Welcome back to blogging land! It's been a while for several reasons:
* I went on vacation and didn't have a lot of time to post.
* My laptop died so I couldn't post.
* We were all sick so I didn't want to post.
I plan on doing a catch up post on Christmas to catch up as well as all my knitting goodies that I have created. There isn't a whole lot of other things to post about yet. I will have two upcoming posts about Cal since his first birthday is tomorrow! Plus his party is on Saturday.
For now, here is a wrap-up of how we spent my winter vacation.
Friday December 14th was my last day of work and I was excited! Even though I was feeling some weird throat thing/cold coming on. I chalked it up to allergies. Saturday I went to my knitting class as usual so I could finish up all my Christmas projects. Things were going fine until Jack caught my mild cold. He seemed fine but he woke up in the middle of the night on the 19th complaining that his ear hurt. He went back to sleep just fine but I knew that he needed to be seen by the doctor. He doesn't complain of ear pain unless he has an ear infection.
Sure enough, after a visit to the pediatrician, he was given a prescription of Amoxicillin and sent home. Since he won't take medication straight up, we had to hide all his doses in juice. Stellar parenting right here folks.
Vacation cruised along for a couple of days and we brought the boys to see Santa. They did great and it resulted in the cutest picture ever. I will post in the Christmas post.
Cal caught Jack's cold on Saturday and was pretty miserable. By Saturday night, just mere hours after getting sick, it was evident that he also had an ear infection. He wouldn't sleep and just cried all night. Since it was a Sunday and I didn't want to wait or risk not getting in to see the pediatrician on Monday since it was Christmas Eve, I took him to urgent care.
Ding ding! Ear infection. What can I say? I know my kids. After getting a prescription, we were sent home. Cal was feeling much better after a couple of doses of the Amoxicillin and some baby Advil.
We managed to avoid being sick on Christmas with the exception of ear infections. It was touch and go because Cal was coughing pretty bad even though he felt okay. We weren't sure if we would be able to go to my in-laws' on Christmas Eve because our elderly grandmother and her friend would be there. We didn't want to risk getting them sick.
Christmas was fun and we all felt fine. I should have known that it was short-lived.
I started getting sick shortly after Christmas. Not just a mild cold, but a full blown, snotty, coughing, sneezing, can't taste anything cold. It was gross. I think I consumed nothing but orange juice for two days. And since our house is small and there is no place for germs to go, I managed to pass my cold back to Jack. And Jason got it too.
We were functional but since we were all sick, I wasn't able to take the kids to any of the fun activities that I had planned for my vacation. I wanted to take them to Zoo Lights, to OMSI, go see Christmas lights and to the new Portland Aquarium. We did nothing but sit at home, watch a lot of tv and wash a lot of laundry.
On Sunday December 30th, Cal was acting weird, not sleeping, not napping and tugging at his ears. Back to urgent care we went! He had yet another ear infection. Even though he was on Amoxicillin, the infection wasn't clearing up and it had migrated to his other ear. It appeared to be a drug resistant bacteria so he had to be put on a different medication. Poor guy.
New Year's Eve came and since the boys were still getting over colds but stable, Jason and I decided to stay in, have some appetizers and drink some Prosecco.
After heading to bed early, I was awoken at 3am by Jack who wanted to snuggle on the couch. He then proceeded to throw up all over himself and he didn't stop throwing up for hours. I didn't think Jack had a stomach virus because this seemed different. He has been struggling to poop lately and I thought maybe this could be a blockage. To the children's ER we went. Two hours later we were home with a prescription for Zofran and a diagnosis of stomach flu.
Since Jack was feeling better, Cal and I went to our family celebration on New Year's Day. I needed to get out of the house for a bit after being cooped up for what felt like weeks. Life went on for another couple of days and I went back to work on Wednesday the 2nd.
When I logged off work on the 2nd I started feeling bad. Like nauseous and head spinning bad. At the very same time, Cal got fussy. By 6:00 Cal and I had both thrown up. Jack had gifted us both his lovely stomach bug.
It was a rough 8 hours. Cal and I were both sick and neither of us could keep food or any liquids down. I had an awful fever and diarrhea. Cal cried and cried and cried because he was so thirsty but we didn't want to give him much liquid at a time because we knew he would vomit it back up. Thank the Lord for Jason. He would hold Cal while I went to the bathroom to empty the contents of my stomach. He got Jack his dinner and put him in bed. He held Cal for a couple of hours so I could try and sleep.
At 1:00 in the morning, both Cal's and my fever broke and we both had managed to keep some liquids down. I held Cal in bed and he slept like a log until 4:00, woke briefly for some juice and then went back to sleep.
The next few days were touch and go. We were all so weak from being sick off and on and we had to modify the kiddos' diet so they weren't consuming any milk since milk is so harsh on their stomach when they have a bug. Most days the kids didn't throw up. They have a couple of times here and there but we are feeding them such mild foods so their tummies don't revolt.
Now? We are slowly getting better. We all still have the trots and I am on medication for a sinus infection. Other than that, we are slowly starting to feel better. Please everyone cross your fingers that none of us get sick again. I can't handle any more damn illness!
Showing posts with label Baby Cal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baby Cal. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Cal is 11 Months Old
I have an almost toddler! In one month, we will be celebrating Cal's 1 year birthday.
Sorry this post is a couple of days late. The days are getting too short for all the things I need to get done!
Cal, buddy, you are turning into a little boy before our eyes. This past month has been quite the adventure. You are doing so many new things. It is so fun to watch you grow.
* You are walking like a champ. You took three steps back in November and now are walking 90% of the time. It's so cute to watch your little zombie baby walk. I took a video so I could remember how it looks.
* In addition to walking, you also started standing up from the floor. You put your feet on the floor near your hands like a little A-frame and stand right up. We watched you do it once on a Friday and ever since than, you stand all the time.
* Even though you knew how to clap before, you are now copying us when we do it. I make a game out of clapping and say "Yayyyyy!" and clap my hands just so I can see you do it too.
* You wave bye-bye. Just this morning you were toddling into your bedroom and you turned around to make sure I was watching. I said "Bye" and you responded with a wave and a "buh buh" which I am pretty sure means Bye Bye.
* You have three teeth. Both your top front teeth and one of your bottom ones. I am pretty sure your second bottom one is on its way because you have been pretty fussy.
* In the last couple of weeks, you learned how to give hugs. If you want to be hugged, you will put your head down on someone's chest or shoulder. It is just the sweetest little thing.
* Similar to above, if you want someone to pick you up, you bounce up and down and go "ahahahahaha" until they do. You do the same thing if you want a bite of what someone is eating too. Silly boy!
* You absolutely love to eat. If you are fussy, it's generally because you are hungry. You will try anything but your favorite food is blueberries. This hasn't changed since last month because I am pretty sure I wrote the same thing.
Cal, you are such a joy and absolutely the sweetest. We love you so much big boy! Next month, I will posting all about your birthday. I can't believe it!
Sorry this post is a couple of days late. The days are getting too short for all the things I need to get done!
Cal, buddy, you are turning into a little boy before our eyes. This past month has been quite the adventure. You are doing so many new things. It is so fun to watch you grow.
* You are walking like a champ. You took three steps back in November and now are walking 90% of the time. It's so cute to watch your little zombie baby walk. I took a video so I could remember how it looks.
* In addition to walking, you also started standing up from the floor. You put your feet on the floor near your hands like a little A-frame and stand right up. We watched you do it once on a Friday and ever since than, you stand all the time.
* Even though you knew how to clap before, you are now copying us when we do it. I make a game out of clapping and say "Yayyyyy!" and clap my hands just so I can see you do it too.
* You wave bye-bye. Just this morning you were toddling into your bedroom and you turned around to make sure I was watching. I said "Bye" and you responded with a wave and a "buh buh" which I am pretty sure means Bye Bye.
* You have three teeth. Both your top front teeth and one of your bottom ones. I am pretty sure your second bottom one is on its way because you have been pretty fussy.
* In the last couple of weeks, you learned how to give hugs. If you want to be hugged, you will put your head down on someone's chest or shoulder. It is just the sweetest little thing.
* Similar to above, if you want someone to pick you up, you bounce up and down and go "ahahahahaha" until they do. You do the same thing if you want a bite of what someone is eating too. Silly boy!
* You absolutely love to eat. If you are fussy, it's generally because you are hungry. You will try anything but your favorite food is blueberries. This hasn't changed since last month because I am pretty sure I wrote the same thing.
Cal, you are such a joy and absolutely the sweetest. We love you so much big boy! Next month, I will posting all about your birthday. I can't believe it!
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Tuesday Tidbits
* I have two other posts drafted but don't have the time to put much thought into them. One is a sad post full of heavy material and I keep plugging along on it. The other is a happy post about our anniversary but I just don't have 20 minutes to spend on a dedicated subject. Posting sometimes gives me ADD.
* Oh my gosh Cal is walking all over the place. It is INSANE! He just took steps two weeks ago and now he's toddling everywhere.
* I am still going to knitting class and so far have finished two hats, started a new hat and almost completed one slipper sock. I still have the finishing touches on the hats, like the ears, but I am at a standstill because I don't remember how to start the ears. This next class will be what I need to kick start me into finishing.
* Jack is doing this new thing where he says "This is me Mama!". It's like he is trying to announce his presence all the time. It is super cute.
* Jason and I are probably going to do our annual Christmas shopping trip on Saturday. I just have to sucker my in-laws into watching the boys and feeding them dinner. We do this every year. We usually go to the mall, pick up some gifts and then either go out to dinner or lunch after. Last year I was hugely pregnant and we only went to a few stores before we called it a day. The year before, we brought Jack in a stroller. The year before that? Also pregnant.
* I ordered the invitations for Cal's 1st Birthday last week. I wanted to get them ordered so I had them in time to be able to mail well in advance. Since his birthday is right after the holidays I want people to have enough time to decide if they want to come. I am going with a Mickey Mouse theme since Cal loves Mickey. I have a Pinterest board dedicated to my ideas. I am not a crafty person so likely I will probably only make the food. The decorations will be either store-bought or simple like balloons. My best friend, who is an awesome pastry chef, has offered to make the cake and favors (probably Mickey cookies).
* I am struggling with some ideas for age appropriate toys for the boys for Christmas. I think I am done for Jack, but what about Cal? Everything either lights up, makes noise, sings, or is generally annoying. Whatever happened to good old fashioned toys? He doesn't need blocks, Legos or anything too babyish. I need to head to Finnegan's, our cool toy store to see if anything catches my eye.
* Can I tell you how ridiculously excited I am about this year's holidays? I didn't take any time off last year but this year? I am on vacation starting on December 17th all the way through the end of the year. I fully plan on taking my boys to fun places and baking with my sister.
