Kennedy's 43 Week Check In

Vacation!!  We are in Pittsburgh this weekend, enjoying a nice little mini-vacation.  Baby girl (and Lucy too!) did great on the car ride down.  Kennedy and I drove to Harrisburg yesterday to watch her cousin Madi's dance recital then came back to Pittsburgh where we will spend the week.  Baby girl got to ride a horse all by herself (well, sort of) and will be taking her first trip to the zoo on Wednesday.

How Big Is Baby?

• Kennedy is around 18 pounds of fun!
• She is wearing 9 and 12 month spring and summer clothes now.
• Size 3 shoes fit or are even a little big still.
• Full time cloth diapering. Still size smalls and one sizes with 1-2 snaps out and 1-2 snaps up.  We actually traveled with cloth this time and it is going great so far!

Development & Milestones

• Kennedy has taken a few steps... only one or one and a half at a time then sits down and crawls.  Her balance has improved greatly in the last week or two.  She will be walking in no time.
• She has been very vocal this week and talking up a storm.
• 3 teeth on top with one coming through and still 2 on the bottom.
  

Diet/Nursing

• Nursing has been great.  She has been biting a little more than normal, but I think it's because she has not been feeling well.
• Pumping at work was great, but I am looking forward to a whole week without the pump!
• BLW is awesome as always.  Aunt Pat and Uncle Ed were very impressed with her eating skills.
• She has finally started to take an interest in her sippy cup.  She isn't great with it yet, but she is working on it.

Sleep

• Sleep has really been pretty good this week, despite our long car rides.  She is a real trooper!
• Naps have also been pretty good, all things considered.  She has been napping well in the car or in bed with mommy.  Love this little snuggle bug.

PP Mommy Check In

• This week was pretty good, although traveling makes it tough to stay active.  I'm looking forward to beautiful weather and lots of time outside.
• Right now I am about 120 lbs.
• *For reference, my highest pregnancy weight was 162, my pre-pregnancy weight was 130 and my goal weight is 125*

How Is Daddy?

• Kevin is having a great weekend also.  he is excited to be home and to show off his little princess.
• Weight-wise, he is holding steady at his goal weight.  He looks awesome and feels much better, more energy, etc.

Any appointments, visitors or outings? Anything else new?

• A long car ride to Pittsburgh on Friday night, a drive to Harrisburg on Saturday and back to Pittsburgh on Sunday.  We got to visit with lots of different relatives so far and we are looking forward to seeing lots more during our stay.
• Unfortunately, baby girl had her first ear infection and is taking her first course of antibiotics ever.  I held off on the antibiotics for as long as I could and tried garlic oil, but the infection was not clearing.  I guess I should consider us lucky to have made it 10 months without an infection, but I hate this.  :(  And I really really hate antibiotics.  She is doing well with them, but I am just not a fan.  I think they are over prescribed and minimally effective unless the infection is cultured and the antibiotics can be targeted.  Nonetheless, we are giving modern medicine a try.  Hoping they work soon and that we will not be needing them again, ever.
• Cloth diapering is still going great!!

Product Rave:

• iPad.  Holy heck has this been a lifesaver on our long car rides.  I must remember to download more movies because I have now listened to Finding Nemo 6 times!!!  But hey, it keeps her happy (and QUIET) for a whole 15 minutes and then she falls asleep!

Any upcoming developments, milestones? What's next?

• Mommy and Daddy's 2 year anniversary on Tuesday, also baby girl's first overnight stay with her grandparents, eeek!!
• Kennedy will turn 10 months on Wednesday, we will celebrate by going to the zoo!
• Back to Syracuse on Thursday after making a pit stop in Drums, PA to visit with Aunt Judy and Uncle Ed
• Birthday party planning will begin when we get back home!  Yikes!!
• As my post from Thursday said, Kennedy's great-grandfather passed away this past week.  We are still awaiting the final word on funeral arrangements, but we will likely be planning a short trip to Florida to say our goodbyes.  <3

 Picture Time

How I'm Feelng Today...

In a picture...

After a meeting with the boss lady (those are always fun...) and an absolutely asinine inservice that caused me to leave work almost 30 minutes later than usual, I left work to pick up my baby girl.  When I got there, our sitter let it slip that she had started walking.  It took every ounce of self control to pay her, grab my little girl and run out of there before the tears started flowing.

I HATE MY @^%^*$#&^ JOB!!!!

