Happy Sunday Squeezers! Hope you all had a fab-o weekend and enjoyed it to the max. I had a busy (yet exciting) week of projects and events and I'm officially pooped. On top of that, I'm nursing a pesky cold. Hell hath no fury like a sick pregnant woman. I'm limited to a trifecta of pregnancy-approved over the counter meds like Tylenol for body aches and pains, Sudafed PE for stuffy nose and congestion, and Delsym 12h for coughs. They're mildly helping but it still feels like I've been hit by a ton of bricks. The best remedy for feeling better is resting- straight up laying in bed resting- and I'm not very good at it. First off, I had so much to do this weekend, I just couldn't sit it out. None of the stuff was urgently mandatory, but it felt like it to me. Plus, Maya's social calendar is never-ending. My weekends are consumed with kid birthday parties and festivities and I may bitch about it, but I secretly enjoy every second of it. Today is the first day in a few weeks I had absolutely NOTHING to do so I've been in pajamas all day, laying in bed, and doing trivial things like reading magazines, watching tv, and deleting pictures on my phone. After a while though, I get bored and start walking around the apartment looking for things to do and then Coco banishes me right back into the bedroom to rest. As he says, 'you can't complain you feel like crap when it's your own fault you feel that way." I hate it when he's right. Might as well be productive in bed and finish my weekly Rocco Report!
Besides this annoying illness that has invaded my preggo-go-lucky body, I'm feeling hella good. The belly keeps growing as do the breasts, which seem to be more tender the second time around. And I've reached another milestone in my pregnancy- I officially can no longer see my vagina. Yep, it's become a little like the Holy Spirit- you know it's there, but you just can't see it. If I stand up straight and look down, all I see is belly. I can't even peak over it to catch a glimpse of my pikachu. Shaving my bikini area is going to get interesting and inventive. That, or I'll have to resort to waxing or have Coco become my nether region barber. Yikes.
A few weeks ago, I partnered up with local baby boutique, Tutti-Bambini (http://www.tutti-bambini.com), for a segment with NBC 6 in the Mix (http://www.nbcmiami.com/video/#!/on-air/as-seen-on/Gift-Idea-for-Mom--or-Moms-to-be---Tutti-Bambini/302962251). I wanted to really focus on essential baby gear that every new mom and dad should add to their registry. The process
of registering for baby can be daunting! With so many products on the market it
can be difficult for new parents to know what's a passing fad and what really is going to be a lifesaver. On top of that, every baby is different. What works for one baby, may not work for another. For example, Maya hated the playpen. I used it maybe 2-3 times before packing it up and giving it away. She wanted nothing to do with it. I know plenty of babies and parents who swore the playpen was fantastic. Unfortunately, my infant didn't share that sentiment. And when you're doing this parenthood thing for a second time, you become a bit of an expert of what is going to work for you and what you could live without. For example, a high chair was one of those purchases that I quickly dubbed non-essential. Who needs a 250 dollar high chair that looks like something out of the Jetsons? I didn't need that. I immediately returned it for it a $30 seat that ties to my dining room chair and it was the best purchase I made, so was my $20 Ikea high chair when we moved down to Miami. I'll be using both for Rocco.
So with what I learned as a first time mom and with the help
of Tutti Bambini, here are the six products that I think every new mom and dad should have when baby comes home! And like I said, babies have their own taste so don't be surprised if one of these may not fit the bill! Just like parenting, finding the right gear is all about trial and error.
Chewbeads
pacifier clip- One thing I learned as a new mom is that a pacifier clip will be
your best friend throughout infancy, especially in the middle of the night. I
often found myself getting up to pop in Maya's pacifier and then I discovered
pacifier clips! I love these from Chewbeads because they are 100% silicone and safe to chew. Your baby will always have their pacifier close by
so there's no more playing "where did the pacifier go" game.
So many things get put on the back burner when a new baby arrives, including one-on-one time with your significant other. It's so easy to get lost in the excitement and care of a newborn. By the time your day is done, you're exhausted to do anything else, let alone talk or go on a date with your husband/wife. But finding that time to reconnect with your partner is important, even if it happens after you put your baby down for the night. Many will either disagree or agree with me when I say this statement, but when it comes to priority and hierarchy, your spouse should top that list, then baby. Your marriage (or partnership if you aren't married) will be the first model of love and teamwork that your child or children will see growing up. The amount of work and effort you put into your own marriage/relationship, will show your kids that mommy and daddy are not only individuals with their own likes and dislikes, but mommy and daddy will be a stronger unit, and better parents, when they strengthen their own bond. Life can't revolve around kids alone. You were a couple before baby came into the picture and that can't be forgotten. It has to be nurtured because you can easily grow distant or resentful, especially when you throw lack of sleep into the mix. It's not always easy to make the effort, and I'll be the first to admit that. Sometimes you just find yourself consumed in all things baby that you postpone date night for another time and basically forget about your other half, leaving them on the sidelines collecting dust. It happens to all of us. When Maya was born, Coco and I made a huge effort to spend time just the two of us once a week. Finding a slew of babysitters was the first item on my agenda when Maya arrived because I knew I would need them in order to make plans. So once a week, we would pick a restaurant or a bar, and escape for a few hours to catch up and reconnect. And even though we said 'no baby talk', that didn't quite pan out but it's fine. How could we not talk about her?! The times we didn't make it out, we would get a bottle of wine and just sit and cuddle on our couch and talk, something simple yet meaningful to keep us connected.
Because at the end of the day, when your kids go off to college or get married and start their own families, who's still going to be at your side when the house is empty and that other chapter of your life begins?
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| Date night with my better half at Perla Restaurant in the West Village |
Thanks for tuning in to this week's Rocco Report! Keep coming back for more because I really enjoy sharing my journey and parenting two cents with you, squeezers!
Bumpin' Love,
Rocco's Mom.
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