Lies they tell you about the solid food transition...

Okay, I'm really frustrated that no one tells you how to go about the whole 'introduction to solid foods' thing. Here are a couple of lies I uncovered about this transition:

1) All the books I read said to mix the cereal with milk to a very runny consistency, to equal about a teaspoon for day 1. Then reduce the milk and increase the cereal daily from then on. Oh this is so not true. Brooklyn's system did not handle the onslaught of anything other than milk. What we learned later is that we should give her cereal for one meal, followed by milk, for one day only. Wait a couple days. Give it to her again for one meal, then milk, for one day. And so on. Then move up to two days in a row. This gives her system time to process this more concentrated form of food. Would this info have been nice to know a week ago????? YES! I could have avoided #2. Read on....

2) AND ANOTHER THING they don't tell you is that rice cereal will bind up the baby's ability to poo, making them seriously uncomfortable and prone to mindless screaming for hours on end. Will you have any idea why this is happening? Of course not. As new parents how would you know this? Again, helpful stuff to know LAST WEEK.

3) They make you think that if your kid isn't on solids by 6 months then you must be some freak trying to hinder your child's development or something. Screw "them" whoever "they" are. We took Brooklyn off the cereal and threw it in the trash. I don't care how old she is right now, or WHO thinks she should be eating solids already. I've never known a 5 year old who is still bottle fed because his parents didn't move him to solids by 6 months of age. We are going to wait a couple more weeks and try again. And maybe not even with cereal. Hence #4...

4) They also make you think that cereal is the first thing a baby should even try. Bull honk! I had a friend tell me she skipped cereal altogether with her first baby and he turned out just great.

I think we'll try avocado with Brooklyn when we give solid food another go. In a few weeks. When we are all darn good & ready. And if she happens to be 7 months old, SO BE IT!

Solids

No, not 'solids' as in someone did you a bunch of favors. I mean 'solids' as in the first non-breast milk thing Brooklyn gets to eat from a spoon. The word solid is very misleading because it isn't solid at all. It's mashed pureed (insert food) and about as un-solid as you can get.

Anyway, we chose the rice cereal as her first spoon-fed item. She wasn't sure about it initially but after a few tastes she did surprisingly well with this new experience. Brooklyn I'm so proud of you!

The part that makes me laugh is how my imagination of what it would be like to feed a baby from a spoon clashed with the reality of feeding a baby from a spoon. I pictured her sitting there very calmly, interested, open-mouthed, while woodland creatures frolicked about and birds sang through an open sunlit window. Reality: wiggly, closed-mouthed baby who's interested in everything BUT the task at hand. There is no way reading a book can prepare you for it.

Wooosh....was that a year that just flew by??

So today is our department holiday gift exchange & luncheon. I can't believe that this time last year I told my coworkers I was expecting a baby. Where has the time gone? It has been a blur.

I really wanted this to be the year MY gift would get passed around the most...the gift that people would brawl over, that lines would be drawn in the sand over, that duels would be initiated over. I wracked my brain for like 3 days trying to come up with the most clever gift these people had ever seen. And failed. My gift (Craftsman BBQ set that looks like a set of screwdrivers) wasn't traded at all and went home with the orginal recipient. Oh well. There's always next time.

You know, I really give props to my boss for doing this for us every Christmas. Especially this year when morale is extremely low for fear of layoffs. Well that's what happens when people elect a president who cancels the shuttle replacement program, leaving us all jobless in a year. Tis the season!

Holiday Happenings

Saturday we took Brooklyn to see Santa. She was so cute in her little white outfit. We thought white would be a good choice since Santa wears red. Well, his big ol' gloves and beard, combined with the baby's dress & porcelain skin, didn't contrast as much as we'd hoped. But she's still a cutie patootie! And she did so good - no crying or fussing. I didn't expect her to...I don't think she gets who is family and who isn't. Right now she just knows familiar faces. Strangers don't seem to bother her at all.



Saturday night was her first Christmas party. John bought this dress for her and she was basically the belle of the ball! Again, she had a great time...even with so many new faces. I was a little afraid she'd be overwelmed at the end of the night so I made sure to take her off to "her room" at Grandma's house and away from all the guests to let her unwind a little bit. It must have worked because she was pleasant and happy all night. Fell right to sleep when we got home. Such a sweet little trooper!

Christmas Music Review

All Time Faves & Why:
O Holy Night - Anyone can sing this song and I will love it. Celine, Josh, Christina, Luciano, Mariah, Celtic Woman...doesn't matter. The song itself is just beautiful...."fall on your knees"...what we will all ultimately do in the presence of our Lord. Let's do it now and willingly.

