my day

Aiden is developing a schedule. He switched from a 4:30 to a 5:30 party animal with the time change over to daylight savings this past weekend. I guess it takes a time change to really notice how consistent he is becoming. I'm excited that his schedule may shift to closer to the normal start of a day since 4:30am is a bit too early to cut out the deep sleep option!

He wanted to share with you his day in the life at 4 months old:

4:30/5:30 am – I wake up ready to party, but usually Mom will bounce me back to sleep or I will eat while doing my ferocious tiger imitation just to keep her on her toes.
6:30am – Dad will scoop me up after his shower and we will go play on my favorite, the changing table or a close second, the big chair. If I’m really lucky he will help me learn his new drum pattern and I will giggle at mommy once she is dressed and ready for work.
7:10am – Mom gets ready to head out the door. I usually like what she’s wearing, but if not, I will boof or spit drooly bits onto it.
8:00am – I usually take a cat nap and then get a little 2-3oz. bottle to start the day with daddy. Daddy sometimes reminds me of a doodlebop because he sure can make some funny googoo faces.

9:00am – Daddy drops me at daycare, where I play in my swirly birdy chair before I take a snooze (as long as that loud crying girl is out or asleep!)
10:30am – Miss Maria gives me a 4 oz bottle, a diapy change, and then I try to snooze some more.
1:00pm – I have another 4 oz bottle, which I sometimes don’t feel like finishing. I mess up a few diapers all day long, but I’ve been getting better about not blowing out my outfits now that I have these really big silly looking diapers.
4:00pm – My last bottle before I head home, although every once in a while I prefer to wait for mommy because that warmed up milk just isn't quite the same.

4:45ish – Daddy usually comes to get me, but sometimes it’s mommy. I cruise home where I have this really cool exersaucer with a smiley frog which – you’re never gonna believe this – hangs down close enough for me to get in my mouth.
6:00pm – Mom and dad eat while I play in my super stimulation kicky chair. It lights up and plays music when I kick, but sometimes it gets boring and I prefer to snooze in my aquarium swing.
7:00pm – Mom and I get in some serious num nums, sometimes a bath, and play/story time.
8:30pm – Mom or Dad puts me down in my crib where I like to gurgle a bit and play with my feet. Sometimes I will watch my safari mobile or the birdy circle projections on the ceiling… Those can be very distracting though if I really want to sleep.

10:30pm – I wake up ready for some more eats from my sleepy Mommy. Daddy usually scoops me out of my crib and gives me a good snuggle before he drops me in Mommy’s arms. She is usually really slow and tender with me so that I don’t wake up completely.
1:30am – Sleepy num nums are my favorite, and sometimes I make a treat in my diaper because I love to see my changing table mobile in the dimmed light.
4:30/5:30am – Repeat the fun.

P.S. Mommy is happy that I like to eat just about every three hours, but maybe I'll stop eating at 1:30am?! She's such a funny mummy and I think she thought I'd sleep longer by now. Nah, it's just too much fun to eat and cuddle.

grainy num nums

We had the high chair ready and all day I wondered how Aiden would react to the rubbery spoon filled with single grain rice. I didn't have many expectations, but when I first opened the cereal to find finely ground saw dust looking stuff I was surprised. The doc said to make it pretty soupy so I mixed about a half tablespoon with about 2 ounces of breastmilk. It looked like some sort of plaster. We broke out the cool guitar bib (from Becca! thankso) for this special occasion, but I quickly realized we will need to get some plastic bibs. He seemed to like his high chair and looked up at us with anticipation. He immediately chomped the spoon and gurgled a little goop at us. Then he started to munch and swallow and he wanted more and more. He had moments of flustery fussing because he couldn't really eat it fast enough. He wanted a break from the chair about 3/4 through for some nursing, then he finished up the last bits.
Here he is excited even though he doesn't know why:




Aaah, satisfied...
4 months, 1 week, and 1 day old

i'll show ya doc

Aiden was on track for his 4 month well baby visit to the doctor. They started out by taking his stats, and we were very curious where mr. chubby cheeks would fall on his growth charts. He is 26 inches tall, which is at the 90th percentile, and 16 lbs 11 ounces, right below the 90th percentile. His head circumference was 43 cm, which puts him squarely in the 75th percentile. When the doctor charted his growth, we paused waiting to see how she'd assess it. She went on to say that she's happy to see that he's thriving and everything seems to be in line with his overall development.

She was impressed by how long he will stay standing and that he can almost sit up on his own. Then she asked about whether he's been rolling. I said, "Well, he doesn't really seem like he's attempting to roll yet..." Then she had me pop him on his tummy and he pushed himself up with his arms...and immediately tucked his arm under and rolled! Seriously, he rolled for the first time in the doctor's office right after I had reported that he didn't really roll yet. It was as if he was saying, "oh, yea, i'll show ya doc, i can do it, i just don't let on to these parents of mine..." Then he repeated the roll just to show off. I'm thinking it has to do with the cushy doctor table being really easy to roll on versus the floor or even his firm crib mattress. I guess we should be proud that he can have that milestone checked off. She asked if he was grabbing anything yet, and he lunged forward to grab her stethoscope off her neck. Aw, Aiden can answer the milestone questions from now on on his own!

We were talking about it beforehand trying to decide what to do about adding some solids to his diet. We had decided to essentially leave it up to the doctor. She said that she looks at every baby individually and whether they seem interested in eating is the most important factor. She also looks for good head control and a thriving baby, which he had checked off on her list. She said that we should really at least try it before six months because it can sometimes be hard for them to pick up the habit after that time window. She suggested that we start with the rice cereal really soupy mixed with breast milk, where he almost sips it off the spoon. If the rice makes him at all constipated we should try oatmeal. Once he gets used to that she suggested adding fruits and veggies - one every three days to detect any allergies. She said that we can make our own with mashed banana, pureed carrot, and avocado. I'm hoping that we can make our own purees and avoid gluten and all the baby food additives as long as possible. Lucky for us Auntie Liz is a nutritionist-in-training, so I think she'll be able to give some good tips.

He had three shots on the radar, but one wasn't available to give him, so he'll get the next part at 6 months. So, he had one shot in each thigh along with drinking the roto liquid. We had him laying down and he was kicking happily. The nurse was whining that this is the worst part of her job. We kept talking to him and he whimpered at me with the first shot, then started crying just a bit with the second. He really cried less this time than last (and he'd really not fussed that much last time), even though I thought he'd be more aware this time. The nurse was pleasantly surprised and said that he was making her job easy. He konked out in the car and is a tired little puppy now, but seems to be pretty even keel. I can't wait until he wakes up again to see if we can get him to do his rolling trick again. In the meantime, it's time to build the high chair!

my feet!

