Snow Baby

Kat's first Christmas

Yesterday was the Christmas get together with Tim's family, and technically Kat's first family Christmas. Ignore all the angry pictures below, she was actually in a good mood most of the night, just most of the picture time we had angry/scared baby!

Kat got lots of Dr. Seuss books from Grampa and Grandma, and Aunt Katie and Uncle Matt... and she also got her very own stuffed Horton! Kat loves being read to already, something about the way Dr. Seuss sounds makes her happy too. Kat also got lots of toys to play with, and some cute clothes. Tim and I got a new digital camera (yay!!) and tickets to go see Spamalot (double yay!!!) along with lots and lots of other stuff. We got spoiled!

Okay so the first picture below needs explanation, otherwise it's just going to look mean that the whole family is laughing at the crying baby! As you can see we're all wearing Reindeer antlers- well Grampa set up the camera on the tripod, set the timer, and tried to run over to us to get into the picture before the camera went off... well he slipped sideways on a gift bag and kinda scrambled over to us... Kat (who before this was sitting happily) saw this scary thing with antlers coming right at her and just started howling! It was so funny that we were all laughing while my poor little munchkin was convinced that the Grampa monster was going to eat her... they made up later and the antlers stopped scaring her... so it had a happy ending LOL

The infamous mean family/sad baby picture...

The good family picture :o)

Tim looking mysteriously evil here...

Horton and Kat

Kat needed antlers too!

Sad Katie, angry Kitty...

Kat and Grampa sitting amongst the Christmas loot...

What a Wonderfully Weird little Girl!

I got Mamma Mia for Christmas from Tim... and I've been watching it for 2 days straight now (yes I know I'm odd... I just like dancing around the house with The Kitten and singing because it makes her giggle and forget that her tummy hurts!) OH- and my copy has a sing a long attached so I can skip to the songs! Abba Karaoke!

So not only does my daughter love techno music... I kid you not, we need to get video of that (I Blame Tim!)... but she adores Abba. I remember when the movie came out this summer I downloaded the soundtrack and would dance around with my melon belly singing and she'd always kick with me, well she must remember it... because she giggles her head off while we dance and sing (she helps sing, she yells and laughs) then starts snoring when we're done. Creative ways to get your child to sleep 101....

She's so wonderfully weird and beautiful! LOL... at least my kid has personality. Even if her taste in music is going to get her teased in school! So if the techno is Tim's fault... the Abba is totally my fault. I don't think I've laughed so much in years... we've been laughing together for 2 days now, wonder if my neighbors are sick of Abba yet??

Ahh sweet revenge for all the nasty pot smell and bad metal music coming through my walls!

As tired as I am lots of the time, I really do love being Kat's Momma.... don't think I would have wanted to be anyone else's Mom. Just hers...

In case you were curious, her favorite songs seem to be: Mamma Mia, Does Your Mother Know that You're Out, and Waterloo... she's not so hot on Dancing Queen :o)

Proof that my child is a Morning Baby...

Napping peacefully...

Cheesing at Momma a few minutes after waking up!


And laughing at how funny she is...

Pleased with herself and thinking the camera was entertaining..

Cutest smiles ever!

Best Christmas Ever...

Just sitting here holding my sweet little cuddlebug... after opening presents with Tim...



Soaking in the warm sweet cuddly baby smell... and all the love...


Definitely the best Christmas ever!!

Get up, get out, and do something....

As part of my ongoing crusade for continuing mental health (battling Crazy-Sleep-Deprived-I-Am-A-Walking-Milk-Bar-Syndrome), and the desire to NOT become a mommy pod person... one of my new year's resolutions (and requests from Tim) is to go out on my own at least once a month and have a Big Girl's Night/Day Out.

He wants to have more time with Kat (he has been a little bothered that she's really only soothed by me lately) and he's also super supportive of me making some more friends a little closer to home. I am also pretty excited about this too, I miss having people in close driving distance to hang out with!

So... I'm thinking my first 'Day Out' will be Cross Country Skiing Lessons in 2 weeks. I used to LOVE downhill skiing in high school, so I think this might be a lot of fun. It's definitely more affordable than downhill skiing. Besides I still have an extra 10 pounds hanging out, so I think getting a little more active is going to take that right off! Hopefully this doesn't kick my butt too bad, but even if it does and I make a few more friends then I'm still coming out ahead of the game!! Wish me luck... anyone know anything about Cross Country Skiing?? LOL

Happy Winter Solstice!

