PS Mommy Thread-Newborn to 12 months!

[Burk]

Just wanted to pop in quick and say hi. Things are too busy around here for me to keep up but I will be checking back for more Friday pics!

PB~Love that pic!

PG~Kade sits up, crawls around his crib, and tries to pull up (which he has not quite mastered so it scares the crap out of me!) when he's restless. I think it's normal and them just figuring out their "skills." Hope she is able to get herself to sleep more easily soon!

Hope everyone has a great long weekend. We have a volleyball tourney today and tomorrow so it'll be nice to have Monday to relax!

 

[Burk]

Swimmer, have you tried a different bottle? K went on a bottle strike and I just kept trying different bottles. He finally decided he likes the Tommee Tippee bottles. And, I used frozen milk from months past with him and had no problems so I'm not sure it would be the actual milk that's the problem.

 

[fieryred33143]

Swimmer-just wanted to chime in with some additional thoughts.

The milk should not be the issue unless it needs scalding due to lipase. Plenty of mothers pump from the beginning to build their back to work stash and don't have problems with the taste being any different.

Who is offering the bottle? If it's you, then I would have DH try. If DH is trying, then I would not be in the room.

PG-that sounds exactly like what Sophia would do when she learned to sit/stand in the crib! It'll get better with time

 

[drk]

Swimmer - good to see you again! I wish you could send half of your boobs my way - then maybe we'd both have just-right supplies! I tried cup feeding with K at 3 months with no success after the LC suggested it. Another LC I saw later said it works with very young babies and older babies, but not so much those in the middle. I'd try a faster-flowing nipple and just keep offering the bottle. Maybe he'll just end up reverse-cycling? If K can go 11+ hours at night without breast milk, I'd imagine he could go quite a time during the day without it, as long as he drinks lots when he's with you. If you can pump 7oz after a feeding, I don't think that being able to give him enough will be an issue. K drinks about 600-700mL a day, or somewhere around 21-24oz, divided into 5-6 bottles. I definitely don't think it's the milk itself that's the issue, since fat content changes from feed to feed, as well as over time.
At any rate, I'd just keep trying to offer the bottle(s), and eventually he'll get hungry enough to take it. K took a while to transition too. She started off gagging on the nipple when we'd put it in, but would eventually get hungry enough to suck it back farther into her mouth herself.

PG - hope she learns to lie down again quickly!

 

[ChargerGrrl]

Hola Swimmer! I too wish you could send 1/2 of your boobs my way! Ya know, i've been so obsessed with my low supply, ALWAYS wishing that I had more than enough to provide for N, that I didn't realize how challenging it can be on the other side. Ah, the beauty of breastfeeding.

PG- wow- C.'s sleeping position sounds funky! it amazes me that our LO's can get good sleep with the way they position themselves.

PB- Enjoy your time with DH!

SS- Lily is a cutiepie. yay for smiles

We gave N his first dose of Zantac last nite, so I'm crossing my fingers that it will help his reflux. His 3mo appt is in two weeks, which gives me a good oppty to give his Pedi an update.

AFM- I'm glad the week is nearing to a close- it's been an emotionally draining one. You may recall that my father is up in age (93). My mom is responsible for him 24/7 but the last couple of months have been tough for her as his condition has gone downhill. He was hospitalized most of last week and again this week. My bro and I finally convinced Mom that the time has come for him to be put into a home, so we moved quickly to secure a slot for him so he'd go straight there after being discharged yesterday. God bless my bro who did most of the legwork- and he just started a new job on Monday. This will not only be good for Dad, but for Mom too who tends to stress out. it will help her chill... Although i've been recommending that he be put into a home for a year or so now, it's still bittersweet and my heart is breaking. Good thing is that the home is VERY close.

Last, but not least is my pic for today. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! Papa was supposed to be making sure that N was napping, but that's not how it turned out!

 

[MonkeyPie]

SS, that picture is TOO cute - I love how her tongue is sticking out, hehe.

cello, so happy to see you! Soren is SO BIG, I can't believe he's 8 months already. I love that little cap too, I wish I could tell which shop is yours.

Aw, phoenix, I hope she leans how to lay back down soon. I can't imagine how weird they must feel about things like that. "Up I go! Oh wait...how do I get back down? MOMMY HELP!"

PB, that picture is hilarious! Micah always slides down like that when I sit him in a couch corner, too. And then he gets mad because he gets stuck and can't roll over or sit back up.

