Tuesday, August 17, 2010

So I got sad....

Yesterday, I finished a full day of work and got into my car to see the clock reading 5:06pm.  I got on my way home and started to cry.  I know that Michael is doing a great job at Grammy's - in fact, he put himself down for BOTH of his naps yesterday with only a few minutes of crying - but I wish that I could be with him.  I am so glad that he is with Grammy and she is an incredibly positive and loving influence in his life but I can't help but wish that there was some way that I could be home more than just 1 day/week plus weekends. 

The report from Grammy's was awesome - got his diaper changed by two amazing uncles and learned to climb the stairs.  All of them.  I am so proud of the little man that he is, so easy-going and loving.  And, I really do take pride in knowing that David & I helped to shape his personality and disposition from the moment we decided to get pregnant.  I am so proud of our hard work as parents and I am grateful to have such a supportive and present partner in all of this. 

Time is flying by - we are about to start planning his 1st birthday party and we have to babyproof the house and get him a "big boy" car seat.  How did so much time go by so quickly???

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Overnight success!!

M stayed at Nana's last night so D & I could attend a wedding and the report we got when we grabbed him today was that he put himself to sleep without so much as a peep (or a paci).  Good boy!!! 

Took a LONG (6 miles+) walk in Valley Forge Park this afternoon and it was just what we needed.  We were able to spend some wonderful quality time together before we begin our first week of both Mommy & Daddy working.  I know that M will do great with Grammy and we have a fun trip to the zoo planned for Thursday which will be fun. 

Watching M grow and develop every day is really remarkable.  I cannot believe that it is almost 10 months since M was born.  Time has really flown.  It seems impossible that we are starting to plan his 1st birthday party.  Unreal!!! 

Looking forward to seeing what our routine turn out to be as we start this new phase of life and feeling so grateful to have had so much time with my boy before heading back to work. 

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Returning to Work tomorrow

Here I sit on the evening before I return to work full-time (4 days/week). M is sleeping peacefully after a fun play-day with family, D is cleaning up the kitchen after special take-out sushi to "celebrate" this final night of maternity leave, and I am in a funk.


I am in this weird middle-place between being sad to leave Michael and exhausted from no break with time to myself since ??.  I feel tired and unmotivated when the evening comes.  During the day, I am like a hurricane - playing with M or going to fun places with him and then tackling a million organizational tasks during his naps.  While times like this make me feel accomplished, I think that I am realizing that they also take away from "me" time because I spend so much time DOING and no time just relaxing.  To that end, my poor just got washed for the first time since SATURDAY MORNING!!!!!  That is disgusting!  (and sad...I am home all day long, every day). 
 
I feel so proud of M (and of D & I) because we persevered through this sleep-training and it worked.  M is putting himself to be beautifully at naps and at bedtime.  The last frontier, if you will, is to help M to resettle himself during wakes from naps.  He is able to do so at night but not during naps.  Maybe someday . . .
 
I packed a big box of supplies for Grammy's house and D dropped it off tonight so I wouldn't have to wrestle with it tomorrow morning.  I am just going to put together some sample "menus" of what M's meals have been like and a new daily routine so that she has it for reference, if she wants it.  I am guilt-ridden about this, even though I know that she is very excited and he will be great.  I just feel badly for taking her freedom away from her days and I feel jealous of their time together.  I know that it will be wonderful for both of them (and, frankly, for me) but the transition time is hard. 
 
I said to a friend this morning on our walk - it is hard knowing that the next time that I am not working full-time will be the next time I am on maternity leave.  That is bizarre to think about.  Who knows when that will be??
 
Onward I go ... wish me luck, universe. 

Friday, August 6, 2010

Sleep Training & Emotions

I am feeling a lot of different emotions about this sleep training thing. 

Last night, M did awesome.  David finished the bedtime routine and he put M in his crib.  M didn't cry once - he "talked" to himself for 15-20 minutes and went to sleep.  Today was a different story.  Had a great morning and walk and then I laid him down.  He didn't cry .... until 10 minutes later.  Then he wailed for 25 minutes before falling asleep. 

30 minutes later ... he was awake.  This is his "nap routine".  I can't figure out why he isn't staying asleep for his naps.  We have tried letting him cry and now we are following the advice to soothe him back to sleep.  I am not sure what our next step is. 

I was hoping to get him napping well (on his own) before heading back to work but I am not sure that is going to happen. If I can be honest, I don't think that it matters that much as Grammy & M will do their thing but it's like I needed a project to occupy me (us) before I head back to work.

Feeling sad about leaving him...I know that he will be fine but, to be frank, I am jealous that someone else will get to spend the days with him while I am with other people's kids. He is just so much fun and all I want to do is play with him and watch him figure things out. It just makes me sad.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Sleep Training Nights #5 and #6

M is getting better and better at putting himself to sleep. 

Yesterday, I laid him down awake for both of his naps and the morning took 40 minutes (not crying, just making noise) and the afternoon took 20 minutes (same as morning).  Last night, he was asleep after 20 minutes of talking to himself, including laughing at who knows what! 

This morning, he is in his crib talking up a storm (definitely tired after our walk) but just fighting the sleep a bit.  He is not crying - more talking with a few whimpers mixed in, which I have learned over the past few days means that he is tired and getting close to giving over.

I am going to keep up our routine and hope/pray that we are fairly well established by this time next week when I am scheduled to return to work. 

We shall see . . . .

Monday, August 2, 2010

Sleep Training Night #4

I am getting tired/worried re: sleep training. 

Last night, M did ok with bedtime routine but still cried/fussed for 25 minutes.  He cried harder tonight than last night (overly tired, perhaps?)  and he woke up twice.  One time, we just had to soothe him in the crib quickly and then leave him to cry again (5 minutes) but the other time he needed a poopy diaper changed and he woke up so we had to leave him to cry again (10 minutes or less).  Also - he just seemed mad. 

Maybe that was because we tried to nap train him that morning and let him cry for an hour (as per the book) and then soothed him so he could sleep.  He was so upset when I went in to him and it took 15 minutes of soothing him to get him to sleep and then he only slept for 30 minutes. 

I feel 100% confident that we are doing the right thing at night but I am not sold on the daytime stuff.  Ugh - this is hard. 

He fell asleep on our walk this morning and transferred for about 20 minutes when he woke up crying.  I went in and he just had this look of fear on his face.  I picked him up and he snuggled with me and went back to sleep.  He has now been sleeping for another 30 minutes. 

I just am so nervous about passing him off in a few short days to my mother-in-law without having some type of nap training in place.  I don't want him to be a miserable toddler with no naps but I also cannot ask her to nap train him. 

I am just sending up prayers that this week is the turning point. 

Did I mention that I also think that he is teething for his next set of bottom teeth??  Yeah - pretty sure. 

Good times. 

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Sleep Training Night #3

We are making progress. 

After a wonderful day at the zoo AND 2 weird naps, M went down for a the night following our new routine.  He cut his crying/talking time from 40 minutes to 27 and most of it was spent "making noise", not crying. 

He was asleep by 7:30pm - peaceful and quiet.  We heard from him at 8:30ish and were concerned that he had pooped again.  We decided that I would go in and check, change him if necessary, and lay him back down.  I went in, checked him - no poop, so I handed him his pacifier and kissed his head and left.  He cried - hard - but was asleep in 6 minutes. 

Did not hear from him again until 6:20am this morning!!!  WOO HOO!!

D is home with M all day today and is not planning to go anywhere around naptime so he will do some nap training today.  We'll see! 

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Sleep Training Night #2

So after a long day at the pool and some weird naps (fell asleep on morning walk and in car on the way home from the pool), we were prepared for another long night of "sleep training".  I felt confident that we could handle it and was prepared for night #2 to be harder, just as most of the books say. 

We did the bedtime routine again, including half the bottle with a story then bath then finish the bottle with prayers and a good night song.  Then hugs & kisses from Mommy & Daddy and wishes for sweet dreams.  Handed him lovey and his paci and laid him down with a blanket. 

He was standing up before we left the room and was quiet for a few minutes.  Then, he started "talking" to for about 8 minutes.  Then, the crying started.  It was intense but there were breaks.  He launched into "Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama" and "Dada, Dada, Dada, Dada". 

I pushed through it, telling myself that I would not abandon my poor hubby to do this again without me until I finished folding the laundry.  My plan was to run one errand to Whole Foods and to pick up a pizza for Friday-Night Movie Night. 

By the time I finished the basket of clothes, he was quiet.  I was a little nervous (did he hit his head, choke on his pacifier, cry himself to the stage of passing out??) but D assured me that he was probably asleep. 

