Debate

In my head rages the debate...does he wake up to eat in the middle of the night (once usually) because he's hungry....or because his body is used to eating then. My supply is minimal at best at this point and sometimes he nurses for awhile, sometimes just snack and crash. There never seems to be a clear reason or event that I can pinpoint when he does sleep through the night. BUT-- Today, with the advent of baby food at daycare, LM has had the following: 36oz of formula 6oz of baby puree (peas/brown rice and pears) 2 good naps Plenty of active playtime A normal, baby-led bedtime So...if he still wakes up to eat tonight....that'll clear it all up for me........ haha...I laughed even as I typed it.

Sorry...

I'm feeling overwhelmed by life right now.... Too many work responsibilities and things to do.... Too many things to do at home.... Not enough time to spend with LM in the evening.... And....not enough sleep to keep me going (or money to hit up Starbucks every day!) I promise I've been reading...late at night on my phone...but I've been bad about commenting...it's hard from my phone. Sorry.

Dirty mouth? Clean it up with....

Orbit? Soap? Not really sure what we'll have to use with LM but it's looking like soap won't be an option. Last night while giving LM a bath, he used his lightning fast reflexes and grabbed a bath toy, shoving it in his mouth completely covered in soap lather. Now, please note, this is the child that no matter what yummy baby food we put in his mouth---he makes a wretched face. Clearly, every initial taste is like salt and vinegar potato chips dipped in jalapenos and sardines. At least judging by his face. Of course, after this initial bite, he happily nom-nom's down, laughing and cooing. All I'm saying is that he has no problem using a "WTF am I tasting?" face. Now, back to the soap.... Not a single iota of an expression crossed his face. He just gummed/gnawed on it like everything else he puts in his mouth these days. So apparently, soap isn't exactly a punishment to him. I'm flash-forwarding to the future when he's a sassy, grumpy teenage boy who asserts his independence by using dirty words. It looks like we won't be able to re-create the famous soap scene from The Christmas Story at our house. Oh no...not this boy. Apparently he has a taste for the suds. Sometime between now and then I'll have to come up with a good solution to the sassy mouth I know he'll have....if he's anything like me :-)

By the Numbers

LM had his 6mo check-up this week-- He weighed in a healthy 18lbs 11oz and is now 27inches long. His head is 15 7/8 cm (still on the small side but slowly growing so no concerns). He got his last round of shots for awhile--including his flu shot. The pedi is a little concerned that his head tends to lean to the left. But, since he has the ability to turn his head both directions when he chooses and doesn't seem to be in any pain, she just wants us to massage both sides nightly and encourage him (through toy placement, body positioning etc) him to look/lean in the other direction. We're also going to try to spend more time on tummy time and assisted sitting to help him build more upper body strength in general (and hopefully encourage him to haul his chubby self from back to belly!). His cold/cough are also run of the mill--with none of the congestion in his chest. A rash that has developed appears to be eczema and is disappearing nicely with some hydrocortisone cream a couple times a day. Other than that--all systems were a go! He's happy, healthy and alert, so unless we run into her at the zoo again, we should be good until 9 months. On some other notes--we're going to start adding in another meal of solids--at daycare. I'm planning on sending fruits for her to do either at "breakfast" or "lunch" depending on what is easier in their schedule. I don't want her to fixate on it being a certain time of day/meal, as it's more important to me for him to still get his bottles in a timely manner and not be too full to eat/play/nap/exist well and happily. But--we'll probably hold off a couple more weeks so I can try a couple more fruits at home first to check for any reactions. He also does appear to be on the mend from his cold--his snotty nose and cough are still there but he's sleeping better so I believe he has to be feeling better. Happy Sunday everyone! Hopefully, all three of us (four if you count the dog) are decked out in our jerseys, watching the Browns get whooped on :-)

