Lily Dawn 5 Months Old

Miss Lily Dawn is 5 months old! (6/11/11)

She is the sweetest little girl. 

As long as we keep up with her nap schedule and bed time, that is. 

And as long as she gets to nurse whenever she wants. 

Just like Big Brother, she loves music and loves for me to sing to her. She is more then ever fascinated with Ethan and lights up when he comes into the room. She is almost always grinning and will laugh out loud when I tickle her belly. Her favorite sound is to see how loud and high pitched she can get her voice to go. She doesn't like to have on socks and shoes. She will kick at them until she gets them off. She won't sit in anything but the walker. No Bumbo, kick-n-play, or swing. She would rather be on the floor rolling around and playing with her brother. Or being held by Mom or Dad. She will lay in her crib with the mobile on for a little bit. 

I'm not sure what she weighs but she is still in 6/9 month clothes. They are a bit tight when she has her cloth diapers on. We are using a mix between cloth diapers (second snap for one size) and size 3 disposables. Sometime I just don't feel like washing diapers :(

See the tooth?

At the end of the month we started her on solid food. Just like Ethan, we started with avocados and bananas. The first few times she was confused but quickly got the hang of it. Sweet Potatoes are next. She started getting her first tooth (bottom front right) on June 11! She has started getting up on her hands and knees and trying to push herself forward. I don't remember Ethan ever doing that. He did his "crab crawl"!

Lily Dawn- 2 Months Old

Sweet Baby Lily is 2 months old! At her last weigh in she was 11lbs 12oz. We will go to the Doctor next week for her 2 month check up and shots.

Her eyes are still dark blue and look a little green to me in some light.

Big Brother is still enjoying playing with her and wants to be held by whoever is holding her!

She is smiling socially and is already loving the camera.

I am now starting to track her sleep patterns and working on getting her on a schedule. I'm still in love with the book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth. She takes several naps in the day and sleeps for a long stretch (4-7 hours) at night in her own bed. 

As soon as we got over RSV she got a clogged tear duct. Poor baby's eye swelled up and had goop coming out. I put breast milk in it every time we nursed and washed and massaged it with a cloth and she was good as new the next day.

She is starting to reach for toys that are in front of her and will grab on to them if I put them in her hand.

How fun it is to watch her grow and learn!

The Many Woes of Little Ethan

Here is what I'm dealing with today. More on that in a second:For the last few days we have been attempting to get Ethan to sleep in his "Big Boy" bed. It is his crib with the front remove to make it into a day bed. He loves it, during the day. But when it comes time to sleep in it he wants nothing to do with it. He will cry, for about a minute, and then fall asleep in front of his bedroom door. It's really sad. He wakes several times in the night and Eli will get him back to sleep, sometimes in his bed. He wakes rested and happy the next morning. Hopefully we will see some improvement over the next week. If not, I think we might have to go back to the crib. He can't sleep on the floor like a homeless man for the rest of his life.

Here is what Ethan looked like when we went to his 18 month appointment last week:

Blood blister on toe:

Scratches on side of face and mosquito bits all over forehead:

More mosquito bits on arms and legs:

I'm glad the Doc didn't think he was an abused child. She may change her mind if she sees this:

And this:

Or this:

It was also on his bottom cheeks but I didn't take a photo of that.

What is it you ask? Good question. We have no idea. His diaper was changed at 8am yesterday and within 2 hours he looked like this. It was gone with in 2 hours. The same thing happened this morning on his back (see first photo). I'm thinking heat rash but Eli disagrees. I kept myself from googling it yesterday but couldn't help myself this morning. The only thing I came across that might be close is Fifth's Disease which doesn't look too bad. We called the off hours nurse yesterday and she wasn't too concerned. I've put in a call to our ped and now just waiting to hear back. On the up side he has been very happy through the whole thing. It doesn't seem to bother him at all.

UPDATE: The nurse thinks it may be hives. I'm still waiting on her to get in touch with the ped to see if she wants us to go in for an appointment.

