7 Months

Little Jacob

 you are 7 months old!

Watching the rattle Mommy is shaking to keep his attention and prevent him from crawling off the chair.

At seven months, you-

 

• weigh between 17 and 18 lbs. 
•  are wearing size 3 diapers (this is the size your sister was wearing when we finished potty-training her at 2.5 years)
• are wearing size 6 month and 9 month clothing.  You are so long that alot of the 6 month onesies are too small, but the bottoms still fit.
•  are not so fond of naps.  You typically take 3 naps a day, ranging between 30 and 60 minutes.
• still typically get up twice a night.  And eat.  And then go back to sleep.  I keep reminding myself that you won't be doing this forever.  In the meantime...I'm drinking lots of coffee. 
•  are, however, pretty good about "sleeping on the run".  You will sleep in the car or Ergo just as easily as you will sleep in your bed.
• started belly-crawling a few weeks ago, and are now a pro.  Your favorite new toys are cords, and anything your sister leaves on the floor that you're not supposed to have.
• cut BOTH bottom teeth on the same day, the day after you hit 7 months.  It has been a miserable couple of days for us all, but you seem to be feeling a little bit better.
• are a happy little eater.  In addition to pureed foods, we're starting to experiment a little bit with finger foods, as you're likely to steal things off my plate anyway. 
• can not only sit independently, but also push yourself from your tummy into a sitting position.  You're now trying to pull yourself up onto your knees (or feet), but the strength isn't quite there yet.  Which is okay by me.
• are still taking prescription Zantac, but on a very low dosage now.  You'll have weaned off by the time you go to the doctor again at 9 months.
• are just a few days away from completing your DOC Band therapy.  It has had its ups and downs, but we're happy we went forward with the process and are pleased with the results.
• are about to embark on your first long roadtrip to Atlanta next week.  Here's hoping you handle that experience in your usual, chill way!

Onward and upward!

Happy Half-Birthday! SIX Months Old!

Little Jacob

 you are 6 months old!

At six months, you-

 

• weigh around 16lbs.  That means that you've gained 2-3lbs in the last month.  CRAZY!  We don't worry about your weight any longer.  You're definitely chunking out!
•  are wearing size 2 diapers
• are wearing size 6 month clothing
•  still reliably nap 2x a day, with a "sometimes" nap in the evening.  It seems like you don't need this nap as much as you used to.   The nights you skip it are a still a little rough, though.
• have continued getting up 2-3 times a night except for the last week.  You started eating 3 small solid meals a day and we found that this seemed to be the extra push to get you to the point where you were only up once a night.  And then yesterday you came down with a cold and were up pretty much straight from 10pm-7am.  I'm hoping that once you're feeling better, we go back to once a night... or even less!
• decided overnight that you no longer wanted to be swaddled.  It was, of course, the week your Daddy was out of town on business, so we had some tough nights while you transitioned, but you're completely done now.  You still sleep in a sleep sack sometimes, but if I don't have one clean, or forget, you'll sleep without it, too.  
• the same week you decided you were done with swaddling, you also decided you no longer like to be rocked to sleep.  Taking away the swaddle means you can now sleep in your preferred position...on your tummy.  And since I can't really rock you to sleep on your tummy...you no longer want to be rocked.  This is a good thing, in the long run, but it's a little sad, too. .
• want so badly to crawl, but so far all you've accomplished is getting rug burn on the end of your nose and your knees.  You can get up onto your knees easily, but you can't figure out what to do with your arms, so after a bunch of rocking, you tip over to the side or face plant.  Once you figure out the arms, there'll be no stopping you.
• are most definitely teething.  We've seen alot less spit-up, but replaced it with drool.  You can soak a shirt in 30 seconds flat. Can't see anything yet, but I can feel the ridge under your gum.  It'll be coming in soon!
• started trying  more solids this month.  So far, you'll happily eat oatmeal, apples, squash, and green beans.  You like peas, too, but they seemed to upset your stomach.  And rice cereal and sweet potato are a definite NO. 
•  are almost, but not quite, sitting independently.  If I put you in a sitting position, you can hold it for a few seconds, but then you tip.
• are still taking prescription strength Zantac twice a day. We go back to the doctor's tomorrow and we'll see what she has to say about weaning you off.
• have been wearing a DOC Band for 3 weeks now.  We had a little bit of a rough start with some pretty nasty heat rash, but we've been able to resolve that and after about a week's time, you didn't even notice the band anymore.  While it was a little bit of an emotional decision, we're already able to see progress, and we're happy we decided on the treatment.
• had your first visit to the pool and loved it.  Hooray for summer!

