Grandma Dino & Grumpy Grampy

Saturday we went to Grandma Dino's house to celebrate her 60th bday. It was also to celebrate big guy's 4 month bday. Big guy met his Grumpy Grampy for the first time and was instantly charmed. Handle bar mustaches also help! Big guy met the two dogs- white shadow and the patroller. The patroller kept licking and nibbling big guys feet, though he didn't seem to care or really notice. The menu included bagels, cream cheese, fruit, and banana bread. A delicious spread indeed. Big guy was smiling, laughing, checking out the garden and overall had a great time. Hubs looked through my high school yearbooks and found a baby pic of me and big guy looks so much like me as a baby. That makes me smile secretly. I think hubs is beautiful but I like that big guy looks like me! Selfish I know! The ride up was long but big guy napped during most of it. He's become quite good on car rides. Best part of the day? Seeing how proud Grandma Dino was to show him off.

smiles & glasses

Big guy started smiling at stuff he likes, not just people. We were changing his diaper and were getting ready to leave when he looked up at his sun wind chime that hangs above his dresser. He was contemplative and then put a huge grin on his face. Big guy then proceeded to reach out his hand and smack the big sun to make the windchime sing. It was really cool. This has led to many other times that bug guy has started to see something and will reach to grab it- very cool! One such item are the glasses that hubs wears. The other night big guy just reached out and snagged them. Poor hubs doesn't see very well without them!

sand and the borders

Tuesday we attempted to buy Grandma Dino's b-day present at a cute shop in Narberth. When we got there I very smartly drove down the street to see when it opened. Good thing I did b/c the store wasn't there any more. Which sucks, b/c it was really quirky. Mu back-up plan was to go to the park. It was starting to get hot, so we stuck to the shade. Big guy put his toes in sand for the first time and was contemplative. Upper lip pokes out, brow furrows, and lots of drool. We made a friend who handed big guy a yellow shovel. It was cute. Of course all the ladies cooed over his size and age. We even climbed a couple of stairs leading to a landing with some slides, but didn't go down.

We should have gone home after, but I pressed my luck- he was in such a good mood! We went to the borders kid section. We were doing fine until big guy had a semi-meltdown- there went the books I wanted to buy. I did discover that big guy likes pop-up books. He tried to rip out the pop-up strawberry from the very hungry caterpillar- one of his favorite books. Big guy was passed out in the car before I even left the parking lot!

the perfect day?

Big guy and I didn't work on friday- three day weekend! We got up and had a great breakfast. Walked hubs to the train in our stroller, without infant car seat. It started out rough, but once we weren't being blinded by the sun, it was fine. Got home and napped. Ate again and went to the Home Goods to buy Grandma Dino's (pronounced dee-no) b-day present. Big guy loved it in there- so full of crap that is colorful and shiny. Went home and had lunch, then played in the exersaucer, did tons of belly time and sang fun songs. Took a huge nap and ate again. Then hubs came home for the weekend. And we finished the day with baskin robbins- yum!

sunglasses

I lost my sunglasses on my dad's b-day. I blamed hubs for not remembering where I put them. I made it about two weeks squinting. Last night I bought a new pair at the drug store- very stylish. Inevitably, I found my sunglasses in the diaper bag this afternoon. Oh, then I remembered putting them in there and chuckling to myself that this was a great place to put them. Oy! I've definitely become more scatterbrained since becoming a mommy. My favorite is when I'm talking and can't remember a word and instead say "bluh-bluh" (example: I found my sunglasses, thy were in the bluh-bluh.) It drives hubs nuts!

Off to work we go

Due to the nursing strike, I decided to bring Big guy to my summer days. Yesterday was the first day and we stayed for six hours! Big guy had the best time. He really loves the ladies and they love him right back. He was smiling, talking, screeching- essentially what the ladies wanted. He was so well behaved and ate like a champ. The only thing he didn't do well was nap. But he did sleep very well last night... maybe that is the trick- exhaust him! Big guy came again today and started his belly laughs. There is just something about holding a baby that people can't resist. and since everyone wants to hold him, I get lots of work done. I think it's really cool that everyone gets to watch him grow-up, just like how people at my parent's works got to watch me and the sis. Today we went to BF group- 18lbs 15oz

GUEST POST

HUBS Here!!!

