Nothing's certain, but if the weather persists we're thinking about relaunching our introduction walk on Saturday, December 13th. Nothing big, and without any advertisement, so that we can get a little bit more intimate and talk parenting stuff.
As for the Crafty Brunch I think we're deciding to wait until after the holidays to launch this one. Everyone is so busy this time of year and since Thanksgiving came late this year the holidays seem to be in our backyard already. (I just left my in-laws for Thanksgiving and literally said, "I'll see you again in 3 weeks." Don't even talk to me about the presents, and money I need to come up with to buy them!)
So email me if you're interested, and if this date works for you so that we can get a start on a definate date and time to decompress together before the holiday hit.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
So I Might Be Emotional
Those who know me know how sentimental and sensitive I get on the holidays. For me the holidays represent being immersed by family, squished in the kitchen baking warm deliciousness and sampling what's around with as many people as can fit, listening and telling stories that cause tears and laughing pains, hugs, kisses, visits from old family and friends, eggnog, once a year feasts and lots of love. Ask me what I want as a gift and I'll always say the same thing, "Nothing." The truth, while I can't deny how excited I am to unwrap something for myself and have something new, I enjoy the hunt and find for the special people in my life (with the exception of the 'I Want, I Want" special people) and the overall feel the holidays bring. I guess you could compare how I feel about the holidays to how I feel as a mother. It's all about the time and memories Nugget and I have together and the excitement that comes from finding him that something that will light up his face, and less about the long mop of 11 month old cutless hair that's accumulated in what my mom calls a 'knot' on the top of my head.
And with these thoughts and emotions comes the horrible image my husband and I saw on our way home from Pennsylvania on Thanksgiving-a flipped car with what can only be assumed to have no survivors. With a lump in my throat I looked away from the passing scene outside my window and tried to erase the images of the family preparing the turkey and waiting for their son and his new wife who won't arrive or the husband and wife with their two kids in the back on their way to grandma's. I tried to block out the phone call those parents or grandparents got and the horrendous emotions that followed. But most of all I thought of the people everywhere who were complaining that the turkey was dry, annoyed at something the in-laws said or just plain unhappy to be a part of the day. How sad it must be for them to miss out and how much sadder it is that they don't even know what they're missing. To know that this could be the last holiday they might spend sitting next to someone, the last time they're all together as a family and the last time they could be tasting someone's delicious cookies, and yet some how we some people forget this on the holidays and only think about what's in it for them.
Is it possible there's a parenting parallel here? This could be an interesting study.
And with these thoughts and emotions comes the horrible image my husband and I saw on our way home from Pennsylvania on Thanksgiving-a flipped car with what can only be assumed to have no survivors. With a lump in my throat I looked away from the passing scene outside my window and tried to erase the images of the family preparing the turkey and waiting for their son and his new wife who won't arrive or the husband and wife with their two kids in the back on their way to grandma's. I tried to block out the phone call those parents or grandparents got and the horrendous emotions that followed. But most of all I thought of the people everywhere who were complaining that the turkey was dry, annoyed at something the in-laws said or just plain unhappy to be a part of the day. How sad it must be for them to miss out and how much sadder it is that they don't even know what they're missing. To know that this could be the last holiday they might spend sitting next to someone, the last time they're all together as a family and the last time they could be tasting someone's delicious cookies, and yet some how we some people forget this on the holidays and only think about what's in it for them.
Is it possible there's a parenting parallel here? This could be an interesting study.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Rain, Rain
Ah, here comes the rain,do do do do, and I say it's alright. I'm not sure if we're planning a rain delay or prompting to move on to our next event, which is a brunch for moms at Lola's.
Any thoughts? If we do a walk re-do it'd have to be in the next few weeks, before it gets really cold, and the weather man is already predicting rain next weekend. But I'm open to a re-do if you are.
Also, I'm in the works of arranging a crafty brunch before the holidays, this has potential to actually be the next event, where crafty moms, or artist that have things moms would enjoy, set up their items while we peruse and pick up those one of a kind holiday gifts and finish our crafty delemas with a mouth watering, cocktail included, brunch. I have a handful of crafters and artists rearing to go, but if you or someone you know has items they'd like to display please contact me as soon as you can. We'd love to welcome as many people as we can.
Any thoughts? If we do a walk re-do it'd have to be in the next few weeks, before it gets really cold, and the weather man is already predicting rain next weekend. But I'm open to a re-do if you are.
Also, I'm in the works of arranging a crafty brunch before the holidays, this has potential to actually be the next event, where crafty moms, or artist that have things moms would enjoy, set up their items while we peruse and pick up those one of a kind holiday gifts and finish our crafty delemas with a mouth watering, cocktail included, brunch. I have a handful of crafters and artists rearing to go, but if you or someone you know has items they'd like to display please contact me as soon as you can. We'd love to welcome as many people as we can.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Voting History
I woke up this morning proud. Proud of my country, my life and all I try and teach Nugget. I feel great about our new president and the changes that are to come. But most of all I feel great and proud that my son is watching and becoming part of history. In his life he will not know, and only hear stories, of the 43 White Anglo-Saxon Presidents that came before he knew Obama. He will also become part of a country that will once again see, and now prove, that despite your race, religion or political point of view, you can do and be anything you dream of in this country.
