7 essential items for a new baby

I love making lists. My to do list is often how I start my day when I’m working; it’s as helpful for me to make the list as it is cathartic to cross things off as done. When I was preparing for Harley’s arrival, I really wanted a list of what I would need. Plenty of sites and magazines had lists, but they often included things that other moms had told me were unnecessary. So here is my list of what I’ve found essential in the first month and a bit of having Harley home.

There are plenty of other things that have been useful but aren’t essential; I love my adorable hooded towel for bath time, but I could just as easily use a normal one. The same goes for the vibrating chair – it’s awesome when she likes it, but it just hasn’t been a guaranteed success with her. So here are the bare bones that every first time parent should ensure they have for the little one. Continue Reading

3 Comments Parenting

Babies: the real ball and chain

I adore my husband. I often say that he’s the only person I can be with every day and never get sick of his face – I suppose that’s important considering we’ve agreed to spend the rest of our lives together. We never refer to each other as “the old ball and chain”, in part because it’s rude, but also because it’s not true. We give each other plenty of space, spend time in the day apart, and never restrict each other’s activities. So no, my husband isn’t a ball and chain… but my baby sorta is.

The ball and chain was originally a physical restraint, but the idiom evolved into a burden or restraint in the form of a wife or job – something you can’t get away from. As I type this, I am holding Harley. She prefers to be held for hours every day, and in the past week I’ve probably spent about an hour apart from her. In total. And there’s no chance I can get early parole for good behavior. Continue Reading

8 Comments Breast feeding, Parenting, Rambling

Games I can play while nursing

There are awesome moments for gaming with a newborn. Whenever she’s napping, it’s easy enough for me to boot up the PS4 or my PC and get some quality game time in. Of course, there is the unpredictability of her waking up that prevents me from playing online games. But I’ve managed to get a bit of time in with The Witcher 3 and I finished Tomb Raider a month ago, so it’s not like all my gaming has come to a halt. However, most of the time I have to find a way to play games with one hand while the other is busy holding her.

While one-handed gaming is usually alluding to something else, for me it has been a way to keep myself busy while Harley is doing her thing. Even when she’s done nursing, I often need to hold her while she sleeps – as soon as I put her down, she wakes up and the cycle of tears and comforting starts all over again. As a result, I’ve found myself playing certain games that don’t require both hands’ worth of input mechanisms. Continue Reading

3 Comments Gaming, Geek

My baby’s weight loss plan for me

I made a conscious decision not to think about my weight for the first year of Harley’s life. I figured it would take that long for things to even out with her, and until then it was silly to imagine that I could stick to any eating or exercise plans. I was lucky enough to already lose 5 kgs six weeks after giving birth, but I think my little one is determined to make me slim.

I don’t generally care about the number on the scale; I don’t even know how much I weigh at the moment. Instead, I focus on how clothes fit and how comfy I feel in my own skin. I’m also determined not to let my body image determine my self image – I need to be empowered, and right now I feel good about my body; look what it accomplished. And I’m not even feeling the need to fake some positive body image at the moment. I feel pretty good about how I look, even post-baby. Plus, Harley has me on a three-pronged weight loss plan. Continue Reading

2 Comments Fitness, Food

The irony of the Sound of Silence

Growing up in New York City, I never had an issue with noise. In fact, an oft cited story about me while growing up was the fact that I fell asleep in a bowling alley as a child. I don’t need quiet or darkness to sleep, although obviously it is preferable, and in general I’m used to having sounds around me without getting distracted. As a result, I never really appreciated the sound of silence until I procreated.

Harley makes noise. Not a little bit, a lot of noise. Pretty much if she’s awake, there’s a sound. It’s not just cries and screams, sometimes it’s gurgles and moans, although those can become screams if she doesn’t get the attention she needs fast enough. It means that I adore the times when she’s asleep – I can gain use of both my hands, I can go to the bathroom or grab food, or I can just enjoy a quiet moment in my own thoughts (like right now). Continue Reading

7 Comments Parenting, Rambling