No news on the job yet. I have my fingers crossed that I hear something next week!

AFM, I am SO HAPPY it's a long weekend! We have the Wine Festival all three days, too, so DH and I plan to go Sunday. I don't really care for wine, but you can get a little booklet that lets you get a small taste at each booth so maybe I will find something I love. And after "tasting" for three hours, I'm sure we will both be feeling happy

 

[jcrow]

charger - my, my, that scene looks exactly what goes on in our house too. except sometimes it's me with a hand on her as i fall asleep. oops. we also have the co-sleeper and love it! anyhoo... cute pic!

 

[Burk]

Charger~Great pic!

SS~Lily reminds me so much of Jen's (the old Mrs. Mitchell) Amelia....

 

[somethingshiny]

Selfish vent: I realize this is totally selfish and I'm a horrible wife, but, DH went golfing today. I'm irritated because on his days off I need help around the house and a bit of a break for myself. He doesn't get to do much but neither do I. I guess I'd rather we get to do something together--ya know, the two of us. I feel like he's choosing time with friends over time with me. I've begged for 30 minutes a day to exercise and him to watch the kids, but that has yet to happen. The most me-time I've had is grocery shopping.

okay, pity party over.


On the YAY side, Lily pushed up today!


Look at all these adorable babies! I think it's funny how they all cock their heads at picture time!

MP~ Enjoy the wine festival!! I love wine but never knew it until I went to my first tasting!!


That's all for now, Lily is crying for no apparent reason.....

 

[ljmorgan]

Cello! so good to see Soren!

MP, good luck!

Mere, hugs, it can be confusing and frustrating, but you can totally be away from your little guy for a few hours here and there.

Thanks for the bf info Lindsey, Mara, Drk, and Jen, super timely for me, I'm here to tag on a situational question to Mere's. E is now 3.5 months and refusing the bottle...poor timing since he is now going to daycare for a few hours. So I send him with 4oz and he passively accepts 2. Like they are being dribbled down his throat, E has no interest in sucking the nipple. We tried 2 weeks ago to get him to take a bottle when he first started refusing it. He went on a 14hr hunger strike rather than take the bottle. I an NOT doing that again. Funnily his napping remained steady during the strike, but the screaming like he was being skinned was torture. Worst vacation day DH has ever taken. Oh, and E refuses pacis too, but loves to suck on fingers.

Questions: Could the milk (it still smells and tastes like just pumped) be less than desirable b/c of the lower fat content? I didn't understand till reading it here that bm adjusts for the baby's needs, so it makes sense that what I pumped in June is not going to interest him? Pumpers, what are your thoughts? I have the darndest time searching kellymom so am just googling and getting nowhere.
I know that when he gets hungry enough, he will take the bottle, but any thoughts on what to do? I have every bottle known to babies r us and some that even they have never heard of. Tried it warm, cold, I'm about to try to make cheese out of it, he just wants boob.

I still pump a ton. This morning, after feeding E breakfast I put him down to play and pumped 7 more ozs in 8 mins. I pump just to get rid of the pressure (its like there are rocks in my boobs all the time) not to keep up supply or anything. So i figure E needs a fast flow nipple or perhaps a water gun? He was not interested in the Nuby sippy cup that the LC suggested. Anyway, I feel so badly for women who have undersupply, but man oversupply kind of sucks. Thanks for any thoughts/insight, I try to follow along here and learn so much from you, but posting is hard while feeding as he takes up more and more of the breast friend!

Swimmer... everyone has their opinion, and here is mine! At 3.5 months, E can definitely tell the difference between the breast and bottle. He obviously prefers breast/fingers to a bottle/pacifier. So this is not an issue of him not knowing how to use the bottle, he is just voicing his preference! It seems from your post that he used to occasionally take a bottle, but has recently started protesting?