* Our Thanksgiving was awesome. This girl didn't take a single picture of the day (oops) but Jack ate nothing and Cal ate everything. Well, Jack did eat some apples and pumpkin pie but that's it. And can I just brag on my kids? Jack didn't have a nap that day and was seriously SO GOOD over at my aunt and uncle's. He usually is a holy terror when he doesn't nap but he was great. I was a proud mama. The food was delicious, the company was even better and I didn't leave in a food coma.
* I am contemplating starting to run. As in, buying good running shoes and trying the Couch to 5K program. I need to get my butt in gear before I turn into a whale. Who am I kidding? I am already a whale.
That's it for now. I keep saying that I will catch up on posts but we know how well that goes.
* Oh my gosh Cal is walking all over the place. It is INSANE! He just took steps two weeks ago and now he's toddling everywhere.
* I am still going to knitting class and so far have finished two hats, started a new hat and almost completed one slipper sock. I still have the finishing touches on the hats, like the ears, but I am at a standstill because I don't remember how to start the ears. This next class will be what I need to kick start me into finishing.
* Jack is doing this new thing where he says "This is me Mama!". It's like he is trying to announce his presence all the time. It is super cute.
* Jason and I are probably going to do our annual Christmas shopping trip on Saturday. I just have to sucker my in-laws into watching the boys and feeding them dinner. We do this every year. We usually go to the mall, pick up some gifts and then either go out to dinner or lunch after. Last year I was hugely pregnant and we only went to a few stores before we called it a day. The year before, we brought Jack in a stroller. The year before that? Also pregnant.
* I ordered the invitations for Cal's 1st Birthday last week. I wanted to get them ordered so I had them in time to be able to mail well in advance. Since his birthday is right after the holidays I want people to have enough time to decide if they want to come. I am going with a Mickey Mouse theme since Cal loves Mickey. I have a Pinterest board dedicated to my ideas. I am not a crafty person so likely I will probably only make the food. The decorations will be either store-bought or simple like balloons. My best friend, who is an awesome pastry chef, has offered to make the cake and favors (probably Mickey cookies).
* I am struggling with some ideas for age appropriate toys for the boys for Christmas. I think I am done for Jack, but what about Cal? Everything either lights up, makes noise, sings, or is generally annoying. Whatever happened to good old fashioned toys? He doesn't need blocks, Legos or anything too babyish. I need to head to Finnegan's, our cool toy store to see if anything catches my eye.
* Can I tell you how ridiculously excited I am about this year's holidays? I didn't take any time off last year but this year? I am on vacation starting on December 17th all the way through the end of the year. I fully plan on taking my boys to fun places and baking with my sister.
* Our Thanksgiving was awesome. This girl didn't take a single picture of the day (oops) but Jack ate nothing and Cal ate everything. Well, Jack did eat some apples and pumpkin pie but that's it. And can I just brag on my kids? Jack didn't have a nap that day and was seriously SO GOOD over at my aunt and uncle's. He usually is a holy terror when he doesn't nap but he was great. I was a proud mama. The food was delicious, the company was even better and I didn't leave in a food coma.
* I am contemplating starting to run. As in, buying good running shoes and trying the Couch to 5K program. I need to get my butt in gear before I turn into a whale. Who am I kidding? I am already a whale.
That's it for now. I keep saying that I will catch up on posts but we know how well that goes.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Tuesday Tidbits
* We had such an awesome time for our anniversary weekend. I will post about it another day. Tons of rest, relaxation, good food and time together.
* Cal slept through the night for the second night in a row! I honestly don't expect it to continue but it has been awfully nice.
* It feels like fall here in Oregon, which I LOVE. Fall is my favorite season. I love the cold, windy, rainy weather and everything that goes along with fall. Christmas shopping, comfort food, warm clothes, fuzzy socks, flannel sheets. Ahhhhhh. Love it.
* I am making quite a few Christmas gifts this year and I think I have bit off more than I can chew. None of them are particularly hard. They will just take time and you know I have so much time to spare.
* I am still going to my knitting class. I actually have one hat mostly done save for a couple of ear pieces (it's a mouse hat) and another hat started and about 75% done. I saw an awesome pattern for slipper socks at the knitting store. If it's easy, I might pick it up because clearly I don't have enough to do.
* I have cut back my pumping sessions to 4 times a day rather than 5. This has given me a break as well as lined me up to start weaning from the pump at some point. I have a great freezer stash and if I were to stop tomorrow, I would have enough milk to get Cal through 12 months. I am not sure how to break the news to my donor moms that I am cutting back and weaning though.
* I have to go to a client site on Thursday and am stressing about what to wear. I have black pants and plenty of tops but I am still stressed. I will find something but it's always fun to get new stuff. I don't need new stuff though. Dilemmas!
* I have been putting off making a couple of doctor's appointments but I finally bit the bullet. I am going to the eye doctor next week and the dermatologist in December. My eye visit is just a routine one. I need new contacts and I was running out so it was time. The dermatologist? I am dreading it. It's a necessary evil though. It's for a routine mole check. I have a couple of questionable looking ones and it's always important just to get your moles looked at. That sounds gross doesn't it? Moles. Ew.
Did I really just start most of these bullet points with "I"? I promise I am not this self-absorbed. Geez, there I go again.
* Cal slept through the night for the second night in a row! I honestly don't expect it to continue but it has been awfully nice.
* It feels like fall here in Oregon, which I LOVE. Fall is my favorite season. I love the cold, windy, rainy weather and everything that goes along with fall. Christmas shopping, comfort food, warm clothes, fuzzy socks, flannel sheets. Ahhhhhh. Love it.
* I am making quite a few Christmas gifts this year and I think I have bit off more than I can chew. None of them are particularly hard. They will just take time and you know I have so much time to spare.
* I am still going to my knitting class. I actually have one hat mostly done save for a couple of ear pieces (it's a mouse hat) and another hat started and about 75% done. I saw an awesome pattern for slipper socks at the knitting store. If it's easy, I might pick it up because clearly I don't have enough to do.
* I have cut back my pumping sessions to 4 times a day rather than 5. This has given me a break as well as lined me up to start weaning from the pump at some point. I have a great freezer stash and if I were to stop tomorrow, I would have enough milk to get Cal through 12 months. I am not sure how to break the news to my donor moms that I am cutting back and weaning though.
* I have to go to a client site on Thursday and am stressing about what to wear. I have black pants and plenty of tops but I am still stressed. I will find something but it's always fun to get new stuff. I don't need new stuff though. Dilemmas!
* I have been putting off making a couple of doctor's appointments but I finally bit the bullet. I am going to the eye doctor next week and the dermatologist in December. My eye visit is just a routine one. I need new contacts and I was running out so it was time. The dermatologist? I am dreading it. It's a necessary evil though. It's for a routine mole check. I have a couple of questionable looking ones and it's always important just to get your moles looked at. That sounds gross doesn't it? Moles. Ew.
Did I really just start most of these bullet points with "I"? I promise I am not this self-absorbed. Geez, there I go again.
Monday, November 12, 2012
10 Months Old!
I am two days late posting this update since Jason and I were out of town for our anniversary.
There are lots of exciting things going on with Calvin the past couple of weeks. Here are some important noteables:
* Cal has two teeth! Both his top teeth have popped through. Oh my goodness how grown up does he look! So stinkin' cute.
* HE IS WALKING! We went away for the weekend and came back to a toddling baby. He took three unassisted steps over at Nana's this weekend. He has been trying but we have never seen him actually walk. Now he is taking steps all over the house. I give him about two weeks and he will be full on walking.
* Someone slept through the night last night. Cal went down to sleep at 7:30 and didn't wake up until 5:30. That is 10 hours of silence. He woke up at 5:30, drank his bottle and then went back down to sleep until 6:45. Yahooo! I don't expect him to do this all the time but boy was it nice.
* You spent your first night away from Mom and Dad this past weekend. Not only was it one night, but two! You did great over at Nana and Papa's and slept in their Pack N Play.
* He loves food. LOVES. If you are eating something and he wants a bite, he will bounce up and down on his feet until you give him a bite. He has actually started crying when you don't give him a bite fast enough. It would be pretty hysterical if it wasn't so pathetic. I promise we feed him. As you can see in the picture of the month, he is trying to steal what Jack is eating. We often hum the Jaws theme when Cal starts prowling around for food.
* Cal's favorite foods are anything fruit related (especially pears and peaches), Ritz crackers and peanut butter sandwiches. We try to feed him what we are eating so I don't have to prepare multiple meals. He loves feeding himself and we love to be able to eat without sticking a spoon in his mouth every second.
* Speaking of spoons, I gave you a spoon and a dish of Greek yogurt the other day so you could try and feed yourself. Amazingly enough, you did pretty well. I had you stripped down to just a diaper and a bib and a tablecloth under your highchair. I am super duper behind on having you learn with utensils and sippy cups (second child syndrome) so this was good practice.
* He is solidly in 12 month clothing. Since Jack was still in 9 month clothing at 10 months, a lot of Cal's stuff isn't really seasonally appropriate. Example: He wears Christmas pajamas most nights since his 12 month sleepers were all used by Jack around the holidays.
* Your favorite toys are pretty much anything that Jack is playing with. However, you do like "reading" which means pulling all the books off the shelf and flipping through them. I try to read to you but your attention span is really short. Maybe you will love books more as you get older. You also love putting things in things and opening and closing doors and drawers. You are happy to open and close the door on the play kitchen for minutes on end.
* You typically take a short morning nap and then a longer afternoon nap. If we time it right, you usually go down right after lunch and sleep until 3:00. You are certainly a better sleeper as you get older.
* As always, you are a super happy baby. Even when teething and not feeling well you still put on a smile. You are never too tired or grumpy to laugh or hand out smiles.
* Bathtime might be your favorite time of the day. Whether it's taking a bath by yourself or with big brother, you love it. You splash around, crawl in the tub and don't even mind getting your head wet. It's funny because you stand up against the side of the tub and get cold because you immediately sit back down. You repeat this several times and think it's hysterically funny. After bath you get either nakey time or diaper time where you play for a few minutes in the buff or in a diaper. You love this.
I wasn't great about taking pictures this past month, but here is a cute one of you in action. It was after bath and you were enjoying diaper time and trying to steal Jack's juice pop.
There are lots of exciting things going on with Calvin the past couple of weeks. Here are some important noteables:
* Cal has two teeth! Both his top teeth have popped through. Oh my goodness how grown up does he look! So stinkin' cute.
* HE IS WALKING! We went away for the weekend and came back to a toddling baby. He took three unassisted steps over at Nana's this weekend. He has been trying but we have never seen him actually walk. Now he is taking steps all over the house. I give him about two weeks and he will be full on walking.
