FEB 2010 DDC for September!

[hapersmion]

Hi everyone! We're back from our beach vacation! It was lots of fun - Ben loved the ocean (especially the delicious sand). :P Now we're dealing with vacation withdrawal in my four-year-old, but that's how it always goes.

Ben is six months now, and yesterday I gave him his first food - sweet potatoes. I just mashed them up and put them on his little high chair tray, and he started stuffing them in his mouth. He didn't seem particularly excited or surprised, just pleased in a matter-of-fact way, like he's done it before. Funny boy.

Today he's trying really hard to crawl! No luck yet, but I'd better go get him, he's getting frustrated...

[Ninetales]

Elsa got to visit with some friends today - my godson and his cousin came up from Detroit. He's almost two and she's about five months. Elsa always thinks other kids are hilarious, since she doesn't get too much time with them. We had a good time but man I can definitely wait for toddlerhood. It looks exhausting.

I think I've decided on a stroller. I'm looking at one of the Jeep ones - either the Cherokee or the Wrangler. They're inexpensive and look like the wheels will hold up on my neighborhood's crappy sidewalks when we want to use it for walks. Plus I want something lightweight and easy to fold up. This should work until I win the lottery and get my Maclaren.

[Ambystoma]

Originally Posted by Ninetales

I think I've decided on a stroller. I'm looking at one of the Jeep ones - either the Cherokee or the Wrangler. They're inexpensive and look like the wheels will hold up on my neighborhood's crappy sidewalks when we want to use it for walks. Plus I want something lightweight and easy to fold up. This should work until I win the lottery and get my Maclaren.

My neighbor had one and LOVED it. I am going to get the jeep jogging stroller when DS is a bit bigger. The big wheels are so much better when at the park or on cracked up sidewalks like we have here due to the heat.

I love love my Ergo. It is so comfy and cooler. DS loves it, too and is napping for the 2nd time today in it. My back feels so much better. It was so worth the extra $.

Looks like we're going to stay in Louisiana until next summer. I have mixed feelings on this. I'm kind of sick of living here, but I found something in my research that is begging me to take data. I'm pretty excited about it.

[Snapdragon]

My baby just started his first hint of scootching himself forward- yesterday for the first time It was neat cause dh and I both happened to see it for the first time- we're like- wow, he just scootched himself forward a little! then he did it more today- like when he goes on his belly he sticks his butt up and then kind of pulls his upper body forward. Like a little inch worm kind of!

[Nicole730]

I feel like posting, but nothing new to report. Elsa is still happier sitting than being on her back. When she is on her back, she spends her whole time trying to sit up - instead of just rolling over and being somewhat okay with her stomach.

How exciting Katie34!

Harpersmion - I like your description of your son's reaction to the food - sounds adorable.

Ambystoma - that's good on the research front. Where do you want to move to?

[Ambystoma]

Katie-don't you just love it when you and your husband are there for a first and it feels like such an awesome family moment!

I have to say, I'm more nervous about the army crawling over here than excited. Don't crawl yet, son! I haven't babyproofed the house! He's also pulling up on everything and grinning in pride. I need to coat all my house in bubble wrap.

Nicole-we're city people. I want to move to Boston and settle there. But, I can't decide if I want to start my PhD next fall or wait a few years. (The masters has been plenty of work!) And that would mean we would probably be somewhere else. It's just too darn hot here!

[Lauren31]

Just returned from our ten night med cruise!!! It was AMAZING!!! The baby was on her best behavior. She napped everyday after we came back to the ship for lunch from 3-6pm. And STTN from 9:30pm-8am. She napped while in the stroller/ergo in the morning for 30-60 minutes at a time. Also, she fit perfectly in the high chairs and it was just SOOOO awesome!!!! We let her try pineapple, carrots, bannanas, etc. She did not want any of them. Just dropped them on the floor. Last night I let her have some mashed sweet potato and she put it in near her mouth and then made a face so then I put it IN her mouth and she then proceeded to puke the whole thing up including the Breast milk I just fed her. UGH. I guess she is not ready for the solids!!! LOL. I should have not forcefed her. I wanted to do BLW but it seems every other kid I see who is 7 months old wants food! Guess not her. Oh well. The cruise was friggin awesome though and she was voted Cutest Baby on Board. All the crew/servers/etc loved her. It made me so happy that she was such a well-behaved baby! She never cried once at dinner and it was almost 2 hours long!!! http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._4851895_n.jpg

[Snapdragon]

Awesome, Lauren! So glad you had fun. that is so great that your baby was so agreeable!

[Perdita_in_Ontario]

I'm sitting here watching DS move across the room. It's not a crawl, not really a roll - he can turn on his stomach and kind of lurches and half-rolls and slowly makes progress. The cats are sitting there pretending he doesn't exist... knowing full well they're going to have to move soon!