Now, normally I like my job.  For the most part.  I like being a nurse, I like my coworkers, I like my patients, I like my job.  But my job just caused me to miss my baby girl's first steps.

Her FIRST STEPS!!!

Of course part of me is super excited that she has reached this milestone, part of me is sad because it really means she is growing up and part of me wants to quit my job right this instant because I don't ever want to miss another milestone or memory.  Being a working mom is tough, your heart gets beaten and bruised every time you have to drop your baby off at daycare... but being a working mom on days like today is just plain awful.  I often wonder if it's worth it.  No paycheck can replace missed milestones.  I can't buy back her first steps.

I am crushed that I missed seeing her walk for the very first time. 

So... as if the day couldn't get any crappier, I received a phone call from my mom saying that my grandfather was not doing well at all.  His health has been failing over the last few years, but I thought he had hit a plateau and was holding strong.  Notsomuch.  They didn't expect him to make it through the day.

I immediately flashed back to my wedding day.  I have thought about this day often and one part of the day has always weighed heavy on my heart.  When it was time for the father/daughter dance, the DJ announced the dance and I looked around for my dad.  He was MIA (embarrassingly for him, in the bathroom, ha!)... my grandfather offered to dance with me and I politely declined saying that we would just play another song until my dad was ready.  I promised to dance with him later in the evening.

I never did.

The evening was such a blur and I was so caught up in... well... everything... that time just got away from me.  Before I knew it, he had to leave.  We never had our dance.

I have thought of this often and with much guilt.  One dance.  Just one dance.  Just one dance.

It probably would have meant the world to him... and now, it would have meant the world to me.  I wish I could go back and dance with him.

I had planned to ask him to dance at my cousin's wedding next summer, but that won't be possible.  It's too late.

Shortly after my mom called to let me know that he wasn't doing well, I called my aunt who was at the hospital with him.  She told me he had already passed.  I was too late again.  I didn't get to say goodbye.

My grandfather was a wonderful man.  A Navy veteran, a survivor of the USS Forrestal disaster, a lung cancer survivor, and more importantly a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather.  He was very loved and will be dearly missed.

In January, Kennedy and I flew down to Florida and he got to meet her for the first time.  They were both all smiles around each other.  These are my last memories of him and they are precious memories that will stay with me forever.  My mom caught this picture from the very first time they met.  It is just perfect and exactly how I will remember him.

Rest in peace, Pop Pop.

Harvey "Chief" Smith

5/31/1933 - 5/23/2013

Kennedy's 42 Week Check In

What a wonderful week it has been!!  My parents drove up from Florida to spend a few days with us, the weather was gorgeous AND Kevin and I got to enjoy a date night!!  It.was.awesome!  Baby girl was a little unsure of who these "Nana" and "Grandpa" people were at first, but it didn't take too long for her to decide that they were ok.  She loved the attention, the hugs and snuggles.  They left on Friday and I'm sure she misses them as much as they miss her!

How Big Is Baby?

• Kennedy is around 18 pounds and she seems to be getting taller by the day.
• She is wearing 9 and 12 month spring and summer clothes now. 
• Size 3 shoes still fit!!!
• Full time cloth diapering. Still size smalls and one sizes with 1-2 snaps out and 1-2 snaps up.

Development & Milestones

• Kennedy is standing more and more often, but still no steps.
• She started doing this really funny hand gesture and yelling or bablling very intensly.  She will repeat it a few times as if she is annoyed you don't *get* it right away.  It almost looks like she is giving a political speech and really trying to drive home her point.  I have no idea what it means, but it definitely seems to mean something important to her.  It's really cute.
• Another tooth broke through up top this week.  Hopefully that will cure some of the fusisness and sniffles.
  

Diet/Nursing

• Nursing has been wonderful this week.  It was so awesome to just relax and nurse with my baby girl all week instead of messing with the pump.
• Pumping at work is still going great although I am starting to get annoyed with it at times.  It is just time consuming and not all warm and fuzzy like nursing is.  Eh... a necessary inconvenience to keep giving baby girl the best!  It's well worth the trade off.
• BLW is awesome as always.  This week, Kennedy enjoyed fish, lasagna, mac-n-cheese, star fruit (which she loves), blueberries and lots of other yummy stuff.  She definitely has a preference for meat and fruit, but will eat just about anything.
• She drinks from a cup while i hold it and does a really good job.  No interest in drinking from a sippy cup whatsoever.

