What I would have done then

If I would have known what I know now.

I am far from expert. In fact, I still feel like a blank slate most days, but one thing I have learned in my experience of being mommy is to pay close attention to what did and did not work for our situation.

I have tried hard to do that. So here is my list of what I would have done/thought/tried then if I could do it all over again WITH ANSLEE. I emphasize her because each baby is different and she is the only baby I have patented to date.

1. Tried to nurse a little longer. I say this #1 with extreme caution. I say it because no one can argue that breastfeeding is the most nutrionally sound way to feed. However, I wish now that I would have known that if nursing becomes such a struggle that you don't enjoy parenting and if it is not facilitating the mother/baby bond the way it should IT IS OK. I say this with no guilt at all for having chosen to bottlefeed. It was clearly best for the happiness of our entire household, therefore the decision was made with good intention, and it was one of the better mothering choices I made. What I have learned since my nursing experience is that if you can try to stick with it through 12 weeks, you usually can go 12 months without skipping a beat. I would have maybe tried to find a way of coping through the hard times to get me through the first 3 months.

2. I would have implemented the feed/wake/sleep routine at 3-4 weeks rather than 6 weeks. I just didn't know about the babywise philosophy until then. There is a link to the babywise mom blog on the side of this blog. I wish I had known about that blog before birth!

3. I would have waited until closer to 6 months to introduce solid food. This has opened my eyes to something that is creeping up on me now...potty training. I will not push this until I am confident she is ready, and that I am ready. This is the same philosohy I wish I would have had for solid food.

3. I wish I would have found a mothers day out program for Anslee around 6 months rather than 13. Since I am at home with her, she did not get to be around others and reap all the benefits of being with children similar in age as early as I would have liked for her.

4. Oh how I wish I would have had newborn photos taken of her. I will never ever have them now.

5. Have Tyler home for more than a week. This is not reality for most, and it was not for us at the time we had Anslee. Next time around, it will be, and I am already thankful and excited about that.

6. I would have bought more size 2 and 3 diapers than newborns and 1's. I had tons of newborn and 1 diapers left over after she grew out of them. She has been in size 3 diapers since 5 or 6 months old and, well, we never have any of those left over.

7. Instead of buying baby all or dredt detergent in the beginning, to only wash Anslee's clothes in, I would have bought just a free and clear blend. Anslee's sensitive skin did great with HER clothes being washed in them, but her face still was irritated from being held up against our clothes that were just washed in regular detergent.

These are just a few. I know there are probably many more that I have already put back in the back of my mind. I am glad I will have documentation of all this as a reference for future use.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sometimes being a Mommy is just funny!

I love how Anslee can always keep me laughing. I find myself in a better mood becuase of her often. Ahhh what a blessing! Here are a few pictures I was able to snap while laughing behind the camera (ok iPhone camera, really)


I turned around and saw that she clearly could not pick one to play with, so the only thing thar made sense was to join them all.



She got a little tired one day while playing with one of her favorite toys. You can't really see it, but she has the ladybug's antnae in her mouth.



Here she is with BFF Sadie, under the entry hall table. It was funny enough to get a picture but I had to quickly shoo them out from under there!



This her immediate reaction to her green minky dot blanket. Blanket=insert thumb in mouth.




My sassy girl. I know that in coming years cute and funny will be the last words that come to my mind when I see that smirk. For now, I will enjoy it! While I can, right?!



Need there be commentary on this one?! I don't think so. Her dad mentioned that the dress may be a tad short.

I don't have pictures to illustrate the next couple of funny things, but none the less, I laughed and still do when I think about....

1. How she calls milk "mo".
2. How she used to "woof" at any type of animal she saw. Now, she only "woofs" at dogs, goats, sea lions, and deer. When she sees the tiger or the bunny rabbit or cat she says, "kitty".
3. How every letter in the alphabet is "A" or "B".

Life with her continues to be more and more fun. She walks and talks and smiles all day long. We have not loved all the stages we have been through so far but we have loved watching her grow from helpless newborn to happy infant to healthy toddler.

We are so blessed!

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone