no particular order) of my most essential products when Nathaniel was a baby.....we'll see soon enough if Baby #2 follows in his big brother's footsteps (er, crawls?)!
My Favorite Baby Products:
Nosefrida Snotsucker - This product is, hands down, my favorite baby item. It is used to, you guessed it, suck the snot out of a baby's nose! It's easy to use, and way more effective than those little blue bulb suctions that they pass out at the hospital (and those are way better than the store-bought ones!). The Nosefrida is a contraption that actually allows you physically to suck the snot from the baby's nose, meaning that you have lots more control over the suction. There is a filter (and lots of space) between your mouth and those boogers. I can't imagine that many babies really enjoy the snot-removal process, but this is about as painless as it gets. And, I credit this little contraption with teaching my son how to blow his nose himself. Really. I can't express enough how useful this product has been during the last 19 months--especially when Nate has gotten a cold.
Moby Wrap - I loved my Moby Wrap, and I can't wait to use it again! I ordered mine when Nate was probably about a month old, and we used it constantly until he was about 8 months old (he didn't outgrow it, but wanted to stretch out his legs more than the Moby allowed). It was a lifesaver when he wanted to be carried around all day, and I had housework to do. It was also handy for getting out of the house easily with a small baby (to take walks, carry him around the store, etc). If you don't know the benefits of baby-wearing to both parent and child, I can't encourage you enough to read this article! After we stopped using the Moby, I used the Ergo carrier. I liked the Ergo a lot, and I would absolutely recommend it for a larger baby--but nothing beats the Moby for infant carrying!
Lansinoh Lanolin Cream - I stocked up on every nursing "essential" that I could find before Nate was born because I really wasn't sure what to expect. What I found out was simple: the only nursing products I really needed were my breasts and a baby. And, to eliminate embarrassing wet spots while in public, nursing pads (Lansinoh was also my favorite brand of nursing pads because they were the only ones that didn't appear bulky under my clothes.). It was several months before I realized that lanolin cream was a real essential! When Nate started teething, he occasionally bit me when he was finished nursing. It was after the very first tooth popped through that those bites started to HURT. Lansinoh Lanolin Cream was the only product that could provide relief when I was bleeding from that razor-sharp little tooth and needed it to heal up before the next nursing session in only a few hours.
Hyland's Teething Tablets - These teething tablets are an absolute lifesaver for us! When Nate was teething, he was an absolute grump (for good reason!), which, in turn, made me a grump. I gave him Tylenol for the pain/swelling sometimes, but I was uncomfortable using it daily. The teething tablets, on the other hand, I was much more comfortable with because they are a natural, homeopathic remedy. And, truthfully, I think the teething tablets provided faster and longer-lasting relief. If you're interested, you can read my entry here about why I will not use Orajel (or any other product containing Benzocaine).
Snappi Diaper Fasteners - I wasn't sure about this product when I ordered it because I couldn't decide how it worked, but I figured it was worth a shot. I'd been cloth diapering (with prefolds) for a few months, and Nate was getting too wiggly for my old-school diaper pins. The snappi diaper fasteners were a lifesaver! They're easy (and quick!) to use, and eliminated any risk of pin pricks. It's been over a year of daily use, and our snappis are still holding up well. If you're planning to use prefold cloth diapers, Snappis are essential!
Sophie the Giraffe - I bought this toy with much hesitation because it's expensive, and I couldn't justify spending so much money on a simple rubber teething toy. (I only bought it because I had a gift card AND a coupon!) After seeing the way that Nate loved this toy, I would pay full price for another one in a heartbeat (for Baby #2, of course). It was his favorite teether for months, and I never worried about the safety of it. Sophie the Giraffe is made of natural rubber, and colored with food-grade paint. She is very lightweight, squeaks when squeezed, and appeals to babies visually. On top of all that, she is adorable!
Most Overrated Products:
Boppy Pillow - I know that this pillow gets a whole lot of hype for being the most essential baby product, but I never really got much use out of ours. I honestly thought that it was more comfortable to rest Nate on a regular throw pillow when I was nursing/rocking him; the Boppy was just too big and bulky for me.
I will admit that I used the Boppy behind/around Nate when he was learning to sit up fairly often. But, again, as soon as he got some control of his core muscles (when he stopped falling sideways), I just used a regular throw pillow behind him (for falling backwards). Sitting him "in" the Boppy was convenient at first, but as soon as he got more confident in his sitting abilities, he starting wiggling around so that he was out of the Boppy. And, as soon as he'd wiggled out of the Boppy, it was simply a pillow surrounding the hard floor where he would fall back and hit his head. A regular pillow behind him didn't move, and he rarely hit his head that way.
Swaddle Blankets - I received several of these special swaddling blankets (in several different brands) before Nate was born. To me, they looked a bit complicated to use, but I washed them all because I "knew" they were essential. When he was born, I think I used one of them one single time. It was easier for me to simply swaddle him in a regular blanket, especially during the winter months when I wanted to use a fuzzy, warm blanket, rather than the thin cotton swaddlers. I think that the swaddle blankets are good for confining babies who fight their way out of a swaddle, but we never had that problem.
What baby products do you love? What "essential" product did you never use? I'd love to hear your opinions on these (or any other popular) baby products!
All of the above opinions are my own personal opinions/experiences. I was not compensated to write about any of these products.
