Wesley [3 months]

Oh my goodness, how is it that our littlest boy is already three months old? Time has surely flown, and he doesn't even look like a 'little' baby anymore. Life is such a joy with this munchkin, and he is adored by us immensely. I could go on and on about how much I gush over this guy everyday; he just brings so much love out of me that I cannot contain!

Size: At the beginning of his third month, Wesley started wearing our cloth diapers. We used up the last of our size 1 disposable diapers before making the transition. The cloth diapers fit him best on the lowest rise, and his waist leaves one or two rows of snaps open depending on the looseness of each particular diaper's waist elastic. Wesley has been wearing size 0-3 and 3-month pajamas and 3-month clothing, which accommodate both his long arms and legs and the extra space needed for the cloth diapers. We have yet to need to adjust his car seat straps, but I did remove the infant head support piece. His head seemed to be getting too big for the piece to be beneficial, and I got annoyed with how much it moved around when tightening his shoulder straps.

Health: I weighed Wesley (in only his birthday suit) on our home scale, and he came in at a healthy 14.8 pounds. Our little bear battled his first bug just after turning 2 months, which wasn't fun for Mommy and Daddy to watch. On a Saturday morning Wesley had eaten normally, but was suddenly drooling heavily. He nursed later in the morning and ended up spitting up a lot and having diarrhea. He then became inconsolable, crying nonstop and refusing to eat. He had an elevated temperature, so Eric took Wesley into the shower to soothe him since he continued to wail and wouldn't nurse. We managed to get Wesley asleep and called his pediatrician, whom recommended we take Wesley to urgent care to make sure his behavior wasn't a sign of something serious. Eric and I followed her suggestion and by the time we were in an exam room with the physician's assistant, all of Wesley's vitals were normal and he finally ate after being on strike for over 5 hours. He nursed successfully and acted happy the rest of the evening and only had a cough and congestion linger for the following few days. The slobbering has stuck around and now appears to be early signs of teething.

Feeding: Wesley continues to be a fabulous eater. I mentioned last month that I decided to cut dairy in an attempt to reduce Wesley's frequent spitting up. It didn't seem to be helping, as I continued to experience massive amounts of spit up e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e. My dad wondered if Wesley was overeating, and I agreed after paying closer attention to how often and how long Wesley was nursing. I returned to eating dairy and started trying other techniques of soothing Wesley other than allowing him to eat if he was upset too soon after a recent feeding. This has been really successful, as sometimes he just ends up needing to burp or is fighting the urge to fall asleep. If other tactics don't work within 20-30 minutes, I let Wesley nurse again, and he ends up falling asleep after a short time and does so spit-up free!

Sleep: Nights have been fabulous with Wesley sleeping 4-5 hours after first going to bed with me and waking less at only 1-2 times after that. During the week of Simon's birthday we experienced a bit of a nap strike where Wesley wouldn't sleep during the day for several days unless being held. That time passed, and he went back to being a better sleeper and frequenting longer naps during the day. He goes back and forth between shorter and longer naps in his swing, depending on his last feeding, the time of day, or how well he's been laid down.

Milestones: Our wiggle worm is already not staying put anymore. He tries to sit up when lying on his back and has started figuring out how to pivot or rotate himself to face a different way. Wesley has successfully rolled over from front to back (during tummy time on his mat) and from back to front (while lying on our bed), but doesn't do either on a consistent basis. I tried having him do tummy time on the Boppy pillow, and he was able to hold his head very high and for several minutes! Wesley also spends time on his play mat batting at his toys (often with Simon's help) and has started grabbing at them and holding them in his hands with that strong grip of his. Baby Boy took another big step during this month by learning to drink from a bottle!

Likes: My new favorite game to play with Wesley is the 'Mama' game. I simply make eye contact with Wesley and say "Mama" with a singsong voice until he responds with a huge smile from ear to ear. This also works with "hello" and "hellosie" (baby talk - bad, I know). This game results in an instantaneous grin every time without fail.

Dislikes: This little one was clearly not a fan of the bottle when we first began trying. Wrongly assuming that the process would be as easy for me as it was with Simon, I started with the formerly successful "switcheroo" tactic of nursing and then offering the bottle at Wesley's first unlatch. He rejected it immediately, showing what seemed like a distaste for the texture of the bottle's nipple. Wesley would push the nipple out of his mouth with his tongue, cry, chew on the nipple when he would tolerate it being in his mouth, and drool milk all over his face and chest instead of swallowing. This went on for about 2 weeks, which had me worrying that he wouldn't take the bottle when I returned to work. He definitely didn't want anything in his mouth that was made of a synthetic material.

