This morning, I woke up to this:
Amazing, right? What's also amazing is that Charlie made it a whole week STTN. He is currently asleep in a pack n play at Grandma and Grandpa's house down the shore. Let's hope his streak continues... :)
Saturday, May 28, 2011
One Year Ago Today...
I woke up to this:
This morning, I woke up to this:
Amazing, right? What's also amazing is that Charlie made it a whole week STTN. He is currently asleep in a pack n play at Grandma and Grandpa's house down the shore. Let's hope his streak continues... :)
This morning, I woke up to this:
Amazing, right? What's also amazing is that Charlie made it a whole week STTN. He is currently asleep in a pack n play at Grandma and Grandpa's house down the shore. Let's hope his streak continues... :)
Friday, May 27, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Finger Sucking Stinks
Charlie discovered his hands not too long ago. I absolutely loved the look of wonder on his face, especially when he realized he could touch them together and use them to grab toys. Ah-may-zing! ;) But these cute little fingers were wreaking havoc during naptime. He likes to suck his fingers, but rather than creating a soothing effect, it keeps him awake way longer than necessary at nap time. So today I put him in the Wombie, which I had purchased a while ago but didn't end up liking because it wasn't a tight enough swaddle. Well, it's perfect for naps! Now, instead of him crying for 10-15 minutes as he tries to put himself to sleep (but can't because of the finger sucking) it takes him no longer than 2-3 minutes for each and every nap - including the dreaded last nap of the day. I'll be honest, I am dreading the de-swaddling process because I know this finger sucking will be an issue at bedtime too. Any advice?? For now, we are enjoying a peaceful household where everyone is getting the sleep they need. And while we're on the subject, have I mentioned that Charlie has slept 10-12 hours straight the past three nights?? Mommy is in heaven, and enjoying it while it lasts...
After the Christening on Sunday, Charles was given numerous gifts and cards from his generous friends and family. And you know what that means - more thank you notes!! ;) While they're not my favorite thing to do, I did get to order some new stationery since we already went through the 50 cards I ordered just before he was born. In keeping with the nautical theme, I decided on these:
If this kid doesn't love the ocean as much as his mom, you can't say I didn't try! :)
After the Christening on Sunday, Charles was given numerous gifts and cards from his generous friends and family. And you know what that means - more thank you notes!! ;) While they're not my favorite thing to do, I did get to order some new stationery since we already went through the 50 cards I ordered just before he was born. In keeping with the nautical theme, I decided on these:
If this kid doesn't love the ocean as much as his mom, you can't say I didn't try! :)
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Back to Yoga
Oh, how I've missed it! I did a quick cardio yoga video this morning (just 20 minutes) and I loved it! When Charlie went down for his first nap, I fired up the On Demand Exercise TV and did Tom Morley's Cardio Yoga class. It was a great re-introduction and I'm proud to say that by the end my heels were back on the ground in downward dog. There's a distinct possibility that I will be sore tomorrow, but that's OK. No pain, no gain.
Speaking of Charlie's naps, I wanted to offer a quick update on the sleep training. Charlie is still falling asleep on his own in his crib, and taking between four and five naps a day which average about forty minutes each. When he hits the four month mark, I expect his wake times between naps will increase to about two hours. This should lead to less naps throughout the day. At this time, I plan to try Pantley's method for lengthening nap times. She recommends stationing yourself outside the nursery about ten minutes before the typical waking time. At the first signs of stirring, go into the room and pat or shush your child to try to get them to go back to sleep. She says that after doing this for a week or so the baby will be able to sleep though that first waking period and take a longer nap. We shall see... there's always something, right? Once we get the sleep thing all settled it will be time to start preparing for solids!
We head back to NJ tomorrow to get ready for Charlie's big day. It will be nice to be home again and get back into our regular routine. Just two more weeks before I head back to work (for three weeks, then I'm off for July and August). The time sure does fly...
Speaking of Charlie's naps, I wanted to offer a quick update on the sleep training. Charlie is still falling asleep on his own in his crib, and taking between four and five naps a day which average about forty minutes each. When he hits the four month mark, I expect his wake times between naps will increase to about two hours. This should lead to less naps throughout the day. At this time, I plan to try Pantley's method for lengthening nap times. She recommends stationing yourself outside the nursery about ten minutes before the typical waking time. At the first signs of stirring, go into the room and pat or shush your child to try to get them to go back to sleep. She says that after doing this for a week or so the baby will be able to sleep though that first waking period and take a longer nap. We shall see... there's always something, right? Once we get the sleep thing all settled it will be time to start preparing for solids!
We head back to NJ tomorrow to get ready for Charlie's big day. It will be nice to be home again and get back into our regular routine. Just two more weeks before I head back to work (for three weeks, then I'm off for July and August). The time sure does fly...
