Today I co-hosted a baby shower for dear friends of ours that are expecting in October. At the shower, we had the shower attendees write down advice for the mom-to-be to have as a keepsake. I didn't participate in the advice-giving, since I've already given more than my two cents worth, I figured I'd better keep my mouth shut today. ha.ha. But, I couldn't resist giving general advice and observations out on the blog.

I think one of the big ones I saw everyone writing down was "Sleep while you can". Ah, that couldn't be more true. I think the only good sleep Matthew and I have gotten in 4 months was the week we were in Turks & Caicos and Marin was back home with my mom! I don't understand why a baby sleeps so much and then the parents sleep so little. I think it is because when they go to sleep is when you go into overdrive, trying to get things done. That is new parent mistake #1.

I'd say my best advice is to try to find the good in every "stage" your baby is in. They will change so quickly. Don't lament their "growing up". Try to find the positive in every day with them. Don't worry about how fast it is going by. Just try to enjoy every minute of it, even when you are exhausted.

There isn't a parent on earth that enjoys having a baby 100%. If they tell you they do, they are lying. Deep down everyone misses sleeping in and little things like going to the bathroom when you "need" to go instead of when you have the time to go. Things like running into the store for milk and bread and being in and out in 5 minutes. It takes at least 30 to do that with a baby by the time you drag them and all their crap in the store. Just hope they don't need a diaper change while you're in there or you're looking at 45 minutes now.

Eating hot food at a restaurant is a luxury not to be taken for granted. When the food is sat on the table is a baby's favorite time to take a hefty dump. Someone has to go change them. So, take turns eating cold food. At least half your meals won't suck that way.

Servers at restaurants don't like babies. So, after you have a kid, notice if people don't treat you differently while you're eating out. Matthew said it is because people who have kids generally don't tip well, even though that isn't the case with us. We tip as good as we ever have and Matthew is a generous tipper because he used to work in the restaurant industry in college and knows how tough it is. But, when they see a baby, they think crappy tip. I didn't know this until Matthew explained it to me. But just you wait, unless you are a regular somewhere before you had kids, you'll get crappy service from now on. It cracks me up because when Matthew and I go in somewhere by ourselves to eat, we get kissed up to big time. I mentioned this to him and he said that couples on a date are usually great tippers, so that is why servers give them the star treatment. I'm happy for the good service, but I do want to say, "Hey you know I have a kid don't you." ha.ha. I'm so mean, I know.

Your pet will no longer be your "baby" and that is upsetting when it first dawns on you.

Make sure you get cute bibs for your baby. To keep them from puking on their car seat straps, always put a bib on them when they are in the seat. Since they are usually going out in public when they are in their car seat, a cute bib is the way to go.

Take friends and family up on their offers to baby sit.

Take a shower every day. It won't hurt your baby to sit in their bouncy seat for 15 minutes, even if they are spoiled like mine and cry the entire time. They will live, I promise.

Read to your baby. Babies who are read to become children who like to read.

Put your baby on their tummy for play time as soon as you bring them home from the hospital. Do this at least 30 minutes or so a day to give them time to exercise their neck muscles, arms, and legs. If you wait to do this, they will not enjoy tummy time because it will feel foreign to them. Marin hates tummy time and I think it is because we waited a few weeks before starting to try it because we didn't think he needed it as a newborn. Now he cries every time we put him on his belly.

Learn how to take apart your car seat to wash it. You'll do this countless times. Spit up and poop have a way of gravitating towards a nice, new car seat.

Not every baby likes to ride in the car. Ours hates it. This makes even a quick trip to the store a nightmare.

To the women out there: You will not die if you don't go shopping at the mall for long stretches of time. I did not know this until Marin was born. I figured not going to the mall in a month's time would cause spontaneous combustion. You will pray for said spontaneous combustion when you have had 2 hours sleep all night long, but that is another topic.....

You will think that there is nothing to it the first day you're home from the hospital with your baby and will probably be o.k. for at least 2 to 3 days. After that you will hit the wall so to speak and start to realize that you need sleep and you're not getting it.

When people come to your house and ask if there is "anything they can do" put them to work! Say, yeah, my carpet needs vacuuming, I need the dishwasher loaded, etc. Don't try to do it all.

