Hey baby boy! You are three months old today!!!! We celebrated in grand style, by putting on your onesie with the "three month" sticker and having a photo shoot. Hopefully one day, you'll look back on all these pictures and marvel at your growth the same way we do each day when we look at you! So what have you been up to these days:
-You don't have an official doctor's appointment this month, so I don't have the official stats, but I think you are around 16 pounds right now. I am going to get you weighed and check you length in the next few day. Regardless of the specifics, you are a big, healthy baby.
-You are getting so very strong. You can hold your head up with the best of em and when you are laying down on your stomach, you can push up fully and look around. You scared me last night when I felt someone looking at me and realized you were peering over the side of your bassinet :)...Speaking of the bassinet, you are almost at the weight limit for it so you may be moving to the big crib soon!
-You are extremely social and I love it. You hold conversations with us and try so hard to get words out. Your little sounds are the best in the world and you respond just like you know exactly what you are trying to say.
-You light up when Joshua comes into the room. You love to see your big brother in action. Now that you are more aware and "talking" to him, Joshua loves all over you. He entertains you in the car and loves to be a helper for you, doing anything from putting your pacifier in your mouth to helping close diapers.
-Bath time still is one of your most favorite times of the day. You laugh and talk and laugh more. Just recently, you realized that if you move your feet, the water splashes up, so you are just a kicking and splashing until you get out the tub.
-You have also discovered your hands. You try your hardest to get your thumb in your mouth all the time. When you can't quite make it in there, you'll settle for putting your entire hand in your mouth and just sucking away. You love playing with your fingers.
-You are eating six ounces of formula every three hours. We tried a few times with rice cereal, but your little tummy doesn't yet like it, so we are sticking to milk. You drink your whole bottle (we just switched from the "baby" bottles to Tommee Tippie bottles and you like them okay) and burp like a champ!
-And wow baby boy, you waited until the eve of your three month birthday to SLEEP. Last night, you went down around 10:30pm and woke up at 4am, ate and went right back to sleep until 8:30am. Yay Brayden :). So mom only had to wake up once and it felt good. Of course, I kept checking on you all night to make sure you were okay, but you slept very well. Let's make sure this is a new pattern, okay? Thanks!
-All the newborn clothes are gone, over and done with. You are now in 3-6 month clothes. You have the cutest little shoes that I can't wait to get you in. Right now, you aren't really a fan of shoes, but you'll get there :)
I think that's about it. We'll transition to mom going back to work here shortly. I know you'll adjust just fine as you are the most easy-going, calm baby (except when you're hungry or sleepy). You love people and they love you! Of course, mom will miss you every second, but I am thankful to have all this time at home to snuggle with you all day and all night. We all love you to pieces.
Happy 3 months B!
***UPDATED*** My unofficial weigh-in for B suggests that he is 18 pounds now!!!! Holy batman boy! I am gonna say that maybe it's a little off, but um, yeah, he is "Beefy" as his Uncle Trey calls him :)
Showing posts with label Newborn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Newborn. Show all posts
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
No Judgment Zone
Something about pregnancy and having a newborn around seems to invite people to try to invoke their opinions about everything you do and every decision you make. I have matured enough in my years to finally know that I don't have to justify their opinions with a response or defend the choices that I make for myself or for my family, however, it does get O-L-D...Okay, before my rant goes too far, let me put this in context...
On the topic of choosing to breast feed B or not, I seem to have upset the masses because we have moved on from that and he's now exclusively receiving formula. I mean, damn, is this going to start the next foreign conflict or what? Everything isn't for every body! I know that we gave it a good go and he received breast milk for the first crucial weeks of his life, but like I said, it was in the best interest of my sanity and my family, that we ended it. And it wasn't even dramatic here, just went along with what he needed and the natural flow of things. I would like to think that I am educated enough to know all the benefits of breast milk and the down side to formula, so your reminding me of that doesn't help. And no, I don't feel like I am weak or less of a mother because I am not breast feeding. I feel just fine, I am empowered and I am confident that my baby boy is healthy and growing well...And if you've seen the pics of him lately, you know that he isn't missing any meals :)...