* Someone slept through the night last night. Cal went down to sleep at 7:30 and didn't wake up until 5:30. That is 10 hours of silence. He woke up at 5:30, drank his bottle and then went back down to sleep until 6:45. Yahooo! I don't expect him to do this all the time but boy was it nice.
* You spent your first night away from Mom and Dad this past weekend. Not only was it one night, but two! You did great over at Nana and Papa's and slept in their Pack N Play.
* He loves food. LOVES. If you are eating something and he wants a bite, he will bounce up and down on his feet until you give him a bite. He has actually started crying when you don't give him a bite fast enough. It would be pretty hysterical if it wasn't so pathetic. I promise we feed him. As you can see in the picture of the month, he is trying to steal what Jack is eating. We often hum the Jaws theme when Cal starts prowling around for food.
* Cal's favorite foods are anything fruit related (especially pears and peaches), Ritz crackers and peanut butter sandwiches. We try to feed him what we are eating so I don't have to prepare multiple meals. He loves feeding himself and we love to be able to eat without sticking a spoon in his mouth every second.
* Speaking of spoons, I gave you a spoon and a dish of Greek yogurt the other day so you could try and feed yourself. Amazingly enough, you did pretty well. I had you stripped down to just a diaper and a bib and a tablecloth under your highchair. I am super duper behind on having you learn with utensils and sippy cups (second child syndrome) so this was good practice.
* He is solidly in 12 month clothing. Since Jack was still in 9 month clothing at 10 months, a lot of Cal's stuff isn't really seasonally appropriate. Example: He wears Christmas pajamas most nights since his 12 month sleepers were all used by Jack around the holidays.
* Your favorite toys are pretty much anything that Jack is playing with. However, you do like "reading" which means pulling all the books off the shelf and flipping through them. I try to read to you but your attention span is really short. Maybe you will love books more as you get older. You also love putting things in things and opening and closing doors and drawers. You are happy to open and close the door on the play kitchen for minutes on end.
* You typically take a short morning nap and then a longer afternoon nap. If we time it right, you usually go down right after lunch and sleep until 3:00. You are certainly a better sleeper as you get older.
* As always, you are a super happy baby. Even when teething and not feeling well you still put on a smile. You are never too tired or grumpy to laugh or hand out smiles.
* Bathtime might be your favorite time of the day. Whether it's taking a bath by yourself or with big brother, you love it. You splash around, crawl in the tub and don't even mind getting your head wet. It's funny because you stand up against the side of the tub and get cold because you immediately sit back down. You repeat this several times and think it's hysterically funny. After bath you get either nakey time or diaper time where you play for a few minutes in the buff or in a diaper. You love this.
I wasn't great about taking pictures this past month, but here is a cute one of you in action. It was after bath and you were enjoying diaper time and trying to steal Jack's juice pop.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Fir Point Farm 2012
Rain or shine! We made the trek to Fir Point Farm a few weekends ago. I brought Jack last year and he absolutely loved it. This is definitely a tradition that our family will keep.
It was pouring rain as Lynn (my mother-in-law), Jack, Cal and I made the trip down to Hubbard, Oregon. It's only a 25 minute drive so it wasn't terrible. When we pulled up to Fir Point, the rain had slowed to a drizzle. We came prepared and I bundled up the kiddos in coats, hats, gloves and boots for Jack. I even wore my super cool tomato hat.
With Cal in the Ergo and Jack holding hands with Nana, off we went. The rain had stopped by the time we sloshed through the paths to see the animals.
We saw goats, bunnies, chickens and pigs. Jack had a blast feeding the goats and wanted to keep throwing food their way. The sheeps' names were Shrek and Fiona. Jack was very confused because he knows what the real Shrek looks like and it isn't like the dude below.
Last year, Jack was afraid of Hazel's Nut House. It's a little log cabin with the floor filled with hazelnuts. They are a good 6 inches deep. This year? He loved it! We all climbed in and tromped around and had a blast.
Instead we enjoyed a lovely hayride. We enjoyed each other, the views of the pumpkin fields and samples of the fresh apple cider donuts.
Among the highlights of the trip in Jack's opinion were the giant Noah's Ark and the bounce house! A little running off of some energy is always good.
It was pouring rain as Lynn (my mother-in-law), Jack, Cal and I made the trip down to Hubbard, Oregon. It's only a 25 minute drive so it wasn't terrible. When we pulled up to Fir Point, the rain had slowed to a drizzle. We came prepared and I bundled up the kiddos in coats, hats, gloves and boots for Jack. I even wore my super cool tomato hat.
With Cal in the Ergo and Jack holding hands with Nana, off we went. The rain had stopped by the time we sloshed through the paths to see the animals.
We saw goats, bunnies, chickens and pigs. Jack had a blast feeding the goats and wanted to keep throwing food their way. The sheeps' names were Shrek and Fiona. Jack was very confused because he knows what the real Shrek looks like and it isn't like the dude below.
Cal enjoyed the view over my shoulder. He just sat content and happy the entire visit.
There weren't pony rides this year. The farm is under new ownership so a few things had changed. Last year Jack's favorite activity was sliding down the big slide over and over and over and over........This year? Not so much. He was afraid of how high it was even with help and he wouldn't slide down.
This child couldn't stuff donuts in his mouth fast enough.
Among the highlights of the trip in Jack's opinion were the giant Noah's Ark and the bounce house! A little running off of some energy is always good.
After a trip to the farm store for some donuts to take home, we drove back towards the city. We stopped for lunch at McDonald's where Jack proceeded to get stuck in the Play Place. He was scared to climb back down and just stayed there. Since there were no other kids around to help, guess who had to climb their fat butt into the structure? I kept praying it wouldn't collapse under my weight.
We had a great time at Fir Point Farm and will definitely be going back next year. I just hope they bring back the pumpkin donuts next time!
Halloween
Better late than never! Jack was so so SO excited for Halloween this year. He kept asking about it, kept practicing saying Trick or Treat and would jump for joy when we told him he would be getting candy.
Jack dressed up as a fireman and was able to wear his costume to school that day as well. Cal dressed up as a pumpkin.
We headed to my in-laws in the late afternoon. The plan was to trick or treat in their neighborhood because they live in a nicer area and that way, we could have dinner together and they could see the kiddos dressed up.
Jack was so dang cute while we were out and about. At one point he tried stepping into someone's house so he could have a better chance to snag some candy. The video posted below is evidence of my little grabby-pants.
Cal wasn't sure what was going on. We just carried him and he enjoyed watching people answer their doors. Plus, he loves watching his big brother, a.k.a. His Idol.
Here are some pictures or our evening. Jack ended up with quite the haul of candy for only going to 10 or so houses. We are mean parents and have been rationing it so he doesn't end up in a sugar coma every day.
Jack dressed up as a fireman and was able to wear his costume to school that day as well. Cal dressed up as a pumpkin.
We headed to my in-laws in the late afternoon. The plan was to trick or treat in their neighborhood because they live in a nicer area and that way, we could have dinner together and they could see the kiddos dressed up.
Jack was so dang cute while we were out and about. At one point he tried stepping into someone's house so he could have a better chance to snag some candy. The video posted below is evidence of my little grabby-pants.
Cal wasn't sure what was going on. We just carried him and he enjoyed watching people answer their doors. Plus, he loves watching his big brother, a.k.a. His Idol.
Here are some pictures or our evening. Jack ended up with quite the haul of candy for only going to 10 or so houses. We are mean parents and have been rationing it so he doesn't end up in a sugar coma every day.
Obligatory costume shot. Jack's reflector tape really worked! Can you tell?
Walking up to a house. Getting ready to yell "Kick o teet!"
Cute pumpkin!
Blurry shot but Jack was just so excited!
The video proof that my kiddo is trying to weasel his way into other people's homes for candy.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Randoms Post aka I Am Tired
Today will be a randoms post because I am tired and don't have a whole topic that is interesting enough to write about.
* Jack has an ear infection. The only reason I knew to even take him in to the pediatrician is because he woke up in the middle of the night on Sunday asking for me to clean his ears. "Tatos tatos". Which meant potatoes because we always joke we are digging out potatoes when cleaning his ears.
* His left tube was in his ear canal so the pediatrician actually pulled it out. That is the ear with the infection. The right tube is still in place and was free of infection. I really hope he doesn't need new tubes. We shall see what this winter holds for him and his poor ears.
* CAL HAS A TOOTH! It finally popped through three days ago. And because he has to be different, it's a top tooth. Don't babies typically get their bottom teeth first? He was absolutely miserable the night before it broke through. He would not sleep. I had to hold him from 3:00 to 6:00 while he pretty much screamed in pain. Nothing helped him. Baby Advil, teething tablets, being rocked, Orajel. It all around sucked.
* I worked 62 hours last week. Let me tell you how thrilled I am about that. I worked every single day including Saturdays and Sundays. Notice I put that in plural. Work has been stressful. I won't blog about work for privacy issues but it's been rough.
* I attended my knitting class on the 20th and had to leave after 5 minutes because I got a page for work. I am heading back this week and am very happy about that. I scrapped my original project because it had too many mistakes and I am a perfectionist. Instead, I am working on a mouse hat for Jack. It is going to be so super cute! I already have two more projects lined up too!
* We have had some fun new recipes lately. I will do a post about that soon, I swear. I also made a neat Fall themed snack mix yesterday as a special treat for the boy.
* Jason and I are celebrating our 6th wedding anniversary on the 11th of November. Guess what? We are going away for the weekend. The entire weekend. By ourselves. Eeeek! More to come on that as well.
* It's raining here which is completely normal. It will be an interesting Halloween tomorrow with two small children and ran. We are heading to our in-laws' house to go Trick-or-Treating since our neighborhood is kind of scary at night.
Upcoming posts (I swear!):
* One Funny Kid
* More tasty recipes
* Our Anniversary
* Halloween
* Jack has an ear infection. The only reason I knew to even take him in to the pediatrician is because he woke up in the middle of the night on Sunday asking for me to clean his ears. "Tatos tatos". Which meant potatoes because we always joke we are digging out potatoes when cleaning his ears.
* His left tube was in his ear canal so the pediatrician actually pulled it out. That is the ear with the infection. The right tube is still in place and was free of infection. I really hope he doesn't need new tubes. We shall see what this winter holds for him and his poor ears.
* CAL HAS A TOOTH! It finally popped through three days ago. And because he has to be different, it's a top tooth. Don't babies typically get their bottom teeth first? He was absolutely miserable the night before it broke through. He would not sleep. I had to hold him from 3:00 to 6:00 while he pretty much screamed in pain. Nothing helped him. Baby Advil, teething tablets, being rocked, Orajel. It all around sucked.
* I worked 62 hours last week. Let me tell you how thrilled I am about that. I worked every single day including Saturdays and Sundays. Notice I put that in plural. Work has been stressful. I won't blog about work for privacy issues but it's been rough.