Eli and I got to go out on a date last night! Our friend and Eli's co-worker came to sit with Ethan. She has sat with him once before but I put him to sleep before we left. This time she came over at 6pm and Ethan goes to bed at 7pm. They had a great time singing, dancing and playing on her laptop taking pics of him! She put him to bed and he cried for a minute and fell asleep (again, on the floor). I'm so glad we have someone who is willing to sit (for free! so I cook them food) with Ethan so Eli and I can enjoy some time out together.

Random Tuesday- More Sleep Training or How to give a Mom a Heart Attack

I was going to post a bunch of photo's of Ethan in his new shoes at the park but google won't let me upload (download?) any pics. So I'll tell you about the heart attack I almost had last night.



Eli and I have been talking about getting the boy to sleep through the night without nursing for about a week now. He has been going to sleep well but waking around midnight, again around 2 or 3 and again around 5 and up for good at 7. That's a bad night. A good night he would wake maybe twice. Each time I was able to successfully put him back to sleep by nursing him, a process that only takes 5-8 minutes or Eli would walk him around his room. I had really been struggling with my own wants of continuing to nurse him at night. After a phone call with a friend and some supportive advice I decided I was ready last night to cut out the night nursing. Eli and I agreed that we would follow our bed time routine and I would nurse him and put him down in his bed. If and when he woke we would not go in the room for at least 15 minutes. Then we (Eli) would go in, tell him it is night time, go to sleep and we love him.



Bed time comes around, I nurse him and he is still wide awake. He really goes back and forth with the bedtime nursing. Most times he falls asleep while nursing and I put him in bed asleep. Sometimes he just doesn't and I put him in bed awake. He will cry a bit and then fall asleep. Last night was one of those nights. I put him in bed awake and walked out. He cried only until I shut the door and I didn't hear anything else from him for a half an hour. At this point Eli and I were done with our dinner, our nightly dose of Deadwood (we're a little behind) and I was ready to go to bed (I'm old). I had to check on him. He has twice gotten his arm stuck in the bed rails and I had to make sure he was okay.



I stick my head in the door and can only see part of his leg. (I usually only check to make sure there are no body parts sticking out of the bars.) I take a few steps in the room and can now see he is laying on his back but can't see his face. He doesn't sleep on his back. When we moved him to his room at 7 months we found that the only way he will sleep and stay asleep is on his tummy. I had to see his face. I leaned over the bed and my baby's eyes are wide open. His mouth is a little ajar and he is not moving. My heart starts racing and I am only able to barely whisper in a squeaky voice "Ethan?". It takes him a second to register that I am suddenly right in his face. He then jumps up and starts screaming his head off. I guess I scared him, too! I quickly leave the room hoping he will lay back down to sleep(yeah, right).



I go back in the living room, almost in tears, and tell Eli of my mistake. He comforts me and sends me back to Ethan saying "We owe him some comforting because you just scared him." So I went back and picked him up, walked him around the room and he was asleep in about 5 minutes.



We were fairly successful the rest of the night. Ethan woke around midnight. Eli let him cry for about 10 minutes and then, following the plan, went in and told him to go to sleep and that he loved him. Ethan continued to cry for another 10 minutes before he fell asleep on his own. I heard him wake at 2:17am. I remember this time because I had to count 15 minutes on my fingers about 5 times in my slumber. I didn't make it to 2:32 and nether did Ethan. We were both asleep by then. Ethan then woke at 6am. We don't get up until 7am in this house. Okay, we (me) don't want to get up until 7am. So I let him cry till almost 7 and then brought him to bed with us to nurse on my extremely over full breast. Hopefully tonight goes just as well or better. The goal is to be sleeping through the night by Thursday when Mom gets here. I don't think she can handle hearing Ethan cry!


Do you check on your baby after you've put them to bed? Do you walk all the way in the room or just stick your head in? Eli seems to be more successful at not waking the boy then I am. I think he can smell my milk when I walk in the room.

Missed Appointment

Every few months I have a doctors appointment with my Rheumatologists. As some of you know, I have Lupus and have to have regular check ups and blood work done to make sure things are going okay. As far as Lupus goes, I have it really good. My only symptoms have been joint pain and skin sensitivity to the sun. I am very lucky because Lupus can be really bad.

