Well, we are now headed on our Florida Adventure full force. Our little California boy will son grow into a fishing, laid back Florida boy. Just like Eric was and in or around the same city I grew up in as a little one. There is a lot to do, so, I am going to be busy this next month and a half. As will Eric, working over-time at work until the move. We will travel separately, and are still working on all the details.
Oh boy, what did we get ourselves into =)
anyhoo, here is Ryden being just as cute as usual!!!!
It's amazing how when a baby learns something, it becomes an obsession, and they don't stop until it is mastered. Well, at least that is how Ryden does things.
For the past month or so he has been letting go of something while standing, but he hadn't thought to take too many steps. Until his birthday- funny enough. On Wednesday, I think he took one or two steps throughout the day, but that was it. What happened from Thursday through Saturday just amazes me. Luckily, I taped one video each day.
Thurday... look mommy, I can take a couple steps.
Friday... hmmm, maybe I'll try a few more before falling on my behind.
Saturday... and SHA-ZAMM!! I can do this everywhere and a lot!!!!!
so cute! Even though he is just a wee little man, who still has years to become the person he is going to be, I am just enamored by his persistence. I can so already see his personality developing. Now, he only crawls to get to something where he can pull himself up. We even saw him whine and slam his toy on the ground because he kept falling. Totally frustrated, but he powered through.
Did I mention that I love him and I think he is just super fantastic? =)
I never thought I would be upset, but as I sit here and type this, tears are welling up in my eyes. I am so happy that my little man is turning one, but knowing he is no longer a little baby is a bit heart breaking. It is also very emotional when I think about the fact that this time last year, my water was breaking at this very moment. What a truly special night that was. Everything was so unknown and new. I was so in awe of the whole process, and all I wanted to do was just take it all in. Not to mention, all the fantasticness that happened the following day........ one of the happiest moments of my life
With all the gushing aside, my little man is turning one tomorrow. He is really becoming such a big boy and he truly has such a kind heart. He loves animals and he loves kids of all sizes. He is still unsure about most adults, but hey... that is a trait everyone should have. I read a little while ago that when a baby becomes mobile they naturally become more clingy to their parents. Physiologically and biologically speaking, this is what would have kept them from running off into the woods, unprotected, many years ago. It makes total sense. So, for now, I will be sensitive to his unsureness of others, but always give him the security to explore and investigate further.
Right now, one of his favorite things to do is to shut the bedroom door and then immediately crouch down onto his hands and knees and peak underneath it. When I first looked under the door, form the other side, I never thought I would see him looking back at me. How brilliant is he to know to do that?!?!? I just really love his little mind.
Sunday we had his birthday party. It was really spectacular, even if I did get in a bit over my head. Thanks to Eric, Chava and some really kind friends we got things under way. I think Ryden enjoyed it and he really was in good spirits the whole time. Thank you to everyone that came and celebrated such a monumentous milestone in my sweet little pea's life. I will always remember it. And thanks to Ryan Dearth for taking such nice photos, I can always look back on it.
and if I were to call anyone a BFF, it would be my friend Chava. Amazingly, she was able to come down for the party and a really nice visit. It was so great having her here, and I know we wouldn't have been able to pull the party off without her!!!
If you haven't seen the pics, here is a little slideshow.
Since this is Ryden's birthday month (shockingly, I have now accepted this and am ok with it), I have already started to plan a grand soiree for him. The theme is Rootbeer & Summertime, and I think I actually have all the details under control. Since we are making all the food, we'll see how I'm handling it when I am down to the last minute. I really can't wait and I have already started to do some test baking (cooking the cupcakes without dairy and soy). Everything has turned out great. Eric even went to Macy's on sarturday and got us one of these to make all the mixing so much easier. and I love it by the way.
Here are some of my decorations I have already gotten or made. The old radio flyer I am going to fill with ice and root beers. and if you can see the Kern-mason jars, I am going to fill them with ice cream and put on ice near the root beers.
So, people can make their own floats. I'm also going to buy some of those old, paper straws. This is some of the flag garland that I made.
Here are the cupcake holders that I am going to put the cupcakes in (and last night, I found recipes for root beer cake, so, I am going to give that a shot!!!). Who knew they make root beer schnapps.
and here is the cutest, littlest, itty-bittiest bunt pan that I found at an antique store that I am making my DS's cake in. Probably just vanilla.
