J is ONE! Chondradysplasia Punctata is mild.

I blogged way more through G's first year of life, but that is just the nature of being a new SAHM...you need to vent more, you are less certain, you have more time.


J hasn't been shorted in any way, shape, or form; aside from less face time on this blog...and I do not think that's a bad thing.

He's doing so amazingly well. He is super smart, super funny, and super sweet. He's a really happy and friendly boy. He wants to be the center of attention and is very investigative. He wants to be BIG really bad, and just the other day he climbed into the toy basket. I have no idea how! He's been known to get into the pantry and pull out cereal too. His latest mischief is climbing into G's bed and reaching onto her night stand to get whatever he can reach. (throws hands up, I can't win!)

As a one year old, J is;

• about 21 pounds and a bit under 29" -- he's in 12 month clothes and size 3 diapers when he wears a disposable.
• he has 4 top teeth and 3 bottom teeth (working on the other 1 for the past month now - boooo)
• He sleeps from about 9 pm to 6 am ish, eats, and back to bed until around 9 am ish
• He sleeps with a blanky, but doesn't really have a lovey, nor does he suck his thumb.
• He is nursing before nap, before bed, once overnight, and 1-2 other times.
• He eats BLD and a snack usually
• His favorite foods are cheese (but we think he's sensitive to dairy), puffs/rice cakes, pears, shredded chicken, and peeled/sliced grapes.
• His favorite toy is MY PHONE (that is a no no) or G's fan and music box and shoes (all no no's), so his favorite 'allowed' toy is the Elmo music thing, or stacking cups. That about sums him up--music and investigation. I wonder if he'll be "left brained" as he grows up. 
• For early Christmas from my in laws, he got a baby "computer" and he LOVES IT.
• No favorite show, he doesn't care about the TV, unless it's the remote, then he's totally into that.
• His favorite person is momma :-) :-) but he loves almost anyone as long as he's in a good mood. He's started pushing G away if I am hugging/snuggling her, so that's developmental but still sad.
• When daddy sings 'row row row your boat,' he tries to sing along. He has also tried to say "I love you," in baby speak, of course. Speaking of daddy, he's trying to teach J the parts of the body and sometimes J gets it right, but not all the time ;-)
• He says "upp uppp uppp" and "nananana" and "dadadada" and a few other correct sound references. I'm counting dada as his first word and up as his first non family word.
• He has hit all developmental milestones, including making 2-3 block towers! We are so blessed.

He vocalizes some, points all the time, creeps along walls/furniture, has taken a few steps, crawls really fast, can go up stairs if we let him, opens flaps in flap books, turns pages in real books, turns the light switch on/off if you hold him up, swipes up/around on my iPhone, climbs up into G's toddler bed, and he has the most mischievous grin. He is a handsome little boy and totally knows it.

I cannot say enough good things about him, but he isn't perfect. I just have a grounded perspective when it comes to him being clingy sometimes, or screaming sometimes.... I'm so much more comfortable in my motherhood than I was with G, but she's benefiting from that now and we are all just chugging along :-)

 

 

  

Dear J,

You are so special and our lives are forever changed by your entrance into our family. You give the sweetest snuggles and brightest grins. I cannot wait to see what you become, I know it will be something amazing. Never forget how we are your biggest fans, and never stop loving your sister. She is the best friend you'll ever have. She gives you 'hugs, and kisses, and pats' every day. She lets you pull her hair, steal her toys, and sings you songs. She loves you beyond belief, and as your mom, I am so blessed to get to watch the two of you together. Happy Birthday Baby Boy, you have made me a better person.

-Momma

Busy, Tired, Pregnant.

Those are my excuses for lack of blogging lately.

I am busy --- we are in the middle of a contract on a house in Kansas. If you have bought a house before, you know there's a lot that goes into it. I knew that going in, so I was prepared, but it doesn't change the fact that there's a lot to stay on top of. Electronic paperwork certainly helps though! I also think we've got a good real estate agent, lender, and realtor mother-in-law looking out for us (don't worry, they are 3 separate people). We've got the contract down, the inspection done, and are waiting on the appraisal.

