JJ Ghatt's Old Stuff

Here are the articles I've written in the past

my baby, the bloodhound

February 6, 2008 by JJ

If GG is asleep and I wander more than 5 feet away from her, she awakes even if in a deep slumber and resting peacefully in her co-sleeper, crib or bassinet. hmm. okay.

I discovered this week, if I lay her close to me, let’s say on the basement futon while i walk the treadmill, she will sleep longer and deeper. It’s like she has a sixth sense when I am near or far. I know they say babies can recognize their mom’s scent, but this is taking it too far! LOL!!

Also, [MILESTONE FLASH] On Sunday night, when I discovered this phenomenon, she turned her head for the first time. I try to alternate sides I lay her on so her hair doesn’t rub off on just one side. When I went to check on her, she had turned to the other side. Her neck muscles are getting strong because she is on her way to holding her head steady on its own for prolonged periods of time. I guess her daily tummy time hour is working!!!

yippee!!!

btw: this is my favorite pic of her these days, wearing her fly pink and brown sweatsuit.

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tried and true diaper rash prevention formula

February 5, 2008 by JJ

I just remembered that good old petroleum jelly is the best rash prevention serum!!

GG had been suffering from chronic diaper rash b/c as a breastfed baby she poops more regularly than formula fed babies and her stool is often times loose and watery, leaving her with an irritated bum.

After continued use of the best over-the counter creams, Desitin and Balmex, the abrasive and active ingredient in those cream, zinc oxide, started to make her develop little sores.

*sigh* I switched to A& D formula, a petroleum based ointment, which did the trick and also reminded me of petroleum jelly which has preexisted Desitin and all the fancy diaper formulas.

The jelly forms a protective barrier that protects her bottom during prolonged periods of diaper wear like during outings and at night. Since I began rubbing it on her bottom after every diaper change, she has yet to develop a rash!!

Yay! problem solved…for now.
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in other GG News, she has been a hit this week so far out and about…

Sunday, at her first Super Bowl Party, she was the darling of the party with all the families and their kids oohing and awwing over her. :D.

Monday, at traffic court (I had to appeal a traffic ticket), everyone was cooing at her and straining their necks to get a peek at my bundle of joy. I forget all the attention you get when you have a newborn as I felt all eyes on me and GG as we walked the halls of the courthouse…or they coulda been thinking…geesh, she couldn’t get a sitter for court! haha! 🙂

Anyway, her whirlwhind week of outings included Today, Tuesday, when she accompanied to my OB/GyN for my 6 week postpartum appointment and then to Starbucks, the post office and finally to the Dentist getting compliments and friendly smiles all over.

She shocked and amazed my dentist and his staff for sleeping thru my entire appointment. i wish I could have slept thru that drilling!!! I got a big old cavity filled. aye aye! my teeth still hurt and i cannot eat solids 3 hours later!!!

*sigh* well that is one way to make sure tomorrow’s weight loss check in will show lower numbers!!! haha!! I think I’ll make a big old pot of soup or better yet seafood gumbo (yum) for dinner tonight! When life deals you lemons….

guess who’s already one month old?

February 2, 2008 by JJ

ms. GG!!!

(seen here with my baby sister)

diaper wipe warmer update

February 1, 2008 by JJ

of course, i buckled and purchased a wipe warmer for the bum of my baby girl when i let the boys before her suffer with cold wipes.

i did so even though i had heard and read many people complain that the warmer dries out the wipes.

i’m happy to report that after over 2 weeks of use, my warmer is doing a great job at keeping the wipes moist.

i think the makers of these warmers may have heeded to the complaints of consumers and fixed the design flaw that caused the warmers to dry out wipes.

i notice condensation remains in the wipe warmer and it never gets too heated to dry out the wipes…well that is the case with the Munchkin brand warmer i purchased.

belated weightloss wednesday

January 31, 2008 by JJ

last week: 165lbs
this week: 164.5lbs.

only a 1/2 lb loss, but I will chock that up to gaining muscle. gonna take and post a pic tomorrow and do my measurements which should be more accurate.

i am not discouraged especially since this week I ate terribly and didn’t follow my rules, so it’s what I should expect.

