My Mellow Mommy Monday and a gift for Valentine's Day!

Dear Monster,

   I can't freaking WAIT until you're in school and we have to stay up late making cookies and cards for your class! We're going to have so much fun talking about all the kids in your class and about who you want to give that "special valentine card" to. It's gonna be great, but until then we'll cuddle and hang out and talk about what Daddy gets us each year. :)
~~~

Hello readers and Happy Valentine's Day!! Let's start with yesterday... We were visited by our good friends over at In The Land Of Lou, Miss Alyssa and Mr Jonah! Alyssa and I absolutely LOVE our Mommy Days and Liam loves watching and learning from Jonah. As always, us Mommys had a chance to sit and talk about life, love, and family while we munched on Chicken Pot Pie and enjoyed our monsters taking some long naps.

Jonah's messy face after lunch time

Jonah enjoying the excersaucer

Liam checking out how Jonah was rocking the excersaucer

Sitting on the floor with Mom :)

Waiting for...

MOM!?!

Getting nervous about the camera

Silly man...

Jonah getting kisses from Mom

Facepalm!

Trying to get a picture with the boys

We gave up and just ended up getting a picture with the Moms

What an awesome day! Can't wait until our next Mommy Day! :D But, alas, we had to head to our separate corners of good ol' Colorado and move forward to today, which is VALENTINE'S DAY!?!

I am SO not a mushy-gushy-lovey-emotional-puddle-on-the-floor type of person...but I still love Valentine's Day! I try to show the appropriate amount of mush on this day. I give a gift, give a hug, give a kiss...and whatever else. ;) I've tried the full spectrum of gifts throughout my many Valentine's Days and I have found one tried and true rule for gift giving: Simplicity is best. Obviously for the big things it is necessary to be extravagant but for annual holidays and birthdays, I love the simple things in life.

So, for this Valentine's Day I fell in love with this simple idea for your significant other:

The New and Improved Gift Basket!

It's called The New and Improved Gift Basket because everything in it is a new and improved version of something that your significant other already has! I love the creativity that is involved in this gift basket and how it reminds your Valentine of how well you know them and how much you love them and want them to have the very best in life!

Step 1: You'll need a basket-  A great example of a basket for this would be if your Valentine needed new slippers or shoes! Grab a new pair of your Valentine's favorite slippers or shoes at their favorite store and TADA: BASKET!

Step 2: Filler- This is my favorite part! Does your Valentine need a new razor? Is their wallet falling apart? Did their favorite mug get broken a couple of years ago? Is there jewelry that needs to be repaired? Can you hunt down their favorite body soap or deodorant that's running out? How's that favorite toothbrush looking these days? That towel that they always use at home and take with them on every trip? Get creative! You know their routines, wants, and needs better than anyone so take a couple of minutes to run through the routine and find out what's fading, cracking, tearing, or just plain missing. 

Step 3: You'll need some kind of wrapper for the basket- I love the idea of a new version of an old shirt for this. Does your Valentine have a favorite jersey or print shirt that is fading or ripping? Find a new version and wrap your completed basket in it!

Step 4: Finalize it- Finish up the basket with a gift card for you guys' favorite restaurant where you will both try something brand new on the menu. It could become your new favorite food!

What do you think? It's great for a last minute idea because it involves things that are already sitting around the house and that you already know your Valentine loves! If you chose to use the idea, I hope you enjoy putting it together and that your significant other loves it! If you chose a different idea, what was it? How did it go?

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!!!!! If it's not full of mush, I hope it's full of fun...but it better be bursting with love. If not, come talk to me. :::hugs:::

Adventures in Baby Swaddling

Dear Monster,

   You grew so fast! And you're such a little Houdini with your arms! We had to buy you a larger swaddle that would actually hold you in. We tried to let you sleep through the night without the swaddle...nope, you wanted nothing to do with it. Your physical therapist says this is fine for at least another couple of months so we're gonna roll with it, work with you, and hope you're not still being swaddled by your significant other someday. ;)
~~~

Two blogs in one day?? Whaaaaaat??

I just had to share our swaddling story with you guys. Why? Because our brand new swaddle arrived today!! I'm going to post about our progress with it because it's a strange swaddler and it may or may not work so we'll be learning together!

As I'm sure you guys have read, Liam was in the NICU for 7 1/2 weeks after he was born. During this time it was very important for him to be swaddled as a premature baby's "moro" or startle reflex is usually brought on by excessive stimulation with their arms. So from about 3 weeks on, he was tucked into a preemie swaddle and he did just great!

