A week of firsts

A lot of first happened for Baby Bear last week. Her first taste of solid food. Her first Thanksgiving. Her first river trip.

Baby Bear's First Tastes

We introduced solid foods to Baby Bear last Tuesday. We wanted to give it a try before Thanksgiving so that she could eat Thanksgiving with us. I made some sweet potato and that was her first food. We gave it a shot, she wasn't too keen on it and made many different faces. So sweet potato is not her favorite. We will try something else this week and see how that goes.











Baby Bear's First Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was a blast. Baby Bear got to see a lot of family. It was a very fun Thanksgiving with lots of great food.











Baby Bear's First River Trip

The Friday after Thanksgiving we headed out to the river (Colorado River). We had no idea what to expect with Baby Bear's first long car ride. Baby Bear was awesome, she slept most of the way and we had one pit stop to eat and change diapers. She was such a trooper. She had a great time and we had a wonderful time with friends. One the way home, we hit a lot of traffic and again Baby Bear was wonderful. It was a successful first vacation for us as a family. I am sure this is only the beginning of many more river trips to come.

Gobble, gobble, gobble. Happy Thanksgiving

Baby Bear's first Thanksgiving!! We are very excited to celebrate this Thanksgiving with our beautiful baby. I have so much to be thankful for this year, especially with Baby Bear in our lives.

I am so thankful to have Baby Bear in my life and thankful to be her mommy. She is just so amazing and lights up my world. Her beautiful smile and her voice brings so much sunshine into my life. Being a mother is the most amazing role I have ever had and the most important thing I have ever done in my life. Yes, it has changed me. It has changed me for the better. I love it and I am so fortunate to be Baby Bear's mother.

I am thankful to have such a wonderful husband. Papa Bear is so good to me and is a wonderful daddy. He loves us so much and I am thankful that he is so involved in his daughter's life. I love seeing how he absolutely adores her. Our biggest disagreement since she was born is who's daughter she is. He insists that she is his baby and I argue that she is all mine!! But I guess I will share her.

I am thankful to have great parents. My parents and my in-laws are wonderful grandparents. They are respectful of our parenting and they just love Baby Bear. Both grandmothers care for her once a week. It is so nice that Baby Bear is able to grow up with and bond with her grandmothers. The grandfathers just dote on her and love her. We are fortunate that they are in our lives and will be in Baby Bear's life.

I am thankful for my friends. I am blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life who care so much about Baby Bear and me. They do so much for me and are the best.

I am thankful for our health. I am thankful that Baby Bear is healthy and growing strong. She is meeting her milestones and each day continues to develop and thrive. It is so wonderful to see her change. She is growing up way too fast, but it is also awesome to see her reach a new milestone and learn new things.

Life is good and there is so much to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Angel Baby

Yesterday, I celebrated my lola's birthday. Today I mourn the loss of an angel baby. I learned that yesterday was also the day that a beautiful baby was born and died. After 30 hours of labor, my best friend delivered her baby girl and she weighed just under 1 pound. It appears that the umbilical cord had wrapped itself around her neck.

My heart goes out to the beautiful angel baby that I did not have the chance to meet. Angel baby even though you were not my baby, you are in my heart. I love you even though I did not get to know you. You are loved and will always be loved by many.

Happy Birthday Great-Lola!!

Yesterday was my lola's 89th birthday! Doesn't she look amazing for 89 years old.



My lola is the only living grandparent for Papa Bear and I. Baby Bear enjoyed seeing her great-lola and I know my lola loved seeing Baby Bear.

My lola helped to raise me and has always been a special force in my life. I am so fortunate to have grown up with my lola in my life. Being the first born grandchild in the U.S., I have spent almost all my life with lola in it. She has been there through so much and has watched me grow and I am so blessed to have had that opportunity. I know many people grow up with their grandparents living far away or not having even know their grandparents. I didn't just see my lola on holidays, I saw her on a regular basis and she helped to raise me and make me into the person I have become. She is a strong woman and I hope that I have the same qualities that she has. I am so glad that Baby Bear is able to have her in her life. Happy Birthday lola!! Here is to another wonderful year and many more to come! I love you!

