The SMARTest baby!

Maxine's first Christmas was wonderful! I am still putting together the post and will have photos up by the end of the week. I just had to share this picture with the bloggers. Isn't she SMART?! Aaaaawwwwwwwww.

I am thinking I need to write the 5 millionth book on pregnancy called "What really happens to you." Yes, this may be too much information, again... but, you know how they say that if a new mother is breastfeeding she can enjoy a long period of time menstrationless? Nonsense... 100% nonsense. I think there are myths out there so women will get pregnanct faster because there are all of these mythical "physical perks"... stay tuned... my book is a-comin'.

3 months and laughing!

Oh my god... my daughter is adorable! I keep telling myself that I will tell her she is smart before I tell her how adorable and beautiful she is. But... she is so beautiful!

So, she has been moving and shaking so much. She is so close to rolling over! When we put her on her changing table she just moves and shoves and kicks... I left her in her crib the other day and when I returned her head was where her feet were when I left her!

Maxine's grandma Gerry is Ben's mom. This is a picture of the two of them together. The other photo is of Maxine and Nica - our good friends', Kate and Anthony, little girl. She is 3 weeks younger than Maxine. We went to Phoenix to visit Nica and Kate and maxine just stared and Nica! Now she stares at all babies and actually laughed for the first time one week ago when she say Evie! So adorable...I mean SMART.

Maxine hates her stroller. We try and trick her by getting her to sleep in it. What will we do with a fancy jogging stroller if she hates it????

Maxine's Dad's Navajo Code Talker coloring book was released this month and he did several signings. One at Barnes and Noble and the other at the Arizona Historical Society's book fair! It is selling a lot! His Caves coloring book also came out this month... if you are interested in it go to Barnes and Noble or buy it from his website... the link is at the right.

Physical therapy is pretty much over. I have to continue my exercises but I haven't peed myself in three weeks. Victory! I didn't mention this earlier but my therapist also found I had a but of a diastisis (?). My ab muscles had separated and she could fit two fingers between them (ew). So, I was told to stop sit ups and any yoga positions that stretch my abs because that will pull them further apart (ew, again). I have been doing some exercises to bring them back together. I can only fit one finger between them now so that is good news! I can't wait until I am normal again...

90th Percentile and Stress Incontinence

Yes. As the title to this blog shows... birth is the gift that keeps on giving. I went for a run a few weeks ago and peed myself... I didn't know I had to go, it was just like my urethra opened up like a water slide. The midwife told me that it may be a one time thing and maybe running on the road because of the high impact did it. So, I went to the gym and ran on the treadmill. It felt great! I ran for 25 minutes then did some weights... it felt like I was back! When I got home I discovered that I had peed myself, soaked the overnight pad I had put on just in case (the ones that stretch from your belly button to your lower back). The stain on my pants was huge with a dry spot in the middle shaped like the pad. I am now in physical therapy... if anything else happens I may just need plain therapy. I go through thinking it is funny and not a big deal to being angry about everything that has happened (pregnancy to this). But, (prepare to roll your eyes and gag) one look at Maxine makes it all fade into the background... even the hemorrhoids (Was that too much?).

Maxine has been smiling so much. She is, most of the time, such a happy baby. Many of the following pictures re of her crying and yelling and I think we have taken those photos because they are so cute. But, in general, she is full of smiles. She crinkles her nose up and her eyes curve up into the shape of a rainbows. I can't wait to hear her laugh. She is so close... A week and a half ago she noticed her right hand for the first time. I was changing her diaper and she was totally quiet. I looked up and she was just staring at her fist like it just showed up right then! This past Wednesday she finally noticed the left hand and her expression read, "There is ANOTHER one?!"


Maxine went to her 2 month appt three days ago and got her shots (ow). She was weighed and measured and her head size and weight are in the 90th percentile (Martha and Ryan, you can now compare things to the size of Maxine's head, too... she takes after her momma). Her height is the 60th percentile. I asked the doctor if her weight being in the 90th percentile meant she is fat and he said, "There is no such thing as a fat baby." So diplomatic.

She has been doing a lot of tummy time (she sort of hates it). Her neck is getting so strong and I don't know what I will do whens she rolls over for the first time. Because she is starting to notice things more her grandma Gerry got her a mobile for her bed. We can now lay her down, totally awake, and she will just stare, smile and coo at the little fuzzy birds above her bed. So neat.


As you know, Ben is Mr. Mom. I have tried working from home as much as I can and when I do I get glimpses of Ben's and Maxine's day together... here is what I have observed.


So, Maxine had her first Halloween and she was going to be a little leopard. As you can see her costume was too small... probably because of that 90th percentile thing. Maxine also had her first Thanksgiving and it was hosted at her Grandma and Grandpa Wallace's home. It was so yummy. We have been visiting the cabin in the White Mountains regularly. The photo in the right upper corner is us there after we finally moved furniture into it. It is so cozy. And the bottom picture is of Uncle Nick and Maxine. He has such a way with children.


Grandpa Jim is so much fun. He plays with Maxine while she is on her Ikea mat playing and doing tummy time. He also loves to hold Maxine...


Maxine went to her first Day of the Dead parade the first weekend of November. Tucson really knows how to do it. I love the costumes, masks and floats. We went with Kelly, Patrick, Evie, Uncle Nick, Grandpa Jim and Grandma Chris. Next year maybe we will dress Maxine up and walk in the procession.

6 Weeks: Asleep and Smiling

When Maxine sleeps I have seen her arms and legs pop up over the bassinet edge and just hang out there. When I go to see if she is awake she isn't... her legs and arms are just straight up in the air. Here are some photos of her sleeping... she looks like she is bring held up!

