Here is a wonderful giveaway for all of you expecting parents! There are some really great things on here!
http://blog.hayneedle.com/hayneedle/baby-registry-must-haves/#comment-1619
Friday, March 14, 2014
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Brag on, my friends!
I always find myself being asked " what is Claire up to these days?" In reply, I often delve into informing people of her temper tantrums- intensity, where they took place, whom looked at me and how, etc. I tell them how sassy she is. Inform them of how exhausting it is that she never stops moving. I realized while in the process of answering this question yesterday- after an exhausting, long, sleep deprived few (six to be exact) days- that all I was saying could be perceived as negative attributes.
Claire is anything but that! She is an incredibly brilliant, genius of a girl. She would rather nothing more than to sit down snuggled in your lap with a book or thirty. she intently tries to figure out any and everything she can get her precious tiny hands on. She throws fits when we take things away because she has not yet conquered them, and, well, because we probably shouldn't have left them in her reach to start. She does have a very strong personality, but that is something I envy. She is highly emotional, but extreme in both ends of the spectrum. She can throw down a temper tantrum like nobodies business only to end off the day giving the best hugs, kisses, and snuggles in the world. She is so sympathetic and compassionate, rushing to aid anyone whom shows signs of distress. She treats the most minute of items as if they were the most fragile of treasure. She is a truly amazing and loving mother to her babies, kissing and hugging them followed by rocking and shushing them to sleep. She loves nothing more than spending hours upon hours outside adventuring and finds herself in severe distress when she has to return indoors. She is a fearless climber, standing on any object she can find, leaving no object out of her reach. She may put something in her mouth that doesn't belong there, but only because she loves the rise it will out of her Daddy.
All in all, I wouldn't change a thing about our sweet Claire. She makes every day worth while, filling our lives with much more joy than she could ever cause stress. I guess what it comes down to is I will have to enlist the same rules I do about our marriage- don't talk bad your spouse (and now daughter) to others. You don't hesitate to vent to friends or family when they do something obnoxious, but more rarely find yourself doting on how wonderful they are for fear of being accused of bragging. People are twice as likely to remember the negative, as well. Luckily, I have much more to brag about than complain, so here's to bragging on!
Crystal
P.S. Please always feel free to brag to us about your exciting and wonderful happenings/news and kiddos! We love hearing about it, plus, we get to live vicariously through you :)
P.S.S. This sweet little picture was captured at The Cheesecake Factory during our first lunch there with Claire.
All in all, I wouldn't change a thing about our sweet Claire. She makes every day worth while, filling our lives with much more joy than she could ever cause stress. I guess what it comes down to is I will have to enlist the same rules I do about our marriage- don't talk bad your spouse (and now daughter) to others. You don't hesitate to vent to friends or family when they do something obnoxious, but more rarely find yourself doting on how wonderful they are for fear of being accused of bragging. People are twice as likely to remember the negative, as well. Luckily, I have much more to brag about than complain, so here's to bragging on!
Crystal
P.S. Please always feel free to brag to us about your exciting and wonderful happenings/news and kiddos! We love hearing about it, plus, we get to live vicariously through you :)
P.S.S. This sweet little picture was captured at The Cheesecake Factory during our first lunch there with Claire.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Us Around the Web
Here are a few links where you can find us!
I absolutely adore this company! They have such wonderful quality, stylish, and functional nursing wear for mama's. I was very excited to extend my wardrobe with their product :)
We were very excited when a blogger friend approached us interested in featuring Claire's birthday party on Disney Baby! Of course we agreed and were thrilled with the results. Be sure follow the links below the slide show to see more of Lacy's work- she is wonderful!
Lastly, we (finally) uploaded some new videos Claire to our YouTube page! Check out what our busy little lady is up to these days :)
Here is one of the new videos of her playing in the rain! We are soooo very excited spring is here and can't wait to share all of our plans and projects.
Enjoy!
Crystal
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Food, food, and more food
Over the last two years, Jason and I have made significant changes in our diets. First, because we stumbled upon the documentary Food Inc. Oh my, what an eye opening experience that was! Second, because I was pregnant and wanted to ensure I had optimal nutrition. Third, because we now have a sweet little girl for which we want to role model healthy eating habits.
We have successfully converted to about an 80% organic diet. I know, most people don't find "going organic" a realistic option, but educating ourselves and smart shopping have made the switch easy. We shop based on the EWG's "Dirty Dozen", saving money by purchasing the "Clean 15" non-organic. We have also cut out most processed/convenience foods which is easy to do with only shopping the perimeter of the store where the fresh foods are located. It is only for the rare treat or for condiments I have not mastered the making of that we will venture down the center aisles.
http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/
With the several snow days we've been blessed with over the last couple of weeks, I really buckled down and made a meal plan (and stuck to it!) to ensure we didn't starve while we were snowed in :) We had so much fun getting creative and trying out new recipes. Here are links to a few of our favorites :)
For breakfast, we have been doing a lot of pancakes and waffles with this wonderful mix!
http://www.bobsredmill.com/organic-7-grain-pancake-mix.html?&cat=11
For lunch, we have been enjoying a lot of grilled sandwiches. We found a delicious organic lunch meat option as well as a great organic sliced cheddar cheese
http://www.applegate.com/products/organic-oven-roasted-chicken-breast
http://www.organicvalley.coop/products/cheese/american/
We have also been making grilled cheese sandwiches to dunk in this wonderful organic creamy tomato basil soup. http://www.harrysfresh.com/index.html
Our other go to lunch, especially when we have left over ground beef or chicken, is quesidillas. We use a single tortilla, folded in half, stuffed with meat, cheese, chili seasoning, and salsa.
For dinner, we have enjoyed several hearty meals perfect to cozy up with. We made a delicious beef stew, following this recipe with the exception of using Spice Hunter organic poultry seasoning in place of the listed spices.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/beef-stew-vi/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=beef%20stew&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e13=A%3aSearch%20Results-List%28control%29&e7=Home%20Page&scale=5&ismetric=0
We were inspired by this recipe to make our pork chop dish-
http://www.livinglaughingandloving.com/2012/01/crockpot-ranch-pork-chops-finger-licking-good.html
Instead of the crockpot (due to a time crunch), we baked our pork chops (covered with cream of chicken soup and sprinkled with ranch seasoning) on a bed of homemade scalloped potatoes. It turned out great, but next time I will let the potatoes bake a little before adding the pork chops to the top due to the different cook times. For this recipe, I made the cream of chicken soup following this recipe. It turned out just as good as any from a can. http://pinchofyum.com/homemade-cream-of-chicken-soup
We also made our first attempt at roasting a whole organic chicken. We dressed it in butter and our beloved poultry seasoning, stuffed it with apple slices, and surrounded it with diced carrots, celery, and potatoes. We cooked it in our 3 qt. Romertopt clay baker for an hour. It was perfection! Now I just need a larger clay baker for entertaining and as our family grows- birthday gift idea anyone? ;)
http://www.romertopfonline.com
I then used the left over chicken to make a delicious chicken noodle soup.
For dessert, I have really been wanting to try out one of the very popular banana recipes on Pinterest, so Claire and I gave this one a shot.
http://www.theburlapbag.com/2012/07/2-ingredient-cookies-plus-the-mix-ins-of-your-choice/
We added 1 tsp. of cinnamon and 1/4 c. dark chocolate chips. They were so yummy, and best of all, I didn't have to feel guilty for allowing Claire to indulge in dessert.
