Our Trip to NC: Day 1

This past week we took Stretchy with us to visit her grandparents (aka Bob's parents) in North Carolina.  She'd never been on a plane, so we were a bit worried, but everything went well... with us anyway... Bob had a little bit of an issue at security...

We began our trip early in the morning.  After just one poop-splosion, we were loaded in the car and made it to the airport with time to spare.

Upon arriving at the airport, we checked in.  It proved to be a difficult process for some reason, and we came out of it with seats that would require us to yell to each other from opposite ends of the plane.  *Grumble* Why separate a mom and dad with a baby???

Stretchy helped hold the tickets:

At security, with a baby in a carrier, I opted not to go through one of those fancy new scanners.  The security guard had no problem with that- I stepped through the metal detector and only had to have my hands swabbed after touching the carrier.  Easy as pie.

Bob, on the other hand, also did not want to go through the fancy scanner.  He didn't get off so easy.  After much questioning and an attempt to explain the safety of the machine, the security guard begrudgingly allowed him to opt out and only go through the metal detector.  It must be his resemblance to terrorists that also required him to get a pat down.  Ridiculous...

Also ridiculous: This silly giant ball.

Once through security we made it to the gate and prepared to pre-board with all the other families with small children to find that apparently, only those requiring special assistance and military personell are now allowed on first.  *More grumbles*  What's more?  U.S. Airways boards their plane in the wrong order... front to back... *More grumbles*  We finally got on and sat together (despite our assigned seats) and prepared to ask some poor person to make their way from our row at the very back of the plane all the way to the front where my assigned seat was.  Maybe that person had ESP and knew the flight would be more trouble than it was worth, but they never showed up.  *Sigh of relief*

Stretchy did well on the take off, though of course, as soon as we were air born she needed a diaper change.  I grabbed her stuff and made my way to the bathroom, only to find there was no changing table.  To save the nose of our seat-mate, Bob and I tried to change her on the jump seat next to the bathroom, but were soon yelled at.  Fortunately, I'm a speedy diaper changer, and we were already done.  Unfortunately for our seat mate, Stretchy didn't make it to the end of the flight without needing another change...

The rest of the flight was pretty uneventful.  We got lots of compliments on our cute baby with her new ear-protecting ear muffs and tried to enjoy our first flight as a family.

The most enjoyable part!

The second flight didn't go as smoothly, but thankfully it was much shorter.

We arrived at the airport and were collected by Bob's mom who drove us home where we ate a home-cooked lunch.  Thanks Bob's Dad!!

The sandwich looked much tastier than the zebra toy.

Unfortunately, it seemed that the traveling wreaked havoc on Stretchy's schedule and she was pretty fussy the rest of the day.

We tried everything in our giant suitcase of toys to keep her happy, but she just wasn't happy.

Poor Grandma :(

After dinner and a nice bath, we were all relieved when she finally turned in for the night and hoped for a happier baby the next day...

Stretchy's First Boyfriend

The nice thing about really good friends is that no matter how long you haven't spoken, or how life has caused you to drift apart, they're still really good friends when your paths cross again.

One of my childhood friends, C, happened to get pregnant right around the same time I did.  At the time, I was living in Germany and she was living in my hometown, so we didn't really have a chance to commiserate over swollen ankles or the need for pickles at 3am.  It wasn't until we ventured to NH with Stretchy that we were able to get together.  I have to say, its really nice to reconnect with C, especially when we both have just embarked on a drastically new path in life... one that, though amazing and wonderful, comes with its fair share of sleeplessness, crankiness, uncertainty and general insanity that most of our other friends, unless they too have new babies, just don't understand!

The cutest thing is that C's baby, H, is a boy... making him Stretchy's first boyfriend.  At first they seemed a little unsure of each other.

Did I say unsure?  I meant confused and extremely upset...

Still not quite sure...

Now, they seem pretty keen on each other.  Well, some of the time anyway.  At least when they want to share toys :)

Photo that will be on the engagement announcements.

Wait, what's going on?

Oh, we're supposed to sit here together?

Yeah, we could get used to this...

Uh, oh, I think someone's watching...

We were just cuddling!  Honest!

Aw, it's okay... a little more cuddling?

First Time Playing in the Snow

Last week Stretchy and I visited my parents and sister in NH.  It's always nice to get away for a couple of days and have someone take care of the both of us.  Usually my day consists of balancing a baby on my hip while trying to move the laundry around and cook dinner (or at least defrost something from the freezer) while intermittenly playing, dancing, singing or some combination of the three.

It was nice to only have to play, dance and sing.  And occasionally rock and burp and feed and change.  But the best part was that there were three other people around who love Stretchy and wanted to take a turn at entertaining her for a while!

