Phillies 1 Yankees 1

Well, now it's an even playing field...except that tonight, they're playing in Philadelphia! Welcome NY.

Let's Go Phillies!

Phillies win game 1 of the World Series! We'll post a picture for each game.

Poker Face

Don't give it away with your eyes.

Sleep PS

To clarify from my sleep post, when I say everyone...I don't mean everyone. It's more interesting to me the complete strangers who ask if she's sleeping through the night. It's reminiscent (sp?) of all the lovely people guessing at how pregnant I was in my liquified state. All friends and family are welcome to ask anything you want without fear of retribution via a blog post. No one was harmed in the making of this post. I love you all!

Age: 15 Weeks

I am 15 weeks old today and the Phillies are going to play the Yankees in the World Series tomorrow! Sorry Uncle Chris...I'm rooting for the Phillies. Put me in coach - I'm ready to play today.

Sleep

Why is everyone's first (or second) question, "So, is she sleeping through the night?". Does it keep you up at night wondering? My new all-purpose reply is that I'm happy with Cecelia's sleeping. Whether she does or not. Early on I got hung up on helping her establish a routine. I would try to get up with her at about the same time each morning to start our day. Now, when she's willing to sleep in a little, so am I. I figure that while I have time off of work, I should take advantage of this opportunity to sleep in and watch my baby sleep and listen to her breathe and love having her so close. I know that when we're blessed with a second child, Cecelia the toddler/preschooler/whenever we're blessed with said second child probably won't be quite so content to lay down and take a break from play in the early mornings. Some nights, Cecelia will start out in her room, but for the most part, now she goes to sleep when we go to sleep. Or she sleeps in the sling. Put her down and it's a gamble. She might stay asleep...and she might not. And again, we're ok with that. There will be plenty of time for structure. Jeff said something last night that really resonated with me. He told me not to do things because other people think we should. And quite frankly, I don't. But it was really nice to hear him say that and be reminded that we're in this together. And that we're flying by the seat of our pants. Jeff remarks about things like cloth diapers and sleep routines and tells people that it's easy for him to do it this way because he doesn't know any different. I love him for that. For trusting my instincts and going along with me for this wonderful ride called parenthood.

Back to sleep though. One day she'll sleep through the night. And one day it will be on her own. And I know that I'll miss having her closer. So, I'm not rushing to get to that some day.

Video Update

I added videos below to the post Ambi Turner.

Grabby

Cecelia's started to grasp onto objects and hold on for a bit. She'd been grabbing at fun things before, like... my hair, and my shirt, but this is the start of grasping onto toys. So, we'll break out that basket and play the days away. The other night, she was laying on her activity gym mat and grabbing at the hanging toys. I made the exciting discovery that her monkey is one of the kinds that pulls down and vibrates back up. I think I was way more excited than she about this. Picture coming soon :)

Thumbs Up

Cecelia has taken to sucking her thumb ...and other fingers - she does not discriminate. While we still use the pacifier, I'm hoping that she'll be able to consistently find those fingers soon and get the same satisfaction from them. Because, well... they're always there.

Halloween Scrapbog

Lock It Up

So...I learned my lesson. Finally. Unfortunately. I'll begin at the beginning. Late last week, Friday, Thursday, we got a mailing from our homeowner's association to notify us that there had been car thefts in the surrounding area and to be extra vigilant and make sure to lock your car. Do you see where I'm going with this yet? So, all my life I've been a very trusting person, maybe too trusting. But I liked being that way and believing that people were good. I (used to) leave my car unlocked frequently. Not all the time, but (obviously) more than I should have. So, on Monday morning when I got in my car I noticed that my GPS wasn't in the center console and since Jeff and I share one between our two cars I assumed (and you know what they say about assuming) that he had needed it in his car over the weekend. I had gone in my car to get my sunglasses since it was the first sunny day in what seemed like FOREVER! So, I was terribly annoyed when they weren't where I thought they had been. Hmmm, so I searched through my bag, searched through the house, etc, assuming (again) that I had misplaced them. Baby brain and all. The next morning, Tuesday, I went in my car and some granola bar wrappers that had been in a compartment were strewn about the floor of the passenger side seat and I thought huh - I didn't do that! Then it clicked. My sunglasses, GPS, and as I quickly realized, Ipod were all gone. For good. Because I was dumb. And didn't lock my car. I did a frantic inventory of other items in the car and was relieved that nothing else was missing. Of all the things that were taken, I was still most annoyed about the sunglasses. So, I learned my lesson. Finally. I promise.

