Best Baby advice
Before my son was born I remember buying 80 large boxes of
diapers and having them stored in the closet of his room – ready for his arrival. I thought I’d never have to buy another box
of them again. I had no idea whether I had the right ones or
not. In fact, I had no idea there was a
difference in diapers. The only thing I
knew was I did not want to use cloth diapers.
It was at difficult thing, having to figure out was which diaper would
work best for his little bottom.
Not all diapers are created equal. In fact, we found several that were a real disaster
and it didn’t seem to matter how much they cost. It was about the way they were made and fit.
We tried brand names like Pampers, Huggies and Luvs as well
as store brands. The Pampers were too
small, too slim cut for him. The Huggies
gapped at the leg and that was really a mess.
But the Luvs seemed to be the best “fit” for us (no pun intended) and the bonus was that
after we purchased the ten millionth box we got a free “Cookie
Monster” stuffed animal. My baby
boy loved “Cookie!” I still
have that little stuffed animal, even today.
Maybe one day I’ll have a grandchild to share him with.
Which diaper works for you little one?
Photographers want to include photographs in every post but sometimes a good blog post can just be good content.
Today’s good content comes in the form of sharing a story of my very own reality check.
Yesterday was a particularly challenging day for me. It seemed that one thing after another was not going quite right. To top it all off, I didn’t get a chance to eat anything. It was a very long, exhausting and frustrating day.
At 5:30 I decided I just needed to walk away from it all. I called my husband and said let’s go to Ruby Tuesdays for the salad bar which is usually a pretty good choice.
As I began to fill my salad plate, a woman in the line ahead of me said she loved my skirt. I thanked her and told her I got it at SteinMart for a really good price. She proceeded to tell me about how her husband loved a bargain. He was the one who went through the Sunday paper clipping all the coupons and finding all the best deals. As we continued to fill our plates from the salad bar she proceeded to tell me more.
My husband took care of so many things for me like cutting the grass and making sure my car was in good running order, she said. You could hear in her voice that something was wrong. ”You see” she said “my husband died 14 weeks ago and I’m trying to adjust to life without him and learn how to take care of all these thing myself now but it is so hard. “
I don’t think it actually registered that she had just said 14 weeks ago.
She told me she was an accountant. She has some very nice clients and co -workers who are supportive and wonderful to be around – but “I still miss him so much” she said.
“I’m just 56 years old. We were married 14 years. We had no children and I have no siblings. The nights are very long. “. She paused, looked down at the floor and took a deep breath. I reached over and touched her hand. We said nothing more. She smiled and walked away.
I took 2 steps and stopped in my tracks. My eyes filled with tears and suddenly I realized that the terrible day that
I had was insignificant compared to the sadness this young lady had been feeling for 14 weeks.
In a moment I realized that tomorrow my day would start over anew with all the possibilities of good things happening but her day would still be filled with loneliness and loss.
This chance encounter did not make me forget my troubles it reminded me of my many blessings. Tonight I will say a special prayer for her and everyone who is experiencing loss and loneliness and I will thank God for the chance meeting with this woman – who has reminded me to always count my blessings.
I love to hear a belly giggle from a baby. It makes me smile. I know you will too.
Your baby’s first smiles melted your heart — so prepare for more parental puddling now, as your baby learns to laugh out loud. Sometime between three and four months of age, she’ll likely add her first chuckles and giggles to her repertoire of vowel-sound coos. What will inspire that first outburst?
It could be anything from the sight of your face, or an older sibling’s goofy grin, to a favorite toy or a silly sound. While these early laughs and coos are delightful to watch, they’re rewarding for baby too — she loves hearing her own voice, and seeing others’ reactions. Plus, with each coo and goo she’s learning and practicing how to move her mouth and tongue to produce different sound effects.
You can encourage these interactions by talking with your baby often. Provide a stream of commentary: “Here’s a clean diaper so you’ll feel nice and dry. All done! Now I’m snapping your shirt — one, two, three snaps! — and pulling up your cozy red pants. Should we read a book next? How about this one with the bears taking a walk?” It may feel silly to chatter away to someone whose conversational skills are limited to a few vowel sounds and gurgles, but this is how she begins to learn language and laughter. And by pausing in your patter, you not only give her a chance to chime in and hear her own voice, you’re also teaching her the social skills she’ll need to be a polite preschooler and a gracious adult.
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Early Fun and Games with Baby
Wondering how to play with your wee one?
Here’s an itsy-bitsy refresher course.
