Why has nobody mentioned the 1 year growth spurt? Holy crud! He's eating solids, snacks, fruits, meats, eggs, avocados, and thats usually just during the day! But he's also back to nursing all.the.time... I think I got a stretch of 3-4 hours of sleep straight last night, and I think that was the longest stretch this week..
Right now bedtime looks something like this - bath and pjs, nurse FOREVER, potty, brush the teeth, red book, lay down in crib... Stand up, walk all over, scream happily, pick up, potty (no pee), back to crib. Repeat. Stand up, cry unhappily, sign "more" and/or "milk". Nurse, potty, back to crib. Repeat... By this point he's just tired, but fussy, so he stands, we pick up up briefly, put him back down, up, down, up, down, and then he usually will finally fall asleep. By this time it's usually about 10, and we're completely exhausted.. Luckily when he wakes at night it isn't as bad, but I'm really just hoping this growth spurt is over soon!
In the meantime, I've been trying to make foods for Cole that are as high in fats, calories, and protein as possible, to try to fill him up.. omelet made with cheese and half&half instead of milk, adding extra butter to his sweet potato, half&half and coconut milk in his oatmeal, and all the while, he can't get enough of blueberries, tomatoes, dried apples, red pepper, yogurt melts, and he'll easily polish off half of an avocado by itself..
Looking forward to our doctor's appointment next Tuesday - I can't wait to see how much he's grown! (and I'm really hoping we'll be back to sleeping normally by then, too!)
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
365 days ago... 11 months, 4 weeks, 1 day
This time last year, I was at work. I had no idea that it was going to be my last day of "work" for a long time. I was getting ready for my 38 week appointment with the midwife later that afternoon. I still had no idea that my little boy's head was up under my ribs.
Last year on the 19th of July at 5 pm, I became a little frantic, trying to find a chiropractor that could turn Cole right away. I was having a really bad day. At 8:30 that night my waters broke, and our fates were set.
I went in for the c-section, and I'd strongly advise people to see a c-section as the LAST possible option. While some people recover well from them, some don't. It took me months just to stop the random bleeding from my incision, and I doubt I'll ever be able to get rid of this pouch of skin.. But my baby boy was perfect, and that's all that really matters.
At 2:16 am on the 20th, Cole was born, blond hair, blue eyes, 10 fingers, 10 toes, 7 lbs 9 oz, 19 inches of perfect.
The past 365 days of my life have been an absolutely amazing journey, and I'm blessed to have such a happy, sweet, loving child.
Last year on the 19th of July at 5 pm, I became a little frantic, trying to find a chiropractor that could turn Cole right away. I was having a really bad day. At 8:30 that night my waters broke, and our fates were set.
I went in for the c-section, and I'd strongly advise people to see a c-section as the LAST possible option. While some people recover well from them, some don't. It took me months just to stop the random bleeding from my incision, and I doubt I'll ever be able to get rid of this pouch of skin.. But my baby boy was perfect, and that's all that really matters.
At 2:16 am on the 20th, Cole was born, blond hair, blue eyes, 10 fingers, 10 toes, 7 lbs 9 oz, 19 inches of perfect.
The past 365 days of my life have been an absolutely amazing journey, and I'm blessed to have such a happy, sweet, loving child.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
baltic amber.. 11 months, 2 days
Cole's been wearing a baltic amber teething necklace for months now, and I'm constantly getting comments on how cute it is! While I agree that it's adorable, that's just an added benefit - the necklace is really for teething pain! Baltic Amber is supposed to relive pain naturally as you wear it because it has succinic acid, which is said to seep into the skin. True or not, I believe that my son is happier while teething than most babies, and certainly seems happier when he's wearing his necklace than when he isn't.
Next comes my own experiment - I finally decided to try an amber necklace for myself, to see how it affects my neck pain! I can't wait until it comes in! And of course while I was shopping at InspiredByFinn.com, I just had to order another necklace for Cole! They say that the lighter and cloudier ambers have more succinic acid, so I got a lighter one to see if it helps even more :)
On another note, Cole turned 11 months old on Monday, and on the same day, took his first steps!!! I can't believe he'll be a year old soon!