* I attended my knitting class on the 20th and had to leave after 5 minutes because I got a page for work. I am heading back this week and am very happy about that. I scrapped my original project because it had too many mistakes and I am a perfectionist. Instead, I am working on a mouse hat for Jack. It is going to be so super cute! I already have two more projects lined up too!
* We have had some fun new recipes lately. I will do a post about that soon, I swear. I also made a neat Fall themed snack mix yesterday as a special treat for the boy.
* Jason and I are celebrating our 6th wedding anniversary on the 11th of November. Guess what? We are going away for the weekend. The entire weekend. By ourselves. Eeeek! More to come on that as well.
* It's raining here which is completely normal. It will be an interesting Halloween tomorrow with two small children and ran. We are heading to our in-laws' house to go Trick-or-Treating since our neighborhood is kind of scary at night.
Upcoming posts (I swear!):
* One Funny Kid
* More tasty recipes
* Our Anniversary
* Halloween
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Cal is 9 Months Old!
Wow, 3/4 of a year already. It's getting harder and harder for me to post these monthly updates because I am in denial that Cal is getting so big so quickly. I thought Jack grew up quick, but Cal is speeding by in the blink of an eye.
This month has been challenging but it's just a phase. Here are a few things that Cal is up to this month:
* He has quite the temper on him. If he doesn't like what you are doing (diaper changes lately or being confined in the Exersaucer), he growls. Loudly. He actually threw a tantrum the other day. I must actually admit that I laughed hysterically because it was FUNNY. He was crying but he was PISSED. In that moment, he reminded me so much of my brother.
* No teeth yet. Seriously, is he ever going to get one? The pediatrician doesn't seem concerned.
* Naps have basically gone by the wayside. We used to be able to lay him down in his crib for afternoon nap and he would sleep for about an hour. Now if we lay him down, he screams, cries and snots until we go get him. This will last for up to 30 minutes. We have tried letting him cry it out but after a while, it's exhausting and not doing him any favors. He still goes down fine at night though. What's the deal?
* Oh my goodness, this child opens everything. Doors, cabinets, drawers, the refrigerator. Time to re-install all the cabinet locks.
* He still eats pretty well. Three meals a day with an occasional snack. He will basically eat anything that's in front of him but now he's starting to decide on flavors and whether he likes them or not. Lately, he has been decreasing his milk intake. I think it's because his toofers bother him.
* Jack is still his favorite person. He loves to play on the floor around Jack. It's so sad when Jack takes a toy away from him or pushes him down. He gets the saddest look on his face and just cries. Poor guy.
* Cal is cruising on everything, and he will stand unassisted for several seconds at a time. It's funny because you will let go and he won't notice. As soon as he notices you aren't holding on anymore, he plops right down on his butt.
* It cracks me up that I can hear him coming from anywhere in the house. His crawl has a distinctive sound and his hands do this "slap, slap, slap". He also pants like a dog when he's crawling or excited. So funny!
* He has four words, three of which we understand or know the meaning of: Mama, Dada, Bubba (brother) and Nawnaw. We don't know what nawnaw is. Nana? No?
* You are starting to fight diaper changes and clothing changes. It's a little frustrating because you will roll and try and squirm away and screech because you are mad. It makes diaper time a little longer than it should. Oh well.
I brought Cal in to the doctor a week before his scheduled well-baby check. He had a cold and I was worried he had an ear infection. He didn't thankfully so the pediatrician ended up just doing his check then. Here are his stats:
Weight: 21 pounds 8 ounces (70th percentile)
Height: 29 inches (70th percentile)
Perfectly proportionate!
And to wrap up this post, a few pictures!
This month has been challenging but it's just a phase. Here are a few things that Cal is up to this month:
* He has quite the temper on him. If he doesn't like what you are doing (diaper changes lately or being confined in the Exersaucer), he growls. Loudly. He actually threw a tantrum the other day. I must actually admit that I laughed hysterically because it was FUNNY. He was crying but he was PISSED. In that moment, he reminded me so much of my brother.
* No teeth yet. Seriously, is he ever going to get one? The pediatrician doesn't seem concerned.
* Naps have basically gone by the wayside. We used to be able to lay him down in his crib for afternoon nap and he would sleep for about an hour. Now if we lay him down, he screams, cries and snots until we go get him. This will last for up to 30 minutes. We have tried letting him cry it out but after a while, it's exhausting and not doing him any favors. He still goes down fine at night though. What's the deal?
* Oh my goodness, this child opens everything. Doors, cabinets, drawers, the refrigerator. Time to re-install all the cabinet locks.
* He still eats pretty well. Three meals a day with an occasional snack. He will basically eat anything that's in front of him but now he's starting to decide on flavors and whether he likes them or not. Lately, he has been decreasing his milk intake. I think it's because his toofers bother him.
* Jack is still his favorite person. He loves to play on the floor around Jack. It's so sad when Jack takes a toy away from him or pushes him down. He gets the saddest look on his face and just cries. Poor guy.
* Cal is cruising on everything, and he will stand unassisted for several seconds at a time. It's funny because you will let go and he won't notice. As soon as he notices you aren't holding on anymore, he plops right down on his butt.
* It cracks me up that I can hear him coming from anywhere in the house. His crawl has a distinctive sound and his hands do this "slap, slap, slap". He also pants like a dog when he's crawling or excited. So funny!
* He has four words, three of which we understand or know the meaning of: Mama, Dada, Bubba (brother) and Nawnaw. We don't know what nawnaw is. Nana? No?
* You are starting to fight diaper changes and clothing changes. It's a little frustrating because you will roll and try and squirm away and screech because you are mad. It makes diaper time a little longer than it should. Oh well.
I brought Cal in to the doctor a week before his scheduled well-baby check. He had a cold and I was worried he had an ear infection. He didn't thankfully so the pediatrician ended up just doing his check then. Here are his stats:
Weight: 21 pounds 8 ounces (70th percentile)
Height: 29 inches (70th percentile)
Perfectly proportionate!
And to wrap up this post, a few pictures!
Monday, October 1, 2012
Monday Miscellaneous
Wow what a weekend we had! It's been a pretty crazy week all around but we had a great weekend.
* The family attended my cousin's daughter's birthday party this weekend. Jack had a blast playing on the cool playground and eating the rainbow cake. I don't want to post any pictures yet because I don't want to steal my cousin's thunder (we have a couple of the same blog readers). I can't wait until she posts!
* I am doing a really good job of sticking to my plan of being less boring. I went to a party on Friday, the birthday on Saturday and start my knitting class this upcoming Saturday.
* Cal is miserable. I am ::thisclose:: to calling the pediatrician about his teething symptoms. He is almost 9 months old and no sign of a tooth. He drools, is in pain, has an eruption hematoma, hardly sleeps anymore and is generally cranky. The hematoma is what concerns me the most. I am starting to worry that something is wrong. Purple gums are not cool folks. And they hurt.
* Do you know how hard it is to find quality and cute Halloween costumes for kids? I was hoping to do a theme with the boys but didn't have much luck finding costumes that weren't cheap looking or matched. I thought Elmo and Cookie Monster, or Yo Gabba Gabba or animals. I would find one costume for Jack but than there wouldn't be a matching one for Cal. I finally gave up my search and just bought two costumes at Costco. They were very high quality and cheap! Cheaper than any place I have found. I am totally spoiling any surprise but here are their costumes:
How cute is he? Real reflective tape, real brass buckles and you can't see but there are adjustable suspenders on the pants.
Roly poly pumpkin for the roly poly baby. How cute are those leggings?
* Jason's parents mentioned that our anniversary is coming up and that we should get away for the weekend. I think I was too much in shock to react. Take our two kids for an entire weekend? So we can sleep? And relax? I just don't know what to think........I doubt we will take them up on an entire weekend but we might for overnight.
* I got a new cookbook that I have been eyeballing for a while. I love using my crockpot and this will hopefully give me some inspiration to try something new.
* I have posted before about donating milk. Well, twice now this person insists that she needs milk desperately and yet, she has failed to show up. She gets a third chance today and if she doesn't pick up, the milk is being donated to someone who is more in need. It's frustrating! If you don't have common courtesy to tell someone you can't make it, you don't really need this gift as much as you say you do.
* I want to try a new restaurant that opened up the street from me. I drive by it awesome and it's always packed. I was shocked because new restaurants in my area don't typically do well. I looked up this restaurant and it's apparently a place that went out of business years ago that has reopened. The menu looks awesome - who doesn't love burgers and milkshakes? I believe this might be our next date night trip.
* I am feeling a little bit of jealousy when it comes to other people's sibling groups. I hear all about how so-and-so just LOVES their younger brother or sister. Jack does not like Cal. He is constantly taking toys, pacifiers, trying to block his way by putting toys around him, and while he doesn't outwardly hit, he does push his hand and try to "gently" knock him over. He doesn't play with him. At all. Ever. I want my kids to like each other. Cal adores Jack but the feelings aren't mutual.
That's all the semi interesting stuff I have for today.
* The family attended my cousin's daughter's birthday party this weekend. Jack had a blast playing on the cool playground and eating the rainbow cake. I don't want to post any pictures yet because I don't want to steal my cousin's thunder (we have a couple of the same blog readers). I can't wait until she posts!
* I am doing a really good job of sticking to my plan of being less boring. I went to a party on Friday, the birthday on Saturday and start my knitting class this upcoming Saturday.
* Cal is miserable. I am ::thisclose:: to calling the pediatrician about his teething symptoms. He is almost 9 months old and no sign of a tooth. He drools, is in pain, has an eruption hematoma, hardly sleeps anymore and is generally cranky. The hematoma is what concerns me the most. I am starting to worry that something is wrong. Purple gums are not cool folks. And they hurt.
* Do you know how hard it is to find quality and cute Halloween costumes for kids? I was hoping to do a theme with the boys but didn't have much luck finding costumes that weren't cheap looking or matched. I thought Elmo and Cookie Monster, or Yo Gabba Gabba or animals. I would find one costume for Jack but than there wouldn't be a matching one for Cal. I finally gave up my search and just bought two costumes at Costco. They were very high quality and cheap! Cheaper than any place I have found. I am totally spoiling any surprise but here are their costumes:
How cute is he? Real reflective tape, real brass buckles and you can't see but there are adjustable suspenders on the pants.
Roly poly pumpkin for the roly poly baby. How cute are those leggings?
* Jason's parents mentioned that our anniversary is coming up and that we should get away for the weekend. I think I was too much in shock to react. Take our two kids for an entire weekend? So we can sleep? And relax? I just don't know what to think........I doubt we will take them up on an entire weekend but we might for overnight.
* I got a new cookbook that I have been eyeballing for a while. I love using my crockpot and this will hopefully give me some inspiration to try something new.
