Monday's Child

14 Weeks

Based on our inexact measurements, Violet is around 14 pounds and 23 inches now.

Drool central! I've gotten to the point where I might as well put a bib on her  24-7. It's really out of control. What's the point of cute clothes when they're either a) covered in drool, or b) covered by a bib that's covered in drool? But she looks happy enough.

If you like it then you better put a bib on it.

These days Violet is rockin' the Bumbo. She went from being a droopy rag doll whenever I'd put her in it to sitting up straight and tall. She's also reaching for things. Miss K next door (seriously, she is earning the stars in her crown in heaven) gave us a bunch of toys her kiddo has grown out of and Violet went nuts. Her entire body goes rigid and she fiercely stares down the object in front of her, then she'll lunge for it with everything she's got. The control over her hands still isn't the best, she can't exactly get them to go where she wants them to. It frustrates her and she starts talking up a storm as her arms struggle to move in the right direction. It's awesome. You can tell she is trying so hard. So apparently I need to go buy her some more toys. She's been bored since all she's had to look at is my face and some Law and Order reruns. The playmat is so yesterday, she's been trying to tell me. Toys and more bibs are on the shopping list, it looks like.

Ask and You Shall Receive

So either my neighbor K.D. reads this blog or God answers prayer in really obvious ways, but just a couple days after blogging about a Baby Bjorn, guess who is the proud new owner of one! Thanks K!

My hands look GIGANTIC in this picture. Maybe just because Violet's look so small in comparison? Let's hope so.

I know this picture is blurry (Matt was doing some serious monkeying around to get a smile), but I had to post it anyway. I'm gonna go with... she likes it.

And then my neighbor on the other side, A.P., hooked me up with a stack of Baby Einstein dvds. So score big time for the Loughman family. (This is after they fed us a delish meal of babyback ribs, btw.)  Now then... since God (and the neighbors) seem to be in a giving mood... how about a baby exerciser/activity/bouncer thing?!

All By Myseeeeelf!

Guess who slept all by herself in her own room last night (and the two nights before that)? Yep, my big girl Violet! She did so well. Mom did less well, naturally. It took me quite a while to get used to her sleeping through the night... she'd be passed out but I was still waking up at 4 a.m. like clockwork to check on her. That finally ended, and now we're on to the next problem. We stayed upstairs in the guest room the last three nights to be closer to the nursery, and while Violet didn't make a peep on the monitor, I was still waking up every few hours. I guess my body just senses that she's not there. But I'm confident I'll get over it pretty quick!

I'll have to take a picture of what greets us each morning when we've gone in to get her. Violet opens her eyes, seems confused for a few seconds, then catches on and gives us the sunniest smile. She just seems so excited to see our faces! Precious. Anyway, just wanted to share another milestone. I'm sure we'll be back downstairs in the master after this weekend and the real test will begin, but I'm feeling good about it.

Moving on: any opinion on the Baby Einstein dvds? I just assumed I'd be the kind of mom who never let my infant watch tv. But she watches it whether I want her to or not! She'll be laying on her playmat, craning her neck to catch a glimpse of the West Wing. So as long as she's watching, I wonder if it should be something relatively educational or at least made for babies (not that the West Wing isn't educational or anything). Thoughts?

Something else: Violet's newly preferred position to be held is upright, facing outward (her back against my stomach). She wants to see the world. But this gets tiring fast and requires two hands (as opposed to propping her over my shoulder). Think this will be continuing? Should I invest in a baby carrier (a la Baby Bjorn or the like)?

And finally... the poll. So for a few short moments, it was tied as to whom (who? whom?) Violet looks like. But Matt has taken the lead again. I don't see it, but apparently you guys do! So thanks for the votes. I guess. Whatever. Everyone pre-birth predicted she would look like me (not that it's any better or anything) but I suppose the verdict is in. Good thing her daddy is handsome.

Two Daughters and a Golf Cart

So this past weekend, one of my bestest pals in the whole world came to visit. Shelly and I met in Texas and although we only knew each other for a year before we moved back to Atlanta, our friendship has survived the distance. She has really been a rock for me throughout this adventure in motherhood. She offers advice when I need it, checks up on me (and my breastfeeding boobs), encourages me to push through the rough patches and savor the sweet moments. One of my favorite things to do is visit her in Texas, and I've managed to get her out here a few times as well.