And okay, so if I choose not to have B fully vaccinated right now, again, that's OUR decision. I have heard from some that my unvaccinated child will be a risk of spreading some dreadful disease to your children because he's not fully protected. To those who feel that way, the answer is simple, stay away! We will catch up with you a few years down the line when B has been injected with all the (in my opinion) unnecessary poison to "protect" him...And while I am no expert in the matter, I do tend to believe there is a link between the increased level of vaccines that our children are mandated to receive and the increased level of autism and other developmental delays. I am willing to be totally off on that and incorrect, but again, that would be my mistake. If nothing else, I am giving B the benefit of having his shots and giving his system time to eliminate the indigestible toxins (ie mercury) that come along with them. So again, forgive my child if he sneezes on yours, I am sure your precious little one is exposed to much worse than a baby sneeze...(and stop smoking with the car windows up before you tell me anything else, LOL).
I'm on a roll now and could keep going about the "advice" that is passed my way or the opinions that I encounter more than I'd like. But just one more...So the hell what if I choose to hold my baby all day long (well, not all day, but you know what I mean). These little ones are only babies once and if he cries because he wants to be in my arms, then shit, I am gonna pick him up. It's that simple. This time next year, he will be running from me. I'll have to chase him to even get a hug and I know that cuddling with him will be out of the question as his independence will have taken over. So no, I don't believe that I am spoiling him or scarring him for life because he likes to be held by mommy. Hell, he's a baby. He's supposed to be held. I am not raising a mini adult here, I am raising my newborn son! I know that mom held me, well probably dad since I am a daddy's girl through and through, but my point is that my brother and I didn't see too much of the couch, bed or bouncy chair. We felt the warm arms and love of our parents and I'd like to say that we both turned out more than fine.
So let me end by saying the next time you want to open your mouth to me or any other new mommy for unsolicited advice, just please, think of what you are saying and how you're saying it. As for me and my house, we choose to live in a NO JUDGMENT ZONE!
On the topic of choosing to breast feed B or not, I seem to have upset the masses because we have moved on from that and he's now exclusively receiving formula. I mean, damn, is this going to start the next foreign conflict or what? Everything isn't for every body! I know that we gave it a good go and he received breast milk for the first crucial weeks of his life, but like I said, it was in the best interest of my sanity and my family, that we ended it. And it wasn't even dramatic here, just went along with what he needed and the natural flow of things. I would like to think that I am educated enough to know all the benefits of breast milk and the down side to formula, so your reminding me of that doesn't help. And no, I don't feel like I am weak or less of a mother because I am not breast feeding. I feel just fine, I am empowered and I am confident that my baby boy is healthy and growing well...And if you've seen the pics of him lately, you know that he isn't missing any meals :)...
And okay, so if I choose not to have B fully vaccinated right now, again, that's OUR decision. I have heard from some that my unvaccinated child will be a risk of spreading some dreadful disease to your children because he's not fully protected. To those who feel that way, the answer is simple, stay away! We will catch up with you a few years down the line when B has been injected with all the (in my opinion) unnecessary poison to "protect" him...And while I am no expert in the matter, I do tend to believe there is a link between the increased level of vaccines that our children are mandated to receive and the increased level of autism and other developmental delays. I am willing to be totally off on that and incorrect, but again, that would be my mistake. If nothing else, I am giving B the benefit of having his shots and giving his system time to eliminate the indigestible toxins (ie mercury) that come along with them. So again, forgive my child if he sneezes on yours, I am sure your precious little one is exposed to much worse than a baby sneeze...(and stop smoking with the car windows up before you tell me anything else, LOL).
