Blog Frenzy Today... New Favorite Commercial!

Today I have just blogged up a storm! It's important to me to get everything written out before I forget or before too much time has passed. It felt good to get caught up today! So, last one for the day-- it's time to get dinner on the stove.
Just so ya'll know, I've become obsessed with this new Target commerical about back to school! Every time it comes on, I make Will rewind it (he does it without being asked now) and I sing along. It's to the tune of Word Up! by Korn (originally by Cameo... but we all like Korn muuuch better, right?? Who is Cameo?) By the way, if you can't tell what he's saying at one particular part, he's saying "Harajuku"- Gwen Stefani's Target clothing line for girls. :)

The other Target commercial (also promoting back to school) has also grown on me. I didn't care too much for it at first. This chick is in like four commercials right now. But it's to the tune of "We Got the Beat" by the Go-Go's. And I love the Go-Go's. I'm a huge supporter of 80s anything. Plus, this chick is a spelling teacher in the commercial. We all know why I can't dis that! :) Not sure what's up with their lyrics and why they are sometimes nearly un-understandable, but it took me a while to figure out she was saying "Notebooks and jeans, notebooks and jeans, notebooks and jeans.... NOTEBOOKS AND JEANS!" But hey. Whatever. I know now. And still like it!

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ReMix!

My mom found these great videos for me. Enjoy!

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Best Friends♥

Hayden: I'm telling Mommy you're on the table again! MOM!!!

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Do Your Best and Forget the Rest!

"Do your best and forget the rest!" is the motto for mine and Will's new workout regime, P90X. Hayden is now 11 weeks old and it is time for me to start shedding some of this baby weight. I have lost about thirty pounds already, with a little over thirty pounds to go. I've got to start sometime, and the time is NOW! My goal is to be at pre-baby weight, or at least near it at my friends Adrian and Adrienne's wedding. Their wedding is on October 13, so I have just enough time to do some serious damage to the scale. This is of course the heaviest I have ever been, and at some point, I'd like to be out of maternity clothes and in my real wardrobe. I want to continue to lose even more after that, but first things first. My dad comes over several times a week usually to watch Hayden while I walk a couple of miles at the park right outside my house. I've also started eating like my old self again and have banished all snack foods (even low fat and no sugar) from the house. That's fine with Will, he's not much of a snacker, except maybe some chips and salsa. I don't eat salsa, so that's okay. (I like green sauce!) Snacking is one of my worst habits. The only foods for snacking allowed right  now is fruit and edamame. I made some smoothies last week with Greek yogurt, fruit, and wheat germ. I'm also trying to up my fiber intake. Cereal is one of my loves, but I'm cutting it back there as well. When I was pregnant, it was the highlight of my week to linger in the cereal aisle to decide which one was going to be the Cereal of the Week. Now, it's back to Special K Protein, Fiber One, and Kashi. And I still actually enjoy those cereals. It's just not Apple Jacks!
It's always hard to get started with a new and better lifestyle. Isn't that odd? You know how much better it is for you, but it's hard to put the bad stuff down so you can get on with the good stuff. I guess the good stuff just isn't as fun. Pizza, fast food, sugar-- it's all easy. Easy to eat, easy to find, easy on the go. It takes effort to eat well and exercise. I've been doing some reading about how the French raise children, and it's really quite interesting. I'm planning on implementing several of their practices with Hayden. One thing in particular is about how French children eat. The French believe that it is the parents job to educate their child about food and acceptable habits. It's really habits that would be beneficial for everyone. Once I finish reading the book about the practices of French parenting, I'll blog about it; but in the meantime, here's what they believe about children and food:

