3 weeks 2 days

I'm not being good about writing so sorry :( and look now you are maybe about to wake up or want to eat since I started typing. 

You are 3 weeks old and 2 days. Grandma Bea is here and has been here for the last 10 or so days but is going home tomorrow morning. You are asleep next to the bed in your brothers old rock and play and right now you are unswaddled and going through light sleep and swaving your arms all over. You were awake from like 8:30pm to 10:30pm last night so I'm hopping to have you do your awake time during the day today so less swadding today and maybe more day awake. You like to rest your hand on your cheek or mouth when you sleep unswaddled and its very cute. I think when you can figure it out you will want to suck your thumb. Right now you are so so on the paci except when you are really tired or really hungry and we are trying to get you changed before I feed you.

You have been eating about 8, 9, 10 times a day. 9 or 10 being the most common. You eat one side at a time right now and seem to get 2 to 3 oz of milk from a side per feeding. I need to be better about drinking water during the day so that dosen't stop. You like to eat for about 10 to 15 min at a time and I hold you upright for at least ten min after just so you have time to digest. At night I hold you for more like 15 or 20. You go about 2 to 2 1/2 hour stretches during the day between feedigns.... although when you have been awake you like to eat more often. At night you sometimes go 3 hours or 4 hours, two nights ago almost 5 hours but after that long strech you eat every two or two half hours again.  

You are very loud as you go through the sleep cycles. I don't know if Drew was this loud and grunting and sounding so upset...but maybe we forgot. You also squeel but you are still sleep. I think at 5 or 6 weeks is when you will have less active sleep and maybe won't be quite so loud. You seem to like to have a blanket over you that smells like me but I keep it low down on you and once you are out of the rock and play then you can't have it.  Maybe I'll sleep with your swaddle one night and then use it the next night. I'm so glad we have the rock and play to start this time. You have sleept in it since we got home from the hospital, although you like being held in bed with me and snuggled up close and sleeping on your side. I try not to do it too much because it can be dangerous

so far you have been a good eater and have been gaining weight well. You were born at 6 pounds and 15 oz and you now (as of mom's group on wednesday) weigh 8 pounds 6 oz before a feeding. You ate 3 oz according to the scale at mom's gorup but I also think you were having a little growth spurt. 

you seem to like rocking but not vibrations or bouncing in the bouncy seat yet. i think they may upset your tummy. 

you are crying loud now oh and just stoped.  You like being in the ergo...not a huge fan of the carseat or the stroller...just wake up and cry and fall back asleep a lot in the car and stroller. you are using your brothers old car seat and stroller and I want to get you a newer one that is less dingy. I may use the gift cards from work to babies are us for one.

You are like your brother in many ways and very unlike him. that is one of the hardest parts for me. I learned how to help your brother and what he liked and I have to learn all over again for you and feel helpless when something that worked for him dosen't work for you. I have to remember you are each your own person. maybe you will sleep better and be more intrested in food.

your brother is a great big brother and I'm very proud of him and I know he really loves you a lot although he is looking forward to when you can play and do things with him

I also struggle with being at home all day after working full time the last few years. brother is in school all day as right now all we do is sleep and feed and it would be really boring and frustrating for him to be home alone with us.

enough for now. lets have some fun wake up time soon ok and not stay awake so late tonight!

mom's groups to go to

Monday:

Tuesday:

Providence Willamette Falls community center confrence room E 10-noon. 519 15th st.

Tue, March 15, 11:00am – 12:30pm

WhereMilagros Boutique, 5433 NE 30th Ave, Portland, OR, United States (map)

DescriptionNew Moms Group - Every Tuesdays 11:00am to 12:30pm at the Doula Love office located in the Milagros Family Room This is a group that focus on moms with newborns birth to three months. The group is run by Wendy Scharp of Doula Love and Bryna Sampey of Doula My Soul

Wednesday:

Adventest new moms with Verna noon to 3pm Free

nuring mom's support group at Zenana spa

noon to 1:30pm

thrusday:

New Seassons happy valley 10-11:30am  or Woodstock same time

Friday:

• Meeting time: every Friday 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
• Meeting place: Alma Education and Movement Space (1233 SE Stark St., Portland, OR 97214)

This down-to-earth, welcoming group consists of pregnant and new moms who support one another through our journey into motherhood. We talk openly about a wide array of topics with kind, caring facilitators who truly understand how tough it can be. Shoe free space.

37 weeks and 4 or 5 days

somehow for your brother I never wrote anything between 34-39 weeks...my guess being because I was getting so tired. ha then I didn't work full time or was trying to take care of a 4 year old. your poor brother has had a tummy bug then a cold and a viral ear infection over the last 10 days and mommy sliped in the rain and dislocated her knee and its been all sore and bruised since then. somehow you were compleatly unfazed...hope you have that same laid back personality outside of the womb.

We know you are head down for sure, I'm measuring on track week wise...I know where your butt is and you like to push one of your feet into my ribs several times a day. I think you have long legs. my belly is round round round and I think you are starting to move down a bit.  The heartburn at night from 10:30-12:30am is something fierice...I feel like the berry flavored tums are just making it worse at this point and am going to try mint flavored ones. I will be excited if you have some hair!  I'm still working full time although I am really tired at the end of the day and sore and pretty cranky. my body is getting really worn down. last night I cried for about half an hour because I'm overwhelmed at the thought of being pregnant for possibly three more weeks but also scared of taking care of you and your brother while all this wedding business is going on. if you could come just a few days early that would be great!

my last work day is next friday the 19th.  next monday is a holiday and there is no school and next wednesday is a late start day...we can do it!  This friday work is going to have a baby shower for us and two other teachers from school. dad's work gave him a shower last week. people are giving us a lot of hand me downs as "gifts" but not the kind you want a lot of the time...like a half used box of tea for mommy and a half used belly casting kit. Clothes that are super worn or out of seasson or really boy like. But dont' worry mommy and grandma jackie have made sure you have cute stuff. just had to cave in and say you will wear pink at first.  We are all set up and ready for you...even have some newborn size diapers. Oh maybe need to get some diper cream although I plan to basicly slater you in coconut oil for everything. I will admit there are two baby items I wish I could buy for you...a small pack n play/ rock and play combo and a snap and go stroller base thing. maybe I will cave and get one, although frankly we don't need either. I guess I want just one new thing for you but we will see. I did sew you a cute cover blanket thing for your car seat so hopefully people won't touch you were there germy hands.  Even thought I dread the thought of breastfeeding....dread is a strong word...worry about...we will be nursing till we are out of cold and flu seassons come hell or high water.

oh that was really disapointing...last week I learned Drew can not come meet you in the hospital because of cold and flu seasson. Frankly I think a lot of the adults in your life are way less vacinated and bring a much higher chance of making your sick and it's supid that your brother, who will be with you the second you come home can not come meet you at the hopsital.  Let's try to have a natural and uncomplicated birth so we can get out of there ASAP alright?

