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Friday, October 31, 2008

Missing Asia

Grit just wrote that her husband is going to Asia. I suddenly miss Asia. I went 3 times last year, prior years at least once a year for 7 years. None this year due to baby. Earlier this year my boss asked when I could go back and I said when she's 6 months old I'd evaluate if I was ready to stop breast feeding and go back. After today's meeting, I've decided to push that date out.

Along with everything else in the economy that can inflate in price, insurance premiums have gone up 33% and the little toy company I work for is reevaluating the plan to look for reductions and will likely pass along remaining the cost increase to their hard working employees. I currently pay 15% of the insurance premium and I fully pay my daughters insurance. The cost of insurance is just ridiculous in this land of the free. If asked when I might return, I'll say I can't afford to stop breastfeeding due to increased insurance premium.

Sorry Asia, I'll get back some day.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

It's cold outside!

I just spent 15 minutes trying to locate my running shorts, consuming a large glass of water and prepping my iPod only to find it's freezing cold outside! Laugh if you will, it's 57F (13.8C) and since I live in South Florida this is somewhat of an anomaly. I've had no time to even get used to this because yesterday was 76F (24C). I think I'll skip the run for now.

On the plus side, I'll get to wear a sweater today and drink tea at work and not feel like I'm in a sauna. This is going to be an awesome day!

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Stroller (Pram) Envy

In church today I was pulled out of the service 30 minutes in. I said this before but I'm a slow learner, I'm not sitting in the front until she's a teenager! That said, I found myself in the nursery and at the close of the service I introduced myself to a lady with the most amazing stroller(pram) I had ever seen! It had a swivel for the car seat/bassinet to rotate on so when seated next to it, the mom can rotate the baby towards her. Unbelievably awesome design.

Check it out:


It is called THE ORBIT! I came home and immediately looked it up online, as you can clearly presume by the photo above, and the cost is - $900!!! That is like the Hummer of strollers!

I have a humble Cosco Umbrella Stroller and it was free (but retails for $16.99). Seriously - my husband found it.


Prior to this I was using a BabyBjorn Front Pack first used on 8/16/08, cost $99.99:


Now, 2 months later, Charlotte dislikes this carrier. She likes the free stroller so I'm sticking with that for now!

As a product designer

I spend my days with baby thinking up new products. Today, as baby ripped the burb cloth off my shoulder and threw it on the floor then promptly threw up on my shoulder. I thought, why not invent a burp cloth that has a string going around my neck so it cannot be removed. I quickly realized baby could still grab and yank the cloth and that might hurt. Cancel this idea!

Monday, October 20, 2008

1st grade

Grit just wrote something that reminded me of my childhood baking pies and canning food all summer with my mom and two brothers. My mom is a first grade teacher and she taught me in first grade. I have very vivid memories of kindergarten (it's where I told my first lie) but I barely remember first grade. I wonder, do moms give us such a cozy security blanket that we forget things?

Sunday, October 19, 2008

More moments of an absented minded mom

Yesterday I made a pumpkin pie to celebrate the fall season. After dumping the contents of the can into a bowl, I washed the can, tossed the label into the trash and can in the recycling bag.

I then realized I needed the label for the recipe. It was quite mangled but I've made this pie a hundred times so just needed to double check the measurements for spices.

Today I forgot about the pie until just now. Husband brought me a piece and after one hearty bite I realized I had forgotten sugar.

Grocery shopping at 9:40pm

I debate with myself - should I go tomorrow after work? No, I like to come straight home and spend time with the baby. Could I go during lunch? No, I'd only want to get a few things so as to not shove too much food in the work fridge. Finally I convince myself to go because I'm out of milk and would be really irritated with self in morning.

So armed with a LIST, as recommended by Potty Mummy, I head off to the store.

Highlights -
A guy tosses a cart my way and says "here ya go"

Croissants are out of stock, didn't need the extra calories.

Walking towards the vegetables I hear a young couple:
girl "yeah well she's 91"
guy "well she can't die any sooner"

??? they want an old lady to die for what reason?

I poke around the vegetable section locating the following:
1 green pepper
1 potato
Ginger (while looking for it, I found Horseradish Root; I like the relish so the root must be fun to cook with but it all looks moldy, must do more research on this)
Grapefruit
1 zucchini (does anyone know the difference between zucchini and cucumber? I hope I bought the right thing)

While browsing the potatoes, the old lady scheming couple stroll over:
guy "do you like portobello mushrooms?"
girl brays "yeah"
guy "why don't you buy them?"
girl - silence

Leaving the vegetable section I spot an abandoned basket with meat. What would possess a person so abandon a basket of meat?