On one of those visits, I took her on a golf cart ride around Peachtree City. She was having trouble visualizing a city where residents drive around on golf carts everywhere... Anyway, she loved it. And somehow the promise was made to her daughter Katelyn that before the girl turned 13, she'd be out here driving a golf cart.

With only a few days to spare before Katelyn's birthday, the promise became reality. And our firstborn daughters finally got a chance to meet.

It was pretty much love at first sight. In fact, I didn't see much of Violet this weekend because Katelyn had her well entertained the entire time. "When you're done feeding Violet, can I play with her?" was the most-heard refrain in the house. And I was happy to oblige.

In fact, Shelly had to fight to get a turn with the baby. But it was well worth it, as you can see. How completely blissed out does Violet look? Shelly makes a far more comfortable napping spot than I do! Even I can't compete with that! (Violet's little hand is getting a bit possessive, don't you think?)

Our girls on their first golf cart ride!

It only took three tries to get Violet to look at the camera. And good Lord, I look freakishly tall!

Emily was kind enough to host the long-awaited golf cart ride. Emily and Shelly are so alike, they became good friends without even meeting each other in person. They really are each other's other half, I do believe. Lucky me, I know them both! I'm plotting a trip for me and Emily out to Texas one of these days, and am already campaigning for Shelly to return with her hubby so he and Matt can play golf and have some man time (Shelly and Jeremy have three girls at home... Jeremy could use some man time!)

The entire visit was lovely. There was the aforementioned cart ride, a cookout on our porch with various other friends, a walk down to check out our neighborhood pool for the first time, the doughnuts and tons of other food (seriously, the food this weekend was a little out of control), Shelly discovered Nutella for the first time, we had lunch with one of her high school friends who just happens to live in Suwanee as well, and lots and lots of lounging on the couch.

The trip ended with another first. Minutes after dropping the girls off at the airport, Violet decided she had had enough of the car (this has started becoming a worrisome trend... screaming in the car). I promptly exited at the first Chickfila I saw (Hapeville) and proceeded to feed my little friend in the backseat of the car. It actually wasn't bad. I left the air running, locked the doors, and we just hung out back there. She was pissed the minute I put her back in the car seat, but fell asleep moments later and we made it back home silently safe and sound.

How do you celebrate five years? With doughnuts, of course!

So I always thought I'd make the five year anniversary a big one. There would be some extravagant trip, perhaps back to our honeymoon destination. There would be sparkly presents, or an expensive dinner requiring me to buy a new dress. There would be a big lead-up, it would be a huge deal.

Then Violet came along. And I have to be honest - I was simply happy that Matt took the day off work and we got to spend some time together as a family. We started the day with a trip to Dutch Monkey for some doughnuts. But really these things are more like dessert.

Violet, however, was a little jealous that we were eating a little slice of heaven and she was not. She quickly expressed her displeasure and we hastily packed it all to go.

Then Matt and I got all inspired (motivated in part by our weekend visitors) and finally hung up a bunch of pictures around the house. These are in our sun room. To make it even more fun, we looked through all our vacation pictures, then picked four to have printed in black and white for the four small white frames you see below. Ah, memories...

Then we ordered pizza (highly disappointed by the Johnny's Pizza in Suwanee, FYI. When you have to season your own pizza, obviously the cook did something wrong) and watched tv. It was a nice, quiet day of togetherness. And you know what? I probably enjoyed it even more than I would have had we taken that expensive trip. It seems fitting that we celebrated five years of marriage with a day that reflects who we really are on all the other 364 days of the year.

Besides, there's always our ten year anniversary...

PS Perhaps my only regret is that we didn't get any pictures together. It's so hard! We have almost no photos of the three of us because, hey, one of us have to hold the camera! And I hate being that bothersome stranger and asking people to take snapshots. But one of these days, I swear, a family portrait will be taken!

