Buttercups and Bumblebees

Today's blog is brought to you by the letter B. Before I begin, because it's been bugging my brain, a baby that backwards-crawls begs the question: when the heck are you going to learn to go forwards!!? I've always loved alliterations, can you tell? But seriously now, today's letter is indeed B, and I fully intend on finding a topic that goes with my alphabetic theme. Hmm. B..b...b.......b....b. Hmm.

B is for BabySteals.

Because really, what else could it be? If you don't know about www.babysteals.com (or KidSteals, or ScrapbookSteals...), you're absolutely missing out! Every day at 9:00am, they post a new 'steal' for the day. Usually, it's a hot ticket item that is offered at half-price, or even less! I have bought many a steal from them and have been wowed by their awesome customer service, inexpensive international shipping costs, and quick turnaround. My ErgoBaby carrier came from them, and there is NO way I would have been able to afford one at full price. Some of Sprout's favourite toys, like her HABA soft puzzle blocks, have come from BabySteals. I have bought BabyLegs from them, and more recently, a set of cloth GroBaby diapers that are amazing!

Am I a little bit addicted? Yes. Do I have to remember that clicking a button IS the same thing as putting cash in someone else's hands? Yes. But it's really hard sometimes when it's a reeeeeally good steal! It's a great place for picking up baby gifts, like the Lollitop hats that pop up every once in a while, and nice to find things on the KidSteals site for when Sprout gets a little bigger! Anyways, I've been blogging for a while and hadn't mentioned it previously, so I thought I'd give those of you who didn't know about it a BIG heads-up!

Short blog again, but at least it was done sooner rather than later! Now for another B...I'm finding a way to acquire a Bumble bag, Sprout. Not really for you, but to hold all of your beautiful clothes and cloth diapers! Our current Lug bag is just not big enough. Bargains, here I come!

xoxoxo

Mommy

Today's Blog...brought to you by the letter...A!

I have decided that I need to have some kind of motivation to keep blogging on a regular basis. Even if nobody else reads it, I find it good to vent...except that I am having a hard time pulling things out of my life to vent about. For my upcoming 'themed' blogs, I am going to do the age-old, easy-peasy alphabet trick. I'm going to write about something that begins with each letter of the alphabet. Am I going to write every day? Probably not. I'll try though, and that (hopefully) counts for something.

A is for Applesauce

The first post is going to be boring. Sorry, but life has been so hectic lately - as it is every summer - that I just wanted to give a few tidbits out on teething tricks that have somewhat assuaged my daughter's screamy days.

I have found that the best things to give Sprout when she is really, REALLY bitey (when she scooches over to me on the floor to bite my feet, legs, arms, etc.) are ice cold applesauce right out of the fridge, and partially thawed frozen strawberry chunks in a mesh feeding bag.

Fruit really seems to hit the spot when she's teething, and the cold variety seems to help a lot with what appears to be frustration (she bites everything and then shakes it while biting - hilarious, but a little too much learning going on from the dog, I fear...)

Please use caution with strawberries, as they are a high-allergenic food. Sprout has been fine with all of the so-called allergenic foods except for dairy, but her cousins don't do well with cinnamon or strawberries so we watched her closely after her first couple of interactions.

Sorry for the boring blog, but life is kind of relaxed and peachy right now. On my way to put more applesauce in the fridge, Sprout. Lucky girl, this time it's a blueberry-apple blend (unsweetened, of course!). Enjoy the rest of your nap!

xoxoxo

Mommy

All things change with time.

So it's the eve of the last time I am going to pump for Sprout, and I am feeling so many emotions. I know that it's not the same as breastfeeding - it's not like I had some kind of deranged attachment to my pump or anything - but I still feel a little sad that I am not going to be supplying sustenance for my daughter anymore. The plan is to continue feeding her frozen breastmilk combined with a small amount of formula to get her acquainted with it until we run out of my icy supply from the basement. Is it completely irrational for me to still feel a minute amount of guilt about the formula?

It is my decision to stop pumping. I could continue, and that is the driving force behind my guilt. I have already had to let go of breastfeeding, and now that Sprout is close to crawling (she doesn't quite get up on her knees, but she does push herself all the way up on her hands and perform a mad backwards shimmy) I just feel like she's growing up too fast. Pumping for her was the one thing that I was doing that let me hold on to the baby phase.

On the positive side of things, I can start eating dairy again! That, and I can have the occasional glass or two of wine and not have to watch the clock before I pump. I don't have to stay up past midnight every night for the last pump of the day, and I don't have to scramble to pump first thing in the morning. Going out during the day will have many less restrictions, which is awesome. I won't have to worry about getting home at a certain point in the afternoon and leaving events early so that I can pump. No more pumping in the car on road trips, running the dishwasher more than necessary to clean the pump parts, buying supplementary pump parts to replace worn out ones, etc. etc.

On paper, it looks like the pros list is much longer than the cons; however, the way that I feel creates a list of emotions about five miles long. So here's a toast to the nutrients I have been able to provide for you, Sprout. I am so proud of how you have grown, and I cannot help but smile when I think about the fact that I have monumentally contributed to your development and physical growth. I hope that you continue to stay healthy and happy, and I know that this switch will affect me much more than you will even notice! Mommy is going to move on to a more relaxing hobby of crafting. I love you more than life itself, little Sprout.

xoxoxo

Mommy