sam & suzy: 21 weeks

This week I came to the realization that we never upgraded Sam to a level 2 nipple for his bottles. Gosh, I remember it being such a big deal for me when he was a couple weeks old that "He MUST have the level 1, slow flow! Don't give him anything else!!" Funny how easily you forget things and how things don't seem as desperate or dire as in those first few weeks.

We finally started using our glass LifeFactory bottles. Prekid they seemed awesome. Screw plastic! Ha ha, what a newbie! Ok they are still cool...but a bit on the heavy side and it won't fit in our bottle steamer. But the great thing about them is you can change the tops as your baby grows. So when he gets older, he can use it as a sippy. I'm even using the small bottle for myself to bring liquids to work.

I also got a cabinet all set up for him in the kitchen. I have his Baby Bullet, containers, extra bottles and such all neatly organized in there. And I brought down sippy cups and other big boy food stuffs to put in there because I know I'm going to forget all that! I can't believe he's going to start using sippy cups soon!

Sam:
He sure is chatty lately! I think he likes to see how high pitched he can make his squeals. Ouch, my ears! It's funny because he was totally into blowing raspberries all the time a few weeks ago and I try to get him to do it now, but he's only into squealing.

I still can't tell if he's teething for not. We got an amber necklace, which I put on after daycare said he was fussy all day and not taking naps. Next day, with it on, they said we was much better. Was it related?


Suzy:
I think it's a common misconception is that postpartum hormonal issues last just a bit after giving birth. While I didn't get postpartum depression, I do have bouts of ups and downs even almost 5 months later. Like last night, I starting crying almost out of the blue over not being able to solely breast feed Sam. Um, I thought I came to terms with that and was in a happy place because I still could breast feed him! Fun times!

Book Review: Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep

We never really had a problem with Sam sleeping. Granted he did wake up about 1 -2 times a night, but he is a baby afterall. I knew we'd have to move him into nursery and I'd like to get him sleeping well established and understood.

I checked out Harvey Karp's Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep. I loved Happiest Baby on the Block, so I thought I'd see what he has to say about sleep.

This book was great! I learned a lot. About baby sleep cycles, how long typical babies sleep, what to do to start getting your baby to sleep longer and how to get them to fall and stay asleep better and understand the reasoning. The second half of the book focuses on when they are a toddler, which I will get again and read before then, but now there's no point.

The book focuses one 3 main things to help your baby sleep better:

- Routine

- White Noise

- Wake and Sleep technique

Routine: We actually have a decent routine with Sam and he's pretty tired consistently at around 7:30 - 8. If he's not hungry before 8, I'll read him a book, then we go upstairs and I breast feed and give him a bottle in our room with no lights on (it's still a bit light out) and turn on the white noise machine. He usually falls asleep pretty quickly.

White Noise: Silly of us not to have used this any sooner! Sam sleeps so much more soundly. He barely fidgets when I put him down in the pack and play. Rob and I feel we sleep better too! It works great with his naps too. Also, when we do move him into the nursery, he'll be used to falling asleep with it on.

Wake and Sleep: Ok, this one is a little tricky, but it's something we gotta do. When they falls asleep in your arms and you place them in down, you are to wake them up a bit. Not like full on awake, just get their eyes to open. At that point they are tired enough to get themselves back to sleep. It works most of the time, which is great! And if he really wakes up, I simply hold him and offer him a paci.

A couple other things I've used from the book is giving him no bottle at night. I just breast feed him, which is nowhere near a full bottle, but it's been enough. We just give him extra during the evening. I tried the dream feed one night, feeding him before he wakes up, but I didn't find he slept any longer. The point is to ween him off of needing to eat at night. I think him being 4 months helps as well, he's no long a newborn.

And so how does Sam sleep now since I've read the book? Much better! He's only been waking up once. Although last night and Saturday he did wake up a couple of times, but he falls back asleep much quicker. He naps better too on the weekend. Like we put him to nap, not wait for him to fall asleep. This was the first weekend he's taken all his naps upstairs, sweet. So a typical night is bedtime at 8, asleep by 8:30ish, waking up around 12, breastfeed and back asleep within an hour and then up for the day at around 5:30 - 6.

So yeah.

sam & suzy: 20 weeks

stop shoving food in my mouth!

Sleeping in the Pack and Play has been working really well! I couldn't be more happy and proud of Sam for sleeping so good in it. I started using the white noise machine our room and I think that helps tremendously! I checked out Harvey Karp's The Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep and am loving it (just like his other books). I'll write a book review on it next week. But man, there are some useful stuff in there that I'm already starting to implement with Sam.

Oh that 1k that me, Rob, Sam and our friends were to race? Yeah, it was pouring rain and didn't run it! We quickly grabbed our shirts and went into the brewery for our beer, then we all went to another restaurant for some beers. What I bummer! I was really looking forward to it, but at least we had a good times with our friends.

This weekend I'm helping throw a joint baby shower for two of our neighbors. Fun times! And both are having girls, so lots of pink!

Sam:
Things seemed to have settled with Sam again. Last couples weeks were kind of crappy for him, from a cold to runny poos, bad diaper rashes and just general fussiness. He's sleeping good. His bum is all normal. He's my happy little man!