* I have posted before about donating milk. Well, twice now this person insists that she needs milk desperately and yet, she has failed to show up. She gets a third chance today and if she doesn't pick up, the milk is being donated to someone who is more in need. It's frustrating! If you don't have common courtesy to tell someone you can't make it, you don't really need this gift as much as you say you do.
* I want to try a new restaurant that opened up the street from me. I drive by it awesome and it's always packed. I was shocked because new restaurants in my area don't typically do well. I looked up this restaurant and it's apparently a place that went out of business years ago that has reopened. The menu looks awesome - who doesn't love burgers and milkshakes? I believe this might be our next date night trip.
* I am feeling a little bit of jealousy when it comes to other people's sibling groups. I hear all about how so-and-so just LOVES their younger brother or sister. Jack does not like Cal. He is constantly taking toys, pacifiers, trying to block his way by putting toys around him, and while he doesn't outwardly hit, he does push his hand and try to "gently" knock him over. He doesn't play with him. At all. Ever. I want my kids to like each other. Cal adores Jack but the feelings aren't mutual.
That's all the semi interesting stuff I have for today.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Wednesday Randoms
Honestly? I am not very motivated to blog these days. I am so swamped with work and just don't have any interesting topics. Instead, I leave you with randoms.
* Last week, Jack decided to take a header off our bed into my desk. I was on a conference call at work and Jack was on the bed watching tv because Jason and Cal were napping. All of a sudden I hear, thud and then screaming. In the second that it took me to say "Oh shit", hang up the phone and pick him up, he had split his forehead open and develop a really nasty looking goose egg. His head didn't bleed which was so weird. After an hour of icing it and milking sympathy, he was fine. I called his doctor in the middle of all of this and because he wasn't showing any signs of a concussion, I didn't need to bring him in. A week later, he still has a scab on his forehead but he's completely okay.
* Cal wanted to be just like his big brother and he took a tumble the other day too. As you can see, he is completely thrilled with me taking his picture. He has that lovely scrape on his forehead and that red spot above his eye. Poor baby.
* Last week, Jack decided to take a header off our bed into my desk. I was on a conference call at work and Jack was on the bed watching tv because Jason and Cal were napping. All of a sudden I hear, thud and then screaming. In the second that it took me to say "Oh shit", hang up the phone and pick him up, he had split his forehead open and develop a really nasty looking goose egg. His head didn't bleed which was so weird. After an hour of icing it and milking sympathy, he was fine. I called his doctor in the middle of all of this and because he wasn't showing any signs of a concussion, I didn't need to bring him in. A week later, he still has a scab on his forehead but he's completely okay.
* Cal wanted to be just like his big brother and he took a tumble the other day too. As you can see, he is completely thrilled with me taking his picture. He has that lovely scrape on his forehead and that red spot above his eye. Poor baby.
* I have been cooking a ton lately but it's all repeats. With the exception of a few things. I made these yummy muffins. Just a side note that I have had these silicon muffin liners forever and have never used them. I found them in the bottom of a drawer and tried them out. LOVE THEM!
For dinner on Monday, we had this for dinner:
Chile-Brined Roasted Pork Loin, roasted red potatoes, roasted broccoli with parmesan and rolls. It's okay, you can be jealous. My friend brought over two bottles of wine and enjoyed dinner with us.
* I am taking a knitting class starting at the end of September. My friend (yes, I have friends) asked if I would be interested. It has been years since I have knitted anything and I would like to pick up a hobby again. I used to only know how to knit scarves. For the first class, you pick a project and that is what you work on during class. I think I want to pick a hat. I would love to be able to knit cute hats for the boys and for me!
* Jack started pre-pre-school last week. It's for 90 minutes two times a week. The first day the parent is supposed to stay with the child to get them comfortable in the classroom. After that, the child is on their own. The "school" is Montavilla Community Center through the Portland Parks program. It's inexpensive and the teacher's credentials are great. The class size is small (10 kiddos and 2 teachers) and they will learn lots of social and life skills. Here are some pictures of Jack's first day at school:
In the car ready to go. Fresh haircut, backpack, new school clothes and shoes.
In front of school waiting to go in. Not sure why he's giving the stink face.
Exploring the new toys.
Overall, he did great! He still cries a wee bit at drop off but as soon as I am out the door, he stops. He also is on his best behavior. I asked his teacher if he plays well with other kids, shares, hits, etc. He does share, does not hit and is pretty good. He does need to be told to sit still and come sit with the others but that is manageable. What can I say? My kid loves to run around.
* I cleaned our our linen closet. I am embarrassed to show you the before. But here goes.
And the after. Not too shabby. I have been putting this project off as well as cleaning my kitchen cabinets out. Even though they don't take much time, they are a pain in the ass to do.
* I made Jack a really cool snack yesterday. If you are a Pinterest fan (which I am not but that's beside the point) you have probably seen the snack in the muffin tin. I gave him grapes, raspberries, some dry cereal, goldfish crackers and mini peanut butter crackers. He stared at me like I was crazy.
* Here is why I hate Pinterest: I feel overwhelmed and like I have ADHD. Plus, I am not crafty. At all. I will occasionally log on to see if I have changed my mind and then immediately get out. Too.Much.Stuff! I do have a couple of boards that I use for recipes and a couple of other random boards but I hardly ever update them.
* Both boys are sleeping pretty well at night. Cal is waking up about 2 times (now I just jinxed myself) and Jack usually sleeps through. However, the past few nights Jack has complained about either leg or foot pain. I think it's growing pains. I remember being his age and having really bad aches in my legs and crying a lot about it.
* I am trying to find a fun family activity for this Saturday. One that we can go to in the morning and the boys can have their nap in the afternoon. I am considering Sauvie's Island. Jack can enjoy the barn, I can enjoy the fresh produce and Jason........Well maybe Jason won't love it that much but oh well. I need someone else to help me wrangle a child.
And because there just aren't enough pictures in this post. Enjoy a couple of my cute kiddos.
Excited about bath time!
I wanted to post one of him standing up but don't want to show baby peen on the blog.
"Playing" together on the couch. This is rare folks. Jack is usually trying to roll on, take toys or generally not be nice to his brother.
That's all for now. One day I will be inspired to post interesting stuff.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Cal is 8 Months!
Happy 8 Months little man!
You are a wild child that is for sure! You are so much more fearless than your big brother. And just as sweet, if not more so.
Here are some more things you are up to this month.
* Oh my goodness do you LOVE to eat! There haven't been many foods that you don't care for. Green beans aren't your favorite. And I gave you a pouch of minestrone with beans and greens which you didn't care for. Other than that, you will eat anything that touches your tray. Sometimes, it doesn't even have to be on your tray for you to eat it. You will grab food off of Jack's tray. Because of this, we need to keep you separated while he's eating. You will also grab food off the floor. The carpet fibers from the cat tree look like food to you so we are constantly fishing those out of your mouth along with bits of paper, and a piece of cat food once. Your favorite is still bananas.
* Speaking of eating, you are up to three meals a day now. Usually you get a puree or yogurt for breakfast, a "meal" of mixed veggies and turkey or something similar for lunch. Dinner is the most fun. You get bits of food. Sometimes it's what we are eating, sometimes it's your own meal. Your favorite bits of food to eat are cooked carrot, most fruits and sometimes pieces of bread with peanut butter.
* You are such a growing boy. You are solidly in 9 month pants but I will probably need to move you up to 12 month soon because you are pretty darn tall. You wear 9 or 12 month sleepers.
* Sleep is still a learning process. You go down in your crib around 7:45 every night and wake up about 3 times. There are many nights where you wake more than that and just as many where you wake only twice. While I was in Denver, you officially slept through the night! You stay in your crib the entire night but if you happen to wake after 4:30, we snuggle together and get another hour or two of sleep. You generally wake for the day when big brother wakes up around 6:30.
* You learned to wave this past month! Daddy was saying "hi" and waving to you and you started doing it back to him! It is super cute.
* You no longer army crawl. In the matter of a couple of days, you learned to crawl up on all fours like a pro. You move so fast too. I need to get a good video of you crawling. It's like second nature to you!
* Guess what else you are doing? When I got back from Denver, you were pulling yourself up on EVERYTHING! You pull up on our coffee table, people's legs, the couch, even yucky stuff like the toilet seat. Along with the pulling up comes all the bonking. You fall quite often but it's usually because you are pushed or lose your balance. When you need to get down, you just bend your legs and fall on your butt. You fall at least twice a day. Usually you just bonk a little but once in a while you will get a bruise from the floor. On Saturday you fell over a toy and split your lip. Your first injury!
* You officially say "Mama" and "Bahbah" which Daddy and I think is for brother. You crawl around the house saying "Bahbahbah" looking for Jack.
* Jack is your best bud. He doesn't think the same about you but boy do you admire him. You try to play with him and are always fascinated by what he is doing.
* No teeth yet! I thought for sure you would have one by now with all the drooling and crankiness that you have been experiencing but still nothing.
We love you big boy. Keep growing into your own little person. It's so much fun seeing what you are becoming.
You are a wild child that is for sure! You are so much more fearless than your big brother. And just as sweet, if not more so.
Here are some more things you are up to this month.
* Oh my goodness do you LOVE to eat! There haven't been many foods that you don't care for. Green beans aren't your favorite. And I gave you a pouch of minestrone with beans and greens which you didn't care for. Other than that, you will eat anything that touches your tray. Sometimes, it doesn't even have to be on your tray for you to eat it. You will grab food off of Jack's tray. Because of this, we need to keep you separated while he's eating. You will also grab food off the floor. The carpet fibers from the cat tree look like food to you so we are constantly fishing those out of your mouth along with bits of paper, and a piece of cat food once. Your favorite is still bananas.
* Speaking of eating, you are up to three meals a day now. Usually you get a puree or yogurt for breakfast, a "meal" of mixed veggies and turkey or something similar for lunch. Dinner is the most fun. You get bits of food. Sometimes it's what we are eating, sometimes it's your own meal. Your favorite bits of food to eat are cooked carrot, most fruits and sometimes pieces of bread with peanut butter.
* You are such a growing boy. You are solidly in 9 month pants but I will probably need to move you up to 12 month soon because you are pretty darn tall. You wear 9 or 12 month sleepers.
* Sleep is still a learning process. You go down in your crib around 7:45 every night and wake up about 3 times. There are many nights where you wake more than that and just as many where you wake only twice. While I was in Denver, you officially slept through the night! You stay in your crib the entire night but if you happen to wake after 4:30, we snuggle together and get another hour or two of sleep. You generally wake for the day when big brother wakes up around 6:30.
* You learned to wave this past month! Daddy was saying "hi" and waving to you and you started doing it back to him! It is super cute.