Sleigh Ride by the Boston Pops...first Christmas song I learned when I started playing in the band in middle school. Always loved the clap of the wood blocks as the whip crack. Just so peppy. Though I'm quite sure my middle school band sounded nothing like the Pops.

Carol of the Bells by David Foster...love the base line. Orchestra conductors must love this song. So much going on.

Wizards of Winter by TSO...who DOESN'T love this??? I dig pretty much anything that gets you pumped up. Can you imagine putting ornaments on your tree to this song?? The tree would be a MESS! LOL. But you'd have a great time doing it. =)

All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey...another peppy one.


All Time Not-So-Faves:

Jingle Bell Rock & Rockin Around the Christmas Tree...just stupid.

Mary Did You Know...um, singing this song about 40 times a night for a weekend of Bethlehem Experience performances has forever curdled this song in my heart.

Christmas Shoes...ugh...no words. Just sad and over played. I'm sure lots of people love this song. I'm just not one of them.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town by The Boss...the sax solo by Clarence Clemons is the only redeeming part of this song. When Bruce starts laughing during the chorus I want to choke him.

Any song where TSO sings. The lead guy sounds like a drunken cigar smoker. Someone mute his mic!!!

Yay for Christmas!! (and other stuff)

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday for different reasons throughout the years. As a kid I loved the presents. As a young adult I loved the presents and the parties. In my 20's I loved the presents, the parties, time off from work and the decorations. Now in my 30's I love the time spent showing people how important they are to me. And this year is even better because John and I get to make Christmas special for our little one.

When she is our age and looks back at her life with her family, what traditions will she hold dear? Do we even have any as a little family of three? Well now is the time to make some! =)

So how is Brooklyn doing now, you might ask? At 20 weeks she is a pretty content little baby. Our friends and family say she is very good. We don't have a comparison, but that makes me happy to hear. *I* think she's good too. LOL. She seems to enjoy her world and smiles a ton. Let me tell you, there is little else that will light up your day quite as easily as when a baby smiles at you. I enjoy her very much. It is neat to see her skills and personality develop.

Right now she likes:
~ People
~ When we talk or sing to her
~ Sucking on her clothing or blankets
~ Burping like an adorable little trucker
~ Bath time
~ The lights on the Christmas tree
~ To squeak, squawk & babble
~ Mornings
~ Smiling
~ Pulling herself to a standing position when you hold her little hands
~ Rolling around from side to side
~ Being awesome

Right now she's not so much into:
~ Being over tired (who does?!)
~ Being on her belly, although she's able to hold her top 1/2 up now, so tummy time is getting better.

More than I could have asked for...

When I picked Brooklyn up from Shelby's today I got some really great news. Shelby told me that she spent time praying for Brooklyn and her future spouse...that he would love God's word and have godly parents. I love that and pray that over her myself. Shelby also prayed that Brooklyn would have a strong will. I get this and see that it really is a positive. I was strong willed. For me that meant I didn't feel the need to go with the flow when other kids were running around getting pregnant or in trouble. It meant that if I was given a challenge I was determined to find a solution. These are attributes that pay major dividends in life. And I do want Brooklyn to be confident and determined to make her way in this world. Especially since our way of living is different than the norm. We love and serve God. I want her to shine her light to her peers regardless of what is socially acceptable. I want her to be the peer pressure among her friends. I heard our youth pastor share that during one of his talks and thought "what a fantastic concept!"

I imagine people don't typically get to enjoy the awesomeness that comes with a child care provider who prays over your child. That is why I'm so thrilled with the way all of this has turned out. Shelby cares very much for all aspects of Brooklyn's wellbeing and John and I can rest assured that our baby is in good hands. Thank you God for taking a situation that could have been simply average and making it magnificently more than what I asked for or could think of. Ephesians 3:20 is alive and living in me!

First Day with Nanny

Today is way harder than I thought it would be. I was okay until John called my office to see how I was doing. I just lost it at my desk. I hate hate hate that Brooklyn isn't with someone that she already knows. I am worried that she'll be scared of the new face and surroundings. But it is what God has for us at this time, so I'll deal with it and be thankful that Shelby, someone we know and love, is willing & able to help us out. It isn't like she's a complete stranger. And this is keeping Brooklyn from daycare germs. So yes, I guess there are many positives. Rebecca, cling to them!

Black Friday

Got some great deals. Did more spending on myself than anyone else. What's up with that???

It really wasn't the nightmare I thought it would be. I guess it's all in the attitude. I normally hate crowds and lines and the multitude of idiot drivers. But this day I figured those people WILL be encountered...so I'd better just be prepared for it. It made the experience so much fun. Went shopping with Krissy until our feet hurt. It was great to catch up with my BFF. It's been a long time since we've hung out just the two of us. I heart her! We also met John & Brooklyn at Moe's for lunch. I truly love the excitement of Christmas.