Suzy:
I've been feeling pretty good! This cold is finally leaving and I haven't had a pounding headache from it since Sat. With that I sleep better, I'm in a better mood and it felt good exercise. Although can I have a free day? We've been so busy lately! I don't know when's the last weekend that we had no plans. While, it's super fun (yay we have a social life) I'd like to just lay low one day.

shaping up: 4 months post baby

mmm, green.

Yay! I'm 128! That's about 2 pounds less since last month.

Last week Rob's parents were in town and I ate as best as I could. But there was birthday cake, carrot cake and pizza. Also, I've had this cold for almost 3 weeks now, making it hard to me to really push myself in my gym classes. I still managed to lose something and that's great.

I feel like I have a good thing going on right now. I've been making green smoothies each morning, great way to get a veggie serving in. I've been good about eating and drinking beer. And I am totally enjoying the gym! I love Zumba and the Saturday class just kicks my butt. Water workouts are fun too. I am always the youngest, but that's ok! I have yet to try their yoga class since we've just been so busy over the weekends. The weather is starting to cool down and that means running and walking the dogs more.

It makes me happy that I've finally gotten into this grove. I've also been letting myself just enjoy going to the gym and being away from Sam. I can't wait to see how next month will be.

Sam's Firsts: Solid Food

Look who tried out some real food today! Sam's doctor suggested letting Sam experiment with some food. I was a bit surprised thinking it was too early, but she said that it's just to get a feel for it and taste different things. She suggested only veggies first, fruits are naturally easy to like and only one veggie at a time for three days and then we can try a new one.

Sam tried avocado as his first food. Mainly because I love avocados and that's a great excuse to buy one. So how did it go? Sam just really wasn't sure what to make of it. He's like, "Why do they keep shoving this thing in my mouth?" He did enjoy mushing it with his hands. Maybe I'll put a lot more down tomorrow to mush around.

What is this?

Hmmm.

I don't know what to think of this.

Oh look! Mom has the camera! 

Sam & Suzy: 19 weeks

why haven't i put him in overalls sooner? too cute!

Last night we had Sam sleep in the pack n play after a couple weeks of him sleeping in the sleeper. Rob's mom has been watching him and saying that Sam hasn't been napping good and she thinks he's just not comfortable in the sleeper anymore. I totally agree. So no more sleeper! And Sam actually did pretty well. He woke up twice, which is ok since he did go to bed without a bottle. I woke up to him sleeping on his side, no no stay on your back boy!

Also, lately he's been fussy when falling asleep and wants nothing but me to put him to sleep and will scream otherwise. That's why I think he's teething and loving to chew on things. I did order an amber teething necklace. Can't wait to get it!

Sam:
It finally happened!! Sam laughs now! I got him giggling the other day by going "Om nom nom" and kissing his neck*heartmelts*. Then the other day I was dancing silly for him while Rob had him standing up and dancing too. He loved it. It's the best thing ever when babies laugh! I love how happy this kid is.

Suzy:
Did you know that you can get a cold on top of another cold? I'm really trying to be healthy here I and keep getting beat down. Blarg! I took a sick day on Monday to get some much needed rest and try to get this cold under control. I watched Grey Gardens, omg these women are amazing in a sad way! I contemplated being Little Edie for Halloween, but no one will know who I am.

Regardless how I felt, I did go to another swim class and tomorrow I am going to do Zumba. Also, Rob and our friends have the OMB Copper Classic 1k race tomorrow!! I know, huge mileage there! But it's for charity and it's at a brewery and that's awesome! Hee hee, I am going to carry Sam in the Ergo, so it'll be his first race.

The Guessing Game

airing out that bum and giving him crazy hair.

The past couple of days Sam has had a bad diaper rash, mainly from the runny poos he's had. Poor little guy is fussy, screaming from the sore bum and not sleeping well. So, I started playing the guessing game. What is causing the diaper rash?

- Mucus from his cold just draining and making him go to the bathroom so much? Yeah, but he's pretty much over it and doesn't cough anymore.

- Teething? Well, he did enjoy chewing on his teething toy which he hasn't in the past and he's been drooling.

- The fenugreek I've been taking for boosting my milk? Hmmm, a bit of searching on the net and saying that babies can get runny poos from it. Of course I find this out after I took some (d'oh!), but have since stopped. Also, I am pumping and dumping today, suck.

And you know, it's probably all of this and maybe something else! Welcome to motherhood Suzy!

So now, how to treat it naturally as possible? Thankfully the Honest diapers he uses are good, but we have to hold off on the wipes because of the citric acid, which burns his bum. He's at grandma and grandpa's right now and she's washing his bum in the sink each time and letting it air out. Sam loves naked time! Which we should do more of even without any rashes. I also bathed him with some baking soda in the water. Then instead of lotion, I used coconut oil, which is super for the skin and the sore areas. I've also been using natural butt paste.

I hope with all of this, he'll be better soon! But it's just frustrating because Sam's uncomfortable and there's only so much you can do at one time. But time, is really the best remedy. And knowing that I'm not there all day to comfort him and help him get better bums me out. I love Rob's parents and daycare too, but I'm his mom..ya know?