September 2005 Mommies - Our Baby's First Year!!!

[randysmandy]

I have missed alot today, so I am sorry if I don't get to everyone.
Allison I am sorry for your loss, but you are right-he lived a long life and was able to be a great grandfather twice!
Nikki Poor little Ava. Hunter was sick in December. He threw up threw up 3 times. I can se how you cried-so did I! hang in there and just be there for gher. We slept on an air matress in his room that night. It made us feel better about it.
Time I sometimes see Hunter in the morning. I leave at 6:30 and he usually gets up anywhere between 5:30-7. I get home from work at 4:30, but if I stay home I am done at 3:30 (I am very fortunate) and he goes to bed at 7.
Last night was 2 nights in a row that he slept through the night. We gave him a bath at 6:30 and he was out like a light at 7. He woke up at 7:45 this morning!!!! Tonight Hunter tricked us. He fell asleep at 6:30 so DH and I ony got 2 hours with him.
Brink Sorry about your little sick one. Hope she gets better soon.
Max is SO cute!
Ashley What a doll-and nice carseat. I swear I better have a girl come #2-there is so many more cute things for girls.
Speaking of#2 We wanted our babies to be 3 years apart-so we will try when the time comes. As long as we have a new house!
Sitting up Pictures can be deceiving. Hunter can only sit by himself for about 5 seconds. I took the shot before he leaned over! You can count that if you want LOL.
Night everyone!

[Cr8nme]

Unfortunately I only got like 1 hour with Noelle since she is sleep right now :( I must say that I am going to be in sooo much trouble soon with DH only because have been shopping like crazy for miss Noelle's summer clothes:o She has soo much cute stuff!!! I have even been buying up to 18 month clothing and I must admit that I sometimes buy the same thing in 2 different sizes...shame on me huh


Nikki~ I hope Ava gets better... I know how hard it is to see our little ones sick.


So I thought I would grace you with a picture of my future model:p
http://images.snapfish.com/345%3B%3A7%3B%3C8%7Ffp337%3Enu%3D3237%3E%3A%3B8%3E %3B79%3EWSNRCG%3D32334%3A82567%3B9nu0mrj
http://images.snapfish.com/345%3B%3A7%3B%3C8%7Ffp337%3Enu%3D3237%3E%3A%3B8%3E %3B79%3EWSNRCG%3D32334%3A825239%3Anu0mrj

And my sleepy head!
http://images.snapfish.com/345%3B%3A7%3B%3C8%7Ffp338%3Enu%3D3237%3E%3A%3B8%3E %3B79%3EWSNRCG%3D32334%3A8252377nu0mrj

[AlisonCO]

Hi - Thank you all SO much for your kind words. We have several family things to do over the next few days - luckliy I have an out for a couple of them as I just cannot have Caitlin out all day as she sleeps better at home:) My grandfather was a very well respected and loved surgeon here in town for 40 years so there are alot of people who want to pay their respects but the whole thing is becoming a circus and stressing my dad out. I told my DH last night that when I die I want to be cremated, have my ashes buried and then have a gathering for friends and family with lots of alcohol:D

Anyway...

nikki and Brink - SO sorry to hear that Ava and Aimee are sick. Brink - I hope that it is not croup. Nikki - stomach flu's are the worst - you feel so helpless when your little one is puking!

Cr8nme - Noelle is a beauty and I love that carseat cover!

pixiecat - SO glad that Lily had a great day!

hmbay - The helmet is not at all what I expected - is Alex sleeping OK with it? He is such a cutie!

cr8zyforaf - Glad that you were only up 3 times:D Hope it continues! Oh my cuteness in the carseat!

jo&sean - A reaction to bananas - that stinks! Hope her little bum is better today.

solongtogo - That is a priceless pic and she will love showing that to her dates:D

fifibee - Max is too cute - I like his hat.

Kay - Caitlin has been very congested too - I think that with a sinus infection the snot would be thick and green.

Hi to everyone that I missed - must go to bed.

[randysmandy]

Hunter rolled!
So much for sleeping through the night......Hunter rolled onto his belly in his sleep last night. He was crying bloody murder at 5am cause he could not roll back! This was the first time he has rolled over :) Now we just have to get him to roll the other way!
Cr8nme Noelle is adorable. Your camera takes really great pictures. What kind do you have?

Cleaning toys I meant to post this before. I wash Hunter's plastic in the dishwasher once a week. I wash the fabric toys in the washer with his clothes. As for the other toys-well they don't get washed :rolleyes:

Nikki How is Ava? Brink How is Aimee?

[cr8zyforaf]

Nikki- poor Ava - how is she doing today? I was reading in the Girlfriends guide to the first year last night and it did say the projectile vomiting is horrible. Thinking of you guys today.

randysmandy - WOO HOO for Hunter rolling! Ashley probably hasn't rolled because she is still sleeping in the car seat :eek: . Oh well.

Cr8nme - OMG - Noelle is adorable - I love how she is sucking her thumb and crossing her legs. I also love your bedding - what beautiful colors. I like the car seat you posted also...they really have some cute patterns! I had to laugh out loud when you talked about shopping - I am the same way! I also buy the same outfits in numerous sizes because I have no idea how big she will be by spring.

pixiecat - I am so glad to hear your first day back went well (I am confused - they complained about CD's? Did you bring in CD's). I am like you - I had the perfect 9-5 job, laid back and very flexible - which I stuck to for about a month back and I couldn't take it anymore - I switched jobs and I am now in a much more fast paced, challenging environment - which is much better for me....stressful at time, but I am much happier. Hang tight and give it a few weeks - you don't want to change too much at one time!

Brink - Poor Aimee - please keep us posted. Coughing is the worst!

Another good night - she was up at 4 but I gave her a bottle and she went right back down until 6. Also, she napped so well yesterday at daycare - she took 2 ONE HOUR NAPS and 1 TWO HOUR NAP...this is so not like her -my girl is a cat napper. Then she got home and took another 30 minute nap. I was worried she wouldn't sleep last night but she did. This is very out of character for her - but she seems great - laughing, smiling...who knows. Just when you think you have them figured out, they surprise you with a curve ball.

[philnikki]

Kim - That's great news!!


Well, we survived last night. When we got home, Ava was screaming for something and Phil had not had a chance to go get the Pedialyte, so we gave her gatorade :o Poor Baby sucked it right down and cried and cried until she fell asleep. Fortunately, it didn't come back up! She slept from 5-9:30, when we woke her up to change her. Poor baby didn't have a wet diaper from 5pm last night until 6:30 this morning. We gave her another 4 ounces of Pedialyte and she finally fell asleep around 10pm. She woke up at 5:30 this morning and Phil gave her another 4 ounces of Pedialyte, which she sucked down like crazy and was screaming for something more. I finally gave in and gave her formula. The doctor said to give her small amounts and then wait 45 minutes. I want him to wait 45 minutes with a baby screaming for food! I figured, if it came back up, we are no better off than where we were before she ate it, but if she kept it down, then we were doing better. So she ate 4 ounces, and as of 8:30 it didn't re-appear, so I am guessing we have turned the corner.

Thanks to everyone for thier thoughts! This was just the worst thing I have had to endure, ever, I think. I know it seems stupid, but just seeing her little body heave like that was just the worst thing ever. :( Anyway, I am just kind of waiting it out here at work to see if daycare calls again. She did seem to be in better spirits this morning. Keep her in your thoughts! Thanks again!

[cr8zyforaf]

So glad to hear little Ava is feeling better. I would still give her pedilite today also...she is probably dehydrated - poor little thing. Sending well vibes your way.

[philnikki]

Kim - Thanks! And I would, except every time she gets it instead of formula, she SCREAMS for food. I know poor thing is hungry. Should I give it to her as well as some formula??? I just don't think she will put up with only Pedialyte today. We tried that and she wasn't happy about it at all.

[cr8zyforaf]

Oh gosh no - give her formula. She is probably starving. I would see if she would take the pedilite after the formula. And, i am not trying to tell you what to do - i am sure you are capable of figuring it out....just trying to be helpful.

[philnikki]

Kim - Oh I didn't think that you were! I just am so new to this, I don't know what to do! I just called daycare and told them to try and give her some after her bottle bc she is so dehydrated. I actually really appreciated your comment! Her ped. made it sound like sh didn't need it after she could keep formula down, but I wanted to make sure that she doesn't stay dehydrated. Anyway -- on a side note (and I know you know about my MIL issues) I just got a call and she b****** me out for giving her formula this morning. ARG! I posted the whole thing in my LJ which you can get to from my siggy if you want to read more. Anyway - thanks again!! :) Ava thanks you too!

[solongtogo]

I'd give her a bottle and then give her a bit of pedialyte an hour or so after she's eaten for today at least, that way she can stay hydrated. Pedialyte is not a replacement for food, so I can't begin to figure out what your MIL is thinking, but I'd challenge her to only drink pedialyte or gatorade when she's hungry and see how long she lasts for.

[AlisonCO]

Nikki - So glad that Ava is doing better. Man your MIL is a piece of work! I think that your plan is good - as long as she is keeping the formula down that's great. I agree that a couple of oz of Pedialyte in between meals will help re-hydrate her.

[Cr8nme]

Randysmandy~ It a fujifilm and it 4.0 mega pixels that all I know...I will post everything for you tonight when I get home and look at it.

Nikki~ I am soo glad that Ava is feeling better...you are a better woman thatn me b/c I would have told my MIL by now...you got a chance to raise your own kids and they sure aren't perfect so let me raise mine.

[philnikki]

Hey guys thanks for your advice! I really don't know what I would do without you guys sometimes ;)!

I called daycare and they said that they would give her some of the pedialyte too. So they started giving it to her before her bottle to make sure the coast was clear, and then gave her a bottle. So far she has had about 10 oz of formula and 10 oz of pedialyte today. When I called, one of the babies was crying but my little girl was happily smiling in her swing. *sigh* I am so glad that she is feeling better.

And thanks for the SO's RE:My MIL. She drives me freakin nuts. I am just going to not tell her anything from now on. If she calls and asks, everything is "fine". She has always been a big control freak with her own kids, and that is why they turned out the way they have (except, of course, my DH thank goodness). She is *technically* my step MIL but she has been in the picture since Phil was 2 yrs old. Phil always kind of resented her for favoring her kids a lot, but that's a long story in itself.

cr8nme - I forgot to mention how adorable the pics of Noelle are! Awww!!! Look how she sucks her thumb! Ava just sticks all of her fingers in her mouth ;)

[Brink]

Quick post - Aimee has Croup and they prescribed a steroid for the next few days. She was up again at 2:30 last night. I ended up taking her into the bathroom with the steam, that seemed to help some. Mommy is very tired at work today and I have a big meeting!

Nikki - so glad Ava is feeling better.

Gotta run - more s/o's later.....

[cr8zyforaf]

Brink - hugs. So sorry about Aimee - I have read that the steamy bathroom will help with the coughing. I know how cr*ppy it is to have no sleep - so sorry.

philnikki - That is my motto - when the MIL calls - everything is fine. I've even told DH he better not utter a word to her about anything because it is always used against me...like last week when I had no sleep - I heard him tell her I had a bad week and had been crying and that he felt so bad for me - well, she has to call me the next day and get her little digs in on how awful it is for me to be working and have I tried this, and I have I tried that...from now on - everything is always going to be great when I talk to her.

I am sneaking out of work to go shopping...we found some end tables at JCPenny's that I want to order.

[wife&wannabemom]

Wow, you ladies have been busy...

Nikki- So happy to hear that Ava is doing better. I'm sorry you had to watch your little one throw up. That stinks.

