Tonight I put Scarlett on her tummy on our bed and after a few moments, she rolled herself over onto her back. It was her first time and I was shocked to see it!
Atta girl, Scarlett!
She's got a lot of strength. As I've mentioned before, if given the chance, she'll use her legs to push herself up our chest. And if I stand her upright, she's able to carry the weight of her body with her legs. If she's laying down and I take her by the hands and hoist her up, she uses her legs to prop herself up better ... and into a standing position.
As Jonathan puts it, "Christian will be our academic scholar, Scarlett will be our athletic scholar." :)
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
What Might Have Been ...
Last night, Scarlett has her last meal at around 9:30pm - very early for her. So she and Jonathan headed off for bed. I prepared a bottle for her first overnight feeding, watched a little TV, and went to bed myself.
At 2:30am or so, I woke up and realized she had not waken up to eat. That has never happened before, so I had to get up and make sure she was okay.
And she was ... she was sleeping snug as a bug in a rug. FIVE hours after her last meal.
Jonathan touched her a bit to see if she'd wake up ... and eventually she did, and took her bottle.
But ... had we left her alone, how much longer would she have slept? We'll never know ... but I'm excited by the possibilities! We'll see what happens tonight!
At 2:30am or so, I woke up and realized she had not waken up to eat. That has never happened before, so I had to get up and make sure she was okay.
And she was ... she was sleeping snug as a bug in a rug. FIVE hours after her last meal.
Jonathan touched her a bit to see if she'd wake up ... and eventually she did, and took her bottle.
But ... had we left her alone, how much longer would she have slept? We'll never know ... but I'm excited by the possibilities! We'll see what happens tonight!
Friday, February 24, 2012
Scarlett at Seven Weeks
This week, Miss Scarlett has discovered three things: her tongue, her hand, and her voice. The adorable baby coos have started!
She's becoming a bit more content with being put down into her bouncy seat, her swing, or on her playmat. I do need to make more of an effort for tummy time. It is just that she doesn't like it, so I'm taking a very gradual approach.
Scarlett is most content when she's in a baby sling or wrap. Unfortunately, the sling I have is not very comfortable for me. And the wrap is cumbersome and I'm trying to get it figured out. But yesterday, she was awfully fussy and restless, so I put her into the sling across my chest, and she instantly fell asleep. I'm willing to have some discomfort if it means she's content.
Scarlett has an awful case of "baby acne," as you might be able to see in the pics below. This condition is normal and can last several months. And just when it look like her skin might be clearning up, a new patch of acne sprouts up. It is mostly a cosmetic concern, of couse ... but I wish it would go away and her soft baby skin would return.
Her reflux is still an issue - and there is more spitting up now (typically all over ME). When she starts gagging, Christian goes into a bit of a panic, "Mommy, she's going to SPIT!!!" Yesterday, she spit up on me and I asked Christian to get me a washcloth. He brought one over to me and approached me as if he was going to try cleaning it up himself. He put the cloth up to my shoulder ... and then decided it wasn't a job for him! Ha!
Click to Enlarge
Baby Center: How Your Baby is Growing:
Your baby's brain is expanding in size and complexity. It will grow about 5 centimeters during the first three months.
You may notice short periods of time when your newborn is quiet and alert. This is prime time for learning. Use these calm intervals to get better acquainted with your baby — talk to her, sing to her, describe the pictures on the walls. She may not be able to add to your conversation just yet, but she's learning nonetheless.
New textures for her hands to feel and new sights and sounds (all in moderation) are all learning opportunities. Even bath time becomes a laboratory for understanding the world around her.
Reaching out
Your baby's hands should be mostly open now — ready to reach out to the world. In the early days of your baby's life, grabbing was mostly automatic and instinctual and she couldn't let go if she wanted to. Although she can't really grab objects just yet, she can hold things placed in her hands. And, once she wraps her hands around something, she might not let go so easily. She'll also begin to try and bat at objects, so keep potentially dangerous objects far from your little one's reach. This means not holding hot liquids or sharp objects while you're holding her.
Learning begins now
You may notice short periods of time when your newborn is quiet and alert. This is prime time for learning: Your baby's brain will grow about 5 centimeters during her first three months!
Use these calm intervals to get better acquainted with your baby — talk to her, sing to her, describe the pictures on the walls. She may not be able to add to your conversation just yet, but she's learning nonetheless.
New textures for her hands to feel and new sights and sounds (all in moderation) are all learning opportunities. Even bath time becomes a laboratory for understanding life.
Use these calm intervals to get better acquainted with your baby — talk to her, sing to her, describe the pictures on the walls. She may not be able to add to your conversation just yet, but she's learning nonetheless.
New textures for her hands to feel and new sights and sounds (all in moderation) are all learning opportunities. Even bath time becomes a laboratory for understanding life.
