Monday, February 27, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Scenes from Superbowl Sunday
Let's be honest, much of my excitement for Superbowl Sunday is usually because:
1) I get to plan a themed outfit around the team's colors
2) I like the halftime show (Madonna rocked it this year!)
3) I likemaking fun of analyzing the commercials
Also, this year's game day happened to coincide with the release of the Jason Wu for Target capsule collection, which in my opinion, was really the Superbowl for women (yea, you can bet I tried to snag something!). Besides that, we had a fun party to go to!
1) I get to plan a themed outfit around the team's colors
2) I like the halftime show (Madonna rocked it this year!)
3) I like
Also, this year's game day happened to coincide with the release of the Jason Wu for Target capsule collection, which in my opinion, was really the Superbowl for women (yea, you can bet I tried to snag something!). Besides that, we had a fun party to go to!
Baby Max was dressed in a jacket with little football patches, and I wore a Crewcuts shirt, sweater Old Navy, and jeans Nine West... we were representing in both teams' colors and ready to cheer!
Friday, February 24, 2012
Baby Max, 4 months
Baby Max had his 4 month wellness check earlier this week. He's doing great! He
weighed in at 14 lbs 4 oz and measured 25 in long,
putting him in the 25-50th percentile for weight and 50th for height. The pediatrician
also checked out the shape of his head. She didn't mention a flat head again, and
I didn't ask––I'm just relieved our baby doesn't need to wear a helmet!
I thought this milestone age would be a perfect time to do a comprehensive list of Max's strides––the good, the bad, and the ugly––so that I can remember this years from now! It's so easy to forget... Check it out!
{ 6 - 12 Weeks }
Every 2 hours: Lots of air stomping and arm flailing action to indicate hunger, especially during Weeks 6 and 7. Babies at this age don't have much control over their motions. I believe he was also going through a growth spurt during Weeks 6 and 7 because there were some times he wanted to feed 1.5 hours.
{ 12 - 18 Weeks Present }
Weeks 12-15, every 2 hours exactly / Weeks 15-17, every 2.5 hours / Week 18, 2.5-3 hours: At Week 12, air stomping is replaced by a new, super cute pose––he hunches over into his stomach with two fists balled up, clutching his pants and panting in frenzied anticipation for milk! By now, have sadly realized that Max would probably fail this famous 1960s experiment involving children and marshmallows.
At Week 14, he started attempting to "hold" his own bottle when The Fella feeds him. It's the only thing that makes him keep from fussing. I really gotta video this one night!
{ 0 - 6 Weeks }
1 hour 20 minutes, between each feeding: Eat, burp, sit upright, change, sleep. That's it, folks.
{ 6 - 12 Weeks }
Daytime Naps, 3 to 4 every 2 hours, lasting approximately 1 hour in duration: Max takes his first nap after the very first morning feed around 7:30am, and usually stays down for about 1.5 hours, which is longer than his other naps. This gives me time to take care of the essentials: 1) go back to sleep, 2) pump while eating breakfast, and/or 3) shower. These little chunks of naptime don't give me much time to go out and run errands with him even though by now I'm finally feeling a LITTLE more like myself.
Overnight Sleep, 12 hours: Somewhere around Weeks 6 or 7, Max gradually began sleeping for longer periods during the night! First it was sleep for 4 hours, wake once to nurse, sleep another 3 hours. Then it was sleep for 5 hours, wake once to nurse, sleep another 4... until the glorious day of December 29th came around and suddenly we had a precious little baby who slept through the night from 7pm to 7am! No dedicated "sleep training" involved!
I'll always remember that first morning when I woke up with a start to see the clock read 8:32am. Crap, did I sleepily ignore his cries in the night? I raced into the nursery thinking something bad had happened. I saw that he had busted out of his swaddle and it was covering his mouth. I ripped it away, and he woke with a banshee scream. It was like he was saying, Mommy, how dare you wake me! (I've learned my lesson, never will I do that again!)
{ 12 - 18 Weeks Present }
Daytime Naps, 3 to 4 every 2 hours, lasting approximately 40 minutes to 1 hour in duration: Because his naps are typically shorter now, this means there is more time for play! One side note, the present Week 18, Max is uncharacteristically napping for 1.5 to 2 hours... growth spurt??