I just want to wish everyone a very Happy Winter Solstice from my wee family to yours!

This evening we'll be having some good old fashioned family time, and then later we'll light our candles (since the firepit is WAY too full of snow to burn a Yule Log) with our wishes for the upcoming year.

This year has been more than I could have quite imagined or wished for, and I'm grateful. It almost seems silly to make a wish this year, because goodness knows what 2009 is going to bring me!

Hopefully not more kids, (just yet anyway)!... we get to see Kat grow and discover everything this year (which I can't wait for), Tim's sister Katie is getting married in May and I get to be the minister (very fabulous), and another whole year with Tim! We'll be celebrating our 1 year wedding anniversary in June, and our 2 year anniversary of being 'The Tim and Tara Show' in February.... Time flies... I feel like it was just yesterday I was mustering up the guts to fly to Michigan to meet him.... now our daughter is napping on the couch with her little butt up in the air. *grin*

I guess what I'm saying is that wishes at Solstice are all very well and good (by the way, mine came true last year- I wished for peace and happiness for my little family) but the truth of the matter is that the year is going to bring you what it brings you no matter what, and it'll likely be beyond your hopes or expectations.. or even your wildest imaginings. I always imagine I hear a very tiny giggle in the back of my mind every time I make plans, I reckon that's just the Universe finding us all very entertaining....

Even though, I have my wish all ready for tonight... and I can't tell anyone what it is until I know it's come true... Even if you don't celebrate the Winter Solstice or make any wishes at all, I'm hoping that your year to come is full of blessings you didn't even know you needed and is beyond all your expectations... I hope next holiday season you can look back at your year and have more good memories than you can count... and if you hear that small giggle when you make your plans, just smile- what is meant to happen surely will.

I think this is a fantastic idea...

And intend to adopt it for my life plan... thanks Dawn!

On Life...

The objective is not to arrive safely in an attractive, well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, glass of wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Random fun stuff... and tag you're it!!

2 Random fun things for today while WeeKat takes her afternoon nap!

If you go to this link: http://www.parents.com/parents/astrology/ you can enter your sign and your little one's sign and get horoscope and compatibility reports... usually this stuff is crap in my mind, but at least entertaining!! Go do it :o)

Results for me and WeePiglet:

Mom
Capricorn
The Goat
Dec. 22-Jan. 19
Capricorn moms make wonderful parents because they take the job so seriously -- you're responsible, conscientious, and supremely patient (a trait most moms wish they had more of). Your natural ability to allow your child to grow and learn at her own pace is a testament to your maturity and innate understanding that everyone develops on her own timeline -- no need to obsess about hitting every single milestone marker on time. And smart, practical Capricorn moms are instinctively more focused on their child's overall well-being than on pushing for outward signs of perfection in specific areas. (How social is baby? Is she already saying "mama"?)
One big trap for you to avoid is a nagging sense of self-doubt -- were you too quick to correct your child in music class today? Was it wrong to let her cry it out at naptime? Learn to trust that you're doing a great job. Look into your child's eyes, see her smile, and you'll find all the reassurance you need.

Baby
Scorpio
The Scorpion
Oct. 23-Nov. 21
Your child's intensity and perceptiveness are striking (and at times challenging). Even as an infant, she'll read and respond to your emotions, so manage your anger and frustration in front of her. Because your little one is especially determined to get her own way, you'll need to put your patience in overdrive. And since Scorpions are prone to shyness in large social settings, make frequent eye contact and let her know you're there to protect her. Also, keep your home well-stocked with objects that appeal to your child's probing nature: She likes soft stacking rings, toys with different textures, and open-the-flap books.

