Hush little baby...

Lil' Miss Juliet took her first nap in her big girl bed. It was a struggle at first. I tried to lay her down and she screamed for 15 minutes. So, I laid her down in her bassinet and she quickly fell asleep, then I quietly picked her up and put her in the big bed. We're slowly trying to make the transition starting with a nap or so a week, once a day, most naps and then nights in the bed.

 

This also made me think of a song Juliet and I sing together called "Hush Little Baby". Only the following lyrics were designed by Sylvia Long who thought the old version showed a mother comforting her child with material possessions and decided to make a new twist on an old song. I much prefer Sylvia's version...

 

 



Hush Little Baby

Sylvia Long

Hush little baby, don't say a word.
Momma's going to show you a hummingbird.

If that hummingbird should fly,
Momma's going to show you the evening sky.

When the nighttime shadows fall,
Momma's going to hear the crickets call.

When their songs drift from afar,
Momma's going to show you a shooting star.

When that star has dropped from view,
Momma's going to read a book with you.

When that story has been read,
Momma's going to bring your warm bed spread.

If that quilt begins to wear,
Momma's going to bring you your teddy bear.

If that teddy bear won't hug,
Momma's going to catch you a lightning bug.

If that lightning bug won't glow,
Momma's going to play on her old banjo.

If that banjo is out of tune,
Momma's going to show you the harvest moon.

As that moon drifts through the sky,
Momma's going to sing you a lullaby.

 

This is definitely one of our favorite books/songs. It's good one to add to any collection.

http://www.sylvia-long.com/index.html

MUSH STUFF

My father started living on his own at the young age of 14. His parents were divorced when he was 3 and after a particularly nasty custody battle he had had enough. He settled in an old ranch house his grandmother had. Dad had a hardy diet of Corn Flakes for breakfast...lunch...and for dinner. It's no wonder he got mononucleosis. So grandma Viola took it upon herself to make this young man a recipe book and also to buy him an ol' cast iron dutch oven (which I believe is the same one he still uses today). This is a twist on an old recipe he used to make for us kids out of that dutch oven.

Let's just say it's definitely a step up from Corn Flakes.

MUSH STUFF

6 eggs

3-4 sliced of bread cubed ( I like to use old baguettes)

1/4 red onion chopped (sauteed in bacon or sausage grease for a few seconds)

5-6 slices of bacon chopped or sausage or BOTH :)

few ounces of cubed or grated cheese (mozzarella, cheddar or pepper jack)

Pepper to taste

* I don't like to add salt because the meat adds enough.

 

 

Let all items sit and bowl for a few minutes. This allows the bread to soak up all the flavored goodness.

 

If you're using a dutch oven, toss ingredients in, put on medium heat an let sit with the lid on. It should only take 15 minutes or so. Test with a fork to make sure cooked.

 

 

If you're like me and have no dutch oven and a hungry husband who wakes up before the sun comes up use a cupcake tin. In the morning it makes for a nice little snack that can be popped in the microwave and WHAM-BAM you have one happy papa bear.

 

 

 

Cook in Oven at 350F for 20 minutes or until tops are brown.

Help! I'm a NEW mom!

As a new mother I have received TONS of stuff. Stuff I thought I needed. Stuff like three different white noise makers, electric and hand held breast pump, 4 different play mats and a ridiculous amount of baby clothes. So, I decided to create a list of things that I have actually used so that when my friends have babies I know what to buy them. Mind you this list is applicable for children 0-3 months. Also, I am slightly a minimalist and hate clutter so this is bare bones.

Large Burp Clothes: The ones I have are very simple. They are 2 x 2 feet with surged edges. Most mothers could easily make these from home without much sewing experience. They are great because they can fully cover you for burping messes, can be used for discrete breast feeding or even a blanket. I love them!

Small Blanket: The one Miss Juliet has is called "Little Giraffe". It is only 1 x 1. When I first saw this blanket I thought "what the heck am I going to use this for"? Let me tell you it's perfect to lay over her in her car seat and in her bassinet. Love this item!

