Christmas with the Erdmans

Maryn told Grandma and Grandpa the news with her new shirt.

Maryn got right into opening presents and warmed up to Grandpa almost immediately.
Who can be shy when there's food, balloons and presents around?

I know, I was a terrible photographer.
I'm really bad at taking pictures when there's people around.
I hate feeling annoying.

The Erdmans (John's dad, Donna, and Dayton) arrived on the 26th to celebrate Christmas with us, having driven all the way from New Hampshire to Virginia (where they celebrated with Maryn's great grandparents) to Louisville. We were so grateful they came to us for this special holiday! The days with them were filled with shopping, eating out, and fun, fun times. Thank you Erdmans!

Maryn has especially enjoyed all of her new books. I read about 12 books to her every morning, and about 15 more throughout the rest of the day. I'm not exaggerating. I counted yesterday.

Some of her favorites, for now:

Brown Bear, Brown Bear and Polar Bear, Polar Bear
Dear Zoo
Where's Spot?
How Do Dinosaurs Count to Ten?
Peekaboo Kisses
A Special Thanks

And I am especially enjoying reading The Jesus Storybook Bible with her. It's a must!

ten things that saved me as a new mommy

This post has been in my head for a very long time. When I was pregnant, I was desperate for advice on what to get. I visited my friend Elizabeth's house for a grand tour of what to get for baby. She taught me all she knew--that could fit into a couple hours, at least. But all moms are different, so it's good to get the advice of many. So here's my piece.

Summer Infant Turtle Digital Temp Tester
This little guy saved my child's life, I'm sure! Well, it at least made her more comfortable. It's just a little tub toy that tells mom and dad the temperature of the tub water. Babies' tub water should be between 88 and 93 degrees (Maryn prefers 88 or 90) so I'm glad I had this little dude to help or she would have been in 75 degree water!

Gripe Water
Maryn didn't have many stomach problems, but when it hurt, it hurt. This stuff was the ONLY (read: ONLY) thing that helped. On many occasions, it helped her instantly. It even makes hiccups go away. Don't laugh. When your newborn is about to fall asleep and he/she starts hiccuping, it really does seem like the end of the world.

Sound Machine
Parents, don't be afraid to register for a good quality sound machine! It will come in handy. We never actually had one, but oh how I wish we did. We currently use a fan, which can work as well. But a fan can be annoying.

Gerber Onesies
Everyone and their mother will buy you Carter's bodysuits, and they're cute, but Gerber onesies are the best. They last forever, they fit better and for longer, and they are so, so soft. They are also cheaper than Carter's bodysuits. Spread the word and help stop the Carter's bodysuit madness!

Badger Balm
Totally natural for baby--my doctor recommended it, my chiropractor recommended it, and Donna got it for us! It's good on cradle cap, diaper rash, dry skin, normal skin, and I've used it as well for my hands and face. It smells a little bit like chamomile and is oily. It's made with mostly olive oil which is what you're supposed to use on baby skin and cradle cap. It also has beeswax in it. It's a lot easier to use than just olive oil, obviously, and apparently chamomile is soothing for babies. Great as a massage oil, too.

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
This book, I feel, is the most reliable breastfeeding book out there. It's been out for a looong time and it's by the La Leche League International. It's not by some random person trying to make money. I know reading this book backward and forward before Maryn was born saved me from resorting to formula feeding several times. Some of the ideas in it (co-sleeping, baby wearing) I totally disagreed with before Maryn was born, but after she was born it all made sense. These are people who know what they are talking about. I don't know how many times I sighed of relief while reading this book (instead of crying in anguish over books like Babywise). GET IT. And get it for anyone you know who is expecting.

Bouncy Seat!
Maryn spent most of her first three months in this thing. I don't know what I would have done without it. For a while, it was the only thing she could take a nap in. There's a matching play gym you can get with the same characters and things on it that's really cute, too.

