Our air conditioner is broken.
BROKEN.
Yesterday the temperatures hit 100 degrees here in central NC. Today it's supposed to get up to 97 degrees. And the a/c doesn't work!
Last night our thermometer kept creeping up, up, up. The house sat at an uncomfortable 88 degrees. We all slept in our undies. I had all the fans on, the windows open, iced rice packs, wet washcloths and still slept horribly.
And the baby, of course, wanted to cuddle. It was like cuddling with a sweaty hotbox. That's been constipated for 2 days and woke up every couple of hours screaming because her tummy hurt.
The a/c guy is supposed to come today between 12-3... let's hope he does. In the meantime, I'm trying to stay as cool as possible, and we'll probably be taking a trip to the library to enjoy some cold air. Hopefully this doesn't happen to you!
Jul 13, 2011
Jul 12, 2011
Great-Grandparents Savoie
Last Tuesday my grandparents drove up from Florida to meet their great-granddaughter. They were on their annual trip up to New York where they stay with my aunt for a month. Last year on their way down, they visited while I was nearly 6 months pregnant. And it's been nearly a year since they were here, and my how things have changed!
It was so wonderful to visit with them. I don't see them nearly enough. My family is so scattered. All on the east coast, but still. Aunts and uncles up in New York and Vermont, grandparents and extended family down south in Florida. My parents live here in NC, but four hours east, and Kevin's parents are the closest at about an hour away. Nobody here in Charlotte, and I get so lonely sometimes for family to be nearby. In fact, when family does visit, and especially if it's for a few days, I get really sad when they leave. Just like my Moma, I often cry when people leave.
Anyhow, Grandma and Grandpa LOVED Adelaide! A month ago, Adelaide would not have really let them hold her and play with her, but she is so much better at being around and with other people now that she is a little more independent. I'd say since she began really sitting up steadily on her own is where I saw the change in temperament, for the better.
Grandpa immediately got down on the floor with her, giving her kisses and trying to get her to laugh. We determined that if Adelaide doesn't see me (and is already in a good mood, of course) she is much better with others. If she does see me, often she realizes that she wants me, RIGHT NOW. So they each took turns taking her into the nursery and playing in front of the mirror. I even heard Grandma get a giggle out of her!
We went out for dinner, where Adelaide sucked and gummed a slice of canteloupe and a slice of honeydew. She was pretty adament about keeping those slices to herself. If I reached over to adjust how she was holding it (helping her, I tell you!), she let out a scream! But all in all, she did wonderfully.
[This last one is a little blurry, but I think it's so funny and love it anyway!]
It was so wonderful to visit with them. I don't see them nearly enough. My family is so scattered. All on the east coast, but still. Aunts and uncles up in New York and Vermont, grandparents and extended family down south in Florida. My parents live here in NC, but four hours east, and Kevin's parents are the closest at about an hour away. Nobody here in Charlotte, and I get so lonely sometimes for family to be nearby. In fact, when family does visit, and especially if it's for a few days, I get really sad when they leave. Just like my Moma, I often cry when people leave.
Anyhow, Grandma and Grandpa LOVED Adelaide! A month ago, Adelaide would not have really let them hold her and play with her, but she is so much better at being around and with other people now that she is a little more independent. I'd say since she began really sitting up steadily on her own is where I saw the change in temperament, for the better.
Grandpa immediately got down on the floor with her, giving her kisses and trying to get her to laugh. We determined that if Adelaide doesn't see me (and is already in a good mood, of course) she is much better with others. If she does see me, often she realizes that she wants me, RIGHT NOW. So they each took turns taking her into the nursery and playing in front of the mirror. I even heard Grandma get a giggle out of her!
We went out for dinner, where Adelaide sucked and gummed a slice of canteloupe and a slice of honeydew. She was pretty adament about keeping those slices to herself. If I reached over to adjust how she was holding it (helping her, I tell you!), she let out a scream! But all in all, she did wonderfully.
[This last one is a little blurry, but I think it's so funny and love it anyway!]
Jul 7, 2011
Well, I tried... (and failed.)
