Busy weekend

We went to my parents on Saturday. Zuzu started rice cereal on Sunday. Zuzu cut her first tooth (bottom right) on Monday.

Zuzu doesn't like rice, but I try to convince her otherwise.

She was fussy and needed some entertainment while she cut the first tooth and she really is serious about chewing on things, but she is not as bad as I thought she would be. The key is to keep her distracted. :)

Tomorrow Zuzu will be 6 months old.

Acid Reflex in Babies

Most babies get it around 2 months. It is perfectly normal and in most cases it will go away by itself. Please read this article http://tinyurl.com/vlurb before letting your Pedi prescribe medicine for it.

Acid reflex means some discomfort in your baby, gas, extra spit-up. Babies with this usually prefer to be upright. I would recommend you let baby sleep slightly inclined for 2-3 weeks until it is gone.

Some things that bother me.....

First: We would all love to loose weight and fit into our pre-pregnancy jeans by our 6 week post-partum doctor's visit, but it rarely works that way. So do us all a favor decide before the baby is born which is more important to you. Fitting into your normal clothes or breast feeding your baby.
Which ever you choose is cool. It is your choice after all. I just don't want to hear you complaining to other moms how your milk dried up and you can't breast feed, but you lost all your pre pregnancy weight in a month. If you want to nurse your baby you must eat an extra 500 calories a day to keep the milk flowing.
Don't get me wrong some mothers truly can't breast feed and they try everything.
If you choose to loose weight over eating 2500 calories a day, then just say, " I decided that breast feeding was not for me."

Second: When you have a baby your life will change. I don't care if you were Martha Stewart or the laziest person in the world. When your baby is born it is a baby. (Some people forget this.) Your baby just wants to eat, sleep, fill his or her diaper and spend time hanging out with mom and dad. If you plan to do anything more than feed your baby, sleep when your baby sleeps or hold your baby when it sleeps, change his or her diaper, or interact with your baby you might just be out of luck. Sure sometimes they can sleep and you can accomplish things, but then the next day it can change and you can spend your whole day in your PJs just feeding your baby ad holding him or her all day. You will have to put your life on hold or hire someone to help you. Your husband will hold the baby for 15 minutes to 2 hours a day so you can eat or maybe take a shower, but the minute that baby cries he is usually done. You will cry and get depressed from time to time, but you will also get the cutest smiles and sweetest laughter.

Third: There is no such thing as a bad baby. There are only easy and difficult babies. If your baby does something you don't like it does not make the baby a bad baby. They are babies. They have no sense of right and wrong. Did you say bad fetus?? I also strongly believe that words influence actions. If you go around saying, "Bad baby, you peed on Mrs. Smith" and you start doing that then by the time your child is two they are going to know how to be bad, but have no clue on how to be good. (Yes, they will defiantly be doing some bad things by the time they are two, but obviously at that age they have more knowledge and control over their body then a 3 or 6 month old.)

Just my thoughts for the day. Take them or leave them.

Another side they never show you

5 and a half months post partum still breast feeding....20 lbs to go still

She is growing so fast now

We started her on a sippy cup about 2 weeks ago. Zuzu now bounces like crazy in her excersaucer. In fact she is doing it right now and laughing. She wants nothing more than see the whole world and to see it now. It is neat seeing her discover things and learn so fast now if only she would take time to rest :)

Baba also bought himself a Nikon d80 so we have plenty of pictures daily now. Our current adventure is to find a decent 2 bedroom apartment with it's own washer and dryer. Zuzu is up on all fours so it won't be long now.

So much for sleep

Zuzu has been eating less during the day and eating every 2-3 hours at night again.
At first I thought this was somehow my fault. The weather got cold (freezing) so she started co-sleeping again about 2 weeks ago. After further investigation I came acorss this article, which appears to hold the truth.


http://www.kellymom.com/parenting/sleep/4mo-sleep.html

I miss my sleep :( Oh well, a mom's job is never done.

Fisher Price Learning Booster Seat

I bought this seat last week for Zuzu. I heard it was an easy way to distract her so baba and I could enjoy a meal and I figured it would get her use to sitting in a chair.

Essentially it is the Healthy Care booster plus a little AA battery ran toy. It is very easy to use, clean and take with you. It fits Zuzu well (27 inches and 17+ lbs) and the food tray and cover are dishwasher safe. The booster seat secures to large waiting room chairs without a problem. You can also remove the trays and backrest to fit a 45 lb child. The height easily adjustable too.

Zuzu's many talents

Last night she decided to resort back to being a newborn. She woke up every two- three hours.

She did however learn how to turn on and off her mobile using her feet. Baba and I were laying in bed laughing at her turning it on at mid-night, but then she tuned it off on her own and we laughed some more.

She has no problem sitting up on her own until she is bored but she really doesn't care to roll. She can and she has in recent days but she is not impressed by it. I am not going to be surprised if she skips crawling and goes straight to walking.

WAY TOO MUCH INFO PostPartum

Some one that I talk to requested to know about the stuff people never talk about that comes with giving birth so I decided to C&P it here...you have been warned...read at your own risk

You want it here is it.
Way Too Much info...

...Yes I pooped why pushing and the nurse helped get it out.
When Zuzu was here she was put on my chest , I had my boob hanging out, never cared.
I had high blood pressure from the pushing for about 4 hours after delivery. I was really dizzy the first time I got up after delivery and I peed more that I ever have in my life.
You bleed worse than your worst AF (in the being) the nurse pushes on you uterus and squeezes more out of you while trying to make your uterus contract down to normal size. When you BF the first week or so you get little cramps from more contractions. (This is actually great for your body, even though some people say it hurts.)
It hurts to sit, it hurts to stand (for the first week)....I was the happiest sitting on my foam latex pillow from home, even in the car ride home. You can bleed for up to 6 weeks. I was lucky, only 2 weeks and it got light quickly. In the hospital you get ice packs for down there and they feel great. I also got disposable boyshort undies and gigantic pads....think Depends. The hospital also gives you a squirting water bottle to rinse and pat down that area after you use the potty.
I had a second degree tear. First bowel movement is scary...constipated and scared you will rip yourself open again...not to mention everything hurts so you don't know what is what. But you know you have got to do it otherwise you feel like you will explode.
You are an emotional wreak...think PMS times 2 for the first month. DH wants sex...you have NO interest. When you do try it think very dry and very closed down there....and it stays that way for a while. Pressure to do your wifely duties all the time which causes more strain on the relationship.
Breast feeding for me was worse than un-medicated childbirth...seriously think nipples in vice grip. In the first few weeks you never feel like you make enough milk. You HAVE to eat even when you are not hungry and you feel like a fat cow. (Otherwise your milk starts drying up.)
10 days after birth I had to go to the hospital because I had a fever and was dehydrated. I had 2 IVs stuck in me, a breast infection and a urinary track infection. (Just when I was getting use to being home and starting to get comfortable again.)
Baby crying, you crying husband loosing sanity and he can't really help enough to make a difference.