Heather will be here in less than a month! Huge WOOHOO!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Morning:
I've been up since 7:00am. Went to walmart to get newspaper & ended up buying a little Christmas tree. Got donuts & coffee. Came home to watch parade and look through the black friday ads. Everyone is still asleep. I love this quiet time. Think I'll make this my new tradition for Thanksgiving mornings. I love my family. I love this moment soooo much.

Afternoon:
Heading to in-law's house for dinner. Freebie does it again....wonderful spread!
Then we take pictures of the family, eat pie, then watch 3 movies while lounging around the house.

Evening:
Good to be home. I love time with family but home is soooooo nice.

You can ALWAYS trust in God to come through!

Last week John's company cancelled the 4 day work week. Although that sucks for him, the child care schedule, at this point, was still workable. However then we were dealt a blow last night when we found out my mom wouldn't be able to care for Brooklyn either. Seriously? But we had it all figured out. Why is this coming crashing down on us??? I really felt like someone punched me in the stomach. I cried.

How would we manage to find care for the baby for the 2 days a week that my mother in law cannot cover? My mind started going crazy trying to find a solution to our new problem. Does part time daycare even exist? Not for an infant. Am I going to have to quit my job? I can't even think straight. My heart was overwhelmed with sadness. I made some phone calls. We prayed and then went to sleep. Tomorrow is a new day.

And with tomorrow the sun came up. I called a friend this morning and asked her if her mom might want to work for us by caring for Brooklyn 2 days a week. The answer is a very enthusiastic "YES!" Seriously? Please don't be joking. "No, really. I would LOVE to watch Brooklyn for you. Thanks so much for asking me." Wow. I didn't expect that. But I knew that God would take care of things.

I called John with the good news and he was soooooo relieved. Shelby will start on 11/30.

Oh happy day!

Happy Birthday to Me!

We all slept in this morning but when I went to see the baby this is what I found:



Lunch in the village with John & Brooklyn. Thai Thai's...nummers!!

Lots of great pictures in the park.






Dinner with family & friends. More great pictures. What a luxurious day!

Reflections on the first 3 months

Last night I was clipping Brooklyn’s finger/toe nails as she fell asleep on my lap. It was so easy… *clip clip clip* and done. Then I carried her into her room, put her in her crib, tucked her in, and got the heck out. All in under a minute. It got me thinking about how far we’ve all come in 3 short months.

I remembered how panicked I was to clip her teensy little nails for the first time. Her fingers were unbelievably tiny. Even with John gently holding her finger and 20 minutes of me sweating and fumbling around, I just gave up…almost in tears from the fear of cutting my baby’s finger and unprepared for how hard this simple task was. And look at us now!

I also remembered how for the first month of Brooklyn’s life I would start to feel anxious at around 7’oclock each night, wondering if any of us would get any sleep that night. If she fell asleep in my arms I would watch what seemed like an eternity of minutes creep by before I could muster the nerve to get up. Then I’d hold my breath as I placed her in her bassinet…pleading with God not to let her wake up so I could get 3 decent hours of sleep. And look at us now! I can plop her in the crib and she’ll sleep for 9 or 10 hours. Anxiety – GONE!

I thought back to when John and I gave her her first bath in the kitchen sink. It was miserable for me. I worried about EVERYTHING…was the water too warm? Was John scrubbing her too hard and getting soap in her eyes? Would she slip out of my hands and drown or fall onto the tile? Would she hate this and us for doing it to her? But look at us now! Bath time is so easy and much more fun for all. She loves the water, splashes around with her feet, and looks into my eyes as I sing, talk to her and scrub all her 2000 parts.

I think about how my attitude has changed. Maybe I'm more patient. At least that is what John says. What used to annoy me about the idea of parenthood doesn’t seem to matter anymore. Like how you have to load up the U-haul with baby equipment just to run up to the grocery store for 2 things. Or how you put your hobbies on hold because spending time with the baby before she goes to bed is so much more fulfilling. Eh…you do these things because you love her and your own comfort or convenience or entertainment isn’t as high a priority. And you really don’t mind either.

I think about how this whole trip is a leap of faith. I feel like my heart is actually outside of my body and has become this little baby. I’ve felt like that about her daddy for years but with her it is a much more raw, vulnerable feeling. I HAVE to trust God with our tomorrows, even more now than ever before. So for today I will kiss her head. It is like breathing....I need to do it! And I will drink in her full-faced, chubby-cheeked, toothless smiles. And I will cherish every moment, great or small. As far as I can tell, parenthood is the greatest job God ever gave a person. And I know I’ve only scratched the surface!