Eyes can track objects
With both eyes now able to follow things consistently and well, your baby can track a moving object much better, something she may have been able to do for only brief periods since birth.
The stores are packed with developmental toys, but you'll do just as well with everyday objects. Pass a rattle or a bright plastic ladle horizontally in front of her. Then try moving it up and down. This should attract your baby's attention, though she probably won't be able to smoothly follow things vertically for another three months and diagonally for another six months.
You can also play eyes-to-eyes by moving very close to her face and slowly nodding your head from side to side. Often her eyes will lock onto yours.
The stores are packed with developmental toys, but you'll do just as well with everyday objects. Pass a rattle or a bright plastic ladle horizontally in front of her. Then try moving it up and down. This should attract your baby's attention, though she probably won't be able to smoothly follow things vertically for another three months and diagonally for another six months.
You can also play eyes-to-eyes by moving very close to her face and slowly nodding your head from side to side. Often her eyes will lock onto yours.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Savoring the Moment
I'm normally not a mother who gives her child a pacifier. While I find they do have a purpose for young infants, I'm not a fan of using pacifiers long-term. One of my pet peeves is to see an older child with a pacifier (definition of older? Maybe a year or older. Or, let's get extreme: haven't we all seen three year old still sucking on a pacifiers?).
But our Scarlett loves to suck. It is often our pinky finger which #1, isn't necessariy hygenic and #2, is a physical commitment for us that becomes uncomfortable after a few minutes.
So for the past few weeks, we've been trying to soothe her with pacifiers. We have three different brands and she pretty much rejects them all. We finally got her to somewhat accept one particular paci ... and today I had the pleasure Scarlett being content in her swing, AND sucking on her pacifier.
It's the little victories that are oh-so-important! :)
But our Scarlett loves to suck. It is often our pinky finger which #1, isn't necessariy hygenic and #2, is a physical commitment for us that becomes uncomfortable after a few minutes.
So for the past few weeks, we've been trying to soothe her with pacifiers. We have three different brands and she pretty much rejects them all. We finally got her to somewhat accept one particular paci ... and today I had the pleasure Scarlett being content in her swing, AND sucking on her pacifier.
It's the little victories that are oh-so-important! :)
Friday, February 17, 2012
Scarlett at Six Weeks
Our Miss Scarlett turns six weeks old today! In honor of her special day, here's a video that includes a bit of spit up. :)
Ah, here's a face I see A LOT.
Scarlett's "I'm most unhappy right now" face.
Scarlett is enjoying her little gym more and more.
Six weeks ago, our little Scarlett entered the world. It has been an exciting, challenging and sometimes exhausting six weeks.
Scarlett's reflux is still in full-force, but after removing all dairy from my diet, it seems we have maybe - just maybe - taken care of the gas issue she's been having. If diary is indeed the cause, then it is no wonder she's been so fussy all this time. I eat a lot of yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese, etc ... and drink plenty of milk. So we are hopeful dairy was the only cause. If not, I'll remove other things from my diet and keep trying. There's a pretty long list of foods that can cause problems with breastmilk.
Christian, while still very interested in, and loving towards Scarlett, has put his focus on Mommy now. It took five weeks for it to happen, but now he's wanting me to put Scarlett down more, wanting Jonathan to step in and take Scarlett and walk away with her. I get lots of request from Christian, "Mommy, will you hold me?" "Mommy, will you sit with me?" "Mommy, will you talk to me?" I do my best to accomdate him, but Scarlett need a lot of attention and because of her reflux issues, does not like to be put down very often. So, we're all adjusting.
We seem to have a schedule of sorts in place now.
I get Christian to school (our morning routine has become ... well, rather routine how) and the car ride usually puts Scarlett to sleep for a couple of hours. She and I might come home, or I might take advante of her slumber and head to the store (we always time our trips to the store for a time we can push a sleeping baby around in the cart). She's up for a short timeframe in the mornings here and there ... but has fallen back asleep by the time we get home from picking up Christian.
So then Christian goes down for his afternoon nap, and Scarlett is usually asleep at that time, too. In the early evenings, they are both awake and that makes getting dinner ready by 6:00pm a challenge sometimes. But if I can't get dinner started, then I wait for Jonathan to come home and once he can help out, I get working on dinner.
Scarlett is often awake when it is dinner time, but then falls asleep again after a bit. Christian goes to bed and then it is time for Jonathan and I to decompress in front of the TV with a usually-asleep Scarlett.
We usually attempt to watch some TV show or TV we've recorded. And we both almost always fall asleep during said show. HA HA!
Jonathan goes to bed and takes Scarlett to her bed after her final feeding for the night (the time varies) and I stay up and pump a bottle for the fridge. Scarlett typically wakes up about three hours after her last feeding that night and Jonathan gives her a bottle of pumped milk. And then I take the next feeding after that (well, I handle ALL feedings, except for that one Jonathan does).
And then we're up and at 'em again!
