I've been participating in this linkup for several weeks now over at my deployment blog, but this week I could not just choose one song - so I had to start using the baby blog, too! Ha ha is that cheating? I mean, sometimes I just HAVE to post two songs, and I do have two blogs. Some of you follow both blogs, and some of you just follow this one; if you are in the second category, maybe you haven't heard of this weekly song linkup? Well now that you have, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Head over to Amber's blog at Goodnight Moon and link up! Even if you don't want to share a song this week, you can check out the other awesome bloggers who posted. Maybe you will even find a new favorite song.
My song this week used to be on Playlist.com - in fact it was the first song that came up when visitors arrived at my deployment blog, thanks to a playlist.com tool that I had on there. Somehow it has been removed from playlist, so I went to youtube and found this AMAZING slideshow video for the song. TISSUE ALERT, especially if you are a milspouse.
The song is "Wait For Me" by Theory of a Deadman, and I listened to it so much during this last deployment, that I think it is Baby Bobblehead's favorite song. We seriously played it during the delivery.
What song are YOU feeling this week?
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
PEEK A BOO
This baby LOVES peek-a-boo!
he also loves peas & carrots. together.
he also loves peas & carrots. together.
but not sweet potatoes!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
baby blues, PPD, and all that jazz
I don't know what the current statistics are regarding mood disorders like Postpartum Depression and the 'Baby Blues' but I know that these problems are largely under-reported and untreated. The saddest part about that fact is that treatment is pretty much ALWAYS successful!
I'm being treated for PPD right now, six months after giving birth to baby #4. It was hard for me to recognize that I needed help (or that help was out there!) because this time around it is completely different from the PPD that I had after baby #3, eleven years ago.
I'm happy to report that my treatment is going well, and my little baby Bobblehead probably won't even remember the days of 'psycho mom' that I feared would scar him for life. :)
I'm also getting more involved in advocacy, hoping to give other women the courage and voice to stand up and ASK for help with mental issues - whether hormonally induced or otherwise.
I found an awesome group called the The Inland Empire Perinatal Mental Health Collaborative, which is putting together a STROLL-A-THON to raise money and raise awareness. Funds raised will help provide services to women who are at-risk or are struggling with perinatal mood disorders.
I'm TOTALLY going to this! If you are in the Southern CA area and can come, PLEASE join us! It only costs $25 to enter, or $35 per couple. The event will take place in Riverside, CA on May 14. More information is available by clicking here. The slogan on the flyer I received says, "Speak Up When You Are Down"! what an awesome way to remind us NOT to hide our feelings (especially TEARS) as we usually would with something like this.
If you will NOT be in the so-cal area on May 14, you can also donate money to the cause (also by clicking the link above)
Also, if you want more info about my own PPD, I did write about it over on my deployment blog ....finally.
I'm being treated for PPD right now, six months after giving birth to baby #4. It was hard for me to recognize that I needed help (or that help was out there!) because this time around it is completely different from the PPD that I had after baby #3, eleven years ago.
I'm happy to report that my treatment is going well, and my little baby Bobblehead probably won't even remember the days of 'psycho mom' that I feared would scar him for life. :)
I'm also getting more involved in advocacy, hoping to give other women the courage and voice to stand up and ASK for help with mental issues - whether hormonally induced or otherwise.
I found an awesome group called the The Inland Empire Perinatal Mental Health Collaborative, which is putting together a STROLL-A-THON to raise money and raise awareness. Funds raised will help provide services to women who are at-risk or are struggling with perinatal mood disorders.
I'm TOTALLY going to this! If you are in the Southern CA area and can come, PLEASE join us! It only costs $25 to enter, or $35 per couple. The event will take place in Riverside, CA on May 14. More information is available by clicking here. The slogan on the flyer I received says, "Speak Up When You Are Down"! what an awesome way to remind us NOT to hide our feelings (especially TEARS) as we usually would with something like this.
If you will NOT be in the so-cal area on May 14, you can also donate money to the cause (also by clicking the link above)
Also, if you want more info about my own PPD, I did write about it over on my deployment blog ....finally.
Monday, March 21, 2011
SIX MONTHS OLD!?!
I am once again flabbergasted at the passage of time. Seriously, where does it all GO?
Baby Bobblehead is now six months old. YIKES.
He sits up for longer periods of time on his own, though I am always nearby to catch him if he dives sideways. He's not crawling yet, but does a pretty impressive push-up, and when he lunges forward from a sitting position, sometimes he manages to get one leg behind him like he will need to for crawling.
He still does not have teeth yet, but we started him on rice cereal a couple days ago. He loves it if I mix it with breastmilk, but the faces he makes if I mix it with water - OH MY. You'd think I just fed him live worms!