Overnight Sleep, 11-12 hours: Had a slight sleep regression around Weeks 12-13. Some nights, he would occasionally "sing" or squawk or babble for 30 minutes to an hour. The books say that at this age babies go through numerous developmental changes and it could cause them to be over-excited and wake in the night. Since he wasn't crying, just vocalizing rather loudly, we let him be until he settled down on his own. We lost some sleep considering his nursery is basically in our bedroom!
{ 6 - 12 Weeks }
Liquid with some mucous, various shades of orange, brown, and at times, bright green. Poopy diapers every change: At Week 6, I discovered that doing "bicycle kicks" with Max's legs would help him poop while still in his diaper, rather than projectile poo while in mid-change. This seemed to work about 95% of the time. At Week 8, the projectile pooing in mid-diaper change finally stopped!
From Weeks 8 to 11, Max now tended to poop sometimes while being held, but mostly during feedings. He'd get kinda vicious during the feeding because he was trying so hard to go, and let me tell you this is not fun when your boob is being used as a vehicle for pooping.
{ 12 - 18 Weeks Present }
Weeks 12-14, firming up slightly, various shades of orange and brown. Number of poopy diapers per day decreasing: Also, poops while being held only by Daddy, he doesn't do that to Mum anymore, yea!
Weeks 14-18, firm, one shade of orange, not a hot mess anymore: Now he only poops while sleeping overnight or napping!
Physical exercise (Mommy, not Max): It turns out that Max finds this funny, including Mommy on the Stairmaster and Mommy doing situps while baby sits (heavily) on my lap against her thighs.
Fashion show: I liked trying on my old clothes now that things were beginning to fit again, and Max loved it!
Head swiveling: At Week 6 when The Fella was in Pittsburgh, Max took notice of the room. He enjoyed swiveling his head over and over, left to right, right to left!
Reading: Favorites include "Where the Wild Things Are" and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"
Singing: "Row Row Your Boat," "London Bridge is Falling Down," "The Wheels on the Bus"
{ 6 - 12 Weeks }
Tummy time: Still hates it, but can withstand 5 minutes!!
Name game: "Maxwell. Bennett. Rose!!!" That's basically it, but he gets a giant smile and a twinkle in his eye when I say it.
Looking in the mirror: Max now takes an interest in his reflection. I don't think he knows he's looking at himself, but he's keenly observing by now.
Mr. Robot: His favorite toy from a neighbor is Mr. Robot, and it has a theme song. It goes something like this: "Arigato, Mr. Roboto... dum da dum..."
Changing diaper: Don't ask why, but Max thinks it's fun on the changing station! I think it has something to do with the awesome University of Miami "Sebastian the Ibis" musical mobile overhead.
Reading: Same as above, plus this AWESOME cloth book lined with crinkly tissue paper and attached rings––Max loves feeling it, making the noise, and holding onto the rings!
Singing: Same as above, but my repertoire expanded to include "Pat-a-Cake," "The Wheels on the Bus," and "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider." I usually sing this medley to him to keep him from fussing or crying, and I move his hands along with the beat.
{ 12 - 18 Weeks Present }
Tummy time: Still hates it, but can withstand up to 10 minutes!!
Changing diaper: Still thinks this is fun! (Freak)
Laughing: Laughing contests with Mommy, and he started recognizing the dog at Week 15! He actually laughs at her now, rather evilish-ly (see this video)!
Sitting: It is remarkably early for babies to sit at this early age, but Max did it without support! He certainly can't do it all the time and not for long periods. Still, how cool is this??
Bench-pressing Mommy: This game happened kinda by accident at first, when I leaned over him one day on the bed to pick him up, then he planted his feet firmly on my chest and puuuushed! Strongman Max, yea!
Looking in the mirror: I think he gets it now, that it's him in the mirror! He's actively engaging with his reflection and with me, by smiling and bobbing his head. I like the way his eyes always crinkle up and his lips curl into a big, open-mouth smile when he looks at himself!