Take turns getting up with the baby. Don't both of you get up at the same time. It is better to take night about (not turn about). That way you can get a full night's sleep at least every other night.

Well, I guess that's all I have for now. I'm getting tired and I still have to make bottles for tomorrow, feed the dog her midnight snack, get ready for bed and hope to catch enough sleep to make it just one more day. One day at a time is what you have to do. Try to enjoy that day. Give your baby kisses till their cheeks are chappy. Good night everybody.

7 years ago, Matthew and I made a promise to each other that we'd always take a trip together for our anniversary. All of those trips (except for 1) have been just the two of us. One year we went to The Bahamas with my parents, but they are big boys and girls and took care of themselves. When we found out we were pregnant with Marin a few days before our 6th wedding anniversary, we were getting ready to leave for our annual trip. On that trip we promised each other that even though we had a baby on the way that our anniversary week would always be a special week for just us. So, 2 months before Marin was born we sent in our deposit for our villa in Turks and Caicos.

You wouldn't believe the people who told us that we'd have a miserable trip without Marin. We'd be in tears, pining away for him the entire time. We'd better make sure our plane tickets were refundable, because we'd be on our way home the very day we got there. We didn't listen to the naysayers, of course. We left Marin in the capable hands of my mom and off we went.

While we did talk about him a lot while we were gone, we definitely weren't shut up in our villa balling our eyes out. We were too busy enjoying the beach and each others company. We had a fabulous time and I'm so glad that we went on that trip and kept our promise to each other.

Marin was just fine while we were gone. I would highly recommend to anyone with a new baby that you do something just the two of you, every once in a while. If you can't go away for a week, try a long weekend, or at least a night away. Don't send the baby away and you stay at your house. You'll just be surrounded by their things and more tempted to catch up on chores than to do something fun. There is nothing wrong with enjoying things you used to enjoy pre-baby. Matthew and I have always loved the beach. Marin's name even means "of the sea" for goodness sake. How much fun do you think we'd have had hanging out in the villa with a baby too young to even wear sunblock? He wouldn't have remembered a thing from the trip. But, Matthew and I now have the memories of our SNUBA excursion, many hours of snorkeling, and time spent just enjoying the sound of the waves on the beach from the relaxing gazebo at our villa.

Will we go away again next year, "abandoning our child"? You bet your ass we will! That is if my mom is brave enough or dumb enough or a combination of both to watch him again!

On August 12, 2008, Matthew and I found out we were going to be parents! We were getting ready to leave to go to The Bahamas and I took a test the morning we left because Matthew was just sure that I was pregnant even though I wasn't convinced, because I kept getting negative tests. But, guess who was right after all? I got up early and took it and jolted him out of bed to tell him the news! Needless to say our vacation was a memorable one, with plenty to talk about!

Our first positive test (bottom one) and a "second opinion" (top one) on 8-12-08
















It's been a wild, crazy year since then, but we're happy with the result. :)



Marin on 8-12-09

Hello there, bet you didn't think you'd hear from me twice in one day did you? Well, I came across this most interesting article online in Slate Magazine about playpens for babies. See what you think about it.

Just an FYI, Marin does have a play yard. :) He hasn't used it yet as such, he still sleeps in the bassinet attached to it though. He spends a lot of time just on the floor on a blanket, but you better believe we'll break this sucker out when we need it once he can get into stuff! Poor neglected baby. ha.ha.

After 9 months of carrying a child around in your belly, you'd think they would have at least some interest in you. Yeah right! Marin is Daddy's Boy all around. Now, don't get me wrong, he does like his Mommy too, but Daddy is his pick, I think. We had an impromptu photo shoot with the self timer and tripod today and in every single family portrait, Marin is looking up at Matthew. The only way we got him to look at the camera was when Matthew actually took the photo, so in a few of the ones of just Marin and me, you get to see his cute face looking forward.

I'm just joking really about it bothering me that those two are so chummy. I love it that they are pals. It means that I can get things done around the house sometimes or go grab my current favorite beverage (Frozen Cherry Coke Icee from Target), knowing that Marin is home in good hands with Daddy!

