November Infant Moms Thread

[tholbrook]

Hello Ladies! I haven't started a thread in a long time, so I thought I'd get us started this month...

Me (Tami): 34
DH: 38
DD: Maya, 14 months, 1 week

I just want to say that 14 months is a great age!!! Maya is walking all over the place, babbling more and more (although no new words that I can decipher). The biggest milestone lately has been her language comprehension. DH actually discovered this: we can put about 10 different objects (blanket, bucket, socks, book, cloth diaper, block, plastic chicken, and stuffed toys: bear, watermelon, elephant) in front of her, and ask her "Maya, show me the ------" - and she will pick up the correct thing every single time. It is so cool!!! I am just awestruck that she can understand all these different words. And she has a placemat with pictures of different animals, and she can point to the bear, tiger, monkey, and hippo. It is so amazing to watch her little brain grow and develop every day.

We had a great Halloween - we went trick-or-treating twice: once at a local market and again in the evening around the neighborhood. And then we met up with my former roommate - I hadn't seen her in 10+ years, so we went to see her husband perform with his band. It was Maya's first "live" band (fortunately it wasn't too loud) - she was absolutely wonderful. BUT - Maya didn't go to bed until 11 pm. She did have a late nap that day (until 5:30), as well as a 2.5 hour morning nap. But we still paid the price the next day when her naps were: 45, 15, and 30 minutes . Oh, and she was up at 3:30, 5 and 6 during the night/morning - and up for good at 7:30 (6:30 with the time change). She was SO grumpy, and I felt horrible because I knew it was because she was overtired. I can just hear Dr. Weissbluth in my head: "I told you so!!!" But we're back on track today, thank goodness, aside from getting up about 45 minutes too early.

So I'm a working mom this week (and for the next 2 weeks as well). We have several audits at work, and I have to be there for all of them. DH is taking vacation and comp time to stay home with Maya. I empathize with you moms who do this on a daily basis - it is so hard to leave her in the morning knowing that I'll only get to spend about an hour with her when I get home in the evening. And I'm only done with one day!

Sleep: aside from the really rotten weekend, Maya has been doing so well with sleeping at night. A night-and-day difference than 6 months ago (I know a lot of the moms here are having a rough time with sleep, so maybe that gives you some hope ). Naps are a little more unpredictable than usual - she's been doing quite a few 30-45 minute naps, which isn't typical these days. I'm not sure what's going on there. But she doesn't seem ready to move to 1 nap/day - when we do that, she doesn't sleep any longer than when we do 2 naps. Any thoughts on this?

Hope everyone had a great Halloween - can't wait to see pictures of all the little ones! I'll be back to post some pictures of Maya in a little while.

[acginkc]

Tami- Thanks for starting us off this month. I'm glad Maya's sleep is going so well (despite this past weekend's hiccup). I don't have a ton of advice on the food problem as Matt much prefers self feeding to the puree business. Are you eating together, as in the same time and same food? I have read that some babies do better when they are eating with their parents as opposed to separately. Very exciting about her language recognition. Good luck with your crazy work schedule. Hopefully it will be a quick few weeks.

Bekki – Hope the boys are feeling better this week. Loved their halloween pics you posted. Adorable. It looks like they had a great birthday.

Beth H – Will has grown so much. He looks like a little boy now (as opposed to a baby). So cute. We are working up the gumption to start sleep training. Matt is starting to give us longer stretches and going to bed is getting much easier, but I haven't done too well with weaning him from night feedings. Please keep us posted on how it goes.

Heather – 8 wake-ups. Wow. That is a rough night for sure. I'm sorry and I hope that is a 1 time deal for you. LOVE Quinn's astronaut costume. He looks like a baby model. So cute. Also loved your FB pictures from the Lake, great family pictures for sure.

Michelle – As always, I love the pictures of E. She is so beautiful. I am not as good about backing up and saving pictures as I should be. I am planning to do a photo book of Matt's first year with our favorites and getting ready to print out some of our favorites to frame around the house. I should probably get some of these backed up sometime soon as I'm notorious for having hard drives crashing on me.

Beth G – My MIL just insisted on buying shoes for Matt. I personally wasn't too eager to get shoes for him as I have read that learning to walk barefoot is preferable. However, it was not a battle I was going to fight with her. Anyways, we found some really cute "pre-walkers" at the Stride Rite Outlet and he's done well with those. I've also seen some leather soled boots at the Gap Outlet if you'd prefer those.

[acginkc]

OK, on to our update.

Me 31
DH 31
Matthew 8 months (2/20)

Well Matt is getting closer to walking. He's cruising now and is starting to try standing unassisted. He'll let go for a few seconds and then grab back on, let go, grab, etc. It's pretty cute.

We now say mama, dada and behbeh (we think this is for the dog Bella) pretty regularly. He's also starting to dance and I think sing when he's excited. He babbles endlessly which is so fun. Now if he would only start showing signs of understanding me. I would love to just say "Matt, don't touch the dog's bowl" and have it mean something to him other than "crawl faster towards the dog bowl".

He's loving food as much as always. We tried Eggos this week and they have been a hit. He downed a whole one this morning which about shocked me to death. The problem with loving food so much is he isn't nursing quite as much and I can notice a drop in my supply during the day. Hopefully its just temporary and he'll pick back up soon. Of course do these reductions happen at night...no.

I have nothing to say about sleep except that it is my "mother's curse" so I must bear that cross. Though how is he sleeping longer stretches, but I'm more tired than I was when he woke up more. Annoying.

Halloween was fun, we went to a party at our cousin's house. DH was in charge of taking pictures and I'll just say we may do another photo shoot tomorrow...

Ok, must go to bed though I'm sure as soon as I drift off Matt will be up to eat.

Oh yeah, if any of you are interested in a Friends and Family Coupon for Gap, Old Navy or Banana Republic (Nov 12-15) send me a PM and I'll send one out to you. It's 30% off.

[tholbrook]

Cute pictures, Ashley! Matt has the biggest blue eyes - and clearly he knows he is being photographed .

Originally Posted by acginkc

Now if he would only start showing signs of understanding me. I would love to just say "Matt, don't touch the dog's bowl" and have it mean something to him other than "crawl faster towards the dog bowl".

Haha, he'll make a beeline for that bowl even when he CAN understand you ... you'll just get a mischievous look first!

Oh yeah, if any of you are interested in a Friends and Family Coupon for Gap, Old Navy or Banana Republic (Nov 12-15) send me a PM and I'll send one out to you. It's 30% off.

Well, darn! I just placed an order last week - but I'm in need of a few fall/winter tops, so I'm interested! Sending you a PM...

Pictures:

[linsleyd]

Me - 33
DH - 32
Amelia - 3 months on Friday (8/7)

I think I might be able to finally stay caught up on this thread!
Amelia is doing great and we live for the weekends! During the week, I get to hold her and feed her for about an hour before she is out. She is doing pretty good sleeping about 4-5 hour stretches which means I'm only up to nurse her once or twice since we get up for the day at 4:30.
Other than that we're hanging in there and enjoying every day with her!

