Baby Sign Language

From when Delilah was old enough to start solids and when she could sit in her highchair, I started introducing sign language to her. I am pretty basic on my knowledge, I know the alphabet and a few signs, two of which "more" and "all done" I use with Delilah. I had envisioned my little baby sitting so neatly and quietly in her highchair, at the dinner table, letting me know she was all done instead of throwing food anywhere. That must have been a dream, Delilah does communicate that she is "all done" but that does not stop her from chunking her chicken and leftover ice cream sandwich everywhere. Oh well, it was a nice thought!

The first time I realized that she understood what "more" was, was when we were outside feeling the wind from a thunderstorm coming in. The wind really started picking up so I started to head towards the door, Delilah then put her two hands, fingers together, and signed "more". She wanted to stay outside longer! I was so proud of her at that moment and also proud of myself for sticking with it. I am, sadly, one of those people who like instant gratification and learning sign language is definitely something that takes a little time. 

I make sure, every time we are eating, anytime we are playing with her toys, to say "all done" or "more", also signing while I say it. It can feel a little redundant, and sometimes like you would be better off teaching the dog new signs, but trust me, repetition is key and they are paying attention. I am slowly starting to add more signs, milk is the next one and I might start "please" soon too. I want to make sure she really understands what she is trying to communicate. When she starts wailing food around the dining room, I stop her and say "all done?" and she waves around, so stinkin cute! And hilarious.

"More"

"All Done" in motion ;)

We have this book that is really cute and has all the baby lingo you would ever need. Really cute illustrations too ;)

If you are in or around the Austin Area, I strongly urge you to look up The Signing Connection. They have free story times, weekly classes, and great resources to start introducing sign language to your baby. Also, PBS has Singing Time! during the day that is really great too. 

I think that communication barriers cause a few of the meltdowns that our babies tend to have. If knowing just one or two words will help Delilah tell me what she wants or needs, we are good!

It's Hump day!

Random Thoughts

Before baby I never thought about going to the bathroom. I mean, when I had to go, I would go. I was grocery shopping today, when nature called. The ol bladder isn't what it used to be, you know what I'm sayin? 

I parked my half full cart, grabbed my gigantic but oh so cute diaper bag (Fairlane Tote), and wrestled with Delilah and that damn cart strap until she was free. I went to the stall that I think less people go into, Im weird and think about things like that, and sat down. Where in the hell is the baby supposed to go? If you are lucky enough to have a companion for the day, well it is a no brainer, but if you are flying solo, which I usually am, what do you do with the baby?

Well, I will tell you. You sit down, place her in your lap, making sure she touches nothing, and try to entertain her while you pee. If someone is in the next stall, they have the luxury of listening to screams (mostly happy screams due to the echoing in the stalls) and baby jibber jabber. Today I debated whether or not to let Delilah play with the toilet paper, instead I very impressively finished, pulled up my shorts, pulled up the zipper, and buttoned my button, with one freakin hand and a baby on my hip. 

Mom's, do you ever think to yourself, "Man, Im a badass!"? Well, today I did.

Pretty Skulls

What do you do when your husband collects animal skulls he finds in the wilderness? Well… you make them pretty. He knows that in any other circumstance, skulls, heads, or bones are not permitted in the house. That has not stopped him from bringing them home, they just stay in the garage. I have gotten creative and this is what has come out of his weird hobby. I also have used antlers as decorations. Sometimes, you just can't fight it.

There you have it! Pretty Skulls! 

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

**Message me if you are interested in one of these little gems. I would be more than happy to personalize a skull for you. That may have been the strangest sentence I have ever typed.

The 3 B's

Delilah has been a bit of a handful the past week and we were worried about an ear infection. So, I went ahead and made a doctor appointment for her to rule that out. We grabbed some burritos and a taco from Chipotle, one of our favorite weekend spots and also got some baby proofing gear. (She has officially figured out how to open the cabinets.) All the while she fell asleep in the truck. When she woke up we were at the doctor's office and needless ay she woke up on the wrong side of the car seat. After some poking and looking around the doctor said her ears looked great, which was a relief, but she did say that she was definitely getting some top teeth so that could be why she has been tugging on her ears and explains her not so great moods and sleeping patterns. Hey, we can work with that!

Usually, when we are running errands I don't have to nurse her, since riding in the car will usually lull her to sleep and looking around keeps her pretty occupied. But after feeling a little scared from the doctors, I could tell that she wanted to nurse. We got home and I took her to her room and our rocking chair. After about 15 minutes we were done, Delilah sat up and started pointing at every decoration and toy in her room. When I brought her back in the living room, Byron started playing with her and said, "Whoa she is in a much better mood, I guess she needed one of the 3 B's." I looked at him like 'what in the hell are you talking about' and he was like, "You know, it was either boob, bottom, or bed." Yep. You are right, it was one of the 3 B's!

It is the weekend!! Yay!

Please excuse the blurriness of the pictures, my subject doesn't really stay still ;)

Time, Where are You, dammit?