Well, first off, I would like to thank Momma for this wonderful record of her daily mommy events. The first couple of months have been very interesting and Momma has been the most impressive woman I have ever met. She has made me feel a new respect for mothers and motherhood. Big Guy adores her and I adore her more for everything she does. Thanks, Momma Bear!

My favorite moment of the day is walking into our home after work and seeing the two of you snuggling, and then looking at me with love and then wanting me to join into the activity - I especially enjoy the napping activity! Family is really an interesting human experiment and it makes sense when you actually get to live it, you truly understand what the simple word "family" means.

It's called a nursing strike people!

So, the week was bad. Big guy was fighting me every time he would eat, with the exception of when he was sleepy. I was ready to call it quits. Hubs and I were fighting non-stop. I was crying at work. Like I said, a bad week. Saturday was the end point... Big guy was asleep and hubs and I each discovered that he was on a nursing strike. They don't really know why it happens, but apparently it does. I went to my Breast Feeding working mom's group. I got to talk to the LC (Lactation Consultant), T, who said to just feed him when he's sleepy, b/c then he's too tired to remember to start screaming. And the results... he is eating when sleepy, and no more screaming. It is so glorious. And today the big guy did a big poop. We all feel better!

4 month appointment

So much better than the two month! Loved the Dr! She actually liked Big guy- how could you not? Stats- 18 lbs 10 oz, 27 inches long, and head size in 51st percentile (at two month it had been 32nd- we were told not to worry, but like all parents we did). Right on target for holding head when pulled to sitting, bearing weight on legs, holding things in his hands, rolling over-which I've yet to see!), baby talk, raspberries, etc. Still working on sleep issues, still working on eating issues... and we can start nightly baths b/c it's hot out! overall, a fantastic appt. we were very happy!!

Pain in the breast

Big guy has been handling time with hubs so well. Until this week. When I feed him he starts screaming and throwing himself away from the breast. Which makes feeding him really stressful. It got to the point yesterday that I said if he continues to be like this that breastfeeding would not be continuing for much longer. This morning brought a lot of stress. Hubs was having a hard time getting him to calm down and he wasn't even taking the bottle! I said go for a walk- the outside always calms him down. I called the pediatrician. Nurse calls back and said to look for any hair wrapped around his fingers, toes, etc. Also, check out his mouth for any sores or thrush. While hubs is looking, big guy clamps onto his finger and starts chomping. Instant calm. I think we have started teething. Then he started sucking on his finger and I said strike while the iron is hot and shove in the bottle. It worked. Which gives me hope that he'll eventually stop screaming at me during mealtime!

That darn frog

Big guy has a bouncy chair and there is a cute activity bar that dangles above his head. It has two stuffed turtles to bat at and a frog that can be pulled and it plays a little ditty. This frog tortures big guy! At first he just stared at the frog and turtles. Then he starting swatting at the turtles. I would pull the frog and he would stare at it... deep in thought. Then I started putting his hand around the dangly piece and he would pull it. I kept saying to hubs that one day we are going to be cooking and just hear the music start. And yesterday while making tortellini- big guy reached up and pulled the frog to make music. Complete shock was the look on my face. Then he did it about ten more times. Lots of clapping and cheers ensued!

Elevator game

Big guy and I play elevator now in the mirror. We stand in front of the mirror and I say a floor. We do "dings" to denote the floor and we go down, eventually so we aren't looking in the mirror. Then we pop back up and say "hello baby." Then Big guy does a huge belly laugh and then I laugh and then we smile at each other and start all over again. It's interesting that last year at this time I spent time in front of the mirror seeing if my belly looked any bigger. And now I look at my son. What a difference a year can make.