Ashley, sending you a pm! Matt is very serious about being a fireman!

Tami, that is really neat with the language!

Here are some pics:





hmm...they aren't working with snapfish...I'll have to wait until the weekend and put some on photobucket.

[Beth H]

Hi all - thanks for starting a November thread. Unfortunately I'm home sick. Will kindly gave me a nasty stomach virus, which he came down with Sunday morning, and I got yesterday. I had kept him out of daycare, and I had to text DH to leave work as I was too sick to watch him. Thankfully I'm gradually feeling better.

Sleep training actually has been going really well. He's been sleeping from about 6:30 - 4:30 (with time change, it had been from about 7 pm - 5 am), with no wake-ups (or he wakes up, cries for 30 seconds, and then falls right back to sleep). When he wakes up at 4:30, he's up for about 1/2 hour, and then he goes back to sleep for a while. It's helped us a lot to know he's going to sleep for decent stretches at a time.

Halloween was great - we had a party with other couples who have young children. (who negatively may have been exposed to this stomach bug without us knowing it ) Will was the cutest dragon!

Tami - love the photos! Glad you had such a fun Halloween, even if Maya's sleep was messed up temporarily. I don't think the time change helps either.

Ashley - exciting about the almost-cruising! I also wish Will could understand, "no, don't touch this or that." He gravitates towards everything that he shouldn't.

Linsley - those sleep stretches sound pretty good, especially for a 3 month old.

Hope everyone else had a fun first Halloween!

[bekki]

Beth- Sorry you're sick. I keep having that worry--what happens when I'm to sick to watch the boys? Good thing your husband can help out. I really hope you're at 100% soon!

Lindsey- Sounds like you're in a good rhythm now! Hope to see the pictures soon

Ashley- Matt to too cute as a fireman! We've been trying to discourage the boys from touching certain things (like the TV), and I had been trying to say things like "Not for hands" or "not for touching" but it hasn't really been working. I just was leafing through my Dr. Spock book, and he suggests that spoken commands are not effective at this age, it just gives them a choice between compliance and defiance, which then turns it into a game. He says to just pick the baby up and move him elsewhere. Eventually they get it. I guess The example he gives would be the oven. Parents are much more likely to just jump up and intercept the baby, which teaches the baby the parent really means it. I don't know, but I'm going to give it a try (Although, we'll see what happens when they both are getting into trouble!)

Tami- I can't believe how grown up Maya looks. She is just gorgeous. I sometimes worry I'm not doing enough to help the boys with their language development. Can you shed some light on what you do with Maya? Is it simply a matter of repetition (Car, car, car etc)? I think the boys are starting to understand things but as laid back as I am about a lot of things, speech/language is the one area I'm all paranoid about.

[Beth G.]

Me: 39 (not for much longer )
DH: 40
DS: Michael, 10 (!) months on Friday

Sooooo tired. Hate the time change. And for the last week or so Michael suddenly loves milk so much that he needs a second night feeding and his night feedings have more than doubled in time. Not sure I can make it until late December when I plan to night wean him (we have staycation planned and I won't be worrying about my pumping a few weeks before I plan to wean altogether). He still has a really snotty nose (no other symptoms) and it's a mess and somewhat of a nursing issue too.

Called the pediatrician today to see what was going on with H1N1 vaccine since a friend in the Chicago burbs said her ped had it in and seemingly enough to do the first dose for all the kids in the practice. Our ped has... 20 doses for the entire practice, which will all rightly go to kids with underlying health problems and our county has... 0. And yet I read Washington and NY school districts have them and I wonder why our area is getting ignored. The county even ran out of seasonal vaccine and hasn't had a clinic since mid-October.

Does anyone else's ped have vaccine available or is my friend just lucky?

More soon. Hope everyone is well.

The wedding - no smiles that day!

[MinEaston]

me: 38
DH: 42
DD: Anna, 4 yrs 8 mos
DS: Nicholas, 2 months (born 9/5/09)

I keep telling myself I'll try to be better about posting, but in reality, it's all I can do to find time to lurk!

We're doing well here. Nicholas is growing like a weed. We left the hospital on Sept 6 at 6lbs 14oz. Last Friday, he weighed in just over 12lbs!

I had to travel last week for 2 nights. DH stayed home w/both kids (he's on a "paternity" furlough right now) and did really well. Nicholas even dropped his 2:30ish AM waking for DH! I could never have done this with child #1 - I'm far more relaxed now. I took my pump with me and set the alarm clock to get up at 2:30 both days (plus a session before bed and one upon waking, and twice during the day). My supply didn't seem to suffer, thankfully. I successfully carried-on nearly a half-gallon of breastmilk with no issues from the TSA. I'm back to working part-time so I can save some vacation time, to take when DH goes back to work, since we don't have a daycare placement for Nicholas yet.

re: H1N1 - our family doctor's office called to offer it for Anna, and she had shot 1 of 2 on Friday. Our local health dept is offering a clinic for daycare kids this week. But neither DH nor I are on the list to get it. We have both gotten the seasonal flu shot. Nicholas, of course, is too young to get it. At this point it's the most important for Anna to get it, since she's exposed to the most bugs, being in public Pre-Kindergarten in the mornings and a preschool in the afternoons!

Here are some recent pictures.

Nicholas started smiling consistently while I was away:


I posted Halloween photos on the Share Your Halloween Photos! thread.

[linsleyd]

Taking tummy time very seriously!

[IMG][/IMG]

Halloween
[IMG][/IMG]

[helios7]

Hi Mommies,

Me - (Heather) 31
DH - 32
DS - Quinn, almost a year!

T-25 days until I have a one year old! I can't believe it. Time is ticking away.

And unfortunately, my almost one year old has picked now to wake up from his nap. So I will have to cut and run, leaving behind one of my favorite Halloween pictures. I'm loving all of the other pictures! What an adorable bunch of babies we have! Just sayin'.

[NewMrsG]

Hi everyone!

Me (Jori) - 39
DH - 42
DS Ari - 8 weeks tomorrow (!), 3 weeks gestational age
DD Macy - almost 3 1/2

I'm going to try to be a regular contributor to this thread and hope to be before heading back to work in January. I'm feeling overwhelmed at trying to respond individually to everything you've all posted, so will just say that your babes are all gorgeous! And I just love the tux on Michael!

Thanks to those who offered support in the October thread in response to my worries about Ari's social development and connecting to others. I'm since feeling better about it. He is definitely comforted by us and is having periods (sometimes all day long) where he wants nothing other than to be held. And he does seem to be aware of when people are in the room. He isn't really making much eye contact and is more likely to be scanning the whole room with his eyes rather than the person right in front of his face, but I don't think he's just in his own world the way I did a couple of weeks ago. He is just so different from his sister, who seemed connected immediately. I can't remember who mentioned this in the October thread, but I do wonder if having been in the NICU for 2 weeks makes a difference as there's just so much going on around him while he's there and he went from being in a closed off incubator with a blanket on top to being out in the arms of a nurse with lights and buzzers and beeping. He doesn't make eye contact while feeding, but feeding was his biggest challenge in the NICU and it took all of his energy just to eat. So it wouldn't surprise me if the lack of eye contact isn't just because he's solely focused on feeding, as that's what he got used to.

