ROUND 2: Wish Us Luck...It's Vaccination Day

Remember this?  {Wish Us Luck...It's Vaccination Day}

Here was the result...

So sad, right???

And guess what today is?

You guessed it...ROUND 2...

The good thing is that we'll also get to find out how much she's grown over the last two months - stay tuned!

The Panda Report: 4 Months

At 4 months, Abigail is sporting one extremely sharp tooth, she's "talking" and laughing up a storm, she's sleeping through the night consistently, and she's drinking out of adult glasses...

 

Well, the last part is just a joke but let's just say our little newborn is growing up and enriching our lives like we never thought possible.  

Here are a few pictures from her 4 Month photo shoot.

And this little one had quite the day...she attended her very first Giants game (well, unless the ones she attended in my belly count).  The game went into extra innings (ended in the bottom of the 11th), the Giants won, Abby was awake for almost the entire event, and we're pretty sure she had a great time with Mommy and Daddy...

 

I'm sure it'll be a day she will always remember (well, I actually doubt it, but at least we have pictures to remind her!).

 

Take a look back at previous Panda Reports:

The Panda Report: 3 Months

The Panda Report: 2 Months

The Panda Report: 1 Month

Abby (the Panda) on ETSY!

The Panda Report: 3 Weeks

The Panda Report: 1 Week

The Panda Report: Birthday

The Panda Report

Teething and Breastfeeding (OUCH!)

Abigail's new nickname?

Sharkie.

And guess what?  Sharkie just BIT me!  

This is her laughing at Mommy after taking her first bite...what a sweetheart...

You see, Abby cut her first tooth at the EXTREMELY young age of 3.5 months.  And while I thought it was pretty cool at first ("She's SO advanced!!!"), now I'm not so sure.  After experiencing Sharkie's first CHOMP I think it's safe to say that I'm officially frightened...

These are not teeth.  These are mini serrated knives.  

Doesn't she know she's supposed to save the teething for Sophie?   Oh, right...she's a baby and doesn't know the difference.

And while a few nibbles won't stop me from breastfeeding (as my goal is to continue for 6 months to a year), a few more severe chomps from Sharkie might have me covered in band-aids and tears...

But I can do it...if I could survive the first few weeks of breastfeeding which were by far the most difficult, I can most definitely survive Sharkie.  

Let's just hope the next teeth take a little longer to cut through...

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Someone in our family is balding and it's not the man of the house (way to point and laugh, Daddy).

Our little pumpkin pie is going for a new look: Bald is Beautiful (either that, or she's going for a modified mullet)

And she's working hard for it.  Every night when we put her down, she puts herself to sleep by twisting her head from side to side (hence the reason she's balding in one main area and a little rat's tail is left behind).  I think she's trying to tell us something...maybe that she wants to be a little blondie like her Daddy...

Or maybe light brown like her Mommy...

Heck, I don't care if it grows back purple...all I know is that I want it to grow back soon because I can hardly wait to give her pigtails (plus, I think the pigtails will help with the confusion as to whether she's a boy or a girl when I have her in full Giants gear...)!

What do you guys think?  

Will Abby have blond hair?  Brown hair?  Red hair? No hair?  Mullet hair? 

I suppose time will tell...

Little Laughter is the Best Laughter

Just like little toes, little fingers, little hiccups, little sneezes, and little smiles, little laughter is by far the best kind of laughter there is...

If you feel like smiling today, take a minute and watch this video.

Have a wonderful day!

(UPDATE) Abigail's (Ever Expanding) Library

Way back in February (and in new Mommy mode, that was FOREVER ago), I wrote about Abigail's Library.  At the time, she was only a month old and was solely focused on eating, pooping, sleeping and screaming at me, so I can't say we got a whole lot of quality reading time in (lazy baby!!!).

Don't you worry though...she's become quite the bookworm at the mature age of four months minus ten days.

On a typical day, she enjoys reading her fabric book to Sophie (as she wouldn't want to give her a paper cut).

Then, around mid-day, she'll request one of her favorite stories (typically involving a very lopsided picture to text ratio) out of The 20th Century Children's Book Treasury.

And every night, before she heads to bed for her 8-9 hours of beauty rest, she reads Good Night San Francisco with her Daddy...the perfect way to end the day. 

At this rate, I'm pretty sure it won't be long until she starts requesting the classics...I'll keep you posted.

Just remember, they're NEVER too young to start reading!!!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 27: a Child I Love

Wow...this one's going to take a little extra brainstorming. 

A Child I Love...hmmmmmm... 

