Wow - I can't believe it's been six months already. SIX MONTHS!! A whole half of a year! (Okay - it isn't exactly six months - we're still a few days shy - but close enough!)
He's gotten so big; so grown up. Sometimes I look at him and just wonder where my little baby went. It's mostly when he laughs. He throws his head back and laughs with his "big boy" laugh. Oh, melt my heart!
He's so close to crawling. I know, as his mother, I should be encouraging his development and all of that, but here's my confession: I really, really, really want him to wait just a *little* while longer before taking this next big step. Sitting up was okay. Drinking from a sippy cup? Way to go! But crawling? Today it's crawling, tomorrow he's going to get married and move to Guam.
Okay, maybe that's a tiny bit overdramatic, but you get the idea!
But seriously, he is so, so close to crawling. He can move in a circle. He can move backward. He can get onto his hands and knees from almost any position, including from laying down or sitting (come to think of it, those are the only positions in his repertoire at the moment!). He gets up on his hands and knees/feet (whichever suits him at the time) and rocks back and forth. He can even move forward, but it's mostly by accident, and still very slow. My only saving grace is that he gets frustrated so quickly, and that gives me an excuse to pick him up. Am I a bad mom or what?
Two weeks ago he was playing with a toy and I picked him up and he actually wanted to get back down to play. Again, just break my heart... What do you mean you want to play with a toy instead of being cuddled by your mom? What a cruel, sad world it is! I guess I just have to kiss him and cuddle him and rock him and tickle him as much as I can now, before he can really tell me what he thinks of it!
He truly is the most delightful person I've ever met. I'm not just making that up, either! His little sense of humor is maturing too - you used to have to tickle him or kiss him or throw him up into the air to make him smile and laugh - now you just have to make faces at him from the other side of the room. Or, in my case, dance like a white girl. He laughs and laughs, like it's the funniest thing he's ever seen (AJ says he's right).
His favorite toys now: A little red shiny gift bag from the dollar store. It crinkles, and has handles, and is now all torn up and wrinkled from hours and hours of use. He also has this big plastic contraption thing with different blocks and mirrors and beads and such that spin around on it - a baby toy that babies actually play with, imagine that!
We've started settling into a routine, too. We eat breakfast (veggies or fruit/rice cereal) before our morning nap. And for bed, we eat dinner (again, veggies or fruit/rice cereal), take a bath, get into our pajamas (you've never seen anything so cute as this kid's fat rolls sticking out between his pajama shirt and shorts!), and go to sleep. No more bouncing and rocking and such to get him to sleep - he's way too heavy now! We just lay down (still in mommy and daddy's bed) and nurse a little and go to sleep. He does so good with it all, I seriously have no complaints.
Wait - I take that back. My one complaint is this: my nipples are sore. He nurses ALL NIGHT LONG. Two days ago I decided that it was enough - the kid is going on a diet. I now wear a shirt to bed, and he has to ask permission before I let him have the boob. This ritual basically consists of him waking up enough to root around in the dark against my T-shirt and making a sound that is half way between a mewing cat and a grunting pig. Again, melt my heart. He can have whatever he wants. God help me when he gets old enough to realize that this is me, wrapped around his little finger.
I'm going to be strong, though. That's what I keep telling myself. One of these days, I'll stop giving in. One of these days...
No wonder happy babies turn into spoiled kids. They're just too sweet when they're happy, and you get into the habit of trying to keep them that way!
I'm trying to think of all the other wonderful things about him, but I would seriously be up all night writing. You'll have to settle for the summary: He's perfect. Wonderful. Amazing. Incredible. Absolutely, and without question, one of the loves of my life (after AJ, of course!). I still, to this day, look at him and just marvel: he's here. He's actually here. I spent my whole life waiting, and now I have him. I'm a mom! I never knew that life could be so wonderful, or that love could feel so complete!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
5 Month Update
I can't believe my little man is already 5 months old!! At the same time, it feels like I've been his mom forever...