My Favorite Baby Products:
Nosefrida Snotsucker - This product is, hands down, my favorite baby item. It is used to, you guessed it, suck the snot out of a baby's nose! It's easy to use, and way more effective than those little blue bulb suctions that they pass out at the hospital (and those are way better than the store-bought ones!). The Nosefrida is a contraption that actually allows you physically to suck the snot from the baby's nose, meaning that you have lots more control over the suction. There is a filter (and lots of space) between your mouth and those boogers. I can't imagine that many babies really enjoy the snot-removal process, but this is about as painless as it gets. And, I credit this little contraption with teaching my son how to blow his nose himself. Really. I can't express enough how useful this product has been during the last 19 months--especially when Nate has gotten a cold.
Moby Wrap - I loved my Moby Wrap, and I can't wait to use it again! I ordered mine when Nate was probably about a month old, and we used it constantly until he was about 8 months old (he didn't outgrow it, but wanted to stretch out his legs more than the Moby allowed). It was a lifesaver when he wanted to be carried around all day, and I had housework to do. It was also handy for getting out of the house easily with a small baby (to take walks, carry him around the store, etc). If you don't know the benefits of baby-wearing to both parent and child, I can't encourage you enough to read this article! After we stopped using the Moby, I used the Ergo carrier. I liked the Ergo a lot, and I would absolutely recommend it for a larger baby--but nothing beats the Moby for infant carrying!
Lansinoh Lanolin Cream - I stocked up on every nursing "essential" that I could find before Nate was born because I really wasn't sure what to expect. What I found out was simple: the only nursing products I really needed were my breasts and a baby. And, to eliminate embarrassing wet spots while in public, nursing pads (Lansinoh was also my favorite brand of nursing pads because they were the only ones that didn't appear bulky under my clothes.). It was several months before I realized that lanolin cream was a real essential! When Nate started teething, he occasionally bit me when he was finished nursing. It was after the very first tooth popped through that those bites started to HURT. Lansinoh Lanolin Cream was the only product that could provide relief when I was bleeding from that razor-sharp little tooth and needed it to heal up before the next nursing session in only a few hours.
Hyland's Teething Tablets - These teething tablets are an absolute lifesaver for us! When Nate was teething, he was an absolute grump (for good reason!), which, in turn, made me a grump. I gave him Tylenol for the pain/swelling sometimes, but I was uncomfortable using it daily. The teething tablets, on the other hand, I was much more comfortable with because they are a natural, homeopathic remedy. And, truthfully, I think the teething tablets provided faster and longer-lasting relief. If you're interested, you can read my entry here about why I will not use Orajel (or any other product containing Benzocaine).
Snappi Diaper Fasteners - I wasn't sure about this product when I ordered it because I couldn't decide how it worked, but I figured it was worth a shot. I'd been cloth diapering (with prefolds) for a few months, and Nate was getting too wiggly for my old-school diaper pins. The snappi diaper fasteners were a lifesaver! They're easy (and quick!) to use, and eliminated any risk of pin pricks. It's been over a year of daily use, and our snappis are still holding up well. If you're planning to use prefold cloth diapers, Snappis are essential!
Sophie the Giraffe - I bought this toy with much hesitation because it's expensive, and I couldn't justify spending so much money on a simple rubber teething toy. (I only bought it because I had a gift card AND a coupon!) After seeing the way that Nate loved this toy, I would pay full price for another one in a heartbeat (for Baby #2, of course). It was his favorite teether for months, and I never worried about the safety of it. Sophie the Giraffe is made of natural rubber, and colored with food-grade paint. She is very lightweight, squeaks when squeezed, and appeals to babies visually. On top of all that, she is adorable!
Most Overrated Products:
Boppy Pillow - I know that this pillow gets a whole lot of hype for being the most essential baby product, but I never really got much use out of ours. I honestly thought that it was more comfortable to rest Nate on a regular throw pillow when I was nursing/rocking him; the Boppy was just too big and bulky for me.
I will admit that I used the Boppy behind/around Nate when he was learning to sit up fairly often. But, again, as soon as he got some control of his core muscles (when he stopped falling sideways), I just used a regular throw pillow behind him (for falling backwards). Sitting him "in" the Boppy was convenient at first, but as soon as he got more confident in his sitting abilities, he starting wiggling around so that he was out of the Boppy. And, as soon as he'd wiggled out of the Boppy, it was simply a pillow surrounding the hard floor where he would fall back and hit his head. A regular pillow behind him didn't move, and he rarely hit his head that way.
Swaddle Blankets - I received several of these special swaddling blankets (in several different brands) before Nate was born. To me, they looked a bit complicated to use, but I washed them all because I "knew" they were essential. When he was born, I think I used one of them one single time. It was easier for me to simply swaddle him in a regular blanket, especially during the winter months when I wanted to use a fuzzy, warm blanket, rather than the thin cotton swaddlers. I think that the swaddle blankets are good for confining babies who fight their way out of a swaddle, but we never had that problem.
What baby products do you love? What "essential" product did you never use? I'd love to hear your opinions on these (or any other popular) baby products!
All of the above opinions are my own personal opinions/experiences. I was not compensated to write about any of these products.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Say "cheese"!
Does it mean that you're a little camera-crazy when your 19-month-old has already perfected the cheesey grin for every time you snap a picture??
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Sunday, April 1, 2012
The Hat.
What's a boy to do when Mommy attempts to put his favorite winter hat away for the season? Obviously, snag it and wear it daily to prove that warm weather is just as hat-worthy as cold!
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