Brink- So sorry to hear Aimee has croup....how did you know to take her to the pediatrician? I hope your meeting went well.

cr8zy- Yeah for Ashley sleeping well at daycare AND at night!! I truly believe that the more Patrick sleeps during hte day, the better he sleeps at night.

cr8mne- Noelle really is a model...she looks like she's striking a pose for you...too cute.

Alison- I can imagine how overwhelming all of the plans can be. When my Mom passed away, she had been a preschool handicap teacher in the town we grew up in for 17 years and all of our friends/family still lived close...it was a zoo! But it was a nice testament to a wonderful, respected life.

solongtogo- the foot in the mout picture by your screenname cracks me up!

Randysman- Yeah for Hunter rolling over!! Patrick is doing hte same thing rolling overing in the middle of hte night and getting 'stuck'....hopefully they'll both learn to roll 'both ways' soon!

BeachBum - Thanks for hte carseat info...I thought my snugride said 29 inches...Patrick was 26 at his 4 month appointment too! Hopefully by his 6 month appointment we'll have the second Britax because I"m sure he'll be ready for it.

Patrick had a GREAT night sleep last night...we put him to bed at 7:30 and didn't hear from him again until 6:15...but he's still waking up soooo congested and with a nasty cough. But daycare said he hasn't coughed during the day so I don't think i need to take him to the pediatrician yet....

Funny story, I walked into his room this morning and it STUNK...little guy pooped while he was sleeping...he's never done that before...anyone else's DC do that???? It was so weird....he pooped twice before 7am...a true man :)

Well, i'm going to try and sneak out of here and get Patrick early tonight...talk to you guys tomorrow.

[jo&sean]

Nikki - I am glad that Ava is feeling better. Your mil would drive me nuts too.

Brink - So sorry for Aimee having the croup. Poor little girl!

Cr8zy - That is wonderful that A slept so well. Let's pray to the sleep gods that this continues for you!!!

Randysman - Congrats to Hunter on his new skill :)

Sorry if I missed anyone else...just taking a break from being swamped at work. I was supposed to make some phone calls to try and procure more auction items for the fund raiser at Addison's school but I am tired of talking on the phone. Plus, I really hate calling people and asking them to give me something.....now as far as organizing the auction, I am all about that ;)

Today's exciting news is that Addison finally found her toes!! She grabbed them this morning while I was getting her ready for school. She was sooo excited to find more things to play with ;) Her bum is finally better from the banana experience. We are going to see if she wants some oatmeal tonight and go from there.

Better get back to work...







Wifeanwannabemom he pooped twice before 7am...a true man LOL!! I ask myself often "how is that even remotely possible ?!)!"

[crow]

Thanks everyone for a nice, warm welcome. I only catch glimpses here and there, so sorry if I sound off-loop.

cr8zy: it sounds like Ashley is doing so much better on sleep this week. Yay! I totally agree with you and philnikki about telling MIL that everything is *fine.* That is soooo true!

ILs--sorry a vent (and I know I am overreacting; it just gets to the point where even little things highly irritate me!).

Current winners: this week, we are sleep training crowbaby. We're being quite strict about this, so we've asked all family/friends to call us on our cells. Who continues to call on our house phone? MIL and FIL, of course. Finally, I had to disconnect the land line, because she kept freakin waking up the baby. It was extremely frustrating for crowbaby to keep waking up. So MIL then called DH on his cell, only to yell at him for not answering her calls. She was irate that we might miss *important* messages from them, and then she hung up on him!

DH called her back and asked what she called for.

"oh, just to find out how the baby is...." Grrr, so her curiosity is the *important* thing that necessitates waking up the baby multiple times a day?

#2. Crowbaby received a gift certificate to TJMaxx. I gave the GC to MIL, who shops there often. MIL knew that this GC was for crowbaby. Well, she ended up buying 2 large pillows for themselves! She bought them for use when they are here (our 10 pillows are not good enough for them--no joke, she said this). They are terrible quality--plastic on the inside, crinkly, noisy, and extremely lumpy-bumpy. I can't overemphasize how terrible these pillows are. But they were *name brand,* so they were pretty pricey as they required the entire GC. I don't think they even used them last time! (they still have no pillowcases on them) I'm more than a little upset that she used money set aside for the baby on themselves.

This is addressed to MIL--I need to vent this...
#3. Please stop buying mystery meat for my freezer. I think you mean well, but if you won't cook or eat it, do you think I will? Please. We have some meat from before the baby was born. EVERY TIME you come, I ask you to please either cook the meat that you left behind last time or bring it home with you--but still, you buy even more mystery meat. And I don't want the cheaper cuts. I have asked you, if you're going to buy some meat, please buy what you or I would conceivably eat. Please please stop wasting your money. Even if it is cheap, it is a waste if you and I don't use it!!

I don't know how many times I have asked her. I have started to throw it away, b/c I need the freezer space!

I am being angry here. I just can't stand her and FIL sometimes.

Nikki and brink hope your babies are recovering well.

randysmandy way to go Hunter!! Wow, that is surprising to find out that he rolled at night! Last night, I woke up with a start b/c I thought I saw on the video monitor crowbaby with one leg out of the crib.

cr8nme Noelle is a beauty--look how her legs are crossed!

fifi thank you re his bear outfit, which was a gift for him. I think it is Carter's brank. We use it when we take him out, so I don't need to pile on clothes for him.

alison it was nice to read that your grandfather got to hold your two children. I hope you and your family are well.

w&wbm what a great sleeper Patrick is! May I ask, does Patrick get hungry in the middle of the night? Our baby now wakes up after 5-6 hours sleep, 7 hrs after he was fed. I assume he's hungry, so we go and feed him. Then he sleeps another 4--6 hrs. I don't know if I should let him CIO in the middle--ie, maybe he could go the whole night w/o eating? We can't tell if he's really hungry. He eats 4-5 oz around 2 am.

Actually, can I ask that of all you moms of good sleepers? Since your babies sttn, it makes me think that maybe crowbaby doesn't need that feeding at 2am. He is HUGE, so he has plenty of fat stores!


Thanks!

[AlisonCO]

crow - It is not unusual for a baby to need to eat overnight until 6 months or so (especially if they are breastfed.) To me it doesn't matter if they are big or small, their tummy is only as big as their fist. If Caitlin wakes up before 2am we try the pacifier first. I find that if she eats well around 2-3am that she sleeps much more soundly for the rest of the morning. To me, 4-5 oz is a meal not a snack. Just my 2 cents!

Brink - Poor Aimee - croup is miserable. My younger brother used to get it once a winter and I remember my mom sitting with him in the shower and then my dad running him outside to the cold air. Hope she is better soon.

jo&sean and nikki - You guys are cracking me up with your school fundraising stuff - I guess it is never too early!

So glad that it is almost Friday - Hope that you all are doing well!

[fifibee]

Cr8nme- cute pictures! She looks like such a darling.
Nikki- Can I say -- we have the same MIL!! I have resorted to "everything fine with DC!" as a response now as well. Why can't they just believe that we have our child's best interest at heart too and that we are not idiots! UGH. Anyway, I'm glad Ava is recovering well.
Brink- Sorry to hear that Aimee has croup. I hope she's sleeping better tonight and that the prescription is working its wonders.
cr8zyforaf- So did you score at JCPenny? :)
wife&wannabemom- Pooping is good, especially twice in one night! Little guy's system is working well and doing its job right. He didn't even wake mommy in the middle of the night to change his diapers. :)
jo&sean- so cute that Addison found her toes. I tried a few times to stick Max's toes to his face, but the boy has got too much chub that his legs don't quite hold up. LOL.
crow- I swear we all have the same MIL or something. It seems like they are always the center of the universe. I often wonder why they act the way the act. Weren't they once someone's daughter-in-law too? I have to say that it sounds like crowbaby is a great sleeper! Sleeping 4~6 hours straight isn't bad at all, and as AlisonCO says, I think 4~5 oz is a meal rather than a snack. Max is on breastmilk as well, and he's wakes up once around 11pm~12am and once around 4am~6am for feedings.

[solongtogo]

crow Lots of babies will wake at least once a night to eat for the first year...I would try a paci first and if he dosent' go back to sleep, then I'd feed him.

[randysmandy]

MILs
Well I wasn't going to bring this up on Wednesday, but now that we have opened the door I am putting my venting to use:
On wednesday afternoon my mother asked to watch Hunter today. Keep in mind that my MIL watches him mon-frid. She lives upstairs and has no other job nor did she have a job before she started to watch DS. Anyways-I asked (first mistake-should have toldher) her if my mom could watch DS. My mom was on the phone and MIL yells.
"No you can't, that's my money-you can't take my money from me (I pay her 100/week) and you can't take my baby from me" Needless to day my mom hung up. I thought my MIL was kidding, but then when I got off the phone she told me that if my mom wants to watch DS, MIL needs advance notice! So in the end she was serious and said thatshe relies on me to watch him. Relies on my money!? Unbelieveable. The thing is that my mom has a job that doesn't giver her her schedule ti l the week of. So it is nearly impossible to give an advance notice. Crow and Nikki-I fell your pain!

Well Hunter woke up 3 times last night. So much for the 2 nights he selpt through the night. That is over til he learns to roll back.

Nikki So glad to hear Ava is feeling better.
Brink Thinking of Aimee!!!
TGIF!

[cr8zyforaf]

Ahhhh.MIL's. Sounds like many of us have our hands full with them. Mine is a piece of work also. She is currently not speaking to DH brother because he didn't spend enough time with her on Christmas, she tells me that Ashley is the only good thing in her life and she never sees her, tells me how selfish I am for working, has had 7 surgeries since I met DH (I swear, I would love to know what the doctors say about her - she is in the emergency room at least once a month), and basically just sits around smoking and complaining. I hate her and now, I have to spend time with her because of A :mad: . The real funny - she always tells me what a PITA her MIL was and that she knows the kind of stuff that can drive a new mom crazy - I bet she does - she is putting all of her knowledge to good use to drive me mad.

randysmandy - I would just tell her that your mom is going to watch Hunter - don't even give her a chance to complain. So, you pay her $100 a week - that is 20 bucks for the day - just give her the 20 bucks and tell her to shut up. OK - the 'my baby' thing DRIVES ME INSANE. DH always says I should just ignore her - but I cannot stand when she calls and says 'how is my baby'...I always laugh and say 'I have no idea, he is still at work'.

jo&sean and nikki - I also hate fundraising. I am sure that will be starting soon. Uggg...

fifibee - nope - no score - I found what I wanted but want DH to look at them before I buy. I am sure he wouldn't mind but if he didn't like them, I would feel bad. I couldn't even find any outfits to buy A :confused: .

crow - crowbaby sounds like a good sleeper. I think it is normal, especially for BF babies, to get up at least once a night to eat. Boy, your in laws sound as pleasant as mine. I don't understand also that they know we have a baby - why do she call 5-10 a night as late as 10PM trying to reach us just to see if the baby is OK - I feel like screaming "I HAVEN'T HURT HER YET". And the mystery meat - too funny. I also agree - try giving crowbaby the pacifier first - if he spits it out, he is probably hungry. I think 7 hours is a great amount of time to go between feedings - Ashley's limit is about 7-8. I feed her RIGHT before putting her down. Also, I tried dreamfeeding (read it in some book) - it works like this for us - give A bottle before bed at 7-7:30. Then, depending on how late I can stay up - usually this was about 10 - feed baby again - usually A wouldn't even wake up. It would help hold her over a few hours- this is when she was waking at 2-3 to eat. I don't do this anymore - for some reason lately - she is sleeping from 8-5:30.

Well, another good night. That is all I am going to say - I don't want to jinx myself. She also really found her feet last night - she actually had one in her mouth. This morning when she woke - she cooed and talked for about 15 minutes - we listened to her on the monitor - and when I opened her door with her bottle - she smiled and laughed so loud. God, I just love her to pieces!! It was very hard to drop her off this morning. I miss her so bad some days it hurts!

[wife&wannabemom]

Well, we can call Patrick Rip Van Winkle....he is DEFINITELY fighting this cold/cough because he conked out when I was feeding him lastn ight at 6:30pm (in the living room with all the lights on), didn't wake up when I brought him upstairs to change his diaper and put his pjs, and we didn't hear a peep out of him until I woke him up at 6:30 this morning... I woke up at 4am to check to make sure he was still breathing :p He is so congested my poor guy, i think i may leave work early today and take him to the ped to check out that cough.

MILS- Oh I feel so bad for all of you women...I have to say that it sounds like you ALL handle it so well. Just remember, that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, so you are all REALLY strong women!!! And going straight to heaven for putting up with it :)

crow- I wish there was something I did to help Patrick sleep but he really did it on his own. Even though he's always been breastfed, he started sleeping 5-6 hours at night since the day he was born. He always got up at least once a night to eat. After he was a few months old and I knew he was getting enough calories during the day (We always cluster fed at night (every 1-2 hours)), when he woke up one night he wasn't crying so i tried the pacifier and he went right back to sleep...he then started sleeping through every night. I agree to try the paci first and if he's hungry feed him...i know when Patrick is going through a growth spurt because he'll wake up in the middle of the night to eat.

[charmcitygirl]

randysmandy :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:
(btw, i agree w/ cr8zyforaf, give her the $20 for that day and tell her to sod off. your mom deserves to see your kid too.)

closing was yesterday... proceeds are practically already spent :( which is really sad b/c it was quite a lot. but glad to have it over & done with.

all is well in babyland. nothing new to report.

sttn & eating i just let jake & zoe eat when they woke during the night. it just naturally slowly progressed to no feedings and sttn. maybe try to forgo the nightly feeding--maybe try rocking instead--and see how it goes. and try doing it on a weekend when dh is around to help in case it all goes haywire. ;)

[jo&sean]

Re: MILSYikes...why are MIL's such PITA's?? I am sorry for all the problems everyone is having. What I don't get is how can these women (the MIL's) can call any of you selfish - they need to look in the mirror!! My MIL can be a pita but only because she is clueless and selfish herself. She is extremely self-centered but she wants to come across like she is helping everyone. When we met them for dinner last weekend she was just dying to tell me a "story". She volunteers at her church a lot and they have a nice food bank and donated clothing bank that they open to the public. Well, she was working at the greenhouse when a teacher from one of the schools called and asked if they had any pants for a young lady who got her period unexpectedly. Now MIL is telling everyone at the table this story - FIL, DH etc. So she goes on and on about how she found this poor girl some pants and took them to her and how she was a hero. WTF? I would have never repeated that story in my life. The poor girl is incredibly embarassed and the last thing she would want is people going around town blabbing about her most embarrasing moment in life. I asked MIL why she felt the need to validate herself by telling us that story? She just sat there...

Ok, enough ranting. It is Friday afterall and that makes it a Happy Day!

Cr8zy -
God, I just love her to pieces!! It was very hard to drop her off this morning. I miss her so bad some days it hurts!
I could have written that myself this morning!!
Addison decided to wake up at 4:30 am to practice rolling over. She went to bed at 6:30 last night so I was expecting her to wake earlier then normal but 4:30? I went into her room and she was having a ball but I don't want her to play in her bed so I picked her up and took her back to bed with me. She instantly just wanted to snuggle up with me and she fell right back to sleep. I have to say there is nothing sweeter then your baby all snuggled up on you - drool and all. :)

I am exctied because we are going to Seattle for the weekend. Some of our friends are throwing a big super bowl party at their house so it will be fun to see everyone, cathc up and root for our home team :) (Not that I have a clue about football!)

TGIF!!

[wife&wannabemom]

I have to say there is nothing sweeter then your baby all snuggled up on you - drool and all. :)


OOOH, that is the BEST!!!! We like to do that on the weekend mornings if Patrick gets up before 7....there really is nothing better. Have fun in Seattle this weekend!

cr8zy- I often say that I miss Patrick so much "it hurts"....it really does.

charmcitygirl- I mailed out those Similac checks for you yesterday.

Nikki & Brink - How are Ava and Aimee feeling today?

fifi & crow- hope Max and crowbaby sleep well for you this weekend.

jo&sean- Yeah for Addison finding her toes...Patrick just found his recently and it makes changing a whole new experience :)

I'm leaving work at 3 today to bring Patrick to the pediatrician...I think he has croup....I would rather find out today and get it cleared up over the weekend...if it got worse then he'd be out of daycare next week. So I get to see him in a couple of hours...yeah!!!

[jo&sean]

I totally forgot to ask you guys for some ideas this morning when I posted...

Here is our problem: Addison HATES her baths now. Last night she cried and cried the entire time which made me feel so bad for her :(. She doesn't cry much to begin with so I know it really upset her. She has never really enjoyed baths but I was starting to make progress with her about 2 weeks ago. I had been giving her baths in a baby tub that fits in the kitchen sink. She was starting to kick and splash around with an occassional giggle in there. Then I decided to try and give her a bath in the big tub but in her own little tub (make sense? I put the little tub in the big tub) so she could kick and play without worrying about water getting all over the kitchen counters. She screamed the entire time. The next bath, I tried her in her bath chair instead of her little tub. Even more screaming. So I put her big tub back in the kitchen sink and she screamed and cried even more. I talked and sang to her the entire time and just ended up hurrying up to get her out of there. I thought maybe I would take a bath with her tonight and see if that makes her feel better. Any ideas on how to help her become more comfortable? TIA!

[Brink]

My new client is going to keep me very busy - this will definitely cut into my CC time!!!! Quick post before heading to lunch.

I think Aimee is feeling a little better. She still coughed from about 3:30 on this morning, but it didn't sound as bad. Thank you for everyone's well wishes.

Wife - I didn't take Aimee until the sound of her cough changed. It became high pitched and really had that barking seal sound. The books said they could prescribe a steroid, so that's why I took her in. Sorry to hear Patrick might have the same thing. I hope he feels better soon.

Jo&sean - Very cool that Addy found her toes. Have a great time in Seattle this weekend. I'm right there with you on the bath issues. Aimee is "ok" in the bath (doesnt hate it but doesnt like it either) but as soon as I turn off the water she still screams bloody murder. I think it is mainly because she is cold and thinks of that has hurt. She calms down after she is all dressed, but I dread bath nights.

Crow - Your MIL sounds like a royal PITA. Sympathy to you..... As for STTN - Aimee has STTN since she was pretty young (other than when she is sick, like now). She goes down really late (around midnight) but sleeps straight through without making a peep until 9:00am. Other than when she was really little, she does not eat during the night. She has her last feeding around 11:00 and then goes until 9:00 the next day. She is BF and gaining lots of weight, so not an issue for her. My ped said that if she wasn't sttn to make sure to wait at least 4 hours between feedings. Sounds like crowbaby goes at least that - so not sure what advice to give. It sounds like the babies that STTN completely have done it on their own and not necessarily because of something "special" we have done. When she was really little, we would change her practically in the dark and not talk to her when she was feeding, but that is all we did prior to her STTN.

Randy - can't believe your MIL is still being such a b**ch about the money issue. I remember you posting about that before. I agree, throw the $20 at her and tell her to go away!

Cr8zyforaf - glad to hear you got some rest last night. Here's to hoping it continues:D

Well, I better get back to work. I've been so busy since yesterday I have hardly looked at this thread let alone the parenting thread. I feel so behind!

[crow]

Thank you everyone for your helpful suggestions! It sounds like a pacifier seems to be quite effective for many babies, so we are definitely going to give it a try.

It has only been recently--that is, the last week and half, that crowbaby has been sleeping better. Just 2 weeks ago, he was waking up 3 or 4 times a night--and very hard to put back to sleep. Usually he would wake up ater 2-3 hours! Sometimes every 1-1.5 hrs! We were dying of exhaustion, (that's why I never could post here), and I was really worried that he wasn't getting enough healthy sleep.

Sleep training has totally changed our baby. We never never wanted to CIO but changed our mind after reading Weissbluth. It was probably the hardest most heartwrenching thing I have ever done (our baby cried 1.5! hours the first night--my DH handled that one--there is no way I could have sat through that. I put in ear plugs and slept in the furthest room). I still felt so guilty and cruel. But since then, it has improved to where we put him down awake, and he will fall asleep within 3-5 minutes, day or night. Without any cries save occasional soft whimpers. There are still times when he cries hard up to 15 minutes, and I am again in agony, but this is rare, and hopefully will decrease. DH and I are really in utter disbelief.

Last night, he slept 8-4 am. Unbelievable (Like I said in a previous post, until this week, he had only slept 4 hours+ for 5 times in his life!). I hope this lasts--knock on wood.

Thank you again for your advice.

[Kay2003]

crow congrats on getting the weissbluth method to work! We have started talking about doing some "sleep training" but I wanted to wait a little longer, since Kaito is just four months and I read somewhere that the books suggest five to six months. I also wanted to wait until after his congestion went away. I wouldn't want to do sleep training with him sick.

congestion - thanks, cr8nme, cr8zy, alison about checking the color of Kaito's mucus. It's clear now and seems to be getting better. But I think you're right that I should see the pediatrician as he has been so congested for two+weeks now.

britax - I want to get the britax roundabout. The fabrics that you posted for the marathon were great! I'm going to check out albee too to see if they have any specials on the roundabout.

get well wishes to all the sick babies on this thread! Croup and dehydration! Poor babies. And poor sleepless mommies.

take care!

PS I took a bath by candlelight for the first time yesterday night and read a magazine, just to get some "me" time. IT was so relaxing and I highly recommend it !

[pixiecat]

Hi ladies!

Well, add Lily to the group of sick kids :rolleyes: She is sneezing & coughing, but still seems pretty happy (no fever) so hopefully this cold will be gone soon! I am finally feeling better & survived my first week at work - it had it's ups and downs, but I think I will make it!

Going to the spa today for a *much* needed soak & massage... anyone else's back killing them?? Have a fun superbowl day!!

[cr8zyforaf]

No time for shout outs - I think Ashley has a stomach bug - she has been puking and not really eating.

I am so P*SSED right now - MIL babysat last night, which was very nice. Well, she brought the BRU flyer to show me a dress that she is going to buy for A...and guess what, it is a "my first birthday" dress - WTF?? . Not only is it ulgy, A isn't even 5 months yet and what makes her think she has the right to buy MY DAUGHTERS FIRST BIRTHDAY OUTFIT??? I think she is going today to get it - I am going to have to say something - I need to put my foot down now or else this is going to continue. DH thinks I am being too sensitive and he thinks I should just take the dress and not have her wear it. I Think that is so passive/aggresive. I am going to tell her today that I think the birthday dress is something that I should be allowed to purchase. God, I am so mad right now I could scream.

edited to add - about the bathtime trauma...have you tried getting into the bathtub with her? Maybe sitting in the big tub with her either on your lap or between your legs would help. I know I take baths with Ashley every once in a while(stupid, I know but I missed out on breastfeeded so this is a way for us to be close) - maybe that would make her feel better.

[cr8zyforaf]

I just had to post this - A can't roll...but she is sitting!!

http://images.snapfish.com/345%3C3%3B268%7Ffp336%3Enu%3D3238%3E577%3E3%3A8%3E WSNRCG%3D32334%3B5%3B85528nu0mrj

[Cr8nme]

Awwww Kim~ Look at A!! She is such a big girl sitting up!


