More firsts

My little baby girl is getting so big! On Wednesday, she had her first haircut! Although my mother has told me (on more than one occasion) that "they" say you shouldn't cut their hair until after they're a year old, I just had to do it. When wet, her hair actually reached past her shoulders, but it was only a this strip of hair across the middle of the back of her head and it was constantly getting all knotty and tangled. So after her bath, I snipped off her adorable curls! She was so fidgety, that Mark had to hold her instead of taking pics, but we did get it on video. I just haven't had the time to download it yet. Although she no longer as the curls in the back (though it was more frizz than curl), she's still a cutie. You'll probably think I'm a nut, but I did save the hair. Now I just have to find one of those little boxes that says "Baby's first curls".

Her other first: she's cutting her first tooth! Yup! On Wednesday night as we were doing our usual pre-bath dance, I noticed a little slit in her gums and the unmistakable whiteness of a little tooth! I've been trying to get a picture, but of course she won't open her mouth now. She's been rubbing her tongue over her gums and cracks me up.

In other news, we've been continuing to sign with her. She has already signed "milk", though never for me (she has her own gesture when I'm with her, can you guess what she does?) and responds with grunts or frantically waving her arms when you sign milk, more, eat, and water. After hanging out with Danielle and Eliza, I can't wait for Alessia to start using signs. Check out Danielle for an adorable video of her daughter signing. She's amazing!

Today we have a snow day, so I'm trying to get some last minute gifts online while Alessia sleeps. Then we're off to a playdate with Eliza!

Not-so-Wordless Wednesday

"That's shocking!"

More yummy food

Alessia is just loving "big people" food. We have now introduced protein (meat) into her diet. After her Thanksgiving meal of turkey and sweet potatoes, we have tried chicken and beef. She loves either of them mixed with peas and carrots - which I think taste like chicken soup and beef stew - and chicken with butternut squash. When I first started making her baby food, I didn't think I would do the meats, but now I realize it's just as easy as the fruits and veggies. If we're going to eat chicken, I just make some plain for her. Same with the beef. And since she'll eat her food pretty thick, I don't have to water it down too much or puree it to death. It still manages to look a little appetizing.

chicken with peas and carrots

Chicken with butternut squash

No picture of the beef, sorry. Actually that one didn't look too appealing, but it tasted good! Thanks to my little cuisinart mini chopper thing, it takes no time at all.
Any other suggestions for meals? Other combos?

First Christmas

The first of many firsts this month: Alessia cut down her first Christmas tree! (ok, she watched daddy cut it down)

We usually go out in a big group with my inlaws and their friends, but we just couldn't justify making the trek into PA 1 1/2 hours just to get a tree and torture the baby. We decided to go local, so we all went our separate ways. Besides, I'd much rather support a local business. So after a yummy yummy breakfast with Danielle, Pete and Eliza, the three of us went to a local tree farm. It was cold (though not nearly as cold as today, when everyone else went), but Alessia and I kept each other nice and warm. Poor baby couldn't really move her arms in that big jacket, but she was really well behaved.
Today we decorated the tree, and although I thought to video tape that, I didn't take any pics. Since she's uber-curious these days, I put her in the sling as I hung ornaments. She loved it, except when I wouldn't let her touch the tree or the glittery ornaments.
Now it's officially Christmas time. No more "normal" music..have to find the holiday tunes on Sirius, and have to get some more presents for the family. Very exciting!

Oh, and I did feel a little guilty cutting down a tree just for decoration. But we apologized to Mother Nature and are planning to plant a tree in the spring to make up for it. Yes, I know I'm looney.

Go Elf yourself!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Thank you! We'll be here all week!

Happy Thanksgiving (better late than never!)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Not only was this Alessia's first, but also our first time hosting Thanksgiving. Since both my brother and sister are out of the country, I had my parents over along with mark's, his brother wife and kids. I think it was a success. Of course I continued my mom's tradition of making entirely too much food, but now we have lots of yummy leftovers. For those of you who enjoy cooking, here's two yummy recipes we made: Porcini mushroom turkey and Cauliflower and brussels sprout gratin with Pine nut breadcrumb topping from Bon Appetit magazine. In addition, the menu featured 8 other sides (yes I'm crazy): roasted artichokes, rice stuffing (a tradition in my family), broccoli rabe, cranberry sauce (made fresh), sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, roasted squash and parsnip medley, and corn bread. Oh and we started with a few appetizers: bruschetta, mixed antipasto and cheese and crackers. Thankfully, my in-laws made dessert: apple and pumpkin pies and my sisterinlaw made cookies. Can't wait to see the gas bill after having the oven and stove on all day, but it was well worth it. The turkey came out delicious; I splurged and got an all-natural free range turkey from the local butcher, and I swear you can taste a difference.
Alessia was sooo well behaved and sat at the table through the whole long dinner, mostly in her high chair, then passed around like a hot potato. She enjoyed some sweet potatoes (actually ate all of mine) and some turkey. It was so exciting to see Alessia enjoy her own little thanksgiving dinner. I pureed some of our turkey and added some sweet potato. She sucked it down like there was no tomorrow!


This Thanksgiving, I was so thankful for my beautiful little girl and my wonderful husband (as well as the rest of the family and all our friends).

And now the holiday season has officially begun! We're off to the mall to visit Santa, people watch and get some presents. Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Mamma's going it alone

:o( Mark is on a business trip for the next 3 days, so Alessia and I have packed up and gone to my mom's. There's no way I could've gotten her here in the mornings and get to work on time (nor do I really want to stay home all alone with her through the night). Although I'll definitely enjoy the time with my mom and all the free meals, I miss the hubs and our own routine. It was really sad doing bath and story time alone with Alessia. We've started a new routine: we used to sit on the bed and read a few books, then I would nurse her, however lately she's been reaching for me as soon as we sit down, so Mark will lean in and read her the stories by my shoulder so she can drink and see the book at the same time. It's definitely harder to do by myself, but we survived! And although she went down easily for bedtime take 1, I'm dreading the night. No, she still doesn't sleep through the night. But Mark and I have a little system going that works for us. When she wakes up the first time, she only wants me, so I pick her up and she instantly puts her head on my shoulder and goes back to sleep. But she won't let me put her down, so I slowly pass her off to Mark, who she always lets put her down. The next time, Mark usually gets her and brings her in the bed to eat, then whenever I wake up again and notice her still in the bed, he brings her back to her room. So tonight should be interesting. Wish me luck! I'll need all I can get to make it!

Where did the time go??

Sorry I've been MIA - things have been hectic around here and I just don't know where the time went. Work is really getting to me. I'm having a hard time juggling everything and having any spare moments to even think, let alone blog. I guess I can't be supermom and a superteacher at the same time. Something's bound to be half-assed, and right now it's definitely the teacher. My heart just is not in it for the first time since I started teaching. I would so much rather be home with my baby. But that ain't happenin, so let's move on, shall we?