Sweet 16

Month 16 flew by faster than any other month, mostly because my mom was here for two weeks and we went on our mini-trips. A few things changed (she decided she likes eggs now), but honestly, G seems pretty much the same. I guess that's because no major milestone was reached--like talking for real. On a fun note, I've recently started calling her Buttercup, or Butters for short. It's kind of silly...I really do not like South Park, but I know there is a little kid on there called Butters; who my husband says G kind-of resembles, with her bleach blonde hair.

Where have I been?

My mom (that is, G's Grammy) has been in town since this past Tuesday. We've been having lots of fun, just hanging out and playing together. We also went down to the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito, CA, on Saturday. I'll give you a full review of the kid's museum when I have more non-family time...but suffice it to say, I highly recommend taking your kiddos to the Discovery Museum if you are ever in the Bay Area! It was super fun--even though I didn't feel good at all. I'm not sure if I had a tummy bug, or if it was just the new baby...I am feeling a bit better now, though.
My husband and I also went to a movie for the first time in six months. We saw the Avengers on Saturday. It was such an AWESOME movie--have you seen it??? First off, the action was great and the script was fun! That Tony Stark makes me laugh all the time. Then there's Hawkeye--tell me you didn't think he was dreamy?? My husband also said, "it's one of the best movies ever!" :-)

Other things...
We will hopefully hear the baby's heartbeat tomorrow at my first real appointment.
My dad comes tomorrow--but not until later in the evening.
We have a mini-trip to Yosemite National Park later in the week. My husband is off work Thursday - Monday. I cannot wait!
G's cutting her tenth tooth!
G's been having separation anxiety at the gym lately--bummer. She did great for the first two days, but I guess the newness has worn off. Some days I don't even get half a work out in, but we'll keep trying. She really needs the interaction with other kids, and I do enjoy exercising. At this point though, it is honestly more about her socialization. She can get up to two hours of play-time there each day...for $50 a month...that's pretty cheap. She rarely makes it to 45 minutes, though, so hopefully that gets better soon. I'd like it if she would play with other kids her age (and a bit older) for about an hour and a half 4 or 5 days a week.

Fifteen Months old

Many times moms will reflect on how old their kid is and say.... 'where did the time go?'
Not me, not this month. It seems like G should be a lot older than 15 months--it seems she's been around a lot longer than a year + 3 months.

She's a regular part of the family, and only if I try very hard can I imagine life before her. Because I stay home with her every day, she feels like an extension of myself. I don't often worry about her, because it seems like I've developed a sixth sense. I can almost always tell what's wrong with her, even though she's not great at talking. I can hear the difference in her words, even though they probably all sound like 'da-da' to anyone else. I guess it's just a mom thing.

Anyways, she's growing right along and the official measurements from her well-child check-up are:
Height: 30.5"
Weight: 21.5 lbs

Tooth Count: 4 top, 2 bottom, 1/2 of a top molar (the outer half is clear of her gums, but the inner half is still covered), & G has been cutting a bottom tooth for a few days now. I'm not sure if it's sharp (and clear of the gums) yet, because I don't want to get bit! She also has bulging gums at the site of the other 3 molars.

She still wears a size 4W shoe (regular fours DO NOT fit her) and size 18 month clothes. The doctor, whom I do not like (I miss our KS doctor so much), said her numbers are very average, despite many peoples' comments that she is very small.

Here are some facts about 15 month old G---

Our Life Update - Seven Quick Takes 16

--- 1 ---

After a two week (and 2 day) absence, our cars have returned to our lives! We had them shipped to CA using the shipper my husband's company told us to use and it took that long for them to go halfway across the country!! I think that is absolutely ridiculous. Now that they are here, I feel much more settled in. Driving our rental car (2012 Ford Explorer) was fun, but it made it seem more vacation-y than home-y. We have no boxes left to unpack, the walls are decorated, the beds are made and everything has a place. I've been grocery shopping twice, we've been to church twice, and baby G had a play date with two friends. I suppose we officially live in California. Weird. I do still have a few addresses to change and insurance to switch over.

