Toddle Along Tuesday--Advice for Mommies-to-Be

There's the standard, new mom baby advice: you will never be able to fully prepare for what life with a baby is like.  Things will be hard.  You will cry.  The first 3 months are the hardest.

But I think the most important advice I keep in mind with every decision I make is this: Do what's best for you and your family.  Formula feed or breastfeed?  Cry it out or not?  Forward-facing carseat or rear-facing?  Yes there are countless debates over all of these choices; is there a right answer?  Never.  Do what's best for you, in your situation, for your child.

Mommy-guilt is a real thing, and we can drive ourselves crazy over whether our decisions are the "right" ones, what our neighbors or friends will think, or what the latest "expert" says.  The bottom line is this--will it make your baby happy?  Will it make you happy?  Then do it.

What's your best advice for new moms or moms-to-be?



xoxo

Independence

Lately, I've been thinking about how independent E has gotten.  She's needing us less, and wants to do things on her own more and more.

She'd rather walk than crawl.  And walking outside instead of being in the stroller?  Heaven, for this little one.

At the playground, she toddles around, choosing what toys she wants to play with.  Mommy says let's go down the slide?  No way, there are swings to be swung!

At home, E will play on her own with her drum set or flip through books for what feels like a long time before whining for me to play with her.

I suppose this has been happening for a while, but what really made me realize how independent she is getting has been weaning; E is now only nursing when she wakes up in the morning and before she goes to bed at night.  And while it arguably might be both of our favorite times of the day, it's also made me realize--she doesn't need me like she used to, even just a few weeks ago.   I'm glad for this new-found independence, for her new sense of self (because isn't that the point of growing up?), but it's sad at the same time.  I didn't think I'd be dealing with my baby growing up and away from me yet--heck, she's only 1!  I also know this just means she needs me in different ways, now.  A year ago, she needed me to provide those basic human needs: food, shelter, comfort.  Now, though, her needs are more complex.  She needs a nurturing environment that allows her to feel safe and take risks, that challenges her and encourages her to learn, and that teaches her empathy and caring for others.  Being a parent really forces you to lay it all out there, to think about what kind of person you are, and what kind of person you want to raise.  Once again, it's one of those things you don't really understand until you have a kid of your own!

xoxo

Tweet Tweet!

I resisted Twitter for a loooong time.  I signed up for an account when it first started getting big, didn't really know what to do with it, and abandoned it.  But, because I'm a little lemming, I decided to give it another try.

I've only had it for a couple days, and I can see the appeal.  It's quick and easy, doesn't require the same amount of effort as Facebook, and integrates with other apps like Instagram quite nicely.  I'm still not getting how people interact with one another personally, but I suppose that's because I don't have a lot of followers/am not following a lot of people yet, and don't have anyone talking directly to me.

So yeah, you should follow me!  And then we can be besties and it'll be fun.  I think?

(oh, and follow me on facebook and pinterest, too!)

xoxo

The Something "Witty"-s

In our neighborhood, there's a hugely popular parenting list-serve that most parents seem to be part of; people post questions anywhere from "What's your favorite kind of bottle?" to "Recommend your 9th grade Latin tutor!" and everything in-between.  There are subgroups for parents who speak other languages, based on when your kids were born, and even if you're a stay-at-home mom or working mom.  In one sense, it's been nice to see where the recommended, kid-friendly places in our area are and to read questions from people going through similar experiences with kids around the same age.  But there's one thing that drives.me.crazy: the way people sign off on their messages.

Everyone generally signs their name with their name, their child(ren)'s name(s) and ages, and then something "witty" that goes along with whatever they're posting about.

