The New Baby-Kitchen Renovation Diet

It seems the life of a new mother, at least for me, consists of little time to think about or prepare food, and many hours a day spent breastfeeding and moving around with baby. I actually have what I call the "3:30 Burn" - it's a workout created to lull my cranky baby to sleep at that time of day as this is when she needs a little extra help. I turn on the music, hold Rylee in my arms and bend and rock and swing around until she goes to sleep. I can feel the arms and legs burn when I finally lay her down some 30-45 minutes after I begin "the Burn."

As for my food consumption, in the mornings my sweet Husband brings me a healthy cereal topped with soy milk and blueberries for breakfast but after that I'm on my own. When I finally do get around to eating again, it's usually been something easy, like a salad with very few toppings, or a sandwich with meat only. Long gone are the days of my pregnancy when I would consume sweet tea every day and "mange" on anything from impressive not-so-healthy salad creations to three-meat pizza! But in addition to the New Baby portion of my own personal diet, we are in the process of having our kitchen renovated. Anyone who knows us knows we are a bit obsessive about improving our home...o'kay, it's really my Husband that has the obsession but I like to go along with it as I reap the rewards, as well. This week the remaining cabinets came out along with some sheet rock and all of our food, except for what's in the fridge, got moved out. Plates and glasses are covered with plastic which is covered in dust and wood shavings. I am lucky we have a good stash of plastic forks and disposable plates! So, these days my lunches are even simpler, consisting only of what I can quickly pull from the fridge while the contractor works diligently behind me. Today's meal was salad greens with cherry tomatoes and vinaigrette dressing, half an avocado, a chicken breast Greg cooked and brought home for me yesterday, and grapes for dessert with, of course, my daily dose of water to wash it down. No frills, no fuss...just fresh, easy fare. And I am already down just below my pre-pregnancy weight and back into my pre-pregnancy blue jeans after only a month! Hooray! The New Baby-Kitchen Renovation Diet works for me. :-)

I have a confession to make...

When my baby girl is sound asleep, I sneak kisses. I kiss her sweet, round cheeks, her perfect little nose, her long, chubby toes and her soft, pink feet. I am addicted to her scent, her silky skin, her softness overall. Admitting my addiction is the first step...to doing it all over again! Gotta go, baby is sleeping and I must get my kisses in.

Lessons This New Mother Has Learned (Sometimes the Hard Way) This Last Month

First, I have the most beautiful, perfect, precious princess daughter ever!

• Nothing lasts forever. This would include my pregnancy, which seemed endless, especially in the last two months. Now that I am not pregnant and well on my way to feeling physically back to my old self save for a few bumps, bruises and battle wounds that I am certainly proud of, I am now feeling a bit sad at not having my baby girl with me all the time. It is the first of what I'm sure will be my growing pains of letting go when it comes to my daughter. Another experience that one should be so ever grateful that it doesn't last forever is labor. Though it had its excrutiating moments and lasted for many hours from start to finish, I blinked and it was over, and then I realized that one of the most pivotal experiences in my entire existence is over. I mourn for that experience all while I am living in pure joy over holding my precious baby girl in my arms. Nothing lasts forever, even those who seem larger than life and appear to have it all. Michael Jackson's untimely death on June 25 (the day I got home from the hospital with Rylee) opened a huge void in the entertainment and music world, but also created a void for me, personally. He has touched my entire life with his music, dancing and performances. I have been a fan since before I could even understand what it was to be a fan; we're talking the Jackson Five days, my friends. But above losing an amazing entertainment genius, as a new mother, I think of MJ's children. I pray that they find peace and are surrounded only by those who love them and who loved their father. Rest in peace dear King.


• Time flies, enjoy every millisecond. We celebrated 30 glorious days and nights with Miss Rylee Claire on July 23. Every moment that she has been in this world has been blessed and joyful for me. I can't believe she is already one month young, and I can't imagine by life before she became a part of it.
  
