Babies Really Can Roll Off Couches When You're Not Looking...

Aubrey is nine days shy of 5 months, and luckily, I've only done two things that could potentially scar her for life. However, I anticipate many more to come in the upcoming years, so I am by no means implying that I should be considered for Mom of the Year. I will share one of those stories with you today, and the other I'll share with you when you have forgotten all about this one, and are therefore less likely to label me as a bad, inattentive mother. Deal?

The first happened about a month ago. It was RIGHT when she started to become extremely squirmy and "roll-y", so I wasn't accustomed to being glued to her side when she was on the couch. If I wanted to run into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water, I knew she wasn't going anywhere in those 10 seconds. Well on this day, she was going somewhere.

I had her lying on her stomach, leaning up on her boppy pillow. I walked into the kitchen (directly next to the family room), and looked over at her on the couch. HOLY CRAP. SHE'S NOT ON THE COUCH! I ran over (the whole 15 feet) and she was lying on the floor with the boppy pillow on her head. She wasn't crying, just staring up at me, but I lost it. I scooped her up, frantically ran to my husband and told him I think I may have just damaged the baby.

After seeing me all worked up, she started to cry. She fussed for about two minutes, and then was smiley and laughing and playing like normal. Of course, I still googled it for a half hour to determine the amount of damage I had done. Turns out, this has happened to MANY moms and a lot of the babies were right around the age of Aubrey. I guess I should have listened more closely when the experts said to never leave the baby unattended, not even for a second, because you never know if that will be the day they decide to roll.

Oops. You better believe I learned my lesson and now I NEVER leave her alone, not even to grab a water bottle. If I wasn't paranoid before, I certainly am now. So now when she is 12 years old and she does something stupid and someone asks her, "What? Were you dropped on your head as a baby?" Unfortunately, she can reply, "Yes, it's all my mom's fault."

Click here for a good article from Dr.Sears to ease your mind if your baby has ever rolled off something or fallen down.

If you enjoy reading my blog, please vote for me by clicking on the Top Mommy Blogs link on the left. Thanks!

Thankful Thursday

5 little things I'm thankful for this week:

1. My husband staying up late with the baby so I could sleep off my cold, or is it allergies? Who the hell knows anymore!
2. A Sunday spent in pajamas and not having to leave the house.
3. Finding five dollars in my cargos that I haven't worn since last summer. I was excited enough when I found money in my pocket, but I almost jumped up and down when I saw it was a five dollar bill!
4. Getting the link function to work on my blog :)
5. Cannolis. YUM.

My Newest Fashion Accessory

Umbrellas are annoying. On windy days, they cause more harm than good. I can't count how many times I must have looked like a crazy person trying to keep my umbrella from blowing inside out. They also take up a whole hand that could otherwise be used for carrying other items. Such as a baby. They are supposed to be helpful, and I suppose for men who have nothing to lug around except for their keys and cell phone, umbrellas probably are helpful. But for women, and especially moms with babies, umbrellas are impossible.Let me explain. On Monday, we had torrential downpours. I'm talking heavy, windswept, in six seconds you go from dry to soaked kind of rain.

I had to carry the following items (and human) from my car to my house:

1. work bag (think briefcase size)
2. diaper bag
3. lunch bag
4. activity mat
5. baby in her car seat

And this was a light luggage day. Normally, you can also throw in a couple of Target bags and a fountain beverage (that can really cause a mess...)

There was NO WAY an umbrella was making the cut. And if you think I was going to make TWO trips to the car, forget about it. I had no choice but to leave it in the car and get soaked. Thank God it was the end of the day and I didn't need to be seen in public and attempt to look put together...my hair was a complete, flat, frizzy mess and my face was just a bit too wet for the fresh, "dewy" look.

This is when it occurred to me that I need an umbrella hat.

What do you think?



Enjoy my blog? Please vote for me by clicking on the Top Mommy Blogs link on the left. Thanks!

