PS Mommy Thread-Newborn to 12 months!

[NewEnglandLady]

Kunzite, I forgot to reply to you earlier today because I was running to work! I had supply issues, so I did the nurse, pump, bottle feed routine for awhile. I found it to be exhausting because there is nothing worse than taking a frustrated baby off of the boob, then have to pump before finally being able to give the baby a bottle. I tried to feed K while pumping several times, but she was really small and extra floppy in those days and the pump parts were too cumbersome to make it work.

Anyway, if I had to choose between that or just EPing, I would EP (which is what I did). However, if I knew I would only have to do that for a short time and then could successfully nurse, I would have done it. Unfortunately, my supply was never good enough to exclusively BF, but after EPing for months, I just DON'T WANT TO DO IT AGAIN! It was better than the nurse, pump, feed routine, but I still think nursing would be so much easier than bottle feeding AND pumping 8+ times per day.

Also, I'm really sorry to hear about the freezer. Uuuugh, could the timing be any worse?! I hope the chest freezer cools off quickly!!

ETA: LC, I was posting at the same time as you. I can definitley get recommendations for you--the wedding is in the city, right? My friend who lives in the city is part of a mom group, so I'll use her as a resource. Plus, her sitter is expensive, but AWESOME! Her kids adore her and we joke that she is a baby whisperer. My friend has a 5-month-old who has never been a great sleeper, but the babysitter always gets him to sleep.

How big is your rice cooker? I only have a 3-cup rice cooker, but that might be sufficient for now. The Baeba Babycook (ha, that sounds awful!) seems to get the best reviews on Amazon and I was thisclose to buying it last night. But I'd rather use what I have (rice cooker + food processor) instead of adding more junk to my kitchen.

 

[lliang_chi]

NEL, *awesome* for the recommendations. I really appreciate it. I reached out to Skippy to have her pass my email to you. (Thanks Skippy) I think DH and I would rather pay more for an experienced person that leave Ethan with someone who's never cared for a small baby. Yes the wedding will be in the city (Artist for Humanity EpiCenter) new the Broadway T station. It's not in the hotel, so it's not like we can pop in to check on Ethan, so I'm OK with paying more for peace of mind.
My rice cooker is either 5 or 6 cup in size. I agree that I'd rather use what I have than add more appliances. I already have some appliances that I barely use (I'm looking at you waffle iron & ice cream maker). I do use them, but like once in a blue moon.

OK going to stop hogging the thread today! I should really get back to work LOL!

 

[lliang_chi]

PSA: For anyone looking to make their own baby food: Kids.woot is having a sale on Beaba products. They have a BabyCook, but also other periphery stuff like spoons, bowls etc.

~LC

 

[lliang_chi]

Wow, pretty quiet here. Hope that means you ladies are busy having fun. Ethan's still working on getting over his first cold. Yesterday he barely ate at day care, only 3 oz! He came home and ate like 7oz in one shot. When it was all said and done, he had his regular-ish amount of milk & sleep, but man it was concerning knowing he didn't eat.

We took him to the doc on Sunday and the doctor said that it usually takes 2 wks for babies to clear a cold. So he's had it for a week now, just need to wait till end of hte week for it to clear. Sigh! Last night he got up twice, 1AMish and 3AMish. Fussing but still sleeping, so I just rock & patted him back to sleep. OMG I'm so tired now! I fell asleep pumping and am now drinking tea to keep me awake the rest of this afternoon.

 

[S&I]

Add us to the list of sleep regression sufferers. Sunday night was brutal with wakings pretty much every 1.5-2 hours. Yesterday was A's 2-month checkup and shots. He was crying the entire time and then only had one good nap in grandpa's arms that afternoon. I think he was so worn out from crying and the shots that he slept from about 9pm to almost 4am! I doubt I'll be that lucky tonight though. A's pedi said it's time for us to start training A to self-soothe during the day, versus being held pretty much all day long. Eek.

LC, hope E gets over his cold soon! I'm sure it's tough to have a sick little one. Also, good luck finding a more suitable babysitter for E for the wedding. We're going to one next month, but my parents are going to watch A.

Freke, love all the pics of A! Keep them coming!

Kunzite, welcome! Your boys are so stinking' cute, and I really hope they get to go home soon!

