Before switching to cloth diapers there are a few things I wish I had known. Maybe I would have used them from the start. I did read up on cloth before switching, but a good amount was learned as I went along. I also hear a lot of people remark how they didn’t know this or that about cloth, like how modern they are. I think a lot of people need to know more about reusable options! (This list is part informative and part entertainment.)
I want to touch that.
I'm learning to crawl, mama!
I’m going to grab that.
Can I reach it? *stretches* *cries*
I want that. *Mama moves her or it away*
Now, I want that. *Mama repeats move*
Does this make noise? *shakes object*
Tastes like blue.
Does this make noise? *bangs things together*
I want to nurse. *tugs on mama’s shirt*
I want to see that. *Flips, twists, and turns..still latched*
What’s that noise?
I should grab mama’s hair.
*grabs fistful*
I want to taste it.
Ooh, kitty!
*cries*
I don’t want to miss anything! No nap!
zzzz
REPEAT
Some days… I just don’t know what to do. She’s soooo curious. She wants to touch everything and put everything in her mouth. Nothing in this house is safe! She can be on the floor, on my lap, or in my arms. If she is near anything she tries to reach for it. She’s quick too!
I never thought I’d spend so much time trying to redirect her or constantly try to move things out of her reach. It can be quite exhausting. Does it mean we need to do more babyproofing? Quite possibly.
~~~~~
This post was inspired by the following chart found on Mammalingo. I expanded upon it because she definitely is a grabby grabber right now!
{Heather over at Acting Balanced has been hosting a month long Autism Awareness event which includes fantastic and informative guest posts as well as reviews and giveaways. If you haven’t checked it out yet, I suggest you do before it ends on April 30th!}
I’ve been aware of Autism. I know a few things about it, such as there is a spectrum for diagnosis.
But I don’t know what causes it. I don’t know any definitive symptoms/signs to watch for. I don’t know if my own daughter could be diagnosed with it.
These types of unknowns can be scary. As it is, being a first time mom brings about enough uncertainty and worry…
Is she developing normally? When is she going to do XYZ? When is she going to stop doing XYZ?
There’s always something to worry about as a parent. This I learned quickly!
So, why the fear of autism? I don’t know. I suppose it’s the labels, the stigmas, the challenges.
There was a guest post I read that did have me concerned. Am I missing any signs? Too often it’s easier to identify such things in hindsight.
I’ve thought about it some more and came to the realization that deep down, it doesn’t matter if my daughter would be autistic. And, I’ll drive myself crazy with what ifs. I just need to let it go and trust in her being… her.
We’ve been using cloth diapers full-time for a little over a month now. During that time I used one (maybe two) disposable diaper while we were away from the house. That was in the first few weeks and I didn’t have enough cloth diapers along in our diaper bag. I wasn’t prepared and just grabbed a couple to take with. The next time we were over there for over half the day, I packed plenty of cloth.
Unfortunately, I had to improvise with storing them to launder since I didn’t have a travel wet/dry bag. Now I do, but haven’t gotten to put it to the test yet!
After reading Crissy’s post, Bragging About Your Child at Dear Crissy, my mind was flooded with thoughts on the subject. I think it’s natural to be proud of your child’s milestones and accomplishments and want to tell everyone about them.
First of all, our children quickly become our focal point and we’re excited by all of their firsts. Just like sharing vacation photos, we think everyone else wants to know about them even if they don’t. (Your true friends really do though, or at least, they’ll smile and nod.)
I agree with her that sometimes there’s a bit of a competitive edge to it. But, I think it goes a bit beyond mere competitiveness and very much a part of the desire for social acceptance. We want our children to be demonstrating the same capabilities as their peers. And we are always comparing ourselves to others it seems. However, we still want others to see our children as special, gifted, and unique – even if it’s when they accomplish basic skills and milestones. And this never really stops, does it? Parents brag about their children from infancy through adulthood!
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We had quite the adventure going out of town for my gramma’s funeral. It was the first road trip for Aerissa. The longest car ride she’s been on so far is about 45 minutes one way. This trip took us 170ish miles away from home. But, for being a 2.5 month old, she did well.
Our trip was extended by about 30 minutes to an hour since we had to stop a couple times to feed and change her. She slept most of it otherwise. She did frequently try to fight sleep since she usually has wake ‘n play time after eating. The poor thing would get sick of just being in her car seat too.
What I really noticed what how much extra stuff I ended up packing. We might not have needed all the diapers I brought, but I made sure to pack extra… because if you don’t – then you’ll need them.
Here were my guidelines for packing:
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Some of you may be aware (if you follow me on Twitter or Facebook) that my paternal grandmother passed away yesterday in the wee hours of the morning.
I knew her life was coming to an end. She had a stroke when I was about 15 or 1 6 years old and has been in a nursing home since… that was about 15 years ago. Shortly before Christmas, my dad informed me that she wasn’t doing very well and Hospice was recommended.
After my daughter was born, I was excited for her first Christmas this year. It would renew the holidays for me. For so many years, that time of year was rough… finances were often a challenge. But, when I was about 5 years old, I lost both of my grandfathers within about 11 days of each other between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
My paternal grandfather passed away while we were visiting for Christmas. I still remember that morning.
I tried not to dwell on that too much and focus on enjoying the holidays in a new way for my daughter – it’d be about her now.
Although I’m sad my gramma has passed, I’m glad it was after the new year… even if it was only 7 days before my birthday.
I wish she could have met Aerissa. We sent her a birth announcement and I hope she enjoyed it.
See, this is the time where guilt sets in about not visiting, calling, writing enough. She was about 2-2.5 hours away, so it’s not like she was just down the block, but still…
Weather permitting, we will be traveling to the funeral, which normally would be a 3ish hour drive from where we live. With a baby, that trip will take longer, I’m sure.
But it’s important for me to be there. For my gramma. For my dad.
And for me.
I didn’t get to go to grampa’s funeral. I was young, yes, but old enough to remember him and miss him. It sounds like I’ll also get a chance to see some of my sisters that live out of state – I haven’t seen them in years. The same goes for other extended family members. It’s a shame to get together under such circumstances, but it will be nice to see everyone.
I know this wasn’t the most cheerful post, but it helped me to write it out.
If you are interested in seeing a picture of her when she was a young woman, you can see it here, at the genealogy blog.
Although, this is one of my favorite photos of my gramma and grampa when they were young:
In loving memory
Last night I was gently reminded that I haven’t been posting very much around here. It should get easier to find a few minutes here and there to put together posts as Rissy’s schedule is getting more predictable.
I definitely wanted to start the year off right by having a new post. I’m stealing hands free time while Rissy’s snoozes next to me. Tapping out Facebook statuses one handed is much easier than writing a post.
Her and I certainly have a lot to share about our journey into new mommyhood. Believe you me, this child has taken all I thought I knew about parenting and turned it on its head.
Yes, I still need to finish writing her birth story post. I also plan to share some thoughts/reviews on some baby gear and the like as well.
But, yeah, we started the new year off right by spending New Year’s Eve with family and friends. Sharing in food, conversation, and laughter. Playing Rock Band and Dance Central helped, too. ;) Good family friendly fun!
Happy New Year, Everyone!