He still loves playing with his baby cousin - yesterday they spent more than ten minutes trying to figure out how to un-tie my sister's shoelace. TOOOO CUTE!
In addition to Bobblehead turning 6 months old, this blog turned ONE YEAR old yesterday! Happy Blogiversary to me! :)
Baby Bobblehead is now six months old. YIKES.
He sits up for longer periods of time on his own, though I am always nearby to catch him if he dives sideways. He's not crawling yet, but does a pretty impressive push-up, and when he lunges forward from a sitting position, sometimes he manages to get one leg behind him like he will need to for crawling.
He still does not have teeth yet, but we started him on rice cereal a couple days ago. He loves it if I mix it with breastmilk, but the faces he makes if I mix it with water - OH MY. You'd think I just fed him live worms!
He still loves playing with his baby cousin - yesterday they spent more than ten minutes trying to figure out how to un-tie my sister's shoelace. TOOOO CUTE!
In addition to Bobblehead turning 6 months old, this blog turned ONE YEAR old yesterday! Happy Blogiversary to me! :)
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
And the winners are....
Last week I started a giveaway for Milspouses that did not get NEARLY the number of entries I anticipated, and I am still not sure why (?) My stats show a whopping 78 pageviews for the contest post, though only 5 total entries were logged. Again, not sure why?
I toyed with the idea of extending the deadline to give more milspouses a chance to enter, but I don't feel that would be fair to the girls who DID take time to comment and enter.
I think instead I will hold a separate giveaway using my twitter, to give out the remaining prizes.
The ARMY bumper magnet only had one entry, so BIRDIE, you win by default! Email me with your mailing address so I can send you your cool new Army bumper magnet.
The MARINE bumper magnet had a total of four entries, so I used a cute way to choose a winner. I wrote the names of the entrants on post-it notes, which I placed on the floor just out of reach of my adorable little Bobblehead. He is not officially mobile, but he rolls and scoots around. It took a few minutes, but he finally reached one of the post-its...and the winner is ALLIE! Send me your mailing address ASAP.
Now, I still have the Navy, Coast Guard, and Air Force bumper magnets to give away - that will be happening SOON via Twitter, so if you are interested, make sure you follow me @deploymentagain
I toyed with the idea of extending the deadline to give more milspouses a chance to enter, but I don't feel that would be fair to the girls who DID take time to comment and enter.
I think instead I will hold a separate giveaway using my twitter, to give out the remaining prizes.
The ARMY bumper magnet only had one entry, so BIRDIE, you win by default! Email me with your mailing address so I can send you your cool new Army bumper magnet.
The MARINE bumper magnet had a total of four entries, so I used a cute way to choose a winner. I wrote the names of the entrants on post-it notes, which I placed on the floor just out of reach of my adorable little Bobblehead. He is not officially mobile, but he rolls and scoots around. It took a few minutes, but he finally reached one of the post-its...and the winner is ALLIE! Send me your mailing address ASAP.
Now, I still have the Navy, Coast Guard, and Air Force bumper magnets to give away - that will be happening SOON via Twitter, so if you are interested, make sure you follow me @deploymentagain
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
GIVEAWAY!
Since this is my baby blog, I don't have as many MILSPOUSE followers here as my Deployment Blog - but I still want to show a little Milspouse LOVE, so I am hosting a fabulous giveaway! Don't worry, mil-girlfriends and mil-fiancees are also welcome. Heck, even if you just KNOW a milspouse who would love this prize, you can enter and win it for her!
You probably already know that Build A Sign gives free custom homecoming banners to families of returning servicemembers. If you are currently going through deployment, check that option out HERE (we loved our banner when my hubby came home a couple months ago).
But did you know they also make tons of other cool custom stuff? I got to design some fun BUMPER MAGNETS specifically for this giveaway, and I decided to do one for each branch:
You may notice that the Coast Guard and Army ones look similar - that's because I used one of Build-A-Sign's many templates of ready-made designs, and simply customized the text.
It's pretty easy, even for someone like me (cool ideas in my head, but no way to really express them because I seem to be design-challenged). If you happen to be great at designing stuff like this, you can always start from scratch on the site, too. I could not believe how much fun I had designing these!
If you would like to win one of these AWESOME bumper magnets, here are the rules for this giveaway:
Before you enter, you MUST be a follower on this blog. If you are not already following me, click the link over on the right! You are more than welcome to grab my cute button for your own blog too, but that's not required.
One entry for commenting on this blog - tell me which bumper magnet you'd like to win!
Additional entries if you BLOG about the giveaway (come back here and comment again after you do, and link to your blog post in your comment) and if you TWEET about the giveaway - make sure your tweet links your twitter followers back to this post, and make sure you come back and comment AGAIN to let me know you tweeted. If you include your twitter handle, I will follow you on twitter.
