first class traveler

Well, it's the holidays and like most Jews on Christmas we are following the exodus to Southern Florida. I feel like we're really starting to get the hang of traveling (Who am I kidding? It will probably never be easy). There's the stress of packing for two and the concern of the inevitable delayed flights. In the end, it's all worth it for some sun on our faces and a break from prison (I mean being stuck inside the house all winter:)

I remember when packing myself for vacation was stressful. Now, whether it's a weekend or 3 weeks, packing is a week long process when I'm packing for two. I've been known (by my husband mind you) to be an over-packer. Like most women, I need/like to have options. Now that I am raising a future over-packer, it's only natural that since she can't pack for herself that I would over-pack for her, right? My over-packing has taken a backseat for my little fashionista. Is it normal that a nearly 7 month old baby girl has her own rolling suitcase and we had to extend the zipper for more room? I'm asking you this as if she packed and demanded to have all of this for herself. I admit, I go a little crazy when it comes to planning Sadie's wardrobe for vacation, but god forbid she get caught in a picture not looking her cutest, right?

Once the bags are packed (usually still adding things the day we leave) it's time to head to the airport. For an average Joe, flying can be stressful. When you're a newmie it's like stepping into the unknown. The first time I flew with Sadie I was alone and she was 6 weeks old. I thought I was such a pro when she slept the entire flight, but now looking back I realize it was pure luck. Babies at that age just sleep all the time. I did nothing to make this happen. As babies get older it is definitely a bigger challenge to fly.

Just when you think you've got the whole traveling routine down, in true newmie fashion a curve ball is thrown directly in your face. Our last trip down to Florida, just a few weeks ago, was our first experience having an awake baby for the entire flight. It's enough of a challenge keeping my husband entertained for a 2 and a half hour flight, but now I had to figure out how to keep a 6 month old happy on my lap! Other than a few screams and fusses here and there, she was truly a first class passenger.

I figured if we can handle being in a confined space for 2 and a half hours with a wide awake baby and minimal entertainment, then we must have become incredible traveling parents. Wrong again! Fast forward to our trip home. With a flight delay of 2 hours, an airport gate that felt like a 3rd world country (Miami travelers know what I mean) and a beyond over-tired baby, I just knew we were headed towards catastrophe.

Michael and I thought that the delay would actually work in our favor. It was almost Sadie's bedtime and she would have a bottle during take-off (***helpful hint for those newmies who have never flown with their babies before - always feed during takeoff and landing regardless of baby's hunger. It helps their ears:) and then she would hopefully pass-out for the entire flight. WRONG AGAIN!

As we are taking off and I'm feeding Sadie and staring lovingly into her tired eyes, I feel and hear the rumbling of what I am hoping is a little bit of gas. Wishful thinking! As the plane's wheels quickly leave the ground, Sadie is exploding! (***Side note: we were also on a tiny 2 and a 1 row plane) As Michael and I are cracking up at our current situation (you have no choice but to laugh), I joked that I would pay money to watch Michael take her into the airplane bathroom and change her diaper. Just the thought of that makes me giggle inside. At this point we're wondering if the bathroom would even have a changing table. I even asked Michael if he thought it would be bad if I changed her on the table at our seats. I bet that would probably be frowned upon, don't you think?

When it was finally safe to leave my seat I did what any newmie would do...I went to face the challenge! As I got up I thought that nothing could be more comical than a baby pooping during takeoff, except...a back-scratching poop during takeoff (for those of you reading this who are not newmies, a back-scratching poop is a poop that conveniently goes up the entire back). Yep, folks, it happened. Right there on our regional jet we had a back-scratcher! Luckily we newmies could probably save a life with all the gear we travel with and I had everything I needed right there with me.

I rushed my stinky little girl to the teeny tiny bathroom and unlatched the make-shift changing table. Poop was everywhere! Sadie was hysterical and I couldn't stop sweating (ever since I became a mom I feel like I'm always sweating). I hate airplane bathrooms when I'm in one alone and now I was trapped with a screaming, doodie-filled baby! As I'm cleaning her off and changing her completely, I thought to myself, 'I really deserve some kind of award for this.' I felt like I was being hazed. Honestly, I would take SDT hazing over this any day. Puzzle night anyone? I imagined emerging from the bathroom and having the entire plane stand up to give me a round of applause for the incredible work I just did. OK, I know I'm overdoing it a bit, but we newmies really don't get enough credit. The rest of the flight's hurdles (we had the token screaming baby for a majority of the flight) paled in comparison to my bathroom back-scratcher.

