I've only been posting iPhone pictures because I am saving the "good ones" for when we get home.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
MORNINGS IN HAWAII
Our mornings have been pretty early since we have been in Hawaii. The 3 of us have been waking up between 6-7 everyday, excluding Addison's 4:30am wake up the first morning we were here. Even though we are on vacation, I am totally enjoying getting up & getting our day started. The views here are INCREDIBLE! Everywhere you look there is a gorgeous mountain view, luscious fruit trees, blue ocean water, the most beautiful/fragrant flowers...it truly is paradise.
I've only been posting iPhone pictures because I am saving the "good ones" for when we get home.
I've only been posting iPhone pictures because I am saving the "good ones" for when we get home.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
A DAY @ THE BEACH
We spent yesterday at the beach & Addison LOVED the ocean!
Saturday, May 19, 2012
DA PLANE DA PLANE
After 12+ hours of traveling, we made it from NC to Hawaii. Addison was awesome; you would have thought she had flown a thousand times. On every flight several passengers & people from the flight crew told us how impressed they were with Addison & how well behaved she was. Each flight my anxiety level decreased...I didn't want to be "those people" with the screaming baby.
We headed to the airport at 6am & arrived in Houston 2 hours later. Addison had been up for 5.5 hours by the time we landed & somehow was keeping it together. She did catch a 30 min cat nap on the plane.
We had a 2 hour layover in Houston so we made sure to lay a blanket out for her to crawl around on & get some energy out. She snacked & played but still no nap.
Our flight from Houston to San Francisco was 4 hours. Apparently having a baby meant we also had the Bubonic plague because we got stares of complete disgust as we boarded. Thankfully she proved them wrong & was perfect. Perfect with still no sleep (she only took a 30 min nap).
I was hopeful that she'd knock out in the Ergo during our layover in San Francisco, she could barely hold her head up. NOPE...this nosy girl was too concerned with what was going on around her & what we were eating. They had a kids play area so spent most of the layover letting her get some of her insomnia induced krazies out.
I prayed as we boarded the flight from San Francisco to HI that she would sleep. She did...for 2 hours. The nap came after she flailed around, babbling, screeching, giggling, slamming things up against the wall of the plane, jumping back & forth from Philip & I. That was followed by 20 mIn of off and on fussiness. But when she couldn't fight it anymore she KNOCKED out.
We headed to the airport at 6am & arrived in Houston 2 hours later. Addison had been up for 5.5 hours by the time we landed & somehow was keeping it together. She did catch a 30 min cat nap on the plane.
Our flight from Houston to San Francisco was 4 hours. Apparently having a baby meant we also had the Bubonic plague because we got stares of complete disgust as we boarded. Thankfully she proved them wrong & was perfect. Perfect with still no sleep (she only took a 30 min nap).
I was hopeful that she'd knock out in the Ergo during our layover in San Francisco, she could barely hold her head up. NOPE...this nosy girl was too concerned with what was going on around her & what we were eating. They had a kids play area so spent most of the layover letting her get some of her insomnia induced krazies out.
I prayed as we boarded the flight from San Francisco to HI that she would sleep. She did...for 2 hours. The nap came after she flailed around, babbling, screeching, giggling, slamming things up against the wall of the plane, jumping back & forth from Philip & I. That was followed by 20 mIn of off and on fussiness. But when she couldn't fight it anymore she KNOCKED out.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
2 THINGS
.JPG) |
| {2 things that made me really happy today: tri colored nails & lots of lines through items on the list} |
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
PACKING
Only 2 more days...EEEP!?! Am I ready...hmmm, NO! I have my lists made out & laid across the center island in my kitchen, it's been there for a week. In true type A fashion we each have a list categorized for each of our needs (i.e. sleep, play, beauty, beach, etc). There is great satisfaction that comes with handwriting a list & enthusiastically making a line through each completed item. There is great disappointment each time I walk by the list & see HOW MUCH left there is to complete, ugh. I didn't want to actually pack in the beginning of the week because that is when I have the tendency to over pack but now I think I waited too long. I didn't completely ignore the list though; I have spent the last 2 days picking up necessities. I began tackling it today. I packed & unpacked, then repacked & unpacked & repacked my suitcase, LOL. Each time I reduced my load & I am pretty pleased with it. I packed Addison's bag with her clothes & grouped items like her diapers & toiletries in piles that I will pack last.
