October 2009 ddc chat - crawling through the tulips in may

[star*mora]

hey mamas,
saw there isn't a new thread so am starting one!

[star*mora]

can't believe it is already may!

the weather has been amazing since we got home nearly a month ago. our tulips have all blossomed as well as the daffodils in early april and some lovely forget-me-nots. other flowers too but i am useless with the names of flowers so i don't know what they are, lol

would love more gardening tips, am trying to learn more about sprouting and container gardening too.

everett is still loving the crawling and is happy being mobile. seems to enjoy crawling in the grass. baby led solids are going well.
he loves nursing several times a night, so a night of sleep for me is still somewhat elusive, but hey i didn't have a baby with the intention of lots of sleep for me

he's an intense boy! my 3yr old has been helpful digging up weeds in our weed-infested yard. am off for a walk (mid 20s here today - so around 76 or 77 degrees) and a few veggies from the local market.

all good things mamas!

[Aufilia]

Crawling?? Oh, no... I'm so not ready for that! Fortunately Tristan doesn't seem to be, either.

Then again I'm also not ready for his brand new tooth. It's his upper left tooth, totally out of order, and I'm sure we're going to spend the next couple weeks arguing over how he's supposed to be nursing now. It seems to be a peekaboo tooth, sometimes you can see it, sometimes not.

We are doing baby led solids, too. Just started a week ago, and really liking it. So much better than the puree method that we did with DD.

I need to get on with babyproofing. I bought a really long baby fence-gate-thingy (8 panels, one of which has a gate) and am gating off part of the dining room so we can put DD's not-baby-safe toys in the gated area, where Tristan can't get at them. I think I'll have enough to gate the doorway to the family room, too. Now I just need to get a gate for the top of the stairs...

[Kmama2]

Hi all! No solids here really and no teeth either. Israel is army crawling all over the house and eating his sister's toys.... Those darn polly pockets!!
Israel can sit by himself but after maybe 30 seconds to a min or 2 he falls forward or backwards... which is weird cuz he is super mobile. Anyone else's babe not totally sitting by themselves for a long time?

[mum2row]

Callum is sitting up for really long periods and has occassionaly face-plants, I try to keep something soft for him to land on but a few times he has landed on the hardwood, seems ok though I can usually distract him afterwards and the crying stops. He is not crawling yet but can move around on his belly, he is spending lots of time on hands and knees and rocking so I know that crawling is coming soon. Definately need to get the baby gate up on the stairs.

We are still bf but I plan to wean him started this month, a month long case of mastitis with 2 weeks of IV antibiotics, a drain inserted into the abcsess has done me in. I am not looking forward to weaning but I just can't stress my family by taking the risk that I will get that sick again. The impressive thing through all of this is that not a single health care provider has told me to stop breastfeeding.

Callum is loving solids, broccoli is his favorite right now, I am thinking of starting meat but that scares me a bit.

Aufilia: I completely agree that starting with solids is way better than the purees.

We are looking forward to our first camping trip next weekend, should be interesting with two kids this year.

[boobs4milk]

s mom2row!

thank you for the thread arlene!

erin, millie has a peekaboo tooth on the bottom. it's really giving us fits!

millie can scoot in circles but her fat lil belly won't come off the floor. she's great at sitting and i'm pretty sure her ei days are behind us!!!

happy may everyone!

[MeredithK]

Hey everyone! Well, no crawling here. I can't believe some of our babies are moving already. Dylan can sit up by himself for a little bit before falling. It's so cute to see him sitting. Here's a picture of him sitting in the park: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...8&id=814579310

He's busy grabbing everything and getting upset when he can't get things. I have to put him in a carrier in the stores otherwise he grabs everything off the shelves and eats it!

He's still got just his two teeth. I keep waiting for more. He's still only tasted a few foods although he is ready for more. He screams at our food, reaches for it, and opens his mouth when we feed ourselves.

We're still struggling with the reflux and our sleep issues. I feel bad for Dylan every time I see him have acid reflux. But the zantac doesn't seem to do anything and his Dr says since he's gaining weight, it's ok. Poor little guy. I'm not sure what we'll do.