So that's three possible entries per person - and I will draw a random winner from each branch next WEDNESDAY, March 16th. Comments posted after 12:01 AM Pacific Time on March 16 will not be eligible.
(don't forget to specify which branch you are with/supporting in EACH comment post, to make sure your entries all go toward the right prize)
What are you waiting for? Get commenting!
You probably already know that Build A Sign gives free custom homecoming banners to families of returning servicemembers. If you are currently going through deployment, check that option out HERE (we loved our banner when my hubby came home a couple months ago).
But did you know they also make tons of other cool custom stuff? I got to design some fun BUMPER MAGNETS specifically for this giveaway, and I decided to do one for each branch:
You may notice that the Coast Guard and Army ones look similar - that's because I used one of Build-A-Sign's many templates of ready-made designs, and simply customized the text.
It's pretty easy, even for someone like me (cool ideas in my head, but no way to really express them because I seem to be design-challenged). If you happen to be great at designing stuff like this, you can always start from scratch on the site, too. I could not believe how much fun I had designing these!
If you would like to win one of these AWESOME bumper magnets, here are the rules for this giveaway:
Before you enter, you MUST be a follower on this blog. If you are not already following me, click the link over on the right! You are more than welcome to grab my cute button for your own blog too, but that's not required.
One entry for commenting on this blog - tell me which bumper magnet you'd like to win!
Additional entries if you BLOG about the giveaway (come back here and comment again after you do, and link to your blog post in your comment) and if you TWEET about the giveaway - make sure your tweet links your twitter followers back to this post, and make sure you come back and comment AGAIN to let me know you tweeted. If you include your twitter handle, I will follow you on twitter.
So that's three possible entries per person - and I will draw a random winner from each branch next WEDNESDAY, March 16th. Comments posted after 12:01 AM Pacific Time on March 16 will not be eligible.
(don't forget to specify which branch you are with/supporting in EACH comment post, to make sure your entries all go toward the right prize)
What are you waiting for? Get commenting!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
CUTEST BABY PICTURES EVER
My good friend Regina is helping me coach Knucklehead's basketball team this season. She is also an amazing photographer, so the other day she brought her camera to our 'Coach's Meeting' (which I just so happened to schedule at my HAPPY PLACE, aka Wilson Creek Winery.)
These gorgeous pictures of my little Bobblehead are the result:
These gorgeous pictures of my little Bobblehead are the result:
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
MILSPOUSES: Giveaway coming SOON!
I want to start this giveaway TODAY, but I don't have pictures of all the awesome bumper magnets I made - so I am waiting until I receive them, in about a week.
But I wanted to give you all a heads-up so you don't miss this one!
I made five custom bumper magnets at the build-a-sign website, one each for Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and of course Marine Corps. The USMC one is pictured on the right, and it's actually a button you can click to go design your own bumper magnet.
When you enter the giveaway, you will be asked to specify which branch you are affiliated with or supporting, so you have a chance to win the magnet of your choice.
Be sure to tell your friends, follow me, and check back next week for the actual giveaway!
But I wanted to give you all a heads-up so you don't miss this one!
I made five custom bumper magnets at the build-a-sign website, one each for Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and of course Marine Corps. The USMC one is pictured on the right, and it's actually a button you can click to go design your own bumper magnet.
When you enter the giveaway, you will be asked to specify which branch you are affiliated with or supporting, so you have a chance to win the magnet of your choice.
Be sure to tell your friends, follow me, and check back next week for the actual giveaway!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
5 months (+)
I've been a bad blogger again, and actually missed posting a 5 month update!
Bobblehead is now 5 1/2 months old, and still happy and healthy as ever.
The process of moving him into his own room has not been as smooth as I would have hoped, but we're having more good nights than bad ones. I need to teach myself to leave him alone if he wakes up talking/fussing, and only go in there if he is actually CRYING. This is hard for me, but I will get there. Last night I listened to him 'talk' via the monitor for more than half an hour....I kept waiting for him to actually cry, but he never did. He just fell asleep, and stayed asleep for almost 5 hours at that point. YAY! Progress.
This is what I woke up to this morning:
And as soon as he heard the camera, he woke up SUPER happy!
Bathtime has been fun for awhile, and we use it as part of our bedtime routine. He found his little firehose last week, and now grabs for it every time I take off his diaper - so moments like this one are rare now:
After bath, we dress for bed - but not before Daddy rubs him down with lotion! They both love the 'baby massage' part of the bedtime routine. It may be hard to keep our routine going when Daddy goes back to work, but we'll see. For now, it is just so amazing to see them bond and grow and play together.
