my future.

when I was just a little girl, I often wondered who I would be married to. and what my children would be like.

surreal to think I'm there.








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eureka!

i'm fairly certain that God made a mistake when he made it so impossibly hard to lose weight after a baby is born.

so God, if you read this blog, there's something you should fix for me.  for all of us girls.

every SINGLE time i get out of a warm bed to get a screaming baby out of his bed to feed him or hold him or rock him or change his diaper...you should take off 2 of my excess poundage.

and i know what you're thinking.  after all, you're the one you gave us physics.  "energy can neither be created nor destroyed."  or whatever.

no worries.  i have a plan for that.

since it can only be "transformed to another state"...then transform it in whatever state you want while placing those 2 pounds on anyone in the house that is able to "ignore" the screaming.  you know what i'm talking about big man.  those that might keep their eyes closed.  and "act" like they don't hear anything.

you're welcome.  any other problem that you need solving, don't hesitate to ask.  i'll be here all day.

schedule.

i have so many great ideas about gifts for my sister and her upcoming baby GIRL...yes, girl!  eliza kate will be her name.  anyway, i want to do so many things for her.  like take pictures at the hospital and at home.  when she is just a little bitty baby.  i want to stay a week and help her adjust.  i want to get her on a sleep schedule...so many things.  so little time.  they grow up too fast.

but because of all that...i need to remember what max is doing at 2 months.

let's see.

he usually wakes around 6 am.  he will eat.  then be up no more than an hour.  go back to sleep around 7 in the swing for about 30 to 45 minutes.  then he wakes at 8.  is up around an hour and goes back to sleep at 9.  he's been sleeping for about 2 hours at this point.  9 to 1130.  the book says that at 2 months, naps are gonna be different lengths because the baby isn't mature/developmentally ready enough to sleep for hours upon hours.  (max is an exception to that rule, apparently.)

he wakes around 1130 and is up until around 1.  sometimes 1230.  he then goes back to sleep until around 330.  then takes another short cat nap at 430.  usually for an hour.  then he's up until 730 or 8.

that's what the pattern has been for about 2 weeks now.  ever since he hit 8 weeks and we bought the miracle blanket.  (go get one.  seriously.  go now.)

i honestly think that 6 weeks was the ABSOLUTE worst time for us.  then slowly, he got better.  and at 8 weeks he turned into a completely new child.

he talks and coos and smiles...so much so that his little eyes close up.  it's the sweetest thing.

i cannot tell you how many people would say, "oh, yeah...pratt is on a schedule and is a good sleeper...but that's just him.  you won't have that luck with the second baby." oh, and my favorite was, "you're putting him down for a nap already!?  he's only been up 2 hours. he CAN'T be sleepy."  oh yeah.  meanwhile pratt would be screaming his face off.  pulling on his ears.  yawning.  and they would look at me like i was crazy.  what.ev.er.

i always wanted to scream, "it's not luck!!!" because it's not.  it's work. it was lots of reading.  and watching him for drowsy signs.  lots of sleepless nights prior to the breakthrough.

i didn't believe them then...and i don't believe them now.  i read yesterday the quote about how napping a baby in their first year...making sure they get the sleep they need...will pay you back ten fold in the many years to come.  i believe it.  i think sleep is the most important thing i can do right now for max.

and lucky for us...pratt would rather stay home and play inside or outside than go anywhere.  so i don't have to worry much about max missing a nap.  the easiest time to go anywhere is around 1130 or 12.  he seems most alert then.  and he really loves being in the baby bjorn.  i can push pratt in the buggy and carry max on my chest.  grocery shopping is fun again!

the only snag i run into is putting pratt up in the buggy while wearing max.  that's tough.

selfless.

my devotional this morning was spot on.  as usual...

a mother is a person who sees that there are only four pieces of pie for five persons and promptly remarks that she's never cared for pie.  


immediately i thought of my own mother.  i can remember driving from our home to little rock.  for shopping trips.  i think i liked going because it meant a trip to the book store.  where i would load up on fear street books.  anyway, i can close my eyes and see the three of us in the car.  mom, spencer and me.  we always stopped in fordyce.  at jiffy joe's.  i think that's what that place is/was called.  we would get bags full of chips, candy and cokes.

what i remember so vividly is how my mother always got stuck holding someone's coke.  not an empty coke.  i'm talking about her driving down the road...holding one of our cokes.  because that's what she did. she was always so selfless.  on a side note, this is so telling of my personality.  i always worried about her holding everything.  worried her hands were hurting.  worried she was carrying too much.  worried i should help.  not much has changed.  i'm still such a worry wart.