Rock N' Play: They sell them at Target! And they're cheap! Juliet has slept in this every night since she was an infant. It's elevated towards the head, which gives a mom nervous about SIDS an easier nights rest. It's legs allow you to easily rock your child. Also, if you travel this item is fantastic.  Juliet will be going on he third camp out this weekend. It's easily snaps to a compact size for travel!

Mittens: Baby nails are so sharp and if you have a child who is constantly clawing at her face slip a pair of these one. Also sold at Target in two packs.

Nursing Cover: If you have to nurse in public and feel uncomfortable about it you need a nursing cover. A blanket does not work! Learn from my experience. Having once tried the snazzy blanket trick I promised never to go back. It was an embarrassing, revealing, squirting wet wonder. Buy a cover with boning. I purchased mine at a second hand store and gave it a quick wash and it works great.

Carrier: Buy some sort of body carrier. I personally have a Hotsling and Baby Bjorn. Juliet LOVED the Hotsling as a newborn because it kept her close, snuggled tight and bouncing as I walked around the house (doesn't allow much movement for right arm though). We are still getting used to the Bjorn. I've also heard Moby wraps are great. There are tons...find one right for you. Borrow a friends before you purchase because you can spend a fortune.

Monitor: It doesn't have to be fancy. If you like to go outside while baby is napping and do projects (like me) this helps. It allows you to have piece of mind that baby is still slumbering away while you're working in the garden. Saves a lot of time checking up on the baby.

First Aid Kit (for babies): Handy to have. You will be using the nail clippers on a regular basis. It's crazy how sharp they are and how fast they grow. Clip while they are sleeping :)

Nightgowns w/ built in mittens: These are just nice and convenient  because mittens sometime tend to come off. You'll see a little pocket on the end of the sleeve that is meant to be folded over (kinda like a sandwich bag). Keep baby scratch free!

Swing: Not a must, but when your second comes around you'll be begging for the second set of hands.

I did not include common sense items (diapers, wipes, and clothes) and this isn't an all inclusive list, just some items I have come to love. I hope this helps! I wish I had a list like this when I first had Juliet! PLEASE add to the list of you have found other helpful items...

4 MUSTS TO BE A "COOL" MOM

I recently attended a play group with a group of women in my hometown. I abruptly realized I am NOT (I repeat) a cool mom. To be a cool mom you must do the following.

Cloth Diapers…and you can’t just do any ol’shanky diaper. It must be the best of the best. This weeks topic was Ragababes. From what I hear it is cult following. Mothers flood the Facebook site just to get their fingers on a used one at almost the same cost as the new. I change 10-12 diapers a day.  I’ll pass….for now.

The "IT" Bag: As I scan the room I see the Louis Vuitton of baby bags. There is Petunia Pickle Bottom, Ju-Ju-Be, OiOi...the list goes on. Then I scan over to my patchwork one. Buh-dum. It’s like that moment in grade school when you go to your first school dance and all your friend curl their hair and wear dresses and here you come in Reebok tennis shoes, tube socks and your favorite tweety bird shirt. That would be me only I’m 26 and still can’t escape it.

The Ride: This one came as a total surprise. I thought I had the best…well, at least the best from target (tar-shea) . Again, epic fail. You can’t just have a stroller. You need one that you can run with, has shock absorbers, a fancy brake system. Mmmm....Mine has wheels J

Formula: What are you thinking? Bad mom!! In this part of the world it a big no no! I personally breastfeed, but in cases like the wedding I attended last week I supplemented with formula. In this posse it's almost as bad as those parents who put soda in their kids sippy cups.

If motherhood wasn't so new and overwhelming in the first place add a few other moms and all their methods on child rearing and your bound to have your head reeling.

We'll see what I'm up against next week :) Cheerio!

 

Morning Muffs

There are mornings when my husband has to be at work at 5am. That means I wake up at 4:15 (way before the rooster crows)!!! The typical morning routine consists of making daddy's lunch, breakfast and feeding the baby. So, to make my mornings a little easier I came up with (and a little altering from allrecipes) this super quick, easy, scrumptious breakfast muffin your manly man is sure to love :) Trust me! My husband is a power fighting (electrician), bear hunting, bass fishing, carhart wearing son of a gun and he LOVES THESE!