Oh, I know! I love this one. :)  My cute little Giants fan.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 26: a Funny (True) Story

I'm absolutely determined to complete this 30 Day Blog Challenge that's been 5 months in the making...so like Day 24, I'm going to cheat on this one as well. 

The thing is, I'm not exactly funny.  My brother has actually counted the number of times I've said something truly funny and let's just say we're still in the single digits. 

Anyway...I'm also not a big storyteller.

But I want to get to Day 27 in this challenge, so I'm going to recycle a story that I found quite humorous at the time.  And someday when Abigail is old enough to appreciate it, I'm pretty sure she'll get a chuckle out of it as well. 

That being said, please enjoy {BREAKING NEWS: Is Abby Really a BOY?!?} - I know you all know the final result here, but it's still hilarious to me that we even dealt with this in the first place.

Oh, and when I saw my doctor after Abigail was born, she informed me that she'd NEVER had this happen to a patient before...in a strange way, it made me feel quite special.

Meet Sophie: Teether, Toy, Miracle Worker

Let me begin with a little conversation I had with a friend when Abigail joined the world.

Friend:  Does Abby have Sophie yet?

Me:  Who's Sophie?

Friend:  Oh, you'll see...

Now let me fast forward to last week when Abigail's first tooth joined the world.

Me to Abigail: I think it's about time we find you a teething toy...let's walk down to Giggle and see if they have anything interesting (yes, I have full on conversations with my three and a half month old).

Abigail: Drool...(and yes, I consider this a response worthy of a quote)

So that very day, we strolled down to Chestnut Street, walked into Giggle, and there she was in all her glory...Sophie The Giraffe (or more accurately, Sophie la Girafe - the box said she was "Born in Paris" - read Sophie's story HERE).

It was almost as if she had a light shining down on her and some magnetic force drawing me toward her...

I finally "met" the infamous Sophie...and her marketing team.  Check out everything Sophie is capable of...

SIGHT

At the age of 3 months, a baby’s eyesight is still limited and he can only make out high contrasts. The Dark and contrasting attention-catching spots all over Sophie the Giraffe’s body provide visual stimulation and she soon becomes a familiar and reassuring object for baby.

HEARING
Sophie the Giraffe's squeaker keeps baby amused and stimulates his hearing. To begin with, the funny sound Sophie makes when she is squeezed helps to stimulate baby’s hearing, and then later, helps him to understand the link between cause and effect.

TASTE

A Sophie the Giraffe is made of 100% natural rubber and food paint, and is completely safe to chew, just like a feeding bottle teat. Her soft texture and numerous chewable parts (ears, horns, legs), make her perfect for soothing baby’s sore gums during teething.

TOUCH

Touch is the first means a baby has of communicating with the outside world. Sophie the Giraffe’s soft feel, like baby’s mother’s skin, stimulates physiological and emotional response that soothe baby and promote healthy growth and well-being..

SMELL

The singular scent of natural rubber from the Hevea tree makes Sophie the Giraffe very special and easy for your child to identify amid all his other toys.

EASY TO GRIP

Sophie the Giraffe’s shape and 18 cm (7 inches) size are perfect for baby’s small hands. She is very light, and her long legs and neck are easy for baby to grip, even from his earliest days.

I'm still a little disappointed Sophie doesn't change diapers...

After reading all about her, I justified her seemingly ridiculous price tag and practically ran home to unwrap her and introduce her to Abigail (I suppose you could say I was more excited to meet her than Abby was, but that's beside the point).

The two seemed to have an instant connection...

I think this could be the beginning of a long friendship...I'll keep you posted on their bond and on whether or not Sophie actually helps with Abigail's time of teething. 

Fingers crossed Sophie turns out to be the Miracle Worker both her marketing team and my friends claim she is (not to mention strangers at the airport - I swear everyone knows Sophie)...we have some high expectations!

But since she's still brand new to the family, we're being as warm and welcoming as possible...after all, she could very well be Abigail's new best friend (after me, of course).

Anyone else have any Sophie stories?  I'd love to hear them! 

Abigail's First Flight...a Success Story

Even with two blown out diapers (through her clothes and onto Daddy's pants and Mommy's breastfeeding cape while the 'fasten-seat-belt-sign' was illuminated due to turbulence), I'm extremely  happy (and proud) to say that Abigail is a wonderful jetsetter.

If we were to have changed anything about our trip, it probably would have been her diapers. Two blow-outs on one flight?  Really?  Good thing Mommy over-packed the diaper bag with three extra outfits (I knew this so-called flaw of mine would come in handy someday!).  