Me and my husband were talking last night after we put itty bitty to bed. He was finishing up some work and I was piddling on my iPad. He had a very concerned look on his face and he started talking about how we don't spend that much time together anymore. He acknowledged that between the baby, cooking, cleaning, and making lunches that, that doesn't leave much time for myself. Which he understands that I need to have. He very plainly stated, "I want to do something with you so you remember why you love me."

I have always said one of the most important parts in a relationship, besides communication, is remembering why you fell in love with that person. We all get stressed out, mad at the noises he makes while eating, irritated when the sheets are all twirled up on the bed, and overwhelmed by everyday responsibilities. But when it comes down to it, I chose Byron. I chose to be with him. I fell in love with him because of the way he made me laugh and how young and gentle his heart is. We would have nightly dance parties in our living room, wrestling matches in the kitchen, and explore new places. Obviously things change, more responsibilities add up, and having a baby makes your past life almost unrecognizable. Instead of thinking about what was, we need to think about what is now.

I need to take more time with my husband, even if it is a quick touch of our hands as we pass by each other in the house. Even though there are not enough hours in the day, I need to find time to do these small gestures so we both don't forget we are in a relationship and we are people who love each other. Balance is one of the hardest thing I have encountered in motherhood. It is a daily struggle and I'm sure it will always be. I need to be ok with knowing I am not going to get everything I need to get done. It does not make me a bad mom, a bad wife, or a bad person. As I was rocking and nursing Delilah I kept saying these statements over in my head, I needed to remind myself that I am good. That I am trying. That I have a husband who wants to spend more time with me. And that it is ok to need want time to myself.





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Just Sitting

As breastfeeding my daughter comes to an end, I was rocking in our favorite chair, thinking about how still and calm I was at that very moment. I have always been a person who, at the chance of free time, will run around the house like a wild woman trying to get everything done. Sitting and enjoying the moment, whatever moment it may be, was always a difficult task for me.

Breastfeeding has been one of the most difficult experiences of my life. Delilah was born "tongue tied" and had trouble latching at the hospital. At five days old, we decided to do the procedure, a frenulectomy, to correct it. It literally took five minutes and after a quick nursing session she was calm again. Once she was able to properly latch, my milk came in! Thank the gods! I literally remember the exact moment it happened. What a relief that was….until I felt as though I had been hit my a truck, a very very big truck. I thought your boobs were supposed to be as hard as rocks and warm, WRONG! I went into the doctor with a 103 degree fever and a case of mastitis. What in the hell was mastitis?

After about a million clogged ducts, white nipples, and a few heads of cabbage, we have made it to 8 months! Also thanks to the never-ending support of my husband, family, and the great lactation consultant. We were out of the woods…..WRONG! My lovely daughter has four teeth now, four small razor-like teeth. I have made it through just about everything that can go wrong, through sheer persistence made it through sleepless nights, on demand nursing, not being able to leave my daughter for more than 2 hours at a time, and now biting? It happens about twice a week, but let me tell you, that is two times too many!

I believe how I have made it this far is setting small, realistic goals for myself. Make it through the night, then the week, then to 8 weeks, then 3 months, and so on. I now have the goal to make it a year and have started the emotional process of weaning. She has cut out the morning feed and thanks to two weeks at a job I eventually quit, she learned to take a bottle and I learned how to pump efficiently. I thought that all babies needed 8 ounces each bottle, but I soon learned that was not the case. My little bitty only likes to drink 3 ounce bottles, something I could provide her through pumping. So, she now gets 3 bottles during the day, leaving her nighttime feed and the occasional midnight feed. We have had a minor setback since a recent ear infection, her first one, but we are picking up where we left off. I pump 3 times a day and she drinks 3 bottles a day.

Getting to the point, I was nursing her the other night and just sitting rocking away, when I realized how calm and relaxed I was. I could care less that a small baby tornado went through the living room, that my lovely husband emptied all of the contents from his pockets on the dining room table, and that my kitchen could have had a guest spot on the TV show, Hoarders Buried Alive. I was feeding my baby, she was in control and I had no where else in the world to be, except right there, with her. My world had slowed down to a gentle but swift rocking motion, the distant noise of The Voice was muffled by the buzz of her white noise machine and a sweet humming of a lullaby, and the only thing that mattered at that very moment was my baby, my sweet sweet baby. These are the moments that make the nipple biting and swollen boobs worth it.

Needless to say, I started getting rather teary eyed thinking that in a few short months I was no longer going to have these moments with Delilah. I would soon be overwhelmed with the daily tasks and obligations that seem to creep up no matter how hard you try to stay on top of things. I would no longer have the opportunity to be made to stop and slow down and be present in the moment. This realization worries me and has given me a new goal once I have achieved the others I have placed, make time to just sit. Just sit and look and take in the present time. Don't think about the dishes, bills, or the load of laundry that has been washed about 3 times now because I keep forgetting to throw it in the dryer. I will be present for my daughter and my husband and we will just sit and enjoy.