"It seems like yesterday" is the phrase I used to hear people saying as they looked into my sleep-deprived eyes with a half-smirk. 8 years later I know what they mean and am now the one with the half smirk. I don't have babies anymore, they're growing and continually giving me joy and happiness, just as they did when I was pregnant with them and after their birth, only they now allow me to get a little more sleep!

In my research for this newsletter, I was brought back to those almost surreal times - first finding out that "we" were pregnant, then feeling the first kick, and on through to going into labor and finally seeing this newborn miracle sleeping (albeit for a short time) in the nursery I worked so hard to disinfect and pick the right colors for.

It is my hope that this newsletter finds all you new parents well! (smirk, wink, wink)

-Suzi

Most Popular 15 Baby Names of 2008 (according to the US Registry)

by Susan Biasella, RN, BSN, LCCE, FACCE

All babies cry. And at about two weeks of age, it is common for babies to develop a fussy period in the evening that can last for as long as two hours.

If your baby becomes fussy, what will you do? Try some of the following techniques, or perhaps a combination of them, to soothe your baby. As you offer comfort, pay attention to what your baby is trying to tell you. Through trial and error, and with loving patience, you'll soon discover together which soothing methods work best. Here are some techniques to try:

New Positions

• Hold your baby facedown over your forearm with his head at your elbow and your thumb and fingers wrapped around his thigh.
• Hold your baby seated in your hand with his back to your chest and your other hand across his chest, wrapping your thumb and fingers around his upper arm. 
• Hold your baby high over your shoulder so his stomach is being pressed into your shoulder bone. 
• Cradle your baby in your arms, holding him tummy-to-tummy tightly against you.
  

Rhythmic Motion

Babies are most comforted at a pace of 60 times each minute, so try these methods:

• Walking around.
• Rocking vertically by doing deep-knee bends. 
• Swaying side to side or back and forth while standing up. 
• Rocking back and forth in a comfortable rocking chair.
  

Warmth

• Swaddle your baby tightly in a receiving blanket.
• Hold your baby close to you so she can receive your warmth. 
• Put a heating pad in your baby's sleep area to warm the sheets before putting her down. Take out the heating pad and check the temperature of the sheets to be sure they're comfortably warm. 
• Lay your baby facedown over a wrapped hot-water bottle on your lap.
  

Soothing Sounds

• Speak reassuring words in a soft, low voice.
• Hum and sing familiar songs you enjoy. 
• Make a tape recording of a dishwasher, washing machine, vacuum cleaner or clothes dryer to let your baby hear repeated swooshing sounds. A fan or humidifier in the baby's room can sometimes do the trick, as can a radio tuned to the static between stations. 
• Play classical, new age, soft rock or soft jazz music. No heavy metal, please! It makes babies nervous.
  

Touch

• Firmly but gently massage your baby's back from the neck down to his bottom.
• Firmly pat or rub your baby on his back and bottom. 
• In a warm room, lay your baby on a firm surface and gently massage his tummy with clockwise strokes. If you think his discomfort may be resulting from gas, this can help move down the gas. Then gently press his knees into his abdomen to push out the gas.

Glendale Egg Hunt

Enjoy the beauty of Sahuaro Ranch as kids explore the grass for candy-filled eggs. Mr. and Mrs. Bunny will be taking pictures with visitors and snack baskets will be on sale for $3. The hunts will be divided up by age and are staggered throughout the morning.

10 a.m.-noon. Saturday. Sahuaro Ranch Park, 9802 N 59th Ave, Glendale. Free. 623-930-2042

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Dolly Sanchez Memorial Easter Egg Hunts

The Peoria Sports Complex will be full of springtime activities this Saturday, as the 33rd Dolly Sanchez Egg Hunts take over the stadium. Admission is free with a canned-food donation for the St. Mary's/Westside Food Bank Alliance. Kids can enjoy egg and candy hunts around the stadium, basket coloring and a bubble play area. For a small fee, kids can burn off that sugar energy in inflatable bounce houses. Throughout the day, there will be puppet and magic shows, a petting zoo and pony rides.

8 a.m.-noon. Saturday.Peoria Sports Complex, 16101 N. 83rd Ave. 623-773-7142

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Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium Annual Easter Egg Hunt

The kids will search eggs full of candy and toys while checking out the Wildlife World Zoo's exotic animals and aquarium. The egg hunt will be in the playground near the petting zoo, with a 1:30 p.m. hunt for kids 7 and under and a 3:30 p.m. hunt for children 8 and older.

1:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Wildlife World Zoo, 16501 W. Northern Ave., Litchfield Park. $26.50 for adults; $14.25 for children 3-12; free for children 2 and under. 623-935-9453.

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Easter Bunny Celebration at the Goodyear Market Place Swap Meet

The Easter Bunny will greet visitors at the Goodyear Market Place, inviting kids to join in egg hunts, hula-hoop contests and a parade. Games will include an egg and spoon race, Easter egg marbles, Pin the Tail on the Bunny, and kids of all ages can show off their karaoke skills with prizes for everyone who participates.

10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. Goodyear Market Place Swap Meet, 17605 W. McDowell Road, Goodyear. Free. 623-853-1488.

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