* You no longer army crawl. In the matter of a couple of days, you learned to crawl up on all fours like a pro. You move so fast too. I need to get a good video of you crawling. It's like second nature to you!
* Guess what else you are doing? When I got back from Denver, you were pulling yourself up on EVERYTHING! You pull up on our coffee table, people's legs, the couch, even yucky stuff like the toilet seat. Along with the pulling up comes all the bonking. You fall quite often but it's usually because you are pushed or lose your balance. When you need to get down, you just bend your legs and fall on your butt. You fall at least twice a day. Usually you just bonk a little but once in a while you will get a bruise from the floor. On Saturday you fell over a toy and split your lip. Your first injury!
* You officially say "Mama" and "Bahbah" which Daddy and I think is for brother. You crawl around the house saying "Bahbahbah" looking for Jack.
* Jack is your best bud. He doesn't think the same about you but boy do you admire him. You try to play with him and are always fascinated by what he is doing.
* No teeth yet! I thought for sure you would have one by now with all the drooling and crankiness that you have been experiencing but still nothing.
We love you big boy. Keep growing into your own little person. It's so much fun seeing what you are becoming.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
First Word!
Cal has been babbling for quite a while. He has the "Bababababa", "Bwabwabwa", "Dadadadada" and "Mamamamama" down.
He hadn't been saying any of these with intent until last Friday.
Cal started crawling all over the house and saying "Mama. Mama. Mama". He knows where my office is and would crawl into my office saying the above.
I got video proof. And here it is:
He has done this several times since too so I know it's not a fluke. If I am in the kitchen, he will crawl in and say "Mama. Mama. Mama". It's funny that he crawls all over the house asking for me.
Such a cutie!
He hadn't been saying any of these with intent until last Friday.
Cal started crawling all over the house and saying "Mama. Mama. Mama". He knows where my office is and would crawl into my office saying the above.
I got video proof. And here it is:
He has done this several times since too so I know it's not a fluke. If I am in the kitchen, he will crawl in and say "Mama. Mama. Mama". It's funny that he crawls all over the house asking for me.
Such a cutie!
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Cal is 7 Months!
I am a few days late (bad Mommy!) but it's been crazy busy at work.
My "little" Cal. You are 7 months old already! I put little in quotes because even though you are still a baby, you aren't little. You are getting so big. So much in fact, that I am starting to wonder if you are going to be even taller than your brother.
Here are some things that you are up to this month:
* You are busting out of your 9 month size clothing. Like I said, you are getting big, both in height and weight. If I had to guess, I would say you are close to 21 pounds.
* You are army crawling all over the house. And boy are you fast! If you see something that interests you, you will skoot your way over in mere seconds. I have video of you doing it and it's hysterical. I have never seen a baby move so quickly on their stomach.
* I am not sure if our hardwood floors are inhibiting you but you are having a hard time actually crawling. You will get up on your knees, but when you try to move forward, your legs slide out from under you. I think your pants are slippery against the floor.
* Sleep is going a lot better. You generally only whine for a minute when placed in your crib at night. You usually sleep from about 8-11 and then again from 11-2 or even 3. Sometimes, if I am lucky, you will sleep until 4 and then wake up when big brother starts tearing through the house around 6:30. You like to sleep and could sleep longer but those darn noisy brothers!
* You LOVE to eat. If you had your way, I think you would exclusively eat solid food. You had your first "table" food the other night. I made a roast chicken dinner with veggies and you got little bits of everything. Your favorite was the roast carrots. I try to make a point of feeding you either a snack or bits of food at dinnertime so you can eat with the rest of the family. You also got solids at breakfast and again around 4:00 when I get off of work (I love feeding you). There aren't too many foods that you don't like. Your favorites are still mashed bananas and pureed carrots though.
* My goodness, my happy smiley baby is still pretty happy and smiley. BUT, you are teething. It's miserable. I surely wish you would push a tooth out so you can get back to being happy. For about a month, you had a white cap on your gumline. But it disappeared. There goes any hope for a tooth! I am guessing that you will push one through on the 18th. I have a theory as to why. Let's just see if I am right.
* You started taking baths in the actual tub rather than in your baby tub. I think you like it although I really have to watch and hold on to you because you can't sit for very extended periods of time.
And to end the post, here is a cute picture of you. Although every picture is cute.
My "little" Cal. You are 7 months old already! I put little in quotes because even though you are still a baby, you aren't little. You are getting so big. So much in fact, that I am starting to wonder if you are going to be even taller than your brother.
Here are some things that you are up to this month:
* You are busting out of your 9 month size clothing. Like I said, you are getting big, both in height and weight. If I had to guess, I would say you are close to 21 pounds.
* You are army crawling all over the house. And boy are you fast! If you see something that interests you, you will skoot your way over in mere seconds. I have video of you doing it and it's hysterical. I have never seen a baby move so quickly on their stomach.
* I am not sure if our hardwood floors are inhibiting you but you are having a hard time actually crawling. You will get up on your knees, but when you try to move forward, your legs slide out from under you. I think your pants are slippery against the floor.
* Sleep is going a lot better. You generally only whine for a minute when placed in your crib at night. You usually sleep from about 8-11 and then again from 11-2 or even 3. Sometimes, if I am lucky, you will sleep until 4 and then wake up when big brother starts tearing through the house around 6:30. You like to sleep and could sleep longer but those darn noisy brothers!
* You LOVE to eat. If you had your way, I think you would exclusively eat solid food. You had your first "table" food the other night. I made a roast chicken dinner with veggies and you got little bits of everything. Your favorite was the roast carrots. I try to make a point of feeding you either a snack or bits of food at dinnertime so you can eat with the rest of the family. You also got solids at breakfast and again around 4:00 when I get off of work (I love feeding you). There aren't too many foods that you don't like. Your favorites are still mashed bananas and pureed carrots though.
* My goodness, my happy smiley baby is still pretty happy and smiley. BUT, you are teething. It's miserable. I surely wish you would push a tooth out so you can get back to being happy. For about a month, you had a white cap on your gumline. But it disappeared. There goes any hope for a tooth! I am guessing that you will push one through on the 18th. I have a theory as to why. Let's just see if I am right.
* You started taking baths in the actual tub rather than in your baby tub. I think you like it although I really have to watch and hold on to you because you can't sit for very extended periods of time.
And to end the post, here is a cute picture of you. Although every picture is cute.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Monday Miscellaneous
These days, I am not feeling very inspired by anything and as a result, my blog posts have suffered.
At any rate, here is what is on my mind.
* I have donated over 900 ounces of milk. I am amazed by this and so glad I am able to help out. One lady was so grateful that she made Cal the cutest dinosaur blanket and gave us a set of pumping bottles. Another lady gave us a jar of homemade apple butter. It's awesome meeting their sweet babies too!
* I made the best roast chicken dinner last night. It was enjoyed by all! Well, except Jack. He is so darn picky. Cal enjoyed it though. He had exactly what we had and ate almost all of it! His favorite were the roasted carrots I diced up.
* I stimulated the economy yesterday. I had to hit up Babies R Us for a new carseat for Cal since he's almost outgrown his infant seat. Also, now with two boys eating solids, a second highchair was in order. Let's not talk about the extra items that somehow ended up in my cart. After all was said and done, I spent $230. Ouch.
* We went to a family reunion on Saturday and it was potluck style. All that yummy food makes me salivate thinking about it! My contribution was a cookie salad. Trust me when I say it was delicious. We had a good time but had to leave after about 2 hours because it was Jack's nap time and he was starting to act out.
* Cal is teething. I think I have whined about that several times the last few weeks. He is miserable. Most days he is fine, but other days, like yesterday, he just fusses all day. No amount of teething tablets, pacifiers, ice cubes, cold teethers, frozen washcloths, Ibuprofen or rubbing his gums is helpful. He just stays miserable.
* Jack has quite the bit of attitude lately. I blame the "Terrible Twos". He says "NO!" a lot when we ask him to do something. He doesn't want to share toys, even if those toys are meant for Cal. He throws on average, one good tantrum a day. It's frustrating but manageable for now.
* Sleep is going fairly well in our house. Cal still cries a bit when going to sleep initially but usually less than 5 minutes. It's mostly fussing, not crying, which makes me feel better, but it still sucks to hear him cry. He is down to about three night wakings. For a few days, he was only waking twice. I can handle three but would love for him to get back to two. When he goes back down in his crib after a night feeding, he doesn't even fuss anymore. He did for the first couple of days but that stopped. He quickly learned that his crib is a nice place to sleep.
* While Cal is sleeping better, I am not. You would think that less night wakings would be good right? Well in theory, yes. However, I now wake up and just stare at the monitor. Or I wake up because Jason is snoring, or because I am too hot. Most nights, I wake up and it takes me an hour to go back to sleep. Amazingly enough I am not tired though. My body must be used to sleep deprivation.
* I can't believe I am going to admit this but while working, I generally have the tv on. I turn on NBC in the morning and due to my laziness, don't change the channel. This had led me to get sucked into Days of Our Lives. I swear I am now invested in these characters. I haven't watched soaps since I was a teenager during summer break. I am such a loser.
* I am getting ready for Denver. I have my plane tickets booked, my hotel booked and am already making a mental note where I want to eat dinner each night. I still have to order a cooler for all the breastmilk that I am going to be toting back. I have researched the TSA website to make sure I can carry a large amount (I can in case you were wondering) of frozen breastmilk. Packing and carry-on items are going to be interesting. If you have ever traveled with 200 ounces of frozen breastmilk as a carry-on, let me know how that went.
* Cal is down to two pacifiers. Meaning, we only have two left of the ones he likes. The only ones he will use are of course, discontinued. We have tried getting him to use others with no luck. After trips to four Fred Meyers, WalMart and Target, my paci search has turned up zero. I finally went online and paid an arm and a leg for what I believe are the right ones. Let's hope they are because if he loses his pacis, we are in a world of hurt.
That's about it for the week. Maybe something inspirational will come to me in the next couple of days and I will post something interesting.
At any rate, here is what is on my mind.
* I have donated over 900 ounces of milk. I am amazed by this and so glad I am able to help out. One lady was so grateful that she made Cal the cutest dinosaur blanket and gave us a set of pumping bottles. Another lady gave us a jar of homemade apple butter. It's awesome meeting their sweet babies too!
* I made the best roast chicken dinner last night. It was enjoyed by all! Well, except Jack. He is so darn picky. Cal enjoyed it though. He had exactly what we had and ate almost all of it! His favorite were the roasted carrots I diced up.
* I stimulated the economy yesterday. I had to hit up Babies R Us for a new carseat for Cal since he's almost outgrown his infant seat. Also, now with two boys eating solids, a second highchair was in order. Let's not talk about the extra items that somehow ended up in my cart. After all was said and done, I spent $230. Ouch.
