Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from our little pumpkin!

What Did Parents Do Before Google?

I really don't know how anyone survived life at home with a new baby before Google. I guess there were probably a lot less things to worry about back in the day, and I'm envious of people who didn't feel the need to nervously look up the contents of every diaper or movement, sound, etc. that emanated from their baby. On the flip side, it's nice to be able to run to the computer whenever we're not sure about something and find that, usually, whatever it is that we're looking up is totally normal.

Here are just a few of the searches you would find in our Google search history from the past 2 weeks:

• Does it hurt when the belly button stump falls out?
• What if only part of the belly button stump falls out?
• How to bathe a newborn.
• What are the symptoms of pertussis?
• Can you get a flu shot and the Tdap booster at the same time?
• My nipples are bleeding, can I still feed my baby?
• What is the difference between the baby blues and postpartum depression?
• When do the baby blues go away?
• When should PPD be treated?
• What does a good breastfeeding latch look like?
• How soon can you introduce an artificial nipple to a newborn?
• How to sterilize baby bottles.

And here are some really helpful websites that we've added to our blog readers and bookmarks as a result of these searches:

KellyMom: evidence-based breastfeeding and parenting 

Baby Gear Lab 

Postpartum Progress 

Mommies - What websites do you turn to when you have a parenting question? 

The First Week & A Call To Mommies

So as you know by now, our little bundle of joy has arrived and I'm happy to say that all three members of our family (even the cat) have survived the first week at home.

Standard milk-drunk picture

 To say bringing baby home was an adjustment would be the understatement of the century. For someone who makes it a point to gather as much information and be as prepared as possible before doing pretty much anything, this week really threw me for a loop. I had read all of the books, Googled everything, diligently listened to any and all instructions from my doctors, and prepared our home so that everything was "perfect" and "ready" for Jamie's arrival.

No matter what you do, how much you read, how many gadgets or products you buy, or how great of an eater or sleeper your baby is; there is no way to feel 100% ready, calm, prepared, or in-control when bringing a new baby (especially your first baby) home. 

Add to that some pretty serious hormonal imbalances, sleep deprivation, and sore nipples everything, and you've got a recipe for a pretty challenging couple of days, if not longer. What you see on most blogs and Facebook posts is not even close to the reality of new parenthood.

To quote a new mommy friend, In the blog world, everyone is all "breastfeeding was so easy for me!" And "here's a picture of me nursing at the pumpkin patch while my baby is dressed perfectly".
 
That really cracked me and Colin up because it's so true.

Three things really helped me during the past few challenging days:

1) Colin. I know I could not have gotten through this week without him by my side. I could write a whole post about how amazing he's been but I will just leave it at this: Daddies don't go through labor and delivery and their hormones remain pretty much stable while Mommy's are all over the charts for 9+ months. Take advantage of this if you can, ladies. Bank up Daddy's vacation time and let him help for as long and as much as possible. Colin has been the rock in this family since day one but especially this week. I love him more now than I ever have or thought I could.

What real Daddyhood looks like:
sleeping on a terribly uncomfortable hospital chair bed for 2 nights...

...balanced out by moments like this

2) Everyone who has fed us this week, but especially my mom. Yesterday was her birthday (Happy Birthday Mom!) and not only did I not get her a card or flowers or anything, but she came over last night and she cooked us dinner. On her birthday. When I was between contractions, I distinctly remember saying to Colin and my labor nurse that we all needed to go home and thank our moms for doing this for us. After a week at home with a new baby, I am more thankful for my mom than I have ever been... just for being "Mom."

Grandma & Jameson

3) And speaking of Moms...the network of women who have reached out to me to share their very personal stories has been my saving grace in many moments of uncertainty this week. Many of these women I hardly know, but every single one of them jumped at the chance to answer my questions - some at 5am - or offer words of advice and encouragement. My heart is so full of gratitude for all of them.There is just something about being a mom that connects you to other women in a way that nothing else can.

That being said, I thought it might be nice to gather the email addresses of any moms who might be interested in sharing advice, words of encouragement, or just saying "hey, you're not alone," with other women. I haven't worked out the logistics of it yet but I'm envisioning a sort of listserv/email group where we could initially introduce ourselves, where we are on the journey of Mommyhood, and then use the email chain to seek advice from one another on parenting questions or just life in general.