It's just so hard not to worry and I'm having to constantly remind myself that I have to go by his gestational age.

My husband and daughter and I got the nasal H1N1 vaccine on Tuesday. I'm extremely grateful to have had access to it. Our town health department got just 100 doses and identified us as a family with a newborn - these were the only households who were given vaccine. Several of our friends now have or had H1N1 and it's worrisome to have a daughter in daycare and not be able to vaccinate Ari - on top of worrying about her getting it.

I would love to post a picture but when I posted on the pregnancy thread last month it didn't show up. Does Shutterfly not work?

[Pony]

Sleep is the same. What can I say! ha!

Evelyn is still biting me here and there. I had her in the babyhawk and she was biting the heck out of my chest. Soooo painful! She is only biting me! She tries to go for my lips too! I think she is about to kiss me, but then I realize she wants to bite my lips......boohooooo. I feel bad, b/c I pull her away and do not want her to think I don't want to kiss her. But, I don't really want to find out if she is really trying to bite my **** lips! Evelyn has been working on 2 teeth. One has poked through and the other is working its way out for a total of 9 teeth!

Thanks to everyone for sharing their storing picture ideas.

Halloween was fun here. We didn't trick-or-treat, but did go to a friend's house to pass out candy. Their little boy is 3 weeks younger then Evelyn.

We had our first cloth diaper washing disaster. LENTILS! Carl didn't clean the poop off one of the diapers and our washing machine was filled w/ lentils. ha! Poor guy.

Tami, thanks for starting the thread. Very cool about Maya's language recognition. I told Carl about it and he was so excited. He is going to start working harder with Evelyn. I'm glad sleep is going so well. Love Maya's pictures!!!

Ashley, very exciting about Matt cruising and trying to stand on his own. They are really growing up! Love the dancing! Take some videos! I love the babbling. Evelyn sounds like a duck when she babbles. Evelyn loves to crawl towards Charlie's water bowl. Yay for some longer stretches. 3 hours is the longest I'm getting, but it is typically 2 hours. My friend w/ a 2 month old is getting 6 hour stretches! Matt is a cutie. I might PM you about the 30% deal.

linsleyd-I live for the weekends as well!!! Great shots. She is adorable.

Beth H-I hope you are feeling better. I hope you all are feeling better. Must be sooooo hard taking care of a sick baby and yourself. Congrats on an awesome job with sleep training! Any thoughts on Will's bday? Will was a very cute dragon!

Beth G-Happy 10 months. Can you believe it? What are you all doing for his upcoming bday? What a handsome fella in a tux! I didn't call my ped about the vaccine. I did hear they had the mist in, but not sure about the shots. Love your compulsive photo storage process!

MinEaston-love the pictures. I miss the itty bitty stage. How is Anna doing with her brother? I'm glad your supply didn't suffer with the travel. Yay for smiles.

Heather-again, I love love love love the pictures. I love those sock/shoes you posted from lands end. I need to get a pair!

and picture time...

[Pony]

Jori, I'm glad you are feeling better about Ari. A good friend of mine had her first baby 8 weeks early. I don't remember her specifically being concerned about social connection, but I do remember her being concerned about multiple issues (size, feeding, sleeping and on top of all that she had PPD). She didn't have another baby to compare him to, so that might be something since your first was quickly connected. I think you are on to something regarding his life in the NICU. I find it absolutely amazing how adaptable these little ones are. Their lives go through so many changes in such a short time. Have you seen the ped recently to talk to him about your concerns? My pictures are posted from shutterfly. Here is how I do it...
Click on the album

double click on the picture you want

right click on the picture

click properties

copy and paste the address

Hope that helps.

[acginkc]

Quick whine and search of solutions. The last 3 nights Matt has woken up at about midnight. He sometimes eats first but he'll wake up as soon as I lay him down and starts screaming. Not crying really, there are no tears, but just screaming. He won't calm down when we leave him in the crib, he refuses the paci, yells while we rock him, won't take Tylenol or Mylicon. This will go on for upto an hour. He'll often calm down and be pretty much asleep then as soon as we lay him back down he'll wake up again and we start all over. It only happens at right around midnight, and within an hour we'll get him calmed down and back to sleep and he does fine the rest of the night (still may wake up to eat, but no more yelling). I am exhausted. DH is exhausted. Matt seems fine.

Has anyone every experienced this? Any ideas of what is causing this? How do we make it stop?

[linsleyd]

Originally Posted by NewMrsG

And he does seem to be aware of when people are in the room. He isn't really making much eye contact and is more likely to be scanning the whole room with his eyes rather than the person right in front of his face, but I don't think he's just in his own world the way I did a couple of weeks ago. , but I do wonder if having been in the NICU for 2 weeks makes a difference as there's just so much going on around him while he's there and he went from being in a closed off incubator with a blanket on top to being out in the arms of a nurse with lights and buzzers and beeping. ?

This really sounds a lot like Amelia, although she did keep eye contact with us when she was being fed. She spent 17 days in NICU and it really did take awhile for her to focus. Really, only now is she looking at us and smiling and doesn't seem to have that glazed over look on her face and she's three months!

We used to joke that we should tape the sounds of the NICU for her so she would be able to sleep when she got home!

[Beth G.]

I found the coat I was looking for last weekend! It's really cute. It also fit way better than the three other coats I bought and returned (you can tell I'm a first time mom). They also had (for 6.95, exactly my price range) some faux shearling soft sole boots. Not sure if they are super warm but they'll do for now. So we are good to go for the first part of winter.

The long promised nebulizer story, aka why we will be changing pediatric practices when ours retires. The doctor prescribes the medication and nebulizer, then has the lead doctor/owner of the practice come in to explain how the nebulizer order works. She tells us that it may not be covered by our insurance, and that they will order it on our behalf. So I say fine, we just want him to get better, but can you tell us if not covered how much it will cost? She says, no, I cannot. We just order it for you. Ok, I say, is it $100 or so? I can't say, she says. At this point, I started getting annoyed. She wants my credit card, but won't tell me what she is charging. Is it $1000 I say? $1,000,000? You get the idea. She keeps repeating that she just will order it. So we finally let her and then she says (on Wednesday) we should have it delivered by Saturday. We have a sick baby there, so DH goes to a local pharmacy that tends to have more medical equipment than the national chains. He picks up the nebulizer there for, drum roll please, $69.95. We call to cancel the other one. Which of course the office staff doesn't do, so the nebulizer company also calls us to tell us it will be covered by the insurance and $12 after copay. If she had just said, I don't have an exact price but it's under $100 that would have been fine. It was just so stupid.