Oh - and he's a whopping 15 lbs 3.5 oz (went to thr dr last week)!

Here's just a cute silly picture:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...5&id=814579310

[Pandme]

He looks like a little chubster. Funny that he's 15 pounds. I don't think Clementine looks skinny either and she's probably about that weight too.

[MsVyky]

My disjointed update (nak)

I've been saying "Lyra will crawl any second now"... And she still can't after staying that for 3 weeks.

Not sitting unassisted yet either, close, but still so far.

No teeth, but lots of drool and always chewing.

LOVES cereal mixed with applesauce, blueberries, squash, yam and potato. Not keen on carrot.


Has been taking EPIC naps. two hours at a time, twice a day (THANK YOU ELIZABETH PANTLEY!!!)

[MeredithK]

Originally Posted by MsVyky

My disjointed update (nak)


Has been taking EPIC naps. two hours at a time, twice a day (THANK YOU ELIZABETH PANTLEY!!!)

I am so jealous!!

[MsVyky]

Don't be too jealous. We still get next to no sleep at night. Well... last night was okay. My husbands was out of town, so it was just the two of us, and we did alright. Only three wakings.

[Kmama2]

Originally Posted by MeredithK

Hey everyone! Well, no crawling here. I can't believe some of our babies are moving already. Dylan can sit up by himself for a little bit before falling. It's so cute to see him sitting. Here's a picture of him sitting in the park: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...8&id=814579310

He's busy grabbing everything and getting upset when he can't get things. I have to put him in a carrier in the stores otherwise he grabs everything off the shelves and eats it!

He's still got just his two teeth. I keep waiting for more. He's still only tasted a few foods although he is ready for more. He screams at our food, reaches for it, and opens his mouth when we feed ourselves.

We're still struggling with the reflux and our sleep issues. I feel bad for Dylan every time I see him have acid reflux. But the zantac doesn't seem to do anything and his Dr says since he's gaining weight, it's ok. Poor little guy. I'm not sure what we'll do.

Oh - and he's a whopping 15 lbs 3.5 oz (went to thr dr last week)!

Here's just a cute silly picture:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...5&id=814579310

Israel is still spitting up 30+ times a day as well.. gaining weight but still int he 15lb range like dylan as well...

[Friendlee]

Originally Posted by MsVyky

Has been taking EPIC naps. two hours at a time, twice a day (THANK YOU ELIZABETH PANTLEY!!!)

I was just lying here on the couch, casually reading this thread and this made me sit right up! I briefly read about the pantley method when I was desperate for a little more sleep at night (now she sleeps through the night though). I forgot all about it...but naps are STILL sometimes just 20-30 minutes long. I would SO love a reliable 2 hour nap where I could plan to get some deep cleaning done in the house (and also make myself some food without feeling guilty for not sharing as she stares with wide eyes and a big frown).

How long did it take? How hard is it? I gotta do something! Every time she lays down for a nap, I find that all I have the energy to do is sit on the couch vegging and then, boom, she's awake again before I could ever muster up the energy to go vaccuum or jog on the treadmill or whatever I might want to do on my break.

In other news, Lu has two bottom teeth, she's sleeping through the night, sitting very well unassisted, pushing up on knees in her crib at times, turning in a circle when on her belly in order to get to toys, and I didn't get the memo on baby led solids but she is LOVING pureed food and I actually love making it and feeding it to her. It's a great social time for us as she laughs and communicates with me. It's mostly for fun, texture, food intro and all that. We're mainly breastfeeding still. And I'm pretty happy about how the poop is a little more solid. We're using liners in the cloth diapers now and poop is SO easy to deal with! I've converted about three moms to cloth in the last 6 months!
Not sure if this picture link will work...but here's baby Lu and me at a festival last week.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...&id=1418073376

It's funny to think back a few months ago and how stressed many of us were. I think, for most of us, it is so much better now. I'm ready for #2!!!