Standing: He can bear weight on his legs! I help him to "stand" on top of the bathroom counter so he can look at himself in the mirror.
Reading/Singing: Same repertoire as above.
I thought this milestone age would be a perfect time to do a comprehensive list of Max's strides––the good, the bad, and the ugly––so that I can remember this years from now! It's so easy to forget... Check it out!
Eat.
{ Day 2 at hospital }
{ 0 - 6 Weeks }
Every 1.5 to 2 hours: Max was born hungry. In fact, I could never
hold him without the 'lil rascal trying to scooch down lower to get to my boob, even before the 2 hour mark. You knew when he was hungry because he would do "pirate face"––you know, like when a pirate goes "Arrrr" and one side of his lip curls up and one eye winks a little. And if he was sleeping, it never failed to amaze me how he always knew to wake up
crying exactly 2 hours, to the minute! If he last ate at 2:10am, he
would wake up at 4:10am. I even stopped setting my alarm clock after Week 8. Also, am very proud that I was able to get the whole feed/burp/sit upright/change/swaddle/rock to sleep process down to 40 minutes very early on, yea! { 6 - 12 Weeks }
Every 2 hours: Lots of air stomping and arm flailing action to indicate hunger, especially during Weeks 6 and 7. Babies at this age don't have much control over their motions. I believe he was also going through a growth spurt during Weeks 6 and 7 because there were some times he wanted to feed 1.5 hours.
{ 12 - 18 Weeks Present }
Weeks 12-15, every 2 hours exactly / Weeks 15-17, every 2.5 hours / Week 18, 2.5-3 hours: At Week 12, air stomping is replaced by a new, super cute pose––he hunches over into his stomach with two fists balled up, clutching his pants and panting in frenzied anticipation for milk! By now, have sadly realized that Max would probably fail this famous 1960s experiment involving children and marshmallows.
At Week 14, he started attempting to "hold" his own bottle when The Fella feeds him. It's the only thing that makes him keep from fussing. I really gotta video this one night!
Sleep.
{ Day 3, first nap at home }
{ 0 - 6 Weeks }
1 hour 20 minutes, between each feeding: Eat, burp, sit upright, change, sleep. That's it, folks.
{ 6 - 12 Weeks }
Daytime Naps, 3 to 4 every 2 hours, lasting approximately 1 hour in duration: Max takes his first nap after the very first morning feed around 7:30am, and usually stays down for about 1.5 hours, which is longer than his other naps. This gives me time to take care of the essentials: 1) go back to sleep, 2) pump while eating breakfast, and/or 3) shower. These little chunks of naptime don't give me much time to go out and run errands with him even though by now I'm finally feeling a LITTLE more like myself.
Overnight Sleep, 12 hours: Somewhere around Weeks 6 or 7, Max gradually began sleeping for longer periods during the night! First it was sleep for 4 hours, wake once to nurse, sleep another 3 hours. Then it was sleep for 5 hours, wake once to nurse, sleep another 4... until the glorious day of December 29th came around and suddenly we had a precious little baby who slept through the night from 7pm to 7am! No dedicated "sleep training" involved!
I'll always remember that first morning when I woke up with a start to see the clock read 8:32am. Crap, did I sleepily ignore his cries in the night? I raced into the nursery thinking something bad had happened. I saw that he had busted out of his swaddle and it was covering his mouth. I ripped it away, and he woke with a banshee scream. It was like he was saying, Mommy, how dare you wake me! (I've learned my lesson, never will I do that again!)
{ 12 - 18 Weeks Present }
Daytime Naps, 3 to 4 every 2 hours, lasting approximately 40 minutes to 1 hour in duration: Because his naps are typically shorter now, this means there is more time for play! One side note, the present Week 18, Max is uncharacteristically napping for 1.5 to 2 hours... growth spurt??
Overnight Sleep, 11-12 hours: Had a slight sleep regression around Weeks 12-13. Some nights, he would occasionally "sing" or squawk or babble for 30 minutes to an hour. The books say that at this age babies go through numerous developmental changes and it could cause them to be over-excited and wake in the night. Since he wasn't crying, just vocalizing rather loudly, we let him be until he settled down on his own. We lost some sleep considering his nursery is basically in our bedroom!