Hopefully we can keep up with our positive changes and continue to convert them into habits. Next week, I am planning to attempt homemade organic cheddar cheese crackers, baking our sandwich bread (I have yet to master a recipe soft enough for Jason's liking), and implementing a meatless night.
One of Jason's favorite quotes:
We have successfully converted to about an 80% organic diet. I know, most people don't find "going organic" a realistic option, but educating ourselves and smart shopping have made the switch easy. We shop based on the EWG's "Dirty Dozen", saving money by purchasing the "Clean 15" non-organic. We have also cut out most processed/convenience foods which is easy to do with only shopping the perimeter of the store where the fresh foods are located. It is only for the rare treat or for condiments I have not mastered the making of that we will venture down the center aisles.
http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/
With the several snow days we've been blessed with over the last couple of weeks, I really buckled down and made a meal plan (and stuck to it!) to ensure we didn't starve while we were snowed in :) We had so much fun getting creative and trying out new recipes. Here are links to a few of our favorites :)
For breakfast, we have been doing a lot of pancakes and waffles with this wonderful mix!
http://www.bobsredmill.com/organic-7-grain-pancake-mix.html?&cat=11
It is very smooth in texture and even picky Jason prefers it over its frozen counterparts. We love to mix in cinnamon and sugar, fresh blueberries, or dark chocolate chips.
We have also been on a french toast kick! We have been topping all of the above with REAL maple syrup (farewell high fructose corn syrup, you have not been missed!) or, my favorite, a puree of strawberries, honey, and a touch of water.
Another must try (that is unfortunately not organic, but considered a treat) is http://www.noosayoghurt.com/
It is ahhmazing- so smooth and creamy. Try the strawberry rhubarb, you will not be disappointed :)For lunch, we have been enjoying a lot of grilled sandwiches. We found a delicious organic lunch meat option as well as a great organic sliced cheddar cheese
http://www.applegate.com/products/organic-oven-roasted-chicken-breast
http://www.organicvalley.coop/products/cheese/american/
We have also been making grilled cheese sandwiches to dunk in this wonderful organic creamy tomato basil soup. http://www.harrysfresh.com/index.html
Our other go to lunch, especially when we have left over ground beef or chicken, is quesidillas. We use a single tortilla, folded in half, stuffed with meat, cheese, chili seasoning, and salsa.
For dinner, we have enjoyed several hearty meals perfect to cozy up with. We made a delicious beef stew, following this recipe with the exception of using Spice Hunter organic poultry seasoning in place of the listed spices.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/beef-stew-vi/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=beef%20stew&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e13=A%3aSearch%20Results-List%28control%29&e7=Home%20Page&scale=5&ismetric=0
We were inspired by this recipe to make our pork chop dish-
http://www.livinglaughingandloving.com/2012/01/crockpot-ranch-pork-chops-finger-licking-good.html
Instead of the crockpot (due to a time crunch), we baked our pork chops (covered with cream of chicken soup and sprinkled with ranch seasoning) on a bed of homemade scalloped potatoes. It turned out great, but next time I will let the potatoes bake a little before adding the pork chops to the top due to the different cook times. For this recipe, I made the cream of chicken soup following this recipe. It turned out just as good as any from a can. http://pinchofyum.com/homemade-cream-of-chicken-soup
We also made our first attempt at roasting a whole organic chicken. We dressed it in butter and our beloved poultry seasoning, stuffed it with apple slices, and surrounded it with diced carrots, celery, and potatoes. We cooked it in our 3 qt. Romertopt clay baker for an hour. It was perfection! Now I just need a larger clay baker for entertaining and as our family grows- birthday gift idea anyone? ;)
http://www.romertopfonline.com
I then used the left over chicken to make a delicious chicken noodle soup.
For dessert, I have really been wanting to try out one of the very popular banana recipes on Pinterest, so Claire and I gave this one a shot.
http://www.theburlapbag.com/2012/07/2-ingredient-cookies-plus-the-mix-ins-of-your-choice/
We added 1 tsp. of cinnamon and 1/4 c. dark chocolate chips. They were so yummy, and best of all, I didn't have to feel guilty for allowing Claire to indulge in dessert.
Hopefully we can keep up with our positive changes and continue to convert them into habits. Next week, I am planning to attempt homemade organic cheddar cheese crackers, baking our sandwich bread (I have yet to master a recipe soft enough for Jason's liking), and implementing a meatless night.
One of Jason's favorite quotes:
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Claire's First Birthday
It is official, Jason and I survived our first year of parenting! Even more importantly, Claire did ;) This year has been absolutely incredible, far more than I could have ever dreamed it would/could be. The three of us have played, laughed, loved, and grown together. If it is true that "you are only given as much as you can handle", someone must not have had much faith in us because we were truly blessed with an angel of a daughter!
Claire is such a sweet heart! She loves to cuddle, give kisses, and come in for a "bear hug" during which she will often sweetly pat you on the back. She is an incredible mommy to her baby Grandma Kent gave her for Christmas- toting her everywhere we go and treating her to the same snuggles and back pats. Claire absolutely adores other children, always greeting them with babbles and smiles. Her best bud these days is her cousin, Asher, to which she lights up with delight and offers sweet hugs. Claire is pure joy from the moment she wakes to, literally, the moment she goes to bed- she fell asleep giggling a few nights this week :)
Claire is quite social, never allowing for a dull moment! She now shakes her head no and yes, responds to her name being called with "huh", says dad, mama, "bou, bou" for bounce, "aww" to any snuggle, "ah" and a mouth pat to ask for a drink or bite, uses "what" & "this", and knows what many objects are when we say their name. Claire is still a hard sell to get to giggle, but she is quite the ham when she has an audience! I apologize to her future teachers, as I am sure we have an up and coming class clown on our hands- she just loves to get a rise out of people. The bigger the crowd, the better :) Along with her pure joy, she has also begun finding new ways to express her frustrations- yes, we are talking temper tantrums... Luckily, they are usually very easy to diffuse.
Claire is quite the dare devil climber these days. She climbs up on the couch and (luckily) has figured out how to climb back down with ease. She loves climbing up onto, then over, and all around her rocker (she got for her birthday). Other favorites are the clothes hamper, Mom and Dad's bed, any chair, and her toy boxes. Claire is still apprehensive on the walking front, cruising the full perimeter of the house so long as she has at least one hand on the wall :) She has begun standing on her own when she has adequate motivation. She is a speed crawler, and with the aforementioned climbing, is happily getting around just fine :)
We are very excited as we enter this new phase with Claire, as she has become a sponge for knowledge! We spend countless hours reading every book in her library, pointing out the objects while she attempts to repeat their names. She has a fascination for tiny objects, often finding little bits of paper or other random objects and holding on to them like treasure. Claire is so wonderful to play with and has been very happy to share all her new toys with us this week :)
We hope everyone has a wonderful February! We are counting down the days until spring and can't wait to tell you all about our projects we plan to launch.
Crystal, Jason, and Claire
Claire is such a sweet heart! She loves to cuddle, give kisses, and come in for a "bear hug" during which she will often sweetly pat you on the back. She is an incredible mommy to her baby Grandma Kent gave her for Christmas- toting her everywhere we go and treating her to the same snuggles and back pats. Claire absolutely adores other children, always greeting them with babbles and smiles. Her best bud these days is her cousin, Asher, to which she lights up with delight and offers sweet hugs. Claire is pure joy from the moment she wakes to, literally, the moment she goes to bed- she fell asleep giggling a few nights this week :)
Claire is quite social, never allowing for a dull moment! She now shakes her head no and yes, responds to her name being called with "huh", says dad, mama, "bou, bou" for bounce, "aww" to any snuggle, "ah" and a mouth pat to ask for a drink or bite, uses "what" & "this", and knows what many objects are when we say their name. Claire is still a hard sell to get to giggle, but she is quite the ham when she has an audience! I apologize to her future teachers, as I am sure we have an up and coming class clown on our hands- she just loves to get a rise out of people. The bigger the crowd, the better :) Along with her pure joy, she has also begun finding new ways to express her frustrations- yes, we are talking temper tantrums... Luckily, they are usually very easy to diffuse.