I think that you should just gently continue to offer the bottle to E. He'll be at daycare for a few hours and if he only takes a few ounces, that is fine. I do think that in a matter of days or weeks he will take more as he learns when he is at daycare and his mama is not around, that is how he gets to eat. Some babies do not like that however, and WILL reverse cycle as others mentioned. My first day back at work last week A went on a bottle strike, but took them the next day -- he has gradually increased his intake from them throughout the week. From talking to other moms I think that I got off easy, because some babies will take longer to accept the bottle. Last week my husband complained that A was reluctantly taking the bottle and thought that A was not getting milk fast enough. I went out and bought faster flow nipples since I only had stage 0. Well before we tried them and after reading kellymom and other sites about breastfeeding, they all recommended staying at stage 0 with breastfed babies -- many stayed at that until the child weaned. I convinced my husband, just try the stage 0's for a few more days. After two days the bottles that were taking him 45 minutes to finish, he finished in 15. So it was not that he wasn't getting milk fast enough, he just wasn't really interested in drinking from the bottle initially. So honestly, I would not try a faster flow yet when it seems like he's not even sucking on the bottle nipple. I do not have an oversupply problem but my supply is good and I freeze extra each day, and I have a pretty strong letdown where he has to gulp and he even occasionally chokes. A is still fine with the stage 0. If E sucks vigoursly at the bottle nipple and seems frustrated, then I would try moving to a faster flow.

So if he's just away for a few hours at a time right now, I would keep doing what you're doing, have them offer the bottle and not pressure him. If you're present when a bottle is trying to be given by your husband, don't nurse him immediately following him refusing the bottle -- wait at least 15 minutes so he doesn't learn that he can immediately get the breast if he just holds out on the bottle.

About the milk from June -- it's entirely possible. How does he respond to fresh milk? Some babies don't love frozen milk period.

 

[ljmorgan]

Adding my contribution to BPF -- I just snapped some photos this morning playing with A. My first week back at work was a total success -- no tears, A started taking a bottle while I'm gone, and I pumped enough milk for him. Speaking of pumped milk, I have been thinking about how to organize my growing freezer stash. I bought this organizer tray by The First Years but the Lansinoh bags do not felt in them well and it's annoying. Plus I've filled it up and the lid, and don't want to buy more. So I was researching different ways to organize breast milk in the freezer and thought that this method looked great, so I'm going to give it a shot. It used a gift bag as a dispenser that perfectly fits the Lansinoh bags. I went out this morning to buy gift bags but thanks to my mommy brain, I totally bought the wrong size bags. I mean, I was convinced that they would fit perfectly looking at the bottom of them... I was way off. So I'll hit the dollar store today where they have gift bags galore and will pick up some to fit! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4nr7hxToiY shows the gift bag storage technique.

 

[phoenixgirl]

SS ~ as the resident expert on having a husband who always wants to be out of the house (well, not really), I send hugs. You say you've "begged" for time to exercise. Have you tried setting a time and telling him when it is? Maybe he is waiting for you tell him what the schedule is? And you're not a terrible wife. You both have jobs during his work hours, but when you're together, the kids are both of your responsibility! I believe DH and I should get to split our free time evenly.

 

[somethingshiny]

phx~ Thanks for the support. It's not that DH is gone all the time, far from it. But, when he is, I get that selfish urge to want something for myself. I have told him when my time is supposed to be. I announced it, explained it (wanting to get in shape and also for mental well being since I'm battling PPD), suggested activities to do during that time, etc. He chooses to sleep instead. I understand that having a newborn makes you sleep deprived, but if I can get up, so can he. Looks like it's time to put the ol' food down. I hate to do that because he is a grown man, but I NEED a little time for myself.

 

[cellososweet]

Thanks everyone for the well wishes here and on the other thread too! Mara, the hat and sweater are from my etsy shop (upcoming fall line). I guess I can link it and if it's against the rules, someone can tell me because I'm having a hard time finding whether it is or not. **Edited by moderator. Personal promotion is not allowed on PS which includes linking to blogs or etsy shops**

Things are going well except S is teething like a mad man. He broke his bottom two and four months and now the top two are coming together and he is miserable. Nursing all night, cranky half the day. Poor babe!

 

[cellososweet]

Thanks mods! I wasn't sure.

 

[Mara]

ss... definitely make sure you keep telling your hub what you need and if its more time than you think you needed, that's ok too. even though my hub is great about helping out, i still always feel like the brunt of it all is on me--and it IS. i think as moms and women we just naturally tend to take it all on...and think it's great when the guys help out. but if you need more, ask for it. and it's NOT selfish...happy mom=happy family and when i am well rested and less stressed, it makes me a better mom and wife too.

charger...love that pic!! that is so frequently what happens if G is hanging out with J. i have so many pics of G sleeping while J lays in the crook of his arm or something just teething on a toy. men!

mp...we have art and wine festivals almost every wkd here in diff cities in the summer. we usually try to go to 1-2. while G loves wine and i like some wines, it's the same festival vendors and after a while it's overkill. but it's fun to get out and walk around and i love the food vendors ha! actually the last really big one is this wkd (for labor day) so hopefully we can get over there on monday or something with J before the season ends.