Age: 14 Weeks

Can you believe it? I'm 14 weeks old today and Halloween is just around the corner! Too bad I'm not quite ready for candy yet. The weather got really cold last week, but today is actually getting warm and tomorrow is supposed to be really nice. I'm cheering for the Phillies too - I hope they make it into the World Series!

Ambi Turner

Cecelia can roll from her belly to her back in both directions. Unless her arm/shoulder is in the way. What a talented little lady we have!

Groupies

In the area, there are many mom's groups. I am already involved in two such groups with specific goals in mind. LaLeche League for breastfeeding support and a local DFB group for support with elimination communication. There are also more general groups for area moms to gather together so kids can play and moms can talk. Some are free and some incur a fee for materials, organizational needs, and room rentals fees. I went to a "trial" meeting of one such pay-group yesterday. Before I continue, please understand that I see nothing wrong with these groups, I'm just not sure they're right for me and i wish to elaborate on why I feel that way. At the meeting yesterday, I met a lot of really nice people and I'm glad that I did. In fact, I'm planning to walk on occasion with one of the other moms who also lives off the trail, so am I cheating? Picking up friends for free? I hope not. I think it's important for Stay At Home Moms (SAHM) to build a network of others in the same situation and seek support. I also think it's tough to do that when you're new to an area and these groups offer a great service for just that. I will be a SAHM, but only for this first year and then it's back to work for me. My husband, Jeff, will then be a SAHD, but he'll still work around my work. It kind of bothers me that there are all these "mom's groups," but no "parent's groups," or even groups for stay at home dads. Or, I should say - none that I have been made aware of. Parenting is a tricky business and there are a lot of different theories on the "right" way to do it. Being able to meet with people that I know share some of my ideas makes it a little more comfortable to ask questions pertinent to our situation, whereas meeting in a general group, I felt a little guarded. I didn't want to make waves or talk about something that might upset someone else. Silly, since I'll write about it all here - but if you're reading this, I hope you understand that everyone makes their own decisions about what's right for their families and I know that I don't have it all figured out and probably never will, but first impressions...they can be tricky. So, of the three groups I looked into, there is one that is free (which makes the decision all that much easier in my opinion!): BuxMont Mommies. On this site, there are localized groups within the Bucks and Montgomery County areas and discussions on all different topics. There is a calendar with different events that members can add more events to invite others. I haven't actually done any of these events yet, so I guess I shouldn't proclaim its greatness just yet, but...it's free, so you can't really go wrong there. It's still a "mommies" group, but I know the world will catch up soon to be more inclusive of the daddies out there who want their kids to play too :)

Shotty

Yesterday, Cecelia went to the doctors office for her 3 month shots. What 3 month shots, you say? Well, the way we've chosen to deal with shots is to space them out in an alternative schedule. After researching and reading both popular vaccine books - one by Dr. Bob Sears and one by Dr. Paul Offitt, this was the determination we came to. Cecelia is receiving all of the AAP recommended shots, but just a little more spread out. So instead of getting 4 shots at a time, she gets 2. This increases the number of times we go to the doctors, but since I'm home from work for the time being, this is perfectly feasible for us. Now, while it's all fine and well for some people to choose not to get certain vaccinations, you still need to prove you got them or have a medical reasoning in order to register for school. Some people avoid this by home schooling or choosing a private school where this is not a requirement, but that's not the route we plan to go. Many people assume that the reason we're spacing out the vaccinations has to do with autism. Now so, well not exactly anyway. Thimerasol, a preservative which is believed to have *possibly* played a role in autism diagnoses is no longer an ingredient in any of the childhood vaccines. It is still (somewhat shockingly) present in the flu vaccine. Go figure. For us, GBS is the side effect we'd like to avoid. And it's a side effect listed in black and white on the product inserts for most of the childhood vaccines. With all of the swine flu vaccine debates, it's interesting to hear GBS being downplayed so much having witnessed its effects firsthand. But I digress. By spreading out the vaccines, are we eliminating the worry of a GBS side effect? Not exactly, but it can't hurt. And if there is a reaction, we should be able to pinpoint more easily which vaccine was responsible. Hopefully, that will never be a question. Aluminum is another cause for concern. It is an ingredient in many of the vaccines as well. I now avoid it in deodorant, so why would we inject it in our daughter? Because there aren't many other choices. But, by spacing out the shots, the amount of aluminum in one day is lessened. Are we doing the right thing? I don't know. I do know that we're trying...to do the right thing. Only time will tell. I have a chart outlining information from Dr. Sears' "The Vaccine Book" including which vaccines have a GBS side effect listed, how much aluminum is in each shot, the alternative schedule, and some tips to boost your kid's immunity in the days preceding a shot day. If you are interested in this information, contact me and I will send it to you. On a side note, after having read both Dr. Sears and Dr. Offitt, the difference was amazing to me. It seemed like Dr. Offitt was trying to dumb the information down and reassure the public. Isn't it interesting that he is also the creator of one of the vaccines? What does he stand to gain? Quite a lot in fact. He mentioned GBS on one page as the rare side effect after the 1976 Swine Flu vaccination and he doesn't say what it does - you'd need to look for more information on your own and how many people do that when presented with something they've never heard before? He doesn't mention it once as a possible side effect for today's vaccinations.