Claire is quite the dare devil climber these days. She climbs up on the couch and (luckily) has figured out how to climb back down with ease. She loves climbing up onto, then over, and all around her rocker (she got for her birthday). Other favorites are the clothes hamper, Mom and Dad's bed, any chair, and her toy boxes. Claire is still apprehensive on the walking front, cruising the full perimeter of the house so long as she has at least one hand on the wall :) She has begun standing on her own when she has adequate motivation. She is a speed crawler, and with the aforementioned climbing, is happily getting around just fine :)
Claire is still just as tiny as anticipated. She is weighing in at 16 pounds 4 ounces, 27 inches tall. She continues to ride the 3rd percentile of the growth chart, which seems to be her permanent residence :)
We threw a party in honor of Claire's birthday last weekend, using the theme "One Upon A Time". Jason and I had a blast planning the fairytale theme, spending months focusing on every detail.
We went with an "anitque/woodland" feel, searching thrift stores (wonderful for books! and the treasure of our gift table cover), Cargo Largo (the bearer of our Libbey drinking jars, Carlisle plates, green vases, napkins, Rachel Ray cake plate, and snack table curtains), Old Time Pottery (for our antique feel glassware), Birthday Express (paper straws, crepe paper, paper table cloth, and tissue paper decor), Michael's (Brides cake stand and timeline clothes pins), Sam's Club (flowers), Dainty Cake's (guest's cupcakes), and Nature's Pantry (Honest Kid's pouches and Annie's cheddar bunnies; organic cake, cookies, tortillas, grape jelly, apples, juice for lemonade, and cream cheese; also beet powder for food coloring)
It was so much fun to see everything come together and become the vision we had worked so hard to create. Claire was an absolute doll the whole time- opening her gifts like a pro, diving right into her smash cake, and socializing with all of her guests :)
Here are a few pictures of the details:
Here is a link to a full album of images:
We hope everyone has a wonderful February! We are counting down the days until spring and can't wait to tell you all about our projects we plan to launch.
Crystal, Jason, and Claire
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Holiday Season 2012
We had a wonderful family filled holiday season!
Starting in October, we had a great first Halloween with Claire. She, of course, was an Angel. It was a pleasure (for the most part) making her costume. I purchased rolls of silver and white tulle to make a tutu, baby doll wings attached with Velcro to the back of her onsie, and a thin feather boa glued to a bangle and attached to a sequin headband. She looked adorable! I will have to look back at these photos next year when I am spending countless hours sitting at the sewing machine to making Claire's next costume masterpiece and remind myself why it is worth while ;) We spent Halloween night at home handing candy out to trick or treater's and having family over to visit.
In November, we enjoyed a multitude of Thanksgiving dinners. We started off the holiday the Sunday before at my Dad's for a tasty traditional meal, followed by a late lunch Thanksgiving day at my Mom's and dinner at Jason's parents. Claire loved giving to try so many new foods! She loved Aunt Heidi's homemade mac and cheese, my maple sweet potato casserole, Grandpa Trish's dinner rolls, and Grandma Kent's watergate salad. Of course, given the fact she is my daughter, there wasn't a single dessert she didn't enjoy :)
December was wonderful, as we were very blessed to spend much of Christmas week with the majority of our family. We started the Sunday before by celebrating with the extended Dodd family. It was so wonderful to see family members we hadn't had the opportunity to see for many years. We spent Christmas Eve with Jason's family, all of which were in town except David and Brittney- whom we missed dearly! We enjoyed their traditional finger-food dinner, followed by a game and story time with all the kids. It is so much fun to watch all of them in one room playing- so long as you don't mind noise and the occasional role of referee ;) We had a very laid back Christmas morning at home, just the three of us, as we enjoyed Claire opening all her gifts. We followed that up with a delicious brunch and gifts at Grandpa Dodd's. We spent Christmas evening enjoying a dinner with the extended Kent family, where Claire had a great time socializing with everyone. Our last Christmas celebration was the day after, during which we hosted a casual dinner with my Mom and siblings.
New Years was not much of a celebration this year. I worked the holiday, enjoying a mid-night baby bottle toast of sparkling apple juice with co-workers. Jason and Claire enjoyed an evening visit to see Grandma and Grandpa Kent, then headed home to get some rest.
We are excited as we enter 2013 for all the excitement this year is sure to hold! First up: Claire is turning one! We have two short weeks until her birthday and are busy planning a party to remember :)
Happy New Year (a little late)!
Jason, Crystal, and Claire
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
"Mom-petition"
A friend of mine shared this on Facebook and I couldn't help but share it here. One thing I have learned since entering the parenthood game is that there are far too many people out there that will happily jump at the chance to judge the choices you make as a parent- especially if they are different from theirs. Unsolicited advice is around every corner and I make every attempt to take it gracefully. I had a beautiful epidural free delivery that I would have loved to (hold your gasp) have done at home, therefor I am kicked out of most birth conversations as "crazy". As a breastfeeding hippy, organic, cloth diapering Mom who works in a Pampers, formula, prescription filled NICU, I can see both sides of the fence. Lets follow the advice of this author and get over it- if only for the sake of our sanity :)
excerpt from Out Of The Spin Cycle: Devotions to Lighten Your Mother Load
by Jen Hatmaker
An ode to the marvelous woman called “Mother”
Though not one of us is exactly like another.
From the second we’re born to the minute we die
Our preferences are as limitless as stars in the sky.
We might have been perfectly gracious before
But childbirth entered us in the Mommy War.
Rather than letting everyone else be
We criticize parenting that isn’t exactly like . . . me.
So once and for all let me put this to rest
None of us owns the title of “best.”
Natural childbirth does not make you a hippy
Epidurals are not just for women who want to feel trippy.
In a bathtub with a doula or in a hospital bed
We all got a baby with limbs and a head.
Nursing is great if nothing goes wrong
But some nipples turn inward and refuse to play along.
This is a choice for each mom–it’s her route
So it’s just A + B and everyone else can C their way out.
Schedules and timers do not make you cruel
Feeding on demand does not make you a fool.
In the nursery with a monitor or in the family bed
Every chick gets to pick where her baby lays his head.
If I see one more mom roll her eyes at “organic . . .”
“Partially hydrogenated” throws some of us into panic.
But neither judge Sonic burgers and fries
Some of us just want to enjoy food before we die.
Preschool, home school, public, or Montessori
Listen, my friends, and I’ll tell you a story:
Two moms differed on favorite school trends
Their kids turned out pretty much the same. The end.
If a girl gets the title of “mom” accidentally
The worst thing we can do is treat her judgmentally.
How about some love, some help, some advice?
She needs our love and we shouldn’t think twice.
Discipline through various methods will prevail
Look, we’re all just trying to keep our kids out of jail.
These things are just preferences, not right or wrong
What matters more is teaching our kids to get along–
To love and to share, to speak gently and kind,
To obey so that mom won’t go out of her mind.