Sleep

• Sleep has been great this week!  I'm guessing mostly because I have had a few days off from my crazy overnight shift.  Back to the grind for a week and then vacation for a week!  Woot!
• Naps have been on both ends of the extreme this week.  Sometimes she will go down super easy or fall asleep while nursing.  Other times she will scream bloody murder for an hour or more.  I'm not sure what the issue is, but hopefully she will settle into a more consistent nap routine.

PP Mommy Check In

• This week was good.  Ate healthy, enjoyed some time outside.  I am regretting not taking the opportunity to run more while my parents were here.  Gah!!
• Right now I am about 118 lbs.
• *For reference, my highest pregnancy weight was 162, my pre-pregnancy weight was 130 and my goal weight is 125*

How Is Daddy?

• Kevin is doing awesome!  He enjoyed having my parents in town just as much as I did.
• Weight-wise, he is back to his goal weight after indulging on our date night.  That's what date nights are for, though, and I'm sure he would agree that it was worth every deliciously sinful calorie. 
• In the daddy department, he is really doing wonderful with Kennedy.  He keeps her entertained so I can sleep, handles dinner, bath time, bed time and mornings all by himself.  He rocks!

Any appointments, visitors or outings? Anything else new?

• Nana Lorrie and Grandpa Greg came to visit this week.  Kennedy loves her grandparents and loved all of the extra love and attention this week.
• Cloth diapering is still going great!!

Product Rave:

• Ergo... I have had it for a while, and loved it since day one, but I have been getting a lot more use out of it lately.

Any upcoming developments, milestones? What's next?

• We have a trip to Pittsburgh coming up next week!

Picture Time

Kennedy's 41 Week Check In

I'm late... and I'm trying to catch up.  :)  Kennedy is now 41 weeks and we just enjoyed our first Mother's Day.  Amazing.

How Big Is Baby?

• Kennedy is likely 18 pounds of love and fun now.  Grow, baby grow!!
• The change of weather inspired me to break out all of her warm weather clothes.  To make room, we retired ALL (whatever was left) of her 3 and 6 months clothes.  She is now in 9 months and (GASP!) 12 months!! 
• Size 3 shoes still fit!!!
• Full time cloth diapering. We are out one snap on each side and one snap on the rise on all of her dipes. We have gone up a second snap on the rise on a few of her diapers and so far we are getting a great fit!

Development & Milestones

• Kennedy is standing on her own and cruising around like a mad woman.
• No steps yet, but I can tell she is thinking about it.  I was kind of hoping she would celebrate Mother's Day with her first steps, but no dice.  Maybe she will hold out until Father's Day.  That would be an awesome gift for daddy.
• No new words or signs this week, but she still loves to babble.  She signs puppy consistently (go figure) and is starting to play around with "more"... she doesn't quite get it yet, but she is close.
• 4 pearly white teeth with one more breaking through any minute
  

Diet/Nursing

• Nursing has been great this week.  I have 3 days off in a row coming up and I am looking forward to a more normal schedule (and no pumping!)
• Pumping at work is still going awesome.  I have my schedule down to a T now.
• BLW is going great!!  Tonight, Kennedy enjoyed her first ever spaghetti and meatball dinner (pictures to follow).  It was everything I hoped it would be!  A complete mess!!
• We are continuing with the small cup and it is working well. I have to hold it for her, otherwise it would end up everywhere, but she drinks from it great!

Sleep

• Sleep has been ok this week.  It's really tough going from nights to days, and I think Kennedy is confused going from just daddy at night to mommy and daddy.  We are making it work though.
• Same story with the naps.  Our inconsistent schedules make her routine difficult.  She is hanging in there though.

PP Mommy Check In

• This week was ok.  I'm still trying to figure out which way is up when I am in a run of 3 or 4 12s, but I will get used to it... eventually, right? 
• Right now I am about 118 lbs.
• *For reference, my highest pregnancy weight was 162, my pre-pregnancy weight was 130 and my goal weight is 125*

How Is Daddy?

• Kevin is doing great!  He is pretty much super dad.  I know I say that a lot, but it's the truth!
• Weight-wise, he is doing awesome maintaining his goal weight.  I am so proud of him! 
• In the daddy department, he is getting the hang of the overnights and mornings alone with monster baby.  He is getting a routine of his own in place and doing great with it.

Any appointments, visitors or outings? Anything else new?

