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Hi all! My name is Carey and my blog is Adventures of Us. It’s mainly focused on the everyday adventures and obstacles of married life and first-time parenting. I’m an open book, working mom, fulltime wife and most of the time, I don’t think before I type. So my grammar is sometimes off and curse words are thrown in there occasionally.
My story started when my hubby and I were married July 19, 2008 (one month after I graduated college – GO BUCKEYES!). We decided we wanted to wait a few years (just like most newly married couples) before we started a family. Well, we made it to a year, ha! August 30, 2009, I peed on a stick and a pretty little pink line showed up. Shocked, definitely. Excited, absolutely. Then, after a very easy pregnancy and delivery, on May 4th 2010, Caleb James made his debut into the world. He was (and still is) the most beautiful little boy and my greatest accomplishment in life.
So for MY Day in the Life, I decided to focus my day on Wednesday. Wednesday is the only day of the week when my husband and I are both home. It’s also my favorite day because we are all together, ALL day as a family. Hope you enjoy!
7:30am – Caleb usually wakes up around this time, give or take 30mins. We have started the solids route (which is a whole series of posts in itself) so after nursing and a quick diaper change, we are off to the high chair for breakfast. We usually have bananas and oat cereal, or applesauce and barley cereal. C isn’t a fan of rice cereal so that is shoved to the back of the cupboard.
7:30am – Caleb usually wakes up around this time, give or take 30mins. We have started the solids route (which is a whole series of posts in itself) so after nursing and a quick diaper change, we are off to the high chair for breakfast. We usually have bananas and oat cereal, or applesauce and barley cereal. C isn’t a fan of rice cereal so that is shoved to the back of the cupboard.
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10:30am – After playing and hanging with mommy and daddy, it’s time for a morning nap. I will lay C in his crib, pop his paci in, turn on his Soothing Seahorse and in about 10-15mins he’ll be asleep. This is typically C’s longest nap of the day, during which I like to get chores done. The hubs and I dash around the apartment (did I mention we live in a 2 bedroom apartment?) doing dishes, laundry, cleaning the litter box (oh, and did I mention we have 2 cats in addition to a baby?), each taking a shower, etc and so forth.
1:00pm – We hear the first few noises from the nursery. C is up and happy as a clam. Hungry too. After a diaper change, I nurse him and we all play. His favorite toys are his bouncer, play mat and high chair. He loves to just sit in his high chair with several (hundreds) of toys in front of him. It is like a game to him: throw the toy, watch mommy pick it back up. Throw another toy, hear daddy mumble something under his breath, then watch daddy pick it back up.
1:00pm – We hear the first few noises from the nursery. C is up and happy as a clam. Hungry too. After a diaper change, I nurse him and we all play. His favorite toys are his bouncer, play mat and high chair. He loves to just sit in his high chair with several (hundreds) of toys in front of him. It is like a game to him: throw the toy, watch mommy pick it back up. Throw another toy, hear daddy mumble something under his breath, then watch daddy pick it back up.
4:30pm – Not as long of a nap this time. C is up, hungry and needs his diaper changed. I nurse him once he wakes up and we play some more. He is getting so good at tummy time! And it looks like he wants to crawl so bad. Also, he likes his Baby Einstein: Animals DVD. We may pop that in to buy us some time to make dinner.
7:00pm – After dinner we all enjoy some family time. My favorite time of day.
7:30pm – Time for bath. Tonight is my night to give C his bath. He loves bath time! Loves to scoot down in his bathtub so his feet hang over the edge into the water. Also loves to chew on his bath toys. I think he is going to be a water baby.
7:45pm – Since I gave C his bath, the hubs dries and dresses him and cleans up the bathroom. Time to towel dry, lotion, put on a fresh diaper and decide on a cute froggy sleeper. Honestly, nothing like the smell of a baby right out of the bath.
8:00pm – I’m in the nursery waiting for C. Story time. Tonight we decide on “Goodnight Moon,” one of daddy’s favorite stories as a little boy. C seems to enjoy it. He keeps grabbing at the pages. Then again, I think he just wants to eat them.
8:10pm – Now my second favorite time of day, nursing C before bed. It’s just me and him. The lights are dim, he is warm and cuddly and I just love this time. He eats well usually and I will give him a few teething tablets before I put him in his crib.
8:25pm – Out like a light. I kiss him, tell him I love him and put him down for the night.
10:30pm – C rolled on his back. He hates his back. He will only sleep on his side or stomach. Daddy goes back in there, readjusts him, puts his paci in and he is out again. Now time for us to go to bed. We never know if it will be a good night or a bad night. With teething, C has been up every 2-3hrs lately.
12:00am – C is still sleeping and I wake up to pump.
3:00am – C is up and the paci is not cutting it. Daddy tells me to wake up, he needs to eat. So I trudge into the nursery and feed him. He doesn’t eat for more than 10mins and is out again until morning.
5am – I wake up again to pump one more time before morning.
7:30am – Rinse and repeat! It is basically the same schedule depending on if it is me, the hubs or grandma taking care of him.
Needless to say, our nights are the most unpredictable part of the day. We never know if he will sleep through the night (which he has done several times!) or if he will wake up. Like I said, with teething, he wakes several times during the night. But overall, I can’t complain about his sleeping habits. It could be worse!
Now onto the questions!
1. What is the most surprising thing to you about being a mother?
The most surprising thing would have to be how much I love it! And I know that is cliché, but it really is true. I’ve said it so many times, if I could be a stay at home mom, I would. And I hope to do so when we decide to have baby #2. I also am surprised at how “into” being a mom I am. I am such an advocate of breastfeeding now. Before C was here, I was wishy-washy about it. If it didn’t work, I wasn’t going to be heartbroken. Now I’m waking up in the middle of the night to pump just to make sure my supply doesn’t go away! I also make all his food. Just yesterday I made peaches, pears, plums and green beans! Yum! I’m doing everything I can to make sure I give C what I believe to be the very best.
2. What are some tips you would give to new moms, or soon to be mommas?
My advice would be to take others’ advice with a grain of salt, including mine! Also, to really listen to your baby needs. Personally, I didn’t use any books or techniques for feeding/sleeping/playing. I just went by what made C happy at the time! And that is all that matters. He got himself on his own schedule with no issues.
3. What are your top three baby products?
1-Triple Paste! It is only THE best diaper rash cream out there! Expensive but worth every penny.
2-Boppy. Makes nursing so much easier! Plus it works as a good support for when C is sitting.
3-Electric Breast Pump. Without it, I would have never been able to keep C a strictly breastfed baby since I work during the day.
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Thanks Carey!
1 comment:
I love this Day In the Life series you have, Ashley! I like reading what a fellow mom's day looks like and being introduced to even more great blogs. Thanks!
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