Saturday, January 15, 2011

Maisie's Playlist

The other night when Austin was humming Maisie to sleep, it got me thinking about all the songs that Austin and I have dedicated to Maisie. We sing all kinds of songs to her daily, and a lot of the times they are made up, but there are a few that belong in Maisie's repertoire and will forever. That when we hear them we will always think of our sweet muffin in different stages of her life. I thought I would share those special songs with you.

When we finally decided that "Maisie" was the name, Austin picked me up from work and he said he wanted me to listen to a song he rediscovered. He said "I know the song says Gracie, but it's easy to put Maisie there instead." and he put on the song . The song is very cute and I recommend you give it a listen, it will melt your heart with the Daddy to daughter cuteness. Heres the lyrics, but of course I'm going to change the lyric to Maisie.

Gracie by Ben Folds
You can't fool me, I saw you when you came out
You got your momma's taste but you got my mouth
And you will always have a part of me
Nobody else is ever going to see
Maisie girl

With your cards to your chest walking on your toes
What you got in the box only Maisie knows
And I would never try to make you be
Anything you didn't really want to be
Maisie girl

Life flies by in seconds
You're not a baby Maisie, you're my friend
You'll be a lady soon but until then
You gotta do what I say

You nodded off in my arms watching TV
I won't move you an inch even thought my arm's asleep

One day you're gonna want to go
I hope we taught you everything you need to know
Maisie girl

And there will always be a part of me
Nobody else is ever gonna see but you and me
My little girl
My Maisie girl


Then when Maisie was born and I was having a hard time with breastfeeding (because of the soreness) and also recovering from the birth that it was hard to relax during feedings. Making Maisie more tense and prohibiting my let down. So I started to play classical songs during every feeding session. Maisie loved it because it was so peaceful and calming as we were bonding, but it also helped me to relax and enjoy every feeding. There are a few songs that will always remind me of her as a little newborn snuggled up skin to skin. So precious. Here they are:

Eward Elgar- Enigma
Schuman-Intermezzo from Momentum Suite
Chopin- Nocturne in B flat minor op 9/1, 9/2 & 9/3

During Maisie's fussy hours there was one song that would always calm her down when I sang it to her. I don't know how I was inspired to start singing it in the first place, but I'm glad I did. It's still a go to when she's in a bad mood or just wants to be comforted. I don't sing it nearly as often as I used to when she was a newborn, but it's still a goody.

Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson
Can't you see that it's just raining
Ain't no need to go outside...
But baby, you hardly even notice
When I try to show you this

Song is meant to keep ya
From doing what you're supposed to
Like waking up too early
Maybe we can sleep in

I'll make you banana pancakes
Pretend like it's the weekend now

And we could pretend it all the time
Can't you see that it's just raining
Ain't no need to go outside

But just maybe, laka ukulele
Mommy made a baby
Really don't mind the breakfast
'cause you're my little lady
Lady lady love me
'cause I love to lay here lazy
We could close the curtains
Pretend like there's no world outside.

The telephone is singing
Ringing it's too early
Don't pick it up
We don't need to we got everything
We need right here
And everything we need is enough

Just so easy
When the whole world fits inside of your arms
Don't really need to pay attention to the alarm
Wake up slow, yeah wake up slow

When I was little I really liked (okay maybe I was a tad bit obsessed) with Raffi. Austin being a Raffi fan too growing up, it only made sense to introduce Maisie to the wonderful goodness that is Raffi. We would sing the songs, but our go to was always Baby Beluga. Then one day while staying in Salem with Austin's family, my sister in law Miranda, and Mother in law Diane volunteered to babysit while Austin and I went out for a mini date. When we got back we came home to a very happy dancing baby. Miranda had discovered that Maisie LOVES the song Banana Phone by Raffi. I guess while we were gone Maisie started to get a little fussy and they put that song on and instantly she was back to her happy self. The song still works too. I can't tell you how many times we have blasted Banana Phone in the car when Maisie is grumpy from a long car ride. Works like a charm.