Other than the blow-outs, both flights were a monumental success.  And thank goodness that's the case considering Abigail and I will be flying again (this time with KiKi) on Thursday.  Had it not gone so well, I'm pretty sure I'd be freaking out right about now. 

As I said before we left on Thursday, thanks again for all your tips over at Seeking Advice: Flying with a 3 Month Old.

And as promised, here are a few tips of my own:

Arrive Early 

I'm sure some people might disagree with me on this (as they wouldn't want to spend a bunch of extra time at the airport with a newborn), but I'm a strong believer in having extra time for peace of mind.  We were at the airport two hours before our flight and it gave us plenty of time to check in (which is much more complicated with a baby in tow), get through security, get to our gate, and have time to feed and change Abigail.  By the time we were boarding, Abigail was soundly asleep on my chest in the Baby Bjorn (where she slept peacefully for the first two hours of the flight).   

She was obviously very excited to be at the airport

Wear Comfy and Easy Clothes 

This goes for Mommy and baby (Daddy can wear whatever he wants as long as he's okay with getting pooped on).  A flight is not the time to put baby in their cutest outfit...it's the perfect time to have them in their EASIEST outfit (think long sleeve onesie with a zipper).  You won't have much space or much time to change diapers so keeping things easy is extremely important.  And Mommies, if you're breastfeeding it's much easier to navigate your favorite sweatshirt than your favorite fashionable blazer...think COMFORT.  My limbs are long so it was a bit of a struggle getting comfortable while feeding Abby on the plane...I couldn't imagine wearing anything that was difficult to move around in.  And good thing I was elbowing my husband and not some total stranger.  

Wearing our travel "uniforms"

Pack Extra Clothes

Pack extra diapers and wipes too...more than you think is necessary...but packing extra baby clothes is just as important.  You never know what might happen.  I was not expecting Abigail to soil, if  you will, two outfits on the way there but I'm SO glad I packed all the extra items I did.  We would have been pretty far up $hit's Creek (pun intended) had I not. 

Remain Calm

This may seem obvious, but don't underestimate the power of calm parents.  And I'm not just talking about remaining calm for baby...I'm talking about remaining calm for each other.  When Abigail blew out her diaper(s) and we were stuck in our seats due to turbulence, Travis and I took a few deep breaths...we could have started freaking out but had we done that, Abigail would have (more than likely) freaked out as well.  So we just laughed.  What else can you do? A baby doesn't have an "on-off" switch and they surely don't have a "don't-poop-too-much" switch either (though wouldn't that be a wonderful feature).

Work as a Team

Travis and I made a promise to each other before we traveled that we were going to work as a team because that's what it takes - a whole lot of teamwork.   And while I know you're not always able to fly with your full team (husband, wife, partner, Grandma, Grandpa, friend, or whomever your teammate(s) might be), be sure to work as one when you can.  Remember that you're only as strong as your weakest link and if Mommy's having a panic attack because baby's crying, your team is going to suffer...big time.

Our Team

In closing, I'd like to quote Nike for my final thought on traveling with a newborn...

"Just Do It"

It's an adventure, yes...an adventure that no new parent is ever fully prepared for...but that's just what parenthood is all about.  Are you ever really FULLY prepared?  If you're being honest with  yourself, I would think the answer would be "HECK NO."  But if you're the type of person who wants to continue living your life once kids enter the picture, get out there and continue doing what it is you enjoy.  

Everything will be OK...even if you're covered in poop by the end of your first flight.

As they say, $hit Happens. 

Decoding the Cry of the Baby: The "Burp-Me" Cry

The Burp-Me Cry

This one can be confused easily with the That-Hurt cry because of its shrilling nature.

You can, however, decipher between the two because typically, the Burp-Me cry happens relatively soon after a feeding.   That being said, some stubborn bubbles lurk in the depths of her body and rise with a vengeance hours later...that can be a little confusing for me, a little frustrating for others (why won't that baby stop crying!?!), and very uncomfortable for Abigail. 

Luckily, once the gas bubble has left her body, all is right with the world again and Abigail's back to her smiling ways. 

Read more about Decoding the Cry of the Baby:

The Overview

The That-Hurt Cry

The Burp-Me Cry

The Panda Report: 3 Months

It's hard to believe she's already 3 months old...

And it's even harder to believe that since I posted A "First" We Could Get Used To, Abigail has continued to sleep through the night.  Last night was her longest stretch - she was asleep peacefully in her bassinet from 10:00pm until 7:00am.   It was amazing.  And while we're still not expecting it to last or happen every night, we're definitely appreciating each and every full night of sleep we get!

