(Richards 1st Day)
He adjusted pretty well. While he is very active, Mrs Bier says he does great!
(Richard and Mrs Bier)
While I really miss him being at home. I know he is having fun and learning alot!
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Richard is (practically) Signed Up for Preschool!!!!!!!!!!!
Richard is signed up for VPK in the fall at First Lutheran (I turn my paperwork in on Monday). Both, Will and I like the school and the staff that we met. He goes from 8-11:30. I am excited for him, I think he will enjoy it. Yay!
4 yrs (april 10)
Saturday, June 12, 2010
My Babywearing Story
Why do I wear my kids!
Really one word..... convenience!!!!!!!!!!! There are many more reasons that I love babywearing but truly it started out with convenience. I needed to not have to lug a infant car seat around or the stroller for that matter. I had my first child, Richard, while I was taking care of my mother, who was on dialysis. She used a walker and I could not fit both the stroller and her walker in the car easily. The stroller took up the entire trunk area of my PT Cruiser. I was able to put the walker in the backseat, if the stoller was in the trunk, but it was right next to the car seat and I hated that because in a crash it likely would hit either the car seat or the baby. For the first 3 months I lugged the babyseat to all her doctors appointments and dialysis days. Trust me my back hurt for it too. I had to find a better way.
It started with a snugli from a thrift store. I didn't have the money to buy anything new and all they had was bjorns and snuglis in the thrift stores. I am a fluffy girl so most one-size fits all type things don't fit me to begin with. I loved it for the little time I used it. The same day I got it I took my mom shopping and I had my hands free to care for my mom and care for baby. I didn't have to put him down to fix a bottle and I kept walking around while he ate. It was freeing, I tell you!!!! But Oh my Goodness, it killed my back! I suffered through the month that I used it because it was so much better than lugging the carseat around.
I researched on the Internet any chance I got for different ways to carry Richard. I stumbled across www.thebabywearer.com about the same time I got the snugli. I loved it. I just couldn't afford a new carrier and I was so sad. When Richard was about 4 months old, I searched through old posts about DIY carriers. I worked up enough courage to sew my own sling from http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/ . It was a pouch style sling. It was awesome, no more back pain. It was small for the diaper bag. I could put Richard in different ways. I wore that pouch til it couldn't be worn anymore. And it only cost me about $10.
At about 8 months I had the opportunity to work with a wonderful Mei Tai maker, Kaire. When she owned Freehand baby. She was asking for volunteers to help with a babywearing photo shoot. She was awesome. She gave me a mei tai because it was my birthday and I was helping out. It was great. I could wear him on my back which helped when I needed to do something in front of me, like grocery shopping. For anyone who knows Richard, he is an active kid, never sitting still. But I tell you what, when he was on my back he was happy, everyone would talk to him and he could interact with people. I wasn't having a screaming child because he didn't want to sit in the seat. It was relaxing (how many people say its relaxing to go grocery shopping). At about 15 months, Richard was walking a lot, so it was kinda getting annoying tying the straps to the Mei Tai because he wanted down so much, but he still needed to be carried sometimes, like at doctors appointments and when he was tired. So I went back to the Internet and made myself a Ring sling again using the website http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/ . I still have this sling and used it with my second child.
Wearing Richard was very much a learning experience and it helped in so many situations. I researched and learned how to wear correctly and safely. It was convenient, I needed to be able to still take care of my mother and her daily needs, while also taking care of my child. But nothing compares to the experience with my second, Becca. As most parents adding on the the family wonder, how am I going to handle two? How is the older one going to get the attention they need to adjust to not being the baby anymore? You know when your first is born, you can really just hold the baby because you want to, spend time looking at them and loving on them. When your second is born you just don't get to do that like you did your first. I knew I would wear Becca but I didn't know how much it became a necessity. I still also had my mother to take care of who's health had started getting worse.
Becca was born and we had a rough start, nothing that I didn't expect though, because of previous feeding issues. By 2 weeks though we hit a really hard place. Becca would scream through her feedings. Taking sometimes an hour and a half to feed her if we were lucky 2 ounces. At about 6 weeks it was the same. I would have to rock her, walk her, pat her back, bounce her to get her through a feeding. That would've been impossible if I didn't have my sling. The doctor we went to just kept saying she had gas and was colicky. At 3 months she went into the hospital for a UTI (and other issues but that's another story), we ending staying there a week and we were out of town at the time. I don't know how anyone does the hospital with out a carrier. Times I was walking her up and down the halls because she was upset. No one looked into her feeding issues because they just chalked it up to her being sick even though I said it was normally that hard to get her to eat. We finally get home, and her doctor still wouldn't look at her feeding issues. I switched peds, I finally got into see someone at 5 months, and at first look at her put her on reflux meds. OMG the difference. No one really thought she had reflux because she never spit up and the only time she screamed was during eating.