So I ran my errand and at 8pm, D texted me that our baby boy was sleeping peacefully in the center of his crib with his lovey and on his side.  (unlike the first night where he appeared to simply pass out in a puddle of tears on his tummy in the corner of his crib!)

We checked on him after our movie night and lo and behold, he had pooped again.  I was expecting it as he didn't move his bowels at all during the day, which was odd.  We successfully tandem-changed him again in his sleep and put him back to bed. 

He wimpered as he woke up this morning at 5:52 and was happy and talking when we went in to get him at 6:10am. 

I am so proud of our boy - we made a HUGE deal out of it, singing a song and clapping when we got him up.   He was all smiles and his tummy was rumbling for his bottle.  We brushed our teeth and are now ready to start our day. 

I must say, I am also so proud of us as parents.  This is a tough nut to crack but we hung together and stuck with it, even forgoing dinner plans for tonight to ensure that we have this mastered by the end of next week.  It just shows me that when we decide what is best for our son and we tackle it together, we can handle it. 

Friday, July 30, 2010

Thank you for the sleep

M did an awesome job.  After weeks (or, let's be honest - months) of supplying pacifiers or giving hugs 1-4x/night my darling boy didn't wake up until 5:45am.  The last 3 weeks it has been a regular 4:30am date but not today!!!

We heard him peacefully & happily wake up, talking and shouting out his normal "HEY!!" in the morning.  I listened to my readings and left him there until after 6am.  When we went in at 6:10am, he was smiling and peaceful. 

So - a success. 

Today will hold a new set of projects - nap time sleeping.  We'll see what that brings but I know that we are at least moving in the right direction. 

Thursday, July 29, 2010

My favorite sleep books

      

Sleep Training Night #1

He did it. 

We just got through our first night of the CIO sleep training.  And, it only took an hour!!!!  (I realize that to some people this might be shocking and upsetting but I was prepared for 2 hours of rage and ignorance). 

We switched up the bedtime routine so that he would recognize that we were about to embark on a new bedtime journey.  He responded well and talked for about 20 minutes before screaming his head off for 40 minutes before finally falling asleep in the corner of his crib, damp with his tears. 

Now...before you launch into lectures about trust and abandonment issues, I was SURE that M was ready to go to sleep on his own before we started this process.  AND we tried lots of other less abrupt methods but to no avail.  My little boy just loves to play and laugh so when we tried The Sleep Lady's technique at this age, it just didn't work.  It was wonderful a few months ago but now that he can stand, walk while holding on, crawl, and say Mama & Dada, being next to the crib or in the room just seemed to confuse him. 

I love(d) rocking my boy to sleep but his 20+ lbs didn't seem to want me around anymore.  He would squirm and push against me, almost protesting my existence but seeming to need me to help him turn that corner into dreamland. 

Soooo -- after much debate, lots of conversations with mommies, and one day of procrastination, we did it! 

Of course, I do not have a backbone for these sorts of things so I left D with the monitor and headed to the basement to organize.  God Bless plastic bins - they can occupy me for hours.  D made one visit to escape the monitor for a minute.  My dear hubby - just couldn't listen to screams of "Dada, Dada, Dada" without tears in his eyes. 

The funniest part of all of it was when I checked on him about 15/20 minutes after he fell asleep.  He was in the corner of his crib, curled up on his tummy, peacefully sleeping and .... STINKING OF POO!!!  I thought "seriously??? now what??!!" 

But my amazing husband had faith that we could tackle this so we lifted him out of the crib, changed his diaper in tandem-style, and laid him back down.  He slept through the whole thing. 

We shall see when we hear from him in the morning and how the next few nights go.  It seems hard to believe...so I won't until I know it's for real.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

10 Best Foods for Babies

Loved this article: Baby Center's 10 Best Foods for Babies except for the Meat (we are raising M to be a vegetarian) so I took that one out.  If I had to add a 10th to replace "Meat", it would be Tofu which is an excellent source of protein and a great finger food for babies.  Plus - it is so mild in flavor that you can use it to introduce other flavors and spices. 

HERE IS THE ARTICLE:

There are lots of healthy, baby-friendly foods out there, but some stand out from the pack. These ten culinary superheroes are loaded with essential nutrients, reasonably priced, easy to prepare, and delicious.
What's more, now's the perfect time to introduce them. While the very word "nutritious" can start a food strike among older kids, babies' opinions, and palates, are still relatively open. Many parents are surprised to discover that their babies really enjoy these foods, either from the very first bite or after a few exposures.

Here are ten of our absolute favorites.

Squash


Squash is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, is naturally sweet, and has a pleasing, creamy texture.

Serving idea: Sprinkle parmesan cheese and a little chili seasoning on half a squash, roast it, and scoop out a serving for your baby, suggests pediatrician Susanna Block, owner of World Baby Foods, an ethnic baby food line. "Cooked squash with a little cilantro, mild chiles, and garbanzo beans are another great combination," she says.

Lentils

Crammed with protein and fiber, lentils pack a powerful nutritional punch. They're also one of the cheapest healthy foods you can buy.

Serving idea: Combine cooked lentils with mixed vegetables, rice, and seasonings of your choice. "Try basil and oregano," suggests dietitian Karin Hosenfeld of North Dallas Nutrition. "Or toss in a bay leaf, which works really well with lentils." (Remove the bay leaf before serving.)

Dark green leafy vegetables

Leafy greens boast high amounts of iron and folate. While spinach is perhaps the best known of this group, there are many other varieties, including kale, chard, and collard greens.

Serving idea: Steam and puree a batch of greens, then mix with iron-fortified cereal to give your baby a double dose of iron. Experiment with the proportions to see what your baby likes; Hosenfeld suggests starting with two parts veggie to one part cereal.

Broccoli

Brimming with folate, fiber, and calcium, broccoli is also known for its cancer-fighting properties, says dietitian Kate Geagan, author of Go Green, Get Lean. And thanks to its sulfur compounds, it has a unique flavor that can help expand your baby's tastes.

Serving idea: Steam pieces until soft, then chill. "Steaming takes the bite out of broccoli," says Hosenfeld. "And chilled broccoli is sometimes better accepted by babies. It can also be soothing during teething."

Blueberries

The deep, brilliant blue of these berries comes from flavonoids called anthocyanins, which are good for your baby's eyes, brain, and even urinary tract, says Stephen Gass, co-author of Mix and Mash: Adventures in the Kitchen for Baby and You.

Serving Idea: Gass suggests this easy blueberry soup: Combine 1 cup of blueberries with one-quarter cup of water in a bowl, microwave for one minute, and let cool. Then swirl some plain yogurt on top.

Avocados


"Avocados are a rich source of unsaturated fats," says nutritionist Leanne Cooper, author of What Do I Feed My Baby: A Step-by-Step Guide to Solids. "In fact, the fat composition is somewhat similar to that of breast milk." Concerned about your baby eating fatty food? Don't be. "Unsaturated fat is the good kind of fat, and babies need it for brain development," says pediatrician Ari Brown, co-author of Baby 411: Clear Answers and Smart Advice for Your Baby's First Year.

Serving idea: Try combining mashed avocado with other foods, such as cream cheese, apples, or canned fish, suggests Cooper. And when it's playgroup time, ditch the crackers and take an avocado along instead. "Avocados can travel in your bag at room temperature and you can offer them in slivers or spread on toast fingers while you sip coffee with your friends," she says.

Prunes

Prunes have lots of fiber and can help relieve constipation – which, notes Brown, your baby may experience after you introduce solids.

Serving idea: Puree prunes and serve them straight or mixed with other foods, such as cereal or applesauce, for a naturally sweet treat. If your baby is badly constipated, Brown advises adding a teaspoon or two of prune juice to formula or expressed breast milk.

Garbanzo beans

Like lentils and other beans, garbanzos are rich in protein and fiber, says Geagan. They're also inexpensive and versatile.

Serving idea: Try hummus. You can find it in many grocery stores, or make your own by pureeing cooked garbanzo beans with garlic, lemon, olive oil, and tahini. You can also make a delectable finger food by sautéing or roasting the beans. "I have a 19-month-old daughter who loves chickpeas sautéed in a pan with seasonings and left out for her to munch," says mom Christina DeLuca.
Mandarin oranges

High in vitamin C and antioxidants, mandarin oranges are a supreme finger food. "Babies really love the flavor," says Hosenfeld.

Serving idea: This is a particularly easy one to prepare – just cut the segments into bite-size pieces and serve. You can buy mandarin oranges fresh or canned, but make sure the canned version is packed in water, not syrup, which contains added sugar.