Capricorn Mom & Scorpio Baby

You and baby Scorpio will have a ball together! The child will sense your executive abilities almost immediately and resolve to stay on your good side. With most other parents, Scorpio babies try to get the upper hand, usually through manipulation. But even a tot can sense that you're not easily swayed -- even by emotional appeals. You'll be amazed at how quickly this kid solves puzzles and figures out how things work. Break-apart blocks and stacking towers are great toys for your child. Be sure to acknowledge his accomplishments. Despite their tough exterior, Scorpios can be highly sensitive. They can get as upset about not being noticed as they do about being scolded or getting a time-out. When your little one is acting out or being unruly, think of something he accomplished recently and bring on the praise! Celebrating a triumph you might have overlooked is a sure way to lift Scorpio's funk.

Also... for fun... a Tag you're it game! If you're a mommy, and you read my blog (I know who at least SOME of you are!) consider yourself tagged! List 10 random facts about what makes your little one special/funny/individual...

10 Random Facts about my Kiddo:

1. She likes to listen to techno music... I'm not kidding! This is how Tim calms her down, just proof that he made me listen to WAY too much of it while pregnant! She gets really quiet if she's cranky and nods her head and waves her hands around. I'm aware she's strange! She especially likes it if they are at his computer listening and he turns on the visualizations, she bats at the screen then.

2. She snorts and grunts like a Piggie when she eats... which is why she is The Piglet. She also turns all pink, especially the tip of her nose, which is how we know she's Irish...

3. She had a 20 minute conversation with our Solstice Tree this morning... she just cooed and smiled at the tree, unfortunately the tree was the strong silent type and she eventually gave up the conversation for food.

4. She can't be laid down unsupervised anymore because she scoots everywhere. If you lay her on her blanket she'll scoot with her lower legs until she's come full circle with her upper body in the same spot! If we lay her on the couch she will try to scoot off, so we have to be really careful.

5. She's a fist sucker.... not a thumb sucker. She balls up her hand, and sticks the whole thing in her mouth and makes really really loud sucking noises. She does it in her sleep and wakes me up in a panic at night thinking that she's either wheezing loudly, or the cat has a hairball.

6. When she's hungry she's not particular who she's rooting on... she bit Tim's nipple 2 weeks ago, and he screamed like a little girl. Muahahahaha!

7. She doesn't like being naked... strange right? Not sure this is our kid... when you undress her she gets cranky if not going into full tantrum mode 80% of the time.

8. She hates the bath! See above... how strange is this? She's getting better about it, but the minute we lay her in her little tub, she just starts yelling her head off. Bathtime is very traumatic for us! LOL

9. She enjoys Binkie tossing... she especially likes the binkies with rings on them, because she can hook a finger in them and get better distance. She throws it, then gets mad when it's not in her mouth anymore. The only thing that calms her is if she manages to aim her fist correctly at her mouth to suck on within a few seconds of her mouth being vacated.

10. She doesn't like any toy that hangs over her head, especially the stuffed Toucan on her Rainforest Swing. She eyeballs it suspiciously (seriously, face all scrunched up and one eye closed) for a few minutes before taking a swing at it and crying. I've had to also remove the hanging toys from her bassinet shade, now all hanging toys offend this strange little monkey.

First try at some Christmas Pictures of Kat

This was my first try to get some Christmas pictures of Kat. I plan to try again, she got cranky about halfway through... apparently the caterer didn't provide the appropriate food to get her through her 'shoot'.... she's becoming a bit of a high maintenance diva LOL... the super cute hat Jen made her made her giggle at first (the fluffy stuff around the bottom) but then made her mad. It's so cute I'm going to try it again when she's in a better mood... and once I get the caterer in line!

Solstice Tree Decorating

So today we re-decorated the tree... why re-decorate? We had not just one, but two tree malfunctions... like a wardrobe malfunction, but less fun and with more broken glass! The tree stand broke within hours of buying the tree, and instead of fixing it, Tim got out the duct tape to 'fix' it... he 'fixed' it twice... twice it fell. Until Tara had the brilliant idea of using an outdoor umbrella stand to hold it up.... and it's holding perfectly! So now the ornaments go back on. We decided that since the first time we decorated Kat was screaming her head off and we didn't get to enjoy, we'd do this when she was in a good mood and take a few pictures!

The Moby Wrap helps Kat be on eye level to make executive decisions on where to put the ornaments...

This Blue one goes riiiiiight here....

Freya is helping too... Luna is somewhere hiding from the Christmas muzak...