Aiden really found his feet this past week. He'd played with them before, but this week they became a fascination. He is this close to putting them in his mouth and munching some toes. Daddy has found that he can get some serious giggles when he claps his feet against his cheeks.

hangin out

We had a nice day hanging out with mom-in-the-making, Anna. Aiden can't wait to meet the twins. I bet they'll be good buddies! Aiden showed off some of his poo tricks and we went through three outfits (just to make Auntie Anna proud!). Outside of diapy changes, it was so nice to catch up with a good old friend. It's hard to believe how much changes in such a short amount of time. Anna is goin to be an amazing mom and I can't wait for her shower in April!

lunch with gigi

Aiden loved seeing his Gigi Lyver today... We trucked it up there in the rainy uck and he slept on and off he whole way there. He was asleep when we popped him out of the car, but as soon as we popped in the door he was wide eyed and smiling. He must love his Gigi's voice because he was all smiles whenever she spoke to him. We had a great lunch. It does seem that Aiden knows right when the food is ready and that's when he likes to eat too... He has some serious bite lately, and I think the little guys' teeth buds are blooming. You'll see him bitin his bottom lip, his sweater, his hands, etc for comfort.

shrinking clothes

We're going to visit Gigi Lyver today so I wanted Aiden to branch out from his collection of jumpers (which are technically glorified, or not so glorified, sleepers). Aiden was up to party around 5:30am this morning, because I think he was excited that we are all healthy and we have plans! Plans to get out of the house and see people, yeah! He got an early bath to fluff up that bird feather hair and then it was baby dressing time. I rummaged around in all the clothes that I haven't fussed with lately (gosh I got enough fussing in when I was pregnant) and picked out a new combination: knit cargo pants, polo shirt with suzy zoo bear embroidered on it, a sweater hoodie which says zoom, and to top the look, hoot owl "funky feet fashion" booties. A couple months ago it seemed that he wouldn't be wearing any of these for years. I think they shrunk! I remember putting the owl booties on him when he was about a week old and the stretchy part didn't even snug his ankle. I bet Gigi is going to think we are bringing a different baby to visit since we haven't seen her in a while. Better go get ready...

sleep

Getting any sleep? Seems to be a fairly common question. It is then followed by some story on how their son or daughter either: A) slept through the night at 2 days old, B) slept through the night around 3 months and then stopped sleeping through the night every so often just for kicks, or C) never slept through the night and is now a teenager that stays up all night. Just a few weeks back we started putting Aiden in his crib for at least the first dose of rest at night. He's done better and better with getting some good chunks of sleep, but we are still up about twice a night for num nums. We (and the doctor) are not worried though and we feel we're giving Aiden what he needs... emotionally, nutritionally, and physically. I'm not going to get into whether we should let him cry it out because that's more overdone than talking about the presidential candidates. We don't let him cry so that we can sleep. That is what we think, but everyone can think whatever they want to think. I'm pretty sure that when the doctor approves some cereal added to his diet he will sleep longer. But for now since he is so efficient at digesting and gleaning nutrition from breastmilk, his little tummy is empty and hungry more often. I don't mind the extra cuddles we get and I like thinking that I get to spend some extra time with him. Those nighttime half sleepy giggles are my favorite get-me-through-the-day memories. It's also good for my overall supply to get that prolactin flowing at night. I'm sure I'll miss these baby cuddle days, so I'll take em as often as I can get them. I'll sleep when he goes to college.

4 months!

Dear Aiden,

You're becoming such a big boy. I can hardly contain myself when you try something new. Granny was just as excited as your mommy when you found your thumb the other day. Most of the time the thumb is sorta a waste of time though and you find it more fun to try to eat your entire fist. We popped you into the exersaucer sometime around the middle of this month and you bounced around like a big boy. I credit your strong legs that even impress your doctor from all that working out you did in my tummy.

This month wasn't the healthiest, but you managed to avoid the nasty-flu-shot-resistant bug that mommy fell ill to twice. You went back for a follow up appointment and your ear drums are completely healthy now. Your doctor confirmed what my slight soreness suspected, you have little teeth buds popping out on the bottom. Yep, seriously, early little teeth! Your drooly and biting your bottom lip a bunch all makes much more sense. Throughout the teething and the ear infections you've kept your happy giggles as the number one priority. You never appeared sick through all this ear gookiness, and we never even fussed to warrant any tylenol. Your smiles are the best medicine.
Here's your little chomper impression getting your tooth massage in with your new ring:



You are a talker. I mean you are seriously trying to get us to listen up to whatever it is that you are thinking. You will talk back and forth with us with the most serious intentions. You talk like you really have a point to make and then when I finally seem to get it, you giggle and sigh with relief. Sometimes you even talk at the tv, which with the flashy lights and color is super fun. When you aren't talking you are grabbing and pulling on anything you can get your hands on.

You get praise from the day care teachers that you are "so easy and happy". Day care may be kinda germy, but you seem really happy to be there. They do have that rockin cool bouncey seat with the rings you can grab and pull to make that birdy chirp and spin. You sure like your bouncey seat and you even seemed to like it when this other little girl broke away from her teacher and gave you some biiig bounces. She bopped you on the head once when I was putting you in your snuggle suit, but you didn’t even flinch. You're a pretty easy going kid, even when you get splashed by cold water by accident during bath time. You just continued to gnaw on your chubby fist and give me that wide-eyed-oh-come-on mom look. You're even easy going enough for a fierce mohawk marsupial imitation.

You brought home your first foot print art and I look forward to more kid art. We're going to need to buy a new house for all the cabinets full of art since you've started so early. Daycare has a photo of you on your crib and bottle holder now. I might just need to get a copy someday even though daddy doesn't think it's your best look. You are sticking out your lip just starting a little laugh in that photo. I can't quite get those shots probably because I have a big scary camera most of the time, but even with the little camera you get camera shy. That explains the many wide eyed curious face shots instead of your giggle puss face.

Poppop dubbed you Cheeks McGee and you are sure keeping those cheeks chubby. Daddy sure can make you giggle with kisses on those cheeks. You have some other chubby cheeks that have officially grown out of the 1-2 swaddler pampers. We decided to give in and use the cruiser diapers after you blew out every extra outfit and managed to get your teacher this week. The cruisers seem too big, but I guess you are officially between sizes and bigger is better in this case. I know you're gonna just grow into a bigger and bigger boy and I hope we can enjoy a healthy, happy new month...

