our first year favorites (part one)

Dear Em,
This week we are going to visit my best friend. She and I were Jersey girls together, RAs together, college girls together, maids of honor in each others weddings...& now we have something new to share. She's going to have a little love too! It fills my heart with such happiness to think of what amazing parents she & her husband will be. I hope you become life-long friends with their little love & you get to share so many of life's fun adventures together.

This week we will be helping her tackle a big job: the baby registry. This makes me think back before you were born when your Daddy & I created your baby registry (your Daddy was mostly there for moral & emotional support). I wonder if someday you'll be creating your own registry (just think of what kinds of gadgets they'll have for babies by then). So, I wanted to make you a list of twelve (it was originally going to be a list of ten, but I just couldn't cut anything out) of our first year favorites. In no particular order...

bottle warmer

A friend suggested we register for a bottle warmer. We added it to the registry, but I didn't know how often we would use it- as I planned to nurse you. Then the three of us were introduced to the wonderful world of acid reflux. It was not uncommon for you to vomit 15 times after each feeding. To eliminate some of the distress you were feeling after eating, I exclusively pumped. We measured out the exact amount of breast milk to a science & gave it to you in a bottle for each feeding. This meant, for the most part, I pumped & stored your milk in the refrigerator or freezer. We then warmed it up for you just before we fed you. Thank goodness for our bottle warmer! This handy gadget kept us from drowsily getting up in the middle of the night, waiting for water to boil & then worrying about how long to put your bottle into the boiling water. Instead, we dumped a pre-measured amount of water into this amazing piece of technology, pressed a button, & waited mere minutes for your bottle to be ready (we still checked each time to make sure the temp was just right before giving it to you). We kept in on my bed-side table. It's almost stupid-proof (& I have to admit, there weren't always a whole lot of brain cells working in your daddy's & my sleep deprived brains back then). I imagine this would be just as convenient for parents needing to warm up formula as well.

boppy

I can't say that I used the boppy to position you while nursing, I never quite figured out how to position it & you comfortably- then again, I was exclusively pumping after only one week of nursing. However, you loved laying in the middle of your boppy. It's so soft, comfy, & cute. Unlike a lot of baby gadgets, the boppy is very portable. It went everywhere with us...everywhere we were in the house, everywhere we traveled.  You were comfy & cozy & happy (which also made the boppy an excellent prop for many of your newborn photo-shoots).

changing table

So, I have to admit, the changing table is something I changed my mind on. Before you were born, I didn't see the sense of buying a piece of furniture dedicated to only the first couple years of your life (well, I guess a crib would also fit that description, & clearly you had a crib). I felt that it would just take up space, and, really, we could just change your diaper anywhere, right? I grew up in a house without changing tables, where your nonnie just changed diapers where ever the dirty diapers presented themselves. Unfortunately, I soon realized that I couldn't function without an organized space dedicated to diaper changing. I'm a little crazy about organization. We probably used the diaper changing part of your pack & play for at least six months before I admitted to myself that the pack & play took up way more space than a diaper changing table & wasn't as functional in terms of storage space. So, I swallowed my pride, admitted I was wrong for always scoffing at changing tables, & we bought one. You'll be two in December & we're still using it (although I'm hoping we will be diaper free in the next 6 months or so). I'm so thankful I realized the error of my ways. We not only use it to change your diapers, but you get dressed on your changing table every morning & every night.

video monitor

This was another thing that I didn't think we really needed. I mean, my parents never had a monitor with video & I turned out fine. Why would we need one? Your aunt Andrea offered to buy it for us as a shower gift, and we shrugged & said "why not?" Well, we certainly don't need it, but we do LOVE it. The nice thing about it when you were a newborn was to be able to know what you were doing during quiet moments.  Sometimes I would wake up with an enormous sense of fear in the middle of the night, switch on the video, & feel a huge wave of relief wash over me as I watched you breath in & out. We also didn't inconveniently wake you by opening your door to see if you were up each morning. All we had to do was flip on the video to see if you were sleeping-in or laying awake quietly in your crib. Now it's amazing to see what it is you're doing. My family lovingly refers to the monitor as Emma TV. Sometimes we wish it had a record function as we watch you lovingly rock your bear to sleep or jump up & down in your crib.

practical quality camera

Em & the paparazzi

I'm not sure I know anyone who takes as many pictures as me. I think you can relate to many celebs...you've been living in the limelight & having to deal with the paparazzi (me) since the day we brought you home from the hospital. Seriously, I took 60 gigs worth of pictures in just your first year. The first few months of your life were probably even more annoying due to the fact I hated my camera. Either the flash washed out everything or everything was blurry because there was no flash. So, I had to take the same picture again & again, at different angles & different lighting to try to capture a decent shot. It was compact & a perfect size to throw into my purse & take it along on our various adventures, but it just wasn't taking the quality pictures I wanted it to. I researched which compact cameras had the best megapixel resolution, zoom abilities, & video function at the time. I would have loved to get a professional camera with the ability to change lenses & manually focus. I just knew that it wasn't practical for me, because I would hate lugging a larger camera around. Your daddy bought me my new camera

music

Music has always been such an important part of my life, & I hoped it would be a big part of your life too. When I found out I was pregnant, I made a play-list on my IPod for you. I listened to the play-list all through my pregnancy, believing you were listening too. I hoped it would be a familiar comfort to you once you were born. Now you love music. You practically yell at us in the car if we're driving & there is no music playing, "Moo-sic, Mommy! Moo-sic, Daddy!" I can't tell you how much joy you bring to your daddy and I as you sing your ABCs, the Itsy-Bitsy Spider, Hey Baby, and Rock-a-bye Baby (just some of your very favorites). One of the things I love about my IPhone is we have music within reach no matter where we go. We're constantly breaking out in impromptu dance parties. Actually, last week you walked into the family before school & asked your daddy & I if we would stand up & dance with you. It put a smile on my face first thing in the morning. I love that we live in a house full of music, and I can't wait to experience our music adventures of the future.

Stay tuned for your next six first year favorites.

I love you so,
Mommy