NEL, Pancake, Janine, PT, Monnie, and Bobbin - hope you're all doing well!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

S&I, I'm sorry to hear about the sleep regression. Just remember, it's temporary! And poor A with his shots, I've heard the first round is the worst, so hopefully the other rounds of shots will be better. And hopefully the transition to self-soothing goes smoothly. K was content to sleep out of my arms, so that was fine. Keeping her out of the in-laws' arms was another story, though!

LC, thanks for the Baeba sale post! I saw the babycook was sold out by the time I checked. Have you had E's 4-month appt. yet? Sorry E is eating like a bird at daycare. K eats well there, but doesn't sleep well. She seems to do fine with her morning nap and even her long early afternoon nap, but she always skips her late afternoon nap there, so I end up putting her to bed early. How often is E eating?

 

[pancake]

Hi ladies! Sorry I have been slack - it was an eventful week last week which started with S getting sick and ended up with my father being admitted to hospital 36 hours before we left for our holiday.

S&I - solidarity for you, mama! Regressions are par for the course for everyone but that never makes them easier. I always have this catastrophising tendency when S has a regression, whereby I freak out that this is the way things will be FOREVER. Of course, it's not But in the meantime, just keep telling yourself that it will be over soon and get from one feed to the next.

LC, poor sad Ethan! It's horrible seeing the bubbies get sick, isn't it? S had a cold about a week ago and whilst she was only really out of sorts for a couple of days, it was just wretched watching her sniffle and snuffle and struggle I'm late to the party re the babysitter issue, but I would DEFINITELY pay more to hire someone who is experienced with young babies. Totally different kettle of fish from looking after older children. So envious of your potential meet-up with NEL! Can I send you a life-sized effigy of me and S so that we can have the full complement of middle-of-February PS babies and mamas?

NEL - great news re the physical therapy! I'm sure things will just continue to improve as Katie gets more upright and mobile. Nice work on the nursery transition! I was thinking about moving S a while ago... and then couldn't bring myself to do it I think she would be fine, but this is all about ME not being ready, ha.

Re baby food: yes, I am planning to make my own. I'm still at home with S and planning to be so for a while (more on that later) so it shouldn't be too much trouble. I am not buying any gadgets - we have a hand blender which also has a bowl attachment for use as a "regular" mini-blender, so I'll use that to begin with, until S is a bit more coordinated and can do a bit more finger food. We will be doing some sort of hotch-potch of spoonfeeding and finger foods, I'm not a hardcore convert to baby-led weaning but I like the idea that the babies can experiment and try out new things at their own pace. Probably time for me to invest in some baby art smocks and a dropsheet for the floor!!!

WOW re OPKs and thinking about #2! I have to say, if it were not for work issues and finishing my training I would be wanting to have another baby next year... as it is we will probably start TTC around the start of the year after. Seems so far away

Bobbin, wow you are organised! I haven't thought ahead to toddler/older baby toys AT ALL! One of my favourite baby sale sites did have a special on Moover toys the other day, so I bought S one of those push cart things, but that's all we've got. I figure people will give her stuff and she won't have any idea what Christmas is anyway We have just bought an inflatable swim seat thing (we're in Port Douglas at the moment) which is meant for 6-11kg bubs, and I think that would be a nice thing to have for the Aussie summer!

Kunzite - welcome, and welcome to Elliot and Miles too! What beautiful boys and gorgeous names... I think it is quite common for the smaller twin to behave in a slightly more mature way than the bigger one, think it is part of the increased physiological stress whilst in the womb, I used to see it often in growth-restricted babies and smaller twins when I worked in neonatal units. You are a pumping MACHINE! Cannot believe it. Hope you are managing to eat like a horse to make up for everything you are pumping out and that you are looking after yourself as well as possible given the current circumstances!

AFU, we're currently up north on our week-long holiday by the beach, just off the Great Barrier Reef! The weather is beautiful - not hot, but beautifully warm and sunny. Great baby holiday weather. S is being fantastic - her routine is a bit disrupted as we're out and about a lot more than usual but she's sleeping like a champ and soaking in all the new sights around her.

It was a big week the week before we came up here - S started off by getting a yucky cold and was very out of sorts for a couple of days, but thankfully recovered quickly and without incident. Then, through the week, I did a LOT of thinking and stressing about my work and future and not wanting to leave S - I had originally planned to return and start my doctorate 3 days/week sometime in August, and as that has got closer I have started feeling panicky when I think about it. Anyway, there was a lot of thinking and discussion with various people, and I am pretty sure now that I am probably going to put it off until the end of the year. Not set in stone yet, but I feel so much better even having got this far in the decision-making! I am just not ready to leave S yet, and I have the luxury of choice. It isn't ideal for my work/training/career, but when I think about which consequences I am prepared to live with, I am much more willing to have to slog a bit harder later on to get where I want work-wise, than to regret having not stayed at home longer with S when I had the chance.

