Cadence's 1st Halloween

Its Not Just About Candy

Sure, this is Cadence's first Halloween, but I couldn't really justify dressing up a 3 week old in a costume.... that being said, she'll wear an orange "my first Halloween" onesie later, pictures to follow....

I couldn't let the day go by without aknowledging that this is the one year anniversary of Officer Timothy Brenton's brutal murder. For me, this horrific event last year was one of my first challenges as a police officer's wife. Sure, Halloween is fun for kids and adults who like to got dressed up and get candy, but after last year, this holiday is far scarier. Pun intended.

In the midst of what will likely be a day of last minute candy buying, costume fixes, and house cleaning, I'd encourage everyone to remember our law enforcement officers, not just those who have lost their lives, but  the men and women who wear the kevlar each day.

As I've said before, I'm beyond proud of my husband and our friends who have become our family.

Officer Brenton: Gone but not forgotten.

Being Cute: Cade's Saving Grace

Disruptive sleep has taken its toll a bit on Matt and I, as has learning Cade's cries. I've figured out which one says I'm gassy, I'm hungry, I'm tired, and I want to be held, but a cry is still a cry and its exhausting to hear all the time.

That being said, Cade's saving grace is that she's too cute for words.

Here are some pictures of Cadence spending time with Daddy last night and some random sleep poses today, I think you'll find them to be thought provoking.....

Best Friends

Joey's best friend is Cadence. He doesn't leave her side when she's visiting.

From Silly Fad to Utterly Fab

We all remember fads of our generation....bell bottom, parachute, and hammer pants, snap bracelets, swatch watches, high tops, pet rocks, lava lamps, beanie babies, magic eight balls. I might be going out on a limb here but my guess is that you likely donated most of your fabulously retro items to Goodwill, the trash can, or sold them at a garage sale for 1/80th of their purchase price.

I was "one of those" beanie baby collectors back in the day. The reality is, its a cute toy that retailed for $5 but when the demand became high, I remember searching around for those random animals and forking out all of my babysitting money for the latest one and standing in lines for hours to get the latest released critter. I never wanted to get rid of them for some reason, they are cute. I ended up with 100+ beanies in a huge dresser drawer at my mom's house.

During my time working in pediatrics, I'd hear all about the latest baby must haves or see items that make one say, "what on earth IS that?". The wubbanub was that item. It always bugged me when someone would take a seemingly simplistic idea, create a prototype, and go on to make a fortune. Once again, enter wubbanub. Apparently a mom was travelling with her infant somewhere and was trying to solve the ever present issue of losing the bink. (pacifier). She had a beanie baby like animal and she sewed the bink to the animal and ta-da, the birth of the wubbanub. (where the name came from, who knows). Soothie pacifiers are Cade's favorites and they're flexible in comparison the the more traditional Nuk pacifiers. Even as small as she is, particularly in the car, I was encountering the same issue when she'd spit out her bink, so I went to Nana.

Nana in her infinite sewing wisdom was able to sew a soothie to a random beanie baby and its a life saver. Cade already cuddles with her puppy (as much as a 2 week old can cuddle a toy half her size). Its also a heck of a lot easier to reposition a beanie baby while driving than searching for the bink AND putting it back in.

So to anyone out there with a beanie collection and babies around, for crying out loud, sew a Soothie on it, it'll be the best use of an outdated fad ever. Additionally, beanies are cuter than the wubbanubs.

Sleepy Baby

Cade likes to mimick Mommy and Daddy during her snoozes.



Note the left arm



Things No New Parent Should Be Without

I dont think we learned the hard way that we need a lot of stuff, but I learned that I under-registered for a few things that we use constantly, so for my friends who are expecting babies soon, and the fact that I love lists, here are things that I think no new parent should be without, ever. In no particular order.....

*Starbucks or Tully's
*Pack N Play
*Soothie Pacifiers (Cade LOVES them!)
*Cloth Diapers for burp cloths, you really CANNOT have too many
*Simethicone drops (generic Mylicon)
*Pampers Swaddlers diapers, Huggies are the devil
*Short and Long Sleeved Onesies
*Gap 0-3month socks, I'm quite certain there's a conspiracy here, but they are the ONLY ones that fit Cade
*Swaddleme blankets
*thermal or waffle knit blankets, great for swaddling

*Hand Sanitizer, Method has a nice new one

*Boppy
*Dr Brown's Bottles

* Diaper Genie

 

*Disposable Changing Pad Covers for the many accidents you'll have during a change

*A bouncer and/or a swing
*When leaving the hospital, in the drawers of the baby bassinet, grab as many tiny hats and receiving blankets as you can stuff in your bags.

 

 

The first 12 days in pictures