Swine flu and play dates

Have you guys thought about the swine flu at all? Well I have, and I tell you, I am pretty spooked. I keep debating with myself whether I should have Emma vaccinated or not. One of Emma's doctors told me it is totally up to me and the he does not recommend nor discourage either way. When I went for her 9-month check up, that doctor said I should definitely vaccinate her. So, I have two opinions, and I am not sure which one to choose...

On the one hand, this H1N1 virus is spreading like a fire, it can be deadly, and children are especially prone to getting it. On the other hand, there are so many debates at the moment stating the vaccine can potentially cause a lot of problems such as autism, and there is no guarantee that Emma won't get the virus even though she has been vaccinated. While Emma's doctor assured me that there is no known link between autism and vaccinations, it still makes me think twice about it since we are going to Sweden for Christmas and airplanes are known germ collectors. What are your thoughts about the topic?

On to another more fun topic...baby skills. Or should I say baby aerobics. Emma turned 9 months yesterday, and she is just getting bigger and bigger. She amazes me every single day as she is learning more and more skills. She must be learning new skills in her sleep because every day she is doing something new. She has been almost crawling for weeks now but hasn't quite got it yet. Then yesterday, she all of a sudden started to crawl and did it flawlessly :-). And while she was doing it she was looking at me as if she was saying: "What was the big fuss about? I can do this in my sleep..." And she sure can. She's also pulling herself up to standing position very easily by now, and she's even taking a few steps while holding on to things, but she's not quite ready to let go yet.

She is getting used to her new play group too, and she has even gotten a boyfriend. Or that's what we moms in the group like to call him. Joey is an 8-month old super cute guy in Emma's play group, and Emma simply loves him. He is actually the only guy in the group, so you can imagine that he gets a lot of attention from all the girls. Every time Emma sees him, she crawls/scoots over to him and lean in as if she wants to give him a kiss. And bless his heart he's just sitting there letting her do all the work. It is so cute to see. I even have a picture of it, but since my camera is not working, I guess it has to wait until another time...

As I was watching Emma interact with Joey today, I thought about how times have changed. Emma doesn't know any rules or social etiquette of how she is "supposed" to behave. She only knows what she wants and she's going for it. It is very refreshing to see. What if we grown ups were more like children in this sense and went for things we wanted instead of letting fears and limiting beliefs hold us back? Aside from the obvious potential of total chaos, imagine what the world would look like if we all went for what we wanted and didn't let anyone tell us we couldn't do it or didn't deserve it. I am thinking the world would look pretty different. And I am thinking we would be a lot happier too....

Yikes, am I raising a bully?

Emma and I went to a play date yesterday, and while I enjoy meeting all the other moms and see Emma interact with the other kids, I am beginning to see a whole different side of Emma and quite frankly, it is kind of scary....

Emma is a big baby, that is a fact. Her doctor says she is just right and follows her developmental path, which is a great thing. I heard from the get go not to compare her to other children her age because they are all different and develop differently depending on their genes. Well, with that said, Emma is still a large baby. She is in the 99th percentile for her height and 81 percentile for weight.

When I went to our weekly play group yesterday, I (of course) compared her to the other babies there. And she is twice their size. Twice their size!!! Can you imagine. There was only one boy there, and he is about a month younger than Emma, and she is even bigger than him. And he is considered very large for his age. In addition to her size she is kind of a bully too. She just crawled over (or more specifically scooted over) to the other kids and keep stealing their toys. If they didn't give them up right away, she sat on them until they gave up and handed them over. None of the other kids did that. They played quietly in their corner and minded their own business. Emma even took their binky right out of their mouths and put it in hers like it was the most natural thing in the world. Then of course the other kids started crying and all of a sudden we had an orchestra of crying babies and one happy Emma....

While some moms there thought this was hilarious, it honestly worried me a little. Am I raising a bully or is she just expressing her independent self? One mom there sensed my worry and kindly said: "You will never have to worry about Emma because she will be able to take care of herself." And then she made a hulk-face, flexed her biceps and laughed...If this was any other kid, it would be kind of a funny story. But when it's your own baby, you have a tendency as a mom to paint the worst picture. And guess what I was painting? Emma going berserk in school and winning the "worst bully award"! I want Emma to be socialized and well-behaved when she plays with other children. I want her to have a bunch of friends too, and I am pretty sure that most friendships among girls will end when there's too much sitting and wrestling going on. Luckily, the other moms in the play group are fun and easy going. Most of them are first time moms like me, so there's quite a bit of understanding and empathy going on.