Today was my last day of maternity leave ... and so that means Monday, it is back to the grind. But, as with Christian four years ago, I work at a home office. We are not putting Scarlett in daycare (nor did we put Christian in daycare as an infant). I have arranged to work 20 hours a week at my job on a 30-day trial basis. After 30 days, my boss and I will evaluate the situation and see if #1, it works for her department and the company and #2) if it works for me and our family siutation.
Wish me luck. The only time I'll be able to work is when Scarlett is sleeping, and it can be challenging getting her into a deep enough sleep that I can be productive doing other things. I've told my boss that I can't predict when those four working hours will take place each day. She's big on conference calls, and having a newborn at home isn't too conducive to particpating in such calls.
I'll let you know what happens in 30 days. :)
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Such Hard Work Being So Beautiful!!
My amazing friend Kristy gave the perfect title to this photo:
Such hard working being so beautiful!!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Happy Valentine's Day!
Happy Valentine's Day from We Luceros Four!
Christian asked me to take a video of him ... so I did and asked him to sing, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." As you can see, he was a bit distracted by the food in his mouth and whatever exciting show was on TV. Ah, four year olds and their short attention spans!
Friday, February 10, 2012
Miss Scarlett at Five Weeks
Miss Scarlett is fortunate enough to have a Mommy and an Auntie who have Cannon DSLR cameras and are eager to take pictures galore! The hard part of picking WHICH pictures to post online for ya'll to see. Certainly can't post ALL of them.
Tomorrow Auntie is coming to take pictures ... so look for more to come shortly!
Your Baby at Five Weeks
Head's up!
Your baby's neck muscles are getting stronger, which allows her to hold her head up for short periods. She can support it for a few moments while lying on her stomach, for example, and she can probably turn it from side to side. She may be able to hold her head up when she's in a car seat or front carrier.
The first real smiles
Smiling happens at about the same time in all cultures, so get ready for your baby to reward all your loving care with a beaming, toothless, just-for-you smile. This will probably make your heart melt, even if you've just had your worst night yet.
Sound asleep
Your baby may start sleeping longer at night (maybe four to six hours) sometime between 6 weeks and 6 months of age. It's a broad range, and much depends on your baby's development and your behavior.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Scarlett's One Month Doctor Appoinment
She eats in very short intervals, and then quickly falls asleep and is impossible to wake up. So I had been concerned that she wasn't eating enough ... but her weight gain says otherwise.
At her last visit, her length was 19 3/4 inches and today, she was up to 21 inches. Of course, length is subjective - depends on how much the person doing the measuring stretches Scarlett out. For both visits, the doctor doubted the length the tech wrote down and measured Scarlett again and came up with a different number.
One of our concerns was that Scarlett has really bad reflux. We had hoped the doctor would provide a solution, but he's not a doctor who instantly medicates a problem. His comment was that babies have a had reflux for millions of years ... and that is really more of a laundry issue than a concern for her health. While I appreciated his style of not rushing to medicate, I would have liked some suggestions for how we can help Scarlett. I'll ask my gastroenterologist when I see him next month. :) If anybody knows how to handle reflux, it is a gastroenterologist (which is why I see such a doctor, myself ... reflux).
Friday, February 3, 2012
Miss Scarlett is a Month Old!
Four weeks ago today, Miss Scarlett entered our lives. Wow, that was one quick month!
Her one month exam is on Monday so as of today, we're not sure how much she weighs. I'll let you know all the info on Monday.
She still sleeps a lot, but is much more alert during the times she is awake. We get a little smile from her every now and then, but she seems to smile more when she's sleeping (must be having sweet dreams!).
Scarlett has some strength! If we have her on our chest and put our hands under her feet, she'll crawl up our chest. She's now turning over to her side and I expect that soon, she'll be flipping over to her tummy.
In the past month, we've gone out and about as a family of four lots of times: grocery stores, the mall, furniture stores, a playdate, a few walks in the stroller, the hair salone, etc. Overall, we've done pretty well. Christian, and all of his incredible energy, is the bigger challenge when we go out.
Christian is still very, very proud of his little sister. He still makes sure anybody we meet sees her, "LOOK!" He'll tell somebody and point to Scarlett. Everybody at school has seen her numerous times, so their interest has waned quite a bit, which is normal. But nonetheless, Christian wants EVERYBODY to have an interest in Scarlett.
Her one month exam is on Monday so as of today, we're not sure how much she weighs. I'll let you know all the info on Monday.
She still sleeps a lot, but is much more alert during the times she is awake. We get a little smile from her every now and then, but she seems to smile more when she's sleeping (must be having sweet dreams!).
Scarlett has some strength! If we have her on our chest and put our hands under her feet, she'll crawl up our chest. She's now turning over to her side and I expect that soon, she'll be flipping over to her tummy.
