Macy’s Mom

Macy was born with a head full of dark..straight hair. At one point it stood straight up..even when it was wet. Nobody was more surprised than me when it started to curl around her first birthday. Not tight curl..more of what I would call ‘fluffy’ curl. I do not have curly hair. I did not know how to care for curly hair. We have a few pictures of baby Macy with what looks like a bush of hair! Then we found Sophia at West Seattle Kids...She has curly hair. She knows how to cut curly hair..and gave me some golden rules of curly hair care! This is something I feel needs to be passed on to other mom’s of curly headed toddlers who love the curl..but don’t really know how to encourage it..here are Sophia’s rules…

1. Don’t wash it everyday. About twice a week is enough..you can rinse out clumps of food..condition as often as you like. Shampoo just the roots.

2. The brush is not your friend. Only comb when it’s wet.

3. Fill a spray bottle with half conditioner/half water..spritz on in the
morning to tame the bush. (I like to use Infusium 23..about $5)

4. You don’t have to get curly hair cut as often..we go about 3 times a year.

I’ve pretty much been growing Macy’s hair out since her birth..only trimming it to keep it healthy..it’s finally past her shoulders. I don’t know if it will always be curly..but for now she likes her curly hair…
If it’s still curly when she’s a teenager..I’m sure I’ll spend a fortune having it straightened!

I love reading this book! Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner. Macy and I find it very humorous when I read it in my “best Spanish accent”…(she likes my Spanish accent better than daddy’s..) We bought this book last year when she was 3..and she still asks why the Siamese cat thinks he’s a Chihuahua…funny!

Grandma bought the Fisher Price Monkey Chase for baby Cole..he loved it so much..that Grandma bought one for baby Gavin too! The box says 6 months and up..but, at 4 months..Gavin thinks it’s hilarious!  Everytime you tap the monkey..it makes ‘monkey’ sounds and runs away.  Big sister is happy to tap the monkey until Gavin is big enough to do it himself!

O.k…it’s not what you think! The Winkel is baby G’s new toy! Grandma bought it for him 2 weeks ago at Babies r us… At 3 1/2 months old..Gavin needed a toy that he could hold for longer than 2 seconds. The Winkel is colorful..rattles..and is easy for a baby just learning to use his hands! He stays busy with it in his infant seat..chewing and drooling away..and according to the label..we can chill it in the fridge when he really starts teething!

Pick up a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser…it’s a must have for parents of toddlers!  Crayon on the walls..gone!  Ball point pen on the tan leather seats in the truck..gone!  Sharpie on the cabinets..gone!

Mr. Clean-3          Macy-0

After the breastfeeding fiasco with baby Macy…when I found out I was having another baby…I was determined to do it right this time! I read as much as possible about it…called the hospital where I was going to deliver and spoke with the lactation consultant. Even during labor, I let the nurse know that “I had failed the last time..and I needed all the help I could get!” As soon as Gavin was born, they put him on my breast. Help! And I continued to ask for help every-time I nursed him. …HHmmm..time to nurse the baby..(push the nurse call button..) “um..Hi..could someone come check my latch?” During my two day stay, I met every lactation consultant and nurse. And even after I left the hospital, I was back the next day to..guess what? ..check my latch! We weighed him, and he had lost over 1 pound! I kind of freaked out..the nurse suggested I see his doctor..and to get a pump. We saw his doctor the next day..Gavin had already gained since the day before. Phew! Relief! We’re breastfeeding and gaining weight! Yeah!

Ok, I was surprised by what a production early breastfeeding is! Pillows, latching on properly…and the time! He would be on my breast forever! I’d nurse him for hours.. quite a difference from out shopping with baby Macy the first week! I felt trapped at home the first couple of months! I wanted to quit so many times! (but after all the drama to get us here..I couldn’t bring myself to stop) And yes..it eventually got easier..and faster… And the irony is that now I have a baby that won’t take a bottle!

Macy (4 1/2 years) has just finished episodes 6-12 in Dinosaur world! She got to read another book. I’m amazed at her progress! She can read 14 words and according to the progress report I received..she can potentially read 67 words! In episodes 1-5 she learned.. s, ee, v, an, n, cl, c, l. Episodes 6-12 was all about.. fr, f, r, cr, sl, sn, ip, p, pr, sp, pl. When she is involved with the ‘game’..I love to watch her clicking the mouse and speaking with the characters. She can’t wait to start the “Ocean game” next!

I have several friends who sent me their Snapfish albums…at first it was a little annoying..sign in..password..huge albums to go through. I never realized the beauty and sheer convenience of Snapfish! I have years of digital pictures that I’m still waiting for my husband to print. Just in the last year I finally figured out how to get the memory card out of my camera to take it to the drug store and print out pictures myself. (Yeah..clueless) But after my son was born..there was just no way I was getting to the drugstore! HHHmmm…it was time to take a closer look…upload picture onto Snapfish(with a little help from the husband) .. order prints…mail them to myself. All I have to do is make it to the mailbox! (sometimes that’s hard to do) I love Snapfish! My mom loves Snapfish! (she get’s copies of what ever I order..now she doesn’t have to wait for my brother to get around to printing pictures for her..)

After signing up for Headsprout Early Reading, I received a packet in the mail. Inside was colorful progress map with stickers, and 6 books. We hung the map where Macy could reach..and put stickers on the episodes that she had completed. I pointed to episode 5 and told her that she would read a book after finishing episode 5. I later overheard her telling dad that after 5 she would be able to read! She was very excited when we started episode 5. After we finished it..I took out the first book. (I was so afraid she would be disappointed by the 2 page book) We sat down..and Macy started to read it. 2 pages..7 words. When she finished..”was that the whole book?” uummm..yes…you read the whole book. “HURRAY! I READ A BOOK!” Then she proceeded to dance around and sing “I read a book..I read a book!” She was thrilled and couldn’t wait to read the book for dad and her baby brother.

I heard about PEPS at my pre-natal swim class from Michelle. New moms in the same area/income/baby age meet once a week..and talk.  Sounds good. We signed up and started meeting when the babies were about 6 weeks old. There were two leaders (moms) who got us started on a topic..breastfeeding..sleep..child developments..that sort of thing. We go around the group and share. It was fabulous! Sometimes it was the only day we got out that week. About 6 weeks after we started, one of the lead moms told us about “mom’s night out”…her old peps group would go out about once every few months without the babies. hhhmmm..What a great idea..how about tonight? The five of us that showed up really bonded and still continue to meet for play-dates..(sometimes we even include the kids.. tee-hee) It’s fun..and Macy considers those kids her best friends!