Traveling Across Country with Baby

Though this is belated, I figure I should give you a head's up about the traveling on a plane with a baby thing...except I can't. Honestly, I don't think I can give you any help or tips.

I'm not bragging or trying to be a horrible human being when I say Kiddo is perfect. I mean, really. He made everyone around him happy. Other than the expected meltdown when he was completely zonked or teething - he was a total trooper.

He laughed when the plane took off. He laughed when landing. The flight attendant said she'd never seen a better baby in flight. He was smiling and happy the entire time. He smiled when he met his great aunts and uncles. He smiled when he met his cousins. He smiled when he met complete strangers. In fact, he flirted shamelessly with older women EVERYWHERE WE WENT (He even had separation anxiety when his new girlfriends of five seconds left him forever - complete with pathetic whimpering.).

He did teethe.

There were several nights he barely slept because his teeth were coming through...and VIOLA! He now has a total of 6 teeth (4 came in up top ALL AT ONCE...ick.). That part was rough.

The meltdowns in the carseat when he was exhausted and just wanted to snuggle with his mommy were rough. Those happened...at least once a day which considering how much driving we did daily, was a minor miracle.

He even did well with the complete strange babysitter during my cousin's wedding and reception. Kiddo was a perfect baby.

And that wasn't lost on people. I mean, he got noticed. His sweetness was noticed. And I had to tell everyone over and over: All babies are not like this. They aren't all this sweet and charming and perfect. Don't be fooled into thinking you'll have one like this - you might, but don't count on it.

Christian's family has a history of inspiring other people into having children because his family has such sweet babies, and then, well, these people get screwed. I guess there was a rash of babies wherever his parents lived after each of their four children was born. Ha.

So yes, Kiddo was a doll and lovely with everyone however I wouldn't want to travel with a baby again. Why? Because it's still rough on even the most cooperative of babies. Their routines are all jacked up. They get constipated. They get exposed to a thousand bagillion germs on the plane. They have to suffer being confined in a car seat way more than they'd ever care to. They have no idea when they're supposed to sleep. They have no idea when they're supposed to eat. Everything is all goofy and the result is crankiness on the part of either the parent, the baby, or everyone involved.

So yeah. Kiddo is perfect...or it was a minor miracle we came out unscathed.

How to Workout With a Baby

Must lift weights! (wikipedia)

The baby is sleeping like a rock so I thought I'd take advantage of the time and pump out a few different posts that have been floating around my head. The first of course, is the one that you've been waiting for.

It's been a week and a half since I began working out in earnest. I'm using the Body Revolution program by Jillian Michaels.

I know. Whatever you have running through your head right now about Ms. Michaels, just...stop it. I know people have mixed feelings about her, and frankly I wasn't sure what to think. The reason I even chose the program in the first place was because of the time required and her reputation. The reason I came across it at all was because of the time of each workout.

30 minutes.

That's it.

Okay - trying to balance an overactive baby and my writing career while working out? 20-30 minutes is really all I have to spare. So, yes! I'll commit to that!

And to be fair, I like Jillian. She feels real to me and she gives explicit pointers on form, which is really helpful and atypical of workout DVDs in my experience.

Kiddo is going through separation anxiety these days (and now crawling), which means I had to figure out how to workout and get a shower when no one was around to help me. It's not always an ideal situation, but here's how it works:

1. Kiddo goes in pack n' play and is immediately distracted by toys.
2. I change into workout clothes.
3. I begin workout.
4. During workout I periodically interact with Kiddo (p.s. he's graduated to a capital letter...sue me).
5. I make sure he's occupied, then I race to the bathroom and get the coldest speed shower ever (approximately 4 minutes long - including washing my crazy thick hair using all-in-one shampoo-conditioner). By the end of my shower, Kiddo is usually fussing in the pack n' play, but not always. Typically it is diaper changing time however... 
6. So I spray myself with sunblock and speed dress while talking to Kiddo the entire time. 
7. Then I change his diaper and nurse.

Less than 10 steps seems alright...the whole process takes less than an hour. And it is a process.

As to how it's changing my body? Well that's another post. :-)

Upcycling for DIY Baby Leg Warmers

Now that kiddo is threatening to crawl we have come across a potential problem - rug burned knees.

The first option is for kiddo to wear pants ALL the time. This is impractical. He gets hot and at home we cloth diaper, which makes pants more than a little difficult.

There are knee guards you can buy but they're ugly and sort of pointless. I mean, thighs still get cold and these things are like little sweatbands for baby's knees.

There is another option - BabyLegs or rather, leg warmers. Now I did have these on my registry, but didn't get them. I could have purchased them, but I didn't really want to spend money on them because they seem a little overpriced for what they are so...

I made some out of unused socks.

Stay with me here...

First I selected some of Christian's and my socks that hadn't been used, didn't work, or didn't fit and would be long enough. Second I cut above the heel of the sock. This would become the leg of the baby leg. Third I cut the heel off and the toe. This piece I folded in on itself to become a cuff at kiddo's ankle.

If I had my sewing machine available, this next bit would have been a lot quicker...but I didn't. So I hand stitched the cuffs to the unfinished end of my baby leg warmers.

And...voila! 7 more times and I had 4 sets of baby legs using materials around my house (I should say I have another pair of partial leg warmers because I want to change out the cuff material.). I slipped kiddo into them immediately and I was more than a little excited; it's the first time he wore anything I made for him.

And how does kiddo like his new clothes? Let's just say the ventilation and knee protection combined with sweet style is perfect!