I got Noelle's 5 month pics taken today here are a couple!

https://www.searsphotos.com/ImageServer/dep_show_line_item.aspx?I=1EC8DC09-F3C2-49FC-A77A-73472928E876&C=Nat

https://www.searsphotos.com/ImageServer/dep_show_line_item.aspx?I=F08B5945-8B24-4402-939E-86CDCA0291B1&C=Nat

[solongtogo]

Woooo! Go Ashley!!

[randysmandy]

We bought DS the Evenflo Truimph DXL yesterday. After reading about everyone buying new carseats I wondered if we should do the same. Since Hunter is actually too wide for his infant seat we thought-no better time than the present! IW asn't too crazy about the fabric (will post a pic later on) However, I found it to have more cusion than the Britax roundabout for only $140.
Yah for Ashley!
Noelle is such a big girl!
Will post later-lots of work going on today!

[BeachBum]

Wow! Go Ashley! Way to sit up girlie!
That is nuts-o about the birthday outfit. I wouldn't be mean per say, but I would let her know that you want to choose the outfit when the time comes. I too would not bend on this!

H will still up (using his hands for balance) when sitting up for a bit, but then topples over. He can't sit up like Ashley is. I have such a hard time making him "practice" because all he wants to do is stand. He will flex his legs and push back---it is so funny.

Noelle looks adorable. Great pictures! I really love that second one.

My uncle died this weekend and the funeral is tomorrow. I don't want to take H, but I don't want to leave him either. It is out of town (day trip) but I haven't left him for that long. Not sure what to do....Maybe I will just go to the viewing tonight instead....


Is anyone else's kiddo loving blocks? We have the small wooden ones that he loves to eat and knock down when I build things, then we have big cloths ones that take both hands to hold. He just loves them!! so many other toys he gets bored with right away, but not the blocks! What are your kids loving (toys wise) these days? Are blocks a "boy" thing?

Mandy--I agree give your MIL the $20. I mean, I seriously can't think of many things more annoying, but at least you can see Hunter during the day and MIL isn't going to change. {{hugs}}

Hope the sick babies are feeling better!

[philnikki]

Kim - First of all, good for you in standing up to her! That is your right to be able to enjoy doing the fun stuff for A too. why don't you just tell her that you had another idea in mind for a dress and if she wants to help, to give you a gift cert to BRU or something? FWIW though, I saw the same dressand I thought it was cute :o I planned on getting it for Ava's first birthday (her theme is going to pretty in pink) Do you really think it looks bad, or is it just bc MIL wants to buy it? Now I am all paranoid I am putting my kid in something ugly! lol And look at her sitting up! Awww!!! What a cutie!

And Noelle looks precious!! Awwwww!!!!

BeachBum - So sorry to hear about your uncle! You and your loved ones will be in my thoughts and prayers!


So Ava's new trick is gagging and throwing up on Mommy. Serioulsy. I now know the difference between her being sick and her just gagging bc she coughs and she did it once on Sat. and once on Sun. Oh how I love being puked on! Such is the life of a mommy I guess. I am pretty lucky as Ava really didn't have any reflux issues till now. It doesn't seem to bother her though. Yuck!

Forgot to mention that mu MIL struck again this weekend as well! She called to tell me that she bought Ava a floppy hat for our vacation, so that she doesn't get all burnt. First of all, I wil obvioulsy have sunscreen on her, so that isn't a problem. Second of all, WTF, do you not think that I have hats for my daughter? I might be being too sensitive about it, but just the way she put it was like it was the first hat Ava probably ever owned. I just said that was fine and she got off the phone. Arg.

More on our weekend in my journal. Congrats to my Steelers!! Yahoo!!!!

[wife&wannabemom]

Good morning everyone...

crow- I am glad crowbaby is starting to sleep better. It makes a world of difference for Mom & Dad.

Kay2003- Yeah for a candlelit bath....that sounds heavenly.

pixie- Yeah for making it through your first week of work....sorry Lily is in the sick baby club. I think everyone is a member right now. How was your spa day?

cr8zy- Look at Ashley sitting up...she is so beautiful!! She sits up so perfectly too...Patrick does sit up for a few seconds but looks like a Budda all hunched over. And your MIL is a piece of work. I agree with Nikki, just tell her you had another idea in mind.

cr8mne- Noelle is precious...I love that smile. I have to make an appoitnment for Patrick's 6 month potraits.

BeachBum- So sorry to hear aobut your Uncle. OUr thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. What did you decide to do?

Randysmandy- Yeah for hte EvenFlow...I really need to get the second car seat, Patrick is way too big for the infant seat.

Nikki- Sorry about hte puking...b/c Patrick has reflux we're kind of 'used' to be thrown up on but it stinks....this weekend I actually asked Patrick to stop, but he didn't listen ;)

Well, Patrick doesn't seem to be getting any better...he's actually a bit worse. The pediatrician said it is croup but that he doesn't have it bad enough to warrant steriods yet...but yesterday he started wheezing...poor thing. He HATES the aspirator...but I htink it was either Brink of BeachBum who said to close the other nostril and that has worked SOOOO much better getting everything out. Patrick flails his arms and legs like you're trying to kill him...but his temperment has changed at all. He's just sooo congested when he sleeps and wakes himself up from his cough. Hopefully he'll get better this week.

[cr8zyforaf]

Nikki - sorry, no the dress isn't ugly and to be honest - I really haven't looked that closely at it. I am so put off by the fact that MIL wants to buy it - even my mom tried to convince me that it wasn't that bad. I am just beside myself over this...it seems like she is always trying to stay 10 steps ahead of me. I want to enjoy where we are at now, now keep looking ahead to the next major event so I can buy an outfit before MIL beats me to it. I am sorry if I offended you. I don't have a theme for her party yet - it just breaks my heart that MIL finds a way to p*ss on my parade all the time. And no, I didn't even stand up for myself. It will start WWIII so if she gets the dress, it will just sit in the back of the closet. So sorry about the MIL - I don't think you are overreacting...

wife&wannabemom - so sorry that Patrick is sick. Poor little guy - hope he feels better soon.

BeachBum - I am so sorry about your Uncle. You are your family are in my thoughts.

randysmandy - Nice score on the car seat - can't wait to see pictures.

Cr8nme - Noelle is absolutely adorable!! You have a little heartbreaker on your hands!! She is very photogenic!

Ashley is sick/teething – she keeps throwing up and she isn’t really eating or sleeping. If this continues, I am calling the doctor. She seems happy and active – so I don’t know. She has a lot of white bumps on her gums – is that a sure sign of teeth.

QOTD – can anyone recommend some good CD’s. A loves music and I just realized I don’t know the words to many children’s tunes – I am looking for good sing along CDS.

Gotta run – fussy baby not happy with mommy typing

[Cr8nme]

I had a really horrible day...I will be SO glad when this house sells and I am with DH! On a good note DH and I will probably see eachother at the end of the month...he has to go to a conference in Vegas and that is like a 1 hour flight for me sooo I will probably fly there and stay with him. I can't wait!
Noelle and I took a bubble bath together last ngiht and I could tell she was a little afraid of the deep water so she kept clinging to me and wanted to nurse in the bathtub! But then she started splashing and having fun! I really cherish this time we have! However she is sleeping now...so I had dinner and am now looking for a flight!

[jo&sean]

Cr8zy - Ashley sits up so well!! How cool is that!

Cre8nme - Noelle's pics are too cute. She is such a pretty little girl.

Beachbum - I am sorry to hear about your Uncle.

Hope all the sick babies get better!.

We got back from Seattle earlier this afternoon. Addison did great on the road trip - she is a great traveler and even slept better then she does at home. She slept from 8:00 pm to 4:00 am both nights we were gone.

We took her to the Seattle Aquarium and she LOVED it. Here she is checking out some fish.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b6dc27b3127cce9705a07d222400000016108AbMmrdizaM8

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b6dc27b3127cce9705a06ea30700000016108AbMmrdizaM8

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b6dc27b3127cce9705948f22cc00000016108AbMmrdizaM8

Bath Time - Thank you for your suggestions. I decided to take a bath with her and that did the trick. By the end of the bath, she was splashing, giggling and grabbing for her toys.

Fun Stuff - When we got home from Seattle today, the excersaucer and the bumbo seat had arrived. I put her in the bumbo while we built the excersaucer and she loved it. Then we put her in the excersaucer and she went crazy for the toys. Definitely a happy little girl today :)

Well I am off to go buy some new shoes...both pairs of my black boots have bit the dust. They are one of my closet staples and I can't believe both finally gave out within 2 days of each other...at least I can justify buying new ones now ;)

[randysmandy]

Carseat
Here's is my big boy in his new carseat. DH and I were hysterical when we took him out of it and the head support stuck like a doughnut to his head--his head is too big for it! He is much more comforable now. I still can't believe he outgrew it at 5 months.
The only downfalls:
There is no "hood" to block the sun
Now if he falls asleep in the car I can't just carry him into a store while still in his car seat.

http://images.snapfish.com/345%3C55274%7Ffp337%3Enu%3D3256%3E2%3A%3B%3E962%3E WSNRCG%3D32334%3B74%3C8%3B98nu0mrj

Addy looks like she is having So much fun. Let me ask-was she more interested in her refelction or the fish :o We can't wait to bring Hunter to the aquarium! So glad she liked her bath and her Bumbo!

MIL'S Looks like when we married our DH's we married the MIL's too! At least we have eachother to vent to!
cr8zyforaf Tell you MIL her you forgot you bought it when you were pregger! Better go shopping.
[I]Cr8nme[I] Yah for seeing DH in Vegas! Good luck finding a flight.

Well back to work-I am SWAMPED.

[BeachBum]

Well we went to the viewing last night instead. All was fine till the trip home. Henry screamed like I have never heard before....It was awful and the next exit was like 20 miles away. I was nearly in tears by the time we could safely pull over. It was truly terrible. He did fine at the viewing, and actually there was lots of family there that hadn't seen him so that ended up being a positive.

It was a long day for us because we had Henry's portrait done. The photographer was an hour away to the south, and the viewing was an hour away to the north. Plus, I had committed to bringing dinner to a friend that had a baby last week. Whew!
I think I mentioned our plan for the photographs a few weeks ago, but then we had to cancel because of the weather. The photographer only uses natural light and so we had to wait till a nice sunny day. Well it was so much fun. I can't wait to get the pictures back. He said probably by the end of the week. I don't have a scanner, but I will have to find a way to share them with you guys!

Addison looks so cute! What a fun day trip!

Hunter looks so big in the new car seat! H looks like a mini in his! He hasn't quite outgrown the snugride, but I went ahead and bought the marathon when I saw that deal.

[cr8zyforaf]

I am home with the flu - was so sick last night I thought I was going to die. Of course A didn't sleep last night and DH had to take her - she was not happy about that at all - so no one got any sleep last night. I felt so bad taking her to daycare today but mommy is still too sick. I hope this runs its course by the time I have to get her. So much for taking that stupid flu shot - this is the sickest I have ever been!

[Cr8nme]

Awww Cr8zy I am sorry you are sick :( I will be thinking of you.

All the babies look sooo cute!

[pixiecat]

kim - ugh! Sorry you have the flu! Poor thing! Lots of liquids and rest today for you! Don't worry about A - she'll be fine & you need to get better!

beachbum - wow, that was a long day! I'm sure the pictures will turn out great!

mandy - what a cute carseat! And Hunter looks adorable!! I'm going to miss the convenience of the snugridge too... then again, it's getting *really* heavy!

jo&sean - darling pics of Addison at the aquarium! We took DD to the zoo a couple of weeks ago... she slept through most of it :rolleyes: (it's okay, I loved it!) but really perked up at a few things! Can't wait until they are big enough to really know what's going on!

