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Eliza learned how to clap today and it is the most adorable thing ever! I never thought about teaching her to clap and then today I was clapping when she did something and she looked at my hands and then clapped hers. We have since spent most of the day clapping hands and saying Yea! Of course, now, if I don't say yea for her when she claps her hands, she gets angry. But it is oh so adorable.
Posts: 416 | Registered: May 2005
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Haley has recently become obsessed with: 1) Playing in the snow. She will bring my shoes to me, dragging them by the laces, then point to the window and say, "Walk? Owside walk? Brrr! Snah!" The "brrr snah" bit refers to the snow.
2) Brushing her teeth. She'll brush them four or five times a day, and if we're not around she'll climb onto the lid of the toilet to reach the sink (and her toothbrush). She can't reach her toothpaste, though, so she'll come to us -- often bringing our toothbrushes, too, distributing them to the rest of the family like the opposite of the Tooth Fairy -- and wail "Teef! Teef! Uppie!" until we pick her up and help her retrieve the tube of paste from the shelf.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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Here's an unsolicited tip to help everyone through the cold weather. Aerin's face tends to get very chapped in the winter. I tried everything (not hyperbole - you wouldn't believe what I spent on lotions and cremes). What finally worked is so simple that I felt like a jerk for not trying it first. First, a layer of A+D Original Ointment (NOT the cream). Then a layer of Vaseline. That's it. I put it on Aerin every night and her skin's been perfect ever since. Her nose didn't even get chapped when she got a cold.
We also use Vaseline to prevent diaper rash. It's the only thing that works. Aerin did have eczema on her arms and legs that was resistant to everything (even the prescription our pediatrician gave us and A+D and Vaseline), but she seems to have outgrown it.
Has anyone tried the new Medela Freestyle pump? I've heard it's almost as good as a hospital grade pump, but not from anyone I know personally.
Posts: 3037 | Registered: Jan 2002
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Nathaniel came home one year ago today. It's hard to believe that this active, crawling, happy one-year-old was that teeny 5 pounder just a year ago. (We weighed him on Christmas last year using a postal scale and a shoebox.)
He's such a funny little boy. He's constantly pulling up on things and getting stuck, and his favorite thing to do is climb the stairs (with one of us right behind him).
He's going through another period of being clingy, and I have to admit I like all of the extra cuddles. I like being A-star-number-one-favorite Mama.
I know Beanie's birthday is coming up soon, too--happy birthday!
*** Nope, I haven't tried the Freestyle, but I'm listening carefully for any answers you get. I am NOT a fan of my PIS--it works fine but it's not gentle enough. (I miss the Symphony!) If we have another baby (funny how the NICU trauma memory has faded!), I'm thinking about either getting a Freestyle if I hear better things, or else renting a hospital-grade for when I go back to work. I'd keep the old PIS at home and leave the hospital-grade at work. (If we *do* have another one, I'd really like to have another long maternity leave. I didn't go back till Nathaniel was 8 months, which meant only 4 months of intensive pumping. Renting for that amount of time is approximately comparable to buying a pump.)
Posts: 834 | Registered: Jun 2005
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We're getting a humidifier installed today. The whole family is in desperate need of moisture in our skin. My 3-year-old keeps saying his nose hurts because it's all dry and cracked in there. The pediatrician recommended saline spray in his nose but Drake didn't think that was such a good idea. Posts: 2392 | Registered: Sep 2005
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Christine, should there be some kind of delay in the installation, you can also try doing several loads of laundry and hanging things up around the house to airdry. This works wonders for us. (or at least, it did, before we moved to the Pacific Northwest & the glories of rain forest climate made the point moot)
Posts: 14017 | Registered: May 2000
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I am looking for some advice on sippy cups. Ellie is almost 9 months old and does pretty well with her sippy cup. She likes to drink water out of it and occasionally some watered down juice which she absolutely loves. The problem comes in putting formula in her cup. She just won't drink it. She gets really angry. I know she knows how to use it because she does fine with water in her cup. Her pediatrician wants us to wean her to the cup by 1 so I really would like to get her to drink more formula from it. Any suggsestions?
Posts: 416 | Registered: May 2005
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Question: When you feed her from a bottle, do you hold her?
My guess is that she's got an emotional connection to that method of feeding, especially if you hold her, but probably even if you don't. It's a comfort to her. When you remove something like that, something that a person (or child or baby) counts on, it's best to replace it with something else.
And I do think it's great to continue to hold a baby when you feed them because that bond is so important -- more important, IMHO, than having her off the bottle by her first birthday on the nose.
