Mommy's L&D Playlist

When I was getting ready for the big day when Makenna would arrive, I knew that in some way, I would need to have music involved.  I'm kind of a music nut.  Not a day goes by when I don't listen to iTunes, an online radio station, the radio in my car, one of those random music channels on TV.  I just plain LOVE music, and I also know that it calms me and helps me relax...which we all know is important when you are getting ready to push a child out of your body!

At the childbirth class that Chad and I attended, we practiced breathing each night while our teacher played some "soothing" (i.e. classical) music in the background.  I knew immediately that this type of music was not going to cut it for me.  I need something I can SING to, not just pianos and violins.  So I sat down with my iTunes and began to arrange myself a little Labor and Delivery Playlist.  

As I began, I thought I would do two separate lists, one with more upbeat songs and one with slower, more mellow music.  I started on the "upbeat" list first, and the more I added to it, the more I realized that I probably wasn't going to want to rock out to "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" by Jet while I was having contractions.  So I focused on the "slow" list and started adding to it.  I quickly realized that my nurse was probably going to think I was a weirdo.  It was one of the oddest mixes of songs you could imagine, but what can I say?  I like a variety, people!  

In the end, I put together 138 songs, which equaled 8.8 hours of music, starting with "Across the Universe" and ending with "Your Song."  Would that be enough, I wondered, to get me through most of labor?  Turns out that it was!  When little Tootie decided to make her appearance, I still had 10 songs left to go!  I totally patted myself on the back for my amazing timing there.  Not surprisingly, the list contained a LOT of Broadway music.  Did I mention I'm a musical theater nerd?  Songs from West Side Story, Aida, Phantom of the Opera, A Chorus Line, The Last Five Years.  Here is one of my favorites from the Broadway portion of the list.

The Next Ten Minutes

(Side note: If you like musical theater and have NOT heard of The Last Five Years...check it out NOW.  Amazing music, amazing story, amazing performers (Sherie Rene Scott and Norbert Leo Butz).  It's truly a unique and moving show.)

Not surprisingly, three artists topped the list with the most number of songs: The Beatles at 15, Billy Joel at 15 also, and Elton John at 14.  I HEART Billy and have seen him twice - once by himself and once with Elton.  AMAZING.  I sometimes sing this song to little Tooter.  

But only ONE Bon Jovi song?!?  What was I thinking?  At least it was one very special Bon Jovi song - "Thank You For Loving Me," which is the song Chad and I danced to at our wedding.  

Now I know some of you might be worried that no random 80's hits made the list.  But oh, how wrong you would be!  How about "Total Eclipse of the Heart," "Africa" and "True"?  Does that float your 80's boat?  It did mine!  And movie and TV soundtracks were also well-represented, with tunes from Moulin Rouge and, of course, Glee.  Who can resist the smoothness of these two voices together?!?!?  Matthew Morrison...sigh.

One Less Bell/A House Is Not A Home

I had old school (Loggins and Messina, Crosby, Stills and Nash), and new school (The Foo Fighters.)  A couple of songs were so great, I had them twice, in different versions ("The Way You Look Tonight" by Frank Sinatra AND Michael Buble, and "Your Song" by Elton AND Ewan.)  

Yes, my list was well-rounded and exactly what I wanted.  Did I listen intently to every single song?  Of course not!  But I was always conscious of the music playing in the background, and it definitely soothed and calmed me when I needed it.  In fact, I still listen to the same playlist when I just want something to help me relax and focus.  And one day, I hope that little Tootie will listen and appreciate it, too.  

My Baby Is Moving Away From Me!

Yes, you read that correctly.  But no, she isn't moving to another house, another town, another state.  Of course she isn't!  She moved across our (rather small) house...to sleep in her crib.


I know exactly what some of you are thinking.  BIG DEAL, CRAZY LADY.  Well, in this household, it IS a big deal.  I doubt it is any huge secret that I might be a slightly clingy first-time mom.  I just like knowing that she is right there, and I can just look over and see how she is doing at any time, or take care of anything she needs.  


Until yesterday, Makenna has been sleeping in her bassinet.   We gradually moved her from the guest room, where we slept the first few weeks, back to our room, with her at the foot of our bed.  I loved having her in there with us so that I could get up and take care of her immediately, whenever she needed it.  