Cr8nme - sorry you are having a bad day... but I am happy that Noelle liked her bath & that you finally get to see DH soon! Hang in there!

wife - poor little guy! Lily is sick too & it is killing me! I won't ever take her healthy days for granted, this is just too hard! Hopefully all the sick babies will be better this week.

Well spa day was *wonderful* - although too short! Now it's back to the grind :) here at work. Going okay though. Hope everyone has a good day!

[solongtogo]

cr8 I'm sorry you're sick, hopefully it's just the 24 hr bug. That has been spreading here like wildfire.

randys He is adorable in his big boy carseat!! I've often wondered what happens when they fall asleep in the car and now you can't carry in the seat!

jo&sean I love those pictures!! Isin't it neat to watch your baby watching things?

[jo&sean]

Thanks everyone for the comps on Addy :) To answer Randysmandy's question - I thought at first it was her reflection she was watching but then she started tracking the fish and going crazy with her hands when they sped by. The one tank with the colorful blue and orange fish were her favorite. She played and watched them for at least 15 minutes. We got tired of holding her so we finally had to move onto to something else (bad mom and
dad!)

Hunter is adorable in his new ride!! Having the donut stick to his head reminds me of the incident with Addy and her bumbo....it stuck to her bum!

Pixie - Glad you enjoyed your spa day :)

Beachbum - I am so sorry Henry got so upset while you were driving. Isn't that an awful feeling!?!

Cr8zy - So sorry you are sick! Don't feel bad about taking Ashley to school while you are ill. You need your rest and just think, she isn't around your sick germs as much.

Addison started coughing and sneezing a lot last night. Her cough sounds congested. Poor little thing. She woke at 4:30 and ate a little bit but she mostly just wanted to cuddle with mom because she fell right back to sleep - snoring and all. I could tell she wasn't feeling well this morning because she was really mad when we got ready to leave for school (either that or she was just tired of riding in the car!). Hopefully she has a good day today.

Ok, back to work I must go!

[Brink]

Aimee had her 4 month appointment today. She did better with the shots this time around. She is a little cranky but not too bad.

Her stats at 4 month WBV

Height - 25 1/4 inch (80th percentile)
Weight - 15.5 lb (85th percentile)
Head - 41 (50th percentile)

She said she looked great but thought her cold would stick around longer. She said not to be surprised if she keeps a runny nose and cough through the end of winter - Ugh!

Lots of catching up to do.

Crow - glad to hear the sleep training is working. I hope you continue to get good sleep.

Kay2003 - yeah for the candlelight bath. DH and I have been trying to figure out a way to go sit in the hot tub. Hasn't happened yet.

Cr8zyforaf - Sorry about MIL and the bday outfit. Did you figure out what you are going to do? That is great that Ashley is sitting up. So sorry to hear you are sick today, hope you feel better.

Nikki - your MIL sounds like a PITA too! Glad to hear you stand up to her.

Beachbum - sorry to hear about your uncle. Sounds like a good decision to just go to the viewing. That was a lot to take in for just one day. I hope the pictures turn out wonderful. Can't wait to see them.

Cr8nme - Noelle is beautiful. Those pictures turned out adorable. Congrats on getting to spend time with DH in Vegas. Sounds like loads of fun.

Wife - glad to hear the plugging the other nostril worked. My DH is actually the one that thought of it. Sometimes I feel like it's too much suction, but it does work.

Jo&sean - very cute with Addy and the fish. Yeah for getting the bumbo and excersaucer. They are lifesavers.

Randy - very cute with Hunter in the carseat. We are almost ready to move Aimee into hers.

Whew - sorry if I missed anyone!

[AlisonCO]

HI all - we had a very busy weekend with the funeral. It was nice to see some family that do not live close. Caitlin came with me to the service, burial and brunch the next day, She did well and slept well in the sling eventhough she hadn't slept in there for awhile. We did have an issue with nursing in a crowded room - she would sort of freak out and pull off a bunch. Maybe the noise was distracting. Also she seemed to develop a bit of stranger anxiety and did not want anyone else to hold her even my mom and sister - needless to say I was pooped after it was all over. Dh let me sleep in on Monday and Cailtin took 2, 2+ hour naps and then a shorter one so she was making up for it all too.

Yesterday and today she sat up by herself for about a minute - she really loves sitting up, I guess because she can see so much and reach so much. Also my cousin let us borrow her exersauser and C likes it - I save the 10 minutes a day I feel comfortable with for dinner time. I might actually bring in the high chair soon so she can be a part of dinner. My mom let her suck on an ice cube on Sunday and it was too funny - C liked it and kept licking it. My mom was so proud because she got to feed her her first "solid":).

Beachbum - SO sorry to hear about your uncle's death! I am sure that the pictures will be great!

randysmandy - Hunter looks like he is sitting in a mini LazyBoy! My son was in his by 5 months too!

Brink - I think that Caitlin and Aidan will probably have a runny nose for the rest of the winter too - uggh!

jo&sean - Those are such cute pics of Addison and the fish! Glad that the bath is better.

cr8zy - So sorry that you are so sick - feel better. And yes it should be YOU that buys Ashleys 1st bday dress!

Cr8nme - Hope that this month goes quickly for you so you can spend some time with your DH!

HI to the moms and kids I missed - Hope that you all are doing well!

[randysmandy]

Thanks for all the compliments on Hunter. Last night was our first try at taking him out of his seat and into BRU while he was sleeping. I had a brainstorm-we will just put him into his stroller and he should stay sleeping. Then Mommy remembered the reason why we were going to BRU was to get a lighter stroller in return for one we received at my shower. Therefore-DH had taken the larger stroller out of the car!!!! SO DS woke up as soon as I took him out of his carseat. I must say though-he was out like a light as soon as we left the driveway-so I know he is comfortable in it!
This is the stoller we got-Graco Mosaic in Fushion-it's really compact!:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0008JIM8K.01.PT01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg


Brink Poor Aimee...I wonder how they can predict the length of a cold.

JoSorry to hear that Addy is sick and woke up alot.

I'm another sleepy mom. Hunter woke up every 2 hours last night. Weird: Once it felt really cold in the house. DDH found that the thermestat was turned to 0!!!!!! it was 64 in the house :eek: I think I have a ghost.

Is anyone else dying for a vacation?? I need some warmth-it's 20 out today! I started talking about where to go on summer vacation last night and DH thought I was nuts. Unfortunately since we are saving for a house we can't go too far!

[solongtogo]

Court is terribly sick...she has a 103 degree temp:(

[BeachBum]

Oh my, I am jealous of those of you who's kids stayed asleep in the carseat! I've never been able to take Henry out of the car to run an errand and have him stay asleep in there!

He has been driving me bonkers the past few days. He is so cranky! I think it's the teeth (or lack of) but I want my sweet baby back. He seems "bored" all the time too. It takes everything I've got to stay fun! and he's only 5 months! what am I going to do as get gets older? :eek: We need new activities at this house! But I must also say it really hurts my feelings because when DH gets home Henry will smile and giggle and enjoy playing with him--even if it is the same thing I was doign that was boring! :confused: :(

Anyone else a shop a holic? I seriously have got to stop buying clothes for Henry. I haven't bought myself anything since October, but Henry gets new clothes constantly. It is so, so bad. I think I would be totally broke if he was a girl. I really don't know how you girl mommies do it.

I bought H a new paci that he really seems to like--it it made for teething babies and it is skinnier where his teeth are. He seems to like it much better than his other one. It is by platex.
On the topic of teeth, Hylands teething tablets (homeopathic) really seem to work well for us too. We also have "hurricane" brand numbing stuff (like oragel). At my Wal-mart you have to ask for it at the counter. It is stronger and better tasting than oragel (according to my ped). Getting teeth must really be a bitch.

If you guys have products that are working for you, please, please mention them--I'm always interested in new stuff. Plus I live in a small town so my Wal-mart only has the bare bones. I have to pick most stuff up when I go to the larger town an hour away.

One last thing. Henry doesn't like sitting up. In my lap, or propped up alone he just doesn't seem to like it. He wants to stand all the time. In some ways it's cute, but I do worry. Should I be worrying that he has no interest in sitting? I mean, he can (with his hands for balance), but he just doesn't want to. He can't be left alone though, because he leans back and straightens his legs (like is going to stand) and falls over backwards--hard. thoughts?

[philnikki]

Oh no Lisa! Sending get well vibes to Courtney!!! Has she seen a doc yet?????????????? Thinking of you guys!!!!

[cr8zyforaf]

BeachBum- Ashley has never stayed asleep in her carseat when we are out - she won't even lay in it - I have the exact opposite problem - all she wants to do is sit. If I lay her down, she screams. That is so funny that you say that about DH - we just had this conversation last week - we could do the EXACT same thing and she will howl when DH does it and then just look at me like I am stupid when I do it. At this point, daddy is the fun one. She finds absolutely very little humor in anything that I do.

Yes, shopaholic here....I spent so much money at Gymboree last week I had to hide the stuff from DH. I spent more for an outfit for her than I would probably be willing to spend on myself. Totally nuts. Oh, and I LOVE Janie and Jack also - I almost bought her this adorable long sweater there until I saw it was hand washable :eek: - who makes dry clean/hand washable clothes for kids??

I would worry about the sitting at this point - they are still so young. Ashley has never rolled or shown any interest in rolling...which is upsetting to me but there isn't much I can do.

solongtogo - so sorry Courtney is sick. Poor little girl - has she gone to the doctor?

randysmandy - love the stroller!

AlisonCO - oh, and ice cube - didn't think of that - will have to try it!

Brink - how can they predict a length of a cold? I think that is a horrible thing to tell you.

jo&sean- forgot to comment on the aquarium pictures - they were great! So sorry Addison is sick - gosh, all of our babies are sick.

pixiecat Glad you had a great time at the spa!! So sorry that Lily is sick.

I am still very sick - my mom is here because I simply cannot do it alone tonight - I missed work today. Ashley is not sleeping - I had her in bed with me all night last night and she slept like cr*p. I don't know what to do or what is wrong - but I am too sick to care right now- once I get better I will focus on troubleshooting this issue.

Hope the babies are feeling better!

[AlisonCO]

Just wanted to pass on that www.gymboree.com is having a huge sale - loads of stuff for $4.99, 6.99 and $10. Also if you use this code (SPRING1) you get 25% off your whole order. I gave myself a $50 limit including shipping and I got 2 pairs of shorts and 1 button down shirt for A and 1 pair of capris, 1 long sleeve shirt, 1 turtleneck onesie and 1 pair of leggings for C for $48:D

solongtogo - Poor Courtney - that is a heck of a fever. Hope it is a quick virus!

BeachBum - C seems really bored lately - especially with her gymini and bouncy. Today I propped her up and put a ton of toys arouns her and she played for about 15 minutes! C also loves to be outside so whenever the weather is nice we go for a walk or just watch other kids play at the park. She is also drooling alot!

cr8zyforaf - Hope that you start to feel better! You remember that fur sweater Caitlin got - it was hand wash and air dry!

Happy Thursday!!!

[jo&sean]

Solongtogo - Hope Courtney's temp comes down!! Poor baby :(

Alison - Sounds like you needed your rest on Monday for sure. Thanks for the Gymbo info :)

Randysmandy - I like Hunters new stroller. Looks very sporty :) We are dyeing for a vacation too...I want to go somewhere really warm ;)

Beachbum - I don't think I would worry to much about Henry not wanting to sit. He probably just finds the world more interesting standing. Addison prefers to stand over sitting. She hold herself up for a second while sitting but that's it. Addison finds daddy the most entertaining too right now. Perhaps it is just a phase. Thanks for the teething tablet tips. We really want to use as many natural products as possible. Have you tried anything else? Someone recommended chamomille drops but I haven't boughten any yet...need to get to the health food store soon though.

