Josie is turning into our little giggle bug. She is especially happy in the morning and at night.
She is now just over 4 months old. Here is a video of her giggling with Ryan. We can't wait to see what she gets into next!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Caroline's Favorite Things For Baby
Before you begin your baby registry, new mothers-to-be are generally clueless about what they need, what brands and items are best, and what can/should wait until after baby is born. Here is a list of my favorite things as a new mom. Hopefully this will help with some of you new moms and new moms-to-be. The Baby Bargains book is also very helpful for creating a registry.
Caroline's Favorite Things For Baby:
1. Aden + Anais swaddle blankets - Josie still loves to be swaddled (we are just beginning to wean her from it by swaddling with arms out), and she grew out of regular sized receiving blankets so fast (she only was able to use them for a few weeks, and she was a small baby!). You may want to skip registering for those small receiving blankets, and get some of these or other large swaddle blankets. The Aden + Anais ones are big enough that you can also use them as a nursing cover and stroller/car seat cover...and they are made from a nice cotton muslin.
2. Nuk pacifiers and pacifier strap - Even if you think you won't need a pacifier for your baby, it's good to have a few on hand...just in case. The hospital gave us a Soothie pacifier, but Josie likes the Nuk better. When your newborn won't stop crying, you'll try anything to make them happy! I like the paci straps that clip to their clothes too so the pacifier doesn't hit the ground too often. The First Years makes pacifier wipes that are good to put in your diaper bag too!
3. Infant Swing - Josie still loves her swing. We have one upstairs AND downstairs! It's great for when Dad watches baby...or Mommy needs to take a shower!
4. Medela Pump In Style breast pump and accessories - If you plan to nurse but you anticipate that there will be times that you will have to be away from your baby (even for just a few hours), this is a necessity. We actually use the Medela bottles to feed too...you can pump right into them, store them in the fridge, and put a nipple on them for baby to eat. So easy! Also, Medela Pump & Save bags are nice to pump into and put them straight into the freezer...although I like the Lansinoh bags better because they are bigger (but you can't pump into them).
5. Medela sterilizer bags - No need to buy a bottle sterilizer for your plastic baby bottles! These bags come in sets of 5, and each bag can be used 20x before you throw them away...so you get 100 uses from one package. These sterilize your bottles AND all of your breast pump accessories in the microwave. So easy!
6. Nursing cover - If you ever plan to nurse in a public place (even a mother's room at the mall), this is nice to have so you can nurse your baby while upholding some modesty. It's nice to have one with a neck strap so it stays up.
7. Nursing Pillow - Either the Boppy or My Brest Friend. The Boppy is also good for tummy time and propping baby in a sitting position.
8. Pampers Swaddlers diapers and Pampers Sensitive THICK CARE wipes - Swaddlers are soooo absorbent, and thick care wipes are so soft and thick...keeps baby from getting diaper rash!
9. J J Cole Bundle Me - These come in different thicknesses depending on climate and season. For winter in Colorado, a thick Bundle Me was so nice for keeping baby warm in the car seat and stroller. We rarely needed extra blankets or snowsuits (only on the REALLY cold/snowy days), and the fleecy fabric made the infant car seat so snugly!
10. Infant Carseat/Carrier - While you don't have to buy an infant car seat (since convertible car seats can be used rear-facing from birth), they certainly make your life easier when you are out and about with a newborn! It's great to move baby from the house to the car to the stroller to a booth or cradle sling at a restaurant without ever having to wake and/or unstrap baby from the seat. We have the Graco SnugRide and love it. We didn't get the whole travel system (we decided to get the Bob stroller with infant car seat adaptor instead), but there are many strollers that accommodate Graco infant car seats.
11. Sleeper Outfits - There is a reason why you see so many of these one piece long-sleeved footie outfits for babies...they are great! Josie will not keep socks on, so outfits that have footies are best for keeping her feet warm. Great as pjs for sleep or as a play outfit during the day so it is easy to transition baby to nap time. Look for outfits that have zippers instead of snaps...they are quick and easy for diaper changes!
Caroline's Favorite Things For Baby:
1. Aden + Anais swaddle blankets - Josie still loves to be swaddled (we are just beginning to wean her from it by swaddling with arms out), and she grew out of regular sized receiving blankets so fast (she only was able to use them for a few weeks, and she was a small baby!). You may want to skip registering for those small receiving blankets, and get some of these or other large swaddle blankets. The Aden + Anais ones are big enough that you can also use them as a nursing cover and stroller/car seat cover...and they are made from a nice cotton muslin.
2. Nuk pacifiers and pacifier strap - Even if you think you won't need a pacifier for your baby, it's good to have a few on hand...just in case. The hospital gave us a Soothie pacifier, but Josie likes the Nuk better. When your newborn won't stop crying, you'll try anything to make them happy! I like the paci straps that clip to their clothes too so the pacifier doesn't hit the ground too often. The First Years makes pacifier wipes that are good to put in your diaper bag too!
3. Infant Swing - Josie still loves her swing. We have one upstairs AND downstairs! It's great for when Dad watches baby...or Mommy needs to take a shower!
4. Medela Pump In Style breast pump and accessories - If you plan to nurse but you anticipate that there will be times that you will have to be away from your baby (even for just a few hours), this is a necessity. We actually use the Medela bottles to feed too...you can pump right into them, store them in the fridge, and put a nipple on them for baby to eat. So easy! Also, Medela Pump & Save bags are nice to pump into and put them straight into the freezer...although I like the Lansinoh bags better because they are bigger (but you can't pump into them).