In my last post I was excited that he finally learned how to jump in his bouncy seat - now he's a little jumping bean!! When you hold him he's always trying to jump and move and wiggle and squirm - it wears me out! :-)
We've been moving over the past few weeks, and he hasn't gotten the attention he's used to. So what does my little ham do? He turns on the charm and has started doing the darndest things for attention! He screams with delight and great enthusiasm; he laughs and smiles whenever you look at him; he blows messy, loud bubbles of spit; and he makes the cutest noises by breathing in slowly and dramatically.
He's sitting up by himself, too! Not that he's reliable (we still put pillows around him for the inevitable tumble), but he's able to sit for LONG periods of time, and even to reach for toys with both hands. A few nights ago I watched as he reached for a toy, grabbed it, brought it up to his mouth, threw it, and reached for it again, all without falling over. It was amazing!!
He LOVES our animals, and could spend hours just watching them. He reaches out for them and "pets" them whenever they walk by. He LOVES people, too, especially when they're paying attention to him. Strangers come up and say hello and he smiles - who would've thought that a kid of mine would be so social?! He likes bath time, being outside, and watching his daddy.
He's started paying attention to not only people, but also things around him: the food on my plate, the duck in the yard, the TV in the corner. He reaches with intent for anything remotely near him. The little toy you hand him just isn't good enough anymore! I can see now how busy he's going to be - I'm tired already, but looking forward to it!
He is just so much fun!! I have the happiest, cutest, smartest, BEST baby boy that has ever lived. And being his mom has made me so much happier than I ever thought one person could be!
In my last post I was excited that he finally learned how to jump in his bouncy seat - now he's a little jumping bean!! When you hold him he's always trying to jump and move and wiggle and squirm - it wears me out! :-)
We've been moving over the past few weeks, and he hasn't gotten the attention he's used to. So what does my little ham do? He turns on the charm and has started doing the darndest things for attention! He screams with delight and great enthusiasm; he laughs and smiles whenever you look at him; he blows messy, loud bubbles of spit; and he makes the cutest noises by breathing in slowly and dramatically.
He's sitting up by himself, too! Not that he's reliable (we still put pillows around him for the inevitable tumble), but he's able to sit for LONG periods of time, and even to reach for toys with both hands. A few nights ago I watched as he reached for a toy, grabbed it, brought it up to his mouth, threw it, and reached for it again, all without falling over. It was amazing!!
He LOVES our animals, and could spend hours just watching them. He reaches out for them and "pets" them whenever they walk by. He LOVES people, too, especially when they're paying attention to him. Strangers come up and say hello and he smiles - who would've thought that a kid of mine would be so social?! He likes bath time, being outside, and watching his daddy.
He's started paying attention to not only people, but also things around him: the food on my plate, the duck in the yard, the TV in the corner. He reaches with intent for anything remotely near him. The little toy you hand him just isn't good enough anymore! I can see now how busy he's going to be - I'm tired already, but looking forward to it!
He is just so much fun!! I have the happiest, cutest, smartest, BEST baby boy that has ever lived. And being his mom has made me so much happier than I ever thought one person could be!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
He's Growing Up!!
I can't believe what a little man he is! He FINALLY figured out how to jump in his bouncy seat today!! He was jumping on purpose, laughing, jumping, laughing... I hate not holding him all the time, but he's just so happy to sit there and play, I have to make that sacrifice! I sit right there with him, though, and tickled his knees. What if I turn into one of those moms that shows up at his dorm room to make his bed for him? Okay - that's a little extreme - but you know what I mean! I can't stand being without him, even if he's right beside me!
He's starting to recognize certain games and songs, and he gets so worked up. And when I came home today he was so excited (and hungry!) that he started kicking his feet in anticipation. He smiles with his whole body - not just his mouth or his face, but his whole self. It's like his little body is just not big enough to hold how happy he is!!
And his fat, fat, fat!! FAT!! I love it! FULL of fat rolls!! He's what I've always wanted - a BIG, happy baby! It's like the quote I heard today: "God knew exactly which kid I wanted, and that was the one He gave me"!!
He's starting to recognize certain games and songs, and he gets so worked up. And when I came home today he was so excited (and hungry!) that he started kicking his feet in anticipation. He smiles with his whole body - not just his mouth or his face, but his whole self. It's like his little body is just not big enough to hold how happy he is!!