Can't believe it's been soooo long

I cannot believe that it has been so long since I have written.  Life, or more accurately, life events have taken over.  It has been a whirlwind in our house since May with weddings, parties, trips, work, and of course, Michael-dom.  Our little prince has been developing new skills faster than I can type and it has been so incredible to watch. 

In the past 6 weeks, he has sprouted 4 teeth, mastered finger foods, started pulling up, started crawling, swims with Mommy & Daddy, and is doing some serious babbling.  It is really a sight to see!!!

What brings me to the blog today -- a few things. 

1) our beautiful sleeping patterns have gone completely haywire, much to my dismay
2) I am sensing that we may be entering the world of weaning

So- first thing's first...the sleeping.  M was doing an awesome job sleeping.  He took 2 beautiful naps, am & pm, and went to bed at 7pm every night.  He would sleep until about 6/6:30am and would wake up happy (and hungry).  For the past 3 weeks, that has all changed.  He now wakes up at 4:45am every day and has to join us in bed (after a long rocking session) to go back to sleep.  And he has to go back to sleep because he is a cranky terror if we leave him up (we tried - not pretty!).  Plus - he now is super hyper before bed and wants to play, not sleep.  We haven't done the sleep training mostly because his last bottle would put him out but I am definitely ready to start. 

Here is what some research turned up about 9-month-old's and waking:

The average nine-month-old sleeps 14 hours per 24 hours. This is usually divided into a through-the-night sleep of 10 to 11 hours and two naps of at least one hour each during the day. But research shows that 20 to 30 percent of infants at this age are waking at least once per night. 

An understanding of your infant's stage of development and an organized game plan usually help this messy situation. Because while she can babble, sit up, and certainly cry to express some of her wants and needs, your nine-month-old is far from efficient at expressing complicated thought. And sleep disturbance seems complicated. Understanding your baby's stage of development is step one in understanding the problem.
An infant at nine months of age has achieved two developmental milestones which may interfere with independent sleep:
  • First, babies have developed object permanence by now. If you take a pen and hide it under a piece of paper, a four-month-old thinks you have made it disappear! A nine-month-old knows to lift up the paper and find the pen underneath. Similarly, a nine-month-old who sees you leave the room during your bedtime routine knows that you are somewhere behind that door. And she knows that there are things that she can do to get you back in the room. Crying is an infant tried-and-true mode of attack.
  • Second, infants at nine months of age are often going through a major stage of separation anxiety. Infants can be quite clingy and need lots of reassurance at this age. Many a parent has complained that going to the bathroom without his or her baby glued to the hip is impossible. The intense separation fear that can bubble up at bedtime, then, is understandable.
A Pediatrician says:

When I discuss this issue with parents in the office, the first thing I do is to walk through their bedtime routine with them: "What do you do? And don't spare the details." It turns out that at this age, the last part of the bedtime routine is critical. Infants at nine months can make strong associations with their environment at the time they fall asleep. So an infant who falls asleep rocked and cuddled, can grow to need that rocking and cuddling to fall asleep. Because infants wake and return to sleep many times each night, your bedtime routine can result in an extra effort on your part (rocking and cuddling, in this example) many times each night as your infant wakes up and doesn't know what to do with himself.


Feeding, like motion, is another example of a parent-provided stimulation. For infants who bottlefeed or breastfeed as they fall asleep every night, I encourage parents to move the feeding to an earlier part of the bedtime routine. Instead of bath, tooth brushing, reading, feeding, then bed, I suggest feeding, bath, tooth brushing, reading, then bed. Pacifier use, white noise, or bright light in the room during sleep initiation can cause a similar problem. This issue of "cleaning up the bedtime routine" teaches your infant self-settling—a developmental task that all babies must learn.


As for weaning, we have recently dropped M's mid-morning bottle so he is now getting 4 bottles/day for a total of 27 oz/day. 
  • 6am/waking: 7 oz
  • 1pm/before nap: 7 oz
  • 4:30 or 5pm: 6 oz
  • 7pm/before bed: 7 oz
I am highly considering dropping the 4:30pm bottle and giving him a snack instead and then moving dinner to 5:30pm and his final bottle a little earlier to help with his sleep routine.  It is hard to decide because so much of what I am reading says that a baby's main nutrition is still coming from formula but M prefers solids.  Some of my research is telling me that it is ok to drop him to 3 bottles (7 oz each) per day.  I think that we might try it this week and then attempt to start sleep training this weekend so that we can (hopefully) have that mastered by the time I go back to work.  AAAGGGHHHH!!!!!

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Summer Fun

We've entered a brand new phase of life/awareness with M as he is sitting up, eating solids, and rolling over both directions (and sometimes over and over again).  He is scooting/pulling/pushing himself around and is so anxious to crawl/walk/be grown, it is palpable. 

So, in honor of this new phase for M, D & I ordered some new toys for him.  Just in case you are interested in ordering some fun new things for your darling child, here are our recommendations for summer:


The "real" cry

So, it has arrived.  Gone are the days of the somewhat-cute whimpering cry of my little baby boy and here are the days of a real, honest-to-goodness cry.  He wasn't screaming or anything but last night, he started to really cry.  It was so sad.  He had wet through his onesie and when we went in to change and resettle him, he was really crying.  It broke my heart.  He had been producing tears since birth but these tears had real meaning.  He was upset and that was obvious.  He had been sleeping comfortably and then was awakened by that terrible wet/cold sensation.  And, Mommy & Daddy were not right there. 

I fear that we are entered a new phase of attachment to us and worry that we are about to embark on this new journey of helping M to learn how to settle himself.  I am NOT looking forward to it. 

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Could M really want to go to bed EARLIER???

So, we have been trying to put M down between 7:30-8pm.  With his eating schedule, it just made sense.  I couldn't imagine that the boy would want to eat sooner than 2 1/2 hours since his last bottle and less than 90 minutes since his last solid foods.  The last few nights have been ridiculous in our household because M has been wired and rammy when we try to put him to bed at his "normal" time.  I couldn't figure it out.  He would drink and then push it away.  He would cuddle and then squirm and push me away.  It was getting on my NERVES!  Last night, I looked at D after an hour of this bedtime-nonsense with a look that was probably a bit shocking but I was spent! 

Thought about some advice I got from a girlfriend on Tuesday --- perhaps M was over-tired and he just wouldn't be able to turn the corner to go to sleep if his was already in this sleep-deprived-rant with his eyes bugging out of his head. 

So, tonight was a GREAT NIGHT. 

Picked up M after work to learn that he didn't nap (oh no - here we go).  But, he held it together and didn't fall asleep after his 5pm bottle.  We played and then we sat down to have dinner at 6pm.  M joined us for the first time at the table in his booster seat and had some yogurt while we had our dinner.  He had a great time.  He started to get fussy at 6:30 so D took him out and I had this epiphany .... time for bed. 

So, made his bottle and took him up.  Changed him into a nighttime diaper, gave him his Hyland's and a bit of generic Tylenol to help with this incessant teething, and gave him his bottle.  He was relaxed and eating like a champ.  Got to 1/2 oz remaining and he pulled the bottle out, smacked his lips (seriously) and then closed his eyes.  I put him on my shoulder to burp and there he rested for 8 minutes before I laid him down. 

He went right to sleep.  I even stayed in his room by the window to read for a bit (which has been my nightly position during the past 3 nights) and watched him reposition himself a few time before settling into that mouth-gaping-open sleep.  The kind I envy and think about doing every time I see him in that gorgeous place. 

So - my boy was TIRED!!!  Who knew???!!!! 

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Things I will remember if/when #2 comes along

#2 is barely even a topic of conversation as a possibility for us but this morning, a few things dawned on me that I want to remember when #2 comes along:

  1. Nap when the baby naps.  (will be tough if M is a toddler at home)
  2. Get help with nursing from Day 1 and advocate until I get the answer that I need/want so that I can continue to nurse
  3. Start to lay the baby down awake to go to sleep.  Then rocking will be a little treat instead of necessity.
  4. Let people help me.  With everything. 
  5. Don't feel guilty or ashamed to get a family member to watch the baby so that D & I can have some marriage time.
  6. Save up enough money to pay someone to clean the house.
  7. Get in the habit of using a cloth diaper system. 
  8. Get 2-3 glass Dr. Bronner's bottles.  The plastic ones don't get nearly as clean as I would like them to (although I am sure that I am a bit obsessive)
  9. Get in an exercise, eating, & showering routine right away so that I always remember to take those minutes for myself to make ME feel good. 
  10. Don't be afraid to let others know when I am feeling lonely or when I am needing some time to myself. 

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Seriously -- he wet through again???