Pics of Brooklyn's Room

Back to work....*sniff sniff*

Today wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It's Thursday and I only have one more day of work before the glorious weekend. Plus, I knew we were leaving Brooklyn with our parents, who love her nearly as much as we do, and I found much comfort in that. I did get a little emotional last night right before bed but recovered quickly. I reminded myself that many other moms return to work and have to leave their babies in the care of others. I'm not the first and won't be the last. And at least we don't have to use a daycare facility. She's being nurtured and loved by grandparents. How awesome that we can rely on our family!

Brooklyn turned over on her own!!!!!

I'm really excited! Here are a series of photos from yesterday (10/3/09),at my parents house, showing Brooklyn rolling over for the first time (she actually did it 3 time and this was the last)

Enjoy

Aaaaaaaah, love this time of year!

To me the end of September is like the warm up band for the remainder of the year. The weather begins to cool...well, not much cooler here in Florida but even a 2 or 3 degree drop in temp is much appreciated. People start hauling out their fall decorations. The squash section of the grocery store finally gets some love with the addition of the pumpkin and all the other cool looking squash type veggies that fall brings. The stores start selling their sweaters and coats - which has always been silly to me since we only get to wear sweaters for like 2 hours out of the year. But the bonus is they put all the summer stuff on sale. Yay!

I'm still enjoying time off with Brooklyn. I go back to work in two weeks and I'm trying hard not to think about it. I love staying home with her. It's fun to have a cooperative baby who lets you sleep until 8:00 or 9:00. And now that she's cleared to go out in public it's fun to take her to meet my friends in the village for lunch. I'm trying to absorb every moment as much as possible.

See, the doctor said since she was premature that we should wait 2 or 3 months to bring her out. We didn't mind adhering to that rule.



Taking her places isn't the huge nightmare I thought it would be. We keep the diaper bag stocked and by the door and her milk goes in bottles so I don't have to attempt breastfeeding out in public. And thank God for mirrors on the backseat headrest that allow parents to see their kids in the rear facing car seat.

It seems like most of the logistical things I was worried about regarding parenthood have turned out to be no big deal so far. Love that! I'm sure it will become more trying once she's eating solid foods, so I'll enjoy the ease now while I can!

Play time!!!

Bath Time Cuteness

Now vs. Then

Sept 15, 2009 (2 months old)


July 24, 2009 (9 days old)

Our Sunday's best

October 20, 2009 was Brooklyn's first time at Church. Here she is showing off her Sunday's best

Does this sofa make my head look big

Brooklyn,

Your mommy is the most wonderful woman I have ever met. She is my life, my love and soul mate. I love her so much. See the love she has for you!

RedSox fans

Brooklyn and Daddy getting ready for the playoffs. Go Sox!!!!

Any similarities? What do you think?

My mom brought over a photo album of my baby pictures. Wow. The resemblence is unbelievable. Well, not really. She IS my baby after all.

Feelin' Froggy?

Just got my new onesie! Ribbit!!!

Tale of the Tape: (8/31/2009)

In this corner we have the champion, weighing in at 8 lbs 2 oz. She is the undisputed, undefeated Princess of Preciousness!

Ladies and Gentlemen please give a cyber welcome to Brooklyn "Sweet Pea" Bassett!!!

The photos that you just knew had to be posted

Have you noticed that when you start looking through family albums there are always those embarassing "blackmail" photos of a baby in the bathtub? God bless the computer age

Brooklyn's First Non-Kitchen-Sink Bath

As you sleep...

I am admiring the wonderful work of God's hands. I am memorizing your sweet little feet, ankles, the dimples in your knees and elbows, your tiny fingers and toes, your perfect ears, nose and mouth. I just can't believe how sweet every part of you is.

Brooklyn, you are amazing. I absolutely thank God for every moment of you.

Amazing Gift From My Aunt

Brooklyn,

Today we received and awesome gift in the mail from your Great Aunt Chris.

Here is the gift:



I know that your thinking, "awe, thats cute!" but here is why this gift is such a great gift: (Click on the picture to enlarge)



Your Great Grandmother passed away in 1986 after a long battle with bone marrow cancer. She was an awesome woman and an inspiration to anyone who met her. Aunt Chris had kept this outfit, that she had made, all those years and blessed you (and us) with this wonderful surprise. Chris lives in Boston and we are in Florida so we don't get to spend a lot of time together but she continues to stay involed in our lives and has always been there in our time of need. She, like your great grandmother, is an amazing woman and a we're so thankful she's our aunt. Your gonna love her, we do!

Precious Moments (Mommy & Daughter)

I was messing around with the camera and snapped these pictures. These are absolutely adorable and I had to share them with all of you. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!!!

Back by popular demand!!!!

Today's Brooklyn Pic (7-23-09)