Monday, January 30, 2012

mama to mama. part two. BATHTIME!


Welcome to mama to mama monday!  This week we're talking about bathtime.  If you haven't already, check out part one here.

I was really looking forward to these responses, because bathtime is starting to be a bit of a challenge for us.  After the sink got too small for Lua to lie down in, we switched to taking baths with her in the tub.  Now, before she was mobile, this worked just fine.  We'd lay her on our lap and wash away.  Now though, she can't sit up by herself yet but is much more curious about the water, soap, toys, etc. like a greasy piglet - wriggling and squirming!  What to do, what to do...

Thank you to all the mamas who responded!  Enjoy!
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Sara, mom to Nathan (3 1/2 yrs) and Oliver (9 months)

I bathe my boys twice a week unless they get really dirty. Nathan is fun- it’s a good time where we can just spend time together- just us, and its fun to make educational games, like today we were adding using his bath squirt toys. Oliver is bathed in the kitchen sink. It’s much easier since he’s too big for his infant bath but seems to get swallowed up in the regular bath. He loves to splash so its helpful to have extra towels.

After each bath I slather them in thick lotion- especially in winter. Keeps dry skin/eczema at bay.
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Kerrie, mom to Aspen (7 weeks)
 
I passed bath time off to daddy....and he usually does it every other night or two before bed. But i know we would like suggestions as we/he are still putting her on top of the "netting" part of baby tub...nothing else seems comfortable and its hard to support her head other ways. One thing that does work well is placing baby tub on top of running washer or dryer....soothing vibrations and a little extra heat.
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Faith, mother to Lucy (3yrs.) and Milo (11 months )

We bathe our munchkins every other day unless they get super dirty for some reason. It helps keep their skin from getting too dry in winter.

For toys, we have ocean creature squirters and Thomas Trains. Lucy loves to give her bath toys a 'bath' with her washcloth after I'm done washing her. Milo just likes to lay on his tummy in the water and try to crawl. He chews on the bath toys:)
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Miriam, mom to Azalia (4yrs.) and Lucia (16months)


Thanks so much for including me in your "mama to mama" post!  I can't wait to see what other Mamas have to say.
 When Lucia was just an infant my husband and I would take turns bathing with her.  We found it to be a wonderful way to bond and she wouldn't really have it any other way!  Now that she is older, both of my girls bathe together.  Recently it has become a nightly thing, as part of their bedtime routines.  They both play fairly well together.  I try to have enough toys in the tub for both of them.  I also try to have two of the same type of toys.  For example, we have two plastic cups that have holes in the bottoms so water leaks out.  That way they both get to have one.  

We go back and forth using California Baby body wash/shampoo and Method Baby.  I just squirt a little bit into the tub while the water is running.  Then I let them play and don't worry about washing them down, unless they are particularly dirty.  I don't wash their hair with shampoo every single time either, just get it wet.  I find this is sufficient, especially since there is a little soap in the water already.  For the most part, bath time is a playful and relaxing time for them, to them transition to bed time.  

My biggest recommendation is to engage with your children while they are in the tub!  Obviously if you have an infant this is required, but as your children get older it's tempting to sit and tune out while they splash away.  While sometimes you need this time, if possible play with them.  I find my girls are much better behaved in the tub when I play with them, as opposed to sitting and reading a book while they are bathing.  

Hope this helps!




mama to mama mondays. part one.