Cr8zy - I am sorry you are still sick. Thank goodness your mom can come help out. Hope you get to feeling better soon.

I picked up Addison from school at lunch because she is just feeling crummy. Poor little thing is still really stuffed up and is congested in her chest. She hasn't really napped since we got home which I was hoping she would do since I have a ton of work to do. Oh well, taking care of her is more important.

I did get her new car seat ordered:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000B4VLDK.16._SCLZZZZZZZ_SS260_.jpg

I let DH pick it out since I have picked out pretty much everything Addison wears, uses, plays with etc. I think it will be fun in my car since it has black/gray interior.

Kiddo is calling for me...or should I say coughing for me. Poor little thing. She sounds awful!

[Brink]

Aimee was cranky for the last two days from her shots. She seems to be better today. I had to break down and give her a bottle of formula last night. I have been pumping away at work and just can't keep up. I'm going to continue to give her as much BM as possible, but she is going to have to get supplement. She didn't even seem to notice the difference. I put the bottle in her mouth last night and she sucked the 4 oz down without even batting and eye. I should be thankful for that. Part of me feels a little down that I could not produce enough to keep up with my daughter, but another part feels a little relief that some of the pressure to produce has lifted.

Alisonco - I never would have thought about an ice cube. I had lunch with a friend of mine that has 10 month old twins and she was feeding them regular food. They had peas and a grilled cheese sandwich. She broke up the sandwich and fed them the peas one at a time but I was surprised they would eat the food whole and not choke.

Cold - I don't think Aimee's ped was necessarily predicting the length of her cold, I think she just sees that once they get colds they are hard to get rid of and was trying to prepare me so if she didn't get better in a few weeks not to worry, it's common. I actually didn't take offense the way she said it.

Vacation - I am so ready. We are going to book a vacation home at Lake Tahoe for a week this summer. There are four couples that always vacation together and it should be a blast.

Shopping - I am definitely blowing the budget. Thanks for the info on Gymboree AlisonCO - You saved me $20 with that promotion code.

Teething - we bought some of the Hylands gel for her teeth. We haven't used it yet but it's good to hear that you like it BeachBum.

Cr8zyforaf - sorry to hear you are still sick - bummer.

Solongtogo - Very scary with the temp. What did the doc say?

Well, I'm off to have dinner with some friends before going home to my favorite girl.

[Kay2003]

cr8nme - a bubble bath together! That sounds wonderful. I will have to try that with Kaito soon. Hope he won't pee in the tub...

beachbum- I totally identify with your feelings about being a bit jealous when the baby smiles and laughs for daddy when he gets home even though you've been doing the same thing and don't get much of a response. That's me too!

BUT...
Kaito rolled from his back to his tummy yesterday. I was thrilled that I was the first to see it. I wonder if the nanny sees stuff but just doesn't say anything so that I can feel like he did it for me??

jo&sean/B] cute pics from the aquarium. I guess I thought until now that Kaito was too young for the zoo or aquarium, but reading your post makes me think otherwise!

[B]sick babies and mommies - hope you get better soon. Hope courtney's fever goes down.

[randysmandy]

Wow this thread picked up FAST!

Sitting Hunter sits pretty good, but pushed himself back alot. He also tries to stand most of the time. Maybe we will just have earlier walkers and no crawlers!

Hunter will not roll on the floor! He rools n his crib-he even get s up on his knees. I tried to put 2 blankets down on the floor to make it softer, but nope!

Teething I spotted a small white mark on Hunter's lower right front gum! He has been very cranky (woke up 6 times last nght) Mommy's thinking tooth-and lack of sleep for mommy and daddy! Thanks for the advice Beachbum. I also want to say that DS is bored after playing woth something for 5 minutes. I'm exhausted most of the time. I will put him in hsi exersaucer, his swing, his jumperoo-all in about 20 min!!!! DH gets him to belly laugh-mommy only gets smiles.

I'm off to browse Gymboree-thank you!!!!
TGIF!

[philnikki]

Ava had a bubble bath with me last weekend! So funny that you guys would start talking about it!

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c139/philnikki/47b6dc27b3127cce97451f79e3c70000001.jpg

No teething right now for us. She's still all gums :D

Ava is Sitting up for about a minute by herself before she falls over. We are going to be getting her a big girl carseat this weekend, because she is fast approaching the limit on her snugride.

Ava's got another cold :( Not as bad this time though. That's about it for us at the moment!!

[cr8zyforaf]

Nikki - OMG - Ava looks so cute in the bubble bath - I would have never thought to do that.

Kay2003 WOO HOO for Kato rolling!!! How exciting.

Brink - sorry about having to supplement. But you were able to exclusively BF for quite awhile -you should be very proud of that!

jo&sean - Love the carseat pattern. My friend has that one and it looks so good in her black car.

AlisonCO - Thanks so much for the code- you just saved me $30. I got so many cute outfits!

So, I think the reason we are up all night is teething...her gums are very bumpy and white and I have a feeling that all of her teeth are going to appear in a very short time. Poor thing. I also think she is going through some separation anxiety - she is now refusing her bottles at daycare but will eat for me as soon as we get home which makes me feel HORRIBLE. And, today I go in and her full time teacher has resigned. :( - when it rains, it pours I guess.

Oh, and for teething I am using Bonjela which seems to work - I ordered it online - it is sold overseas - and I am also going to pick up some highlands because the colic tablets worked so well for us.

Happy Friday to everyone!

[charmcitygirl]

brink you should be proud of yourself for giving aimee bm for this long. i really wanted to bf jake & zoe and when i finally gave up, it was a huge relief... so i know how you feel.

sick babies hope all of them get better soon.

car seats we started out with the convertibles (used in conjunctions with the headrest things) only because i didn't want to replace infant carriers a few months down the road. and i'm glad that i did. those things are expensive and i got both of mine at my shower. i have the britax roundaboutin the "puma" fabric... it's kinda leopard print-like... very cute and i love it. the headrests could probably come out soon and i should also readjust the restraints. which reminds me that i also have to tighten the seats because i think they've loosened a bit.

baths i keep meaning to bring a baby in the bath with me. maybe this weekend.

sitting only with support, really. sometimes they will sit for a nano-second on their own. jake has been trying to stand when i pull him up to sit. he loves to stand.

teething not yet but i think i will pick up some hylands teething tablets so that i'm ready when the time comes. seems like saliva would just wash away the gel so i'll probably skip that.

rolling lots of that going on here. but often they won't roll back to their backs, although i know they can, and then the whining begins. i'm really starting to worry about jake & zoe becoming mobile... i don't know how i will keep up.

solids jake still isn't really interested. zoe likes her food though. at almost 6 months (!!!) she is really getting the hang of it. i only started solids a few weeks ago b/c of constipation, giving her pears and prunes. i've started to mix in some cereal and even tried some bananas. but i'm concerned that the cereal and bananas will only bring on more constipation so i make sure to give her plenty of pears as well. she gets food once a day and jake will only take a taste here and there.

exersaucer we finally got one after much searching (long story) and they really seem to like it. i call it "going to the circus"... i got the evenflo mega exersaucer in the circus print.

shopping at first, i was finding a lot more stuff for jake but now the tables are turning. zoe cleaned up at old navy last weekend. she got lots of clothes (thanks to my mom) and a bathing suit. jake also got some trunks and a few pairs of pants. all 6-12 months so its really spring/summer stuff. there's so much that i find online for them but most are way too $$$. i saw these really cute pants and finally found the fabrics at an online store so i'll probably attempt to make some. should be easy enough. these fabrics would be fun:
http://www.craftyplanet.com/sc_images/products/611_thumbnail_image.gif http://www.craftyplanet.com/sc_images/products/612_thumbnail_image.gif http://www.craftyplanet.com/sc_images/products/453_image.gif

i also really want to make some of these:
http://a444.g.akamai.net/7/444/703/20050916203458/www.marthastewart.com/images/content/feature/ft_kimono01_l.jpg
cute, no?

in these fabrics maybe:
http://www.craftyplanet.com/sc_images/products/479_image.gif http://www.craftyplanet.com/sc_images/products/341_image.gif

[charmcitygirl]

just posting a pic of my carseat... did i tell you guys how much i love it ;) ?

http://www.britaxusa.com/images/products/Roundabout-Top-Cat200.jpg

seriously, though, i highly recommend the britax roundabout. i chose it because it got good reviews on baby bargains.

[charmcitygirl]

oh a few more things. questions, really.

1. has anyone seen mesh bumpers in stores. i've seen them online but i'd like to see them in person. i need 2 asap!

2. for mommies of bottle-fed babies: are any of your babies holding, or at least trying to hold, their bottles? soemtimes jake and zoe will put their hands on the bottle as if to hold it but when i let go, they do likewise. i know it's probably too early for this. i was just curious.

[cr8zyforaf]

charmcitygirl - I remember you knit - right?? And you sew also?? Wow - I got a sewing machine years ago for my birthday and am scared to touch it. Do you use patterns? How did you learn to sew? I don't know how you find the time. I was going to take a class and then ended up pregnant and the morning sickness started and the last thing on my mind was sewing. I asked for it so I could sew curtains for every room in my house - isn't that hysterical?? Love the carseat BTW!

QOTD - I have not seen mesh bumpers. And yes, A hold her bottle - if it is a smaller bottle and she is nearing the end, she can hold it for a good while but usually gets bored and moves on to something else.

[charmcitygirl]

lol. yeah, i knit and sew. not that i really have the time to do either right now. i learned from my mom, who in turn learned from her mom. i only learned to sew because i'm quite short and i got sick and tired of spending money to get my pants hemmed. and, yes, i use patterns. the easy ones. the kimono pattern is from marthastewart.com so i'm not entirely sure that it'll work out. i figure a pants pattern shouldn't be too hard. i want to do pants that are like scrubs with an elastic band so i imagine it'll be a 2-hour project. max. i can do that during naptime, right?

[Sandie78]

Zach does the same thing as your kids Charm. He'll put his hands on the bottle like he's holding it, but if I let go he drops it.

[Brink]

I went out to dinner with friends last night and got home just in time to BF Aimee and she went right to sleep. She woke up an hour later and we gave her a formula bottle and she was out for the rest of the night. I really missed not getting to spend time with her last night and I left for work before she woke up today. At least it's Friday and I'll get the whole weekend with her.

Teething - nothing here yet. We felt her gums and there is no indication of anything. Randysmandy - wow, a tooth coming through - very cool. Cr8zy - that would explain a lot with Ashley's sleeping. I hope they break through soon and give you a rest.

Nikki - Ava is so cute in her bath. She looks like she is having a good time with her little ducky.

Sitting up - nothing here. I guess I don't try all that often. The few times we have she falls forward pretty quick.

Cr8zy - so sorry to hear about the teacher leaving. Aimee's "teacher" left a couple of weeks ago and we actually like the new person much better. I hope this is the case for you too.

Bottle - She tries to hold it most of the time. When it isn't full and doesn't weigh as much, I take my hands off and let her hold it a bit. Then she gets tired and it start slipping, but she is definitely trying.

Well, off to work......

[solongtogo]

Court's fever finally broke a few hours ago...her highest got to 103.4. It was a miserable night, she was boiling hot and refused to lay by herself, so one of us had to hold her at all times. I'm thankful that it broke and she's feeling better than she was. She still has a very nasty cough, so please keep her in your thoughts for wellness, I was in tears yesterday. This has been so hard, I feel so helpless.