And his fat, fat, fat!! FAT!! I love it! FULL of fat rolls!! He's what I've always wanted - a BIG, happy baby! It's like the quote I heard today: "God knew exactly which kid I wanted, and that was the one He gave me"!!
Sunday, June 1, 2008
We Love Apples!!
We ate our first "solid" food today - organic baby food (apples) mixed with organic whole-grain rice cereal and breastmilk. He LOVED it!! I'll write more later (he's awake and wiggling around in my lap), but I wanted to post this video so you could see his cuteness! Being a mom is way too much fun!! :-)
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Update on the J-man!
He is amazing, I'm telling you! I am in awe of how wonderful he is!
He's starting to interact with his environment more and more, each and every day. On Friday we went to our last Kindermusik class and I just started thinking about how much he's grown up during the last ten weeks (he was 3 weeks old when we started)! He couldn't even hold up his own head then, and on Friday he was reaching for the ball and holding his own jingle bells and looking around at everyone, smiling. It's incredible...
It's so much fun watching him discover his hands, and what they do. He doesn't quite have the hang of it, but he's working on it! Yesterday he had managed to grab the top part of his ear and a big handful of his hair, but when he tried to pull his hand away he couldn't figure out how to let go! So he's pulling his own hair as hard as he can, trying to get his hand back, and he's just looking up at me, like he wanted to say, "Help, mom... we have a problem... help, I'm stuck, and my hair hurts! help, what do I do?!" Poor guy, I was laughing so hard I could barely see how to help him!
When he does grab a hold of something, it goes straight to his mouth. Blankets, the occasional toy, even his own fingers. I know every baby does it, but it surprised me at first, to see how much he does it - and I know it will only get worse! It's made me start thinking about babyproofing, and how much harder it's going to be than I thought at first! But one thing at a time, right? :-)
His favorite toy this week is his bouncy exerciser (you can see him in it in a lot of the pictures). He'll sit there and play like it's the most serious thing on earth - you've never seen a CEO concentrate on "work" as much as this little guy does! It's serious business, let me tell you! It's so adorable, watching him concentrate so much on playing. This morning I made coffee and came back in the livingroom to find him toe-painting with his own poop! It had run down his leg and pooled underneath him, and he was skating in it, smearing it all over. But he was happy!! That's all that counts, right? Happy babies and washable floors - I am so glad I don't have carpet. :-)
He talks and talks and talks, too! He's always gurgling and babbling about something. When he's unhappy or bored, it's usually "MMmmaa... Mmm... Mmmm..." I know it's just a sound, but I like hearing it! He's just so much fun. I love being his mommy!
The only downside is that he sleeps ALL THE TIME!! He sleeps and sleeps and sleeps and sleeps, until I'm so excited when he wakes up because I've missed him so much! I get maybe 45 minutes or an hour of Jeremiah time, and then he's tired again. I always nurse him to sleep, which I love. I get to just lay there and cuddle and watch his sleepy little eyes fight to stay open. If I'm tired I nap with him (okay, let's face it, I'm almost always tired!) and we get to just stay under the covers all curled up and happy. AJ, Nana, and Sharon are having a harder time getting him to sleep, though - we're still working on getting him to sleep and keeping him asleep when I'm not home.
But based on how he's been acting the past 2 days, sleeping and eating and sleeping again, I'm thinking he may be getting ready for another growth spurt... Good gracious, we just finished the last one! He's already in 6-9 month clothes - no telling what he'll be wearing at the end of the month! :-)
So that's the update on my little man. He's so happy, I'm beyond happy, and AJ isn't unhappy, so we're all doing good! I can't believe it's been 3 months - I can't even remember what my life was like without him! And I can't wait to see what the next 3 months bring!
He's starting to interact with his environment more and more, each and every day. On Friday we went to our last Kindermusik class and I just started thinking about how much he's grown up during the last ten weeks (he was 3 weeks old when we started)! He couldn't even hold up his own head then, and on Friday he was reaching for the ball and holding his own jingle bells and looking around at everyone, smiling. It's incredible...
