The Tale of Baby Riser

Chompers

2012-02-08T21:51:00.000-05:00

Oliver had not one chomper, but TWO by 7 months. Here you can catch a glimpse of those brand new bottom teeth while he mouths his Sassy ladybug.

Day Trip: Newport, RI

2012-02-02T17:00:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite places ever is Newport, RI. We took a family day trip there when Evan had a couple days off just after the holidays. It's kind of a tradition for us to go to the Mooring for some clam chowder and then hit up one of the mansions. We toured the Elms this day. Sam enjoyed seeing how the rich and famous lived once upon a time, and Oliver napped on my chest, which was great. I don't seem to pull out the carrier much at all anymore, and perhaps I should. I wish we could get out and do things like this more. It seems that more often than not, we're homebound with these little ones. Perhaps we'll be able to swing a trip to VT for our anniversary in March. We'll see!

Sam's Pirate Birthday Party

2012-01-18T15:42:00.000-05:00

Ahoy mateys! On New Year's Day, Sam turned two. To celebrate, we threw him a {small} pirate party. The kiddos decorated pirate hats and ate yummy chocolate-frosted cupcakes. A fun time was had by all, including and most importantly, by the birthday boy who warmed up as things got going (see 2nd photo below). Sam even blew out the candles on his cupcake all on his own! Happy Birthday, Sam-o.

Hailey Twitch and the Wedding Glitch: Book Review

2012-01-17T14:11:00.000-05:00

Hailey Twitch and the Wedding Glitch, fourth in a series written by Lauren Barnholdt, is a deliciously delightful little read. Seven-year-old Hailey is super excited because she's going to be a flower girl in her cousin's wedding and get to wear a princess dress and sparkly shoes. The only problem is that her younger cousin is also going to be a flower girl in the same wedding and could ruin everything. With the help of Maybelle, her magic sprite, she must navigate the days up to the wedding, as well as the wedding itself, making compromises and averting mini disasters every step of the way. Hailey is a charming, mischievous little girl that is instantly likable and will appeal to young readers everywhere.

Kudos to the artist, Suzanne Beaky, and the Sourcebooks team for creating an equally adorable, sparkly cover that made even this big girl not want to put the book down.

Published by Sourcebooks Jaberwocky, 01 Nov 2011

ISBN-13: 978-1-4022-2447-8, Juvenile Fiction/Chapter Book

Trade Paper, $6.99 U.S./£4.99 UK

Disclaimer: Sourcebooks provided a copy of this book for my review at no cost. All opinions are 100% my own.

Oliver is One Sassy Baby

2012-01-10T15:53:00.000-05:00

Recognize this adorable (yep, I'm biased) baby? I submitted a photo for Oliver to be Sassy Baby's January Baby of the Month, and he won! He'll be featured on Sassy's Facebook page the whole month. Check it out and spread the word!

Have you tried Q-tips Precision Tips?

2012-01-09T11:19:00.002-05:00

You probably know what I mean when I say that one of the trickiest parts of caring for a baby is getting access to all their tiny parts. Enter Q-tips Precision Tips. They're Q-tips with a point, and they are a mom's dream. Since getting this handy package in the mail, I've used them for all kinds of things.
Here are a handful of uses for baby:
1. Cleaning the wax out of baby's ears (though never in the ear canal).
2. Helping clear baby's nose.
3. Removing toe fuzz. :)

And around the house:
1. Cleaning keyboards, phones, and other electronic devices.
2. Crafts: Great for making glue streaks for glitter and painting fine lines.
3. Cleaning toys with small crevices.

What could you use them for?

Follow Q-tips on Facebook for more handy uses.
Disclaimer: RocketXL provided samples of the product for my review at no cost. All opinions are 100% my own.

Merry Christmas in January?

2012-01-07T16:40:00.000-05:00

It felt remiss not to post anything from the boys' wonderful Christmas, especially since it was Oliver's first, so I decided I better at least share a couple photos. Sam is an old pro by now at ripping open those beautifully wrapped packages, and Oliver did amazing, too. The biggest difference? Sam ripped off the paper and handed it to us piece by piece, while Oliver put each piece straight in his mouth. Yum, yum. Merry belated Christmas!

Gift Idea: A Little Something For Baby

2012-01-04T22:39:00.001-05:00

Earth Mama Angel Baby® has the best little pack for your favorite baby. It includes Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash, Angel Baby Lotion, Angel Baby Bottom Balm, and Angel Baby Oil. These products never ever fail me. Oliver smells like oranges and vanillas after his cozy bath with the wash, and I know he's not soaking in a toxic bath to boot. The lotion is luxurious, and my faithful readers know our family's feelings about the bottom balm based on my Earth Mama Angel Baby post when Sam was just a couple months old. Ooo, and lest I forget, one of my favorite bonding activities to do with Oliver is infant massage. If I remember to do it (cue mommy brain excuse), it can be super key to getting past those infamous witching evening hours from 4ish to 6ish. Nothing changes a baby's scrunched-up unhappy face than some yummy smelling baby oil and loving touches from mommy or daddy (or another caregiver, for that matter)! EMAB's Angel Baby Oil is wonderful for this bonding activity.

Also: a tip--the fine mamas at EMAB sent me a sample of their Nipple Butter for Oliver's drooly rash. I wasn't sure if there was a tooth coming in or not until *bam* I caught a glint of something in his mouth on New Year's Eve. Upon further inspection, I saw that he is indeed getting his first tooth. Egads. This is five months earlier than Sam-I-Am!

In sum: This kit should be at the top of your list for anyone who's expecting a baby or is in the midst of baby chaos!

Disclaimer: Earth Mama Angel Baby provided a sample of this product for my review at no cost.

'Tis the Season

2011-12-16T16:33:00.004-05:00

The unseasonably warm temps the day after Thanksgiving meant we didn't have to be all bundled up when we went shopping for our Christmas tree this year. (Notice Oliver's belly and lack of coat!) It didn't seem quite right without shivering in our boots and trying in vain to warm ourselves with hot cocoa, but I have to admit that it was nice to feel like we could take our time.

Even though it took us three weeks to decorate the tree, it's finally beautified. (Who knows--without the toddler undoing everything I did, it might've only taken two weeks. ;) I caught Sam pulling the ribbon that I wrapped around the tree with all his might, strangling the tree and sending ornaments to the floor in the process. Sigh. It's okay, that's why 90 percent of our ornaments are felt!

Last year, Sam met the angel for the first time. This year, it was Oliver's turn. This is now one of my yearly must-have photos. Precious. Happy Holidays!

200th post; Kisses For Oliver

2011-11-16T10:15:00.003-05:00

Wow, it's hard to believe I've written 200 posts about our babies! That's a lot of babbling. And now Sam is well into his 22nd month of life, and Oliver turned 5 months old yesterday. Not to go

too video crazy, but this one is too sweet not to share. (Until the very end when Sam almost clocks Oliver in the face!) From last week:

Brotherly Love

2011-10-23T23:30:00.001-04:00

I love these brothers! This is Sam's modus operandi on a daily basis when he wants to play with his brother. He's a little disappointed that Oliver can't walk yet, but that'll happen before we know it. Oliver's scooches and pushes himself with his very long legs all over the place. He rolled over last week from back to stomach (he nailed the stomach to back awhile ago) and according to his pediatrician at his 4-month appointment, is extremely social. He said this several times! Only Oliver would smile and be adorable to the man who gives him vaccinations. I can vouch for his relatively newly acquired social skills because he's not so much interested in eating half the time as he is looking up at me with his big brown doe eyes and cooing. His stats: a solid 13 lbs, 5 oz. and 24.5 inches, which puts him approximately in the 25th percentile for both weight and height--bigger than Super Sam who claimed the 5th percentile all for his own for the longest time. Speaking of Sam, he is fantastic, rocking his brother when he's upset, bringing me things I ask for (wipes, pacifier, book, etc.), giving us kisses, and being a complete joy. They both never cease to amaze us.

Earth Mama's Safe Soaps + Giveaway

2011-10-12T10:13:00.004-04:00

As my loyal blog followers know, I am a big fan of Earth Mama Angel Baby® products. When I was still pregnant with Oliver, I wrote a review of the Natural Non-Scents Hand to Toe Wash, which as certified organic and Triclosan-free, was my go-to body wash during the third trimester. Thanks to the generous mamas at Earth Mama, I've now had the opportunity to try their three other safe and certified organic soaps: the calming lavender vanilla Calm & Clean Hand to Toe Wash, the refreshing ginger-grapefruit Happy Mama Hand to Toe Wash, and the gentle vanilla sweet orange Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash for Oliver. I love these pure, gentle, foaming, good-for-you-and-baby soaps, and my personal fave is the ginger-grapefruit Happy Mama Hand to Toe Wash. Mmmm, for a busy mama, a hot shower with this lovely scented wash makes my day every time. It's just so refreshingly sweet and delicious.

Good news! One lucky The Tale of Baby Riser reader will win a large size bottle of one of Earth Mama Angel Baby's soaps (your choice). To enter, please:
a) become a public follower of this blog (in the right sidebar) if you aren't already and
b) leave a comment with the answer to this question: How do you keep your little ones healthy during cold and flu season?

For bonus entries (one apiece), you may do the following. Please leave a separate comment for each entry completed telling me what you did.

1. Become a fan on our The Tale of Baby Riser facebook page.
2. Follow Earth Mama Angel Baby on twitter.
3. We're also tweeting! Follow us on Twitter, and tweet about this giveaway.

4. Vote for us on Top Baby Blogs to help get the word out about our blog. (See right sidebar.)

This giveaway closes 10.26.11 @ midnight, EST, and is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada. The winner will be chosen at random and announced here on the blog. Best of luck!
Disclaimer: Earth Mama Angel Baby provided travel-size products for my review at no cost.

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to Carrie, our winner. Stay tuned for more giveaways soon!

Three months already

2011-09-26T17:18:00.001-04:00

It's hard to believe that Oliver is already three months old. Part of me feels like I was just pregnant, but at the same time, it feels like he's been a part of our lives for a lot longer than that. He's now smiling and giggling, and he loves the lion hanging on his changing table. Have I mentioned how much I love babies? I had no idea!

Sam has taken an interest in holding Oliver--and attempting to pick him up, as you can see here--and it's too cute. As busy as life is, and as many tears that flow on any given day, we try to hold on to moments like these.

Trying a different angle:

Happy Fall! We're looking forward to an orchard day sometime in October, and on Saturday, we're having an open house for our New England friends to (finally) meet Oliver. I've been in party planning chaos for weeks now, and hope we can pull it off! I'll be sure to post photos.

Enjoying my boys

2011-08-18T16:31:00.000-04:00

I look at this blog often and try to think of what to post next. So much happens in a day, week, and (gasp) month, that it becomes overwhelming to narrow down pictures and stories. And then usually by the time I choose a photo, one of the boys needs something, of course. So I'm going to upload a couple of pics quickly as Oliver stirs in the carrier on my chest!!

Blueberry picking at a nearby farm. The funny thing is that Sam loved blueberries until this day. Maybe he overindulged?

Had a great visit with Grandpa and Grandma E. last week, which included a trip to Plimoth Plantation.
Resting on a bench at Plimoth Plantation.

Playing on a hill at Plimoth Plantation with Daddy.

Oliver and I are looking forward to taking a Second Time Moms class for the next several Friday afternoons. We haven't had much opportunity for one-on-one time so it will be nice. I hold on dearly to the fleeting moments with him when I can watch him sleeping, and try to bury them deep in my memory. His little quick breaths and smiles, and the way he puckers and unpuckers his lips are too cute for words. I also try to sneak into Sam's room when he finally succumbs to a nap, but that's much riskier. The memories I'm holding onto with him involve watching his curls bounce as he runs away from me while I'm calling his name. :)

The Birth of Oliver Miles

2011-07-29T17:30:00.001-04:00

June 14, 2011: Just another day in the life of the Riser household…Earlier in the evening, I’d talked to my mom about the logistics of her coming out to Boston for the birth of our baby. Since my blood pressure had stabilized, and everything looked good at my appointment the day before, we were thinking that I’d be making it farther than 38 weeks before they’d want to induce, so we were working on a plan to get her here when I reached 39 weeks.

11:20 p.m. Another late night. We’d been staying up until 11 or 12 for several weeks now. Evan was downstairs working and I was upstairs on the computer, trying to nail down our girl name when I was pretty sure I felt two contractions that didn’t feel like Braxton Hicks. They were crampy and low in my abdomen, but I didn’t think too much of it. A bit later, I was craving something sweet so I ventured downstairs. I popped my head into Evan’s office to let him know I thought I’d had a couple contractions. He said something about the full moon, and I peeked out his window and sure enough, there was a bright, glowing full moon in the night sky. I smiled and shushed him for fear the full moon would hear him and put me into full-blown labor. He said to call him if I needed anything and I headed back upstairs.

11:50 p.m. I turned in and was reading Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, specifically the chapter “ What Happens in Labor” (How funny is that?) when I felt sort of like I had to pee (again) and there was some extra pressure. As I sat on the toilet, gushes of water came pouring out of me. Oh my god, I thought, Is this what it’s like to have your water break? Well, I can safely say that at 12:15 a.m., my water broke. And broke and broke. I could not believe all the fluid that was coming out of me. I couldn’t leave the toilet long enough to go downstairs to let Evan know, so I finally yelled for him. By this time, I started shaking and it was sinking in that we could be meeting our baby in a manner of hours.

I was fairly calm during all this, though. It helped that I felt mostly ready. I’d packed the final items in my hospital bags the day before, and we had a plan for Sam’s care. The person who was (excitedly) freaking out was Evan! He called the midwife on call, and when she said we’d better make our way to the hospital, he ran around the house to get his things together. I sneaked into Sam’s room, put my hand on his back (he sleeps on his tummy) and told him how much I loved him. That things would be different when he next saw me, but that nothing changed the fact that he was my firstborn and I loved him very much. He stirred and I padded quietly back out of his room before he woke up too much.

By quarter to one, my contractions were three to four minutes apart, and were lasting about 20 to 30 seconds, and I could no longer talk through them. But then they slowed down on the way to the hospital (which was around 1:30 a.m.), and I was thinking maybe we wouldn’t be having our baby after all. Ha.

Since it was the middle of the night, we had to check in through the ER at the hospital. They asked if I was in labor when I got there, to which I replied yes, and they brought over a wheelchair for me and checked me in. To be honest, I kind of felt like a fraud, like I wasn’t really in labor because I wasn’t panting and screaming! When we were all set, Evan wheeled me up to the 5^th floor, the labor ward. Apparently, the full moon had brought in several other laboring women, at the same time even, as the nurses were scurrying about assigning people rooms and assessing where we all were in our labors. There was a question about whether we’d get a room with a tub, which was very important to me since I knew I wanted to have a natural childbirth again, so both Evan and the midwife let the nurse know.

The midwife was not someone we’d met before but she had a gentle disposition, which was just what I needed. (I’m not going to complain here about the labor nurse who was awful, because it might just ruin this beautiful story, but she left much to be desired. She looked at me strangely through much of my labor, as if she’d never witnessed a birth before.) In the antenatal room, the midwife checked my cervix and found that I was already 5 cm. dilated and definitely in active labor. Clearly, no need to get back in the car and go home!

We finally made our way to a room, which happened to be the very room we birthed Sam in—Room number 1. And it did have a tub, which was the first place I wanted to go. Evan went off to move the car, the midwife went off to read my birth plan and gather supplies, and I was left to my own devices for what felt like forever. By this time, I’d say my contractions were back to being three minutes apart. I slowly walked around the room, holding my belly while the tub filled.

When Ev and the midwife returned, the midwife set up faux candles (they’re actually lights that flicker because obviously open fire isn’t allowed in hospitals) in the bathroom, turned off the main light, and I slipped into the warm water. Finally.