[fifibee]

Solongtogo - I'm sorry to hear that Courtney hasn't been feeling well -- good thing fever broke though. :( Do you have an appt with a ped soon? Hang in there and my thoughts are with you today. I hope things improve real soon. *hugs*

Nikki- I love the picture of Ava in the bubble bath. I wished we were in our own house and not apartment so we can enjoy bubble baths as well. She is absolutely adorable. Looks like she likes her ducky friend. ^_^


Brink- It's great you got to get some private time with friends! I think we all need that once in a while to keep ourselves running in the long haul. And plus, like you said, you always have the entire weekend to spend with Aimee.

Holding bottles- Yeah, we definitely notice Max trying to hold his bottles these days. His little hands can't hold the bottle up himself yet, but he's trying. It's the cutest thing. And when he's done, he does a bit smack across to get rid of the bottle. That scares a bit though. :P

Teething- Max's 1st tooth (bottom) is definitely out! We see another white shadow peeping out next to it, so we're anticipating the 2nd one in the next couple of weeks. We haven't tried any medication though... he's been a little fussier, but good through the evenings. I'm keeping your recs in mind though...

Shopping at Gymboree- Can I say... this mama went crazy at Gymboree (www.gymboree.com) sale yesterday? Must've been all the pent up shopping energy I had through the past few months. We didn't have to buy him any clothing for the longest time because he got so many from friends & family. But as he is growing out of them, I decided it was time to hit the sales rack. I couldn't get enough how cute all the items were and now we have a completely new wardrobe for this summer, and some key pieces for the fall. I wished I had the code for extra % off though. Oh well. By the way, I've also fallen in love with some things at Janie & Jack. But after seeing the prices at Gymbo, I just couldn't go ahead with buying what I liked there. Guess I'll have to wait for major sales.

I've been thinking about getting a shopping cart cover for Max. Has anyone gotten one yet? Many moms from the parenting board mentioned Sewcute Boutique (http://www.sewcuteboutique.com/) and I liked it too (especially with the extra pillow), but it looks like she has stopped taking new orders. :( Any other recommendations from this group?

Oh no, crying baby... gotta run! Have a great weekend, everyone!

[hmbay]

shopping cart cover--I'm not sure how prices compare as I"ve never bought one but you can try http://www.rosiebaby.com/shoppingcart.htm One of the Oct mommies (nancy drew) makes them.

[Cr8nme]

Hey ladies...I have a question for all of the moms of girls... I got Noelle's ears pierced when she was 8 weeks old and wondering how many of you have already taken the plunge. I am asking b/c people stop me wherever we go and mention or make comment about it.

Noelle is doing really well she seems so happy at daycare which is so easy for me to leave her. I mean I have never cried leaving her and I feel really secure b/c 1. it's at my church and 2. they have guardian cam so I can log on to a secure site and check on her.

[AlisonCO]

Cr8nme - No piercings here yet:) I would like to wait until Cailtin really wants it done, can understand the respondisbilty involved and take care of them herself. I had my first ones done at 6 or 7 and it was a big deal - my mom came and took me out of school early on my b-day and we went and had it done then we went for ice cream - just the 2 of us. I have several holes in my ears (less than a few years ago) and my mom and sister have been there for the majority of them - it is like a strange bonding experience but instead of ice cream afterwards, we get drinks;)

solongtogo - So glad that C's fever broke - what a miserable night you all had!

fifibee - Gymbo is so fun - even with a boy. I wonder if you can call there customer service and give them the code over the phone - maybe they would honor it.

charmcity - Love the carseat! Sorry, haven't seen the mesh bumpers and Yes C likes to try and hold her bottle.

Brink - It is hard to be away from our little ones, but it is also so good to have a real meal with other adults sometimes! I am going out with my moms group tomorrow for brunch - I can't wait to not have to share my food:)

Happy Happy Friday!

[BeachBum]

Sitting up - nothing here. I guess I don't try all that often. The few times we have she falls forward pretty quick.
In my all purpose refrence book it says to let baby slump forward and put her hands down on the ground in front or to the side of their legs for balance. This is the pre-curser to really sitting up. You might want to try that :)

Solongtogo-Glad that courtney's fever broke--how scary! Sorry that I didn't respond earlier, we cross posted.

Ava looks adorable as usual.

Charm-those fabrics and pattern are adorable! But wait, you guys get a 2 hour nap???? Perhaps that's my problem. Henry hasn't slept for more than 45 min for a nap in 2 months.

I've been looking for some different shoes for Henry for summer other than Robeez. Well I found this site hanabear.com Super cute stuff! There are some styles that aren't on the website (a t-strap sandal for girls) that are just adorable. (I have the pic if you want me to email it to you). You can also customize your colors etc. I really want to order some for H and thought I'd give you guys the heads up.

I didn't buy one thing at gymbo yesterday. I really didn't find anything I wanted. I loved the winter/fall stuff which most people didn't like and jsut didn't find much for summer yesterday. I do have the navy and green frog stuff, and one romper from the boating one but that's it. I do love their stuff though, it is so soft!

[charmcitygirl]

beachbum we don't always get 2 hour naps... and not usually at the same time. maybe twice a week? i can always do projects, though, when hubby gets home ;)

cr8nme no piercings here yet. although i've thought about it since i always get stopped and asked if i have 2 boys. while i don't think zoe looks like a boy at. all., jake def. looks like a boy. i'll probably wait until she's 7-8. i like alisonco's idea of making it a "girls" day.

[jo&sean]

Solongtogo - Glad to hear Courtney's fever finally broke. Poor little girl. I can't imagine how hard that must have been on everyone. Sending get well vibes your way!

Randysmandy - Hunter gets up on his knees too!?! Wow, he is strong :)

Charmcitygirl
i call it "going to the circus"...
That's funny you have a "name" for the excersaucer too. We call Addison's her "command center".

Nikki - Cute pic of Ava ;)

Cr8zy - Yikes for the potential of all those teeth! I am sorry that her teacher left. Hopefully you will have a good exp like Brink with your new teacher.

Brink - You should be really proud of yourself for being able to BF for as long as you have while working FT. I am glad you had the chance to have dinner with friends - you need a break and to do something for yourself. I know how guilty it makes you feel though but it refreshes you and we all need that!

Ear piercing - Ditto to what Allison said. I had a very similar experience as she did. I had mine done on my 8th bday and it was a really fun day with just my mom and I.

Bottles - Addison tries to hold her bottle sometimes. Depends on what kind of a mood she is in though. If she is being lazy - forget about it.

Sitting Up - Our ped said the same thing that Beachbum posted - to let the babies slump forward and learn to use their hands for balance. Addison is working on it but I am paranoid about her falling over!

Addy is feeling better today - still quite a bit congested but in a great mood and had a good day at school. Her teachers told DH that despite not feeling well, she did all her activities and was very positive about everything.

I had a bad encounter with a sub at her school the other day. I emailed the director about the incident and spoke with her in person today. The sub was releived of her duties today and has been removed from their list - just like that. I was a little surprised but at the same time I was also extremely pleased that they take what the parents say very seriously.

TGIF! Hope everyone has a good weekend. We have tons of plans and things to do.

[PrincessCrappy]

Hey guys - I haven't posted in here in ages, but I've tried to follow along occasionally. I found 2 moms groups in my area that I absolutely love and have been spending lots of time with them. Between that and my volunteer work -- we've been super busy!

I'm sorry to read about all of the sick mommies and babies. We're entering week 3 with Griffins cold. Last night he had his first fever -- not nearly as high as Courtney's, but I know how stressful and scary it is, Solong. I'm glad to hear it finally broke!

I'm trying to restrain myself from the gymbo sale. I spent a FORTUNE during the last gymbuck redemption period...although, it IS a great deal...

I was wondering if anyone is toying with the idea of making your own baby food? I keep saying I'm waiting until Griffin is 6 months before we try anything, as if that is so far away----he'll be six months in a few WEEKS! AHH! I'd love a book with recipes and a guideline of what to introduce and when. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

[Cr8nme]

I am breaking down and starting Noelle on solids this weekend. She gained a measly 5 oz in 5 weeks :eek: She only drinks 8-10 total in the 8 hours period she is in daycare whicih is not a lot at all. She just moved to a size 2 diaper on Monday and she weighs a grand total of 13 pounds 5 ozs. I must admit though that she never cries for food she always seems satisfied so I don't fee like I am starving her. She will be 6 months in a few eeks so we almost made:)

Princess,
I will be making Noelle's food... I wasn't really going to do anything but boil some sweet potatoes and mash them up and then put them in the advent cups and feeze some. She will have only 1 food per week until I am confident she isn't allergic to anything. I think they have a thread on making your own baby food in parenting. I too am off to do some research.

[AlisonCO]

Princess - I plan on making most of Caitlin's food - I agree with Cr8nme, there is a great thread over in Parenting where they talk books and recipes. The easiest thing to do is steam the veggie/fruit and puree in a Cuisinart or blender with some of the cooking liquid - then freeze in ice cube trays. There are a couple of vague "rules" - homemade carrots contain more nitrates than store bought and you really aren't supposed to refreeze previously frozen food but I know that there is some iffyness about those things now. With my son I did sweet potatoes, squash, peas, applesauce and pearsauce - as well as banana and avocado which I never froze. I cooked once a month and froze it. Also if you wait until 6 months, they will really only be on the purees for a couple of months. By 8 months or so they can eat small chucks of very cooked veggies and soft fruit and by 10 months they can eat small pieces of meat (to avoid the yucky jar meat) and small amounts of cheese and yogurt. It is fun to do and it is awesome to know exactly what they are eating - plus it saves a ton of money. Personally I am starting with avocado, banana and sweet potato.

? for the breastfeeding mamas - Are any of you still having gas issues with your kids resulting from things that you eat? Cailtlin was SO SO gassy last night - DH actually took her and sat with her in the lazyboy for a bit and said that she was just tooting like crazy. I had some broccoli for dinner which I had been avoiding. It just seems like she is getting old enough that it shouldn't affect her that much. After lunch time I try to avoid gassy veggies, dairy, chocolate and caffeine. Anyone???

Today was Caitlin's 5 month birthday - she had another ice cube:):):)

[Kay2003]

Alison I'm b/f but I don't think Kaito has experienced gassiness from what I eat lately... Then again, Kaito never experienced that much gassiness - I can only remember a few days where he was having pain - where he would come off the breast, cry, go back on, cry, etc.

solongtogo - hope C gets better soon.... Hang in there!

another sleepless night - Kaito went to bed at 8, was up at 12:00, 3:00, 4:30, 5:30... you get the picture. I was so tired at work today that TWICE I pumped without the bottles attached.:rolleyes: It's 8 pm and I am going to bed... Maybe I will check his gums tomorrow to see if he is teething... I was just about to try cry it out but I wouldn't want to do that to him if he's teething. Then again it'd be rather early, as he's only 4.5 months.

britax roundabout - I'm going to get the roundabout too as it's smaller than the marathon.

Good night everyone!

[wildcat]

hi girls!

I haven't been here in forever!! Work is so busy that I don't ever have time to get on CC and then in the evenings, well, you know! I've been so tired, I have Lauren in bed at 8:30 and I'm generally asleep between 9 and 10 (then up at 5am).