Showing them Jesus is our common ground
Teaching them how he can always be found
He’s present in public school and Waldorf (so trendy)
He’s over at Whole Foods but also at Wendy’s.
Jesus never cared about these sorts of things
It’s our hearts that he wants and the worship we bring.
It’s time for us moms to declare a truce
Regardless if we buy Capri Sun or 100 percent juice.
My way is not your way, and your way isn’t mine
But both of our kids will turn out just fine.
Rather than judging and looking down our noses
Let’s enjoy the common ground motherhood poses.
As believers, we all love the same good Lord
We all have children who tell us “I’m bored.”
We all need more sleep than these tiny five hours
Most of us struggle to find time for a shower.
We haven’t been to the bathroom alone in an age
Our mothers have all told us, “Relax, this is just a stage.”
We all love our babies so much we could die
We’d take a bullet for each one without batting an eye.
Though we are different, we’re in the same tribe
Motherhood requires a similar vibe–
Love and affection, sacrifice and grace
Laughter, which keeps the whole mechanism in place.
Though different, by the grace of God, I suspect:
ALL our children will rise up and call us ... collect.
excerpt from Out Of The Spin Cycle: Devotions to Lighten Your Mother Load
by Jen Hatmaker
An ode to the marvelous woman called “Mother”
Though not one of us is exactly like another.
From the second we’re born to the minute we die
Our preferences are as limitless as stars in the sky.
We might have been perfectly gracious before
But childbirth entered us in the Mommy War.
Rather than letting everyone else be
We criticize parenting that isn’t exactly like . . . me.
So once and for all let me put this to rest
None of us owns the title of “best.”
Natural childbirth does not make you a hippy
Epidurals are not just for women who want to feel trippy.
In a bathtub with a doula or in a hospital bed
We all got a baby with limbs and a head.
Nursing is great if nothing goes wrong
But some nipples turn inward and refuse to play along.
This is a choice for each mom–it’s her route
So it’s just A + B and everyone else can C their way out.
Schedules and timers do not make you cruel
Feeding on demand does not make you a fool.
In the nursery with a monitor or in the family bed
Every chick gets to pick where her baby lays his head.
If I see one more mom roll her eyes at “organic . . .”
“Partially hydrogenated” throws some of us into panic.
But neither judge Sonic burgers and fries
Some of us just want to enjoy food before we die.
Preschool, home school, public, or Montessori
Listen, my friends, and I’ll tell you a story:
Two moms differed on favorite school trends
Their kids turned out pretty much the same. The end.
If a girl gets the title of “mom” accidentally
The worst thing we can do is treat her judgmentally.
How about some love, some help, some advice?
She needs our love and we shouldn’t think twice.
Discipline through various methods will prevail
Look, we’re all just trying to keep our kids out of jail.
These things are just preferences, not right or wrong
What matters more is teaching our kids to get along–
To love and to share, to speak gently and kind,
To obey so that mom won’t go out of her mind.
Showing them Jesus is our common ground
Teaching them how he can always be found
He’s present in public school and Waldorf (so trendy)
He’s over at Whole Foods but also at Wendy’s.
Jesus never cared about these sorts of things
It’s our hearts that he wants and the worship we bring.
It’s time for us moms to declare a truce
Regardless if we buy Capri Sun or 100 percent juice.
My way is not your way, and your way isn’t mine
But both of our kids will turn out just fine.
Rather than judging and looking down our noses
Let’s enjoy the common ground motherhood poses.
As believers, we all love the same good Lord
We all have children who tell us “I’m bored.”
We all need more sleep than these tiny five hours
Most of us struggle to find time for a shower.
We haven’t been to the bathroom alone in an age
Our mothers have all told us, “Relax, this is just a stage.”
We all love our babies so much we could die
We’d take a bullet for each one without batting an eye.
Though we are different, we’re in the same tribe
Motherhood requires a similar vibe–
Love and affection, sacrifice and grace
Laughter, which keeps the whole mechanism in place.
Though different, by the grace of God, I suspect:
ALL our children will rise up and call us ... collect.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Claire's 4th and 5th Month
We have been busy enjoying our summer and totally dropped the ball on giving an update for June, so here is a little of what June and July have held in the world of Claire :)
Claire is FIVE MONTHS old! Well, now 5 1/2. I cannot believe how fast time has flown by. I feel like it was just yesterday we brought her home. She is getting to be such a big girl! (Bittersweet sniffle). I love watching her conquer new feats daily. I look at things completely different now as I experience her taking in every detail of the world around her- to which she pays extra close attention.
Claire is getting big! Well at least to us... She is still weighing in at around 13 pounds, hanging out in the 5-10th percentile. We just this week were able to start putting her in her extensive 3-6 month summer wardrobe. We were stressed it wasn't going to get much use, but with temperature above 100, there is no end of summer in sight. Our pediatrician has given us continued reassurance she is growing just fine, it is just her genetics- both parents being the runt of the litter :)
Claire is so incredibly alert! She perks up to every noise, will pause to listen anytime someone speaks, and loves music toys. She also loves to talk- we wake up every morning now to her sweet little voice gabbing away in her crib and quickly report to her side to hear about (what we assume are) her dreams from the night. Claire is full of smiles, kindly giving them out to everyone she sees for free or, complete opposite, will get in moods where you have to really work for it (jump, sing, or just look like a total goof!). She has also started laughing fairly regularly and has become quite ticklish. Claire will laugh at everything from a simple diaper change to moments in a conversation to make you feel as though she had to of known what was said. She will also quickly jump into a talking a frenzy if you create an awkward silence by just staring at her :) Claire adores her growing library of books and has even lately taken to anxiously "turning" the pages.
Along with turning those pages, Claire's motor skills have grown tremendously! She is rolling all over the place, which is now her mode of transportation. She is a pro at her baby push-ups, ensuring she never misses a thing. Claire has also developed her own (what we call) opposite army crawl- she walks her legs up until her little bottom is high in the air then pushes forward (while dragging her face along the ground/crib/etc.) with her feet. She has a favorite end of her crib which she has to turn sideways and travel a couple feet to get to, but makes it every night. Claire is starting to attempt to sit up, unfortunately only when being strapped in her car seat and eating. Her true preference is standing, which she wants to do alllll the time! While standing she has made it a habit to "walk" backwards. During playtime, we have most recently had to take away several hard toys and rattles due to repeat self inflicted abuse from over excited flailing arms. Claire has no teeth yet (or evidence of any soon!), but LOVES to chew on everything from biting at Dad's nose to attempts at devouring an entire hand or foot. She has been known to attempt fitting her entire hand in her mouth at the cost of choking.
Other things Claire has come to enjoy are her sippy cup and food samplings . Jason was never able to have much success with her bottle feeding, so we decided to give a sippy cup a try- thank goodness! She is a pro at (again) chewing on the spout and swallowing what she gets to leak into her mouth. Unconventional, yes, but it works! Claire has become quite the mooch and wants everyone else's food and drinks- especially if it is accessorized with a straw! Since she expressed such interest in food, we have gone ahead and let her start sampling one food item per week. So far she has tried and loved bananas, peas, pears, carrots, and peaches. I hope this liking for all foods continues :)
Here is a link to our updated summer photo album on Facebook:
We hope you enjoy the videos and pictures! We will surely have more coming soon :) Also, please forgive Claire's lack of clothing in all the videos- she has more clothes than we do, it has just been one hot summer! Make sure to watch for a blog post about our cross country venture to Seattle with Claire in just a few short weeks for her Uncle Owen's wedding.