Then we have our "Night Night" Maisie songs. Austin and I alternate nights putting Maisie down for bed and we have our signature songs we sing/hum while putting her down. Austin's song is Edelweiss. He sings it to her in German of course, but humming it is what does the trick. Austin's low bass voice lulls Maisie faster than I ever could. My song is Let me call you sweetheart by Joni James. When I was little I had a wind up stuffed animal that played it. It's such a sweet comforting song and it reminds me of being cozy in bed, so I had to pass it down to my little Maisie.

There you have it. Maisie's playlist. The songs that in a very special way belong to her and always will.







Thursday, January 13, 2011

Too Close

One of the scariest things happened last night. I am still recovering from it and the experience has really upped the paranoia of my already worrying mommy brain. Maisie has had a couple close calls with choking. Both were caused by our Christmas tree. One time at the farm and the other when she rolled under and tried to eat one of the lower branches. Both were scary, but we were able to fish the debris out of her mouth without a hitch. Last night was different.

After dinner Austin just started a show via netflix. I sat on the other couch with Maisie in my lap and I proceeded to fold the heaping pile of laundry to my left. Maisie was half way standing up bouncing on my right knee while hitting the couch cushions with her hands. Suddenly she started to cough. Not the I want attention cough, or I swallowed wrong cough. It was definitely trying to get something out of her throat. I turned her around quickly to hear her gasping and to see her eyes red and watery. I stood up in lightening speed and panicky said " She's choking, Oh my gosh she's choking!" Austin put out his arms and I put her belly down in his hands. I collapsed right by her face so I could see her. That's when she stopped coughing and breathing. Her face was bright red, her little body squirmed about and her eyes locked onto mine and were filled with terror. Austin turned her around tried sweeping her mouth and felt nothing. He also got a good look and still there was nothing there. Whatever it was, was in her throat and so he turned her back around and patted her back firmly. At that moment I thought "I am going to watch my baby die." Right then one of the most glorious sounds. A huge inhale followed by a very scared whimper and then she belted out a big cry. Now we all could breathe, together.

After the ordeal was over and Maisie was back to her giggling self I thought "what if this happened when I was by myself" During the scare I couldn't even think straight, I was filled with emotion and literally turned into jello. What if I didn't have Austin's calm hands to take over. He was seriously so calm and relaxed and thank Heaven for that because had he showed even an ounce of fear I would have really lost it. So I am now going to sign up for an infant CPR class. I took a course in high school, but obviously I lost that training. Plus it is entirely different when it's your child choking. So hopefully brushing up will better equip me with the knowledge and confidence to take charge and not flounder.

We still don't know what the culprit was, but we were on the couch next to laundry so maybe a lint ball or a small piece of paper? I really have no clue, but there was nothing dangerous on the couch to the best of my knowledge. She didn't even have toys on the couch, no tags, small objects what so ever. I went a little crazy last night after she went to bed and throughly cleaned. I vacuumed like a mad woman this morning before I set her down to play. I am still paranoid that at any moment shes going to find something she could potentially choke on.

Since the event last night Maisie has been extra needy. Wanting to be held more than anything. I don't blame her. It's scary not being able to breathe. I am just so glad shes okay and doing just fine. I think we are just as (or maybe even more) traumatized as she.


Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Lefty?

Since Maisie was tiny I had a inkling that she might be left handed. For some reason she seemed to favor it, but she still used both hands a lot so it was hard to tell. I have noticed more and more that most of her actions I.E shaking, examining, reaching are done with her left hand. She still picks up stuff with her right, but it almost always ends up in her left. Maybe shes ambidextrous? I guess only time will tell.

Today while going through all of the pictures on my phone I noticed again how much she does in fact use her left hand and I have the goods to prove it...


Evidence #1
Maisie 4 months old

Evidence #2
Maisie at 5 months old

Evidence #3
Maisie at 6 months old

Evidence #4
Maisie at 7 months old

So what do you think?

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Gift of Gab

This week Maisie has been surprising us with her new vocabulary. She woke us the other morning by loudly saying "WOO WOO WOO". Also she finally caved into Austin's "Maisie can you say Dada?!" By finally repeating it back to him. She has totally put it together that I'm mama too. She will be playing and all of the sudden she will stop, look right at me and say mama. I think she has also put it together that Austin is dada. She will go all day without saying dada until he comes home (either for his lunch break or when hes off work) and then she will belt it out all of the sudden. We are no longer Austin & Sammie. We are now officially mama & dada. We have been upgraded and it feels great!