Christened
It's official... Charles is a Roman Catholic! :) The event on Sunday went beautifully and we celebrated with friends and family afterward. Charlie did an awesome job all day, though he couldn't nap with all the commotion going on downstairs. The last two nights he's STTN (12 hours!) so I'm certainly not complaining. Here is a photo of all of us on our little man's special day...
In other Charlie news, here are a few other photos I've snapped in the past couple weeks...
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| Charlie and Sophie, his new BFF |
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| "Hey Mom, did you know that there were toys hanging from this thing??" |
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| My fellow teachers know... May is "Get Caught Reading" Month |
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| We tolerate the Bumbo for a few minutes each day. :) |
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Family
Charlie and I made an unexpected trip to Massachusetts this week for my uncle's funeral. While it was such a sad occasion, I couldn't help but think how lucky Charlie is to have been born into our family. He was surrounded by so much love this week in spite of the pain that everyone was feeling. He certainly brought a smile to everyone's face and he was a champ as he was passed around to every single person in the room. :)
This weekend, we will celebrate a happy event - Charlie's Christening. My parents and in-laws have been amazing in helping us prepare for the party. I can't wait to celebrate with everyone, and I'll be sure to post tons of photos next week. Charlie is currently my assistant as I make cookie favors. He's really got a knack for baking!
My mom and I took a shopping trip with him yesterday to a few baby stores. She is determined to purchase a walker for him. All I could remember were horror stories of children tumbling down the steps in walkers, so I was a little hesitant. But she assured me he'd be fine. And so, Charlie is the proud new owner of this (well, he will be when it's delivered on Saturday):
I do have to say that is was hysterical to see Charlie sitting in the ones we tried at the store. He was in heaven as Vavo pushed him through the aisles. :) His feet are just about hitting the floor, so he should be ready at the four month mark. I'm excited for him to try his exersaucers too... so many fun, new toys for him to discover!
Finally, I know I've been slacking in the food journal department. Rest assured, I'm still eating lots of healthy vegetarian meals and snacks and I'm currently a pound or two below my pre-pregnancy weight. But my belly still needs a bit of toning, so my new journal is going to document my exercise throughout the week. In looking at my schedule (which has vastly improved since Charlie naps in his crib now), my goal is to walk at least a mile with the Baby Jogger stroller on each and every sunny day (which we basically do already). I also want to do a yoga video at least 2-3 times per week. This should be really easy to accomplish and once I've got this down, I'll up the ante. You gotta start somewhere, right?
This weekend, we will celebrate a happy event - Charlie's Christening. My parents and in-laws have been amazing in helping us prepare for the party. I can't wait to celebrate with everyone, and I'll be sure to post tons of photos next week. Charlie is currently my assistant as I make cookie favors. He's really got a knack for baking!
My mom and I took a shopping trip with him yesterday to a few baby stores. She is determined to purchase a walker for him. All I could remember were horror stories of children tumbling down the steps in walkers, so I was a little hesitant. But she assured me he'd be fine. And so, Charlie is the proud new owner of this (well, he will be when it's delivered on Saturday):
I do have to say that is was hysterical to see Charlie sitting in the ones we tried at the store. He was in heaven as Vavo pushed him through the aisles. :) His feet are just about hitting the floor, so he should be ready at the four month mark. I'm excited for him to try his exersaucers too... so many fun, new toys for him to discover!
Finally, I know I've been slacking in the food journal department. Rest assured, I'm still eating lots of healthy vegetarian meals and snacks and I'm currently a pound or two below my pre-pregnancy weight. But my belly still needs a bit of toning, so my new journal is going to document my exercise throughout the week. In looking at my schedule (which has vastly improved since Charlie naps in his crib now), my goal is to walk at least a mile with the Baby Jogger stroller on each and every sunny day (which we basically do already). I also want to do a yoga video at least 2-3 times per week. This should be really easy to accomplish and once I've got this down, I'll up the ante. You gotta start somewhere, right?
Friday, May 13, 2011
Sleep Training
This week, Charlie and I embarked on a little sleep training adventure for naps. Previously, he would need to be rocked to sleep for five to ten minutes. During this time he would fuss and cry until eventually falling asleep. While my thighs and calves appreciated the workout they received bouncing him around four times a day, neither one of us was pleased with the situation. I tried every sort of combination for timing his naps, ranging from one to two hours of wake time before putting him down - every time he'd cry himself to sleep while being rocked. Also, once asleep, it was nearly impossible to put him down without him waking again. So after reading both Ferber's and Pantley's books, we set out to make nap time a bit more enjoyable. For the past three days we've done some sleep training and I'm happy to report that Charlie is putting himself to sleep pretty regularly! I kept the video monitor with me at all times so I could both see and hear him. So here's how it all went down the first two days...