M is doing it again....he is sleeping through the night minus the nights that he wets through his diaper, pajamas, and sheet.  He did this several months ago before we switched him to #3 diapers but he is doing it again.  It is incredible how much this boy pees!!

My amazing mama bought him some #4 diapers, but they are just longer.  They don't seem like they will hold any "extra" liquid.  So, now I am in the market for either overnight jobs and/or diapers made for boys.  I have read that they make overnight diapers in size 3 so I will try them.  My MIL told me about diapers for boys but I cannot seem to find them . . . yet. 

The craziest part about it is that I have managed (not yet mastered, but on my way) to change M, change the crib sheet, replace the crib sheet, rediaper & re-pajama M all while he remains sleeping.  One night, my darling hubby got up to "help" me but frankly, it was easier to do on my own.  The first thing he wanted to do was turn on the light.  Good thing he is thick-skinned because the look that accompanied my hushed "NO" was a doozy!! 

Ah, the skills that are acquired by mothers are incredibly impressive and hardly recognized.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Last Night was one of those nights . . .

I should have known.  When M skipped his afternoon nap, I should have known that we were in for an interesting night.  He had a great morning nap and even zonked out on me for a quick catnap while visiting some relatives for lunch.  I thought ... what a great day he's having.  I'll go to bed when he goes to bed tonight and tomorrow we will be so refreshed and awake. 

Then, everything changed.  He had lunch about an hour later than usual which altered his normal nap time.  I tried to get him to nap even for 45 minutes before his bottle around 5ish but no dice.  And, he wasn't really hungry so we got him showered and then gave him his bottle, of which he consumed about 3/4 before passing out on D's arm for 40 minutes.  He woke up and finished his bottle but then was so fussy and sleepy that I took him upstairs and he was asleep in a few minutes.  He fussed a few times before we went to bed around 10:30 but he never fully woke up.

Until 1:30am. 

Good morning, mama & dada.  Wide awake and fussing so we made him a bottle and he drank the whole thing down and passed out before we could even lay him down.  But, then when we tried to lay him down he wasn't having it.  After an hour of attempting to settle him we both knew that this was ridiculous so at 3:30am he joined us in bed. 

Needless to say, that whole notion of refreshed and awake went out the window.  I am now going with conscious and zombie-like.  Come on, coffee!

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

A Great Website - EcoMom™ Community

EcoMom™ Community

I love this website for advice and products. 

A New World has opened up . . .

M has been working on a new skill and I am proud to say that he has figured out how to sit up unsupported.  He has been sitting supported for a while and has been "practicing" sitting up on his own but today, he figured it out.  He even started to topple over a few times and caught himself. 

He now can observe life and participate in a whole new set of activities and he is loving it!!!  He is also VERY close to rolling back to front but I am convinced that he CAN do it but that he CHOOSES not to.  For example, if I tickle him on his back, he rolls over.  He just doesn't propel himself without the motivation (to get away from the tickle torture!). 

It is AWESOME watching my little man learn all sorts of new things. 

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Been a while . . .

It's been a while - so much going on in this crazy life.  On this Mother's Day Eve, though, I find myself contemplating this new role. 

I just finished reading "Lift" by Kelly Corrigan.  What a book!  I am definitely planning to write something to my children as a tribute to her.  Here it is if you haven't heard of it/read it yet. 














Add that to the article I just read in Parents magazine about a mother of 3 traveling solo with them and I find myself in a bizarre contemplative state. 

When I married D, I knew that I had married my best friend and the person I wanted to create & raise children with.  He is just an incredible person and I felt honored to be matched with him.  Our marriage has been wonderful and I am grateful for him every day.  Then, we got pregnant and 6 months ago, we became parents to M.  I fell in love with a completely new side of D that was born when M was.  What an incredible father!  He is willing to do anything and he really looks forward to his time with M. 

With all of that being said, however, I find that there really is nothing quite like a mom.  I always thought before M was born that we would "team parent" just like we have "team-wed" since our marriage.  We make all of our decisions together and we prefer being with each other to anyone else.  I had this vision that we would share parenting duties as well and that we would be, somewhat, inter-changeable.  Wow - was I wrong! 

D has an incredible relationship with M but it is obvious to me that the relationship between Father & Son is markedly different than that of Mother & Son.  Equally important and essential, of course, but different.  While D is for playing and laughing, I land in the realm of reality more often that he does.  How do we put him to bed?  Do we let M cry it out or do we rock him to sleep?  When and what do we feed him?  Is it ok to go out for a while or will that interrupt his nap schedule?  And, if it does, what does that mean for M? 

At first, this was a hard transition for me because I felt a little bit alone and let down, in a way, that this wasn't the vision that I had of how we would parent.  I resented D a bit, because he was seemingly more balanced in his life of work, family, social life, etc.  I found it unnerving, really, that he always looked to me for the answers. 

Until now ....

Now I realize that I have a special gift and that I am not alone.  I share that gift with every other woman who becomes a mom.  We are mothers and, frankly, there isn't anyone or anything that can compare to that.  We are the playmates, the schedulers, the decision-makers, the boo-boo kissers, the meal makers, the mess cleaner uppers, the ones who make a big deal out of one little smile or one new skill attained.  We love unconditionally and always find ways to lovingly teach in every moment.  We read and read and read and read so that we are sure that we know the latest and greatest for our kids.  We compare diapers, bottles, food, poopie, playgrounds, strollers, toys, books.  We choose the best whatever...every time; even if it means we go without.  We buy organic and mash until our hands are sore.  We forget to brush our hair, our teeth because our little ones are doing the cutest whatever in that moment. 

It took 6 months and a handful of days to realize that motherhood is not to be shared with your spouse.  They have their own role in your child's life, which is just as important.  I embrace this role of mother and know that God has blessed me with the opportunity to be M's mommy.  

Happy Mother's Day 

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Screaming fits

M has been a delightful baby since birth.  He always had a set of lungs on him, but he rarely screamed or cried unless he needed something.  He hasn't ever really "lost it" . . . until now.  A week ago, we were at my in-laws for our weekly dinner and a family friend was there.  He was in the house about 10 minutes before totally losing it - screaming, crying, tears, the works.  I picked him up and cuddled him and he calmed down but was easily brought back to screaming-mode if someone got too close to him or talked to him. 

Then, on Sunday, it happened again at our spiritual house.  He has been there almost every week since birth but after the meeting, he was walking around with D and he lost it again. 

Yesterday, while being watched by my mom and MIL, he did it again. 

I think we may have crossed into the realm of over-stimulation + separation anxiety = screaming.  FUN!

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Are carrots ok for babies?

So, I had already given M a jar of Earth's Best carrots when I went back to my Food Bible, Super Baby Food (see link at the bottom if you want to get yourself a copy). 

Anyway, much to my surprise, Ruth does not recommend carrots for babies under 7 months of age.  I had no idea as the Earth's Balance jar said 4 months+.  Sooooo, of course, I did some research about why.  Here is what I found from Wholesome Baby Food. 

First Things First - What are the odds that your baby will get Nitrate Poisoning/Blue Baby Syndrome from Homemade Carrots?
It is important to note that the odds of your baby getting "Blue Baby Syndrome" nitrate poisoning from Carrots or other veggies is about 0%.
Yes, 0% - zero percent.

By the time you introduce solid foods to your baby, his tummy should be developed enough to handle "normal" nitrate exposure.

AAP Statements from Policy Papers
"Because the intake of naturally occurring nitrates from foods such as green beans, carrots, squash, spinach, and beets can be as high as or higher than that from well water, these foods should be avoided before 3 months of age, " and

"1. The greatest risk of nitrate poisoning (methemoglobinemia) occurs in infants fed well water contaminated with nitrates. All prenatal and well-infant visits should include questions about the home water supply. If the source is a private well, the water should be tested for nitrate. The nitrate nitrogen concentration of the water should be <10 ppm.

2. Infants fed commercially prepared infant foods generally are not at risk of nitrate poisoning. However, home-prepared infant foods from vegetables (eg, spinach, beets, green beans, squash, carrots) should be avoided until infants are 3 months or older, although there is no nutritional indication to add complementary foods to the diet of the healthy term infant before 4 to 6 months of age." American Academy of Pediatrics - Nitrate Statement.

and "Because vegetables, including green beans, carrots, squash, spinach and beets, can have nitrate levels as high or higher than that of well water, infants should not eat these foods until after age 3 months."

AAP Well Water Statement

The highest concentration of nitrates occurs in water, root vegetables and leafy vegetables such as spinach, lettuce and other greens.


The concentration and amount of occurring nitrates will vary depending on the type of vegetable, the temperature that it is grown at, the sunlight exposure, soil moisture levels and the level of natural nitrogen in the soil.