While these first six months have had their share of challenges, I cannot believe that we are already halfway to your first birthday.  Where did that time go?!?  This past month, especially, we've seen you grow and change so very quickly.  You are moving, thinking, busy little boy.  You think your sister was born to entertain you, love rolling around with your Daddy, and reach for your Mommy anytime you are even the least bit upset.  You have the biggest smile and flash it often.  While you're still very young, already some of the "baby traits" are disappearing as you grow more interactive with the world around you.  It's going to be a very busy summer around here!


We love you, Baby J.  You're showing us something new every day.  

Five Months

Little Jacob

 you are 5 months old!

It is pretty much impossible to get a picture of this kid when he's NOT smiling.  I love that.

At five months, you-

 

• weigh between 13 and 14 lbs.  You seem to be catching up and chunking out, including those lovable baby rolls on your legs.
•  are wearing size 1 diapers
• are wearing 3-6 month clothes  You actually fit better lengthwise in 6 month.  Fortunately, it's starting to get warm and so we don't have to worry so much about pants anymore.  It'll be easier to dress you for awhile.
•  still nap 3x a day, around 10, 1, and 5.   
• "punished" me for bragging about your night sleeping by increasing the frequency of our nightly "dates" from 1 time to 2-3 times per night.  Every night.  For the last month.  Except for the weekend I went out of town.  Then you slept 10 hours straight both nights.  What's up with that??
• still sleep swaddled at night, AND in a sleep sack.  You break your hands out of the swaddle almost immediately, but still want to be wrapped up tight to fall asleep.  I figure when it's time to give it up, you'll let me know.
• are a rolling machine.  Gone are the days when you'll stay on a small blanket.  You're all over the place now.
• are thinking about starting to crawl.  You easily get your knees up under you, but haven't figured out what to do with your arms quite yet.  Which is good.  I'm SO not ready for that.
• put everything and anything you can get your hands on directly into your mouth.  By far, your favorite chew toy is my finger.  I'm trying to get you hooked on a teething ring, but so far, my finger is your snack of choice. 
•  love to sit and stand.  You're not interested on laying around on your back anymore, you want to see the world!
• are still taking prescription strength Zantac twice a day. We had to increase your dosage because you've grown and we noticed an increase in spit up, but...
• we started solids this past week!  You've rejected rice cereal (not that I blame you), but like oatmeal.  And the addition of solids has most definitely decreased the amount of spit-up that follows.  So hopefully, as we increase your solid intake over the next couple months, we can decrease the dosage again.
• have seen a specialist, and been diagnosed with plagiocephaly.  While we were hoping to avoid this, it's something that we've come to terms with, and we've had you fitted for head gear.  You will receive your new "hat" next week, and right now they're estimating 6-9 weeks of treatment.  I wish we weren't headed in to summer and warm weather, but the longer we wait, the longer the treatment is likely to take, so this is for the best.  We hope this is the last of our diagnoses, and specialists, and round of doctor visits and by this fall we will able to take a deep breath and move forward.

It's hard to believe that next month you will be celebrating your "half-birthday".  We've come such a long, long way in the last 5 months, and I feel like the end of the tunnel is in sight and we're finally settling in and enjoying each other.  Also, it's nice not smell like baby puke ALL the time.  People might start talking to me again now ;)

Three

Mia, you are THREE years old today!

Oh my goodness, Mia, what can we say about you?