Day One (wait time is one minute, three minutes, five minutes until he falls asleep or a half an hour has passed)
Nap One - He fell asleep at the 28 minute mark. I hated every second of it, but kept telling myself it was important for him to learn that he could do this. He slept for 45 minutes.
Nap Two - This time he fell asleep at the twenty minute mark and slept for 35 minutes.
Nap Three - He feel asleep within ten minutes but only slept for 30 minutes.
Nap Four - He feel asleep within ten minutes but only slept for 20 minutes.
Nap Five - Same as Nap Four.
On day one Charlie went to bed at 7:30, and woke at 11:30 and 4:30 to nurse. He was still sleeping at 7:15, so I woke him for the day.
Total nighttime sleep = 10 hours and 45 minutes
Total daytime sleep = 2 hours and 30 minutes
Total sleep = 13 hours and 15 minutes (Most sleep experts recommend 12-15 hours for a three month old.)
Day Two (wait time of two minutes, four minutes, six minutes)
Nap One - He fell asleep WITHOUT CRYING AT ALL!! However, it took him thirty minutes to fall asleep (I put him down an hour and a half after his last waking time when I first noticed his sleepy cues). He was just chilling in his crib until he drifted off. He slept for forty minutes.
Nap Two - I had to go in once at the two minute mark, and he was asleep within five minutes and slept for 40 minutes. He woke to eat and then fell asleep on my lap for about twenty minutes. I thought, "WWFD?" (What would Ferber do?) I carried him upstairs and laid him in his crib - he woke a bit, but put himself to sleep - successful transition!! He continued to sleep for another twenty minutes.
Nap Three - I had to go in twice (two minutes and four minutes) and then he was asleep, but he hadn't gotten a good burp out after he last ate. He slept for about five minutes and was up again. Technically, I'm supposed to forego this nap and move on, but I knew the burp was the issue. I burped him, calmed him down (took about a minute), and put him down again. He was asleep in three minutes and slept for twenty minutes.
Nap Four - I went in twice and he slept for thirty minutes.
The best news - he slept from 7:30-5:00 straight through last night. Yippee! :)
Today we continued our training and he's getter better and better each time. I'm so proud of my little guy!
In other news, I finally completed my to-do list for the Christening next weekend. The menu is set with the caterer and includes chicken parm, salmon piccata, vegetable lasgana, roasted potatoes, grilled vegetables, spinach salad, cookies, fruit salad, and cake. Mmm, mmm, good! I also arranged for a cleaning service for the house (which hasn't really been done since Charlie came along, and probably even a few weeks before that when my belly was so big!) His Madrinha bought him the cutest outfit to wear after the Mass and his gown is all ready to go. I have my dress and shoes, and I'm still deciding on a cardigan or wrap. I think we're in good shape!
Finally, I am treating myself to some girl time this weekend. Tomorrow I'm taking Charlie for a lunch date with Alice and on Sunday I'm watching a movie with Meghan while Pat and John stay with Charlie. I'm hoping the movie is good!
Day One (wait time is one minute, three minutes, five minutes until he falls asleep or a half an hour has passed)
Nap One - He fell asleep at the 28 minute mark. I hated every second of it, but kept telling myself it was important for him to learn that he could do this. He slept for 45 minutes.
Nap Two - This time he fell asleep at the twenty minute mark and slept for 35 minutes.
Nap Three - He feel asleep within ten minutes but only slept for 30 minutes.
Nap Four - He feel asleep within ten minutes but only slept for 20 minutes.
Nap Five - Same as Nap Four.
On day one Charlie went to bed at 7:30, and woke at 11:30 and 4:30 to nurse. He was still sleeping at 7:15, so I woke him for the day.
Total nighttime sleep = 10 hours and 45 minutes
Total daytime sleep = 2 hours and 30 minutes
Total sleep = 13 hours and 15 minutes (Most sleep experts recommend 12-15 hours for a three month old.)
Day Two (wait time of two minutes, four minutes, six minutes)
Nap One - He fell asleep WITHOUT CRYING AT ALL!! However, it took him thirty minutes to fall asleep (I put him down an hour and a half after his last waking time when I first noticed his sleepy cues). He was just chilling in his crib until he drifted off. He slept for forty minutes.
Nap Two - I had to go in once at the two minute mark, and he was asleep within five minutes and slept for 40 minutes. He woke to eat and then fell asleep on my lap for about twenty minutes. I thought, "WWFD?" (What would Ferber do?) I carried him upstairs and laid him in his crib - he woke a bit, but put himself to sleep - successful transition!! He continued to sleep for another twenty minutes.
