Having a little chat

Haley has finally started cooing at me, and I think there may have even been and ahh-goo or two in there. But my challenge is often finding ways to talk to her.

Here are some solutions I've found. A lot of my ideas I got from What to expect.

Talking to Haley, my Top 10

1. Say names a lot. So she will learn to recognize her name and the names of others. This includes referring to myself in the third person.

ex: " Mommy is going to change Haley's diaper"

2. Ask Haley questions and give her time to respond, then provide a response.

ex: "Which diaper would you like to wear, big bird or Elmo? ... Elmo, good choice"

3. Describe what we're doing by giving a play by play.

ex: "We are going on a walk, we are passing a tree, that is a mail box where people send letters" or "It is time for Haley's bath, the water is warm and wet."

4. Talk in repeatable phrases, so Haley has some basic language to learn and use as her first words.

ex: "bye-bye", "up", "night night"

5. Play copy cat, so Haley will know that what she says matters.

ex: trying to copy Haley's coos and even her cries. This is particularly therapeutic on her fussy days when I want to fuss too.

6: Recall the events of the day when it's over, or start the day by listing what you're going to do.

ex: " This morning we walked to town, then Haley took a nap, then Haley played in her bouncy seat..."

7: Sing songs and recite poems or rhymes.

ex: Nursery rhymes are great because of the rhymes ad rhythms, but I also love singing hymns and other songs. My favorite is gypsy rover

8. Read books.

I like reading to Haley, especially when she's nursing. I usually read her children's books, but I am also reading her Pippi Longstocking and sometimes I read to her from my own book, as long as it's not too risque.

9. Reason with her

I think it's fun to talk to Haley like she's an adult. I like trying to reason with her, even when she has no idea what I'm saying. Mostly it's just to be silly.

ex: "Haley use your words." or "It's not polite to stare"

10. Finally, Go for a little baby talk.

It may drive the people around you nuts, but babies like the high pitch sounds and sometimes it's just fun.

Frisbee Baby goes to Nationals!

Haley's Dad is one of the best frisbee players in the country, he plays for Ring of Fire. These guys are great!

Haley went to her first tournament when she was two and a half weeks old. I decided that since she had three more tournaments to go to, she may as well dress the part. So I made her 2 onesies, one with the logo and another that says my daddy's #1 (because he is, in our hearts and on the field)

Before nationals I decided to make her a throwback fire jersey to watch the players, and a long sleeved ring jersey because it's November so it would make since for it to be cold, right?

Well It wasn't cold, it was in the 90's all 3 days we were at Nationals, but at least we were able to stay in the shade and Haley didn't get sunburned again. Check her out in her shades.

She did however spend time with her uncle Josh and learn to hold a frisbee. Watch out folks, she'll have a hammer in no time.

Resting after a long day at the fields

Haley supports the team even in her sleep

Haley loved watching the guys in their fire jerseys

We played fantasy ultimate. Haley won it for me with this move right here.

Here is Haley with Uncle Josh and best friend (KP)

And with an uncle around, and Debbie, Christina, and Kara I actually got to take a few photos of the games. This one was probably the best. Whoever says ultimate is not a sport, just check out some more photos, these guys are ridiculously athletic.

Haley's first Halloween

Haley's first Halloween was a bit of a bust. We were in hot Serasota Florida (no fall feeling and leaves falling) for Zach's frisbee tournament. We didn't get to carve pumpkins or go trick or treating with friends. But there were some redeeming qualities. I did eat some candy corn and Haley looked adorable in her costumes.

I always though I'd dress my baby as a pea pod for halloween, because lets face it, when else in life is that cute? But, my mom got Haley an adorable witch costume instead. This was purchased before she was even born on one of our many Babies R Us outings. When we got it we all though there was no way she would be big enough for it, it looked huge on the hanger, but my long little baby filled it out quite nicely. It was nice because this may be Haley's only store bought costume, at least until she can save up to buy one herself.

We went to olive garden for dinner and it was quite entertaining. there was another baby there dressed as an imp (basically a devil with bat wings) and a cute little toddler dressed as a puppy. His mom was taking him to the bathroom a little too quickly and he kept slipping on his paws.

I was worried Haley would be uncomfortable in her outfit so I made her some onesies as well. These were made with simple fabric markers. (I messed up by filling in the ghost's moth too much and putting a line over the pumpkins tooth... but since i made these at 1 in the morning I guess I shouldn't beat myself up too much)

I would have likes to just do black on an orange onesie for the pumpkin, but I thought this was a nice alternative. I copied the idea for the hat, and was pretty pleased with the way it turned out.

I wanted the ghost to be friendly looking, so I'm not sure if it gets the point across. This one is a little too small too, but Haley is pretty tolerant. I wish I had made a pointy white hat to match.

If I had it to do over again, I would have taken Haley to a pumpkin patch, carved pumpkins with friends and done some cut Harry Potter character family costumes, starring Haley as a mandrake.