I am super excited!!!
and just for fun, here are two videos that I shot of Ilsa and Ryden playing htis mornig. Really, who said you needed an older sibling to have fun.... =)
OK... this has come up a lot recently for some reason. Sadly, I wish it were more of the norm and there was more information out there, so, people like myself didn't have to defend doing something that is completely natural and the best choice for her child. I am a modest nurser. I have never been out-there about it, especially in public. I've noticed that most people are pretty supportive about it, but when I read comments on the internet (where people can be anonymous) I notice a completely different tone. This makes me want to address the situation... now wondering how people REALLY feel! A friend of mine (thanks Kristin) posted a link on facebook about a nurse-in at a park in Orlando where some breastfeeding moms were told to leave. Reading the internet comments on that article, blew my mind. Especially, the comments from other WOMEN!
FIRST: Breastfeeding is LEGAL and even exposing yourself is legal in most states. It is not indecent exposure like some would think. Also, some states find it ILLEGAL to ask a woman to cover herself.
When in doubt, check your state laws and educate those around you-
SECONDLY: Babies nurse often. People, especially older women, tend to think a baby should only eat every 4 hours or something insane like that. You know, to avoid snacking or making a spoiled baby. That is complete BS and sadly, very harmful information to be given to new moms. The relationship between baby and mama's milk is very delicate. It is the law of supply and demand and if a baby isn't nursing often enough, then the milk stops getting made. Therefore a baby should always be fed on-demand when they are newborns. As they get older, when an even milk supply is established, you can start spacing out the timing in between. Also, during the summer and other hot months, babies should nurse quite often so that they stay hydrated. Mothers also need to remember to stay hydrated.
And don't forget that nursing is a source of comfort for children. I nurse Ryden immediately after all of his shots or any other times he has been hurt. It is the best boo boo fix out there. Also, since we never used a pacifier, I am often the pacifier.
THIRDLY: Breast is Best. I am sorry for those of you that got poor information from your health care provider that made it complicated for you to establish a wonderful breastfeeding relationship. I say that because there is a very SMALL population that can actually not breastfeed- it is usually just mal info that keeps a mama from having success. There are a lot of problems that can also happen, but with persistence you can get through them. Luckily, Ryden never had latch problems, but he does have food allergies/intolerances. Therefore I have been dairy-free for almost 6 months, soy-free for almost 5 months and partially corn-free for a little over month. So, don't tell me it was too hard and you had to stop. I know HARD, but I feel it is worth it. I would much prefer a woman to say it just wasn't for them, and carry on with life. I have nothing against someone making an educated decision not to. We all have a choice. With that being said, EVERYONE agrees that nothing matches breast milk. NOTHING!
This truly says it all. If you have any doubts after reading this, then I don't know what to say........ 101 REasons to BREASTFEED
LASTLY: From the comments I read on that article about the nurse-in, I have started to notice that some people think that moms that nurse their children beyond newborns into infants and toddlerhood are only doing it for selfish reasons. Breastfeeding is very bonding in the beginning, but at this point, it is just a job like everything else. I do it because I should... that's it. I even read where someone wrote that there is no nutritional benefit for a toddler to still nurse. I have to clarify and educate any of you that feel that way. Milk changes as a baby gets older and is always suited for them. They continue to benefit from breast milk no matter what the age. Again, since I am a person of FACTS and not misguided information, I will do the research, so that you can educate yourself!!!!
Information about nursing past a year- Please Read!
and quotes form the AAP and WHO-
It is recommended that breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months, and thereafter for as long as mutually desired.
from the mouth of the American Academy of Pediatircs, themselves.... read it yourself
Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond.
And for any of you that might be wondering why I seem so defensive about this, it is because I am. A lot of moms do not nurse because they do not have the right information, or they stop too soon because they feel like they are being judged by people around them. and as my wonderful pediatrician put it.... In the late 1800's women were told to exclusively breastfeed until the age of 2 and those were the boys that went on to win the war! haha... and yes, he really did say that. Anecdotal I know, but I still like it. =)
On Monday before the weekend of the fourth, I booked us a trip to Florida.
Out of nowhere- you bet! Completely unexpected- absolutely A bit terrifying- um, yeah Incredibly short- unhuh Totally worth it- without a doubt!!
Honestly, I think all this time I had been fearing flying with a baby. I think that has kept me from making any plans for going home to visit family. Also, with all the things going on around here, I had no idea where I would ever find the time. So, without any time to fear my decision, I got tickets once Eric gave me the go. We flew out on a red-eye thursday night and flew back tuesday afternoon. As Roger (Eric's dad) put it, it was a "fast and furious" trip. That is definitely an understatement.
