Pretty in Pink

List for one year olds

I have been pretty slack about my "lists for moms" suggestions over the past year. The main reason for this is that once baby starts walking, all bets are off. However, with the upcoming holiday season I find myself wondering, "What will make a good gift for Baikal now that she is 2?" Searching the internet and hounding my friends for recommendations, I decided to post what Baikal really played with over the past year. Hopefully, this list will be helpful for any of you looking to get a gift for a child from the 1-2 year range.

1. Stackable cups - I really like these from The First Years because you can teach colors and numbers with them (they are numbered on the bottom)
2. Wood Blocks
3. Ball toys - Baikal has really enjoyed this toy
4. Musical instruments
5. Board books - Heavy on the pictures, light on the text
6. Water/sand table - We used this everyday in the summer, until the state declared a ban on outdoor watering
7. Bubbles - Not all bubbles are created equal. Believe me, this bubble kit is worth the cost! These are the BEST bubbles, hands down.
8. DVD player - If you are looking for a high dollar item and you don't mind turning your kid into a zombie on long car rides, this has really saved Matt and I on several occasions. Get one that has a long battery so that you can use it in a car or plane.
9. Car seat - Around the first birthday, most babies have grown out of their car seat, but still need to be rear-facing. Our pediatrician recommended the Britax Marathon, which is a behemoth. It has been great, but pricey.
10. A red wagon - Always a classic.

Sugar, spice, and everything nice

Baikal has become really interested in helping out in the kitchen recently. Pretend cooking is of no interest, this girl wants to get her hands dirty. I think this is partly because they do a bit of baking with the kids at her preschool. Today we made chocolate chip cookies. Baikal's favorite parts are the mixing and the eating. When Matt came home from work, he took her and some of the cookies and made his way around the neighborhood to deliver some of them. Who wouldn't love some nice, warm, gooey cookies after a day's work?

Latest update on the next Miller baby

Everything is going well for little Miller. Next Tuesday I have my pre-op visit and the c-section is scheduled for the afternoon of the 6th, next Thursday! I am so excited to see our little boy! We have decided on the name Rybolt Baier Miller. Rybolt is my mother's maiden name, and Baier is a family name from Matt's father's side of the family.

Thanksgiving

We had a nice, relaxing Thanksgiving. We decided to buy our turkey and sides already prepared just in case we had to make a quick run to the hospital. It turned out to be a great idea, since we woke up this morning and we didn't have any power! It finally came back around 10:30 am. It was great to have Cousin Bill and Courtney come over to break bread with us. Baikal wasn't much interested in anything other than the rolls. After a nice meal, we rested a bit and then went on a walk through the park. We stopped at the playground for a bit, but it had turned really cold so we didn't stay too long.

Latest on the next Miller baby

I am in the final stretch! At my doctor appointment yesterday it was confirmed. Baby Miller is still doing great. The c-section is on for Dec. 6th, unless I go into labor before that date. Today I was officially given the OK to go off of the Terbutaline, but I decided to stay on it until after Thanksgiving. I want baby Miller to experience turkey from the inside.
Baikal is a bundle of joy. She has really expanded her vocabulary and now speaks in short sentences. She also loves to sing and dance, although sometimes I am not quite sure what song she is singing. She can use a fork, knife, spoon, and cup. Although she says, "Help with this?" if she is having trouble. Baikal is always on the move. This has made picture taking a difficult task, since my digital camera does not have an adjustable shutter speed.

Baby showers and other ramblings...

This weekend I got to attend the baby shower for my friend Laura. She is due on Dec. 10th with her first baby, a girl. We are both looking forward to seeing our little ones on the outside. Our husbands have already arranged the marriage between our two. I took some pictures of us, but luckily blogger gave me an error when I tried to upload them. I have been saved by a technical error! I am REALLY against pictures taken of pregnant ladies after the second trimester. Believe me, you do NOT want to remember those last months! Best to take pictures in the second trimester when your maternity clothes still fit and you face isn't all bloated.
Interestingly, I was able to upload this picture that Baikal took of her babysitter, just fine.




On a separate note, we are now out of all of the Halloween candy. Of course, we ran out of all of the "good stuff" a week ago, but eventually the rest of the bunch has made its way into either Baikal's stomach or our trash can. Halloween really made a big impact on Baikal. Occasionally, she will request to wear her Halloween costume or point to her candy bucket and say, "Happy Halloween." Just wait until she gets a load of Christmas!

Susann's wedding

Matt and Baikal had a wonderful weekend in Charleston for Susann and Shawn's wedding. I have been getting lots of pictures and even some video of the event. I only wish that I could have been there too!

Halloween and other news...

Baikal had a great time trick or treating this year with Courtney, Matt, and our neighbors Jeff and Katie. She got to wear Katie's costume from last year, a Cinderella princess dress. Her favorite candy turned out to be lollipops which she calls, "pop pops." After trick or treating, her sugar high resulted in a 30 minute dance session to the Footloose soundtrack. After some coaxing, I got her to eat some chicken and drink some milk before bedtime. Halloween was a big hit for Baikal.