Since I don't have much time these days, I'll give a quick rundown of what's been happening:
New foods for Alessia:

• bananas - she loves them, but they don't love her.
• green beans - did NOT like them at first. Actually gagged and puked (well the puking is Mark's fault. He made me give her another spoonful just so he could see her make a sour face, then she puked it all up) But after a few attempts and mixing it with brown rice cereal, she eats it.
• carrots - yum! They're sweet, so of course she loved them
• mangoes - these she just can't get enough of, probably because they taste like candy
• oatmeal - prefers it to rice cereal

What she's doing:

• sitting up on her own for long periods of time. She will actually sit and play with her toys. Until she starts getting nosy and looks around and...KABOOM! falls over.
• a kind of military crawl, a few paces, then rolls over or "swims" on the floor
• stands up holding onto the bars of her gymini - this is her absolute favorite. Sometimes she throws a fit if you don't let her stand up to play.
• "walks" when you hold her under her arms. Actually puts one foot in front of the other and will walk for as long as you hold her.
• making all sorts of sounds, and LOUDLY! She's been doing a lot of "singing" lately

um...I think that's about it! Now I should go do some real work *sigh* Is it June yet??

oh yea, I forgot, yay Obama!! As Oprah said, "Hope won". I'm so excited to bring Alessia up with a true example of "you can be whatever you want to be".

Happy Halloween!

Okay, I'm a day late. But now you get pictures! After driving all over creation...

first stop: Mark's office. The accountant taped an envelope to Alessia that read "I only take cash" and brought her around the office, making people put money in. I was soooo embarassed.


Second stop: Livingston Camera Mart to visit the in-laws. Alessia had a blast flying through the air. Did you know turtles could fly?

Third stop: My parents. Some family and friends stopped by to see her as well. She had fun playing with candy (no I didn't let her eat any, but she loved playing with the M&Ms and Skittles packs)

Finally, home. Tick-or-treating with her best friend, Eliza (and Danielle and Pete too)

Where should we go?

Any yummy candy for mommy?

I thought I was pretty creative with the sling. You could still see her shell that way, although people still couldn't tell she was a turtle. "Cute frog!" "oh she's a dragon!" "Is she a slug?"

yum yum yum

it's official, Alessia looooves food. And loves to let you know she loves it. She insists on "singing" while you feed her. Tonight she practiced her "eeee" and "aaayyy" sounds while she chowed down on some butternut squash. Cute, but makes it difficult to feed her. Today she also had avocado for the first time. My mom said she made a funny face at first, but still ate it. So far, she hasn't rejected anything. Soon to come: oatmeal (we've been eating brown rice cereal), peas, green beans, and carrots. I have to get some recipes for some yummy combos for her as well. Any suggestions?

Tomorrow I'm playing hookie from work so I can spend the whole day with her and show her off in her costume. We're driving all over creation to make the rounds to all the "important" people, then back home to do some trick-or-treating with Danielle, Eliza and Pete. Can't wait!

Wordless Wednesday

...and we're back!

Sorry I've been MIA (though did anyone really care?). There have been plenty of blog-worthy events and topics, however for various reasons - being freakin exhausted, having to self-censor, and having absolutely no time to do anything - I haven't posted a thing. So here's some news:

Alessia is 6 months today! How the hell did that happen?! She's too cute. I'm too lazy to download any pics because this computer is too slow for my patience tonight, so I'll have to add some tomorrow. But here's just a few amazing (well at least to me) things she has been doing:

• make an array of noises, some even I can't make
• transfer objects from one hand to the other, even tiny pieces of ribbon on her toys
• sit up with minimal assistance
• rock on all fours - actually she kind of does like a military crawl, but gets annoyed after a while and decides it's just faster to roll around to get places
• anticipate what's going to happen in her favorite bedtime books - every night when we read The Going to Bed Book, right before the last line "...they rock and rock and rock to sleep." she starts to smile and giggle cuz she knows we're about to rock her. When we read Good Morning, Good Night, she gets ansy for the last page where she can play with the little blanket that covers the baby.
• she's starting to love "peek-a-boo"
• she gives me huge, tight hugs when I pick her up from my mom's everyday

She's been enjoying "big people food" for the past 2 weeks, and so far has had apple sauce, pears, bananas, sweet potato and butternut squash. She's loved them all, and gets so excited when she sees the bowls coming. It's all been homemade, so I'm happy she likes them.

She was supposed to have her 6 month check up tomorrow, but when I didn't get a call from the office to confirm, I called them only to find out that someone cancelled the appointment without calling me, and she wasn't in the system. So we're going next week. No biggie. I'm happy she's not getting shots tomorrow, but really wanted to see how much she weighs. I guess I'll just have to wait!

Wordless Wednesday

more big people food and other updates

This weekend Alessia had applesauce for the first time! (homemade) The first time we got a mixed review when she had it separately - I don't think the apples I used were really sweet. But she ate it when I mixed it into the cereal. Today she was uberexcited when she saw the bowl, and was lovin the cereal, but still not excited about the apples on their own. I mixed it in, and then kept sneaking her some apple-only spoonfuls on the side.

Yesterday I also made her pears and sweet potatoes and froze them. I figure we'll try the pears Wed. then try either the sweet potatoes or squash on Sat. Should be fun!

So while food has been going well, Alessia's sleep patterns have been horrible. For the past week, she has been waking up around 10 screaming and will only calm down if I go get her. If Mark gets her she continues to wail and look for me. As soon as I pick her up she falls back asleep, but I can't get her to go back in her crib. I wonder if she could be having nightmares? Last night while I was holding her, she started to whimper then cry again in her sleep like she was scared. I tried a night light earlier in the week but it didn't seem to make a difference. I'll try it again tonight, and hoping it will work. Before going back to work, getting her to go to bed and sleep had gotten so much easier. The past two months have felt like we took 3 steps back. I just hope it'll get better soon! I can't take all these wakings during the night when I have to get up before 5 in the morning.

Okay, I've procrastinated doing my lesson plans enough. I'm off!

Wordless Wednesday

From 20081011 First REAL Food

yumm-o

Day 2 of real food for Alessia: organic brown rice cereal again this morning, just thicker. Big success. Most of it actually stayed in her mouth and got to her belly this time. And Mark called it - she's a hummer. Just like sometimes when she nurses, she likes to hum while she eats. Today she kept grabbing the spoon as I put it in her mouth and wouldn't let me take it out. I had to grab another spoon for her to play with just so I could pry the other one out of her clutches. When she finished what was in the bowl, she cried and made her usual panting for more food noises, so I made a smidge more and a bit thicker. She loved it. It's very exciting around here!

So now we start thinking about fruit and veggies. I started looking on the web for some recipes and advice on what should really be organic (the so-called "dirty dozen") and what doesn't really matter, and what to start with. Danielle led me to wholesomebabyfood, which I found very useful. Got a few basic recipes and went off to the store to get provisions.