PPS My sweetie friend Natalie is posting a bunch of wedding stories on her blog while she's on her honeymoon... look what was featured today!

Monday's Child

13 Weeks

I really think she gets more precious every day. But I might be a tab bit biased!

Three Months!

3 Months!

This picture got posted a few days late, but we've had quite the weekend over here (more on that to come). Plus I think the picture was worth the wait. She's a cutie! No check-up this month, so I have no new stats to report. Hopefully I'll figure out a good way to weigh her at home (tips appreciated) so at least I'll know how heavy she is. My arms say... pretty heavy. Also, here's a shout out to my Swedish Mormor Violet, who I've been told is a pretty faithful blog stalker. Which makes me feel guilty about not posting in a while. I'll try to do better. I have a lot to say following our busy last few days! Until then...!

First Comes Love...

Dear Matt, five years ago you made me the luckiest, happiest girl in the world.

It all started with Gilligan's Island and a Wendy's frosty. As they say, first comes love, then comes marriage. We've had quite a few adventures since, starting with the roadtrip to Texas the day after our wedding. I think I only cried into Alabama, while you insist it was more like Louisiana. But we both agree I cheered up immensely once I started opening our wedding presents in the car.

Remember Texas... those crazy winds that almost took down our new Ikea painting? The many lovely evenings spent on various patios, various frosty beverages in hand? Remember that crazy shack in Midtown, the one with the cat food-eating rat in the bathroom? But the awesome location down the street from Trader Joe's. And we'll never forget moving day up those flights of stairs in L'ville (and the trip to the ER afterward). Now we're sitting pretty in our fancy new house...

And speaking of adventures, I wonder if we'll ever get back to Sweden some day. Or Yellowstone. Or make another trek to Shiner. I'll be happy if we take another trip to Hawaii!

But the most important part of any journey is that we do it together. And I can't imagine taking a single step without you. I love you!

Deep Thoughts, by Violet Loughman

Violet and I were having what I thought was a deep conversation, but turned out to be just a bunch of hot air.

Blast from the Past

Just a few short weeks ago, Violet could barely hold her head up, couldn't smile, and was just swimming in her newborn clothes! My how times have changed! But she was still precious, even less than two weeks old.

Monday's Child

12 weeks!

Speechless! And cute is that bow in her hair?! I normally don't put all the ribbons and bows and do-dads on Violet's head just because they can be such a pain to keep up with. But in honor of the big 12 weeks, I decided to go for it and I'm loving the results! What a cutie! And this outfit comes courtesy of my pal Heather, who has given us crates and crates full of clothes. It's so much fun to go through them and see what Violet has grown into. I figured it was time she put on some purple, and this piece fit the bill.

Happily Ever After

Well, the wedding was beautiful. Congratulations James and Natalie! A good time was had by all. Even me, even with my girl so far away.

 See how relaxed and happy I am? I'm not kidding, I really did enjoy myself.

Now I think I know how Matt feels every time he leaves for work. It's hard, but you leave because you have to. And you trust that the hands you've left your child in are kind, steady ones. And they were. Even though Matt made fun of me for how often I called home, every time I received a good report. Violet ate on schedule, loved hanging out on the back porch, and my sister even pitched in with the diaper changing like a pro! I'm so glad my parents were able to come up and watch Violet for us - it definitely made the experience an easier one.

Of course, the rockin' R2D2 groom's cake helped as well. As did the adorable little flower girl. Too sweet. It made me wonder if Violet will ever be a flower girl. Then it made me realize that one day she'll be walking down the aisle and I'll be the Mother of the Bride. And I had to immediately stop that train of thought before it freaked me out. Back to R2D2...

But since no posting would be complete without a glimpse of Violet...

Master of the Bumbo

Big week ahead. Tomorrow Violet will be 12 weeks old. And on Saturday, my fabulous friend Shelly and her awesome daughter Katelyn will be coming for a visit all the way from Texas! Whoo hoo! We haven't seen each other in faaaar too long (good sweet Lord, was it at her wedding last June?! Uncool. Although coincidentally, and in the vein of TMI, I'm pretty sure that's when Violet was conceived...) and lots of fun is on the books. Oh who am I kidding, we'll spend most of our time sitting around staring at Violet, probably! But that's fun, right?

