PHOTD

Whoops. I totally forgot about this blog. I'm coming back to blogger though! I liked Tumblr but it was just too confusing for me. aaanyways, I've got to figure out how to jazz up this blog a little. In the meantime why don't I tell you about life right now?

Life with a six month old is.. different. He's so aware of everything, sometimes I just look at him and I'm like where did my little baby go?? It's fun though, he likes to play now. His smile and laugh are so infectious it's crazy.

He's a solid food champ now. He'll basically eat anything, the other day my 14 month old cousin was over and he was feeding Connor little pieces of his yogurt melts and let me tell you Connor was loving it. (I wasn't. Scrubbing little bits of yogurt out my carpet isn't a task I accept with a smile.)

He's also started crawling er- well it's more of a 'swimming' motion then a crawling motion, but he's moving nonetheless.

Messing Around With the Camera

5 months old

So much for updating every day right? Oh well.. Connor's 5 months old now! He turned 5 months on the seventh. It's crazy how fast it's going, I just wanna sit him down and be like 'Hey! Your growing up waaaaay too fast!' Every time I see little babies on TV or on YouTube I always get a little homesick for when Connor was that young. Then I look at the older babies and I'm really excited for all of the things that we'll get to do together once he's a little bigger! I'm fairly sure he's started teething, you can't keep anything in his reach out of his mouth. He weighs 17 lbs and is 25 inches long, Which is a good thing. He's making his way up the percentile chart with his height. In the beginning he was only in the 3rd percentile, then the next time it was the 10th, and now it's the 25th.

Rainy Day

We were planning on going for a walk this morning but it's raining. I'm mapping out a big post, but for now here's some cute pictures:

Playing On The Front Porch

Frustration.

Ugh! I wish I was better at code. I have so many ideas for things to put on the main page of the blog and I just can't figure out how to do it. I also wish that I had invested in a better camera earlier on. I'm looking into the Nikon D40 but who knows. Connor is also in a really irritating phase where he is absolutely refusing to nap. So of course he is incredibly cranky for the majority of the day. I don't know why but he all of a sudden hates anything that used to give him comfort. He refuses to take the pacifier unless I hold it in his mouth for like 15 minutes, and he won't relax in his swing unless he's almost asleep. I feel so bad for him because I know that he's even more frustrated then I am.

I'm still holding out hope that the sun will die down a little later on at like 7 o'clock so that I can take Connor down to the beach for a little while. He's still never been, which is outrageous seeing as the beach is practically our backyard. I can't wait for him to be able to sit and play in the sand, (He hasn't mastered sitting up completely unassisted yet) It's just been so freakin' hot these past weeks that it's been impossible, the sun has been so strong and since Connor can't wear sunscreen, we've been stuck at home.

Well I guess I'll try to figure out some more coding so that I can get this blog up to par with what I imagine it should be.

I'm Back!

Oh man have I been neglecting this blog! I never thought I'd say it but for a while there it was getting really tough to think of what I wanted to say.

Connor has started and stopped solid food. He was perfectly fine when he was on just rice cereal but once I added fruit and veggies in the mix oh boy did we have problems. He would scream for what seemed like hours on end, and I guess the belly ache made him feel hungry because he would be crying for more milk only 2 hours after his last feeding and his whole life he has gone a solid 4. So I decided I was going to take him off it completely for a couple weeks and start again later when his belly is a little older. I'll also take A LOT more time in between different foods.

Hopefully by the time you read this blog I will have edited it somewhat. I know for a while it was black text on a black backround. OH MY. I didn't even look at it for what seems like an eternity, but never the less my inspiration has returned. So stay tuned for TONS more posts and I've vowed to myself to post something even if it's just a few lines, or a picture, everyday.

My Criteria When Looking for a Stroller or Car Seat

These are just a few things that I look for when purchasing a car seat, stroller, or travel system:

1. In the car seat, is there a way to tighten the harness straps while the child is inside? When I bought my first travel system (Evenflo Aura) I didn't even think about this feature. I soon learned how much of a pain in the butt it was so adjusted the straps. It's impossible to have the straps fit perfectly when the child isn't inside while you adjust them. Also when the straps are too loose its unsafe. (in the case of the Evenflo, when it was too loose and too tight it wasn't safe. when it was too tight the straps would push off of his shoulders and end up down his arms.)

2. Is the car seat light weight? If you choose to go with the infant car seat (which i recommend, its good for when your baby falls asleep in the car, you can move them without waking them up) Your baby is heavy enough, try to find a car seat that is sturdy but also as light as possible so you can actually pick the child up.

