This Unfamiliar Road

March 11, 2013

Swim Lessons

Our little P bug continues to love the water, so I was super excited when a swim class opened up at the YMCA...just in time for summer!


{Yes, this is the same bathing suit from when she was 3 months old! We just made it work}

The class is for babes 6 months-2 years, and is meant to get them comfortable in the water and start to learn some basic 'survival' skills. I don't think Peyton will be swimming laps anytime soon ; )

Well, she LOVED it! I think she was the youngest one in her class, and definitely the happiest and most comfortable in the water! P splashed, kicked, and screeched with joy! She was so giddy!

This kiddo is fearless in the water-I have a feeling we will be at the neighborhood pool a lot this summer! This class will provide a good basis for P, and hopefully she will be ready for some real swimming skills in a year!

March 05, 2013

Nine Months

Andrea 4:01 PM 0 Comments

This past month has been...interesting, to say the least. There have been some challenges along with some pretty amazing milestones!

9 months old

Eating: Peyton eats "big girl food" for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She has snacks in between meals and I still breastfeed her with each meal and at night before bed. P has never refused anything I feed her, and gobbles up every bit. Her favorites are yogurt with apples, and she loves finger foods!

Sleeping: We are now on a "by the clock" schedule, which is so nice when I want to plan things ahead of time. P wakes around 7am, naps from 10-11:30 and 2:30-4. Bedtime is 7:30. She really thrives on this schedule :)

Planning her escape

Teeth: Still just two on the bottom. Every time I check for top teeth, I nearly lose a finger. I think I'll just wait and see what happens!

Favorite Toys: Peyton LOVES books, especially touch 'n feel. She also loves magazines, cell phones, and Rowen's food & water bowls. And electrical cords :)

Skills: P loves to wave, point, and clap. She easily feeds herself finger foods, and is still signing "milk"-which I think means "food". Peyton is becoming more mobile, but is not yet crawling on all fours. No worries-her inchworm/army crawl gets her around just fine. She is starting to pull up to her knees. She is blabbering all the time, and loves to practice the word 'cat'.

I'm outta here

Happy Times: P is always happy when she's eating. She loves spending one on one time with us, reading books. Ride the horsey is definitely a favorite! As always, being out socializing is the best! I can't wait for the weather to warm up a little so we can spend more time outside!

Unhappy Times: Well, this is where we've had a lot of changes. I'm not sure if it's her recent illness (respiratory, ear, and eye infections) or just a stage, but Peyton has become incredibly clingy. The days of independent play are gone. It's difficult to get things accomplished...so I'm really hoping this is a phase that will pass! Her little 'tude is starting to show, too...we are in for it!

Months 1-9

Stats: P weighs 18 pounds (weighed at her sick visit; we will have more stats at her well visit this week). 9 and 12 month clothing!

My Dear P-bug,

I can hardly believe you have been here for 9 months! Daddy and I love to watch you grow and learn new skills. At lunch today, I was shocked to look over and see our big girl drinking out of a sippy cup and eating peas and puffs. Wow...when did that happen? I'm glad you find comfort in us, and I look forward to you becoming an independent little lady. We love you so much sweet girl!

# Milestones # Peyton

February 26, 2013

A Few of My Favorite Things {Cloth Edition}

Andrea 1:30 PM 1 Comments

Back for another Favorite Things series! This time, it's all things cloth diapers.

Favorite Website: Sweetbottoms. This website is an excellent resource! They have just about every cloth diaper brand and type you can imagine, plus other natural products! The reviews are super helpful and shipping is always free. What more do you need?! A registry? They've got that, too!

Favorite All-Around Diaper: (This is starting to sound like high school superlatives...) BumGenius 4.0 Pocket. This is a great basic diaper. I prefer velcro because it's easier to put on a squirmy baby. These dipes are super absorbent and come in cute colors! ($17.95 per diaper)

Favorite Budget Diaper: Kawaii One-Size. Look familiar? These are basically a BumGenius knockoff. They work just as well, except the laundry tabs are becoming worn, so they stick together in the washing machine. But at $9.75 per dipe, it's a great solution for cloth diapering on a budget!

Favorite Detergent: Rockin' Green. I must admit that this is the only detergent I've tried. I think I'm too nervous to try anything else because...if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
My wash routine: rinse cycle on cold, then regular wash with 2 scoops of Rockin' Green on hot (with extra rinse). My dipes come out clean and shiny!

