Baby Tag!

Lately I have been watching a ridiculous amount of YouTube videos, and I have decided that I want to join in on the fun!!!

1. baby's height and weight at birth? at two months?
2. how many newborn diapers did you use? 1 month? brand?
3. how long in newborn clothes? 0-3 months?
4. what size diaper bag would you recommend? brand?
5. did you use your swing?
6. would you recommend buying a play mat?
7. would you recommend buying a bouncy seat?
8. would you recommend buying a bassinet and pack & play?
9. did your child use soothies? brand?
10. one must have item?
11. item you would not have bought?
12. advice for breastfeeding/bottle feeding?
13. what is your bedtime routine?
14. partner's hair and eye color? baby's?
15. any last advice?

:) Stay Connected

What to Expect: Month Two

Hard to believe, but here we are at month TWO!! It is absolutely amazing at this month's developments. This little girl amazes me with something new every day which I am sure will only continue as she continues to grow.

But here is her "What To Expect" abilities and such for month two:

By month two, your baby...

...should be able to:

smile in response to your smile [sometimes]

respond to a bell in some way, such as startling, quieting, crying [check]

...will probably be able to:

vocalize in ways other than crying (e.g. cooing) [check]

on stomach, lift head 45 degrees [check]

...may even be able to:

hold head steady when upright [pretty much]

on stomach, raise chest, supported by arms [check]

roll over (one way) [check]

grasp a rattle held to back or tips of fingers [not yet]

pay attention to an abject as small as a raisin [check]

reach for an object [not yet]

say "Ah-goo" or similar vowel-consonant combinations [check]

...may possibly be able to:

smile spontaneously [check]

bring both hands together [check]

on stomach, lift head 90 degrees [check]

laugh out loud [sometimes in her sleep]

squeal in delight [sometimes]

follow an object held about 6 inches above the baby's face and moved 180 degrees (from one side to the other), with baby watching all the way [check]

Pretty impressive right!?! My baby has super powers! ;) But her growth has also enhanced her attitude. Miss Cote now has decided the she absolutely positively will not take a bottle or pacifier, so that is the current challenge at hand. We have to get this bottle situation figured out before day care begins. Fingers Crossed!!

Her personal task this month has been trying to find her thumb! She sucks on her knuckles and her arm, but she has only managed to find the thumb once since we left the hospital. Maybe she will figure it out... ;)

:) Stay Connected

Two Month Well Visit

Yesterday was Cote's two month well visit appointment. I was not looking forward to it because I knew what was in store, but we had to go anyways. :(

Cote weighed in at 12 lbs 1 oz which put her in the 73%. She is 22 1/4 inches tall which puts her in the 45%, and her head measured at 15 1/4 inches putting her in the 73% as well.

After all of her measurements were taken, Cote and I had to wait almost an hour to see the Doctor.

When the Doctor finally came in, it was not even her doctor. Apparently she was out, so another doc had to fill in. He said that my baby girl is perfect!! There is nothing at all wrong with her, and he thinks her hips are looking great!! Everything about her is amazingly superb!! :)

Cote is in perfect health, but she still had to get her vaccines. One was orally, and the other three were in her legs. Luckily the nurse was very efficient and quick, but it still hurt. :( And because the nurse did not know if Cote was a boy or girl before she came in, Little Miss got band aids with super heroes...

My baby was so upset after her shots, but nursing seemed to be the perfect cure. :) She ate and passed out. She slept the whole way home and seemed to be okay for awhile when we got home. We played a little and she slept a lot. But when I tried to put her down all hell broke loose. She cried and screamed for at least an hour. Grandpa went to get her "Little Fevers" which helped eventually. Then she just cried whenever I moved. Slowly but surely I was able to get her into bed.

It broke my heart to see her so upset. I wish I could have taken her pain away. The medicine helps her, but twice in twenty-four hours she has thrown up after I gave her the medicine.

She seems to be feeling better today. I am making sure she is getting a lot of TLC and rest.

Hopefully all will be better by the time for the family reunion.