In other Abby news, she's getting stronger, more talkative, and more aware of her surroundings every single day...oh, and she's still growing like a little weed. 

Think she's getting bigger???

One more thing...last night while I was changing from my casual clothes to my even more casual clothes, I put Abby on our bed and set Panda on top of her...I'm pretty sure she was trying to devour Panda...

Take a look back at previous Panda Reports:

The Panda Report: 2 Months

The Panda Report: 1 Month

Abby (the Panda) on ETSY!

The Panda Report: 3 Weeks

The Panda Report: 1 Week

The Panda Report: Birthday

The Panda Report

Decoding the Cry of the Baby: The "That-Hurt" Cry

The That-Hurt Cry

I hate this cry because it typically means that either I've hurt her or she's hurt herself...and it always seems to involve her crazy fingernails that grow like weeds.

I'm not ashamed to admit I've trimmed her finger instead of her fingernail (what!?! Her nails are as thin as paper and feel the same as skin...not to mention they're tiny).  This little accident (which I am a little ashamed to admit has happened more than once but less than five times) results in the that-hurt cry. 

Believe it or not, it's a cry that has ZERO buildup.  It starts at the loudest possible point (or so you think) and then progressively gets MUCH louder, MUCH more dramatic, and it's even accompanied by tears. 

This is the saddest cry of all...but like some of the others, it's a quick fix.  The that-hurt cry just needs LOVE. Quickly. Oh, and lots of it. It passes just as quickly as it began, but it has been known to break hearts (and make Moms and Dads everywhere feel like they're the worst parents on earth).

I just hope Abigail doesn't hold the finger incident(s) against me, though something tells me her Dad will never let her...or me...forget.

Here's a look at the that-hurt cry...

Read more about Decoding the Cry of the Baby:

The Overview

The That-Hurt Cry
The Burp-Me Cry

Decoding the Cry of the Baby: The Overview

Is she hungry or does she just have a huge load in her diaper?  

Did I just trim her finger instead of her fingernail (again...damn it) or does she have a gas bubble?

Does she want to be picked up or is she just too tired to fall asleep?

Those are just a few of the stimulating questions I've pondered since becoming a Mommy.  And while it may not sound like rocket science, it surely feels like it when you have a baby with a completely devastated look on her face (not to mention a shrieking sound coming from the depths of her soul).

If only this photo had a sound bite...Abigail...8 Days Old

I must admit that in the first few weeks I couldn't tell a difference...a cry was a cry and there wasn't much more to it.  In new-sleep-deprived-Mommy-mode, all you can really do is start with the necessities of life..feed her, burp her, love her, check her diaper, swaddle her, sing to her, and then pray for her to stop (trust me, I considered that a necessity of life on some days). 

But after nearly 3 months of 24-7 mommy/daughter time, I feel like I finally have a good understanding of all her cries...I think I've finally decoded the cry of the baby...here's a quick breakdown of all the cries I've decoded and over the next week or so, I'll go into a little more depth with each one (otherwise, this would be the longest single post I've ever written). 

THE STANDARD CRIES

The That-Hurt Cry

The Feed-Me Cry 

The Burp-Me Cry 

The Tired-But-Don't-Know-How-to-Fall-Asleep Cry

The Where-Did-You-Go? Cry

THE "EXTRA" CRIES

The Newborn Cry

The Stop-Dressing-Me-Up-Like-I'm-a-Doll Cry

The Pay-Attention-to-Me Cry

The Hand-Me-Back-to-Mom Cry

The Pick-Me-Up Cry 

THE IMPENDING CRIES

The I'm-Sick Cry

I'd love to hear your thoughts/experiences with decoding baby cries...and what other cries will we have to "look forward to?"

 

Read more about Decoding the Cry of the Baby:

The Overview

The That-Hurt Cry
The Burp-Me Cry

Seeking Advice: Flying with a 3 Month Old

Friends, Family & Followers:

In the next 2 months, I/we will be flying with little Miss Abigail 3 times.  And I'm not talking a quick 1 hour flight down to LA...I'm talking cross country trips.

In less than 2 weeks, we'll be on our way to Washington DC (YAY for Alice's Wedding!!!)...the following week, we'll be off to Atlanta to visit Abigail's Aunt and Uncle...and then less than a month after that, we'll be heading back to Atlanta for another summer vacation...

That being said, I need HELP!

I have so many questions about flying with a baby...we can't pack her up like we did for our first family road trip*...

And while I've perfected the cross-town trip to see KiKi (stroller for a walk on the pavement...baby bjorn for the walk in the woods...excessive amounts of laundry so we don't have to use quarters at our apartment...diaper bag...etc), I'm a little nervous about the cross-country flight.

