Oh no...

Another contender makes its debut. Here is the Britax Boulevard CS in Davenport. Sadly for the Moo seat, this one matches the Accord interior perfectly (clashes with the Camry even though they are both gray). Here is Elise modeling the Davenport in her pajamas.


And here is the same carseat in Cowmooflage.


Inside the Accord (which will be the primary spot for this carseat once Mike returns from Iraq):

And inside the Camry (which will be the carseat home until Mike's return from Iraq while we rack up the miles):

So, what should I do? Vote in my poll at the top of the page.

If you made it this far... here is a special treat... John and Elise went on a date to go carseat shopping and then stopped for Starbucks on the way home. John is going to get the Davenport car seat.



I title the last picture "The couple that plays together, stays together..." Notice John's arm is around Elise, pulling her closer...

Bed, Bath, and Beyond

Just an FYI... Bed, Bath, and Beyond sells carseats and TONS of baby stuff online. If you go into the store and place an online order, they will let you use a 20% off coupon. You do have to pay for shipping, but if you buy something where the discount will be higher than the shipping cost (like a Beaba Babycook or a carseat), then you're in luck! I will save $37.91 by ordering my carseat from BBB. Happy shopping!

Mama/6 month update

We went to Elise's 6 month checkup today. The doctor says she is doing great on her growth and milestones. She weighed 18 lbs 10 oz and measured 27.5 inches long. She is a big girl and still around the 90th percentile in both height and weight, so it is nice to know that she is growing proportionally. She got 2 shots today. A few months ago, I decided to space her shots out so that her little body doesn't have to process 5-6 vaccines at once. At her 2 month checkup, she received all of the vaccines and was very fussy the rest of the day. Poor Mike was watching her while I had dinner with the FRG and she was not a happy camper. A few doses of Tylenol were necessary. At the next appointment, she only received 2 vaccines, and she had absolutely no reaction at all. This afternoon she had the other half of her 4 month shots, and so far has had no reaction (other than crying when the shot was actually given). She's been totally normal the rest of the day, so I think it is a success! My plan for the rest of her shots is to go in at 8 and 10 months (instead of 9 months, when vaccines are not given) so that she can receive the normal 6 month shots. If you want more specifics, please let me know.

Today she also did a few cute things... I've been saying "up" and raising her arms whenever I pick her up out of her carseat, off the floor, out of the jumperoo or bouncer, etc. Well, yesterday and today she "asked" to be lifted up by raising her arms. She also started raising her arms when I say "up". It is so cute!

She also woke me up today by talking to herself in her crib. Since she is my alarm clock (and I love that my alarm clock goes off after 8...), I usually listen to her over the monitor for a few minutes before I go in to get her. She was making her usual random noises when all of a sudden she said "mama!" I knew it was coming because she'd been saying "mmmmmmm" and "maaaaaaaaaaaaa" for a while, but she hadn't put it together yet. Now we are working on "dada".

I still nurse her 5 times a day. In addition, at 12:30 she gets a heaping tablespoon of cereal mixed with milk. She's been eating this for about a month and is so used to her routine that she gets fussy at 12:25 if she isn't in her highchair watching me fix the cereal! Last week I added a dinner "meal" around 6. She has sampled avocado and peas and loves them both. I am trying to decide what to serve next... perhaps sweet potatoes?

Also, for those of you who are dying to know how my cloth diapers are working out... I've had ZERO blowouts in the last month! I have had a handful of leaks but it has been due to my error (letting her go too long between changes or not making sure that the pad was completely inside the shell). Her infant carseat cover is still clean from the last time I washed it :) It hasn't been nearly as much work as I anticipated.

Now, for those of you who didn't comment on the cute or ugly post, you have one more chance to convince me that I am crazy... it is latched in the car and ready to go for tomorrow! It was very easy to install and fits well rear-facing in the center seat of the Camry. It is a large seat so it will be a tight squeeze whenever it is next to the infant carrier, but it will fit (I tried it myself just to make sure). I will leave you with a cute picture of my big girl in her big girl carseat.

Cute or Ugly?

I have been researching convertible car seats for several weeks now since Elise will outgrow her infant carrier before she is a year old. I finally decided on the Britax Boulevard CS, but I can't decide on the pattern. There are two that I narrowed it down to... one is very practical and boring and the other is... shall we say... "different". I am normally not into animal prints, but I really thought this was fun. So, be honest... is this cute or ugly? And will it be cute or ugly when she's still in this carseat at 65 lbs?

Also, here is the reaction my sweet husband had when he saw this picture...keep in mind that when I talked to him on the phone earlier, the first sentence out of my mouth was "I bought a carseat for Elise today, but I don't think you are going to like it."