For example, say I was writing a post to meet up with some other local moms and babies; the message might go something like this:
"Hi everyone,
The weather looks great today so I was planning on heading over to the playground around 11 this morning.  Let me know if you want to meet up! (normal enough, right?)
Staci (and E, 1 year and going stir-crazy in our little apartment!) (<----the something "witty")

 I hate the something "witty".
1.) Who really cares?
2.) Do you think you'll get to know me better by me including it?
3.) It's usually a complaint (like my example) or an attention-seeking statement (like "E, who just started ran her first marathon while reciting Dante's Inferno in Latin at the tender age of 1").
4.) Let's be honest: I'm afraid of sounding stupid to the other mommies.

Is this normal?  Or is it just something crazy NYC parents do?

xoxo
Staci (and E, whose mom can't even think of something witty to put at the end of this blog post.)

Toddle Along Tuesday--My Must Have

I've already proclaimed my love for my camera on the How To Mommy's Must Have Monday, which is the obvious must-have for me.  So instead of going on and on about that, I'll blather on about my other must-have: my iPhone.

Clearly it's E's must-have item, too.

This is going to sound ridiculous, and I'm the first to admit it, but I'm addicted to my phone.  It's never far from my side, and I literally feel lost without it.  From figuring out where I'm going when I'm adventuring in the city to being able to connect through email and Facebook wherever I am, my phone is my #1 must-have--YES, even beating out my precious dSLR.  Honestly, I'm shocked that E even knows to pick up a phone and talk on it since she probably most often sees me playing on my phone rather than using it for its primary phone-talking purposes.

Caught in the act of iPhone-ing.

What's your must-have item??



xoxo

Balloons

The balloons from E's party have lasted a surprisingly long time.  She's been loving them--every morning, when we come out into the family room she chatters to them and points.  We might have to get a couple every few weeks, just for entertainment!







xoxo

12 Month Update

Well, E, since your 11 month update was so late, not much has changed since then!

 

You're walking all the time, and definitely prefer it to crawling.  But most of the time you'll walk maybe 10 steps, then lose your balance and start crawling.

Saying: You've added "yeah" to your vocabulary, which is actually helpful!  I can ask you want you want, and usually you'll reply with "yeah" if you want it (or to do what I'm asking), or you'll ignore me if you don't.

Signing: You can now sign milk, and you most often do it whenever you wake up while pointing to the chair I nurse you in, or when you're upset about something.

Other Tricks: You dance (aka bounce around) whenever you hear music or if you see us dancing.  So cute!

Currently Loves: balloons and practicing to walk!

Currently Hates: baby oatmeal (this is so surprising, since you've LOVED this from the first time we've given it to you!), being on the changing table, not getting your way.

xoxo

Winter Photos Check-In

We're well into winter now (although NYC hasn't seen any snow that's actually stuck around!  Weird.), so how about a little check-in on my must-take photo list...

• Family photo shoot for holiday cards and Christmas cards ready to mail
• Holiday cards from friends/family 
• Christmas activities:
• NYC Christmas decorations sadly, missed out of this one because of our unexpected long trip upstate.
• Turning on Christmas lights (not turning them on, but already on...I say it counts!), gifts under the tree, visiting Santa at Macy's, my parents' Christmas tree, E sitting in front of the Christmas tree (full-body, close-up and hands/feet) (dang, didn't do her feet...oh well.), E dressed up for a holiday party, E in Christmas pajamas
• our Christmas tree, stockings and E's 1st Christmas ornament
• cookie plate out for Santa dang, we forgot to do this so I didn't take a picture of it!  Next year, next year.
  
• reading a favorite Christmas book actually, I'm going to try to do this one still--E is obsessed with a copy of The Night Before Christmas that my parents recorded themselves reading.  Seriously looks at it every.single.day.  Not annoying, E, not annoying at all.
• A kiss under the mistletoe aw man, this is so stupid of me, too!  My grandma totally had some up at her house on Christmas Eve.  Doh.

Leaving...

•  E playing in the snow
• Icicles
• A tree after a fresh snowfall
• family gathered around the fireplace
• wearing mittens/scarf/winter boots
• Footprints in the snow
• Valentines Day Cards and flowers

Lots of "snow" ones--come on, weather, get to it so I can take some wintery pictures!

