When the baby got stuck in the bathroom and couldn't get out

Last night, my 14-month-old decided to close himself in my parent's hall bathroom.  Not a strange occurrence except that he also scooted the narrow glass-topped table slightly in front of the door.  The table quickly became wedged between the door, doorstop and corner leaving us with only a 4 inch crack to watch him scream through.  We could not get him out!  As we tried with our fingertips to push the table out of the way, the glass top started to shift, with the baby directly under it.  Hinges are on the inside of this door; window locked.  Breaking either would hurt him, if the metal candle holders and sheet of glass didn't fall on him first.  Chris was calm, but I wasn't.  I started pacing.  Him crying and me unable to get to him bothered me enough, but I could just picture everything falling on him and us STILL not being able to open the door, so I started praying while I paced.  We decided the best shot was to tip the table and let the glass fall away from him, the table legs would be easier to brake than the solid top.  After the crash, we shoved the door in, bending the legs, and Chris grabbed the baby.  He was fine.  Nothing fell on him.  Man, my heart started racing again as I typed that!

Maybe someday we will say, "Remember that time" and laugh, but not yet. 

Songs for Moms

I Get to be the One by JJ Heller
You Make Me Believe in Love by JJ Heller
Keep You Safe by JJ Heller
Seeds by Brooke Fraser
In My Arms by Plumb
I Am by Jill Philips       
Best Day by Taylor Swift
Don't Ever Grow Up by Taylor Swift
Lullaby by Dixie Chicks
Godspeed by Dixie Chicks
Little Boy on His Knees by Cheri Keaggy
Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle
Mr. Mom by Lonestar
Watching You by Rodney Atkins
Baby by Bruno Coulais
The Perpetual Self by Sufjan Stevens

Add to my list by commenting.

What about Second Breakfast?

After Blue Eyes had finished his banana and cheerio breakfast (we are trying to learn baby sign language, but currently he makes his sentiments known by trying to climb out of the high chair then slamming both hands on the tray "hum mm hum mm"), he went to play in the living room and I set out to make my own breakfast, a smoothie.  When he sensed that I was cutting up fruit (strawberries, nectarine, banana, blackberry) he crawled into the kitchen and sat down to watch the process.  I blended and poured my smoothie then walked passed him with it (he had just eaten breakfast and told me he was full) as he watched me pass, he yelled at me "Mah!" and hit the floor with both hands then slumped over in despair.  He is so cute.  So I grabbed a baby spoon and sat down beside him on the floor to feed him from my cup.  Now he is happy and I have a third less smoothie, but I don't mind. 

Favorite Passtimes of a 10-month-old

• Emptying the shoe rack
• Climbing on top of the empty shoe rack
• Climbing on top of the toy chest
• Climbing on top of the printer
• Staring longingly into the bathtub wishing those things would come out so that he could throw them in again, then turning his attention to the trashcan.  No!
• Being in the same room as mommy (unless daddy is home)
• Sitting underneath the coffee table, bouncer, or desk then getting stuck between the bed and the wall 
• Reorganizing the DVD collection... onto the floor
• Scavenging for lost cheerios... among other things.  Don't eat that!
• Saying "ba ba da ba da da" with gusto
• Testing the strength of the screen door with his lean
• At all times having the company of a foam letter, a block, a sock or a wetwipe package in each hand (When he crawls with blocks, he sounds like a woman in high heels and socks cause him to slip and slide as he goes). 

The Fullness of Emptiness

After 9 months of pregnancy and 5 months of kicks and flips and hiccups, I had grown very close to my son.  Pun intended.  And once his body left my body, I felt... well empty.  Deflated.  And a little cold.  Like the bread bowl must feel after the soup has been eaten.  But in the minutes that followed, when I held him and watched his little eyes watch me and Chris, my heart felt very full.

Now, 9 months later, I still know the meaning of empty fullness.  Being a mom is very emptying... of time, of energy, of sleep, of concentratability, of self-centeredness, etc.  Yet, even though I am poured out and drained, I feel so full. Undeniably, I have never felt this full. 

A Few More Things I've Learned Mo. 6

1.  It is best to keep your mouth closed when playing horsey with him on my knees... he drools.
2. Just because he is usually quiet and content in the mid afternoon does not mean he will be during a diplomat's presentation.
3. Necklaces, glasses, and hair must look like finger food.
4. If toys are absent, toes will do.
5. There is a reason for board books. No more sitting in my lap while I read my Bible.
6. If you forgot to pack an extra outfit in the diaper bag, he'll probably have blow out.
7. Don't lick your fingers when the food that is on them is pureed squash. 

http://heatherpaiges.blogspot.com/2011/11/few-things-ive-learned.html for Mo. 1

Blue Eyes

My adorable little boy is growing up!  He's rolling from belly to back and bouncing in a jumperoo and eating mushy stuff and is very talkative.  I try to post videos from my computer and it doesn't work.  Does any one know the trick? 

What a Stud

"What is that?"

