The Ikea Poang

Ella was 6 weeks old yesterday!  We had a wonderful day.  It was 80 degrees here and the weather was beautiful.  We took Ella on an hour walk around the neighborhood.  She enjoyed the sunlight and looking around at the outside world.  It's been a cold winter here, so it was great to take a walk.  Luckily, Ella was able to wear the pink smocked dress her Mimi gave her.  If we had of waited until spring, I think it would have been too small.  I will post the picture below- I think she favors Brent so much!

After our walk, we went to eat at a local restaurant here in Dallas.  We went early and ate outside by the the fire.  Ella never cried the entire time (which is a HUGE accomplishment for her) and it was great to have a "date"- or as close as we are going to get to a date right now!

Our nice day was followed by our worst night of colic yet.  It set in at bedtime and she wouldn't stop crying.  After and hour of trying to calm her, I was thinking about how we desperately needed a rocking chair because she likes to be in motion when she's upset.  Then, I remembered that the Poang chair we have- a chair that is cheap and popular from Ikea- has the ability to rock.  Brent and I have laughed many times at its name!

I relieved Brent from trying to console Ella, sat in the chair, and began to rock her.  Then, I began to sing.  For those of you who know me well, you know that you do not want to be in a room with me while I give a solo concert.  It's just not pretty, but she seemed to like it.  At first I sang, baby lullabies like "Rock-a-Bye-Baby" and "I see the Moon".  Then I transitioned into church songs- "Amazing Grace," "Blessed Assurance"- all the church choir songs.  Ella got calm and still but kept her eyes wide open and I knew if I put her back in her crib she would cry again.  So, I had no choice but to go into mainstream music--just to keep it interesting.  I sang a mix of the following:

- Tiffany "I Think We're Alone Now"

-U2 "With or With Out You"

-Poison "Every Rose Has It's thorn" and Dire Straits "Romeo and Juliet" (Cristin K. if your reading this, total flashback to high school riding around in the car)

-James Taylor "Fire and Rain"

-Phish "Come Waste Your Time with Me" (Jenny Evans- totally thought of driving around Athens with you with the windows down on a spring day...that's when gas was really cheap)

- Biggie Smalls- not sure the exact name of the song...I'm embarrassed to admit I sang Biggie to my baby, but at this point I was amusing myself--Oh,  Brent said the song is called "Juicy"-" If you don't know now you know"- (Erin totally thought of you...Super Nintendo Sega, Genesis, when I was dead broke, I couldn't picture this...)

Those weren't all the songs, but I just wanted to give you a sampling of my concert.  I will say so many memories came rushing back as the singing marathon proceeded.  So, after an hour and half of singing and rocking in the Poang, she finally fell asleep.  I don't think I could could have put her to sleep without the Ikea Poang...great investment!  If it happens again tonight, it's Brent's turn to sit in the Poang with her and give the concert...I can only imagine what songs he'll decide to sing.  You never know what you'll come up with when your trying to amuse yourself while getting a colicky little one to sleep.  Here's hoping that the colic passes soon- or at least before she realizes that 1.) I'm tone deaf and 2.) My songs aren't exactly for a baby audience!  Don't worry, we're working on learning more lullabies!