I'm on a roll now and could keep going about the "advice" that is passed my way or the opinions that I encounter more than I'd like. But just one more...So the hell what if I choose to hold my baby all day long (well, not all day, but you know what I mean). These little ones are only babies once and if he cries because he wants to be in my arms, then shit, I am gonna pick him up. It's that simple. This time next year, he will be running from me. I'll have to chase him to even get a hug and I know that cuddling with him will be out of the question as his independence will have taken over. So no, I don't believe that I am spoiling him or scarring him for life because he likes to be held by mommy. Hell, he's a baby. He's supposed to be held. I am not raising a mini adult here, I am raising my newborn son! I know that mom held me, well probably dad since I am a daddy's girl through and through, but my point is that my brother and I didn't see too much of the couch, bed or bouncy chair. We felt the warm arms and love of our parents and I'd like to say that we both turned out more than fine.
So let me end by saying the next time you want to open your mouth to me or any other new mommy for unsolicited advice, just please, think of what you are saying and how you're saying it. As for me and my house, we choose to live in a NO JUDGMENT ZONE!
Monday, December 12, 2011
Two Months Young
Baby boy B, you're two months old today! After taking your picture with your "milestone" onesie, I sat back and reflected on the last 60 or so days. It's amazing how in just a short time, you've changed so much. At the same time, it's crazy how the short days and long nights have already added up to your seeing your third month on this earth. We are so thankful for you and don't take for granted any time with you or the simple blessing of having you here...I updated your stats on a prior post, so what else have you been up to during your second month?
-You are a sweet baby. You love to smile when spoken to and are starting to recognize mom and dad.
-You LOVE your big brother. You light up when J enters the room and will seek out his voice no matter where he is. I am excited to see you grow and to witness the bond that the two of you will share.
-You are unbelievably strong. Your doctor confirmed this (it's not just mom saying it). You can hold your neck up with the best of them and once you get a grip on something (including my hair...OUCH), you will NOT let go.
-You are pretty consistent with your schedule. You eat every three hours, play for about an hour after that and then sleep for an hour and a half. That cycle repeats throughout the day (we are becoming Baby Wise...) and at night, you may go four hours before you wake up to eat and you go right back down to sleep once you're fed and changed.
-You have started tummy time though it's not your favorite. You'd rather be upright on our shoulders so that you can see and take the world in.
-You still dislike riding in the car and being in your carseat though it seems that you are starting to mellow out a bit. I hope so, we have places to go and things to see!!!!
-All the newborn clothes have been put away for a while now, but now I am starting to put away the 3 months clothes as well. It depends on the brand, but you are most comfy in the 3-6 months clothing and some 6 month outfits as well.
-You are in size 2 diapers and made that leap last week. You can technically still fit the size 1's, but the extra room is good on those big legs you have and also protect us from your blow outs.
-You were taking Zantac for your reflux, but I am weaning you off of it. We changed your formula to the Similac sensitive for spit up which contains rice paste and that seems to be helping. No more breast milk for you (I still think you're allergic to something in my diet, but hopeful that you won't have any food allergies).
-You took one immunization and an oral vaccine at your doctor's appointment. You have a few others to take before you are up to speed. Sorry if it seems like you are getting poked more often than the other babies, but I don't want all those toxins in your system at one time, so we are spacing things out.
-Your favorite activities include brief visits in your swing, small doses of your play mat and gazing at the Christmas tree and the lights. More than anything, you LOVE personal attention will babble and "talk" to us for quite some time. We love it too :). Your brother especially loves it since he feels that you are finally acknowledging him and communicating with him.
-You really enjoy bath time. We just removed the sling from your tub and you love to kick those feet and splash the water. We enjoy it too, though the bathroom floor probably doesn't feel the same.
-We have tried to give you prune juice and apple juice to get things "moving" down there at the advice of your doctor. I understand not liking the prune juice, but you do not like ANYTHING to go in your mouth besides milk. You don't even like apple juice and made faces like it's the worst thing in the world. So we had to table the juice idea for now...
