First things first

In Phoenix, I am not sure it has even rained since B was born.

Maybe once. And then for only five minutes.

But, today, in Houston, he went outside and for the first time in his wee little life, he was snowed on.

Yup, that's right. The earliest snow that has ever fallen on Houston is this weekend.

Happy snow day, B. Soon you will have to take off your hat and cute little bomber jacket and go back to the 65 degrees that is December in Phoenix.

Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya?

I’ve noticed that many MB’s (Mommy Bloggers) have a Blog-versary. A celebration of the day they first began to waste Baby’s naptime with yet more Mommy talk via their laptop.

And I’m sure that I could go back through months and months of blogs - getting caught down memory lane, much like when I reread my junior high diaries- to find out exactly when it was that I first started my blog, but if you’ve been reading this blog for very long, you probably know one thing about me.

I’m lazy.

(Oh yeah, I’m cheap, too. And not in the hooker way. In the I-buy-everything-at-consignment-stores kind of way. So now you know two things about me.)

I won’t pretend I remember dates well; when Hubs and I were merely ’having a good time’, I never kept track of special days. I don’t know our first date, our first kiss or the first time he turned down a beer with the guys to hang out with me.

I do, however, remember our wedding date. Whew.

Anyway. . . . .

So, because I am too lazy to check my Blog-versary date, and because we all need something to celebrate - today is a celebration of Bjorns’ Half Birthday.

Yup, that’s right. Baby Boy Bjorn is 6 months old today!

And in honor of my being able to keep a baby thriving (17 pounds) and happy (cries only when I try to give him a bottle) for the last 6 months YOU have the chance to win in this - my first giveaway!

How cool is that? I learn how to change diapers and sing lullabies that begin with “99 bottles of milk on the wall” and you get to win something.

What do you win? Well, I’m glad you asked.





Just in time for Christmas, you can win this one-of-a-kind baby girl blanket and two matching burp cloths!!

How do I know this is a one-of-a-kind? Because unlike many of those Big Bad Baby Companies, I do not out-source my work. I painfully sew and cut each piece myself. (And, why, yes, I do sell blankets, burp clothes and other baby accessories. )

And, since I have given and sold no more than two dozen homemade creations, I know that no one has anything even remotely like this. It’s an original. A Bun in the Toaster Original. How lucky can you get?

Is it perfect? Not even close. But if you are looking for the perfect gift, I suggest you head over to your neighborhood mall and buy a snugg.ie. But if you are looking for something homemade - something with charm and warmth and something that says ‘You get a gift that is a little bit extra special. Yours is homemade.’ - if you are looking for that, then this may be your lucky day.

This would be the perfect gift for any baby girl. (Or boy, I guess. If real men wear pink, does that mean that real boys snuggle up in purple? You decide!) With a satiny edging, four different fabrics for that added tactile stimulation, and a backing of soft fleece, this blanket is designed to be every babies favorite “lovey”. The matching burp cloths are an added bonus; one of absorbent fleece for those heavy spit-up days and the other adorable in flowers of blue, purple and green.

The blanket measures 25 inches X 20.5 inches and all materials have been pre-washed.

I will pick the winning entry by deciding who I like the most. And by who makes the best brownies. (Just kidding. I will be using Random.org, so don’t think that you can send me boxes of brownies in the hopes of winning. But you can always try. I’m a sucker for brownies. )

Here’s how to enter:

1) Tell me the favorite homemade gift you have given or that you have received.

2) Sing Happy Half-Birthday to Bjorn. After all, it is his day.

3) Follow my blog via Google friend.

4) Link to this giveaway on your blog.

5) Link to this giveaway on face book.


You MUST leave a separate comment for each thing you do to receive credit for the extra entries. And for you newbies, if you link to face book/your blog, you must tell me that you did so in a comment. (I didn’t realize this when I first started entering contests and would just assume there was some kind of cool tracker thing that showed that I linked up from my blog. There isn’t. At least that I know.)

Sorry, mates, but this is for those in the US of A only.