Stephanie: what is your opinion on the carseat?

mikepowell612: as long as it's safe, it's good with me

Stephanie: yep, this is definitely safe

i think it is the safest i could find

mikepowell612: then keep it

Stephanie: but, do you want me to get the gray cover instead?

mikepowell612: whatever you like...it's not terribly obnoxious, i don't think
mikepowell612: a little color or pattern is nice

Stephanie: ok

the gray one was very dull

it definitely tries to blend in though, and this one doesn't

mikepowell612: yeah, gray is a dull color

Stephanie: i kinda thought it would be fun for her to have a cute seat

and i think it would be fine for a boy too

mikepowell612: sure, cute is good

Is "it's not terribly obnoxious" an okay feeling? I have 30 days to return or exchange. Opinions, please!

Happy 1/2 Birthday!

Elise turned 6 months old a few days ago! We all went out to eat at the Cheesecake Factory to celebrate. I can't believe how fast she is growing. Here are a few things that Elise is doing right now:

1) She got her first tooth last Sunday (bottom right center). I am expecting the one next to it and the two top center teeth to come fairly soon... her gums are swollen and I can see the teeth through the gums.

2) She has mastered sitting up. Starting at 5 months she was pretty good with the tripod sit (balancing with both hands on her feet). By 5 1/2 months, she was strong enough to sit with her back straight and her arms out. Now, she is an expert at leaning to the left, right, or forward to reach a toy and then raising her body back up so that her back is straight again. I have been impressed with her strength.

3) She will work hard to get a toy out of reach. (I really need to post a video of this because it is funny, but for some reason the operation times out before the video gets ready to post. Any tips?) Try to visualize this: She will be sitting up with her back straight and decide that she wants a toy that is pretty far away. She leans down so that her elbows and hands are on the floor (still sitting but now looks like a contortionist) and then grabs at the toy with one hand and uses the other to push herself back up.

4) She can support her body weight while standing for a few seconds.

5) She loves to wave her arms in the air while standing or sitting.

6) She can say "Maaaaaaaaaaaaaa" and "Mmmmmmm" but no babbling yet.

7) She is very interested in food. So far she has only sampled cereal and avocado, but she loves them both! She makes a chewing motion with her mouth whenever she sees food and/or watches someone eat.


8) She LOVES playing with toys. She passes them back and forth between her hands and will bang them together if she has one in each hand. I haven't noticed a preference on left vs. right... just whichever is closest to the toy (or necklace, hair, clothes, water bottle, dog, etc).


9) She also loves to roll around and goes all different directions. Up until about 5 months she only wanted to roll clockwise, but now she doesn't care. She looks effortless when she rolls compared to 3-4 months when it looked like it took a lot of work.

10) She loves to swim and splash in the pool. I don't think she could ever get tired of this.

11) She is still a great baby. My mother-in-law said that God knew what He was doing by giving us Elise since I have to take care of her by myself for a year. She is a great eater and almost always goes down easy for naps and at night. Right now she takes two 1.5 hour naps and sleeps 12-12.5 hours at night. I am gradually trying to transition her from 8-8 to 8:30-8:30 and eventually to 9-9 right before daylight savings time :)

12) She loves to play with people but can also entertain herself. It is so much fun to watch her explore and examine new things.

Happy 1/2 Birthday, Elise! Mommy and Daddy love you very much.

Umm... I think it is time to...

babyproof. This picture was taken about 4 second before the cord was in the mouth...

Swings!

Well someone has figured out that the park is good for more than just a walk in the stroller...


Elise loved the swings! I can't believe she is big enough for that already. We had fun playing at the park with Sara, who is super-mom to adorable 5 month old twins and precious 2 year old Hannah.


Then we went over to the Fulcher's house for lunch and a playdate... well, Elise played and Emma Kate napped :) Aren't they sweet?


I can't believe my baby girl's half birthday is next week!

In honor of Elise...

I have changed my blog background to match the colors of her room.


Every day, we practice sitting up on a bed so that if she falls, she doesn't mind. She's getting really good and holds herself up much straighter than she used to (for several weeks she preferred a "tripod" sitting position where she supported herself with her hands on her feet).


I title this one "Mom, don't you know that it is 1:30 and time for my nap?!?!?"


Also, I have to add to my "next time I will..." list...

Next time I will not use rice cereal at all. I will go straight to oatmeal cereal to aid the baby's digestive system. Let me know if you want the full details.

Next time I will...