--- 2 ---

Do you have Comcast? This is our first time with them and I'm already annoyed. We had a HUGE fiasco with our first bill this week and I spent WAY too many hours of my life trying to get everything straightened out. We were overcharged and then our service was decreased to "solve" me asking for the reduced rate we signed up for. Then when I tried to get our service restored at the rate we were promised, I was told it didn't exist! Finally things got fixed after about 4 hours of our time. I am beyond disappointed in Comcast's shady practices, and I even went in with low expectations.
What's your opinion of their customer service? I feel like people tried to help us just enough to get by and it wasn't until the fifth person we were fully heard. I am, however, beyond pleased with our price and products--so all the hassle was worth it. We've got digital economy cable and super fast broadband internet for $49.99 plus tax. Can't beat that!

I need Super Nanny.

Isn't there a show that is, or used to be, on TV called Super Nanny? I think the premise of the show is that a British woman, claiming to be a parenting 'expert,' comes to a family in need of some reforming.

We are that family. Nothing we do works.

I mean, sure, baby G is only 10.5 months old, but things are absolutely ridiculous around here. I really don't know what to do anymore. I even told my mom, "I am over it. I'm done being a mom." and I only kinda didn't mean it.

Earlier in her life my husband and I patted ourselves on the back for having 'such a good baby.' People loved seeing her and she was a really social baby. She played well. She was up for any adventure we went on.

At one point in her life, G slept through the night. Those were the good days. We were better parents, she was a happier baby; we were all able to actually enjoy our lives.

Night and Day {teething baby vs. non teething baby}

The difference between "Teething G" and "Non-Teething G" is absolutely like night and day. I could write this in paragraph form, but I think a list makes it more clear. Plus I got to teach myself some more html.

Teething G	Non Teething G
up 3 or more times a night; about 11 hours of total sleep for the whole day	sleeps "almost" through the night; about 13 hours of total sleep for the whole day
cries hysterically if I sit her down and start to do a chore	plays very well independently
sucks or gnaws her thumb often	rarely sucks her thumb at all
tries to stuff anything in her mouth to reach her side teeth	only puts objects in her mouth to learn about them
very, very irritable...tiniest thing will set her off	naps great and is much happier because of it
frequently pulls off while nursing	solid nursing sessions
wears us both out and the days seem sooo long	we enjoy our days and sometimes are even surprised at how fast they go
have to keep her distracted by moving quickly from one thing to another	attention span is long enough that we can practice a skill

I've heard that some babies don't really show signs of teething (apparently I was one of them), but I don't believe it!! My baby girl is a nightmare when she's cutting teeth. I know that parenting a preschooler brings its own set of challenges, and I love her as my bitty baby girl....but "done with teething" sounds SO appealing right now!

What are your experiences with teething children?

TWO HANDS club. {with linky for other 10 month old posts}

ten months old

Wow, another month has flown by!! In two short months our baby girl will be a year old. Month 10 was one that saw a lot of growth in fine motor skills and physical development. G also celebrated another major holiday -- Thanksgiving -- but didn't really like turkey or mashed potatoes. I found that odd. 

Teething is back full force, and actually seems worse than before. Her sleep is all crazy again, but at least I know I've done all I can. There is nothing I can do besides give her medicine, nurse her, comfort her as best as possible... I know a lot of you will tell me to get her a teething necklace, but I am not okay with that, knowing how she already pulls at bibs and sticks everything into her mouth.

Baby G at 9 months old

My bitty baby is NINE months old today! I think nine months old is a big deal. It's 3/4 of a year and major milestones have been reached.

She is right on track for development, and is growing in personality every second. She smiles all.the.time. G is seriously the happiest baby I have ever seen.

Her home measurements are:
28.25" height
17.8 lbs weight
2 bottm teeth and the top right tooth is cutting through

Crafty Momma Alert!! Crib Rail Covers and Pillow

The baby has been teething like a MAD woman. She's also gone through a frustrating sleep hiccup. To make a long story short she's been gnawing into her crib that was supposed to last through all of our kids. It still can, but my husband will have to sand it down and repaint it. Aside from the cosmetic damage, I don't want G swallowing paint and wood! Needless to say, I've been on the prowl for something to cover her rails.
I saw the gummy things you can stick on, but thought those looked pretty cheap. I saw the clip on plastic things but didn't think they would fit her convertible crib style. Then I found the cloth rail covers that looked perfect! There's only one kind sold in stores and 2 other kinds I could find online. Is there really not that big of a market for crib rail covers?
I guess not because the cost certainly doesn't reflect a competitive price point. $22+ for the front rail cover and $37+ for a pair of side rail covers! No thank you, ma'am.