3. Is the stroller easy to fold? Fold and unfold and fold and unfold the stroller while your in the store. If it gives you a problem even one time, don't buy it. The last thing in the world you need is a tired, hungry, infant screaming at the top of their lungs while you try to fold the stroller. I've actually seen one mom get so frustrated with her stroller while her baby screamed in the car that she just left it there in the parking lot.

4. Does it look comfortable? One question to ask yourself is would you want to spend time in it?

5. Is the sun shade long enough? The shade on the Evenflo was too short and the sun was constantly in my sons eyes.

6. Does the stroller have a big basket? This isn't a must for everyone, but it was definitely a must for me. It's a great place to put shopping bags when your at the mall. Plus your diaper bag will be filled to overflowing and its just must easier to put it in the basket.

7. And finally, what is the rating? When it comes to car seats, the highest rated car seat for safety is usually more expensive, but hey, you can't put a price on your child's safety!

Here is a link to the travel system I bought Connor after donating the Evenflo:

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3604038

It's the Chicco Cortina Travel System Stroller in Miro.

Baby Smiles =)

Ever since the day I found out I was pregnant I was anxious for my precious baby to look up at me and smile. A real huge toothless baby smile that could melt anyone in 3 mile radius's heart. Connor has been on track or ahead on all of his other milestones except smiling. (Though I guess I do have to give him credit, his adjusted age is only 2 months and a day or two) His lack of smiling scared me, does he have autism? Is he unhappy? My doctor told me to relax, He would be smiling soon, Just smile at him as much as possible. So of course I fixed myself with what seemed like a permenant grin hoping that one day he would give me a small grin. He stated giving small smiles here and there, but I wanted on demand social smiles! Then about 3 days ago BAM! He's smiling all the time! I couldn't believe it, My prayers were answered. I ran to get my camera to snap as many pictures as possible. Now Connor and I are much happier and showing it proudly! I guess the moral of the story is, don't get so worked up about these milestones sometimes. Your baby will get there at his or her own pace and it makes it so much sweeter when they achieve them!

Quick Tip: Nighttime Routine

So far it's been an uphill battle trying to get Connor to sleep in his own crib for the night, last night was the first time in history that it was a successful mission. I put him down to bed at 11:00 and he didn't wake up until 5:30 this morning, AMAZING! So I figured I would quickly write down what exactly I did. First, Connor had a warm bath (do this about an hour before they are supposed to eat because they'll get fussy and hungry) After the bath I lotioned him up and did a couple minutes of baby massage. After he was nice and relaxed I fixed him a bottle and we sat in his glider and rocked back and forth. After his bottle was finished he was getting very sleepy but not quite asleep yet, so I read a chapter of Harry Potter to him (what you read is your choice lol, Harry Potter always puts him to sleep..) I could see his eyes fighting to stay open so I put him in bed, turned out the lights, turned on the monitor and went to finish what I had to do around the house. He didn't wake up until 5:30 and I was a very happy camper because I cant wait to get his pack n play out of my room (I will miss him though! I went into his room like every two hours to make sure he was okay!) So good luck and remember every baby is different! Try a bunch of things until you find what works for you!

Quick Tip: Frozen Paci

Hi everyone! I figured I'd get on here and post a quick trick that I learned recently, it was 90 degrees ALL DAY yesterday and I was trying to figure out a way to keep Connor cool. There was no breeze and he had already had 5 oz of cold water when I got the idea to rinse his paci in cold water and then stick it in the freezer while it was still wet for about a half hour. When it came out the part that went in his mouth was frozen and the part that went on his face was only a little bit cold. HE LOVED IT! He started kicking his legs and smiling like crazy when I gave it to him. I imagine this would also work fairly well with teething because the common complaint with frozen teethers is that it gets too cold on baby's cheeks. So I figured I would share this quick tip because of the hot days that are ahead! Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Baby Products I Couldn't Live Without

I can recall very clearly the days before Connor was born when I spent what seemed like hours wandering around Babies R' Us in a fog. "How can I possibly know all the things I'll need for when he comes home?" was what I kept asking myself and whoever I had talked into going to the store with me. My solution to this dilemma was to simply buy everything on that 'What to Put on Your Registry' guide that Babies R' Us so thoughtfully provided. This of course turned out to be a huge waste of time, energy, and money. Three things that I did not have to spare at that point in time! So I recently decided to sit down and make a list of all the things that I absolutely would have died without those first terrifying weeks and here it is:

1. A bassinet, or pack n play (play yard) with a bassinet insert. I chose the latter as I know that once he's too big for the insert it can simply be removed and he'll get months more use out of the pack n play. This is EXTREMELY useful because no matter what you say, when that first night home rolls around you won't want your baby to be sleeping all alone in his own room. Also, this makes it much easier when nighttime feedings are a necessity.

