Parenting Check-In

Jazibel · April 2014

Good Morning Everyone.

Tell us about your LO(s). How was your weekend? Any new developments, challenges and/or successes?

QOTD: Past or Present: what are some of the baby/kid essentials that you wouldn't have wanted to live without? (i.e. favorite bottle, toy, carseat, etc.)

2nd QOTD (if you want): Summer is approaching!! :-) What are some things you plan to introduce your LO(s) too? Any special camps or activities for the older LO(s)?

PIPs always appreciated :-)

JGY · April 2014

Good Morning!

Gabe is a handful these days and this weekend was exhausting (but still good)! He's really starting to express his opinions, mostly by throwing his head back and screaming when things aren't going as he'd like. Ugh. Ahhh well, at least he HAS opinions. We will work on how he expresses them.

QOTD: Our bassinet was essential. I really truly loved it. The top/basket lifted out and you could carry it around the house like a carseat. Underneath was a changing table. It rocked or rolled, had a vibration function and a little nightlite so I could check on him without waking him (or anyone else) up. LOVED it. The other thing that I could NOT have done without, was a little cloth book called "Silly Tails." For a few months this was the ONLY thing that would keep Gabe calm in his carseat. He loved, and still loves, this book like you would a stuffed animal/lovey blanket.

QOTD 2: The outdoors. Seriously. MN is so effing cold (especially this winter) that we just didn't get to spend any time outside besides running to/from the car. I'm really excited to be able to spend time in the yard with the dog (sorry cat) and also to go swimming in the local lakes. He's getting to a good age for playgrounds too. This is going to be such a fun summer.

KH826 · April 2014

Hi - hope you don't mind me popping in with a quick question for my favorite group of parents!

@JGY - do you know the name of the bassinet that you had/have? It sounds perfect! My wife and I have been debating back and forth about a bassinet, and we have a wooden cradle and the Rock-n-Play on our registries, but aren't sure either will really give us what we want...

Thanks!

JGY · April 2014

@KH826 - here is a link:

https://thefirstyears.com/carry-me-near-bassinet

I think they sell it at Buy Buy Baby and Walmart. It's also referred to as a "5-in-1" Bassinet.

As an FYI, we also had a rock 'n play, and tended to use that for daytime sleeping/naps. The bassinet was more for nighttime sleeping. I don't think it's overkill to have both. I'm not sure how much we would have used a cradle, but that probably has more to do with our dog and the way our house is set up.

Good luck!

(And FWIW, I did see a few of these on craigslist so you might have a cheaper option there)

KH826 · April 2014

@JGY - thank you!

ATXmommas · April 2014

We're doing well. I posted last week about Ash being a bit cranky - well, poor thing had an ear infection. Crankiness only lasted a day. He's such a little trooper. He's as happy as ever. I wish we could post videos here because we took the cutest video of my sister and I trying to give him his antibiotics. This stuff is stronger than the antibiotics he was taking a few weeks ago, and he most definitely does not like it. He purses his lips when the syringe gets near. Super cute, but challenging! I'm worried about the recurrence of ear infections and plan to look into the tips @jazibel provided me last week to help prevent future infections. But, unfortunately, based on what the pediatrician told us, he is already at risk of recurrence based on the fact that he had his first infection before 6 months of age and he is in day care. We'll just take it as it comes.

He's sleeping better than the last couple weeks too, but still not going more than 3 hours at a time. Not horrible, but I never feel well rested. Looking forward when he goes back to 4-5 hour stretches. It will happen, right???

We had a great visit with my sister this weekend. Ash thought she was the funniest thing ever. I have never seen him laugh so much for a person! So cute and sweet.

I thought about giving him water this weekend, but didn't happen. Ah, well. I've been reading more from the BLW book. So weird to me to think about him starting solids in just 5 weeks or so. I have a feeling he will do more playing/exploring with food than eating for a month or two after we offer, which I know is normal. It will definitely change our well-established evening/morning routine during the week, which I'm a little anxious about, but I know we'll adjust again.