[Norasmomma]

Hi there Owen is sitting, crawling(almost exactly at 7 months), signing(milk, mama and water-the last 2 are a combo of the first, lol) and trying to STAND. Ugh the lord just blesses us with movers. He loves the outside, gardening and his sister. He's really digging that he can basically chase her now.

We're doing very well and having a blast, my allergies to all the pollen is off the chart I can't help but feel terrible with a sinus headache, ugh.

I'm starting a new night job 3xs a week for 5 hours at our local bakery, look forward to that(and a tiny bit sad).

Oh and he's pooped in the potty the last 10xs or so, I'm trying EC a bit, but he only goes every few days, so that makes it easy(ier).

Things are going great. Love our little man, he's such a vibrant addition to our already fun family.

[MsVyky]

Friendlee- We got awesome results with naps within a few days, but that's probably not typical- I just wasn't recognizing the early signs that she was tired. As soon as I started watching her much more closely, naps became a serious non-issue. It went from taking 45+ minutes to get her down to five minutes, tops. Diaper change, quick nurse and poof. Done. I put a pillow in front of her and one behind her to make her feel like she's being cuddled and when she stirs, it seems as though someone is there.

The next challenge- getting her out of our bed. We've learned through all of this that co-sleeping really just isn;t working for us. She sleeps SO WELL by herself, and at night... not well at all, she nurses right through the night. We attempted to side car the crib, and it turns out the lowest setting of the crib is still too high for our bed (We have Ikea Malm with no box spring, just the wooden ikea slat thingers), so out goes that idea.



And this morning Lyra got her tummy up off the floor. Crawling, I think, is imminent.

[Aufilia]

I might have to try the Elizabeth Pantley book, too. Tristan is sooo tough for naps. He's only reliable about napping in the afternoon, around 1pm. It used to be a 3-hour nap but lately it's like an hour or two, tops, and that is nowhere NEAR enough sleep. Then again, watching his sleepy signs isn't reliable here because DD's schedule is often interrupting DS's.

We had our 6-month checkup last Friday. Tristan is 18lb and 28" -- long and skinny. When he's in a cloth diaper he's nearly too long for all our 6-9mo onsies and sleepers. But he's too skinny for the 12mo size!

mum2row -- I'm sorry you're having to wean. Mastitis is the worst!

Boobs -- How long as Millie's tooth been peekabooing? I could feel Tristan's again today but not really see it (but then, he really struggles when I try to look).

Meredith -- "Just" 2 teeth?? Heee. Is he uncomfortable when he's spitting? If so, then I'd maybe insist on trying something else for his reflux... Zantac is working ok for Tristan but if it didn't, I think our ped said Preacid was the next step?

Vyky -- Two hours, twice a day? Heeeaven. Of course this is coming from someone who didn't manage to put her baby down for more than 10 minutes at a time all day! It was a record bad day. Still, 4 hours of napping in one day would b e awesome even compared to normal...

Good luck getting her out of your bed. Oddly enough, we are in an opposite position... trying to get a new bed so Tristan will fit better in it. But I know where you're coming from. Cosleeping with my DD never worked well for us, so it still amazes me that it mostly works with DS.

Friendlee -- Lu sounds like a real overachiever! LOL. I can't see the FB pictures...

Norasmomma -- Awesome on the signing! When did you start signing with Owen? I've been signing "more" pretty consistently, and usually "all done" and "diaper change" but nothing back yet. DH is pretty sure Tristan can say "Dada" but that's pretty hit or miss so it's hard to tell.

[Norasmomma]

Originally Posted by Aufilia

Norasmomma -- Awesome on the signing! When did you start signing with Owen? I've been signing "more" pretty consistently, and usually "all done" and "diaper change" but nothing back yet. DH is pretty sure Tristan can say "Dada" but that's pretty hit or miss so it's hard to tell.

We started really early, I want to say a couple months old. I read that with children in deaf families learn sign very quickly due to constant exposure, so we just started once he was looking at us really intently. With DD she was right around the same age when she signed "more and eat", so maybe we just have kids who have good dexterity.

He also is now clapping, but with one hand closed and one open.