I need to go to work although I'm super tired. I'll try to write once a week till you come out...hopefully only about two more entries!

33 1/2 weeks

Hey little lady...you are 33 weeks plus a few days...I think. Wait...I guess the biggest thing is your name is Margaret! we decided over winter break and have told quite a few people including your grandma bea and great grandma Margaret:) maybe we will call you margo, maybe margie, maybe just margaret but not maggie I don't think. We went to the midwife on Monday and took your brother so he could listen to your heartbeat.You are measuring right on track and this midwife thought you were head down...let's go with that thought ok? my belly is quite round thought I know this time that we can still get much bigger and will. If I sit in one rocking arm chair in the house I can hold your brother in my lap but otherwise my tummy is too big. Life carriers on though even if I want to nap everyday. Back to school from winter break. boy did I enjoy not having to stand all day long for 19 days (we had two bonus snow days) the first three days back were pretty hard even though I spent a good chunk of each day parked on my tall stool chair. Being pregnant and working FULL time this time is no joke. on the really good side I just learned that I can stay home with you for the rest of the school year once you come and all summer. I won't have to go back to work the last two weeks of school. Thank god we won't have that nursing/pumping stress on us (even if we are not nursing...how about even the daycare/sleep stress).
Despite having bronchitis over winter break I have manged to keep gaining about 1 1/2 every two weeks the last four weeks. I think I am about keeping up with your weight gain when I look at how baggy my pants are.  I think the baby sites say you are 4 1/2 give or take. The force you exert when moving in my belly lets me you know definitely have been growing. I'm still not super interested in eating and food will sound ok for one serving and then I dont' want the leftovers which I feel really guilty about.  The only thing I consistently am craving is root beer. It helps me poop so I go for it. I'm trying hard to take my pre-natal vitimans...I eat lots of tums each day :P and I'm taking some fancy liquid iron supplement that is supposed to be easier on the stomach. oh and probotic pills three times a day to see if that helps with heartburn.  Over break we painted your room light gray and robins egg blue teal. We put the crib together and got you a new sheet, moved the dresser/chaning table in and got you a new changing pad cover.  I painted aspen trees on the wall and I think they turned out nice. I want to add some birds to the trees. I also painted you and your big borther as bunnies holding hands and looking at each other. I'm having a hard time painting your bunny face just right.  You have clothes for the first few months, swaddles, one pack of dipers and I think we have all the basic baby things you need but I'm sure we have forgot plenty.  We found and put together the rock and play, I bought a new/used bouncy seat that plays the same song as the one your brother had. There is a fancy infant swing I got from a lady in the mom's group that maybe you will like. We have your brothers old car seat and bases. Kori got you a sound machine....we are not supposed to bath you for a week or so now I guess but another lady in the mom's group has a tub.  Your brother and I talk about you coming out. he has been very patient and I think is starting to get a little impatient waiting for you. He talks about how you will get so big that my belly will break and you will come out. He says he will cuddle you and not hit you and will be kind with your head. I suppose that is about the best I can hope for from a 4 year old boy.  He has choosen to stop napping which is hard on the weekends although it was really a maricle he napped for this long!  I took him to swim class at a new place today and he didn't cry for once and he got into the pool and worked with the teacher. Afterwards I took him to get a matchbox car and burgerville. god I hope like cars because there are a lot of toy cars around here!

It dosen't look like there will be a baby shower for you...I have sad/mad/hurt/understanding feelings about that. You are just as specical and you deserve a party to celebrate you and the fact I am pregnant with you but our culture is like noooooo you got enough stuff last time.  Whatever.
anyway as much as I complain about feeling big and sore and tired, and am still tired after our not so restfull sleep each night you keep cooking in there! I expect you to stay in there till at least 38 weeks...then we can start talking about you coming out.  Stay safe and keep growin

29 weeks pregnant

little miss squishy...we have made it 29 weeks plus a few days now. that means we are officially in the 3rd trimester and I am feeling it. I could sleep and sleep and sleep and sleep some more and still want to sleep and on the weekends I feel like I do much to the disappointment of your big brother. he is starting to seem unsure about this whole adding a baby to the house situation. my belly has gotten too big for him to sit on my lap or give a good hug or carry him around. Its a big adjustment for both of us.  I passed my gestational diabeties screening and was not anemic at 28 weeks so that was good. I had not gained any weight in a month so now I have to start seeing the midwives every 2 weeks already but you were measuring well and my belly keeps growing so that is not an issue. I just don't feel hungry very often and when I do I can only eat small amounts at a time. you are about 15 inches and 2 1/2 to 3 lbs right now so I know my tummy muscles have a lot of stretching to do still. my body is pretty sore by the end of the day and especially the end of the week. right now you are kicking around quite a bit. We have cleaned out the guest room to be yours and have put the crib in it. We painted it robins egg blue and gray and you have a new set of crib sheets and changing pad cover. My hope is that over winter break I will paint aspen trees on one of your walls and do a floppy bunny theme. We are thinking you will be named Margrett and go by Margo. I am staring to get worried about taking care of a little newborn and keeping your brother happy. I know it will be a big adjustment for all of us. I have been working hard to take at least one bag of stuff to the goodwill each week to make sure there is ample of room for you and your stuff and just less junk around the house. We have been collecting a small amount of clothes for you. I wish I had noted how long drew was in newborn clothes before we switched to 0-3 months. you will be wearing way more pink that I would have planed because that is all I seem to be able to find...pink pink pink. nothing wrong with pink. I just am working hard to get some variety. I've also tried to find bunny and westie related clothing and have found a few things. basicly i"m not getting much beyond 0-3 months becuase we don't know when the seasons will change here in strange weather oregon and what size you will be in then.  I do have four, yes, four diffrent types of baby carriers ready to go and try out this time.
I also have a hand pump ready this time. We have two strollers, the car seat, the car seat bases, the rock and play, the amby in the rafters, two diffrent types of  nursing pillows, a boppy that can go on the bed, lots of swadling blankets (thought I am trying to find more swaddles with velcro) I need sew a car seat cover so that people keep their hands off you and we keep the rain and cold weather from you the first few months. as sore and tired as I already am I hope you keep cookin inside of me for as long as you can (but not past your due date ok)