Love, Mommy

gurgle video

Despite his camera shyness (which I think may just be camera curiosity, because he'll have to love the camera in this family, right? Maybe he's a budding photographer and he just wishes I would hand over the camera so he could play), we caught some talky gurgles finally on tape. There is spotty light and a half dressed baby (what a production!) but you get the idea.

pumping reality

Pumping was a theme of the week for me. I turned in my hospital grade Ameda pump back into the rental place and I will be back with my Medela In Style next week. I had some tricky pumping situations on top of really wanting to work on being sure I pumped as often as possible. I had to be in a 6 hour long meeting and since our executive officer wasn't available, I was in charge of the minutes. Not an easy scenario when I need to sneak away to pump every two hours, but I was able to sneak away during discussion time. This week I also had my RISD class for three hours immediately followed by a two hour dinner. This meant that I had to pump once in the RISD bathroom with my new Medela Harmony hand pump (my Ameda hand pump lost its suction and I couldn't just get a replacement part, so I figured I'd get a whole new one to upgrade). Then in between class and the dinner (which I had to rush over to even though I told them I'd be late), I pumped in my car with a power adaptor hooked up to my Medela In Style. This tops the cake as the most awkward pumping session ever since I was tented in my coat hoping no one walked by. It did not go well. I then went into the Faculty Club restroom with my handpump to at least relieve things and try to ensure that I didn't leak much during my presentation. I was presenting over dinner and it was supposed to last 20 minutes and ended up being over an hour and half of discussion with our big advisory board. Good thing I had bothered with the hand pump. This on top of my normal 4-5 pumping sessions per day (in my office with a shared door to my bosses' office), sums up my reality of pumping.
P.S. I managed to get the stomach flu just two short weeks after getting over the respiratory flu. Yeah, not fun and I'm still recovering. I'm so sick of being sick and especially sick of talking about being sick. But the jist of this flu is that it comes on hard and fast... just like all of my coworkers that said they had it. I didn't really understand what they meant until I found myself running to throw up four times in a sink in front of about 100 students. I cringe with embarrassment...eek.

go with the flow

We’re going with the flow. I’m thankful that after being sick my flow is going back to full effect. I was down about 50% of my normal milk output and it wasn’t a good feeling. I liked this little pumping icon idea my friend posted on her blog that had a baby super hero saying “I make milk, what’s your superpower?” But while I was smiling at that, I was worried that my supply was off. I called the warm line at the hospital and they suggested that I try an industrial, hospital grade pump to get things ramped back up. They also said they could test my pump and make sure the tubing, motor, etc was up to par. My pump checked out well and the hospital pump rental was a good idea. Their other big suggestion was rest, which is hard to come by lately. Today and tomorrow we have big wig visitors at work and I start my RISD afternoon class (so I won’t miss much time with Baby AB, instead I can get out of work at 3, since it’s considered work related and paid for by them), J has two events in a row on Thurs night, and then we have a big student event on Friday. This sort of week used to be exhausting even when I used to sleep at night and I wasn’t a milk producing machine. Luckily, I have my valentine’s massage scheduled for Sat afternoon. Also, it’s already mid week and my supply seems to be creeping back to normal. I feel really lucky that it didn’t seem to effect Aiden’s eating habits. They did say that my supply was probably more temperamental with the pump, but I’m glad that he didn’t get fussy. I’m so grateful for my folks being here this past weekend to keep me company while J was away. I credit them with keeping Aiden happy with little cuddle sessions and helping me sneak in some extra bits of rest. I can’t wait until they flow back into town with Auntie Liz in a couple weeks!

love drool

J cruised back into town yesterday afternoon from Savannah just in time for a trip to Babiesrus. It's become kinda a joke that I always have a big purchase in mind, but can never actually make up my mind on what I want to get. This time it was a portable, lightweight stroller. I decided all the ones they had in stock were stink. Does anyone have any suggestions? There was a model I liked that Mc-something or other makes but it was pink. J was ready to buy it just to be done shopping.

I used their nursing room and while I was in there this mom came in with her little munchkin. She asked how old Aiden was and I said almost four months, and then she replied that her teenytiny baby was over four months. I must have gasped (because Aiden looked like a monster baby) so she went on to explain that he was 12 weeks early. She was very chatty which can be fun. I found out that little Milo had 18 pairs of shoes! Aiden is not nearly as fashionable and usually goes out in his footy pajamas to stay warm. Shoes are so out.

My folks were such a treat if only for a short visit. I honestly don't know what I would've done with our mild health traumas without them. They kept Poppop's little Cheeks McGee giggling and I kept my head together. I'll spare you all the photo of Granny covered in Aiden boof thanks to always having a camera handy. Just know that that Aiden can drool love, so he must reaaaly love you. Thank you Gran and Pops! Can't wait to see you again soon!

video

He's getting so big! 3 months, 2 weeks, and 4 days old

health update

I feel like I'm going to have to rename this blog, Our Family Health Update. I was feeling somewhat back on track this week and Aiden seemed to be avoiding any flu bug. J had an icky cold, but he stayed healthy enough to head out of town for a conference this weekend. Luckily, my folks cruised into town just in time to keep me company. Today was a big snow day around here - They even closed the mall! I couldn't shake a morning headache, but Aiden was in giggle cuddle mode which can brighten anyone's day. He was just finishing up eating and I sat him up as he giggled at me. Then I realized that he had a pool of blood coming out of his ear! My voice was shaky, but my mom helped me keep my cool as we called the doctor. They wanted us to get him checked out, which meant we were off on a big adventure through the snow. The doc said he has an ear infection in that ear but it didn't look perforated or ruptured (although it could be that it was just a tiny pop). It's still strange to me that he hasn't appeared or acted sick at all, but I guess it's best that it's all taken care of with antibiotics without him feeling miserable. We are all ready to be completely healthy again.

Flash forward through his first dose of fruity white stuff antibiotics and ear drops last night. Then this morning another dose without any trouble. He even let us drips the ear drops and he would hold still on his side for a minute afterward. Then over an hour later, he vomits, then again, then again all spaced with just enough time for three new outfits and a few giggles. He has honestly not appeared sick and continues to giggle at me when I am on the phone with the doctor. I'm betting he has an allergy and we will need to venture out in the icy snow to get a replacement. Oh, the adventures...

a complete week

We made it through a whole week! A whole week of feeling normal, being on schedule, and up to speed. I started puttering out Friday morning, but I was determined to keep going and make it through that day. It was supposed to be my complete week of normalcy. J brought me lunch and I wasn’t sure the rest of the day would go by fast enough. I made it until closing time, and felt somewhat bleh but well enough to take a deep breath and head home to my smiley boy.

Aiden did his first craft project at daycare by stamping his chubby feet on paper. There is nothing like some blue baby feet stamps to brighten up your day. I compared them to his footprints from the hospital and he sure is getting bigger. They also sent us the March calendar including which books he’ll be reading and which projects are coming up. By the end of March, he’s apparently going to be advanced enough to make a “snowy scene out of cotton balls and glue” - Hmm, I guess this kid is going to be eating glue earlier than most. I’m hoping that Miss Maria takes charge of that one. In the middle of March he’s going to be exploring with ice, which if I had a guess, he’ll have a strong preference one way or the other. I hope he likes it.

