The Poop Ninja Strikes Again!

The little pooper is dead asleep on the bed next to me as I write this.  I am dying because this little girl just gets funnier by the day.  Ken and I are having so much fun and I think we both feel that the exhaustion wouldn't be so bad if Ken wasn't working nights.  Being by myself at night is NOT fun.  Penny and I do just fine for the most part but some nights are hard when she won't stop crying and Ken's baby-whispering skills are not there to lull her back to sleep.  Plus, Ken is working his butt off all night long and then has to come home and fall asleep with the sun streaming in the window all day long (we have black-out curtains but we have corner windows and are struggling to find curtain rods that fit.)  Well, enough complaining about exhaustion, that seems to be the number one topic of all other parents so I will try not to put too much time into that complaint.

Ken and I have dealt with many a "poop-splosion", but I think this was one of the funniest.  I was rocking Penny and she was just content in my arms.  I went to hand her to Ken to have him hold her and he puts his hand on her back and into a huge poop-spray.  Of course, not a single drop got on me (yay!).  Ken and I rushed into poop clean-up surgery and changed her diaper and cleaned her back-- both of us laughing our butts off.  Penny just looked so content the whole time.  I'm sure she was happy to get rid of that!

We had our family photo shoot yesterday evening and it went SO well!  I can't wait to share the photos.  I am hoping to see them soon.  Penny was a total trooper, especially since earlier that day we visited City Hall to let my coworkers meet her.  She was passed around to everyone and only cried a little bit (mostly because she was hungry).  We then went to my parent's house and hung out there until the photo shoot and we then we slept over there afterwords.  It was Penny's first night away from home and she did beautifully!  She only cried when she was hungry and then ate and went back to sleep.  So nice to get a few practice rounds in before we head up to our family reunion in late July.  Then, this morning, we had the graduation of the preschool class that I taught and Penny was a trooper through that entire business as well.  The kids were so excited to meet Penny and the parents were so sweet too!

The little one is starting to stir... I am guessing she is going to be hungry.  I am blessed that I have such a good eater!

I will update more soon!

Love,

Steph

Here are some funny pics of Penny!

 Naky Butt (she peed on Ken 2 seconds after I took this photo)

 I was just trying to get a cute photo of her in her swaddle and snapped this gem.

 Just remember, you're a rockstar.

Finally caught a smile on camera!!!

Father's Day: A Look Back

Ken had his first Father's Day!  Penny and I took advantage of his business to make him a father's day gift.  It turned out so cute and made me realize how big Penny's feet are getting!  She held so still while I painted her feet and put them to the paper.  I think she new it was a gift for daddy.

Penny and I took Ken to a great restaurant in Redlands called Dhat Island.  They have Jamaican food that is to die for.  It was a fun day, even though we were both exhausted, Ken from work, me from lack of consistent sleep.  I guess every day is Father's Day now, at least for Ken.  He just loves spending time with Penny and playing with her.  They are quite the pair.  I think I am going to have to make a photo album full of just pictures of them sleeping.  She sleeps so well with him and in all different positions.  She will only sleep on my chest.  I am going to have to remember to continue to take these photos as she gets older.  Of course, I have added some more awesome sleeping photos of the two of them... Enjoy!

 I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks dad is weird!  It's clearly written all over her face.

 Catchin' some much-needed ZZZzzz's

I am so lucky that Penny has a Father like Ken.  I know he shows most people his goofy personality, but I get to watch him be so sweet and gentle with his daughter and it is such a blessing.  He is such a wonderful dad!

90-minute Sleep Cycles: Saving Lives Everywhere

Ken and I, prompted by my wonderful mother, decided that we needed to try this new patter of sleep with Penny.  It is called the 90-minute Sleep Program and it is honestly incredible.  I am about to sound like an infomercial, but if you have a baby that just isn't sleeping well, just give this a go for a day (or a week if you are feeling really daring).  It is pretty darn simple.  Whenever your baby wakes up during the day, start a timer.  After 90 minutes ( or a little bit earlier) observe your child's sleep ques and start putting the to sleep.  Let them sleep as long as they want.  Rinse and Repeat.  No, I'm serious, not about the rinsing, but about putting them to sleep after they have been awake for 90 minutes.  I have literally watched Penny go from a crying "fussy" baby, to a sweet, alert, active baby in one day.  She now cries for maybe 30-45 minutes a day, not at a time, I mean TOTAL for the whole entire day and night.

I had not realized how much I was unintentionally overstimulating and sleep-depriving my baby.  I thought that all babies just cried like that but I was wrong.