My questions:

- What is absolutely essential (beyond clothes, diapers and wipes)?

- Would it be a terrible idea to leave our stroller behind or will our baby bjorn suffice?

- Do we check the car seat and carry her on? 

- What other general tips/suggestions do you have from your experiences?

These may be terribly dumb questions that even I will look back on and say "really!?! You couldn't figure it out on your own?" but I have this feeling I'm not the only person who will benefit from some advice.

Thanks in advance!

Oh, and like my post on Stretch Marks, I promise to summarize all your tips in a (hopefully) helpful future post.  Who knows, maybe I'll even have a few tips of my own after all these trips! 

*remember...that was a joke for anyone out there who takes things too literally...

Why is the Easter Bunny so HUGE?

When I was a little girl, I wrote a note to the Easter Bunny saying something along these  lines:

Mr. Easter Bunny...please don't come into my room tonight.  If you could just leave my Easter basket somewhere else in the house, that would be great. 

I posted it on my bedroom window so the Easter Bunny could read it as he hopped down the street and approached our house.

I'm not gonna lie...I was PETRIFIED of the Easter Bunny.  But not petrified enough to turn down his candy.

Yesterday I was reminded why I found the Easter Bunny so scary when we walked into a mall and saw this guy sitting there...

And even though he may have been a little frightening (at least to me), Abigail sat there like the three month old champ she is and stared off to the side while the not-so-friendly camera lady took her picture. 

I'd call this a success. 

I have a feeling this will be the first of many pictures with the Easter Bunny and the rest of the crew (you know, Santa and the others).  

So I'm curious...were you ever afraid of the Easter Bunny, Santa or anyone else?  Are/were your kids? 

A "First" We Could Get Used To

I'm not sure if I'd call it a First for Abby or a First for Mommy and Daddy, but we all enjoyed our First FULL night of sleep last night.  

And I'm not talking a solid 5 hour block...

At nearly 12 weeks old, Abigail slept from 10:00pm until 6:00am last night.  That would be EIGHT hours...and not weird hours like the time she slept from 7:00pm until 3:00am (which was a miracle at the time).  

Eight "normal" hours...the hours Mommy and Daddy enjoy sleeping during as well.  And since we most definitely were sleeping while she was last night, this is what I'm assuming she looked like in her bassinet...

And while I don't want to speak too soon or begin expecting this to be the norm from here on out, it's nice to see a light at the end of this sleep deprived tunnel.  

And just like her First Smile, we hope this First becomes an extremely regular occurrence we ALL get to enjoy!

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

Mommy Challenge #5: Being a (Super)Woman

Yesterday morning I was watching my favorite guilty pleasure, the fourth hour of the Today show with Kathie Lee and Hoda, and a very interesting topic came up...Mommy Guilt.  According to a poll on Baby Center, "94 percent of moms say they feel guilty."

Let me repeat that...94% of Moms say they feel guilty.  The causes of that guilt?  Anything from not breastfeeding for 6 months to a year (or at all) to going back to work (or not).

So out of curiosity, how are we as women supposed to...

::Breastfeed for 6 months to a year

::While going back to work (hoping your milk won't dry up)

::Or not going back to work (and all the guilt that could be associated with that)

::While making sure your household is maintained

::The grocery shopping is done

::Your marriage/relationship is still fresh and exciting

::You're keeping up with Thank You's, Baby Announcements and other friend's life events

::Your social life doesn't die (completely)

::And oh ya...that baby weight?  That's supposed to melt away too...

As the article states, "Guilt is the great equalizer among all moms, regardless of how diverse our backgrounds or circumstances are."  True statement.

So how do we, as women and as Moms, help each other out?  Set realistic expectations? Realize that balance in life means something different to each and every person?  That we can't do everything? And that that's okay...

I'm not afraid to admit that I've been experiencing some of these guilty feelings and I'm still on Maternity leave!!! 

Abigail is only 10 weeks old and I find myself thinking far too much about working vs. not working...wanting to breastfeed as long as possible but being afraid that going back to work will be the end of it...wanting to be around as much as possible to help Abigail develop and still have something that's "my own"...

All these conflicting feelings and thoughts have been making me feel like a crazy woman lately.  Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves to be superwomen?  To be perfect? To do everything?  

I think what we (ok, what I) need to work on is figuring out what works best for us...as individuals...being confident in our decisions...being realistic that we can't do everything...being okay with plans changing...and quite simply, being the best Moms we can be.  I think I can handle that much...

So what do you think?  Have you experienced similar feelings/dilemmas?