On our connector flight from Atlanta to Orlando, we were able to upgrade to first class. This is how a baby flies with style. First class definitely suits him. I tried not to sleep with my mouth open up there. With the hopes of being invited back a second time, of course.
I have to say, Ryden handled it all in stride. The red-eye I figured would go well, but he really surprised me with the flight back. He was awake for over half of it, and never once lost it. He never cried or screamed and was actually very giggly. Even though he did so well, I really don't know how we would have made it through had I not been nursing him. It was truly my secret weapon and was almost an activity all in itself. The sweetest was watching him look out the window as the plane landed. It really captivated his attention and he watched for about 5-10 minutes, right up until the plane touched down.
This is how precious he looked after we got off most of the flights. This one was when we touched down in Orlando from our red-eye.
Unfortunately, mommy and daddy didn't sleep as well on the red-eye.
The whirlwind trip was over before it started, but was really great. We got to see most all of our family and a lot of friends. Even though it went so well, I am not looking forward to flying again anytime soon.
If someone would have told me that 9 months would be this fantastic, I don't think I would have believed them. Don't get me wrong, the other 8 were great, in their own right, but in the last several weeks to a month, something has just clicked. You spend so many days interacting with your little baby with only getting minimal pieces of reciprocation. Then one day you realize that your baby is understanding so much of what you are saying and actively responding back to you.
Here are a some of the new tricks my little genius has been doing lately......
1) he says hi (well, sort of an "ehh") to Ilsa, the kitties and some strangers when we are out 2) he shares ALL of his toys with us and the animals... haha (it's so cute watching him give one of his toys to the cats) 3) if you tell him to give the ball to Ilsa, he will 4) he has gone from dadadaaa to dada- yet, not sure if he knows what that means yet 5) just today, he was laughing in his car-seat to see my reaction and try to get me to turn around 6) he knows what several signs mean (though he hasn't signed anything yet- except trying to wave a couple of times) 7) not so brainy, but he has been on the move for a little while now. Full on army crawling all over the room 8) he is now infatuated with other kids 9) and I think he is starting to kick some of his stranger shyness- he let TWO people hold him this weekend!!!!
I'm sure there are more, but I can't think of them right now.
It has been so much fun watching him figure everything out and having him become a participant in everyday life. Now, I have to remind myself to tell him everything that I am doing, since I know he understands it. We still have our woes whether it be sleeping, allergies or frustration from not being able to be as capable as he would like to be, but it is ALL worth it. =)
Here he is taking his first little dip in the pool over Memorial Day weekend. He really enjoyed it. There was a lot of happy, over-stimming, baby stiffness going on!!!
As of sunday morning, our little man has spent an entire week in his own room. To be honest, I never thought that it would happen at 7 months. I come from the school of thought that if you meet your child's needs from the very start, they grow up to be more independent and confident. I see no reason to force a baby to be a grown-up when they are just wee little things that couldn't survive on their own in the first place. I don't think infants manipulate, I think they simply express how they feel. That is all they know.
With that being said, I realized over the past month that we were disturbing Ryden's sleep at night. Up until that point he had been sleeping well, in his crib in our room, unless I was nursing him (then he was in our bed). There were also nights (about 1 1/2 months ago) that he was teething pretty bad, waking up every hour crying, and on those nights, he spent almost all of it next to me in bed. This allowed him to sleep for 3-4 hours. However, with his sleeping getting back to normal, I noticed a change. Whenever he was rustling in his sleep, if either of us made a peep, he would wake up. Whether it was simply me tossing and turning, Ilsa making her bed, Eric snoring or anything else minor. The whole point of Ryden sleeping with us is so that he could get the best sleep possible and to be secure. Also it really made nursing in the middle of the night a lot more convenient. Since I am following his cues, I realized that he would probably be better in his own room. I felt that he was old enough to be pretty safe throughout the night. At his age, the chance if SIDS had dropped drastically. and so we did.
I am happy to say that everything has worked out fantastic. He is sleeping wonderfully and waking up far less than usual. What was once rustling that turned into waking up is now just rustling. I think we have even made it to nursing just once at night. When he wakes in the morning, anywhere from 6am to 7ish am, Eric goes and gets him and brings him into our bed. Then he will usually nurse back to sleep until we all wake up together. and for anyone that has never had the pleasure of waking up next to their amazing little baby, I suggest trying it. It is one of the sweetest things in the world and I will hold in my heart for the rest of my life. They are only babies for such a short period of time and I think all of their fears should be met immediately and that they should never worry about being alone or being scared. We have enough of that to do as adults.