As I mentioned at the top of my post, my dad was admitted to hospital on Saturday with febrile neutropenia (white cell count low after chemo and he got a fever, so concern is about risk of overwhelming infection). He was being looked after by one of his brothers at the time; this guy has proven himself to be a jackass in the last month or two (can't remember if I posted about it, but he inadvertently sent me an email he'd written to the other siblings about how he thought my mother was a gold-digger and was now "playing the waiting game", and that the three of us kids were disinterested, uncaring and that "the chickens were coming home to roost") and I was SO angry, when I went around to see Dad on Saturday my uncle was out shopping for groceries and I found my dad in bed, unable to get up by himself, unable to walk properly, not able to eat much at all, and looking grey and weak. I took his temp and he had a fever; I rang his oncologist and was told to bring him in to hospital. When uncle got home, I told him about it, and he asked me what the temperature was - I told him, and he said, "Oh, that's only a tiny bit up - if we take him to hospital they'll probably just observe him". Um. Hello. I am a doctor. I have spent quite some time working in oncology. You have no idea what you are talking about. Jackass.



Anyway, Dad is still in hospital but is much better, has been on fluids and broad spectrum antibiotics. In many ways it is easier for me to be away knowing that he is in full nursing care. But am still seething about my uncle. What if my brother and I HADN'T gone to see Dad on Saturday?? How sick would he have to have become before something was done about it?

UGH.

OK. Breathing in with serenity, out with love!

 

[Skippy123]

PSA: For anyone looking to make their own baby food: Kids.woot is having a sale on Beaba products. They have a BabyCook, but also other periphery stuff like spoons, bowls etc.

~LC

Hi! I was going to buy one but a few ps moms told me not to because it is super easy to make your own. It actually is super easy if anyone wants to know how, I am happy to post about it!!! I also make big batches (and freeze the food) so I heard that beaba is good for small patches. I have heard that people like the Beaba though. All you need is a food steamer and immersion blender, maybe $40 or $50 tops for making baby food.

 

[parrot tulips]

Bobbin - So on top of things, already looking at toys for Christmas time! I only think about things like that as they come up, and sometimes only after seeing someone else with something that looks interesting. I had gotten a jumperoo after I saw NEL's picture of Katie (I intended to get one, but had no idea when Ava might be ready to use it), and I had gotten a play nest after seeing one at a playgroup meet-up.

LC - I hope poor Ethan is feeling better. Sometimes (when it's something relatively minor/mild) I wonder who suffers more - baby or mom. As for solids, we've tried some brown rice cereal and spoon fed it to Ava. We also tried mashed banana and avocado (separately, of course). She makes this horrible face like you're trying to torture her by putting the most heinous substance on earth into her mouth. We only try a few spoonfuls here and there, since she's still not quite 6 months adjusted. My first thought is to make the foods at home, since the local farmers market is only one exit away from our house. Using the rice cooker to steam is a great idea! Ours even came with a steamer insert. We'll probably puree using our food processor or blender. A friend of mine has a Beaba Babycook that she doesn't use (her son prefers store bought purees), so I suppose I could always ask to borrow it.

NEL - Love the Katie picture! I wish Ava had the motor skills to hold onto a sippy cup. Even if she's not ready to use it. Glad to hear the physical therapy is going well. And congrats on the transition to the nursery! Ava sleeps in hers at night, but naps in our bed during the day. I should probably wean her off of that, but she just sleeps so much better there.

Kunzite - I'm so sorry about the destats/bradys. Even when you're prepared for them, they still suck. I remember them happening often enough that they stopped being terrifying, but it was always disheartening knowing that they would delay homecoming that much longer. And yippee for Elliot taking two full feeds! Ava started out as one of the smallest babies in the NICU, and ended up leaving as one of the biggest at 36 weeks.