In the past month, we've gone out and about as a family of four lots of times: grocery stores, the mall, furniture stores, a playdate, a few walks in the stroller, the hair salone, etc. Overall, we've done pretty well. Christian, and all of his incredible energy, is the bigger challenge when we go out.
Christian is still very, very proud of his little sister. He still makes sure anybody we meet sees her, "LOOK!" He'll tell somebody and point to Scarlett. Everybody at school has seen her numerous times, so their interest has waned quite a bit, which is normal. But nonetheless, Christian wants EVERYBODY to have an interest in Scarlett.
Note: Scarlett's eyes aren't this blue (yet). The picture came out dark, so I adjusted the exposure to lighten the entire image, and her eye color came out this shade of blue. Jonathan and I now have a casual bet going on: I'm betting she'll have blue eyes one day (blue is the dominant color in my immediate family), and Jonathan thinks she'll have hazel eyes, like Christian. Though, truth be told, Christian's eyes are still a mystery color - even at the age of four. For a long time, they seemed blue, and then green ... and then sometimes brownish. The closest color we can come up with his "hazel," though they aren't quite hazel either sometimes. Whatever color Christian's eyes are, they are just so big and pretty - very unique.
Your Baby at Four Weeks
Playtime
Playing with your newborn is a perfect way to gently guide him into his new — and unfamiliar — world. Mobiles with high-contrast patterns and books with photos of babies' faces will captivate him.
A play gym full of compelling toys to look at, swipe at, and listen to will give your baby practice with arm, hand, and finger coordination skills — and make lying down more interesting! You can even lie down on the floor next to your baby and join in the fun.
Although your baby can grab with gusto now, he doesn't yet have the hand-eye coordination to reach for an object you pass in front of him. That skill will develop at about 4 months of age. In the meantime, you'll have to place toys in his hand — your pinky may be an unexpected favorite.
A play gym full of compelling toys to look at, swipe at, and listen to will give your baby practice with arm, hand, and finger coordination skills — and make lying down more interesting! You can even lie down on the floor next to your baby and join in the fun.
Although your baby can grab with gusto now, he doesn't yet have the hand-eye coordination to reach for an object you pass in front of him. That skill will develop at about 4 months of age. In the meantime, you'll have to place toys in his hand — your pinky may be an unexpected favorite.
Exploring extremities
At birth, your baby had no idea that his arms and legs were attached to him. That's all changing now as he starts exploring his body. The parts he's discovering first are his hands and feet.
Encourage his interest by holding his arms above his head and asking "How big is baby?" or by reciting "This Little Piggy" and counting his toes. Try moving his hands in front of his face so he can see and feel them at the same time.
Babies have trouble regulating their body temperature, and their circulation isn't perfect just yet. Keep in mind that some of your baby's body heat escapes through his hands and feet. Make sure little toes and fingers are covered on cold days, particularly when the two of you go outside.
Encourage his interest by holding his arms above his head and asking "How big is baby?" or by reciting "This Little Piggy" and counting his toes. Try moving his hands in front of his face so he can see and feel them at the same time.
Babies have trouble regulating their body temperature, and their circulation isn't perfect just yet. Keep in mind that some of your baby's body heat escapes through his hands and feet. Make sure little toes and fingers are covered on cold days, particularly when the two of you go outside.
Baby talk
Your baby may gurgle, coo, grunt, and hum to express his feelings. A few babies also begin squealing and laughing. Be sure to coo and gurgle back, and talk to your baby face to face. He'll enjoy holding your gaze now.
If you have things to do, your baby will still enjoy hearing your voice from across the room. And don't feel silly about talking Motherese or baby talk — babies are particularly attuned to this high-pitched, drawn-out way of communicating that can actually teach your baby about the structure and function of language.
Narrate your day to your baby. He'll enjoy your conversation and may even start to chime in with his own comments.
If you have things to do, your baby will still enjoy hearing your voice from across the room. And don't feel silly about talking Motherese or baby talk — babies are particularly attuned to this high-pitched, drawn-out way of communicating that can actually teach your baby about the structure and function of language.
Narrate your day to your baby. He'll enjoy your conversation and may even start to chime in with his own comments.
So, we're really interested to see what color Scarlett's eyes will be.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Charlotte ... er, um ... Scarlett
In the four-plus years we've had the name "Scarlett" on reserve for the day we had a baby girl, one thing never occurred to me:
People might confuse the names "Scarlett" and "Charlotte."
I has happened four times now and each time I think, "Do I correct the person?" I tried to politely correct the second person who did it, "Oh, you mean Scarlett?" But aside from that, I'm not sure it is polite to correct people.
I imagine this error will occur throughout Scarlett's lifetime, and she'll just have to accept it. Truth be told, even if I had thought about the confusion the name might cause ... I would have still named her Scarlett. Love, love, LOVE the name. :)
People might confuse the names "Scarlett" and "Charlotte."
