The Topic Bucket

When I set out to write this blog I was worried I wouldn't have anything to write about. I was so worried that I started a little file of blog topic ideas.  Any time I'd have an idea, I'd take a note or send myself an email and I'd add it to my topic list.

At this point, I have far more topics to write about than I ever would have guessed.  If only my days were less baby-packed, maybe I'd get two topics done in one go.  As it is, I don't think I'll be out of topics any time soon.

An interesting thing about blog post topics, they're sometimes time-sensitive.  Let's say I'm cooking something or out shopping.  I take a note and add the topic to the Topic Bucket.  The next day, not only does the topic sound dull, it sounds plain silly.  Some topics seem to be time-sensitive.  If you don't write about them right then, they lose their appeal.

On the other hand, some topics I keep meaning to get to and yet newer topics keep getting in the way.  It seems like the latest topic also seems to be the most pressing one.  The good news is, I don't fear that I won't have anything to write about anymore.  

Also, as an aside, SNOW!  Yeah, we finally got some.  It's floating down now  But it's above freezing, so it's not going to stick.  Still, snow made an appearance.  Spring can come now, my winter wish has been granted.

The Big Boy Update:  We changed his bath routine tonight.  He seems to be itchy all the time.  He had such bad baby eczema that we were advised to give him only one bath per week.  He loves baths, but we'd notice how red his skin got when he had one and how he needed more lotion and moisturizer to help hydrate his skin after a bath.  He seems to be beyond that now (I hope.)  Of late, when we'd change his diaper he'd scratch himself so badly he'd leave marks, no matter how closely we'd keep his nails filed and trimmed.  I realized tonight that if I only took one bath a week I'd itch terribly from all the dead skin and general funk of not being clean—and I don't smash my food all over my face or go to the bathroom in my pants.  It's got to be worse for him.  So starting today he's getting a bath every two days.  I scrubbed him good tonight.  This is a test run, skin behavior pending.  I'm rooting for a cleaner, less-itchy baby. 

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  I am so glad she was born second, and I'll tell you why.  My son was a good baby.  He wasn't colicky.  He sleeps through the night (with minor assistance.)  And other than his skin, he's just a great baby.  But looking back, I'm glad he was first because my daughter would make him look like a chore in comparison.   Firstly, she doesn't spit up.  He spit up lots, consistently, repeatedly, always, for two hours after every meal.  She eats and holds every meal down with little fuss.  He had cradle cap.  It's gross dandruffy stuff and it lasted for months and months.  She has a beautiful head with gorgeous hair, no extra maintenance required.  He would sometimes mess up a diaper just as you were changing a diaper.  We'd regularly have triple diaper changes.  She is polite and goes all at once, never pees on you and is respectful of the costly diapers.   He didn't need meals during the night after twelve weeks but he needed lots of help to get through the nigh and still does from time to time.  At a little over ten weeks she decided to sleep through the night.  So far, once asleep, she's good until morning.  It's so amazing I'm not sure I'm going to tell other first-time mothers how well she's done on her own.  And when she crys, it's always for a good reason.  We don't have to let her "cry it out" almost ever.  She's a great baby.  Yes, we know more with the second child, but she's doing all the hard work for us.