So as I’m getting giddy about the daycare craft projects and how they are teaching my kid soo much good stuff, I realized I was getting achey and I mean really achey. My whole body had the worst headache. J ran out to get some dinner and I was struggling. I barely ate my dinner and didn’t even make it to the ice cream treat he’d picked up to celebrate making it through a whole week. I end up in bed for the next 48 hours or so with a 103.3 degree temperature that hung on for a while. I deliriously fed the baby J (aka super dad) carefully delivered to me in order to ensure that he could get all the antibodies from my breast milk as possible. We’d figured he’d already been exposed to the nasty bug, so we might as well be sure he got the fresh antibodies my body was in hyper drive creating. He’s doing fine so far, and if he stays healthy that will be another big star for breast feeding. Whenever we call the doctor they are very happy that we are still exclusively breast feeding, and I honestly don’t know what I would’ve done when he was sick earlier and would only eat with me and I didn’t have a full supply. I am pretty convinced that we would sleep more if we added formula into the mix, but it just doesn’t seem like it would be fair to his developing digestive system given that both J and I had bad allergies to formulas as babies. I’ve bounced back to at least 75% thanks to a good ol dose of rest and the windy morning swept me into work today. Super Dad gets another day with playful baby boy since day care is closed and students have off today. Let’s hope he decides to rest with daddy so they both stay healthy. I’m hoping to make it through another week.

aiden's cards and onesies

Aiden was a super valentine this year. He dressed in his new velcro lots of love onesie with matching lovie aligator to give his dad a card from his "little buddy". (Special note for the nonsqueamish that may appreciate some irony: He giggled for some photos and before I could get some shots of dad holding him, he pooped out the outfit - all in less than 20 minutes):


Mommy thought he might need more then one vday themed onesie - so puppy love was on back up with matching puppy socks:
He kept sticking out his tongue and imiating mr. kissy hedgehog:

Later in the day he gave me one of my favorite cards in a long time. I'm such a sappy sap that I would like to remember this cute little message long after the sparkly card is gone, so here is where the blog comes in to document it:

Mommies make nice Valentines, and that's especially true when a mommy is as wonderful and loved as much as you!
Thank you for making all the milk for me. It is yummy. Thanks for pretending to be a choo choo. I don't know what a train is but it is still super funny. Sorry about all the poop. I love you super much! You're the best mommy in the whole world. Love, Aiden

happy valentine's day

the grab

It doesn't get much more exciting:

reaching out to celebrate 100 days

Today Aiden is 3 months, 1 week, and one day old, or a grand total of 100 days old. wowo! I went to pick Aiden up at daycare today and he was pulling on the mobile toys in his bouncey seat. Not tapping or holding after mommy puts his fingers around it, oh no folks, this was grabbing at the ring and pulling. He was holding onto it when I arrived and I had to ask the teachers if they had put it in his hand. They said, oh no he loves to do that. He would let it go, it would swing and he would grab it back again. Then he was doing it with both hands. I was so excited I couldn't help but watch him play before scooping him up into his bundle outfit.

We planned to celebrate valentine's day early (since the grouchy people in J's department planned a big talk/dinner for the 14th), so we ended up going to one of the good ol chain restaurants close by for dinner. I'm not sure if Aiden was fussy because the robotic talking moose on the wall was kinda creepy or because he doesn't like to sleep much at day care. We did manage to squeeze in dessert (it was an imitation pizza cookie that couldn't even come close to oreganos in arizona). We made it home for Aiden's real party which is a big pig-out-eat-non-stop-from-mommy fest.

Here's our little guy waving starfish man around this weekend after I stuck it in his hand. It's official that he could grab it for himself if he wants to ;)

flinching drummer boy

Daddy got a new toy and here's big boy Aiden trying it out for the first time. He seems to really like it despite the flinching. We are on our way to having a band. If only Mommy had rhythm...

giggles n gags photos

Look at those rosey cheeks:

gags and giggles

Aiden was doing better for hump day this week, and he rode the roller coaster past Wednesday straight into a sicker slump. Wednesday night was bad, Thursday night was worse. For a first time mom to hear her little one cough until he gags and then scream and squirm it is traumatic. Not to be overly dramatic, but it was making me sad that he wasn't really able to find much comfort. We'd get him comfortable bouncing with daddy on the big ball and then all of a sudden he would scream without warning (this is unusual because daddy is a master baby comforter).

Friday morning rolled around and we called the doctor repeatedly until we got through at 8:30am. They suspected an ear infection so they got us an appointment. I was glad I didn't have to beg to have him come in and I was relieved that they would check him out before the weekend. We saw a different doctor that took one look in his ears and said "he's got a double"... It took me a second to realize he wasn't talking about his double chin, but meant a double ear infection - aw, I thought, good they can take care of that with some bubble gum medicine... then he listened to his rattly chest and he went on to say, "and a case of croup"... My aw-poor-baby went into super drive aaaah-that's-a-scary word.

Croup to me is an old fashioned illness that isn't really helped by medicine and can be very, very serious. In Tucson, I volunteered with an organization called Ben's Bells - bensbells.org which was started by a family whose two year old son died of croup without warning. Volunteering with them to help make bells and spread kindness is one of the things I miss most about Tucson. So as he explains that the weezy, out of breath cough that comes straight from his pulsating tummy is croup caused by a virus. Croup narrows the air passage and he explained that when your air passage is so small in the first place it can be very disruptive. He said that they don't know why but it does get worse at night when the body slows down for rest. It is helped by humidified hot air and also cold rushes of air, but he could hear the barky weeze even at lunch time after being carried in through the cold. So he prescribed three nights worth of prednisolone, which is an anti-inflammatory.

We gave him a dose last night and he immediately vomitted three times to be sure that none of it was actually taken in. It is really rancid tasting according to J, and this kid's face of disgust was almost cute. He was throwing up and then giggling, so at least he was in good spirits. We called to ask if we should try to give him another dose. They said to try again in small doses or hide it in food. Since it is impossible to hide it without giving him a bottle (which he wasn't excited to take), we ended up giving him 1/4 teaspoons at a time with a good dose of num nums in between. He got it all down and it was a magic drug! It can make kids restless, but instead it comforted him, squelched his cough, and he slept from 10pm to 3am. He woke up and ate well from both sides and slept again until 7am! (That is the most sleep I've had in at least five months!) He didn't cough much at all until this morning when he was working on all the ear infection drainage (ick). His cough now sounds effective and not as croupy and weezy. The antibiotics will really start doing the trick soon, and we will really have our healthy happy hippo lover back on track. I'm hoping that this will be the worse of the new daycare illness for a while.

