It's Just A REALLLLY Long Scarf..

While on bed rest I really didn't panic about the whole labor and delivery aspect of having a baby. What really caused me to break out in a glistening cold sweat was the thought of having another colicky infant.

Unless you have had a colicky child you have NO idea what those babies are like. What the parents go through. There should be some sort of public recognition for surviving a colicky infant. Maybe a nice local newspaper article? :

Lance and Amanda have survived the colic phase of their son, Bubbalu, who is now 6 months old. We extend our sincere sympathies as well as applaud their extraordinary parenting skills, superb psychological steadfastness and tremendous infant intuition. We praise them for not going completely insane and thank them for withholding extraneous complaints regarding this chapter of their lives. Donations may be made at any local bank to the 'Amanda Believes In Shopping Therapy' Fund.

I think it has a nice ring to it.

Bubbalu was the colic king for quite a few months, so I consider myself an authority on soothing and coping with colicky/extremely fussy babies.

My favorite soothing tool I used for Bubbalu was the Moby Wrap. It's basically a really long piece of fabric (like a scarf) that you can wrap around your body in different configurations so your baby can be carried around hands-free in a snug and ergonomic fashion. It's kinda confusing to put it on the first few times but once you have it down, you're golden.

It's a huge relief to have your hands free to do dishes, fold laundry, clean the house....hee hee hee, who am I kidding!? It makes blogging with a newborn easy and possible. Lil Chick is snuggled in the Moby as we speak...write...type...whatever.

Lil Chick does not have colic. Her personality falls in between the normal and mellow category. I consider it a HUGE gift from God that she is a calm baby, especially after dealing with our month of chaos in which I hit rock bottom.

I actually kind of feel I am now getting my postpartum rest. However, I laughed out loud after reading in a pregnancy book, 'during the first two to three weeks postpartum you should be resting more often than not'.

Uh huh. Right.

Lil Chick does well in the Moby and I can even go out for a nice long walk. See? Here's Lil Chick in the Moby wrap on a jaunt to the park:



See Bubbalu in the top right of the pic? He loves playing at the park and Mommy loves how tired he gets after the park.

I'm no math whiz, but check THIS problem out:

Trip to the park + eating a big lunch after we get home = LOOONNNGG nap.

Priceless.

Anyone else have/had colicky infants? Any favorite infant survival tips?

A

Check out more ways to carry a baby from other Mamas at Adventures In Babywearing.

And Then Bubbalu Turns 2...

Or 2 years and 29 days, but whatever.

We decided to celebrate Bubbalu's birthday a bit late because:

• we had Lil Chick 4 days before his birthday
  
• his Mama is neurotic and can't have a birthday party for her boy without making him a truck cake
• half the family was in Winthrop for Shane and Joanie's wedding (which we actually made it to!)
  
• he wouldn't know any different or care as long as he got to tear into presents and nosh on cake
  

So, after I made his truck cake we invited the fam over for coffee, presents and cake.

Opening an alphabet puzzle (which he has almost mastered!) :



A 'TEEE-RUCK!' rug:



Hmmm, what's in here:



Nice look, Daddy. Your head looks HUGE:



The cowboy hat is for Bubbalu to wear when riding the stick horse he got for Christmas. Here he is a week ago tearing up the living room on his horse:



I love my little cowboy. I almost bought him cowboy boots, but Lance vetoed that notion. Apparently they weren't "necessary" and there was mention of some ridiculous fact that we don't live on a farm or ranch.

Once again, WHATEVER. I still think he looks adorable:



Little People stuff always a BIG hit, provided you can untie all those arthritic-inducing twisties:



And yes, the picture is blurry, but Auntie Beppa and Uncle Dusta gave him another Little People Police car a few days later to add to his collection:



And Mama and Papa bought Bubbalu his first official Radio Flyer tricycle, since his scuttle bug scooter is now way too small for him:



Hello nostalgia.

He's our own little LIFE photo come to, well, life.

It was (of course) raining, so on with his rain coat and Daddy helped him on his inaugural ride down the front path:



Happy Birthday darlin, we love you...

A

And It's Begun...

So far Bubbalu has been spoiling me.

Bubbalu loves his truck bed. He is a good sleeper most of the time, taking 2ish hour naps every afternoon and in bed for 12 hours at night. He often talks and plays in bed but never gets out of bed. He ALWAYS waits for me. I do realize how good I have it. Um...I mean had.

Until yesterday.

Yesterday morning he must have heard us up and about downstairs and decided to get out by himself, "hi Mommy, hi Daddy!".

And a good hour before he should be up from his afternoon nap he came sauntering down the stairs holding 2 pieces of his nightlight, "hi Mommy, hi Daddy!".

Oh crap...

A