It was definitely a flight experience I will never forget. Bring on Thursday's flight! No travel hazards can stand in my way! Now, if I could just figure out how to pack a little smarter. That will probably always be a problem. Hmmm, oh well, we can't be perfect at everything, right?

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and a happy New Year! Since I just managed to bang out 2 posts in 2 days (so impressed with myself) you probably won't hear from me until 2010. Stay tuned...

the battle of the boob is over!

Well, they got big, they got small and then they got really really small. The breast feeding war is over ladies and gentlemen! It was a continuous battle of blissful moments and times of constant frustration, but my time with my porn star boobs had to end at some point. It was five months (as I said previously, this is an out-dated post) that I'm proud of, yet as I suspected it left me with nothing but pancakes and no sign of syrup:(

Before I had Sadie I knew I was going to give breast feeding a shot. I had no idea what to expect. I heard horror stories of razor-like sensations on your nipple (earmuffs for the sneaky male readers) and I heard fairy-tales of how wonderful the bonding would be with your baby. Now, after experiencing it all first hand, my final opinion on breast feeding is that if nothing else-it's convenient!

I never had to deal with the scary pain of breast feeding. My little newmie secret (and some might call it cheating) was a nipple shield. While some don't agree with the use of a nipple shield, I swear by it now. It looks like a nipple from a bottle and it does exactly what you would think - it shields your nipple! I had a huge amount of success with my shield and I never left home without one. When your not well-endowed like me you resort to any help you can find. Not to mention, I never experienced the misery of destroyed/chapped nipples. Take that nipple shield haters!

As far as bonding goes, I'm a stay-at-home newmie so my job is to literally bond with my baby 24/7. I didn't need to have my baby suckling on the teet to feel connected to her. I do agree that breast feeding is a good way to have some quiet time alone with your baby, but I have found so many ways to be close to my child (especially when I shower her with kisses all day long:)

Overall, I would say my breast feeding experience was a good one. I would definitely do it with my future children if I was successful. Society has so many opinions on what newmies should do with their boobies. They are your boobies and it's your choice. As one of 3 healthy children that wasn't breast fed, I am living proof that it probably doesn't make a damn of a difference if you breast feed or not. For me it was the idea of not having to race downstairs in the middle of the night to fix and warm a bottle when I had a screaming baby. That was the selling point:) Once Sadie started sleeping through the night and woke up smiling the convenience factor started to lessen. Now, I find it more convenient that I don't have to pump or breast feed every minute of the day.

As with everything else we newmies experience, everyone does what's best for them. For some, breast feeding isn't an option and for others, it's an obsession. The best lesson I have learned so far in my short time as a newmie is that life should be made as easy as possible. Why stress yourself out or make things more challenging. Do what works best for you! In an ideal world that would mean that our husbands would learn how to breast feed too! Wow, I should really figure out some way to make that happen. Until then, I think I'll go enjoy my pancakes - with syrup:)

blogging from my cell...

So, I know it's been ages since I've blogged and I am truly sorry. As all of you newmies know, there are never enough hours in a day to do everything you want to do. On top of the normal baby craziness, Sadie is going through a phase where it seems like I can't take her anywhere. As soon as I get into a store she loses her mind (and consequently... so do I). Anyone else go through this? I feel like I'm a prisoner in my home. HELP!!! Let me out!

There are some positives to my situation though... it's so freakin cold outside and by the time I bundle Sadie up I'm asking myself why I am leaving the house anyway. So, I figured, since I'm not going anywhere I might as well stimulate my brain (something I don't do often these days since I spend most of my conversations talking to a baby that can't even speak yet).

I have started a bunch of posts over the last few weeks and haven't completed any of them (kind of like the way I do our laundry - I wash, but I can't seem to fold it or put it away:). My mission over the next few days will be to finally post them for your enjoyment. They are a bit out dated now, but I promise to make them worth your reading time. I know you all need something to do at work or if you're a stay at home newmie you need some good prison cell reading too.

Stay tuned...