Social: We've had a pretty routine social hour in the evening, usually between 7-8:00 near Simon's bedtime. For several days Wesley has been very chatty during this time, giving us lots of oohs and aahs and other babble. We repeat what he says and vice versa, which often leaves Eric and me giggling at our vocal baby. I'm convinced that Wesley recognizes me, as his expression brightens dramatically when we lock eyes and I say "Mama." My dad and Simon coined the nickname 'Wesley Wigglesworth,' since our little one just doesn't ever sit still. I can see that name sticking through toddlerhood!

Other Updates: We were quite busy during Wesley's third month. We took the boys to the snow, where Wesley was snug as a bug wearing his bunting suit and resting warm and comfortably in the Tula while Simon and Daddy played. Simon turned 4 years old, and we celebrated with a Toy Story themed birthday party at our house, where Wesley slept the whole time in the arms of several aunts and friends. Eric and I celebrated Valentine's Day with a night out alone without both kids--our first time going out together without Wesley--which felt weird but amazing. I finally returned to work after 12 weeks, and Wesley chose this day to finally drink from the bottle successfully! Both boys stayed with my dad during my first week back, but Simon will return to daycare 5 days a week and Wesley will join him on Tuesdays and Thursdays and stay with my dad the other 3 days. It was and continues to be quite an adjustment being a working mom again with a baby, but I think we're all doing pretty well with the transition so far.

first cloth diaper!

fresh & clean baby

latching on the bottle

cozy sleeping with Mama

tummy time on the Boppy

love & smiles

eating with brother

boys & a bedtime story

bundled up for the snow

Simon's 4th birthday party

our funny Valentines

after Mommy's first day back to work

Simon [7 months]

 

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.

Simon [5 months]

Simon is now 5 months old!  He has really blossomed over the last few weeks and his growth blows me away everyday.  Our boy truly is the happiest baby, constantly smiling and making friends everywhere we go.  I've been trying to take more pictures of him with my nicer camera, both for better-quality photos and because I've been running out of space on my phone.  We've had a fun and busy first month of summer with many big changes for our little family. 

a day with Daddy

 

watching TV at Pappy's

Boppy sleeper

The biggest news in our house as of late was that after 18 weeks home with my love bug I finally had to return to work.  I agreed before Simon's birth that I would teach summer school this year, and during the days leading up to my first day back I was completely dreading it.  4 hours a day for 4 weeks should've been an easy transition for me, but I found it difficult to stay organized, find the time to prep, and figure out a pumping schedule.  While the change was a struggle for me, Simon adapted with such ease.  Eric was off work on my first day back, so he stayed home with Simon and had great daddy/baby time and sent me many pictures.  Kristine then watched Simon for a couple days and also had a good time, although he would only sleep while in her arms and would do so for hours at a time.  Finally, my dad offered to babysit, which turned into our best setup yet.  He got Simon to take naps in the Boppy pillow, fall asleep with his pacifier, and quickly picked up on all of Simon's fussy cues (hunger, tiredness, gas).  Eric and I loved having my dad here to watch Simon and felt better about not having to drop him off somewhere else.  It worked out so well for us and we were so thankful for my dad's help.  And now that summer school is over, I'm thankful to be off work again for another month!

   activity mat fun

eyes everywhere

watching Daddy's phone

Simon decided one day that his tummy is the place to be!  When we began tummy time at 1 month, Simon was not a huge fan and would only tolerate the belly activity for a few short minutes here and there.  After meeting an acquaintance's baby who is almost a month younger than Simon and appeared to have stronger head control, I realized that we really needed to step up the tummy time in our house.  It definitely paid off because after only a few weeks, Simon is loving the belly-down position!  Lying him down tummy-first is a piece of cake now, and he'll willingly stay in this position for long periods of time.  As I observe him, I think Simon has found that he has a better view of what's going on around him when he's on his tummy; he lifts his head quite high to look at the TV or to watch us walk around him.  And of course if there's anything bright with lots of colors and movement nearby for him to look at (laptop, cell phone, Eric's PSP), Simon's attention is immediately caught.  He also enjoys his large variety of toys that always surround him while he's on his play mat or the Boppy pillow.  His interest in his colorful noise-makers and teethers grows by the day.