Giveaway closes on Thursday December 10. Plenty of time. If God can make all the earth and all the animals and all the trees and plants and you and me in a mere seven days, then you can find the time to enter this giveaway in the same amount of time.

If your email is not on your Blogger profile, please leave it with your comment. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. And then you will lose out on this awesome opportunity. So don’t forget to leave me your email address and then check your email people!

Good luck and may the best brownies man win!

Just another milestone kind of day

Oh these "milestone moments" - they just never stop!

Bjorn stood up by himself today. By himself!!

Of course, he was holding onto the edge of the ottoman to keep his balance. And I was waiting with arms outstretched.

But he was standing.

Like a big boy.

Wow.

He's on the move!

So it's not really a crawl.

It's more of him pushing himself onto all fours and then scooting backwards. And in circles. And sideways. Every which way except forward.

I left the living room this morning for one minute. (I swear - it was only a minute!) When I left, B was on his play rug in the middle of the room surrounded by toys.

When I came back one minute later he was in the corner of the room, trying to frog-kick himself even further.

That is a span of over 10 feet.

He's on the move.

And there is no way I'm ever going to get anything done now!

A picky eater

I already have it all figured out.

Bjorn will attend Texas Tech University, just like his Daddy and I. Only I will have to be there also - so, I'll be his dorm RA and he can live in Coleman dorms (the co-ed ones) like I did, and that way

I CAN STILL BREASTFEED HIM SINCE THE KID WON'T TAKE A BOTTLE!

After two absolutely miserable days of trying to get him to take a bottle in any way, shape or form, we are at our wit's end. I think this kid is going to be breastfeeding forever.

I know, I know. It's only been two days. But two days of him screaming and writhing as if he is in such pain merely because we held a bottle near his face. Two days of him crying so hard he gives himself the hiccups, doesn't eat for over 6 hours because we are trying to make a point that he gets the bottle or nothing and two days of finally giving in because the only thing that stops his crying is letting him nurse.

Yes, I gave in.

You would have, too. Admit it.

I know what most of you are thinking (because I have already received this advice over and over). Don't do anything but feed him the bottle and he will take it when he's hungry. By doing that Mama needs her own bottle when the whole ordeal is over. Bjorn gets hungry and then he gets mad and then he WAILS and then there is no stopping him. It's one of the traits he got from Daddy.

We first tried breast milk that had been frozen and defrosted. After three hours of screaming and refusing, I tasted it to find that it may have been a little sour. Not bad, mind you. But something didn't taste right.

So then I took freshly pumped milk and put that in his bottle. Fresh as in pumped-in-the-last-three-hours fresh. Very fresh. (And just to make sure there, I tasted that, too.)

He refused it.

We tried Mama giving it to him. Then Daddy tried. Daddy tried while I left the room so he couldn't see me and - as some Mommy bloggers put it - "get confused". We switched bottles and nipples. We sat him upright and laid him in a nursing position. We gave him the bottle to explore and play with, to familiarize himself. We tried room temperature and warm. We tried pre-mixed formula. And mixing our own formula.

And overwhelmed both him and us.

But what are we to do? Daddy is working everyday and night this week, so I am on my own with him. We should have started this bottle thing sooner, but the days crept up on us faster than we expected. This weekend Bjorn will be baby-sat by Grandma and Grandpap while I head out for my friend's wedding festivities. So he will have to take a bottle. And I have to go back to work soon.

And, like all Mommies everywhere have said, I am sure that when he gets hungry enough, he will eat. He has eaten from a bottle before, and while he seems to throw up much more, he still at least takes it.

I just feel bad that I will be leaving Bjorn with Grandma and Grandpap knowing that he is going to scream and wail until they can finally shove a bottle in his mouth. At least they have been through this before. They know that babies cry. And I know that at over 17 pounds, Bjorn will not be starving. He is an eater like his Daddy and will eat when he's hungry.

Even if that means letting Grandma and Grandpap deal with his crying all day.

Thank you. Thanks very much.