Here are my only frustrations with it: Other People
I don't think I will ever understand why people want babies to be constantly awake.  All I hear is "Wake up Penny!  Wake Up!  You sleep too much!"  And I want to scream!  She is a baby!  Babies are supposed to sleep 18 hours or more a day and no, they are not supposed to be awake at your beck and call.  The thing that gets me the most is
1. Parents who have children and still don't understand the importance of sleep for babies.
2.People who want your baby to wake up and then when they do and they cry, they immediately hand them back. I want to say to these people, you chose to wake them up, now you fix it so that you can understand what we and the babies go through when naps are interrupted. I would never tell them that of course, but I think every single mom honestly feels that way.
3. People (parents included) that expect babies to be on their schedule.  You will fail every time if you think the baby will conform to your schedule.  It's better to accept that they are in charge of your schedule pretty much from here on out.

This is mostly said in good humor, but it is honest as well.  Sorry for the rant!

For my moms-to-be, just something to keep in mind!  Trust your momma bear instincts and protect those nap times and avoid over stimulation.  Your baby will thank you and you will love yourself for doing it as well.


Penny Update: Penny is just more incredible by the day.  She is starting to babble more and makes the cutest noises.  And... drum roll please... she started smiling at Ken and I!  She also smiled for her Nana (my mom) and her Lolo and Lola (Kens Parents).  It just lights up her whole entire face, I love it.  Watching her discover the world is absolutely wonderful and such a gift.

 My mom with Penny when she first came home.

 My brother with Penny when he came to visit last week.  She loves her Uncle Chris!

Bath Time like a boss.

Happy Almost Father's Day, all!

~Steph

 

He's a Natural

I have never seen someone take to fatherhood as quickly as Ken did.  One of my favorite things in the world is watching him with Penny and knowing that she will be so protected by him. She is a lucky girl.  Just when I though I was going to lose it from exhaustion the other day, Ken comes in with about two hours till he has to go to work and takes her from me and says "Go take a nap".  I didn't argue, and when I woke up two hours later, he was at work and all of the dishes had been washed and Penny was asleep in her bassinet. I am so grateful that I have him and Penny is too!  Not only does he provide for us by working hard at a demanding job all night long, he still has the energy to come home and be with us and care for us.  I am looking forward to the future (I am anticipating many more posts like this one!)

I get the best pictures of the two of them, especially when they are both sleeping!

 Week 1

 Week 2

 Week 3

 Week 4

 No DNA test needed!

Love,
Steph

Baby Burps, Moby Wraps, and Bringing Down the House (almost)

Oh man.... where to begin?  Well, I learned that I was not burping Penny for long enough at all.  I thought, "oh, if she doesn't burp in 10-20 seconds, she must not need to burp!" Wrong.  Sometimes it takes 5 minutes for her to burp.  I also didn't even think to burp her throughout the day and before she eats.  BUT, now we are able to avoid a lot of crying due to gas with those little tricks.  So, again, I am counting this a victory!  Plus, I am sure she is now feeling a lot better.  She does these cute little resigned sighs while I am burping her, almost as if she thinks that the burping is annoying but she knows it is necessary.  She is a lot less fussy now and seems a lot more content :).

Moby Wraps: My new best friend.

I am new to this thing called "baby wearing" but it is slowly becoming my favorite.  I was becoming frustrated that I had to spend half my day trying to get Penny to sleep in her bassinet so that I could get a few things done.  She wasn't having any of it and I wanted her to be near me too.  Enter: The Moby Wrap.  I was NOT enamored the first few times I tried to get the wrap to work.  I felt so awkward and I couldn't get it tied correctly, regardless of how many repetitive youtube instructional videos I watched.  Finally I realized that I was not starting the wrap high enough on my waist.  Bingo!  Now I can take the little penguin with me wherever I go.  The even better part?  I can use it until she is 2 years old!  I absolutely love my Ergo for hikes and long walks because the support that it gives me is irreplaceable. However, I found when I was wearing it and trying to eat, it extended too far out and I was struggling to see my food and the tasks I was doing.
So, my recommendation?  Get a Moby Wrap for home when you are able to sit down and take rests but need to have a little more space to move around with. But, also get an Ergo for when you want to take walks or go on hikes so you don't kill your back.

Bringing Down the House

So, I almost burnt the apartment down.  Nobody panic!  I'm exaggerating.  However, our house did get a bit smokey.  Ken and I were planning on having Ramen for dinner and so we were boiling chicken bones and mushrooms to make the ramen broth.  Ken got it all set up in the morning before going to sleep (he had just gotten home from working the night shift) and all I needed to do was watch it and turn it off when it was done cooking down.  Well, I took the little one in to breastfeed and next thing I know I've fallen asleep and was awoken by the smell of burnt chicken bones.  I rushed out to find our dinner ruined and the ingredients cooking away onto the bottom of the pot.  I felt stupid and frustrated at my sheer exhaustion, but I immediately started remaking the ramen even though I had to fudge on the broth a bit.  I think this event could probably be listed under Things I say I'll never do again but probably will.