21 weeks and 2 or 3 days

hey there! you are the size of a carrot and much to our surprise and delight at the ultrasound this monday we discovered you are a girl! wow! we are still in a bit of shock although your brother and I have got you two little newborn girl outfits and I took a bunch of hand me down boy clothes I had gathered but were not your brothers too the goodwill.  your poor brother has a tummy bug today and is napping right now. I'm worried about him, worried I will get it, worried it will make you having problems inside of me. worry worry worry...its what I do really well. it would help if you dad was not in bend today at a science teacher conference but that is the way it worked out.
its funny...I can't really start thinking about names for you yet aside from Margaret nickname Margo. Maybe when I have adjusted to the idea of you being a girl and not a boy for a few more days I will be able to come up with some names.
I am thinking of painting your room teal and bright gray and doing a floppy rabbit and aspen tree theme with some pops of yellow. first we have to get your brother healthy though! we should go to the pumpkin patch very soon as halloween is a few weeks away. your brother is going to be a dino/dragon and I am a "princess" and your dad is going to be godizillia I think? I guess we will see how it all works out.

I can feel you move around every day now. You are head down with your bum to my right hip and I feel your feet and hands kicking. You seem to consistantly be awake from about 8pm to 11pm....let's not make that a habbit when you are outside me ok? It is reassurign to feel you move each day...we are a little past the half way point but your arrival still seems pretty far off although I know it will be here before we know it.

18 weeks and 2 or 3 days

Hey #2...you don't have the relaxed womb life of your big brother do you...mom working full time, trying to keep up with your brother who is almost 4 years old. You must really dislike junk food...particularly sugar as i just still don't want any and I mean any fast food and basically anything with sugar makes me feel icky. Sometimes I want to eat..most days I just force myself too. Sometimes you want soup, or shrimp or lentil based things or fruit. lots and lots of fruit. I don't want meat...sometimes I don't even want cheese. I only throw up about once a week at this point and go back and forth between 138 and 140 pounds. My tummy with you looks about as big as it did at 6 months with your brother but they say that is normal. I think I feel your butt moving sometimes but other times you seem very quite compared to your big brother and that freaks me out. We are done with our blood gentic tests and you were low risk for birth defects so good for you:) We will have your gender ultrasound in two or three weeks and double check you look all put together correctly. At the last midwife app you "felt" the right size and place and your heartbeat was easy to find. I have boy clothes stock piled up...there is no way your are girl right? Oh well...what would I do with a girl anyway.you just keep growing...see if you could get a little more intrested in food ok? oh this week you are the size of a bell pepper

can't have just one... baby blueberry

hey baby blueberry,
that's what your big brother has been calling you. I'm 8 ish (give or take) weeks pregnant with you. Much like your brother you make the task of eating awful. Each pregnancy is different they say...but this sickness thing remains the same as with Drew. I throw up about once a day...although at totally random times. I learned the hard way with your bother that I HAVE to keep eating or I will loose a ton of weight and just get sicker and sicker. Therefore, when I am not paying attention to your brother my sole task in life is forcing myself to eat and then keeping that food in my tummy.  80% of the time I feel like I have punched in the stomach. You better be a cute kid! I had a feeling it was going to be like this again so I may have indulged every food whim I had before getting pregnant with you. needless to say I have more weigh on me to burn this time around. I think I have only lost about two pounds in the last two months although not having a reliable scale it's hard to know. I could list the many food I don't want to eat right now...but that would make me ill. I can say I am able to eat cherries and almonds and watermelon ok. All food that end up being high in B6...so I went and got some b6 pills to see if that helps. I'll feel so sick for a few days, then have a day when I feel just fine and then it's back to ick again. The midwives won't see us for another 3 weeks, I think you'll be 11 weeks on the day we see them based on my guesses. I know they till listen for your heart beat but seeing that they don't like doing unnecessary ultrasounds I'm not sure if I will get one telling me just how far long you are...although I feel like they will need to figure out how big you are somehow!
Since we are on summer vacation, and I force your brother to nap...na he still likes napping thank god, we are getting way more sleep then I did with your brother. this has left me less exhausted than last time which is good...but frankly I would be willing to feel more tired in exchange for feeling less sick. not trying to guilt you...just saying how it is.  Got to figure you are most likley a boy...i'll have a hard time beliving it it if at some point they say you are a girl.
Let me know if you have ideas for a good name for you

16 months

tomorrow Drew is 16 months old
over the winter we have had our ups and downs with him being sick and healthy just like any toddler, right now he seems to have a sour stomach but wants to eat and is in a good mood.

Drew loves to:
dance around
listen to music
play with anything that makes music
wave scarves around as he dances

he is very good at pressing the individual buttons or keys on his toys that make music to get unique sounds...it seems like he is being delibrate about what he pushes

Drew is very active and loves to run run run and walk and play everywhere. he spins in circles till he falls down, stomps his feet and claps his hands, he loves to play chase where you pretend to chase him around the house or he likes to pretend the dogs are chasing him. He can walk backwards he almost never crawls...only when pushing his toy cars and trucks around

he loves anything with wheels
he loves balls
he loves going to swim class
he loves swinging at the park and exploring the playground
sometimes he likes going down the slide

he loves his dogs and all dogs for that matter

he is friendly and goodnatured and kind and is happy to share his toys....he isn't into the "mine" phase yet

he loves bathtime and his duck toys and says quack quack
he says ba for bottle
can sign for milk
can sign for water
can sign for more and all done
mama and dada
occasionaly says something that sounds like ball
says bye and waves good bye

he loves bubbles and hugs and being swung upside down....sometimes he wants me to carry him but often he wants to walk and is not big on holding our hands but we make him
loves to pull things out of the cabinets and empty his bookshelf...sometimes will put stuff away on his own