cello, i spent like 30min last nite looking for your shop based on what S is wearing in that avatar... HA! i don't think i ever found it, boo hoo.

pics are fabulous!!! i meant to post one but forgot, but i did put it on the other site.

so today J went from crawling to sitting up in his crib and then screamed bloody murder until we came in to find him. i am trying to teach him how to get back down to crawling and he gets it sometimes but other times like today he just was like omg i'm sitting up ...and was freaking out. he also is trying to scale the crib to stand but the floppy breathable bumper makes it very difficult to get a hold on anything yet, thankfully, and he's not brave enough to use both hands and stand on his knees yet. so he just grabs the crib slat with one hand and tries to pull himself up--doesn't work so far.

and he's still getting better with crawling, faster too. i can't even put him on the bed anymore for a minute to change my clothes without keeping one eye on him at all times. as of even a week ago i could prop him with pillows and change but now he just knocks down the pillows and starts crawling towards the end of the bed--basically he'd crawl right off if i wasn't there.

we did pool time today at our friends pool--got some CUTE pics. tonite my mom will come watch J while greg and i head out to a restaurant i've been wanting to try since J was born...the menu sounds divine--can't wait!

i love 3 day weekends. too bad they weren't every week. and i am not looking fwd to next week but i have the nannies all lined up for our ridiculous hours and G will come home early to accommodate schedules as well. i am just resigned to it and plan to def work at home alot the following wk. HA!

hope everyone is doing well!! happy labor day wkd.

 

[mtjoya]

Mara-!!!!! OMG! Sorry it's been a couple of weeks and was MIA. Hehehe! I actually DO REALLY LIKE the first years stroller. I will put it to you this way, it's a stroller that you can kick around and mess with and not feel bad cuz you didn't spend so much on it! It's a little rough on the edges but all in all it's awesome! Sorry, if my post is super late! Let me know if you got it!

 

[mtjoya]

I was so upset but J and I were asleep together on my bed and the unthinkable happened...She fell off the bed! I woke up to her crying and saw her on the floor scared. I felt so horrible! DH got mad at me blaming me and I felt like such a bad mom. She cried for 2 mins. and laughed it off. I checked her everywhere and seemed fine. Has this happened to any one yet? Argghhh. I am so mad at myself. She was right next to me!!!!

 

[phoenixgirl]

Ugh, rough night. Claire woke up crying at 1:30 and didn't fall back asleep until 3:45. The final hour we left her alone in her crib. Now she doesn't just sit up -- she stands up. When I checked on her at 4, she was sleeping folded over in a pike position. Poor girl! I really don't like hearing her cry, but I know nothing was wrong. She was fed, changed, and cuddled, and then she started pointing at books she wanted to read and things she wanted to look at. Not at 2 a.m., sweetie! But she was also rubbing her eyes and yawning, so I know she was tired. DH and I both got her asleep in our arms but she woke up upon transfer to the crib. Again, we can't hold her all night, so she will just have to figure out how to get back down, preferably without hysterics.

 

[taovandel]

PG: Evan is the same way when he is teething (Which he has been doing for months now..he has 6 teeth now!!). It's almost like clockwork....At least once a week he wakes up at practically 10 p.m. crying...we have to feed him and cuddle with him and then he is fine (he sometimes will give him some teething tablets if we forgot to give it to him earlier).

The other day he woke up at 9:52 p.m.....we gave him another bottle and cuddled with him and put him down....but for some reason at 12:00 he woke up again so I went back in his room and literally as soon as I picked him up he passed out. So I sat with him for a few minutes and tried to put him back down and he was screaming bloody murder. I cuddled with him and he promptly fell asleep again and I was just like "I can't do this all night...." I gave him some teething tablets and put him back in the crib. He cried for about 5 - 10 minutes and was down for the rest of the night.

I felt okay letting him cry that long because I knew he was dry, fed and super tired. Teething tablets have been wonderful!

Thankfully this only happens maybe once a week or everyone other week.

MT: The other day I left Evan alone in our room for seriously, 2 seconds to say hi to my husband and he wound up pulling the blinds down on himself!!!! My husband acted like I did it on purpose and was the worst mother on the face of the planet! I was so upset with him! He later apologized but still....not cool. Things happen and as long as you learn from the mistake and don't do it again---then it's all good.




