Baby Got Back

No, Max's rear end is not growing disproportionately to the rest of his body - we are trying out cloth diapers! I ordered a trial pack from Jillian's Drawers and am testing out several different kinds to see which ones I like best. Or if I'm even cut out to be a cloth diaperer.

Apparently there is a learning curve with these things; they don't have an indicator line that turns blue like Huggies! Max woke up very unhappy (and vocal about it) during his late afternoon nap. When Clay went to check on him, he noticed a nice puddle on the crib sheet - and a totally SOAKED diaper! No wonder our little one was so cranky. 

Hopefully this mama can figure out how these cloth diapers work before we have mutiny on our hands! ;)

Owling is the New Planking

Have you heard of the craze called planking? No, you say? 

(The object of the game is to lay face down as stiff as a board in the weirdest location possible and take a picture of your pose to share.)

Well, my friends, you are behind the times. People all over the world are doing it...

 

 

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While planking has swept the globe, it is now being replaced by a new and even better trend: owling.

(The object of this game is to perch like an owl in the weirdest location possible and take a picture of your pose to share.)

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Word to the wise: Planking is so yesterday. Owling is where it's at.

A Few of My Favorite Things: New Mom Edition

Since becoming a new mom, I have learned that there are lots of things out there that only further complicate your life (like curling irons) - but also lots of things that make your life easier. Here are a few of my favorites:

The Baby Timer application for the iPhone

I absolutely LOVE this thing! Clay purchased it for me while we were in the hospital and it has helped us keep track of Max's dirty diapers, feeding times, and sleeps. This is an enormous help when you're so sleep-deprived you can't remember your middle name, much less the last time Max ate.

Chewbeads

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While I don't own any of these yet, they are most certainly on my "want it" list! These stylish necklaces (and bracelets) are made of baby-safe silicone so that your little one can chew on them as they please! It also helps to focus your distracted nursing baby (and I have a feeling our Max is going to be one of those). And on top of all that, they are super-cute!

Medela Lanolin

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Without going into too much detail, let's just say this stuff is wonderful! I use it every single time I feed Max and love that you don't have to wipe it off between feedings.

Paper plates and plasticware

 

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Seriously, I cannot remember the last time I washed actual dishes thanks to this wonderful invention! I am so glad I stocked up before baby Max came along because the last thing I want to do at the end of the day is strap on my rubber gloves and run a sink full of soapy water.

WubbaNub

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Whoever invented these things is truly a genius in my book! Max absolutely LOVES his froggy WubbaNub - and we love that it helps calm him down before sleeping. (Or when getting into the carseat. Or when he's just plain fussy.)

My sister-in-law, Tara

Okay, so this really isn't a "thing," but she sure has helped make my transition to motherhood SO much easier! She has coordinated meals for us, lent me parenting books and baby clothes, and offered many words of encouragement. I seriously think I text/ email/ call her at least once a day with some kind of mommy question - and she still answers them even though I've been pestering her for a month! ;)

For all the seasoned mothers out there, what things have helped to make motherhood a little easier for you? I would LOVE to hear your recommendations!

First Date

Clay and I got to go on our first sans-baby date this Thursday. 

We went to a closing dinner for Clay's work at a nice restaurant on Main Street in Grapevine called Dino's Steak and Claw House. It was very yummy!

It was so strange not to have Max in tow, but we knew he was in good hands...

Thanks, Uncle Mark and Aunt Tara, for watching Max for us!

Growing Like a Weed

It is hard to believe our little Max is already one month old!

As you can see, he is growing like a weed. :)

In this past month, we have learned so much about Max. Here are a few of our discoveries:

Max is (so far) a very calm baby, rarely ever long spells of crying.

He absolutely LOVES his froggy WubbaNub and lets us know when it falls out of his mouth!

Max is nursing about every three hours and is pretty good at taking naps, especially when being held by Daddy!

Sometimes Max makes the funniest little noises (many of them in his sleep), in particular one that sounds like a goat. We're not quite sure what it means but we're dying to find out!

He is really good at tummy time and will tolerate it for as long as 15 minutes a day. Max has mastered turning his head from side to side while on his stomach.