Poop.
{ 3 weeks old. He might be trying to poop. }
{ 0 - 6 Weeks }
Liquid, orange, poo every diaper change: From the time he was a newborn, Max had a penchant for projectile pooing on us, the walls, and the furniture. It was uncontrollable. All
our best efforts to swiftly remove the dirty diaper and get the new one
on weren't enough. { 6 - 12 Weeks }
Liquid with some mucous, various shades of orange, brown, and at times, bright green. Poopy diapers every change: At Week 6, I discovered that doing "bicycle kicks" with Max's legs would help him poop while still in his diaper, rather than projectile poo while in mid-change. This seemed to work about 95% of the time. At Week 8, the projectile pooing in mid-diaper change finally stopped!
From Weeks 8 to 11, Max now tended to poop sometimes while being held, but mostly during feedings. He'd get kinda vicious during the feeding because he was trying so hard to go, and let me tell you this is not fun when your boob is being used as a vehicle for pooping.
{ 12 - 18 Weeks Present }
Weeks 12-14, firming up slightly, various shades of orange and brown. Number of poopy diapers per day decreasing: Also, poops while being held only by Daddy, he doesn't do that to Mum anymore, yea!
Weeks 14-18, firm, one shade of orange, not a hot mess anymore: Now he only poops while sleeping overnight or napping!
Play.
{ 3 weeks old with grandma and grandpa }
{ 0 - 6 Weeks }
Tummy time: Hates it (see this video), one minute tops!!Physical exercise (Mommy, not Max): It turns out that Max finds this funny, including Mommy on the Stairmaster and Mommy doing situps while baby sits (heavily) on my lap against her thighs.
Fashion show: I liked trying on my old clothes now that things were beginning to fit again, and Max loved it!
Head swiveling: At Week 6 when The Fella was in Pittsburgh, Max took notice of the room. He enjoyed swiveling his head over and over, left to right, right to left!
Reading: Favorites include "Where the Wild Things Are" and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"
Singing: "Row Row Your Boat," "London Bridge is Falling Down," "The Wheels on the Bus"
{ 6 - 12 Weeks }
Tummy time: Still hates it, but can withstand 5 minutes!!
Name game: "Maxwell. Bennett. Rose!!!" That's basically it, but he gets a giant smile and a twinkle in his eye when I say it.
Looking in the mirror: Max now takes an interest in his reflection. I don't think he knows he's looking at himself, but he's keenly observing by now.
Mr. Robot: His favorite toy from a neighbor is Mr. Robot, and it has a theme song. It goes something like this: "Arigato, Mr. Roboto... dum da dum..."
Changing diaper: Don't ask why, but Max thinks it's fun on the changing station! I think it has something to do with the awesome University of Miami "Sebastian the Ibis" musical mobile overhead.
Reading: Same as above, plus this AWESOME cloth book lined with crinkly tissue paper and attached rings––Max loves feeling it, making the noise, and holding onto the rings!
Singing: Same as above, but my repertoire expanded to include "Pat-a-Cake," "The Wheels on the Bus," and "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider." I usually sing this medley to him to keep him from fussing or crying, and I move his hands along with the beat.
{ 12 - 18 Weeks Present }
Tummy time: Still hates it, but can withstand up to 10 minutes!!
Changing diaper: Still thinks this is fun! (Freak)
Laughing: Laughing contests with Mommy, and he started recognizing the dog at Week 15! He actually laughs at her now, rather evilish-ly (see this video)!
Sitting: It is remarkably early for babies to sit at this early age, but Max did it without support! He certainly can't do it all the time and not for long periods. Still, how cool is this??
Bench-pressing Mommy: This game happened kinda by accident at first, when I leaned over him one day on the bed to pick him up, then he planted his feet firmly on my chest and puuuushed! Strongman Max, yea!
Looking in the mirror: I think he gets it now, that it's him in the mirror! He's actively engaging with his reflection and with me, by smiling and bobbing his head. I like the way his eyes always crinkle up and his lips curl into a big, open-mouth smile when he looks at himself!