Now, while I'm on my high, do you think people would find me strange if I started singing "This land is your land..." as I stroll Nugget up Park Avenue?
Now, while I'm on my high, do you think people would find me strange if I started singing "This land is your land..." as I stroll Nugget up Park Avenue?
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Say..5?
Correction, Nugget doesn't have 4 teeth coming in at once-he has 5! That's right 5! I noticed it just as I was feeding him tonight. I saw something white next to his bottom two teeth and thought he had a piece of tiny paper in his mouth(hey this child puts more things in his mouth than my dog)and when I went to check I realized it wasn't a paper, but another new tooth that was breaking through the skin. Then, as I gave him a bath, I thought he felt a bit warm. I took his temp. and sure enough his temp. was high. Not fever high, but not his normal 98.6.
Now I feel horrible. My poor Nugget is probably in so much pain from 5 of his teeth breaking in at once and here I am trying to let him cry it out through the night. I'm going down as the coldest mother in history, well maybe not history, but probably in the Country.
Now I feel horrible. My poor Nugget is probably in so much pain from 5 of his teeth breaking in at once and here I am trying to let him cry it out through the night. I'm going down as the coldest mother in history, well maybe not history, but probably in the Country.
About last night
PS) I forgot to mention in my previous post that I did try the 20 minutes of crying than 20 minutes of holding and it worked after the second round. Only I was so tired that I feel asleep during his last crying battle and woke an hour later to Nugget making a strange noise. I looked at the clock and realized the 20 minute battle worked and that we'd both fell asleep sometime during the last hour. Nervous that the noise was Nugget choking to death on something he's found in his crib, or that he'd somehow slipped his legs through the bars and broken them, I jumped out of bed and peeked in on him. He wasn't there. I touched the mattress and swayed my arm around, but there was no baby. My eyes darted to the floor. Could he have somehow tumbled over the bar? No, no baby on the floor. But he's a baby, where could he have gone? And suddenly I heard the noise come from the corner of the crib that I was leaning over. I squinted my eyes and looked down to see poor Nugget sound asleep in a sitting position against the soft corner of his bumper pads. His head and shoulders were slumped down and he was making an odd type of sighing noise. I gently picked him up and nestled him back down on his mattress and tucked him in while he continued his cute little sighing snore. Poor Nugget, he must have cried himself into the corner. It really was cute, but man it made me feel like a horrible mother for doing that to him. Luckily he smiled and laughed at me this morning, leaning in to give me his open mouth kisses that he gets so excited about, and seemed to forget all about the night before. But I still feel quilty.
Thanks for the Emails
Your emails really did warm my heart. I received all different types of advice on what to do with Nugget and his restless nights. And, yes, in case your wondering if Nugget is still giving us a nightly struggle, he's still awake in the night.
So, for before I talk about what I did and what I'm about to do, I want to dedicate the advice moms gave me to any mom out there who's struggling as much as we are.
1) "He's teething. Think about how you feel when something aches in your body. Doesn't it always seem to hurt more during the quiet solitude of the night? I say soothe him. Rock him in your arms, continue to sing your lullabies and most important stay up on the Tylenol. Take care of the pain before it starts, even if he isn't cranky at that point in time. The less pain equals more sleep for you and him. And don't worry, just like the sleepless nights when you first brought him home, this will pass too."-B
2) "Since you share a bedroom with Nugget, pull out your pack-n-play, put him to bed in it, instead of his crib, and when you go to bed wheel him and the p.n.p into your living room so that you can begin letting him cry it out during the night without him being right next to you. It's hard, but it's better than both of you being sleep deprived and having him sleep in your bed."-K
3) "Get him back on his regular routine. As much as I've always sworn I wouldn't stay home in the afternoon just so my child can have his nap time, it sounds like you might need to. Remember all those books and articles that cover getting your child to sleep through the night-one of the top things was to make sure he was not overtired. You said he hasn't been napping either, so I would start there. Focus on getting him back on his nap routine and see if that doesn't begin reflecting into his night time behavior. If anything at least you can nap and catch up on your sleep when he does."-E
4) "Do you have noise in Nugget's room? My husband and I shared a roomed with our daughter for the first year, and it worked out fine until she was around 11 months and realized that we were in the room with her. Putting her to bed was easy, but waking up in the morning or going to bed at night and no longer waking her up grew impossible. I swear she heard everything. My mom recommended a 'White Noise Machine' and it was a miracle! The sound blocked everything out, and I'm not kidding that my husband and I had a hard time sleeping after she had her own room and we no longer heard her white noise machine. My husband always jokes that he's going to get is our own. Good luck!"-M
5) "I don't know if there's such a thing, but I think the whole arm to crib thing has to do with warmth. In your arms the baby is so warm and cozy, as soon as you put him down it's cold and empty. So maybe you could research and see if there's some type of heating thing for the crib?"-B
6) "Try the 20 minute rule. Give your son 20 minutes of crying it out. If he doesn't stop pick him up and hold him for 20 minutes, and repeat. Eventually this will establish a pattern with your son and soon he'll wean off needing you and figure out how to put himself to back to sleep."-G
I think the emails made me feel better than if Nugget actually did sleep through the night. Sometimes having a pile of email advice at your side gives you a pile of hope for things to come. A new stock at the restless Nugget problem.