If you are interested in being part of the email chain or have ideas about how to put this plan into action, send me an email: mbatomommy(at)gmail(dot)com

It may take me a few days (or weeks) but I'd really like to try to get this together!

And just for fun, here is the very last picture that was taken of me pregnant. I'm 39 weeks and 1 day in this picture and Jamie arrived 4 days later.

Life Under Construction

 

Thank you for all of the well-wishes, calls, texts, emails, etc. We are so appreciative and are feeling so very blessed that so many people are as excited about Jamie's arrival as we are!

Our life is kind of under construction right now as we adjust to life with the newest member of our family. I will get back to everyone (and back to blogging) as soon as I can. 

Until then, know that we are safe, happy, and healthy and enjoying some much-anticipated family time. :)

He's Here!

This little pirate eye entered the world on Thursday, October 17th at 9:55 am. Jameson Michael weighed in at 6lbs 14oz and is 19 inches long. Mommy, Daddy and Jamie are doing well and will be heading home soon to get some much needed sleep!

Thank you so much for all of your messages and well wishes. We feel very blessed. :)

Semi-Wordless Wednesday: Young People Worth Talking About

In the midst of Kanye West comparing himself to Jesus, Miley's ... I don't even know...  and the Kardashian divorces all over the news, it was refreshing to come across these two videos this week.

 

"There's a popular misconception that depression is being sad when something in your life goes wrong...but that's sadness. That's a natural thing. That's a natural human emotion. Real depression isn't being sad when something in your life goes wrong; real depression is being sad when everything in your life is going right." 
- Kevin Breel, 19

"Going to school is not only learning about different subjects. It teaches you communication. It teaches you how to live a life...And other than that, we learn about equality... It teaches students how to live with others. How to accept each other's language. How to accept each other's traditions and each other's religions. It also teaches us justice. It also teaches us respect. It teaches us how to live together. The solution is simple. It is education."  - Malala Yousafzai, 16

These teens are so gracious, humble, and eloquent. I hope that these types of people, and not the Mileys and Kimyes of the world, are the leaders of the generation that my children will be influenced by, work for and vote into public office.

Apple Cinnamon Waffles

How 'bout them Eagles?? :) Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the Jets but at least the Giants lost again! Sorry, Ryan.*

Rather than try a new slow cooker recipe this week (we had the chili again), we opted to make these before the 1:00 games started.

Yes, we eat at our coffee table like college students #bejealous; and yes, I need to work on my food presentation and photography skills #tastesbetterthanitlooks.

Apple Cinnamon Waffles

I cut this in half and got 4 waffles

2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cups milk
6 Tbsp. vegetable oil (I used coconut oil)
2 large eggs
2 apples, diced (I used granny smith)
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour batter, one 1/2 cup at a time, into heated waffle iron. We have this Cuisinart Waffle Iron and I used setting 4 for these. I probably could have gotten away with 5. I think the apples keep the batter from crisping up on the outside as quickly as plain waffle batter does. But, if you like a floppy waffle, go ahead and use setting 3. As you can see from the picture above, we not only like extra crispy waffles but extra crispy bacon too.

I would also recommend removing the batteries from your smoke alarm prior to making these. I was reminded why we took the batteries out in the first place and had been living without a smoke alarm for 4 years: because apparently, cooking anything (even boiling water) sets them off. Annoying as that is, I still don't feel comfortable leaving the batteries out after this incident on the neighbor's balcony; especially with Little Dude on the way. So, we take them out when we cook and put them back afterwards.

I hope everyone enjoyed Sunday Funday this week!

*Ryan is my husband's older brother and I just found out he subscribes to my blog. He's also a Giants fan - feel bad for him. He's pretty much exactly what I imagined an older brother would be like - picks on me every chance he gets, can be moody and annoying, and is a ton of fun to drink with. And I'm sure he shares those sentiments and would say that I'm exactly how he pictured an annoying little sister would have been had he been blessed with one. Lucky for him, I showed up and married his baby brother. 