The very first time Liam was swaddled. He loved every second.

We had been told that the more chances he had to contain himself and sleep the more he would grow. So, we were very please to see that Liam adored his swaddle time. We would wrap him up, in what now seem impossibly small swaddle blankets, and he would instantly fall asleep and rest for hours. This wonderful trait continued throughout his NICU time and onto his time here at home. We've gone through three different stages of swaddle so far.

1. Swaddle Blankets

We loved Carter's brand Swaddle Blankets. They are super stretchy and they're pretty big so there is some growing room!

2. Halo brand Micro-Fleece SleepSack Swaddle (Preemie)

The NICU sent us home with this wonderful swaddle. Made of the softest Micro-Fleece ever (in my opinion), the SleepSack has adjustable velcro straps that help contain the arms but, unlike other swaddles, also allows for the arms to be outside the swaddle. It's also the only product that carries the gold seals from leading SIDS and safety organizations and is approved as "Hip Healthy" by the International Hip Dysplasia Institute. We freaking loved this thing!

3. Halo Brand Micro-Fleece SleepSack Swaddle (Newborn)

This size was also sent home with us by the NICU. Liam finally fit into it about a month ago. All of the things listed for the Preemie swaddle sack apply to the Newborn size. The only difference is that the velcro arm wrapper can be removed so that it can become just a sleep sack instead of a swaddle sack.

Well, Liam has finally grown out of the Newborn size and, as much as we would love to continue with the Halo brand, Liam has figured out how to maneuver his arms out of the swaddle, then he uses said arms to twist himself into some awful position, then he cries...at 2am. This coming from a kid that has been sleeping through the night for the last 3 months. Uh-uh. Not okay. Mommy loves her sleep entirely too much. So, Sean and I had to find a different brand. What we stumbled across in our search was the Pea Wee Baby SwaddleBuddy Sack! We ordered it on Thursday and it arrived today! I am so so so excited about this thing!

Here is how it works:

Here is ours that came today:

 The directions:

Our brand new swaddle is in the wash right now and I can't WAIT to use it tonight! We love the color! We love the idea behind the design. We're just hoping it actually works well. It may take a couple of nights but I will keep all of you updated as we work through the growing pains of trying something new. 

If you have a kiddo, did you swaddle? What was your favorite brand? How long were you able to swaddle? 

In general, have you tried anything new this week? Something new coming up for you?

Simply Saturday

Dear Monster,

   We have been a busy family for the last couple of days and you have been SO good! You smile at people, you don't cry when strangers hold you, and you slept through most of the meeting yesterday! You're growing up little man. We love you!
~~~

Hello readers! Sorry for absence on Payday Friday but, as you read above, we have had an intense couple of days. On Thursday I pulled almost 12 break-less hours at work, then came home and had to work super late (with the help of a glass of wine and my amazing husband) on my presentation for my work meeting on Friday. Normally I am not a procrastinator but a kid, a husband, friends, and life in general have made a procrastinator out of me. Friday morning I got my little man up around 530am (after such a loooong day on Thursday this was just torture) so that he could eat at 6, then eat again at 10am so that we could make it to my meeting at 12pm and stay there for what seemed like forever! After the meeting, which he did amazing at, we went to Lacey's house and hung out there for a while. Again, he rocked it! Once we got home, we ate, settled the tummy, and we were right out the door again to go to Target and buy the stuff for Liam's dresser, some formula, and a couple of those impulse items that Target is just wonderful for. We then came home, ate dinner, put the dresser together, almost had heart attacks when we realized it was 1130pm and Liam hadn't been fed yet, fed Liam, then went to bed.

Liam's new dresser! I love the little shark cube!

I am tired.

So, today is Simply Saturday. I have no where to go. I have nothing to do. I get to just relax. Today I will be browsing through applications from people who want to come to my house and watch my son (and try to sift through the homicidal maniacs), fill Liam's new dresser (we didn't quite get to the point of putting clothes in it last night), possibly do some housework (maybe only laundry), play some Skyrim, enjoy my time with my son, and enjoy the snow that is, once again, falling. Today is going to be a wonderful day, damn it! ;)

What are you guys doing today? How are you enjoying this Simply Saturday?

Worried Wednesday

Dear Monster,

   Your father and I are making some big decisions here in the next few weeks about having someone come take care of you twice a week so that I can go back to work. This is not an easy decision but please know that whatever we decide, it's in your very best interest. We wouldn't do it otherwise.
~~~

Good morning readers! I am having a Worried Wednesday. Obviously, as a parent, you want what is best for your child. Today I am learning that knowing that you WANT the best and knowing what IS the best, are two very different things. Let me preface this debate by saying that me being a full-time Stay-At-Home-Mom is not a possibility for us financially. Right now I work 2 days a week and Sean works the other 5 so that one of us is always home with Liam.