:) Stay Connected

Trip to the Dallas Aquarium

On Saturday we decided to go to the Dallas Aquarium with Cote. It sounded like such a great idea to get out of the house. But when we got there we were instantly proven wrong. There was a line that wrapped around the aquarium, and it was hot as hell outside.

We waited in line for about an hour. Cote was such a trooper. She was just chilling in her car seat/stroller. I tried to fan her to keep her cool, but the weather did not seem to be phasing her.

When we finally got inside I took her out of her stroller to try to get some pictures with her.

Because it was so warm and crowded inside, I decided to put her back in her stroller. We were moving so slowly, and I did not want her to get too hot with me. When we got to the restaurant we decided to all take a break. Maybe this was the crowd would clear a little, and I could feed Cote.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly until she began to choke. Poor baby spit up everything she had eaten and was very upset. She cried and cried and cried. The crying turned to screaming, and nothing seemed to be soothing her. I tried changed her, tried nursing again, and nothing. Finally I just tucked into a corner and bounced her steadily until she passed out. My little girl was exhausted!!

She pretty much slept through the rest of the aquarium tour, not that I blame her. Her tour was restful! ;)

When we finally got home, she played with mommy for a little bit, and then she passed smooth out! And pretty much slept the rest of the night (with the exception of feedings).

:) Stay Connected



The End of the Search

Step 4 Continued:

On Monday I visited the daycare that I had previously mentioned. And I was quite impressed! They offer a great plan that is personalized to each child. The teach signing and eventually Spanish. She would be able to attend the center till she turned 12. It is a great facility with friendly instructors. The only thing it lacks is the in-class cameras.

Step 5: Decide

So I narrowed my choices down to Xplor and The Children's Courtyard. Though I would prefer to send her to the Courtyard, I am going to have to choose Xplor because of its convenient location.

Now all that is left is to file the paperwork to reserve her spot!!

:) Stay Connected

The Search Continues

Step 4: Ask & Eliminate

Over the last couple of days I have been visiting day cared, and may I just say that this step can be quite exhausting. On Thursday before Cote's appointment we went to visit Childtime Learning Center. Because this was the first day care that I had ever visited I was not sure what to expect, but I knew when I walked in that I was not impressed. The facility and program were not bad, but the Assistant Director was the driving force behind my decision to to RUN out of the center.

This lady was in NO way making me comfortable about leaving my child with her. After she explained each rule she basically told me that they do not enfore it. For example, I asked her about the security of the facility. She told me that each person has their own code to get in and out to pick up or drop off a child. She said that coded are not to be shared but then proceeded to tell me that if someone has a code they can pick up your kid. Ummm... so any random Joe with the right series of numbers can take me baby?? Oh Hells No!! NEXT!!!

The Children's Courtyard was next on my list. I surprised them on Friday after a miscommunciation in scheduling, but they were not even phased. This facility was emaculate! It is the training facility for all other Children's Courtyards in the area. It even allows TWU and UNT to do observation courses in their facility. The teachers are "master" teachers ie. older women who live to care for babies. There was not one bad side to this place!! It was only $178 a week, and they even offer the online nanny cams for the parents!! Oh, and the teach sign language! I was beyond impressed with this place! It quickly became number one on my short list...

After that I went to Children's Lighthouse. I had really high expectations for this place because their website was a good sell. Too bad that was the only good quality. I was appaled with this place. To start, as I walked in for my appointment, the Assistant Director (who was to give me my tour) was walking out to go to Starbucks... Really!?.. Then I went to the infant room. It was pretty disgusting and had glued carpet (which Ive been infromed can never be truly cleaned.) There were all young girls working there which wouldnt have been bad if they didnt have their cell phones in their pockets. One of the girls was actually texting while I was in there!! No Lie! And they kept infacizing that half of the room was walking, but when I looked on that half every single child was awake in a play pen or crib. WTH!? Now you may be wondering what the price for such quality may be... $230!! HA!!