Next comes my own experiment - I finally decided to try an amber necklace for myself, to see how it affects my neck pain! I can't wait until it comes in! And of course while I was shopping at InspiredByFinn.com, I just had to order another necklace for Cole! They say that the lighter and cloudier ambers have more succinic acid, so I got a lighter one to see if it helps even more :)
On another note, Cole turned 11 months old on Monday, and on the same day, took his first steps!!! I can't believe he'll be a year old soon!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
things I wish someone told me before - 10 months, 1 week, 5 days
most babies (especially boys!) are only in newborn size clothes for a couple of weeks - and in the summer, they really only need a diaper most of the time, so all those adorable tiny outfits people buy usually end up never being worn.. and they're only in 0-3 for a month or so after that! Yes, some buck that trend, but my boy has been about average in height and slightly below average in weight mostly, and this is what we've found.. at 10 months, he's now in 18 month clothes.. so don't take tags off of EVERYTHING.. wash the older clothes and put them away, and a few outfits in the smaller sizes, and then leave tags on other things so you can return them and get more in a few sizes up!
swings are huge. all lined up in the store they look small, but you get one home and set it up and wonder why such a tiny human needs so much equipment that takes up so much room! we returned ours and just used a small bouncy seat that I could bring outside, inside, up to the shower, wherever..
they outgrow the huge equipment so quickly! Cole's infant tub, carseat, bouncer, attachments for the Pack-n-Play, etc.. all in the attic. and have been since he was about 6 months old.
wraps, slings, or in our case, the Baby K'tan are AWESOME for the first 6 months or so - easy to go out with and to get things done around the house with. We went thru a few brands before finding the K'tan.. After about 6 months, an Ergo is a must-have, especially if you want to go hiking or just to hike to the beach from wherever you parked.. because strollers + sand isn't always the easiest thing to manage..
"travel systems" are usually bulky and expensive.. but we found a brand that's lighter than most - 9 lbs for the carseat, because who wants to add an extra 15-20 pounds to your baby's weight and carry both around for long?! And the stroller (only 3 pounds!) is simple and folds up really small for easy carrying, the infant carseat clicks right in nicely, but the stroller itself will continue to get more use after the infant carseat is put away..
swings are huge. all lined up in the store they look small, but you get one home and set it up and wonder why such a tiny human needs so much equipment that takes up so much room! we returned ours and just used a small bouncy seat that I could bring outside, inside, up to the shower, wherever..
they outgrow the huge equipment so quickly! Cole's infant tub, carseat, bouncer, attachments for the Pack-n-Play, etc.. all in the attic. and have been since he was about 6 months old.
wraps, slings, or in our case, the Baby K'tan are AWESOME for the first 6 months or so - easy to go out with and to get things done around the house with. We went thru a few brands before finding the K'tan.. After about 6 months, an Ergo is a must-have, especially if you want to go hiking or just to hike to the beach from wherever you parked.. because strollers + sand isn't always the easiest thing to manage..
"travel systems" are usually bulky and expensive.. but we found a brand that's lighter than most - 9 lbs for the carseat, because who wants to add an extra 15-20 pounds to your baby's weight and carry both around for long?! And the stroller (only 3 pounds!) is simple and folds up really small for easy carrying, the infant carseat clicks right in nicely, but the stroller itself will continue to get more use after the infant carseat is put away..
Thursday, May 5, 2011
growing against the curve... 9 months, 2 weeks, 1 day old
At his last appointment, our doctor informed me that Cole's weight had dropped to about the 5th% on the growth chart, so we're going in for another weight check next week..
However, when compared to the WHO growth charts, he has solidly been in about the 20th% since about 4 months. She's been comparing him to the CDC growth charts, which are largely based on formula fed infants, who tend to be larger. When a baby is breastfed, they regulate the amount they eat and get exactly what they need. WHO growth chart for boys from birth to 2 years
Just remember to stick to what you KNOW is best for your bub, I'm glad that my doctor has never mentioned the "f" word to me (you know, formula...), but I'm surprised that she's using the CDC growth charts instead of the world standard charts released by the WHO.
I'll be bringing the chart as well as a copy of the WHO software for growth analysis to my doctor next week, and hope that she'll be able to use it for us and for any other children in her office.
Stay informed, do your own research, and don't just consent to what a doctor tells you without knowing all of the reasons and asking the right questions! After all, Cole probably wouldn't be here if I hadn't done a little research into my miscarriages...
Does this look like an underfed, unhappy little guy?!
However, when compared to the WHO growth charts, he has solidly been in about the 20th% since about 4 months. She's been comparing him to the CDC growth charts, which are largely based on formula fed infants, who tend to be larger. When a baby is breastfed, they regulate the amount they eat and get exactly what they need. WHO growth chart for boys from birth to 2 years
Just remember to stick to what you KNOW is best for your bub, I'm glad that my doctor has never mentioned the "f" word to me (you know, formula...), but I'm surprised that she's using the CDC growth charts instead of the world standard charts released by the WHO.
I'll be bringing the chart as well as a copy of the WHO software for growth analysis to my doctor next week, and hope that she'll be able to use it for us and for any other children in her office.
Stay informed, do your own research, and don't just consent to what a doctor tells you without knowing all of the reasons and asking the right questions! After all, Cole probably wouldn't be here if I hadn't done a little research into my miscarriages...
Does this look like an underfed, unhappy little guy?!