Knucklehead is proving to be an AWESOME big brother - I snapped this picture of them playing/reading at a restaurant last week:
We're not quite ready to start solid foods, but Bobblehead is EXTREMELY interested in food. He watches us eat, grabs for food, and mimics us. Most nights he sits in his highchair with a couple of favorite toys while we eat dinner, and he LOVES the show! I don't follow the belief that all babies are ready for solids at a set age - just like not all babies crawl at the same time, or walk, or talk, etc. Our pediatrician said we could start solids at 5 months old, but I prefer to individualize it. There are actually FOUR signs that a baby is ready for solids: 1) Loss of the tongue-thrust reflex; 2) interest in solid food; 3) appearance of baby's first teeth; and 4) ability to sit up unassisted. Now, with his over-the-top interest in food, I am willing to ignore #3. And obviously he has already passed 1 & 2. But #4 is important, especially because the ability to sit up while eating leads to healthier (and safer) eating throughout life.
Bobblehead currently sits up for about 15-20 seconds at a time before diving/falling to one side or the other. If he happens to dive FORWARD, he catches himself with his hands (pre-crawling) so I am pretty sure the sitting-up thing will be a done deal within the next week or so. Baby food, here we come!
He absolutely LOVES watching his big brother play basketball! I haven't gotten any pictures of him watching practice/games yet, because I am COACHING the team this season (YIKES!) but the other night I got to take this picture of him all dressed for practice:
Last month we got to visit with Melissa, the incredible Doula who helped me so much with Bobblehead's birth:
She bought him a really cute stuffed bear, its like a sock monkey (kind of) and Bobblehead LOVES it. Hoping I can get video of him laughing at it to post here, it's so cute!
I'm working on being a better blogger here, and to that end I am hosting a GIVEAWAY here next week! It's specifically for milspouses, but if you see the items and are not a milspouse, but would like to win one as a gift for a milspouse you know, you can still enter. Can't wait to show you all what I am giving away!
STAY TUNED.....
Bobblehead is now 5 1/2 months old, and still happy and healthy as ever.
The process of moving him into his own room has not been as smooth as I would have hoped, but we're having more good nights than bad ones. I need to teach myself to leave him alone if he wakes up talking/fussing, and only go in there if he is actually CRYING. This is hard for me, but I will get there. Last night I listened to him 'talk' via the monitor for more than half an hour....I kept waiting for him to actually cry, but he never did. He just fell asleep, and stayed asleep for almost 5 hours at that point. YAY! Progress.
This is what I woke up to this morning:
And as soon as he heard the camera, he woke up SUPER happy!
Bathtime has been fun for awhile, and we use it as part of our bedtime routine. He found his little firehose last week, and now grabs for it every time I take off his diaper - so moments like this one are rare now:
After bath, we dress for bed - but not before Daddy rubs him down with lotion! They both love the 'baby massage' part of the bedtime routine. It may be hard to keep our routine going when Daddy goes back to work, but we'll see. For now, it is just so amazing to see them bond and grow and play together.
Knucklehead is proving to be an AWESOME big brother - I snapped this picture of them playing/reading at a restaurant last week:
We're not quite ready to start solid foods, but Bobblehead is EXTREMELY interested in food. He watches us eat, grabs for food, and mimics us. Most nights he sits in his highchair with a couple of favorite toys while we eat dinner, and he LOVES the show! I don't follow the belief that all babies are ready for solids at a set age - just like not all babies crawl at the same time, or walk, or talk, etc. Our pediatrician said we could start solids at 5 months old, but I prefer to individualize it. There are actually FOUR signs that a baby is ready for solids: 1) Loss of the tongue-thrust reflex; 2) interest in solid food; 3) appearance of baby's first teeth; and 4) ability to sit up unassisted. Now, with his over-the-top interest in food, I am willing to ignore #3. And obviously he has already passed 1 & 2. But #4 is important, especially because the ability to sit up while eating leads to healthier (and safer) eating throughout life.
Bobblehead currently sits up for about 15-20 seconds at a time before diving/falling to one side or the other. If he happens to dive FORWARD, he catches himself with his hands (pre-crawling) so I am pretty sure the sitting-up thing will be a done deal within the next week or so. Baby food, here we come!
He absolutely LOVES watching his big brother play basketball! I haven't gotten any pictures of him watching practice/games yet, because I am COACHING the team this season (YIKES!) but the other night I got to take this picture of him all dressed for practice:
Last month we got to visit with Melissa, the incredible Doula who helped me so much with Bobblehead's birth:
I'm working on being a better blogger here, and to that end I am hosting a GIVEAWAY here next week! It's specifically for milspouses, but if you see the items and are not a milspouse, but would like to win one as a gift for a milspouse you know, you can still enter. Can't wait to show you all what I am giving away!
STAY TUNED.....
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