Pancake - I'm so sorry to hear about your father. It must have been terribly upsetting to find him in such a sad state, and infuriating having to deal with your nasty uncle. On the up side, your holiday sounds wonderful, despite S having gotten ill beforehand. I'm not surprised she's doing beautifully despite the disrupted routine. She sounds like an absolute dream baby. And I'm so glad to hear you've made some decisions regarding work. I know a couple of women who took roughly a year off before returning to work, and they're very content with their decisions. They weren't ready to leave full time motherhood at only 3 months, or even 6 months, but they also weren't prepared to give up their careers. It was a nice balance for them.

AFU - We just got back from a NICU follow-up clinic. Ava is right on track with growth for babies born at 30 weeks, and her head growth, according to the neonatologist, is spectacular. That one made me laugh. The physical therapist gave us a list of things we should work on at home (mostly different variations on tummy time, and trying to get Ava to use both hands independently), but nothing concerned her enough to want to schedule regular visits. Our next appointment with her isn't for another 7-8 months.

Ava doesn't roll over consistently, but she has gone from tummy to back, and back to tummy numerous times. Back to tummy always seems to be during a night waking, which leads to crying because she can't figure out how to roll back over, and she HATES tummy time. Sometimes my baby just makes me laugh.

We're slowly trying to introduce solids, but since she doesn't seem to care for them, we're not pushing them too much yet. We'll try different things, and hopefully she'll catch on sooner rather than later. It was a pleasant surprise that the doc wasn't as conservative as we expected regarding what types of food we can try once Ava turns 6 months. Aside from honey, cow's milk, and undercooked meats, he didn't think we needed to be overly restrictive (peanut butter, strawberries, etc.).

 

[moxie.moo]

PSA: For anyone looking to make their own baby food: Kids.woot is having a sale on Beaba products. They have a BabyCook, but also other periphery stuff like spoons, bowls etc.

~LC

Hi! I was going to buy one but a few ps moms told me not to because it is super easy to make your own. It actually is super easy if anyone wants to know how, I am happy to post about it!!! I also make big batches (and freeze the food) so I heard that beaba is good for small patches. I have heard that people like the Beaba though. All you need is a food steamer and immersion blender, maybe $40 or $50 tops for making baby food.

Hi ladies, long time no post but I still read all the time. I second this for the ladies considering DIY babyfood--I have done it for five months now and it's SO EASY. I just use the steamer basket (or the microwave for frozen peas, etc.) and an immersion blender I already owned, plus a few ice cube trays. I am clutter-phobic so avoiding the added gadgets was key. For baked stuff (sweet potatoes, acorn and butternut squash) I either bake them on a tray or in a casserole with water for an hour or so. I usually spend a few hours a month doing a few different things and I am more than stocked. Now I don't blend, I just chop stuff and defrost the little finger foods as needed. I use pouches on occasion when travelling, etc. but we try to use the homemade stuff when we can since our little lady is guaranteed to have a built-in sweet tooth with us as parents. Now I'm off to get myself an ice cream

 

[NewEnglandLady]

DIY baby food ladies, thank you so much for the advice! I decided to skip the baeba babycook and ordered an immersion blender instead. It's pink!! I have an infant/toddler cookbook and am excited to start making Katie's food...I just don't know if it will be in a couple of weeks or a couple of months--I'll talk to our doc at K's 4-month appt. next week.

PT, Ava is as cute as a button as always! That pic of her in the play yard is so cute--I ordered the same one, but I got the jungle one instead of the farm one. I wanted the farm version, but the jungle was cheaper. Dang it! And we also have the exact same winkle toy and Jeffrey the giraffe. So funny.

Glad to hear that Ava's growth is right on track! Our PT said the same thing about having us help K to use her hands independently and also reach for things while on her tummy. I'm not that worried about it because I feel babies get to each milestone when they're ready. I'm happy to help her build her strength, but I'm not going to stress over her dexterity.

Pancake, first, I'm so glad that you're on vacation. BUT! I'm sooooo sorry that you had to deal with your jackass of an uncle before you left. I'm actually glad (for your sake and for your father's sake) that he's in the hopsital. Had he continued to be in your uncle's care, you probably would have worried about throughout your vacation.

Sorry to hear about S's cold, but I'm glad she recovered! And I can completely understand the anxiety around returning to work. It's nice that you have some flexibility around your return. I always said that I would have at least liked to have 6 months with K before returning to work...if I could have stayed home until August, I would have. And if you can push it back until the end of the year, that's great, too. I will say that I was a lot more panicky about returning to work before I actually DID it. Now that I'm back at work, I enjoy my time here. I know that might sound bad, but it's nice to be able to do a little shopping if I have a little break. Or go to a nice restaurant with friend/clients without having to entertain an infant. I think you'll find that when you do return, 3 days/week provides a nice balance.