* We went to a family reunion on Saturday and it was potluck style. All that yummy food makes me salivate thinking about it! My contribution was a cookie salad. Trust me when I say it was delicious. We had a good time but had to leave after about 2 hours because it was Jack's nap time and he was starting to act out.
* Cal is teething. I think I have whined about that several times the last few weeks. He is miserable. Most days he is fine, but other days, like yesterday, he just fusses all day. No amount of teething tablets, pacifiers, ice cubes, cold teethers, frozen washcloths, Ibuprofen or rubbing his gums is helpful. He just stays miserable.
* Jack has quite the bit of attitude lately. I blame the "Terrible Twos". He says "NO!" a lot when we ask him to do something. He doesn't want to share toys, even if those toys are meant for Cal. He throws on average, one good tantrum a day. It's frustrating but manageable for now.
* Sleep is going fairly well in our house. Cal still cries a bit when going to sleep initially but usually less than 5 minutes. It's mostly fussing, not crying, which makes me feel better, but it still sucks to hear him cry. He is down to about three night wakings. For a few days, he was only waking twice. I can handle three but would love for him to get back to two. When he goes back down in his crib after a night feeding, he doesn't even fuss anymore. He did for the first couple of days but that stopped. He quickly learned that his crib is a nice place to sleep.
* While Cal is sleeping better, I am not. You would think that less night wakings would be good right? Well in theory, yes. However, I now wake up and just stare at the monitor. Or I wake up because Jason is snoring, or because I am too hot. Most nights, I wake up and it takes me an hour to go back to sleep. Amazingly enough I am not tired though. My body must be used to sleep deprivation.
* I can't believe I am going to admit this but while working, I generally have the tv on. I turn on NBC in the morning and due to my laziness, don't change the channel. This had led me to get sucked into Days of Our Lives. I swear I am now invested in these characters. I haven't watched soaps since I was a teenager during summer break. I am such a loser.
* I am getting ready for Denver. I have my plane tickets booked, my hotel booked and am already making a mental note where I want to eat dinner each night. I still have to order a cooler for all the breastmilk that I am going to be toting back. I have researched the TSA website to make sure I can carry a large amount (I can in case you were wondering) of frozen breastmilk. Packing and carry-on items are going to be interesting. If you have ever traveled with 200 ounces of frozen breastmilk as a carry-on, let me know how that went.
* Cal is down to two pacifiers. Meaning, we only have two left of the ones he likes. The only ones he will use are of course, discontinued. We have tried getting him to use others with no luck. After trips to four Fred Meyers, WalMart and Target, my paci search has turned up zero. I finally went online and paid an arm and a leg for what I believe are the right ones. Let's hope they are because if he loses his pacis, we are in a world of hurt.
That's about it for the week. Maybe something inspirational will come to me in the next couple of days and I will post something interesting.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Sleep, Glorious Sleep
Last night, I put Cal in his crib and he fell asleep without crying and slept for 10 hours straight. It was so nice and peaceful in our house and I managed to get a good night of rest.
Wouldn't it be nice if the above was true? Because it's not. Not even close. It hasn't been horrible per se but it hasn't been great either.
We started with Ferber on Friday. I had the house and my mental state all prepared. Jack was spending the night at Nana and Papa's so I could focus on getting Cal to sleep and not worry about having to take care of both kiddos in the middle of the night.
Ferber Night One
Cal went down at 8:15. He had a full belly of milk and was comfy in his jammies and a sleep sack. I tried prepping him and talking to him about how he was going to go night night in his crib. I put him down in his crib on his back and he immediately cried. He rolled over onto all fours and cried for a while. I knew he was tired because he laid down and just fussed. After the initial three minutes of crying, then another five minutes of crying, and then another couple of minutes into the ten minute session, he went to sleep.
He woke up several times during the night but I made sure to only feed him three times instead of the usual 6 or 7 that he is used to. The plan was to get him to break the cycle of micro-feeding. I would prefer he drink a full bottle so his belly is full rather than tiny amounts every hour.
Every time I would put him down in his crib, he would fuss for less than a minute but then fall asleep. He seemed to learn very quickly that the crib was his place to sleep.
He woke for the day around 6:30 and was happy and forgot all about the torture he endured the night before. I consider night one a success.
Ferber Night Two
Night two was a little more challenging. I decided to continue with the night one schedule for intervals. I am trying to be as gentle as possible if that makes any sense. Jack was home and I first put Cal down in his crib and let him fuss for a few minutes. He was out in less than 5 minutes. Then I brought Jack to bed. I had talked to him extensively about how Cal would be in his room from now on and how he would probably cry a little bit but it was okay. I also made sure to tell Jack that he would be sleeping with the door open just a little (we had closed it all the way before so Jack couldn't run out into the living room in the middle of the night). I also stressed that when we went to bed, we needed to be quiet so Cal wouldn't wake up. Fail. Jack was NOT quiet going to bed. Cal wasn't quite asleep. He had just stopped fussing. So by bringing Jack in to bed, this disrupted the whole process.
It was well after 8:30 by the time I got both boys in bed and calmed down enough to sleep.
It was hotter than Hades on Saturday night and Jason was out with friends. I was doing the wakings by myself.
Cal woke up a lot. Like probably 4 times from 10:00 until 3:30 when I finally gave in and slept with him on the couch. It was just too much.
In retrospect, putting him in with Jack was probably a big change. He was wearing a Sleep Sack so he was probably too hot. And he didn't nap well on Saturday so that probably wasn't smart - the whole Sleep Begets Sleep motto.
Ferber Night Three
A little change up. This time, both boys went to bed at the same time. Cal had napped well on Sunday so I was hoping that would help. Plus, I had him in a light sleeper instead of the Sleep Sack because once again, it was hot.
He had some trouble going to sleep but I think that is because Jack was in the same room as him (again). He will get used to this piece I am sure. I went in after the initial 5 minute wait. I waited another 7 minutes and went in again. Then, during the 12 minute stretch, he got quiet. I poked my head in ever so slightly and he was asleep. Well, at least he looked asleep. I couldn't see his eyes. I did hear him breathing on the monitor so I know he was okay.
Cal slept until 11:00 or so and then woke to eat. He had quite a rough time going back to sleep (fussing/whining/crying for about 5 minutes) and I was praying the entire time that he wouldn't wake up Jack. Thank goodness, he didn't.
He then slept until 2:00am and went back down fairly easily after his bottle. He cried for less than a minute.
Then, somehow, a miracle occurred. He slept until 6:15. That is unheard of! He only woke twice last night. Amen!
I napped with him for another 30 minutes and we were awake for the day at 6:45.
Thoughts For Tonight
I know this is not necessarily going to solve all of Cal's problems sleeping. I also know that I can't expect him to wake up only twice per night. However, I am hopeful. We are in a much better position than we were with Jack. Jack didn't sleep even remotely well until he was close to 18 months old.
I plan on getting a fan for the boys' room since I don't like keeping the door open. Not only can the cats get in, but they can hear every little peep that is made in the living room since we have a small house. The fan will help with the heat as well as create some white noise.
I really really really hope this is the start of better sleep.
As I type this, Cal is enjoying his nice, long afternoon nap. Sleep Begets Sleep. Let's hope tonight is another good night.
Wouldn't it be nice if the above was true? Because it's not. Not even close. It hasn't been horrible per se but it hasn't been great either.
We started with Ferber on Friday. I had the house and my mental state all prepared. Jack was spending the night at Nana and Papa's so I could focus on getting Cal to sleep and not worry about having to take care of both kiddos in the middle of the night.
Ferber Night One
Cal went down at 8:15. He had a full belly of milk and was comfy in his jammies and a sleep sack. I tried prepping him and talking to him about how he was going to go night night in his crib. I put him down in his crib on his back and he immediately cried. He rolled over onto all fours and cried for a while. I knew he was tired because he laid down and just fussed. After the initial three minutes of crying, then another five minutes of crying, and then another couple of minutes into the ten minute session, he went to sleep.
He woke up several times during the night but I made sure to only feed him three times instead of the usual 6 or 7 that he is used to. The plan was to get him to break the cycle of micro-feeding. I would prefer he drink a full bottle so his belly is full rather than tiny amounts every hour.
Every time I would put him down in his crib, he would fuss for less than a minute but then fall asleep. He seemed to learn very quickly that the crib was his place to sleep.
He woke for the day around 6:30 and was happy and forgot all about the torture he endured the night before. I consider night one a success.
Ferber Night Two
Night two was a little more challenging. I decided to continue with the night one schedule for intervals. I am trying to be as gentle as possible if that makes any sense. Jack was home and I first put Cal down in his crib and let him fuss for a few minutes. He was out in less than 5 minutes. Then I brought Jack to bed. I had talked to him extensively about how Cal would be in his room from now on and how he would probably cry a little bit but it was okay. I also made sure to tell Jack that he would be sleeping with the door open just a little (we had closed it all the way before so Jack couldn't run out into the living room in the middle of the night). I also stressed that when we went to bed, we needed to be quiet so Cal wouldn't wake up. Fail. Jack was NOT quiet going to bed. Cal wasn't quite asleep. He had just stopped fussing. So by bringing Jack in to bed, this disrupted the whole process.
It was well after 8:30 by the time I got both boys in bed and calmed down enough to sleep.
It was hotter than Hades on Saturday night and Jason was out with friends. I was doing the wakings by myself.
Cal woke up a lot. Like probably 4 times from 10:00 until 3:30 when I finally gave in and slept with him on the couch. It was just too much.
In retrospect, putting him in with Jack was probably a big change. He was wearing a Sleep Sack so he was probably too hot. And he didn't nap well on Saturday so that probably wasn't smart - the whole Sleep Begets Sleep motto.
Ferber Night Three
A little change up. This time, both boys went to bed at the same time. Cal had napped well on Sunday so I was hoping that would help. Plus, I had him in a light sleeper instead of the Sleep Sack because once again, it was hot.
He had some trouble going to sleep but I think that is because Jack was in the same room as him (again). He will get used to this piece I am sure. I went in after the initial 5 minute wait. I waited another 7 minutes and went in again. Then, during the 12 minute stretch, he got quiet. I poked my head in ever so slightly and he was asleep. Well, at least he looked asleep. I couldn't see his eyes. I did hear him breathing on the monitor so I know he was okay.
Cal slept until 11:00 or so and then woke to eat. He had quite a rough time going back to sleep (fussing/whining/crying for about 5 minutes) and I was praying the entire time that he wouldn't wake up Jack. Thank goodness, he didn't.
He then slept until 2:00am and went back down fairly easily after his bottle. He cried for less than a minute.
Then, somehow, a miracle occurred. He slept until 6:15. That is unheard of! He only woke twice last night. Amen!
I napped with him for another 30 minutes and we were awake for the day at 6:45.