For the Longest Time

So I'm simultaneously excited and nervous today. This afternoon Matt and I head to Athens to celebrate the wedding of our friends James and Natalie. This is, of course, very exciting and I'm thrilled for my friends and their Happily Ever After. However, we'll be leaving Violet at home with my parents as babysitters. And while Mimi and Grandpa Frank are perfectly capable of taking care of Violet, it's still the longest I've ever been away from her, both in distance and time. If something were to happen, we'd be an hour and a half away. And being gone for that long means I'll be experiencing another first - pumping in public. Okay, not exactly public. My plan is the pump in the car. But still, it's a feat I've not yet attempted.

The good news is, Mimi has watched Violet before, in smaller spans of time. She's given her a bottle in the past, so that won't be new. I've written a detailed instruction manual on everything from operating the bottle warmer to Violet's favorite playtime activities. Mom has spent plenty of time here, so she should know where all the diapers and clothes are. And my sweet neighbor insisted I leave her phone number and promised to check in if needed. So there will be plenty of support and back-up.

I'm going to try and do my best to really enjoy the wedding and even party it up at the reception a little bit (we still have to drive home). Still. I will miss my girl. I will wonder and worry about what's happening at home. I will probably call multiple times and freak out a little if there is crying in the background. But it's a good thing, I think, to experience this separation. Especially since we have other big events coming up that will require the same. So wish me luck, say a little prayer, and I'll be back with an update tomorrow!

Thumbs Up!

Despite Matt and my best efforts, I think we have a thumb sucker...

Over the last week, Violet has really discovered her hands. And she is obsessed with putting them in her mouth. Many a night I have been awakened at four a.m. by the loud, sloppy sounds of finger sucking. Violet manages through sheer force of will to free her arms from her swaddling blanket just to get those fingers in her mouth. Usually she sucks on whatever she manages to fit in there - fingers, the meaty part of her hand, her wrist. But lately, the thumb has found its way in more and more. And the lady doth protest if you try to swap the thumb for the pacifier. Sigh. Hopefully this is just a passing phase... You can get rid of a pacifier, but you can't get rid of a thumb.

Also, I really think the roses Lukas and Danielle sent for Mother's Day are the prettiest I have ever received. They have busted out in every glorious color. Observe:

And those of you who are really observant (and have large computer screens)  might notice Spooky's boyfriend hanging out in the top left-hand corner of the picture. And yes, my house is a mess. Apologies.

Mother's Day, My Day

All us moms on Mother's Day - Grandma Betty, Lee Anne, my mom, Violet and me!

Me and my Baby Love. This holiday may be all about me, but I wouldn't be a mother without her.

Well, my first Mother's Day was wonderful. Thank you for so many sweet congrats and well wishes. One of the highlights stemmed from the ring of the doorbell before we left the house on Sunday. Just like in the movies, there stood a Fed-Ex delivery man with a long box. Roses, a dozen, in a beautiful array of colors, sent by Lukas and Danielle. Man, they are really racking up the Godparent points! And in the note, they admitted to stalking my "motherly awesomeness" via this blog, so hi guys! But to top it off, I got a phone call from them later that evening. It's been tough, having them so far away. I can't believe they haven't even seen Violet yet. All that will change this July, and we can't wait!

Customer Service

Dear Customer Service,

I can count on my hand the number of times I have contacted a company to complain about a product. I'm generally a satisfied customer. But I have been so severely disappointed with your product, I can no longer remain silent.

I recently had my first child, and I was eager to build up a stash of frozen breast milk. After much research, the consensus appeared to be that the Lansinoh breast milk bags were the best due to the thicker plastic and double zipper. I also liked the way they froze flat in the freezer for easy storage. I quickly went through two 50-count boxes and was so pleased with my growing stash of milk for my baby girl.