Right now, Ryden falls asleep for both of his naps and for bed all by himself. He has been doing this for about the past two months. Sometimes he passes out the moment you set him down and the other times he might coo to himself for a couple of minutes before he dozes off. If for any reason he cries for more than a minute than one of us goes in to soothe him (holding him and rocking him- maybe even a kiss). We know that he has no problem going to sleep, so he must obviously be upset, hungry, overly tired or just needs a hug. Either way we are there for him, and that is all that matters. Sometimes I even still nurse him to sleep and let him nap on me. Because I love him and it makes him happy. That is the best I can do and believe it or not, the next time he needs to go to sleep I can put him down awake, by himself, and he goes right to sleep. So, for anyone that says you can only nurture from afar, or you will ruin (SPOIL) your baby....... they are wrong! You can spoil with "things" but not with "love". So, if he has a rough growth spurt or painful teething that keeps him up at night, you can bet your bottom he will be spending the nights with us. At least until he is feeling better.
I must say, I miss my little monkey, but I am so happy for him.
Over the past 7 months, we have exclusively used cloth diapers on Ryden, other than the first week he was born. We could have used them from birth, but with being a little overwhelmed, I held off until I felt I had some control over everything. If we have another child, I will be using cloth from birth. Of all the choices and decisions I made, before Ryden was even born, this is one of them that has made me very happy and I have never doubted it. I'm not sure how much we save weekly, because I have never bought more than one pack of diapers (7th Generation- newborn) and that was too long ago to remember how much they cost. From everything I read, you will spend anywhere from $1,600-$2,500 on disposables in the course of your child's diapering years. This depends on how long until they are potty-trained and what brand you buy. I'm sure this number might be even higher considering that a lot of kids are becoming potty-trained later and later nowadays. You can save a lot of that money with cloth if you buy simple. If you get a little carried away, like I did, then you will still save, just not as much. I think we will end up saving around $1,000. That is no Chump Change. This doesn't even count how you help the envoronment!! Cloth is monumental in that matter and it's minimal impact will last a lifetime.
With all that said, there are a few things I have learned along the way. Favorite brands, what you'll need, perks for your babe and much more.
First of all, there are several different types of diapers that you will usually see. They include:
Some of my favorites include Bum Genius AIOs, Happy Heiny's pocket diapers, Fuzzi Bunz pocket diapers, Thirsties' covers, traditional pre-folds and Kissaluv's 100% cotton cover.
You will also need to buy a diaper friendly laundry detergent. The deterfent will need to be free of brightners, softners and enzymes. I have found that detergents with enzymes and fragrances aren't totally dangerous for your diapers, but they can cause problems if your baby has sensitive skin. I have had really good luck with Original TIde (powder version only) and Country Save Powder. The Tide does have enzymes and fragrance, so, I just use it infrequently when I feel I need a little extra boost of cleaning. I also add a couple capfuls of bleach, mid wash and diluted with water, to my diapers every couple of months. Most diaper companies recommend against this and it can void your warranty, but I found it to be detrimental with getting out the occasional stinkies and to guarantee that my diapers are being sanitized properly. Also the bleach has never affected the color in my diapers, probably because I use so little and it is diluted.
There are a few things that I think that contribute to my diapers sometimes getting the stinkies. Not using 100% cotton, using too much soap (it doesn't wash all the way out and holds odor), not washing with hot enough water (I turned up my water heater), not doing a pre-wash with enough water (cold water and I add extra to make sure the diapers aren't just soaking in too much pee) and not drying in the sun often enough (natural sanitizer). Oddly enough, I have also found that if you ever have any stains (of you know what) in your diapers, just let them dry in the sun and they will completely go away. I swear... it is amazing. Once or twice I have done a modified stripping of my diapers where I added almost boiling water to my wash (I have a front loader) and a couple of drops of Original Dawn and ran a few extra rinses. I found theis easier than boiling them, but that is the original way to strip your diapers. If the baby is breast-feeding then the poop is water soluble and washes right out in the pre-wash. My wash routine is as such: I have a front loader which doesn't work as well as the top loaders (because they usually use less water) and semi hard water (which doesn't work as well either because all of the minerals makes it harder for the detergent to do it's job).