Anyway, we went to pick Michael up at day care today and he had crawled over to our family collage on the wall and was trying to rip it off Then he was standing pulled up on this long step they have for quite a while. I couldn't believe it!

Sleep is crap. Although he STTN the two nights of the wedding weekend, since then he has added a second night feeding and the time change means he's up pretty early. Last night he was up for milk at 11, 1, and 4 and then up at 5:30. Naps are good at day care but at home 25-40 minutes in the morning and forced on him in the car in the afternoon. I am assuming the night thing is a long growth spurt, but who knows.

Back for personals. Have a good weekend everyone!

[Sarah45]

Hi everyone! It's been soooo long since I've had a moment to post - or just, you know, chill out. Before I get into it...

Me (sarah) and DH - 33
Jackson - 8 months (2/24)

Well, the party went great although with all of this flu stuff we had many more no shows than in past years. It didn't really impact the actual party but I think it bummed out DH a bit. Then, no sooner did I clean up from the party and DH's parents arrived for a long weekend so that was a pretty hectic week. Now, Jackson and I are at MY parents for two weeks before we head home and get ready for Thanksgiving. PHEW!

Jax is doing great, crawling all over the place and trying to get up the stairs whenever he can. At home, sleep was going well and we were sleeping about 12 hours a night but here at Grandma's things are a different story. But, this will pass and we'll get back to normal when we get home.

One thing that is going on is that Jackson seems to have lost interest in nursing. He'll eat really well in the morning and at night but during the day he won't put up with more than about 5 minutes before he is constantly trying to roll away. I'm not really sure what to do about it, if anything.

Here are some recent pics...

[Bawstinn]

Hello everyone!

Me: Maria, 40
Dad: David, 36
Christopher: 5 months
Madeleine: 3 years

Things are going well here. We've started Christopher on solids, so in addition to rice and oatmeal he has had sweet potatoes, acorn squash, applesauce and pears. Applesauce was just organic, unsweetened and I think was a bit tart for him. Cute to watch him pucker up.

He is getting bigger and bigger as the days go by. Rolling over pretty consistently (has learned he can roll to reach things) and gone are the days I can leave him on the bed.

Sleep was going pretty well since starting solids but he has decided he needs to sleep on his belly AND he wants a pacifier most of the time. So, he lifts his head in his sleep, pacifier falls out, he cries. I go in, put it back, repeat. I've tried letting him cry and put himself back to sleep but he gets too agitated.

No H1N1 shots here. Our doctor only has the nasal right now and she did not want to give Madeleine the nasal with Christopher in the house. I am more worried about chicken pox right now. The infant room where he spent a lot of time the week before Halloween has a confirmed case of chicken pox as of last Thursday, so he has been exposed. Doctor said if he contracted it, would be about 12 days before it shows. Problem is not knowing who else may have caught it (in his room) and will pass it on ...

I am loving all the pictures. Sarah - love him underneath the exersaucer. Christopher is loving his right now but is more thrilled with the fact he has learned to jump in the jumperoo.

[acginkc]

Well we have some kind of sickness here. Matt was sent home from daycare yesterday with a temp of 101. Tylenol has had minimal effect so we are heading to the doctor's office this morning. He was up about every 2 hours last night. I'm exhausted and DH and I are getting creative with our work schedules so we can be home with him. Luckily he's still in pretty good spirits so that helps, but it is horrible not to be help him feel better.

A fave fall picture from us.

[helios7]

Hi ladies....

I have this ongoing post in my head of all that I want to say. But I never seem to have a minute to sit down and try to type it out. So here goes...

First of all, remembering our music discussion, Quinn and I have been enjoying pandora. It's a free online music site where you create channels. I created a Laurie Berkner channel for him, added some Raffi and Elizabeth Mitchell and he's been rocking out. I put the computer near us when we eat or play, and it's been a nice exposure to some new tunes. www.pandora.com There are a few ads you have to put up with now or then, but we recommend it.

Sleep is both better and worse here. He's only waking twice a night or so (usually) which is a really nice direction. That said, I really think we're teething molars. His pain doesn't seem as acute, but he's more irritable and the night waking is more extended. Last night he and I were up from 3 until 5:30. That was fun. He was happy enough to look at books, or even play on the floor but as soon as I put him down in his crib, he'd crawl into a sitting position and cry. So I just waited it out. Ashley - it reminded me of what you were saying Matt was doing last week. I know now he's sick and it's a whole new ball game, but perhaps you too are entering a new phase of teething? How many teeth does he have?

I feel as though we're moving towards one longer nap in the midday, as his naps at that time are regularly two hours. But its inconsistent, and with his early wakeups since the time change he sometimes takes an early nap. Every day is different, and I'm TRYING to roll with it. He does ask for naps now, which is really cute. He crawls towards me, and lays his head in my lap. Sometimes it'll be a fakeout and he won't actually go to sleep once we do the routine, but more times then not I'll put him to bed and out he goes. Accordingly I'm less focused on the clock and more on reading his cues. But the week's been hard. DH going to the city 4 days this week which means leaving at 6:30 and getting home at 8. He won't see Quinn until Friday. It's been hard being a true single mom 24-7, but I'm trying to hang in there.

Okay... on to a few personals.
Ashley - I hope Matt feels better soon. It's so hard when they're sick.

Maria - i can't believe Christopher is five months already! It seems like he was just born! Glad to hear solids are going well, and that he's a little roller. It's so cute when they flop back and forth.

Sarah - Jax is so cute! Quinn has gone through various nursing strikes. I just keep pumping, and give him milk in his sippy cup and nurse him at night. The longest lasted almost a week, but then he'd always come back to nursing. He started in July at 7-8 months or so. Can Jax use a sippy cup? I love the picture of him under the exersaucer.

BethG - I'm glad you're kitting Michael out for winter so well! We've been working on it too, although we've got a ways to go. And the nebulizer story does sound frustrating.

Michelle - funny story about the lentils. Sorry to hear that Evelyn's still using you as a teething toy. That sounds painful. Quinn gnaws on me from time to time, but not too badly.

Jori - I'm glad to hear Ari's connecting more. I don't have much experience with preemies, but it stands to reason that it might take them longer to connect with those around them following a NICU stay.

Linsley - I love the pictures of Amelia. Glad to hear the vacuum has solved her problems - it stands to reason but I find fitting cleaning into life so hard!!! I'm sure you live for the weekends - I admire you so much for managing that commute! I cannot imagine how tough it is.

Bekki - Let me know if you have any insights on how to steer babies away from things like catfood! It's exhausting managing Quinn, I can't imagine managing two.

BethH - I hope you're feeling better! Again, it is so tough when they're sick. I cannot imagine being super sick too!

Finally Tami, I hope your busy weeks are going well, and that you're still getting some time with Maya. She'll be so happy when you go back to your regular schedule. I love the anecdote about her identifying her toys - that's fabulous!

And my man is up. I made it! Whew!

[Beth G.]