same thing when we would all go out to eat.  if one of us didn't like our food, she was the first to say, "here, have mine.  i would love what you ordered" or "you know what, i almost ordered that.  so have mine...and i'll eat yours."  and she said it with such conviction, that i usually believed her.

now that i'm a mom, i know that's not true.  she just wanted us to be happy.  and if that meant her going without dinner...then so be it.  if i called her right now and asked her about this, she would say, oh hannah.  whatever.  i don't remember any of that. 


this all got me thinking.  about how some days it's so easy to be selfless.  somedays it just seems like it's no work at all to give and give and give.  without ever expecting anything in return.

but other days...other days, i find myself mad.  mad that i'm having to share my sandwich when a certain someone has chicken nuggets and french fries.  because that's what he wanted.  well, what he wanted BEFORE he saw my bland turkey sandwich.

it's not always about food, of course.  sometimes when i'm most worn out, that's when pratt is most loving. when he needs me the most.  when he craves nothing more than a little alone time with him and me.

last night i came in from a JA meeting.  i had gone to sonic and had a smiley face sticker on my coke.  i carefully peeled it off and kept it for him.  i knew he would love it.  so when i walked in around 8, i gave him the sticker.  he was so excited.  he put it on his little arm and smiled up at me.

about 30 minutes later he was non stop talking, running, moving, yelling, asking questions...

you get the picture.  i was so exhausted.  it had been a long day, and all i wanted was to go to sleep.  he knew i was grumpy just by looking at me...and to be honest, i was most likely short with him.  anyway, he pulled his little sticker off his hand and showed it to me and said, "here mom.  make this face.  make this face and you'll feel lots better!"

guilt hit me like a ton of bricks.  story of my life.

and so this morning, as i sit here thinking about my mom.  and so many other moms i know, i can't help but cry out to God that He help me be more selfless.  when the times are tough.  when i just want to be anything BUT selfless.

because i want more than anything...for pratt to grow up feeling like i gave and gave.  never expecting anything in return.  because i know that he watches me everyday.  and he mimics so much of what i do.

and let's be honest.  when he goes out, at 50 and finds his first girlfriend, i want her to be selfless too.  oh who am i kidding...he'll be 75.  and i'll be long gone.  ha.

nothing more.

pratt loves nothing more than a good tent.

and i have made a good one.  he said it was "the best tent ever".

on the inside we have:

a mag-lite.

several good books.

and last, but certainly not least...food and good friends.  

yes.  those are cheerios.  just randomly dumped out in there.  on the blanket.  his hat is in there too.  "in case it starts to fake rain."  makes sense, no?

ps. it took me about 2 solid minutes to crawl in that thing.  my butt is not what (or where) it used to be....

working together.

clint has been cleaning up the yard.  next to the garag-mahal.  i haven't talked about it on here...but clint has built the most gigantic garage/man cave.  next to our house.

here it is.

yes.  it's as big as it seems.  my minivan plus the man cave screams "rider jeans".  i know, i know.

anyway, clint has been cutting up some of the trees around the garage.  and putting them in the fourwheeler to haul off.

pratt saw it...and wanted to help.  and yes, he's using my gardening gloves.

here is the series of events...

clint said that he tried to reach the back of the fourwheeler initially, but realized he was too short.  so he walked around to the side.  and climbed up.  and then dumped it through the back.

and as if that wasn't cute enough, as he was climbing up he started singing, "working together, working together."  a chant he must have learned at mothers day out.

sweet, sweet boy.  i love him with all my heart.

must haves.

a friend asked me for a list of things i would recommend for a new baby.  i was typing up a list for her and then thought this might be easier.  because i love seeing what other people recommend...and hopefully someone will appreciate this post ;)

okay.  i am a big fan of pampers diapers.  if i had a credit card (i don't.  i mean, clint does.  but we don't use it for groceries.  he's a saver.  he's the bomb-diggity.  i am NOT.  anyway...) i would buy pampers forever. but i don't.  so i use pampers for a few months.  because they are so soft.  but i also love luvs diapers.  yes, i do.  they are just as soft as pampers.  honestly.  they are.

wipes: huggies.  all the way.  they are thick.  really, really thick.  i like the natural care ones.

for diaper rash.  desitin with the purple top.  when it says, "overnight relief" it means it.  baby boudreaux is good too.  but it's a little more pricey.  

lotions.  the only lotion that doesn't break max out is aveeno.  i love the baby one with the light blue top. it's a very light lotion.  it doesn't smell like baby lotion (johnsons) which i miss...but it's not worth the rash.  the aveeno baby with a dark blue lid is great too.  for pratt.  and i used it on my pregnant belly.  because it's better for rashes and really dry skin.  but it's not greasy.   oh, and i love the aveeno bath wash too.  i asked pratt just the other night what he thought heaven smelled like.  we both agreed that it probably smells like the aveeno wash and shampoo.  seriously.  it's that good.