Sleep and Teeth - a sleep log update

I haven't posted a sleep log in a few weeks, because not much has changed. There really hasn't been much of an improvement. The good news, though, is that G has settled back down into a two nap pattern for now. That's a lot easier to deal with, than trying to make one nap stretch for the whole day. Her nights are still a crapshoot, but at least I can blame the teeth and poop (nothing I can control). Her top right tooth is seriously THIS CLOSE to poking through. We haven't figured out anything to solve the middle of the night poop problems, so we are changing a poopy diaper around 5 AM each morning. UGHHHHH.

SSAHM - Sick Stay at Home Momma (parenting lesson #4265)

SSAHM move... Elmo gives 5 minutes of relief

What'd you do this week? I've been taking care of a sick baby, while being sick myself. Ugh.

It started last week. G had some congestion in the back of her throat (I could hear it, not see it). I was hoping it was related to teething, but then the runny nose really picked up. She got super irritable, and it turned into a full on illness. I hated it...mostly because she was not herself, but also because she'd use me as a human tissue. Gross.

Unreliable Sleep Log Report

This is a little over a week's worth of sleep logs for G. We did Tylenol before bed several nights because her teeth were really bugging her, and we hoped that'd help her sleep. We had some glimmers of hope Saturday-Monday nights, but now we are back to craziness. Her top teeth are bulging out, so it's only a matter of time before those cut through. You'll see that at the end of the log, her nights get pretty close to perfect...but then start back down into the crappy multiple night waking pattern.

Chewy Tubes Ps and Qs Review & Giveaway

"Chewy Tubes are innovative oral motor tools designed to provide a resilient, non-food, chewable surface for practicing biting and chewing skills" 

- ChewyTubes.com

At church a few months ago, we saw a little boy in front of us with what appeared to be an amazing teether. He was very content to hold it, gnaw on it, and fiddle with it. It was shaped like a d, or a p--we weren't for sure. On our way home, my husband and I discussed how we needed to find one of those for G--as she was a teething mess and we knew she'd love it. Weeks went by, teething picked up even more, and her desire to gnaw on long chewy things increased. One day, sitting in front of the bathroom mirror, I handed her comb to her. She stuck the chewy end into her mouth and was really excited to gnaw on it. Probably wasn't the best thing for her to have.

Finally, we decided we needed that p or d thingy. Enter Speech Pathology Associates' Chewy Tubes. Thank you Google! I found their website and they were more than willing to sponsor a review and giveaway.

What we saw in church is actually a 'chewy p' and is part of Chewy Tubes' Ps and Qs Oral Exercisers. Oral Exercisers for G, right now, might as well be the same thing as teethers. It helps G practice her biting skills, while fulfilling her desire to gnaw on anything. She loved the Ps and Qs as soon as I washed and handed them to her. She can easily grab and chew on them both. The P is great for any teething baby/toddler, as the stem can reach back to the molar area or get bit by the front teeth/gums--the loop can also hit the canines' area at once. I like the P because it helps G develop her fine motor skills, when she practices picking it up by the stem. The Q is her current favorite, as she can gnaw on the stub and hold onto the ring very easily. The orange color is also great, so that she (and we parents) can find it easily amongst other toys. We've had them for a few weeks and she still gets excited when presented with her chewy Q or chewy P. As she gets older, the oral exercisers will continue to develop her jaw functions.

Chewy Tubes make the following products for jaw development

• Chewy Tubes in various sizes/textures (my husband refers to these as Chewy Hammers because of their shape)
• Super Chews (they look kind of like keys)
• Chewy Q 
• Ps & Qs

I received one of everything above to try with G. Besides the Ps and Qs, we've tried the yellow chewy tube, as it is the thinnest in diameter. I'm saving the thicker ones to try in a few months. She LOVES the yellow chewy tube. It's awesome because she can hold onto it in many different positions and grab it with both hands. She's still trying to figure it out, and loves chewing on it. The yellow chewy tube gets "g bonus points" for captivating her attention span for more than 5 minutes at one sitting!