It's so much fun watching him discover his hands, and what they do. He doesn't quite have the hang of it, but he's working on it! Yesterday he had managed to grab the top part of his ear and a big handful of his hair, but when he tried to pull his hand away he couldn't figure out how to let go! So he's pulling his own hair as hard as he can, trying to get his hand back, and he's just looking up at me, like he wanted to say, "Help, mom... we have a problem... help, I'm stuck, and my hair hurts! help, what do I do?!" Poor guy, I was laughing so hard I could barely see how to help him!
When he does grab a hold of something, it goes straight to his mouth. Blankets, the occasional toy, even his own fingers. I know every baby does it, but it surprised me at first, to see how much he does it - and I know it will only get worse! It's made me start thinking about babyproofing, and how much harder it's going to be than I thought at first! But one thing at a time, right? :-)
His favorite toy this week is his bouncy exerciser (you can see him in it in a lot of the pictures). He'll sit there and play like it's the most serious thing on earth - you've never seen a CEO concentrate on "work" as much as this little guy does! It's serious business, let me tell you! It's so adorable, watching him concentrate so much on playing. This morning I made coffee and came back in the livingroom to find him toe-painting with his own poop! It had run down his leg and pooled underneath him, and he was skating in it, smearing it all over. But he was happy!! That's all that counts, right? Happy babies and washable floors - I am so glad I don't have carpet. :-)
He talks and talks and talks, too! He's always gurgling and babbling about something. When he's unhappy or bored, it's usually "MMmmaa... Mmm... Mmmm..." I know it's just a sound, but I like hearing it! He's just so much fun. I love being his mommy!
The only downside is that he sleeps ALL THE TIME!! He sleeps and sleeps and sleeps and sleeps, until I'm so excited when he wakes up because I've missed him so much! I get maybe 45 minutes or an hour of Jeremiah time, and then he's tired again. I always nurse him to sleep, which I love. I get to just lay there and cuddle and watch his sleepy little eyes fight to stay open. If I'm tired I nap with him (okay, let's face it, I'm almost always tired!) and we get to just stay under the covers all curled up and happy. AJ, Nana, and Sharon are having a harder time getting him to sleep, though - we're still working on getting him to sleep and keeping him asleep when I'm not home.
But based on how he's been acting the past 2 days, sleeping and eating and sleeping again, I'm thinking he may be getting ready for another growth spurt... Good gracious, we just finished the last one! He's already in 6-9 month clothes - no telling what he'll be wearing at the end of the month! :-)
So that's the update on my little man. He's so happy, I'm beyond happy, and AJ isn't unhappy, so we're all doing good! I can't believe it's been 3 months - I can't even remember what my life was like without him! And I can't wait to see what the next 3 months bring!
Friday, May 9, 2008
Breast is Best, But...
Okay, so here's another side to our trip to the pediatrician this morning: they gave me formula! It came in a (get this!) "breastfeeding support package". They give it out to all the moms who breastfeed. It's put out by Enfamil, and it comes with some brochures, a few Lanisoh breast pads, some DHA vitamins for pregnant & lactating moms, and two sample boxes of formula. Is anyone else confused?!?
First of all, it's hard enough to breasfeed in today's hectic society. Then add to that the constant message that you won't be able to exclusively breastfeed (I mean no one exclusively breastfeeds! Apparently our bodies just weren't made to feed our babies without outside help. After all, formula has been around for almost a century, so it must be vital to the survival of the human race!!).
Second of all, let's reason out the logic of this: Medical science has proven over and over that breastmilk is medically superior to formula. Breastmilk makes healthier, smarter babies. So what do the medical doctors do? They find out you're breastfeeding and give you formula. Not "congratulations on making the choice that is clearly healthier for you and your child" (no one can argue against the fact that breastmilk is better, which makes this whole thing more bizarre). Instead, they're saying, "I see you've made the healthier choice - but here's a free start on the second-best choice, just in case". Just in case what? I don't get it! And I don't see anyone going around saying "Oh, you've chosen to bottle feed? Here's some sample breastmilk, just in case..." (Hey! I've just found the perfect use for my 200 extra ounces of frozen milk!! Lol...)