So what did I try, well to be honest I've yet to take the time to look online in regards to the warming pad B told me about and I'm still not 100% convinced that this is all teething so the cuddle and pick him up all the time has me nervous that it goes against the other advice of letting him cry through the night and not letting him test me. But I have started trying to get him back on his daily nap routine, started today that is, am giving him Motrin every 6-8 hours, I started this today as well and, as of yesterday, I ordered the White Noise sound machine from OneStepAhead.com. I did try the Pack-N-Play, but Nugget did not want to lay on the bottom. You know how the P.N.P's have a top layer for when the babies are new? Well, Nugget is to old for that now and, since he's standing, there's no way he can sleep there, but he hates the bottom. I don't know if it's because of the open sides that let him look out or because he knows it's not his crib, but he refuses to sleep in it, yet if you put him on the top he rolls right over and goes to sleep. So, the P.N.P experiment didn't happen.
Right now I'm just hopeful for the White Noise Machine that's on it's way, the 6-8 hour doses of Motrin and the daily routine that I'm about to put back in play.
In the meantime if anyone has any more ideas I'm all email.
So, for before I talk about what I did and what I'm about to do, I want to dedicate the advice moms gave me to any mom out there who's struggling as much as we are.
1) "He's teething. Think about how you feel when something aches in your body. Doesn't it always seem to hurt more during the quiet solitude of the night? I say soothe him. Rock him in your arms, continue to sing your lullabies and most important stay up on the Tylenol. Take care of the pain before it starts, even if he isn't cranky at that point in time. The less pain equals more sleep for you and him. And don't worry, just like the sleepless nights when you first brought him home, this will pass too."-B
2) "Since you share a bedroom with Nugget, pull out your pack-n-play, put him to bed in it, instead of his crib, and when you go to bed wheel him and the p.n.p into your living room so that you can begin letting him cry it out during the night without him being right next to you. It's hard, but it's better than both of you being sleep deprived and having him sleep in your bed."-K
3) "Get him back on his regular routine. As much as I've always sworn I wouldn't stay home in the afternoon just so my child can have his nap time, it sounds like you might need to. Remember all those books and articles that cover getting your child to sleep through the night-one of the top things was to make sure he was not overtired. You said he hasn't been napping either, so I would start there. Focus on getting him back on his nap routine and see if that doesn't begin reflecting into his night time behavior. If anything at least you can nap and catch up on your sleep when he does."-E
4) "Do you have noise in Nugget's room? My husband and I shared a roomed with our daughter for the first year, and it worked out fine until she was around 11 months and realized that we were in the room with her. Putting her to bed was easy, but waking up in the morning or going to bed at night and no longer waking her up grew impossible. I swear she heard everything. My mom recommended a 'White Noise Machine' and it was a miracle! The sound blocked everything out, and I'm not kidding that my husband and I had a hard time sleeping after she had her own room and we no longer heard her white noise machine. My husband always jokes that he's going to get is our own. Good luck!"-M
5) "I don't know if there's such a thing, but I think the whole arm to crib thing has to do with warmth. In your arms the baby is so warm and cozy, as soon as you put him down it's cold and empty. So maybe you could research and see if there's some type of heating thing for the crib?"-B
6) "Try the 20 minute rule. Give your son 20 minutes of crying it out. If he doesn't stop pick him up and hold him for 20 minutes, and repeat. Eventually this will establish a pattern with your son and soon he'll wean off needing you and figure out how to put himself to back to sleep."-G
I think the emails made me feel better than if Nugget actually did sleep through the night. Sometimes having a pile of email advice at your side gives you a pile of hope for things to come. A new stock at the restless Nugget problem.
So what did I try, well to be honest I've yet to take the time to look online in regards to the warming pad B told me about and I'm still not 100% convinced that this is all teething so the cuddle and pick him up all the time has me nervous that it goes against the other advice of letting him cry through the night and not letting him test me. But I have started trying to get him back on his daily nap routine, started today that is, am giving him Motrin every 6-8 hours, I started this today as well and, as of yesterday, I ordered the White Noise sound machine from OneStepAhead.com. I did try the Pack-N-Play, but Nugget did not want to lay on the bottom. You know how the P.N.P's have a top layer for when the babies are new? Well, Nugget is to old for that now and, since he's standing, there's no way he can sleep there, but he hates the bottom. I don't know if it's because of the open sides that let him look out or because he knows it's not his crib, but he refuses to sleep in it, yet if you put him on the top he rolls right over and goes to sleep. So, the P.N.P experiment didn't happen.
Right now I'm just hopeful for the White Noise Machine that's on it's way, the 6-8 hour doses of Motrin and the daily routine that I'm about to put back in play.
In the meantime if anyone has any more ideas I'm all email.
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