AFU, Pancake has inspired me and I think that D and I are going to go on a little summer vacation. I think the WHOLE family (including Byron and Bo) are going to spend some time in Montauk. Hopefully in July or August, depending on availability. Janine, how funny is it that you're going to the Cape and I'm going to Montauk? I feel like the Cape and upper Long Island have the exact same look/feel, but it's nice to feel like you're getting out of your own back yard. Anyway, I'm excited since this is the first vacation D and I have taken together since Byron got sick 2 years ago!!

Also, I think we might take Katie swimming this weekend. I finally bought a bathing suit yesterday that covers all the parts I want to cover. Which is essentially my entire body right now.

 

[janinegirly]

NEL: awesome on Montauk!! Are you renting a house? We still need to finalize our plans...you're reminding me to get on top of it. And great news on the swimsuit (although I doubt you needed to cover much up). I am still searching - I now do a search for "runched one piece swimsuit". I've ordered and returned 3 suits so far. Boo. And can you let me know which immersion blender you got and how it all goes? I've been giving A jarred food (organic at least)..feeling guilty now though compared to all your ladies.

PT: As usual I love photos of A!! Can I ask what that circular thing is that A is sitting in? My A is not sitting on her own yet (plenty of rolling though) and maybe it would help her. She never liked the bumbo. The other toys all look familiar meanwhile (winkel,etc.).

Sorry for quick drive by.........will try to catch up more with everyone later.

 

[lliang_chi]

Hey ladies!

Moxie, can you share a little bit about is your daughter's baby food consumption and her milk intake? How does that work with your pumping?

PT, Aw, Ava's looking ADORABLE (as usual). She seems to have caught up a to her chunky cheeks a little. I can't believe she's sitting up like a big girl!

Pancake, hooray you're on your vacation! I'm glad Sylvie got through her first cold like a trooper. Ethan's tailing off on his cough, but last night and this morning he woke up coughing then promptly spat up about an oz or so of old milk. I must take better care to burp him before putting him down. Lazy mommy.
I remember you recounting about your jack@$$ uncle. I'm so glad your dad's away from him and dude, seriously? ALl I can do is shake my head....

S&I, sorry to hear about A's sleep regression. It'll pass, just stay strong. DH takes care of E when he wakes up sometimes, but he always feeds him, so he's sort of reinforcing the 1AM wake ups, which I'm not very pleased about. But I'll wait until Ethan's 100% healthy again and try to break him of this habit.

NEL, E's 4 month appt is tomorrow. DH is taking him since I'll be at work & DH has the day off. Fantastic you're doing your family vacation this summer! Sounds like it'd be great, especially since you and D haven't taken ne since Byron got sick. I hope you find a great place. Let mek now how Katie likes swimming. E doesn't like being dunked in cold water so we didn't try taking him swimming when we were in FL last.

Janine, hope your vacation plans firm up. MV would be so much fun with your two girls! FWIW, I have a corded Viking immersion blender that came with a few attachments. I really like it, it is kinda big though. I got my sis got a Dualit corded blender from B.B.B. and that's smaller and also works pretty well. You can get a whole mess of attachments like beaters etc. She really likes it too. I preferred the corded blenders to the cordless ones becaues I like having more oomph when I'm blending.

~LC

 

[NewEnglandLady]

just a quick drive by for Janine--this is the immersion blender I ordered: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-76BC-SmartStick-200-Watt-Immersion/dp/B000EGA6QI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340293278&sr=8-1&keywords=immersion+blender

I'll let you know how it goes!! Amazon also has Ava's play nest (not to speak for PT). It's here: http://www.amazon.com/Galt-A1160K-Playnest-Jungle/dp/B000OR9Y3S/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1340293464&sr=1-1&keywords=play+nest

K's physical therapist gave us exercises to build K's back musles, but said the bumbo or these play nests are good for building a baby's core. And since K gets tired of her bumbo quickly, I thought I'd give it a shot.

As for the vaca--we're on the fence about renting a house or staying in a cottage-type hotel. We'd have to go a week if we rent a house and I don't have much vacation after taking nearly all of it for maternity leave. Are you guys renting a house on the Cape? We haven't booked anything, either...I'm afraid not much is going to be left. Worst-case scenario is that we go in September, but I wouldn't really mind that. I think vacationing with an infant is going to be a comical experience for us!