In the interest of being like every other Blogger out there, today is the day we blog about what we are thankful for, blah blah blah, yadda yadda yadda.


But I can't be all sappy - even if it is that time of year. I'll save that for Christmas, maybe. Don't hold your breath.

Here is my list of thankfulness. In no particular order, we have:

Top 11 Things I'm Thankful For & Top 3 Things I am Not:


I am thankful for:

• My friends and family. I group them into one big lump of thankfulness because some of my friends are as close as family and some of my family are my best friends. They are the cheese to my tater tots and the deep-fry to my turkey. I would still be me without them, but they make me into a much more awesome version of me.


• My job. I am thankful that my job gives me so much time off to enjoy my little man, and I'm thankful that I have a job to go back to. In this world of almost 10% unemployment, that is not a small thing. I'm also grateful to have a job that, while maybe doesn't put to full use my years of college debt, are helping, as MSN.com states, to stave off the boredom that usually occurs 5 years into a job. It helps to like your job.


• Hot water. I could handle an outhouse if I really had to, but no hot water? Sartre had it wrong - hell isn't other people. It's a cold shower.


• Air travel. My husband was born in Scotland and lived there for most of his childhood. My parents grew up in Illinois, lived in Texas for 25 years and now live in North Carolina. My brother and sister-in-law live in Dallas and my In-Laws and Siblings-in-law live in Houston and Austin. I live in Phoenix. Without air travel, I would be spending days weeks in a small train compartment or in a cramped, muggy car. Instead, I spend 4 fours on a plane, drinking a free Diet Coke and watching a movie. Without the widespread use of air travel, I may never have met my husband, been born a pure blooded Texan (y'all) or been able to participate in everything from weddings to football games to birthday parties. (Not to mention that I wouldn't have a job!) My hero for air travel says it best here.


• God-incidences. Other people call this coincidences or good luck. But I know that there is a whole lot more to life than just a luck of the draw. A God-incidence is when I introduce my new roommate and my boyfriend's roommate, and they wind up married. A God-incidence is having the baby throw up on you, so you have to change your clothes three times, and when you get in the car, you pass a fresh wreck that you might have been in if you hadn't had to change your clothes. God-incidences are everywhere if you only look for them.


• Coffee. In case you didn't know, coffee is a girl's best friend. What would we be without coffee? A bunch of grumps with bedhead.


• My home. A home is a house with love. And we have that. I also have a roof over my head. Yes, this roof has depreciated in value more than I ever care to think about (just read the papers for more on the Phoenix economy), but I still have a home. My little piece of America. That's enough for now.


• Washing machines. When my brother was born, my parents did not have a washer and dryer. And they still used cloth diapers (going green before it was cool!). The thought of all the baby poop my mom had to touch. . . . well, I'm grateful to both her and the washer. You know what? Let's include this for all modern household appliances. The oven, the microwave, the toaster oven. My dishwasher may not be necessary but it's a hell of a lot nicer than the alternative.


• Naps. Naptime is really the only time I get anything done around here. And by "done", I mean finish blogging, blog-reading and facebooking. Yes, facebooking is now a verb. You don't believe me? Google it.


• My dog. What is the bane of my existence doing on a thankful list? When I thought we were gonna lose her a few years ago, I just about lost it. She is my Marley. She drives me crazy eating leather scraps from my craft box (last week), baby food off the table (last night) and banana peels off the counter (this morning), but at least I know what to expect from her. Unconditional love and a whole lot of weird-looking poop.

• Sonic ice. It makes me happy, and it makes me happy to think that such a small thing can make me happy. And isn't it always nice to appreciate the small things in life? So, I am thankful for Sonic ice. For its ability to be so small, yet last all day long. Thanks, Sonic.
  

I am unthankful for:

• My cell phone. Although I appreciate this little piece of equipment as a justincase of accident, I am supremely unthankful for the ability to reach me at all times. And I know what you are thinking, but I can't just leave my phone at home because that tinny, whiny voice in the back of my head pipes up with 'what if I get in that accident/run out of gas/lock my keys in my car again'. So I just screen like crazy and only answer if it is really what I want. (And, as a disclaimer, I am not unthankful for all cell phones. Just mine. I really like my husband's cell phone. It helps me get things picked up at the store on his way from home work so I don't have to go!)