Momma Yoga

what is yoga?

An Indian tradition related to the union of mind, body and spirit.

So What does yoga have to do with being a mom?

It's a great way to stretch out and relax while bonding with the little bean.

Here are my 2 favorite ideas.

Cat Cow

Do cat-cow while mooing and meowing at baby. Haley loves this, she had a big giddy smile on her face each time I looked at her and made noises.

Sun Salutations

The other great one is sun salutations. I loved these in the yoga class I did in college. When you are doing downward facing dog you can bark, or hiss during cobra. Just don't go to low.

This is the simple version. It's easy and relaxing. I enjoy the rhythmic movements.

I like this one because it has some warrior poses thrown in.

Haley Loves High Contrast

I realized that Haley absolutely loves the mobile over her changing table.

So I decided to paint her some pictures with the same black, white and red style. I found some pictures online that inspires these. Haley seems to like them. If I pt them on either side of her she tries to roll toward them, she can't get past her side yet.

Then I made some silhouettes of Zach and I from our wedding and from my pregnancy. I am pretty pleased with the way they turned out.

These are the pictures they came from.

The wedding picture is from James and Jenny of Visio photography

My friend Jessi (of Capture photography) too the pregnancy photo for us.

Nursery Art

Being a stay at home mom gives me lots of time to be crafty again. Well a little time at least.

I love to paint. I haven't done it much in the past few years but I have missed it. Rebecca and Jessi made Haley a beautiful alphabet painting for her nursery. They had the fun idea of doing a flower painting with the same colors at the baby shower. It was a great idea that didn't go so well. After the baby shower we re-painted it and Jessi started to create paintings more in line with her original vision. However, time want by and it just wasn't happening so I took the canvases home to finish on my own. I found some green and pink paint and painted the canvases solid colors. Then I spent hours looking for ideas online and trying to decide which ideas to pursue. i ended up using the design from stationary I found online for the first canvas, and mimicing the pattern for the second. I also decided to paint Haley's name on the canvases. I traced them in pencil first and painted over in opposite colors. I thin they turned out pretty well. My next project are some high contrast paintings since Haley loves the mobile over her changing table with all the black, white and red images.

Rebecca taught me to crochet, and by looking at videos online, and with more instruction from Rebecca I have improved my knitting skills beyond the basic stitch. It was been great to have a simple craft to do with my hands. We have been traveling a lot with Zach playing frisbee and I love having something to do while sitting in the passenger seat. Also crocheting is great because it is easy to do with Haley sleeping in my arms, and I can easily put it down at any point if she gets fussy. So far I have only made dish cloths and hats. I taught myself to make cute baby hats (that look slightly like witch hats) and after re-starting about 6 times I made a beanie for Zach. I am looking forward to creating blankets and other new things for all of the babies that are due soon.

The Search for my favorite Nursing Gear

Guys beware, this post is all about Haley's bottles. And no, I don't mean the bpa free kind.

We have all heard that breast is best. What the don't tell you is that it hurts. Oh my gosh it hurts. The pinch of a baby learning to eat for the first time mixed with boobs that seem like they may explode off your chest and then dried out or chapped nipples is not a good feeling. But it is a sacrifice worth making if you can. Luckily there are several classes, hospital lactation consultants, and great gear to help mothers as they embark on the journey of feeding their babies.

At two and a half weeks Haley got thrush which made it hurt worse right as it was finally starting to get better. I wanted desperately to quit, and might have if I hadn't let Haley get sunburned. I cried through several feedings but I figured toughing out the pain was the least I could do for my sweet baby who I had exposed to too much sun. And I'm glad I stuck it out (although I have a total respect for anyone who doesn't seriously I think it was only guilt that kept me going. Well, guilt and knowing that preparing bottles in the middle of the night would have been a much bigger inconvenience than unhooking my bra.

Nursing Bras: These are the one's I have tried and my opinions of them. They are all available at Target for the price listed.

Medela Sleep Nursing Bra $19.99

This bra is super comfortable and convenient! (even though Target sent me the wrong color... twice; and wouldn't let me return it after trekking to the sore because the don't sell them at the Asheville location.)This one is great because you don't have to worry about re-hooking it, which is great for sleepy middle of the night feedings, or feeding in public. Instead of wrestling with your bra one handed under a sliding blanket you can focus on your baby who needs to be burped. This bra does offer less support though. It also has a racer back so the straps ill show if you have a wide necked top, but it's perfect under a t-shirt.

Gilligan & O'Malley Nursing Tank $16.99

I love these tank tops! I have 4 of them (2 black, 1 white, 1 grey). These tank tops are affordable, comfortable, and I can wear these as a shirt or under a shirt. the advantage if they're under a shirt is that When I lift my shirt by postpartum belly is not exposed

Gilligan & O'Malley® Nursing Padded Demi Bra $12.99

This bra is great if i want to feel sexy. It's a little stiff for pulling down to nurse, but it looks like a regular bra with the convenience of a pull down clip. It's perfect for wearing under my regular clothes and for days when I just want to feel like a regular me again.