Reality check

Why does it seem like that my dog is the one who is the only one who can talk some sense into me? More times than not, this little spoiled Yorkie-Poo has given me an attitude readjustment. I know how spoiled he is--we're the ones who did it to him :-) He loves LM a ton---especially when there's spit-up to lick up! Likewise, LM loves him as well---he cracks up watching the dog run around or play with his toys. He opens his mouth and sticks out his tongue to accommodate the spit-up licking. But--he's a jealous little thing. He always brings toys for us to throw when we're playing with LM. He burrows in and snuggles on our laps when there's room for him on our laps when we're holding LM. He demands attention. This behavior reminds me to make room in my life for more than LM. Making time for him is something that helps balance out out lives. He is a jumping, barking, wiggling reminder to keep friends, family and TH in the loop. Today, I was at the end of my rope with the dog. The darling little furbaby was killing me with the incessant barking at non-existent sounds. His new-found love of freaking out when someone goes out the door--complete with barking and leg herding woke up LM TWICE. He was about to earn a visit to Cruella DeVille (just kidding, just kidding!). But then, after LM went down (early!!) and I took care of some laundry--the dog and I headed downstairs. But, as we went downstairs, he stopped at LM's door and whined. I let him in (thinking he had left a toy in there) and watched him walk up to the crib, hop up on his hind legs like a circus dog and look at LM sleeping. He hopped around like that for a couple seconds and then trotted back out the door and down the stairs. That's all it took for the frustration/anger etc to evaporate. His cute gesture of love for LM reminded me how simple love can be and even though he drives me crazy...our little spoiled dog loves our little monkey and for that, I can cut him some slack.

Oh Sunday....please don't go.

I'm having a case of the Monday's....and it's not even here yet. Perhaps it's all of the videos/news coverage/memories of 9/11.....combined with a football season kicking off without Peyton....combined with a baby that has developed a cough...and a diaper rash......it's just all combining to make me feel pretty down in the dumps. I just can't seem to psych myself up for the week ahead...it's filled with meetings, extra responsibilities and random other stuff. The bright spot is Tuesday's 6mo checkup (timed perfectly or I'd be trying to decide whether LM needed to go in anyway). TH and I are both taking half-days even though his appt isn't until after school. We need a lunch date and want to pick up LM from daycare early to have some extra family time. I must must must focus on this...and the fact that I am making progress with a couple of my roughest kiddos...it's just hard to see right now. Normally, I can focus on these bright spots on Sundays and get myself excited for the week ahead. Today....not really. There's just too much negativity and worry in my head today. I shouldn't have watched news coverage today...seeing all of those children growing up without a parent always freaks me out. I want to just hold LM close and whisper promises that we're not going anywhere. Hearing about 3 year old victims just was too much. I will refocus. I will refocus. Now that I'm done whining here to you all lovely people who cheer me up just by your presence--I will go find something good to do.

I need a fairy godmother.

Once upon a time, there was a sleep deprived mama whose class was kicking her butt. They were using up all available energy she had during the day being frighteningly off the wall for this early in the year. Then she'd come up and use up all of the energy reserves having fun with her little monkey. Everyone in this fun far far away place was surviving until the big mean nasty monster, Mr. Cold, made his appearance. Now, everyone in all the land is up every two hours with a sad LM who has been granted an endless supply of snot (along with his teething drool) by a mean fairy who hates the world. This fairy has also rendered formerly useful tools such as humidifiers, inclined surfaces and snot suckers, completely useless and ineffective. Will there be a happy ending? SOON???? Or will I have to go find a frog to kiss? If so, it better come to me because I don't have the energy to move and I'm quickly turning into an ogre.