We’d planned on having Evan sit behind me in the tub to help support me, but the tub was smaller than we remembered and much like Sam’s birth, I didn’t particularly want to be touched. So he sat nearby, and talked me through the contractions, giving me sips of water between them. He also matched the volume of my yells with encouraging words when things intensified. I was so thankful to have gone into labor spontaneously that it was much easier to approach this baby’s birth in a gentler way. I imagined myself being very open, tried to remain calm and breathe, and, at the midwife’s advice, I tried to hum through the intense contractions instead of scream, so that my uterus could do its job and push the baby down. I also tried to embrace the experience instead of gritting down and combating it.

The contractions got really intense really fast. When I was in transition, there was a time where I thought I couldn’t do it. I started crying and shaking even more because I just couldn’t catch my breath between contractions and it was totally overwhelming. Just as I would just sink down into the warm water to breathe and gain strength, another, even stronger contraction would hit me. The midwife had warned me that this part might feel scary. That this was how second births often went.

Probably around 4:00 a.m., I felt a ton of pressure on my bottom and had the urge to push. I got through another contraction or two and pushed a couple of times in the tub before making my way to the bed (which is my least favorite part, by the way—so difficult to move at this point!). I opted to deliver on all fours this time. (I was side-lying with Sam.) The midwife advised me not to push until she said so, to try to avoid tearing this time, and I followed her lead as much as I could, gripping the pillow or Evan’s hands fiercely. Nine minutes later, I had a very intense burning (coined the ring of fire) and felt so much pressure when our baby’s head came through. Then the rest of the body slipped right out. What an amazing feeling. Evan announced, “It’s a boy,” and his delicious newborn cries filled the room. Moments later, a very pink, slippery baby was placed in my arms, and we met Oliver Miles for the first time.

Later, when we were all cleaned up, the midwife put her hand on my hand and said that I’d given our son the most gentle, loving, natural birth and that I should reflect back on this moment of strength when life got tough. What a nice thing to say, and something I will most certainly hold on to. I loved so much how Oliver’s birth had progressed. There was very little monitoring, no IVs, not even a single visit from a doctor, and my body was allowed to do its work.

Oliver’s birth: A five-hour event that we will never forget.

Sum-sum-summertime

2011-07-23T15:07:00.000-04:00

I used to dislike summer. Maybe it was the humidity that wreaked havoc on my curly hair or the perpetual sinus headaches, but it was my least favorite season. Now that we have kids though, it's moving right up there. Of course it helps that now we have a deck and a yard. We bought Sam this little kiddie pool and even though he won't sit down in it yet, he has great fun standing in it and tossing his toys in. Today, as in much of the country, it's too hot and nasty to even go outside. But we're looking forward to more pool time, cookouts, bubbles, ice cream, watermelon, and all that is summer, to come!

Four Weeks Old!

2011-07-13T15:35:00.000-04:00

Happy 4 weeks, little Oliver! I can't believe what a blogging slacker I've been. Actually, I can. What am I saying?! Our days are chaotic, to say the least, and they fly by. Nursing the baby, changing many o' diapers, chasing the toddler, feeding the toddler, soothing both kiddos, keeping the toddler out of harm's way, and so on, keeps me pretty tied up. I'm finding that I have to take baby steps to get anything done, and chores are spaced our over days instead of hours. But that's okay, because I really want to soak in as much of these early days with Oliver as I can. We're so in love with him, of course, and can't get enough of his baby stretches, smiles (when he's sleeping), squeaks, and soft skin.

Sam is mischievous as ever, and even called 911 last week. Ahem. While I was nursing Oliver, he used his go-go gadget arms and reached the phone on the dresser and then wouldn't hand it to me. Boy, was I surprised to hear the doorbell and loud knocking a few minutes later and discover that the police were paying us a visit! I have no idea how he got those numbers in order and actually called, but he did.

I'm still planning on writing the birth story, and I need to do it sooner rather than later before I forget it. Argh! Back to my chaos!

Introducing Baby Oliver

2011-06-25T21:32:00.000-04:00

Our precious little boy, Oliver Miles, was born June 15, 2011, after a midnight water breakage and brief but very intense labor (birth story to come). He weighed 6 lbs, 3 oz, and was 20 1/2 inches long. We are beyond thrilled and enjoying every minute with him. As an added bonus, I got my wish! I went into labor on my own, cutting short all the extra tests and the need for induction. Whether it was the full moon or Oliver just being ready to join us, we'll never know. But we're very happy about it.

Big brother Sam is doing great. The first couple days were a little rough, but thankfully Grandma E. was here to play with him and now he just gets royally upset when he can't pat the baby on the head or throw stuff on him. Teaching a 17 1/2-month-old to be gentle isn't easy, but we're working on it. Sam giggles when touching Oliver's hands and feet, which is oh-so-cute. We're pretty sure they'll be best buds before long. ;)

36 weeks

2011-06-10T16:38:00.000-04:00

I've been trying to write this post all week! It's been awhile since I've done a pregnancy update, and seeing as how the weeks are dwindling down, I'd better get on it. We hit 36 weeks on Monday (when this pic was taken) and like clockwork, my blood pressure started rising. We were really hoping this wouldn't happen with this pregnancy, but alas, we don't have control over these things.

What this means for now is that I have 2 appointments a week instead of 1, and am subjected to a plethora of extra tests: non-stress tests (NSTs), ultrasounds, lab work, etc. Of course, I'm concerned about my health and the baby's, but overall I have to admit that I'm not happy about this because a) the stress just works to increase my blood pressure, and b) I get the feeling sometimes that the medical professionals are looking for a sign that something is amiss so they can act. For example, yesterday's non-stress test in the office yielded a couple decelerations in the baby's heart rate, so they sent me straight to the hospital, do not pass go, for a repeat NST (or two, apparently) and a biophysical profile ultrasound. The good thing about this was that Sam was with Daddy, but the bad thing about this meant I was all by my lonesome and couldn't stop picturing them wheeling me into the OR for a C-section! To make a long story short, everything was/is fine, a-ok, super duper, but it took 3.5 hours for them to feel comfortable with this and let me go home. By the way, the ultrasound tech estimated the baby's weight at 6 pounds, 1 ounce. And he/she has a full head of hair (just like Sam!), which we learned at the last ultrasound. Pretty cool!

So it's back to monitoring and trying to get me to 38 weeks, i.e., full term. I'd LOVE to go longer and even more so, I'd love to go into labor on my own this time, but it looks like that might not be in the cards. The midwife said last night that when blood pressure is an issue, there is no benefit to prolonging the pregnancy past 38 weeks. Which is a mere 10 days away. !!!

Meanwhile, I've been working on getting all the bags packed for the big day: labor/birth bag, postpartum bag, and Sam's bag. Sam loves unpacking everything I've packed, so it's proving to be a challenging chore. :) There you have it! One day at a time...

Surprise! Drool Baby Expo Tix Giveaway

2011-05-28T11:47:00.007-04:00

I just love expos and conferences. Maybe it's the chandeliers, but something about a big fancy hotel conference room filled with tables loaded with cool products makes me positively giddy. I went to a couple bridal expos years ago and really wanted to attend a baby expo when I was pregnant with Sam, but alas, there wasn't one to attend. But now's my chance with Baby #2! The amazing Magic Beans (which I've blogged about here) is debuting an expo here in Boston at the Seaport hotel next week (5/31, 6 p.m.-9 p.m.): the Drool Baby Expo, and. I'm. so. very. excited. Here are some of the brands who will be represented: Baby Bjorn, Bugaboo, Britax, Dapple Baby, Dorel Juvenile Group, Goldenview Ultrasound, iCandy, Maclaren, Orbit Baby, Perfecting Expecting, Rhoost, Skip Hop, Stokke, UPPAbaby, Viacord, and many more. I finally convinced Evan that it would make me really, really happy if we could go, and thanks to Magic Beans (Did I already say how much I love them?), we are in! AND! I have 1 pair of tickets for you to attend, as well. Tickets are worth $55 and come with a sweet bag of goodies, from what I hear.

To enter, (required) just make sure you're a follower of our blog (in right sidebar) and tell me what baby product(s) you're drooling over lately. (You'll want to live locally in the Boston area so you can attend too, of course.) Leave your e-mail in the comment so I can get a hold of you.

For bonus entries (one apiece), you can do the following. Leave a separate comment for each entry completed telling me what you did.

1. "Like" Magic Beans on facebook, and leave them a comment letting them know that The Tale of Baby Riser sent you, and how excited you are about the expo.

2. "Like" the The Tale of Baby Riser facebook page and say hello on our wall.
3. Vote for us on Top Baby Blogs (click badge in right sidebar) so that others can find our blog, too.
4. We're tweeting! Follow us on Twitter, and tweet about this giveaway.

This giveaway closes on Monday, 5.30.11 @ noon, EST, so get your entries in! The winner will be chosen at random and e-mailed/announced here on the blog. Best of luck, and hope to see you at the Expo!

This giveaway has ended.

Sadie Ryan Keepsake Tiles Review + Giveaway

2011-05-27T11:40:00.003-04:00

Capturing and remembering Sam's short stint as a newborn was one of our priorities, despite the challenge of finding the time to do so. We did the handprint and footprint canvases, took plenty of pictures and shot lots of video, and created birth announcements to commemorate the amazing day Samuel joined our family. But it wasn't until Sadie Ryan Keepsake Tiles contacted me about their personalized tiles that I even thought about making Sam's birth announcement into something more permanent. As you can see in the photo here, it is a beautiful way to display your child's birth announcement or even your wedding invitation for a lifetime. We love how classy and sophisticated it looks, and how we don't ever have to worry about the announcement fading, bending, or tearing. The tiles are made by replicating invitations or photos onto tiles, and they come in two different sizes. Can you think of anything special you'd like to display in a more permanent fashion?

Great news! You can enter to win your very own Sadie Ryan Keepsake Tile here (a $49.95 value!). To enter, just make sure you are a public follower of our blog, and let me know how you captured (or plan to capture) the memory of your newborn OR what you'd want on your tile.

For bonus entries (one apiece), you can do the following. Leave a separate comment for each entry completed telling me what you did.

1. "Like" the The Tale of Baby Riser facebook page and say hello on our wall.
2. "Like" Sadie Ryan Keepsake Tiles on facebook, and leave them a comment letting them know that The Tale of Baby Riser sent you.
3. Vote for us on Top Baby Blogs (click badge in right sidebar) so that others can find our blog, too!
4. We're tweeting! Follow us on Twitter, and tweet about this giveaway.

This giveaway closes 6.10.11 @ midnight, EST, and is open to residents of the U.S. The winner will be chosen at random and announced here on the blog. Best of luck!

This giveaway has ended.

33 weeks

2011-05-18T13:38:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe that in seven short weeks (+/- a couple), our newest little one will be joining us. Lately, I find myself thinking about something (between bouts of blowing my nose, thanks to a nasty virus-turned-sinus infection) that I'm sure every parent of one who is about to become the parent of two thinks about. And that is: How in the world could I possibly love another child as much as I love Sam? I know I'll find a way, as all mothers and fathers do. My heart is big, after all, but it makes me feel a little sad for some reason. Like, Sam will need to take a backseat for awhile. Or he'll be off in the corner by himself or something. We know that surely won't be the case, but he won't be the only one whose needs we're trying to meet.

At my last prenatal appointment, I mentioned to the midwife how much more I'm feeling with this baby than with Sam and she decided to check placental location to see if that might have anything to do with it. Sure enough, with Sam, the placenta was in front, which served as a pillow essentially, muffling his movements. With this baby, the placenta is in the back, so I can feel every quiver, kick, and roll that this one partakes in! Very interesting. (Right now as I type, the baby is popping and bopping all over the place. Such a unique feeling.)

I'm trying to pay attention to things like this as this pregnancy quickly comes to an end. (Seven weeks might seem like plenty of time, but compared to 40, it's nothing!) We're not planning for any more pregnancies, so I want to embrace this experience as much as I can, savoring the moments of being popped in the bladder (ha) and wondering who our newest little person will be. Pregnancy is such a cool, amazing, miraculous time, and like much in life, is fleeting. So I'll carry on, embracing my growing baby and belly, and hoping I can keep this baby safe inside for as long as possible.

Weekend Getaway

2011-05-04T19:34:00.000-04:00

We had a nice getaway (and break from unpacking/getting the condo ready for sale--uggh) this past weekend to North Conway, NH, where we met Sam's Grandpa and Grandma E. It never ceases to amaze me how many firsts there really are in life! Just this weekend, Sam crossed off his first train ride:

...first time in a swing:

...and first time down a slide (in Daddy's lap, but it still counts):

It was fun and so nice to see family. Now we're back to the grind here, trying to get settled in our new home. It's very tricky with Sir Helps-A-Lot who loves to put things right back in boxes that I've pulled out, or empty bookshelves/drawers that I've loaded. Now that our awesome full-size washer and dryer are being put to use once again (after 6+ years in storage!) Sam loves helping (for real this time) since he can load things right into the dryer. The next time we move when we'll have two young children, I might be tempted to get rid of everything and start over! One day at a time...

Earth Mama Angel Baby Review + Giveaway

2011-04-25T14:39:00.003-04:00

Earth Mama Angel Baby® Pregnancy Products are my absolute favorite products to use while pregnant. Here's why. Despite the craziness here with our recent move, I still spent several hours a couple weeks ago researching products I could use (and ones I was using) that would be safe during pregnancy, and also for our unborn baby. This is harder than it sounds because it means avoiding all products that list the ingredients "parfum" or "fragrance" (which can be a disguise for phthalates) on their labels. I wrote about this in my last Earth Mama review. Thankfully, Earth Mama Angel Baby products are all natural, organic and have zero toxins.
Earth Mama Angel Baby sent me their Natural Stretch Oil to try on my growing baby bump. To be honest, I was skeptical at first since I was one of the lucky ones and didn't actually get any stretch marks with Sam, even without using any oils or lotions. But I did know that my belly was feeling tight and uncomfortable and I figured maybe this oil would ease that discomfort. Wow, did it. I slather this lovely scented oil on my baby bump both morning and night and I. Love. It. It absorbs easily and can be used anywhere you're feeling "stretched." I also plan on using it during labor and delivery to help prevent tears.

EMAB also recently came out with new, all-natural Hand to Toe Washes (can I hear an hallelujah?). I tried the Natural Non-Scents Hand to Toe Wash and its cleansing foaminess is wonderful. If you're the type that hates the smell of perfumes or nauseatingly-sweet fruitiness, this body wash is for you. It also would've been great to have in the first trimester when queasiness was the norm.
Good news! One lucky The Tale of Baby Riser reader will win a bottle of Earth Mama Angel Baby's Natural Non-Scents Hand to Toe Wash. To enter, you must:
a) be a public follower of this blog (in the right sidebar);
b) leave a comment with the answer to this question: What was most important to you while pregnant? Was it the products you used, the foods you ate, or something else?
Lastly, c) go to Earth Mama Angel Baby® and let me know a product or 2 that you'd like to try.

For bonus entries (one apiece), you can do the following. Leave a separate comment for each entry completed telling me what you did.

1. Become a fan on our The Tale of Baby Riser facebook page.
2. Follow Earth Mama Angel Baby on twitter.
3. We're also tweeting! Follow us on Twitter, and tweet about this giveaway.

This giveaway closes 5.9.11 @ midnight, EST, and is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada. The winner will be chosen at random and announced here on the blog. Best of luck!

This giveaway has ended.

We've moved!

2011-04-20T13:02:00.001-04:00

After six years of staying put, we've uprooted and moved about 11 miles south and west of Quincy, MA to Stoughton. This video is of Sammy in our new place, filmed during one of our many weekends of moving. Since our move was local, we decided to space it out so we could do it on our own instead of hiring movers. Uggh, is all I can say. One more trip with a cargo van this weekend, and we'll be 100% out of our condo though! Then it's time for the headache(s) of trying to sell it. One thing at a time, is what I keep telling myself.