So, after going to my end-of-year staff luncheon and then freaking out, I took a leap. I'd been thinking for a long time about how I could teach art classes at local daycares as a way to halfway stay at home. I teach elementary art, and I do art camps each summer (even last summer when I was pregnant and babysitting fulltime and TIRED) so I'm well prepared to do something like teach a bunch of kids in daycare. I'm talking the four year olds though. Maybe three year olds. Much looser expectations, of course.
So I called, like, ALL the local daycare centers. A bunch of them. Pitched the idea. Most were like, "eh... send us a flyer" without so much as a hint of enthusiasm about it. Some flat out said no ("We're an inclusive preschool.").
One center was excited for the idea and we set up a meeting to discuss logistics. Classes on Fridays, four classes to a session, $10/class, I'd have to bring my daughter, etc. That meeting was a couple of weeks ago. I created a flyer for the parents, she sent it home to the two four-year-old classrooms and I waited.
Today was the deadline for signups, with classes to start tomorrow. I called this afternoon to see how many kids signed up, and was hit with a bit bummer. One parent paid, one promised payment tomorrow. That's it.
Such a disappointment. I put a lot of hope in that this could work. Of course it would not be enough to let me stay at home, but a little bit of extra cash would have been really nice (we need more diapers, a breastpump, and our anniversary is coming up). But for only one kid for sure, maybe two, I can't justify dragging Adelaide along without knowing that she'd be in a good mood.
So, I canceled the class for now. I plan on trying again next summer while Adelaide is still in daycare. I plan on having her keep going for a few half-days over the summer break so that there is still that consistency (and give me time to do camps and take lots of early morning naps.... ahhh...).
I am SO bummed. BUT! At least I tried. I went for it instead of wondering what if. I put myself out there which I rarely do. I tend to stay where I'm comfortable, and even though this didn't really work (ok, didn't work at all), I know I want to try again. Later. When Adelaide is older and I'm not tired all the time and I'm not as emotionally tied to the idea of it being a way to stay at home. Later it will be something fun to do to expand my career as an art teacher, and make a little bit of extra money.
Have you ever put yourself out there? How did it go?
So I called, like, ALL the local daycare centers. A bunch of them. Pitched the idea. Most were like, "eh... send us a flyer" without so much as a hint of enthusiasm about it. Some flat out said no ("We're an inclusive preschool.").
One center was excited for the idea and we set up a meeting to discuss logistics. Classes on Fridays, four classes to a session, $10/class, I'd have to bring my daughter, etc. That meeting was a couple of weeks ago. I created a flyer for the parents, she sent it home to the two four-year-old classrooms and I waited.
Today was the deadline for signups, with classes to start tomorrow. I called this afternoon to see how many kids signed up, and was hit with a bit bummer. One parent paid, one promised payment tomorrow. That's it.
Such a disappointment. I put a lot of hope in that this could work. Of course it would not be enough to let me stay at home, but a little bit of extra cash would have been really nice (we need more diapers, a breastpump, and our anniversary is coming up). But for only one kid for sure, maybe two, I can't justify dragging Adelaide along without knowing that she'd be in a good mood.
So, I canceled the class for now. I plan on trying again next summer while Adelaide is still in daycare. I plan on having her keep going for a few half-days over the summer break so that there is still that consistency (and give me time to do camps and take lots of early morning naps.... ahhh...).
I am SO bummed. BUT! At least I tried. I went for it instead of wondering what if. I put myself out there which I rarely do. I tend to stay where I'm comfortable, and even though this didn't really work (ok, didn't work at all), I know I want to try again. Later. When Adelaide is older and I'm not tired all the time and I'm not as emotionally tied to the idea of it being a way to stay at home. Later it will be something fun to do to expand my career as an art teacher, and make a little bit of extra money.
Have you ever put yourself out there? How did it go?
Jul 6, 2011
Our weekend + lots of visiting!
With Monday being a holiday, Kevin had the day off of work. I had totally forgotten that it would be a long weekend with him until just a couple of days before. Needless to say I was very very happy. I love when he has extra time at home.