5. Medela sterilizer bags - No need to buy a bottle sterilizer for your plastic baby bottles! These bags come in sets of 5, and each bag can be used 20x before you throw them away...so you get 100 uses from one package. These sterilize your bottles AND all of your breast pump accessories in the microwave. So easy!
6. Nursing cover - If you ever plan to nurse in a public place (even a mother's room at the mall), this is nice to have so you can nurse your baby while upholding some modesty. It's nice to have one with a neck strap so it stays up.
7. Nursing Pillow - Either the Boppy or My Brest Friend. The Boppy is also good for tummy time and propping baby in a sitting position.
8. Pampers Swaddlers diapers and Pampers Sensitive THICK CARE wipes - Swaddlers are soooo absorbent, and thick care wipes are so soft and thick...keeps baby from getting diaper rash!
9. J J Cole Bundle Me - These come in different thicknesses depending on climate and season. For winter in Colorado, a thick Bundle Me was so nice for keeping baby warm in the car seat and stroller. We rarely needed extra blankets or snowsuits (only on the REALLY cold/snowy days), and the fleecy fabric made the infant car seat so snugly!
10. Infant Carseat/Carrier - While you don't have to buy an infant car seat (since convertible car seats can be used rear-facing from birth), they certainly make your life easier when you are out and about with a newborn! It's great to move baby from the house to the car to the stroller to a booth or cradle sling at a restaurant without ever having to wake and/or unstrap baby from the seat. We have the Graco SnugRide and love it. We didn't get the whole travel system (we decided to get the Bob stroller with infant car seat adaptor instead), but there are many strollers that accommodate Graco infant car seats.
11. Sleeper Outfits - There is a reason why you see so many of these one piece long-sleeved footie outfits for babies...they are great! Josie will not keep socks on, so outfits that have footies are best for keeping her feet warm. Great as pjs for sleep or as a play outfit during the day so it is easy to transition baby to nap time. Look for outfits that have zippers instead of snaps...they are quick and easy for diaper changes!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Almost 4 months
I can't believe that Josie is already almost 4 months old! On March 21, we will officially hit the 4 month mark. She is over 12 lbs and growing so fast. Each milestone is getting closer and closer.
Josie is smiling and babbling like crazy, and she is well on her way to rolling over. On Sunday night, she rolled from her tummy onto her back on her own for the first time. She is still working on rolling from her back to her tummy. She tries arching her back and she can get all the way onto her side, but she can't quite make it over her shoulder. This makes her very mad, and she screams until I help her all the way onto her belly. Once she gets over, she props herself up on her elbows to look around. Unfortunately, she can't always roll back over (she's only done it a couple of times), so then she screams again until I help her get over the other way.
Josie still loves her swaddle, and she is swaddled for sleep every night. Luckily, Ryan and I know other people who swaddled their babies for a long time (some until they are 9 months old!) so we feel like we still have some time before we have to teach her to sleep through the night without the swaddle. Today she took an hour and 1/2 nap without a swaddle (but with the pacifier), so that's progress. :) My favorite swaddle blankets are Aden + Anais because they are so big, soft and give a little bit. I should make a list of all of my must-haves for a first baby....maybe that will be my next blog. :)
Josie is smiling and babbling like crazy, and she is well on her way to rolling over. On Sunday night, she rolled from her tummy onto her back on her own for the first time. She is still working on rolling from her back to her tummy. She tries arching her back and she can get all the way onto her side, but she can't quite make it over her shoulder. This makes her very mad, and she screams until I help her all the way onto her belly. Once she gets over, she props herself up on her elbows to look around. Unfortunately, she can't always roll back over (she's only done it a couple of times), so then she screams again until I help her get over the other way.
Josie still loves her swaddle, and she is swaddled for sleep every night. Luckily, Ryan and I know other people who swaddled their babies for a long time (some until they are 9 months old!) so we feel like we still have some time before we have to teach her to sleep through the night without the swaddle. Today she took an hour and 1/2 nap without a swaddle (but with the pacifier), so that's progress. :) My favorite swaddle blankets are Aden + Anais because they are so big, soft and give a little bit. I should make a list of all of my must-haves for a first baby....maybe that will be my next blog. :)
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Smiley Baby
Josie has been smiling up a storm lately! She loves to smile and babble, especially to her daddy. She also is learning to blow raspberries.
Since I have been home with her, we have been keeping busy with trips to the mall with Aunt Erin and cousin Addy. Josie has been making out like a bandit during those trips while Mommy usually just gets lunch. It's hard to pass on the cute little baby items at the shops in the mall!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Too busy to blog
I have learned that I am terrible at blogging. I've been so busy keeping up with a 3 month old, that I haven't had any time to update! Ryan and I decided that I would stay home to be a full time mom, so you would think I would find a few minutes each week to post pictures and messages... I promise I will try harder. There are so many sweet moments we would like to share in this space.
Breaking free from the swaddle
Mommy had to comb out some cradle cap (dry skin on the scalp), and Josie ended up with a mohawk!
Surprise!
Below are a few pictures from the last month. Josie is beginning to babble, coo and giggle! She is a great sleeper, usually sleeping for 8-9 hours straight each month. We are still exclusively nursing, so I try not to leave her for long if I ever have to go anywhere without her. If I can't nurse, I still have to use a pump so it is really easier and more enjoyable for me to just stay with her most of the time.
Napping
Napping
Breaking free from the swaddle
Mommy had to comb out some cradle cap (dry skin on the scalp), and Josie ended up with a mohawk!
Surprise!
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