Life has been kinda rough the last few weeks! I'm 10 weeks pregnant with Baby # 2 and I'm feeling it waaaaaay worse than with Evan. I have really bad sickness (Worse than with Evan and that's saying something because I was sick every day with Evan until nearly 22-24 weeks). And I can not sleep to save my life...I'm probably getting about 2-3 hours total a night and it's not a continuous sleep either. And I've been really emotional and super mean to my husband! I have to apologize at least once or twice a day for the crazy stuff I'm doing. Thankfully he talked to his mom about it (With me there) and she explained to him that it's nothing I can really control and it's not on purpose. She was the exact same way I am with her second pregnancy.

Also my brother thinks his gf is pregnant. She took 5 hpt and they all said yes. So she goes to the doctor and their test says no. She's waiting on the bloodwork to come back. I'm mostly happy for him (I'm due April 1...she'll be due in May) and her (we love the gf even though they have only been dating for about 6 months or so...especially when compared to his last gf who was a lying beotch), I'm more concerned on their financial situation---just hoping he realizes how expensive a baby can be. I guess I'll have to introduce them to the joy of Target Formula (if she chooses not to BF or can't BF) and target diapers...so cheap and still recommended by the doctor!

I'm also sorry I haven't been around much...I read nearly everyday but sometimes I have no advice to offer---we had no real sleep issues, didn't really bf, etc...so it's hard to say anything when I have nothing to go off of to contribute. I don't want to just post and make it all about me, me, me!

Anyways...all the baby pictures are gorgeous (as always!)

 

[cellososweet]

Awwww mtjoya! Yeah, S fell off the bed when he was about 6 months old and I felt like the worst mother ever! He was fine!

Mara, you're so sweet to look for me. I'm on FB I should try to find everyone! Oh PS, i did find you, but couldn't add you

S is doing ok, just breaking his top teeth and it's REALLY bad. The amount of pain must be so intense because he's such a happy baby, but he wakes up SO upset. It's heartbreaking. I wish they'd just finish breaking because I can't give him tylenol forever. It's getting beserk. Anyone have any other suggestions besides just tylenol and cool gel teething toys?

Also, does anyone have any experience with babies who scream absolutely bloody murder while they are ASLEEP sometimes? It's more rare now than when he was really little but he'll literally scream and can't be consoled. It's not related to teething and I feel like it's more related to a tummy issue, but he's been tested for all allergies (milk, soy, corn, wheat, etc.)

 

[Sha]

Chargergrrl - That photo is hilarious!! I love how your DH is snoozing away and the baby is kicking up a storm...hehe...So ironic...

Lindsey - A is such a dollface! Look at that little tongue! awwww.... .

mtjoya - awww.... Sorry about your J's fall. I know how you feel. But don't worry...it happens to the best of us! D has fallen on numerous occasions.... well, at least 3 times, for sure. She fell out of my arms at 7 weeks when I was nursing her on the couch and fell asleep. She fell off the bed at 2 1/2 months when I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth, and she fell out of her carseat at around 5 months when DH didn't strap her in. I discussed it with my pedi and he said that babies are very resilient. Glad that she's ok.

tavo - sorry about the pregnancy sickness. k HOpefully it doesn't last as long as 24 weeks this time? Ouch.

cello - sorry about the teething pains...

*******************************

AFM - So Dalila is like 9 months and has like 7 teeth already! Is that normal or a lot for a 9 month old? Just curious. 7 teeth in 3 months, and I notice that the rest of her gums look really bumpy too. Thank goodness she's an easy teether. I had to buy a little toothbrush for her a few days ago so that I could keep them clean.

And she's being so vocal now. She's learnt to say 'Ba-bye' and 'Dad-dee...' , after hearing me say it to over and over last week. I'm so of my little baby.

 

[ChargerGrrl]

Cello! I heart Etsy- spend WAY too much time there. I too tried to look for you, but then think i noticed in your post that your shop isn't even open yet?

Lindsey- bookmarked the BM freezer storage video for future use- THANKS!

MT- HUGS, girl. I'm sure that little J is A-OK. N slid off the boppy from the couch about 2 weeks ago and I was MORTIFIED. He screamed for a minute and then was happy as a clam.

Phoenix- Hope your little night owl is letting y'all get some sleep!