This is Ryan at a Kenny Chesney concert about 5 years ago...

...and this is him about 6 hours later. I told you he's fun to drink with!

 Thanks for reading, buddy! ;) 

Friday PSA: Yes, I'm Still Pregnant.

You know that saying, "If I had a dollar...?"

Well, if I had even a quarter for every time someone asked me any of the following questions...

Are you still pregnant?
Did you have the baby yet?
Is he here?
Any day now, right? 
Wow, you haven't had the baby yet? (This one might be the worst of them all)

... I wouldn't need to go back to work. Because I'd be filthy rich. The answer to all of the above, by the way, is "still pregnant."

Here's a tip to anyone out there who is thinking of asking a pregnant woman if she is still pregnant:

Don't.

It's really not amusing, it gets old fast and, depending on how you phrase it, borders on rude. In the day of cell phones and facetweetgramtags, I'm sure you will know the answer when the time comes.

That is all. Have a lovely weekend! :)

Resume DOs and DON'Ts

If you're like most people I know, putting together a resume, cover letter, job application, etc. is a dreaded and evil task. Especially if it's been awhile since you've dusted off your resume.

Recently, I've taken on a little side job doing some resume edits and rewrites. This started out as something friends and family would hit me up for every now and then.

"Hey, Colleen, if I send you my resume will you take a look at it for me?"

You see, once upon a time, when I was a contributing member of society, I worked as a Human Resources Generalist and was responsible for staffing and recruiting at a couple of different companies. I saw a lot of resumes. I saw a lot of bad resumes. And I interviewed a lot of people who looked great on paper but couldn't hold a conversation to save their lives.  

I also worked in a college career center and have both an MBA in Human Resource Management and a PHR certification. Resumes are kind of my thing. I think I might be among the 3 people on earth who actually enjoy putting a resume together; whether it's for myself or someone else. 

I was always happy to take a look at someone's resume or listen to their tales of woe about how their boss is an a-hole and they don't know what to do and can I give them some advice.

In all seriousness, I really do enjoy doing this and would never tell someone to go drown their job sorrows in a beer. Well, almost never.

In my years of resume review, I have come across some things you can do to make your resume more appealing to recruiters and hiring managers. I've also come across things that a lot of people do, but really shouldn't. Here is a basic do and don't list to guide you in your resume writing:


Do…

…try to keep a decent amount of white space on your resume – this makes it easier for recruiters to see key pieces of information.

…spell check!

…keep bullet points concise and succinct.

…try to limit your resume to one page unless you have been working for several years (I’m talking 10+ years, if not more).

…consider keeping different versions of your resume if you have worked in several different industries or are looking for different types of positions.

…spell check it again! And review for content and readability. I highly suggest reading your resume out loud to yourself or someone else. This is a really easy to way to find out if something you’ve said doesn’t make sense.

…add the same heading to your resume, cover letter, and any other application materials you submit. Not only does this look professional, but it will make it easier for recruiters to locate your application documents, which often need to be sent out to several people.

…read it over for grammatical mistakes. Spell check is not going to pick up on the incorrect use of there/their/they're, incorrect capitalization, etc. Mistakes, especially obvious ones, will pretty much guarantee that your resume ends up in the garbage.

…list any degrees or certifications that you are working towards. Just make sure you list them as just that – things you are in the process of earning but have not yet completed. You should also give an estimated completion date.

Have you spell checked it yet? And read it over? And had someone else read it over? Do it. And then do it again.

Don’t…

…write your professional life story. Only list the highlights. The resume is simply your admission ticket to the main event (the interview). It's not a story and it's definitely not your job description and it should not read as such. In other words, don't copy your job description onto your resume and call it a day. These are two completely different documents that serve different purposes. I see this all.the.time.

...list irrelevant or outdated information. While impressive, recruiters don’t need to know (and don’t care) that you were all-state in lacrosse. Unless you’re applying to a job with the US Lacrosse Organization.That being said...

...leave out work experience just because it's not in the same field as the job you're applying for - especially if this will leave a gap in your work history. It's always good to show continuity of employment. There are a couple of ways to address this (does anyone else sense an idea for a new blog post??).