So.. since that day care was an epic fail I decided to just drive around and see what I see...

Back in Carrolton, I found a center called Xplor. I did not go in because I was not feeling well, but I plan to go back and visit it this week. It is in a great location in accordance to Mom's house and Dad's soon-to-be house, and I have heard only good things about it!

After I visit Xplor I will have to make my decision. At the moment I think it is between The Children's Courtyard and Xplor. I need to make a choice this week so that I can reserve a spot for my girl!!

To Be Continued... (again)...

:) Stay Connected

Hip Update

After Cote's sonogram of her hips the doctor's office called on Monday to inform me that the screening yielded results that needed to be observed further, so I was set up to make an appointment at Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. The nurse did not give me much information except that the hospital would be calling to set an appointment.

About 20 minutes later the hospital called and set the appointment for Thursday at 2:00 PM. This nurse also did not give me any information about what was going on with Cote's hips. All she did was make the arrangements and inform me that I would be receiving a packet in the mail.

...... I needed some information about what was going on with my baby girl!! So, me being a concerned mother, I researched for three days to try to understand what could possibly be going on with Cote. The hospital website was my best source because it narrowed my options to basically hip displasia. This apparently means that the hip socket is not formed correctly, and it is most common in first-born, Caucasian daughter. Perfect. Cote fulfills that criteria.

The treatments for hip displasia range from braces to surgery and everything in between. Everything simply depends on the severity of the case.

At the appointment on Thursday, the doctor began by examining Cote's hips by simply moving them around gently. She told me that she was listening for any popping and feeling if the hips came out of socket. Because she was unable to feel or hear any problems the doctor ordered another sonogram.

This sonogram went much more smoothly. The nurse performing it had a totally different approach which was much more effective. She allowed Cote to lay on her back instead of her side, and she only restrained her as necessary allowing Cote to rest between images. The room was also very dimply lit with a TV attached to the bed playing Clifford the Big Red Dog.

When the sonogram was over we went back to see the doctor. This time there was a male doctor who joined us. He examined Cote as well. Apparently the new sonogram showed a vast improvement in both of Cote's hip sockets, but her left hip still needs to be watched. The ball of her hip is not sitting well in the socket. The doctor said it could be something that will fix itself, but if not, now is the time to catch the problem.

Her next appointment is after the family reunion. At that time the doctor will decide if a brace is necessary. If so, we will defiantly be continuing treatment. The alternative down the road is a body cast which would be no fun for anyone involved.

My Cote-Bear was such a trooper through her entire appointment. The doctor's were very impressed! It was pretty amazing. At one point the nurse tried to give her a pacifier with sugar water on it (since she wont usually take it) in an effort to centralize Cote's energy. (She was being quiet but very fidgety.) The nurse quickly found out how smart my baby is! Cote would not open her mouth to take the pacifier, but she licked off all of that sugar water! It was quite entertaining!!

Now I ask that you please pray the Little Missy's hips shape up in the next couple weeks so she doesn't have to endure the hastle of wearing a brace... Please and Thank You!!

:) Stay Connected

My Search for a Day Care (Part One)

I return to school on August 27, and I will need to find a place for Miss Cote to stay. I'm looking for day cares, so I have decided to share my search. :)

Step 1: Location, Location, Location!

Deciding on the city I want her to be in is proving to be quite a challenge. Do I place her in a day care near where we live? If I do that she will not have to ride very far, and if there is ever an emergency Mom and Dad will be near by. OR Do I place her in a day care near school? If I do that then she will have to endure a car ride every day, but she would also be near me and wouldn't have to stay as long.

Right now I am considering all places along my travel route. Denton... Corinth... Lewisville...

Step 2: The Age Dilemma

As I search day cares I am finding that not all of them take babies. Actually many of them do not. So, my next step has been to find the few centers in each city that offer infant care.