Jason and Crystal
P.S. I found this on Pinterest and loved it! We can only relate to a few right now, but I am sure the rest is to come :)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jill-smokler/50-lessons-parenting-young-kids_b_1577298.html
Claire is FIVE MONTHS old! Well, now 5 1/2. I cannot believe how fast time has flown by. I feel like it was just yesterday we brought her home. She is getting to be such a big girl! (Bittersweet sniffle). I love watching her conquer new feats daily. I look at things completely different now as I experience her taking in every detail of the world around her- to which she pays extra close attention.
Claire is getting big! Well at least to us... She is still weighing in at around 13 pounds, hanging out in the 5-10th percentile. We just this week were able to start putting her in her extensive 3-6 month summer wardrobe. We were stressed it wasn't going to get much use, but with temperature above 100, there is no end of summer in sight. Our pediatrician has given us continued reassurance she is growing just fine, it is just her genetics- both parents being the runt of the litter :)
Claire is so incredibly alert! She perks up to every noise, will pause to listen anytime someone speaks, and loves music toys. She also loves to talk- we wake up every morning now to her sweet little voice gabbing away in her crib and quickly report to her side to hear about (what we assume are) her dreams from the night. Claire is full of smiles, kindly giving them out to everyone she sees for free or, complete opposite, will get in moods where you have to really work for it (jump, sing, or just look like a total goof!). She has also started laughing fairly regularly and has become quite ticklish. Claire will laugh at everything from a simple diaper change to moments in a conversation to make you feel as though she had to of known what was said. She will also quickly jump into a talking a frenzy if you create an awkward silence by just staring at her :) Claire adores her growing library of books and has even lately taken to anxiously "turning" the pages.
Here is great video of her laughing- unfortunately, it took being a "goof"...
Here is Claire telling bedtime stories
Along with turning those pages, Claire's motor skills have grown tremendously! She is rolling all over the place, which is now her mode of transportation. She is a pro at her baby push-ups, ensuring she never misses a thing. Claire has also developed her own (what we call) opposite army crawl- she walks her legs up until her little bottom is high in the air then pushes forward (while dragging her face along the ground/crib/etc.) with her feet. She has a favorite end of her crib which she has to turn sideways and travel a couple feet to get to, but makes it every night. Claire is starting to attempt to sit up, unfortunately only when being strapped in her car seat and eating. Her true preference is standing, which she wants to do alllll the time! While standing she has made it a habit to "walk" backwards. During playtime, we have most recently had to take away several hard toys and rattles due to repeat self inflicted abuse from over excited flailing arms. Claire has no teeth yet (or evidence of any soon!), but LOVES to chew on everything from biting at Dad's nose to attempts at devouring an entire hand or foot. She has been known to attempt fitting her entire hand in her mouth at the cost of choking.
Here is a video of her in action
Here she is playing with her new toy
Other things Claire has come to enjoy are her sippy cup and food samplings . Jason was never able to have much success with her bottle feeding, so we decided to give a sippy cup a try- thank goodness! She is a pro at (again) chewing on the spout and swallowing what she gets to leak into her mouth. Unconventional, yes, but it works! Claire has become quite the mooch and wants everyone else's food and drinks- especially if it is accessorized with a straw! Since she expressed such interest in food, we have gone ahead and let her start sampling one food item per week. So far she has tried and loved bananas, peas, pears, carrots, and peaches. I hope this liking for all foods continues :)
Here is a link to our updated summer photo album on Facebook:
We hope you enjoy the videos and pictures! We will surely have more coming soon :) Also, please forgive Claire's lack of clothing in all the videos- she has more clothes than we do, it has just been one hot summer! Make sure to watch for a blog post about our cross country venture to Seattle with Claire in just a few short weeks for her Uncle Owen's wedding.
Jason and Crystal
P.S. I found this on Pinterest and loved it! We can only relate to a few right now, but I am sure the rest is to come :)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jill-smokler/50-lessons-parenting-young-kids_b_1577298.html
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Pictures and Videos!
Finally, I have found some time to post some pictures and videos of Claire from this month. They are full of her new found voice and smiles :)
For pictures, here are links to albums currently on facebook. For some reason they won't work as active links, but will work if you copy and paste into your browser.
Here is album full of pictures from Mother's Day and family get togethers.
Here is the full album of three month photo shoot
And now for all the videos:
For pictures, here are links to albums currently on facebook. For some reason they won't work as active links, but will work if you copy and paste into your browser.
Here is album full of pictures from Mother's Day and family get togethers.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150852714868925.409274.680153924&type=3&l=73d13ad512
Here is the full album of three month photo shoot
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150729828788925.403512.680153924&type=3&l=ef6f5a54c6
And now for all the videos:
Claire enjoying her mobile
Claire telling me stories on Mother's Day morning
One of our favorites of Claire chatting :)
Claire startling to Dad's silly noises
Claire watching cartoons
Enjoy!
Jason, Crystal, and Claire
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Claire is 3 Months Old!
It is official, we have reached the three month milestone! It is such a bittersweet point in our journey with Claire- on one side I am so excited to see Claire's personality and personal feats grow daily, but it also means big changes for me as I head back to work.
First, the positive!
Claire is getting so big- with the "step on the scale with baby" method, Claire is weighing in at around 11 pounds. She is now officially fitting decently into her 3 month wardrobe (almost too decently) and the newborn clothes are packed away (there were no tears involved in that packing. ha!). Her hair and eyelashes are also coming in very nicely, as well. In fact, I am quite jealous of her abundant eyelashes :) It is amazing to see the difference in her sweet little hands and feet, which can now wear newborn size shoes!
Socially, she loves to smile and talk, almost half as much as listen, but only when she feels like it. If you want a smile, you had better plan on working for it! I think this a direct result of having Jason as a father- he is just way too entertaining :) Otherwise, she will always smile at the T.V., when she first wakes in the morning, or (surprisingly) when you change her diaper- it is as though she is thanking us for a clean tush. Her changing table is also where we have some of our best "conversations". Claire is a huge fan of the television! She will relax in her rock n' play to watch intently and chat at it as though the characters are speaking to her. Her favorite these days is the Backyardigans.... I give Jason full credit for her loving television!
Then the negative...
I am officially back to work. The work isn't so bad, it is the leaving Claire that has led to few to many tears :( I do feel as though I look at patient situations much differently- especially ethical dilemma/quality of life issues. Honestly, I fared much better the first weekend than the second, but maybe that had more to do with her mixed temperament when I am gone. Jason and Claire have a great time playing and doing things their way without having Mom hovering :) The only downfall during their bonding time- Claire refuses to eat when I am gone! She would rather starve than latch onto the plastic foreign object intruding her mouth. Jason has resorted to feeding her with a medicine dropper or just spraying the bottle into her mouth. I hope for both of their sake she gets it all figured out. I am just so blessed and thankful to have a job where I can support our family and only be away two days a wee. I could imagine working full time right now and missing out on the joy of waking up to spend every week day with Claire.
Claire is calling my name for playtime and a much needed diaper change, so it looks as though pictures will be on separate blog post. I will (hopefully) get that done today :)
Jason, Crystal, and Claire
First, the positive!
Claire is getting so big- with the "step on the scale with baby" method, Claire is weighing in at around 11 pounds. She is now officially fitting decently into her 3 month wardrobe (almost too decently) and the newborn clothes are packed away (there were no tears involved in that packing. ha!). Her hair and eyelashes are also coming in very nicely, as well. In fact, I am quite jealous of her abundant eyelashes :) It is amazing to see the difference in her sweet little hands and feet, which can now wear newborn size shoes!