…list your education at the top of your resume unless you just graduated and even then, it’s not really necessary. Put this section after work experience.

…use margins smaller than 0.5” or a font smaller than 10pt. If you are having trouble condensing everything to one page, it’s probably time to cut some stuff.

…list your GPA. Employers are interested in what type of employee you're going to be, not what type of student you were. This is also measured differently depending on what school you attended. If you absolutely feel you must include this information, be sure to list the scale your GPA was measured against; e.g. 3.7/4.0 or 3.7/5.0.

…use a font other than one of the basics. For one, this doesn’t look professional. Second, if the receiving party’s computer doesn’t accept the font, your formatting could be completely thrown off, making your resume look like a 6 year old put it together. Stick to Times New Roman or Arial and you should be ok.

…lie. Lying is obviously not a good way to start out a relationship with your (potential) future employer. Lying can also quickly get you into a position where you are being sent out the door with a cardboard box full of your personal belongings because you actually  can't, in fact, "manage a team of 8". If your boss told you to keep an eye on things while he/she took off early on Fridays, do not say that you managed a department. A good hiring manager will be able to sniff out your lack of experience during an interview, regardless of what your resume says. If they don’t and you manage to get the job anyway, your new employer will have expectations that are far beyond what you’re comfortable doing.

…put your picture on your resume. Yes, I’ve seen this before and it’s weird.

…include any sort of clip art, pictures, borders, colors, etc. The resume is not the place to show off your Photoshop skills...unless you’re applying for a job in graphic design, marketing, or possibly as a preschool teacher.

…include personal interests like reading, white water rafting, or cooking. This may sound harsh but again, the resume is your admission ticket for a job not your tell-all autobiography. 

Keep in mind, this is not an all-inclusive list and every resume is different. If you have questions about any of the above or you're interested in sending me a resume for review, email me at:

mbatomommy(at)gmail(dot)com

Please attach your resume and include information on what type of assistance you are looking for (reformatting, editing, a complete re-write, etc.). If you don't have a resume and are looking to build one from scratch, please explain this in the body of the email.*

You can also send me a message on LinkedIn. Connect with me via the LinkedIn button on the sidebar under my picture and send an inbox message saying that you found me via my blog.

*Please note that I do charge a fee for a complete resume build or re-write and that both are very interactive processes (meaning I will need to communicate with you regularly for information gathering and clarification). On average, this process takes about a week. Fees vary depending on how much work is needed and an estimate will be given before work begins. All billing is done via PayPal.

9 Months in 9 pictures and 4 minutes

I can't believe that any day now this tiny but whole person - with perfectly functioning organs that already know how to see, smell, hear, eat, feel and move - is going to make his way into the world. I am in awe of this whole process and feel so lucky and blessed to be starting the family I've always dreamed of having.

My 9 month journey in 9 pictures

and a pretty powerful video...

I scream, you scream, we all scream for...

... ice cream beer. Fall beer, to be more specific.

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

This is the best pumpkin beer that exists on this earth. Period. Don't even try to argue with a pregnant woman who hasn't had a beer in 10 months.

Our local liquor store sells out of this particular brew very quickly once it hits the shelves. And once it's gone for the season, it's gone until next year. You snooze, you lose with this delicious amber liquid.

Since Baby J isn't due to arrive until October 19th (translation: Mamma is not allowed to drink until baby's arrival), I knew if I didn't get my hands on some this fall, I would have to wait a whole year before it reappeared. Lucky for me, our liquor store has an Instagram account where news of this beer's delivery was posted.

You better believe I sent Colin over there to pick some up for my personal stockpile. Even if I'm accompanying him, I still feel super awkward waddling into a liquor store all pregnant and stuff. People are mean and they judge with their eyes.

At a whopping $9+ for a 4-pack, I really couldn't justify getting more than two. And, lets face it, after 10 months of not drinking, I doubt I'll even be able to finish one. Maybe these will last me until next fall...

Ha! Yeah right.

So there it sits, next to the milk and orange juice, just waiting for me to drink it. Will Ferrell couldn't have said it better: "It's so good. Once it hits your lips, it's so good."