Oh, What?

Declan's new favorite thing is not listening.

A few seconds ago:

Declan, reaching for the knicknacks on top of the bookcase

Mama: "No, Declan."

Declan looks over his shoulder and grins, reaches higher and grabs the owl

Mama: "Declan, NO NO. Leave it there."

Declan pulls the owl down with a squeal of delight

Mama: "DECLAN RIVER. I said NO."

Declan, turning around to face mama: "Wha dis?"

Mama: "Declan, give me that. That's a no no."

He holds the owl out and toddles over, like, "Oh, what? You want this owl? Okay! Well, it's a good thing I got it down for you, Mom."

Must-Haves.

Now that Declan is 14 months old, I guess I'm officially through the "mom of a baby" stage. I mean, he's still a baby to me, but I think technically he's a toddler now. So I'm going to compile a list of the things that were most helpful to us during Declan's first year.

Keep in mind that we did things a little "offbeat" - co-sleeping, no nursery, cloth diapering for 6 months, etc.

1. Carriers. I'm lumping these together because I found each of them to be most helpful at different stages of babyhood. For newborn Declan, there was nothing better than the Moby Wrap. I wore that thing alllll the time. It cuddles and cradles them, plus it's super comfy. When he was a little older (and the weather was hotter, making the Moby Wrap suffocating) we used and loved both the Ergo and the Kokopax backpack. He still fits comfortably in the backpack, and I recently got a regular old sling (on mega-sale from SevenSlings) and it is awesome for carrying him on my hip.

2. Pacifiers. Before you click away because you're anti-paci, hear me out. I was anti-paci, too. Before Declan was born, we had exactly one pacifier, it had been a gift from my doctor's office. It was hidden away in a drawer somewhere; I fully expected to never use it. For the first 6 weeks or so, we didn't use a pacifier. At that point, I was on the verge of absolutely going nuts. Declan was nursing every 30 minutes to an hour, basically back-to-back. Someone suggested trying a pacifier, to see if it was just the sucking that he wanted, and not milk. It was the golden ticket. He started nursing every 3-4 hours. My preferred pacis are Avent Freeflow, but we've used everything from Nuks to Soothies.

3. A great stroller. For the first few months, I didn't use the stroller much, because I always wore him. But as he got heavier, and when we moved to a small town where everything is within walking distance, I learned to love my Jeep Liberty 3-wheeled stroller. It's a breeze to steer and push (I've pushed other people's strollers - there's a huge difference!), it's comfy for baby (can lean all the way back), has plenty of storage space, cupholders, and best of all, speakers that you can plug your iPod into! I would buy it again, given the same budget. If I had unlimited money, my dream stroller is the Bumbleride Indie.

4. Boppy. You may find it strange that the Boppy is so high on my list, but the fact is that we've used it since he was about 4 hours old, and are still using it today. In the early days, it was great for supporting my arm while I cradled him, whether nursing or just holding him. When he was a little bigger, I started using it to prop him up during naps - it was the only way he'd sleep for more than 15 minutes outside of my arms. I still put him in it for naps, although he does sleep okay laying flat. When he falls asleep in my arms, I like to lay him on the couch next to me rather than in the bed in the other room, and I feel safer laying him on the couch in the Boppy, so that he can't fall off.

5. Baby food grinder. It was awesome to be able to just stick some of the food that I made for us grown ups into the `, rather than buy jars of separate (and questionable) baby food. Of course, I did buy baby food sometimes (like when we would travel, or if he needed prunes), but I loved having the grinder there when I needed it.

Been A While

So while my spaghetti-covered toddler is turning the bathwater a lovely shade of pink, I figured I'd catch up on my blog.

Declan is 14 months old, and growing like a weed. I swear every day he is taller and thinner and more toddler-like than the day before. He says words now - "Mama" and "Dada," obviously, but also "wassat?" (what's that), "hi," "bye," and "hot." He has a billion teeth. Well, twelve. But it feels like a billion when he bites you.

He's a pickle. I swear. That boy. He's smart as a whip sometimes, but other times you'd think he was deaf. He has already perfected selective hearing. As in, he doesn't hear the word "no."

We've moved to a new house, about 6 blocks away from our old house. And six times nicer. I'm really happy with it and I have a huge list of DIY projects that I want to do. The old house was so not inspirational at all, but this place has potential. It has its flaws, but nothing that I can't live with.

Plus it has a laundry chute. That's my lifesaver. Our bedroom is tiny, and my clothes could easily overtake it if given the chance, but no! Down the laundry chute! Easy peasy cleanup.

If only I could figure out a good laundry system after the "Down the chute!" part. Wash, dry, then... how to get a big ol' load of laundry up the basement stairs *AND* carry Declan up? We'e been here a week and no clean clothes have left the basement yet. Ha.

Anyway, life is good. We had an amazing Christmas in Texas with my family, came home, moved, bought a car... things are really going well. Knock on wood. Aaron has been super nice, my friends and in-laws up here have been great, and work is going well. I have been pretty tired - haven't quite recovered from the travel-pack-move weekend that almost killed me. But I'm catching up.

2011 will be a great year. Aaron turns 27 tomorrow, I'll turn 22, Declan will turn 2, hopefully we will make our house pretty, maybe trade in the truck for a nice family SUV, get a kick-ass tax return, no fighting, no moving, no upheaval or stress... I can't wait.

What do you think that Natalie Portman will name her baby? I am so excited to see what she chooses, I think it will be awesome.

What do you think that Natalie Portman will name her baby? I am so excited to see what she chooses, I think it will be awesome.