Socially, she loves to smile and talk, almost half as much as listen, but only when she feels like it. If you want a smile, you had better plan on working for it! I think this a direct result of having Jason as a father- he is just way too entertaining :) Otherwise, she will always smile at the T.V., when she first wakes in the morning, or (surprisingly) when you change her diaper- it is as though she is thanking us for a clean tush. Her changing table is also where we have some of our best "conversations". Claire is a huge fan of the television! She will relax in her rock n' play to watch intently and chat at it as though the characters are speaking to her. Her favorite these days is the Backyardigans.... I give Jason full credit for her loving television!
Then the negative...
I am officially back to work. The work isn't so bad, it is the leaving Claire that has led to few to many tears :( I do feel as though I look at patient situations much differently- especially ethical dilemma/quality of life issues. Honestly, I fared much better the first weekend than the second, but maybe that had more to do with her mixed temperament when I am gone. Jason and Claire have a great time playing and doing things their way without having Mom hovering :) The only downfall during their bonding time- Claire refuses to eat when I am gone! She would rather starve than latch onto the plastic foreign object intruding her mouth. Jason has resorted to feeding her with a medicine dropper or just spraying the bottle into her mouth. I hope for both of their sake she gets it all figured out. I am just so blessed and thankful to have a job where I can support our family and only be away two days a wee. I could imagine working full time right now and missing out on the joy of waking up to spend every week day with Claire.
Claire is calling my name for playtime and a much needed diaper change, so it looks as though pictures will be on separate blog post. I will (hopefully) get that done today :)
Jason, Crystal, and Claire
Saturday, April 28, 2012
These are a few of my favorite things :)
Being new to parenthood, we have developed a love/hate relationship with the immense amount of baby paraphernalia that has taken over our home, car, and life in general. Don't get me wrong, Claire is more than welcome to take over every aspect of our lives and all our belongings (i.e. our couch that has been victimized by a few to many bodily fluids to count), but there are some things we thought "we couldn't live/be parents without" that are nothing more than dust collectors. Here is a collection of our favorite things that have been nothing short of lifesavers!
1. Chicco travel system- We love our Chicco car seat! From it's simple base installation, wonderful newborn insert (Claire is actually still using), and #1 is its simple strap tightening. The stroller harness is still a little big, but we have been able to use it as a 3 point harness and with the car seat. Best of all, it one of the highest safety rated options for newborns :) http://www.chiccousa.com/gear/car-seats/keyfit-30-cubes.aspx
2. Fischer-Price Rock n' Play sleeper- This has been a life (well at least sleep) saver! Our sweet little snuggle bug fights sleep into the wee hours of the morning due to her waking up every time we would try to lie her down. Plus, she still has a tendency to spit up if she is flat soon after eating. This snugly cocoon, with its mesh sides, provides a safe, inclined, cozy sleep spot where she is happy to lay when our arms aren't available. Another great feature is how compact it folds for easy portability- we toted it from house to house on Easter to give Claire a cozy familiar place to relax :) http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=900004&e=storeProduct&pid=64684
3. Boppy pillow- This thing is incredible! We use it for everything- from positioning while she eats, plays, enjoys story time, sleeps (this is a no no- only allowed when I am sitting there), and most recently it is our tummy time pal. We have one pillow and two covers, which meets our laundry day needs, ensuring it is always available :) http://www.boppy.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/21/products_id/84
4. Bamboobies- Sorry if any Dad's are reading... These are wonderful for nursing Moms. They are so amazingly soft with the velour side, great absorbency due to the hemp layer, leak-proof (they really are!), and who can resist the heart shape (which actually fit quite nicely). Best of all- they can't be seen through clothes! http://www.buybamboobies.com/Breast-Pad-Day.html
5. G diapers- It took a lot of convincing to get Jason on board with the idea of cloth diapers, at least until I found this hybrid diaper. They are so easy to use and really not as huge of a burden to launder and care for as anticipated. The best part is how wonderful they are for Claire's sensitive bottom- they are so breathable, we have not had a single rash while using them! Plus, I love the flushable inserts for when we're on the go as opposed to toting around a dirty diaper. You also cant beat how adorable they are :) http://www.gdiapers.com/
6. Chicco You & Me Deluxe infant carrier- This infant carrier wins out for one big reason- lumbar support! I know she is still small, but I can carry her for prolonged periods in this without getting even the slightest backache. Also, the several adjust options (carry high or low, forward or backward facing, etc.) make it something that can really grow with her. The other huge bonus is how easy it is to get her in and out- we have strapped her while sleeping and she was none the wiser :) http://www.chiccousa.com/gear/backpacks-carriers/you-me-deluxe-carrier/you-me-deluxe-carrier-black.aspx
7. Babyganics product line- In the beginning, we had a love/hate relationship with this company due to its name and branding leading consumers to think they were organic products, which is not true. Reading more on the products we learned they are a natural derived product we prefer to the highly chemical alternatives. Best of all, they work wonderfully! One of my favorites is the stain remover which even removed set in stains from a year ago. We also use the dish soap,fabric freshener, multi-surface cleaner, and diaper creme (made her rash from wearing Pampers in the hospital disappear in less than a day) http://www.babyganics.com/
8. Aden and Anais muslin blankets- These blankets are so amazing! Beyond being to softest we found (they actually get softer wash after wash), they are a great larger size. This makes for super easy swaddling or a substitute nursing/car seat/stroller cover. They are on the thinner side, but I feel this makes them that much more versatile- we fold them for a warmer blanket and keep them a single layer when only a light blanket is needed. We use them more often than all her other blankets combined. http://www.adenandanais.com/shop/itemdisplay.aspx?ID=18&SKU=2023
9. Skip Hop Via Messenger bag- After much searching, we finally found a diaper bag that met both of our (very picky and particular) needs. Jason insisted on a messenger bag in a neutral style, while I insisted on simple organization and durability- this bag meets both! It looks great, has pockets galore, easily wipes down, and has a great strap design (padded shoulder and stroller attachments). I don't mind at all packing my purses away to sport it :) http://www.skiphop.com/product/21000.html
10. Bebe Au Lait nursing cover- Again, sorry Dads... This cover is wonderful! It is a great size to provide plenty of modesty, bowed neck to keep an eye on Claire, two terry cloth pockets (great for storing bamboobies), and several great patterns available. Even with the plastic bowed neck, it folds small for great portability. The thicker fabric is great for it keeping its shape and staying in place, but can get a bit warm at times. http://www.bebeaulait.com/products/bebe-au-lait-nursing-covers/papillon
11. Bright Starts Ingenuity Automatic bouncer- This is one of the only entertainment toys Claire will actually calm with. We were skeptics, but it really does bounce on its own! The soothing sounds and hanging toys help her to love it that much more :) http://www.kidsii.com/brightstarts/p-212-ingenuity-automatic-bouncer.aspx
I hope this list can be a help to new parents, as well as those with experience, in the market for baby products. I am sure there will be many more products we come to love as Claire (and we) continues to grow and has ever changing needs- we will be sure to share when we find others we find amazing :)
Crystal and Jason
1. Chicco travel system- We love our Chicco car seat! From it's simple base installation, wonderful newborn insert (Claire is actually still using), and #1 is its simple strap tightening. The stroller harness is still a little big, but we have been able to use it as a 3 point harness and with the car seat. Best of all, it one of the highest safety rated options for newborns :) http://www.chiccousa.com/gear/car-seats/keyfit-30-cubes.aspx