Favorite Wetbag: Planet Wise Wetbag. A great solution for storing used diapers between washes! No smell, easy to wash, and cute patterns. You can't go wrong with these!

Favorite Rash Cream: Grandma El's. It seems like diaper rashes are rare with cloth diapers, but in case the babe's bum gets a little red, slather on some Grandma El's! Regular diaper rash creams (like Desitin) are a no-go with cloth because it can cause build-up!

There you have it-my favorite things for cloth diapering!

Now, let's get real: I choose to cloth diaper my little P because it works for my family. It can be a lot of work, and it can consume your life if you let it. The trick is to know when to take a break. I would like to think I will always CD my kiddos, but the moment it becomes too overwhelming and it's taking away precious time with my family, it will end (at least temporarily).
I feel this applies to a lot of things: We always want to provide the best for our family, but if "the best" is taking away our time with them, we need to make a change.

# Cloth Diapers # Products

February 14, 2013

A Mad Gab Proposal

Andrea 9:32 AM 0 Comments

First Comes Love...

Our best friends Keenan and Alyssa have been dating for almost two years now. They met at the country club we all worked at, and they're seriously one of those couples that was just meant to be.

Ben and I decided to host a game night at our house-a great time to spend with friends without getting a babysitter :)

Keenan thought it would be a great opportunity to pop the question! We were playing Mad Gab, and he devised a plan to "draw a card" that said "Wheel Yum Harry May"

None of us anticipated Alyssa's extreme competitive nature, so it took her a minute to catch on. She was shocked! And it was adorable.

Then Comes Marriage...

Scheming

Alyssa isn't being cooperative.

"NO WAY" She was shocked

She said YES

The sweetest thing

Cheers to the happy couple!

The Bling

It was so special to be a part of the engagement! Let the wedding planning begin!

# Date Night # Friends

February 07, 2013

Eight Months

Andrea 5:15 PM 0 Comments

What happened to the last month? I made the mistake of blinking, and now I suddenly have an eight month old.

8 months old

Eating: We are progressing towards four meals a day with snacks in between. Peyton enjoys pureed sweet potatoes, apples, bananas, avocado, peas and carrots plus cereal. She has really progressed with finger foods, too and loves puffs, blueberries and bananas!

Sleeping: P typically takes 2 naps (1 1/2 hour) daily and sleeps from 8pm-7am. Typically

I think I'll eat this instead

Teeth: Two on the bottom, and no signs of any to follow.

Favorite Toys: Peyton loves her Fisher Price activity table, and enjoys rolling balls!

Skills: Peyton continues to excel in fine motor skills. She is perfecting her pincer grasp; she loves to clap, wave, sign 'milk', and point at things. She gives slobbery kisses that are oh so sweet! Her version of crawling is a combination inchworm/army crawl. She loves to 'dance' to music.

I'm done with the pictures, Daddy

Happy Times: Peyton is still a social butterfly, and is usually happy when we are out and about. She loves to eat, and spends most of her playtime practicing crawling. Her best friends: Mommy and Mustang (the cat)

Unhappy Times: Another transitional time: P wants to crawl so badly, and gets frustrated when she can't!

Too old for one collage :(

Stats: Well...Our home measurements are clearly off because it seems P has lost weight and shrunk 1/2in! So, no updates on weight or height this month. 9 and 12 month clothing.

Oh Peyton,

What do I even say? You have certainly tested my patience this month, but I still enjoy every minute with you.

We love how inquisitive you are, and hope you remain that way.

We love you!

Mommy and Daddy

# Milestones # Peyton

February 06, 2013

A Few of my Favorite Things {Infant Edition}

Andrea 11:32 AM 0 Comments

Here we are again for my favorite things series! As Peyton grows, so does the need for more STUFF! So these are the things that I have loved and used for her lately.

Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo. When floor time got old, this was Peyton's favorite activity! It's like an exersaucer and jump-up all in one. It's fun to watch her master a new skill, and the music is pretty catchy.

Mesh Food Feeder. These things are awesome! I put a homemade cube of food in it (still frozen) and P becomes giddy about this treat! It's a great tool to teach her to feed herself, plus it's a nice teether when you put cold food inside. Things can become quite messy though, so we usually take her shirt off or at least roll up her sleeves : )

Tie Chair. This is actually a new purchase for us, and boy am I glad I bought it! Basically, it's a piece of fabric that you drape over any chair, secure it, then tie your baby in. When we are out and about, especially at a friend's house, it's a perfect take-along highchair. I love this thing. GO check it out!

Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Musical Table. Santa brought this for our Sweet P and she just loves it. We have the legs off right now, and I love that it will grow with her when she begins to pull up to stand!

Video Monitor. We have the Graco True Focus monitor, and I have been happy with it. (Although the battery is starting to die, so we keep it plugged in). To be honest, I think any video monitor will do. This has come in very handy during sleep training, and I know we will continue to get a lot of use out of it!

Breathable Mesh Crib Liner. We've had this bumper on P's crib since day one, and I honestly didn't think twice about how useful it was. Until the other day when I peeked at her on the monitor-she was snoozing....with her face buried in the bumper! I'm glad I didn't feel the need to rush in to her room and disturb her slumber. Maybe I'm being paranoid, but I don't think a Momma can be too concerned about her baby's breathing!

Boon Grass Countertop Drying Rack. Another product I've had since day one. But it makes my favorite things list because we continue to get a LOT of use out of it! It looks nice on our counter and fits a lot more than you think. Also, there are some cute accessories to add for even more drying space. We will use it in the future for sippy cups, and we may or may not be currently using it for wine glasses...Can you tell I like this drying rack?!

Moby Wrap. I use my Moby all.the.time. I have read many reviews that it's difficult to learn to wrap, but it really just takes practice. There are so many benefits to wearing your baby! {p.s. I love this babywearing site}

Foam Playmat. These are a must-have with infants. It's a great versatile (and portable!) play mat. Ours is in the bathroom on the tile floor so P can play while I get ready and I don't have to worry about her hitting her noggin on the hard surface :)

Sensory Balls. These are great sensory tools for babies. Peyton likes inspecting them, and now she's learning how to roll them!

{Stay tuned for my next favorite things edition: for cloth diapers}

# Products

February 03, 2013

Top 5 Tips for Infant Travel

Andrea 3:54 PM 0 Comments

I don't claim to be an expert on traveling with an infant, but there are a few things that we picked up on during our recent trip to Tampa, FL.

{The details: Our drive time was 8 hours (per Google maps), we stayed in a hotel, and Miss Peyton is 7 months old.}

So here it is:

My Top 5 Tips for Infant Travel

1. Hotel: Choose Wisely We usually enjoy staying in unique, non-chain hotels. We booked a room at Hotel Indigo, and although our stay was nice, we hit some snags. They had small rooms, thin walls, and stairs. My suggestion is to find a hotel (most likely a chain hotel) that has spacious rooms, a refrigerator, and complimentary breakfast. Perhaps ask the concierge to place you in a room in the corner, so any crying won't disturb other guests.

2. Get on the Road! We left our house at 4:30 am, and it was the best decision! Peyton slept for 2 1/2 hours so we were able to cover some ground. Some folks choose to leave in the middle of the night, but it just doesn't seem safe to me. I highly suggest an early start to take advantage of sleeping hours!

3. Toys, Toys, Toys Since we just celebrated Christmas, P had quite a few toys that had not yet been played with. I packed a bag full of them, so they were all still new to her. I suggest buying or borrowing new toys and books to keep the babe interested.

4. Packing... Separate small bags for each situation worked well for us. For instance, we had a toy bag, a food bag, and a diaper/cleanup bag. This way I wasn't digging through one big bag to find what I needed. We brought these bags into the hotel room, too! Also, I have heard of companies that rent large baby equipment (think: swings, highchairs, and cribs). If you're staying a long time, this might be the way to go!

5. Be Flexible I know, it doesn't sound like helpful advice. Trust me, you will repeat this to yourself many times on your trip. Forget rules, sleep training, and schedules and just go with it. You'll make yourself crazy if you don't.

Safe travels, friends!

# Travel

This Unfamiliar Road

March 11, 2013

Swim Lessons

March 05, 2013

Nine Months

February 26, 2013

A Few of My Favorite Things {Cloth Edition}

February 14, 2013

A Mad Gab Proposal

February 07, 2013

Eight Months

February 06, 2013

A Few of my Favorite Things {Infant Edition}

February 03, 2013

Top 5 Tips for Infant Travel

Profile

About Me

Labels

Blog Archive

Search This Blog