I'm definitely not ready to have another baby but I've found myself beginning a sentence with "Next time I will..." several times lately, so here are my notes to self:

1) Stay active during pregnancy for as long as I can. I walked 4 miles the day I went into labor. This isn't to say that I did something active every day, but whatever I did definitely paid off since I was back in pre-pregnancy jeans in 5 days. I know genetics helped in this too because my mom was the same way (thanks Mom!) Note to self: This "staying active" will be harder with a toddler in tow, so make sure you are in shape before you get pregnant next time so that it will be easier. Also, I'm pretty sure it will be harder to shrink the tummy back next time, but we can dream.

2) Don't buy maternity clothes ahead of time. There were several short-sleeved things that I didn't get to wear/wore once because I wasn't big enough until the seasons had already changed (and I refused to buy a maternity jacket and only bought 1 long-sleeved maternity shirt). I just wore sweatshirts and my long-sleeved Chi O tshirts and workout pants for the last month or so unless I was leaving the house.

3) Start the cloth diapers early. I will post a separate review of them soon, but I am loving the fact that I no longer have to worry when I pick Elise up out of her carseat after she has pooped. I won't start them at the beginning because newborns go through a ton of diapers, but I will start them after a semi-regular schedule is established (probably in the second month).

4) Buy a comfortable nursing bra at the beginning (I have one now but didn't get it until after 5 1/2 months of nursing and I am kicking myself for that...).

5) Work hard to establish good nighttime sleep habits early on like I did with Elise. It was definitely hard work at the beginning but it paid off big time. I took at lot of ideas from Babywise and a few of my own and somehow combined them together to work well. She started sleeping 8 hours straight at 5 weeks and 12 hours at 9 weeks. Next time I will start trying to establish a schedule a little earlier.

6) Don't buy newborn diapers unless you need them after the baby is born. The hospital gives you plenty for a few days and then you can send hubby to the store to buy more if you need them. We tried putting a newborn diaper on Elise in the hospital and laughed because we couldn't get them to fasten around her legs. She was a big baby.

7) Along the same lines, don't wash all of the clothes before the baby comes, even though it is tempting. Wait and see how long you'll be using newborn clothes. There were several outfits that she didn't get to wear or only wore a few times. I would have liked to exchange them for bigger sizes.

8) Buy another white noise machine for the baby's room right away. It helps Elise fall asleep faster for naps and at night and I can go in and out of her room without feeling like I will wake her up. Unfortunately, I didn't buy one until she was 4 months old.

9) Anticipate that breastfeeding will be a major production in the beginning. Contrary to popular belief, it is a three-person job (mom, dad, and baby) because baby will fall asleep, need to be woken up/burped, you will leak and the burp cloth will never be within reach when you really need it. Use the Medela lanolin instead of Lansinoh because it is easier to apply. It will take awhile before you are comfortable BFing in public with a nursing wrap because it hard to carry on a production while trying to keep yourself covered. Realize that there is a light at the end of the tunnel when the baby will be a quick eater and you won't spend 8 hours a day as a milk machine. Now she is finished within 5-10 minutes. Also, experiment with using the Boppy in the beginning. At first I thought it wouldn't work for me, but at about 1 month old I figured out how to position her to make it work. This saved my wrists. I used it until she was about 3 months old.

10) Use the Baby Bjorn carrier more when they are smaller and lighter. I'm sure it will definitely come in handy with a toddler. After Mike deployed I realized how much I actually needed 2 hands and since then I've used it almost every day. Also, if you live in Texas, buy the Air Carrier because it is much cooler in the summer.

11) Put the new baby in the crib from day 1. You get so little sleep anyway that you might as well sleep soundly when the baby is sleeping instead of constantly worrying at every single noise they make.

12) If you find cute bibs, you are lucky. Buy them because the baby will be wearing them a lot. It is a bummer to have a cute picture with an ugly bib. I'm betting there are cute bibs on etsy but I never thought to look.

13) When you go into labor, if the contraction doesn't hurt REALLY REALLY REALLY bad then you don't need to go to the hospital yet. Wait until it makes you cry because you will be more comfortable being in pain at home than in the car going back and forth to the hospital (we went 4 times, it was lovely).

14) Don't assume that the baby is hungry every time she puts her hand in her mouth. Though this is definitely a sign of hunger, it can also mean that she just likes to suck on her fingers/thumb.

Other things that I plan to review soon: (Find out which one(s) I wouldn't buy again!)
Tessera Baby Book
Baby Bjorn Babysitter 1-2-3 (bouncer)
Baby Einstein Activity Gym
Baby Bjorn Air Carrier
Evenflo Baby Go Travel High Chair
Gro Baby Diaper System
Bumbo

Elise and her boyfriends

Well, Elise is currently being pursued by quite the group of young suitors. Here are some recent pictures...