Feelings of sorrow and devestation

Tonight I received an awful phone call from my best friend's mom. She was about 7 months pregnant and the baby girl she was carrying in her womb no longer had a heartbeat. She was not ready to talk to anyone quite yet but wanted to let me know what had happened. My heart broke when I heard this news. I was devastated for my friend and I just wanted to hug her. But I want to respect her wishes and give her the space and time she needs with her family. I can only imagine what she is going through. I believe that she will have to deliver the baby and the baby will have to be named with a birth and death certificate. I am filled with so much sorrow.

My best friend was pregnant with a baby girl. This was her third child and although she was surprised when she found out she was pregnant, she was excited and embraced having another child. I remember when she first told me she was pregnant again. It was just weeks after Baby Bear was born. I was so excited and secretly hoped that she would have another girl (she has a 6 year old boy and a 4 year old girl) so that our little girls could grow up together as we did. And she was indeed going to have a little girl. I just talked to her last week and all was well. I don't know why this happened.

I have known my dearest friend since I was in the 7th grade and she was in 8th grade. We met when I made the drill team. She was a year older than me and my lieutenant in drill team. But, it wasn't really until high school that we really became very close friends; we were in drama and Chamber Singers together. We spent a lot of time together in rehearsals. I remember being so sad when she graduated from high school and left me behind. Fortunately, she never really left me behind. Our friendship continued to grow and we have been through heartaches with boys, college graduations, and watch each other get married and have children. She was my matron of honor and I just asked her to be Baby Bear's Godmother. She is such a special person in my life and my heart aches for my friend and her loss. I am so sad.

There has been too much loss this year; this needs to stop!

Recycle Huggies packaging

I just learned from the blogosphere that I can help the environment even though I am using disposable diapers. Huggies teamed up with TerraCycle to help reduce the impact its packaging has on the environment. TerraCycle converts plastic waste diaper packaging into new products like tote bags, pencil cases, and other cool items! They also convert other packaging as well, like oreo packaging and candy wrappers. What a great idea!

I had contemplated cloth diapering, but couldn't quite make the commitment. Especially now that I am back to work, I find it a little daunting to go for it. So we are sticking with disposables for now. Baby Bear is not totally particular to a brand of diapers. I do like the Pampers Swaddlers but we also use Huggies since we received free Huggies diapers from the Ellen Show. Here is a good opportunity to be good to our environment in a small way.

Learn more here.

Sick baby update

Baby Bear is doing much better today. Her fever is down. Her nose is still runny and snotty. When she finally went down to sleep last night, she slept well. Poor baby had a hard time getting to sleep because of her stuffed up nose.

I am glad my baby is starting to feel better. On the other hand, my other baby, Papa Bear, seems to have caught Baby Bear's cold and he is the biggest baby of them all. As for me, I think I am okay but I am running on empty. I am exhausted and a bit of a zombie. I am so tired, I need to go back to sleep. Too bad I have to go to work today.

Baby Bear is sick

For the first time in her life, my Baby Bear is sick. She has a low grade fever, a runny nose, and a cough. She has been off all day long and fussy. My poor baby. She can barely breathe through her nose, she is so stuffy. I feel so bad and wish I can make it all better. I am going to stay home from work tomorrow to cuddle and take care of my baby. Feel better soon my baby.

Baby Bear's first walk!

On Saturday, we walked for Autism and raise $290. We had a great time (even if Baby Bear slept through half of the walk).

Baby Bear was all geared up for her first walk.





She even got to talk a picture with some Star Wars storm troopers.



Thank you to everyone who supported Baby Bear and I on our walk for Autism.

Walk for Autism - Reaching our Goal!

Saturday is the Walk for Autism and Baby Bear and I have already surpassed our fundraising goal!! Thank you to all who have donated!

If you would still like to donate, it is not too late to help out. Click here to go to my personal web page and help me and Baby Bear in our efforts to support Autism Speaks.

Not one but TWO teeth!

Baby Bear has teeth! Teeth as in plural; more than one! Her second tooth has broken the surface and has appeared. Wow!! Teeth.

Amazing!

5 months!

My adorable Baby Bear is 5 months old!!!

Her first tooth

Baby Bear has a tooth!! Friday morning I happened to look in her mouth and saw the top of a tooth emerging. Wow, I can't believe it. The tooth had already cut through the skin. She never even let on that she was teething (except for some drooling, but she had been drooling a lot for weeks). She displayed her normal fussiness so I might not have known unless I had actually looked. I just can't believe it.