(little) grrrl meets world

Freecycling it!

Thanks to an earlier comment on here, I’m offering up the baby clothes I can’t use any more to the Saskatoon Freecycle group. It’s a great idea for sharing what you don’t need with others, and I’ve already gotten several replies from people looking to pick up the baby clothes!

UPDATE: This afternoon a foster parent came by to pick up the boxes of clothes. I’m really excited to be able to help out this family, and could get used to the idea of Freecycling!

Baby’s first cold

Does every first-time parent’s heart break when their kid gets sick for the first time?

Emma isn’t terribly sick, but she’s got a bit of gunk in her eye and she’s a little stuffy — along with a low-grade fever. I had to break out the nasal aspirator today, and boy that thing suck (har, har).

Seriously, though, the little one isn’t 100%, and she’s had such a rough go of it lately. I just want her to catch a break from immunization woes, teething issues, and gas attacks. This sinus trouble isn’t any fun for any one — particularly a hypochondriac mama.

p.s. The kid in that stock photo must be hopped up on antihistamines, because Emma screams like crazy when that thing is in her nose.

Cabbage Patch Baby

Cabbage Patch Baby, originally uploaded by becky b..

Tonight at supper, Shawna mentioned that back when she was growing up, she had a similar sweater as Emma’s for her Cabbage Patch doll.

My mom gave us this sweater for Emma from the donations pile at the mission — and there’s no tag on it, so this could well be a doll’s sweater!

Anyway, she does look Cabbage Patch-esque, no?

Emma at play

(speaking of “good deals,” I paid $5 bucks for the lighted toy stand and everything else you see here was a gift)

Must own these teeshirts:

I can already see the looks on some peoples’ faces NOW! Hilarious.

via

I loves me a good deal!

I’m all about buying things at a decent price — used or no. Lately my shopping centre of choice has been the Saskatoon Kijiji bulletin board for baby items.

Today I bought 5 baby Einstein videos for $20 (Baby Beethoven, Baby Bach, Baby Newton, Baby Einstein, & Baby Shakesphere).

In the past month or so, I’ve also gotten a bottle warmer for $8 (which Jerry uses every day), and the Baby Whisperer book for $5 (which has helped me immensely in the baby-sleep arena).

I’m also looking forward to the big Childrens’ Market sale next month. I’m actually consigning some items, so I’ll get a pre-sale pass! I got a ton of good stuff last year, and that was when I shopped with the public. Just wait and see what gems I’ll score when I’m able to shop a whole day in advance!

Earlier tonight, a friend who I really look up to (and who’s also a mama) gave me a call — simply to tell me that she thinks I’m an “amazing, instinctual” mom.

I was in the middle of pacing the floor with a fussy baby — and I don’t think I could have received a sweeter, or more needed, call than that.

I’ve started being a little more selfish with some of my time, and I’m hoping it’ll help me cope with whatever Emma is currently going through.

I shouldn’t complain, though. She slept last night from 12:15 – 5:45am, which is a world record in this house. I just wish I could sleep better when she does. I’m usually in this suspended state of half-rest, listening in case I need to dash into her room. Ah well, at this point I’m starting to make sleep deprivation into an art form.

Daddy daughter time

[I know, I know -- another video of us acting silly with our baby. We don't get out much, and find that she's our greatest source of entertainment. The older she gets, the more fun she is.]

Gimme a break (I sure deserve it).

Anyone remember that 80′s show with Nell Carter?

I could use a break these days — Emma could, too. Wednesday and Thursday were rough after her shots — Friday seemed to be getting better — and then yesterday and today the fever’s back.

I can’t tell if she’s still reacting to the immunizations or if she’s actually starting to teethe. Most babies don’t start teething until they’re 3 months old or so — but she sure has a lot of the symptoms (drooling, hand in mouth, cranky, slight fever, red cheeks, etc).

I know this can’t be easy on her little body, because it’s not easy on her mama’s. I just want a couple of stress-free days, when she’ll sleep by herself for a few consecutive hours, so I can actually wash my dishes and get some laundry done. Our house is small on the best of days, when it’s clean — the messier and more cluttered it becomes, the more claustrophobic it seems.

There are just days when I’m so tired I’m not sure how everything is going to pan out.

Peekaboo baby