Elise and Josiah Briggs (5 1/2 months and 8 months)


Elise and John Schuchard (5 1/2 months and 6 months)... we didn't stage it! She rolled into his arms...


Elise and William Lukenbaugh (5 1/2 months and almost 4 months)... the boy next door.


Elise and Braden Major (4 1/2 months and 8 months)... they had a week-long date in June!

I just love Killeen.

You may have read this story on Facebook a few weeks ago. I keep forgetting to tell Mike this story so I finally decided to immortalize it for him. Sorry for the repeat, but I bet you'll get another laugh out of it :)

According to the lovely red indicator strip by the battery, my Samsung phone has moisture damage. This caused me to drop tons of calls, so I finally decided to switch over to a new phone. I'm not quite ready to succumb to the iPhone /Blackberry craze (really, I just don't want to pay for it), so I borrowed a reject phone from my iPhone parents. Several weeks went by before I actually took both phones in to the Killeen AT&T store to get my numbers switched over. Who has the time or desire to re-enter them by hand? Well, as it turns out, I should have done it myself.

It took 3 employees (including a manager) to figure out how to transfer the numbers. I got home later that night and tried to return a phone call. Hmm. The number that I needed wasn't there. I started scrolling through the address book. It looks like about half my numbers are there, intermixed with numbers for:

Bernie Slim
Big Mama
Bruno
Chief
Choc 2
Da great
Daddy washington
Gucci Mane
Ham bone
Hell cook
Herion Sexy
Hootie
Joe mama
Lil battle
Lil battle 2
Lucky
No. 1 stunner
Shug
White chocalate (sic, or whatever the abbreviation is for knowing there is a spelling error)

And my personal favorite... Latin heat.

My sister-in-law (who tutors UT football players) says that most people would be jealous that I now have the numbers for half of UT's starting lineup. If I can hook you up with any of these characters, please let me know. In the meantime, I offer up this trade... you give me your number, and I will give you one of these.

I just love Killeen.

Baby Items of the Week

Last week Miss Elise finally found her feet! I've been trying to entice her with them for the last month with no luck. You can tell from this picture that she has very long and narrow feet, just like her mom and dad. Now that she knows where they are, she doesn't leave them alone. Her hands must be sad because she doesn't stare at them quite as much as she used to.


Now on to the baby items for this week.

Chicco Cortina Travel System in Discovery

I chose this travel system because I liked the colors and because the Keyfit carseat was the highest rated in Consumer Reports. Hindsight being 20-20, I wish I would have gotten the Keyfit 30 carseat/stroller combination because I think Elise is going to outgrow this carseat before she is a year old. It is only good up to 22 lbs, whereas the Keyfit 30 is good for 30 lbs. The con is that the Keyfit 30 requires a larger stroller, and I have a hard enough time getting our stroller in and out of the car trunks anyway. I do think the Chicco base attaches more easily to the car than the Graco bases that I have seen. So, I would definitely choose the Chicco carseat again, but I wish I had the Keyfit 30. Here is hoping her growth slows down!

Here is her first outing (other than to the doctor) on day 5. Pardon the tummy :)

Here she is at 3 1/2 months.

Chicco Lullaby LX Playard in Discovery

I chose this playard because I liked the colors and because it was also the top-rated in Consumer Reports. It is very easy to assemble and disassemble. It is very sturdy. Elise slept in this in our room for the first week before we moved her into her crib. She has slept in 3 different "pack-n-plays" for multiple nights and this is the only one that she has slept in all night without waking up (aside from week 1, of course!) It has a bunch of extra features that may or may not be useful. I don't like the way the mobile attaches and therefore we haven't used it. I do like the fact that it has a nightlight that can be activated by remote. This was useful when she slept in our room and I wanted to check on her without turning on a light. I would definitely choose this playard again. I plan to start using it as a playpen as well.


Stay tuned next week for a review of Baby Bjorn products!

I can't leave you hanging without a diaper update...

I love my new Gro Baby cloth diapers. They are GREAT. Yes, it takes a little more work to get the poop out of the diaper before you wash it and I have to do an extra load of laundry every other day, but it is worth it for me to know that I won't have to get poop stains out of her clothes! In the last week, she has had 3 blowouts in disposable diapers and 0 blowouts in her new Gro Babys. She has pooped in them 5 times. I ordered more and they should be here any day now and so I'll be able to use them full time. I also love that the diapers (including the diaper sprayer and wet bags that I had to buy) will pay for themselves in about 6 months and then I will never have to buy diapers again. If you are curious about them, please feel free to ask. I researched cloth diapers for weeks before deciding on these. I even give free demonstrations if you ask nicely :)

Baby Items Review Part 2

This is a work in progress... just wanted Mike to see Elise's new high chair. I love you babe!