Gadgets and Giggles

Okay, for you new and future mamas, here are just a few gadgets that we have found invaluable in the last 4 months.

Gadget #1: Ergo Baby Carrier (Performance). It is light weight, breathable, and easy on the back (unlike the Baby Bjorn which I found out the hard way). Its stylish enough that mom can wear it with just about anything (comes in gray and green), and its manly enough that dad doesn't mind sporting it.

It has a nifty rain hood that comes out of the pocket and attaches to clips on both should straps, conveniently covering baby's head. It also brags multiple ways of carrying baby (and toddler): front, back, or hip. A++!

Gadget #2: Sophie the Giraffe. Sophie is a teether that was invented in France in 1961. It is extremely popular, and I see why! Brady has been using it since 3 months (granted, I had to stick Sophie's neck in his mouth at first, but Brady has caught on since then and can do it himself). Sophie also squeaks, which makes Brady (and Spalding) smile. Its made of 100% rubber, so its safe for them to chew on and doesn't taste all that bad. It also sports contrasting spots, so Brady loves to just stare at it!

I give this little guy two thumbs up! The only down side? Sophie isn't all that cheap. She can run up to $20! Thank you, Patricia, for buying this gift for Brady! It has been a life saver.

Gadget #3: Leacho Cuddle U Nursing Pillow. Okay, it mayy seem like your normal boppy, however, this pillow comes with a harness which makes all of the difference. You can let baby use the pillow without it, or, when they are smaller, it helps hold them up so they don't slide off of the pillow. It also doubles great as a nursing pillow, oh, and a booty pillow for post pregnancy so mom can sit on it (sorry, tmi). Dad can also use it as a giant neck pillow if you are ever on the road and he needs a good nap!

And a little PS Gadget: LOVE the Wubbanub pacifier. Brady has used this since he was 3 weeks old and loves to hold and look at the puppy! He's super easy to wash as well. Just throw the pup in the washer and voila!

Beach Bums in 'Bama

A few weeks ago, Jason and I packed up Brady (and all of his belongings) and headed south. We drove to Orange Beach, Alabama for a 7-day vacation with several of our friends and their kids from Grace Church. In fact, there were more kids than adults: 12 adults, 13 kids. It was like daycare on the beach!

Brady couldn't quite figure out the sand, but he LOVED the water. We put his feet in the ocean once, but the rest of the time we had him 'swimming' in the pool. I would have taken him back into the ocean, except the 12" jellyfish that swam by me told me to stick to the pool.

The ocean was beautiful, however, and full of marine life. We saw dolphins and fish jumping and showing off, cranes, crabs, and of course lots of jellyfish.

Our condo was fabulous! We were on the 12th floor of the Tradewinds, and could see the beach from both sides of the condo. Plus, we got to stay there with some of our closest friends, Chase, Brittany and their adorable munchkin Madison. She and Brady had quite the time having in depth conversations. Sadly, none of us could translate.

One super cool move the parents' made was to take turns watching each others' kids so each set of parent's could have a date night! On our date night, Jason and I went to dinner at Grazzie's, an Italian restaurant, AND the number 1 restaurant on TripAdvisor (we swear by TripAdvisor)! We split a Margarita Pizza and the Pistachio encrusted Grouper. It was out of this world. Afterwards, we hit up Brusters for some amazing ice cream and then headed to the pier. We spent the rest of the evening playing Phase 10 on the pier and watching the cranes beg the fishermen for their catch. It was odd not having Brady with us, but we did our best to avoid all baby talk :)

Below are a few last shots to explain. Photo 1 shows the super sweet contraption that the Minton's let us borrow for the pool. Brady loved this float. He would kick himself across the pool in it! He was finally mobile. Such an independent. Photo 2 has him showing off for the camera and sporting Joel Minton's hat (sorry for any drool, Joel). This was taken in front of Lambert's Cafe. What! And photo 3 catches Brady in the act of gathering all the sand he can before heading home. I had no idea that sand could find its way into a baby's diaper, just by setting him in the sand for a second. With all of this said, it is past my bedtime so I'm out!

 

A Simple Birth Plan? My Birth Story

So this is a long time in coming, but I've been asked by several people about my birth story.

So it all began on the evening of May 28. I had begged Jason to go out with me that night (it was his bday and mine was the 26) for a 'last night out'/'birthday bash'. He was exhausted from a long day, but I really wanted to go to the Airshow/Sunset Symphony/Fireworks on the river that evening. He finally gave in, and we ended up having a great time, but because of the post-show traffic, we didn't get home until midnight. On the long ride home, he told me he thought it was a great idea that we went out that night. I joked that it was a good idea, as long as my water didn't break that evening (I wasn't due for another week).