Day 1: Applesauce. I used the apples we picked last weekend. Believe it or not, this is the first time I've ever made it! It's not a typical dish you'd find in an Italian household, so I actually needed a recipe for it. Boy did I feel dumb when I realized all you had to do was peel, core, chop and boil/steam them. But it was fun. Alessia was very interested in the whole process.



I didn't buy enough trays to make more than one kind of food in a day, so I'll have to do a little at a time. What's to come: Butternut and acorn squash, sweet potatoes, peas, green beans, and pears. As we introduce them, I'll let you know what she likes.

You know, I never imagined I would be the kind of mom I am: breastfeeding, babywearing, green (as much as I can be), and making my own babyfood. But I'm loving it. Except for the part where I have to go to work everyday. I could live without that for now. And I think that surprises me the most.

My little baby is growing up!

My little girl is growing up! We made the decision to start her on cereal this weekend (which I know my family thinks we should've done like 2 months ago). Alessia has been super interested in food for about the past month, drooling like crazy and "chewing" when she sees us eating. If she's on my lap, she reaches for my food and stares at me as I put it in my mouth, following the fork with her eyes. I was very adamant about waiting until she was 6 months, keeping her diet exclusively breastmilk. We almost made it - she'll be 6 months in about 2 weeks. This past week, her usual bottles just weren't cutting it for her, and even on my days off, she was eating like a fiend. There is no way I can get more milk for her, so rather than trying to increase the quantity, I decided it was time to introduce cereal. Why not just supplement with formula you may ask? We've made it this far without it, it doesn't make sense to start for two weeks.

So how'd it go? Take a look:

At first she didn't know what to do with it, but after a while, she was real excited and doing a pretty good job getting it down. So over the next few days we'll experiment with the thickness of it (it was very soupy today), then I guess we'll start to add some fruit. We're using HappyBaby organic brown rice cereal to start with, then I want to try the oatmeal and multigrain. I haven't been able to get their frozen food yet - none of the stores near me carry it, so I got someEarth's Best stage 1 pears to start. I've also hear good things about Tasty Baby from Danielle, so am thinking about trying that out. I really want to try making my own food, I just have to find the time and get some appropriate size (and safe) containers to freeze it in. I was planning on making apple sauce with the apples we picked, but have not gotten around to it yet and we've already eaten most of them. So it's off to the store or maybe the farm next door. I also got some yummy squashes from the farm that I figured I would roast and puree.


I would gladly welcome any yummy recipes you have that your babies enjoyed or any suggestions of products.

Another day off

I had off today due to the holiday, so I got to spend the day with my bambina. What a beautiful day it turned out to be! We went for two walks with our buddies, Danielle and Eliza, and then played for a bit at the playground in our development. But of course I didn't have my camera with me, which was a shame. She was so cute sitting in the plastic airplane rocking back and forth (and of course I'm sitting there thinking "how toxic is this stuff?") We'll have to make it over there again with a camera.

Today she started doing the cutest thing. She smacks her lips together, kinda like a big fish (Mark would know exactly what kind of fish to compare her to, but not me) making this cute "popping" noise. Too cute.

As she played with, or rather ate, some toys in her room, I started to go through her drawers and closet and put away all the clothes that don't fit her anymore or that are too summery. I can't believe how fast she's growing up! (or just how many clothes she has!) It did suck putting away some things that she only wore once, but hey, I guess that's what happens. Maybe I'll have another girl (in the very distant future) so we can use all these clothes. If not, we'll just pass them down to someone else's baby I guess.

Speaking of growing up, stayed tuned to see what big step Alessia makes this weekend!

Fun times

We have been very busy around here lately. Saturday, we went to a baby and toddler expo with Danielle and Eliza. It was fun, but a loooong drive, at least in my world. But the girls were fabulous and slept there and back. One major complaint about the expo: the entrance they told us to use was not stroller accessible! We ended up wearing the girls and lugging the strollers up the stairs. I don't know why we bothered bringing the strollers in...neither girl really stayed in them long. We just never learn! I was really looking forward to Deidre Imus' seminar on "growing up green", but it ended up being a disappointment. She started almost a 1/2 hour late, and spent most of the time just scaring the crap out of me with statistics about childhood chronic illnesses, cancers, etc, etc. (which I already know), then basically was just plugging her products and book. I was hoping for some practical info, like what I could start doing at home. So we bolted - it's not like the girls were really sitting there quietly anyway. Then we made it to the expo floor, and I have to say I was a little disappointed at the lack of freebies or samples. Just mailing lists. Although I did end up winning a discount on a sitting with a professional photographer (which I'll never use) and Eliza was a finalist in the cutest baby contest.

Yesterday we went apple and pumpkin picking with the inlaws and Danielle, Pete and Eliza. Although the weather was yucky, cool and wet in the morning, we had a fun time. Got a few apples (time to learn how to make apple sauce for Alessia - any good recipes?) and a lot of great shots. Here are my faves:

Do moms get sick days?

It was about time I got sick. I made it almost 5 weeks this year before it hit. Tuesday night, I had the worst sore throat, and of course Alessia had a rough night and I lost count how many times she got up. I went in yesterday, but was absolutely miserable and by the end of the day, I was almost near tears every time I swallowed. So I prepped for a sub just in case. I woke up this morning to a little less pain, but now my ears itch as well as my throat. Fun! So I called in sick. But do we moms really get sick days? Of course not! Though my mom offered to take Alessia for the day, it just didn't make sense for Mark to take her there and pick her up after work. They wouldn't have gotten home until 6. So I ended up getting a second day home with my bebe!

She woke up at 5:30, much to my dismay, and would not go back to sleep. She rolled around in my sheets for a bit, then I put her in the pack and play (whichis still next to our bed) and she played in there a bit, but I couldn't hold her off for long. So after a couple diaper changes and a feeding, we decided to go out for a walk with Danielle and Eliza - cuz that's what you do when you're sick, right? I just needed some fresh air, but definitely did not have the energy for our normal loop today. But Alessia was sooo cute in the little sweater my friend Meri knit for her and the hat a colleague crocheted, I had to snap a shot:

AFter the walk, mommy got a great nap while Alessia lay passed out in her crib. After that, we've just been chillin, and of course I waste all other nap times online rather than doing work around the house or work work that I really need to do.
She's turned into quite the roller - you can't turn your head for a minute or she's across the room! God help us when she starts crawling! Here are some cute shots from the day

Oh and for those of you that care, apparently her rash is a reaction to her poop. Something in my diet is the culprit, so it's time to start eliminating again. First round: all dairy (again) and soy - though I don't think it's the dairy, but we shall see!

Win a handbag!

In addition to my crazy shoe obsession, I love handbags, and thanks to Dana, I found out about this great giveaway! Handbag planet is giving away a handbag every hour for 24 hours to celebrate their launch. Go check them out! They have a great selection of bags, and I know even though us moms are usually just toting around a diaper bag, it's nice to have some awesome accessories for those sans-baby moments or for when we finally don't need those big bags!
So what are you waiting for??!! Go get yours!