• You are still a lightweight.  26lbs and 36 inches tall.
• You have a teeny waist, so you can still fit in 2T bottoms, but fit better in 3T tops and dresses.  
• You have been potty-trained for the last 7 months or so. 
• You talk non-stop.  You love to repeat new words and phrases, and it's often quite funny to hear our phrases come out of your mouth.  Your imagination and storytelling is boundless.  You're hysterical to listen to.
• You are an early-riser.  I recently  taught you to recognize the number 7 on a digital clock.  You now know that if you wake up before 7am, you may read or lay quietly in your bed, but you may not call out until the first number on the clock is 7.  You usually start screaming for me at 7:01.
• You have started to go through periods where you fight naptime, but you are so non-stop active during the day, that you really do still need this time to rest.  These periods aside, you still typically sleep 1.5-2 hours in the afternoon. 
• You are extremely independent, when it suits you.  You can get dressed on your own, put on your own shoes, clean up your toys, clear away your own dishes and trash, help carry groceries, and a number of other tasks.  You don't always LIKE to do these things, but you can.  
• You are also extremely strong-willed.  This is probably our biggest challenge right now. You like things done your way, in your time, and do not like to be told differently.  My daring to contradict you, even over the smallest things, can result in all out, passionate, loud, and lengthy displays of temper.  They are exhausting for everyone involved.  This boundary testing can make for some long days, but I know that "this too shall pass" and we'll come out whole on the other side...eventually.
• On the flip side, you are also extremely loving and empathetic.  You are the first to comfort a hurt loved one, are adoring and protective of your baby brother, and can be driven to tears when caught or reprimanded for hurting someone else.  
• You thrive on order, structure and routine.  We end each day with a discussion of the next day's plans.
• You love books, and puzzles, trains, dollhouses, and anything that involves moving at high speeds.  You can ride a tricycle, and just received a scooter for your birthday.  You are also surprisingly adept with electronic devices... a sign, I guess, of your generation.
• You are very social and loving playing with your friends.  We have you enrolled in a preschool in the fall and hope that you will enjoy this next step in social interaction and learning.

There have been some big changes to our family over the last year, and age three is just so much different than age 2.  At the end of the day, we find ourselves wanting to laugh over your antics and creativity, while also crying over your stubbornness and your temper.  You, Miss Mia, are a crazy paradox that keeps us on our toes.  But that's your job, isn't it?

Because you're so much your own little person now, I wanted to record your own thoughts, in your own words.  Because NOBODY can say it like you:

Four Months

Little Jacob

 you are 4 months old!

 

At four months, you-

 

Pretty much the expression we see all day

 

• weigh almost 12lbs, according to our (admittedly unreliable) bathroom scale.
•  are wearing size 1 diapers
• are fitting perfectly in 3 month clothing. You've "bulked up", so you fill them out much better.  You are LONG and are already stretching out some of the onesies that are hand-me-downs and have been washed multiple times.
•  still have the same sleep/wake routine: up for the day between 7 and 8, and have a morning nap about 2 hours after you wake.  Then you're up till 1 and nap again from 1-3:30.  There's another nap around 5:30, which is perfect because it means the rest of the family can eat dinner in peace.  In between, you're happy, smiling, and social.  You're a complete flirt, especially with ladies.
  
• are a great night sleeper!  You're down for the night by 8:30, wake up once to eat between 4 and 5, and then back to bed until it's time to get up for the day.  We've had a little bit of "regression" where you wake up several times at night, but not enough to eat.  We increased your feedings a little during the day, and that seems to have helped.  
• kick and claw your way out of the swaddle...but then get mad.  I'm trying to wean you, so for right now you sleep in a sleep sack, with swaddle around it.  You still can get your hands out, but the sack prevents your kicking feet from loosening everything and getting you all tangled up.
• regularly roll from your tummy to your back, and will occasionally roll from back to tummy.
• still think bathtime is the best part of the day. 
•  can reach and grab at something you want, especially if it's a pull-toy.
• are still taking prescription strength Zantac twice a day. 
• have grown to enjoy  tummytime.  You've gotten MUCH better at lifting/supporting your head and love to look around.
•  prefer to be upright or sitting so that you can see everything now.  You don't care to be held like a newborn anymore, you're a big boy (and your neck control is great)
• are extremely vocal.  You don't have any vowel sounds, but you use this glass-shattering screeching to express your emotions, be it excitement or frustration.  You've also laughed several times, but never when we have the flipcam ready to record it.
• love seeing and talking to yourself in the mirror!  
• think that your sister exists purely to entertain you.  You squeal and squirm whenever she's nearby.