I has happened four times now and each time I think, "Do I correct the person?" I tried to politely correct the second person who did it, "Oh, you mean Scarlett?" But aside from that, I'm not sure it is polite to correct people.
I imagine this error will occur throughout Scarlett's lifetime, and she'll just have to accept it. Truth be told, even if I had thought about the confusion the name might cause ... I would have still named her Scarlett. Love, love, LOVE the name. :)
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
The Kindness of Strangers and the Death of Chivalry
We're a quiet little family, living in a community known for gatherings, events and friendly neighbors. There are seven houses on our circle, and the neighbors all know each other quite well ... except for us. You see, Jonathan works long hours and by the time Christian gets up from his nap in the late afternoon, I'm making dinner ... and I can't just send Christian out to play at the park by himself. He's only four, after all.
However, it is during that time when our neighbors are outside visiting - either on their front porches or across the street at the park. I'm sure we've been the talk of the block on occasion, "Why aren't they ever outside? Why don't they come visit with us? Are they snobs? Anti-social?"
We know three households on our block casually, but I wouldn't say we're close, tight-knit neighbors. So you can imagine my surprise when one of them showed up a couple of days after we got home from the hospital and told me that the neighbors wanted to come together and bring us a few meals. WOW!
We got meals on two nights, and they also came bearing gifts - clothing for Scarlett and cars for Christian. I was touched by their kindness and thrilled that they were considerate of Christian's feelings, too.
The other night, Christian, Scarlett and I ventured out to get the mail and we were called over to our neighbor across the park. We made our way over to find three of our neighbors there visiting. One of them, Monica, I haven't seen for months. But as soon as she saw me coming, she ran to her house and returned with a gift bag of outfits for Scarlett. I was so humbled ... of all the neighbors, I've seen her the fewest times and yet, she was so kind to give us gifts for the baby.
These neighbors - who joked that they are our block's "Desperate Housewives" (none of them work) - provided a nice adult conversation outlet for me ... and they were amused by Christian's energy and antics. Christian even sat in on of their laps and had a little conversation - not something he'd usually do with people he doesn't know.
We were completely blessed by the kindness of strangers (or, near-strangers) and are thankful for our new friends, all of whom have given us their phone numbers and have told us to call them if we need anything.
On the flip-side ... chivalry is dead. Dead, I say.
One more than one occasion, I have noticed that as I'm walking up to the front door of the school - carrying the car seat (which Christian is weighing down because he's 'helping' me carry Scarlett), and also Christian's lunch bag and water bottle (because he's 'helping' me with Scarlett, he somehow can't carry his own stuff) and on Thursdays, I'm also carrying his backpack which houses his enticing show-and-tell object du jour - there is a dad taking his own kiddos to school and not as weighed down with objects as I am. He will see I'm approaching the door, as is he, and he doesn't pause to hold the door open for a moment. He allows the door to shut as I'm approaching the door.
I've noticed this only happens with the men (a few occasions - always a different man), and yet women are more than willing to hold the door open for another person.
I always try to hold the door open for somebody carrying a child, or otherwise has his/her arms full. In fact, just yesterday as I was leaving the school while carrying Scarlett in her car seat, another mom was coming in - same situation: walking in holding a car seat ... and I held the door open for her.
It's the principle of "The Golden Rule." And it's also just nice thing to do.
And of course, to be fair, I should say that there are indeed some men who still hold the door open for a lady - my husband and father-in-law are among them.
I certainly don't expect anybody to cater to me - we're all busy, rushed and otherwise preoccupied. I'm just trying to figure out what happened to chivalry.
Is it really dead ... or just dormant?
However, it is during that time when our neighbors are outside visiting - either on their front porches or across the street at the park. I'm sure we've been the talk of the block on occasion, "Why aren't they ever outside? Why don't they come visit with us? Are they snobs? Anti-social?"
We know three households on our block casually, but I wouldn't say we're close, tight-knit neighbors. So you can imagine my surprise when one of them showed up a couple of days after we got home from the hospital and told me that the neighbors wanted to come together and bring us a few meals. WOW!
We got meals on two nights, and they also came bearing gifts - clothing for Scarlett and cars for Christian. I was touched by their kindness and thrilled that they were considerate of Christian's feelings, too.
The other night, Christian, Scarlett and I ventured out to get the mail and we were called over to our neighbor across the park. We made our way over to find three of our neighbors there visiting. One of them, Monica, I haven't seen for months. But as soon as she saw me coming, she ran to her house and returned with a gift bag of outfits for Scarlett. I was so humbled ... of all the neighbors, I've seen her the fewest times and yet, she was so kind to give us gifts for the baby.
These neighbors - who joked that they are our block's "Desperate Housewives" (none of them work) - provided a nice adult conversation outlet for me ... and they were amused by Christian's energy and antics. Christian even sat in on of their laps and had a little conversation - not something he'd usually do with people he doesn't know.
