Saturday, November 26, 2011

Thanksgiving


Thanksgiving for me isn't so much about the food for the belly, it is more about the food for the soul. Here in Alaska, we are far away from many of our families and we create a family of friends. The best thing about our Thanksgiving was seeing all of my friends shower my little one with love and affection. Big and small, all members of the gang made Ocoee feel surrounded by love! It was a great day.

This photo pretty much sums up the day for me...

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Transitions




We had a big transition at our house last night. Ocoee slept in her crib. In her room. Not beside me. I didn't plan for this to happen it just did, like a band-aid being ripped off. Hubby decided after her bath he would try to get her to sleep in her crib, which she has never done even though we have attempted naps there before. After turning on the following sleep inducing electronic devices:

Sleep sheep
Ipod light up color cube
Moose LED nightlight
Humidifier
Fan

SHE SLEPT! Like really well, from 8:30 until 1:30. Around 11 when we went to bed I was very conflicted. I didn't think she would sleep and was not ready for this transition to the crib...it just seemed too early and too sudden. Thank goodness we have the video baby monitor because I laid down in bed and just watched her sleep...until hubby took it away and told me to sleep. He brought up a good point...did I need her to be beside me more than she needed to be beside me....her bassinet looked so empty and lonely. But the truth is, we all slept better. Me, hubby, the dogs and Ocoee.

At one point after her 1:30 wake up and feeding, she was fussy and making noises...which I usually respond to. A few moments before I was about to go charging up the stairs to her nursery, super mom cape flapping in the wind, she feel asleep...on her own. Isn't that what I want...to raise a independent, confident girl (so maybe self soothing to sleep isn't indictative of these traits but sorta). Tonight we will see if it happens again, but I think her room is now her room to sleep and grow in. I did spend a lot of time designing it to be the perfect baby nest. All of her stuff is there and I must say feeding her in the rocking chair was so comfy!

Also this morning we put on the baby bjorn for the first time (hubby has used it before) and of course Ocoee took the opportunity of being aimed directly at mommy's boobs to spit up... a bunch. I think it is my fault because I did sorta have to squeeze her belly in the loading into the bjorn process. I had to even change my sports bra...fun :) The best thing about wearing her is that I can just look down to take a deep breath of her wonderful baby smell or steal a kiss to the top of her noggin any time I want.

The pictures are of a very important baby blanket that Ocoee has. The quilt was made for my step dad when he was born and it was my favorite quilt growing up. When I moved to college my brother and I literally fought over who got to keep it...I won of course. The quilt was well loved and is now over a 60 years old.

A few years back I had it turned into baby quilts when my niece, Ava, was born. The quilt had many holes and rips in it but I found a quilter who was able to turn it into 3 baby quilts. One went to my niece Ava, one went to my best friend in college,Meredith (for her son Owen) and one I just hung on to thinking well maybe one day...now it is Ocoee's. Blankets symbolize a lot. When given as a gift they show how the giver wants to provide comfort to the recipent. Ocoee has been blessed to receive several homemade blankets and quilts, each one I treasure because they are like a big warm hug and when she is laying on them or wrapped up cozy and warm I feel the love and protection each giver sends her way.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Plans, Plans, Plans








So little girl I have big plans for you. We are going to do all sorts of things together. I promise to say yes to you when your spirit for adventure takes you places that mommy might be a little worried about.....I know that by saying yes instead of no you will learn self esteem and self-confidence...two things I can't buy you or give you but hopefully can clear the path for you. My first plans are practical...swim classes before Maui. Found a great place that has a warm salt water pool and allows 3 month olds to take classes....another thing I will do for you...lie and say your 3 months so you can take the class before Maui....only 2 weeks early and since you were a week late, practically not a lie :) I don't think you will learn anything but I will learn how to be with a itty bitty (metaphorically at least) baby in the water. Even though I was a lifeguard I have never swam with a infant so it will teach me more than you.

Other plans I have for you are dreams but I believe when you say a dream enough it becomes a reality...so we will travel the world together..Paris, London, China, Egypt...I want to float down the Nile like Cleopatra did and think about a society where a woman was powerful, strong and in charge.

And other plans are simple and ordinary, like building our first snowman together, filling up a piggy bank and baking cookies. So deal with it little miss, I am a planner and your mine, so this is how it goes.....that being said...so far you have not let me be in charge of everything...the best laid plans are wrecked by a little ball of squishy baby. In the end, I love you enough to throw the plans out the window and savor the moment...whatever or wherever it is.

Friday, November 4, 2011

The sweet moments



Being a parent for me has been boiled down to moments in time. Sure there are the please go to sleep, gross that came out of you and I really would like some "me" time moments, but those seem fleeting while the sweet moments seem to linger in my mind. The moments when you look all content and satisfied like there is nothing better than being in your daddy's or mommy's arms. The moments when you coo and chat away about all the exciting things you want to tell me about, when you tangle your little fingers in my hair, because you know that this hair means it is mommy holding you...these break my heart and fill me with happiness.

While I show my joy for having you with sappy moments of teary eyed love your daddy loves to laugh at....I mean with you. Your bath time expression always makes him laugh and he was so excited to get you your mohawk hat from Etsy, which made us both roar with laughter. His laugh has always been one of my favorite things about him...it is so genuine and full of honesty, thank you for bringing more of his laughter to both of us. Now if he can just remember those moments when your fussy and won't go to sleep at night, we will all be happier :)

Punk rock mohawk hat from Supersmallfry on Etsy...to cover our increasingly balding baby's head!

Thursday, November 3, 2011