As I drove home a few hours later I thought about how to handle this situation in the future. I concluded that while I want Emma to grow up to be independent and empowered, I also want her to be sensitive and understanding to other people's needs. The answer was pretty obvious when I looked at her. I know that the responsibility lays completely on me and my husband. We need to be what we want her to be. After all, we all learn from observing, and if my husband and I are good role models, always consistant in our behaviors, and come from a place of love and support, I think we are going to be alright...

Someday on Oprah....

So, I am in the process of starting this new and fantastic business, right? And I am the first to admit that I am not very computer savvy. It has been known that I also tend to get a little frustrated from time to time when the technical part of my everyday living is not performing to its potential. For instance, I was just trying to upload a bunch of pictures of Emma into the computer and even share one or two with you, but the camera keep saying communication error. Isn't that annoying? I can't upload a thing at the moment. My computer has been acting out lately and preventing me from doing my work properly, and I can't help but to wonder if it is just time to get a new computer...one that will go very well with the new iPhone I hope Santa will get me this year...:0)

Speaking of Santa, my husband and I just decided to go back to Sweden for Christmas. Christmas is my favorite time of the year, and every year it keeps getting better and better. Now that Emma is born, I can't wait to buy her Christmas gifts, wrap them up, and see her face when Santa comes...Christmas is simply Christmas and I don't want to spend a minute of it without my family back in Sweden. Every time we spend Christmas away from our family back home it is never really Christmas. So we made an executive decision to go back this year since it is also Emma's first birthday in December, and we definitely don't want her family to miss out on that...

While I'm there, I will of course also do some business and scout out some potential suppliers for the baby products I want to import. I have already decided what products I am going to start off with, but I am not quite sure which suppliers to use yet. There is an ocean of things out there, and I really want to narrow down the product selection. I will not be one of those stores that sells everything. On the contrary, I will be the store where you can buy a select few of very special items that might be hard to find else where. The whole process of starting my own business is very time consuming but oh so much fun. How do you guys like the name, Tittut Baby, by the way? Tittut means Peek-a-boo in Swedish and since it is Emma's favorite game, I think it is perfect.

So to make a long story short, in between all the diaper changes, feedings, picking up all the spilled (thrown)food from the floor, dishes, laundry, grocery shopping, and you name it, I do manage to squeeze in a minute or two for planning the business. And every time I look at Emma I get so inspired about the future and what will come next. I mean, I am planning on having Oprah on speed dial, that's how successful I intend to be. Isn't it great to have so much passion for something that every time you wake up you can't wait to start another day?

Yep, that's me. And Emma of course. Because ultimately she is the inspiration for all of this. Since I became a mom my world has changed. And I know it sounds so cliche, but it is true. I used to live in the future and always looked at what was coming next. And while I still look forward to a lot of things (as with my new business for example), I am also able to enjoy every day and cherish simple moments that used to pass me without reflection. I like to say that I live more consciously now because every moment is precious. Being with Emma every day forces me to be in the moment like nothing else, and she keeps reminding me of what's ultimately important and who I am doing this for. So I guess I need her to help keep me grounded. Because I know in my heart that once I am grounded and in that place of infinite inspiration, I can create miracles and do things I never thought possible. We all can. And even though Emma plays a big part in that, I also know that that is all me...

The two musketeers...

Ok, here I am again. It is late, I am up, Emma's a sleep, and I tell ya, this blogging thing is addictive. I have so much to share. I start writing a little bit, and all of a sudden, I have written an entire chapter or close to, anyway. Mostly my thoughts coming out, but also some tips and ideas about stuff.

Most of the stuff comes from Emma. She is hilarious. Everyday she does something funny and totally new. She started sitting up by herself about a month ago, and I am simply amazed by how good she is at that now. She can get up to sitting from any position and she does it fast too. She is also crawling or what ever you call it when she's pushing herself forward with her arms while her body is still on the ground. She is also climbing on me and furniture like a monkey. I call her that now - my monkey. She likes that because every time I say that to her she smiles. Her smile is just the most beautiful smile I have ever seen. I can see in her eyes that she smiles from there. Have you ever thought about that? Most people smile with their mouth. Almost all babies smile with their eyes. You can tell they are sincere.

Today I went to Ikea because I had an errand in a neighboring town and Ikea was just there. I ended up spending a fortune on toys for her, but I don't care. I just love to watch her interact with her toys and when she figures stuff out. She has all these funny conversations with her toys too. They have like this secret language that only they understand. Emma is very involved with their conversations and they can go on for hours sometimes. Every now and then she turns to me as if she is explaining what is being discussed and I love it. I just sit back and watch her feeling like the luckiest person alive.