I'm just glad that Aiden kept his giggle puss going. He wasn't all that excited to go to the doctor and was fussing as we got through the door. It helps to talk to him while he fusses because then instead of shrieks he will start talking to you. He really sounds like he has a point and he will goo and gaa in response to you. He started doing this as I was checking out at the front counter. I held him up to the window and he had a talk with the woman behind the desk. I think he was thanking her for getting him an appointment at the last minute. He talked as we made our way to the car and as we cruised up to the CVS drivethru (best shopping innovation i'd never used), then he promptly fell asleep. Thank goodness for the good ol car rumble comfort.

land of normal

We are now settled in a new land of normal. Aiden was out sick for his first two official days in the new daycare, but he is back on track and made it through his first day with a giggle and rosey cheeks. His "Highlights of the Day" section on his "Infant Daily Activity Report" sheet said, "Aiden had a great first day! He enjoyed floor time and bouncing in the chair looking at himself. :)" I am thoroughly amused that they gave the kid a mirror to keep him occupied.

permit

It was time for our big boy to get his permit:


Thanks to Great Aunt Hev who gave us this idea a while back...

3 months!

Dear Aiden,

Yup, mommy's going to try to write you a note every month. Even if you are embarrassed or bored by them, I hope that if you have your own kids you can read back over them while cuddling your own little cuddle bug. As I write this, you and dad are snuggling up and watching the Super Bowl - the one where the Patriots may make history with a perfect season. I remember when I was pregnant I wanted you to be a World Series baby. The Red Sox did make it a good season (capped off with World Series win) and kept us occupied in those tired nights when I laid in bed with my belly wedged between five pillows.

We went to a party when I was around 8 months pregnant and some confused guy said that it looks like I could have a baby during the Super Bowl... my tired back and achey pelvis screamed - no way, we want to meet this kid well before then. I couldn't imagine waiting that long to meet you (and that was when I loved being pregnant). So, now the Super Bowl is really here and we really know you now. I figure I've known you for about six months of awake time due to all our late night cuddling.

You're beginning to sleep in longer and longer stretches. In the past couple of weeks, you've developed a reputation for being a 4am party animal. You are usually up to eat around 1-2am and then you will drift off into a sweet slumber. Then right around 4am you wake up not really interested in eating, but instead you want to play. Just the other night was your dream come true. You were having trouble with your cough and boofy illness, so Daddy and I took you into the bathroom and turned up the hot shower (to get some muggy humid air into your sad lungs). We danced and sang and you were super excited that we finally got with the program. You really are the best spirited sick kid with big smiles after you cough.

It's hard to believe that you are 3 months old. I feel like I'm frequently saying I just can't believe how time flies and how much can change in such a short amount of time. I was going back through all of your videos which seem like a documentary of cheek growth. You seem to grow cheek chub one week and then stretch to grow into them the next week... and then repeat. You have really grown a nice little chub suit compared to those first few weeks.

One of my favorite things is how you like to use one little finger to hang on to the table on your swing... or to point at your lips like a little thinker. You started this a long time ago, even in those first few days (there is even a photo in your birth announcement with you pointing at your cheek). It's only just recently that you've started grabbing onto us when we hold you and stretching out those little fingers as you snag our shirt collars.

I just paused in writing this to feed you and the pats were winning. I thought for sure that daddy would be dancing soon. Sometimes when he dances you mimic him with your bouncey legs. But instead the pats just let it slip, which just goes along with the theme of our rough week. Oh well, you are still smiling through your struggling cough... gotta just keep on, keeping on... Love, Your First Time Mommy

quick checkup

Yesterday we called over to the doc to check on Aiden's cough (mainly because online it said that a cough in a three month old is rare and could be serious... and oh yeah, that first time parents syndrome we are proud to live by lately). She asked whether it was disrupting his sleep or whether he was eating, both of which seem fine. She said it would be better to come in to rule out anything serious and that is is probably just a little virus. So we trucked him over there in the icky sludgy rain, and he showed off his cough on the way in the door and gave a good choking cough for the nurse. But after having his temp taken (which was normal), he turned into flirty, smiley baby. He had the hiccups for the doc but woudn't show off his cough for her. It looked like he was just there to coo and kick for the doctor. They checked on his weight and reassured us that he isn't getting off track. He's right on the 75 percentile still for a 3 month old at 14.5 lbs. I have a feeling that the five uncles over 6 feet tall genes are going to have some influence on this kid. We left the doctor with a dry cough baby, but last night he evolved into a stuffed up spit up baby. We learned quickly the power of the saline baby spray and Aiden was super excited to have his 4am party in the muggy bathroom with the hot shower going. I think we're all ready for a calm weekend.

so right

Aiden and I went for a dry run at the new center this morning and it was just so right. Aiden was immediately scooped up and he was smiling and cooing at his assigned caregiver, Miss Maria. They already had his crib out and cleaned up all shiny and new for him. We were able to stay for a play date with the other 8 month old that will be in Aiden's group of three, Jillian. He was talking, showing off how he can push with his legs to stand up, and cheerfully staring at the bright lights (which he just loves wherever we go). Then he fell fast asleep, happy as a clam, while I signed the final enrollment contract. I really feel like we will click into a routine after Monday and I'm relieved just thinking about it.

maaama

Focusing back in on the fun-o-rama with our little bundle of boy:  Our big boy is being pretty vocal lately. It is crazy but there are times when it really sounds like he's distinctly saying/yelling for mama. It was so distinct today that I ran to get the camera, which is the fool proof way to get him to clam up. Not sure why he gets camera shy, but I'll catch him eventually. He will gibber gabber with you if you respond to his coos, he'll respond back. He likes the highest pitched eeeing. His favorite is when daddy reads him the fluffy chick book. It's a soft book that daddy smudges against his face every once in a while. He normally tries to bite or kiss at the book. We hope it's just as much fun for him as it is for us to catch his squeals.

just done

We're all just done with this week.  Aiden's ready to be done with this little cough and hot box syndrome.  Mom and Dad are just done worrying about his care.  After J calling and leaving everything on good terms with a good ol - It's not you, it's us - the care lady showed up at our house last night while J was away.  She was nice enough to bring back all of the stuff we had left there (extra diapers, wipes, and my liquid gold frozen breast milk) and to give me a nice dose of condescending-you-sure-are-a-first-time-mom when I finally found my voice to tell her that I'm not comfortable having a blanket full of spit up wrapped around my sleeping baby's head.  Oh, well some parents ask for no blankets and some don't care, and you know you can get them tested for SIDS (!? besides the point!) was her response.  Well, ok, I just don't feel like we have the same style and I don't want to have to be the demanding mom, so sorry.  She insisted that I come to her mommy night in February (because "I have a lot to learn" - uh ok), and I just tried to say I'd feel awkward, but thanks.  This woman just doesn't listen to me, but I am listening to my gut. My gut says this should just be done already.  

new center

Long story short: After a series of worries and a botched pick up at daycare yesterday, Aiden will start at his new center on Monday. We thought that the in home we had set up was ideal because we had such strong referrals. All of our indirect evidence was good, but our direct evidence was not so hot. I am happy with our decision to take him to a center that we had looked at and liked earlier in the fall. I don't think you really know what style you'll appreciate or need until those needs aren't met. My mom understands and she said it best... he just needs to be safe as an infant. Safety will give him a sense of security which will make him feel loved.