As I approach the meat section I run into the old lady scheming couple embracing while discussing Rib Eyes.

I finalize my purchases and head up to the check out counter. I inquire when the store closes and it's 10pm although I'm leaving at 10:13pm. On the way home, I realize that is why the store was so empty. Then I wonder if the the old lady scheming couple were stealing meat. I've read that people steal meat more often during an economic downturn.

Charlotte now loves her bouncer

Which is a relief because she is getting really heavy to carry around!

Getting my Mommy legs

Since going back to work, I have a short bout of panic on Friday night before my big weekend with the baby. My husband works on the entire weekends and is away from 8am - 8pm. I rush around on Friday night getting stuff ready for the next day, prepping quick to eat lunch and snacks, couple loads of laundry and dishes.

On Saturday morning I'd try to get up earlier then husband and baby to get a shower but more often then not, baby would wake up while I was in the shower or making breakfast and husband would be inclined to take over. I realized I was cutting into his short morning and resolved to fold my shower and breakfast into the day with baby.

I'm thrilled to say it's working! I've been able to get her off to sleep after her first bottle for just enough time to do both. I'm also getting a few more chores done around the house during my day with her.

Friday, October 17, 2008

TGIF!!!

she loves it when we get to her cot before she has to call for us.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Why South Beach is no place for a 4 month old

My brothers are visiting from Maryland. Being single they naturally want to visit South Beach. In a moment of utter madness I decide to join with the baby and the idea that I can crash at a book store my co-workers have been raving about while the boys hit the beach.

Books N' Books - does not have a baby changing station and does not have the latest weekly magazines. I totally planned on buying People or US Weekly to read during a relaxing lunch and all they have is last weeks rags.

So I walk up and down Lincoln road for an hour looking for baby clothes, a good lunch spot and a news stand.

Starbucks - does not have a baby changing station.

Lucky Brand - has winter clothes and nothing for baby (the one in Boca has really cute baby clothes), we don't get winter here so it must be for the tourists.

Could not find a single baby boutique, wanted to buy a sun hat for baby.

Finally settled in a sushi restaurant that had a changing station so I stayed for lunch and dragged it out for 1.5 hours. Sushi is a great meal to eat while feeding a baby. It's comes in bite size pieces and is not messy to eat.

After lunch I locate brothers and they decide to eat at a Cuban restaurant. I join them but spend the entire time walking around with Charlotte until she falls asleep and then its time to leave.

By the time I got home, I was exhausted from walking while carrying all the baby gear along with the baby.

Sunday, October 05, 2008

It happened again!!!

This time I got called away from the church service 30 minutes in and again I was sitting at the front. The singing had just finished when I see my baby's numbers pop up on the big screen. Optimistic to sit in the front you say? Well it helps to go in with a positive spirit. I went back to the nursery and found baby angry with me for leaving her there. Potty Mummy you win! She appears to be missing me because nothing else was wrong. I had feed her just before dropping her off, diaper was changed, no gas, after collecting her we went to the mommy nursery and she slept for the rest of the service. But I will keep trying!

Saturday, October 04, 2008

I love breast feeding

title alone should be a warning to the guys - for chicks only

it allows me to do the following while making baby very happy -

- blogging (albeit one-handed)
- looking up albeit to make sure it makes sense in the above sentence (there are teachers reading this blog)
- catching up on favorite tv shows (which have been digitally recorded throughout the week)
- playing spider solitaire
- playing monopoly (on the computer)
- reading favorite blogs
- reading books

and while at work I get to take three 15 minute breaks per day to pump milk and while doing so get to read books; currently reading "Helen of Troy" by Margaret George.

so what I'm trying to say is it's a great way to relax and i'd like to do it as long as possible but there are only 2 problems:
- I keep getting shooting pains in my breasts randomly throughout the day but doctor says blood work shows normal white blood cell count.
- baby has been crushing my left nipple and I'm having a hard time keeping her on that side but it produces double the amount of milk so I either grin and bare or cut her meal short. It never hurts on the right side so I keep her on as long as she wants but it never causes the milk flow to increase. very weird

Do you ever hold your baby while he/she is sleeping as long as possible - even when you really need to pee?

because sometimes reading a good book (like Jenny McCarthy's "Baby Laugh's") is so much fun that you just want to hang onto the moment as long as possible. I should have read this book sooner, it's more fun then reading "What to expect the first year". Then sometimes you get lucky and baby keeps sleeping after you put her down so I really should be taking advantage of this time to make dinner - except that I hear her waking up now. Duty calls!