2. Fischer-Price Rock n' Play sleeper- This has been a life (well at least sleep) saver! Our sweet little snuggle bug fights sleep into the wee hours of the morning due to her waking up every time we would try to lie her down. Plus, she still has a tendency to spit up if she is flat soon after eating. This snugly cocoon, with its mesh sides, provides a safe, inclined, cozy sleep spot where she is happy to lay when our arms aren't available. Another great feature is how compact it folds for easy portability- we toted it from house to house on Easter to give Claire a cozy familiar place to relax :) http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=900004&e=storeProduct&pid=64684
3. Boppy pillow- This thing is incredible! We use it for everything- from positioning while she eats, plays, enjoys story time, sleeps (this is a no no- only allowed when I am sitting there), and most recently it is our tummy time pal. We have one pillow and two covers, which meets our laundry day needs, ensuring it is always available :) http://www.boppy.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/21/products_id/84
4. Bamboobies- Sorry if any Dad's are reading... These are wonderful for nursing Moms. They are so amazingly soft with the velour side, great absorbency due to the hemp layer, leak-proof (they really are!), and who can resist the heart shape (which actually fit quite nicely). Best of all- they can't be seen through clothes! http://www.buybamboobies.com/Breast-Pad-Day.html
5. G diapers- It took a lot of convincing to get Jason on board with the idea of cloth diapers, at least until I found this hybrid diaper. They are so easy to use and really not as huge of a burden to launder and care for as anticipated. The best part is how wonderful they are for Claire's sensitive bottom- they are so breathable, we have not had a single rash while using them! Plus, I love the flushable inserts for when we're on the go as opposed to toting around a dirty diaper. You also cant beat how adorable they are :) http://www.gdiapers.com/
6. Chicco You & Me Deluxe infant carrier- This infant carrier wins out for one big reason- lumbar support! I know she is still small, but I can carry her for prolonged periods in this without getting even the slightest backache. Also, the several adjust options (carry high or low, forward or backward facing, etc.) make it something that can really grow with her. The other huge bonus is how easy it is to get her in and out- we have strapped her while sleeping and she was none the wiser :) http://www.chiccousa.com/gear/backpacks-carriers/you-me-deluxe-carrier/you-me-deluxe-carrier-black.aspx
7. Babyganics product line- In the beginning, we had a love/hate relationship with this company due to its name and branding leading consumers to think they were organic products, which is not true. Reading more on the products we learned they are a natural derived product we prefer to the highly chemical alternatives. Best of all, they work wonderfully! One of my favorites is the stain remover which even removed set in stains from a year ago. We also use the dish soap,fabric freshener, multi-surface cleaner, and diaper creme (made her rash from wearing Pampers in the hospital disappear in less than a day) http://www.babyganics.com/
8. Aden and Anais muslin blankets- These blankets are so amazing! Beyond being to softest we found (they actually get softer wash after wash), they are a great larger size. This makes for super easy swaddling or a substitute nursing/car seat/stroller cover. They are on the thinner side, but I feel this makes them that much more versatile- we fold them for a warmer blanket and keep them a single layer when only a light blanket is needed. We use them more often than all her other blankets combined. http://www.adenandanais.com/shop/itemdisplay.aspx?ID=18&SKU=2023
9. Skip Hop Via Messenger bag- After much searching, we finally found a diaper bag that met both of our (very picky and particular) needs. Jason insisted on a messenger bag in a neutral style, while I insisted on simple organization and durability- this bag meets both! It looks great, has pockets galore, easily wipes down, and has a great strap design (padded shoulder and stroller attachments). I don't mind at all packing my purses away to sport it :) http://www.skiphop.com/product/21000.html
10. Bebe Au Lait nursing cover- Again, sorry Dads... This cover is wonderful! It is a great size to provide plenty of modesty, bowed neck to keep an eye on Claire, two terry cloth pockets (great for storing bamboobies), and several great patterns available. Even with the plastic bowed neck, it folds small for great portability. The thicker fabric is great for it keeping its shape and staying in place, but can get a bit warm at times. http://www.bebeaulait.com/products/bebe-au-lait-nursing-covers/papillon
11. Bright Starts Ingenuity Automatic bouncer- This is one of the only entertainment toys Claire will actually calm with. We were skeptics, but it really does bounce on its own! The soothing sounds and hanging toys help her to love it that much more :) http://www.kidsii.com/brightstarts/p-212-ingenuity-automatic-bouncer.aspx
I hope this list can be a help to new parents, as well as those with experience, in the market for baby products. I am sure there will be many more products we come to love as Claire (and we) continues to grow and has ever changing needs- we will be sure to share when we find others we find amazing :)
Crystal and Jason
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Claire is 2 months old!
It's official- Jason and I have been parents for 8 weeks now! It is incredible to think that our sweet Claire has already been here that long. At the same time, I cannot seem to remember being pregnant, much less life before she entered it and changed everything :)
I must brag a little and say that Claire is still the most amazing baby with the best disposition. She rarely cries-only if she is hungry (an easy fix since she nurses like a champ!) or bored (which is quickly fixed with a snuggle, kiss, playtime, and walk through the house). Claire is also incredibly aware of her surroundings! She loves staring at artwork on walls, intently listening to whom ever is speaking, looking for the source of any sound, and if there is light in the vicinity, she will find it! This makes for great entertainment when we take her out on the deck. Claire also enjoys spending time each day on her play mat, reading books, as well as playing with all her rattles and toys. I hope all this is sign of future intelligence :)
Claire is also sprouting in her physical abilities. She is a rock star during tummy time- that is as long as she isn't flat on floor which quickly turns into nap time :) We have resorted to tummy time on the Boppy pillow or Dad and Mom. She is quite the climber, too! She will lay on our chest and push off our hands with her legs until she makes it up as far as she can our shoulder. This climbing ability got a little scary the other day when I let her sleep on her tummy (I know- tisk, tisk! but I was in the room watching her like a hawk) and she first turned herself sideways, then shifted all the way to the edge of the couch! Needless to say, she now only naps on surfaces with walls ;) Claire spends some time each day practicing "standing" in Dad's lap, as she loves to straighten her legs.
Here is a fine example of her climbing/self positioning skills
Here is her enjoying tummy time on Dad and the Boppy pillow
Claire's personality is also exploding! She wakes up everyday in an incredible mood full of smiles and talking. She has perfected scowling (which is often the result of Daddy making silly noises), raising one eye brow (usually used to look at us like we are crazy when talking to her), and pouting (new just this week, usually followed by the sweetest whimpers). Her sweet little "talking" noises have doubled in frequency.
Here is one of our favorite videos of her :)
She has so sweetly been (kind of) sleeping through the night the last couple weeks. I say "kind of" because it is 6-7 hours at most, usually 3-4 nights a week. I will take anything over waking every 2-3 hours around the clock like she had been doing since birth. She still has yet to spend a night in her room, but has taken naps in her crib during the day. We have been using the Summer Infant "Rest Assured" sleeper when she is in our bed and the Fisher Price "Rock N' Play" sleeper in the living room- both of which I highly recommend.
Overall, parenthood has been the most wonderful gift I could have ever received! I have grown and learned more about myself during this short time than I would have ever imagined. It is amazing to look at our sweet little girl and know that she is truly a piece of us, something we created. The level of selflessness, patience, and love that goes into everyday with her has made us truly appreciate what a blessing and miracle life truly is. We are looking forward to continuing to watch her grow and conquer this new world she has blessed with her presence :)
Crystal and Jason
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Claire's Birth Story
Now that Claire is 6 weeks old, I figure it is time to share her birth story :)
The real reason this has come back to the front of my mind is because I am going to my first follow up appointment tomorrow! I am so excited to get signed off and released to return to normal life. Well, not exactly normal, as I plan to start an exercise regimen STAT. I have been very blessed to have most of the baby weight fall off, but I would like to tighten specific areas and build some endurance back up.