I don't want to really remember the details, so I'm not going to get into why we made the switch... Let's just say that at a certain point I really thought I was being punked (or I was on a really cruel edition of candid camera). Then my sense of humor disappeared and I was just traumatized. The ingredients of my pick up nightmare included seven toddlers (!, no helpers to be found), two big dogs, a leftover bottle intended for my hungry baby, a blanket full of spit up wrapped around the side of sleeping Aiden's neck, lit candles and a gigantic wooden toy box around unattended two year olds, and to top the awful cake, a bloody diaper rash (on another kid that wasn't given any comfort). I tried to call and resolve what I thought had to be an out of the ordinary situation, but I was told it was typical. Oh well, that won't be typical for us. I learned what is important to us and I am glad that J and I took action to make the switch immediately. We visited the center again this afternoon and we were really comforted by the orderly, professional atmosphere. I'm so grateful that they had space for us to start almost immediately. Eek, now the awkward part of telling the other daycare we won't be coming back needs to happen before tomorrow.

calming

Calming a Baby 101 with Granny and PopPop: Buy gum that no one likes, eat just enough that it makes a rackety rattle sound, wave back and forth evenly to lull the baby to sleep. Exhibit A:
Aiden isn't a particularly fussy baby, but he can really go from 0 to 90 on the scream scale quickly (I blame his gas pains, because I've heard the bumbo rumble and been startled out of my sleep by those explosions). Granny would snag him whenever he fussed and affectionately say "if you're talkin, we're walkin" as she started in circles from our living room through the kitchen and dining room and back. He got a new nickname, Archie, after breaking Granny's back by arching his back until he calmed down. Then around the same time J started calling him Thor, the thunder pooper. I won't get into the details, but let's just say that if we hear a rumble we immediately put him on the changing table to wait out the storm. Baby Thor is never a bore.
As I write this, here is J's rhyming -
"Look at you stand like a big man,
trying to stand as long as you can,
as you try to formulate a plan,
to get some milk from the milk wo-man."
gotta run to take care of baby...

family fun

see ya soon

My folks just left after helping us with my transition back to work. They came to town a little over two weeks ago and that time flew by. My parents were so incredibly helpful and I cannot thank them enough for every, every, everything! When they first arrived my sister and future brother in law were here, that time with all of us together was a big warm fuzzy, full of trips to friendly's to get peanut butter sauce, new kitchen tiles (thanks!!), and baby cuddling. I wish I could smash all the states together so that all of our family was closer. I look forward to seeing everyone again soon...

flex schedule

Four bottles a day, max five ounces each. That's the plan after my folks helped take care of Aiden during my first week back. He was slurping it down quickly and even though we tried to cut him back he was determined to eat that much. We think we have better slow flow nipples than the other slow flow we started using initially. You can't "set your clock" by this kid's schedule like my friend can with her kid, but he had some trends. He will eat between 7:30-8:30am (with dad), 10:30-11:30am, 1-2pm, and 3:30-4:30pm just like the breast fed baby charts suggest. It's a relief to have some inkling of what to expect and how to prepare for Aiden's day care, but I'm sure things will change... I know that every kid is different, but anybody with kiddos have input on how much their kid was eating at three months? I'm thinking that we will just try to be as flexible as possible with this growth spurt prone kid.

muffin man

This baby is getting bigger by the minute. When I was in the hospital they warned us that exclusively breastfed babies will have big growth spurts and become chubby bunnies for their first year, but after that they are a lot less likely to be obese. They are building some seriously strong antibodies for their overall immunity but they are especially building a very efficient digestive system from the breastmilk that meets their needs exactly. Even since my folks arrived he has grown! We buy our pampers in bulk and we had to move up to the next size because the stretchy bands on the smaller ones were making him look like he had a muffin top. My mom and I have now taken to singing him the "do you know the muffin man" song, which he loves... probably because we're laughing under our breath as we sing it ;) I can't believe my little guy is moving up the diaper size chart from swaddler to cruiser soon!

hippo kisses

Time in the big chair with daddy and hippo. Still a little camera shy, but at least he looks right at the camera:

breezy day

Phew, the first day back to work was breezy. I woke up at 6am, fed and changed my little snug bug, and he promptly fell back to sleep in his swing like he is used to doing in unison with mommy. He snoozed while I got ready to go. I dug out the curling iron I hadn't used in over three months and put on some earrings even though I thought my holes were closing up (yeah, I was pretty low key for the holidays). I said goodbye to my little sleepyhead, kissed him in his sleep, and got teary when I turned to grab my bags to go this morning. My parents were there with hugs that boosted me up just enough to keep my chin up to run out the door into the rain. It was a crappy, rainy, ucky day and J and I jumped in the car. I whimpered a bit more to him in the car..."It isn't that I can't handle going back to work, I don't WANT to handle going back..." I think in the scheme of things I want to BE back at work I just didn't know HOW to go back. If I could just fast forward a couple weeks when we have everything figured out, I would be set. I again don't know what I don't know (an icky feeling that accompanies change that always ends up good in the end). I want to have Aiden's "schedule" all figured out. I felt like I was pumping all day (five times! every two hours starting right when I got in at 8am), but somehow this kid is into champion bottle eating now and beat me by a couple ounces (I pumped a bit over 19 ounces and he ate 23!!) We are going to get him on some slow flow nipples just to get some extra sucking in to be sure he really needs that much. Pumping in my office was a very strange feeling, but I didn't have any trouble. I had my digital photo frame clicking away so I wouldn't miss my little sweet lips too much. I called home around lunch and Granny put Aiden on the phone with me to say hi, which kept me going. It was easier to deal with feeling tired than I expected, but I definitely hit a 3pm slump harder than I used to. I rushed out of my office when it was time to go home and it seemed like the day just breezed by. Since I've been home he only had a little 5 minute snack, so I think he decided to power feed while I was away today. I can't thank my parents enough for making this transition as easy as possible for me, J and especially Aiden.