 

[Kunzite]

Hi ladies

We think Mr. Elliot is going to come home today! The kid really started eating a ton the last few days. Mr. Miles is still up in the air. He ate his quota yesterday, but just barely. We'll find out at rounds today. Wish us luck!! I was very conscious of the fact that last night would be my last night to get some sleep.... so of course I couldn't sleep! Ha!

Oh, and we got the DNA test kit in the mail too! As soon as those boys are home I'm going to be swabbing those cheeks. I can't stand the uncertainty!

 

[janinegirly]

NEL: Thank you, I'm ordering both today!! Might end up with the jungle one too b/c I try to only buy from Amazon (Prime/free shipping,etc...). The play nest looks perfect for what we need, although I'm sure my toddler will try to take it over (she even took over the bumbo - yes she fit - before I returned it). And we are also debating house vs. hotel. A house is much easier for us, separate rooms - baby wakes up early,etc. But if it's just the 4 of us, not really economical. We're doing a 4 day wkend in a hotel by the beach in a few weeks so that'll be a test and then I think I'll be alot clearer on what we can handle or not. Keep me posted on everything (vacay and making your own food!). Thanks again for the links .

 

[lliang_chi]

Kunzite, HOORAY I hope Elliot can come home today!! Fingers crossed that M will be following suit quickly.

Janine & NEL, hm, I think I'll try out this play nest. I like that you can deflate it and take it with you etc.

 

[parrot tulips]

Kunzite - I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Elliot comes home today! How exciting! Hope he keeps up with the good appetite, and that the car seat test and all else goes well. I'm sure Miles won't take long to follow suit.

As for the play nest, Ava loves it. She practices sitting up like a big girl (she averages a few seconds, but once managed a 10 second stretch), and always has toys within reach. If she falls over, the worst that happens is that she ends up in a lounging position. And when she's not in it, it acts like a little toy box. By some great fortune, our dog mysteriously knows the difference between her toys and the baby's, so they never get more than a quick sniff and we can leave everything on the floor.

 

[Kunzite]

More later, but we're hooooooome!!



ETA - Boooo! Where is my picture

 

[S&I]

Kunzite, yay for Elliott coming home already - that's fantastic! I'm sure Miles will follow too so as not to spend too much time away from his brother! I can't see your pic either

PT, thanks for your review of the nest thing. I think I might follow LC and order one too. I was debating whether to get a bumbo or not, but I still have some time.

NEL, do let us know how your food-making experiments work out. I also have a 3-cup rice cooker and a kitchenaid immersion blender (that we got as a wedding gift and has yet to be used!).

Pancake, so sorry to hear about your dad, but like others have said already, it's better that he's in the hospital so he can get the proper care that his brother obviously wasn't giving him. Glad your vacation is going well - love all the food and outing pics!

LC, hope E has a good 4-month checkup tomorrow!

AFU, I went out and bought a rock n play to see if it'll help with daytime naps. We tried it out today and were able to get A to fall asleep in it after crying and fussing a bit, so that's actually a big improvement from the crib, where he would immediately start crying as soon as we tried putting him down. He only napped for like 40 minutes the first time, and even less the other two times, but I'm hoping he'll sleep longer once he gets used to it.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

S&I, great news about the rock and play. K absolutley loved hers. I was afraid the transition to the crib might be a little rough (since she loved her RnP so much), but it as better than expected. I hope the whole family can get a little more sleep now...or at least have less stress around daytime naps.

Kunzite, yay for being home!!! Is it just Elliot who came home or were both of them able to come. Even if it is just Elliot, at least you know Miles is soon to follow! Can't wait to hear and see more! Oh, and I also can't wait for the test kit results!

PT, glad to hear you love the play nest! I'm going to start using mine today. And also interesting about your dog knowing the difference between his toys and hers. Our dogs also know the difference (must be hte way they smell), but Bo still perks his ears up when he hears the giraffe squeak.

Janine, I'm interested to hear how the hotel goes. I hear you one the downside of the house--it's $$$. The one justification for us is that this will likely be our ONLY vacation all year. I hate to spend so much money on a simple, relatively close vacation, but if this is all we're taking, then it might be worth it. Oh, and I meant to tell you--you shouldn't feel bad at all about jarred food. You just have to do whatever works--I'm just giving this a shot because I've heard it's easy and it actually sounds like fun to me.