But at the end of the day you forget all the bad stuff and you know you would gladly do it again first because you have to...later because you want to. You know how you feel so in love on your wedding day and you feel as though you could never love anyone more....well you can. I love my DH but if someone told me to pick between the two hands down it would always be my DD.

How is that for details :p

Feeling Good!

Every other day I am getting in a 3-5 mile walk, thanks to someone :) and I feel good again. Zuzu and I are getting into a routine. I made it down to 136lbs, but today I was up to 140lbs. Kind of depressing.

Zuzu and I went out to buy some cool weather walking gear. I figured I would try a small in pants and see how they fit...they actually fit very nicely!!!

Then I came home and tried on a pair of pants that only fit me up to 12 weeks pregnant and they fit too! I am starting to think this is doable. If it took me 12 weeks to get up to that size....I am guessing that on the way back down it should only take me 3-4 months to loose it, right???

I would really love to fit into all of my pre-pregnancy clothes by the time we go to DH's home in March. Heck I would even be happy to be a size bigger.

This boost of confidence came just at the right time.

On a more serious note. ;(

I really don't know what to think about this....My biggest question is how can a seat belt fail....how is this allowed to happen in this day and age??

Update Nov. 27th You MUST use a seat belt to restrain any child over 40 lbs. Latch systems are only designed to hold 48 lbs or less.

I know a lot of three year olds and I am curious if this little guy may have been playing with his seat belt, like the other 3 year olds I know? I am also curious why the makers of the video did not tell us what van they were driving? To me this is also a very important factor.

Crazy

The video below is my dad (in the Ford) and my brothers friend playing in the front yard at my parents' house. Watch the volume it does say "f*&k."

A Day in the life....

One Jeep...

Add to My Profile | More Videos

Message Board

For those people that are interested in talking to other parents please check out http://omizuzu.proboards51.com

It is a baby related message board with multiple topics. It does require registration (an e-mail address and user name.)

As of today there are 9 members, but I hope to see it grow and thrive into a helpful and constructive community. So feel free to come on in and start your own thread or poll.

Time for a sleepsack?

The last two nights Zuzu has been kicking off her covers. I dress her warmly in footed PJs but she needs her covers to stay warm and sleep well.

I think I am going to invest $20 and see if it helps. I don't want to wake up every two hours just to cover her.

It has begun.

Zuzu is now becoming an expert at repeating sounds. She has repeated "maaama","poo po", "a**hole", and "baby." She clearly learned the middle one from baba. I don't think she likes Steven Colbert. Baba now needs to be very careful about what he says.

I know this sounds unusual but Zuzu's Meme (Baba's mom) was talking at 6 months. She told her own mother thank you for the curl (in her hair).

I agree this is a little weird so I'll keep everyone posted on her "talking."

4 months

Zuzu is now 4 months old. She weights 16 lbs 10 oz and is about 26 1/2 inches long. She still fits in her infant chair but she is quickly running out of room 2 inches left at most.

We tried to install the Brixtex Roundabout in baba's Golf this weekend. After an hour and not getting the proper recline nor the seat tight enough, we gave up. On our way to baba’s sister's we stopped at Babies R Us. I knew we were looking for a car seat with a flat base and I knew the Evenflo Triumph's were as safe as the Britex.

The Triumph had more reclining positions, a flat base, latch system belts included, and straps that were easy to adjust. Plus it looks pretty cool and comfy like a nice reclining chair. Baba installed it himself in less than 5 minutes and it was A LOT more secure than we could get the Roundabout. I was also happy it fit in baba's car without the front seats being pulled up to the dashboard.

Last night Zuzu also got her first haircut. Her bangs were in her eyes.

Rrrrrr....(Baba's fault)

Baba is getting "old." 32 almost 33. He has been suffering with a bad back and neck the last month or more. Well Monday night he wakes up and decides to call Egypt at 4am. Well if you have ever seen someone call internationally they usually talk so loud you might as well call it hollering. It woke me up of course and Zuzu started squirming. Finally when he finished at 6am, Zuzu woke up hungry.

Last night he wakes up at 4am takes his computer and goes into the bathroom and turns on the light. Did he shut the door all the way?? No. So then I am awakened by light shinning in my eyes. So I go and shut the door for him to minimize the light. Sure enough when he flushed and came back to bed Zuzu woke up hungry.

I am trying to be nice about it but dang....how is it I can have the worst stomach ache and be throwing up and Zuzu sleeps right through it, but yet Baba always seems to wake her up???

Links

So I have collected a ton of links so I thought I should share:

For Breast feeding moms:
http://www.kellymom.com
http://www.glamourmom.com
http://www.motherwear.com
http://www.nursinggowns.com

Diapers
http://www.cutofcloth.com/article_differentsystems.asp
http://www.tinytots.com (Bay Area Diaper Service)
http://www.1800diapers.com

Baby Gear
http://www.ergobabycarrier.com (they just re-did their website)
http://www.specialtybaby.com/
http://babysaway.com/ (Baby gear on the go)
http://www.kidsflysafe.com/ (The new FAA approved kids harness)


http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/usefultools/l/bl_percentiles.htm (Growth % Calculator)
http://www.thecarseatlady.com/
http://freekidsmusic.com/index.html

Laughing Baby

This weekend we drove over to visit my sister in law and Zuzu's cousins house. Everyone was busy so we went to the Toyota dealer to look around. I really want a 2004 Sienna now. The mpg on the highway is the same as baba's Golf. Everyone can ride in it and be happy (no more fighting and taking 2 cars everywhere on the weekends.) Now my goal is to find one that is reasonably(kbb) priced with dual power sliding doors. If you know of one within 100 miles of San Francisco send me a comment with contact info....I won't publish it. Or if you know of someone in search of a fantastic commuter car let me know...again I won't public the comment.)

Zuzu had a fun day and baba learned how to trigger her laugh. It has already been 6 or 7 weeks since her very first laugh. My brother in law caught it on his camcorder.

Sunday we sat around and rested. We planned to clean up the apartment but we never really got to it.

Still...

All week Zuzu has been sleeping through the night. Last night I heard her make noise like she was awake twice, but she never really woke up and cried. Even on Wednesday night I put her down in her crib awake and she went to sleep on her own. Her basic hours are 11pm-8:30am. Baba and I couldn't be happier.

Next week Zuzu will be 4 months old. She has no problem standing and supporting her own weight and holding her head up. She loves to chew on her teether. Her biggest challenge is getting her head up once she has her legs underneath her (as if to crawl.)

Just a though....