Denton:

Exclusively Babies

Corinth:

Children's Lighthouse

Alpha Academy at Oakmont

Lewisville:

The Children's Courtyard

Childtime Learning Center

Step 3: Schedule Visitations & Tours

I have been going through the process of scheduling meet and greets with three of the above five. I have eliminated the Denton center due to sketchiness and the Alpha Academy due to prices. Tomorrow I am visiting the Lewisville locations and the Corinth location on Friday.

Step 4: Ask & Eliminate

My next step will be to ask all the questions I can think of and compare the three. If the results are good and the price is right, the decision should be easy. (I hope!)

Suggested Daycare checklist:


Availability
Questions to ask:
o What ages are accepted?
o What time can I drop my child off?
o What is the latest time that I can pick up my child?
o What holidays are you closed?
o Do you have space available for my child?
o Can I choose from a full-time or part-time schedule?
o If my child attends daycare part-time, do I need a set schedule?
o Can I visit the facility without an appointment?
o Do you have a list of references that I can call?
What to look for:
o Does someone answer phone calls promptly?
o Is a director conveniently available to answer questions?

Staff training and facility licensing
Questions to ask:
o Are you licensed and accredited?
o How long has your facility been providing daycare?
o What is the caregiver to child ratio?
o Does your staff have training in early childhood development?
o Are teachers trained in first aid and CPR?
o What is your staff turnover?
o Are background checks completed on staff members?
What to look for:
o Is there a certification license posted?
o Are there any state violations posted?

Daily activities and schedules
Questions to ask:
o Are nap times provided? What time and where?
o What activities will be available for my child?
o Will my child go on field trips outside the facility?
o Is there an education curriculum?
o How much time do they watch television during the day?
o Do you offer transportation? If so, from what schools or locations?
What to look for:
o What activities are children doing?

Meals
Questions to ask:
o Are meals provided by the daycare?
o Are snacks provided by the daycare?
o Are they nutritious meals and snacks?
o Do they allow for special needs diets?
o Are parents given a monthly menu?
o Do you have adequate storage for breast milk?
What to look for:
o Are the kitchen and eating areas clean?
o Is breast milk labeled?
o Are food allergies noted for teachers?

Care
Questions to ask:
o How are they disciplined?
o How do you handle toilet training?
What to look for:
o Are the children given lots of love and encouragement?
o How does staff interact with children?

Environment
Questions to ask:
o Do you have an outdoor playground?
o Are there personal cribs for each infant?
o Are there separate rooms for each age group?
o Is the staff allowed to smoke on facility premises?
o Are animals allowed on premise? (at-home day cares only)
o Are there provisions for children with special needs?
What to look for:
o What toys and activities are available?
o Does the center look well-kept?

Illness
Questions to ask:
o What is your sick policy?
o What do you do if my child becomes sick at daycare?
o What is your policy for handling falls or incidents?
o Are immunizations required?
o Do you dispense medication only with a parent or doctor’s signature?

Safety
Questions to ask:
o Is there a safety plan in place in case of an emergency?
o Are there restrictions on who may pick up my child?
o Are these restrictions confirmed?
o Are parents called when a child does not show up at the appropriate time?
o Does the playground equipment meet safety standards?
o Are hazardous materials kept out of reach of children?
o Is there a first aid kit?
o Do they have smoke detectors?
o Are fire exits marked and caregivers knowledgeable in a fire safety plan?
What to look for:
o Are safety gates working?
o Does the playground equipment look safe?
o Where are smoke detectors?
o Where are hazardous materials?
o Are fire exits marked?
o Are heating vents and radiators covered or inaccessible to children?

Sanitation
Questions to ask:
o How often are toys washed? What do you use to clean them?
o Do caregivers use gloves when handling food and when changing diapers?
o Are children taught to wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet?
What to look for:
o Does the facility look clean and composed during an unexpected visit?
o Are toys and furniture in good condition and up-to-date?
o Are caregivers using gloves?
o Is soap and paper towels provided in each restroom?

Registration and fees
Questions to ask:
o How do I register my child?
o I am pregnant. How do I reserve a space for my infant?
o What are your daycare fees for full-time? Part-time?
o Do you accept any kind of financial aid?
o Is there a reduction in fees if my child takes vacation?
o Is there a sibling discount?
o What is the fee for picking up my child late?