We were completely blessed by the kindness of strangers (or, near-strangers) and are thankful for our new friends, all of whom have given us their phone numbers and have told us to call them if we need anything.
On the flip-side ... chivalry is dead. Dead, I say.
One more than one occasion, I have noticed that as I'm walking up to the front door of the school - carrying the car seat (which Christian is weighing down because he's 'helping' me carry Scarlett), and also Christian's lunch bag and water bottle (because he's 'helping' me with Scarlett, he somehow can't carry his own stuff) and on Thursdays, I'm also carrying his backpack which houses his enticing show-and-tell object du jour - there is a dad taking his own kiddos to school and not as weighed down with objects as I am. He will see I'm approaching the door, as is he, and he doesn't pause to hold the door open for a moment. He allows the door to shut as I'm approaching the door.
I've noticed this only happens with the men (a few occasions - always a different man), and yet women are more than willing to hold the door open for another person.
I always try to hold the door open for somebody carrying a child, or otherwise has his/her arms full. In fact, just yesterday as I was leaving the school while carrying Scarlett in her car seat, another mom was coming in - same situation: walking in holding a car seat ... and I held the door open for her.
It's the principle of "The Golden Rule." And it's also just nice thing to do.
And of course, to be fair, I should say that there are indeed some men who still hold the door open for a lady - my husband and father-in-law are among them.
I certainly don't expect anybody to cater to me - we're all busy, rushed and otherwise preoccupied. I'm just trying to figure out what happened to chivalry.
Is it really dead ... or just dormant?
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Click, click, click!!
A while back, my sister made me promise I'd take as many pics of Scarlett as I did of Christian. She noted how many baby pic there are of me from back in the day, and how relatively few there are of her as a baby ... second children just aren't as photographed as much as the first.
And well, Scarlett is just so darn-tootin' cute, that I can't help but take pics of her anyway - my camera is always close by. So here's more baby cuteness for you to feast your eyes on!
(Side note: I do need to update our "original blog." That blog isn't going away - look for pics and stories about Christian very soon!).
Then again ...
As I mentioned, getting my kiddos ready and Christian to school all four days last week was a success. I had high hopes that it might be that way each day, but realistically knew I'd have some struggles at some point.
And that was today.
Scarlett wasn't sleeping this time as I rushed to get Christian ready. In fast, she was just plain fussy. Christian somehow completely tuned out everything I said and it was impossible to get his attention as I was feeding Scarlett (which means I'm glued to my seat until she's done).
It went something like this, "Christian, have a bite of your waffle. Christian? Christian? Hello? Christian, listen to Mommy ... have a bite of your waffle. Christian!"
Repeat the same dialogue with the egg, and with his glass of milk.
Repeat the same dialogue for getting dressed:
It went something like this, "Christian, please put your underwear on. Christian? Christian? Hello? Christian, listen to Mommy ... put your underwear on. Christian!"
Repeat for socks, pants, shirt, shoes, jacket, etc.
Finally got him to school at 8:15am - a half hour late.
I'll get this figured out. Some day.
And that was today.
Scarlett wasn't sleeping this time as I rushed to get Christian ready. In fast, she was just plain fussy. Christian somehow completely tuned out everything I said and it was impossible to get his attention as I was feeding Scarlett (which means I'm glued to my seat until she's done).
It went something like this, "Christian, have a bite of your waffle. Christian? Christian? Hello? Christian, listen to Mommy ... have a bite of your waffle. Christian!"
Repeat the same dialogue with the egg, and with his glass of milk.
Repeat the same dialogue for getting dressed:
It went something like this, "Christian, please put your underwear on. Christian? Christian? Hello? Christian, listen to Mommy ... put your underwear on. Christian!"
Repeat for socks, pants, shirt, shoes, jacket, etc.
Finally got him to school at 8:15am - a half hour late.
I'll get this figured out. Some day.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Scarlett at Three Weeks
Your Baby at Three Weeks
Belly baby
Be sure you're continuing to put your baby down on her stomach for "tummy time" when she's awake. Babies should sleep on their back, but they also need to spend time on their belly every day to strengthen their neck muscles, which help them push up, roll over, sit up, and crawl. Tummy time will also help your baby avoid developing a flat spot on her headfrom being on her back.
By the end of this week, your baby may lift her head briefly and possibly move it from side to side when she's lying on her stomach. Try putting your face in front of your baby's to encourage her to hold up her head to look at you. You can also roll up a towel or receiving blanket and put it under her chest to help get her started with her push-ups. Soon, her nervous system and muscle control will mature and her jerky movements will become more fluid.
By the end of this week, your baby may lift her head briefly and possibly move it from side to side when she's lying on her stomach. Try putting your face in front of your baby's to encourage her to hold up her head to look at you. You can also roll up a towel or receiving blanket and put it under her chest to help get her started with her push-ups. Soon, her nervous system and muscle control will mature and her jerky movements will become more fluid.