What are some of your favorite photos you've taken this winter?

Fall Must-Take Photo List

xoxo

Toddle Along Tuesday--Baby Fashion

I'm a little bit obsessed with dressing E up...when we found out we were having a girl, one of my first thoughts was, "YAY SOMEONE LITTLE TO DRESS UP!"...and then my next thought was, "Crap.  I'm going to spend so much money on her."  I've managed to keep it in check, though, by shopping sales and getting clothes at Target or Old Navy rather than higher end stores.  I figure why spend tons of money if she's only going to wear something for a couple months?  Maybe when she's older and in sizes for longer, I'll spring for Crew Cuts or Gap Kids, but for now, her wardrobe is just fine.

Here are a couple of my current favorite outfits for E.

I absolutely adore this dress.  I liked it ok when we first got it (my mom ordered it for her), but once I put it on her, I fell in love with it.  Ridiculous to be so excited about a dress, right?  The cut of it, the color, the little flowers at the neck--it's all just too much.  The only problem is it's a little fancy, so I don't have many occasions to put  her in it.

This gem of a dress (and tights) are from Old Navy.  I usually only shop the sale rack here (cheap), but I had to get this dress full price because it reminded me of something I'd wear myself.  And naturally, I want my kid to dress just like me ;)

E actually seems to enjoy dressing up--when we put her in her Christmas dress, she lit up, and she loves putting headbands and clips in her hair.  I hope it continues, because I really want to play dress-up with her when she's older (and watch her make S play dress-up, too muahahaha)!

Where are your favorite places to shop for kiddos?

xoxo

E is 1!

Well, it happened.  E is 1!  I still can't believe a year has gone by.  S and I were reminiscing throughout the day, talking about what we were doing at this time and that time a year ago.  I teared up at 4:18PM, her official birth time, remembering being on the OR table and S bringing a burrito E over to show her to me.  She was so little, and had so much hair!

We had a baby party with her little friends on Friday, and family party #1 on Saturday.  We'll be having family party #2 with my side of the family in a few days.  I can't wait!

We kept things pretty simple for her party--ordered trays of food from the local sandwich shop, homemade Betty Crocker cupcakes.  I think my little pops of decor really helped make our little apartment feel more festive!

my little ONE year old!

NOT a fan of the cupcake.  She cried and threw it shortly after this picture.

You can see some of the tissue paper puffs and paper flowers in this shot.  I'm hoping to use the balloons in a first birthday picture outside, if the weather cooperates and the balloons stay afloat.

My little cutie pie is ONE!  Still sounds so weird to say...




xoxo

On Mom Relationships

Being a mother has completely changed my relationship with my own mother.  Growing up, I thought of my mom as a constant: someone who was always there to support me, tell me I'm smart, applaud my dancing, encourage me to practice and get better and whatever hobby I was obsessing with at any given moment.  She always complimented my outfits, told me how pretty I was (even when I was blessed with crazy big permed hair, insanely large glasses and shiny metal braces.  Nerd.), reminded me that I was a good friend when my friends turned into typical 8th grade girls and made fun of me.  And I took it all for granted.  I didn't really believe her, didn't take her words to heart, and mostly just figured she was saying those things because she had to--she was my mom, after all, and had to love me and think I was great, right?

Now, as a mom myself, I feel like going back in time and kicking 14-year-old Staci in the face, telling her to stop giving her mother such an attitude all the time, and actually take my mom's words and actions to heart.  Because of E, I know realize the amount of love my own mom has for me and my siblings.  I look at E, and I feel like I know her so well...I've spent the last 362 (and 9 months) days with her, after all, so I suppose I would know her best.  I'm terrified of the day she starts getting the teenage attitude with me, or even when I stop being able to know and predict her actions and words before she does them (which I realize is coming so so soon).  With her birthday this weekend, I almost feel like I'm starting a countdown to the number of years I have left with her before she leaves me for college and adulthood.  Dramatic?  Probably.  But gosh, it just makes me want to make every single day with her memorable, happy, and fun because they seem so fleeting right now!  I want to tell her all this, make sure she understands just how much I love her and what exactly she means to me, but I know it's pointless.  My mom tried to do the same thing with me, and it's just something no one can understand until they become parents themselves.

