May 2006 Mommies - Our Mayflowers are Blooming - Part 2

[nettreefrog]

Thanks Bloomwood and Standrea...

Standrea - I'd stock it with puffs or Cheerios, tons of extra wipes, extra blankets or towels, kids bug spray, and powdered milk or formula (unless you are still BFing) along with water.

[Em7.31.04]

Milk: We started DS on milk yesterday. He drank a total of probably 2 oz total in his sippy at lunch & dinner. We are going to give it to him un-mixed and in his sippy only....To start slowly phasing out his formula bottles. He seemed to do fine drinking it, but today he has pooped already 4 times!! :eek: And he is super gassy. I can't believe the noises he is making, lol. Is this something I should be concerned about?

[Bloomwood]

Emily - I'm guessing it is just his little body getting used to it.

Milk for us is a no-go. She hates it. Warm, cold, sippy, straw, cup. Nada. She just gets lots of cheese and yogurt and that's fine. I hate milk too so I can't really say anything!

[Parrothead]

Milke - No go here, too! I've tried it so many ways. What I have gotten her to drink is vanilla soy milk out of a little juice boxes. My hope is to transition the vanilla soy milk into a sippy and then dilute the vanilla soy milk w/ cow's milk. My ped said not to worry. Just feed her lots of other dairy product. She said that some kids won't take milk from a sippy until they are weaned from BFing.

[flyerwife]

Kyle won't drink the milk or juice or really anything out of a sippy, not the regular or a straw. He knows how since I've seen him, but he doesn't choose to. We can get him to drink some milk out of a bottle. We've been adding milk and formula to a bottle. Hoping to get him onto milk and then still pushing sippy cups with liquids too. Not as worried about dairy, he loves cheese and yogurt, but I'm concerned if we cut the bottles off he won't get enough liquids. Any ideas????

[MMHinCA]

Milk - DD had no problem transitioning to whole milk. For naps she takes a bottle (she was BFed before) and then for meals she gets it in a sippy cup (straw Nuby). I now need to work on getting rid of the bottles at nap but we were first trying to transition from EBF.

[MMHinCA]

Happy Belated Birthday Kate, Stephen Hunter, and Rachael Elyse!

[Standrea]

Milk-haven't even tried. Abbie is still EBF, as we wanted to wean her from the pacifier first. It's been 8 days with no pacifier, and no problems! I'm so excited about that!

[nettreefrog]

We tried milk tonight. Gabriel seems less than impressed. We don't normally warm his formula (and the BM is really scarce now...) so I hope he gets used to the new taste. At the grocery store, my DH and I spent some time figuring out which milk to purchase... and eventually opted for the grass fed organic milk. I'm a bit up in the air as to whether it is worth the price given that I most of us didn't even have this option years ago -- but hey for now --it is a start.

Over the weekend, Gabriel started imitating us... clapping, blowing on his pinwheel, and a few other tricks. He isn't nearly as vocal as his sister was -- but I think he understands certain things -- and has sounds for bus, light, dada (and maybe mama), no (na-na-na), balloon, this, that, and maybe something else... Our downstairs neighbor who is 2 months older is chatting up a storm -- but still isn't walking. Hmmm....

[smiles33]

It's so helpful to see the wide range of developmental abilities of kids at DD's age. I know I find it reassuring as DD isn't walking and is only vocal when really excited or upset.

We started whole milk last night (just regular old milk--I hear you on the dizzying array of options, nettreefrog!) and DD drank about 2 oz from a bottle. She still doesn't like her sippy cups....Our ped isn't as firm about removing bottles and pacifiers at 12 months, so we're going to put that off until the 4 day weekend we have in June since I prefer we do it than to let daycare try.

Hope you're all well!

[shortcake]

development - Yes it's so hard not to compare, but so reassuring to hear the wide range. DS is not talking at all. He does vocalize, but has no words - not even a consistent Mama or Dada. But I know he understands things and the ped isn't worried so neither am I! She said by 15 months they like to see a few words, though.

Milk - Josh is great with milk - doesn't seem to care one bit. Will drink it from bottle or sippy. Right now he still gets bottles before naps, bedtime, and in the morning - not sure how to change that but not too concerned about rushing it. We try to get the hormone free milk when it's available at the grocery store (our closest store doesn't have it so we just get regular there). Should probably do organic but it is SO pricey!

[MMHinCA]

Happy Birthday Teresa Laurel!

It's quiet in here! How is everyone doing and how are all the little ones? Things are crazy around here. We move on Saturday so I have been busy packing. DH moved up 2 weeks ago so it has just been DD and me. I am so ready to be moved in and back as a family.

