Archives for 2011

While I take some time to bond with my little man, please enjoy guest posts written by moms and moms-to-be from some of my favorite blogs. Today, I’m happy to introduce Claudia from Aux Petits Oiseaux!

Hello Bunny and Dolly readers!

I’m Claudia, and I live in Montreal (Canada). I enjoy writing about motherhood on a blog called Aux Petits Oiseaux (a French expression that stands for a sentiment of great joy). I recently gave birth to a baby girl named Alice.

Like most pregnant women, the thought of not being ready to take care of a child haunted me regularly. Until the very end, actually 3 pushes away from Alice’s birth, I said to the nurse, “When you put her on my chest, you have to stay next to me since I’m not ready to hold a newborn!”

Welcoming a baby, especially a first child, obviously implies a lot of adaptation. You basically dive into unknown waters. I don’t consider myself an experienced mother, after all, Alice is only 14 weeks old. However, I would like to share with you a very personal realization that made my life much enjoyable.

When we got home with Alice things went pretty smoothly. I quickly had a well established routine and, lucky me, I could easily understand her needs. That being said, taking care of Alice also brought some frustrations:

“You want to eat? But I’m too shy to breastfeed at the restaurant!”

“ You request a clean diaper? But I just started to eat lunch!”

“ You need attention? But I’m talking with my friends!”

“ You are not sleeping? But it is 5:30 am!”

Now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure that during that time, I was not ready to let go of my old life…my more “self-centered” life.

One day, I looked at Alice and made a strong commitment to her. I was going to be ready for her, in my actions but mostly in my attitude towards those actions. This initiative allowed me to fully accept my new role as a mother and now I know that I’m 100% ready! Even at 5:30am, when Alice is not sleeping, I wake up with my bed head and my bags under my eyes, and I smile. Yes, I smile at Alice because I made a commitment to her, and I fully intend to respect it for the rest of my life.

And after 14 weeks, I fully mastered the fine art of eating lunch, with my friends, while breastfeeding, in a restaurant 😉

When did you feel “ready” to be a mother?

{image from Claudia’s personal collection}

While I take some time to bond with my little man, please enjoy guest posts written by moms and moms-to-be from some of my favorite blogs. Today, I’m happy to introduce Emily from The Culinary Couple!

Hello, new friends! I’m Emily: wife, mother-to-be, lover of food and photography, and one-half of The Culinary Couple. I love dark chocolate, strawberries, and my red KitchenAid stand mixer. Right now, though, there are a few other things that I just could not live without. Between an expanding waistline, an achy back, and regular heartburn, it’s sometimes these little things that make all the difference.

Bella B Tummy Honey Butter: Not sure if I can credit good genes or this belly butter, but I’m still stretch mark-free at 30 weeks pregnant! Plus it keeps my stomach from itching throughout the day.

Clinique Repairwear Intensive Night Cream: Typically my skin is oily during the summertime. But not this year, thanks to Peanut. And so I’ve incorporated this silky face cream into my nightly routine. I use it after Clinique’s 3-Step products, and my husband jokes that I now have about 12 steps to complete each night. It’s true.

St. Ives Oatmeal and Shea Butter Moisturizer: Speaking of dry skin, I am in love with this body lotion. It smells sweet and goes on smooth. I use it twice a day.

Snoogle: I simply cannot sleep without this pillow — it even accompanied us on our week long road trip. It hugs the natural curves of my body and forces me to remain on my (preferably left) side all night. And its soft jersey cover is comfortable enough to replace my standard pillow. So far hubs is okay with the new guest in our bed. He even “snoogles” after I get up to shower in the morning.

Crocs flats: Wedges and stilettos may be stylish, but I just can’t wear them. Not before and definitely not now. And even my flats don’t feel as supportive as they once did. Fortunately, I found the most comfortable pair of shoes: sling back flats by Crocs. They basically haven’t left my feet since I bought them.

Jersey Dresses and Tanks from Old Navy: Comfortable. Versatile. Affordable. Love everything about them.

Prenatal Yoga DVD: I miss my power yoga class, but this DVD does the trick for now. There are planks and warriors and triangles — with modifications for each trimester. And I feel amazingly loose and relaxed after my 50-minute living room session.

TUMS Smoothies: I thought I knew what heartburn was until I entered the third trimester of pregnancy. Now, no matter what I eat, heartburn accompanies it. Enter TUMS. I eat at least three per day.

Other things I can’t live without: Honey Bunches of Oats, fruit of all varieties, Annie’s cheddar bunnies and macaroni & cheese, English muffins with Grandma’s strawberry preserves, and ice cream. Also: my husband. But that goes without saying, right?

Thank you, PJ, for inviting me to guest post while you’re hanging out with your little man! Hard to believe that I’m just a few weeks away from becoming a new mommy, too.

What products could you not live without when you were pregnant?

{emily’s photos}