Well, B, that's all for this month. You are an awesome baby and a joy to have in our lives. I know your brother would tell you that you are the best little brother he could have asked for!
Love you to the moon and back!
-You are a sweet baby. You love to smile when spoken to and are starting to recognize mom and dad.
-You LOVE your big brother. You light up when J enters the room and will seek out his voice no matter where he is. I am excited to see you grow and to witness the bond that the two of you will share.
-You are unbelievably strong. Your doctor confirmed this (it's not just mom saying it). You can hold your neck up with the best of them and once you get a grip on something (including my hair...OUCH), you will NOT let go.
-You are pretty consistent with your schedule. You eat every three hours, play for about an hour after that and then sleep for an hour and a half. That cycle repeats throughout the day (we are becoming Baby Wise...) and at night, you may go four hours before you wake up to eat and you go right back down to sleep once you're fed and changed.
-You have started tummy time though it's not your favorite. You'd rather be upright on our shoulders so that you can see and take the world in.
-You still dislike riding in the car and being in your carseat though it seems that you are starting to mellow out a bit. I hope so, we have places to go and things to see!!!!
-All the newborn clothes have been put away for a while now, but now I am starting to put away the 3 months clothes as well. It depends on the brand, but you are most comfy in the 3-6 months clothing and some 6 month outfits as well.
-You are in size 2 diapers and made that leap last week. You can technically still fit the size 1's, but the extra room is good on those big legs you have and also protect us from your blow outs.
-You were taking Zantac for your reflux, but I am weaning you off of it. We changed your formula to the Similac sensitive for spit up which contains rice paste and that seems to be helping. No more breast milk for you (I still think you're allergic to something in my diet, but hopeful that you won't have any food allergies).
-You took one immunization and an oral vaccine at your doctor's appointment. You have a few others to take before you are up to speed. Sorry if it seems like you are getting poked more often than the other babies, but I don't want all those toxins in your system at one time, so we are spacing things out.
-Your favorite activities include brief visits in your swing, small doses of your play mat and gazing at the Christmas tree and the lights. More than anything, you LOVE personal attention will babble and "talk" to us for quite some time. We love it too :). Your brother especially loves it since he feels that you are finally acknowledging him and communicating with him.
-You really enjoy bath time. We just removed the sling from your tub and you love to kick those feet and splash the water. We enjoy it too, though the bathroom floor probably doesn't feel the same.
-We have tried to give you prune juice and apple juice to get things "moving" down there at the advice of your doctor. I understand not liking the prune juice, but you do not like ANYTHING to go in your mouth besides milk. You don't even like apple juice and made faces like it's the worst thing in the world. So we had to table the juice idea for now...
Well, B, that's all for this month. You are an awesome baby and a joy to have in our lives. I know your brother would tell you that you are the best little brother he could have asked for!
Love you to the moon and back!
Friday, December 9, 2011
Happy Weekend Everyone
It's FRIDAY :)...I guess that's reason for a happy dance, but around here, the days seem to flow together. Does that mean we've established a routine? Well, I guess we have some semblance of one, though added sleep would make it more productive. But at least, now that we're a week out from Mimi leaving, we pretty much know what to expect. I won't say that J has made it to school on time one time since mom has left though...but hey, there's always room for improvement, right?
I am sooooooo pleased to report that J had a good week at school. Yep, that's right...an entire week of great behavior and wonderful learning. Is he growing up??? Tear! That's my boy!
And in happy baby news, for the first time today, B took not one, but TWO car rides without screaming his lungs out of his chest. Granted our longest ride was 10 minutes, but hey, I will take what I can get. Is he growing up??? Double tears!!!
Anyhow, nothing really on tap for our weekend but family time, but hey, I'll take it.
I hope you and yours have a fabulous weekend and do something fun :)
I am sooooooo pleased to report that J had a good week at school. Yep, that's right...an entire week of great behavior and wonderful learning. Is he growing up??? Tear! That's my boy!