And I must always remember the universal rule NINE MONTHS UP…NINE MONTHS DOWN

and stop trying to rush it!

old fashioned colic treatment

January 29, 2008 by JJ

they tell moms who breastfeed that there is no need to supplement a newborn or infant with water because they get all the water they need in the milk.

my mother begs to differ. she and I fought because for my first kid, I only listened to the docs and what i read in books. she and i butt heads on traditional, holistic, natural and native remedies and home cures based on how she raised her four children and what was in vogue 20-30 years ago. i thought i knew it all and was convinced these new and tested ways of raising a child trumped those old fashioned views from her era.

i was stubborn. i didn’t listen. however, by the time i was on child two, of course, as with most once neurotic, obsessive and psycho first time moms i relaxed a bit. against the suggestions of the books and doctors, i gave my second water and other of mom’s “old fashioned” remedies which surprise surprise worked! the second kid was a mellow baby who was not fussy and rarely cried or exhibited signs of colic.

it’s with that lesson that i chose to treat GGs recent bout of late night colic like crying with some water treatment.

first, i cleaned her tongue of that film of milk that has been accumulating for the past 4 weeks. i brushed it off with the infant toothbrush thing that fits over your finger. then, i sterilized the avent infant bottle and fed her an ounce of warm spring water. she drank the water and even breathed a sigh of relief as she drank. soon after, i massaged her belly, walked with her and she pooped. i think a lot of her discomfort had to do with an upset tummy and the water may have been a much needed break and relief from milk.

after her diaper change, she slept for 4 hours straight and didn’t wake up until later. so far so good…:D

cold and flu challenge

January 29, 2008 by JJ

well, Thank GOD I took my flu shot because I was able to pass down my immunity from the shot onto Baby GG! That’s what our pediatrician told us as we are challenged to keep her healthy during this nasty cold and flu season.

Boy will she need all the protection she can get. Her oldest brother just got diagnosed with the flu!

Her second eldest brother is a snotty nose kid who always has some sort of infection or cold at any given moment 24 hours/365 days of the year.

the challenge was to keep the flu kid upstairs and AWAY from the baby.

Too late! We just noticed she has a runny nose and has breathing that sounds like her upper chest is a bit congested. I’m putting on the air purifier and plugging in the vick’s vapor plug tonight, then suctioning her nose and all the mucous that seems to be building up with the suction bulb we got from the hospital. so far, this is working a bit and she sounds better.

*sigh* ….thus is the life of a Winter baby. WE are off to the doctors tomorrow, but I think I will combine that trip with a trip to the Apple Store for them to diagnose my Video Ipod which has been on the brink for a couple of months now.

I plan to return to the gym soon and will need my Ipod to get me thru a treadmill run!

Halle Berry is Due in March

January 27, 2008 by JJ

I thought she was due earlier. She’s getting that, oh boy, I’m looking forward to having this baby SOON look, no? HAHAHA!

PHOTO: celebrity-babies.com

Friday Follies: SHE SMILED!!!

January 25, 2008 by JJ

she, (GG aka future Mischiefmaker #3 aka youngest, only girl already spoiled rotten baby…)

she did it today!!!! Friday, January 25th 2008!

first on purpose smile. I smiled TWICE at her just now after she nursed and

SHE SMILED BACK!

both times!

OH HAPPY DAY!!!

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in other Mschiefmakers/Bellyitch news….TODAY, we will take our first venture out to an event with THREE CHILDREN! aaaack!

Pray for me! Especially, since it is COLD like frick out there!

