Tag Archives: Baby

How a baby has changed my marriage, 4 months in

Today, Dean and I are celebrating our anniversary. Four years ago, we got married. Nine years ago, we started dating. It’s hard to believe how many years we’ve been together. On the one hand, it has gone so fast. On the other, I can’t imagine my life without him. Nine years of seeing his face and he still makes me smile. Nine years on, and my life is so much better for having him as my partner. Having a baby certainly has changed things, though.

The early days were hard. Like, really hard. Dean was an amazing partner to have; he focused on taking care of me so that I could take care of Harley. He took two weeks off for paternity leave, helping me figure things out when we brought Harley home from the hospital. He cooked us dinner, cleaned the house and generally just did everything to help and pamper me so that I could take care of the baby when she was still so new. But then he had to go back to work, and we had to find a new routine. Continue Reading

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Why I love my Wonder Weeks App

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from being a parent, it’s that you can’t truly be prepared for anything. Your baby might wake up one morning and cry non-stop for no reason. Or at least it seems that way until she lets rip an enormous fart. Or maybe she’s super clingy and you don’t know why – it’s moments like those that I simply couldn’t live without my baby sling. However, there is a way to get a bit more insight into what’s going on.

You may or may not have noticed the pretty gray button on the right side of the page. That’s to show you that I’m a columnist over on Tums 2 Tots. My column each month is about an app that makes pregnancy or parenting easier, and you can check it out over here (and you really should – the site has gone through a rebranding and looks beautiful!). This month, I wrote about The Wonder Weeks app, and it truly is my lifesaver sometimes. Continue Reading

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1 Comment Geek, Parenting

Forever has new meaning with a baby

forever mom

I already had a sense of committing to something for a lifetime – marriage has that whole “til death do us part” aspect and all. Dean and I agreed that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together, and we are still happy with that decision. Having a baby is sort of the same thing, only there isn’t exactly that moment when you hear the words and have to say “I do” – there really should be. I’m her mom, and I will be forever – that’s a big deal!

It’s not that I’m unhappy with the decision to procreate. Harley is gorgeous, growing so well, and becoming an integral part of my life. We are falling in love more each day, and bonding with each and every midnight feed and silly game. But there are still moments when it hits me – this is the new normal, and my life will never be the same again. Continue Reading

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3 Comments Parenting, Rambling

Is my baby torturing me? Not at the moment!

We have ways of making you talk! Okay, I don’t, but the CIA and other agencies do. Enhanced interrogation, aka torture, can include a wide range of activities. Technically, torturing another human is illegal according to international agreements, but it still happens. Don’t worry, I promise this isn’t such a dark post on a Friday! You see, over on Cracked.com, they compared techniques for breaking down prisoners with activities performed by babies, and it’s kinda hilarious.

There are five techniques listed: sleep deprivation; solitary confinement; sound torture; stress positions; and food and drink deprivation. Sleep deprivation is unavoidable, although as I already explained I think I’ve adapted to Harley’s unique form of this. Yes, I’m still tired most days, but I usually hit my stride and I’m not so sleep deprived as to become moody or to impair my judgement or driving abilities. Perhaps Harley is torturing me, but she’s doing it relatively mildly. But what about the other techniques? Continue Reading

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Things we shouldn’t say: I despise my baby

Parenthood is such a lonely experience. Sure, there are tons of groups and blogs and communities to get involved in, but at 3am when you’re sitting with a screaming baby, you’re on your own. But that’s not even loneliest part about it; the worst part is that somehow, I’ve felt like I’m the only one who feels this way. Maybe I am, or maybe people are liars, or maybe nostalgia makes parents forget, but dealing with a newborn/preemie is absolutely awful.

Sure, there may be sweet moments, but when you’re sleep deprived and drained, there is only so much you can take. Well, only so much that I can take. And while Harley is objectively gorgeous and adorable, she seems way less so when she has been crying and screaming and robbing me and Dean of our rest and our sanity. Instead of staying quiet about it, feeling like I’m the only one, here’s what it’s really like even two weeks later with a baby who shouldn’t have even been born yet. Continue Reading

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34 Comments Parenting, Rambling