Monday, April 18, 2011
sleep! 8 months, 4 weeks, 1 day
Cole's finally getting back to his old sleep habits! He's going into his crib and falling asleep pretty quickly, is napping MUCH better, and isn't getting up nearly as often! Last night we were at a party, left at about his normal bedtime, and he fell asleep in the car. We got home, changed him to his pjs, he nursed, and went to sleep. He woke up at about 11:30 to go to the potty, we tried nursing, but he was pretty sleepy. I'm hoping that as his bladder gets bigger he'll be able to cut this wake up time out, too, we'll see. At about 3:45 he woke, nursed, had some trouble going back to sleep until I realized he needed to go to the potty again, and I got back to sleep at about 4:15. NOT BAD compared to a few weeks ago! And instead of waking up at 5:30, 6:30, etc, he slept from 4:15 until he was up for the day at about 7:15! 11 hours of sleep!!! And he went down for a nap at about 9, and is still asleep at 10:45! I was able to make and have breakfast, do dishes, and I have a 3rd load of laundry in!!
And since it's so nice and sunny out today, instead of waiting until tomorrow or the next day to wash diapers, I decided to wash almost all of them except a few for today! These dipes have been missing the sun the past few months, so happy to get them all nice and white again! Pre-wash rinse is done, time to go turn the dial and add the Rockin' Green!
What a great weekend, and a great start to the week :)
And since it's so nice and sunny out today, instead of waiting until tomorrow or the next day to wash diapers, I decided to wash almost all of them except a few for today! These dipes have been missing the sun the past few months, so happy to get them all nice and white again! Pre-wash rinse is done, time to go turn the dial and add the Rockin' Green!
What a great weekend, and a great start to the week :)
Thursday, April 7, 2011
time to SLEEP.. 8 months, 2 weeks, 4 days
Cole seemed to sleep pretty well for a while. He'd nurse, I'd put him down on his back in his crib, he'd get his thumb in his mouth, and he'd fall asleep! He'd wake a few times a night, but if he was dry, he'd follow the same pattern - nurse, lay down, thumb, sleep. Total up time for me of maybe 10-15 min usually! During growth spurts he'd wake up maybe every 3 hours instead of 4-5, but I could deal with that for a few days each month, and he'd still fall back to sleep pretty well.
Fast forward to more recently, the past month or so has been... difficult. It's very likely because of teething, but it also seemed to start around the time that he decided he wanted to sleep curled in a ball on his tummy. I feel like he's a newborn all over again. He falls asleep while nursing, and when I try to put him down, he flips himself to his tummy, and instead of finding his thumb, starts crawling and climbing to be picked back up. We've had a quite a few nights up from about 3:30 - 4:30 lately, and I've ended up bringing him into bed with us some nights just to get some sleep because sometimes he'll fall asleep this way when he won't in his crib.
Today I've finally decided to try the "No Cry Sleep Solution", a plan that is supposed to help to teach baby how to fall asleep, as the title shows, without "crying-it-out".. I don't believe in letting a baby cry it out, I feel that crying is their only communication and if I ignore his cries now, it's teaching him that I won't be there when he truly needs me. I know that it works for lots of people, but I just can't do it. Hopefully in a few weeks I'll be able to post a happy update with improvements!
Our schedule lately has been something like:
8:00-9:30ish - get ready for bed, read a book, nurse, lay down in crib, crying, screaming, rock, lay down, crying, nurse, lay down, crying, nurse, falls asleep
10:30-11:00 - potty, nurse, lay down, falls asleep
1:00 - 1:30 - nurse, falls asleep
3:30-4:30ish - potty, nurse, lay down, cry, rock, lay down, crying, nurse, lay down, crying, nurse, falls asleep or cries more and ends up in our bed to fall asleep....
7:00 - up. potty, nurse sometimes, downstairs to play while Mama makes coffee
I'm hoping to cut the amount of time up between sleep back to the 10-15 min, hoping Cole will be able to soothe himself to sleep when I put him down, and I'm hoping to eventually cut out some of the nighttime wakings... lets all cross our fingers!
Fast forward to more recently, the past month or so has been... difficult. It's very likely because of teething, but it also seemed to start around the time that he decided he wanted to sleep curled in a ball on his tummy. I feel like he's a newborn all over again. He falls asleep while nursing, and when I try to put him down, he flips himself to his tummy, and instead of finding his thumb, starts crawling and climbing to be picked back up. We've had a quite a few nights up from about 3:30 - 4:30 lately, and I've ended up bringing him into bed with us some nights just to get some sleep because sometimes he'll fall asleep this way when he won't in his crib.
Today I've finally decided to try the "No Cry Sleep Solution", a plan that is supposed to help to teach baby how to fall asleep, as the title shows, without "crying-it-out".. I don't believe in letting a baby cry it out, I feel that crying is their only communication and if I ignore his cries now, it's teaching him that I won't be there when he truly needs me. I know that it works for lots of people, but I just can't do it. Hopefully in a few weeks I'll be able to post a happy update with improvements!