meeting miss lynn

Yesterday we arranged to touch base with Miss Lynn, Aiden's care mommy starting Jan 28th. We are really lucky (and extremely grateful) to have my folks here to take him for my first week back so we can figure out his schedule better and get him used to taking the bottle at least three times a day. He hasn't needed his night bottle and will sleep at least three or four hours at the beginning of the night, then he's back to 2-3 hours for the rest of the night. My fingers are crossed that he'll be ok with the bottle. Lynn had most of her kids napping and her two youngest ones eating when we arrived. Aiden was sleepy from the car when he squirmed out of his car seat to meet Lynn. He cuddled on my shoulder and woke up all wide eyed. He looked around and seemed sleepy. He fussed when Lynn was holding him, but he seemed to warm up a little bit. We talked a bit about what to expect and what we should bring for him, etc. Overall, I think Miss Lynn will be really easy going and I hope that rubs off on Aiden. I was glad that my folks got to meet Miss Lynn and she could get their stamp of approval too.

baby pictures

Aiden saw his first movie in a real theater today - Juno! Tuesday mornings at 10am there is a new movie shown as part of the Showcase Cinemas' "Baby Pictures". They leave the lights up a bit, provide a changing area in the theater, and turn the sound down (to protect sensitive baby hearing). My mom and I headed to the theater expecting just a few stragglers at this early movie. Turns out it's the hot ticket in town for new moms. There were at least 50 people there, some with itty bittie babes that just slept and others with active three year olds that just wandered around the big theater. There were only a few moments when some baby was fussing making it a little hard to hear. Aiden seemed to like the big flashy lights on the screen when he wasn't eating. I liked the movie and it actually made me miss being pregnant. It was the first movie I'd seen in the theater in a long time and it was a good one.

mobile lover

Baby AB loves his mobile. We'll lay him down after his diapy change or while he's in a fussy wussy fit and he will immediately light up and start watching the floating animals. He'll laugh, kick and sometimes squeal. We upped the ante the other day when I found a toy that projects and rotates lighted scenes of baby birdies onto the ceiling. It plays soothing music and the projector has a little scene of robotic birdies playing and moving. He loves it and will lay on his back drooling over it for quite a while. He likes the bright red colors in the animal mobile over his changing pad. Anything bright that is slightly over his head (preferably with a face) seems to make him happy. We visited Ikea that other day and my mom tied a stuffed rat by its tail on the shopping cart in front of him and our little rat lover smiled at it while we cruised through the crowded store. Between his love of things way up high and bright lights, I think he might be an astronomer in the making. My little star gazer.

bottle strike

I went to sleep last night thinking, oh darn I forgot to blog that Aiden is over his bottle strike. We had figured out that if you take him to an area where I don't spend much time he doesn't get distracted by my "smell" and he takes the bottle without as much trouble. The night before last he was good to go. Daddy brought him up at the normal 3amish and I was feeling more rested than I had been since before the holiday. Well, I would've spoken too soon, since last night he had the same fussy bottle blues. We thought he was going to be back on track just in time for my return to work a week from today.

I have such mixed feelings about returning to work. In a lot of respects, I can't imagine not spending all of my time with my baby. I haven't spent more than 5 hours at a time without holding him or feeding him in the last 70 days. We're really lucky and grateful to have my parents here to take care of him while I transition back to work. They will take him for my first week back as we figure out how much he will eat during the day and how he'll react to not being with his mom. And probably more importantly to give me a chance to get used to being away without having to think too much about whether he is happy with a bunch of strangers. I can't wait until Miss Lynn (his new caregiver after the end of the month) feels more like she is part of our family.

surprise!

Since my work life will resume on Jan 18th (yep, the Friday right before the long weekend - nice slow transition), I will be coming out of my baby haze and bringing back my snapshots blog soon. In the mean time, I'm cheating and posting a non baby related video. My future brother in law is officially the best person to have sitting around bored in your house. HUGE thanks! Also, thanks to my folks for the new faucet.
Here is our surprise:

Or go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMLYoABQlHs

hey doc

With the new year and J's trip to Arizona, we had Aiden's two month appointment today just a few days late. Our big boy is now 12 lbs. 10 ozs. and 23.5 inches right in the 75% percentile. Lucky for him he has nice padded chubby thighs for the three big 2 month shots, one on one side and two on the other. He wasn't sure what was going on when they laid him down and asked me to stand in front of him and hold his hands. The nurses came up from both sides, and he quickly looked back and forth at them with his wide eyes. Then all of a sudden they gave him the shots all at the same time. I've never seen his little face get so red, but he didn't let out the scream that you'd expect. He cried, but after I scooped him up he calmed right down like a little champ. He's been pretty sleepy and fussy wussy in between, but I think the baby tylenol will keep him happy.

Before the shots, we brought up with the doctor that it's been over a week since this baby went on a bottle strike. The back story is that J's been giving a night bottle of expressed milk since Aiden was 3 weeks old without any trouble and right after the New Year he stopped taking it without crying and fussing. The doctor says it must be that he's just developed "a preference" for me and if he gets hungry enough he will take the bottle. Uh ok, not a solution! I will be going back to work soon where bottles will be a necessity during the day and almost as important for that night time feeding J's been giving him to give me a block of sleep. We've tried different types of bottle nipples. My sister tried the bottle and was just as unsuccessful as J is. We are out of tricks, and I'm tired just thinking about it. I'm sure it will sort itself out, but now I'm really wishing and hoping he starts sleeping through the night.

In good news, we've had extra arms for cuddling since the 3rd. J left for a short four day trip to a conference and my sister and her fiance came into town that same day. Aiden loves his Auntie Liz and her cuddling is top-notch A++! She's a natural. I don't know what I would've done without her offering to snuggle and get me water while I nurse. We're very thankful that they are here for a number of reasons - some of which will remain a surprise! My folks are coming in this Thursday and we can't wait to see them too.

sunny smile

Smile for daddy wearing sunglasses on the coldest day of the year:

2 months

Dear Aiden,

You are somehow two months old today. When you started talking/gurgling at me this morning instead of asking you my usual, "Oh yeah, where did you hear that!?" I switched it up and instead asked you, "How does it feel to be two months, what have you learned?" You looked right at me with drool bubbles dangling off your lip, and gave me one of those classic open mouth smiles I managed to catch with the camera a couple weeks back. You've learned that smiling like that will get you a big squeal and a kiss from everyone around you. You've got that trick down.

Your other tricky trick is to only poo in a freshly changed diaper. Dad says you're a smarty because who would poo in a dirty toilet. If I'm goin to mention poo, I might as well also mention that for the first 50 days of your life you had the most closely monitored poo schedule. Also, if you glance at our google history you will find searches like "what should newborn poo look like AND ricey AND runny." We were thinking of continuing the foostinky chart into your teens, so that we could share it with your first date or look back at your graduation. Somehow I suppose your pooing won't be the most interesting tidbit to share.