Tao- sorry to hear that things have been rough.

it's been a nice weekend- visited dad at the nursing home on Sat, and was glad to see that he's settling in OK. Also went to a surprise wedding elopement reception, where we heard for the 1st time that N looked "big"! I only mention this because all i've ever heard is how "small" he is and it had gotten kinda old. Anyway, it was nice to hear the opposite.

we went to the LA Times Food/Wine fest yesterday. It was packed and a bit challenging to maneuver around with the stroller- can't wait until he's big enough to properly fit into the Bjorn and we can take him out and about like that. anyway, had some awesome grub/drink and sat in on some interesting panel discussions. we had a bit of a rough nite as he was overtired from all the excitement. I hope to get in a nap before we head out to dinner with friends.

Hope everyone is enjoying their Monday!

 

[Mara]

CG how big is N? We put J in the Bjorn when he was 10lbs and he fit great. The min size is 8lbs I think. I am bummed he is almost outgrown it... it's so easy to use. I am still trying to figure out how the Ergo goes on, it's like some strange body contraption!! The festival sounds yummy! I really wanted to go to one this wkd but I am just not feeling well (see below HA).

Cello you prob couldn't add me because I have a PS related account that I stick with for all the Mommies but my other one is kind of obvious too.

Tao yuck on the MS. That is one part of preg I really detested. Hang in there!!!

PG I think it sounds like you guys are doing the right things for C. If you know she's all taken care of then yeah sometimes you just have to let them figure stuff out on their own--esp the older the babies are getting.

MTJ no worries lady. I think I am going to get the Volo... Steph found a great deal on eBay for the green one and I just have to pull the trigger. I do like that the First Years reclines BUT J hardly ever falls asleep in the stroller now--he's just too active and alert so I think the times he would fall asleep in the umbrella are far and few between to need recline.

re: falling off the bed--this is my new paranoia now that J is so mobile. The other day I put him on and stood near the edge to just see how long it could take him and within 30 seconds he was at the edge and he took one more crawl and his hands literally went over the edge of the bed into nothingness, so if I had not been there to lift him up and out of harm he would have taken a HEADER onto the floor. And our bed is ridiculously high--as in at my hip level and I am 5'8". Totally scary.

but re: the babies getting hurt--they will take tumbles here and there. I figure it's all a learning experience for them and for us too. Last nite we were in J's room and he was crawling and sitting around and Portia distracted me with something so I was checking her out and J took that second to tip over from a sitting position and bump his head on the corner of the leg of his nightstand. He cried for like 30 seconds but was fine...but of course I felt horrible. I remember someone telling me a good gauge of how 'hurt' they are is if they stop crying within a minute or so or you can make them start laughing or something--it probably hurts but no real damage. But if they are screaming bloody murder for more than a few minutes--something might be really wrong.

I know I will have to gear myself up for him taking more spills now that he's really getting mobile. Even edges of walls will hurt if he bonks his head on them--and our entire house is wood floors and we only have one or two area rugs.

Note on sales...Moms... Gilt is having a 'stroll in style' sale starting tomorrow and MacLaren, Bugaboo and Phil and Teds are going to be featured. I am waiting to buy this Volo online until I make sure that it's not part of the Gilt sale for a same/better price or in a diff color. I like the green but it's a 'little' wild. I'd prefer the gray or the orange striped.

So is there like a 7mo wakeful??? The last 3 nights J has been waking at like 5am and wanting to play. He doesn't always cry, just lays in there and babbles and crawls around. But I end up just going in because I don't want him to wake up too much then he won't sleep again. I had to feed him 2 nights ago since he just would NOT go back down and then he still woke up at 8am like clockwork even after 5.5oz at 5:30am.

And right now I put him back down for his 'after bottle' nap and he's been cruisin' around in there for 45 min! No crying, just babbling and crawling and pooping (HA had to change him but put him right back).

AFM... I am loving having time at home this long wkd, BUT AF came on Saturday which makes everything just miserable. I have been thinking this every month but I really need to get to my OB and find out how I can make them less heavy. It literally traps me at home or near a bathroom for 2-3 days now. Ridiculous!! And last nite I swear I felt like my uterus was throbbing and trying to fall out. WTF!??! And I'm such a raging bitch and unhappy with J, with G, with P... because I feel like crap. So it really sucks for all involved. Post-preg AF BOO.

OH and we went out on Sat night for a nice dinner which was yummy but wow my body hated it. I was sick all night. I don't know if it was too rich or what!