You have grown, physically and developmentally, SO much in this past month.  You are definitely not a newborn anymore.  You are, however, social, and happy, and cuddly, and growing.  We go back to the doctor on Tuesday for your 4-month checkup (and vaccines...sorry!) and I'm interested to hear what she has to say.  We definitely think that you have "turned a corner".  Hooray!

WW: Look at Him Go!

This little guy has been working hard the last week.  He's now lifting and holding himself up, as well as rolling from tummy to back AND back to tummy.

Also, notice his best cheerleader in the background.

Cherry Blossoms

Spring (summer?) came early to Northern Virginia this year, and the famed cherry blossoms are already in full bloom.  Last week, Kevin took a day off of work, and we journeyed into the city.  Between getting a late start, and construction traffic, it took us 1.5 hours to make the normally 45 minute trip.  Which meant that by the time we got lunch,  we only walked around for an hour before we hit Mia's naptime and she went into meltdown mode.  We struggled our way back to the car (meaning, pushed a screaming Mia in the stroller while ignoring the stares of onlookers), got her settled into the back seat with a snack, and headed for home.  Until we hit traffic again.  And our sleeping baby woke up and decided he had to eat RIGHT THIS INSTANT.  We ended up pulling over on some street and parking outside of somebody's house for half an hour while I fed him a bottle.  All the while entertaining the still-awake Mia by having her count birds, or look for shapes in the cloud.

So, semi-controlled chaos at best.

Despite that, we make this little pilgrimage every year, and we'll surely go back again next year.  It's fun to see the growth and change.

And just for kicks...

2011

2010

Lots of News About Nothing

Things are so crazy normal I just don't know what to write anymore.

Jacob is still refluxing, but it (sometimes) seems to be less, and he's beginning to gain weight, at least according to our scale.  Now that the spit up situation is as under control as it's going to be, we're working on as much tummy time as we can.  He easily moves his head from side to side and is starting to lift and hold it for a few seconds at a time.  He's got great neck control while sitting on my lap, he just doesn't have much practice tilting it/lifting it while on his tummy.  I'd like to talk to the doctor at the next appointment about starting solids closer to 4 months rather than the "newly recommended" 6 months, just to see if that will help him keep down more of the formula.  To do that, he needs to demonstrate decent neck control, hence our tummy time exercises.

Despite everything, he is a smiley, content little man.  He loves to chat, breaks out into a huge grin whenever I appear over his crib after naptime, and is this close to busting out a giggle.  He finds Mia to be a huge source of entertainment, whether she is specifically trying to entertain him, or throwing a tantrum with enough screaming and yelling to cause him to stop whatever he is doing and seek her out.

Speaking of which...

Mia will be 3 in one month, and acting every bit her age.  "Difficult" is a good word to describe this age.  She is strong-willed, stubborn, and very, very girl.  Our day-to-day is filled with drama and power struggles.  Most days, I think I'm in control, but every once in awhile a day will leave me completely beaten.  Especially on those days where she refuses to nap.  On the other hand, she's in bed by 8:00 at the latest, and usually doesn't make a peep after that point, so I have till 7:30 the next morning to recharge.  Also?  Have a restorative glass of wine.

When she's not sending me running for the hills, she's actually quite fun to be around.  She talks about anything and everything that crosses her mind.  She's had another vocabulary explosion and sometimes talks like a little adult.  Almost daily, she correctly uses a word that will cause Kevin and I to look at each other and say, "I didn't know she knew that word!"  So this, I think, is what 3 will look like, and I take comfort in the fact that other people have survived and so we will, too. 