Happy Tara and Tim...

Decorating the tree has made my cute lil' self soooo tired!

Shhhh, quick!! Kiss me before the baby wakes up!!


The Tree.... ooohhh ahhhh.... so twinkly and shiny... and fall-over proof and NO duct tape! YAY!

Rocking and Rolling....

takes on a whole new meaning when you have an infant in the house!!

Kat is rolling up onto her side from her tummy already! Once she figures out to tuck her arm, she'll be rolling over. I think it'll happen in the next few weeks! She's such a strong little thing, she never ceases to amaze me at the cool things she does!

She also almost has the thumb sucking figured out. She's gotten the thumb in there twice and was in heaven, but mostly she just puts her fist in her mouth and makes really loud sucking sounds (it's so funny)....

Last night after having birthday dinner for Tim at his parent's house, I spent about 2 hours rocking her to sleep, she had mean old gas bubbles so it was a loud evening for us. Luckily once they passed she slept soundly most of the night. It'll be so nice once her digestive system develops a bit more and those gassy nights are fewer and farther between. I hate seeing her in pain!!

I also have more pictures to share! Sleepy Kat with a Sleepy Freya standing guard over her! (it's her baby too in her head! She always tells us when Kat has a wet diaper, she sniffs her butt and looks at us like -hey! Take care of that, would ya?)

PS for all you nervous nellys out there, Kat only ever sleeps on a blanket with a blanket like this when one of us is directly next to her on the couch watching her :o) Usually I'm next to her with a book or watching a movie. Don't send the sleep Nazi's to our house to scream at me LOL

We wanted to title this one Milk Drunk.... she nursed frantically here for like 10 minutes, drained the bottle, then zonked out and dropped the bottle. (she holds our hands on the bottle while she eats) It never fails to crack me up how she goes from 100 miles an hour to completely asleep in the drop of a hat! Silly baby!

Feeling better

Just a quick note to say that Kat woke up smiling this morning and wanting to play, she seems to be feeling lots better... she spent all day with Grandpa while Mom and Grandma went Christmas shopping... now we're relaxing at home.

Today is Daddy's birthday, so we made him a special Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner and we'll be spoiling him tonight even though he's feeling sick too! :o(

Every day is an adventure...

Every day is different in Kat land... I'm learning that being a good mom is about learning to roll with whatever the munchkin throws my way that day. She has a very tentative daytime routine worked out... she's been following it fairly well for 2 almost weeks, and since we started the tummy sleeping earlier this week it's been even better! The nighttime routine is starting to kick in, which means more sleep!

She's been sleeping SO much better and surprisingly enough (not sure if this is linked or not, but it's happening at the same time) the last 3 days she hasn't had her nightly fit from 8-9:30. She used to just cry and cry, very colicky for about an hour before zonking out. She sleeps longer and seems happier during the day...

Until today.... poor baby couldn't sleep more than 45 minutes at a stretch last night, and today she refuses to be put down. She keeps rubbing her nose, face and eyes and is very snotty. I think she may have gotten the cold that Tim brought home, he's sick now with the thing I had last week.

So today, I'm a babywearing fool, a siamese mommy if you will... it's the only thing that helps her! She just wakes up, cries really quietly and pitifully for a second, reaches up to pat my face, and then tries her best to get comfy and settle back in before sleeping fitfully. I feel so bad for her! I'm not sure if she's actually sick sick, but I don't think she's feeling fantastic. No fever or anything. If she's still feeling badly tomorrow I'll take her to the doctor.

So the routine is out the window, and I'm rolling with the punches and trying my best to help my little piglet start feeling better. On an upnote, I think the tummy sleeping really helped the yuck come out her nose in the night rather than into her lungs to make her feel worse. I still feel nervous about it, but it really seems to make her feel so much better I can't ignore that.

I guess there's no real concrete rule for raising a little one, there's nothing permanent other than love, and nothing more real than listening to your instincts when it comes to being a mommy.

It's been a long night, and it's going to be a long day, and that's okay... she really needs me today. Sleep is for the weak (haha!)

Two blogs in one day, the miracle of sleep!

Okay, not a real blog... but more pictures of Tim and Kat... you know you wanna look!!

So sweet... napping on her Daddy....