That night, I slept on the couch for the first time because I could not get comfortable in our bed. Not long after I drifted off to sleep, my water broke! It was 1:50 am! I called the hospital right away and they said I didn't have to rush, but to pack up my things and head over to the hospital soon. So I thought to myself, I can take a little nap, allow Jason to sleep longer, then wake him up, help him pack (I was already packed), and make brownies for the nurses (I heard this was a good idea to keep the nurses coming to your room)!

Anyhow, I got off the phone, sat in the recliner, and realized I had already started having contractions. I began to time my contractions, and they were 3 minutes apart lasting 1 min 5 sec. Around 3:00, I woke Jason up. I was barely able to function! I have never seen him take a shower or pack so fast. Oh, and I didn't get to the brownies. 

We arrived at the hospital around 4:45, and they had me in triage around 5:30. They checked me and I was 3cm and 80% effaced. After lots of questions, they rolled me out to a Labor and Delivery room. I labored for a while, and it was definitely doable, up until 7:45. Then I asked the nurse to check me. I was 5cm and 100% effaced. I asked if I could get in the shower at this point and they let me.

I was in the shower from 8:15-9:15 and this was the absolute worst part! Jason stood outside the shower and I was pretty much yelling at him that this was the dumbest idea we ever had, and that we were adopting the rest of our children (we opted for zero drugs).

The nurse said I had to get out of the shower at 9:15 so she could monitor the baby. At this point, I did NOT want to lay down on the bed, it was so incredibly uncomfortable! I told her I wanted something, anything to take the edge off. She said she would check me and then we could see about that. After she checked me, she said I couldn't have meds because I was 9.5cm. I didn't believe her! In one hour I went from a 5 to 9.5? I actually asked her if she could physically knock me out.

Anyhow, the doctor came in, without her scrubs, and she checked me (I don't think she thought the nurse made an accurate check). While she was checking me, I yelled at the Doctor to get him out! She said that I was going to get him out because I was complete and it was time to push! I pushed for 20 minutes and the kiddo was out. The entire process took about 7.5 hours (water breaking to holding baby).
 

The nurse told me later that with a second child (provided we don't adopt the next kid), it can go almost twice as quickly. Guess I won't wait that hour in the recliner next time!

Gums and Grins (A Quick Catch Up Post)

Sorry about the extended time-out. It is amazing how your life gets flipped upside down and crazy when a baby crawls into it! It's a wonderful kind of upside down, but all the same, its crazy.

So Brady Q. arrived in May, 8 lb. 7 oz., kicking, screaming, purple, and puffy all over. He was beautiful! I just knew I would cry when he arrived, but instead, I was just shocked that this massive little human being had been inside me all this time. It definitely took a while for the shock to wear off.

After our 3-day hospital stay, we got to go home. It happened to be the same day summer arrived. We went into the hospital in fleeces, and left in tank tops! Talk about symbolic. Once home, we introduced Brady to Spalding and Lyddy, who were more upset about us being gone so long than they were curious about the new, naked puppy we brought home. The cat seems to like him, but the dog... let's just say the jury's still out. Once Brady can budge a ball, I'm sure Spalding will become his biggest fan.

Fast forward 2 weeks of no sleeping (we were total zombies). 

Here we are at his 2-week check-up! Everything went well until we had to strip him naked and place him on a freezing metal scale. I'm sure his screams were making the kids in the waiting room nervous. Anyhow, baby boy had gained back all of his weight, and then some. Note: this kid has NEVER turned down a bottle.

Brady's hearing, vision, and vocal chords (obviously), were all in good working order! Thankfully, no shots were given at this visit, and we were sent home with a clean bill of health and a baby that was super happy to be back in his clothing.

Speaking of happy babies... here we captured his first smile! All gums and grins. Dude has been an extremely chill baby (except when he is poked and prodded at the doctor's office).  ;)

We have truly been blessed and look forward to so many adventures ahead!

PS We are about to pursue CIO with Brady. He is currently sleeping in a Rock N' Play, but we are dying to move him to the crib so we can't get a decent night's sleep. If you have any tips or suggestions, send 'em on!

The Great Outdoors

Wow, what a babymoon! Jason and I took the long route to Eureka Springs, stopping first in Muskogee, Oklahoma for a quick work conference. It was totally worth the drive though. We had over 12 hours round trip of one-on-one time in the car, with the occasional NCAA commentator riding along.