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Wednesday Wisdom

"We spend the first twelve months of our children's lives teaching them to walk and talk and the next twelve telling them to sit down and shut up." - Phyllis Diller

But it's Sunday...

This is the thought that was running through my mind as I heard Aubrey chatting it up in her crib at 5:15am Sunday morning. Come on, Aubrey, don't you know it's the weekend? Don't you know it's Mommy's day to wake up early with you? How come on Daddy's day to wake up early, you slept in til 7:30?! But I have to say, if I'm going to be up that early on a Sunday, there really is nothing better to wake up to than a cooing, smiling baby. It really is amazing how the second you see your baby smiling at you from their crib, you suddenly forget how early it is and how tired you are. Although, after about five minutes goes by and she starts screaming for her bottle, the exhaustion does seem to find its way back pretty quickly.

Forget about the conventional sleep training books. If somebody could write a sleep training book that also taught you how to train your baby to sleep in on the weekends (without altering their bedtime...), that person would be a MILLIONAIRE.


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Looking for a movie to see this weekend with the fam? Consider this...




Okay, how many of you have seen the trailer for Furry Vengeance starring Brooke Shields and Brendan Fraser? Let me just say, this is one of those previews I saw that made me wish I had an eight year old so I could go to the movies and see it!! It is a family comedy in which an ambitious young real estate developer, Dan Sanders, faces off with a band of angry animals when his new housing subdivision pushes too far into a pristine part of the wilderness. It looks hysterical and it has such a good message for kids that focuses on the importance of endangered species and habitat preservation.


You should also check out these activities that offer tools and opportunities for kids to explore the natural areas of their communities and develop skills and deeper knowledge of habitat and animal protection issues. I plan on using these activities in my classroom to create a fun, educational experience for the students while learning about something important. These are great resources for everyone, but if you are a teacher like me, I highly recommend checking them out to use in your classroom.

Enjoy!

As always, if you enjoy reading my blog, please vote for me by clicking on the Top Mommy Blog icon on the left. Thanks!
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Too Cute Tuesday








If you have a pic for Too Cute Tuesday, email it to me at hellosneakers@gmail.com and I'll post it with a shout out to your blog.

Working and Working Out...It Ain't Working Out

Anyone else finding it extremely difficult to squeeze in a workout routine while also working all day? And by routine, I mean just once a week...I love exercising, I've always been active and exercising puts me in a good mood. But I'm sorry, the chance of me doing cardio at night or even just "toning" (I'm talking 5 pound weights here), is about as likely as me scrubbing toilets in my spare time. I can barely keep my eyes open to watch tv at the end of the day, let alone physically move my body for thirty consecutive minutes.

Before I went back to work, I was able to tone for a half-hour and do cardio for a half-hour, twice a week. But now that I'm working, I am finding it quite hard to find the time and energy to keep up with even that wimpy routine. I told myself I would cut back to just working out on the weekends, but now I am super busy on the weekends, because I can't get anything accomplished during the week. And I think I speak for most of us when I say the first thing to inevitably get knocked off the priority list is the workout.

I've only been a mom for 4 1/2 months, and I already have learned that there is no way on earth women can do it all...have a great career, be a superb mom, and be a domestic goddess. I.M.P.O.S.S.I.B.L.E. Impossible.

And since I am by nature an underachiever (cleverly disguised as an overly organized perfectionist), I will not even be attempting to achieve this unattainable trifecta. In the words of the Queen of America (aka Oprah), "You can have it all, just not all at once." And since my husband may divorce me if I quit my job before June or stop cooking dinner, it looks like the workouts have to go for now.

Bye bye workouts. See you again this summer.



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Monday Must-Have

Today's suggestion comes from Kathy over at http://andbabyjasonmakes3.blogspot.com/


Read what she's has to say about the Medela Breast Pump and then check out her awesome blog...her stories are always a good read!



"I love my Medela Breast Pump (PISA). It's not a very exciting baby product but it has been a LIFESAVER and worth every penny!! I wish I could say my favorite baby product was something more clever or cute but then I would be lying!"