The Baby Book by William and Martha Sears (with Robert and James Sears)
I do not own this book, but I use it as a reference nearly every time I visit a bookstore and I've been reading it since we started house sitting the other day. This book has pretty much everything you'd want to ask a dr. about a baby up to age two. It has info on all kinds of stuff, from aceteminophen dosages (Tylenol box says to "ask a dr.") to developmental milestones. When Maryn is sick or I have a question about something, I often look to see what Dr. Sears has to say. No doubt about it, the Sears family knows what they are talking about, and I always value their opinion. They're laid back and not super rigid (do THIS, not that!). And they say that when Maryn is teething or having a rough night, it's not going to super kill her if I sit and watch Lady and the Tramp with her. Good news for me. If you want to have your baby in a separate room to sleep, fine! If you want to co-sleep for a while, fine! Shwew. Also, good news for me.

Sick Kit
If you've been invited to a baby shower, one of the best things you can get a soon-to-be mom is a sick kit full of things that she or her husband might be running to CVS for in the middle of night. Include Gripe Water (see above), an underarm thermometer (Dr. Sears recommended!), a couple liquid medicine syringes or squirty things (also helpful for babies not wanting to take a bottle), Vick's VapoRub, Baby Nasal Spray, Hyland's Teething Tablets (I don't know if these really work, but many moms swear they do), Chamomile tea (good for rubbing on sore gums, and helps baby sleep), Mother's Milk tea (if mom is breastfeeding), and Pedialyte. Even if she doesn't ask for these things or plans on not using them, when a new mom has a sick baby a nice little sick kit will make her nights much easier. You may want to consider a warm steam vaporizer (recommended over cool mist humidifiers by who else? Dr. Sears.) as well. We just bought one, and we've spent a fortune running out and getting this stuff and heaps of other things when Maryn is sick. Because no one likes having a sick baby!

The First Years Baby Tub
I've never really tried any other tub, but I really liked this one. It's a good thing because I got FOUR of them at my shower. Ha! I felt really comfortable giving Maryn a bath in this from the time she was born until she was ONE. She fit in it till she was one!

Other things that helped me A LOT:

-my food processor and ice cube trays for making baby food
-bumgenius cloth diapers, cloth wipes/washcloths and my Prince Lionhart wipes warmer (for cloth wipes), but if you're going to a baby shower, one of the best gifts I received was a HUUUGE box of baby wipes. Because even if a mom uses cloth diapers, everyone can use baby wipes. And NO ONE likes to buy them. HUGGIES wipes have the BEST dispensers. So get any refills you like, but Huggies dispensers rock.
-Medela Swing Breastpump (big life saver, but too obvious for the list)
-this cheap changing table that I love. I added canvas baskets that I decorated to match Maryn's room. I am so glad I didn't get a changing table with drawers! I love this thing. I guess I already said that. I love it!
-Burt's Bees Baby Lotion, Bath Soap and Diaper Cream: Diaper rash hasn't been a big problem here, and neither have allergies, but these things are great and they smell SO good.
-Bumbo! Baby seat! Not so good for everyone, but perfect if you have a small to average sized baby.

Mothers, what are some things that helped you as a new mom? Let's help each other out and share the news!

My Favorite Christmas Movies

In no particular order, but sort of...

1. Miracle on 34th Street
2. The Santa Clause 2
3. Elf
4. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
5. Home Alone
6. Gremlins
7. Twas the Night Before Christmas (the one with the mice)
8. The Grinch Who Stole Christmas
9. Frosty the Snowman
10. Charlie Brown Christmas

As you can see, I am not very cultured. I have no movies on my list that were made before 1980, except Miracle on 34th Street.

Get [Jiggy] Crafty With It

Well, Maryn has actually been pretty jiggy lately. John and I were watching her choose books from the shelf while her Dragon Tales songs were playing (on her cute little baby mp3 player) and she was doing the motions. She can now touch her earlobe, shake her dragon tail, touch her bum-bum, spin like a spinning top, and rock like a rocking chair. It's pretty hilarious. At least to us it is.