Then I went to thaw a bag to leave with the babysitter. To my shock and horror, the bag had a leak. The tear was unnoticeable to the eye when I examined the bag, and was only discovered after I left it in
the refrigerator to gently thaw overnight. I pulled out a new bag, but the same tragedy occurred. I have estimated that three out of every four bags have this problem. Since I'm not sure if the milk has become contaminated or not, I've been forced to dump these bags. Now I have a freezer full of breast milk that will most likely go to waste. Every time I pull a bag out of the freezer it is with trepidation, and usually it ends with  heartbreak. Overdramatic? Perhaps. But when I am my child's sole source of nourishment and spend several hours a day pumping milk for her, it is unbearable to watch it go to waste. I feel like I have to start back at square one, building up my supply of frozen milk all over again. The wasted milk and hours spent pumping it are devastating.

I've followed the storage directions that come on the product carefully, including not overfilling the bags and handling them with care. Yet these small, unnoticeable tears continue to occur in the
corners of the bags, regardless of what I do. I am extremely disappointed with your product, especially since I had such high hopes to begin with. If you have any advice on what to do differently to
attempt and fix this problem, I'll be happy to hear it. But there is no way I could recommend your product to any of my friends or family members.


Kristine Loughman

8:39 a.m.
_________________________________________________________

9:19 a.m.

Kristine,

First I would like to extend my sincerest apology to you for the unpleasant experience you are having with our Milk Storage Bags.  Thank you very much for notifying us of this problem.   I can only imagine how frustrating and disappointing this must have been for you.  This company was founded over 20 years ago by a breastfeeding mother for the sole purpose of supporting breastfeeding and I am so sorry that one of our products has not only failed to make things easier for you but has created quite the opposite.  It takes an enormous commitment to breastfeed, even more of a commitment to provide
breastmilk in your absence.  To know that a product of ours has challenged you even further is a terrible thing for you and for all of us here at Lansinoh.

I would like to try and explain what might be the problem:  Our biggest challenge is to make a bag that is strong enough while using a completely safe plastic.  There are many types of plastic, most of which would be more pliable and more durable.  Unfortunately, this plastic has components in it (called plasticizers) that could leach through into the milk.  Only when using virgin plastic (which we do) can we be assured that the milk can be stored safely with no possibility of an undesired element being released from the plastic.  Virgin plastic is more rigid and when the milk freezes, it places more stress on the plastic.  The development of a breastmilk storage bag has been a long and costly project for us, but we are determined to deliver a quality bag made of virgin plastic.

Do you normally freeze the bags standing up or laying flat?  Do you by chance still have the inspection code that would have been printed on the outside of the white pouch? Also, do you still have the defective bags? If so, I would like to send you a self-addressed stamped envelope to return the
defective bags so that we may forward them to our manufacturer.

I would like to try and help you salvage the milk you have frozen now.   I can get a supply of our bags sent to you for you to use to 'double bag' the milk you are defrosting so that if they do continue to leak, you can at least catch your milk in something sterile so that it does not go to waste. I just need to know approximately how many bags you currently have frozen and you mailing address.  Again, I am sorry for the trouble this has caused and if you have any questions or if I could be of any further assistance
please feel free to contact me.  I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

M. Hasty
Lansinoh Laboratories
Consumer Relations
800-292-4794

Monday's Child

Eleven Weeks

The craziest thing happened today - I went to put Violet in one of her three month outfits, and that crazy girl has outgrown it already! Her little toes are smushed up against the footies and the sleeves don't reach her wrists anymore! How did this happen?!

She has also discovered that some of her toys are musical. With a little help, she can make them play! And Violet loves to suck on her hands and fingers now... I have to fight to get the pacifier in her mouth as well. But I would much rather her take the paci tthan become a thumb-sucker.

Today was a big day for reasons other than eleven... I took Violet back to the school I used to student teach at so she could meet the kindergarten kids. They are so big now! And they were so excited to see us! Violet slept while they all admired her and touched her feet (the only part of her they were allowed to touch). I remember the days when I was pregnant and teaching them... and how they informed me it was going to "hurt a lot" when she was born. Gotta love them!

Along with visiting kindergarten, Violet also went to first grade!

Violet and her future first grade teacher Jody!

Happy Mother's Day!