Six Months

LM is six months now (as of Labor Day). It's been a crazy week so far (aaaaand it's only Wednesday) but I must mark the occasion. The last six months have FLOWN by. I looked back at newborn pictures today and I can't imagine how tiny he was. At one point, he snuggled in one arm....now, he's a moose! I loved when he was a newborn. I could watch him sleep for hours. He was like this warm little hot water bottle that laid on my chest. Apparently, I've also forgotten about all of the "oh my god, I'm going to lose my mind" moments, pain, bodily fluids etc. He goes next week for his 6mo checkup/shots etc. I estimate he'll be between 18-20lbs...a long way from his 7lb 15oz birth weight. He can roll from his belly to his back....but hasn't figured out how to coordinate all his little muscles into hauling his chunky self from back to belly. But since he hates being on his belly for any stretch of time...make sense! He's figured out how to move himself in a circle by lifting his hips and doing little pelvis thrust wiggles to move his body. He likes to try to stand when we're holding him. He's loving solids..my little bird with his cute little wide open mouth. He eats part of a jar every night for "dinner" with us. He's taking about 30oz of formula a day plus nursing when he wakes up at night. Most nights (knock on wood, knock on wood...please oh please don't let me jinx it for me tonight) he goes down by eight and wakes up once between 2-4 to eat. We get him up (why oh why can't he sleep through a diaper change, poor little guy) at six to snuggle, sometimes nurse and head out to daycare. He loves daycare....me, I'm still a little ambivalent about it all but he's happy, he smiles when he sees her and she loves to snuggle him. Most of the time he falls asleep after his bedtime bottle, but when sleepy and full, he can put himself to sleep. He still is a big cat napper but (especially at daycare) he's better at doing an hour morning nap and an hour-two hour pm nap. He watches everything....my little observant man. He's recently discovered a love of watching football on tv--craning his neck to see it. One time he flapped his arms whenever they caught the ball......maybe I will get to retire early when he's a pro :-) I can see him thinking. I love knowing that he's trying to figure things out when he's looking at them....looking at a light that's not on but usually is, gauging the distance between an object and his mouth and then hitting it exactly etc. I want him to be smart for so many reasons...but especially as a teacher, I don't want him to struggle. It hurts me to see kids struggle. He love love loves the dog. He opens his mouth for him to kiss/lick him whenever he can and is getting great at grabbing out and snagging him by the collar. We're practicing petting...he opens and closes his hand on his fur. He also loves his jumparoo and is beginning to appreciate the exersaucer. He still adores playing on his playmat and love his bouncy chair. Books...oh, be still my heart! He adores them. He loves to hold them and look at them. He turns pages with me. He eats them of course :-) His whole body wiggles and kicks when he sees favorite books. I love that he loves them. We're at two teeth...boy are they sharp for such little nubs. So far, teething seems to bother him most at night. He talks, screams, shrieks, sings and coos up a storm. I love having conversations with him. He pretty much rocks my world. I don't want the next six months to go this fast. Pretty soon, he won't be my little snugglebug anymore. He'll start moving and off he'll go.... I'm so glad I listened to all of the advice I got to not worry about letting him nap on me. I wouldn't trade those moments for anything.

Little pearly whites

Sunday, we were walking around at the zoo. We try to sneak off there on Sunday mornings every few weeks--arriving right as it's opening, when it's not crowded and still cool enough that the animals are active. We see a lot of cool things---I love living so close to it. However, this morning, LM was a little fussier than normal and I, in a fine show of my stellar mothering skills had left the pacifier in the car (TH wears him while we're there). So, I was letting him suck on my knuckle occasionally to keep him happy as we finished up. When what to my wondering knuckles did I feel? The tiny, pearly bumps of LM's first tooth! There was just a wee bit of tooth poking through (bottom middle right). But--it was so exciting! His gums have been hard and he's been a fussy drool factory for awhile now so we knew it was coming. I can't believe we're talking about this already! The week carried on...ok, it dragged on. Wednesday night turned from a rough day at work to a hellish night. Though he was in a good mood and went down to bed as normal around 8.......LM woke up at 1030, 1230, 145, 300 and 500. He was fussy fussy and could not be soothed by anything but nursing. My poor woeful supply (used to nursing once or twice during a middle of the night wakeup and then again as breakfast some days) was struggling to keep up. And so was I....I was SOOOOOOOOOOO tired. Suffice it to say, I was not a super fun teacher that day (despite my and Starbuck's best efforts). When I got home that afternoon, LM was in a super duper mood---laying on his playmat singing and laughing at TH. I laid down on the floor with him (and stayed awake!!!) and talked/played with him. It was then that I noticed something.....during the night--that long long night--he had cut a second tooth. Though it wasn't there at ALL Wednesday evening, by Thursday it had caught up to the one that came through Sunday. It was relieving to have a reason for the insanity of the night before--speed tooth cutting is an okay excuse. Let's just not repeat it anytime soon, k? LM now has a matching set of two little pearly white nubs front and center. He hates it when we try to look at them--tongue blocking us at every turn. But, when he shrieks and laughs, we can catch a glimpse. And BOY oh BOY can we feel them when he gets our fingers in his mouth--ouch! He turns six months on Monday. The rate of change just blows my mind! I'll have to start doing full body cavity checks daily to keep up with new changes ;-)