"All Chewy Tubes are made of a thermo-elastic polymer material, which is FDA Approved. Chewy Tubes are latex free. They do not contain any PVC, lead or phthalates."

- ChewyTubes.com

You can buy Chewy Tubes at many online websites, like amazon.com, walmart.com, or sears.com. Chewy Tubes' website also lists distributors by state.

One Letters from Momma reader will win a set of Chewy Tubes Ps and Qs oral exercisers! Enter using the Rafflecopter Widget below. If you need help with Rafflecopter & to read rules, please click here.

I received one set of all Chewy Tubes to facilitate this review and sent an extra Ps & Qs to give away. Prize will be sent directly from me. All opinions are my own, yours may differ.

Carrots! Wordless on Wednesday

G's first carrots...messiest food to date!

G has had rice cereal mixed with breastmilk, real bananas mixed with breastmilk, jar winter squash, and now jar carrots. I plan to home-make most of her baby food, but have found that starting with a jar is easier on my heart. With the homemade banana baby food, I may-or-may-not have had a heart attack when she seemed to be gagging...it just wasn't as smooth as the jar kind. So, we'll get good at the jar stuff and then switch over (hopefully soon). She seemed to LOVE carrots-she ate half the jar!!! and....then I got to see it again during this morning's diaper change. Can you say: gross!

evidence of teething

Story of our life, right now...teething is the bain of our existence. Is that the right use of the word? I hope so.

someone is happier watching me iron than I am doing it

I also happened to burn myself pretty badly during the chore that I loathe yesterday...another reason to hate ironing.

Dancing with my Baby, or G's 27th week

Dear G,

I guess teething is the only thing that really brings you down. You just aren't yourself when your teeth are bothering you. I understand that...it'd make me cry too. I really wish I could feel the pain for you. I know all mothers feel that way about their babies, but it doesn't work that way. Babies still feel the pain and our hearts hurt right along with them.

I do have a sentimental story to share with you.

In the early evening on Sunday you weren't easily consoled. I turned on Pandora radio (thank you technology). The lullaby station plays all of our favorite songs, like Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Hush Little Baby, and You Are My Sunshine. I've danced with you before, but it's been a while since we've really got into it. So that evening, I dusted off my dancing shoes and we hit the floor. It was so fun. You are a lot more involved now, and LOVED it despite your bad mood. I swear I even heard a few giggles, but I bet you thought I couldn't hear you--underneath all that sour-puss act--but I did! We really got into it. I was lifting you up and out, down and around, as if we were a contemporary ballet pair. Your head was on a swivel, because all the things in our living room look a lot cooler when they're spinning by quickly. Daddy caught us dancing and agreed it seemed pretty fun--and was helping you feel better.

Week 27: Crawling away from me!

It's the sweetest thing to make you happy when you are sad and in pain.

This past week you also had your first swing at the park, tasted ate some winter squash, drank from a sippy cup, had a visit from your aunt, went on a walk with Daddy alone, and started the horrible bout of teething.

Hope you enjoyed the past week as much as I did!!

Love,
momma


In case your baby is teething too, here are some things we've tried:

Distraction: walks, dancing, looking at favorite (but not often seen) things - like the cookie jar, bouncing, etc...
Cold: wet wash cloth, wash cloth with an ice cube in it, freezer teether ring, crushed ice pieces in a baby sock (this molds better into her mouth)
Gnawing: regular teethers, our finger, allowing her to suck/gnaw her thumb, non-wet cloth
Medication: Hylands Homeopathic Teething Gel, Baby Tylenol
Comfort: nursing, snuggling, rocking

Things I won't try:
alcohol
orajel (benzocaine)

If you've got any other suggestions, let me know.

Momma and G are spontaneous.

Taken with my phone, teething G & J (BFF)

Well, I didn't post yesterday and I didn't get my wordless Wednesday post up today because G and I took a last-minute trip to visit a friend and help my little sister move into her new dorm at college...

