Sunday, February 27, 2011

fifteen weeks!


Can't believe that Hudson is already three and a half months old. Time is passing so quickly! He has definitely got into a groove. He has been sleeping through the night finally the past week which has  made our lives definitely easier. He is such a happy baby!


The past couple days he has been a chatterbox, talking back to us and even talking to himself. He also enjoys squealing and singing.


Wednesday, February 23, 2011

who's that baby?


So we are in a conundrum to figure out who Hudson resembles more. Sometimes he looks like Dave and sometimes he looks more like me.

I've definitely seen this look before (that is Dave, believe it or not!):


And we definitely know where Hudson got his sizable feet! (Dave didn't even think his feet looked big for his size in this photo - he attributed it to perspective. I told him there is not enough perspective in this world to account for the size of his feet!)


This is me at 3 days old:


and this is Hudson at 1 day old:


And me at 2 months old (I know - the dress gives it away):


And me at 1 year - explains the blonde hair coming in atop Hudson's head


Monday, February 21, 2011

fourteen weeks!


Hudson had his first full week with Violet and he did great. Last Friday had beautiful weather so they went to the park twice! He has really be enjoying his tummy time - so much so that it is sometimes hard to get him to lay down for his naps - he just lifts up and looks around! He was very expressive for this photo shoot:


He loves to be talked to and sung to.


chillin' in the bath


Hudson loves the bath. He likes to splash and play and even just hang out. He has even been known to do a video conference from the bath. He is a well connected baby.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

thirteen weeks


He makes a great valentine - don't you think? Couldn't keep his hands out of his mouth! He was "talking" the whole time - very cute! He is growing well. He is now 13lbs even (we skipped the 12lbs as last visit he was 11lbs 6 oz) and 24 inches long. I could use him at work as a ruler if he wasn't so wiggly!



happy sunday


So we actually made it to the east side morning service today. Saw some old friends from the artist's fellowship group from way back when (2004 - can you believe it?). Hudson did much better during this service. He even slept for ~45 minutes under the nursing cover (the lights were too bright at first for him to settle down). We took the stroller - definitely a two person job, but it was nice to have when we walked around the neighborhood afterwards.

Hudson ate and took a nap when we got home around 2:30pm. Later this afternoon we had fun playing:


And Daddy and Hudson watched the sunset - it was a pretty one!




Mommy & Daddy time!


Hudson is growing so fast! He loves to be talked to! You just have to be careful when you lift him above your head, because you might get spit-up all over you! He is such a happy baby!

back to work

Not for Hudson, but for me! I started work last Tuesday with a half day and then back full time on Wednesday. We found an amazing nanny, Violet, who Hudson loves which has made it easier to leave. In someways I feel that I am a better parent as I am "more present" when I am with him. I think when I was home all the time, I was more likely to be paying attention to a show in the background.


Violet is from Trinidad and does a great job keeping Hudson healthy and happy. He spends time looking and reading books on the floor and playing in his bouncy chair. He also is getting more used to the stroller and going out more. Violet has done a great job this week maintaining the feed/wake/sleep schedule that I worked so hard to develop.

The prayers and support from our family and friends has made this transition easier and I want to thank you for your continued prayers and support. We know going back to work doesn't work for everyone, and I might change my mind in the future, but for now it seems to be working well.  I take the morning shift - leave by 6:30 after Hudson's first feeding and home by 5pm and Dave leaves for work at 8:30 and is home by 7pm for bath time. And coming home to this is pretty great:



Drool baby!

baby stuff we love

So we have some expectant friends and when I was expecting I was really curious as to what we "needed" vs what we could to without. I loved it when people would let me know what their favorite "must have" was and why. This is critical in a one bedroom apartment because we only have so much room. Below is our top ten sixteen list - not in any particular order. We've used everything on the list a LOT. Particularly the burp cloths.

1. Burp Cloths - It's worth the extra money to get these extra soft 'Chinese pre-folds' from Osocozy. They are nice and thick and absorb a lot of spit up. We use twelve these in combination with twelve Gerber pre-folds and twenty-four regular Gerber cloth diapers. Have we mentioned that our baby spits up - a LOT? We love the pretty ones we got as a gift from babyJaR pictured below - great for when you are out and about, but for home we mainly use white cloths (unless it is laundry day). You probably could start with 12, but the 48 (yes, that is forty-eight. Not a typo) now allows us to do laundry 2-3 times a week rather than every day.