Max is constantly wiggling - even in his sleep! Many times I'll check on him while he's napping to find that he's kicked a leg out of the Miracle Blanket or somehow wiggled out a hand. Naps in the swing or carseat are particularly entertaining too as Max usually conducts an orchestra in his sleep. :)

We have already retired the newborn onesies as his torso is just too long!
We've also transitioned into size 1 diapers (mostly for economical purposes). I cannot believe he is already so big!

(We don't go back to the pediatrician until next month, so I'm not sure how much Max weighs now. My guess is that it's definitely MORE than before!)

It is hard to believe that a little over a month ago, this little baby was a complete stranger to us. Now we are getting to know each other - and getting the hang of this parenting thing! Our lives have changed drastically, but we are so very glad to have Max as a part of our family. :)

Three Weeks

These past three weeks have flown by, for sure!

(Maybe it's the sleep deprivation - I'm still not sure what day of the week it is.)

In that time, we have reached several milestones:

First trip to church on Saturday night

First time in the infant carrier

 (Don't you know? Babies are the must-have accessory for summer!)

First nap in the swing

First Fourth of July

(We watched fireworks from Uncle Mark's office - 

well, Max watched them from behind closed eyelids!)

First bottle

 (Making sure there were no problems before Mommy and Daddy go out next week)

Max also took a little trip to both Mommy and Daddy's workplaces today so they could show him off (and so Mommy could turn in some paperwork). Oh, the perks of parenthood!

We look forward to many more firsts!

Two Weeks (Already?!!)

Monday we went to the pediatrician for Max's two week checkup, where we learned that we have one fast-growing baby boy! He weighed in at 8 pounds, 4 ounces - which means he gained back his birth weight and then some! That news did this mama's heart some good (those first two weeks of breastfeeding were quite worrisome!). He was so alert for the entire appointment and was such a champ when they pricked his heel for the newborn blood test - only a little whimper!

Of course, then he fell asleep and slept for the next four hours while his Dad and I went to Target,
to my doctor's appointment, and out to lunch at Panera.
If only he would sleep so long and so soundly at night! We'll keep working on it... :)

It's hard to believe that Max is already two weeks old. Do you think it's premature to feel like he'll be graduating from college in the blink of an eye? We are trying to savor every minute - and yes, we CAN do that with our eyes closed for a cat nap. ;D

Introductions

Max met some new people over the weekend:

 

Auntie Jules and Aunt Katie came into town for some great baby snuggles. :)

Max also got to meet his Great Uncle Fred who was passing through. (Sorry, no picture.)

And it was such a treat to have Mini and Zu back for a visit so soon!

They were wonderful about bringing us meals, helping with laundry, and always volunteering to hold Max so I could take a nap - or work on a blog post!

It was so great to spend several days with Clay's family over the weekend. 

Max can't wait to see you all again very soon! ;D

Blessing of the Week

Both of my parents were able to spend some time with us after Max's birth, 

helping prepare meals, doing laundry, scrubbing the bathtub, and working on household projects - just generally taking care of me so I can take care of Max. 

There was, of course, lots of baby holding to be done while I took a shower or a nap:

These past two weeks have been absolute heaven (minus the sleep deprivation part) to have them here, and I was so sad to see them head back to Florida yesterday.

Thank you, Mom and Dad, for all your help! Max is so lucky to have a Grammie and Doc like you. :)

So Much To Celebrate

It is an understatement to say that we have had so much to celebrate
in the Rich household over the past few weeks!

We celebrated the birth of our son Max.

Not long after that was Clay (and Mark's) birthday,
for which occasion we enjoyed a nice meal at home - complete with strawberry cake!

Then came Father's Day - Clay's first as a dad and my dad's first as a grand-dad.

Max turned ONE WEEK OLD. 

(Doesn't he look so different already?!)

Clay's sister Julie also celebrated her 25th birthday this week.

(Picture of her celebration to come!)

What are YOU celebrating? :D

Happy Birth Day, Max!

Sorry for the blogging hiatus, folks, but things have been busy around our house - we're adjusting to life with our newest family member, Maxwell James (AKA Max).

