con Leche

Our baby boy was born on Christmas Eve morning. I hadn’t packed my hospital bag ahead of time so I wasn’t feeling quite as prepared as I had hoped when I went into labor.  Luckily, I had made a quick trip to Babies R Us earlier in the week so we did have everything we needed, or so I thought.

The morning after our baby was born, my husband went home to shower and to grab a quick bite to eat (the cafeteria food wasn’t cutting it for him). He showed up a few hours later with a small gift in hand. Even though it was Christmas Day, it still brought me to tears. This is certainly one Christmas I will never forget.

Inside the box was a watch, one that was on my wish list but that still came as a surprise. I haven’t worn a watch in years and even though I recall saying a few years back that the wrist watch would soon be obsolete (what with everyone carrying a phone which tells the correct time), I fell in love with the watches from con Leche that I had discovered during my pregnancy.

con Leche (Spanish for “with milk” or “milky”), makes stylish watches for breastfeeding moms. Underneath the standard dial that tells the current time is a second dial which shows the time of baby’s last feeding and is manually reset each time your breastfeed. You can also record which side baby nursed on at each feeding by manually setting “L” (left), or “R” (right). Ingenious.

When my first son was born and breastfeeding was new to both of us, I kept track of each feeding on a piece of paper but soon discovered that having that paper handy at each feeding was the most challenging part of the process.

Breastfeeding can be a struggle during the first few weeks but it does get easier. My new watch is a lifesaver and makes feeding the baby much less stressful since I simply glance down at my wrist to determine when, approximately, his next feeding will be.

I highly recommend adding a con Leche watch – with three unique designs – to your baby registry or for dads to purchase as a push present for their partner. I couldn’t have asked for a better Christmas gift (besides our Christmas Eve baby).

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

Marriage Milestones

My husband flies in today for a whirlwind weekend. We’ll be discussing baby names, visiting the doctor for an ultrasound & check-up and shopping for awesome baby gear when we finally register for items we’ll need when the baby arrives. Oh, and we’ll also spending quality family time with my son. And tonight, just the two of us, we’ll be celebrating our one month wedding anniversary.

As obnoxious as it may sound, I think celebrating our anniversary monthly is a great way to ensure that our relationship remains strong and stable. After all, we celebrate our baby’s milestones by the month and pregnancy by the week. We honor half-birthdays and even when dating, couples often acknowledge their six month anniversary as they journey toward a long-term commitment.

If you’re not setting aside a special Date Night with your partner at least once a month, I highly recommend that you get out your calendars now and start scheduling them. It might not sound romantic to make an appointment with your significant other, but you know as well as I do that when that day or night comes, it’ll make all the difference in the world. My husband and I have the luxury of planning our next weekends together. The time apart is torture but having that date on the calendar to look forward to is quite exciting!

Marriage, these days, is like a marathon. We train in many ways and we have a goal in mind before we even make that commitment although some of us won’t, don’t, or shouldn’t make it across that finish line.

Which is why each mile we pass should be celebrated and with every month that my husband and I can set aside time for each other – just the two of us – there will be yet another reminder that we each have a supportive coach on the sidelines, running  or walking right with us and cheering us on the entire way.

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

Introducing Hip Baby!

I never thought I’d see the day where I’d be thinking about diapers and breastfeeding and baby names and pink or blue clothes again, but it’s official. Mr. Right and I are expecting a baby in early 2011.

My son has been asking for a baby brother for quite some time now. He was thrilled when I told him the news. He has talked of nothing else since then and was still excited, even after we told him that the baby could be a girl! The baby’s due date is just three days after his birthday so (for now) he wants just the baby brother or sister as his birthday present!

He’s already been such a great big brother, making sure I eat growing foods only (no junk food for this healthy mama), and letting me and the baby rest since he knows how important it is for us both. I couldn’t be more proud of him and only hope his helpfulness continues. He did mention that he won’t be doing poop patrol, though.

As for me, I feel like I’m starting from scratch when it comes to this whole pregnancy thing. I didn’t even see the signs when they first appeared.

I was exhausted last month, one of the reasons why I didn’t write very much, and was extremely emotional. I would burst into tears at the cheesiest commercials, but I didn’t put all the pieces together until I started noticing my round little belly that wasn’t going away after a month of boxing classes.

This will be Mr. Right’s first child and already I know he’s going to make an amazing father. He has created such a great bond with my son that he’s already a part of our family and once he finally moves out here to be with us, it’ll all be complete. I couldn’t have gotten more lucky.

Our families are excited too and were eager to see the first ultrasound photo that we were able to share with them last week.

Technology, and everything else baby-related has changed since I first became a mom nearly seven years ago, so I am studying up on new products, maternity brands and would love some suggestions along the way.

We’re excited for this new adventure!

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home