The nurse also mentioned in passing that they don't see many breastfed babies. The overwhelming majority are formula fed. That really surprised me! It just seems so common-sense to breast feed. It's your body's natural progression, from menstruating and ovulating, to pregnancy, to labor, to lactating... Not doing it is the harder thing!
Yes, breastfeeding is hard, and (okay, I'll say it!) miserable in the beginning. Thank God for my midwife, my mom, and my husband, because I would've given up a hundred times over during those first weeks! And yes, pumping at work is awful. It's inconvenient and stressful. And yes, there are even (very short, fleeting) moments when I wish I could just have AJ feed him a bottle so I don't have to completely stop whatever it is that I'm doing (but it's always a bottle of expressed breastmilk in my mind - I never wish for formula).
So I understand why people switch to formula, especially with the amazing marketing that the industry is doing. They're preaching, "Breast is Best, But We're Just as Good", and pediatricians are bribed to keep their mouths shut, and it's politically incorrect to state the fact that breastfeeding is better (but it's quite alright to ask why someone has chosen to breastfeed, as if we need to justify it!). Add to that all the hardship of the first few weeks, and it's no wonder! It just makes me sad that there's so much misinformation, and women aren't as proactive as they need to be. They just take what everyone else tells them as the gospel truth - never mind their instincts - if the doctor said it, it must be true - and they're selling themselves and their kids short!
I want to tell women about the choices out there and that all of these natural choices - natural birth, breastfeeding, cosleeping, babywearing - are just as valid, and perhaps more so, because they reaffirm our mothering instincts instead of make us doubt ourselves!. I just want to tell everyone how easy it is to mother this way!! It's so, so EASY! Just relax, trust your instincts, never-mind the doctor, go with the flow, do what's best for your kid, and enjoy it! Enjoy it! Mothering really can be fun!
First of all, it's hard enough to breasfeed in today's hectic society. Then add to that the constant message that you won't be able to exclusively breastfeed (I mean no one exclusively breastfeeds! Apparently our bodies just weren't made to feed our babies without outside help. After all, formula has been around for almost a century, so it must be vital to the survival of the human race!!).
Second of all, let's reason out the logic of this: Medical science has proven over and over that breastmilk is medically superior to formula. Breastmilk makes healthier, smarter babies. So what do the medical doctors do? They find out you're breastfeeding and give you formula. Not "congratulations on making the choice that is clearly healthier for you and your child" (no one can argue against the fact that breastmilk is better, which makes this whole thing more bizarre). Instead, they're saying, "I see you've made the healthier choice - but here's a free start on the second-best choice, just in case". Just in case what? I don't get it! And I don't see anyone going around saying "Oh, you've chosen to bottle feed? Here's some sample breastmilk, just in case..." (Hey! I've just found the perfect use for my 200 extra ounces of frozen milk!! Lol...)
The nurse also mentioned in passing that they don't see many breastfed babies. The overwhelming majority are formula fed. That really surprised me! It just seems so common-sense to breast feed. It's your body's natural progression, from menstruating and ovulating, to pregnancy, to labor, to lactating... Not doing it is the harder thing!
Yes, breastfeeding is hard, and (okay, I'll say it!) miserable in the beginning. Thank God for my midwife, my mom, and my husband, because I would've given up a hundred times over during those first weeks! And yes, pumping at work is awful. It's inconvenient and stressful. And yes, there are even (very short, fleeting) moments when I wish I could just have AJ feed him a bottle so I don't have to completely stop whatever it is that I'm doing (but it's always a bottle of expressed breastmilk in my mind - I never wish for formula).
So I understand why people switch to formula, especially with the amazing marketing that the industry is doing. They're preaching, "Breast is Best, But We're Just as Good", and pediatricians are bribed to keep their mouths shut, and it's politically incorrect to state the fact that breastfeeding is better (but it's quite alright to ask why someone has chosen to breastfeed, as if we need to justify it!). Add to that all the hardship of the first few weeks, and it's no wonder! It just makes me sad that there's so much misinformation, and women aren't as proactive as they need to be. They just take what everyone else tells them as the gospel truth - never mind their instincts - if the doctor said it, it must be true - and they're selling themselves and their kids short!