 

[gingerB]

ahhhh...every weekend should be a 3-day weekend! it is SO nice to be at home with my boys

can i just say how much fun A is right now? it is so awesome watching him figure the big bad world out. yesterday he was trying to pull up on his excersaucer but couldn't because it kept spinning. i came to sit next to it to hold it steady so he could pull himself up, but he obviously didn't know that. so he sat there for a while, looking at the excersaucer, looking at me, looking at the exersaucer. crawls over to me, pulls himself up and whips around to walk to the exersaucer! i guess he was determined to get to the saucer one way or another

the little gremlin is fearless i swear. he is constantly looking for things out of his reach. he likes to try to grab things stashed under the couch. and he tries to CLIMB. on EVRYTHING. he crawls over to the side table, pulls up, then i can see his little baby guns straining as he tries to pull himself upward on to the table top to grab whatever we have there. he only manages to get himslef to his tippy toes but geez kid!

i can no longer change him on the changing table -- he is such a little wiggler i'm terrified he'll crawl right off the edge. i have to change him in the crib and am learning to put diapers and onesies on a moving target. this morning i plopped him in his crib and turned around for maybe 5-10 seconds to grab a onesie and i turn back around and he's just standing there grinning at me. i started laughing and he started giggling. THEN HE STARTED TO CRUISE to the other end of the crib! i was so shocked i just stood there open mouthed! i recovered my wits, ran for the camera, picked him up and put him at the far end of the crib again and tried cajoling for a repeat performance. He looked at me, smiled, dropped down and crawled to my end of the crib and pulled himself back up. the little cheater

AND he stood by himself for a few seconds. he pulled himself up on the back of the couch while i was sitting next to him. i tnrned away for a second and he let go. it was like watching slow motion -- he just stayed there for a few seconds, then started to wobble and slowly plopped down on his tush. i swear this kid is ready to GO. to where i'm not sure...lol. i think he is trying really hard to walk/stand because we've noticed that more and more he's been pulling himslef up and letting go. usually he immedaitely plops down, or sometimes we're there to catch him and he "walks" with our help...but apparently he now thinks he can do it on his own. at 6.5 months. SLOW DOWN KID. let mom enjoy you being a baby for a while longer!!

mara - ooh...thanks for the gilt tip. i've been eyein a maclaren umbrella for a while. umm and ditto on the BOOO for AF. she's destroying my supply. after the dust settled last month, i managed to come back up a bit, but overall, i'm down 2 ounces i'm really worried as the past two days my supply took a huge dip again so i have a feeling she's gearing up for another vist oh and i gave A fage and mango --- LOVED IT.

tao - sorry for the ms -- def a part of pregnancy i'm not looking forward to again.

cello - is he too young for night terrors? my cousin's baby used to have them.

charger - lol...love the pic. apparantly a lot of us have the same one. i have one recently that i'll have to dig up and post.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Lindsey, oh he is SO CUTE! I love his happy little face! And his boppy cover is adorable.

SS, my DH chooses to sleep when he needs to be helping me with the baby or cleaning house, too. I don't get it. I am busting my butt all week to do things for Micah and myself, and he gets tons of alone time to sleep. I had three hours of alone time this morning and I didn't even know what to do with myself it's been such a long time. Methinks you need a bit more authority!

Mara, I can't believe J is so mobile already. He's getting too big too fast! Are you on BC to try and control the crazy Red Train? I'm so sorry yours got heavier. Not to be a PITA, but mine is lighter and it's just as weird. I feel like nothing is happening.

mtjoya, I know your pain - Micah apparently fell off the couch on Daddy's watch the other day. The fool tried to leave him asleep on the couch while HE went and took a nap, too. I mean, really?! Wtf! Try not to feel bad though. They are really resilient and it hurts your feelings more than theirs.

Phoenix and Tao, I am so sorry for the crazy wakeups - I hope your LO's learn to be happy all night long soon! Tao, I still applaud you for getting onto Baby #2 - you are like my hero. I have no idea how you do it. I think you're allowed to be cranky!

Sha, I have no doubts that Micah will have a mouthful of teeth at 9 months, too. We just have overachievers...or hungry, hungry hippos lol. Why eat formula when you can have REAL food!

Charger, glad your dad is doing well in the home. And your weekend sounds fun!

ginger, trying to walk already?! OMG. I worry that Micah will be that way. Stay small for awhile, babies! I swear, being able to reach the stuff on the coffee table is not as fun as it sounds!

--------------

So we never made it to the wine festival - it was so hot we wanted to die. So I spent the weekend sewing! My mom, grandma and I made his new crib bumper. We ran out of ribbon for the ties so we will finish it tomorrow night, then I will put it on and post pics. It's SO CUTE! One side has stars and the other has an elephant design. I absolutely love it. And sewing is FUN. I may have to do more!