The past few days she has started conversational babbling. She really sounds like she is having a full conversation minus the correct words, of course. She plays with her toys and chats away and even changing up her facial expressions. It's amazing how babies pick that stuff up. They learn so organically, just by watching and listening. I still can't believe it. What happened to my stationary, only cried if she needed something baby that was here just a few months ago!?

Since Maisie is so good with her hands (and now communicating) it only made sense to start signing to her. I have been doing it for last couple months and just the basic signs that would make every mom's life a little less crazy. Like milk, more, all done/finished, hungry, thirsty even please and thank you. I thought I saw her do milk once, but right now it's too hard to tell. She watches diligently and I think in no time she will be signing what she needs. Austin isn't 100% convinced, but we'll show him!

Austin is also starting to speak more German to her as well. We are ordering a bunch of board books in German that way they can have a special reading time. Hopefully in the process of him teaching her I will get a little better as well. Our goals are not for her to be necessarily fluent, but to have an ear for it and to have an understanding of the language. She loves to talk and copy cat so I am sure she will love learning the guttural sounds.

I see her growing and learning every day and it's amazing to say the least. There are some days where I stop and all of the sudden it hits me "oh my goodness this beautiful baby is mine." She is my pride and joy and sometimes if it weren't for her squirming away I could seriously kiss her all day long. She is just too cute!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Revamp

I just posted, but I forgot to mention the cosmetic work I did on my blog. I decided it needed to be spruced up a bit. I loved the background that I had. It had Maisie written all over it. It reminded me of her nursery (Woodland creatures). Since I started this blog I have been wanting to make a series of pictures from birth to Maisie's current age (almost 8 months ah!). I started that project today while Maisie was taking her afternoon nap. I kept the old background, but with all the pictures it made it look so busy. Too busy in fact. So I started the hunt to find a background that is still "Maisie-ish" yet much more simple. So I found the orange flowers that look a little vintage and that did the trick. It no longer looks super busy. I love how it turned out.

Return of the Swaddle

Maisie is normally pretty easy to put to sleep. At about 8:30-9 o'clock shes ready for some shut eye. She will rub her eyes, yawn and if we wait a little longer then that she will start fussing. Then a couple weeks ago all of the sudden it was almost impossible to get Maisie to sleep without breaking a sweat. We hit a wall. Austin and I are both so exhausted by days end and in order for her to fall asleep we had to bounce and shush her so hard that it was becoming a chore. "It's your turn to put her down tonight." ...sigh. She was just restless and wanted to practice her new learned source of transport. She always wanted to be on the move. We would get her almost to sleep and then set her in her crib and then all of the sudden shes wide awake either rolling or grabbing onto the crib bars. She would do this until she wanted to be held again (probably about 10 minutes) and then start crying. One night we were so desperate for her to fall asleep that I busted out one of our Aden and Anis swaddling blankets and like a ninja I quickly wrapped her in a tight, near impossible to escape out of swaddle. And you know what? She fell asleep almost instantly. We have been swaddling her every night since and she is so easy to get to sleep now. I am sure she would be fine without the swaddle, but seeing how it is winter I love knowing shes snug as a bug. She seems to enjoy it as well. She always lets out a little giggle as I am swaddling her and it never fails to make me smile.


Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Little Maisie Bear

The past few days have been beautiful. No rain, nice sunny skies, but absolutly freezing. Yesterday for example didn't get above 35 degrees. Most days I don't mind the dry cold, but I HATE the wet, chilled to the bone weather that Oregon is notorious for. So with this unexpected and rare sunny winter weather we decided to take a nice walk on Monday. We dressed in our winters warmest and put Maisie in a full onesie plus a full body winter bear suit. You can't help but giggle when you see her in it. Our dear friends and neighbors gave it to us and she has already used it quite a few times. It's definitely cozy and warm, which is perfect when we decide to brave the weather for a stroll or to check the mail. We took a couple pictures of Maisie sporting her winter outfit and I knew I would regret not documenting the cuteness that is my Maisie Bear.