There was a Little Girl

By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

There was a little girl,

            Who had a little curl,

Right in the middle of her forehead.

            When she was good,

            She was very good indeed,

But when she was bad she was horrid.

A Letter to My Readers

I posted this over here for an online literacy event going on this week, but thought that since this is our family blog for moments we want to remember, that these letters deserved a place here as well.

Is there a young reader (or reader to be) in your life? Write them a letter expressing what you hope for them as readers.

Dear Mia,

In just three short years, I’ve already seen the beginnings of your evolution as a reader.  When you were little, you loved to chew on books.  Well, really, you loved to chew on anything, but you particularly loved the way that cardboard felt on your gums.  As you got older, you were fascinated by the pictures, and would spend (short) times on my lap as we talked about what we saw on each page.  A little bit older, and you would tolerate actually listening to short board books.  In the last 6 months, you’re attention span has increased so that you will listen to much longer picture books.  We’ve even started reading fairy tale anthologies, one story at a time.  Recently, you thrilled me by reading to me.

You are most definitely a reader.  My hope for you, as you grow, is that you will enjoy a wide variety of texts, whether it be graphic novels, picture books, chapter books, or audio selections.  I hope that you enjoy some of the selections I send your way, but also develop relationships with characters of your own choosing, as I did with Laura Ingalls, Nancy Drew, the Wakefield twins, and that close-knit gang of babysitting friends.  I hope that in the next few years, we are able to continue our Special Time of reading at bedtime, expanding to chapter books that we are eager to return to in the evenings.

Sometimes hearing “Read this to me, Mommy!” for the 600th time in a day causes me to do an internal eye roll because, really, I need a Mommy Break.  But even so, I love that you want to be read to, and that our bookcase is overflowing with books that you actually use. I’m proud of that, and I’m proud of you.

Love,

Mommy/Mama/Mom

Dear Jacob,

You are too tiny to have much of a reading history yet.  You do listen as stories are read to your sister, but you listen anytime you hear my voice, so that’s nothing new.  Maybe this is the start of your literacy journey.  Hearing a pleasant (why, thank you!) voice in connection to books will hopefully trigger a positive experience in your memory.  As you get older, I hope that we can share some of your sister’s favorite books a second time around.  I hope you will also smile over the antics of a silly puppy, and search for your favorite barn animals among the pages.

I’m looking forward to seeing you toddle over to the bookshelf (but not too soon, okay?) and developing your own interests.  Will you also be a Thomas fan?  Will you also want to read/watch Curious George ad nauseam?

You have a ways to go.  We’re not even at the book-chewing stage yet.  But when you get there, I’m sure we’ll find a whole new world of characters to explore.

Love,

The Lady Who Comes to Get You in the Middle of the Night (aka “Mommy”)

WW: Peek-A-Boo

Guess whose doctor decided he was just a little guy and without any medical problems? 

 No more doctor's appointments for a month.  

Woohoo!

3 Months

Little Jacob

 you are 3 months old!

At three months, you-

• weigh somewhere in the 10lb range (we have another weight-check tomorrow, so we'll find out for sure then) and almost 24 inches long.
•  are wearing size 1 diapers
• are in 3 month clothing. Some are still a little big around the waist and chest, but you're filling them out a little more, and you're definitely on target for length.
•  have developed a regular routine.  You get up for the day between 7 and 8, and have a morning nap about 2 hours after you wake.  Then you're up till 1 and nap again from 1-3:30.  There's another "sometimes nap" around 5:30.  In between, you're happy, smiling, and social.  You're a complete flirt, especially with ladies.
  