Why is it when ever Zuzu is sleeping on my lap so nicely that it is always the exact same time I feel the urge to run to the bathroom (notice run not walk.) I hate to move her because 3/5 times she wakes up....but what's a mommy to do....? :)

I know understand why so many moms get urinary and bladder infections often.

Dead Battery

Since I am now a stay at home mom and baba has his motorcycle (and car) my car has not been drove much. So today I had a dead battery. This made me realize that it is time to sale my car. Insurance renewal is in 3 weeks, and registration is due at the end of the year.

Thing is, baba's car isn't practical either. The current car seat barely fits. We pick up his parents at least 3 times a year from the airport with 2 bags of luggage each and the cousins are always fighting over who gets to ride with us (every weekend), not to mention I want another baby in less than 2 years.

So after much research today I think a used Sienna will be in the works. (I really want a Highlander but I can't justify another $8-10k over the price of a Sienna.)

More sleep

I am pretty sure Zuzu has this sleeping thing down now. She was exhusted yesterday from having so much fun. She slept on the way home then fell back asleep as soon as I got her out of her carseat. Then she slept from 10:30 to 6:30 last night. She must really love her mama and baba or something :)

Our friends

Zuzu and I had a beautiful day with our friends. We meet some moms and babies today and ate some delcious Zachary's Pizza at the park in San Ramon. I am picky when it comes to pizza and I was truely impressed with thier Meditereanan. I brought the left overs home for Baba and I know he will love it. I don't normally like arihcokes on my pizza but now I have a different prespective.

She did it again!

We must have really worn out poor Zuzu this weekend. Last night she slept from 11-8:30am and currently she is sleeping again and has been for the last 45 minutes.

We just went to Costco on Saturday and then with my sister in law to Costco on Sunday. 2 Costcos in a weekend is enough to wear anyone out, let alone a baby.

At Costco on Sunday I did test out the Ergo carrier. I carried my sleeping nephew who is almost four around in it for an hour. I wish we would have got a picture. He is about half my size and I am sure it looked funny, but I have no aches or pains. They weight really is distributed to the hips. Now I am an even bigger fan of the Ergos.

Mama and Zuzu Alone

Baba had business in Seattle so he flew out yesterday morning. (His first night away since her birth.) Zuzu and I had to fend for ourselves. I now have a greater appreciation for single moms and I have no idea how they keep their sanity the first 3 months when the baby is more needy.

Zuzu is a good girl and can now entertain herself for short periods of time (15-20 minutes) but I found myself still wanting a 30 minute break to myself. Obviously I didn't get one.

We are still alive and sane this morning and I honestly don't think Zuzu noticed her baba was gone. Next time we are going to Seattle with him since I happen to have some free time :)

Weekend at Carmel

We went to Monterey on Saturday and Zuzu and baba got to see the aquarium for the first time. Then we stayed in Carmel and had a nice dinner. Then we went to Point Lobos and walked around and saw the sea otters. It was a small trip to celebrate our 2 year wedding aniversary.

Zuzu was a good girl and did a lot of sleeping in the car and in her Ergo carrier at the beach. Last night she went to sleep at 9:30 and did not wake up till 6:30 this morning (9 hours!!) I fed her and she went back to sleep till 8:45. The trip exhuasted all of us but it was a lot of fun and the perfect first trip for Zuzu.

(I'll try to add a picture this afternoon.)

We are outa here

Last night Zuzu went to bed at 9:30. It was because baba was already in bed sleeping. I think his snoring calms her.

Zuzu and I spent her gymbucks today. Hopefully she will be able to get through the winter now. I also made a mess on her pjs while eating chocolate today. Good thing they were cheap ones.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend. We are off to do some exploring.

It wasn't a fluke!

She slept for 7 hours straight again last night...but she did stay up till midnight.
It is raining today, but the three of us are going away this weekend. I can't wait. No working for baba.


Coupns for the Week

Gap: Free shipping on $100 or more FREE100

Target: 10% off TCJKHGFD

Joann: Free 2 day express shipping (exp. 10/6) OCTUER625

Halloween Costumes: 80% off at Lillian Vernon and 50% off at Baby Center.

Victoria Secret: Sweater sale and get hat, scarf, and gloves for $25 with sweater purchase WARM Free shipping with $100 or more FSHIP

Oriental Trading Co. Free shipping on $75 or more WC75535

Avon: Free shipping with any order FREESHIP6

Beautiful Sleep

Last night Zuzu slept from 11pm to 6am. She was laughing and kicking off her covers at 3am so baba turned on the light and she was still sleeping. Last night I put her comforter on her and her thin flannel blanket (under her arms) and that apparently did the trick. I think swaddling would have done the same thing but she is at the stage where she hates to be constrained.

Today I realized that she also feels constrained by her infant seat. She was trying so hard to sit up and those stupid straps were in the way :) So she fussed and in her own way told me how frustrated she was.

Last night she also did a full sit up, vs. a crunch like normal. She is very determined to sit up like an adult. Now if only she can balance herself a little better once she is up.

Faces everywhere

This weekend Zuzu started to reach for faces. She likes to feel baba's scratchy beard and mama's smooth face. Best of all she is doing it with an open hand. Usually she spends most of the day with her fists clinched.

She is consistently sleeping 5 1/2 to 6 hours every night before waking up hungry. This means I am finally catching up on all my lost sleep.

I am also happy because I am starting to fit into medium clothes. Hopefully in another 3 months I will be back in my pre-pregnancy clothes. I can't wait to be happy about my body again.

I am sick :(

I got the stomach flu. Not sure how unless it was from my neice or nephews. Luckily Zuzu is tired today so I can get lots of rest too. Hopefully baba will come home early so I can get even more rest. I just hope Zuzu doesn't get what I have. Two sick girls would make baba crazy. :)

Cooking Iftar (Mesaka'a)

Zuzu has stared to coo when listening to music now. She is so funny.

Zuzu and I got up early and walked to the store so we could cook something good for baba since he is fasting. Of course it took hours because we had to take nursing breaks, but I am finally almost done. Here is the recipe for Mesaka'a with Bechamel.

Ingredients

1	Eggplant ,peeled and sliced (1 cm thin)
1	Onions , chopped
1.5	lbs Minced Meat
1	Tomatoe ,red
1	tsp Garlic ,crushed
4	Oil for frying
1/3	Pack of pinenuts
2	tbsp Raisins
3	tbsp Tomato Paste Fine Foods Knorr
2	tbsp Butter
3	tbsp Flour
4	Cups Milk White pepper

Directions
1. Preparing meat
In a medium pan, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat. Stir in one chopped onion and garlic until yellow. Add minced meat, salt and pepper and stir. Reduce heat, cover pan and leave to cook for 15 minutes.

2. Fry up Pine Nuts in 2 tbsp of butter till golden. Then remove and set aside.

3. Preparing tomato sauce
Slice tomato and blend the rest in a blender with 1/4 cup water..
Add blended tomatoes, tomato paste, 1/2 cup water, salt and pepper. Reduce heat and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. After about 15 minutes, add raisins.