can stack rings and cups...although better at the rings, can minpulate all the bottons and levers on the pop up toy, not into the shape sorter yet

at last check up he was 32.5 inches and 21 + pounds and I think he has gained for in the last month. sometimes he is a good eater and sometimes it is a real battle
he likes these foods:
fruit and oatmeal
fruit and veggie pouches
black olives
anything with cheese
mac and cheese
grilled cheese sandwiches
yogurt
fried eggs
goldfish crackers
fruit: canned apples, pears, peach, mandrin orange, raspberries blue berries
not big on veggies if not mixed with fruit
french fries
pita chips
rice and soy sauce
noodles with and without spaggitti sacue
perogies
likes to eat bits of our barritos
talipia
smoke salmon (but I'm going to stop giving it to him till he is older)
sometimes waffles and pancakes sometimes not

does not like:
real bannana
food that are not very soft aside from a few cracker items

he drinks about 20 oz of lactose free milk a day...he still drinks from a bottle, will drink water from a spippy or straw cup but rather have milk in the bottle

takes one nap a day for about 2 hours to 2 1/2 hours
has to sleep with sound machine, loves his blanket like thing/zippy...not really attached to any stuffed animals  tends to go to bed around 8:30pm and sleep till about 7 to 7:30am. Some times sleeps through the night and sometimes still wakes in the night  will NOT sleep in bed with us, not that we try or let him except when he is really sick or we are having a really bad night

Has all his molars though although the top ones need to move down some still, has bottom two eye teeth through one all the way pushed up and one half pushed up...both of the top eye teeth are cutting right now... don't seem to hurt him but do seem to make him stuffy and give him a cough. his top teeth move way slower than his bottom teeth but don't seem to hurt as much

overall he is just a happy outgoing loving boy that loves adventure and doing things. I love him work that I can even comprehend

new tricks

this is not your official ten month post....we both have had a tummy bug over the last week so I'm a bit behind but I wanted to write that two weeks ago you learned how to clap, yesterday you started doing something like a wave, a few days ago you figured out how to throw things on purpose and thorw a ball for yoruself and all the toys off your high chair. You can find a toy I hide under a cup or washcloth you crawl so fast, and pull up everywhere and do a little crusing and are doing this cute funny bear crawl where you crawl on your hands and feet like a bear walk! you are also kind of clingy the last week and some nights fuss every hour or so and other nights go an four hours between fussing.I guess the nights you fuss a lot your brain is working hard on your new skills. I love you so much, you are growing and changing and learning so much so fast!

Your 8th and 9th month

Hi baby bear,
I must have gotten off track in counting months somewhere along the line... in 7 days you will be 9 months old! Your such a big boy!  We have had a fun and busy summer and mostly have a month left of summer vacation.
On the 2nd of July we went to Denver, just you and me without your dad to see your grandma. We had a nice visit but of course you got a bad cold while we were there! But we still had fun, we saw Linda and Haliey and Katie and Heather and Jamie on the fourth and had a little picnic... then twice your grandma and I took you swimming for the first time, you did not like areas were the water was cold but you loved part of the pools where it was warmer and really loved the lazy river. you were kicking your legs and splashing your hands like you were going to be a champion swimmer as I floated you down the river.

During July we have hung out with Rebecca and Mac a lot and Kori and Swayer and Nikki and Moe. We also see Michelle and Anja sometimes. We went to the zoo three times, went berry picking twice, go swinging at the park have picnics with Nikki and Moe, went to mommy mattine and play play play.  It has been fun but also pretty tiring some days!

You like being with other people and epically older babies and toddlers and pre-schoolers, you like watching what they can do and I know you dream of being able to run and play.

What you can do is crawl really really well! and sit yourself up and pull yourself up to standing and even scoot a little on pieces of furniture. I can't believe how fast you can crawl...you want to crawl everywhere, on the carpet, on the hardwood floor, in the grass, in the dirt on the beach, everywhere!  I have you wear little kneepads made out of socks you you don't scrape up your knees too bad. you crawl from one end of the house to the other and like to play in the dog's water bowls, you like to play with the broom and bang on the floors or anything else you can to feel the vibrations and here the noise.

you don't seem to like any one toy for long, you rather just explore. I want to find you a push toy to walk along with.  even the bouncer doesn't seem to entertain you for long. You like chasing things that roll around the house and bang bang banging things.

It is so hard to change your diaper cuse you turn over and wiggle and then crawl away!

I'm adding more on 8/25 now...so you are 9 months and two weeks. You are getting much better at eating solids, especially dinner. I need to be better about giving you lunch and I guess also breakfast these are the foods you have tried:
all smooshed
apples
banana
pumpkin
butternut squash
zuchinni
pear
peach
blueberry
carrot
purple carrot
approcot
avacado (although you don't like it anymore)
plums (not a big fan)
a tinny bit of raspberry (you liked it) and a tinny bit of cantaloupe
and egg yolk! you loved that!

you are not so great at eating "finger foods' you gag and throw up...you can do puffs if you haven't had a bunch of liquids for half an hour before. we are going to try some yogurht this weekend  and then maybe some cottage cheese.
You are not eating in the bumbo anymore but in your high chair and you love it when we take it outside and eat al fresco :)

You LOVE watching the chickens and you love love love dogs! They make you laugh and smile

You are getting ticklish and like having raspberries blown on your belly

You have a cookie monster doll that makes you laugh and laugh and you like to chew on power cords

You have EIGHT teeth! and are drooling a ton so maybe those moalrs are on their way....ugg not looking forward to that. I am going to get a amber teething necklace... I hope that helps some

Your sleeping is sometimes good and sometimes bad.
Most nights you wake up two to three times, some nights once, some nights more. When you wake we usally feed you a bottle and rock you or bounce you back to sleep. We are not supposed to feed you during the night more than once says the Dr. but I can't stand the crying and I think you are hungry. I am not going to go into how conflicted I am about sleep training here...that can be a separate letter. So far you are still naping twice a day for anywhere from 40min to two hours. You are able to be awake for about 3 to 3 1/2 hours at a time before you melt down.  You go to bed somewhere between 8:30 and 9pm and wake up somewhere between 6:30 ad 7:30am (typically between 6:45-7:15am)
You are starting to fight going to bed and sometimes scream and then pull yourself up to standing and suffle around your crib instead of going to sleep. Then you get mad that you are stuck standing up and can't settle down. It drives me nuts. I hope by my next entry that will have passed. You seem to have a hard time falling alseep in the car and have to cry for about 20 min now...You rather be alseep in the crib or pack and play. You don't like being in bed with us and haven't sleep in the bed with us for a long time.