With a Little Help From My Friends

Cecelia's friend, Dorian, has been in the hospital for close to a month now. He's only a few weeks older than Cecelia and I simply cannot imagine being in the same position that my friend, Janina, is in right now. While we have, unfortunately, had a similar experience when my husband, Jeff, was in the ICU and Moss Rehab for Guillan-Barre Syndrome three years ago, there was a diagnosis and an end in sight. My hope for Dorian, Janina, and her family is for just that - a diagnosis and a course of treatment that will bring about positive results. I was able to visit with Janina on Monday and am amazed by her strength and perspective during this difficult time. She sees that this is part of Dorian's story and I know that it will only be one part of Dorian's story. Colleagues have come together to brainstorm and enact ways to help Dorian and his family during this trying time. If you are interested in learning more about Dorian's story, please visit Janina's Carepage. If you are interested in learning more about how you can help, please email me and I'll send ideas that may be pertinent to your situation and/or information on upcoming fundraising events.

Age: 13 Weeks

Today I am 13 weeks old. Like mommy and daddy, I may have had a smidge of my first cold this week and I did NOT like that bulb aspirator coming at my nose, no sirree. The weather's getting a lot colder here in PA. When I was born in July, no one mentioned seasons. The leaves are pretty and all, but I could really do without the cold. Such is life. See you all next week!

Bum-Bo

I had originally thought you were only supposed to use the bumbo seat once baby is able to sit up, but upon closer inspection of the box, it's once baby can hold his/her head up and Cece's got that down pat. So, today we tried out the Bumbo seat and she LOVES it! And so do I...now she can digest her meals in a seated position without always going right in the sling. Pictures coming soon :)

A Complete 180

This morning, a little earlier than I would have liked, Cecelia rolled from her stomach onto her back. Twice. Time to get a gate. I'll try to catch this phenomenon on video and post it. Have a happy Friday!

Rocking and (Almost) Rolling

Cecelia's started rocking onto her side from her back to the point that it looks like she's almost ready to roll over. We'll keep you posted of course. On the physical front, Cecelia holds her body erect very well, and when laying on her belly, can pick her head up and look around for a period of time. She also bears weight on her legs, standing up. She loves her daddy so much and thinks he is awesome. (Jeff just added that while I was taking a shower...) So, to sum it all up...she'll be running any day now. Just kidding...sort of.

Age: 12 Weeks

I am getting big. Soon I'll be changing out my ENTIRE wardrobe. Aren't all you ladies jealous? This past weekend, Father Olson made it official - I'm Catholic. My baptism was very interesting. First they rubbed oil on my head, then water, then more oil, but I'm clean now and that's good :) A big, huge thanks to everyone who came to my party. I got to visit with lots of friends and family and was so thankful to be surrounded by so much love. My godmother, Aunt Sheila, pointed out to my mom that she MUST get on the ball and post more often and she's working on it, so stay tuned for more adventures from our house. See you all next week!