The great debate has finally happened in my house. Return to work full-time or stay part-time and be home with Liam 5 days a week. This question was recently made much harder because my boss offered me the promotion of my dreams. It is, quite literally, my dream job (besides being a Stay-At-Home-Mom, of course) and it is, quite literally, being handed to me. I have busted my rump for 4+ years to get this dream job. Everyday that I worked I would tell myself that all the crap was worth it because someday someone would recognize what I was doing and how well I was doing it and they would ask what I wanted and I would shout it from the rooftops!! Well, that day has finally come...and I am torn.

Side A: Part-Time Work/Part-Time Stay-At-Home-Mom
I ADORE my child. He is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Hands down. Every moment with him is an absolute miracle (though some miracles tend to be more frustrating than others) and growing and learning with him are my two favorite things in the whole world. Sean and I have seen this child through so very many hard times and I feel like things are finally back on track for him to become a normal, healthy, happy monster. I feel like I can finally enjoy his normal developmental stages like eating solid foods, touching his toes, and babbling on and on. I can finally do all of these things without worrying if he is going to live through the night, what testing needs to be done tomorrow, and who his care givers will be throughout the day. I feel like we are back on track to being a normal family and all I want to do it wallow in this wonderful miracle of my life. I want to do Mommy dates. I want to know every single thing my child does all day. I want to be there for every single development. I want my child to know his mother loves him and that I will ALWAYS be there for him. I know that this is all possible while being a working mom too but I feel like I would have a closer and more solid relationship with my kiddo as a Stay-At-Home-Mom. I love our cuddle days, our grumpy days, and even our teething days. I've actually started to enjoy house work (***GASP***) and I have everything on a nice, neat schedule right now. I love that my husband gets to come home to a clean house (most days) and a happy, healthy family. I love that I am the runner of the household and that things run smoothly (most days). I love being able to vent and bond with people on my blog, and that I have an awesome support system of Mommy Helpers in all of my friends here in Colorado and in my fellow-Mommies on CafeMom. I feel like if I wasn't home as often as I am I wouldn't have time for all of the wonderful things I have come to love about my life recently. I worry that I would become more stressed and angry and possibly resentful of not being able to be home, where I feel like I belong.

Side B: Working-Mom
I ADORE being able to provide for my child. I love that I have knowledge to give him. That there is something substantial about me that will someday fascinate him. I look forward to "Take Your Child to Work" days (wait...do they still do those?). I look forward to Career Day at Liam's school. I love that we will have extra money around the house to buy him things that he needs for his development and fun. Liam will only be watched by someone else 2 days a week. The other 5, either Sean or I will be home with him. Me working 4 days a week will even out how much time each of us spends with Liam. This will be a positive step because right now I see him the most and you can tell that there are days when Sean wishes our positions could be switched. This way, it's all even. But I also know that it will be rough because there will be days when I come home and I am completely exhausted and Sean is completely exhausted but one of us has to stay up. I know that Liam struggles with new people feeding him. He doesn't scream or cry but he definitely KNOWS that it's not Mom or Dad taking care of him. It hurts my heart that someone else may get to see his first steps, his first words, or his first true response to something like sign language. I know all of this but I know that it is important for me to be someone other than just Mom. To have substance to who I am. To have the ability to morph from Mom to Wife to Courtney at the drop of a hat means that I will be a well adjusted human being. To continue my education and to continue to, not just grow, but THRIVE in my career have always been important to me. I know it's important to have something of myself to reflect back on once Liam is out of the house. I know it's important to bring new and exciting things to the table in my relationships with my son, my husband, my family, and my friends. I feel like I could accomplish all of these things by returning back to work and continuing my career.