Anyway, I had my appointment yesterday at 7:40am. (I know, it's early! But Eli stays home with the boy and I want to get back early so he doesn't miss much work.) They called me the day before to remind me of my appointment and I said to the lady "I'll be there!". That was the last time I thought about it until 3 am this morning when I jumped up in bed and said "Oh, No!". I'm sure I scared Eli to death! Now I can't sleep so I'm up telling you about my forgetfulness.

How could I have forgotten? I've never (at least I don't remember) forgotten a doctors appointment. I remind my husband of his appointments. I remember Ethan's appointments.

Why didn't I remember mine? Is this a sign of old age? Or is it still, after almost 11 months, pregnancy brain?

It's not that I'm "so busy" I forgot. All I did yesterday was go to Kohl's to spend my $10 Off Anything coupon (I <3 Free)

Now what happens? Do I have to pay for the missed appointment or the co-pay? I'll have to call tomorrow and it will probably be a month before I can get another appointment.

On a brighter note, Ethan slept from 7pm until 4am this morning without waking up and he put himself to sleep both times without much crying!! Yea, go sleep training!!!

Sleep Training Take 2

*Funny I wrote about this today. So did Dooce! It is much better written.
Ethan did well with his shots yesterday and didn't show any signs of it affecting him so we thought last night was a good time to start the sleep training again. I put him to bed around 6:45. I wanted to keep him up later so he would sleep later but he was getting cranky and it's harder to get him to sleep the crankier he is.
He woke up around 8 and started crying. I was already in bed, trying to catch up on some much needed rest. Eli came into the bedroom and we talked about what to do. We go through this every time Ethan crys, to make sure we are on the same page. We decided to let him cry for 1/2 hour and then Eli would go in and bounce him for 5 mins and then put him back in bed. (thanks Dr. Weissbluth!) Well, 1/2 hour goes by and he is still crying and showing no signs of sleep so Eli goes in, bounces him, and puts him back down and he cried some more. It's like he knows if he make that really high pitch scream I will come running! It lasted only 1/2 hour more and he fell asleep.
Wewww! When we did this the first time around he lasted 3 hours!
He woke again at midnight and I nursed him because it had been 5 hours. He cried a little when I put him back down but fell back asleep quickly. The doctor says he can go all night (7-7) without nursing and he will be okay. I don't mind nursing him once or twice during the night, just not every hour!
He woke again at 3:45 and I let him cry till a little after 4am and then I went in to check and make sure he wasn't hurt or had a fever from the shots. He was sitting up in bed again! I laid him back down on his belly (that's how he sleeps), told him he needed to go back to sleep and that I loved him and walked out. Oh, the screams!! It just breaks your heart.
He fell asleep shortly after that and woke again at 6. I got him and brought him to bed with me to nurse. He doesn't sleep in our bed anymore even when I want him to (like when he wakes up too early in the morning or for a nap when I really need to lay down!).
But I know he is okay. He is going to be a happier, well rested baby. And my nipples won't fall off!
I, on the other hand, am still feeling bad. Yes, thanks Mom, I am still taking my Vit C, multi vits, B-12 and I just added on Iron at night hoping some will pass through the breast milk to Ethan. I also drink a cup of OJ every morning. Today is better: my throat doesn't hurt as bad but well have to wait and see if I get sick to my stomach again this afternoon. Eli calls it "early afternoon sickness" but No, I'm not pregnant! Just some bug that won't go away.
I've put Ethan down for a nap now and he is not crying but making humming and grunting nosies. I don't think he is ready for his nap but I'm ready for mine!

9 month Checkup

Today we went to our 9 month Checkup. This is the best picture I could get of the little boy before we put him in the car this morning! It was cool enough for him to wear a windbreaker on the way there but not on the way home. Got to love that Texas air!

Ethan got 2 shots today: his last Rotavirus and his first Flu Shot. Babies getting their first time flu shot have to have 2. The second one will come in 28 days. He also had to get his blood taken from his toe for an iron test. I knew as soon as she put that band aid on his toe it would end up in his mouth and it did! He was a little low so she wants him eating iron rich foods. Broccoli here we come! We will also be starting some meat, cheese and branching out on our vegs and fruit.

He weighed in at 19lbs 7oz (40%). His head is 45cm (45%). His height is a little on the low side 26.5in which is only in the 5%. She said he is due for a growth spurt any time now!