• Crazy drivers. Don't they know that I have a very new human being in my backseat and that it is my job to protect him? And how can I do that when you are running red lights and weaving in and out of traffic? I'm a speeder, too, and I understand rushing around town to get everything done. But there is a point where your speed gets reckless. So, watch out for me. I have a Beautiful Bouncing Baby on Board.


• Credit cards. Although I love my credit cards for what they can give me (3 years no payment no interest) I also am incredibly unthankful for that kind of pressure. How am I supposed to have the strength to say no to something when I can pay it off in 5 years with no interest? Anyone can pay $20 a month!! Sigh. I will learn self-control someday. . . .

**EDIT**

Another thing I'm not thankful for? Black Friday. I don't understand the thrill of it all. I don't understand why we spend ONE day at home with our families relaxing and enjoying each other and spend the next day in the madness of crowds and chaos. Most everyone has the Friday after Thanksgiving off work, so here's an idea - play football outside with the kids. Go on a walk as a family. Play scrabble. Talk. There are a million better things to be doing than racing from store to store just to save a few bucks. It's not worth it.

This holiday season, I want to know - what are you thankful/unthankful for?

Who wants Rice Cereal?!?

For the last 173 days (but really, who's counting?) I have been nursing Bjorn. Through the good and the bad. The pain and the dry mouth. The leaking and the overflow. We've been through most everything, and we have learned together how this whole breastfeeding this works.

He's eaten (always covered by a nursing cover my Mom made) in a hockey arena while I watch the last 2 minutes of the game. He's eaten in the middle seat of a crowded, stale-aired airplane. He's eaten while I watch TV, while I rock in my awesome rocking chair and while I sleepily roll over and try to both nap and feed.

To be honest, though, my reasons to breastfeed were selfish.

Yes, I understand that boobie milk is the best nutrition for my little guy. Yes, I understand that he inherits some of my immunities and all of my nutrients.

But really it was supposed to get rid of my baby belly.

Ha! As if!

But that's a post for another day.

When I began breastfeeding, I promised myself that I would do it for at least six months. Since I am lucky enough to have a job that gives me a little more than six months off work, the timing was perfect. And I was also lucky enough to have more than enough milk for the entire baby population of Arizona. Lactation consultants call it "overabundant milk supply". I just call it "embarrassing leakage and choking hazard".

As we get closer and closer to that six month mark, I am itching to stop breastfeeding. Itching to be able to leave the house for more than three hours without worrying about getting back to feed or pump. Itching for someone else to sit with him for 30 minutes as he eats dinner or lunch. Itching to be able to wear real clothes and not worry about what I'm going to be showing off if I have to feed him in public.

And Daddy is itching to be a bigger part of it all.

The Ped suggested that we wait until 6 months to start Bjorn on solid food, but since we already have waited 173 days (again, who's counting?), we figured that was long enough.

Yesterday, we mixed some of my painstakingly pumped milk into a little bowl, stirred in some Gerber rice cereal with a blue plastic spoon and took that big step into Big Boyhood.

And he hated it.



Not that I can blame him. I tried it. It was pretty disgusting. And I've tried my breast milk, too. (Kinda sweet, but really thin. Like a sweet skim milk.) If I had to pick one, it wouldn't be the DHA, Iron Fortified rice cereal either.

Too bad for him, he doesn't get a vote.

Today I am off to the library (because even as an aspiring novelist, I'm too cheap for a bookstore) to find books on pureeing my own baby food. Not because I'm organic or hippie-ish or anything. Again, because I'm cheap. It's so easy to do, and so much less expensive.

But I need help. Suggestions. Do I need to buy a baby pureerer? (spelling??) Or would a food processor get it pureed enough? I already have a Mommy who gave me the suggestion of the Annabel Karmel cooking books. Any others you like for baby's first foods?