Simon turning 7 months old was quite an emotional event for me. It's of course exciting and surprising when he reaches a new age each month, but this time was different. I'm now back at work full time, gone from the house for 7.5 hours, Monday through Friday. Not getting to be with Simon all day on September 10th was gut-wrenching for me, and forgetting to wish him a "Happy 7 Months!" before leaving him that morning left me close to tears for the rest of the day. Simon, on the other hand, has adapted to the transition quite well; my dad is babysitting again, which seems to be very fun for both of them. For me, however, being back at work is becoming increasingly difficult. I'm having to pump more often in order to provide enough milk for Simon while I'm gone, which leaves me sore for days at a time. When I first returned to work, I had a good rhythm and schedule set in place and was able to pump enough each day to freeze one storage bag and have enough milk remaining to sustain him the next day. Then out of no where, Simon had a growth spurt and began gulping down all the milk left in the fridge plus freezer bags that I've been saving as a reserve. My supply hasn't been able to easily keep up with his demand, which has given me a great deal of stress, which has (I think) further negatively affected my milk, which has led to even more emotional melt downs for me. No one ever said that being a working mom while breastfeeding would be an easy feat, but it felt so easy before I returned to work. I constantly remind myself, though, that I am 100% dedicated to giving my son the absolute best for his health, nutrition, and life; and that's what keeps me going.
the teeth!
our growing boy
a moment's sleep
Back to what you came here to read about: SIMON! He's blossoming just beautifully, and as I mentioned above, it is a lot of work to keep up with him. His four little teeth sprouted perfectly (and sharply!) last month, and though I continue to check quite often, I've yet to see the beginnings of a fifth or sixth cutting through. Simon is still growing like a weed, but is mysteriously still fitting into many of his 3-month onesies. Despite this phenomenon, he is definitely getting taller, as evidenced by the fact that most of his pants are too short. This leads me to believe that he must be getting most of his growth in his legs rather than his trunk, as he sure is quite a leggy boy. I'm thinking that his growth and teething must be attributing to his sleep habits as well. Just as I began thinking about starting to wean him from night feedings, Simon began doing it on his own. He slept through the night TWICE (the first night needing to be soothed only once, the second without waking at all) right before I went back to work and then had a few nights of only waking once. Then, as if teasing Eric and me, Simon returned to waking multiple times a night, leaving me fumbling and foggy while sleepily trying to get ready for work in the morning. I know the infrequency of his sleep cycles won't last forever, but this working mama sure is a tired one!
first solids: avocado!
next: sweet potato!
then: carrot!
Over the course of the last month, our munchkin has begun eating solids! To be honest, I was scared and nervous to begin this new adventure, but as I mentioned last month, Simon was definitely ready for food. Between the time I was pregnant and Simon's early infancy, Eric and I discussed making our own baby food. I wasn't comfortable with the idea of giving him jarred purées with the possibility of added sugars and preservatives, so we planned to cook, mash, and store our own fruits and veggies to ensure Simon would get whole, complete nutrition. Then as I began reading more about the introduction of solids, I discovered Baby Led Weaning. I won't go into a long explanation since the link is right here, but essentially BLW is described as "letting your child feed themselves from the very start of weaning." Rather than mashing and puréeing, BLW allows your baby to discover food at his or her own pace, to self-feed and learn the motion of bringing food to mouth, and to chew before swallowing... which actually reduces the possibility of choking. We present Simon with raw and cooked (sans salt/butter/oil), fresh vegetables cut into spears and let him have a go at it. His first foods were avocado, sweet potato, and carrot, and they've all been a hit. He of course sometimes plays with his meal more than he actually dines on it, but that's part of the learning process of BLW. I've read that "food before one is just for fun," and so far introducing solids has been so much fun for all of us. I love that I know exactly what Simon is eating, and I love watching him discover flavors and textures. And of course, watching our boy learn to munch down and gobble up his dinner is the best part of all!
pulling himself up for first time
following Mommy into the kitchen
baby-gated in!
This boy of ours is definitely keeping us on his toes, while beginning to get up on his own toes as well! Simon figured out his cute little army crawl about a month ago and is quickly gaining speed. He began scooting around the living room floor, chasing after his rolling toys or mischievously trying to get into the dog's. One day, out of no where, I watched him make his way over to his swing, grab the seat, and pull himself up onto his knees for the first time! Simon was so proud of himself, and continued practicing pulling himself up on that swing until he was able to make it up onto his feet. Our silly little scooter also quickly learned how to follow me around the house and began getting into the magazines, grabbing Daddy's videogame controllers, knocking over the tower fan in the living room, and going after any and all electronics in sight. Then when I caught him on my heels in the kitchen (and then dumping over the dog's water bowl), I quickly realized that we couldn't put off baby proofing any longer. I put up the baby gate between the living room and the kitchen, and our goofy boy immediately scooted right over and pulled himself to his feet. I knew that the day would come where Simon would become so mobile that there'd be no turning back, but I think that maybe part of me was hoping that this time was still a little further off. I guess that's just part of being a new mom... never underestimate the amazing capacity at which your child will learn something new!