I suppose my only option now, really, is to call my mom up and tell her thanks.  And then to hope that, 30 years from now, E does the same to me.  Have you thanked those who raised you lately?  Do it.

xoxo

It's a matter of taste

It's so funny to me how people's taste and preferences differ so much.  Hello, Captain Obvious!  We're all different, so of course we all have different preferences!  But it's true, and I've noticed this more and more when it comes to photography, especially when I post pictures to my facebook page.

Take, for example, these 3 pictures.  Go ahead, scroll through them.

Post-nap look-out.

Her precious blankie

Exploring a new toy

Of these 3 images, my favorite is the blankie, followed at a close second by the last picture.  In picture 2, I love the softness of the light and how her hand and blanket are in focus with the rest of the picture slightly blurred.  It also reminds me of how comforting she finds her blankie--you can see her fingers on both hands holding on to the silky part, which is her favorite thing to do when she's got it in her hands.  In picture 3, I absolutely love the backlight.  I love how it lights up her hair, drawing my eye in towards her face.  I love the look of concentration as she figures out how the toy works, and I really like the black and white in this picture--it makes the messy background of pillows and toys not quite as distracting.

But, the one that got the most "likes" on facebook?  The first one!  To me, that picture is the most technically "incorrect" one of the bunch--not great exposure, kind of grainy, the color was off (hence why I changed it to black and white).  I did like it, which was why I posted it in the first place, but didn't think it was all that special.  But, after seeing all the "likes", I took a second, closer look.  I think what makes this photo special is E's expression--she's giving direct eye contact, and has a look on her face that looks like she was caught in the act.  She looks surprised, but at the same time has a hint of a smile from someone coming into her room to get her up.  I love that, because of what my friends preferred, I took a deeper look at this picture, noticing things I completely missed the first time around!

xoxo

Birthday Party Planning!

E's birthday is just (SOBwheredidthetimego?!?!) a week away, and I've been busy gathering decorations, sending out Evites, and getting presents wrapped for my little one.  I'm going themeless for her party...more just classic little girl pretty colors, if I had to pick one.  One major consideration in decorations is they need to be reusable--we're having 2 parties for E (ok, ok, make that 3...).  There will be one party here in Brooklyn with S's family, and another party upstate with my family a week later since we'll be up for a family wedding anyways.  And there will be a teeny tiny baby party, with a couple of her baby friends, but seriously folks it's going to be so small that I'm more considering it a big playdate rather than a party.

I'm turning to Pinterest, as usual, for some party inspiration.  Here are some of my ideas so far...

Tissue Paper Puffs:

Kelly Hicks Design and Photography via Pinterest

I'm going on a tissue paper puff making bonanza this weekend.  I love the way these look gathered all together.  I'm going to put them in the corners of our ceilings to brighten things up.

1st Birthday Time Capsule:

BabyCenter via Pinterest

I'm obsessed with this idea.  I'll be filling our time capsule with little mementos from the day--a party hat, a favor (if I get/make any), a few special cards, a CD of pictures from the day.


Paper Flowers:

CAKE events + design via Pinterest

I think these look so adorable over the high chair.  I'll be mixing in some tissue paper poms with ours to fill it out a bit.

Balloons!

Parents via Pinterest

I have lots of plans for balloons on E's birthday.  We'll have helium ones all around the party area, and then we'll be filling her room with balloons all over the floor for her to wake up to on her actual birthday.  That's going to become a yearly tradition.  She's going to have so much fun playing with them!

There's lots of other ideas pinned over on my First Birthday Board, but we'll see how many I actually end up doing.  What are some of your favorite birthday decoration ideas?  And got any birthday traditions to share?

xoxo