Nursing Sports Bra With Padded Straps $12.99

I got this bra because after trying to run to first base in a church softball game I realized that regular bras will no longer cut it. (I also realized that running for the first time in almost a yea is no piece of cake, but that's another story) After a lifetime in the IBTC needing a bra full time is an adjustment, and this one is great for the extra support I will need while trying to lose the baby weight. Soccer field here I come.

Gilligan & O'Malley® Nursing Sleep Bra $16.99

This bra is super stretchy and I liked it at first, especially when my milk came in and I felt like I had two cantaloupes attached to my chest. But it is not my favorite now. The mesh fabric across the top makes re-hooking the bra easier, but it also means you can't wear it under most nicer tops. Of all the bras I have tried this is the one I would have skipped.

Other Favorite Breast Feeding Products

Nursing Pads:

These are a must if you don't want big milk stains on your shirt (and in the first few weeks they may not be enough to help anyways) My favorite are the washable cotton/ bamboo pads I got from Jessi, They have cute designs and are eco friendly. The also have flower on one so you can keep track of which side you recently nursed on (although for me a hair tie on my wrist works better- when I don't fidget with it and switch it subconsciously) However sometimes disposables are what you need, like when you're trying to get rid of thrush or its laundry day. My favorites are Gerber ultra thins. They are super absorbent and they are comfortable since they're so thin. I also like Johnson's because they have tape on them so they will stick to your bra, which is helpful when you're nursing in public and you don't want to put down the nursing pad where it could fall on a dirty floor or get lost in the shuffle of baby, burp cloth, and blanket. I don't like the shape as much because if they are in the wrong spot they can be difficult to adjust and they are less comfortable and awkward looking. Finally I will say that I tried Lily Padz once, and while they feel nice (they are a bit cool which is soothing) I do not think the necessary upkeep is worth the trouble. I would say skip these as well, although they may be a great fit for other moms.

Pain Treatment

Lansinoh Lanolin Topical Treatment. This stuff is a must have if you have sore nipples (and you will) I don't know how soothing it is, but it did help at least some, especially when Haley got thrush. The downside - It's sticky and gross feeling, you have to rub it between your fingers to soften it up. If you are using disposable breast nursing pads you can wipe your fingers off on those and it's less inconvenient, but it will stain so beware. I also had some gerber ice pack that felt great when I was engorged in the beginning.

Pumping and Bottle Feeding:

I received the Medela Single Deluxe Electric Breastpump from a friend and it is the perfect fit for me. I have class for grad school on Monday night and am usually gone for about 5 hours. This means that once a week Haley usually needs two bottles. With this pump I can pump once on Sunday and once on Monday and Haley is good to go for the night. It is a convenient size and not terrible expensive. I usually pump one side while Haley is eating on the other. It is electric which is convenient and has an AC adapter to charge. This pump is lightweight and easy to use. I usually build up to full power, but I learned quickly to start on a low setting and work my way up otherwise OUCH! My only suggestion is to get an extra valve part (where it empties into the collection container) because that is the hardest part to clean.

I really like medela products and for 29.99 my mom got me a storage and feeding set. It has bag storage as well as 6 freezer containers and 3 bottles. I imagine that it is all I will ever need since I only pump for class and the occasional free-time outing

Cover up:

I got one of the cute nursing covers with the buckle on the side but I would say skip it. Haley gets all tagled up in it and a blanket works just as well, especially if yo have a husband or friend willing to old it up for you while finding the right latch. I will say though that I have seen "hooter hiders" which look like they would be a nursing cover worth having. It's just much easier if you can see your baby while they latch on.

Nursing Pillow:

What a blessing There are several out there, even with clever name, like my breast friend, but there is a reason boppy wins parenting magazine awards year after year. When I nurse using the boppy my arms don't get as tires and I can even lay haley on it to do other things, like read her a story. It has several cute, washable covers to choose from. And it is great for tummy time and for extra support when learning to sit up. I would say this is definitely a must have.

Gliders:

I got a really nice glider, also from m mother, and I love it. It's great for nursing and for soothing Haley when she's upset. The chair I got is very modern and will make a great piece of furniture even when my nursing days are up, however it is a definite luxury. Half of the time I end up nursing on the couch or in the bed. But that may change as we establish a more permanent bedtime routine. Basically I would say if you get a glider or rocker as a gift or as a steal on craigslist go for it but it is not something to break the bank on.

and to end here is my embarrassing nursing story...

One day I heard a knock on the door, I left Haley sleeping on the couch to go answer it. Two guys selling magazines. I talked to them for a few minutes before they made their sales pitch, which is when I told them I would not be spending any money and they left. A few minutes later I looked in the mirror, only to realize that the entire time I was talking to these two guys my tank top had been pulled down exposing my lovely nursing bra to the world. Just lovely.