Our new home is wonderful! It has a deck, yard, basement, two levels, and 400 more square feet than our condo. While it'll take us some time to get settled as these things do, we're greatly relieved to have more space for our (rapidly) growing fam. Sam has been a-ma-zing, enjoying exploring his new digs and keeping up his awesome night sleep for us. He has been flexible with eating, bathing, sleeping, and even diapering. What a champ. Now if I can just summon the energy to keep carrying him up and down all these stairs AND keep him away from all the new dangers, it'd be great!

And Now Sam Walks...Just in Time for his 15-Month Birthday!

2011-04-01T11:42:00.001-04:00

As with everything else, Sam has taken his sweet time with some of his milestones, but when he starts, he takes off. Just look at our little walker. It's so exciting to see how much he changes each and every day, and I feel so lucky to be able to share in all these moments.

There's not a day that goes by where I don't look at the little boy Samuel is becoming and shake my head. Here he is exactly a year ago:

And now he's officially a toddling TODDLER. Yea!

As for eating, this toddler can be picky but he's getting better and is a pretty good eater overall. A few of his mealtime faves are Annie's mac and cheese, whole wheat toast with melted cheese or peanut butter, any kind of fruit (especially strawberries, which are now his "dessert"), veggie pouches, and yogurt. He refuses to eat almost all chicken or turkey dishes, pasta (besides mac), salmon, and beef. He'll eat veggies when they're mixed with fruit in puree form, but he's not a fan of them on their own. I have to admit that he's taking after his mum in that way, especially during this pregnancy. I love cheese and all fruits, but forcing down meats and veggies is the Worst. Hmm...

Sam is a remarkable sleeper, getting about 12 hours straight sleep for the last 3 months. Some days, it gives me pause to think about introducing a (non-sleeping) baby when we have such a good thing going with him but fortunately, we know from experience that the insane period is short-lived in the scheme of things. (AND we're about to move into a much larger place where Sam AND the baby will have their own rooms. So excited. More on that later...) For now, hugs and kisses to our fantastic 15-month-old. xo.

Sam Steps!

2011-03-29T13:08:00.001-04:00

Okay sure, Sam has been "walking" with his Radio Flyer wagon since Christmas, and he's also been cruising--faster and faster, I might add--holding on to one thing after another to propel himself around, but standing for several seconds without holding onto anything and taking 4-5 very successful steps (without wobble) is a new thing. And how exciting it is! (I hope this video posts correctly. It's being a little wonky.)

That's our boy

2011-03-25T13:24:00.001-04:00

While we don't turn on the TV for Sam to veg out to, he seems to get the general idea as you can see here. It didn't take him long to figure out that the remote belongs to the TV and that the red button magically turns it on. His favorite channel? The Portuguese channel. We have no idea...

This does kinda look like fun...

2011-03-17T20:00:00.001-04:00

Sam decided to remove the items in his bureau one by one today. I knew it wouldn't be fun refolding everything, but it was a safe activity that kept him busy for a whole 8 minutes or so! Plus, it was funny to watch. Here he is in action:

What are some of your kiddo's favorite activities, whether you like it or not?

Etsy shop highlight: Fiesta Kids Boutique

2011-03-16T19:33:00.000-04:00

Remember these cutie patootie baby booties that I was oohing and aahing about a few weeks ago?

And check out these deliciously cute cupcake booties for girls:

Laura of Etsy shop Fiesta Kids Boutique graciously sent us a pair of the airplane ones pictured above so we could see firsthand the TLC and handiwork that she puts into her booties. We love that they're made of soft felt and have fine details like blanket-stitched trim and contrasting felt colors on the insides. While they're a bit big for Sam right now, we know his tootsies will be mighty comfy when he grows into them soon. Be sure to let her know the measurement of your baby's foot and she'll help you order the right size. She also offers an optional no-skid bottom if your little one is on the move like our cruising Sam is.

You can snag your own here. She offers booties for boys and girls, and even some unisex ones, and they range in price from about $13-$25. AND newsflash! Laura is working on some new creations that include onesies and some other apparel items. I'll be sure to let you know when she adds them to her shop.

Chalking Up More Firsts

2011-03-14T14:58:00.001-04:00

The firsts continue to accumulate in Sam's life, including his first shoe fitting (thanks, Jamie, for capturing the moment!):

and his first haircut in a salon:

(Okay, this was a disaster. Sam was doing great for the first few minutes until a kid came in who was completely freaking out--crying, screaming, and PUKING--which caused Sam to get really upset, too. It was awful! I have to say that it scarred me enough that we'll be taking Sam to an adult-type salon next time. But his hair looks cute!)
The "after" shot:

And how about one more first... Sam experienced his first night in a hotel last Friday when we went up to Woodstock, VT, for our 6th wedding anniversary. He did A-MA-Zing, enjoying the road trip in his new convertible car seat and sleeping 12 hours straight and being a general joy. Love this kiddo.

I'll have to do a separate post of our little getaway trip soon! xo

There's the newest little bugger

2011-02-25T11:06:00.000-05:00

As you know, we had our fetal survey ultrasound on Valentine's Day, and as with most of this pregnancy, I'm not keeping up with it very well. Finally, though, some scans. Here he/she is at 20 weeks--exactly at the halfway point. Boston Ultrasound (where we go for ultrasounds) just got new 3d machines, so our doc (who knows us well from being there quite a bit with Sam in the very near past!) turned it on for us so we could see our little one's face better. I was worried that I might see a boy bit while watching the screen but the doc was good about staying away. :) Lots of movement with this one in the evening hours. Sometimes I wonder if it's because I'm not moving as much during the day as I did with Sam--walking around downtown Boston, riding the train to work, etc., but I guess I'll never know! The good thing is that everything is looking a-ok, perfect-o with the baby. This could very well have been our last ultrasound if everything progresses normally. We do suspect, however, that since I measured small with Sam, I'll probably do the same with this one, and they'll want to check in from time to time. We shall see!

A little V-Day love

2011-02-13T21:30:00.000-05:00

This weekend, I decided to push all my other chores out of mind and make my boys some felt hearts. I've been meaning to do a felt project since before Christmas when I bought all the supplies and a couple books. Needless to say, there was no holiday felt project! Ev's heart {above} is on the left and is filled with lavender. The plaid square and buttons are from an old shirt of his that I pulled out of the donate pile. Sam's is just a simple little stuffed heart to cuddle with. I have no idea why but I'm so into Valentine's Day this year, except that having a little boy *still hard not to call him a baby* makes it all the more fun. We've checked out loads of Valentine's books from the library and I also made a couple personalized greeting cards from Tiny Prints. Here's Sam's card. I'm hoping to frame it if he doesn't rip it up in his excitement. ;)

Soon enough, the construction paper and glitter will be out for Sam to create his own Valentines, and I can't wait! xoxo

19 weeks and a bump

2011-02-11T12:26:00.000-05:00

I'd like to introduce our newest bump. This baby is quickly making him- or herself known, first with movements and now with a physical presence. We have our fetal survey ultrasound on Valentine's Day and can't wait to see how much bigger he/she has gotten. And while we could find out the gender, we're still opting not to. It's really going to test me, I know, because I'm the type that just wants to know! But we're holding out for the surprise on the big day when we meet him or her.

Speaking of surprises, in case you haven't read it yet, I wrote a Pampers article about our unexpected pregnancy that sums up how this pregnancy caught us off guard.

And a bit about our first baby, it's amazing how quickly Sam is changing. Each day, he seems to grow and learn exponentially. He's gained about 3 1/2 pounds in the last 2 months *yea* and his little sense of humor is bursting at the seams. The other day, I stuck a post-it on his cheek just for fun, and he proceeded to remove it and then stick it on various places on his head, all the while watching my reaction, which was of course laughing hysterically. He's a darling one, and we still can't believe he'll be a big brother in less than five months. Happy early Valentine's Day!

Lunchtime

2011-02-07T13:48:00.000-05:00

As Sam and I ate lunch today listening to our 40s on XM, I was thinking about how I should write a blog post and share an easy, foolproof meal of Sam's...until he decided to start tossing bite after bite off his tray onto the floor. He EVEN reached into his mouth at one point and threw a half-chewed piece onto the floor. Yum. I'll still share, and I'll still offer it to him because we've had at least five successful lunches because of these. What are they? Trader Joe's meatless corn dogs. The dog is veggie, and minus the sodium, they pack a nutritional punch with high fiber and protein (relatively speaking). They also have 3.5 g of the good fat, which I am always on the hunt for to plump Sam up. Isn't it funny that we have to force down the homemade butternut squash mixed with real Vermont maple syrup we offer him, but these we (usually) can't cut up fast enough? What are some of your baby's/toddler's fave meals that are easy-peasy and healthy enough not to give you a guilty complex? Please share!

Oh yeah, I'm pregnant

2011-02-02T20:01:00.001-05:00

I was gently reminded last night, and for the first time a couple nights ago, that there is a baby growing inside me. Really, is there anything cooler than feeling your baby move for the first time?? I wrote this baby kicking article for Pampers before Baby Riser II made him- or herself known and now I wish I'd waited to write it. It's such a unique, hard-to-describe feeling and I want to preserve the memory with words. So I'll try it here. It goes a little something like this...You think you feel something, but you're not sure if your stomach rumbled or if you're imagining things, so you put your hand on your belly and practically stop breathing. Then you feel it again. An unmistakable tiny poke, and then maybe another poke or two if you're lucky. Unbelievable.

This pregnancy is leaps and bounds different from my pregnancy with Sam. Besides the physical differences that I mentioned earlier, I'm just so much more relaxed this time around. It's probably partly because I'm so distracted--and exhausted--with my very active Sam that I barely have time to think about being pregnant. But that's why I love and look forward to the last few minutes in bed before I fall asleep. It's the one special bonding time I have with our new baby in our chaos-filled days. And we'll see him or her in 12 days at our fetal survey ultrasound, where we will not find out the gender. Must hold strong...

This mama's new obsession...

2011-01-31T16:56:00.006-05:00

...is Etsy! Oh my gosh, not only do I find the handmade goodies exquisite but I find them inspiring as well. I cannot tell you how excited I am to get into a house (and out of this stinkin' condo) so I can have a craft room--or even a corner--to make puppets and felt toys and other crafties for our wee ones. Check out these adorable booties: {Find them here.}

And this stunning "tangerine dream" photograph: {Find it here.}

And this print (that I won!) and customized with the word and beautiful aqua and orange. I think my final version will have the word "calm" (because that's the word I need to see right now!!), but aren't the colors, birds, and background just lovely? {Find it here.}

I want them all! So while we're getting buried yet again under a foot+ of snow, I'll dream of bright aqua and orange and think of warmth! (Oh, and p.s. Sam is 13 months tomorrow. Holy socks!)

A nap

2011-01-24T10:58:00.000-05:00

Napping in the car is really about the only place Sam will nap, so when he zonks out, I do what I can to help him get at least 30 minutes of sleep in. Sometimes that means sitting in the car in various places as long as I don't turn the car off! Last week, I pulled off into the Blue Hills Reservation close to home and snapped a couple pictures of the peaceful napping baby and snowy 'scape/ Boston in the background. Lately, it's these moments of stillness and quiet where I find happiness and rejuvenation. Life is good.

Baby Riser II: The Sequel

2011-01-21T12:02:00.000-05:00

It's about time we shared another delicious family secret with you: We're pregnant...again!! Sam's little brother or sister is due July 4 (woo-hoo--another holiday baby!) and we're so excited. It's hard to believe I'm almost 17 weeks already (!!). The pregnancy is going really well, though the first trimester was chock full of sheer exhaustion (much more so than with Sam), nausea (also worse), and aversions. Actually, the aversions to meat continue and making dinner remains my least favorite activity, but overall, I'm feeling fine. I also have a lot more cravings for salty things like everything bagels and cheese versus the sweet stuff.

I love how much more relaxed I am with this pregnancy. It's nice to know what's coming down the pike and not worry about all the baby stuff we do or don't need. We just need a car seat for Sam so the baby can use his infant seat, a crib, the 2nd seat for our stroller, and diapers. We've decided not to find out the gender at our fetal survey ultrasound on Valentine's Day. It'll be really tough to hold out, but we both feel strongly that we want this to be a surprise. It'll make us that much more excited on D-day (delivery day). For now, I'll leave you with an early image of our little one. I still can't believe we're doing it all again! How cool is that?!

Sam turned 1 on 1.1.11!

2011-01-05T20:13:00.000-05:00

A 1st birthday on 1.1.11. How cool is that?? A day for the history books, for sure. Despite the general chaos still in the air from Christmas, Sam managed to have a fantastic birthday complete with a visit from Grandma, a prince throne and crown, a cupcake (that he devoured!), and some sweet toys. Despite the sugar content and unhealthy nature of the cupcake, we were pleased that he ate it since his appetite has been down since being sick last week.

New Year's Eve was a strange day for us, as we reflected upon what we were doing at certain times during the day--going to our ultrasound appointment, packing our bags, heading to the hospital, going into labor, having Sam (!!!), etc. I was able to keep both Evan and my mom up to see the ball drop by looking back at his birth day pictures. (Pretty sneaky, huh?) I cannot believe it has been a whole year already. But at the same time, Sam has changed so much that it feels like more time should have passed. Either way, this little boy has charmed and stolen our hearts and we look forward to watching him continue to grow and learn in his next year of life and beyond!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, darling Sam!

Sam's First Xmas, Blizzard, and Stomach Bug

2010-12-30T11:21:00.000-05:00

Sam's first Christmas was quite special, and we enjoyed watching him explore his stocking and packages. We thought he'd be a pro at shredding the wrapping paper since he loves tearing up paper, but he kept ripping off a piece and then just playing with the piece! We kept trying to show up that there was a surprise underneath the paper, but more often than not, we were unwrapping his gifts. It was still loads of fun, and Sam especially liked his fancy new Radio Flyer Walker Wagon!

Unfortunately, Christmas night for the Riser family ranks up there as one of the worst. Evan came down with a brutal stomach bug that had him up and sick every 20 minutes. This woke the baby up, who proceeded to scream for about 5 1/2 hours. Nothing I did comforted him. I finally took Sam out for a drive at 1 a.m. and he zonked out for about 30 minutes, but then he started crying the minute I turned the car off. It was a very rough night, and I found myself wishing that family was much closer. The next day, Evan was still recovering and I came down with it, though thankfully, it wasn't nearly as awful and violent as Ev's version. Then Sam tossed his cookies (well, yogurt) on Evan on Monday (serves him right!) and we're just now back to normal around here. We were disappointed to say the least that our post-Christmas fun was not so celebratory, but at least it was fairly quick.

Meanwhile, the blizzard of 2010 hit us Sunday evening and dropped 18 inches. As you can see here, that's a lot of snow! It was nice to get out and get some minutes of fresh, frigid air on Monday afternoon. Up next...Sam is 1 on 1.1.11!!!!

Standing!

2010-12-22T21:47:00.000-05:00

Oh boy, is Samuel having fun now. He's been pulling himself up to standing almost non-stop. I didn't think he was awake yet this morning when I got up to feed Mr. George (our kitty cat or "Ca" as Samuel calls him), but there he was towering over the edge of the crib. Needless to say, the crib was lowered this evening. It must be pretty exciting for him to see the world from a whole new, higher vantage point. He's so good at helping himself down, too. I was worried he'd just fall straight back and conk his head for some reason. Silly mommy. He's much smoother.

He's kept me busy, busy during the days, which has made Christmas wrapping and card-writing more difficult than I imagined. Now that he's crawling at warp speed, the last place he wants to be is in his safe, gated area, of course. Let's see...this week, he's raced off to the bathroom to play in George's water bowl and he's nibbled on a candy bar--wrapper and all--that he reached into a box next to Evan's desk and found. All in mere seconds! Ahem.

I'll try to write a post this weekend to share pics from Sam's first Christmas. I can't wait to see him rip that wrapping paper to shreds. He's already done it with scraps he finds from my wrapping! Happy Holidays!

It's true. I gave Sam a trim!