• Not much this week besides a lot of cleaning.  Oh and...
• First Mother's Day!!  What an awesome day.  I got sweet cards from Kennedy and (of course) Lucy and Kevin.  I got to enjoy Kennedy's first messy spaghetti and meatball dinner and I got an iPad.  Too much awesomeness for one day!!
• Cloth diapering is still going great!!

Product Rave:

• iPad.  Love!!  We actually bought this with the intent of downloading games and movies to keep Kennedy (and myself) occupied on long car trips.  I don't know who loves it more... her or me... but it is really a pretty cool thing!

Any upcoming developments, milestones? What's next?

• Nana Lorrie and Grandpa Siegfried are coming TOMORROW!!!  Can't wait!!!
• We have a trip to Pittsburgh coming up soon too!

Picture Time

Can you hear me crunch?

I had an interesting discussion the other night at work that really got me thinking, then I came home and talked about it with Kevin and chatted it over with some mamas in an online group.  This had me doing some serious soul (and pantry) searching, so I thought I would share.

Are you as crunchy as you think you are?

For those with kids... and are you more crunchy since you had kids? 

And... Are you as green as you would like to be?

If you had to guess... what % of the following is "green", organic, natural, etc. Has this changed since you had children? (Of course the baby part will have changed, but the others?)

1. Your food. (home grown, organic and farmer's market type stuff)
2. Your home and car. (solar powered, hybrid, etc)
3. Your clothes/shoes. (Organic, home made)
4. Your baby. (EBF, cloth diaper, natural soaps, lotions and creams, clothes/shoes etc.)
5. Everything else... Cleaning products, beauty products, hair stuff, detergents, soaps, lotions
6. Do you recycle? Repurpose items?

I have to admit that I really thought DH and I were doing really great in our effort to be more "green"... however after some reflection, I realized that we aren't quite as good of a job as I thought we were.

 
1. 30% we buy a lot of fresh fruits and veggies at the farmer's market, but when I opened the pantry to check it out, we had a TON of processed, boxed, packaged foods (mostly pasta, rice, cake mixes, etc) in there. I'm planning to finish what is in there (I HATE wasting food) but make an effort to buy less packaged junk. I also have not made the switch to all organic, grass fed meats yet, mostly because of price. This is something I keep saying I need to just DO, but when I get to the grocery store and see that the good stuff costs 3x as much, I go back to the cheap stuff. I'm disappointed here. I really thought we were doing better.

 
2. 5% Our home is a typical home, nothing green about it. I gave myself 5% for having a pellet stove that we use for heat, but that's it. I drive a gas guzzling SUV so I could probably take away that 5% but it makes me feel better, lol.

 
3. 0% I have maybe 1 or 2 organic/home made items (like scarves)... but not enough to even make a dent. This has not been a priority to me, nor will it ever be I think. Although I do buy a ton of stuff at garage sales or consignment... so maybe I could be generous and give myself 5% here. Maybe.

 
4. 75% Kennedy is much crunchier that I am. She was EBF until we started solids, still BF (never any formula). Her solids are probably 75% organic or natural since I shy away from giving her the boxed crap that I have no problem eating. She is cloth diapered and all of her lotions, soaps, etc are natural/organic. The only area that we are not all organic/natural are her clothes. She has a few organic and a few home made items, but not nearly enough to count for anything.

 
5. 20% In the last 6 months, I have made a big effort to switch over our cleaning products. I switched to Method first, but now I am making most of them myself. I made my own detergent and cleaning solution, I use baking soda and apple cider vinegar for most things. BUT... my soaps, lotions, hair stuff, etc is all store bought (and usually whatever is on sale). My next project is to work on making my own beauty products. Makeup is Target stuff, I don't think I will ever switch to organic, unless is comes down in price.

 
6. 50% We do recycle, but not nearly as much as we should. Maybe 40% on the recycling. We do repurpose often, I am constantly saving bags and boxes and bottles to use for other things. My favorite is the windex bottles that you push down on to make the cleaner pop up (I have to admit I bought this JUST to repurpose the bottle)... I rinsed it out very very good and now use it for my home made cloth wipe solution. It is perfect!!!

So... overall that would give us a 30%.  While we are not anywhere near as green as I would like us to be, I am happy with the changes we have made over the past year or so in our effort to live a healthier life and leave a smaller footprint.  This exercise also helped me to find areas to focus on over the next year so we can continue to make better decisions and positive changes. 

Kennedy's 40 Week Check In

It's hard to imagine that 40 weeks is the milestone we counted down to for Kennedy's due date.  She has been in our arms almost as long as she was in my belly.  I'm trying to wrap my head around that.  Wow.  Just wow.