Emma and I have grown very close these last few weeks when my husband has been away on business. It has been very challenging and trying in many ways, but it has also ultimately been allowing us to get to know each other on a whole new level. I sometimes feel like we are the two musketeers - all for one one for all.....us against the world or something. It is nice. I would love to find out what she is saying, though, and I can't wait for her to start taking for real. Children have this amazing ability to stay open minded about things, and I love that about them. They do not judge people or hold back. They simply are who they are without excuses. I think we might all have something to learn about that....

It was just one of these mornings...

Hi there,

I woke up to a beautiful morning today. The sun outside my window found its way through the blinds and slowly warmed up the room. Emma slept in for once (she gives mommy a break every once in a while :0), and I was just laying in bed feeling so lucky and blessed. I felt so happy that my husband was home from his trip and that the entire family was back together again. Emma woke up shortly after I woke up, and we all snuggled up in bed and hung out for a bit. In my book, there is just nothing better than family time in the morning because it really sets the mood for the rest of the day. And today the mood is set for great :0).

I tell you, life is pretty exciting over here. We are keeping so busy every day and there is always something fun and exciting going on. For example, Emma and I were filmed for a short commercial yesterday. One of my closest friends here were filming a commercial for her acupuncture practice, and since she helped me get pregnant with Emma, she wanted us to be in the commercial. Emma did great and everyone fell in love with her of course. Come to think of it, this might be a good career for her. She could be America's Next Top Baby Model (lol).

Speaking of baby models, I am currently in the process of starting a new business and I am so excited I am about to burst :0). Before Emma (I like to say I lived one life before her and started another after she was born), I used to be a Life Coach where I helped my clients overcome obstacles and achieve different goals. Since I had Emma, my priorities have changed, and I really want to do something that will allow me to work and stay home with her at the same time. I want Emma to be a part of the new business too, so it will be something we can create together.

A friend of mine opened a Swedish online baby store in Chile and she has done quite well for herself. I was originally planning to open a regular baby store here in the US, but with the economy and people being more busy these days, an online store is an even better idea. Who knows about moms lack of time to shop better than me? I have also been searching high and low for high quality baby products and toys here in the US, and there are simply not that many to choose from. Tittut Baby (Peek-a-boo baby) was born out of the desire to find high quality baby products and not being able to find them here.

So, naturally, opening an European online baby boutique seems to be the obvious choice for me at this time. I will sell Swedish and German wooden baby toys, along with other Swedish baby products, and I just know it is going to be fantastic. Woohoo!! :0).

I will fill you in along the way on everything that is happening with the store as well as when it is ready for take off. Like I said before, life is pretty exciting at my end of the world...:0)

Reconnecting with old self

So, here I am again. Up late, tired, and ready for bed. I was planning on going to bed early tonight, but an old friend called who I haven't talked to in ages, and all of a sudden a couple of hours went by and here we are...

Talking to my friend actually reminded me of how much I have missed her. Somewhere along the way between work, buying a house, and being pregnant, I lost contact with a lot of my old friends. Having a baby is wonderful and heavenly and super duper in all possible ways, AND it is also so easy to fall behind on the life you used to call yours once the baby is born. You are so consumed by everything baby as well as sleep deprived and just in general not in shape to go out for more than a couple of hours at a time. Yet you promised yourself and all your friends that nothing would change once the baby was born. You will still be you....yeah, I am still me with less sleep, more saggy body parts, and less me-time. Talking to my friend today reminded me that it doesn't have to be that way.

Sometimes all it takes is a phone call and a friendly voice saying "I have missed you, Jenny" that makes all the difference in the world. I guess the point of the story is that things in life do change. Friends have babies, some move away, and some just move on to bigger and better things. But even if your friendship started out on a different platform, it is still the same friend. And you still have everything in common that you had before. You just have an extra thing to talk about now. So, I am making a promise to myself to reconnect with old Jenny more often and allow myself to leave mommywood heaven from time to time. And I am giving myself permission to be OK with that too.