2010-12-14T16:43:00.003-05:00

I promised others and myself that when Sam's hair reached the point of always being in his eyes and being a nuisance, I would break down and trim it. Well, it reached that point. Every couple minutes, I found myself swooping his lovely hair out of his eyes. So I removed the haircutting shears from their plastic wrap on Sunday, had Evan hold Sam's head still and did the best job I could on those bangs. I'd say I did a pretty good job, especially considering the fact that Sam was crying and Evan wasn't happy either!

Before

After

He's 11 months! (and a few days)

2010-12-06T22:20:00.000-05:00

Since Sam turned 11 months last Wednesday, all I've done with this post is change the title. First, it was "He's 11 months (and a day)," then 2 days, and well, you get the point. But here we are! Sam's 11-month post. Today, I took a step back in time as I pulled out the very shawl sweater I wore to our last ultrasound and then as fate would have it, the hospital. (I know what you're thinking, but remember that my bump wasn't that big!) When I look at Sam's newborn pictures, I'm astonished. It feels like soooo long ago. And he was so tiny and he couldn't hold his head up, or look at us, or smile! So what is the 11-month-old Sam up to lately? In the last few days, he's taken an interest in the books on the bookcase, so I moved his board books down to the bottom shelf. Every day, he pulls them out, and flips the pages! As a lover of books, my heart swells watching him use his little pointer finger to turn the pages, and feel the textures, and just enjoy the books.

He's still crawling everywhere, banging bowls together, and loves throwing plastic stacking rings onto the hardwood floor to watch them bounce and make a clatter. Also, he's kneeling beautifully! He pulls himself up to his knees and shows off his awesome balance. Up next, pulling himself to standing, I'm sure. I should have pictures of all of these, but I don't. As you can see, it's tough to even get him to look at the camera. But I wanted to post this picture so you can see how drooly he was last Friday right before one of his bottom teeth burst through his gums. That's right, we have ridges! The whole tooth isn't visible quite yet, but soon. I'm freaking out a little that our baby boy will be one in just over THREE weeks! We've been brainstorming birthday plans, which so far just include Mommy, Daddy, and Grandma E., and maybe a little prince chair/throne (since I've called him my sweet prince since he was born), perhaps a cake made by Mommy on New Year's Eve, and lots and lots of love. :)

Christmas Tree Shopping

2010-11-27T18:40:00.000-05:00

While everyone else is busy shopping for deals and dealing with mayhem on Black Friday, Evan and I have made it a family tradition to go tree shopping the day after Thanksgiving. But alas, it was raining yesterday, so we postponed until today. It was in the lower 40s, so there was a nice nip in the air to get us in the holiday spirit, though I just realized that we didn't hear a single Christmas carol! Sam had a blast feeling what a pine tree feels like for the first time, and we chose a beaut with fantastic fragrance. Now, if we can only keep the pine needles out of Sam's mouth and prevent him from pulling himself up on the tree, we'll be golden!

Happy Belated Turkey Day from Baby Riser!

2010-11-26T16:39:00.000-05:00

Here was Sam last Thanksgiving:

And look how much he's changed in one year! ;)

Here he is, eating his own pieces of turkey and stuffing. It's hard to believe he's able to crawl, play with toys, feed himself, and so much more already. We are truly thankful for all the joy Sam has brought to our lives the past (almost) 11 months. We cannot wait for Christmas when he tears open his packages! This kid loves paper of all kinds--napkins, tissue paper, etc.--so it should be fun. Happy belated Thanksgiving!

A boy on the move

2010-11-22T19:54:00.000-05:00

Finally, a video of Sam crawling! He's now quite the master, having been doing it for about a month, and even though I have to chase him around and prevent him from getting into things he shouldn't, he still looks as cute as ever. For the record, I uploaded this video on Saturday and it kept giving me error messages every time I tried to view it. Hoping this upload was successful because I'm posting it no matter what. Happy early Thanksgiving!

Here's Looking at You, Baby.

2010-11-07T18:21:00.000-05:00

Well, well, well. Looks like Mister Sam has reached a new vantage point. Time to lower the crib? But that seems so defeating! He just figured it out, and loves spying on me when he thinks I'm not looking. (Ignore the scratches on the crib. Ev and I have done it by leaning over the crib with our jean buttons exposed. The sad part is I read about this in all the reviews of our crib, but I thought we'd be more careful than that. Ha! The way I see it, it's a good lesson to learn early.) I'm working on filming a decent video of Sam crawling. We've got a couple, but they're dreadful. Amongst the bad lighting, horrible timing, Sam's crying, and either Evan or I saying something, they're seriously lacking. Working on it! It's v. cute--him in motion. For now, enjoy the edible baby fingers above.

True Confessions of a SAHM

2010-11-04T19:23:00.000-04:00

Sometimes being a SAHM is not all it's cracked up to be. Some days are rougher than others, but yesterday in particular, all I could think about was getting my job back. Or getting a new job. Just a job that was outside of the home where I could steal moments to myself. Just 5 or 10 minutes of quiet time to go get a cup of coffee or to simply not have one of my thoughts or activities interrupted. And I only have one child!

This didn't come from having a particularly bad SAHM day. I mean, I did go to the grocery store and realize that I'd left my wallet at home once she had rung everything up. And I was particularly bored at library storytime, too. Yes, I admit it! I couldn't sing "Where is Thumbkin?" even one more time. The thought of it gave me a headache. Today has been much of the same with Mr. Crabbycakes demanding my attention (and therefore my arms) much of the day, an hour and a half failed attempt at getting him to nap, a meal that I overheated causing it to froth up and spill all over the microwave while Sam was crying, and so on. All just very typical days.

I think my desire to get a job outside of the home, though, hit me when I called an editor I was hoping to do some freelance work for, and she relayed how busy she was. I wanted to say how busy I was, too, but I couldn't bring myself to say it. My busy is a whole new busy. What would I have said?... "Oh yeah, me too. Some days, I feel like I can't get anything done. I'm so busy steaming and pureeing vegetables, feeding the baby, cleaning the baby, comforting the baby, feeding the baby again, cleaning up the mess I made in the kitchen, changing the baby, entertaining the crabby, non-sleeping baby, feeding my husband...Did I mention how much of my day focusing on feeding someone? But boy, did I have a productive day yesterday! I got one whole load of laundry in! It's still in the dryer, but still!"

Yeah, probably not.

Instead, after about four minutes, Sam started fussing loudly, and the conversation was cut short. I said I was being paged, and she said she could hear that. End of convo. (The gig fell through, by the way, which was another reason I was bummed.)

So what's my point here? I don't know if I really have one. Except that being a SAHM is really hard work. There are no soap operas and there are no bon bons. Being a working mom sucks, too. I know that. But for all of you who think you could have a clean house, make crafts and homemade meals, and sing songs all day if only you were home with your baby instead of working outside the home, think again. I mean, maybe you could, if you were Superwoman and had eight arms or something. But at least don't say it within earshot of a SAHM. You're likely to get bumped into with a stroller, hard.

At the end of the day, though, when Daddy takes over and I can breathe a sigh of relief, I realize it's not so bad. (Hooray for daddies!) Especially when I look at my little snugglebug all ready for bed. I also know that I'm doing a selfless thing, and that I will never regret being able to spend this precious time with Sam. G'night pumpkin. Mommy loves you even though she rants sometimes. :)

Happy 10 months, Sam

2010-11-01T21:17:00.000-04:00

Sam-I-am is growing up so fast! And it's been a busy month for him, too. He not only took and aced his first flight (pictured above is a very happy flyer-to-be at Logan Airport), but he also started crawling! Woo hoo! He's been rolling across the room for a couple months, but in the past month he's pushed up onto all fours, started rocking back and forth, and began really crawling this weekend.

I've heard from many parents that you want this to happen as late as possible because it can get exhausting, and now I see it. As cute as Sam looks when he's crawling across the room, I am pooped from picking him up 22 times and shifting him back to a "safe" zone.

Sam also had his first trick-or-treat experience last night, which was a lot of fun. We went to a nearby neighborhood and Sam had a very fun first Halloween! One of the moments to remember was when a crazy woman asked us to come in her home so she could take a picture of us, which was a little strange. And then she kept asking "Nathaniel" the kitty cat to mew. We were all very confused. And, for the record, Evan's the one who walked right into her house willingly for a photo shoot! But really, who could resist this cuddly, er, ferocious lion? Here Sam is before we hit the pavement.

Lullatone Looping Lullabies: A Must-Have

2010-10-25T13:17:00.000-04:00

Shawn from the band Lullatone contacted me about their new collection of super soft lullabies called Looping Lullabies and asked me to give them a listen. Well, let me tell you that it was just the thing I'd been looking for since Sam was born. They use womb sounds and white noise to make not only baby relaxed and drowsy, but mommy and daddy too! The few times when I've been successful at getting Sam to nap lately I've played Looping Lullabies, put Sam in the carrier, and off to dreamland he goes. (We're still working on lengthening his short 25-30-minute naps, but we'll take what we can get.) This album is definitely my go-to music for chill time.

Want some sweet news? You can pay whatever you're able for the lullabies! Give them a listen here. I promise you'll be relaxed and sleepy in no time. The hope it that your baby will follow suit, of course. :)

Sam and the apple orchard

2010-10-11T22:43:00.000-04:00

We had such a wonderful time yesterday with our friends from our childbirth class. (Isn't that so cool?!) We went to Shelburne Farm in Stow, MA, and enjoyed some hot mulled cider and cider doughnuts, posed with some pumpkins, picked some apples, and went on a hayride. It didn't matter that the hayride was warp speed or that there were 1,002 people there! It was fun! It was also especially special because it was Sam's first orchard trip and my first apple-picking experience. (I've picked just about everything else.) Here are a few pictures from the day.

Surprise! Our lion also made an appearance.

We'll take the adorable pumpkin in flannel, please.

Sam's first spying of an apple in a tree!

And on a quintessential New England fall day...

Halloween Decision 2010

2010-10-09T11:29:00.000-04:00

I'm pretty sure we're not even taking Sam out to trick or treat (so sad!), but I had to get him a baby costume for his first Halloween. And I couldn't decide between two yesterday (though I think I know where I'm leaning). What do you think? Should Sam be a lovely lion or a buzzy bee? Either way, he's a cuddly cutie pie!

Happy 9 months, Mr. Sam

2010-10-03T21:30:00.002-04:00

Mr. Sam is 9 months old, as of Friday! It's hard to believe that he's been kickin' it in this world as long as I carried him. We had a rough start to the day, as he was not a happy camper. I'd scheduled his 9-month portraits that day and actually called to cancel and reschedule for a later time this weekend when he would (hopefully) be cheerier and Evan could also come along, but they were booked solid. But! We made the most of it and even got our holiday cards done. This was completely spontaneous and that's a really good thing, because I'm sure otherwise I would've stressed about it for days.

It was a ton of work for the photographer and I to try to get Sam to smile. We jingled bells, tickled him with a duster, made goofy faces, and he mostly just looked at us, maybe sharing a grin or two. She still managed to get some cute ones though. And it was exactly what Sam (and I) needed--to get out of the house and have everyone tell him how adorable he is. It was an unusually gross day for October here being in the 80s and super humid, so getting in the Fall spirit and the holiday spirit (gasp!) was tricky.

Here we are beforehand, trying on outfits. This one was a no-go. Look at that sad face!

Here are a couple proofs from the shoot:

Happy 9 months, darling boy!

1001 Healthy Baby Answers book review

2010-09-30T15:12:00.000-04:00

It's happened to all of us. We go to the pediatrician's office with our list of questions, and inevitably we leave with a longer list of questions that remain unanswered. This can be frustrating and unsettling. Sourcebooks, Inc., has a reference that they sent me to review that might help, especially if you're concerned your baby or child might have a certain condition or disease. 1001 Healthy Baby Answers by pediatrician Gary C. Morchower, M.D., is a helpful resource organized in two parts that covers common conditions in newborns, such as jaundice, and common conditions in children and adolescents, such as asthma. The conditions and diseases are arranged alphabetically and include a definition and Q&A's. The answers are provided by experts in each field. Definitely a great book to have on our bookshelf!

From the publisher: 1001 Healthy Baby Answers by Dr. Gary Morchower contains the most common questions parents have about a variety of different conditions and disorders, along with expert answers detailing everything they need to know about the causes, symptoms, treatments, follow up, and more. Topics include: Asthma, Chicken Pox, Autism, Seizures, Diabetes, Croup, Pneumonia, and Sleep Disorders.

The 1001 Healthy Baby Answers is for parents to have on hand and in the home for quick reference. This essential guide will alleviate fears and give parents the right advice to help their child feel better . . . without another trip to the doctor’s.

You can buy your own copy for $16.95 wherever books are sold.

Introducing Sam to a "world of jumping..."

2010-09-26T16:54:00.002-04:00

That's what the box says anyway. We gave in and got Sam a Fisher Price Ocean Wonders Jumperoo this weekend. I've shown it to him the last couple times we've gone to the store, and he would smile real big and kick his feet. I fought the exer-saucer, mostly because of its large footprint, but I gave in to this (which admittedly isn't that much smaller). Evan was worried that we were harming Sam's development by not letting him use his legs. I didn't buy it because they never had these contraptions in the old days, and they all learned to walk just fine, but I guess it is good exercise. It's true that there's not much I can do with him that allows him to kick and move with his feet. While Evan was putting this fantastic jumperoo together this morning, Sam sat close by and squealed with delight. Perhaps he enjoys seeing his daddy at work, but we think he was probably excited about his new activity jumper. We had to put some foam alphabet squares down so his little feet would reach but he was able to jump around and even reached the purple fish high above. Good times!

Guest Post: Baby Sign Language – 10 Helpful Tips

2010-09-21T14:21:00.000-04:00

I'm happy to introduce Misty Weaver who is the Chief Editor of Baby Sign Language, a new website that has information on teaching babies sign language. Misty asked if she could go do a guest post on our blog to help spread the word about her new site, which has lots of free resources, including videos, flash cards, and tutorial. Misty's 10 helpful tips when teaching your baby sign language:
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When people say “Baby Sign Language,” they are talking about teaching signs from American Sign Language to babies who are learning how to talk. Baby sign language helps pre-verbal children communicate their needs while helping them learn to speak. If you are teaching your baby or toddler to sign, or are thinking about it, good for you! Here are some tips that might help:

1. When teaching a sign to your baby, or when using a sign that she already knows, be sure to sign every time you say the word and say the word every time you make the sign. Repetition is key. The goal is to teach your baby to say the word, so resist the urge to use a sign without saying the word.
2. Try to avoid signing out of context. Though you may want to show your mother-in-law that your baby can sign for milk, don’t ask him to do so and then not produce the milk! This could confuse him.
3. Always make eye contact when you sign. This not only facilitates learning, but it also encourages your baby to make eye contact in return, which is a valuable social skill.
4. Utilize facial expressions. When you ask your baby if she wants milk, raise your eyebrows. This will help her understand that you are asking a question with your sign. This is also important when teaching signs that deal with emotions, such as “sorry” and “please.” Make sure to support the meanings of these words with your facial expressions.
5. Be as expressive as possible with the tone of your voice. This may feel silly, but you can teach just as much with the tone of your voice as you can with the words that you use.
6. Speak as clearly as you possibly can, even if it feels awkward. If you speak slowly, and enunciate clearly, your baby will learn words faster.
7. Look for signs that your baby is trying to sign. Sometimes our babies are trying to sign, but because their signs are not perfect, we don’t even notice that they are trying! Be extra-observant so you don’t miss his efforts.
8. When your baby does sign, reward her handsomely. Praise her and shower her with kisses.
9. Print out flashcards from Baby Sign Language Flash Cards and hang them in strategic locations around your home. Then, if you have a brain cramp and can’t remember a sign, you can reference your flashcards.
10. Try not to show disappointment or frustration. Though there will be moments when you wonder why on earth you ever started signing, don’t let your baby know. Your baby will be able to tell if you are frustrated, and this may cause him to be scared to try signing. If you are relaxed and enjoying the process, your baby will relax and have fun too.