If you have a suggestion for Monday Must-Have, send it over to me at hellosneakers@gmail.com

Extreme Makeover: Nightime Routine Edition

I have survived the newest phase of my life, Working Mom: Week 1! I wish I had some video clips of me at work, so that you could actually believe just how smoothly it went. Going to work every day has actually felt more like a break than a stress. Notice how I say "going to work" feels more like a break...once I get home, it's a whole different story. MY, OH MY, how my evening routines have changed since 6 months ago! Let's take a gander, shall we?

A typical afternoon last October (about 8 months pregnant):


1. Home around 4pm.
2. Use the loo.
3. Change into sweats.
4. Take out the dog.
5. Get the mail.
6. Eat a snack.
7.. Watch tv.
8. Talk to hubby on his ride home.
9. Watch tv.
10. Cook dinner. Ok, well this didn't happen every day.
11. Spend the next four hours doing as I please. Much like the previous two hours.

A typical afternoon this week:



1. Stumble into the front door with my work bag, diaper bag, lunch bag, and baby at 4:15.
2. Drop all the bags wherever they may land and pray the glass bottles don't break.
3. Hold the baby for about ten minutes in an attempt to make up for 8 hours of lost time.
4. Put the baby in her swing and give in to the yelping dog who is begging to go out and pee.
5. Play with the baby (still dressed in work clothes)in yet another attempt to make up for 8 hours of lost time.
6. Wash a gazillion bottles.
7. Baby is now fussing and I feel guilty for not being next to her, so I go and play with her again.
8. Unpack diaper bag and reload for tomorrow.
9. Unpack my lunch bag.
10. Rush into the bedroom and throw on sweats.
11. Finally use the bathroom.
12. Baby needs a diaper change.
13. Baby needs a bottle.
14. Baby wants to be held and rocked for fifteen minutes...I don't mind this :)
15. Mommy needs a break but it's nowhere in sight!

And this is just the first hour and a half. Notice how certain things like get the mail, talk to the hubby, cook dinner, watch tv, and "do as I please" (HA!) did not make the cut. This pattern continues til about 9pm. At that point, I am so exhausted from moving 80mph all day that all I can think about is bed.

I told all the kids at school today that they need to go home and give their moms big hugs and say, "Thank you Mom!" I should probably do the same...

THANK YOU MOM!

As always, if you enjoy reading my blog, please click on the Top Mommy Blog link on the left and vote for me. Thanks!

Funny Friday

Catch 22

When I got the mail yesterday and received an invitation for a 30th birthday party, I nearly dropped the baby with excitement. A night out! With my husband! Margaritas! High heels! But then my heart sank a little. I remembered that now that I'm working, my time with Aubrey is so minimal. I only spend about a half hour with her in the morning, and at night I'm lucky if she's awake for two hours. Who would've thought that watching a baby in a jumperoo could rival a night of margaritas?

Before I started back at work, I loved the idea of getting a babysitter and going out with Justin, just the two of us. No diaper bags to carry, no trading off a crying baby during dinner, no rushing home for naptime...But now that I'm away from her so much, it's like a Catch 22. On one hand I really want to go out and have fun with my husband. On the other hand, I don't want lose any more time with Aubrey. Ah, yet another mom dilemma :( I know I need to go out and enjoy time with Justin, and we are looking forward to the party. I just never thought about how time away with my husband meant time away from Aubrey.

Everyone says leaving the baby will get easier, and I guess it gets easier because you become used to it. I don't know how I feel about that. I don't think I could ever feel comfortable with only seeing Aubrey awake for 2 1/2 hours a day. If I knew I was going to be working full time forever, I think this would be a lot harder on me. Thankfully there is an end is sight(June 23rd! Have I mentioned that date enough yet?). And when that time comes, I'm sure I'll be begging for my nights out again :)

As always, if you enjoy reading my blog, please vote for me by clicking on the Top Mommy Blogs link on the left. Thanks!

