So behind on blogging! Here are some things I want to eventually blog about!
Sitting, then standing up in crib (on our trip), and having to lower the crib the night we got back in town!
Saying mamamam and dadadadada
Blood tests for his possible growth hormone issue
Pulling himself up on everything!
Getting a little clingy-er, yet still not cuddly
Hair growth - big forehead and hair growing funny!
Sleeping through the night since we got back from our trip (6:00 or even 7:00 or 7:30 sometimes)
Cry it out success (and hardly having to let him cry it out) and putting him down awake success (wasn't a difficult transition at all!)
Nap schedule and stretching wake times to make him nap longer
Liking almost any solid until he started eating OUR food :) - then got pickier and we have to 'doctor' things up now!
So at the very least, if I don't get around to blogging about these things in depth - hopefully these notes will jar my memory to remember these things about Georgie!
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
Missing my Babe...
Sometimes when Georgie goes to bed at night, I miss him. I just want to hold, squeeze, and play with him! Sometimes I wish I could go in and wake him up to play with me, and to kiss him. I love him SO much that I just well up with tears sometimes imagining my life without him. He's my little peanut butter. His smiles and laughs melt me like nothing else can. And he does that all the time (he's very smiley!). LOVE LOVE LOVE him so much.
Crawling!
Georgie started officially crawling on New Years Eve! Went about 3 feetish. A few days before that he had done a couple 'crawling steps', but nothing substantial. But then New Years Eve he kept going – about 3 feet! On New Years Day he got a little more brave (and less wobbly) and went maybe 4 or 5 feet, with lots of coaxing and a 'reward' (a toy or his binky) that he would 'chase' (we would put it just a couple feet in front of him – not too far – and then he would go for it and we would pull it a little further away as he got close to it – sounds mean but it really worked and I think it distracted him!). The day after that and after that we just kept practicing with that same method, and he got stronger and more confident. And the last few days he's been full on crawling several feet at a time – even entering the bathroom from the nursery and the family room to the pantry. The lip transitions from room to room tripped him up a little a few times, but now they don't stop him. We have to be much more cognoscente of how fast he can move locations (be a few feet away and then we turn our back for 20 seconds and he's at our feet!). We officially need to completely child proof our home now too since he can, and is, getting into about everything! Trying to open and close the bathroom door, knocked a plant over, and has put lots of little things in his mouth!
Now we're at the vacation rental in Sedona and I spent an hour 'babyproofing' our bedroom here the best I could! There's so much to think about, and it's hard to be in a completely different house and trying to babyproof the best I can! And make sure he stays clear of other people's feet since he's crawling and most of these people aren't used to watching for little people on the ground!
Now we're at the vacation rental in Sedona and I spent an hour 'babyproofing' our bedroom here the best I could! There's so much to think about, and it's hard to be in a completely different house and trying to babyproof the best I can! And make sure he stays clear of other people's feet since he's crawling and most of these people aren't used to watching for little people on the ground!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Crawling Attempts and Nursing
Okay – on my way to Denver so I'm going to try to write a little more! Major milestones:
He was sitting up by himself around 4 ½ months, I'm pretty sure. And probably without bobbling (very stable) by about 6 ½ months.
Started leaning forward from sitting, attempting a crawling position around 7 months (?)
7 ½ – 8 months he was leaning forward quite a bit, getting in crawling position, but not on his knees – it was a 'crab crawl' position – one knee and one foot. He's 8 ¾ months now and just now starting to rock back and forth on BOTH knees – he would do this before if we PLACED him in the regular crawl position, but now he's been doing it by himself (which I'm happy about, because I thought he might never crawl on both knees – just crab crawl until he walked, and it's better if he crawls on his knees because he learns the opposition movement of one knee and the opposite arm going forward simultaneously – important for brain development – I've read a lot about how important it is for them to not skip crawling – ideally they should crawl for 4-5 months). At around this same time he would get in the crab crawl position or we would put him in the regular crawl position and he would try to move, but usually end up on his belly, which was pretty frustrating for him! Often he would collapse to his belly, then promptly roll over to his back. Early on when he first learned to roll from his tummy to back (which was probably around 3 months), we would praise him like crazy and get so excited, so he loved doing it because it would make us so happy! And he never liked being on his belly (tummy time wasn't fun), so he would always promptly roll over (so we couldn't really FORCE him to stay on his tummy!). Because of that, I fear he didn't quite develop those back and tummy muscles as quickly as he could've, making the crawl position hard for him to sustain.