I now had a happy baby and could finally get into a regular pattern of life. I loved having the sling. I didn't have to leave the stroller behind to chase my active toddler at the park. I could still take my mom out with two kids in tow. Unfortunately that only lasted about a month before I started seeing new people and doctors because now my 6th month old still acted like a newborn. We started therapy and its been slowing going with her development. Becca had issues with her body being in extension mode all the time. Legs, tight and straight out, back tight and head always up. The only time she relaxed in flexion mode (knees bent and relaxed, back slightly curved and relaxed, neck not stiff) was while she was being worn. Her occupational therapist at the time told me if I didn't wear her as much as I did she would be 12x worse than she was. If I had left her in the normal baby things all the time she would have been a very stiff baby.
I still wear Becca and she will be 2 at the end of July. It feels right when I wear them. I have had a few different carriers come and go. Different needs called for different carriers. I don't know what I would have done with out babywearing. I am so glad I pushed through and found things that worked.
I now also love to share and educate about babywearing. It is something that should have never been lost in our traditions. Babywearing is a learned skill, just like learning how to take care of your baby or using a carseat correctly. It takes practice, and patience, but it is such a reward when figured out. If you have thought about using a carrier and are not quite sure how it works, or if its safe, just email me and I am more than happy to help you figure it out.
Really one word..... convenience!!!!!!!!!!! There are many more reasons that I love babywearing but truly it started out with convenience. I needed to not have to lug a infant car seat around or the stroller for that matter. I had my first child, Richard, while I was taking care of my mother, who was on dialysis. She used a walker and I could not fit both the stroller and her walker in the car easily. The stroller took up the entire trunk area of my PT Cruiser. I was able to put the walker in the backseat, if the stoller was in the trunk, but it was right next to the car seat and I hated that because in a crash it likely would hit either the car seat or the baby. For the first 3 months I lugged the babyseat to all her doctors appointments and dialysis days. Trust me my back hurt for it too. I had to find a better way.
It started with a snugli from a thrift store. I didn't have the money to buy anything new and all they had was bjorns and snuglis in the thrift stores. I am a fluffy girl so most one-size fits all type things don't fit me to begin with. I loved it for the little time I used it. The same day I got it I took my mom shopping and I had my hands free to care for my mom and care for baby. I didn't have to put him down to fix a bottle and I kept walking around while he ate. It was freeing, I tell you!!!! But Oh my Goodness, it killed my back! I suffered through the month that I used it because it was so much better than lugging the carseat around.
I researched on the Internet any chance I got for different ways to carry Richard. I stumbled across www.thebabywearer.com about the same time I got the snugli. I loved it. I just couldn't afford a new carrier and I was so sad. When Richard was about 4 months old, I searched through old posts about DIY carriers. I worked up enough courage to sew my own sling from http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/ . It was a pouch style sling. It was awesome, no more back pain. It was small for the diaper bag. I could put Richard in different ways. I wore that pouch til it couldn't be worn anymore. And it only cost me about $10.
DIY Pouch - 4 months
At about 8 months I had the opportunity to work with a wonderful Mei Tai maker, Kaire. When she owned Freehand baby. She was asking for volunteers to help with a babywearing photo shoot. She was awesome. She gave me a mei tai because it was my birthday and I was helping out. It was great. I could wear him on my back which helped when I needed to do something in front of me, like grocery shopping. For anyone who knows Richard, he is an active kid, never sitting still. But I tell you what, when he was on my back he was happy, everyone would talk to him and he could interact with people. I wasn't having a screaming child because he didn't want to sit in the seat. It was relaxing (how many people say its relaxing to go grocery shopping). At about 15 months, Richard was walking a lot, so it was kinda getting annoying tying the straps to the Mei Tai because he wanted down so much, but he still needed to be carried sometimes, like at doctors appointments and when he was tired. So I went back to the Internet and made myself a Ring sling again using the website http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/ . I still have this sling and used it with my second child.
Freehand Mei Tai - 19 months
(I used it a lot between 8 and 24 month just not alot of picture)
DIY Ring Sling - 14 months
Becca 1 wk old - DIY Ring Sling
The way the picture was taken looks like the shirt is covering her nose, Its not! The fold is like two inches from her face.