 

[Skippy123]

Yay, I am so happy to hear Elliot is home!!!! How is Miles? I bet Oliver is so in love with his brothers!!!

 

[monkeyprincess]

Congrats Kunzite! They are so cute!

 

[parrot tulips]

Kunzite - I can finally see your picture. So much cuteness!

 

[lliang_chi]

Kunzite! SO CUTE! Love they're bunking up together!!! Congrats on having all the babies home. Hope you're not overwhelmed. How are they doing with nursing?

NEL, awesome Katie's do so well in her crib for naps. How's her sleeping @ day care? Ethan's gotten better with his bottles and he usually does at least one long (2 hr) nap. THe rest are shorter, around 45 mins-1hr

PT & NEL, forunately for me, Quizas doesn't like the rubber squeaky toys, but she loves stuffed toys so we need ot keep all of Ethan's toys up and away from her.

Janine, is your DD1 getting better with sharing with your

Today was Ethan's 4 month check up. DH took him. I gave him a list of questions for the doctor. I can't wait to what the doc had to say.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Eeeeee! Kunzite, they're adorable!! They look so teeny tiny in the crib! And I'm so glad they're both home!

LC, Katie's sleeping is okay at daycare, but I suspect it will never be as good as it is at home. Her naps are textbook. The morning nap is 45 minutes long--usually from 9:30 - 10:15. Her lunchtime nap is her long nap--usually noon - 2:30 or 3. And her late afternoon nap is variable, which I've read is completely normal. With me, she does a 4:30 to 5:30 (although it's 5:45 right now and she's still asleep). That late afternoon nap is the one she skips at daycare, so I end up putting her to bed earlier so she catches up on sleep. I'm just glad the morning and afternoon naps are happening at daycare--in a few months, she'll drop that late afternoon nap and probably do two 2-hour naps. I'm glad E is doing better with eating! How much is he eating now? Yesterday our babysitter bumped her up to 8oz bottles (she has 5 per day still, but only 3 at daycare), but today she's only had 6oz.

Let us know how E is feeling!! I'm sure he was a trooper and is feeling fine. Poor thing was already getting over a cold and then had to get some shots. Maybe the extra rest will be good for him!

 

[lliang_chi]

NEL, *wow* Katie is such a good eater! Ethan's still only doing 3oz avg, 4oz tops @ day care. He'll do maybe 5+ oz at home. If he doesn't eat at day care, he'll do nearly 7oz on that first feeding when he gets home. I really want to have day care give him more bottles, but if he doesn't finish in an hour, they dump the milk. The thought of which makes me go We tried doing less bottles with more in it, but he's pretty consistently doing 3 oz @ day care, so I don't know what to do.

Kunzite, are you swaddling the boys with their arms out or are they just that squirmy?

 

[FrekeChild]

Not a lot of time right now. Or for the next few months. (More on that later...quite a bit later.)

So I'm still lurking, but won't be posting much.

A had her evaluation for early intervention today. She did really well except for where she was expected to not do well. So far she's either right on track for her age or ahead. Her fine motor skills are above normal, and closer to 12+ month kiddos.

I went shopping at Gymboree today - they are having the "lets get rid of all of the summer clothes to make room for fall clothes" and everything in the store is $13.99 or less. And I may have overspent a little bit--all of it coming out of my ridiculously small current jewelry budget. But I couldn't resist!

Anyway, came home and had her try out an accessory. Thought you guys would like this pic.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Freke, what's going on over the next few months. I hope it's not anything too stressful. As always, A is absolutely adorable.

Just had to quickly post this photo of K swimming today--it was her first time!

 

[lliang_chi]

Freke, echoing NEL, I hope whatever is going on for you is a good busy and that things are working out OK. Hope you take some time to just relax and unwind a little. And A looks ADORABLE. Blowing your bling budget at Gymboree is totally unavoidable when you have such a cutie at home. And besides, she's the brightest gem of all

NEL, OMG CUTENESS!!!!! How did Katie like swimming? We didnt' try for Ethan, I think he won't like the cold pool water. He loves his warm baths etc. Look at those chunky arm rolls. You just want to cover her with kisses!

Adding a few pics too. DH took a few of nake-y baby pictures. But in the interest of Ethan's modesty, I'll post one that's not quite so nake-y Is it just me or are babies the CUTEST when they're all big eyed and nake-y???

Also a fun shot of Ethan and Quizas