Nap Three - I had to go in twice (two minutes and four minutes) and then he was asleep, but he hadn't gotten a good burp out after he last ate. He slept for about five minutes and was up again. Technically, I'm supposed to forego this nap and move on, but I knew the burp was the issue. I burped him, calmed him down (took about a minute), and put him down again. He was asleep in three minutes and slept for twenty minutes.
Nap Four - I went in twice and he slept for thirty minutes.
The best news - he slept from 7:30-5:00 straight through last night. Yippee! :)
Today we continued our training and he's getter better and better each time. I'm so proud of my little guy!
In other news, I finally completed my to-do list for the Christening next weekend. The menu is set with the caterer and includes chicken parm, salmon piccata, vegetable lasgana, roasted potatoes, grilled vegetables, spinach salad, cookies, fruit salad, and cake. Mmm, mmm, good! I also arranged for a cleaning service for the house (which hasn't really been done since Charlie came along, and probably even a few weeks before that when my belly was so big!) His Madrinha bought him the cutest outfit to wear after the Mass and his gown is all ready to go. I have my dress and shoes, and I'm still deciding on a cardigan or wrap. I think we're in good shape!
Finally, I am treating myself to some girl time this weekend. Tomorrow I'm taking Charlie for a lunch date with Alice and on Sunday I'm watching a movie with Meghan while Pat and John stay with Charlie. I'm hoping the movie is good!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
"Which growth spurt was the worst?"
This was a recent question posted on the 3-6 month board of thebump.com. Everyone responded, "Definitely the three month one!" Awesome... I think we started it yesterday. :)
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Southbound
Today we head back to NJ! :) Charlie and I had a great week up in MA and even had another STTN experience (last night he slept from 7:30-5). Now that he's three months old (more on that tomorrow) Charles feels that he's mature enough to go through the night without waking to feed. We'll just see how long this lasts... This morning I ordered both Solving Your Child's Sleep Problems and The No-Cry Sleep Solution. I figure that I'll read both so I can determine which method will work best for us. Ferber is so controversial, but many people swear by it. But if it's not for us, Pantley and Sears offer another alternative. Charlie is great at night (meaning he falls asleep easily and gets a good stretch before waking) but naps are a nightmare! (No pun intended.) He will cry for 5-10 minutes and has to be rocked/shushed to sleep every time. He also has to be completely asleep before you can put him down. My goal with the sleep training is to be able to lay him in his crib for naps and for him to put himself to sleep. It will take me a couple of weeks to read the books and then we'll begin... I'll keep you posted.
Last night my dad took my mom, Charlie and I out for dinner for Mother's Day... and I blew it!! I typically have a stocked diaper bag - bibs, burp cloths, changes of clothing, diapers, wipes, toys, etc... But I had packed a separate bag to visit Wendy and my whole routine was thrown off. So we ended up at the restaurant with no bibs, no burp cloths, and one change of clothing. Charlie then decided to have an epic demonstration of his spit-up skills. Ugh - bad mommy! So we took our food to go and I ate my dinner on the car ride home. Maybe next year... ;)
Update - I'm now home and getting ready for bed. When we arrived, JA was waiting with an early Mother's Day present. I received two beautiful cards (one from him and one from Charlie), a dozen pink roses, and a new Mom charm for my Pandora bracelet. Love it! And I love my family...
We are off to a family party tomorrow for John's godson's First Communion, so I won't be around until Monday. Happy Mother's Day everyone!!
Last night my dad took my mom, Charlie and I out for dinner for Mother's Day... and I blew it!! I typically have a stocked diaper bag - bibs, burp cloths, changes of clothing, diapers, wipes, toys, etc... But I had packed a separate bag to visit Wendy and my whole routine was thrown off. So we ended up at the restaurant with no bibs, no burp cloths, and one change of clothing. Charlie then decided to have an epic demonstration of his spit-up skills. Ugh - bad mommy! So we took our food to go and I ate my dinner on the car ride home. Maybe next year... ;)
Update - I'm now home and getting ready for bed. When we arrived, JA was waiting with an early Mother's Day present. I received two beautiful cards (one from him and one from Charlie), a dozen pink roses, and a new Mom charm for my Pandora bracelet. Love it! And I love my family...
We are off to a family party tomorrow for John's godson's First Communion, so I won't be around until Monday. Happy Mother's Day everyone!!