[aramat]

Keeta, I didn't even know Nooks existed til you mentioned it; how do they compare to Kindles? I see the price is similar... I like that you can loan books on it for two weeks, but then I'd have to know more Nook owners...

May I vent? I have no life and get bent out of shape over these things... My baby sister (20) just had her first baby and is complaining on Facebook about her recovery (episiotomy)...normal...but framed as the problem was natural childbirth itself, so one of her friends responded, 'You're telling me! I was lucky enough to have needed a c-section and was out and about for my 21st [birthday] just a week later. And man oh man, I'm doing it the same way next time.' And I just want to whine here, because I'm jumping out of my skin to reply with the increased risks of cesarean and difficulties of recovery. Okay, well, I DID reply, but politely. I wanted to use curse words, though, just b/c she was talking to MY little sister. (MINE!) :P Ugh, I feel like a big baby!

[busymama77]

Originally Posted by Katie34

My baby just started his first hint of scootching himself forward- yesterday for the first time It was neat cause dh and I both happened to see it for the first time- we're like- wow, he just scootched himself forward a little! then he did it more today- like when he goes on his belly he sticks his butt up and then kind of pulls his upper body forward. Like a little inch worm kind of!

So cool!

At DC yesterday, W's teacher said that he got up on all fours and looked at her like "wow, did I just do that?". He got frustrated that he couldn't put two and two together, but then tried it again later on. That boy wants to crawl so bad that he can taste it!

All is going well here! W will be 6 months tomorrow. YIKES! Can't believe it. September is going to be busy month for us with BBQ's, beer festivals (DH and I ), Football and W's baptism at the end of this month.

[busymama77]

Originally Posted by Perdita_in_Ontario

I'm sitting here watching DS move across the room. It's not a crawl, not really a roll - he can turn on his stomach and kind of lurches and half-rolls and slowly makes progress. The cats are sitting there pretending he doesn't exist... knowing full well they're going to have to move soon!

Our dogs are the same way!!!

[busymama77]

Originally Posted by Lauren31

Just returned from our ten night med cruise!!! It was AMAZING!!! The baby was on her best behavior. She napped everyday after we came back to the ship for lunch from 3-6pm. And STTN from 9:30pm-8am. She napped while in the stroller/ergo in the morning for 30-60 minutes at a time. Also, she fit perfectly in the high chairs and it was just SOOOO awesome!!!! We let her try pineapple, carrots, bannanas, etc. She did not want any of them. Just dropped them on the floor. Last night I let her have some mashed sweet potato and she put it in near her mouth and then made a face so then I put it IN her mouth and she then proceeded to puke the whole thing up including the Breast milk I just fed her. UGH. I guess she is not ready for the solids!!! LOL. I should have not forcefed her. I wanted to do BLW but it seems every other kid I see who is 7 months old wants food! Guess not her. Oh well. The cruise was friggin awesome though and she was voted Cutest Baby on Board. All the crew/servers/etc loved her. It made me so happy that she was such a well-behaved baby! She never cried once at dinner and it was almost 2 hours long!!! http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._4851895_n.jpg

Awww, so sweet! What a great pic. Glad to hear you guys had such a good time!

[flavorfull1]

So I was going to write all of these individual responses then Malachi did a big poop and his cousin needs some attention so I will be back but here are some pictures that show what we have been up to!
DS enjoying the jumper
cute baby smiles
enjoying bananas
smiling with sweet potatoes
hiking

[HappiLeigh]

Ooh, Aramat. That's annoying. Congrats on becoming an auntie, though!

Flavorful, those pics are super cute!

Lauren, so glad you had a great cruise! The photo was adorable.

Busymama, I know--we're still bringing up the rear here, but 6 months! Wow! We're just a few days over. It flies by.

I decided not to pump for tomorrow. We're now doing some solids and DS loves them, and given that he's actually usually sleeping for much of the time I'll be gone anyway, I don't think I'm going to bother with pumping or buying formula. I left him for three hours one other time, when I was teaching Bible School and he was down in the nursery, and he totally didn't even miss me or need me. (I privately checked on him every hour and had made arrangements if he needed to nurse, but he never did.) I think if I'm not there in front of him it's not the same thing. I also looked at the orientation schedule (it's for my DD's preschool orientation, for those who don't remember what I'm talking about) and it looks like we might actually get out a bit early.

In other news, we got our first tooth! I was *shocked* because my DD didn't get one until she was almost 1 year.

And here's video of my little ones together. Sorry I'm linking to the post itself because I don't know how to link just to the clip like I would a photo. DD is enraptured by feeding her brother, and he totally thinks she's the bomb. It's cute.