4. Combine meat and tomato mixes. Add pine nuts.

5. Fry eggplant slices in oil until just golden (don't over fry). Heat oven to medium-high heat (200 C)

6.In a baking dish, arrange eggplant slices at the bottom making one layer. Pour half of tomato/meat sauce over layer of eggplant. Then add another layer of fried eggplant.

7. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add flour stirring constantly for 15 seconds.

8. Add milk and whisk frequently until sauce is smooth. Add salt and white pepper. Bring to boil (3-4 minutes). Take off heat. Pour béchamel slowly over layers in the dish.

9. Place in oven and leave to cook for 30-40 minutes. Serve immediately.

Saturday Night

Saturday night Zuzu went to bed at 10:30 slept till 2:30am in her crib. Then she ate and went back to sleep in her crib till 8:30.

We had a nice weekend starting Ramadan at baba's sister's house. She sent us home with good food for me. Sunday we took Zuzu shopping of course she did not cry one bit and we all took a nap together in the afternoon.

I think as time passes I love her more.

Today the diapers (from 1800diapers) and the nursing tops (from Glamourmom) came. Now we should all be happy for a few weeks :)

Blah

Today was just blah. Baba was being a pain this morning, but Zuzu was a good girl like always :)
I feel like I am getting a little dehydrated again and I am really craving chocolate. I haven't had any chocolate since Sunday which has got to be a new record for me. :)

Part of me wants to go back to work but the other part of me knows I am not ready to yet for the sake of Zuzu and everyone's sanity. Thank goodness some other moms I know will be able to hang out soon.

Zuzu likes her Crib

Last night Zuzu would not snuggle with me and go so sleep. She was all over the place and unhappy. We were up till 2am. Then I decided to just feed her and put her in her crib to sleep. (She has been sleeping in there the first shift of the night and for all of her naps now.) Zuzu fell right to sleep and did not wake up until 6am (her usual feeding time). I tried again after that to have her sleep with me in the bed to no avail. She went back to sleep in her crib again. Finally at 8am baba snuggled with her in bed and she went to sleep till 10am but she had her own space since baba had already got out of bed for the day.

Little Zuzu is really growing up fast. She will be 12 weeks tomorrow and already she is asking for her own space to sleep. I think we better get a 2 bedroom place soon before she asks for her own room :)

We have found a diaper

So after trying Pampers, cloth diaper (service), Target Brand, and Tushies, we have a winner. 7th Generation Diapers! I bought a pack from Whole Foods yesterday and showed baba, he loved them. No bleach, chorine, or perfumes. They are thin like Pampers but have better velcro like stretchy closures and no cartoons. In sizing they run a little small, like Target diapers. Not to mention at 1800diapers.com they are only 1 cent more a diaper then Pamper Swaddlers. I am so excited to find a diaper we all like and that isn't that expensive.

7th Generation Diapers rock! I think I will have to try their wipes next :)

Our weekend

This weekend Zuzu tried to say her first sentence using different consonants. I wish I could understand what she is saying. She still mostly does a lot ooooo's and aaaaa's.

Mama and baba had their first night together since having Zuzu. I think I tore a little bit because it hurts a little like when I came home from the hospital and I had a tiny bit of bleeding. Yes, it did hurt at the beginning but after that I enjoyed myself. (Until we were finished and I realized it hurt there.)

We also went to Bare Esentuals today and I bought make-up. All of my make-up is 2-5 years old and I needed a new look so I can start to feel better about myself again. Now if only I can loose the rest of that baby weight I will be SOOOO happy.

Nursing bras and tanks

Things I have bought and what I think about them.

Target Bra- okay, but a regular bra works just as well.

Target Tank- okay, decent for the money. The openings are huge, no pad holder, easy to open and close with one hand.

Bravado nursing bra- good coverage and decent support, snap closures are sometimes a challenge with one hand, no pad holder.

Glamourmom nursing bra tank (maternity)- maternity is longer so it is good for covering a post partum belly, perfect size openings, holds nursing pads, hard to close with one hand, straps are made of regular material (non elastic)

Glamourmom nursing bra top- perfect size openings, holds nursing pads, easy to close with one hand.

My experience: When it comes to bras my regular cotton Victoria Secrets work just as well and better than the other nursing bras I have tried. Not to mention if offers better support.
When nursing in public I love Glamourmom nursing bra top. I can wear a button down top over it or take a small blanket and be very discreet. The ability to easily open and close the top is essential when you have a squirming baby in one hand.

I am off to buy 3 more nursing tops from Glamourmom. If you think they might be a good fit for your lifestyle they can be found at www.glamourmom.com If you want to be kind and help me get a free one you can enter this code at checkout: AMSH90 if you don't want to use the code that's cool too.

If you have tried something else that works better leave a comment and tell us about it.

Trust??

Zuzu is still not going to sleep at night like she used too. Last night was a little better because we were sleeping by 11pm.

Baba thinks it may be because she has a hard time trusting us after Monday. Watching her actions, he may be right. At night she is afraid to go to sleep. Every time she catches herself falling asleep she wakes herself up. She did this at least 10 times last night.

I have also spent some time researching shots. In general, I have always been a minimalist especially when it comes to medicine/drugs. I guess it helps that I have always been a pretty healthy person too.

I have decided that Zuzu will now only be getting the shots she needs now. Hep B will wait until she is older. She will just be getting what she needs to protect her from those virus that are common in Egypt since we are frequent travelers there.

Marrige after Zuzu

Baba and I use to have a great relationship....and we still do but....
Zuzu co-sleeps and baba works really late. He comes home and works some more from home and/or spends some time with Zuzu. Then I am exhausted and go to bed at 11pm and baba comes shortly after.

I am starting to get sad because all I get is a kiss a day from baba. Nothing else. I miss the "else" and I am sure baba does too. I miss being held close and kisses more than once a day. I miss my lovin'. It doesn't help that I feel fat and don't have time for a shower on most days. I don't exactly feel sexy with leaky boobs, stinky pits, and stretch marks all over my belly.

It doesn't help that Zuzu was miserable tonight again. It is not like her at all. I don't think she will be getting anymore shots until she is a lot older if it is going to make her so upset. Also my brother has not been heard from in over 24 hours which makes us all a little nervous. I guess I just have a lot of reasons to be sad tonight and being tired doesn't help either.

No sleep for Zuzu

Zuzu decided she was going to stay up last night. She normally falls asleep around 9/10ish. Last night she was wide awake and nothing was working to make her fall asleep. Baba and I took turns trying. Finally I fed her again at 12 am and she fell asleep after eating for about 20 minutes.