1) Pre-wash with cold (this gets out the urine and washes everything off the diapers before they get washed washed 2) Wash with HOT and half the amount of detergent 3) Rinse with cold (my machine does 3 rinses on all cycles) if yours doesn't maybe add at least one extra
Then I throw my pre-folds and all inserts and doublers into the dryer on hot. I usually put all of my pockets, AIOs and covers outside unless it is overcast. In that case I throw them in the dryer too. Whenever in doubt, just check your actual manufacturer's directions. They tend to vary from company to company. After a couple of weeks, you will find what works for your diapers and your washing machine and go from there. You might find a couple of months down the road you have to tweak something, but you will figure it out.
Here are a few fantastic diapering resources out there:
Now how many diapers you need depends on if you are buying for that age or up to toddlerhood. I recommend buying for the first 3 or so months (smalls and maybe a few OS- one size) of different brands to see which ones you like best and which ones fit your baby the best. If you want to keep things cheap- stick with several dozen pre-folds, about half a dozen covers, maybe a couple AIOs for overnight and the major accessories. Or you can have fun with it and get a variety and see what you like best.
Also, if you already have a baby and have never thought about using cloth, it is never too late to start. They also make really wonderful trainers. I don't even know how much people factor that into their disposable budget. I wrote this blog because I have given out cloth information to several friends over the past year and thought if I put it in one permanent place that would make it easier for everyone.... and less writing for me. =)
If any of you ever have and additional questions, just ask... no question is stupid.
For most of you that know us, know that I have been watching what I eat because of Ryden. A little over two months ago, Ryden started getting eczema on his torso, diaper area, thighs and a little on his back. The first time I noticed it was a small patch on his thigh that would come and go and I never really thought anything of it. I didn't even realize that it was eczema at that point. Over the next couple of weeks it got worse and was not going away. Before I took him to the doctor, through research on the internet, I figured that it was probably eczema. When I took him to his pediatrician, he confirmed that in fact it was. Now when it came to treating it, this is why I love our Pediatrician. A lot of doctors only go the route of treating the symptoms of eczema and not actually locating the source of it. Some say it's hereditary or from the weather and there is nothing you can do about but put loads of moisturizer on them. Ryden's doctor said because of it's location, it is probably something he is ingesting, via ME of course. I was afraid that he was going to utter several words that I didn't want to hear.
That I should probably try cutting dairy out of my diet and see if that helps.
Even though, I was saddened to hear him say this, I was happy that he acknowledged the cause of Ryden's eczema to be food related. Whether it be a food allergy or intloerance. Most likely an intolerance/sensitivity. Hopfully, by his first birthday, he will outgrow it like most other babies. This is when their gut has matured much more. I don't think people realize how common food intolerances are, how many people and children actually suffer from them and in how many ways it shows it's ugly face. Ryden's eczema was just one of his symptoms. In hindsight, his gas, mild fussiness, sleeping problems and general discomfort was all because of his intolerance or allergy.
Within a week I was already seeing improvement. Over the next two weeks, it almost went away completely. Unfortunately there were several times where I accidentally slipped up (like when I ate cheese on my taco and totally forgot I wasn't suppose to be eating dairy) or when Eric gave me his coffee (with cream) instead of mine with soy creamer. However, after about a month, I noticed it was starting to come back. I knew I had not been eating dairy, not even HIDDEN DAIRIES!!!!!
There was also something else that I been reading quite a bit, and again, I was afraid to acknowledge. Once I had stopped consuming dairy, I had started eating a lot more soy. Not because I love it. In fact, I only found it tolerable- though it did start to get better once I got use to it (probably like switching to diet soda). I was using it as a creamer, as the milk for my lattes, in my butter (fake butter) and so many other places. When we took Ryden to his 6 month well visit, I told the doctor about this. He then said what I thought he was going to say,
You might need to cut out soy, too.
AGHH!!! I knew this and was planning on doing it, but still didn't want to hear it. Since Ryden's eczema only started to come back when I was really loading on the soy, made me realize he just has a mild sensitivity/intolerance to it. Which I also realized I do too, you don't want the detailed symptoms (trust me!). So, now I just stay away from things that are primarily soy or have it listed in their first several ingredients. Other than that, he seems to be fine. And unless you are looking for it, you have no idea how many things contain SOY and how hard it is to avoid it.
So for now, we have nixed two of the eight top ALLERGENS. Hopefully, that will be the only two.
I also wanted to say, I found a few new things that I would have never have known they were so wonderful.
1. Almond Milk. It is DELICIOUS!!. Try the original. I do feel the need to note that it does contain trace amounts of soy. We seem to be fine with it.