My Exercise DVD/VHS Library

January 23, 2008 by JJ

Since I do NOT have a nanny or any one to watch the baby so I can go to the gym, I am relying on my very extensive exercise DVD and VHS collection to get me thru the next few months. Here is my review of each:

First: THE PILATES programs

Pilates Conditioning for Weight Loss: This is my absolute favorite because it has 3 women showing 3 diff’t levels of the moves and right now I’m on level one 3 week postpartum. I like the pace of the work out and I honestly think I lose weight and get tighter everytime I do this workout

Cardio Pilates: I thought this one would be more high intense, but it essentially repeats the same sequence of moves and doesn’t really makes you break a sweat. There are some basic mat pilates maneuvers too

Balance Ball for Weight Loss: I like this one too again with Suzanne Deason, which is a little more difficult so I have to work up to doing this one. Since I had diastasis with this pregnancy (as with my previous two) my abdominal muscles are still quite weak and need to work up to it.

Balance Ball Fitness, Beginner’s Workout: This introductory DVD came with the balance ball equipment and shows 20 minute intros of the ab, lower and upper body work outs intended to entice you to purchase the entire DVD from each. It’s a good quickie work out. After reviewing this DVD, I wanted to order

Crunch Fitness, Pick your Spot Pilates: This is my absolute FAVORITE pilates for lower body Tape because it offers 10 minutes of but, 10 minutes for the legs and 10 minutes for the abs and I always feel tighter when I’m done. And if you’re pressed for time, you can just do 1 or 2 segments.

Giam’s Lower Body Toning Ring: I got this as a Christmas present in 2005 and it came with the ring. It’s a great , easy to follow exercise for the lower body and wonderful to do for breaking up the monotony and switching up a bit.

Denise Austin Balance Ball: I really have the balance ball version of this video which I don’t recall ever doing actually, but plan to soon

Second: The YOGA programs

Yoga Booty Ballet: I don’t recall how many things I ordered while wide awake and nursing my second boy when he was a new born 2 1/2 years ago AND watching infomercials. This was one of them. It came with 3 DVDs, an exercise and diet program. It was a very fun work out b/c there were unique moves that combined ballet with yoga and pilates. I think I lost a few inches doing this work out series.

Baby & Mom Yoga: The best thing about this video 1) the cover; and 2) had maneuvers you could do with the baby. The maneuvers were a bit basic and the instructor , who is dressed like a swami and less like a yogi, was a bit scary. It’s a good opportunity to work out when baby is awake and to involve the baby in it.

Third: THE CALISTHENICS and CARDIO programs Crunch Fitness: TAE BOXING: When the Tae Bo trend was all the rage 10 years ago or so,I think Crunch wanted in on the action and they paid the creator of Tae Bo, Billy Blanks, money to teach a class. And then they videotaped it and sold it. It seemed unorganized and haphazard. Not really good, but it’s a decent work out and quasi intense. It runs 30 minutes so it’s a okay-ish quick cardio work out.

Tae Bo Instructional: This is the real thing which I think I picked up in a yard sale and have yet to use, but I’m looking forward to it.

Billy Blanks, Billy’s Bootcamp: This DVD series included Abs, Basic Training, Ultimate Bootcamp, Cardio Bootcamp. This is VERY high intensity workout that comes with bands and I think I picked this up while watching some late night infomercial on television. It was WONDERFULLY helpful in helping me shedding my baby weight.

Crunch: 10 Minute Abs: This is a great quick ab work out.

The original Buns of Steel: I got the abs of steel version video in law school when my metabolism started slowing down and I started getting heavier as is usual with most people. After doing this tape 3x a week, I got my rock hard 4-pack (2pack short of a 6 pack) back. This version is very 80s complete with Tami Lee Webb in an 80s style leotard, leg warmers and tights. However, it’s a great BASIC work out and really consists of doing squats and lunges. There is a mat work out portion that is essentially leg lifts. It is great for getting strong legs and a great butt.

Buns of Steel Target Toning Workout: This is an updated version from after 2000 I think, which is great because it features very fun moves. It is intense, but high intensity and a great cardio work out.