Sam's first overnight trip

2010-09-17T19:57:00.002-04:00

We took our first trip to Nantucket with some friends last weekend and had such a nice time. Not only was it our first trip to the island, but it was the first time we've taken Sam on an overnight trip. We didn't start off on the best foot as Sam only slept about an hour Friday night, which of course meant that we only slept about an hour, too, but thankfully, the sea air did him some good and he slept much better on the island. (It also helped that our friends coached us through another potentially rough night!) I'll let the photos tell the story.

A happy little man on the ferry to Nantucket.

Mama enjoying the view from the ferry, arriving on Nantucket.

Mostly asleep on Daddy's shoulders on the walk to the house.

Sam definitely preferred the feel of the squishy seaweed to

the freezing cold ocean water.

Sam's first swing in a hammock. (He spit up moments later!)

Riser family in front of the house.

Being tickled by Sam's friend Lucy's doll. You can see a bit

of the doll's yarn hair at the top of the image.

Sam and Daddy on the way home. Oh look! There's John Kerry on our ferry.

My first Pampers.com article

2010-09-04T10:34:00.000-04:00

My first article is on the Pampers Village website. Check it out! If you're trying to get pregnant, are currently pregnant, or have a newborn, stay tuned. All my articles will focus on topics in these areas and reside under the "Pregnancy" tab. As my articles are published, I'll post the links under the "My Pampers Pregnancy Articles" in the right sidebar. I'd love to know what you think, and what information you would find helpful, so let me know.

Sam greets 8 months with a bang and a nap!

2010-09-01T21:41:00.000-04:00

I'm afraid Sam wore himself out today on his 8-month birthday. He cried and fussed, and fussed and cried some more. Of course, it was on a day that I needed to write and submit an article for my new Pampers.com gig (that you can read about in my last post), but thankfully he zonked out 15 minutes before I had to submit it, so I was able to finish writing it, edit it, and get it off. To finally get him to fall asleep, I pulled out the Ergo carrier like the old days and he snuggled up to me. (Super on a 95-degree day!) This approach hasn't worked lately, but today, it did. Life's rough as an eight-month-old!

A few updates on Sam-I-Am:

-He still doesn't have any teeth.

-He's rolling all over the place.

-He loves banging cups together.

-He can sit unsupported for a long time. (Like, almost an entire hour-long class!)

-Naps are still elusive. He'll sleep maybe 25-30 minutes at a go and not usually more than once a day. But we're working on it.

-He's much more interested in songs, and likes The Wiggles.

-Solid foods are progressing nicely. He tried pureed carrots on Monday, which he wasn't a fan of. (It's awful watching your baby gag, isn't it?) But on subsequent days, I blended a bit of pureed carrot with his rice cereal and some water, and he liked it! Yea! Here's to another month older and wiser. :)

PRINCE Sam and bits of good news

2010-08-25T19:51:00.000-04:00

Yep, Sam in overalls=heartbreaker. It's amazing how a piece of clothing can transform our baby into a little boy. I guess I should've dressed him like this last week, considering the woman who thought Sam was such a beautiful princess. Say what? Just because a baby has hair, and hair that happens to be curly, does not mean that baby is a she. He was also wearing BLUE for the record, but that never seems to matter. The worst part is that I didn't have the chance to let her know that actually, Sam is a handsome prince, because she just went on and on about how Beaut-i-ful "she" was. Uggh.

Ooo, I have 2 bits of good news. First, I ended up winning all my tax-free weekend purchases at Magic Beans that I referenced in my last post. Could that be any more awesome-er? Apparently, everyone who shopped at Magic Beans that particular weekend was entered to win their entire purchase for free. And I was the lucky winner! Even Evan reacted positively to that one. He's no dummy. $200+ back in our pockets is good stuff.

Second, I found out yesterday that I've been selected to be one of the writers for a new pregnancy community on the Pampers Village website. (And if it begs the question of whether or not I'm pregnant again, the answer is No! Not yet anyway. But that doesn't mean I don't clearly remember my 10 months of pregnancy, minus a few preggo foggy moments, of course.) So you'll be seeing articles by yours truly at Pampers.com before too long. It'll certainly keep me even busier as I'll need to write 10-15 articles per month. Yikes! I'll share my posts when they go live so you can check them out. Maybe a side bar item? Stay tuned!

My new fave baby store

2010-08-20T11:38:00.002-04:00

We first went into a Magic Beans baby store after our fancy schmancy 3-D ultrasound back in November of last year. Remember that? Anyway, we popped in to Magic Beans, which was just down the street in Brookline, to check out our stroller--the fantastic UPPAbaby--since we wouldn't be getting our own until the new year. Some of you know that I'm not a fan of the big-box national baby store (that will remain nameless), despite the fact that I buy diapers there. I'll avoid a long rant but my reasons are simple: It's overwhelming, the rewards program is bunk, and the quality of 90% of the stuff they sell is marginal at best.

I love Magic Beans, on the other hand, for so many reasons. Here are a few:

1. It's locally owned (but their website kicks butt so you can shop there from anywhere...and get free shipping on orders over $99).

2. They carry unique, high quality products made by the companies I (already!) know and love, such as Manhattan Toy Company, aden + anais, boon, Skip Hop, and UPPAbaby.

3. The products I haven't tried, I know I'll probably like since they carefully select each item they sell.

4. They have a great rewards program based on how much you spend--10% off a future purchase (you pick when) when you spend $100, 20% off for a $250+ purchase, and so on.

5. The stores are fresh, bright, and fun. As an added bonus, older kids can kick it in a nice play area.

I went down to treat myself (or should I say, Sam) to some baby gear on tax-free weekend at the Hingham location, and man, did I enjoy myself. Perhaps a bit too much, but I told myself that it was cool because I was going to be saving 16.25% due to the rewards discount and tax-free deal. Here's what I bought: an organic teething book, some eco-friendly stacking rings (made from recycled milk jugs), a Beaba Babycook for when Sam's ready for some home-cooked meals (I admit this is a luxury item, but I'm hoping it will make my life so much easier since it multitasks as a steamer, blender, warmer, and defroster), a set of Skip Hop palette bowls (which are perfect for Sam's rice/breastmilk lunches and better than the glass custard cups we were using), a nursing bra tank, Sam's first wooden car, and a mini knit Gund horse that neighs. Fantastic stuff. Happy shopping!

Sir Never-Naps

2010-08-17T17:49:00.000-04:00

I don't know about your baby, but ours is a superhero who doesn't think he needs to nap. It's not unusual for Sam to go all day without a single bit of shut-eye. Ironically, I started this post more than a month ago, and surprise! Nothing has changed.

Here Sam is today, after an unsuccessful go at a nap. He's a mess. Granted, he had a bath this a.m., so his hair is normally a little fluffy, but this homeless-man look is from crying, tossing, turning, and flipping about. You probably already know that naps have been hit or miss with Sam since the beginning. He'll give all the signs that he's tired, so I go headlong into the nap routine, which is to rock him, sing to him, and walk him around the room. Sometimes I'll lie down and place him on my chest, which has been met with some success. We also turn on the fan for white noise and fire up the Fisher Price soother, neither of which are enough to push him over the edge.

I'd love to be able to put him down drowsy but awake, as so many books advise but rarely does that end with him asleep. Sometimes he'll chill and play with his feet or something, but usually he erupts into crying. What works one time is a complete failure the next time. Lately, I've been trying a 15/15 approach where I'll let him cry for 15 minutes and then go into soothe for another 15 (which means I pick him up and hold him/rock him). The whole placing-my-hand-on-his-chest thing versus picking him up causes him to stop crying for a moment, but he erupts again the minute I remove my hand. I really do think he would cry for an hour straight, if we let him. It's tough listening to a screaming baby. And he must be beyond tired. My fear is that since we've established the sleep routine with Daddy walking him around the room as the final step, that he's dependent on that. We tested it yesterday, and sure enough, Sam went down within 10 minutes of Evan walking him and I'd been trying for an hour and a half. (The only reason Evan was able to help is that he works from home the majority of the time, but we can't depend on him nor interrupt his day on a regular basis.)

So I need new strategies. I have the book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child that I started in the early months of Sam's life and will pick it up once more. What works/has worked for you? The boy needs naps! And the mama needs breaks!

Updates

2010-08-12T20:20:00.001-04:00

Who doesn't love a baby smiling for a web cam? You might notice that Sam's hair is only getting loooonger. It's insane! I actually added "haircutting shears" to the shopping list, as I think the time for a haircut is drawing nigh. (or already passed?) Gasp.

So, for some updates: Sam got his 7-month vaccinations on Tuesday, and boy, does that Prevnar shot (the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) pinch. His little face scrunches up and gets all red, he clenches his fists, and then lets out a big cry. The first time he got the series was the worst though. His leg was bright red at the injection site for about 24 hours, and he screamed bloody murder if air even hit it wrong. Only one more round to go...

He weighed 14 lbs., 4 oz. so he's still a little nugget. But he's gaining weight so the NP wasn't overly concerned. On the way home, I stopped and picked up a can of Happy Bellies brown rice, hoping it'd go better for Sam-Sam. (He's been pushing away and spitting out the oatmeal this week.) Gave it a go today, and he still spit it out and pushed it away. We'll keep trying. (She supported our banana ban. Ha!)

As far as sleep updates, we realized that if we move the crib into the bedroom, it would be very difficult to let him cry/whimper himself back to sleep when he woke up in the middle of the night if we were right there. Plus, he'd know we were there ignoring him. And how cruel would that be? So I've been putting him in his crib in the other room after his middle-of-the-night nursing, and it's working beautifully. Two mornings in a row, I crept in around 7 a.m., to find him awake and happily kickin' it. Ta-da! Perhaps he likes his upgrade.

As far as activities, we're looking forward to starting our Caterpillars class in a couple weeks that you can read about here, if you're interested. Story time at the library is over for the summer, but it'll pick back up at the end of September. I must share that I'm still trying to figure out how these moms and dads keep straight faces when we do the "Where is Thumbkin?" fingerplay. For the uninitiated (as I was), you hold up each finger one at a time and sing a little diddy. (Check it out here.) Well, tall man is the middle finger, and he stands there all alone, in all his glory. Take that, story time! And you, library! It's now my favorite part, as it makes me smile. It's the little things...

Until next time!

Kissed by a cow

2010-08-07T21:52:00.002-04:00

How this week went by in the blink of an eye, I have no idea. But here we are, another Saturday slipping away from us, too. We made the most of more gorgeous weather by making a return trip to the Farmers' Market in Braintree this morning. Picks of the day included tomatoes, corn on the cob, green beans, garlic, a canteloupe, a cucumber, and of course, another mini pie (cherry with fancy lattice). I felt much more prepared this time as I've been reading Fresh From the Farmers' Market by Janet Fletcher, which takes you through each season and offers produce selection and storage tips, as well as recipes. There's a corn, basil, and tomato salad that I have my eye on and hope to make soon. (That is, if I don't eat all the cherry tomatoes as a snack first. Mmmm, so good.)

We then made our way to the newly opened Hingham Shipyard for a craft fair in the afternoon. Much to our surprise, there was a petting zoo there as well, so Sam had his first encounter with rabbits, horses, goats, llamas, a pig, and a cow, the last of whom thought Sam's tootsie was a tasty treat. To get our own tasty treat on, we went to a new restaurant by the marina there called Alma Nove for some fancy snacks on the patio. Here's how clueless we are: We didn't think anything of the man who said, "Now that's a little guy" about Sam on his way out until the ladies next to us rushed out to get a photo with him. Turns out he was Jigsaw/Tobin Bell-the guy from the Saw movies. (We also didn't know that we were eating at the new restaurant owned by Mark Wahlberg's brother. We apparently need to work on this knowing-useless-info thing.)

Tomorrow's a biggish day: we're moving the crib into the bedroom and reintroducing baby oatmeal. Fingers and toes crossed that Sam's digestive system doesn't go into revolt again. And that he SLEEPS!

Sleep Stuff

2010-08-05T19:02:00.000-04:00

Yep, it's true. Our 7-month-old still sleeps in his bassinet. But he's a little bugger for his age, and with the bassinet in our bedroom, we can close the door and carry on with our evenings. (Sam's crib is currently in the den, where there is no door. The only "rooms" with doors are our bedroom, the bathrooms, and the closets. Eek!) Needless to say, our condo is not conducive to raising a family, with its open floor plan and lack of additional bedrooms. But we never imagined we'd still be here, ECONOMY. So anyway, we're at a crossroads, as Sam is not only bumping his head and feet on the sides of the bassinet, but he's picking up his feet and slamming them down, and reaching over the sides. We fear it's only a matter of time before he sits up, leans over the side, and goes bump in the night.

We tried to enact a *new* plan last night, and it didn't go over so well. Our plan was to try to move Sam to his crib when he woke up in the middle of the night. (See chart at right. Long gone is the month when Sam slept from about 7 or 8 p.m. until 4 or 5 a.m. Sigh. He now wakes up definitely once, if not twice, as you can tell by the yellow "awake" gaps.) I'd hoped to rock him to sleep and slip him in the crib, but it failed miserably. He cried and cried. I tried to get him back to sleep for more than two hours. I sang to him, swayed him, bounced him, held him tight, nursed him, etc. All those old newborn tricks. Evan finally had to walk him (the only fail-safe way to get Sam to sleep these days), and back in the bassinet he went. We'll try again soon. But first, I think we're going to have to move the crib into the bedroom so we can close the door and let Sam sleep in peace. Or, move all over the place like he did today. See below. This was all within about 30 seconds. Every time I looked in, he was in a totally different spot. I'll keep you posted on this transition.

Pukies Milk Review

2010-08-03T10:22:00.002-04:00

As you know from our earlier review, we think Pukies' products rule. We've now tried a few more of their products and wanted to share. Pukies sent us a bib, burp cloth, and blanket from their Milk Stain line. (The bib is showcased on Sam above.) This line is designed to disguise milk, formula, and cereal stains. Brilliant. And the print is as hip as ever. Love 'em. Like Pukies' other products, they are reversible, wicked soft, and eco-friendly (yea) since they're made of an organic soy and cotton blend.

We also purchased a Ketchup onesie ($20) because we couldn't resist. Unfortunately, Sam was having one of his messy days so I couldn't snap a picture in time, but trust me, it looks sharp and he is oh-so-snuggable when wearing it. I know what you're thinking: If only he'd been wearing the MILK onesie. But I bought Ketchup. Doh!

You can check out Pukies' other boys' playwear here and the girls' here. (Note that the girl onesies are only $12 and they have irresistible ruffles on the sleeves. Ooo la la.)

You can buy your own Pukies products here. You might also want to check out the new collection of clothing called Buggies: bug-protection duds for infants and toddlers. I know I'm intrigued!

Happy 7 months, Sam!

2010-08-01T19:48:00.004-04:00

What a lovely weekend we had here in New England for Sam's 7-month birthday. Not only is he feeling back to his usual spunky self, but the weather was absolutely perfect with temps in the upper 70s, sun, bright blue sky (that I intentionally didn't crop it out in the photo), and very low humidity. Ahhhhh. I can't get over how nice it was to have the windows open and be able to keep them open night and day. We woke up Saturday knowing we had to get out of the house and, thankfully, Evan remembered that I've been wanting to go to one of the local farmers' markets all summer, so that's exactly what we did. While there, we picked up some summer squash, scrumptious cherry tomatoes, corn on the cob, basil, Jet Star tomatoes (that are supposed to be out of this world with thin skins and lots o' juicy), and a Very Berry mini pie made with strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Then we grabbed Quizno's and headed to Nut Island, a nearby park (pictured here) on the water with a view of our condo building and downtown Boston. Note that Sam can sit unassisted at this point, which is very exciting, though he's prone to tipping so we always keep a hand close by. :) Today we drove South to Scituate for some blueberry-picking. Num num. Sam was a great helper pulling leaves off the bushes for us. We're thinking maybe next summer he'll get some berries in there, too.

All in all, total fabulous-ness. This is exactly what summer weekends were made for. Now off to prepare a couple Caprese salads, some salmon and summer squash, and last but not least, some PIE!