I was so pleased that G was a great traveler...we didn't have to stop at all and she only fussed a tiny bit in the car. VICTORY.

We had a lot of fun.

It was so nice to have an all day play-date--mostly for the mommies, as we had to keep the babies on separate blankets! They would grab at each other's eyes, heads, or any other body part they could get to. At one point, G crawled up to her BFF, put her head into BFF's lap and was holding onto her legs, while BFF clawed at G's head! It was hysterical, but a small amount of skin was scratched...so we backed them apart. They really seem to enjoy being around each other, smiling and cooing a lot. I also really enjoy being around the momma, she's pretty much my new BFF and I love/admire her lots. :-)

We also saw my family (G's Grammy, Papaw and her aunt). We ate dinner and lunch together, organized my sister's new dorm room, and played with the baby. I'm pretty jealous my sister is entering such an exciting time of her life. I miss college. Even the homework, but mostly the freedom and carefree living. I also miss the town. College town USA is so fun. The world is her oyster, and I wish her well!

Tuesday's rt

Tuesdays rose: G took a double nap!!!! Woohoo!! Her mid day nap is typically 45 minutes long, but on Tuesday she woke briefly at 45 minutes & returned to sleep for another 40 minutes. As a mother slightly obsessed with her baby's sleep...this was so exciting!!
Secondary rose: G gave me what I consider to be a hug! Her arms were wrapped around my shoulders & she leaned in!
Tuesday's thorn: major (what I think) teething pain for the baby girl. She was really irritable most of the day and went to bed early.

Whole Hand Club!

Dear G,
You're officially in the whole hand club!! So what if it's five months, not five years! We had a melancholy day overall (you hit your head and were pretty clingy-understandable), but took some cute pictures. None of them really show your best smiles, but they definitely show your firecracker personality. I also kept several hilarious out takes.



As a whole-hander:

• You weigh 14.6 lbs
• You are 27.3" tall
• You can sit up unassisted, especially if you use your hands to help hold yourself up, like that you can go for 10 minutes+ but with your arms up you can last around 1-2 minutes.
• You roll over to your belly ALL the time but don't roll the other way too much.
• You crawl in circles, although you are starting to get the "inch worm" movement. You get very frustrated that you can't go anywhere. You're working on it, but you're not quite strong enough yet.
• You hate diaper changes. You are a very squirmy baby (daddy calls you a wiggle worm) but diaper changes are the worst! You flail around more than ever. You used to wiggle during changes, but now that you are heavier and stronger, it's pretty ridiculous to change you.
• You like standing in your go pod, swinging, and being in the beco.
• You hate naps, but get very fussy without them. As in, very.fussy.
• You take 3 naps a day, typically 1 hour, 40 minutes, 40 minutes.
• You eat about 7 times a day.
• You sleep through the night about half the time, the other nights you wake between 3:30-4:30 am to eat...it's always random because we can do everything the same and on one night you'll wake up but another night you won't. Silly baby :)
• You LOVE, love, LOVE you're "Who hid the Honey?" board book. You're back up favorite toys are a blue octopus that plays music & a granimals crinkle book.
• You are very aware of your surroundings, including new babies now...at a recent playdate you tried to eat a baby's hand and pull his ear.
• I don't think you recognize your name yet, but you definitely know momma's voice from anything else.
• You are a ridiculously distracted eater.

Speaking of eating, you are probably ready for solids. You like watching me eat, especially with a spoon.
Fun story:
The other morning I was sitting on the floor next to you eating my oatmeal. You were staring at me, so I talked to you, "Take the spoon, put it in the bowl, put it in my mouth, eat the oatmeal!" You thought this was captivating. So I did it several times & you caught on. I put the spoon in the bowl and then put it toward your mouth & you opened! Now, I realize this seems pointless because you put anything into your mouth, these days, but it was a different type of movement. It was like a baby bird waiting to be fed. When you put random things into your mouth it opens like an exploration, but this was definitely you knowing it was food. I thought it was pretty cool, but then when I didn't put any oatmeal in your mouth, you got every mad! Your daddy says I shouldn't tease you, so I won't be doing that again.

I can't believe that at the end of this month you will be half a year old!!

cute out take

octopus toy

favorite book!