QOTD: How many DC are walking? DD is so not walking!

PS. Since I started this last thread I can start our new thread in the toddler section (do we really have toddlers?). I will start the new thread next week!

[kmfroggi]

i know i dont post often at all, but wanted to wish everyone a very belated Happy Birthday and Happy birthday to everyone who is coming up.

Kaymen turned 1 on May 16. it has been hectic since then, hence the lateness of posting. but here is a couple photos-

1 day old
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/kmfroggi/LJ%20posted%20pics/6.jpg

on her actual bday
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/kmfroggi/LJ%20posted%20pics/DSC04107-1.jpg

at her bday party
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/kmfroggi/LJ%20posted%20pics/DSC04168.jpg

i still cant believe it!!!

carseats we switched kaymens around about amonth ago. she is much happier now. question though, tuesday nites i work late, so DH pics kaymen up from my moms. he is in his work van, so there is only 2 front seats. he tells me there is an air bag on the passenger side that he cannot turn off. can anyone tell me the law or maybe lead me to where i could find out, cuase he has her rear facing for now which is totally fine, but when it comes to the time that she cant be rear facing anymore, what do we do. TIA.

discipline i tell DD "no", then she drops that bottom lip and throws a mini fit with real tears. i think she's gonna be a great drama queen! oh boy! hehe.

milk we started that well over month ago, half milk half formula. she took to it well and i think LOVES milk, she grabs the bottle in the morning from me and points to it before bed. she only has bottles those 2 times during the day, otherwise its sippy cups all the way.

development i am so glad to hear everyones answers. DD says mama, dada, and baba. she makes the ssss and fffff sounds, and is now pointing and going "eh" while doing it. but she is no where near talking. i was just talking with my mom this morning about it. my delimna is my nephew who will be 2 in august, he repeats everything you say, starting talking at like 10 months. so he is my comparison, which puts kaymen behind, but i know she really isnt.

[shortcake]

kmfroggie - Cute pictures! On the carseat question - I know there is a way to petition to have a switch put into your car. I can't remember the process, but I did it for my car once (I'm 4' 9" and when I drive that car I sit too close to the steering wheel. I actually got the paperwork but then never had the work done on the car since usually DH drives it now). Start doing some searches online and I bet you'll find it. I did this probably 7 years ago though.

MMHinCA Good luck on the move! We move in 2 weeks also - yikes! Where are you moving to? I can't remember.

[MMHinCA]

Happy Birthday Jack Thomas!

shortcake - We are moving to Central CA. Good luck with your move!

[Parrothead]

Happy Belated Birthday Teresa Laurel & Happy Birthday Jack Thomas!

Development - All children are so different. We are in a playgroup and a music class w/ little ones all around DD's age. They all vary so much in so many ways! A woman in my playgroup said that her ped told her that babies grow in 3 ways: physically, emotionally, and verbally and that they can only do one at a time. So, when they are learning to walk, talking my go on hold for a bit or vice versa. We've seen that w/ DD. She was very verbal (mama, dada, doggy, airplane) and then stopped saying much -- then she walked. Now, the verbal is making its way back.

Walking - DD took her 1st steps just before her bday (so about 3 weeks ago) and is now walking everywhere. She will crawl if she wants to get somewhere fast, but usually she walks.

[Kim]

Wow! I could have written this:
So, when they are learning to walk, talking my go on hold for a bit or vice versa. We've seen that w/ DD. She was very verbal (mama, dada, doggy, airplane) and then stopped saying much -- then she walked. Now, the verbal is making its way back.

and this:
DD took her 1st steps just before her bday (so about 3 weeks ago) and is now walking everywhere. She will crawl if she wants to get somewhere fast, but usually she walks.
verbatim!

Parrothead-Sounds like our DDs are on the same page. How funny!:)

Happy Birthday Theresa Laurel and Jack Thomas!

kmfroggi-Kaymen is adorable! Looks like she enjoyed her cake. :D

Not much advice on the carseat situation, but I was under the impression that an airbag and carseat don't mix, no matter which way the carseat is facing (FFing or RFing)! I hope you come up with an alternative soon!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

[Kim]

cuase he has her rear facing for now which is totally fine,

You know, I think this is even more dangerous than having her forward facing because if she's RFing and the airbag deploys her head is in the line of fire. :(

[kmfroggi]

thanks for the ideas and thoughts on the car seat in the work van ordeal. i really have to check to see if he does indead have a passenger side air bag, cuase i thought the newer vehicles had switches, but i would think a work van wouldnt, i dont know. we have to come up with a solution, which the only one is for him to come all the way home and get is pick up truck and then go get her. he probably isnt going to like that, but i am sure he thinks her safety is first priority!