After a few hours of curvy roads through rustic farmland, we arrived at the Ridge Top Resorts and Cabins in Eureka Springs. We stopped first at Mike and Debra's home (the owners) to pick up the key and chat a little while. They told us that our cabin has a possessed squirrel that has been gnawing away at the outside of the cabin for months. They said there is a bounty on his head and we would get a discount on rent if we were able to kill it! They told us about a big black bear they had seen roaming the property a few days before, but not to worry...

When we actually got to our cabin, it was totally dark, so of course every rustle in the woods sounded like a bear to me. I kept my pepper spray on hand, only to be made fun of by my sweet husband. Anyhow, we never did have an encounter with the bear, but Jason sure had a lot of fun teasing me about it. We did, however, hear that crazy squirrel now and again. He's apparently a super survivor, because they painted part of the cabin with some poisonous paint to try and kill the little booger, but to no avail!

The rest of the trip was pretty relaxing. We visited downtown Eureka Springs for half of a day. Its the oddest little town! It has sort of a hippie/old western feel to it. They had all of these nick-knack shops and they went on forever and ever! We ate breakfast at Local Flavor (we tried to eat at Mud Street, but sadly it was closed), and then we at lunch at this awesome hot dog place called The Big Dog. After walking, we had a 1:00 reservation to ride the tram tour around Eureka Springs. I think everyone on the tram was over 80, and having a very difficult time hearing the tour guide :)

Afterward, we took a quick trip to Lake Leatherwood where we planned to return to the next day, weather permitting (sadly, it did not permit). They had people out on paddle boats, kayaks, and canoes, a little beach, and lots of room to throw a Frisbee or fly a kite! On the lake, we noticed this sad little goose with one leg. We had a conversation about what may have happened to him. And then he woke up and another leg suddenly appeared! I thought only flamingos did that!

Over the next couple of days we visited the Thorncrown Chapel, Christ of the Ozarks, ate at the Pied Piper, Bubba's BBQ, and Ermilio's, grilled out at the cabin, took a quick trip to Branson, MO to see the New Shanghai Circus (pretty fab), traveled to Berryville for a pedicure (that's right, Jason got one too!), made use of the awesome indoor jacuzzi in our cabin, and got car sick. That about covers it for now!

On another quick note, we have a name for baby boy! Brady Quinn Carmichael (we nixed James for a middle name because I really don't like the nick name B.J.). Hopefully, in the next post, I'll be able to post photos of the nursery in progress!

Much love, Erin, Jason, and Brady :)

Make Like a Baby...

While I am still required to take it easy, I am finding easy things to do to stay productive and entertain myself. For example, today I finally finished researching and purchased our infant carrier/car seat online! It takes a lot of time when you are trying to consider safety, weight, comfort, and aesthetics! Anyhow, I can't wait to drive around with this little booger in my back seat. Other than just being adorable, it will be a constant reminder that we are about to have a kid move in with us!

Other than shopping online, I've been doing research for our "babymoon" that we plan to take in late March. We are going to head to Eureka Springs for several days and stay in a cabin near Beaver Lake. If you know of something we must-do or must-see, shoot me a message.

Anyhow, I have placed another physical reminder that a kiddo is about to arrive in our kitchen. Our bumbo! I'm fairly certain baby boy won't be able to use this for a while, but its super fun to look at. I'm kind of hoping for chubby legs to put in it :)

So talk about a serious, "Head Up, This Kid is Coming Soon" day. Jason and I took the all day Birthing Class at Baptist on Saturday. Lets just say they don't leave much to the imagination. I was grateful though, because they covered everything from where to park when you arrive, to how to install your car seat when you leave. They also gave us a tour of the hospital so we would know what to expect, and hopefully the daddy's-to-be won't get lost when they wheel us up there!

Days Gone By

I can't believe its been an entire week since my last post! The days have flown by now that I am not super glued to the recliner. I suppose if they had kept me on bed rest, I would have been boring everyone with crazy random things that happen around the house every day. For example, there is this the crazy bird outside our living room window that has spent every moment of daylight over the last two weeks ramming his head into the neighbor's window. No joke. He's driving me nuts. I see him in my periphery all day long, no matter where I sit in the house. Somebody has got to put him out of his misery...

In other news, baby boy seems to be doing very well! He's kicking and stretching all day and night long. We are fairly certain we are going to have a hyperactive little dude on our hands come June! ADHD anybody? At least he'll come by it honestly.