You tend to eat 4oz at a time of milk about every two and half hours during the day...about 6 bottles during the day and two at night...so about 32oz a day. I think that is ok/good.

You love to babble and can say dada, mama, baba, nigh nigh something that sounds like dogie and tons of other sounds, you are clicking your tounge this week and sticking it out the sides of your mouth so you look funny. I don't know if you really are using those sounds as words but you can say them.

You are a happy camper most of the time, you are social and active and interested in the world around you. So far you don't mind other people and you are good about being at daycare. I wonder if/when you will get bad separation anxiety.

You still love books, especially Barnyard Dance, Busy Chickens, Chugga Chugga Choo Choo, the going to bed book and good night moon to name a few.
We are finishing up a summer reading program and I hope to get you a liabary onesie!

that is all for now but I'm sure I'll have plenty more to add later on.
Love your mama

your 7th month

man you have been sick a lot lately. You had that bad cold and ear infection and did not like taking your antibotics. I had to put you in the bouncer with water running and the music playing and get behind you to get you to take the antibotics but you got them down and the ear infection and cold went away. The really really bad part was three days long and then after a week from the start of you getting sick you were doing a lot better although you have a lingering cough. Then a few weeks went by and you were pretty healthy and really not much happened no big changes, same with daycare and eating and such...well I take that back you were doing better eating your solids including rice cereal mix mixed with avocado, pear and sweet potato.

Then we had a bad run of luck...the fridge died (not so bad) then I got rear-ended while you were home napping and there was damage to my car that I am STILL waiting to have fixed up and my back was pretty sore from being hit. Then I was holding you and touched something hot on the grill and shook my hand and lost my wedding band but not my engagement ring. Then the ENTIRE daycare came down with Hand foot and mouth...you were basically the last one to get it and you also had a cold. It was sooo gross and creepy with the blisters all over your body and I felt so bad for you and you were miserable for about 3 days and unhappy for another 5. You are healing up very well though and have no scars on your face but may have some temporary scars on your butt and feet and ankles.

Strangely enough after getting the HFM you now HATE avocado but love sweet potato, and pears and squash and are getting better at eating if we put you in the bumbo. You will also eat some rice cereal now and then but you rather have the straight fruit and sweet veggies. You like chewing on some rice crackers called mum mums although you do more gumming of them than eating them.

Then while you had the HFM your top two teeth started coming down hard and painful. Ugg the look awful and are moving so much more slowly than the bottom teeth. then to my complete surprise I realized the next two bottom teeth were coming through also! Now the bottom left is through all the way, the bottom right mostly through and the top two have pushed through but the whole process is a lot slower and more painful looking with the top teeth. You have six teeth!

Then we can talk about sitting. You were not really willing to do it for more than a minute then towards the end of the HFM you became a sitting master, basically you wouldn't do it till you could do it well. Now you sit quite well and if you want to can do it for a while though you tend to tip yourself over so you can play on your tummy. You don't seem too bothered when you tip over.  Now, in the last week, you are up on your hands and knees rocking back and forth and doing an army crawl thing. You can almost push yourself up to a sitting position, you can hold yourself up while standing for a moment if you can hold onto something...you tried to pull yourself up to standing while at Calvins graduation by using the folding chair in front of us.  Such HUGE changes soooo fast! I'm overwhelmed.   You are also "talking" a lot more and saying Da da da although i don't think you are actually calling for your daddy.

When you have not been sick you have been pretty darn happy and you love laughing at your doggies, playing with things that play music and spin and light up! You still love the exersacuser and love to jump up and down in it. You can grab thing so well and have a very very strong grip. You seem to have such good control with your hands. You really enjoy having books read to you and you like shaking things, crumpling things and hitting things.

for the last week that you have not been sick you have been an eating machine and sometimes will even drink five or six ounces at a time. You still like to eat twice during the night.

Sleep: I was going to write that it has gotten a lot better since my month six post (minus the sick nights) but then last night you had a terrible night again. You had one night right before the HFM where you slept from 8:30pm-5:20am without waking then ate and went back to sleep till 7am. That was a one night fluke. But we were to only waking twice a night and you would eat and go back to sleep. Sometimes if you cry out in-between I can go pat your back and you go back to sleep. Then your grandma Cindy came to visit and your dad and I went away for one night and you only woke once and then for the next two nights you only woke once, then for the next few you woke twice to eat, then twice to eat, once to be held and then last night you were awake a TON...not upset but like you were ready to be awake and play. You had a really hard time settling down. I hope it is temporary and had to do with all these huge development leaps you are making. It is really hard on your dad and I to be up so much and I was soooooo happy that you were only waking twice a night. Could we please please go back to that?!!!!

the one good thing about your cold and ear infection is that we were able to stop swaddling you and put you into that $40 zippy thing I talked about. You seem to like it and it works for you to help you sleep and you can move around in it and you can were it at daycare.  

I am done with school now and on summer vacation and we are trying to figure out what to do for daycare for next year. It is hard knowing what is the right thing to do! I just want you to be happy and healthy and well cared for. making these big choices for your little life is so scary a lot of the time and I am trying my best but I worry I don't make the right choices sometimes. But no one can be perfect. I keep repeating it doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be good enough and with love.

your 6th month

you are 6 months and a week old now. You are 27 3/4 inches long and as of today weigh 15.8 pounds. you are very tall and pretty skinny and gain about 3-4 oz a week. You have just outgrown your 3-6 month sleep and plays and the feet are too small. I can't believe you are more than 6 inches taller than when you were born! It's funny to watch me carry you as you are soooo long compared to me.

You are all formula feed now and tend to be less gassy and your poop has less mucous. Who knows if that has anything to do with the brestmilk or not. Right now you are sick with a cold and part of me questions if you wouldn't have gotten the cold if you have brestmilk but I think you still would have as your breast feed buddies get sick also.