Foods that tend to accumulate the highest amount of nitrate include:
  • spinach
  • beets
  • cabbage
  • broccoli
  • carrots
Root vegetables such as carrots, beets and broccoli all contain nitrates though at a much lower level than do the leafys. Leafy vegetables include spinach, cabbage or other greens like Kale.
For spinach, its nitrate levels may actually increase with improper storage,so it's recommended around 8 months old.

When we first hear of nitrates and carrots, “Blue Baby Syndrome” and homemade baby food, it is often with a bit of fear and trepidation that we proceed to make baby’s food. We wish to do the best for our babies and we certainly do not want to poison them. Let’s take a moment to look at the facts about nitrates, infants and making baby food.


Nitrates are naturally occurring nitrogen/oxygen salt compounds found in almost every vegetable that we eat and the soils they are grown in. Nitrates are also laboratory formulated and used in fertilizers. Nitrates are ingested either from vegetables or drinking water. Nitrates/nitrites have been found to be responsible for "Blue Baby Syndrome." Adults are not affected by nitrates or nitrites because their stomachs produce acids that fight the bacteria that help convert nitrates into nitrites. This conversion, and the resulting nitrite, is what allows for nitrate poisoning or “Blue Baby Syndrome.”

The name “Blue Baby Syndrome” stems from the fact that nitrites hinder proper oxygen transportation in the red blood cells. “Once in the blood, nitrite oxidizes iron in the hemoglobin of red blood cells to form methemoglobin, which lacks hemoglobin's oxygen-carrying ability.”1 Without proper oxygen saturation in the blood, the body’s cells become oxygen deprived and the skin takes on a blue or purple hue. This oxygen deprivation may lead to the slow asphyxiation of the person poisoned.

"The most obvious symptom of nitrate poisoning is a bluish color of the skin, particularly around the eyes and mouth. This is called cyanosis. A baby with these symptoms should be taken to an emergency medical facility immediately. The doctor will take a blood sample to be sure the baby is suffering from nitrate poisoning. The blood sample of an affected baby is a chocolate brown instead of a healthy red. Nitrate poisoning can be treated, and in most cases the baby makes a full recovery. http://ohioline.osu.edu/b744/b744_2.html

It is important to note that the odds of your baby getting "Blue Baby Syndrome" nitrate poisoning from Carrots or other veggies is about 0%. By the time you introduce solid foods to your baby, his tummy should be developed enough to handle "normal" nitrate exposure.


"Around the age of three months, an increase in the amount of hydrochloric acid in a baby's stomach kills most of the bacteria that convert nitrate to nitrite. By the time a baby is six months old, its digestive system is fully developed, and none of the nitrate-converting bacteria remain. In older children and adults, nitrate is absorbed and excreted, and Methemoglobinemia is no longer a concern." http://ohioline.osu.edu/b744/b744_2.html

Yes, while nitrates are an important issue, they are highly unlikely to poison your baby from the carrots that you make. Many pediatricians will tell you to not make homemade carrots while many other pediatricians will shrug off Nitrates and tell you there is no issue and no risk.

Nitrate poisoning is very very rare and when it does occur, it is typically traced back to ground water contamination – specifically from contaminated private wells.

If you prefer to make your own homemade baby foods vegetables that may contain nitrates, an alternative is to choose organic produce.

Organic foods are grown without the use of commercial nitrate fertilizers and thus the risk of nitrate contamination/concentration is minimized, but not eliminated.

So who is most at risk for nitrate poisoning? People who have private wells are at risk for nitrate exposure; Babies under the age of 6 months old are most at risk and babies under the age of 3 months old even more so.


Babies who are over the age of 6 months old have developed the stomach acids necessary to fight the bacteria that helps nitrate conversion and subsequent nitrate poisoning. Infants who are formula fed and live on farms or in highly agricultural areas may also be at greater risk. Nitrates used in farming, and the excess not taken in by the crop itself, easily run-off and may seep into water tables, contaminating water supplies.

As mentioned earlier, nitrate poisoning is very rare and when it does occur, it is typically traced back to ground water contamination – specifically from contaminated private wells.  If you have any doubts or fears, please speak to your pediatrician.

The solid foods continue . . .

Feeding M solid foods (and I use the term solid very loosely, no pun intended) is hysterical and truly one of the highlights of parenthood so far.  He is an incredibly eager and adventurous eater and has done a phenomenal job with everything that we've given him so far. 

He has had (in order of introduction to M):
  • Rice Cereal
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Avocado
  • Banana
  • Squash
  • Carrots
  • Pears
He has loved all of them, but avocado and sweet potatoes seem to be his favorite right now.  He still makes a funny face when eating bananas - must be the strong flavor in them. 

We used mostly Earth's Best baby food because I didn't have time to prepare our own.  The pedi wanted us to get started right away, so I just used what I had purchased the week before as our "back ups".  We used fresh avocados and bananas and mashing them up was just as easy as popping open the jar of food. 

Today, I am starting on the mass preparation of baby food for M for next week.  I have 2 freezer trays with lids that I am going to use and I just baked 5 sweet potatoes in the oven.  I mashed them by hand and then will run through them with the hand-mixer to pull out any of those nasty choke-inducing strands.  Then, into the freezer cubes they will go.  This is very exciting!

I am also trying to ripen 4 avocados in a brown paper bag to add to the freezer tray.  We'll see how that goes. 

The next food I am planning to introduce is prunes or peas.  We shall see how those go over with Prince M. 

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Could it be??

Could my little boy really be preparing to welcome his first tooth?  I don't know but I have a sneaking suspicion.  He has been gnawing on everything in sight, including his hand, for a while but he seemed to really amp it up the last 2 days.  Yesterday, he must have had his hand in his mouth so much because by the end of the day, his little thumb and finger were chapped.  I even put his hand in a newborn mitten with a lot of cream for sleeping to try to rehydrate it. 

He has been drooling buckets as well - I have changed his shirts and onesies a lot and we are moving through bibs like crazy. 

Plus, his poopy diapers have loosened up a bit (after moving into the more solid phase with the introduction of solid foods).  He has already had 3 poopy diapers today. 

There is a big debate as to whether or not diarrhea, vomiting, and fever are associated with teething or not but I just have this idea that it may not be long before we see that first little tooth.  As D says, it will be a happy and sad day because it will show growth in our boy but it will also change the entire landscape of his face. 

Friday, April 9, 2010

Solid Food Introduction - borrowed from a fellow Mom

Another Mom shared this schedule with me, from her pedi:

When we start solids most kids are going to be more gassy and some more constipated, it is the nature of starting solids. Rice is the LEAST problematic as it is the most digestible grain.


There are MANY ways to start foods and I just state to take it easy, there is no rush, and it is more for development and less for nutrition until about age 9-12 months.


Here is my speech on foods.


1. Start with stage one, either fruit or veggie. Give each new food about 3 days by itself as a new food before starting the next new food so that if there are any food reactions then you know which one caused it.


2. Alternate between fruit and veggie, don't give all the veggies and then the fruits or vice versa as they might like one or the other and not want the other kind.


3. Start with one meal per day with cereal for about 3 weeks or so.


4. Then add the second meal per day with the new stage one food.


5. Any of the OK foods can be given at any meal of the day.


Example:
am-cereal x 3 weeks, then


am-cereal, pm-sweet potato for 3 days
am-cereal and sweet potato, pm-banana for 3 days
am-cereal and banana or sweet potato, pm-peas for 3 days. etc.

Small breakthrough??

I was just writing with a friend about grief and pregnancy/parenthood and something occurred to me as I was writing to her.  I wonder if my bout of PPD had something to do with the fact that I had an emergency c-section and wasn't able to feel anything or push Michael out??  I know that it might be a long-shot and I don't mean any disrespect to anyone who suffered from PPD after a vaginal birth but I am just wondering if that wasn't some small (or not so small) part of it??? 

I was retelling her that I have been "cracking" (her word - love it) with my grief lately and that I have been telling D and my mom that I have wanted to bash my head against the wall sometimes ... literally.  Not to inflict pain on myself or anything but to just feel something strongly.  It has not been until just now that I have identified my feelings as being somewhat numb.  I think because I feel SO sad so much of the time that it seems almost like second nature that I didn't realize that my grief was numbing the depths to which I would feel my emotions before Megan died. 

So interesting the way our bodies, emotions, and minds work together . . .

Blessing of a Skinned Knee

My sister-in-law recommended this book to D & I and gave it to us along with a lot of other great ones when we became parents.  I am reading it and I really love it - it talks so much about resiliency in kids and it touches on so many things that ring true for me as I begin to formulate my goals for my parenting style. 