QOTD: We love our swing - it's been great for naps. He didn't like it so much when he was itty bitty and I was worried this expensive swing would go to waste, but he started loving it and it helps our him to sleep for naps when he's fighting it. We don't swaddle anymore, but I could not have lived without the Halo swaddle sacks. We used swaddle blankets, but once he could kick/squirm himself out of the blankets the swaddle sack was a lifesaver. LOVE. Honestly, most everything else is gravy. Nice and convenient, but not much I couldn't love without. As for this summer, I think we're going to start swimming lessons after he's 6 months, which is around the corner - hard to believe!

mwagner25 · April 2014

Hello all! We are doing well here. Oliver is huge.. 17lbs 9 oz and 26 inches at the doctor last week. He is 4.5 months right now. Our pediatrician wanted me to stop feeding him at night... He was waking every 2 hours and nursing. We have had to let him cry some to break him of the night nursing but it's been the best decision for our family. Oliver and I are both sleeping now at least from 7pm-3am then it varies when he will wake up between 3 and 6 or 7 am when he gets up for the day. We are both much happier getting consecutive hours of sleep.

He is starting on solids and we are having so much fun with it! He is a happy guy and learning new things everyday. We just went back up to Minnesota to see my family and had a great trip. I will PIP him enjoying some carrots.

QOTD Our RnP when he was little was a must have! Now with teething his Sophie we love. He also is attached to his lamb Wubanub... So we have two.

Jazibel · April 2014

We had a good weekend. Kaden is babbling away. New favorite words include "bird" and "door". We're working on teaching him verbs, and opposites. Also to say "please". :-) It seems the more words he learns the happier and less frustrated he is. When he does get frustrated we try to ask him to communicate, show us what he wants, etc. My hope is to tame those toddler tantrums. We'll see how it all pans out.

One thing we were laughing about this weekend is how jealous he gets. If EV and I are hugging or cuddling he has to be in the middle. He's pretty adorable about it, but it makes me wonder how it will be when Owen arrives and he needs to share our attention.

On a positive note he's able to play by himself for longer stretches of time, so I'm getting more done. The weather has been nice so we've been playing outside in the backyard, I'm looking forward to nursing and watching Kaden play this Spring/Summer.

QOTD: Definitely our swing. I just ordered rechargeable batteries and a charger, and washed the cover. It's all ready for Owen. We also loved our Ergo. (EV loved the Moby, but I never "bonded" with it the same way. Here's to hoping she'll wear Owen a ton for the first few weeks). Cloth wipe warmer and diaper sprayer too (for cloth diapering). Last thing we loved are the large muslin swaddle blankets from Aiden and Anais. We just had a new set gifted to us with cute designs. They're so perfect for summer babies since the material is breathable and large enough for even a clumsy swaddler like me to use.

QOTD2: Looking forward to being outside, and fairs and other family activities. EV and I will both be off school which will be so nice! We're considering enrolling Kaden in some tot-sports either basketball or soccer. :-) Also spending time at our gyms pool, local parks and maybe even a camping trip??

Jazibel · April 2014

sarahtrpt said:

My LO is 7 weeks. We had a horrible scare last week when I fell outside on the sidewalk while carrying her in the baby carrier. She's fine but I took her to ER since she hit her head. They did a CT to make sure and she's fine. I feel awful but am so grateful she is ok. I'm not using a baby carrier anymore. It wasn't the carrier's fault --- my ankle just gave way. Not sure I stepped on something. I'm just too scared it could happen again, so only using car seat with stroller now.

Other than that things have been good. She is sleeping 4-5 hour stretches. We do want to get her sleeping in co-sleeper instead of rock in play but she won't sleep in the co-sleeper (arms reach) for more than half an hour at a time. We feel we need to transition her soon. Any suggestions?

We couldn't live without her rock n play. She also loves this picture we have in our room by where she sleeps --- it's a Buddhist like pic of Lillies and flowers that is mainly black and white. She LOVES to stare at it for minutes at a time and it calms her down when fussy.

I'm glad your LO is okay. That sounds so scary. :-(

ATXmommas · April 2014

@herbabymama‌ - absolutely! Giving up dairy is like giving up meat. After a while you don't miss it. And, there are some really yummy vegan "cheeses" that I eat occasionally, which helps keep cravings at bay. Plus, it sounds like you would only have to give it up temporary basis as long as you BF - not forever.

LOVE baby girl's hair! So cute.

JGY · April 2014

@herbabymama I can't believe that C is 4 months already. And she's looking so much like K these days!

Jazibel · April 2014

@herbabymama - congrats on buying the house. Sending you positive vibes for an easy move :-)

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