Answer: I have no freaking idea what is best for my family. I never thought it would be this hard. I figured I'd pop Liam out, hang out with him for about 12 weeks then return to work full-time while Liam was at day care. :dusts hands and walks away:

*sigh* That, my friends, is just not how things are playing out. Trying to find someone to watch my child is STRESSFUL. I trust NO ONE! The two days a week that I work I am checking our BabyESP app at EVERY possible moment to see what's going on and that's just when he's home with his own father! I can't even imaging how I'm going to act when he's being taken care of by a stranger! Liam is constantly in the back of my head and when I get home it is sweet relief every time. Not easy. Not simple. Not anything like I thought it would be. But there are two sides to every coin and I need to truly decide what's best for me, my son, and my husband. No one else. Just us. You'd think that figuring out the best option for 3 little people would be a hell of a lot easier than this.

So what do you all think? What do you prefer? What would you chose? Any advice for this stressed-out, guilt-ridden, over-thinking mother?

Is there anything going on in your life that is causing you to have a Worried Wednesday?

Tempting Tuesday #3

Dear Monster,

   Your Grandma sent you this Elmo activity book that you absolutely adore! You were grabbing the stars and you loved the material that made up the shower curtain on one of the pages. I'm so glad you like these things because reading to you and watching you learn are some of my favorite times!
~~~

Hello again readers! Sorry about the delay in posts! It's been a pretty intense couple of days for our little clan here. Between Denver getting two feet of snow, Liam having a really rough day, and getting a visit from The Harris family, we have been in a whirlwind of action. But I'm back and ready with a fantastic author for Tempting Tuesday! When I'm in the mood for castles, maidens, and a Scottish Brogue I turn to Highlander Romance and:

Monica McCarty

Monica McCarty is the only reason I am a Highlander Romance fan. By now I'm sure you've noticed that I like a writer with a sense of humor and the ability to write HONEST characters. I am just not a fan of swooning maidens and lost loves just because they didn't have a conversation about how the hero and heroine actually felt. I need to see strong woman, caring men, and an active libido. ;) All of the above are what Monica McCarty is famous for. Combining her life experiences of a law degree, her travels all over the world, her husband's professional baseball career (Dave McCarty and the 2004 World Champion Boston Red Sox ring a bell for anyone?), and her life as a mother into a knowledge base for her worldly and fun characters, she has created a wonderful career for herself.

A self proclaimed nerd and lover of every single type of writing, Monica McCarty's love of reading began very early in her life. It was through her Comparative Legal History class, and a paper on the Scottish Clan System and Feudalism that she fell in love with Scottsmen and the idea of Highlander Romance. And after working through her legal career, getting married, having children and building a family while her husband was traveling all over the country with different professional baseball teams, she finally decided to do something for herself. She started writing and never looked back.

Some of my favorites of hers include:
The Campbell Trilogy
The MacLeods of Skye Trilogy
and her most recent and currently in progress - The Highland Guard Series

All of her books are historically accurate (though she may fudge on how romantic and passionate the relationships were). Because of her absolute love of research and debate she makes sure that all books are thoroughly researched and that most of the situations she puts her characters into are as historically correct for the time as possible. She also makes sure to include the history surrounding the era she chose to write in on her website.

I hope you guys look into her books! I adore her! And her men aren't too bad to read either. ;)

Happy Tempting Tuesday everyone! For us, today will be filled with a newly rolling monster, some Skyrim, and snow!! What are you doing today??

Payday Friday #3

Dear Monster,

   Your pediatrician told us that babies can have symptoms of teething for several months before they actually get a tooth. You've been "teething" for around a month now and we have yet to see a pearly white. Hopefully you'll cut one soon! The drool is getting a little out of control. ;)
~~~

Good morning readers and welcome back to Payday Friday! My husband actually purchased this weeks Payday Friday piece. We absolutely love love love it!

Welcome to the Payday Friday group: Stage 1 Tommee Tippee Teether!

