Tuesday, July 29, 2014

This little girl gets it!


Must watch. I feel ya, child. I feel ya!

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Things that are easier than changing my baby's diaper

This photo is NOT of my baby. My baby won't sit that still...

Here are a few things that would be easier for me to accomplish than changing the diaper of my almost 9 month old:

1. Becomming an astronaut

2. Flying an airplane

3. Performing brain surgery

4. Diapering a monkey

5. Learning Chinese

Anyone else feeling my pain?

-xoxo-

Marley's Mom

 

 

 

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

"Our house is going to blow up!"

I'm kind of impressed that it took 8 months for us to have our first official freak out.

I was cooking dinner on our gas stove and I thought it smelled funny. I mentioned something to my husband but we brushed it off. Later that night, as I was boiling water for tea, I noticed the strange smell again. It smelled like kerosene. I am not an expert in natural gas but I knew something wasn't right. I yelled for my husband and sure enough he noticed the smell. Before we knew it the whole house wreaked of kerosene.

Do we have a gas leak?! The carbon monoxide thing isn't going off.

(Registry must if you don't already have one: click here)

Normally, we reach out to Google to answer questions like this but with a new baby in the house we immedately called the gas company to inquire about what could be causing the odor. The woman didn't listen to anything we had to say or answer any of out questions. She instead insisted we had a gas leak. We needed to get the baby and get out of the house, stop using our cell phones, and wait for a technician to arrive... STAT.

Is this for real?!

I had just put Marley to bed. Dang it. Better safe than sorry. We all headed down stairs to wait. Then we got the brilliant idea to Google "why does my stove smell like kerosene?" Lo and behold, I read several cases of folks having just had their wood floors cleaned or sealed and for whatever reason the gas combined with the sealant created the smell.

Well, sh*t!

We had the marble and tile in our master bath cleaned and resealed that morning. Why didn't we Google this first!? Now we are standing outside for no good reason.

The technician arrived and confirmed that our house wasn't going to explode. He let us know that this wasn't the first time he had seen this. That made us feel slightly better but silly nonetheless.

Two take-a-ways from this little freakout:

1. Natural gas + sealants = bad smell

2. We should have Googled it first

That being said, gas leaks are not something to mess with! If you suspect a gas leak, CALL! But now you know if you have work done in your house it could also be that :)

xoxo

Marley's Mom

 

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Two Years Ago

I have a journal that you write one line a day in for five years. I went to write in it today and found this... It is amazing how time flies.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Beach Bums

Marley has officially tasted summer (and sand!) I knew a few basics that I would need when preparing for our first trip to the beach like sunscreen, a good hat, and a bathing suit with UPF, but there were a few extra items we hadn't thought of that we won't be forgetting next time. Do you absolutely need all of these things to have a little fun in the sun? No, but if it gives you peace of mind to feel extra prepared just incase, I say go for it!

Coleman Road Trip Beach Shade
This is fantastic for several reasons! Keeps baby out of the sun and sand. Easy to set up, light weight, UV protecting. Umbrellas are great too but if it is a real windy day can be more difficult to keep up. This model comes with sandbags instead of stakes. If you do use an umbrella this product is a MUST. You won't regret spending a few bucks on this.
The Honest Company Swim Diapers
Reusable, chlorine resistant, less bulky than most swim diapers and of course, super adorable. Added bonus these would be great for potty training too.
Babiators
The company makes it a no brainer to purchase these. If they are lost or stolen they will replace them. This makes them an excellent choice to take to the beach for your little babe. They also have shatter-resistant lenses and are made from 100% rubber.
Flap Happy Sun Hat
UPF50+, large brim to shade their cute button noses, and chin straps to tie under their neck or in Marley's case for chewing on.

Skip Hop Central Park Blanket
Folds up small with an easy to carry shoulder strap. This blanket also has an insulated cooler bag built in for bottles and drinks! Machine washable (a must for us) and the canvas backing is water resistant.







Tuesday, June 3, 2014

5 Bad Assumptions New Moms Make About Dads


Babies will undoubtly change the dynamic of a relationship in plently of unexpected ways. Its good to be aware of your feelings and avoid these common pitfalls to avoid misplacing blame and frustration. Here are five bad assumptions I have personally made, and heard from other new moms, about our baby daddies.

#1: Work is a "break" for them
Why it's not true: It's called WORK. They are not sitting around picking their noses all day. When they clock out from work they come home and clock in for Dad duty. Often times snagging up baby for a few hours while Mom makes dinner, gets bottles and pump parts together, folds laundry, or if she is lucky gets our for some exercise.

#2: They pretend they can't hear when the baby wakes at night. This one makes me contemplate murdering the man. Why can't he hear the baby crying, or can he? Does he just think this is my job?!
Why you shouldn't murder your husband: They are the father of your child and you'll miss them. Ok, I really don't understand why they cant hear baby at night but they don't do it intentionally.

#3: Men have it SO easy! They get more sleep, their boobs don't hurt, they are not carring a donut around their waist, and they certainly are no slave to a feeding schedule.
Why it's not entirely true: They would do more if they could. I know my husband felt entirely useless in the hopsital and the first few weeks at home when Marley wanted to nurse around the clock. Dads can feel a bit jealous that we can bond with baby in a way they can't. They typically don't get much time off and have to return to work a couple weeks after their babies arrive and that's really hard on them when all they want is to spend more time with their new little family.

#4: They play dumb
Why it's not intentional: When the baby won't stop crying, or spits up all over and they look at you with fear in their eyes and say, "take her! You're better at it." Well, duh, we are better at this, but really, they are not with baby as much so we ought to cut them some slack. When Dad hits a roadblock, use it as an opportunity to share your knowledge rather than jumping to the conclusion he is trying to get out of something.

#5: If Mom stays home she is now responsible for EVERYTHING
Why it's not true: How am I supposed to take care of the baby AND keep the house clean, wash dishes, lose the baby weight, take a shower, do all the food shopping, and remember to send out Christmas cards? I don't want to imply that every new mother feels this way but I know I'm not alone. It's me who continually sets the bar too high when it comes to making sure everything is done perfectly, not my husband. Ask your man for support, he will more than likely be happy to help. You do not have to do everything yourself. I repeat, you do not have to do everything yourself.

Moms, next time you find yourself wanting to ring your man's neck, take a pause and make sure you're not assuming something about him. Dads, please keep in mind we just went through a pretty crazy life change too and sometimes we find ourselves all over the place and saying things we don't always mean.