Wordless Wednesday

weekend updates and happy 5 month bday!

Happy 5 month birthday Alessia!! Wow, I can't believe it's been 5 months since I heard the doctor say "it's a girl!" after 32 hours of labor. It has flown by so fast! Look at my big girl!

Since I'm so bad at posting, here are all my updates:
Alessia still has that funky rash, so she's off to the dr. tomorrow. But I have a meeting after school, so daddy will be taking her. Can't wait to see what transpires. It doesn't seem to bother her at all, just looks nasty.

She's still talking up a storm, but now she's even doing it while eating. That's been fun. She makes these crazy grunting sounds then moves on to her cooing and gurgling, with milk sputtering out of her mouth. I guess it can be cute sometimes (it would be cuter with a bottle).

She had a growth spurt over the past week or so and all of a sudden none of her clothes fit. The pants are all too short and her shirts are turning into belly shirts. Mamma has to go shopping!

We've been reading to her forever, and she usually sits and stares at the pages as we read. Her favorites at the moment are Where's Spot? (flip up book) and Good Morning, Good Night (a touch and feel bedtime book). This week she just started getting interested in the flaps in Where's Spot? Thursday she spent about 20 minutes lifting the flaps and turning the pages.
At bedtime, when we read Good Morning, Good Night, we have to stay on the last page for about 10 minutes so she can play with the little fleece blanket that covers the little girl sleeping in her bed. She's too cute!

Friday night we went out to dinner with my parents and sister as a sort of "goodbye" to her before she leaves for New Zealand. Well technically she already left - her flight was supposed to leave around 3:30 today but got delayed, I wonder if she's in the air yet? I'm surprisingly really upset over all this. For those of you who don't know, my sister has decided to go backpacking around New Zealand for the next 7 months. She got a work/holiday visa. It's really really cool, and I'm so proud of her for doing it. She planning on doing some WWOOFing (willingly working on organic farms) and just traveling around working odd jobs to cover her expenses. Then she's off to Thailand to do some volunteer work. She's amazing. But I'm still her big sister and am worried to hell. She just has too much faith in humanity and trusts people too easily - though she does have a good head on her shoulders. I just worry and share my mom's fear that we'll never see her again. I know it's awful, but it's the truth. At least she has started a blog so we can follow her. She just better keep it updated and remember to call home.

Yesterday, after a horrible car ride and detour through Manhattan, we got to visit some family in Queens. Alessia had a blast playing with her cousins. They were all so cute together! Alessia kept grabbing Ava's arm and "petting" her. She didn't even care when Ava grabbed her face and stuck her thumb in her eye. She was just in heaven playing with fellow little people. I'm so excited for Christmas this year because I can already see they're going to have so much fun together. But god help us when the get older!cousins Ava (in grey) and Olivia.

Ava and Alessia

This week I get Tuesday off for the holiday and am so excited to spend the day with Alessia. Big plans: go for a morning walk with Danielle and Eliza, do some shopping, and just hang out with my bebe. Can't wait!

Another round of shots

No that those kinds of shots! I'm talking about vaccines. For those of you that have been following and paying attention to my rambles, at last month's checkup I refused two of Alessia's vaccines so she wouldn't get 4 at a time. So I had to go back this month to get them. Although I always dread these visits and feel sick to my stomach when it's time for them to "shoot 'er up", I figured it wouldn't be that bad. They weren't giving her another checkup with the dr., just a visit with the nurse (since they do all the "work" at the visits anyway). I figured, how long could it possibly take? AN HOUR. Yes, that's right, we waited in the waiting room for an hour before they called our name. While we did make friends with a cute 9 year old girl who even mopped up Alessia's drool for her while she was making her laugh, we did not enjoy it. Alessia started to get real cranky - she missed a nap and a feeding during that time. So she was already screaming before they even pricked her. Oh and the best part, they didn't even put us in a room for the shots. They just called us over to the nurse's station, had me expose her thighs (aka take off her pants) and sit her on my lap as they gave her the shots. Last time, I was able to sit in the room for a few minutes after to nurse her to help soothe and calm her after, but not this time. I was, and still am, so pissed. Next month I'm calling ahead to ask how their schedule is running. If they're running late, they can call me at home when they're ready! I'm not sitting in the waiting room for an hour again. Oh and did I mention the attitude they had when I asked (crying baby in hand) how much longer it would take?
Are all doctor's offices like this? Or am I the only lucky one?

Oh and she's been fine since the shots - no fever or irritability. Yay! Though she does have some kind of a rash, totally unrelated, that I can't figure out. She has ubersensitive skin and I think it may be eczema, but it's on her upper thigh/butt cheek. I dunno. I'll call the dr if it's still there at the end of the week. Wonder how long I'll have to sit in the waiting room for that one.

how fast time flies by...

I just can't seem to get the hang of my new schedule and find time to post and comment on the blogs I follow (I'm still reading, just can't comment from work!) Time just keeps whizzing by.
Speaking of time...last night was Mark's and my 10 year high school reunion. Man did that creep up on us quickly! We technically didn't go to the reunion, but showed up for the after party. Alessia is teething again and has been real fussy at night and I didn't want to leave my mom with that. So we headed out after she finally went to bed. It was a good time, though I'm paying for the late night today. As conceided as it sounds, one of the best parts for me was hearing how good people thought I looked after having a baby...All those morning walks with Danielle really paid off! I may feel like sh*t, but at least I apparently don't look it! Yay!
Not only was it weird to think how much time had passed by since I had seen most of these people, but then when we were playing "catch up" and I talked about Alessia, it was so weird to say that she was just about 5 months. Where did that time go??!! She's getting so big and so is her personality. When I look at what she can do now and how she interacts with us, it just amazes me and I can't believe how fast it's all going. Her newest things are this funky gurgling sound she makes nonstop and she finally got her foot in her mouth.
I would put a picture here, but still haven't had time to load any onto the new computer. Maybe I'll get a chance tomorrow. Instead I'm off to finish some laundry and pass out before round 2 of putting her back to bed.

long time no post

So sorry I haven't been posting - I know some of you family peeps (especially those that have moved to another country for the next few months) check up for info on Alessia, but I have been exhausted!!! Actually I don't think that word even does it justice...I am waaaay beyond exhausted at this point. But let's not dwell. Here are some Alessia updates:
She's having another bout of teething this past week and was CRANKY at the end of the weekend/beginning of the week. The drooly monster has returned. But today she was back to her smiles and giggles, so we forgive her.
She's been "talking" up a storm. I think she's going to be just like her mamma - a big mouth! Her new sounds are funny gurgles and sounds she makes while sucking air in through her mouth. She gets a kick out of it. The gurgly sounds probably feel funny. And she looks at you like "you know what I mean?" I just immitate her or talk back and we both crack up.
Saturday night we finally made the big move: Alessia slept in her crib in her own room. She loved it, but I had a hard time. I kept going in there to check on her. She was sleeping so soundly, I couldn't tell if she was breathing and startled her a few times when I checked. She's still in there. I guess we all sleep better like that, although I do miss having her sleep snuggled up next to me in the bed sometimes. She still wakes up at least twice during the night, but Mark has been a big help and going to get her and bring her to me to eat, then I put her back.
Lately, she's been seriously eyeing our food, drooling like crazy when she watches us eat and has tried to grab food from my hands on occasion. But our dr. says it's best to wait until 6 months before introducing any food, so she's got a little over a month to go. Poor baby! You should see her when she watches her friend Eliza eat.