Today she woke up at 7am ate and slept till 9:30. Then I fed her again at 10:30 and she is sleeping again. I don't mind her sleeping this much during the day, I think she is trying to make up for last night, but I really hope she sleeps better (earlier) tonight.

I am also happy that one of my friends had her baby, and it was a girl. We have mommy/baby get to gathers and poor Zuzu was being out numbered by the boys 4:1.

Pampers "Natural" Wipes

It's a lie. Tried them on Zuzu within 1 hour she had a rash. I think I'll stick with Tushies brand wipes and making them myself. I really am starting not to like pampers at all.

To make your own wipes:
-1/2 roll of paper towels (I fold accordion style and cut into thirds)
- container (anything that seals shut or an old wipes case)
- 1/2 bottle of water (or 8oz of boiled water)
- 1 table spoon of baby oil (Burt's Bees is what I use)
- 1 table spoon of no-rinse baby soap (Mustela PhysiObebe)

Combine water, oil, and soap. Put 1/3 of the paper towels in container and pour 1/3 of the solution on them. Then put in another 1/3 of the towels........etc.

We made it through the night

My brother is still hanging in there. I BS-ed with him a bit this morning to lighten things up.

Zuzu is back to her old ways today. Last night she had some milk, then medicine, then threw-up about 3 oz of milk. Thank god we have a leather couch. I do have to wash her boppy pillow cover now, but she is doing well. She slept normally during the night. I am very proud of her for being so brave yesterday.

Zuzu's first shots

We just got back from her first round of shots. Baba held Zuzu. She got two in each thigh. It was so hard watching her get four shots. I wanted to cry with her. I think I am traumatized now. :(

Zuzu is now sleeping soundly on my lap after eating and taking some Tylenol. It seem as if she is either sleeping or crying. Six hours later her tempature is 99.5 F. Dr. says to call if it gets above 100.6 F.

In other news:
My brother is in Iraq with appendicitis and we are all hoping and praying they get him to Germany to take care of him. He officially leaves Iraq in 2 days, but we are afraid the paramedics at his truck stop of a base are not the best people to deal with him right now.

Baba woke up :)

We got out this afternoon and did some shopping. We were just going to look into new Verizon cell phones (since our contract has ended), but nothing new as usual.

So we went to Toys R Us. Zuzu needed a few Pjs in the 6-9m size so she has something when she outgrows her current clothes. The cutest part was baba (carrying Zuzu in the Ergo carrier) wandering off looking at clothes for Zuzu. About 3 different times he brought back cute girl clothes to show me and ask if we could buy it for Zuzu. So cute to see baba shopping for his little girl.

We spent $50 and got 2 Pjs, 4 long sleeve oneies, and 2 pairs of jeans. Now I just hope the larger sizes will get her threw the winter. Zuzu now weights 12.6 lbs.

Poor Baba

Yesterday we went to my parents because my mom's 49th birthday is today. Zuzu spent 2 hours each way in the car with us and she did a great job.

Baba came home and had to work. Some one (Rack Space) messed up and baba was up till 2:30am dealing with their drama. Now his day is ruined because he needs his sleep and that is less time he gets to spend with Zuzu.

Any start-ups need a great system admin/software engineer in the bay area? :)

Put your crib bumpers back on.

This just in....
Researchers just discovered that it is a genetic mutation that increases the risk of SIDS.

Ever notice if you are a truly responsible parent you can ignore half of the warnings and even recalls. My favorite was a recall not to long ago of a walker. They recalled it because it did not stop on its own at the top of stairs. DUH! Watch your kid like a hawk or put up a gate if they are up stairs in a house.

I know as moms sometimes we don't think straight or life is too crazy but some common sense sure does go a long way.

"The Happiest Baby on the Block"

So I had a mom to be asked me what this book is about because she was not happy with her infant care class from Kaiser, so here are the basics.

There really is no such thing as colic it is just that babies needs are not meet early on (in the first 3 months of life...AKA the fourth trimester). In this book it talks about 5 S's how to do them and put them together for a happy baby. S's are swaddling, swinging (movement), Shushing, suckling, and side (or stomach). I think that if you read the book and discuss key points with your husband this is effective (just as effective as the DVD) because you will be setting the examples and doing most of the child care anyway. This is what I did and it worked great.
Not to mention the book is only $6.99 vs. the DVD is $15 :)

This book and my Ergo carrier were the best baby investments for me.

Cooking with Zuzu

Zuzu slept less than 2 hours yesterday, so for some reason I thought she would sleep more today. I was wrong.

We started our day with a trip to the elementary school I use to teach 2nd grade at. Everyone was excited to see Zuzu and commented on how much hair she has. (She is 10 weeks today.)

After we got home, I started making dinner. The recipe normally takes about an hour, but with Ms. Zuzu wanting to be rocked to sleep every 10 minutes screaming her head off, it took closer to three hours.

Note to self: No more real cooking for a while.

Update:
I made a lot of food tonight...

my local moms club has a mom that requested food for tomorrow night and that it not be spicy...
I slaved away...now it is too spicy...I put too much pepper in it....so now I am just going to get the other lady something from whole foods as the organizer suggested....I am just bummed about it though :(

It is 8:30pm and baba is STILL working….not the best day.

Baba's New Toy

On Saturday baba bought himsef a new toy. A KLR 650. I thought I was okay with it since I grew up on a motorcycle, but that all changed when he rode it home.

Baba has never been a good driver here in the US (but an excellent driver in Egypt). He has about 5 tickets in 5 years, likes to drive by brel often, and just doesn't pay attention in general. His thoughts are..."driving here is too easy." Yeah, he makes me laugh too.

All I can say is thank god the speed limit is 40mph all the way to his work. Now the big question, When do Zuzu and I get our new toy? :)

We are going "home"

I just booked the tickets for March. We will be going home to visit baba's family and friends. I am very excited. I miss my loved ones and hope they will all enjoy Zuzu's smiles. The one thing I don't look foward to, smog. Makes L.A. look like nothing.

Zuzu Busts a Gut

Yesterday while baba was getting Zuzu in her car seat so we could go to Costco he was making faces at her to keep her happy. All of a sudden I hear this great laugh (the kind of hysterical laugh an older baby makes.) I look over and Zuzu is laughing so hard and making so much noise. I tried to grab the video camera to get it but I was too slow. I am sure there will be plenty of other laughs to catch on video, but the first one would have been golden.

Over the weekend we found out that Zuzu does not react well to polyester. Disappointing considering my mom bought her 5-6 sleepers and a small pile of clothes that she will never wear.

The Tushies Diapers: They leaked just like the rest of them, but on a good note they keep Zuzu's butt rash free. Baba is disappointed that there are not more chemical and gel free diapers on the market. I totally agree with him.

Tushies (Diapers)

I got my Tushies Diaper order from Amazon yesterday. The diapers are bigger and thicker than your regular disposables and the closure is closer to tape. They very much remind me of the old school disposables that were made in the early 80s. There are 30 in a pack.