dog park visit in the Ergo

 hanging out the Bumbo chair

first time in his jumper

We recently introduced Simon to the Ergo carrier, Bumbo chair, and doorway jumper.  Near the end of May, I scored my Ergobaby Carrier on sale at Target for $20 off ($20 gift card with purchase).  Simon is no stranger to being carried, as he's spent time in my Moby, so the transition from the wrap was no problem for him.  Right on cue, he falls asleep easily and comfortably in the Ergo, as he did when we recently took him to the dog park with Courage for the first time.  This carrier is perfect for summer since it is open in the back and allows for more air flow around both of us than my wrap does.  It's definitely a winner, and is even more comfortable than I expected it would be!  Simon has also started spending some time in his Bumbo Floor Seat.  It was given to us by a friend of Jen's, whose youngest child outgrew it.  Upon sitting Simon in it for the first time, Eric and I thought it was the cutest sight ever and took several pictures.  Simon seems to really enjoy it, too, and will sit in it for longer than I ever expect him to.  Another place where he loves to spend lots of time, surprisingly, is our Graco Jumpster® Doorway Jumper.  Given to us with several hand-me-downs from one of the families from Eric's hockey team, the jumper is pretty much the best baby item ever made.  Simon LOVES it!  I was so excited to set it up and have him try it out, and it just blew me away how quickly he figured it out and fell in love.  Simon jumped so hard in it one day that he fell asleep!  All these new toys just remind me of how fast Simon is turning into a big boy, but it's completely worth it to watch him have so much fun.  

Father's Day at Apple Hill

with Pappy, Daddy, & Cho-Cho

our family

Eric's first Father's Day was quite the success.  After opening his card from Simon and me, we started the day up in Apple Hill at the Jack Russell Farm Brewery.  We enjoyed delicious brisket sandwiches with coleslaw and watermelon for lunch and tried their amazing Cyser, a combination of wine, mead, and cider.  We then made a quick stop at Boa Vista Orchards for apple juice, apple-blackberry wine, pumpkin butter, and apple cookies before heading to Lester's for dinner.  We picked up my dad on the way and made burgers with cream cheese and raspberry Chipotle sauce (The Squeeze Inn's special at the BerryFest we went to on Mother's Day).  It was the first day that Simon had spent with us and both of his grandfathers in a while and it was a nice get-together.  I look forward to many more future celebrations with our entire family together, surrounding Simon with lots of love and the most important people in his life.     

driving to IKEA

4th of July BBQ

Simon's 1st Independence Day

We also celebrated Simon's first 4th of July, which was really more of a relaxing day than a night of partying like years past.  IKEA was having a big Independence Day sale, so we drove out there in the early afternoon with my dad, who treated us to lunch in the cafe when we arrived.  My dad was the one who ended up making out with a bunch of great finds, but Eric and I were happy with our dollar treats and the end--hotdogs for him, a cinnamon roll for me.  Later in the evening, we got together with all of our friends for a BBQ and passed Simon around to visit with everyone.  I held him outside in the front yard briefly during the neighborhood fireworks in the street and he did surprisingly well.  I think he was more intrigued by the bright colors and lights than scared of the loud screeches and booms.  With the holiday falling on a Thursday this year we couldn't stay out too late because of work, but we had fun as always spending time with our friends and sharing so many delicious treats.  Our gang really does know how to throw a food party! 

Simon's 2nd wedding

 Jen and her dates

Mommy & Simon

I took Simon to his second wedding; we went with Jen to Rancho Cicada Retreat in Plymouth to watch our friend, Shannon, from college get married.  The drive was about an hour each way and the weather was a little warm that day.  I wasn't too worried about how Simon would do, so of course he was absolutely perfect and didn't fuss a bit.  I brought a bottle to feed him during the ceremony and nursed him during the reception.  My hands felt a little full not having Eric with me... I had to keep the car seat on the ground and I didn't want to rely on Jen too much to hold Simon since she was 8 months pregnant herself, but he was awesome and even took a little nap while I ate.  And as always, complete strangers kept coming up to us to tell me how adorable Simon was.  I never get tired of hearing how cute my baby is, but I don't think I'll ever get used to hearing it from people I don't know.  The wedding was very sweet, and we were thankful to Shannon, who looked lovely, for having us to share in her special day.  It was also very nice of Jen to ask us to attend with her, as I would've hated for her to have made that drive alone!

happy boy

cool baby

talkin' away

It was a quick and busy month for our family and I'm glad to be back at home with my boy.  My short stint back at work was just a taste of how life will be when I return full time when the school year begins in the Fall, and I am still in shock over just how difficult the transition was for me mentally more than anything.  I'm happy to say that I now know what to expect come mid-August when school starts, and I actually have many positive thoughts about being back this new school year.  We were so thankful to have my dad and Kristine's help with watching Simon, and while I would be a stay-at-home mom in a heartbeat if I could, I have faith that hopefully I can stay at home at some point down the road.  Eric started his new job with SCP Distributors and is really enjoying it and doing well so far.  We have the same hours when I'm working, but the tradeoff is that he's home in the evenings and on the weekends and we have dinner together as a family every night.  With the continued help of family and friends to babysit, I feel okay about our identical work schedules.  But since I'm not working for the rest of the summer, I can focus on my number 1 job of being a mommy and spending as much time with my little man as possible!