Becca was born and we had a rough start, nothing that I didn't expect though, because of previous feeding issues. By 2 weeks though we hit a really hard place. Becca would scream through her feedings. Taking sometimes an hour and a half to feed her if we were lucky 2 ounces. At about 6 weeks it was the same. I would have to rock her, walk her, pat her back, bounce her to get her through a feeding. That would've been impossible if I didn't have my sling. The doctor we went to just kept saying she had gas and was colicky. At 3 months she went into the hospital for a UTI (and other issues but that's another story), we ending staying there a week and we were out of town at the time. I don't know how anyone does the hospital with out a carrier. Times I was walking her up and down the halls because she was upset. No one looked into her feeding issues because they just chalked it up to her being sick even though I said it was normally that hard to get her to eat. We finally get home, and her doctor still wouldn't look at her feeding issues. I switched peds, I finally got into see someone at 5 months, and at first look at her put her on reflux meds. OMG the difference. No one really thought she had reflux because she never spit up and the only time she screamed was during eating.
Pea in a pod for Halloween - 3months
Sleeping in the Freehand - 5 months
Sleeping in sling - 6 months
I now had a happy baby and could finally get into a regular pattern of life. I loved having the sling. I didn't have to leave the stroller behind to chase my active toddler at the park. I could still take my mom out with two kids in tow. Unfortunately that only lasted about a month before I started seeing new people and doctors because now my 6th month old still acted like a newborn. We started therapy and its been slowing going with her development. Becca had issues with her body being in extension mode all the time. Legs, tight and straight out, back tight and head always up. The only time she relaxed in flexion mode (knees bent and relaxed, back slightly curved and relaxed, neck not stiff) was while she was being worn. Her occupational therapist at the time told me if I didn't wear her as much as I did she would be 12x worse than she was. If I had left her in the normal baby things all the time she would have been a very stiff baby.
I still wear Becca and she will be 2 at the end of July. It feels right when I wear them. I have had a few different carriers come and go. Different needs called for different carriers. I don't know what I would have done with out babywearing. I am so glad I pushed through and found things that worked.
ERGO babycarrier - 8 months
DIY gauze wrap - 10 months
Bamberoo Mei Tai- 19 months
I now also love to share and educate about babywearing. It is something that should have never been lost in our traditions. Babywearing is a learned skill, just like learning how to take care of your baby or using a carseat correctly. It takes practice, and patience, but it is such a reward when figured out. If you have thought about using a carrier and are not quite sure how it works, or if its safe, just email me and I am more than happy to help you figure it out.
One of my favorite pictures.
Two can be worn at once!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Memorial day!
First, I want to thank all the people who have lost their lives for this country! Thank you also to their families, it is hard to lose a loved one!
Second, I really hope to keep working on this blog! I have a need to start writing things down again. And hopefully someday this will be a great record of my family!
This entire weekend my Sister, Theresa, came over to spend time with the kids and us. We had a pretty good time! Today I took my sister home and we swam in the pool. Richard we already knew loves the water but this is the first time Becca has really been in a pool! OMG, She is a little fish! She was trying to swim out of my hands and just kicking and splashing away! She even put her face in the water (though it was just her chin and mouth) it was more than Richard did in the water. To this day he hates water in his face. I can't wait to have them in swim lessions this summer. I can't wait to have them in the water again, they are so much fun. I love it that Richard, with a life vest on can swim around the pool. He doesn't need to hang on me like I see so many kids afraid of the water. That was pretty much my day! Both kids went to bed nicely! I really need to remember to bring my camara with me. I need a new one that is not as big as the one I have. Though I love it, its just too big for everyday use!
Good night!
Second, I really hope to keep working on this blog! I have a need to start writing things down again. And hopefully someday this will be a great record of my family!
This entire weekend my Sister, Theresa, came over to spend time with the kids and us. We had a pretty good time! Today I took my sister home and we swam in the pool. Richard we already knew loves the water but this is the first time Becca has really been in a pool! OMG, She is a little fish! She was trying to swim out of my hands and just kicking and splashing away! She even put her face in the water (though it was just her chin and mouth) it was more than Richard did in the water. To this day he hates water in his face. I can't wait to have them in swim lessions this summer. I can't wait to have them in the water again, they are so much fun. I love it that Richard, with a life vest on can swim around the pool. He doesn't need to hang on me like I see so many kids afraid of the water. That was pretty much my day! Both kids went to bed nicely! I really need to remember to bring my camara with me. I need a new one that is not as big as the one I have. Though I love it, its just too big for everyday use!
Good night!
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