Maxine also has started smiling at us - she was smiling before but it was in her sleep or when she poo'd. Now she actually smiles AT US. It is adorable because she goes crossed eyed and gets this huge grin on her face. So cute.

I went back to work today. The worst part was the build up to going back to work. All this past weekend I was like, "I am not ready." I was getting worked up in the preparation with going back. This morning was tough because I didn't want to leave her and Ben. I pumped milk so Ben would have some fresh on top of the frozen milk I have stocked up. I breastfed and then I took off. Once I was in the car and making the familiar drive to work I was fine. Plus, there is so much going on that I didn't have much time to sit around and worry. Pumping and work was not too bad... helps that I have a lock on my office door. I called Ben and, of course, they were fine. I made it home for lunch and to breast feed - I want to breast feed as much as possible to avoid having to supplement with formula too early. I am not really planning to supplement but every working mom I have spoken with had to supplement after a while because they just didn't produce enough through pumping. So, I want to prolong having to do that... I informed the staff that I would be working from home more often than I normally would for the next 6 weeks (she will be 3 months then). I hope I am lucky and am able to provide only breastmilk for a very long time but I understand that I may have to do a combination in a few months... we will deal with that when it comes.

Hopefully, Maxine will continue to be such a good sleeper... she gets me up anywhere from 1 to 4 times night which is better than every hour! I am tired and have to think harder about what comes out of my mouth - sentence structure, etc - but today was doable and I think I had to get through today to understand that I can do it! Yep, we have moved on to a new phase - "Post-Maternity Leave." Stay tuned for stories on Ben being Mr. Mom...

5 Weeks Old!

Maxine is 5 weeks today! We left 10 days ago for our "Baby Moon". We rented a house in Truth or Consequences New Mexico... the house was right on the Rio Grande with a private hot spring overlooking it. What better way to learn to take care of baby?? We still get little sleep but being someplace we can relax and enjoy our surroundings has been wonderful. Truth or Consequences is an unfortunate town with a lot of potential... luckily we had our little oasis and lacked the energy to really venture out. Our time was spent there taking care of baby, reading, fishing and soaking. So nice.
Now we are in the White Mountains in Arizona. Ben's mom just purchased this cabin. It is fantastic - not furnished yet - but fantastic! We have been sitting by the fire, watching the geese in the pond and the elk cross the valley... it is great. Tomorrow we return to Tucson and I will post more often. I have so much to write about and so little time to write in... in fact, I can hear Maxine waking and filling her diaper as I write... enjoy the photos (Ben and I were trying to teach Maxine to roll on to her belly and back...)

Memoirs of a Factory Cow

So, I breastfed today and last night and yesterday and the night before... it's what I do. Last night was actually pretty awesome because she slept from 8:30 pm to 3:30 am - that is SIX hours! Of course, I was awake because my breasts had filled and were heavy and leaking and I was worried about why Maxine hadn't woken up to eat yet! Really, I breast feed and then if I want to work out or run an errand I have to leave immediately after the feeding and get my a** back to the house in an hour and a half or we run the risk of a serious hunger problem. I actually have started trying to pump in between feedings so there is milk stored for Ben to feed her if I don't make it back in time. Days I pump are all about the boobs... they are either in her mouth or hooked up to the machine. It has taken me a while (and several conversations with my lactation consultant sister) to understand that I won't run out of breast milk - I was worried if I pumped that i would be taking away from the next feeding. My sister has informed me that breasts produce based on demand. If they are asked to produce by baby or machine they produce (jeanne, did I get it right?). Yesterday she had a marathon feed - like 4 hours - and everyone says it was probably a "growth spurt"... my boobs were so sore. I have never been so aware of my breasts until now...
The pictures above of Maxine in the green diaper are her doing her morning exercises and interpretive dancing. These pictures were actually taken the Friday after she was born and I was so impressed with how active and happy she was - she was very focused on her moves. Little did I know she was working up her first Poo! It was memorable and LOUD! Nice job Maxine... good to know the pipes work. Since the first poo there have been many... I have seen them all.

34B to 36D (Booyakasha!)

So, I have tried to sit down and update the blog with all of the photos we have been taking. I have learned, however, that parenthood means that you are lucky to get even 60% of what you intend completed in a day. The blog has suffered... I will be better.

Since Maxine was born we have had some pretty LARGE changes... my milk came in and I am now a 36D (whoop! whoop!), Maxine had her first bath - which she just LOVED, as you can see, we visited the Pediatrician and she gained 1 lb since milk started flowing, her sleep schedule bogglesthe mind and we just pray for her to continue with the 4 to 5 hour sleeps at night (last night was wonderful), Maxine has been out to three restaurants (yum!), her head and neck control are great, we have tummy time daily, and she already aced her SATs (Suckas!). Okay, she hasn't taken the SATs but she is absolutely adorable... she kicks and does exercises every morning (signature move: windmill arm). Her first poo was incredible... I mean, when the milk comes in and the newborn has its first milk poo it makes sure it is memorable. I had it on my arms and belly and side. It seems that anytime Maxine has a "Poo-splosion" I am the one on duty (or "Dooty" - hah). How has Ben so cleverly avoided the leaky poos?

I have also learned that I cannot dress my child... I was in tears I was laughing so hard at the "warm" outfit I threw on her for an evening walk... Blue Zoot pants, Canada hat and onesie - nice job, Mom.

Until I can figure out how to post pictures in between the text all of my entries will be this long list of photos. I will call my blog-genius friend Kelly to help me through this...