We went to hear Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg speak about similar topics and it was so refreshing to hear someone comment on how we have to be the ones to teach our children resiliency.  We are all not good at everything but we are all good at something so the challenge (and joy!) of life is to find what you are naturally good at and what you are interested in and find a way to make that your life's work.  So much of it is exactly what I try to teach my high school students as well. 

My favorite NPR program, Voices in the Family with Dr. Dan Gottlieb, did a piece on this book several years ago.  Here is the link: Blessing of a Skinned Knee interview with Dr. Dan Gottlieb

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Solid Foods - Part Deux

So, the solid food journey has officially begun.  M is doing great and he LOVED his sweet potatoes for dinner.  He is not such a fan of the rice cereal at his first meal but we'll try it tomorrow with his second bottle to see how he does.  He has some sweet potatoes for dinner tonight and then we can add another food because he hasn't had an allergic reaction to it.  I didn't think that the 3-day wait period would be tough but it is - I just want to expose him to so much! 

For all of you book-lovers who are following the books that I am reading, here is the one that I am using the most for solid foods.  Buon Appetito!!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

SOLID FOODS!

So we got the go-ahead from the pedi (actually, he asked how solids were going and we told him we hadn't started so he said to get started!).  Last night, David fed Michael some rice cereal with sweet potatoes (Earth's Best brand) and he did ok.  He isn't a champion spoon-eater, but that will come with time.  It was truly hilarious.  He was COVERED but who cares - he was too cute! 

This morning, he had some rice cereal before his bottle and he did fine.  My next projects are to come up with an eating schedule so that we can be properly prepared for solids and to spend some time this weekend preparing some baby food so that we don't have to buy the jars.  Fun fun fun!!!

Monday, April 5, 2010

Pedi visit tomorrow - crossing my fingers!

We are headed to the pedi tomorrow and I am hoping that he gives the thumbs up for starting solids.  I seriously don't think that M will last another 3 weeks.  Tonight, we were having SALAD for dinner and he was grabbing at my fork and then having small temper-tantrums when I wouldn't give it to him.  I tried to explain that Mommy was eating diet food and that, while it was delicious, he should hold out for chocolate cake or something. 

He didn't seem to get it. 

He will. 

Thursday, April 1, 2010

We've switched to Level 2

We have been feeding M formula exclusively for about a month and have always used Dr. Brown's bottles with Level 1 (newborn) nipples.  M has always had a great "suck" reflex and easily switched from breast to bottle and back again.  I think that if I still had milk and gave him the breast, he would take it. 

Anyway - M started falling asleep during his bedtime bottle about 3 weeks ago and we would end up having to go back up and try to have him finish the bottle after a 1/2 hour or he'd wake up earlier than usual.  SO, we followed my sister's advice and switched gradually to the Level 2 nipples.  M did great - not a drop of milk out of his mouth (except when he is distracted by a bright, shiny, moving object while eating). 

Tonight, he drained his bottle in 9 minutes, passed out without a burp (we'll hear about that later!), and went right to bed.  He pulls the bottle out when there are 2 drops of milk left and then just lays there with this sweet, stuffed, content look on his face.  Much how I would be if I got to eat a yummy milkshake before bedtime every night. 

M is coughing this morning - poor thing!

M slept very well last night - only needed a bit of attention once or twice that only consisted of a roll back onto his side and his paci.  He slept until 7:30am and was all smiles when he woke up but as soon as I picked him up, he started hacking away.  I felt so badly for him - yesterday, he had this dry cough that I couldn't quite determine but this morning, it is wet and icky.  He slept with plenty of warmth last night and his warm-mist humidifier. 

We will try some saline drops in the nose to thin the gunk out and I will up the volume of the humidifier during his morning nap.  Poor thing!!!  Hope that the fresh air helps because we have a lot to do today!  :)

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

I'm a clock watcher . . .

I am realizing that one of the biggest changes from life without a child to life with a child is that I have become a champion clock watcher.  I was always an efficient user and planner of time but I never had to look at the clock with such regularity even as a schoolteacher!  Now, as a SAHM, I find myself feeling married to the clock.  What time will he get up, how many seconds will it take me to prepare his bottle, it is 8:30am - shouldn't he be napping?, what time will he need to eat again, what time will he need to sleep again, is he really up already?, is he really still asleep?, we have to eat dinner in10 minutes so that he can take a shower, what time will D be home so I can get a break, and SO MANY MORE.

I am not really sure what all of that is about but I am determined to figure it out.  I am not exactly sure how I turned into this clock-watching-maniac but it has to stop to some degree.  I have lost my self-confidence and, frankly, I am tired of it.  I need to regain some trust in myself and my ability to handle the sleeping/eating/waking/activity-playing schedule.  It may seem like a small thing but right now, it feels like a 200-lb weight around my neck. 

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Join Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

D and I watched the 2 episodes of Jamie Oliver's food revolution and were revolted that this is the way children in the US eat both at school and at home. 

Click here to watch Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on Hulu.com

Message from Jamie



I believe that every child in America has the right to fresh, nutritious school meals, and that every family deserves real, honest, wholesome food. Too many people are being affected by what they eat. It's time for a national revolution. America needs to stand up for better food!

You live in an amazing country full of inspirational people and you have the power to change things. With your help, we can get better food into homes, schools and communities all over America and give your kids a better future.

Sign the petition to save America's cooking skills and improve school food. It could be the most important thing you ever do for your family. America's health needs you now!
 
Sign Jamie Oliver's petition

Too many blog topics, not enough hands

Today is certainly one of those days when I have wanted to sit down at my computer and write about at least 4 topics but it is after 8pm, the baby is in bed, and I am finally getting to my computer.  Somedays feel like they move along so effortlessly and others feel like I am moving a beach one grain of sand at a time.  Today was a sand-moving day. 

I think that I am still exhausted after our long weekend and still trying to figure out where to put all of my thoughts, feelings, and emotions about the entire experience.  Add to that the fact that I had a bizarre dream last night (the kind where you wake up and think that it could be true so it hangs with you for the entire day) and I have just not been able to shake this feeling of being 'off' today. 

The first big thing that I am still battling is the differences between fathers & mothers.  I think that D is an incredible husband and a wonderful father.  We have an extremely strong relationship and we loved sharing 4 1/2 years of marriage before M's arrival in October.  We have always lived our lives as strong individuals but we have also approached our marriage with a team approach; always leaning on each other and making big decisions together.  This has been a really great way to approach things for us and I always though that we would do the same thing as parents.  In my heart, I know that we will with regards to discipline, values/morals/ethics, etc etc etc.  But, with M as a baby, it certainly hasn't felt that the "team approach" hasn't come easily.  I think that this is pretty normal but it is proving to be a little bit tough.  I am sure that I will be talking about this more...

The other 2 things that I am battling right now is a sense of losing myself a little bit and a major decision about heading back to work.  Both big topics that I will get to at some point .... just not tonight.  Must rest!

Sunday, March 28, 2010

I think I'm SOOOO smart

Yup - just when I think that I am so smart and so self-righteous I get turned around.  M slept very well in his pack & play last night (after 2 times of resettling him and one dose of Orajel).  I went to bed after an hour of a bad movie (The Informant - sleeper!!).  DH came to bed a while later and then we brought M into bed around 5:30am because he was cold. 

When M got up at 7:00am, DH was up with us and came downstairs with us.  Just having a good night's sleep AND having DH with me this morning felt relaxing.  M is down for his nap now and I am just hoping that he is able to sleep for an hour or so.  He needs it. 

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Why is vacation for D just more work for me?

I love my DH - I really do.  And for many, many reasons he is the best partner in the world.  But - we are away this weekend with family and I thought for sure that this would be a relaxing weekend for us.  I thought that other people would help out and let me relax a bit.  I thought for sure that DH would step up a little bit more than normal being that I just went back to work for 2 days. 

Well - I was wrong.  Everyone that is here is wonderful and have been playing with M but I feel more tired.  For lots of reasons.  First, because M is not sleeping well in his pack & play (whatever happened to portable cribs with real mattresses??!! I sound like my grandmother!).  So, M slept with us last night in a king-sized bed.  Of course, you'd never know that it was a king-size as I was on the far edge with Michael right up against me and D with the rest of the bed.  That is M's fault - at 26 1/2 inches, he is the biggest bed-hog I have ever met.  :) 

But, DH has been doing lots of resting and QT with the fam (including a driving range outing) but I haven't had a break yet.  I am just feeling exhausted.  I guess this is just one of the other roles of mother.  It is something that we will definitely talk about - not argue, just discuss as we have done throughout this new phase of life. 

Until then, I am blogging, watching a movie, and listening out for M. 