If you even waited until she was one, and then started offering regular milk in a sippy, and then gradually cut one bottle feeding each day, it might be a nice, gentle way to wean. You would want to replace that cuddle time with other cuddle time and perhaps introduce a lovey -- a blanket or doll or something that can be a comfort to replace the bottle.
Just a few thoughts. That's pretty much how I weaned from the breast, although I wasn't in any hurry and in fact went to about 17 months. (I'm thinking of going even longer this time around.) But the principle is still the same. When I was ready to wean, I offered him regular milk in a cup and cut back one nursing session per day every 3-4 weeks until we were done. Every 2 weeks would probably be a very good, gentle approach.
Posts: 2392 | Registered: Sep 2005
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I do always hold her when I feed her a bottle. Good point. I never really thought that it was the cuddle that could be the problem. I will try giving her a snuggle with the cup and see if that helps some. She has lots of loveys but none that she has grown attatched to. Does that usually happen by now or is it something she might develop later? Thanks for the suggestion. I will definitely give it a try.
Posts: 416 | Registered: May 2005
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I wouldn't worry about it much -- 3 months is a long time in terms of infant development. Think of what she can do now compared to when she was 6 months old!
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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I think some kids just don't get attached to one specific object. I tried to help Lego "bond" with a blanket, and then later with a bear. No dice. He sleeps with a different stuffed animal every night now. His cousin, on the other hand, used to freak out of anyone but her or her parents so much as touched her blanket.
Posts: 1903 | Registered: Sep 2003
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Duplo used to be a pretty good sleeper, but now he's up every three hours or less every night. He's over six months old. Everyone says the first six weeks are the worst for sleep, but that wasn't true for him. He'd do a four-hour stretch, followed by two three-hour stretches, so two wakings total each night. And he'd eat and go right back to sleep. What he's doing now is worse. He goes to bed at a different time each night, sometimes wakes in the night thinking it's morning and won't go back to sleep for an hour or more, and thinks he needs to nurse far too often.
I suspect he's growing aware of his desire for my company, even at night. He seems to sleep better when he's in bed with me, but I try not to do that too often because eventually I want him in his own room.
And I really don't know how to get him to have a consistent bedtime. His naps are consistent, which is the funny thing. But sometimes he takes a third nap in the early evening, and sometimes he doesn't. Maybe we're just in a transitional period, but I'm sick of it. I want my sleep back.
Posts: 1903 | Registered: Sep 2003
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Eliza did the same thing at just over 6 months. It was right before she really mastered sitting and standing by herself. My pediatrician said that at that age babies sometimes will not want to sleep when they are trying to work out a new skill and excited about it. The good news is a bit before 8 months she started to be a great sleeper again and had learned a bunch of new skills. Hang in there!
Posts: 416 | Registered: May 2005
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Nathaniel had pretty predictable sleep patterns until he started teething and I went back to work--which happened at the same time when he was about 8.5 months old (about 7 months adjusted). We had about 3 weeks of terrible sleep where he nursed pretty much all night, and woke up about 4-8 times between when I put him down at night and when I went to bed. And then another 4-8 times between 11 and when it was time to get up.
Those weeks were NOT fun.
What saved me (since I was back at work and needed to be somewhat functional) was starting to co-sleep. Up until then he'd been in his own crib in our room.
Especially in the last month or so, he's started to sleep much longer at a time (he usually goes from about 8:30 or 9 to 5 or so), and we're thinking about trying to get him back into his own bed. We'll see--in the end what is most important to me is my sleep...and if he sleeps I sleep, and since at 5 I just nurse him back to sleep without waking up myself...well, this is what works for us for now.
About a consistent bedtime...Nathaniel sometimes gets in another early evening nap, but it doesn't usually affect when he falls asleep. We start the bedtime routine between 7:45 and 8:15 (bath, brush teeth, jammies, books, nurse with lullabies playing), which means he's asleep between 8:30 and 9:00 most nights. So anyway, with our baby, the consistent bedtime comes from us starting the routine on time, not on his naps. (Just like everything else, I'm sure it doesn't work on all of them!)
Posts: 834 | Registered: Jun 2005
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theresa51282 - we went cold turkey with our bottles when Aerin was about a year because she was a micropreemie and has a malformed palate. I thought she'd flip out and refuse to drink, but she got over it in about 2 days. She also has never had a comfort object. I didn't either - lots of kids don't.
Thankfully, sleeping has never been a problem for us. Aerin slept through the night at 2 months adjusted. I'm sure a significant part of it is that she is a naturally good sleeper. She does like to sleep and gets very annoyed if you wake her up (wonder where she gets that). She was also a very late teether and had an easy time of it. She's also so active that she wears herself out.