[mrst2001]

Happy Birthday to everyone! We've been sick in our house--DH, B and I all have a terrible cold/sinus/cough thing. Feel like we have the plague!

Carseats: DD is a real peanut, so we can't turn it around yet (she is only 18 lbs.). She is really protesting facing backwards, so we are really hoping for 20 lbs at our 15 month

Discipline: I say "No" in a stern/mean mommy voice. Sometimes I get a smile and she goes ahead with whatever she was doing (knowing full well that she is not supposed to--I can tell by the look on her face, sly girl!), or she will sometimes stop. I try to say "Stop" or something slightly more descriptive if possible (like "bottom on the chair" if she is trying tostand in a high chair). Then I remove and contain/distract. At this point, it feels more like an exercise than a real show of discipline.

Milk: No problems transitioning--she loves it. I'm really lucky. DD is still on bottles a couple of times a day (generally before naps and bedtime), but really only has a couple of ounces each time, for a total of maybe 10 oz. at most in bottle. Rest of time I try sippys. She is getting much better at sippies (the really small take and toss ones work well, and the Gerber 7 oz. handle cups, I think b/c she is so small, she likes the small ones that fit her hands better), but still doesn't take in that much milk that way, but we are working at it!

Development: Only two teeth. Crawls really fast, cruises on everything, etc. Still won't stand by herself without holding on to something,and so definitely no walking without a table or couch or Mommy to hold onto. Still not really saying Mama, will say Da-Da (but sometimes doesn't seem tied to DH), will say dog's name (Ella) really well, sometimes says something like hi or hey. Can sort of point, but more does a two-arms-out-excited-trembling thing when she wants or sees something she likes (the dogs, kitties, food). Can wave hello and bye-bye about half the time (I just think she does it when she feels like it). Definitely has certain coy looks and is very social. Has perfected a spiel for strangers she wants to notice her: she will shriek, then immediately once they turn, give a megawatt "cute baby" smile and sometimes wave).

I find it so fascinating how differently children develop. Over this past year, I felt like we were ahead with certain milestones (sitting, rolling over), middle-of-the-road on some (took a LONG time to crawl--but then started crawling like lightening, pulling up, and cruising in a two day period, literally), and "behind" on others (talking, not walking). I know it really helps me to come here to see what is "normal" in a range since we are all May 2006 babies! I really, really, really appreciate all of the comments and openness of the group, even though I am more lurker than poster!

One question: anyone else have a really small (full-term) baby? DD was born two days late at 6 lbs, 5.1 oz, and is now 18 lbs., and 28.5 inches (but I think the nurse measured DD a little longer than she is). I know it is just my issue, but people are always making comments about how little she is, and think she is so much younger. I even had a lady at the ped. office the other day comment on how well she was sitting up (comparing her 8 week old DD to mine!!!). Anyone else?

Still no luck TTC, and will be going into my second month with Clomid. Unfortunately, I also have found a lump in my breast, and a mammogram and ultrasound looked suspicious enough that I need to have a biopsy on Thursday, May 31st. I'm trying to stay positive, and I feel like not getting PG again must be part of the plan since I may be facing breast cancer. I know most biopsies are negative, but it still really scary. I just look at DD and....Please keep me in your thoughts over the next week and a half until I get my results. My ob/gyn is not too concerned (I'm 32, lump looks smooth-edged not rough-edged, etc), but, still, you just never know.

Happy Memorial Day to all!!!

Jennifer

[shortcake]

mrst2001 Just wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you - best of luck with the biopsy. It sounds good that your ob/gyn is pretty confident it will be benign - they certainly have the experience to know! Of course it's still scary. Let us know what happens! As for the small DD - I don't have this with my current baby, but my DD, who is 3, was only 17 lbs at 1 year old and we got a lot of those kind of comments. They always made me feel bad, even though I knew it was not intentional. There's not much you can do about it but I will tell you that now that I've been on both sides of that issue, my aching back wouldn't mind if DS was a few pounds lighter! As long as she is healthy and thriving just try to shrug it off!

[mrst2001]

Thanks, Shortcake, for the kind words! I will definitely keep everyone posted about the biopsy.

You put the small baby thing in perspective! I guess I am really lucky to have a "light" baby to carry! I just feel sorry for Tiny when she is fussing in the car! We keep chanting "20 lbs, 20 lbs" so she can be a big girl and turn around in her car seat soon. It's great, though, b/c my ob/gyn has a very small girl (her DD is almost 4, and has NEVER even been on the weight chart--literally, but is super-healthy), so everytime I see her, we bond over our peanuts!

