Friday, November 30, 2007

NoMoPoNoMo

Ugh - I am so glad this is the end of NaBloPoMo. In generating a post for every day of the month, I learned a few things.

While it's nice to actually write the posts that I regularly concoct in my head during the day, it's way more time than I'd like to spend to get it all written down. I know it doesn't take that long, but it does take doing. I'd rather spend that time doing something else.

One thing I've noticed is that the time and energy I spent on the posts ended up taking up the time I used to spend uploading, editing, and posting photos on flickr. I'm way behind on my photos, and I think it's because the blog posting cannibalized the time.

I think I'm going to return to the way things were. I look forward to going back to flickr as my go-to day-to-day posting place, but I'm glad I have this blog around for the occasional musing or aside.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Oatmeal!

Hey, Belle, aren't you excited? We're going to have oatmeal this morning! Yes, that's right! Oatmeal! It's something new; you've only had rice cereal until now, but now we're going to try this oatmeal cereal. Isn't that exciting? Yeah? Look at that smile, I can tell you're excited! Hooray for oatmeal! Hooray! here we go! Stirring it up in the bowl with the spoon! Mmmmm, doesn't this look good? It looks good to Mommy, yes it does. Hooray! Oatmeal! Oatmeal for Bella-boo! Yum yum, are you ready? Mmmm, that's so yummy. Ooops, got a little on your chin, that's okay, that's why we have a bib on. Yum yum yum you eat it right up. ...Mommy got distracted for a moment there, but I can see from how you're flapping your arms and hitting the tray that you're impatient for more food. More food! So yummy! You love this oatmeal! Oop - don't spit it out, it goes in, not out. Yeah, just like that, you've got it! Yummy oatmeal for breakfast! Numnumnum! Ooooh, you want to hold the spoon? You want to feed yourself? Oh, you want to play with the spoon? That's nice! Nice spoon. Yes, it goes right in your mouth, just like that. Yum! Oh, no, that end is the end for holding. That end is not for the mouth. Not that end! Here, let Mommy help you turn it around. You want it back? No? You want more oatmeal? Yeah? Yummy! Yum yum eating oatmeal! Oh, look, all done! All done with our oatmeal now! You did such a good job eating your oatmeal, Mommy is very impressed. Hooray! Hooray for baby! Okay, let's get you out of your bib and wipe off your face and hands.
That was fun!

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Eyelash Roulette

Why do I keep my Microtouch Trimmer right next to my mascara? Every morning, I have to be careful not to accidently take OFF my eyelashes when I mean to put them on. One of these days, there will be a horrible accident. Maybe I should move the trimmer.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Hey, Aunt Flo! Long time no!

It's been over a year, and I am like a 12-year-old again.
I cannot seem to grasp the most crucial element - timing.
Oh, the wardrobe malfunctions.
Aren't you so glad I'm sharing?

Monday, November 26, 2007

Goldilocks and the Three Beds

The bed at my in-laws is too firm.

The bed at my parents is too soft.

When I crawled into my own bed last night, I was happy to discover that it is juuuuuuust right.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Babies, etc.

I got to hang out with my sister today, which is great, but I got the sense that Belle made my sis even more concerned that her own baby is going to be a ginormous baby. This fear is generally due to her husband's family all having ginormous babies, and I am perplexed as to how seeing my normal-proportioned daughter increases, rather than decreases, her fears.

I keep telling her not to worry about it because she'll probably end up needing a c-section like our mom and I did, but for some reason, that doesn't seem to help.

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Nursing Bras: Anita

I got the Anita bra relatively recently. It hasn't been through many washes yet, so I can't report on that, but I think the cup size might have shrunk in the wash already. I WISH I had had this bra in the summer. The fabric is light and airy, and would have been awesome in the heat. The model I got ran pretty pricey at $60, but that's what you have to pay when you are looking for decent hold in a 34F. (The other two, purchased before my ribcage went back to normal, were a more mainstream 36DD.) This bra has good hold, too.

Friday, November 23, 2007

Nursing Bras: Melinda G

Melinda G! This is my other go-to bra. It's very thin, which means it's somewhat unforgiving of puffy breast pads. It doesn't cost as much as the Medela, and the sizing isn't precise, so it's a good bra to get late in pregnancy, when you aren't sure what size you'll be post-partum.

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Nursing Bras: Medela

More product reviews! I'm starting with my favorite overall: Medela's nursing bra. It had quite a bit of fabric, so it's not great for the summer, but mine (Softcup Seamless) has weathered many washes and it still has its shape. It seems a little pricey at first, but most nursing bras are expensive, so this one is a middle-range price. One thing that's nice about this bra is that the cups detach more separately from one another than with most other bras.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Disposable Breast Pads: Lansinoh

I like the Lansinoh disposable pads, but to be honest, I haven't really tried anything else. Compared to the reusables, these are thinner, more absorbent, and show under clothing the least. I wear my disposables when I'm dressing up for an event or something.