He joined the party on Monday, June 13th at 7:56am, 

weighing in at 7 pounds 13 ounces and measuring 21 inches long.

This little guy has turned our world upside-down, for sure, 

and we are loving every sleep-deprived minute!

Many thanks to everyone who has shared encouraging words over the past few days. 

We are beyond blessed!

40 Weeks

I know many of you have been anxiously awaiting a post introducing our new little one - but alas! 

He/ she is still in my tummy, as you can see:

40 Weeks

This has been quite a crazy week, to say the least. I went for my routine check-up on Tuesday only to discover that Baby Rich has turned breech yet again! (Let's hope this is not an early indicator of what's to come in the teen years.) My doctor did a sonogram to confirm that yes-indeedy, our little one is head up and recommended that we schedule a c-section soon. The minutes that followed seem like a blur as I tried to wrap my head around the fact that yes, this baby had to be delivered by c-section and my visions of natural childbirth were pretty much out the window. I walked out of her office in a daze, clutching the pre-op instructions for the c-section I never thought I'd have.

Even after daily trips to the chiropractor and frequent inversions, Baby Rich has stayed put. Many tearful conversations and hours of internet research later, I am more accepting of the way this child has to enter the world. And I am already learning that parenting is a journey in letting go - of expectations, of plans, of pride, and of this precious life that God is so generously sharing with us. (I have a feeling there are many more lessons just waiting to be uncovered!)

So Clay and I will be heading to the hospital tomorrow morning for my scheduled c-section - and to finally meet our little gymnast!

You Know You're 39 Weeks Pregnant When...

That TV show you used to hate suddenly becomes interesting after not being able to reach the remote.

Somehow you suddenly have to pee immediately after peeing.  How is this possible???

Any comfortable place you sit becomes the perfect spot for a nap.

Friends end conversations with you by saying, "The next time I see you, you'll have a baby!"

You have to mentally prepare yourself for the chore that is rolling over in bed.

You used to shave your legs for your husband; now the only time that happens is prior to an OB appointment.

You've had your hospital bag packed and sitting by your front door for the past several weeks.  

There is literally nothing in your house that you haven't cleaned or organized.

You spend a lot of time worrying about a painful birth, but mostly about not being able to eat while in labor.

It takes considerable effort to get dressed in the morning. Who knew putting on underwear could be a workout?!

Flip flops have become your footwear of choice because nothing else will accommodate your marshmallow feet.

Every time you call your husband, the first thing he asks is, "Are you in labor?"

You seriously wonder if your belly can get any bigger:

You aren't sure if you can wait any longer to meet your sweet little baby!!! :)

Rich Craft: Nursery Mobile Edition

So the other day when I was in the waiting room at my doctor's office,

I picked up the June issue of Parents magazine to help pass the time.

In it, I found instructions for this adorable mobile:

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I knew right then and there this would be the perfect addition to Baby Rich's nursery!

After rummaging through my scrapbook paper stash and a quick trip to Michael's,
I was ready to get started.

My sister-in-law was gracious enough to let me use her Cricut to cut out 2" circles with little holes - over 200 of them! Then I arranged them into color groupings (similar to the picture above) and recruited my husband to help me connect them together with 7mm jump rings in nine-circle sections. Let's face it - he is much handier with needlenose pliers than I!

I ended up using 10" and 8" embroidery hoops for my mobile, which meant I needed a few more strands of circles than the instructions called for - about 22 in total. Armed with my trusty glue gun, I attached the top circle to the embroidery hoops, spacing them out about 1/2" apart.

Next I took some fishing line and attached it to three different places on each of the hoops. Thanks to some help from dear husband Clay, we figured out how to hang them above the changing table so that the smaller hoop was about 6 inches lower than the larger one.

The result?

An adorable handmade mobile that only cost me about $10 bucks!

Hopefully this will help keep Baby Rich occupied and less squirmy while I change his or her diapers. ;D

More nursery crafts to come!

It's All Coming Together

Baby Rich's room is starting to look more like a nursery and less like a mish-mash.

The play yard is set up in our room and ready for a new little tenant.

The high chair has taken up its residence at the kitchen table,

just waiting for lots of little food particles to collect in its seat. :)

Our bags are packed for the hospital and ready to go -
that is, if Clay can stay out of the snacks until then!