Our schedule lately has been something like:
8:00-9:30ish - get ready for bed, read a book, nurse, lay down in crib, crying, screaming, rock, lay down, crying, nurse, lay down, crying, nurse, falls asleep
10:30-11:00 - potty, nurse, lay down, falls asleep
1:00 - 1:30 - nurse, falls asleep
3:30-4:30ish - potty, nurse, lay down, cry, rock, lay down, crying, nurse, lay down, crying, nurse, falls asleep or cries more and ends up in our bed to fall asleep....
7:00 - up. potty, nurse sometimes, downstairs to play while Mama makes coffee
I'm hoping to cut the amount of time up between sleep back to the 10-15 min, hoping Cole will be able to soothe himself to sleep when I put him down, and I'm hoping to eventually cut out some of the nighttime wakings... lets all cross our fingers!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
my favorite things.. 8 months, 2 weeks, 2 days
After 8+ months, I've found that some things that I thought would be great turned out not to be, while other things I didn't imagine needing I now believe are awesome, and wanted to share..
When Cole was little, I found that a little travelling vibrating chair was a GREAT help - he could sit in it when I was showering, or cooking dinner. And since it was small and light, I could pick it up and bring it upstairs, or wherever I was going, which I wouldn't have been able to do with a full swing..
People usually only talk about the boppy as a help to holding baby while nursing, but I didn't really use it while holding him. Instead, I used it as a kind of seat for baby. I leaned him in it, I put him in it for tummy time to help keep his head up until he was a bit bigger, and put it behind him when he was learning to sit up!
I really love his Safety 1st nail clippers - they have a little light on the end that shines while you clip, which really makes it easier to see tiny little baby nails!
Some other Safety 1st products that are really great now that we're babyproofing - the Magnetic Locks, which work really well for cabinets and drawers. And I love the Swivel Outlet Covers. You take your regular outlet cover off and replace it with one of these instead of putting the little plug caps in. Since my little guy likes to pull keys off of my Mac keyboard and loves to play with wires and outlets, this is essential to me. If he pulls a wire out, instead of the outlet being open, it swivels shut, and there are no small pieces that he can pull out to eat!
Nuby makes some great things for feeding - my faves are the No Spill Flip N' Sip cup, it has a straw instead of a sippy spout - MUCH easier for him, and for most breastfed babies - all they have to do is suck, no tipping! Another fave is the infant spoon. very soft on babies gums, no metal, and it'll even change color if food is too hot!
I didn't think we'd buy a mesh feeder, because Cole is fine with eating even big pieces of food - he'll hold a piece of a waffle and just keep chewing, or even asparagus! But with teeth coming in I found a new use for all of the frozen purees that I made - I cut them just a little smaller than the 1 oz cubes and put them in the mesh feeder, and he loved chewing on the frozen purees!
Great for eating out - the Tiny Diner placemat! It's a soft silicone (I think) - all safe for baby, no lead, PVC, phthalates or latex. Not only does it help grip the food to make it easier for Cole to pick up, it catches food in the little scoop to keep more off the floor, and Cole loves chewing on it when he isn't eating! Reuseable, so it isn't going in landfills like a lot of the stick on placemats that parents use, and easy to wash :)
Earth Mama Angel Baby - lots of great natural products for Mama and for baby, but I especially love the Angel Baby Bottom Balm. It smells just a little minty, and it's great for any rashes or burns or scrapes. I don't know if this is due to luck, cloth diapering, or the Bottom Balm, but Cole has NEVER had a rash!
I've loved his gDiapers since day 1, and while the main complaint of gCloth is not enough absorbancy, it works great for us, especially since we're ECing - even if he does wet his dipe, it's usually so little that the cloth is barely damp! Right around 6 months, before we started ECing, we did notice that he was starting to wet thru the dipe and that it wasn't absorbant enough all the time, but lots of people use prefolds or double the gCloth and they say that works for them.
I love the Baby Bjorn Potty Chair and Toilet Inserts. They both have a really high splash guard, great for little boys - but you still have to hold the boy parts down to make sure not to spill out! The insert is even good for going out so you don't have to hang baby over a public toilet! We just attach it to our diaper bag with a caribiner since it doesn't fit in the bag.
We went for the more expensive Exersaucer, mostly because the bouncers had lower weight limits, and because the Exersaucer that we bought could be opened to use as an activity table once baby was walking - and we've already opened it since he's been pulling himself up, and he loves it!
When Cole was little, I found that a little travelling vibrating chair was a GREAT help - he could sit in it when I was showering, or cooking dinner. And since it was small and light, I could pick it up and bring it upstairs, or wherever I was going, which I wouldn't have been able to do with a full swing.. People usually only talk about the boppy as a help to holding baby while nursing, but I didn't really use it while holding him. Instead, I used it as a kind of seat for baby. I leaned him in it, I put him in it for tummy time to help keep his head up until he was a bit bigger, and put it behind him when he was learning to sit up!