Monday, May 2, 2011
Northbound
Tomorrow Charlie and I head to Massachusetts... solo. I'm only slightly apprehensive about a four hour drive with a three month old. He's really great in the car, so I'm sure we'll be fine. My plan is to leave after his first morning feeding, which means I shall spend the day packing and getting ready. JA is working from home today which is so nice because he gets to spend some time with Charlie before we leave for a few days. It also means I get to take a proper shower, i.e. one that lasts longer than four minutes. ;)
I can't believe our little guy will be three months old this week! He continues to amaze me every day and I can't imagine life without him. How could anyone resist this face?? :)
I can't believe our little guy will be three months old this week! He continues to amaze me every day and I can't imagine life without him. How could anyone resist this face?? :)
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
STTN
That clever little acronym is used on thebump.com to refer to when your baby sleeps through the night. I never really thought about this, because I figured we were a long way off. Well... for the past four nights, Charlie has, in fact, slept through the night. He has dropped his 12/1 o'clock feeding and now sleeps from 7:30 to 3:30. Today he actually didn't wake until 5 AM! I was staring at the video monitor for an hour watching him breathe because I was so nervous that something was wrong! Of course, my body is adjusting to these longer stretches and I'm in a world of hurt when I first wake up. Thank goodness for hand expression and my pump! I've read that babies do this sometimes for a week or so, and then go back to waking more frequently at night. I will enjoy the sleep while it lasts!
I toured a day care center in town yesterday and would feel comfortable having them care for Charlie. I forgot to ask about cloth diapers though, so hopefully that won't be an issue. We are touring another center tomorrow; once I've seen it, I can make my decision between the two.
Breakfast - Fiber One toaster pastry; two hard-boiled eggs
Snack - organic granola bar
Lunch - soy chicken patty on a whole wheat wrap; side of mac n cheese; side of mixed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower and green beans)
Snack - mango sorbet
Dinner - two slices of margherita pizza; garden salad
Dessert - Easter candy
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| 10 hours of sleep??!! This boy clearly takes after me. :) |
Breakfast - Fiber One toaster pastry; two hard-boiled eggs
Snack - organic granola bar
Lunch - soy chicken patty on a whole wheat wrap; side of mac n cheese; side of mixed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower and green beans)
Snack - mango sorbet
Dinner - two slices of margherita pizza; garden salad
Dessert - Easter candy
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Easter Photos
We didn't take Charlie to see the bunny this year. Honestly, I think mall bunnies are slightly creepy and I was a little hesitant to let some stranger hold my little guy since he's still so small. I'm sure we'll do it next year though... For now, here's a few we took tonight:
Happy Easter!
Charlie attended his first Mass today - and he did such a wonderful job! He slept through the opening procession and woke shortly after the music stopped. I nursed him downstairs and then my mom held him for the rest of the service. He was smiling at me the whole time and barely fussed at all. Way to go buddy! I should also mention that he had his longest sleeping stretch ever last night (he ate at 7, bed by 8, and didn't wake again to eat until 2:45!) He must love that new crib that Vavo and Grandpa bought him. :) In other sleeping news, he also took his first "un-swaddled" naps today. Here's proof:
I still plan to swaddle for bedtime, but we'll keep trying naps this way so we can start transitioning without it at night. Plus, I feel better about leaving him with other people who haven't quite mastered the swaddle (ahem, JA, ahem). ;)
Breakfast #1 - egg and cheese sandwich on a deli flat with ketchup
Breakfast #2 - egg white veggie flatbread; decaf latte
Lunch - vegan tortellini stuffed in an acorn squash; garden salad (romaine, tomato, cucumber, carrots, and croutons) with Italian dressing
Snacks - Easter candy
Dinner - leftover tortellini and mixed veggies (carrots, asparagus, snap peas)
I still plan to swaddle for bedtime, but we'll keep trying naps this way so we can start transitioning without it at night. Plus, I feel better about leaving him with other people who haven't quite mastered the swaddle (ahem, JA, ahem). ;)
Breakfast #1 - egg and cheese sandwich on a deli flat with ketchup
Breakfast #2 - egg white veggie flatbread; decaf latte
Lunch - vegan tortellini stuffed in an acorn squash; garden salad (romaine, tomato, cucumber, carrots, and croutons) with Italian dressing
Snacks - Easter candy
Dinner - leftover tortellini and mixed veggies (carrots, asparagus, snap peas)
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Cloth Diaper Update
I am happy to announce that we have solved our overnight diaper dilemma! I put a Thirsties hemp insert behind a bumgenius microfiber insert and stuffed them both into the pocket. So far, so good! The hemp inserts are really thin, so as Charlie gets older/sleeps longer/wets more, we can put two behind the microfiber. I hope his future wife appreciates my commitment to keeping his little guy chemical free! (Disposable diapers have been linked to infertility in males.) In addition to the health benefits, I love that cloth diapers are saving us so much money. Because we're nursing and using cloth, Charlie is practically free right now! :)
This afternoon I called our top two child care centers to schedule tours for next week. Eeek! I've actually already viewed the one in town (and I liked it) but it was over the summer. I'd like to see the regular schedule and what the curriculum would be like for Charlie's age group (he'll be seven months when he starts). The other center is one town over from where I work. JA would take the train from here too, so when we become a one car family in June, it will be helpful to commute together to the same place. I'll update next week after I tour both centers.