Wow, I just gained a whole new holiday! But first and foremost, happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

I always said I wanted to grow up to be just like my mom... hopefully I'm on the road. If Violet grows up to have the same open, loving relationship that I have with my mom, I'll consider my job a success. When I went back to school to become a teacher, it gave my relationship with my mom a whole new dimension - we suddenly had this new area of life we could relate to each other. The same thing happened when I had my own child. My mom and I are closer because now we're both mothers. It's not something I really thought of ahead of time, but it's a wonderful new part of life we can share now. Plus, my mom is awesome, so there's that.

And I'm also so lucky to have an awesome mother-in-law. There are so many evil in-law stories out there, but I've never come remotely close to that experience. Lee Anne is fabulous. She managed to refrain from asking when we were going to have kids, save the one baby outfit she bought (because it was on sale, she swears) about two years before Matt and I had Violet (a gentle hint, perhaps?! And hey, she bought a little girl outfit, so she obviously knew something we didn't yet!). She is incredibly generous, both with her time, energy and worldly possessions. From the day I met her, she's made me feel one hundred percent welcome in the family.

So that's the story of my moms - Happy Mother's Day! But this year, I'm a mommy too! And look what was waiting for me when I came out of the shower...

My sweet baby girl got me a Mother's Day card! It's easy to be a mommy when this is who I get to spend all day with! And the card was perfect, like it had been written just for us.

I love how you hug me and snuggle me tight

I love when you make my world feel just right

I love how you read me all those good books

I love when you give me those proud mommy looks

I love that you love me whatever I do

I love that I have a great mommy like you!

I love you Mommy! 

-Violet

Now if that doesn't just make your heart melt... Don't I have the best baby girl (and husband) in the world? In a little bit, we're off to Peachtree City to celebrate with our moms, to whom all credit is due. We might stop by Dutch Monkey for doughnuts on the way out of town. It's shaping up to be a pretty good day.

And to all my wonderful friends out there who are mommies... I look up to each and every one of you. Thank you for being a wonderful inspiration and continuing to shed light on this path I'm on. Happy Mother's Day!

Tylenol Recall

It doesn't matter how vigilant a parent you are. I read so many product reviews when I was pregnant, determined to buy the best, safest, most affordable of everything. I obsessed about the firmness of the mattress, make sure Violet sleeps on her back, know about the dangers of blankets, pillows and toys in the crib, etc. And don't even get me started on the whole drop-down side cribs. We're trying so hard to do everything right.

And then MeNeil issues a massive recall of all the infant Tylenol drops. The very medicine I bought and administered after Violet's two-month shots. And yep, our bottle was on the recall list. Awesome. The good news is, I only gave it to her once, and she seems just as fine as she's ever been.

However, I'm still pretty pissed. That's money down the drain! That's my consumer confidence shaken! Plus, it took me quite a while to track down how to get my money back, which irritated me even more. Sure the recall makes big news. But as for what parents can do about it, eh, that information gets hidden on the web. (To be fair, it's probably being widely disseminated now, but when the news first broke, not so much.) So just in case anyone else is having the same problem, here's what I found out. You can go here for the FAQ's on the product recall, including the info on how to get a refund. You can either request money back or get a coupon good for a new product once it's available again. You need various ID numbers from the bottle, so don't trash it yet. In fact, I'm holding onto mine until I see the refund with my own two eyes. I opted for the money. I'm not going to wait around for a coupon... what if I need more medicine before then? I'd rather have the cash, and a new bottle of the generic brand, thank you very much.

Let's Compare

As if you needed proof at how much Violet has changed over the last ten weeks...

Exhibit A:

Violet, one week old.

Exhibit B:

 Violet, 10 weeks old.

Look at that chubby face! Violet is starting to look more and more like a real person every day! I know no proof was needed, but isn't it nuts to see the two pictures side by side and compare? She looks almost swallowed up in her newborn outfit at the top. And now she's got that big buddha belly keeping her company. (Just like I was "all belly" when I was pregnant, she's all belly now.)

Things that have remained the same, however, include all that dark hair and her still-blue eyes. A few people have commented that they look even more blue now than when she was born... are the blues here to stay?! Hmm... I sense a new poll coming on! Too bad the results won't be in for a good long while.