Before I go, a quick update on Emma after her well-check today. You will be happy to know that Emma is healthy as a horse. She weighs 20,6 lbs and she's 29 inches tall (the nurse measured 30 inches, but I though that was too much and took her measurement again at home and as it turns out, she is only 29 :0). She is in the 99th percentile for her length and 81 for her weight. The doctor said "She is a BIG baby," and I nodded in agreement. And she is a happy one too. The only shot she got was the flu shot and she didn't even cry once. I was so proud of her my heart could burst....:0)

Natti natti

Preparing for a busy day

Naturally since I was up late last night, I was very tired when Emma woke me up this morning. She has for some reason decided that 6 am is a good time to get up and get busy. So I did what any normal sleep deprived mom would do. I picked her up and put her in my bed hoping she would fall asleep again. But no such luck. She was ready to take on the day so I had no choice but to get up.

As I put on a pot of extra strong coffee, she also decided it was a good time to make the poop of the century (yeah, sorry if this offends anyone). Since her bowel movements are anything but regular, I was happy that she at least had one today. This one in particular was a little yucky. By the time I had changed her diaper she had poop everywhere. Her upper arms, legs, hair, and I even managed to get some on the walls (and how it ended up there is a mystery).

Now we are both happy, clean and ready for the day. Today is Emma's 9-month check-up, and I can't say I am really looking forward to it. I actually love going to her doctor and check her weight and height and make sure that she is following her normal development, but the shots....uj uj uj, the shots. When she gets them she starts crying like crazy and just looks at me like she is wondering why I am doing this to her....it is heartbreaking. My natural instinct is to pick her up and yell at the mean lady (the nurse) to stop, but I have to bite my tongue and stay strong for Emma. Needless to say, Emma gets a lot of treats, kisses, and cuddles throughout the rest of the day. Ah, the perks of motherhood. Keep your fingers crossed that she will pass her check-up with flying colors :0)

And oh, before I go, I thought I'd post one of my favorite pictures of Miss Emma. Doesn't she look adorable?

Biggest Loser

So, since I am new to the blogging world, I realize that I have to get a hang of a few things before I can have that super cute and welcoming blog that everyone else seems to have. And while I am learning to navigate through this jungle of buttons and archives, I thought I'd give you my two cents about the season start of Biggest Loser. And you will find that I do this from time to time. I am the first to admit it. I am a show-addict and my Tivo is currently set to record 25 shows. Yes, it is true. Now you are probably wondering how I have time to watch anything with a wild 8-month old at home and a new business starting up....

The answer is a lot of sleepless nights. A lot. And I mean that in a good way. Since I am a night owl, I can't wait for the clock to turn 8pm (when most of the shows start for the evening) and the house to go quiet. It is just me and the TV (and a pouty husband who is mumbling something about missing playoffs).

Anyway, back to Biggest Loser. Even before I became a mom, I have always been very close to tears. I cry when I see a cute commercial about lion cubs, and I am always the first one to cry in the movie theatre. Just ask any of my friends. Naturally, I was balling my eyes out on the season premiere of Biggest Loser where one of the contestants lost her whole family to a drunk driver. I felt so bad for her, and I couldn't even imagine being in her shoes and surviving that kind of pain.

But then I looked over to the baby monitor and saw my beautiful Emma in her crib. She looked so peaceful and carefree that it shook me right out of fear mode. After all, we are all going through our own definition of "pain" and "challenges," and at the end of the day what really counts is what is left. I believe the woman in Biggest Loser is very strong and empowered and has a higher purpose in mind. She could have easily gone the other way, but she chose to stay and fight. And in that moment I realized something. I don't even know her and I was so proud of her. I was proud of her accomplishments. I would like Emma to grow up feeling that accomplished and proud of herself too. So, I just made a promise to myself to cherish everything Emma does and never downplay her or let her believe she is less than she is. I want her to know that she is amazing, beautiful, and that she can be and do anything she wants. Who knew that an episode of Biggest Loser could be so therapeutic?

Good night and sleep tight.

Welcome to Tittut Baby!

Hi there,

And welcome to my life and to the ups and downs of motherhood heaven. I just have to say how excited I am to write this blog. First of all, I have always loved to write. It just feels really natural, and it is a great way to get stuff out. Second, Emma is now 8 months old, and she is changing so much every day that I just had to get started writing and documenting her life and our life together. Before I know it she will be a teenager wanting to go to parties and hating my guts for not letting her....

This blog will be an in depth look at my life as a wife, friend, and stay at home mom. I will share all my crazy, weird, inspirational, and laugh out funny moments. I will even talk about my journey to starting a new baby business. After all, life is pretty amazing, and I feel so blessed to have what I have - my health, a wonderful husband, huge network of friends, and of course Emma :-)

Enjoy!