I love my mother as the trees love water and sunshine - she helps me grow, prosper, and reach great heights. ~Adabella Radici

I love my friends.  I have a pretty tight circle that consists mostly of extremely beautiful, talented and SINGLE* folks.  Needless to say, Andrew and I have been the only married - let alone childbearing - couple in our group out here in NYC.  So, when Lua was born, I immediately began my search for a weekly mommy group and was disappointed to find that New York mom groups are wayyyy too intense for me.  They require commitment, strong views and - sadly - money.  
Boo! 
It was about this time that my friend, Kerrie, who lives in Nebraska, gave birth to a little peanut and called me to ask for some advice.  After our conversation was over, I felt so relieved to have been able to help, to know that there was someone else in my boat and with about a tablespoon of renewed confidence in my own mothering skills.  About a week later, I had a skype date with my college roommate, Laura, who lives in California now, because I was feeling defeated by something baby related and again, felt like a superwoman after our date was over (ps.  the date ended when one of our tired babies lost her noodle and it was like, "welp. bye!" hahaha)
As my search continued for a great mommy group, I began to realize that I already HAD a mom group, we were just spread far and wide across the globe.  I talk to Andrew's mommy cast-mates here in NYC, get advice from my family friends in Germany, religiously stalk the my mommy facebook friends and vent - boy, can I vent - to my good friend Kim in Nebraska all the time.
Sooooo
I've decided to start a mommy group of my own, so to speak, in a weekly blog post called  
mama to mama mondays
I'm posing weekly questions to some awesome mommies and will post their ideas, tips, tricks and advice right here for all to read and enjoy!  Please feel free to comment on these posts with added questions and ideas.  And, if you'd like to be added to the list of mommies, email me at sophia.e.cao@gmail.com
Oh!  And to those of you who follow this blog and don't have kids, I promise to try and keep it entertaining!
 
 *congrats to my good friend, Audra, who is getting married this summer!

OK.  On to the very first topic.  BATHTIME!!

Friday, January 27, 2012

...as easy as...

ok.  so i know beetle is, what, 4 months old now?  BUT! we just finished editing this video and it is just too cute not to share.  watching it, i can't help but be reminded what we went through over the course of those photos...
i had morning sickness. serious.
we had puppies. 5 of them. and mama. dancing at my feet while we took photos.
i got a promotion at work.
i got stretch marks.
i got hot. serious. (both meanings will work here :)
i got grumpy.  gave up putting makeup on at 1am to take the damn photos.
and then, with the arrival of lu, as it should - everything got put on hold.  even introducing her into the video.
BUT!
it is just too cute not to share.
I love you, Andrew, for diligently sticking with this project and making it awesome even though i wanted to quit at times.
ENJOY!



Friday, January 20, 2012

4 months.

Where have you BEEN?! you may ask...well, Lu has been busy GROWING!


Look at how BIG she is :)  13lbs, 14oz. and 25.5in. long!  She is one long 4 month old.  I pray this doesn't mean she'll be tall and leggy...I don't think Andrew will be able to handle it!


And where have I been?  I've been working working working.  Am I happy about it?  Not exactly.  But I am trying to stay positive and just soak up all the Beetle time I can (ya, maybe I keep her awake for a few extra minutes of cuddle time).  I have great aspirations for this little blog too!  I have mommy friends from all over the U.S. and would love to start posting stories/advice/tips/tricks/anecdotes/recipes/prettythings to create not only a space to share my adventure with Beetle, but also a place to share and draw from!  

Stay tuned!

ps - notice the extraordinary use of exclamation points in this post?!  it's almost 2am. 

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Simply Printed.


Aren't these the CUTEST prints!?!  For my baby shower, Aileen made Beetle a couple of hand printed onesies.  One of them is still too big, but she wears the other ALL THE TIME.  

...see?


Anyhoot.

She just open this shop on Etsy Simply Printed and it is so amazingly cute (and so reasonably priced!).  I will definitely be getting the peacock for Lua, maybe the camel too :)





Friday, January 6, 2012

a morning at our house.


 a little bit of playtime while mommy makes coffee (decaf, unfortunately).


 the beginnings of breakfast.






 the 1st round of bacon stood no chance when it had to wait for a diaper change.






 scrambled.


 heaps and piles of laundry.

 helping :)


Thursday, January 5, 2012

hats.

My New Year's Resolution:  to keep up with this little blog!!!





beetle loved trying on all her different hats from Gramie Nan to see which ones still fit!