 But, that's where I am; and I have to say that since I got started this week, it is much easier. I'm falling back into my old (good) habits and it feels good to put my body to the test and stretch it all out after a hard workout. I'm so happy that Will is joining me on my journey to better health and fitness. We've started this week on P90X, which is a hardcore exercise program that lasts 90 days. It's effective because it causes muscle confusion and really pushes you to your limit. We're two days down and feeling good about ourselves. I know a lot of people who have started P90X and quit, so I am determined to go the whole 90 days. The first day was hard, there are a lot of different types of push ups I can't do, such as  diamonds and declines, and military and dive bombers aren't easy. Day two was plyometrics, which was a lot of jumping and twisting. I had to modify those days because I have two reconstructed knees that I am taking care of, and I have humongous boobs. I can't even do jumping jacks wearing two sports bras. But I didn't use it as an excuse not to do anything, I just did something else. Will and I are encouraging and motivating each other to get through it, because I truly hate my life during that particular hour of my day. I try to remember: this is 4% of my day. If I can't donate 4% of my day towards bettering my life and health, and feeling better about myself and getting back in shape, then I have absolutely no right to complain. I'm too scared to try on jeans at this point, because I may plummet into some kind of depression, and I WANT to be back in my stinkin' jeans. This is the only way that's going to happen. Once Hayden is old enough to go to the nursery at the gym, then alright! But right now I'm relegated to my walking track and living room. I can do this! I'm going to make this happen! Wish us luck!!!

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Another Day with the Lukers

My mother in law Susie came into town last week and stayed a couple of days with us. We had a nice visit and she watched Hayden while I ran some errands. I have about a million size one diapers from my diaper shower. Okay, really, I counted. It is literally over 1000. So I finally had an opportunity while she was in town to return those and the bunch of pacifiers that Hayden refuses to take. I took them to Babies R Us, and I guess my registry (at both BRU and Target) expired this week. I just looked at them last week, so I know they were up at least that long. Since this is the case, BRU only took back a couple of boxes of diapers that were actually purchased there. Bummer. So then I jetted over to Target, where since my registry was expired, they had to make the return off of my drivers license. Their policy is that a person can only return $75 worth of merchandise a year. What? Really? I could only return $55 worth because one more would've put me over $75. I think that this is a totally jacked up policy. I also had bought a Disney movie for Hayden that I didn't realize we already had. I tried to return that as well (I only wanted a GIFT CARD for all these things... I didn't want money back. I only wanted to get a different movie and bigger diapers) and they wanted to charge me $5 to return the movie! That was a 25% penalty for grabbing the wrong movie! What the HELL?! Target is my favorite store in the entire world, but that royally pissed me off. They had charged a penalty for the diapers as well, but it was only fifty cents a pop. Needless to say, we refused the return. Why would I do that, when I can take it to Walmart for much better customer service? I rarely go to Walmart. Unless I'm with my grandma, I never go there. I prefer Target. But I thought this was utterly ridiculous. I came home and left a comment on their Facebook page that they had a horrible return policy and how disappointed I was in them for their lack of service to a loyal customer of twenty years. WOW. I started a firestorm of comments. First of all, people from all over, that I don't even know, are liking my comment. It also started off the first night with 56 comments, with all but two people agreeing. However, one girl in particular (and I think a rather young girl) called me cheap for returning diapers, that I should take the diapers and donate them. (I returned in total about $150 worth of diapers.) Whoa my God. While I was working out, little did I know that friends and people I didn't know alike were attacking her on my behalf. She was a young girl, maybe eighteen or in her early twenties from what I can tell of her picture. She obviously doesn't have children or know how expensive diapers are. But boy or boy, did she get ripped a new one! Mommies on attack! Holy hell, do NOT mess with a bunch of moms. I think we are the most vicious group of people on the planet, and not only that, we have each other's backs whether we know each other or not! I've definitely noticed the camaraderie since I became a mom. Even some of my guy friends were chirping in. Thanks, guys! Needless to say, she did not return for further comment. Today I will take the diapers left (and the movie) to Walmart for return. Just in time, The Rescuers and Pocahantas were released from the Disney Vault today, so I have a choice of what movie to replace with The Princess and the Frog. I think this week I'll get Pocahantas. I LOVED the Disney Classics as a little girl and am collecting them for H. You have to get them while you can because they go into the Vault for ten years after a limited time for sale. I can't wait until The Little Mermaid comes out. While Susie was down I tried out several new recipes! I've been Pinterest crazy lately, especially on recipes. I've even impressed myself by USING