Aunt Cathy gave her the mp3 player for her birthday, and she is totally into it. She even downloaded 100 songs on it for us. I still haven't gotten around to putting some our songs on it. We love it because Maryn can't turn up the volume, but she can switch songs and turn it off and on pretty easily. It's covered in rubbery stuff so it's safe to drop or chew on. Easy to clean drool, boogers and food off of it, too!

Aunt Cathy also put together a few crafty tubs and craft ideas for us. Here's Maryn painting a squirrel. The "paint" is actually chocolate pudding. Then we put the leaves on, and then we stuck some sticker eyes on him. I guess I really did a lot of the work, but she really did all the painting herself, and she's getting pretty good at sticking stickers.



However, we are taking a break from crayons for a while. I can not get Maryn to stop eating them. She loves, loves, LOVES to eat crayons like their stinking granola bars or something!

I am really excited. John is getting home at 9:00 tonight! He's worked almost every evening this week from about 3:00-1:00 am. And he has two days off per week, but they're almost never in a row and he still has to go to class (from about 11:00-4:00) and study, study, study. Ugh, it is hard. But it has gotten easier now that Maryn and I have gotten used to it and mostly because my attitude about it has been better.

Next week, he will start working a lot of days because although he has had a mgt. position at work before, he still has to "train" at another store. He'll still have to go to class and study, but at least he can study out in the living room next to me and I won't have only The Holiday and The Aristocats to keep me company. I'll need to borrow some good books from the seminary library and try hard to limit my internet time.

Sigh. I have so many complex thoughts and things to say, but I just rambled on and on about nothing. But whatever. lol.

New Toys!!!

I wanted my next post to be about our Amish day with Kendra, her girls and her mom, but I forgot to get the pictures off my mom's camera. Boo. Hopefully my mom will figure out how to put them online and I can post them soon.

We made it back to Kentucky safely and Maryn has been having a BLAST playing with her new toys.

These "Tadoodles" were one of the things I wanted for Maryn's birthday.
They are so cute. She still uses regular crayons, but these are cute
little markers that toddlers can hold with the "palm grasp" since
the pincer grasp for holding crayons isn't quite there yet.
Maryn had a good time coloring her picture, which she told me was a
picture of "Bad Dog!" Big surprise. She's been saying "Bad Dog" all week.
Who might "Bad Dog" be? Charlie, our family dog in Ohio.
And he was pretty bad while we were there.

Last night, Maryn had her kids' size chef hat and apron on.
It was the most adorable thing I've ever seen (besides the last 100 things I
said were the most adorable things I've ever seen). I couldn't
get her to keep them on today, but here she is making cookies with her oven
mitt that she puts on herself.
These are Melissa and Doug cookies, and the package came with some great
educational activities, so these cookies will be used lots and lots, especially
if I home school. Thanks Grandma!

I really can't believe how smart she is. I know that, in the first two years (or 3 years or 5 years), the mind of a child grows exponentially. It's just crazy to see it in action. The way she was JUST born and now she responds to our questions, tells us what she wants, follows us around, and mimics our every action. What in the world is going on here? I guess that's why all parents think their kids are geniuses. It just doesn't seem like my little baby should be so smart all of a sudden. I'm not joking, she even points to her peas one-by-one and pretends to count them (saying "Ha! Hoo! "Ha!").

John is on Fall Break! No classes this week. But he is working a lot of nights. And I now only have ONE boy to babysit three days per week, but he isn't starting for another week or so. Long story short, we need prayer. Lots of it.

Long and boring post. But excited. Forgive me! I have been deprived.

Waiting for closing circle outside the dining hall.

The counselors working with me this week: Michael, who is from Massachusetts, Antony from England and Veronique from France. They were great to work with and loved Maryn and our campers.

Maryn happy that she successfully pulled all the books off the second shelf
for the third time today. It's her favorite thing to do!

