Thursday, September 22, 2011

Adventures with My Daughter

Lil' J and I have had an amazing last couple of weeks. Getting out of the house and trying new things. I haven't had as much time to blog, but that's ok because we've been living instead.

Just to recap a little, we went on a bike ride with one of my friends from work, Heidi, and her little girl. We rented bikes for $8 and rode around on the Austin Hike and Bike Trail for an hour. If you haven't been there and done that before I highly suggest it. The wind in your hair and the shade of the trees makes the hear bearable.

Lil' J and her friend rode along in the seats on the back of the bikes. Heidi's daughter tried to pass Lil' J Cheerios from her bike to ours. Lil' J tried to reach, but of course couldn't. It was too adorable!

I decided to go with the seat instead of the trailer because my mom said she'd like it more. haha. I was afraid I'd fall and I was prepared to lunge my body in front of her for cushioning if we did. Luckily, that didn't happen.

I need to buy Lil' J her own helmet because I think we'll go biking again. The one we borrowed for free was a little big so we used diapers to add a little cushioning so it didn't slump over her face (it did that the first part of the ride and she was mad she couldn't see).

When we rode around she at first would hold a long "OOOOOOOOOOOOH" Sound while we went down the hill so she could hear her voice go "OoOoOoOoOoH" down the hills over the bumpy rocks. She seemed to get a little tense when we when faster but a little ways through the ride she was having a blast, and she'd only whine when I stopped.
Dress: Tea Collection
Over the weekend I took her to the Austin City Limits Music Festival. I went alone Saturday, and met up with friends before seeing Stevie Wonder. The next day I went back with Lil' J and took her to Austin Kiddie Limits. I wanted to get her sound canceling headphones before but ran out of time. She didn't seem to mind. In fact, she was dancing and clapping with everyone else.

The kiddie part sadly ended early at 4:30 but we met up with friends, sat down, and listened to some more music from the back of the 60 thousand person crowd.

She's getting to be a little more independent, and she'll walk a little bit further from me depending where we are. Here she just walked in a small circle around me, in our neighborhood, she'll walk and walk and walk so long as she can still see me. She has no fear of strangers right now, which scares me. She'll just walk up to people and waive, or try to give them hugs. As long as she doesn't think I'm leaving her with them, she doesn't care. It's nuts.
Finally, we went to see The Lion King at the movies. I opted to see 2D since the last 3D movie I saw gave me a headache, and I wasn't sure she'd keep her glasses on, or what it would do to her vision if she didn't. We've been to see three movies before (Inception when she was teeny, Eat Pray Love before she could crawl, and Tangled when she was just starting to get mobile) but none since she's been walking. I worried it would be a disaster so we arrived about a half hour early, hoping to get good seats. There were like 5 other people there so good seats weren't an issue.

We shared chocolate covered raisins and a giant lemonade as we waited for the movie to start. She was so giddy and excited about the pre-show I thought she's love the movie. Once the lights dimmed and the previews started she snuggled with me and asked to nurse, then, as she has every other time we've gone to a movie, she fell asleep. And missed the whole thing! I tried to wake her up during Hakuna Matata so she could at least hear one fun song but she watched and smiled for a moment, then went back to sleep. Probably smiling about milk and not the movie anyway.

Oh well, it was her nap time and I purposely brought her then so she could sleep if that's what she wanted.

Having all of this one-on-one time with my girl has made me realize how fun she is getting. It's amazing seeing her light up about every little thing. From my neighbors cat, to the pretty peacock at the park. I called my mom and told her about the good time we were having and she reminded me to enjoy it, because it gets a whole lot harder with two. I can only imagine. I'm sure someday it won't be a nightmare to leave the house and accomplish things with two little ones as it sometimes is with just one... But that probably won't be for several years. So I'm going to savor these moments and do as much as we can together before she becomes a big sister.

I've decided to make a list of all of the things I'd like to do with her before then. Manageable, and fun things in a new baby bucket list. I'll share tomorrow!