At about 8 months or 8 months and a week he was pretty mobile. He could get in a crawl (crab) position and sustain it . He would get in a regular crawl position and sort of 'crawl' backwards. This is all very normal and common, from what I've read. His leg (?) muscles weren't quite as strong so he would push back with his arms and end up moving backwards. He can now move several feet by himself – maneuver around a room. He does this by crawling backwards and by kindof leaning forward from a sitting position, getting in a crab crawl position, then sitting back down in a different place.
Right from the get go (when he started to discover moving from a sitting position), he wanted to (and would rather) stand. He would just smile and grin when we would lean him against his walker toy. And now he'll maneuver his way to the coffee table and then try to pull himself up. It's so cute! And it's so cute how happy it makes him to stand!
He's also at that point where he does get frustrated sometimes – I think he just really wants to crawl, and to move FORWARD. He has been getting on both knees and rocking back and forth more just in the last week, so I know he's close!
Nursing:
I weaned to nursing ONLY during his night feeding when he was about 7 months (?). I would pump during the day. And I was getting very little. I think when I stopped nursing during the day, my milk just really started to wane. Nursing him was a struggle (minus the night feeding – and he wouldn't put up as much of a fight then because he was tired and hungry, plus I would have a little more milk after that surge of prolactin(?) in the middle of the night) that got more and more of a struggle the older he got. My milk really STARTED waning at around 4 months. I was calling and meeting with lactation consultants, taking TONS of fenugreek, drinking lots of water, and just keeping up with nursing and/or pumping. It was kindof stressful, and got more and more stressful after I was only nursing him once a day. I would take my pump with me a lot of places, just trying to keep my very little milk going.
I am posting this a few days after I wrote it. To sum up, I stopped pumping at about 8 months. It was sad and I cried a couple times, because in my mind, as long as I was pumping, I could always get the milk back and even plentiful. But I truly believe (now) that my milk couldn't ever have gotten that plentiful with just pumping - my body had been done for awhile, and Georgie had definitely been done for awhile, and I finally just let it be and let it go. It was a big relief once I accepted it (and saved me so much time!).
Also, a couple days after we got there (the 26th I think?) Georgie finally mentally grasped rolling from his back to his tummy! I gave him just the slightest push, and then I kept just really encouraging him saying "push, push!!!", and he finally did it all on his own (in Grommer and Papou's family room!). It was really exciting - they were there and so was daddy! After he figured it out, he did it over and over, and that night changing his diaper was a chore because he wouldn't stop rolling over! Careful what you wish for!!!
He was sitting up by himself around 4 ½ months, I'm pretty sure. And probably without bobbling (very stable) by about 6 ½ months.
Started leaning forward from sitting, attempting a crawling position around 7 months (?)
7 ½ – 8 months he was leaning forward quite a bit, getting in crawling position, but not on his knees – it was a 'crab crawl' position – one knee and one foot. He's 8 ¾ months now and just now starting to rock back and forth on BOTH knees – he would do this before if we PLACED him in the regular crawl position, but now he's been doing it by himself (which I'm happy about, because I thought he might never crawl on both knees – just crab crawl until he walked, and it's better if he crawls on his knees because he learns the opposition movement of one knee and the opposite arm going forward simultaneously – important for brain development – I've read a lot about how important it is for them to not skip crawling – ideally they should crawl for 4-5 months). At around this same time he would get in the crab crawl position or we would put him in the regular crawl position and he would try to move, but usually end up on his belly, which was pretty frustrating for him! Often he would collapse to his belly, then promptly roll over to his back. Early on when he first learned to roll from his tummy to back (which was probably around 3 months), we would praise him like crazy and get so excited, so he loved doing it because it would make us so happy! And he never liked being on his belly (tummy time wasn't fun), so he would always promptly roll over (so we couldn't really FORCE him to stay on his tummy!). Because of that, I fear he didn't quite develop those back and tummy muscles as quickly as he could've, making the crawl position hard for him to sustain.
At about 8 months or 8 months and a week he was pretty mobile. He could get in a crawl (crab) position and sustain it . He would get in a regular crawl position and sort of 'crawl' backwards. This is all very normal and common, from what I've read. His leg (?) muscles weren't quite as strong so he would push back with his arms and end up moving backwards. He can now move several feet by himself – maneuver around a room. He does this by crawling backwards and by kindof leaning forward from a sitting position, getting in a crab crawl position, then sitting back down in a different place.
