parents

Mr. Chunglund's cousin, Monica, got us a subscription to Parents magazine as a gift. Here are the top four things I learned from the June 2011 issue.

1) All liquid acetaminophen products for kids under 12, such as Infants' and Children's Tylenol, will soon be offered in only one strength 160 mg/5 ml. As a rookie parent, I didn't even realize they came in two different concentrations. I just have been buying the one that said "infant" because well, that's what I have, an infant. So I've been using the more concentrated version (80 mg/1 ml). When figuring out the correct dosage, be sure to know which version you are using!

2) Fisher Price has developed an iPhone case for toddlers. I've downloaded a couple apps for Baby J to play around with when she starts having a meltdown in the car. One is baby piano - she touches the piano keys on the screen. Fisher Price's newest gadget will help protect your phone, while still amusing your kid. What seems especially nice is that the cover makes it so Baby J won't be able to touch the "home" key so she can't accidentally exit the app. While I don't really advocate for kids playing cell phone games while out to dinner with their families, at this age if I can prevent a meltdown I definitely will!

3) I'm also really liking the Go Anywhere Booster seat and hoping I can convince Mr. Chunglund that we should get one. I purchased a highchair seat cover from Etsy and that works pretty well in the standard wooden highchairs that many restaurants use. Recently, however, we were at a restaurant that only had a highchair that was way too big for Baby J and so we had to keep her in her car seat, which she hated and that meant that we had to take shifts eating dinner while the other one held her. Plus, with this you have control over how clean it is. We bought these disposable cleaning wipes and I am always wiping down shopping carts, highchairs, etc.

4) RECALL - Rhino Oball Links & Mini Rattles - I learned that one of the toys that we keep attached to Baby J's car seat has been recalled. It was a gift from someone so I don't have the receipt, but all you have to do is mail in the product to the specified address and receive a refund of $9 plus postage. I probably never would have known that this product had been recalled without having read it in this magazine.

Thank you to cousin Monica!

happy father's day!

I always knew that Mr. Chunglund would make a wonderful father and of course he has exceeded all my expectations. Daddy and Baby J have a very special bond after spending the last 8 months at home together every.single.day. After Baby J's first week of daycare, I can definitely appreciate having a stay at home parent. We had some big Father's Day plans, but with Baby J feeling under the weather we had to stay home and take it easy. But last weekend, Baby J and I went to the pottery painting place and she made a masterpiece for her Daddy (with only a little help from mom). So Happy Father's Day to a wonderful dad and husband! We love you very much!

i like to move it

Baby J has been crawling for several weeks now. Her favorite destination so far is Carl's food dish where she will shove 4-5 pieces of kibble into her mouth and save another 4-5 in each hand. I spent this morning pulling kibble pieces out of her mouth and washing her hands on more than one occasion. Jenn requested a video of Baby J crawling. Here she is crawling out of her bedroom and down the hall.

bathtime

is the BEST TIME! This is what Mr. Chunglund sings to Baby J when he gives her a bath. We recently discovered these bubbles. To quote Mr. Chunglund, "they really are the best bubbles." They are superior to the ordinary bubbles because they last longer and they don't leave a sticky residue when they pop. Here is Baby J enjoying her Bubble Oodles. Mr. Chunglund was blowing them for her while she splashed in the tub.

eight months

Dear Baby J,

There is no amount of advice or experience that could have prepared me for you. In the early weeks, it was of absolutely no consolation to me to hear that things would get better and that having a child is the most rewarding experience of a person's life. While I loved you and to quote my friend, Stacey, "would probably [have been] suicidal if anything happened" to you, there were (and there definitely still are) times when I wish you would just go the [expletive, that I can't insert here if I want you to be able to read this before you are an adult] to sleep.

Today you are 8 months old and you.are.AMAZING! You have three little teeth and the other day you crawled over to Daddy and bit his toe ... hard. You love ripping paper out of the phone book and crumpling up the pages. If something is plugged in and you see the cord, you make a beeline for it. Yesterday, I was holding the hair dryer while I was talking to you and you crawled right into the bathroom heading straight for the hair dryer cord. You shut yourself in the closet to play with Mommy's shoes (aka putting them in your mouth). You pull yourself up on everything - ladders, Mommy's leg, the table, the mirror, the couch, Carl, etc. So far your favorite toys are magazines or the phone book, the Kong, and some errant ear phones that your Daddy gave you to satiate your obsession with cords. You love being in the Ergo and when you are unhappy riding in the stroller that is exactly where you go. The only way you will go to sleep is if Mommy is bouncing you on the Swiss ball. You make this strange monotone droning noise when you are about to fall asleep that makes both Mommy and Daddy laugh. Recently, you've really started "talking." You're making new sounds and babbling away!

My favorite part of the day is walking in the door after work, seeing your face light up with a smile, and watching you crawl straight toward me. I can't believe you are 8 months old already. There was a time when I didn't think you could grow up fast enough and now I just want you to stay this adorable little baby where each day brings the wonder and magic of something new to experience, do, and learn. There are no words to describe how much I love you and how wonderful you make me feel.

just a swingin'

Last night after work we took a little family trip to a nearby park. Baby J got to try out the park swings for the first time. From the back she looked like a little cannonball all curled up in the swing. As you can see from the pictures, she was really enjoying herself. On the weekends this particular park has a train ride and a carousel that I think we'll be checking out soon.

under the sea

Sometimes it's hard to know what Baby J will enjoy - besides eating rawhide and chewing on Kongs, of course. We took her to an aquarium the other night because I thought she might like to watch the fish. Here she is sitting in the cubbyhole trying to touch the stingrays. She also got to feel a sea star in the touch tank - and managed to not try to put it in her mouth.

I'm pretty sure she could have stared at the fish for hours! It was fun to watch her follow certain ones around the tank.

Mr. Chunglund using his master photography skills to capture a family self-portrait. We topped off our family outing with a little fro yo and some tacos - in that order!

memorial day weekend

We had a busy Memorial Day weekend with a parade of our favorite visitors. Suzanne was here for the weekend and we were able to have dinner with her on Friday night. She and I got pedicures on Saturday at this fantastic resort in Paradise Valley. Saturday evening, Mr. Chunglund's parents arrived to spend a couple days with us and Baby J. We ate lots of Korean food, went on a hike, and they also went to the Desert Botanical Gardens.

Here we are hiking at South Mountain. I carried Baby J up about 2/3 of the way and had to hand her off to Mr. Chunglund. He carried her the rest of the way up and then back down. Hauling around an extra 24 lbs really took it out of me. I was exhausted I felt like I was on the Biggest Loser having to carry all the weight I lost.

We also took a walk at Fountain Park, which is located in Fountain Hills, a small community north of Scottsdale.

Baby J really loved seeing her grandparents and I think everyone was exhausted after a busy weekend!