Thoughts For Tonight
I know this is not necessarily going to solve all of Cal's problems sleeping. I also know that I can't expect him to wake up only twice per night. However, I am hopeful. We are in a much better position than we were with Jack. Jack didn't sleep even remotely well until he was close to 18 months old.
I plan on getting a fan for the boys' room since I don't like keeping the door open. Not only can the cats get in, but they can hear every little peep that is made in the living room since we have a small house. The fan will help with the heat as well as create some white noise.
I really really really hope this is the start of better sleep.
As I type this, Cal is enjoying his nice, long afternoon nap. Sleep Begets Sleep. Let's hope tonight is another good night.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Kid Randoms
I have so much stuff to write about my boys that I thought I would do a whole randoms post dedicated to them.
* Cal is teething. The world's happiest baby has turned into a cranky, non-sleeping (not that he was sleeping before), crying mess. No amount of teething tablets, baby Advil, cold washcloths, teething toys, gumming whatever he can find, is helping. It is getting really tiring for me so I can only imagine who HE feels. I can see a whitecap but it's been there for weeks. I don't have any hope of it popping through soon.
* Jack has been in a stage lately where all he wants is me. Everything is "Mama do it!". He doesn't want Jason to get him dressed, change his diapers, help him pee in the potty, wipe his face, or do anything. This can be problematic since I work during the week and can't take breaks to change diapers or wipe faces. Often times, this results in temper tantrums. I guess he really loves me.
* Speaking of potty, Jack has been going pee on the potty about twice a day, sometimes more. I made a potty treat box. Every time he goes on the potty, he gets to pick out a treat. This kid is bound and determined to pee. He knows he gets a treat so he asks to go potty and will sit there for a half an hour if we were to let him. The treats are silly little things like stickers, juice boxes, books from the Dollar Tree, and other small trinkets. I figure it gets him to sit on the potty so why not? Now if we could just get him to poop on the potty.......
* Jack is eating pretty well these days. He is still a picky eater and pretty leery of anything new. I have to remind Jason and his mom not to force him to eat anything that he doesn't want. Don't make him take a bite of something otherwise, there are disastrous consequences. Case in point: Jason gave him a bite of French toast at a restaurant a few weeks ago against his will. Jack threw up all over the table in the restaurant. He has a super sensitive gag reflex and won't eat something unless it's his idea. Jack's favorite foods are: blueberries, cheese quesadillas or cheese in any form really, pizza, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (he would have one every lunch if it were up to him), ravioli, pasta with spaghetti sauce, apple slices, bananas, any fruit under the sun (strawberries are a recent favorite), and chicken nuggets. Some of those things maybe aren't the healthiest but at least my kid is eating.
* Cal is really into blowing raspberries. He has been able to do it for quite some time but lately it's all the time. Don't get too close when you are feeding him because likely, you will get it spit all over you. Last night I was feeding him yogurt (one of his faves) and he would take a bite and then blow a raspberry. I was covered. He is lucky he's cute.
* Speaking of Cal and eating, we are way more laid back this time with feeding Cal. He has been getting tons of new foods and is tolerating them very well. I don't have worries about allergies or reactions and his pediatrician is fine with him eating like he is. He has gotten all the stage 1 fruits and veggies and we have moved to stage 2 as well as yogurt and some whole foods. I gave him a few Puffs the other day to see how he would do and he did great! He loved being able to feed himself. The first time Jack got a Puff, he threw up. See what I mean about that sensitive gag reflex? Cal's favorite foods are peach yogurt, fresh mashed banana, pears, and Baby MumMums. The little stinker doesn't like any of the food I made for him. It might be the texture or something but he won't eat it.
* Cal is on the move. He gets up on all fours, rocks back and forth and then scoots himself forward. He isn't crawling yet but he is awfully close. He will just hang out on all fours for minutes at a time just watching the world go by. He's so cute.
That is about it for these guys. I will get a boat trip post out soon.
* Cal is teething. The world's happiest baby has turned into a cranky, non-sleeping (not that he was sleeping before), crying mess. No amount of teething tablets, baby Advil, cold washcloths, teething toys, gumming whatever he can find, is helping. It is getting really tiring for me so I can only imagine who HE feels. I can see a whitecap but it's been there for weeks. I don't have any hope of it popping through soon.
* Jack has been in a stage lately where all he wants is me. Everything is "Mama do it!". He doesn't want Jason to get him dressed, change his diapers, help him pee in the potty, wipe his face, or do anything. This can be problematic since I work during the week and can't take breaks to change diapers or wipe faces. Often times, this results in temper tantrums. I guess he really loves me.
* Speaking of potty, Jack has been going pee on the potty about twice a day, sometimes more. I made a potty treat box. Every time he goes on the potty, he gets to pick out a treat. This kid is bound and determined to pee. He knows he gets a treat so he asks to go potty and will sit there for a half an hour if we were to let him. The treats are silly little things like stickers, juice boxes, books from the Dollar Tree, and other small trinkets. I figure it gets him to sit on the potty so why not? Now if we could just get him to poop on the potty.......
* Jack is eating pretty well these days. He is still a picky eater and pretty leery of anything new. I have to remind Jason and his mom not to force him to eat anything that he doesn't want. Don't make him take a bite of something otherwise, there are disastrous consequences. Case in point: Jason gave him a bite of French toast at a restaurant a few weeks ago against his will. Jack threw up all over the table in the restaurant. He has a super sensitive gag reflex and won't eat something unless it's his idea. Jack's favorite foods are: blueberries, cheese quesadillas or cheese in any form really, pizza, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (he would have one every lunch if it were up to him), ravioli, pasta with spaghetti sauce, apple slices, bananas, any fruit under the sun (strawberries are a recent favorite), and chicken nuggets. Some of those things maybe aren't the healthiest but at least my kid is eating.
* Cal is really into blowing raspberries. He has been able to do it for quite some time but lately it's all the time. Don't get too close when you are feeding him because likely, you will get it spit all over you. Last night I was feeding him yogurt (one of his faves) and he would take a bite and then blow a raspberry. I was covered. He is lucky he's cute.
* Speaking of Cal and eating, we are way more laid back this time with feeding Cal. He has been getting tons of new foods and is tolerating them very well. I don't have worries about allergies or reactions and his pediatrician is fine with him eating like he is. He has gotten all the stage 1 fruits and veggies and we have moved to stage 2 as well as yogurt and some whole foods. I gave him a few Puffs the other day to see how he would do and he did great! He loved being able to feed himself. The first time Jack got a Puff, he threw up. See what I mean about that sensitive gag reflex? Cal's favorite foods are peach yogurt, fresh mashed banana, pears, and Baby MumMums. The little stinker doesn't like any of the food I made for him. It might be the texture or something but he won't eat it.
* Cal is on the move. He gets up on all fours, rocks back and forth and then scoots himself forward. He isn't crawling yet but he is awfully close. He will just hang out on all fours for minutes at a time just watching the world go by. He's so cute.
That is about it for these guys. I will get a boat trip post out soon.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Monday Miscellaneous
* I never posted about our boat weekend. It was a lot of fun but we definitely learned some lessons. I will try and get a separate post up about that.
* I am going to Denver for work at the end of August. I probably shouldn't tell Jason that I actually requested this trip right? Mostly for training for work but also, I will admit, it will be awesome to have a whole bed to myself, sleep without interruptions and be able to eat out and have some adult time.
* Speaking of Denver and sleep, we are really going to start sleep training Cal. We started but then he got sick with a cold and then his double ear infection. We are ready now. Friday night is the start and we already have a plan. The crib is set up, the mobile has fresh batteries, I ordered a sleep sack and Jack is spending the night over at Nana's. I am scared to death. Getting him to sleep isn't the issue. It's getting him to STAY asleep. I don't look forward to listening to him cry when he wakes up in the middle of the night. I am not expecting miracles but I would like to decrease his night wakings down to one or two rather than six or seven (yes, he really wakes up that much). This plan is in the hopes that when I go to Denver, Jason won't have to wake up so many times during the night. He doesn't handle disruptions to his sleep very well.
* Here is something weird. I weighed myself yesterday and I was at about 215 fully clothed in the afternoon. Hmmmm, that means I have lost weight somehow, without even trying. Go figure.
* I am on the hunt for yellow, non-slutty shoes. I have a feeling I won't be able to find them. They have to be the right color (not mustard) and can't have a huge heel or be real sandaley looking. I found an awesome pair of Cole Haan's, but I can't justify spending $100 on a pair of shoes that I am only going to wear a few times. But aren't they gorgeous?
* I scored on the clearance racks yesterday at Fred Meyer. I didn't buy anything for myself but instead for the boys. Cal doesn't have any shorts that fit him since he's such a chunky monkey. He wears most of Jack's hand me downs but all the shorts we have are 6 month size and Cal needs 9 months. I got a ton of cute summer clothes for him and some jammies for Jack all under $40. Score!
* Have I mentioned that I am still pumping? I am really proud of myself because at this point with Jack, I was wrapping up because my supply was crap. I am really proud that I have kept up this long. My ultimate goal is to have enough milk to stop at 12 months. My mini goal was 6 months and I made it that long! We are getting a chest freezer for our shed so I can store a lot more milk in that. If I plan it right, I can pump, store my milk and then have enough to stop at around 10 months and just use up the frozen. That would mean I would need about 1900 ounces of frozen milk banked up. Yikes! I am not sure if that's going to happen but it's a good goal to aim for.
* Cal is moving, moving, moving. He is up on all fours and rocking back and forth. He often takes a half crawl forward too. You can't leave him on the floor and expect him to be in the same spot five minutes later. We are making sure to pick up Jack's small toys so he doesn't put them in his mouth and choke. Since he's not only mobile but awfully grabby with things too.
* Jack can count to three! I know this isn't a huge deal for people. Most kids his age can probably count higher but I consider this a success. He also can identify all colors and most shapes. Jason was shocked last night when they were reading a board book and Jack kept pointing at the shapes and reciting them "Circle, triangle, diamond, moon, rectangle". He can also identify some letters too, especially E. He amazes me.
* I need to make an appointment to get my hair cut and highlighted. It's been ages since it was cut (since well before Cal was born) and years since I got it highlighted. When it's highlighted, it makes me look a lot more refreshed and awake. Better get on the phone with my stylist, Chai.
* This is going to sound awful but I am just not into the Olympics this year. I did watch some of the opening ceremonies because I love seeing the parade of nations. I haven't watched all weekend. It's on today while I work but I am not paying attention to it. My favorite event is gymnastics, followed by diving so maybe when those are on I will pay more attention.
I could go on and on but I will leave my post now. I will do a boat trip update soon. Maybe tomorrow? I am trying to blog more but sometimes, it's hard to find interesting topics. I am not an interesting person and don't craft or have good fashion sense so those two topics are out. Oh well.
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