Baby Industry...

You never realize the power that a certain 'event' has until you immerse yourself in or are surrounded by it.

Weddings are a billion dollar industry. Even a small, backyard wedding adds up fast. Hell, Nathan and I eloped and that added up as well. It really is quite amazing a

With the baby industry, if you're looking for information and you don't have ability to trust your own instincts, it would be easy to be sucked into it. "Formula is best." "Use diaper rash creams." The incredibly long lists of the 'bare minimums' necessary to raise your child best. Even docs are in on it... You child needs this toy, or this piece of equipment to this medical test.

From video baby monitors, to a hand-held computer to help new moms remember which side they last nursed on and what them the last diaper change was. I am serious believer that if new parents just shut out the world and listened to instincts, the baby industry would not be rivaling that of the wedding industry.

As a side note, It's absolutely ridiculous that celebs need to spend $10 million dollars on a nursery for twins... Why not donate that money to a good cause instead???

Just my random thoughts this evening...

Lovey Shot...

Chilling and napping in the Bermuda Hammock in the backyard!!!

Medical Update...

JPA had a well-child check last week (it was supposed to be for 6 months, but we're a month behind due to scheduling issues). Here are the highlights...

• Weight = 15.75 pounds
• Length = 27 inches
• Head Circumference = 18 inches

My goal was to have him in the double-digits for the stupid growth chart & yes, our doc uses the one for breastfeed babies, but his combined score is only 3% for weight and length.

GOOD NEWS... His head score is 70%....

So, in other words, he may be tiny, but he's got a big head full of brains!!! And what does a Northern NH boy need to cover his big head full of brains??? M2... Otherwise known as a Mohawk and mullet!!!!

Political Baby...

So, there is no denying it... This family of three (plus a dog, plus a cat) is psyched about OBAMA ... In fact, JPA smiles really big and laughs when you say Ooobaaaaammmaaaa!!!

Seriously though, the country is NOT ready for Bush version three (Senior, Junior, McCain). I don't think my checkbook/budget can take another republican in the oval office. I'm registered as an independent and I have voted republican previously... But not this time. We need someone who is going to effect change. I don't have much hope in regards to either candidate halting the rise in gas prices... They are what they are and I can't ever see them declining enough to make a difference in my weekly paycheck. I am not a partisan person. I tend to vote for the candidate that I believe will actually make a positive difference that I will feel in my life. Obama is that person. He's fresh, new, and I could listen to him give a 36 hour speech on changing a light bulb. He's that great of an orator....

For the past three months, I wanted to buy some Obama gear for JPA... I was afraid if I did it before Hillary dropped out, my somehow trivial purchase would somehow jinx the very momentum of his campaigning (irrational and superstitious, I know)... So... after the last primary, I finally ordered not one, but two pieces of Obama apparel. The first is from the 'official' website. That way, the $$$ at least don't go in someone's pocket; however, the second is my favorite and I HAD to get it... So, stay tuned and hopefully there will be more updates and my JPA's first birthday, we'll be able to celebrate our nation's first minority president!!!!

Da Boys...

What can my two boys do when the sun is hot and it's nearly impossible to move due to the humidity??? Head to Silver Lake. JPA actually fell asleep in the floaty thingy. And hanging out near naked...

1st Silver Lake Trip...

On Memorial Day, the three of us packed a bag and went to Silver Lake. The temp was probably about 70. The H2O wasn't too bad once your limbs became numb... We stayed about 20 minutes. JPA enjoyed eating rocks and just sitting on the shoreline. The first of MANY trips to come..

Green(er) living and a green baby...

Nathan and I have made the conscience decision to try to cut down on superfluous waste at home. We are also trying to approach decisions from a cost-savings perspective. One major decision we made was to use reusable cloth diapers. At first, JPA was WAY to TINY to even think about using the clothes. When he was two month's old, we were able to tightly wrap the diapers around him. If you look, you'll see just how large they truly are. Also, the white cloth that he is laying on is the acutal pre-fold diaper that he is alway wearing in this photo. It's all about the folding baby!
Within the last two-three weeks, we had to actually purchase the next size diaper. I did A LOT of research regarding all of the different types of actual diapers (AIO - all in ones, pre-folds, contours, fitted, flats) and different covers - wool, synthetic, one layer or two layers, should they close with velcro or snaps. Even for this avid researcher, it was a ton of information. We ended up settling on two different styles.

We had been using disposables at night. This was not the best thing as his poor butt was not very happy. So, we ponied up the money and purchased three Fuzzi-Bunz diapers with double inserts. They are completely usable, good to 35 pounds, and he can wear them from 7 at night till 7 in the morning and they don't leak, he very rarely wakes up to have it changed (once only and it was cause his whole timing/schedule was off) and his skin is nice and dry in the am. Worth every penny!We settled on pre-folds with a new, thinner cover. And--they come in colors!!! It will take JPA from the about 15 pounds he is (we'll find out for sure @ Wednesday's WCC) to 35 pounds. Very economical. And if they do get stained (which is really no big deal) we sun bleach them. The sun naturally whitens them! (Currently unable to get photo stay rotated the correct way... I apologize) We have even switched to cloth wipes... JPA's skin really has never looked so good. The cloth wipes are simple and I just mix up an easy solution to get them wet and we place them in a wipes warmer... Easy peasy...

No dada.. Mama only...

Yesterday (Sunday) was an interesting day. JPA has tooth number 3 and 4 coming in. He has the bottom, front two and is working on getting the two adjacent to those. As is typical with a teething infant, he has the teething cold as I call it-- runny nose, sneezing, fever and one of the few, if only, times that he is grumpy. Try as we might, JPA wanted nothing to do with Dada. He only wanted Mama. Every single time I try to 'pass the baby,' JPA was wise and wanted no part of it. When you are holding him, he will actually throw his entire 15.5 pound body over in the direction of whom he wants--which is all that he was doing. Yesterday, it was all Mama. He might not be able to actually speak words right now, but he most certainly can communicate.

We were finally able to have JPA chill with Dada during bath-time, getting his pj's on and for the nightly story. The caveat was that I had to remain out of sight. As long as JPA didn't see me, he was fine.

Luckily, he seems to be over that right now. No new tooth yet, but they are coming, you can see them under the gums... First there was one tooth... then two... and soon there will be four...

Let the blogging begin and the critics be damned...

Hello the few who read/peruse this blog... Up to now, I've been hesitant to truly write what I want to write for fear of... who knows what...

So, here goes and I hope that for some weird reason what I write doesn't offend or people personalize when they shouldn't... It's just thoughts...

So, enjoy... I guess...