I really love his Safety 1st nail clippers - they have a little light on the end that shines while you clip, which really makes it easier to see tiny little baby nails!Some other Safety 1st products that are really great now that we're babyproofing - the Magnetic Locks, which work really well for cabinets and drawers. And I love the Swivel Outlet Covers. You take your regular outlet cover off and replace it with one of these instead of putting the little plug caps in. Since my little guy likes to pull keys off of my Mac keyboard and loves to play with wires and outlets, this is essential to me. If he pulls a wire out, instead of the outlet being open, it swivels shut, and there are no small pieces that he can pull out to eat!
Nuby makes some great things for feeding - my faves are the No Spill Flip N' Sip cup, it has a straw instead of a sippy spout - MUCH easier for him, and for most breastfed babies - all they have to do is suck, no tipping! Another fave is the infant spoon. very soft on babies gums, no metal, and it'll even change color if food is too hot!
I didn't think we'd buy a mesh feeder, because Cole is fine with eating even big pieces of food - he'll hold a piece of a waffle and just keep chewing, or even asparagus! But with teeth coming in I found a new use for all of the frozen purees that I made - I cut them just a little smaller than the 1 oz cubes and put them in the mesh feeder, and he loved chewing on the frozen purees!
Great for eating out - the Tiny Diner placemat! It's a soft silicone (I think) - all safe for baby, no lead, PVC, phthalates or latex. Not only does it help grip the food to make it easier for Cole to pick up, it catches food in the little scoop to keep more off the floor, and Cole loves chewing on it when he isn't eating! Reuseable, so it isn't going in landfills like a lot of the stick on placemats that parents use, and easy to wash :)
Earth Mama Angel Baby - lots of great natural products for Mama and for baby, but I especially love the Angel Baby Bottom Balm. It smells just a little minty, and it's great for any rashes or burns or scrapes. I don't know if this is due to luck, cloth diapering, or the Bottom Balm, but Cole has NEVER had a rash! I've loved his gDiapers since day 1, and while the main complaint of gCloth is not enough absorbancy, it works great for us, especially since we're ECing - even if he does wet his dipe, it's usually so little that the cloth is barely damp! Right around 6 months, before we started ECing, we did notice that he was starting to wet thru the dipe and that it wasn't absorbant enough all the time, but lots of people use prefolds or double the gCloth and they say that works for them.
I love the Baby Bjorn Potty Chair and Toilet Inserts. They both have a really high splash guard, great for little boys - but you still have to hold the boy parts down to make sure not to spill out! The insert is even good for going out so you don't have to hang baby over a public toilet! We just attach it to our diaper bag with a caribiner since it doesn't fit in the bag.
We went for the more expensive Exersaucer, mostly because the bouncers had lower weight limits, and because the Exersaucer that we bought could be opened to use as an activity table once baby was walking - and we've already opened it since he's been pulling himself up, and he loves it!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
I hope these teeth are through soon... 8 months, 3 days
While I'm not looking forward to the fun of sharp little teeth on my breasts, I'd gladly take the pain if it would take his pains away.. My poor little guy has been unusually cranky and having trouble sleeping and napping. For him, "unusually cranky" means there are still smiles and fun, but with random bursts of crankiness, and LOTS of crawling to Mama and clinging to my legs... Since he hasn't napped, and somehow just fell asleep on me, I'm letting him nap, and I'm typing one-handed.
I haven't written in a while, so I'm just going to write about all of Cole's new accomplishments! I can't believe how quickly he's growing up! He's incredibly mobile now - at first when he started moving more I was able to just build a "wall" of laundry baskets and his car seat across the 5' doorway from our living room to our entryway, and that kept him in until the huge gate we ordered came in and was put up. It's strange how hard it is to find a truly sturdy gate that can span that width.. We ended up buying the Summer Infant Sure & Secure 6 Foot Metal Expansion Gate, and since it's metal (and since I have an amazing handy husband!), he's cutting and welding a kitty door in one of the pieces! For the kitchen to entryway and for the top of the stairs we bought the Summer Infant Sure & Secure Extra Tall Walk Thru Gate, which is similar except it closes automatically and isn't up to 6 feet wide. I just can't think of putting one of the gates that stay up with just pressure and not bolts into the wall. Cole's only 8 months old and about 18 pounds, and he's already pulling himself up on anything - the couch, coffee table, his Exersaucer, even a laundry basket! He often stops while he's crawling to push himself into the downward facing dog.. I think he's trying to stand, but who knows, maybe he's trying to reach some inner peace! We still don't have any words, but he has plenty of encouragement!
