MJ
One day I turned on a Michael Jackson tune, and Reene seemed to dramatically stop her fussing to listen intently. We've been playing his songs for her ever since. She especially loves when her DaDa makes her dance to it.
Happiest Baby on the Block
Scott and I read The Happiest Baby on the Block together. When Reene Parker is crying, we always make sure we have covered the 5 s's!
1. Swaddling is the cornerstone of calming. It gives nurturing touch, stops flailing, and focuses your baby’s attention.
2. The side and stomach positions can calm your baby by switching her calming reflex on and her falling reflex off.
3. Shhh triggers your baby’s calming reflex. The wooshing that your baby heard in your uterus was as loud as a vacuum. You must shhh loudly for it to soothe your crying baby.
We use a hair dryer at home. I was still looking for a battery operated travel size one to keep in my purse when Scott found a hair dryer app on our phones that works wonders!
4. Swinging...moving in rhythm with your baby's needs.
5. Sucking calms babies by satisfying their hunger and by turning on their calming reflex.
I was also relieved to read about these next two common baby myths.
Going to your baby every time she cries will spoil her?
NO – Rather than getting spoiled, young babies who are attended to each time they cry become secure and confident in the love of those around them! Remember, in the uterus, babies are held, jiggled and shushed 24 hours a day, so from their point of view even being cuddled 16 hours a day is a huge cutback.Babies with loud painful sounding cries have gas?
NO – Why would gas pains go away with car rides or a vacuum cleaner? Only 2% of babies have serious stomach problems. Many babies sound like they’re in pain but like smoke alarms, they can only make one sound to attract your attention.
Baby Etiquette
I've long been wishing for Emily Post to come out with a book dedicated entirely to cell phone etiquette. Not so much for my personal reference but perhaps to leave anonymously at people's doorsteps. Having been a mom for 6 weeks now, I've got a new request. Baby etiquette. I'm not talking about showers and subsequent thank-you's. I'm talking about everyday, common courtesy concerning babies. And I could use parts of this book myself. The first part of the book would need to address baby etiquette when it's NOT YOUR BABY. In Jeopardy terms, Things You Shouldn't Comment On for $1,000. I have to laugh at the audacity of strangers. I just smile and nod when someone rather randomly suggests my baby must be cold because I do believe the advice is USUALLY well intentioned and because they have no Emily Post to turn to on the matter. The second part of the book would need to address baby etiquette for parents. Yes, you should step outside if your baby starts screaming in the middle of the Sunday morning sermon. Now here I go sounding like a stranger with unsolicited baby advice when I would much rather just refer you to Chapter 7 in Emily Post's new book! I'm a new mom, not completely confidant in my parenting skills, and desperately striving to be good at it. I need Emily Post as much as anyone.
All of this talk about etiquette came about in the past 2 weeks as Scott and I embraced being parents in public. We started with dinner at Pearl Street Pasta. Scott's law partner Katie and her husband Alton met us there on a Wednesday night. We ordered wine and enjoyed adult conversation...it was if we were still ourselves...only a baby happened to be there too. This gave us the confidence we needed. Three days later, we spent an entire Saturday afternoon at Fat Mamas with some family and Millsaps friends. The next Wednesday, Reene and I accompanied Scott and Katie to a three day Drug Court Conference in Biloxi at the Imperial Palace. This past Saturday, Reene and I attended Katherine's baby shower in the afternoon, and then Scott and I took Reene to Cathedral's Crawfish Countdown that night. My only babysitter (YaYa) was out of town, so it was either stay home or bring her with us. It seems as if she really prefers the noise of crowds and music to being at home. And then today, my first Mother's Day, we had a picnic on the bluff and spent the rest of the afternoon with family at Magnolia Vale. SO, in the midst of figuring out this baby etiquette stuff, I'm having a great time with my daughter!
All of this talk about etiquette came about in the past 2 weeks as Scott and I embraced being parents in public. We started with dinner at Pearl Street Pasta. Scott's law partner Katie and her husband Alton met us there on a Wednesday night. We ordered wine and enjoyed adult conversation...it was if we were still ourselves...only a baby happened to be there too. This gave us the confidence we needed. Three days later, we spent an entire Saturday afternoon at Fat Mamas with some family and Millsaps friends. The next Wednesday, Reene and I accompanied Scott and Katie to a three day Drug Court Conference in Biloxi at the Imperial Palace. This past Saturday, Reene and I attended Katherine's baby shower in the afternoon, and then Scott and I took Reene to Cathedral's Crawfish Countdown that night. My only babysitter (YaYa) was out of town, so it was either stay home or bring her with us. It seems as if she really prefers the noise of crowds and music to being at home. And then today, my first Mother's Day, we had a picnic on the bluff and spent the rest of the afternoon with family at Magnolia Vale. SO, in the midst of figuring out this baby etiquette stuff, I'm having a great time with my daughter!
Reene's first visit to Fat Mama's
Dressed for dinner in Biloxi
Getting excited about the baby shower
Crawfish Countdown
Exhausted after giving me a wonderful Mother's Day
"Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place." ~Zora Neale Hurston
"You know you're alive. You take huge steps, trying to feel the planet's roundness arc between your feet." ~Annie Dillard