Maybe it's a full moon but I'll blame the teeth, Ashley and Heather. Michael was also up from 1:45 -3:40 am and not at all happy, unless he had DH's Blackberry in his hands. We are exhausted. If there is a repeat tonight I will try some Tylenol. I think the top 2 front teeth are to blame.

Lots of standing (leaning). We put the legs on the activity table and it's the perfect height.

Yogurt is a huge hit here (knock wood). Even plain whole milk yogurt mixed with cereal. Veggies are currently out of favor but my sweet potato yogurt creation was positively received (DH thought I was nuts).

Ashley - hope Matt is feeling better.

[tholbrook]

Hello!

This has been such a long week - and it's only Wednesday. I'm ready to settle back into my normal routine with Maya at home, but I still have another week to go. But I won't whine - I know a bunch of you do this every day all week long - and I honestly don't know how you don't fall over at the end of the day.

Anyway...

Heather - I'm glad you brought up the subject of music again. I downloaded quite a few CDs to my iPod after reading all the suggestions a few months ago. The biggest hit is Elizabeth Mitchell - both DH and I love her music. I have also been meaning to post that she will be playing in NY on November 22nd (her website is www.youaremyflower.org). Not sure if it is anywhere close to you, but I think it would be a lot of fun! Love that picture of Quinn in the astronaut costume - it suits him perfectly (and I'm always so impressed by the beautiful shots you get - almost professional looking)!

Linsley - that's so wonderful about Amelia sleeping for long stretches. Cute pictures too - love those big beautiful eyes - and those little baby toes in the second photo.

Beth H - Are you and Will both feeling better this week? I'm glad the sleep has been going so much better - and I hope that the illness didn't cause any setbacks.

Beth G - oh my goodness, Michael is so cute in the tuxedo, smile or not!!! He sure seems to like to throw you a curveball when it comes to nursing - maybe it's a growth spurt, and therefore temporary. Hope you've adjusted to the time change. I think it took us about a week to adjust - but I hate it being dark so much earlier now.
Sorry about the nebulizer ordeal - but I'm just glad they didn't charge your credit card something like $1000, only to find out that it could have been covered by insurance. I don't blame you for switching practices. There is no reason they couldn't give you the cost up front.

Bekki - How is life with 1-year old twins? You must be so exhausted at the end of the day! As far as Maya learning new words - we were never obsessive about pointing out each and every object at all. It's like it just clicked one day, and she understood that words are linked with different things, and she was able to identify objects that we had "named" in passing. So now we are being a little more proactive in teaching her new words ... but no, we didn't really do anything out of the ordinary. I will also mention that I try to "converse" with her as much as I can, but it's really not in my nature to talk constantly... I suppose that could be why she doesn't say many words yet. But I expect (hope) that it will click one day as well.

Sarah - Good to see you here again! And oh wow, Jackson has really grown up - he looks more like a toddler than a baby! Love the lemur costume - too cute! I bet your parents are getting a kick out of seeing him crawling all over the place. I wonder if the daytime nursing "strike" is related to the mobility - too much to see and do. Maya doesn't nurse well during the day either - just long enough to get her to sleep for her naps.

Maria - oh no, I hope Christopher doesn't come down with the chickenpox! Good luck on the sleep - maybe he will figure out his priorities soon - sleeping on his belly or having the pacifier! The "chef and lobster" Halloween picture was great - what a fun idea!

Jori - that's great to hear about Ari's progress! And I'm glad that you're not as stressed about it now ... so hard to worry about your baby! 4 weeks (gestational age) is still really young, and I'm sure he's just "taking it all in" right now.

Mariana - both of your kids are beautiful, and I love that smile in the first picture. Glad your trip went well - and I think you're 100% correct about being more relaxed with the second child. My DH has been a stay-at-home dad this week, and I've been leaving detailed instructions for naps, meals, etc. - plus calling every couple of hours! (But to be fair, he calls me at work with questions at least every hour anyway). Loved the pictures of Nicholas and Anna on the other Halloween thread - so cute!

Ashley - aw, poor Matt -and his parents too! What did his doctor say today? Hope he gets better soon and you're able to get some rest. Is he still waking up at midnight and crying when you put him in his crib?

Michelle - that is a beautiful little girl you have! But what on earth is going on with the biting? I have never heard of anything like it. I'm laughing from your description of the little stinker trying to either kiss or bite you, but at the same time, I totally understand how frustrating that must be. I hope she moves away from this phase quickly. Maya bites my fingers occasionally - she grabs my hand and puts it in her mouth - she thinks it is hilarious. Of course, I am probably encouraging her with the not-at-all-stern / mostly-laughing "oh no, Maya - you bit me!". Maybe I should start teaching her not to bite, but she is actually very gentle (most of the time).

I'll post an update later ... I still have to make dinner tonight (it's already 9 pm!) plus I brought home a bunch of work that I need to get finished by tomorrow.

[Pony]

Nothing really new here.......I'm just really enjoying watching Evelyn these days. She is so much fun and soooo darn cute.

I'm curious about birthdays. What are you all doing, have done, or have experienced? My in-laws will be in town. I would love to just go to the park and have a picnic or something like that. January Houston weather is very unpredictable, so I'm thinking we will have to do something at the house. Unfortunately, this stresses me out, b/c our house is small and has so much crap in it right now! ahhhh!!! I think we might just invite a few people w/ small kids. My friend had her daughter's first bday last month and they gave little handpuppets as a gift for the kiddos. Any thoughts on little age appropriate gifts for the guests? Or is that something you don't really have to do at this age?

Evelyn is not really getting the sippy cup. She is still using it as a teething toy. She doesn't try to hold it to get the water out even though she wants the water. She just holds it and chews.

About clothes....my girl has some thighs! I think she will only be in stretchy pants for now on. We got 3 jeans from my friend all from different stores. They were all 18 months and she can't wear them!!!!! They are so tight on her thighs, ha! It seems like a lot of her pants are short in the crotch which is a pain w/ cloth diapers. So, I'm really like the stretchy pants.

Ashley--Do you think Matt's midnight crying was due to the cold? Is he still doing it? Such a cute picture!! How is he feeling?

Beth G--Where did you buy the coat? How annoying about the nebulizer! Evelyn typically is up around 11, 1, and 4, ha! 3 days in a row she woke up around 6:15 AM. These were days I was able to sleep in. Yesterday, I couldn't sleep in and she didn't wake up until 8am!!!!!!!!!!!!! STINKER!! Sorry Michael was up for a long stretch. Hope you were able to function at work!!!

Sarah-cute pictures!!! I'm so glad we don't have stairs in the house. I already have to detour Evelyn from many things! Evelyn doesn't nurse for long either, but I assume it is b/c she is just more efficient w/ nursing. Plus, she gets tanked up throughout the night, ha! She will focus for a few minutes and then is done.

Maria-sounds like he has some yummy food! Evelyn never took to a pacifier, but I hear what Christopher is doing is very common. Has this been going on every night? Have you tried putting multiple pacifiers around so maybe he will find one of them? So scary about the chicken pox!