Bananas are hereby banned

2010-07-30T17:15:00.001-04:00

So we're not sure if the bananas are really to blame, but they are officially banned from our household anyway. So to review. You know about the projectile vomiting and diarrhea. Well, the diarrhea continues, though Sam's acting fine in all other ways once he gets it all out. And he's peeing, so we're not worried about dehydration. These banana bombs reek to high heaven and are beyond messy. The latest leaked up his back, through his onesie, on the Boppy, all over my pants, DOWN my pants. Omg. We had to cut Sam out of his onesie for the first time ever. It's like we're hearkening back to the newborn days all over again. Just so we appreciate how far we've come, I guess! The good thing is that we have a clean baby since he's getting a bath every day. Did any of you experience this with the introduction of solid foods? The weird thing is that bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast are the foods recommended for diarrhea in babies. So maybe it's the oatmeal? But that was on TUESDAY! Uggh.

Having a ball (mostly)

2010-07-29T20:32:00.003-04:00

Things have been very busy in the Riser household ever since the big last day at the income-generating jobby job last week. We're having a ball though! I'd say it was a tough but quick adjustment from working mom to stay-at-home mom. I had a bunch of anxious dreams the first few nights where I was desperately trying to get my job back, but then I chillaxed and honestly couldn't be happier. So what have we been up to?

1. Sam's now rolling all over the place from front to back, back to front, and back again, reaching and pulling things and basically loving interacting with the world around him. There's one wooden Melissa & Doug barnyard puzzle in particular that he will go to all lengths to get to by rolling and scooching.

2. Grandma came to visit for a few days, and she and Sam had loads of fun playing and reading together. Well, she read. He mostly babbled over her (see below) and tried to eat the books.

3. Sam's babbling has reached a new high, and it's hilarious. We can't help but giggle when he gets on one of his ma ma ma ba ma chatter streaks. There's an awful lot of the ma ma ma ma ma ma. When does it count as him saying "mama?" I think now!

4. We started solids on Tuesday. It has been an interesting experience, to say the least. We gave Sam 1/2 tablespoon of Earth's Best baby oatmeal mixed with 2 tablespoons breast milk. (In case you're wondering, our pediatrician suggested oatmeal versus rice since it's less binding.) He ate pretty well, opening his mouth each time the spoon came close and didn't seem to have too much trouble swallowing it. But then he was gassy and irritable the rest of the day. So yesterday we tried organic mashed-up banana. He only had about 3 tiny bites and probably due to the consistency (I didn't mix it with milk this time), he gagged a bit. His daddy hates bananas, so he was quite happy that Sam reacted the way he did. Sam was unhappy and very bloated at his last feeding, but he ate enough to be satisfied and he went to sleep. When he woke up at 3 a.m., I nursed him as usual but he wasn't interested in eating much, nor was he nodding off like he usually does. I picked him up and laid him on my chest to try to soothe him to sleep, only to be hit with projectile vomit moments later. Holy crap. This was serious. And a lot. Then he puked again when I moved him off me. I was covered, he was covered, the bed was covered. Yucky. You get the drift. Thankfully, Evan and I were a fantastic team, tending to the little sick man and cleaning things up, which bodes well for the future. :) Then today, the poor little guy had diarrhea (2 nasties in a row) and one more puke session. No fever. Needless to say, we're holding off on more solids for the time being.

That has kept us pretty busy around here. More soon, I promise!

Big announcement: This Is It

2010-07-19T23:54:00.003-04:00

No more work, no more books, no more daycare ladies' dirty looks, yeah! Since I haven't been sharing my thinking lately, this might be a little abrupt, but The Decision has been made. Tomorrow is my last day as a staff Senior Editor. (Yeah, yeah, I know. Once a Senior Editor, always a Senior Editor, lalalalala...) It's so weird to think that I will never again be back to the same office with the same wonderful people and the same anything. The word I keep using is "surreal." It really is bittersweet. I apologize for not sharing my thoughts leading up to the big day but I have been overwhelmed, to say the least. Vacillating between remaining in the job I love, and being with the little man I absolutely adore proved to be an emotional battle. And having to choose sucks. I wanted to do both, but that was not in the best interest of my company. So be it. I really do think it's a blessing in disguise. Now I can give Sam 110% and not be thinking about managing any projects or planning meetings or responding to emails. I can finally dedicate myself to the pursuit of Sam's happiness. (Speaking of happiness, this photo cracks us up. He's such a goof already!) Anyway, on that list:

1. Join moms' group or sign up for class of some sort. (Perhaps through Isis Maternity? Boston moms: worth it?)

2. Catch up with all the awesome moms and dads we already know. And set up playdates!

3. Get to mixin' and mashin' and pureein' some solid food recipes. Yep, no Gerber's jars for this baby. (I say this now, but we shall see...)

4. Re-dedicate myself to this blog, which eventually means a design overhaul and perhaps a separate place for reviews and giveaways. As much as I love sharing the goods, I do feel it takes away from The Adventures of Sam.

5. Go to library/museum/park/have crazy fun!

Insert more here: _________

Now, it's time for snoozeland and prep for a very big, emotional day tomorrow. Sayonara, full-time working mama. Thanks to all my colleagues for the wonderful years of opportunities, challenges, and memories. It truly has been a pleasure, and I hope we stay in touch both professionally and personally. And a big Hello to SAHM-dom! (Yow-sahs, that freaks me out. But give me time.)

A "holy crap" flashback

2010-07-17T22:17:00.002-04:00

The strangest thing happened the other day. I was going through some stuff (of which there is plenty around here) and came across a New York magazine dated December 21-28, 2009. Do you know where I'm going next? Look at that date again.

Yep, this was the mag I took with us to my ultrasound appointment on New Year's Eve morning. Any guesses as to what fell out of this magazine into my lap? Sam's ultrasound pictures from that appointment! (I guess that wasn't too hard seeing as how I've included them here, huh?) Turns out he was born less than 24 hours after these were taken. Unbelievable. (Side note: I'm an addict of Maura Jacobson's crosswords, but I still just don't feel right completing this one. Like I'll change history or something.)

Anyway, back to that day...the doctor wouldn't say whether what he saw in the ultrasound meant Sam was in trouble or not, but I do remember him making a joke about how perhaps our son would be the first baby born in the hospital and we'd be on the news and get a gift basket. We laughed aloud, and went on our merry way to pack our bags and head to the hospital. Hardy har, us having a baby 2 weeks early? Nope, not going to happen. Fast forward a few hours, and you'll recall that Sam was indeed the first boy born at the hospital and we were given a lovely gift basket. Alas, no media appearance. But he was not the first baby of the year because some biatch came in at 9 cm and pushed her baby out maybe an hour before Sam made his grand appearance, after we'd been there for 12 hours or so. Such is life. :)

[top: Sam's profile, looking up; middle: Sam's tootsie; bottom: Sam looking at us saying, "SEE YOU SOON!"]

Dapple Review

2010-07-16T16:42:00.000-04:00

Dapple makes natural-based cleaning products that are safe for babies, and that is a fantastic thing. With the help of pediatricians and "green" chemists, Dapple developed products that are free from phthalates, parabens, SLES, as well as from fragrances and dyes. All these factors are hugely important to me as a new (slightly overprotective) mom. (In fact, I'm freaking out a little right now about what food to start Sam on and which sunscreen to apply to his babylicious skin, but that's a whole 'nother story!) Dapple's cabinet includes dish liquid, dishwasher powder, toy cleaner wipes, laundry detergent, and more. They sent us travel size containers of their dish liquid and toy cleaner wipes, and we love 'em both. I use the dish liquid exclusively to hand-wash Sam's Soothies and bottles, and even toss in my pump parts on occasion. You know the film that's always coating the bottles after they run through the dishwasher? Not present. Fragranced with essential oils, it smells lovely too. The travel toy wipes are a must for your diaper bag, and you can really make them go the distance. I usually use one wipe for about 5-7 toys and voila, they're germ- and dirt-free. It's so nice to have peace of mind that the things that go into Sam's mouth are being cleaned by safe, non-toxic cleaners. Thanks, Dapple.

You can buy your own Dapple natural baby products here. Good news: Through August 3, if you buy $10 worth of Dapple products in-store, you get a set of travel toy wipes for free.

Scary

2010-07-13T22:38:00.003-04:00

This scares the crap out of me. A trampoline cage?? Really?

[Update 7/16] I wanted to share a statistic that, ironically, I read about the very next day in Parents after posting this. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) found that 88,000 kids visited the E.R. in 2008 due to trampoline injuries. So there! I'm sure this netting cage-thing was an attempt to make the contraption safer, but I'm not buying it.

Summer fun

2010-07-12T22:32:00.001-04:00

We had a lovely New England summer weekend last weekend, and ironically we did absolutely nothing on the 4th. Evan got out of work early on Friday so we took a walk around the condo 'hood and plopped down in the yard for some good old fashioned bubble blowing. The wind put a damper on that, but it was fun regardless. Saturday, after Sam's 6-month portraits, we decided to choose a New England town and go spend the day there. We used to do this when we first moved here and had such a blast exploring the region. We chose the idyllic Rockport on Cape Ann, and after eating lobster rolls and watermelon, strolling through the town, and buying some fudge, we were all happy and exhausted. Sam even slept on the way home!

Some pics from our Friday late afternoon romp in the grass. Note the bubble in the top one.

Check out those legs!

2010-07-11T22:43:00.000-04:00

We bought Sam one of those doorway jumper thingies today, and boy, was it fun watching him in his new apparatus. Admittedly, he was tilting and tipping to and fro, and using mostly one leg to bounce about, but he seemed to really enjoy his wonderfully adorable legs. Yep, he is officially the best thing that ever happened to us. We were giddy leaving Babies R' Us, just anticipating his reaction to something new. I must say that six months is the best age ever. He's smiling constantly and dozing in the car and looking back and forth between the two of us as we ooo and aah over his little pint-size self. Parenthood really is the most fun!

Top 10: What I wish I'd known {about the days post-childbirth}

2010-07-09T15:05:00.003-04:00

Sam is now 6 months old *loud collective gasp* and I have a lot of catching up to do. There are a couple of important posts that have been on my "to write" list for some time, and I'm determined to get them done before any more time slips away. One is a Top 10 list of must-have products for new moms & dads, and the other is a Top 10 list of what I wished I'd known before giving birth. This post will be about the latter. I hope it's not panic-inducing. I really do wish I would've known these things ahead of time to be more fully prepared, but that might just be me. I'm freakish about "preparing" even if it never pays off. C'est la vie. If nothing else, this will be my cheat sheet for my next childbirth experience, if I'm lucky enough to do it all again. Ha! (Note that these are in order of how they happened, not of importance. Also, a couple apply only to vaginal births and breastfeeding mamas.)

1. Blood Everywhere You will bleed so much down there after giving birth that it will look like a murder scene. It's unbelievable. Don't feel like you have to call the nurse every time you pass a clot. It freaked me out. I kept calling for the nurses, and they apparently only want to know if the clots are, like, miniature-baby-size.

2. Hospital Demands Being in the postpartum wing at the hospital is not for the weary or faint at heart. Yeah, even though you just labored forever and can't see straight, they will suck every last bit of life out of you with all the demands they put on you. I kept getting scolded for not signing off on a checklist of information I was supposed to study up on when I was struggling to eat meals within 2 hours of them coming into the room. From the nurse taking your vitals to the hospital photographer to the birth certificate person to the food service peeps, it's overwhelming. And there is a lot to do already with this little creature that has been entrusted to you. Try to set priorities if you can (for me the lactation consultant was KEY, for instance) and ask people to respect your privacy, at least for a couple hours a day so you can enjoy your brand new baby's first hours of life.

3. More labor pains? If you think labor pains are over once your baby is born, think again. Your uterus contracts--just like it did for the last 20 hours--when your babe latches on to your breast for the first day or so. I can't believe no one told me this, or that I didn't read about it! It sucks, but obviously worth it in the long run.

4. Changing diapers No one will tell you when or how to change a diaper. I know. Major "duh." We didn't end up changing one until the day we left. And we panicked when Sam open-aired because it hit his umbilical cord and, well, nothing is supposed to, and...yeah. The nurse rolled her eyes.

5. Dressing the baby Dressing your baby is hard. See here. But you'll need these laughs during this trying, exhausting time, so embrace your foibles.

6. Undesirable Effects Down There Oh boy, these two were rough. a) You will probably leak urine for weeks. It'll even come and go to torture you. I was terrified that it'd be a permanent thing, but it's all fixed now. Thank god. b) Also, hemorrhoids. I wasn't sure what was happening when I felt like something was stuck in my bum after going to the bathroom. Then I made the mistake of looking at it in a mirror. It looked like what belonged on the inside was now on the outside. The doc seemed very nonchalant about this when I brought it up. Just hemorrhoids, she said. I was fortunate enough not to have these monstrosities during pregnancy, so I guess I was due.

7. Messes Take your diaper bag everywhere. Everywhere. Even if you're going out to get the mail. Kidding, but do take it with you every time you leave the house on any "quick" errands to avoid this from happening.

8. Stinky Get ready to apply extra deodorant because those hormones wreak havoc on your pitties. We're talking you'll have stinky man pitties like you just spent hours out in the hot sun doing yard work. And remember that Samuel was born in the dead of winter! This was why a daily shower was a "must" for me.

9. Daycare It sucks looking for daycare when your baby is only a few weeks old. I highly recommend against it. It will be nearly impossible to imagine handing your baby off to anyone at this point, and you'll just hear a loud buzzing bordering on a panic attack as the directors guide you through the centers. Trust me, I burst into tears before we even got to the car. It was brutal.

10. Hair Loss You will probably start losing gobs of hair about a month after giving birth, and it will contrast greatly with the non-shedding phase during pregnancy. Read about mine here.

One other thing that is kind of funny. When you laugh in the first few days after the baby is born, your belly will jiggle like a half empty bowl full of jelly. It's hard to describe, but it's hilarious. Also not permanent! Is there anything you wish you'd known ahead of time? For those of you who are preggers, did you find this helpful? Or is it stuff you'd just rather not know?

Bugalug Baby Review

2010-07-04T19:54:00.001-04:00

Bugalug Baby's mom-made products include sweet accessories like headbands, belts, soother clips, barrettes, and ponytail holders. Stylish, fun, and affordable, Bugalug Baby products are made to stay in place. Bugalug Baby sent us a soother clip for Sam to try and a headband for moi. The "Soother Saver" is great. You can snap it onto the tug ring of most pacifiers (not applicable to Soothies, unfortunately, since there's no ring) and then attach the adorable Bugalug logo metal clip to your babe's shirt. It helps so much not to have to hunt for that lost paci as Sam pulls it out of his mouth constantly (demonstrated at right). He's also a fan of the soft ribbon and fun diagonal stripes. :) We look forward to using it with toys and sippy cups in the near future, too. Soother clips come in boy, girl, and gender-neutral patterns, and retail for $10.

The headband rocks, and I definitely want another. I have gobs of headbands from yesteryear and none compare to the comfort and style of this one. It's a gorgeous ribbon pattern (shown below on my lovely noggin) that fastens underneath with an adjustable toggle, so you can make it as loose or as tight as you'd like. Headbands sell for $8, and there are a zillion and two to choose from!

You can have fun checking out all the cool Bugalug Baby products and stock up on your own here. (It's one of the best websites I've seen.) Bugalug Baby is also on facebook and twitter. Check 'em out!

Six-month portrait proofs

2010-07-03T22:13:00.000-04:00

We had Sam's 6-month portraits taken today, and I wanted to give you a sneak peek. Love, love.

Six months ago today...

2010-07-01T19:00:00.001-04:00

...Sam was born! It's ridiculous that 6 months have already gone by with our little guy (and also that the year is half over). His personality continues to develop and he makes us laugh all the time. He babbles and smiles almost nonstop and just started squealing with what we hope is delight! He reaches for and pulls on everything (including our glasses and the cat) and he is wicked strong. He loves books, Taggies anything, grabbing his feet, looking at himself in the mirror (so vain), bath time, and he enjoys being on his activity mat where he rolls over from tummy to back. In the last couple of days, he'll only stay on his tummy for a couple of seconds before rolling over. Now that's progress! Of course, at this age, everything has to pass the mouth test too.