I felt the need to write this, because I feel this information just isn't out there enough (even from your doctor), and if it helps just one of you or your little one then it's worth it to write.
Here are a few pics I took of Ryden the other day for a diaper photo contest!!!! HE IS SO CUTE!!!
Have you ever wondered what a baby on a potty might look like? I doubt it, but I recently took some pics of Ryden on his potty, and they turned out so dang cute that I felt I had to share. I use an app on my iphone (hipstamatic camera) and that is why the pics have a different look. Ryden is almost 7 months (next week), and we have not had a poopy miss (in his diaper) in MONTHS! Yesterday, Eric even caught Ryden's poop in his potty . We are still working on his pees, but until I start offering the potty more consistently, I think it will take a little while longer to catch most of them. We do catch probably about a quarter of his pees, though... so, that is pretty good. Less messy diapers= less laundry and happier-drier baby!!!
Ryden has also never had a diaper rash *knock on wood* and I have never used diaper cream on him- EVER! I have never even purchased Destin or A&D (or whatever diaper creams are out there).
I attribute this to the use of cloth diapers and catching most of his poops on his potty which reduces the chances of getting diaper rashes to begin with.
If any of you ever have any questions about Elimination Communication or cloth diapers, just let me know and I will fill you in with all the details. People always think that it sounds so complicated, but it really isn't. If you know me, you know that I am not one of those people that loves to be busy. I am fairly LAZY, so, if I can do it... anyone can. Also, I only EC part-time. So, it's not something you have to commit yourself to full-time.
This is a common occurrence around my house these days. I think Ilsa knows that Ryden is a little sturdier now, and just can't resist playing with him. Sorry the last two videos are so dark.
Ryden is 5 1/2 months old and he has finally figured out how to roll from his belly to his back. It took a lot of enticing as you can see. Hopefully, he's not a one hit wonder!
In the past several weeks, there have been quite a few changes around here. Momma is back to work, Ryden has a new fantastic caregiver/nanny, Ryden falls asleep all by himself in his crib any and every time (with smiles and cooing, usually!), I have stooped consuming dairy (for his sake- hopefully) and soon, Ryden will be starting solids- AGAIN.
Well, first... I started back at work two weeks ago. I am only working on tuesdays, fridays and saturdays. Honestly, I can't believe how happy I am to be back and how seamless the change was for Ryden. My friend (originally client from quite a few years ago) Gabriella is watching Ryden during the week. I can't even tell you how great she is and Ryden seems to be quite pleased with her. He got excited to see her when she came over last week. I have to say, her first day wasn't so easy. Ryden only slept 30 minutes for her that entire day, and I think they were BOTH miserable. With some hard work and some tears, (both mine and Ryden's) over the next couple of days, things have gotten better. I also think Ilsa is just pleased to have someone else around the house. Not to mention, this is important for Ryden. Considering that I was pretty much the only face he has been seeing for the last 5 months, he was due some new interactions. Work, itself, is just great! It's nice being around adults again; and I am really enjoying doing hair. I have missed my co-workers and all of my clients. Not to mention, even though I have been gone for 6 months, I truly feel my skills are just as sharp as ever if not better. The only glitch that is taking some getting use to is... pumping at work. I think I finally got it down, but milk supply is such a "delicate ecosystem" (I like to call it) that I can damage my supply by missing just one pumping session. This has taught me to be more diligent about it and to not get lazy at all. On saturdays, Eric watches Ryden. It has been two saturdays now and I think they have accomplished a finely tuned system. I know Eric has found out how tiresome it is watching a baby full time, all day long, but I think he has handled it without a hitch. This is special time for them, and once Ryden is older, I think it will show with how much he really appreciates his "daddy" time. :) :)
After Ryden's first day with his sitter, I knew I had to do some things to help his naps go better. Up until that point, Ryden had never fallen asleep on his own, other than a few times for bed, in the car or in the stroller. We had always helped him down by rocking him and walking him around. On wednesday, two weeks ago, I *helped* Ryden fall asleep in his crib, for the first time, on his own. It was a long 45 minutes or so of me singing to him, shhshhing him gently, rubbing his belly, playing music and white noise and both of us crying (on and off) until he fell asleep. Afterwards, I wasn't sure how to feel about it and I'm still not, but I now see that it has helped him tremendously. The second nap of that day, he fell asleep within about 10 minutes with some fussing. That afternoon, his third nap, went about the same as the first one of the day. Not