OklahoMama

When it came time for the tiny human to turn 1 month old, I was struck with the realization that I didn't know what sort of photos I wanted to mark the passage of time. I knew I wanted to do some sort of photo every month that highlighted how she was changing, but I hadn't really decided on what. And in a fog of hormones with a still healing scar across my stomach in the throes of my new stay-at-home-mom life, this decision seemed to be of paramount importance. If I got it wrong now... I wouldn't have it right later. I couldn't just start halfway through with a new picture idea if I thought of something later. I needed to get this right. Unfortunately, at 1 month, the tiny human was still thoroughly enmeshed in her "but I want to be HELD" stage, and wasn't in the mood to be still and content while I fumbled through my first photo attempts. In the end, I decided on three photos to take every month. One with a sticker, one with a quilt that grandma...

I'm pretty sure I've tried every swaddle on the planet. It has been quite the saga, but one that has taught me a great deal. Firstly- when we had the tiny human, I had no earthly idea about all the options there were available. I also didn't realize important swaddling would become to me, which probably explains why I didn't look at the options. Swaddling was just something that we might do, maybe, sometimes, I thought. Boy howdy. Was I ever wrong. At the very beginning, in the hospital and our first night home, we didn't bother swaddling the baby. Because one of us was holding the baby at all times. So, no swaddle necessary. Upon realizing that this was ultimately unsustainable... we decided to try to swaddle her and let her take a nap in her Rock N' Play. She seemed to dig that pretty well, so we decided that might be a good option for her night time sleep. We swaddled her tight in a blanket that I had to spread all across the bed, usually on the h...

** This post is not for the faint of heart. It also isn't a medical opinion at all- so talk to someone who knows what they are talking about if you have questions. I'm only 90% sure of all of my details thanks to the magic of labor-forgetting hormones** Guys, I am petrified of needles. I get super nervous and nauseous every year the day I have to go get my flu shot, and work myself up into a tizzy about it even though it is NOT a big deal. At all. Its pathetic. Being pregnant involves more needles than I thought it would, but none so legendary as the epidural. In birthing class, I, and the other nervous mamas, gathered around the table to peer at the epidural kit to see how bad it was really going to be. Realization? Not at all. For some reason I was picturing a massive, Excalibur sized, needle that could skewer me straight through. Why? Because I have an overactive imagination, probably. And a huge. Fear. Of needles. The little kit included all the pieces, none of whic...

We took an intense birthing class before the tiny human showed up. It was 8 weeks long, once a week for 3 hours. We covered everything from emotional health to where to get the best fuzzy socks (with traction) for your hospital bag. When we first walked in on the very first day, I balked. I felt awkward and out of place, since we were the least pregnant people there, and as anyone who has ever met me can attest, I don't always do super awesome with new people. I'm a strange combination of shy and weirdly sarcastic in new situations, which is definitely what every birthing class needs. I started feeling even MORE awkward when the instructor turned on relaxing music and told our husbands to massage our necks. And even more awkward than that when we went around the room to rate how relaxed we felt on a scale of 1-10. Relaxed? Are you kidding me? My blood pressure hasn't been this high in years. Right around that time... the instructor told us that we were welcome to bring ...

I always think that I'm not going to cut my hair. Post-wedding hair chop? Definitely not for me. I love my long hair. Its so pretty and great. I'm never going to cut it short again, because I always hate it, and why would I do that to myself? -- 3 days after honeymoon-- Yeah... it gotsta go. Chop. You'd think I would have learned by now... but then we wouldn't have the fun of discussing my idiocy on the blog, now would we. I had no intentions of cutting my hair post-baby. I was petrified of getting 'mom hair', and thus decided to keep my lengthy locks firmly attached to my head. I had nightmares about the SNL skit about the 'mom cut' (if you haven't seen it- look it up). I was 100% positive and sure that I was going to keep my hair long. (Photo credit to the incomparable Haley Rowell)  You see where this is going, don't you? It was one of those things that I knew was a mistake before I even did it. I read other people's accoun...

You know those commercials about the difference between first time moms and second time moms? Where the mom is super stressed and over prepared with the first kid, and then totally chill and walking out the door with one diaper and a handful of puffs with the second kid? I hate those commercials. I am a first time mom, and as such I reserve the right to be over prepared. And a little crazy. And to hide in my house with my newborn during cold and flu season. And I am definitely not going to apologize. I think every mom has a different comfort level when it comes to stuff like that. Germs and going places and other kids and what is ok and not ok to have happen around baby. And I also don't really think there is a statute of limitations on how long we get a pass to feel that way. We're the mamas, I think we get to feel that way until we stop feeling that way. Which apparently will happen with the birth of kid 2, but maybe not. We have a massive family with lots of young ki...

** The following is not for the faint of heart. Or, you know, men who will be scarred by me discussing feminine type things** For some reason, the title of this post sounds like a Hallmark movie. "When my water broke, the tale of a young man who falls in love with a girl up the river, only to have his heart broken." Spoiler alert: water breakage isn't a Hallmark movie. Second spoiler alert: This story is kind of gross, so maybe don't read it if you aren't ready for that. When I was in birthing class, our instructor suggested we carry puppy pee pads (the kind you use to train sweet little dogs who can't quite get the 'go outside' concept') everywhere with us when we hit 34 weeks. 34 weeks. Seems early, doesn't it? I sort of wrote off this advice for the most part, after all, didn't people keep telling me that only a small percentage of women's water actually breaks before labor? Like a weirdly small percentage in comparison to t...