This date is also significant because it means we have been exclusively breastfeeding for 6 months. Now it's almost time to introduce Sam to solid foods. I've had the oatmeal in the pantry for about a month now. Oh, that reminds me. We gave Sam his last dose of Zantac last week and decided not to refill it just to see if he'd outgrown his reflux, and it appears that he's okay. He's spitting up a little more than he was but he's not screaming and pulling away from the breast, which were the most painful parts to witness. He's definitely growing up.

Sam modeled a bunch of outfits for me to choose what he'll wear for his 6-month portraits Saturday morning. This dapper number above left is definitely in the top spot right now. The little summer sailing suit is pretty irresistible, too. Only a couple more to rule out! What a good sport he is.

As much as I like to shy away from plug stuff, I know how much voting for us helps get the word out on Sam and on our blog so here goes: If you wouldn't mind voting for us on Top Baby Blogs to help celebrate Sam's half-year birthday, we'd love it. Click here, and then click again to vote for our blog. It helps people find us and introduces us to people, too. Win, win!

By the end of this weekend, I hope to have stats on Sam's diapers, sleep, and nursing. We've fallen behind entering in his info. This creature requires a lot of data entry. I can give you a sneak peek, though, and tell you that he's gone through more than 1100 diapers. Holy crap. That's a lot of crap. For now, I sign off to sing and dance with the 1/2-year-old birthday boy.

Grocery shopping blows with a baby

2010-06-30T02:43:00.001-04:00

Wow, it's challenging to go grocery shopping with a baby. Sam and I went on our own Monday night, and now I know why I've put it off for so long. There's NO room for groceries once the infant car seat goes in the cart! I wish I would've taken a photo. It was a sight to see. Several people actually said to me, "Oh, there's a baby in there? He's so cute!" I've heard that you shouldn't put your car seat on top of the front kid seat part, so I had no other choice but to put him in the main compartment. So there was room for, like, a cucumber and maybe some hot dog buns on either side and that was about it. What was I supposed to do? Push the stroller and the cart? Push two carts? Fortunately, I had my reusable bags and I tried the scan-as-you-go option for the first time, which eased things because I could load up my bags as I went. I then piled the light ones precariously on top of the infant car seat, while the rest went on the bottom of the cart. Sam was nice enough to hold my reusable bags for me before I filled them. Poor little man had a meltdown when it reached feeding time and we were still on our way home, though. I wouldn't have been too happy either if I'd just spent the last hour buried under a pile of groceries that I couldn't even eat! It's kind of funny in retrospect since we survived, but there's got to be a better way. Without using one of those hideous cart covers. I've got my standards. What do/did you do?

Phantom baby cries

2010-06-28T15:03:00.000-04:00

I can't be the only mom who hears phantom baby cries, right? This has happened repeatedly lately where I swear I hear Sam's distinct cry and rush over only to find him sleeping peacefully. See, it just happened again! I'm blaming the a/c. It's loud. Speaking of a/c, it's getting a workout today as it's going to be 96 degrees in Boston. That is some serious summer heat! I can't wait until we have a yard someday where Sam and I can play in a baby pool or blow bubbles, taking breaks to sip on tall glasses of ice cold lemonade. Then we can cook out and catch fireflies at night when Daddy's home. I'm actually not the biggest fan of summer. My hair goes crazy curly/frizzy, I can't stand bugs, I hate sweating, and it's no fun sticking to everything you sit on or touch. But I'm still really looking forward to spending some lazy summer days with Sam. It's funny how that works, isn't it?

Here are my boys this morning. Evan can't get out the door as quickly as he'd like because of moments like this. Such contentment.

Posh Pads Review + Giveaway-CLOSED

2010-06-26T23:02:00.003-04:00

If you're searching for some comfortable, organic, cute, hip nursing pads, look no further than Posh Pads. This biz was started by 2 mamas, Robyn and Jessica, who wanted to create a nursing accessory that wasn't white and boring, so they came up with a bunch of really fashionable organic bamboo pads. Jessica sent me a set of the "Hooters" (pictured above), and I was delighted when they came in the mail. A-freaking-dorable. I love the retro fabric.

I'll cut to the chase. The best part about these *nice and thick* nursing pads is that you don't have to worry one bit about leaking through them. Trust me, they were put to the test when I had a terrible commute home due to serious train delays a couple weeks ago. Wouldn't you know it that babies were crying everywhere. Yes, other people's babies, but any mama overdue for a nursing session is familiar with that tingling sensation (aka letdown) that I'm talking about. So yes, I was in great pain but at least the leakage was in control. Thanks, Posh Pads! The thickness has a couple of downsides but nothing that's a deal breaker: they take a little longer to mold to you, and you have to be careful what shirt you wear as they do show up under Ts. I find myself wishing it were winter (Did I just say that?) so I could wear these lovely pads under layers every day. I wouldn't trade the thickness for anything, though.

The practical stuff: You can wash then in cold water on gentle cycle, and I used the handy mesh bag they came in to keep them from getting lost or damaged. Then let them airdry, and voila, all clean. They didn't shrink or fade, and become softer after each wash.

Other uses: My husband joked that they'd make great coasters, and they're soft enough to wipe drool off baby faces in a pinch. ;)

You can buy your own set of Posh Pads for $8.95. Be sure to check out the new Spring 2010 collection here.

Want to win your own? Here's how: [mandatory]

a. You must be a public follower of our blog.

b. Answer this question: What makes breastfeeding more comfortable for you? If you're preggo, let me know what you plan to have on hand to make breastfeeding more comfortable.

c. Lastly, go to the Posh Pads web site, and choose your fave. There are 8 different collections, so good luck. :)

For extra entries, you may do the following:

1. Vote for us on Top Baby Blogs by clicking on the button in the right sidebar, and then clicking once more. (*You can do this once each day.)

2. "Like" Posh Pads on facebook.
3. "Like" The Tale of Baby Riser on facebook.
4. Follow us on Twitter and tweet this giveaway: "Go to The Tale of Baby Riser to enter to win a set of Posh nursing pads through 7/12/10."

This giveaway closes 7.12.10 at the stroke of midnight, EST. The winner will be randomly chosen and contacted by e-mail, so be sure to leave your e-mail address. (Note that all giveaway winners are announced in the "Giveaway Winner" link under the main title banner.) Good luck!

Invasion of the pearly whites?

2010-06-25T23:43:00.000-04:00

Photos like this really make me wish we had a fancy camera instead of the Canon point-and-shoot. Such a great shot of Sam leaning toward me but since he's always wobbling a bit, there's some blur. The flash usually corrects this, but it takes away from the lovely natural daylight. Anyway, here's Sam leaning in to say hiiiiiii (and touch those irresistible tootsies, of course). He's sitting pretty well now, though if I recall correctly, he tipped over soon after this was taken. :)

We had a rough week, Sam and I. I worked from home since the back-up daycare was unavailable to infants (they're filled to capacity with the older kids when school lets out) and Sam was not content anywhere but my arms. We think he must be teething. Here are the signs (or at least the signs I've heard might possibly indicate teething... I'm too exhausted right now to verify):
-crabbiness: check
-more drooling than usual: check
-rubbing toys/fists on gums: check

-whitish gums: check
-fever: nil

Break on through, little toofies! Let's get this over with! Although, I must admit that I don't really want that to happen. If Sam had his charming li'l gummy grin the rest of this life, that'd be okay with me.

This is all compounded by his lack of sleep during the day. He's only averaging two 40-minute naps. That's nothing for a baby! And yet another reason why I'm pulling my hair out by the end of the day. I feel like I expire around the 12th hour of duty, which is approximately 4 p.m., and there are still 3 hours before my relief shows up. Poor daddy walks in the door and before he can say "boo," my arms are outstretched holding a petulant infant. I have all the faith in the world that each day will see an improvement, though. And he's been sleeping through the night (from about 8 p.m. to 4 or 5 a.m.) for a couple months now and that is something to celebrate. I just keep taking one day at a time, hoping mom-nesia sets in before I say Sam most certainly does not need a sibling!

*Disclaimer: It goes without saying (but I'm going to say it anyway) that I love Sam more than anything in the whole wide world. I would hold him until my arm fell off if it would comfort him. Just didn't want you to think I was griping.

On the move

2010-06-23T23:25:00.000-04:00

You know how they say to remove all blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, bumpers, etc., from the crib? Well, I don't know how I feel about that. I mean, to be honest, we only put Sam in his crib during the day and it is NOT a sight to behold. Mommy confession: his crib is trashed! About half of it is used as a clean baby clothes repository, with maybe a couple toys tossed in for good measure. I know, the SIDS police will be knocking on my door in no time. But we have NO place to put this stuff. It's a miracle that the kid still has clean clothes to wear with the chaos that ensues in this place.

My point is really this, though: Sam's on the move lately. When I put him on the floor to play with his activity gym (a pretty swell 5-in-1 Little Tykes activity gym), he swats at the barrel, spins the rattles, and then before I can check my e-mail, he's spun himself 'round, right 'round. I have pillows surrounding him, poised to protect any boo-boos from occurring since this all happens so fast. He's also rolling over pretty comfortably now from stomach to back, and loves reaching for things while on his stomach in a contortionist fashion. When he gets pissed in his crib (and who wouldn't?) he pushes off with his feet and his head is jammed up against the side of the crib in no time. Which is why I will not remove the bumpers. I know what you are thinking, so I will try something tomorrow. Everything out of the crib, and I guarantee he will do the same thing. So is it better for him to bonk his head on the wood and/or get a limb stuck, awful things which are very likely to happen, or to smoosh his face against the bumper pads? Gasp, that was hard to type. It's a tough call. Even those breathable bumpers out there seem to be unforgiving screens with no cushion. For now, we're content that he's still sleeping in his bassinet. Yes, he's almost 6 months old and weighs 14+ pounds, but it's the perfect cocoon for him. I say we have another month max, though, because he seems loooooonger each day. I think his legs are growing as fast as his hair, which is as crazy curly due to the summer humidity as mine! Poor thing.

my two favorite guys

2010-06-21T22:47:00.001-04:00

Okay, so you go can only see the hands, hairy legs, and feet of one of them, but you get the drift. These two guys make my small world go 'round. Evan's first Father's Day was very special, and I enjoyed watching him open his cards and get a little misty (shh), play, read, and have a ball with Sam. And this is only the first of many! I can't wait until Sam can craft cards out of macaroni and pipe cleaners. Will that happen? With my hand, perhaps. ;)

Guest Blogger: Sam's Daddy

2010-06-20T12:14:00.001-04:00

On this, my first Father's Day, I felt the need to contribute a post to the blog so here goes. First a little history. Father's Day was created to complement Mother's Day (remember, ladies first) in the early 1900s. Several presidents sought to make it a national holiday, but Congress resisted fearing commercialization, and it wasn't until Nixon signed it into law in '72 that it became a national holiday.

Well enough history.

Up to this point, I have taken this day to celebrate my father and the wonderful role he has played in my life. Now, I myself am a father and I have a little guy of my own who does the same (though it generally manifests itself in the form of flailing arms and coos). As I am so new to the role, it has given me pause on what it means to be a father both in the challenges it poses and the incredible rewards it gives. I am reminded of a writing assignment I was given in the 8th grade which involved writing about someone you look up to. With little hesitation I chose my father, and while I don't remember the content of that essay, my reverence and admiration for my father grows everyday. My only hope is that I can be as patient, nurturing, and loving for Samuel, so that someday he will look up to his dad in much the same way.

So on this very special day, I thank my father and wish very much that I could be back home to share this sentiment and for him to meet his grandson. For Samuel, know that I love you and look forward to giving every bit of myself to your well being and happiness. And for fathers everywhere, it doesn't take an act of Congress to recognize how lucky we are, so let us enjoy our special day.

itzbeen review

2010-06-20T11:50:00.000-04:00

While we're on the tracking-baby-stuff subject, another super handy tool you should know about is a device called an Itzbeen, as in "It's been...2 hours since Sammy's last diaper change." The Itzbeen is such a boon to us new parents who need to know without too much calculation if the reason Baby is upset is because he hasn't had his diaper changed in awhile. The Itzbeen is about as big as the palm of your hand and has timers for diapers, feedings, sleep, and an extra one to track something like medicine. Or spit-ups. (If you're like us, you'll be pressing this one a lot in the beginning. :)

Other features we dig: a nightlight to help you when you're blindly fumbling around in the middle of the night, a cool backlight that illuminates the buttons and screen, and a nursing toggle button so you remember on which side you last nursed. Ooo, and you can lock the whole device so you don't accidentally reset one of the timers. We love the Itzbeen and highly recommend it to all new parents. It'll help you feel a bit more sane during an otherwise chaotic time.

The Itzbeen comes in blue, green, and pink, and retails for around $25. You can find out where to buy your own Itzbeen here.

yep, i'm hilarious

2010-06-19T14:20:00.001-04:00

This photo is from about 5 weeks ago when Sam and I were enjoying a nice Spring day in the front lawn. It makes me laugh every time I happen upon it, so I thought I'd share. I just love his expression. Thanks, Sam, for thinking I'm hilarious. You make my days so happy.

babies and mornings

2010-06-18T11:44:00.000-04:00

If someone would've told me that having a baby meant I'd be getting up each morning at 4 or 5 and staying up, I can only imagine my look of dismay. Actually, make that horror. I'm not a morning person. I'm glad I didn't fear it though, because it's wonderful. Sam's his happiest in the morning and we have so much fun giggling and playing. I love our routine. Speaking of routine, as you know, we've been tracking Sam's diapers, sleep, and nursing in Trixie Tracker. I actually love jotting down this info and then inputting it so we can see patterns and how our days play out. But it's a time-consuming task to enter it all in and Evan wants to stop when Sammy's 6 months. Which just happens to be 2 weeks from yesterday. (Holy crap!) This makes me a little sad for some reason, and I can't pinpoint why. Perhaps it signifies Sam growing up or something. I guess I could always keep tracking his diapers since the diaper tracker is free. Hmmm.

Well, back to giggles, it took me all morning to figure out how to crop this and convert it to a file type that blogger likes. Grr. I hope you think it's worth it! I present today's morning giggle:

Oh, and one last thing. What do you think of the blog redesign? Comments welcome!
xo,
Mama R.

mommy fail

2010-06-14T18:07:00.004-04:00

Sam had his 5-month vaccinations on Friday--round 2 of Pc and HIB. (If you recall, we opted to go with Dr. Sears' delayed vax schedule, so Sam gets fewer shots at a time but has to go to the doc monthly.) I was dreading this appointment because he had a reaction to the Pc shot in round 1, whereby his leg was extremely sore to the touch and bright red where the needle went in. I mean, piercing-screams sore. We iced it and got some (now recalled!) Infant's Tylenol and it was better in a day or 2, but it was no fun for any of us. I braced myself for that this time, but nothing happened! Of course he still cried, but there was no other immediate side effect, at least to my knowledge. I was so relieved that I told Sam he could pick out a toy for being so brave, so off we went to Babies R' Us. In case you were wondering, the way I gauge Sam's like or dislike of something is by his level of reluctance to let go of it...

Ta da! The toy at right is what he picked: a beautiful wooden toy by Manhattan Toy Company, called a Skwish. This was perfectly logical, as one of his other favorite toys is the Whoozit by the same company. He was so enamored with it that I had to pry it from his little fingers to pay for it. I handed it to him in the car, and he seemed as happy as a clam. What I saw when we arrived at our next destination, though, gave me a mild panic attack. Picture this: He had little flecks of what looked like paint all over his face. And the tag on the toy was missing. a. whole. corner. (See Exhibit A.) OMG, Mommy fail! I didn't cut off the tag. DUH! Sam had gnawed on it like a puppy. Fortunately, that missing corner was in his car seat and not his belly, and I could breathe again. (The "paint" was actually just small flakes of paper.) For a few minutes there, I thought we'd be heading back to the doctor. Lesson learned: scissors or not, I'm finding a way to get the tags off before giving a new toy to a baby who experiences the world through his mouth! (I know, I should also technically clean it first and I usually do, but he was just too excited!!)