good, but thankfully, the last time it would ever happen that way. Now, whenever you put him down, he pretty much coos and talks to his stuffed piggy anywhere from 1 minute to 10 minutes before he falls asleep. Sometimes, he starts a little protest cry, for a minute, but I just stay in the room and quietly shhshh him. Within a minute, he stops, grabs his little blanky and starts cooing himself to sleep. Last week, I didn't even stay in the room with him after I put him down, because he didn't need anymore help. He does it all on his own. I never once left him to cry, I always stayed with him and just comforted him in a new way. Now, he doesn't even need me. My arms and back are very pleased with this. My next goal is to get him to sleep past 40 minutes for naps. Not sure what to do for that one, though. To each their own, but this worked for us. No more transferring of a "land mine" from our arms to the crib!! :)
Lastly, I took Ryden to the doctor, last week, because he had a rash and found out that it is a mild case of eczema (what I thought). The doctor thinks that it is an internal allergen since it is mainly on his torso, tops of his thighs and back. So, I cut dairy out of my diet, to see if that is the cause, since it is one of the biggest offenders. I know it is pretty much inherited and that it is also offset by temperature, but I know a lot of people have had really good reactions to dietary changes. It's worth a shot. The week prior to that, we had started giving him solids. The few foods that we had given him were all about three days apart from each other (except for the watermelon and nectarine but that was several weeks ago) consisting of sweet potato and banana. At first, I thought it was maybe one of the new foods. I wasn't sure, so, I stopped giving him ANY food. I've now come to the conclusion it's definitely not that. Plus, I had noticed a little spot on his leg over a month ago. So, it could have been the weather or even having the other foods that kicked it in, but it was already there. Also, I haven't changed detergents or soaps or anything. The doc told me that I could use cortisone or eucerin if he was really uncomfortable. He said that if it is really bothering him I should be able to tell, because he is old enough to be scratching it. For now, I am putting Calendula cream on him and olive oil in his bath. I have used the cortisone on him twice, because either he was itchy a few times or has found his penis for the first time... HAH! Not sure which. The past couple of days, it has been looking a little better. I have been off of dairy for almost a week now, but he did have some thawed out breast-milk, from when I was eating dairy, a few times last week. It should also take a couple of weeks before the dairy is fully out of my system. We'll see *crosses fingers* how it all goes.
I think we might start solids again this week. I know he wants to eat SO BAD; so, we'll play it by ear.
I just want to add... Ryden slept two and a half hours for his first nap this morning. WOO HOO!!
Here are some of the latest videos of Ryden. He is just as cute as ever, and we still want to keep him. Lots of new things going on lately and he is handling it like a champ. anyhoo, I am of few words this post... enjoy!
Yesterday, I almost got Ryden starting to roll over on video. He just didn't fully complete it. I was wondering why he wasn't getting it down, yet, but then I realized that he has been working hard on sitting up. Anytime you have him in a recline position, he just sits there and does crunches trying to sit up. Sometimes cute, sometimes kind of annoying, like when you are trying to cradle hold him and oput him down for a nap, and all he wants to do is try to sit up, and then gets frustrated. He is getting better at sitting longer and longer unassisted now, too. Milestones.... it's like one step forward two steps back.
anyhoo, here's the video. and his diaper really isn't that big, I think it must be the angle from the laptop.
and here is Ilsa trying to, I can only guess, mimic Ryden and all of his hard work. Mind you, my dog can roll over. It was much easier teaching her. If only, I could train him with treats and praise, too... HAH!!
The beginning of this week we went to Ryden's four month check-up. Thank God I don't have check-ups this often. I can hardly make it to my yearly ones. I think he might be starting to figure out that the doctor is not going to be a fun place to visit on such a regular basis. Sad but true. However, just like last time, he is doing stellar.
You should have heard Eric use his proud man/daddy voice when the doc said that he was around the size of a 9 month old. "Really"! said the deep voiced daddy.
Here are the stats.......
weight: 18.6 lbs.
height: 26 inches (although I think his head was a little crooked when she measured him... maybe add a 1/2 inch to it)
this still puts our little man in the 90th percentile in both weight and height. He is a healthy boy with a healthy appetite. I guess while I am at it, I might run down the whole list.
let's see.........
HAIR- somewhere between dark blonde and light brown. It's fine, but coming in pretty well. It's starting to get a little longer right down the middle on the top. I think he will have a natural mohawk in no time. Pretty normal baby fluff.