Penny in the Moby Wrap.  She loves it!

Ken teaching Penny how to play the guitar... with her feet?

Penny is 1 month old!

Things I Didn't Know Were Possible

Penny has now earned the names Poop Houdini and Vomit Ninja.  

And now for a list of things I didn't know:

I didn't know it was possible for a baby to poop so hard that it would squirt up and out the top of her diaper and onto you.

I didn't know that a baby would be able find a way to get throw-up on your face while you were trying to change said diaper.

I didn't know that a simple daily walk can change you whole perspective on a situation. 

I didn't know that I don't know myself half as well as I thought.

I didn't know how challenging parenthood would be.  

I also didn't know that it would be the most fun I've ever had.

This list will probably expand on a daily basis.

My husband and I were talking last night and he summed up parenthood pretty darn well. "It is a lot of fun, but it is NOT easy."

I have set a few new goals for myself as a mom (and most likely I will fail at these most days but that is okay)

1. To go on a daily walk with my daughter.  I have begun doing this and it has made a huge difference for me.  I have not been given the green light to work out yet, but I am so excited to get back into running.  The little bit of exercise makes a huge difference in how I approach my day.

2. To have fun cooking and planning dinners.  I am getting better at cooking! I know how to cook but I am learning to diversify my dishes more and it is becoming more fun. Ken is already a great cook and loves experimenting, I struggle to let go of the recipe sometimes.

3. Do little things every day to keep the house clean.  This is not my favorite thing, but man, it makes me feel a LOT better.

I am slowly getting more into the groove of this parenting thing and it feels really nice to get my confidence back after a month of doubting myself.  So, for my pregnant and new mom friends- don't doubt yourself!  It will only make things more difficult.  You have what it takes.

Love,

Steph

Here are some pictures of the short hike that we took Penny on.  The trail wasn't that great, but the views were pretty and the weather was wonderful.

 The reluctant hiker.

 The hiking selfie (Penny is in the Ergo that Ken is wearing).

Penny has my feet! 

Gratitude

My mom has been coming up to stay with us about once a week to help Ken and I with the baby.  I know she loves being with us and being able to be with Penny and see her grow, but I don't think she will ever understand how much she does for us.  Ken and I are always so excited for when she comes because we love seeing how much care and love she shows Penny.  It's nice sometimes to just have a moment to sit and watch someone else shower love on your child.  Especially in such a gentle and patient way.

There is no denying that it takes a village to raise a child.  My friend once said to me that there really should be at least four people raising one child, but nowadays it ends up being more like four children to one adult.  I am so blessed that I have my mother to come and help us with Penny.  I would hope that she understands how much it means to us and there is really no way to pay her back for everything she has done.

I have been attending a breastfeeding circle every Wednesday morning with a wonderful group of women.  We get together to talk about our struggles and triumphs with breastfeeding, but we also talk about our struggles and joys of motherhood as well.  I am grateful to have other mothers with newborns to talk to and discuss things with.  It has bonded us and we all draw from each other's strength.  Without that group and my mother, I know I would feel very lonely since Ken has gone back to work.  I really value the relationships that I have with them and I am excited to watch all of their children grow as well.


Penny Update:

Penny is 3 weeks and 4 days old today!  She is astounding us every day with her strength and has really turned a corner as far as adjusting to this world goes.  She now has many wakeful, alert periods during the day where she is just happy to sit in our arms and discover the world.  My mom and I went on a lovely walk to Stater Brothers yesterday with her to grab a few groceries and she did so well!  She can get a little fussy in her car seat but was such a trooper for our walk.  I really want to take her on a short hike today in the Ergo (Thank you Uncle Steve and Aunt Gina!! It is such a lifesaver) but I think I might be pushing it for my body.  My back is still recovering from the short walk yesterday.  I am excited and nervous to start training for the Spartan Race again but I know I am basically starting from square one fitness wise.  But, maybe this is a beautiful opportunity to start from scratch and really train the right way from day 1.  Three more weeks until my doctors appointment where I get the okay to start working out again.  I can't wait.  Until then, I am taking advantage of Penny being heavy and giving my arms a workout.

I am excited to have the rest of the day ahead of me and I am thankful to my mom for giving me time to write this post.  Now it's off to feed the baby!

Gratefully yours,

Steph

 Tummy Time on daddy's back!

 Falling asleep in the car seat mid-cry.

My little love-bug.