Um...I think that's it for now. Sorry there's no pics. We finally set up a new office and switched computers, so I haven't moved my files yet or had time to load any new pics on this comp. I promise to have some soon.
Now it's off to bed with my sorry ass so I'm not a complete zombie at back-to-school night tomorrow (my second one this week - oh the pleasures of teaching both 7th and 8th grade).

week 2

We've almost made it through week 2 of being back at work...just 1 more day to go. It's been getting better and easier to leave her each day. Last week, when I would pick her up from my mom's she wanted nothing to do with me and was crabby all evening, which made me feel like crap. But this week she's been all smiles and giggles when she sees me walk through the door. Her new thing now is to wake up when I get in the shower and she just wants to play with us. Not cranky or anything - she saves that for my mom - but really freakin cute. She wakes up with a huge smile as soon as she sees me and starts giggling. It's almost like she misses us during the day and just wants some more time with us. Unfortunately for her, I don't have time so she goes in her swing or the bouncy in whichever room I'm in at the time. She has been crabby at night though, fighting sleep and getting up more often during the night and wanting to nurse. So I've just been keeping her in bed with me so I don't really have to wake up so much. I don't mind, in fact I think I sleep better when she's curled up next to me.

As far as actual work goes, I'm freakin exhausted! The extra class is killing me more this year than last year when I was pregnant, mostly because I don't have the luxury of staying after school to get stuff done. The kids are pretty good, except for a group in one of my classes - I can already tell it's going to be a looong year with them. I found myself giving the "I'm not a babysitter" speech already. Oh well. Oh and then there's the pumping. I had covered up the windows looking into my classroom so I could stay in there and do it during my prep, which my principal was aware of. Then the state came in on Tues for a walk-through inspection and told us we couldn't cover them (I'm not the only one). When I asked my principal where I could go she curtly instructed me to use the faculty bathroom within the girls bathroom. I freaked. It's basically a broom closet turned bathroom stall with a locking door. No outlet, nowhere to put the pump, and nast dirty. How disgusting! So I was a wreck, until I ran into a couple of fellow mom colleagues who were just as incredulous as I was by her directions and one of them (the school psychologist) offered me her office to use everyday. So that's working out well. She lets me use her computer to get some work done while I'm in there. Thank god there's some decent people in this world.
So, bottom line, we're surviving for now. Oh, I forgot - the cops think they caught the asshole that tried to break into my car. Yay.

Surviving the first week back

We did it! We survived my first week back at work. It definitely wasn't easy, but it got better towards the end of the week. I was a little down though, because she was so fussy in the evenings and I began to feel like I'd never see her smile again! (Silly I know) But we just had the best weekend ever, and it makes it a little easier to go back to work tomorrow. Yesterday we just hung out inside - the weather was absolutely disgusting and we missed our morning walk - and played and played and played all day long. We got tons of belly laughs out of Alessia and she put up with all the kisses from mommy the kissie monster. She took one decent nap and I snuck out to get a pedicure with Danielle, which was much needed and enjoyed by us both. This morning the in-laws came down for brunch at the diner. Since it was such a beautiful day, we decided to walk there. I put Alessia in my batik ringsling, and hoofed it. She was great at the diner - actually stayed awake and cheerful (until she was hungry of course) and had some fun with nonnie and pop-pop. She's usually sleeping or in one of her cranky "I want mommy" moods when they see her, so this was a nice treat. I may not have gotten everything on my "to-do list" done, but I don't care. Alessia seemed so happy to stay home with us all weekend, I just had to eat it up.

Back to work in the morning and the exhaustion will set in again. But before we start the complaining again, here's a cute pic of my little "flashdancer" sporting her babylegs (a gift from Danielle and Eliza)
I'm a maniac, maniac on the floor. And I'm dancing like I've never danced before!

Day 2

We survived another day. Today went much better since Mark took Alessia to my mom's. I can deal with giving her a hug and kiss goodbye then putting her in daddy's car. I can get her off my mind a bit while I"m driving by myself to work. And she's having a blast at my mom's. Today she rolled over from back to tummy in front of a witness for the first time. We know she's done it during the night, but could never catch her in the act. That was cool, though I did feel a little sad that I had missed it. But it's okay, I've been there for every other first so far.
Update on the car: it's officially ghetto-fab. The door handle fell off in my hand this morning when I went to open the door. Apparently the piece the asshole took also keeps the handle from snapping off. Then when I got to my mom's in the afternoon, what was left of the lock chamber fell out onto the ground when I slammed the door. Wonderful. Mark's taking it to the insurance adjuster tomorrow then we can finally get it fixed and I don't have to feel like a hoodrat driving it around and parking it at work.
I'm freakin exhausted. Have I mentioned what time I get up in the morning?? Alessia has been waking up for a second feeding between 3:30 and 4 and my alarm goes off at 4:30. Fun. It's starting to catch up to me. But alas, I still can't go to sleep yet - I have to prep for tomorrow's fun fun lessons. Those kids better enjoy it!

WTF????!!!!!

I'll make this short, because I'm exhausted and going to head off to bed shortly. We survived my first day back at work, but not without some drama and a major WTF moment. Alessia woke up at 4:15 to eat, then my alarm went off 15 min later - oh what a joy it is to wake up so early :o( Everything went smoothly - I'll spare you the details of my new morning routine - and my little sticky notes throughout the house helped out. At 6:05, I went up to wake up my pupa and get her into Mark's car. No prob. She was happy and smiley and curious as to what was going on. I gave her a kiss and was proud that I had broken down again. Then I go to open my car door - here's the WTF moment - the door handle looked a little odd. It took me a moment to realize what was wrong. The keyhole cover-thingy (yes that's the technical term) was gone and the lock was exposed. Someone tried to break into my car during the night. Right outside the front door of my building. And I don't even live in a crappy area! And my car isn't even the nicest or most expensive in our development or even our lot! I didn't have anything valuable in there except maybe my EZPass. The creep didn't succeed in getting in and taking anything, but damaged my door while trying to bump the lock. What kind of asshole would break into a car with 2 carseats in the back?! Why??!! And why today of all days??!! Words can't expressed how freakin pissed off and upset I was. Mark stayed behind to call the cops to file a report and I had to take his car and drop Alessia off at my mom's. And that was horrible. I was an emotional wreck, and she just kept crying. My parents met me in the driveway to take her out of the car, because I just couldn't do it. Of course I started balling, called Mark and cried that I didn't want to go back to work. I cried about half of the way there, until Mark changed the subject to my car. Then I spent the rest of the time cursing out the MFer for messing with my car and making me feel violated.
Work went fine - I still have a ton to do tomorrow morning before my students arrive. Alessia had a great time with my mom and didn't seem to miss me at all (as my father so nicely pointed out to me). At least she's dealing with this well. I hope I get better at it.
Okay, off to bed to dream about sweet revenge if I ever find that creep that ruined my morning and my car.
So much for a short post.