• also have developed a consistent nighttime schedule.  After a bath, and another bottle at 8pm, you're in bed and asleep between 8:45 and 9:00pm. You sometimes wake up around 1:00 after you've broken out of your swaddle, but you just need to be reswaddled and have the pacifier again, and you're back to sleep until about 4:30am.  Up for a bottle, and then back to sleep until 7:30.
• rolled from your back to your stomach twice a few days ago. You haven't done it since.  When will you surprise us again?
• love bathtime and diaper changes.  Basically, you like being naked. 
•  have become intentionally reaching for and grasping at your toys.  You will have full conversations with the octopus and dragonfly attached to your playmat.
• are currently taking prescription strength Zantac twice a day.  After your 2-month checkup, when we discovered you weren't putting on weight, we began a whole series of tests to determine if your slow weight gain was a medical problem beyond reflux.  As far as we can tell, it's not, and we're continuing to treat the reflux while hoping that you'll just gain weight in your own time.
• tolerate tummytime.  Last night I saw you try to lift your head and push up slightly on your arms for the first time.  Due to the amount of time you have to spend upright for the reflux, we're a little behind in upper body and neck strength.  We're working on it and I feel confident that in 3 months this will all be a distant memory. 
• amaze everyone with how vocal you are.  You like to talk.  Alot.
• are a great traveler.  We've taken several trips back and forth to Pennsylvania and you either sleep, or chill out in the carseat. 
• recognize that your sister can be a source of entertainment.  She loves to talk to you, and in the last week you've begun to thrill her by actually focusing your attention and smiles on her.  She gets so excited and cheers, "Mommy, Jacob wuvs me!!"

These last few months have not been easy, but seeing you begin to come out of your shell and interact with us has made it all worth it.  I really enjoy these next couple months, when you start to truly experience your little world.  Having a consistent full night's sleep doesn't hurt either.   We wonder what you will learn in the next month and what we'll be documenting in April.  Keep growing, Baby  J, but don't forget to save a few of those special smiles just for me.

Reset

It was a weekend of physical and mental resetting, at least for me.

On Saturday, Oma and Opa came to visit so that Kevin and I could have a Valentine's Day date.  It was the first time I'd gotten dressed up and gone out since Jacob was born.  We made the most of our evening away by making reservations at a grown-up restaurant, where we had a drink at the bar, appetizers, wine, perfect main courses, and a dessert that had to be ordered at the beginning of the meal in order to allow time for its preparation.  Worth. Every. Penny.  Mia, meanwhile, corralled my parents into hours worth of "tea party", made a special Valentine's Day craft for Kevin and I, and basically basked in the attention only grandparents can/will provide.

I'm sure Jacob had fun, too.  He must have missed us, though.  He woke up an extra time that night for a feeding.  Wanted to get his Mommy cuddle quota met, I suppose.

On Sunday afternoon, I had a much-needed, long-awaited hair appointment.  The appointment was at 1:30, and though I knew the whole process was going to take me about 3 hours, both kiddos would nap for the majority of that time.  Except they didn't.  Ooops!  Well, it was a nice afternoon for me.

Today has brought the return of regular household chores, as well as the preparation for out-of-town guests.  For the rest of this week, Mia will have two babies (just a couple weeks apart) to love on.

Tomorrow is Jacob's weight check to see if the medication is truly helping his reflux.  He feels like he's filling out, so we're hoping for good news.

And that will just about wrap up February.  Eeks!

Sweet

For your entertainment, a photo story of father-daughter bonding.   

You can read the text version here.

This required deep concentration.  Also, please note that when asked to "decorate", Mia placed the candies in a perfect outline around the heart.  No random organization for this girl!

One of my new favorite pictures.

Jacob was unimpressed by the whole venture.

She was proud of her handiwork, but even more excited to dive in and eat it.

Happy Valentine's Day!

We had a low-key Valentine's Day. Kevin left cards for Mia and I to wake up to.  Mia and I practiced saying, "Happy Valentine's Day!" and then called family members to spread the love.  Kevin arrived home bearing chocolates from one of my favorite chocolate shops (which happens to be an hour away).  I made stir-fry for dinner (which ended up being overcooked because I got distracted by a baby in the midst of a "witching hour"... c'est la vie!) and then after dinner, Mia opened gifts from Kevin and I, and Oma and Opa. Kevin and I finished off the evening with a glass of wine after both kiddos were asleep.