Thankful Thursday

1. Supportive coworkers.
2. Getting showered and dressed up everyday this week for work. Sweatpants are now saved for bed time...as they should be!
3. Seeing all the kids at work again...let's see how much longer the honeymoon phase lasts!
4. Sunny weather for my first day back.
5. Getting to eat a whole lunch everyday with adult chit chat...it almost feels like I'm on vacation! Do you think they'd be cool with letting me sip on a margarita during my lunch break?

Oh Stop, I'm Blushing!

Another award?! I get more recognition here than I do at my paid gig :) This one comes from bubbleboo over at The Thought Bubble. If you're looking for a funny, honest, well-written blog, you must check out her site at http://bubbleboo-thethoughtbubble.com/

I would like to pass this award along to some more of my favorite bloggers :) If anyone can explain to me why my Link function on Blogger does not work, please enlighten me. I have googled it and I cannot for the life of me figure it out, so frustrating!

http://thesemansfamily.blogspot.com/
http://journey1000words.com/
http://pleasestickitinthefridge.blogspot.com/
http://www.dirtymommyclub.com/
http://www.mandyandnathan.blogspot.com/

Congrats ladies! Keep up the entertaining reads :)

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Wednesday Wisdom

Now, as always, the most automated appliance in a household is the mother. ~Beverly Jones

One Day Down

So, as you know from yesterday's post, I returned to work yesterday to finish out the school year. I started getting anxious Sunday night, and of course, tears were shed on the car ride there. Fortunately, I'm vain enough to not want mascara running down my face and ruining my makeup, so I let out a few tears and that was the end of it. However, I still was anticipating a long day of mourning and feeling bitter.

Much to my pleasant surprise, the day did not go like I had feared. Since I am a teacher, I work with a lot of other moms. The women at work were very understanding to how hard it is to leave your baby for the first time. They knew I wasn't going to be skipping and whistling my way through the front doors. It was nice starting the day knowing that other women understood and supported me.

Once the kids arrived (I teach 5th/6th grade), the day just got better. It's hard to feel sad when you have 70 different students hugging you and smiling at you all day long (especially when one of them brought me a Welcome Back cake...she's getting an A). They were all so excited to see me again and to hear about the baby, that it made an excellent distraction from sitting around thinking about how I was scarring my baby for life (I know, I know...I'm not scarring her for life). Between catching up with the kids and my classroom looking like a tornado hit, I had plenty to do to keep myself occupied. Before I knew it, it was noon and time for lunch.

It's 7:35 pm now, and I admit I am exhausted. It was a mad rush coming home today between changing the baby, feeding the baby, unpacking the diaper bag, unpacking my school bag, taking out the dog, feeding the dog, getting the mail, changing into sweats, checking my 256 email accounts, and thinking about preparing dinner. The baby just went to sleep and now I have to start preparing for tomorrow.

Despite the busier schedule,it makes it a lot easier knowing that I can get through the work day, and it's not as bad as I thought. I have the best thing in the world to look forward to each day...spending a few quality hours with my daughter after work. That definitely beats what I used to do after work--flipping through the tv stations, mindlessly munching on a bag of Doritos. It also helps knowing that in two months and three days, the school year will be over and I'll be back at home with my Aubrey :)

One day down...

As always, if you enjoy reading my blog please vote for me by clicking on the Top Mommy Blogs link in the upper left hand corner...thanks for your support!

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Too Cute Tuesday

How ADORABLE is Macy?! Looks like she came right out of Parents Magazine! Check out her mommy's blog at http://andbabyjasonmakes3.blogspot.com/ She wrote a HYSTERICAL post yesterday about one of Macy's "messier" incidents in her crib. You've got to read it.




If you have a pic for Too Cute Tuesday and would like a shout out to your blog, email it to me at hellosneakers@gmail.com.