what I'm pinning, instead of pinning for the fun of it, or "for one day." So I'm feeling productive! I made ranch pork chops, which turned out delicious, with sides of scalloped potatoes and French green beans; I also made egg muffins with Jimmy Dean sausage, bacon, bell peppers, cheese, and such for breakfast one morning. Fantastic! Last week I made the pizza bites as a snack for Will (with pizza sauce for dipping), no bake energy bites, and a honey mustard chicken breaded in Corn Flakes. I've always like to cook and have several regular recipes up my sleeve, but I'm really branching out now. My hubbs has always loved my cooking (one of my favorite compliments he always says is, "I'm so glad I married someone who knows how to cook!") But he's really getting the goods now. I'm having a lot of fun researching and shopping for my new recipes. Sometimes it can take some creativity to get them prepared and done while watching Hayden before Will comes home, but the Baby Bjorn has come in handy several times! She often falls asleep in there. But I have to keep moving and singing while she's in there or she doesn't like it. It definitely helps to be hands free, though! In other things Pinterest, I also made my first craft since Hayden was born. That's one thing I really miss is making things, but I know when she gets a bit older, I'll be able to do it more. Inspired by all my new recipes, I decided to make a weekly dinner menu for the kitchen. Using scrapbook paper, my Cricut, and a 12x12 frame, I created a reusable weekly menu! What would've ordinarily have taken me an hour took me THREE days! But I finished it and was proud; it immediately got put to good use in the kitchen! Now Will and I are planning our meals together and makes grocery shopping that much more enjoyable. Here's a pic:

 If you'd like to see some of my recipes on Pinterest, please follow me! I have eight boards of recipes divided up in dinners (YUM! board) with other YUM! boards including sammies (sandwiches), sides and salads, desserts, apps and dips (appetizers), kiddos (food for children), drinks, snax (snacks), and tricks & tips. You can follow me by pushing the button at the top of the blog page, 

or by clicking here:       http://pinterest.com/lukera/

Speaking of eating, after eight weeks of drinking once a day from a bottle from someone other than myself (mostly Will and my mom), Little Miss has decided to completely shun the bottle. She turns her nose up at it, and if we insist, she gets all kinds of upset. This has been most distressing for us. It is distressing on me because I can't fix it, or try to fix it like I want to. Hayden should not associate me with a bottle in order to keep nursing her successfully. It is distressing to Will because he wants to bond with her through feeding as well, and it hurts his feelings when she refuses the bottle from him. It is distressing for my mom, because she wants to be able to keep Hayden for an extended period of time and be confident that she will eat. That is distressing for us also; we want to know she is not starving or screaming her head off. We were using Playtex drop in nursers, which seemingly works for EVERYONE who is also using a bottle for their infants on top of nursing. She was doing great with them, and suddenly, nope. No one but Mommy will suffice. I bought latex nipples (instead of silicone) and have started to collect a few different types of bottles. At the suggestion of a lactation consultant, we can also feed her through a medicine dropper, spoon, or sippy cup. We will have to help her with the sippy cup because she is still just a couple of weeks away from the suggested age of use, but better than going hungry. Some have scoffed at my hopes of using the sippy cup, but I don't really care how my daughter eats while I'm gone, as long as she eats. I'm just trying to help my child. I let those things roll off my back, though. I know what's best for my baby. And one day, she will use those sippy cups regardless! She's just growing so fast, I feel like it's going to be tomorrow. And, this is only another bump in the road. We've had a few bumps along the way, and they've all passed, even when I never believed they would. Let me see if I can remember a few. First, the grunting. She would grunt, loudly, all night long. It would keep us both awake, because I am up at the smallest sound. I'd skip to her bassinet, and there she would be, staring at me. She would do it in her sleep, too. I worried she had reflux. And there's something else called Grunting Baby Syndrome. Geez Louise, if I listened to everything Google says, I'd be half crazy. It does help me, though, most of the time. I bought her a wedge to put under her mattress, and that seemed to help awhile. Then, she was just a-waving her hands all in the air in her sleep and it kept waking her up. She's loved her arms free since she was born, but that was the end of that. Back to full time swaddling. Next, crying in her car seat. She HATED that car seat; and not just mine, but my mom's, too. She'd start crying as soon as we put her in it and wail to wherever it was that we were going. I've grown so accustomed to the white noise sound I play to calm her that I don't even hear it anymore. In fact, I now fall asleep to it, too. But, after just a few weeks of that, and it's on to something else. She is just fine in the car seat now. Then, the poop. She started going five to ten days without going potty; number two, anyways! Can you believe that is normal for a breastfed baby? And when she goes, I'm talking BLOWOUT. Sometimes she gets fussy when it's been awhile, and who can blame her? I'd be fussy if I hadn't pooped in ten days, too. The doctor says the breast milk is such a perfect food for a baby that her little body is absorbing every nutrient and that there isn't any waste. Well, my perfect food is stressing me out! She cried for two days once (very unlike her) and my mom rushed us to the doctor that Saturday morning for a suppository. She did feel better afterwards. Last week after ten days, I gave her one myself, because it just freaks me out when she hasn't gone. I'm getting more used to it and not panicking so much now this has been going on over a month. She went on her own twice last week, so I'm thinking if I just hold out and don't panic, that she'll be fine. It just ain't normal, though, in my opinion! And now, the bottle. But this too shall pass. Hopefully.