EYES- Absolutely dreamy. I think Ryden is definitely going to have daddy's eyes. Which is a light brown with a hint of yellow, and on some days hints of green. Not to mention, they take up most of his face... also just like his daddy.
TEETH- He got his bottom two almost a month ago. They are coming in pretty well and are absolutely stunning! I am surprised that it went as smooth as it did and I can only hope the rest will follow suit. I ordered him a Sophie the Giraffe that should be here in a couple of days. I hear it is a favorite to teething babies.
SLEEP- I hear there is a nasty monster called the 4 month sleep regression. Well, at least on a minor note, I think it has paid a visit to our house. I also hear sleep is over-rated, but it must have been an insomniac that made up that nonsense.
First off there are naps. These are probably hardest to deal with because it is like an endless cycle of putting him down.... all day long. Since he only sleeps for 45 minutes, he ends up having either 4 or sometimes 5 naps a day. We walk him around and usually jiggle him a little in our arms. Eric calls it the "palsy". I swear that the wooden floors in our house are creaking way more than they ever have. Then there is the whole transferring of the "time bomb" when he does fall asleep in your arms and you go to put him in his crib *without him waking*. I have also gotten to know my neighborhood extremely well. Driving home with a baby that is almost asleep always requires just a few more blocks to finish off the job.
As for nights, that is an entirely different routine. First off, we put Ryden's crib in the bedroom, next to the bed, a couple of weeks ago, because he was almost reaching the weight limit in his cosleeper. Typically, I start his bedtime routine some where around 6:15 or so. Bath (which is starting to be really cute), diaper and PJ's, brush his fuzz head, nursing and then some rocking. This usually puts him in bed sometime between 7 and 7:30. There has been a few times we have put him in his crib awake and he actually fell asleep. Dang fluke. Then his first wake up (feeding) is sometime between 10pm and midnight. I bring him into the bed for this and then put him back in his crib when he is done. Lately, the next wake up is around 1-ish (for the past week or so). he use to make it until about 3am. Again, I nurse and then put him back... that is unless I fall back to sleep and then he stays in the bed until I wake back up. Usually, his last wake up has been sometime around 6am. At this point, I nurse him and typically just leave him in bed until we get up, which is usually somewhere between 8-9am. I look forward to the days, when he goes back to just one or two night feedings. I won't hold my breath waiting for them, though.
Oh yeah, and last night is an example of why we have his crib in our room. I woke up to him rustling in his crib. Since he wasn't crying, I was about to turn over and go back to sleep, but I just happened to peak over at him. That is when I noticed his leg was sticking through the slats in his crib. What the heck!?!? As I stood up, I then noticed that the floor was wet. That is when I saw that he was laying diagonal in his crib, his leg was hanging out, his diaper was halfway removed and apparently he had proceeded to pee on himself and the floor. To my amazement, he was ok and wasn't even upset... at least, yet. BOYS. For this reason and many others, I have no regrets about sharing our room with him.
EATING- Ryden is still breast fed only. I plan to start introducing solids slowly once he turns 6 months. I am waiting for his gut to close fully (usually somewhere between 4-6 months) and for his tongue thrust reflex to go away. Then I will know he is ready. We are really looking forward to this, especially, if he shows the same enthusiasm towards solids as he does nursing. I will continue to nurse along with feeding him food.
LIKES- his fingers, my fingers, diaper changes, toys, trying to chew on things, laughing at Ilsa, nursing, being wrapped up in the Moby wrap, exercises to get his gas out, cooing at the ceiling fan, being a chatty chatterson, smiling at mommy and daddy, waking up, sitting on his potty-pot, looking in the mirror, bath time and did I mention nursing :)
DISLIKES- being put in and taken out of the carseat, overly long tummy time, sitting on the couch for too long, falling asleep alone, falling asleep in general, strong wind on his face, and depending on the day... half of the things on his likes list.
I guess this about sums up the life of a four month old and what it's like for those of us that are along for the ride. New things each day and once you think you have something down, there is always a wrench that comes out of nowhere to muck things up. Living with a baby is not easy, but I know it just so small in the whole scheme of things. So, I try to manage it with grace which is really hard considering half the time I don't even know where to find it.
The holidays were lovely even though Ryden was really to young to partake in the festivities. Still, celebrating everything as a new family was just lovely. Eric has to go back to work on Monday. We are all sad :(
Not too many new pics as of late, but here are a few and then some from the holiday cards I sent out and a short little video of him babbling..........