Heather-I was just talking to my friend who is in the same boat as I'm in w/ multiple wake ups. We both have multiple (6-8), but short wakings at night. I can manage going to work with the short wakings, but not sure how I would handle the long wakings. Carl has offered to help at night, but I don't really need him now. I guess I would take him up on his offer. I really hope this is a very short phase Quinn is going through. Are you able to nap or is it hard for you? Oh my goodness, so cute about him asking for his nap. Love it!!! Evelyn did one nap yesterday. I went in late yesterday and got her down for her nap around 10am (she woke at 8AM !!!!). She was up w/in 20 minutes. This never happens when Carl gets her down, b/c he sleeps with her. So, he just put her down around noon and she slept for almost 3 hours! Crazy. She is typically doing 2 naps, but I think she could manage 1 if she sleeps with somebody, ha! Wow, that is a lot of time by yourself w/ Quinn. Big hugs to you!!!

Tami-I just reread my post about her biting me and I don't know what the "****"were for? ha! It is crazy. I don't know what to do. Maybe rub some garlic all over me, ha! She occasionally goes for Carl, but it is rare. Is this the last week you have to work the hours you've been working? That's funny you say you don't converse much, b/c I don't either. I realize I'm thinking these things in my head and should probably just say them out loud so E can hear me. Carl talks constantly to her which is more like him to do.

ok, back to work I go....

[helios7]

Ugh. Stick a fork in me. I'm so done.

Today was a long, long day. Between the nursing strike and the nap strike - I'm fried, let alone him. He kept asking to sleep (his head laying down thing) but once he hit that crib, instant screams. So, we bailed this afternoon. I drove to our closest Trader Joe's (1 hr 10 mins) because I felt like it, and I hoped he would sleep in the car. He slept for 40 minutes on the way home, but that was it. Bedtime went smoothly, but i fear for the night! I just want some sleep! I confess I didn't pump though - I just let the nursing strike ride. I'm not ready to wean per se, but I'm so tired of these strikes. I figured I'll just let my body adjust to what he wants - if he no longer wants to nurse in the day then so be it (although I don't think that is what it is - probably just teething pain).

Regarding language development (putting on my early childhood teacher hat for a moment) - don't stress about it! You are all such bright and caring mommies who take their children interesting places and provide tons of stimulation. Like Tami said, each child hits a developmental point where they suddenly connect language with the world around them, even before they can actually say the words. But it's nothing to stress about - I know you're all doing everything you should be. I also thought Michelle's comment about talking to Evelyn was interesting - I talk to Quinn a lot. He's my company. I also try to engage with his primitive communications and label as I do so. For example, if he points to a light at Starbucks (off the top of my head ) then I'll say "Yes, I see the light." It recognizes his communication attempt while labeling that the object is a light. I personally think that becomes even more important as they start trying to talk and make grammatical/identification mistakes. Instead of correction ("No, that's not a dog. It's a cat.") we were taught to correct through conversation ("Isn't that a pretty cat?" or "I like that cat." or whatever). Okay, I'll remove my hat now.

Regarding birthdays - Quinn's is coming up! We're having a birthday brunch on the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. We've invited family and friends, although it being that weekend has naturally filtered some people out and kept the list small which I'm okay with. I figured brunch because its a relatively easy meal to host, plus it tends to be Quinn's best time of the day. And since people are coming from the city/NJ, it gives them time to get up and then go home after. We are NOT doing favors because there are kids of many ages coming and I feel like that's something I'll deal with in the future, but not yet. I'm having a hard enough time contemplating making a dairy free friendly brunch! And then his actual bday is the Monday, and I'm making DH take it off so we can spend the day as a family. I'm pleased we can have the day with him just the three of us.

Tami - we're big Elizabeth Mitchell fans too. I don't think we'll muster the energy to make it to that concert, but I'll definitely keep an eye out for future dates. Thanks for the compliment about the pictures - most of the really good ones are DH's. We got the camera because I wanted to develop my skills, but I've never had the time and now DH is the primary photographer. He is really good though - I love how much of Quinn's first year we've been able to document.

Michelle - I remember Quinn went through a phase where he slept better with me for naps, It was around 5 months, as I recall. It did pass and he resumed napping better in his crib. Quinn has really moved away from sleeping with us. He can do it, but it takes about an hour of "wiggling" and crawling around before he can calm down enough to sleep. I've done it the past two mornings because I'M tired, and I figured if I can get him to sleep then at least I can nap (because I can't always wind down enough to sleep during his nap times) but getting through the wiggling is annoying when super tired.

Beth - I should put the legs on our activity table. I tried it a few months ago, but he wasn't ready. Now that he's starting to pull up though.....

[Beth H]

Hi all. Well, we moved from the intestinal bug into an ear infection - how fun. The antibiotic he's on now has given him really bad tummy troubles (think BM with every single diaper). I called a nurse at our pediatric practice today, and she wasn't super helpful. She just said, "oh, well that's common." Thanks. I've been doing tons of yogurt (which he's eating now) and banana (which he's also enjoying), but those foods don't seem to be having a helpful impact.

Onto more fun topics. Will is really starting to communicate. He's saying "uh oh," and quite possibly "ball." He also has developed his own sign for "want," which involves him moving his hand in a little rotating fist, which is cute.

I doubt we'll do much for Will's first birthday - I probably will just invite some close friends of ours over who also have small children, and have lasagna or something. (And cupcakes/cake.) I personally don't think favors are necessary at age 1. Can you believe it's almost a year? I can't.

Heather - sorry you've had a rough patch. Hope things with nursing/sleeping improve soon.

Ashley - what a wonderful photo. I love that little cable knit sweater.

Beth G - sorry about the long wakeful period. I personally don't believe people who say their kids slept 12 hours at a stretch every night since age 3 months.

Maria - hope you all escaped the chicken pox!

Michelle - Will is a biter too. Sometimes he just moves in for the clutch, and tries to hold me tight and bite. I just say "no biting" in a firm tone every time. He doesn't do it quite as much as he was a few weeks ago, but he still does it. Not sure at this age there is much to do other than consistently say "no" until they get it - doesn't help when you are the object of the biting!

I know I am missing folks - but hope everyone is doing OK!

[Beth G.]

Beth H. - When Michael was on the antibiotic, we had similar issues. Our pediatrician recommended Culturelle probiotic as he handed us the prescription and said it was more effective than the yogurt. It's expensive though.

[tholbrook]

Okay, I'm finally back with our update:

First, Maya is teething again. I know I keep saying that, but I can finally see the edge of the 6th tooth just under the gum. She has been waking up a lot at night, plus chewing on her hand and drooling. And being seriously whiney during the day. If she is supposed to have 20 teeth by age 2, we have a LONG road ahead of us - that's 14 more teeth in just 9 months!