Bye bye baby

I've been dreading writing this post, but at the same time needing to do it. Tomorrow I go back to work. I've already broken down twice today just at the thought of leaving my baby and not being able to spend all my time with her. Can't wait to see what I do tomorrow. I know it would be even harder if I was leaving Alessia at a daycare or with someone I didn't know. I'm lucky my mom's watching her. But it's still freakin hard.
It's so funny how you change after having a baby. I always used to say that I give SAHMs a lot of credit because I couldn't do it. I thought I would be bored out of my mind, because that's what my summers were like when after I got married and was home alone. But after being home for the past 4 months with my beautiful girl, I can't imagine going back to work. Who would of thought?! I guess I've really changed since being a mom. I never thought I would breastfeed her, then when I started I figured it would only last until the end of the summer, but here I am with my pump all packed and ready to go to work with me. I envy my friend Danielle who left her job to stay home with her daughter. I wish our summer routine of morning walks and fun daytrips with the girls could go on forever.
I was always so into my work. I would stay in my classroom 2 hours after the end of the day to grade papers, prep, etc just to not have to bring work home with me. And the crazy thing was, I loved it! All I ever thought about was work and my students. This year I haven't even gone to my classroom to set it up. Usually I've already been there 3 or 4 times and the room is done. That's definitely adding to my anxiety about tomorrow. I have to cram into one day what I would usually do over the course of 4 days, and I know my heart just won't be in it and I'll be thinking about Alessia. *Sigh* I can't think about this anymore. I should just go to bed, because with my luck, she'll choose tonight to wake up every 2 hours and I'll be a zombie when my alarm goes off at 4:30 (I have to leave my house at 6 every morning because of the lovely traffic).
I give working moms a lot of credit...I just don't want to be one.

dirty diaper derby

Today feels like it's dragging on forever! Alessia's visit to the doctor went well. My little peanut is now 11lbs 14oz, and 24in tall. Although she may seem small, the doctor was very pleased with how she's growing and that I'm continuing to exclusively breastfeed her. I turned down 2 of the 4 vaccines, so I have to go back next month to get them. I don't mind paying another copay - it's so worth it not to cause her so much pain. Speaking of pain, she did okay with the shots. I fed her right before she got them - which supposedly helps because it raises their glucose level or something like that - and then again right after to soothe her. Mark took her home in his car so that I can have one peaceful car ride. And wouldn't you know it, she slept for him?! She did cry a little, but then passed out. Figures! Oh, and I asked the dr. about her earring "injury", and he looked at me like I was crazy. She's fine, it'll heal, I don't have to do anything. And it does look much better. It didn't seem to bother her, but it really bothered me and made me feel bad for piercing her ears to begin with.

So far, no fever from the shots, but oh my god the poopy diapers! I think I've changed at least 4 already, which is more than usual for her these days. And she has mastered grabbing her toes, so of course when I put her on the changing table she goes for them. Makes it very difficult to put a new one on! The last one I put on took 3 attempts and then I realized she still had a cheek hanging out. But it's so cute when she grabs her feet! She looks at you like "Whoa! Now what do I do with them?" Oh and last night she let out the loudest, cutest, full-on belly laugh at bathtime. We've never heard anything like it! So cute...we hope she does it again tonight and we catch it on video.

sleepdeprived rambling mommy

Due to lack of sleep, my brain is all over the place - hence the title of this post. No creativity today. So please excuse my rambles.

Attempting to go green: I've been inspired by my friend, neighbor and fellow blogger, Danielle, to try to go green. First, she opened my eyes to what kind of health products I was using on Alessia and directed me to Skin Deep to check the safety of what I was using. End result: I got rid of all the stuff I originally bought and got safer products. Alessia's skin actually seems better since getting rid of soaps and lotions containing fragrance. I would love to try cloth diapers after hearing her review after using them on Eliza, but my mom (who will be watching Alessia when I return to work) is not feeling it, so I'm keeping the disposable. Besides, I don't know how long I would last with them anyway with the yucky breastfed poopy diapers. Maybe when she's a little older and less disgusting down there. Next came cleaning products. I've always been a little weary about what kind of chemicals I'm inhaling every time I clean the bathroom - when I was pregnant, I refused to do it. Luckily Mark cleaned them for me. Then my aunt got me thinking about the cleaners I was using in the kitchen, and I started to worry a little. Danielle has reviewed some good eco-friendly cleaning products, but when you're on a tight budget and on maternity leave with no pay it's hard to rationalize to the hubs spending the green on greener cleaning supplies when we have a ton of "traditional" ones. She mentioned using vinegar to clean some things in the home, so I decidede to look into it and see just how far you could go. I found some info here and here on how to clean just about everything in your home with vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice. So I'm trying it out. So far, I've used distilled white wine vinegar in lieu of fabric softener. I was a little skeptical that my clothes would smell like stinky feet but they didn't. In fact, they were just as soft as when I use fabric softener. I've also used diluted vinegar to clean the kitchen and bathrooms with equal satisfaction. The faucets have never been so shiney! I used baking soda to clean my stovetop and was very impressed. It worked better than the commercial products I had been using to cut through cooked on grease. While I'm happy with my greener cleaning, I'm getting some slack from Mark and my mom, who both think I'm crazy. But I'm used to that, especially after I freaked out over the main ingredient (triclosan) in the antibacterial hand soap we all use and rushed to the store to get what I called "non-toxic" soap. See what happens when I read??