She also said, if we are going to get him to sleep through the night, then now is the time. He still wakes every 2hours, sometime every hour. I have been going to him because he's so sweet and I hate to hear him cry. Maybe the lack of sleep is why I can't get over my cold!

Wish us luck on finishing up the sleep training.

9 Months Old!!!

Here's Ethan all dressed up for Church this week. He got to go to the nursery for the first time! I wasn't going to leave him back there because I've never left him with anyone but family. Ethan had other plans when he saw all the toys and other kids to play with! They even had the same Leap Frog learn and play that he has at home!

He love "typing" on his keyboard. I had to cut the cord off of it because he kept chewing on it.

His new favorite thing to do is put this toy on his leg and kick!!

Ethan is 9 Months old today! WOW! I can't believe it has already been that long. He has learned lots of new things this month:

Sit up from his belly.

Almost getting to hands and knees from a sitting position.

Is taking baths with out his bath seat. What fun for mom and dad! Babies sure are slippery.

I think he is getting another top tooth!!

He has had his first cold. We have gone to the duck pond for the first time.

Next month is going to be very exciting for us all. We will be going to the Gulf Coast and the coast off of Oregon!!

8 Months Old!

Doesn't he look like Pooh with his head in his honey pot?

Today Ethan is 8 months old! He loves to play with his toys. He looks at them like he is about to take them apart! He is still chewing on everything. New foods: squash from Jee Jee's garden, peaches, nectarines, crackers (graham, saltine and Ritz), peas, ginger added to his cookies.

We have a new tooth (left front) and the right front is coming in now. We are still working on the sleep training. It's a guess everyday how he is going to sleep but for the most part it is going well.

I like to call this next move the crab crawl (or the Linda Blair, depending on your movie taste!)

We start on our tummy.....Then on our side.....Reach back and get foot up under us........All the way back.......And PUSH with the foot to move forward an inch or so!!!! Then start all over again. Soon you will be right where you want to be, next to mommy! This is the funniest thing ever. I laughed at him trying so hard to get to me. And he did!

Sleep Training

For the last few nights, Ethan, Eli and I have been doing sleep training. That means none of us have been getting very much sleep! I have been reading and re-reading the book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth, M.D. It has been a real help to guide us along this really hard road. He focuses on healthy sleep:
1. Sleep duration
2. Naps
3. Sleep consolidation
4. Sleep schedule
We have started to see some big improvements! Ethan is now sleeping in his crib for all his naps and at night time. We decided to go "cold turkey" with him. I started by trying it only at night but the first night he ended back in bed with us by 4am. But for the past 2 days he has had his schedule of:
Wake at 7am
In bed napping by 9am for at least -1-1 1/2 hour
Awake for 2 hours
In bed napping by 1 for at least 1-1 1/2 hour
Awake for 2-3 hours
In bed napping between 3-5 for at least 1 hour--Can be a shorter nap but should be at least 1 hour
Then we do our bed time routine: Eat solid food, bath, book, nurse, bed
The last one is the hardest. He really fights it because he is so tired. As he starts taking his naps better then he won't be as tired for the bed time and it should get easier and he should go to sleep quicker.
I think the main point of the book is that sleep is learned and if your child doesn't learn how to put himself to sleep and stay asleep for a good amount of time then he will have sleep problems all his life.
Eli and I both loved him sleeping with us. But it was really hard on me during the day because he would not sleep unless I was right next to him. I would even try to slip out after he was asleep but he would wake within a few minutes. He would also stay awake really late at night, sometimes till around midnight. If I wanted him asleep earlier then that I would have to go to bed with him. At my age, I don't think I should have to be in bed while it is still light outside! I also don't think he was getting enough sleep. He would get really grumpy around 5pm everyday and it was a fight until I nursed him to sleep and was with him for the rest of the night in bed.
I think this is the hardest thing we have done as parents so far. You can ask Eli, I have not been the nicest person the last few days. But I'm doing much better now!
Ethan is doing well with it all. He is smiling when I go to get him from his naps. His first nap this morning, he woke up and started playing in his crib instead of crying!
I recommend this book highly to all parents.