Step 5: Decide!

I will be back on Friday for steps four and five!!

:) Stay Connected

Product Review: Desitin Rapid Relief Diaper Rash Cream

Recently I noticed that Cote had a slight diaper rash with what looked like a blister. It was a deep red spot between her cheeks, and it had me concerned. I was using the both of the Aveeno Diaper Rash Creams to try to get rid of it.

The Soothing Relief Cream was very thick and stayed on well. I had been using it as a preventative, and it was working very well. However when I stopped using it as religiously Cote did end up with the blister looking thing. When I began to apply it again I saw no change in the rash.

The Organic Harvest was very runny and chunky. The chunks were from the oatmeal that is in the cream, but to be honest the chunks bothered me. Also due to the consistancy, I felt like the cream had rubbed off before I even got the diaper back on, so I do not know if this cream had any effect during either stage of application. (I do not recomend this cream.)

Though the rash did not seem to be bothering Cote, I wanted to do away with the rash before it did. I went to Babies R' Us and purchased the Desitin Rapid Relief Diaper Rash Cream for just over $3.00. It has a thick and creamy consistancy and stays on well without being difficult to wipe off. I applied it to the afflicted area after each daiaper change, and within 36 hours the rash was completely healed! I am so beyond impressed with this product!!!! I highly recomend it!! A Strong Two Thumbs Up!!

Fun Time :)

Here are some short clips of Cote fun... Enjoy!!










:) Stay Connected

Vine Street Photography

Last Friday Cote and I had a photo shoot with Tom at Vine Street Photography!! We got the pics back this weekend, and I am in love! I am so happy to have pictures with my baby girl!

CLICK HERE TO SEE!!

(notice that the password is case sensitive and my last name)

I am trying to pick the 10-15 photos that I want professionally finished. It is a tough choice!!

Also, Tom has offered a wonderful deal for my family and friends. If anyone would like there own copies of a particular picture, there is a 40% discount! The price sheet is posted in the first image. Simply email him with your requests! His contact information is provided on the website.

If anyone has any favorites to help me decide which ones to get, comment below please!!

:) Stay Connected

Sonogram for Hip Displasia

Apparently when a baby is born breech they need to have their hips sonogramed to check for hip displasia. [click here for more info.] Today was Cote's appointment for exactly that. We had to go to Children's at 4 PM to get it done.

We got to the hospital at around 3:30 to get checked in and fill out the paper work. After about 10 minutes we were back in the room getting her sonogram done. And it took what seemed like forever. The guy was having a difficult time on the first side getting the pictures taken. Between holding her legs and doing the sonogram, it was hard to press the button for the pictures. It was a three armed job being done by a two armed man.

Before he could finish the first leg, Cote was hysterical. They nurse kept asking me to give her a pacifier even after I told him that she will not take one. Then he asked me to give her a bottle. He seemed disappointed when I told her I nurse. Its like I was disappointing him for my decisions. I was rather upset with the situation, but oh well!

By the time he finally finished the other leg, Miss Cote Marie was not a happy camper. But hopefully we will get the results back soon, and everything will be okay.

The one good thing I can say about the experience was how efficient everything was. Besides the seemingly forever process of the sonogram itself, I was back in my car by 4:05.

I will update everyone with the results when I get them...

:) Stay Connected

Urban Photography

When Cote was 10 days old, Mom and I took her to have her pictures taken by a waonderful photographer named Leslie Katz. Her studio is called Urban Photography, and she takes superb pictures of newborns. I was lucky enough to have a mom who planned ahead and arranged this amazing opportunity! (THANKS MOMMY!) I am so grateful fopr the outcome! Cote looks beautiful as ever, and now we have something we can cherish forever!

The photos are linked in a tab above, and to see the photographer's page click here!

Here is another temporary link to the photos. <3

Hope you enjoy!

:) Stay Connected