We had some amazing weather this week, so Kennedy got to enjoy her kiddie pool for the first time.  She loved it!!

How Big Is Baby?

• At her check up on Tuesday, Kennedy weighed 17 pounds, 14 ounces.  I realoly thought she would be over 18 pounds by now, but her weight has kind of taped off.  She is 29 1/4" long which makes her an Amazon baby, height wise.  :)
• Size 3 shoes still fit!!!
• Full time cloth diapering. We are out one snap on each side and one snap on the rise on all of her dipes. We have gone up a second snap on the rise on a few of her diapers and so far we are getting a great fit!

Development & Milestones

• Kennedy's check up went great.  She is on track or ahead with her milestones and is overall a happy, healthy little girl.
• Big news of the week... she can STAND!!  On her own!!  She doesn't yet go from sitting or crawling to standing, but she will pull up on something (the kitchen cabinet, mommy's leg, Lucy, the couch) and let go for a few seconds.  It is fun to watch her test the waters... let go for a few seconds, hold on, let go again.  She is becomming more independant, yet still holds onto my leg and cries when I walk away.  I can't imagine her ever not needing me this much.  I just love her to pieces!
• No new words or signs this week, but she still loves to babble.
• 4 pearly white teeth with one more breaking through any minute
  

Diet/Nursing

• Nursing has been pretty good this week.  Early in the week, Kennedy didn't feel so hot, but she is back to herself now 
• Pumping at work is still going great.  I have my schedule down and things are working out well.
• BLW is just awesome.  This week, Kennedy got to sit in the cart like a big girl at Wegmans (this is a treat in itself since I normally wear her when we go out)... AND... she enjoyed her first ever mini chocolate chip cookie.  She was a mess, but she loved it!!!  It was so much to watch her giggle and practically beg for more.
• We are continuing with the small cup and it is working well.  I have to hold it for her, otherwise it would end up everywhere, but she drinks from it pretty well.

Sleep

• Sleep.  What is this thing called sleep?
• Naps have been a nightmare this week.  She has been having a hard time napping at the sitter's (ok not napping at all... as a matter of fact she screams non stop for hours... my poor baby)... so early in the week, I really wanted to help her learn to self soothe and nap in her crib unswaddled.  Fail.  Super fail.  She was not feeling well and just plain miserable.  Toward the end of the week, I was back in survival mode between 12s and just trying to do anything I could do to help her nap longer.  I am not a believer in the cry-it-out method, but I have to find something to help her settle so I think I am going to do some reading on gentle sleep training this week.  Something has to give.  I hate that she is so miserable and exhausted at the sitter's, but I'm at a loss how to fix it.  Hopefully next week will be better.
• Sleep-wise daddy said the week was ok.  It's tough not having mommy home at night.  Hopefully this week will be better in this area too.

PP Mommy Check In

• This week was a little better for me.  I am slowly getting used to overnights, although i am still not as productive as usual on my days off (i typically spend at least half the day just trying to catch up on sleep). 
• Right now I am about 119 lbs.
• *For reference, my highest pregnancy weight was 162, my pre-pregnancy weight was 130 and my goal weight is 125*

How Is Daddy?

• Kevin is doing awesome.
• Big news!!!  Yesterday, he reached his goal weight.  He is under 200 for the first time in years!!  I am so so proud of him!! 
• In the daddy department, he is working on getting into his own routine for mornings.  It is really tough for him to get up, get baby up, fed and ready for the day and off to the sitter.  I am so thankful for all he is doing.

Any appointments, visitors or outings? Anything else new?

• Doctor's appointment on Tuesday went pretty well.  She is growing beautifully, long and lean.  Her milestones and development is right on track.  Only negative was that she had some fluid in her right ear.  The doctor said it was not infected, but it could turn into an ear infection.  Well, I don't want to just sit around and wait for an ear infection!!  Some quick research found that garlic oil can help to remove fluid from the ear and help to prevent infection.  So... baby girl smelled like an Italian kitchen for a few days, but I think she is all better now.  :)  I love modern medicine and all (heck, it's my job)... but I love homeopathic treatments even more.
• Cloth diapering is still going great!!

Product Rave:

• Hmm... need to think of something this week for sure!

Any upcoming developments, milestones? What's next?

• Nana Lorrie and Grandpa Siegfried are coming to visit next weekend
• We have a trip to Pittsburgh coming up soon too!

Picture Time