• Love, acceptance and humor are essential. As my Mother always says, "We choose who we want to be in the world." We choose how we are going to feel, act and react to each and every moment, situation and person, but sometimes the choices others make may influence who we choose to be in the world. I have learned since becoming a mother myself how very true this is through a number of important situations. I have also had the privilege of seeing my Husband blossom over the last nine months. Acceptance and humor, well those were and are HUGELY important for being by my side the last 11 months, influencing me to relax a little more and try not to sweat the small stuff. I may not always completely understand his intentions and ways of showing he cares - I think it's a male vs. female thing - but I know I am loved and that's all a girl can ask of her Husband. In addition to my Husband's love, I have been surrounded by so much love, care and friendship over the last 30 days (and many, many days, months and years before now) that I feel overflowing with it. I want to speak specifically to Jenn, Brooke, Nicole, Barbara and Mandy, each of whom have been and will continue to be my rock, my shoulder, my advisor, my saving grace. I could not have gotten through my pregnancy, my hospital experiences, and my first month as a new mother without each and every one of you; and none of you are off the hook for at least another 18 years!! Each of you are crowned "Auntie" for Princess Rylee and thus as part of your duties, you are required to help her poor Mother along in life for my sake and for Rylee's. :-) All kidding aside, the advice, the laughter, the complete and utter attention to being there for me when I've needed it most...I am more grateful than I have ever been. Thank you for teaching me how very special and necessary your love, acceptance and humor are, once again. I can only hope to return the favors over the coming years of my friendship with each of you.

Happy Two-Week Birthday to Rylee!!

A Day in the Life of a Two-Week-Old Princess Baby

Hard to believe, but we are wrapping up two weeks since Miss Rylee Claire made her entrance into the world on June 23. Daddy Greg and I have gotten into a nice little routine with our baby girl and it feels nice. I start the day feeding Rylee around 3 a.m. and again at 6 a.m. at which time instead of putting her right back to sleep, I hold her a little longer, cuddling and snuggling her. The first favorite part of my day begins as we watch the sun rise through the big tree behind our house that shades and hugs our home protectively. What a beautiful way to begin every day, cloaked in the warmth of my little angel. When I know Rylee is sound asleep and I can no longer keep my eyes open, I put her back to bed. We sleep another hour or so before the next feeding around 9 a.m., after which Daddy gets to hold and snuggle Rylee while Mommy wrings just a bit more shut eye out of the morning. Sometimes this final nap isn't possible for me because of doctor appointments or things that need to be done, but we try to sneak it in as often as we can. Once we rise and shine, and discuss exactly how many hours of wonderfully interrupted sleep I had, Daddy gets started on breakfast while Mommy and Rylee get dressed for the day. This is another of my favorite times, when Rylee is alert and happy and we talk about her outfit and about her day. She sits pleasantly in her rocker while I take a shower and get dressed, as if she knows exactly what's expected of her. And so our day begins...sometimes with an errand to run, or quiet time in the living room, or a visitor to shower us with love and shower Rylee with praise, and lots of feeding and diaper changing and snuggling and rocking. Then as the sun begins to set, we settle in as a family. At 8:00, or so, we retreat back upstairs for a little TV and for Daddy's scheduled time to bond, yet again, with his Princess. Rylee loves her Daddy and I do believe she already has him wrapped around that perfectly sculpted, long, thin pinky of her's. It's a joy for me to experience seeing them together. She challenges him at times, giving a pout or a scrunch or her nose with a slight meow of petulance, but Daddy responds so well to her, pretending he's immune to her girlie moods. After the final "normal" feeding, Daddy puts Rylee to bed, kisses me good-night and we fall deeply into the O'Neill Slumber...for that blissfully interrupted night of sleep. And that is a day in the life of our Princess. Yes, we really do understand the Life of Rylee as she shows us our only job and our only care every day is for her, what a life!