I still have a ton of stuff to tackle tomorrow: finish packing (especially the big items like the ERGO, the stroller, etc), get my eyebrows done, pick up a copy of Addison's birth certificate, drop Hampton off at the boarder's....it will all get done & I will have a fantastically completed list by the end of the day tomorrow.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
NEW SUNSCREEN RULES
With my porcelain skin baby & our upcoming trip to Hawaii (whoo hoo only 4 more days), it's fitting that finding the BEST sunscreen for Addison would be my mission. Not only is Addison fair skinned but she has extremely sensitive skin, limiting which products we can use. So far California Baby & Kiehl's have been the only winners.
I was sorting through my email the other morning when the subject "New Sunscreen Rules" grabbed my attention.
Check out this article from Stroller Traffic:
I was sorting through my email the other morning when the subject "New Sunscreen Rules" grabbed my attention.
Check out this article from Stroller Traffic:
The New Sunscreen Rules
Understanding the FDA’s recent labeling mandates
May 15, 2012
--Photo by JellyBean Pictures
Sunscreen is a no-brainer for babies in 2012. Unfortunately, understanding the differences among brands is less clear-cut. To help, the FDA is now mandating that sunscreen manufacturers adhere to more stringent labeling requirements and more consistent claims about what a sunscreen can do, and what type of UV protection it offers. We've asked Dr. JJ Levenstein, renowned pediatrician and co-founder of MD Moms, to help us understand the new labels we'll be seeing on shelves this summer.
Broad Spectrum. It's important to remember that SPF only measures protection from UVB rays; choose a "broad spectrum" sunscreen that also reduces the risk of skin cancer and premature aging through UVA protection. New FDA mandate: only sunscreens that have been tested and pass muster for both UVA and UVB protection will be allowed to be labeled Broad Spectrum.
Water Resistant. Eventually all sunscreen washes off, so new packaging will no longer bear the terms “waterproof” or “sweatproof." Instead, allowances will be made for claims of water resistance up to 40 or 80 minutes.
Minimum SPF. It's more important to use sunscreen properly than to use a very high SPF. SPF 50 only blocks out about one percent more UVB rays than SPF 30 (which blocks 97 percent). Very high SPF sunscreens (like SPF 100) only offer a negligible amount of additional coverage, but tend to lead to a false sense of security—and may have a higher risk of irritation.
Label sleuthing aside, here are Levenstein's top tips for using sunscreen with babies in 2012.
Ideally, babies should not be exposed to direct sunlight during their first several months of life. If avoiding direct sun exposure is impossible, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) currently recommends protecting a baby's skin with a broad-spectrum sunscreen that offers an SPF of at least 15 (ideally 30).
Get a Vitamin D boost. Vitamin D production in the skin (essential for bone health) is likely diminished if you avoid the sun entirely or routinely protect your baby with sunscreen. If your baby is exclusively breastfed, she should take 400 international units (IU) of Vitamin D supplement daily by mouth; formula-fed babies get adequate amounts of Vitamin D.
Choose a physical sunscreen. A physical sunscreen that contains zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide coats the skin, deflects UV rays, and protects almost immediately after application. By contrast, chemical sunscreens delay protection against UV rays, and may increase risk of skin irritation.
Skip the irritants. Look for sun care products without oxybenzone, phthalates, lanolin, mineral oil, petroleum, or waxes.