After the campers left today, John, Maryn and I headed to the used bookstore, the mall, and Texas Roadhouse. Unfortunately, the used bookstore was closed so we went to the Christian bookstore instead. I had planned on getting some light summer reading, but just couldn't pay full price for fiction. So I bought the book I've been hoping to read for a long time "A Chance to Die" (a biography of Amy Carmichael) by Elizabeth Elliot. It's about time I start reading some biographies of our Christian brothers and sisters, and this seems to be a good place to start. I am totally not wanting to read something so moving, deep and spiritual. As I stood there in the store thinking (praying) about it with the biography and another book in my hands, I knew God was telling me to go with Amy Carmichael. I hope it inspires me somehow--or something like that. I will keep you updated. Though I did argue with God that another Francine Rivers book may be just as inspirational. I kind of stomped back to John and said, "Well, I guess I'm getting this one."

At the mall (THE MALL!!!! YAY! I was so happy to be there. In civilization!), Maryn got to ride in the cutest little kid cart with a steering wheel. She was so excited, driving everywhere and trying to honk the horn. But there was no horn. I guess she's just used to a horn being on toys with steering wheels. She got a new pair of walking shoes at The Children's Place for $4.00. The kind of white shoes like I used to have when I was a baby. John got the game Settlers of Catan with his birthday money. It's a game everyone and their mother has been telling us to get that cost an outrageous amount of money that I hope somehow God will grant me the patience to play, since I know it's important to John... I got two more huge bottles of my special favorite best in the world Redken Extreme shampoo that allows me to skip a day of hair washing.

We also went to Target and the Disney store and a toy store... Now that Maryn is mostly fitting into 12 months clothes, I am DYING in every baby department. The clothes are the most adorable things I've ever seen. I want to buy it all. So, to warn you all, just don't even go into the baby sections. Because you will undoubtedly come out with something for some baby you know or think might come along in the next year or so. Fortunately, our selection is seriously limited by Maryn's diapers (requiring larger bottoms) and her crawling (no dresses). And the fact that I am now trying to avoid onesies. Partially because of cloth diapers. Maryn's torso is so tiny and she has a big booty with the diapers one. Also because onesies are just kind of a pain.

The toy store! So cute! I want to buy everything there, too. This toy store had a ton, a ton, of Melissa and Doug stuff. Most of it was not for babies, of course, but I just want all of it. It's all so cute and nice looking...you know...because the toys are wooden and cute, fresh, kind of vintage looking. I do have some Melissa and Doug stuff and I love all of it.

Ladies and Gentleman, I have discovered aspirin.

Maryn loves this toy! But not the camera flash.

Today was toy cleaning day. Unfortunately, we suffered one
fatality. Rest in peace, poor wittle Mr. Tiger.
He fell off the rack in the dishwasher and was fatally injured
by the metal heat thing on the bottom. :'-(

And now, for my real post.


My mama raised me to fear three things in life: fire, knives, and aspirin.

I guess she kept me away from aspirin because of Reye's Syndrome, but I still try not to take it. Maybe the aspirin won't realize I'm 27 and will strike me down like a six year old. I'm not sure what Reye's Syndrome is, but it, like fire and knives, probably leads to death.

On my great CVS adventure, I acquired some Bayer "quick dissolving crystals" or something like that. For fast relief of things like migraines and minor arthritis. It was obviously sent to me by God. Because for the past few months (okay, maybe the past few years), I've been really struggling with a jaw issue which I think is causing me some very painful headaches. I've diagnosed myself with TMJ. But anyway. I took these Bayer quick dissolving crystals and within about 30 seconds, I felt like Superman.

Okay, maybe I just felt normal. But I'd kind of forgotten what normal felt like. And the stuff tastes like a souped up Pixie Stick. It is GOOD STUFF.

I have resisted taking anymore and I'm saving it for special occasions. I have some in my purse just in case I witness anyone having a heart attack.