Also, Violet has been talking a lot lately. She's quite the conversationalist. Especially on her diaper changing pad, for some reason. And sometimes I almost think she's laughing. She'll be grinning and making noise at the same time, all these funny little gurgles and coos. Does that count as a laugh? Or will her laugh sound like an unmistakable chuckle? Eh, whatever it is, it's awesome!

My Kid is Better Than Your Kid

Yesterday I read a great article on Slate about developmental milestones for kids, and how they are really pretty meaningless. All babies develop at their own rate and that's just fine. Children in other countries are even on completely different schedules, simply due to cultural differences. But because of these supposed milestones and schedules, parents start freaking out if their baby hasn't smiled by x weeks or spoken in iambic pentameter by x years.

After reading the article, I gave myself a little pat on the back and prided myself on how I, an intelligent and enlightened parent, have not fallen victim to the milestone marketing trap. Violet is her own person and she can develop at her own rate. I'm not a stage mom, forcing her to do things she's not ready for. I'm not hovering in the shadows, trying to rush her along. I'm just enjoying my time with her, reveling in each precious moment. Except... the reason I can be so blase about it is because she's hitting all the developmental markers right on schedule, regardless of how meaningless that schedule might be. And believe me, I know what the milestones are. I can't help it! Secretly, I'm keeping track. And since she's doing fine, there's no reason to worry. And the stuff she can't do yet - no sweat! She has plenty of time to get there.

Well, that was all well and good lip service until I had a chance encounter with another mom and her baby. And the list of her baby's accomplishments far outweighed my own. Every picture of her child showed a smiling, laughing, head holding up kiddo. (You know how many pictures I have to take some days before I get one worthy of posting every Monday? Thank goodness for digital cameras, is all I have to say!) "Is your baby laughing?" she asked. "Is she rolling over from her back to her tummy? Can she grab her rattle and hold her head up and hit the toys on her bouncy chair?" I practically expected to hear that her son was already potty trained and speaking in verse.

Naturally, the only reason to ask such questions is to brag that your kid can do it. While mine can't. Instantly I made a vow to increase tummy time by exponential proportions so Violet can build up her neck strength to weightlifter standards. I imagined how I would coax her to try rolling, maybe help her along a bit, whether she liked it or not. I'm not going to lie, my competitive nature kicked in. My child had to be as advanced, if not more so, than hers. All that high and mighty talk about ignoring predetermined developmental milestones went out the window as I started worrying about how Violet measured up.

So I'll be working on letting go of my jealousy this week. Working on enjoying life, meeting Violet where she's at, accepting her as she is (and myself as I am). And we'll also be working on tummy time.

Splish splash I was taking a bath...

Well well, it looks like big girls don't cry. That's a wrap on a happy bath time!

Violet looks like a little prize fighter, all wrapped up in her robe, ready to take on her opponent in the ring. Will she conquer?

 I'd say she's been declared the champion of this match! 
Violet - 1, Tub - 0!

Monday's Child

10 Weeks!

How's this for brightening up your Monday? One of the better pictures I've taken of Violet, I'm not going to lie. Look at that cutie! I keep thinking she's trying to curtsy, lifting up her dress at the corner like a proper little lady. Adorable outfit too, now that the weather is warming up. (Although we ran both the heat and the A/C in the same week - that's just nuts. Pick one or the other!) Many thanks to whoever gave us the clothes!

We have so many names for our sweet girl - Pumpkin, Little Girl, Big Girl (I know, strange how she can be both things at once), Sweetie, Little Bunny... It makes me wonder what we'd call a little boy (if and when we have one). Do moms call their boys things like Sweetie and Sugar? Or do the nicknames have to be tougher, like... Tiger? Buddy? Dude? I have no idea. Although my friend Amanda has been referring to her son (still in the belly) as Chuck Norris, which I find awesomely hilarious.

In a corner of Ikea...