Be wary of Vitamin A. The EWG and outside toxicologists are currently disputing the potential cancer-causing effects of Vitamin A in sunscreen, so for now it's probably best to try to eliminate Vitamin A derivatives (retinol and retinyl palmitate) in your sun products until more studies are published.
Consider SPF clothing. Dress your child in clothes that offer UV protection, or wash tightly woven cotton clothing in a UPF rinse, which can raise the SPF value of clothing from 5 (the SPF value of an average T-shirt) to 30.
Sunscreen is a no-brainer for babies in 2012. Unfortunately, understanding the differences among brands is less clear-cut. To help, the FDA is now mandating that sunscreen manufacturers adhere to more stringent labeling requirements and more consistent claims about what a sunscreen can do, and what type of UV protection it offers. We've asked Dr. JJ Levenstein, renowned pediatrician and co-founder of MD Moms, to help us understand the new labels we'll be seeing on shelves this summer.
Broad Spectrum. It's important to remember that SPF only measures protection from UVB rays; choose a "broad spectrum" sunscreen that also reduces the risk of skin cancer and premature aging through UVA protection. New FDA mandate: only sunscreens that have been tested and pass muster for both UVA and UVB protection will be allowed to be labeled Broad Spectrum.
Water Resistant. Eventually all sunscreen washes off, so new packaging will no longer bear the terms “waterproof” or “sweatproof." Instead, allowances will be made for claims of water resistance up to 40 or 80 minutes.
Minimum SPF. It's more important to use sunscreen properly than to use a very high SPF. SPF 50 only blocks out about one percent more UVB rays than SPF 30 (which blocks 97 percent). Very high SPF sunscreens (like SPF 100) only offer a negligible amount of additional coverage, but tend to lead to a false sense of security—and may have a higher risk of irritation.
Label sleuthing aside, here are Levenstein's top tips for using sunscreen with babies in 2012.
Ideally, babies should not be exposed to direct sunlight during their first several months of life. If avoiding direct sun exposure is impossible, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) currently recommends protecting a baby's skin with a broad-spectrum sunscreen that offers an SPF of at least 15 (ideally 30).
Get a Vitamin D boost. Vitamin D production in the skin (essential for bone health) is likely diminished if you avoid the sun entirely or routinely protect your baby with sunscreen. If your baby is exclusively breastfed, she should take 400 international units (IU) of Vitamin D supplement daily by mouth; formula-fed babies get adequate amounts of Vitamin D.
Choose a physical sunscreen. A physical sunscreen that contains zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide coats the skin, deflects UV rays, and protects almost immediately after application. By contrast, chemical sunscreens delay protection against UV rays, and may increase risk of skin irritation.
Skip the irritants. Look for sun care products without oxybenzone, phthalates, lanolin, mineral oil, petroleum, or waxes.
Be wary of Vitamin A. The EWG and outside toxicologists are currently disputing the potential cancer-causing effects of Vitamin A in sunscreen, so for now it's probably best to try to eliminate Vitamin A derivatives (retinol and retinyl palmitate) in your sun products until more studies are published.
Consider SPF clothing. Dress your child in clothes that offer UV protection, or wash tightly woven cotton clothing in a UPF rinse, which can raise the SPF value of clothing from 5 (the SPF value of an average T-shirt) to 30.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
MOTHER'S DAY
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| 6 Months |
This year I spent the day with such gratitude as I reflected on the last 8 months...
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| the moment my life changed forever |
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| 1 day old |
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| 7 days old |
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| 2 months |
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| 3 months |
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| 4 months |
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| 5 months |
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| 6 months |
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| 7 months |
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| 8 months |
Graycie Harmon said "My mom is a never ending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being.
I may sometimes forget the words but I always remember the tune." I pray that I am that for Addison. I pray that I am a source of comfort & happiness. I pray that she knows the joy she brings me & what a gift she is to me. I pray that I can be everything she needs me to be.
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