Standing: He can bear weight on his legs! I help him to "stand" on top of the bathroom counter so he can look at himself in the mirror.
Reading/Singing: Same repertoire as above.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
{ What I Wore } Chambray & denim
We both needed a break this week, so we hopped on over to Whole Foods for lunch yesterday. Sadly, we've finally almost whittled away our e-gift card––a beyond awesome Christmas gift thoughtfully contributed by everyone in my family––on mid-week lunch outings and strawberry sorbets.
I've never tried this trend of mixing denims but I think it works when pulled together with a waterprint silk blouse of similar blues and silvers. Here goes! I wore chambray shirt Old Navy, blouse Club Monaco, jeans Anthropologie, booties Modcloth.com
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
{ Video } Someone found a new game he likes!
Baby Max had his 4-month wellness visit on Monday. He's doing super! More on that later when there's time... for now...
Happy hump day!
Monday, February 20, 2012
The weekend, succinctly
Despite some sad news, the weekend was nice and kicked off with a lunch on Friday with two girlfriends. We caught up over authentic Austrian food at Julius Meinl, which I last went when I was pregnant and the weather was warm. Their spaetzle and fresh juices are yum, I really shouldn't let so much time pass before the next visit.
Saturday included a surprise Valentine's "date night" from The Fella––massages at a wonderful day spa in a European-style townhouse in the Gold Coast, then appetizers at a favorite downtown resto. Of course, all this was only possible with the help of our good friends, who babysat Max for firstday few hours away from us!! (It was more anxiety-inducing for me, Max was just fine.)
And, finally, the weekend concluded with an awesome brunch at Tweet in the Rogers Park neighborhood with some other good friends and their son. I wish I had remembered my camera's memory card, because the place was really something to see––very hipster with crazy painted walls, framed photos, and the best part, when the owner announced by mic, "It is 11am, the bar is now open!"
Saturday included a surprise Valentine's "date night" from The Fella––massages at a wonderful day spa in a European-style townhouse in the Gold Coast, then appetizers at a favorite downtown resto. Of course, all this was only possible with the help of our good friends, who babysat Max for first
And, finally, the weekend concluded with an awesome brunch at Tweet in the Rogers Park neighborhood with some other good friends and their son. I wish I had remembered my camera's memory card, because the place was really something to see––very hipster with crazy painted walls, framed photos, and the best part, when the owner announced by mic, "It is 11am, the bar is now open!"
Julius Meinl
Channing Day Spa
Channing Day Spa
Strolling in the Gold Coast
Going to the Gold Coast neighborhood in Chicago always makes me feel like I'm Pretty Woman on Rodeo Drive. Oak Street is lined with graceful, old trees and high-end shops like Prada and Jimmy Choo and luxury boutiques like Sofia. You stroll leisurely here, you don't rush. You put on your best furs and Louboutins and you amble around as if you don't have a care in the world. It beckons a certain clientele to open their purse strings, but is also the place in the city to simply window-lust, like over this fantastical Prada gem of a handbag. Yes, please!
I wore blouse Topshop, jeans Anthropologie, vest French Connection, studded belt Streets Ahead via Filene's Basement, leather jacket from London, and booties Modcloth.com.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
New York state of mind
Coming off a very nice weekend, but it was tempered with sadness as I received some bad news about my dear grandmother in New York. We're keeping our thoughts and prayers with her, I guess that's the funny thing about life, you just never know and maybe sometimes miracles do happen. My friend happened to post this photo to her Facebook today, perhaps it's a sign? I'd like to believe.
Valentine's: Coconut chicken with apricot sauce
Valentine's
Day this year with a baby was one of those days where everything you
planned didn't go quite right. For starters, I had intended to make mini egg frittata muffins to pack in a surprise
care package along with lunch and treats for The Fella to
take to work. Well, that didn't happen. I stayed out
later than I expected at an event the night before, so I couldn't prep anything. I ended up making these babies on Valentine's, in the afternoon. #FAIL
Then, I had also planned to take Max to The Fella's office for a surprise visit with more goodies, but his Google Calendar showed his schedule was blocked off for the entire day. #FAIL2.0
I did, however, manage to make 1/3* of a romantic dinner, a coconut encrusted baked chicken with apricot-dijon dipping sauce. I think adding the melted butter is just genius. I've never baked chicken breast that tasted this good. It's amazing and easy and you should make it, too.