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Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Wordless Wednesday: Lil' 's Music Video



Everyone who comments on this post before September 22nd at 11:59pm is entered to win a $25 Gift Certificate to Swimtown Pools. Check out their Facebook Page to see how you can win a Kodak digital camera. A winner will be chosen using random.org.

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Monday, May 31, 2010

A Song for My Baby

I love music, and so does my baby girl. I've felt her kicking around in my belly for a long time and she especially likes to move when I get some tunes going or when I sing to her myself.

I don't have the best voice but I sing to her anyway and I think she likes it. I mostly sing a lot of church primary songs to her. I'm working on some labor playlists as well as a "Just Meeting" playlist. So far there's only 17 songs on that one but by far my favorite one is probably "Capri" by Colbie Caillat. One of my best friends played it for me once and said she listened to it when she was pregnant with her little girl and I went home and got it!

It's about a mother's love for her growing baby in her belly. I love singing this song to her and I hope she'll remember be singing this to her when she's out on the other side.

Here's the song, and the beautiful lyrics. For now, although my little girl's name isn't Capri, this song is a song for my baby girl, Lil' J.

She’s got a baby inside

And holds her belly tight
All through the night
Just so she knows
She’s sleeping so
Safely to keep
Her growing
And oh when she'll open her eyes
There'll be no surprise
That she'll grow to be
So beautifully
Just like her mother
That’s carrying
Oh Capri
She’s beauty
Baby inside she’s loving
Oh Capri
She’s beauty
There is and angel growin’ peacefully
Oh Capri
Sweet baby
And things will be hard at times
But I've learned to try
Just listening
Patiently, oh Capri
Sweet baby
Oh Capri
She’s beauty
Baby inside she’s loving
Oh Capri
Your beauty
Just like your mother
That’s carrying...Oh Capri

It's June! We'll be meeting soon!

***
Winner of Mimi's Babies $15 Gift Certificate: #43 Jen J
Winner of $50 to Gift the Bambino: #39 Angie

Please email babymakingmachine@gmail.com to claim your prize! Congrats!

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Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Labor Playlist

Here's what I have so far:

Upbeat playlist:

"Top Back"- T.I.
"Party Like a Rock Star"- Shop Boyz
"Going Down"- Young Joc
"Billy Jean"- Michael Jackson
"The New Workout Plan"- Kanye West
"What Do You Want From Me?"- Adam Lambert
"Single Ladies"- Beyonce
"If You Seek Amy"-Britney Spears
"Gimmie More"- Britney Spears
"3"- Britney Spears
"Circus"- Britney Spears (yes, I'm a fan, good for working out!)
"Halo"- Beyonce
"4 Minutes"- Madonna and Justin Timberlake
"Over"-Drake (my labor theme song)

Relaxation playlist:

"Almost a Whisper"- Yanni
"Enchanted"- Yanni
"In the Morning Light"-Yanni
"Nostalgia"- Yanni
"Butterfly Dance"-Yanni
"Love"- Keyshia Cole
"Falling Slowly"- Kris Allen (love him)
"On Bended Knee"- Boyz II Men
"Realize"- Colbie Caillat
"Capri"- Colbie Caillat
"Jesus Take The Wheel"- Carrie Underwood

Church music playlist:
"I Stand All Amazed"
"His Hands"
"I Walk By Faith"
"A Child's Prayer"
"Psalm 23" by Michael Olson

Meeting Baby Playlist
"Amazing"- Janelle
"Isn't She Lovely"- Stevie Wonder
"My Girl"- The Temptations
"Bubbly"- Colbie Caillat
"Capri"-Colbie Caillat
"Daughters"- John Mayer
"The Reason"- Hoobastank
"Ever Ever After"- Carrie Underwood
"I Hope You Dance" -Lee Ann Womack
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow"- Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

And what would a labor playlist be without the classic: "Push it": Salt-N-Pepa.

It'll be interesting to see what tune Baby Girl is born to... Rap, R&B, Classical, Churchy? Whatever it is I'm sure it will be a song we remember forever.