I want to tell women about the choices out there and that all of these natural choices - natural birth, breastfeeding, cosleeping, babywearing - are just as valid, and perhaps more so, because they reaffirm our mothering instincts instead of make us doubt ourselves!. I just want to tell everyone how easy it is to mother this way!! It's so, so EASY! Just relax, trust your instincts, never-mind the doctor, go with the flow, do what's best for your kid, and enjoy it! Enjoy it! Mothering really can be fun!
Another Dr's Appt
The short summary: He's big.
The longer summary: He's big and smart.
The details: He's doing everything a four month old would do - sitting with support, gurgling and laughing and squealing, starting to reach with his hands - the pediatrician kept saying how "advanced" he was. She used that word four or five times - "advanced". My kid is "advanced". Who'd a thunk? :-)
I did lie and said that he got ten minutes of tummy time every single day (excluding the past three weeks, of course!). She said she could tell he was getting plenty of tummy time (shh.. our little secret, guys!) because he had such good muscle control all over, and because his head was so pretty and round. (Let's not tell her that it's just because he never gets put down!!).
Okay, I'll say it again: My kid's "advanced"!! Wow - that never gets old! :-)
As far as his growth, he's 14 pounds 11 oz (still at the 97th percentile for weight). At least now he's "well proportioned", she said: he's up to 75% for height and head circumference - 23.5 inches long, and his big ole' head came in at 16 inches around.
So that's it: he's big and smart. But we all knew that already, right? :-) I just like going to the doctor's office to show him off! And he was being extra wonderful, if there is such a thing as being more wonderful than usual, and so, so happy. He was laughing and gurgling and playing with the nurse and the doctor both. Like he knows he's cute and smart and he's going to show them just how cute and smart he is! I love that kid!
The longer summary: He's big and smart.
The details: He's doing everything a four month old would do - sitting with support, gurgling and laughing and squealing, starting to reach with his hands - the pediatrician kept saying how "advanced" he was. She used that word four or five times - "advanced". My kid is "advanced". Who'd a thunk? :-)
I did lie and said that he got ten minutes of tummy time every single day (excluding the past three weeks, of course!). She said she could tell he was getting plenty of tummy time (shh.. our little secret, guys!) because he had such good muscle control all over, and because his head was so pretty and round. (Let's not tell her that it's just because he never gets put down!!).
Okay, I'll say it again: My kid's "advanced"!! Wow - that never gets old! :-)
As far as his growth, he's 14 pounds 11 oz (still at the 97th percentile for weight). At least now he's "well proportioned", she said: he's up to 75% for height and head circumference - 23.5 inches long, and his big ole' head came in at 16 inches around.
So that's it: he's big and smart. But we all knew that already, right? :-) I just like going to the doctor's office to show him off! And he was being extra wonderful, if there is such a thing as being more wonderful than usual, and so, so happy. He was laughing and gurgling and playing with the nurse and the doctor both. Like he knows he's cute and smart and he's going to show them just how cute and smart he is! I love that kid!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
New Diapers!
I just wanted to say that our new diaper covers came in!!!! I am so, so, so, so, SO excited!!
They're fleece wraps from Wollypop, and they are the world's BEST covers. They fit him so good, and they're so easy to put on, and they let his skin breath, and they don't leak all over everything. I ordered eight - yes, 8! - because I absolutely hate cloth diapering without good covers. We went through about two weeks or so where he'd outgrown the smaller fleece covers, and the medium plastic covers we have just didn't fit well - he pooped right out the leg hole 3 different times (Once at a funeral! All over me, and all over the floor! If it wasn't my family, I would've been so embarrassed!). They fit better now that he's gotten bigger, but we still didn't have enough. It always seemed like such a struggle to find covers, but now (thank goodness!) we have plenty!
You all are my witnesses - I vow to order early - no waiting until the last minute to order a size up! He's in mediums now, and it's my mission in life to start collecting large diapers and covers, so we won't go through this rocky transition where we don't have what we need!
