Attention Blog Reader...(s?)

Apple is discontinuing their MobileMe services. The photo host site I will now be using is ZingZang. Please update your bookmark to the following: http://www.zangzing.com/hannahrae

It's still in an early development phase so there are a few flaws (ie: at the moment the photos imported from MobileMe are sorted by date, which means the captions sometimes don't make sense; there is a random album called "ZingZang Favorites" that is a default album I'm not allowed to delete; etc.), but it will do.

I will link to individual albums within blog posts, so you won't miss anything! Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave your comments. It's nice to know you're still following us.

XOXO
H

7 Months

Dear MJ/Lovey/Sweet Pea,

What a gift of a baby you are, my dear. You remain good-natured through thick and thin. You have smiles for everyone, even when you get short-changed on naps, or when you have to wait for a bottle, or when your brother squeezes you a little too tightly. You've turned into to a sitting-up baby, instead of a lying-down baby this month. In the past few days, you've gone from sitting up for only a few seconds, to long stretches of sitting and playing with toys. When you fall over, you try so hard to right yourself again. That'll take some time, my love. (In fact, I distinctly remember when your brother learned to sit up, I used to wonder in amazement how babies ever figure out how to get themselves to a sitting position on their own. I guess it happens eventually!) What this sitting endeavor means is that we've brought out a new batch of toys, and your play mats have become a little hazardous, as you like to pull them on top of yourself. You're fully "over" the bouncy seats because you can't sit up in them properly. You continue to adore the Jumperoo and we're getting ready to raise it up a notch. Funny that only a month ago your toes barely touched the floor, and now you stand in it flat-footed. I also think it's funny that even though you can roll over, you have absolutely no interest in doing so. Learning to sit up has eliminated the need for rolling, evidently. We still find you in your crib in the same position as when you went to sleep.

We still haven't seen any teeth pop through, even though the drooling has increased. The absence of teeth seems to be irrelevant for eating, since you're currently trying to consume everything in sight. Having enjoyed purees for a few very short weeks, you're now officially eating 98% table food, with the occasional cereal/vegetable puree thrown in. You happily nosh on bagels, noodles, any kind of soft fruit, peas, and an assortment of cereals and puffs. You make a funny sound when you eat, like an undulating hum. You're still taking four bottles per day (~24-28 oz.), but you sometimes don't finish them anymore.

You are FINALLY sleeping allllllll the way through the night. And, let me tell you, those 12-13 hour stretches are a welcome change for your tired mom. (Now if mommy could only sleep through the night...) You're taking two solid naps per day, though the morning nap is usually short-changed two days per week. And remember that pacifier you stoically gave up last month? Yeah, it's back. You have a much easier time getting to sleep for naps when you have it. And you're still able to get to sleep (and STAY asleep) at night without it! What a champ!

I think I can officially declare that your worst spit-up days are behind us. Occasionally you have a day where nothing will stay down (often when other people are taking care of you--stinker), but I've definitely washed fewer burp cloths in the last few weeks. What a relief.

Things you love:

- "Trot, Old Joe," from the Music Together collection. It's the song Big Brother uses to get you to smile. And it works like a charm every time.

- The Most Annoying Toy Ever Created. (A ball that rolls by itself when you turn it on. Which would be fine except it also TALKS and SINGS in the worst V-Tech voice you can imagine. Kill me. Then again, I only have myself to blame. I bought it.)

- Any toy of SIR's you can get your hands on. Much to his dismay.

- Tags on burp cloths.

- When your brother or your dad visits you, cribside. Your little face lights up like a beacon and you kick your legs like mad.

- Miss Mary's music class.

- Patting whomever is carrying you. I think it's just a knee-jerk reaction to having a drum like surface at your disposal, but I like to think you're patting me on purpose, snuggle bunny that you are. :)

Things you dislike:

- Avocado. (Sigh...I tried.)

- Grass. You've gotten your first few tastes--er, figuratively (for now)--of grass on your bare tootsies and hands and you were not at all amused. You actually cried. And you rarely cry about anything. Unless...

- Other distasteful foods. I can tell you really don't like something when you cry about it.

(That's a mighty short list of dislikes for such a small person.)