Here is the story:
On Tuesday 2/7 at 3 am, her actual due date, I started to feel contractions that were distinctly different from the persistent Braxton Hick's I had been experiencing. They started coming every 30 minutes, then 20 minutes, then every 10 minutes. This continued until 5:15am when I finally decided it was time to call the doctor. She said I should stay home until my contractions reach 5-7 minutes apart. As bummed as I was, I am happy I made the call instead of just heading to the hospital. By 8am, my contractions had slowed to every 15-20 minutes, I was so bummed that things had slowed and decided to go back to bed to get some rest.
That afternoon I woke up and had lunch while the contraction continued at about 1-4/hour. I decided it was time to take things into my own hands and help coax things along :) We went to Sermon Center where I decided to do 1 1/2 miles on the elliptical, hoping that the rocking motion might help things along. Unfortunately, there was no change in my contractions. I wasn't about to give up, so we spent the night running errands- stopped at Subway for dinner, went to Best Buy to get new phones, then walked Walmart (as they were the only place open that late and it was to cold to walk outside). We arrived back home at 11pm and my contractions quickly increased to every 6-8 minutes for 45 minutes! I was so excited thinking I had won and this was it, but, much to my dismay, my contractions spaced back out to every 8-30 minutes and I decided at midnight to go to bed L
A very short TWO hours later, I woke up at 2am to a very PAINFUL contraction! I was so frustrated at this point and just assumed I was being teased again and tried to get back to sleep. Much to my surprise, the contractions started gradually increasing- coming every 7-14 minutes. I let myself get excited/hopeful that this could be it, and decided at 3am to get in the shower. That is when the contractions really hit, now coming every 3-8 minutes-they were much harder and stronger! I got out, got ready (even did my hair), and told Jason it was time to get ready, we needed to go to the hospital :)
We arrived at the hospital at 5:30am and they did my first check, deciding I was dilated 4cm, 70% effaced. I was slightly disappointed hoping for more progress and crossing my fingers I wouldn't be sent home. The overnight doctor decided to go ahead and have me admitted at 6:30am. I was transferred to a room and they wasted no time (as it was coming up quickly on change of shift) getting a saline locked IV started and labs drawn.
At 7am I was able to meet Abby, whom in my opinion, is the most incredible labor and delivery nurse ever! She brought in a birthing ball, discussed my plan of care, as well as reviewed by birth plan that she said she was in full support of. That was a huge weight lifted, as my biggest fear was being judged and cared for by people I had annoyed before they even met us.
After she left the room, I was able to close my eyes and even fall asleep for an hour. At 9am I woke back up, but I was unfortunately starving! I had opted to go without an IV, so it was up to me to keep myself nourished and hydrated. I spent the next hour eating crackers, drinking water, and pacing the room, and rubbing my back, through contractions . I also spent 30 minutes bouncing on the birthing ball.
At 10am, Abby returned to help me back in bed to do 15 minutes of fetal monitoring and do another check. Much to our surprise, I had progressed to 7cm dilated, 100% effaced, but my water had somehow still not broke . Abby decided it was time to call Dr. Steiner and make sure she would be at the hospital soon, and her reply was that she would be there within the hour and we would break my water to move things along!
At 10:30 my Dad, brother David, and my Mom arrived to visit for a few minutes and wish us well. On a side note, I must say, the lack of allowing visitors during my labor is a huge part of what gave me the strength and level head to concentrate and make it through without an epidural. We chose to keep the lighting down, TV off, and door shut to maintain a peaceful environment, as well as use a saline locked IV and intermittent fetal monitoring to allow me to remain mobile and not spend my labor on my back in bed.
By 11:15 the doctor had arrived and we were ready to get things going. She came in and broke my water, which was quite the experience! First of all, I was so relieved when they were able to tell me that the fluid looked great and there was no staining- a huge occupational hazard fear! I honestly had no idea just how much there would be or that it would continue to slowly trickle for so long. At that point I also decided I was ready to start a bag IV fluids to help with hydration.
At noon I decided I was desperate to get back in bed to get some rest and took a half dose of Nubain, a mild pain medication. At 12:30, Abby returned to check in on me and we decided to go ahead and do another cervical check. I was now at 9.5cm dilated and 100% effaced. Abby suggested I move to a hands and knees position to try and dilate my anterior cervix, as that was the only area left to go. After maintaining that for about 15 minutes, I moved to side/tummy position to finish dilation and get some rest.
At 2 pm, after some much needed rest, Abby returned to do another check. At this point I was so excited to hear that I was fully dilated and effaced. She called Dr. Steiner in for a double check. The doctor agreed with my progress, but feared Claire had rotated. She suggested we do a few practice pushes to see if we were ready to go, but they confirmed that Claire had in fact rotated and was lying sunny side up L I had been having pretty intense back pain most of the day, which I now found out had been back labor! Both the nurse and doctor were surprised how well I had tolerated that pain. We all discussed the options and decided to reposition me to attempt to get Claire to rotate.
I spent the next half hour in bed, in the most awkward position I had ever been in. Jason was so sweet, he bravely spent the whole time in bed with me massaging my back and giving encouraging pep talks. At 2:40pm Abby came back in to check and see if she had rotated. She proceeded with a scary "be prepared" conversation- typically, mothers are not able to endure the pain of pushing a baby out in this position; they feared I would tire out and require an emergent c-section. We were all crossing our fingers as she she checked Claire's position- she had turned! I thought I had felt quite a bit of movement, which was far less than comfortable- there is no feeling like a baby moving inside you without amniotic fluid.
At this point, I could feel pressure, but not the urge to push. This was true for much of late active labor for me. I was incredibly fearful of the pain I would experience choosing to deliver without an epidural. I was shocked by the true power of adrenaline (and the many other natural components of pain control)! I was able to use breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, and (thanks to Jason and Abby) massage for pain control. This combination, with a whole lot of mind over matter, got me through the process fairly comfortably.
Abby went ahead and called in the doctor, and what seemed like an army, to begin preparing the room for Claire's arrival. By 3:05pm, I was ready to start to pushing. My contractions at this point were still 5 minutes apart, as they remained throughout my whole labor. That made pushing a little more tedious, working hard pushing three times, making progress, only to sit back and wait several minutes before I could try again. I had pushed for about about 30 minutes, they had saw Claire's head crowning with last several pushes, when much to everyone's surprise, Claire got the hiccups! Everyone else in the room took great pleasure in laughing and enjoying watching my belly bounce with each hiccup. For me, it was a much different experience :( It was the most painful part, that is until I actually delivered Claire! The pain was so incredibly intense, but luckily, very short lived.
Ten sets of three pushes each and 49 minutes later, Claire was here! She was quickly wiped off and went straight to my chest where she lay wide eyed. The doctor coached Jason while he cut the cord and the nurses stepped in to check her out. She wouldn’t cry (which is still her norm), but she had great color and bright red lips. She was so wide eyed!
Jason and I spent the next half hour alone with Claire cuddling and getting to know her. The nurse then came back in to give her initial shots and bath. After they were done and she was dressed, we welcomed our families in to meet our sweet bundle of joy!
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