Tonight, Kevin and Mia continued the celebration by making and decorating a giant heart-shaped chocolate chip cookie.  The result was a visual disaster, but Mia was so excited and proud of her work.  And it tasted yummy, regardless of its appearance. 

Oma and Opa are coming to spend the night on Saturday, and Kevin and I are headed out for a nice dinner and adult conversation (which will likely include stories about the kiddos because, let's face it, that's how parenthood works). 

A little normalcy, and a little celebrating with my three valentines.

Progress

Almost two weeks have slipped by since I last blogged here, and they've been two weeks of big change.  A few days after posting, we went to Jacob's 2-month appointment and discovered that not only was he now frequently spitting up everything he was fed, he also was not gaining weight as he should.  The pediatrician diagnosed him with silent reflux and put him on the prescription equivalent of Zantac, to be given orally twice a day.  She also sent us to get a sonogram to rule out another medical condition.  This, thankfully, showed that our biggest concern appears to be acid reflux and not something that would have to be surgically corrected.

I was a little skeptical about medicating such a small infant, but it's been 10 days, and I'm so glad we did.  The medication, combined with a formula that contains rice starch to help his food stay in his stomach, has made a world of difference.  Jacob now spits up the same amount as a "normal" 2 month old, is sleeping better both during the day and at night (9pm to 5am!!!), and is happy, smiling and talking between feedings. We go back in a week for another weight check and I'm optimistic we'll receive good news.

It's progress.

Two Months

Little Jacob, you are 2 months old today!

(Mia insisted you hold the bear)

At two months, you-

• weigh somewhere in the 9-10 lb range (I think)
•  are wearing size 1 diapers
• are wearing 0-3 and 3 month clothing.  You've got long legs and a skinny waist, which makes for some challenging clothing options.
• have been gently nudged into a routine that corresponds with your sister's.  You wake each other up somewhere between 7 and 8am.  You're awake until 9:30 and then take a 45ish minute nap.  After you wake up, we usually run our errands or do our out-of-the-house activity for the day.  Then you and your sister both take a nap at 1, and you usually don't get up until close to 4.  Bath is between 7:30 and 8pm, then you have a final bottle and are usually in your crib asleep by 8:30.
• are slowly adjusting to a nighttime feeding schedule.  You typically wake up once around 3 or 4 for a bottle, and then you're back to sleep until you wake up for the day.
• have become much better at self-soothing, with the help of a pacifier.  I can now put you down drowsy in your crib, and you will fall asleep on your own.  The flipside, of course, is that if you do lose the paci before falling asleep, somebody has to go back in to put it back in your mouth again.  It's a very, very small price to pay.
• staged a feeding boycott this month, a move that eventually led us to transition to formula.  You are MUCH happier feeding from a bottle, and the formula seems to have done alot to help your tummy issues, which means you are now more alert, sleeping better, and smiling and talking more.  Woohoo!
• unfortunately still spit up ALOT.  We have a regular check-up on Tuesday, and I'm going to bring it up with your pediatrician who can hopefully help us take the next step in making you more comfortable, if there is another step to take.  Otherwise, you don't seem to be in any discomfort, so we may just be doing alot of laundry for awhile.
• don't particularly care to make any effort during tummy time.  You'll turn your head from side to side, but don't really seem interested in lifting and holding your head up.  We'll keep working on that.
• are reaching for, and sometimes successfully grasping, at objects that you are interested in. 
• smile and "talk" when someone interacts with you.

You are SO different from your sister, which makes me wonder what our toddler years will be like with you.  Not that I'm in a big hurry to get there.  I do love those baby moments...like that you still will fall asleep when I rock you, or that you look so surprised and happy to see me when I appear over the edge of your crib.  We're slowly but surely finding our rhythm and doing our best to keep you healthy, but also HAPPY.

 Cuz those ear to ear grins make us smile, too!

Snap

This week has been a struggle.  To be honest, much of the last two months have been a struggle.  Worth it?  Absolutely.  But a struggle nonetheless. 