When you get them and before you plan to use them it is best to unfold a few. You have to be careful when unfolding them otherwise you might rip the diaper liner a little bit (but this does not affect use.)

I ordered the medium for Zuzu. They say on the package 12- 24lbs. I figured since she poops out everything and she does weigh 12 lbs the mediums would probably work the best...even though I heard they run big.

So far I like them. They are cotton, gel, dye, and perfume free. I have also heard that babies who wear them also get fewer diaper rashes. Zuzu did the biggest bowel movement to date this morning (completely filled the diaper) and just a little tiny bit leaked out the side. I hope they continue to work. I can easily afford the extra 2 cents a diaper if they keep her butt healthy and poop off of her clothes.

Baby James...REALLY SAD

This is a copy and paste from another board. Out of respect for the family, if you copy something, copy and paste the whole thing. There is a slide show link included. I used it myself and it is safe as of today. Have a box of kleneex ready and use caution...your heart will break. Peace be upon James and his family.


Please do not take this as alarmist, but this is coming from a mom who lost her perfectly healthy baby seven weeks ago to a cord accident and has just discovered there is something easy and free she could have done that MIGHT have saved him in time. That mom is me...

Practice kick counting!!! (link to instructions below) Even if your OB acts like it's not a big deal or doesn't mention it at all (I've delivered two babies now and no doctor ever mentioned it to me at all!). even if you are low risk and your baby moves a lot. it's free and easy and could save your baby.

Every pregnant woman should be counting her baby's kicks in a methodical way, not just generally counting kicks. it's knowing your baby's pattern that will help alert you to any problems.

here are great instructions on how to do it at what stage...
http://www.babykickalliance.org/kickCountChart.asp the main page of that site http://www.babykickalliance.org/index.asp is also a great resource.

70 babies die in the US each day stillborn (compared to 7 SIDS deaths daily -stillbirth is MUCH more common than SIDS)...many, many of those stillborns (perhaps half) could potentially be saved if the moms are aware of their babies' activities and pushed for medical investigation/intervention.

Please, for me, for my little baby who should be seven weeks old, please tell this to every pregnant woman you know.

It's a lot like the Back To Sleep thing with SIDS...most moms think long and hard before ignoring that advice and understand when they do they are accepting some risk. think long and hard about ignoring the advice to count and chart fetal movement. if you know about it and choose not to do it for whatever reason, you are accepting the risk of losing your baby needlessly.

If you need more convincing, download the photo essay of my son's stillbirth here http://www.blairblanks.com/jameshudson/james.exe it is very hard to watch and even harder when it is your life...

I found out when I went in to have him via scheduled c-section. I'd felt him kick at 2a.m. the night before (I was SO excited I couldn;'t get to sleep) He must have died just hours before I went to the hospital to have him. So, just because you feel your baby kick, don't think you are safe. He was still kicking to the very end, but much less. Had I been kick counting, I would have picked up on that. I thought it was because he was big (8lbs 12 oz at birth). But babies still should move as often at the end, it's just that they movements are not as sharp because they have less room to draw back to whack you! Also, epsiodes of hiccups lasting 15 mins or more can be a cause for concern, esp. if it happens four or more times in a 24 hr peroid.

If just 50 of you take this info to heart and do kick counts for this and all subesquent pregnancies, we can probably save at least one baby. I say 50 because it's about 1/100 deliveries that are stillborn, and most women have at least two babies.

And if all of you tell just ten friends who are pregnant,and impress upon them how important it is, we can save more.
A huge ripple started by one tiny pebble...

Zuzu's trick of the day

Zuzu and I went out today. When we got back she had a bit of a runny nose. After about 5 minutes she lifted her fist to her nose and rubbed/wipped it 3-4 times, then she moved her hand down and put her thumb in her mouth for about a minute. She really cracks me up sometimes.

Zuzu also has shown me how much she takes after me. When she is really tired she starts to cry with a pathetic look that says, "help me please mama, please!" After I calm her down and rock her a bit she goes right to sleep. Sometimes all you need is love :)

Ergo Carrier Review

I noticed a lot of people are curious about the Ergo carriers so I thought I would review it:

Of course I first talked to other parents first. I found out that the Baby Boujorn is great up until the child is 20 lbs then it starts to hurt you back. As I dug deeper I started hearing a lot of people mention the Ergo carrier and how they used it on their child from 6 months to 3 or 4 years. I even started taking to people that had gone through 4 and 5 carriers. They all wished they would have just bought the Ergo first.

Finally I went to their website. I found out that you could safely carry an infant in the carrier by buying the "infant insert." Still not sure about the whole thing, not to mention the price, $92, I decided to wait and check the website for a sale. First the denim one was on sale, then they did a sale on mother’s day for the cranberry set, then they did another sale during father’s day. I was also watching them on e-bay but they kept selling for the same price as a new one when you added shipping. Finally, there was a lady that had been a wholesaler on Craigslist who was clearing them out for $75 new in package. For that price I had to try...and if all else failed I knew I could resale it on eBay and even make a little money.

We never bought the infant insert. For the first month Zuzu sat inside the carrier in the fetal position. Now she side saddles it like the website shows to do with an infant and we just use a blanket. Zuzu and I both love the Ergo. She sleeps and I can do stuff with both hands free. We did try it out on my 3.5 year old nephew with him on baba's back and my nephew really liked it. I can't wait until next spring, maybe we will go hiking at Yosemite.

Update July 2008

I noticed this is getting a lot of hits so....

They recently raised the price of the Ergo $105. They now fixed the chest straps which is silly in my opinion because when I wear my children front facing I like then higher than when I wear my child on my back.

I was hearing great things about the 4th Generation Beco baby carriers, but those were discontinued. Another option is too look on Etsy.com and have someone make you one. Next week I will be testing one by Cashmere Cuddles. So check back around August 1st for a review.

What day is it??

I feel like such an idiot. Today was supposed to be Zuzu's first shots. For some reason I was thinking they were tomorrow at 10 and not today at 9:30. OPS! Luckily they were forgiving and we rescheduled.

There is good news though.....
Zuzu slept like a big girl last night. She slept from 11pm-5am and then 5:30-8:15am. I am so proud of her. She currently co-sleeps, but I think it may be time for mama and baba to take back their bed soon.

I have offically lost 7 lbs since being home(25 lbs total). Only 25 more pounds to go.

Reach for the monkey!

I still have not found a diaper Zuzu can't poop out of. So far I have tried moving up a size, Pampers and Target brand. I ordered some Tushies brand on amazon to try. I hope they work because Tushies are actully chemical and gel free (not to mention I love their wipes.)

The last two nights she has been sleeping one 5 hour block. I hope this continues. Baba doesn't even notice when we wake up anymore he just sleeps right threw her feedings.