Around 6 months we started giving Cole more solids and cutting back on all of his purees. We're not doing Baby Led Solids exactly, because I'll still "assist" him sometimes, and I'll still feed him the occasional puree. We're doing our own thing now. Cole loves pastas - mac & cheese (mmm Annies!), ronis with sauce, pesto, even pasta salads! He'll hold onto his own asparagus stalk and gnosh it, and LOVES chicken. He'll take a grilled chicken finger in his fist and just gum it.. Terrifies his Nonna and Gram until they see that he's fine with it! He's eaten everything we've given him - fish, veggies and fruits if they're cooked or soft, even corned beef on St Patrick's Day! He loves his half waffle in the mornings, with some fruit and oatmeal on top! Even though these say they're for toddlers, he LOVES them! Plum Organics Fiddlesticks are hard, but one day I gave him one to see if he could eat it (I sat and watched him).. And he did! he held it just like he does with asparagus and gnoshed on it, and I think he really likes the hardness of it on his gums! He can gum a whole stick, which can be messy, but it makes him so happy! I much prefer to give him Plum Baby Puffs or Fiddlesticks over the Gerber snacks that just seem so salty.. He also loves animal crackers, or any cracker (great at parties!), breads, pretty much anything!
Things I'm looking forward to right now: ARUBA in August, hearing his first words and watching him start to walk! We're thinking about tethering him and starting skiing next year!
Things I'm not looking forward to: even though there are no signs of stopping, I keep thinking that he's getting older and eating more solids, and one day he won't nurse anymore :( I love that bond, even when it's tough and he wants to climb and twist while nursing, I know I'll miss it when he's done.
I haven't written in a while, so I'm just going to write about all of Cole's new accomplishments! I can't believe how quickly he's growing up! He's incredibly mobile now - at first when he started moving more I was able to just build a "wall" of laundry baskets and his car seat across the 5' doorway from our living room to our entryway, and that kept him in until the huge gate we ordered came in and was put up. It's strange how hard it is to find a truly sturdy gate that can span that width.. We ended up buying the Summer Infant Sure & Secure 6 Foot Metal Expansion Gate, and since it's metal (and since I have an amazing handy husband!), he's cutting and welding a kitty door in one of the pieces! For the kitchen to entryway and for the top of the stairs we bought the Summer Infant Sure & Secure Extra Tall Walk Thru Gate, which is similar except it closes automatically and isn't up to 6 feet wide. I just can't think of putting one of the gates that stay up with just pressure and not bolts into the wall. Cole's only 8 months old and about 18 pounds, and he's already pulling himself up on anything - the couch, coffee table, his Exersaucer, even a laundry basket! He often stops while he's crawling to push himself into the downward facing dog.. I think he's trying to stand, but who knows, maybe he's trying to reach some inner peace! We still don't have any words, but he has plenty of encouragement!
Around 6 months we started giving Cole more solids and cutting back on all of his purees. We're not doing Baby Led Solids exactly, because I'll still "assist" him sometimes, and I'll still feed him the occasional puree. We're doing our own thing now. Cole loves pastas - mac & cheese (mmm Annies!), ronis with sauce, pesto, even pasta salads! He'll hold onto his own asparagus stalk and gnosh it, and LOVES chicken. He'll take a grilled chicken finger in his fist and just gum it.. Terrifies his Nonna and Gram until they see that he's fine with it! He's eaten everything we've given him - fish, veggies and fruits if they're cooked or soft, even corned beef on St Patrick's Day! He loves his half waffle in the mornings, with some fruit and oatmeal on top! Even though these say they're for toddlers, he LOVES them! Plum Organics Fiddlesticks are hard, but one day I gave him one to see if he could eat it (I sat and watched him).. And he did! he held it just like he does with asparagus and gnoshed on it, and I think he really likes the hardness of it on his gums! He can gum a whole stick, which can be messy, but it makes him so happy! I much prefer to give him Plum Baby Puffs or Fiddlesticks over the Gerber snacks that just seem so salty.. He also loves animal crackers, or any cracker (great at parties!), breads, pretty much anything!
Things I'm looking forward to right now: ARUBA in August, hearing his first words and watching him start to walk! We're thinking about tethering him and starting skiing next year!
Things I'm not looking forward to: even though there are no signs of stopping, I keep thinking that he's getting older and eating more solids, and one day he won't nurse anymore :( I love that bond, even when it's tough and he wants to climb and twist while nursing, I know I'll miss it when he's done.
Friday, March 4, 2011
ECing is great! 7 months, 1 week, 5 days
Cole's had his little potty for about a month and a half now, and I've got to say, while he really seems to like being able to go on the potty instead of in his dipe, I LOVE it! OK, it's an extra step. Instead of remove dipe, spray and wipe, put new dipe on, we take dipe off, sit on potty, wipe (if needed), put new dipe on, or same dipe if it's still dry!