2. Foam Bath Mat - It folds, it's cheap, it's soft and this one has an indicator for when the water is too hot - great for first time parents. We love that it is flexible - we prop it at the end of the bath tub so Hudson can sit up. Takes up minimal space which is perfect for apartment living. He loves bath time!

3. Flannel Waterproof mats - Can I mention that this is a laundry saver? You'll be doing a lot of laundry and it's great to have something you can put on your changing mat and in the crib so that you don't have to change the cover or sheets each time your little one spits up or has a diaper blow out. My mom got the large sheet and cut it into ~24" x 18" squares which are the perfect size. The rubber center keeps the fabric from unraveling.

4. Swaddling blankes - We love these from Aiden & Anais. We got ours gently used off of craigslist and they are soft and very versitle - can be used as a nursing cover or a burp cloth in a pinch and they are super soft and large (easy to swaddle for newbies). They get softer with each wash which is great and they are light weight so they can be used in the summer too. Target also sells them now for cheaper.

5. Bottle drying rack - We love the look of this one from Boon and it looks great on our counter (let's face it - it's going to be out for the next year of your baby's life you might as well enjoy looking at it). It holds all those little accessories for the bottles and the pump well and looks good doing it. Bonus both pieces can be thrown into the dishwasher and it has a great capacity with a small footprint (perfect for small apartments!)


6. Exercise ball - This was a life saver the first few weeks with Hudson. He loved to be held and bounced on this ball - it's what we turned to when nothing else seemed to work. This one has sand which helps with stability (always a plus when it is 3am and you are bouncing your little one). Think of it as a jump start to your post-partum exercise plan!

7. Amazon Moms - If you haven't heard of this subscription service - you need to get on board. You don't need to be a mom (dad's, grandparents work). You get discounts (huge when it comes to diapers - 30% off with subscribe and save) and you get a free Amazon Prime membership essentially for a year (first month is free and is extended with each $20 you spend - diapers alone will cover you).

8. Earth's Best Wipes - I love these wipes. They are large, not to damp, not too dry, very soft and get the job done. They keep you clean while you get your baby clean. Great thing is that they are chlorine free so they are perfect for your newborn's sensitive skin. And you can subscribe for them via Amazon Mom's - the case of 12 lasts about 2-3 months. 

9. CeraVe - Perfect lotion for baby's (and your!) skin. So important to keep them hydrated!

10. Bacitracin - Works perfectly for minor chapping, burns and scrapes/scratches. Heals them super fast!

Okay - more fun stuff now - electronics and toys!

11. Plastic rings - This is the first toy that Hudson was interested in. He loves to grab and shake them and put them in his mouth. You can link them in a zillion different ways and take just a couple with you when you are going out. So simple, so cheap,  so worth it!

12. Flip camera - A gift from my work but we love it. It has been fun catching Hudson making noises and moving around. I'm sure it will become more invaluable as he gets older. Takes regular batteries and has a great mic. Bonus - it acts as a new baby toy. Hudson loves looking at the little red light.

13. Bouncy chair - Hudson's second favorite toy. We got this one on a super deal from Gilt Groupe (I know - who knew they had deals on baby stuff?). We love the Bjorn because it folds flat, has three height settings, and Hudson bounces the chair rather than having it bounced for him. It is one of the more upright chairs out there. We see them all the time on CL, and I am all about the used baby gear. The cover easily comes off for washing too which is important!



14. Sleep Sheep - We didn't think Hudson like this one since at 4 weeks it made him cry. Now he uses it at every nap on the "ocean" setting. It has become invaluable.

15. Itzbeen - Great device for the first 3 months. It is a count-up timer that lets you know how long 'itz been' since the baby ate, was changed, or started sleeping. We also loved this journal to keep everything straight. Those first three weeks you are pretty much a zombie - these two things helped keep us sane and we are still using them.

16. Park Slope Parents Yahoo Group - Okay this one is more applicable to Brooklynites, but has been invaluable to us. There are classifieds for used baby gear, advise forums for a everything under the sun. It's how we found our nanny. If you aren't blessed enough to be a Brooklynite, connect with your local support groups. Being a parent isn't easy and everyone needs as much support as you can get!

Monday, February 7, 2011

growing up

It's amazing how much he has changed in the past 12 weeks!

twelve weeks!


Hudson has been doing much better this week with the more 'limited' time and quantity of milk. Although the past three days I think he is on a growth spurt as he has been really hungry so we've had to add some feedings.



 This week is bittersweet as I head back to work on Wednesday full time. Violet, our babysitter, is doing a great job hanging out with Hudson and making sure he is growing and learning.