Back to work wasn't so bad . . .

Thursday morning, M & I got up and I started my new 2-day/week-morning-routine.  He was an angel.  I had showered the night before (just to be sure I didn't run out of time).  I have heard from so many mommies that they have turned to nighttime showering to keep from rushing. 

Anyway - M was in a great mood and had his morning bottle.  After that, he went into his carseat on the dining room table while I made probably 100 trips from the kitchen to the living room.  M looked like he was watching a tennis match, following me with his eyes while I was running back and forth.  I felt relaxed, though. 

We got loaded up and drove to Grammy's.  I was talking to him the entire time, telling him why I was going back to work and promising him that he would have a great time at Grammy's.  A few minutes later, I "loaded" Michael into Grammy's house and quickly went to my car before I started crying.  No tears actually fell, but they were ready.  What was bizarre was that I was also feeling Megan with me so much.  My sister's presence comes to me so many times when I am really in need.  I made it to school 30 minutes early and it felt good to be back.  The list of tasks is hefty, but I feel confident that I will be able to handle it. 

I resisted the temptation to call to check in on him - I just knew that he was doing great and in incredible hands.  So, at 3:00pm, I pulled out of work and headed to see my little love.  As I expected, he had a wonderful day and barely fussed at all.  It felt great to know that we both had good days. 

Now, it is spring break!  :)  I get another week with my boy before having to head back to work 2 days/week.  It feels good to have the time and energy to be with Michael and also give of myself to other young people. 

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

The time is upon me . . .

In 12 short hours, I will be a working woman once again (working OUTSIDE the home, that is).  I am feeling a bit nervous and apprehensive about my return to work for a few reasons. 

1) M has not been himself for the past 2 days - I think that he has a stuffy nose and cough either from a cold or from teething.  He has woken up at 4am the past two mornings and has not been easy to get back to sleep.  He hasn't been eating as well and just isn't his normal, happy-go-lucky self.  I hope that he does ok and doesn't miss me too much.
2) I hope that I don't miss him too much, but I don't think that will be possible.  There are definitely days when I wish that I could get away for a little break but now that those days are upon me, I am feeling sad about leaving my boy.  I am SO grateful that he will be in the more-than-capable and extremely loving hands of his Grammy and his Nana but I am still feeling a bit odd. 
3) I am also nervous about transitioning back into school.  SO much has happened in the last 5 months and I will be returning to a completely different role and one that is somewhat of a "fill in".  I know that the team at the school is grateful to have me back and I am sure that I will be ok, but I am nervous. 
4) Finally - I am just wondering what I will feel like while I am away from M.  Will it be hard to concentrate?  Will I feel relief for the break and the opportunity to use a different part of my brain?  Will I feel guilty for leaving him. 

We shall see . . .

Monday, March 22, 2010

Did I do too much?

So, in my excitement to get M close to eating solid foods, I have been feeling adventurous.  Last weekend, I let him try to drink a little water from my glass.  He did fine (read: he did not cry, vomit, break the glass, or drench himself or me).  Then, on Friday, I baked sweet potatoes for dinner and put a tiny, itty-bitty on the tip of my finger and let him suck it off.  He loved it.  Yesterday, at my Mom's, I let him gnaw on a big celery stalk that had been in the fridge because his teeth seemed to be really bothering him.  I am fine with all of this  but .... M has been having some gas pains since about 7pm last night and I am wondering if it was the celery. 

I will cut back my "experimenting".  I know that the world of solid foods (and soiled carpets/clothes/hair) will be upon us soon enough.  :) 

For anyone who is interesed in what I am reading to prepare myself (did you really think there wasn't a book??) - I am reading 3 things:

1. Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron - Super Baby Food from amazon.com
2. New Vegetarian Baby by Sharon Yntema & Christine Beard- New Vegetarian Baby
3. Raising Vegetarian Children by Vesanto Melina - Raising Vegetarian Children

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Love our life

What a wonderful weekend so far...we are so blessed to have M in our lives.  Friday night we spent time with family getting ready for our next big family event - Uncle & Auntie wedding in 6 weeks!  It was great to spend time together and to work on plans for them.  Then, yesterday, M took a beautiful morning nap (8:30 - 10:15am) and then we hit the road to meet some wonderful friends for lunch and then met my Dad to hit some golf balls.  Then M hung out in his swing on the porch while we worked outside.  It was so wonderful.

M had a little teething trouble last night but he did ok.  D & I were able to watch "Twilight" (finally) and get to bed at a decent hour.  Looking forward to another great day today - M is already down for his AM nap. 

Saturday, March 20, 2010

The grunts

Is it sick that I laugh out loud when I hear M making "the grunts" in the morning??  I seriously find his poopy sounds to be some of the funniest stuff I hear all day long. 

Like today, for instance, he is in a fabulous mood (definitely a morning person) and he has had his bottle.  He is in his bouncy seat (helps to move things along, if you know what I mean) and is smiling, laughing, "talking", and playing but then every once in a while he will let out this long grunt with a super serious face.  When I look over, it's like I have caught him in the act.  It just makes me giggle. 

Seriously, though, I try to make light of it so that he is not embarrassed about normal, human, bodily functions when he gets older.  Sometimes I think about where that comes from.  I was always embarrassed if I had to poop or toot like no one else did it or it was something embarrassing....why???  So, I'd like him not to worry about that like I did.  Of course, D assures me that because he is a boy and he has a lot of uncles who can border on gross that M will have no problem in the bodily function department. 

Great.  Bring on the grunts. 

Friday, March 19, 2010

Back to work :(

D & I have been discussing the possibility of me returning to work.  At the beginning, I sort of wanted to go back to work to give me a break but since M has been about 2 months old, I have really LOVED being at home and the thought of returning to work made me sad. 

Financially, though, we are at the point where we need to have some more income.  D is launching his business and I fully support his efforts.  I KNOW in my heart that he will be very successful and that his success will allow me to be home more in the future. 

So, we have been back and forth about this and there was talk of me working for my in-law's family business, but we both thought that wasn't ideal.  As an educator, though, I just couldn't imagine how I might be able to return to the school environment on a part-time basis.  Especially given the fact that I wanted to only work 2 days a week from 9-3. 

Well - wouldn't you know it -- I got a call from my former boss and they offered me a 2 day/week position to work 2 days/week from 9a-3p.  It is the best scenario I could have imagine and while I would rather be at home all the time, this is a part-time and temporary thing. 

Next week will be tough but at least we are blessed to have 2 grandmothers to watch M.  I know that this will be a good step for our family. 

Holy Consignment, Batman!

So a friend introduced me to the most AMAZING consignment sale for mommies.  We went last night to their spring consignment sale at the Burlington Center mall and it was incredible.  I spent $150 and walked out with M's clothes for this summer, next summer, Robeez, toys, puzzles, Mega Blocks piano, and a Leap Frog musical activity table.  Plus, it was a great time to be out with my mommy girlfriend. 

All mommies should take advantage of this and encourage your first-time mommy friends to sign up for their special sale for first time mommies. 

Best Dressed Sale Link


HAPPY SHOPPING!! 

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

I never thought I'd do this . . .

After a wonderful walk (5 miles!) with M and my sis, M & I stopped at a local place for lunch.  He was needing a bottle and mama was needing some lunch as there was nothing at home.  I hadn't changed M at the park after our walk so I decided to change him at the restaurant.  I contemplated just doing it right in the booth (this was by no means a fancy place and no one was there) but I decided to go to the ladies room instead.  Lo and behold, no diaper changing station.  So, I became a bad mommy at that point - laid out the diaper changing pad on the floor and changed my little bugger.  It was shocking that I actually did this but he was hungry and I wasn't about to trek back out to the car and leave stuff in the place. 

And so, I now have journeyed to the other side of motherhood.  Shame on me.  (but it was SOOOO easy to do)

Guess who did it?

Check it out!

http://tinypic.com/m/9hlukl/2

One direction down
One to go! 

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

For a mama friend who has an upside-down baby

Here are some ways to Turn Your Breech Baby!

Be sure to check with your provider before trying the positions for turning a breech baby to see if there is any reason why you should not use them.

Visualizing the baby moving down with the head very deep in your pelvis, several times a day; especially in conjunction with positions and exercises below.

Swimming as often as possible. This keeps your body and pelvis loose and relaxed. Do in conjunction with headstand below if you have help.

Headstand - with assistance and in a pool frequently as possible.

