4 days till we leave for the beach!! It will be our first vacation as a family of 3!!! I know Josh won't be doing much on the beach this year but I can't wait to put his little feet in the sand for the first time. When we went for Courtney's wedding we never took him out of the carrier during the wedding. I'm taking a blow-up bathtub that we borrowed from Emelie to use as a pool while we're there. He won't be doing much in it but since he's into taking baths now, maybe he'll tolerate splashing around a bit. I'm also excited to spend the whole week with lots of family. My Daddy, Mama, Granddaddy, Grandmom, Uncle Doug, Aunt Bonnie, Robert, Kate, Matt and Megan, David, Josh and myself will all be there for the week. We'll miss Tiffy, Chris and Beth!! I'll have to find someone to walk to the pier with me since Tiff's not coming. ;) We've rented 2 houses this year since all the Hand kids are married and require our own rooms. No more double bunk beds. :( The bigger house is right on the ocean!! And the other is directly behind it. Can't wait to have breakfast on the deck and watch the waves roll in. The houses are across the road from Kitty Hawk Kites and I think we already have plans to go get ice cream from over there. Lauren is coming next Friday to take some photos of the family. Mom has been wanting a portrait of all the "kids" since the boys got married last summer. We're all so busy and are on the go so much we still haven't gotten it done. If Lauren thought the photo shoot with the 3 of us was a trip, she's got a wild ride in store. I'm sure she'll have a few good stories to tell when she's done with the Hand Clan. :) Pray for her!! haha
I've made a list of everything I need to take to the beach. Geez...who knew one tiny person could require so much stuff?! :) I've already started packing the car up. I have most of it ready to go. I've even packed Josh's bag!
Josh had his first non-family babysitter Monday. Lauren (who was in our youth group @ Macedonia and lives 2 apartments down from us) came by to keep him. He slept the whole time! She was bummed but stayed around after I got home to play. He smiled and laughed for her. Such a sweet boy. Everyone has said just to hang tough until he is 3 months old and it will get better. They were so right. He's like a totally different baby! Not nearly as fussy, does much better in his car seat for longer periods of time (although I'm sure he thinks we're heading for NY again every time we put him in that thing!). He's been sleeping all night without being swaddled. It's been almost a week since I swaddled and bounced him to calm him down. He's taking baths like a normal baby, instead of insisting on a shower; and he's content just to hang out and splash around for a while. Tonight he stayed in so long he got all pruney! :) He's doing better with tummy time and prefers that David carry him around football style. I can't believe he'll be 3 months old Thursday. He's doing great. He's small for his age, but he's healthy and growing normally. His height and weight are about the same as far as percentages go so I've been told not to worry that he's getting enough to eat, or that he's behind. He sleeps through the night, he's happy and active. If he wasn't getting enough he wouldn't do any of that.
*steps onto soapbox*
I've had several people....women, in fact, ask me why I wasn't giving him formula because he is smaller than most babies his age. I'm sick of it. I decided before I was even pregnant that I wanted to breastfeed if I could. I know that some women can't. I totally understand their frustration. I've gone through a lot in just trying to keep breastfeeding for 3 months. But I feel that it's worth it and so I'm determined. I'm not anti-formula, really, I'm not. I realized that some mamas can't nurse, and some babies can't; for whatever reasons. That's why formula was made and it's wonderful that it's an option for those who need/want it. I don't want it or need it so leave me alone! :) Being asked over and over has made me question myself as a mother. Am I giving him enough to eat, should I at least supplement with formula, etc. Whatever a Mama's decision, she should be encouraged in that decision. I have friends who chose not to breastfeed and I never once asked them why or told them they were foolish or selfish. It's wrong for women to treat each other that way. *steps off soapbox* ;)
Lauren, who babysat Monday, had her apartment broken into. She didn't stay there Sunday night, and I'm glad she didn't. She didn't go by there before she came here yesterday either so she isn't sure when it happened. Between 10:45am Sunday and 12 pm Monday. We didn't hear or see anything and neither did the neighbors. They came in through the window in her guest bedroom. Just before Joshua was born, we had locks put on our windows. Before that, there weren't any. I've had to break in because I locked myself out before and if I can do it, anyone could. It's scary! Had it been our apartment, they would have come right in Joshua's room. It makes me sick just to think of it. I'm looking into some type of security system. Even if it's alarms on the windows and doors. I'd also like to get one of those arm things for the sliding door in our room. We should have done all this before now.
Josh has had lots of new friends born recently! He had a play date with Landon last week. He hasn't met Mia yet, but will soon. He met Savannah the day she was born and told me he thinks she's pretty....and she is. ;) He and his best buddy Ayden checked each other out last Sunday. It's so funny to watch two babies stare at each other.
I recently got a letter from my best friend in college, Mia. She's been married for a few years and I hadn't heard from her since before I got pregnant. Oddly enough, she had a baby girl March 11th!! We were both pregnant at the same time and didn't even know it! :) Baby Harley is just beautiful.
Josh is sleeping now so I'm off to bed too. I hate that we'll miss the meteor shower tonight. It's a tradition to watch it. Growing up we were always at the beach when it happened and Mama and Aunt Bonnie would fuss for us to go to bed, only to have Daddy and Uncle Doug wake us up at 1:00 am to go outside and see the meteors. :) It's storming here now so we'll miss it this year. It just wouldn't be the same without my brothers and cousins here anyway. Robert's in Raleigh, Matt's in Emporia, Chris is in Tennessee and Tiff's in Haiti. When did we all grow up and move away?! Sigh.....
Good night!
Don't worry about what people say to you about breastfeeding! I bet you it's women that didn't like breastfeeding themselves and can't imagine that any woman would that are saying those things! I'm not a nazi about it but I do think that all women ought to at least try and I commend you for not caving in and for keeping it up! :) Have fun at the beach! We leave Sunday for Emerald Isle!!!
ReplyDeleteAn easy fix for a sliding door is getting a piece of wood (like a 2x4) cut to the length of the space and put it in place.
ReplyDeleteYou could also drill screws inside the window frame to allow them to open only a few inches (and unscrew them to open the window all the way).
We had to take similar measures in our house in Williamston because we couldn't afford a real security system. It might look ghetto, but it works!
I can relate. I tried it, I didn't like it, so I chose not to breastfeed...my decision...my perogative as a woman and human being. However, some women insisted on making me feel terrible about not providing my son with the natural nourishment of breastmilk. So, I've been on the other side of that whole argument. (You've seen Ayden...is there any question that that child is growing?? haha!!) Josh may be small for his age, but Ayden is big for his age...not a big deal. All babies grow at different rates, and as long as they're growing, developing, and are happy...then they're fine. Josh is just fine; don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Enjoy the beach!! I'm so jealous!
ReplyDeletei'm super excited about the beach shoot! can't wait to see the whole hand clan in action :)
ReplyDeletei was just saying to another new mother at work the other day how the more and more i read about parenting, the more i realize it is all just opinions and what works for that mom and that kid at that time. and it's frustrating to see women cut each other down and play guilt trips when obviously they are trying their hardest to do what is best for their kids and their family. i said something similar on patrice's blog after the whole "bumpers and blanket in the crib" thing went down. i think josh looks great and he'll continue to grow at his own pace!
and i heard on the news this morning that you may still be able to see the meteor shower tonight. and i was cleaning out the bedroom and found 2 of those alarm thingies i was telling you about. i could swing by with them sometime if you're interested.