You have started to eat a few solid foods. We started with some oatmeal about four weeks about but it made you gassy and constipated and gave you a rash on the tummy. I realized it had wheat and soy in it so we stopped giving it to you. After a few weeks we gave you some pears I made you. You did not like them...I think they were too grainy and sour because I then gave you some baby food pears I bought and you liked those a lot. Then we tried avocado with formula...you really like that! Next I think we are going to try sweet potatoes. I don't know if we should try the oatmeal again or try some rice cereal and hope it doesn't clog you up too much. Oh yeah...you do NOT like prune juice (I can't blame you)

You still drink a bottle every 2-3 hours and have 4 oz most of the time...sometimes up to 5 or almost 6oz but usually 4. You still eat twice during the night...3 or 4 oz. You used to want to eat every time you woke up but now half the time you get really mad when we try to feed you. I guess one of the ladies at daycare gave you a sippy cup last week and you drank from it...I have yet to try that though. They would like  you to eat more oz less often but Dr. B says if you want to eat the way you do that that is ok. You are still low on the weight but not dangerously so. About 10th percentile as of today. You are just so active that you don't like stopping to eat. It is easiest to get you to eat when you are sleepy so we haven't broken that habit yet.

Speaking of bad habits you are a officially a bad sleeper. I'm sorry but it is true. You are awake every two hours sometimes every hour. At least 3-5 times a night. Before you would eat back to sleep but now only about two times a night do you want to eat. Other times you want the pacifier or to be held in bed with us or to be in the rock and play or who knows what because when we try to hold you you scream and throw a fit and get even madder when we try to put anything in your mouth. That's why I don't think you would nurse back to sleep anymore. I'm trying to not play the what if game so much....but it is hard. You start sleeping in the crib and wake about 10:30 and again at 11:30 when you sometimes eat and then 1:30 when you almost always eat and then about 3:30 when you often eat and then often at 5-5:30 you try to get up for the day but if we hold you in bed half the time we can get you to sleep till 6-6:30am. It feels so early and we are sooooo tired. Can you please become a better sleeper!? sometimes the only way to calm you down and get you back to sleep is to run the vacume cleaner. The Dr. wonders if you are having night terrors since you are not comforted by us sometimes but I'm not sure if that is it or if you are just really tired and annoyed that you are awake but not sure how to calm yourself back to sleep. sometimes the more we try to clam you the more upset you get! We really don't know what to do. We may have to try some Cry it Out this summer if things are still this bad.

Sometimes you nap well...at daycare you don't but at home I can often get you to take two hour naps. Sometimes I think you nap better than you sleep at night!

I love your bedtime routine. I give you a bath and then we listen to classical music as I give you a massage and a back rub and rub your feet. Then I give you a bottle while singing to you. I sing twinkle twinkle, the bear went over the Mt., hush little baby, sleep baby sleep, rock a bye baby and lullabuy and good night.
after your bottle Dad reads you good night moon, we put you in your swaddle and rock or hold you a bit and then lay you down in your crib to sleep with the sound machine. Sometimes you toss and turn or rub the sheets for a while before you sleep. You tend to go to bed at 8:30pm. But if you keep getting up this early we may have to move it to 8pm. Now I understand why books talked about the 10pm feeding.

Oh and then the swaddle you love it and hate it. You have to be swaddle in order to nap more than about 45min and it seems to help clam you down at night. We have a swaddle where you can pull your arms out when you want and you do during the night and then after a while you wake up upset and we have to go put your arms back in and try again. if we leave your arms out you just cry or play with your hands or work on your rolling. I just bought this this called a zipadeezip that works miracles for some swaddle addicted babies. I'm not holding my breath that it will do much but at least it will be safer for you to wear at night now that you are rolling and it will make it harder for you to play with your hands. we will try it when you are not sick anymore. I hope it works a little because it cost $40 and is made by a mom so I can't take it back to the store or re-sell it or anything. anything to help you sleep better is worth it.

Enough of the trying things. You are an active happy boy most of the time. You are adorable and everybody loves you. You are always on the move wiggling and turning and playing. You adore your exersacuser and since your last little height growth sprut you fit in it much better. You can spend up to half an hour in it before you get tired or I make you stop. You like your big boy swing well enough. It is good for when you need to relax a little. A very few times you have fallen asleep in it. We sold lotty at the consignment sale and got you a wooden play thing from Ikea that you love and a ocean play mat thing that we don't use very much. You rather be on the blanket where you can move around a bunch. You sit in the bumbo a bit more now but still don't love it. You can easily roll from your back to your tummy both directions and your tummy to your back both directions although you only do it sporadically. A few times you have log rolled across the room. Then you won't do it for days. You seem to get really focused on working at one skill at at time. You can lift your but up high and get your knees underneath you when you are on your tummy so I wonder if you will creep around soon. You don't mind being on your tummy very much anymore because you like to "swim" on the carpet and then push wayyyyy up into a pushup then drop down and swim and push swim and push. You somehow manage to rotate in a circle while you do that so you can spin around 360o. You seem to have stoped the scooting across the floor on your back thing...I wonder if you will start it up again. You still like to be held upright so you can march your feet and jump. You like being in the johhny jump up with a soft piano under your feet that you can play. You love your squish and several shaking rattles. You are starting to like Sophie better. Of course you  still love anything that plays music. I can't let you play on the changing table as much now because you try to roll off of it. You like an inflatable ball with a jinggle bell in it and a blanket I made you with ribbon tags. You still like mirrors and when I put us in front of one together you smile and laugh.

You love your doggies and laugh and smile at them...honestly scooter is your favorite. You try to pet them which is really cute. Or maybe you are pulling their fur. You like to pull my hair and pull off your dad's glasses. Your grip is so strong and you can pinch and it HURTS. Oh and your two bottom teeth are very up and out and they also HURT!  The Dr. said you are teething your top two teeth right now and you have been drooling for the first time. I wonder when those will come though. You have more teeth than most of the kids at mom's group!

What you are a bit behind on is the whole sitting thing. I have seen you sit on your own a few times. You are able to do it more and more this week but you just are not very interested. Sitting doesn't get you anywhere so after a few seconds of sitting you get your feet under you and try to push up. The day care is trying so hard to get you to sit. I'm a bit whatever on it. The Dr. agrees that you probably will sit later than most kids because you are too busy working on other skills but he thinks you will walk early.