Right from the get go (when he started to discover moving from a sitting position), he wanted to (and would rather) stand. He would just smile and grin when we would lean him against his walker toy. And now he'll maneuver his way to the coffee table and then try to pull himself up. It's so cute! And it's so cute how happy it makes him to stand!
He's also at that point where he does get frustrated sometimes – I think he just really wants to crawl, and to move FORWARD. He has been getting on both knees and rocking back and forth more just in the last week, so I know he's close!
Nursing:
I weaned to nursing ONLY during his night feeding when he was about 7 months (?). I would pump during the day. And I was getting very little. I think when I stopped nursing during the day, my milk just really started to wane. Nursing him was a struggle (minus the night feeding – and he wouldn't put up as much of a fight then because he was tired and hungry, plus I would have a little more milk after that surge of prolactin(?) in the middle of the night) that got more and more of a struggle the older he got. My milk really STARTED waning at around 4 months. I was calling and meeting with lactation consultants, taking TONS of fenugreek, drinking lots of water, and just keeping up with nursing and/or pumping. It was kindof stressful, and got more and more stressful after I was only nursing him once a day. I would take my pump with me a lot of places, just trying to keep my very little milk going.
I am posting this a few days after I wrote it. To sum up, I stopped pumping at about 8 months. It was sad and I cried a couple times, because in my mind, as long as I was pumping, I could always get the milk back and even plentiful. But I truly believe (now) that my milk couldn't ever have gotten that plentiful with just pumping - my body had been done for awhile, and Georgie had definitely been done for awhile, and I finally just let it be and let it go. It was a big relief once I accepted it (and saved me so much time!).
Also, a couple days after we got there (the 26th I think?) Georgie finally mentally grasped rolling from his back to his tummy! I gave him just the slightest push, and then I kept just really encouraging him saying "push, push!!!", and he finally did it all on his own (in Grommer and Papou's family room!). It was really exciting - they were there and so was daddy! After he figured it out, he did it over and over, and that night changing his diaper was a chore because he wouldn't stop rolling over! Careful what you wish for!!!
Friday, December 9, 2011
Ahhh!
Well, I'm going to just try to touch on a few major things (yeah right, this is me we're talking about!). He's over 8 months now. I feel so bad I haven't posted more. I really should just print out my facebook wall for the last 8 months and call it his baby book!
Major Points!:
He now, as of about maybe a month ago, USUALLY, and FINALLY takes about 50 min. - 1 Hour and 15 min. naps - 3 a day! I had tried that a few times when he was maybe around 6 months old, and it seemed to be working, but then I kindof forgot and went back to making him sleep every two hours, so he was doing short naps - 4 or 5 every two hours. He wasn't sleeping quite as well at night either (sleep crying a few times and waking up early for his night feeding - like 3:00-4:00) during that 'short nap stint', so I remembered to try the 3 nap 'method' again, and it works! It's really the only thing that works! Basically, I increase his wake time between naps, and only allow 3, and try to be on a general schedule. So then he's pretty tired by the time he gets to nap (and usually, contrary to what I've read in Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child), and goes down 'like warm butter on toast'. Sometimes he gets pretty fussy because he's tired (maybe overtired), but I've found that sometimes if we wait another few minutes beyond that point, he'll go into a 'zoning' stage and then he'll go down SO easily. We still rock him pretty much fully to sleep (usually, anyway), but we don't mind because he almost fall asleep within 5 min (and usually like 2 or less). Anyway, it took me 8 months to figure it out (and probably was helped by the fact that he IS older and that it's winter now so much darker early and later (less daylight)), but I finally did. It also took kindof disregarding what I've read!
More to come!
Major Points!:
He now, as of about maybe a month ago, USUALLY, and FINALLY takes about 50 min. - 1 Hour and 15 min. naps - 3 a day! I had tried that a few times when he was maybe around 6 months old, and it seemed to be working, but then I kindof forgot and went back to making him sleep every two hours, so he was doing short naps - 4 or 5 every two hours. He wasn't sleeping quite as well at night either (sleep crying a few times and waking up early for his night feeding - like 3:00-4:00) during that 'short nap stint', so I remembered to try the 3 nap 'method' again, and it works! It's really the only thing that works! Basically, I increase his wake time between naps, and only allow 3, and try to be on a general schedule. So then he's pretty tired by the time he gets to nap (and usually, contrary to what I've read in Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child), and goes down 'like warm butter on toast'. Sometimes he gets pretty fussy because he's tired (maybe overtired), but I've found that sometimes if we wait another few minutes beyond that point, he'll go into a 'zoning' stage and then he'll go down SO easily. We still rock him pretty much fully to sleep (usually, anyway), but we don't mind because he almost fall asleep within 5 min (and usually like 2 or less). Anyway, it took me 8 months to figure it out (and probably was helped by the fact that he IS older and that it's winter now so much darker early and later (less daylight)), but I finally did. It also took kindof disregarding what I've read!