I’m looking forward to the “What is that?” questions.  Mom, what is that?  This is butter.  We can make some out of heavy cream sometime.  Where does cream come from?  From cows that go "Moo Moo."  I’m using the butter to grease my skillet so that my eggs don’t stick.  What’s an egg?  This is an egg; it comes out of a chicken.  What is a chicken?  Chickens are fat birds that can’t fly and go “Clucka!”  Here’s how you crack an egg.  You try the next one.  Look at all the ooze ooze out.  Doesn’t it look like snot?!  Watch it slosh in the skillet.  Now we can watch how the fire cooks the egg.  Mom, why do we have snot? 

Right now we are still at questioning eyes, “Mom, why can’t I roll over?!”

He Rolled Over

Our little man rolled over for the first time today.  :)  He was tummy timing (I didn't catch the roll on video, but I will try) when I saw that he was trying to throw his right leg and hip.  But alas he was too close to the edge of the mat and I knew his head would hit the wood if he rolled.  He achieved his goal sooner than I could move him and hit his head he did.  I picked him up and rejoiced for him even though the poor little guy was crying.  "That was you're first time to hurt yourself, Blue Eyes!  You have never caused yourself to get hurt before.  Good job!"  Haha. 

Cloth Diapers vs. Disposables

I did some math on diapering costs and thought I'd share my findings with you.

Disposable Diapers from the store cost about $.20 each give or take. The average parent spends $72/mo on diapers. That's more than $850 in the first year. Plus you'll need a diaper pale- prices vary.

Cloth Diapers cost me about $150 + utilities for Nate's first year. If you have a washer/dryer, free water/electric/gas, then that is all it will cost you. If not, factor in the cost of one load every two days (it likely costs less than $700/yr.) I really like the brand that I chose. They are size-adjustable, so they will fit your baby from birth to 18lbs (10-14 mos.) They do not leak, are not too bulky, and are really cute. Plus washing diapers is not as tedious as I had anticipated- you can purchase more diapers to wash less often. Here's my cost breakdown:

-$60 on five Thirsties DuoWraps at $12 each. http://www.amazon.com/Thirsties-Wrap-Meadow-Size-6-18/dp/B002FB7FBO/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1326144232&sr=1-1.

-$64 on 16 Thirsties Hemp Inserts at $4 each. http://www.amazon.com/Thirsties-Hemp-Inserts-Pack-Small/dp/B002FB7FLE/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1326144437&sr=1-1. These are soft and wonderfully absorbant. You can also simply buy prefolds at Walmart for approx $1 each.

-$18.50 on one zip up wetbag http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Wise-Washable-Reusable-Swimwear/dp/B006G1MXOS/ref=sr_1_10?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1326144602&sr=1-10. This is big enough to hold all of my diapers at once. It does not leak at all and it seals in the smell completely. Plus it comes in lots of fun color options. I just empty the diapers into the washer and turn the bag wrong-side-out to wash them. (Once your baby starts eating solid foods, you will have to rinse the poop off, but that's not as bad as it sounds and should be done even with disposables for the environmenment's sake).

-$12.50 will buy you a mini wetbag for your diaper bag. http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Wise-MINI-Wet-Dry/dp/B003II923M/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1326144817&sr=1-1. I just ordered mine; I have been using ziplock bags.

Remember there is no reason to polarize your choice. I keep a stash of disposable diapers too. Here's a helpful cost calculator website that you might find worth using: http://www.babycenter.com/baby-cost-calculator.

It is hard to eat when you're crying and hard to not cry when you're too tired to eat. 
Poor little guy.  He is sleeping soundly now and I am unpacking from our 2.3 week Texas trip.  Hello New Jersey= Hello cold.

Diaper Change Analogy

The average baby does not like being naked and hates diaper changes.  He does not kow how important it is that he be cleaned, but his mother does.  She lovingly cleans him even in the unpleasant and hard to reach places.  Also, if he has a rash, she dabs on ointment to heal him then dresses him in a clean garment.  He fights and struggles and screams, but when the experience is over, he is healthier and happier for both the short and long term. 

Are we not the same way?  When we make ungodly decisions, we sit in a hot mess of sin- poisoning our spirits and sometimes our bodies.  God, like a loving parent, wants to clean us up and restore us to spiritual health.  But the experience is often painful and humiliating.  So, eventhough we know that we need to be changed, pride and selfishness hold us back from letting him take care of us; we fight him.  This experience is well documented in the song, "Let It All Out," by Relient K: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PD14sIrLiI8
[Chorus:]
And you said I know that this will hurt
But if I don't break your heart then things will just get worse
If the burden seems too much to bear
Remember the end will justify the pain it took to get us there

And I know you know
You touched my life
When you touched my heavy heart and made it light



I wrote a similar analogy a year or so ago: http://heatherpaiges.blogspot.com/2010/08/analogy.html

More "a little late" pictures from Week 1

Birth Story Photos (a little late)

Our new little family has come home to Texas to see the grandparents for Christmas.  I found these pictures here on my mom's computer.  Click for the birth story and here for the story behind the flag.