Saturday, June 4, 2011

Stepping Out Saturday

This blog I read does this fun little feature every Saturday called "Stepping Out Saturday." You are supposed to post a picture of your outfit from Saturday night and detail the pieces of the outfit. I've been looking at these posts for a while and I finally actually wore an outfit on Saturday.



Captain America, the Beast, and I went out for sushi with some friends.



Dress: H & M. Necklace and Cardigan: Brass Plum at Nordy's.



Shoes: Old Navy and surprisingly comfortable. No close up of the shoes because my toes are a disaster. My bulldogs get their nails done more often than I do. The Beast's polo is from Children's Place and cargo shorts are from Carter's (snagged for $10 on diapers.com). And no shoes for him because it was so gloriously sunny and warm! Plus he doesn't walk so there is really no need for shoes at this point.

The weather was seriously so awesome, we sat outside. The Beast had a great time. The restaurant was playing all sorts of songs from when I was in college and the Beast was rocking out. It was sort of surreal to listen to music that reminded me of frat parties and watch my little boy bop along to the music in his polo and cargo shorts. Oh Lord, am I creating a frat boy? I hope not! I guess it would be ok if he was a frat boy if he was all involved in philanthopy and the other b.s. that sororities and fraternities say to justify themselves. And yes, I'm a former sorority girl so I know all about these things.



If you ever want to truly realize how old and tired your skin looks, stick your face next to a baby. Yeah your skin is all perfect and such, come talk to me when you are in your 30s.





The Beast ate tofu and edamame and loved it! By the way, these disposable place mats are the best thing ever. They stick to the table and I can throw down cheerios, puffs, or whatever the Beast wants to eat. He's not eating off the dirty table and has his own little spot. Plus the pictures are fun to look at. They have made eating at restaurants so much easier.







This Saturday was the best we've had in a long time. We started the day at music and sign language class in Corona Del Mar which was really fun. We learned the signs to lots of different animals so now when I sing Old MacDonald, I can sign the animal along with the sound it makes. Then we met a friend and her son for lunch in Laguna Beach. It was a fun lunch with amazing food followed by a stroll along the boardwalk. Its days like this that make me really love living in Southern California.

Friday, June 3, 2011

A Male's Point of View

Tonight I wanted to get a male perspective on the concept of the "mommy wars" and if men experienced the same conflict. My subject was my husband.

Me: Do you feel guilty that you work and do not stay home with the Beast?

Captain America: No.

Me: When people ask you "what do you do?" how do you respond?

Captain America: I'm a fucking civil litigator.

Me: You don't say you are a full time dad?

Captain America: ::looks at me like I'm insane:: No.

Me: Are you jealous of stay at home dads?

Captain America: Yes, they don't have to work.

Me: Do you know any stay at home dads?

Captain America: No.

Me: Have you experienced any "daddy wars?"

Captain America: No.

Me: Do you get upset when people label you as an attorney and not as a dad?

Captain America: Why are you asking these stupid questions? People that argue about that or make that a big issue are fucking self absorbed and trying to make themselves feel better.

I love him. And I'm adopting his attitude.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Never Say Never

While I was pregnant, I was adamant about two things: (1) no pacifier after 12 months and (2) no cosleeping. The pacifier thing turned out to be a non-issue, the Beast was pretty much over it at 10 months (he's now 11 months). But I was dead set against cosleeping. I thought that parents should have their own space, that no one could sleep well when sharing a bed, that parents needed a chance to um, you know, do the things that got them in this situation in the first place. Also, I had fear of rolling over the baby and flattening him out like a pancake. I just could not wrap my head around why anyone would want to cosleep.

Everything started out so well. The Beast slept peacefully in his bassinet right next to my bed.



The Beast at about a week or two old.


At 6 weeks, he was sleeping through the night and in his own crib. What a perfect little baby! What a good mom I was! I didn't even have to sleep train, everything was so perfect!




Six weeks old and sleeping in his own crib!

And then he turned 6 months. And he started teething. And he got sick (with a cold). And he was miserable. And he wouldn't sleep so I wasn't sleeping. And we were all miserable.

One night, in an act of pure desperation, after many attempts to get him to go back to sleep in his crib, I plopped him down in my bed. He looked up at me, snuggled into my 400 thread count sheets, fell fast asleep, and slept through the night. I laid down next to him and actually got to sleep. It was a relief. It was glorious. It was how I became a cosleeper


Six months old and taking up residence in my bed.

Once I realized how easy it was to get him to go back to sleep if I just put him in the bed with me, there was no going back. I work full time and I need sleep in order to function and somehow adequately perform my job. So after the Beast turned 6 months, whenever he gets up in the middle of the night, I just pull him in bed with me and we both get to sleep. Then I learned how to nurse him while laying down in bed. Even better! Even less effort was required. I could bring him into the bed, nurse him, and get more sleep.

We don't cosleep every night. He starts off every night in his crib and if he wakes up then I bring him into my bed. I suppose you could say that I cosleep on demand. I have to admit, on nights that he doesn't wake up, I sort of miss having that little warm body snuggled up against me. He is now 11 months and I have no intention of ending the cosleeping. Lately he has been staying asleep in his crib until about 5 am. When he wakes up at this time, I am definitely ok with cosleeping because it means I get another hour of sleep. He is sturdy enough now that I don't worry about rolling over on him. And it is pretty funny to watch him wake up my husband by happily pouncing on him. Pretty soon he is going to be a big boy and have no interest in sharing a bed with me and the husband (Right? Kids don't cosleep until they are teenagers, right?)

The moral of the story is never say never about any parenting techniques while you are pregnant. You just have no idea the things you are willing to do when you are stressed out and sleep deprived.