More to come!
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Ahhh - So Behind!
SO, so much has happened in the last few months, that I haven't blogged about! As usual, I just feel overwhelmed and like I can never be as thorough as I want to be, so I just don't write! Well, let me try to sum up a little!
He's almost 8 months now. I feel so guilty because I haven't written very much in his baby book either. Ahhhh! Really, his 'baby book' is facebook, where I wrote dozens of status updates regarding him, his progress, his day-to-day doings. So look there for insight into how Georgie has progressed the last few months! There's tons of pics there too!
He's almost 8 months now. I feel so guilty because I haven't written very much in his baby book either. Ahhhh! Really, his 'baby book' is facebook, where I wrote dozens of status updates regarding him, his progress, his day-to-day doings. So look there for insight into how Georgie has progressed the last few months! There's tons of pics there too!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
4 1/2 mo Pic, Personality, Cry it Out, Sleep,
It's so fun to see Georgie's little personality coming out! He's gotten so much more of it in the last couple months. I've been reading 'Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child, and it talks about temperament. It's interesting to note that I already know, even at thus young age, what a lot if his temperament is, and the characteristics that define him.
On a different note, we were going to try the modified let cry (Ferber) method about three weeks ago since he was almost 4 months. I put that on Facebook asking for advice and insight starting this at naptime (versus bedtime - there wasn't a lot of info about doing it for naps, and he doesn't have much of an issue at bedtime). I got LOTS of responses about the cry it out method, not particularly about naps though. One girl said that according to that book (above), He advises to start and establish it with bedtime first, then move to morning nap, then others. Anyway, long story short, we decided that it would be mean to do this method cold turkey when all he's ever known is being ticked to sleep. We'd never even TRIED giving him the opportunity to self soothe. So we decided to try another 'method' that us read about where you rock them to the point of drowsiness, then lay them down awake and walk away (so they see you), and see if they will soothe themselves completely to sleep. Well, I tried it, not thinking it would work, and it DID!!! Several times in a row! A couple times I had to go back in and rock him a little more, but then it would work the second tune. I was overjoyed! That still disnt solve the nap duration issue, BUT he was starting to sleep a little longer for one of his afternoon naps (like 35-50 minutes instead of 30). So that was exciting. I guess I just started thinking that he'll start sleeping longer when ge needs it!
Then, another long story short, he got his four month shots about a week later, and then he just has been fussy for the last two and a half weeks again. PRETTY fussy. I don't think it's necessarily linked to that, and maybe that week that he self soothed was a fluke. BUT, the last fews days I've been reading even more from that book (fascinating!), and paying VERY close attention to his drowsy signs, and trying to decipher HIS little biological rhythms. And keeping a nap log. I'm trying to get a good feel for when his natural naps are. And I'm still just thinking the lengths will lengthen when he needs it. He has been taking longer naps here and there, usually in the afternoon or early evening. Occasionally if he wakes up crying and I can tell he's real tired still, I'll try rocking him back to sleep, with occasional success.
In reading, I've determined that he's bit colicky, but he's not an 'easy' baby. He's on the fussy side, but he's also just really intense, so when he's angry he's ANGRY, but when he's happy he's HAPPY - and there's nothing better than the sound of his adorable boisterous laughs that hrs been doing the last few weeks! We call him our little 'drama king', and I'm definitely noticing his increasing ability to 'read' us (and potentially manipulate us!).
We've been discussing when to move him to his crib for bedtime (currently he does all his naps there, with a routine leading up to it of a diaper change, story, then mountain stream white noise looped while I rock him to the point if drowsiness). We probably will still do 'let cry' to some extent, but we need to move him to his crib for bedtime (I think it's cruel to do the 'cry it out' when he's in the bassinet right next to our bed). I've heard from everyone that the sooner you do this method the better (the younger). But I'm dragging my heels on moving him to the crib because I just so love having him next to me. It will be hard to let go of that! But we will do it soon, as we're also going to introduce solid foods soon, and I don't want to do too much change at once. Anyway, there's some updates!
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