Food on the Floor

I'm going to blame the lack of blogging lately on the fact that my computer is hooked up to our TV right now. You know, so we can watch hours and hours of "Psych" on Netflix instant download. It's hard to type up posts when you aren't sitting at a computer desk. (In fact, I'm sitting at the table, typing this up, and I'm not even looking at the computer screen...er...the TV screen. I'm sure this post is going to need extensive editing!)

I really don't know what I'm going to blame the lack of vacuuming on right now. I have no excuses. But, as I'm sitting at the kitchen table, I'm painfully aware of the large amount of stale food under Bug's chair. Really, it's disgusting. I just want to know why he has to drop such large amounts of food on the floor.

Yet...during lunch today, I had a bit of a humbling experience, when it comes to food on the floor. I was eating a meal that I just invented, that I will call "Taco Mess". Not quite a soup, not quite a casserole. Anyway, I was asking Bug why he kept dropping beans on the floor (he won't tell me), and all the sudden, a piece of corn rolled off my fork and onto the floor. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have happened if I wasn't so worried about Gizmo. You see, Gizmo was strapped onto my chest in the ring sling, fast asleep. I didn't want to drop food on his head. And I didn't want to bump his back into the edge of the table, so I was having a bit of a hard time getting the food from my plate to my mouth. And then it happened. I dropped food on the floor.

Now, Bug doesn't have to eat his food with a baby strapped to him, but I imagine he still stits there sometimes, wondering how the heck he is going to get the food from his plate to his mouth without making a mess. Sometimes it workks, sometimes it doesn't.

After most meals, I stick Bug in the shower...and vow to vacuum "today"....which may mean "next week". How long will it be before I can move to only vacuuming once a month?? Or, better yet, once a year!

How to put on your shoes

This past Friday, I was getting myself and the boys ready to walk to a friend's house to play for a bit. We were all dressed and ready, except for shoes. I needed to sit down and nurse Gizmo right before we left, so I told Bug to get his shoes and put them on his feet.

Bug got his shoes out of the closet, plopped down and tried putting them on his feet. He usually doesn't have any issues putting his own shoes on, but he was struggling. I called from my seat on the couch that he needed to put -that- shoe on the -other- foot. He obeyed.

But, he was still struggling. I finally noticed (from my seat on the couch), that the tongue of the shoe was scrunched up. I told Bug, "You need to pull the tongue out!"

Now, before we go further, I must explain, I have told him this before. I have showed him what it meant, and explained how it helped his foot go into the shoe more easily. This is not a new concept.

So....back to where we were...I told him, "You need to pull the tongue out!"

And he stuck his tongue out. And just happened to get his shoe on at the same time! He looked so pleased that it actually worked. I laughed. A lot.

Then we went through the EXACT SAME THING with the other shoe. Bug really things that sticking -his- tongue out helps get his shoe on!

And, once again, I laughed. A lot.

Gizmo's First Hickey

I know babies are often referred to as being "cute enough to eat" or "delicious" or "yummy" or some other good-food analogy. But, it is extremely important that these things aren't taken literally.

Many parents, also, like to play games with their young children by giving them "munchy" kisses and saying that they will "eat you up!" and the like. But, it is extremely important that these things aren't taken literally.

And toddlers shouldn't attempt to play these games with babies.

Bug has recently been "tasting" Gizmo by taking huge, sucking "bites" out of his arm (followed by some dramatic lip smacking and "mmm"-ing.) It started out as just little "bites" and licks. Then, all the sudden, I noticed that Gizmo has THREE hickies on his arm!!!

I've informed Bug that this kind of play is inappropriate. I hope he understands. But, I know it will be hard, because babies really are so tasty!

The PP Diaries: 6 Weeks

Dear Diary,

As of this week, I am officially out of my 6 week babymoon. Wow, how the time flies! I'm starting to get into the swing of things. However, I'm still using the PP excuse for -everything-. ("Oh, it's raining out today? It's because I just had a baby.")

Fortunately, my lochia has completely ended...in spite of me overdoing things one million times within these past six weeks. (Hike at the Nature Center, going to the zoo, cleaning the bathroom, getting mastitis, cleaning the church, going grocery shopping again and again, dishes, laundry, taking care of Bug, doing Pilates, etc, etc.)

Unfortunately, I'm still wearing maternity clothes, because nothing else fits.

Love, Mally

PS- Did I remember to brush my teeth today?

International Babywearing Week 2010

I'm so happy that I haven't missed this. (Like I missed World Breastfeeding Week this year, and like I missed International Babywearing Week -last- year. Can't I just remember them both in one year!?!? I think it would help if during those weeks I had a baby that was breastfeeding and being worn!)

International Babywearing Week is basically a week where everyone around the world celebrates, appreciates, encourages, teaches, models and loves wearing their babies! Of course, you don't have to wait until Babywearing week to do all of that. (Check out the link to find a lot of wonderful information and resources for babywearing.)

Thanks to having a brand new baby, I have been slinging a kiddo lots and lots! Every time I go out, I make sure to have my ring sling. Just yesterday alone, I got TWO comments on my sling, and how they knew "So-and-so" who had one and they wished they had one of their own/had known about them/weren't so expensive to buy from well-known providers, etc. Then, I proudly announce that I made mine, and it cost me less than $20 (I think...I can't remember exactly how much the fabric was, but I'm sure it was pretty cheap!)

Once Gizmo gets a little heavier, I will move him strictly to my homemade stretchy wrap. And, hopefully, when he gets even bigger, I can move him to a woven wrap...or my homemade mai tai.

(Dear husband, I think I want a woven wrap for Christmas. Love, Mally)

Shhhh!!!!!

When Bug was born, I was always very quiet when he was sleeping. I didn't want to wake him up, and I thought that noise would do just that. I have found that Bug is typically a very light sleeper. I don't know if I caused that by always being quiet when he slept, or if that's just how he sleeps. I am finding, however, that the more comfortable Bug becomes with sleeping in his own bed, the better he sleeps. (Bug has been in his own bed for a couple months now!!! Amazing!)

Gizmo, on the other hand, has to be able to have his naps with lots and lots of noise around. I can't keep Bug quiet, so Gizmo has learned to nap through the noise. I hope that lasts.

But, there is one problem with Gizmo's naps. And that is Bug. Bug touching Gizmo's nose. Bug wrenching around Gizmo's hand. Bug kissing Gizmo. Bug roaring in Gizmo's face.

Bug roaring in Gizmo's face. Bug roaring in Gizmo's face. Bug roaring in Gizmo's face. Bug roaring in Gizmo's face.

It's so frustrating!!! I have to tell Bug to leave Gizmo alone all the time, just so the poor babe can get some sleep!

And before I know it, there is Bug, once again roaring in Gizmo's face.