CPR certification

Yesterday at work we had CPR certification and it was actually fun. I didn't have to get certified, since I'm really just a glorified receptionist, but the office was paying for everyone and the class covered infant and children, so I thought why not? Boy am I glad I did! I had no idea how often or how much the rules change in CPR from year to year. The last time I was certified over ten years ago and apparently none of those rule apply anymore!

The office and our stylish dummies. Can you tell I work for an optometrist?

I was a little worried that I would get upset when it came time to learn about infant CPR and rescue breathing, but thankfully I kept my cool. Until the instructor starts telling us stories! The guy was super nice, but he's an EMT so death doesn't shock him anymore. He would tell us stories and you going along thinking everything is fine and then he ends the story with "two weeks later he died." I could barely keep my mouth from hanging open the entire time. 

As we were going over the choking infant portion I realized that I had heard or read this information while I was pregnant and had just forgotten it since then. Thankfully I haven't needed to know it, but Whit did give me a scare once choking during a bottle. But now I feel confident if something happens I can handle it and I'm so grateful. I tried to show Ben last night when I got home, but his eyes got so big and worried. He asked if I'd try to show him again tomorrow.

It's funny how well Ben and I complement each other. In every day life I'm the one getting flustered over the little things and quick to lose it and he's so calm. But in emergencies or even planning for emergencies, I'm the calm one and Ben gets a little freaked out.

Anyway, if you have kids (or even if you don't - the instructor did point out all of us are just ticking timebombs walking around) take the time to get CPR training! You may never need it, but I feel so much better knowing what to do just in case.

Oh my gosh!

Whit laughed! A real, hearty chuckle with a couple of giggles! And what made him laugh? Me nagging his father. ::face palm::

But it was so cute!

As is this!

"Hidden Mothers"

I LOVE old portraits. There's something so strange that these people had such different lives than us, and yet look so similar. For instance, have you ever seen the evidence that Nicholas Cage is a vampire? Now my interest has turned to antique photos of babies, of course. So I was baffled when I found this:

Apparently back in the day it was common for women to hold their children while covered (with curtains, blankets, whatever) and just be kind of cropped out afterwards. Wth?! If you'd like to see more weirdness, you can find it here.

So by the way...

...when you teach your kids something, make sure it's something you want to hear a thousand times a day! The other day I taught Whit how to blow raspberries and he's been entranced with his new trick. Ben got him out of bed this morning and he was covered in drool from his practicing! It's so cute how proud and happy he looks after he's done it.

Exhibit A:

Black Friday (cue maniacal laughter)

I've almost completed my Christmas shopping list this year (the usual culprits are proving again hard to shop for) and I've bought quite a bit of it already! I'm a little aggravated with myself that I had originally planned on buying small for everyone this year, and well, THAT didn't happen. I have been trying to keep track of the spending and reminding myself that Whit doesn't need so much this year! Plus, I've called in every favor, used every gift card I've amassed over the year, DIYed a few gifts, worked out which coupons were worth the most and sold things on eBay to supplement the rest of my spending. And boy has it been tiring!

Speaking of boy, having a baby has actually helped a ton in the Christmas department. First, everyone expects for you to be broke, thank goodness! Second, you can give pictures as gifts (and those little ornaments that makes a cast of their foot or hand). Third, when you're walking around Target at the pretty decorations, if you stop too long at something (because you're debating on buying it) your baby starts getting fussy, so you leave without buying it. I told Whit he must be on his father's side about this saving money business and that I'll thank him someday.

Oh, and was I one of those nuts waiting in line since Wednesday to buy anything at a huge discount? Hell no! I am a firm believer in staying your butt home on Thanksgiving and Black Friday! After working in retail for years, and Ben still does, I've seen how people act on Black Friday and it's ridiculous. It's also ridiculous that retailers keep pushing back their opening times every year. And since the only way to protest in this country is with your pocketbook, I bought Christmas presents and whatever we would need for the weekend on Wednesday and I refuse to leave the house until Monday. It's silly anyway, the doorbusters are just last year's leftovers and if they're not then you can get them on sale Wednesday or the entire weekend after Thanksgiving.

Anyway! (Shake it off, shake it off)

I'm getting more and more excited about Whit's first Christmas! And a little concerned. Ben and I have been discussing which traditions we should keep, discard, renew, or if we should start our own. The big debate right now is the big guy in red. But more on that later!