And the spray and wipe part is SO much easier. Yes you have to dump and wipe out the potty - but it doesn't wiggle nearly as much as a baby! Cleaning up after poop is especially easier - it doesn't get all over baby's bum!
Yes, there are misses, but more often the dipe is dry or just barely damp, which is pretty awesome. When we first started, Cole started waking more often at night, and I quickly realized that he woke because he needed to pee! Once we figured that out, I decided to start pottying at night, too, and now he goes most nights completely dry. At first he was waking ever 2 hours or so (OUCH!), but now he's back to sleeping well - he sleeps from about 8-3, and wakes up to pee and eat, goes back to sleep until about 6:30, pees, and we're up for the day! Since he hasn't gone 7 hours straight since he was about 3 months old, this is pretty awesome for us :) I'm already looking for tiny undies, which are really hard to find in the US unfortunately. I may just make my own, with a little extra absorbency just in case.. :)
In case you've gotten this far and you're still wondering WTF is "ECing?!" - elimination communication. Basically, just like you know the cries when he's hungry, or tired, you listen and pay attention to the cries that tell you he needs to pee, too. It's best to use cloth diapers so that baby can feel when he's wet so he doesn't lose that recognition (and since you have dry dipes, you can put a dipe back on instead of trashing a dry disposable!).. Babies don't want to pee or poop in their diapers naturally, they actually are born wanting to stay dry and clean. By putting diapers on them and only changing them once they've wet or dirtied themselves, we teach them that the place they should go is in the diaper. So instead of "diaper-training", we're teaching Cole that he can go in the potty. By doing this now, we won't have to actually "potty-train". Ever. Now I listen, and undress him, and hold him on the potty, but when he gets bigger he'll be able to do this, and he won't be resistant to the potty, as many "diaper-trained" babies are!
And the spray and wipe part is SO much easier. Yes you have to dump and wipe out the potty - but it doesn't wiggle nearly as much as a baby! Cleaning up after poop is especially easier - it doesn't get all over baby's bum!
Yes, there are misses, but more often the dipe is dry or just barely damp, which is pretty awesome. When we first started, Cole started waking more often at night, and I quickly realized that he woke because he needed to pee! Once we figured that out, I decided to start pottying at night, too, and now he goes most nights completely dry. At first he was waking ever 2 hours or so (OUCH!), but now he's back to sleeping well - he sleeps from about 8-3, and wakes up to pee and eat, goes back to sleep until about 6:30, pees, and we're up for the day! Since he hasn't gone 7 hours straight since he was about 3 months old, this is pretty awesome for us :) I'm already looking for tiny undies, which are really hard to find in the US unfortunately. I may just make my own, with a little extra absorbency just in case.. :)
Monday, January 24, 2011
what goes in... - 6 months, 4 days
I know that most people think "elimination communication" is just plain crazy... but my 6 month old just peed in his potty for the first time, and was SO happy. He got to pee without having to feel wet! It's just one time, and we'll see how it continues, but I'm pretty convinced. I still plan to use our gDiapers, with cloth, as normal, and I'm going to put him on the potty when he tells me he needs to go!
And, since the potty is very cold, and I had one of Dan's old shirts to turn into a rag, I made my own little potty cozy out of the neck!
not bad!
4 catches so far today!
And, since the potty is very cold, and I had one of Dan's old shirts to turn into a rag, I made my own little potty cozy out of the neck!
not bad!
4 catches so far today!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
breastfeeding critics - 5 months, 2 weeks, 3 days
I know, another breastfeeding in public post.. I just need to get this out.
Through Cole's 5 and a half months, he has taken a handful of bottles, mostly when I've been away - at a wedding, my reunion, and when we went to a restaurant, simply because I thought it would be easier, and because we were going to a restaurant with my parents. He has been nursed in a car (while parked), in Macy's, at the Big E (at the breastfeeding areas, yay for the La Leche League!). He was nursed daily in our living room without curtains until just recently. I've gotten up through the nights at every cry, and have responded to his every need.
For some reason, however, my parents still feel that it's ok for them to criticize how, how often, when, and where I choose to feed my son. It truly bothers me that the only 2 people that have not been supportive of my parenting choices have been my parents. I was able to discreetly feed my son while coaching t-ball by just turning my chair around for the first few weeks of his life. Parents were fine with this, and he was content and quiet and didn't disturb practice at all. Then my father came to a practice, and told me I should feed him in the car or cover him up, in the 90+ degree weather. At that practice, Cole screamed because he was hot and hungry and just wanted to eat.
My mother has had similar comments, too many times to recount, about how I should feed him in the bathroom, or will "helpfully" tell people that I need a place to breastfeed my son. She'll tell me that it might make people uncomfortable. Truly, most people barely notice if you're in a corner and the baby's quiet.