The only thing we need now are more prefolds (the square diapers that a bunch of people use as burp cloths these days) - they're my favorite way to cloth diaper (besides hemp, which is so expensive!), and we always seem to run out. Not to mention that he really needs a bigger size prefold now, too...
And a word to the wise about microfleece inserts: my mom and I found that they sell the exact same things packaged as automotive cleaning rags. They come in packs of eight for $4, which is so cheap! And the neon colors are so cool!
They're fleece wraps from Wollypop, and they are the world's BEST covers. They fit him so good, and they're so easy to put on, and they let his skin breath, and they don't leak all over everything. I ordered eight - yes, 8! - because I absolutely hate cloth diapering without good covers. We went through about two weeks or so where he'd outgrown the smaller fleece covers, and the medium plastic covers we have just didn't fit well - he pooped right out the leg hole 3 different times (Once at a funeral! All over me, and all over the floor! If it wasn't my family, I would've been so embarrassed!). They fit better now that he's gotten bigger, but we still didn't have enough. It always seemed like such a struggle to find covers, but now (thank goodness!) we have plenty!
You all are my witnesses - I vow to order early - no waiting until the last minute to order a size up! He's in mediums now, and it's my mission in life to start collecting large diapers and covers, so we won't go through this rocky transition where we don't have what we need!
The only thing we need now are more prefolds (the square diapers that a bunch of people use as burp cloths these days) - they're my favorite way to cloth diaper (besides hemp, which is so expensive!), and we always seem to run out. Not to mention that he really needs a bigger size prefold now, too...
And a word to the wise about microfleece inserts: my mom and I found that they sell the exact same things packaged as automotive cleaning rags. They come in packs of eight for $4, which is so cheap! And the neon colors are so cool!
Bad Day In The Debnam House!
It's a bad day in the Debnam house! Poor Jeremiah is sick, and AJ's truck isn't working! I'm *almost* freaking out about the baby, and AJ is *almost* freaking out about the truck, but we're hanging in. Usually we'd be fighting like cats and dogs by now from the stress, but we haven't even gotten frustrated at one another today! I really think that having Jeremiah has mellowed me - money is just money, nothing more and nothing less - and life is too short! God has also really convicted me about the way I'd been controlling (or trying to, at least!) the marriage, and basically opened my eyes to this very simple truth: that if I didn't want to feel like or be treated like his mother, I shouldn't act like his mother. Groundbreaking, huh? :-)
I really do love and appreciate my husband - he is the best man I know, and I hope Jeremiah will take care of my future daughter-in-law and grandkids as well as his Daddy takes care of us. In the middle of trying to get his truck fixed, AJ took 30 minutes out to watch the baby so I could get some rest. He is so caring and responsive to his family, and still so capable and responsible outside the home, too! I couldn't ask for a better husband.
As for my poor son - he's pitiful! It's so hard to watch him not feel good. I know it's just a cold, but it still breaks my heart! The night before last I noticed he was a little fussier than usual, and he sounded a little stopped up and was having a harder time nursing while laying down, so I thought he might be getting sick, but wasn't sure. It was last night that he started not being able to eat because he was so stopped up. Around 1:00 am, I suctioned out his nose because he was having such a hard time breathing, and got out huge globs of snot. He was whimpering - not really crying - and just wanted to be held upright against my chest. He kept rubbing his face into my neck, like he was trying to make his nose feel better! It was just so sad, not being able to do anything. In the course of an hour or so it just got worse - he started coughing and gagging and sneezing, and he finally threw up (not spit-up, mind you, but actually vomited). The first time he sneezed and snot flew out, it scared him, I think! That had never happened to him before, and he wasn't expecting it! He started shaking his head and kind of yelling "aagh! aagh!" - like he was trying to tell me "something's coming out of my nose, mom! Help! Help! What do I do?!" It would've been funny if it wasn't so sad. It's just amazing to think that something so simple and common as a cold can be such a new and scary experience for a baby!