So sleep is pretty good, or at least it was until the past few nights. The teething is causing a lot of fussing (in her sleep?) during the night, so I'm not sleeping great either. But other than that, I really can't complain.

Food is still an issue, of course. Maya is eating what we eat for dinner for the most part, although we have to grind it up for her. I keep trying different finger foods - pieces of pasta, pear slices, broccoli, roasted sweet potato cubes. She will have nothing to do with it - unless it is a sandwich. She will happily eat an entire grilled cheese or peanut butter sandwich (I make the bread myself, so it is sliced really thin, but still... !!!!). Obviously she is capable of chewing, so I don't understand why she still refuses to try all the other stuff.

Good grief, the walking has gotten out of hand! She can now toddle around anywhere and everywhere without stopping, falling, holding on, etc. The funniest thing lately is that she can hop. It's just a tiny little hop, of course, but she isn't holding onto anything, and she doesn't fall.

So two weeks down with working all week, and one more to go. DH has done great being Mr. Mom, but I can tell it is wearing him out! But I really miss Maya during the day, and can't wait until next week is over. Another bad thing about working these past few weeks is that I've had to pump during the day, but can only get away once - and I've never done well with pumping anyway. So I feel like my supply has really taken a nosedive during the day. Which isn't the end of the world, since Maya gets plenty of "regular" food and really just BF for snacks , comfort and naps during the day - but neither of us are ready for her to be weaned, so I hope that being home with her again will help.

Just a couple of other things before I head off to bed (it has been quiet for awhile so I might luck out and get some sleep!) -

Heather - I meant to write in my last post: that is SO adorable about Quinn laying his head down for a nap. I can't imagine Maya ever doing that, but I would just swoon if she did. Sorry he's having such a rough time lately (and you too) - I know you're exhausted, so I hope that either the teeth pop through, or he decides that this phase of non-sleep is over. I hope you are getting some much needed sleep at this very minute!
Thanks for the information on the verbal communication. The part about "correcting through conversation" is really interesting - is it more effective at teaching verbal skills, or is it to avoid a "negative" statement (no, it's not...)? I'm just curious, since I really don't much of the how's and why's of infant language. I like the example you gave of your conversation with Quinn ... makes a lot of sense to me!

Michelle - we had two birthday parties for Maya, one small family-only dinner on her actual birthday and another bigger party on the weekend. Most of the weekend party guests were adults, so other than making the food, it wasn't too stressful (I can say that NOW that a few months have passed ). We didn't do any favors or games since there were only a few kids there, and they varied widely in age. A friend of mine just had her son's first birthday party at a childrens' museum. I have no idea what that would cost, but you wouldn't have to worry about weather or entertaining the kids in attendance.
Too funny about the Evelyn and her thighs. Our problem is the enormous cloth diaper and cover... Maya finally moved to a bigger prefold (she's been wearing the medium size since she was a month old! - of course, it was huge on her in the beginning, and now we could barely catch the fabric with the ends of the Snappi). So with this bulky new diaper, Maya can barely fit into a several pairs of her jeans, even though I just bought them for her - I can't get them up over her bubble butt!

Beth H - that stinks about the ear infection. Hope the antibiotics clear it up soon, so Will can get back to normal. Don't know if it will help, but applesauce binds Maya up almost immediately, so she can't have it often.
Cute about the new words and the signing. Are you "officially" doing any sign language with him, or did he just invent his own signal? Either way, that's pretty cool!

Good night, and I wish everyone long stretches of uninterrupted sleep!

[LHBryan]

Mind if I finally join you? I don't have much time at all to lurk or post, but I'll try to keep up! I could definitely use the support and the opportunity to vent! I love all the photos--such adorable babies!

Me (Laura): 37
DH: 46
DD1 (Hannah): almost 2 1/2
DD2 (Zoe): 3 1/2 months

Things are going pretty well for us. Zoe had her 4 month check-up, although I'm not quite sure why they wanted to do it a couple weeks early. She's 12 lbs 11 oz, 50th percentile for both height and weight. The vaccinations seem to have bothered her much more this time around. She's been cranky and has lots of runny poop. Did anyone else notice that after shots?

I hate to jinx myself, but Zoe does really well at night, routinely going 8-10 hours between feedings. I recall Hannah did the same thing at this age, but then fell apart around 4 months and started waking up every hour or two. When I read all of your posts about sleep issues, I have so been there myself! It's grueling. Hannah did not sleep throught the night until her first birthday, and now she's started waking up more often than Zoe (and of course at completely different times).

Our primary challenges with Zoe are daytime crankiness and naps. DH stays home with the girls, and he's often at his wit's end by the time I come home. Often Zoe will just sleep 3 times/day in 10-15-minute increments, then fuss because she's exhausted. About once a week, she'll surprise us with a mega-nap of about 3 or 4 hours. I know it can take a while for newborns to establish naps--it certainly did for Hannah--but I wish DH could get a little more of a break during the day and not have so much fussing. He's not a SAHD by choice, so a defiant 2yo and a cranky newborn are a lot for him to handle. He and Hannah had such a great routine in place pre-Zoe, and they're terrific chums. I think it's hard for him to feel like he doesn't really get quality time with either of them now. I don't have quite as much trouble with the fussiness on the weekends, but I certainly see my share of it.

On a positive note, Zoe is getting more and more cute, fun, and interactive. It's fun to see how she and Hannah differ. Hannah was a master at rolling over early, moving in general, and being a ham. Zoe is very studious and amazing with her hands--she clasps them (with fingers intertwined), likes to touch us and hold onto us, grabs all the toys on her activity mat and even grabbed my dinner fork last week. She's also extremely vocal and when not crying, she likes to smile and tries to laugh and get our attention. Yesterday DH said she made a sound with each letter when he sang the ABCs. Of course Zoe is mesmerized by her big sister and wakes up instantly if she hears her voice, which plays into our napping problem.

DH, Hannah, and I all received our H1N1 shots this week. When I called, they only had two appointments left so I'm glad we got in.

Beth H--I also recommend Culturelle. We buy it at Walgreen's and use it every time Hannah is on an antibiotic. The first time she had an ear infection, the antiobotic gave her the runs, which then caused a terrible, open-sore diaper rash. Since we started using Culturelle, we haven't had a single problem. We put it in her yogurt or applesauce.

Helios--Is it possible Quinn has an ear infection that's causing him so much trouble when he lies down? His behavior sounds so much like Hannah's when she has one (and I think she had trouble nursing too). She tends to get ear infections about 10 days after having a cold, sometimes with a fever and sometimes not. Just thought I'd ask. Although, like you say, it could very well be teething. Hannah was--and still is!--a difficult teether. I can't tell you how many times I took her to the dr. to have her ears checked, only to be told it must be teething....I hope things are better today! Are you giving him motrin?

[Beth G.]

Well, I can officially say that Michael’s weird sleep and many wakeups from last week were a growth spurt and that is over and his appetite has tanked (unless we are offering yogurt which he can eat a lot of, even plain). It was tiring but has been a big boost to my supply/pumping output and I’m feeling good about making it to the one year mark.