At this point he is supposed to be around 15 inches long, and 2.2 pounds. Speaking of which, I am growing and growing and also eating like a teenage boy! I'm not the only one who is having to deal with the changes that are going on. Lyddy is a lap cat if I've ever met one, and she is having trouble staying on this lap of mine. She has to hold on with one paw. She has also begun to notice slight movements on my tummy and seems curious. Pretty soon baby boy is going to be kicking her clean off my lap! Oh, and I've begun to hold Lyddy upside down to try and get her used to a future toddler. :D

Okay, now for an amazing invention that I had never heard of. Our friends Steve and Bennie sent me the cutest teddy bear (have heard of this invention) and something called a Wubbanub. It's a tiny little stuffed animal that has a pacifier sewn into its mouth. This allows Baby to keep the pacifier in his mouth all by himself! I can't wait to try it out! When you get a chance, look it up on google images and you will see all sorts of adorable newborn babies clinging to these guys. Not sure why I didn't think of this one!

Up and at 'em!

I was biting my nails the first half of yesterday. My doctor appointment wasn't until 1:00, and I had been up since before dawn in anticipation of getting to leave the house. I worked for a few hours, and then tried on several outfits for the date night Jason and I would get to have if the doc posted my bail. Jason came home around lunch time to find me painting my nails. He said I was being seriously optimistic! I didn't mind :)

Anyhow, this is me at 12:00. I left an entire hour before my appointment to head to the doctor's office. Thankfully I only had a short wait, and then they pulled me back for an ultrasound. Baby boy looked great (I actually asked the tech to double check that it was a boy for me on this visit - he is :), and they said I looked good to go! The doc took me off bed rest, with a few restrictions (no exercising, lifting, etc). Woohoo! So I celebrated by driving myself to Kroger to pick up a bag of chips and one bunch of bananas. Seriously :P

So last night was a fabulous date night with Jason. We went to the Orpheum for the World Premiere of The Grace Card. The movie was wonderful and they had a fun question and answer time with the actor's afterward. Definitely a memorable evening! But by the end of it I was exhausted and happy to get home and in bed!

Molly Maid Moms

Its been one week, almost to the hour, since Jason rushed me (and baby boy) to the hospital. This means I've been sitting insanely still for over 168 hours. This means that Spalding and Lyddy have had every opportunity to shed and spread enough hair and dander to fill a cat bed. Ugh! It doesn't help that normally I like to vacuum every few days, and use my handy swiffer almost as often.

Anyhow, my fabulous mother, and my sister's mother-in-law (Linda) came by today and did some extreme cleaning! They came bearing the gift of food, the gift of socializing, and the gift of cleaning. I feel incredibly blessed!

We even had some entertainment during the cleaning. Mom got her groove on while vacuuming, and then a piece that I didn't even know existed on the vacuum just fell off. Its apparently the filter that was just tired of filtering. It was pretty funny watching the two of them reassemble it (from my recliner of course).

 

After they finished cleaning, Linda pulled the best chicken salad I have ever had... by far. I will post the recipe the moment I receive it from her! I had way too many servings. In addition, she brought an entire bag of home made snicker doodles and ginger snaps. If I have to remain on bed rest for the rest of the pregnancy, I'm going to have to nix their visits to my house with such amazing food!

After lunch, Jason dropped by with a beautiful basket full of goodies that were sent by Clay and Tabitha! It includes a Sudoku book, word puzzles, Good Housekeeping, Better Homes, The Home Journal, fruit, chocolates, and a drink. The most awesome bed rest gift ever! Thanks Clay and Tabitha!

The rest of the day, the kiddos kept me company while I worked on my laptop (which has been wonderful to be able to do). They seem to want to get out of the house as much as I do!

And We're Off!

A graphic designer who hasn't entered the blog world?! Craziness! Well now that I'm here, its a whole other challenge to figure out where to start. Do I cover the last 20-some-odd years of life, begin with my engagement, my marriage, or this pregnancy? I guess I'll begin with the present-day and hope to fill in some of the craters as I go along :)

Well it took the doctor's orders to keep me home long enough to set up a blog. Yep, that's right. We are on bed rest and home bound for now, but it may not be such a bad thing. They want to keep this little bun in the oven for at least 12 more weeks, so I may have some time on my hands for a while. I'm catching up on all the reading I've been planning to do (Happiest Baby on the Block, Baby Wise, What to Expect, Bradley Method, etc and so on). Hopefully I'll have an idea of what to do when this kiddo (still to be named) gets here!

In other events, I got to observe my hubby assemble the Bob today. I'm dying to take it out for a test run! Maybe Spalding, our border collie, wouldn't mind being strapped in sometime. Treat?


Now that we have the stroller, I need to find a carrier that we like (and hopefully matches the chocolate and blue). Any thoughts?

Well that's all for now! Back to resting (and watching the hubby take out the trash, change the kitty litter, and vacuum). Boy I feel like a bump on a log!