I also spoke with our pedi office. Green poop (along with yellow and brown) is perfectly normal for a breastfed baby. Good to know. :)
Breakfast - Fiber One toaster pastry
Snack - banana
Lunch - black bean burger on a whole wheat tortilla with ketchup and mustard; raspberry sorbet
Snack - BBQ POP chips
Dinner - ziti with marinara sauce
Dessert - Tofutti ice cream sandwich
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| Thirsties hemp inserts - sunflowers not included |
I also spoke with our pedi office. Green poop (along with yellow and brown) is perfectly normal for a breastfed baby. Good to know. :)
Breakfast - Fiber One toaster pastry
Snack - banana
Lunch - black bean burger on a whole wheat tortilla with ketchup and mustard; raspberry sorbet
Snack - BBQ POP chips
Dinner - ziti with marinara sauce
Dessert - Tofutti ice cream sandwich
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Goodbye yoga pants...
...and hello real clothing! ;) I have been living in yoga pants since Charlie arrived in early February. It's just an easy, comfortable look for hanging around the house. And to be honest, I usually wear them to run errands as well. So I was very excited to open my email this morning and see this notice from Banana Republic: 40% off dresses! Ohhh... I could use a new dress for the Christening in May. Of course, my second thought was that it had to be easy enough to nurse in. That Mommy gene is too ingrained now! So after perusing the website, I decided on this one. And so apparently did the rest of America, because by the time I put it in my cart and fed Charlie, it was sold out in my size! :( Thankfully we have a slew of BRs in our area, and the second store I called had it. Goodness. What's a girl gotta do to get out of her yoga pants already? Now the only thing left to do is find a cardigan... and maybe some shoes. ;)
I mailed the baptism invites this morning. I also need to look into a caterer for the event. Lots to do... lots to do...
Lastly, I am starting to wonder if Charlie might have a food allergy. Babies that are breastfed should have poop that's mustardy-yellow and seedy in texture. Sometimes Charlie has this, but sometimes it's green and mucusy (hopefully you don't read this blog while eating). My friend google says this, along with excessive spit up, could indicate a dairy sensitivity. I could test it out by cutting out dairy for two weeks, but this would make me vegan - and that would be an intense commitment. I would have to make sure I'm getting enough protein, which would be difficult without dairy. I think I'll call the pedi in the morning. This has been on my mind for a while now, so I need peace of mind.
Breakfast - all natural PB&J on whole grain toast; apple
Snack - Fiber One toaster pastry
Lunch - Amy's organic cheese and bean burrito; Quorn chicken nuggets
Snack - raspberry sorbet
Dinner - mixed veggies and whole grain brown rice
I mailed the baptism invites this morning. I also need to look into a caterer for the event. Lots to do... lots to do...
Lastly, I am starting to wonder if Charlie might have a food allergy. Babies that are breastfed should have poop that's mustardy-yellow and seedy in texture. Sometimes Charlie has this, but sometimes it's green and mucusy (hopefully you don't read this blog while eating). My friend google says this, along with excessive spit up, could indicate a dairy sensitivity. I could test it out by cutting out dairy for two weeks, but this would make me vegan - and that would be an intense commitment. I would have to make sure I'm getting enough protein, which would be difficult without dairy. I think I'll call the pedi in the morning. This has been on my mind for a while now, so I need peace of mind.
Breakfast - all natural PB&J on whole grain toast; apple
Snack - Fiber One toaster pastry
Lunch - Amy's organic cheese and bean burrito; Quorn chicken nuggets
Snack - raspberry sorbet
Dinner - mixed veggies and whole grain brown rice
Monday, April 18, 2011
Bad Blogger
I used to be able to post every day... every now and then I'd miss one, but almost never did I go two whole days without posting. What can I say? My priorities have shifted. :)
JA and I weren't able to take Charlie to the park on Saturday because it was raining - boo! But we did have a great day down the shore yesterday celebrating Palm Sunday with JA's family. Charlie was adorable, of course, and celebrated his own personal achievement. He went an entire day wearing the same outfit. If your baby spits up, then you know how much of an accomplishment this is. We may have gone through a few bibs (ok, like seven) but we managed to contain everything onto them so we could remain in our cute outfit and not have to change into one of the three sleepers Mommy brought with her (just in case). ;) Of course, we are currently in our third outfit this morning (it's 10:30 AM as I type this) but let's just focus on the positive!