And the car seat is installed properly in the Venza (yes, I had it inspected!)

and ready to transport our little one home from the hospital.

All of our preparations for this little one are coming together.
Won't be long before he/ she gets here!

38 Weeks

Here's a pic at 38 weeks:

Where has the time gone?! It seems just like yesterday

we were waiting for the results of that fateful pregnancy test... :)

I went to the doctor for a checkup on Tuesday and received the good news that Baby Rich has turned head down - HOORAY! Currently I am dilated 1cm (same as the last time she checked) and 50% effaced. Everything else is looking good, so we'll see what happens between now and next Tuesday. :)

Weekly Wows!

Wednesday was my last day at The Women's Center, and my coworkers hosted a lovely shower/ going away breakfast for me. It was so nice of them to show up early to say a few words of encouragement and share a few gifts. While I have been so blessed to work there for the past three and a half years, I am definitely excited to start my new job as a mommy!

Thursday morning my sister-in-law Tara and I enjoyed a lovely breakfast at La Madeleine, then she treated me to a pedicure so my tootsies are delivery room-ready. :) I cannot say enough wonderful things about Tara; she has been so helpful throughout my entire pregnancy, as I know she has been to many of her other friends - answering questions, calming fears, lending books, sharing maternity clothes, and recommending resources. I honestly don't know what I would have done without her! I am so blessed to have such a thoughtful sister-in-law and friend. :)

We also got to meet our pediatrician-to-be on Thursday, and he was so nice! It made me feel so much better to meet the person who will be answering many of my questions in the coming years and learn a little more about him - like that he's been practicing pediatrics longer than I've been alive!

Our friends the Allens had us over for a lovely dinner on Thursday night. (Thursday was a busy day!)We had such a good time catching up with them and enjoying their hospitality! They have the cutest 13 month-old, who provided lots of entertainment - and a little preview of our future. :)

Clay has been off work for the past few days, so we have gotten to spend lots of quality time together (mostly assembling baby gadgets - ha!). It has been strange to see each other so much of the time - but I am definitely not complaining. :)

More "wows" on the horizon: tomorrow is my nephew's first birthday party, and we'll get to spend some time with Clay's family that will be in town for the Memorial Day holiday.

What's wow-ing you this week? ;D

Turn, Baby, Turn

Last Friday we went for our 36-week sonogram,

where we got a glimpse of our little one's sweet face:

(Just tilt your head sideways.)

We also learned that Baby Rich is currently breech (the little stinker). This little bundle has been head down for the past few months, so the sono tech was pretty surprised to discover that our baby is now head up. I felt a lot of movement the week before our appointment, but had no idea what our little stinker was up to! Everything else, he said, indicated a healthy baby that was growing right on schedule.

I must admit that it really freaked me out to hear that Baby Rich was breech because I knew that meant automatic c-section. Of course, the most important thing is for our little bundle to be healthy - but I had hoped to be able to deliver this child without so much medical intervention!

After talking with my doctor at my appointment this afternoon, she seems to think that there is a possibility that Baby Rich could flip back into position before my due date - especially since the baby has been moving around so much and so recently. (According to my mom, I did the exact same thing before I was born!)

 So for now, we wait - and pray that this baby turns around!

Happy Anniversary!

This past Saturday Clay and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary with a lovely dinner at Lanny's Alta Cocina Mexicana in Fort Worth. We snapped a quick pic before heading out the door:

Clay has eaten  at Lanny's several times for work functions and reallyreally wanted me to try it because he knew I would like it. And he was right! The food was very unusual - sometimes unpronouncable - but oh so delicious and definitely special occasion-worthy. We'll look forward to going back there someday when we can try their tasting menu with wine pairings!

It's crazy to believe it's been five years since that warm May evening at Erinshire Gardens...

So much has happened in the past five years - so many experiences with Clay that I wouldn't trade for the world! I can't wait to see what the next five years (and the next and the next) will bring. :)

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Here are some long-awaited belly pics...

35 Weeks

36 Weeks

 

37 Weeks

Is it really possible that I'm only three weeks from having this baby?!!!