Unfortunately, Daddy has a VERY difficult time sleeping when Little Miss Fidgety gets going, so he was not getting a whole lot of rest.  I REALLY didn't want to move her out of our room because I was nervous that we wouldn't be able to hear her if she got upset.  (As if...this house ain't that big, folks.)  A couple of weeks ago, Chad convinced me that moving the bassinet just outside our door, to the living room, would be okay.  He promised me that we would still be able to hear her just fine.  And of course, he was right.  And we all slept better!


Our little one is now getting so big, however, that her bassinet just isn't cutting it anymore.  She likes to stretch out in all directions when she sleeps, arms straight out to either side, and she just doesn't have the room she needs to do that.  I can't believe she is already that big!  *sniff*  So we made the decision that, starting this week, we would have her sleep in her room, in her crib.  We have two baby monitors, so we are set there.  **Let me just say that this mommy is NOT a fan of the baby monitor.  (Yes, I have seen one too many scary movies...and those things are NEVER come to any good in Scary Movie Land.)**  And I KNOW it is way past time to start getting her into a bedtime routine.  We both know this, and we WANT to do it.  We just...haven't.  I know, I know.  Bad mommy!


So yesterday evening, I took all of the stuffed animals out of the crib to get it all ready.  It looked rather lonely and sad, and putting her in it didn't help much.  That crib just SWALLOWS her!  But last night, put her in it we did.  For at least the first 30 minutes, I kept thinking I was hearing her fuss or squirm, but every time I checked, she was still conked out.  She slept eight hours, and we got some great rest ourselves.  I guess having her sleep in the crib isn't the WORST idea after all!  

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

That's "Ma," not "Mc."

If I'm being totally honest, choosing a name for our baby was not really that difficult of a task.  Always the one to prepare as far ahead as possible, I began a list of boy and girl names that I liked fairly shortly after we were married.  I wanted to make sure that any name I saw or heard that I liked would not be forgotten by the time our little bun was in the oven.  Notice I said that the list was of names *I* liked.  I'm not sure Chad was even aware the list existed for quite some time.


By the time we discovered we were expecting - on Cinco de Mayo 2010! - the list had grown to include at least 12 names for each gender, and Chad had weighed in on some of his favorites.  For a girl, our top choices were names like Cassidy, Harper, Analeigh and Madison.  For a boy, Cooper, Logan, Keegan and Finn topped the list.  (BEFORE GLEE, people!  I promise!) 


Once we had the sonogram to confirm the baby's sex - (we won't discuss the expletive that popped out of Chad's mouth at the words, "It's a baby girl!") - then we really got down to the nitty gritty.  I put a baby name app on my iTouch so that I could look for ideas that way.  Initially, I thought the app was pretty much a bust.  I mean, how many ways can you spell the name Jennifer?  Too many, apparently.  But as I scrolled through, I ran across the name Makenna.  I said it in my head a few times - Makenna Morrissey, Makenna Morrissey.  It just had such a great ring to it!  So I immediately texted Chad to ask what he thought.  He wasn't sold on it right away, so I thought I would let it grow on him a bit.


One Sunday, as we were on our way home from our lunch at Panera after church, we started to discuss the baby's name in earnest.  Chad mentioned to me that he thought he was really starting to like Makenna, and we repeated it a few times and were really sold.  Then it came time for a middle name.  Since Makenna Morrissey is already a bit of a mouthful, we decided that a short, one-syllable middle name would be best.  We went through several options - Claire, Grace, Rose, and then Paige.  I tried in vain to convince Chad that Rose was NOT old-fashioned, nor was it the same as the name Rosa, which only makes me crave Taco Tuesdays.  Paige was it - although we DID have a brief moment the weekend before Makenna was born where Rose ALMOST won out, thanks to a little movie called "Titanic" and mommy's crazy hormones. 


We looked at both spellings of the name - Makenna and McKenna - and frankly just liked the first version better.  

It looked prettier and seemed easier.  Oh, how wrong we were.  I certainly anticipated having to spell her name for people.  What I DIDN'T anticipate was how hard the "Ma" spelling would be for some people to grasp.  


"How do you spell that?"


"M-A-K-E-N-N-A."


"M...what?"


"M-A-K-E-N-N-A."


**blank stare**


**sigh**


I honestly even think the two are PRONOUNCED differently.  "Muh-kenna" as opposed to "Mick-kenna."  But alas, that is no help at all.  Don't get me wrong - I still LOVE her name.  I think it's beautiful, and I think it fits her absolutely perfectly.  I just hope that she learns to spell VERY early on, because she'll be doing it for the rest of her life...


"M...I'm sorry, what?"  


**sigh**