I'm also really trying to EC with him now, this AM I nursed him and put him on the toilet, he then went pee.....cool stuff.

Owen doesn't really nap, but honestly he sleeps from 7-ish to 7 am so I don't really care.

[Ms. Cellaneous]

Happy May everyone!

It's so exciting to hear reports of teeth and crawling and signing -- yay! No crawling here, but a lot of sitting, staring intently at desirable thing just out of reach, and then full-body lunging for it. We have got to baby-proof before he starts moving. I am also really enjoying the fact that for now, when something goes out of his view, it is gone forever and out of mind. I realize object permanence is an important developmental milestone but I'm going to be a little sad when it happens!

Ms. Vycky, you have inspired me to hunt down my copy of the No Cry Sleep Solution. It's around here somewhere. Of course, if he took longer naps, then I could actually get the apartment clean/organized, and I'd know where the book is... it's a vicious circle.

I just don't know anymore on sleep. I have got to find a way of teaching him to fall back asleep when he goes through a natural waking cycle. Last night I tried putting him in the crib drowsy, standing there and comforting him ... for about 40 minutes it seemed to be working, he was getting sleepier and sleepier, and then something just snapped and he started screaming something awful. So I picked him up and bounced/rocked him to sleep. But honestly with him at 16 pounds and growing I am reaching the point where I physically cannot hold/rock/bounce him to sleep several times a night. My back can't take much more. So I've got to figure something out.

Mom2Row, I'm sorry about the weaning. It sounds as though you have put in a heroic effort, though... you should be proud that you did so much for so long.

[MsVyky]

I just want to point out that I totally resent the title of this thread. LOL.

WE got a foot of snow dumped on us on Tuesday

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/the...672/story.html

[TortelliniMama]

Somehow I've kept missing these threads! I guess I keep coming into LWAB when the thread isn't on the first page.

Simon is still quite the chub. He was a couple of ounces shy of 25 pounds at his six month appointment. I *think* he might be starting to slow down in weight gain now that he's moving a bit more. I seem to be fastening the velcro on his diapers a little tighter. He likes solids in general, although we're pretty relaxed and casual about offering them (as in, if it's a busy day, he might not get any), and he's fine with that. If he shows interest in stuff we're eating, it seems to be more out of curiosity than hunger. If we sit him up, he'll stay that way for a couple of minutes without support. He isn't crawling yet, although he's realized that he can look around himself and then roll over to what he wants. (Only one roll at a time -- he hasn't figured out long distance rolling yet. ) So now he finally sees a point to being on his stomach, which makes it much easier to get him to stay that way for a while, and getting him on his stomach is especially important for him, since he's been diagnosed with mild torticollis and positional plagiocephaly.

At his four month check-up his doctor noticed that his forehead wasn't symmetrical. (We totally hadn't noticed. It's pretty subtle, but once you know it's there, it's clear.) For the next couple of months we didn't know if it was positional or if he had craniosynostosis (where one or more of the cranial sutures fuses too early). I was totally freaked out, since cranio would have meant surgery to open up his skull and release the fused suture. But we're very, very fortunate. The doctor we saw at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (who's been working with cranio since the 70s) said that he doesn't see any reason to think it's cranio instead of positional plagio. Whew! And since it's a mild case, we don't even need to do helmet therapy.

It still seems strange that a baby who mostly refused to be put down for the first 6 months unless he was sleeping in bed at night would end up with positional plagiocephaly. I mean, I knew that babies don't have to be left in their carseats all day to develop it, but I just thought it would be more obvious that he found turning his head uncomfortable. It was much more subtle than I would have thought. Apparently the torticollis made him tend to keep his head to the one side (and that's the side of him I used to sleep on, so he was further encouraged to keep it that way throughout the night -- oops! -- and he *is* an awesome sleeper, so he was spending a long time in that position).

Anyway, we have a follow-up appointment at CHOP to make sure that nothing else seems to be in play with his lumpy little head. It does seem, though, that he's just continuing the pattern he established in pregnancy of showing signs of potentially serious medical problems, but then not actually having them. It's like he has a very evil little sense of humor.