11.25.2011

Thanks


Our Thanksgiving morning started with the annual Birkeland Flag Football Turkey Bowl! Maddie and I went and cheered on Brett while he played. We also took pictures and video of the game. It was a great turn out and the weather has never been better. Oh, and Brett's team won. :)
The Flag Football Boys
 The night before Thanksgiving we moved all the furniture out of the family room and set up the table, chairs, and decorations. (The "Give Thanks" banner was a total last minute addition, but it didn't cost a thing and I think it turned out well.) Before dinner we had a Skype chat with Brett's parents who are currently serving a temple mission in Stockholm Sweden. The grandkids loved being able to see Grandma and Grandpa. A few of the kids sang songs to them, one of the two year olds told them over and over again that she had pockets, the other two year old spent the majority of the conversation rolling dough in his hands and telling them over and over that he was making a snake. It was a blast.



Dinner was incredible. We all had different food assignments and when it all came together it all turned out amazing. Dinner included honey baked ham, a very tender and delicious turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potato souffle, layered jello, garden corn, homemade rolls & bread sticks,  banana bread, salad, and an array of cookies, pies, and treats. 


Halfway through dinner, Maddie was pretty tuckered out. I'd blame the turkey, but obviously she didn't eat any.

I made the homemade rolls. They turned out delicious!
Brett made his famous chocolate chip banana bread!

These are the homemade bread sticks I made. Mmmmm!
We had a blast visiting after dinner. The kids colored and played in the yard while the "adults" (is it weird I still feel like a "kid"?) visited around the dinner table. Shanni and her big brother Brian had some fun chilling together. Shanni loved being in the middle of all the commotion.

Happy Thanksgiving!

11.21.2011

Four

Maddie enjoyed helping Brett test the lights for Christmas!

Sweet Maddie. You are now four months old. 1/3 of a year already!

You continue to grow taller and wider every day. At your four month appointment you were nearly 26 1/2" tall and you weighed 17 lbs and 3 oz. This puts you in the 98th percentile for both length and weight. You are a big girl, so most people think you are a lot older than you really are. You are now wearing size 6-9 month clothing and you've been in size three diapers for almost a month.

You're becoming such a great sleeper. You sleep for about 10-11 hours straight at night. The only down side is that you are still quite the night owl and you don't go to sleep until 11:00 or 11:30. Needless to say, Mommy gets a lot done in the morning before you wake up. But, we're still working on getting you to sleep a little earlier each night.

You are a fast eater and you now eat about six times a day. I sometimes wonder if you are getting enough because after eight minutes of eating you are done and ready to play. The pediatrician told us not to worry, "We're obviously not concerned about whether or not she is getting enough calories." Well said Dr. Carter, well said.

If you aren't sleeping or eating, you are most likely laughing. And it's not just a polite "Ha!" You have a full on belly laugh just like I did when I was a baby. You laugh when I laugh. You laugh when we change you. You laugh when you first wake up in the morning. You giggle when we give you baths. You laugh when I touch your feet. You laugh when you see Daddy when he gets home from work. You laugh the hardest when I pretend to nibble your neck. I do my best to enjoy it while I can since I am sure by the time you are a teenager I'm sure you won't find me the slightest bit entertaining.

You can sit on your own for longer periods of time now, but Daddy or I are always close by to catch you just in case your throw yourself back. Although you were rolling over at seven weeks you are now having a bit of a harder time and rarely do it. When I mentioned this to the pediatrician he laughed and explained that your now chunky thighs were the culprit. Not to worry though, it just takes a bit more strength to move that weight around which will come as you get older and continue to practice.

You love your johnny jump up and play mat. Your favorite toys are your loud pink paper and O'ball. You are now starting to occasionally take a Binky around bedtime and nap time. We don't think it's so much the sucking you enjoy as much as you just enjoy having something in your mouth. We're pretty sure you are teething. You are drooling a ton and you love to gnaw on anything we give you (and anything you can reach).

You love to do what we call "baby sit-ups". You stretch your legs out in front of you and raise them off the ground and then lift your head and shoulders off the ground, holding your breath and crunching your little abs. Add your sly little smile and it makes for the cutest and funniest sight.

We love watching you grow up baby girl. But couldn't you just slow down a little bit?

11.20.2011

Snow Day


Today wasn't the first snow of the year, but it was the first time Madeline really saw snow. When we walked outside with her, she squinted and scrunched her nose as she fought to see through the brightness. After a few minutes she got a big grin on her face as she looked all around at the world covered in white.

She couldn't take her eyes away from the snow. I couldn't take my eyes off of her.

We were both awestruck. 


11.17.2011

Shanni: The Greatest Sister-in-Law


When Brett's parents went away on their mission to Sweden, Shanni (Brett's older sister) moved in with her big sister's family. Taking care of Shanni while her parents served a mission was something Bec had always wanted to do. And why wouldn't she? Shanni is about as amazing as they come.  I must admit that Shanni is my favorite sister-in-law and I guarantee that all the other Birkeland women would agree (which I'm totally okay with). I mean, how can you beat perfection?