This simple teething product left Sean and I facepalming ourselves and wondering why we NEVER thought of it! We could have been MILLIONAIRES! ;) WE love our Tommee Tippee Stage 1 Teether because LIAM loves it! It takes a couple of practice runs to figure out the easiest way to get it in your little one's mouth but once you figure out the trick (one side at a time!) it's so easy! The very middle of the arch is flexible for easy manipulation. The textured surface helps massage the gums and promote quicker cutting of teeth. Channels along the teething arch make it easier to apply teething gel. Though our family doesn't use OraGel or other teething gels, several reviews and other Mom's I've talked to say that the channels help the gel stays in place while you put the teether in baby's mouth and promotes even and complete distribution of the gel! You can also dunk the teething arch in water then throw it in the freezer to help with inflammation and irritation while your little one is using it. Because of how it's formed, baby can still babble and breath easily while using the teether and if they're done using it and want to take it out themselves (as Liam has recently decided to learn how to do) one little tug and the teether pops right out! No struggle, no worries! Liam has trouble with regular circular teethers because his mouth is still tiny and he doesn't like to grip things for too long (there are waaaay more exciting things to do hehehe). This one stays in his mouth like a binky while allowing him to continue on with his attempts to roll over, his exercauser time, and his cuddle time with Mom and Dad. If you're struggling with teething, or you just want to try something new, this is the product for you!

What works/worked best for your little one while teething? Are you going to try today's product? If you already have one, do you love it or hate it??

That will conclude yet another Payday Friday! I'm going to treat myself today by trudging into the snow to get my hair cut! So excited! Happy Snow Day and if it's not snowing where you are, Happy Regular Friday! ;)

Whistle While You Work Wednesday

Dear Monster,

   Thanks, in large part, to your father you have a semi-constant flow of modern rock, classic rock, heavy metal, modern classical, and occasional pop music playing in your room. We don't know how, if at all, it will help you but we're hoping you'll enjoy Metallica concerts as much as we do someday because, yes, they will still be rocking.
~~~

Hello readers! You may have noticed the absence of the usual "Temping Tuesday" but yesterday was a rough day for the Monster so we spent most of the day having cuddle time. Next week, look forward to hearing all about my favorite author for the genre of Highlander Romance! Woo!

I have spent most of my morning putting together the playlist that you probably hear in the background right now. Thanks to the lovely Miss Alyssa over at In The Land of Lou, I fell in LOVE with the idea of having music play while browsing around a blog. So, I completely and shamelessly stole her idea for a playlist (Sorry Alyssa! You're just brilliant! You should expect some copy cats. hehehe). When you visit Alyssa's site you will be welcomed by any number of lovely, lilting tunes that put you in a cozy mood to read her wonderful blog. As for mine...well...There are all kinds of stuff on there. All. Kinds. You may have to sort through it to find something you like but I can guarantee there is something on there for everyone.

So, as I was browsing through music that I wanted on my playlist I started wondering how I would define my music preference. Honestly, I can sit and happily listen to every single song on my playlist. It ranges from country (love me some Reba), to classical (oh Yo-Yo Ma...you make my heart soar), to heavy metal (sometimes I just need a little Five Finger Death Punch to bash around to), and pop (Yep. You should expect some GaGa...it's me after all). I don't really think I have a "favorite genre" of music. I'll listen to anything that gets my heart pumping or gives me goosebumps. Honestly, anything. I've heard Christian music that moved me to tears and I've sat through some Lamb of God (most definitely NOT what it sounds like it would be!) where I was able to appreciate the most beautiful poetry. I just love music for every tiny bit of it.

My musical habits and appreciations come mainly from my high school experiences and activities. I played the cello in high school and fell hard and fast for the rich tones and harmonics that can come from that instrument. I was also part of the color guard for the marching band during which time learned to appreciate the climaxes and tumbles of some of the most amazing compositions. All the while I was listening to Mariah Carey and Metallica on the radio on the way to school.

Some of my most emotionally jarring moments in my life, good or bad, are associated with certain songs, groups, or artists. I remember my Aunt Marci (that passed away on 2001) whenever I hear anything by Sarah McLaughlin, Linkin Park reminds me of my cousins, the songs "My Friend of Misery", "Nothing Else Matters", and "The Way You Look Tonight" make me think of my husband. Give me rap and my best friend Angela is gonna fly into my mind (long story), then give me pretty much any pop music from the 90's and there's my best friend Haley. Garth Brooks? Shinedown? Hi Mom! Anything by Eminem? You better believe Buster is there. The album All I Ever Wanted by Kelly Clarkson is gonna make me cringe and want to cry no matter how many times I hear it. And if you play me either "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion or "I See You" by Leona Lewis I will cry all of over you...damn you James Cameron!

So, I want to know: What are your favorite genres of music? What parts of your past have made you love or hate certain types of music? What's the one song you could listen to over and over? Is there a specific song that brings up sweet or sad memories? What's your favorite tune to Whistle While You Work?