Last night was pretty good sleep-wise. Charlie went down a little after eight (no fussing at all) and didn't wake until close to 2. Of course, I had to stay up until 10 or so addressing his baptism invitations, but I still got almost four hours in a row. And then... we ran into our typical problem of falling asleep before getting a proper burp out. So he was awake again at 4 having spit up in his crib. I picked him up and tried burping him for several minutes and then he fell asleep again! I kept him upright for thirty minutes or so and he woke up, burped super loud, and ate. Sheesh! This kid drives me nuts with the burping!! JA and I try to model good burping all day long, so you'd think he'd have the hang of it by now. ;)
And since it's been a while since I've posted a video, here's our little man. He's not doing anything particularly out of the ordinary on his playmat (aside from admiring his reflection), but I did finally capture a baby sneeze - which I think are totally adorable!
Breakfast - all natural PB&J on whole grain toast; cranberry juice
Snack - small bowl of Cracklin' Oat Bran with organic, low fat milk
Lunch - black bean burger on a whole wheat tortilla with cheese, romaine, ketchup,and mustard; baked fries
Snack - pretzels
Dinner - lasagna
Dessert - Tofutti ice cream sandwich
JA and I weren't able to take Charlie to the park on Saturday because it was raining - boo! But we did have a great day down the shore yesterday celebrating Palm Sunday with JA's family. Charlie was adorable, of course, and celebrated his own personal achievement. He went an entire day wearing the same outfit. If your baby spits up, then you know how much of an accomplishment this is. We may have gone through a few bibs (ok, like seven) but we managed to contain everything onto them so we could remain in our cute outfit and not have to change into one of the three sleepers Mommy brought with her (just in case). ;) Of course, we are currently in our third outfit this morning (it's 10:30 AM as I type this) but let's just focus on the positive!
Last night was pretty good sleep-wise. Charlie went down a little after eight (no fussing at all) and didn't wake until close to 2. Of course, I had to stay up until 10 or so addressing his baptism invitations, but I still got almost four hours in a row. And then... we ran into our typical problem of falling asleep before getting a proper burp out. So he was awake again at 4 having spit up in his crib. I picked him up and tried burping him for several minutes and then he fell asleep again! I kept him upright for thirty minutes or so and he woke up, burped super loud, and ate. Sheesh! This kid drives me nuts with the burping!! JA and I try to model good burping all day long, so you'd think he'd have the hang of it by now. ;)
And since it's been a while since I've posted a video, here's our little man. He's not doing anything particularly out of the ordinary on his playmat (aside from admiring his reflection), but I did finally capture a baby sneeze - which I think are totally adorable!
Breakfast - all natural PB&J on whole grain toast; cranberry juice
Snack - small bowl of Cracklin' Oat Bran with organic, low fat milk
Lunch - black bean burger on a whole wheat tortilla with cheese, romaine, ketchup,and mustard; baked fries
Snack - pretzels
Dinner - lasagna
Dessert - Tofutti ice cream sandwich
Friday, April 15, 2011
A Sleepy Day
First of all... Charlie slept until 7 AM this morning (woke at 12:30 and 3:30). That, in and of itself, is a feat. But then he spent the rest of the day in a mostly sleepy state, so I think he was just having one of those days. He also napped from 3:30-6:00, which made me extremely nervous about bedtime. He did go down at 8 though, so we'll see what happens... Tomorrow we have big plans to go to the park to see the cherry blossoms, so I'm hoping he has a good night. :)
Breakfast - two organic scrambled eggs on whole grain toast; grapefruit juice
Snack - pear; handful of sourdough pretzels
Lunch - Quorn chicken nuggets with BBQ sauce; baked fries with ketchup
Snack - apple
Dinner - black bean burger on a whole wheat tortilla with ketchup and mustard
Dessert - two peanut butter Oreos
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| Branch Brook Park, NJ - betcha didn't think Jersey could be this pretty, right? ;) |
Snack - pear; handful of sourdough pretzels
Lunch - Quorn chicken nuggets with BBQ sauce; baked fries with ketchup
Snack - apple
Dinner - black bean burger on a whole wheat tortilla with ketchup and mustard
Dessert - two peanut butter Oreos
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Play Date/New Phone/Sleep Update
Yesterday Charlie and I walked over to our neighbor's house to meet Mira. She was born a week or so before Charles. While they didn't really play (one ate while the other slept and vice versa) it was great to spend some time with another mom and get out of the house for a bit. There are actually two other babies on our block who were born in the past two weeks, so the foursome will go through school together. Cute!