I'm thinking that we might instead bring up how you would dance and bounce around with your strong kicky legs. We are convinced you are going to walk right out of that bouncey seat. You have just started to use your arms and hands to do more than wack yourself out of a deep sleep. You usually grab at the water stream during your bath. I think you do that because the bath hose looks like a hippo spitting at you...and if you could just get your hands around that hippo, you'd show him what he gets for spitting on you. You generally like bath time in your little sling with the warm hippo spit that daddy is in charge of, while mommy gets you all scrub-a-dub-dubbed. We have a little routine when the bath is done where daddy quickly drip dries you and then you get wrapped in the big fluffy towel in mom's arms, all snug as a bug in a rug. You like to do the classic foot clap with daddy on the changing table, which is one of your favorite places. We've considered ways to emulate the changing table for you to sleep, but I think what you like about it is the nearby bright window curtains and smiling goofball parent, both of which are unavailable at 3am.

You were born quickly, after weeks of being comfortably wedged where no little head should be wedged. Your mom was not born with the perfect little baby head mold pelvis and you had the pointy head to prove it. When I was pushing the nurse let me touch your little hairy head, and even though it felt like a slimy bird that was just born, I've never been so excited. I couldn't wait to meet you. You were happy to eat minutes after being born, and I'm not sure you've stopped having a growth spurt since that first week. Luckily, you are smack in the middle of the overall growth chart at the 50th percentile.

You've changed so much in two short months of milk drunk cuddling. You've lost most of the hair on your ears (eek! now that's an embarrassing tidbit to share with your future girlfriends) and your baby mullet is thinning out. It occasionally looks like you've used a mini hair crimper on it, so the jury is still out on the curly hair. Dad is worried that it won't be cute curls but the frizz curls he carefully coiffed through high school. In the mean time, I love to stroke your bird feather fluff hair. When I stroke it, your eyes usually get really wide and sparkly. I know you will continue to change in leaps and bounds, but try to keep those squeals of delight that your dad is good at invoking while reading you your fluffy chick book. You oughta keep that baby squeal, because it may work to help you borrow the car when you're 16...it's that darn cute.

I've learned so much from you...how to line up that diaper just right...how to get to know someone that doesn't talk...how to snap up those footie pjs with blurry tired eyes...how to make you comfy in your strappy car seat...how to love like only a parent can love. I'm so glad we've still got more to learn.

Love and learn, Mommy

tricks and tips

Some practical tips mainly so I don't forget for the next possible baby we may have... here are tips from the first two months:
1. Tykelight! This is a brilliant solution to the night light that lets out the perfect amount of tinted light. We actually put it in the bassinet (which is next to the swing Aiden will actually sleep in) and it illuminates just enough to not disrupt sleep but you can see what's causing the baby whimpers (babies are loud when they sleep!). It's like a night light that you can easily carry with you or shine under your hand pump at night to make sure it is lined up.
2. Bigger trash in the bathroom - Mom is technically wearing three diapers while baby only wears one. I think I need my own diaper champ to lock away the musty milk smell of those shields.
3. Be sure that the diaper lining is folded out and lined up, especially important before putting baby in the car seat to go to the doctor.
4. Have at least two robes and be sure that one of them isn't too warm and fuzzy, because you will have some serious night sweats.
5. Don't be shy about the lansinoh cream and be sure it's the real deal (no alcohol or too many chemicals which can be hard on the baby) Use it right after the baby is finished.
6. Get some sort of set up for easy meals - Look to get some variety in the mix for the easy meals like breakfast and lunch. Try to think about whether you can prepare it with one hand.
7. You'll want a good hand pump to go along with a good dual pump if you plan to pump... plan to pump if you want more than an hour away from the baby to go to the dentist.
8. Buy handy freezer boxes for the bags of milk that you can store. The bags will expand when they freeze and you have to be careful they don't leak (and in the bins they stay in order by the date)
9. Have some light antibac lotion handy for right after diaper changes. Be sure your soap isn't too rough on your hands because you will wash your hands a lot.
10. Tissues everywhere baby eats. And paper towels as back up everywhere you need wipes.
11. Keep cameras out in the open to easily grab. Baby won't be as smiley if you have to leave and come back for the shot. Don't be shy about shooting away, but it will take a while to sort through to share your favorites (easy to do with one hand while feeding though).
12. It's totally worth having a sterilizer. Some say that the dishwasher gets too hot and the plastics can be affected. Also, it's nice that the sterilizer is also a good place to store the stuff sterile and let it dry. It's especially helpful to clean your delicate pump parts.
13. Buy twice as many thank you notes as you might expect you'll need.
14. Disposable breast shields are a must for the first month or so (don't go cheap - medela were my favorite). Then the reusable, washable mesh ones work pretty well because you will leak less.
15. Take some practical advice from friends - encourage them to give you advice in fact. Most won't really give it unsolicited. You don't have to take all advice, but usually it will clue you into something you weren't familiar with before.

J's bonus tips:
1. Have everything out of the box and ready to grab. Have diapers out of the box and wipes popping up in the box. Do not wait to assemble anything. You will be too tired to deal.
2. Take a baby moon if you can to spend time as a family.
3. Pull outfit up as far as possible during diaper changes or he will pee on it. The cuter mom thinks that outfit is the more likely he will leak on it somehow.

night night

We almost slept through the New Year. We had a nice invitation to our friends' house and we lasted until 10:30 even though J was drinking red wine and I have a cold. When we got home, we thought maybe we'd just go with our normal bed time routine and skip watching the ball drop. Well, it turns out Aiden wanted to eat around 11:00 just after I'd hit the sheets, so J brought him up. After he finished snacking, we were all dozing off and I barely realized they were counting down until I heard 8-7-6-... J bolted up in bed and Aiden looked us with wide eyes as we smooched him. I think he was trying to figure out how he can get us to go from quiet to excited mode in the middle of the night like that. This kid has tried a lot of tricks to try to get us to play with him in the middle of the night.

At the party, they were calling Aiden a night owl because he was so awake and alert. I kept thinking how can you tell if something is a night owl if it sleeps every couple of hours. This kid doesn't have a bed time yet, but I dream of the day! My friend's almost two year old little girl was fascinated with babies, and they easily convinced her to "go night night, just like the baby"... but I'm not sure they really mean juuust like the baby. Night night with this baby isn't terrible, but it isn't fun either. We have a pretty good routine to give me a block of sleep where J keeps him downstairs with a pumped bottle (thank goodness this kid is good at taking a bottle!). He usually brings him up around 3 or 4am, he feeds and if I'm lucky, sleeps another two hours before he wants to eat again. Although lately he's wanted to power eat which means I'm just about awake the rest of the night. I go to sleep every night thinking maybe tonight is the big night - he'll sleep through the night for the first time?! I swear we're having a breakfast bonanza party that morning! Let's just hope it's before I go back to work...eek.

happy new year!

I wonder what the new year will bring...hmmm....

go pats

Phew, go pats! Mommy and I were asleep, but dad tells us that the pats pulled it through ;) I was worried:

photo favorites

I keep adding to
Recent Aiden favorites:
http://www.flickr.com/gp/94324507@N00/8p2vH4