Daycare is a whole other issue and I'll write a seperate entry for that.

your first bad sickness

How did another month pass already. Time is going really fast now. I'm back at work and so is your daddy and you are at daycare. I am home with you today because you are sick...the sickest you have ever been. It is horrible. I feel so bad for you. You have a head cold that has you so stuffed up and with snot running down your face and you left ear is full of fluid and hurting you (although not a full blown ear infection yet) and your teething your top two teeth. You have been running a fever for three days although it peaked at 6am today at 103 o and I freaked out. You are so full of snot that you can't eat well and sometimes gurrgle. We knew you were getting sick on Wednesday when we took you in for your 6 month shots and so I didn't let them give you shots. Thank god! I pray that today is the worst of it. We went back to the Dr. this morning and he decided to give you antibiotics to make sure the junk in your ear doesn't  turn into an ear infection. The past 24 hours have been awful as you are really miserable and fussy and having the hardest time eating and sleeping and your dad is out of town! We were all alone last night. I don't know how we made it through. Sometimes you wanted to be in the rock and play and sometimes in your crib and a few times I had to hold you upright till you feel alseep. You cried and cried. I cried. I ran the vacume a ton but that trick is really hard to pull off with only one person. I wished I could have nursed you to make you feel better although I really doubt you would have as you didn't want anything in your mouth you are so sutffed up. I feel guilt that you are sick because of daycare and that if I breastfeed you still that you wouldn't have gotten sick. I have to remember that the babies at mom's group that are breastfeed also get sick...some even sicker than you.  I am grateful that you have gone this long without getting this sick. This morning I feed you our bottle by dropper. Then you ate two ounces from the bottle while we waited for you medicine at the store and I gave you another ounce by dropper before this nap. I really hope you eat more when you wake up. I am so afraid that you are going to get dehydrated although the Dr. promised me that you won't. At last check your fever was down under 100.o you are taking a nap right now so I hope you body is fighting to get better. I keep giving you advil and tylenol and worry it is hurting your tummy.
You gagged on the first round of antibotics and thew up but after your last nap I got you to take them by spliting the dose in half and having you sit up when I put then in your mouth with the dropper. I really hope they help you feel better soon. I wish I could keep you from ever feeling sick. I know you will be sick and hurt and sad many times over the years and each time I will experience it along with you. I worry if I can handle being a mom or a good mom. I feel so helpless when you are sick like this and when you can't sleep and I'm so sleep deprived and you are crying. I just want you to feel better. I promise to update how you do over the next few days.

rabbit skins onesie sizes

SIZE   CHEST   LENGTH   SLEEVES
NB      14      15.5       3
6M      17.5    16.75      3
12M     20      17.25      3
18M     22.25   18.5       3
24M     25.5    19.5       3

your 5th month

So much happened in your fifth month...I think the most changes occurred in this month than any other so far (aside from you being born) some of those changes were good and some where not so great.

You still love to play on your changing table and play with a moblie although right now you like a bug one from Ikea where you like to grab the bugs and pull them hard. You also love to hang out in your crib with your Rainforest soother. You are no longer a fan of the bouncer and are only willing to be in it for about 10min at a time even with the shower running. We got you a big boy swing and you are liking it much better than the little collapsible swing. You are so so on the bumbo chair and are more interested in being held up so you can stand and march your feet or bounce your feet than being in a sitting position. We just got you an exersaucer this weekend and you like it for about 15 min at a time then I think it is a little hard on your hips still. You currently LOVE anything that spins...still love anything that plays music and of course mirrors.

You love to look in a mirror especially with mommy and laugh and smile. You love when we bend over you and kiss and nibble your cheeks and go mummumumm you laugh and squell. You think Scooter is halarious and randomly start laughing at him sometimes. Often when Mom gets home from work if you are awake you give her a big smile.

You don't love the play gym so much anymore. You rather be on a quilt that Jackie made you where you kick and roll side to side and sometimes roll to your tummy. You can roll from back to tummy both directions (you first did it about mid the third week of May) but you don't roll from your tummy to back even though that is supposed to be easier. I think it is because your back and arm muscles are a little weak because you don't like tummy time and are only willing to do it in very short burst and pretty much only when you can look into a mirror or at one of your art cards. (you still love your art cards and dalmation is your favorite) I am working really hard to get you to have more tummy time and am trying to entice you with toys you can play with and tummy time back rubs. It seems proping you up on the bobby during tummy time helps a lot.

This week you started doing this scooting thing when you lay on your back that propells you across the room for a foot or two and you occasionally grab your feet although you haven't put them in your mouth yet. You do like it when we take your foot when you are on your back and have you tap your nose and mouth with your toes. Silly baby.

You don't like being put into the car seat but you do like going into the car and you really like the monkey mirror in dad's car and the toys that hang from the handle of your carseat. You also like going for walks and we have put you in the stroller without the carseat a few times but you are so so on that so we usually use the carseat. In the past two weeks have have gotten big enough to be in the Ergo without the infant insert although I pulled out the pillow part to put under your butt so that you sit up high enough to see what is going on. You are willing to be in it for longer periods of time now...even long enough to go grocery shopping at Win-co. You still perfer being front facing but much like the exersacuer the front facing carrier (cheap biojorn knock off from target) seems to hurt your hips or crotch after about 12-15 min. I really want a carrier called a Beco that is like the Ergo with the backpack belt but you can ride facing out and on my hip also. they cost $130 and are new enough that I can't get a used one so we need to go try one on and see if we can return it if we don't like it. That would be one of the most expensive baby items you would use.

(I guess your car seat, crib, and mattress and the breast pump cost about the same or more)

In the last month you have transitioned from breastfeeding to formula and only get an few ounces of brestmilk or none at all most days. You were eating so often and didn't seem to be able to get enough food from me as you are a really distracted eater and were eating for up to 45min at a time every two hours all night long. We both were getting really frustrated and no sleep. I was having a nervous breakdown and the times of day when my milk hormone was the highest I was having extream panic attacks. Also I was having a breakdown about not being able to pump you enough milk at work and the stress of working and pumping. With the help of my Dr. and counselor and Doris the lactation lady we decided to transition you to formula. You got at least 8oz of breastmilk up till week 20 and at least some till your exact 5 month birthday and now it is pretty hit or miss. You don't want to nurse anymore as my remaining milk is too low and slow. I wish I had been able to keep going longer for you but I could not do it anymore physically. I love being able to rock you and make eye contact while you eat and you like being able to look around and are able to get more food in again. typically you eat 3-4oz about every two hours although you have started taking some 5oz bottles so I think you may be either having a little growth spurt or ready to move up in volume. You drink Similiac sensitive for lactose sensitivity although I have no clue if you do have any lactose sensitivity. You plow through the tubs of formula...thank goodness Brian is a Similiac rep and gets us a huge discount. I am really starting to think you are ready for some solids because of how you move your lips and mouth in a chewing motion now.