We planned on coming home Thursday, but as always, something had to come up to foil our travel plans. This time, it was a snowstorm.  Yes, snow.  There hasn't been snow all winter, but the one day I plan on driving, it snows.  A lot.  Too much to drive in.  I would say I was disappointed, but it was pretty awesome to be stuck in NH for an extra day of TLC.  AND, the following:

The first snowflakes were cold and wet

But soon it was fun... Look at the cute baby snow angel!

Lying on the inner tube was fun... 

We weren't so sure about being pulled around... 

A Third Chair at the Table

At four months babies can start eating solid food.  In preparation for Stretchy eating, we bought her a seat for the table.  We might have gone the actual high-chair route, but we really don't have the space.  This travel baby chair is pretty awesome and it takes up less space than a normal chair at the table.  AND it looks really comfy.  I wonder if they make them in grown-up sizes?

At first she seemed a little confused...

But then decided she liked it.

Metzker liked it too.

I guess the typical first foods are vegetable purees and cereals.  We're thinking about Baby Led Weaning, where the baby starts eating real food when they're interested instead of being spoon fed.  Stretchy isn't quite ready for this yet, but since she's sitting at the dinner table now, I figured we'd see how she liked real food.

Food 1:  Squash.
Stretchy's Reaction:  Seemed to like it.
Amount eaten:  Sucked off some juice.

Stretchy's First Swim!

 

Let me start by saying that babies in bathing suits on beach chairs are absolutely the cutest thing in the entire world.  I must also credit the humidity in the pool area for making what would have been an awesome photo even awesomer- I mean, I don't know how to make my camera do that on my own.  So thanks humidity!

This weekend has been a weekend full of visitors.  Bob's brother visited and my aunt came to town.  Might have something to do with school vacation starting Monday... 

While the guys were off doing "boy things," my aunt, my mom (who never passes up and excuse to come visit her granddaughter), Stretchy and I went swimming in the hotel pool where my mom and aunt were staying.  

She's a natural fish.  She LOVED it.  Even the getting dunked underwater part (what? you're not supposed to do that to babies?)

Cutest thing ever.  That's all I have to say.  Here's a video to prove it.

My Personal Trainer

A mom's body just isn't the same after having a baby.  Period.  If yours is, congratulations, I hate you, and stop reading this now.

There are an insane number of workout videos, books, CDs, you name it- all with the promise to help shed the baby weight.  I suppose when you consider that 80% of women have had a child (roughly? the number was 82% in 2008, its probably a lucrative business.  

I was naive enough to think that I would have time to work out and bought a book and a video.  I have done the video exactly 0 times.  I read the book and did a couple exercises... um... twice?  I suppose if, unlike me, you have a baby that naps for more than 30 minutes at a time or more than 3 times a day, you are lucky, I hate you, and again, stop reading.  If I actually tried to do a workout video, I'm pretty sure this is what would happen:

Rock baby to sleep.  Put baby down.  Baby fusses.  Pick baby up.  Rock some more.  Put baby down.  tiptoe upstairs so baby doesn't wake up.  Change into workout clothes.  Find DVD.  Turn it on, with very low volume.  Start workout.  Stretch.  Do something that involves a jumping movement.  Startle baby.  Freeze.  Stare at baby to make sure she goes back to sleep.  Wait a couple minutes to make sure she really is asleep.  Resume workout.  Complete 2 exercises.  Baby wakes up.  And its a wrap... I'm pretty sure those two exercises aren't going to do anything for me.

So I've wasted a few bucks on some workouts that I probably won't ever do again...

Good news is, I've found a solution.  A personal trainer.  Usually personal trainers are expensive- $50 a session.  I've found one for free.  The exercises she's taught me are great- body weight exercises with high reps.  She's available at all hours of the day and is teaching me that you can squeeze in a workout just about anywhere any time.

Because I'm a nice person, I'm going to share her exercise that guarantees a six pack in under 4 months.  She started out with a pot belly and I can definitely see her results!

Anytime you are lying down, preoccupy yourself with something fun and reverse crunch away:

Happy Valentine's Day

To start this post, I've never really been a fan.

BUT, I have to admit, I am kind of a sucker for cute Valentine's art projects and cookies.

I had big plans: cute window hangings, handprint Valentines, cute heart-shaped cookies...

And yet, here it is, Valentine's Day, and my windows are bare, no one is receiving Valentines and while I would love a sugar cookie, there are none to be found.

We got sick :(

Being sick is no fun.  Being sick with a baby is no fun-er.  And being sick with a sick baby is just about the worst thing ever.  Not only do you not want to play, but baby doesn't want to play either.  Baby wants to cry.  You are tired and don't know how to make baby stop crying, and that, in turn, makes you want to cry.  It's been a long couple days.

Fortunately, we were both feeling well enough to at least do something a little Valentine-y...

Here are some pictures of a baby in a tutu.  What could possibly be cuter than that??