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Movin' On Up.... to the crib, that is!

Hey Everybody!

Wow, on the go and so busy these days; and with a daughter that naps like mine (maaaaaybe 45 minutes... she doesn't want to miss a thing), it takes an act of Congress for me to find a moment to do one of my favorite things-- blog! While she entertains herself with her "friends" (her Fisher Price Rainforest Melodies and Lights Play Gym... my Lord, she LOVES that thing!) I can hopefully catch ya'll up on what's been happening in the Luker home! Miss Hayden is just growing like a weed, and a couple of weeks ago we had to go in for her two month shots.  Awful. Just awful! They first measured her and checked her out you know, and she is doing just wonderfully. She weighed in at 12.2 pounds and measured at 23 3/4 inches! My goodness, we have a little piggy! Haha. She was in the 90th percentile for both height and weight; Dr. Pocsik said "that's some good growin'!" Then.... dum dum dum. That meanie nurse and her needles! The nurse stuck both legs very quickly, to her credit, but it didn't matter how quickly she did it.... my poor baby just turned red as a cherry and then did what I call the "silent scream." She squinched her eyes and opened her mouth, and was in such pain, she couldn't even find her voice for a good ten seconds. Just stared at me with horror as the tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. Oh, I would do anything, ANYTHING to make my baby not cry. It hurts my heart terribly! When I see those tears come out of her eyes, it feels like somebody has ripped me in half. And if someone's hurt her to make her cry, then I become Mama Lion, hear me ROAR! Even if it is for her own good (the shots, that is.)  I just scooped her up and held her and rocked her and talked to her and told her I was sorry and it was okay, and that "mama knows." She calmed quicker than I thought she would (but it wasn't that quick) and when she got down to sniffles, we gathered our things and came right home. I nursed her and then swaddled her up and put her to bed. This was her first nap in her crib. She slept for FOUR HOURS. I couldn't believe it. Hayden, Queen of the Forty Five Minute Nap. I kept checking on her to see if she had fever and watching her on the monitor, but she just needed to sleep it off. She had a slight fever but nothing some baby Tylenol couldn't nip in the bud. My poor princess!  She has two months until the next set of shots.... hoping she forgets about it by the next time! In other news, she is smiling up a storm these days! So cute! She is happiest in the morning when she first wakes up. She is ready to become unswaddled and streeeeeeeeeeetch those arms out (another of her favorite things: stretching. I notice I stretch a lot like her, too.) We change the diapy and immediately come downstairs for playtime in our jammies. I can hear her talking to her friends now. She can really see herself in mirrors now as well. Yesterday was a day of firsts: she laughed for the first time (a real laugh.... a purposeful laugh) at my dad when he was squawking and blowing in her face. She just loves him! He props her up right next to him and they sit on the couch and watch TV. I could NEVER hold her like that! She also held a rattle and played with another toy for the first time yesterday. The toy was a colorful dragonfly with crinkly wings from our friend, Sherrie K, and she grabbed the rattle in her crib while playing with her mobile yesterday afternoon. Hayden also watched Sesame Street for the first time, and thought it was hilarious! Sesame Street was a BIG favorite of mine as a kid (I had two Big Bird birthdays in a row!), so it lightens my heart to see her enjoy it, too. She just squealed and chattered at the TV the whole time. She's also been watching Baby Einstein Bach, Mozart, and Lullaby DVDs and loves them as well. Lots of bright colors and of course classical music. And, for the real biggie, she slept in her crib for the first time last night. Oh, tear. Last week I became weepy when we were talking about it being time to go to her room. Will said I could have one more week. However, the past two nights before last, she did not sleep well at all. After her initial wake up (anywhere between midnight and 2 am) she was up, down, up down. Which meant I was up, down, up, down. I was exhausted. I felt like she wasn't sleeping well in the bassinet and that the time had come. I got her crib all ready yesterday by removing the bumpers (it's a new thing... prevents SIDS. Bumpers are purely aesthetic these days.) and all the toys and animals. I moved the monitor and made sure her sheet saver was tied down well. She's been napping in there for two weeks, so I know she knows where she is. We also play in there during the day. Last night, she was very cranky because she was just so tired, so when Daddy got home, it was bath time then bed time. Will did a great job getting her ready for bed (diaper, lotion, medicine, pajamas, swaddle) while I bathed. By the time I was good and clean, it was time to nurse and head to bed. She fell asleep gratefully, went to her crib, and didn't move a muscle. Around 2 am, she woke up to eat, then at 2:45, 3:00, and 3:30 am to be comforted. Finally at 4 am, she nursed and I put her in the bassinet. I think she could sense she wasn't in the room with us. But I was happy with that, it's a process! We're going to ease into it. She did a great job. It's hard to sleep in a strange new place! Especially in the dark. So we'll go little by little until she's in there full time. I am very proud of her. And me, too!