And just last night, they decided to bring up extended nursing. My mother likes to talk about me breastfeeding to her clients while she cuts hair. Of course, one of her clients mentions that once the teeth came in, it hurt, blah blah... So I, once again, feeling like I had to educate on the normalcy of nursing and allowing baby to wean when ready, told them that the average age for baby's to wean naturally is about 4 years. Of course this started the looks and comments of "once he can ask for it.." and "by then he'll remember..". I tried to explain that nursing continues to benefit the child, but it just made me feel like I'm trying to swim uphill, through tar. Who knows how long Cole will want to continue to nurse. I plan to nurse him until he's at least a year old, and I don't plan to "cut him off" for my own selfish reasons. Maybe he'll stop on his own around 1, maybe 2, maybe 3. We'll see. For a really interesting article about the "Natural Age of Weaning", http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detwean.html
My thoughts.. If you disagree with someone else's parenting choices, shut up. There's "your way", "my way", maybe a "better way".. but there isn't a reason to criticize someone's choices.
Through Cole's 5 and a half months, he has taken a handful of bottles, mostly when I've been away - at a wedding, my reunion, and when we went to a restaurant, simply because I thought it would be easier, and because we were going to a restaurant with my parents. He has been nursed in a car (while parked), in Macy's, at the Big E (at the breastfeeding areas, yay for the La Leche League!). He was nursed daily in our living room without curtains until just recently. I've gotten up through the nights at every cry, and have responded to his every need.
For some reason, however, my parents still feel that it's ok for them to criticize how, how often, when, and where I choose to feed my son. It truly bothers me that the only 2 people that have not been supportive of my parenting choices have been my parents. I was able to discreetly feed my son while coaching t-ball by just turning my chair around for the first few weeks of his life. Parents were fine with this, and he was content and quiet and didn't disturb practice at all. Then my father came to a practice, and told me I should feed him in the car or cover him up, in the 90+ degree weather. At that practice, Cole screamed because he was hot and hungry and just wanted to eat.
My mother has had similar comments, too many times to recount, about how I should feed him in the bathroom, or will "helpfully" tell people that I need a place to breastfeed my son. She'll tell me that it might make people uncomfortable. Truly, most people barely notice if you're in a corner and the baby's quiet.
And just last night, they decided to bring up extended nursing. My mother likes to talk about me breastfeeding to her clients while she cuts hair. Of course, one of her clients mentions that once the teeth came in, it hurt, blah blah... So I, once again, feeling like I had to educate on the normalcy of nursing and allowing baby to wean when ready, told them that the average age for baby's to wean naturally is about 4 years. Of course this started the looks and comments of "once he can ask for it.." and "by then he'll remember..". I tried to explain that nursing continues to benefit the child, but it just made me feel like I'm trying to swim uphill, through tar. Who knows how long Cole will want to continue to nurse. I plan to nurse him until he's at least a year old, and I don't plan to "cut him off" for my own selfish reasons. Maybe he'll stop on his own around 1, maybe 2, maybe 3. We'll see. For a really interesting article about the "Natural Age of Weaning", http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detwean.html
My thoughts.. If you disagree with someone else's parenting choices, shut up. There's "your way", "my way", maybe a "better way".. but there isn't a reason to criticize someone's choices.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
baby talk - 5 months, 2 weeks, 1 day
Cole sure is talkative lately - he'll babble in conversation, babble to himself, blow raspberries, giggle, but no "Mama" or "Dada" sounds yet. I'm sure it's coming soon, and I want to pause and enjoy every little stage, but I can't help myself from wanting to hear these magical sounds! It seems he may even talk in his sleep, which I'm not surprised at, because I do. He'll lay there in his crib and babble at the bees and teddy bears when he's awake, but I've also heard his "talking sounds" when he's been asleep! I love it!
He loves standing on our laps and "aaaahhh eeyyyyy aaaaaiiiiiiii", as loud as he can. Also loves playing with his tongue - sticking it out, smiling. Smiling while sticking his tongue out. Blowing bubbles and raspberries..
I'm in love with his expressions and by just how happy he is! He loves to sit on the floor and play - with blocks or his cloth books, the Einstein Bendy ball - his favorite toy!
I can't believe I already have a 5, almost 6 month old son, and he'll be crawling and walking before I know it! He'll already move himself on the floor - rotating, flipping over, and just wiggling his way, but I know that all too soon the gates have to go up!
He loves standing on our laps and "aaaahhh eeyyyyy aaaaaiiiiiiii", as loud as he can. Also loves playing with his tongue - sticking it out, smiling. Smiling while sticking his tongue out. Blowing bubbles and raspberries..
I'm in love with his expressions and by just how happy he is! He loves to sit on the floor and play - with blocks or his cloth books, the Einstein Bendy ball - his favorite toy!
I can't believe I already have a 5, almost 6 month old son, and he'll be crawling and walking before I know it! He'll already move himself on the floor - rotating, flipping over, and just wiggling his way, but I know that all too soon the gates have to go up!
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