And then last night, I had a breaking point.  Something snapped.  And when it did, it happened in front of Mia, who then burst into angry and confused tears, which just compounded my angry and confused tears, and we were an angry and confused mess. 

Something was not working.

So after the kids went to bed, there was some discussion, and soul-searching, and spouse-supporting between the adults.  And some decisions were made and plans of action formed. 

Today, we put that plan into effect.  It's not without its emotional drama, but already things are oh-so-much better. 


Which is good, because these guys really are cute.  And I want to enjoy them.

The Faces of J

During yesterday's naptime playtime, Kevin got out his super-fast-and-able-to-catch-fleeting-infant-expressions camera, and we managed to get a few shots.

Almost, but not quite... wait for it....

...TADA!  Ladies and gentlemen, the first smile caught on camera.

Followed by this...

Yep, buddy, we were surprised it happened, too.

You know what else surprised me?  Not waking up last night until 5:00 this morning.

Hallelujah!

Of course, that was after very little napping the day before, so I'm not holding my breath yet. 

I've learned.

Pretty

Aren't these pretty?

If I have to be feeling under the weather, and the ground is still soaked from last night's rain, and Kevin has to work late... at least I have these to look at.  And this reason to celebrate.

Happy Friday.

The Sleep Sitch

It's the question everybody asks parents with young infants:


"So...how much sleep are you getting?"


Around here, the answer ranges from "very little" to "a full night" on any given day.  The longest stretch of sleep Jacob has ever had during the night was about 8 hours.  Typically, though, his longest stretch is the first 5 hours after I get him to sleep for the night.  After that, he can get up every 2-4. 


We start the bedtime routine around 8:00 with a bath, then he eats and I hold him upright/cuddle him for a little bit to help his tummy settle and rock him to sleep.  On a good night, he's in bed, asleep, by 9:00.  Last night?  It was after 11:00 before he settled down for the night. That's 3 hours of eat, rock, put in crib, eyes pop open, repeat....then up at 4, 6, and 8am for the day.


As for naptimes?  Both kids seem to be boycotting those. 

I started writing this post last Thursday, and then, as often happens, ran out of time to finish it, and never posted.  The bottom line?  I was struggling with a fussy baby, one who could not self-soothe, and would not fall asleep without being rocked, and then as soon as you tried to transfer him to any other surface, he would wake up, and the eat/burp/rock process would start all over again.  Ad nauseam.


This past weekend, Kevin had to work both Saturday and Sunday.  And they were calling for an ice storm.  And I was running low on reserves.  So I packed up both kids and drove 2 hours north to my parents' home.  And there, 2 miracles occurred:

1.  Jacob slept 8 hours one night, and 9 hours the next.  Apparently, he likes to be kept much warmer than what I would think is comfortable, even for a small baby.  By increasing the temperature in his room by a few degrees, we got 2 nights of solid sleep from him.

2.  He likes Mams pacifiers.  Not Nuk, not First Years.  Mams.  And if given a paci after he's fed/when he's ready to nap, he falls asleep in a matter of minutes.  In fact, for his morning nap today, I was able to put him down drowsy, but not sleeping, and he put himself to sleep.

We're back at home now, and I was afraid I wouldn't have the same success here.  He only slept 5 hours straight last night, not 8 or 9, but woke up for feedings and went back down right away, so I can live with that.  But being able to comfort him with a paci?  Complete and total success.

I feel like a huge, huge weight has been lifted.  Not only have we solved the problem of overeating/puking because he would nurse for comfort, but bedtimes/naptimes have suddenly become so much easier.  I'm able to cuddle/rock my baby to sleep, he falls asleep happily, and the process takes a normal amount of time so I'm also able to meet the needs of my other child.  This morning I sat on Mia's bed and kept her company as she played with her dollhouse, cuddled Jacob while he drifted off, put him down in his crib, and then was able to return and spend some one-on-one time with her while he napped.  Which means her whining has been kept to a minimum because she's able to get some attention too.

And now I'm rambling, but after 7 weeks, I have a profound sense of...

RELIEF.

At least until the next challenge pops up ;)