You love to bite on my finger and chew on soft items like a washcolth and the side of your pacifier. You got your bottom two teeth the last two weeks of april and while it seemed to hurt you a bit at night you took it better than I expected. You are chewing again and drooling a lot and blowing raspberreies and smacking your lips so I wonder if more teeth are comming soon or if this is just your new thing. I know you are hungery now when you start chewing on my sholder. You little teeth are sharp and painfull and man does it hurt when you bite my finger but that is your favorite thing to chew on so I let you sometimes.

39 weeks and 5 days

ok baby time to come. I stopped working today so I could start resting up for labor. of course now I have a cold. we are ready for you any time you are ready for us. last week they said I was 3cm dilated and quite effaced. we will see if it is the same at the Dr. appt tomorrow. I'm afraid they are going to say I have un-dilated or the midwife last week was confused. I'm trying to drink a LOT of liquids so the cold goes away. I want it to go away fast as I can understand that you may not want to come when I am sick. I guess you can always wait till friday and be an 11/11 baby. but let's not wait tooooo long past thrusday or friday ok?

week 34

week 34 baby. You feel so big and heavy. I managed to gain four pounds for our last Dr.s appt. we are still eating a lot of peanut butter. They say you are gaining half a pound a week! You should be at least 5lbs now if not more. My belly button is starting to push out but I don't think it will pop out and I don't have the brown line down my belly.
Some days I think you are laying across my belly and it hurts! It is getting so hard to get comfortable, so let's get head down ok?

Your Dad and I have gone to two birthing classes and have learned you need to be heads down and facing backwards so keep that in mind ok? We have been practicing how to keep moving and breathing in labor and different positions we can labor in. We had to repeadily hold handfuls of ice cubes in our hand and practice diffrent relaxation methods. Ah he ahe ahe ahoo and thinking about breathing slowly and swaying and thinking about petting the doggies. The couple next to us gets way to touchy feely during massage and labor practice. ugg it drives me nuts. I guess we are going to go on a tour of the hospital the last class so that should be interesting to see where you will be born. I hope I can labor at home for as long as possible though.

We still need to go to an infant care class and I need to find a breastfeeding class. I hope there is time to get it all done. We DO have all the stuff you need thanks to several trips to consignment sales. We have slings and carriers galore. We have a bouncy seat and a swing, we have 2 places for you to sleep and a bumbo seat! We have a diaper pail but no diapers! opps we need to fix that and get a few baby bottles just in case. While you are thinking head down also think about wanting to breastfeed!

Your room looks cute though. With the tree and little birdhouses and a panting of a bird. You have a tree and bird room. I still want to make a painting of a mama and baby bird in a nest and make you a mobile of stuffed birdies and a dot mobile for over the bassinet in the bedroom. We will get it done though. About six weeks to go till we meet you!

back to school baby

sorry squirmy...its been a month. That's what happens when mom has to go back to work. You are back to school also...your second school year technically. You are going to be a well educated baby by the time you come out.
We are working on week 33 and you are over 4lbs and I can feel it. You have hands and feet in my ribs, hips and everywhere in between. You feel heavy inside of me and it is getting very uncomfortable to sit. My belly keeps going out but my weight won't go up so now I have to eat peanut butter and other extra protein. Oh yah and black strap molassass for extra iron. And I should be having those fish oil supplments that are sitting in your room but I can only eat so many gross things in one day

squirmy

squirmy...that is now your name. you wiggle and squirm and press your big head and big feet all over my belly and ribs. Your 28 weeks today and the "book" says you are at least 2 1/2 pounds and my guess is you weigh more. My belly is going out and is getting hard and when we go to the Dr. tomorrow we will see if I managed to gain some weight. Some days I have heartburn 24/7 and the idea of eating is next to impossible, but I push through so you can get the calories you need. We are in the third trimester and I should be eating even more calories now for you but I find it really hard to want to eat. You must love fruit though because that is all you want.

Don't worry though...your dad is eating for both of us;)

We have been to two weddings and once again I have learned you do NOT like loud noises like music and if I eat too much sugar...cake and apple juice I will barf in the parking lot. Then your grandma came to visit this last week and she got you a crib and helped us set up your room. She is very excited for you and will be back very soon near your birth. We took you to the ocean and you seemed to like it...no protests;)

You also had a baby shower with your dad's family and grandma and a few friends last weekend. They are very excited for you....you are kicking right now... you got lots of cute clothes and a car seat and stroller and high chair and a bear as big as mom. It's huge and awesome and creepy at the same time. Jo Jo felt your head and feet and is starting to understand you are in there and will be out in time for Thanksgiving. I don't think she will like having to share me with you. Her mom and twin sister want to hold you as soon as possible so I guess we will just trade kids.

I need to go back to school and set up my new classroom and then start teaching in a few weeks and I really hope you can be a good helper and not make me too sick or tired. I'm very nervous, very, very nervous about starting a new school, but I know this new job will be better for you and hopefully we will like it. I'll be able to spend a lot more time with you than if I was at the old school.

We are growing a lot of tomatoes that will be ready before you are ready and a pumpkin...a big one! that will be ready about the same time you are. Even though it would be fun to have a Halloween baby I think you better stay in for a few more days so you are nice and cooked before you come out.

I REALLY need to sign your dad and I up for birthing classes and I should be going to some exersise class but I'm lazy. I am up and really active though so I think we are ok. Look I'm going to go sign up for a class right now...just one moment

Childbirth Preparation

Your Confirmation #: VZVF2DB90B11

See told you I would go do it. Wednesday nights starting September 14 till October 5th from 7-9pm.

Now I need to sign us up for infant care and breastfeeding. See, we are going to figure out how to take care of you!