Sorry for all the sick babies and mommies, this cold season should be over soon!

sitting up - Lauren started doing the tripod thing maybe 3 weeks ago and has been sitting by herself for the last few weeks w/o falling, which means she started sitting at about 4 months! My mom said I sat really early also...but then I didn't get teeth or crawl until 8-9 months!

bubble bath - That looks like fun - I'll have to try that with Lauren!

gas- The only thing I've ever noticed with Lauren is Thai food. I can't eat it, it makes her miserable the next day. Not sure if I can try it again yet or not.

ear piercing - Ditto what most of you have said. I got my earrings when I turned 6 and it was a big deal. We'll do the same with Lauren (not sure about the age for sure, but I want to do it when she asks for it and I think she's old enough to take care of them).

shopping cart cover - My grandma made us one before Lauren was born, so I'm not sure where the best place is to buy them! Now that Lauren is sitting up so well, I might get it out and try it out.

sewing - My mom is a great seamstress (I should really get out that brand new sewing machine I asked for and got for Christmas 4 years ago and learn!) and she is going CRAZY sewing for Lauren for spring/summer clothes. She's making dresses, rompers, capris, matching hats, etc. She also has the embroidery module on her machine (got it for christmas!) and is in an all day class today learning how to use it! So she'll use that on tshirts, tanks, onsies, etc. Here's one of the dresses she's finished (which is HUGE on Lauren right now):
http://www.billyandashlee.com/gallery/albums/wpw-20060206/normal_IMG_2427.jpg

And a frecent pic of bathtime!
http://www.billyandashlee.com/gallery/albums/wpw-20060206/normal_IMG_2393.jpg

[charmcitygirl]

solids i'm making my own and plan to use jarred very infrequently if at all. so far i've made pearsauce and i've mixed that with a bit of multigrain cereal and sometimes prune juice. what can i say? one of my kids gets constipated ;) i tried banana and will probably move on to avocados soon. my ped suggested white foods first (not sure why). i'm using organic foods and boil them in a little water. then i puree the food with the water it was boiled in, let it cool, fill ice cube trays (each cube is exactly 1 oz) and freeze. then i pop them out and store in freezer ziplocks. i defrost them in the fridge as i need them. i also have some frozen avocados from trader joes that i'll just defrost as needed.

foot fetish zoe has become completely obsessed with her feet. jake is starting to grab them as of last night.

6 month mark crazy. jake & zoe will be 6 months on tuesday and will have their wbv so i'll update their stats then.

sales i totally ignored the gymboree sale... can't deal with that craziness. but my tru/bru is going out of business--40-75% off EVERYTHING--so i went this morning and got my sil her stroller (40% off!!!), a few baby-proofing items, and a radio flyer with all-terrain wheels. should be good for the beach this summer. i wanted to get a sandbox but hubby didn't think it would fit in the car. i'd go back to get it sans kids & stroller but...

...it's snowing!! woo hoo.

[randysmandy]

No snow here yet charmcitygirl! But it is on its way-I'm actually looking forward to being snowbound with DH and DS.

MILESTONES
1. Hunter is ROLLING on the floor. When we got home we put him down on the floor and he rolled from his back to his stomach until we had to stop him because he was going to hit the entertainment center! He was only rolling in his crib til tonight! He rolled from his belly to stomach once and pulled himself for a 12"! He is growing up too fast!
2.He actually woke up this morning with his head at the other end of the crib-in the corner. I nearly died laughing hwen I went up to him and he cooed at me and grabbed my arm.
3. He grabbed his mobile after his nap. I walked in and all I saw was a little arm reaching up and touching his lamb.
Welcome back Wildcat Lauren is so cute in her tub. She looks so big in her dress.

QOTD So who entered their baby in the most beautiful baby contest for Live with Regis and Kelly? I did! :rolleyes:

How are all our sick babies?

[PrincessCrappy]

Thanks so much for all of the tips on the baby food. I'll definitely head over to the thread in parenting. I just read somewhere about the importance of using organic products when available -- I'm so glad there are so many great organic farmer's markets around here.

shopping cart cover - I am so sad to learn that sewcuteboutique isn't accepting new orders. I knew I should have ordered one sooner!!

gas - I think because of Griffin's reflux, I have been overly cautious with the things I eat. I'm weaning him off of his medicine now, so I'm really trying to avoid gassy foods -- I never thought the day would come that I'd miss broccoli. :rolleyes: Are the babies at an age now that things shouldn't bother them as much?

Randysmandy - Hunter seems to be doing so well with his gross motor skills - that's great! Griffin always wakes up in the opposite corner than where he started the night, too.

Here are a couple of recent pictures of Griffin:
http://images.kodakgallery.com/photos1611/3/63/96/73/68/7/768739663303_0_ALB.jpg
http://images.kodakgallery.com/photos1418/3/63/96/84/22/4/422849663303_0_ALB.jpg
http://images.kodakgallery.com/photos1766/3/63/96/36/40/8/840369663303_0_ALB.jpg

[Sandie78]

Just a quick post here because I gotta go to bed. Zach rolled over for the first time today (back to tummy). Yea!

[solongtogo]

The Regis & Kelly contest is for babies 6+ months....non of our babes are that old yet

[charmcitygirl]

solongtogo mine are!
but i'm not entering them.

princesscrappy your pics aren't showing up. are you using kodak's site? if so, try another one.

[randysmandy]

Damn-I didn't read it through I guess-oh well! He will ALMOST be 6 months-shucks.

[PrincessCrappy]

Thanks for the heads up on the pictures, charm. I just forgot that Kodak doesn't work here...
Let's try again, new pictures of Griffin:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b6dc33b3127cce97781683e92100000016108ActmbVyzcs8
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b6dc33b3127cce9778164a68d800000016108ActmbVyzcs8
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b6dc33b3127cce97781458e9fb00000015108ActmbVyzcs8

[jo&sean]

Princess - Griffin is such a cute little guy! Look at how well he is sitting up too :)

Baby food - We will be making most of our own but I have bought organic jarred applesauce, pears and sweet potatoes to start. We are still working on one food at a time and will be starting avacados this week. Once she has a good list of ok foods, I am going to make our own and freeze them with the ice cube tray trick like others have mentioned. I didn't want to go crazy with cooking for her yet until I know what she can eat.

Gymbo Sale .. I broke down and ordered a bunch of stuff despite telling Dh that I was going to take it easy on the clothes for a while. Soon as I was done there I went to Old Navy's site and ordered a few more things. Bad me. Hopefully I will intercept the packages before he does ;) The gymbo sale is great though - I got Addison mix & match pieces for 11 different outfits for $94 after the discount. Who can beat that?!

Addison had a rough day yesterday. I think it was the tail end of her cold and we had a meeting at a ski resort yesterday that we took her to and I don't think she liked the elevation changes as we drove up the mountain. Poor baby! I felt really bad for her. Today she was feeling so much better and back to all smiles and the happy girl we know so well. Her big accomplishment for the day: She sat up on her own!!. Several times throughout the day she was able to sit up on her own - only for a few seconds but on her own nonetheless. This evening before she went to bed she was doing even better with her new skill. She was soooo excited about it too. She would just giggle and play with her toys. Too cute!

[cr8zyforaf]

Well, I thought someone had kidnapped my baby this weekend - she slept in her crib Friday and Saturday night from about 8-4. This was huge. She also took a 2 hour nap on Saturday which she has never done. But, the kidnappers brought her back last night (they were probably exhausted) and she was up just about every hour. I just don't get it. At least she is in her crib for the most part - I did put her in bed with me from 4-6 today just because I was so exhausted. I know I need to be more consistent but it is just so hard.

jo&sean - so sorry Addison had a bad day - the elevation probably made her ears hurt. Woo Hoo for sitting up on her own! I am with you on the package interception - I ordered about $100 worth of stuff from Gymbo and then about $60 worth of CDs for her off of amazon.

PrincessCrappy - Griffin is so cute!!! I love the bedding!

Sandie78 - Yeah for rolling!

wildcat - Love the dress and that picture in the tub is just adorable - what a great smile!

QOTD - I am also making our food - I just buy organic produce (so far we've only done squash) and steam it in the microwave - then I have a little machine from One step ahead that purees - then I freeze in ice cube trays. I bought Super Baby Food book and it has a lot of great information! Next on our list to try is sweet potato and I need a fruit because she is constipated :eek: .

We got about 12 inches of snow this weekend. I took Ashley out and got her picture (she never smiles for the camera :( )

http://images.snapfish.com/345%3C%3A758%3B%7Ffp335%3Enu%3D3238%3E577%3E3%3A8% 3EWSNRCG%3D32335296933%3A8nu0mrj

She still isn't rolling anywhere - just sitting. I signed her up for a swimming class today - it starts in March - I am so excited!!

[philnikki]

Good morning ladies. Sorry that I have been MIA for a few days. Ava is sick (yet again) and I have had some crap going on with work and family drama. Lovely, lovely. Her latest virus is a coughing one, so poor baby is constantly coughing. No fever yet though. She also has a runny nose. I think we have run the gamut of virus's. Every one that she has gotten has been different in some way. We are waiting till thursday to see if she starts getting better before we call the ped, since she isn't running a fever. She got me up at 1am last night and didn't sleep but in 15 minute spurts the rest of the night. Ack.

Can anyone else's baby feed themselves yet? Ava can hold her bottle all by herself! It was cool at first, but now she gets mad when I try to hold it for her! *sigh* My babs is growing up :(

Adorable pics as usual ladies! Sorry to those who are buried under snow. We got the back end of it in the burgh and ended up with about 3 inches in my neck of the woods. It wasn't that bad.

Oh, we went to BRU on Saturday and there were 6 fire trucks and a bunch of ambulances outside :eek: We called and they said that they would be opening in 20 minutes, and when they did, it sure did smell in there! We ended up getting her carset (Britax Marathon in the Olivia print like you Kim) and now I am looking for a cheaper one for my car (like, under $70) Any suggestions??? I was going to look at Target this week. Oh! And we got a pink kolcraft umbrella stroller. Its adorable!!! We also got an inflatable tub and some clothes and her first pair of Nikes (all for her Easter basket!) Baby girl was SPOILED this weekend.

Anyway -- thats about it my way! I leave with you a few shots of my babe:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c139/philnikki/100_2722.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c139/philnikki/100_2755.jpg

[solongtogo]

Damn-I didn't read it through I guess-oh well! He will ALMOST be 6 months-shucks.


I know I was bummed too. I even had a picture picked out :)

[crow]

sandie congratulations on Zach rolloing over! Isn't so fun to see? I especially like my little one's confused but happy look.

Oh my gosh, Griffin is sooooo cute in those photos! And wow, he and Addison are sitting! jo&sean, how cute that Addison loves to sit. My little one sits for maybe a few seconds before toppling over, but he doesn't see to care for sitting. He has a "concentrating" type of look. WE LOVE it when he topples over though.

cr8zy, your photo is funny, like Ashley is so *not* impressed with snow. Our guy does that with the camera, too. It's hard to get him to smile right AT the lens. I'm glad that Ashley slept so much better! Hopefully the *other* baby comes back. I was going to post in your thread about the sleeping but I got busy. One thing that helped us (and by no means are we experts b/c our sleeper has only been good for the last 2 weeks), but it seems that he does better on his stomach. I know that this is a no-no for many babies, but it was ok'd by our ped.

nikki, :eek: look how cute and what a big girl Ava is! She does look much older, esp the way she's holding her block!

Well, not much around here. Crowbaby still sleeping pretty good at night. Naps are somewhat of a struggle. He takes little catnaps in the day, and we have to hold him to get him for the rest of the time to sleep longer. Yeah, it is not the best sol'n but we're still following Weisbluth's "do whatever you need to do get baby into a good sleep pattern.

I'm saddened by some mistakes I made financially, about 2 years ago. I haven't thought about it until recently, since now I'm not so sleep deprived, so I wake up and regret. I need to get over this! (I thought I had already.) But I can't seem to shake it off, and it is hurting my sleep, and my awake time. Any suggestions?