I love you so much, Peanut.

Mom

http://gallery.me.com/hannahrae#100874

SIR: Version 3.5

Dear SIR,

I see huge changes in you, even since your third birthday. You sparkle and shine as a basketball player, and in Miss Mary's music class. You're sweet and engaging with your sister, and you have plenty of affection for your school friends. You've lost almost all traces of "baby talk," fully pronouncing your Rs and Ls and double checking your pronunciation of words. You're OBSESSED with telling the time (and the date) and know the big hand from the little hand, and what they represent. Your other fascination is with pre-reading. You point out letters everywhere we go and are showing signs of recognizing words ("S-T-O-P...that spells 'stop!'"). Here are some funny SIR-isms from the last six months...

Sept-Dec:
- Saying, "Zerio"(zero), like it rhymes with Cheerio.

- Calling the stuffed dog Beethoven, "Bay-TOH-ven"

- "Pian-ee-o" = piano

- Looking at autumn berries squished all over the ground outside: "Mommy, that's a miracle! There's stuff all over the ground!"

- After a gust of wind, "That made my heart shiver!"

- At a friend's birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese, you called him "Chunky Cheese," and wondered where you could get more "cokens" (tokens). Eventually you started calling them "cokes."

- At Mimi's you were pretending to nurse your baby. You pulled up your shirt and said, "Ouch!" At home you use AhAh the Monkey as your chosen baby. You rock him to sleep and feed and burp him.

- Discussion about Thanksgiving:
Me: I'm thankful we have a house to live in. You know some people don't have nice, warm houses.
You: Yeah, they have DRY houses.
[rim shot?]

Me: Who are you thankful for, in your life.
You: Mila and Jolie.

- Star of the Muppets: "Krimet" the Frog. And when we say "mahnah mahnah" you respond with the doo doos. It's like a new game of Marco Polo.

- After we saw a Christmas light display we told you we were going to the Olive Garden for dinner.
A few minutes later...
You: Where are we going now?
Us: To dinner.
A few minutes later...
You: Where are we going NOW?
Us: Uh, to DINNER.
You: .....But when are we going to pick olives?
[rim shot]

- The look of amazement in your eyes when you saw your new drum set from Santa. Playing with such glee.

Jan-Mar:
- You corrected your pronunciation of "comPLOOter." "It's comPUter, mommy, isn't it." And then you used Avery's toy to pretend you have an iPad.

- At the beginning of your obsession with the calendar, you confused your teachers by telling them you were going to school again on "six day." You meant on the 6th.

- You're fascinated by maps. You wanted to keep good track of Dad when he traveled to Australia.

- You say, "certainly" and "actually" within a context that isn't quite accurate.

- You cried at the end of your first live Bulls' game, when they lost.

- You call your sister's play mat a "place mat."

- "Mom, do you hear that clickey clack from my slippers?"

[Side entry:
Brad: I'm so tired all the time. I wonder if I have mono.
Me: You don't have mono, you have children.]


I read about an idea where parents interview their children on their birthdays. We'll start this tradition now and hope we remember to keep up with it.

SIR INTERVIEW 3.5
Favorite Color: blue
Favorite Toy: basketball hoop
Favorite Fruit: blueberries (because they're blue)
TV Show/Movie: Jake and the Neverland Pirates/Willy Wonka
Lunch: Hummus sandwich
Outfit: Dragon shirt
Game: iPhone basketball game [it's a new generation, kids!]
Snack: peanuts/raisins/M&Ms
Animal: elephant
Song: "ALL the songs."
Book: Curious George
Best Friend: "Theo, Gus, Matilda, and Daddy...................and you. And Avery." (Thanks, bud.)
Cereal: Special K (lie)
Favorite Thing to do Outside: run to the park
Drink: orange juice and apple juice
Holiday: "Trick or Treating" and Christmas
Breakfast: Honey Nut Cheerios
What do you take you bed at night: "the guys" (Pooh bear, blue blanket, doggie, AhAh, Benny the Bull, etc...)
What do you want for dinner on your birthday: Mac n cheese
What do you want to be when you grow up: a fireman


(SIR and "Krimet")

6 Months

17 lbs 2 oz (75th)
26 1/4 inches (50-75th)
HC = 42 cm (50th)


Dear MJ/Lil Peanut,

Well, it would appear that the last month has disappeared without a whole lot going on. How can that be? You've had little changes here and there, but you've always been such an even keeled baby that you seem to just roll right from one phase to the next with little fuss.