Still, there were some things I did that I think helped. First, we had a very consistent naptime and bedtime schedule. She never had more than 2 naps per day and we started her bedtime routine at 7:00 p.m. exactly. I rocked her until she was very drowsy and then put her down. I always kept her room very dark - no nightlights of any kind. I also had an iHome and put 16 hours of soft music on. I experimented a lot. I was desperate because she was such a high-maintenance baby that I just HAD to get some sleep. You never know what will work, so keep trying.
I really hope the twins are good sleepers.
Posts: 3037 | Registered: Jan 2002
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Liz, the NICU experience really does fade for almost everyone - most of the NICU parents I've spoken to feel that way. It's like a blur for Andrew and me. The first homecoming anniversary is such a milestone. We've actually made our homecoming day into a family holiday of sorts. We just go out to supper, but that's a big deal for us. Be prepared for people to give you some stunned or obnoxious looks and comments when you tell them that you're trying again (or that you've succeeded).
Happy Homecoming! It's not only a milestone, but it's an accomplishment for you and Baby Nathaniel. I am so, so happy for you.
Posts: 3037 | Registered: Jan 2002
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quote:Be prepared for people to give you some stunned or obnoxious looks and comments when you tell them that you're trying again (or that you've succeeded).
You know, I've never understood this. I totally get that all the time (well, did when I was pregnant) and still get comments on having 3 kids. (Just 3! I've never thought 3 was a "large family" but apparently it is to many people.)
To me, the only response when someone (who is in a stable adult relationship) says they are pregnant is "congratulations" unless they tell you that they are upset about it. Sure, circumstances might not be ideal for whatever reason-- but that doesn't mean the baby won't be loved and cared for (at least in the cases of people I know) and "Are you NUTS?" is not the right way to respond to someone being happy about having another baby.
Sorry, I've had a lot of comments lately and I'm getting a little sick of it. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Yep, there's something about 3 kids. Everyone I know with 3 or more has gotten those same comments. Apparently, a ton of women get tubals after #3, so maybe that's it. I never thought of 3 as a "big" family, either. I get the "Are you going to keep going until you get a boy?" questions and comments. That's a pretty personal question and vaguely insulting in a way.
And when you tell people you're having twins, they all say the same thing, "You're going to have your hands full." Thanks, that's super helpful. I also get a lot of, "At least you're not having 6 like Jon & Kate Plus 8." Also extremely helpful and comforting. Every twin mom I know has warned me to steel myself for the "double trouble" comments. I have to keep reminding myself that everyone means well.
Posts: 3037 | Registered: Jan 2002
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Thanks, Mrs. M. We didn't do anything special, but it was still a special day.
You know, I actually get the opposite kind of comment: "Ready to start thinking about #2?" Clearly "THEY" (cf "Everyone") think(s) the perfect family is 2 kids, one of each flavor.
And you're right, Mrs. M. They all mean well, just like the ladies who like to tell horror stories about pregnancy and labor, and all the people who ask if the baby is sleeping through the night yet. It's just part of the acceptable cultural conversation.
Obviously, though, some parts are less acceptable ("funny" comments about having a large family, for example).
I can't imagine having a large family *for myself*. It's not what I grew up with, none of my close friends had more than 2 siblings, and I've never hoped for a lot of kids. But...the difference is that I *can* imagine that someone else might want something (gasp) different from me.
Funny how that works...
Posts: 834 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Exactly! Though I can't imagine myself being "done" at 2 or 3-- I've ALWAYS wanted a lot of kids-- I can totally see that some families are complete and happy with 1, 2, or 3 kids. But, not everyone is the same! I have even gotten snide comments about "overpopulating the earth" and "we believe in replacement, not going until we can't support them all." Wow! How is that okay? (Not to mention, we are very environmentally conscious, and probably consume less than most families with 1 or 2 kids in our communities do.)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Liz B: Clearly "THEY" (cf "Everyone") think(s) the perfect family is 2 kids, one of each flavor.
Well, I don't know about "they" or "everyone" but personally I'm thrilled with my 2 kids, one boy and one girl. And I think it's perfect.
Then again, I have one sibling, a brother, and so that's what I'm used to. Also, I'm easily overstimulated so probably more than 2 kids would be hard for me.
I don't pretend to assume that what is perfect for me is perfect for "everyone" though.
Posts: 2392 | Registered: Sep 2005
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quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen: "we believe in replacement, not going until we can't support them all."