MORNING MUFFS

 

1 Jumbo Buttermilk Biscuits Can (cut each biscuit in 1/2)

*I buy a few and throw some in the freezer then defrost the night before

4-5 slices of mozzarella cheese and cut into small cubes

6 pieces of crumbed cooked bacon

6 eggs mixed in measuring cup (easier to poor this way)

add some pepper and milk to egg mixture

 

1. Use bacon grease to grease the inside of the cupcake tin

2. Start by taking the 1/2 biscuits and bringing corners together to make a small circle and place one at the bottom of each cupcake space.

3. Add cheese and bacon to each.

4. Pour egg, milk, pepper mixture into each space. I fill mine to the top which causes the Morning Muffs to flow over the brim when cooked.

 

Cook at 375F for 20-25 Min or until brown.

Let cool or you'll burn your face off.

 

*I used pepper jack, cheddar and sausage this morning.

 Mix and match.

You can't go wrong with this one.

To store I put them in a large freezer bag in the fridge so i can nuke them each morning.

Birth Plan VS. Birth Story

THE PLAN:

Everyone remembers the scene in "Lion King" after the birth of Simba when Rafiki raises the small lion above his head for the whole animal kingdom to see while the song "Circle of Life" triumphantly plays in the background. For those who haven't, it's a beautiful scene. This is how I imagined the birth of my first child...minus the monkey.

While I was pregnant I played with a lot of ideas: midwife, water birth, home birth, hospital birth, to do an epidural, not to do an epidural.  I also received LOTS and LOTS of advice from friends, family, and complete strangers. The last is my favorite. And who are you?

I watched this film "The Business of Being Born" with my best friend. It was great! But, after the bleak choices of midwifes I opted for a hospital birth. As far as drugs were concerned I decided to play it by ear. After all, this was my first rodeo. I would try to go natural and if I started screaming for drugs, sure, stab me in the spine...please :)

THE BIRTH:

Sunday (just over a week overdue):
On Sunday night around 10:30 pm I started to have contractions. Yeah! My husband and I were stoked. "We're going to have a kid tonight!" thought the first time naive parents. Bahahhahah!

Monday &Tuesday:
Thirty six hours later with contractions 5-7 minutes apart we decided go to the hospital. We were admitted and hopeful.
"You're half a centimeter dilated" the nurse said.
What! That's a pretty vast journey from ten. Dejected we went home with a stress test scheduled the following day with our OBGYN.

Wednesday:
"So, how long have you been having contractions?" our OB said scanning through my file.
"Sunday night" I said slightly annoyed. I'm huge. I'm hurting. I'm exhausted.
"What?" he said surprised "Well, were going to have that baby today".

After meeting him at the hospital he broke my water. Eeekkk! There was traces of meconium. Up went some contraption that flushes fresh liquid into my uterus AND we waited. I was given pitocin and up went some other contraption to measure contractions AND we waited. Oh yes, I did get an epidural :) AND a catheter :( Finally, late evening I had dilated to ten centimeters. It was time to start pushing! So we pushed and pushed and pushed. At one point baby's heart rate dropped to 70. We pushed until...

Thursday:
And still no baby.
"It's been three hours. I think we need to opt for a c-section. We could also try the vacuum".
"Can we try the vacuum" I said.
We tried and still no baby (my husband likes to add this was one of the gruesomest things he's ever seen).

Preparations for the c-section took all but 5 minutes. I was then whisked out of the room and down the hall past family and friend. I couldn't help but cry when I saw my dad. He looked worn and worried. The operation commenced and I started to feel sick. Jon, my husband, thrust a bag under my head just as I began throwing up.

She was born at 5:16am on Thursday morning. She was quickly rushed to the NICU. She was low on oxygen and had to be pumped because of the meconium. All I saw was the top of her tiny foot as they wheeled her out asking my husband to go with them.

An hour later I was reunited with Jon. We cried when we saw each other overwhelmed with emotion. Soon after little Juliet Love was brought in and I saw and held her for the first time. Like all mothers say, it was totally worth it!