And in happy baby news, for the first time today, B took not one, but TWO car rides without screaming his lungs out of his chest. Granted our longest ride was 10 minutes, but hey, I will take what I can get. Is he growing up??? Double tears!!!
Anyhow, nothing really on tap for our weekend but family time, but hey, I'll take it.
I hope you and yours have a fabulous weekend and do something fun :)
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Quick Hit
Just a quick update from B's 8 week check up today!
-He's doing great and progressing on schedule
-Current weight: 13 pounds, 12 ounces
-Current length: 23 3/4"
-B is in the 97th percentile in weight, height and head circumference. How's that for consistency?
-He received one shot and one oral vaccine today. I split up the shots, no way I was letting them give him four shots and the oral today. There's no harm in splitting them out and giving his system time to process and clear the toxins out. So we will return in a week or two to get the other shot. Don't get me on my vaccine soap box, this is a quick post for today :)
-B cried for about one minute after the shot while big J consoled him, then he ate and napped and with the Tylenol, he's been napping off and on most of the day.
That's all for now, great doctor's visit...More tomorrow.
-He's doing great and progressing on schedule
-Current weight: 13 pounds, 12 ounces
-Current length: 23 3/4"
-B is in the 97th percentile in weight, height and head circumference. How's that for consistency?
-He received one shot and one oral vaccine today. I split up the shots, no way I was letting them give him four shots and the oral today. There's no harm in splitting them out and giving his system time to process and clear the toxins out. So we will return in a week or two to get the other shot. Don't get me on my vaccine soap box, this is a quick post for today :)
-B cried for about one minute after the shot while big J consoled him, then he ate and napped and with the Tylenol, he's been napping off and on most of the day.
That's all for now, great doctor's visit...More tomorrow.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Baby--1; Mom--0
Okay, so today B is celebrating the big eight week milestone! I won't say where has the time gone because I know I have repeated that chorus enough in this blog already...but seriously! Of course, B is an awesome baby and hitting the milestones beautifully, well in my book anyway :). He has a doctor's appointment tomorrow, so we shall get the official stats then. Anyhow, we are settling into a grove and J is enjoying his little brother, he especially loves showing him off to his preschool class daily.
Well, about this time when J was a baby, I decided that I was tired of the sleepless nights and would give sleep training a go. With the help of my best friend, Dr. Gary Ezzo, and his book BabyWise (no, I don't really know him), J was sleeping through the night (from about 10pm to 7am) within about a week of starting the training. Praise sweet baby Jesus :). So now that B is at the eight week mark, I figured now was as good of a time as any to get him started. So yesterday was day one...
And okay, so this method does not involve me letting him scream his head off until he falls asleep from exhaustion (just wanted to get that out there)...even though mommy wants to scream then sleep sometimes. So basically, it's changing their eating and sleeping patters to go from eat-sleep-wake-play to eat-wake-play-sleep and repeating the cycle every three hours. So then while B is eating, he has to stay awake and once he finishes his food, he has a period of play time or anything to keep him awake for at least an hour, then letting him fall asleep for the last part of the cycle. I won't get into the science of why or how this works, but I do know from my experience that it works.
So yesterday, armed with my four year old book and with my timeline and Itzbeen (another great mommy invention) on standby, we started day one. And well, for the most part, it went smoothly....up until we got to the last feeding before bed. So we got B fed, bathed and read for that LONG sleep stretch (okay, wishful thinking) but he decided that he was ready to talk and play. But how could you deny those loving coo sounds and sweet gummy smile? So we talked and laughed and admired this creation until HE decided that it was time for sleep. So once he slept, I passed out. And I will say that his first night time sleep period went from what was 2.5 to 3 hours to about 4 hours. Then he went back down without incident and woke up to eat 3 hours later. Small wins I guess...So we will take it...And though B gets the point for winning the sleep training on day one, we will try again tonight.