Fresh Fruit

Summer brings with it yummy fruit options. Which means I eat a lot of fresh fruit. Which apparently means more fiber in the breast milk. Which means more regular pooping. Excellent! I actually ate yummy peaches the other day and I think the big guy liked them. My strawberries and blueberries went bad before I could eat them. Hubs still ate the blueberries, as they are his favorite. Big guy likes watching us eat. I wonder if he'll be a good eater. I was a good eater until I became a teenager. Hubs is like a golden retriever, he'll eat anything. Our four month appointment is this friday. I'm excited to see how long Big guy is and if the Dr will let us experiment with food. I also have a long list of questions. I'm looking forward to having a different Dr then the two month, as that was a disastrous appt. Here's to me enjoying summer fruit and big guy enjoying it next year!

Roll Over

I'm still waiting for the big guy to roll over for me. He rolled over for the hubs on friday... twice! I'm starting to take it personally. The only good thing is that I am putting him on his belly way more. And he doesn't seem to mind too much. I'm pretty sure he's just toying with me. Maybe he'll do it when it's just the two of us again. Only one more week and then I'm done work. Then summer city! Pumping hasn't been too bad, just time consuming. And people are very interested in breast milk. It's kind of funny! I wonder if I should be more private about the breast milk. I tend to talk pretty openly about it. Oh well.

One day with grandma...

And the kid rolls over... twice! Maybe he should hang with her more often! I think people will ask me if I'm upset I missed it for the first time, but only a little. Truthfully, I knew it was coming and I'm thrilled he did it. Now I'm excited for tummy time!

Clothes

Being back at work meant not getting to wear stretchy pants and hubs' t-shirts every day. I'm not really comfortable with my body right now. Pre-baby I was the petite girl at work. Now, I'm not only short, but also fat. And sadly I still have the image of myself as the petite girl. I seriously need to exercise and eat right, even though I feel like I eat really well- besides the bowl of ice cream every night. The difficult part of breast-feeding is that you can't cut calories as you are making calories for the baby. And exercising means eating those calories back up. So, I'm going to ask the lactation consultant we see every week at the BF support group about what I can do. And to hit a new low, we went to the Old Navy to buy work clothes to hold me over the next few weeks and I freaked. Nothing fit and I was ashamed of my body. I almost cried in the burrito place where we had lunch. Without the big guy with me, I'm just another big girl in the world.

Back to Work

Wednesday brought with it the return to work. It dawned on me tuesday night that I had nothing to wear. There were tears. Wednesday morning came and I got up, packed everything I needed for work, pump, pump accessories, food, water, and my purse. I showered, shaved my legs and underarms, and got the boys up. Big guy ate at five after six and got fussy on the second side. I was really stressed and wasn't too nice to hubs. Big guy and I got up and had some fun with the mirror and then he was fine finishing the second side. I picked him up and took him to the changing table, as he had already peed, spit up, and sneezed on me and had gone poop! As I was leaving he was awake and chatting on the changing table and it was physically painful to leave him. I knew he was going to be fine, I wasn't so sure about myself. I ran down the stairs so hubs wouldn't see me crying. I composed myself in the car and put on music instead of NPR. I was doing ok until "I'm coming out" by Diana Ross came on and I started sobbing again. By the time I reached the parking lot at work, I was good again. And once at work, I was so busy and talked about him so much, that the day quickly came to an end. When I got home, I got a huge smile and then he ate and passed out on me for 2 hours! I loved the snuggles. I know that the age he is now makes it easier to leave. I'm worried that in the fall, I won't be as ok.

Weekend of fun

Memorial day weekend proved not only to be a sleeping weekend, but one filled with good food, good fun, and lots of people. Saturday night we were invited to a dinner party across the street. Big guy was in a smiling and good mood, even though we were without air conditioning. Also, one of the kids there was very interactive. Hubs and I went to a wedding on sunday night, so big guy was babysat by his aunt, uncle, and cousin. The wedding was very fun, as we were sitting with my co-workers. Big guy had lots of fun with aunt and uncle, but slept maybe 10 minutes in 5 hours! Yikes, a record! When we came home, big guy looked at us both and then passed out! Sunday brought a yummy bbq, including s'mores for dessert. Tuesday was a very sleepy day for the two of us.