And Adelaide is just so much happier with both of her parents are playing with her and spending time snuggling and talking and taking her outside and blowing spit bubbles and screaming. Oh yes, screaming is the new thing around here. Happy screams. Frustrated screams. Mad screams. Mostly happy. She gets so loud. We scream back at her, so I'm sure that's just encouraging the noise, but we love it so much.
Sunday we met up with some friends for a few minutes. They gave us a bit of watermelon (they're always giving us food!) and it was delicious with a bit of salt. Yum.
Monday we drove the hour to Kevin's parents' house to spend some time with them, his sister, and our nephew. The last time we went up there Adelaide didn't really want to be held by anyone and was very cautious. Of course, everyone wanted to hold her and spend time in her face. It wasn't a great mix.
This time, she was able to sit up solidly in the middle of the living room floor, falling only once. Everyone sat around her. Her four-year-old cousin loved making her smile and of course the screams came out. She did so much better with all the attention. She was able to interact this time, and she even let Papa Brown hold her for short bursts of time. Awesome!
[Our 4th of July baby!]
Yesterday was a very special day for us: my grandparents came to meet Adelaide for the first time! They drove up from Florida and gushed and laughed over the new baby. They read this blog and adore all the photos. It was so nice for them to actually spend some time with her, and she did wonderfully with them as well! Pictures to come, soon! Just have to find time to resize them and upload them.
She has met almost all of her family, now. She has so many people that love and adore her. I hope she always knows that and doesn't ever doubt it. This girl melts my heart every day. Kevin and I are both in awe at this little person. She is less and less a baby and more of a person. With intentions and preferences and thoughts and giggles and screams. Lots and lots of screams. :)
[Taken a week and a half ago... she loves the mirror!]
And Adelaide is just so much happier with both of her parents are playing with her and spending time snuggling and talking and taking her outside and blowing spit bubbles and screaming. Oh yes, screaming is the new thing around here. Happy screams. Frustrated screams. Mad screams. Mostly happy. She gets so loud. We scream back at her, so I'm sure that's just encouraging the noise, but we love it so much.
Sunday we met up with some friends for a few minutes. They gave us a bit of watermelon (they're always giving us food!) and it was delicious with a bit of salt. Yum.
Monday we drove the hour to Kevin's parents' house to spend some time with them, his sister, and our nephew. The last time we went up there Adelaide didn't really want to be held by anyone and was very cautious. Of course, everyone wanted to hold her and spend time in her face. It wasn't a great mix.
This time, she was able to sit up solidly in the middle of the living room floor, falling only once. Everyone sat around her. Her four-year-old cousin loved making her smile and of course the screams came out. She did so much better with all the attention. She was able to interact this time, and she even let Papa Brown hold her for short bursts of time. Awesome!
[Our 4th of July baby!]Yesterday was a very special day for us: my grandparents came to meet Adelaide for the first time! They drove up from Florida and gushed and laughed over the new baby. They read this blog and adore all the photos. It was so nice for them to actually spend some time with her, and she did wonderfully with them as well! Pictures to come, soon! Just have to find time to resize them and upload them.
She has met almost all of her family, now. She has so many people that love and adore her. I hope she always knows that and doesn't ever doubt it. This girl melts my heart every day. Kevin and I are both in awe at this little person. She is less and less a baby and more of a person. With intentions and preferences and thoughts and giggles and screams. Lots and lots of screams. :)
Jul 4, 2011
Yummy Monday : Blueberry-Topped Oatmeal
This is a delicious breakfast that is easy, filling, and super healthy! It's a great way to start your day. The sweetness of the honey, the crunch of the walnuts, and the pop of the blueberries are a perfect combination! Of course, you could add or take away any toppings you like.
{If you are interested in contributing a recipe to Yummy Mondays, please contact me. The only requirements are that the recipe be vegetarian and yummy. You must also include step by step instructions and lots of pictures!}
Blueberry-Topped Oatmeal
{Makes 1 Serving}
Ingredients
1/2 cup water
1 cup oatmeal (any type will do)
pinch salt (optional)
1 teaspoon honey
unsweetened coconut flakes
handful fresh blueberries
chopped walnuts
Bring water to a boil (with salt added if you desire, for taste).