And the award for worst mommy in the world goes to....
Since Alessia was born, I sometimes feel like the worst mom ever. For example, when I let her sleep on her tummy, when she screams as if being tortured to death in the car, when I strap her into her stroller for a walk even if she's crying just so I can get out of the house and get some fresh air and drink my coffee. And this morning. As we embarked on our daily morning walk with Danielle and Eliza (which will be missed terribly starting Tuesday), Alessia fussed and cried as usual. Every few steps, I would stop to try to figure out what was wrong. Are the straps too tight? Is something pinching her? Did part of her body fall off and I didn't notice?? Then I check her earrings...the left one has dried blood caked on it. OH MY GOD WHAT HAPPENED!?! I have no idea when or how it happened, but it must have either gotten caught on something or she pulled it. Probably the latter since there was also a scratch on that side of her face, by her ear. Mind you, I had her ears peirced 5 weeks ago, and this never happened. This one earring was not as tight as the other, and when I got home and checked it as I cleaned it with alcohol, it looks like the back is pissed off and she cut it a little. Now her little earlobe looks a little swollen to me. Why in the world did I peirce her ears??!! Every little girl in my family has had their ears pierced around 3 months, so I didn't even think twice. I think they're adorable. However, I'm always freaking out that she'll get hurt. And now it has happened. And it's all my fault. She doesn't seem to care or be in pain -though maybe that's one of the reasons she woke up so much last night - but I feel horrible. We have a dr. appointment this afternoon (and she's getting shots again), so Mark said to just have him look at it. So he can look at me disapprovingly and confirm that I'm a bad mommy?? Just hand the award over now.

Speaking of the doctor - at her 8 week appt. they gave her 4 shots. Poor baby! 2 in each leg, so no matter what side I nursed her on, she was in pain. I told Mark he has to back me up, especially if I chicken out, but there is no way they're doing that again!! No more than 2 at a time. I don't care if I have to go back next week for the rest, but there's no need, in my opinion, to do so many at once. And I've spoken endless times about her Alessia hates hates hates the car, especially later in the day. Our appt is at 4:30 and the office is about an hour away, so I'm not looking forward to that drive. And I'm really not looking forward to the one home, especially after her shots and the night we had (nothing major, just no sleep for mommy). I think I'll pawn her off on daddy for that ride home. See, aren't I horrible??

Okay, I think that's enough rambling, don't you? If you actually read the whole thing, thanks!! If not, I don't blame you! I'll leave you with a pic of my cutie pie who is 4 months today!

Can I just wear her?

So this morning I was thinking about having to return to work next week. Alessia woke up early - although nothing compared to my future work days - and I was begging her to go back to sleep. How the hell am I going to do this? She still doesn't sleep through the night, and lately has been waking up for a second feeding between 4 and 5. I'm guessing that to get out of the house by 6, I'm going to have to get up either right after she eats at 4 or set my alarm for that time. I'm still optimistic about being able to pump before leaving in the morning and then again at work, but we'll see how that goes and how long it lasts. All I know is that the coffee is definitely going to have to be ready for me in the morning, because there's no way I can live without it. It's funny, I was never really a hardcore coffee drinker before having her. Now I can't get by without my morning cup o'joe and sometimes need another later in the day.

As I was feeding her this morning and talking to her like I always do (I don't care if she can't understand me...it's venting), I thought "how about I just wear you to work?" Nobody cared when she was in my belly, how bout I just wrap her up and keep her on my belly throughout the day? Then I won't have to call 5o billion times throughout the day to see how she's doing. I know I'm crazy, I just don't want to leave her yet! But couldn't you just picture me teaching with her in my mobywrap or batik ringsling? Haha...I'm sure the kids would get a kick out of that and I would get soooo much done :o)

Oh well, a mom can dream, right? I better go get some cleaning done while Alessia takes her morning nap. My mom is on her way to keep her occupied while I attempt to regain some order in this house. Ha! I'll let you know if it actually happens.

Updates

We've been busy busy busy around here, so I've been away from the computer. Here's our highlights since last Friday:

My sister finally found her luggage and got to Pozzallo. I haven't talked to her since because her cell isn't working in that tiny town for some reason, but I'm sure she finally got that drink and relaxed.

Saturday we went to Lewis Morris Park for a picnic with another couple we met in lamaze. They have a little boy, Luc, who is a week older than Alessia and just adorable! The babies had a good time - Luc tried to put the moves on Alessia.
And the daddies took them down the slide. The adults had a great time too, enjoying some "big people" conversation.

Then we stopped by a BBQ to see my inlaws and some of their friends to show off Alessia. There was a huge fire pit and citronella torches all over the backyard, so I was freaking out about the baby. No matter where I went, smoke followed. We all smelled gross. It's not good when your child smells like a bonfire.

Sunday we did some shopping - finally got a new desk so I could set up an office to clutter up. It just makes me think of work, and that sucks. I really don't want to go back next week and am really not looking forward to having to bring work home with me for the first time in 5 years. I'm still trying not to think about returning to work cuz I freak out. I'll let you know how it all works out.

Today we went to the Lehigh Valley Zoo with our friends Danielle and Eliza. It's a fun zoo, especially for little ones. Just like our last zoo visit, Alessia slept for the second half.
Here we are seconds before she passed out in front of the Emu. That stubborn bird kept walking around and hiding behind bushes, so he's not in the pic. But he was really cool!
Here's a cute one of Eliza after we stopped to feed the girls by the butterfly garden. She was a good girl and stayed in her stroller. I didn't bother this time and just put Alessia in the sling straight out of the car.
We saw some fun animals, and I took pics of all of them to make a little book for her, so when we go back next year she'll know them all!
Since Alessia slept for about an hour in the zoo, she was not a happy camper in the car. Danielle squeezed in between the two carseats in the back (thank God she's skinny as a toothpick!) and tried to calm my screaming baby. She passed out about 10 min before we got home. It was a 40 min drive. Thank God for Danielle and Eliza this summer! They've made it a blast, but also makes it hard to go back to work. I'll miss our adventures!

So that's it. Now my little peanut is napping and I have to get some stuff done. We'll see how far I get.

Last mommy's group

Yesterday was our last mommy's group at Postpartum Place because I'm going back to work. It was so sad!! That group has been a life saver since I had Alessia. It got me through all the tough times I had with breastfeeding, Alessia's sleep problems in the being, and most recently, heading back to work. Even though it was a major pain in the ass to drive the hour to get there once a week, especially on days when we either got a late start because Alessia woke up late or when she was screaming in the car, it was always worth it. I just wish there was a place like it that's closer to us. But it's definitely one of a kind. Even if I did find another place closer, I probably would still make the trek up there because I just love Maria, Dawn and Sharon. Not only are they knowledgable, but hilarious and make you laugh it off sometimes. Maria especially, so I was so happy to see she was running group yesterday. Our relationship is not over, however. I have their phone number saved in my cell and on speed dial at home, so I'll be calling with any new questions as a venture into pumping at work.