I know a few people who automatically question whether anyone with more than 2-3 kids can support them. Pretty judgmental.
It's not as common, but there is a flipside. I have gotten people questioning my decision to "only have 2 kids." It's like, "You're not the one who has to raise them." One person even went so far as to tell me that I shouldn't use birth control because God wouldn't give me any more kids than I could handle. I informed her that I knew he wouldn't, which was why he'd given me birth control.
People need to mind their own business.
Posts: 2392 | Registered: Sep 2005
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I do get the opportunity to make some really mean and evil cracks, though. Like your "that's why He gave me birth control," I am prone to saying things that leave people with sour or stunned looks on their faces. Some of my favorites, in response to "Don't you know what causes that?":
"Yes, and we really enjoy it. I especially like it when my husband..." *trail off as they look shocked*
"Yeah, but we don't have enough bathrooms to use separate toilets."
"Didn't anyone ever explain that to you? Okay, so when a man and a woman love each other very much, and they want to have a baby..."
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Toby is 7 weeks old today. How time flies! I miss my little newborn sleepy boy (and I know, he's not really *that* old yet), but it is so cool seeing him become more and more engaged with us and the world.
Maggie has just started this past week standing alone (without holding onto anything.) We managed to get a few of her doing it at our portrait session Saturday.
I think all our babies are adorable, of course. In fact, I think most babies are adorable, not just ours. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Super cute pictures!!! I love Toby's face as he's sitting up in bed!
I can't believe Maggies is standing already! It seems like just yesterday that she arrived!
I'm amazed that my tiny little girl is already a year old! She celebrated her birthday by taking her first few unassisted steps for me. A week later her first tooth finally appeared and today her second one is peeking through. She's having lots of fun cruising around and has done a lot more unassisted steps (as well as hanging onto our fingers and walking around the house with us) - she even walked about 3-4 feet last week. She's waving unprompted now and loves when we cheer "Yay!" for her - she'll stop what she's doing and clap. She's still not much for talking, but she'll answer questions by shaking her head. She's fallen down to the bottom of the height/weight charts, but her doctor assured me that she's perfectly healthy and not to worry (but a little tiny part of me does worry).
Here she is with her birthday cake. I was able to snap a picture of her sleeping last week, which I haven't been able to do in a really long time.
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Oops! got it fixed! And it's really cute, she's clutching her wubanub in her hand - you can see it sticking out here and there. Posts: 5879 | Registered: Apr 2001
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When did these babies get so big?! Jessica is 1? What a pretty girl - those curls are so sweet. Toby is gigantic and very handsome. I'm tearing up a little.
And I swear I saw a doll that looks exactly like Maggie. I'm trying to find the picture. It's uncanny.
We had our first joint feeding session today! It went really well. We used the My Brest Friend and it worked perfectly. It took us a while to get both babies to stay latched, but then they settled down and ate. It was so fantastic to feed both of them at once - they're usually hungry at the same time and I have to take one off before she's done and it's so upsetting for everyone. I hope we can do this from now on.
This was a big day of firsts - I got both of them into the Baby K'tan. They're sleeping in in right now, as I type! It is also the most comfortable sling I've ever worn, by far. I cannot recommend it enough. Camille hung out in it alone and she loves it. Leni only likes being in it with her sister for some reason.
My quality of life just improved by leaps and bounds!
[ August 11, 2014, 04:41 PM: Message edited by: Hatrack River ]
Posts: 3037 | Registered: Jan 2002
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Ugh, I could never do it. Probably I never had the right sling. I was always afraid either the baby's head was at the wrong angle, or they were going to suffocate. I do wish I had shopped around more and found a solution for me.
Posts: 1522 | Registered: Nov 2005
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It really helps to have one you like. I heart my ring slings so much. They're the only ones I feel secure with, pouch slings make me so nervous. And the one I like best is Solarveil, it's mesh so I never worry about breathing and such through it. I do have a mei tai I like for older babies (a friend made for me.) I abhored my Snugli. I have some backpacking carrier from Kelty and one from some hiking store that I like pretty well for hikes (but wouldn't use for anything less.)
It has come to my attention that what I thought was laziness/cheapness/make-my-life-easiness is actually "crunchiness." At least according to some people.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Boon
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<3 my ring slings, too. All these babies are so beautiful.
The Moose is now walking. Okay, so he just started last week so he's more "stand up, wobble a lot, manage to shift one foot at a time forward 3 or 5 times and fall down" -ing, but he's getting there.