In other news, my weekly doctor visit went well. They have scheduled the c-section for Dec. 6th and will take me off bedrest and meds on Nov. 21st. If I go into labor after Nov. 21st, they will go ahead with a c-section at that time.

Merle Chicago Miller turns 10!!!

My loyal companion is now in the double digits! Merle is my first child. I know that she is a dog, but nothing prepared me better for motherhood than having a puppy. It is amazing to think back to the fall of 1997 of when I first got her. My friends and I had just been to a Merl Saunders concert in Chicago. Sometime during the concert, I lost my keys. We were waiting for the AAA truck to let us back into the car when a Chicago Tribune delivery truck pulled up. It was around 3 am and we had been waiting for a few hours. We thought he said, "would you like a paper?" But when my friend Laura approached the car, he handed her a puppy. "I found her eating trash a few blocks back," he said. She was all ribs and smelled horrible. The AAA man arrived shortly after. After a bath and a bowl of food Merle slept for 3 days straight. I brought her back to Atlanta with me and was completely attached. I took her to the vet. She had almost every kind of worm a dog can get. The vet said that her heart murmur was so severe that she probably wouldn't live very long and would never be very active. That was ten years ago. Thanks for the good times Merle!

Shave and a haircut...

Baikal had a great experience at Salon Red Kids. Who wouldn't enjoy half toy store, half beauty parlor???

Mural in progress

Courtney, cousin Karen, and mom all worked very hard on the mural for the next Miller baby. It looks so good! I love it!!! The theme for the room is animals in Asia. There are orangutans, pandas, tigers, and water buffaloes. I think the baby water buffalo is my favorite so far.

Everything is going well

I am so sorry for the delay in post, but our Internet was down for a few days. I had two doctor appointments this week (OBGYN and Ultrasound). Good news is that baby is doing great. He's up to around 4lbs! My labor has been stopped successfully and my amniotic fluid levels are still high, but in the normal range. YEAH! I attribute all of this good news to my mother who has taken over all of my responsibilities around the house and with Baikal and allowed me to rest. I am at 32 weeks (I change over on fridays). The game plan is to continue with the bedrest and meds until I finish the 35 week (Nov. 16th). They will schedule the c-section some time after that. Again thank you so much for all of the cards, prayers, and calls. That has really meant a lot!
The biggest dissapointment of my condition is that I will not be able to attend THE event of the year! My sister-in-law's wedding is next weekend and it is going to be a blast. Matt and Baikal have been instructed to take a full report and lots of pictures for me to post.

Baikal pics

There has been a lot and nothing at all going on here. Matt is taking me to the doctor tomorrow for a follow-up. I figured out that if I take my new meds with food the side effects are less severe, so that was a big help. Speaking of big help, my cousin Karen was here for her fall break last week and was a great help around the house. I don't know how much fun she had, but she certainly added a bit of entertainment around here. She also helped Courtney and my mom finish the mural in the baby's room. Pictures to follow. Here are two pictures that I took of Baikal a week ago and did not get around to posting. Enjoy!

Back on the home front...

I am back at home, getting lots of rest and trying to keep this baby in the cooker. It is funny because I had such a hard time getting Baikal out of the womb and now I have to work to keep this one in. I am on some meds that stop or reduce contractions, although I am still having them sporadically. My next doctor appointment is on Monday. My mom is here helping out which has been great. She has been keeping Baikal. Matt and Courtney have been swapping shifts while I was in the hospital. Thank you so much for all of the kind words, calls, and prayers. It is so nice to know that I have such great support.

Pre-term Labor?

Erin is at the hospital with a little bout of "pre-term labor". She's doing great! Baby is doing great, but seems to have a strong interest in seeing the world. The doctors are working to delay that for a few weeks.

More to follow when Erin returns to home!

- Matt

Too much of a good thing

At today's ultrasound appointment, the doctor informed me that I was carrying a higher than normal level of amniotic fluid. As a result, I am at increased risk for premature labor. Since it is best to keep baby in the womb as long as possible, I will be going to weekly ultrasound appointments to look for signs of premature labor. If found, I may be put on bed rest. For now, I just need to take it easy. Easier said than done when you have a toddler in tow.

Eli's pool

Baikal has really enjoyed her summer spent at various pools. Her favorite activity is to play motor boat. This is where you sing a song about a motor boat and spin her around in the pool at various speeds. She also loves to jump into pool and into her dad's strong arms. Thanks to Noelle for the pics!

Large and Not in Charge

I'm very pregnant. I'm also very grateful for such a great team of supporters. My first thanks goes to my friend Ginny, who came up to Atlanta this weekend to help me get prepared for my little boy's arrival. She had a boy in May, so her mind is still wise with newborn knowledge. I have forgotten/blocked out that part of my brain. Courtney and Matt have also really stepped up and helped out, allowing me to rest and get some down time. I am not my normal perky self right now, but I'll be back.

Hot Days

It was so hot for the past few weeks. Here is how we have spent the time. We went to Mei Lan's birthday celebration at the zoo and enjoyed cake and cold water. The baby panda turned one. Woohoo! We also have been enjoying popsicles and playing in the sprinkler.