And now that he's napping now, we have an hour left before the cycle starts again, this keyboard is starting to look blurry :)...Off for a few winks for mom!
Well, about this time when J was a baby, I decided that I was tired of the sleepless nights and would give sleep training a go. With the help of my best friend, Dr. Gary Ezzo, and his book BabyWise (no, I don't really know him), J was sleeping through the night (from about 10pm to 7am) within about a week of starting the training. Praise sweet baby Jesus :). So now that B is at the eight week mark, I figured now was as good of a time as any to get him started. So yesterday was day one...
And okay, so this method does not involve me letting him scream his head off until he falls asleep from exhaustion (just wanted to get that out there)...even though mommy wants to scream then sleep sometimes. So basically, it's changing their eating and sleeping patters to go from eat-sleep-wake-play to eat-wake-play-sleep and repeating the cycle every three hours. So then while B is eating, he has to stay awake and once he finishes his food, he has a period of play time or anything to keep him awake for at least an hour, then letting him fall asleep for the last part of the cycle. I won't get into the science of why or how this works, but I do know from my experience that it works.
So yesterday, armed with my four year old book and with my timeline and Itzbeen (another great mommy invention) on standby, we started day one. And well, for the most part, it went smoothly....up until we got to the last feeding before bed. So we got B fed, bathed and read for that LONG sleep stretch (okay, wishful thinking) but he decided that he was ready to talk and play. But how could you deny those loving coo sounds and sweet gummy smile? So we talked and laughed and admired this creation until HE decided that it was time for sleep. So once he slept, I passed out. And I will say that his first night time sleep period went from what was 2.5 to 3 hours to about 4 hours. Then he went back down without incident and woke up to eat 3 hours later. Small wins I guess...So we will take it...And though B gets the point for winning the sleep training on day one, we will try again tonight.
And now that he's napping now, we have an hour left before the cycle starts again, this keyboard is starting to look blurry :)...Off for a few winks for mom!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Whew...Putting My Big Girl Pants On
Okay, so after being totally spoiled for the past seven weeks, our family is officially on our own. The splitting long nights with Mimi have given in to a total of three hours of sleep. The clean kitchen and prepared bottles have now transitioned to a sink full of dishes and the last two ounces of milk prepped to drink. The constant companionship and advice has become seemingly silent. Yet, we are making it. B has been a relatively easy baby per se...as long as he's fed and burped, he's pretty happy. But B and sleep just don't seem to mix well right now. Well, let's just say that B doesn't want to miss a thing...he loves conversation and LOVES television. So when there are better things to do than catch 40 winks, he's all over it. Though everyone else would rather a few z's here and there, B has other plans. And like I told Big J the other day, I wouldn't trade it for a thing....But I still miss my mommy already :)
So what have we been up to? Well, we had a good Thanksgiving week in Orlando. We got to visit with some of my work friends, take in some basketball, spend time with cousins from the west coast and SHOP. Of course, everyone was glad to see the boys and they both delighted in all the attention....Certainly two ladies' men!!!! (SN: I will be in trouble in 10 years...cue the gray hair). We missed Guncle this year but he had a great time hanging out on an island, I guess that's his Thanksgiving tradition now.
Anyhow, we came home to the greatest surprise of a HUGE Christmas tree waiting to be decorated. WHOA. Okay, so in full disclosure, I have never had a live Christmas tree before, so that's new. And secondly, I am the lazy decorator who gets the 5 foot plug in tree and calls it a day. So looking forward to the change this year. J is already having a great time as the lights are going up and his train is starting to loop around the base of the tree.
In other news, our birth announcements have gone out, so B is now officially a part of the family :). We have our Christmas shoot scheduled for Monday. Okay, so I had a long debate with myself as to whether or not we should have sent announcements AND holiday cards...I had decided the answer was no, but then that changed somewhere along the way, so holiday cards coming soon! Did I do the right thing?
Well, I guess I will leave you with another image of my princes. Love yall!
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