Today has been a bunch of ups and downs - he's been sleeping a lot, and we've just been hanging out here in the bedroom, taking it easy. He's been nursing okay, not as much as usual, but enough to keep hydrated, and he's only thrown up once today. We have some Cold Remedy herbs from WishGarden Herbs, and it really seems to help. AJ also went out and got us some Little Noses saline spray and some Baby Vicks Rub that's basically an herbal balm without the menthol or whatever the real Vicks Vapor Rub has in it. Whenever he's awake I basically hold him and cuddle him and do what I can to make it better (which isn't much! Poor little guy!), and when he falls asleep I put him on the Boppy, so his head is elevated a little to help him breath. He's been a little trooper, though - I think I feel worse than he does about it!
I feel absolutely irrational about this - I know it's just a cold... But it feels like such a big deal! I'm probably overreacting, but I don't care! He's the whole world to me, and he doesn't feel good - I honestly didn't anticipate what that would do to my poor mommy nerves.
I really do love and appreciate my husband - he is the best man I know, and I hope Jeremiah will take care of my future daughter-in-law and grandkids as well as his Daddy takes care of us. In the middle of trying to get his truck fixed, AJ took 30 minutes out to watch the baby so I could get some rest. He is so caring and responsive to his family, and still so capable and responsible outside the home, too! I couldn't ask for a better husband.
As for my poor son - he's pitiful! It's so hard to watch him not feel good. I know it's just a cold, but it still breaks my heart! The night before last I noticed he was a little fussier than usual, and he sounded a little stopped up and was having a harder time nursing while laying down, so I thought he might be getting sick, but wasn't sure. It was last night that he started not being able to eat because he was so stopped up. Around 1:00 am, I suctioned out his nose because he was having such a hard time breathing, and got out huge globs of snot. He was whimpering - not really crying - and just wanted to be held upright against my chest. He kept rubbing his face into my neck, like he was trying to make his nose feel better! It was just so sad, not being able to do anything. In the course of an hour or so it just got worse - he started coughing and gagging and sneezing, and he finally threw up (not spit-up, mind you, but actually vomited). The first time he sneezed and snot flew out, it scared him, I think! That had never happened to him before, and he wasn't expecting it! He started shaking his head and kind of yelling "aagh! aagh!" - like he was trying to tell me "something's coming out of my nose, mom! Help! Help! What do I do?!" It would've been funny if it wasn't so sad. It's just amazing to think that something so simple and common as a cold can be such a new and scary experience for a baby!
Today has been a bunch of ups and downs - he's been sleeping a lot, and we've just been hanging out here in the bedroom, taking it easy. He's been nursing okay, not as much as usual, but enough to keep hydrated, and he's only thrown up once today. We have some Cold Remedy herbs from WishGarden Herbs, and it really seems to help. AJ also went out and got us some Little Noses saline spray and some Baby Vicks Rub that's basically an herbal balm without the menthol or whatever the real Vicks Vapor Rub has in it. Whenever he's awake I basically hold him and cuddle him and do what I can to make it better (which isn't much! Poor little guy!), and when he falls asleep I put him on the Boppy, so his head is elevated a little to help him breath. He's been a little trooper, though - I think I feel worse than he does about it!
I feel absolutely irrational about this - I know it's just a cold... But it feels like such a big deal! I'm probably overreacting, but I don't care! He's the whole world to me, and he doesn't feel good - I honestly didn't anticipate what that would do to my poor mommy nerves.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
So Much Fun!!
It is SO MUCH FUN being a mom!! It's all so wonderful : That first moment he wakes up in the morning and gives me those first precious smiles... When he's so tired and ready for a nap, but he doesn't want to give in and go to sleep, and he makes those little "ahhhh ahhhh ahhhh" noises that just make my heart split right in two... The way he takes in the world around him, all bright-eyed and so trusting... How he lays his head down on my shoulder and snuggles in so close... The way he frantically looks for the nipple like he's going to starve to death, and when he finds it he gulps and gulps and gulps while his eyelids droop down in pure bliss... The way he curlers up next to me at night, so close - and it makes me feel like I'm doing a good job, because I know he feels safe and loved. Everything is so perfect, and I've never been so happy. I knew that being a mom would be amazing, I just didn't know what 'amazing' meant until this!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