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My baby didn't want to be worn. She was one of those babies crawling by 6 months (though she could scootch herself across the room by 3 months- kinda like an inchworm), walking by 9. She almost never wanted to cuddle. And breastfeeding was like a chore for her- she would do it because she was hungry, but she wasn't going to spend any extra time about it and would wait until she was starving to eat. Though, to be honest, her daddy probably could have worn her.
Posts: 2223 | Registered: Mar 2008
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I had my maya wrap, and I thought the material was way too heavy and warm. I found it very difficult to place the material just right, too. When Katababy gets older, I expect I'll use it for side and back carries a lot.
But what I was surprised about was how much I liked my infantino front2back carrier. It's a structured soft carrier and is very comfortable. And it's not difficult to put on or to put her in it, like the maya wrap is.
I'm thinking of getting a mei tei style one for back carries, like a catbird or hawk something or other.
Posts: 2880 | Registered: Jun 2004
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I'm so glad you have a sling you like for the twins MrsM! I love my slings too. I'm cheap and have made my own. Beanie loves them (in fact, I think the lighter-weight one has become her lovey - she's been dragging it all around the house with her for the last week or so).
Since a lot of you moms have carriers, I have a question for you. Beanie certainly isn't very big (she was only 18.5 lbs at her 12 month checkup), but using a sling for her for an extended period of time (like say an hour or two for long walks around the neighborhood) is starting to hurt my back, so I've been thinking of making a mei tai style carrier (she's heavy enough that the wrap I have doesn't work well either - she seems to slip down too low regardless of how tight I make it). I've been hoping I can find someone in my area who has one I can just try for a few minutes to see how she and I like it, but in case I can't, does a mei tai seem like a good way to go? I really can't afford to buy one (but I have tons of fabric), which is why I'm planning to make one, but I'd be disappointed to get it all done, and still have the same problem.
kq - I've learned I'm way "crunchy"-er than I'd ever thought too. Posts: 5879 | Registered: Apr 2001
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quote:Originally posted by scholarette: My baby didn't want to be worn. She was one of those babies crawling by 6 months (though she could scootch herself across the room by 3 months- kinda like an inchworm), walking by 9. She almost never wanted to cuddle. And breastfeeding was like a chore for her- she would do it because she was hungry, but she wasn't going to spend any extra time about it and would wait until she was starving to eat. Though, to be honest, her daddy probably could have worn her.
This sounds like my girl!
Actually, my first baby would have loved to have been warn if I'd had the right sling. I ended up holding him constantly. I guess when you just have one that works about as well anyway. He was an early crawler/walker, so I'm not sure those are related, but he sure did like to linger at the breast and cuddle!
Then I got a ring sling when I was pregnant with my daughter and she hated it. I could maybe use it for 5 minutes but mostly she didn't want to be held. She didn't want to nurse for very long or cuddle. It was depressing, actually. The good news is that as she's getting older, she's nursing longer, at least when she's tired. I think I had an oversupply at first and it's settled down so that she doesn't choke on it now. Still not a cuddle bug. (That's what I call my son...don't know why.)
Posts: 2392 | Registered: Sep 2005
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I love my MayaWrap. I nursed Charles all over Disney World in it when he was five weeks old and I can still use it to carry John on my hip and he's almost 2 1/2.
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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Mrs. M, I don't think I've said this yet--but CONGRATULATIONS! They're gorgeous and your whole family looks so happy. I'm sure you'll be giving us updates on how Aerin is settling into her new role as big sister. And I love the My Brest Friend, too--in fact, I still use it sometimes w/ my 13 month old.
My sling experience:
*Infantino sling carrier was terrible. I used it once and clearly it was a bad idea--looked like it was blocking his airway.
*Snugli used once, when Nathaniel was 7 lbs.--the lowest recommended weight. Still hurt my back to carry him in that torture device.
*Baby Bjorn (borrowed from a friend) was a bit better. I could wear him for about 15 min. before my back hurt, anyway. He seemed to like it, though.
*Finally, when he was about 4 months old, I followed Space Opera's recommendation and got an adjustable cotton pouch from Kangaroo Korner. It's been great! I never really wore him around the house, much--since he's the only baby around, I could pretty much sit and hold him as much as he wanted/ needed. But it's been perfect for shopping anywhere the stroller won't really work--used bookstores, flea markets, anyplace small. I haven't used it in about a month, but he still loved it then, when he was a bit over a year. I wore him tummy-to-tummy and he fell right asleep.
Posts: 834 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Charles has pushed himself up into the crawling position a few times, but I think it'll be awhile before he goes anywhere with it.
And he won't look small when he does -- he passed twenty pounds just before he turned six months. I hate to think what he must be up to by now.
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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