2. A water proof pad for the pack n play/bassinet. Its much much easier to just pick up the pad and throw it in the wash then to be wrestling around with fitted sheets (especially when you've got one arm around your precious baby!)

3. Long sleeved shirts that button from the side. I was told not to put the baby in onesies until his umbilical cord stump fell off as the onesie could grab the stump and rip it off (painful for baby & for you) I found that Gerber was the best brand for this.

4. Sleep sacks, They make late night diaper changes a breeze, No snaps or buttons, just pull up the bottom and change the diaper. Very handy until you've mastered the cute feety pajamas.

5. Boppy infant pillow, its essentially a big round pillow with a dent in the middle. It was literally the only thing Connor laid on for the first three weeks when he was too little for his bouncy chair & swing. He LOVED that pillow.

6. Diapers of course, and wipes. I recommend sensitive scent free wipes because the last thing you'll want to deal with is diaper rash. Also alcohol pads to wipe the base of the stump with and gauze and vaseline if you have a circumcised son.

7. A good baby book, because with out a doubt, I 100% guarantee it you will have a million questions. I used Baby 411 and it answered every single question I had.

8. A notebook or something of the sort to take down memories while its fresh in your mind, it may seem tedious now & its probably hard to fit into you and your baby's schedule but you will really regret it if you don't.

9. Pacifiers, these are optional. Breast-feeding moms tend to stay away from pacifiers because it can cause nipple confusion. I bottle feed my son (not because I want to, but thats a whole other post..) and pacifiers were really useful to me. For the simple fact that they let us both sleep easier (There has been some evidence that pacifiers can reduce the risk of SIDS but trust your own judgement on that one) Connor always makes an audible sucking noise when he has a pacifier in and honestly it let me know he was still alive as crazy and paranoid as that sounds. If I ever woke up in that panic of "Oh God what if he's not breathing" I would just wait a couple seconds for the quiet *suck suck suck* noise and I would be reassured enough to fall back asleep.

10. Burp cloths, I personally always have TONS of these laying around in every room. You can never have too many burp cloths IMO

11. Receiving blankets of all weights and sizes. I have a couple heavy Koala Baby blankets with the satin on the edges & a bunch of light blankets from Carters. I Always keep one in the diaper bag because hey, you never know when the weather will change or when your baby just needs a nice snuggle.

12. Newborn first aid kit, I have a pretty inexpensive one from The Red Cross (I would suggest buying a smaller bulb syringe though if you plan on using one, the bulb syringe in that kit is WAY too big for a newborns nose) make sure you have a thermometer as well (I got a temporal artery one for my baby shower, but rectal works just as well) Also it would be wise to keep some Infants Tylenol and Mylicon in your arsenal because trust me you never want to be caught without it.

13. Bath stuff, as well as an infant tub. I wouldn't put your baby in a tub full of water until their cord comes off but hey thats up to you. Huggies came out with pre soaped disposable washcloths. I loved these for when he was still getting sponge baths.

So these are the bare bones of what you'll need IMO the first two weeks or so. If I think of anything else I'll be sure to update this post, Happy Shopping!

A Little Bit About Us!

Hey Guys!

This is my second attempt at blogging, My first attempt did not go as planned and I gave up after exactly one post. I'm hoping I'll stick with it though because I always love looking back on my old diaries and reading what was in my head at that exact moment in time, and what better time to preserve your state of mind then when you have a new baby!?

My name is Kathleen and I live in NYC, well a suburb of NYC, if you walk two blocks left you can look across the bay and see the city and walk two blocks to the right and be on the beach, best of both worlds.

Anyways, I first found out I was pregnant on August 25 I was roughly 7 weeks along, big surprise I must say! but I was extremely excited & a little bit scared. My son Connor entered this world on March 7th 2010 at 12:58 am via cesarean section. He immediately filled every space in my heart. So, at press time he is 2 months 2 weeks and 4 days old.

I really look forward to doing this blog and I already have tons of ideas! So, please come on this journey with us =)

Love,

Kathleen & Connor