Breech Tilt - begin at 32-35 weeks gestation. Do 3 times daily for 10-15 minutes each time, when you have an empty stomach, and the baby is active. Prop one end of an ironing board securely on a sofa or chair 12 to 18 inches high (or may use slant board). Lie down, bend knees but keep feet flat on board. Relax, breathe deeply, avoid tensing. May also use pillows on a flat surface to raise hips 12-18" above shoulders. Gravity pushes the baby's head into the fundus, tucks it, and baby can then do a somersault to a vertex position.

Massage - start with your left hand at the bottom of the abdomen and your right hand just above it. Move move your hands clockwise around the right side of your tummy. As your right hand reaches the top of your abdomen, slide the left one over your right and move it down the left side of your tummy. Your left hand leads as you you come full circle, continuing clockwise. Massage gently as you would to apply lotion. Massage for ten minutes or more up to several times each day.

Glass of orange or other juice - follow this with a side-lying position with your hips positioned higher than your feet. Babies move more after a sugar high!

Pelvic Tilt- with an ice pack on the top of your tummy on an empty stomach, 10 minutes twice a day. Do this while lying on your back on the floor with knees flexed and feet on the floor with three large pillows placed under your buttocks. Try this in conjunction with headphones and visualization.

Cat-Cow yoga stretch - start with all fours, then lay your head and chest flat on the floor with your buttocks in the air, as you round your back and return to all fours. 

Downward Facing Dog is also a great pose.  See below.


















Knee-chest position - by kneeling with hips flexed slightly more than 90 degree, but with thighs not pressing against your tummy and your head, shoulders and upper chest are flat on a mattress for 15 minutes every two waking hours for five days.

Belly Relaxing followed by Inversion - Partner places a shawl, sheet, or towel under mom's hips as she lays on the floor. Lift up on the corners of the cloth and shimmy her from side to side moving your hands up and down to wiggle her belly from side to side. These should be very small movements which mom should find very relaxing. Do this for about 5 minutes. Then mother kneels on the stairway landing. Walk your hands down 2 or 3 stairs into an all fours position; have your partner support your shoulders to balance you. Remain in this position for about 5-10 minutes or as long as comfortable. Also do this on an empty stomach.

The following techniques to turn breech babies to vertex involve the assistance of a specialist or medical professional:

Acupuncture - find a acupuncturist who is familiar with pregnancy and knows the points to stimulate for turning a breech baby.

Roll Over, Roll Over . . .

Of course, I had to look it up ... M is getting so close!!

Rolling over


Once your baby has head control, and about the same time that he learns to sit on his own, he'll learn to roll over. He'll eventually learn to flip over from his back to his tummy and vice versa, and he'll use his newfound skill to get around a bit. The incentive for those early rolls is often an elusive toy — or you.
When it develops

Your baby may be able to kick himself over, from his tummy to his back, as early as age 2 to 3 months. It may take him until he's about 5 or 6 months to flip from back to front, though, because he needs stronger neck and arm muscles for that maneuver.

How it develops

At about 3 months, when placed on his stomach, your baby will lift his head and shoulders high, using his arms for support. This mini-pushup helps him strengthen the muscles he'll use to roll over. He'll amaze you (and himself!) the first time he flips over. (While babies often flip from front to back first, doing it the other way is perfectly normal, too.)

At 5 months your baby will probably be able to lift his head, push up on his arms, and arch his back to lift his chest off the ground. He may even rock on his stomach, kick his legs, and swim with his arms. All these exercises help him develop the muscles he needs to roll over in both directions — likely by the time he's about 6 months old.

While some babies adopt rolling as their primary mode of ground transportation for a while, others skip it altogether and move on to sitting, lunging, and crawling. As long as your child continues to gain new skills and shows interest in getting around and exploring his environment, don't worry.

What's next


Your baby developed his leg, neck, back, and arm muscles while learning to roll over. Now he'll put those same muscles to work as he learns to sit independently and crawl. Most babies have mastered sitting up by 6 or 7 months; crawling comes a little later.

Your role


You can encourage your baby's new skill through play. If you notice him rolling over spontaneously, see if he'll try again by wiggling a toy next to the side he customarily rolls to. Or lie down next to him on one side — just out of reach — and see if he'll roll to get closer to you. Applaud his efforts and smile. Rolling over is fun, but it can also be alarming the first few times.

Although your baby may not be able to roll over until about 3 months, it's best to keep your hand on him during diaper changes from the very beginning. Never leave your baby, even when he's a newborn, unattended on a bed or any other elevated surface. You'd hate for his first rolling-over experience to result in a serious injury.
When to be concerned

If your baby hasn't figured out how to flip one way or the other by the time he's about 6 months old and isn't showing any interest in getting around by any other means, bring it up the next time you talk to his doctor. Babies develop skills differently, some more quickly than others — and some babies never really take to rolling over. But if your child hasn't moved on to sitting and trying to scoot or crawl instead, ask his doctor about it. Keep in mind that premature babies may reach this and other milestones later than their peers.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Nap training??

So now that we have M back in his crib at night and sleeping through the night again, it is time to tackle some nap training. 

I have been doing some research on this (shocking, I know) and have decided that there is a lot of discrepancy out there.  Some say that babies need to sleep every 90-120 minutes while others say that most babies this age (4-5 months) will be taking 2-3 naps per day.  I did the math and that doesn't work - at least it doesn't for us. 

For a while now, M has shown me that he gets tired about 90 minutes after he wakes up in the morning (or about 8:30am).  I would like him to sleep for an hour or so but sometimes it is only 30 - 40 minutes.  I wonder if this counts as his morning nap.  Then, he usually gets tired again in the 11:30/12 range but that is often disrupted by his need to eat.  I just fed him at 2pm and he went down for a nap, which would be an ideal time for his afternoon nap. 

Here is MY goal/ideal schedule:
7am - wake time / eat
8:30/9am - morning nap (60-90 minutes)
10am - eat
12pm - cat nat (if needed)
1:30pm - eat
2pm - afternoon nap (60-90 minutes)
4pm - eat
6:30pm - bedtime routine begins (pjs, stories, prayers)
7pm - eat
7:30pm - bedtime

Wouldn't it be nice to just program that in!  :)

Teething toys

So, I did a poll of some other mamas about teething toys and here is what came up as the Top 10 teething toys (and I use that term VERY loosely) for our little ones:

10) Organic loveys - you can even wet them a bit and freeze them
http://www.diapers.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=22099
9) teething keys
http://www.diapers.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=6396
8) Bug a Loop teething ring
http://www.diapers.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=6760
7) vibrating teething rattle
http://www.diapers.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=25195
6) Natursutten Apple Teething Ring
http://www.diapers.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=15485

5) Razberry Teething pacifier
http://www.diapers.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=17943
4) Freddy the Firefly toy by Lamaze
http://www.diapers.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=6672
3) Maple Wood teething ring
http://www.diapers.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=217884
2) Sophie
http://www.diapers.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=15640
1) hands/fingers
(no link for this one -- just remember to wash them a lot and keep strangers away from your LOs hands to keep the germies away)

Add some Hyland's teething tablets and time with Mommy & Daddy so that your LO can make it through the stages of teething with a little more comfort. 

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Getting M back to sleep in his crib

So, after almost a week of working with (or against) M to get him back to sleeping well in his crib, his is finally back there and has been there successfully for a few days. 

First step, took him to the pedi's to rule out an ear infection.  While he presented all of the symptoms, he checked out clear (except for an abundance of earwax - eww!  we now have to bubble it out of him with some peroxide.  yuck!) 

So, the pedi said that it was most likely teething that he was using "mommy time" to help him cope with his discomfort.  So he recommended that we do the following:

1) Give him .8 dose of Tylenol about an hour before bedtime
2) Restructure bedtime so that the last hour is quiet
3) Feed him and follow our normal evening routine
4) Put him down
5) Persevere if he wakes up and help him get back to sleep in his crib, even if it takes a week and some tears

Soooo, we followed his advice and we are on night 4.  The first night, he wanted to be put on his side with his pacifier, so we had to make a few trips in that evening between 8:30 - 11pm to get him down for good.  Each night, those trips into his room decreased by a time or 2.  Tonight, he has been down for an hour or so without a peep and back on his back. 

To get him on his side (because he isn't rolling yet), we had to roll up a blanket and put it behind his back.  Then, I "helped" him to get on his side and I stretched his bottom arm stretched out just to protect him from rolling onto his face.  I also put his lovey in between his arms to help him to feel close and to protect him from rolling onto his face. 

We also added 2 Hyland's teething tablets to his bottle to help with the teething.  After tonight, because I hate medicine, I am going to reduce his Tylenol dosage to .4 for a day or 2 and then see if I can phase it out completely. 

It was a great feat and I am so pleased that he is back to acting like his happy self.  Now, if I could just get him to roll over . . .