Oh, I did try the pair of Medelas that came with my breast pump, and they were comparable to the Lansinoh, for what I could tell from the one-time use.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Reusable Breast Pads: Avent

I go back and forth about whether I like the Avent or the Gerber better. The Avent are puffy, but very absorbent. It takes a lot to soak through.



Yeah, I know these reviews are brief. How much is there to say about breast pads? Lay off!

Well, that's it for my reusable breast pads. On to disposables!

Monday, November 19, 2007

Reusable Breast Pads: Bravado

So you think it's going to be a great product because it's all boutiquey and stuff. Relatively hard-to-find and pricey. The opposite of the Gerber ones!
Well, they ARE the opposite of the Gerber pads. Did you follow the link above? If so, did you notice the words "terry cloth"?
Ugh.
These pads soak right through. Weak. They're terrible. They are also VERY noticeable under clothing, like wearing a round towel in your bra.
On the plus side, they come with a really cool mesh bag.

Answer

Yes! Thank goodness. Ew. OK, I probably owe a second post today.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Question

Does smeared baby earwax come out of a bib in the wash? Stay tuned for the answer!

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Reusable Breast Pads: Gerber

I'm going to write some product reviews to pass the time in NaBloPoMo. First I'm going to talk about all the different reusable breast pads I have. Run while you can.
I like the reusable ones - I throw them in a lingerie bag for the wash,

Gerber Reusable Breast Pads
I like these! You'd think they're cheap or something because they're available everywhere and not expensive, but they're pretty good. They are the thinnest I have, and not too noticable under clothing. They're relatively waterproof, though if you're having a leaky day, you'll get what I call "the eclipse effect", which is where you get wet spots in a circle around the outside of where the breast pad is. This is due to what is the weak point of these pads: they are not very absorbent. I recommend them for any time except the first 1-2 months after the baby's born.

Friday, November 16, 2007

Child Slavery and Chocolate

I had no idea. No more Cadbury Dairy Milk for me; it's Fair Trade Certified only from now on.
I would write a post about how before today I thought "Fair Trade" was a marketing ploy, but D just poured me a nice glass of wine and I'm not bothering with the computer any more tonight. (Tried again with Snapfish and it screwed up again. At least I discovered it much much sooner this time.)
Google will tell you what you need to know about chocolate and the child slave trade.
By the way, Dagoba is owned by Hershey's now.

In the good news column, my favorite chocolatier uses a very eco- and labor-friendly supplier.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Tory Tore Vito

While doing a Google search the other day about Mythbusters, I stumbled across the trivia that Mythbuster build team member Tory's name is actually Salvatore. An interesting factoid, and one that makes me like his parents' nameing sensibilities much more, since I like names that have multiple nicknames. He could go by Sal if he wanted to. I also thought that maybe he could go by Vito, but I looked up what Vito is a nickname for, and it's technically short for Vittorio. I guess that makes it fair game for any Victor as well. But I think it's fair for Salvatores, or Vincents for that matter, to use it if they want to.
I would never want to, but that's because the only Vito I ever knew was the fat, annoying kid in my third-grade class.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

[EXPLETIVE!]

I just lost an hour's worth of work on a photo project on Snapfish because their 'auto-save' feature crashed. I was unable to manually save the project, so now I have to build it all over again from scratch.

Gaaaauuugghh!!!!!

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

I don't know which Spock I need

Belle has two little points on her ear. I first noticed them in the hospital when she was first born, and I thought maybe it was the kind of thing that would go away over time, but it hasn't. Sometimes I try to feel my own ears to see if she got it from me, or what. I think it's the kind of thing only a mom would notice; nobody's ever said anything about them to me.
Eventually, though, Belle will notice them, and I have these terrible flash-forwards to an eleven-year-old screaming at me:
I hate my ears, Mom, and I hate YOU!

Monday, November 12, 2007

Brokedy-ass Cookie Gun

I made cookies tonight, and I brought out my cookie gun so I could have flower-shaped cookies. My cookie gun is already cracked in two places, so it's a little tricky to operate. While I was shooting cookies, the back of the gun disconnected with the barrel, leaving me with a useless, busted-up carcass of a cookie gun. I tossed the gun, but kept the shape discs, in case they fit in the next cookie gun.
I asked D about it, and my cookie gun is the equivalent of a Saturday Night Special, which are apparently notoriously cheap. He says that what I want is the glock of cookie guns: serviceable if not particularly pretty. I'm feeling kind of turned off about plastic guns right now, though, so he said a Smith & Wesson would be a fine alternative.

Dear Santa,
I would like the Smith & Wesson of cookie guns. It would be nice if it took the same size bullets as my old cookie gun.