Coconut Chicken with Apricot Sauce
1 egg
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup apricot preserves
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Lightly beat egg in a medium bowl and set aside. Mix the coconut, flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Working with one chicken breast at a time, dip the chicken in the bowl with the beaten egg and then coat with the coconut mixture on both sides. Place on the baking sheet. Once all chicken breasts are coated and on the baking sheet, evenly drizzle with the melted butter. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping once halfway.
Mix the apricot preserves and the mustard in a small bowl. Chill until ready to serve.
Freezer Friendly Tip: After baking the chicken, let cool completely, then freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, bake in a preheated oven at 400˚F for 20 minutes.
* The 1/3 is because The Fella got held up unexpectedly at work and wasn't home as per usual to entertain Max. By this time, it had gotten quite late and I gave up the idea of also making risotto and asparagus and opted instead for leftover white rice and brussels sprouts!
Then, I had also planned to take Max to The Fella's office for a surprise visit with more goodies, but his Google Calendar showed his schedule was blocked off for the entire day. #FAIL2.0
I did, however, manage to make 1/3* of a romantic dinner, a coconut encrusted baked chicken with apricot-dijon dipping sauce. I think adding the melted butter is just genius. I've never baked chicken breast that tasted this good. It's amazing and easy and you should make it, too.
Coconut Chicken with Apricot Sauce
1 egg
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup apricot preserves
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Lightly beat egg in a medium bowl and set aside. Mix the coconut, flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Working with one chicken breast at a time, dip the chicken in the bowl with the beaten egg and then coat with the coconut mixture on both sides. Place on the baking sheet. Once all chicken breasts are coated and on the baking sheet, evenly drizzle with the melted butter. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping once halfway.
Mix the apricot preserves and the mustard in a small bowl. Chill until ready to serve.
Freezer Friendly Tip: After baking the chicken, let cool completely, then freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, bake in a preheated oven at 400˚F for 20 minutes.
* The 1/3 is because The Fella got held up unexpectedly at work and wasn't home as per usual to entertain Max. By this time, it had gotten quite late and I gave up the idea of also making risotto and asparagus and opted instead for leftover white rice and brussels sprouts!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
The great debate: cloth vs. disposable
It only took four months but we finally made the transition to cloth diapers. We've had these bumGenius bad boys since before Max was born, but decided to wait until his projectile poo tendencies decreased (side note: we're happy to report that this phased out for good around 8 weeks!). When we told people we were going to go with cloth, we sure got a lot of "are you crazy?" eyebrows raised. But after having used the cloth diapers for only one week, here's why I'm overall glad we made this conscious decision:
1 - Babies in plump cloth diapers are super cute. See?
2 - Investing in a stash of reusable cloth diapers is a good chunk of money up front, but it saves you like a gazillion dollars over the course of your baby's diapered life. Maybe not a gazillion, but certainly a couple thousand. That's good enough for me. Not to mention, reducing the number of much-dreaded trips to Babies R Us and Target, or ordering them online to our workplaces only to lug it home via public transit each time. With cloth diapers, it's a one time pain in the butt (haha!). These were delivered to The Fella's office on the day we had signed up for a Newborn Baby Care class after work, one week before Max arrived. Needless to say, we were the only parents to show up with a box of diapers, ironically so!
3 - They come in an assortment of fun, solid colors. Choosing from Pantone designer-inspired colors like Butternut and Noodle is way more fun than picking which Disney character I want to see printed on my baby's diaper every day.
4 - They're environmentally conscious. I'm like the farthest thing from being crunchy hippie granola, but when you think about how many disposable diapers Americans consume that end up in landfills, even I'm horrified. And with bumGenius's design––snaps, stretchy butterfly tabs, waterproof outer cover, suede inner lining––they go on like a disposable and are just as easy to use!*
I'll admit that sometimes there is leakage, but I'm 99% sure that's because of operator-error. After a week of practice and 4 crib sheet changes, I think I've figured out the correct technique, but I've still got to teach The Fella what to check for so this doesn't happen. We also haven't mastered use of the bumGenius diaper spray which is attached to the toilet. Water sprays everywhere so it can be a little messy if you don't get the right angle from the start.