When boiling, stir in oatmeal. Lower to a simmer. Cook for approximately 12 minutes, give or take, or until oatmeal is the consistency that you like.
Pour into a bowl.
Stir in honey for sweetness.
Top with coconut, walnuts, and blueberries.
Enjoy!
{Makes 1 Serving}
Ingredients
1/2 cup water
1 cup oatmeal (any type will do)
pinch salt (optional)
1 teaspoon honey
unsweetened coconut flakes
handful fresh blueberries
chopped walnuts
Bring water to a boil (with salt added if you desire, for taste).
When boiling, stir in oatmeal. Lower to a simmer. Cook for approximately 12 minutes, give or take, or until oatmeal is the consistency that you like.
Pour into a bowl.
Stir in honey for sweetness.
Top with coconut, walnuts, and blueberries.
Enjoy!
{If you are interested in contributing a recipe to Yummy Mondays, please contact me. The only requirements are that the recipe be vegetarian and yummy. You must also include step by step instructions and lots of pictures!}
Jul 1, 2011
Friday Crafternoon v.3
Whoops! I missed last week. Time has a tendency to disappear around here. Do you ever have that problem? Geesh.
Anyway, some awesome stuff to inspire you:
Love, love, love these little creatures. Definitely going in my "teaching ideas" folder!
The first picture makes me drool. I'm in love with repetition, order, and all things symmetrical.
Lots of awesome kid furniture here. I'm loving the xylophone table and indoor swing!
Quick and easy project to add a little fun to your summer dining room table!
Easy and so very pretty. What a way to dress up a plain skirt. Plus you can pick and choose what colors you use. I'm thinking lime green, teal, and white for me!
Anyway, some awesome stuff to inspire you:
Love, love, love these little creatures. Definitely going in my "teaching ideas" folder!
The first picture makes me drool. I'm in love with repetition, order, and all things symmetrical.
Lots of awesome kid furniture here. I'm loving the xylophone table and indoor swing!
Quick and easy project to add a little fun to your summer dining room table!
Easy and so very pretty. What a way to dress up a plain skirt. Plus you can pick and choose what colors you use. I'm thinking lime green, teal, and white for me!
First food + baby-led weaning.
Adelaide was exclusively breastfed for 6 months. Not a drop of water or taste of anything else but mama's milk for her first six months of life. (Exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.) It wasn't hard to do, and it's definitely what I wanted to do. Giving Adelaide her first food was both an exciting and saddening time for me.
Exciting because holy whoa! Look at what fun she had! New adventures in eating, new textures and feelings and tastes. My baby is eating. EATING. Not attached to my boob.
Err... wait a minute... Not attached to my boob? You mean my baby is growing up and is working her way to not needing me to survive? Slow down there. Sad.
Anyway, she's been watching us eat for a while now. Her eyes tracking the fork going from plate to mouth and back. And of course she's been reaching out for our food, because she's reaching out for everything. So on her 6 month birthday, along with taking her monthly photos and making her first painting, we gave her the first taste of not-mama's-milk. Aka... banana.
Instead of mushing it up or mixing it in with rice cereal, we went straight for the real thing. A banana freshly peeled and handed over to our little girl. I'd been reading about baby-led weaning and it just seemed like the most natural thing to do! Especially because we waited until her 6 month birthday instead of trying to feed her earlier.
I don't think she got much down, but that's not the point. The point of baby-led weaning is to let them experience food. Whether or not they actually eat it doesn't matter. Of course, some did go down as her later diaper change showed (um... yuck! Can we say gross to thicker, globbier, stinkier poop???).
She gummed it, sucked on it, squished it in between her fingers, spread it around, dropped it. You name it, she did it. She demolished the banana. It ended up all over her shirt, her face, her hands and arms, on the table, all over the bumbo tray, and even underneath her.
Most importantly, we let her experience this new thing at her own pace. We didn't force her to eat the whole thing, there was nothing to measure. She is still getting all her nutrients and calories from my milk. Banana is extra.