Today I got a new iPhone - yay! It had been a long time coming. As past tradition dictates, JA was my first phone call. And then Charlie was my first picture. He's already been set as my wallpaper. :)
Our little guy is doing such a nice job in his crib... I bet he barely even remembers that Rock n Play sleeper. I've even removed the rolled towels from under the mattress so he's officially flat now. Last night he woke at 12:30 for the first time (a five-hour stretch!) Unfortunately he fell fast asleep before we could get a burp out. I also fell asleep and when I woke at 2 to put him in his crib, he woke with a gas bubble. I HATE when this happens, because we spent the next hour and a half trying to get it out. He finally fell back asleep at 3:30, woke again at 5:30 and went back to sleep until after 7 (a first!) Every day/night is a new adventure. ;)
Breakfast - all natural peanut butter on whole grain toast; grapefruit juice
Lunch - veggie burger with lettuce and tomato
Dinner - Amy's organic bean burrito
Dessert - two homemade brownie bites
Today I got a new iPhone - yay! It had been a long time coming. As past tradition dictates, JA was my first phone call. And then Charlie was my first picture. He's already been set as my wallpaper. :)
Breakfast - all natural peanut butter on whole grain toast; grapefruit juice
Lunch - veggie burger with lettuce and tomato
Dinner - Amy's organic bean burrito
Dessert - two homemade brownie bites
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Getting Better
I didn't post after night 2 in the crib because I couldn't even see straight, let alone type. ;) Charlie was up at 11, 1, 3, 4, and 5. Yikes! I did manage to drive down the shore yesterday so we could visit with Grandma and Grandpa. Maybe the sea air helped him sleep better because last night was bed by 8, up at 11:30, 3:30, and 5 - more like our "schedule" when he slept in the Rock n Play. I hope this is the light at the end of the tunnel!
An unfortunate side effect of the crib sleeping is diaper leaking. Not sure what that is about, but apparently when he lies flat for a long time, the diapers leak up the back. I posted on the cloth diapering board on thebump.com for some advice, but if you have any, please share it! I hate having to undress him in the middle of the night because his back is soaked! (**Update - many people recommend hemp inserts. I'm going to order a few and try it out...)
I ordered Charlie's baptism invitations today. Here's the photo I ended up selecting (though I made it black and white). Cute right?
Breakfast - all natural peanut butter on whole grain toast; grapefruit; cranberry juice
Snack - Fiber One toaster pastry; light chocolate soy milk
Lunch - Amy's organic burrito; organic tortilla chips and salsa
Snack - vegan fruit, nuts, and seeds bar
Dinner - veggie burger on a whole wheat tortilla with ketchup and mustard; baked fries
Dessert - half a black and white cookie
An unfortunate side effect of the crib sleeping is diaper leaking. Not sure what that is about, but apparently when he lies flat for a long time, the diapers leak up the back. I posted on the cloth diapering board on thebump.com for some advice, but if you have any, please share it! I hate having to undress him in the middle of the night because his back is soaked! (**Update - many people recommend hemp inserts. I'm going to order a few and try it out...)
I ordered Charlie's baptism invitations today. Here's the photo I ended up selecting (though I made it black and white). Cute right?
Breakfast - all natural peanut butter on whole grain toast; grapefruit; cranberry juice
Snack - Fiber One toaster pastry; light chocolate soy milk
Lunch - Amy's organic burrito; organic tortilla chips and salsa
Snack - vegan fruit, nuts, and seeds bar
Dinner - veggie burger on a whole wheat tortilla with ketchup and mustard; baked fries
Dessert - half a black and white cookie
Sunday, April 10, 2011
We Survived
It wasn't exactly pretty, but Charlie survived his first night in his crib. We started our bedtime routine at 7:00 with a bath and PJs then headed upstairs to the nursery. He was down a little after 8. He woke up for the first time at 11 and only nursed for about 10 minutes before he was asleep again. In hindsight, I probably should have tried to get him back to sleep without nursing, but I'm just so used to feeding him when he wakes at night. He woke again at 1:15. This time I did try just soothing him, but nothing worked until I fed him. He finally went back to sleep around 2:30. Then he woke again around 5:15 and we were up for the morning. John tried soothing him a bit, but Charlie wanted nothing to do with sleeping any more, so I took him downstairs to play. He's pretty tired this morning, which is always a problem because every time we nurse, he falls asleep before getting a proper burp out. And if I lay him down without burping, he's up within ten minutes or so spitting up. So after walking around the house with him for at least thirty minutes, we finally got a burp and he is now sleeping (flat on his back - we're practicing!) on the couch beside me. The thing about first-time parents and their babies is that so much of it is trial and error... just when something starts to work well, something new comes along to throw a wrench in the works. I am glad that he's in his crib now, and even though it might take a few nights to get back to where we were, I'm confident that Charles can handle it. Whether or not his mom and dad can handle it remains to be seen...
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| Charlie's just lucky I don't put him in a crib like this... then he'd really have something to cry about! ;) |
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