We're also doing laundry about every 2-3 days now, but that's not a big deal. The loads aren't huge and don't take that much time. Another downside is that the cloth diapers are quite bulky, but you get used to this after a few days.
I'm glad we didn't start with cloth diapers from the start because I was just too exhausted and busy with a newborn to worry about also washing out poo every single diaper change. (Yes, Max was a stinky baby!) But at four months, now's a good time. Sure, we're still going to use disposables sometimes, like when we travel, but I'm quite pleased that I'm contributing to the good of the environment (and to our bank account!).
Plus, a few unexpected bonuses: we don't have to use butt paste on a daily basis anymore and we use fewer wipes per change now. There must be something about the fabrics used that make for a cushier tushy :)
*By the way, did you know that technically you're supposed to wash out the hot messes from disposables before discarding, according to the box. So, cloth diapers aren't really that much more work!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Be still, my heart
I would be lying if I said that the newly opened BHLDN bridal boutique didn't make me want to get married again, just so I could throw another party! BHLDN, pronounced "beholden" (get it?), is Anthropologie's online bridal brand. It opened the doors to its second physical shop right here in the Gold Coast of Chicago this week, and I was invited to cover the launch event on Monday night for PinkMemo.
As media, I got to preview the collections before anyone else. I fell in love with all those gorgeous fabrics and intricate beadwork gracing so many exquisite gowns, got to dab on Acqua Colonia perfume (ordinarily only found in Florence, Italy!), and tour the private fitting salons.
The level of detail contained within the boutique is just incredible––anything and everything a girl could dream of for her big day is right here at BHLDN. You will surely be inspired by things you didn't even consider as you
I also caught up with a few PR girls that I had built relationships with over the course of the last year and a half as a PinkMemo contributor. It's amazing how being a blogger suddenly makes you important and people start calling you "the press." Yea!
The artist who was on hand to cutout your silhouette, like those on vintage cameos, was pretty awesome, too. And,
my favorite part of any event, sipping bubbly and tasting the most amazing passed hors'deuvres like
lobster corn dogs and truffle and fontina pinwheels, to name a few.
Other observations:
1 - At least two women were toting newborns. The hot new accessory? One was being worn facing outward in a Baby Bjorn, crying hysterically, while mum was carrying on a conversation with a flute of bubbly in hand. The funny thing is, you couldn't hear his cries over the deejay's music and partygoers, so baby looked like he was on mute. I don't know whether I was more sad for the baby, or amazed by the new mom who was out having a good time, or incredulous at the people in the conversation who were facing the crying baby.
2 - Some very stylish people were in attendance, like this lovely lady in an emerald green dress and glittery bow purse. Figures her dress is vintage, aren't all the best things? I basically wanted to hit her over the head and snatch her purse. And dress. And shoes! Oh just give me everything, even the hair!
Monday, February 13, 2012
The weekend, succinctly
{ pouty face }
{ baby coat in the coat pile }
This weekend Baby Max went to his first baby shower (besides his own, that is, ha!). It was all too stressful for him, being awoken from his nap to a bunch of strangers looking down at him, then passed off to the parents-to-be while Mommy was whisked away to play a baby shower game and Daddy to meet other guests, not to mention all the party noises! Max was terribly scared and cried nearly the entire time, with us taking turns trying to tame the beast in a bedroom. In hindsight, we shouldn't have let strangers (to him) hold him until he got used to the new environment. At four months, he's old enough to be aware of his surroundings, feel emotion, and prefer mom and dad. I guess that's the thing about being new parents, there is a learning curve!
Besides that hiccup, the shower was lovely and full of lovely details highlighting the architectural beauty of the Lincoln Park apartment. Gorg!!
I wore a new dress by Jason Wu for Target, gifted name bracelet from SoHo, old turtleneck and tights, boots Nine West.
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