Please add your suggestions!

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Music for Labor? My Labor Playlists

I was reading the birth story of a friend who recently had a baby... Without and epidural, and only a shot of morphine in the butt (can I get one of those?). She's a champ! I knew that before she had this baby, but reading her story really testified to that once again.

She wrote a list of things to help with an unmedicated childbirth and one of the things she wrote about having during her labor which REALLY struck me as interesting was different music playlists. Recently, when my husband and I toured the hospital I'll be delivering at one of the nurses mentioned we can bring whatever kind of sound system we like. Once I got t he idea of subwoofers out of my head I remembered Kim and her ipod playlists. Hey... I have an ipod, and we have some ipod speakers, fun!!

So now I'm getting into the whole idea of creating playlists to help me through labor. Maybe some Yanni and other classical music for the beginning parts, maybe a churchy music playlist, and then an upbeat playlist for pushing.

I've also heard focal points are a good thing to have during labor, and if I'm not focusing on a shiny push present, I have another option.

My friend Emily has an uncle who's a composer, pianist and videographer (I know, a triple threat, watch out!) his name is Curtis Johnsen and he created a really cool video called Ambiessence, with about 45 minutes of beautiful photographs, video and music. She sent me one to check out and I've really been enjoying it. It's a nice montage, and I think could be fun to watch while I'm in labor, probably early labor while I'm at home, and we'll see how it goes when it's time to treck to the hospital.
It's already been fun to watch while I'm just relaxing around the house (between my nesting spurts). You can watch some of the video here.
So... I have this video, I have an ipod, and I'm working on some playlists. Any song suggestions?

Here's what I have so far:

Relaxation playlist:
"Almost a Whisper"- Yanni
"Enchanted"- Yanni
"In the Morning Light"-Yanni
"Nostalgia"- Yanni
"Butterfly Dance"-Yanni
"Love"- Keyshia Cole
"Falling Slowly"- Kris Allen (love him)
"On Bended Knee"- Boyz II Men
"Realize"- Colbie Caillat
"Capri"- Colbie Caillat
"Jesus Take The Wheel"- Carrie Underwood

Church music playlist:
"I Stand All Amazed"
"His Hands"
"I Walk By Faith"
"A Child's Prayer"
"Psalm 23" by Michael Olson

Upbeat playlist:
"Top Back"- T.I.
"Party Like a Rock Star"- Shop Boyz
"Going Down"- Young Joc
"Billy Jean"- Michael Jackson
"The New Workout Plan"- Kanye West
"What Do You Want From Me?"- Adam Lambert
"Single Ladies"- Beyonce
"Over"- Drake
"If You Seek Amy"-Britney Spears
"Gimmie More"- Britney Spears
"3"- Britney Spears
"Circus"- Britney Spears (yes, I'm a fan, good for working out!)
"Halo"- Beyonce
"Over"-Drake (my labor theme song)

Meeting Baby Playlist
"Amazing"- Janelle
"Isn't She Lovely"- Stevie Wonder
"My Girl"- The Temptations
"Bubbly"- Colbie Caillat
"Capri"-Colbie Caillat
"Daughters"- John Mayer
"The Reason"- Hoobastank
"Ever Ever After"- Carrie Underwood
"I Hope You Dance" -Lee Ann Womack
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow"- Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

And what would a labor playlist be without the classic: "Push it": Salt-N-Pepa.

It'll be interesting to see what tune Baby Girl is born to... Rap, R&B, Classical, Churchy? Whatever it is I'm sure it will be a song we remember forever.

Looking for something to watch/listen to during labor? You can get the Ambiessence DVD for $20 by emailing erdickey@gmail.com, or first you can try your luck at winning one here!!

**HOW TO ENTER**
Just leave me a comment with a playlist song suggestion! That's all!

*FOR AN EXTRA ENTRY*
You double your chances if you're a follower of my blog! Good luck!

Giveaway ends April 24th at 11:59pm! Random.org will choose my winner!

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