******NEWSFLASH*********
Okay, so I started typing this post around 10:00 while Alessia napped. Since then, it has been pandamonium around here. I decided to pump while she was sleeping, and wouldn't you know it, as soon as I finished, she woke up and wanted to eat. But she was impatient and wanted a quick letdown, which wasn't happening, so I got her a bottle. As I'm feeding her, my aunt calls me - "Call your sister! She called from the airport crying and hung up." Apparently I'm the only one that can call Italy right now. So I call her cell. Let me preface this by telling you that my sister is one of the most independant women I know, even at only 22 years of age. She has travelled internationally alone, which is something I could never do. I can't even eat out alone! She's currently at the airport in Catania (Sicily). They have lost her luggage and she can't figure out what bus she's supposed to take to get to my grandfather's house in Pozzallo - about 2 hours away. On top of that, she's exhausted from traveling and hormonal (PMS), so she's a wreck. I'd be a wreck even without the hormones, so I totally understand. The people at the airport are complete assholes, especially to americans. My sister can get by in Italian, but apparently they're giving her the runaround and she can't find the bus. bHer friend is with her, but doesn't speak a word of Italian. My brother is in Pozzallo, but his cell is not working. So here I am, with Alessia talking away in my ear, and trying to fix this situation from the other side of the planet. I call my grandfather, who unfortunately is going a little senile these days, and has no idea who I am at first (though I never really call there, so the confusion is understandable). I try to explain the situation, then just ask to talk to my brother who I find out has gone to the beach and we can't get in touch with him b/c his cell doesn't work. So here I am, going back and forth b/w everyone - calling Italy, then my mom, blah blah blah. In the midst of this, Alessia poops, so I take her upstairs to change her, only to find that it has shot up the front of her diaper and is all over her stomache. How the hell do I clean that??!! So into the tub she goes - and I've never bathed her by myself before because I'm so afraid she'll slide into the water and drown. As I'm trying to hose her off, the phone rings...it's Mark, and I just freak out at him trying to explain everything, then hang up. Alessia is giggling away, because she thinks this is hilarious and is loving the extra bath. Once she's all dressed again, I call mark to explain everything and apologize in advance for the astronomical phone bill that will be coming. I get back in touch with my sister, who still can't find her luggage, and apparently my grandfather is going to pick her up now. My uncle called him to try to figure everything out, and this is apparently the new plan. Though my grandfather doesn't really like driving that far anymore, so I don't know what's going on. In the meantime, a bus to Pozzallo has come and gone, and the next one is not for another 2 hours, but they still can't figure out where the terminal is. For those of you that are wondering how confusing could it possibly be, let me tell you this: don't envision an airport like Newark or JFK...Catania is a small airport that has recently decided to become an international airport, so it's under construction. Since it's in Sicily, the construction will take FOREVER. It was confusing before they started working, so God only knows what it looks like now. I told my sister to head to a bar as soon as she gets to town and have some drinks. What a day! I'm still waiting to hear from her to see how it all pans out and if she ever gets out of the airport.
As for me...Alessia ate again and passed out. I put her in the little bassinet from her Bugaboo and she's sleeping in the living room. Mommy needs a cocktail!

Don't put me down mommy!

All of a sudden, Alessia won't go down for naps for me anymore. It's like we've taken two steps backwards. She wants to be on me to sleep during the day, and has been a little fussy at night as well. At first I thought it was related to the teething, but now am wondering if it has something to do with where she naps. She always napped in her packandplay in the livingroom. But about a week ago, we moved it into our bedroom because she had outgrown her bassinet but I'm not ready for her to sleep in her crib yet. Today I realized that it was then that she started giving me a problem with her daytime naps. Today I went to put her down, and she kept waking up. As soon as I would pick her up, she would curl up and fall back asleep. I would normally just be fine with it and wrap her, but I have to do some cleaning (yet here I am, blogging away) and can't do it with her on me. So I tried to put her down on a blanket on the floor in the livingroom, and low and behold, she stayed asleep and didn't even fidget! Do you think she just doesn't want to be upstairs? Maybe she associates my bedroom with nighttime and just doesn't want to be up there during the day? Or she can sense I'm not up there with her? She didn't do this at my mom's house on sunday, but Mark seems to think that she sleeps so well there because she sleeps in a comfy crib. Who knows! But at least she's sleeping now and I can finally eat and then try to unclog the toilet (although I would love to leave it for Mark to do when he gets home, just like he leaves me dirty dishes in the sink in the morning)
Look at the little fussybutt asleep on the floor. What a cute pain in the ass!

babywearing contest

For all you babywearers out there, check out the latest giveaway from Along for the ride. They're giving away a Beco Butterfly and a Beco toy carrier.
Win a Beco Butterfly Baby Carrier and Beco Toy Carrier from Along for the Ride.

Rough day

I think I mentioned in an earlier post that Alessia is apparently teething. It's been rough. I don't know if the teeth are actually coming soon, or what's going on, but this sucks...for both of us. Poor baby is so uncomfortable and just chomping away at her fingers and anything else she can get in her mouth. She's drooling like a fiend - I have nicknamed her "droolymonster". I don't think she has a fever...she fusses like crazy and whenever I think she feels warm, it's not a great time to take her temp - she either just finished eating, crying or sleeping. Plus I'm totally freaked out about having to take her temp the correct way and refuse to do so while I'm home alone with her. My aunt asked if she had diarrhea, because both her girls had that when they were teething, along with a runny nose, but honestly how do you tell if a breastfed baby has diarrhea? What's the difference? I just feel so bad. And then on top of it, I'm freaking out about the toys she puts in her mouth. Mark keeps letting her chomp away at one in particular, and I'm like "Is that plastic BPA free?? Is it safe??"

Today she is being such a fussybutt. She won't sleep if I put her down...she starts wiggling her tush like someone shoved a pepper in her butt. Then the only thing that soothes her is nursing, but she keeps spitting up. Is that part of teething? I can't figure out if it's something I've eaten in the past few days or if it's a side effect. I had to hold her earlier while she napped, so I sat in the glider and finally finished reading Belly Laughs - which I started reading when she was first born and totally forgot about. Then I thought she was in a deep enough sleep that I could put her down, but nope! Cried and cried and cried, then nursed, fell asleep again, then woke up and spit on me. Fun!! So right now she's in her Mobywrap, passed out and I'm finally getting to type.

We had a pretty good weekend with the family. On Saturday, Mark and I took her to the park for a bit and took some cute pics.

Yesterday we went to my parents' to say goodbye to my brother who's heading off to Italy for the fall semester to study architecture in Firenze. Since it was another beautiful day, we spent as much time outside as possible to get some fresh air. We sat on the swing with Nonno, then after dinner went to a local park with my brother for a stroll. And as usual, Alessia didn't last in the stroller very long. Luckily I never go anywhere without my Batik ringsling. We walked back, with Uncle Larry pushing an empty stroller. It was a funny site.

When we came home, Alessia was a wreck again. Screaming and fussing and not wanting to go down. She nursed forever, making the weirdest noises...kind of like "Mmm hmmm" and a grunt combined. But I managed to finally get her down and she only woke up once during the night. This morning she woke up in the best mood and was a pleasure on our daily walk with Danielle and Eliza. I was like "Who are you and what did you do with my baby??" And now I'm like "where did that baby go??" Oh well. I'm praying Mark will play with her a bit when he gets home so I can have a few moments to myself to shower and maybe a little yoga or meditation. When do mommies get a break??

Any advice or wisdom regarding the teething?