This afternoon Zuzu ate for 2 hours straight...I am scared the next growth spurt is just around the corner, but excited that she is growing so well.

Last night baba noticed that she can now grab hanging toys on purpose. Today on her gym she grabbed the monkey then let go and watches it move a little and then she grabbed it again. We are pretty sure she is going to be right handed.

The stroller and infant seat search

Many mom's wonder which is the best stroller? The answer is .....
there is no such thing. The perfect stroller does not exsist.

First step in finding the best stroller for you. Think about the things that will be the most important in a stroller and rate them in order.

weight
basket size
compact
snack tray
parent drink holder
handle height (will I or whoever uses it normally be kicking the wheels while walking?)
what surfaces the stroller will typically be used on (smooth sidewalks or outdoors in the dirt?)
what infant seats will work with it (do I like the infant seats?)
color (to me this is not at all important but to some it may be.)

For baba and I having a light weight compact stroller were the most important features (we are in an upstairs apartment and both of us have compact cars) ...everything else was just icing on the cake.

I had pretty much made up my mind that I wanted a universal stroller frame a nice light weight infant seat. We changed our mind after looking at everything because the Combi Cosmo folded up smaller than the snap n go stroller frame. Why am I not recomending it as the perfect stroller: it has a very small basket, the handle is low (designed for shorter people) and it has no snack tray or parent cup holder.

Once we had our stroller picked out the infant seat was easy...we just picked our favorite color out of coordinating infant seats. We liked mango we tested the seat out by carring it, comparing weight to others, comparing height and weight limits, snaping it in and out of the base and adjusting the straps. When it comes to infant seat as long as there is not a recall on it, it is just as safe as the next infant seat.

Why not a convertible seat:
The obvious answer is because you don't want to wake a sleeping baby every time you get in and out of the car. The less obvious answer is....
because it does not fit the baby correctly when they are so small....it is like wearing a bicycle helmet that is too big; better than nothing but it is not going to protect as well in the event of a serious crash. Is it worth the chance....you be the judge.

In most cases I think the best stroller/seat combo is a stroller frame and the infant seat of your choice. (No need to lug around a 15-20 lbs stroller and buy a new SUV to carry it.)

Breast feeding

My first thoughts....child birth un-medicated is a lot easier than breast feeding. At least with child birth you know it will be over soon and you can physically see the reward. Breast feeding you know you will have to suffer all over again in 2-3 hours, sure the rewards are fantastic but it takes time to wreap the rewards. Needless to say, in those first two weeks home, life couldn't get much harder everyone is adjusting. The good news is......it does get better, a lot better.

The first few days I tried to look at my cute daughter and relax when nursing hurt, but after that with all the hormones I had left over from the birth I was a wreak and I seriously wanted to give up. For 2-3 days Zuzu ate mostly from the bottle, but when I went to breast feed her, it hurt even worse because her latch had got worse.

So at my wits end, I went to the lactation consultant. I got some advice and got a nipple shield. That nipple shield saved my life. Nursing became enjoyable again. We stayed clear of the bottle for about 3-4 weeks (until she was 6 weeks old.)

Now at 8 weeks I started weaning her from the nipple shield 2 days ago and then last night when I tried to use it to give my girls a break she would not take it. So now I have to be tough again and hopefully this time we will be successful.

Bouncers yuck!

Now I really can't complain too much because I did not buy it but....

I really don't like bouncers. Zuzu doesn't care for the vibration and I still have to do all the work if I want her clam and quiet.

Everyone says how great they are....I don't know how they can even help aside from whatever they have hanging from them to entertain the child, but that is why you have the playmat.

Had I known then what I do now I just would have returned it for a portable swing.
(Not to mention the one I have has issues of its own.)

Baby & Mom must haves

Now I really can't complain too much because I did not buy it but....

I really don't like bouncers. Zuzu doesn't care for the vibration and I still have to do all the work if I want her clam and quiet.
Zuzu, Baba and I live in a 840 square foot one bedroom apartment. Some of you may wonder why, I can give you close to a million reasons why (x $1).

Must have equipment for first few months:
crib
dresser/changing table combo with changing pad
infant car seat
stroller or stroller frame (that works with infant car seat)
soft baby carrier
portable/travel baby swing
playmat
crib mobile
To me everything else is a bonus and just takes up extra room.
If you want to save room and plan to move soon you could use a pack and play instead of a crib and changing table for the first 2-3 months.

Other must haves for baby's first months:
6 side snap shirts in 0-3m
6-8 sleep and play outfits (with or without feet)
6 seasonal outfits for pictures and outings
3-6 pairs of socks
2-4 crib sheets
4-8 swaddling blankets at least 2 should be 40 inches square or larger (or miracle blanket)
3-12 lap pads (water proof pieces of material good at keeping baby fluids off of things)
nail clippers or scissors for baby's nails
baby soap/shampoo (they usually send some home from the hospital too)
3-4 towels (don't have to be baby towels with the hood)
2-4 wash clothes or a sponge
1 thermometer (hospital may send you home with one)
60-80 diapers a week
160 wipes a week
diaper bag (most hospitals will give you one with the free formula samples)
infant Tylenol (drops)
nursing pillow(boppy, mybreast friend, etc.)-not necessary but nice to have for multiple uses.

Mom's must haves:
"Happiest Baby on the Block"
Femine pads (hospitals supply them for your stay and you can take a few home usually)
nursing pads (some hospitals supply a few)
hot/warm compress (if nursing)
breast pump (if nursing)
hemeriod medicine
ice pack (for that area)
stool softener, or water sprayer to relax the area
easy prep-meals
lots of help from dad (or baba)
Tylenol
lots of water

Baby Shower

Sunday (yesterday) I hosted a surprise baby shower for a friend. I told everyone to be there at 11am so the guest of honor could be dropped off by her husband at 11:30. Well as you may know in a lot of cultures being late is MUCH better than being on time. Needless to say, despite my reminders about the start time...no one was here till 11:30.

We decorated oneies for the mother to be. That was a hit, but I learned if you use fabric paint it takes way to long to dry. Better to just use fabric markers. We matched animals to the name of their baby. (Cow-calf) We also read a story about Mrs. and Mr. Wright and then timed each other cloth diapering a teddy bear....using a Snappi so no one gets hurt.

The first two weeks with Zuzu

On the way home from the hospital with my beautiful new baby girl, I cried. I was so happy that we had left as a couple and were returning home as a family. I was excited to introduce Zuzu the world (outside the hospital.) Baba (Zuzu's daddy) drove real slow and careful on the way home. A couple of times he looked back to check on her and almost ran into a curb. (I made him buy a mirror for his car 2 days later.)

Our first day home was very exciting even though we were all exhausted. I got to relieve myself for the first time on my own toilet. Ahhhh....
My milk came in, in the middle of the night and Zuzu was happy to have her food. The first few days my hemorrhoids were the cause of all of my pain.