okay.  pratt had HORRIBLE cradle cap.  he had it until he was about 6 or 7 months old.  a friend told me about apricot oil.  you can put it on the scalp and then ever-so-lightly comb the scales off.  it's weird.  and only makes sense if you've seen cradle cap.  it's like dry skin.  idk. anyway, i found it at target one day.  but i've never seen it again.  order it.  it's worth it.  you can put a capful in the bath or massage it on their legs and arms and torso.  it has the yummiest smell ever.  burt's bees apricot oil.  actually, i like their bubble bath too.  wonderful smell.

books.  anyone who reads this blog knows that i LOVE me some dr. weissbluth.  'tis true.  i do.  this book changed my life with pratt.  and the second book changed my life with max.  i promise that pratt is a good sleeper because he's been on a sleep schedule since he was 4 months old.  he will literally put himself to sleep sometimes.  he will tell you he needs a nap.  so get this book.  it doesn't tell you what to do.  it just tells you what typically happens at certain ages with kids regarding sleep.  if you get it, and you don't like it, i'll actually refund your money.  that's how much i know you will love it.  the second book is only needed if you have a colicy baby.  otherwise, no need.

my mom bought me several of these muslin swaddling blankets.  i love them.  they are perfect in every single way.  www.swaddledesigns.com  i have that exact one.  blue and brown.  i love it.  so does max.

now...to get max to sleep...i use this.  

because it is the best thing ever invented.  i read where it was invented by a father....who had a sleepless child.  it seriously looks like a straightjacket.  but i don't care.  i really don't.  and there are lots of knock offs.  i recommend the one called "miracle blanket".  

i love these too for sleeping...they can be found at www.adenandanais.com  they have LOTS of great stuff on there.  this is a "sleeping bag" and keeps the baby's feet warm.  without having to put a loose blanket near him/her.

nap nanny.  for so many reasons.  

elevation, elevation, elevation.  it's all about that.  when a baby has a cold, you're supposed to elevate the bed.  mattress.  it's almost impossible.  this makes it possible.  my mom bought it and i don't know what i would do without it.  

okay.  stroller.  let me go ahead and say that this is ridiculously expensive.  but.  i think it's worth it.  

it's from uppa baby.  it's the uppa baby vista stroller.  my grandparents bought it for me.  because i couldn't have afforded it.  but they love me and max...and well, idk.  it comes with a bassinet and a big seat.  and you can attach your carseat to it.  it's by far the best stroller ever.  it's easy to push.  extremely lightweight.  the pushbar gets shorter or taller.  it's just the best.  it should be.  it costs and arm and a leg.  www.uppababy.com

monitor.  i like the video kind.  so i can see and know they are okay.  it has volume...but let me say this.  when you are sleeping, turn the volume down!!!  because max makes lots of noises when he's sleeping...and they wake me up.  all of them.  i sleep better if i can't hear every single noise.  when he needs me, i wake up.  immediately.  but i totally recommend the volume being down when trying to sleep. mine is by summer.  

swing.  okay.  i think everyone needs a swing.  but, i don't think you have to have a fancy one.  i may be wrong here.  you may hear different things from different people.  but if i were doing it all over again, i'd get a swing that i could take with me if i needed to.  a small one.  low to the ground.  i like to take the swing in different rooms.  and having a big one makes this almost impossible.  it's heavy and bulky and won't always fit through the door.  

same thing with a pack-n-play.  i don't see the need in a fancy one. with a mobile on top.  or anything like that.  just a simple one.  no frills.  see. this one has way too much stuff.

this is all you NEED.  and that mobile isn't necessary.  but it comes with it.  

and yes, sure.  the black and white is better looking.  and probably will match your decor better...but come on.  is it worth the extra money?  not for me.  and not for my registry.  i felt bad asking people to spend that much on stuff.  but do what makes you happy ;)

if you plan on nursing.  get a good bra.  get several good ones.  one of my favorites was this one.  the medela womens sleep nursing bra.  no hooks or clips.  really soft and always fit.  no matter how much things um...changed.  

okay.  these pants.  gap pure body foldover pants.  get them right now.  i think they are on sale.  for something like 12 dollars.  get 5 pair.  they will take you through an entire pregnancy.  you will want to wear them every day, all day.

and last, but certainly not least.  if you have to take iron, you're REALLY gonna need this.  it saved my life.  and my b.hole.  you will be constipated from all the iron.  yucky but true. 

there are a few other things.  like a highchair.  i'm still trying to find one i like.  i've been told by several people that the ones that attach to the table are good.  i'll let you know when i find one i really like.  

hope this helps.  these are just a few things i love.  and that make me a very happy momma :)