Sleepy girl...


Dad and Kat watching Wall-E.... okay welll Dad watching Wall-E... Kat dreaming of endless milk...

Soooo tired.... Dad is a good pillow!

Adorable isn't even the word here!!!

I love these two!!

Waking up.... and waking up kinda cranky... totally Daddy's girl here!


Her butt was quacking here, so we had to share! LOL

Kat's 1 month checkup, and oh! What a beautiful morning!

Yesterday Kat had her 1 month checkup with the fabulous Dr. Das. She is now 9lbs 11oz, but hasn't gotten any longer... she's just getting wider! LOL Actually she was a bit tall at birth so she's just growing into it now. Her height is 50th percentile, her weight and head circumference are 75th percentile. Our little bit is growing!

He checked her for reflux, and said she definitely has it, but he doesn't want to give any medicines for it now since it's not very severe. Since she's gaining weight, it means she's keeping enough of her food down to thrive. Basically we just need to try to feed her upright and do more frequent smaller feedings until her digestive system matures a bit more. That should happen in a month-ish, or does for most babies!

We talked to the Doctor about her never ever wanting to sleep on her back, and that it sometimes seems to cause her pain. So he took her from us and laid her on her tummy on the examining table. Curious creature that she is she had to lift herself up and start looking all around. He said that she's got great muscle strength and motor function already, and that she would be completely fine to sleep on her tummy. We quizzed him about the monitor idea, and he basically said it would just be for piece of mind, but that they tend to scare new parents more than reassure them due to false alarms. I couldn't believe he gave the all clear for her to tummy sleep! It's so beaten into you as a new mom that you immediately equate tummy sleeping with doom... He reassured us that, yes- it's preferable for babies to sleep on the tummy until they have good neck and upper body control, but that after that they are perfectly fine to tummy sleep if it's more comfortable for them. He said that her getting restful sleep while she's growing and developing and being comfortable and not in pain from reflux is more important right now. He said she's more than strong enough to move herself if she manages to get her face down in the bedding. Basically we just need to make sure she's always on firm surfaces with nothing around her head. That's no problem, we've been SIDS rules nazis so far, so all her sleep areas are firm mattress types with nothing else in them!

Granted, I've watched her nap on her tummy for hours during the day (I would never look away for more than a minute! LOL... but she always slept so well that way) and I've seen her rise from a deep deep sleep, push herself up and turn her head all the way to the other side and fall right back into deep sleep. But still!!!! I was SO nervous last night... but I trusted the doctor and put in in the bassinet next to our bed after I rocked her to sleep on her tummy.... and she slept from 10:30-5:00am peacefully!! Wow!! I fed her quickly, she went back into the bassinet happily and only woke 2 more times to eat before we got out of bed at 9am...

I.... slept... alll.... night..... IN MY OWN BED!! NEXT TO MY HUSBAND!!!! OMGawd!

She's in a better mood this morning than usual, and Tim and I are feeling actually human. I was worried all night, but she makes so many little noises in her sleep that if I woke up worried, all I needed to do was wait a second and I'd hear her sigh or grunt or coo.... and I could go right back to sleep. I may survive motherhood after all! No more upright couch sleeping for me! I will continue to be nervous for a long time yet I'm sure, but the Doctor seems to know what he's talking about! She's a strong, healthy little piglet, and she's so much happier now that she got some good sleep!

Oh- also, she only took 1 oz of formula all night, the rest was breastfed... so another small triumph for me.... granted right now Daddy is feeding her a formula bottle because she's hungry and Momma is all out of the Moo Milk... but we went all night almost completely breastfed! I'm currently taking Fenugreek to boost my supply (which is slowly coming back after being so sick) and it really does seem to be helping!!

So I'm feeling better, got to sleep in a bed, Kat is happy, Tim is happy... and we're going to spend the day playing with Kat, housecleaning a little, and gaming....

Things are looking up!

It's a hard job, but a cute one!

Kat was being cute tonight during dinner, so I had to whip out the camera :o)

Daddy kisses...

Trying to eat Momma's neck! Tiny vampire baby on the loose!

The love of my life...

Both loves of my life :o)

Grinning at Daddy

Adora-baby...

Curious look