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Pray for Immortal TiVo

I don't know what we'll do when the TiVo eventually conks out. It was a gift, and at the time, you could pay a single amount for a lifetime-of-the-unit subscription to the TiVo service. The subscription was part of the gift. I know the service now "doesn't cost that much" per month, but it's SOMEthing new that we would have to add on to our monthly expenses if it ever came time to get another one. I see this as such a luxury item, I don't know if I could justify the expense. After all, we could be putting away that $20/mo towards our retirement or Belle's education, and I think my values structure is such that that's what I'd want to do. Unfortunately, I think I would clash with D over this, because as much as I do love the TiVo, I think D believes that he NEEDS the TiVo, education and retirement be damned.
So my affection for the TiVo these days is bittersweet, because when the end comes, it will bring a domestic shitstorm. For now, though, I'm enjoying new shows whenever I feel like it, and the occasional Xena rerun.

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Holidaysholidaysholidaysohgodholidays

I'm a little freaked out that the holidays are coming up so soon. There aren't a lot of weekends between now and then, and there isn't a lot of time to figure out gifts for people. I don't get gifts for that many people, just family members, but still - it's the figuring out that can be fun but looms a bit stressful this year. I think I might just shortcut by buying things from stores people like and then including a gift receipt. That way they can go when things are on sale anyway.
And then there's the Christmas Card Question. Now that we have a baby, people are going to expect cards, right? I figure folks expect cards as soon as a couple gets married, but we got a break the first year for being newlyweds, and the second year for being pregnant, but this year the baby excuse is trumped by the need for baby pictures! Send photos! So I think we have to do the photo card, and really there's no excuse not to, except that I'm not sure when to take the photo. I'd like to as soon as possible, but then she might be too young in the photo? I dont know; I think we'll take it asap so we can get everything ordered.

Friday, November 09, 2007

Cereal

I've got nothing to say today, so here's a link to the cereal Belle is having once a day these days, mixed with breast milk. She loves having cereal! She loves the spoon! Sometimes she grabs the spoon to feed herself which is ok with me, but most of the time she just lets Mommy handle the logistics.

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Another self-explanatory website

I just ordered labels for all of Belle's stuff. All stuff must be labeled!!! How do you do that? You go to labelyourstuff.com of course.

We had a note from day care last week to label Belle's bottle lids. I put the three flower stickers on them that I've been using to mark her bottles but NO THAT'S NOT ENOUGH ANYMORE apparently, because when D brought Belle home, all the bottle lids had Belle's name written on them. This must be some new initiative, because Belle's been in day care since the end of August, and labeling bottle lids never came up before. So I decided it was finally time to buy some of those stupid labels to slap onto everything. Hers are red with the butterfly logo. (The ladybug is ugly.)

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Exactly where you might look to find it

Last night I found a nice website for downloading free kids' music: freekidsmusic.com

It has a several classic songs, which is really nice for songs where you don't know the lyrics but wish you did, and it has a few songs each from a bunch of contemproary childrens' music composers, like a build-your-own sampler pack.

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Meaningless Tragedy

On Friday afternoon, a sprinkler repairman beat a man to death and then bludgeoned the man's daughter-in-law. There's no way the victims could have prevented or prepared for this; it's a horrible thing that happened when a mind became unhinged.

The slain man was the patriarch of a large Boston-area family, and knowing one of the family members just makes me one of thousands who do, and whose thoughts and prayers go out to the family. What a senseless tragedy.

Monday, November 05, 2007

The Sun has Six Vaginas

...according to this toy.

I saw this in a store the other day, and it freaked me out a little.
Imagine all the vagina-related fun you could have with this toy! Putting things in, taking them out... awesome.

I don't really believe that any child would associate the openings with vaginas, but I do. And now so do you.

Sunday, November 04, 2007

Like the back of a Volkswagen

I've seen a few cute outfits in Belle's size that are made by the U.S. Polo Association; a weird clothing brand that I suspect is the chicken to Ralph Lauren Polo's egg. The thing that has kept me from buying anything made by this brand, though, is the logo. You can kind of see what it looks like on their website, but on the actual shirts, it looks like two men riding a horse together and enjoying it too much.

Saturday, November 03, 2007

Maybe an Anthrax cover band?

So, yesterday I mentioned that "Bleb-b-gone" would be a bad band name. This got me thinking: a milk bleb can sometimes lead to mastitis. Oooh, you don't want mastitis. However, "Mastitis" would be a very cool band name. I'm thinking it would be perfect for an all-female heavy metal band.

Friday, November 02, 2007

Well, lookee there.

Happy Belated Blogiversary to me!

I'm behind on everything, so a blogiversary should be no different.
Hey, check me out, two posts in a day. I wonder if this gives me a day off later in the month?

I am so not 'getting the point' of the NaBloPoMo, I think. I am a mockery, perhaps?

Bleb-B-Gone

Bleb bleb bleb!
Much like plutonium, it is fun to say. But I believe I have successfully resolved the bleb situation, so no more bleb blogging. "Bleb-B-Gone", by the way, would be a terrible name for a band.

Thursday, November 01, 2007

NaBloPoMo

Ok, I'm going to try to participate in one of these November endeavors. So I will post to the blog every day. I might cheat and lie about the post dates so I have more flexibility, but in the end, that's still 30 posts for the month, which is a lot.
This will be nice, though. I have so much to share, and lately, I haven't been sharing as much as I usually do.