Shanni was born with many disabilities. She cannot walk, talk, see, or eat on her own. But she has many abilities as well. Besides being an angel on earth, she can calm the most unruly grandchild. With her comes an incredible feeling of peace, contentment, and warmth. Shanni brings a smile to the faces of all who meet her. She finds ways to serve others. Just last month she donated her hair to locks of love. She has an amazing connection with children, which is why she was so good at her calling as a Primary Reverence Leader. I know that it is because of Shanni's wonderful example and calm spirit that her little brother Brett is the kind, gentle, and sincere man that he is.

I was lucky to get to spend the afternoon with Shanni and Bec's daughters yesterday, while Bec went Christmas shopping. We had a skype chat with Brett's parents. Shanni was all smiles. She loved hearing their voices. She giggled and squealed while Lynne talked to her. Later, I laid Maddie down beside Shanni and they had quite the conversation. Maddie cooed, Shanni laughed, and they both rocked back and forth.

It was the highlight of my week. 



11.16.2011

You Won't Find a Butcher's Knife in Our Bed


Apparently this is the image of co-sleeping as The Milwaukee Health Department wants you to see it. The second-leading cause of infant mortality in Milwaukee is SIDS, or sudden infant death syndrome, which often results from  ”unsafe sleep,” according to the health department’s website.  I agree that the images on this page definitely portray "unsafe" co-sleeping. But they could very well put an image of a child in a crib with pillows and loose blankets and it would likewise be "unsafe" crib sleeping. It's an ad that is indeed shocking but not informative in the way it should be. 

Co-sleeping (when done safely) actually decreases the risk of SIDS. "Worldwide research shows that the SIDS rate is lowest (and even unheard of) in countries where co-sleeping is the norm, rather than the exception" (askdrsears.com). Instead of promoting "safe sleeping" in all its forms, this ad targets co-sleeping as the root of all evil. They had good intentions but the result is completely off base.

Instead of spending money on an ad campaign aimed at scaring the community into banning the practice and making parents who do co-sleep feel like would-be murderers, why not educate parents families how to do it safely? After all, co-sleeping (when done safely) has wonderful benefits including better sleep for parents and baby, long term emotional health, decrease in the risk of SIDS, and it has been found in some studies to be safer than crib sleeping when done properly. There are also many benefits for breastfeeding mothers.

It is fascinating to see the differing views of "safe sleeping" by different cultures. Milwaukee would have you believe co-sleeping is like letting your newborn play with a butcher's knife, while mothers in countries where bed sharing/co-sleeping is the norm gasp at the thought of crib bumper use (an  accessory about as common as pacifiers here in the states).

I'm not suggesting that all parents adopt the practice of co-sleeping, it isn't for everyone, nor am I suggesting that all mothers need to throw out their crib bumpers. What I do think is that we need to empower parents to make safe decisions when choosing the sleeping arrangements for their baby, whether it be in a crib in their own room, in a crib/bassinet next to the parent's bed, or in bed with mom and dad.

Turns out this ad can serve a larger purpose than shock value. It just so happens that in this photo you will see almost all of the things you should NOT do when co-sleeping. But, as a teacher, I learned that non-examples are the worst kind of examples. So, here is a list of the things I've learned one should do when sharing a bed with their baby. (These tips were shared with me by my midwife, birth instructor, and pediatrician).

Co-Sleeping Tips:
1. Place baby on his/her back.

2. Bedding should be tight fitting to a firm mattress (no large duvets, heavy blankets, large pillow tops, or feather ticks).

3. Use light blankets or sheets. Keep all blankets and pillows away from the baby's face.


4. Take precautions so the baby doesn't roll off the bed or get trapped between mattress and wall.

5. Dress baby lightly. (A great rule my pediatrician shared is that you shouldn't dress the baby in anything heavier than what you are sleeping in).

6. Have the baby sleep next to the parent that is the most aware of the baby (usually mom). This parent should sleep facing the baby.

7. Do not sleep with your child if: you under the influence of any drug or alcohol, you are a heavy sleeper, you are overly exhausted, or if you are a smoker.

8. Oh... and leave the butcher's knife in the kitchen.

I want to hear from YOU! 
What do YOU think of the Milwaukee ad? 
What are the sleeping arrangements in your home? How do you practice safe sleeping?
Comment below and/or send me an e-mail with your comments and a photo 
of your baby sleeping safely to Haleyjaye@gmail.com
I'll share my favorites next week.  :)

*Our family practices co-sleeping with our baby. We exclusively shared our bed with our baby from months 1-3. Now, she sleeps next to the bed in a bassinet for the first portion of the night and comes into the bed for the latter part of the night.

11.02.2011

Leg Warmers


Happy November!

11.01.2011

Happy Halloween!


 Happy Halloween!
From our hive
to yours.

 
About the Costumes:
Maddie's bee costume was a gift. It's a 6-9 month costume, but we figured we'd still try to use it for Halloween. It fit her perfectly, if not a little snugly, which is a shock since she is 3 1/2 months old!

I came up with some last minute beekeeper costumes using straw hats, work gloves, and insect netting we use for Maddie's car seat and stroller. The only purchase made were the mobile bees and bees stickers from Michaels. SCORE!