For now, enjoy this cute picture of my newest little bulldog fan...

For it is still the South, and still football season!

Dear Lord,

Please help me to be a good mother. I just want to be a good mother to Whit. I'm so mad/upset/sad that I get upset with him when he cries. It's not his fault! I wish I was good enough that he never had to cry. But maybe that's impossible. Maybe babies are always going to cry at some point. And I want to be a good mother, not for the sake of being good at it. Mothering is not a competitive sport. But I just want him to have a good childhood. I want to not screw this up for him. Lord, please help me to be a better mother. And please help me grow a longer fuse. With my child and my husband.

Thank you,
Ashley

Uh oh

Someone's finding a new mode of transportation.

This is the second time I have found him like this after leaving the room for a minute.

And it's been about four mornings now I find him scrunched up in one corner of his crib, so the crib bumper is on order! I love this crazy kid.

Christmas...already?

Whit and I had to go to Toys R Us yesterday, which turns out was a bad idea. I had no clue that Christmas in retail was already starting, but that may be from us becoming hermits these past couple of weeks. (It's the only way to keep me from spending money unnecessarily!) Anyhoo, it was cray-cray: tons of people, tons of  sales, and Christmas music was already playing. Normally, I love Christmas, but the past few haven't been as wonderful as I would like. Two years ago, we barely got moved into our house in time to decorate, then I had a nasty bout of the flu. Last year I was so nauseated from the pregnancy that I didn't *really* decorate. So this year I was all excited about finally getting to decorate our home and especially with it being Whit's first, and then... We may move. Then, we probably won't move, but we definitely will be broke. Ugh!

So. Right now I'm selling off most of my maternity clothes and a few pre-pregnancy pieces on ebay to pay off the medical bills. And hopefully by black Friday we'll have enough to buy Christmas presents and the new things we'll need this year. Like stockings! Ben and I have never had stockings for ourselves, but I guess this year I need to find all three of us one. Which has started quite a flurry of Google searches, Facebook queries and a little soul searching. It would be easy to find some pretty stockings to by and have our names embroidered, but the crafty person in me just can't stand that idea. But then the not-so-crafty side reminds me that all I can do is sew and it's been years since I've embroidered. Herumph.

Felted stockings?

inhabitots.com

 Quilted stockings? And I haven't tried quilting in a loooong time.

cluckclucksew.com

Or straight up sewn stocking? Kinda plain jane.

craftaholicsanonymous.net

Then again making one is dependent on just how much time I actually get to work on them. And with Ben working in retail that time alone to craft is shrinking by the week!

Oops!

Just realized I never posted pictures from our road trip to Meridian to visit my side of the family. Or Whit's Halloween costume. So without further ado:

Pumpkin hat my mom made for Whit. So cute!

No longer a newborn...

...because someone has graduated to infant!

At three months, Whit...

...is still a morning baby. He is definitely at his best at 8-9am, and is slowly losing his dislike for the early evening. Yay!

...is still in size 2 diapers. And is getting a little too long and too wide for some 3 month old clothes, but is a little too short for 6 month old clothes.

...is getting stronger every day! He is so close to rolling over from back to belly, has begun sitting up fairly well with just a hand on his back or holding his hands, and has started scooting on his back! Today I had put him on his activity mat while I fed the dogs, when I came back a couple of minutes later he had scooted his head off the mat, off the rug and almost into the wall! The poor guy had a curtain over his face, haha!

...loves for people to sing to him. And really loves for people to talk with him. Though he hasn't spoken much, apparently no one has the magic touch in that department except my friend Summer.

...finally got to meet his other great-grammie, other uncle, and a LOT of cousins last week.

...has started noticing the television, which has made me very nervous.

...no longer minds clothes changing at all. Sometimes he thinks it's pretty funny.

...has laughed out loud for real twice!

...runs hot. We're still walking during the day when we can (since I've gone back to work), and I don't have to worry about bundling him up because when we get back he usually has sweat through his clothes.

...now loves his infant/toddler rocker/chair his Mimi got him. He loves the vibrations, which came in handy when he had a fever and didn't want to be held.

...helped Mama vote in his first election. And boy did those poll workers eat him up!

...loves playing tasty baby, bath time (now just on a towel in the tub, instead of his sling-thing), dancing, anything involving playing with his feet (especially "patty feet"), and is a huge fan of ceiling fans. (yeah yeah, I had to do it!)