[Perdita_in_Ontario]

Lauren - DS is not particularly interested in solids yet either. I'm in the middle of reading Baby-Led Weaning, and it says that from about 6-8 months, many babies are just "exploring" with food, and that anything that they actually eat is accidental. It's not until later in the first year that many babies actually EAT if given the choice. This rings true for me - we tried the usual puree route with DD, and she refused - when we let her feed herself with finger foods at about 7 or 8 months, she suddenly snapped to attention.

Now I've got further into the book, I think I'm going to try BLW full-force - as in forgetting all the "rules" and waiting days between foods etc. We have no food allergies in the house, no reason to worry, so I think I'm going to go for it. Perhaps should get DH's buy-in first though

[Lauren31]

Originally Posted by Perdita_in_Ontario

Lauren - DS is not particularly interested in solids yet either. I'm in the middle of reading Baby-Led Weaning, and it says that from about 6-8 months, many babies are just "exploring" with food, and that anything that they actually eat is accidental. It's not until later in the first year that many babies actually EAT if given the choice. This rings true for me - we tried the usual puree route with DD, and she refused - when we let her feed herself with finger foods at about 7 or 8 months, she suddenly snapped to attention.

Now I've got further into the book, I think I'm going to try BLW full-force - as in forgetting all the "rules" and waiting days between foods etc. We have no food allergies in the house, no reason to worry, so I think I'm going to go for it. Perhaps should get DH's buy-in first though

thank you for the clarification! I think I am going to try to get my hands on that book! My mom (whom I will be living with while she has cancer treatment and hubby is in Afghanistan) told me that she would be SOOO scared to do BLW and that she is afraid DD will choke! I need her to read it too. She is more granola then I am so it's an odd statement.

[linchi]

My post is kinda jumbled today. Apologies.

Well, I am surviving at my inlaws! Husband arrives on Monday - CAN'T FRICKEN WAIT. This is the longest we've been apart since we were married -hello cross atlantic long distance relationship survivors- but this is extra torture considering I am at his parents house where we lived while they were overseas. I wonder what changes in the babe he will find!

My back is starting to ache. I kinda had to roll my eyes at the recent baby in the bucket thread on here because right now I'd kill for one. * I would have thought that MIL and FIL would want to hold their first granchild any moment they had free hands, or you know, help a mama change a diaper , but no way Jose (not even one diaper change and I've been here over two weeks). They had friends over today and she was all holding the baby being super grandma but as soon as she was ready to start eating she handed him back to me because there is no possible way she could eat AND hold the baby (100% of the time I eat holding him). I looked for a second hand baby chair that will serve us for this visit, but there was nothing to be found. Seriously I love holding my squishy, ten kilos of pure love baby, but my back needs a bit of a break.

Deep breath /rant over/

Vacation baby is doing great! He has eaten sand and numerous friends fingers (and one nose ), had sand on his face and hasn't complained, nursed all over, been to numerous bars and restaurants and probably a million other things. He is so adaptable to any situation! I had a table of women 'sign up' for a baby just like him.

Next year I think I am just gonna sunbathe topless. It is getting frustrating to repeatedly pull breasts out of their place, replace, adjust. So ya, next year with hopefully faded strech marks I'll be taking the easy way out.

I feel like I am on a mom high ever since giving birth. It feels like I see the world with rose colored glasses. Everytime I look at my son I just want to scream from the rooftops how much I love him. I get big goofy smiles and melt into a pile of goo when he smiles, laughs back at me, or even looks my way. Seriously, does this go on forever? Did I get some sort of weird anti-arch-nemesis of PPD?

-
Hey Lauren, I am so curious about the stroller/carseat situation! What happened in the end?

Aramat - were you talking about how isolated you felt living abroad and not speaking the language thing recently or was that just a dream? I totally get you. I really need to find something for baby and I to do when we get back to Lyon that will get me speaking more French. I hope life in Portugeuse is going better for you.

* Please understand I don´t condone the use of constant baby bucket use it just wasn´t a well timed thread for me.

[HappiLeigh]

Originally Posted by linchi

I feel like I am on a mom high ever since giving birth. It feels like I see the world with rose colored glasses. Everytime I look at my son I just want to scream from the rooftops how much I love him. I get big goofy smiles and melt into a pile of goo when he smiles, laughs back at me, or even looks my way. Seriously, does this go on forever? Did I get some sort of weird anti-arch-nemesis of PPD?

I have this too. Did after DD also. I don't remember how long it lasted, honestly. (Although it did go away.) I was worried it wouldn't happen this time, that maybe I'd have a rougher time or even get the blues, but I'm all silly happy this time around too. I think of it as pay-backs for how miserable I am through the whole pregnancy.

Glad you and your DH are about to be reunited!!

[Snapdragon]

Linchi we use this "half high chair" (without the tray on it)
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=3867646
and it works well for setting the baby down if you need to.