I don't know if we have mentioned Marin's love of music before. But not just any music. He's into what is on the radio. No classical or "baby" music for him. Living in Nashville, you'd think country would rub off, but not so much. He likes it alright, but he's most entertained when something along the lines of Fall Out Boy is playing. That's our little dude!

Well, I hope everyone has a good weekend. I'm going to jump off here and go rescue my boy from his swing. He's tired of looking at the dragon fly mobile hanging above his head and is currently covering his face with his bib and making whining noises. I guess that means he's had enough.

I can't believe it, but Marin is 100 days old today. 100 days seems like such a long time, but it has gone by quickly too. To celebrate Marin's special day, I think I'll list things I like about the little dude. He's such a sweet baby and is always smiling at everyone who will talk to him. I hope he always has his sunny personality and doesn't take after his crabby mom and dad. ha.ha. Here goes.

1) Like I said above, his personality. I just love his little smile. I don't see how his cheeks don't hurt from smiling all day. ha.ha.

2) His eyes. They are beautiful and unlike any I've ever seen. The iris is dark brown, but not as dark as his dad's eyes, and surrounding the iris is a dark blue corona. So strange and beautiful.

3) They way he lights up when you come get him out of bed in the morning. He always wakes up with a big smile. When he smiles, you see it on his whole face.

4) The way he crinkles his brow when he is studying something or is mad.

5) I think its hilarious how much he loves Cowboy (his favorite toy). He falls asleep holding onto it in the backseat of the car.

6) I love that he loves his books. He'll sit through as many books as you want to read to him and really studies what is on the page.

7) The way he splashes water so hard in the bathtub that it soaks the entire room. Who knew such a tiny boy could produce so much carnage?

8) The way he likes to play on his blanket in the floor with you sitting beside him. He loves to be entertained and always responds positively to any attention given to him.

9) That something as simple as a colored plastic ring can hold his attention and make him happy still amazes me. A baby is such an uncomplicated, easy to please person.

10) Seeing Matthew and Marin interact with each other is so sweet. I always tell them, "You make me sick" when they are being all snuggly with each other. ha.ha. He is such a daddy's boy.

11) He rubs my hand or arm when I feed him his bottle and likes to make lots of eye contact. I think it is neat that he already shows affection to us.

12) He's happy as long as you are paying him attention. He doesn't like to be alone and lets you have it if you are out of his line of sight for more than 5 seconds when he is awake. ha.ha.

13) I like that he studies things. He is always fascinated with people, plants, paintings, you name it.

14) He never misbehaves in restaurants. He likes to look around and be part of the action, so it is fun to take him places! He always charms the waitstaff.

15) That the lighting section of Lowe's or Home Depot seems to be his favorite hang out is so cute. He LOVES staring at lights on the ceiling, so the lighting section is like Christmas come early for him.
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I just really like being his mamma. He's such a sweet boy.

From a list of life lessons learned from living with boys, as told by a mom, and compiled by The Johnson City News & Neighbor columnist Bill Derby.

1. A king sized water bed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq. ft. house four inches deep.

2. If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with roller blades, they can ignite.

3. A 3 year old boy's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.

4. If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42 lb. boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman cape. It is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint can, to spread paint on all four walls of a 20x20 room.

5. You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on. When using a ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few times before you get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.

6. The glass in windows (even double pane) won't stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan.

7. When you hear the toilet flush and the words 'uh oh' it's already too late.

8. Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.

9. A six-year old boy can start a fire with a flint rock even though a 36 year old man says they can only do it in the movies.

10. Certain Legos will pass through the digestive tract of a 4 year old boy.

11. Play dough and microwave should never be used in the same sentence.

12. Super glue is forever.

13. No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still can't walk on water.

14. Pool filters don't like Jell-O.

15. VCR's do not eject 'PB & J' sandwiches even though TV commercials show they do.

16. Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.

17. Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise while driving.

18. You probably DO NOT want to know what that odor is.

19. Always look in the oven before you turn it on; plastic toys do not like ovens.

20. The fire department in Austin, TX has a 5-minute response time.

21. The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy.

22. It will, however, make cats dizzy.

23. Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.

24. 80% of women will pass this on to almost all of their friends, with or without kids.

25. 80% of men who read this will try mixing the Clorox and brake fluid.