Self-soothing
Babies love and need to suck, so don't discourage it. In fact, you may have discovered that a pacifier works wonders in helping your baby calm down.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using pacifiers at nap time and bedtime, based on evidence that using a pacifier may reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). When the binky or your finger isn't around, your baby may even be able to find her thumb or fingers to soothe herself.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using pacifiers at nap time and bedtime, based on evidence that using a pacifier may reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). When the binky or your finger isn't around, your baby may even be able to find her thumb or fingers to soothe herself.
Our First Week ... Alone
After nearly a month off, Jonathan returned to work on Tuesday. And that meant I was on my own with Christian and Scarlett for the first time. The thought was daunting, as I needed to get Christian off to school.
My huge advantage is this: since Christian is only in preschool, there isn't a rigid drop-off time as there might be in elementary school. We typically have him at school by 7:45am so I can get back home for work by 8:00am. But since I'm on maternity leave right now, I'm not on a schedule for myself.
But I am happy to report that Scarlett ate and was asleep again by the time Christian woke up ... and she stayed asleep until after we got back from dropping him off.
I timed her feeding so that she was done and asleep again when we picked him up at 12:30pm.
And it worked out nicely for each of the four days I took Christian to school this week. I think it comes down to two things: a little preparedness ahead of time, and expecting the absolute worst (and not getting it).
I know that not every morning will be as easy as the mornings this week. But it sure was a nice way to start off our new routine. :)
My huge advantage is this: since Christian is only in preschool, there isn't a rigid drop-off time as there might be in elementary school. We typically have him at school by 7:45am so I can get back home for work by 8:00am. But since I'm on maternity leave right now, I'm not on a schedule for myself.
But I am happy to report that Scarlett ate and was asleep again by the time Christian woke up ... and she stayed asleep until after we got back from dropping him off.
I timed her feeding so that she was done and asleep again when we picked him up at 12:30pm.
And it worked out nicely for each of the four days I took Christian to school this week. I think it comes down to two things: a little preparedness ahead of time, and expecting the absolute worst (and not getting it).
I know that not every morning will be as easy as the mornings this week. But it sure was a nice way to start off our new routine. :)
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Is she a "good baby"?
One question I get asked a lot is, "Is she a good baby?"
This sort of question has always perplexed me. If she's not a "good baby," does that make her a "bad baby"? Is there any such thing as a "bad baby"? Is the word "good" really the best way to describe a baby?
Just wondering ...?
So what kind of a baby is Scarlett? Well, she's an adorable baby, of course! :)
But what about her temperment ... her personality?
I haven't quite figured out her temperment yet - she sleeps most of the time.
She is definitely a snuggler. She likes to lay on our chests and it seems that for Scarlett, the more skin she can lay on, the better. I'll hold her so that she's on the front of my shoulder and very quickly, she makes her way to the middle of my chest. I have read that babies are fond of that position because the noises they hear right there - heartbeat, breathing, talking, etc. - are the same noises they heard from within the womb.
In fact, for much of the night, Scarlett is sleeping on Jonathan's chest. I have suggested to him that letting her do that ever night sets her up to reject her basinett. But he likes her there, and who am I to deny a father some snuggle time with his princess?
Scarlett is waking up about every three hours or so overnight to eat. In an effort to give each of us a bit more sleep, Jonathan feeds her pumped milk for the first feeding, and then I nurse her the other times she's wakes up after that. It was a routine that Christian's pediatrician suggested four years ago and it worked out nicely then ... and is working out nicely this time, too.
I would have to say that overall - even though she's still sleeping a lot - she's a pretty mellow baby. She certainly has no sensitivity to sounds, which is a huge blessing. Christian tends to be very loud (I never realized just HOW loud until I had a quiet baby in my arms), and he's got some loud toys (a sarcastic thank you to the manufacturer of his Buzz Lightyear toy who neglected to includ an on/off switch and volume control). Depsite all the noises going on around her, Miss Scarlett stays sounds asleep. Had she not passed her hearing screening with flying colors, I'd be concerned. But, there's nothing wrong with her hearing ... she just has the awesome ability to filter the noise out.
We spend a lot of time comparing Scarlett to Christian when he was a baby. "Did Christian do this ...." "Did Chrsitian do that ...?" "When Christian was a baby, didn't we ________."
Christian was an awesome, mellow, and happy baby. I remember a friend of ours in Santa Fe who was a former pediatrician told us to stop having kids, because we'd never luck out and get a mellow, happy baby the second time around. But I think it is quite possible that we've been blessed with just that.
Only time will tell. She is, after all, just three weeks old (tomorrow!).
This sort of question has always perplexed me. If she's not a "good baby," does that make her a "bad baby"? Is there any such thing as a "bad baby"? Is the word "good" really the best way to describe a baby?
Just wondering ...?
So what kind of a baby is Scarlett? Well, she's an adorable baby, of course! :)
But what about her temperment ... her personality?