Little changes:

You're eating "solids" once a day. As of this writing, we've tried sweet potato, banana, apple, pear (YUM!), peaches (YUCK!), and mango, with several other goodies waiting in the wings. (I was a Good Mother and bought a bunch of organic produce to make your baby food. Because I'm trying to win an award over here.) You seem to prefer rice cereal to oatmeal. Go figure.

Your movements are much more intentional than they were a month ago. Now when you grasp for something, you're almost always successful. And nine times out of ten it finds it's way to your mouth. Your very favorite thing to suck on is your big toe on your left foot; it's as though you count the seconds until someone will take off your pants and socks so you can get to work on that project. You love any toy with fringe or tags (finally, that Taggie Dog will get some love!), and spend more time examining the tag on your bouncy chair than the actual toys attached to it. Your current favorite use for your mouth is to blow raspberries. Which you do CONSTANTLY. Which is why the front of your shirt is always soaked. (Well, from that and the never ending stream of spit up. Yum.)

You've rolled from back to front exactly twice, and the first time I helped you heft your chunky thigh over. Since Tummy Time is your nemesis, it makes sense that you prefer to be on your back. More than five seconds on your stomach triggers a MAJOR spit up reaction. So gross. Really, though, you now prefer to sit up whenever possible. When you're in the bouncy chair, you try to pull yourself up a bunch. You are getting the hang of the Jumperoo, and bounce unintentionally, but I think you're going to start jumping very soon.

Your favorite comfort object is...well, anyone near you. You love to burrow into shoulders and chests (trying to nurse anything with skin); you love to touch our faces and grab our noses; you love to cuddle with your owl lovey and are often discovered asleep with it draped across your face--don't tell the Parenting Police. We're a heartbeat away from buying you a sleep mask. :) The comfort object we have eliminated is your pacifier. After too many sleepless nights where you lose it and aren't old enough to put it back in your mouth, we decided it would be better for you to learn to soothe yourself in other ways. And you are! Mostly, you stuff your owl-y in your mouth, which is endlessly amusing to me.

And speaking of sleep (boy, it seems like I spend an lot of time talking about sleep), we are currently sleep training. Again. We got a little soft there for a few weeks, so now we're using a modified Ferber method, which means we put you down drowsy but awake, and check on you after five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes, but never removing you from the crib. It's working, so far. You sleep completely through the night very sporadically, but I'm not pushing it yet because...you're almost fully weaned. [sob--more on that later] You're napping 2-3 times per day, depending on whether or not we are home in the morning. And bed time is between 6-7pm.

The formula thing (yellow Enfamil, for my records) is going well. You seem to have the same amount of spit up with bottles as you did with breast milk, and we've discontinued your reflux medication. It just didn't seem to make a difference. You take between 24-28 oz of formula per day.

You are still the smiley-est baby I've ever known, and you're not stingy with smiles for strangers, either. It's so fun to watch you grow and learn and observe. The only member of our family that causes you to burst into giggles, without tickling, is your big brother, for whom your little world turns. It's the picture of precious.

Much love,
Mom


[A Note to my Future Self re: weaning--should it ever be relevant again.

Weaning is HARD. It's hard to let go of the intimacy you share with the baby; it's more inconvenient to go make a bottle and wait for it to heat (that's why you still nurse in the middle of the night, when necessary). But the hardest part are the darned wacky hormones that make it feel like there's an elephant of depression sitting on your chest. It's different from the fog that accompanies childbirth because the elation of having a brand new life isn't there anymore. The evenings seem to be harder, so try to get things done during the day so you can give yourself permission to wallow (or hide) in the evening. Go easy on yourself, Self. ]

Photos: http://gallery.me.com/hannahrae#100858




From Mimi

Mastitis, Round 2

Remember when I used to write posts on this blog to document every move I (and my children) made? You know, before Facebook was cool?