At 4 days old Zuzu had her first doctor’s appointment. She was weighed, measured, and given the once over. The doctor was very pleased with her weight and demeanor.

After 9 days of being home we hosted a little get together so that our friends could meet Zuzu. That evening I wore myself out. The next morning I woke up feeling horrible with a nice fever.
Baba ended up taking me to the ER. Turned out after the ideal birth I had managed to dehydrate myself (it took 2 IVs), get a urinary tract inflection and mastitis. I was put on a level C antibiotic for a week. Good news is...I felt better but it caused Zuzu's bowel movements to change to the consistency of spit...bubbles and all. I also found out that buy not eating and drinking enough I had caused my supply to dwindle so that my poor Zuzu was always hungry for 2-3 days until my body caught back up.

My biggest lesson over those two weeks was: while nursing you have to eat like you are still pregnant even when you don't feel like it. (No one ever told me...I thought I could just eat when hungry and get skinny quick.)

The big day!! (LONG)

Started having contractions 3am on the 28th (of June.) By 7am they started getting farther apart. By 3pm I noticed they were getting closer together again and a little more painful.
My husband and I went out and got some stuff for the hospital (food to take) and some pizza for dinner expecting to have another 8-24 hours before we would go. While we were out contractions were 8-10 minutes apart and then started getting closer and stronger.

By the time we got home I could barely get a slice of pizza on my plate without a contraction stopping me. I took my pizza and went in to labor on the toilet. (Around 9:30pm). By 11pm they were getting painful enough that I wanted to punch the wall with my hand AKA ....very painful. Husband loaded up the car and called the hospital.

We checked in around 12:30am on the 29th. I was 4-5 cm dilated. I had contractions and suffered miserably. By 2:30am I could not take it anymore. I wanted the epidural. My husband stalled around (I was busy trying to get through the contractions to notice.) Finally at 3am I was firmly insisting husband to get the nurse NOW. I told him he needs to at least check and see if I am almost there and if not I was doing the epidural despite my original plans. Nurse checked me I was 9 3/4 cm dilated. I remember saying over and over again "thank God thank God." I was almost in tears knowing that all my suffering was coming to an end.

Nurse left the room to go call the doctor. While she was gone my water broke. At this point I was laboring standing up (in a slow dance position with husband). The water breaking was like such a physical relief even though that feeling only lasted a few seconds.
After that some of the contractions gave me the urge to push, so I did. The baby was crowing before the Dr. could even get there. I had to “breathe through the contractions” and resist the urge to push until the Dr. got there. (That is the stupidest rule ever.)
Once the Dr. got there they wanted me to push the baby out in one push. Needless to say she was crazy (no one needs a new permanent hole the size of a basketball.) I pushed when I felt the urge and only as much as I felt comfortable doing.
Within about 4 pushes my little girl was out. (4:05 am) A lot of physical and mental relief. (Once you get the head out the doctor can just pull out the body.) Zeinab was 7 lbs 1 oz and 20 inches long. She looked almost exactly like her mommy at birth which was almost scary.
Dr. wanted to give me pictocin to deliver the placenta quickly. (Again...that is dumb...just did a drug free birth why would I want to have drugs at the end???) Took about 30 minutes to deliver the placenta...cramps/contractions for that were super mild, but once it was out more physical relief.
I got a 2nd degree tear so I got a shot to numb the area and stitched right up. That seemed like the longest and most boring part of the night.
If I had it to do all over again I would. The hardest part for me was not knowing when it would all be over (especially after hearing all the horror stories of long medicated births in my family.)

We spent about 36 hours in the hospital. My mom was there during the day to help. With her there it allowed my husband and I to get some much needed sleep during the day. My mom stayed at a local hotel and helped us out at home for a few days. The extra 2-3 hours of sleep a day helped keep us sane.

My milk came in 48 hours after birth so she never really had a chance to get jaundice. Right now my little girl is getting in a nice schedule and sleeping in 4 hour segments. This is a dream come true for every parent of a 5 day old.

My advice for moms to be:

Zone out and shut off your brain as often as possible once you start labor. (I took Hypnobrithing and it seemed to work well with the help of my husband.) If you can relax some your body will do most of the work.
Don't let anyone rush you or try to convince you that you need something you know you don'
Buy a good electric breast pump if you plan to breastfeed as well as breast pads, and some type of heat compress.
Make sure your husband can take the week off, otherwise find him a new home and get help from someone else.
Have a nice pillow to sit on and something to treat hemorrhoids. (Chances are you will get them.)
Have enough sanitary napkins to last a heavy pre-pregnancy flow.

Pregnancy

Zuzu was made around the time our first wedding anniversary. I bought the test and baba could not wait. We were both pretty sure I was pregnant. Baba stood guard over the test awaiting the results while I finished some things in the kitchen. Within about 2 minutes baba was hollering, "baby?? baby?" Baby was right!!! The stick said, "PREGNANT"

My first trimester was horrible. Heartburn, morning sickness, and spotting. Yes spotting, every woman's fear. Obviously everything turned out fine.

Second trimester was pretty much a breeze and time flew buy so fast. I told my second graders at about 20 weeks. They were so excited.

At the beginning of the third trimester I decided to bow out gracefully. There were not enough breaks in the day to keep my bladder happy. My students and their parents threw me a going away party were about 3/4 of my class brought me a baby gift. I spent the rest of the pregnancy home doing little things everyday to prepare and keep myself busy.

In the beginning

Before there was a Zuzu there were three friends. These three friends first met face to face in a Costco parking lot late one evening after two of them had been chatting online in an MSN chatroom in winter of 2001, the third friend was just along for the ride.

After almost two years of friendship two of the friends decided to be more than friends in January of 2003. Those two people are now mama and baba to Zuzu. Mama and baba were married in October of 2004. A trip to Egypt (baba's home) followed in June of 2005. It was at that time when baba first said, "Let's make a baby."

8 weeks old

My little Zuzu is growing up fast already 8 weeks old. Since you missed the first 8 weeks I am going to go back and start from the beginning. Before I do...

Zuzu is 11lbs 9 oz and 25 inches of cuteness :) She spent the first couple of hours this morning in her Ergo carrier sleeping while I made some decorations for a baby shower I am throwing this weekend. (Got to love those soft carriers...the ONE thing I could never live without.)

Of course we spent most of the day eating and sleeping. But in between I also looked online for the best price on a Canon SD700 digital camera. (We need a new one...our old Nikon has a dead pixel.) Hopefully, I can order it this weekend.

While Zuzu and I were home "busy" all day, baba was busy working. His current company got bought out so now he has to spend the evening getting all the servers from point A to B. I am praying he comes home soon as I could use a break from Zuzu and some good food in my tummy :)