Big day out yesterday. The three of us took our first trip to Ikea together! Just a few weeks ago, I could never have contemplated this. After all, it takes a while to get there. And the girl has gotta eat. At some point in time, while we were in that Swedish retail heaven, Violet was bound to get hungry. Now I know I could just pump a bottle and take it along, but Violet already gets a bottle at night and I don't want her getting too spoiled. Call it me being a neurotic first time mom. But still, it's my thing. So while we took a bottle just in case, I was prepared to be brave and whip out the boob in public for the first time. After all, things have been going so well lately, I've become much more relaxed, etc (see previous post).

Sure enough, Violet woke up like clockwork, just as Matt was in line buying us some fika (Swedish coffee time). Never fear! I found an awesome little secluded nook in the cafe. It was perfect - tucked away in the back corner, surrounded by lots of hanging fabric curtain decor things, there was even a tv for Matt. So we settled in, I covered up with a blanket, and proceeded to feed Violet. Voila! Not too bad at all! There was no one nearby to give me any weird looks, I was completely discreet, it was all going to work!

Until an enormous family (I'm talking at least four adults and four or five kids) swooped down on us and proceeded to plunk themselves right down in our cozy corner. I'm talking on the couch next to me. And on the other side of Matt. And this took doing on their part. They actually had to climb over various end tables and miscellaneous pieces of furniture to settle in around us. While all the while, Violet is calmly feeding beneath her blanket. Talk about a violation of privacy! And this family was the loud-talking, kid yelling, possibly toothless variety. (Don't worry, I doubt they are blog readers.) I figured, if they were okay sitting next to a nursing mom, I wasn't going to sweat it either. But I did attempt to strike up a conversation just to test their propriety. I mean, if you're going to sit down on the same couch as someone, you need to be prepared to talk to them. But I was shut down pretty quick. What to do other than hurry Violet along and get out of there as soon as possible. Oh well, at least I broke the ice on the whole nursing in public thing.

Our trip to Ikea = $7 worth of house stuff, $18 worth of food (the vast majority of which was spent on these fabulous Daim chocolates)! If you haven't tried them... come to our house!

We followed up our outing to Ikea by taking Violet out to her first restaurant. Up until this point, we've been strictly fast food, so we could grab things to go just in case the baby doth protest too much. But feeling brave (and having conquered Atlanta) we headed out for Mexican with Jody and Justin. When she fussed, Jody picked her up. When Jody needed to eat, I took a turn with the baby. And for the most part, Violet sat happily in her car seat. Thank goodness the restaurant was so loud, no one would have heard her peep anyway!

Violet likes Mexican food... and her crazy Aunt Jody!

Stepping Into the Light

Many times I get on here to complain about something. Lament the fussiness. Worry over the lack of schedule, the abundance of crying, the fear of mommy-hood. But you know, things have been pretty good for a while. It's hard to remember how stressed out and overwhelmed I was at the beginning. Those first two or three weeks... wow. It's amazing we survived.

I've experienced a lot of firsts between then and now. Our first trip away from home, the first diaper change while out and about, the first projectile spit-up that hit the floor so loud I thought at first I'd dropped my cell phone. And every new thing I encounter and overcome is just one more step out of the fog. Why, these days I can actually contemplate leaving Violet for half a day while we take off for a friend's wedding in Athens. I can spend a lovely hour on a patio at a doughnut shop (hello Dutch Monkey!), sitting in the sun, chatting with a friend, not freaking out as we draw ever closer to Violet's waking hour.

There was a time I would have been afraid to leave the house alone, or within 90 minutes of when Violet might awake (what if she wakes up early, frantically hungry? What if I get a flat tire and I'm stranded? What if she starts screaming in the grocery store and everyone starts looking at me like I'm a horrible mom and obviously neglecting my child?) But I'm chilling out about it. And as I get more relaxed, I think Violet does too. I'm starting to learn her cries. I no longer flip out when she starts to wail. (I still feel really bad for her when she has tummy issues, but I don't freak out about it. As my mom says, this too shall pass.)

So I guess what I'm trying to say is, I feel like we've turned a corner. Or lots of corners. We're definitely moving in the right direction. No longer am I looking for the light at the end of the tunnel, now I'm standing in that pool of light. And things look pretty good from here.