In honor of that distant memory, I give you this documentation of mastitis. You're welcome. I whimpered through one round with SIR, early in the stages of breastfeeding. This lovely round is compliments of the weaning process, which MJ and I started about a month ago. Dude. This sh*t is painful. For the ladies out here who haven't experience the pleasure (and for the one man that reads this--hi, Dad), imagine someone socking you in the boob and leaving a giant, swollen bruise. Now multiply that by ten and add flu-like chills and fever, body aches and pains, headache...and that's mastitis. Oh, and the best remedy, along with antibiotics and "rest" (insert guffaw here) is to nurse that swollen bruise as much as possible, but who wants to do that because Ol' Righty doesn't even want anyone to LOOK in her direction, much less touch her.

Anyway, I had a little help the last two days and am finally starting to feel better. It's a bummer to suffer through all the side effects of the flu without the only GOOD one: weight loss. *wink*

5 Months

Dear Rosebud/Lovey Loo/Little Bug/Bugaboo,

This may sound strange, but you've definitely become a person this month. You're completely aware of your surroundings, and it's thrilling to watch you learn about the world.

You've accomplished much this last month, including your first airplane trip to Arizona (angelic on the way down, not so on the way back), celebrating your first Christmas/Hanukkah, adeptly rolling from front to back, and attempting your first "solid" food. We learned from your brother to try oatmeal instead of rice cereal, since babies often prefer the taste. You didn't cry about it, but you mostly spit it right back out--more from a lack of coordination rather than distaste. Three weeks later, we're having more success, and you certainly seem hungry for it. Time to try another cereal and next month we'll add fruits and veggies. You're starting to say actual syllables when you cry. It almost sounds like "mama," but with a large dose of angsty protest.

My favorite part of the day with you is any time you're just waking up, be it in the morning or from a nap. You usually squeal with delight to see me, and I swear you hug me when I pick you up. You love being tickled on your changing pad, and there is still nothing that brings you more joy than a diaper change--except, of course, if your brother is there DURING your diaper change. Then your little world is complete.

SIR is still your favorite person on the planet. The rest of us are just decoration. He is willing to sit and play with you endlessly, and you track his every move and breath, and express your displeasure when he disappears from sight. When he isn't around, you still enjoy your play mats and bouncy chairs. You've recently been introduced to the Jumperoo, and while you can't actually jump in it, it is nice to have more than one toy at your fingertips. It's also nice that they're attached and you can't toss them out of reach.

Sleeping: Having completed a round of sleep training, you do well getting to bed at night. You usually wake each night between 2-4 and are generally up for the day around 7. (Although on exactly three occasions, you've slept completely through the night.) You continue to nap two hours after that last time you woke, which usually translates to two substantial naps and one catnap each day--provided we're HOME, which only happens 2-3 days per week. Sorry about that.

Eating: You're eating six times per day. Because of our "Vampire Baby" issues, we're currently alternating nursing and giving you a half and half bottle. You're getting a tablespoon or two of cereal every day, but I'm probably going to wait until you're six months old to start other foods.

It's no secret I'm having a hard time facing the fact that you're growing up. The truth is that being a parent to a newborn is decidedly simple. If the baby cries, feed it/hold it/change it/put it to sleep. There is no discipline involved, and you're incapable of manipulating or disobeying me. Being a parent to a toddler and beyond requires a much more nuanced approach, and I'm just a little prematurely saddened by the first time you will sass me or throw a temper tantrum--it's so hard to imagine your sweet nature becoming anything else. But who knows? Maybe you'll be perfect forever. (Insert naive smile here.)

Love,
Mom




http://gallery.me.com/hannahrae#100850

Holiday Wrap Up

Well, the holidays didn't kill me this year...but they came close. With two Hanukkah celebrations, four birthday celebrations, Christmas out of town and a New Year's Eve party at home, this mama is t-i-r-e-d. I'm thrilled January is here.

Here is a photo story of our holiday journeys this year.

Hanukkah/Christmas/AZ: http://gallery.me.com/hannahrae#100816
New Year's Eve:http://gallery.me.com/hannahrae/100822