Exhibit A

cate and levi review + discount

2010-06-13T13:28:00.000-04:00

The handmade Cate and Levi collection includes puppets, pillow pals, stuffed animals, zoo cubes, and wall art. Cate and Levi sent us a frog puppet to review and we give it a big fat thumbs up. Mr. Frog is a welcome addition to our household and Sam gets a kick out of him, despite the fact that he has a different accent each time he plays with us. (Ahem. Working on that.)

Bottom line: Cate and Levi products = fantastic. Here's why: Each product is not only adorable, but truly one of a kind since each is made of reclaimed wool. Since no two products are the same, each puppet or stuffed animal has its own unique personality. The materials are also sourced close to home as Daddy Josh (the owner of the company) wants to leave the softest paw print on the planet as possible. He also donates 10 percent of his profits to help children in need. Isn't that awesome?

You can buy your own puppet for $35 here. Good news! You can get free shipping on your Cate and Levi order with code FREESH. We think Mr. Frog needs a pal, and the giraffe is pretty stinkin' cute. Which would you choose?

touch my toes? check

2010-06-12T20:50:00.000-04:00

Touch my toes? Check.

Pull my sock off? No prob.

Impart fashion sense to my mom? Give me time.

random mama musings

2010-06-11T20:31:00.001-04:00

I thought I'd share the Top 10 random mama musings going through my mind these days (in perfectly appropriate random order). Some of these were going to be posts unto themselves, but see #2.

1. No touchy: Will someone please explain why people think it's okay to touch a baby's pacifier and *gasp* pull it out?? Please keep your grungy fingers to yourself, thank you. This has always bugged me, but it's even more irksome now that Sam is able to pull his paci out on his own and nom on the very part that someone has touched...

2. Chores: Wow, it's amazing how little I can get done (still) when I have a day off. Tasks remain a quarter of the way done and just seem to multiply in every corner. I can't figure it out. Oh wait, I just realized why:

Someone, who shall remain nameless, would rather kick it with me on the couch than nap!! He gets mad when I try to put him down to rest. So here he sits with me. :)

3. Doors: I am shocked at the lack of assistance I get when trying to get a stroller through a door. Yes, my problem, but even people who are going through first or are right behind me either ignore or simply watch. I'm losing my faith in the goodness of humankind with each passing day. (Note that after I wrote this and ventured out into the world, two people went out of their way to help me, so my faith is being restored. :)

4. Growth: As Sam gets bigger, he is becoming more huggable. I swear he hugged me when I picked him up at daycare last week. He's also getting stronger. My god, this kid has some strength. Diapering him is becoming a challenge as he wiggles and kicks like crazy. And when he grabs my hair or the skin on my arms? OWIE!

5. Nursing: I find myself steering mostly clear of dairy still. Or at least having my cookie and milk right after nursing. There was one unfortunate time when I had a glass of whole milk (blech. Evan bought the wrong kind.) and Sam screamed bloody murder after nursing. It was the only logical thing we could tie it to. Also on the topic of nursing, I hope Sam's getting more than the pump b/c my afternoon pump yesterday only produced a measly 2.1 oz. He must be, because he's growing, right? Solid food is going to be knockin' on our door any day now.

6. Devotion: Sam went with me to the dentist on Wednesday, and every time the hygienist blocked his view of me, he fussed. When she moved, he stopped. Priceless. Also, in the parking garage elevator yesterday, a man stopped his conversation to point out that Sam couldn't take his eyes off me. Guess I better enjoy it now before he doesn't want to be seen with me at the mall!

7. Children's Professionals: Children's librarians should not be allowed to be bitches. I should know. My mom's one, and she's sweet as pie. There I was with my few books at checkout and a crying baby when I realized I'd left my library card in the car. Instead of looking it up for me with proof of ID, she made me go out to the car to get it. That meant pushing Sam in the stroller through 3 sets of doors. (See #3.) And did I mention Sam was crying? You'd think she'd want us outta there once and for all!

8. Nursery Rhymes: Has anyone else noticed how whacked out some of these nursery rhymes are? They make NO sense! I know they have to do with cadence and rhythm, but it seems like Mother Goose was slightly off her rocker. Here's one for you:

Little Tommy Tucker

Sings for his supper.

What shall we give him?

White bread and butter.

How shall he cut it

Without a knife?

How will he marry

Without a wife?

You see? The wife part is a non sequitur!

9. Capturing Memories: This probably also has to do with #1, but if I didn't have this blog, I'd be screwed as far as this goes. It's impossible to keep up with the baby book (that currently includes a footprint), photos (home and professional), videos, hand-/footprints, and so on. I have a feeling baby #2 (if/when he or she arrives) will be even worse off!

10. Bedtime: I find myself making up lyrics to songs I really should know. And then humming Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star at random points during the day. Ah, parenthood. So sweet. :)

Now it's time to enjoy a nice pizza/movie/wine Friday night with Daddy. (Shhh, Sam's asleep before 9 o'clock!)

rockin' baby review + giveaway-CLOSED

2010-06-09T18:03:00.003-04:00

Dear fellow babywearers and wannabe babywearers: Rockin' Baby makes one stylish pouch. Moms and dads alike can wear their babes in either the pouch (shown here on Evan with Sam) or a sling, which you can check out here. Both the pouch and sling come in a kazillion different cool patterns, and the bright and fun one Rockin' Baby sent us (thanks Natasha and Lisa!) is called "Everything is Gonna Be Alright." Well, yeah, now it is.

The pouch is easily adjustable to four sizes with zippers on the shoulder and is reversible, so if you want a pattern that your partner would rather drop dead than wear, flip it! Sam has fallen asleep in the pouch on a couple occasions, which I was most pleased about, of course. I'm still working on nailing down the various positions to avoid a slight backache, but I know I'll figure it out. The instructions included are clear and informative, and they even include safety tips and support by phone and e-mail. With both the pouch and sling, you can wear your babe in the following positions: cradle hold, snuggle hold, front carry, hip carry, or back carry. The key for us is having a carrier in which Sam can see out, because he's already (!) at that age where he really wants to check out what's going on in the world around him.

You can buy your own Rockin' Baby pouch or sling here. Pouches are 60 smacks and slings are $65. (Note that Rockin' Baby slashed their prices this year to make it easier for us normal schnormal parents to afford.)

And you can win your own here! One lucky The Tale of Baby Riser reader will win their choice of either a pouch or a sling. (Rockin' Baby will choose the pattern.) To win, you must be a public follower of this blog and Rockin' Baby asks that you do all of the following:

1. Go to Rockin' Baby's web site, and report back your favorite sling or pouch.

2. Follow Rockin' Baby Sling on Twitter & tweet about this giveaway. (If you don't have a Twitter account, please just mention this in your comment.)

3. Like Rockin' Baby Sling on Facebook & share about the giveaway on your wall, as well as leave a comment on Rockin' Baby's wall that you came from "The Tale of Baby Riser" blog. (If you don't have a facebook account, please just mention this in your comment.)

4. Sign up for Rockin' Baby Sling newsletter, which you can do here.

5. Post about this giveaway on your blog & leave us a link. (If you don't have a blog, please just mention this in the comment.)

For extra entries, you may do the following:
1. Vote for us at Top Baby Blogs by clicking on the button in the right sidebar. Follow the direx from there. (Note that you can only do this once each day, no matter how many giveaways you're entered in.)
2. Share your favorite post on our blog and why you like it.
3. "Like" us on facebook, and answer any of the questions we posted on the wall. You must do both for this entry to count!

This sweet giveaway closes 6.25.10 at the stroke of midnight, EST. The winner will be chosen at random and contacted by e-mail, so please be sure to leave your e-mail address. (Note that all giveaway winners are now announced in the "Giveaway Winner" link under the main title banner.) Good luck!

100+ followers! Looking back...

2010-06-08T10:40:00.002-04:00

Holy smokes. We've reached 100+ followers! Thanks, readers! I had hoped to reach 100 by my birthday at the end of August (completely arbitrarily), but this rocks. To celebrate the occasion, I've pulled an old photo of Evan, Sam, and me from the archives. Yep, Sam's here too, even though you can't see my belly. Not that you'd be able to see anything there anyway, because he was just seven weeks along and was about the size of a chocolate chip or a blueberry. He was still considered an embryo and had a small tail. His digestive tract, lungs, nostrils, hands, feet, and mouth were only beginning to form. AMAZING. Thanks again for following along! (Also, a big thank you to those who provided your thoughts on my "decisions, decisions" post below. It helps hearing from mamas in the know. xo.)

Almost exactly a year ago, the 3 of us enjoyed a picnic lunch at a nearby park...

Sam was just a tiny little thing growing in my belly. We hadn't even had our first prenatal appointment yet!

decisions, decisions

2010-06-06T21:47:00.000-04:00

I've been struggling with a major decision since Sam was born, practically, and now I've come to the point where I need to jump. Or not. I've been hesitant to share this publicly before a decision has been made/parties have been informed, but it's been weighing on me heavily and I need your take, dear readers. Here's the deal. I returned to work on a part-time basis almost 2 months ago (hard to believe) and am due to go back full time very, very soon. Evan and I have talked about this ad nauseum and he is in full support of my transitioning to a stay-at-home mom (SAHM, from here on out). I never really pictured myself as a SAHM, to be honest, but it's so true that you don't know how you're going to feel until you're there, melting day in and day out as your baby smiles and coos at you. (And starts saying something verrrry closely resembling Mama...!!)

So, we have worked the numbers up and down, and while losing an income has its ramifications, we think we can make it work. So why am I hesitating? I think it's because I'm scared of change. Especially big change. Of leaving a job I've known and (mostly :) loved for almost 6 years, and an educational publishing career of more than a decade. Of not having adult conversations. Of not using my brain in professional ways. Of losing all I've worked so hard for. But I know in my heart that I'll never get this time back with Sam, that this is an opportunity that I should be absolutely thrilled about. Bottom line: I know I can't leave Sam for 11 hours at a pop, 5 days a week. It's still difficult for me to say goodbye a few times a week. And I'm still not comfortable with the way anyone else cares for him. (Say it: control freak!) No seriously, I think I have trust issues for good reason.

I know both sides. Both are hard work. So now I ask you to weigh in. Take the poll anonymously if you wish in the right sidebar. Or leave me a comment sharing what works for you and why you love it. Or even why you hate it. No one will judge you here, I promise. I think I'm just looking for a gentle nudge. Sam and I thank you. :)

Working mama? Or SAHM?

tommy tickle shoes review + giveaway-CLOSED

2010-06-05T21:32:00.004-04:00

I try not to overuse the word "cute," but it's admittedly difficult when describing baby duds. That being said, you should know that Tommy Tickle's soft-soled baby shoes are the cutest. I couldn't help but squeal a bit when I opened my package and found the darling Navy Lizard shoes pictured on Sam above. And I couldn't wait to get them on Sam's little feet--his very first baby shoes. Made of soft leather, the shoes have an elastic ankle support system that helps the shoes stay put. They stay on way better than 99% of Sam's socks, but you still have to be careful one doesn't pull off when you're moving your baby around, of course. (Just to avoid the inevitable heartbreak that would occur if you lost one!) The shoes come in four different sizes, to fit babes anywhere from 0-24 months. As an added bonus, you can clean them easily with a damp cloth and soap.

You can get your own Tommy Tickle baby shoes for $14.99 at Kohl's and BuyBuy Baby nationally. Additional locations are here.

Sweet giveaway alert: One lucky The Tale of Baby Riser reader will win a pair of Tommy Tickle shoes of their choice. To enter, you must do the following: (These count as 1 mandatory entry, so please leave only one comment.) a) become a public follower of this blog in the far right sidebar and b) let me know which pair you'd choose if you won.

For bonus entries (one apiece), you can do the following. Leave a separate comment for each entry.
1. "Like" our The Tale of Baby Riser facebook page.
2. Vote for us at Top Baby Blogs by clicking on the button in the right sidebar. Follow the direx from there. (*Note that you can only do this once each day, no matter how many separate giveaways you are entered in!)

3. Take the poll in the right sidebar about your job of choice, and share why in the comments field.

This sweet giveaway closes 6.21.10 at the stroke of midnight, EST. The winner will be chosen at random and contacted by e-mail, so please be sure to leave your e-mail address. (Note that all giveaway winners are now announced in the "Giveaway Winner" link under the main title banner.) Good luck!

happy 5 months, mr. sam!

2010-06-01T22:07:00.003-04:00

Egads, Sam is 5 months old today. You mommies and daddies out there who keep telling us to enjoy it because it goes fast aren't kidding. So, even at 5 months, Sam still doesn't like riding in the car. I start with this because it's fresh. The drive home today in 5 o'clock traffic sucked. It's no wonder (besides the fact that I just can't do it) that we don't let him cry himself to sleep. He gets so riled up that I still pull over to find his paci after my repeated attempts to reach it somewhere in his car seat fail. Seriously, I think my shoulder has come close to being removed from its socket. Believe it or not, most the time I can actually get it for him and blindly stick it back in his mouth. Oh yeah, now that's mama talent. The funny thing is that when he's calm, I still find myself wondering what other errands I should run, much like his newborn days.

But Sam has changed. A lot! Here are the Top 10:

1 His hair is getting long. You people who said it would fall out can bite me. :) It's also adorably curly. See previous post.

2. He no longer needs to be swaddled to sleep through the night. (Post on sleep and our routine to come.)

3. He reaches for everything and is wicked strong. He has come close to pulling out tufts of our hair and pulling the necklace right off my neck.

4. He opens his mouth for Zantac (administered by mouth via syringe), which is too cute in a little bird kind of way. (Btw, we're thinking/hoping he's outgrown his reflux and plan to stop after this Rx is gone.)

5. He puts everything in his mouth. Everything. His fist, stuffed animals, toys, blankets. Yeah, everything he can get there.

6. He loves grabbing for anything we're holding, especially phones, pens, and Daddy's iPod.

7. He makes diaper changes fun by swiping the Bumma we place over his water gun.

8. He loves talking when he's not supposed to, like on tours and stuff.

9. He holds books and even turns the pages. Not always in the right order or even right side up, but one step at a time.

10. The best part of him being 5 months is the occasional laugh we get out of him. We work realllly hard for these. As soon as we find something that works, we try repeating it over and over and over (you get it) to make it happen again. It rarely works, of course, but we keep trying. These giggles are to die for. Thankfully, we caught a recent session on camera. Here, Daddy's zerbering Sammy's cheek. I've been successful with my kissy monster tactic but we don't have footage of that yet. :) Happy 5 months, Mr. Sam!

cowboy sam

2010-05-30T21:09:00.003-04:00

Okay, I hear you, readers. A resounding 50 percent of you want more posts on Sam. (I can't really blame ya. :) So I'm going to make sure I write 3 Sam posts for every 1 review/giveaway. Does that work? Thanks for weighing in.

Evan and I both had magical mama and daddy moments this week. Mine was when I went to get Sam out of his carseat on Thursday night after a long day of daycare. Sam spent the day with 6 infants (full capacity if you recall from my last post), and half the babies were experiencing separation anxiety, which meant they cried most the day. Poor Sam. So magic mama moment: I popped my head into his carseat before unbuckling him when we got home and he looked right at me, smiled, and put his little hand under my chin. You had to scrape my melted self off the pavement after that one. Today was Evan's. He was playing and talking with Sam and similarly, Sam looked right into Evan's eyes and touched his cheek. Love. Smart kid, too, for knowing how to woo his parents. :) Without further ado, here are a few pictures of Sam in his new cowboy onesie. Happy Memorial Day!

Sam's smiles never get old. Ever.

A close-up of Sam's baby blues. Watch out, ladies!

Sleeping Sam. Look at that adorable mop!