We had another long crying/teeth episode last night plus two more nursing wakeups. They told us at day care he cried like he was in pain in his sleep through his second nap and to watch out at night. Sure enough... Luckily he slept until almost 8 so we aren't too exhausted.

We retired the sleep sacks since he's standing and switched to fleece pjs. I had no idea how weirdly he sleeps. He is on his stomach but in a fetal position so his butt is up in the air. I wonder how that is for his spinal development! DH moved him and he stuck the royal butt right back up.

Napping on the weekends continues to be a struggle. Butt patting is no longer a viable option. Michael wasn’t born yesterday and he knows that you cannot pat the butt when he is sitting up on it (screaming bloody murder). He and DH are out driving now (he was asleep before being 2 blocks away) since my parents are coming this afternoon. Last Saturday I got him down in the morning and in the afternoon I took him out on the parkway to see the fall foliage. On Sunday DH got him down in the morning. In the afternoon, DH was at work. We had some friends coming over so I really needed to get him a nap before, but no luck. It was an unseasonable 70 here so I figured I’d take him out in the stroller but oops, it was in DH’s car at the office. I couldn’t take him out in the car with our guests expected so I tried the crib. He wasn’t screaming so I just let him be and figured he’d play with the aquarium while I straightened up a little. A few minutes later I looked at the monitor and he was sleeping. You could have knocked me over with a feather! We are going to try having him nap in the pack and play and roll it like they do with the portacribs at day care.

Birthday – we are planning a big bash! Probably around 50 guests. We will rent the party room in our development clubhouse. It is easier than having it in the house. DMIL is not in the best health, and the trip plus a big party may be too much for her, not to mention it wouldn’t be quality time for her and Michael, so we will probably also do a small lunch at their house to celebrate. I had not thought about favors since it’s not a “kid’s party” and the kids attending are mainly older (children of my cousins and DH’s friends) and not Michael’s “friends” but there are a few younger ones so I guess I should think about that.

It is great to skype with the grandparents and see him recognize them and light up their faces with a smile when the video starts. I hope he gives my parents that same smile today in person!

Finger foods:

Misses: Bananas, cheese, peas. Did I tell the banana story? I put out chunks of banana, put a few in his mouth, he won’t touch the ones on the tray. So I cover them in crushed cheerio to make them easier to grab. Still won’t pick them up. Then I put some puffs out. He immediately picks them up and starts eating them. I guess it’s the smell of the banana? Smart kid.

Hits: Broccoli, Chicken, ditalini pasta. Well, I can’t say any of the broccoli went to his stomach, but he loved playing with the florets and I know he was trying to eat them. I found a forest of them wedged between his leg and the high chair though. Chicken he worked on in his mouth quite a bit, but DH said he spit most of it out. It may be too tough. We made some meatballs to try but without egg they are very tough. I think he would do better with some that hardly hold together. The pasta he did great with (I didn’t have to cut it smaller or anything).

We are pursuing an H1N1 shot. I hope to have good news on Monday. DH hit a breaking point when he found out our friend's 9 month old that doesn't go to day care was able to get one from his ped in the next county. They have enough apparently not to restrict to higher risk.

Tami – 2 weeks down, 1 to go! Glad you, Maya and DH are coping well. Now that I’m used to our routine, as hard as it is I’m not sure how well I would handle being home. Something would have to change with the naps or I might go insane. It is bad enough on the weekends that we have to take a ride for at least one of the naps. He is not ready to drop a nap – I don’t believe that 25 minute morning one is enough! I love her hat – it sort of looks like she has blond braids. I did a double take. Interesting that she is eating PB sandwiches. Our pediatrician said categorically no peanuts until age 3, regardless of family allergy history, yet I know the current guidance is not to wait that long. I am curious to hear what the new one will say. I hope Maya gets better with food soon. We seem to be going the opposite direction. He’s not into the purees anymore, but not ready for advanced finger foods yet (or we aren't) or using the spoon on his own. Hopefully your supply will bounce back when you are back with Maya during the day!

Ashley – how is Matt feeling? Is he sleeping any better? I love his fireman pic! What beautiful eyes. On the floor he looks like he's headed right for the dog bowl Hope things are better by you!

Linsley – glad Amelia is giving you good stretches. I know how tiring the long commute is and how hard it is when the stretches don’t correspond with your own schedule. She looks so cute on tummy time.

Beth H. – Hope you and Will are feeling better. Glad sleep training has helped. I have a feeling we are headed that way in another couple of months.

MinEaston – cute pictures. Glad Anna was able to get vaccinated. I have been requested to travel a few times for work but declined. I just can’t imagine managing all the milk and the cooler. The last time I traveled when I was around 5 months pregnant I left my house at 5:30 am to go to Chicago (from NY area, nonstop). I got to Chicago at 5 PM Central, so 6 PM my time. Fun, fun. As a first time mom, I would probably have a nervous breakdown carrying a half gallon of milk with a 10 hour delay. Or pumping in the airport bathroom.

Heather – Love Quinn’s Halloween picture. I would be doing the same as you if I was home and it was only a few weeks to Michael’s first birthday. Your supply can match his behavior at this point. The LC from work told me after he turns one he might not even nurse every day and it would be ok. I hope you get a break this weekend – I have a week coming up in January where DH is traveling and I will be a single mom and it’s going to be very, very hard. I will be able to work from home (or else I would have to take vacation) at least. Here's to hoping Quinn and Michael's teeth stop interfering with their sleep soon!

Jori – glad your family could be vaccinated. I know with your daughter in day care and a newborn at home that must be a big relief. How is Ari doing? Michael, full term plus a week, was never so big on being held as a newborn. He was always kind of squirmy.

Michelle – I guess I shouldn’t complain as those four wakeups are your norm and they are an outlier for us. I am glad she usually goes back to sleep in a few minutes for you. When Michael night nurses, it is by far the piece de resistance feeding of the day and typically I am up for 25-30 minutes. I also change him when he’s only waking once a night so that adds to the time. Do you think any of the lentils were digested? In the nutrition class I took they said no beans until 18 month because they are hard to digest but I know a lot of the moms are doing lentils and beans much younger. I can’t believe the big birthdays will be here before we know it. I got the coat at a discount store, Century 21. This is it I paid less though . It's so cute. We only use the top right now.

http://www.littlecolonykids.com/Shop...tens_6051.html

Sarah – Great pictures of Jax. Hope you are having a good visit with your parents. I think Jax’s nursing sounds pretty normal for his age. We don’t let Michael anywhere near the steps. You are brave!

Maria – hoping the chicken pox has stayed away!

Laura – Welcome! Zoe sounds a lot like Michael was at that age. He would sleep well at night and take very short day time naps, then once every few weeks take a really long one (always on a day we had visitors coming from an hour away to see him of course!). He also went through the same thing as Hannah at four months, which I attributed to my supply regulating at that time. Hopefully Zoe will not follow that pattern