I also bought some inkjet cotton printer paper and printed a couple cute, simple graphics to add to some onesies. It's so neat, you run it in your printer like regular paper but it's fabric, and after it dries for 24 hours you just sew it onto a shirt/onesie/tote whatever! Mine are currently still drying but I want to put them on tomorrow. I'll post pics of that, too.

All this craftiness is making me DIE to open my Etsy shop. I can hardly wait.

Today we went to my in-laws for a BBQ. Micah met his cousin Jonathan for the first time, and it was both hilarious and a disaster. At first they were happy, but then they both burst into tears! Like tears running down, snot, drool, REAL crying. Micah never, ever does this. The only time he has truly cried is when he got shots, I felt so bad for laughing but it was funny, they both just started crying at the same time. My poor baby.

And just so you don't think he cried all weekend, I have a really pretty picture of him sleeping. I loved the light in this shot. And his pose - hands up!

 

[Mara]

OMG MP... I feel badly for loving it but that crying pic is awesome hahah!!! Kids crack me up.

re: AF... I have to talk to my OB about BC to hopefully help the situation. It is just crazy because while I know that things can change after baby, I had 2-3 months of 'ok' or more normal and then all of a sudden it's like insane. I seriously wonder how I can have that much going on. Also my OB went out on mat leave like 3 months after I had J so she's back in October--so I'd just hate to have to start with some new OB like a few weeks before she comes back. I keep thinking if I can hold out til Oct when she gets back then I won't have to explain everything etc...she knows my history.

So as much as I loved being off work and home with J and G this wkd... J has been a lot more work lately. He gets frustrated really easily if his body doesn't do what he wants it to so he will just instantaneously SCREAM bloody murder anytime he gets upset, which gets old after a while. Every time we tried to nap him this wkd, even if he was really tired, he would just play and cry in his crib forever. Today we left him in there for ONE HOUR. He played for 1/2 of it and then cried intermittently and then straight for the last15min. The poor kid was hoarse. FINALLY he fell asleep and slept for 1.5 hours. We just cannot seem to get his naps right. He hardly ever just goes down for the nap and lately he has been fighting it more than ever. We watch for sleep cues, put him down soon after eating so he's full, he rubs his eyes, he's mellow and then it's like he just cannot relax. Maybe it's a phase lately but it seems like the last week or so he's started to just get harder to put down. And also now when we start moving towards the door he starts making little whining noises in his throat.

I almost feel like he's bored at home-- because when we take him out he's a total angel and always great--interested in wherever we take him and super good natured. But at home it's like 'I'm over this scene...someone get me out of here!'... and it's tiring! Does anyone else have a kid like this?? Do you just keep them busy???

 

[sunkist]

I almost feel like he's bored at home-- because when we take him out he's a total angel and always great--interested in wherever we take him and super good natured. But at home it's like 'I'm over this scene...someone get me out of here!'... and it's tiring! Does anyone else have a kid like this?? Do you just keep them busy???

Hi All!

Mara, I just wanted to say that Yes, I feel like this too! Sometimes Wes is very cry-ish (making up words here...) at home and it seems like he's not having a good day. So we go outside, go anywhere and he's totally happy! I was wondering if anyone else had a baby like that too so thanks for asking If he seems to be having a day like that and I'm able, we'll just spend the day somewhere - the beach, park, shopping/errands. Cause it's hard to keep him so busy at home those days. It's like he couldn't care less about his toys, he just wants my attention every second or else some new scenery.

 

[jcrow]

mara, i swear you were just describing em. i've said it before, she's a good on-the-go-baby and a i'm-bored-at-home baby. at first i was sorta scared to take her out because she seemed to cry so much at home. but when i finally did, she was super chill/mello baby! i was like who are you?! haha. at home sometimes she can cry every hour. taking her outside helps a ton because she loves the outdoors. she's instantly calm out there. this weekend we went to the inlaw's house and she was an angel. no crying. totally happy playing with everyone. being held. swinging outdoors. whatever it was, she was fine with it. and it's not like i don't interact with her at home! i totally do. i don't know, i think she just needs another type of stimulation. she seems to be a very social baby. we're looking to putting her into those gymboree classes in oct.

 

[Sha]

MP - Love it! Babies are so cute and funny!

Maybe they were mirroring each other's emotions?