Thanks again for the support!

Jennifer

[smiles33]

Just wanted to chime in that you're in my thoughts, mrst2001! I hope everything turns out well and that you'll "score" in the TTC game soon.

And, in regards to strangers' comments about your DD, we get the same thing for our big girl. She was 23 pounds, 30" at 12 month WBV but her weight gain has slowed dramatically so she's now actually starting to look less chunky. Strangers would marvel at how big she is (especially her Michelin Man tummy, thighs and arms) and ask what I've been feeding her. I used to always feel guilty and wonder if I've overfed her since she was nursed. Plus, DH often joked that he's learned to be a good daddy because he can't nurse and had to come up with other calming techniques as I would immediately resort to nursing whenever DD was fussy.

I guess it just goes to show that no matter what size your baby is, SOMEONE will have something to say that makes you question whether you're doing the right thing.

Anyhow, hope you all had a nice 3 day weekend!

[Pink_Converse]

H is a small baby too and people always say how tiny he is. Especially when he's next to like a 10 month old that is bigger than him! He's 18.5 lbs and 29 inches long. He is almost to tall to be rear facing but I can't turn him around yet. Poor thing! I feel like people think I'm not feeding him. It's a no win situation when you're a mom. Your kid is chubby, they're eating too much, they're tiny and people think something is wrong with them or they aren't thriving or something! I can totally commiserate.

Forgot to add we are off the bottle, woo-hoo! And he's dancing now, bobbing his head up and down and back and forth, it's sooo cute!

[MMHinCA]

Count me in for the small baby club! DD is tall and petite... 19 lbs and 29 inches! I get comments all the time about how small she is. I say may she always be tall and skinny! :)

Well we are all moved and almost unpacked! It was a crazy weekend but we survived! Now it is back to trying to get into a normal routine. Hope everyone had a nice holiday weekend!

[Parrothead]

Size - It seems to me that people have virtually no clue what they are talking about when it comes to judging the sizes of babies.

Some people say to me "How old is your daughter, about 7 months?" I laugh. Then they see her walk around.

Others say "How old is your daughter (or son - she has no hair so we get that A LOT, despite being dressed in all pink)?" I say "almost 13 months" and about 1/2 of the people say "WOW! She is BIG" and the other half says "Oh, she is so little!"

The bottom line is that each person has their own frame of reference and it has no basis in reality, especially in the context of our little ones!!

For the record, DD is 30" and almost 23lbs. (around the 75th percentile for weight and 85th percentile for height). So, I guess she is on the big side. What I don't get is why people have to comment at all on size -- we don't comment on the sizes of the adults we meet!!! :D

[Bloomwood]

mrst2001- You are in my thoughts. I have a friend that just went through the same thing - and she's older - the lump was benign and just one of those little masses we all get. I really hope you get the same news.

MMH - congrats on the move.

We're next for the big move. Well, shortcake might actually be. We close on our house mid-July. I can't wait!

[crazycaro]

Thinking of you Jennifer!

[nettreefrog]

Couple quick things...

1. best wishes to you MrsT2001... I'll keep my fingers crossed...
2. Gabriel had a reaction from his MMRV shot. As predicted, he developed a fever on Friday --a week after the shot. It last until Sunday evening.
3. He's been tossing a turning at night... We think it may be the molars -- but honestly, I don't feel anything in his mouth yet.
4. We bought him sandals tonight and he walked a good chunk of the way home from the store. When did sandals get so darn expensive? He is wearing a 5 -- and his foot on the wide/flat side.
5. Are we starting a new thread in the toddler area? -- I was thinking about how much our lives have changed over the past year... I'm thinking about starting a separate thread in chit chat about how we've changed over the past year... It'll be available to everyone -- but I wanted to say something about it here first.

[MMHinCA]

I will be starting a new thread on June 1st! I can't believe our DC are really toddlers!

[Parrothead]

TODDLERS! Ack. It's crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It makes me a little sad -- she's growing up so fast. Today I was in the livign room doing something and DD walks out in her diaper holding her blankie. She proceeds to lay her head on it while looking at me as if to say "Put me to bed, mommy, it's time!" So cute.

[MMHinCA]

Cute story Parrothead!

I have some time right now so I am going to start the new thread in Toddlers. I will let you guys know when it is ready!

[MMHinCA]

NEW THREAD IS OPENED IN THE TODDLER SECTION! :)

Bye bye babies! :(