meeting Nundhia
chillin' with "Uncle Bean"
with Mommy and Daddy's high school friends
Eric and I recently had our second opportunity to go out together alone without baby. On August 10th, we had our 10-year high school reunion at Suede Blue. Our graduating class had the patio reserved and everyone in attendance gathered for drinks and appetizers. While there were a few people missing who I had been looking forward to seeing, most of our closest friends joined us and had an amazing time. The celebration was so much fun that a large portion of the group continued the party at The Boxing Donkey after leaving the restaurant. Eric and I ended up staying out until last call, finally making it home (thanks to our designated driver) in the wee hours of the morning. I was shocked to realize that we had left Simon for 8 hours, but the two of us really had deserved a fun night out. As always, my dad didn't mind babysitting, and Simon had lucky slept for most of the time. While our reunion was probably the best night out we've had since our wedding, the morning after was even more special. Eric and I, along with my girlfriends, Hayley and Erica, were able to meet for coffee with two of our friends who had driven in from Southern California for the reunion. Simon got to visit with our friend, Dave, for the second time (they first met back in June), and he was introduced to my friend Nundhia, whom I've known since we were in 9th grade. Our visit was short and sweet, but I truly cherished the time spent with them, as well as our other friends, during the reunion and again the morning after. Eric and I were so happy to share some valuable time out alone, as well as having the opportunity for Simon to visit with some of our oldest and dearest friends.
Lilly's 4th birthday
snoozing at Daddy's work BBQ
hanging out with Baby Kinlee
We also enjoyed a busy and fun Labor Day weekend with our boy. This was the first 3-day holiday weekend Eric was able to have off from work since being at his new job (when he was at the restaurant, he always worked Saturdays and was off on Mondays, so he wasn't able to share the full 3-day holiday weekends with me). On Saturday, we attended two birthday parties: one for Lilly, the daughter of our friends, James and Athena; and another for Ryan, our friend from Eric's last hockey team. Lilly turned 4 years old, and James and Athena threw a water-play birthday party for her at Memorial Park with family and friends. Later that evening, we went to Q'bole to celebrate Ryan's birthday with our "hockey family" from the rink. On Sunday, we went to Eric's boss' home for a pool party for all of his branch's employees and their families. Simon and I got to meet the wonderful guys Eric works with and had a great day in the sun. On Monday, we BBQ'd with our close friends and enjoyed a casual day of visiting and relaxing. I was happy that a quick photo was finally caught of Simon and Kinlee together after missing a number of former opportunities. I love that we are welcome to bring Simon to hang out with our awesome friends and that there are now other children around for him to socialize with. He was quite the social butterfly over the holiday weekend!
napping poolside
teething on a lime
tuckered out from tons of fun
It's no surprise to us, but it remains a blessing that Simon continues to do so well when we take him out of the house. Whether it be to birthday parties, restaurants, or bars (hehe yes, our son has frequented Eric's favorite sports bar and grill, Mandango's, where every employee knows Eric well because it is next door to The Squeeze), Simon always behaves like a little prince and fondly catches the attention of those around us. He has begun to grow out of his 'immediately falling asleep in the car' stage, which is fine by me and is just another sign of him getting older. I have a mirror in my car attached to the headrest in front of Simon's car seat, and it keeps him pretty well entertained and enables me to chat and play with him from the driver's seat. I've also noticed that he is starting to enjoy looking out at the world around him, gazing out the windows and watching things pass by as we drive. When we go somewhere, the constant that we hear from everyone we know is that Simon appears to be happy all the time. This boy always has a smile on his face, is a flirt with every lady he knows and meets, and is truly mesmerized by the sights and sounds he experiences when we are out. Eric and I are so incredibly thankful to be able to take Simon virtually everywhere we need to go. We absolutely love introducing him to new faces and interesting places, and Simon without a doubt enjoys being a part of everything we do as a family.
first restaurant high chair
independent play
happiest baby on the block
As hard as being a parent can be sometimes, I wouldn't for a second change having Simon our lives. Some days are more challenging than others, but I just keep reminding Eric and myself that this baby stage isn't going to last forever, and we'll soon be missing the time when our boy was so small. I still often miss when Simon was a young infant, and he would spend hours in my arms cuddled up and asleep. Now, our little firecracker rarely stays in one place for long, but watching him hit all his milestones is still so much fun. Sometimes I have to blink and ask myself, "When the heck did my baby start sitting in high chairs, and playing by himself, and needing me less and less?!?" I know that last part isn't true, but this process of watching my once-upon-a-time newborn learn to do things by himself, and teaching him to do things himself, is as mind-boggling as it is rewarding. As hard as being a parent can be sometimes, it is also the best thing I have ever done with my life.
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