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Time Flies at Two Months!

My baby girl turned two months on Sunday; it seems like I just brought her home. But I have to admit that things have gotten a lot easier in the past few weeks. With babies come adjustment, and change can be hard at times, even if it is a good change. I have mastered doing most skills, including eating and brushing my teeth with one hand, change a diaper in no time flat in the dark while half-sleeping, and rising for the day anywhere between 4 and 6 am has become increasingly familiar. I may be a tad grumpy on the 4 am (or 3:45 am) days, but I know they are limited. Right now we are trying to establish a routine. We are getting the nighttime routine down pat. Between 6:30 and 7:00, we go for a relaxing bath, lotion up and pj's, then swaddle. This is Hayden's cue that it's time to sleep soon. She eats and usually falls asleep there or with a little encouragement by rocking. This week I've started writing down her naps and feedings. She hasn't been napping well; or what is considered napping well. She's napping for only 45 minutes, which is a short nap only lasting one sleep cycle. Apparently this is a common occurrence as her sleep habits are changing, so we are working on that as well. At two months she is officially in her three month clothing, so there is much more variety as far as style goes these days! Tomorrow we go in for her two month shots. I am NOT looking forward to this at all. Her screaming cry at her newborn screening was hard enough; I can only imagine what tomorrow is going to bring. There are 6 vaccinations tomorrow (Polio + Hib + DTap + Hep B + PCV + RV), but luckily they can combine them into 2 shots in her leg and one is oral. Oh my poor baby. :( But I told her today that getting a shot is much better than getting sick. If only she could understand that. But I will be a strong mommy and try not to cry too. I will just comfort her the best I can and bring her home for hopefully a good nap and love. Hayden tried apple juice (diluted) for the first time on Sunday also. She has only been having a BM every four days, and last week went 6 days. She usually is fine because this is normal for exclusively breast fed babies. Her bodies is absorbing all the nutrients, leaving very little, if anything, for waste. However, last Friday she seemed inconsolable all day. I had been up with her the majority of the night and it was only the second time that we both just cried together. You can come to a loss when you don't know how to help your baby. It is very rare for breast fed babies to be constipated, and she wasn't, but I think she was getting, how do I say? Backed up. We went to my parents to stay the night Friday and she didn't want much to do with any of us. Saturday morning, the same. Finally I called the doctor and the nurse said to bring her in. They close at noon, so at 11:15 from Sugar Land, we are getting to the doctor's office as fast as we could. The doctor wasn't there, but the nurse gave her a glycerin suppository and we were good from there on out. Whew. It's hard when your baby hurts and I know that's not something that will ever get any easier. Being a mom is an emotional thing. So anyways, the nurse suggested she drink some diluted apple or prune juice to help get her regular again. She isn't really having it. I'm not sure if it is the taste or that it's cold, and she's used to drinking body temperature liquid. I'm sure it's both. But, we will just keep trying. Well, nap time is nearly at a close, so I must leave ya'll here. Just a quick update on what we've been up to and some pictures. Our little girl is lighting up our lives like we never thought possible!

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