Back To Work Today

Well, despite praying for the last 13 months, I did not win the lottery as previously planned, and I am back at hell work today. As you're reading this, I am already there (wrote this Sunday night) and I am most likely doing one of the following things:

1. Thinking about Aubrey.
2. Talking about Aubrey.
3. Checking my cell phone for any updates on Aubrey.

You get the idea. I'm at work right now, but my mind certainly is not. It does make it a LOT easier knowing that once June 23rd hits, I will be home with her for good due to my lay off. I am aware that I am naive about how hard it's going to be without my normal income, but the rational side of myself is being clouded by the joy of getting to stay home with Aubrey.

But even with the end in sight, in the meantime it's still so hard leaving every day--wondering if she's going to forget about me the next two and a half months. Is she going to start looking at her babysitter as "mom"? Is she going to feel safe with her instead of me? I feel like we are finally at the point where we are really becoming "buds" and now I will hardly ever see her. As crazy, stressful, and busy, the last 4 1/2 months have been, it has been worth every single minute. I can't imagine not being with her all day, every day. She just seems too young to be with a babysitter all day instead of her mom. Breaks my heart, sigh :/

My first day back at work and I'm already counting down to the last day!

As always, if you enjoy reading my blog please vote for me by clicking on the Top Mommy Blogs link in the upper left hand corner...thanks for your support!
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Monday Must Have



For any moms who are formula feeding or getting ready to formula feed, I highly recommend these "To Go" bottles by Similac (they come in the Advance EarlyShield and Sensitive). They are very convenient for long days out with the baby. You just give the bottle a shake, put on a nipple, and it's good to go! No need to pack pre-measured formula powder and bottles of water or worry about your pre-made bottles spoiling. These are a lot less hassle and mess!

They come in 2 ounce bottles for the itty bitty babies, and 8 ounce bottles for the "older" babies. My only complaint is that they don't make an in between size, like 5 or 6 ounces. Aubrey ends up wasting two ounces of the 8 ounce bottle, but it's still worth the convenience to me.

Have your own Must-Have? Email it to me at hellosneakers@gmail.com and I will post a link to your blog with your suggestion on next week's post!

My First Award!

Yay! I've received my first award as a blogger...and ironically on the one day that I didn't post. How convenient!Now I have something to share with all of you :) I received this award from netty cakes over at The Sweet Escape.





Make sure you check out her awesome blog...but beware...all of the delicious floating cupcakes on her site may leave you itching to satisfy your sweet tooth :)

The next step in receiving this award is to list 10 random things about myself. Here we go.

1. I was in a couple of commercials as a kid.
2. I love to play blackjack and texas hold'em.
3. I don't eat the crust on anything...not even hot dogs (I know you're thinking, "Wait, there is no crust on hot dogs"...but believe me, there is.)
4. I don't like Chinese food, seafood, or drink coffee but I wish I did because they look so fun to eat/drink :)
5. I've kept a journal since I was 8 years old.
6. In my next life, I hope to come back as a country music singer.
7. Bread and Cheese are the main ingredients in almost everything I eat.
8. I drink an insane amount of water every day. When I was pregnant, I would drink 10-12 bottles a day. Not cups, bottles.
9. I don't have a favorite author or a favorite book. I hate when I'm asked this question because it makes me feel like a dimwit.
10. I'm not a napper. Even if I'm exhausted, I want to be doing something.

Now, I get to pass the award on to ten of my favorite bloggers!

http://bubbleboo-thethoughtbubble.com/
http://screamsandhugs.blogspot.com/
http://justanothermomday.blogspot.com/
http://ofmiceandramen.blogspot.com/
http://medicinepostponed.blogspot.com/
http://www.managingmommyhood.com/
http://justbyliving.blogspot.com/
http://amothersworkisneverdone.com/
http://free2bmommy.blogspot.com/
http://marciechavez.blogspot.com/
http://omgmom.blogspot.com/

Congrats ladies! Keep up the great blogging!

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Funny Friday