She really, really, really had a good time. We videoed the whole thing (about 15 minutes) with our camcorder, but I was also taking pictures (obviously) with the camera and decided to take a 5-minute video with the camera too. So here it is for your viewing pleasure.
Since then, she's tried SO many things. Since we don't have a crazy amount of food allergies in our families (Kevin's only mildly allergic to some fresh fruits), we're not doing the 4-day wait rule. It's just too exciting not to give her such a variety and see what she does with it!
She likes: bananas, mango, sweet potatoes, frozen blueberries in the mesh feeder, zucchini, carrots, pear + raspberry puree
She doesn't like: avocado, rice + lentil puree, apricot
We do feed her a little bit of organic pureed food daily, with a little bit of baby probiotics mixed in. When I took her to her 6 month doctor visit and mentioned her continuing problem with gas pains, he mentioned trying that. So I bought some powdered stuff at Earth Fare and mix a bit in with a little puree. I load up the spoon and if she leans forward or grabs the spoon, I'll let her have the food. If not, I don't force it on her. Sometimes she gets the full dose of the probiotics, sometimes she doesn't. I figure any at all is helping her, right?
Two websites that I've enjoyed reading from about baby-led weaning: one and two.
Exciting because holy whoa! Look at what fun she had! New adventures in eating, new textures and feelings and tastes. My baby is eating. EATING. Not attached to my boob.
Err... wait a minute... Not attached to my boob? You mean my baby is growing up and is working her way to not needing me to survive? Slow down there. Sad.
Anyway, she's been watching us eat for a while now. Her eyes tracking the fork going from plate to mouth and back. And of course she's been reaching out for our food, because she's reaching out for everything. So on her 6 month birthday, along with taking her monthly photos and making her first painting, we gave her the first taste of not-mama's-milk. Aka... banana.
Instead of mushing it up or mixing it in with rice cereal, we went straight for the real thing. A banana freshly peeled and handed over to our little girl. I'd been reading about baby-led weaning and it just seemed like the most natural thing to do! Especially because we waited until her 6 month birthday instead of trying to feed her earlier.
I don't think she got much down, but that's not the point. The point of baby-led weaning is to let them experience food. Whether or not they actually eat it doesn't matter. Of course, some did go down as her later diaper change showed (um... yuck! Can we say gross to thicker, globbier, stinkier poop???).
She gummed it, sucked on it, squished it in between her fingers, spread it around, dropped it. You name it, she did it. She demolished the banana. It ended up all over her shirt, her face, her hands and arms, on the table, all over the bumbo tray, and even underneath her.
Most importantly, we let her experience this new thing at her own pace. We didn't force her to eat the whole thing, there was nothing to measure. She is still getting all her nutrients and calories from my milk. Banana is extra.
She really, really, really had a good time. We videoed the whole thing (about 15 minutes) with our camcorder, but I was also taking pictures (obviously) with the camera and decided to take a 5-minute video with the camera too. So here it is for your viewing pleasure.
Since then, she's tried SO many things. Since we don't have a crazy amount of food allergies in our families (Kevin's only mildly allergic to some fresh fruits), we're not doing the 4-day wait rule. It's just too exciting not to give her such a variety and see what she does with it!
She likes: bananas, mango, sweet potatoes, frozen blueberries in the mesh feeder, zucchini, carrots, pear + raspberry puree
She doesn't like: avocado, rice + lentil puree, apricot
We do feed her a little bit of organic pureed food daily, with a little bit of baby probiotics mixed in. When I took her to her 6 month doctor visit and mentioned her continuing problem with gas pains, he mentioned trying that. So I bought some powdered stuff at Earth Fare and mix a bit in with a little puree. I load up the spoon and if she leans forward or grabs the spoon, I'll let her have the food. If not, I don't force it on her. Sometimes she gets the full dose of the probiotics, sometimes she doesn't. I figure any at all is helping her, right?
Two websites that I've enjoyed reading from about baby-led weaning: one and two.
How did you introduce food to your little one? Did you try Baby-Led Weaning?
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