I haven't quite figured out her temperment yet - she sleeps most of the time.
She is definitely a snuggler. She likes to lay on our chests and it seems that for Scarlett, the more skin she can lay on, the better. I'll hold her so that she's on the front of my shoulder and very quickly, she makes her way to the middle of my chest. I have read that babies are fond of that position because the noises they hear right there - heartbeat, breathing, talking, etc. - are the same noises they heard from within the womb.
In fact, for much of the night, Scarlett is sleeping on Jonathan's chest. I have suggested to him that letting her do that ever night sets her up to reject her basinett. But he likes her there, and who am I to deny a father some snuggle time with his princess?
Scarlett is waking up about every three hours or so overnight to eat. In an effort to give each of us a bit more sleep, Jonathan feeds her pumped milk for the first feeding, and then I nurse her the other times she's wakes up after that. It was a routine that Christian's pediatrician suggested four years ago and it worked out nicely then ... and is working out nicely this time, too.
I would have to say that overall - even though she's still sleeping a lot - she's a pretty mellow baby. She certainly has no sensitivity to sounds, which is a huge blessing. Christian tends to be very loud (I never realized just HOW loud until I had a quiet baby in my arms), and he's got some loud toys (a sarcastic thank you to the manufacturer of his Buzz Lightyear toy who neglected to includ an on/off switch and volume control). Depsite all the noises going on around her, Miss Scarlett stays sounds asleep. Had she not passed her hearing screening with flying colors, I'd be concerned. But, there's nothing wrong with her hearing ... she just has the awesome ability to filter the noise out.
We spend a lot of time comparing Scarlett to Christian when he was a baby. "Did Christian do this ...." "Did Chrsitian do that ...?" "When Christian was a baby, didn't we ________."
Christian was an awesome, mellow, and happy baby. I remember a friend of ours in Santa Fe who was a former pediatrician told us to stop having kids, because we'd never luck out and get a mellow, happy baby the second time around. But I think it is quite possible that we've been blessed with just that.
Only time will tell. She is, after all, just three weeks old (tomorrow!).
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Christian - An Awesome Big Brother
I am so very happy to share that Christian is an awesome big brother! So far, we've seen no signs of jealousy or any difficulty in adjusting to our new family member.
In fact, Christian is full of kisses, hugs and adoration for Baby Scarlett. And he likes to show his baby sister to EVERYBODY - even perfect strangers. When we're at school with Scarlett in her carseat, Christian will stop everybody and say, "Look! It's Baby Scarlett!" And then he'll tell them, "She's SOOO cute ... she's SOOO precious!" And he gets all giddy when the person agrees with him.
When I arrive at his classroom to pick him up, he runs up to Scarlett ... and a few of his friends come along, too and he makes sure they ALL see her. His teacher tells me that he talks about her A LOT.
Christian likes to lend a hand where he can. When I change Scarlett, he runs to quickly get his stool so he can get a good view of what is going on. And he's always ready to give me a diaper or a wipe.
He asks to hold her a lot - many times, I must decline his request, because she's eating or sleeping ... but when he does get to hold her, he's over the moon. And he very quickly asks for her to be taken away when she starts to cry.
Christian is contantly kissing her and getting right in her face to look at her and adore her. He loves to hold her hands, and hug her and talk to her. If I've stepped away and Scarlett starts to fuss, Christian makes sure I know, "Mommy!!! Scarlett is crying!!!"
We weren't sure how he'd do with Scarlett, and I must say we are most impressed and delighted that he's taken to her so well.
WHEW!!!
In fact, Christian is full of kisses, hugs and adoration for Baby Scarlett. And he likes to show his baby sister to EVERYBODY - even perfect strangers. When we're at school with Scarlett in her carseat, Christian will stop everybody and say, "Look! It's Baby Scarlett!" And then he'll tell them, "She's SOOO cute ... she's SOOO precious!" And he gets all giddy when the person agrees with him.
When I arrive at his classroom to pick him up, he runs up to Scarlett ... and a few of his friends come along, too and he makes sure they ALL see her. His teacher tells me that he talks about her A LOT.
Christian likes to lend a hand where he can. When I change Scarlett, he runs to quickly get his stool so he can get a good view of what is going on. And he's always ready to give me a diaper or a wipe.
He asks to hold her a lot - many times, I must decline his request, because she's eating or sleeping ... but when he does get to hold her, he's over the moon. And he very quickly asks for her to be taken away when she starts to cry.
Christian is contantly kissing her and getting right in her face to look at her and adore her. He loves to hold her hands, and hug her and talk to her. If I've stepped away and Scarlett starts to fuss, Christian makes sure I know, "Mommy!!! Scarlett is crying!!!"
We weren't sure how he'd do with Scarlett, and I must say we are most impressed and delighted that he's taken to her so well.
WHEW!!!
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