Answer here

CRUNNNNNCH Time

That "CRUNNNNNCH" was the sound of the stress-monster gnawing on my head.

In the next two weeks, Aaron and I have to:

-finish Christmas shopping

-get married

-go to two doctors' appointments

-pack all of our belongings

-move said belongings to new house

-clean up our old, filthy, messy house

-unpack stuff at new house

-pack for austin

-work 176 hours between the two of us

-drive to Kansas City with an almost-fourteen-month-old who hates riding in his carseat

-fly to Austin with an almost-fourteen-month-old who hates sitting in our laps

And it's such a paradox, because I am SO EXCITED!!! for all of these things, but at the same time, I'm dreading having all of them put together.

I guess that's the thing about the holidays. As a kid, you're like, "No school! Yeah! Cookies! Yeah!" But as an adult (especially as a working parent), it's just "I have no money, but I have to buy presents. I have no time, but I have to do a bunch of extra stuff. I have no energy, but I have to be jolly. Great."

Don't get me wrong, I freakin' love Christmas. Seriously. It's my favorite. ("I just like to smile! Smiling's my favorite!" "Make work your favorite. That's your new favorite.")

Christmas has just taken on a whole new facet, now that we have to travel - and by have to I don't mean "UGH. I guess we have to." I mean, "We do not have an option. It's Christmas, and we HAVE TO be in Austin. Duh."

Another new facet - the MONEY! Dear God, presents get pricey when you add them all up. Yeah a $15 might not sound like much, but when you have 25 people to buy for? That's $375! Besides, not everyone gets a $15 present. So you're lookin' at a good $450 when it's all said and done.

Sidenote: My dear, darling cousin Becky just shaved a significant amount off of that number! I luff her!

Anyway, enough complaining. This is my fave holiday. The smell of Christmas trees, sparkling ornaments, yummy food, cider, COOKIES, and most of all, family and friends. I cannot wait to give every one of my family members GIANT hugs. And to sit around the table with them, playing a very enthusiastic game of Apples to Apples. And to fit as many cousins & siblings as we can on Grandma's couch. And to drink wine (legally!) and give Declan his first tastes of macaroons, pecan balls, gingerbread, bourbon balls (NOT, haha, those are for ME!). Maybe even cheese cookies! Please, Mom? :)

Oh Hi

Declan is going through an adorable phase of saying "Oh, hi!" all the time. We wake up in the morning to baby breath on our faces, Declan's eyes an inch away from ours - "OH HI MAMA DADA HI DADADA HI!"

We're moving into the new house on the 17th. Yay! I love fresh starts. And I hate this house. So it's win-win.

Work is good, but crazy. Working with a bunch of girls can get old. The speed of gossip in that place is amazing or disgusting, depending on which side of the gossip you're on. ESPECIALLY regarding pregnancy. We have six pregnant girls (out of about 30 total) and everyone is *obsessed* with figuring out who's next. I have been asked about twenty times in the last two days if I'm preggo.

Nope. Just too much Thanksgiving food, people. Leave me alone.

On a happier note, thing's I'm loving right now:

Raising Hope.

Christmas shopping.

Planning for the new house.

Plain White T's "Rhythm of Love".

The Boden and MiniBoden catalogs that arrived today.

Getting back to writing again (I was up til midnight last night, starting a new story. It felt wonderful!).

My Pandora station that I have customized so much that I'm thumbs-upping EVERY song.

Teaching Declan to catch snowflakes on his tongue.

Whole wheat chocolate chip waffles.

Oh yuck. Why is everyone in love with this stupid song that's on Glee? "Time of my Life?" Give me a break. I mean I love me some Glee, but this song is cheesy and overdone.

Way to ruin my happy list!

Better redeem yourselves with the next song, New Directions!

Baby's First Stomach Flu

We've been through a heck of a week here at the little white house. At the end of last week, Aaron came down with some weird tummy bug... but he's forever having tummy issues, so I kind of blew it off. I mean, I could name five things off the top of my head that Aaron ate that day that could have made him puke (a whole box of graham crackers, raw eggs, a half gallon of milk, questionable leftovers, outdated hot sauce... I could go on.)

But then, in the wee hours of Monday morning, I woke up to vomit on my shoulder, courtesy of Declan. Change the sheets, stay up with him for a while, back to sleep. He seemed fine, except some weird messy diapers here and there.

And THEN, Tuesday night, I woke up from an afternoon nap with Declan and felt super queasy - BAM. It hit me hard. I was head-in-the-toilet for hours. And Declan thought it was the funniest thing. He stood there beside me, laughing, pulling my hair, patting my back, trying to reach in and play with the potty water... hey, Mommy was playing in the potty, why couldn't he?

But we're through it, it's over, and I'm glad. I don't know how parents deal with any sickness longer than 24 hours. Of their own, I mean. Sick kids, they're a pain. You feel bad for them and cuddle them. Sick parents? They still have to do all the work! I had to boil raviolis and heat up veggies for Declan while gagging and heaving. I had to get him ready for bed, put him to sleep, brush his teeth... Before Declan, I would have just been curled up miserably on the bathroom floor all night.

On a happier note, we're all starting to get really excited for our trip to Austin! Aaron's dad has ever-so-generously offered to drive us to and from Kansas City, so we changed our flights - we're now arriving in Austin at 5:30 pm on Christmas Eve!!

Aaron's requirements for the trip are - watching football, sleeping in, The Salt Lick, playing with Daisy, and lots of cookies. My requirements are - spending lots of time with family and friends. Luckily, I think that all of these things are probable!

I have a very tired baby who only took one nap today, for less than an hour. Off to bed!