Now that your baby is nearing the three-month milestone, he’s spending more time awake and alert. As exciting as that is, that may also have you wondering how to occupy his time (“Hmm…now what? It’s playtime — but how do I play with this lovely little lump?”). Well, it’s time to dig out those dusty nursery rhymes and baby-game classics from the recesses of your mind. Oops…is your brain still in the thick of pregnancy fog? Here’s a refresher course on those fun games that have been delighting children for ages…
- This Little Piggy: Starting with the big toe, the pigs “went to market,” “stayed home,” “ate roast beef,” “had none,” and (the pinky toe; tickle all the way up his body with this one!) “cried wee, wee, wee, all the way home.”
- Eyes, Nose, Mouth: .Hold your baby’s hands and guide them to touch your own eyes, nose, and mouth, then give him a kiss: “Eyes, nose, mouth, smooch!”
- So Big: Again, start by holding your baby’s hands. Then ask, “How big is baby?” (better yet, use his name). Then spread his arms wide and answer, “Sooooo big!”
In addition to these games, your baby may enjoy watching shapes dangling from a mobile or baby gym, looking at himself in a mirror (choose a baby-safe, unbreakable one), or listening and gazing intently as you shake a rattle or roll a ball with a bell inside. And it’s never too early to sing or read to him — he’s very busy storing up sounds and words that he’ll need later as a talkative toddler.
We use many of these game techniques when we work with babies nearing the 3 month mark. They are so expressive when they learn something new. It just makes your heart melt.
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Whether it’s a few hours or a whole day,
your first time away from baby can be emotional.
Here’s how to cope.
You knew this moment would come — it’s time to be away from your baby for more than three whole minutes. Maybe you’re headed out for the evening (it’s okay — you’re allowed!) or taking an overnight trip. At the 10-week marker, any separation is likely to be tougher on you than it is on your gurgling little bundle. After all, he still likes just about everyone and is probably willing to yuk it up with anyone who’s willing to entertain him. It’s you who’ll probably need a pep talk (or maybe even a glass of vino!) at the thought of leaving him behind.
Whatever the reason for your departure, a little advance prep will go a long way toward reducing your separation jitters and making your absence as easy as possible on your baby. First, get used to the idea by leaving your baby with your husband for an hour or two a couple of times over the course of a few weeks so you (and the baby) get used to the fact that you leave…and come back. Once you see your little darling hasn’t fallen into a thousand pieces while you’re gone, you’ll feel a lot less anxious about leaving him again.
If your spouse can’t take over, try to choose a caregiver who knows the baby well (calling all grandparents!). At this age (2 to 3 months), being out of sight pretty much means being out of mind, so your baby will usually stop thinking about you and be quite content with any sitter who provides gentle, attentive care. Meanwhile, you’ll feel more confident staying away if you know your baby is with someone you trust completely (a first separation is no time to try out a new sitter). You’ll probably be less worried if your baby is kept at home, in a familiar environment (that you know has been thoroughly baby-proofed). Request that your baby stick to his regular schedule; it’ll be less disruptive to him (and you’ll know exactly what he’s doing at any given moment).
Prepare a list of emergency numbers, including the pediatrician, plus your location and detailed contact information just in case your cell phone doesn’t work where you are. Also, have the sitter come over at least a half an hour before you need to leave to give you time to go over the schedule and explain any of the baby’s eccentricities (he must hear “Itsy Bitsy Spider” or he’ll never take his nap!). You can use the fill-in sections of The What to Expect Baby-Sitter’s Handbook to make sure you’ve covered everything. An early arrival also gives your baby and sitter time to warm up to each other and allows you a few minutes to feel okay about leaving the two of them to their own devices.
At zero hour, keep the farewells tear-free and short (you’ll have plenty of time to reconnect when you get back), but do say good-bye. And don’t attempt to shut out conflicting emotions (e.g., guilt, fear, relief) by blocking your baby from your mind while you’re gone. It’s fine to think of him, but try not to worry. Keep in mind that he’s in capable hands — check in if you want to, but once your sitter says that things are just fine, trust his or her word and don’t keep calling. Hey, a little independence (in the form of, say, dinner out with your husband) is healthy for you, and that will only benefit your baby in the long run.
The first time my husband and I went out without our son we went to a movie at The Commodore Theater in downtown Portsmouth. I loved the idea that there was a telephone on the table. I couldn’t use it to call out but just seeing it there gave me peace of mind for some reason. You just need a little comfort in your soul to make this a successful little get away. When you return you baby will still be there ready to love you all over again.
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